Free Will Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Free Will - Essay Example He argues that though indeterminism and freewill are incompatible, human being’s ‘self-forming’ or libertarian actions are essentially the result of freewill. Therefore, they are morally responsible for their actions. Unlike Kane, Derek Pereboom argues that both determinism and libertarianism are incompatible with freewill. Indeed, he remains agnostic about the truth of determinism. But he argues that whether determinism is true or not, freewill is incompatible with it. So, human being should learn to live without freewill. Yet the incompatibility of freewill with determinism does not imply that man is free from moral responsibility. Since, according to him, an agent’s action is either the result of causal determinism (self-forming action) or the manipulation of some external power, in both cases, the agent will remain responsible for his action. It is because though freewill does not exist, man’s action (even though the agent is tricked, by some ext ernal power to perform that action) will seem to be caused by his freewill. In fact, Kane has an impulsive tendency to argue against â€Å"compatibilism† on the ground that man will never be able to learn whether his ‘will’ is determined by some other power or not. Therefore, the question about the compatibility of Freewill and determinism is absurd. Referring to Frazier’s perception of Skinner’s â€Å"Walden Two†, he says that â€Å"the deeper freedom of the will is an illusion in the first place. We do not have it anyway† (Kane 427). This assertion has two meanings simultaneously: first, it can be assumed that he attempts to says that man does not freewill, since it is an illusion. Secondly, it can be assumed that since the concept of freewill is an illusion, man is free to act according to what he calls his will. Kane calls this freedom of man to act on his own at some particular moment as ‘libertarianism’. Indeed, he believes in the agent’s mundane power

Why do most countries think United States of America is a powerful Essay

Why do most countries think United States of America is a powerful country - Essay Example United States of America is currently the most powerful country in the world with almost absolute superiority in almost every area of life. Its military strength, technological superiority and economic power are unmatched in the history of mankind. The superiority of United States of America effectively started after the end of the cold war when USSR was disintegrated and the concept of bipolar world failed as United States emerged as the sole super power of the world. However, the United States of America has a long history of its march towards achieving its status of the super power of the world. This essay will look into the historical account of the US’s journey towards the superiority besides discussing the factors behind the superiority of US. American – Spanish War The America-Spanish war is probably the moment which gave America an open ground to climb at the top of the world stage and the power it is enjoying now. This war gave America its first real exposure of being the future super power of the world. In the spring of 1898, the 10 week long war between America and Spain gave the America necessary victory it required to start its climb towards the super power game. The historical background of this war can be traced back to the Cuba’s civil war where Spanish excesses forced America to intervene in the War and establish its regional hegemony in the Caribbean. (Bethel, 1998). It was America’s first major war after the civil war and its first major foreign war in its brief history. With the death toll of 400 Americans, this war gave America an unqualified victory which opened the gates for this nation to the stage of being super power.

Management Information System Essay Example for Free

Management Information System Essay Question 1 : In the 21st century, information technology has emerged as the fundamental technology of business. Explain how it has helped business and state examples of real time situation which you have read about of experienced. Decision Support, Problem Analysis and Overall Control Business managers often need to make decisions that can affect the business fortunes one way or other. For example, a company with sales outlets or distributors spread over a wide geographic area might want to optimize the logistical operations of delivering merchandise to the outlets. The best solution might be affected by numerous factors such as demand patterns, availability of merchandise, distances involved and the option of using external carriers (who can find two way loads and might prove a lesser cost option over long distances) instead of own vehicles. While it might be possible to use complex mathematical formulas by hand to compute the best solution, computers transform the whole process into a routine task of feeding certain information as input and obtaining suggestions for best solutions as output. The task can typically be done in a few minutes (instead of hours or even days) and it becomes possible to examine several alternatives before deciding upon one that seems most realistic. Identifying problems and analysing the factors that cause them also has been transformed by modern computer information systems. In a typical MIS environment, standard reports are generated in a routine manner comparing actual performance against original estimates. The software that generates the report can be instructed to highlight exceptions, i.e. significant variations between original estimates and actual performance. Managers will thus become aware of problem areas in the daily course of their work simply by looking at the reports they receive, without having to do detailed data collection and computations themselves. Identifying the factors responsible for the problem can also be routinized to some extent by using such tools as variance analysis. Variance analysis is an element of standard costing system that splits deviations from estimates (or standards) into causative factors such as increase in price of materials used, excessive usage of materials, unexpected machine downtimes, etc. With such a detailed report, managers can delve deeper into the problem factor, such as why there was excessive usage of materials. Control is also exercised through variance analysis. Budgets are prepared for all business operations by concerned managers working in a coordinated fashion. For example, estimated sales volumes will determine the levels of production; production levels will determine raw material purchases; and so on. With good information system management, it then becomes possible to generate timely reports comparing actual sales, production, raw material deliveries, etc against estimated levels. The reports will help managers to keep a watch on things and take corrective action quickly. For example, the production manager will become aware of falling sales (or rising sales) of particular products and can prepare to make adjustments in production schedules, and purchasing and inventory managers will become quickly aware of any mounting inventories of unused materials. MIS thus enhances the quality of communication all around and can significantly improve the effectiveness of operations control. Effective MIS Involves Humans and Computers Working together The major aspect to note is that MIS provides only the information; it is the responsibility of concerned managers to act on the information. It is the synergy between efficient, accurate and speedy equipment and humans with common sense, intelligence and judgment that really gives power to MIS. As a chartered accountant with business management qualifications and decades of exposure to business in senior to top level positions, Gopinathan helps small to medium businesses with new business start-up, business performance improvement and marketing. He uses structured business modelling techniques to help with all these, and has launched a business support website to provide the help in a convenient manner irrespective of geographical distances and boundaries. Significance Information technology has grown to permeate the business world, affecting how companies make and market their products, as well as how people communicate and accomplish their jobs in modern organizations. Specialized software shapes best-practices and industry standards, continually changing the face of business in almost every way. Information technology management includes many of the basic functions of management, such as staffing, organizing, budgeting and control, but it also has functions that are unique to IT, such as software development, change management, network planning and tech support. Generally, IT is used by organizations to support and compliment their business operations. The advantages brought about by having a dedicated IT department are too great for most organizations to pass up. Some organizations actually use IT as the centre of their business. Positive Impact on Business: First off, I.T. affects how businesses go about with their usual routine. For instance: the technology allows companies to go paperless, depending only on digital databases to store important data. Many pundits see this as a risk; isn’t digital data flimsy and unreliable, they ask. But the shift offers several benefits as well—including reduction in operational cost, since the business no longer has to buy or rent space or equipment just to store data. Information Technology also affects the accuracy of business operations. When a company uses a computerized accounting system instead of relying on a real live accountant, they eliminate (or, at the very least, significantly reduce) human error. And because such systems allow for faster operations, the company’s workers can concentrate on more pressing tasks. The impact of the Management Information System The impact of MIS on the functions is in its management. With a good MIS support, the management of marketing, finance, production and personnel becomes more efficient, the tracking and monitoring the functional targets becomes easy. The functional managers are informed about the progress, achievements and shortfalls in the activity and the targets. The manager is kept alert by providing certain information indicating the probable trends in the various aspects of business. This helps in forecasting and long-term perspective planning. The manager attention is brought to a situation which is exceptional in nature, inducing him to take an action or a decision in the matter. A disciplined information reporting system creates a structured database and a knowledge base for all the people in the organization. The information is available in such a form that it can be used straight away or by blending and analysis, saving the managers valuable time. The MIS creates another impact in the organization which relates to the understanding of the business itself. The MIS begins with the definition of a data entity and its attributes. It uses a dictionary of data, entity and attributes, respectively, designed for information generation in the organization. Since all the information systems use the dictionary, there is common understanding of terms and terminology in the organization bringing clarity in the communication and a similar understanding of an event in the organization. The MIS calls for a systemization of the business operations for an effective system design. This leads to streamlining of the operations which complicate the system design. It improves the administration of the business by bringing a discipline in its operations everybody is required to follow and use systems and procedures. This process brings a high degree of professionalism in the business operations. Since the goals and objective of the MIS are the products of business goals and objectives, it helps indirectly to pull the entire organization in one direction towards the corporate goals and objectives by providing the relevant information to the people in the organization. A well designed system with a focus on the manager makes an impact on the managerial efficiency. The fund of information motivates an enlightened manager to use a variety of tools of the management. It helps him to resort to such exercises as experimentation and modelling. The use of computers enables him to use the tools and techniques which are impossible to use manually. The ready-made packages make this task simpler. The impact is on the managerial ability to perform. It improv es the decision making ability considerably. Communications Technology Leveraging advances in communications technology is imperative to surviving in the modern business world. Advances in cellular phone technology have revolutionized the way businesspeople communicate with clients, employees, suppliers and strategic partners. The Internet has revolutionized the marketing function in addition to opening up a wide range of communication options. Modern smartphones are changing the game yet again with the introduction of new and innovative applications. A small business owner can now access a web-based customer relationship management service on a smartphone from anywhere in the world, for example, allowing him to obtain vital data about contacts before making calls. Accessibility By making communication more convenient, communication technology has helped to make communication more accessible, especially long-distance communication. Through various computer-mediated communication methodscommunication done through the use of a computer, such as email, instant messages, and social networking websitesyou can easily and instantly communicate with people in other cities, states and countries. This is vastly different from early forms of long-distance communication. Early forms of long-distance communication included the use of homing pigeons and/or runners to carry a message to its destination. How long a message would take before reaching its destination depended on the distance between the person sending the message and the person receiving the message. Mass Communication Organizations, like schools and businesses, use electronic communication to share information with a large number of people. Businesses can send mass emails to employees in order to inform workers about things like rule changes and important meetings. Many academic institutions use mass communication in order to maintain a well-informed campus. In case of an emergency, such as a spreading fire or presence of an armed assailant, mass communication can quickly inform people of the situation, giving enough notice to allow people to take the necessary actions to stay safe. Computer-mediated communication can be socially beneficial. For people who are socially awkward, computer-mediated communication such as online forums and chat rooms can help create a more fulfilling social life. For example, someone who fails at personal relationships because he speaks before thinking about the consequences has more control with Internet communication. He can read back his statements before posting, which will likely reduce the number of awkward moments the person creates. Communication technology offers other benefits, as well. Dating websites, for instance, can relieve some of the frustration involved with dating by allowing you to view the profiles of potential dates so you can determine who is the best match for you. This can save you both time and heartbreak. Considerations While information technology solutions can contribute to the success of your organization, there are a number of unique costs to consider. In addition to the cost of implementing an IT solution, you must employ highly educated and specialized workers to maintain, monitor, expand and repair your IT infrastructure. Question 4 : The role of hospital has changed from medical assistance to health care. What are the important information systems required to be considered while implementing front-end application development for hospital management? HOSPITAL INFORMATION SYSTEM (HIS) A hospital information system (HIS) is essentially a computer system that can manage all the information to allow health care providers to do their jobs effectively. These systems have been around since they were first introduced in the 1960s and have evolved with time and the modernization of healthcare facilities. The computers were not as fast in those days and they were not able to provide information in real time as they do today. The staff used them primarily for managing billing and hospital inventory. All this has changed now, and today hospital information systems include the integration of all clinical, financial and administrative applications. Modern HIS includes many applications addressing the needs of various departments in a hospital. They manage the data related to the clinic, finance department, laboratory, nursing, pharmacy and also the radiology and pathology departments. The hospitals that have switched to HIS have access to quick and reliable information including patients’ records illustrating details about their demographics, gender, age etc. By a simple click of the mouse they receive important data pertaining to hospital finance systems, diet of patients, and even the distribution of medications. With this information they can monitor drug usage in the facility and improve its effectiveness. Many hospitals have as many as 200 disparate systems combined into their HIS. Hospital information systems have become very advanced and new innovations are continuously being introduced. But a HIS is useless if it confuses the hospital employees. The system must be user friendly and should include training by the vendors. A good HIS offers numerous benefits to a hospital including but not limited to the delivery of quality patient care and better financial management. The HIS should also be patient centric, medical staff centric, affordable and scalable. The technology changes quickly and if the system is not flexible it will not be able to accommodate hospital growth. COMPONENTS It can be composed of one or a few software components with specialty-specific extensions as well as of a large variety of sub-systems in medical specialties * Laboratory Information System (LIS) * Radiology Information System (RIS) * Clinical Information System (CIS) * Nursing Information Systems (NIS) * Pharmacy Information System (PIS) SOFTWARE COMPONENT Software Component is a system element offering a predefined service or event, and able to communicate with other components. It should be : * Multiple-use * Non-context-specific * Compostable with other components (inter relationship with other components) * Encapsulated i.e., non-investigable through its interfaces * A unit of independent deployment and versioning Laboratory Information System (LIS) Laboratory Information System (LIS) is a software based laboratory and information management system that offers a set of key features that support a modern laboratorys operations. Those key features include but are not limited to workflow and data tracking support, flexible architecture, and smart data exchange interfaces, which fully support its use in regulated environments. The features and uses of a LIMS have evolved over the years from simple sample tracking to an enterprise resource planning tool that manages multiple aspects of laboratory informatics. Due to the rapid pace at which laboratories and their data management needs shift, the definition of LIMS has become somewhat controversial. As the needs of the modern laboratory vary widely from lab to lab, what is needed from a laboratory information management system also shifts. The end result: the definition of a LIMS will shift based on who you ask and what their vision of the modern lab. Radiology Information System (RIS) A radiology information system (RIS) is a networked software suite for managing medical imagery and associated data. An RIS is especially useful for managing radiological records and associated data in a multiple locations and is often used in conjunction with a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) to manage work flow and billing. An RIS has several basic functions: Patient management * An RIS can track a patient’s entire workflow within the radiology department; images and reports can be added to and retrieved from electronic medical records (EMRs) and viewed by authorized radiology staff. Scheduling * Appointments can be made for both in- and out-patients with specific radiology staff. Patient tracking * A patient’s entire radiology history can be tracked from admission to discharge. The history can be coordinated with past, present and future appointments. Results reporting * An RIS can generate statistical reports for a single patient, group of patients or particular procedure. Film tracking * An RIS can track individual films and their associate data. Billing * An RIS facilitates detailed financial record-keeping, electronic payments and automated claims submission. Clinical Information System (CIS) Clinical Information System is a collection of various information technology applications that provides a centralized repository of information related to patient care across distributed locations. This repository represents the patients history of illnesses and interactions with providers by encoding knowledge capable of helping clinicians decide about the patients condition, treatment options, and wellness activities. The repository also encodes the status of decisions, actions underway for those decisions, and relevant information that can help in performing those actions. The database could also hold other information about the patient, including genetic, environmental, and social contexts. Features : * access the medical literature * ask clinical or administrative questions of aggregates of patient data, * receive automatic warnings or suggestions when the patients data satisfy certain logical rules * receive critiques when proposing therapies or ordering diagnostic tests, * access guidelines for standards of care * analyse trade-offs and the likelihood of alternative outcomes (decision analysis) * receive lists of differential diagnoses Nursing Information System (NIS) Nursing information systems is a type of health care management system. It helps nurses use their nursing skills and computer knowledge within a health care environment. A nursing information system has different features and benefits. Features Nurses can self-schedule work hours based on their work shift and departmental needs. Staff nurse managers or nursing administrators can review each nurses schedule and make approvals. Another nursing information system feature includes documenting patient care plans. Benefits One nursing information system benefit includes saving time. For instance, nursing managers can confirm a nurses work availability without contacting each nurse. Nurses can review a patients treatment plan when working outside the office, such as a home care nurse. Pharmacy Information System (PIS) Pharmacy information systems (PIS) are complex computer systems that have been designed to meet the needs of a pharmacy department. Through the use of such systems, pharmacists can supervise and have inputs on how medication is used in a hospital. Some of the activities which Pharmacy Information Systems have been employed in pharmacy departments include: Clinical Screening The Pharmacy Information System can assist in patient care by the monitoring of drug interactions, drug allergies and other possible medication-related complications. When a prescription order is entered, the system can check to see if there are any interactions between two or more drugs taken by the patient simultaneously or with any typical food, any known allergies to the drug, and if the appropriate dosage has been given based on the patient’s age, weight and other physiologic factors. Alerts and flags come up when the system picks up any of these. Prescription Management The Pharmacy Information System can also be used to manage prescription for inpatients and/or outpatients. When prescription orders are received, the orders are matched to available pharmaceutical products and then dispensed accordingly depending on whether the patient is an inpatient or outpatient. It is possible to track all prescriptions passed through the system from who prescribed the drug, when it was prescribed to when it was dispensed. It is also possible to print out prescription labels and instructions on how medication should be taken based on the prescription. Inventory Management Pharmacies require a continuous inventory culture in order to ensure that drugs do not go out of stock. This is made even more difficult when there are multiple dispensing points. When don manually it is very difficult to maintain an accurate inventory. Pharmacy Information Systems aid inventory management by maintaining an internal inventory of all pharmaceutical products, providing alerts when the quantity of an item is below a set quantity and providing an electronic ordering system that recommends the ordering of the affected item and with the appropriate quantity from approved suppliers. Patient Drug Profiles These are patient profiles managed by the Pharmacy Information System and contain details of their current and past medications, known allergies and physiological parameters. These profiles are used for used for clinical screening anytime a prescription is ordered for the patient. Report Generation Most Pharmacy Information Systems can generate reports which range from determining medication usage patterns in the hospital to the cost of drugs purchased and /or dispensed. Interactivity with other systems It is important that Pharmacy Information Systems should be able to interact with other available systems such as the clinical information systems to receive prescription orders and financial information system for billing and charging.

Women In The Geisha Society Cultural Studies Essay

Women In The Geisha Society Cultural Studies Essay When we speak about Japan we imagine a high developmet country with morden tehnology, cars, telephones so on. But the biggest industry in Japan is not shipbuilding, producing cultured pearls, or manufacturing transistor radios or cameras. It is entertainment And geisha is an important aspect of Japanese culture, and their elegant performances keep attracting many people from around the world.geisha is an important aspect of Japanese culture, and their elegant performances keep attracting many people from around the world. What do we know about geisha? In early seventeenth-century Japan (long before the word geisha was ever used), the predecessor of the geisha was a combination of actress and prostitute and worked on the stages set in the dry riverbed of the River Kamo in Kyoto. The line between actress and prostitute was blurry, as the women would perform erotic dances and skits for their audiences. This new type of performance was dubbed kabuku, meaning to be wild and outrageous. The dances were called kabuki, and this was the beginning of kabuki theater. Traditional Japanese views of sex were very relaxed. It was a society that embraced sexual delights and where men were not constrained to be faithful to their wives. In fact it was socially acceptable to be in love with ones wife, but only when she was considered a professional woman. For sexual enjoyment and romantic attachment, men did not go to their wives, but to courtesans. In order to maintain this profession, the Japanese government created pleasure quarters where the courtesans could reside and work and men could go to relax and enjoy the entertainment. These pleasure quarters quickly became glamorous entertainment centers that offered far more than just sex. The highly accomplished courtesans of these districts entertained their clients by dancing, singing, and playing music. Some were even renowned poets and calligraphers. Gradually, they all became specialized and the new profession, purely of entertainment, arose. It was near the turn of the eighteenth century that the first entertainers of the pleasure quarters, called geisha, appeared. The very first geishas were men, entertaining customers waiting to see the most popular and gifted courtesans. Around 1760, women began to join men in the art of the geisha and very quickly outnumbered the men. The first woman to use the term geisha was an Edo prostitute named Kikuya and became a full-time entertainer. Soon, many women, whether they sold sex or not, began using the term geisha. The word geisha itself means  «person of the art » There are two basic types of geisha. One is called tachicata who mainly do traditional Japanese dance (mai). The other is called jikata who mainly sing or play instruments. Tachikata are usually maiko (young geisha) and jikata are older geisha women. The geisha districts are called hanamachi and some hanamachi were developed near temples and shrines where many ochay are located. Ochaya are small Japanese-style houses with wooden doors, tatami floors, Japanese-style gardens, and so on. They are different from those tea houses that merely serve tea. Its a sort of banquet house which rents rooms for dinner parties, and geisha entertain customers in ochaya rooms. Within the complex world of geisha, there is a strict ranking system. At the very top of the rank are the grand dowagers of the Gion district of Kyoto. These women consider themselves far above even the lower-ranking geisha of the same city. In Kyoto there are, in total, five geisha districts, also known as hanamachi or flower towns. The geisha of these districts are visited by powerful businessmen and politicians and are very expensive. At the opposite end of spectrum are the hot-spring geisha. These geisha work in the spa resorts and are viewed by most Japanese as no bette r than a common prostitute. Traditionally, Geisha began their training at a very young age. Some girls were bonded to geisha houses (okiya) as children. These girls were referred to as hangyoku and were as young as nine years old. This was not a common practice in reputable districts and disappeared in the 1950s with the outiawing of child labour. The students are called maiko. A maiko is essentially an apprentice and is therefore bonded under a contract to her okiya. The okiya supplies her with food, board, kimonos, obis, and other tools of her trade. Her training is very expensive and her debt must be repaid to the okiya with the earnings she makes. This repayment may continue after the maiko becomes a full-fledged geisha and only when her debts are settled is she permitted to move out to live and work independently. A maiko will start her formal training on the job as a minarai, which literally means learning by watching. Before she can do this she must find an onee-san older sister. They should sit and obse rve as the onee-san is at work. This is a way in which she will gain insights of the job, and seek out potential clients. From her, they would learn techniques such as conversation and gaming, which would not be taught to them in school. This stage lasts only about a month or so. After a short period of time the final of training begins. Maiko learn from their senior geisha mentor and follows them around to all their engagements. Since the onee-san teaches her maiko everything about working in the hanamachi, her teaching is vital. The onee-san will teach her proper ways of serving tea, playing shamisen, dancing, casual conversation and more. There are three major elements of a maikos training. The first is the formal arts training. This takes place in special geisha schools which are found in every hanamachi. The second element is the entertainment training which the maiko learns at various teahouses and parties by observing her onee-san. The third is the social skill of navigating the complex social web of the hanamachi. This is done on the streets. Formal greetings, gifts, and visits are key parts of any social structure in Japan and for a maiko, they are crucial for her to build the support network she needs to survive as a geisha.Around the age of 20-22, the maiko is promoted to a full-fledged geisha in a ceremony called erikae . This could happen after two to five years of her life as a maiko or hangyoku, depending on at what age she debuted. She now charges full price for her time. Geisha remain as such until they retire. Though geisha begin their study of music and dance when they are very young and continue it throughout their lives. They could be as old as sixty and still learning the art of their profession. The dance of the geisha has evolved from the dance performed on the kabuki stage. The wild and outrageous dances transformed into a more subtle, stylized, and controlled form of dance. It is extremely disciplined, similar to tai chi. Every dance uses gestures to tell a story and only a connoisseur can understand the subdued symbolism. For example, a tiny hand gesture represents reading love letter, holding the corner of a handkerchief in ones mouth represents coquetry and the long sleeves of the elaborate kimono are often used to symbolize dabbing tears. The dance sends a message of femininity but the small steps and the limited range of movement. The dances are accompanied by traditional Japanese music. The shamisen, originating in Okinawa, is a banjo-like three-stringed instrument that is pl ayed with a plectrum. It has very distinct, melancholy sound that is often accompanied by flute. It takes years to master and only a very experienced geisha can play with the precision and passion of a master. All geisha are required to learn to play a shamisen. Along with the shamisen and the flute, geisha also learned to play a ko-tsuzumi, a small, hourglass-shaped shoulder drum, and the taiko, a large floor drum. Some geisha would not only dance and play music, but would write beautiful, melancholy poems. Others painted pictures that gave glimpses into the mysterious lives of the geisha, and even others would compose music. The art of the geisha is her main entertainment and is most important in her training. A geishas appearence changes throughout her career, from girlish, heavily made-up maiko, to the moresombre appearence of an older established geisha. Today, the traditional makeup of the apprentice geisha is one of their most recognizable characteristics, though established geisha generally only wear full white face makeup characteristic of maiko during special performances. The traditional makeup of an apprentice geisha features a thik white base with lipstick and red and black accents around the eyes and eyebrows. Originally, the white base mask was made with lead, but after the discovery that it poisoned the skin and caused terrible skin and back problems for the older geisha towards the end of the Meiji Era, it was replaced with rice powder. The application of makeup is hard to perfect and is a time-consuming process. Makeup is applied before dressing to avoid dirtying the kimono. First, a wax or oil substance, called bintsuke-abura, is applied to the skin. Next, white powder is mixed with water into a paste and applied with a bamboo brush starting from the neck and working upwards. The white makeup covers the face, neck, and chest, with two or three unwhitened areas left on the nape, to accentuate this traditionally erotic area, and a line of bare skin around the hairline, which creates the illusion of a mask. After the foundation layer is applied, a sponge is patted all over the face, throat, chest, the nape and neck to remove excess moisture and to blend the foundation. Next the eyes and eyebrows are drawn in. Traditionally, charcoal was used, but today, modern cosmetics are used. The eyebrows and edges of the eyes are colored black with a thin charcoal; a maiko also applies red around her eyes. The lips are filled in using a small brush. The color comes in a small stick, which is melted in water. Crystallized sugar is then added to give the lips lustre. Rarely will a geisha color in both lips fully in the Western style, as white creates optical illusion s and colouring the lips fully would make them appear overly large. The lower lip is colored in partially and the upper lip left white for maiko in her first year, after which the upper lip is also colored. Newly full-fledged geisha will color in only the top lip fully. Most geisha wear the top lip colored in fully or stylized, and the bottom lip in a curved stripe that does not follow the shape of the lip.The geisha round the bottom lips to create the illusion of a flower bud. Miako who are in their last stage of training wil sometames colour their teeth black for a short period of time. This practice used to be common among married women in Japan and, earlier, at the imperial court, but survives only in some districts, or even families. While this sounds unsavoury to Western ears, it is again at least partly because of the optical illusion generated by white makeup: in contrast, teeth seem very yellow; colouring the teeth black means that they seem to disappear in the darkness of the open mouth. This illusion is of course more pronounced at a distance. For the first three years, a maiko wears this heavy makeup almost constantly. During her initiation, the maiko is helped with her makeup either by her onee-san, or older sister (an experienced geisha who is her mentor), or by the okaa-san, or mother of her geisha house. After this, she applies the makeup herself. After a maiko has been working for three years, she changes her make-up to a more subdued style. The reason for this is that she has now become mature, and the simpler style shows her own natural beauty. For formal occasions, the mature geisha will still apply white make-up. For geisha over thirty, the heavy white make-up is only worn during special dances which require her to wear make-up for her part. The hairstyles of geisha have varied through history. In the past, it has been common for women to wear their hair down in some periods, but up in others. During the 17th century, women began putting all their hair up again, and it is during this time that the traditional shimada hairstyle,f type of traditional chignon worn by most established geisha, developed. These hairstyles are decorated with elaborate hair-combs and hairpins. Geisha were trained to sleep with their necks on small supports (takamakura), instead of pillows, so they could keep their hairstyle perfect. To reinforce this habit, their mentors would pour rice around the base of the support. If the geishas head rolled off the support while she slept, rice would stick to the pomade in her hair. The geisha would thus have to repeat the tiresome process of having her hair elaborately styled. Without this happening, a geisha will have her hair styled every week or so. Many modern geisha use wigs in their professional lives, while maiko use their natural hair. However, either one must be regularly tended by highly skilled artisans. Traditional hairstyling is a slowly dying art. Over time, the hairstyle can cause balding on the top of the head. Geishas life changed during all the time. World War II brought many changes to the world of geishas. In 1944, everything in the geishas world was forced to shut down, including teahouses, bars, and houses. About a year later, they were allowed to reopen, after the women had been working laboriously in factories every day. The very few women who returned back to the geisha areas decided to reject western influence and revert back to traditional ways of entertainment and life. The image of the geisha was formed during Japans feudal past, and this is now the image they must keep in order to remain geisha World War II resulted with most of the laboring geisha not returning to their previous occupation. It was up to the few women who did return to change the thwarted view of geisha back its traditional ways. Because of the devastations of the war, people post-war wanted to bring nationalism back to the country through a reinvention of traditional values and the arts. Another major change after World War II was the absence of a young geishas mizuage, or selling her virginity to the highest bidder. This reform was also in the form of a feminist movement, because the girls wanted control over their bodies, especially sexually. There is no doubt that coerced sex and bidding on a new geishas virginity occurred in the period before WWIIà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦After Japan lost the war, geisha dispersed and the profession was in shambles. When they regrouped during the Occupation and began to flourish in the 1960s during Japans postwar economic boom, the geisha world changed. In modern Japan, girls are not sold into indentured service, nor are they coerced into sexual relations. Nowadays, a geishas sex life is her private affair In her book, Geisha, a Life, Mineko Iwasaki said, I lived in the karyukai during the 1960s and 1970s, a time when Japan was undergoing the radical transformation from a post-feudal to a modern society. But I existed in a world apart, a special realm whose mi ssion and identity depended on preserving the time-honored traditions of the past. Women in the geisha society are some of the most successful businesswomen in Japan. In the geisha society, women run everything. Without the impeccable business skills of the female teahouse owners, the world of geisha would cease to exist. The teahouse owners are entrepreneurs, whose service to the geisha is highly necessary for the society to run smoothly. Men are also needed, but in contingent positions such as hair stylists, dressers, and sometimes accountants. In an interview with the Boston Phoenix, Mineko Iwasaki, reportedly the most successful geisha of all time, stated, The geisha system was founded, actually, to promote the independence and economic self-sufficiency of women. And that was its stated purpose, and it actually accomplished that quite admirably in Japanese society, where there were very few routes for women to achieve that sort of independence The majority of women were wives who didnt work outside of their familial duties. Becoming a geisha was a way for women to support themselves without submitting to becoming a wife. The geisha women live in a strictly matriarchal society. Women dominate. Women run the geisha houses, they are teachers, they run the teahouses, they recruit aspiring geisha, and they keep track of geishas finances. The only role that men play in the society is that they are the people being entertained. Sometimes men work as hair stylists or kimono dressers, but their jobs are hardly ever long-term. Men arent meant to see the behind-the-scenes workings of geisha to ensure the mystery behind the women.

Comparing Power in Browning’s My Last Duchess and Cheever’s The Five-Forty-Eight :: comparison compare contrast essays

Power in Browning’s My Last Duchess and Cheever’s The Five-Forty-Eight  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   "That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall," begins Robert Browning’s "My Last Duchess" (594). The Duke of Ferrara, Italy makes a dramatic monologue to the count’s representative in poetic form. The count, being a friend of the Duke’s, has offered to provide the Duke’s next wife. The Duke informs the representative of all the habits he found annoying in his former Duchess as an instruction of the customs his next wife should and should not do; or she will find the same fate as his previous wife. He found these habits so annoying that he had her killed. The power that the Duke has starkly contrasts with the helplessness Miss Dent feels in John Cheever’s "The Five-Forty-Eight." Blake hires Miss Dent as his secretary, after she has been in the hospital for eight months. She is very grateful to Blake for giving her the position because she has had a difficult time finding a job due to her prolonged stay in the hospital. Miss Dent fo rms an affection for Blake, who uses her vulnerability to carry on a one-night stand with her. The next day he has her fired while she is at lunch and he then takes the afternoon off from work. Miss Dent tries to contact Blake every day for the next few weeks, but he avoids her until she finally confronts him in hostility. The presence or absence of power in Miss Dent’s or the Duke’s lives is the impacting factor in their personalities, "love lives," and the concluding results each of them gains. Power, or the lack of it, forms the Duke’s and Miss Dent’s personalities. The Duke achieves his initial power from his materialistic strengths. A few of these are emphasized in lines 27-29 at which point he states "The bough of cherries some officious fool/ Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule/ She rode with round the terrace" (594). His home life includes an assemblage of servants and maids, whom he passingly refers to as "officious fool[s]." He has an enormous house that extends onto a terrace, where the Duchess rides her white mule, and then on into an array of gardens, from these orchards her cherries are picked. Not so fortunate is Miss Dent who lives in "a room that seem[s]...like a closet" (81). Comparing Power in Browning’s My Last Duchess and Cheever’s The Five-Forty-Eight :: comparison compare contrast essays Power in Browning’s My Last Duchess and Cheever’s The Five-Forty-Eight  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   "That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall," begins Robert Browning’s "My Last Duchess" (594). The Duke of Ferrara, Italy makes a dramatic monologue to the count’s representative in poetic form. The count, being a friend of the Duke’s, has offered to provide the Duke’s next wife. The Duke informs the representative of all the habits he found annoying in his former Duchess as an instruction of the customs his next wife should and should not do; or she will find the same fate as his previous wife. He found these habits so annoying that he had her killed. The power that the Duke has starkly contrasts with the helplessness Miss Dent feels in John Cheever’s "The Five-Forty-Eight." Blake hires Miss Dent as his secretary, after she has been in the hospital for eight months. She is very grateful to Blake for giving her the position because she has had a difficult time finding a job due to her prolonged stay in the hospital. Miss Dent fo rms an affection for Blake, who uses her vulnerability to carry on a one-night stand with her. The next day he has her fired while she is at lunch and he then takes the afternoon off from work. Miss Dent tries to contact Blake every day for the next few weeks, but he avoids her until she finally confronts him in hostility. The presence or absence of power in Miss Dent’s or the Duke’s lives is the impacting factor in their personalities, "love lives," and the concluding results each of them gains. Power, or the lack of it, forms the Duke’s and Miss Dent’s personalities. The Duke achieves his initial power from his materialistic strengths. A few of these are emphasized in lines 27-29 at which point he states "The bough of cherries some officious fool/ Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule/ She rode with round the terrace" (594). His home life includes an assemblage of servants and maids, whom he passingly refers to as "officious fool[s]." He has an enormous house that extends onto a terrace, where the Duchess rides her white mule, and then on into an array of gardens, from these orchards her cherries are picked. Not so fortunate is Miss Dent who lives in "a room that seem[s]...like a closet" (81).

To Have Or Not To Have Caesarean Section Essay example -- essays paper

To Have Or Not To Have Caesarean Section Years ago caesarean section (c-section) was only done in cases of emergency such as when the mother’s life or the neonate’s life is in danger. However at the turn of the century, there seems to have a remarkable rise in c-section deliveries. It seems that women nowadays are willing to take the risk of surgery to avoid the stress and pain of labor rather than experience the normal trend of delivering a baby vaginally – the normal way. The majority of pregnant women believe that the best method of giving birth is the least painful but this is not necessarily the safest (Ghetti, Chan & Guise 2004). Amazingly some obstetricians have become advocates for this surgical procedure instead of advisors to what is really suitable for the individual. What it is that drives women to go for a mutilating procedure rather than a simple laceration of a normal birth? The answer is obvious. The modern women are scared of pain, of the long stretch of labor and the stress that comes along with it. But what the modern women should understand is that delivering babies by caesarean section is not the answer to a pain-free delivery (Smeltzer & Bare, 2002). Caesarean Section – Its Beginning Many people think that c-section is a modern method of delivering babies. The truth is, â€Å"†¦ caesarean section has been a part of human culture since the ancient times†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (The National Institute of Health Convention, 1998). In fact history tells about the birth of Julius Caesar by c-section, thus the term â€Å"caesarean† came into use. However, modern historians do not believe that Julius Caesar ‘s birth was by c-section since his mother had been mentioned in some part of history to be alive when Caesar was already a reigning ... ...Ghetti,C., Chan, BKS., & Guise, J. (2004). Physicians’ responses to patient requested-caesarean delivery. Retrieved March 2, 2005 form www.cinahl/chi-bin/refsvc Ignatavicious, D. & Workman, L. (2001). Medical-surgical nursing: Critical thinking collaborative care. (4thed.). Philadelphia, PA: Mosby, Inc. Lowdermilk, D. & Peryy, S. (2004). Maternity and women’s health care. (4th ed.). St. Louise, MO: Mosby, Inc. Porter, M. & Bhattachary, S. (2004). Preventing unnecessary caesarean section: Marginal benefit of a second opinion. The Lancet. 364, 1921. Rubin, R. (2004). Do you have a choice? USA Today, Sept.16, 2004, D-08. Smeltzer, S.C. & Bare, B. (2002). Medical-surgical nursing. (9thed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Stein, R. (2004). Findings on caesarean section rekindle debate. The Washington Post, Dec. 15, 2004, p. A-18.

Retail Manager

| 2012| | Triangle Tribe Recruitment| Recuritment of retail manager| | Table of contents Contents Page no.Job analysis 2, 3, 4 Job description 5 Personnel specification 6 Method of recruitment 6, 7 Advertising campaign 8, 9 Action plan with timelines 10 EEO principles 11 References 12Job analysis Job analysis focuses on what job holders are expected to do. It provides the root for a job description, which in turn influences decisions taken on recruitment, training, performance appraisal and reward systems. http://tutor2u. net/business/people/recruitment_jobanalysis. asp Three different methods used for collecting data are: 1) Interview (Mr Harry Retail manager , Myers) 0430301757 1) Tell me something about your job? My job includes what I want and it includes managing all the duties related with retailing of products and keep checking on staff so that they have to follow code of conduct. | 2) What are the main responsibilities during working hours? | Main responsibilities during work hours are to keep customers happy and solving their complaints at any costs other than this duties like Managing staff, Doing rosters, Boosting up moral level of employees, Handling sales and purchases for the store are some of my major duties. | 3) What are the main problems during work? Problems like solving customer queries and marinating stock for each brand are the problems during working hours because if size is not available sometime in fresh stock and customers sometime got upset and we may have danger of loosing customer. | 4) How do you manage staff for different duties? | Managing staff is not a big deal as most of them know their duties and sometime problem arises when salesperson for particular brand is on leave and we have to put other salesperson over that corner which may not be familiar with all the products of that brand. | 5) How do you manage day to day stock and related items to stock? Before closing all the staff mark the required products for different b rands and before opening on the next day all the products are delivered on their corners which are required for particular brand so by this all the products are available to customers at all times. | 2) Observations During the observation of work of retail manager in Myers, I noticed following tasks which he is performing on the field: 1) Motivating staff members on the work and try to improve their work. 2) Promoting the store products by different ways of promotion 3) Handling customer complaints ) Dealing with day to day stock 5) Ensures the procedures are being followed by all the staff members. 3) Questioner 1) What are your (Retail Manager) main duties? * Managing staff * Doing rosters * Boosting up moral level of employees * Handling sales and purchases for the store 2) How did you handle angry customer or unsatisfied customer? * By listening to the customers complaints calmly and making most of the decisions in the customers favour so that there must be proper customer satis faction and customer will be happy from every point. 3) How do you handle with underperforming employee? Handling with underperforming employee is not a big deal, just provide some time frame to the employee so that he can improve his performance and also give them key points where they are lacking in so that the can improve as possible as they can and moreover if employee is not improving after 2 official written warnings he is terminated or asked to leaved the job. 4) How did you ensure that code of conduct is being followed during work? * By keep checking on the staff from time to time and the major source is getting positive feedback from customers. Job Description Department: Retail storePosition: Retail Manager Job type: Permanent (38- 40 hours) Salary: $60,000 with normal entitlements Employment Status: Ongoing Other Facilities: Leased 3 series BMW Retail Store Manager Job Duties: * Maintains store staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting, and training employees * Maintains the stability and reputation of the store by complying with legal requirements * Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed * Protects employees and customers by providing a safe and clean store environment * Identifies urrent and future customer requirements * Maintains operations by initiating, coordinating, and enforcing programmes http://monster. com/hr/hr-best-practices/recruiting-hiring-advice/job-descriptions/retail-store-manager-job-description-sample. aspx Personal Specifications Qualification and related requirements * Candidate must poses degree or masters in management, business or something equivalent to that. * Must having experience of 1-2 year(s) in related field * Applicants should be Australian citizens Skills required: * Must be Customer Focused * Required skill (s): MS office, word processing, spreadsheets and database management. Must be having knowledge about Tracking Budget Expenses * Having good communication skills * Must be Result s Driven * Having good knowledge about Vendor Relationship, client relation ship and pricing of products Methods of recruitment External methods of recruitment * Placement agencies: Company can make contact with placement agencies and can get list of candidates according to job requirement. * Online advertisement: Company can post its job advertisement on various online sites like Careerone. com. au, Seek. com. au * Benefits of external methods of recruitment Bring new ideas and talent for the organisation * Help organisation to get required competencies * May reduce training cost by hiring professional or person having experience * Got heaps of options and can choose best among them Internal methods of recruitment * Promotions It is most common and efficient method for recruitment as it boosts the moral level of employees and also motivates employees to work better. * Personal recommendation Under this manager or team leader recommend his team member for the job vacant in the compa ny this is also very commonly used method of internal recruitment. Benefits of internal recruitment * Cheaper and quicker to recruit * People already familiar with the business and how it operates. * Business already knows the strengths and weaknesses of candidates * Less cost included * Reduce cost for training as compared to new employee Job advertisement (For internet) Location: Melbourne, CBD locations Department: Retail store Position: Retail Manager $60K + Super + Bonuses + Clothing discounts + leased BMW Work in a fun, dynamic culture with a supportive upper management structure!This fashion retailer is one of the Australia's leading contemporary brands –selling edgy, fashion-forward designs that are always one step ahead of the trends. The brand focuses on funky yet sophisticated fashion for the distinguished youth, always creating fresh new looks and a keen sense of style! We are seeking a Store Manager for the XXXX store. You must have a passion for street fashion, a knack for styling, an understanding of current fashion trends and the ability to present funky, urban looks to your fashion-conscious clientele.Duties include: * Managing stock levels and staff * Managing rosters * Merchandising * Setting and ensuring budgets are met * Ensuring the department provides a pleasant shopping experience for customers and exceptional customer service is being offered; and * Ensuring health and safety at the workplace http://www. indeed. com. au/jobs? q=retail+manager;gclid=CMah3 Must have skills: * A minimum of two years experience in a management role * Strong interpersonal and selling skills * Excellent customer service and rapport building skills Good people management skills * Hands-on leadership skills * High energy and a passion for the industry You are a strong team player, a lover of fashion retail, with an intense desire to have a successful career in the fashion retail industry. If you are looking for a company that offers support, recognition , coupled with a fun working environment, then this is the role for you! Send your resume to Triangle Tribe at [email  protected] com Job advertisement (For print media) Triangle Tribe Retail Manager * $ 60k package * Great incentives * CBD locationsWe are seeking an experienced professional to join well known organisation. Your responsibilities will be challenging and varied including development of business. The person must be able to promote the store and the fashion line. Contact The Triangle Group is a group of companies on 9870xxxxxx for further information. OR Email at [email  protected] com Action plan with timelines Activity| Manager position became vacant| Recruiting processIncluding job advertisement| Interviewing the candidate| Appointment of candidateAnd familiarising with job| Date| 26/9/2012| 10/9/2012| 22/9/2012| 26/9/2012|Person responsible| ——————-| HR officer| HR officer| HR officer| Time required to complete task| â⠂¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€-| App. 2 weeks | 1 particular day| 1-2 days| Comments| Manager position will be vacant from 26/9/2012 and before this recruitment process has to be completed| On 10/9/2012Advertisement related to job will be posted on internet and other sources will all the detailsRelated to the job. | On 22/9/2012 selected applications of candidates will be interviewed and among them best will be selected for this job. On 26/9/2012Contract between company and selected candidate will be signed and he will be familiarised with his job and related duties. | EEO principles Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is about: * Making sure that workplaces are free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment * There must not be discrimination among applicants or candidates on the basis of: * Age * Sex * Pregnancy * Disability * Race, colour, ethnic or ethno-religious background, descent or nationality * Marital status * Homosexuality, or * Gender identif icationEEO groups are people affected by past or continuing disadvantage or discrimination in employment. These groups are: †¢ Women’s †¢ Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders †¢ Members of racial, ethnic, and ethno-religious minority groups, and †¢ People with a disability. Government restrict the practices of discrimination in recruitment process and all the companies are following these principles and by following these principles many companies are showing growth due to their multicultural environment and different talent from different nations. http://www. awlink. nsw. gov. au/lawlink/adb/ll_adb. nsf/pages/adb_eeo_affirmative_action References Tutor2u viewed on 9th Aug 2012 http://tutor2u. net/business/people/recruitment_jobanalysis. asp Monster viewed on 9th Aug 2012 http://monster. com/hr/hr-best-practices/recruiting-hiring-advice/job-descriptions/retail-store-manager-job-description-sample. aspx Indeed viewed on 11th Aug 2012 http://www. in deed. com. au/jobs? q=retail+manager;gclid=CMah3 Lawlink viewed on 11th Aug 2012 http://www. lawlink. nsw. gov. au/lawlink/adb/ll_adb. nsf/pages/adb_eeo_affirmative