Violence in the Aztec Society Essay Example for Free

Violence in the Aztec Society Essay â€Å"The dismal drum of Huichilobos sounded again, accompanied by conches, horns, and trumpet-like instruments. It was a terrifying sound, and when we looked at the tall cue (temple-pyramid) from which it came we saw our comrades who had been captured in Cortes’ defeat being dragged up the steps to be sacrificed. When they had haled them up to a small platform in front of the shrine where they kept their accursed idols we saw them put plums on the heads of many of them; and then they made them dance with a sort of fan in front of Huichilobos. Then after they had danced the papas (Aztec priests) laid them down on their backs on some narrow stones of sacrifice and, cutting open their chests, drew out their palpitating hearts which they offered to the idols before them. Then they kicked the bodies down the steps, and the Indian butchers who were waiting below cut off their arms and legs and flayed their faces, which they afterwards prepared like glove leather, with their beards on, and kept for their drunken festivals. Then they ate their flesh with a sauce of peppers and tomatoes.† -Spanish Conquistador, Bernal Diaz (The Enigma of Aztec Sacrifice by Michael Harner (1977:46-50)) The Aztecs were a tribe in central Mexico during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. They were located in Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City, on an island in Lake Texcoco. The Aztec community was highly advanced for their time period in things such as architecture and mathematics. They developed a complex calendar, irrigation systems, exquisite art, advanced agriculture, canals used in transportation, chinampas (floating gardens), and were the first civilization to require their children to go to school. Yet, they were extremely violent and resorted to barbaric acts. It appears from the Spanish records and archaeological findings that the Aztecs were most definitely a violent society, but were they inherently violent or did they have rational reasons related to non-violence explaining their behavior? The main reason scholars think that the Aztecs were seen as a malicious  group was their ritual of human sacrificing. Spanish records of the Aztecs have been known to exaggerate their descriptions of human sacrificing but archaeological research done in 1960 and 1969 tends to support the conquistadores’ accounts. Headless human rib cages completely lacking the limb bones were found at Aztec sacrificial sites. Although these remains were found, many scholars perceive this as a religious act pertaining to the Aztec’s belief that humans must sacrifice that, which was most precious to them, life, in order to receive in return the sun, rain, and other blessings of the gods that make life possible. Ortiz de Montellano (1978,1990) attributed the Aztec practice of human sacrifice to their belief that the gods required it. He went on to say that the majority of human sacrifice during harvest periods indicated that it was â€Å"a gesture of thanks and reciprocity to the gods ( 1978:614).† The Aztecs often went to war with their neighbors to bring back prisoners for human sacrifice; this was called the flowery wars. Although the Aztecs did take prisoners to be sacrificed, some scholars believe that the flowery wars were not only for obtaining sacrificial victims. Hassig (1990) linked human sacrifice to their unstable economic position. He analyzed the flowery wars as an empire-building strategy that was used to wear down stronger enemies rather than as a deliberate procedure to capture people for sacrifice. Price (1978) and Isaac (1983) similarly thought that the flowery wars reflected the shifting of power between neighboring cities and their inability to conquer the Valley of Mexico (Tlaxcala-Pueblan Valley). Price suggests that the failure of military conquering made human sacrifice an ideal excuse to explain this lack of success. King Moteuczoma characterized the wars as rituals for obtaining captives and as military training for soldiers. This is seen as a strateg ic plan to direct the conquistadores’ attention away from political and military weaknesses in the Aztec civilization. In the mass majority of sacrificial rituals, cannibalism was performed. This often took part during the sacrificing of prisoners of war but also happened during the sacrifice of some of their own people. Harner (1977) rejected anthropological theories hypothesizing that human sacrifice was  caused by the requirement of their religion and gods. He thought that their causes were because of a high population rate that caused protein scarcity. Based on studies of population pressure, Harner (1970) suggested that the big picture of Aztec human sacrifice and cannibalism resulted from demographical and ecological factors. These created protein shortages, population pressure, seasonal crop failures, a lack of livestock, the depletion of wild game in the region, famine, and the environment surrounding the valley was not suitable for farming due to the desertification of the land. The Aztecs had corn and beans to provide protein but since these vegetables could only be grown in certain seasons, they were an insufficient way to get protein. This is what led Harner to believe cannibalism was their only constant and abundant supply of protein. Harner also suggested that the purpose of the flowery wars was to capture prisoners to sacrifice with the intent to consume them. Price, (1978) however, disagreed. She stated that the highest classes of society, who consumed most of the human sacrifices, already had easy access to other meat. Ortiz De Montellano (1978) argued against Harner’s hypothesis as well. He stated that there was a wide range of meat protein available, advances in agricultural techniques, plenty of stored food, and that the Aztecs had a good overall diet. Montellano also suggested other ideas as to why the â€Å"ecological hypothesis† was not true. The first was that the Aztecs were conquering new lands and areas for agriculture, which sometimes provided them with a new source of game to hunt, thus having a larger pool of meat to eat. His second was of the minor availability of the total human protein from sacrifice because the flesh was reserved for the elite, which included great warriors and priests. Montellano’s third was evidence that explained that the bulk of the Aztec’s sacrifices took part during the periods of time in the year when there were plenty of crops and plenty of food to easily sustain them. This means that instead of the Aztecs relying on human meat during the off-season, they practiced cannibalism regardless of their food status. Michael Winkelman (1998) said, â€Å"in comparison to other societies with human  sacrifice, the Aztecs were extreme in several measures: they were the only human sacrifice society in this sample with a high risk of famine; the highest on several measures of population pressure; in the highest category of population density (over 500 persons per square mile); and had the highest levels of overall warfare for land resources. Therefore, their sacrifice and cannibalism may reflect their extreme conditions on many ecological variables.† John M. D. Pohl (2002) stated, â€Å"Aztec sacrifice, once perceived as a ruthless practice committed by a ‘tribe’ seemingly obsessed with bloodshed, is now seen as no more or less brutal than what many imperial civilizations have done.† The Aztecs were not the only people throughout the Earth’s history to have such violent practices. William Prescott (1992) compiled research comparing the Aztecs violent ways to those of other cultures throughout history. According to Prescott’s research, such violent practices were found among the ancient Canaanites, the Celtic people, and the Romans. The Romans had slaves that they condemned to die merely for the purpose of entertainment in the Colosseum. The research also notes the story of Abraham and Isaac in the Old Testament, where Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son for God. While the story was against sacrifice it still shows that it was a known practice. Another biblical story of sacrifice that Prescott mentions is the story of Jepthah. Jepthah pledges that he will sacrifice the first living creature that he saw when returning home if god would give him victory in his upcoming battle. When Jepthah returns home, he is greeted by his daughter and is forced by the bindings of his word to make a burnt offering of his daughter. Prescott’s compilation of research also included the Hindu custom of suttee, which was the suicide of the widow on the funeral pyre of her husband because of the Hindu belief in Samsara. French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss (1964) described the Aztecs as suffering from â€Å"a maniacal obsession with blood and torture.† However, Harner (1977:51) stated, â€Å"Gruesome as these practices may seem, an ecological perspective and population pressure theory render the Aztec emphasis on human sacrifice acceptable as a natural and rational response to the material conditions of their existence. A materialist ecological  approach reveals the Aztecs to be neither irrational nor mentally ill, but merely human beings who, faced with unusual survival problems, responded with unusual behavior.† The Aztec’s beliefs about the world and how they, as a people, could keep the sun rising and the plants growing and therefore continued life for future generations was also a very powerful force in their commitment to give to the gods the highest honor of human sacrifice. The Aztecs definitely had a violent culture and had some very unorthodox practices, but were their methods any more cruel than nuclear warfare, terrorism, and torture for political reasons? We look at the Aztec’s reasons for their violent actions as insufficient but we do not question our own reasons for the violence we create today. Perhaps it’s in the way we view, interpret, and justify the actions.

Contribution Of Robert Owen In The 19th Century Commerce Essay

Contribution Of Robert Owen In The 19th Century Commerce Essay Though Owen is considered to be paternalistic in his view, his contribution is of a considerable significance in the theories of Motivation. During the early years of the nineteenth century, Owens textile mill at New Lanark in Scotland was the scene of some novel ways of treating people. His view was that people were similar to machines. A machine that is looked after properly, cared for and maintained well, performs efficiently, reliably and lastingly, similarly people are likely to be more efficient if they are taken care of. Robert Owen practiced what he preached and introduced such things as employee housing and company shop. His ideas on this and other matters were considered to be too revolutionary for that time. 2) Jeremy Benthams The Carrot and the Stick Approach : Possibly the essence of the traditional view of people at work can be best appreciated by a brief look at the work of this English philosopher, whose ideas were also developed in the early years of the Industrial Revolution, around 1800. Benthams view was that all people are self-interested and are motivated by the desire to avoid pain and find pleasure. Any worker will work only if the reward is big enough, or the punishment sufficiently unpleasant. This view the carrot and stick approach was built into the philosophies of the age and is still to be found, especially in the older, more traditional sectors of industry. The various leading theories of motivation and motivators seldom make reference to the carrot and the stick. This metaphor relates, of course, to the use of rewards and penalties in order to induce desired behavior. It comes from the old story that to make a donkey move, one must put a carrot in front of him or dab him with a stick from behind. Despite all the research on the theories of motivation, reward and punishment are still considered strong motivators. For centuries, however, they were too often thought of as the only forces that could motivate people. At the same time, in all theories of motivation, the inducements of some kind of carrot are recognized. Often this is money in the form of pay or bonuses. Even though money is not the only motivating force, it has been and will continue to be an important one. The trouble with the money carrot approach is that too often everyone gets a carrot, regardless of performance through such practices as salary increase and promotion by seniority, automatic merit increases, and executive bonuses not based on individual manager performance. It is as simple as this : If a person put a donkey in a pen full of carrots and then stood outside with a carrot, would the donkey be encouraged to come out of the pen ? The stick, in the form of fear-fear of loss of job, loss of income, reduction of bonus, demotion, or some other penalty-has been and continues to be a strong motivator. Yet it is admittedly not the best kind. It often gives rise to defensive or retaliatory behavior, such as union organization, poor-quality work, executive indifference, failure of a manager to take any risks in decision making or even dishonesty. But fear of penalty cannot be overlooked. Whether managers are first-level supervisors or chief executives, the power of their position to give or with hold rewards or impose penalties of various kinds gives them an ability to control, to a very great extent, the economic and social well-being of their subordinates. 3) Abraham Maslows Need Hierarchy Theory : One of the most widely mentioned theories of motivation is the hierarchy of needs theory put forth by psychologist Abraham Maslow. Maslow saw human needs in the form of a hierarchy, ascending from the lowest to the highest, and he concluded that when one set of needs is satisfied, this kind of need ceases to be a motivator. As per his theory this needs are : (i) Physiological needs : These are important needs for sustaining the human life. Food, water, warmth, shelter, sleep, medicine and education are the basic physiological needs which fall in the primary list of need satisfaction. Maslow was of an opinion that until these needs were satisfied to a degree to maintain life, no other motivating factors can work. (ii) Security or Safety needs : These are the needs to be free of physical danger and of the fear of losing a job, property, food or shelter. It also includes protection against any emotional harm. (iii) Social needs : Since people are social beings, they need to belong and be accepted by others. People try to satisfy their need for affection, acceptance and friendship. (iv) Esteem needs : According to Maslow, once people begin to satisfy their need to belong, they tend to want to be held in esteem both by themselves and by others. This kind of need produces such satisfaction as power, prestige status and self-confidence. It includes both internal esteem factors like self-respect, autonomy and achievements and external esteem factors such as states, recognition and attention. (v) Need for self-actualization : Maslow regards this as the highest need in his hierarchy. It is the drive to become what one is capable of becoming, it includes growth, achieving ones potential and self-fulfillment. It is to maximize ones potential and to accomplish something. Motivation2 As each of these needs are substantially satisfied, the next need becomes dominant. From the standpoint of motivation, the theory would say that although no need is ever fully gratified, a substantially satisfied need no longer motivates. So if you want to motivate someone, you need to understand what level of the hierarchy that person is on and focus on satisfying those needs or needs above that level. Maslows need theory has received wide recognition, particularly among practicing managers. This can be attributed to the theorys intuitive logic and ease of understanding. However, research does not validate these theory. Maslow provided no empirical evidence and other several studies that sought to validate the theory found no support for it. TOP 4) Theory X and Theory Y of Douglas McGregor : McGregor, in his book The Human side of Enterprise states that people inside the organization can be managed in two ways. The first is basically negative, which falls under the category X and the other is basically positive, which falls under the category Y. After viewing the way in which the manager dealt with employees, McGregor concluded that a managers view of the nature of human beings is based on a certain grouping of assumptions and that he or she tends to mold his or her behavior towards subordinates according to these assumptions. Under the assumptions of theory X : Employees inherently do not like work and whenever possible, will attempt to avoid it. Because employees dislike work, they have to be forced, coerced or threatened with punishment to achieve goals. Employees avoid responsibilities and do not work fill formal directions are issued. Most workers place a greater importance on security over all other factors and display little ambition. In contrast under the assumptions of theory Y : Physical and mental effort at work is as natural as rest or play. People do exercise self-control and self-direction and if they are committed to those goals. Average human beings are willing to take responsibility and exercise imagination, ingenuity and creativity in solving the problems of the organization. That the way the things are organized, the average human beings brainpower is only partly used. On analysis of the assumptions it can be detected that theory X assumes that lower-order needs dominate individuals and theory Y assumes that higher-order needs dominate individuals. An organization that is run on Theory X lines tends to be authoritarian in nature, the word authoritarian suggests such ideas as the power to enforce obedience and the right to command. In contrast Theory Y organizations can be described as participative, where the aims of the organization and of the individuals in it are integrated; individuals can achieve their own goals best by directing their efforts towards the success of the organization. However, this theory has been criticized widely for generalization of work and human behavior. 5) Contribution of Rensis Likert : Likert developed a refined classification, breaking down organizations into four management systems. 1st System Primitive authoritarian 2nd System Benevolent authoritarian 3rd System Consultative 4th System Participative As per the opinion of Likert, the 4th system is the best, not only for profit organizations, but also for non-profit firms. 6) Frederick Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory : Frederick has tried to modify Maslows need Hierarchy theory. His theory is also known as two-factor theory or Hygiene theory. He stated that there are certain satisfiers and dissatisfiers for employees at work. In- trinsic factors are related to job satisfaction, while extrinsic factors are associated with dissatisfaction. He devised his theory on the question : What do people want from their jobs ? He asked people to describe in detail, such situations when they felt exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. From the responses that he received, he concluded that opposite of satisfaction is not dissatisfaction. Removing dissatisfying characteristics from a job does not necessarily make the job satisfying. He states that presence of certain factors in the organization is natural and the presence of the same does not lead to motivation. However, their nonpresence leads to demotivation. In similar manner there are certain factors, the absence of which causes no dissatisfaction, but their presence has motivational impact. Motivation3 Examples of Hygiene factors are : Security, status, relationship with subordinates, personal life, salary, work conditions, relationship with supervisor and company policy and administration. Examples of Motivational factors are : Growth prospectus job advancement, responsibility, challenges, recognition and achievements. TOP 7) Contributions of Elton Mayo : The work of Elton Mayo is famously known as Hawthorne Experiments. He conducted behavioral experiments at the Hawthorne Works of the American Western Electric Company in Chicago. He made some illumination experiments, introduced breaks in between the work performance and also introduced refreshments during the pauses. On the basis of this he drew the conclusions that motivation was a very complex subject. It was not only about pay, work condition and morale but also included psychological and social factors. Although this research has been criticized from many angles, the central conclusions drawn were : People are motivated by more than pay and conditions. The need for recognition and a sense of belonging are very important. Attitudes towards work are strongly influenced by the group. 8) Vrooms Valence x Expectancy theory : The most widely accepted explanations of motivation has been propounded by Victor Vroom. His theory is commonly known as expectancy theory. The theory argues that the strength of a tendency to act in a specific way depends on the strength of an expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual to make this simple, expectancy theory says that an employee can be motivated to perform better when their is a belief that the better performance will lead to good performance appraisal and that this shall result into realization of personal goal in form of some reward. Therefore an employee is : Motivation = Valence x Expectancy. The theory focuses on three things : Efforts and performance relationship Performance and reward relationship Rewards and personal goal relationship This leads us to a conclusion that : Motivation4 9) The Porter and Lawler Model : Lyman W. Porter and Edward E. Lawler developed a more complete version of motivation depending upon expectancy theory. Motivation5 Actual performance in a job is primarily determined by the effort spent. But it is also affected by the persons ability to do the job and also by individuals perception of what the required task is. So performance is the responsible factor that leads to intrinsic as well as extrinsic rewards. These rewards, along with the equity of individual leads to satisfaction. Hence, satisfaction of the individual depends upon the fairness of the reward. 10) Clayton Alderfers ERG Theory : Alderfer has tried to rebuild the hierarchy of needs of Maslow into another model named ERG i.e. Existence Relatedness Growth. According to him there are 3 groups of core needs as mentioned above. The existence group is concerned mainly with providing basic material existence. The second group is the individuals need to maintain interpersonal relationship with other members in the group. The final group is the intrinsic desire to grow and develop personally. The major conclusions of this theory are : In an individual, more than one need may be operative at the same time. If a higher need goes unsatisfied than the desire to satisfy a lower need intensifies. It also contains the frustration-regression dimension. 11) McClellands Theory of Needs : David McClelland has developed a theory on three types of motivating needs : Need for Power Need for Affiliation Need for Achievement Basically people for high need for power are inclined towards influence and control. They like to be at the center and are good orators. They are demanding in nature, forceful in manners and ambitious in life. They can be motivated to perform if they are given key positions or power positions. In the second category are the people who are social in nature. They try to affiliate themselves with individuals and groups. They are driven by love and faith. They like to build a friendly environment around themselves. Social recognition and affiliation with others provides them motivation. People in the third area are driven by the challenge of success and the fear of failure. Their need for achievement is moderate and they set for themselves moderately difficult tasks. They are analytical in nature and take calculated risks. Such people are motivated to perform when they see atleast some chances of success. McClelland observed that with the advancement in hierarchy the need for power and achievement increased rather than Affiliation. He also observed that people who were at the top, later ceased to be motivated by this drives.

Alzheimer’s Disease Case Study

Alzheimer’s Disease Case Study B. Trimble Case Study M. T. an 86-year-old Asian male is brought into the geriatric clinic by his daughter because he is becoming more forgetful. The daughter explains that the patient often does not even recognize his own grandson. When asked, however, the patient denies memory impairment. The daughter states that her father has been having trouble for almost four years now. She said she did not realize how much her father had changed until she watched a home video of her father with his grandson from six years ago. â€Å"His personality has even seemed to have changed, said the daughter. M.T. is no longer able to take care of his house and household chores and is sometimes slow to respond to questions. Past Medical History Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) with the last occurrence three years ago. Social History Retired sanitation worker times fifteen years. Lives with his daughter since his wife died five years ago. Previous cigarette smoker quit fifteen years ago. Denies ethyl alcohol (ETOH), and intravenous drug abuse. Family History Father died in combat in Korea Mother died at age 92, unknown cause Medications and allergies NKDA Prevacid 30 mg orally once daily Mylanta 30 ml orally as needed for stomach upset Aspirin EC 81 mg orally once daily Tylenol 325 mg orally as needed for headache Physical Examination General – patient is a thin, pleasant man, with working memory in no acute distress. Vital signs – BP 145/78 , pulse 80 RR 17 , WT 70 kg , Ht 6’2† BMI 19.8 HEENT- Pupils PERLA Ears with cerumen Neck no bruit no JVD Cardiovascular – Normal sinus rhythm, S1 S2, negative for S3/S4, resp RRR Neuro – Aox1 (Oriented to person only), CN – XII – XII intact, reflex normal Abdomen – positive bowel sounds, non-tender, non-distended External – WNL, no clubbing, cyanosis, or edema Laboratory Tests Albumin – (3.6-5 g/dL) 3.6g/dL total protein – (6.3-8.2g/dL) 6.8g/dL Alk Phos – (38-126U/L) 41U/L ALT – (7-58 U/L) 21 U/L AST – (7-58 U/L) 21 U/L bilirubin – (0.2-1.3ug/dL) 0.3ug/dL BUN – (8-25mg/dL) 11mg/dL HgB – (13.2-15.2 g/dL) 13.5g/dL SCr- (0.5-1.4mg/dL) 0.7mg/dL Hct (40-52%) 39% Na+ (134- 146 mEq/dL) 136 mEq/dL Plts – (140-450 mm3) 300,000/mm2 Cl-(98-107mEq/dL) 103 mEq/dL WBC – (4.1-10.9mm3) 8700/mm2 Bicarb – (22-26 mEq/dL) 24 mEq/dL ESR – ( Glucose – (65-110mg/dL) 101mg/dL B12 – (223-1132 pg. /ml) 452pg/ml Ca- (8.9-10.4 mEq/dL) 8.5 mEq/dL folate – (3.6-20ng/dL) 6.4ng/dL Mag – (1.6-2.4mEq/dL)1.9 mEq/dLFTI – (4-11) 6.3 Phos (2.5-4.5 mg/dL) 3.3 mg/dLT3 – (75-220ng/dL) 101ng/dL Cholesterol- (T4 – (4-11mEq/dL) 6.1 mEq/dL TSH – (0.35-6.2 microU/uL) 2.0 micro Unit/uLRPR – non-reactive Radiology Testing CT scan impression mild cortical atrophy Diagnosis Dementia (senile dementia) is a syndrome rather than a distinct disease entity. It is usually progressive and irreversible. It is characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that may include losses of memory, abstract reasoning, judgment, and impulse control, as well as changes in personality. It is usually subtle in onset and often progresses slowly until symptoms are very obvious and profoundly devastating. The three most common dementias are Alzheimer’s disease, multi-infarct dementia, and a mixed Alzheimer’s disease and multi-infarct dementia (Cayton, Graham, Warner, 2004). Alzheimer’s disease is sometimes called primary degenerative dementia or senile dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. It accounts for at least 80 percent of all the dementias suffered by the elderly (Whalley, Lawrence, Breitner, 2009). It is a progressive, irreversible, degenerative neurologic disease of unknown origin that begins insidiously. The highest incidence is among persons 65 years and older with increasing incidence after age 70. The life expectancy following the diagnosis varies from six to twenty years (Whalley, Lawrence, Breitner, 2009). The etiology of the disease is unknown, but there are specific neuropathologic and biochemical changes. These include neurofibrillary tangles and senile or neuritic plaques. This neuronal damage occurs primarily in the cerebral cortex and results in decreased brain size. These changes are found to a lesser extent in normal brain tissue of older adults. Cells principally affected by this disease are the ones that use the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Biochemically, the enzyme active in producing acetylcholine is decreased. Acetylcholine is specifically involved in memory processing (Whalley, Lawrence, Breitner, 2009). Clinical manifestation Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are highly variable. Early in the disease, forgetfulness and subtle memory loss occur, but the victim has adequate cognitive function to hide the loss. Social skills and behavior patterns remain intact; problems are difficult to detect on casual observation (Cayton, Graham, Warner, 2004). With further progression of the disease there is an inability to conceal the deficits. Forgetfulness is manifested in many daily actions. The victim may lose his way in a familiar environment. He may repeat the same stories because he forgets that he told them. Reasoning and reality orientation by caregivers increase the patient’s anxiety without increasing function, because this is also forgotten (Cayton, Graham, Warner, 2004). Conversations become difficult because the victim forgets what he was about to say or may not be able to remember words. Ability to formulate concepts and think abstractly disappears (Cayton, Graham, Warner, 2004). The person can interpret a proverb only in concrete terms. The victim is often unable to appreciate the consequences of his actions and will therefore exhibit impulsive behavior. He will have difficulty with everyday activities such as working simple appliances and handling money (Cayton, Graham, Warner, 2004). Personality changes are usually negative. The patient may become depressed, suspicious, paranoid, hostile, and even combative (Whalley, Lawrence, Breitner, 2009). Progression of the disease intensifies the symptoms. Speaking skills deteriorate to nonsense syllables; agitation and physical activity increase. A voracious appetite often develops because of the high activity level. The patient may wander at night for hours. Eventually he will need help in all areas of personal care including toileting and eating; dysphagia occurs and incontinence develops. The terminal stage may last for months (Cayton, Graham, Warner, 2004). Treatment Treatment for dementia of the Alzheimer’s type will be Aricept 5 mg once daily at bedtime. After four weeks symptoms will be reviewed, and titration to ten mg once daily may be initiated, depending upon results. Maximum dosage of 23 mg daily if needed after three months of 10-mg treatments (Katzung, Mastes, Trevor, 2012). Follow up in office in four weeks. Discontinued use of Prevacid, as the medication is implicated in low platelet, WBC, HgB and Hct, calcium, and B12 levels (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Follow-up blood work in four weeks, should include CBC with differential, CMP, liver panel, weight, and blood pressure. Patient is borderline hypertensive and increase in fluid volume may correct this issue. Patient should be encouraged to change diet to a high-protein diet with adequate hydration. If platelet count and WBC count continue to be below normal a hematology consult will be discussed. Referral to Alzheimer’s support group will be given to the daughter. References Brunton, L., Chabner, B., Knollman, B. (2011). Goodman Gilmans: The pharmacological basis of therapeutics (12 ed.). McGraw-Hill. Cayton, H., Graham, N., Warner, J. (2004). Dementia: Alzheimers and other dementias: At your fingertips guide (2 ed.). London: Class. Katzung, B., Mastes, S., Trevor, A. (2012). Basic clinical pharmacology (12 ed.). McGraw-Hill. Whalley, L., Lawrence, J., Breitner, J. (2009). Dementia (2 ed.). Health Press.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay -- Essay on The Crucible

The Crucible was based in 1692 in and around the town of Salem, Massachusetts, USA. The Salem witch-hunt was view as one of the strangest and most horrendous chapters in the human history. People that were prosecuted were all innocent and their deaths were all due to false accusation of people’s ridiculous belief in superstition and their paranoia. The Puritans in those times were very strict in personal habits and morality; swearing, drunkenness and gambling would be punished. The people of Salem believed in the devil and thought that witchcraft should be hunted out. The play can be seen as a general statement on the effects that fear and fanaticism can have on human beings and how one person can cause such catastrophe. It is a purely a controversial play, so why write a play knowing the danger you were putting yourself in? Arthur Miller wrote the play because he was accused of being a communist; Miller attended meetings between communist writers. He was fined and given a suspended prison sentence. When he wrote the play, he focused on a series of true events, which took place in and around the town of Salem. As Miller saw what was happening around him at the time, he realised that he himself could not take any direct action, or speak out against the act of McCarthyism because he could put himself in danger. He did, however, realise that he could make other Americans see how they were acting towards each other and how paranoia were the main cause to this widespread hysteria. Realising that he has to prevent this hysteria from developing further was to write a play, in hope that the audience would see what the hidden meaning and message he was trying to portray, instead of being 'just a play'. Many thi... ...s and McCarthyism have similar beginnings and similar results. Such hysteria came about because of the excessive suspicion that was planted in the people's minds, by Parris and McCarthy. Despite this, it was Parris and McCarthy who primarily rise the hysteria that occurred. Such hysteria may occur today, dealing with the issue on terrorism. Racial profiling and accusations may be prominent in our country once again! If the right events and the right people trigger such a scare, our country could be in a state of mass hysteria as it was two times already. Despite the age of The Crucible there are many issues included in it that are still very relevant in the modern world to day. Due to Miller’s clever plot and distinctive techniques, he was able to bring the history to life. This play turned out to be one of the most relevant plays of the past and of today.

Sexual Harassment in America Essay -- Civil Rights Act

According to Webster’s online dictionary, it is believed that the phrase â€Å"sexual harassment† was coined at Cornell University in 1974 ("Sexual harassment," 2011). The phrase wasn’t, however, really used in common language until the testimony of Anita Hill against Clarence Thomas in 1991. Sexual harassment can take many different shapes and forms. According to a Fox News article, the sexual harassment claims made by men have increased twofold in the last twenty years ("Sexual harassment claims," 2010). Because sexual harassment is illegal both on a federal and state level in many states, there are steps that an individual and employer should take to prevent sexual harassment. On June 19, 1963, President John F. Kennedy sent an extensive Civil Rights legislation proposition to Congress ("Pre 1965: events," 2011). This proposed legislation faced fierce opposition in Congress. Five days after the assassination of President Kennedy, President Johnson spoke to Congress and told them that we have spoken of civil rights for too long and that it was time to put our country’s words into action. Kennedy’s legislation faced many legislative struggles that forced changes and compromises to ensure there would be no filibusters in the Senate that would kill the proposal. Despite all of the opposition, President Kennedy’s proposed Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 and was set into action the following year. The 1964 Civil Rights Act created the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, also known as the EEOC. One of the primary jobs of the EEOC is to uphold the rules and regulations that were laid out by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. According to the EEOC’s webpage, â€Å"Title VII covers private, most pu... ...r/shwork.asp Pre 1965: events leading to the creation of the EEOC. (2011). Retrieved August 15, 2011, from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/history/35th/pre1965/index.html Sexual harassment. (2011). Retrieved on July 26, 2011, from http://www1.eeoc.gov//laws/types/sexual_harassment.cfm?renderforprint=1 Sexual harassment. (2011). Retrieved on August 15, 2011, from http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/Sexual%20Harassment?cx=partner-pub-0939450753529744%3Av0qd01-tdlq&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=Sexual%20Harassment&sa=Search#922 Sexual harassment claims filed by men doubled in last 20 years. (2010, March 04). Retrieved on August 15, 2011, from http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/04/sex-harassment-claims-filed-men-doubled-years/ Title vii of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (2011). Retrieved July 26, 2011, from http://www1.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/titlevii.cfm

Maximum Megaherzt Case Study

Magali Ekome Ndong MGT 4330 Dr. Margaret Shipley Tuesday November 6th 2012 Case#4 Maximum Megahertz Project Maximum Megahertz Olaf Gundersen, CEO of Wireless Telecom Company, is facing a difficult situation. He accepted a project proposed by 6 of his cleverest R&D specialist, The Maximum Megahertz project. This project is now behind. In order to get out of this â€Å"quandary† and avoid such issues in the future, Olaf Gundersen and his team should ask themselves these questions. How can they learn from their mistake? How to identify a risky project and put an end to it?This particular case is related to chapter 14 of our textbook. This chapter deals with project closure or what to do when your project is done. Although here our project is not done, these chapters discuss the main reason why it is so. It is said on page 505 of the textbook, â€Å"the closure phase is as important as any other phase of the project. Observation tells us that organizations that manage closure and review well prosper. Those who don’t tend to have projects that drag on forever and repeat the same mistake over and over†.It is said in our case that this project is not the first one Olaf and his company as difficulty with. Matter of fact, there were three other projects that could not be completed in the last 5 years. The CEO kept on investing resources into these projects knowing that they were dead end. We can therefore, affirm that Olaf did not learn from his mistakes. He needs to include in his future plan of action a review stage after each project completion. Here, we seem to have a â€Å"perpetual† project which is a never ending project.For instance, completing this project will take 6 additional months when it is already 4 months late. Also, this project initially demanded $600,000 and now requires $800,000 more. The team faces numerous issues such as power reduction, speed increase and use of a new technology battery. In regard to all the informatio n given, I will suggest that Olaf puts an end to this project. He could certainly pour more resources into the project, but doing so will not be a wise decision, in regard to his past failures.Also, Olaf is already discouraged and unmotivated about this project â€Å"his gut feeling tell him the project will never materialize, and he should get out†. In other to avoid having the same issues down the road, Olaf and his team need a plan of action. In this plan he first needs to review past projects and identify recurring issues. For that, he should hire and independent facilitators that will review previous or current projects that will draw lessons learned and advise on future procedures.Second, he needs to evaluate his team members and look for any issues such as effectiveness of group decision, problem solving processes, group cohesion and quality of information exchanged as suggested in our textbook page 512. Also, before accepting any new project, Olaf should make sure he understands all the parts and that his Telecom Company is fit to fulfill the project. An article by Ted Klastorin and Gary Mitchell, suggest that planning is a critical step in project completion.We can read from this extract from the article, Optimal project planning under the threat of a disruptive event, â€Å"A critical part of most project plans is a baseline schedule (or pre-schedule; Herroelen, 2007; Van de Vonder et al. , 2007) that is frequently used for timing resource allocation decisions in supplier contracts as well as communicating with project stakeholders and setting benchmarks for project monitoring and control. The importance of defining stable baseline schedules has been recognized by the Project Management Institute (Project Management Institute, 2008)†.Furthermore, this article adds that â€Å"Given the importance of baseline schedules in the planning process, researchers and practitioners have focused on methodologies for finding schedules that are robu st to random durations†. In this article, the authors propose a model or formula to use in case of disruption as follow â€Å"In this article, we introduce a problem faced by managers who are planning complex projects; that is, how should project managers react when faced with the threat of a possible DE that would stop all work on the project for a given period while overhead and indirect costs continue to accrue?While this problem is related to previous work on project risk, our model analyzes policies that minimize expected total costs under very general conditions†. Although we will not go in dept. into the model, but we are here assure that they ways to effectively deal with disruptions. In conclusion, Olaf should step out of this project and refrain from engaging in any new ones before he consults a review committee that will help highlight the errors he has made in the past. Also, we suggest that looks closer at his planning strategy and eview his team. Works Cit ed Case Megahertz Project page 530 Project Management: the managerial process Erik W. Larson, Clifford F. Gray, 5 ed. Chapter 14 Project Closure pages 504-531 Project Management: the managerial process Erik W. Larson, Clifford F. Gray, 5 ed. Optimal Project Planning under the Threat of a Disruptive Event, Ted Klastorin, Gary Mitchell IIE Transactions Vol. 45, Iss. 1, 2013 ABInform http://wj2gn4jw9z. search. serialssolutions. com. ezproxy. uhd. edu/? ctx_ver=Z39. 8-2004&ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/ProQ%3Aabiglobal&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft. genre=article&rft. jtitle=IIE+Transactions&rft. atitle=Optimal+project+planning+under+the+threat+of+a+disruptive+event&rft. au=Klastorin%2C+Ted%3BMitchell%2C+Gary&rft. aulast=Klastorin&rft. aufirst=Ted&rft. date=2013-01-01&rft. volume=45&rft. issue=1&rft. spage=68&rft. isbn=&rft. btitle=&rft. title=IIE+Transactions&r

Hierarchy and power within East and Western enterprises

Hierarchy and power within East and Western enterprises. Introduction Culture is the way we live. It is the clothes we wear, the foods we eat, the languages we speak, the stories we tell, and the ways we celebrate. Culture is also about our roots. Where did our ancestors come from? What do we believe? What makes our lives different from the lives of others? Kalmia, B. (2009). Nations may share civilizations, but they will always be distinct in their culture, since culture defines what they are. Scranton, R. (2007).The globalization of markets and production continues to bring together people room different cultures and countries in culturally diverse organizations. In the field of international management, it is important not only to recognize these diversities, but it is also vital to understand the cultural differences for the purpose of connecting with and motivating knowledge workers. Traditionally, these cultural distinctions have been classified into ‘eastern' and ‘ western' views that widely vary with respect to workplace activities and, more specifically, with respect to knowledge management.With the ‘western' view being more focused on explicit knowledge and tangible individualistic motivational factors, and the ‘eastern' view on tacit knowledge and abstract workplace principles; it becomes evident that management of these different cultural perspectives is becoming increasingly complex yet critical in the global workplace. An understanding of these differing views is therefore necessary for effective management in the international sphere, specifically for providing a means for better cross- cultural understanding and successful knowledge transfer.Management Tasks planning- The goals and objectives Of a company or department are established, as well s determining what actions are needed to achieve. Organizing- organizing actions needed to achieve the goals. Staffing- The task of allocating employees to particular positions withi n the company. Directing- This has to do with leading the organization and its employees towards its goals. Controlling- Monitoring the performance of the company or department is a task for which different cultures may use different systems and approaches.Effect of cultural values on management The way tasks and responsibilities are performed in management can be examined in the light of key number of cultural values. Eight cultural value orientations have a considerable influence on the way managers perform their activities. The eight cultural values which can be called as model of culture is, Time focus (Monochromatic and polymorphic) Different cultures have different perceptions of time according to their environment, history, traditions and general practices. In eastern culture where monochromatic perception of time prevails, time is experienced and used in a linear way. People tend to do one activity at a time. For example in eastern culture, people have the diner and then do the home work or read a book. In western culture where polymorphic time is preferred ,people tend to focus on several tasks and and are less dependent on detailed information when performing these tasks. For example in western culture, people have diner while doing the home work or reading a book. Time focus and management tasks Monochromatic Culture (Eastern perspective) Planning- The focus of activity is more on the task itself and Making schedules.Organizing- The approach used is structured,Linear and task- focused. Staffing- Concerns focused on shorter term. Directing- Managing the inflow and Distribution of detailed information. Controlling- Tendency to Use control systems and strict deadlines. Polymorphic Culture (Western perspective) planning- The focus Of activity is more on relationships when planning. Organizing- The approach is less structured one, More holistic and people- focused. Staffing- Focus on longer term. Directing- Sharing of implicit knowledge/information. Cont rolling- Tendency to use more flexible control systems involving people.Time orientation (past, present and future) Culture focused on the past value the upholding tradition in line with the history of the company and the way it usually does things. Those cultures concerned with the present are out quick results and short-term gain. Those with the view towards the future, plans are assessed in the light of expected future benefit. Power (Hierarchy and Equality) The Power value orientation is to do with the extent to which the less powerful members of a society expect or accept that power is distributed unequally.At work,the level of power and authority are strictly marked out by some eastern cultures oriented to hierarchy. There ,the employees do their work according to the directives of their boss. Len eastern cultures the manager as a separate room from other employees indeed to show up the power distance between the employees and the manager. Companies in west,oriented towards eq uality there will be more informal structures based on expertise focused on certain projects. Len western cultures the manager works at the same table where the other staffs work.This shows the equality between the manager and the staffs. Power and management tasks Hierarchy (Eastern perspective) Planning- More autocratic or paternalistic planning is displayed. Organizing- The Organizational structure is tightly controlled. Staffing- Us borderlines expect bosses to take the initiative to train,developing promote them. Directing- Employees like being closely supervised and feel comfortable with a directive supervisor. Controlling- Employees prefer the personal control Of superiors. Equality (Western perspective) Planning- Employees may implement the plan.More participative planning. Organizing- Organizational structure encourages individual autonomy Staffing- Work relationships should not be strictly prescribed. Directing- Managers exhibit participative or consultative styles. Contro lling- Subordinates develop performance objectives with their bosses. Space (private and public) One aspect of space orientation is related to private or public space. Another aspect related to invisible boundary around every person. The concept of space can be seen in terms Of personality.There can be cultural differences in the relative size of people's public and private spaces and also in the degree to which they feel comfortable sharing those parts of their personality with other people. In Eastern workplace managers and employees do not share the same office ,but in western workplace the location or size of the place here an employee works does not necessarily reflect that persons rank in the company. The influence of personal space at work Private Planning- Forms of planning: individualistic or systematic. Organizing- More task-centered. Staffing- Explicit information about how staff are to be employed.Directing-. Managers and employees do not share the same office Controllin g- Explicit measures of performance public Planning- Group-oriented or authoritative forms Organizing- Relationship-centered approaches Staffing- Implicit information Directing-. Size of the place where an employee works does not reflect the arson's rank Controlling- Managers can use more informal checks on performance Structure (Individualism and Collectivism) Individualism Individualism, can be defined as a preference for a loosely-knit social framework in which individuals are expected to take care of themselves and their immediate families only.Individualism shows the extent to which cultures elevate the role of the individual over the role of the group. When individualism is valued the â€Å"I† predominates over the â€Å"we† Individual goals, initiative and achievement are most important and people are encouraged to be independent and self-reliant. Collectivism Collectivism represents a preference for a tightly-knit framework in society in which individuals can e xpect their relatives or members of a particular in- group to look after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.Most of the Eastern cultures place more importance on personal relationships rather than the task to be performed or the deal to be completed. Example Along with the collectivist nature Of the individuals a team based behavior can be seen in the work place environments in Sir Lankan. Similarly there is a new concept which is identical within the emirates airlines which is known as the Family concept. The boss is the ‘father' and the employees are the ‘children'. The father tells the children what to do but also looks after them and cares for them. The ‘children' do as they are told and show their father ‘respect'.It is a two-way relationship in which all parties benefit. This can be comparable to the team based relationship oriented work place conditions in Sir Lankan. Highly individualist cultures (Western) believe individual is most important unit People taking care of themselves (including immediately family only) Self- orientation Identity based on individual Guilt culture Making decisions based on individual needs â€Å"l† mentality Emphasis on individual initiative and achievement Highly collectivist cultures (Eastern) believe group is most important unit.Expect absolute loyalty to group (nuclear family, extended family, caste, organization) Group orientation Decisions based on what is best for the group. Identity based on social system Shame culture Dependence on organization and institutions (Expects organization / institution / group to take care of individual) â€Å"We† mentality Emphasis on belonging Structure and management task Individualism (western perspective) leaning- It is expected that those involved in planning will take initiative to present their views. Organizing-Tasks assignment and resources allocation.Staffing- Organizations are not expected to look after their employees career devel opment. Directing-Leaders expect employees to meet or exceed their responsibilities. Controlling- Control tends to be exerted by individual standards of excellence. Collectivism (Eastern perspective) Planning- plans are developed within the shared values used for measuring activities in the organizations. Organizing- organizational structures emphasize he group; the team is assigned tasks and resources. Staffing- promotions are are based primarily on seniority.Directing- Leaders expect loyalty in exchange for protection. Controlling- Deviations from standards and expectations is discouraged through group oriented pressure. Conclusion General management and knowledge management theories and practices have to be viewed and reviewed in the context of local cultures. In an organization, the managers bring values, experiences and beliefs that are profoundly rooted in their national cultures. Even the perspective of hat management actually entails varies widely across different national c ultures.The model of culture has been applied to the world of international business and the daily tasks of a manager examined in terms of cultural values. Individual's frame work of cultural preferences influences the way in which their tasks are executed. Management tasks in the firms varies according to the culture Management tasks in western enterprises varies from the management tasks that are carried out by eastern enterprises. Additional studies must be undertaken to have a thorough understanding of the cultural rabbles.Without Andean different perspectives from the traditional and AC opted frameworks, such as Hypotheses dimensions, organizations cannot leverage the strengths of the global economy, which can make the difference between survival and success for today's firms.