Objectification and Shame in The House on Mango Street - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 875 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/06/24 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The House on Mango Street Essay Did you like this example? What he did. Where he touched me. I didnt want it, Sally. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Objectification and Shame in The House on Mango Street" essay for you Create order The way he said it, the way itrs supposed to be, all the storybooks and movies.. says Esperanza, the narrator in The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Esperanza and other girls on Mango Street struggle with growing up and being objectified by men. The neighborhood they live in puts the girls into unsafe situations with other people around. Throughout the novel, Esperanza and other young girls lose their innocence due to the comments and actions of men. Girls are told to adjust themselves, and they become accustomed to this expectation by the end of the book. In the novel, one theme is that growing up a woman can be shameful and objectifying. It is evident when a bum harrases Rachel, when shers abused in the workplace, and when young girls choose to wear heels. While on the street, Esperanza, Lucy, and Rachel are shamed for their choice in shoes. In The Family of Little Feet while they are wearing blue, yellow, and red heels, Mr. Benny at the corner store makes rude comments towards them. He asks them where they got the shoes, and continues to critique them, Your mother know you got shoes like that? Who give you those? Nobody. Them are dangerous, he says. You girls too young to be wearing shoes like that. Take them shoes off before I call the cops (Cisneros 41). This commentary could be interpreted as him trying to help the girls, but by his choice of words I think that there is more to it than that. He doesnt speak in a kind way, take them shoes off before I call the cops. Threatening to call the police because of a girlrs shoes is completely ridiculous, and teaches them that they have to adjust for what men want, or there will be serious consequences. Saying all of these things in a public place is embarrassing for anyone. It leaves the g irls feeling ashamed and small, like Rachel is left feeling after the drunk bum speaks to her. When Rachel walks down the street, she is objectified and harassed. In The Family with Little Feet, Esperanza, Rachel, and other girls choose to wear heels into town, and they run into a drunk bum. Rachel continues to speak with him despite all the other girls telling her not to, and then the bum offers her money, If I give you a dollar will you kiss me? How about a dollar. I give you a dollar, and he looks in his pocket for money (Cisneros 42). When the bum man speaks to Rachel like that, it definitely belittles her and takes away some of her freedom in the moment. The man objectifies her by offering to trade her for money. He thinks that it is an acceptable proposition, and that he can buy girls. We buy things, not people, and trying to buy her is treating her like an object. This is an example of objectification in the novel, along with when Esperanza begins her new job at Pan Photo FInishers. When Esperanza began to work at her new job, she was abused. In The First Job Esperanza is harassed and sexually abused by an old man at her new workplace. Shers working at Pan Photo Finishers, and doesnt know anyone there. She spends most of the day alone working, and when she goes to the coatroom to eat, a man comes in. He starts talking to her, and says they can be friends. She finds him comforting because she didnt know anyone else at her job. He tells her itrs his birthday, and asks for a kiss, he said it was his birthday and would I please give him a birthday kiss. I thought I would because he was so old and just as I was about to put my lips on his cheek, he grabs my face with both hands and kisses me hard on the mouth and doesnt let go (Cisneros 55). This is abusive because he kissed her without her consent, and didnt let go. In the text, she never verbally consented to what was given to her, and she is also underage. The man didnt wait for her consent, and that takes away he r voice. Not waiting for consent is an example of objectification, because he is treating her like something he can just grab and move around how he wants. He treats her like this, rather than someone with a voice or a important opinion. The harassment causes Esperanza shame, similar to how the girls felt when they wore their heels. Esperanza and other girls face harassment frequently throughout The House On Mango St, such as when the drunk bum talks to Rachel, when shers employed, and when Esperanza and her friends wear heels for the first time. In the novel, Esperanza and other girls end up in situations where men belittle them, and attempt to use or harass them. Instead of allowing men to objectify Esperanza, or feeling ashamed of who she is, she fights the gender roles that have been set out for her, and tries her hardest to follow her own path and learn from the situations shers been in.

A Presentation On Communication Methods - 1619 Words

Good morning everyone! My name is Christie Heath. I am PA to our HR Manager Lind Blessed here at Trusty Homes, and bon behalf of the HR Team, this morning I am going to be giving you a short presentation on Communication Methods. Now that Trusty Homes has branched out into our own insurance department, providing contents and property insurance to its homeowners and landlord’s, it is essential that as a brand we have a clear understanding on not only what communication means but importantly what good communication can mean for our business! We use communication methods every day without even considering it, in fact just attending this presentation is demonstrating one medium of communication you as an employee will use today! Together we are going to take a short look at †¢ What communication is †¢ How we communicate as a business and also as a brand to our consumers †¢ Then most importantly, how we can improve our customer engagement by first using effective methods of communication and secondly by removing any barriers to effective communication†¦.. But, before we get to that, let’s go right back to the beginning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ WHAT IS COMMUNICATION So, to start with let’s take a look at the definition of Communication†¦. That is â€Å"The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing or another medium† To consider the theory of communication and what it means in context for business, it really is quite simple. Communication is a means of connecting people and places. A two wayShow MoreRelatedAudience Analysis850 Words   |  3 Pagesimportant part of the presentation of a speech that precedes the selection of a topic. This process requires asking specific questions regarding the topic in order to understand the interests, knowledge, and attitudes of the audience towards the topic. As part of adopting strategies and methods to ensure effectiveness of communication, analyzing the audience is vital for audience identification. Moreover, this process enables the speaker to choose the appropriate means of communication that ensures thatRead MoreChallenges : Weaknesses And Strengths1164 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the weaknesses of the quantitative methodologies is that the data collected is limited based on the acceleration of the new discoveries of the electronic which is the medium for virtual teams. Every new day, the new and improved means of communications come into existence, whereas the available data on the books and journal medicals or any other means are limited. In retrospect, surveys may not be a valuable means through which the researcher gets information unless the research investigatesRead MoreQht1 Task4973 Words   |  4 PagesOvercoming communication barriers There are four main types of barriers in communication. Any of these barriers can ruin the chances of success in any given project or task that we are trying to achieve here at XYZ Company. I was asked by our Vice President to give some suggestions and guidelines to help you avoid these barriers, which will allow your team to run more productively, with less need to take corrective actions, and decrease frustration within the team. Let us start with processRead MoreKirk Williams Comm 218 Communicating Effectively Worksheet Essay892 Words   |  4 Pageschoices a speaker can make involves creativity, preparation, style, delivery method, and retention. Creativity is generating resources during learning and examination while offering a conclusion so that the concepts of the speech are supported distinctly. Preparation is arranging resources for the main point, associating the main point with the bulk of the speech while delivering the flow of the speech. Delivery method is conducting the speech in a manner the audience can relate to, such as bodyRead MorePersonal And Career Success By Paul J Meyer1644 Words   |  7 PagesEsteemed self help author, Paul J Meyer, once said â€Å"Communication is the key to personal and career success† and he could not be more right. However, while communication is the key to success, there are still many adults in the world today who lack the basic skill set for successfu l and effective communication. According to a 2016 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, verbal communication skills are ranked first among a job candidate’s ‘must have’ skills and qualities. ClearlyRead MoreThe Performance Of Lee Electronics1252 Words   |  6 Pagesperformance of Lee Electronics, from the factory through to administration and sales, has been exceptional. As communication manager it is important to form a communication strategy, that effectively conveys management gratitude. Additionally, the sales performance, bonus allocation amount and timeframe, needs to be clearly defined. Therefore, the following report will make recommendations on a communication strategy to achieve this objective. Message objectives The overall objective is to convey to all staffRead MoreMain Storytelling Techniques You Can Apply1511 Words   |  7 Pagescontrast is something that we learn at the age of eight or later and becomes a kind of foreign language that we rarely feel as comfortable in as our native language, storytelling. Communicate clearly: By drawing on this natural age-old method of communication, storytelling helps us make sense of a chaotic world by connecting us with time and space and human purpose of a sequence of events so as to make sense. Communicate truthfully: Stories can communicate deep holistic truths, while abstractRead MoreEffective Preparation For Business Presentation844 Words   |  4 PagesIn the book Effective Preparation for Business Presentation, the author Dr. Jeff Lewis provides excellent guidelines and his personal success tips to prepare business presentations. The book consists of five chapters each building on one another. Dr. Lewis describes details in each chapter focusing on effective communication through presentations. This paper attempts to show the key takeaways from each chapter of the book. The first chapter titled â€Å"Importance of Communicating Well† emphasizes onRead MoreInternet Marketing1291 Words   |  6 PagesMarketing Unit code: D/601/1102 Assignment Brief LEARNING OUTCOMES On successful completion of this unit a learner will: 1 Understand marketing through the internet 2 Be able to use the internet for promotion using digital marketing communications 3 Be able to produce market research to support customer relationship management 4 Be able to design an internet marketing plan. |Learning outcomes: |Assessment criteria for pass: The learner can: |Evaluation checklistRead MoreManaging Quality in Partnership Working with Service Users Essay1205 Words   |  5 PagesPartnership working: empowerment; theories of collaborative working; informed decision making; confidentiality; professional roles and responsibilities; models of working eg unified, coordinated, coalition and hybrid models; management structures; communication methods; inter-disciplinary and inter-agency working and joint working agreements. Legislation: current and relevant legislation eg safeguarding, equality, diversity, disability, data protection Organisational practices and policies: current

Dancing with the White Rabbit Free Essays

Carly Turner English 102 Polliard May 5th, 2011 Dancing With The White Rabbit People go under sedation all the time. They jump into the rabbit hole to receive colonoscopies, plastic surgery, dental work and other various medical procedures. Today’s world has become accustomed to regular use of sedation drugs however they do not realize just how dangerous they can be. We will write a custom essay sample on Dancing with the White Rabbit or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are many factors to be taken into account when someone is put under. Proprofol (Diprivan), a drug that is used to induce sedation, which is the cause of many medical malpractices and deaths, is not supervised enough in the medical community. Propofol is one of the most widely used forms of anesthesia (Nytimes. com). It was invented 20 to 25 years ago (News Week). It has multiple benefits over general anesthesia. Unlike general anesthesia, propofol has rapid onsets. â€Å"If you try to count backward from 100 after it’s injected, you don’t get to 97,† says Dr. Wischmeyer, a University of Colorado Anesthesiologist (Wall Street Journal). It also allows patients to recover and return to baseline activities such as eating and breathing on their own faster. In addition, it can result in less nausea and vomiting in patients (Ismp. rg). Because of this many practioners feel a false sense of security when using propofol. It can be harmful and even deadly if the person who is administering it is not trained in drugs that cause deep sedation and general anesthesia. On the labeling of Diprivan (Propofol), it is intended â€Å"for general anesthesia or monitored anesthesia care sedation†, meaning that that drug should only be administered by people trained in general anesthesia and not involved in the procedure being done. Propofol is an exact science. Dosing needs to be based on the patient’s tolerance to the drug. A number of factors including the age, weight, and how hydrated the person is factors into the efficiency of the drug (News Week). The tolerance can vary and can change easily. Also, for a patient who uses it the first time, it’ll be much more potent but for a patient who uses it often it stays in the tissues and creates a tolerance to the drug (Inside Surgery). The possible side effects, are changes in moods and emotions, dizziness, drowsiness, and a lack of coordination (Drugs. com). The harsher effect is that a patient can go from breathing normally to being in respiratory arrest in seconds, even at what seems like a low dose. There are also no reversal agents to propofol, which means that the drug’s adverse effects have to be treated while the drug is being metabolized in the body (Inside Surgery). Considering all of these variables this makes working with propofol difficult and somewhat unpredictable, even for a trained professional. If a patient isn’t monitored closely enough by a person trained in sedation while on propofol then they can quickly go into respiratory arrest and thus get brain damage or die from not enough oxygen to the organs and brain (Ismp. rg). During a procedure, a nurse who was trained in moderate sedation, assisted a gastroenterologist in surgery by giving the patient propofol. The nurse gave too high of a dosage of propofol to the patient and the patient started experiencing respiratory arrest. In another case, a physician thought it would be safe to administer propofol himself while performing a breast augmentation surgery. According to a poll, eighty-three percent of people thought it was wrong for a surgeon to administer the propofol himself (Survey. com). The young patient died from not getting enough oxygen to the brain because there was no one there to supervise her. Nurses have been asked to give â€Å"a little more† of the propofol if a patient moved. Anesthesiologists have been known to leave the room and leave the syringe filled with propofol and a needle in the IV port so that the nurses can monitor the patient alone themselves. This has been brought to the attention of some hospital’s leaders however no laws have been enacted about this. Additionally, money is an issue when deciding the safety of the patient. There is sometimes an unwillingness of insurers to reimburse anesthesiologists for their care and thus nurse-administered propofol happens quite often and untrained nurses may be caught in the middle of such a debate and feel pressures to administer the propofol themselves. States in the U. S. all have different views on propofol and whether or not it needs to be administered by a trained anesthesiologist or if a nurse should be allowed to do it (Kathy Dix). On an online survey seventy-eight percent of people believe that a trained anesthesiologist should be in control of the propofol and not a nurse (Survey. om). It usually comes down to that health care facilities board and is not decided by the state. In a recent survey, it stated that ninety-six percent of the people thought that every hospital and healthcare facility should have set rules on the matter (Survey. com). In addition, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and American A ss ociation for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities believe that the only persons trained in administering general anesthesia should administer propofol to non-ventilated patients. The American Society of Anesthesiologists suggests that if that is not possible then non-anesthesia staff who do administer the drug should be qualified to rescue the patients if their level of sedations becomes deeper than intended (Ismp. org). Along with the issue of propofol not being safely administered, it is also abused in the medical community itself. This can be done easily because it is not listed as a â€Å"controlled substance† by the Food and Drug Administration. The drug is likely to be liked by abusers because it induces relaxation or sleep and can cause euphoria and also leaves the bloodstream so fast that it is difficult to detect (Nytimes). Anesthetists and abusers of propofol say that it can bring a brief but captivating high as the sedation wears off. It has been referred to as â€Å"dancing with the white rabbit† (referring to the white color of the drug) and â€Å"pronapping† because the drug induces a short sleep that many practioners and medical personnel use between their long shifts (Wall Street Journal). Many practioners do not feel that propofol should be a more controlled substance. However, according to a poll, eighty-seven percent of people think that propofol should be listed as a controlled substance (Survey. com). Naming propofol a controlled substance under the Drug Enforcement Agency’s rules would require the hospitals to track their inventory, account for all the propofol vials, list all of it’s users, and lock it up with the hospital’s narcotics. If these actions were taken doctors and nurses seeking rehabilitation for their abuse of propofol might cost them their licenses and lead to them having criminal charges because they would have been abusing a Drug Enforcement Agency controlled drug. Michael Jackson’s young death is the most well-known case of propofol abuse and has rekindled the propofol controversy the last two years. Detectives found large quantities of propofol and oxygen tanks in his home. Along with this they found that he had a personal physician that allegedly admitted to administering the drug to Jackson the day the singer died. Jackson reportedly had insomnia and was seeking aid from the drug. It seemed that his dance with the white rabbit caused his death, and may be the cause of many others if not taken into control. ’It enters your bloodstream fast, and even highly trained anesthesiologists can’t control it, and die. They don’t even have seconds to pull out the needle,’ said Art Zwerling, a registered nurse anesthetist and counselor with the Association of Nurse Anesthetists† (Wall Street Journal). When the drug is being used properly there should be strict procedures enforced regarding the supervision of vita l signs and oxygen saturation to assure that the patient is safe. Health care facilities should inform all the staff working around propofol how dangerous it is. Today’s standards on the administration of Diprivan (Propofol) are too lenient and need to be reformed. In conclusion, the distribution and handling of this drug needs to be strictly supervised. Work’s Cited â€Å"What the Heck is Proprofol? More Info On the Drug That May Have Killed Michael Jackson† News Week. Web. 29 Jul. 2009. lt;http://www. newsweek. com/blogs/the-human-condition/2009/07/29/what-the-heck-is-propofol-more-info-on-the-drug-that-may-have-killed-michael-jackson. htmlgt; â€Å"How to use Diprivan† Drugs. com. Web. 18 Mar. 2011. lt;http://www. drugs. om/diprivan. html gt; â€Å"Propofol (Drug)† Web. 7 Aug. 2009. lt;http://topics. nytimes. com/topics/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/propofol/index. htmlgt; â€Å"Michael Jackson’s Death From Propofol† Inside Surgery. Web. 24 Aug. 2009. lt;http://insidesurgery. com/tag/diprivan/gt; â€Å"Practical Guide to Moderate Sedation/Analgesia† Odom-forren. Donna Watson. 2005. Mosby Inc. â€Å"Propofol (A Drug Used For Sedation)† Carly Turner. Survey ages 18-50, 23 surveyors. Web. 4 May. 2011. Survey. com lt;http://www. survey. com/cgi-bin/pollxt. pl? poll=PM2U1AR9U9G8gt; How to cite Dancing with the White Rabbit, Papers

Implementing and Improving Processes

Question: Using the two paragraphs shown below as a starting point, write an essay that demonstrates how both Benchmarking and Lean Six Sigma can be used by organisations to facilitate change in their business processes to enhance and sustain their competitive advantage. In your essay you need to discuss the following: a. What are Benchmarking and Lean Six Sigma? b. How can both be applied to business process change? c. How have organisations actually used one or both to improve their processes? (Case Studies) d. How could you apply Benchmarking and/or Lean Six Sigma to your current organisation or to an organisation you know well to identify business process change improvements? Answer: Introduction: Benchmarking in an organization plays an important role for improving the competitive aspects of an organization. The organizations use this tool to determine customer service, cost, quality, flexibility and delivery of services. Benchmarking acts as a platform for comparing a set of companies with the best in class companies for achieving superior utilization of the resources and excel in terms of performance. It can be used as a reliable tool for a gradual and continuous measure for improvement. It acts an important educational base which provided the organization with the chance to learn from past mistakes and aim for a sustainable growth (Brue 2015). The conceptualization of six sigma technique was first introduced by Motorola in the year 1987 in order to improve the quality aspect of their service. The concept of lean six- sigma incorporates combination of the six sigma outcomes with the lean speed of a value chain. The fundamental principle of six- sigma is to focus on both the quality and speed of service delivered by any manufacturing organization. The purpose of this study is to show the extensive possibilities in terms of improvements in business process change by combination of both benchmarking and lean six- sigma techniques. The studies also show the application of the stated research methodology in various organizations and learn about their business transformation process. The process of change in a business is implied as a result of change in tools and techniques, research and development tactics adopted by the managers (Rigby and Bilodeau 2015). Discussion According to Meybodi (2013), Benchmarking is a practice which when applied to a business results in significant improvement in the performance of a company. The best application of this is mainly seen in organization which deals with operations and sales. The main basis of criteria is to relate the performance of best organizations in a specific sector of the industry and learning about the various process related to that particular organization, the organizations then work on their operations to improve it according to the needs of the selected one. (Augusto Cauchick Miguel 2014). According to Zhu (2014), it needs to be understood that benchmarking is not a result of imitating the various strategies implemented by the best organizations but it is process of continuous improvement as a result of quantitative techniques and various innovation strategies which are untapped in the current practices. The methodology of the benchmarking involves from selection of the primary product or service of the company, identification of the important parameters of performance metrics, selection of companies, gathering of information on the performance and practices of the selected organization, analyses of the gathered information to know about the potential opportunities for continuous improvement in the business process, and implementation of the various strategies which are being followed by the best in class. The uses of the benchmarking techniques include improvement in the operational efficiency, a better understanding of the opportunities and relative cost position of the company, obtaining a strategic advantage and facilitating information sharing within the organization (Rolstadas 2013). According to Cucoranu (2014), the concept of lean six -sigma is a combination of tools and methods which is used by the present organizations in gaining a competitive advantage. The basic principle focus is on a faster and cost effective means of delivering service to the customers. Six -sigma assists in fixing to defects in the manufacturing process thereby reducing the amount of wastage. It is a powerful toolkit in order to increase the efficiency of a production system. The application of the six sigma technique can be related to any sector of an activity. It may be applied to both products and services (Neufeld et al. 2013). The implementation of this technique begins with understanding of the concept of Criticals to Quality (CTQ). The process also involves DMAIC technique such as define, measure, analyze, improve and control. It is the initial stage for application of six-sigma. The next step is DMADV technique which defines the various phases of defines, measure, analyze, define and verify. This stage is also known as design for six- sigma or DFSS. The final stage of this technique is related to designing and implementation of the observed analysis, (DEMDI). The lean six-sigma is a result oriented approach which focuses on the quality and productivity thereby by increasing the profits (Wei et al. 2012). The error level is identified on the basis of level of significance of the various key constraints, with every increasing level of significance the quality level of service increases. The sixth level of analysis ensures a 99.9996% defects free service or products manufactured. The main objective of six sigma is 3.4 defect free parts per million. The six Apart from improvements in the manufacturing sector, the application of this technique would significantly improve the quality in service industries such as tax returns, baggage handling in airports and various other areas such as driving (accidents per million kilometer driven), and in hospitality sector to reduce the number of deaths per million admitted every year (Newton 2014). According to (Harmon 2014), Business process change by application of lean six-sigma and benchmarking is mainly focused on two areas namely the core business and operations. The primary objective of both the methods results in Total Quality management (TQM). Managers of the big manufacturing concerns have stated that identifying the effective performance measurements aspects is the key to a success of an organization. The benchmarking process in itself is only related to identification the various key components or the opportunities for improvement, whereas lean six-sigma deals with the quantitative treatment and solutions for the various areas identified in the process of benchmarking. The amalgamation of both the measures can redefine the business process and organizations can compete in a better way (Goetsch and Davis 2014). The software engineering institute (SEI) has taken several measures for bringing about improvement in the business process through capability maturity model (CMM). The CMM has guidelines for improving the business process through a five stage evolution model for understanding the maturity levels of the business activities. The level 1 is the initial process which is characterized with various set of activities. The second level is repeatable. In the second level the predetermined project costs are evaluated to track the various cost components. The third level is applicable for both management and engineering tasks and the standards are defined as per the standards of maintaining the software. The level 4 is related to detailed measures of the various process of the software and quantitative understanding of the same. This particular stage is often related to the application of the lean six-sigma technique. The controlling of the activities is done through benchmarking of the various sectors of operation and significance level of various operations is measured by six- sigma (English et al. 2014). The theorists of Business Process Reengineering have paid more importance to the success factors which tend to give return on implementation. In this way companies include only that item which has more value for the business chain and sustainability of the organization. According to Tnnessen (2014), the implementation process of single or both the aforementioned techniques have helped the organization to gain a radical shift in the quality of the services offered. Automobile giant such as Toyota has been implementing both benchmarking and six sigma to achieve continuous improvement. In order to the six sigma procedures Toyota has identified the waste components in their production cycle. The key issues include waiting time, unnecessary motion, defects, over production, inappropriate processing of inventory and excess transportation. The value stream mapping of the various process provide a common ground for application of the quantitative techniques. The application the six sigma implementation ensured that the company is able to reduce its necessary waste components. The result was an overall improvement in the scientific improvement of the various paradigms. The lean six sigma applications have further improved the supply chain operations through improved communication procedure which has led to strategic alliance of the business processes. Bank one has followed the process of continuous improve by application of lean six sigma. The neo division of the bank has been able to implement path finder approach for overall quality improvement and determining the priorities within the business units. Motorola implemented six- sigma in the beginning of 1987 by engineer Bill Smith and the significance mechanism was formulated to reduce the no. of defects PPM. The success of this implementation made the use of quantitative technique popular to incorporate innovation and optimal usage of the available resources. According to Vinayak and Kodali (2013), in a similar way the process of benchmarking was first introduced in Xerox in United Sates, it resulted in showing clear benefits in terms of improvement in the performance in the operations. The implementation of the benchmarking models enabled the organization to facilitate learning process to maintain top quality standards in terms of customer service, improvement in the order of the inventory and an overall improvement in the process. The American Airlines incorporated benchmarking techniques in their business to gain a significant advantage in terms of customer services. The benchmarking process involved performance analysis of customer service of other airlines in the same route, and by including various added facilities in the route such as pre selection of seats, added feature in the purchase of business class ticket and additional luggage on booking of both economy class and business class tickets ensured that the flight is able to del iver compete with other airlines in the industry (Barkham and Saxon 2015). The selected organization of the implementation of lean six- sigma technique and benchmarking has been observed with General Electric (GE) headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut in the United States. The sigma value of the process involves K times the standard deviation of the selected process the equation is further represented by the equation K* process standard deviation = half tolerance of the specification The application the lean six - sigma in general electric resulted in .002 defects per million produced. In order to implement the process six-sigma model the customers were given the top priority for assessment. The goal of this objective was to determine the specific requirements of the customers. The main objective behind implementation the methodology was to bring an improvement in the product and the service level of in the manufacturing plant operations of the company. Third objective was to improve the overall financial status of the company. The initiation process involved five phases, the first phase being prioritizing or defining the customer needs (D), the second phase involved measurement of the performance (M), which focuses on how the various processes within the organization is measured. The phase included the analysis of the important reasons for the defects and identification the key variables related to the same (A). (Atmaca and Girenes 2013). According to Dubey et al. (2014), the fourth phase was related to identifying the key variables by the process of benchmarking and quantifying their implications on the CTQs. This stage is related to continuous improvement (I). The fifth phase is related to controlling to ensure that the modified process of the various key variables selected from the benchmarking process remained within the acceptable ranges over the time (C). In this way we can observe how the company implemented DMAIC into the process of lean six-sigma model. The engineers involve in the implementation process were provided with 13 days of training at GE which was later reduced to ten days and often referred as Green belt training. In the training process the employees were told about various ways of process mapping, risk management skills and leadership skills required for the analysis. The statistical procedures involved one sample test which was used to compare the mean to the target, two sample test which compa red two means, box and whisker plot to find the differences in the distribution of the data in the graphical representation, chi square test which compared the number of products in a batch or group and a graphical comparison of the same The various testing procedures also involved homogeneity of variance, normal probability distribution charts and finally evaluating the theory with scatter plot (Augusto Cauchick Miguel and Monteiro de Carvalho 2014). Conclusion The exploratory descriptive research finding of this study shows that due to improvement in Total quality management factor (TQM) many companies adopt this technique of six sigma and benchmarking. The various adaptation of lean six- sigma is associated to training professionals who registered under IASSC Certified LeanSix Sigma Black Belt(ICBB) or green belt program. The professionals are well versed with methodology and they lead the companies in implementation of lean six-sigma technique. While implementing benchmarking technique its is crucial for the organizations to consider the element of competitiveness which is necessary to examine the deficiencies in the conventional system of alignment of the strategies (Lawrence and Miller 2015). Reference List Atmaca, E. Girenes, S.S. 2013, "Lean Six Sigma methodology and application", Quality Quantity, vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 2107-2127 Augusto Cauchick Miguel, P. and Monteiro de Carvalho, M., 2014. Benchmarking Six Sigma implementation in services companies operating in an emerging economy. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 21(1), pp.62-76. Barkham, M. and Saxon, D., 2015. Benchmarking Studies of Psychotherapy. The Encyclopedia of Clinical Psychology. Brue, G., 2015. Six Sigma for Managers, (Briefcase Books Series). McGraw Hill Professional. Cucoranu, I.C., Parwani, A.V. and Pantanowitz, L., 2014. Lean Six Sigma. In Practical Informatics for Cytopathology (pp. 113-119). Springer New York. Dubey, R., Singh, T., Samar Ali, S., Venkatesh, V.G. and K. Gupta, O., 2014. Exploring dimensions of firm competencies and their impact on performance: Some exploratory empirical results. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 21(6), pp.1003-1022. English, T.R., Moeller, D. Mills, F. 2015, "Benchmarking the US Healthcare Ventilation Standard with the UK Healthcare Ventilation Standard", ASHRAE Transactions, vol. 121, pp. 1T. Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014. Quality management for organizational excellence. pearson. Harmon, P., 2014. Business process change. Morgan Kaufmann. Lawrence, H. and Miller, M.R., 2015. The ATMAE Lean Six Sigma Certification Exam: Why it Matters to You?. Journal of Technology, Management Applied Engineering, 31(3). Meybodi, M.Z. 2013, "Alignment of strategic benchmarking performance measures: a lean manufacturing perspective", Advances in Competitiveness Research, vol. 21, no. 1-2, pp. 14. Neufeld, N.J., Hoyer, E.H., Gonzlez-Fernndez, M., Mehta, M., Walker, N.C., Powers, R.L. and Mayer, R.S., 2013. A lean six sigma quality improvement project to increase discharge paperwork completeness for admission to a comprehensive integrated inpatient rehabilitation program. American Journal of Medical Quality, p.1062860612470486. Newton, I., 2014. Minitab Cookbook. Packt Publishing Ltd. Rigby, D. and Bilodeau, B., 2015. Management Tools Trends 2015. London, Bain Company. Rolstadas, A. ed., 2013. Benchmarkingtheory and practice. Springer. Tnnessen, T., 2014. Business Process Reengineering. In Managing Process Innovation through Exploitation and Exploration (pp. 27-33). Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. Vinayak, K. and Kodali, R., 2013. Benchmarking the quality function deployment models. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 20(6), pp.825-854. Wei, Y., Zhen, H. and Wen-meng, T., 2012. Research on Identification of Critical-to-Quality Characteristics for Complex Products [J]. Industrial Engineering Journal, 3(15), pp.75-79. Zhu, J., 2014. Quantitative models for performance evaluation and benchmarking: data envelopment analysis with spreadsheets (Vol. 213). Springer.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Definition, Characteristics and Treatments

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a common type of anxiety disorder. This disorder occurs after an individual has experienced a traumatizing event that may lead to death or serious injury (Yehuda, 2002). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may occur to any individual irrespective of age or gender. For instance, if a person witnessed or is part of terrible events such as domestic abuse, rape, war, assault, prison stay, terrorism, fire, and floods, he or she may undergo PTSD.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Definition, Characteristics and Treatments specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There was limited research undertaken on PSTD before the advent 1980s (Yehuda, 2002). In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association recognized this disorder officially. Currently, advancements are being made on the strategies that can be employed to counter this disorder (Yehuda, 2002). This pap er will examine the definition, characteristics, and available forms of treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are myriads of definitions of abnormal behavior. For in-depth understanding of the background of PTSD is, this paper will adopt a specific definition of abnormality that relates to the disorder itself. In this paper, abnormality has been explored in terms of personal distress. In this case, abnormality has been viewed in terms of personal subjective feelings and distresses (Meyer, Chapman Weaver, 2009). Therefore, an abnormal person from this point of view is an individual who feels anxious, miserable, and depressed. PTSD can therefore be termed as an abnormality since an individual affected by the condition exhibits at least one of the symptoms used in defining abnormality (Meyer, Chapman Weaver, 2009). This form of abnormality takes away an individual’s character and his/her dignity. The significant characteristics of PTSD is the consistent r epeated visualization of an event once witnessed, avoiding situations that might lead to remembering the event and hyperarousal (Yehuda, 2002). These symptoms vary among different individuals with varied experiences. In some people, these symptoms often emerge during the first three months from the day of trauma while in others; it might take a long period. Even though there are variations in the PTSD cases among different individuals, the characteristics of this disorder are the same in most cases since the features of the disorder may be typically categorized into three groups as expounded earlier (Yehuda, 2002). Any form of a traumatizing event will usually affect the daily activities of the victim. In this case, the individual may experience repeated nightmares, flashbacks, upsetting memories, and sometimes a very strong reaction towards an event. The latter may act as a reminder of the traumatic event that the affected person went through (Yehuda, 2002).Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The avoidance characteristics of a PTSD victim include the development of emotional behavioral characteristics, lack of hope for the future, tendencies of avoiding people and certain events, a feeling of being detached, inability to remember some aspects associated with the past trauma, general lack of interest in certain common activities, and displaying oneself in such a way that the moods are not openly displayed (Norris Sloane, 2007). During the arousal level in PTSD, the affected individual develops difficulties in concentrating, becomes extremely vigilant, begins to startle frequently, easily irritated, experiences lack of sleep, and also encounters the development of exaggerated responses to circumstances that may equally scare the person under post traumatic attack. It is also possible for an individual to suffer from one, two, or all the three categories o f this syndrome. The category of the syndrome will also determine the type of the PTSD the individual is suffering from. The clinical classification of this disorder is based on the symptoms witnessed on the victims who are affected by this disorder. The symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe (Norris Sloane, 2007). An individual with mild symptoms of PTSD is in a position to manage the distress that result. As a result, such an affected person may experience mild effects in terms of the occupational and social functioning. Moderate symptoms of PTSD result into manageable anguish. The victim may still be in a position of staying safe or not committing suicide because of such distress. There are limited cases of impaired functioning. On the other hand, severe cases of PSTD results into unmanageable distresses to the patient that may eventually lead to impaired occupational and social well being. Persons suffering from this kind of PTSD are at high risk of committing suicide as wel l as harming others. Generally, this disorder is clinically classified as an anxiety disorder. There are two known types of this disorder namely the acute PTSD and the chronic PTSD (Norris Sloane, 2007). Although these two classifications of the PTSD have the same symptoms, their health impacts are completely different. If the disorder affects an individual for a period less than three months, then it is referred to as an acute PTSD. On the other hand, if the disorder affects an individual for more than three months, it is referred to as chronic PTSD. Therefore, an acute PTSD can be managed within three months and if the symptoms of the disorder persist for more than the given period, then it develops into the chronic PTSD.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Definition, Characteristics and Treatments specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although men have recorded the most cases of exposure to traumatizing events, women often undergo several instances of PTSD (Mendelsohn Sewell, 2004). These observations indicate that in a social setup, women are seen to be more emotional than men and hence vulnerable to such a disorder. In the past, this disorder was perceived by the society to be related to female characteristics. Men who suffered from this disorder had extremely difficult time in trying to get out of it due to lack of support from the immediate community. When this disorder was clinically recognized and diagnosed, the wrong and misleading perception has significantly changed. It is currently recognized by many as a normal disorder thereby enhancing its treatability. The social distance that existed in the past has been reduced greatly as many people accept individuals with such a condition (Mendelsohn Sewell, 2004). Generally, the female gender suffering from this condition receives more support from the society than their male counterparts. Women are also more welcoming and supportive to individuals with this condition than men (Mendelsohn Sewell, 2004). The societal responses to an individual suffering from this condition has improved in recent times due to increased knowledge of the condition as well as elimination of mythical ideas of understanding the disorder. Currently, there are quite a number of methods that can be employed in treating this disorder. This paper will examine two major ways that are currently in use for treating PTSD. Before documentation of this disorder as a clinical syndrome, victims used to have a difficult time to secure prompt treatment. It was viewed from a mythical and supernatural point of view and patients were subjected to crude forms of treatments (Meyer, Chapman Weaver, 2009). After the year 1980, PTSD was recognized and treatment measures put in place. The most common form of treatment is the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It is a form of counseling that involves either cognitive proc essing therapy or prolonged exposure therapy (National Center for PTSD, 2007). It is very effective method of treating PTSD involving therapeutic involvement to ensure an individual understands the trauma he/she is undergoing and hence effect changes to the reactions towards the trauma. The use of medications is also an effective way of treating PTSD. These medicines make an individual feel less worried or sad. These medications work with the brain chemicals by affecting how an individual feels (National Center for PTSD, 2007).Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are several researches being done on methods that can be employed in preventing PTSD. These methods are both therapeutic and medicinal. Therapists are used to help victims recovering from trauma to deal with the condition in the most efficient way. Medicines that can be used by affected individuals to prevent the onset of the PTSD are also available in most healthcare units (Norris Sloane, 2007). Most people are in a position of recovering from a traumatic event. However, some victims end up developing into full blow or chronic PTSD. This mental disorder may persist leading to failure in terms of the recovery process (Meyer, Chapman Weaver, 2009). If the symptoms are handled at the initial development stages of the disorder, the possibility of being treated is also enhanced. In any case, there is a correlation between PTSD and certain imbalanced brain functions. The treatment simply involves restoring normal brain functioning. In addition, there are variety of clinical and t herapeutic methods that have been put in place for sake of preventing and curing the condition. The surrounding environment also affects the rate at which individuals are fully cured from this disorder. References Mendelsohn, M. Sewell, K. W. (2004). Social Attitudes toward Traumatized Men and Women: A Vignette Study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 17(2), 103-111. Meyer, R., Chapman, L. K., Weaver, C. M. (2009). Case studies in abnormal behavior. (8th Ed.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn Bacon. National Center for PTSD (2007.). Treatment of PTSD. Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/ Norris, F. Sloane, L. B. (2007). The epidemiology of trauma and PTSD. In: Friedman MJ, Keane TM, Resick PA, eds. Handbook of PTSD: Science and practice. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Yehuda, R. (2002). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The New England Journal of Medicine 346, 108-114. This research paper on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Definition, Characteristics and Treatments was written and submitted by user Zavier Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Speckled Band Essay Example

The Speckled Band Essay Example The Speckled Band Essay The Speckled Band Essay Read ‘The Speckled Band’ by A. Conan. Doyle and ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ by W. W. Jacobs. Discuss how the authors create tension and discuss the devices Used to mislead the reader.  Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe Speckled Band’ by A. Conan. Doyle and ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ by W. W. Jacobs are two very different stories; ‘The Speckled Band’ follows the ‘murder mystery’ line whereas ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ is based more around horror genre. This means that they will create tension and mislead the reader in completely different ways. In this essay I am going to explore how the two authors do this, and compare their methods for doing so. Arthur Conan Doyle creates tension in many ways. At the beginning of ‘The Speckled Band’, he creates tension by showing the effects of this dreadful crime on the characters. We are told Sherlock is usually a ‘late riser’, however, because of this new case, his routine was broken because at a quarter-past seven, Watson awakes to find Sherlock Holmes, fully dressed, standing by the side of his bed. Helen Stoner, the client who sought Holmes’ services as a detective, when speaking to Sherlock and Watson, was shivering, not from the cold as one would first assume, but from fear. The way she says â€Å"It is not cold which makes me shiver. It is fear, Mr. Holmes. It is terror,† creates tension because she first says what does not make her shiver as if holding off telling them, and then, using short sentences, she repeats the two words, ‘it is’. These two events evoke tension because these events are directly linked to this one case whic h at this point, we still do not know about. He also has a sense of humour, as shown in the Speckled Band when he says to the villain, Dr Roylott, Your conversation is most entertaining. When you go out, close the door, for there is a decided draught. Sherlock is also a serious and hard-working man. He is a detective because he enjoys his work, not because he needs the money. This shows he is dedicated to his job but is also laid-back. Victorians needed stability because of all the crimes, the class system, and people in severe poverty. I think that Conan Doyle was trying to send some sort of message to the public who had suffered crimes in that, someone is always there to help. Dr Watsons role in the stories is to inform the reader exactly what is going on from his notes. Hes a close friend of Sherlock. He has the ability to perceive and describe details There was a gleam in his eyes and a suppressed excitement in his manner which convinced me, and he is reliable, patient and tolerant. He is less imaginative than Holmes and less practical. His inability to deduce makes Holmes more unique and talented. Crime in the nineteenth century was rampant throughout London, because of the under classes poverty and sickness, crime was their only option in order to survive. The most common crime was stealing. The London Metropolitan Police system was created in 1829. In Conan Doyles stories, the police dont play a major part in solving the crimes as Sherlock is shown to be a superior detective. His minute examinations of the crime scenes can be likened to our modern day forensic scientists. I think this shows that he is more reliable than any police forces in those days, as most of them were dismissed due to drunkenness. In The Man with the Twisted Lip, the police force praise Sherlock on his hard work, I am sure Mr Holmes, that we are very much indebted to you for having cleared this matter up. I wish I knew how you reach your results. Most of Conan Doyles stories were set in London, and the atmosphere was dark and mysterious. Most of the clue finding journeys were at night time and early morning. I think this shows that Sherlock and Watson were dedicated to their job and to helping other people.

You can choose the topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

You can choose the topic - Essay Example These finding are alarming and it is a clear call to revisiting safety and health measures at work places. However, work related risks are different in the various sectors with some holding higher risks than others are. This implies that some of the safety and health measures and conditions may differ and hence all organizations should ensure that safety and health measures provided are in line with the risks related to the specific sectors. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every organization to ensure the safety and health of its entire workforce at all times. For instance taking a scenario of a company manufacturing high tech composite components for the US defense department, there are a number of measures that can be taken to ensure safety and health of its workforce. Such companies as the one in reference require significantly many safety and health measures due to the nature of activities carried out in the organization. For starters, the company should ensure to have a well written safety program addressing all the common accidents in relation to the company’s activities. Additionally, the safety program should address all necessary steps that should follow in case of an accident. In manufacturing industries, accidents are prone to happen from time to time therefore it is important to identify some of the most common accidents prone to happen. In a bid to ensure accessibility and frequent revision of these particular accidents, the company can produce some printed copies and attach them on various appropriate sites within the company. Furthermore, it is necessary that the company keeps on updating the written safety program as new accidents occur. With such a program, the entire workforce including new recruits can be alerted on these a ccidents thereby becoming more cautious in dealing with equipment or events attributed to these accidents. In line with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety and health

Hinduism Chapter 15 of Bhagavad Gita with reference to Upanishads Essay

Hinduism Chapter 15 of Bhagavad Gita with reference to Upanishads - Essay Example Schweig. Graham M. Schweig’s â€Å"Bhagavad Gita: The Beloved Lord's Secret Love Song† encompasses the metaphysical concepts such as the distinction between body and soul (matter/spirit), the principle of nonattached action, the virtues of disciplines†¦ and the respective places of knowledge and devotion in spiritual life† (Rosen 108). In addition, Lord Krishna shares wisdom about the true nature of God, World and Beings and the underlying oneness of God and Being. In â€Å"The Ultimate Person† chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, the conversation between the Lord Krishna, the teacher and the student Arjuna was presented. Lord Krishna imparts his knowledge through his teachings comprising the whole Veda. The central point of his philosophy is on how to accomplish and acknowledge the Supreme Being. Through his teachings, the essence of various disciplines such as Meditation, Karma Yoga, Values, Devotion, are relayed to his followers. In this chapter, Lord Kris hna exposed the transcendental characteristics of God, his glories and virtues, and his being omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. The realization of the Ultimate Truth was revealed as the purpose and value of recognizing God was established through the teachings (Radhakrishnan 48). The composition of the universe and its association with man was discussed as personified by the sacred Ashwattha tree. The relationship of the eternal immortality of the soul of humans with the idea of the Supreme Being was described through the limitless character of the tree, also called as banyan or fig tree. Lord Krishna metaphorically described that the everlasting tree was upside-down, where the roots are located above and the branches below. The leaves of the tree represent the Vedic scriptures, and whoever understands this is well-informed of such (Bhagavad-Gita Trust), With its roots upward, and its branches downward they speak of the everlasting Ashwattha tree, Whose leaves are the Vedic hy mns one who knows this is the knower of the Vedas (Schweig 193). A sacred banyan tree is limitless, dispersed everywhere in space. The root of the tree represents the sacred being, its leaves as its written wisdom, and its shoots as the substance of the mind. According to a commentary of Sridhara Swami quoted by Bhagavad-Gita Trust, †¦the compassionate Supreme Lord first expounds the nature of this mundane material existence by the metaphor of asvattha or banyan tree with its roots upwards and its branches downwards and its leaves the Vedic aphorisms. The roots above refers to the root of all the eternal Supreme Lord and the imperishable atma or immortal soul. The branches downward refers to transitory living entities consisting of the demigods headed by Brahma, who all have a finite span of life in material existence even if they live for millions and billions of years. The banyan tree also symbolizes the temporary nature of the material world. Even the followers of the Lord K rishna may not last until tomorrow, for everything in this world is transitory. The Vedas, as exemplified by the leaves,

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Proposal - Essay Example This shall form the foundation for recommending specific and practical directions for the integration of such tools for business, and a citation of advantages and pitfalls that may be expected as a result. 1. Novelty – The research shall examine attributes of a newly emergent phenomenon, the widespread use of social media and the growth of online communities as channels of opportunity for global marketing 2. Significance – Based on existing literature, the aforementioned channels present strong potentials for use in social engagement marketing in the international arena, due to ease of access, wide reach, low cost, and powerful content delivery. 3. Dearth of research – To date, there have been few articles written about the topic, and research has been fragmented and limited. Scant investigation has been conducted on the systematic use of strategic branding through online communities in social media. 4. Continuing development – The proliferation of social media has assumed several forms in the past which had provided the setting for earlier research. Social media, however, is in continual evolution due to the rapid changes in personal electronic data communication. Technical advances continue to enhance the potential of this channel which must be explored through continual research. 5. Necessity of integration – As mentioned, previous research has been fragmented, and depending upon the time they were undertaken, limited in scope. Advances made since then highlight social media and the creation of online communities as viable strategic tools to be integrated into the marketing function of a business undertaking. This research seeks to establish links among the technical, social, and commercial aspects of social media and online communities. Other than the foregoing criteria, the researcher is particularly interested in the topic because it encompasses two areas of personal

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Hospitality Industry Tourism Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Hospitality Industry Tourism Essay Introduction Currently, the subject hospitality management is being offered by various colleges and universities all around the world. Students and graduates of hospitality management are becoming more and more in demand in hospitality industries all around the world. Hospitality management is the academic study of the hospitality industry. Hospitality courses prepare students to face the challenges of the corporate world. Hospitality management courses also provide all the training for the students to cope with the workloads of the hospitality industry. Other than that, these hospitality management courses also prepare students with leadership skills and qualities so that students have the right kind of qualities and attitude to cope in the corporate world later on. Hospitality management can be divided into various different disciplines such as culinary arts, hotel management, tourism management etc. Each different branch of this course prepares student and graduates to face the different challenges in different field of the hospitality industry. As hospitality grows into becoming one of the most important economic sectors in the world, more and more graduates of hospitality management is being demanded in to this fields. What is hospitality industry? Why is it becoming an important in the economic sector around the world? The dictionary definition of hospitality is the friendly reception and treatment of strangers. The hospitality industry consists of businesses and institutions involving food and beverage, tourism and all kinds of lodging establishments. The friendly reception and treatment of guests is the responsibility of the people who work in the hospitality industry. 1.1.1 According to statistics, Lodging is the seventh largest industry in the United States of America and food and beverage service is the fourth largest. Twenty-three cents of every dollar spent by a U.S. traveler are spent in a hotel and twenty-one cents are spent in a food and beverage establishment. This shows the importance of hospitality industry to a countrys economy. Almost half of every penny spent by a traveler is contributed to two of the largest establishment in hospitality industry. 1.2 Since we all know that there are very good opportunities and bright future working in the hospitality industry, but what are the advantages and disadvantages of working in the hospitality industry? 1.2.1 Servicing in the hospitality industry is subjected to personal interest. To people who are interested in social skills and interpersonal communication skills, they may find hospitality industry an interesting career field. This is because in hospitality industry, we are dealing with people, servicing people where almost all of them are strangers. A great deal of interpersonal communication skills are involved in this industry. This may be of an advantage or a disadvantage as not all people are born with fluency in interpersonal communication skills though it can be acquired through a great deal of training. 1.3 A career in the hospitality industry can provide one with responsibility, advancement, diversity and personal satisfaction. A career in the hospitality requires a great deal of responsibility due to the high amount of workload. Advancement in hospitality industry is so when opportunities are provided for employees to be promoted to a higher post in the industry. 1.3.1 As said earlier, hospitality industry is an industry which involves serving guests and customers who are strangers most of the time. This is meant by diversity in hospitality industry. Each day, employees of the hospitality industry face people who come from different part of the world; this proves the diversity of the hospitality industry. Other than that, people who are interested and have acquired skills such as interpersonal communication skills, they might achieve personal satisfaction working in this industry. 1.4 The hospitality industry is full of opportunities for great advancement provided one puts in a great deal of hard work. Hospitality industry can be divided into so many fields and branches. As stated earlier, hospitality industry is referred to as one of the fastest growing economic sector around the world. In hospitality industry, there are countless job opportunities offered to employees. From waiter at a restaurant to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at large hotels, all of these jobs are classified under the hospitality line. Moreover, the hospitality industries nowadays are facing a serious problem on the lacking of human resources. More and more employees are needed in the hospitality industry. If one were to graduate with a degree in hospitality management subject, he or she will never have to worry about not getting a good job with good pay. 1.5 However, working in the hospitality industry brings some disadvantages too. Hospitality industry is known for its extended, odd and uncertain hours of operation. Most hospitality premises have to operate 24 hours per day, if any colleagues are on leave, others might have to extend their working time or work load in order to compensate the efficiency of work. For instance, ski or water sports resorts operate seasonally based on weather conditions. Some restaurants operate only during breakfast or lunch hours. Employees working under these sectors of the hospitality management have to cope themselves with the irregular working time. However, employees are human too; they need adequate rest time in order to maintain high work efficiency. There are cases where employees work over time just to compensate the work load of absent workers, they fell sick or ill. 1.6 Hospitality industry is also known for its tremendous workload. Employees working under the hospitality industry have to put in a great deal of hard work in order to cope up with the workload in the hospitality industry. However, if an employee graduates from any hospitality management sector, he or she will be trained to handle the workload that they might face when working in the corporate world later on. 1.7 Working under the hospitality industry allows one to gain a lot of skills which cannot be acquired through studying. Employees who worked under the hospitality industry have found to possess of effective communication skills, innovation, creativity, leadership qualities, critical thinking skills, decision making skills, negotiation and conflict management. If you consider the working routine and responsibility of one who work under the hospitality industry, you will find that these skills are relatively important for employees in order to serve the guests or customers well. From a front desk representative to a general manger in a hotel, they must at least possess of a few of the skills from the list above. Especially for those who work in the management level, they must possess of all the skills mentioned above so that he or she could lead the team well and also be a role model to his or her staff. 1.7.1 Working under the hospitality industry also enables employees to acquire a very important skill teamwork. Teamwork is one of the most well regarded qualities in the corporate world. In the hospitality industry, staff of the whole operation work as a team and this requires a great deal of teamwork. When employees and employers practice good teamwork and work together to handle big cases, the problem seems to be solved efficiently and effectively. CONCLUSION Hospitality industry is a fast growing sector and is economically important to the world. Tourism which is one of the fields in the hospitality industry shrinks the world by providing a more in-depth look at the enormity and complexity of international travel. Working in the hospitality industry has both advantages and disadvantages and is subjected to peoples point of view. It also depends on ones interest. As said earlier, people who have good interpersonal communication skills will find working in the hospitality industry an easy feat but to those who does not possess of good interpersonal communication skills, they would not like it in the hospitality industry. Question 2: Find out the factors affecting travel and tourism. Explain in detail. Introduction Travel and tourism is a very common term when it comes under hospitality management. At least 20 years ago, travelling is considered as a big deal to most people but now with the aid of modern transportation, travelling seemed to be an easy feat for everyone. Nowadays, with major airlines companies offering cheap fares and giving out various promotions, everyone can just travel to the destination of their choice at a relatively low price. This has indirectly affected the business of most tourism agency. More and more people can afford to travel to any destination of their choice without having to burn a hole in their pockets anymore. The government in Malaysia has also come out with various efforts or ideas to promote travel and tourism in the country. Travel and tourism is a high profitable sector to the countrys economy. The Malaysian government is putting great effort into making the country a tourism country. The annual Matta Fair is organized by government bodies to promote tourism in the country as well as attracting tourists from other countries. Other than that, the government also has promoted Malaysia in many of the international expos and has greatly raised the name of Malaysia to the world. Since travel and tourism is made such an easy feat for everyone nowadays, there are still some barriers that stop people from travelling or other factors that cause people to travel to that particular place regularly. Actually what are the factors that affect travel and tourism? What is travel and tourism? According to the World Travel Organization (WTO), travel and tourism is regarded as the activities of persons travelling and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purpose. Therefore, people who are considered travelers or tourists are those who are away from their normal place or residence for a period of up to one year in which they will return home after that, taking part in activities that would normally be associated with leisure and tourism and on a visit that is temporary and short term. 2.1. Determinants are those factors that influence one individuals decision-making process. In short, determinants are the factors affecting ones decision whether to travel or not. Determinants can be further subdivided onto two categories which are personal factors that influenced the tourist and external factors that influenced the tourist. 2.1.1 Personal determinants are one of the factors affecting tourists decision making. Personal determinants can be divided into four categories: Circumstances of the tourist such as the health, disposable income/savings, leisure time, work commitments and family commitments. Knowledge of tourist regarding the destination, availability of various tourist products and prices differences among competitive tourist products. Attitude and perception of the destination, tourism organization, political views, particular country and cultures, modes of travel, how advance to plan and book a trip and what constitutes value for money. Experience of types of holidays, different destinations, products offered among competitive tourism organizations, taking trips with particular individuals or groups and attempting to find discounted prices. 2.1.2 When the personal determinants are taken as whole for the entire population, it would represent a market opportunity for the tourism industry. For example, with the growing affluence of the workforce and pressure in the workplace, many people would look forward to a long weekend to take a short break or vacation. The need for tourists to take a short break from work is to stimulate and rejuvenate their energy. 2.1.3 Situational factors such as time, money, health or marketing influence can intervene, as a facilitator or as an inhibitor, in making travel decision. Tourists decisions are important as it directly affects the travel and tourism. Belk (1975) identified five types of situational variables which will affect tourist behavior and decision made: Physical surrounding includes weather, geographical location, dà ©cor, sounds, lights, aromas, tangible signs and display of products, and other materials. The sunny weather can be considered as part of the destinations physical surrounding. Social surrounding includes other people and their characteristics, roles, and interactions. The social network can provide information and can act as influencer in a choice for a particular travel destination. Crowding is another situational variable, where people from crowded cities may seek isolated places to spend their holiday for a rest and to be alone for a while. Temporal perspective includes the time period, time constraints, and elapsed or expected time. The time situation is important in tourism since many holidays are limited by duration of time. For example, holidays can only be taken during school holiday or during certain says when you go on an annual leave. Tourists also prefer to go for a holiday after a time elapsed since the last holiday travel. Task definition includes the orientation, intent role, or frame of a person where certain situational may become relevant. For example, one would decide on certain criteria to go for a vacation during different time period. Antecedent states is where a situation would shape the perception, evaluation, and acceptance of the current condition, such as a person receiving a bonus, may suddenly decide to go for holiday on a STAR cruise. 2.1.4 Social and cultural influences are other factor that affects the travel and tourism. Most of the social and cultural structures are pervasive and intangible in nature. However, most tourists are unaware of the influences of these structures, even if the structures are actually embedded in their travel decision making. One of the major social influences are groups including family members and relatives. Reference group can be defines as a collection of people that an individual use as a standard for his or her attitudes, beliefs, values and behavior development. For example, since many officemates will be spending their holidays in China, one may be aspire to join the group by deciding to go along to the holiday in China. Culture can be considered as a broad, impersonal reference group consisting of the knowledge, behaviors, customs, and techniques that are socially acquired or learned by an individual. It includes beliefs, values, norms, signs, habits and non-normative behavior. Thus, culture can influence the way an individual behaves as a consumer or as a tourist. For example, one of the promotional themes to promote Malaysia as a tourist destination is to exhibit Malaysia as a melting pot of various cultures that are found in Asia. Cultures also exist within overall culture and are known as subcultures. Those subcultures are groups based on region, race, language, religion, age, social class or other factors. The island of Bali in Indonesia has been prominently promoted as a cultural destination, based on religion. Social class is another example of subculture. Social class is a product of division in society on the basis of status and prestige. Education, occupation, wealth and income are some of the basis used to explain the belonging of one social class. Some tourist destinations tend to appeal to certain groups of social class of people. For example, the French Riviera is favored among the higher social class people. Places like Langkawi Island may attract people from all social classes, but people may differentiate classes once they arrive on the island by staying at different kinds of hotels categories. In some society in Indonesia, travelling abroad is considered as a social status and sometimes the connotation of Has Been Abroad or HBA is attached to the individual. 2.2 Apart from personal determinants that we have discussed earlier, there are also some external determinants that may affect consumer travel decision making. Some of external determinants are: 1. Views from friends and relatives 2. Marketing activities in the tourism industry 3. The influence from the media 4. National-level politics and factors like economy, social and technology 5. International-level politics and factors like economy, social and technology Most of these external determinants can be further subdivided into sub-factors: Political sub-factors: Government legislation and policy, like capital control restricting amount of money taken out of the country Immigration restrictions and visa requirements Civil disorder and terrorism Taxation policy, for example, airport tax, exit fees Media sub-factors Travel channel Holiday features reported on television, in newspaper, magazines and guidebooks. Non-travel channel news reported in national Geographic programs and in news programs Marketing activities: Marketing activities by national tourist organization Brochures from travel agencies Special promotions by hotels and other travel operators. The extent of the personal and the external determinants influence the tourist behavior depend on factors such as tourists personality and their lifestyle. Extrovert people are more likely to take account of the external determinant such as the views from friends and relatives while the introvert people prefer to rely on their own experiences. People who watch news regularly and are very much concerned about the world affairs may be influenced by those external determinants compared to those people who are not worried or do not know of the situation of that country, may not consider this external factor. Some of these determinants can either be a catalyst or a constraint to the tourists motivation and desire to travel. For example, high disposable income is a catalyst and low disposable income is a constraint. Travel brochure with glossy and rosy picture of a resort destination would attract potential tourist to visit, in contrast to a cheap looking flyer. Conclusion Tourists do not make rational decision based on perfect information. They might not realize most of the determinants, as mentioned earlier. There are tourists who are aware of the various determinants to be considered in the decision making, but choose to ignore these determinants. People tend to use other aspect of lie such as pressure and emotion, to dictate their travel decision. Most literature in tourism marketing noted that there are relatively long periods spent in travel decision making process, like thinking about the vacation, collecting information, and evaluating the alternatives. Currently there is a growing trend in the tourist industry of the last-minute purchase: decision to travel. Working people have a high desire to go for a short trip whenever there is an opportunity to do so and are more willingly to go to a less interesting destination if it is offered at a low price.

Avons Marketing Strategy in International Markets Essay -- Internatio

Avon's Marketing Strategy in International Markets 1/ Which actors in Avon's microenvironment and forces in the macro environment have been important in shaping its marketing strategies? We can explain what is exactly microenvironment and macro environment. Micro-environment is the factors in a firm's immediate environment which affect its performance and decision-making; these elements include the firm's suppliers, competitors, marketing intermediaries, customers and publics. Macro-environment is the major uncontrollable, external forces (economic, demographic, technological, natural, social and cultural, legal and political) which influence a firm's decision making and have an impact upon its performance. Macroenvironment forces include the increasing mobility of the U.S. population (demographic change), which meant that both customers and salespeople were moving. This made it difficult for salespeople to establish loyal, stable customer bases. In order to define what influenced the Avon's marketing strategy: ACTORS in Avon's MICRO ENVIRONMENT FORCES in Avon's MACRO ENVIRONMENT ïÆ'Ëœ Sales force: homemakers who needed extra money but didn't want a full time job outside the home. ïÆ'Ëœ Recruiting salespeople was easy ïÆ'Ëœ An army of women selling products = Avon ladies ïÆ'Ëœ Direct Saling ïÆ'Ëœ Convenience for the customer ïÆ'Ëœ They develop clients lists of friend or neighbours ïÆ'Ëœ More women found that they needed to work outside the home ïÆ'Ëœ Salaries needed more than part-time Job ïÆ'Ëœ When Avon ladies rang the doorbell, often no one answered. ïÆ'Ëœ More competitor were competing for the pool of people interested in full or part time direct selling jobs. ïÆ'Ëœ Increasing mobility of the US population : both customers... ...ust its marketing strategies. Avon had successfully negotiated with the Chinese government to restart its business. Avon agreed to operate as a wholesaler, selling its products to retail stores and converting its 75 branch centers into retail outlets. The new arrangement meant that Avon's 50,000 sales representatives would lose their jobs. Avon should not view a whole country as a single market and always bear in mind that there is a strong purchasing power in the hands of many urban communities in these countries. This is particularly true for China where the stereotype of 1.3 billion, low-income people living in rural areas is simply not true. China has the largest urban population in the world with 400 million consumers living in a set of urban centers along the Chinese coast. There should be a concerted marketing effort to targets this huge untapped market.

Lord of the Flies and Psychology Essay

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, narrates the story of a group of English boys as they struggle to survive on an uncharted, uninhabited island. The boy’s airplane crashes into the island and kills any adults on board — leaving the boys to fend for themselves. Ralph and Piggy meet each other first and, upon Piggy’s counsel, Ralph decides to call a meeting of all the boys by blowing on a conch shell. The boys quickly begin to form a society in which they elect Ralph as their leader. A boy called Jack quietly disagrees and believes that he should lead the group. As times passes, Jack and his choir become hunters for the rest of the boys and they begin to enjoy the ways of a predator. As Jack grows more savage, he becomes unhappy with the way that Ralph leads the boys and decides that he will go to the other side of the island and start his own tribe. Boys slowly begin to leave Ralph to join Jack. The boys become so savage that they kill two boys and they plan to kill Ralph. Just as Jack has cornered Ralph, a naval officer appears and rescues them all. Golding depicts not only the struggle of the boys to survive, but also the psychological reasoning that leads the boys to abandon the civilized nature that they know. Through characterization and setting Golding creates in his novel, an ideal forum for validating psychological principles introduced by Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, and Carl Jung. Sigmund Freud was a psychologist who pioneered the thought that the mind contains three different levels, the id, the ego, and the superego. The id bases itself on the pleasure principle; it meets basic needs. The id wants a quick satiation of needs and has no consideration for the reality of a situation. The ego bases itself on the reality principle, it understands that other people have needs and desires and that impulsiveness or selfishness can cause harm in the future. The ego meets the needs of the id, while taking the reality of the situation into consideration. The Superego develops due to the moral and ethical restraints placed on a child by influential adults in their lives. One could compare the superego to the conscience, as it dictates belief of right and wrong. Golding acknowledges these different states of consciousness within his novel by using characters to represent each one. For instance, Jack represents the id. Jack never takes into consideration the best thing for the group or himself in the long run and he holds himself accountable to no set of rules or any code of ethics. â€Å"Bollocks to the rules! We’re strong – we hunt! If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down! We’ll close in and beat and beat and beat† (91). Jack addresses the issue of a beast believed to inhabit the island by filling his thirst for violence and neglecting to take into consideration that confronting a beast will most likely lead to danger. Jack’s reasoning involves selfish motives; he wants to get rid of the beast, he wants to kill, he does not care that he has potentially placed the others in a dangerous situation, nor does he realize the ludicrousness of the beast, Jack has neglected reality entirely. Piggy represents the ego. He constantly tries to reason with the other boys, when he and Ralph first meet, Piggy understands that the other boys also landed on the island and someone needs to find and help them. â€Å"We got to find the others. We got to do something† (14). Piggy also realizes that the boys will most likely stay on the island for a while before someone rescues them — if someone ever rescues them at all. Piggy understands the boys while staying in touch with reality and he knows that if he does not find the smaller boys and take care of them, they will die. Piggy comprehends the seriousness of their predicament and realizes what it will take to keep everyone in order and alive. Simon represents the superego because he adheres to the principles instilled in him by society and civilization. After Jack has killed a pig for the first time, he and his clan approach while chanting, Piggy whimpers and â€Å"Simon hushed him quickly as though he had spoken too loudly in church† (69). Simon’s conscience keeps Piggy in line even when dealing with savage Jack. Towards the end of the novel, the other boys savagely murder Simon; when the boys kill Simon they also kill their conscience, they kill the rules and implications set upon them in order to keep society civilized and from this point until the boys get rescued their savage nature completely takes over and nothing holds them back any longer. Alfred Adler believed that personality difficulties are rooted in a feeling of inferiority. He also believed that people focus on maintaining control over their lives. Golding shows these ideas in his novel. Piggy, Ralph, and Jack all have issues with inferiority and control, in some way each of them feels inferior and each them strives for control. The other boys consider Piggy substandard to them because physically he is not their equal, Piggy realizes that the other boys perceive him this way and tries to make up for it with his intellect and emphasis on the rules, which leads into Piggy’s control issue he tries to use control to counter act the feeling of being out-classed. Jack always strives for superiority, from the very beginning Jack feels that he should be chief instead of Ralph. Jack crumbles underneath his need to become more superior than Ralph and decides to takes control of his situation and forms his own tribe. Jack tries to control his life by getting his way and convincing other boys to get his way as well. Ralph fears inferiority, leadership thrusts itself upon Ralph but he holds his position in very high regard. As Ralph loses support from his tribe, he loses his superiority and he begins to lose faith in himself and become more nervous. Ralph does not like the loss of control in his tribe or in his life, the signal fire and getting the boys to help him make shelters was so important to him for this reason. Adler studied various types of people and he came to the conclusion that there are the four main types of people: The ruling type that tries to control others, the getting type that tends to go along with others ideas, the avoiding type that tries to isolate themselves to avoid defeat, the socially useful type that values having control over their lives and strive to do good things for the sake of society. Jack represents the ruling type with his demand that the boys do as he says â€Å"‘go on’ the two savages looked at each other, raised their spears together and spoke in time. ‘The chief has spoken’ â€Å"(141). Jack thrives off of ruling and absolute power. Sam and Eric fit into the category of the getting type, they tend to go along with and do what others tell them to do. Whenever Ralph is their chief they listen to him and go along with what he says, and then when Jack captures them and takes them to his tribe they adhere to his code and do what he says. Sam and Eric follow — they do not contribute to creative thought but they willingly take part in its aftermath. Simon represents the avoiding type, he largely keeps to himself, and he goes and finds a secret place where he can sit alone in the quiet with his thoughts. Ralph represents the socially useful type, he likes to have control of the boys but, unlike Jack he wants them to do things for the betterment of the group. Adler’s ideas come to life in Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Psychologist Carl Jung believed that symbol creation was a key in understanding human nature. Symbols express something essentially unknown in the best way possible. The boys in Lord of the Flies create a symbol for their fear, at times the boys feel afraid and they cannot exactly express why. The boys create the symbol of the beast because they cannot touch or see their fear and so they imagine a beast that they could touch and see. Whenever Simon recognizes that the thing to fear lies within the boys he also creates a symbol, the Lord of the flies. Jung also believed that the introvert and the extrovert make up the main components of personality. The introvert, like Simon, tends to keep to themselves, and find more interest in ideas than in people. â€Å"Simon paused. He looked over his shoulder as jack had done at the close ways behind him and glanced quickly around to confirm that he was utterly alone† (56). The extrovert however, is outgoing and socially oriented. Both Jack and Piggy fit the description of extroverts because, they both freely express their ideas and long for others to hear and admire them. According to Jung a person that has a healthy personality can realize these opposite tendencies and can express each. Ralph most closely adheres to Jung’s theory about healthy personality. Ralph has a need for socialization but, he also knows when he needs time for reflection and thought, many times Ralph wishes that he had time to gather his thoughts before he had to go and present them in front of the rest of the tribe. When reading Lord of the Flies some readers may miss the latent meaning and only focus on the manifest. Readers who do not take in deeper psychological nature of the novel would attribute the boy’s different reaction to the island, to differences in personality and background instead of the boys taking on the image of the different levels of consciousness. This reader might think that they could not keep order simply because they are just young boys when their real motives were their subconscious need for superiority. The entire novel deals with the psychological principles set forth by Freud, Adler, and Jung; it could be considered a case study that verifies the very things that these psychologists believed.

Nicaragua and Terrorism essays

Nicaragua and Terrorism essays Nicaragua The following is the definition of terrorism as defined by the FBI: "the unlawful use of force against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population or any segment thereof, in the furtherance of political or social objectives" (FBI, 2003). It is the aim of this essay to determine whether the actions of the United States in Nicaragua in the early 1980s fit this American definition of terrorism, and to compare those actions with the actions of regimes that the United States government has been critical of in recent months to establish if such criticism may be seen to be hypocritical. Nicaragua gained independence from Spain in 1821, along with the rest of Central America. It was a part of Mexico for a brief time, then part of the then Central American Federation. Nicaragua finally achieved complete independence in 1838. Soon after, Britain and the USA both became extremely interested in Nicaragua and the strategically important RÃÆ'Â ­o San Juan navigable passage from Lago de Nicaragua to the Caribbean. In 1848, the British seized the port at the mouth of the RÃÆ'Â ­o San Juan on the Caribbean coast and renamed it Greytown. This became a major transit point for hordes of hopefuls looking for the quickest route to Californian gold. In 1855, the liberals from the city of Leon invited William Walker, an American intent on taking over Latin American territory, to help seize power from the conservatives based in Granada. Aided by a band of mercenaries, Walker and his fellows took Granada easily and he proclaimed himself president, one of his first moves being to institutionalize slavery. He was soon ejected from power and the country, but showed almost absurd tenacity as he repeatedly tried to invade the country. This was the first American intervention in the affairs of Nicaragua, and in many ways set the preced...

USS Maine Explosion and the Spanish-American War

USS Maine Explosion and the Spanish-American War The sinking of USS Maine took place on February 15, 1898, and contributed to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War that April. After years of unrest in Cuba, tensions began to re-escalate in the 1890s. Seeking to calm the American public, which had been calling for intervention, and to protect business interests, President William McKinley ordered the US Navy to dispatch a warship to Havana. Arriving in January 1898, USS Maine sank on February 15 after an explosion tore through the ship. Initial reports concluded that Maine had been sunk by a naval mine. Sparking a wave of outrage across the United States, the loss of the ship helped push the nation towards war. Though a later report in 1911 also concluded that a mine caused the explosion, some began to believe that it was the result of a coal dust fire. A subsequent investigation in 1974 also favored the coal dust theory though its findings have been contested. Background Since the late 1860s, efforts had been underway in Cuba to end Spanish colonial rule. In 1868, the Cubans began a ten-year rebellion against their Spanish overlords. Though it was crushed in 1878, the war had generated widespread support for the Cuban cause in the United States. Seventeen years later, in 1895, the Cubans again rose up in the revolution. To combat this, the Spanish government dispatched General Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau to crush the rebels. Arriving in Cuba, Weyler began a brutal campaign against the Cuban people which involved the use of concentration camps in rebellious provinces. This approach led to the death of over 100,000 Cubans and Weyler was promptly nicknamed the Butcher by the American press. Stories of atrocities in Cuban were played up by the yellow press, and the public put increasing pressure on Presidents Grover Cleveland and William McKinley to intervene. Working through diplomatic channels, McKinley was able to defuse the situation and Weyler was recalled to Spain in late 1897. The following January, supporters of Weyler began a series of riots in Havana. Concerned for American citizens and business interests in the area, McKinley elected to send a warship to the city. Arriving in Havana After discussing this course of action with the Spanish and receiving their blessing, McKinley passed his request to the US Navy. To fulfill the presidents orders, the second-class battleship USS Maine was detached from the North Atlantic Squadron at Key West on January 24, 1898. Commissioned in 1895, Maine possessed four 10 guns and was capable of steaming at 17 knots. With a crew of 354, Maine had spent the entirety of its brief career operating along the eastern seaboard. Commanded by Captain Charles Sigsbee, Maine entered Havana harbor on January 25, 1898. USS Maine entering Havana harbor, January 1898. US Department of Defense Anchoring in the center of the harbor, Maine was afforded the usual courtesies by the Spanish authorities. Though the arrival of Maine had a calming effect on the situation in the city, the Spanish remained wary of American intentions. Wishing to prevent a possible incident involving his men, Sigsbee restricted them to the ship and no liberty was given. In the days after Maines arrival, Sigsbee met regularly with the US Consul, Fitzhugh Lee. Discussing the state of affairs on the island, they both recommended that another ship be sent when it was time for Maine to depart. Rear Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee. US Naval History and Heritage Command Loss of Maine At 9:40 on the evening of February 15, the harbor was lit by a massive explosion that ripped through the forward section of Maine as five tons of powder for the ships guns detonated. Destroying the forward third of the ship, Maine sank into the harbor. Immediately, assistance came from the American steamer City of Washington and the Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII, with boats circling the burning remains of the battleship to collect the survivors. All told, 252 were killed in the blast, with another eight dying ashore in the days that followed. Investigation Throughout the ordeal, the Spanish showed great compassion for the injured and respect for the dead American sailors. Their behavior led Sigsbee to inform the Navy Department that public opinion should be suspended until further report, as he felt that the Spanish were not involved in the sinking of his ship. To investigate the loss of Maine, the Navy swiftly formed a board of inquiry. Due to the state of the wreck and a lack of expertise, their investigation was not as thorough as subsequent efforts. On March 28, the board announced that the ship had been sunk by a naval mine. The boards finding unleashed a wave of public outrage across the United States and fueled calls for war. While not the cause of the Spanish-American War, shouts of Remember the Maine! served to accelerate the approaching diplomatic impasse over Cuba. On April 11, McKinley asked Congress for permission to intervene in Cuba and ten days later ordered a naval blockade of the island. This final step led to Spain declaring war on April 23, with the United States following suit on the 25th. Aftermath In 1911, a second inquiry was made into the sinking of Maine following a request to remove the wreck from the harbor. Constructing a cofferdam around the ships remains, the salvage effort permitted investigators to probe the wreck. Examining the bottom hull plates around the forward reserve magazine, investigators found that they were bent inward and back. Using this information they again concluded that a mine had been detonated under the ship. While accepted by the Navy, the boards findings were disputed by experts in the field, some of whom put forward a theory that the combustion of coal dust in a bunker adjacent to the magazine had sparked the explosion. Workers preparing to raise the wreck of USS Maine, 1910. US Naval History and Heritage Command The case of USS Maine was reopened in 1974, by Admiral Hyman G. Rickover who believed that modern science might be able to provide an answer to the ships loss. After consulting experts and reexamining the documents from the first two investigations, Rickover and his team concluded that the damage was inconsistent with that caused by a mine. Rickover stated that the most likely cause was a coal dust fire. In the years after Rickovers report, his findings have been disputed and to this day there has been no final answer as to what caused the explosion.