Annoying Shoppers

Johnny Bullock English 104 Bowman December 5, 2012 Annoying Shoppers Grocery shopping can be a very interesting experience. It seems like nothing more than a quick and easy chore at first. You go in, throw whatever you want into your cart, pay and then get out. Its almost relaxing, that is if the grocery store is completely empty. Unfortunately, there are always those other shoppers. The ones who think they own the place or something. They’re in just about every grocery store in America. You know who I’m talking about, that one parent- usually a mom- with a kid who just so happens to be screaming bloody murder.Also, everyone knows a bad cart driver when they see one, not to mention the label readers. And finally, probably the worst of them all, the Couponers. If you’re like me and you like to get your grocery shopping done as fast and productive as possible, these four shoppers are your worst enemies. Imagine yourself going to the grocery store. You drive into th e parking lot, circle around for a minute or so just to find that perfect spot as close to the front door as possible. You gather the things you need: grocery list, phone, money, credit cards etc, and exit your car.As you walk by the automatic doors to go get a cart, the doors open and that’s when you hear it. That ear piercing, glass breaking, nails-on-a-chalkboard howl that comes from a small child no taller than your knee. As the screaming stops- only for an instant as the heathen catches its breath- and starts back up again, you find yourself blankly staring at the mother of this child as you pass by each other. You can’t help but think, â€Å"can you please take some control of your kid? This is a public place not your home! † but decide its better to just keep walking.Until you realize that you have completely forgotten what you were shopping for thanks to that bellowing kid. Good thing you brought a list right? The doors close behind you and the screaming fades. You have but a moment of peace before you look up and ZOOM!! Some guy decides its a good idea to use his cart as a scooter, almost hitting you as he whizzes over to the produce section. Now, what in the world would make him think that’s a good idea? The grocery store is not a skatepark, and I’m certain that its small enough to easily get from point A, to point B just by walking.Is it possible that he’s just looking for a little more excitement in his life? Maybe, he’s the same as you or me and wants to get his shopping done as fast as he can. Whatever the reason, people like him need to learn some courtesy and realize that there are other people in the world. You are now able to get started and pick up all the things on your list, you decide to turn down the â€Å"organics† aisle figuring it would be a shorter path to the front of the store. Little did you know this would be your worst mistake of the whole trip. Walking down the row of heal thy foods are some of the worst grocery shoppers there are, the label-readers.These are the health-nuts who will literally stand in the middle of the aisle and read every nutrition fact, ingredient, percentage and amount of grams per serving there are in a caesar salad. Then, as if it wasn’t already bad enough, they will continue to put that salad down and grab another salad made by a different company in order to compare the labels. Now, this wouldn't be such a problem if they didn’t decide to park their cart on one side of the aisle and stand on the other side reading the labels, stopping you dead in your tracks.Obviously label-readers must think its their world and the rest of us are just living in it. In which case, they need a wake up call. But regardless of the fact, you don’t want to be rude so you politely say â€Å"excuse me† and proceed to the check out counter. The check out counter, the final stretch of your shopping experience. All there is l eft to do now is pay for your items and go. It seems like this should be the easiest part right? Wrong. Unfortunately, you have two items too many to use the â€Å"express lane,† and all but one of the â€Å"self checkout† machines are out-of-order.So, after carefully scanning each regular check-out line, you finally spot the one with what seems like the shortest line and casually stroll over there to wait your turn. What you didn’t see, was that the lady you decided to stand behind had the entire store in her cart! Little did you know that she was the worst shopper of them all- the Couponer. This is the bargain-shopper who’s annoying actions are broken down into three steps. First, this shopper will decide to pack her cart so full that the pile of groceries in her cart is taller than she is!Inevitably, creating a longer waiting time for you. Next, she will stand there, stare at the clerk’s computer screen and argue about the 2-for-1 price for ever y item that doesn’t match up exactly the way she wants. Finally, after all her groceries are scanned, bagged and carted, the couponer will then proceed to dig through her entire purse searching for every coupon she has ever saved over the past year for that one shopping trip. As if she hasn’t already wasted enough of everyone’s time.It is at this point of your experience when you realize that any hope of an efficient and speedy shopping trip was just tossed out the window. With all of the annoying people that decide to go to the grocery store, shopping can easily turn from a quick and easy chore into one of the most tedious experiences of your life. I encourage you, as a shopper, to watch out for people like this the next time you go shopping. Unless you just so happen to be one of these people, in which case I will be watching out for you next time I take a trip to the grocery store.

Management Training Program in America

I want to use this opportunity to discuss two things, both near and dear to my heart; The United States Marine Corps and Management. Throughout this paper I want to focus on how I think civilians can learn to be better managers by using what that corps has established over it†s illustrious 223 years as the â€Å"Best Management-Training Program in America† Inc. (Freedman). The United States Marine Corps manages using a principle I learned in this course: Decentralization! Let me break this down. I learned it quite simply as the rule of three. But before I define this, I will briefly explain to you a small portion of the Marine rank structure. A Corporal is the first rank that an enlisted Marine is considered a leader due to his/her rank (though all Marines are trained to lead). The Corporal is the first of the Marine Non-commissioned Officers (NCO†S), then in ascending order is the Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant, and so on. Now back to the rule of three. Each Marine has three responsibilities. In our organizational structure, a Corporal has a three-person fire team; a Sergeant has a squad of three fire teams; and a Staff Sergeant has a platoon of three squads; and so on, up to the Colonels and Generals. For the typical business, decentralizing and flattening organizational structure involves â€Å"gutting several layers of management, often leaving managers overwhelmed with as many as a dozen direct subordinates† (Freedman). In contrast, the Marine Corps has been able to push out authority but still maintain a â€Å"simple hierarchical structure designed to keep everyone†s job manageable† (Freedman). What at first glance may seem rigid or narrow, the many layers between the Private and Colonel lend opportunity for innovation. At the same time, even the lowest ranking Marine, the Private knows that he or she is expected to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission. An organization (civilian) may want to look at this a little further. We must have established managers, but the notion of delegation of authority should be expanded in the civilian world. Well considered delegation of authority not only lifts some pressure off the titled manager, but also gives some well-deserved leadership satisfaction to an employee who may never have had the chance to be a â€Å"manager†. The success of the Marine Corps Management strategy is apparent in the vast numbers of ex-Marines who hold the Chief Executive Officer, President, Vice President, Chairman, and Manager positions at all levels in top. Although exact statistics were not available at this writing, the extraordinary number of ex-Marine managers has been documented. Dillon and Macht, in their article, â€Å"The few, the Proud, the CEOs: Former grunts on the Marine Corps way of doing business,† elucidate the transition from dress blues to business suit. Phillip Rooney, vice chairman of ServiceMaster Co. and countless other ex-Marines, there is no better preparation for running a business than the intense training of the U. S. Marine Corps. â€Å"Nothing can quite compare with Marine Corps training and combat service to stretch your leadership skills in bringing people together to accomplish a mission† (Dillon and Macht) Another ex-Marine cited in Dillon and Macht, Quaker Oats CEO Robert Morrison, strengthens the case for the Marine Corps brand of decentralized management. â€Å"There were clear parameters that were instilled in everybody†s mind, but in an actual battle situation, within those parameters, people had incredible freedom to act. † Morrison has found the Marines† principle of decentralization â€Å"tremendously important in business. Management can instill principles and guidelines, but you can†t do people†s jobs for them† (Morrison). The organizational structure, which allows for freedom to act, while demanding personal responsibility to meet organizational goals, seems to be a ready formula for success. â€Å"What ever you environment is, it will change. In business it will change fast. You can learn to make quick decisions without all the information; you†re tolerant of those who make mistakes but intolerant of those who can†t act fast† (Caulfield). One Chicago job placement company, Hire Quality Inc. , specializes in placing honorably discharged military personnel and embraces the Marines â€Å"rule of three. â€Å"I have a chief operating officer reporting to me, he has three people reporting to him, and so on down the line† (Caulfield). A closer inspection of Marine management structure reveals flexibility in a defined structure. Innovation that is spawned at one level may travel both up through higher ups and down through the ranks. The Marine Corps also takes advantage of innovation from the civilian sector, by training officers on Wall Street to get a lesson in how to make fast decisions based on information flowing in through banks on monitors. The combination of strong management and training with attention towards evolving methods and technologies buttresses organizational structure, both military and civilian. No one argues that the Marine Corps way is the only successful strategy for business. However, in many time tested examples Managing from the Corps has proven successful. Further exploration can only benefit those of us that will be managing the next millennium.

Public of international trade law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Public of international trade law - Essay Example Despite the perceived freedom of global grade, there are still a lot of laws that needs to be complied with. These, of course, are governmental in proportion. These meant bulks of products that pass through territorial boundaries as well as impact on fuel consumption, transported delivery, as well as mass distribution and consumption of goods. The integration of economies also led for the need to streamline laws and regulations in international manner. The attempt to improve the international trade system for the last century was the establishment of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade or GATT. For without a governing body, conflicts will surely arise. The GATT, however, was seen to be problematic. It is why a new body was established, which was the World Trade Organization, and with it, a dispute settlement and resolution systems that established as well as oversee issues and challenges brought forth between aggrieved and respondent countries as well as their trading partners where inequality was perceived. This paper will try to discuss extensively the need for reform, if any that should be made on the WTO dispute settlement system. ... The functions of WTO includes administration of trade agreements, serve as a forum for trade negotiations, handle trade disputes, monitor national trade policies, assist and train developing countries, and cooperate with other international organizations2. It claims to have â€Å"helped to create a strong and prosperous international trading system, thereby contributing to unprecedented global economic growth,†3. Today, there are 153 country members and 117 of these are developing countries. It has a Secretariat with about 700 staff led by the WTO Director-General. The Director General stated that â€Å"decisions in the WTO are generally taken by consensus of the entire membership† although it has its own institutional body - the Ministerial Conference and the General Council which is the WTO’s highest-level decision-making body 4. By doing its work, the WTO proposed that national markets opened to â€Å"international trade, with justifiable exceptions or with a dequate flexibilities, will encourage and contribute to sustainable development, raise people's welfare, reduce poverty, and foster peace and stability. At the same time, such market opening must be accompanied by sound domestic and international policies that contribute to economic growth and development according to each member's needs and aspirations†5. Dispute Settlement The WTO resolves trade misunderstanding under the Dispute Settlement Understanding. The DSU facilitates smooth trade flows and member countries bring their cases to WTO once their rights under the agreements were violated. While decisions were made by so-called independent experts, these experts were appointed and their judgment is usually based on interpretations of the agreements

How can dissemination of legal information improved the society Essay

How can dissemination of legal information improved the society - Essay Example Individuals will get the concepts of legal rights of preservation, their personal rights and the public rights. For a long period of time people have been leading a miserable life with the main reason being that they do not the rights that they are entitled. This, therefore, led to the study of how dissemination legal information could improve the society. Through the dissemination of legal information, economic development of the society was realized because people got to know of their rights. Knowing of ones’ right equals empowerment. The study was done with the aim of showing the impact of dissemination of legal information in the society. Dissemination of legal information for understanding involves targeting groups that have little or no understanding of the legal information. This is because there is a notion that they can benefit from understanding the legal Information and it is here that they get to know of the rights that they are entitled to. It will be of great sig nificance that these groups have a deeper understanding of the legal information (Danner, 23). Dissemination of Legal Information for Action denotes a modification of practice subsequent from the adoption of merchandises, materials or methods offered by the Legal Information (Zubok & Chuprov, 72). These groups are of great importance as they are those that are in a great position to influence and bring about change in the dissemination of Legal Information. These are the audiences that will need to be well equipped with the proper skills, knowledge and understanding of the legal Information. Based on that, dissemination of legal information can improve the society by conservation all rights that entrusted by law, Contribution to society improvement, and Knowledge of the means that can be used for spread the legal information. To improve the society by disseminating of legal information, people need to know the concept of legal rights preservation. Public rights are the part of the  law  that rules relations between people and the government. Public rights belong to the people  but are justified by political bodies. Examples of public rights entail the public right to use highways and public rights of fishing and navigation (Pearson, 33). Through public rights the society gets improved in aspects such as better citizenship, better citizenship is realized through opportunities to contribute and support nature conservation activities and through education in getting to know the environment around us as a share of formal and informal education contributing to improved citizenship and respect to the environment. Another aspect is sustainable travel through the rights of way we get the safe travel to different places, free traffic routes for recreation and for travel to work or school, or to access services. This enables the improvement of the society, as we are able to move to various places to carry out our different livelihoods and conduct our businesses. T hrough the public rights we get to know of our rights of travel and navigation which immensely contributes to the improvement of the society as people have a right to go to different places to work or even carry out their business where they presume fit or depending on the market. This contributes to well-being of the society which translates to the improvement of the economy (Pearson, 34). Personal rights are legal rights persons have over their own bodies.

Geisha Girls In Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Geisha Girls In Japan - Essay Example The concept of geisha and geisha girls believed to be started from the 17 the century onwards in Japanese community even though the history of Japan shows that even in the 9 Th and 11th centuries some girls performed dances for warriors and other upper classes of the society. Young girls were forcefully sold into the geisha life by their families until the mid-20th century and their virginity was sold to the highest bidder. Prostitution was strongly associated with the geisha girls. Even the dance forms geisha girls perform were erotic and sex provoking. By tradition, Japanese society is not giving much importance to the one girl for one man concept. For them, sex was not a sin, but a much needed psychological need. It was quite possible for a person to have sex with the wife of another person if both of them were in love with each other. Japanese males had the habit of selecting their wives just for producing healthy children. They gave least considerations to the aspects of love an d sexual relationships when they selected their partners for marriage. The duty of the wives was childbearing and looking after of the children. Japanese males looked for geisha girls for their true sexual needs and love relationships. Thus geisha girls had more roles in Japanese male life than their wives. Moreover, they had more importance in Japanese social life also compared to the other normal females. The profession of geisha girls was considered as a glorified profession similar to the professions of current film celebrities.

The Media of Diaspora Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Media of Diaspora - Essay Example The common notion of a globalised world is that it is composed of governmental organizations and big corporations, but this is not always the case as shown by large segments of the global population living in countries not their own but merely adopted. It gave the notion or concept of a movement that is â€Å"globalisation from below† and dispelled conventional wisdom also that a diaspora refers to the Jewish people only or exclusively. Discussion There are significantly large numbers of people living in other countries today due to the advent of modern forms of travel, such as the steamships and airplanes, which made travel easier and much cheaper. Prof. Karim H. Karim has sought to spotlight the public discourse on this growing number of people who uproot themselves to move to another country which he calls as transnational groups. These groups in turn use a variety of media to communicate and keep in touch with the original communities in their home countries, using various forms of communications such as postal mail, telephone, fax, satellite television, audiotapes, video cassette tapes and with the Internet, through e-mails and chat groups (Karim 1). The main purpose of Prof. Karim is to examine how these transnational groups have utilized various communication tools at their disposal and what the social effects are on them. The study of diapora today has been expanded from its previous closed set of characteristics to a broader definition in terms of its social scientific parameters regarding human dispersals. Some of the main points or arguments raised by Prof. Karim are that diasporas do not fit nicely into a neat definition at all times, except perhaps their common feature of being powerless in a foreign land; but even this definition does not hold true in all instances, as there are exceptions to this, such as ethnic groups which ended up as ruling elites, as in some Caribbean nations. A common misconception likewise dispelled by Prof. Karim is that diasporas are not exclusively among Asians, Africans or Latin Americans only but also include some of white ethnic groups such as Greeks, Macedonians, Italians and white Rhodesians, although these groups may have an easier time in assimilating because they are also white like the majority of Anglo-Saxons. The key marker or characteristic of a diasporas’ group is a non-dominant position in the global cultural context. Within this definition, the worldwide community of Muslims can be included because they do not have much access to global communications networks such as the CNN or the Reuters news organization like what other groups or main majority of citizens have. Diaspora does not pertain only to people going out of their native countries, as it is also applicable to indigenous peoples who have been displaced (or forcibly removed) from the traditional homelands they had previously occupied for centuries. The definition applies to the Inuit natives of Alaska and other parts of the Arctic circle who had remained within boundary of their countries but not in the earlier same exact geographical location (ibid. 2) and a clear manifestation of this condition is being â€Å"de-territorialised† as a nation of people. Pursuant to this longing for an ancestral homeland, many diaspora groups end up claiming certain lands in other territories despite some conflicting claims on it, like Israel in

What was the defining concept of military conflict during the Cold Essay

What was the defining concept of military conflict during the Cold War; nuclear weapons or proxy wars - Essay Example Various US policies and some significant events were clear indication that the Cold War was unavoidable (Whitton 1951). The USA fought the war using ideologies like the containment policy that had been fuelled by domino theory, Potsdam, and Yalta conferences, Iron Curtain Speech of Winston Churchill, Marshal Plan, and the Truman Doctrine and Russia responded with communist ideas (Ball 1998). Soviet expansion, proxy wars, nuclear arms race, the Berlin airlift, and Cuban Missile Crisis were some of the moments that clearly defined the tension between the USA and the Soviet Union. Therefore, there was no form of active military confrontation during the Cold wars as the nations were battling it out through political and economic ideologies. Whereas traditional wars had been defined through armed conflict, the Cold War was fought indirectly. Western and Eastern Europe countries created an atmosphere for advocating either for American or Russian processes of democracy and communism (Innes 2012). It is, therefore, important to discuss the defining concept of military conflict during the cold wars, whether it was based on proxy wars or Military conflict. When mankind had developed weapons too terrible to use like the atomic and nuclear bombs, the presence of these deadly weapons deterred the superpowers of engaging in active or direct confrontation (Stein, 1980). History holds that wars are always eminent, but development in arms race would discourage direct military action. Therefore, the best way for the super powers was to engage in limited wars that are only devastating to the participating countries and other people involved but not destructive to the global levels or result in mass destruction (Innes 2012). During the cold war, the world was divided into First, Second and Third Worlds (Ball 1998). The First Worlds comprised the western nations that had capitalist economies with

How to make a good business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How to make a good business - Assignment Example As observed, the success of the business depends on the availability of the buyers who are the customers. The competition is all about the consumers and buyers. Therefore, in order to succeed in this competitive industry, the key to success is building strong customer base and loyalty. As marketing experts describe them, ‘customers are the king’ to the success of a business. This calls for build strong customer relationship. Besides, the dynamic need and demands of the customers must be taken into account. This implies that the marketing agencies should focus on ways of satisfying the needs of their customers. A strong customer relationship and loyalty is an essential tool to success marketing in the competitive industry. A strong image of the corporation depends on the level of satisfaction that the customers derive from the corporation or organization. This implies that customers are the king to the success of a business as they act as promotional and marketing agents for the corporation when their needs and demands are meet. In conclusion, the success of a business is highly influenced by the degree of satisfaction customer or consumers derive from the firm. Building a strong and positive relationship with your potential customers is

Juvenile Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Juvenile Justice - Essay Example Juvenile court proceedings were not open to the public and were left to the discretion of the juvenile court judge. Records were confidential to protect the juvenile’s privacy and promote his/her chances for rehabilitation, reuniting with family and rejoining into society. Because of some tensions, such as concentration on the juvenile’s welfare against concentration on his/her incapacities, deserved punishment, and the protection of society from the juvenile’s misdemeanors; different juvenile justice systems were established in every state and jurisdiction (McCord, Widom & Crowell 154). All systems of the states of California, North Dakota and South Carolina have the same goal: the treatment and rehabilitation of young delinquents. Shown in this paper are similar or different ways of addressing juvenile crimes in these states. In California, juveniles age 17-24 years old are detained for infringements of court orders; evasion from obligation; if the juvenile has a possibility to escape; for the protection of the juvenile or society; and if the juvenile is incriminated in certain felonies. As a disposition or as a sanction for breach of trial, aside from holding young offenders in protected detention before juvenile court judgment, sentencing, disposition and consignment, a court may take a delinquent to a juvenile hall, foster care or group care; or released to parents for home confinement. In North Dakota, 17-20 year-old offenders are held in detention for his or society’s protection; if there is a possibility of escape or from being removed from court rule; in cases when the offender has no parent or guardian; or in cases when the juvenile court has issued a detention order. The state’s detention is given in 7 regional juvenile detention centers managed by the county or associations of var ious counties, or by the North Dakota Division of Juvenile Services provided at the Youth Correctional Center. Detention of juveniles in South

Wearable and performance technology is surging to fashion industry Essay

Wearable and performance technology is surging to fashion industry - Essay Example Products that are both wearable and smart gadgets are used to monitor the emotions and the activity of the user (Gaimster, 2012, 170). The second is the medical and health care category. In this category, the devices require the approval of the FDA or an equivalent body, relative to the country in which the products are on sale. These devices assist in monitoring the user’s vital signs as well as the augmentation of the wearer’s senses (Editorialist, n.d., n.p.). The third is the military and industrial category. In this category, the performance and wearable technology has the ability to transmit and receive real-time data in both industrial and military environments. The fourth category is infotainment. Products under this category have the ability to transmit and receive real-time information for purposes of entertainment as well as espouse the enhancement of the wearer’s lifestyle (SportTechie, n.d., n.p.). To find out more on the employment of technology in fashion, the researcher shall undertake a primary research through use of questionnaires. These questionnaires will contain structured questions that will enable the respondent to provide their opinion on the effects of performance and wearable technology on different sectors in the economy, including the fashion industry. The respondents will be selected from the fashion industry to enable the researcher to acquire relevant information concerning the effects of technology in fashion. The questionnaire to be used for the primary research is attached to this document. Performance and wearable technology has contributed considerably to the development of fitness and wellness, especially through the devices that assist in monitoring an individual’s physical development (Scaturro, 2008, 471). The demand for Performance and wearable technology products in this category comes from professional athletes, managers of corporate wellness programs as well as consumers of recreational fitness.

Miss Essay Example for Free

Miss Essay Compare two psychological approaches to health and social care service provision. Kathryn Lamb Tuesday 14th May 2013 In this assignment, I am going to be comparing the humanistic perspective and the biological perspective in a health and social care service provision. The humanistic perspective is â€Å"an innate tendency we all possess as human beings to become the best that we can be in all aspects of personality and intellectual, social and emotional life. † Moonie, N (2010) Health and Social Care Level 3 Book 1, p. 348. Whereas the biological theory looks at the genes of people and also says that it is what determines who a person is and how they develop, so development is more drawn to nature (or genetics) rather than nurture (or the environment). In health and social care settings, the humanistic and the biological approaches contradict each other and can also affect a person’s health in different ways. For example, if someone is diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, the humanistic approach says that for someone to develop, a person must follow through Maslow’s hierarchy of needs where they must achieve the basic necessities of life fists such as good housing, good quality food and health which are all included in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Cystic fibrosis is an incurable disease, which means that once an individual has been diagnosed with the disease, they will have it for the rest of their life, which would make it impossible for them to develop and reach their full potential, although there are medications that can help the sufferer of the disease have a more decent health status, but it will be much harder for them to reach and achieve the self-actualisation stage of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs because of the nature of the disease and the short life expectancy it causes. They may also be affected emotionally, as they will be going to several hospital visits which may make them feel depressed which will affect the second level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as they will not feel safe if they are aware of the genetic disease they have. The biological perspective also influences the sufferer of cystic fibrosis but in a different way. This is because the perspective feels that each person goes through a set stage of development in their life drew to genetics, for example include the steps of development that a fertilised egg goes through in the womb; the heart is the first organ to form, followed by the rudimentary nervous system and so on, or puberty for both girls and boys throughout adolescence. But, since cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease, it can decrease or sometimes stop development in several ways for example, sufferers of cystic fibrosis have a short life expectancy of there thirties. The biological perspective also says that development in general is due to genetics â€Å"rather than being dependant upon the environment to mature. † Moonie, N (2010) Health and Social Care Level 3 Book 1, p. 351. This would mean that medication would not help the sufferer develop. Because of this, cystic fibrosis sufferers may start to become depressed and may need counselling or treatment from their doctor at the hospital to help them feel good about themselves and keep a good outlook, despite what is happening to them. Doctors and equipment in the hospital will be required from the hospital to help more for sufferers to keep concentrating on their health so they can develop to the best of their ability.

Psychological Effects of Combat

Psychological Effects of Combat PSYCHOLOGY OF A FIGHTING MAN INTRODUCTION Movies make the business of fighting and war effortless and uncomplicated. They make us believe that soldiers are some sort of killing machines. The reasons for killing may be many; because they are told, if they don’t kill they will die, the enemy is a threat to enduring peace and so on. The movies make us believe that a soldier fires to hit and kill each other. While this holds some truth, a deeper study is needed to understand the psychology behind the actions of these fighting men. Talking about the psychology of a fighting man is like virgins talking about sex. Days can be spent discussing it and the mechanics involved can be fully understood. However, you cannot be absolutely sure that the man who understood the mechanics behind the psychology will behave as expected, when he is faced with a combat situation. That is because when bullets and shells start zipping past, the emotions and Adrenaline start running high and that will affect how a fighting man sees things in the battlefield. During warlike situations, every soldier sees things different from another soldier. AIM The aim of this paper is to understand the psychology of a fighting man, the factors affecting his desire to kill on the battlefield and how it affects his mind and behavior. The paper also intends to cover the psychiatric effects of combat on a soldier and offer possible solutions. THE BEHAVIOURAL PATTERN Behaviour During Combat When it comes to combat situations, behavior of the animal species can be classified into four stages, Posture, Fight, Flight or Submit. Also, animals do not generally kill others of their species, except with very few exceptions. In this regard, human beings are like animals in our behavior, especially in a combat situation. When animals fight, they do not directly get to a physical fight. The start posturing to intimidate the enemy. Humans are not much different. Rifles, artillery guns and tanks provide perfect tools for posturing. They are dangerous, they are loud. Shells and bullets zooming past overhead can be terrifying any man on earth. The shooter gets a feeling of power and the act provides a primal release to him. Posturing also form part of combat tactics. It is said that in Vietnam War, only one out of 52000 shots fired scored a hit[1]. Were the Americans that bad at shooting? No, in fact they were very superior in posturing. However, when the time came to aim at the VietCong, the Yankee preferred to posture, rather than to kill. This does not mean the whole aim is not to kill, but to scare the enemy by posturing. There will be a few whose sole aim is to increase the use of body bags by the other side, whatever maybe their motivation. They are like that one percent of fighter pilots who accounted for forty percent of planes shot down in World War II. In war, a soldier’s behavior is also affected by the fact that whether he has to kill anyone. A person is more willing to face risks if he does not have to kill anyone. Best example in this regards are the medical corps people. Now, let us understand what happens when the enemy decides to run away. The best way to explain it is by drawing a corollary again with the animal world. What happens when you try to run away from a dog? It will run behind you, catch you and bite you. This may even result in your death. In the same way, to run away from an enemy who is on an adrenaline rush is like signing your death warrant. This is the reason behind retreating forces suffering higher number of causalities. The Decision to Kill This is the hardest decision every fighting man has to take on the battlefield. This decision is influenced by many factors. Every soldier who is shooting may not be trying to kill his opponent. He might fire on order. But it is difficult to ascertain whether he is trying to kill. Case in point being 1:52000 rounds ratio which I talked about in the Vietnam War. A majority of people will hesitate before killing another human being, unlike what is portrayed in the movies. They will do it only when they are pushed to the corner and this affects them psychologically in a big way. The Distance. A major factor which affects the decision whether to kill is the distance between a soldier and his enemy. The distance can be broadly classified into two physical distance and emotional distance. Emotional Distance. Emotional distance has nothing to do with the physical distance between a soldier and his enemy. He can kill his opponent at closer ranges provided he is able to achieve some sort of emotional distance from the enemy. Moral Distance. Moral distance considers that the enemy is wrong in his morals and ethics. Social Distance. A fighting man uses social distance to kill an opponent he considers socially inferior to him. Mechanical distance. Mechanical distance comes into play when the enemy is not seen by one’s own eyes. He is seen though a mechanical medium. It could be a screen, a display or a scope. Therefore the trauma of seeing the target as a real human is avoided. The presence of an officer does wonders to a soldier’s willingness to kill an enemy. Other factors which contribute are the want of revenge, hatred or mortal fear. However, studies show that the most important factor which propels a soldier to shoot and kill his enemy is the feeling that if he doesn’t kill, he will let down his comrades. THE EFFECTS ON THE FIGHTING MAN Psychiatric Casualties It has been proven that the longer a soldier is exposed to combat situations, the more are the chances that he will become a psychiatric casualty. Now, what is a psychiatric casualty? He can be defined as any militarily ineffective soldier in whom the predominant factors producing ineffectiveness are of psychological as opposed to physical or neuropsychiatric origin. How long does it take for an average soldier to become a psychiatric casualty? Roy Swank and Walter Marchand, both US Army doctors conducted a study[2] during world war II and came out with a result that 98% of all surviving soldiers will become psychatirc casualties after sixty days of continuous combat. The remaining 2% were already identified with having aggressive psychopath tendencies. So to put it in lighter vein, a combat unit goes completely crazy at the end of sixty days. Manifestations of Psychiatric Casualties The effects of being a psychiatric casualty can be of varied forms. It may also affect different individuals at different degrees. This in no way means that the mental stability of an individual is lost and he is no more capable of fighting. In most cases a window of proper rest away from the frontline will help in alleviating combat stress. Fatigue. The first and foremost manifestation of combat stress from a prolonged battle is Fatigue. It is nothing but the soldier being tired and is in no mood to do anything. Confusional State. If the fatigue is not checked in time, a psychiatric casualty can reach Confusional State. In simple terms, a person is ‘lost’. Ganser Syndrome. If a soldier does not slip into Confusional state, he may be affected by something called Ganser syndrome[3]. In this, he starts avoiding fear by substituting it with humour. Conversion Hysteria. A severe form of Confusional state is called Conversion Hysteria. It can happen while the combat is own or it may surface years later. A psychiatric casualty suffering from Conversion Hysteria looses touch with reality. He cannot distinguish potential dangers. He becomes insensitive to his own security. He may just wander into minefields or enemy fire. Anxiety Disorders Continuous state of anxiety during combat creates havoc in a soldier’s sleep. He feels that he is always tired irrespective of the amount of rest or sleep he gets. He starts getting nightmares and can also be obsessed with death. He doubts his ability and starts suspecting that he is coward and may fail his colleagues. The symptoms of increased anxiety states are breathlessness, blurred vision, tremors, temporary paralysis and fainting. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is another effect which can be caused by anxiety. A soldiers blood pressure may increase radically even years after his combat experience causing profuse sweating and nervousness. Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD). Anxiety can also cause OCD. The behavioural pattern of soldiers with OCD are similar to that of those suffering from Conversion Hysteria. The major difference is that he is aware of his surroundings and actions. Character Disorders. Anxiety can also cause Character Disorders in a soldier. A soldier becomes obsessed with particular actions or objects. This may result in him being paranoid about his personal safety. SOLUTIONS What are the possible solutions to these issues? First and foremost will be proper training and indoctrination. It definitely needs to be sufficient to ensure that it if not prevents, at least delays the onset of combat stress. The next step should be to identify potential psychiatric casualties as early as possible. Presence of trained counselors and psychiatrists are also essential to ensure that these potential cases do not develop into full blown psychiatric casualties. Units need to be rotated at the front on a regular basis. A ‘crazy’ unit at the end of sixty days of combat duty is not only detrimental to themselves, they are dangerous to the nation too. The final solution remains that of damage control. A psychiatric casualty should be addressed clinically. There should be counsellers at the rear to take care of potential cases. CONCLUSION The aim was not to question the capability or motivation of soldiers. It was to bring to light that every armed force today is treading on thin ice as far as the well being of the soldiers is concerned. Psychiatric casualties may take out a good part of a force, maybe more than what will fall prey to enemy bullets. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention the psychology of a fighting man, to realise what drives him, what holds him back and what other than mortal wound will take him out of the equation in a battlefield. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Grossman, Dave â€Å"On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society†. New York; Backbay Books, 1996. 2. Bray, Charles W. â€Å"Psychology and Military Proficiency†. New Jersey; Princeton University Press, 1969. 3. Watson, Peter â€Å"War on the Mind†. London; Hutchinson and Company (Publishers) Ltd, 1978. [1] Collins, Randall â€Å"Violence: A Micro-sociological Theory† Princeton University Press, 2008, pp. 58 [2] Swank, Roy L., and Marchand, Walter E. Combat Neuroses: Development of Combat Exhaustion, Archives of . Neurology and Psychiatry, American Medical Association, Chicago, IL, USA. vol. 55, 1946, pp. 236-247. [3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20703401 accessed on 02 Aug 13

Review Caught Between The Dog And The Fireplug Politics Essay

Review Caught Between The Dog And The Fireplug Politics Essay Ashworth in discussing working with politicians stated that the most important job of a legislator is to craft bills and pass them into law. He further stated that they are so many bad bills introduced throughout the nation each year by politicians. This happens both in congress and at the state legislative level. To prevent bad bills from becoming law, the founding fathers in their wisdom drafted the constitution to ensure that before any legislators idea become law, such an idea must garner enough support from other legislators, pass both houses, before signed into law by the governor or president. The president or governor has a veto right. He can refuse to sign a bill into law. To override a veto, the two branches of congress or state legislator must gather extraordinary support. It takes two third majority votes by members of congress or state legislative body to override a governor or presidential veto. Ashworth went further to point out that because it takes a lot of support f rom other legislators to pass a bill into law, politicians in strategic positions device various means to prevent certain bills from seeing the light of the day, especially when they oppose such a bill. The various subcommittees are one of such strategic powerful legislative body. Ashworth describes how he so often gets derided by members of a legislative subcommittee who disagree with his testimony. He describes how powerless he often feels in the face of legislators who seem to have all the powers and can vote on decisions that can directly impact his life. In one instance, a legislator voted to have his salary cut, because he testified against the legislators bill. After reading Ashworths letter about politicians, I immediately started rethinking my own personal decision to study public policy, especially if I find myself occupying the same portfolio as Ashworth. But in retrospect, I retorted to myself. In every profession, there are positives and negatives. We have to view Ashworths letter critically. Ashworth lamented when he wrote that if politicians are determined to embarrass you, they may show little or no regard to facts, figures or circumstances. In response to that I will say this. Unless the bill being discussed has an overwhelming support from members on both sides of the aisle. I believe that legislators on Mr. Ashworth side of the issue will stand up to defend him, speak up for him in order to make their case. They wont seat still and observe a testimony that supports their cause lampooned and lambasted. If certain groups of legislators are accusing Mr. Ashworth of being wasteful, and they resort to intimidation and falsification o f figures to make their point, one wonders where politicians on the other side of the issue were during this testimony. In this letter, Ashworth dwelt so much on the opposition. Of course the opposition will be fiery in order to make its case. I am hopeful that politicians who stood for programs Ashworth was implementing will counter with force to ensure that such a program does not cease to exist. Ashworth never stated that his program was closed. I am sure the power of his testimony alone did not save the programs he implemented for the many years he served in public service. He did not have a vote, all he did was testify and showcase how beneficial the programs he implemented will be to the citizenry. The ultimate decision rested with the politicians who had the vote. One will logically conclude that the politicians that voted to continue to fund his program must have spoken in defense of their votes during such hearings. But he benignly mentioned such utterances in his letter. H e dwelt so much on the views of the opposition. He failed to understand that the opposing view in politics is not always there to forestall growth, but rather to prevent excess and abuse. However, it is important to acknowledge some of the issues raised in Ashworths letter. Sometimes the relationship between bureaucrats and politicians can be rocky and full of unnecessary retaliation. I was particularly irked by the actions of the legislator who resorted to reducing Ashworths salary as a payback for his testimony against his bill. I wonder why one legislator will have so much power to make a decision that is unfair to a public servant, who did not break any laws or flouted any policies. I will definitely question where the other legislators where, especially proponents of Ashworths programs when the decision to reduce his salary in the line item budget was made. If I had the opportunity to question Mr. Ashworth, I will put the following questions to him: Did he Mr. Ashworth take up the issue of his salary reduction with the appropriate authorities including key members in the senate who oversaw the reduction? I will also want to know what type of response he got back from them. 2. Explain the metaphor in the title and briefly explain how this is central to understanding how to work with the press, unpleasant people, leaders, governing boards, and bureaucracies. The Metaphor Caught between the dog and the fireplug means that in the midst of the demands and inevitable inefficiencies associated with public policymaking and program implementation, a savvy public servant can shape policy, have fun and a successful career. That metaphor can be better described in the words of the philosopher, theologian Thomas Aquinas who once said: virtues in medio stat virtue stands in the middle. A policy maker should be able to find a reasonable middle ground in dealing with the media, governing boards, leaders and unpleasant people. To be an effective policy maker, one cannot be on the extreme. One has to find balance, but firm in making the right decisions, which may sometimes be unpopular. The press Ashworth begins by stating that the media has an integral role to play in a democracy vis a vis policy making and program implementation. He further advised that it is the duty of the media to keep the public informed as to what is going on in the polity. If any government decides to keep all of its action a secret from the media, the ability of the people to control that government will cease to exist. But however, he advised that there should be a limit and timing as to what can be disseminated to the media. If the media has prior knowledge of governmental negotiation and reported such freely, such a report can hamper or even cripple a government project. An effective negotiation is one conducted behind closed door, after which the contents of such negotiation is then given to media. This will help protect the integrity of negotiation. A policy maker will be doing themselves a disservice if they choose not to inform the press of the outcome of a negotiation. It is important to unde rstand as Ashworth states, that the media has a job to fulfill, and it is the job of the policy maker to make sure that the press gets all the information they want at the right time. This is if the policy maker has the answers to the question. The policy maker should be very candid with the media. If he cannot give the answers to the questions posed, he should state thus. Ashworth advised that it makes for better relation with the press if they know that the policy maker in question is always candid. A policy maker may take the semblance of an extremist or even a dictator if he knowingly chooses to keep pertinent information that is for public consumption from the press. There has to be abalance. The information has to be given at the right time, and not withheld out rightly. The metaphor used in the title of the book is also very evident in what Ashworth calls humility. Ashworth asserts that as a policy maker, a little humility helps. For one to be an effective policy maker and program manager, one has to be open to criticism. Thus, a fair and accurate criticism from the media should not be seen as an attack, but rather as a time to rethink and re address the issues one is being criticized for. No one is perfect. Ashworth also mentions that another strategy used in courting the media is to be responsible with ones criticisms of the media. If a policy maker finds out that a story was in accurately written by a reporter, it is always prudent to approach the writer first, before his or her bosses. By so doing, the reporter will be more accurate, and even check in with the said policy maker for accuracy in the future. Unpleasant People Ashworth in his letter to his niece about unpleasant people states that in public service one does not have the luxury to state exactly how one feels in the face of difficult and sometimes abusive circumstance. As a public servant one has to always find that balance not to come across as insulting or known to talk down on people. One has to be careful not to be branded an elitist. This brings to mind the metaphorical title of the book being reviewed. Ashworth states that an acceptable behavior is one set from the top to the bottom. Thus, a policy maker who is at the helm of a governmental agency sets the standard of behavior which invariably rubs off on his subordinates. Ashworth stated that rather than attack an unreasonable person who is propagating an implausible idea, it is sometimes wise to take a step back and let the situation unravel itself. He gave a shocking example of an entrepreneur who was trying to float a university at a low level of quality and performance. At a heari ng designed to ensure that the state does not close the university, even the entrepreneurs lawyer was startled as to the level of his clients unpreparedness. The entrepreneurs lawyer knew that his client did not have a case against the government. One can resolve unreasonable circumstances in public service by allowing those circumstances to expose themselves. Leaders In dealing with those placed above you, one has to speculate or even find out what ones leaders or bosses want. It is important to bear in mind that those in key leadership positions have their own wants and desires they will like to see accomplished. Most of them represent constituencies, and they search for ways to look good and gather support and votes among their constituents. According to Ashworth, a wise policy maker will try to craft policies that leaders can use and look good among their constituents. Of course the policy in question has to be legal and can be operable within acceptable practices. It is by so doing that one can motivate these leaders to support the ideas or policy issues he or she is looking to accomplish. In a lay mans parlance it can be called scratch my back, and I scratch yours. Ashworth also discuss what he describes as subordinate leadership. Leading from the background or leading anonymously. Subordinate leadership can be used as a tool to make ones se lf appear valuable in the sight of leaders. Thus, coming up with introspective ideas that will attract universal opprobrium is always commendable. First, it will make the leader look strong, insightful and attractive. This is exactly what happened with the Texas minority integration policy. One will assume that a policy maker, who has such attractive ideas, will continue to enjoy job security if not some form of promotion, which unfortunately comes with more responsibility. Governing Boards Ashworths advice on how to deal with persons appointed to governing boards is the plain truth and is his advice is ad rem with everyday reality. Like everything else in life, it is always important to respect as well as gain ones trust before you can convince them to support your idea or policy. Building trust and respecting members of a governing board means that they will almost always return the favor. Respect they say is reciprocal. Ashworth rightly pointed out that because of the respect he had among board members, they seldom disrespected him or his staff. On occasions when one a board member stepped out of line to insult him, other members stepped in to defend him. They stepped in to defend him because he had built a reputation of respect, candor, straightforwardness and discipline. Ashworth also hinted on how to deal with board members he labeled as turkeys. These are misfits. They tend to believe that they know more than anyone else including fellow board members. These are members who alienate other members. His advice on turkeys is to be polite. Let the counseling and admonition come from fellow board members and not you the policy maker. I cant disagree any further. Dealing with bureaucracies In dealing with bureaucracy Ashworth advised that policy makers should use every tact with their wit to avoid any type of foot dragging that come with bureaucratic positions. Often times in bureaucratic positions one is confronted with preserving the status quo. Ashworth states that if the status quo results in bottle necks and unnecessary foot dragging, then the status quo has to be set aside to get your policy implemented in an orderly time and manner. The less bureaucratic an agency is, the more interesting the work place will be. 3. This books impact on your view of public administration as a career. Would you recommend the book to others? Why or why not? The book is an expose of what public life is all about. Ashworth uses practical on the job experiences to illustrate the ups and downs of working in the public sector. Some aspects of his letters were pessimistic and scary. His letters about working with politicians and difficult people were the most disturbing to me. I did honestly ponder if employment in the public sector was worth the sacrifice given what he had gone through. I was particularly shocked that at the unethical behavior of the politician who went out of his way to cut the salary of a public servant who opposed his bill. But like I stated earlier, every profession has its ups and downs. It is up to the individual to make the best out of the situation. Some of the advice offered here can go a long way to sooth the pains, calm nerves and provide solutions on how to deal with specific subject matters. One can also take consolation in the fact that one is called to provide good service. It is important to note that if we b elieve that our government is not meeting our needs, we have the obligation to go into government and help rectify the anomaly. We cannot sit on the fence and expect the problem to fix itself. Despite the hurdles and difficulties of working in public service, there is also a reward. The reward that you are providing good service, that you are helping to change someones life. It is logical to state that public service from Ashworths perspective is not for the faint hearted no matter how you look at it. I can unequivocally add that it is indeed a calling, given the meager remuneration. Yes. I will most definitely recommend this book to anyone seeking to serve in the public sector. It is always good to know firsthand what one is getting into. The book can also serve as a handbook in the face of difficult and precarious situation. Will situations similar to what Ashworth detailed in his letters arise? Yes they will definitely arise. If they do, Caught Between the Dog and the Fireplug can serve as a veritable tool to help wiggle one out of difficult situations. Citations Ashworth, K., Caught Between the Dog and the Fireplug. Georgetown University Press. (2007)

WAL-MART Essay -- essays research papers

Over the last few years the cost declines of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, combined with improvements in sensitivity, range and durability, have enabled widespread RFID use in the logistical planning and operation segments of supply chain management processes. Specifically, areas such as security and access control, tracking, and monitoring/management will strategically be enhanced from the use of this technology. An RFID tag consists of a microchip and an antenna, often in the form of a tiny ribbon that can in turn be packaged into many forms, such as a label, or imbedded in between the cardboard layers in a carton. On the microchip is stored information about the product that the tag is affixed to, which can then be â€Å"read† when the tag passes within proximity of an RFID â€Å"reader†. This information is almost instantly relayed back to a computer system that updates the location status of the associated product. This procedure enables great efficiencies and cost reductions with respect to inventory management and control in a physical product environment, and also enables innovative applications in locating and tracking people and assets in a services environment. (Hagans, Andy, RFID Magazine)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This environment changed dramatically last June when Wal-Mart Stores announced that it would require its top 100 suppliers to put RFID tags on shipping crates and pallets by January 1st 2005. Earlier this month, Wal-Mart announced that i...

Lifes Lessons in The Once and Future King :: Once and Future King Essays

Life's Lessons in The Once and Future King "The best thing for being sad," replied Merlyn, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then -- to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing, which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn." Throughout The Once and Future King, Wart learns many lessons in some unlikely places. Young Wart is the adopted son of a nobleman when he meets Merlyn, a magician, who takes him on many adventures, turning him into several different animals and teaching him skills, both mental and physical. Wart learns to treat people with respect and kindness. Soon after, Wart pulls a magical sword from a stone, which proves him the rightful king of England. Merlyn, who knew this from the start, advises Wart-now called Arthur- on how to be a good king. What Arthur really wants to do is end the chaos that passes for law in his country. He wants his men-the knights of the round table- to help defenseless people and prevent the rich and strong from simply dominating everyone. Many young knights love the chivalrous idea and admire Arthur. Arthur's wife Guenever has an affair with one of Arthur's best knights, Lancelot. Since he is a just king, Arthur feels obligated to persecute them for adultery and treason. This went along with Mordred's plan to upset the court and, since he was the only son of Arthur (not with Guenever however), to become King of England. Lancelot kills Gareth, Gaheris, and Agravaine, all knights of the Roundtable. Mordred convinces a surviving knight, Gawaine that Lancelot killed them out of his own hatred of England. Life's Lessons in The Once and Future King :: Once and Future King Essays Life's Lessons in The Once and Future King "The best thing for being sad," replied Merlyn, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then -- to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing, which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn." Throughout The Once and Future King, Wart learns many lessons in some unlikely places. Young Wart is the adopted son of a nobleman when he meets Merlyn, a magician, who takes him on many adventures, turning him into several different animals and teaching him skills, both mental and physical. Wart learns to treat people with respect and kindness. Soon after, Wart pulls a magical sword from a stone, which proves him the rightful king of England. Merlyn, who knew this from the start, advises Wart-now called Arthur- on how to be a good king. What Arthur really wants to do is end the chaos that passes for law in his country. He wants his men-the knights of the round table- to help defenseless people and prevent the rich and strong from simply dominating everyone. Many young knights love the chivalrous idea and admire Arthur. Arthur's wife Guenever has an affair with one of Arthur's best knights, Lancelot. Since he is a just king, Arthur feels obligated to persecute them for adultery and treason. This went along with Mordred's plan to upset the court and, since he was the only son of Arthur (not with Guenever however), to become King of England. Lancelot kills Gareth, Gaheris, and Agravaine, all knights of the Roundtable. Mordred convinces a surviving knight, Gawaine that Lancelot killed them out of his own hatred of England.

Huck Finn Freedom :: essays papers

Huck Finn Freedom It is no surprise that a book that elegantly combines American History, culture, and moral dilemmas along with controversial issues has become a classic novel. This novel’s effects were felt from coast to coast and its presence shaped the nation as no other has ever done. Therefore, it remains no surprise that what many people regard as the first truly American novel, set in the 1840s and written after the American Civil War, should have at its heart the issue that divided the nation, slavery. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn illustrates a slave’s escape from freedom and a boy’s escape from society’s standards, a plot in which the entire theme of freedom and bondage occurs. Twain utilizes freedom as a main theme in this novel in order to illustrate the constant struggle to escape psychological and social imprisonment. Huck’s initiation into adulthood seems to show his inner struggle with the problem of being free from the grips of society. Huck is stuck in a world that he does not respond to. While in captivation, Huckleberry is not the person who he wants to be. He cannot seem to escape the grips of society. As points out, â€Å"Jim can say as soon as he escapes from Ms. Watson, ‘I owns myself,’ while Huck is still ‘owned’ by the official values supervised by his conscience. Huck is not only imprisoned by society but by the grips of his own mind. Due to the abusive relations of his father, Huck is imprisoned by the idea of survival. A healthy person, as demonstrated by noted psychologist Abraham Maslow, is able to meet self-actualization needs. However, Huck Finn on the table of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is stuck at safety needs. Because of his father’s attitude towards him, Huck needs to take care of his safety needs until he is able to fe el secure. When he finally feels secure, he will move from safety needs to love and belongingness needs. However, in order to fulfill these safety needs, Huck must escape from society but, â€Å"he is a fugitive from society who cannot be alone†(219 ). Clearly, Huck is trapped between existing as a prisoner to society or as a prisoner to his own lonesomeness. â€Å"In lighting out, Huck preserves his independence but also commits himself once more to isolation†.

Toyota Vietnam

In today automobiles industry, Toyota is well-known not only in Asia but also all over the world. Established seven decades ago, we could say that Toyota brand has been appeared most of countries all over the world, and they have a big influence on automobiles industry. Beside the success of Toyota through decades, Toyota has faced with many obstacle that affect strongly on its reputation in a few years back. Overview Toyota was found by Sakichi Toyoda. It traces the company's development through 1937, when Toyota Motor Co. Ltd was established with the mission is to make maximum long-term profits for its stockholders and be a good corporate citizen. In 1950, a Toyota motor sale Co. , Ltd was built because the company faces a financial crisis. After thirty years, Toyota Motor Co. , Ltd and Toyota motor sale Co. , Ltd are merged into Toyota Motor Corporation, 1982. The director of Toyota Corporation is Mr. Fujio Cho. Today, Toyota is the world's second or third largest automobiles manu facturer in both unit sales and in net sales, and the No. 1 seller of retail vehicles in the US. It produces over 5. 5 million vehicles per year. Toyota Motor Vietnam (TMV) was established in 1995 and official opening in October 1996. President is Mr. Akito Tachibana. Vietnam Toyota’s product includes Hiace, Camry, Corolla Altis, Innova, Vios and Fortuner (Locally-produced models)and Land Cruiser, Hilux (Imported models), with a production capacity of 20,000 vehicles/year. TMV is possessed by three associates: Toyota Motor Corporation (70%), Vietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Corporation – VEAM (20%), KUO Singapore Pte. Ltd (10%). Fact issues The first root problem which Toyota Vietnam encounters is business ethics. TMV is irresponsible in securing the customers’ safety. Although, during production process, the company detected three seriously technical flaws which are involved in safety standard contents, they still passed the decision to launch faulty cars to the market. At the time 2006- 2011, Innova and Fortuner cars were attracting lots of demand s by convenient designs, suitable price. It led TMV’s sale productivity last year up to 31,000 cars for Innova series that occupied 1/3 market share in Vietnam, according to bbc. co. uk/Vietnamese- article in 8th April 12, 2011. That means TMV get lots of profit from those attracted products; but users’ lives are threatening when driving. Moreover, the problem is just exposed to public by an employee who discontented with the irresponsibility of company. It leads the authorities entering into the investigations. The company brand was broken down; and TMV started losing the customers’ loyalty. However, in a press conference, Mr. Tadashi Yoshida- production director of TMV affirmed that â€Å"if there are any accidents which are defined relating to those technical faults by authorities, TMV will take the responsibility. † That means the rights of customers aren’t respected; the safety of thousands of consumers are not concentrated on. The second root problem which Toyota Vietnam is facing is human. In an organization, the human factor is the core in whole processes from production to management. Their power and contribution are invaluable to the growth of company. However, TMV is losing themselves far away their working philosophy â€Å"To employees, we always record and respect each individual’s efforts and contribution in our success. † In the case thousands faulty cars recently, Le Van Tach-an engineer of TMV find out serious faults which will affect to users’ safety, and send suggestion to stop manufacturing and recall the faulty cars to fix immediately. But, the managers don’t heed feedbacks, ideas, or opinions to solve problems effectively. They tend to ignore Mr. Tach many times, and have arbitrary decisions. That means employees contributions in TMV success aren’t focus. Therefore, the company has to face heavy criticisms. Solution Toyota cooperation offers several handling there problem including the external and the internal problems. Firstly, Toyota has some solution for external issue. To customers, the strategy carry the title â€Å"Customer first† which includes creating a complaint center for receiving, handling any customers’ complaints and solving problem with a good and friendly attitude. In addition, the complaint center also handles the employees’ suggestion. Further more, they could organize some corporate social responsibility programs to gain back their reputation and create a new responsibility image in community’s heart. Besides, they also need to do promotion to attract more customers. To employees, they should always record and respect each individual’s efforts and contribution in our success. This human-being business view point has made our active contributions for the society as the good citizen at the local community with 3 important targets: Customer’s satisfaction; Active contributions to Vietnam’s automobile industry and to Vietnam society. Secondly, Toyota has a strategy to solve the internal problem. In human resources strategy, Toyota divided into eight areas such as rewards and recognition, training, hiring, the performance management process, corporate culture, leadership development and succession, retention, risk assessment. However, basing on the published article, we can understand that TMV only need to execute in some fields include rewards and recognition, training, and the performance management process. The purpose of any corporate reward process is to encourage and incent the right behaviors and to discourage the negative ones. It’s important for the reward process to incent the gathering of information about problems. It’s equally important to reward employees who are successful in getting executives to take immediate action on negative information. Toyota can use rewards and recognition for the ones who can contribute the ideas of Cost-cutting, for example. Secondly, for training process, Toyota is famous for its four-step cycle — plan/do/check/act — but clearly the training among managers now needs to focus more on the last two. In addition, in an environment where safety is paramount, everyone should have been trained on the symptoms of â€Å"groupthink† and how to avoid the excess discounting or ignoring of negative external safety information. Finally, Performance management processes identify problem behaviors before they get out of hand, measure responsiveness to negative information, report groupthink type errors. Toyota doing so well, maybe for the time by time the strategy out of dates so retention and improving the current customers’ needs. Implementation The implementation of the strategy of Toyota should follow the ime illustrated by the the chart below. Conclusion General speaking, Toyota’s problems are the lessons for all of corporations in automobiles industry in particular and for all corporations in the world in general. Through those issues, we can conclude with three lessons. Firstly, the companies should not neglect the quality control, even though a famous brand. Secondly, they should not accelerate the market share without focusing on product quality control. Finally, they should build and protect the essence of the brand which is the strength of the brand, which is the product quality in the case of Toyota. Work cited http://www.bbc.co.uk/vietnamese/vietnam/2011/04/110408_toyotavietnam_recall.shtml http://www.tinmoi.vn/6-ldquochieurdquo-Toyota-dung-de-doi-pho-voi-con-loc-trieu-hoi-xe-04177312.html http://www.tienphong.vn/Xe-Hoi/533817/Toyota-se-nga-ngua-o-VN-vi-bi-tay-chay-.html http://vietbao.vn/Kinh-te/Toyota-cho-rang-xe-bi-to-loi-khong-can-thu-hoi/75283550/87/ http://vietbao.vn/Kinh-te/Toyota-VN-xin-thu-hoi-xe-bi-to-dinh-loi-nghiem-trong/75284215/87/ http://vietbao.vn/Kinh-te/Toyota-Viet-Nam-van-lap-lo-thong-tin/75283765/87/ http://tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitrenews/business/toyota-vietnam-technical-flaws-spark-public-outrage-1.26622 http://tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitrenews/business/vietnam-must-inspect-toyota-over-technical-faults-1.26804

Mesopotamia Case Essay

HISTORY OF MESOPOTAMIAN RELIGION The name Mesopotamia, is a Greek name which means ‘the land between the rivers’, refers to the geographic region which lies near the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and not to any particular civilization. The land of Mesopotamia is made fertile by the irregular and often violent flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. While these floods aided agricultural endeavors by adding rich silt to the soil every year, it took a tremendous amount of human labor to successfully irrigate the land and to protect the young plants from the surging flood waters. Given the combination of fertile soil and the need for organized human labor, perhaps it is not surprising that the first civilization developed in Mesopotamia. Sumerians were the first settlers in Sumeria. By c.3500 BCE, the Sumerians had developed many of the features that characterized subsequent civilizations. Cuneiform was a system of writing established by the Sumerians which became the dominant system of writing in Mesopotamia for over 2000 years. Mesopotamia is widely recognized as one of the regions in the Near East first experiencing the developmental transition to hydraulic and urban civilization, duly celebrated as a â€Å"cradle of civilization† and the eastern segment of the Fertile Crescent. Mesopotamian religion is the religious beliefs and practices of the Sumerians and Akkadians, which were noted the first developed civilizations and religions; and later of their successors, the Babylonians and Assyrians. (Lindemans, 2007). In general terms, it constitutes the greater part of what is now Iraq, eastern Syria, and south-eastern Turkey. The deities of Sumer were usually associated with aspects of nature, such as fertility of the fields and livestock. Among the most important of the many Mesopatamian gods were Anu, the god of heaven; Enki the god of water; and Enlil, the earth god. Deities were often associated with particular cities. Astral deities such as Shamash and Sin were also worshipped. The Mesopatamians are skilled astrologers who studied the movements of heavenly bodies. Priests also determined the will of the gods through the observation of omens, especially by reading the entrails of sacrificed animals. The king functioned as the chief priest, presiding at the new-year festival held in spring, when the kingship is renewed and the triumph of the deity over the powers of chaos was celebrated. In Mesopotamia, each city state had its own god who owned it, and although other gods were admitted, they were always subordinate to the city god. Everyone had to belong to a temple, whatever rank they had in society. If they belonged to the temple of Marduk, they considered themselves ‘the people of the God Marduk’. The god was the lord and the people served him as slaves or at least as servants. Part of everyone’s produce belonged to the god and had to be brought as a sacrifice. The land itself belonged to the god and had to be leased from him. God have never been any good at signing agreements so the contracts were signed on his behalf by the priests. The main festival in Mesopotamia was the New Year Festival held in spring or in autumn. Its significance was the renewal of the land through the sprouting of new buds or the end of the summer scorching. The Sumerian drama focused on Dumuzi or Tammuz, the creative power of Spring while the Goddess was Inanna, the fertility of nature. The drama went this way: the earth goddess conceived a handsome son who later became her lover and begat the next son – a ritual performed by the king and his consort or the head priest and priestess in a ritual coupling. The son died and everyone wailed but the new son was born and everyone rejoiced. In the tropics the vegetation died in the summer heat but in northern climates it died with the onset of frost, so the times were not necessarily the same. (Amytas, 2002) In an article of Sumerian Religion it was said that reincarnation is a concept suitable for Mesopotamians because it was so real and explicit that it was not worth reporting the striking obvious. The Mesopotamians, took painstaking notes of the coming of the sunrise and sunset every day, the return of the seasons, the planets and the stars, always revolving and returning to chartered points in the skies. Thus, they did believe that everything was cyclic, and probably considered life and death as such as well (cited in Adapa). MESOPOTAMIAN MYTHOLOGY The two following stories are one of the descent and ascent stories of Mesopotamian Religion (Amytas, 2002) Descents to the underworld are a constant theme in Mesopotamia and tell about the triumph of the spirit over desire, wrong doings or guilt. Descent stories always contain the warning that one should not venture to ‘the Land of No Return’, that the laws of ‘Great Below’ cannot be changed and it designs the foremost. Nevertheless, Inanna descended to meet Her other Self, the Great Judge and Queen of the Underworld, Ereshkigal, and She who is the Lover and Beloved resurfaced as the vision of triumphant humanity that transcends all deaths. Enlil descended after having raped Ninlil, who immediately took matters in her hands and went down after Him to conquer Her beloved back, achieving major growth along the process herself from maiden to Consort of Lord Air. Even Enlil, the most important of the young Anunnaki gods, had to undergo punishment for a terrible act in the most romantic and intense of all descent stories. However, Ninlil, as the Beloved and Hardest Judge Enlil could have ever had, flew after him for the rescue to bring him back to the Heights Above, to become Enlil’s partner in all levels. All of them faced awesome trials and returned back to the Heights after achieving much healing and growth. It is therefore clear that returns from the Underworld, despite all warnings against venturing over there, can be achieved, but only by the triumph of the spirit, by conquering one’s own weaknesses, by a necessary loss to achieve a major growth. In the myth of Adapa, Adap ascends to the Heavens to meet Anu so that he could justify himself in front of the Skyfather for having been disrespectful to the South Wind. Adapa is the proto-Solomon, the sage and the priest-king of Eridu. He refuses immortality to come back to the Middleworld instead of remaining with the Great Gods in the Great Above, as Anu had given him the opportunity to stay there by eating and drinking from the table of the gods. Adapa refuses the offering, because Enki, Adapa’s personal god, had warned him not to, if Adapa did not want to die. A possible experience for this passage is the following: in the end Adapa understood that he would have eventually eternal life after living a full life in the physical world, and not in the moment he had been offered the gift by Anu. He did not need eternal life when he was offered it by Anu, because he was needed on earth, he was the priest-king the foundation of the state which was being built in Eridu, the place where kingship descended from the heavens. Again, it is a Mesopatamian ascent story with a return, whose mystery show the cycle and the link between heaven and earth, the Great Above and the Great Below not as opposite worlds, but matching complements, in a never-ending cycle. PHOENICIAN LETTERS (Amytas, 2007) The Phoenician Letters is a piece of mystery teachings in a written form from a master to a devoted acolyte in the Mesopotamian tradition, a sort of retro-Caballa. It involves 10 letters, each involving a god/goddess (Rimon-Adad, Nabu, Ishtar, Nergal, Shamash, Marduk, Anu, Enlil, Ea-Enki, Sin-Nana) by the master to the acolyte exchanged during the period of two years. The letters cover the training of a future-priest king by a master kept unknown up to the last letter. The quotations on the chapter of Nergal on the next paragraph are about reincarnation, the Eternal Return. Notice that the piece of metal that is left from the burning of what should be burnt may refer to that part of matter in us that is primeval and without blemish, the seed of the Great Mother that they all carry within, represented by the metal attributions of Mesopotamians deities, or the imperishable in them, their Personal Gods. On Ishtar, â€Å"But Ishtar is all this and more. She is the reborn†¦Know, o Prince, that death is the source of life, life is the cause of death. Dumuzi her lover must die in order to live. She is the rhythm, and all rhythms have an end, this is death, all have a beginning (pages 34-35).   On Nergal: â€Å"There are many forms of heroism. There is that form that represents a magnificent stupidity, where the hero achieves nothing, saving neither his people nor his own life, but taking with him down into death as many of the enemy as possible. He will fight in the underworld that battle which he did not win, for it is sad that as a man dies, all that he has done is presented to him, to see if he regrets his actions or not. If he regrets and pines for the things that he failed to do or the errors he has made, then this is a weight he must carry into his next time of living (Lishtar’s emphasis). Herein is the tale of justice: the assessors of hell visit upon each man his crimes, and according as he loves them or hates them, he will be attracted to the same events, time without end, till the actions of his life be without blemish† (page 41). CREATION OF MAN (and WOMAN) SUMERIAN VERSION Enki, the Magician, and Ninhursag, the Earth Mother, create humankind from the fertile waters of the Abzu and a pinch of clay, breathing into the mix the spirit of a slain god. It is in the myth that the spirit of the slain god resonates in each and every being as a drumbeat, life force, to remind them of its sacrifice. According to Amytas, the myth was a wondrous metaphor that shows incarnation as a gift from Divine Consciousness bestowed upon all humankind, all that lives and breathes. The bond that was thus established between heaven and earth from the beginning of Sumerian religion, whereby from this moment on humankind is called upon to continue for the gods the workings of existence and faithful servants. This metaphor shows the truth all initiates have experiences from times immemorial. Spirit can only incarnate through love, the same way we can only ascend to the heights of religious and visionary experience by giving spiritual body to our soul’s design. Slain in this context may very well mean the necessary loss to achieve higher consciousness, the disrobing and vulnerability needed to enter both Great Above and the Depths Below enforced. Furthermore, the myth of the ‘Creation of Man and Woman’ can be interpreted according to the Sumerians as the never-ending miracle of spirit entering matter and for those of them who live their lives in the light of the Mesopotamian tradition. From the beginning of Sumerian Religion, from the creation of man and woman it is therefore present the everlasting bond between matter and spirit. As concluded by Amytas,† the part of us who belongs to the everlasting spirit will be then confronted by our life achievements and judged by the Annunaki of the Underworld. These deities will be the judges of our souls and decide when we are ready to return from the ‘Land of No Return’. It is for all these reasons that we suggest that the Eternal Return might have been a core understated principle of Mesopotamian religion.† THE BABYLON AND ITS PEOPLE Many scholars believe the first great historian, Herodotus, a Greek who traveled widely over the ancient world several centuries before the birth of Chris, visited the city of Babylon in its decline. He has left a description of the city but, because he could not speak Babylonian, his remarkable statements must come largely from the lips of the guides. The harvest was, Herodotus says, twice or thrice as bountiful as in other lands, the ears of wheat and barley growing to a phenomenal size. Rich groves of palm trees waved in the breeze all over the plain and so expert were the food growers that from the fruit of the palm they got bread, wine and honey. From their scattered villages they looked with pride toward Babel – the Greeks called it Babylon – or the gate of the God. They had no physician. Marriage, he says, was by purchase or auction sale. His most famous statement about the morals of ancient Babylon is to the effect that every woman had once in her life to prostitute herself in what Herodotus calls ‘the court of Venus’, meaning the court of the temple of the goddess Ishtar. There she was compelled to stand until some man threw her a coin, saying, â€Å"the goddess Mylitta prosper thee,† and taking her away to his couch. (Shirlie) On the contrary, in regard to its morals and its women he totally misunderstood his informants. There was no auction of wives in Babylon, and there was no such law as the prostitution of every woman at the temple of Ishtar. By that time, Ishtar was a patroness of virtue and the chief refuge of sinners. Women had in ancient Babylon a position of respect and prestige scarcely lower than they have won in modern times and the law of sexual purity was most drastically enforced upon both sexes. The Babylonian code of laws was compiled by King Hammurabi. This code was found carved on a black diorite column seven feet high in the ruins of Susa in 1901. A conqueror of Babylon about 1100 BC had stolen it and carried it off to the hills. On the upper part of it is a figure of Hammurabi in an attitude of worship before the sun-god, Shamash. The king says he made the code himself. Babylon, supposed to have been a sink of iniquity, in which chastity was unknown, an example followed the clauses of the next paragraph in the Hammurabi Code of four thousand years ago. MESOPOTAMIAN CONCEPTS OF DISEASE AND HEALING Mesopotamian diseases are often blamed on pre-existing spirits: gods, ghosts, etc. Each spirit corresponds or is responsible for a specific disease. For example, ‘Hand of God X’, of the stomach corresponds to what is called a disease of stomach. A number of diseases simply were identified by names, ‘bennu’ for example. Also it was recognized that various organs could simply malfunction causing illnesses. Mesopotamian uses plants as treatment for diseases although this cannot be relative for magical purposes. In addition, specific offerings are made to a particular god or ghost when it was considered to be a causative factor, but these offerings are not indicated in the medical texts, and must have been found in other texts. There two distinct types of professional medical practitioners in Mesopotamia, the ashipu known as the ‘sorcerer’ and the asu which may be referred to as the ‘physician’. The ashipu diagnoses the ailment. In the case of internal diseases, this most often meant that the ashipu determined which god or demon was causing the illness. The ashipu also attempted to determine if the disease was the result of some error or sin on the part of the patient. The phrase, â€Å"the Hand of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  was used to indicate the divine entity responsible for the ailment in question, who could then be propitiated by the patient. The ashipu could also attempt to cure the patient by means of charms and spells that were designed to entice away or drive out the spirit causing the disease. On the other hand, asu is the specialist in herbal remedies and deals with were often classifiable as empirical applications of medication. For example, when treating wounds the asu relied on three fundamental techniques: washing, bandaging and making plasters on which appear in the world’s oldest known medical document (c. 2100 BCE). CONCLUSION Mesopotamian religion in accordance with my research clearly implies that it is the foundation of many religions since, Sargon, who founded the Babylon and created the first Mesopotamian empire, lived over two thousand years before Christ and even a thousand years before the presumed time of Moses of the Christian bible. One example would be the comparison in the story of Moses: one of the clay tablets covered with the cuneiform writing of the Babylonians and Assyrians refers to Sargon, the great king. His mother bore him in secret. After the birth she made a little ark or boat of reeds or rushes, coated it with pitch, which is natural there. She placed the baby in it and she set it afloat on the river, doubtless expecting it to die but hoping it might be saved. The child was destined to be a mighty leader and the gods took care of him. A water-carrier found the ark and reared the child, until the goddess Ishtar saw and fell in love with the youth, and made him king over the land. To sum it all up, learning man’s history always is a very interesting subject, it’s like being transported to a different world where oneself could be alienated. For me it would not matter because the most important thing is that you have respect to all men regardless of their religion. Bibliography Williams, Tyler. Ideas of Origins and Creation in Ancient Mesopatamia. 2007 Lindemans, M.F. Mesopotamian Mythology. 2007 Amytas, Voluptua. Sumerian Religion and the Eternal Return. 2002 Shirlie. God or Goddess? The Son Gods. 1999 http://www.oriental.cam.ac.uk/jmc http://www.archaeowiki.org/Mesopotamia

The Looking Glass Self states that we imagine

The Looking Glass Self states that we imagine how we appear to others and how we imagine others reaction to our imagined appearance and that we evaluate ourselves according to how we imagine others have judged us. Every day of my life that I leave the house to go to school or to work or even to do shopping; I spend a long time in the mirror trying to reassure myself that I look alright, when I go out, I imagine that people I pass by look at me and notice that I do not look good. I imagine them passing on judgments at me, commenting at my hair, my shirt, my shoes, my over all appearance etc. Thus when I meet someone who says that I look good, I usually tell myself that they are just saying it out of politeness and that they are just to ashamed to tell me I look awful. I understand now that our self-concept is influenced by how we think other people see us and that it is a very dangerous path to take, because our belief in who we are is dependent on other people and we will end up continuously comparing ourselves to others which ultimately lead us to feel negatively about our selves. When I watched the video of Reviving Ophelia, I felt alarmed at how media has become a greater force in shaping how teens behave and think about themselves. The media portrays what the ideal teen should be and they are sending the message that girls should be provocative and sexy, that to feel good they should make every effort to catch the attention of boys, and the most popular with the boys are the best. After watching the video, I watched TV and took notice more of the present advertisements that targeted teens, and I was appalled at how blatantly sexual the messages are. I strongly feel that something should be done about this advertisements, and that parents and the school should take a more active role in the lives of teens beyond the home and the classroom. Upon completing the readings for chapter 3, I think I have a better understanding of how teens develop their self-concept and their identities. Erikson calls this identity crisis, which refers to the phase that any adolescent undergoes to establish his/her identity and this is a process wherein other people’s perception are the most influential. A number of theorists have explained this phase and have come up with varied explanations ranging from the biological to the psychological and even to the idea of generational differences. What I have learned is that an individual is affected by society and that society affects the individual in a number of ways. Â  

Warfare In The Information Age Commerce Essay

The paper is focused on alterations occurred in military organisations in Information Age. During Industrial Age the military construction of forces evolved harmonizing with rules of decomposition, specialisation, hierarchy, optimisation, deconfliction, centralized planning, and decentralised executing. But now the solutions based upon Industrial Age premises and patterns will interrupt down and neglect in the Information Age. This will go on no affair how good intentioned, hardworking, or dedicated the leading and the force are. Two cardinal force capablenesss needed by Information Age armed forcess are interoperability and legerity. Both interoperability and legerity are provided by Network centric warfare theory of war. â€Å" Ages † are proclaimed when something happens to do a discontinuity in multiple dimensions that affect civilisation. Economicss and power are historically closely related. What distinguish the Information Age from the Industrial Age are the economic sciences of information and the nature of the power of information. With the coming of the Information Age, there is an chance to supply widespread entree to information-related services and capablenesss merely dreamed about in old epochs. This increased entree to information provides an chance to rethink the ways that we organize, manage, and control. For the really first clip in history the information power burst the efficiency at such degree which is really hard and expensive to be overcome by mass. The original principle, cognition is power, conveyed the impression that an person ‘s worth was related to their ownership of information. The more exclusivity associated with the ownership, the more valuable the information. Hence, information was a trade good like any other trade good, whose value was related to scarceness. Individual and organisational behaviours reflected this value paradigm. Hoarding information and working its scarceness have been the norm for some clip. These behaviours can no longer be tolerated because the economic sciences of information have changed. With the cost of information and its airing dropping dramatically, information has become a dominant factor in the value concatenation for about every merchandise or service. As the costs bead, so make the barriers to entry. Hence, rivals in many spheres are prehending on the chance provided by â€Å" inexpensive † information and communications to redefine concern procedures and merchandises. These tendencies apply to the kingdom of national security every bit good. Information Age constructs and engineerings are being adopted by many states. The military response to the Information Age is Network Centric Warfare.Industrial Age bequestThe term network-centric warfare loosely describes the combination of schemes, emerging tactics, techniques, and processs, and organisations that a to the full or even a partly networked force can use to make a decisive war contending advantage. The key to understand the term web centric warfare is command and control ( C2 ) attack. Command and Control ( C2 ) is the common military term for direction of forces and resources. The rules underlying traditional bid and command apply non merely to Industrial Age warfare, but besides to Industrial Age economic systems and concerns, are decomposition, specialisation, hierarchy, optimisation, deconfliction, centralized planning, and decentralised executing. The rule of decomposition is using a â€Å" divide and conquer † outlook to all jobs. The patterns of dividing combat into land, sea, and air ( and infinite ) , are an illustration of break uping warfare into manageable pieces. If a sound set of decompositions is made, so these organisational subsets of the organisation can develop professional fortes that help the overall organisation to execute its mission and accomplish its aims. In military personal businesss, specialisation ( creative activity of calling subdivisions and really specialised organisations ) enabled much more efficient calling development and preparation. During military operations, the specialised capablenesss frequently generated capacities that merely could non be created by groups of Renaissance mans. The organisational effect of Industrial Age specialisation is hierarchy. The attempts of persons and extremely specialised entities must be focused and controlled so that they act in concert to accomplish the ends of the larger organisations that they support. The size and the figure of degrees that separate the leader ( s ) of an endeavor and the specializers that are needed to carry through the undertakings at manus are a map of the overall size of the endeavor and the effectual span of control. The figure of beds is a map of the span of control. As the span of control lessenings, the figure of beds that are needed ( for an organisation of the same size ) increases. In such hierarchies, information demands to flux up and down the concatenation of bid. This is true of policy information, plans, orders, and information about the battlespace ( both studies about the enemy and studies about friendly forces ) . The more beds, the longer this takes and the higher the chance of an mistake or deformation. Even today, correspondence to a member of a military bid is officially addressed to the dominating officer of the unit and is so distributed by the central offices. In other words, all information intended for subsidiaries is recognized as belonging to and fluxing through the hierarchy. Indeed, control of information was a major tool for commanding Industrial Age organisations. Industrial Age armed forcess decomposed the battlespace, created superimposed organisations, divided into specialisations, and organized forces into hierarchies. Thinking that this attack transformed the complexness of war and big operations into a aggregation of simple, manageable undertakings and jobs, the Industrial Age military felt that they were able to concentrate on the optimisation of procedures. Virtually all Industrial Age armed forcess created â€Å" approved scenarios † against which their threat-based determinations were optimized. Of class, they experienced troubles when forced to contend against military organisations other than those they had planned against. Given that the elements of military forces were optimized for specific missions under good known and understood fortunes, Industrial Age bid and control processes relied to a great extent on control steps that would deconflict the elements of the force. The ultimate end was to supply each component of the force with the best possible operating environment. This was a natural effect of specialisation and optimisation. Deconfliction is far better than conflicted operations ( where friendly units impede one another ) , but it falls good short of the public presentation possible when military assets are employed synergistically. Planing became a important portion of Industrial Age bid and control because it enabled commanding officers to set up forces and events in clip and infinite so as to maximise the likeliness of success ( mission achievement ) . Industrial Age commanding officers were, nevertheless, aware of the breakability of programs in the face of the harsh and dynamic operating environment of combat. One of the most celebrated citations about planning is, â€Å" No program survives first contact with the enemy. † Understanding the bounds of military programs, commanding officers ( peculiarly in extremely professional forces ) encouraged inaugural ( invention and aggressive actions ) and decentralized executing within the overall commanding officer ‘s purpose. This was non merely a grant to the built-in trouble of anticipating all contingencies. It was besides a contemplation of the fact that the commanding officer on the scene frequently had better information than those removed from the battlespace. Taken together, they create a form correspondent to command theory. The Industrial Age rules and patterns of decomposition, specialisation, hierarchy, optimisation, and deconfliction, combined with Industrial Age bid and control based on centralised planning and decentralised executing, will non allow an organisation to convey all of its information ( and expertness ) or its assets to bear. In add-on, Industrial Age organisations are non optimized for interoperability or legerity. Therefore, solutions based upon Industrial Age premises and patterns will interrupt down and neglect in the Information Age. This will go on no affair how good intentioned, hardworking, or dedicated the leading and the force are. Two cardinal force capablenesss needed by Information Age armed forcess are interoperability and legerity. Organizations that are merchandises of Industrial Age believing are non good suited for important betterments in interoperability or legerity [ 1 ] .3. Network centric warfareNetwork centric warfare ( NCW ) is an emerging theory of war in the Information Age. The term network-centric warfare loosely describes the combination of schemes, emerging tactics, techniques, and processs, and organisations that a to the full or even a partly networked force can use to make a decisive war contending advantage. A networked force carry oning web centric operations ( NCO ) is an indispensable enabler for the behavior of effects based operations. Effectss based operations ( EBO ) are â€Å" sets of actions directed at determining the behaviour of friends, neutrals, and enemies in peace, crisis, and war. † NCW generates increased combat power by networking detectors, determination shapers, and taws to accomplish shared awareness, increased velocity of bid, high pacing of operations, greater deadliness, increased survivability, and a grade of self-synchronization. In kernel, it translates information advantage into combat power by efficaciously associating friendly forces within the battlespace, supplying a much improved shared consciousness of the state of affairs, enabling more rapid and effectual determination devising at all degrees of military operations, and thereby leting for increased velocity of executing. Information engineering progresss in the countries of bid and control ( C2 ) ; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance ( ISR ) ; and preciseness arms bringing are dramatically reshaping the behavior of warfare in the twenty-first century. NCW will speed up the determination rhythm by associating detectors, communications webs, and arms systems via an interrelated grid, thereby heightening our ability to accomplish information and determination high quality over an adversary during the behavior of military operations. While NCW is the theory, web centric operations ( NCO ) is the theory put into action. In other words, the behavior of NCO represents the execution of NCW. The aim of determination high quality is to turn an information advantage into a competitory advantage. This competitory advantage is readily evident when comparing forces carry oning NCO and those runing under the old paradigm of platform centric operations. Platform centric forces lack the ability to leverage the synergisms created through a networked force. A force implementing NCW is more adaptative, ready to react to uncertainness in the really dynamic environment of the hereafter at all degrees of warfare and across the scope of military operations. Over 1000s of old ages of recorded history, the huge bulk of inventions that created important war contending advantages were concentrated in the physical sphere as opposed to the information sphere. These inventions translated chiefly into advantages at the tactical degree of warfare, but they besides had an impact on what are now by and large referred to as the operational and strategic degrees of warfare. They resulted in such battleground advantages as: increased scope of battle, increased deadliness, increased velocity of manoeuvre and increased protection and survivability. While all of these illustrations of invention are considered platform centric, the past century has besides seen many inventions focused on making advantage in the information sphere. The ability to develop and work an information advantage has ever been of import in warfare, therefore the eternity of security and surprise as of import rules of war. While the importance of invention in the information sphere in the yesteryear has been great, its importance has gained critical significance in warfare today [ 2 ] . Fig. 1 The Military as a Network-Centric Enterprise In a more proficient sense, a networked force improves operational pacing by speed uping the Observation-Orientation stages of Boyd ‘s Observation-Orientation-Decision-Action ( OODA ) cringle. Identified during the 1970s by US Air Force strategian John Boyd, the OODA is an abstraction which describes the sequence of events while must take topographic point in any military battle. The opposition must be observed to garner information so the aggressor must point himself to the state of affairs or context, so make up one's mind and move consequently. The OODA cringle is therefore cardinal to all military operations, from strategic down to single combat. It loop is an inevitable portion of world and has been so since the first tribal wars of 25,000 old ages ago, as it is cardinal to any predator-prey interaction in the biological universe. Sadly, its proper apprehension had to wait until the seventiess. At a philosophical and practical degree what confers a cardinal advantage in battles is the ability to remain in front of an opposition and order the pacing of the engagement – to keep the enterprise and maintain an opposition off balance. In consequence, the aggressor forces his opposition into a reactive position and denies the opposition any chance to drive the battle to an advantage. The participant with the faster OODA cringle, all else being equal, will get the better of the opposition with the slower OODA cringle by barricading or pre-empting any move the opposition with the slower OODA cringle efforts to do. The four constituents of the OODA cringle can be split into three which are associated with processing information, and one which is associated with motion and application of firepower. Observation-Orientation-Decision is information centric while Action is kinematic or centered in motion, place and firepower. If we aim to speed up our OODA loops to accomplish higher operational pacing than an enemy, we have to speed up all four constituents of the cringle. Much of 20th century war contending technique and engineering dealt with speed uping the kinetic part of the OODA cringle. Mobility, preciseness and firepower additions were the consequence of this development. There are practical bounds as to how far we can force the kinetic facet of the OODA loop – more destructive arms produce indirect harm, faster platforms and arms incur of all time increasing costs. Consequently we have seen development decelerate down in this sphere since the sixtiess. Many arms and platforms widely used today were designed in the 1950s may stay in usage for decennaries to come. Observation-Orientation-Decision are all about garnering information, administering information, analysing information, understanding information and make up one's minding how to move upon this information. The faster we can garner, administer, analyse, understand information, the faster we can make up one's mind, and arguably the better we can make up one's mind how and when to move in combat. Networking is a mechanism via which the Observation-Orientation stages of the cringle can be accelerated, and the Decision stage facilitated [ 3 ] .DecisionThe warfare in Information Age will be different than warfare in Industrial Age. In order to accomplish a military high quality the military forces should accommodate to the new conditions. The merely networked the existent construction of ground forces is non plenty. A new construction of ground forces must be making which should let exchange of information at a high velocity. At this point the velocity of action will hold a great impact to the bid and control. Command and control can non obey the direction map of planning, forming, staffing, directing and commanding. During the battle the bid and control should obey OODA cringle. In fact during the edifice of force the commanding officer should by a skilled director but during the battle the commanding officer should use command theory that trades with the behaviour of dynamical systems. The OODA cringle is a simple and efficient theoretical account to depict the world of battle.