A Critical Essay on Ideas About Asian Aesthetics

Asian aesthetics first surfaced in academic literature as a Figure 1 point of comparison for Western aesthetics, it was seen as the ‘other' and was used to define what is Western aesthetics by providing what is not. This attitude towards Asian aesthetics proved detrimental to understanding Asian art as they were taken out of context (e. G. Traditions, religion) and evaluated using Western standards.But that Inefficient way of examining an aspect of a deferent culture Is now considered Improper. In fact, recent studies and literature approaches Aslant aesthetics as a discussion all on its own ? that is, not alongside Western aesthetics and its standards. We now come down to the main purpose of this essay, which is to provide working definitions for Asian aesthetics and discuss them in depth.The central inquiry to be solved is â€Å"What is Asian aesthetics? â€Å"? with ‘Asian' encompassing the South, East, and Southeast Asian countries. Aesthetics, as Engineer (1961) pr esented, can be divided into aesthetic experience and aesthetic object. In simple terms, aesthetic experience is for ‘appreciation', as in the experience which comes from art appreciation, while aesthetic object is for the creation', as in the object perceived as having aesthetic value.These concepts are used subsequently as the basic structure of the discussion supporting the working Figure 2 definitions of Asian aesthetics to be presented. The first interpretation defines Asian aesthetics as ‘a philosophy of purpose and art†, purpose precedes art in the definition for it is purpose which drives Asian artists to produce works of art, and, in turn, these produced works of art serves another purpose for the prospective observer or user of the said art.An example is the Chinese tradition of landscape painting called Shank-Sushi Huh which literally translates to ‘Mountain Water Painting' (figure 1), where the artist sympathizes with the atmosphere nature emanate s ? he feels the spirit of the environment flowing from living nature and his inner nature responds to it in Figure 3 circularity' (Marching, 1992), and from there, the painting made will serve as a material for 4 deep thought or contemplation, completing the purpose-purpose cycle in Asian art. But what constitutes Asian art in the first place?When one refers to Asian art, he/ she often refers to the traditional art distinctly Asian, from Figure 4 which the components/essence of Asian art are/is derived from and used in Asian-inspired modern art (I. E. In print and media). It is important to note that objects in traditional Asian art are rarely appreciated as ‘art objects' in homeless as they are often appreciated for/with the purpose they serve. This claim is supported by Massed, Gonzalez, Swan, & Anisette's (2008) study which shows that Asian art is â€Å"predominantly context-inclusive† (p. 1260).This connotes that appreciating the art of Asian origin calls for an un derstanding of the context in which the object is made, and is to be used; it is not possible to understand an Asian art without context? for context is a characteristic attached to the artwork itself, removing it will result in an incomplete object, which when analyzed will yield either an incomplete interpretation at the very least, or an adverse en at worst. 5 Asian art is not fundamentally made for the sake of beauty; the purpose of the object appears to be the first consideration in most Asian artworks.Traditional Asian art, that is â€Å"artistic form and in a traditional medium† (Guillemot, 1998), object's purpose may range from spiritual/religious, to documenting life and habits of the people, to culture conservation (I. E. Preserving traditions, etc), up to functional Figure 6 tools for daily living. Of all the purposes, spiritual/religious purpose seems to be the most prevalent in Asian art. An example of art serving a spiritual/religious is the Indian sculptures of gods and goddesses (figure 2), which permeated even the realms of painting (figure 3), dance (figure 4), and even architecture (I. E. Temples, figure 5).The second purpose of means of reminding people of the great examples of virtue in the golden ages of the past† (Cambric, 1995). China, as an example, has records of tomb Figure 7 6 paintings which serves as documents of the ancient past (figure 6). On the other hand, art serving as culture conservation is seen on rituals and festivals, and with the tools used in them. These rituals and festivals may seem frivolous with the development of rational thinking, but nice it is part of the culture, the community still does Figure 8 them; often following all the necessary procedures Figure 9 handed down from the previous generations (e. G. He psychodrama or 16 honors ritual of Indian temples) and using classic ritual accessories (e. G. Purchasing dippier a wick of light kept/waved before the holy symbol of god, figure 7). Lastly, th e practical/functional purpose, which is the most underrated purpose of all since the artisans doing them does not necessarily know the aesthetic value of what they are doing (e. G. Malone, figure 8), and so is their proposed consumers (I. E. Their kin in the immunity); all they know is, they use those objects daily (especially in the olden times) that the 7 handiwork is often seen as a necessity and not as an artwork to be appreciated by itself.Second Asian aesthetic interpretation relates it to the sensitivity to the context of an art object†. Marching (1992) says, â€Å"†¦. For the Asiatic mind wonder is the beginning of a sensitivity to things, and sensitivity to things is the most comprehensive way to be in the world and to make the world be in oneself†. This idea of sensitivity to things is exhibited by both the artist and the observer, especially for the Chinese Shank-Sushi-Huh (figure 1) tradition. In the artist, it is rooted in their discipline of channeli ng nature into their work without representing it realistically or as is.An artist includes his/her own vision and interpretation of the subject into his/her Figure 9 work, while the observer's role is to use the produced art as a point of reflection which guides them in contemplating about the world, the cosmos, and the plane of the Divine. As Marching (1992) stated, â€Å"philosophy was, in other words, the doctrine which, thanks to reason†¦. Opens man's way to Heaven†, and since aesthetics is the ‘philosophy of art', it an be deduced that in one way or another, aesthetic experience opens a man's way to Figure 12 Heaven through the arts.This is especially true for the highly spiritual/religious way of life the Asians have. 8 The third, and last, definition is rooted in the Asian appreciation for the beauty of the unrefined ? â€Å"Asian aesthetics is concerned with nature†. It deals with respecting, being inspired by, mimicking, and embodying nature in art . One fitting example for unrefined beauty is the Japanese aesthetic of WBI-Saba (means ‘rustic beauty and ‘desolate beauty), which celebrates the imperfection of things (e. . Mended ceramics, figure 9).Another example is the constant nature theme presented in Japanese paintings (figure 10) and Chinese paintings (figure 11). Asian art also uses natural medium (e. G. Rice paper, animal-hair brushes used for Chinese painting and calligraphy, figure 12). This high regard for nature arises from the spiritual/religious purpose discussed earlier in the first definition; Asians believe in the interconnectivity of things, from the Divine, to the cosmos, to the plane of man. They Divine, either in presence of things or in the absence of it (I. E. Void/nothingness). This life is also embedded in the Chinese concept of yin and yang (figure 13).In conclusion, the combination of all the three Figure 10 definitions discussed throughout the essay substantially represents everything abo ut Asian aesthetics? â€Å"Asian aesthetics is a philosophy of purpose and art, mainly serving to aid the artist's and observer's sensitivity to the context of the object rather than the object itself. It is concerned with the interconnectedness of all beings to the cosmos and the Divine†. Notes: Aesthetics is originally a concept produced by Western philosophy. Cited from Raja Dishwasher's Sphinxes in Indian Art and Tradition (2009). References Cambric, E. (1995).

A Case Study on Global Warming

Global warming is the steady escalation of the temperature of the earth’s lower atmosphere which started in mid-20th century and its expected continuation (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). It poses heavy environmental and economic problems as widely publicized works, studies and reports have shown.Changes to the frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation are attributed to global warming. This in turn is said to cause glacial recoil, Arctic shrinkage, and worldwide increase in sea level. These changes consequently modify, damage, or even destroy natural habitats which lead to species extinction. Harsh effects on agriculture, reductions in the ozone layer, extreme weather events are more likely to be experienced brought about by global warming.According to the 100 peer reviewed estimates conducted by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2005, the average is US$12 per tonne of CO2, but range -$3 to $95/tCO2. On the other hand, Nicholas Stern ag gregates the economic impact of global warming through gross domestic products (GDP). In his report entitled the Stern Review, he concludes that global GDP might go down by one percent and that global per capita consumption to fall by 20 percent due to extreme weather condition.What is the most probable cause of â€Å"global warming†?Global warming is caused by an increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere such as water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and ozone. Greenhouse effect by water vapor is around 36-70%; CO2 9-26%; methane 4-9% and ozone 3-7% .Greenhouse gases are like â€Å"mirrors† that reflect back to the earth the heat energy, which would otherwise be dispersed in space. This phenomenon is the â€Å"greenhouse effect† which is exacerbated when there are plenty of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.   

The Importance of Digital Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Importance of Digital Security - Essay Example The most essential need of every single organization is the digital security. Most importantly, the effective internet security has become a dire need for any kind of organization, small, medium or large which use the information technology and web based services to carry out their work in an easy and effective manner. As these organizations depend upon the internet, the implementation of internet security and monitoring of networks inside the organization has increased dramatically. The risks of security have increased to a great extent after the launch of broadband internet. Now-a-days, the home users and professionals, both are using this kind of internet connection. The different companies, be it private, public, non-government organizations, they all are depending upon the internet for the exchange of information. Internet also serves as the major means of communication between different channels. The risks of leakage of information and hacking of security have increased with th e dependency of organizations on the internet. KINDS OF THREATS Based on the goals and purposes of the attacks on any digital system, the threats can be categorized as STRIDE. It is an acronym which categorizes different types of threats. STRIDE stands for: Spoofing It gains access to a system by using a false identity. It can be done by using stolen user credentials or using a false IP. Tampering As data flows between two computers, it can be altered in an unauthorized manner. Repudiation These attacks are difficult to prove as the users deny that they performed any specific action. Information Disclosure When private data is unwontedly exposed, it is called information disclosure. Denial of Service It is the process that makes a system or application unavailable. Elevation of Privilege It happens when personnel with limited privileges takes up the identity of a privileged one, and performs certain privileged actions (McClure & Kurtz, 2009). Network Threats Routers, switches and fi rewalls make up the infrastructure of network. They are the gatekeepers that guard the system and applications from intrusions and attacks. The networks threats are as follows: i. Information gathering ii. Sniffing iii. Spoofing iv. Session Hijacking v. Denial of Service Information Gathering The attackers or hackers first scan the ports. After the identification of the ports, they detect the types of devices, operating system and versions of

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7 short answer - Essay Example The Mexican land owners were turned into aliens in the land where they were born and brought up. Both the Mexican landowners and the squatters faced a moral dilemma when the act came into being. In his death bed, Don Mariano Alamar blamed the US government which allowed the squatters to stake claims on the land owned by the Californios, like him. He said that the squatters were victims of a wrong legislation as he was. He also blamed the government for subverting moral principles so that this could happen. In the world of ‘The Squatter and the Don’, a gentleman is a Californio and not a squatter or a brigand. A gentleman also means, a person who knows how to keep his beloved away from suffering and pain. 5) In the closing chapter of Death Comes for the Archbishop, Latour expresses satisfaction at having lived to see the end of two great injustices. One of them is the end of slavery in the U.S. What is the other one? The second injustice alluded to by Latour was the injustice suffered by the Navajos, the Indian tribes living in the Northern America. Their land was invaded by the generals from United States and they were made landless. But in 1868, by an agreement, they were â€Å"resorted to their own country† and thus the injustice mentioned by Latour in this novel got corrected to some extent (Cather, 290). Thomas Stupen had an affair with the grand daughter of Wash Jones but after she gave birth to a girl child, Stupen was unhappy that he did not have a male heir. Hence he abandoned the woman and the child after telling them that they were not even worthy of sleeping in his stables, which enraged Jones and he killed Stupen. Dew Breaker means a person who destroys the serenity of the grass that stands fresh in the morning dew. In this novel, a Dew Breaker is the member of a group who tortured and killed thousands of people during the rule of Franà §ois and Jean-Claude Duvalier in

Global warming Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global warming - Research Proposal Example Research Statement In particular, the researcher will endeavor on the below mentioned research statement to fulfill aims and objectives of the proposed research: â€Å"To analyze the impact of global warming on air quality of human environment† Hypothesis Specifically, the major hypothesis of the proposed research is that a reduction in global warming will be the particular cause of increment in the quantity of clean air in the environment. Objectives The major aims and objectives of the proposed study are to: Analyze different processes of global warming and environment Identify related components of global warming and air in the environment Analyze the impact of global warming on the environment Analyze the relation of global warming with air quality in the environment Literature Review Global warming has become one expression that is used quite commonly when speaking of the environment. Throughout times, the world climate has gradually changed. During the 21st century, unus ually warm years have occurred. Since 1990, the world has experienced some nine warm years1. Global warming is generally defined as an increase in the temperature globally due to gaseous release (green house gases) and the thinning of the ozone layer. Global warming, therefore, threatens the climate of the world and it affects the meteorological pattern of different regions around the world. Generally, global warming has resulted into many disadvantages for the environment. This has included instability in the world climate. Global warming also results in polar ice melting and sea levels to rise. These further results in floods, coastal erosion, and other damaging effects to the environment. Severe heat waves also cause the loss of human and animal life2. Global warming is also said to have reduced the clean air that living beings breathe in. Numerous studies have been conducted on this topic. This proposal will therefore identify different studies and discussions that have been foc using the abovementioned issue related to global warming. A study3 done in California first showed the impacts that global warming has on the environment. It clearly stated that the global warming would continue to have a huge impact on the quality of air that humans being breathe in. This occurs through a proper procedure. As temperature rises and there is a variation in weather patterns, pollutants in the air increase significantly. Research4 has also proven that hotter temperatures also lead to emissions of high soot gases such as Nitrogen Oxides. This also results in formation of ozone smog. These further results in more global warming. Therefore, it is a cyclical effect. However, as the research elaborated, air pollution can have a significant impact on the health of the people. Particularly, in California, which is said to the fifth on the list of ten smoggiest cities in United States of America, the health risk is increasing due to air pollution. In California itself, it has led to around 24,000 pre mature deaths each year and quite many illnesses. There have been increment in hospital admits due to respiratory reasons, decreased lung function. This study also quoted another study that stated that increase in global warming has caused an additional 1000 deaths due to air pollution. The study, therefore advanced that there should be a policy made which would reduce emissions from fossil fuels so that there may be a decrease in global warming and hence improved air quality. The study done in California also ascertains that measures that reduce the greatest amount of global warming pollution-which include cleaner cars and trucks, use of renewable energy can lead to significant reductions in the nitrogen and carbon emissions in the air. Such measures will also produce other improvements to thing of vital concern such as air quality and public health. The benefits of the implementation of the study would reduce nitrogen levels by a very high level

REFLECTIONS ON YOUR JOURNAL AND THE COURSE part 2 Coursework

REFLECTIONS ON YOUR JOURNAL AND THE COURSE part 2 - Coursework Example Discrimination is another problem facing American working citizens. Workers in USA undergo discriminations based on age, gender and physical status. Employees from the global societies of today suffer the same problem of discriminations depicted lowering the quality of performance at the workplace. The government should enact strict policies to protect the working citizens from such exploitation that reduces the quality of service delivery leading to under exploitation of human labor. According to Barboza’s report, Apple Corporation is one company that exposes its workers to hostile working environment. My thinking about exposure to hostile working conditions as a contributing factor to unemployment remains the same after witnessing a reputable corporation like Apple exposing employees to the same conditions. The future of the American citizens is not promising despite the formation of various trade unions and retirement acts. Corrupt government officials embezzle pension scheme funds rendering the systems unreliable for the American

Moral dilemma of whether euthanasia is ethically acceptable Essay

Moral dilemma of whether euthanasia is ethically acceptable - Essay Example This paper weighs in on the ethics of euthanasia as it applies to elderly people near death and suffering, and in the context of such people being in nursing homes and hospices, being administered end of life care. My own experience visiting, interacting with residents and workers, and reflecting on those experiences at Brandon Woods is the mine of concrete experience on which I intend to draw insights into the ethics of euthanasia. This paper situates the discussion of the ethical acceptability of euthanasia in such elderly care settings from the perspective of at least three normative theories of ethics: Kant’s, utilitarianism, and cultural relativism. Ð ¡ultural Relativism:Cultural relativism basically posits that cultural perspectives color what is moral and ethical, and so people from one culture differ from another in terms of what they deem to be moral and ethical, or immoral and unethical. In other words, this perspective takes off from the observation in the natural world, that societies have differing takes on what is right and wrong, so that what is right and wrong in one culture may be at odds with how people in another culture view what is right and wrong. The texts give the example of the Eskimos, for instance, who have differing views on marriage, sex, infanticide, and taking care of the elderly from the west. The text further give the example of two differing cultures having differing takes on what is right and wrong when it comes to disposing of their dead fathers, with one culture practicing what the other culture deems to be immoral and unethical, and vice versa. The practices are eating the dead and cremating them. At the heart of cultural relativism is the position that morality is something that is arbitrary, or at most the result of how different cultures form their opinions about what is right and wrong. In this sense there is no absolute right and wrong, and that everything is a matter of practice, as well as of opinion. The fla w from this conclusion is also made evident in the text. Two or more cultures with differing ethical beliefs do not necessarily rule out the existence of an absolute moral and ethical standard. For instance, that one culture deems eating the bodies of their dead fathers unethical, and that another deems burning the remains of their dead fathers unethical, does not mean that there is no absolute moral and ethical standard with regard to disposing of the remains of dead fathers. It is just that two or more cultures differ in their beliefs. Similarly, that Eskimos differ in their beliefs from western society about marriage and selectively killing children does not mean that there are no absolute ethical standards concerning killing infants, and concerning swinging partners and leaving old people to die in the cold. For another example that drives home this point, that one culture views the world as flat rather than round, or that one culture deems the world to be created rather than be ing the product of evolution, does not mean that there is no absolute truth with regard to the roundness of the earth, or the validity of the proof of evolution theory. The problems with cultural relativism are compounded when one takes off from the premises of the theory and then pursues their logical consequences to the end. For instance, if morality and ethics are relative, then one culture is no better than the other, and there can be no talk of ethical or moral progress. There is only the relative belief of one culture as the basis of ethical judgment. This conclusion flies in the face of historical developments that see morality and

Human resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Human resources - Essay Example It is important to understand that the employees are the party that is most affected by a performance management system. Their salaries and promotions are decided through the performance management system. And also their benefits are cuts through the same system. This is why for implementing any successful performance management system it is essential to take all employees on board. Without the greater support of employee no performance management system can work successfully in any firm. It is as important to listen to the employees as it is to talk to the employees. Human resource has to be carefully nurtured and therefore it is essential to pay heed to their opinions and reservation. Many companies never listen to their employees and therefore are not able to successfully benefit from performance management process. The case illustrates that through listening to employees and taking into account their reservation greater support for performance management system can be developed. Focus groups, discussions, and interviews of employees and managers can help create greater support for a performance management system. When designing a performance management plan it is important to customize it according to the needs and opinions of employees and this can only be done when feedback is taken from employees and they are given a chance to raise their reservations. When employee feedback is taken and performance management system is designed according to the feedback, employees feel empowered. They feel that they have themselves made the system and it was not forced upon them. This is how support for performance management system can be garnered through employee participation. Letting the employees decide as to how they want to be evaluated is a very good way to generate support for performance management system. It is always good to have an outside consultant in order to shape a

Buying a House Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Buying a House - Research Paper Example A triumphant negotiation requires two opposing parties to come together. The meeting between the two sides is for carrying out a consultation. There are various bargaining tips from that most successful individuals use in the negotiation meeting. First, understanding the importance of the negotiation is essential to the bargain. The importance of the consultation gives the negotiators the motivation to carry out the meetings. Secondly, the mediator should show that he understands the context of the bargain. Indicating knowledge of the negotiation gives the other party confidence and belief. Thirdly, showing various values to the other party gives him or her chance to think about the offers the negotiator is presenting. Fourthly, the negotiator should lay out the reality to the other individuals. Truth is important because it builds trusts between the mediator and the other individuals in the deal. Lastly, the use of emotions in carrying out the negotiation is essential to the authenticity of the deal. Most individuals make decisions based on emotions and use of emotions will lead to a successful negotiation (Downs, 2008). Distributive bargaining is a negotiation in which the involved individuals try to divide or distribute something. Distributive bargaining is competitive, and it means that there are parties in the deal that will gain more. Distributive bargaining happens in a situation where both sides in the negotiation want a win-win result (Hone Your Negotiation Skills, 2014). The people in the deal or negotiation always want to keep up a good working association. The type of talk happens when there are problems with the resources in the deal. This leads to a scenario where of the individuals in the party stands to lose something in the deal. Most deals have the potential to become a distributive bargaining negotiation. In a hypothetical situation, that I receive a promotion and

Cosmetic surgery cons and pros Essay Example for Free

Cosmetic surgery cons and pros Essay With the development of technology and medical systems, changing one’s appearance is something which is very normal. People chose to go under some kind of cosmetic surgeries have different reasons, but cosmetic surgery do really change some people to a better life. We are surrounded by advertisements, movies, magazines which usually have pictures of stunning models. The media and those kind of ads establish standard of beauty in their audiences’ mind. It is a nightmare for people who are not lucky enough to possess perfect features. It somehow lowers people self-esteem when they look up to those models as a references of beauty standard. However, thanks to the development of technology and plastic surgery, those kind of nightmare can be fixed. With plastic surgery, almost everything on one’s body can be adjusted. When people get closer to their personal standard, they will feel more confident. Plastic surgery helps raising their self-esteem. Some reach out to cosmetic surgery to improve their appearances. People have more choices than ever from a quick fix to major procedures to improve their body images. Aging is usually major problem. Every one of us has to face that when we get to some points. Laser skin treatments, Botox injections, Filler injections†¦are life savers for people who want to reverse the aging process. It is not hard to find people at their 40’s 50’s who look much younger than their ages. Cosmetic surgery can improve almost everything. If you want small face, high nose, big eyes, big boobs, small waist, perfect flawless skin†¦plastic surgeons can give them all to you. Plastic surgery is magic in transforming appearance, however it also has some disadvantages. I was terrified when I watched a Korean beauty contest which was not long ago. The audiences might have a really hard time distinguish between the contestants, because they look almost the same. All of them have perfect features such as big eyes, high and small noses, small face†¦ It should be called â€Å"plastic surgeons contest†, but they are all pretty though. People lose their personal identities when they get dramatic changes on their faces. On a larger scale, people lose their ethnical identities. For example, there is a trend in Asian countries that people want to westernize their look. Double eye-lid surgeries or nose surgeries are most common procedures. Michael Jackson is also a great example for this issue. He tried to transform from a black to a white person, and the result was which we already knew. People may get addicted to plastic surgery too. Hang Mioku from South Korea is a case which people should look at before they consider about plastic surgery. She was a pretty women with natural beauty. Unluckily, she got addicted to cosmetic surgery, even surgeons refused to get jobs done on her. She injected silicon on her face herself, and worse than that, she injected oil in to her body. The result might terrified any person who ever think about get some jobs done on their bodies.

The Importance Of Sustainable Infrastructure Design Environmental Sciences Essay

The Importance Of Sustainable Infrastructure Design Environmental Sciences Essay Infrastructure is the key to creating a healthy, happy and thriving economic climate in communities around the world. It is important to our future success and plays a critical role in creating and enhancing sustainability based on ESEM principles. By tradition, the leading concern among engineers has been the safety and reliability of major infrastructure entities. Until recently, sustainability has not been included in most infrastructure organisms on any level. However, the engineering organization, along with the community as a whole, is recognizing the importance of sustainable infrastructure design. Yet combining these ideas into the engineering design procedure as a primary goal remains uncertain to many engineers. This research paper seeks to provide a platform for upcoming sustainable engineering of civil infrastructure design. Introduction: The definition behind this research paper is the sustainable design of new infrastructure, re-design, rehabilitation, re-use or optimization of current infrastructure, which is consistent with the ESEM principles of sustainability. Sustainable infrastructure design is a great modern solution that will greatly reduce the life cycle cost of an infrastructure and also less negative effect on the environment. The main goal of this research paper is to define sustainable infrastructure, the need for infrastructure sustainability design, the scope of sustainable design, how to promote and implement it and the impact of it in society. US infrastructure demographic: Lets pull up the infrastructure demographic in the US: $2.2 trillion is the total investment amount needed in next five years to bring the infrastructure up to top,  according to the ASCE recent report. $1.57 is the amount  from each tax payer spent on infrastructure. There is four million miles of  roads  in the U.S and 90,000 miles found to be in dangerous state.150, 000 miles of roads are on the agenda to be repaired under the newly $50 billion infrastructure stimulus. $350 to $750 is the average dollar amount each driver in the US pays in annual vehicle maintenance costs  related to poor road state. 600,000  is the number of  bridges  in the U.S and 71,000  of those bridges are found to be in alarming state. 140,000 miles of  railway track  in the national freight rail network. $8 billion is the dollar amount the U.S.  plans to spend  on developing high speed rail in the next two years. The need for sustainable infrastructure design As you may notice from this infrastructure demographic was conducted by the American Society of Civil Engineers recently. The US spends a couple of trillions of dollars every year in building, maintaining, repairing and research in infrastructure. Infrastructure development is a vital part of society and economy which develop the need to develop a sustainable infrastructure design to reduce the life cycle cost of the structure and reduce the negative impact on the environment. Let analyze the definition of sustainable infrastructure which is an infrastructure that enable a society evolution towards the goal of sustainable living. More Consideration should be brought to technical and government policies that allow the engineers to target at sustainable infrastructure design and ingenuities that promote sustainable living in modern society. Rationally, a sustainable design clues to the expansion of sustainable societies. The main purpose is to reduce a persons ecological footprint acco rding to the ESEM principles and sustainable expansion. Commonly speaking, sustainable infrastructure includes public transport, production and distribution of power, buildings for living, office spaces and public utilities, such as airports, stations, roads and marine ports, etc†¦In a metropolitan environment, buildings ingest about 40% of power and thus, they are a main supplier to carbon emissions. Sustainable Infrastructure scope Design and manufacture of sustainable buildings can address climate change matters to a large degree. It is projected that each 1 million sq. ft. of constructed sustainable building area will decrease 12 to 17 thousand tons of CO2 each year. Societies ought to improve their sustainable infrastructure design in order to simplify economic development; and its capability to develop on a sustainable source depends on how positively it pacts with environmental challenges rising from the development of building a sustainable infrastructure. It is very significant for the US to dynamically chase sharp emission reduction goals. There are enormous resources at our disposal; The US can establish the possibility and attraction of low-carbon development to other societies by establishing a sustainable infrastructure design based upon the ESEM principles. Sustainable infrastructure design is critical to a sustainable US. Expansion of the population and economic growth pressure the countrys limited resources of land, water, food, and power. To conserve and develop class of life there is a need to develop sustainable infrastructure design an improvement that meets human necessities for infrastructures while saving and guarding environmental quality and the economic and social resources critical for future growth. Sustainable infrastructure design is not luxurious like some might think. There are many examples that can be cited where sustainable infrastructure design has helped significantly reduce life cycle cost, help the environment and promote economic growth. Todays Infrastructure consist of built facilities and shelter and support most human activities: infrastructures of all types, power supply, water supply and waste treatment and management. Infrastructure is crucial socially and economically. In the U.S building and renovating the current infrastructure totals to about 1/8 of the GDP. To create a sustainable infrastructure design we need applicable practices, training, and study of infrastructure planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and rejuvenation or elimination. The practice, training and study for Sustainable Infrastructure design is one of the creativity of the U.S. infrastructure society. Contribution is exposed to all establishments that harvest, use, study or teach for practices for infrastructure in general. Sustainable infrastructure design outlook supports a great and sustainable quality of life for all individuals in a changing world. Sustainable infrastructure design goal is to progress and integrate ideas and information of sustainability into the principles and practices used throughout the life cycle of any infrastructure structures. ESEM principles will balance, and build upon, significant continuing activities linked to a sustainable infrastructure design such as sustainable building rules and practices for safety from natural, conscious and accidental hazards. Sustainable Infrastructure designs scope is divided in four aspects: -All principles and practices used in the life cycle analysis of all infrastructure organizations from urban and regional development, which mixes infrastructure systems, to those for essential materials and constituents and for process and maintenance; -Involving the private sector establishments that create and maintain the practices used for infrastructure systems and whose affiliates put in place these practices; -Using severe life cycle analysis measures to deliver reliable signs of environmental, economic and social consequences; and -Producing plans for application of top practices, development of practices to use current information, identify research needed to seal serious gaps in knowledge, and training for infrastructure specialists and operators. Figure 1 below represent the main types of infrastructure as well as main topics for research in design. Helping training platforms at college and universities in design, construction, engineering and planning, in integrating principles for sustainable infrastructure design in their curriculum, and reinforce K-12 training to develop a community understanding of sustainable infrastructure design and to invite qualified youth to infrastructure professions. Figure Launch a lasting platform of research to deliver critically wanted information for enhancement of practices for sustainable infrastructure design. Involve the U.S. infrastructure society in a worldwide effort for sustainable infrastructure design. A summary of the scope of sustainable infrastructure design based of ESEM principles using the three spheres of sustainability which are environmental, social and economic. (figure 1) Figure Impact of Sustainable Infrastructure Design Sustainable infrastructure design influences all type of industries today. Even a superficial look at todays environmental defies aids us to recognize that sustainable infrastructure design is a great defy and a crucial one for that issue. The past of industrialization societies shapes us that design of infrastructure continuously leads economic development. A society must develop its infrastructure system to ease economic development; and its aptitude to propagate on a sustainable foundation is subject to on how effectively it treats with environmental defies ascending from the procedure of building infrastructure. The benefits of sustainable infrastructure design increase through incorporating with buildings and across several infrastructure entities. For example, a landscaped exposed space can manage storm water, ease heat islands, deliver shading so that air conditioners need to run less often, and create a public facility. Sustainable infrastructure design can be effective in mixed-use localities. Varied land uses and structure types even out the demand for service. For example, people tend to use electricity, water and other utilities in the early AM and late PM, while commercial use heights in the daytime. Diverse uses also create chances for resource re-use and interactions. The end result is urban localities that are more self-sufficient. Sustainable infrastructure design is efficient. For example, new wastewater treatment machinery combines biological processes with innovative process checking and control to improve efficiency, from both energy and treatment outlooks. There is a necessity to assume a consciousness determination to inform one and all to sustainability and the necessity to improve infrastructure system that can resist a test of sustainability. Its essential to implement a general tactic that should include sustainable infrastructure design growth guidelines and strategies. It should consider eco-efficiency conceptions and comprise systems related to water preservation and control. The methodology should also be comprehensive of public utility services such as mass transportations and production of power. The Federal Government and lawmakers should think about a sustainability financial plan that would offer more incentives for use of minimal natural resources and encourage investments in sustainable infrastructure designs. 64% of Americans are disposed to pay more nowadays for a national sustainable infrastructure that is energy-efficient and less inefficient in order to save money and resources in the upcoming, up from 58 percent last November. About 96% of Americans approve that all new infrastructures should be sustainable designs. Whether its on transportation amenities, like highways and bridges, or in buildings, were discovering that sustainability has turned to be a requirement for many agencies nowadays who are expecting sustainable structures. Nevertheless of the method, most of the US sees the importance in sustainable infrastructure design as an initiative. About76% senses that large-scale infrastructure expansions with sustainability in mind are a significant investment for future generations. The necessity for more well-organized and flexible transportation systems to provision the nations economy and class of life remains to be a main concern in the US. At the same time, climate change, power security, shrinking natural resources, and queries about continuing transportation financing increase fears about the lasting practicality of our present methods to designing, constructing and maintaining our infrastructure. The transportation industrys development to sustainable practices is being led by political and the public, which is asking the industry to get closer with those that, are further advanced in sustainability. The U.S. transportation organizations are attaining sustainability in two methods: -Developing design and construction practices taking more in consideration natural resources, and applying practices that decrease greenhouse gas emissions. In the construction industry, old highways materials are frequently recycled and reused in new highway asphalt and concrete. Reflective orange barrels made of recycled plastic are placed in construction zones nowadays instead of battery-powered flashers. Sustainable infrastructure design practices can offer the data and information needed to make critical resolution, manage risk more efficiently, and eventually work in the direction of sustainable goals. However, sustainable infrastructure design plays a crucial significant part in assisting to generate a sustainable community. Sustainable infrastructure design practices permit us to frequently improve and launch improved control for sustainability. Sustainability today is measured using a diversity of signs, standards, reviews, guides, accounting and reporting organizations, which can be applied at all scales. Some of these measurements, principally the environmental ones, are already based on assessable measurements. These include the Air Quality Index, the Environmental Vulnerability Index. Other measurements such as the Corruption Perception Index, the Education Index, and the Happy Planet Index are more socio-economic, in nature, and are often based on a combination of assessabl e and qualitative measurements. Regardless of the kind of measurement used to assess sustainability, they are all based on some sort of quantitative measurements, and data analysis techniques. Conclusions: The purposes of this research paper on sustainable infrastructure design is be to bring awareness to the engineering community to keep a sustainable design in mind when design, planning and construction of new infrastructure systems. There is an abundant need for research activities related to both new and existing sustainable infrastructure design. New types of sustainable infrastructure design have to be developed which will need less use of resources in the construction phase, more energy efficient buildings, new types of sustainable infrastructure design for construction and supply of power and for transport and communication. There is also a necessity for a more efficient use of resources by development of new sustainable materials, new construction principles and methods and by recycling infrastructure materials using ESEM principles. Also using life cycle assessments and costing to optimized infrastructure prices. Implementing and developing and promoting sustainable infrastru cture design at all level in our society will have a great positive impact in the environment, social benefit and economic growth while preserving our ecosystems.

Task Scheduling Based On Multilevel Queue Scheduling Computer Science Essay

Task Scheduling Based On Multilevel Queue Scheduling Computer Science Essay Abstract This paper gives the survey on task scheduling. The different scheduling used to schedule task based on priority, time and deadline. To achieve that techniques such as First In First Out, Shortest Job first, Round Robin Scheduling, Multilevel Queue Scheduling are discussed. Among these techniques, the technique named Multilevel Feedback Queue scheduling is proposed as a good scheduling technique along with the future work. Keywords FCFS, Context Switching, Starvation, inflexible, SJF, Multilevel queue. INTRODUCTION Scheduling is a basic concept in computer multiprocessor and multitasking operating systems. Scheduling refers to the way processes are ordered to run on the CPUs, since there are typically many more processes running than there are available CPUs. It also states that when an activity should start or end depending on its duration, predecessor activity, predecessor relationships, resource availability and especially the target completion which is consider as deadline. The  scheduler  is concerned mainly with Throughput, Latency, Turn around, Response Time and Fairness. Throughput describes  that number of processes that complete their execution per time unit. Latency, specifically illustrates about turn around and response time. In Turnaround, total time between submission of a process and its completion is described and the response time  deals with the amount of time it takes from when a request was submitted until the first response is produced. Finally, fairness tells about the equal CPU time to each process (or more generally appropriate times according to each process priority).In practice, these goals often conflict (e.g. throughput versus latency), thus a scheduler will implement a suitable compromise. In  real-time  environments, such as  mobile devices  for  automatic control  in industry (for example  robotics), the scheduler also must ensure that processes can meet  deadlines; this is crucial for keeping the system stable. Scheduled tasks are sent to mobile devices and  managed  through an administrative back end. Types of Operating System Schedulers: Long Term Scheduler: The long term scheduler is otherwise called admission scheduler. This scheduler decides which process or job has to be admitted first to the ready queue. Because while executing a program, which process to be run is authorized or delayed by long term scheduler. The degree of concurrency is maintained and it checks whether high or low amount of processes are to be executed concurrently. It also dictates how the split between CPU intensive and IO intensive is to be handled. It is useful for the real time process to get enough CPU time to finish their tasks in the modern OSs. The GUI interfaces becomes slow if the real time scheduling is not proper. Long-term scheduling is also important in large-scale systems such as batch processing systems, computer clusters, supercomputers and render farms.In these cases, special purpose  job scheduler software is typically used to assist these functions, in addition to any underlying admission scheduling support in the operating system. Long term scheduling obviously controls the degree of multiprogramming in multitasking systems, following certain policies to decide whether the system can honor a new job submission or, if more than one job is submitted, which of them should be selected. The need for some form of compromise between degree of multiprogramming and throughput seems evident, especially when one considers interactive systems. The higher the number of processes, in fact, the smaller the time each of them may control CPU for, if a fair share of responsiveness is to be given to all processes. Moreover we have already seen that a too high number of processes causes waste of CPU time for system housekeeping chores (trashing in virtual memory systems is a particularly nasty example of this). However, the number of active processes should be high enough to keep the CPU busy servicing the payload (i.e. the user processes) as much as possible, by ensuring that on average there always be a sufficient number of p rocesses not waiting for I/O. Short-term Scheduler: The short-term scheduler (also known as the CPU scheduler) decides which of the ready, in-memory processes are to be executed (allocated a CPU) next following a clock  interrupt, an IO interrupt, an operating  system call  or another form of  signal. Thus the short-term scheduler makes scheduling decisions much more frequently than the long-term or mid-term schedulers a scheduling decision will at a minimum have to be made after every time slice, and these are very short. This scheduler can be  preemptive, implying that it is capable of forcibly removing processes from a CPU when it decides to allocate that CPU to another process, or non-preemptive in which case the scheduler is unable to force processes off the CPU. In most cases short-term scheduler is written in assembler because it is critical part of operating system. II.ANALYSIS In this part, we will discuss about different types of scheduler and their usage. Each Technique is compared with different performance metrics such as Throughput, CPU utilization, Turnaround time, waiting time and response time. First Come First Severed (FCFS) This technique is a basic one, and commonly used scheduler. Based on the order the job arrives, the task be scheduled. To maintain this queue will be handled. The entire ready task is put inside the queue, according to the arrival of jobs. To describe this sample source code along with the Gantt Chart. Sample Code: queue_Fifo q; //The processes inside the queue task_Include(procs) // method to include a process into the queue { q.include_Tail(procs); //Inserting the new coming process at the tail end  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  q.size++; //Reporting } Rescheduling(){ // To remove the process from the queue   P=q.head_Exclude();   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reporting;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  return P; }   Example: Consider four tasks P,Q,R and S. Each task requires some amount of time to complete the task. It is shown below. Table 1 Task Schedule Task Time Unit P 9 Q 5 R 10 S 6 Gantt Chart: P Q R S 0 9 14 24 30 Fig 1. FCFS Example In the above example, the incoming task is included in the queue one by one. It executes based on the time units. The drawback of this the task which has to finish first has to wait until its time reach. Another problem is overhead occurs between the processes which leads to Context Switching. Performance Evaluation: Table 2 Performance Metric 1 performance metrics First In First Out Throughout 4/(30+3cs) CPU utilization 30/(30+3cs) Turnaround time (9+14+24+29+6cs)/4=19 Omitting cs Waiting time (0+9+14+24+6cs)/4=11.75 Omitting cs Response Time (0+9+cs+14+2cs+24+3cs)/4=11.75 Omitting cs Shortest Job First (SJF) To overcome the problem of first one we are going for shortest job first technique. In this scheduler, a sorted list is maintained. In the list all the task which has least time unit will be scheduled first. This technique is useful because the task which has earliest time unit got the opportunity to execute. To describe this sample source code along with the Gantt Chart. Sample Code: sort_List SL; //Data Structure for sorted list task_Include (procs, expected_runtime) { // method to include a process into the sorted list. SL.insert(procs, procs.runtime); } //Inserting the newcoming process into the sorted list Rescheduling(){ // To remove the shortest job from the list.   return SL.remove_head();   }   Example: Consider four tasks P,Q,R and S. Each task requires some amount of time to complete the task which is given in table 1. Gantt Chart: Q S P R 0 5 11 20 30 Fig 2. SJF Example In this scheduler, the new incoming shortest job will be included in the list which leads to the problem named Starvation. In Starvation, the job which has longest time to finish the execution will be waiting because all the newly arrived jobs will enter into the list. Therefore, the longest job will starve to get the resource. Performance Evaluation: Table 3 Performance Metric 3 performance metrics First In First Out Throughout 4/(30+3cs) CPU utilization 30/(30+3cs) Turnaround time (5+11+cs+20+2cs+30+3cs)/4=16.5 Omitting cs Waiting time (0+5+cs+11+2cs+24+3cs)/4=10 Omitting cs Response Time (0+5+cs+11+2cs+24+3cs)/4=10 Omitting cs Round Robin Scheduling In time-sharing systems, the Round robin technique is very much successful. The jobs will be preempted. For each task, particular time slot will be given. The job should be finished within that time, otherwise the other jobs will be preempted and the old task should wait until it gets the new slot.This will be achieved using queue Sample Code: queue_Fifo fq; //First in first out queue task_Include(procs) // method to include a task into the queue { q.include_Tail(procs); //Inserting the new coming process at the tail end  Ã‚   }   Rescheduling(y){ // To remove the next process and run it If(y==timer) task_Include(current); set_Timer(time_quanta);   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   return fq.remove_head(); } Example Here also the same four task will be taken and based on time quanta 3 and 6 the task be scheduled. If Time quanta=3, P Q R S P Q R S P R 0 3 6 9 12 15 16 19 21 23 26 Fig 3. RR Example TQ=3 If time quanta=6, P Q R S P R 0 6 10 16 21 23 26 Fig 4. RR Example TQ=6 Performance Evaluation: Table 3 Performance Metric 3 performance metrics First In First Out Throughout 4/(26+9cs) CPU utilization 26/(26+9cs) Turnaround time (23+16+26+21)/4=21.5 Omitting cs Waiting time (15+12+17+16)/4=15 Omitting cs Response Time (0+3+6+9)/4=4.5 Omitting cs Priority(PRI) In this method a priority is fixed to each and every process. To implement this Shortest job first(SJF) algorithm is used. If two jobs are having the same priority the scheduled will be done based on FCFS queue. In some cases, the jobs be preempted eventhough it has the higher priority. To describe this sample source code along with the Gantt Chart. Sample Code: PRI (L,M,H(RR)) queue_Fifo fq[3]; //The processes inside the queue task_Include(procs, pri) // method to include a process into the queue { fq[pri].include_Tail(procs); //Inserting the new coming process at the tail end  Ã‚   } Rescheduling(y) { // To remove the next process and run it If(y==timer) task_Include(current, current.pri); set_Timer(time_quanta); for pri=H to L if(fq[pri].empty())   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   return fq[pri].remove_head(); }   Example: Consider four tasks P,Q,R and S. Each task requires some amount of time to complete the task. It is shown below. Gantt Chart: For Time quanta=6 P P R Q R S 0 6 8 14 18 21 26 Fig 4. PRI Example TQ=6 In the above example, the incoming task is included in the queue one by one. It executes based on the priority assigned to each task. The drawback of this the task is once the higher priority job finish its execution the lower priority jobs gets the chance of doing its execution. Performance Evaluation: Table 4 Performance Metric 4 performance metrics First In First Out CPU utilization 26/(26+4cs) Response Time (0+8+14+21+4cs)/4=10.75 Omitting cs Multilevel Queue Scheduling In Multilevel queue scheduling each process is divided into different groups. It is divided into the following processes: SYSTEM PROCESSES INTERACTIVE PROCESSES INTERACTIVE EDITING PROCESSES BATCH PROCESSES STUDENT PROCESSES Fig 5. Multilevel Queue scheduling Process groups. In the above diagram, the foreground queue is called interactive and background queue is called batch. These two plays a major role in scheduling. The jobs are assigned to separate queues. The assigning be done based on memory size, process type and process priority. The vital one is each queue uses its own scheduling policy based on the need of the task. It can either do preemptively or non-preemptively. Possibilities: There are two possibilities to choose the scheduling algorithm: Each queue has absolute priority; once the higher priority job queue becomes empty it wont go for lower priority jobs. Eg. In the Fig.5. The batch processes wont get the chance of execution until the system, interactive and interactive editing processes finish its execution. Each queue gets some CPU time when there is a time slice between queues after that it can be scheduled the processes in the queue. Eg. If 70% of CPU time is given to foreground queue, it uses round robin scheduling. Rest 30% be allotted to background queue which uses FIFO scheduling. The main drawback of this scheduling is, it is not flexible. To overcome this we are going for multilevel feedback scheduling. III.PROPOSED ALGORITHM Comparing with different task scheduling, the proposed algorithm which can be used in task scheduling is multilevel feedback queue scheduling. To overcome the inflexibility of multilevel queue scheduling, the multilevel feedback queue scheduling came into pass. In this, the process can move between various queues. Here separate queues will be used for handling the process, it automatically adjust the priority of the jobs. The process is either I/O bound or CPU bound. Based on the process type, the scheduling algorithm such as round- robin, FCFS be used which maintains the flexibility. It gives preference on short jobs, I/O bound processes and schedule the process according to the nature of the process. It is described based on number of queues, the scheduling policy, a method used to upgrade, degrade or introduce a process and the inter scheduling between the queues. Steps in Multilevel Feedback queue: The new incoming process is added to the queue tail. At one stage, the process comes to the top of the queue and that will be assigned to the CPU. The process leaves the system once it completes its execution. When the process relinquishes control, it leaves the queuing network and once it becomes ready it enters into the queue level. When the process is having quantum time it will be preempted, and enter into the lower level of queue. This will be repeated until the process completes or it reaches the base level queue. Example Consider three queues, Q0- Round robin TQ: 8 milliseconds Q1- Round robin TQ: 16 milliseconds Q2- FCFS TQ=8 TQ=16 FCFS If the new job comes it enters into the queue Q0 and served as FCFS. When it gains CPU, it gets the tine quanta as 8 milliseconds. If the job is not completed within 8 milliseconds, the job moves to the queue Q1. At Q1 job is again served as FCFS and received the time quanta of 16 milliseconds. If it is not complete it will preempt to queue Q2. IV.CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK From the different view of task scheduling, multilevel feedback scheduling is considered as the good one in assignment of task. This will be implemented in real time systems for the assignment of task.

John Steinbecks View of the World Essay -- Biography Biographies Essa

Steinbeck's View of the World John Steinbeck's novels expressed an ecological world view that has only recently begun to accumulate proponents. This holistic view grew during an era when such thinking was unpopular, and one must wonder how this growth could have occurred in a climate which was hostile for it. Some investigation shows that the seeds for this view already existed in his childhood and were nurtured through his exposure to ideas in marine biology. While growing up in Salinas, Steinbeck had the opportunity to spend a lot of time outdoors. His uncle used to take him on fishing trips, and combined with the times he visited his maternal grand-fathers' farm near King City, it undoubtedly gave him an appreciation for nature. Later in his life, he became a caretaker on a "large estate at Lake Tahoe," and he continued to spend time in nature throughout his life and often took his sons to go fishing or camping when they visited him during the summers (Steinbeck, E. & Wallsten, P.., 1975). In addition to the time he spent outdoors, he was exposed to the farming community in the Salinas Valley. Even though his grandfather's farm could not sustain crops (Steinbeck, T., 1992), the whole community was dependent on the inter-connection of living creatures within the valley. The lives of these farmers and their future production always depended on the current production of the land. When the crops were plentiful, the harvest would bring money and food and supplies for the next year's crop. Rain had an enormous impact on the farmers. Too much or too little could be devastating to their crops or the food supply of farm animals, and they affected the farmers who were dependent them.... ...nt. Steinbeck's view of the world, expressed through his novels, was set within an ecological framework. His childhood environments played a role in the creation of this view, and his subsequent exposure to marine biology contributed to and elaborated upon it. This led to his ability to view organisms in an environment as symbiotic relationships within a whole-a superorganism. Bibliography 1. Steinbeck, E., and Wallsten, R. (Ed.). (1975). Steinbeck A Life in Letters. New York: The Viking Press. 2. Steinbeck, J. (1992). East of Eden. New York: Penguin Books. 3. Steinbeck, J. (1995). The Long Valley. New York. Penguin Books. 4. Steinbeck, J. (1992). The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin Books. 5. Hand-out from class: The Teachers. 6. Allee,W.C.(1932). Animal Life and Social Growth. Baltimore, MD):The Williams and Wilkins Co.

Health Care System :: Health, Nursing, Denial of Coverage

Today's healthcare environment is increasingly complex, as issues compete for importance. As a consequence of this, nurses frequently face ethical dilemmas. In deciding the best course of action in such dilemmas, nurses can look for guidance to professional standards of conduct, such as those enumerated in the Code of Ethics of the American Nursing Association (ANA). According to Mahlmeister (1996), each nurse should own a copy of the ANA code, as this document can provide guidance on situations that nurses face on an almost daily basis. For example, consider a situation that may result from one hospital trying to institute policies concerning cost containment. In order to keep the cost down, the nurse in charge of a 7 bed unit (without a nurse's assistance) is expected under a restructuring plan to also work a second adult ward if there are fewer than three children on the pediatric unit during the night shift (Mahlmeister, 1996). This split shift leaves these pediatric patients unattended while the nurse is in the adult ward. The ANA Code of Ethics states that it is the nurse's responsibility "to safeguard the client and the public when health care and safety are affected by incompetent, unethical or illegal practice of any person" (Mahlmeister, 1996, p. 130). Even though this nurse was ordered by a manager to leave the pediatric setting, the nurse is personally accountable for his or her actions for any situation that may arise during this absence. Not only is this practice unacceptable professionally, but it is also problematic legalistically, as the nurse could be personally sued for any negative consequences to these patients (Mahlmeister, 1996). Therefore, it is the nurse's duty to recognize these unacceptable risks and exhaust all avenues available within the hospital to correct this requirement (Mahlmeister, 1996). Another problematic area of nursing concerns the denial of coverage that often ensues due to the advent of managed care organizations (MCOs). It is becoming increasingly more difficult to reconcile the needs of the patient in terms of quality care with what insurers are willing to pay for (Rushton, 1996). For example, Maria, a 10-year-old, is hit by a car while riding her bike. She is taken to the closest emergency room, which happens to be the Children's Hospital. She has a concussion, an open fracture of the left femur, a simple fracture of the left arm, and multiple abrasions (Rushton, 1996). The closest hospital that is part of Maria's MCO plan is an adult hospital without pediatric specialists, which is located more than 25 miles from present location. Health Care System :: Health, Nursing, Denial of Coverage Today's healthcare environment is increasingly complex, as issues compete for importance. As a consequence of this, nurses frequently face ethical dilemmas. In deciding the best course of action in such dilemmas, nurses can look for guidance to professional standards of conduct, such as those enumerated in the Code of Ethics of the American Nursing Association (ANA). According to Mahlmeister (1996), each nurse should own a copy of the ANA code, as this document can provide guidance on situations that nurses face on an almost daily basis. For example, consider a situation that may result from one hospital trying to institute policies concerning cost containment. In order to keep the cost down, the nurse in charge of a 7 bed unit (without a nurse's assistance) is expected under a restructuring plan to also work a second adult ward if there are fewer than three children on the pediatric unit during the night shift (Mahlmeister, 1996). This split shift leaves these pediatric patients unattended while the nurse is in the adult ward. The ANA Code of Ethics states that it is the nurse's responsibility "to safeguard the client and the public when health care and safety are affected by incompetent, unethical or illegal practice of any person" (Mahlmeister, 1996, p. 130). Even though this nurse was ordered by a manager to leave the pediatric setting, the nurse is personally accountable for his or her actions for any situation that may arise during this absence. Not only is this practice unacceptable professionally, but it is also problematic legalistically, as the nurse could be personally sued for any negative consequences to these patients (Mahlmeister, 1996). Therefore, it is the nurse's duty to recognize these unacceptable risks and exhaust all avenues available within the hospital to correct this requirement (Mahlmeister, 1996). Another problematic area of nursing concerns the denial of coverage that often ensues due to the advent of managed care organizations (MCOs). It is becoming increasingly more difficult to reconcile the needs of the patient in terms of quality care with what insurers are willing to pay for (Rushton, 1996). For example, Maria, a 10-year-old, is hit by a car while riding her bike. She is taken to the closest emergency room, which happens to be the Children's Hospital. She has a concussion, an open fracture of the left femur, a simple fracture of the left arm, and multiple abrasions (Rushton, 1996). The closest hospital that is part of Maria's MCO plan is an adult hospital without pediatric specialists, which is located more than 25 miles from present location.

Moral Doubt in Hamlets Soliloquy - To be or not to be... Essays

The Moral Question in Hamlet's Soliloquy - To be or not to be... "The major question in 'To be or not to be' cannot be suicide. If it were, as many have noted, it would be dramatically irrelevant. Hamlet is no longer sunk in the depths of melancholy, as he was in his first soliloquy. He has been roused to action and has just discovered how to test the Ghost's words. When we last saw him, only five minutes before, he was anticipating the night's performance, and in only a few moments we shall see him eagerly instructing the players and excitedly telling Horatio of his plan. To have him enter at this point debating whether or not to kill himself would be completely inconsistent with both the character and the movement of the plot. The metaphors all suggest that Hamlet's choice is betw...

ABC Chemicals Essay

After reading the scenario about ABC Chemicals it was obvious that there were several apparent hazards and risks that I identified which needed to be assessed and either eliminated or controlled. These can be achieved using different Legislative measures and Codes Of Practice(COP) which is relevant to their Industry. By Looking further into the chemicals that ABC handle we can assess the presentable hazards Solvent: most solvents are either flammable or highly flammable, this is dependent on their volatility. When a mixture of vapour and air combine there is a possibility of an explosion. The vapours from solvent is denser that air, it sinks to the bottom of the container. Vapours can still be found in empty containers and pose threat of possible fire, hence empty containers should be stored open and upside down. There are many potential health risks caused by solvent including toxicity to the nervous system, liver and kidney damage, respiratory issues to name a few. It burns with an invisible flame making it harder to extinguish. Corrosives – corrosives have the ability to destroy other substances when in contact. It causes chemical burn when in contact. PPE should be worn including Gloves, Safety Goggles, Protective Apron, Safety Shoes, and a Face Guard. Workers should always consult a SDS relating to the corrosive substance prior to use. Corrosive substances and mixtures [class 8 dangerous goods] can be either alkaline or acidic and these two categories are incompatible. Risks associated with storage and handling of corrosive substances and mixtures can be eliminated or minimised by observing the guidance on Worksafe Australia â€Å"National Code of Practice for the Storage and Handling of Workplace Dangerous Goods† Eyewash and safety showers should be readily accessible where corrosives are handled or transferred. Acid – acid comes in as a water treatment chemical. It should not be stored with detergents or solutions. Acids should never be stored with alkaline chemicals due to the potential for harmful reactions. Some reactions of acids and alkaline chemicals can be highly exothermic and rapidly generate large amounts of gas, causing an explosion risk. Chemicals such as acids can cause respiratory illnesses, cancers or dermatitis. WHS Regulation 2011 (357 containing and managing spills) (359 Fire control) (360-362 Emergency Equipment, Emergency Plans, Safety Equipment) (363-control of risks from storage or handling systems & regulation) (331 – SDS’s) (60- managing risks to health and safety) manual handling The WHS Act provides a framework to protect the Health, safety and welfare of all workers at work and that of people who may be affected by the work carried out. The WHS Act aims to *Protect the health and safety of workers and other people by eliminating or minimising risks arising from work or workplaces *Ensure fair and effective representation, consultation and cooperation to address and resolve any health and safety issues in the workplace *Encourage employer organisations and workers Unions to take a constructive role in improving work health and safety practices *Assisting businesses and workers to achieve a healthier and safer working environment *Promote information, education and training on work health and safety *Provide effective compliance and enforcement measures, and *Deliver continuous improvement and progressively higher standards of work health Worksafe Australia has devised the National Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations. A new system of Chemical Classification and Hazard communication on Labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS’s) based on globally Harmonised system of Classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS) will come into affect. There will be a five (5) year transitional period for moving to the new GHS based system, this will allow the two different systems to be used together . After 31 December 2016, (the end of the 5 year period) all workplace chemicals must be classified using the GHS system, Labels and safety data sheets (SDS) must also be updated.. The WHS Regulations include duties for a Person conducting or Undertaking a business to manage any risk to Health and safety that can be caused from the Handling, Storing and Generating of Hazardous chemicals in the workplace. These Duties include tasks such as, but not limited to: *The correct labelling of Containers *Displaying Safety Signs *Maintaining a Register And Manifest (if relevant) Of the hazardous Chemicals and providing Notifications to the Regulator of the Manifest Quantities *Ensuring that exposure standards are not exceeded. *the provision of Training, information, instruction and supervision to all employees *identifying risk of physical/chemical reaction of hazardous chemicals and to ensure the stability of these chemicals *provision of spill containment system for hazardous chemicals if needed *obtaining up to date Safety Data Sheets (SDS) from the manufacturer, importer, supplier of that chemical. *Controlling ignition sources and accumulation of flammable and combustible substances. *Provision and availability of fire protection, fire fighting equipment and emergency/safety equipment. *preparing an emergency plan if the amount of a hazardous class chemical exceeds the manifest quantity for the chemical *Ensure the stability & support containers for bulk hazardous chemicals including Pipe-work and any attachments. *De-commisioning of underground storage and handling system *Notifying the regulator as soon as possible of any abandoned tanks More information regarding Hazards and risks associated with the use, generating, storing and handling of a hazardous chemical can be obtained from the following resources -incident reports -Australian Code for â€Å"Transport of Dangerous Good by Road & Rail† -National Industrial Chemical Substances Information System (NICNAS) – The Regulatory Authorities -WHS Consultant -Trade unions -Employer Associations -By Searching the internet, such as Safework Australia, the Australian Government webpages as well as many other sites relevant to your industry. Hazards *When spillage occurred, it states that it was cleaned up with a rag then dumped into a general waste dumpster which was emptied on a weekly basis. The disposal of these rags in the general dumpster poses a major risk of  cross contamination with other rags that have had been used with other chemical/substances, which could lead to a toxic/hazardous situation, the production of toxic gases and the potential of a fire hazard. There is also no mention of any PPE being used during the handling of the chemicals either * Chemical storage: there are several different types of chemicals stored at the facility, there is a risk if stored together that they can cause either a chemical or physical risk, *Another hazard I noted was that ABC chemical’s building only had a limited amount of emergency equipment, with the amount of employees working for ABC this definitely causes a hazard, there obviously is not enough equipment available to accommodate more than a handful of workers. The company could end up in legal strife for not supplying the correct amount of Emergency Equipment as set out in the WHS Regulation 2011 *Manual Handling Hazard – the drums are 205 Ltrs, they are then decanted into containers approximately 30 ltrs/Kilo ,there is no mention of appropriate equipment to move these containers. *The Storing the empty drums in the rear of the yard against a cyclone fence, these drums are sitting for a whole month before being removed. Even though these drums are presumably empty, drums that have had solvent in them, unless stored open and upside down pose a major risk of explosion causing fire, with an un-kept paddock directly behind the fence where these drums are stored there is the potential for the fire to spread causing damage and risk to the public also. *The lack of employee training in relation to Safe Handling Of Chemicals (hazardous substances) or how to deal with Emergencies. . No employee’s have be appointed as safety officers (section 19 of the Act), if there was an incident there would be no clear direction to follow.. *Location: There is risk to not only to employees of ABC there is also risk to all at the childcare centre, the nursing home, as well as the general public with the building being located on a busy street which is prone to accidents. *Lack of Emergency plan displayed. No emergency plan displayed to direct people when there is an incident These risks can be assessed by several means such as SDS (Safety Data Sheets), independent Audit, Employee participation, hazard studies. Level of risk and Control Small chemical spills:- (dependent on the severity)- first aid injury is likely due to chemical burn(dependent on skin sensitivity, injury could range from minor-major) High Risk- Have a separate area for decanting each separate chemical. Provide spill containment system, Provide appropriate training in the control of spills, Develop procedure for the control of spills Provide appropriate PPE for each specific chemical Disposal of Chemical Rags: minor – fatal injuries is very likely from this dangerous practice which is exposing the risk to the disposal company staff and driver Extreme risk- Notify Supervisor/ HSR- Provide spill containment system, Provide controlled waste system, – have a separate waste area for specific chemicals. Set up a controlled collection of waste Staff Lacking Training in handling chemicals – minor – fatality possible Extreme risk-Immediate action required, notify supervisor/HSR. | Adopt a training plan to up skill the workforce in line with legislative requirements. Ensure the training covers areas such as * How to understand SDS Data Sheets * Personal Safety * Emergency procedures * Induction training & Ongoing training Limited Emergency Equipment – major injury is very likely through to fatality Extreme risk- immediate action required, notify supervisor/HSR. Undertake risk assessment with workers and emergency services to determine all main risks. Review SDS to identify risks Implement additional emergency equipment as required, an example of such equipment could be : * Spill containment systems * Emergency showers and eye wash stations * Monitors and alarms *Fire fighting equipment Storage of chemical drums – Major- fatality Extreme risk- separation of the different chemicals in storage areas to minimise the risk of interaction. Ensure the clear displaying of SDS information for each of chemicals Storage of empty chemical drums- Major – Fatality Extreme Risk- Organise that the collection of empty drums are done more frequently (eg: Weekly) Ensure Solvent drums are turned upside down with lid open to reduce risk of gas build up. Ensure each chemicals drums are stored separate to each other to minimise interaction Lack of emergency Plan displayed- Minor- Fatality Extreme risk- consultation within the workplace, and surrounding Businesses. Develop a emergency plan including things such as – evacuation procedures – Notification Procedures ( advising emergency services – medical treatment – Communication procedures between co-ordinater of the emergency response and everyone at the workplace. The plan is to be explained to all existing staff, and included in inductions for future staff. The plan needs to be displayed in a location that is accessible to all staff of the workplace. The plan will be reviewed at acceptable intervals no more than 5yrs to ensure its effectiveness or when there is a change warranting an update. Manual Handling- Minor- Major There is no mention of Lifting devices meaning injury is then Extreme Risk. Ensure adequate training of workers in regard to proper Manual handling. Ensure there is appropriate lifting devices for employees to use to minimise the risk of injury Location- Minor – Fatality. Due to proximity to day-care and nursing home and the fact it is on a busy rd which is prone to accidents there is a Extreme risk- the installation of safety barriers around ABC Chemicals to minimise the risk of damage caused by motor vehicle accident, set up exclusion zone for storage of any chemicals. Consultation with the aged care facility and the surrounding Businesses regarding ABC’s emergency Plan in case of incident Risk Controls 1.Eliminate a hazard, removing the hazard totally, Eg repairing damaged equipment immediately. If this is not reasonably practicable the next step is to minimise the risks so far as is reasonably practicable by doing one or  more of the following: 2.Substituting (wholly or partly) the hazard creating the risk with something that has lesser risk, Eg instead of using a lead based product, use a non lead based one 3.Engineering controls/. Isolation- the hazard from any person exposed to it, with use of Barriers etc, lifting devices for manual handling 4. Administrative controls. Training, provide manuals regarding H&S in the workplace,redesigning the job task. If the risk is still present, the remaining risk must be minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable, 5.PPE. such as Gloves, Safety Goggles etc A combination of controls should be used if a single control is not sufficient for the purpose. PPE is a last resort because it protects the person against the hazard but it does not remove the hazard

Managing Culture and Change Essay

The present scenario has made the future of organizations uncertain. Companies that are excelling in their relevant industries right now may be pushed out in the near future by upstarts with better ideas and more versatility than them. It has happened so often in the past that the only certainty is that it will keep on happening in the future. The only long term sustainable competitive advantage that organizations can hope to create is through their people, and the behaviour of these people is largely determined by the corporate culture in which they are immersed. A successful corporate culture will see the organization through the near future, but unless the organization is proactive in its bid to keep on adapting to the changing business environment, that same corporate culture may sound the death knell for the organization in the future. CORPORATE CULTURE AND PERFORMANCE The question on every entrepreneur, every CEO, and on every member of the Board of Directors’ mind since before the inception of the concept of an organization as an institution has been: how to make more money? Once this fundamental urge has been recognized one can comprehend the reason behind the actions of the above-mentioned in ensuring the success of their respective organizations, as the evidence of past decades have proved that organizational success is the key determinant of greater financial reward for them; hence stemmed the need to identify the factors that would translate into success for an organization. The idea that an organizations culture would influence its performance is hardly new. ‘Search of Excellence’, published in 1982 and authored by Waterman and Peters made the concept famous, and in 1992 in ‘Corporate Culture and Performance’, Hesket and Kotter compared various organizations and the relation of their performance within a time period with their cultures. But with increasing research being conducted on the correlation between an organizations vision and the employees’ actions, doubt is cast on the efficacy of expecting that an organizations culture will determine its performance. Instead, consensus is being established that a few core values largely determine the success or failure of organizations. SUCCESS Success of an organization can be defined differently depending on the industry in which the organization operates. An organization in a high risk industry can view success as the ability to survive all these years. Another organization may view continuing growth over and above competitors as success, while still another might seek to become the market leader in its particular industry in order for it to be considered a success. Pyramid of Organizational Development Whatever the perception an organization has, in order to be successful an organization needs to follow six steps or tasks at each level of its growth in order for it to succeed at all of those stages. It needs to determine its market niche in which it will operate, develop the product/service accordingly, acquire the relevant resources be they land labour or capital, develops a system of standardized procedures for operations, and then the same for management, and finally, develop a corporate culture that management perceives as being important to lead the firm. Before any further discussion can be carried out, corporate culture must be defined as, a structure of collective values and beliefs that work together with the systems, the organizational structure, and the employees to produce norms, which then turn into what is necessary to the organization, and the processes of getting things done – the how and the why. It is an intangible aspect of an organization that cannot be seen, touched, heard or smelt, but is present nonetheless and which ultimately determines whether that organization will succeed or not. It is the core values that were mentioned earlier, to produce the norms that determine the behaviour of the employees, which ultimately determines the productivity and thus success of the firm. The steps taken together are framed as a hierarchical model into a pyramid of organizational development that emphasizes the importance of each step for the organizations development depending on the stage of growth the organization is in at that point. The last three of the steps form the structure that will be the sustainable competitive advantage of the firm, inimitable by competitors, thus ensuring long term success for the firm. ROLES OF CORPORATE CULTURE Corporate culture by itself plays several roles in the organization. It develops a cultural identity in an employee by establishing a commitment of the employee to achieving the organizations goals and objectives. That identity serves to increase the devotion and involvement of the employee by making him/her reconcile the organizations success as his/her own. Corporate culture also uses a deductive approach to align an employee’s behaviour with acceptable norms that have been already determined by the organization so that it need not worry about policing the employee to do what is right according to the organization. Instead of the management having to interfere now the employee’s peers can bring a maverick back in line with acceptable behaviour as determined by the values of the organization. In addition to these, an organizations culture acts as a motivational tool that is more effective than managerial insistence. However, if the organization’s stated values are out of sync with the culture that is being promoted the employees will become disillusioned with the organization and its stated commitment to quality of work life as the rewards will be based on the stated values as opposed to what the prevailing organizational culture promotes. TYPES OF CORPORATE CULTURE Strong The desired roles that the culture of the organization is to play and reality may starkly differ depending on the type of culture that is prevalent in the organization. A Strong Culture is reminiscent of an organization that spends a significant amount of time and resources in communication and reinforcement by management of the values of the organization to the various employees. This is facilitated by having well-defined vision and mission statements that have been established with the help of both the top and bottom rung of the organization. In addition, these statements and their espoused values are adopted by top management and thus succeed in their task of influencing the employees by convincing them of their commitment to the organization and its value system. Weak On the other hand a Weak Culture is quite the opposite, in its lack of cultural identity and the divergence of employee behaviour and organizational goals. A weak culture also involuntarily imparts an image of punishing those employees that might be working towards organizational success, through the actions of their peers who have this weak corporate value system ingrained into them. Thus there is little allegiance to the organization and little unity inside it. Unhealthy An Unhealthy corporate culture rests on the basis that change is undesirable. In such an environment risk-taking and experimentation for the sake of innovation is frowned upon, and so the organization has to seek ideas outside the firm for better practices and approaches. This is a costly result of the politicized environment that prevails in such an organization, where decisions are made based on the power wielded by the participants and not on the value of their respective input. Adaptive The fourth type of culture in an organization is an Adaptive one which is contrary to the unhealthy culture in its regard for entrepreneurial activities. Such an organization is a proactive entity that actively seeks out innovative and experimental solutions to any issues that might have to be faced. Risk taking is encouraged to the extent that employees might be funded to bring their ideas to life, in the recognition that successful adaption to the environment through risky enterprises enable the organization to prosper over its competitors. CONFLICT IN CORPORATE CULTURE An organizations culture is influenced by the social power of relationships, more specifically, the potential loss of those relationships. This invokes cognitive dissonance in a person more than does any other action, and thus motivates us the most to make sure that such a situation does not arise. From this motivation an organizations culture is developed as a means to protect these relationships, leading to the theory of conflict resolution and culture development. Social influences in the form of formal and informal networks, family networks, relationships with leaders, and legal regulations are what determine the behaviour of a person in an organization with regards to conflict resolution. Although conflict invariably leads to closer bond in relationships than before, it can also lead to rejection or coercion by one or both party. The conflict can only be resolved when both parties either cooperate in or reject the relationship. The eventual conflict resolution results in a differing viewpoint held by the onlookers as either a matter of public discourse or of private thought, which viewpoints are shared with others depending on the closeness of their relationship. And while cooperative conflict resolutions foster greater trust and unity, competitive conflict resolution in hierarchically dominated organizations, where management often passes judgement rather than mediates, results in a chasm between formal and informal cultures that causes a drop in organizational performance. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERS Human Resource Management has become an increasingly important function in organizations with the findings of several researches supporting the relation between high-performance and HR practices. The recognition through these researches that the only long term sustainable competitive advantage that an organization enjoys is the capabilities of its human resource has further caused organizations to reinvent this previously neglected function as well as resulted in an increase in the perceived advantages of a strategically-focused Human Resource Department. Amongst these, cultural management is an important benefit that pertains to the development, communication, reinforcement, and change of the corporate culture to the employees. SUCCESSFUL CORPORATE CULTURE An organization’s corporate culture can either hinder or contribute to the success of a firm by influencing the behaviours and attitudes of employees with respect to the overall organizational strategy. A corporate culture that promotes behaviours that are aligned with the company’s values provides guidance to the employees with respect to the accepted norms of the organization and reinforces those peer actions that support the desired culture. The HR as the manager of the corporate culture aligns its own practices in an effort to increase commitment amongst employees towards achieving the desired vision of the organization by reaching their performance targets, and by engaging in adaptive and innovative entrepreneurial activities. A successful corporate culture is one which supports the organizations execution of its strategy, with the help of HR managers, who align the desired values of the organization with the values that are actually prevalent. While some organizations seek to prescribe specific corporate values that will lead to greater performance, it has been discovered that instead it is the fit of these values to the internal and external realities of the organization – the employees’ behaviour and the business environment – that the HR must focus on as a culturally compatible management system. To do so, the practices of the HR Management, more specifically, the staffing, training and development, incentive and payment packages, performance appraisals and job design, all become areas where HR can influence the cultural communication strategy. As a company that dedicated its existence to the production and sale of coffee, Starbucks has experience phenomenal growth to reach its current market leadership position. From generating sales of $122 million in 1993, Starbuck’s has grown to such an extent that its competitors have less outlets in all of the United States than Starbucks has in California. And the stated reason by its CEO, Howard Schultz, for this success is its people. â€Å"The way we treat our people affects the way they treat our customers and, in turn, our financial performance. † In lieu of this statement Starbucks offers good quality of work life to its employees, adopts diversity as an integral part of doing business, maintains a high standard in its production processes, develops its customers, engages in Corporate Social Responsibility, and recognizes the importance of maintaining profitability as a means of continued success. NOT-SO-SUCCESSFUL CORPORATE CULTURE Unfortunately, discovering the right fit of values that an organization can use as a component of its successful corporate strategy can become ‘the winner’s curse’ if left unmonitored, for while it is difficult to change any culture in any organization, changing a seemingly successful culture is next to impossible. No one wants to mess with a winning formula, whether due to superstition, the belief that it will weather any competition, or due to inability to accept that the environment has changed. Whatever the reason, history is replete with examples of how successful companies were brought to their knees by a more versatile competitor. The US automobile industry was indifferent of the lower-costing, higher-quality Japanese cars until it was too late, believing that the Japanese cars were just a momentary novelty. In the same way, until sales started decreasing fast Sears remained ignorant of the changes brought to the organizations environment by Wal-Mart. The McDonnell Douglas Corporation is another example of a company that failed to adapt to the changing environment, and was acquired by Boeing. Core Rigidities Inducting the use of Standard Operating Procedures as a means to increase production by cutting down on wastage of time and resources, while beneficial in producing economies of scale can be harmful to the future success of the firm as well. These procedures and routines can serve as a source of suitable solutions to any problems that might be faced, but in doing so negate the possibility of searching for knowledge and innovation outside the organization. Consequently the core competency of the firm is transformed into the core rigidity as exploration is shelved for exploitation. In addition to which, the feedback from the use of SOPs is ignored due to selective filter of already existing procedures which siphon out any corrective measures that the feedback might have been trying to highlight. This is largely due to the fact that no firm can keep changing forever. There is an absorptive capacity for every organization beyond which it is incapable of adapting to any more change. Crisis The only way to break out of such a potentially hazardous ‘advantage’ is for there to be an existence of a crisis that jolts the organization out of its routine. Some companies even try to introduce the perception of a crisis in the organization in order to stimulate innovation, such as Hewlett Packard, following the story by Sturgeon, ‘Microcosmic God’ in which Sturgeon talks of a miniature world which is introduced to numerous difficulties such as earthquakes, and droughts, and whose inhabitants are forced to either evolve or die out. While such practices might seem unethical it is disputed whether it is more advisable to let a firm fail because the leader of the organization could not bring it upon himself/herself to fool the employees for their future benefit. CONCLUSION If an organization’s successful culture eventually ends up costing the organization in the future, can it really be deemed a ‘successful’ corporate culture? Up to the limit of an organization’s absorptive capacity, a successful corporate culture should be redefined as a culture that while maintains all the characteristics as mentioned previously, is also a culture that can recognize that no matter what the fit of the organization’s culture is at present, that fit can change, and the possibility of that change should not be ignored, rather it should be actively sought out. And while it is a difficult thing to change a culture at any point, the organization should be ready to do so if it is to maintain its competitive advantage and not be replaced by a more nimble and recent competitor like Sears was by Wal-Mart. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cummings, T. G. & Worley, C. G. (2005) Organization Development and Change. USA. Thomson South-Western. Davenport, T. H. & Prusak, L. (2000) Working Knowledge. Harvard Business Press Hassard, J. & Pym, D.(1993) The Theory and Philosophy of Organizations. Routledge Hitt, M. A. , Hoskisson, R. E. & Ireland, R. D. (1998) Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization. Cengage Learning Kono, T. & Clegg, S. (1998) Transformations of Corporate Culture. Walter de Gruyter Kotter, J. (1992) Corporate Culture and Performance. Free Press. Thompson, A. A. Jr. , Strickland III, A. J. & Gamble, J. E. (2006) Crafting and Executing Strategy. United States. McGraw-Hill Balkaran, L. (1995) Corporate Culture. Find Articles [Internet]. Available from [December 19, 2008] Denison, D. How your corporate culture can impact your business performance. IMD Webletter [Internet]. Available from [December 19, 2008] Flamholtz, E. & Hua, W. (2002) Strategic Organizational Development and the Bottom