Perception, Motivation and Behavior Within Organizations...

How Perception Influences Motivation and Behavior within Organizations There are a lot of factors that affect a person’s behavior or that will influence their motivation. As leaders it is important to try and understand these underlining factors to be able to improve decision making and outcomes for the organization. One area that can have a big impact on behavior and motivation is perception. Perception is described by Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske (2009) as the individual’s need to organize information from their environment in a way that makes sense to them. In addition, different individuals will give their own meaning to events around them resulting in no two individuals perceiving the same events in the same†¦show more content†¦As a leader when you are able to see a situation from the other person’s perspective you have a much better chance of influencing their behavior towards common goals. Perception Regarding New System Employees’ perception regarding a new process, procedure or program can cause difficulty in the work place if these perceptions are causing them to be reluctant to needed changes. For example, Joan worked for 15 years using an old antiquated manual system. The company wanted to update their accounting by using a computer based program, but Joan was resisting the change. As the manager you have to find out what her concerns are. Is she afraid that she would not be able to learn the new system; is she concerned they will not need her to do the job anymore; or does she just not understand how the new computer system will be any better. Understanding what she perceives to be the issue is the first step in being able to help her accept the needed change and make the transition to the new system much easier. Therefore, the best way to address the employee’s concerns is to talk with them about what they think some of the issues are with th e new system. It is important to let the employee speak freely without offering any solutions at this point. Only ask clarifying questions to make sure you fullyShow MoreRelatedNotes On Organizational Citizenship Behavior1703 Words   |  7 Pages In reference to Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) – the individual behavior which is elective, and is not directly or explicitly recognized by a formal reward system, and that promotes the effective functioning of the organization, and has been studied beginning in the 1970s, this article covers the study of numerous predictors of OCB in the Gulf of Saudi Arabia which consisted of surveying close to 300 private and public employees. The types of predictors which were studied includeRead MoreEssay on Ob364 A11470 Words   |  6 PagesA: Question 1 The foundation of open systems theory is that all the components of an organization are inter-related, thus, changing one variable impacts many other components of the organization. Additionally, organizations use external and internal inputs to produce outputs. (McShane Steen, 2009). Further, there is a nonlinear relationship between different components of an organization. Meaning, a small change in one variable can cause enormous changes in another, and converselyRead MoreMotivation/Reward System1404 Words   |  6 PagesEssay 1: Motivation/Reward System by Blake P. Rodabaugh EDD 9100 CRN 35455 Leadership Seminar Nova Southeastern University January 15, 2012 Essay 1: Motivation/Reward System Employee motivation seems to be at the core of what defines leadership or more importantly a leader. The success or failure of an organization is dependent upon the ability of those in leadership positions and roles to motivate and inspireRead MoreDifferent Types Of Individual Behavior1683 Words   |  7 Pagesin an organization strongly depends on how well the individuals work together as part of a team and how they portray themselves with their personality and emotions. 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In this report, we will conduct the performance of a company with the interactionRead MoreLeadership As A Global Organization1335 Words   |  6 Pagesglobal organization is more than having a service or product that is wanted world-wide; it is much more involved. A quick study of all successful global organizations reveals the many aspects making the organization competitive, only one element stands out; Leadership. Effective leadership points their employees toward the vision and mission of the organization. Moreover, leadership is where solid relationships are created and the interactions with employees positively activate motivation. TheRead MoreMaslow s Theory Of Organizational Roles And Leisure Time Activities1218 Words   |  5 Pagesrelatedness, and growth. Existence relates to a person s physical needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. Relatedness relates to a person s interpersonal needs within his personal as well as professional settings. Growth relates to a per son s needs of personal development. In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs we can see some overlap within all levels of the hierarchy and Alderfer’s E.R.G Theory. The â€Å"Leadership Center† writes that the according to Alderfer’s E.R.G Theory, human needs isn’t in any order

Causes And Effects Of Cancer - 1048 Words

Cancer is a name given to collection of various diseases that are caused by a similar mechanism: uncontrolled division of cells that results in formation of abnormal cells that grow without stopping - tumors. Cancer is caused by changes in genes of the cells that control the way they function. Those changes can be caused by various environmental factors, such as excess ultraviolet exposure from the sun, chemicals in tobacco smoke, radiation from radioactive elements and many other factors. The only type of cancer that can be caused by an infection is the viral cancer. Viruses that cause cancer are called oncoviruses; oncoviruses represent approximately 15% of all human cancers worldwide (Liao 115). Viruses are made up of small portion of either DNA or RNA(sometimes both) surrounded by a protein coat. Viruses enter a living cell and insert portion of their DNA or RNA into the host cell, allowing the host cell to reproduce even more viruses through the processes of transcription and t ranslation of the cell. Each type of viruses tends to be very specific: they target only specific type of cells in the body. Even though development of cancerous tumors from viral infections may take years or even decades, they are still causing thousands of deaths annually (Liao 43). A tremendous portion of human cancers are associated with viral infections: â€Å"The estimated total of infection-attributable cancer in the year 2002 is 1.9 million cases, or 17.8% of the global cancer burden. TheShow MoreRelatedCause And Effect Of Cancer1642 Words   |  7 Pagescompletely unrelated events, they have one factor in common, cancer. The dreaded disease has been wrecking havoc on the lives of many, as there are over a million new cases diagnosed each year. The increase of cancer is due to new screening, new diagnostic tests, and an increase in exposure to carcinogens. It seems every individual has been affected by cancer in some way, whether it was personal or through friends and family. The word cancer encompasses over 100 different diseases that develop in differentRead MoreCause And Effect Of Lung Cancer1612 Words   |  7 Pagespercent. In addition, since emphysema is said to be one of the causes of lung cancer, it can be said that smoking is also related to lung cancer. As is well known, currently, there are no effective treatment for cancer. Smoking habit is the main cause of lung cancer. The probability of a smoker becoming lung cancer is said to be about ten times more than that of a non-smoker. Also, smoking hurts their own DNA, that is, the risk of lung cancer extends to offspring. There may be people who think smokingRead MoreThe Causes And Effect Of Breast Cancer1525 Words   |  7 Pagesothers develop over time, like cancer. Cancer is one leading cause of deaths in the United States. One population that is greatly affected by this illness is women suffering from breast cancer. Breast cancer can take a huge toll on a woman’s physical health, as well as emotional and mental health. Many women have trouble adjusting to chemotherapy, hospitals, the impact on family relationships, and the fact that they are faced with possible death. These factors can cause depression, anxiety, loss ofRead MoreLung Cancer : Causes And Effects1329 Words   |  6 PagesThe leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States and worldwide is lung cancer. Lung cancer is responsible for thirty percent of cancer deaths in the United States. The deaths caused by breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer combined do not add up to the deaths that lung cancer causes. In 2007, 158,683 people, 88,243 men and 70,354 women died from lung cancer in the United States (Eldridge, 2012). 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The answer to that right now is that secondhand smoke alone is just a risk factor, there are no evidence right now that currently show that secondhand smoke alone can cause lung cancer by itself. This means that we need to encourage studies that areRead More lung cancer Essay1459 Words   |  6 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Lung cancer is the most common cancer-related cause of death among men and women. Lung cancer can be undetected for many years causing it to become more dangerous and possibly fatal. There is not cure for lung cancer or any cancer, but if detected in an early stage the lung cancer can be detected, treated, and hopefully terminated. There are many new and developing treatments being tested now that may save li ves in the future. Through understanding what the lung cancer is, doctors canRead MoreEssay about The Approach to the Care of Cancer1384 Words   |  6 PagesCare of Cancer Kia Nordenskiold September 30, 2012 The Approach to Care of Cancer Cancer refers to a group of diseases that involve uncontrolled cell growth (Corner Bailey, 2008). The unregulated cell division and growth leads to the formation of malignant tumors that invade bordering body parts. Cancer may also spread to distant areas of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Determining the causes of cancer is a complexRead MoreComplications Of Cancer And Treatments996 Words   |  4 PagesComplications of Cancer and Available Treatments Cancer complications and treatments are dependent on patient’s health conditions and stage of the cancer. Common complications caused by cancer include pain, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, dyspnea (breathlessness), and metastasis (cancer that spreads) (Mayo Clinic - Complications, 2016). 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Corporate Financial Management Controllership Duties

Question: Discuss about the Corporate Financial Management for Controllership Duties. Answer: Introduction In the current scenario, the role of a CFO has undergone a sea change and in under immense evaluation whether it is externally or internally. In reality, the role of a CFO is entrusted with high pressure that relates to reduction of cost, increment of the revenue, cost control, etc. The role of a CFO has attained a strong focus owing to the ever-increasing regulations, financial statements, investor assessment, etc. In the present age, the CFOs are needed to play crucial roles that will drive the organization towards success. The two main traditional roles are protecting the assets of the company by reducing risk and having the correct set of books. Secondly, a CFO needs to have an operation that is strong in nature and has the effectiveness. CFO needs to be a key strategic player otherwise; it is difficult to plan the activities in the age of cutthroat competition (Brealey et. al, 2011). The financial approach needs to be clear cut and must helps the business towards growth. Therefo re, considering the activities of the CFO, the role of the CFO is described by selecting the CFO of ADX Energy Ltd. These responsibilities play a key role in shaping company strategies so that it can attain its goals. ADX Energy Ltd is ASX-listed oil and gas appraisal and exploration company (ADX Energy Ltd, 2015). It purposes to obtain superior shareholder returns through efficient choices of investment by applying high quality management and state of art technology. The responsibilities of a CFO play a very crucial role in attaining such goals and objectives. Responsibilities of CFO Controllership Duties The first general area of responsibility of a CFO is controllership duties. This responsibility makes the backward looking part of the CFOs duty. Controllership duties imply that the CFO of a company is responsible for presenting and reporting appropriate, timely, and adequate historical financial information of the company where he or she is working. This is an important area because reporting ensures that the compliance system is properly established and helps in providing the relevant information to the stakeholders (Brigham et. al, 2011). Therefore, this role is crucial in terms of providing information. Similarly, in ADX Energy Ltd, Amanda Sparks and Peter Ironside perform the role of company secretary or CFO and are responsible for presenting and reporting accurate information so that every stakeholder like creditors, employees, analysts, shareholders and other management members can rely on the timeliness and accuracy of such information (ADX Energy Ltd, 2015). With prior inpu ts from the CEO, they prepare and publish the financial statements and provide full assistance and advice to the Audit Committees to ensure that the committee is efficient. Such responsibility is very imperative for proper functioning of a company because various relevant decisions are made because of it. In order to ensure the fulfillment of such responsibility, Sparks and Ironside typically present the annual financial report to the Board of Directors only after conforming that the company has adhered to the Australian Accounting Standards (AAS) and International Financial Reporting Standards. Furthermore, as ADX Energy is a non-financial company, its CFOs use a combination of both financial and non-financial indicators for evaluating and analyzing the financial performance of the company. The financial and non-financial indicator is an important aspect that needs to be tame by the CFO. It helps the CFO in ascertaining the financial progress in a quick span of time (Libby et. al, 2011). They ensure that the companys reporting clearly portrays their third party connections and other collaborative agreements, if any. Under section 295A of the Corporations Act 2001, the CFOs of ADX Energy quarterly states in writing to the Board that the company has properly maintained the financial records and it gives a true and fair view of the companys performance (ADX Energy Ltd, 2015). TreasuryDuties The second general area of responsibility of a CFO is treasury duties. Amanda Sparks and Peter Ironside of ADX Energy Ltd are also responsible for the present financial condition of the company so that they can decide how to invest the resources of the company taking into account liquidity and risk of the company. Treasury is one of the key areas that need to be properly settled otherwise it leads to immense problem in terms of monetary condition (Melville, 2013). They also oversee the capital structure of the company in order to determine the best mix of equity, debt, and internal financing. The role is not limited to the capital structure rather the CFO observes whether the capital structure is perfectly balanced with an adequate level of equity and debt (Williams, 2012). A CFO needs to keep in mind that having a balanced level of equity and debt is the best for the company because a heavy reliance on debt will put undue pressure and a major chunk of the profit will go towards the interest payment (ADX Energy Ltd, 2015). On the other hand, if there is lower proportion of debt then the company will not be possible to utilize the maximum capacity. The issues that surround the capital structure hamper the smooth functioning of the company and it affects the financial risk, thereby affecting the companys value. Therefore, Sparks and Ironside having an extensive experience in corporate governance, financial management and compliance for listed companies makes sure that while managing capital, the company continues as a going concern and it maintains and provides sufficient returns to the shareholders and other advantages for the stakeholders (Parrino et. al, 2012). They aim for such a capital structure that can ensure availability of lowest cost of capital to the company. They are also responsible to adjust such capital structure in the future in order to grab efficiency of favorable costs of capital and then issue further shares in the market. In smaller organiza tions, the responsibility of a CFO is limited to overseeing matters on salaries, investments, cash flow etc but in larger organizations whether financial or non-financial, a CFO has more of an oversight and administrative responsibility with respect to budgeting and management that is deciding on the pay scales and resource allocation based on reports from division managers. Economic Strategy and Forecasting The third general area of responsibility of a CFO is economic strategy and forecasting. It needs to be noted that the CFO needs to have a strong outlook of the economy and must forecast the condition considering the internal and external environment. This implies that a CFO is not only responsible for the past and present financial conditions of a company but he or she also plays a key role in the companys future financial conditions. Forecasting is one of the vital parts in the kitty of the CFO because plans can work when there is a strong forecasting technique. It helps the company to grab opportunities and cements its position in the market. In all sizes and types of organizations, CFOs are collaborating with the corporate boards and CEO so that they can assist in long-term strategic planning. Just like in ADX Energy Ltd, the CFOs (Amanda Sparks and Peter Ironside) help in evaluating the productivity of the company and search for areas of efficacies that can be enhanced to further develop the profitability of the business (ADX Energy Ltd, 2015. They are also called upon by the Board to use their knowledge on general economic outlook, funding sources and markets to support the company in making wise decisions about risk and resource allocation. Responsibility of CFO can influence Objective of the Company It is to be noted that the qualifications of CFO may vary given the range of organizations but most of the employed CFOs, in view of their financial management roles, are expected to have experience and training in finance and accounts. Due to increased competition for share of market, most companies focus on evaluating opportunities that can lower its business cost and increase income. Strategic planning by CFOs is done based on economic, social, political, and technological environment, cost drivers and relevance of sustainable business practices. Strategic plays a dominant role because the external and internal environment faces many challenges and the CFO needs to be dynamic in nature so that the situation is understood in a better fashion and results are guaranteed (Spiceland et. al, 2011). As part of corporate governance, the CFOs of ADX Energy Ltd also additionally declares that the internal compliance and risk management and control systems in association with the financial r isks are appropriate, sound and functioning effectively and efficiently. (ADX Energy Ltd, 2015). Critical Evaluation The financial condition of a company puts a CFO into areas like investment strategies, risk management, and acquisition of capital. The presence of CFO assures the enhancement of a performance measurement framework that gives an appropriate understanding as to whether the Board members and executive team have performed their roles effectively and whether they have sufficient financial information to execute their duties. They are directly accountable to the Board through the chairperson of the company on each matter that is associated to the proper functioning of the Board. As they have extensive knowledge on financial management and corporate governance, they provide financial and commercial advice to the Board, together with assistance in areas of capital raisings, corporate initiatives, and administration. Thereby critically they have a strong understanding of the business environment and helps the company to progress. Efficient Market Hypothesis It is observed in the financial market that any type of information is circulated in the market and the information is quickly absorbed by the stock market in the due course of time. This implies that the reaction of the market is immediate to the news that comes to its ways. Moreover, it is a well-known fact that the individual share price is a strong reflector of the factor, as well as techniques provided by the technical analysis and fundamental analysis that helps in selecting the correct stock. The Efficient market hypothesis is renowned as the Random Walk Theory and is regarded as the weight that present stock price indicates on the information that is available in the market backing up the value of the firm (Northington, 2011). Hence, there appears to be no way of making an enormous profit. The important hypothesis can be tag as the change in price that occurs in the stock market and the manner in which it happens. Both the investor as well as financial managers can get huge opportunity through this activity (Kalpan Schoar, 2005). The EMH opines that the share prices focus on the information that reflects the fundamental value. The hypothesis became popular because it helps the investor to beat the conventional policy that was present. Role and Duty of Pension Fund Manager The main role of a pension fund manager is to manage the investments or portfolio in an effective manner. The fund manager serves the client and this function is manage, on behalf of them so that the maximum returns are generated and even leads to better opportunities. Moreover, a pension fund manager is entrusting with the additional duty of safeguard of the capital. It is the duty of the pension fund manager to look after the capital so that it is not eroded and returns are derived with safety (Goyal Wahal, 2008). The main reason for such a role is considering the fact that pension fund are established with a view to invest the funds that are idle in nature so that after retirement the expense of the client can be meet with ease and flexibility (Davies Crawford, 2012). However, it needs to be noted that the fund manager cannot risk all the capital in assets that are risky in nature that will lead to erosion of the capital. Therefore, the management is done in a manner that leads to optimum return and low risk. Critical Evaluation It takes into assumption that the market is highly efficient and in no situation, the manager will be able to beat the market return. It will make his job redundant in nature (Northington, 2011). On the other hand, if the pension manager makes an investment in asset classes that are risky in nature and other such as ETFs, options and futures, etc. then a good use of the network skills can be done to grab securities that will provide the maximum return (Goyal Wahal, 2008). Hence, the market efficiency is put to debate and stock selection method is important. References ADX Energy Ltd 2015, ADX Energy Ltd Annual report 2015, viewed 5 September 2016, https://adx-energy.com/en/investors/annual-reports.php Brigham, E.F. Ehrhardt, M.C 2011, Financial Management: Theory and Practice, USA: Cengage Learning. Davies, T. and Crawford, I 2012, Financial accounting, Harlow, England: Pearson. Brealey, R., Myers, S. and Allen, F 2011, Principles of corporate finance, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Goyal, A. Wahal . S. 2008, The Selection and Termination of Investment Management Firms by Plan Sponsors, Journal of Finance , vol. 63, pp. 1802 1827. Kalpan , S.N Schoar, A 2005, Private Equity Performance: Returns, Persistence, and Capital Flows, Journal of Finance vol. 60, pp. 1795 1823. Libby, R., Libby, P. and Short, D 2011,Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Melville, A 2013, International Financial Reporting A Practical Guide, 4th edition, Pearson, Education Limited, UK Northington, S 2011, Finance, New York, NY: Ferguson's. Parrino, R., Kidwell, D. Bates, T 2012, Fundamentals of corporate finance, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Spiceland, J., Thomas, W. Herrmann, D 2011, Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin,University Press Williams, J 2012, Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Research Paper Essays (769 words) - Secret Societies,

Research Paper The illuminati in Pop culture Who are the illuminati? Can you rise to fame and gain money by becoming a member of the illuminati or the devil? There are many theories that talked about what the illuminati is supposedly is and does, the history of and, where and how it was established. What their goals are, what do the symbols stand for and represents. Should people believe that the illumination is real? The clues lie in the heart of the media, the television we watch and radio we listen, basically, illuminati is controlling everything we do. after doing some research, I have found enough answers to believe that illuminati are real. As far as secret organizations go, the most popular one is probably the illuminati. This supposedly powerful group has been implicated in the Kennedy assassination, 911, the death of Whitney Houston and the ice bucket challenge and has been said to be pulling the strings that make the world go around. The illuminati started as a secret society in 1776, the illuminati group believed that they were far more advanced than the rest of the world and they claim to have knowledge of the world's most ancient and secret religion, illumination. The members are believed to be Satanist and antichrist. Their goal was to end religion, change the teachings in society, and create a new way of living. The group was made illegal in 1785, causing them to go even further underground. The organization was thought to have died out and had little to no acknowledgement throughout history. Started in the year 2000, During the new era of the internet People supposedly started noticing clues and subliminal messages in the real-life media and the rumors spread like wild fire/fast. Many people are still skeptical, there are too many clues proving its existence to deny the fact that illuminati are real. Illuminati supposedly run by the government and celebrities. This is how they are able to control and dictate the media. Illuminati is a well-known conspiracy that should be further investigated. Many parts of society show indication to this idea, making it all more mysterious. The signs; the most notorious one is the all-seeing eye, which is found on the back of the us dollar bill. Many have suspicion that this is in fact a message from Illuminati members. It is often debated whether this embrace a meaning at all. Most can approve that Illuminati like to send out indirect messages internationally that signify for a secret message. Illuminati has been known for sending out unclear messages, and only those educates can correctly reveal its truth. In order to understand illuminati, it needs to be broken down into many different parts. Let's start with the name. Illuminati, the name of this secret-society translates from Latin as meaning "the enlightened ones." Illuminati are thought to have been formed in 1776 by a Bavarian man called Adam Weishaupt, a law professor at Ingolstadt University. The group started out minor with only five or so other professors joining on, and the model for it was based on another secret-society, the Freemasons. The basic construction of the Illuminati circles around fighting against delusion, irrational over-exertion of power by government and religious governments, and general prejudice. They also believed strongly in gender equality. Almost every main catastrophe has, in some way or another, been held responsible on the Illuminati. Anything from the JFK killing to the September 11th attacks are thought to have been caused by their inspiration but, obviously, there are no evidences to back this up at all. In recent years hundreds of big name superstars have been thought to be tangled with the Illuminati. The more fruitful they are, the more conspiracy truth-seekers feel as though their claims are valid. There's very little, if anything at all, to verify these claims, but they make for exciting web posts. But we live in a world that is full of conspiracy theories and, more notably, conspiracy theory believers; in 2015, political scientists revealed that about half of the over-all public in the USA endorse at least one conspiracy theory. These include everything from the Illuminati to the Obama conspiracy, or the extensively held confidence that 9/11 was an

World bank Group essays

World bank Group essays The World Bank is not a bank in the common sense; it is an agency made up of 184 member countries. These countries are jointly responsible for how the institution is financed and how money is spent along with the rest of the development of the community. The World Bank supports both developed and developing countries with lending guaranteed analytic and advisory work, debt relief, capacity enhancement, global monitoring and advocacy. Their goals are to eradicate poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality, combat deadly diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, and develop a global partnership for development. The World Bank's poverty reduction strategy is based on building the investment climate and investing in poor people. They offer different types of financing projects. These projects include low interest loans, interest free credit, and grants, which come from 40 rich countries donors that contribute money every 4 years to these developing countries. The money that is borrowed by the governments has to be used for specific programming in poverty reduction, delivery of social services, environmental protection, or economic growth. There are two types of borrowers: the middle-income countries and the heavily indebted poor countries. The borrower first identifies and prepares a project proposal to the bank for it to be reviewed, then negotiate and agree on the development objectivity, components, outputs, performance, indicators, implementation plan and a schedule disbursing loan funds. The World Bank considers themselves to have achieved success over their program, but they feel there is much more work to be needed in poor countries. Their objective is to eradicate extreme poverty in all nations. This group has a disclosure policy that allows the public to view what they do because they believe in an anticorrupt ...

3 Reasons Why You Shouldnt Fear Career Change

3 Reasons Why You Shouldnt Fear Career Change Life is too short to have to settle in any aspect of our lives, including our careers. If you’re finding yourself in a situation where you’re unhappy in your profession and want to make a change, breathe easy and proceed with confidence- as well as caution! 1. Change is the NormFirst thing’s first- If you’re unhappy in your current job or career and are seriously contemplating a change, know that that’s okay! These days, most people go through a variety of career shifts throughout their professional lives; some folks change their jobs as often as they change their clothes. People grow and evolve over time, as do their likes and dislikes, their personal goals, and their ambitions- so it stands to reason that we may not be fulfilled by the same things at 20 that we are as the years go on.2. Change Can be Used  to Your AdvantageWhen thinking about scrapping your original career plans for a new blueprint, it’s only natural to experience some fe eling that you’ve failed where your original plan is concerned. That fear of failure may follow you into your next professional move, which can become a disastrous self-fulfilling prophecy- if you let it. But guess what†¦ you don’t have to!Take total charge of your senses and realize that failure, even perceived failure, can be   a learning experience, an opportunity to   evolve, and discover more about who you are and what you want out of your life. A life worth living invites new challenges, including career challenges. Rather than shrinking away from challenges and obstacles for fear of failure, make the decision to face them bravely and head on.3. The Key to Success is Taking RisksMaking the decision to pursue a new career path is full of challenges and the potential for failure.   But the difference between those who achieve successful, fulfilling careers and those who don’t is a willingness to face and take risks. However, they do so intelligent ly- with a plan, careful preparation, and an understanding that failure is a natural and inevitable part  of a full life.Embrace your desire for change and take the opportunity to learn, improve, and make better choices moving forward. Are you up for the challenge? Update your job seeker profile below and start receiving great Job Matches!

Reagan Revolution Through President Obama Research Paper

Reagan Revolution Through President Obama - Research Paper Example The security threats within and outside the State were very much demanding the unanimous outbreak of the straightforward policies of the government but the political failure to take all parties on board also worsened the situations. Similarly one of the most important historical events was the cold war. The cold war ignited the hate culture between the Americans and the Russians and there was always a fight to stop the Russians to reach the hot water sea ports of South East Asia to minimize the chance of growth and put the fence to the stance of terror and hatred towards the American state. These importunate historical events shook the American policy making strategies andaffected the people on the overall grounds. The events continue to affect the people in some form or the other (Kettle, 2011). Changes in social, cultural and technologicalaspects can cause extensive changes Inthe attitude of the people because of the fact that the nirvana of intuitiveness of the technological progr essions of the modern world candrive the whole society in way that can change the pivotal aspects of the society for example the advent of the television technology has really changed the way of perception of the masses and now there is nothing in the sense of activity in the political corridors and important aspects that is hidden from the people. The elevation of social media around the world has also changed the attitudes of people. People can become more interactive and critical towards the general regimes around the world because everything is subject for open discussion in the social media and there is nothing that can be perceived in the wrong context. The changes and advancements in technology can drive the whole society in a specific way. The policies of government in the United States have effected largely on the social and historical aspects of people because of the fact that the government policy can embark huge effects on the vicinity of the people. For example the deci sion to take part in the cold war and support the Afghans back in eighties has changed the pivotal aspects of thoughts of people now. Most of the people are of the view that supporting the people of Afghanistan back in eighties was a wrong decision which has affected every single individual of the United States in some form or the other. Similarly, the policy to fund the technology park and boost up the technology advancement in the country has supported the people’s lives, created more jobs and elevated the progress of the individuals in all the contexts. The economic policies in the times of crunches have also affected the local living standards (Tradshad,, 2013). Being the â€Å"super power† has raised many questions at the legitimacy of American State affairs because of the fact that American has been at the threat of violence and internal conflicts after the furious 9/11 attacks that took 3,000 lives of the Americans and injured numerous. The effective winning of the Cold war back in nineties and the throttling effect of the incidents after that people have given the Americans a sense of responsibility to elevate the proper manifestation of the responsibilities of the Super power entity. The lives of the common man have not beeffected by turning of the American state into super power because there are augmented threats of terror

Are you ready marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Are you ready marketing - Essay Example This action helps the firm to work to gain legitimacy despite its relative youth as compared to many of its competitors who have already made a name for themselves within the industry. The firm offers what it deems a unique approach to marketing in that demographics, psychographics, and behaviors of the target audience are formulated with ROI an ever present factor. Therefore, the overarching rubric of the reason why the analysis is being conducted is never lost in the weeds. Furthermore, each part of the marketing campaign is carefully mapped and integrated (inclusive of assigning specialists to the individual branches of the plan). This specialist approach allows for an even more complete and tailored marketing plan to be delivered to clients without the need to make broad and sweeping generalizations with respect to certain aspects of the marketing plan/mix. Capital Media Solutions is a member of the 4A’s group trade association. The firm itself specializes in offering unique and tailored marketing services for a range of offerings to include: brand awareness promotion, leads generation, revenue increase, as well as attracting new customers to a given brand. Further, the company offers tailored expertise across the gamut of media options. A further specialization offered is that the marketing mix they employ has a dedicated point of contact within the company at each and ever given phase. Thereby, the firm provides a specialist to guide their clients through individualized steps of the process without requiring a â€Å"jack of all trades† marketing specialist to provide a one size fits all approach to product marketing/development. Likewise, Capitol Media Solutions website is listed below with the URL of 4A’s Trade Union listed directly below that. Furthermore, the firm although a recent entrant into the market is currently hiring and has an in house jobs bulletin in which it advertises a host of positions to include: Media

How you define the term ‘profit’ in terms of the changes that Hussain adopted to move one business to another Essay Example for Free

How you define the term ‘profit’ in terms of the changes that Hussain adopted to move one business to another Essay Question 8: How you define the term ‘profit’ in terms of the changes that Hussain adopted to move one business to another? The term ‘profit’ that Hussain earned when he changed from one to another business is the result of success as he willing to take chances and risks. He started from zero and his creative business minds be the ladder of sucess to him. A lot of challenge that he had faced make he became a great entrepreneur nowaday. He had struggled very much to expand his business in other word to change and overcome his miserable circumstances. We can see the ‘profit’ that Hussain gained from his small business as chocolate’s hawker to became an entreprenuer is started with his first petty step. He started the business with selling chocolate at the market for the beginning of his business is because he want help his family. As the bread earner replaced his illness father, he must search income to support basic needs of the family. He is lucky because although oman’s economy grow at thelower level those day, his small business still growing faster. But, due to the rising price index, he had difficulty to make ends meet. This difficulty had bring him to another business which gave him more profit than the profit of chocolate sale. He found a new avenues in business by started selling book. When he made a comparative analysis between the two product, chocolate and book, he realized that the percentage profit he gained by selling a book is very high than selling a chocolate. He use this good opportun ity to change his business from a chocolate hawker to become a bookseller. So, he gained more profit. From this changes, we can see the ‘profit’ that he had gained by changing the product. Then, Hussain not longer selling chocolate. He focused to the book sale. He had found a new way of a profitable business by selling book. But, he faced difficulty to bring many book everyday and return with them the next day. This situation leads him to find the alternaltive to solve this problem. Finally, he got a brilliant idea. He make a decision to convert his late father’s steel workshop where are had rented to become a bookshop. He try to convince his uncle that idea and because his sophisticated way of looking at thing differently made his uncle proud and agree with him. So, husin managed to open his own bookshop and it became the first bookshop in the village. he was the sole book seller at his village and this situation had bring him to became a sucess book seller at t he village. So, we can see the improvement that he had done by change the way  of his business from a book hawker to became an owner of bookshop. Hussain’s teacher had make he thought a new great idea. It started when his teacher gave him a mission to buy some gifts at the market. hussain brought the required gifts as his teacher order but with a cheaper price. Another teacher heard about that and asked him to do the same ones. This condition made he think that he should selling the same product as the teacher want. This idea bring him to provide products that were used as gifts such as pens, pencils, notebooks and other school’s needs. Since that, he became popular not only at his school but also in other schools. He able to explore more opportunity in businees by convinced the school to buy from his bookshop. So, from this we can see that he was success in converting the bookshop concept to became more wide concept. Hussain again change his business. He sold his bookshop with high price then he opened a new company. He established a new company for office supplies not far away from the bookshop. This is a good techniques for him as a alternative to reduce the cost at once increase the profit and income. Because the buyer of bookshop can not go through the business challenge, he failed and closed the bookshop permanently. Hussain closed the new office and reopened the bookshop. He relocated the office that he had closed in the bookshop for serving wholesale. But the bookshop still served individual customers. So, customer can buy from the bookshop and at the same time, the wholesale buyers can see the product and test them before placing order. He can reduce the cost facilitate his work. Finally, hussain succeeded to convert his bookshop into a big company for office supplies. With the new technology just entered the country made his work more easier. He started provide new office equipment suah as printers, photocopies and other related devices to the customers. Then, he became a major supplier of various stationery and office suplies. His company was developed with very advanced and he became an icon for leadership and entrepeneurial fields. We can see the high profit that hussain gained when he convert his bookshop into a big company. For the conclusion, from this case, Hussain who is the Sultanate of Oman have proved that hardship make people stronger. He proved that people can earned more profit if they are wise in taking opportunity and willingness to take risks in business.

Rolfing :: Research Physical Muscle Essays

Rolfing Rolfing is a scientific and organized system of manipulating the muscles in the body to their correct positions. Rolfing is a controlled approach within the general field of structural integration. Rolfing was originally called "structural integration." Some people still use the words, structural integration, instead of Rolfing (www.smart.net/~astro/define.html). Developed by Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D., this practice includes the process of teaching the body how to move by manipulating the body. People that are involved in Rolfing believe that the versatility and harmony of the body has to do with how the body deals with the field of gravity. Gravity is the most powerful force that affects the human body. The goal is to balance the body, and the main objective is to be in harmony with the body (www.lyrisys.com/LinSilver/). Rolfing restructures and educates the body to move in a specific manner. It releases the tension in the tissues which hold the bones and organs together to let the body r e-align or balance itself with the force of gravity. Since Rolfing gives the body a better balance, it takes less energy to fight against gravity. It re-educates the body's movement patterns. Movement in the body becomes simpler and there is an improvement in daily functions (www.igrin.co.nz/business/rolfing2.htm). In the 1930's and 1940's, Dr. Ida P. Rolf was a biochemist who studied the movement and function of the corrective tissue. Fifty years ago, Dr. Rolf named her work structural integration, but today it is known as Rolfing. She was interested in finding out about long-term contractions by pointing out the faults of the muscle tissues. She had a son that was ill and no doctor could find the cure. Then, she realized that the problem was within her son's body. The internal organs were being compressed. She started to massage her son, and the pain her son was feeling began to disappear (www.concentric.net/~wkaye/HistoryPage.html). Dr. Rolf worked in creating a holistic system of manipulating the tissues and educating the body's movement in symmetry with gravity. She found that by guiding the body's system with posturing and structuring, people could begin to feel changes in their body. Rolfing was the nickname that was given after the founder, Dr. Ida Rolf (www.rolf.org/intro.html). Af ter giving many lectures and writing many books, she founded the Rolf Institute to teach others the concept of Rolfing (www.concentric.net/~wkaye/HistoryPage.html). The main goal in Rolfing is to align the body to its original state.

Japan’s Development & History

Those legends that give the history of Japan indicates that, Japan was founded in 600 BC by the emperor called Jimmu. Jimmu is said to be a direct descendant of sun goddess, and also the present ruling ancestor of the imperial family.Japan adopted the Chinese writing system, together with the Buddhism religion. This actually brought in an influence to the Japanese culture. The Japanese indigenous culture is based on the emperor concept, and has Buddhism as the focal point. The culture in the Japan entered in successive waves in the continent.Different concepts in Japan that has resulted back into past, entails all the human activities manifestation from the moment the man first populated the archipelago of Japan.Research has shown that during the Pleistocene period Japan was inhabited. Those who inhibited Japan during those times left behind cultural remains such as chipped stones. The chipped implements of this time are categorized into four groups. The first category consists of th e shale core implements.The shale core implement in some case are defined as hand axes. The second category is the obsidian and flake shale implements. These somehow consist of the upper European Paleolithic industrial flakes. The third categopry comprises of the spearhead. This in most cases is identified with the Solutrean of the Europe. The last group is made by the blade implements. These implements have got their microlithic proportion specimens increasing progressively.The culture of Japan took shape in the period of Yayoi. The present anthropologists argue out that, Japanese are direct descendants of the Jomon people. The Jomon culture in Japan is subdivided into five periods. These periods include the: earliest, early, middle, late and latest phase. The phase of the earliest Jomon was dominated by base pointed connoid potteries.The second phase of Jomon was characterized by the cylindrical potteries of a fibrous temper. The third phase, that is, the middle phase was characte rized by the emergence of the cultural subareas: central, northeastern, and southeastern.The middle phase of culture in Japan came up with multitudes of problems. In the late phase, three distinct subareas are blanketed by pottery that was cord marked that is black or grey, thin walled and well fired. Â  At present most of the cultural practices in Japan are similar to those of china (Shenfield, 1998, pp 55).The relationship that exists between languages is expressed by correspondence in: vocabulary, grammatical structure, as corroborated by the law of phonetic. In Japan, with respect to grammar, it is quite different to Austroasian, Chinese, and Austronesian.However, Japan has some structural similarity in its language with the Altaic group. Japanese and Korean share many grammar points as well as an ancient vowel harmony use. They also share at least two hundred cognates of vocabulary.The linguistics data of Japanese can be traced back to the 3rd century A.D. but came to be more after the 9th century. When compared with the neighboring language the Japanese language is in a better state. To compare them with the ancient Japanese is hard. The reason for this seems to justify the somatic variation along a running cline from southeastern to north eastern (Shenfield, 1998, pp. 57).In the process of its development, in 1542 Japan started to experience contact with the western countries such as Netherlands, England, Spain, and Portugal. The main aim for these countries coming to Japan was to trade with Japan.Later in 17th century Japan realized that the traders and the missionaries from the west countries were being used as military conquest forerunners by the European powers. This led to shogunates to place very tight restrictions on the foreigners. Finally, this forced those foreigners who stayed in Japan to leave.This barred the relation between the Japan and the outside countries except the china and Dutch merchants. The restriction lasted for 200 years, when Matthew Perry of the United States navy came for negotiation so that Japan could be opened for the west.The renewed contact with the west after several years profoundly changed the Japanese society. There was restoration of the emperor into power as the shogunate resigned. The 1868 Meiji restoration brought in so many reforms in Japan.There was abolishment of feudal system, adoption of several western institutions which included the government constitution together with the parliamentary lines, and the western education and legal systems (Mulgan, 2000, pp. 70).

Product Life Cycle Essay

Life Cycle Hats are a product that have become deeply incorporated in the American culture and lifestyle. In the United States, hats are nearly always present in everyday life, from sports events (i. e. baseball games) to the streets of New York where one might see people wearing hats as a fashion accessory in their everyday life. Today, there are a plethora of different styles and varieties of hats. For example, one can buy university hats, sports teams hats and even superhero hats, thus causing the hat industry grow everyday. In this paper, I will analyze the hat industry life cycle, specifically focusing on the â€Å"New Era† company, one of the most popular hat companies in the United States and worldwide. The New Era Cap Co. Inc. was founded in 1920 and was first known as E. Koch Cap Co. Their headquarters is located in Buffalo, New York, and the CEO of the company is a member of the Koch family – Mr. Cristopher H. Koch. The New Era Cap Co. has expanded globally into Canada in North America, Brazil in South America, Korea and Japan in Asia, and more than 40 countries in Europe. Even though hats are New Era’s biggest product, they also sell other products such as jackets, tees, hoodies and many cleaning kits and accessories for hats. New Era provides products for men, women and kids of all ages, and among their most famous hat lines are the MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL and College lines. New Era offers different styles of hats such as the â€Å"fitteds,† which have different sizes to fit varying head sizes, and also the â€Å"snapbacks,† which you can adjust to the size of your head. Target Markets New Era targets its products towards a younger crowd, usually sports fans, ranging from kids as young as 15 years old to people around 35 years of age. The reason New Era targets a younger market is because the hats are accessories generally used by younger people, and it is hard to find peoNple older than 35 years of age wearing hats on a daily basis. In addition, there are many rappers today that wear New Era hats in their music videos and at concerts. Furthermore, various athletes can be seen representing their sports teams via New Era hats. As a result, this causes younger people who look up to these musicians and athletes to want to wear New Era hats. Overall, New Era does a great job at targeting their marketing towards younger people. Today, the United States is the country with the biggest market which New Era sells its product to. Followed by the U. S. market is the European market, which is so large that it consists of more than 40 countries. However, both locally and globally, New Era always try to target the same type of crowd. An example that supports this statement comes from Brazil. In Brazil, New Era is already beginning to produce hats representing popular Brazilian soccer teams, which is exactly what the Brazilian sports fans want. The 4 Ps While New Era’s main product is undoubtedly their headwear products, the company also manufactures apparel products such as tees, jackets, hoodies, belts and also cleaning kits for hats, which only adds value to their products. While most of their headwear products are made with sports teams logos on the front, their apparel products focuses more on the New Era Brand rather than sports teams. Many of their t-shirts present the New Era logo on the front instead of teams logos, which is similar with their hoodies and belts. The cleaning kits for hats is a superb deal for New Era because it causes customers to buy accessories that compliment their other products. The kit also keeps the customers happy because when hats get dirty, they definitely do not look nearly as attractive, so having a cleaning product at hand is very convenient. New Era’s prices range depends greatly on the hat style, as well as whether the product is a new arrival or whether it is a sales item. For new arrivals, the price generally ranges from U$25. 00 to U$50. 00. For the â€Å"snapback† styles (adjustable hats), the price can range from roughly U$20. 00 to U$40. 00. However, the fitted styles (ones that are made in different sizes) can range from U$10. 00 to U$50. 00. There is also a section of superhero hats that range from approximately U$20. 00 to U$50. 00. The hats labeled as â€Å"sales items† range from U$10. 00 to U$35. 00. In the United States, a great percentage of the New Era products are sold online on New Era’s website. The website is very easy and friendly to use, providing pictures of every single product available, making it extremely easy and convenient to purchase New Era products online. In the US, there are also specialized retail stores such as â€Å"LIDS† that strictly sell hats, with New Era being their most predominant brand. In countries like Brazil and countries in Europe, there is no specialized store like â€Å"LIDS,† but there are New Era hats being sold at stores specialized in sports. In these countries, New Era also runs their own retail stores where they have all of the same styles of hats than the ones available on the website, making them dream stores for hat lovers. Much of New Era’s promotion is done through sports events to target their main public. An example of that is the fact that New Era makes the hats of all Major League Baseball teams, while also holding over 200 licenses to make hats for other various sports teams. New Era also sponsors major events in the sports world, such as the 13th Annual Transworld Skateboarding Awards. Furthermore, in April of 2012, New Era became the official on-field hat provider for the National Football League (NFL). Ultimately, New Era focuses most of its marketing and promotion efforts towards sports events where they are most likely to reach all of their customers, as well as potential customers, at once. Product Life Cycle New Era Cap Co. Inc. has been around since the 1920s, and their product is in the maturity stage at the PLC. New Era already has an established brand worldwide and its sales and profits have reached a peak. Obviously, if New Era decides to open more global operations in South America or maybe Australia, they could make much more profits, but at the stage they are at right now, they reached maturity. The customers that purchase New Era hats today are the late majority, and even though New Era is always trying to come up with new designs and styles, the essence of the product remains the same. As it is normal in this stage, New Era spends a lot of its money and efforts towards marketing to try keeping the name of the brand growing and to attract more customers as well. As for competition, for a product that has reached its maturity as New Era hats have, there should be more competition than what they have today. New Era only faces serious competition from two companies today, as we are going to find out in the next section. Competition Although New Era is the leading hat company in the United States, there are other hat companies that compete against New Era for a bigger share in the market. The biggest competition New Era faces comes from the company Mitchell ; Ness Nostalgia Co. (known simply as Mitchell ; Ness) which is based in Philadelphia – PA. Mitchell ; Ness is actually older than New Era Cap Co. Inc. , as it was founded in 1904. However, differently than New Era, Mitchell ; Ness does not only focus its sales on hats, but also throwback jerseys, hats, tees, fleeces, and jackets. Mitchell ; Ness, however, competes head-to-head against New Era because it produces hats for NBA, NHL, NFL, and NCAA, essentially the same styles as New Era. The difference between the two is that New Era is more known for its fitted hats, while Mitchell ; Ness is more known for its snapback hats. New Era is also a much bigger company than Mitchell and Ness, with 1700 employees worldwide as compared to Mitchell ; Ness’ 200 employees in the US only. In terms of money, New Era’s revenue in 2007 was U$343. 7 million, while in 2012 Mitchell & Ness’s revenue was 30 million. The other strong competition New Era faces comes from a younger company called Zephyr Hats. Zephyr Hats was founded in 1993 and similarly to New Era, Zephyr hats only focuses on producing hats – nothing else. Zephyr, however is a much smaller company than both New Era or Mitchell ; Ness, and as of now they only produce hats for the NHL and NCAA schools. Also, Zephyr has a very strong commitment to its customers to deliver the best quality product they possibly can, and to serve the customers the best they can before anything else. It will still take a while for Zephyr Hats to expand as large as New Era or Mitchell ; Ness, but they are definitely on the right path towards achieving such a goal. New Era Cap Co. Inc. also faces competition against the black market. There are many fake New Era products being produced and sold around the world, proving to be a major challenge that the company has to face. With the ncreasing popularity of the brand, people try to take advantage of it by producing hats that bring the New Era logo, but that are not made by the real New Era Cap Co. Inc. Whereas some of these ‘fake’ hats may look very similar to the real ones, there are a couple of small defects on them that help to distinguish the fake hats from the real ones. Outside of the US, especially in developing countries like Brazil, th e black market problem is huge because people can buy â€Å"fake† hats for a lot cheaper than what they cost in the retail stores. Recommendations It is true that New Era Cap has made its name globally and seems to only be growing, despite its competition and other problems, such fake production of New Era Hats. However, there are many ways in which they can improve their brand name and keep the brand growing. New Era is very active in the sports scene (NBA, NFL, NHL, NCAA, Skateboarding, etc), and one way in which they could improve themselves as a brand would be to promote tournaments and competition that bring the New Era name. These events can include skateboarding competitions, street basketball tournaments, high school football tournaments, etc. This would help the name of the brand through supporting these sports and expanding their name to different groups of fans. New Era should also think about a solution to decrease the amount of fake New Era hats in the black market. One solution could be a promotion where every time someone purchases an authentic New Era Hat, they get a coupon with a number which they can enter on New Era’s website for the chance to win a prize (ex: 5 free New Era hats). Another promotion could be – â€Å"every 3 New Era Cap purchases, get 30% off the next purchase. This would give incentive to people to buy legitimate New Era Cap products, thus increasing their revenue, improving their name brand, and stopping the circulation of fake New Era in the black market. One other recommendation for New Era would be to pursue licences and contracts to start making hats for soccer clubs worldwide. Just like the hats they make for MLB and NFL, New Era could and should open their brand to the Premier League (England) and other European soccer leagues. Soccer leagues are known to have very devoted fans that would be more than willing to purchase merchandise, such as hats, if they were available in the market.

How the Spanish Colonized Guatemala

How the Spanish Colonized Guatemala The lands of present-day Guatemala were a special case for the Spanish who conquered and colonized them. Although there was no powerful central culture to contend with, such as the Incas in Peru or the Aztecs in Mexico, Guatemala was still home to the remnants of the Maya, a mighty civilization that had risen and fallen centuries before. These remnants fought hard to preserve their culture, forcing the Spanish to come up with new techniques of pacification and control. Guatemala Before the Conquest The Maya Civilization peaked around 800 and fell into decline shortly thereafter. It was a collection of powerful city-states who warred and traded with one another, and it stretched from Southern Mexico to Belize and Honduras. The Maya were builders, astronomers, and philosophers with a rich culture. By the time the Spanish arrived, however, the Maya had degenerated into a number of small fortified kingdoms, the strongest of which were the K’iche and Kaqchikel in Central Guatemala. The Conquest of the Maya The conquest of the Maya was led by Pedro de Alvarado, one of the top lieutenants of Hernn Cortà ©s, and a veteran of the conquest of Mexico. Alvarado led fewer than 500 Spanish and a number of native Mexican allies into the region. He made an ally of the Kaqchikel and warred upon the K’iche, whom he defeated in 1524. His abuses of the Kaqchikel caused them to turn on him, and he spent until 1527 stamping out various rebellions. With the two strongest kingdoms out of the way, the other, smaller ones were isolated and destroyed as well. The Verapaz Experiment One region still held out: the cloudy, misty, north-central highlands of modern-day Guatemala. In the early 1530s, Fray Bartolomà © de Las Casas, a Dominican friar, proposed an experiment: he would pacify the natives with Christianity, not violence. Along with two other friars, Las Casas set off and did, in fact, manage to bring Christianity to the region. The place became known as Verapaz, or â€Å"true peace,† a name it carries to this day. Unfortunately, once the region was brought under Spanish control, unscrupulous colonists raided it for slaves and land, undoing just about everything Las Casas had accomplished. The Viceroyalty Period Guatemala had bad luck with provincial capitals. The first, founded in the ruined city of Iximche, had to be abandoned due to persistent native uprisings, and the second, Santiago de los Caballeros, was destroyed by a mudslide. The present-day city of Antigua was then founded, but even it suffered major earthquakes late in the colonial period. The region of Guatemala was a large and important state under the control of the Viceroy of New Spain (Mexico) until the time of independence. Encomiendas Conquistadores and governmental officials and bureaucrats were often awarded encomiendas, large tracts of land complete with native towns and villages. The Spaniards theoretically were responsible for the religious education of the natives, who in return would work the land. In reality, the encomienda system became little more than an excuse for legalized slavery, as the natives were expected to work with little reward for their efforts. By the 17th century, the encomienda system was gone, but much damage had already been done. Native Culture After the conquest, the natives were expected to give up their culture to embrace Spanish rule and Christianity. Although the Inquisition was forbidden to burn native heretics at the stake, punishments could still be very severe. In Guatemala, however, many aspects of native religion survived by going underground, and today some natives practice an odd mishmash of Catholic and traditional faith. A good example is Maximà ³n, a native spirit that was sort of Christianized and is still around today. The Colonial World Today If you’re interested in the colonization of Guatemala, there are several places you might want to visit. The Mayan ruins of Iximchà © and Zaculeu are also sites of major sieges and battles during the conquest. The city of Antigua is steeped in history, and there are many cathedrals, convents and other buildings that have survived since colonial times. The towns of Todos Santos Cuchumatn and Chichicastenango are known for their blending of Christian and native religions in their churches. You can even visit Maximà ³n in various towns, mostly in the Lake Atitln region. It is said that he looks with favor on offerings of cigars and alcohol!

Tense When Using the Subjunctive Mood of Spanish

Tense When Using the Subjunctive Mood of Spanish Learning not only when to use the subjunctive mood, but which form of the subjunctive to use, can be one of the most difficult parts of learning Spanish verb usage. The rules can appear quite complicated at first, partly because the subjunctive mood is nearly absent in English. But learning the tenses - either in the traditional way of memorizing rules and then applying them or by becoming familiar enough with the language to know what sounds right - is essential to gaining fluency. Four Subjunctive Tenses in Everyday Use In normal usage, Spanish uses the subjunctive mood in a single simple present tense as well as three tenses that can refer real or hypothetical past actions: Present subjunctivePresent perfect subjunctiveImperfect subjunctivePast perfect (or pluperfect) subjunctive Remember that, generally speaking, the subjunctive is used in dependent clauses. Which form of the subjunctive is used depends on two factors: The tense of the verb in the main clauseThe time relationship between the subjunctive verb in the dependent clause and the main verb Although there are exceptions, and the rules of grammar in real life are more fluid than is suggested here, the following list shows the most common (but not only) ways in which the tenses are differentiated: If the main verb is in the present, future, or present perfect tense or the imperative mood, and the dependent (subjunctive) verb refers to action that takes place (whether in actuality or not) at the same time or after the main verb, then the dependent verb should be in the present subjunctive. Example: Espero que comas. (I hope you eat.)If the main verb is in the present, future or present perfect tense or imperative mood, and the dependent (subjunctive) verb refers to action that has been completed (whether in actuality or not), then the dependent verb should be in the present perfect subjunctive. Example: Espero que hayas comido. (I hope you have eaten.)If the main verb is in the preterite, imperfect, past perfect or conditional tense, and the dependent (subjunctive) verb refers to action that takes place (whether in actuality or not) at the same time or after the action of the main verb, then the imperfect subjunctive is used. Example: Esperà © que comieras. (I hoped you ate.)I f the main verb is in the preterite, imperfect, past perfect or conditional tense, and the dependent verb refers to action that has been completed (whether in actuality or not), then the past perfect subjunctive (also called pluperfect subjunctive) is used. Example: Esperà © que hubieras comido. (I hoped you had eaten.) These verbs are often the equivalent of English verbs taking the form of had participle. Note that in many cases there are various ways of translating the sentence to English. For example, espero que comas also could be translated as I hope that you will eat. Because there is no future subjunctive in everyday use, verbs in the present subjunctive form often are translated into English using the future tense. Dudo que me compres recuerdos, I doubt you will buy souvenirs for me. Another Analysis of Subjunctive Tenses Heres another way to look at the sequence of verb tenses: If the main verb is in a present or future tense, use either the present subjunctive or present perfect subjunctive, depending on whether the subjunctive verb refers to action (or presumed action) that has been completed.If the main verb is in a past or conditional tense, use either the imperfect or past perfect subjunctive, depending on whether the subjunctive verb refers to action has has been completed (or presumably completed) at the time of the action in the main verb. These tenses can seem confusing at first. But as you learn the language they will become second nature. To learn more about this topic explained in a different way, see the lesson on the sequence of tenses. Sample Sentences Using the Subjunctive Tenses  ¿Por quà © preferimos que Siri sea una mujer? (Why do we prefer that Siri be a woman?) Both the main verb, preferemos, and the dependent verb, sea (from ser) are in the present tense. The dependent verb refers to an action that takes place in the present. No estoy feliz que el presidente haya ganado la eleccià ³n. (I am not happy that that the president has won the election.) The present perfect subjunctive is used because the election is a completed action. Sus amigos consolaron a Pablo luego de que à ©l perdiera el juego. (His friends consoled Pablo after he lost the game.) Because the main verb is in the preterite and its action clearly took place after the action in the dependent clause, the imperfect tense is used to refer to the completed action. La doctora negà ³ que hubiera comprado un apartamento en ese edificio. (The doctor denied she had bought an apartment in that building.) The action of the dependent verb took place (or didnt) at an indefinite time, and the main verb is in the preterite, so the pluperfect is used.

Reading and assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading and assignment - Essay Example They form the basis through which voters decide who to vote for in elections. In America, it has become a common practice in elections for voters to decide on a cause or a political party first before considering the candidates that they would vote for. For instance, most American voters are attached to either Republicans or Democrats political parties (Wilson, DiIulio & Bose, 2011). During the nomination of candidates within political parties, voters supporting a political party may differ on candidates, but in the general elections all members of a party will vote for their chosen candidate whether they nominated them or not. Candidates who belong to a party which has more members are most likely to win the elections. The main goal of electing public executives is to unite political parties and draw a distinguished feature from other groups. Determining who makes up or who leads a political party is difficult. However, a political as an electorate body may be described to include all citizens who identify themselves with the party whether they are registered members of the party or not (Santos, 2011). As long as they identify themselves as members or vote for the party in elections, then they may be considered as part of the political party. As an organization, a political party consists of institutions such as national committees who run the affairs of the party and ensure that everything is done in accordance with the goals of the party and towards the achievement of the political party’s objectives. Finally, a political party in government is composed of elected and appointed officials affiliated with the party. A good example of this is Barrack Obama’s government and the House A ssembly. Political parties play a key role in campaigns. The national party committees and legislative campaign committees recruit candidates and carry out

Slavery Northerners and Southerners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Slavery Northerners and Southerners - Essay Example The niggers (black people) were the ones subjected to slavery. In the long run, some of the American people realized the evil of slavery and considered it a sin. The first abolitionist movement was founded in the northern part of America. It was the northerners who first discovered the immoral aspect of slavery and called for its complete abolition. While slavery was dying in the north, the southerners demanded for more slaves. Cotton gin was invented during that time (Burns, n.d.). The device increased the production of cotton as well as the demand for slave labor. Thus, more and more black people were sold in the southern part. In this context, the southerners feared of economic loss and racial equality if slavery was to be abolished (Burns, n.d.). Southerners believed that black people are meant to work and serve the white people. As new territories and states were formed, the topic on slavery became controversial than ever. Specifically, the question of whether or not slavery was to be allowed in the newly formed states and territories caught both the northerners and southerners attention. The answer to the query was critical to their respective economic and racial concern. The question bothered the northerners since allowing slavery in the new states would be a disadvantage on their part. Stated otherwise, the legalization of slavery in those states was considered by the northerners as unfair and an economic threat.

Adrian Frutiger and his fonts and how he influenced typography today Research Paper

Adrian Frutiger and his fonts and how he influenced typography today - Research Paper Example It was not appreciated by teachers who required him to write using formal handwriting fonts. However, his secondary school teachers and his father encouraged Adrians interest in fonts and wanted him to work in printing (Osterer and Stam 14-15). Contrary to peoples expectations, Adrian was interested not only in typing and designing new fonts. He was interested in sculpture when he was a little boy. Despite the life choice of typography as his profession, he did not lose the interest in art, sculpture and music. Education also played an important role in Frutigers development as a designer. When he was 16, he trained to be a compositor. He was educated at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts where he attended courses of the best professors Walter Kà ¤ch and Alfred Willimann (Osterer and Stam 16-17). The course lasted for two years from 1949 to 1951; calligraphy was one of his subjects (Macmillan 87). In 1952 Frutiger began to work for the foundry called Debenry and Peignot. Charles Peignot recruited him when he saw the brochuse called History of Letters created by Frutiger where he used his skills of engraving. According to Weidemann, this brochure consisted of 9 wooden panels with engraved letters of everything starting from Greek capitals up to humanistic cursives and municules (Osterer and Stam 6). Frutiger created his first font in 1953; it was called Phoebus. His next creation called Ondine was released in 1954. One more font called Meridien was released in 1955. According to Weidemann, those fonts rendered the times when they were created and it added value to them. At the same time, all those fonts were just the beginning of Frutigers career. Once, Frutiger was asked by Peignot to adapt Futura for Photon photosetting machine. According to Macmillan, Frutiger found Futura â€Å"too geometric† and wanted to create his family of fonts that would match in heights and weights (87). In this way, he found

Analysis of the DOTS Programme in Nigeria

Analysis of the DOTS Programme in Nigeria Chapter One 1.0  Introduction to TB: Characteristics of Tuberculosis: Tuberculosis is a disease caused by the bacteria known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.[1] Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified in 1882 by Robert Koch.[2] It is an acid-fast bacillus and obligate aerobe which grows in about 15 to 30 days at a  temperature of 35 to 37 degrees centigrade in an enriched media with a moderately acid base medium. It has no natural reservoir and its antigenic properties are similar to the leprosy bacillus, the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and other typical types of mycobacterium[3]. M. tuberculosis is pathogenic and virulent in nature. Its ability to cause disease depends on the susceptibility of the host as well as the aggressiveness of the invading organism[4] . An electron scan of the bacterium is highlighted below[5]: Considered one of the most dreaded diseases of the 19th and 20th centuries, TB was the 8th leading cause of death in children between the ages of 1 to 4 years old during the early 1920’s especially in the developed countries of the world like the United States and Britain.  As the general standards of living improved in the industrialised nations of the world so too did the decline in TB related incidences. TB is often classed by the â€Å"infection of one of the two variants of the tubercle bacillus which is known to commonly affect man. They are Mycobacerium tuberculosis and bovis†[6]. In Nigeria, majority of the TB related disease is due largely to the M. tuberculosis variant of the tubercle bacillus. The TB infections caused by Mycobacterium bovis which is associated with milk are rare and few and far between[7]. TB can take an â€Å"active and an inactive† state of infection. The Word Health Organisation (WHO) describes an active case of TB as â€Å"a symptomatic disease due to infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis†[8].  TB cases are generally classified as either pulmonary or extra-pulmonary. Patients with pulmonary TB are further sub-divided into â€Å"smear-positive† and smear-negative cases[9]. Smear-positive cases are the most important sub-groups for control programmes as they are the source of infection.  The WHO has defined a smear-positive patient as: A patient with at least two sputum specimens positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) by microscopy A patient with at least one sputum specimen positive for AFB and radiographic abnormalities consistent with active pulmonary TB. A patient with at least one sputum specimen positive for AFB, which is culture-positive for M. tuberculosis. A smear-negative patient; on the other hand is also defined by the WHO as:  ·Ã‚  A patient with at least two sputum specimens negative for AFB by microscopy, radiographic abnormalities consistent with active pulmonary tuberculosis and a decision by a physician to treat with a full curative course of anti-TB chemotherapy  ·Ã‚  A patient with a least one sputum specimen negative for AFB, which is culture-positive for M. Tuberculosis; and finally Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis is defined by the WHO as:  ·Ã‚  A patient with a histological and (or) clinical evidence consistent with active extra-pulmonary TB and a decision by a physician to treat with full curative course of anti-TB chemotherapy[10] 1.10  Mode of Transmission: The transmission of Tuberculosis is done mainly through â€Å"droplet infection and droplet nuclei† which is said to be generated when a patient with tuberculosis coughs[11].  For the infection to be transmitted the droplet particles must be fresh in its constituency to carry a viable organism. The spread and transmission of tuberculosis is heightened even further depending on the vigorous nature of the cough and the ventilation provisions in the environment concerned. 1.11  Signs Symptoms: The element of signs and symptoms in Tuberculosis is often misleading in the sense that the human body may harbour the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, and the immune system in the body suppresses the resultant effect and prevents the host from becoming sick. It is as a result of this scenario that the medical profession and doctors make a distinction between what is referred to as â€Å"Latent TB and Active TB† Latent TB is a condition where the patient has a TB infection but the bacteria (†¦) remains in the body in an â€Å"inactive state† and therefore causes no symptoms to be shown.  Latent TB which is often referred to as â€Å"inactive TB† is not known to be infectious. Active TB on the other hand is the contagious wing of tuberculosis and can make its hosts sick.[12] The state of active TB develops some clear signs and symptoms in its diagnosis and they include: Chills and cold spells Fatigue Fever Loss of Appetite Night Sweats Unexplained weight loss[13] Medical evidence has shown that there are varying degrees of Tuberculosis depending on which part of the human body it affects. Tuberculosis often attacks the lungs and its signs and symptoms include:  ·Ã‚  Coughing that laughs for three weeks or more  ·Ã‚  Coughing up blood  ·Ã‚  Chest pain or pain resulting from breathing or coughing[14] Tuberculosis is known to affect other parts of the body of which include the brain, spine or kidneys. The symptoms depend on the organs that are affected. Tuberculosis of the kidney tends to show signs symptoms of bleeding in the patient’s urine whilst Tuberculosis of the spine shows cases of back pain. 1.12  Incubation Periods source http://www.aarogya.com/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=834Itemid=853 1.2  Public Health Importance Standard of Living State of Health In Nigeria The United Nations Human Development (UNDP) programme has through the early 1990s paid greater emphasis in human development, welfare and poverty research.  Through its Human Development Report, it has published the Human Development Index (HDI) which looks beyond GDP to a broader definition of a nation’s well-being. The link in welfare is a determinant index to health conditions, well being of persons and an insight onto their susceptibility and immunity to disease infection[15]. The economic condition of a nation is a guiding factor to growth, development and living standards of a nation’s citizen. The assumption that a citizen who is paid more per capita has his or her standard of living higher than those who are paid less is not often the case.  Levels of livelihood and poverty are not necessary elevated through higher income.   Nigeria has seen a steady rise in its income per capita over the years.  However, a sharp incline in its inflation rate to the economy, poor standard of governance coupled with a dilapidated health care system has seen a decline in its overall standard of living.[16] The graph below shows this comparison when we see the income per capita of a nation like Madagascar over Nigeria whose citizens receive a higher pay package but have poorer living standards which trigger health concerns[17]. The Human Development Index (HDI) provides a composite measure of three dimensions of human development. These areas include:  ·Ã‚  Living a long and healthy life which is measured through life expectancy  ·Ã‚  The level and degree of education and literacy of nation’s citizens.  This is measured by adult literacy and enrolment at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels; and finally,  ·Ã‚  Levels of a decent standard of living which is measured by an individuals level of purchasing power parity (PPP) and income base analysis.[18] Critics of the process have adhered to the fact that the index is not in any sense a comprehensive measure of human development and a way of monitoring standard of living. It does not, for example, include important indicators such as gender or income inequality or other indicators such as respect for human rights and political freedoms. However, what it does provide is a broadened prism for viewing human progress and the complex relationship between income and well-being. In Nigerias context, this index measures the countrys standard of living and state of health by comparing certain key sectors such as life expectancy rates and adult literacy rates.  The chart below gives a unique view to Nigerias position. In this chart, Nigeria has been ranked 158th out of 177 amongst the developing nations of the world with an HDI rating of 0.470.[19] The evaluation of a standard of living is relative, depending upon the judgment of the observer as to what constitutes a high or a low scale. Another relative index to the standard of living of a certain economic group can be gathered from a comparison of the cost of living and the wage scale or personal income. Factors such as discretionary income are important, but standard of living includes not only the material articles of consumption but also the number of dependents in a family, the environment, the educational opportunities, and the amount spent for health, recreation, and social services. Nigeria as a nation has a GDP range of 6.4 as at 2008[20] and the number of dependants vary within the populations in the Northern Southern part of the country. A key example on health grounds are the lifestyles of community citizens in Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto and Bauchi States.  The cultural and religious trends of having a male occupant look after both siblings and relatives within a nuclear family as well as the extended family puts a large burden on cost of living, health standards and living quarters. The research conducted by International medical associations and bodies such as CDC, UNICEF, WHO, Rotary International through the Polio vaccination programme in Kano State are key resources showed a dilapidated and sub-standard level of livelihood amongst the locals in urban regions[21]. Unemployment, low wages, crowded living conditions, and physical calamities, such as drought, flood, political instability, malnutrition etc has brought a drop in the standard of living within such regions in Nigeria. While standard of living may vary greatly among various groups within the country, it also varies from nation to nation, and international comparisons are sometimes made by analyzing gross national products, per capita incomes, or any number of other indicators from life expectancy to clean water. Overall, industrialized nations tend to have a higher standard of living than developing countries. Nigeria is no exception to this theory.   Records have shown that since the mid-1970s almost all regions have been progressively increasing their HDI score.  A key region that has seen a tremendous rise in their standard of living since the early 1990s are East South Asia.  Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); especially Russia and its former Soviet colonies initially had a catastrophic decline in the first half of the 1990s but have recovered and improved their standard of living.[22] The major exception is sub-Saharan Africa in areas such as Niger, Togo, Cameroon and Nigeria. Records have shown that since 1990 standard of living has not improved but stagnated.  Experts believe that this is partly due to economic reversal but principally because of the catastrophic effect of HIV/AIDS on life expectancy.[23] Poverty is the major consequence of the dilapidated and chronic failure in Nigeria’s healthcare and social service system.[24] The access to standard resources such as good education, improved water supply, good nutritional standards and adequate shelter provisions has rendered Nigeria being ranked 80th amongst 108 developing countries with an HPI-1 value of 37.3 as evident in the chart below.[25] These key trends in life expectancy, standard of living and health conditions explains why the 22 nations targeted and responsible for 80% of the world’s TB infections are found in impoverished and developing nations with a poor level of standard of living and health concerns.   1.3  Housing and Poor Sanitation Nigeria; especially Lagos State has had the in-dignified commercial label of being the most expensive slum in the world. This gives a clear insight into the high magnitude of housing inadequacy in both urban rural centres in Nigeria. The dilapidated state of infrastructure and a poor maintenance culture has aggravated the spread of disease and risk in healthy living standards of the vulnerable masses especially in impoverished regions within the country. This can be proven and manifested in both quantitative and qualitative terms. In developed societies such as the United Kingdom (UK), the local authorities are responsible for things like planning permission needed before erecting structures. Nigerias UDB (Urban Development Board) commissions do have rules and regulations in place for buildings, drainage facilities and proper infrastructural displacement but the problem is one of implementation, corruption and share disregard for social, health and economic concerns. This has over the decades given rise to poor sanitary conditions which can be seen through the severe overcrowding and unsanitary environment characterized by housing in the urban centres. The only resultant factor are the culminating effect and growth of slum areas. The deficiency in housing quality, building materials and the design and spacing of buildings is a key aspect of why the spread of diseases such as Meningitis, Cholera, Malaria and Tuberculosis are rampant in the region. Take for example the Northern city of Kano State. A city known for its ancient history and strict adherence to Islamic principles, is also known for its vast close knit network of shanty mud houses that lie in close proximity to one another with barely no room for cross ventilation, proper drainage or sewage facility[26]. Sewage is surface borne with the refuse and excreta of humans and livestock being displayed in the open. The health hazards this poses are many. The question of housing and poor sanitation is nothing new to the African continent and is indeed a key feature in its rural regions which has spread into the urban developed areas of the countries within Africa. The United Nations in 1969 confirmed that the average annual growth rates were 4.7% and 4.6% between the period 1960 and 1980, and 1980 and 2000 respectively. A confirmation of this can be found in the table annexed below.[27] Average Annual Growth Rate Population (Millions) 1960-1980 1980-2000 1960 1980 2000 % % Africa 31 77 190 4.7 4.6 Studies have shown that the rapid rate of urbanisation in Nigeria and the consequential explosion of urban population have not been matched by a corresponding commensurate change in social, economic and technological development[28] The economic down town in the early 1980s saw a break in the level of growth and development with the nation’s economy to that of its population boom[29]. The lack of proper adequate public infrastructure and social services has suffered tremendously and this has affected the process and level of urban planning and zoning in many cases.  A practical example of this can be seen in the newly created Nigerian capital the Federal Capital territory, Abuja. The capital was built by foreign contractors; Julius Berger, with the idea and layout of a suburban aristocratic society with well spaced buildings proper social and infrastructural amenities and health concerns taking into consideration.  But the key problem lay with accommodation and transportation of the work force and working class within the city.   No provisions were made which forced locals to build shanty accommodations unaided by proper planning authorities with little or no regard for health safety issues, sanitary considerations or even building regulations. This idea coupled with the population growth had outpaced the rate of housing provision and created a dilemma in the housing standards and sanitary conditions of millions of its inhabitants.  The spread of diseases both air water borne became eminent and this has been a key problem and contributory factor to disease control in Nigeria.   1.4  Housing and Poverty: The spread of disease can be said to be the resultant consequence of a number of socio-economic factors as well as the action and inaction of government over the years.  Rural areas and indeed some urban regions in Nigerian States, generally lack vital social services and infrastructure services such as clean water, electricity, and good roads. The absence of these amenities constitutes push factors which can be said to have facilitated the migration of rural dwellers into urban centres.   It is note a surprise that the rate of urbanisation in Nigeria far outpaces the rate of economic development.  Despite the enormous amount of money proposed for urban investment in the National Development Plan, very limited investment is made in urban infrastructure.  An increasing shortage of urban services and infrastructure characterize the urban areas, and these are only accessible to a diminishing share of the population.   The existing urban services are overstrained which often times lead to total collapse.  A large proportion of the population does not have reasonable access to safe and ample water supply, and neither do they have the means for hygienic waste disposal. It is eminent that these two services are essential for a healthy and productive life and the lack of it are a key contributory factor to the causes of Tuberculosis.   The quality of the environment in most urban centres in Nigeria is deplorable.  This is not so much dependent on the material characteristics of the buildings but on their organization as spatial units.  The slow process of urban planning and zoning, in the face of rapid urbanisation in most urban centres, has resulted in poor layout of buildings with inadequate roads between them and inadequate drainage and provision for refuse evacuation.  Thus there is a high incidence of pollution through water, solid waste, air and noise and inadequacy of open spaces for other land uses[30]. Studies over the years have shown the deplorable conditions of urban housing in Nigeria. They affirm that 75% of the dwelling units in Nigeria’s urban centres are substandard and the dwellings are sited in slums[31].  This is attributed to the combined effects of natural ageing of the buildings, lack of maintenance and neglect, wrong use of the buildings, poor sanitation in the disposal of sewage and solid waste, wrong development of land, and increasing deterioration of the natural landscape. There are moderate building facilities in Nigeria but the high level of poverty of most urban households places the available housing stock out of their economic reach.  Many of the households resort to constructing make shift dwellings with all sorts of refuse materials in illegally occupied land.  This has led to the growth of squatter settlements in many urban centres.  The buildings therein are badly maintained and lack sanitary facilities with little access to light, air and good water.[32]   The United Nations Standard for Nigeria’s room occupancy is 2.20. The World Health Organization (WHO) stipulates the average rating to be between 1.8 and 3.1, whilst the Nigerian Government prescribed a standard of 2.0 per room.[33]   However, the reality is different as overcrowding is thus a visible feature of urban housing in Nigeria.  It is symptomatic of housing poverty and consequential of poor economic circumstances. 1.5  Prevalence of TB: The term â€Å"prevalence† of Tuberculosis usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Tuberculosis at any given time.  Prevalence and mortality are considered by the WHO as direct indicators of the burden of Tuberculosis which indicate the number of people suffering from the disease at a given point in time and subsequently those dying each year.[34] A balance and understanding of these terms aids the improvement of the level of control and effectiveness in treatment thereby reducing the average duration of the disease.  The Stop TB Partnership link spearheaded by the WHO is aimed at reducing by 2015, the per capita prevalence and mortality rates by 50% in comparison to records in 1990.[35] The optimism is reassuring in most regions of the world with the exception of the African continent. The key factors derailing the efforts will be highlighted in the next chapter. In order to determine prevalence levels within a region, resort to statistic by way of a â€Å"population based survey† is often adopted. These surveys are used to estimate prevalence for those countries with proper census records. Another option is to adopt the method of â€Å"estimated incidence† ratings. Estimates of this nature on TB incidences, prevalence and mortality rates are based on a consultative and analytical process proscribed by the WHO and published on an annual basis. Records vary from country to country, however the general formulae used is derived from the following key factors: Estimates of incidence combined with assumptions about the duration of the disease.   The duration of the disease is assumed to vary in accordance with whether or not the disease is â€Å"smear-positive and whether or not the individual receives treatment in a DOTS programme or in a non DOTS programme or is not treated all; and finally Whether or not the individual is infected with HIV[36] According to the WHO, nearly two billion people; about one-third of the world’s population, are infected with TB.[37] In developed regions of the world such as the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA), the prevalence levels are much lower than those recorded in high risk regions of the developing world. Statistic records rendered in 2003 from the Department of Health within the UK suggests the following:  ·Ã‚  42 years was the mean age of patients hospitalised with Tuberculosis in England between 2002-2003  ·Ã‚  69% of hospitalisations for Tuberculosis was for 15-59 year olds in England between 2002-2003  ·Ã‚  10% of hospitalisations for Tuberculosis was for over 75 year olds in England between 2002-2003.[38] The goal for Tuberculosis elimination in the United States of America (USA) is a TB disease incidence of less than 1 per million US population by 2010. This requires that the Latent TB Infection (LTBI) prevalence level should be less than 1% and decreasing by 2010.   Current prevalence rate levels of Tuberculosis in the United States are between 10 and 15 million people. In 1998, a total of 18,371 active TB cases were recorded in all 50 states and the District of Columbia[39] A comparison level of statistical studies in the prevalence levels of patients between 1999-2000 was compared to those of patient’s way back in 1971-1972 and the results were as follows: LTBI prevalence was 4.2% with an estimated 11,213,000 individuals diagnosed with LTBI Amongst 25 – 74 year olds, prevalence decreased from 14.3% in 1971-1972 to 5.7% in 1999-2000 Higher prevalence’s were seen in the foreign borns which accounting for 18.7%, non Hispanic blacks and African Americans accounted for 7.0%, Mexican Americans accounted for 9.4% and individuals living in poverty accounted for 6.1% A total of 63% of LTBI was among the foreign born A total of 25.5% of persons with LTBI had previously been diagnosed as having LTBI or TB; and Only 13.2% had been prescribed treatment[40] The chart below; as well as that in â€Å"the annex†, shows the level of new TB cases per 100,000 population and that of prevalence levels in HIV+ people worldwide for the year 2007.[41] 1.6  How Rapid Does TB Spread In Nigeria?: Part of the Federal Governments programme in curbing the spread has been initiated through the National TB and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) which is seeking to achieve a 70% TB detection rate and an 85% cure rate by the end of 2010 The programme also aims to ensure that TB patients receive adequate drugs and comply with the slated 8 months period of treatment.   Mr Omoniyi Fadare; an NTBLCP Programme Officer is quoted to have said in 2005 that the DOTS programme was being implemented in 584 out of 774 local government areas with the country recording between 700,000 to 1 million TB cases annually out of which 105,000 are TB related deaths.[42] Ideally, the spread of TB should be less bearing in mind that the Nigerian Government has implemented the DOTS strategy in all antiretroviral treatment centres nationwide in an effort to control the spread of Tuberculosis..   However, this is not the case as in 2009 the rate of prevalence had risen to over 1.2 million with an annual mortality rate of 150,000. These statistics question the reasons behind the spread of TB in Nigeria. The spread of TB is made rampant through factors such as poverty and outdated testing equipment which contribute to Nigeria’s high TB prevalence. The lack of awareness, early detection and failure to render immediate treatment are also key factors to the spread of TB in Nigeria as corroborated by Dan Onwujekwe; a Senior Fellow of the Lagos based Nigerian Institute of Medical Research.[43] A recent study carried out by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in 2007 found out that of the 620 HIV/AIDS patients surveyed in June and July, 2006, about 160 had TB without knowing they did have the disease.[44]  Other factors which contribute to the growing spread of the disease include: The lack of sufficient drugs and clinics within close proximity of affected regions has heightens the spread of the disease as infected persons and those willing to undergo medical check ups are discouraged from seeking help. Poor laboratory infrastructure needed for testing as well as insufficient man power also plague the success and undermine the effective implementation of the TB control activities. Also worthy of note is limited funding for TB control efforts from the Federal and Sate government authorities. The failure on the part of the authorities stalls the programmes ability to execute necessary activities when due.  The issue of funding is a paradoxical point as it points also to issues of embezzlement and corruption that has plagued the country over several decades of mismanagement. The DOTS programme and TB drugs are relatively cheap and free to the public and yet with adequate funding from NGO’s and governments like the EU and the United States; as indicated in the diagram below[45], the problem of funding still remains a key factor that continues to fuel the spread of the disease. 1.7  Aim: The aim of this study (dissertation) is:  ·Ã‚  To provide an insight into the terminal disease of Tuberculosis on an International and national level  ·Ã‚  To evaluate DOTS implementation in Nigeria using a series of case detection and treatment outcomes as indicators  ·Ã‚  To analyse and evaluate the resulting consequences of the DOTS programme in Nigeria within the 21st century and see if its adoption has favoured a positive control of TB over the years 1.8  Obejetive: The following are the objectives of this study (dissertation):  ·Ã‚  To evaluate case detection rates of smear-positive TB cases in selected areas implementing the DOTS programme within Nigeria  ·Ã‚  To evaluate case detection rates of all TB cases notified in Nigeria within the 21st century  ·Ã‚  To compare Nigerian experiences, failures and progresses to other developing nations and developed countries of the world affected by TB  ·Ã‚  To identify potential weaknesses, strengths and developments in the DOTS programme in Nigeria  ·Ã‚  To create, deliver and analyse a survey on the Nigerian public on the implementation of DOTS in Nigeria within selective states and compare the resulting outcomes with available data 1.9  Research Question: Research questions will be focussed on whether or not the DOTS programme has achieved its object and mandate of reducing the rate of TB infection in Nigeria. Whether or not the target of 2015 by the WHO is a realistic target that can be met by Nigeria? Whether or not Nigeria has made progress over the years with the amount of funding hey have had and the exposure the healthcare system has had to curb the growing threat of TB in the country Whether factors such as cultural, religious, economic and social elements are the cause of the drawback in the successful implementation of the DOTS programme in Nigeria? Chapter Two 2.0  The Federal Republic of Nigeria: Nigeria is located in Western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea and occupies a total area of 923,768 km ² making it the 32nd largest country in the world.[46] It is comparable in size to the South American country of Venezuela and is about twice the size of the State of California in the United States of America.[47] It is bordered by Benin in the West, Niger in the North, Chad in the North West, Cameroon in the East and has a coastline of at least 853  km with the Atlantic ocean.[48] The countrys climatic regions are broken down into three categories – the far south which is defined by tropical rainforest climate with annual rainfall of between 60 to 80 inches per annum, the far north where majority of the TB epidemics and polio incidences have been recorded is defined by its almost desert-like climate where rain fall records are set at less than 20 inches per annum and finally the rest of the countrys region between the far south and far north is characteristic of the savanah grove land with annual rainfalls of between 20 to 60 inches.[49] The country has over 250 ethnic group divisions.[50] The main tribes are the Hausa’s in the Nothern part of the country where majoriy of the TB pandemic is recorded, the Yoruba’s in the Southern part of the country known for is thick mangrove swambs and malaria manifestation and the Igbo’s in the Eastern part of the country where majority of the nations oil explorations and severe environmental degredation oil spilllages are found.[51] In a country ranked as the 8th most populous country in the world, the United Nations (UN) estimated Nigeria’s population at 131,530,000 in 2004.[52] The latest censors in Nigeria in 2006 put the countrys population at 150 million; that is almost 3 times the population of the United Kingdom in an area mass of about less than half the size of Nigeria. It is estimated that by 2050, Nigeria will be one of those countries in the world; like China, India and Brazil, that account for majority of the world’s population.[53] It is indeed a statistical nightmare when one considers that most of the world’s current populous nations are amongs the 22 nations in the DOTS programme. Nigeria as a confederation of states is divided into thirty six (36) states and one Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) which are further divided into 774 LGA’s.[54]  This gives you an idea of the logistical difficulties and task ahead of the DOTS programme in curbing a disease that is catalysed by such vices as poor sanitary conditions and tightly spaced housing plans. Nigeria has six major cities with a population of over 1 million people. They are the cities of Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Benin City.[55]  The city of Lagos alone accounts for 8 million people[56]; a region of about the size of Cardiff. This demography and health hazards surrounding a region in comparision to the capital of Wales which accounts for only 2.9 milion citizens.  A map of the region showing its states and geographical lo