Barriers, challenges, and strategies Essay

Most clinical health care workers are aware that achieving the paradigm of evidence-based practice (EBP) is the gold star standard that one strives for in his/her clinical practice. EBP is expected of healthcare clinicians and has become a synonym for quality care both by the institution of healthcare and its consumers (Brim & Schoonover, 2009). This essay will define EBP for nurses. The barriers, challenges and strategies to implementing evidence-based nursing practice (EBNP) will be discussed with reference to relevant and authoritative literature. As well, the relevance and the links that EBNP has with the clinical area of Intensive Care will be discussed. EBP is the integration, by clinicians, of clinical expertise which is meticulous, explicit and uses current clinically appraised professional knowledge (Eizenberg, 2011; Kenny, Richard, Ceniceros, & Blaize, 2010). EBP accommodates patient preferences, views and values; while also guiding, supporting, validating and answering health care workers clinical judgements, practices, and questions (Eizenberg, 2011; Kenny et al., 2010; Matula, 2005; Wolf, 2005). EBP is a process of asking a clinical question; searching for clinical evidence; critically appraising this evidence and then expertly integrating this evidence with patient’s values, views and preferences; evaluation of how the changes to practice have had on outcomes; and finally disseminating the results that the EBP or change had on patient outcomes (Melnyk, Fineout-Overholt, Stillwell, & Williamson, 2010). The definition of EBP and EBNP and the implementation of EBNP appear to be straightforward and easily accomplished; however, EBNP implementation is far removed from being easy (Brim & Schoonover, 2009; Cullen, Titler, & Rempel, 2011; Eizenberg, 2011; Kenny et al., 2010; Tolson, Booth, & Lowndes, 2008). Nursing research has uncover ed numerous challenges and barriers which the implementation of EBNP faces. These challenges and barriers can be classified as a research, a clinician, an organisational, a nursing professional barrier, and not least patient barriers (Fernandez, Davidson, & Griffiths, 2008; Gerrish et al., 2011; Hutchinson &Johnston, 2006; Ross, 2010). Eizenberg (2011), Gerrish et al. (2011), and Ross (2010) found that nurses face research and clinician barriers that include not having the time, skills and knowledge to critically critique and/or synthesise research literature, unable to effectively use and search databases electronically, hold negative views toward research and feel research is too complex, as  well research at times is not clear on how to implement the findings and findings can be contradictory. Due to these barriers, nurses tend to rely on synthesised evidence such as evidence-based protocols, policies and procedures (Gerrish et al., 2011). Eizenberg (2011) and Gerrish et al. (2011) also found that nurses prefer to acquire information through third parties such as their colleagues, the workplace, through patient care experience, and the knowledge they received from their nursing education. Eizenberg (2011) found that the organisation is the greatest factor in successful EBNP implementation. The organisation controls access and the budget to and for evidence resources such as computers with internet access, a well-equipped library, and access to educational opportunities in EBNP procedures and theory (Eizenberg, 2011). The barrier of not having the authority to change a nursing practice also lies with the organisation – a nurse may have the necessary research knowledge and experience to effectively change practice but cannot implement practice change due to the organisation not giving him/her the authority to instill change (Eizenberg, 2011). Few nursing staff members are given the opportunity to participate in the development of evidence-based policies and procedures; therefore, most nurses are not engaged to support EBP. Ross (2010) further found organisational barriers such as the organisation giving priority to other goals (for example excess sick leave) over EBNP, the organisation may perceive that the staff are not ready or willing to implement EBNP, and that the organisation believes EBNP is unachievable. These organisational barriers prevent EBNP being accomplished and to the greater extent of not being implemented. A barrier of nursing profession relates to the medical dominance of healthcare; as such, nurses are not afforded the power, authority, autonomy and respect from colleagues for nursing practice that the status of being a profession decrees (Brim & Schoonover, 2009; Eizenberg, 2011; Gerrish et al., 2011). A further nursing profession barrier is it can be difficult to instill enthusiasm or information about an EBNP if turnover is high; there is a shortage of experienced nurses; and support from colleagues is lacking (Gerrish et al., 2011; Mark, Latimer, & Hardy, 2010). Due to high turnover and staff shortages, nurses are unable to leave the bedside and have limited time to participate in EBNP projects such as journal clubs, or to attend training in EBP, PICO  (Population/Intervention/Comparison/Outcome), and database searches (Brim & Schoonover, 2009; Brown, Johnson, & Appling, 2011). Nurses, as Kenny et al. (2010) found were hesitant to change their practice if the change would perceivably increase an already heavy workload. Brim & Schoonover (2009) found that some nurses believed EBNP to be an optional course of action as they were never shown a clear direction of what EBNP is essential to nursing and his/her practice. One of the main premises of EBNP is that the evidence and the v alues and beliefs of the patient/s are synthesised together to form an EBNP which is foremost favourable for a positive outcome for the patient/s (Fernandez et al., 2008). Such factors as treatment, travel, and prescription costs; denial of diagnosis; inadequate knowledge level of disease and strategies to decrease risk factors; lack of social support; and cultural issues can all potentially become barriers to implementing an EBNP for a patient or patients (Fernandez et al., 2008). The high acuity of an intensive care unit (ICU) patient significantly affects a nurse’s ability to search a database for answers (Brim & Schoonover, 2009; Kenny et al., 2010). An answer to a question is usually needed immediately or momentarily; therefore, ICU nurses rely on experience, colleagues, and knowledge of evidence-based policies, procedures and guidelines (Eizenberg, 2011; Gerrish et al., 2011). I know I rely heavily upon in-services, experience, and speaking with the ICU Clinical Nurse Educators and Nurse Educators who will do a literature search to acquire information or answers to a question I have posed – but once again this evidence/information h as been synthesised by others and is third hand and I have not fully practiced EBN (Eizenberg, 2011; Gerrish et al., 2011). To try and challenge this barrier I do try and read the clinical information the educator obtained at a later date – usually at home or on a break. Strategies to overcome these challenges and barriers abound from EBP and EBNP journal articles and books. Some of the leading strategies are for the organisation to fully support EBNP through infrastructure, strong leadership from nurse managers and/or advanced practice nurses, and by ensuring a context in which EBNP can flourish (Gerrish et al., 2011; Tolson et al., 2008). The infrastructure needs to provide access to a computer which can access online databases. Infrastructure needed to be in place includes a staffed evidence based nursing library with a librarian able to educate nurses on the process of  EBNP (Pochciol & Warren, 2009). The added challenge is to have EBNP info accessible to the nurse at the patient’s bedside (Pochciol & Warren, 2009). Nursing leaders need a Master’s degree or above, as studies show that leaders with these credentials read and implement more research literature; are more confident; and they consider themselves more competent in supporting others through the EBNP process (Eizenberg, 2011; Gerrish et al., 2011). Leaders, as suggested by Cullen et al. (2011), hold the responsibility to provide support; to build, to create, and maintain an organisational culture that has the capacity to support EBP at both a clinical and administration level. Leaders must be given the power, authority, and support to introduce change – without this authority change cannot occur (Eizenberg, 2011). Scholars agree that if EBNP is to succeed and be sustainable nurses need to be educated and mentored on the implementation process of EBNP (Brim & Schoonover, 2009; Brown et al., 2011; Eizenberg, 2011; Gerrish et al., 2011; Pochciol & Warren, 2009; Ross, 2010; Tolson et al., 2008). EBNP education of nurses needs to begin at orientation to the hospital and is essential that this education is continually built upon and supported with extra education given to nurse managers, educators and advanced practice nurses (Pochciol & Warren, 2009 & Tolson et al, 2008). Ross (2010) suggests nurses information literacy be improved to ensure nurses are able to practice EBN. Information literacy is the ability to competently recognise, locate, and evaluate the fundamental information required at a given point (Ross, 2010). The ICU, where I am employed, has undergone significant changes to the staff and managerial side of the unit. At one point the Clinical Nurse Specialists ratio decreased to less than 5% of nursing staff and there was not a permanent full time Clinical Nurse Consultant. Without the necessary support acquired from these roles the education of ICU nurses and the implementation of new practices, policies and procedures decreased significantly. These barriers significantly halted EBNP from occurring in the ICU as there were very few highly educated leaders available to support EBNP. As suggested by Eizenberg, (2011), Gerrish et al. (2011), and Cullen et al. (2011), educated leaders and managers are needed to keep and instill EBNP to an institution. To obtain Magnet Status hospitals must ensure that EBNP is in place, is supported, and is sustained by the organisation (Brown et al., 2011). To procure nurse  interest in EBNP, and maintain Magnet Status, some hospitals have linked participation in EBNP to clinical ladder advancement and a monetary reward in the form of a wage increase with advancement up the ladder (Whitmer, Aver, Beerman, & Weishaupt, 2011). To hold their position on the clinical advancement ladder the nurse must show, yearly, that he/she is supporting, or implementing, or participating in EBNP within the setting they are employed (Whitmer et al, 2011). The benefits of practicing EBN includes: patients ability to access effective evidence based treatment information; facilitates consistent improvement, through decision making, to healthcare systems; facilitates decisions based on up-to-date evidence and technologies; and reduces variances in nursing care from one nurse to another – standard and competencies are evidence based and consistent; through evidence based competencies the professional status of nursing is elevated to higher heights (Gerrish et al., 2011; Eizenberg, 2011). In conclusion, the challenges/barriers, barrier strategies, and benefits of EBNP has been discussed. Little discussion on EBNP within an ICU was attempted as the ICU nurses face the same situations, challenges/barriers, strategies and benefits as nurses in other areas of healthcare (Sciarra, 2011). Nurses must be given organisational support, education and knowledge needed to participate proficiently in EBNP. References Brim, C. B., & Schoonover, H. D. (2009). Lessons learned while conducting a clinical trial to facilitate evidence-based practice: the neophyte researcher experience. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 40(8), 380-384. DOI: 10.3928/00220124-20090723-06 Brown, C. R., Johnson, A. S., & Appling, S. E. (2011). A taste of nursing research: an interactive program, introducing evidence-based practice and research to clinical nurses. Journal for Nurses in Staff development, 27(6), E1-E5. DOI: 10.1097/NND.0b013e3182371190 Cullen, L., Titler, M. G., & Rempel, G. (2011). An advanced educational program promoting evidence-based practice. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 33(3), 345-364. DOI: 10.1177/0193945910379218 Eizenberg, M. M. (2011). Implementation of evidence-based nursing practice: nurses’ personal and professional factors? Journal of Advanced Nursing, 67(1), 33-42. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05488.x Fernandez, R. S., Davidson, P., & Griffiths, R. (2008). Cardiac rehabilitation coordinators’ perceptions of patient-related barriers to implementing cardiac evidence-based guidelines. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 23(5), 449-457. Gerrish, K., Guillaume, L., Kirshbaum, M., McDonnell, A., Tod, A., & Nolan, M. (2011). Factors influencing the contribution of advanced practice nurses to promoting evidence- based practice among front-line nurses: findings from a cross-sectional survey. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 67(5), 1079-1090. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05560.x Hutchinson, A. M., & Johnston, L. (2006). Beyond the BARRIES Scale: commonly reported barriers to research use. Journal of Nursing Administration, 36(4), 189-199. Kenny, D. J., Richard, M. L., Ceniceros, X., & Blaize, K. (2010). Collaborating across services to advance evidence-based nursing practice. Nursing Research, 59(1S), S11-S21. Mark, D. D., Latimer, R. W., & Hardy, M. D. (2010). â€Å"Stars† aligne d for evidence-based practice. A TriService initiative in the Pacific. Nursing Research, 59(S1), S48-S57. Matula, P. (2005). Evidence-based practice at the bedside: Igniting the spirit of inquiry. The Pennsylvania Nurse, Dec, 22. Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., Stillwell, S. B., & Williamson, K. M. (2010). The seven steps of evidence-based practice. Following this progressive, sequential approach will lead to improved health care and patient outcome. The American Journal of Nursing, 110(1), 51-53. Pochciol, J. M., & Warren, J. I. (2009). An information technology infrastructure to enable evidence-based nursing practice. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 33(4), 317-324. Ross, J. (2010). Information literacy for evidence-based practice in perianesthesia nurses: readiness for evidence-based practice. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 25(2), 64-70. DOI: 10.1016/j.jopan.2010.01.007 Sciarra, E. (2011). Impacting practice through evidence-based education. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 30(5), 269-275. DOI: 10.1097/DCC.0b.013e318227738c Tolson, D., Booth, J., & Lowndes, A. (2008). Achieving evidence-based nursing practice: impact of the Caledonian development model. Journal of Nursing Management, 16, 682-691. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2834.2008.00889.x Whitmer, K., Aver, C., Beerman, L., & Weishaupt, L. (2011). Launching evidence-based nursing practice. Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, 27(2), E5-E7. DOI: 10.1097/NND.0b013e31820eefd2 Wolf, Z. R. (2005). Clinical challenges and evidence based nursing practice. The Pennsylvania Nurse, Dec, 20.

Knowledge About Ionising Radiation Among Dentists

Introduction: Dental radiography has evolved over the last decade. The evolution began with the introduction of new changes to the operations of dental radiology. Some examples of these changes include new machines, smaller beam sizes, increased filtration, advanced techniques, faster film speeds and large increases in utilization (White, 1992, 118-26). However, concerns do remain about the possible adverse effects of dental radiography on humans for several reasons: firstly, these procedures remain the only common type of diagnostic radiography capable of being performed without intensifying screens, requiring concomitantly higher doses. Secondly, the targets to film distance are short. The third reason is the emitted rays are in near to sensitive organs in the head and neck region. These examinations are among the most common diagnostic radiographic procedures performed today. Based on these examinations, previous studies have concluded an increased risk for salivary gland, thyroid, and brain tumors (UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, 2000, Vol.1). Literature Review According to UNSCEAR 2000 Report (European Union, 1997, 22), dental radiography is one of the most frequent types of radiological procedures. Although the exposure associated with dental radiography is relatively low, any radiological procedure should be justi?ed and optimized in order to keep the radiation risk as low as reasonably achievable (Radiation Protection 136). Dose assessment is recommended to be performed on a regular basis to ensure that patient exposure is always kept within the recommended levels and to identify possible equipment malfunction or inadequate technique (Alme’n, Mattsson, 1996, 81-89). With comparison to adults, children have been found to be more radiosensitive (International Commission on Radiological Protection, 1991, Publication 60). Therefore, increased attention is recommended in supervising children to minimize the medical radiation exposure to children. All radiological procedures carried out on children must adapt to special radiation prote ction measures, which aims at recognizing and implementing possible dose reduction strategies in order to eliminate unnecessary and therefore un-justi?ed radiation exposure.It is the responsibility of the health care professional to provide firsthand knowledge to the patients undergoing all radiological procedures and processes. The dentist can answer queries of any patient with regard to radiation hazards, which can be reliable provided their knowledge is adequate and up-to-date. The knowledge related to radiation is taught during undergraduate training in medical colleges. However, dentists grossly underestimated the proper risk regarding proper use of medical imaging tools and their associated radiation risks (International Commission on Radiological Protetion, 1991, Publication 60). On the other hand, the incorrect information about its safety and effectiveness, is made and promoted by some dentists who are paid and sponsored by the manufacturers of these devices to lecture a nd give seminars promoting their products. The conflict of interest does add extra concern about the safety of these products. OBJECTIVES & METHODSThe objectives of the study will be to:Assesses dentist’s knowledge about ionizing radiations and their hazard on the patient. Identify the level of understanding regarding use of ionizing equipment’s among dentist. METHODS: The research will assess the ionizing radiations knowledge, risk and awareness among dentists in Australia and Jordan. The approach to this assessment will use a survey that will be distributed to 300 dentists. These are some of the questions that I will be asking the dentists: 1-Name (optional) 2- Sex 3- Age 4- Dental school 5- Year graduated 6- Residency 7- Experience 8- Risks associated with ionizing radiation on human tissue 9- Methods of mitigating or preventing ionization radiation during practice 10- Best practices associated with ionizing radiation HYPOTHESIS The null hypothesis or my expected outcome of the survey results is that of the better hospitals, or the institution of allied health care that provide ionization radiation during practice to have dentists that understand the risks better than other doctors. The other doctors are understood to be in practice in less stellar institutions of allied healthcare. The alternative hypothesis is that doctors at the stellar institutions as well as doctors at the lesser institutions are unaware of the risks associated with ionizing radiation. References White SC. assessment of radiation risk from dental radiography. Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 1992;21(3):118-26. United Nations Scienti?c Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Sources and effect of ionizing radiation. Report Vol. 1 UNSCEAR publications (2000). European Union. Council Directive 97/43 Euratom, on health protection of individuals against the dangers of ionizing radiation in relation to medical exposures, and repealing Directive 84/466 Euratom. Off. J. Eur. Commun. L180, 22 (1997). Radiation protection 136. European Guidelines on radiation protection in dental radiology: The safe use of radiographs in dental radiology. European Commission publications. Alme?n, A. and Mattsson, S. On the calculation of effective dose to children and adolescents. J. Radiol. Prot. 16(2), 81–89 (1996). International Commission on Radiological Protection. 1990 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP Publication 60. (Oxford: Pergamon Press) (1991).

Is there microbial life in Mars Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Is there microbial life in Mars - Research Paper Example Most recently, scientists have come up with new and improved evidence to support their claims of life on Mars. The experiments, discoveries and propositions put forward by the scientists over the period of time regarding life on Mars are discussed further in the paper. The signs of microbial life first came into picture when the experiments of the Labeled Release (LR) apparatus turned out to be positive. This experiment tested on a sample of Martian soil by mixing it with a drop of water constituting of nutrients and radioactive carbon atoms. If the soil was positive for microbial life, the nutrients in the soil would be metabolized and radioactive gases such as methane or carbon dioxide would be produced. Control samples were also prepared by heating or isolating the samples that would kill any form of life if it existed. Control samples were also mixed with nutrient solutions; hence the control experiments provided a comparison. To the amusement and the excitement of the scientists , the LR experiment turned out positive for life. â€Å"The minute the nutrients were mixed with the soil sample, you got something like 10,000 counts of radioactive molecules- a huge spike from the 50 or 60 counts that constituted the natural background radiation on Mars† (Than). These were the earliest experiments performed by the NASA scientists in pursuit of their discovery for life on Mars. Although the LR experiments turned out positive but other space probes’ experiments were negative, making the existence of microbial life on Mars skeptical. Recently, the gas emissions on Mars have been linked to biological source. The experts believe that the chances for organisms to be a source of the gasses are quite explanatory and supportive of microbial life on Mars. The methane gas produced on the Red Planet is suspected to be produced by certain microbiological organisms. On the other hand, some scientists believe that methane can be a result of geological reasons i.e. volcanic processes. However, no active volcanoes have been discovered up till now on Mars. This evidence and explanation strengthens the probability of microbial life on Earth. Scientists have explained that methanogens, certain organisms, release methane as a waste product which dwells in the water beneath the underground ice. According to Prof Pillinger, â€Å"The most obvious source of methane is organisms. So if you find methane in an atmosphere, you can suspect there is life† (Staff Reporters). Miller and mathematician Giorgio Bianciardi, employed a cluster analysis technique on the Viking’s data. This technique groups together similar looking data. This analysis was performed to evaluate the realism of the experiments and investigate the outcome of the experiments. The technique turned out with two clusters; one with two active experiments and the other with five control experiments. The biological experiments from Earth sorted with the active experiments from Vi king exhibiting the validity of claims of microbial life on Mars. Another finding which supports the previous LR experiments is the Martian Rhythms. Circadian rhythms are internal clocks which can be found in every living thing, including microbes. On Earth the clock is set to 24 hour while on Mars it should be 24.7 hours, which is the duration of a Martian day. Miller noticed that the radioactive gas measurement sin the LR experiments exhibited a rhythmic rise during the day and decline during the night. The oscillations were in accordance with the Martian

Shelly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Shelly - Essay Example This story can be seen as an allegory about the theme nature versus nurture. It shows that even monsters are capable of love and even a harmless creature can be turned into a monster, given the treatment that he or she receives from his or her creator or the people around him or her. To give more clarity to the theme, nature versus nurture, in Frankenstein, Shelly has used a set of verbal imagery including the images of fire, light, gloomy weather, remote settings, violence and finally death. The way in which the narrator in the story get cast away from mythical stories, which are very close to nature and get drawn towards science which was in some way opposite to nature, is by watching a lightning burning down a tree to ashes (Shelly, 56-58). Here, the light and fire is metaphoric of the transformation of the author from being a person fascinated by nature into someone who has the confidence to command nature, who believes in nurture rather than nature. And when Frankenstein narrate s his own inner story to his creator, the imagery of fire is repeated and the reader hears the monster wondering about the nature of fire in the following words: I found a fire†¦and was overcome with delight at the warmth I experienced from it. In my joy, I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain. How strange, I thought, that the same cause should produce such opposite effects (Shelley, 218). This is a profound depiction of the basic contradiction involved within the evil-good duo, which can also be interpreted as a reflection of nature- nurture duality as well. Because in nature there is no evil or good as such and they exist only within a frame created by human beings. So it can be argued that evil is an after-effect of nurture. And the fire teaches that simple lesson to the monster who is just like a new born baby unaware of good and evil, and who is just learning to tread the earth and the landscape of humanity. Throughout the s tory, people are seen seeking refuge around a wood fire to talk, to understand the contradictions of life better (Shelley, 257). Similarly, there is also mention of the â€Å"feverish fire† glimmering in the eyes of Frankenstein even when his health is failing him (Shelley, 254). Here, fire is the life force, the passion that keeps one alive. Fire is the boundary between life and death, between nature and nurture. In the same way, light is used as an imagery that represents knowledge- the point at which humans depart from nature and enters the realm of nurture. This is why Frankenstein is seen observing that â€Å"I began also to observe, with greater accuracy, the forms that surrounded me, and to perceive the boundaries of the radiant roof of light which canopied me† (Shelly, 217). Again the reference to knowledge is made when narrator says, â€Å"as exemplified in the change from life to death, and death to life, until from the midst of this darkness a sudden light broke in upon me† (Shelly, 84). This was the moment of knowing the secret of life. This was the point of transition from simply living the nature to nurturing life. But the same light becomes â€Å"oppressive† for Frankenstein because it is the growing existential knowledge that becomes an unbearable curse for him (Shelly, 214). And this is why, towards the

Non-fiction essay about a London location below or above ground that

Non-fiction about a London location below or above ground that has significance. Include detailed description about sights, sounds, smells, and emotions a - Essay Example This took place in the 19th century. Soon, many big terraced houses were constructed in the Square that came to be inhabited by the upper and middle sectors of London society. While many of the structures have since been converted into hotels, some of them in the western and southern areas of Russell Square still stand intact to this day. While London Borough of Camden presently administers it, Russell Square is still owned by the Beresford Estate (‘Russell Square’ Wikipedia.org, 2007). Russell Square underwent a major renovation in 2002 when famous architect Humphrey Repton embellished it in a distinctive form that corresponded to the first 19th century layout. The main feature of the renovated layout is the new fountain firing jets of water operating from the ground (‘Russell Square’ Wikipedia.org, 2007). The fountain is in the centre of a large park located right in the middle of Russell Square. The park has many shady trees, a lot of green grass and a network of criss-crossing paths. A statue of Francis {one of the previous Dukes of Beresford} stands in the south portion of the park. The park is open from 7.30 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Londonlogue.com, 2006) at the behest of the London Borough of Camden as a precaution against ‘other undesirables,’ a veiled hint about homosexual men who made use of the park to search for partners to engage in sex (‘Russell Square’ Wikipedia.org, 2007). Secondly, Russell Square has also derived its fame from many famous persons who lived there such as T.S. Eliot, Philip and Philip Charles Hardwick, and Thomas Lawrence. Thomas Stearns Eliot was a renowned poet and dramatist who worked in Russell Square for several years when he served in ‘Faber & Faber’ as poetry editor. There still exists a blue plaque on a building in the Square’s northwest corner stating that Eliot worked there. Noted architects Philip and his son Philip Charles

Jury Decision-making Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jury Decision-making - Case Study Example After the authenticity of DNA evidence had been proved, many judgements have been overturned and one such famous case is The Case of the Winchester Three, (1990) where three Irish people were sentenced for 25 years of imprisonment for the murder of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Tom King. Eye witnesses had spotted them in the crime scene and they had money, a second hand car, a radio, a woolly hat, a list of prominent British people and also had false name driving licences. Jury relied on eye witness evidence and any reasonable jury could do so and in this case it eventually proved to be a miscarriage of justice. Even though it was not Actus reus, it was easy to convince the jury. "An eyewitness who has no motive to lie is a powerful form of evidence for jurors, especially if the eyewitness appears to be highly confident about his or her recollection. In the absence of definitive proof to the contrary, the eyewitness's account is generally accepted by police, prosecutors, j udges, and juries" says Wells (2006). Wells and Loftus (1984, p. 1), mention the bewildering case of Robert Dillen, a freelance photographer, who was charged with indecent exposure for relieving himself in the park bushes, after ascertaining that the public lavatory was locked. Unfortunately, his photo was published and identified by many eye witnesses as the man who conducted rape, armed robbery, kidnapping etc. in various cases. Fortunately, his strong alibis and the weakness of eye witnesses convinced the jury otherwise, and he was released every time. This shows that people can feel convinced that they saw the accused and they are absolutely sure that even a lie test fails to point out. Psychological studies have proved that it is possible to convince a person that he has witnessed something that had never happened. A confluence of memory combined with complexly operating socially influential alternatives could be responsible in eye witnessing errors and courts should consider them from every angle. "The eight factors that have been shown to affect identification accuracy, disguise of robber, weapon focus, violence of robbery, retention interval, exposure, to mug shots, biased line-up instructions, line-up size, and fairness of the line-up, had trivial effects on probability ratings and on verdicts" Culter et al (1988). Sometimes eyewitness confidence and accuracy are very poorly related and the memory of the face that could go through changes in the mind of the witness, and this shows that vibrant psychological effects are behind eyewitness evidence. Cultler concludes one of his researches: "This research provides some justification for admitting expert psychological testimony on eyewitness identification. The juror apparently does not evaluate eyewitness memory in a manner consistent with psychological theory and findings." Cutler (1990). In one of his researches, Kassin concludes: "Clearly, participants distinguished between a voluntary and coerced confession. Yet at the same time, the presence of any confession powerfully increased the conviction rate-even when it was seen as coerced, even when

Importance of Learning Styles in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Importance of Learning Styles in Nursing - Essay Example Due to different background, nurses offer a continuum of experiences and attributes during training such as varied learning styles. Therefore, training courses should focus on meeting the particular learning needs of individuals (Young & Paterson, 2007). Every individual shows preference for a particular learning style and this in turn accelerates an individual’s ability to learn. It has been stated that the primary goal of training courses is to upgrade an individual’s functioning; however, little effort or attention goes into appraising training methods. Research about successful training indicates that problem-focuses, pragmatic learning schemes based on skilful clinical monitoring and mentorship should be established. It was also revealed that nurses prefer on the job training; these results were similar to those of another research. It has been demonstrated that passive learning is futile and does not lead to improvement as opposed to active learning. Such research es have shown the need to remodel training schemes to embrace a work-oriented and learner-focused method. A logical approach and reasoning is encouraged by imparting education in practical clinical situation. This clinical setting assists in incorporating theoretical knowledge in actual practice for provision of better care of patients. The potential to learn and further application of this learning into practice plays an integral role in providing quality clinical service. Proficient and highly skilled staff guarantees the well-being of patients. In addition, such competent workforce will have to ability to identify and react aptly to clinical requirements. Incorporation of knowledge, learning styles, conceptions is the cornerstone for establishing an effective learning atmosphere. Thereby, an eclectic model is suggested that would integrate the complexities of individual learning into the association’s practices. Honey and Mumford’s Learning Style Questionnaire The à ¢â‚¬Ëœlearning style inventory model’ presented by Kolb inspired numerous theorists. His model served as the foundation stone for Honey and Mumford’s Learning Styles Questionnaire. The distinguishing element between the two models is that the latter investigates general behavioural predisposition whereas Kolb’s model revolves around straightforward queries. Honey and Mumford advocated that majority of individuals have never put thought into how they acquire knowledge (Honey & Mumford, 2006). Essentially, the two models are similar but with minor differences, for instance the terms of Kolb’s model have been substituted: divergers with reflector, assimilators with theorist, convergers with pragmatist and accommodators with activist (Sims & Sims, 1995). 1. Reflector--- finds lecturers beneficial if they are based on expert expositions and analysis. He is fond of learning through watching, thinking and reviewing over events. He utilizes journals and brainstor ms. 2. Theorist— prefers lectures, case studies, books, structure, standards, and examples. He adopts a step-by-step approach to deal with problems and is not in favour of expert talk. 3. Pragmatist— fond of feedback, teaching and establishes evident ties between ongoing task and a difficulty. He applies novel knowledge to practice; and is inclined towards laboratories, actual work and examination. 4. Activist—

Global Technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global Technology - Research Paper Example I only have to focus on what I can do as a healthcare professional in my level and try to find out how this can be scaled up to macro levels. I realized that I have to be perceptive of my work and the conditions of my patients. For instance, when working with pregnant women, I also have to examine what their problems are that deter them from getting adequate health care. Some patients have problems with having regular check-ups, because their transportation system is as bad as Bihars. And if there is a scarcity of healthcare personnel, few of them can conduct monthly check-ups in scattered communities. My suggestion is that the government should train local women to be midwives, so that the latter can provide some form of regular check-ups for pregnant women. This solution will not only improve healthcare among communities, but also address the employment needs of many impoverished women. In addition, this midwifery training framework can also be applied in similar cases, so that solutions at the micro level can be raised to global levels

Backlash Against the Feminist Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Backlash Against the Feminist Movement - Essay Example The backlash, according to Trimble's analysis of the phenomenon (cited in Feminism and I am not a feminist, 2008, p. 12), "was born out of the rise of neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism in the 1980s and 1990s." At that point in time, the popular belief was that the movement had successfully accomplished its primary objectives and that Canadian women, as a consequence, had attained a status of absolute equality with males. Women had attained the basic rights for which they had agitated and fought. As the movement had been initiated by the absence of these rights and its goal had been the attainment of these rights, their accomplishment was interpreted as a successful conclusion to the movement. As such, the backlash refers, not to the right of women to equality or their earlier struggle for the attainment of equality, but to the current, "third wave" of feminism (p. 12). The backlash, in other words, is directed against feminism as a socio-political and ideological movement. Canadian women have not, historically, embraced feminism. According to Trimble, O'Neil and Faludi (cited in Feminism and I am not a feminist, 2008, pp. ... This is not simply expressive of the backlash against feminism but of popular rejection of radicalism, coupled with the certitude of gender equality. Quite simply stated, gender equality is an unquestionable principle in Canada and the equality of the sexes is neither contested nor debated. The implication here is that Canadian women do not feel that they have to embrace feminism in order to attain equality and do not embrace it because they are averse to radicalism. From a personal perspective, feminism is not something which I identify with. While I most definitely understand the roots of the movement and acknowledge that were it not for the earlier generations of feminists, I would not be enjoying the freedoms which I take for granted today, I do not understand its present-day purposes or motives. Men and women are equal and this is something which we, as women, no longer need to argue or to prove. The notion that we must constantly prove and argue our equality does not reflect positively on us as a gender and, subjectively speaking, is somewhat demeaning. It seems to say that we are not persuaded of our own equality and therefore, need to constantly remind ourselves and others of it. It is, thus, that I see myself as a human rights advocate but not a feminist. I do not question the equality of the sexes and do not assume that we are not equal. Instead, I question equality between people and whether, in fact, all people, irrespective of colour , class, religion or ethnic heritage, are treated and regarded as equal. As I believe they should, and must, be, I support human rights but not feminism. Royal Commission on the Status of Women The Royal Commission on the Status of Women was

Ratio Analysis to Determine Corporate Health Essay Example for Free

Ratio Analysis to Determine Corporate Health Essay One must consider many factors before deciding whether or not to invest in a company. The following is an analysis and comparison of the health of two well known companies, Exxon and Wal-Mart. Some of the factors that were analyzed include current ration, inventory turnover, accounts receivable turnover, and days’ sales in inventory. Most of the values used for the calculations were obtained from Yahoo Finance. Current ratio evaluates a company’s ability to pay its short-term obligations (Wild, 2008). Exxon’s current ratio of 1. Â  indicates that it should not have any issues paying its short-term obligations. In contrast, Wal-Mart’s current ratio of 0. 88, indicates that the company’s current liabilities exceed current assets and thus investors should be doubtful of its ability to pay short-term obligations. Inventory turnover is another indicator of a company’s ability to pay short-term debt. Specifically, it is the number of times a company’s average inventory is sold during a period (Wild, 2008). Wal-Mart’s inventory turnover of 9. Â  indicates that it may be holding more inventory than it needs, and thus it may be using its assets in efficiently. Exxon’s inventory turnover of 28. 31 is more preferable, as long as inventory adequately meets demand (Wild, 2008). These numbers show that Wal-Mart may be having difficulties paying its short-term debt and thus caution should be warranted. Accounts receivable turnover measure the quality and liquidity of accounts receivable. Thus it indicates how often receivable are received and collected during the period (Wild, 2008). Exxon’s accounts receivable turnover is 15. Â  while Walmart’s is 107. 3. Exxon’s low turnover suggests management should consider stricter credit terms and more aggressive collection efforts to avoid its resources being tied up in accounts receivables. On the other hand, Wal-Mart’s high turnover implies the opposite; management should consider using more liberal credit terms. While accounts receivable turnover measures the liquidity of accounts receivables, days’ sales in inventory is useful in evaluating liquidity of inventory (Wild, 2008). Exxon’s days’ sales in inventory is 13. 2 and Wal-Mart’s is 38. Â  Exxon’s lower days’ sales in inventory value indicates that the company uses its resources more efficiently. Conclusion All things considered, Exxon appears to be a more solid company in which a first time stock-buyer should invest. While both are major companies, which appear to have solid numbers, Exxon seems to be the more stable and reliable company. Specifically Exxon seems to manage its assets better and seems more likely to be able to pay its short term debt. Nonetheless, one should invest in stock that he or she feels better represents his or her goals.

Epidemiology Of Cholera John Snow Health Essay

Epidemiology Of Cholera John Snow Health Essay It has been over a century and a half when John Snow undertook the study of the Cholera epidemic of 1854 in London. His work, which was published in the 1855 book On the Mode of Communication of Cholera, is considered a milestone in epidemiology. The observations by Snow of the water-born transmission of cholera and the handle of the Broad Street pump was a work of genius that continues to inspire epidemiologists. Appearing before the local body of government on September 7, 1854, John Snow argued that the source of the outbreak of a cholera epidemic was water from a communal water pump. His investigation identified the pump at Broad Street near its intersection with Cambridge Street as the source of contaminated water. Cholera which is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, causes significant morbidity and mortality in many developing countries. This paper examines the cholera epidemics (and pandemics) in recent history i ncluding the outbreak of 1854 in London and the role played by John Snow which had laid the foundations for the modern principles of epidemiology. Introduction It has been over a century and a half when John Snow undertook the study of the Cholera epidemic of 1854 in London. His work, which was published in the 1855 book, On the Mode of Communication of Cholera is considered a milestone in epidemiology. The observation by Snow of the water-born transmission of cholera, and the handle of the Broad Street pump was a work of genius that continues to inspire epidemiologists. Appearing before the local body of government on September 7, 1854, John Snow, an anesthetist in London, argued that the source of the outbreak of a cholera epidemic was water from a communal water pump. Working with the data reproduced in table 1 (Bingham et al., 2004), Snow identified the pump at Broad Street near its intersection with Cambridge Street as the source of contaminated water. What followed is best told in his own words: I had an interview with the Board of Guardians of St. Jamess parish on the evening of Thursday, 7th September, and represented the above circ umstances to them. In consequence of what I said, the handle of the pump was removed on the following day (Snow, 1855). Each year, outbreaks of cholera to cause death estimated at 120,000 worldwide, with the vast majority occurring in children (WHO, 1995). Epidemiology of cholera is characterized by several key principles including (i) Cases tend to be concentrated in specific location and occur during a specific season (ii) the highest infection rates in children of 1-5 years in areas where infection is endemic (iii) antibiotic resistance patterns often change from year to year, (iv) pathogen strain often exhibit clonal diversity, and (v) prevention measures against the disease include sanitation, hygiene and immunity improvement. Cholera has been ranked as one of the emerging and reemerging infections (Satcher, 1995) facing many developing countries. Several recent events highlight the importance of epidemiological disease include the 1991recurrence of cholera in Latin America (Levine, 1991) ( Ries et al., 1992); the 1994 outbreak of cholera which took place in a Rwandan refugee camp in Goma, Zaire, which resulted in approximately 70,000 cases and 12,000 deaths in (Siddique, 1995), and the outbreak of V. cholerae O139 in the India subcontinent from 1992 to 1993, possibly marked the start of the eighth cholera pandemic (Ramamurthy et al., 1993)(Swerdlow et al., 1993). Pathogenesis and transmission of Cholera Vibrio Cholerae are comma-shaped, gram-negative bacteria that have been the cause of several great long-lasting epidemics and pandemics of diarrheal disease. Many of these pandemics began in the Ganges Valley of India and Bangladesh, which is never free from cholera. Although there are 140 serotypes of V. cholera, until recently only 1 stereotype was associated with several diarrhea. Beginning in 1992, a new V.cholerae stereotype (0139, also known as Bengal) has been associated with sever, watery diarrhea (Faruque et al., 1998) The vibrios never invade the epithelium but instead remain within the lumen and secrete an enterotoxin, which is encoded by a virulence phage. Flagellar proteins involved in motility and attachment are necessary for efficient bacterial colonization, as has been described for Campylobacter. The vibrio hemagglutinin, which is a metalloprotease, is important for detachment of Vibrio from epithelial cells. The secretory diarrhea characteristic of the disease is caused by release of cholera toxin. Cholera toxin is composed of five binding peptides B and a catalytic peptide A (McKenzie et al., 1984). The B peptide, serving as a landing pad, bind to carbohydrates on GM1 ganglioside on the surface of epithelial cells of the small intestine, enabling calveolar-mediated endosomal entry of toxin subunit A into the cell (Laloi et al. 1996). Reverse transport of the subunit A from endosome into the cell cytoplasm is followed by cleavage of the disulfide bond linking the two fragments of peptide A (A1 and A2). Catalytic peptide A1 is generated, leading to the following sequence (Dertzbaugh et al., 1993): A1 interacts with 20-kD cytosolic proteins called ADP-ribosylation factors (ARF). The ARF-A1 complex catalyzes ADP-ribosylation of a 49-kD G-protein (called GsÃŽÂ ±) (Randazzo et al., 2000). Binding of NAD and GTP generates an activated GsÃŽÂ ±, which in turn binds to and stimulates adenylate cyclase. ADP-ribosylated GsÃŽÂ ± is permanently in an active GTP-bound state, resulting in persistent activation of adenylate cyclase. The activated adenylate cyclase generates high levels of intracellular cAMP from ATP. Cyclic AMP stimulates secretion of chlorides and bicarbonate, with associated sodium and water secretion. Chloride and sodium reabsorption is also inhibited. The reabsorptive function of the colon is overwhelmed, and liters of dilute rice water diarrhea containing flecks of mucus-up to 14 L/day, equivalent to the circulating blood volume, causing dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Because overall absorption in the gut remains intact, oral formula can replace the massive sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, and fluid losses and reduce the mortality rare from 50% to less than 1% (Sharma et al., 1997) Epidemiology of Cholera Early Pandemics Since the beginning of the first pandemic in 1817, seven cholera pandemics have occurred (Pollitzer,1959), excluding the seventh pandemic, which took place on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi in (65), pandemics occurred in the Indian subcontinent in the Ganges delta and spread to other countries over many years (Snow, 1855). In 1830, the epidemiological and public health approaches to cholera developed in the context of some understanding of the nature of certain infectious diseases, including smallpox and syphilis, with little agreed differentiation of the fevers. In his late 18th century doctrine, Benjamin Rush describes there was but one fever in the world (Shryock, 1936) had received broad support. Exciting factor in the cholera epidemic was sometimes considered as shaping existing fevers into its own image, and the arrival of cholera coincided with an increase in mortality and/or transferred deaths between categories was questioned. The second cholera pandemic of the early 1830s invaded the British Isles, and was marked by epidemiological observations made by John Snow on the waterborne cholera transmission in London between 1847 and 1854(Snow, 1855). Ships carrying Irish immigrants caused the second pandemic in Canada (Marian, 1957). During the third pandemic (1852-1859), cholera was raging in the United States, and during the 1870s at the end of the fourth pandemic, towns and villages along the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi, rivers experienced cholera (Billings et al., 1975). The fifth pandemic mainly affected South America; causing large epidemics in several countries with Argentina, Chile, and Peru suffering high casualties. (Gil et al. 2004). Robert Koch isolated the cholera bacterium, known as comma bacilli during the fifth pandemic in feces of patients in Egypt in 1883 and India in 1884(Koch, 1884). Between 1899 and 1923, the sixth pandemic involved populations expanded in the Balkan Peninsula and the Middle East (Pollitzer, 1959). Apart from a large epidemic in Egypt in 1947 (Shousha, 1947), cholera was confined to southern and Southeast Asia since the mid-1920s until the 1961 outbreak of the seventh pandemic in. Both the sixth pandemic and possibly the fifth pandemic were caused by V. cholerae of classical biotype. The Seventh Pandemic The seventh pandemic is considered the largest of the pandemic in the geographical distribution, and was caused by V. cholerae O1- biotype El Tor (Table 2). The 1961 pandemic first invaded the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia and spread to other islands, including Borneo, Sarawak Java, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Sabah. It affected the entire archipelago of South Asia at the end of 1962 (Kamal, 1974). , In Asian mainland, from 1963-1969, the pandemic affected Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Burma, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Cholera reached Pakistan shortly after El Tor, and outbreaks were reported in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and in the neighboring republics of the Soviet Union (Kamal 1974). By 1970, El Tor cholera had reached the Arabian Peninsula, Syria and Jordan, and to a lesser degree, in Israel (Cohen et al., 1971). The seventh pandemic was in sub-Saharan West Africa in early 1970, causing explosive epidemics as a result of more than 400 000 cases of high mortality, attributed mainly a lack of background immunity of the population, and lack of healthcare infrastructures (Goodgame et al., 1975). During this epidemic, cholera invaded the coast and the interior through waterways and continued to spread to the interior of the Sahel countries by land to travel to nomadic tribes. During the 1970 cholera epidemic, 28 were newly affected were reported and 16 are in Africa (Kaper et al., 1995). In South America, the seventh pandemic which began in Peru in January 1991 caused a return of cholera to the continent after more than a century in an explosive epidemic (Levine, 1991) (Ries et al., 1992). Subsequently, neighboring Ecuador and Colombia also reported cholera epidemic. In each of these countries were people of low socio-economic status, lack of clean water and sanitation, the most affected (Pan American Health Organization, 1991). In April 1991 a small outbreak was reported in Santiago, the capital of Chile (Levine, 1991). Cholera then invaded more countries in South and Central America along the Pacific coast. The Pan American Health Organization estimated that during 1991 and 1992 there were 750,000 cases of cholera and 6,500 deaths in the Americas (Pan American Health Organization, 1991). Recently, the July 1994 outbreak in Goma, Zaire, (Siddique, 1995), is considered one of the worst outbreaks in recent history. Nearly a million people were displaced to Zaire and sheltered in refugee camps as a result of Conflicts between tribes in neighboring Rwanda. Outbreak of cholera in refugee camps affected by poverty caused an estimated 12,000 deaths among Rwandan refugees during a period of three weeks (Siddique, 1995). The seventh pandemic was active causing seasonal outbreaks in several developing countries. However, in 1992, V. cholerae belonging to serogroup non-O1 (now known as O139) caused massive epidemics of cholera in Bangladesh and India and spread to other countries, which could represent the beginning of the eighth pandemic Conclusion John Snow achievement was based on the logical organization of his remarks. He recognized a natural experiment, and its quantitative approach to the analysis of the occurrence of disease in human populations, which is actually a summary of the views of modern epidemiology. It has been over a century and a half since Dr. Snow had published his findings. And in spite the medical and epidemiological advancement in combating the disease, yet, the threat of cholera remains very real and cholera continues to be a global threat to public health and an important indicator of the lack of social development, especially in developing countries which suffer from lack of access to drinking water and lack of sanitation. The disease continues to challenge the increasing proportion of vulnerable populations living in unsanitary conditions, such as slums and refugee camps. The treatment centers and water purification units in poor nations are only interim measures, and steady decline in the spread of the illness should not be seen as a complete victory.

The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare :: Merchant Venice Essays Shakespeare

The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare's satirical comedy, The Merchant of Venice, is an examination of hatred and greed. Prejudice is a dominant theme in The Merchant of Venice, most notably taking the form of anti-Semitism. Shylock is stereotypically described as "costumed in a recognizably Jewish way in a long gown of gabardine, probably black, with a red beard and/or wing like that of Judas, and a hooked putty nose or bottle nose" (Charney, p. 41). Shylock is a defensive character because society is constantly reminding him he is different in religion, looks, and motivation. He finds solace in the law because he, himself, is an outcast of society. Shylock is an outsider who is not privy to the rights accorded to the citizens of Venice. The Venetians regard Shylock as a capitalist motivated solely by greed, while they saw themselves as Christian paragons of piety. When Shylock considers taking Antonio's bond using his ships as collateral, his bitterness is evident when he quips, "But ships are but board, sailors but men. There be land rats and water rats, water thieves and land thieves -- I mean pirates -- and then there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks" (I.iii.25). Shylock believes the Venetians are hypocrites because of their slave ownership. The Venetians justify their practice of slavery by saying simply, "The slaves are ours" (IV.i.98-100). During the trial sequence, Shylock persuasively argues, "You have among you many a purchased slave, which (like your asses and your dogs and mules). You us in abject and in slavish parts, because you bought them, shall I say to you, let them be free, marry them to your heirs... you will answer, `The slaves are ours,' -- so do I answer you: The pound of flesh (which I demand of him) is dearly bought, 'tis mine and I will have it" (IV.i.90-100). Shakespeare's depiction of the Venetians is paradoxical. They are, too, a capitalist people and readily accept his money, however, shun him personally. Like American society, 16th century Venice sought to solidify their commercial reputation through integration, but at the same time, practiced social exclusion. Though they extended their hands to his Shylock's money, they turned their backs on him socially. When Venetian merchants needed usurer capital to finance their business ventures, Jews flocked to Venice in large numbers. The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare :: Merchant Venice Essays Shakespeare The Theme of Prejudice in the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare's satirical comedy, The Merchant of Venice, is an examination of hatred and greed. Prejudice is a dominant theme in The Merchant of Venice, most notably taking the form of anti-Semitism. Shylock is stereotypically described as "costumed in a recognizably Jewish way in a long gown of gabardine, probably black, with a red beard and/or wing like that of Judas, and a hooked putty nose or bottle nose" (Charney, p. 41). Shylock is a defensive character because society is constantly reminding him he is different in religion, looks, and motivation. He finds solace in the law because he, himself, is an outcast of society. Shylock is an outsider who is not privy to the rights accorded to the citizens of Venice. The Venetians regard Shylock as a capitalist motivated solely by greed, while they saw themselves as Christian paragons of piety. When Shylock considers taking Antonio's bond using his ships as collateral, his bitterness is evident when he quips, "But ships are but board, sailors but men. There be land rats and water rats, water thieves and land thieves -- I mean pirates -- and then there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks" (I.iii.25). Shylock believes the Venetians are hypocrites because of their slave ownership. The Venetians justify their practice of slavery by saying simply, "The slaves are ours" (IV.i.98-100). During the trial sequence, Shylock persuasively argues, "You have among you many a purchased slave, which (like your asses and your dogs and mules). You us in abject and in slavish parts, because you bought them, shall I say to you, let them be free, marry them to your heirs... you will answer, `The slaves are ours,' -- so do I answer you: The pound of flesh (which I demand of him) is dearly bought, 'tis mine and I will have it" (IV.i.90-100). Shakespeare's depiction of the Venetians is paradoxical. They are, too, a capitalist people and readily accept his money, however, shun him personally. Like American society, 16th century Venice sought to solidify their commercial reputation through integration, but at the same time, practiced social exclusion. Though they extended their hands to his Shylock's money, they turned their backs on him socially. When Venetian merchants needed usurer capital to finance their business ventures, Jews flocked to Venice in large numbers.

Hybridizing the Destruction of Nature and Pauline Melville’s Erzulie Es

â€Å"Erzulie†, a short story written by Pauline Melville, illustrates an important theme in Caribbean literature. The story is an example of literature that uses a strong theme of nature in the text and displays environmental symbolism throughout. The main theme in Caribbean literature is seen as the struggles of indigenous people and the consequences they face after the islands were colonized, however other themes such as post-colonial environmental harm can be seen in stories such as â€Å"Erzulie†. You can see a similarity between the natives and the island itself. The native’s suffer from social wrongs and suppression and the land of the Guyana country is also suppressed in a sense and destroyed as a consequence of colonialism. Melville’s use of nature and environmental symbolism can be seen prominently when reading the short story with ecocriticism awareness. While most symbolism and themes aren’t at the surface level of a story, some theme s can be even more hidden within the text. In this essay I will further illustrate how the goal of Melville’s work changes when you read it with an ecocritical mind. Reader’s can now realize the importance of Guyana, not only because of its relationship with the author, but also because of its environmental damage that was caused by colonialism. You can also see that the character Erzulie was not only used as the protagonist to create a frightening female murderess, but she is a representation of the land of Guyana. Lastly, Melville’s language is enlightening in the evolving theme of nature that is seen from beginning to end. Guyana is the former British Colony on the South American Coast that received its independence in 1966 from the United Kingdom [4]. It’s one of the only Caribbean countri... ...ndation, 22 Apr. 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. 5. Heise, Ursula K. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Ecocriticism." PMLA (2006): 503-516. 6. Kahn, Aliyah. "Nations of Eden: Race and Ecology in the Post-Pastoral Caribbean." Research Projects. Aliyah Kahn, 2013. Web. 2 Apr. 2014. 7. McLeod, John. "Cultural Models of Creolization." The Routledge Companion to Postcolonial Studies. London: Routledge, 2007. 102-03. Print. 8. Melville, Pauline. â€Å"Erzulie†, in The Migration of Ghosts, pp. 140–41. 9. Pyne-Timothy, Helen. "Reading the Signs in Pauline Melville's" Erzulie"." Journal of Haitian Studies (2001): 136-147. 10. Ramraj, Robert. "The Omai Disaster in Guyana." Gamma Theta Upsilon. Gamma Theta Uppsilon, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014. 11. Renk, Kathleen Williams. "â€Å"Magic that Battles Death†: Pauline Melville's Marvellous Realism." The Journal of Commonwealth Literature 44.1 (2009): 101-115.

Major Market Structures Essays -- Economics

During the initial phase of starting up a business, there are many factors to weigh in. If you desire a particular kind of lifestyle, then one of the major factors to consider is what kind of market you would like to be in. There are four major market structures, perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopoly. All of these markets have positive and negative attributes, including but not limited to, barriers to entry, how many sellers are in a particular market, and the stress of running a business while keeping a keen eye on product pricing. Many entrepreneurs may not want to agonize over anything at all, and participate in a perfect competition market where they know exactly what the prices are and what they expect to make at all times. Then there are some investors that enjoy the competition and would rather be in a monopolistic competition market. However, it’s no secret that the majority of the public, if given the absolute choice, would choos e to be in a monopoly. This kind of market of course, is very hard to acquire, so a very fine choice would be an oligopoly. Both a monopoly and an oligopoly are at the top of the list as far as profit is concerned. No matter which market one chooses to participate in, they all have similar goals, and that is to minimize costs and maximize profits. In a monopoly, there is only vendor with a product or service, meaning there are no close substitutes, so there is no competition to be concerned about and the barrier for others to enter is virtually inaccessible. One may have an exceptionally large control on the market, and can also dictate it as much as they would like, other than being limited by market demand, depending on the elasticity of one’s product... ...& 211†. Mason, OH. : CENGAGE Learning. Bade, Robin; Michael Parkin (2001). â€Å"Foundations of Microeconomics†. Boston, Massachusetts. : Addison-Wesley. Colander, David (2008). â€Å"Microeconomics, 7th Edition†. New York, NY. : McGraw-Hill Paperback. Eaton, B. Curtis; Eaton, Diane F.; and Douglas W. Allen (2002). â€Å"Microeconomics, 5th Edition†. Saddle River, NJ. : Prentice Hall. Frank, Robert A. (2006). â€Å"Microeconomics and Behavior, 6th Edition†. New York, NY : McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Mankiw, N. Gregory. (2000). â€Å"Principles of Microeconomics, 2nd Edition†. Oklahoma City, OK. : South-Western Pub. Pindyck, Robert S.; and Daniel L. Rubinfeld. (2008). â€Å"Microeconomics, 7th Edition†. Saddle River, NJ. : Prentice Hall. Ruffin, Roy J.; and Paul R. Gregory. (2000). â€Å"Principles of Microeconomics, 7th Edition†. Boston, Massachusetts. : Addison-Wesley.

Children’s Exposure to Homosexuality in Popular Culture

The issue of homosexuality is a hot topic because of its religious, political, and social aspects that can be debated. The Family Research Report says â€Å"around 2-3% of men, and 2% of women, are homosexual or bisexual† (Gallup). Education on the topic is vital to promote acceptance and this can be done through formals or informal education. Formally, health care professionals or school sexual education classes can educate. But informally, parents, friends, and media are the most influential on people. In the media, homosexuality is portrayed in many ways and through many portals. In subtle ways it can be demonstrated with intimate friendships, inclusivity, hints, stereotypes, references, and physicality. The most easily influenced are children therefore they are the ones who need to be educated. Dennis says, â€Å"queering, locating undertows of same-sex desire between putatively heterosexual characters (Doty) is actually easier in programs targeted to children and adolescents than those targeted to adults† (739). Homosexual representations in popular culture on television positively and directly affect the acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transvestite individuals by younger generations. Inclusivity is important in children’s television programs to show viewers that heteronormativity is not the only option available in relationships. One show studied by Dennis uses a Nickelodeon show, Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, to demonstrate how subtle changes in dialogue can send a more positive message. The show is made as a guide to help adolescents survive in middle school or high school and offers tips on how to be successful in aspects not directly related to academics. In one episode Ned says â€Å"when you like someone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  when he could have just as easily said â€Å"when you like a girl†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Dennis 742). Changing the tip to include both sexes indicates that the character views a relationship to not be restrained to one sex or the other. While involving a more general target, the program also drops the notion that one sex must always be attracted to the opposite sex. Lack of such inclusivity leads children to grow up ignorant to the options they have and shows them that homosexuality is unacceptable. When a child relies on parents or formal education for sexual education, homosexuality is often excluded as a topic to be discussed and may be uncomfortable with it later in life when exposure is guaranteed. The largest case of ignorance and avoidance of the subject seems to be in the case of adolescent males, while adolescent girls tend to get a more complete and positive understanding of homosexuality in society (Herek, Cogan, and Gillis). Although it may be a difficult topic to discuss with children or allow children to be exposed to, depending on the individual’s beliefs or personal experience and knowledge, it is important that they give the children the information necessary to make decisions and judgments for themselves. This inclusivity positively affects children because they have the knowledge to accept individuals who are homosexual when they come in contact with them. In most cases in society, ignorance leads to fear, which is an unnecessary emotion when dealing with gay, lesbian, bisexual or transvestite people. Stereotypes, specifically defying stereotypes, are an effective tactic to promote acceptance in children’s television series. Because individuality is so important and applauded in our Western culture the defiance of social norms tends to be a good way to promote change or be noticed. Heteronormative ideals are no exception to this rule and therefore to promote acceptance and shift away from homophobic ideas in the media, homosexuality needs to be more prominent. A good example of how going against the norm is a successful way to get attention is the hit TV show The Simpsons. Everything about The Simpsons challenges the American Dream. It criticizes the hypocrisy within the American educational, religious, political, and economic systems (Tinglef). The Simpsons is also an example of defiance against heterosexual norms because there are many instances where the main character, Homer Simpson, acts in a way that is stereotypically homosexual such as kissing his secretary Carl, calling his wife Carl in bed, and having his favourite song be â€Å"It’s Raining Men† (Dennis 60). There are also secondary characters that act in a homosexual way such as Lenny, who sees a heaven full of Carls when he is dying. Another example is in Dennis’ study where he observed beauty as an important and frequent occurrence with males in young children’s programs, which is usually a trait attributed to females. This defiance of stereotypes is important for television series because it demonstrates the importance of individuality in our society and shows younger audiences that just because heterosexuality is the norm, it is not the only way to be. When children understand this at a young age, they will tend not to hold back homosexual feelings if they get them later in life. Subtle or obvious hints are important aspects to children’s programming because they demonstrate how homosexual ideas, behaviours, and acts are part of modern society. This exposure to subconscious hints implements the impression that these ideas, behaviours, and acts are not out of the ordinary and are to be accepted like all other aspects of society. While watching television, children often see same-sex couples portrayed as intimate friendships. An example is with bullies Crony and Loomer on Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide who are always together. Some episodes show them doing stereotypical couple acts such as expressing jealousy if the other has a love interest. While studying the show, Dennis observed that in one episode Crony struggles to come out about his passion for fashion design, especially to Loomer, whom he thinks might end their friendship if he found out. Dennis describes this struggle as a metaphorical coming out as gay, especially when dealing with the issue of the â€Å"gender transgressive† interest in fashion (741). Hints such as those directed at intimate friendships and other homosexual behaviours positively affect the children watching the programs because they increase the belief in the normality of resistance against the heterosexual norms. Such hints of resistance can often be seen in children’s programming, especially in animated series with a high degree of fantasy (Dennis 744). Thanks to media exposure, acceptance of homosexual culture has become ncreasingly popular recently. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transvestite people are more common in the media than ever before and homosexual culture is generally accepted in bigger cities. Homosexual actors and characters are also becoming more common on Harper, 5 television programs. One example is the TV show The Simpsons with several regular characters that are clearly homosexuals such as Mr. Smithers, Homer’s secretary Carl, and Marge’s sister Patty. It is important for adolescents to see this kind of diversity on TV so that they can be more accepting in their own communities. The Simpsons was awarded an Emmy Award for its 8th season, 15th episode, called Homer’s phobia for the lessons it gives on homosexuality and acceptance. In this episode, a gay parade that passes by the Simpsons’ home inspires Homer to attempt to man-up his son, Bart. Throughout the episode Homer has homophobic worries and tries to prevent Bart from turning gay, which is a negative lesson for children, but the show turns around at the end and Homer assures him of his unconditional love, whether he is straight or not (Padva 60). Through inclusivity, defying stereotypes, and giving subtly hints homosexuality in children’s television programs is increasing awareness and acceptance in younger generations of children. Although the incorporation of homosexual gestures and references in children’s television rises the question of why producers, directors, and actors decided to add them in the beginning, whether it was a purposeful act with political intentions, a deliberate but joking incorporation, or completely unintentional, it became evident that the effects are positive and will continue to be positive for as long as homosexual representation is positive.

Aristotle †Essay 6 Essay

Born in the year of 384 B. C. Aristotle was seen as conventional for his time, for he regarded slavery as a natural course of nature and believed that certain people were born to be slaves due to the fact that their soul lacked the rational part that should rule in a human being; However in certain circumstances it is evident that Aristotle did not believe that all men who were slaves were meant to be slaves. In his book Politics, Aristotle begins with the Theory of The Household, and it is here that the majority of his views upon slavery are found. With the beginning of Chapter IV, Aristotle’s idea of slavery is clearly defined. â€Å"The instruments of the household form its stock of property : they are animate and inanimate : the slave is an animate instrument, intended (like all the instruments of the household) for action, and not for productions. † This distinction between action and production, is based upon the understanding that ‘production’ is a course in which a result is desired beyond the immediate act of doing. Where as, the simple act of completing a task is identified as ‘action’. Aristotle, who believed that life was action and not production theorized that slaves were instruments of life and were therefore needed to form a complete household. In fact Aristotle went as far as to say that a slave was comparable to a tame animal, with their only divergence in the fact that a slave could apprehend reason. For he concluded that a slave and animals only use was to supply their owners with bodily help. At the end of the Theories of the Household, Aristotle explains how slaves are different from andy other types of people, in the sense that they are the only class who are born into their occupation and become property of their masters. In examining this relationship we find that he thought that while masters were the masters of the slaves, they still held a life other than that of being master; However, Aristotle believed that not only was the slave a slave to his master, but the slave had no other life or purpose than belonging. From this consideration we begin to understand Aristotle’s views on the relationship between Master and Slave. At the beginning of Chapter V of the Theory of the Household, the distinct role of master and slave is defined. There is a principle of rule and subordin- action in nature at large : it appears especially in the realm of animate creation. By virtue of that principle, the soul rules the body; and by virtue of it the master, who possesses the rational faculty of the soul, rules the slave, who possesses only bodily powers and the faculty of understanding the directions given by another’s reason. It was Aristotle’s views on the human soul that gave grounds to his arguments for slavery. It was his beliefs that the soul was divided into two parts, being the rational faculty and the capacity for obeying. Aristotle postulated that a freeman was innately born with the rational faculty while â€Å"A slave is entirely without the faculty of deliberation. † And with his views he felt as though it was necessary for there to be a natural ruling order, whereas, the body was ruled by the soul, and those with the natural rational faculty within their soul should rule others without. This relationship, Aristotle found to be an essential element in his idea of master and slave being two parts forming one common entity. It was his belief that a man’s body was the representation of his inner self and that it was nature’s intentions to distinguish between those who were born to be freemen and those born to be slaves. However, we see that Aristotle have somewhat reservations upon his beliefs that all slaves corresponded to his mold. With such quotes as â€Å"But with nature , though she intends, does not always succeed in achieving a clear distinction between men born to be masters and men born to be slaves. † we begin to see that Aristotle was not as conservative as believed. In fact, we start to understand the left-wing attitudes that Aristotle held. At the end of Chapter V of the Theories of the Household, Aristotle concludes â€Å"Thecontrary of nature’s intentions, however, often happens: there are some slaves who have the bodies of freemen-as there are others who have a freeman’s soul. â€Å" Aristotle in his Theories of the Household, allocates a full section (section 9 chapter VI), to the explanation of the relationship between a slave and a freeman who are not naturally meant to be as such. It was Aristotle’s view that although there are slaves who were born to be freemen and freemen who were born to be slaves, there could be a relationship in such cases where the two discerning parties would work in a community of interest and in a relationship of friendship. â€Å"The part and the whole, like the body and the soul, have an identical interest; and the slave is a part of the master, in the sense if being a living but separate part. † Aristotle had many slaves himself within his household, and during the course of his death and through the executing of his will we find insight into the character of Aristotle. He died in the year of 322 B. C. and with his death he requested that four of his slaves be emancipated. Also he asked that none of his house slaves be sold and that they all be given the opportunity of being set free at a due age if they so deserved. This act of generosity and goodwill gives light to the attitudes that Aristotle held. It is evident that he believed that these slaves had the capacity to be freemen with the rational faculty within themselves to make conscious, and reasonable decisions. Many scholars such as Professor Jaeger, author of Aristotleles, theorized that many of the views that Aristotle held upon the subject of slavery were developed through the close relationship that Aristotle had formed with an ex-slave. This man was Hermias. A man who had risen from the ranks of slave to a prince of considerable wealth, as well as father in law to Aristotle. On the general analysis of Aristotle we find that he was a man of great curiosity, wisdom and ideas. Although his views on slavery seemed to hold true to the times, he had many variations on the conservative norms and beliefs. He had believed that slavery was a just system where both master and slave were beneficial from this relationship. And with this he thought that by nature, certain people were born to be slaves, yet with these beliefs we find many exceptions, where Aristotle allocates areas to describe those who by chance became slaves but in his opinion were born to be free. And in such incidence where men born free were not fit to be masters Aristotle explained how it would be easier for the master to obtain a steward who was more adept at giving instructions to run the household and leave the master of the house to more prudent issues. We can only guess as to what made Aristotle believe that by the human soul one could delineate whether or not a man was meant to be a slave or a freeman. And with his arguments we find that it was just as difficult for him to make that distinction as well. â€Å"Though it is not as easy to see the beauty of the soul as it is to see that of the body. â€Å"

Critically Evaluate the Debates Surrounding the Continuity

| 3. Critically evaluate the debates surrounding the continuity of Bretton Woods’s institutions. Which of these institutions would you recommend to be discontinued? Justify your choice. While preparing to rebuild the international economic system after WWII, 730 delegates of the 44 allied nations met in New Hampshire, United States, to form the Bretton Woods agreement. The aim was to set up rules and regulations to stabilize the global monetary system and ensure the free movement of capital goods through a global market.The agreement established two regulatory institutions, firstly the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to control the exchange rates and bridge temporary imbalances of payment. Secondly, the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), later known as the World Bank, which was founded to finance the reconstruction of post war Europe. In 1947 the Havana Charter proposed a third regulatory institution, the International Trade Organization (ITO) that transformed into the World Trade Organization (WTO).This essay will critically evaluate the performance of the three Bretton Wood? s institutions, giving recommendations to operational changes for the IMF and the WTO, and argue to discontinue the WB as it operates currently. The IMF was one of the key institutions that stabilized the world economy after WWII. Its initial goal was to regulate and stabilize exchange rates and assists the reconstruction of the world’s international payment system. One of the key objectives of the IMF was to prevent the devaluation cycle.Through joining the IMF in the post War period, countries surrendered their economic rights, especially on setting its exchange rate, in return they were guarantied â€Å"exchange stability, avoidance of competitive exchange depreciation and a liberal regime of international repayments† (deVries, 1986). Essentially the original conception behind the IMF, was to control the behaviour of countries that joine d the IMF, â€Å"spelled out in a code that was administered by an international institution†. The 1970s oil crisis was a turning point for the role that the IMF played.Third world countries were most affected by the oil crisis, since their economies became dependent on oil and the increasing prices accumulated large amounts of debt. The IMF agreed to lend money, and rose to †new prominence, with new functions and greater powers of control over even more dependent countries† (Peet, 2009). The main change in the IMFs mission, is the shift of lending to first world countries, in order to reconstruct the world payment system using expansionary policies, to lending to third world countries, accompanied by â€Å"conditionality’s†, which restrict countries fiscal and monetary policies.Anne Kruger, managing director of the IMF, said; â€Å"Much of what we do is very different from the way the Fund operated in those early years. It has to be. The world econ omy has changed beyond recognition. But we still apply those same core principles, international financial stability and the prevention of crises† (Kruger 2004) The IMF became subject to severe criticism, one of the main critics is Joseph Stiglitz. He argued that the IMF has failed its mission to sustain global economic stability.The main point of his argument is that the IMF has diverged its initial mission â€Å"based on the assumption that markets did not always work perfectly, that is, there were times when intervention might be needed to secure a stable global economic order â€Å"(Stiglitz, 2002) Now, he argues, the IMF operates largely on the untenable ideology that markets should be left to operate on their own, with no need of intervention. The Washington Consensus largely influenced the change in economic policies of the IMF. The Consensus was based on Latin American countries, were growth was not sustained.The belief of the Washington Consensus was that this had h appened as a result of excessive government intervention in the economy. The Consensus therefore recommended policies such as capital market liberalization, fiscal austerity and the privatisation of public companies. Furthermore, critics say; â€Å"the IMF frequently argues for the same economic policies regardless of the situation. † (Pettinger, 2008) The IMF blindly imposed the same â€Å"conditionality’s† to all its loans. What policies might have worked for one country might make matters even worse in others.The Argentinean financial crisis (1999-2002), underlines that the policies imposed by the IMF can lead a country into a severe recession. The IMF convinced the Argentinean government to maintain its fixed rate of exchange: one peso for one U. S. dollar. This made imports artificially cheap but exports too expensive. Consequently, Argentina had a severe trade deficit. Secondly, in order to maintain the overvalued currency, a country needs large reserve of dollars. The IMF lent $40 billion to support the Argentina peso, enhancing the debt of the country.On top the IMF made its loans conditional to a „zero deficitâ€Å" policy. „Argentina's implosion has the IMF's fingerprints all over it. â€Å" (Weisbrot, 2001) However the IMF has also been the last opportunity for many countries to avoid a default. Most currently, the IMF has given Greece a 1. 6 billion euro loan, to keep the Greek economy floating, and stabilize the euro zone. Another criticism of the IMF is that decisions made on which countries have the right to borrow money are made by a handful of nations who have the main rights.Out of the 24 board members in the IMF, only 10 are occupied by developing countries, holding only 26% of the shares. America in comparison has nearly 18% of the shares in the IMF. This inequality in the board of the IMF shows that decisions are mainly focused in developed countries. Stiglitz argues that the IMFs decisions were driven by the collective will of the G7. Wealthy, industrialized nations, and the commercial and financial interests within those countries dominate the IMF. The IMF was not falsely criticized, however the existence of the IMF is still important and inevitable.The current financial crisis has shown that supranational organizations such as the IMF still play a key role in stabilizing countries economies. However in order for the IMF to prosper in future and efficiently operate in economically developed and less developed countries, several changes will have to be adopted. Firstly the board members will have to split up more evenly. It is understandable that larger countries with more economic output have slightly more voting power than smaller ones. However developed countries, holding 74% of voting power, solely make decisions.Since the IMF largely gives loans to less developed countries, they should have enough members on the board to able to make decisions, on loan agreements. Secondly the IMF has to make detailed analyses of each country they borrow too, and based on that give consultancy on economic policies. History has shown that countries can prosper with different economic policies. While the western economy has largely grown on a liberalized free market, the Asian Tigers have managed to grow, ignoring the neoliberal economic policies the IMF imposed on them.Therefore the IMF must acknowledge that not every country can develop successfully under the same economic policy. The World Bank is the second institution founded at the Breton Woods conference. It was formally named the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The initial role was to help in the reconstruction of post-war Europe, hardly mentioning the issues of global poverty reduction. Now, however the World Bank operates as a development agency, providing loans to developing countries, in order to reduce poverty and increase living standards.In its mission statement the bank says, à ¢â‚¬Å"Our dream is a world without poverty†. The size of the World Bank has also changed dramatically, starting with 38 members in 1946, to 187 members currently. The World Bank comprises two main institutions, the IBRD and the International Development Agency (IDA). The IBRD provides loans to creditworthy middle-income countries, charging an interest rate of around 1%. It raises money through bond sales in the international capital market.These bonds have a triple A rating, since they are backed by member states share capital. The IDA, on the other handy, focuses on providing long-term, interest-free loans â€Å"to the world's 78 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa†, (World Bank official website, 2011) addressing issues such as primary education, basic health services clean water supply and many others. â€Å"Resources to fund IDA loans are raised through subscriptions from wealthy members such as United States, Japan and Germany† (Hill, 2002)The IBRD f inanced several successful projects in various areas in the developing world and was able to improve the living conditions and reduce the poverty rate in some areas. The IBRD, for example, largely funded the education system in Mexico. The WB funded over 18,000 schools under the â€Å"Quality Schools Programâ€Å" in rural areas of the country. Recently the WB has granted a 300 million US dollar loan, to further support Mexico’s School Education System (Educacion y Cultura, 2012). The IDA has also successfully reduced poverty and improved infrastructure in some areas of the world.A notable example is the „Highway Programâ€Å" in Azerbaijan, which focuses on â€Å"improving international and domestic road networks for stimulating economic growthâ€Å" (World Bank Official Website, 2011) The highway project reduces travel time by 33%, stimulates trade and business along the rural area and created over 20,000 jobs. However the World Bank has faced some severe critici sm as well. One of the strongest criticisms has been the negative environmental impact of some the World Bank projects. For instance, the construction of the Yacyreta dam in the 1990s in Argentina, which was largely funded by the World Bank.As a result of the dam, over 40,000 people have been displaced, and the majority of them were not compensated for their losses (The Whirled Bank Group, 2002). Furthermore, because of the dam construction several children failed to reach their school. The dam also had negative impacts on biodiversity, and due to the calm waters, diseases such as malaria and the dengue fever started to spread. Another controversial aspect of the World Bank has been its undemocratic governance structure, which is dominated by the main developed nations. These countries choose the leadership and senior management of the World Bank, and so their interests dominate the bankâ€Å" (Cornell University Press, 2006) Similarly to the IMF, the US holds the most voting power with 15. 8%, additionally all World Bank presidents have come from the US. Japan and China follow with only 7% and 6% voting power correspondingly. This large voting power inequality shows how voiceless most of the developing countries are, although nearly all loans affect their economies. The last, and arguably the most important criticism of the World Bank, are the neoliberal policies that World Bank imposed on lending nations.The ideas that were created in the Washington Consensus, including the deregulation and liberalization of markets, privatization and the downscaling of government, were seen as they key policies to promote development. However, what might have worked for the western economies might not be the best solution for developing nations. Usually the World Bank imposes structural adjustments to countries to which they lend money. These adjustments include reduced state support, and the liberalization of markets. Studies have shown that these policies have led to int ensified poverty and a slowdown in the economy, especially in African nations.Richard Peet claims that the austerity policies attached to the World Bank have â€Å" declined the per Capita income by 25% in sub-Saharan Africa, and the removal of food and agricultural subsidies caused prizes to rise and created food insecurity† (Peet, 2003). The policies have not only exacerbated poverty, but due to the imposed decline of health expenditures of governments, HIV and other diseases spread rapidly, causing the life expectancy of Africans to drop by fifteen years during the last two decades.In the Millennium Development Goal 6, the World Bank states, â€Å"to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, through prevention, care, treatment, and mitigation services for those affected by HIV/AIDSâ€Å". Although the WB has been successfully fighting AIDS in some African nations, spending over 3,000 million USD in the construction of HIV testing and teaching sites, it has worsened the situation i n other areas through imposing neoliberal economic policies on countries. Overall the â€Å"World Bank is an institution out of time and place† (Rich, 1994).The IBRD claims to be a development agency, however the institution is funded through issuing bonds on the capital market, creating a conflict of interest. Due to the fact that numerous shareholders own the IBRD, they will always have the pressure to create shareholder value, and cannot focus their attention solemnly on poverty reduction. Furthermore, the World Bank has largely overlapping interest with the IMF, especially the IBRD. They both focus on the same core neoliberal policies, and impose these on the countries they lend money to.These policies have mostly ended in poverty and economic failure in developing countries. Consequently, the IBRD should be discontinued, and the capital that the IBRD holds could be transferred to the IDA. The IDA could then be reorganised as a subgroup of the IMF. This would not only giv e the IMF a better image, but also infuse new ideas into the organisation. The IMF can still give similar loans as the IBRD did, since they have the capital and the power to credit those loans. There is no doubt that the IDA is an important institution with the correct core values, ut there is simply no need for two supranational institutions focusing on the same broad goals. On top, over the last decades, there have been increasing inflows of FDI into developing countries and private microfinance, which can boost development and GDP growth. The main role of the IDA should therefore be consultancy, to ensure the private loans are used effectively. An increased cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN should ensure sustainable poverty reduction. The third supranational institution, originating from the Breton Woods agreement is the World Trade Organization.Initially named the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), it aimed to govern internat ional trade relations, since countries would use tariffs to protect their own economies at the expense of their neighbours. This was seen as a threat to push the economy into a further recession; hence an institution was needed to encourage the free flow of goods and services. The GATT was transformed into the WTO in 1994, under the Marrakech Agreement. Currently, the WTO has 154 members, and embraces 95% of the global market.Its mission still is, to supervise and liberalize international trade. It has two main functions, firstly to provide a forum for negotiations and for settling disputes. If there is a dispute the WTO may direct the „loosingâ€Å" member to take action to bring its laws, regulations or policies into conformity with the WTO Agreements, however there is no punishment enforced. Secondly, it „oversees the implementation, administration and operation of the covered agreementsâ€Å" (WTO official website, 2012). The WTO claims that the introduced trading system has produced several benefits. Listed in the 10 benefits of the WTO) The main benefits are, firstly, that free trade generally cuts the cost of living and gives the consumer more choice. The reduced trade barriers through negotiations results in reduced costs for producers, reducing the price of finished goods and services, ultimately resulting in a lower cost of living. The increased global competition also forces producers to cut costs, again resulting in a benefit for the consumer. Secondly, lowering trade barriers adds to personal income. The WTO claims since the Uruguay Round trade deal between $109 and 510 billion dollars were added to the world income. In Europe, the EU Commission calculates that over 1989–93 EU incomes increased by 1. 1–1. 5% more than they would have done without the Single Market. Thirdly, trade stimulates economic growth, which could lead to increased jobs, if countries have the correct adjustment policies. Lastly, the least criticize d benefit of the WTO, is that the system is based on the rules rather than power. Meaning that voting power is equal for every member, and decisions are largely made by consensus.Rich and poor countries alike have an equal right to challenge each other in the WTO’s dispute settlement procedures. Although the WTO claims that free trade is essentially positive for all nations, critics have targeted the 10 benefits of WTO harshly. Richard Peet argues, that the WTO clearly does not adopt a neutral stance on trade policy. He further says; the WTO â€Å" is passionately against protectionism and just profoundly for trade liberalization† (Peet, 2003). The WTO therefore generally favours some interests while harming others. Furthermore, Peet targets the effect of free trade on workers and unemployment.The fact that the WTO shows no evidence for the increase in employment, stating reliable estimates become impossible, shows that there is little behind this benefit. Quite on the contrary, several workers have lost their job as result of free trade, due to increased competition and the cost reduction of manufacturers. Furthermore, free trade often resulted in developing countries trading more but actually earning less. The reason being, many countries were unable to shift their production from primary commodities to manufacturing. The increased competition between developing countries and dropping commodity prizes meant lower profit margins.Another point of criticism deals with the TRIPs agreement, which sets down minimum standards for many forms of intellectual property. Critics argue that the TRIPS agreement has a detrimental effect on the access of medicine in developing countries. The most controversial issue involves the use of drugs to cure AIDS. For example, Thailand suspended the patents of drugs treating HIV and heart conditions, to make the medicine affordable for poor patients. The EU and the US protested formally and the US even threatened retal iatory actions. The WTOs operations have also been criticised for being biased towards developed nations.While the EU has largely enforced trade protectionist measures, subsidizing the textile and agricultural industry, developing nations have been forced to open their markets. European and US lobbyism plays a great role in the WTO, and explains why the US and the EU were allowed to use these protectionist measures. In general, the WTO has proved to be an extremely useful institution for freer trade, and in some cases successfully enhanced the growth of nations. However several developing countries have felt the downside of free trade, with some of their economies shrinking due to increased competition combined with higher unemployment rates.Nevertheless, according to Ingo Walter an international trade professor at NYU â€Å"the world as a whole is certainly materially better off under free trade than with no trade at all and so is the individual nationâ€Å" (Walter, 2011). The W TO will face several challenges in the future, including trade negotiation between BRIC countries and the EU and US. â€Å"If export-oriented interests mobilize in countries, including the BRICs, they will push for reciprocal market openings† (Schaffer, 2009) The WTO must ensure negotiations are fair, and to ensure that they cannot allow US and EU multinationals to interfere with the WTOs decision making.In conclusion, the critics towards the Bretton Woods institutions have several core similarities. These critics argue that the institutions do not effectively alleviate poverty, they are generally poorly governed and developing countries remain marginal and without influence in decision-making. Those institutions have profoundly affected the developing world and it is time for a reform of these organizations. 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