Walter Johnson a Pitcher Essay Example For Students

Walter Johnson a Pitcher Essay In the beginning there were players like Ty Cobb who hit .300 for 23 consecutive years, and the flying dutchman Honus Wagner. Pitchers like the christian gentleman Christy Mathewson, and the winningest pitcher in history Cy Young. In the years when the only Yankees were the people in the north and there was an upstart franchise called the American League there was a pitcher, his name was Walter Johnson. Known as the big train because of his high powered fastball which was unequaled in all of baseball Johnson was a poor Kansas farm-hand who became one of the best pitchers baseball has ever been lucky to have ever seen, and he was on one of the worst teams in the history of baseball. We will write a custom essay on Walter Johnson a Pitcher specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Walter Johnson was born in 1887 in a small town called Humboldt,Ks. As a teenager his interests turned from working on a farm to baseball; as he soon found out, he had a natural calling for pitching. As he went to high school he became one of the nations best pitchers and it was just a matter of time before he would be drafted for the majors. He was drafted by the Washington Senators in 1907 for $9. His first year wasnt so good but in his second year he earned the name the big train with an amazing won loss record. Back when Walter pitched they had no Cy Young awards or league MVP awards but if they had, Walter would have won a dozen of each. On a team with a won loss record of around 60 and 94 Walter usually had half of their wins. He would frequently lead the league in wins, E.R.A., and strikeouts, but even the lackluster of the Senetors had some effect on him. In 1916 he had a miniscule E.R.A. of 1.86 but lost 20 games. It was 1924, and by hard work and determination (Johnson went 23-7) the Senators made it to the World Series but, they had to face the powerhouse of the N.Y.Giants with John McGraw at the helm. Johnson had never won a World Series game in his life and it was his dream of being able to do so but he was getting old and he knew this would probably be his last chance to win one. In game one he lost a heart breaker to the Giants ace. He had a no decision in the second game and had only one more chance at his goal and he knew it, in game 7, the series tied 3-3, he came into the game in the 7th with the score tied 3-3 but his team couldnt come up with a run so Johnson, through the 7 and 8th, mowed down hitters, through the 9 he knew he was running on empty and he would probably come out of the game. He then pitched what he thought would be his final World Series inning, the top of the 10th, in the bottem of the 10th with 2 men out and runners at the corners the Washington batter lifted a ba ll into shallow left that droped for a single and Johnson won his only his first and last World Series game and Washingtons only World Series. Johnson retired in 1927 at the age of 40, he had spent 21 years on probably the worst team in baseball and come out the best pitcher ever in the game. He was elected onto the original Hall Of Fame in 1936 with such players as Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth. Walter Perry Johnson died on December 10, 1946 in Washington D.C. in the town were he pitched for 21 years. .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 , .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 .postImageUrl , .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 , .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796:hover , .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796:visited , .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796:active { border:0!important; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796:active , .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796 .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc09de3b2b48117fd7b312af274c19796:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Federalism From Its Beginning To The Present Essay2nd in history with 416 winshad 279 losses (27 were lost 1-0 and his team shut out in 65 of his starts.)career E.R.A. of 2.17first in career shutouts with 110led league: 5 times E.R.A, 12 times strikeouts, shut outs 7 times, wins 6 timesElected to original Hall of Fame in 1936.

Nike Web Page essays

Nike Web Page essays Companies and other organizations use internet/web sites for different purposes. In general, a web site provides an interface while the Internet provides cost-effective communication capabilities. For this project assignment, the Nike Corporation was chosen and will be dissected for information technology analysis. The Nike Corporation is engaged in the design, development, and worldwide marketing of high quality footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessory products. It is the largest seller of athletic footwear and athletic apparel in the world. The web site that will be examined will be that of www.nike.com. This analysis will be construed into five separate sections that are chronologically as follows: Company Information, Web Site Description, Web Site Analysis, Completing A System, Web Site/Internet Expansion. Searching and finding company information on the web-site was quite easy and user friendly (as will be discussed later). Nikes mission statement reads as follows: Nikes mission for corporate responsibility is to lead in corporate citizenship through programs that reflect caring for the world family of Nike, our teammates, our consumers, and those who provide services to Nike. Nike has more than 500 contract factories around the world in about 45 countries. Their factories are spread across Europe, Asia, North, Central, and South America, and just recently, Australia. In fact, this area of the web site goes into very thorough detail as Nike deliberates on what exactly it is doing to further achieve its mission statement up to the current day. They address current problems such as age limits in factories, environmental health and safety, independent monitoring, education, research, and community affairs and discuss the new changes that they have implemented to further achieve t heir mission statement and please all of their current and potential customers. Although outside informati...

Accounting for Decision Makers -Discussion Question Assignment - 4

Accounting for Decision Makers -Discussion Question - Assignment Example As an example for the second item, if the highest budget value was $154967 while the required budget for next year is less than that, this is a slack. The third item will create a budgetary slack because more money will be used to correct the situation. If $5400 gave the poor results, more dollars will be needed next year. Including depreciation value in the purchase budget will increase cost slightly: this is a slack too. For example if equipment costs $392 today while its charge is $8, the budgeted cost then becomes $400. Inflation rate and fixed cost to the estimates of purchase will slight relax the budget: for example budgeting with $450 for a facility that costs $400 today. Lastly, new employees require higher cost to make labor efficient. Using this cost for approximation of labor efficiency would create a slack. An example would be budgeting for an average $211 for labor efficiency of new employees while only about $110 dollars would be used for the same. I believe Bailey can justify the built-in budgetary slack to the company. The manager may need to explain would benefit the company like preventing frequent returns to the budgeting table or frequent withdrawal of projects. I would suggest for Bailey to improve the company’s budgeting by use of automated systems such as excel spreadsheets for budgeting and driver-based metrics (Hartgraves & Morse, 2015). In addition, honesty between departments and management should be maintained so that none is taken for a

Financial Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Financial Services - Essay Example In December 2010, the Basel Committee had come up with a fresh version of its latest standards for bank capital as well as liquidity obligations. This latest set of worldwide regulatory standards for banks is referred to as the Basel III. The core facets of Basel III are planned to be realised as nationwide regulation by the first half of 2013. However, while certain portions of the new Basel principles are supposed to become effectual upon execution, the others would be implemented over a phase of numerous years. The main reason for the development of the Basel III was the deficits in the financial policies of the Basel Accord II that were exposed during the worldwide financial calamity in the year 2008 (Bank for International Settlements, 2011). This paper critically examines the general approach to measuring capital adequacy levels of banks as per the new standards implemented by the Basel III. The paper subsequently discusses the drawbacks of the Basel II standards that were expo sed during the 2008 worldwide financial catastrophe and which consequently led to the development of the Basel III standards. Additionally, the paper also appraises whether the imposition of the Basel III standards for capital adequacy as well as liquidity obligations of bank will be sufficient to prevent a further financial calamity in future. Background to Basel III Various regulatory bodies have recognised that the prevalent strategies of capital regulations of the banks in the United States as well as the European Union, on the basis of the Basel I and the Basel II Accords as a major reason contributing to the 2008 financial disaster (Shearman & Sterling, 2011; Dowd & Et. Al., 2011). This can be substantiated from the fact that under the prevalent... The paper tells that various regulatory bodies have recognised that the prevalent strategies of capital regulations of the banks in the United States as well as the European Union, on the basis of the Basel I and the Basel II Accords as a major reason contributing to the 2008 financial disaster. This can be substantiated from the fact that under the prevalent capital adequacy policies prior to the financial crisis, the least regulatory capital obligations of banks were inadequate. The low capital obligations imposed on the banks as per the Basel II in addition to certain standards linked to the Basel I were deficient in the context of the elevated exposures and real tangible losses endured by the banking entities during the economic downturn. It was also stated that the quality of the capital maintained by the banks as per regulations were time and again found to be inadequate in absorbing the losses sustained by the banks during the economic crisis successfully. The capital adequacy policies set as per the standards of the Basel II along with that of the Basel I, did not sufficiently detain the risks that were caused by bank exposures to certain dealings. The transactions or dealings that increased the exposures of the banks that the regulatory standards failed to capture were securitisations, repurchase agreements and derivatives. The regulatory policies of Basel I and Basel II also failed to effectively take into account the systemic risks related to the upsurge of leverage in the fiscal and monetary system.

Temporal pattern of a cell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Temporal pattern of a cell - Essay Example The cardiac myocyte is an extremely active cell and it contracts one to three times in one second. This contractility is far greater than the contraction of the skeletal muscle. Owing to this, the cardiac myocyte requires a large amount of energy in the form of ATP. The high metabolism of the cardiac myocyte is the reason why these cells possess an extensive amount of mitochondria. Furthermore, the cardiac myocyte also cannot generate ATP without oxygen. It meets its demand of generating ATP oxidatively by utilizing different energy sources which include fatty acids, lactate and glucose (Klabunde 2005). The cardiac myocyte has the capability of altering its function of contraction as per the requirements of the human body. Its contractility varies throughout the different times of the day according to the needs of the body. Another important feature of the cardiac myocyte is that this cell does not have the capability of undergoing mitosis and the cells do not increase in number. But when there is a greater load, the cardiac myocyte undergoes the process of hypertrophy to compensate for the increased work load (Abel & Wilkins 2004; Hill & Olsen 2012; Walker & Spinale 2006). The cardiac myocyte exhibits varying functions over the 24 hour interval. During the period of sleep, the cardiac myocyte maintains decreased contraction and the metabolic needs of the cardiac myocytes are also low. This is owing to the fact that the body is not in need of an increased blood supply and is in a resting state. The major factor which is responsible in the maintenance of the changing functions of the cardiac myocyte is the calcium ions. During the hours of sleep, the entry and the exit of the calcium ions in the cardiac myocyte are very low. This is the main reason why the cardiac myocyte retains slow contractions (Hill and Olson 2012). When an individual wakes up, the cardiac myocyte starts functioning at a faster pace. An important research has

Characterize The Protagonist

Characterize The Protagonist Thesis Statement: The narrator, who originally loves animals and his wife, turns violent towards them and even kills his wife, because of alcohol addiction. Alcohol addiction as a form of illness, its consequences and examples from personal experience. In the â€Å"The Black Cat† (1843) by Edgar Allan Poe, the protagonist and his wife love animals and have a number of them. The protagonist favorite pet was a black cat named Pluto. Because of his addiction to alcohol he ends up killing his favorite pet and his wife. The narrator, who originally loves animals and his wife, turns violent towards them and even kills his wife, because of alcohol addiction. Alcohol addiction as a form of illness, its consequences and examples from personal experience. In the biging of the story, the narrator is a day before he dies and explains the reasons why he is in prison. Firstly he mention that he is always fond of animals and his wife also shard this love. They had a number of pets, including the cat named Pluto of which the narrator was particularly fond of. As the story goes on the narrator addiction to alcohol got worse taking the best out of him. His illness drives him to have dilutions of the cat that avoiding him while he was drunk. And later on drives him to kill his wife. It seems to me that a clear explanation of his addiction is not given in the story. Around that time of the story alcohol was something many men got addicted to. Perhaps we could say that poverty and such issues had something to do with the problem. But still one can only assume. We could also assume that a reason as to why he became addicted to alcohol was because he hadnt a really strong personality. According to the narrator the problem with the alcohol progressed gradually and although in the beginning he only spoke harshly to his wife, he went on to physically abuse her as well.   That story strongly reminds me of my father and me. My personal experiences are the following. When it comes to my father it seems that he was shearing the same motive as the protagonist of the story. In the time when my father had a problem with alcohol was a time when he had financial and personal problems. At that time us family was just beginning to expand and us family business had suffered blow. Our family was counting of him to provide for everything and he couldnt keep up. Because of that he began drinking. He had mention to me that during that period the alcohol was helped him to escape reality temporally. The result from drinking was frustration and anger; he was rude and angry towards us. Those are of the similarities I noticed between the narrator and my father. To sum up, people with alcohol problems usually are having problems in their lives and they are trying to escape from them in order fell good or not to feel anything at all. Alcohol leads to many consequences physical and social ones as well. Perhaps the people that end up having such addictions already suffer from health, social and other problems, but in my opinion it usually happens to weaker characters. People with strong personalities tend to have a better control over their lives, and even though both the narrator could have been a strong character, just like my father he could be going through a rough phase in his life.

The Minority Predicament: An Analysis of Asian American Success and the

The Minority Predicament: An Analysis of Asian American Success and the Model Minority Paradigm My grandmother sent me a letter from home, telling the success story of her old Chinese tenants who, through hard work, had become very wealthy in the 9 short years they lived in America. My grandmother embraces the belief that "with hard work, patience and a little help from the model minority stereotype, someday Asians will gain full approval of white America". She believes that Asian Americans are inherently smarter, more diligent and thrifty than other racial minorities of our time. I, on the other hand, am skeptical towards this assumed advantage that other minorities have perceived as "elevators to the ladder of success" in American society. While Asian Americans are able to achieve acculturation by gaining material success, despite this economic advancement, they are unable to assimilate socially into mainstream America because of prejudice and discrimination. Prejudice and oppression by whites underlies the discourse used to describe Asian Americans as the "model minority". According to Eric Liu, Asian Americans have been called the "New Jews," a label "meant to accentuate the many parallels between these two groups of immigrants: Jews started out as outsiders; Asians did too†¦ Jews climbed the barriers and crowded the Ivies; Asians did too. Jews climbed faster than any minority in their time; Asians did too". The difference between these two racial groups asserts Liu, is that in America "the very metaphor of ‘the Jew’ now stands for assimilation", but Asians are unable to blend into white American society as Jews did half a century ago. The model minority paradigm first emerged during 1960’s in response to the civil ... ...r frustration on this Asian American, and "assailed Chin with racial epithets and blamed those ‘like him’ for the unemployment of American auto workers". The American auto industry, they felt, had been threatened by competition with Japan’s prospering automobile industry. This violence again engages the Orientalist stereotyping that all Asians can be classified together as a collective foreign "other". Many minorities like Mukherjee and Divakaruni have expressed that although many traditional obstacles of prejudice have been made obsolete, discrimination still exists, especially in the negative responses of other Americans to their success. The peaking of Anti-Asian sentiment and violence on America’s streets and office buildings has reinforced this theme ten fold. Asians must seek to dissolve the racist love behind the distortions of the model minority paradigm.

Value Based Theory & Competitive Advantage

To remain competitive in the 21st century there are key pillars that an organization needs in order to be a leader in their industry and will enable it to value the needs for their customers globally. These pillars include an effective management style, diversity management and business ethics. These key pillars with a strong organizational culture will enable an organization to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors. In order to be successful in the 21st century market, an organization must be able to identify and adapt to these pillars.How these pillars are connected to competitive advantage is what this paper is about. Measuring the values for these pillars will allow an organization to work in different cultural environments and come out strong and successful. They will enable a company to gain a competitive advantage in the global market. These pillars will be represented within a 100 year old corporation that has changed in order to adapt to the 21st century market United Parcel Service, UPS. Introduction: Competitive advantage is something that we hear everyone talking about nowadays.From our CEO’S, teachers, managers, community leaders, small business owners, students, and people who are thinking of embarking in the world of entrepreneurship. The first thing we need to define is what exactly competitive advantage is and why is it so important in today’s world, the 21st century. Competitive advantage is â€Å"the ability of one organization to outperform other organizations because it produces desired goods or services more efficiently and effectively than they do† (Jones & George, 2010 p. 22).Knowing the definition of competitive advantage is not sufficient for managers to be able to apply a market based value driven management strategy. The authors intend to give the readers an overview of the key pillars that are necessary to develop and maintain competitive advantage globally within organizations. The key pillars tha t every organization must incorporate are a successful management style, diversity management, business ethics and a strong organizational culture that will facilitate competitiveness in today’s global environment.Gable and Ellig (1993) introduced a new approach for businesses to coordinate the different decisions and the amounts of information managers are faced with everyday. They called the new approach â€Å"Market Based Management†. Gable and Ellig (1993) believed that in order to understand an organization and have it compete at an advantage in today’s market they have to let it act as a free society and apply the market principals. Otherwise they will â€Å"find themselves distant competitors to firm that do† (Gable & Ellig, 1993, p. ). In order to apply the market based principals every organization needs to evaluate the eight facets of value driven management (Pohlman, 1997). Pohlman (1997) basically summarizes the theory by stating what is value d is what will ultimately drive actions. In the transportation and logistics industry the customers are one of the main direct forces from the ever changing and evolving task environment in which managers are faced with day in and day out.The reason that customers are one of the main forces is because it is the customers that end up influencing the decisions, strategies, missions, purpose and values of the corporations in the 21st century. The authors must first define what customers are because customer satisfaction is the main goal of any organization that is in business. â€Å"Customers are the individuals and groups that buy the goods and services an organization produces. † (Jones & George, 2010, p. 186). Customers in the transportation and logistics industry demand delivery of their products in the fastest and most economical way possible without suffering any damage.We will examine UPS in each of the main pillars (management, diversity, ethics, culture and global inter action). Organizations and managers must analyze forces in the general environment on an ongoing basis. Organizational planning and the decision making that goes into planning are constantly affected by all types of forces in the general environment. Political and legal forces are the results of the changes that occur from new laws and regulations that affect the ways organizations structure their business model (Jones & George, 2011).Laws are an extension of ethical conduct and practices such as workplace safety and discrimination such as Title V11 of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, sex, color. As well, in 1997 the federal government issued guidelines for accommodating individuals’ rights to religious worship in federal buildings in the â€Å"The White House Guidelines on Religious Exercise and Expression in the Federal Workplace† (Jones & George, 2011).UPS has standardized rules and procedu res that are formalized in their Code of Business Conduct which addresses legal and ethical issues and states the company’s values and management philosophies. Since UPS is a global organization, political forces from the general environment such as deregulation and the decline of trade barriers provides the company with increased business opportunities (Jones & George, 2011). These factors also provide challenges for UPS because they must be ever vigilant while operating globally to be sure that their ethical corporate values are being enforced while conducting business outside of the United States.As a global corporation, â€Å"UPS recognizes that it plays a role in acknowledging basic human rights in accordance with our high standards for the treatment of our people† (UPS, 2004). Organizational Culture Organizational culture is defined as â€Å"the shares set of beliefs, expectations, values, norms and work routines that influence the ways in which individuals, gro ups and teams interact with one another and cooperate to achieve organizational goals. † (Jones & George, 2010, p. 684). UPS creates a corporate culture that fosters an environment of innovation. Innovation is crucial for attaining competitive advantage for companies. Innovation versus imitation motivates companies to launch new products and become pioneers on markets† (Jimenez & Sanz-Valle, 2011). The leadership at UPS understands that to use the imitation model of organizational culture can hold back their employee’s creative growth potential. This can affect the company place in the market since they will always be following the market leaders for an opportunity to bring the next great idea to market.In the Market-Based management this principle is under â€Å"Rules that Promote Prosperity† (Gable & Ellig, 1993). There are direct links between an organizational culture and the employee’s attitude towards changes in employees work environment. â₠¬Å"The change within an organization takes place in response to business and economic events and to the processes of managerial perception, choice, and actions† (Pettigrew, 1985). Corporations must be able to adapt to change in regards to their management style.The ability for corporations to adapt to both their internal and external forces will help them remain competitive in the 21st century (Jones & George, 2010) Research conducted in companies in Malaysia, concluded that â€Å"The change process in each organization is unique in each situation, due to the differences in the nature of the organization, the nature of the business, the work culture and values,†¦and also the behavior and attitude of the employees† (Rashid, Sambasivan, & Rahman, June 2008).The study exams the links between an organization’s ability to change in regard to the changing markets and demands of their industries, and how employees and manager attitudes toward rapid changes in marke tplace can affect the success or failure of change. The researchers in this article show that companies that fail to be fluid in implementing change will have a disadvantage compared with companies that adopt changes more quickly. What should be the concept of organizational culture and climate that UPS is to use to operate in the 21st century? In terms of the basic assumptions, values and beliefs, it is the culture of an organization which dictates the expected employee behavior permits to form a compatible work environment, namely, the organizational climate† (Yahyagil, 2006). Management Behavioral management is defined as â€Å"the study of how managers should personally behave to motivate employees and encourage them to perform at high levels and be committed to achieving organizational goals† (Jones & George, 2010, p. 56).Founded by management scholar Mary Parker Follett, â€Å"†¦ was concerned that management theorists of her time were ignoring â€Å"the hu man side of the organization† (Jones & George, 2010, p. 56). â€Å"She pointed out that management often overlooks the multitude of ways in which employees can contribute to the organization when managers allow them to participate and exercise initiative in their everyday work lives† (Jones & George, 2010, p. 56). â€Å"Follett took a horizontal view of power and authority†¦Ã¢â‚¬  verses the traditional vertical chain of command of her contemporaries (Jones & George, 2010, p. 6). By empowering employees UPS managers can give employees the autonomy to make decisions. In this approach managers serve the organization more efficiently because they can spend their time mentoring and guiding employees, and also gaining insight into worker’s knowledge that assists managers with their primary functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Diversity What does valuing diversity have to do with a corporation’s ability to obtaining a competitive a dvantage over its competitors?In order for an organization to create customer and employee values that maximize value over time, the organization first needs to understand employee diversity management (EDM) and how diversity and management will play a role in obtaining a competitive advantage against the competition. â€Å"Treven and Muley (2007) highlight the impact of EDM on competitive advantage and the innovativeness of employees as an outcome to EDM. In other words, by managing diverse employees effectively and efficiently an organization will gain innovation from employees and in turn the corporation will gain a competitive advantage.The findings within their research â€Å"suggests that the organizations that manage employee diversity effectively may gain competitive advantage† (Treven and Mulej, 2007, p 144)† (Olivares , 2011). The positive short term and long term impact that an organization can obtain by effectively managing their diverse workgroups is †Å"Effective EDM can cause lower costs and improved employee attitudes, recruiting efforts, increased sales, market share and corporate profits, increased group problem solving as well as innovation and creativity† (Treven & Mulej ,2007, p. 50). How can EDM lower organizational cost and improve employee attitudes? Treven and Mulej (2007) state that diverse employee feel less inclined to make decisions and are not as satisfied with their careers. This is based on their psychological commitment to the organization they are currently working in because they are different from their co-workers or peers. Based on this alone we can see how a minority employee can suffer a decrease in innovation if not managed properly.Given that most decisions are made by small groups of people working together, Holman, Knippenberg, Kleef and Dreu (2007) it is necessary for organizations to rely on cross-functional work groups in order for them to achieve and stimulate innovation as well as solve pro blems to make the right decisions. Holman et al. (2007) was able to show that work groups with diversity fault lines are still able to effectively use their informational diversity if they believe in the value of diversity. Having a work group with pro-diversity beliefs will in fact provide the organizations with a competitive advantage.This will resonant in the organizations short and long term plans (Olivares, 2011). They were able to â€Å"find a significant main effect of diversity belief’s indicating that groups with pro-diversity belief’s performed better than did groups with pro-similarity beliefs† (Holman et al. , 2007, p. 1193 ) in terms of performance. This demonstrates that we must evaluate the employee’s values to be sure that we manage diversity effectively and take into account the significance the pro-diversity beliefs have on the outcome of our employees.If you have a diverse work group and ineffective EDM that does not value employees you will not be able to create innovative nor will creativity, and that creates a negative attitude among the employees. The lack of EDM would be a value destroyer, â€Å"the major reasons given for value destroyers in organizations were a bad attitude or very poor system† (Pohlman, 1997, p. 9). What are some steps that can be taken in order to make sure that organizations value diversity and therefore maximize value over time? Jones and George (2010) summarize effective diversity management into three steps.The first step is to â€Å"secure top management commitment† (Jones & George, 2010, p. 164). Without the buy-in of the top leaders of the organization incorporating effective diversity management would be unsuccessful. â€Å"Top managers need to develop the correct ethical values and performance- or business-oriented attitudes that allow them to make appropriate use of their human resource† (Jones & George, 2010, p. 164). The second step is â€Å"strive to inc rease the accuracy of perceptions† (Jones & George, 2010, p. 164).Managers need to be open to different views and different perspectives and encourage the same among the entire workgroup (Jones & George, 2010). It is also important for the mangers to not be judgmental of the person and also be willing to change their views about the person, issue or event that is taking place. The last step is to â€Å"increase diversity awareness† (Jones & George, 2010, p. 164). Most people view other people from their own perspective but the organizations should make sure they have some type of â€Å"diversity awareness programs† (Jones & George, 2010, p. 64) in order for the employees to appreciate diversity. A clear example of one way UPS is increasing diversity awareness is through a program called Urban Internship Program. â€Å"The program has been around since the 60’s. The program takes managers in the upper level and some middle level managers out of their usual habitats for a month and sends them to work in communities where they might serve meals to the homeless, help rid communities of ghetto and drugs, help migrant farm workers build temporary houses and schools, or teach teachers to manage a classroom† (Filipczak, 1992).The mangers are drafted and there is no option of saying â€Å"no† to this program. â€Å"The rationale behind it all is simple. Being aware of an issue is not the same as knowing about it, and knowing about it is not the same as doing something about it† (Filipczak, 1992 p. 43) Olivares (2010). That is an example of a program that can be implemented in order to increase diversity awareness, therefore maximize employee value and in turn maximize customer values over time. Business EthicsEthical practices in organizations unquestionably add value and enable corporations to build a competitive advantage. The theory behind Market-Based Management is that the principles of a free and democratic society where people live work and thrive without unnecessary government restriction apply not only to society but to businesses as well (Gable & Ellig, 1993). In successful companies like UPS, strong corporate values and ethics are the underpinning of an effective business model.Scott Davis, chairman and CEO of UPS states, â€Å"UPS’s strong reputation for ethical behavior has enabled us to attract and retain the best people and loyal customers; it has opened doors for us in new and emerging global markets, and allowed us to transform our business to meet changing customer needs. As we continue to seek ways to open doors in new and emerging global markets, our commitment to integrity will allow us to do so† (UPS, 2004). UPS utilizes market based practices in its business model by empowering employees through extensive training and its policies and procedures.UPS develops employee’s careers and promotes from within by emphasizing that employees must continually seek out positions with greater responsibility (UPS, 2004). In addition, UPS creates vested interest in the company by employees since if offers stock ownership. As a business strategy and value adder over time, UPS believes that if it provides excellent employment opportunities and an excellent work environment for its employees, they will in turn provide excellent quality customer service and value to end users.UPS is viewed as an industry leader in ethical business practices, business ethics and corporate social responsibility. Strong corporate ethics have profoundly affected UPS’s ability to compete and excel in the transportation and logistics industry. Value Management theory states that what is valued drives action (Pohlman, 1997). UPS values its employees, which it treats like its customers. This is demonstrated through its ethical corporate structure. One of the business strategies employed by UPS is that they recruit talent with diversity in mind.According to Armstrong, et al. (2010) diversity and equality management systems seek out employees to fill talent deficits with employees that are more similar to customers and who can better communicate and relate to the needs of the customer base. This type of strategic human resource management is associated with higher business performance and added value over time. UPS does not hire simply to fill quotas but because it is the right thing to do, not only from both an ethical and moral imperative, but also a business driver.Market-based management practices dictate that moral decisions are not at odds with profitability rather doing what is right â€Å"enhances profitability over the long term† (Gable & Ellig, 1993). Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs have become widely used as strategies for organizations to demonstrate their business ethics. These programs can be costly and it is questionable as to their overall impact on creating competitive advantage for the company. There are three drivers for CSR in most corporations: compliance to prevailing laws to avoid legal problems, ethical convictions and a reduction in waste and increase in profitability.Even though CSR programs can be costly if stakeholders, like the public, feel that they are not being served by the way the organization conducts business sales generally suffer. UPS uses CSR programs such as the previously mentioned Community Internship Program (CIP) where managers spend four weeks with a non-profit agency in rural or urban areas in an effort to improve conditions in those areas, and to gain insight into â€Å"walking a mile in another man’s moccasins†. Market-based management shows that pro-social behavior benefits society as a whole as well as the bottom line of an organization.Trustworthiness is a source for competitive advantage in organizations and its link to wealth creation over time. If the organization’s leaders generate an environment of trust the following occurs; high er employee commitment, better interpersonal relationships between employees and management, a stronger â€Å"social contract† or connection between the employee and the organization and a more positive view of human resource policies and procedures (Caldwell & Hansen, 2010).Consequently, the employee bring â€Å"energy, passion and excitement† to his/her role that affect what the person is willing to contribute to the organization and this becomes an enormous source for competitive advantage and value over time (Caldwell & Hansen, 2010). Market-based management states that â€Å"a culture of genuine humility and honesty must be established in order to achieve organizational learning and profitability (Gable & Ellig, 1993).UPS’s mission statement includes principles that promote honesty and fairness through strong corporate leadership that are driven by honest relationships and ethical decision making. The mission of business in a market based society is profit . The business outcome in a capitalistic society is that both the business and the stakeholder benefit from the system. Because there is a power differential between the organization and the stakeholder there is always a chance for an abuse of power. This is where the importance of ethics comes in.Since the stakeholders (employees, customers, stockholders, the community, etc. ) are directly impacted either beneficially or negatively by the actions of the company, it is crucial that business ethics are in place and operational to reduce harm and maximize business objectives. Robin (2008) states â€Å"that business should treat each stakeholder group as if they were partners in the success of the firm†. In other words, what benefits the stakeholder creates value and benefits the business.This ties into Market-based management because when businesses practice â€Å"adherence to commonly acknowledged business ethics (it) makes us all wealthier by reducing the amount of resources we have to devote to contract negotiation and enforcement† (Gable & Ellig, 1993, p. 21). UPS follows a strict adherence to formalized codes of behavior and procedures to ensure business goal are being met while fair and ethical standard are being practiced. Boesso and Michelon (2010) studied the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance of corporations.The research indicates that CSR must be strategic in order to result in the greatest gain for business and generate value over time. Companies which focus on a few core issues rather than hundreds of more generic issues find better success in competitive advantage and better benefit to society as a whole. Furthermore, the research indicates that increased competitive performance and outcome can also be measured by items other than financial performance. Productivity, innovativeness and human capital are also indicators of competitive advantage and value over time.As well, the researchers point out that part of the economic value of CSR and stakeholder management is that it brings companies and society together because of the value generated for all parties. The underpinning of market-based management is that it recognizes that the market system is designed to enable groups of people to achieve superior results when working together that are exponentially greater than could be achieved if they were working separately. Organizations like UPS have a â€Å"big picture† view of CSR as a value-adder and utilize best practices that benefit the organization and ultimately society as a whole.Ethical management alone does not guarantee success for a company. Ethical corporate values and practices are but one element of an entire set of practices that lead to competitive advantage and success. Empowering employees through market-based management techniques and a strong commitment to employee development is a fundamental value driver. Ethics as a whole in business is crucial for long term value creation and sustainability for the organization. Globalization In the competitive environment of global markets, value driven management and adherence to specific requirements must be considered before entering these markets.A business management strategy, such as Value Driven Management, signifies the comprehensive success of a company over time (Pohlman, 1997). In determining long-term results, organizations must also understand the factors and driving components that are crucial to creating these opportunities in global markets (Sherwin, 2010). Through understanding political, economic, demographic, legal, and socio-cultural factors, companies can enter these markets and compete successfully against other companies (Jones & George, 2011).It is important for the companies to know â€Å"the impact of these external factors is processed and greatly affects a firm’s outputs that are the products and/or services produced and the markets targeted and penetr ated that impact the overall performance of the firm† (Sherwin, 2010, p. 66). It has been presented that for companies to create the greatest opportunity of output of good and services requirements, such as, Customer Relationship Marketing, CRM and New Product Development, NPD will be needed.When organizations move from one environment to another, decisive measures must be implemented in order for the consumer within that culture to accept the goods and services offered by the company (Ivanova & Castellano, 2011). By mean of CRM or Customer Relationship Marketing, is one of the strategies used towards incorporating Value Driven Management. This â€Å"is a philosophy that is based upon leadership perspectives regarding differentiating customers and prospects by current and future value and meeting individualized and customer needs† (Sherwin, 2010, p. 9). An example of Customer Relationship Marketing is when UPS expanded into Canada, its first global market in 1975. At fi rst, when entering this market, UPS was not given the license needed in order to drive it trucks on their highways. To meet the needs of the government and still perform deliveries for it customers, UPS decorated taxis with their company logo to transport and deliver packages in order to accommodate government regulations (United Parcel Service, 2007).To satisfy these needs or regulations of the government, it became the responsibility of top-level management or company values to create strategies and procedures in order to allocate their resources effectively (Sherwin, 2010). UPS still continues to do business in Canada today because it had gained the trust of government officials and existing customers by determining their need through their current and future value by using Customer Relationship Marketing strategies. This would not have been realized if top-level management did not comply with overall country values.It is crucial for companies to determine the owner’s valu e, or the overall company’s value and the importance of emphasizing the benefits that maximizing value over time has on an organization. â€Å"It is not to imply that other values are not equally important, but we must understand when we are working in an organization our job there is to maximize the value for the owners. When all is working well, the values of employees, customers, suppliers, third parties, and owners will be in harmony† (Pohlman, 1997, p. 21). Under these conditions, eginning with top-level management, they must strategize or develop a game plan to utilize every resource, asset, or opportunity within the company; to gain a competitive advantage over competitors within the bounds of the global market they are penetrating. For these reasons it is imperative and recommended for companies to use Customer Relationship Marketing with the values of the company to obtain a competitive advantage over time. In order for companies to succeed in the global marke t, innovating new products and services are necessary to obtain sustainable competitive advantage (de Brentani, et al. 2010). â€Å"Product innovation and the trend to globalization are two important dimensions driving business today, and a firm’s global new product development (NPD) strategy is a primary determinant of performance† (de Brentani, et al. , 2010, p. 143). One prime example of this, is in 2004, when UPS designed and introduced Quantum ViewSM Manage, this would allow for consumer who sent the package to effortlessly monitor the transportation of small parcels within the bound of their supply chains and improve services by using technological applications created by UPS (United Parcel Service, 2007).In creating this application, this allows UPS to further globalize itself by introducing innovative services such as the Quantum ViewSM Manage. In the case of UPS, initiating a new product development strategy is a crucial element towards product innovation if c ompanies are to eliminate any barrier to entry (de Brentani, et al. , 2010). To successfully implement a new product development strategy, ideas will originate from organizational culture and senior management (de Brentani, et al. , 2010).It is the environment within the company that shapes the design and direction of innovative ideas and services that will be used and incorporated into global markets. â€Å"Thus, both the strategy factors as well as certain intangibles characterizing the firm’s behavioral environment (BE) have been found to affect global NPD program outcome† (de Brentani, et al. , 2010, p. 144). Without the role of management and culture within the organization, companies will not be able to produce more economically or create value for its customers in the global market in which they are seeking to penetrate (de Brentani, et al. 2010). Conclusion In conclusion, organizations that incorporate strong and functional organizational culture, an effective management style, diversity, and ethics will sustain a competitive advantage in the 21st century only if they value the needs of their employees, customers, owners, countries, and organizations globally. Organizational culture will identify how a company will operate in the market, how they will behave in day to day operations, and how they will be able to adapt to change.Management styles empowering employees will allow them to take more initiative within their work responsibilities which will lead to increased job satisfaction. The authors recommend fro UPS to continue to have an organizational culture that provides an environment which supports the established goals of the organization. For organizations to stay competitive in the 21st century is becoming more and more essential for them to stay on top of their game Second recommendation is to incorporate an effective management style that encourages employees to have more autonomy.This will allow them to take initiatives in deci sions that need to be made within the organization. . Effectively managing employee diversity and making sure that the customer, employee, owners, organization, and external values are all in tune with each other is the mix that is needed in the 21st century in order for an organization to be competitive in today’s global environment.Third recommendation is to continue to manage diversity effectively and that will enable the group to come up with creative and innovative ideas that will put the organization first in their industry Once the key pillars are defined we need a strong business ethics to refrain from questionable practices and set standards that meet or exceed moral and legal measures. Fourth recommendation, it is important for organizational members to be responsible for maintaining a superior level of ethical behavior.Last but not least is to make sure we are valuing and adapting to the customers needs globally in order to maintain a competitive advantage in the g lobal marketplace even it means to change the organizations strategy overseas. If UPS fails to follow these key pillars that are necessary in the 21st century it can impact their global operations in both the short and long term. Our recommendation to UPS is for them to continue what they are doing and also continue to evaluate the needs of their customers, employees, owners, rganization, and countries in which they operate to remain successful in today’s globally expanding market on a quarterly base.

Chemical Preservatives Essay Example

Chemical Preservatives Essay Example Chemical Preservatives Essay Chemical Preservatives Essay It is applied as a chelating agent. Its function is to control the reaction of metal ions with some organic and inorganic components that will result in deterioration of foods. Apart from that, the preservative also acts as antioxidant antimicrobial agent, especially against gram-negative bacteria. Mechanisms of action Ca disodium EDTA blocks the normal reaction of metal ions by binding to their reactive sites. This increases its efficiency as an antioxidant. Consequently, the oxidation of ascorbic acid and fat-soluble vitamins is hindered and also the rancidity of the product. The resistance of gram-negative bacteria is overcome by the removal of lipopolysaccharide containing membrane. 2. Calcium Propionate (C6H10CaO4) It was found in wholemeal bread rolls. Properties It is the salt of propionic acid. It is only soluble in water but insoluble in alcohol. Utilization The antimicrobial activity is particularly against mycotoxin forming moulds, less so against bacteria. No inhibition effect has been demonstrated against yeast. Therefore, it is mainly used for bread preservation, as it will not interrupt the leavening in bakery goods raised by yeast. The other salt of propionic acid, sodium propionate is employed chiefly in confectionery. Mechanisms of action The antimicrobial activity is related to amino acid uptake inhibition and growth inhibition in the cell membrane. Propionic acid carries out neutralization of the protonmotive force by shuttling undissociated molecules through the membrane. They are then dissociated on the inside of the membrane. Apart from that, it can work within a high pH range, which is the condition in most bakery goods owing to low dissociation constant. Moreover, they can combat against moulds and prevent ropiness caused by the action of Bacillus mesentericus. 3. Nisin It was found in Swiss cheese. Properties It is a polypeptide antibiotic, produced by some Lactococcus lactis strains. The polypeptide consists of 34 amino acids. Although it is defined as an antibiotic, it is not used as human medicine in disease treatment. Utilization The inhibitory effect of nisin is restricted to pathogenic gram-positive microorganisms and all spore forming microorganisms. For example, lactic acid bacteria, Streptococci, Bacilli and Clostridia. However, yeast and moulds are not inhibited by nisin. This heat resistant peptide is applied to suppress anaerobes in cheese and cheeses products, especially in hard cheese and processed cheese to inhibit butyric acid fermentation. Mechanisms of action The action of nisin is directed against the cytoplasmic membrane right after the germination of the spore. Its action is pronounced against spores rather than vegetative cells. 4. PHB-esters It was found in chicken and mushroom pastry. Properties They are the alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and are stable. The solubility in water decreases with increasing alkyl chain length. Utilization The esters are mostly antifungal agents. They are effective against yeasts but less so against bacteria, especially those gram-negative bacteria. The uses of PHB-esters are governed by 3 properties: action dependent on the pH value, very low water solubility and particular organoleptic characteristics. Mechanisms of action Its mode of action is very similar to that of benzoic acid. The parabens dissolve in or through the cell membrane, interfering with the membrane-related processes or structures. In addition to that, paraben has been found to inhibit both growth and isolated uptake systems for amino acids. 5. Sodium Ascorbate (C6H7NaO6) It was found in the smoked reformed ham of Italiano ham and cheese tortellini. Properties It is the salt of ascorbic acid (vitamin C). It is soluble in water. In water, it readily reacts with atmospheric oxygen and other oxidizing agents. Utilization Na ascorbate is used as an antioxidant due to its high affinity for oxygen. Furthermore, it is also functions as a colour preservative. It is used as a reducing agent in curing of meat for a good pink colour. In addition, it helps to retard the browning reactions in fruits and vegetable products. Mechanisms of action In this context, Na ascorbate is included in the curing-salt mixtures to reduce the amount of residue nitrite. As a reducing agent, it influences the rate of key reducing reaction in the formation of nitrosyl myoglobin (MbNO). MbNO is responsible for the read pigment of the uncooked bacon and ham. As a result, lower levels of nitrites or nitrates could be used in pickles. At the mean time, it also hinders the nitrosation reaction. 6. Sodium Benzoate It was found in marmalade. Properties It is the salt of benzoic acid. It occurs in the form of white crystalline powder. Its solubility is 200 times greater than benzoic acid. Utilization The inhibition activity of sodium benzoate is mainly against yeasts and moulds. Bacteria are only partially inhibited. It is used for preservation of sour foods, which has a pH of 4-4. 5 or lowers, as they can tolerate at acidic pHs. The usual quantity applied is 0. 05-0. 1% Mechanisms of action The undissociated part of benzoic acid is the effective agent. Its action is pH dependent because it has to penetrate the cell wall of the microorganisms in order to develop its action. Generally, it has been discovered to influence the enzyme controlling acetic acid metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, the preservative also intervene at various points in the tricarboxylic cycle, especially where the dehydrogenases of ? -ketoglutaric acid and succinic acid are involved. 7. Sodium Nitrite (NaNO2) It was found in the honey roast sandwich ham . Properties It is the salt of nitrous acid. It is a white to pale yellowish granular powder with salty taste. It has a high solubility in water. Utilization It is used primarily to preserve the red colour of meat. Apart from this, sodium nitrite also demonstrates antimicrobial activity. It is particularly effective against outgrowth of Clostridium botulinum, which can produce the deadly toxin, botulin. Mechanisms of action The nitrite oxidises the iron ( ) state of the muscle myoglobin to the iron ( ) state. Fe 2+ + No2- + H+Â   Fe3+ + NO + OH- The myoglobin (Mb) is converted to metamyoglobin (MMb). The resulting nitrogen oxide will react with the iron MMb to form nitrosyl metmyoglobin (MMbNO). The respiratory system of the muscle tissue will reduce MMbNO to nitrosyl myoglobin, MbNO, which is the red pigment of the uncooked bacon and ham. The antimicrobial effect, which is termed as Perigo effect , is related to the residual nitrite in ham. During cooking of the ham, much of the residual nitrite is broken down to nitrogen oxide. NO has an inhibition effect on at least one enzyme (namely pyruvate:ferrodoxin oxidoreductase), which plays an important role in the energy metabolism. Interfering activity of NO includes inhibiting oxygen uptake, oxidative phosphorylation and H+ dependent active transport. Furthermore, the uncoupler also causes collapse of proton gradient. As a result, the growth and toxin production of Clostridium botulinum is severely affected. Apart from NaNO2, Sodium nitrate is used in curing of meat to supply the nitrite. This is due to the reason that nitrite is the effective agent. NO3- + 2[H] NO2- + H2O 8. Sorbic acid (C6H8O2) It was found in cheese. Properties It is a white monocyclic crystal with a specific odour and sour taste. It will melt at 132 to 135 0C. The solubility increases with temperature. It is effective over a broad range of pH but ineffective above pH 7. Utilization It is effective against mould and yeast but only marginally effective against bacteria. This makes it very suitable as a cheese preservative because it permits the fermentation action of lactic acid bacteria. Mechanisms of action The activity of sorbic acid is very pH dependent. The un-dissociated acid constituent, which is antimicrobial, will penetrate the cell wall in order to develop action in the cell. Its action includes inhibition of various enzymes such as enolase and lactate dehydrogenase and others. One of the ways is by forming covalent bonds between its own double bonds and the SH groups of enzymes. 9. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) It was found in ready to eat apricot dried fruits. Properties SO2 is a colourless, non-combustible gas with a pungent odour. It dissolves in water to yield sulphurous acid. The density of SO2 is twice higher than that of air. Usage It is widely used in many foods and beverages as preservatives and antioxidants. Its functions include prevention of oxidation, inhibition of chemical and enzymatic reactions and the inhibition of the growth of yeasts, moulds and bacteria. It is commonly used in the form or sodium hydrogen sulphite, sodium metabisulphite, potassium metabisulphite and calcium hydrogen sulphite. Mechanisms of action In the production of dehydrated fruits, SO2 provides protection against oxidative, enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning reactions. Moreover, it also helps to delay colour changes or acts as bleaching agent. SO2 prevents enzymatic browning by inactivating the phenolases, which are mainly found in fruits and vegetables. These enzymes facilitate the conversion of colourless phenolic compounds to highly coloured quinones. Fig 1 Fig 2 In non-enzymatic browning, SO2 inhibits discoloration by blocking compounds with reactive carbonyl groups, the nonreactive hydroxy sulphonate sugar derivatives. Although SO2 itself is successful in many systems in very low concentration, combinations with other preservatives such as sorbic acid, sorbates and ascorbic acid may be more effective for browning prevention in certain foods and beverages. 10. Vitamin E It was found in vegetable fat spread. Properties It is a group of derivatives of 6-hydroxychroman carrying a phytyl side chain. There are two main groups of compound, which have vitamin E activity, the tocopherols and tocotrienols. The vitamin E content of foods is expressed as mg ? tocopherol. Therefore, vitamin E is sometimes labelled as tocopherols in the product. Utilization It functions as an antioxidant in oily and fatty foods. Rancidity of foods resulted from autoxidation of the unsaturated fatty acid is prevented. Mechanisms of action As an antioxidant, vitamin E blocks the free-radical chain reactions of lipid peroxidation. References 1. Belitz, H. D. and W. Grosch (1999) Food Chemistry, (2nd edition), Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, Germany. 2. Coultate, T. P. (1996), Food: The Chemistry of Its Components, (3rd edition), Royal Society of Chemistry Paperback, Cambridge, p239-241, 247-257.

The Gods of the Olmec

The Gods of the Olmec The mysterious Olmec Civilization flourished between roughly 1200 and 400 B.C. on Mexicos Gulf coast. Although there are still more mysteries than answers about this ancient culture, modern researchers have determined that religion was of great importance to the Olmec. Several supernatural beings appear and re-appear in the few examples of Olmec art that survive today. This has led archaeologists and ethnographers to tentatively identify a handful of Olmec gods. The Olmec Culture The Olmec culture was the first major Mesoamerican civilization, thriving in the steamy lowlands of Mexicos Gulf coast, mainly in the modern-day states of Tabasco and Veracruz. Their first major city, San Lorenzo (its original name has been lost to time) peaked around 1000 B.C. and was in serious decline by 900 B.C. The Olmec civilization had faded by 400 B.C.: no one is certain why. Later cultures, like the Aztec and the Maya, were heavily influenced by the Olmec. Today little survives of this grand civilization, but they left behind a rich artistic legacy including their majestic carved colossal heads. Olmec Religion Researchers have done a remarkable job of learning so much about Olmec religion and society. Archaeologist Richard Diehl has identified five elements of Olmec religion: a particular cosmos, a set of gods who interacted with mortals, a shaman class, specific rituals and sacred sites. Many specifics of these elements remain a mystery: for example, it is believed, but not proven, that one religious rite mimicked the transformation of a shaman into a were-jaguar. Complex A at La Venta is an Olmec ceremonial site which was largely preserved; much about Olmec religion was learned there. Olmec Gods The Olmec apparently had gods, or at least powerful supernatural beings, which were worshiped or respected in some way. Their names and functions - other than in the most general sense - have been lost over the ages. Olmec deities are represented in surviving stone carvings, cave paintings, and pottery. In most Mesoamerican art, gods are depicted as human-like  but are often more gruesome or imposing. Archaeologist Peter Joralemon, who has studied the Olmec extensively, has come up with a tentative identification of eight gods. These gods show a complicated mixture of human, bird, reptile and feline attributes. They include the Olmec Dragon, the Bird Monster, the Fish Monster, the Banded-eye God, the Maize God, the Water God, the Were-Jaguar and the Feathered Serpent. The Dragon, Bird Monster, and Fish Monster, when taken together, form the Olmec physical universe. The dragon represents the earth, the bird monster the skies and the fish monster the underworld. The Olmec Dragon The Olmec Dragon is depicted as a crocodile-like being, occasionally having human, eagle or jaguar features. His mouth, sometimes open in ancient carved images, is seen as a cave: perhaps, for this reason, the Olmec were fond of cave painting. The Olmec Dragon represented the Earth or at least the plane upon which humans lived. As such, he represented agriculture, fertility, fire and otherworldly things. The dragon may have been associated with the Olmec ruling classes or elite. This ancient creature may be the forebear of Aztec gods such as Cipactli, a crocodile god, or Xiuhtecuhtli, a fire god. The Bird Monster The Bird Monster represented the skies, sun, rulership, and agriculture. It is depicted as a fearsome bird, sometimes with reptilian features. The bird monster may have been the preferred god of the ruling class: carved likenesses of rulers sometimes are shown with bird monster symbols in their dress. The city once located at the La Venta archaeological site venerated the Bird Monster: its image appears there frequently, including on an important altar. The Fish Monster Also called the Shark Monster, the Fish Monster is thought to represent the underworld and appears as a frightening shark or fish with sharks teeth. Depictions of the Fish Monster have appeared in stone carvings, pottery, and small greenstone celts, but the most famous is on San Lorenzo Monument 58. On this massive stone carving, the Fish Monster appears with a fearsome mouth full of teeth, a large X on its back and a forked tail. Shark teeth excavated at San Lorenzo and La Venta suggest that the Fish Monster was honored in certain rituals. The Banded-Eye God Little is known about the mysterious Banded-eye God. Its name is a reflection of its appearance. It always appears in profile, with an almond shaped eye. A band or stripe passes behind or through the eye. The Banded-eye God appears more human than many of the other Olmec gods. It is found occasionally on pottery, but a good image appears on a famous Olmec statue, Las Limas Monument 1. The Maize God Because maize was such an important staple of life of the Olmec, its not surprising that they dedicated a god to its production. The Maize God appears as a human-ish figure with a stalk of corn growing out of his head. Like the Bird Monster, Maize God symbolism frequently appears on depictions of rulers. This could reflect the rulers responsibility to ensure bountiful crops for the people. The Water God The Water God often formed a divine team of sorts with the Maize God: the two are often associated with one another. The Olmec Water God appears as a chubby dwarf or infant with a gruesome face reminiscent of the Were-Jaguar. The Water Gods domain was likely not only water in general but also rivers, lakes and other water sources. The Water God appears on different forms of Olmec art, including large sculptures and smaller figurines and celts. It is possible that he is a forebear of later Mesoamerican water gods such as Chac and Tlaloc. The Were-Jaguar The Olmec were-jaguar is a most intriguing god. It appears as a human baby or infant with distinctly feline features, such as fangs, almond-shaped eyes and a cleft in his head. In some depictions, the were-jaguar baby is limp, as if it is dead or sleeping. Matthew W. Stirling proposed that the were-jaguar is the result of relations between a jaguar and a human female, but this theory is not universally accepted. The Feathered Serpent The Feathered Serpent is shown as a rattlesnake, either coiled or slithering, with feathers on its head. One excellent example is Monument 19 from La Venta. The feathered serpent is not very common in surviving Olmec art. Later incarnations such as Quetzalcoatl among the Aztecs or Kukulkan among the Maya seemingly had a much more important place in religion and daily life. Nevertheless, this common ancestor of the significant feathered serpents to come in Mesoamerican religion is considered important by researchers. Importance of the Olmec Gods The Olmec Gods are very important from an anthropological or cultural point of view and understanding them is critical to understanding Olmec civilization. The Olmec civilization, in turn, was the first major Mesoamerican culture and all of the later ones, such as the Aztec and Maya, borrowed heavily from these forebears. This is particularly visible in their pantheon. Most of the Olmec gods would evolve into major deities for later civilizations. The Feathered Serpent, for example, appears to have been a minor god to the Olmec, but it would rise to prominence in Aztec and Maya society. Research continues on the Olmec relics still in existence and at archaeological sites. Currently, there are still more questions than answers about the Olmec Gods: hopefully, future studies will illuminate their personalities even further. Sources: Coe, Michael D and Rex Koontz. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008 Diehl, Richard A. The Olmecs: Americas First Civilization. London: Thames and Hudson, 2004. Grove, David C. Cerros Sagradas Olmecas. Trans. Elisa Ramirez. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 30-35. Miller, Mary and Karl Taube. An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. New York: Thames Hudson, 1993.

Using Adapted SBAR Communication Tool in transitions in patient care Essay

Using Adapted SBAR Communication Tool in transitions in patient care in a long term acute hospital setting - Essay Example ns involved in a certain medical case together so as to create a more progressive intervention process on the part of the healthcare professionals handling the situation of the patients. In the field of healthcare personnel and institution responsibilities, communication plays a great role that affects the entire system’s operations. With the said involvement, healthcare officials giving care to a patient who is under a long-time schedule of medication needs to be well supported through the updates that are sent between the said institutions and even between personnel-to-personnel connection so as to be able to monitor the developments of the patient as they undergo the medication treatments that they are supposed to receive. Usually, medical institutions that are involved in long-time cases of medical treatments are in need of being connected to each other for the sake of continuously being able to communicate together so as to have a background as to how a particular patient fares based on the record of medical development that an individual actually takes into mannered improvement in connection with the medical situation that they have to deal with. Hence, to be able to solve this problem, it is rather important to take into consideration that need to create an effective approach to finding the right process of communication smoothly processed for the sake of the health improvement of the patients being treated. It is believed by the researcher that through this particular study, it could be perceived that the operational use of the SBAR or Situation Background Assessment Recommendation, the process of assisting a patient for his or her faster recovery would become much of an easier task for the medical personnel involved in the said medical cases. Based from researches and observational procedures, this particular paper shall deal with the issues related to the problem in a way that it would be safe way from any ethical issues that may hinder it from

Business statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business - Statistics Project Example In order to test the hypothesis, the significance level chosen was 0.05 while for constructing confidence interval a 95% confidence level was chosen. The data gathered through random sampling is attached in the Appendix. Since the sample size is large the independent sample t test was conducted for hypothesis testing assuming equal variances. The results showed that that the sample represented the population in a true manner while the hypothesis testing provided that there is no significant difference between male and female students in the IQ levels. The correlation between intelligence and gender has passed through several distinct phases. During the 19th century, when general adult suffrage was a social and political issue in some parts of the world, intelligence and gender was considered a topic of great interest for studying. Since, many proposed it as a requirement for allowing of suffrage that both male and female should have equal level of intelligence. Moreover, historically women were not allowed to excel in academics and were kept within the houses to perform domestic chores. The topic had remained under investigation since ages due to the social differences that prevailed between male and female and so has been incorporated in the study. Explorations on biological gender differences within the context of human psychology attempt to investigate the behavioral and cognitive differences between males and females. Such research makes use of experimental testing of cognition in diverse forms. These tests are based on the potential differences that may exist in areas like spatial reasoning, IQ, spatial reasoning, emotion, aggression, brain structure and its operation. Amongst the investigators around the world, it has always remained a challenging aspect whether intelligence has any correlation with gender differences. While investigating the differences of level of intelligence amongst