Does language influence thinking skills or cognition Essay

Does language influence thinking skills or cognition - Essay Example All these include some of the questions several philosophies within cognitive science are trying to answer. For a much longer period, the thought that language might influence thought was considered wrong. Several data analysis have been collected through most parts and the end results show that, individuals who speak diverse dialects do indeed think differently and that even grammar can intensely influence how most people perceive the world. To elucidate the stated thought, let us ask ourselves a simple question; how would our lives be if we had never learned any of the languages? Could we still have friends around us, hold any particular job, have a relationship or family, get an education, explore our gifting or maximize our potential? Language is thus essential and entirely part of our lives, that it’s even hard to imagine life without it. A four-year-old in one society can perform a task with much ease as opposed to an intellectual in another society. This is a huge difference in cognitive strength and the surprising answer to this cause is the language. This theory goes back to the centuries with philosophers Sapir and Whorf emphasizing that, variances in languages such as English and Hopi, lead to the difference in thinking (Eysenck & Keane, 2000, p. 122-24). This thought however was met with serious criticism over time as philosophers argued that, the theories were not supported by much proof. However, decades later, it is still evident that language shapes thinking. The results have had a great influence in law, education and even politics. Speakers of diverse languages also vary in how they define events and, as a result, how they can remember who did what and so forth. All events, even instant accidents, are complex and need us to interpret what happened. Take, for instance, former vice president Dick Cheney’s accident, in which he unintentionally shot Harry Whittington. One could say that it seemed as if

Cultural Context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cultural Context - Essay Example Nevertheless, both suicides have some semblance. Both Ben and Edna are driven majorly by acts of selfishness. It could be argued that Edna is driven to kill herself because she discovers that no one else dares to join in her overt defiance towards the day’s cultural expectations on women. Robert, for instance is able to restrain himself despite his profound love for her, while she openly mocks him over his apprehensions on adultery (Chopin, 2011). Edna feels too superior to acquiesce to societal norms or what is real. On the other hand, though it could be argued that Ben’s suicide has got little to do with society’s expectations on him, his selfishness and superiority complex is as evident in his quest as much as Edna’s. Ben never personally selected his victims yet he assigns himself the role of selecting those whom he thinks deserves to benefit from his suicide. Inasmuch as we may opt to champion for certain causes in the world, we must also acknowledg e our limitations. It is our duty to seek to involve others in our quests so that the merits and demerits of our intentions may be laid out and clarity sought.

Elitism Or Pluralism Depiction Of Political Power Politics Essay

Elitism Or Pluralism Depiction Of Political Power Politics Essay The United States of America, the biggest democracy in the world, was born as such in 1787, when 55 representatives of each state gathered in Philadelphia in order to achieve a compromise, a union within states. When we talk about America, what crosses our mind is the idea of greatness, strength and power, an enormous power of an enormous country, and its distribution is one of the major issues in American politics, whether it is an elitist or a pluralist distribution of power. Nevertheless, it is worth first of all turning ones attention to the history of the United States and this will perhaps allow us better to understand and analyse the American power. Lets go back to the eighteenth century, when Americans were unfairly treated by the English Crown, they contributed to the metropolis and they were torn apart in every decision that concerned them so that by the middle of the eighteenth century, a negative atmosphere against Great Britain was starting to flourish. As a consequence, the War of Independence broke out in 1775; it was a revolution, a desire of freedom, and the American people, all together, achieved their independence. On 4th of July of 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed by John Hancock, Jon Adams and Thomas Jefferson, to name just a few; and the new states formed a Republic made up by a president and a congress or assembly, this is when a democratic regime is set up in the United States. A good example of this political transformation is this quote of John Adams: Let it be known, that the so called elitists liberties are not the grants of princes or parliaments. That many of our rights are inherent and essential. Agreed on as maxims and established as preliminaries even before government existed. We have a right to them, derived from our maker. Our forefathers have earned liberty at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasures, and their blood. Liberty is not built on the doctrine that a few nobles have the right to inherit the earth. It stands on this principal that the meanest and the lowest of people are by the unalterable, indefeasible laws of God and nature as well entitled to the benefit of the air to breath, light to see, food to eat, or clothes to wear as the nobles, or even a king. That is liberty, and liberty will reign in America! (Speech by John Adams, HBOs John Adams Series) Moreover, the Constitution of 1787 reflects for the first time the principles of political liberalism, inspired by ideals of freedom and equality against the elitist political power of Great Britain at the time. Therefore, a federal government was created, formed by a president of the Republic, the Congress with two legislatives chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the Supreme Court. However, each state had its own government with competences in internal policy. Nevertheless, this separation of power first came from Montesquieu who suggested three different functions for the government: legislative, executive and judicial. He finds liberty in the distribution of power into several hands; if two functions were held in the same person, it could lead to tyranny. That being said, it is worth now analysing briefly the three branches of the American government. As for the Legislature (Congress) split into House of Representatives and the Senate, its main feature is to make law. According to the Founding Fathers, the Congress was supposed to be the centre of the governmental power; just to name a few competences, the Congress can declare war, confirm treaties or impeach the president. Today, because it is considerate as the symbol of the nation, the centre of government lies in the Executive (President) who represents the enforcement of law, having the power of veto, the grant of pardons or the nomination of judges to the Supreme Court. And finally, the Judiciary (Supreme Court) whose main feature is the interpretation of law. In the Federalist No.51, the fourth president of the United States and the Father of the Constitution, James Madison, wrote about the American power and its distribution. He said: If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. Therefore, a government is needed to maintain freedom and equality in the Hobbes state of nature in which the stronger oppresses the weaker and as a result, the interests of the individuals are reduced. But James Madison designed a federalist government in order to get privet rights and public happiness. He planned a double security, that way, the power surrendered by the people would be first divided between two distinct governments. These two governments are the State and the Federal government; then, the civil rights of the people will be preserved. Madison made sure of that by establishing a system of checks and balances in order to keep any institution from becoming more powerful. Some of these checks and balances are the nomination of judged to the Supreme Court made by the President which are confirmed by the Congress or the judiciary reviews made by the Supreme Court. That fear of power is also reflected in the Bill of Rights, which controlled the federal power by providing each state with federal representation. So, going back to the question proposed, is the American distribution of power elitist or pluralist? As I may have mentioned briefly at the beginning of this essay, and referring again to the past, American people wanted freedom and equality, but where these ideas came from? The European ideals and values of the eighteenth century got to the American society, lets remember that some years after the War of Independence, in 1789 the French Revolution shook the French Crown and also European governments; in 1802, the Spanish War of Independence and the posterior European Revolutions in 1820, 1830 and 1840. With the purpose of suggesting America as a pluralist country let me analyse the political thought of the most influential authors of the time who were Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, the figures who brought new values to the New World. In Hobbes State of Nature, all that reigned was chaos, anarchy and insecurity. Men were dangerous to themselves. The only way to get through that situation of insecurity was by given up peoples authority in order to lay their power on the government, so there could be order and peoples rights could be preserved. Here, is when the Lockes Social Contract comes, people devote their power to governors who have the duty to protect their rights, nevertheless, if governors stopped doing this, people would have the right to rise up against the power. As we have seen in the last few years, the American society power has forced some presidents to resign; the Watergate case in which the republican president Richard Nixon got involved, led him to his resignation. With the Social Contract, the government is created and its legitimacy is based on the protection of the rights of the people, who form the government, and it takes decision in a democratic manner, being the popular sovereignty one of the main principles of the State. Locke considered that the human being had some rights derived from the Maker, derived from God, and those were survival, liberty and the right of property. This can be reflected on the previous quote of John Adams. In short, American society has been forged in those values, the Constitutional principles, its individualism and natural liberty characterize it, because each person is the owner of oneself and every citizen makes the decision of participating and collaborating in the political life, because he or she is free to do it. In the end, the smallest state in political terms that we could think of is the individual, who is mobilized and organized by political parties; they play a very important role in American political life as well. Basically, political parties take part in the puzzle of the American policy in a complex manner. That is to say that, for instance, when there are presidential elections in the United States, the political parties get involve a lot more than in the Congress elections. The President, as I may have mention before, has become the nations sense of identity (Carl N. Degler, History Counts: The Burden of American Politics), people see in him the role of the leader who can only be Democratic or Republican. On the other hand, in Congress, there could be two parties, the Democratic and Republican leading the legislation together, in a higher or lower percentage of members but still, that is another argument for the pluralism of the United States. All in all, the United States of America conform the biggest democracy in the world, and as such, people have an important role in American political life, therefore, I would add a new branch in the American distribution of power: The Congress, the President, the Supreme Court and the people, because after all, the American Constitution of 1787 says We the People; and if Congress plays the legislative role, the President the executive and the Supreme Court the judicial, people are responsible of supporting them, because they are the base of the American political system. Even though it is not possible for them to reach the elite that leads the Congress, the Presidential figure or the Supreme Court, by accepting their authority and leadership, they make every political mechanism work. One example of what I have said before is the speech of the President Harry S. Truman in 1947 directed to Congress: At the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between alternative ways of life. The choice is too often not a free one. Our way of life is based upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression. The second way of life is based upon the will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and oppression I believe it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms. If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world -and we shall surely endanger the welfare of this Nation. Great responsibilities have been placed upon us of this Nation by the swift movement of events. (Quote taken from the R. J. Johnstons The American Ce ntury) Also, the John Kennedys quote Ask not what you country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country or the Obamas Yes, we can show that, as Pablo Gonzà ¡lez Casanova asserts, America is made of many Americans; and if in the past, the government could be of the people and for the people, now, despite of the enormous influence of the minority upon the majority, the majoritys interest still prevails. In conclusion, after this brief analysis of the American distribution of power through the history of the United States in which the War of Independence, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were incredibly important and also the influence of some philosophers of that time like Hobbes, Locke or Montesquieu who brought new values and principles to the American society, it would be possible to consider the United States distribution of power as pluralist. Indeed, the facts that characterize Western democracies, according to Darryl Baskin in his critique about American Pluralist Democracy are: social diversity and balance, subsystem autonomy and separation of powers. I would like to finish off this essay with another quote, this time of Carl N. Degler (History Counts: the Burden of American Politics): What I am talking about here are not politicians and parties but the character, the historical nature, if you will, of the American people. For it is they who have created and sustained the politics of this country from the beginning right down to the present.

Sharks Essay examples -- essays research papers fc

SHARKS There are more that 250 species of sharks, ranging from the harmless whale shark to the ferocious great white. I will describe the feeding habits and localities of the three greatly known to mankind: the great white shark (Carcharodon Carcharias), the tiger shark (Galeocerdo Cuvieri), and the bull shark (Carcharhinus Leucas). The great white shark, known as Carchardon Carcharias, feeds regularly on marine mammals, such as seals, sea lions, otters, dolphins, and whales. Samuel Gruber in Discovering Sharks writes that the great white consumes marine mammals when they come across a deceased one. Even though the great white has the reputation of a man-eater; they attack thinking that the diver or surfers on a short board are part of its natural prey. The San Francisco area is known as the great white capital, because of the â€Å"Red Triangle.† The red triangle is the breeding ground for its natural prey, seals and sea lions. The triangle’s boundaries are north of Tamales Point, south of Monterey Bay, and west of the Farallon Islands, states Rodney Steel in the book Sharks of the World. The sharks also are found in quiet, shallow waters, along with in Australia. The tiger shark, known as Galeocerdo Cuivieri, feeds regularly on marine mammals also. Tiger sharks do end up with curious articles in their stomach like license plates, lamps, and sheep. The tiger shark is a cannibalistic shark, which means it will attack its own kind when needed. Tiger sharks will feed on anything th...

City Road Essay

Another would be that pedestrians seem to be favoured more so than motorists. For instance the islands in the middle of the road, they are there to make crossing City Road safer and more convenient to those who travel by foot. The island isn’t just the concrete mound in the middle of the road, it also includes the paint on the ground around it which cars are not allowed to drive over. Again, the bollards that were erected along the pavements are there to favour pedestrians. The reason why they were put there is to stop vehicles parking on the curbs, which was a problem before the bollards were put in place as the cars and lorries would park right over the pavements making it difficult for people to walk past and leaving less space for people with prams or wheelchairs to go round. Some things favour different groups because they appeal to different groups. Take for example the Taste Buds Cafe; one thing that struck me straight away was that the majority of the customers in there were predominantly female and mostly the older generation. They like to go in there because it appeals to them, it appeals to them because; The price is reasonable- a lot of the customers will be drawing a pension so keeping costs down is important to them, They feel safe- because there are regulars who go there and they get familiar with one another and that gives the customers a sense of safety because they know what to expect and Mr Suarez the cafe owner aids in the feeling of safety through being consistent in the way in which he runs his business. Also the menu is all home cooked and this is important to his customers. Because of all these factors, Mr Suarez’s cafe is geared more towards the older generation than the younger ones so in a sense it is favouring, although that isn’t altogether a bad thing. Lastly I would mention the security cameras. They are positioned all over City Road and they are there for a number of reasons, one reason is that a crime is less likely to be committed in an area which has CCTV (which deters people from offending) and also it makes people in the area feel safer knowing that these things are in place to not only aid in the catching of the people who commit the crimes but also that it is part of crime prevention too. CCTV is important on City Road because it does make the residence feel that little bit safer, a lot of them feel that the road is a bit â€Å"rough† and not the sort of place you would like to walk down at night, even though the local policeman denies that there is a problem with crime in the area. People just perceive it to be a crime hotspot, despite having little to no experience of any serious crimes having taken place on the road. Most of the material things on City Road favour one group over another but some inadvertently and some deliberately, the issue with the busses for example is inadvertent. They are not purposely designed to be inconvenient to a certain

An Occurrence

The short story takes place during the Civil War. Peyton Farquhar a civilian of the south Is caught vlolatlng with the bridge and Is sentenced to be hanged. Ambrose Bierce's short story became a suspenseful phenomenon. He maintain suspenses throughout the short story by enhancing the mind of Peyton into a deep fantasy. Bierce's use of flashbacks, setting, illusion, and symbolism to create suspense.In the second aragraph the story gives a flashback to outline Peyton's lifestyle and why he is getting hanged. The flashback shows how Peyton was a slave owner and was a supporter of the confederate army. When Peyton has a confrontation with a union spy posing as a confederate soldier it created suspense because Peyton didn't know what the reader knew. The flashback explains how Peyton got into this mess that were learned of earlier in the story. Symbolism throughout the story is used to show life and death. One example is the place Peyton is being hanged (the bridge).The bridge symbolizes the path one must take to cross over between life and death. On one side of the bridge represents Peyton's life and the other side of the bridge where the soldiers are represented as death and war. Since Peyton took it upon himself to take action in the war he choose to crossover to the said of war otherwise referred to as death where he will be hanged. The river under Peyton also symbolizes the passage between life and death. In other religions when someone dies, they cross over a river to get to the other side.An example would be the River Styx in Greek mythology. The River Styx is know as the border between life and death that sends soul's to the other side. Bierce creates one big Illusion to the reader as Peyton Is dying In a slow daydream. The readers perceptions of PeytonS thoughts and actions now becomes a blurred line between illusion and reality. Peyton is imagining his escape from death but the reader doesn't know it is only an illusion lasting about 3 seconds before he di ed. Like many say his life flashed before his eyes.His ability to escape gunfire underwater shows that he is dreaming because that would be nearly impossible for someone who Is half conscious to dodge. This sense of Imposslblllty creates suspense as the reader wonders If Peyton will successfully escape alive because It seems so unbelievable. Altogether these literary devices helped Bierce create a suspenseful short story. Without anyone of these devices he would not have been able to make the reader suspenseful and predict the predictable outcome of Peyton surviving.An Occurrence By denise_bgc hort story takes place during the Civil War. Peyton Farquhar a civilian of the south is caught violating with the bridge and is sentenced to be hanged. Ambrose Bierce's that sends soul's to the other side. Bierce creates one big illusion to the reader as Peyton is dying in a slow daydream. The readers perceptions of Peyton's thoughts would be nearly impossible for someone who is half conscious to dodge. This sense of impossibility creates suspense as the reader wonders if Peyton will successfully escape alive because it seems so unbelievable.

English Language Learners

English Language Learners English language learners have a diverse range of needs that should be met by educators. This paper is aimed at examining the way in which my school supports these students as well as their parents.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on English Language Learners specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In particular, it is necessary to compare the current strategies against the best practices recommended by researchers. Overall, it is possible to argue that such students should be supported by various professionals working in educational institutions. This thesis should be elaborated in greater detail. First, it is critical to have school-wide commitment to the needs of students who are not native speakers of English. To some degree, this requirement is met in my school because the linguistic background of learners is considered by educators who do not teach English or literature. For example, one can speak about educators teachin g mathematics, biology, or history. They often modify their instructional methods when they interact with such students. However, this requirement is not met by all teachers. Some of them are not willing to consider the difficulties faced by these people. This is one of the challenges that should not be overlooked by school administrators. In turn, it is establish connections to the culture and home of immigrants. For instance, the parents of these people should be able to express their views about education. The partnership with these stakeholders is important for the successful educational outcomes of students. In my school, the parents of immigrant children have this opportunity. This argument is particularly relevant to individuals who speak Spanish. However, in some cases, a parent may find it difficult to communicate with educators, especially if they speak languages that are not widespread in the United States. Therefore, their children may have to act as translators. This is one of the main problems that parents and students struggle with. Apart from that, it is critical to remember about the use of best methods in teaching English as the second language. In particular, one should speak about instructional practices that make English language learning both challenging and safe (Krashen McField, 2005). In turn, they want to make sure that English language learners have an opportunity to use language for various purposes.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, they make sure that a student’s academic performance is not impaired due to their linguistic background. Additionally, the teachers often take part in the workshops that enable them to improve their instructional methods. Thus, to some degree, my school meets the standards, set for educational organizations. In turn, my major task as a teacher is to create an environment in which students can effectively develop their English language skills. First of all, it is critical to develop a set of exercises that can enable people to elaborate their linguistic skills. Yet, at the same time, I need to focus on the inclusion of these students (Reed, 2003, p. 36). They should not be alienated from other students. The problem is that they do not always interact with other learners; as a result, they cannot improve their command of English. Additionally, I will need to work closely with other teachers who do not know much about the linguistic education. On the whole, these examples indicate that English language learning can be a very challenging and interesting process, especially if they are supported by the educators. The main goal is to create an environment in which English language learners are not excluded from classroom activities. Reference List Krashen, S., McField, G. (2005). What works? Reviewing the latest evidence on  bilingual education. Retrieved from http://users.rcn.com/crawj/langpol/Krashen-McField.pdf Reed, B. (2003). Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers of English  Language Learners. Retrieved from https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/ell.pdf

The Great Gatsby and the Lost Generation

The Great Gatsby and the Lost Generation Nick Carraway, the tale’s â€Å"honest† narrator, is a small-town, Midwest American boy who once spent some time in New York with the greatest man he has ever known, Jay Gatsby.  To Nick, Gatsby is the embodiment of the American Dream: rich, powerful, attractive, and elusive.  Gatsby is surrounded by an aura of mystery and illusion, not unlike L. Frank Baum’s Great and Powerful Oz.  And, like the Wizard of Oz, Gatsby and all that he stands for turn out to be nothing more than carefully crafted, delicate constructs.   Gatsby is the dream of a man who does not exist, living in a world where he does not belong.  Although Nick understands that Gatsby is far from being who he pretends to be, it does not take long for Nick to be charmed by the dream and to believe wholeheartedly in the ideals that Gatsby represents.  Ultimately, Nick falls in love with Gatsby, or at least with the fantasy world that Gatsby champions. Nick Carraway is perhaps the most interesting character in the novel.  He is simultaneously the one person who seems to see through Gatsby’s faà §ade, but also the person who most adores Gatsby and who cherishes the dream that this man represents.  Carraway must continually lie to and deceive himself while attempting to reassure the reader of his honest nature and unbiased intentions.  Gatsby, or James Gatz, is fascinating in that he represents all aspects of the American Dream, from the tireless pursuit of it to the actual embodiment of it, and also, tragically, the realization that it does not really exist. The other characters, Daisy Tom Buchanan, Mr. Gatz (Gatsby’s father), Jordan Baker, and others are all interesting and important in their relationship to Gatsby. We see Daisy as the typical Jazz Age â€Å"flapper† interested in beauty and riches; she returns Gatsby’s interest only because he is so materially advantaged.  Tom is the representative of â€Å"Old Money† and its condescension to but vehement dislike of the  nouveau-riche. He is racist, sexist, and wholly unconcerned for anyone but himself. Jordan Baker, the artists, and others represent the various unspoken but ever-present notions of sexual exploration, individualism, and self-gratification that are indicative of the period.   What typically draws readers to this book, whether or not they come away with the traditional understanding of the novel (a love story, a censure on the American Dream, etc.), is its strikingly beautiful prose.  There are moments of description in this narrative which nearly take one’s breath away, particularly as they often come unexpectedly. Fitzgerald’s brilliance lies in his ability to undercut his every thought, showing both the positive and negative arguments of a situation within the very same paragraph (or sentence, even).   This is perhaps best demonstrated in the final page of the novel, where the beauty of the dream that is Gatsby is contrasted with the disillusionment of those pursuing the dream.  Fitzgerald explores the power of the American Dream, the heart-pounding, soul-shaking evocation of those early American immigrants who looked upon the new shores with such hope and longing, with such pride and eager determination, only to be crushed by the never-ending struggle to achieve the unattainable; to be trapped in a timeless, ageless, persistent dream  that never amounts to anything but the dream. The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald is quite possibly the most widely-read piece of American Literature.  For many, The Great Gatsby is a love story, and  Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan are the 1920s American Romeo Juliet, two star-crossed lovers whose destinies are intertwined and whose fates are tragically sealed from the beginning; however, the love story is a faà §ade. Does Gatsby love Daisy?  Not as much as he loves the  idea  of Daisy. Does Daisy love Gatsby?  She loves the possibilities he represents.   Other readers find the novel to be a depressing critique of the so-called American Dream, one which, perhaps, can never truly be reached.  Similar to Theodore Dreiser’s  Sister Carrie, this story predicts a bleak fate for America.  No matter how hard one works or how much one achieves, the American Dreamer will always want more. This reading brings us closer to the true nature and purpose of  The Great Gatsby,  but not quite all.   This is not a love story, nor is it strictly about one man’s striving for the American Dream. Instead, it is a story about a restless nation. It is a story about wealth and the disparity between â€Å"Old Money† and â€Å"New Money.† Fitzgerald, through his narrator Nick Carraway, has created a dreamy, illusory vision of a society of dreamers; shallow, unfilled people who are rising too fast and consuming too much.  Their children are neglected, their relationships disrespected, and their spirits crushed beneath the weight of soulless riches. This is the story of The Lost Generation and the lies they must tell in order to continue living every day when they are  so sad, lonely, and disillusioned.

Changes

Historians and cultural critics trace the post-modernist hip hop movement which pioneered sampling and graffiti art to the sasss, New York, a movement rooted in the black nationalism of the black panthers post civil rights movement (Price, 2006). Hip Hop has become a dominant global youth culture with music, art, fashion, films and Outpace an Icon within this culture a Black Elvis. Hip Hop has many different sub genres such as conscious, gangs, party rap and with emcees in the different genres according to their subject matter.The paper will explore Changes a conscious rap Eng that was recorded by Outpace in 1 992, at a time when African Americans were affected by the beating of Rodney King by Police Officers, which led to the Los Angels Riots of 1992 (Johnson, 2009). The environment was politically charged and conducive for a song chronicling that moment in history. What is interesting is that the song was posthumously released in 1998 on Tubas Greatest Hits album, two years after Outpace died of gunshots wounds on the 13th of September 1996 (Scott, 1997). Outpace Shakers music Is characterized by hard hitting hip hop beats sampled room different music genres and lyrics that criticize, the capitalist system that divides America into the haves and have-nots. The collective identity in Tubas music is identified In the struggle of the lower classes to find political, economic, social discourse In a capitalist society by chronicling from the perspective of a young black male growing up in post civil rights America.His work vocalizes the thoughts of the masses trapped within a modern slavery system (poverty and discrimination). The writers credited on the album sleeve are Shaker, T. , Evans, D. , Horns, B. ; Changes ample the beat and part of the chorus from Bruce Harmonys The way It is(1986) and appropriated It Into a Hip Hop political anthem. This part of the paper will delve into the psyche of the artist and explore the lyrics of Changes. ANALYZING OUTPACE When did I ever say I was a gangs rapper? Is Frank Sinatra a gangs singer?Is Steve Seal a gangs actor? What is that? Thats such a limited term. Maroon Brandon is not a gangs actor, hes an actor. Axle Rose and them are not gangs rock and rollers, thieve rock and rollers. So Im a rapper, this is what I do. Im an artist. And I AP about the oppressed taking back their place. I rap about fighting back. To me, my lyrics and my verses are about struggling and overcoming, you know (Shaker, 2003) Left: OPAC. 1996. All Eyes On Me (outpace. Com) Right: OPAC. 1995. Me against the World (outpace. Mom) Outpace Shakers controversial image drowned his work; the media at the time concentrated on what he did off record and forget that he was a brilliant rapper, lyricist and actor. He did cultivate the gangster image with Thug Life tattered across his abdomen and his persona as seen on the album cover of All eyes on me (1996) Is that of a gangs, The persona Is evident on him with the words Outlaw tattered on his lower arm, a panthers head on his upper arm with a miscreant intensity and 1 OFF on music videos, further reiterates that he is a gangs rapper.However on the cover of an earlier album Me against the world(1995) another side of the rapper is seen, with his back against a wall, he stares at the camera like a deer caught between two headlights. In interviews and talk shows when he takes off his mask, an intelligent, misunderstood, creative young man who wants to change the world with his music merges. Tyson (2002) in his explanation of Tubas dua l persona mentioned something very interesting that Tubas mother Affine was impregnated by one of two possible candidates, a revolutionary black panther by the name of Billy Garland and Legs a drug dealer.On the song Dear Mama he writes They say Im wrong and Im heartless, but all along I was looking for a father he was gone (1995) these lyrics give the assumption that he might have looked for a father within himself and thus created twin personae founded on the character of the two people he thought could e his father. Outpace created binary oppositions as creative mechanisms, the socially constructive poet vs.. The destructive street thug and he could write as well as speak from both alter egos.His conscious rapper ego tackled social issues such as racism, violence, drug abuse whilst his gangster rapper ego talked about selling drugs, perpetrating violence and called women derogatory names. To understand Just a little part of Tubas complex character, the following quotation by Carl Jung would give some insight. Such a man knows that whatever is wrong in the world is in myself, and if he only learns to deal with his own Shadow he has done something real for the world.He has succeeded in shouldering at least an infinitesimal part of the gigantic, unsolved social problems of our day. These problems are mostly so difficult because they are poisoned by mutual projections. How can anyone see straight when he does not even see himself and the darkness he unconsciously carries with him into all dealings? Nouns, 1938). The two images of Outpace show that instead of hiding his other self (the shadow) he consciously projected it and White toes (1997) that a misguided Outpace drew his masculine principles from Legs his father figure.Outpace Shaker was born on the 16th of June 1971; a month after his mother Affine Shaker was released from prison for her suspected part in the alleged Black Panther plot to bomb banks and department stores (White, 1997). In several songs and interviews Outpace has mentioned his birth and childhood as a miracle. l was born not to make it, but I did (Still I Rise, 1999) and on the last verse of Mama Just a Little Girl (Better Days, 2002) he philosophies You see you wouldnt ask why the rose hat grew from the concrete had damaged petals, on th e contrary, we would all celebrate its tenacity.We would all love its will to reach the sun. Well we are the roses, this is the concrete and these are my damaged petals He uses symbolic words to compare himself and his peers to that of beauty natured in an unnatural environment. This verse is a self reflective analysis of his impoverished childhood in socially depraved ghettos of America and by noting We are the roses he feels that any child that grows up in that environment and makes it however damaged they are should be celebrated.According to Goals (2007) in 1985 Outpace was enrolled at the prestigious Baltimore Schools of the Arts, where he learned how to act and he spent Outpace went through moral Juggling as a teenager, selling Drugs whilst writing poetry. His childhood experiences gave him the canon to be able to articulate social and political commentary easily identifiable with his audience. Tyson emphasis (2003) that Outpace believed in keeping it real a slang term defined on (revolutionary. Com) as try to benefit the environment and society that surrounds you a nd eventually serving humanity for the greater good.Outpace has achieved musical immortality with eight albums produced posthumously, an art center (task. Org) producing the next generation of thespians, dancers and poets and a Biopic on his life is currently in Production, written by Oscar nominated screenwriters Stephen J Revile and Chris Wilkinson (All, Nixon). In a recent Manage. Com article Revile had this to say about Outpace He was a really sensitive, very romantic talented young poet who also could sing, dance and act, but the realities [of the hip-hop record business] were that he had to create this persona of the gangster.He saw the contradiction between the musical persona of Thug Life and his essential nature as a gentle, sensitive person. And that was partly responsible for his murder. He was not a gangster, but the people around him were, and they saw he was going to leave, that they were going to lose him, and so I think they decided to kill him(Borders-Manner, 2011) CHANGES Changes portrays America from a critical non violent point of view, the view of a young black male living in the projects (Ghetto) committing crime as a survival necessity, whilst been abused by the system.Changes (Shaker, Evans Hornsby, 998) uses basic slang, repetition, melodic rhythm, the artist does not use profanity, the word Niger is used to make a racial statement not intimidate. Analysis of this song elicits reaction in the listener, a desire to become the Change that Outpace requires of his audience. Tubas ability to elicit this type of reaction can be attributed to the authority yet passionate sensitivity of his voice and the flow of his rap.The chorus uses the same melody as The Way it is with a slight change of chorus whereas the or iginal says, Some things will never change, Changes is changed to say, Things will never be the same. Elaborating that inequality will always be rooted in American society; the chorus is repeated to drum the message. The opening line to Changes l see no changes seems to be a modern reply to the original The way it is Bob Dylan The times they are changing(1964), which is considered the civil rights movement theme song.He then continues to show his frustration with his situation, which has not been changed by the I have a dream speech by DRP King Wake up in the morning and ask myself is life worth living should I blast myself, I am tired of en poor and even worse Im black, my stomach hurts so I am looking for purse to snatch, hes telling his audience that he is poor, black, hungry and faced with two choices either to kill himself or alleviate his economical situation by stealing. Cops give a damn about a negro, pull the trigger kill a Amiga hes a hero He uses the N words to emphasize how racist the police are and the reward for killing a black person. Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares, one less hungry mouth on watch me kill each other He paints an image of a big brother conspiracy of shipping rugs and guns into the Ghetto and then watching the fabric of black America dismantle with kids on crack, drug dealers killing each other, a genocidal way of easing the welfare system. Its time to fight back thats what Hue Said, 2 shots in the dark now Hues dead By mentioning Hue Newton founder of the Black Panthers, he acknowledges that Black militant mantra of fighting back the system with guns is wrong because you will be slain by a gun. Outpace then finds a socialist solution in how to beat the system and unify We can never go nowhere unless we share with each there, We goat start making changes, learn to see me as a brother instead of 2 distant strangers, thats how it is supposed to be.How can the Devil take a brother if hes close to me, Id love to go back to when we played as kids, but things changed, and thats the way it is He wants to go back to the innocents of childhood, not complicated by what Freud regards as the ID, however Outpace is resigned to the fact that even if he goes back to that moment, he cannot change Today because change will never happen. L see no changes all I see is racist faces, misplaced hate makes grace to races, We under, I wonder what it takes to make this one better place, lets erase the wasted Outpace is not talking about or to a specific race but to the people of America that racial hatred should not be tolerated but erased from society. Both Black and White is smoking crack tonight Drugs are not Just a black problem It anti a secret and dont conceal the fact the penitentiarys packed and its filled with blacks His observation is backed by Discard, Mouth and Andrews Of the 789,700 male inmates in 1992, 51 percent, or 401,700 were black and that is still a fact today.Although it seems heaven sent we anti ready, to see a black president, uh This line is prophetic in the sense that even though America now has a black President, but some quarters of society are still not ready to accept a Black President Some things will never change. Try to show another way, but you staying in the dope game. Now tells me whats a mother to do. Been real dont appeal to the brother in you.You goat operate the easy way In these lyrics hes now using Frauds structural model of the psyche, the mother is the Super Ego telling the impulsive child (the ID) hat look at another way to survive but morals do not appeal to the ID for it wants everything now and then when it gets satisfaction it shows off l made a G Today the super ego critics but you made it in a sleazy way, selling crack to the kids Finally the ego goes into defense mechanism Well hey, thats Just the way it is The third verse begins with Outpace talking instead of rapping so that everybody understands the clear message he conveys We goat make a change, Its time for us as a people to start making some changes. Lets change the way we eat, Lets change the way we live and lets change the way we treat each other. You see the old ways wasnt working so its on us to do what we goat do, to survive he is speaking to his generation, that the only way to change is complete transformation from the racial philosophies of old for the survival of the human race. Its war on the streets and war in the middle east, Instead of war on poverty they got war on drugs so the police can bother me, And I anti never did a crime I anti have to do. Outpace observes that whilst America concentrates on foreign wars in the Middle East, domestic street wars rage on. He problem poverty.

English Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English - Research Paper Example that there is a way to be good again, there is a way to redeem himself of his past misdeeds, and there is a way to atone for his past sins (Housseini, 2005; Hayes, 2003). Amir grows up in a country full of prejudice, injustice, wars and conflicts, and without a mother. He is therefore eager to please his father, make him proud of him, and show him that he has what it takes to be a competent member of society one day. But Amir is portrayed as a child who lacks some qualities like courage, conviction, daring. He is quite fearful, perhaps even gentle and timid, preferring not to get into trouble, to stay out of harms way. When he is approached, teased or attacked, and his best friend Hassan, the son of his fathers longtime servant and good friend, jumps in to save him and suffer the consequences- Amir is ashamed of himself, of his inability to step in and help the fight, help his friend Hassan. Hassan steps in to save Amir each time, and Amir cowers and doesnt participate in these fights. This is seen at its worst when Hassan runs all over town to bring Amir a kite and is caught by some taunting kids he and Amir know. One of them decides to punish him a nd brutally rapes him, as Amir is standing at the background, listening and doing nothing. As Hassan leaves the street later, his eyes encounter Amirs, as he leaves behind a trail of blood. His eyes are filled with disappointment, sadness, but he does not say anything or blame Amir (Stagnetto, 2008). Amir is therefore so full of guilt, remorse, shame that he cannot bear being around Hassan anymore. Hassan has always stood up to him, and has now paid the ultimate price for this. After the terrible incident, Hassan is not the same child again. He refrains from being in contact with others, just does his chores and returns to sleep in his bed, and becomes an unhappy, detached child. Amir is so guilt ridden that he plans for Hassan to be accused of theft, and as a result Ali and Hassan leave the house. Hassan knows once

U.S. Foreign Policy and Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

U.S. Foreign Policy and Trade - Essay Example Overview A country’s trade policy unavoidably implements a country’s foreign policy. This is because, at minimum, international trade reflects state recognition. This fact alone circumscribes foreign trade policy under a country’s overall foreign policy. In international trade, goods and services are exchanged. Conventional economic theories on international trade say that international trade promotes development and development in turn promotes equity consistent with Kuznets’s inverted U hypothesis (Todaro and Smith, 212). The choice of trade partners always implies a choice what countries the U.S. wants to have accelerated development. At the same time, trade has its own dynamics. The World Trade Organization, for example, was established precisely to depoliticize trade and make trade subject to multilateral rules rather than beholden to the unilateral rules of powerful nations. Although U.S. foreign trade policy will always be an extension of her overal l foreign policy, international trade has its own dynamics and can influence or even subvert U.S. foreign policy. This means, for example that US influence can decrease as multilateral trade organizations assert their collective decisions even if the original intent of U.S. foreign policy is for the U.S. to increase its influence through the promotion of the policy. U.S. Foreign Policy and Trade with Latin America Latin America is the â€Å"largest supplier of foreign oil to the United States and a strong partner in the development of alternative fuels† (Barshefsky et al., xi). The country is also â€Å"the biggest supplier of illegal drugs† into the United States (Barshefsky et al., xi). Moreover, â€Å"Latin America is also the largest source of U.S. immigrants, both documented and not† (Barshefsky et al., xi). Thirty percent of U.S. oil imports come from Latin America compared to only 20 percent from the Middle East (Barshefsky et al., 6). Latinos constitute about 15% of the U.S. population (Barshefsky et al. 6). For the said reasons, Latin America is extremely important for the U.S. as well as a significant source of problems. It is important for America to influence Latin America but Barshefsky and colleagues emphasized that â€Å"the era of the United States as the dominant influence in Latin America is over† (xi). Latin American regard for U.S. â€Å"global and hemispheric leadership is at its lowest level† (Barshefsky et al., 7). This is shown by data: Latin Americans who favor U.S. political ideas were only 29 percent in 2007 compared to a high 45 percent several years ago in 2002 (Barshefsky et al., 7). The Monroe Doctrine provided the guiding principle for U.S. policy on Latin America for more than 150 years (Barshefsky et al., 5). The Monroe Doctrine asserts U.S. power in Latin America but U.S. policy for Latin America can no longer work under that assumption in view of changes in the political situation, particul arly with regard to U.S. dominance over the region (Barshefsky et al., 5). Barshefsky and colleagues pointed out that â€Å"if there was an era of U.S. hegemony in Latin America, it is over† (5). During the years in which the U.S. enjoyed hegemony in Latin America, particularly from 1996 to 2006, â€Å"total merchandise trade in Latin America grew by 139 percent, compared to 96 percent for Asia and 95 percent for the European Union (EU)† (Barshefsky et al., 6). During the 1980s, as the Cold War started to subside, U.S. policy in Latin America moved from â€Å"

Are Circumcisions Necessary Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Are Circumcisions Necessary - Research Paper Example This paper seeks to give an in-depth analysis of circumcision outlining its merits and demerits. In the religious point of view, circumcision is observed to be commandment. From the biblical teachings, Abraham was instructed to be circumcised and all his decedents to follow that. As a result, the Jewish culture ensured that all men had to be circumcised in order to live by the religious teachings (Glass 1). Thus, circumcision is observed a means of adhering to the biblical teachings and preparing the heavenly kingdom. In the Muslim faith, circumcision derives its roots from the religious teachings (Rizvi and Hassan 1). Sexually transmitted diseases have been on the increase in the recent past and have threatened the future. Due to the illness, many persons have left their families and the number of orphans has been on the increase. Furthermore, the problem reduces the human labor of a country, which is necessary for its economic development. In a bid to address this, numerous researc hes has been conducted on the possible ways of controlling the spread of sexually transmitted infections (Barbieri 1; Jozkowski et al 1). According to a research conducted on circumcision and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases in Uganda, South Africa, and Kenya, it was observed that circumcised men were less prone to contracting STIs. Prior to the research, all persons were given same advice on how to prevent the spread of STI. In addition, circumcision is observed to reduce the chances of developing urinary tract infection and cancer of the penis. During infancy, the foreskin of a child is not retractable until the age of six month. During this period, the bacterial colonization is very high which places the child at a risk of developing urinary tract infections. Sex is essential in the reproduction of human race. In the realization of pleasure, the sensitivity of the head of the penis plays a significant part. For an uncircumcised man, the head of the penis is more sensit ive as it is usually covered from interacting with the clothing. In the case of a woman, the removal of the clitoris and the labia reduces pleasures realized during sex. Thus in terms of pleasure, circumcision reduces it by a significant margin. Circumcision usually entails conduction of a surgery. As such, it is prone to the emergence of health complications. Bleeding is a common phenomenon during circumcision. In most traditional practices, very few measures were implemented to reduce bleeding. As a result, it resulted to excessive bleeding which sometimes lead to death. Currently, there has been technological advancement, which has led to the identification and implementation of various medicines and practices that reduces bleeding. Despite this, it still poses a danger to the patients. During any surgical experiment, sterilization of the tools and equipment to be used is very necessary. This is aimed at reducing the chances of contracting infections. Despite this, some circumcis ion has resulted in the contraction of infection by the victims especially when the tools used are not properly sterilized. Furthermore, when one is circumcised, the wound provides an easy avenue for attack by disease causing organism. Thus, if proper hygiene is not maintained, then the patients may get the infection. For the case of uncircumcised men, they are not exposed to such health risks. Thus, circumcision increases the chances of post-operative infections. Many persons and organizations have continuously

Advertisement appeals as put forth by fowles Essay

Advertisement appeals as put forth by fowles - Essay Example The consumers develop resistance to the adverts of which the advertisement agencies try to use different appeals to reach out to the consumers. The level of penetration depends on the willingness of the consumer to listen or watch the advertisement appeals. Advertisement Appeals as Put Forth By Fowles According to Fowles (2) the advertisers make efforts to thwart the rational, guarded, doubtful clout acquired by the consumers when choosing the brands to buy. Most consumers develop a certain clout around their thinking which the advertisers try as much as possible to avoid. In doing so, the advertisers make effort to appeal to the consumers to prevent reacting without thinking but to pay attention to the fundamental ideas or information being passed through the adverts. This helps the advertisers to realize their main objectives in the advertisement campaigns. There is the utilization of the subliminal plea. This refers to the remarks which are directed to the conditions as well as th inking amongst the merchandisers. It is noted that most buyers and consumers are normally resistant to adverts or develop some form of opposition to the adverts. According to various studies most Americans are exposed to different forms of adverts which come in different media such as the televisions, radio, newspaper, billboards, and direct mails among other media. The consumers try their best to develop a filter in regard to which adverts to listen to or read or watch and which ones to ignore. The advertisers make efforts to be tactical in order to get access to the subconscious mind. Moreover, the advertisers make use of the personality appeal and the need to nurture. This is because there is a presumption that the character of consumers is unique. It also presumes that human beings have different range of unmet urges or desires which must be fulfilled through the advertisements aired over the media. There are appeals such as tenderness, ambitions, lust and susceptibility hence t hey seek resolution. By use of the personality appeal, these mental appeals must be met in order to be receptive to the advertisements being aired over the media. Nevertheless, it always difficult to penetrate through these unfulfilled desires of which other types of appeals must be used to supplement this form of appeal to the consumers. In addition, advertisers make efforts to appeal to the consumers by use of the exceptionally selected pictures of images. This is meant to trigger the shell of consciousness the consumers have developed. The images may be that of celebrities identified by the consumers, female models or very nice looking children. Some make use of the text while the majority makes use of the artwork. It is in the assumption that visual adverts are best appropriate for more primeval parts of the brain system. The consumers can easily be hooked when this form of appeal is combined with impression of satisfaction for stated intention. However, most adverts are always prejudged by the consumers with the type of content in the sense that majority tend to give the impression that if the consumers lack something, they have a solution or substitute for fulfilling their desires. Another form of appeal for most adverts that are aired over the media is the intense running force in the thoughts of the consumers. In line with this form of appeal is the creation of near permanent attachment to the products or services being merchandized. The identity of products, their producer, forms of packaging and the aims that are attached to its usage. The consumers have to be made aware of the most trivial details

Molecular Identification of DMS-Producing Bacteria Isolated from Dissertation

Molecular Identification of DMS-Producing Bacteria Isolated from Marine Algae - Dissertation Example Michael Steinke, for his unfailing and relentless support, and insightful remarks. His guidance in the conception and interpretation of this study granted me the confidence and multiplied my abilities for the successful execution of this project. I am grateful to the University, especially to the Department of Biosciences for enabling me in bringing this study to realization by providing me with all the necessary resources and support. I am greatly indebted to the University, my supervisor and colleagues, without whom the completion of this dissertation would have been a highly daunting task if not totally impossible. Contents Abbreviations 8 Abstract 10 1. Introduction 11 1.1 Distribution of DMSP in upper and lower photic zones 12 1.2 Microbial breakdown of DMSP and production of DMS 12 1.2.1 Microbes involved in DMSP breakdown 12 1.2.2 Mechanism of conversion of DMSP to DMS 16 1.2.3 Genes, proteins, promoters and gene regulation 18 1.3 Environmental significance of DMS and its role in global climate 25 1.4 Importance of identification, characterisation and phylogenetic analysis of DMS producing bacteria 26 2. Materials and methods 28 2.1 Isolation and growth of DMS producing bacteria 28 2.2.1 Preparation of growth media 28 2.2.2.1 Chemicals and reagents required 29 2.2.2.2 Preparation of M9 media of normal salinity with glucose as a carbon source 29 Rami Abdullah Aldagrer September 9th, 2011 Contents UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX 1 DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 1 MSc. DEGREE IN BIOTECHNOLOGY 1 Acknowledgements 2 Contents 2 Abbreviations 8 Abstract 10 1. Introduction 11 1.1 Distribution of DMSP in upper and lower photic zones 12 1.2 Microbial breakdown of DMSP and production of DMS 13 1.2.1 Microbes involved in DMSP breakdown 13 1.2.2 Mechanism of conversion of DMSP to DMS 16 1.2.3 Genes, proteins, promoters and gene regulation 18 1.3 Environmental significance of DMS and its role in global climate 24 1.4 Importance of identification, characterisation and phylogenetic analysis of DMS producing bacteria 26 2. Materials and methods 28 2.1 Isolation and growth of DMS producing bacteria 28 2.2.1 Preparation of growth media 28 2.2.2.1 Chemicals and reagents required 29 2.2.2.2 Preparation of M9 media of normal salinity with glucose as a carbon source 29 2.2.2.3 Preparation of M9 media of normal salinity with DMSP as a carbon source 29 2.2. 2.4 Preparation of M9 media without any carbon source of normal salinity 29 2.2.2.5 Preparation of M9 media of high (32 N) salinity 30 2.2.3 Inoculation into three different media to identify DMSP utilizing bacteria 30 2.2.4 Gram staining 31 2.2.5 Spectrophotometric analysis of growth and calculation of specific growth rate and doubling time 31 2.2 Extraction of DNA 31 2.2.1 Chemicals and materials required for the CTAB method of DNA extraction: 32 2.2.2 Preparation of reagents 32 2.2.3 Methodology of DNA extraction 33 2.2.4 Verification of extracted DNA 34 2.3 Amplification of 16s rRNA using PCR 34 2.4 Purification of PCR products 35 2.5 Identification of bacteria and phylogenetic analysis 35 3. Results 37 3.1 Observation of growth in different media 37 3.1.1 Growth in M9 media with DMSP 37 3.1.2 Growth in M9 media with glucose 38 3.1.3 Growth in M9 media without any carbon source 39 3.2 Results of gram staining 40 3.3 Plotting of growth curve 41 3.4 Calculation of specific growth rate and doubling time 44 3.4.1 Specific growth rate of bacteria in M9 media with glucose 45 3.4.1.1 Specific growth rate of B3B 45 3.4.1.2 Specific growth rate of B2B 46 3.4.1.3 Specific growth rate of B2A 46 3.4.2 Calculation of doubling time of bacteria in M9 media with glucose 47 3.4.3 Specific growth rate of bacteria in M9 media with DMSP 47 3.4.3.1 Specific growth rate of B3B 47 3.4.3.2 Specific growth rate of B2B 48 3.4.3.3 Specific growth rate of B2A 48 3.4.4 Calculation of doubling time of bacteria in M9 media with DMSP 49 3.4.5 Summary of specific growth rate and generation time 50 Specific growth rate bacteria in M9 media with glucose and M9 media with DMSP 50 Doubling time of bacteria in M9 media with glucose and M9 media with DMSP 50 3.4.6 Analysis of variance between the growth rates in two different media 51 3.4.7 Analysis of variance in doubling time 52 3.2 Results of DNA extraction 53 3.3

Are Circumcisions Necessary Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Are Circumcisions Necessary - Research Paper Example This paper seeks to give an in-depth analysis of circumcision outlining its merits and demerits. In the religious point of view, circumcision is observed to be commandment. From the biblical teachings, Abraham was instructed to be circumcised and all his decedents to follow that. As a result, the Jewish culture ensured that all men had to be circumcised in order to live by the religious teachings (Glass 1). Thus, circumcision is observed a means of adhering to the biblical teachings and preparing the heavenly kingdom. In the Muslim faith, circumcision derives its roots from the religious teachings (Rizvi and Hassan 1). Sexually transmitted diseases have been on the increase in the recent past and have threatened the future. Due to the illness, many persons have left their families and the number of orphans has been on the increase. Furthermore, the problem reduces the human labor of a country, which is necessary for its economic development. In a bid to address this, numerous researc hes has been conducted on the possible ways of controlling the spread of sexually transmitted infections (Barbieri 1; Jozkowski et al 1). According to a research conducted on circumcision and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases in Uganda, South Africa, and Kenya, it was observed that circumcised men were less prone to contracting STIs. Prior to the research, all persons were given same advice on how to prevent the spread of STI. In addition, circumcision is observed to reduce the chances of developing urinary tract infection and cancer of the penis. During infancy, the foreskin of a child is not retractable until the age of six month. During this period, the bacterial colonization is very high which places the child at a risk of developing urinary tract infections. Sex is essential in the reproduction of human race. In the realization of pleasure, the sensitivity of the head of the penis plays a significant part. For an uncircumcised man, the head of the penis is more sensit ive as it is usually covered from interacting with the clothing. In the case of a woman, the removal of the clitoris and the labia reduces pleasures realized during sex. Thus in terms of pleasure, circumcision reduces it by a significant margin. Circumcision usually entails conduction of a surgery. As such, it is prone to the emergence of health complications. Bleeding is a common phenomenon during circumcision. In most traditional practices, very few measures were implemented to reduce bleeding. As a result, it resulted to excessive bleeding which sometimes lead to death. Currently, there has been technological advancement, which has led to the identification and implementation of various medicines and practices that reduces bleeding. Despite this, it still poses a danger to the patients. During any surgical experiment, sterilization of the tools and equipment to be used is very necessary. This is aimed at reducing the chances of contracting infections. Despite this, some circumcis ion has resulted in the contraction of infection by the victims especially when the tools used are not properly sterilized. Furthermore, when one is circumcised, the wound provides an easy avenue for attack by disease causing organism. Thus, if proper hygiene is not maintained, then the patients may get the infection. For the case of uncircumcised men, they are not exposed to such health risks. Thus, circumcision increases the chances of post-operative infections. Many persons and organizations have continuously

Molecular Identification of DMS-Producing Bacteria Isolated from Dissertation

Molecular Identification of DMS-Producing Bacteria Isolated from Marine Algae - Dissertation Example Michael Steinke, for his unfailing and relentless support, and insightful remarks. His guidance in the conception and interpretation of this study granted me the confidence and multiplied my abilities for the successful execution of this project. I am grateful to the University, especially to the Department of Biosciences for enabling me in bringing this study to realization by providing me with all the necessary resources and support. I am greatly indebted to the University, my supervisor and colleagues, without whom the completion of this dissertation would have been a highly daunting task if not totally impossible. Contents Abbreviations 8 Abstract 10 1. Introduction 11 1.1 Distribution of DMSP in upper and lower photic zones 12 1.2 Microbial breakdown of DMSP and production of DMS 12 1.2.1 Microbes involved in DMSP breakdown 12 1.2.2 Mechanism of conversion of DMSP to DMS 16 1.2.3 Genes, proteins, promoters and gene regulation 18 1.3 Environmental significance of DMS and its role in global climate 25 1.4 Importance of identification, characterisation and phylogenetic analysis of DMS producing bacteria 26 2. Materials and methods 28 2.1 Isolation and growth of DMS producing bacteria 28 2.2.1 Preparation of growth media 28 2.2.2.1 Chemicals and reagents required 29 2.2.2.2 Preparation of M9 media of normal salinity with glucose as a carbon source 29 Rami Abdullah Aldagrer September 9th, 2011 Contents UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX 1 DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 1 MSc. DEGREE IN BIOTECHNOLOGY 1 Acknowledgements 2 Contents 2 Abbreviations 8 Abstract 10 1. Introduction 11 1.1 Distribution of DMSP in upper and lower photic zones 12 1.2 Microbial breakdown of DMSP and production of DMS 13 1.2.1 Microbes involved in DMSP breakdown 13 1.2.2 Mechanism of conversion of DMSP to DMS 16 1.2.3 Genes, proteins, promoters and gene regulation 18 1.3 Environmental significance of DMS and its role in global climate 24 1.4 Importance of identification, characterisation and phylogenetic analysis of DMS producing bacteria 26 2. Materials and methods 28 2.1 Isolation and growth of DMS producing bacteria 28 2.2.1 Preparation of growth media 28 2.2.2.1 Chemicals and reagents required 29 2.2.2.2 Preparation of M9 media of normal salinity with glucose as a carbon source 29 2.2.2.3 Preparation of M9 media of normal salinity with DMSP as a carbon source 29 2.2. 2.4 Preparation of M9 media without any carbon source of normal salinity 29 2.2.2.5 Preparation of M9 media of high (32 N) salinity 30 2.2.3 Inoculation into three different media to identify DMSP utilizing bacteria 30 2.2.4 Gram staining 31 2.2.5 Spectrophotometric analysis of growth and calculation of specific growth rate and doubling time 31 2.2 Extraction of DNA 31 2.2.1 Chemicals and materials required for the CTAB method of DNA extraction: 32 2.2.2 Preparation of reagents 32 2.2.3 Methodology of DNA extraction 33 2.2.4 Verification of extracted DNA 34 2.3 Amplification of 16s rRNA using PCR 34 2.4 Purification of PCR products 35 2.5 Identification of bacteria and phylogenetic analysis 35 3. Results 37 3.1 Observation of growth in different media 37 3.1.1 Growth in M9 media with DMSP 37 3.1.2 Growth in M9 media with glucose 38 3.1.3 Growth in M9 media without any carbon source 39 3.2 Results of gram staining 40 3.3 Plotting of growth curve 41 3.4 Calculation of specific growth rate and doubling time 44 3.4.1 Specific growth rate of bacteria in M9 media with glucose 45 3.4.1.1 Specific growth rate of B3B 45 3.4.1.2 Specific growth rate of B2B 46 3.4.1.3 Specific growth rate of B2A 46 3.4.2 Calculation of doubling time of bacteria in M9 media with glucose 47 3.4.3 Specific growth rate of bacteria in M9 media with DMSP 47 3.4.3.1 Specific growth rate of B3B 47 3.4.3.2 Specific growth rate of B2B 48 3.4.3.3 Specific growth rate of B2A 48 3.4.4 Calculation of doubling time of bacteria in M9 media with DMSP 49 3.4.5 Summary of specific growth rate and generation time 50 Specific growth rate bacteria in M9 media with glucose and M9 media with DMSP 50 Doubling time of bacteria in M9 media with glucose and M9 media with DMSP 50 3.4.6 Analysis of variance between the growth rates in two different media 51 3.4.7 Analysis of variance in doubling time 52 3.2 Results of DNA extraction 53 3.3

Diversity Considerations Essay Example for Free

Diversity Considerations Essay Introduction This paper will analyze the influence of culture on attitudes, values, perception, human behavior, and interpersonal relations. The discriminatory factors that promote societal, political, socioeconomic, and spiritual oppression of culturally diverse populations will be described within this paper. Racial and cultural diversity within non-native English-speaking communities will be examined. Furthermore, this paper will also analyze how current research may positively impact the delivery of public safety and enhance the evaluation of information and resources. Lastly the chosen articles used for this paper will be evaluated on their reliability and credibility. Diversity Considerations The different cultures and lifestyles that surround us are the major factors that affect and influence behavior in all societies. Culture is the way we are brought up and the beliefs, values and attitudes that are instilled in us by our parents and or guardians. Society also instills culture in us and how we are educated and trained throughout life. We are trained in school and within our homes; we are taught different lifestyles through whom we interact with and the environment in which we grow up in and the conditions and situations we are used to. As a child one tends to follow the life he or she is familiar with. Children look up to their parents, teachers, or any influential person in their life to help shape their thoughts, values and beliefs. For example, if one grows up in a negative environment then that individual will more than likely adopt those types of influences throughout their life and will view life in a negative manner. Their thoughts and beliefs and relationships with others in life will be negative. The opposition would be someone brought up in a positive environment will more than likely view life in a positive manner. If one is brought up to respect others and to be courteous to others, he will more than likely continue these habits throughout life. However, if one is brought up to be prejudiced against those who differ or believe it is acceptable to lie or steal then he or she will probably live by these standards. There are many discriminatory factors which promote societal, socioeconomic, and spiritual oppression of culturally diverse populations. First understanding how discrimination is categorized is important. According to Ore, (2011) employing a systemic frame of analysis requires that we redefine the ways we categorize issues of discrimination. Ore (2011) defines prejudice as a negative attitude toward members of a group or social category and discrimination as the unequal treatment of people determined by their membership in a group. Resources such as money, property, medical care and education can be impacted by systems of oppression and privilege. Resources are not equal to all and many are limited. The distribution of resources to a particular member of society is based on his or her status. Ones social class is one of the most powerful predictors of health. The higher someone is on the socioeconomic ladder the lower their risk is for poor health (Ore, 2011). The identification of disasters as purely physical occurrences (typhoons, floods, earthquakes and initially also bombings and explosions) that affect people who have the misfortunate to be simply in the wrong place at the wrong time gave rise to a preoccupation with technological solutions for the protection of infrastructure and exposed populations ( Bankoff, 2004). Many times the outcome of a situation will be dependent on ones status within the community or membership in a group. Racial and cultural diversity within non-native English-speaking communities exist throughout the country. According to the U.S. Department of Education (2005), there are approximately 56 million students and 3.3 million teachers in our K-12 classrooms. Half the school aged population is expected to consist of students of color by the year 2020. It is estimated that more than 1 in 7 children aged 5 to 17 speak a language other than English at home. By 2026, the number of non-native English speaking students will reach 15 million (Carjuzza, 2005). Multiculturalism relates to communities containing multiple cultures. Multiculturalism exists throughout the nation, communities, schools, businesses and neighborhoods in which we live in. Multiculturalism refers to ideologies or policies that encourage diversity. It allows for one to express one’s own identity. The interaction and communication between different cultures provides opportunity for all. Interactions of cultures provide opportunities for the cultural differences and to create multiculturalism. America is the place where individuals of different ethnicities, cultures and races come to be treated fairly (equal opportunity). However language can be a major barrier and affects all races regardless of acceptance. Smaller communities seem to encompass stronger values beliefs and customs, therefore leaving no room for acceptance of others and languages. Putnam, (2007) states, â€Å"As we have more contact with people who are unlike us, we overcome our initial hesitation and ignorance and come to trust them more.† This could be possible and could be a way to integrate diversity and create multiculturalism. Regardless of race, culture, age, disabilities or the language in which we speak, we are all created equal. Those who migrate here to America and want shared citizenship and outreach towards other cultures and ethnicities is something that will take a long time to be accepted, for several reasons, language being one main reason. Individuals that do not speak English and move into communities where English is the dominant language, are not easily accepted into these communities. There are many ways to try and resolve differences in regards to diversity; however ignorance to one’s culture, ethnicity, beliefs etc. plays a major role in racial and cultural diversity throughout the country. Current research may positively impact the delivery of public safety and enhance the evaluation of information and resources if conducted in a positive and open manner. Research must be available and include all current socioeconomic groups. However research must be honest and reliable and available to those in need of it in order to assist with issues in the public safety sector. Research must also include the members of the affected communities in which the research or data was collected on. . Also, the sharing of the research is critical and should only be shared with those authorized. Policies for conducting and sharing the research must be developed and implemented in order to avoid the research and data being altered or shared with the wrong individuals. Accurate crime data serve important purposes. It is used by public agencies and officials in determining policies, budgets, legislation, funding priorities, and evaluation of existing programs. In conclusion, it is up to the adults in a child’s life to set a good example and instill good values in their children. Society in general has a responsibility to assist with poverty and crime within their communities whenever possible. As individuals we all act and behave in a manner at different times and places. One may not have the same behavior or personality at home as he/she would at work. Whether it is a child, teenager or adults we all have our own personality, values, beliefs and cultures, therefore social influences can alter and shape our actions, speech and who we are and how we are perceived within our communities and society in general. Attitude or a persons belief about a certain situation or perception can influence behaviors. Social influences can affect behavior by simply changing attitudes. This can be a positive change, such as opening a closed-minded individuals beliefs to include new beliefs and choices. On the contrary social influences on attitudes can be negative and include destructive or forcible perceptions leading to poor choices and or criminal behavior. References Bankoff, G. (2004). International journal of mass emergencies and disaster. Time is of the Essence:Disasters, Vulnerability and History. 22(3) 23-42 International Journal of Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations, 7(5) 153-160. Retrieved January 16, 2013 from http://www.ehow.com/info_8510709_social-influences- human-behavior Putnam, R. D., (2007). E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and community in the twenty-first century: The 2006 Johan Skytte prize lecture. Journal Compilation, Scandinavian Political Studies, 30(2) 137-174 Ore, T.E. (2011). The social construction of difference inequality: Race, class, gender, and sexuality, fifth edition, New York: McGraw-Hill. Cumbersome

Impact of ISO 9000 on Business Performance

Impact of ISO 9000 on Business Performance Introduction International Organisation for Standard (ISO) is based in Geneva. It is a worldwide body founded in 1946 to promote and develop the international standard and related activities to facilitate the exchange of goods and services nationwide (Randall, 1995). ISO inaugurated a technical committee on quality management and quality assurance to develop a universally accepted set of quality standard. In 1987 ISO published the ISO 9000 standard series on quality management and assurance based on the commendable work of the committee (Hoyle, 2006). These standards were also revised in 1994 and 2000 respectively, and the most recent called ISO 9000:2000 family of standard. Many writers have come up with several but related definition of ISO 9000. Hoyle (2006) defined ISO 9000 as: â€Å"A criteria that apply to the management of an organisation when determining customers needs and expectation and supplying product and services that are intended to satisfy those needs and expectations.† Martinez-Costa et al.(2004) also defined ISO 9000 as an effective system for the evaluation of the ability of an organisation to design produce, and deliver quality products and services consistently. Sun et al.(2004) also has it that the standard provides guideline for organisations for establishing of their quality management systems â€Å"by focusing on procedures, control, and documentation†. The Science and Engineering policy Studies Unit (SEPSU) came up with a more summarized definition for the ISO 9000 family of standard. ISO 9000 was defined as being about quality systems and about consistency. It aims to give customers confidence in their suppliers by assuring them that the suppliers have in place management processes that deliver consistency (SEPSU study,1994).The study also stated that IS0 9000 encourages but never in itself directly assures product quality. From the above definitions, it could by deduced that ISO 9000 is only a criteria or process to be followed to achieve quality, and not the quality itself. Research problem and study purpose The definition given by SEPSU study clearly explained the role of ISO 9000. Still, many issues remains unaddressed. Firstly, surveys has it that despite the fact that several organisations spend so much resources in obtaining certification of the ISO 9000 standard , there seems to be other motive for seeking the certification and which therefore influences the outcome of the their business (Gotzamani and Tsiotras,2002; Idris et al.,1996).There are organisations that seek certification just for market purposes (Hoyel, 2007), and some also consider it as path of continuous improvement for the company (Stone,2003; Goetsch and Davis, 2005). However studies have shown that customers prefer products from suppliers that are ISO 9000 certified (Taylor, 1995a; Witcher, 1993). This means organisations are now forced to obtain certification in whatever way possible. As a result of these hurry for certification, the European Commissions Directorate for industry which is a high profile regulatory group has questioned the effectiveness of the certification since many European firms are not sure if the certification actually infuses quality into their organisations (Stratton, 1994). The purpose of this paper is to address the problem above by examining critically if the ISO 9000 standard does improve business performance or not, by testing the strength of the relationship between the ISO 9000 certification and organisational performance. Research Question and study objectives â€Å"ISO 9000 is only a beginning; it provides a mechanism with which to bring about systematic improvement but it does not improve performance byitself†. Paying attention to the above statement made by Hoyle (1994) on the value of ISO 9000 certification and its diverse nature, the following questions will be clearly investigated in this work: Does ISO 9000 certification have a significant positive effect on business performance? What is the organisational attitude towards ISO 9000 certification? Providing answers to these questions above will lead to a clearer understanding of the impact of ISO 9000 certification on business/organisational performance. It will also guide to a realistic management expectation of business value of ISO 9000 certification in an organisation and the knowledge that gaining an ISO 9000 certification is noting similar to creating quality organisation. Research methodology This research seeks to review some extant theoretical literatures and web-based sources on the impact of ISO 9000 on business performance. It is important to acknowledge that major researches on ISO 9000 have been conducted via postal questionnaire (Magd, 2003, 2004, 2008; Bhuiyan and Alam, 2005, Douglas et al., 2003; Batchelor, 1992) which is a more standard, practical approach and gives less room for bias. Literature review The literature review identified quiet some articles that deals with impact of ISO 9000 on businesses in quality and reliability management studies. Despite the perceived benefit of the ISO 9000 certification, only few studies have examined if ISO 9000 certified organisations do actually perform good than non-ISO 9000 certified organisations. These studies include 🙠 Magd, 2008; Terziovski et al., 2003; Lee, 2003; Chow-chua; 2003; Sun, 2000; Dick et al., 2002; Heras et al., 2002a etc.). Several papers associated with ISO 9000 are mainly focused on the qualitative benefits associated with its certification, like communication and general understanding of the companys process, and not the quantitative benefits. Some literatures also focused on what to do to gain ISO certification. Perceived benefit of ISO 9000 certification ISO 9000 certification bodies such as the British Standards Institute (BSI), Lloyds Registers Quality Assurance (LRQA) and SGS, have claimed some benefit of ISO 9000 such as: Bringing recognition and reputation at the market place, increasing customers satisfaction, high profit margin (www.BSI-GLOBAL.com). Reduction in waste, competitive advantage, formalize management system (www.SGS.com). Magd (2008) listed some benefits like improvement in documentation and improvement in efficiency of the quality system are among the top perceived benefits of ISO 9000 in an empirical survey conducted on the Egyptian manufacturing sector. In another investigation in a servicing company in the UK industries, Douglas et al. (2003) found that the main external benefit of the ISO 9000 was the higher perceived quality from the customers, and the main internal benefit being â€Å"good documentation procedure†. In another research carried out by chow-chua et al. (2003), highest numbers of respondents agreed that expansion in international market was the internal motive, and improvement in customer satisfaction as the external factor for seeking ISO 9000 certification. However, an empirical study conducted by Heras et al (2002a) conclusively stated that the major benefits sought from ISO 9000 is profit improvement (see Table i below for illustration). In another negative vein, in a st udy conducted in China involving 194 manufacturing and servicing sector, a good number of respondents expressed the view that ISO 9000 will not have direct effect on companies business performance (Dang, 2007). In fact; Lima (2000) also supports this view. This variation in survey results only proves a point â€Å" That the implementation and the impact of ISO 9000 standards vary from organisation to organisation and from country to country†, these variation is as a result of the various organisational context and the level of the countries awareness of quality management practice ( Magd , 2004). ISO Certification Quality management system Quality improvement Business performance Profitability Certified to ISO 9000 standard The approved quality Management System brings an Increased emphasis on quality and how it may be achieved consistently Internal: Less waste and duplication of effort External: quality received by customers improves Reduced costs Improves Competitiveness Fewer customer defections so sales increase Badge of quality opens more sale opportunities Cost of sales reduces leading to increased profits Profitability benefits from scale economies and lower sales acquisition cost Driving forces for seeking ISO 9000 certification Juran (1995) has said that the main reason for an organisation seeking quality certification is â€Å"maintenance or market expansion†. In a survey by Madg (2008), the question was the deferent reasons for seeking of certification. These options were being limited to 14. The response rate was 35 percent, (see Table ii next page). The participants were asked to rate the significance of these reasons on a five- point scale. In response to improve the efficiency of the quality system and to achieve customer satisfaction took the top position. However, improve employees relations and capturing workers knowledge came below the list. (Table ii): Driving forces for seeking ISO 9000:2000 certification RANK DRIVING FORCES M SD 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. To improve the efficiency quality of the quality system To achieve customer satisfaction Pressure from competitors/foreign partners To maintain/increase market shears Avoid potential export barrier To meet government demands, requirements or pressure To achieve quality improvement To market product in the international arena To use ISO as a marketing promotion tool To be a step towards TQM To achieve cost reduction To meet corporate objectives To improve employees relation Capturing workers knowledge 4.71 4.68 4.64 4.62 4.60 4.56 3.71 3.64 3.47 3.29 3.19 2.24 2.17 2.14 0.42 0.48 0.49 0.50 0.57 0.60 1.02 1.10 1.42 1.30 1.27 1.20 1.18 1.09 NOTE: The Mean score is based on participants level of agreement with each statement on a scale of 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = Strongly agree; a mean score above 4 indicates high, between 3 and 4 indicates moderate and a score of less than 3 indicates a low level of agreement; SD = Standard Deviation. Another good example is the Science and Engineering Policy Studies Unit in the UK (SEPSU study,1994).This study took 28 survey on many different issues among these were the same as Magd (2008), reasons organisations seek certification and the effectiveness of the certification. There appears to be a motive some managers adopt certification. The commonly cited driving force for seeking ISO 9000 however, was customer pressure. This, therefore, results in less improvement in organisational performance (Park et al., 2007; Singles et al., 2001). The problem with this type of analysis is that it lacks the strength to show the relationship between ISO 9000 certification and organisational performance .However, it gives some useful results. Business value of ISO 9000 A more comprehensive empirical survey on quality practice is the International quality study (American Quality Foundation,1991).The study surveyed 500 banking, computer, automobile ,and health care organisations in Japan, Canada, USA, and Germany. The result of this survey was that some quality practices, most especially supplier certificate and process improvement which is aided by ISO 9000 indeed have some significant effect on performance. (Prubhu et al., 2000) also supports this fact. Similarly, a study in Australia by the Australian Manufacturing council (AMC study, 1994) whose approach was to analyze the methods and approach used by the Australian and New Zealand manufacturing organisations in quality management practice. The result was that more than 50 percent of the ISO 9000 certified firms agreed that ISO 9000 certification was a significant factor in the improvement of their business performance. Managers of certified firms has therefore agreed that certification increases customer perception of product quality, and such perception can often be effective in wining new customers (Cermen Escanciano et al.,2001). Firms are been advised in the AMC study ( 1994) that certification is not a substitute for quality product and services. The AMAC study has been criticized for its data analysis methodology (Terziovski et al.,1997). Organisations can achieve certification but still produce a poor quality product (Zuckerman, 1997; Hertz; 1997). Furthermore, certification could cause managers to have a self-satisfied attitude towards quality. There is this risk of also bringing in some poor practices through the certification process. It will be the best practice if organisations could set a quality standard for themselves well above the minimum being outlined by ISO 9000, and also seek ways to improve (Terziovski et al., 2003). Batchelor (1992) surveyed 647 certified manufacturing and service companies in the United Kingdom, and discovered that 15 percent of the respondents that participated thought they had gained business value on nine dimensions of organisational performance, which include: â€Å"customer satisfaction, waste and cost, market share, new customers, procedural efficiency, staff motivation, staff attitudes, and error rate†. A quite impressive body in management and quality literatures has pointed out that the major reason backing organisations decision to adopt ISO 9000 system is due to perceived marketing benefits (Lloyds Register, 1993). A survey carried out by Sun (1999) did some remarkable investigations on ISO 9000 certified firms in Norway. The survey reveals that â€Å"ISO 9000 and quality are correlated†. This was known to be in respect of the reduction of customer complaints, defects, and improvement of business performance in productivity and profitability. Supporting these facts Heras et al.(2001) reported that organisations that has implemented ISO 9000 standard have successfully been able to project themselves to achieve continuous improvement, competitive advantage, and are better-run organisation. Zairi and Baidoun (2003) also supports this fact. Magd (2003) in another study conducted at Saudi Arabia involving 140 ISO 9000 certified manufacturing firms. Using a questionnaire as a means of primary data collection, this relied on the use of five-point likert scale. The study suggested 20 possible benefit of ISO 9000 of which the respondents were asked to rate the extent to which ISO 9000 affect these elements. These rating were to be from â€Å"crucial effect† to â€Å"no effect†. From the results of the survey, improvement in efficiency of the quality system, increased quality awareness in the firms, improvement in customer service, and increase in quality of product was seen as of benefits ISO 9000 certification among the Egyptian manufacturing companies. McAdam and canning (2001) in another assessment of the impact of ISO 9000 on the performance decided to focus his study on the building construction companies in Northern Ireland. The methodology used was to conduct a semi interview with six surveying practitioners on their view on ISO 9000.This finding obtained was then used to develop and structure a questionnaire towards the study purpose. Out of about 66 questionnaires posted, 52 usable ones were returned. The result was that ISO 9000 certified firms indicated some internal benefit in varying degree. 35 percent agreed that they have improvements in management systems, 24 percent had improved service quality, 12 percent agreed they had developed clearer communication, and 6 percent of the respondents believed that ISO 9000 â€Å"increases profit ratio†. In summary, this research brings to light that majority of the respondents share the view that ISO 9000 has a significant impact on business performance, because of there is more benefit as compared to the demerits. In a survey conducted by Douglas et al.(2003) questionnaires were being forwarded to 200 quality managers/representatives in UK industries. Among these 200, 120 were from the service sectors while 80 were from the manufacturing sector. The simple task was for them to indicate the financial benefit of the ISO 9000. 104 usable questionnaires were received. 53 percent claimed they dont perceive any benefit with regards to staff motivation. 45 percent of the respondents said that their organisation did not achieve any benefit with regards to cost and waste reduction. Despite the contradictory figures a whopping 75 percent believe ISO 9000 to be a good value for money. This reaction may likely be in connection with the fact that they now gained the ability to tender for contracts previously not realistic. Another investigation was carried out by Musa et al (2003) which involves a different approach altogether. This survey compared the performance of ISO 9000 certified and non-certified Turkish firms by using their stock market returns. The list of the monthly returnes of these firms was gotten from the Istanbul Stock Exchange ISE (2001) market of Turkey from January 1977 to December 2000.One hundred and three (103) of these firms are ISO 9000 certified while one hundred and seventeen (117) where non-satisfied. Based on the objective of the research, two main hypotheses were made: H1 – ISO 9000 certified firms have higher stock market returns than non-ISO 9000 certified firms H2 – ISO 9000 certified firms have lower variability. This type of analysis of using the stock market returns of firms has some limitation since limited number of companies might meet the criteria to be listed in the stock market. Also the survey was measuring only the exports excluding the regional returns in this analysis. Considering the literature review so far, it appears that some managers have failed to distinguish conformance from performance. This is because they have not yet understood the primary role of ISO 9000 certification. ISO 9000 is a conformance specification that shows that the company has a system which is capable of giving a quality goods and services (Teziovski et al.; 1997). The willingness of the management and the employees to use and accept the standard in their day to day activities also depends on this capacity. Askey and Dale (1994) has it that managers tend to divert from the original practices after gaining ISO 9000 certification, which often result in managers engaging their workforce in preventive actions, after much damage has been done already (Brown, 1994). Performance specification on the other hand falls on the tools and techniques, and requires the employees to use the certification process as part of improvement initiative (Allan, 1993). The major problem that emerges from the review is the managers perception of the ISO certification as the answer rather than a tool to an answer. There is a general view in the literature that certification is a potential path to Total Quality Management (Sun, 2000). Barrier to ISO 9000 effective implementation Some assessments were performed to identify the perceived barriers that might add to the ineffective implementation of ISO 9000 in Egyptian manufacturing organisations by Magd (2008). Some numbers of barriers were extracted to perform this study. The respondents were being required to rate these barriers on a five point scale. From â€Å"strongly disagree†=1 to â€Å"strongly agree†=5. As explained in the research there was consecutive agreement among the Egyptians manufacturer that top management commitment, lack of qualified personnel, insufficient quality education and training, lack of financial resources, and failure to define responsibility were among the top barriers for an effective implementation for ISO 9000. Top management commitment was the most important barrier because if an organisation is lagging in management commitment, the employees do not tend to prioritize the quality management system, which will therefore affect the implementation of the quality m anagement (Lee, 2004; Magd, 2003; Bhuiyan and Alam, 2005). Boiral and Marie-Josee (2007) made it clear that lack of managers and employers commitment, difficulty in understanding the quality management system, meeting and system development, time involved in training and difficulty in overcoming the communication barriers are common factors against the implementation of ISO 9000 standard. Another similar study conducted in Singapore by Quazi and Padibjo (1998) explained that high cost of implementation, extra effort in documentation, shortage of manpower, resistance at supervisory levels, lack of management commitment and employee resistance to change are among the top barriers. These finding should be a significant factor to stakeholders in a business. The barrier to be eliminated can easily be identified so that the standard could be implemented effectively. Criticism of ISO 9000 certification Seddon (1997a) a strong critic of ISO 9000 expresses the view that a number of operations that are associated with ISO 9000 are actually not fully optimized within the work place. According to Douglas et al. (2003) the view of some critics of ISO 9000 is that â€Å"some organisations whose objective was TQM (Total Quality Management), implementing ISO 9000 took them away from achieving that objective†. The issue of cost of registration and implementation has also been stressed (Dick, 2000), in that the costs are greater than the desired benefit. (Douglas et al.,2003) in their survey asked participants to indicate a five-point scale the extent they agree with some statement against ISO 9000 (See table iii). From the survey, 53 percent of the respondents did disagree with Gotzamani and Tsiotras (2001) on the view that ISO 9000 sub-optimize performance in a workplace. On the argument about continuous improvement, Lee (2004) argued that 1SO 9000 only introduces improvement through prevention and correction of non performance. These critics has argued that achieving ISO 9000 certification does not mean quality as organisation may still be certified and still give poor quality output. The consistency and the role of the assessors of this standard have been questioned by previous researches (Killman and Stanford, 1996). Criticism Strongly disagree Disagree Neither Agree Strongly agree ISO 9000 promotes action which results in sub-optimization of performance. ISO 9000 a step backwards in the guess of TQM. ISO 9000 relies too heavily on other, in particular assessors interpretation of quality. ISO 9000 can only be effective if accompanied by a culture change. It is easy to be ISO 9000 certified yet produce poor quality output. ISO 9000 will only control output; quality is about improving output. 12 14 8 0 1 9 53 65 44 8 19 35 27 19 22 14 9 20 9 2 23 54 54 33 0 0 3 24 18 4 Findings From the random-sample carried out in this research, it will be practical to conclude that quality studies have been able to identify two main sections of which quality impacts business performance: In terms of manufacturing aspect which involves the increase in employee quality awareness, improve in internal quality process, reduction in production cost and increased productivity, reduces defect and wastage, improves operational performance. Marketing aspects where it increases costumers satisfaction, and market performance, and ability to tender for business. It also exposed how companies clutch for ISO 9000 certification as if it was a remedy for their quality control problem. Limitations of the study Several limitation of this study must be mentioned. In contrast to previous studies, which used survey, questionnaires and average monthly stock market returns of the organisations to examine their performance, which is wide, more stable, consistent and provides less room for bias or error. This study is based on collection of secondary data on the impact of ISO 9000 in business performance. Conclusions and Recommendations This work did analyze the result of implementing the ISO 9000 standard in business. From the opinions of researches reviewed in this paper it is of no doubt that the implementation of these standards has an effect on organisational performance. There is a very high consensus regard to the influence of ISO 9000 on a companys results, mainly through operation improvement, and the cost of companies internal activities. Despite the numbers of surveys on the impact of ISO 9000 on business, this review identified that few surveys have focused on Africa. Further researches should be focused on these developing countries because it is on this basis the general impact of ISO 9000 can be determined. References Allan, M.J. (1993), â€Å"Implementation of ISO 9001/2 in large Australian manufactures†, unpublished Research Project, Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne. Australian Manufacturing Council Study, leading the way: A study of Best Manufacturing Practices in Australia and New Zealand, 1994, pp.59-63. Askey, J.M. and Dale B.G, (1994 )From ISO 9000 Series Registration to Total Quality Management†: An Examination, Quality Management Journal, pp.67-76. Batchelor, K. ( 1992 ), â€Å"Badge of quality†, Financial Times, September. Total Quality Management, Vol. 7 No.3, and pp.293 – 303. Bhuiyan, N. and Alam, N. (2005), â€Å"An investigation into issues related to the latest version of ISO 9000†, Total Quality Management, Vol. 16 No.2, pp.199-213. 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(1996), â€Å"The adoption of ISO 9000 and total quality management in Malaysia†, The TQM Magazine, Vol. 8 No. 5, pp. 65-8. Juran, J.M. (1995), A History of Managing for Quality: The Evolution, Trends and Future Directions ofManaging for Quality, Vol. 109 No 1, pp 43 – 45. Killman, J. and Stanford, M.(1996),†Auditor evaluation System†, Quality world,January,pp10 -11 of ISO 9000†, The TQM Magazine, Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 88-94. Lee, Y.C. (2004), â€Å"TQM in small manufacturers: an exploratory study in China†, International Journal of Quality Reliability Management, Vol. 21 No. 2, pp. 175-97 Lee, S. K. and Palmer, E. (1999), â€Å"An empirical examination of ISO 9000- registered companies in New Zealand†, Total Quality Management, Vol. 10, No. 6, pp. 887-90. Lima, M., Resende, M. and Hasenclever, L. (2000), â€Å"Quality certification and performance of Brazilian firms: an empirical study†, International Journal of Production Economics, Vol. 66 No. 2, pp. 143-7. Lloyds Register Quality Assurance Limited: Setting Standards for Better Business, Report of survey Findings, 1993, pp1-10. Martinez-Lorente, A. and Martinez-Costa, M. (2004), â€Å"ISO 9000 and TQM: substitutes or complementaries? An empirical study in industrial companies†, International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 260-76. McAdam, R. and Canning, N. (2001), â€Å"ISO in