China Education System Needs

China Education System Needs to be Changed on College Entrance Exam Introduction Getting up at 6 a. m. in the morning, after breakfast, then go to school to begin reading books or reciting textbooks. This was how I began my school life when I was in high school. I start my school life and study at 7 a. m. in the morning and until 9 p. m in the evening. When all my classes were over I could back home, but it did not mean that I can relax and go to bed. When I back home take a shower and continue studying until midnight. When I start our second year in high school, I need to choose a major: arts or science.I choose arts in high school, so except Chinese, math and English, which everyone need to learn, I also needed to take politics, history and geography class. For sstudents who chose science, they need to take physics, biology and chemistry class instead. All Chinese sstudents have to study so hard for a reason: the college entrance exam, also called â€Å"gaokao† in Chinese. T here are over ten million sstudents taking this exam every year in China. Only a small group of sstudents can pass this exam to get into the top university and get further education.When we take the college entrance exam, and sstudents in different majors need to take different exams. There are two different tests, one for arts and one for sciences. And sstudents who major in arts need to remember lots of information; sstudents who major in science need to lots of homework. Many sstudents who cannot pass it may continue studying and take gaokao the next year or just go to a university that is not so good. As our parent's say, this is an exam that decides our whole life. So, it is easy to know how much pressure we have when we face this exam.I want to argue in this essay that I think China should provide the college entrance exam twice a year and, furthermore, should avoid using the exam alone to determine which sstudents can attend the best colleges. Making these changes can reduce the pressure on sstudents so that they can enjoy themselves and pursue other academic and non-academic interests. Some Background about â€Å"Gaokao† The gaokao that we take today was began at 1978. At first it was held in July every year, from 2003 it begins hold in June every year because July is too hot.In China, the Compulsory Education Law that every single child must receive education at least for nine years. They need to start learning in kindergarten between age three to six. After three years in kindergarten, they need continue through primary school, middle school and then, for some people who have privilege to get higher education. There are two different levels of Chinese universities. The first category awards undergraduate diplomas and bachelor degrees following four years of study, whereas the second group awards undergraduate diplomas after two or three years. To enter these universities sstudents must sit the gaokao.According to an author Davey, â€Å"The ex am in China is ultimately under the control of the National Examination Authority within the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Education co-ordinates and oversees the writing of exam questions, whereas lower-level government is responsible for printing and delivering the exam papers, as well as arranging exam centers, marking and reporting results â€Å"(Davey, 387). After several decades gaokao has become the most important exam for all China sstudents. Every year in June 7 and 8, two days that gaokao hold, it is just like a festival for examination.Sstudents take exam in local schools but not the school where they take class every day. When we enter the examination hall we cannot bring anything but a pen and student card. There is no calculator and dictionary when we take exam. On the first day of exam, we take Chinese test in the morning for two and half hours. In the afternoon we take the mathematics for two hours. It is a hard time when we finish our first day of exam. I remember when I finished the first day of exam, I felt a little bit relax because I pass math exam that was the most difficult part for me.I just glanced over my politics and history books prepared for next day. On the second day of gaokao, sstudents who major in arts take the test including politics, history and geography in the morning. Sstudents who major in sciences need take the test including physical, chemistry and biology. Last test is English in the afternoon of second of exam. In these two days police will come out to direct traffic and make sstudents can arrive to examination hall on time. Paren'ts are all worried about their children and many of them just stand outside of the examination hall wait till exam is over.It is a very common phenomenon through this time period. For us, when we start our school life, be successful in the gaokao is our ultimate goal for every student. It is just like a battle that have no gun and smoke. It is very obvious to know why we have no t ime to enjoy our spare time to play games, or just hang out for a day. The exam is very stressful, when we start to prepare for it is stressful as well. Less time to sleep, when we get into last year in high school, we even have no PE class just major classes all day long.Zheng, a writer from Research Center of High Education Development introduces that, â€Å"As the most important educational examination system of present-day China, the college entrance exam, while shouldering its original task of selecting qualified new sstudents for colleges and universities, also â€Å"holds multiple jobs,† pperforming educational, cultural, political, and other multifaceted social functions† (Zheng, 15). Gaokao even cares about our future career. A student graduate from the top university have a better chance to get good job than a student just graduate from normal university.The argument Zoninsein, a reporter from Slate Magazine argues â€Å"Essentially, Chinese universities acc ept those sstudents who are good at taking tests. This makes sense for an educational system historically oriented toward rote learning, where sstudents are tested on how well they've memorized their teachers' lectures. Mary, who is about to graduate from the Beijing Foreign Languages University, admitted she had many brilliant friends who simply didn't test well. They retook the test after another year of studying and enrolled wherever their scores permitted† (Zoninsein).As we all know, China has the largest number of people in the whole world. It is easy to image that how much pressure that Chinese sstudents face when they need to find a job. There is a social phenomenon have been in China for so long that if a student graduates from top university it mearns that he or she can find a good job. Benjamin a reporter from TIME net report this in 2007: â€Å"This year, close to 10 million Chinese sstudents sat for the gaokao, starting June 8. Sstudents who perform superlatively can expect to be courted by the nation's top schools; the rest find spots in provincial universities or two- and three-year colleges.For the 40 ppercent of test-takers who fail, there's always next year — or enrollment at one of China's less-selective private institutions. As China's economy booms, job competition has become ferocious — and the pressure to land a prestigious degree can be unbearable†(Benjamin). Indeed, there are also many unfair phenomena in the college entrance exam. For example, sstudents who take the exam in different place may get different grades during the exam. Sstudents who live in big city like Beijing and Shanghai can pass this exam easier than the sstudents who live in region area.Because there are many good universities in Beijing and Shanghai, when they enroll new sstudents they need sstudents' grades for gaokao, the university treat local sstudents and nonlocal sstudents in different way, they treat local sstudents better than nonlo cal sstudents. For instance, two sstudents get the same grades in gaokao, one of them is local student in Beijing, and the other one is not a local student. In this situation, the local student can get enrolled in Beijing University but the nonlocal student may not. The exam seems to create inequality among Chinese sstudents in different regions.

Virgin Blue

VIRGIN BLUE UNDERSTANDING EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT 1. Attractiveness of the Industry 1a. Identify the industry, product segments and value chain The industry is the Australian airline industry (global). Core activities cover providing travel services to leisure travellers in Australia and overseas, including flights, travel insurance, holiday packaged deals, and freight business. Products segments including ? Business travel? 57. 1% of industry revenue ? full-fare ? business & government travellers ? growth of video conference (-) impact on growth unit value of sale/pax double leisure travel fare ? Leisure travel? 29. 4% of industry revenue ? low-fare ? leisure travellers ? price is an important factor and strong driver for growth ? high cost incurred for flight changes ? Freight and other? 13. 5% of industry revenue ? freight transport, time sensitive & high value to weight item & charges on excess baggages, late fee,etc†¦ 1b. What is the current life cycle of the industry? The Aus tralian airline industry is at the mature stage of its life cycle.This is demonstrated by the low average growth rate of the production, and the low airline operating margins around 2 percent over the last five years. Declining fares in the leisure travel segment due to strong competition have combined with increasing costs to lower profitability over this period. Yield management is critical to profitability due to high fixed costs involved in operating a flight, that is, the marginal cost of passenger on a flight is very low, so having a plane full, with as many full-fare passengers as possible, is important to maximise profitability.Over recent years, there has been consolidation, brand transformation in the industry and more services been introduced to attract higher yield customers. This is evidence of a low growth environment, wherein the industry is at the mature stage of its life cycle, the organisation focus is on efficiency, cost control, and market segment. 1c. What have been the key issues affecting historical industry growth? What was their impact? Key issues influencing historical industry growth using TEMPLES model FactorIssuesNature of Impact ————————————————- +/ =/ -) Technology? The growth of video conference- Negative has had a slightly negative impact on growth in this segmenting recent ————————————————- years Economy? Threat of the uncertainties of the global financial- Negative crisis, changing interest rate and fierce competition ————————————————- from low-cost carriers in its domestic market Market? the low density of population and the size of Aus+ Positive Air travel in Australia is somewhat of necessary ? Declining fair in the leisure travel segment due to- NegativeStrong competition have combined with increasing costs to lower profitability over this period; fierce competition from low-cost carriers in its domestic ————————————————- markets Politics? Being restricted in the ability to expand overseas due – Negative to Singapore Airline’s right to veto the use of the Virgin ————————————————- Blue name internationally. SIA had the power to block ————————————————- Virgin Australis’s brand due to 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic ————————————— Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- hat SIA acquired in 1999 Law ————————————————- Environment? With a launch of the first real low-cost arline in+ Positive Australia, one class of ticket and minimal on-board, complementary service, there had been strong growth in the 2000s in market for travel for leisure, encourage ————————————————- Australians to take more holidays and air travels Society? low density of population and size of Australia+ Positive ————————————————- Air travel is somewhat necessaryOverall+ Positive 1d. What are the key issues that will affect future industry growth? What are their likely impact and the overall assessment of the industry’s future growth? Future growth for the overall industry is assessed as positive (although it will be at a lower rate than historically growth) Key issues influencing future industry growth FactorIssuesNature of impactAssessment of (+/ =/ -)impact on future Industry growth ————————————————- (Low/Med/High) Technology? The growth of video conferenceNegativeLow as had a slightly negative impact on growth in this segmenting recent ————————————————- years Economy? Threat of the uncertainties of the global Negative Low Financial crisis, changing interest rate and fierce competition from low-cost carriers in ————————————————- its domestic market Markets? Threat of new entrances present theNegativeLow Possibility the firms will enter industry And diminish the industry return by passing along value to buyers in form of lower price and raising cost of competition the alliance with SIA was one of thePositiveMedium several that Virgin had formed in building ————————————————- its international network Politic? the alliance with SIA was one of PositiveMedium several that Virgin had formed in building its international network, allow Virgin to offer global flight coverge, epscially South-east asia and China, attractive to International business and leisure ————————————————- travellers Legal ————————————————- Environment?Alon g with alliance with SIA, there have beenPositiveMedium forged alliances with other international airlines such as Etihad, Air NZ, and US giant Delta Air Line to give business travellers an attractive overseas ————————————————- and flequent flyer network Society? the airline developed and preserved its PositiveMedium culture by spending a lot of resources on recruiting the right people to serve its leisure customers and providing a culture and conditions that retain good ————————————————- people Overall ImpactPositiveMediumIn conclusion, the future industry growth is assessed as Low to Medium 1e. What have been the key issues affecting historical profitability? What was their impact? Industry revenue was estimated to be $14. 5 billion in 2012, with its main busin ess being the transportation of passengers and freight on scheduled routes within Australia. Approximately 86% of the industry revenue is generated from airline ticket sales. The business travel segment is accounted for 57. 1% of industry revenue in 2012, while leisure travel segment is 29. 4% and freight and other are 13. 5%.Airline operating margins are relatively low, averaging around 2% over the last five years. Declining fares in the leisure travel segment due to strong competition have combined with increasing costs to lower profitability over the period. Using Porter’s five forces model, we can review the factors affecting historical profitability, it can be concluded that industry’s rivalry has increased. This is the result of many factors including: ? Threat of new entrance is low due the barrier of entry high. Capital requirements required to enter the airline industry. High fixed cost in operating the fly. The power of suppliers has been high due to limited number of service options available in business travellers segments such as proving access to hundreds of destination and business lounges around the world, offering high quality catering and other on-board service like newspapers & magazine in premium class cabins, car hire and hotel reservation services. ? The increasing power of buyers’ buyers due to the price sensitivity of consumers (low price) and the search for best deal available, as well as air travel in Australia is somewhat of a necessity, given the size of Autralian and the low density of population. The increasing impact of substitutes such as alternative services like video conference maintaining low-cost services ? Industry rivalry is high: Jetstar, QAL’s low cost airline, was introduced in 2004 in response to Virgin Blue’s success in the industry and the loss of market share away from Qantas's full-fare service to the low-fare carrier; Jetstar is a low-cost carrier targeting low-fare leisure trav ellers; The airline industry growth is average and as it is easy for buyers to switch between the airline companies, depending on price. Thus rivalry is increased.Furthermore, the high fixed cost create opportunity for the airline companies to have price wars to compete each other, the great market share of Qantas will kill Virgin Australia at last. Porter’s competitive model Airline industry Potential New entrants Airline club loungesForeign carriers Priority ticketingRegional carriers Priority check-in High quality catering Newspaper ; magazine Hire car ; hotel reservationIndustry Rivalry Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Qantas Jetstar Alternative services Business travellers Subsitute products ; services Video conferenceLeisure travellersFreight ; other, tour packages 1f. What are the key issues that will affect future industry profitability? What is their likely impact and the overall assessment of the industry’s future profitability? Attrac ting higher yielding corporate and government customers has been a key driver of improving the industry profitability. Yield management is critical to profitability due to high fixed costs involved in operating a flight – that is, the marginal cost of a passenger on a flight is very low, so having a plane full, with as many full-fare passengers as possible, is important to maximise profitability.Also, in order to improve profitability, the major competitors in the industry (Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin) have become vertically integrated. Strategic airline alliance been introduced. Qantas and Malaysia airline negotiated an agreement for access markets in Asia and code-sharing. SIA and Virgin formed an alliance, allowed SIA customers access to Virgin Australia’ s domestic airline airport’s lounges. This partnership, along with Virgins’ other alliance, would allow Virgin to offer global flight coverage, attractive to international business and leisure travellers. The key factors influencing the future profitability of the industry can be summarised as follows: ? Positive factors include ? Forming alliance has allowed Virgin to offer global flight coverage, attract more international business and leisure travellers ? introducing a premium – valued service ? develop new lounge – product enhancement ? introduce new uniform and new menu – product enhancement ? Negative factors include ? Strong competition in the industry between major companies as growth slow and more emphasis is placed on maintaining or increasing market share with price becoming a key factor. Potential entrance of other new low-cost carriers. The future profitability of the industry will continue to be medium. 1g. Who are the industry’s key competitors? What are their strengths and weaknesses? In 2012, the industry is dominated by two airlines, Qantas Airways Ltd and Virgin —————————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- CompetitorValueStrengthWeaknessRelative ————————————————- Propositionproposition Qantas Airways Ltd? Fully integrated? Highest market? Less focus on? Strong ? Accounting for 65%shareleisure travellers share of industry? Dominates business evenue in 2012segment ? More services offered such as full service, ————————————————- low cost, regional Virgin ? Fully integrated? Second highest? No coverage? Strong ? Accounting for 17. 2 %? Strong presencein regional share of industryin leisure market revenue in 2012? Offer services in full service and low ————————————————- cost service Others? Accounting for 17 . 8%? private charter ? group of small? Weak share of industrypassenger flights orcompanies revenue in 2012freight operation UNDERSTANDING EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT 2.Summarise the strategic position of Virgin Blue 2a. Who are Virgin Blue’s key stakeholders, what are their objectives and are their objectives aligned with Virgin Blue’s strategic goals? As stated in the section on â€Å"Game change program- a new strategic direction for Virgin in Australia†, Virgin regard itself as number one position in the leisure segment and maintaining its low-cost focus. Its state strategic goals are as follows: ? Growing its share of the Australian business travel segment from 10% to 20% ? Establishing a ‘virtual’ global network through strategic airline alliances ?Ensuring capacity was closely aligned to profitability ? Maintaining a strong presence in the leisure market ? Enhancing its brand in Australia and overseas markets There are numerous stakeholders (individ uals/groups that have interest in the business or corporate strategy of the organisation) in relation to Virgin Blue. An analysis of the objectives of each of these stakeholders and the alignment of these objectives with Virgin’s strategic goals as follow ————————————————- Who are theWhat do they seek to receive fromIs Virgin Blue delivering against their stakeholders? he organisation? expectation? John Borghetti? Launching â€Å"Game Change† program? Yes, the transformation of Virgin (CEO)with the vision to be the airline of has been well on the way and choice for Australian business and attract numbers of business & leisure travellersleisure travelles ? Reinvent the company as a full-service? No, still not yet take over Qantas brand by altering its low-cost, no-frillsbusiness market model to take market share from Qantas ————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- in the higher-margin, business market Board including: Roger Linderman? new management team, formed to?Yes, its chase growth in business (General manager)take on Qantas, particularly in thesegment, but not yet take over Jane McKeoncompetition for business travellerQantas (running government’s relation team) Hope Antzoutlatos (head of domestic ; International network Operations) Will Owens (Heads of yield Management) Hans Hulsbosch? develop the airline’s economy ;? Yes, have been attractive to (Creative director)business class cabins to attract numbers of business travellers ————————————————- Business traveller segment Employees? Secure employment prospect? Yes, as its chase growth in the family based, teamwork,business segment, it has to ensure ——â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- respect and funlow turnover and maintain culture Singapore Airline? SIA and Virgon form an airline? yes, the agreement between SIA alliance, allow the use of Virgin Ausand Virgin has allowed SIA customer Band overseas. Virgin able to build to use Virgin’s domestic network its international network, and alsowith just one ticket & allow two allows SIA customer access to Virginairline gold member to access to Australia’s domestic networkVirgin’s domestic airline’s airport ————————————————- ounge 2b. What business strategy is Virgin Blue supposed to have been pursuing and has this in fact been the case? The five questions (5Qs) approach is used to understand Virgin Blue’s stated business strategy Business strategy usingExamples of how V irgin has been pursuing this stated ————————————————- 5Qs approachbusiness strategy ? Does Virgin Blue want to growthVirgin blue wants to grow. We can see from their new vision profitability? â€Å"to be the airline choice for Australian business and leisure Travellers†. And its targeting to grow the share in business travel segment from 10% – 20%.The airline alliance strategy to establish it built its international alliance network in Asia as it is a critical market for Virgin ? What products/services will Virginleisure travel segment maintaing its low-cost; Virgin Blue Blue provide? began offering a premium economy fare, reinvent itself as a full service brand by altering its low-cost, no-frills model to take market share from Qantas in the higher margin, business market; developed its passenger lounges, introduced a loyalty reward scheme, ‘Velocity R ewards’, and offered the first Web check-in service in Australia. In what market will Virgin BlueGeographic market – Australia domestic airline, global flight operate? coverage after Virgin formed alloances with Singapre Airlines Customer market – business traveller, leisure traveller, freight and other include travel insurance, and formed a new venture with ZUJI, an online travel company. ? What generic strategy will VirginGeneric strategy – low cost leadership (no-frills models) adopt? -;Differentiation: take market share from Qantas in the igher margin, business market (full-service model). ? what is the position in the insutryVirgin Blue had grown through expanding its leisure travel does Virgin Blue plan to hold? segment, and growing low-fare passenger numbers to hold the number one position in the leisure segment and maintaining its low cost focus; By 2010, Virgin had about 10 per cent of business travellers and an approximate 30 per cent of all dom estic air travellers; Growing its share of the Australian business travel segment from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.SWOT ANALYSIS Identify the capabilities of the organisation in the context of the competitive environment, using SWOT analysis ? Strength: Virgin Blue had grown through expanding its leisure travel segment, and growing low-fare passenger numbers to hold the number one position in the leisure segment and maintaining its low cost focus. _ Virgin had formed alliances with Singapore Airlines in building its international network _ Borghetti was a former QAL executive who was appointed CEO and MD of Virgin in 2010.He quickly established a new management team capable of taking on Qantas, particularly in the competition for business travellers, by recruiting some highly experienced ex-Qantas staff including: Roger Lindeman as General Manager Service Experience; Jane McKeon, to run Virgin's government relations team; Hope Antzoulatos as head of domestic and international network operations; and Will Owens as head of yield management. ? Weakness: Qantas has 65% of industry revenue in 2012 but Virgin only has 17. % and no regional offered compete with Qantas; Qantas dominates the business segment. _ Unprofitable routes in New Zealand and to destinations including Fiji, Phuket and South Africa, high costs in maintaining its four brands, and confusion in the market between the brands. ? Opportunities: Acquire 20% of market share in market sector _ brand transformation reduce the cost of advertising and less confuse customer _ expand alliance with SIA to enter Asia market, broaden its offering by adding more services to enter the business segment and attract higher yield customers ?Threats: fierce competition from low-cost carries in its domestic market; Jetstar would have in capturing part of the leisure market _ Declining fares in the leisure travel segment due to strong competition have combined with increasing costs to lower profitability over this period. EVALUATION OF STRATEGIC OPTION ? Competitive advantage Benefits:yes, to sustain growth and profitability Valued by customers_ maybe not as people perceived Qantas as leading provider for business segment _ have to be careful not losing loyalty customers External consistency Industry’s life cycle:Fits well – moves to more competituve environment TEMPLESto respond to the external environment particular social cultural factors and economy factors – > fit well to maintain profit Profit well with the changes in external environment where more competitive from low cost Jetstar and profit due to pressure on price, to sustain growth & profitability by capturing more market sharee in business segment ? Internal consistency Revenue & costrevenue increased by capturing more in business segmentCost reduced by consolidating into one brand Not implementmore difficult to complete in the industry because of competition Reputation riskculture issues Loyal customer * Consistent i n term of growth and sustainability But not consistent with the current culture and balance >< low cost leisure and business segment ? Internal consistency Capabilities:experience management team from Qantas Capitalcan be quite costly to reposition itself and do it property Strong culture in family oriented can be quite difficult for business market

Case Study Doing Business In China Marketing Essay

Case Study Doing Business In China Marketing Essay Although the times have changed, the citizens of the United States cannot help but recollect on the history of an unstable political system, corruption, environmental degradation, the lack of intellectual property protection and last, but not least, a variety of different cultures in the far East; so with that said, why would any American business organization want to pursue business in China? What was once a small-town audio store called Sounds of Music had an epiphany back in 1966 that has currently yielded pay dirt. Nearly twenty years later, Sounds of Music transformed into an electronic conglomerate known as Best Buy Inc, Co. This S & P Fortune 500 company is currently known as the largest consumer electronics retailer in the United States. Best Buy chose to pursue this â€Å"uphill battle† due to the fact that it was near impossible for them to ignore their ever growing free market economy and the urbanization that is taking place within it. Best Buy is sophisticated en ough to distinguish between what makes them profitable within the United States and what will make them unsuccessful in other parts of the world, in particular to this study, China. In order to truly understand China and the complexities of expanding there, one must know how to do business in China. It may sound implausible to the average domestic business man/woman to think there is much of a difference in doing business in China, than what it is here in the United States, but it is indeed a credible fact. Developing a SWOT analysis could aid in the many challenges of trying to conduct business in China, but this evaluative method doesn’t change intangible circumstances such as time and return on investment. Best Buy had both of these conditions present during their feasibility study. Realizing the opportunistic possibilities and competitive advantage of the situation, Best Buy didn’t hesitate to conduct thorough due diligence before doing business in China. This pape r will discuss some of the important aspects of their research as it covers the basic understanding of doing business in China and how Best Buy emerged from being just a face in the crowd to achieving commendable status in Shanghai, China. This report will elaborate on Best Buy’s experience as they try to tap into a foreign market for the first time ever knowing that the potential risk could be irreversibly negative. Best Buy Inc, plans to prove that it is indeed possible to enter into the Chinese Market for consumer electronics. Best Buy announced on April 1, 2006 that they would be opening their first branded store in China. Best Buy did not just enter the market but they were wise about it as well. They wanted to hedge the risks involved in any possible way. On May 12, 2006, the company made a purchase of a majority stake in Jiangsu Five Star, which is the fourth biggest Chinese appliance and electronics retailer. By purchasing this majority stake, Best Buy saved a tremend ous amount of time that is necessarily needed to create a comparable sized organization through grown. They now had their presence in China in 136 stores, as well as the close to 1,000 stores that they have successfully opened in both the United States and Canada. The purchase of this stake also helped Best Buy get a feel of what Chinese customer’s needs and wants were.

Studying the Field of Organisational Behaviour Essay

Studying the Field of Organisational Behaviour - Essay Example There is no real, ideal resolution for the organizational evils. The only thing that one can do is to increase one understands of abilities and skills, so that individual relations at work can be improved. â€Å"Organizational Behavior (OB) is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations. It does this by taking a system approach. That is, it interprets people-organization relationships in terms of the whole person, whole group, whole organization, and whole social system† (Leadership and Organizational Behavior 2011). Organizational Behavior is the field of study that searches the after effect that persons, teams, and formation have on behavior within the company (organization). Organizational behavior deals with the study, and implication of awareness about how individuals act and react within organizations. Organizational behavior is a tool for the employee to work for the benefit of the organization. It is applicable largely to the manners of individuals working in all kinds of organizations including government, business, educational institutions, services, and companies. Organizational behavior is applied to cover three determinants of activities in organizations: individuals, teams and structure. The applied field of OB is concerned with the information gained about persons, and the impacts of structure on behavior so that to make organizations work more successfully. It is better to understand the organization first to study organizational behavior more clearly. Organization is a focused system with some subsystems where persons and actions are organized to attain some particular, predetermined goals and objectives through division of labor, effective utilization of resources, and the coordination of activities. Division of labor means how the works are divided among the staff that is, keeping the right person for the right job. Coordination of work becomes more important, as it can lead to accomplishing the goals of the organization, by integrating the activities of each and every employee in the organization. The word ‘organizing’ is used to denote the aspect of administrative activities needed for an entrepreneur in preparing and setting up the diverse tasks to fulfill or complete the job. The managers in an organization may have to face many challenges and opportunities to use organizational behavior theories to improve the general effectiveness of persons, teams and organization. Based on behavioral science and some additional interdisciplinary matters, the managers can address the following issues with in an organization. Improving People Skills Improving Quality and Productivity Managing Workforce Diversity Empowering People Stimulating Innovation and Change Improving Ethical Behavior It is clear that Studying the field of Organizational Behavior can assist in deepening our understanding of why people in an organizational setting behave in the ways that they do. â€Å"The ability to explain people’s behavior is critical to making recommendations for improvement if we make poor explanations, and poor recommendations. In an organizational setting, this can lead to a continuation of poor performance. In contrast, if we make strong and accurate observations, we can make strong recommendations that have a demonstrable impact on people and the business† (Why People Do What They Do n.d.). It can be said that

Net Neutrality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Net Neutrality - Essay Example â€Å"How, What, Impossible,† many would say, when they know that today internet providers have the capability of controlling what everyone goes through, does and believes in for the purpose of getting profit i.e., violate network neutrality. Discussion Internet is at war as one of its basic structural principles is threatened. Telecommunication companies are pressuring major political institutions to intervene and modify neutrality. Users and native internet companies are defending tooth and nail. The debate is open, but the reality is that most people affected by the violation of this principle know its meaning and implications (wiseGEEK, 2003). Companies and Net Neutrality The net neutrality means that bits are not discriminated, and there is no such thing as first or second class for such categories as destination, source, protocol or content. From this definition it follows that any company that provides internet services (ISPs) can manipulate, manage, hinder or prevent u ser access to some Internet services according to their specific interests. Telecommunication companies control access and transport network information. Undoubtedly, Internet service providers are identified as the main threat. Operators have proposed prioritizing some services over others, and some even speak of the payment of â€Å"tolls† and quotas to companies that fill the web content. According to a research it is clear that "The telecom operators want to do much more business with internet by increasing the charges for access as well as monetizing the content that others want to view as if it was their own network. Another goal of the ISP would "limit services (such as IP telephony or video conferencing) within their networks and extract revenues from people who earn a lot of money on the Web, like Google." (Quora, 2010) They provide the â€Å"data pipes† ensuring that any person [at a price] can connect and access all network resources. Currently, these entiti es hold true to a â€Å"code of honor† that prevents them from taking control of the content by these ways. This code means net neutrality: all content and services distributed through the pipes must be treated equally, regardless of person or entity (Quora, 2010). Neutrality still seems intact, but many users report behaviors of operators that already violate this basic principle of the network and most of the information highway studies confirm the dirty war of the companies providing internet against p2p networks. But network neutrality is not limited to a dispute over the division of the economic pie concerning technology or the battle against piracy but it is a concept that has entered the political game. According to some studies, the ISPs will accompany some European governments, in matters concerning the net transfer of money to the other side of the Atlantic in areas such as digital advertising. Perhaps for this reason, politicians have not been clear. There is no co mmunity legislation regarding Network Neutrality (Quora, 2010). The problem is that this policy is not neutrally supported by any law or regulated by any relevant entity. Therefore, their survival depends on "common sense" of users and, primarily, the network providers. The latter is the source of danger as the common sense of the big companies is generally shaped by the opportunities to make money and it can’t be ruled out at some point that they may take control of internet

Concept of Freedom in Samkhya and Yoga Philosophy Essay

Concept of Freedom in Samkhya and Yoga Philosophy - Essay Example Samkhya exists as one of the oldest and most prominent philosophies in India. Kapila, a great and eminent sage, founded this school. Two philosophical schools arose in India based on Upanishads. These included the Samkhya or realistic and the Vedanta or idealistic. The entire philosophy of Samkhya combines Yoga and Samkhya basic doctrines. However, Samkhya philosophy is representative of theory, while yoga is representative of practical or application aspects (Burley 23). The two have been characterized as practical and theoretical aspects of one system with Samkhya involving the theoretical background to Yoga’s more practical orientation. In this case, Yoga can be seen as a sub-school or branch of Samkhya because it inherits most concepts from Samkhya, although some scholars also argue that Samkhya and yoga have important conceptual and doctrinal differences (Burley 23). However, one of the concepts that the two share in common is freedom. This paper will seek to discuss the concept of freedom in Samkhya and Yoga.... While Samkhya practice has many similarities with classical yoga, samadhi is not a focus in Samkhya as far as freedom and liberation are concerned. However, both practices require asceticism for true freedom and liberation. Samkhya philosophy was essential in the formation of classical yoga and the two philosophies adopted, tested, borrowed, and discarded practices and ideas from one another until, eventually, there was a consistent model that came from each of the approaches with freedom being a central component of each (Burley 32). Samkhya has a dualism that is similar to ancient Jainism where all individuals had separate and unique jivas from other jivas, similar to the purusha in Samkhya that were also believed to be separate (Burley 35). Just like in ancient Jainism, classical yoga and Samkhya practice a form of fierce yoga that involves complete renunciation. However, renunciation by itself in Samkhya does not lead to true freedom from the grasp of Prakriti with discernment al so required. This discernment involves knowledge of the universe and its ways. However, this knowledge is not intellectual because intellect is still considered Prakriti. Discernment increases the ability to develop inner knowledge, which understands what is real and what is ephemeral, which separates the universes apparent from the true reality of the world. While discernment is achieved via reasoning, it also gives one the ability and will of renouncing what is not real, which is the beginning of freedom (Burley 35). The Upanishads from India tell of the soul, also referred to as the soul, which is, ultimately, one that has living and universal consciousness that is called Brahman or absolute. Brahman, which is the source of all that is alive, is

Critically evaluate the following statement Conflict in social work is Essay

Critically evaluate the following statement Conflict in social work is inevitable. Social workers need to understand and respond positively to conflict in the - Essay Example This paper will demonstrate that conflict within social work is inevitable, and that social workers must cultivate interpersonal skills to positively negotiate conflict in their day-to-day practices. Firstly, how conflict can arise within the social work practice will be described. Secondly, the link between social work theory and conflict in social work practice will be outlined. Finally, a conclusion shall synthesise the main points of this paper to show how conflict is to be expected in social work, and social workers are able to respond positively to conflict in their daily practices. A key feature of social work practices is to work within a team environment. The social worker may find themselves working in a team environment comprised of other workers as well as lawyers, police enforcement, doctors, nurses, volunteers, chaplains, carers and other health and human service workers (Martin, 2000). Team-work has been a traditional practice that is supported by social work philosophy and is demonstrated in a variety of its practices. Team-work begins at university with exposure to social work theories and opposing opinions and life experiences of lecturers, fellow students and other schools of social science discipline. Barsky's (2003) study of social work students concluded that: Participants were more interested in discussing conflicts related to practice and ethical issues, for example, than matters related to problems in the school or classroom. The implications could be either positive or negative for social work education. A positive interpretation infers that students and professors wanted to focus on practice issues and not get sidetracked with personality differences (p. 12). It is well recognized within the social work literature of the interdependence of the physical, functional, psychosocial and spiritual dimensions of the workplace account for team member well being, as well as facilitating a multidisciplinary and so comprehensive approach to client care (Cronenwett & Redman, 2003). Disagreement is likely to occur with the different disciplines involved in the team having different ideas about how to approach a situation, or how to problem-solve a dilemma. As such there are differences in opinion and to how to achieve goals, or to undertake certain activities, and in determining what the relevant priorities are and what they are not (Barki & Hartwick, 2002). Differences of opinion that are not easily resolved or that do not hold the potential for a win-win solution can create conflict within the team, and across departments involved with a client or social work practice.The situation is a conflict when interferences or negative emotion arises from the difference of opinions. For example, social workers may not be able to understand the

StockTrak Investment Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

StockTrak Investment Strategy - Essay Example Corporate and Treasury bonds have been considered in the portfolio investment for diversification purpose of the investment risks. This helps the investor to spread the investment risk to avoid incurring heavy losses due to unforeseen market volatility in future (Fabozzi and Drake 68). The portfolio investment selected by the investor has the potential of allowing income generation and capital appreciation in future due to the characteristic of the various assets considered in the investment. One of the reasons that depicts that the investment portfolio is the pricing of the stocks selected (Reilly and Brown 33). The value prices of majority of the stocks selected in the portfolio investment are relatively undervalued. This is because the recent acquisitions and mergers by Google Corporation, Tesla Corporation, Trina Solar limited (TSL), AT&T Corporation, and Bank of America BAC depict that the profitability of the companies is likely to increase in future. Mergers and acquisition are essential for a company since it helps the company to expand its investment for high revenue generation in future. The companies will be able to generate more profit in future that is vital for dividend generation and stock demand in the stock market (Fabozzi and Drake 62). Thus, the current pricing of the various stocks considered in the portfolio investment are undervalued since they do not reflect the potential growth of the stocks. Consequently, the undervaluation of the stocks considered in the portfolio investment will ensure the capital investment of the investor appreciates in future. This is because the high demand of the stocks in future due to high profit generation will cause the price of the stocks to rise significantly. Accordingly, the value of the stock assets will increase significantly for the investor in future. Similarly, the high potential of the stocks growth due to profitability

Argument Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Argument Response - Essay Example The point of bilingual education in part is to ease the transition of students whose first language is not English into the school setting, and while it might accomplish this goal, it leaves the students with more difficulty in the long run. As Le points out, it leaves the students inept in both languages to a certain degree. Le’s main audience seems to be non-minority citizens who might be voting in regards to bilingual schooling. He seems to be of the opinion that the push for bilingual schooling comes just as much from these English speaking citizens who feel that they should attempt to preserve the culture of non-English speaking students in schools. Le is of the opinion that one should learn one’s native language and culture in home and not in school. There is also the difficulty of determining which second language should the subjects be taught in. Though the majority of non-English speaking students in the US might speak Spanish, there would still be some school districts where the majority of non-English speaking students might speak Chinese or some other language. The question then becomes how school districts can have any sort of regularity to them if they are all teaching in different languages. When all of the particular needs of every single group is attempted to be accommodate d for, nobody ends up with what they really need. As far as points that Le made that weren’t as strong, he first points out English as being a difficult subject to learn. First, this is a matter of opinion, and isn’t necessarily true. English does not have gendered nouns which make languages such as Spanish, French, and German difficult for English speakers. That doesn’t even begin to touch on the difficulty of learning a tone language such as Chinese. Secondly, it is not so much the language itself as it is the spelling system. English is in need of a spelling

Emile Durkheim Essay Example for Free

Emile Durkheim Essay Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) is rightfully considered by many as the father of sociology. Durkheim is responsible for incorporating sociology as a science, into the French academic curriculum, when he initiated the â€Å"Science Sociale†. The ‘Division of Labor in Society’ is among his most noted works. In 1879, he joined other political and intellectual leaders like socialist Jean Jaures and psychologist Pierre Janet in the famous Ecole Normale Superieure. His four important works were ‘Division of Labor in Society’ (1893), ‘The Rules of Sociological Method’ (1894); ‘Suicide : A Study in Sociology’ (1897) and ‘The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life’ (1912) (Durkheim). Durkheim’s Views on Social Bonding Emile Durkheim is one of the earliest sociologists who used a scientific approach in studying sociology. He emphasized the importance of socialism in philosophy, law and history. In his book ‘Division of Labor in Society’ (1893), Durkheim talks about relationship and bonding among individuals within a society. Society is likened to a live organism having various systems to perform the essential functions of the society. The social state is maintained by the people through their adherence to social rules associated with strong beliefs. He reveals two types of social bonding or cohesion in a society, which he termed as mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity. According to Durkheim, the mechanical solidarity was more applicable to pre-industrial societies in which individuals had similar or nearly similar work, thus ruling out inter-dependence. Here the cohesion was formed and sustained by the existing social system and was therefore dependent on the system as a whole. On the other hand, increased industrialization in developing societies; find people taking to various activities. People begin to diversify in their work and related activities, with some getting more and more sophisticated or specialized too. Demarcation of labor is more visible here, resulting in interdependence of individuals within a society; and Durkheim calls this bonding as organic solidarity. According to Durkheim, society to a big extent is controlled by integrity or morality, which ensure that people’s aspirations are within reasonable and socially accepted limits. In individualistic societies, the level of social integration is low which is further lowered as the individualism factor rises. Durkheim was of the view that organic solidarity is more cohesive than mechanical solidarity because we depend more on the differences existing between us rather than the similarities between us. He also noted that the rate of suicide is inversely proportional to the level of integration existing in the society. He reasoned out that the suicide rate fell during the Second World War because war played the role of a social integrator. Durkheim was of the view that only a stable and hierarchical society would be suitable for us, given our emotional and psychological framework. Durkheim saw social facts as being different from psychological facts and maintained that social life is not purely based on psychological facts (Smelser). Durkheim had earlier maintained that social life was held by the legal system. He then shifted his stand to emphasize that moral rules become internalized and begin to exist independent of the individual. Constraints on an individual are no longer a external factor, but a moral obligation (Coser, 1977). He saw social solidarity as a pure moral phenomenon, which cannot be observed or evaluated, but suggested that it could be studied using an external index. The social solidarity factor could be studied by correlating and interpreting external parameters relating to tastes in art, costumes etc.

Analysis of One-step Self-etch Adhesive Systems

Analysis of One-step Self-etch Adhesive Systems Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate the performance of two types of one-step self-etch adhesive systems and one type of two-step etch-and-rinse (as a control) by examining the resin-dentin interface and assessing the nano-leakage. Materials and Methods: Cervical class V cavities were prepared in 30 sound human premolars. Two types of one-step self-etch adhesive, G-Bond (GB) and Adper Prompt L-Pop(APL), and one type of two-step etch-and-rinse adhesive, Excite (Ex), were used to bond the composite restorations. The restored teeth were incubated in water at 37ÂÂ ±1 oC for 24 h. Fifteen were subjected to further immersion in 50% ammoniacal silver nitrate solution for 24 h and soaked in photo-developing solution for 8 h. All teeth were sectioned across the bonding surface in bucco-lingual direction. The cut surfaces were polished, followed by 6N HCL application for 45s. All surfaces were metal coated before conducting the ultra-morphological observation, using the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), to characterize the hybrid layer and evaluate the nanoleakage. Results: A significant difference in the thickness of the hybrid layer was evident between all adhesive systems (ANOVA, p Conclusion: GB provides a nano-interaction layer at the dentin/adhesive interface that seems to play an important role in minimizing the degree of associated nanoleakage. Keywords:Â  Dentin adhesive, interface characterization, nano-leakag, one-step adhesives Introduction Although gap-free margins at the dentin/restoration interface could be achieved with some adhesive systems utilizing the total-etch technique, Sano et al., have described another pattern of leakage, by observing the penetration of silver nitrate along gap-free margins by the aid of either scanning (SEM) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Since leakage was found to occur within the nanometer-sized spaces around the collagen fibrils within the hybrid layer, it has been termed nano-leakage[1-5]. The nano-leakage usually represents permeation laterally through the hybrid layer and could be the result of the incomplete infiltration of adhesive resin into the demineralized dentin[3]. This kind of leakage may also allow the penetration of bacterial products or oral fluids along the interface, which may result in hydrolytic breakdown of either the adhesive resin or collagen within the hybrid layer, thereby compromising the stability of the resin-dentin bond[5]. In spite of the technique-associated difficulties, previous studies indicated the efficiency of 50% silver nitrate solution in detecting nano-leakage within the hybrid layer[3,6,7]. However, the acidity of that solution (pH = 3.4-4.5), during long time immersion could induce demineralization around the edges of the restorations, particularly into the partially-demineralized dentin, leading to false positive results[7-9]. The modified silver-staining technique was recently suggested to overcome the drawback of silver nitrate solution. It utilizes 50 wt% ammoniacal silver nitrate having pH measured at 9.5 aiming to eliminate the possibility of dentin dissolution at the hybrid layer[10]. Although the nano-leakage for various adhesive systems and its influence on bond strength have been evaluated in previous studies[11,12]. As well as the effect of different parameters as thermo-cycling and etching time on nano-leakage, this in vitro study aimed to evaluate the thickness of the interaction layer and nano-leakage of 2 types of one-step adhesive systems and one type of two-step etch-and-rinse (as a control)[8,13]. The null hypothesis tested was that the one-step adhesive system (G-Bond) might offer better adhesion to cavity walls via formation of a nano-interaction zone instead of the traditional hybrid layer. Materials and Methods Thirty sound freshly extracted premolars of patients indicated for orthodontic treatment were collected. The collected teeth were cleaned using the Pro-sonic 300 MTH (Sultan Chemists, Englewood, NJ, USA), and examined to ensure the absence of cracks using a binocular microscope at 20x magnification (Olympus Co., Tokyo, Japan). The selected teeth were stored in deionized water that contained antibacterial agent (0.2% sodium azide) for a maximum of 1 month[14]. Using No. 330 bur (Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA, USA) at high speed with copious air/water spray, standardized 2 mm deep class V cavities were prepared at the buccal surfaces 0.5 mm coronal to the cement-enamel junction of all teeth. The prepared margins were all placed in enamel. A metal, buccal-fitted, index was used to guide the external cavity outlines and a rubber stopper hanged to the burs shank has aided in determining the accurate cavity depth. All the prepared cavities were thoroughly rinsed with water and air-dried before receiving the composite restorations. Table1.shows the description and manufacturers of materials used in this study. Two one-step, self-etch (G-Bond); and (Adper Prompt L-Pop) adhesive systems were used to retain the Tetric Ceram hybrid composite restorations. In addition, 1 two-step, etch-and-rinse (Excite) adhesive system was also selected to serve as control (n= 10 cavities for each). The self-etch adhesive systems were applied to the prepared cavities and left for 10s before air thinning. Curing of both self-etching adhesives was performed by the use of a light-curing device (Hawe-Neos, Gentilino, Switzerland) for 10s. The dentin surfaces of control cavities were etched with 37% phosphoric acid (Ivoclar-Vivadent) for 15s, washed under copious air-water spray, then the excess water was removed by blotting with a tissue paper leaving the dentin visibly moist. The Excite adhesive was then applied using a brush for 10s and light-cured for 20s after air-drying of the excess material. The cavities were then filled with composite, and cured for 40s before finishing using 1000-grit abrasive paper (SAIT AC Abrasive, Torino, Italy) in presence of water-cooling. The restored teeth were incubated in distilled water at 37ÂÂ ±1ÂÂ °C for 24 h before sectioning and testing have taken place. Assessing the dentin/adhesive interface Five premolars from each group were half-sectioned bucco-lingually across the bonding surface with a low-speed diamond saw (model 650, South Bay Technology Inc., CA, USA). The cut surfaces were then lightly finished using a sequence of 600, 800, and 1000-grit abrasive papers (SAITAC Abrasive) in presence of water-cooling followed with light polishing with diamond paste. The samples were then immersed in 6N (mol/L) HCL for 45 seconds then rinsed with distilled water and dried for 24 h at 37ÂÂ °C (Binder Incubator, Type B28, Tuttlingen, Germany). The dried samples were sputter coated with gold-palladium (JEOL, JFC, 1100e, Tokyo, Japan.) The dentin/adhesive interface of each sample was then examined using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) at 30 KV (JEOL, JSM, 5600LV, Tokyo, Japan)[14]. The thickness of interaction layer was measured in micrometer using a standard microscale calibrated FE-SEM Evaluating the nano-leakage The root apices of the remaining five teeth of each group were covered with sticky wax (Dentsply DeTrey, Bois Colombes, France), while their entire surfaces were coated with two layers of nail varnish except for the cervical margin of the restored cavity and 1 mm around. A modified silver staining technique, was used with basic 50wt% ammoniacal silver nitrate (pH=9.5)[15]. The chemical reagents from which the staining solution was prepared are listed in (table 1). The solution was freshly prepared by dissolving 25 g of silver nitrate crystals in 25 ml of distilled water. Concentrated (28%) ammonium hydroxide was used to titrate the black solution until it became clear as ammonium ions complexed the silver into diamine silver ([Ag(NH3)2]+) ions. This solution was diluted to 50 ml with distilled water to achieve a 50wt% solution. The teeth were immediately immersed into the freshly-prepared ammoniacal silver nitrate solution in total darkness for 24 h, followed by thorough rinsing with running distilled water for 5 min. The stained teeth were then placed in a photo developing solution for 8 h under fluorescent light to reduce the diamine silver ions into metallic silver grains within the voids along the bonded interfaces[2,3]. After removal from the developing solution, the teeth were placed under running distilled water for 5 more minutes. The stained teeth were then sectioned and their cut surfaces were finished, polished and acid-treated foll owing the previously mentioned conditions. The measurements of silver penetration were calculated directly on the SEM monitor, using a multi-point measuring device, observing all the internal cavity margin lengths, in steps of approximately 100 ÂÂ µm[6]. The leakage values were expressed as the sum of the cavity margin lengths showing silver deposition. A comparison between these lengths among the three adhesive systems was possible since the dimensions of all cavities were standardized as mentioned before. Statistical analysis The data were statistically analyzed using SPSS statistical package version 10. The data were examined for normal distribution using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. One way analysis of variance ANOVA was used to compare the values of the three groups. The Tukeys post hoc analysis was used to confirm the significance of differences detected between the test groups and the control. The test was considered significant when p Results SEM images representing the adhesive/dentin (A/D) interfaces (Fig 1-3) revealed a variation in the thickness of the detected interaction layers between the tested adhesive systems. ANOVA indicated significant differences between thickness of interaction layers of tested adhesives (p These differences were confirmed among the mean values of Ex and GB (Tukeys comparison, p Penetration of silver along the cavity walls was observed in all samples. (Fig.4-6). Table 3 summarizes the results of nanoleakage testing. ANOVA indicated significant differences between the mean values of the sum of the cavity margin lengths showing silver deposition in the tested adhesive systems (p Discussion Fear of bacterial ingress at the restoration/tooth interface and the subsequent caries recurrence has pushed the interest of researchers to assess the adaptation and adhesion of restorative materials against tooth cavity walls. Several studies, had the concern to evaluate the source of adhesive-dentin bond through assessing the interface characterization[2,16,17]. In vitro study, it is evident that the G-Bond created a thinner interaction zone in comparison to those formed with other adhesives (Figs1-3). Both the Ex and APL formed traditional hybrid layers as a result of resin infiltration within the demineralized dentin through the collagen fibrils. However, the demineralization in case of Ex seems to be more deep as a result of longer time of acid contact (30s). This assumption could explain the formation of the thicker hybrid layer[17] [17]. The interface formed by GB looks different as the surface of dentin is decalcified only slightly and there is almost no exposure of collagen fibrils. This suggest that functional monomers contained in the bonding material react with hydroxyapatite to form insoluble calcium, forming a thin transitional zone that could be measured in nanometers, so it could be termed a nano-interaction zone with the ability to reduce the risk of bond deterioration[18,19]. Moreover, evaluating the microleakage and recently the nanoleakage represent important means of assessing the defective adaptation of materials[20]. Although the use of silver nitrate dye was effective in detecting the nanoleakage, this in vitro study used the ammoniacal silver nitrate dye because of its efficiency doing the same job and to eliminate the drawback of the regular silver nitrate deminerlizing the dentin[3,4,10,15]. SEM images (Figures 4-6) indicated the presence of nanoleakage in all samples bonded with different systems as manifested by the infiltration of silver ions at the adhesive/dentine interface and in some instances around the collagen fibrils. These findings could be attributed to the effect of resin contraction at the time of its polymerization[21]. In addition, the improper wetting of the resin to dentin and collagen surfaces could exist as a result of the wet nature of dentin tissues and bonding resin viscosity[22]. The previously nominated factors could create nanogaps between the bonding resin and dentin surfaces. Confirming the same assumption, other researchers have related the occurrence of nanolekage to the presence of areas of imperfect resin infiltration, retained water or other solvent, poor polymerization, or phase separation[22,23]. On the other hand, various degrees of silver penetration and brightness were evident between samples of different groups indicating different degrees of nanoleakage. This result could be related to the chemical nature of the adhesive systems themselves that is reflected on the expected degree of polymerization shrinkage and the degree of water sorption (dye solution). The recently-marketed adhesive system, G-Bond, includes water and organic solvents in its chemical formula to improve resin infiltration within the wet dentin substrate, as well as nanofiller particles to reduce the extent of polymerization contraction[24]. A study by Pashley EL et al., stated that when HEMA is included as a polymerizable solvent for resin monomers, residual water may persist during evaporation as a result of lowering the vapor pressure of water by HEMA[25]. In previously published TEM observations, pure polymerized HEMA permitted extensive silver impregnation. The authors stated that when HEMA is copolymerized with other resin monomers in the presence of water, it could form hydrogel in the hybrid layer, resulting in additional silver filled patterns in the interfacial layer. In the present study, both APL and Ex. contain HEMA and water which could be the reason of the higher degree of nanoleakage. However the presence of alcohol solvent in the Ex formulation could improve the resin infiltration and accordingly reduces the degree of nanoleakage in comparison to the solvent-free adhesive APL[22,26]. Conclusion Within the limitation of this study, the hypothesis that G-Bond adhesive system can offer better adhesion to cavity walls is acceptable. The formation of a nano-interaction layer seems to play an important role in minimizing the degree of nanoleakage at the bonding interface Clinical relevance: Using the G-Bond adhesive system for bonding composite restorations can minimize the expected degree of nanoleakage and accordingly could reduce the possibility of the future caries recurrence. Figures: Fig (1): SEM image of the interface bonded with G-Bond. The area shown by arrows, between the cured adhesive layer (A) and the dentin (D), is the very thin interaction (hybrid) layer. The electron density in this area is higher than that found with other adhesives. C= composite resin, A= adhesive; D= dentin Fig (2): SEM image of the interface bonded with Adper Prompt L-Pop. The area shown by arrows, between the cured adhesive layer (A) and the dentin (D), is distinct (hybrid) layer with a uniform thickness than that with G-Bond. The funnel shaped configuration of the resin tags is visible, which is resulted by removal of the highly mineralized peri-tubular dentin. C= composite resin, A= adhesive; D= dentin Fig (3) SEM image of the interface bonded with Excite. The area shown by arrows, between the cured adhesive layer (A) and the dentin (D), is distinct (hybrid) layer with a uniform thickness than that with G-Bond. The funnel shaped configuration of the resin tags is visible, which is resulted by removal of the highly mineralized peri-tubular dentin. C= composite resin, A= adhesive; D= dentin Fig (4): SEM image of the interface bonded with G-Bond showing minimal silver deposition in the form of a small distinct localized area (arrows) C= composite resin, A= adhesive; D= dentin Fig (5): SEM image of the interface bonded with Adper Prompt L-Pop showing greater and more intense silver deposition in the form of a small distinct localized area (arrows) when compared to G-Bond ( Fig 4) and Excite (Fig 6) C= composite resin, A= adhesive; D= dentin Fig (6) SEM image of the interface bonded with Excite. The silver deposition presented a less intense pattern when compared to Adper Prompt L-Pop (Fig 5). It was less continuing in the form of a dashed line(arrows) . The silver deposits were mostly located at the base of hybrid layer, but were sometimes also observed at the top. C= composite resin, A= adhesive; D= dentin Tables: Table (1): Materials used in the study:- Categories Materials Description Composition Manufacturer I- Adhesive systems 1. G-Bond (GB) Self-etch one step no mix adhesive Phosphoric acid ester monomer, UDMA, 4-MET, TEGDMA, Acetone, Water, initiators. GC America, St.Alxip. IL, USA. 2. Adper Prompt L-Pop (APL) Self-etch one step no mix adhesive Compartment 1: Methacrylated phosphoric acid esters, photo-initiator, Stabilizers Compartment 2: Water, HEMA, Polyalkenoic acid, Stabilizers 3M ESPE Dental Products, St. Paul, MN, USA. 3. Excite (Ex) Etch and rinse adhesive HEMA,DMA,Phosphoric acid acrylate, highly dispersed silicon dioxide,initiators and Stabilizers in alcohol solution. Ivoclar Vivadent Schaan, Liechtenstien. II- Restorative Materials 1. Tetric Ceram Light curing, fine particle hybrid resin composite BisGMA, UDMA, TEGDMA, Ytterbium trifluoride, Barium glass pigments and initiators. Ivoclar Vivadent III- Chemical reagents 1. Silver nitrate crystals Sigma Chemical Co.St. Louis. MO. USA 28% Ammonium hydroxide solution Table 2: Means and standard deviations of thickness of the interaction layer (ÂÂ µm) in tested adhesive systems Adhesive system Means SD 95% confidence intervals ANOVA P-Value Turkeys P-Value G-Bond (GB) 0.75 ÂÂ ± 0.16 0.49 1.00 Ë‚ 0.000 P1 Ë‚ 0.001 APL 1.65 ÂÂ ± 0.23 1.56 1.95 Ë‚ 0.000 P2 Ë‚ 0.05 Ex (control) 2.22 ÂÂ ± 0.23 1.53 2.50 Ë‚ 0.000 P1 Ë‚ 0.000 P1 : Turkeys comparison among the means of GB and APL. P2 : Turkeys comparison among the means of APL and Ex. P3 : Turkeys comparison among the means of GB and Ex. Table 3: Means and standard deviations of the sum of cavity margin lengths (ÂÂ µm) showing silver deposition in tested adhesive systems Adhesive system Means SD 95% confidence intervals ANOVA P-Value Turkeys P-Value G-Bond (GB) 12.70 ÂÂ ± 3.27 8.76 16.64 Ë‚ 0.001 P1 Ë‚ 0.002 APL 37.34 ÂÂ ± 6.56 28.83 45.85 Ë‚ 0.001 P2 Ë‚ 0.05 Ex (control) 20.74 ÂÂ ± 5.09 14.49 26.99 Ë‚ 0.001 P1 ˃ 0.05 P1 : Turkeys comparison among the means of GB and APL. P2 : Turkeys comparison among the means of APL and Ex. P3 : Turkeys comparison among the means of GB and Ex.

The Immigration of Jewish people in USSR Essay -- Politics, Mikhail G

ITRODUCTION The Immigration of Jewish people in USSR under Mikhail Gorbachev administration is generally considered as a response to huge demand of Jews who desperately wanted to leave Soviet Union, and a state policy towards ethnic minority issues. Historically speaking, anti Semitism was rooted for centuries in Russia. Jews had been prosecuting since Czarist Russia, and most recently the prosecution reached peak under Stalin administration. People would think that it was the long existing hostile atmosphere towards Jewish people that primarily led their migration out of USSR. Yet it is a more complicated picture. When Gorbachev came to power as the secretary of general of the Party in 1985, Soviet immigration policy was, to significant extent, adjusted based on Soviet bleak economic conditions and diplomatic relationships with United States and Israel. The transition was not merely a compromise under the pressure of Western powers but also an attempt to reverse economic deterioration such as high unemployment. In the thesis, I shall discuss the outstanding reasons that behind immigration policy transition under Gorbachev administration as well as the consequences and implications. PART I: the Reasons The immigration transition made by Gorbachev administration could be divided into two periods. The first period is from 1985 to 1986, when Gorbachev initiated radical reform known as perestroika, which literally means reconstruction. The stagnating Soviet economy and chilling relationship with the US led him to adopt the concept of glasnost and â€Å"New Thinking†, which can be translated as a series of promotions of openness and liberty in public affairs and flexibility in foreign policies. The decree of Council of Ministers... ...s to migrate to Israel, since costs of accommodation in Israel was much lower than that in America. Despite all that negative consequences, Soviet Jews still brought bright outlook worldwide. From economic perspective, Soviet Jews migrated from Soviet Union where workers were low productive to countries where worker were more productive. Thus, Jewish migration increased production efficiency and living standards on the global scale, as well as individual level of their own. One example would be Jewish immigrants in Israel and United States, where their contributions to economic and social developments exceeded negative impacts like ethnic conflicts and welfare pressure. More importantly, on humanity base, the transition enabled Jews to pursue prosperity and liberty, as well as to fulfill their desires in culture, religion, and politics in the new promising lands.

Lyrical Analysis of The End :: essays papers

Lyrical Analysis of The End The night they recorded "The End" would always remain a significant moment for Jim Morrison. After everyone finally went home for the night he couldn't stop thinking about. He climbed an eight-foot-high wooden gate, somehow got back into the studio. He was breathing hard as he took off his shoes and jeans and shirt. Naked he grabbed a large sand ashtray and threw it. Then he pulled a fire extinguisher from a wall and sprayed the foam all over. He hosed the whole place down, especially in the area where the band was. Jim Morrison knew he would get no rest that night until he quenched the fire he had lit in the studio. He was drunk but he knew enough about himself to know it was the only way he would get any peace. What he may not have known is that the real fire he started that night was on the inside, where it could never be put out. "The End" tells of the impending end of a love affair quite possibly by murder. Its an eleven minute psychosexual epic done entirely in one chord (E). The song is an incredible achievement in music, there's nothing that can even come close to what was done with "The End", in terms of the rhythmic and melodic variation backing a complex story line. It builds to an effect of mood rather than a sequence of events. Morrison's masterpiece was almost pure poetry, which probably remains the single most astounding track the doors ever recorded. Jim Morrison uses words as much for their emotive effect as their meaning. The song suggests rather than states a mind filled with fears of sex, violence and death. Its the imagery more than the meaning of the words themselves that gets the message across. The imagery is terrifying-"the snake is long" and he's "old and his skin is cold." A symbol of evil if combined with images of sex and death. After a "Roman wilderness of pain" we take on an even more treacherous journey. The journey to paradise where all things are possible can be accomplished by giving your final destination to the driver of the "blue bus". The promise of wisdom for those who are willing to go to the "ancient lake." But the wisdom is sad, hopeless forbidden knowledge-the knowledge of evil.

Racism and Reconstruction :: essays papers

Racism and Reconstruction Although Lincoln's Plan of Reconstruction was not put into effect in the South after the Civil War, if it had been racism would have been almost completely avoided in the 20th century. Licoln's proposed plan was called the "10% Plan." It called for 10% of the people would voted in the 1860 Election to take a pledge of loyalty to the Union. This plan was met by harsh oppostion by the Radical Republicans in Congress who viewed the South as conquered territory. These Radicals said that Lincoln's plan was much too soft. In return, Republicans in Congress then moved to pass the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864. This bill required that a majority of the South would have to take an iron clad oath that the had never supported the Confederacy. The Wade-Davis bill was pocket-vetoed by Lincoln who was assassinated shortly after. Johnson took over the presidency and his Plan of Reconstruction was passes. Instead of Lincoln's "10% Plan", Johnson's Plan of Reconstuction was put into effect. Johnson's plan was much more acrimonious towards the South. Johnson's plan demanded that the South nullify their secessions, hold stae conventions, adopt the 13th amendment, re-elect Congressmen, The question of how to reconstruct the devistated South after the Civil War was one of immense importance in many aspects. Most would argue that the problems involving the South adjusting socially to the notion of liberated blacks was the msot heated issue. It was an issue that encompassed both a change in lifestyle as well as in longstanding moral values. Both Presdential and Congressional plans were developed in an attempt to ensure Reconstruction would be as smooth as a political, economic and social revolution as humanly possible. President Abraham Lincoln believed from the start of the War, and therefore the start of Reconstruction, that the Southern states had never legally seceded from the Untion. Therefore his plan for reconstruction would be aimed at preserving the peace of the Union and fairly rebuilding the South. Lincoln's "10 % Plan" was the Presidential attempt to see to it that the South would adhere to the ideals surrounding emancipation. Lincoln claimed he would then work on re-developing the structure of each state government. The difference of opinion between the President and Congress over this matter not only revealed the differences between each sector politically, but set the stage for heated emotions in regards to emancipation. This whole chain of events was much a part of the seperation now existing within political parties, as well as dividing views held by

No one knowingly does evil: an essay on the Socratic principle

The contention that no one knowingly does evil is one of the most fundamental principles championed by Socrates. The very essence of this Socratic principle dwells on the assumption that if a man understands very well that such and such acts are wrong or result to evil, or such that if a man is indeed aware in the first place that this action is wrong in the strictest sense of the word, then that man will tend to revert himself away from committing the act. Socrates stalwartly advances his pivotal idea that men in general cannot, in any conceivable manner, transform man into being fully wise or utterly foolish.Rather, men are inclinedto perform actions at an unfixed and random way, with no great propensity to be inclined to do more evil or to do more good. Consequently, an inexhaustible capability for performing either good or bad conducts is what men do not fundamentally possess. Another principal feature of Socrates’ thoughts is his claim that knowledge is directly associate d to that which is good and that ignorance is tied to that which is evil. Thus, it can be clearly observed that by claiming that no one knowingly does evil what is being meant is that to know and understand one’s actions is to understand that which has goodness.Since ignorance is significantly affixed to evil, Socrates observes, then, that no one knowingly does evil. In instances where man acts, it is immaterial for one to put great emphasis on the goodness or evilness of the action itself. What one should all the more consider is whether such actions are either within the proximity of being just or unjust and not necessarily that of being good or evil. In general, what Socrates is trying to point out is that the very causes of evil acts can ultimately be drawn from ignorance. For example, revulsion of one person to another person results from misapprehension, from ignorance of the related facts.Further, the Socratic assertion that no one knowingly does evil refutes normal re lativism for a few several points. Given such Socratic principle, it implies that it applies to all men who have the innate capacity to act. Likewise, to assert that no one knowingly does evil is to assert as well the claim that human beings by nature cannot be consciously aware that they are doing evil and that, instead, they assume that they are acting in order to amplify pleasure. The term â€Å"no one† in the phrase obviously refutes any relative conception of the principle since â€Å"no one† refers to that which is universal.To have relative views, then, on what actions count as evil and good is to essentially refute the claim that no one does evil voluntarily and willingly, and vice versa. Several contemporary counter-examples can be given to attempt at refuting the Socratic principle. Apparently, suicide, terrorism and sadism all have one thing in common in the context of Socrates’ principle no one knowingly does evil: they purport to exemplify cases whe rein human beings appear to be capable of doing evil with their knowing.All these three may in fact provide crucial grounds for claiming that men have the potential and the actual capacity to inflict harm and do evil while they are fully aware of these actions. However, we might go on to argue that men in these instances are ignorant of the good. Yet, even if they are ignorant of the good, it does not necessarily follow that they know sadism, suicide and terrorism as evil deeds for the fact that no one identifies what is good without actually noting those which are evil or have the actions which have the propensity to result in evil.Thus, these actions could not have been evil in the first place if one has no sense of what it is that is deemed to be good. It might be held valid and true that people who engage themselves in these actions have a leaning towards the evil as others may view them to be, but nevertheless these very people who are a part of the actions are ignorant of the evil that they might have been doing. This is pegged on the presupposition that men have the mental framework that the things they do are aimed at obtaining that which incites pleasure.For the most part of the claims of Socrates, there are hardly any strong refutations which might prove to be callous enough to dismantle the ancient philosopher’s arguments. There is a deep sensibility in Socrates’ dialogues with his fellowmen in the Apology as with the other parts of Plato’s Republic such that, with the Socratic method of inquiry, one arrives at an understanding about one’s little knowledge, that much is left to be understood and that only through a removal of one’s ignorance can one begin to achieve genuine knowledge.

Commedia Del’Arte Essay

Columbina is the perky maid of the ‘Old Man’, Pantalone. She is better dressed than the male servants as she is also a lady’s maid. She usually wears a knee length dress and an apron. The colouring of her clothes can be different in different acts, depending on her relationships with the characters and the scenario. She can be in a similar scheme to Arlecchino (where she is sometimes known as Arlecchina with similar diamonds and triangles), or if she is assigned to a rival family of Arlecchino’s, she can be in that scheme. In cases where she is an independent character, she can be in blacks and whites in the spirit of a French Maid. Columbina does not usually wear a mask but sometimes wears one covering only her eyes. Her signature props are a tambourine and a basket. Her physical appearance is attractive, perky and petite with a tiny waist, wide hips and lots of cleavage. She walks as if she is skipping on air with a little flick of the foot at the end of each step. All her posses are usually seductive and accentuate her cleavage. Her movement continues during speaking, shifting balance from one foot to the other and moving her head sharply as if searching for someone other than the person being addressed. She’s fast and nimble in order to escape unwanted attentions or to butt in, and can escape from a situation. She is happy and carefree, yet when assigned a task moves with speed and efficiency. This is one of her strongest traits in being a good servant. Her speech is sharp and gossipy with frequent variations of pitch. She Loves Arlecchino, but sees through him. She therefore scolds him, punishes him, deserts him, takes him back, but in the end he does not change and she has to accept him for what he is, which is still more lovable than Il Dottore, Pantalone and Il Capitano. She can be very affectionate to other characters as well, and her affections seem to flow through her physically, but she always holds something back. As a result she is pestered by other men, especially Il Capitano and Pantalone. She is always ready to help the Lovers, perhaps through natural sympathy with their plight. She is a spectator herself. She has a very strong relationship with the audience, almost confidential in the sense that she too can see what fools the rest of them are. She also often flirts with the spectators. She appears almost if not before her name is called, always being on step ahead of her master and finishes sentences for her master too, which she sometimes uses in her favour. When a situation gets out of control, she becomes the dominant voice to put everyone and everything back in its place. She even beats the male characters in strength and intelligence, sometimes even her master. ISABELLA Isabella is the daughter of Pantalone, the old man. Because of her fathers status she had the newest fashion, and usually showed off her wardrobe, wigs and shoes often. She wore stunning silk dresses, often in antique Renaissance style with necklaces of gold and pearls. She is young and attractive and modest but at times can be selfish. Isabella did not usually wear a mask but did sometimes wear a small mask that covered only her eyes. Her signature props are a handkerchief, book and a fan. She has a lack of firm contact with the earth. Her chest and heart appear heavy. They are full of breath, but then take little pants on top. Her posture is correct and tall and is always very proud. Her walk is small as her steps are little. Isabella’s posses are of an innocent and happy nature; leaning to one side with one leg pointed outwards, and hands in praying position touching cheek as if sleeping. Another is the back of her hand on her forehead, tilted back as if in agony as well as her chin resting on hands laying on top of each other or fingers interlocked and the head slightly tilted. Her movements are exaggerated, especially her hands and arms, which are like  feathers flapping in the wind. She often manipulates her hankie and frequently looks in a hand mirror. Any imperfection can spell disaster. Her speech is refined, however lacking pretentiousness and is never lost for the correct phrase. The lovers are in love with themselves being in love. They love each other, but are more preoccupied with being seen as lovers. They often feign mild hatred. She is extremely aware of being watched and plays with the audience for sympathy in their plight and ccasionally flirts with spectators. She is flirtatious, headstrong, has dramatic intensity and feigned madness due to passionate love and can be prudish. She can be hot and cold. i.e. prone to mood swings and is a tease with an independent will. She is vain, petulant, spoilt, full of doubt and have very little patience. She has a masochistic enjoyment of enforced separation because it enables her to dramatize their situation, lament, moan, send messages, etc. When her and Lelio do meet they are almost always tongue-tied and need interpreters who proceed to misinterpret their statements, either through stupidity (Zanni), malicious desire for revenge (Brighella) or calculated self-interest (Columbina). Isabella’s attention span is short like a young child’s and her fear that she might be a nobody keeps her hyper-animated. ARLECCHINO Arlecchino has an enduring magical power, a testimony perhaps to the mystery of it origin. He is a servant and jester, usually to Pantalone, but also frequently Il’Capitano, or Il’ Dottore. He wears a tight-fitting long jacket and trousers, sewn over with random, odd-shapen patches of green, yellow, red and brown – possibly remnants of leaves†¦ The jacket is laced down the front with a thong and caught by a black belt worn very low on the hips. The shoes are flat and black. He wears a beret, or later a malleable felt hat with a narrow brim, with a feather or tail of a fox, apparently this was a sign of the wearer being a butt of ridicule. Coloured in deep earth tones with warm coloured diamond shaped patches, Arlecchino is always ready to spring into action in a clumsy yet graceful manner. He is ragged, yet sleek. His wears a mask that gives him a low forehead with a wart and has small round eyes. Arlecchino’s signature props included his batocchio, meaning in Italian ‘ clapper inside the bell,’ which he always carries. He is continuously in a lowered position, with his hands on his hips with his thumbs in his belt. He walks in sly and comical way by taking a couple steps followed by a quick tip toe. This walk shows alacrity; he also uses it to show off in front of Columbina. His joints are often loose and floppy. When Arlecchino spots someone, the mask moves first; he then hops round and into the gesture of greeting. He is physically quick and slow mentally, in contrast with Brighella (who can, however, be fast physically when he needs to be). His gestures extend to the fingertips with each digit having a separate articulation. His speech is guttural and hoarse from street hawking and the are no pauses or silences for the sake of effect – he either speaks continuously or doesn’t speak at all. Arlecchino is in love with Columbina, but his sexual appetite is immediate in terms of any passing woman. He is occasionally aware the audience is there and can make asides during which he gives his full attention to the spectators before returning to complete absorption in the action. His character is a mixture of ignorance, naivete, wit, stupidity and grace. He is both a rake and an overgrown boy with occasional gleams of intelligence, and his mistakes and clumsiness often have wayward charm. His acting is patterned on the lithe, agile grace of a young cat, and he has a superficial coarseness which makes his performances all the more amusing. He plays the role of a faithful valet, always patient, credulous, and greedy. He is enternally amorous, and is constantly in difficulties either on his own or on his master’s account. He is hurt and confronted in turn as easily as a child, and his grief is almost as comic as his joy. Lelio Lelio is one of the lovers (Isabella’s partner) and is usually the son of Il Dottore or has no relations. He is high in stature, but is usually brought low by the hopelessness of his infatuation. He wears the latest fashion, which at that time was to be dresses as a young soldier or cadet. Sometimes he dressed in an over fashionable colour scheme that was very feminine with a great deal of flair. Lelio is young, attractive, modest, courteous and gallant. He occasionally wears a mask that covers only his eyes but often went unmasked. His signature prop is a handkerchief. His feet have a lack of firm contact with the earth, making his stance and walk air like. His chest and heart appear heavy and full of breath. His legs are usually tightly together, with only one foot firmly planted on the ground, and the other crawling upward like he has to go to the loo. He does not walk as much as tweeter, due to the instability of his base. First the head leans the other way to the body sway. Then the arms have to be used, one above the other, as a counterweight like and off balance tip toe. His pose can be anything that might look Vogue and whenever he is sitting, his legs are crossed in a feminine matter. Lelio’s movements are well-to-do but ridiculously exaggerated. His movement comes at the point of overbalance, leading to a sideways rush towards a new focus, with his arms left trailing behind. When stopping at the new point (usually the beloved or some token thereof) before almost touching it. The Lovers (he and Isabella) have little or no physical contact. When there is any, the minimum has maximum effect. Lelio is often holding a handkerchief or flower, etc. in his leading hand. His arms never make identical shapes and because of his vanity, he  frequently looks in a hand mirror, only to become upset by any minor imperfection that is discovered. He is always looking to see if a ribbon or sequin is out of place. A button found on the floor or a blemish in the coiffure equals disaster. His speech makes great display of courtly words and baroque metaphors, also knowing large extracts of poems by heart. He speaks softly in musical sentences which are often flamboyant, hyperbolical and full of amorous rhetoric. When it comes to women, his words are the only thing that shows that he might have any interest. His body language, actions, tone, all contradict any infatuation he may have with a female. The only reason why he would express an interest in a female is because he loves the idea of love. However he seems genuinely more in love with himself and other male characters before he is in love with a woman. He relate exclusively to himself – he is in love with himself being in love. The last person he actually relates to in the course of the action is often Isabella. When he and she do meet they have great difficulty in communicating with each other (usually because of the nerves). And they relate to their servants only in terms of pleading for help. The Lovers love each other, yet are more preoccupied with being seen as lovers, undergoing all the hardships of being in such a plight, than with actual fulfilment. Consequently they frequently scorn each other and feign mild hatred; they rebut, despair, reconcile, but eventually end up marrying in the way of true love when the game is up and they know they cannot play any more. Lelio is extremely aware of being watched. He plays with the audience for sympathy in their plight and occasionally flirts with spectators. Lelio is indispensable. Without him and his inability to resolve problems with Isabella, there would be no struggle between the ineffectuality of youth and the implacability of age. The lovers are never alone on stage –  they always have someone with them or spying on them.

The Dramatic Impact of The Witches in Macbeth

Witchcraft in the 17th centaury was frowned upon by the church as a result witches were feared and loathed in the community. Many people thought that they were directly connected to Lucifer (the devil). Their evidence of this was that the devils familiars came up from hell and drank the witches blood from devil spots (moles or birthmarks), in return for this blood he would grant them special powers such as the ability to fly, foul crops or kill at a glance. As a result of this propaganda created by the church thousands of innocent people were tried as witches and burnt at the stake. To be in a 17th centaury audience and have witches appear on stage would be terrifying and cause a genial reaction of shock and disgust. Also the king of the time James the first had an interest in witchcraft specifically the torture of witches. He even wrote a book demonology which listed all the horrible means in which to torture a confession out of them. So adding this to the play may have been Shakespeare's way to please the king. Act 1 scene 1 gives a dramatic start to the play arousing our curiosity over the mysterious identities of the three witches and creating a puzzling spectacle. This is because when you enter the scene the witches have almost finished there current meeting and appear to be planning the next one as they say â€Å"when shall we thee meet again†. This creates a feeling of mystery because you do not why there are an the moor or who they are. The witches themselves heighten this confusion with there riddling and perplexing language which seems to flow from one witch to the other as if they were all one being, such as when they say â€Å"When the hurly burleys done : When the battles lost and won : That will be ere the set of sun†. Each witch responds almost instantly as if continuing the sentence like one being. This crates the atmosphere of a spell or a chant. This enables them to see past the present in to the future such as when they say † when the battles lost and won†, this suggests that they already know the outcome they know more than you. The witches also speak of some very unusual things that suggests that they are not normal. One of the oddest things they say is â€Å"Hover through the fog and filthy air† giving you the impression that they can fly. They also chant â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair†, which would make it appear that they have a warped perception of reality what you would perceive as foul they would perceive as fair meaning that they can bend the rules a little. This draws you in because you want to know what mischief they can create. In the production that I saw I thought that they carried out this very well with fantastic lighting and sound affects. The witches were dressed in simple black robes and rags, but while reciting there lines there was a battle going on behind them with men falling in all directions which provides a feeling of confusion and that they have more power then the men fighting. I thought that this was brilliant because it gave the beginning of the production a real dramatic exciting start to the play. Then very abruptly they vanished this effect in the production was created by freezing and changing the lighting, this was quite effective as all one stage were oblivious to them. The scene then shifted quickly this then provided a sudden shock at the confusion of what had just happened. When you next see the witches in Act 1 Scene 3 you get to see the true nature of the witches and the malice and brutality of there character. One of them says that see has been killing swine and there is a distinct air of pleasure in her voice. This gives a reaction of disgust and horror to any audience. Another of the witches has been denied chestnuts by a sailors wife and so was going to as a form of revenge forever tempest toss her husband so he will be forever kept awake by an eternal storm and never able to return home. In the production I saw them use a rope as a visual aid to represent in my opinion the sea as they tossed the rope the sea tosses as the rope does, or the rope could have signified a union of there powers all coming together in hatred. This whole scene demonstrates there glut for revenge and there incredible power giving them a hold over nature itself. After this a witch cries that Macbeth is coming they then meet with him and tell him that one day he will be king they then tell Banquo him he will be lesser than Macbeth and greater. After confusing us some more they vanish into thin air Macbeth reacts in fear almost, to which Banquo replies â€Å"look how are partners rapt†. The next time you see the witches the plot has advanced considerably by Act 4 Scene 1 Macbeth has committed treason by murdering the king and become as predicted king himself. Macbeth has lost almost all of his allies and goes to the witches in desperation and seeking information. When he arrives the witches are huddled over a cauldron adding strange ingredients to the cauldron as if expecting Macbeth again demonstrating strange powers of deviation. All of these ingredients are very gory and show how vile and loathsome the witches really are, the witches have also it would appear have put a degree of planning in to this meeting. Another thing that demonstrates there planning is the complexity of many of the ingredients such as † finger of birth-strangled babe ditch delivered by a drab† this also shows the lengths to which they will go to cause mischief. Macbeth orders the witches to reveal there secrets to him showing how he has changed since the beginning of the play where he was honourable and meek. In the production that I watched the witches came in after the banquet scene and climbed over the table and took a goblet from the table and used it as a cauldron, this I thought was an effective addition to the play as it displayed them to be so powerful they undermine the very monarchy. When the witches agree to show Macbeth they give him the potion they had already prepared as if they want to show him, they show him in a series of apparitions. The first apparition is an armed head that tells Macbeth to beware the thane of Fife, to this Macbeth reacts without surprise as he already suspected Macduff. The second apparition is a blooded child (who we later learn to be a child born through suasions ) this apparition tells him â€Å"to be bloody, bold and resolute; Laugh to scorn the power of man for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth†. This true to form with the witches is confusing because he has been told to beware Macduff and then that no man woman born can harm Macbeth. The third apparition is a crowned child holding a tree this apparition tells Macbeth to be lion mettled, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are; Macbeth shall never be vanquish'd be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him†. This is a very good example of Shakespeare's visualisation with mind boggling seemingly impossible tasks like the very woods moving. This apparition makes Macbeth even more sure of himself as he does not believe that this could ever happen. But as Macbeth demands to know more the witches give in very quickly, they then show him with some relish the final apparition this is a vision of Banquo and his airs on the throne the first of the Stuarts. Again more confusion as this means that at some point Macbeth is going to be defeated. The witches then dance and say that they must cheer his spirits almost mockingly they then vanish. In the production the apparitions appeared in the air as giant flouting holograms I thought that this was very effective as it provided visual stimulus to the sound. At the end of the production that I saw they added an extra scene where after Macbeths death the witches stand and point at Fleance, as if to say that he will be next in there makings of mischief. This raises the question of how much the witches are to blame for the whole proceedings , I believe that the witches are not completely to blame and are infant just a catalyst as they never actually told Macbeth to kill the king they just gave him a prophecy of what might happen but his ambition was to great and his impenitency to have what was promised, as Banquo said â€Å"The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence.