Minimum wage issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Minimum wage issue - Essay Example Employees who start working on jobs that offer minimum wage sometimes use it at a platform to attain other professions. Additionally, minimum wage not only helps young people, but also senior citizens who use it to support their families. I am addressing this letter to you to urge you as the senator of New York to introduce a motion in Congress calling for a raise in the minimum wage across all states. The United States requires policies that safeguard hardworking Americans who are dedicated in earning a living.1 Therefore, I believe raising the minimum wage above $10 per hour would be an important policy change towards restoring hope in citizens who rely on this income. Given this brief account, I believe that raising the minimum wage is a bold step that the Congress may take for purposes of achieving economic development. Raising minimum wage is a bold step towards economic recovery in the country. I call for the federal government to increase its spending on regular people as a means of increasing economic output in terms of revenue. Normally, regular people exhibit fluidity in their spending; hence, more money remains in circulation. On the contrary, wealthy people tend to hoard their wealth; hence, preventing it from circulating back into the economy. The minimum wage issue presents a transformation to the economy, which has been hijacked by the elite in recent years; thus, making it less productive in terms of government revenue collected through taxes. I would urge the government to increase the minimum wage of American workers to boost their purchasing power, as this will facilitate economic recovery.2 Therefore, a change in policy in increasing the minimum wage prevents counterproductive economics, which boosts the economy. 3 Second, raising the minimum wage can alleviate poverty. It is evident that these days the focus of the US economy is on Wall Street, which accounts for less than 1% of the population. In recent years, the number of people

The second amendment of the US Constitution Essay Example for Free

The second amendment of the US Constitution Essay The second amendment of the US Constitution states that â€Å"a well regulated militia† is â€Å"necessary to the security of a free state† and that â€Å"the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed†. The second amendment is outdated. In the time it was created and passed was a time when the militia was the people. It was made so that people could fight the British, which isn’t the case now, especially now that we have our own full-functioning army and law enforcement. It was made in a time to keep a tyrannical government in check. We are no longer under the control of a tyrannical government so why should we still have the amendment? When a town was attacked it was the citizens’ duty to get their rifles and defend the town. There is now no one on US soil attacking peoples’ homes and if there was we have police and the army to defend us. In this time there is no need for minutemen, their guns, or the second amendment. To continue, there is quite a fallacy in the opposing side. Giving guns to only people who wouldn’t use them for crime would not work. You cannot differentiate between good and bad people because, all people with guns are potentially bad. There is nothing stopping an otherwise innocent person from committing a crime with his gun. You cannot give only â€Å"good† people guns. As for the people that will be allowed to legally own guns (e.g. police, army) it is highly illogical to assume there will be so many corrupt people that the good won’t be able to adequately defend you. A repeal of the second amendment would make America a safer place to live and that is good for everyone. The repeal would lead to lowering the amount of deaths from guns because guns are a substantial amount of deaths in the US. Also, it would lower crime rate in general because people who use guns to commit crimes such as robbery, would no longer be able to do so. Furthermore, the money people would have spent on guns could be spent on extra security features, like locks or alarms, instead of a tool of death. The usefulness of guns if often exaggerated. Firstly, there is no evidence to indicate gun ownership deters overall burglary rate. Secondly, most people have guns to prevent robbery, but pulling a gun on a robber could cause him to act more violent. Thirdly, having a gun could enable him to take it from you and kill you. Lastly, more pertaining to families, a kid could find a gun and kill him or herself and/or others. According to these preceding points it seems that guns cause more harm than help. I agree that it was made by the founding fathers and put in the original constitution, which makes it seem pretty important, but in this day and age it is evident that the amendment isn’t as relevant as it once was. In response to the obvious argument about self-defense, the police force and army, which weren’t established in the past, are capable of attacking us. Besides, if the person attacking you probably isn’t going to have a gun, why should you have one? In short, for the need for evolution of a country, the sake of a safer country, and the debunking of the â€Å"need† for guns, I conclude that the second amendment should be repealed because no matter how pure the person or intention, guns can cause chaos among the general population.

Comparing the Movies A Time to Kill, by John Grisham and To Kill a Mock

The movie based on John Grisham's A Time to Kill is a Hollywoodized, modern-day version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Both movies employ many of the same themes and plot elements; but the former movie is one-dimensional and predictable while the latter is innovative and purposeful. The movie version of Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird is considered a classic film, whereas John Grisham?s adapted novel is merely another example of the money making efforts of Hollywood. Some of the movies' more prominent themes are the same. Both focus on the family, particularly the role of the father. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Attacus, who is based on the father of author Harper Lee, is an upstanding parent. Not only is he an excellent role model for his children, but he takes time to talk to his children. He respects them as growing individuals, allowing them to call him Attacus, and explains important issues rather than discounting them. Jake cherishes his daughter more than ever when he compares her hypothetically to his client?s victimized daughter Tonya. The power of the family institution is reiterated when Carl takes revenge upon the offenders who raped Tonya. These ties drive an otherwise socially conforming man into violating the sanctity of human life in cold blood without regret. Another motivation that inspires his action is the personal degradation he must have experienced as a black man in a racist community that includes backwoods deviants, who look down upon the blacks in the community. Hate crimes appear in both movies, including hate-fueled riots, attempted lynchings, and the reappearance of the Ku Klux Klan. Other manifestations of racism were realized as well, such as injustice in the court system and the school system, where, in both movies, the protagonists? children are continually taunted for being the progeny of a ?nigger lover.? The classic figure of the hero is at the forefront of the plot in each movie. Both lawyers put their lives on the line for the liberty of a client without expecting compensation. Attacus does so because he believes in justice and knows it?s the right thing to do, whereas Jake simply empathizes with his client, especially by projecting his daughter into Tonya?s experience. Either way, these men sacrifice themselves for the sake of others, a defining characteristic of heroes. Attacus especially is... ...e intriguing. Most modern movies fail to explore issues that are controversial or simply thought-provoking. Racism was a very serious problem in the South when To Kill a Mockingbird was written. Many people tried to ignore or forget about this problem rather than face it, but the book boldly confronts it and provokes the viewer to do the same. Since A Time to Kill came out after society as a whole stopped tolerating racism for the most part, this issue is almost a clichà ©, certainly no longer eye-opening. The closest this movie comes to an interesting thought is when Carl tells Jake in prison that they cannot be friends because Jake looks at him and sees a black man, rather than just a man. This is an interesting aspect of racism which asserts that as long as whites view blacks as the other, they can never connect on the same level. Unfortunately, this idea is left completely undeveloped. Jake does bring it up at the end, but only to tell Carl that he was totally wrong about him. A Time to Kill does have a few intense and touching scenes, but in the end it is only another money-making cheap entertainment movie, whereas To Kill a Mockingbird is an immortal classic.

Essay --

Mount Vernon; George Washington's Mansion There are many historic Memorial in the United States, but Mount Vernon is the most popular and visited site. It is one of the most unique home built in the eighteenth century. Thousands of people visit Mount Vernon yearly become educated about the life of George Washington and how he lived. Mount Vernon is a beautiful, luxurious estate home to the first president of our country, George Washington. Mount Vernon sits at 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway in Mount Vernon, Virginia. Washington’s family owned the land since the time of Washington’s great grandfather in 1674. Washington older brother owned the land until he died in 1752. Lawrence’s will said that his widow should own a life at Mount Vernon. Two years after George’s brother died, George began leasing the land from Lawrence’s widow, Anne Fairfax. George got possession of the estate in 1754, but did not become it’s sole owner until 1761. In 1739 George Washington launched on an expansion of the estate. He constructed the mansion between 1757 and 1778. Its currently 11,028 square feet, ten times larger of an average home in colonial Virginia. Over four decades, Washington expanded and refurnished Mount Vernon twice. The architect of this estate is unknown, but George Washington is said to have many helpers and sources to constructing his dream home. The exterior of his mansion appears to look like stone, but is actually made of yellow pine siding.It is built of wood in a loose Palladian style. Most rooms at Mount Vernon have been touched up since George Washington and his wife, Martha, lived in the mansion. Mount Vernon is not only a mansion; it also includes the Ford Orientation Center, mansion outbuildings,Gardens, Martha and G... ...t. In the months March, September, and October, its opened from nine to five. In November through February the estate is open from nine to four. Mount Vernon is open 365 days a year. When travelling with a school group student’s tickets cost eight dollars, while adult tickets cost fourteen dollars. An adult chaperone is required to visit Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon will help our class understand how George Washington lived. This is an extremely important site because George Washington was the first leader of our country. I think our class will get a ton of information from visiting this ancient estate. Mount Vernon will remind why George Washington is called â€Å"the father of our country.† This gorgeous estate is a must see site. Its beauty and perfection will hopefully change they way we viewed how George Washington lived his life when he was not serving our country.

International Trade and International Logistics

International trade and international Logistics The rapid expansion of trade liberalization and the growth of global capital markets and integration, information technology and the progressive development of communication technology, making the original messy market countries and regions gradually evolved into a unified global market.Worldwide production and management of multinational corporations or foreign trade enterprises in order to achieve competitive advantage, increase their profits, so they must adding their power within the scope of the global co-ordination of resources to arrange the logistics of its production activities. However, due to the consumers around the world have different needs, coupled with the longer distance of transportation and supply chain operations to expand making the world become increasingly complex logistically activating.So how to solve the contradiction between the global market growth and global diversity and global logistics supply and marketin g channels, this complexly problem has become an international trading activities of every company to force in solving it. The relationships between international logistics and international trade International logistics development together with the development of international trade; there is a very close relationship between them.To achieve international trade, the completion of goods from one country to another country and to the customer’s designated locations, these are the reason why we have to achieve international logistics Therefore, international logistics is not only to ensure the international trade, but also the supply of commodities cross the borders the borders to the needs of States. it is a physical flow process in space, in time, and entities The entire process of international logistics, including the exporting country's export goods leave the country, it has been entered into the importing country's border (Douglas C. Long 2003, P. 230).Before explaining the relationship between them, first we note by the definition, what is the international trade and modern logistics: International trade is technical exchange of goods and services between countries or regions, including both imports and exports, from a national point of view, this exchange activity is called the country's foreign trade, from the international frame of reference , The world's total foreign trade plus together constituted the international trade; About the logistics, according to the definition of Logistics Association American, logistics is a network of interconnected businesses involved in the ultimate provision of product and service packages required by end customers, spans all movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption.The following will specifically analyze the relationship between them. 1)International trade promotes the development of modern logistics It is basic prerequis ite of survival for modern logistics, also promote its international. And the International trade and modern logistics are two indispensable aspects of the world's development, international trade make the ownership of goods exchanged, and modern logistics are embodied in goods between countries or entities in the transfer of its domestic. They Promote each other, interdependence and mutual restraint each? Modern logistics is developing based on the modern international trade, Efficient operation of modern logistics also promoting the development of international trade, in this case, the international logistics have emerged, which has brought the logistics industryDevelopment opportunities and challenges 2) International Logistics is a necessary condition for international trade Worldwide community large-scale producing would inevitably lead to the different international division of labor, because of the increasing of the international division of labor getting refinement and speci alization, there must be a kind of international cooperation and exchange between countries, thus requires the conduction of international trade to adapted with international logistics, to deliver whatever overseas customers Need, transfers the goods to the destination according to the quality and quantity timely and by appropriate manner at low cost, by this way to improve their customers products in the international market even more competitiveness and expand the foreign trade,While also imported into the country needed equipment, supplies and other goods timely, efficient at low cost, to satisfied the people's livelihood, production, construction, science and technology and economic development needs in domestic 3)International Trade also promoting the Logistics to International Transnational business and international trade development, promoting the goods and information extensively exchange of a large number of flows in worldwide, international logistics became an Inevitable trend way of develop the international trade and world economic. On another hand, international trade is a prerequisite and infrastructure for the survival of international logistics, the Development of international trade determine the speed and scale of the development of international logistics, and now day’s international logistics became more scientific and reasonable, it’s also a beneficial protection of international trade development. International Trade brings new demands on logistics:With the rapid development of world economy and the performance of some new trends and characteristics in international trade, such big steps made the newer and higher demands on logistics. Quality requirements: The structure of international trade is undergoing some tremendous changes, Traditional primary products and raw materials and other trade goods gradually giving way to those high-value and precision machining products. Due to the high value-added, high-precision flow of goods increased, At the same time the diversity of demand in international trade, resulting in the logistics getting more variety, small batch, which requires international logistics developing To even more quality services and diversification. Efficiency requirementsThe concentrated expression of the international trade is entered into the contract and to perform it, but the Performance of international trade contract is to complete by the international logistics activities, Therefore it requested the logistics to carry out the contract more efficiency, Hence the management of logistics need to be more strengthen, According to international trade in different commodities, by Corresponding the giant cargo ship? Berths and large professional machinery transport equipment to Improving logistics more efficiency Safety requirements As the international division of labor and professional development of social production, Most of the goods are distributed and produced around worldwide, f or example, the U. S. brand Ford, a car production needs its raw materials, Spare parts in more than 30 manufacturers in 20 countries, products are sold to more than l00 countries and regions.The logistics involved in lot of countries, vast territory and in a long time transit, and also Great impact of climate conditions? Geographical conditions and other natural factors and also Politics, the workers strike events? war and other social, political or economic factors. therefore,we must pay a lot of attention to the climate conditions, geographical conditions even political situation, economic conditions, when organizing and selecting the transport routes and the mode of transport to passing through different regions in international logistics, To prevent the loss of goods caused by human factors and the irresistible forces of nature Economic requirementsThe characteristics of international trade, Determined the international logistics have lot of procedures and long period for Prepa ration and transportation. In the field of international logistics lower the transport and vehicle select costs is the best cost control solution for those international logistics companies. Improve the logistics economy, reduce logistics costs and guarantee the service quality, is an effective way to enhance competitiveness The efficiency and reliability of international logistics Logistics involved in a wide field, including material management in production areas, transportation, and the distribution and consumer services in Circulation areas.Rapid economic development in today's world is getting faster and faster, the developed countries are all constructing the new world economic structure by using the strategy of â€Å"economic globalization†, â€Å"information highway† and â€Å"international logistics network, † The growth rate of international trade even higher than the rate of world economy growth. Through the development of international trade, intern ational logistics could continuous improving and developing. Truth has proved that international logistics as a tool of international trade, countries must maximize broken down the geographical and national boundaries, in order to maximize the reduction of the cost of international logistics.On the other hand, international trade is a prerequisite for the survival of international logistics and infrastructure, international trade determine the speed and scale of the development of international logistics development, and the international logistics getting scientific and reasonable development is beneficial to secure the international trade? Logistics on the international role in promoting economic development on the expansion of multinational companies have to verify already. there are About 45,000 global multinational companies currently, their production and trade value has about 50% of world trade value, the tentacles They stretch to the global market is logistics industry. just in-time and zero inventory Became the corporate goal forever, the U. S. ogistics industry had establish an efficient supply chain already, some companies, such as Dell, the order from company confirmation to make the shipment of goods only 2-3 day,As the depth of modern logistics services, process length, the increasing breadth of coverage, to improve the production, supply, marketing, overall economic benefits of transport and promote the development of world economy and the role of trade is immeasurable, the Development of modern logistics brings three advantages to the International trade; That reduce the overall cost of international trade? Improve its competitiveness on the core business? Reduce investment in trade activities. conclusion he free trade, except brings benefits to both parties of the trade, also brings additionally positive impact on the existence of multiple Technological innovations of their own,As mankind enters the era of knowledge economy and trade liberaliz ation in the mainstream situation, in a static sense, the level of technological innovation in developing countries will affect their trade pattern, size and interests; in the dynamic sense, international trade will affect the overall technological level and economic growth, In fact, only from the terms of the relationship between international trade and technological innovation, they are interacting each other; but for most developing countries, International Trade and the impact of its technical innovation should be more specific and profound, Because of international trade-related technical innovation in developing countries shows the way and play its â€Å"advantages of late launch â€Å" Strategy and also a important means of bring them into the growth and take-off stage of economic. ? References: http://www. trade. gov/exportamerica/TechnicalAdvice/ta_tradelogist101. pdf TRADE LOGISTICS 101’[PDF], By William Corley. August 2002 EXPORT AMERICA http://en. wikipedia. org /wiki/Logistics. ‘International logistics ‘second edition 2006 By Donald F. Wood, ISBN: 0-8144-0666-1 Pg. 126 to Pg. 169. ‘International logistics: global supply chain management’ 2003  By Douglas C. Long 2003058808 Pg. 225 to Pg. 231

University of Rhode Island (URI) Admissions Facts

University of Rhode Island (URI) Admissions Facts The University of Rhode Island has an acceptance rate of 73%, making it a generally accessible school. That said, admitted students tend to have grades and standardized test scores that are average or better. The admissions process is holistic, and students will need to submit high school transcripts, scores from the SAT or ACT, a personal essay, and a letter of recommendation. The rigor of your high school curriculum will play a meaningful role, so those AP, IB, and Honors classes can all strengthen your application. If you have any questions, be sure to get in touch with the admissions office at URI. Will you get in? Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) University of Rhode Island Acceptance Rate: 73Â  percentGPA, SAT and ACT Graph for URITest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 480 / 580SAT Math: 490 / 590SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanSAT score comparison for Rhode IslandAtlantic 10 Conference SAT score comparisonACT Composite: 22 / 27ACT English: 21 / 26ACT Math:Â  21 / 26What these ACT numbers meanACT score comparison for Rhode IslandAtlantic 10 Conference ACT score comparison University of Rhode Island Description Located in Kingston, the University of Rhode Island often ranks highly for both its academic programs and its educational value. For its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, URI was awarded a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. High achieving students should look into the URI Honors Program which offers special academic, advising and housing opportunities. In athletics, the University of Rhode Island Rams compete in the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference for most sports, with football competing in the Colonial Athletic Association. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 17,822Â  (14,812 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 44Â  percent Male / 56 percent Female84 percent Full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $12,884 (in-state); $28,874 (out-of-state)Books: $1,200 (why so much?)Room and Board: $12,278Other Expenses: $2,043Total Cost: $28,405 (in-state); $44,395 (out-of-state) University of Rhode Island Financial Aid (2015-16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 93 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 84 percentLoans: 81 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $10,680Loans: $6,408 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Accounting, Business Administration, Communication Studies, English, Human Development and Family Studies, Nursing, PsychologyWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 83Â  percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 42 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 63 percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports: Football, Baseball, Golf, Soccer, Basketball, Cross Country, Track and FieldWomens Sports: Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Cross Country, Rowing, Soccer, Track and Field If You Like URI, You May Also Like These Schools University of Connecticut: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphProvidence College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Delaware: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBoston University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSyracuse University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSacred Heart University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of New Haven: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBrown University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphQuinnipiac University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphRhode Island College: ProfileRoger Williams University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNortheastern University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

7 talent mistakes that are destroying your bottom line

7 talent mistakes that are destroying your bottom line Recruiting and managing talent has become one of the hottest topics in this hiring market, both for boots on the ground recruiters and the executives who are tasked with strategizing and organizing. If you find you’re getting frustrated by the challenges and stresses of talent management, you’re certainly not alone- but it doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s look at some of the pitfalls you may be experiencing, and how they’re sabotaging your best efforts.1. Limiting diversity to the hiring processOnce you’ve found and hired a diverse team, that checks off the diversity success box, right? Not quite. Finding diverse talent is a great first step, but you need to keep up that momentum among employees, and not just new recruits. It’s important to keep considering how to manage diversity on an ongoing basis, well after the team is in place. Are team leads equipped to manage a diverse team? Are diverse team members supported, culturally, or are they expected to blend in with the homogenous corporate identity?Another key mistake in this area is thinking too narrowly about diversity, and not considering diversity beyond the obvious gender and ethnic differences. There’s also cognitive diversity, which essentially means embracing different thinkers, people who have leadership styles that may seem unorthodox to your company, or personality types that haven’t typically had broad representation at your company before. It’s about diversifying thought and perspective to maximize success, not just about diversifying the demographics.2. Prioritizing change for change’s sakeEveryone wants to be innovative. But are you pushing innovation initiatives at the expense of things that are already working and clicking well? Think of it like those New Year’s Day resolutions. In December, the status quo is happy and merry and full of sugary goodness. January 1, reality hits, and suddenly there are draconi an goals about fitness and diet as an immediate reaction. Try to see change management as a lifestyle change, not a crash diet. Make sure you’re taking stock of what’s working with your talent management, and change things up when it feels right- not because you feel like you should be shuffling things around just to keep up with the times.3. Letting disagreement derail projectsHaving everyone sign off on every project is†¦unlikely. The whole point of having diversity in perspective is making sure that all angles of a project are considered. But when it comes time for the leaders to commit, they need to ensure that naysayers are willing to commit to the project- even if they disagree with the methods. It’s not about making sure everyone comes around to a particular position, but rather that they’re willing to go along with the leader’s final assessment and plan.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});And if there ar e serious fundamental disagreements, those have to be managed as well. Part of this can be done during the recruiting and hiring process, with interview questions designed around determining whether someone is a â€Å"my way or the highway† type of team member, or someone who is comfortable expressing differences, but also being willing to commit to a larger vision.4. Assuming that recruiting priorities and larger company strategy are the same thingThis one can get tricky. Ostensibly, you’re hiring people who will serve the company’s needs and strategies. But hiring is focused on the company’s immediate needs- putting someone in place who can manage the day-to-day right away. That might not always square with where you want the company to go in the next year, three years, ten years. Overcoming this potential gap means focusing on growth goals on both the employee and company levels.This means creating a culture where goals are not only encouraged, but tra cked and managed against the larger company strategy. It means working with people at all levels- executive, managerial, and employee- to create achievable, specific goals that align with the company’s strategic goals. This requires openness about the company’s goals, and a two-way feedback program so that employees aren’t setting their own goals in a vacuum. Studies have shown that employees who feel informed about and engaged in company goals are more satisfied and productive in their jobs.5. Allowing a disconnect between talent and cultureIf your company’s culture is very specific or static, you risk having training and recruiting efforts that aren’t aligned with the realities of working at the company. If employees are trained on processes that are in place just because they always have been in the past, then you’re essentially training them for the past. Talent is then conditioned toward aligning themselves with the status quo- not nece ssarily toward the kind of flexible thinking that could move things forward.This doesn’t mean you have to rewrite your company culture every time someone new comes along but think of the culture as a work in progress, with an emphasis on agility, change, and innovation in the service of the larger company goals. Make sure that your talent is being managed with an eye toward context, and make sure they understand the reasons why they’re being asked to do their jobs a certain way.6. Not focusing on short-term talent developmentWith so much recruiting and management effort focused on employees’ long-term goals, it can be easy to lose sight of the short-term goals that a) help them develop, and b) serve the company in the meantime. Instead of thinking only of the â€Å"five-year plan,† help employees see the â€Å"five-month plan,† and the steps they can take in the meantime.Giving employees opportunities to engage in your organization and join committ ees, make presentations, or lead projects can help short-term development and ensure that employees don’t feel stagnant in their roles- and start looking to take their talents elsewhere.7. Not relying on a core group of â€Å"company evangelists†When it comes down to handing down strategy or goals, don’t forget that your company has an infrastructure in place for supporting and communicating that vision throughout the company. Sometimes called the â€Å"top 100,† this group is typically the CEO, his or her direct reports, and the level of direct reports below that. These employees are familiar with both the company strategy and also what it means in the day-to-day for their teams, so lean on them to make sure that information is communicated and supported throughout the company network. Making sure that you have the support and engagement of this core group will help spread the word to all levels of the company, making it feel less like a royal edict and more like a collective project.None of these mistakes are fatal for a company, but making them can absolutely slow your progress toward your corporate goals. You want your talent management to be as efficient and painless as possible, so knowing and avoiding these common mistakes will definitely benefit you in both the short and the long run.

The Age of Imperialism

The Age of Imperialism Free Online Research Papers The Age of Imperialism History 204: American History Since 1865 The idea of American Imperialism started in the late Nineteenth century. This idea however was not supported by all Americans. It was the opinion of the Anti-Imperialist league founded in 1899 that we should not be getting involved in the affairs of other nations. Most Americans however found that Imperialism was a necessity in order to build a country that would be a power house among nations. Imperialism was not only practiced by our nation but many other nations that sought power and prestige. In order to understand why most Americans thought that Imperialism was a necessary evil we must first understand the ideology behind imperialism. Imperialism is the idea that one must seek to expand ones territory by taking control or influencing a weaker party to give up ones territory. Through the years America has sought to take over land and control it in almost every instance of going into another countries territory. Americans first taste of Imperialism was when Christopher Columbus came to America about five hundred years ago. The Americans fought the inhabitants of the land at the time and took control of their land by force. This idea became the corner stone in which our country has been built. Imperialism was adopted because America needed some way to expand its territory and gain power and prestige. Imperialism gave America a way to expand its territory in a more times then not in a threatening way. A great example of American imperialism was the over-throw of the kingdom of Hawaii on January 1893. Queen Liliu’okalani announced a plan to change the constitution of Hawaii that would restore more power to the monarchy and the American business men did not like that idea. So the Americans came up with an idea to conquer the Kingdom of Hawaii by any means necessary to take position of a very important piece of territory. This example of Imperialism gives one an idea of the hunger for power and property that the American people had. Imperialism was not supported by all Americans in power however. In 1899 the league for Anti-imperialist was formed. This took place after America occupied Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippine Islands. These men found that imperialism was hostile towards liberty and violated ones right to be free. They believed that every person deserved the right to life, liberty, happiness and most importantly the right to be free. The idea of taking something that did not belong to us was an evil that we should not be involved in. It was not the right of Americans to interfere with foreign affairs. Although the Anti-imperialist fought to have America restore the countries that were taken by force they did not succeeded. For example the Filipinos revolted against American rule which caused many lives lost for both parties. In the end however America maintained control of all territories taken from different countries. Some of the territories taken by American imperialism would include Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippine Islands, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau and Guam. There could be many debates weather imperialism was a necessary evil to become the power house that we are today. Many of the territories that were taken by Americans were important parts of becoming a great nation. For example Hawaii is one of the greatest ports in-between countries as well as awesome for agricultural gain. Also it may have been a necessary evil to compete with the other powers such as Great Britain. Americans in power at the time believed that they need to gain power and control the same way that other countries were doing at the time. Some would agree however even today that there could have been better ways to gain power and control. That ones rights and liberties are more important then gaining power for any country. References: Thornton, Archibald Paton (September, 1978). Imperialism in the Twentieth Century. Palgrave Macmillan Bacevich, Andrew (2004). American Empire: The Realities and Consequences of U.S. Diplomacy. Harvard University Press Davidson J. W., Delay, B., Heyrman, C. L., Lytle, M. H., Stoff, M. B., (2008). Nation of nations: A narrative history of the American republic (6th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill Research Papers on The Age of ImperialismThe Effects of Illegal Immigration19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeWhere Wild and West MeetQuebec and CanadaDefinition of Export QuotasTwilight of the UAWHip-Hop is ArtNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceGenetic Engineering

The Universal Freckle, or How I Learned to Be White by Dalton (on Assignment

The Universal Freckle, or How I Learned to Be White by Dalton (on e-Reserve) - Assignment Example Certainly, everybody of us enjoys a privilege of one sort or the other in our lives. I, for example, have privileges over my servants, who then have many privileges over those living below in the poverty line. Likewise a woman in an Eastern society is more likely to enjoy privileges over their male counterparts since their men maintain a deeper reverence for the female genre altogether. Thus yes, I have been observing privileges around me all the time. Yes, ‘White Privilege’ is a term used to identify the advantages the white skinned people enjoy over darker one – in other words: Racism. Throughout the article the writer tries to undo the knots that hold racism and ethnicity together; something which has been validated by the UN convention that â€Å"there is no distinction between the terms racial discrimination and ethnic discrimination†. Though the world today is more evolved and mere colors do not define the privileges we enjoy today, but nonetheless the concept of racism has had a huge impact on the social structure of our society. Since every American stands equal today – as guaranteed by the constitution – the concepts of black and white had been pushed to a corner and we hardly find examples of racial discrimination today. The most contradictory products of racial discrimination came in the form of the teachers the writer had at school. At one school an African American teacher dare not cross the line and hit a white child drawing a clear border between the blacks and the non-blacks; while at another a Chinese teacher uses more productive measures and tries her best to blend the class into an equal force. Racial discrimination has always remained a heated debated and a serious problem of our society. Taking into account the writer’s experience with the German woman-shopkeeper, we all should rather pave our way towards unity and stand as one equal force. Divisions and

How to implement a dual language program in an already established Dissertation

How to implement a dual language program in an already established elementary school - Dissertation Example From this research it is clear that language is one of the most important skills a person can have; it is a comprehensive and powerful human ability. It is a means of communication; a system through which people express themselves, think, act collaboratively and above all language is also a means to record events. In short, language is a skill that is as important and as natural as breathing. Pinker has aptly described language as â€Å"quintessentially human†. A person however is not born speaking a language; it is learned and the learning process starts at the time of birth. In light of the work done by linguist Noam Chomsky, Mason states language to be a â€Å"specific skill†. Elaborating on Chomsky’s description of language as an inherent faculty, Mason in his lecture â€Å"Learning Language† said that man was born with a set of rules related to language in his head and he called these set of rules â€Å"Universal Grammar†. Children show a natur al tendency towards language acquisition. Language acquisition occurs through the numerous experiences of everyday life. Acquiring language without any systematic effort is called first language acquisition. Language acquisition takes place during conversation; when adults talk, children respond and thus grasp the basics of a language being spoken. The pattern of interaction between parents and children may differ with cultures but the rate at which the children develop as language users remains the same throughout the world. (Clark, 2000). Children learn the language they are exposed to (Linguistics 201: First language acquisition, undated). Every child learns the first language without the need of any formal lessons (Pinker, 1995). Clark has described language acquisition among children as a part of the overall physical, social and cognitive development of a child. In Clark’s opinion, children between ages 2 and 6 can rapidly acquire a language and mostly by the time they t urn 6, they are proficient language users. Although a lot has been said and written about the development of language in a child, a great deal remains to be explored. The language of a child is a constantly developing process which undergoes many changes. The children seem to acquire the first language quickly, early and with few mistakes. A child’s experience with language and his interaction with others teach him the sound-meaning relationship and help him comprehend the purpose it represents. Although, the rate at which children acquire first language skills may differ, there is little difference in the pattern of development between the languages (August and Shanahan, 2011, p. 357). According to Clark children acquire communicative competency naturally and inherently, and then develop an understanding of the grammatical rules of the language. The structure of the language develops with thinking abilities and social interactions of the child. As the language skills develop , children become conscious of the social situations around them and learn to think and behave accordingly. Second Language Acquisition Stephen Krashen a well known linguist identified the difference between learning and acquisition (Luria et al, 2005, p. 8). In his theory of the second language acquisition, Krashen defined acquisition as a subconscious and instinctive process of constructing the structure of a language quite similar to the way a child picks up his first language (Macaro, 2010, p. 5). Learning on the other hand, is a conscious process based on formal instruction and involves conscious learning of a language. Krashen has described learning as â€Å"less important than acquisition† (Schutz, 2007). Second language acquisition is the learning of another language once the first language has been established. The concept of acquiring proficiency in another language is not new; for centuries, man has found the idea of bilingualism/ multilingualism quite fascinating

Golden Fleece Hotel , case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Golden Fleece Hotel , case study - Essay Example This report contains multitude of examples, through scholarly and pragmatic articles, researches and surveys that prove the point that information systems and internet applications in today’s world are all the tools you need to succeed in a business if you have proven yourself in the skill you excel at, or the business you work in. This business report can serve as a persuasive read for the owners of the Golden Fleece Hotel, who will benefit greatly with the installation of information systems to improve efficiency and effectiveness of their strategy. Having the state of the art information system can help them gain on the competitive front as well. Business operations in the hotel management business can make or break the business. Branding and maintaining quality is the way to move forward (Ralph, 2008). This consultancy is being provided by the IM consultants who are an Information Systems Consultancy firm. They provide information systems solutions to business all over the world. Methodology: This report incorporates a lot of secondary information. Secondary information is the data collection from the researches that have already been conducted and articles that have already been written. ... All references have been cited towards the end of the report. Academic sources and journals have been used where necessary to validate the theoretical framework of hotel management. Real life examples have also been employed that further validate the recommendations made towards the end of the report. Golden Fleece Hotel: The Golden Fleece boasts of a rich history; it is relatively new in the hospitality industry and has made its mark through the exceptional service they provide their customers. Since its inception in 1999, it has been moving upwards and seeing success; however, times changed as the hotel entered its 8th year of operation. A number of factors can be attributed to this change. According to research it has been proved that organizations can plan all they want; if they are unable to act according to the changes that take place in the external environment, their strategy will not work. The strategic plan should keep in mind the forecast of changes that may take place in consumer preferences, economical conditions, political environment etc. Therefore, environmental analysis serves as the key to making the right decisions. The management of Golden Fleece was not able to predict that changing nature of business and technology and has suffered duly because of it (Ralph, 2008). According to Silver, information systems are implemented to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the work processes in an organization. There are many types of systems that can be utilized, according to the decision making and information needs of the organization. When it comes to hospitality management the biggest need for the hour is to assimilate

Diabetes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Diabetes - Research Paper Example The A1C Diagnostic Tool The testing of diabetes has long been faced with a myriad of challenges that include insufficient diagnosis of the disease. Several diabetes diagnostic tests have been developed over the years but all of them are not accurate as the Haemoglobin A1C level test. The A1C test is undertaken to test the amount of sugar present in the red blood cells. The test looks into the average blood glucose levels in patient’s body for a period of two to three months. The A1C test uses an averaging system whereby a patient’s blood glucose levels are tested based on a percentage system (Cunha-vaz, 2011). Diabetes tests conducted using the A1C diagnostic testing tools have been very accurate in estimating blood sugar levels of a patient over a long period of time. Compared to other tests, the A1C test does not require a patient to fast without food for periods of time since the test can be conducted at any time (Ford-Martin, 2004). A1C Research Tests A research was conducted to test the effectiveness of the A1C diagnosis test in South Korea over a period of 6 years. The test was conducted to find out the best levels for haemoglobin A1C level for different diabetes patients this included patients belonging to different races. The research targeted a total of 10,038 participants were included in this research and they first underwent a 75-g oral glucose test tolerance test at baseline with two year follow up. Among the research participants, 572 of them had a previous history of having diabetes (Ford-Martin, 2004). From the results a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the A1C cut-off. The results established that at the baseline 635 participants representing 6.8% had previously undiagnosed diabetes. An A1C cut-off of 5.9% produced the highest sum of sensitivity at 68% and specificity (91%). At the end of the research, after 6 years 895 (10.2%) participants had developed diabetes. An A1C cut-o ff of 5.6% had the highest sum of sensitivity (59%) and specificity (77%) in the identification of consequent 6-year incident diabetes. After variations in adjustment it was found that men with A1C baseline of 5.6% had a 2.4 fold increased risk while women with the same baseline had a 3.1 fold increased risk of contracting diabetes in the future (Cunha-vaz, 2011). The research study was successful in concluding that patients with a 5.9% A1C cut-off identified participants with undiagnosed diabetes. The study also concluded that people with A1C equal or greater than 5.6% had increased risk of contracting diabetes in the future. Integration of A1C The research study undertaken by researchers on the agreed levels of Haemoglobin A1C test was important in determining the agreed levels of A1C suitable for diagnosing diabetes. From the research we are able to learn that doctors have found out that people with Haemoglobin A1C level of ? 5.6% have a higher risk of contracting diabetes. Due t o the accuracy of using the A1C diagnosis testing, Doctors are now able to easily detect diabetes in the body. Many researchers agree that the A1C test and research was important in coming up with a standardised A1C cut-off which was put at the level of 6.5%. The results of the South Korean research concluded that the A1C levels of 5.9% contributed to patients contracting type 2 diabetes (Cunha-vaz, 2011). While on the other hand, the same study was conducted among the Japanese population and they found out that an A1C cut-off

How can California become a more small business friendly state Essay

How can California become a more small business friendly state - Essay Example Whichever the reason, there is the need to enhance the attractiveness of California as a state, towards the small business enterprises. This paper therefore, examines the root causes of California’s low rank in small business friendliness, and the possible ways of enhancing the state’s attractiveness towards the small business enterprises. Fundamentally, the United States was once considered the hub of small businesses but this mantle appears to be shifting away due to the hostile environments of some states to small business people. Perhaps, this is due to lack of proper policies that would encourage many small businesses to thrive in certain states within the U.S. For instance, California has been on the business headlines for the wrong reasons, especially as far as attracting and retaining small businesses is concerned. In the year 2013, the small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBC) ranked all the fifty states in the U.S. according to their levels of business friendliness. The results of the survey were astonishing because, California persistently remained at the bottom despite concerted efforts to woo small entrepreneurs into the state. Definitely, it is important to fist examine the eligibility criteria for small businesses in the United States and how some states have enforced this policy to their advantage. Intrinsically, there are certain requirements that businesses seeking certification in the United States must meet. The first requirement is that all small businesses must be operated and owned independently without any interference whatsoever from the government or any other interest group. Of course, the fact that it is a small business only means that such an enterprise should not dominate over other enterprises in the build of interest. More specifically, any small business seeking certification in California must have its main offices situated in California. Of course, this is a requisite

Diabetes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Diabetes - Research Paper Example The A1C Diagnostic Tool The testing of diabetes has long been faced with a myriad of challenges that include insufficient diagnosis of the disease. Several diabetes diagnostic tests have been developed over the years but all of them are not accurate as the Haemoglobin A1C level test. The A1C test is undertaken to test the amount of sugar present in the red blood cells. The test looks into the average blood glucose levels in patient’s body for a period of two to three months. The A1C test uses an averaging system whereby a patient’s blood glucose levels are tested based on a percentage system (Cunha-vaz, 2011). Diabetes tests conducted using the A1C diagnostic testing tools have been very accurate in estimating blood sugar levels of a patient over a long period of time. Compared to other tests, the A1C test does not require a patient to fast without food for periods of time since the test can be conducted at any time (Ford-Martin, 2004). A1C Research Tests A research was conducted to test the effectiveness of the A1C diagnosis test in South Korea over a period of 6 years. The test was conducted to find out the best levels for haemoglobin A1C level for different diabetes patients this included patients belonging to different races. The research targeted a total of 10,038 participants were included in this research and they first underwent a 75-g oral glucose test tolerance test at baseline with two year follow up. Among the research participants, 572 of them had a previous history of having diabetes (Ford-Martin, 2004). From the results a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the A1C cut-off. The results established that at the baseline 635 participants representing 6.8% had previously undiagnosed diabetes. An A1C cut-off of 5.9% produced the highest sum of sensitivity at 68% and specificity (91%). At the end of the research, after 6 years 895 (10.2%) participants had developed diabetes. An A1C cut-o ff of 5.6% had the highest sum of sensitivity (59%) and specificity (77%) in the identification of consequent 6-year incident diabetes. After variations in adjustment it was found that men with A1C baseline of 5.6% had a 2.4 fold increased risk while women with the same baseline had a 3.1 fold increased risk of contracting diabetes in the future (Cunha-vaz, 2011). The research study was successful in concluding that patients with a 5.9% A1C cut-off identified participants with undiagnosed diabetes. The study also concluded that people with A1C equal or greater than 5.6% had increased risk of contracting diabetes in the future. Integration of A1C The research study undertaken by researchers on the agreed levels of Haemoglobin A1C test was important in determining the agreed levels of A1C suitable for diagnosing diabetes. From the research we are able to learn that doctors have found out that people with Haemoglobin A1C level of ? 5.6% have a higher risk of contracting diabetes. Due t o the accuracy of using the A1C diagnosis testing, Doctors are now able to easily detect diabetes in the body. Many researchers agree that the A1C test and research was important in coming up with a standardised A1C cut-off which was put at the level of 6.5%. The results of the South Korean research concluded that the A1C levels of 5.9% contributed to patients contracting type 2 diabetes (Cunha-vaz, 2011). While on the other hand, the same study was conducted among the Japanese population and they found out that an A1C cut-off

Evaluate the arguments offered by Neil Postman in Technopoly on the Essay

Evaluate the arguments offered by Neil Postman in Technopoly on the basis of the history of America (1865 to the present) and in - Essay Example In short society is moving towards age of digital fashion that is more developed with the thoughts to provide maximum benefits to human beings. In early ages of 18th century this development was much limited with construction and better reconstruction works. But with the passage of time it became more of an electronic era rather then human society, this approach gave a boost to highly develop technology and use it for ease of humans. Except of lot of positive reviews and lovers of electronic era this truth can not be neglected that it made humans rusty with the same ratio! And to enlighten this aspect of modern life Neil Postman contributed with a lot of efforts and different approach. In an interview he mentioned his views about the new technology when he was asked about the positive and beneficial effects on society especially of the Internet and Email. It’s true that technology has been advancing nowadays, too fast, therefore we are at an era of speed, where computers as we ll as everything that has to do with growing technology rules our life, in the frame of Technopoly, having a relative impact on all fields of today life, mainly in USA, but no one is basically responsible for this, and all we have to do is follow growth of Technology, as Technopoly contributes to financial growth and we just have to follow the stream. Technopoly is a reality and we have to accept it and adjust to this reality. Technopoly is a need nowadays. But we should not compromise our moral values, nor can technopoly replace them, or substitute them. Our culture has changed, and we cannot do something else for it, just follow the stream. But this may not mean that we prefer Technopolis or culture based on Technopolis, and destruction of our old culture with books and manual work. Technology should’t becomes a way of life as it is nowadays, but just a helping tool, tool of adaption and not adoption. "Most of our daily news is inert, consisting of information that gives us something to talk about but cannot lead to any meaningful action.† (68).1 — Neil Postman In our digital era, all fields such as knowledge and education are ruled by technology. Postman claims that our today culture satisfies its needs from technology, also taking its orders from it. We can claim further by analyzing this argument that technology functions in a way of pyramid whereas: On the base is culture, on the center is technology and on the top is multicultural and globalization, being as superstructure, identified with globalization and digital era with all consequences in the moral and social field of technopolis, which rules our life. Thus education is by ruled by technology, a new culture is formed throughout technopolis, and work is based on it. Technology may mean the end of education, as instead of reading a book of literature we prefer surfing on the Internet. USA in the past two centuries, thus from 1865 and hence up to the two last decades of 20th centur y and even more, had been a country with a grown population and too many immigrants. These people used to go there to work, in the dawn of industrial revolution, and when still USA was a state the development of which was based on agriculture initially. Then multicultural society was not only enhanced by technology, but it created itself the conditions for technology development and a further relative developed culture, that today rules technopolis and it

Euthanasia Essay Example for Free

Euthanasia Essay For currency, this piece of news was published very soon after the mobile euthanasia clinics scheme started (stated in article that was cross-referenced: the Guardian) on Thursday 1 March 2012. Therefore, it is likely to be valid and updated till that point in time. However, as the article will not include any further developments since March 2012, there is a need to research as to whether there are more current reports on the issue in order to make a more informed decision on the issue. ] For relevance, this article tells us about a brand new option for euthanasia that is carried out through mobile clinics in the Netherlands. So far, euthanasia is legal in only the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Australia and Oregon in the USA. This can be seen as a ‘controversial’ new option that makes euthanasia even more accessible in the Netherlands. It raises questions whether this new ‘convenience’ could result in an abuse of the legislation with doctors and patients going too far. The debate over the whether it should be a right for people to choose when and how to die, with dignity, has been going on for a long time in many countries, especially in developed countries. This is also relevant to us locally as we have an ageing population in Singapore. Although we have other measures in place such as the Advanced Medical Directive, euthanasia has not been legalised in Singapore. With greater attention being given to palliative care in recent years, the different perspectives in the euthanasia debate around the world is not far removed from us. The question remains as to whether our society is ready for measures such as euthanasia. As for authority, this article is written by Anna Holligan from BBC News. BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the worlds largest broadcast news organisation. The BBC is required by its charter to be free from both political and commercial influence and answers only to its viewers and listeners. However, this has been challenged on a few occasions. On the whole, BBC News is still regarded as an objective source of news, as compared to papers subjected to political/commercial influence. In analysing accuracy, I found that the same news also appeared in The Huffington Post (US) and the Guardian (UK). NVVE (Dutch right-to-die organization) website (through Google translate). Please see the attached article from The Guardian as a cross-reference. At the same time, within the BBC article itself, the journalist had also listed quotes from the following: Mr Jan Suyver, one of the creators of the Levenseinde (Life End) units; NVVE (Dutch right-to-die organization); Bert Dorenbos, who represents the pro-life Dutch Cry for Life campaign group and The Royal Dutch Medical Association. In addition, the journalist gave statistics referring to the existing euthanasia law in the Netherlands, as well as findings from a report published by the commission on Assisted Dying in the UK. The information and quotes from these diverse sources (who offer different perspectives on the issue) strengthens the validity and reliability of the article. The purpose of this article is to inform readers about the new controversial option for euthanasia in the Netherlands. The intention to inform can be seen in the way the article presented the information in an objective manner. Perspectives of both the pro-euthanasia camp and the anti-euthanasia camp were highlighted, without the article being skewed in favour of either of them. Therefore, I think this is quite a balanced and reliable article.

Material Failure Analysis

Material Failure Analysis Question 1) There are axles on all vehicles such as cars as the axle supports the wheels parallel to the opposing wheel whilst holding the balance of the body of the car. It also transmits torque from the axle to the wheels to give it power that is efficient in the movement of the car. Other vehicles such as heavy-duty trucks will not have a shaft like the front beam axle therefore it serves only as a suspension and steering component. (Vehicle Axle, 2017) It is likely that the rear wheel axle was failed by fatigue as this is very common. The axle must be able to carry the weight of the vehicle and any cargo that has been loaded. This is usually directed at heavier vehicles such as commercial vehicles that carry around goods. Over time the axle could wear down if excess stress is applied to the axle. This is called a high-cycle fatigue which can be shown by an S-N curve otherwise known as the Wohler curve. August Wohler was a German railway engineer, best remembered for his systematic investigations of metal fatigue. (August Wohler, 2016) As we can see from Figure 1, this is a Wohler curve example for brittle aluminium that shows when you apply stress over the Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS), the life reduces over time and wears out and would break which relates to if stress above the UTS is applied on the rear axle it could also lead to it breaking. When too much stress (more than what the recommended axle capacity) is applied to the vehicle, the axle begins to form small cracks wearing down the structural integrity over time. Stress on the rear axle could also be applied from things such as driving in harsh conditions like bumpy roads or potholes. Another very common reason (especially older vehicles) if the vehicle does not get the proper maintenance that could damage the vehicle over time from parts such as shafts, gears, components of the axle or rusted parts that have not been cared for. (How do you break an axle?, 2017)ÂÂ   These therefore could potentially lead to the axle breaking by fatigue over time. The way we can analyse if the rear axle was broken on impact is by using a method called fractography. Fractography is a method that is used to determine the cause of failure of engineering structures. (Fractography, 2017) For material science, fractography is used to check crack growth behaviour. The method used for this is carried out by using an optical microscopy (figure 2) with angled lighting on the broken axle to find out the degree of cracking and possibly the origins. This process is enough to pinpoint the cause of the cracking and the growth pattern. Common reasons that could cause the material to crack are contaminations, stress concentrations etc. In conclusion many factors can separate if the rear axle breaking was caused by fatigue failure or failure on impact. It could vary for reasons such as if the vehicle had been carrying a heavy load over time for example a commercial vehicle that carries goods that is heavier than the Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of what the axle can hold. Proven by the Wohler curve over time the life cycle of the axle will wear down and eventually break. For vehicles that do not carry loads that apply excess stress on the rear axle, the reasoning of the axle breaking could be from natural causes from the environment such as speeding over potholes, parts rusting or no proper maintenance on the vehicle could lead to the structural integrity breaking down over time causing it to be in an accident. By using fractography on the broken axle could show leads to why the accident was caused by looking at the cracks and the pattern of the spread to see if it was caused by load or not. Question 2) A pulley is used to lift heavy loads or to change the direction of forces applied. It consists of a wheel with grooves on an axle that can be driven with pulley systems like wire rope, cable, chain etc. These pulleys can operate using applied human force to lift heavy objects. The reason why humans can lift heavy objects with the pulley is because the pulley system such as wire rope transmits the tension force around the pulley allowing humans use no effort because there is no energy loss because of the friction. However for much heavier items that humans cannot lift, machinery is used such as cranes. If the pulley system does not dissipate or store energy, then its mechanical advantage is the number of parts of the rope that act on the load (Pulley Systems, 2017). Wire ropes are usually made from a non-alloy carbon steel with a very low carbon content of 0.4 to 0.95%. (Carbon steel rope, 2017) This allows the rope to have an extremely high strength that can hold large tensile forces and be able to operate sheaves (pulley with a groove) with somewhat small diameters.ÂÂ   If no chemical/mechanical damage, excessive heat or corrosion is involved in the wire rope failing then the rope will fail in the sector which has been exposed to the highest amount of abrasion and fatigue. This means that the likeliest sector that the wire rope failure will occur can be predicted. Wire ropes also vary from different aspects such as the number of outer strands and the size of the core. For example if you had less outer strands, the core would not be able to hold the load however the outer strands will hold it instead. On the other hand, if you had more strands, the core would be bigger therefore it would hold the load however the outer strands become loose over time but that would not make the rope fail. One way the wire rope could have failed is the end of the rope wearing out over time in a Flemish eye and could potentially come apart causing it to fail due to the load exceeding the weight limit of the bond between the Flemish eye and the wire rope. There are many ways that the wire rope can be terminated to prevent and stop this from happening. These include methods such as thimbles, clamps, sockets etc. with termination efficiencies that range from 70-100%. However there are also cons with some termination methods such as thimbles. There is the risk that when the wire rope is terminated, it could bend too tightly especially when the loop is connected to a device that concentrates the load on a relatively small area.(Wire rope bend, 2017) The wire ropes need to have a strong structure requiring it to have been stressed by things such as wear and corrosion. It also needs to be inspected using a magnetic method capable of detecting inner wire breaks. (Wire rope Safety, 2017) A frequent cause for wire rope failure is corrosion. This is due to the use of a little lubrication or lubrication that has not penetrated inside the rope. The rope inspector will not see the wire rope corroding due to lubrication on the outside however the rope would be destroyed internally by corrosion and abrasion and when it goes to lift a heavy weight, it would create a great amount of damage. Another way damage can be caused it called jumping the sheave which is not where the rope does not slip/jump out of the sheave but it fails to get into the sheave of the wheel instead. Steel wire ropes have a high melting point therefore can be used in hot environments such as Ladle cranes (Ladle cranes, 2017) as seen in Figure 4. However if the steel wire ropes stay in the heat for too long, the material anneals therefore making it dangerous. There are multiple ways we can analyse why the wire rope failing one of them being microscopic analysis. The wire rope can be analysed through this method to see the cracks in the steel. It can then be run through a Scanning Electron Microscope (Scanning electron microscope, 2017) done by X-ray analysis and X-ray mapping which can show every forking point of the wire as if the wire was extremely brittle. Pulley systems have been used for a very long time and can be traced back to Mesopotamia in 1500 B.C. (When was the pulley invented?, 2017) so we can see that it is a very useful technique to present day. Therefore I conclude that the reason behind the rope failing is due to fatigue. There are several safety precautions for exceeding the weight limit such as Flemish eye. However there too many fatigue reasons that outweigh the limit of the rope such as the amount/types of stresses and environmental factors that can also be analysed through SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) to see cracks in the wire rope. Question 3) Arc welding is a common method that fuses metals together. The way this is done is by using a welding power supply that could be alternating (AC) or direct (DC) current that creates an electric arc between an electrode and the base material. (Arc welding, 2016) This then melts the base material to its welding point and then the melted metal will create a weld between the metals. The weld will then cool fusing them together (can be seen in figure 7). Arc welders must be trained and equipped with PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as visors due to the fact that arc welding produces harmful Ultraviolet radiation and toxic fumes from metals. If they do not take these precautions UV radiation can lead to ocular damage and the toxic fumes can lead to occupational disease. A major defect that arc welding could have is cracks (Figure 8). There are many types of cracks within the weld and it only takes one type to fail a weld inspection. You cannot go over the crack with more welding to cover it up as the weld will not be strong over use especially in relation to the missile leaning on the steel which would not last long and could cause damage therefore the weld needs to be filed/grinded out and done again. Â   One type of cracking is called cold cracking. It is not noticeable at first however over time it will be because hydrogen absorbs into the weld puddle affecting the weld. This could be because of moisture seeping into the electrode before welding. Another type of cracking is called hot cracking and this is noticeable right after welding. The reasoning behind this crack could be poor joint design that would not diffuse the heat. One of the other reasons behind hot cracking could be impurities such as the presence of sulphur in the welding metal which could cause problems such as change the cooling within the weld. Many precautions can be taken to avoid cracks within the arc weld such as checking your welding equipment i.e. test your machine before you generate current to the electrode and keep your welding rod and metals in dry conditions so hydrogen or sulphate does not affect your weld. You should also make sure your plates are clean and grinded well so the arc weld fit without any problems such as the welding joint. Steel has a very low carbon content between 0.05-0.25% which is easy to weld with because it would not harden by heat treatment. Therefore there will be less hardened zones in the heat affected zone because as carbon content increases, welding gets harder because of the quenching action. The microstructure of the weld metal is needed for the alloy of the carbon steel but in carbon, carbon manganese and micro alloyed steel, the weld metal structure is mostly affected by the welding. The structure of Carbon steel is usually affected by things such as the cooling time, plastic strain, composition etc. The Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) is the area of the steel plates that has had microstructure and properties altered by welding (Heat-affected zone, 2016). The speed and temperature of the welding plays a big role as it decides the spread of heat onto the parent material (HAZ diagram figure 9). Different types of processes such as electron beam welding gives off high concentrated limited amounts of heat that results in Heat affected zone. For arc welding in steel, the HAZ is split into three sections being the intercritical, supercritical and subcritical from a metallurgical point of view. Heat affected zones are impossible to see because it makes it hard to manage the bending angle therefore the only way to remove the entire extension of the HAZ is to machine it away (Dealing with HAZ, 2017). Methods to analyse weld testing are utilized to guarantee the quality of the weld after it is finished. For the most part this refers to testing and analysis concentrated on the quality and quality of the weld, yet it may refer to actions to check for the position, intensity of welds. A common method to analyse these welds are image-based such as X-ray using Machine Vision (MV). This method is done by and inspector manually to look at images of the weld and come up with a conclusion of the quality and correctness of the weld. In conclusion, there are many deciding factors such as the microstructure when it comes to its behaviour and properties. We know that the cooling rate and composition of the welding is important in the formation of microstructures in the welding metal. I would recommend welding the steel in controlled situations at described above to prevent cracks. We know the carbon content of the steel increases therefore the weldability decreases and the hardness increases. I believe arc welding in a controlled situation such as dry conditions and testing machinery before use is a low risk of being affected by things such as sulphate and hydrogen. Question 1) Vehicle Axle (2017) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axle#Vehicle_axles August Wohler (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_W%C3%B6hler File: BrittleAluminium320MPa S-N curve.svg (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BrittleAluminium320MPa_S-N_Curve.svg How do you break an axle? (2017) Available at: https://www.reference.com/home-garden/break-axle-7c5da780a7e83eb2 Fractography (2017) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_microscope#/media/File:Optical_microscope_nikon_alphaphot_%2B.jpg Question 2) Pulley Systems (2017) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulley#Rope_and_pulley_systems Carbon steel rope (2017) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_rope#Construction Wire rope Safety (2017) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_rope#Safety Ladle cranes (2017) Available at: http://www.casar.de/Rope-Selection/Ladle-Cranes Scanning electron microscope (2017) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanning_electron_microscope#Materials SEM Scanning (no date) Available at: https://www.mri.psu.edu/materials-characterization-lab/characterization-techniques/scanning-electron-microscopy-sem When was the pulley invented? (2017) Available at: https://www.reference.com/history/pulley-invented-8dcaf2574d30b8ea Wire rope bend (2017) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_rope Question 3) Arc welding (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arc_welding Welding diagram (2003) Available at: http://www.globalspec.com/reference/80954/203279/chapter-6-metal-arc-welding-with-coated-electrodes Arc Welding Cracks (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welding_defect#/media/File:Welding_cracks.svg Heat-affected zone (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat-affected_zone Dealing with HAZ (2017) Available at: http://www.thefabricator.com/article/shopmanagement/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-heat-affected-zone

Analysis of Proverbs 31 Essay -- The Worthy Woman

The â€Å"Worthy Woman;† what a title. Everyone who has some knowledge of the Bible has heard this phrase. Almost anyone can name some catchy phrase or saying that is from the Bible whether it is from the Psalms or Proverbs or any other book. We all know those verses that tend to get stuck in our mind. However catchy they may be, unless one actually comes to an understanding of what is being said and applies it to their lives, these catchy phrases can just be surface knowledge. Every Christian can get caught in that trap. When someone is considering a Bible passage they should try to learn everything they can about that passage; any background information, what certain words mean, who the author is. The knowledge one can gain from the Bible is never ending. Another problem when studying the Bible is when people use their â€Å"knowledge† of the Bible to make themselves look like better Bible students. The Pharisees were constantly doing this. We need to not be puffed up about the knowledge we gain from the Bible and constantly try to be gaining more and share it with others. Going back to â€Å"the worthy woman,† it is one of the most well known passages and therefore a lot of knowledge and wisdom can be gleaned from it. This is the last chapter of the Proverbs and is divided into two sections. Verses 1-9 are categorized as ‘The Words of King Lemuel,’ followed by verses 10-31 categorized as ‘The Woman Who Fears the Lord.’ This Proverb has a title unlike some of the other Proverbs. This title tells who wrote it and what the proverb is. The title of Proverbs 31 is â€Å"The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him (ESV).† The exact identity of King Lemuel is unknown. Many commentaries suggest that even though ... ... passage because it gives me something to strive for as a woman. It is easy to understand and practical. To have this woman as an example of what a virtuous godly woman should be like, should give us no excuse to not continually strive to be like her in any and every way. We should try to dwell on these qualities and put them into our lives, until those qualities become our lives and we are praised for the good we are doing. Works Cited Arnot, William. "Proverbs 31." Studies in Proverbs: Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1978. 570-83. Print. Greenstone, Julius H. "Poverbs 31." The Holy SScriptures: Proverbs. Philadelphia: Jewish Pub. Soc. of America, 1950. 329-39. Print. Henry, Matthew. "Proverbs 31." Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. Vol. III. McLean, Virg.: MacDonald, 1991. 971-77. Print. Analysis of Proverbs 31 Essay -- The Worthy Woman The â€Å"Worthy Woman;† what a title. Everyone who has some knowledge of the Bible has heard this phrase. Almost anyone can name some catchy phrase or saying that is from the Bible whether it is from the Psalms or Proverbs or any other book. We all know those verses that tend to get stuck in our mind. However catchy they may be, unless one actually comes to an understanding of what is being said and applies it to their lives, these catchy phrases can just be surface knowledge. Every Christian can get caught in that trap. When someone is considering a Bible passage they should try to learn everything they can about that passage; any background information, what certain words mean, who the author is. The knowledge one can gain from the Bible is never ending. Another problem when studying the Bible is when people use their â€Å"knowledge† of the Bible to make themselves look like better Bible students. The Pharisees were constantly doing this. We need to not be puffed up about the knowledge we gain from the Bible and constantly try to be gaining more and share it with others. Going back to â€Å"the worthy woman,† it is one of the most well known passages and therefore a lot of knowledge and wisdom can be gleaned from it. This is the last chapter of the Proverbs and is divided into two sections. Verses 1-9 are categorized as ‘The Words of King Lemuel,’ followed by verses 10-31 categorized as ‘The Woman Who Fears the Lord.’ This Proverb has a title unlike some of the other Proverbs. This title tells who wrote it and what the proverb is. The title of Proverbs 31 is â€Å"The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him (ESV).† The exact identity of King Lemuel is unknown. Many commentaries suggest that even though ... ... passage because it gives me something to strive for as a woman. It is easy to understand and practical. To have this woman as an example of what a virtuous godly woman should be like, should give us no excuse to not continually strive to be like her in any and every way. We should try to dwell on these qualities and put them into our lives, until those qualities become our lives and we are praised for the good we are doing. Works Cited Arnot, William. "Proverbs 31." Studies in Proverbs: Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1978. 570-83. Print. Greenstone, Julius H. "Poverbs 31." The Holy SScriptures: Proverbs. Philadelphia: Jewish Pub. Soc. of America, 1950. 329-39. Print. Henry, Matthew. "Proverbs 31." Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. Vol. III. McLean, Virg.: MacDonald, 1991. 971-77. Print.

Facing Death Again :: Graduate College Admissions Essays

Facing Death Again I've been having adventures this summer. In July I cranked my new new car up to 110 mph and flew alone for two days in the desert, saw a dead polar bear in a coffee shop, marched in a parade, and scattered Dad's ashes in an open meadow. For the most part, though, my adventures have been internal. I am making a feeble attempt at a teenage life crisis, but so far it hasn't amounted to much - just a lot of pacing, brooding, and long, exhausting mental hikes down roads not taken. My mom has been patient throughout. One of my melancholy realizations is that my remarkable network of teenage friends, once so closely-knit, are now scattered to the wind and so deeply entangled in their own lives that I have very few people left to talk to. At school I have a first-rate cadre of friends, and long lunches every day, but we keep each other, always, at a certain distance. Other old friends are reachable by phone, and I've reached, but there are always parties or impatient girlfriends in the background. It takes great resourcefulness, and much juggling of schedules, to pry loose a few precious minutes on the phone, and in those minutes there are bridges to be built and private languages to be rediscovered before any real conversation can take place. And my dearest friend, is off somewhere in the easternmost Alps, drinking Viennese coffee and nibbling on Viennese pastries, as far away as she could possibly be. "Midway this way of life we're bound upon, I woke to find myself in a dark wood, Where the right road was wholly lost and gone." My own attempt at a teenage life crisis is not near so dark or fraught with peril as was Dante's. In fact it's all so by-the-book and so perfectly on schedule as to be dreary: I turn eighteen, my father dies, and I'm on my way. With my father's death I now advance to the plate. I am up next. It is now officially my turn to face the reaper. Being the morbid, romantic fellow I am, I actually faced (embraced!) all this mortality business long ago. As a young lad I used to write "Respice Finem" on snowbanks and dusty windowshields: "Consider Your End." Death itself hasn't bothered me for a long time, and I'm old enough now to understand what Mark Twain said about death, that it becomes our best friend. Facing Death Again :: Graduate College Admissions Essays Facing Death Again I've been having adventures this summer. In July I cranked my new new car up to 110 mph and flew alone for two days in the desert, saw a dead polar bear in a coffee shop, marched in a parade, and scattered Dad's ashes in an open meadow. For the most part, though, my adventures have been internal. I am making a feeble attempt at a teenage life crisis, but so far it hasn't amounted to much - just a lot of pacing, brooding, and long, exhausting mental hikes down roads not taken. My mom has been patient throughout. One of my melancholy realizations is that my remarkable network of teenage friends, once so closely-knit, are now scattered to the wind and so deeply entangled in their own lives that I have very few people left to talk to. At school I have a first-rate cadre of friends, and long lunches every day, but we keep each other, always, at a certain distance. Other old friends are reachable by phone, and I've reached, but there are always parties or impatient girlfriends in the background. It takes great resourcefulness, and much juggling of schedules, to pry loose a few precious minutes on the phone, and in those minutes there are bridges to be built and private languages to be rediscovered before any real conversation can take place. And my dearest friend, is off somewhere in the easternmost Alps, drinking Viennese coffee and nibbling on Viennese pastries, as far away as she could possibly be. "Midway this way of life we're bound upon, I woke to find myself in a dark wood, Where the right road was wholly lost and gone." My own attempt at a teenage life crisis is not near so dark or fraught with peril as was Dante's. In fact it's all so by-the-book and so perfectly on schedule as to be dreary: I turn eighteen, my father dies, and I'm on my way. With my father's death I now advance to the plate. I am up next. It is now officially my turn to face the reaper. Being the morbid, romantic fellow I am, I actually faced (embraced!) all this mortality business long ago. As a young lad I used to write "Respice Finem" on snowbanks and dusty windowshields: "Consider Your End." Death itself hasn't bothered me for a long time, and I'm old enough now to understand what Mark Twain said about death, that it becomes our best friend.

Public Administration and Management Essay

Introduction Public administration in Britain takes place through a variety of state agencies with varying histories, functions, as well as patterns of political control and accountability. These comprise the civil service; a large number of local bureaucracies serving an elective system of local government; another massive organization administering the National Health Service (NHS) and, under the acronym ‘quango’, a diverse range of organizations responsible for a assortment of administrative, consultative, advisory in addition to regulatory roles. In addition there is a compound of tribunals, inquiries, an ombudsman system and the judiciary, which together dispense administrative justice. The architecture of the modern state was drawn mainly in the nineteenth century, when the rising industrial bourgeoisie required a means of supporting the emerging capitalist economy. A number of major reports and Acts of Parliament offered blueprints for a competent and meritocratic modern civil service and the system of carefully managed municipalities. Reconstruction following the Second World War added a new layer to the modern state with the making of a inclusive welfare state, including the NHS, and the nationalization of a number of chief industries in the form of public corporations. From the 1980s an additional chapter was opened, as the post-war Keynesian beliefs were challenged in the rise of neo-liberalism under the government of Margaret Thatcher. The bureaucratic terrain was re-landscaped, part of a procedure distinguished as a ‘hollowing out’ of the state (Rhodes 1994; 1997). Even though talk of reform had long featured on the political program, the public bureaucracies had established a renowned capacity to resist change. However, this time the thoughts were backed by resolute political will. A significant intellectual dynamic came from interpretation based on rational individuality under the name of public choice theory (Niskanen 1973). This was usually suspicious of public bureaucracies, which were seen as principally self serving. Much of the practical reform in structure and management was stirred by the model of the private sector, where it was reasoned that the restraint of the profit motive secured greater efficiency, effectiveness as well as economy. The oratory spoke of ‘reinventing government’ (Osborne and Gaebler 1992); though to critics it emerged as abandoning government in an anti-statist crusade. A program of privatization cut sheathe through the state industrial sector while giving rise to a new generation of regulatory agencies. Much of the civil service was recast into a compound of agencies with a greater level of autonomy from the centre, and the collection of quangos began to grow as responsibilities for a variety of functions were transferred from the realm of elected local government. Indeed, processes of market testing as well as compulsory competitive tendering saw the stipulation of certain services passing from the state altogether and into the hands of the private sector. The arrival of a Labour Government in 1997 did little to stem the tide of change. Furthermore, this new government occasioned further seismic shifts through devolution to Scotland and Wales. Great Britain includes the nations of England, Wales and Scotland, while the United Kingdom extends the embrace to Northern Ireland. These cultural forms were recognized in an outline of administrative regionalism. For long this motivated little political feeling; only in Northern Ireland were separatist tensions felt. Nonetheless, during the 1980s, nationalist movements gathered speed in both Wales and Scotland; this sequentially generated some pressure towards English regionalism. Thus the state has been forced to concern itself with issues of territorial management and make some chief allowances to diversity (Thompson, 1997). Rooted in a history dating from the take-over of Ireland by the Tudors and re-conquest first by Cromwell and later by the Protestant William of Orange, Northern Ireland dwarfs all other territorial problems of UK Government. Coming to office in the year 1997, Tony Blair’s first official journey was to Ulster and Sinn Fein was invited into new peace talks. After indirect negotiations, which included some mediation from US President Bill Clinton, an agreement was reached which included: A Northern Ireland assembly of 108 elected by PR with legislative powers under an all-party executive A North-South Ministerial Council to reflect on issues for instance cross-border co-operation The Irish Government to give up constitutional claims to Northern Ireland and Westminster to reinstate the Government of Ireland Act A Council of the Isles comprising members from the north and south of Ireland and the Scottish and Welsh assemblies There were also to be releases of prisoners in addition to a decommissioning of arms. The agreement was effectively put to referendums in Northern Ireland and the Republic in May 1998. Elections were held, but advancement began to slow down. Scotland and Wales In the UK mainland, Wales and Scotland had been governed as provinces from London, with Secretaries of State in the Cabinet and Grand Committees in Parliament. Public administration in the provinces came under Whitehall outposts, the Welsh and Scottish Offices. Nonetheless, from 1979 an extremely centralizing government heightened a mood of separatism, placing strains on the veracity of the state which were to go off in tectonic constitutional shifts in 1998. The configuration of the two new assemblies was intended to release a safety valve on the separatist pressure. On the other hand, opinion polls began to show rising support for the SNP and its objective of complete Scottish independence in the background of the EU. Comparable murmurings were heard in Wales, a country that had done very fine from its European involvement (Jones 1997). Labor’s central machine showed an enthusiastic concern to have its chosen men as the leaders of the provincial parties (and hence first ministers in the assemblies) representing a keen aspiration to keep the provinces under the Westminster wing. Nonetheless, when the elections by the additional member system (d’Hondt version) to the new assemblies were held on 6 May 1999, the Labour Party, with 28 of the 60 seats in the Welsh Senedd, and 59 of Scotland’s 129-seat assembly, failed to win unconditional majorities in either province. A future of alliance government loomed. furthermore, with 17 seats in Wales and 35 in Scotland, the nationalists were second placed in both cases, possibly presaging further separatist pressure (Drewry, & Butcher, 1991). England Devolution debate reverberated into England with requirements for regional independence. A political split was opening as from the early 1980s voting patterns gradually more revealed the Conservatives as a party of the southeast. past the ballot box an economic split yawned as huge deindustrialization and the collapse of mining confounded communities in the north. The economic forecasting organization, the Henley Centre, found per capita income in the south-east to be 20 per cent higher than in the rest of Britain (Wagstyl 1996). A European Commission report of November 1996 established that, while post-war economic revival had closed the poverty gaps between Western Europe’s states, wide dissimilarities remained between regions, the greatest being within the UK.   The British public sector, with numerous of its customs cast in the nineteenth century, has for long been criticized as managerially incompetent. The post-war era saw repeated efforts at reform all through the public sector, though few made any lasting notion before the 1980s. Ever since this time there has been something of a revolution as what was phrased a ‘new public management’ movement became a familiar international influence (Hood 1991; Lowndes 1997). It was to send shivers to the very foundations of the state, reforming structures as well as practices. The nineteenth-century reforms recognized a custom of elitist generalism and social superiority in which Oxbridge graduates schooled in the classics were to lead the upper reaches of the state bureaucracy. This was to stimulate substantial post-war debate. The onset in office of a Labour Government in 1964 pledged revolution and the 1968 Fulton Committee set up by Harold Wilson criticized the ‘cult of the amateur’. It resulted in the formation of a Civil Service Department (CSD) in Whitehall to supervise managerial reforms all through the service, and the establishment of a Civil Service College to offer continuing operating training. One proposal which failed to stimulate was that entrants should hold relevant degrees: the place of the ‘generalist’ administrator remained unassailed. In the 1990s, Richards (1996) initiated the generalists’ promotion prospects still significantly brighter than those of the specialist. In the interim, the Civil Service College had fallen well short of the determined position envisaged for it and the CSD had been ignominiously wipe out from the bureaucratic map. Not until Thatcher took the bit between her teeth did a grave breakthrough come. In her first year of office an Efficiency Unit was set up headed by Sir Derek Rayner of the retail giant Marks & Spencer. He initiated a system of ‘scrutinies’ in which competence teams studied recognized practices and suggested reforms, an initiative which achieved more than anything before (Hennessy 1990:619). Even so, the reforms did not go far enough for those of a fundamental bent. An even greater culture shock was to come when Robin Ibbs took over the Efficiency Unit and produced the 1988 report, ‘Improving Management in Government: The Next Steps’. This was the report which led to the recasting of the Civil Service as executive agencies. Despite its structural impact the intent in this initiative was essentially managerial (Elcock 1991:236-42). Once established, the new chief executives were given a free rein to introduce a wide range of management practices such as performance-related pay and short-term contracts in the quest for efficiency. A special unit was created in the Cabinet Office to maintain the reforming impetus. The government also assisted developments by abolishing the Northcote-Trevelyan model of centralized recruitment through the independent Civil Service Commission for some 95 per cent of appointments. Responsibility was to lie with the various departments and agencies themselves. A Recruitment and Assessment Service was created to offer central assistance if required although, amidst heated controversy, this itself was privatized in 1991. The result was a variety of terms and conditions of employment throughout the service. There were limits to the revolution. Government radicals had wanted the reforms to reach the senior mandarins, subjecting them to short-term contracts, market-testing and large-scale appointments from the private sector on the ‘revolving-door’ principle. For most civil servants, anticipating a life insulated from the chill winds of the market economy, much of the managerial reform process was demoralizing. While academics in the right-wing think tanks applauded the changes, many other academic critics saw in the quest for efficiency serious threats to the fundamental public service ethos (Elcock 1991:188; Chapman and O’Toole 1995). There was some feeling that the reforms reflected governmental antagonism towards civil servants as much as a quest for improved management; the term ‘deprivileging’ was sometimes heard. The Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee noted that in 1992/3,  £768 million worth of activities out of the  £1.119 billion subjected to market testing were contracted out without civil servants even being allowed to make in-house bids. The traditional management structure in local government entailed separate departments responsible for the provision of various services, each headed by a chief officer and responsible to a particular council committee. A legion of post-war critics saw this as slow, cumbersome and diffuse. A major debate in the 1960s concerned a corporate management model in which a powerful chief executive would displace the traditional town clerk to give strong leadership at the centre. Councilors, faced with a palpable loss of power, proved resistant and traditional practices persisted, although often under the camouflage of some changed nomenclature. New impetus came with the Thatcher regime and was elaborated under John Major (Kingdom 1999). Looking as always to the private sector, much was made of the concept of the ‘enabling authority’; the emphasis was not on the direct provision services but on contracting them out to the private and voluntary sectors. Such a practice was by no means new but, from the late 1980s, it became central to government policy, with compulsory competitive tendering (CCT) introduced for an ever-widening range of functions, from refuse collection to professional, legal and accounting responsibilities. A policy of care in the community, coming into force in April 1993, added impetus by requiring local authorities to make use of private and voluntary-sector residential homes for their widening community care responsibilities. In opposition Labour had poured scorn on the policy; in government it maintained the contracting out principle under the term ‘Best Value’. The managerial implications in CCT were profound. Although local responses varied with political complexion, few authorities could remain untouched by the culture shift. Even where there was no stomach for contracting out, teams of officials had to endure considerable stress in producing competitive in-house bids in order to keep their jobs. Colleagues found themselves in competitive relationships with each other, some becoming contractors and others providers (Audit Commission 1993). Moreover, the drawing up and monitoring of contracts required the skills of lawyers and accountants rather than elected councilors. Major’s Environment Secretary Michael Heseltine produced a consultation document, The Internal Management of Local Authorities, stressing that the control and co-ordination of large workforces would no longer be the central management task. The paper looked for speedy decision-making and strong leadership, advocating local cabinets, appointed council managers or, most radically, directly elected US-style mayors with high public profiles. The latter had held little appeal to Heseltine’s party but, in a February 1998 consultation paper, Modernizing Local Government: Local Democracy and Community Leadership, the new Labour Government declared itself ‘very attracted’ to the model of a strong directly elected mayor (para 5.14). The promised Greater London Authority was seen as a suitable flagship for innovation. Here the mayor, served by three or four deputies and a small bureaucracy of around 250, would set policy objectives and an annual budget (of some  £3.3 billion). The role of the councilors in the assembly would be approving rather than determining the budget. Responsibilities of the new mayor would include public transport, the fire brigade, strategic planning, trunk roads, traffic management, the ambulance service and possibly the arts. In addition, responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Force would be taken over from the Home Secretary. The potential power of the new office would be considerable, and both main parties showed alarm as the names of some of their more maverick members were canvassed. For Labour leader Tony Blair, the nightmare candidate appeared to be the left-wing Ken Livingstone, ex-leader of the old GLC and extremely popular with Londoners. The nightmare became reality in May 2000. There was an expectation that this model would be extended to other major cities. All 494 councils were asked to submit plans to central government showing how they would separate the decision-making role from that of representing constituents. Three options were offered: †¢ a leader elected by the council who would appoint a cabinet from the council A directly elected executive mayor who would appoint a cabinet from the council A directly elected mayor working with a full-time manager appointed by the council Conclusion The general election of May 1997 saw the end of an 18-year period of Conservative rule during which the administrative landscape of the state had been radically recast. Few corners of the public sector could be said to have escaped some aspect of the winds of change which included privatization, agencification, CCT, market-testing, public-private partnership ventures, the emergence by stealth of the ‘new magistracy’ and the general spread of a private-sector managerial ethos. In opposition, the Labour Party had maintained a prolonged crusade against most of the reforms, and many supporters had looked forward to the advance of the political bulldozers to level the ground. In power the party kicked off with a number of significant constitutional moves over devolution, the electoral system, the ECHR, the House of Lords, the Bank of England and the reform of local government. However, the party in power termed itself New Labour and preservation orders appeared over the recently privatized sector; indeed further privatizations were soon mooted in the cases of the Royal Mint and Air Traffic Control, and the remodeled Civil Service and NHS. In local government grant-maintained schools remained under the term ‘foundation schools’, and the replacement of CCT with ‘Best Value’ was, in the eyes of critics, little more than cosmetic (Theakston, & Fry, 1998). Moreover, there remained something very much like a capping regime over local government expenditure. In managerial terms, the three Es of effectiveness, economy and efficiency continued as the holy trinity. As the millennium closed it was safe to say that, while the British public sector would remain in the state of flux allowed by its vague and unwritten constitution, the substructure had seen some tectonic shifts from which there would be little reversal.   Reference: Audit Commission (1993) Realising the Benefits of Competition: The Client Role forContracted Services, London: HMSO. Birkinshaw, P. (1997) ‘Freedom of information’, Parliamentary Affairs, 50, 1:164-81. Chapman, R.A. and Toole, B.J. (1995) ‘The role of the civil service: a traditional view in a period of change’, Public Policy and Administration, 10, 2:3-20. Elcock, H. (1991) Change and Decay: Public Administration in the 1990s, Harlow: Longman. Hennessy, P. (1990) Whitehall, London: Fontana.   Hood, C. (1991) ‘A public management for all seasons’, Public Administration, 69, 1: 3-19. Jones, B. (1997) ‘Wales: a developing political economy’, in M. Keating and J. 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