Fashion: A Cultural Context

‘Fashion' is multi-faceted- a multiple choice- depending on your budget and attitude you can dress ‘in fashion' and yet be totally individual thanks to the available choice, and the liberal dress codes that exists. Only 40 years ago things were very different- discuss the social and cultural changes that have taken place since the 60's that has allowed this phenomenal change to happen, using quotes from authors and academics to underpin your ideas. Introduction As we approach the year 2003, we find a vastly different fashion industry from that which existed only 40 years ago. Although the fashion sector is known for its apid change, we see an industry today that has been dramatically transformed by such new things as new technology, globalisation, and changing consumer values. Every segment of the industry has been required to change to meet new competitive challenges. As a result, we find a fashion industry that has restructured its self to respond to global competition. The industry is faster, is geographically more wide spread and can focus on understanding and serving the consumer more effectively than ever before. Though transportation and communication advances, the industry has become a orldwide production and distribution network. At the same time, new technologies allow close examination of consumer needs and have reduced the time it takes to respond to those needs. One of the most enduring images of the 1960's is undoubtedly the mini skirt. Not merely a new fashion trend but a true icon of the sixties, the mini skirt epitomised the attitudes of the era. The name synonymous with the fame of the mini skirt is of course Mary Quant. Not only was she responsible for creating the infamous mini, but she also led the way for the radical changes in the fashion industry hat made London such a celebrated centre through out the decade. Like most new fashion trends, the mini skirt was an innovative idea sparked off by a series of unique social and cultural changes. Hemlines had been dramatically shortened at other times before the sixties, also in times of great social change, after and during World War 1and World War 2. This fashion revolution happened at the same time as another big cultural change of the century- pop music. Music has and always will be a major influence on fashion and sub-culture. Another huge cultural change of the decade was ‘the pill'. The younger generation was becoming less inhibited, and more sexually promiscuous because of the invention of the contraceptive pill, and clothes became more overtly sexual and revealing. Along the street of Haight Ashbury, hippies could be seen wandering along, wearing their multi-coloured kaftans or afghan coats over fringed tasseled dresses, flat leather sandals, a headband copied straight from the American Indians or a pair of scruffy flared jeans. What had started off for many as an ethical movement by a few die-hard individuals in America soon became a world ide phenomenon influencing lifestyles and creating the main stream fashion of the late sixties. This was a form of anti-fashion as revolt. It was untidy and spontaneous and radically different from the chirpy neatness of the earlier years of the decade and the futuristic fashions of the previous few years. Boutiques such As ‘I was Lord Kitchener's Valet' or ‘Granny Takes a Trip' in London, both reflected the sartorial anarchy of the times with their bright riotous designs. Hippie women reacted against the dolly bird image of the early sixties that with he arrival of the mini skirt had been designed to free the young woman from sexual stereotyping. With its thigh revealing length it confined her in a look, which aimed directly at the male's libido. Although the late sixties have been criticised for its naive belief that free love and marijuana would solve the worlds problems, there was a lot of creative activity which led to permanent social change. People felt free to break down taboos. The woman's, civil and gay rights movements all started in this decade. Sexual stereotypes were being broken down and ‘free love' was on the agenda. Men and woman began to look alike with unisex jeans and long hair, the older generation felt increasingly alienated from the young. Experimenting with gender was part of the revolution. As woman took up the banner for sexual equality, men began to reject the fifties ideal of muscular machismo. The old mores of what constituted male dress were broken down and men experimented with less obviously masculine looks. Much of the late sixties was, for many spent in a haze of drug induced euphoria. The use of LSD was a powerful influence on ideas and dress. People xperimented with their lifestyles in the belief that they were somehow on the road to a greater awareness and under standing, fuelled by the sensory experience of acid and its ability to distort the senses, creates hallucinations and vivid colours. Fashion has always had it's social conscience and can be the perfect vehicle for powerful political messages, from the iconisation of Che Guevara's portrait to the anti- war slogans of Katherine Hamnett's T-shirts. But the truly unexpected that flies in the face of fashion its self can carry as powerful a signal as the blatantly written message. Anti-fashion by definition is the opposite of fashion, so if it exists, it should be different every time fashion changes. But its rules stay the same because what it all represents is all negative- anarchy, destruction of order and instigation of chaos. By the mid 1970's woman had discovered that that trousers gave them a sexual neutrality that allowed them to compete in the work place. The 1980's career girl was now an executive who had business lunches and held boardroom meetings. She was confident, independent and more liberated than ever. Designers created outfits especially for these woman. Denim jeans were re-designed to fit woman, and the designer's name on a visible label became all-important. This period launched ‘power dressing'. Women's trousers have always reflected social change and women's growing confidence in their place in society. This was especially true during the seventies. Now every woman has a pair of trousers of some kind in her wardrobe, whether part of a suit or a pair of faded denim jeans. This continues to illustrate women's increasing sense of equality and freedom of choice in society, of which women's trousers have been a constant measure. Alongside this licence to choose from a range of styles regardless of the context a more serious fashion aesthetic existed. The androgynous clothes many women choose to wear expressed the growing women's movement and their desire to be taken more seriously they entered the work force on a more equal footing. The seventies represented the twilight of an era of sexual liberation, over indulgence and decadence. The sexual revolution may have been discussed at length in the sixties, but it could be argued that it actually happened and exploded in the seventies, especially in increasingly jaded ways. The chic new sexual conventions of the day denied that a person's sexuality could be neatly classified. During the 1980's, fashion became integral to the newly emerging concept of the lifestyle. The new wealth and prosperity hyped in the media were ever more evident throughout the decade. In this decade there was a deregulation of the stock market and an explosion in property prices. This helped establish the culture of the yuppie. There was enormous wealth around, but it was spent with a corporate mentality, so that even the most exotic trophy wife appeared to be dressing not only for her an, but for boardroom approval. Power dressing- dressing to show your importance and bank balance, dressing for success, was in. Even if you were a supermarket shelf stacker, you would still wear your impressive power suit in Your spare time. In the 1990's Princess Diana of Wales, was a major influence. She had the rare gift of combining aristocrat grace with the stature of a catwalk model. She championed the interests of British fashion at home and abroad and had her own unique international stage. Her style emerged over the years into a more sophisticated and confidently intuitive one. Having Diana wear your outfit was a priceless piece of publicity, but even for those who copied, she was a strong influence and a tonic to the industry. She gave hope to a whole new generation of couturiers and mainstream designers, and a new out look to many girls who could now wear such clothes without having to be debutante. To understand the constant changes in fashion, it is important to understand that fashions are always in harmony with their era. As a famous designer expressed it â€Å"Fashion is a social phenomenon which reflects the same continuing change that rides through any given age. Changes in fashion, he emphasised â€Å"Correspond with the subtle and often hidden networks of forces that operate on society†¦ In this sense, fashion is a symbol†. Different views exist on how fashion changes are started. Sprole & Burns categorised these views into two groups as follows- * Because the fashion industry thrives on change, this idea suggests that different segments of the industry force change on the consumer by dictating new trends. Traditionally, European fashion houses exerted a powerful influence; the trade media such as women's wear daily, shaped the industries choices. Therefore, consumer's choices and retailers dictated what would be worn by what they carried. Although all these forces are important, Sproles noted â€Å"Changing fashion is a far more complex phenomenon that those with the industry- centred views may wish to believe†. In recent years, many consumers have become increasingly resistant to having new fashions forced on them. Often consumers now exert a spirit of independence in their dress by wearing what they feel is right for them, regardless of what the industry promotes. * Others who study fashion change, believe consumers are responsible for hat becomes fashionable. Given an array of products from which to chose certain trends develop because a group of consumers establish that these fashions are right. Four major theories suggest how consumers determine the course of new trends; some trends may begin with the upper socioeconomic consumers. Others may occur within all socioeconomic groups. Sometimes fashions rise from subculture groups such as urban African- Americans, youth, blue collar workers and ethnic minorities such as Native American. Nearly any creative or initiative individual can launch fashion trends if they are consistent ith the social climate and lifestyles of the times (Sproles 1981). Men and women are complex creatures whose actions are seldom governed by reason alone. Change comes about for psychological reasons. People grow bored of what they have, the eye wearies of the same colours, lines, and textures after a time. What is new and different appears refreshing, and what has been on the scene for a while appears dull and unattractive. Changes for such psychological reasons occur also in the fashions for products other than clothing. Auto manufacturers introduce new colours and shapes because potential buyers ire of the same colours an shape. Changes in fashion are also caused by rational reasons, such as environmental factors that create knew needs. A classic example of social change that brought about drastic change in fashions occurred in the early decades of the twentieth century, when women sort, gained and enjoyed new political and economic freedom. Their altered activities and concepts of them selves encouraged them to discard the constricting garments that had been in fashion for centuries and to adopt shorter skirts like those of Mary Quants, relaxed waistlines, bobbed hair nd other fashions more appropriate to their more active lives. Generations later, as women moved into top executive positions in the business world, the tailored suit, soft blouses and attachi bags became the ‘dressing for success' fashion of young career women in the late seventies and eighties. The physical fitness movement in the 1970's and 1980's brought about the need for exercise clothing, and as the interest in jogging, hiking, tennis and aerobics grew, also did the need for new and different fashions appropriate to each of these active sports. Casual Fridays and a shift towards working at home have hanged the way many people dressed for work in the 1990's. Even environmental concerns influenced fashion by avoiding the use of certain dyes and finishes harmful to nature. Conclusion Although fashions change constantly and new ones appear almost every season, a full-scale change over is never completed at any one time. In studying the pattern in change in fashions, scholars have observed that changes in fashion are evolutionary in natu re, rather than revolutionary. It is only in retrospect that fashion changes seem marked or sudden. Actually they come about as a result f a series of gradual shifts from one season to the next. For example, when women's skirts became inching up from the mid calf in the 1960's this gradual shortening was not particularly noticeable at first. It was only when skirts moved thigh high, in the form of minis and micro minis, that people took notice of the approaching extreme. Even today, when the rate of fashion change has execrated sharply, the pace of change is really slower than it appears to the unskilled observer who has failed to notice the early evolutionary movements in a new direction. The evolutionary ature of fashion change is a fundamental principle that is recognised by fashion practitioners, it provides them with a solid, factual foundation for forecasting and identifying in-coming fashions. When planning and developing new styling ideas, they always keep the current fashions and evolving directions in mind. Therefore the expectance of a particular coat or dress fashion during a current season becomes a straw in the wind for experts to search for clues to next seasons trends. The degree of it's acceptance provides needed clues as to what will or will not be welcomed by the consumer in the next season. Knowing that people do not respond well to sudden changes, the fashion experts build gradually, not abruptly, towards new ideas. Even the slowest most gradual of evolutionary changes in fashion, do change eventually. Examples of this can be found in history and recent times. For example when the mini skirts of the 1960's moved up to the micro mini skirts of the1970's, hems began inching downward. Whether it be skirt lengths, suit lapels, silhouettes or general fashion looks, all fashions tend to move steadily towards an extreme, at which point a new direction develops.

Technology of War

Patrick Struszczyk Professor Mako November 23, 2010 HHS-125 Technology of War War brings with it a surge of technologies. Development of tactics, machines, and general technology usually arise in times of trial. Two wars, the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War, are prime examples of how technology and tactic morph and evolve. Tactics in war are one of the more vital aspects, a proper set of tactics can help overcome dramatic odds. The French/Indian War involved the French, the Natives of North America, and the British.During the war, European powers followed strict guidelines and protocol when in battle; form lines of 3 men deep, fire in volleys, take care of prisoners lives, opposing generals would dine together; these and other rules composed European warfare. The Indians, on the other hand, fought guerilla style ambushing and using hit/run maneuvers to harass, tire, and weaken the enemy. The tactics in the French/Indian War were integrated by the Americans during the Revolutionary War while the British continued with their traditional tactics. Though tactics play an important role in battle, it is not the single factor that determines the victor.As war developed, so did the machines used. An army with more advanced weapons would have tremendous advantages over an army with ‘outdated weapons’. During the French and Indian War, great strides were made in the area of guns and cannons. Both the French/Indian and British used muskets, cannons, and the newly created rifles. ‘Involving muskets the British favored the ‘Brown Bess’ and the French had the Charleville’ (French and Indian War). Before this war muskets were only accurate at around 50 meters and had to be protected by pikemen when reloading.The addition of bayonets and rifling in the barrel fixed these problems and increased effectiveness. ‘Since rifling was expensive and time consuming, at first only the best shots in the regiment were given rifle s’ (Weapons). The Revolutionary war continued these military improvements. Rifles began replacing muskets in the British divisions while the Americans had to collect weapons from the French and Indian War, other countries, or from captured British holds. ‘A key in battles such as in Boston and defending coastal bases were cannons’ (Valis).Cannons were usually imported from England and stolen by the Americans, they were measured based on the size of the cannonballs they fired. War is demanding on not only soldiers, but also on citizens who have to provide food, funds, shelter, and tools for the armies. The demands of war usually bring advancement of general technology either during or after a war. A few years after wars, the technology is usually made open the public to do what they can and adapt it to their lives while the government begins new ways of improving warfare. A few examples are from the French and Indian war.The men kept their muskets and were able to use them for hunting and such. ‘Interchangeable parts in France began in the production of muskets but soon trickled into textiles, crafts making and such’ (Interchangeable). War is an activity that evolves over time due to development in tactics, weapons, general technology, and other factors; such as the changes from the French and Indian war to the American Revolution.Works Cited†French and Indian War. †Ã‚  Military:French and Indian War. GlobalSecurity. Org, 27 04 2005. Web. 23 Nov 2010. http://www. globalsecurity.org/military/ops/french_indian. htm  Valis, Glenn.†Tactics and Weapons of the Revolutionary War.. †Ã‚  Tactics and Weapons of the Revolutionary War. A basic overview of how the weapons of the American Revolution were used and why.. Glenn Valis, 3/31/02. Web. 23 Nov 2010. http://www. doublegv. com/ggv/battles/tactics. htmlâ€Å"INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS . †Ã‚  Inventors and Inventions from the 1700's – the Eighteenth Cen tury :INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS  2010. n. pag. EnchantedLearning. com. Web. 23 Nov 2010. http://www. enchantedlearning. com/inventors/1700. shtml

Andragogy and Transformative Learning Essay

The realization that adults learn differently from children led educators and scholars to the difficult task of defining the distinct manner by which adults learn. This was necessary in order to establish adult education as a separate field requiring non-traditional strategies in terms of teaching-learning style and instruction, but needed the same attention and effort as early education. Although the field of adult education has since branched out into numerous categories involving both formal and informal educational settings, the concept of adult learning continues to evolve as a result of the increased interest and numerous contributions to the field by educators and scholars alike. Indeed, adult education professionals have had to define the unique characteristics of adult learning vis-a-vis dominant learning frameworks focused on the teaching and learning of children. For instance, Malcolm Knowles used the term â€Å"andragogy† in an effort to differentiate adult learning from â€Å"pedagogical† or child learning approaches (Atherton, 2005). According to Knowles, there are five key differences between andragogical and pedagogical approaches to the teaching-learning process. These differences emanate mainly from the perceived differences between the characteristics of the adult as a learner compared to the child learner. In contrast to pedagogical approaches to teaching-learning which view the learner as highly dependent upon the teacher/instructor’s guidance and experience, andragogical approaches focus on the learner’s ability for self-direction and capacity for drawing knowledge from experiences (Yale University Library, 2005). Another important source of distinction between pedagogical and andragogical approaches is that the former focuses on the role external sources of motivation in the achievement of positive learning outcomes while the latter emphasizes the importance of motivation for learning that is intrinsic in the individual adult as a learner (ibid). Hence, andragogical approaches assume that adults can take responsibility for the direction and outcomes of their learning, a task that has been traditionally assigned to the teacher or the instructor by most pedagogical approaches in education. Aside from Knowles’ notion of andragogy, another influential theory in the conceptualization and benchmarking of adult education outcomes is Mezirow’s concept of Transformative Learning, which posits that adult learning involves perspective transformation or the process by which adults â€Å"become more adaptive and able to profit from experience† as a result of the expansion of the frames they use for interpreting and understanding the meaning and construction of their experiences (Parkes, 2001, p. 82). Unsurprisingly, the results of Maher’s (2002, p. 11) study on the first three generations of adult educators reveal that adult educators considered both Knowles and Mezirow among the leading theorists of adult learning. The same study is made interesting by the fact that it reflects how the perceptions and philosophies of adult educators themselves are shaped by the impact of their experiences and how they construe and fit the meaning of these experiences into their lives as educators. As Maher (2002, p. 12) notes, the responses of the adult educators she surveyed â€Å"represents a living example of how adult development occurs as a result of ‘a mixture of everything that happens to us’† which parallels both Knowles and Mezirow’s contention that adult learning is generally driven by the need by adults to continually frame and re-frame their existence through making sense of their experiences. Consequently, one of the differences that can be expected from adult educators or professionals who are more often involved in adult education in terms of the instruction approach is their more facilitative style of teaching. This stems from the adult educators’ perception that their students are in possession of knowledge and experiences that are relevant to the learning process as suggested by both Knowles and Mezirow, and that adult learners often want more control over their learning experiences and outcomes (Timarong, Temaungil & Sukrad, n. d. ). Another difference between adult educators and child educators is that the former often expects learners to assume responsibility and direct their own learning. This behavior is influenced by the notion that adult learners are often often conscious of their own learning needs. Likewise, adult educators often have a more informal relationship with their student, which is influenced by their view of the student as an individual as opposed to the more formal and rigid structure in early mentoring (Landsberger, 1996). However, this does not mean that adult educators have lower expectations in terms of learning outcomes. On the contrary, adult educators place more responsibility on their students since adult learners are treated as partners in the learning process and therefore have the ability to actively participate in planning, monitoring, and evaluating their education. The assumption that adults learn differently from children has numerous implications for instruction, particularly in how educators address learners’ specific needs and preferences. First, the educator has to consider the adult learner tendency for autonomy and self-direction in evaluating their teaching style. Second, instruction in adult learning has to take into account adult learners’ preference for relevant, problem-based learning and the relationship between these new knowledge to their specific contexts and life tasks (Lieb, 1991). Hence, adult learning instruction must be able to incorporate multiple teaching strategies, practice respect for self-directed learning processes, and offer experiential learning opportunities in order for learners to gain a sense of control and personal relevance of their learning (Maher, 2002, p. 7). Lastly, adult instruction must enable learner participation in all aspects of the learning process, and clarify the learner’s responsibility for assessing and evaluating their own performance vis-a-vis their goals for learning. Clearly, the dichotomy between adult learning and child learning primarily stems from the distinct learning needs and styles of each group of learners. Hence, adult learners require teaching strategies and styles that are vastly different from the traditional teaching methods employed in early education. Thus, the field of adult learning itself is made unique not only by its distinct goals and outcomes for the learner, but by the greater responsibility for the learning process that it allocates to the learner as a mature, independent individual. Works Cited: Atherton, J. S. (2005) Learning and teaching: Knowles andragogy: an angle on adult learning. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www. learningandteaching. info/learning/knowlesa. htm Landsberger, J. (1996). Learning as an adult Andragogy. The Study Guides and Strategies. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www. studygs. net/adulted. htm Lieb, S. (2007). Principles of adult learning. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://honolulu. hawaii. edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-2. htm Maher, P. A. (2002). Conversations with long-time adult educators: the first three generation (ED471248). Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www. eric. ed. gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1a/9c/bd. pdf Parkes, D. (2001). About adult education: Transformative learning. Journal of Workplace Learning. 13 (3). 182-184. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from ProQuest Data Base. Timarong, A. , Temaungil, M. , & Sukrad, W. (n. d. ). Adult learning and learners. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www. prel. org/products/pr_/adult-learners. htm

MOD 7 Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MOD 7 Discussion - Essay Example The foremost driving force to water protection and conservation is its being a limited natural resource of finite availability, with only 0.6 percent of global water being fresh and 0.03% accessible for human consumption. Water is getting scarce and its demand rising from climate change and increasing human population respectively. Reasons for the human community to have a concern for water spread across diverse areas because water forms an essential part of the ecosystem, even sustaining the under-water life. Arousing a pro-active response is the alarming decline in the sea water level, drying sources, declining glacier on top of the mountains and low water tables, which all serve but as assurances that water quantity is indeed declining. Pollution makes the key initiator of all water problems and it is by addressing the same that we can eradicate water scarcity. With dwindling water supply, the world’s major economic pillars including agriculture and industrialization are going to suffer the blow. Water pollution at the same time poses numerous health risks to consumers. The second initiator of water scarcity is irresponsible consumption behavior, eventually resulting to wastage of fresh water, while apparently; statistics show that one in nine people worldwide do not have access to fresh

Computer Game Improves the Motivation of Learning Mathematics Research Paper

Computer Game Improves the Motivation of Learning Mathematics - Research Paper Example According to Azevedo, mathematics or math games are fun activities. They usually encourage motivation, call for deep thinking, require both chance and skills, and provide multiple approaches to problem-solving. These games implement certain mathematical strategies and skills by leveraging the natural inclination of the student to play. The games can either be played by an individual, a small or large group; it can be cooperative and/or competitive. Mathematical games have been proved to have some rewarding impacts to students. Azevedo argues that games are usually part of after-school activities. Math games can provide the students with suitable contexts for developing both socially and mathematically. In addition, Shin, Sutherland, Norris & Soloway affirm that students can explore and discuss new strategies with their peers and use these strategies to solve and calculate mathematical problems. Furthermore, math games allow the students to participate at a level of their choice and b uild on their knowledge and understanding. There exists limited empirical literature that supports the hypothesis with most of those advocating for the technique being the game developers and investors, which makes the supporting results relatively biased.There have been many studies showing how computer games find their place at the elementary school class and students. In order to support the hypothesis that computer games improve motivation in learning mathematics in elementary school, four studies from different sources are considered.

Professional Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Professional Practice - Essay Example On one bright day, on the New Year eve, the main server crashed. Though we were able to restart the server and line it up for service, the database could not be started. After much trying we decided to restore the backed up data from the earlier date. As luck would have it, the restored data also failed. If we had tried to restore this data it would have been two days work which the client might have had to do, instead if we were to restore the earlier one, we need to restore or reenter almost one week's data which is quite a volume. Taking all this into consideration we tried our best to bring back online the original data without loss of any information. It took almost two days for us to bring back the data and restart the database. This professional issue meant we are possibly missing our New Year celebrations. But for the client, it was down the day before the New Year and it was brought on line the day after the New Year. Literally, there was no down time for them. They were hap py. Professional issues many times are application of mind and common sense coupled with appropriate technical knowledge. May be I should say, 20% technical knowledge and 80% common sense. I have found along with this, there is also another major factor which plays an important role in sorting out professional issues and that is the attitude. The learning attitude and an open mind, both for criticisms, for new ideas and for sharing new thoughts, would all help in solving very many complex issues. Professional issues are welcome since they would bring in challenges that make our work more interesting, in the bargain, educating us and leave us with a sense of achievement at the end. Whereas Ethical issues are not... The researcher of this essay states that running and heading a private business is a challenging job. One, you are responsible for your staff and also for yourself and your family. Two, the customers need to be answered and the commitments made need to be honored including the time lines. As a matter of fact, the staff in your company will expect you to compensate them for the same kind of work. The responsibilities at the office are more profound and finding time to make contributions to forums of interest seems to be a difficult proposition. The researchr of this essay lists down some of the professional issues that he faced during the course of his work with various companies. As Head IT Technician, the researcher was expected to plan for ongoing and regular backups of database in a particular client site. This was done twice every week at an interval of three days every time. The idea was, in case there is any data related issue, the client would be able to roll back to a state t hat was maximum three days prior to the date of the problem. The researcher also planned it in such a way that there will be at least one more backup which will also be maintained. The researcher concluds that this course made a very important point and that is: we may not be able to satisfy every one at every point in time. Professionals need to up hold the highest professional tradition and ethic. The course made the researcher to appreciate these facts of the codes of conduct as well as the ethics and the morals behind these codes.

Main Rules of Energy Governance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Main Rules of Energy Governance - Assignment Example Energy security remains a major concern to most emerging economies, mainly due to overreliance on nonrenewable sources by most of these countries. Consequently, most governments prioritize energy security over climate change. The need to address global climatic changes, therefore, has mainly been driven by developed countries (Ren & Zhenyu 635). Presence of electoral rules that strongly favor major political parties derailed the rapid growth of wind-power in the US. On the other hand, the presence of stable energy policies coupled with financial incentives ensured that Germany experienced rapid growth in wind-power earlier. Despite this difference, both countries rank among the top three global generators of wind-power. Conclusively, one would identify the nature of the electoral systems in the two countries as the overall political factor that makes each of their pursuit of wind-power distinctive (Shepherd & Li Zhang  186).  

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Speech or Presentation

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey - Speech or Presentation Example Their data is comprehensive and nationally representative, drawing from a large and diverse sample of participants. Current presentation focuses on the contribution made by NHANES to research chronic disease like obesity and hearing disorders and infectious disease like tuberculosis (TB). Current trends and risk factors associated with these disorders are also highlighted. Is there a fine line between healthy weight and overweight, or between overweight and obesity? Body mass index (BMI) is a widely used tool to determine overall health and nutritional status of individuals over time. NHANES have made a significant contribution in studying weight issues. Their reports indicate that the percent of overweight and obese adults is continuing to increase (NHANES). The percent of people, who are overweight or obese, with a BMI of 25.0 or higher, increased from 56 percent in 1988-1994 to 64 percent in 1999–2000. Moreover if we look at the longer period from 1960s to 2000, there is ab out 18% decline in healthy weight. The bottom line is that there is increase in the prevalence of obesity in men and women both, and in all age groups (20-72 years) (Flagel et al., 1723-27). These numbers obviously raise question about the implication of these trends on health outcomes since obesity is a risk factors for many chronic diseases like arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancers. Diabetes is more closely linked to obesity and its prevalence is also increasing along with obesity. Lifestyle change, education, low fat-low energy diet and regular physical activity can bring a modest change of 5-10% reduction in body weight. The benefits of reduction in overweight and obesity are of significant public health importance. Hearing disorder is another chronic disease affecting tens of millions of people in US. A maximal threshold levels that range from 15 dB to 25 dB can be defined as normal hearing. Loud sound exposure is one of the risk factors for acquired loss of hearing. NHANES report that infection, genetic syndromes, complications of prematurity, perinatal complications, ototoxic medications, and head trauma are other possible risk factors for this disease. According to NHANES, the prevalence of hearing loss in adolescents aged 12-19 years in significantly increasing. It increased from 14.9 % in 1988-1994 to 15.2-23.8% in 2005-2006 (Shargorodsky et al 772-8). This is about 31% increase over these years. Both unilateral and bilateral hearing loss showed increased incidences. Unilateral hearing loss increased from 11.1% to 14.0%, while bilateral hearing loss increased from 3.8% to 5.5% during these periods. NHANES 2005-2006 report show that 1 in every 5 adolescent demonstrated loss of hearing. 1 in every 20 adolescent has mild or worse hearing loss (>25dB). The interval factors between 1988-1994 and 2005-2006 like vaccination against influenza, pneumonia or awareness towards hearing loss due to loud music, had not effect on the reduction of hearing loss, although it was expected. Hearing loss at this age can affect learning, social skill development and self-esteem; hence it becomes important that young adults do no underestimate the symptoms of loud sound, tinnitus, and temporary hearing impairment during music exposure. Slight or worse hearing loss has also been associated with lower school grades, low self-esteem and increased stress. 2005-2006 NHANES report that higher incidences of hearing loss come from the participants living below the national

Written communication Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Written communication - Assignment Example gement and worker protection, and employee labor relations, it is my belief that the most important one that I will use in my future career is that of talent management and development. As we studied, an organization or firm is only as successful as the people who work there. In this way, realizing that the appreciation for and development of this talent is the biggest determining factor for whether a firm or organization will succeed or not helps me to place this category as the single most important in terms of HR management. The organization is ultimately made up of people that must be professional, talented, and useful towards achieving the goals that are set before it. In this way, attempting to develop these skills and applying talent management and development skills to the workplace is a way in which the entire human resources management process can itself be made easier. Oftentimes this is misunderstood due to the fact that people think that talent management and development only relates to trying to hire talented people. Yet, the fact of the matter is that hiring talented people is only the first step. If one takes over human resources management from another person, they will be required to not only hire new people from time to time, but most importantly to work with existing employees (Younger 2007). In this way, the most important job that the human resources manager has is working with current employees and helping them to target key areas of development and improve themselves. This level of improvement is what is understood as a win-win situation for both the employer and the employee. This is due to the fact that when the employer spends the resources necessary to train or develop an existing employee, they get the benefit of having a more skilled employee within the firm without the need to hire someone else to perform the same job or function that they have trained the existing employee for. This is one of the most profound ways that

SYSTEMS SAFETY MANAGEMENT 440 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SYSTEMS SAFETY MANAGEMENT 440 - Research Paper Example The identified components of a robust safety management system plan for the aviation industry include safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance and safety promotion. The above safety management system components have the potential of providing the necessary frameworks and guidelines for managers in the aviation industry to execute and implement effective system safety program plan in the organization. The central role and aim of aviation organizations is to deliver services, achieve production output and generate return on investments so as enhance their growth and sustenance of operations (Castro, 2005). Airports, airlines, air traffic organizations and aviation service providers are key components of the aviation industry. Safety in the aviation industry is an important aspect and this has been further reaffirmed by the increasing public expectations regarding aviation safety. A safety management system refers to a systematic approach that is geared towards managing safety and it entails the necessary organizational structure, accountabilities, policies and procedures (Castro, 2005). The aviation industry extensively relies on safety management system in order to achieve overall safety at both the organizational level and individual level. The role of safety management system in the aviation industry is to prevent human injury or loss of life and to avoid damage to the environm ent and to property (Yilmaz, 2008). Despite the overarching need for safety in the aviation industry, safety management system has not been fully implemented and fostered across the industry. This paper examines the role of safety management system in the aviation industry and strategies and approaches that can be used to implement and execute a safety management system in the aviation industry. System safety refers to the application of engineering and management principles, criteria, and techniques with a view of optimizing safety within the constraints of

Social Enterprise and Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Social Enterprise and Future - Essay Example The success of a business idea is the ability to own it through the patent. The patenting of business ideas ensures that the idea is by the organization, and any of its use will lead to monetary value. The major challenge with patents is the process involved in obtaining the patents. The patents are to be used to protect intellectual property such as software. Changes in design and technology must be evaluated on the basis of success that they can bring to the society while the originators must be able to obtain a reward from the advancement. The commercialization process involves several steps that must be addressed in order to achieve success. These steps include; invention disclosure and assessment disclosure. Upon receiving the invention, the review offers insight on whether the protection of intellectual property is necessary. The major challenge has been the rights of the initiators who may be employees of the company.In order to succeed, the company must have a reward system t hat recognizes the role of the employees in innovation. It is vital for the employees to own the innovation which will, in turn, encourage creativity within the organization. Individuals should be allowed to apply for patents for their innovations because they own it and it should not be taken away from them. However, the current situation does not encourage individuals to apply for intellectual property ownership leading to the development of several issues including fear and loss of wealth generation opportunities.

Critical Analysis of Frustration Essay Example for Free

Critical Analysis of Frustration Essay The concept of this story is that war can never be justified through self-righteousness. That is, if a person is trying to start a war because he thinks himself to be better than his target, there is no just reason for him to do it. Most, if not all, wars are primarily begun by one man believing himself to be better than is target. This is proven through the history of Rome and other nations. But what makes war justified? Is there ever a reason to destroy another’s life? The answer is no. Starting a war can never be justified. This story proves that. In â€Å"Frustration† a man is trying to find proof that a justified war is indeed possible. His advanced technology allows him to run through computer simulations which, in theory, would find a series of events that would make this man’s war, right. The main issue that is brought up is that a computer, in itself, lacks self-righteousness, meaning that it places a much higher value on human lives than the average human does. But how does this make any difference? Humans naturally believe that they are in some way better than each other. If a man thinks that he is better than another man than what is to stop him from attempting to subdue and enslave the lesser man? It is this self-righteousness, unchanged by generations, that causes all wars. All through that ages humanity has stayed the same in their behaviors and characteristics. This story implies this even at the very beginning of it. â€Å"The whole meal has been prepared by computer. Untouched by human hands†. With these words we know that this story takes place in the future. Herman Gelb, the main protagonist in the story, is at a meeting ith the computer programmer Peter Jonsbeck. Immediately the conversation is turned upon the activities of old man Hargrove, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Herman is intrigued by the fact that Hargrove is intent on finding a war that is justifiable and efficient. At questioning this, Herman get the response from Peter, â€Å"He wants the world to be the way we are-noble, honest, decent, full of respect for human rights and so on†. Now we know that it is the self-righteousness of Hargrove that is leading him to perform these computer simulations. It shows that, in this author’s view, humanity is likely to stay unchanged in the future; ignorant from their distaste of the other man, self-righteousness driving them to believe that they are the best in the world. And so our characteristic of self-righteousness never changes. Our personal beliefs can never justify war. Self-righteousness makes us blind to the true needs of our fellow man, and in the end brings dissent among people, and war. Peter makes the quote, â€Å"And they’re keeping the pressure on us, too. They don’t think we’re perfect†, this shows that self-righteousness never travels one way, that is, one person may think he is superior to someone else but that someone else will not think that person superior to him. In the story the three men all believe that they need to conquer the world in order to make it like them. They use this to justify their reason for war. When Peter says, â€Å"Hargrove thinks it is possible to find some combination of starting conditions and courses of development that will result in clear victory for us and not too much damage to the world, and he labors in constant frustration. , we know that Hargrove is so consumed by his self-righteousness that he labors furiously in order to find some kind of equation that will make his war just. This relates to human nature in a way that is explicitly obvious. We do not want to be alone in the world and therefore try to make others to be like us. Sadly in this process we begin to believe that we are better than our fellow man. This is not so. â€Å"After all†, says Peter, â€Å"It may be that even the losing nations would benefit from being directed by us, with our stronger economy and stronger moral sense. These men in the story are blind. In believing that they have a stronger moral sense, they have proven their humanity. What kind of people, with a strong moral sense, would attempt to take over nations, in order for those nations to be like them. As a people we desire not to be alone but to be supported. However, through this desire, we get blinded from our true motives. Attempting to assimilate a people is not moral or just. It is simply, wrong. As a race we tend to put a much higher value on ourselves and our desires than the needs of our neighbours. Computers have no sense of self-righteousness, which is one of the key components of humanity’s character. Herman mentions to Peter that there would be casualties. In reply Peter says, â€Å"Yes, of course. But the computer will presumably compare the casualties and other damage-to the economy and ecology, for instance-to the benefits that would derive from our control of the world, and if it decides the benefits outweigh the casualties, then it will give the go-ahead for a ‘just war’†. The computers in the story could not find a good enough excuse for a â€Å"just war† because they had no sense of self-righteousness. They did not believe that they â€Å"needed to be in control of the world and subdue other nations. In response to an accusation from Gelb that Peter is in the computer programming business for the money, Peter defends himself saying, â€Å"There won’t be a war. There’s no realistic combination of events that would make the computer decide on war†. The computers put a much higher value on life than Hargrove and the others. Hargrove believed that the other nations needed to be controlled by them in order that they be â€Å"proper† nations. The computers could not justify war by the human’s need to be in control. Gelb is curious as to why there will not be a war so Peter tells him, â€Å"I don’t know any way of programming a computer to give what is most needed in any war, any persecution, any devilry, while ignoring any harm that may be done in the process. † Sadly this is true. Any war, in order to be begun, needs some sort of devilry in order for it to get a kickoff. Computers have no sense of devilry because they have no self-righteousness, and, therefore, they can find a reason to start a war for just reasons. Those reasons simply do not exist. Human nature never changes. Wars are wrought. Lives are lost. These wars can never be justified by man’s need to be superior to his neighbour. Ever since the dawn of mankind, wars have been fought because one man, or people, believed they were the superior. This characteristic had never changed through our history, and it never will. God gave us the command to love our neighbour as ourselves. However, as this story dictates, people often love themselves way more than their fellow man. Destruction and chaos have been driven by humanities self-righteousness. But as the story dictates, self-righteousness is never focused one way. People will not freely believe that someone else is better than them. We want others to be like us because we do not want to be alone in the world. Unfortunately through this process, we begin to believe that we are better than other people. This desire for attention leads to some of the world’s greatest tragedies and depressions. Computers lack what war needs in order to be begun. They lack any sense of devilry and self-righteousness. They place a higher value on life than the average man. Never will they justify war for the sole reason to assimilate another people or nation. No set of equations or circumstances can lead a computer to giving the â€Å"OK† for a just war. It just will not happen.

Effects of pilocarpine and atropine on heart rate

Effects of pilocarpine and atropine on heart rate Abstract Heart rate is controlled in a normal heart by the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. Pilocarpine and atropine are cholinergic drugs that affect heart rate by affecting the acetylcholine receptors. A frog heart was used to compare the effects of pilocarpine and atropine on heart rate. Pilocarpine was shown to decrease the heart rate and atropine increased heart rate. These results are consistent with how the two drugs affect the receptors. Introduction Although the heart has autorhythmic cells the heart rate is regulated by the sympathic and parasympathetic nervous systems of the autonomic nervous system (Dahian, 2006; Silverthorn, 2009; Stabler, 2009). Acetylcholine is released by the parasympathetic nervous system to slow heart rate down (Silverthorn, 2009; Stabler, 2009). Pilocarpine and atropine are cholinergic which means they act on acetylcholine either by increases its activity or decreasing the activity (Silverthorn, 2009; Stabler, 2009). These two drugs also act on the muscarinic receptors which means they act mostly on smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands (Silverthorn, 2009). Pilocarpine is a muscarinic receptor agonist and increases the activity of acetylcholine released by the parasympathetic nervous system thus slowing the heart rate (Silverthorn, 2009). Atropine on the other hand is a muscarinic receptor antagonist and competes with acetylcholine for binding on the receptors which means it blocks acetylcholine released by the parasympathic system and allows the heart rate to increase (Silverthorn, 2009). A frog heart has three chambers and the human heart beats faster in a normal state but the mechanisms in both hearts are very similar, so a frog heart can be a good candidate for research to apply to humans (Stabler, 2009). Materials and Methods A frog heart was obtained and hung by placing a hook through the apex of the heart and tying a string to the hook and to a metal rod above. Ringers solution was applied to the heart at 23 degrees Celsius. An oscilloscope monitor was also used to monitor the heart rate. Bottles of pilocarpine and atropine were obtained. A few drops of pilocarpine were dropped on to the suspended frog heart. Results of heart rate were then recorded once the heart rate was stabilized. Room temperature (23C) Ringers solution was then applied to rid the heart of the pilocarpine. A few drops of Atropine were then dropped on to the suspended frog heart. Results of heart rate were again recorded once the heart rate was stabilized. Room temperature Ringers solution was then reapplied to the heart to rid the heart of atropine. (Stabler, 2009) Results Normal, initial heart rate was determined by the oscilloscope to be 60 beats per minute (bpm). The stabilized heart rate of the frog heart after pilocarpine was applied was 45bpm. The stabilized heart rate of the frog heart after atropine was applied was 70bpm. Table 1: Effects of Pilocarpine and Atropine on Heart Rate Solution Heart Rate None 60 Pilocarpine 45 Atropine 70 Rate of the frog heart beat before and after pilocarpine and atropine were applied. Discussion Pilocarpine is a muscarinic receptor agonist that increases the activity of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (Silverthorn, 2009). This means that pilocarpine increases the effects of acetylcholine in the body. As previously noted acetylcholine is used by the parasympathetic nervous system and one of its functions is to slow down the heart rate (Silverthorn, 2009). Therefore since pilocarpine increases the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, it slows down the heart rate. The results are consistent with the function of pilocarpine. Other experiments have been done that show that pilocarpine decreases heart rate as well (Saad, et al., 2003). Atropine is an anticholinergic drug and acts as a muscarinic receptor antagonist. Atropine competes with acetylcholine for the binding sites on the receptors (Dahian, 2006; Silverthorn, 2009). Once atropine binds it blocks the binding of acetylcholine and thus blocks the effects of acetylcholine (Dahian, 2006; Silverthorn, 2009). As previously noted acetylcholine regulates the heart rate by slowing it down when needed. Since acetylcholine cannot bind the heart rate increases. Thus the results are consistent with the way atropine affects acetylcholine receptors. Dahians results on atropine on rats showed that atropine increased the heart rate (2006). Literature Cited Dahian, A. (2006). Statistical analysis of the effects of atropine and propranolol on the inter-beat interval of rats. Mississippi State University: Biomedical Engineering. Saad, W., Guarda, I. F., Camargo, L., Santos, T., Saad, W. A., Guarda, R. S., et al. (2003). Role of nitric oxide of the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) in the alterations of salivary flow, arterial pressure and heart rate induced by injection of pilocarpine into the MnPO and intraperitoneally. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research , 897-905. Silverthorn, D. U. (2009). Human physiology. San Francisco: Pearson Education. Stabler, S. P. (2009). PhysioEx 8.0 for Human Physiology: Laboratory simulations in physiology. San Francisco: Pearson Education.

Internet of Things in the Public Sector

Internet of Things in the Public Sector Abstract Context and Objective The Internet of Things (IoT) is not merely a step along the path to digital transformation, it is the driving force to the way we live today, and our future. Many items in our daily lives, whether at home or work will interact with each other, enabling   us to use them in different and new ways (Goerlich, K, 2016). The objective of this paper is to analyse to what extent charities, social enterprise, public sector organisation and public-private partnerships use (IoT)? how has (IoT) helped their business to grow? or does (IoT) need to be implied within their organisation and how? Framework, Model and Analysis For this assignment an Evaluation framework is going to be used. This ecosystem approach will emerge in the form of an (IoT) software platform (Iansiti, and Levien, 2004). This represents a set of reusable components, modules, and other building blocks that are shared by multiple applications and products (Baldwin and Woodard,2009). The use of Secondary data analysis is the chosen method for this study, as this method includes both qualitative and quantitative and will be significant for this study (Saunders et al., 2016, p316-318). Rationale and Findings The chosen three case studies will be on Oxfam, Google and Microsoft for this research. This is due to their present or lack of activities within the (IoT). Although Microsoft and Google have accomplished (IoT) within education, Oxfam still needs to consider the (IoT) element which can help the less fortunate countries that they work with. Working together will enable a great partnership. Contributions Contributions of this paper could lead to organisations adapting their approach to the IoT, and give an insight to how we can significantly improve our lives and future by understanding more about the IoT. Introduction The aim of this paper is to investigate   how far charities, public private partnerships and public sector organisations use IOT and to what extent do they use IOT in their business. A research will be conducted to see how IOT has helped these businesses grow. In order to do so three companies have been chosen for this paper. Kobie (2015) highlights that the Internet of Things (IoT) has been present for decades, in which, the core aim reflects on the connection of devices with the use of internet. Technology will enable the connected systems to develop fundamental areas, for example education (Greengard, 2015, p. 1). The internet everlastingly developing has become a fundamental asset to everyday life (Dutton, 2014). Kevin Ashton (cited in Buyya Dastjerdi, 2016) quotes that things aspect of the way we interact and live within the physical world that surrounds us needs serious reconsideration, due to advances in computing, Internet, and data-generation rate by smart devices. IoT is considered as a way of performing jobs with the support of everyday objects that are linked to sensors and networks (Wà ³jcik, 2016). This paper will look into how the three companies use or potentially can use IoT technology by looking at the literature review and research method, including appropriate theoretical framework, whilst aiming to improve the wellbeing of students in education. Background The chosen organizations for this assignment are Oxfam, Google Inc. and Microsoft.They have been chosen for numerous reasons that will be discussed subsequently. All three make use of the Internet of Things (IoT) in different ways, which have diverse impact and repercussions. Oxfam is a charitable organization that deals with a multitude of projects mainly against poverty and the factors that cause it. This organization represents a global drive with millions of people that believe we live in a society with abundant means and resources, thus, hardship and poverty should not be an everyday issue or anticipated (Oxfam, 2017). IoT plays a key role in this association because it is the means by which the society exposes its work, statistics and achievements to the public. Additionally, the company receives its donations online; therefore the web is vital for the life of the organization. Through the Internet the company gives numbers and facts regarding the work they do, and raise awaren ess through various social media profiles they possess. In this way, Oxfam uses the Internet as a tool for education regarding their activities and regarding many realities in the world. For this, people are more conscious and ultimately responsive towards the association. Google Inc. is an American search engine company, which was established in 1988. More than 70% of online researches are monitored by this organization, and this company today offers over 50 online facilities and products (Hosch and Hall, 2015). The Internet is at the heart of this company as the original nature of Google Inc. is of an online search engine. Also, in 2011, 97% of Googles revenue originated from online advertisements further demonstrating the importance of the IoT for the existence of this company. Google conveys in educating through the web by making any information easily available to the public. Also, it has established many more tools such as Google Scholar, Docs and Slide which ease the search of original documentation and the sharing of any type of document, further helping education. Microsoft Corporation is an American software company, founded in April 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen with headquarters in Redmond, Washington in the USA. The companys business is based on developing, manufacturing, and licensing software products, including operating systems, server applications, business and consumer applications, and software development tools, as well as Internet software, technologies, and services (Advameg, 2017). Literature Review DISCUSSION OF FRAMEWORKS It is essential to have clear understanding of IoT as it is forever developing and has a huge role in many lives. When looking into education, experts have been looking at new ways to help students get the most from their studies and succeed. The framework for Smart Buildings with cloud computing has been introduced in order to create smart environments with full use of resources (Carrillo et al, 2015). Carrillo et al (2015) also states that the framework includes the integration of Microsoft Azure, which is the main virtual database, and has control to manage the Smart control units. Microsoft Azure is also known to help education by providing a cloud-based service which includes managing applications, using tools and frameworks (Microsoft Azure, 2017). In comparison, the framework for evaluating internet of things platforms in relation to application provider viewpoint supports design and implementation which is the starting point of the device, and operations which supports three core areas; fulfilment, assurance and billing (Mazhelis and Tyrvainen, 2017). (Figure 1) An IoT application combines multiple software components that are dispensed across numerous redistribution points (nodes) that interconnect with each other (Figure 1). The Evaluation Framework was fabricated based on the service providers processes as defined in the TM Forums Business Process Framework à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and then utilised to evaluate the selected platforms (Mazhelis and Tyrvainen, 2014). As suggested by Mazhelis and Tyrvainen (2014), the initial analysis indicate that none of the platforms provide the comprehensive support for the application providers. However, with the assumption that all components remain mandatory and represent separate physical entities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The application provider will need to implement and integrate the software for each component or factor (Mazhelis and Tyrvainen, 2014). The framework, differentiates between the processes dealing with the design and development of the service And the core operations processes, which include the fulfil ments, assurance and billing processes (Figure 2) (Mazhelis and Tyrvainen, 2014). In order to prioritise and create strong values it is important to identify the most suitable (IoT) use cases as this can vary from service, IT, operations and many more (IoT Use Cases, 2017). IT and operations focus on creating a new technology project in which the product and asset connectivity includes the easy connectivity of devices to cloud services (PTC, 2017). When looking at the service aspect of (IoT), this includes areas such as remote services, which involves transferring files (IoT Use Cases for Service and Support, 2017). When looking into the education system, (IoT) will have a significant impact allowing schools to save money and help students develop high-tech skills (Augur, 2016). There are areas in which can be looked into that influence (IoT) in relation to education, for example, pupils can monitor their attendance on a wearable device, personalised learning materials, automatic purchases of stationery, data transfer including students receiving information on le ssons as soon as they enter the classroom (The internet of things for education: A brief guide, 2016). Melola (2016) states that the benefits of (IoT) includes safety of schools, tracking of resources and accessing information creating smart lesson plans.   MICROSOFT GOOGLE Despite the presence of cutting-edge technology influencing mainly specialists and enthusiasts, there is a lack of comprehensive engagement targeting the wider society (Mazhelis and Tyrvainen, 2017).   The technology industry giants Microsoft and Google are known to have engagement in (IoT) especially in education. On the other hand, there are companies such as Oxfam that do not involve with (IoT), however have the potential to do so to support those in education. Microsoft has introduced Microsoft Intune for Education which is a cloud-based service for teachers and students offering them a technological learning environment (Microsoft in Education, 2017). The virtual service allows schools to have access on applications and resources on any device, whilst ensuring that the data is secure (Microsoft Intune, 2017). The application is tailored for schools and integrated with Office 365 Education allowing teaching to become efficient, affordable, and safe (Microsoft, 2017). Google has also adapted to the use of (IoT) in which the Google Cloud Platform encourages secure, global, high-performance, cost-effective and constantly improving infrastructure (Google Cloud Platform, 2017). The service provides a wide range of benefits from computing to storage and development (Rouse, 2016) Oxfam Oxfam does not utilize (IoT) currently, however it could benefit from its use and definitely has the potential to do so. An (IoT) technology that Oxfam could use is smart buildings for education. Smart buildings are structures that use automated processes to automatically control the buildings operations including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, security and other systems(Tracy, 2016). This is done through the use of actuators, sensors and microchips that collect and manage data for smart solutions. Oxfam could use this for a variety of projects as smart buildings enable the improvement of thermal comfort air quality, physical security [and] sanitation at lower costs and environmental impact (Tracy, 2016). For this, Oxfam could use such technologies in constructing new homes or improving existing ones and in educational buildings such as schools. This would improve the quality of education and create more affordable options for people in need. Microsoft could help O xfam with the use of (IoT) technologies with its public cloud-computing platform called Microsoft Azure. This platform is used for things such as computing, data storage, analytics and helping users capture, monitor and analyse (IoT) data (Rouse, 2012). Therefore, this platform could not only help with data from educational buildings but also help educational institutions process, share and store files for students and teachers. Research Method Our research method will consist of data collection from secondary data. For this report, the secondary data will be based on (IoT) and how it is used in the three companies and how they use (IoT) in relation to education. The secondary data will mainly come from books, journals, articles and internet search. In order to analyse the three companies for this assignment a business framework will be used and secondary data will also be used in order to analyse how (IoT) is being used in the three companies and how its being used in education. The reason for why Google, Microsoft and Oxfam are being used for this report is due to the fact that these three companies already use (IoT) in their companies and in the sector that we would like to focus which is education. The Internet of Things is not exceptionally another innovation; however, the Internet of Things is progressively an advancement since a wide range of existing advances will be consolidated.When looking at the report the primary focus is to look at (IoT) and how it is being used for education and this will include looking at what the three companies have created that is currently being used in education or is in creation. The education sector was chosen due to the fact that (IoT) is used in schools, universities, colleges. (IoT) these days makes teachers and students jobs easier. For teacher, there able to use learning platform to be able to research, and then upload their class materials in order for students to see online, this allowing time for the student to study and get ready for their class. However, this is just the beginning because students can now take notes without leaving the classroom, or they can be taking their notes on their iPads or their laptops. Students can now also assess books through their mobile phone or laptop, saving them carrying the books with them and also allowing them to be able to learn and study at their own pace. The surge in connected technology means that instructors do not need to manually grade tests on paper or perform other routine tasks. (Meola, 2016) For instance, Microsoft in Beijing they have created a connected classroom which is a new innovative classroom software which connects to students devices and allows them to see what is being written on the whiteboard, the software also allows teachers to see who is connected. (IoT, 2014). Universities now also have their own learning platform such as blackboard or Moodle. These platforms allow the university to see who is accessing the database and how often and are able to monitor your learning. (Meola, 2016).Google have created a G Suite which offers schools to a email, calendar, and also give students and teachers access to spreadsheets, documents and students can also create projects and the teachers are able to have access to this and see how the group work is going (Rochelle, 2016). As Rochelle (2016) says : G Suite for Education is the same set of apps that you know and love-Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, Hangouts, and more- but designed with new intelligent features that make work easier and bring teachers and students together. In this paper, the framework that is being used is the evaluation framework. The evaluation framework is used to evaluate (IoT) platforms and how they are developing and how the (IoT) platforms are improving, this is done by using openly accessible data about the platforms and the platform features and what services they have that support this (Mazhelis and Tyrvainen, 2017).The framework will be used to analyse Microsoft and Google as companies and what platforms that they currently have and analyse how they can use these platforms to help Oxfam. Analysis Increased numbers of institutions continue to embrace (IoT) platforms in the running of various operations with the objective of achieving efficiency. The new age has seen the popularity of (IoT) applications in organisations increase. Through (IoT), organizations can employ one intelligent network infrastructure to improve operations; increase safety and security and thirdly, gain valuable data insight to streamline automation. This trend has been the case for many companies cutting across the different industries from technology, transport, education, healthcare, manufacturing, and service among others. The different companies have employed this platform to streamline different activities or operations leading to better productivity. It is critical to note that the Internet of Things (IoT) is not exceptionally another innovation; however, the Internet of Things is a progressive advancement since a wide range of existing advances will be consolidated. The Internet of Things (IoT) can be defined as the interconnection of physical devices, sensors and actuators with the Internet through uniquely identifiable IP addresses. This interconnection is structured in ways to allow data to be gathered and communicated through connectivity technologies and (IoT) platforms (Nicole, 2017). This infrastructure can be seen as an additional layer of interaction and transaction of information and users of that information courtesy of the development of new devices, which have advanced capabilities including those of sensing, analyzing and communicating data by use of internet protocols. Ultimately, the development of the (IoT) comes to play a key role in bridging digital and physical realities through enhanced information-driven automation in various processes, critical to businesses and daily human lives.As noted, various companies have employed (IoT) apps to run their operations; while still more companies will in the future embrace (IoT) platforms to run their businesses. Among the top applications of the (IoT) is in the education sector; where various technology companies have developed (IoT) applications that allow their users to interact with new information in an effective manner. The cases include those of Google and Microsoft technology companies. These two giants in the technology sector took a lead in embracing (IoT) applications in facilitating their education services to the users of their service. Both companies employ (IoT) for education purposes. The application of (IoT) for education purposes in these companies has been exemplary due to the way thei r platforms have been tailored for the benefits of the users. Analyzing the case of Microsoft; it is evident that the company has taken a lead in the development and application of (IoT) platforms for education. According to Microsoft, the company envisioned a case where smart sensors would act as a mini-database with embedded machine learning algorithms. This today is a success due to its application in the creation of a connected classroom. Microsoft Company developed an (IoT) platform-Connected Classroom currently being applied in Beijing. This is a new program (software) that connects the students devices, and allows each learner to see what is being written by the instructor on the white board. This software further allows the teachers to see and follow up with who is connected (IOT, 2014).   This new software by Microsoft has worked greatly in allowing universities in Beijing to provide education to learners in a more effective manner.Besides, other universities have come up to adopt this (IoT) platform to see who is accessing thei r database and how often they do that. This (IoT) platform is of great benefit to the learning institutions through allowing the educators/instructors to follow up and monitor the learning process. It has also made it easier for teachers to connect with the learners in remote areas or catch up with learners who may not have the convenience of literally attending their classes (PustisÃÅ'Å’ek, 2014). Other related (IoT) softwares that are similar to Microsoft (IoT) platform are   blackboard or Moodle, which are owned by universities. This platforms allows a university to see who is accessing the database and how often. Google is another technology company that has developed an (IoT) application-the G-Suite. This is a software application that allows schools to share data through email; program data in the calendar, and allows the users (teachers and learners) to access documents, and spreadsheets. In addition, the G-Suite allows students to create projects and share data. The application further allows the teachers to access data fed into it, observe the group work that takes place, and monitor the learning process (Google 2017). The G-Suite for education is an app that is designed to make the learning process interactive and seamless by bringing the teachers and students connected. Ultimately, this allows effective learning process. Google G-Suite for education and Microsofts -Connected Classroom software applications can be used to help Oxfam. Oxfam as a confederation of charitable organizations with the objective of alleviation of global poverty would greatly benefit from these two applications developed by Google and Microsoft. One of the ways to alleviate poverty is through education. Enhanced education allows more people to access better jobs or create their own employment; thereby earning good incomes that would allow them to have a better life. Googles G-Suite for education can be used by Oxfam to reach out to places where the company runs its operations and allow more people to have access to learning (Skiba, 2013). In addition, Microsoft shared classrooms can be used by Oxfam. It can be used to reach out to areas of need, such as India and China; where shared classrooms will increase the numbers of learners at any given time. Discussion of Findings It is clear that (IoT) will be used in most of our lives, especially in the near future, as companies like Microsoft and Google are working towards making education effective by creating a virtual presence that can be accessible on most devices. As well as education, it can also be beneficial when looking at businesses and social life too. Whilst these companies look at fulfilling educational needs, other companies like Oxfam have not yet introduced (IoT) in education, however do have the potential to. Microsoft and Google can work with Oxfam with engaging in (IoT) in education. This would surely benefit the less fortunate people that Oxfam is focused on helping, and additionally it would greatly improve the company by advancing it with new technologies. Therefore, Oxfams progression to IoT technologies would lead to great benefits for different groups of people. Conclusions Recommendations In conclusion, IoT technologies are a current advancement that numerous companies are integrating into their organization. Some examples of this are Google and Microsoft, which are making noticeable progresses due to these technologies. Furthermore, there are companies who have not yet integrated IoT tools but have the potential to do so, such as Oxfam. Google and Microsoft could help companies such as Oxfam to develop and integrate the use of these technologies in their organization. This would significantly improve the management of charity organizations in general for education but also for costs, organization and environmental impact. Moreover, further research in this area could be conducted by considering more companies that use IoT technologies and analyse the benefits these technologies have conveyed to. Also, any type of organizations that do not have IoT technologies could be considered and an analysis could be done for how these could use the technologies and benefit from them. References Augur, H. (2016, December 13). IoT in education: the internet of school things. IBM. Available from https://www.ibm.com/blogs/internet-of-things/iot-education   [Accessed 2 March 2017] Baldwin, C. and Woodard, C. (2008). The Architecture of Platforms: A Unified View. in Platforms, Markets and Innovation. Available from http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/09-034_149607b7-2b95-4316-b4b6-1df66dd34e83.pdf [Accessed 1 March 2017]. Buyya, R., Dastjerdi, A. (2016). Internet of Things: Principles and Paradigms. Morgan Kaufmann. Carrillo, E., Benitez, V., Mendoza, C., Pacheco. (2015, October 25). IoT framework for Smart Buildings with Cloud Computing. IEEE Digital Library. Available from http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7366197/?section=abstract [Accessed 1 March 2017] Dutton, W. H. (2014). Putting things to work: social and policy challenges for the Internet of things, 16 (3), 1-21.   Emerald Insight. Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/info-09-2013-0047 [Accessed 27 February 2017]. Gerpott, T. and May, S. (2016). Integration of Internet of Things components into a firms offering portfolio: a business development framework. Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance, 18 (2), 53-63. Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/info-11-2015-0051 [Accessed 16 February 2017]. Goerlich, K. (2016). Live Business: The Importance of the Internet of Things. Digitalist by SAP. Available fromhttp://www.digitalistmag.com/executive-research/live-business-the-importance-of-the-internet-of-things [Accessed 14 February 2014]. Goldacre, B. (2015). I did a Newsnight thing about how politics needs better data. Bad Science. Available from http://bad science/2015/02/ [Accessed 12 March 2015]. Greengard, S. (2015). The Internet of Things. The MIT Press. Hosch, W.L. and Hall, M. (2015). Google Inc.: American company. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Available from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Google-Inc [Accessed 28 February 2017]. Iansiti, M. and Levien, R. (2004).   Strategy as Ecology. Harvard Business Review, 82 (3), 68-81. Available from https://hbr.org/2004/03/strategy-as-ecology [Accessed 1 March 2017]. IoT Use Cases. (2017). PTC. Available from http://www.ptc.com/internet-of-things/use-cases [Accessed 1 March 2017] IoT Use Cases for Service and Support. (2017). PTC. Available from http://www.ptc.com/internet-of-things/use-cases/service-and-support [Accessed 2 March 2017] Kobie, N. (2015). What is the internet of things?. The Guardian. Available from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/06/what-is-the-internet-of-things-google [Accessed 22 February 2017]. Mazhelis, O. and Tyrvainen, P. (2014). A framework for evaluating Internet-of-Things platforms: Application provider viewpoint. In Internet of Things (WF-IoT), IEEE World Forum. on (pp. 147-152). Available from:http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6803137 or https://learning.westminster.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-1822773-dt-content-rid-4663729_1/courses/BBIM613.2.2016/A%20Framework%20for%20Evaluating%20Internet-of-Things%20Platforms%20Application%20Provider%20Viewpoint.pdf   [Accessed: 1 March 2017]. Bassi, A 2008. The Internet of Things (IoT). Mst News, 5 (1), pp. 14-16.Black, M 1992. A Cause for Our Times: Oxfam the First 50 Years. Oxfam. Nicole, K 2017. What is the internet of Things? The Guardian, Wednesday 6 May 2015 09.51 BST. Available at/: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/06/what-is-the-internet-of-things-google [Accessed: 05 March 2017]. Google 2017. Google Suite for Education. Available at/: https://edu.google.com/products/productivity-tools/[Accessed: 5 March 2017]. PustisÃÅ'Å’ek, M 2014. Scopes in Internet of Things, PortorozÃÅ'Å’, Slovenija, 1 (2), pp. 85-88. Skiba, D 2013. The Internet of Things (IoT). Education Perspectives, 34 (1), pp. 63-64. Meola, A. (2016) How IoT in education is changing the way we learn. Business Insider UK. Available from http://uk.businessinsider.com/internet-of-things-education-2016-9?r=USIR=T [Accessed 28 February 2017]. Microsoft. (2017). Microsoft Intune for Education supercharges schools with incredible device management powers.Microsoft News Centre. Available from https://news.microsoft.com/europe/2017/01/27/microsoft-intune-education-supercharges-schools-incredible-device-management-powers/#sm.00002x5lsmqk2fj611i1acyye9iys#2fX5CuYZ1wwtKGvV.97 [Accessed 2 March 2017] Microsoft Azure. (2017). What is Azure? Microsoft Azure. Available from https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/overview/what-is-azure/ [Accessed 1 March 2017] Microsoft in Education. (2017, January 24). Introducing Microsoft Intune for Education. Youtube. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukrnCwcLvV8 [Accessed 1 March 2017] Microsoft Intune. 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Controlling Corporate Farming Essay -- Agriculture Farm Essays Papers

Controlling Corporate Farming 'Sixty-one percent of America's agriculture output comes from corporate farms' (Abbey, 2002). 'Nationwide there are 163,000 corporate operations and 63% of these are under contract to a consolidated firm' (Abbey, 2002). Stated by Fred Kirschenmann, 'If current trends of consolidation continue, and all the farms in Iowa become 225,000 acre farms, there will be only 140 farms in the entire state' (Abbey, 2002). Large corporations are coming in and taking over the farming industry. They are making it almost impossible for small, family operated farms to survive. 'The six and a half million small farms of 1935 decreased to 575,000 by 1998? (Abbey, 2002). The large corporations are using the land like miners-they strip it down and get what they need, but they don't put anything back to it. Studies have shown that the family farms take care of the soil and put back the nutrients they use. There are different anti-corporate farming laws around the country that are trying to protect the small family farming industry. ?Contrary to misinformation, the world?s embattled small farms are two to ten times more productive per unit than large, tax-subsidized and chemical based operations run by corporate agriculture? (Earth Island Journal, 2000). Many people agree that the larger corporate farms are producing more, but studies show that small farms are more productive because they keep the soil usable for longer periods of time. Corporate farms are becoming like mines as they are stripping the land of its organic matter and nutrients that are essential to crop production. The corporations usually produce a single commodity under contract with a consolidated... ...celdf.org/cdp/cdp13.asp>. Krause, Kennith R. Corporate Farming: importance, incentives, and state restrictions. Washington D.C: U.S. Govt. Printing Office, 1983. Lyson, Thomas A. "Agriculture industrialization, anticorporate farming laws, and rural community welfare." Environment and Planning A 37.8 (2005). McDonough, Molly. "Down On The Farm." ABA Journal 89.11 (2003). "Power of Frames". Turn On the News. Nov. 2, 2005 . "Small Farming is Beautiful." Earth Islan Journal 15.1 (2000). Thompson, Nancy. "Anti-Corporate Farming Laws as Environmental Policy". Core 4. Nov. 2, 2005 . Welsh, Rick. "Anti-Corporate Farming Laws, the "Godschmidt Hypothesis"". Friends of the Constituion. Nov. 2, 2005 .

The Facts About Low Carbohydrate Diets :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Facts About Low Carbohydrate Diets Imagine a world where imperfections of the body did not exist. A place where beauty was seen from the inside and the body was not judged by looks. Today, a person cannot watch the television or flip though a newspaper without being haunted with the thought of being "fat" or trying to achieve the "perfect body." Dieting has been around for centuries, where people have always strived to have a healthy and toned body. Unfortunately, most people who lose weight cannot successfully keep it off. This leads to people attempting all types of diets to maintain an ideal weight. Nearly two-thirds of adults are considered over weight or obese. With this high proportion of overweight people, it is no surprise that by the year 2005, obesity will surpass smoking and become the nations leading cause of preventable deaths ("More Dieters...," 2004). After this statement was announced to the public, health activists pounced at this like a starving man at a buffet. Recently, Americans have been bombarded with products and programs that promise weight loss. One diet that has swept the nation with rapid weight loss results is the low carbohydrate diet. Low carbohydrate diets are receiving the attention of many people through the over-sensationalism of the diet through the media, low-carbohydrate books, promotion from fitness centers and health clubs, and by many restaurants (Bilsbourough, n.d). A person cannot even go into a restaurant or fast food chain with out having the option of ordering off a "low-carb lifestyle" menu. An estimated forty million Americans have attempted to eat a low carbohydrate diet (Lempert, 2003). Low carbohydrate diets are simple programs in which a person restricts carbohydrate intake, and incorporates a greater amount of high-protein foods into their diet. In return, caloric intake is dramatically decreased; therefore, the body utilizes fat and muscle tissue for energy ("Low Carbohydrate...," 2004). Over a short period, this type of diet will result in rapid weight loss and health benefits. Even though many people do experience the health benefits of low carbohydrate diets, researchers claim that there are harmful side effects. Carbohydrates As a human, we are required to intake a certain amount of nutrients to function and maintain good health. Nutrients are classified as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Essential nutrients, or those nutrients that must be obtained from a food source, include carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins (Worthington, 2004).

Leadership and Management Paper Essay

At a very young age, George Washington Carver took a strong grip on his destiny. This dynamic leader prevailed over getting born without a name into slavery, overcoming poverty, and prejudice to commit his life in helping others achieve a better livelihood. Through his actions, he was able to earn high levels of respect of self-worth, dignity, honor, and infinite achievement. Booker T. Washington was the first president and principal of the Tuskegee Institute in 1896. Booker T. Washington sent an invitation to George W. Carver to reside over the Agriculture Department. For 47 years Carver developed, taught, and applied constant research in working to develop several methods from using crop-based materials. Carver was the innovator of going green. Through his tenure he worked with two additional college presidents that supported the zealous work of Carver. His discovering and teaching methods of crop rotation while introducing several alternative money crops for farmers that simultaneously improving the soil of heavily cultivated cotton fields would motivate and inspire many Black students to follow suite in his techniques. (Kouzes & Posner, 2009) â€Å"A leader’s dynamic does not come from special powers. It comes from a strong belief in a purpose and a willingness to express that conviction.† In leadership, Carver designed a mobile classroom that brought education to the fields of the farmers. His so-called ‘Jesup wagon’ (named after Morris Ketchum Jesup), well honored for Mr. Jesup a philanthropist and New York financier fully supported and funded the program. Leadership functions Carver had many duties as an administrator, such as administer the Agriculture Experiment Station Farms. He manages the sale and production of farm products that generated revenues for the institute. His academic career as a teacher and researcher was stellar. What made Carver different from other professors and administrators is his determination to fulfill what he believed to be right. There were many times Booker T. Washington would voice his frustrations through letters to Carver because to the way he would administer his duties, Washington would always praise Carver for the great discoveries and hard work that has taken place. (G.W. Carver, 2011) Education is the key to unlock the golden door of opportunity.† This is how his leadership is different from the rest. He proves exactly what he stated to his life. His work became very high profile because of his more than 300 uses for peanuts, pecans, sweet potatoes and soybeans with the majority of his accomplishments of conquering the mundane. Every invention came after hours during peaceful nature walks, observing, and later testing in his laboratory. After Carver came to success, he did not cite ingenuity, though he was very blessed with it. On the contrary, he remarked that 99% of the failures come about people who have the habit of making excuses. Carver also well notes that, â€Å"When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world† pg. 143 of Frontage Magazine. Obstacles George W. Carver is someone whom many can only look up too when problems come into our lives for comparison sake. Carver beats the odds so well that his name should never had been heard of. His mission, determination, and story defy the odds. Being born into slavery a raider kidnapped him as an infant, and was not expected to live past the age of 21 because of poor health and being a Black scientist in the harsh times of racial segregation is beyond the norm. After the death of Carver, the United States Government erected the first national monument to honor someone other that a president. Effective Leader – Common Measures George W. Carver was best known in his time as a man of faith who believes in God as science as a gift from God. He would constantly acknowledge that his work was inspired by the works of God and God’s inspiring, and guiding him in his work. When those who wanted things from Carver such as his  secrets without the desire to work for the knowledge, Carvers replay would be, ‘God refuses to reveal the secrets of the humankind and the universe. Within the readings and teachings of the text, Carver proves his effective leadership skills for success present. To be a leader whom everyone will want to immolate, it takes the extraordinary levels of strong will, determination, someone who can listen and follow, and the ability effectively to move those whom you lead in a positive direction fostering a successful outcome. Conclusion Carver’s faith was his concern of character that his students whom he regularly taught would follow a set of cardinal virtues: ââ€"  Do not look up the rich nor down to the poor ââ€"  Be clean both inside and out ââ€"  Win without bragging ââ€"  Lose if needed but without squealing ââ€"  Be too brave to lie ââ€"  Always be considerate of women, children, and other people ââ€"  Be too generous to cheat ââ€"  Take your share of the world and let others take theirs. The world needs more women and men like George Washington Carver – people who cannot complain, strive hard and overcome adversity while focusing on the finish line ahead. Everyone does not possess the skill and knowledge of George Washington Carver but he has left us a milestone of character traits that can allow us to use as a guide while striving to achieve our goals here in this life. I like what Langston Hughes states on page 159 of Through the Fire, â€Å"Hold fast to dreams, for it dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.† This goes back to how George Washington Carver spoke about excuses; they are just that, an excuse to fail. Live right, stay positive, follow the plan, persevere, and finish the race, you will for sure win. References Carver, G. W. (2011). Greatest Leaders of America History. Frontage Magazine, 32(4), 112 – 113. p.113 Kauzes, J., & Posner, B. (2009, April). See what today will bring when you are done thinking. Whole and Complete Places, 8(13), 78 -84. p.83 Livingstrom, J. T. (1974). Through the Fire (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper Collins. p.154

Gender Essay

For most of its history, western political theory has ignored women. Women have seldom appeared in its analyses of who should have power, when it finally decided to notice women it usually defended their exclusion from public affairs and their confinement to the home; only rarely have women been seen as political animals worthy of serious consideration. The inequalities that exist between men and women are seen as of little practical importance and theoretical interest. Feminist political theory however, sees women’s situation as central to political analysis, its focuses on why in most societies men appear to have more power and privilege than women and how can this be changed. The term feminist came into use during the 1880’s, indicating support for women’s equal legal, economic, social and political rights with men. (Bryson, 2003) Feminism reflects the varied needs and perceptions of women in different societies and situations. Feminists argue that all women have the right to education, employment, political participation and full legal equality. Although strongly opposed in the past, they are largely accepted in the west today. However, women still remain disadvantaged despite gaining legal rights. (Bryson, 2003) All feminist do not think alike. Depending on time, culture and country feminism around the world have sometimes had different causes and goals. The labels help mark the range of different approaches, perspectives and frameworks a variety have used to shape both their explanations for women’s oppression and their proposed solutions for its elimination. The three groups of feminist theories I will seek to analyse in order to assess their contributions against what is known about Caribbean women and their realities in this essay are Liberal, Radical and Black feminist perspectives. One thing we know about Caribbean women is that they have always worked. Women’s position in the Caribbean has been characterised by a dual work role, they engage in both household and extra household work, in order to provide for their families. Evidence has shown, that after slavery the tradition of female labour continued. Joycelin Massiah states that black women had no choice but to work, because the idea of man as the breadwinner was unrealistic and unattainable. Women were forced to take the major responsibility of their households because a large number of men had emigrated. Erna Brodber examined the role of women in some Caribbean countries. She states that despite the public image of womanhood which stressed on the abstention from physical work for elite woman, Caribbean women continued to seek work outside the household and support themselves. Brodber also states that images of white women portray them as â€Å"delicate† and â€Å"unassuming†, the black woman is portrayed as â€Å"hardworking to the point of being comical†. (Massiah, 1986) Work outside the household however did not free Caribbean women from their household responsibilities; these women still had to ensure their husbands were still taken care of. Men in the Caribbean societies felt that because of economic circumstances, females should be employed outside the home and should contribute to the expenses. They also believe that domestic duties should still remain the woman’s responsibility, even if she is employed. In the public domain, women defer widely to male authority and decision making, but in the domestic domain, she exercises power. (Massiah, 1986) Radical feminism claimed to go to the roots of women’s oppression, and it proclaimed itself as a theory of, by and for women; as such, it was based firmly in women’s own experiences and perceptions. Secondly, it saw the oppression of women as the most fundamental and universal form of domination, and its aim was to understand and develop strategies for the end of that oppression. Thirdly, women as a group had interests opposed to those of men; these interests united them in a common sisterhood that transcended the division of class and race, and meant that women should struggle together to achieve their own liberation. (Bryson, 2003) Radical feminism names all women as part of an oppressed group, stressing that no woman can walk down the street or even live in her home safely without fear of violation from men. French feminist Christine Delphy points out that like all oppressed people, many women do not like to accept that they are part of an oppressed group, developing various forms of denial in order to avoid identification. To the radical feminists, patriarchy is the oppressing structure of male domination. Radical feminism makes male control visible as it is exercised in every sphere of women’s lives, both public and private. It stresses that ‘emancipation’ or ‘equality’ on male terms is not enough. A total revolution of the social structures and the elimination of the processes of patriarchy are essential. (Rowland & Klein, 1991) Patriarchy is the domination of men over women. Kate Millet’s early work (1971) is a good example of the approach that ‘sex is a status category with political implications’. Patriarchy, dominates over class, religion, race and culture. Patriarchy is a system of structures and institutions created by men in order to sustain and recreate male power and female subordination. Institutional structures like the law, religion, the family, have ideologies which perpetuate the naturally inferior position of women; socialisation processes to ensure that women and men develop behaviour and belief systems appropriate to the powerful or powerless group to which they belong. These structures are dominated by men who ensure that they maintain these positions. Within the private domain of the family, men have structured a system whereby woman’s reproductive capacity leaves her vulnerable and powerless, domestically exploited, and entrapped in economic dependence. (Rowland & Klein, 1991) The family is maintained through the notion of romantic love between men and women, when in fact marriage contracts traditionally have an economic base. Women’s labour within the family, which has been unpaid and unacknowledged, is defined as ‘labour of love’. Women ‘by nature’ are said to be passive, submissive and willing to be led. Processes like socialisation of children encourage this situation to continue. Patriarchy has a material base in 2 senses. First, the economic systems are structured so that women have difficulty getting paid labour in society which values only paid labour and in which money is the currency of power. Women without economic independence cannot sustain themselves without a breadwinner. They cannot leave a brutal husband, cannot withdraw sexual, emotional and physical servicing from men, they cannot have equal say in decisions affecting their own lives. Radical feminists have therefore stressed the necessity for women to exercise economic power in their own lives. The second material base is the woman’s body. Women in marriage are seen to be ‘owned’ by their husbands and cannot bring a civil case of rape. Women’s bodies are advertised and pornography alike objectified and defined as ‘other’ and available for male use. Rowland & Klein, 1991) Radical feminists sees the oppression of women as universal, crossing race and cultural boundaries, as well as those of class and other structures like age and physical ability. One of the basic tenets of radical feminism is that any woman in the world has more in common with any other woman regardless of class, race, age, ethnicity, nationality, than any woman has with any man. In Sisterhood is Global (1984) Robin Morgan draws together contributions from feminists in seventy countries, the majority of which are third world countries. She begins with a quote about the global position of women in the report to the UN Commission on the states of women. ‘While women represent half the global population and one third of the labour force, they receive one tenth of the world income and own less than one percent of the world’s property. They are also responsible for two thirds of all working hours’. In the developing world women are responsible for more than fifty percent of all food production. In the industrial nations women are still paid only half to three quarters of men’s wages. Most of the world are starving are women and children. Women in all countries bear the double burden of unpaid housework in association with any paid work they do. Radical feminists thus hold that women are oppressed primarily and in the first instance as women. But because of differences in their lives created by, for example culture and class, women experience oppression differently. (Rowland & Klein, 1991) Black feminist theorising has made critical contributions to feminist epistemology. The theory comprises of a body of work by black feminist intellectuals reacting to the failure of existing feminist explanatory framework to adequately comprehend the realities of black women. Feminists like Sojourner Truth, Audre Lorde, Patricia Bell, Patricia Hill Collins as well as many others interrogated existing feminist theories and found them lacking, as they fully ignored or denied black women’s specific experiences. For instance Sojourner Truth’s powerful statement on racial inequalities ‘Ain’t I A Woman’ was a 19th Century deconstruction of the notion of a global, common womanhood and an insistence on inserting black womanhood in the concept of what it meant to be a woman. In her speech Truth argued that white women were placed on a pedestal and gave them certain privileges (mostly that of not working), this attitude was not extended to black women. Speaking of the U. S. A in the 1970’s Audre Lorde stated, â€Å"by and large, within the women’s movement today, white women focus upon their oppression as woman and ignore differences of race, sexual preference, class and age. (Barriteau, 2006) The work of black feminists reveals hierarchies of power within categories of race, class, gender, patriarchal relations, sexuality and sexual orientation. Black feminism demonstrates that white or other feminist theorising refuses or fails to recognise race as a social relation of domination within feminism and society. Radical, socialist and liberal feminist had examined other oppressive social relations but none had made race central to their analysis, black feminist theory exposes racism. They focus on difference in order to understand problems of oppression. Audre Lorde points out that white radical feminist Mary Daly images white women as Goddesses, with African women entering her analysis ‘only as victims and preyers upon each other’. Here Lorde exposes a key distortion that is similar to how early development discourses constructed women in the Caribbean. Women in the south, whether Caribbean, or African were seen as helpless victims in need of international development intervention. (Barriteau, 2006) This theory holds that the constructed invisibility if black women’s lives must be challenged. For example, much of the history of the West Indies was based on the activities of black men. Black feminist thinkers underline the importance of using lived experiences as a criterion for generating knowledge. Deborah King’s concept of multiple jeopardy or multiple consciousness shifted the conception of women’s oppression as confined within ethnic and racial boundaries. She was concerned with the invisibility of black women. She noted that class inequality compounded the problem of racism and sexism for black women and felt that class constituted a third jeopardy. She therefore defined multiple jeopardy as, a way to understand the ways in which various forms of oppression interact in ways that negatively affect the lives of black women. Much of feminist theory represents white ethnocentric feminist theorising and is therefore inadequate in not addressing the concerns of other women, especially black women. (Barriteau, 2006) Unlike radical feminism, black feminism goes on to demonstrate how racist relations follow black women into the private realm. Experiences of relations of oppression within households differ for black or minority women in a racist state. Central to black feminist theorising is the knowledge that patriarchal relations structure women’s lives very differently to their male peers. The ‘rule of the father’ enforces men’s power in the family and society. In the Caribbean, men have assumed the role of patriarchs. Black feminist theory reveals that there are other dimensions to black women’s experiences of the home that are not captured by other feminist theories, especially for those black women who for centuries have been obliged to work outside the home, whether in fields, factories or the homes of others. Many of these women instead of longing to be liberated from the home, they yearn for the opportunity to go home or stay at home. Hazel Carby noted that ideologies of black female domesticity and motherhood have been constructed through black women’s employment in chattel positions as domestic workers and surrogate mothers to white families rather than in relation to their own families. (Barriteau, 2006) In terms of sexuality, black women have been stereotyped as having wild and uncontrollable sexual urges. Black women were presented as either whorish or unsexed; they were either nanny or jezebel. Evelyn Hammond has argued that black women’s sexuality is constructed in opposition to that of white women. In the struggle for sexual liberation, many white women demanded reproductive technologies in order to say yes to sex, while black women wanted autonomy and freedom from a racist and intrusive state in order to say no. (Barriteau, 2006) Criticisms of black feminist theory are that sometimes there is the impression that all oppressions are equal, and it has been critiqued for assuming that black women have a superior standpoint in the world. There is also a sense in which persons of African descent are privileged in black feminist thought. (Bryson, 2003) The final theory I will analyse is the liberal feminist theory. Liberalism is based on the principle of individual liberty, in which every person should be allowed to exercise freedom of choice. Each individual should be given equal opportunities and civil rights, but that was conceived of as a privilege that should extend to European men. When it comes to state interventions in the private sphere, liberals agree that the less we see of Big brother in our homes the better. (Tong, 2009) Liberal feminist Mary Wollstonecraft has been very influential in her writing, ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Woman’. She wrote at a time when the economic and social position of European women was in decline. These women were left at home with little productive work to do, and they were married to relatively wealthy professional men. These women had no incentive to work outside the home or, if they had several servants inside it. (Tong, 2009) Middle class ladies were, in Wollstonecraft’s estimation, ‘kept’ women who sacrificed health, liberty and virtue for whatever prestige, pleasure and power their husbands could provide. She denied that women are, by nature, more pleasure seeking and pleasure giving than men. She reasoned that if men were confined to the same cages that trap women, men would develop the same flawed characters. She stated that women lacked the power of reason because they were encouraged to indulge themselves and please others. She believed that women should have the same access to education as men. She believed that women should experience full personhood. Other liberalists John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor Mill believed women needed suffrage in order to become men’s equals. They claimed the vote gave people the power to express their own political views but also change those systems, structures, and attitudes that contribute to their own and others oppression. (Tong, 2009) Betty Friedan in the Feminist Mystique, studies the lives of white middle class housewives living in the suburbs. She described the dissatisfaction of these women as the problem with no name. She claimed that these women led unfulfilling lives in their traditional roles as mother and wives. She argued that a more meaningful course for these women was to have the opportunity of full time work in the public sphere. She believed that the absence from the home would make children and husbands more self sufficient. She felt that by limiting women to being wives and mothers was limiting their full human development. She also believed that women would always have to work harder than men. (Bryson, 2003) The main critique of liberal feminism is that of racism and classism, they focused primarily on white, middle class women. They also privileged so called male values. They also continue to distinguish between the private and public lives of people without understanding that the private and public sphere often intersect. In conclusion, feminist epistemology has transformed the world for many Caribbean women, as it questions women’s lived experiences and their roles in identity formation. Caribbean women in their roles have mostly preached a strong work ethic and promoted a strong social identity. The Caribbean has a legacy of race and colonial legacies, therefore the experiences and history of Caribbean women has been different. Unlike some the white middle class women in European societies that the liberal feminist talk about, Caribbean women have always had to work and frequently they have been the principal breadwinners in their households. But because of all the earlier groups of feminist theories about women, it paved a way for the new knowledge about Caribbean women and their realities.