Assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Assignment 1 - Essay Example Medical professionals must not only be able to diagnose and treat diseases, but they must also be aware of foods and substances that may be attributed to cultural behavior patterns. Diseases may be transmitted through the consumption of cultural-based foods not found in normal mainstream environments. However, this cultural empathy is not always taught within medical training. Professionals rely so much on their medical expertise that the problems with cultural diversity and cultural awareness are not often understood or applied within a medical environment. In the end, this makes the patient the victim of ignorance and restricts the medical professional’s ability to treat the patient. Furthermore, communication is an important component of cultural diversity and awareness. A patient or research subject must be able to communicate what his or her problems are and the researcher must also be able to ask questions and communicate the treatment methods that are going to occur. Medical administrators must also ask family members and friends specific questions regarding medical history which could come into play regarding research issues and practices. All of this communication is necessary for the treatment and compliance within a research-based institute. Therefore, the need for multi-lingual staff members is crucial, especially in areas where diversity may be the main focus or in geographical areas where diverse demographics may be greater than others. Cultural diversity has impeded the quality of research that can be provided and professionals within the field are only now beginning to understand the impact that culture has on behaviors, treatment and communication . The text illustrates a multitude of dimensions that showcase precisely how important of a role that culture can play on everyday lifestyles. For instance, within the Universal and Culty-Specific Psychological Processes, Matsumoto

Electrolux Case Summary Essay Example for Free

Electrolux Case Summary Essay As the largest domestic products manufacturer in the world, Electrolux has about 70000 employees all around the world in about 150 countries, making 14 billion euros in sales in 2005. However, an acquisition case from its main competitor, Whirlpool, is challenging the ? rst place of Electrolux, at the time Electrolux has just decided to divest its outdoor division. A huge decrease in sales in the following years is expected. Starting from 1920s, Electrolux has been famous for its expertise in industrial design on products such as vacuum cleaner and refrigeration. The products quickly got popular not only in its home country in Sweden, but in other western countries such as Germany, France, USA and UK, due to the homogeneous culture of these countries. A major growth in demand after World War II contributed a lot to its growth. With a large amount of accumulated cash of the past decades, Electrolux decided to expand quickly through a number of acquisitions for more market share and diversi? cation. In late 20th century, Electrolux discovered new markets in developing countries when the market in western countries was already very mature and was even showing a sign of going down. It also went through a phase of restructuring the segmentations of products as well as abandoned some less important activities. Up until 2006, the company has addressed its new strategies mainly on functional level to correspond to the challenges. To maximize the pro? t, the production would be outsourced to developing countries with lower labor costs. More ef? ient logistics has made the globalization more feasible and cost-saving. On the product market level, due to the market polarization, a more distinguishing product segmentation would be applied. While keeping the basic low-price products, Electrolux is launching a series of products with higher prices to satisfy the high-end market. On the other hand, 2% of sales would be put in RD to keep a high rate of new products launches. The supply chain management has always been vital when it comes to consumer goods industry. When Electrolux is outsourcing more of the productions, it is also hifting the strategy of distribution channels. Instead of traditional dealers, big chains with large volume and high geographical coverage are brought up front because of lower serving cost. Above all these, the company keeps making efforts on brand-building by investing at least 2% of the sales every year. With more products are sold under Electrolux’s name, the company is also improving its brand image by stressing more on their culture through internal and external relations among employees, suppliers and retailers, etc.

The Character of Sméagol in Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings Essay

The Character of Smà ©agol in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings      Ã‚   Although JRR Tolkien is notorious for his numerous, and often seemingly irrelevant, minor characters - the necessity of an index of names in The Return of the King proves this without a doubt - one of the most crucial and fascinating characters of The Lord of the Rings physically appears in barely more than one-sixth of the novel. The character Smà ©agol, often referred to by his alter ego Gollum, on a basic level serves only to guide Frodo and Sam to Mordor, as well as to destroy the Ring when Frodo cannot. However, in the course of doing so, we are revealed, hint by hint, of the enigmatic and contradictory character who "hates the Ring and loves the Ring - just as he hates and loves himself" (Sibley 170). In The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien uses the character Smà ©agol, forged from a collection of historical and historically mythological tales, as a foil for the central hero Frodo Baggins as well as the Christian example of hope, despite the powerful corru ption of evil.    Tolkien, Oxford's Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon, was an avid fan of history; the ancient past of his beloved Europe fascinated him to such a degree that it is little wonder the history of Middle-Earth mirrors our own. Smà ©agol's lust for, reverence to, and even fear of the One Ring bases its roots, most especially, in the ancient practice of Dactyliomancy, or the use of rings for divination and magic. In the first century AD, Apollonius of Tyana, a major figure in the Gnostic religion and early alchemy, received seven rings from the Brahman Indian prince Iarchus, which he believed gave him healing powers if he would "[revere] them as divine... and... ...ous power of evil, but the everlasting, and far greater, power of good.    Works Cited Bruner, Kurt, and Jim Ware. Finding God in The Lord of the Rings. Illinois: Tyndale House, Publishers Inc, 2001. 69, 89. Chance, Jane. The Lord of the Rings: The Mythology of Power. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1992. 34, 102. Day, David. Tolkien's Ring. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1999. 22-23, 50-51, 88, 154. Sibley, Brian. The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002. 170, 171. Tolkien, JRR. The Letters of JRR Tolkien. Ed. Humphrey Carpenter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981. 330. - - - . The Lord of the Rings. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993. 68, 643, 659, 979. Tyler, JEA. The Tolkien Companion. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1976. 446, 454.

Foot Binding

For what reasons and results did mothers bind their daughter’s feet in China? History 20I Historical Investigation Word Count: 2,000 Julie Diep April 1, 2012 A. Introduction In contrast to a physically disabled child’s question of â€Å"Why me? † left unanswered, the traditional Chinese had a cruel yet straight forward answer of â€Å"Because your childhood is over and it is time to grow into a woman. † Which led to the merciless act of willingly breaking and forcefully binding a girl’s foot at a ripe young age to the length of three inches, no longer than the length of a deck of cards.Woman who were seen inferior to men, were treated as objects exchanged in marriage for business or to tie two families together. They were expected to follow society’s rules, foot binding being one of these rules to increase the value of a female. During the 19th century, â€Å"†¦40–50% of Chinese women had bound feet; for upper class women, the fi gure was almost 100%†¦ † (William Rossi). The Chinese culture encouraged this foot binding process as it was highly desired from ancient China to the 20th century until the establishment of the new Chinese Republic officially banning the process, ceasing it’s use.Mothers considered and inflicted the painful process of foot binding upon their daughters for reasons of marriage, status, and beauty with positive results or death from infection and a life-long physical disability. B. Summary Of The Evidence * The practices of foot binding were described as â€Å"San tsun gin lian,† â€Å"Golden Lotus† or â€Å"Lily†. By the 19th century, 40–50% of Chinese women had bound feet and for upper class women, the figure was almost 100%. * According to historical account, root of foot binding lie in China in the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 A. D. ), during the rule of Emperor Li Yu in China.The ruler's favorite concubine Yao-Niang performed a dance on the tips of her toes atop a golden lotus pedestal. * Another origin is of an Empress who had club-like feet, which became a desirable fashion. * Criteria for a well-bounded foot is three inches in length, a three inch deep clef between the heel and sole and that the appearance of the bounded foot is seen as a dainty extension of the leg. * The elder village women or mother was responsible for initiating and monitoring the binding process. * Foot binding was begun between the ages of two to five before the arch of the foot had a chance to develop fully. Toenails were cut back to prevent in-growth and infection. * Each foot would be soaked in a warm mixture of herbs and animal blood; this was intended aid the process by softening the tissue and bones of the foot to allow manipulation. * All the toes on the foot except for the big toe are broken and folded under the sole. * The broken toes were held tightly against the sole of the foot while the foot was then drawn down straight with the l eg and the arch forcibly broken. * The foot was then bound in place with a 10'x2†³ silk or cotton bandage. The bandages were repeatedly wound, starting at the inside of the foot at the instep, then carried over the toes, under the foot, and round the heel, the freshly broken toes being pressed tightly into the sole of the foot. At each pass around the foot, the binding cloth was tightened, pulling the ball of the foot and the heel ever close together, causing the broken foot to fold at the arch, and pressing the toes underneath. * Each time the feet were unbound, they were washed, the toes carefully checked for injury, and the nails carefully and meticulously trimmed. Immediately after this pedicure, the girl's broken toes were folded back under and the feet were rebound. * Process took approximately two years. * Toenails would often in-grow, becoming infected and causing injuries to the toes. * The tightness of the binding meant that the circulation in the feet was faulty, and the circulation to the toes was almost cut off. * As the girl grew older, the bones would begin to heal, although even after the foot bones had healed they were prone to re-breaking. * Septicemia and gangrene resulted from the bacteria. A 1997 study by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco found that women ages 80 and older with bound feet were more likely to have fallen in the previous year and to need assistance in rising from a sitting position. They also had lower bone density in the hip and spine than women with normal feet, increasing their risk of debilitating fractures. * Foot binding was first practiced among the elite and only in the wealthiest parts of China, which suggests that binding the feet of well-born girls represented their freedom from manual labor and wealth. In politics, a woman was kept from interfering if she was immobile, and a â€Å"kept† woman reflected a powerful man. * Mothers would endure binding their daughters’ fe et as an investment in the future. The more attractive she could make her daughter, the better marriage prospects she had. * A bound foot signified that a woman had achieved womanhood, and served as a mark of her gendered identity. * Small bounded feet were seen as elegant, dainty, beautiful, erotic and a prerequisite for finding a husband. * Foot binding was eventually banned in the 20th century with the rise of the new Republic of China through educational campaigns. C. AnalysisFrom the birth of a baby girl, the status of the family determined whether her feet would be bounded or left untouched. If the family was wealthy and was of elite status, the girl’s feet would be bounded. It represented the freedom the girl had from manual labor, as she would not be able to walk or work in her bounded state, which also maintained family honor and reputation. Bounded feet set the boundary between higher and lower class. The people of lower class needed everyone in the family to work o n the farm and could not afford the luxury to tend to aesthetics or fashion, as bounded feet were seen as dainty, elegant and attractive.The â€Å"Golden Lily† or bounded feet were a desirable fashion among women and signified the transformation of a girl into a woman. The process marked the end of her childhood and the beginning of womanhood, which was important to one’s identity. By not being able to bind their daughter’s feet, it was detrimental to her prospects of marrying into the higher class and raising her social status or having a more prestigious marriage. Zhou Guizhen, survivor of foot binding, 86 years old, states, â€Å"At that time everybody had bound feet. If you didn't, you'd only be able to marry a tribesman from an ethnic minority. The higher class glorified this painful process as aesthetically pleasing and as an investment in the girl’s future marriage. In China pre 19th century, marriage was a crucial part of a woman’s entire life. Woman had the purpose of being a wife and reproducing children. Without marriage, there would be no husband to rely on, children to tend her grave and no prosperity to her family. If a woman did not marry it equated to a life with no meaning. In marriage, wealth, status and physical appearance were crucial. Marriage was a bond between two households or businesses.Thus the mother would increase the value of her daughter by binding her feet to display the wealth, status of the family and the attractiveness of the daughter’s physical appearance. Bounded feet increased marriage prospects and the likeliness for her to marry into another wealthy family, which would benefit her own family in return. They were seen as erotic and as a form of chastity, being the symbol of submission to the husband. An immobile wife would not be able to leave the house and is wholly dependent upon the husband, thus objectifying the woman and reflecting a more dominant man.Bounded feet were only s een as attractive when concealed in the lotus shoes. Some men preferred to never see the bounded feet, so that they were concealed in their shoes as a beautiful mystery. â€Å"If you remove the shoes and bindings, the aesthetic feeling will be destroyed forever. † (Feng Xun). It was understood that the erotic fantasy of bounded feet did not equate to the unpleasant physical reality, which was therefore to he kept hidden. To an extent, foot binding was not considered a form of body mutilation but as a component of female attire or adornment.If done correctly the girl would survive the process, only to live with the physical disability and further risks of medical problems. During the process, despite the meticulous care of trimming the toenails, they would often in-grow causing infections in the toes and feet. The tightness of the bindings would decrease blood circulation to the feet ceasing injuries to heal and gradually worsen to infection or rotting flesh. The girl would be susceptible to infections such as septicemia and gangrene due to the increase of bacteria. The practice of foot binding was not only physically crippling, but it also produced physiological implications.The abdomen would swell, the lumbar vertebra would curve forward and the back would be inflicted with increased muscle stress. This forced the woman to put all her weight on her lower body and pelvis. One’s whole body was deformed as a result from foot binding. Simple acts such as squatting and bending were difficult. Large corns and calluses would appear on the bounded feet and had to be cut off. Instead of walking in a straight line, the woman would have to walk side to side in a swaying motion. As the years passed, the bounded foot would continue growing, but instead of growing longer the foot would grow crooked.This would cause further injuries and deformities to the foot. The toes would curl deeper inwards causing potential infections, which inevitably followed with dise ases. According to a 1997 study by researchers in the University of California found that woman ages 80 and over with bound feet had lower bone density in the hip and spine than a woman with normal feet, suggesting that the bones were prone to re-breaking and fractures. Opposition to the foot binding first began in China during the Qing period (1644 – 1911) with Manchu rule.When foreign missionaries began to gain footholds in China after the Opium war and the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912, the new Nationalist government of the Republic of China banned foot binding. The Lotus feet were no longer a symbol of beauty but a symbol of oppression and were seen as a barbaric practice of the old China. Through modern education campaigns, it was explained that the rest of the world did not bind women’s feet and that China was seen as savage, making the nation subject to international ridicule. The advantages of natural unbound feet over bound feet were encouraged.Natural feet societies were formed whose members pledged not to bind their daughter’s feet or allow their sons to marry women with bound feet. These tactics succeeded in eradicating the use of a practice, which has survived for thousands of years. D. Conclusion According to an old saying in China, â€Å"There are a thousand buckets of tears for one who binds her feet. † These woman’s tiny feet sealed their tragic fate all for marriage prospects, status and beauty, ingredients for a good life of a woman in pre-20th China. Only to live with a self inflicted physical disability prone to infections, diseases and medical injuries.With the rise of the 20th century and the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the era of foot binding had been abandoned leaving only fragments of the past that present day society view as a horrific mutilation of the human body. E. Bibliography Dehoff, Elizabeth. â€Å"Foot Binding†, Ask, http://shoes. about. com/od/footwear/qt/foot_binding. htm Farlander . â€Å"Chinese Foot Binding†, h2g2, http://h2g2. com/dna/h2g2/A11558722 Holman, Jeanine. â€Å"Foot Binding†, 2010, http://www. josephrupp. com/history. html Mao, J. â€Å"Foot Binding: Beauty And Torture†, The Internet Journal of Biological Anthropology. 008 Volume 1 Number 2 Myfanawy, Evans. †The Painful Tradition of Foot Binding in China†, Pattya Daily News, September 16, 2010, http://www. pattayadailynews. com/en/2010/09/16/the-painful-tradition- of-foot-binding-in-china/ Wikipedia contributors, â€Å"Foot binding†, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title=Foot_binding&oldid=483989361 1 (accessed March 28, 2012). ——————————————– [ 1 ]. J. Mao, â€Å"Foot Binding: Beauty And Torture†, The Internet Journal of Biological Anthropology. 2008 Volume 1 Number 2 [ 2 ].Farlander, â€Å"Chinese Foot Binding†, h2g2, http://h2g2. com/dna/h2g2/A11558722 [ 3 ]. Ibid. [ 4 ]. Myfanawy, Evans. †The Painful Tradition of Foot Binding in China†, Pattya Daily News, September 16, 2010, http://www. pattayadailynews. com/en/2010/09/16/the-painful-tradition-of-foot-binding-in-china/ [ 5 ]. Blood poisoning from bacteria. [ 6 ]. Decomposition of body tissues from bacterial infection. [ 7 ]. Elizabeth Dehoff, â€Å"Foot Binding†, Ask, http://shoes. about. com/od/footwear/qt/foot_binding. htm [ 8 ]. Farlander, â€Å"Chinese Foot Binding†, h2g2, http://h2g2. com/dna/h2g2/A11558722 [ 9 ].Wikipedia contributors, â€Å"Foot binding†, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title=Foot_binding&oldid=4839893611 (accessed March 28, 2012). [ 10 ]. Farlander, â€Å"Chinese Foot Binding†, h2g2, http://h2g2. com/dna/h2g2/A11558722 [ 11 ]. Wikipedia contributors, â€Å"Foot binding†, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, h ttp://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title=Foot_binding&oldid=4839893611 (accessed March 28, 2012). [ 12 ]. Blood poisoning from bacteria. [ 13 ]. Decomposition of body tissues from bacterial infection. [ 14 ]. Jeanine Holman, â€Å"Foot Binding†, 2010, http://www. josephrupp. com/history. html

A Central Theme or Motif in the Play Othello, Is Jealousy

Jealousy is the central theme in the play â€Å"Othello† by William Shakespeare. It is the most famous literary work that focuses on the dangers of jealousy. The play is a study of how jealousy can ruin lives – even with only the most circumstantial evidence of guilt. The play opens in Venice and revolves mainly around a man called Othello. It’s his actions and thoughts which makes the play interesting and suspenseful. Themes such as love, jealousy, betrayal, honesty and vengeance are all important and widely portrayed throughout the play.However, as we venture into the play and the character Othello, we will realise that jealousy is ultimately the most important theme of them all. It is the fundamental element that fuels the characters and evidently crafted the play into how it is today. From the beginning of the play, we clearly see the jealousy in Iago. This is seen with his dejection at being passed over for promotion to be Othello's lieutenant. Cassio, the à ¢â‚¬Å"bean counter†, got the job instead of Iago the experienced soldier. He just has to accept his loss. But, of course, he does not, and that becomes the driving force of the play.His strategy of dealing with loss is to strike back with vengeance and deception against Othello, who has humiliated him by passing over him for promotion. He stays close to Othello, acting as his best friend when he is actually deceiving Othello, â€Å"I am not what I am†. He is out to get back at Othello and he does this by creating an evil plan against him. Othello is in love with Desdemona and secretly marries her. He loves her and is willing to do anything for her. However, he is blinded by this love and allows jealousy to ruin their relationship.Jealousy is so destructive and has rendered Othello to become so vulnerable to the evil schemes by Iago. Iago uses Desdemona in his plan, and succeeds greatly. Iago’s plan begins as he openly executes his plan of destruction, which incor porates jealousy as the key factor. He intends to create a strong sense of jealousy in Othello by setting up the mirage of an affair between Desdemona and Cassio. Othello is a simple man. He has never dealt with a situation like this before. As a result, he had very extreme reactions because of his jealousy.However, Othello’s jealousy has not developed and still doubts their affair. Therefore no extreme actions have been committed yet. The quote â€Å"Away at once with love or jealousy! † by Othello allows us to understand that he still has faith in Desdemona and does not believe she is cheating on him. However, Iago continues to feed Othello with rumors of the affair. His persistency and Othello’s vulnerability has caused a rapid development of jealousy in him. By the quote â€Å"I like not that†, we can see that it is the turning point for Othello – he begins to lean towards Iago’s interpretation of the truth.In doing so, Othello falls int o the trap and tells Iago that he wants Cassio and Desdemona dead. His love for Desdemona is so strong and yet jealousy overpowers him. Iago realises that although he does not have proof of the affair, he is still able to cause harm â€Å"As proofs of holy writ: this may do something†. From this we realise how obstinate Othello is. Jealousy has made him lose his ability to reason or think logically. In fact, Iago has been so successful with his plan that he was able to put Othello into a state of madness.He even loses control of his body and Iago explains it as epileptic seizures. At the end of the play, after Othello smothers Desdemona to death, it is brought to his attention that he was set up by Iago. In horror, he realizes his mistake. Just before his suicide, Othello explains that all will have to refer to him as â€Å"one that loved not wisely but too well†. His lack of experience brought upon his ruin. Jealousy is described throughout the play as a monstrous emo tion or more specifically, a â€Å"green-eyed monster†. This becomes increasingly more destructive and intense.However, it’s at the end of the play that Othello commits extreme actions because his jealousy has caused him to believe everything is true. Jealousy here is harnessed as a weapon, a weapon made so lethal because its victim ultimately destroys himself and others around him. It is interesting that Iago uses jealousy against Othello, as jealousy is likely the source of Iago’s hatred in the first place. In Othello, jealousy takes many forms, from sexual suspicion to professional competition, but it is, in all cases, destructive.However, this jealousy was not originally prominent Othello, but was rather developed through Iago’s numerous plans of destruction, which is understood through Othello’s change in personality and actions taken. By studying the text â€Å"Othello† by William Shakespeare, we are able to understand that jealousy is a powerful emotion, one that can destroy relationships, and consume the mind. Whether sexual or platonic, once the seed of jealousy is planted it can lead to devastating consequences, as seen in the play.Jealousy can easily turn into anger, and overwhelm it's victim making them obsessed with the notion. In the play Othello, many of the characters fall victim to jealousy, causing them to commit acts outside of their normal persona. Othello was the victim in the play, and was miserably destroyed by his uncontrollable jealously. Out of all the characters in this play, it’s obvious that jealousy was what ruined Othello. Jealousy had the most profound effect on him and in the end, destroyed his relationship with Desdemona, and himself. In doing so, I believe that jealousy is the central theme in the play.

What are the differences between the Nationalists and the Unionists Essay Example

What are the differences between the Nationalists and the Unionists Essay Example What are the differences between the Nationalists and the Unionists Essay What are the differences between the Nationalists and the Unionists Essay Essay Topic: History There are many differences between the Nationalist and the Unionists but the main focus is their religious beliefs, political parties and their identity, I will be explaining in depth about these points. They both have completely different beliefs but they are both Christians. The nationalists see themselves as Irish and want a republic Ireland they have a very strong, strict religious rules. They have one central religious leader, the Pope in Rome, who decides all the matters of worship for every single Catholic in the world and they dont want a royal family. Unlike the nationalists the unionists consider themselves as British instead of Irish and believe they belong with Britain and giving allegiance to the queen, this is because they didnt want a Pope and the church to have complete control which they though that it had too much influence on Ireland which might lead to laws being changed like stopping divorces, abortions and contraception from happening. Nowadays some of the Irish have accepted that they wont have a united Ireland, but extreme actions have taken place as the real IRA use terrorism to get rid of the British. Only last week the real IRA carried out the gun attack at an Army barracks in Antrim in which two soldiers were killed. They have also been involved in many other incidents causing several deaths. Another difference between them is that the Nationalists and Unionists have political groups. The major Unionist political groups are the Democratic Unionist Party and the Ulster Unionist party, otherwise known as the DUP and UUP. The major Nationalist political groups are the Social and Democratic Labour Party (SDLP) and Sinn Fein. Although both the Unionists and Nationalists have hard-line and moderate views, there are some major differences between them. Firstly, the Nationalist SDLP wants reform in Northern Ireland and believes the Republic should have influence on how Northern Ireland is run; the SDLP has a moderate stance and does not encourage violence in any way, they try to achieve their views in a non violent manner. In contrast to this the UUP believes that political reform is needed, and that the Irish Republic must not be involved in this process; their aim is to defend Northern Irelands union with the United Kingdom. The UUP is the largest political party in Northern Ireland, and most Protestants support it. Secondly, the more hard-line Nationalist political party, Sinn Fein, has much harsher political views. They seek the unification of the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland and the six counties of Northern Ireland in a democratic-socialist Irish Republic. Sinn Fein believes that the only way to solve Irelands problems is to cut all connections with Britain. Sinn Fein represents Roman Catholics who want to achieve a united Ireland through whatever means are necessary, including violence. The hard-line Unionist political group the DUP is the second largest Unionist party in Northern Ireland, and is co-founded and led by Reverend Ian Paisley. The DUP is supported by most Working Class Protestants in Northern Ireland. The DUP believe that they have to defeat the IRA, which they think will need a huge security force. This group is less aggressive than Sinn Fein, as it does not actively support using violence to accomplish its means; however, it does support paramilitary groups defending against Nationalist paramilitary groups. Both Nationalists and unionists have paramilitary groups; however there are differences between the two. The IRA (Irish Republican Army), up until its recent disarming, used severe violence to achieve its aims. The IRAs aims are the same as Sinn Feins, which is basically the IRAs political wing which was denied by Sinn Fein. The UFFs (Ulster Freedom Fighters) founding aims were to protect Unionists against the IRA; however now the UFF seems more like a revenge group, killing Catholics in return for actions performed by the IRA. The UFF is based on the same principles as the DUP and is used as security. The UDA and UDF (Ulster Defense Association and Ulster Defense Fighters) are similar and have the same views. The most prominent difference between the IRA and UFF, UDA, and UDF is that the IRA indiscriminately terrorized the United Kingdom and Ireland itself with bombs and violence, killing protestants, atheists, Catholics, etc, alike in the United Kingdom and Ireland. An example of this was when the IRA bombed the shopping centre in Manchester, killing many people. In contrast to this, the UFF, UDA, and UDF just respond to Republican violence by killing ordinary Catholics, living in Northern Ireland, for revenge. The point I am trying to emphasize is that the IRA kills indiscriminately to achieve its aims, while the Loyalist paramilitary groups usually kill for revenge, and not indiscriminately. Nationalists and Unionists have different community and social organisations. The Loyal Orange Order, a protestant organisation, organizes marches as a show of solidarity. The Ancient Order of Hibernians, is a similar Catholic organisation, however it has caused less problems, and is not as known. The Orange Order has been known to organize marches down predominately Catholic roads, and areas; this has caused chaos and violence in the past. An example of this was when the Orangemen had violent clashes with Catholics at Drum Cree. There are some fundamental differences between the Nationalist and Unionist. These differences have led to decades of disputes and killings as the people of Ireland have been in conflict over how they should be governed and who by. The opinions of the republic paramilitaries are that they have the right to use armed force against the British forces and the unionist terrorism groups believe that too. Overall which ever community you live in you will have different views on different events. Examples of two events which have many views on are the Partition and Bloody Sunday.

Institutional Accountability Dispersion of Power and Delegation of Responsibilities

Institutional Accountability Dispersion of Power and Delegation of Responsibilities Introduction Governance and accountability is a critical concept to the development of states. Accountability in governance is a vital practice. It encourages effectiveness in discharge of duties and equitable allocation of resources. Accountability in different institutions has a close link with the way power is distributed in organizations. The loci of power in institutions are useful parameters for assessing the level of accountability in the organizations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Institutional Accountability: Dispersion of Power and Delegation of Responsibilities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Decentralization of power is highly encouraged in most liberal democracies across the world. Decentralization of power is manifested in a number of managerial practices in institutions like the delegation of the organization’s duties and responsibilities (Brinkerhoff et al. 2009). This paper looks into the aspects of centralization and decentralization of power in different institutions and how these two aspects of governance encourage accountability. In this paper, it is argued that institutions’ accountability is better attained through dispersion of power and the delegation of the organization’s responsibilities rather than through centralization of power and control. Accountable governance in liberal democracies Having mentioned liberal democracies, it is imperative to explain how the distribution of power encourages accountability in such nations. One vital characteristic of liberal democracies in the todays world is the high decentralization of power. Power and ability to make decisions in such countries do not lie in the hands of some individuals. Liberal states decisions are made through consultations between different arms of the government. This means that different arms of the government discuss, consult with each other and deliberate on the issues before the final decision is reached (Ezzamel et al. 2007). Decisions reached through consultation and deliberations are better weighed than those that are made unilaterally. Different bodies which deliberate on the issues and come up with certain suggestions are also involved in the implementation of such decisions (Brinkerhoff et al. 2009). Therefore, there is a low possibility of manipulating decisions in the middle phases of implementation. This encourages checks, ensuring that there is a balance in the implementation process. It is easy to detect anomalies in the implementation of the decisions because of the many observers monitoring the process.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Up to this point, it is imperative to say that liberal democracies encourage institutions’ accountability. Powers are decentralized from the top governance, leaving institutions with no other optio n, but to implement such structures (Mulgan,2003). Having talked about liberal democracies, it is vital to mention autocratic governance. Autocratic governance is the least desired form government in the modern society. Autocracy means the centralization of power. A few individuals are vested with decision making power, leaving other people as mere enforcers of the decisions reached. Channels of deliberating on issues are closed making most people rubber-stamp these decisions. The quality of decisions is put in jeopardy. Therefore, the level of accountability is often low in regimes which do not embrace democracy (Trechsel,2010). Governance and accountability in decentralized institutions Research shows that most people in the world are against the centralized system of governance. There are several reasons for the resentment. One of the strongest reasons is that centralized governance kills institutional accountability through the encouragement of unilateral decision making (Ezzame l et al. 2007). In centralized governance, there is one locus of power. Institutional functions are coordinated from a single point. In some instances, all the powers to make key decisions are left under the control of one individual. The result of this is that one person takes advantage of the power to make certain decisions, which might not be favourable to the whole country/institution (Kaler,2002). A deep look into the modern practices of institutional management shows that most organizations embrace decentralized structure of management. Delegation of authority and responsibility can be traced in a wider range of institutions. This is one form of decentralizing power and encouraging sharing of organizational power and responsibilities. This practice is replicated at almost all levels of governance in countries that embrace democracy. Notable examples can be traced in the United States, Western Europe, and Australia (Curtin, Mair Papadopoulos, 2010).Advertising We will w rite a custom essay sample on Institutional Accountability: Dispersion of Power and Delegation of Responsibilities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These are the benchmark regions in as far as institution’s accountability is concerned. The question that should be asked is how the decentralization of power and delegation of responsibilities contributes to a higher accountability. Another issue that should be discussed at this point is how the centralization of power and responsibilities kills institutional accountability. These questions can be sufficiently answered by taking a deeper look into institution’s administration from two perspectives centralized and decentralized governance (Schillemanns, 2008). Decentralized institutional governance: its role in bringing about accountability Steets (2010) observed that institutional accountability was often measured by the level at which institutions planed and assigned resources ef fectively in order to get the desired results. Accountability means that employees in an institution embrace ethics in their work (Shearer, 2002). The application of decentralized principles in organizations entails the redistribution of authority in institutions’ management. In such institutions, power is shared among different people. Therefore, decisions are not made by a single authority. Each department is given powers to come up with their own suggestions that may be efficient. Each section of an organization has a head who leads it in coming up with decisions and implementing them using the available resources. Perhaps, one point should be noted here. Decentralized authority does not mean that there is no centre of power. Numerous centres of power exist within an organization. However, each centre of power is given autonomy in a number of duties. This is where the aspect of responsibility starts. Leaders of departments work closely with the organization’s member s. Institutional workers keep close checks on each other and on the overall duties that are assigned to them (Kaler,2002). Organizational tasks are not left in the hands of a few individuals but distributed among other segments of the organization. Leaving the task of decision making to fewer people has numerous consequences on institutions’ administration. One of the effects is that centralization of authority and responsibility causes flooding. Flooding encourages haphazardness in the discharge of institutional duties.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In such situations, it is easy for an institution to attain improved performance. In delegation, institutional responsibilities are assigned to people across the institution in such a way that no person is left with a wide load of work. This exercise depends on the abilities and skills of the institution’s workers. Therefore, it is easy to narrow on a person whenever anomalies occur in the institution. However, anomalies rarely occur because every individual is involved in the institution’s production. Institutions are seen in terms of their ability to serve the society and not in terms of power and dominance (Hood,2010). Power is a minor element in situations where there is a higher delegation of duties and responsibilities. In other words, power is replaced by responsibility. People work hard to accomplish their tasks as they are responsible for any task assigned to them. Most organizations in liberal democracies thrive in the global economy due to high levels of per formance. The highest level of performance comes from the fact that there is a high level of organizational responsibility due to delegation of duties and responsibilities (Steets, 2010). According to Behn (2001), a number of people argue that accountability can still be attained in institutions that have centralized operations. Their argument is that centralization promotes bureaucracy, which in turn encourages accountability in institutions. While there is some weight in the argument, the biggest portion of the argument is refuted. This comes from the numerous study outcomes. Those results show that bureaucracy does not encourage accountability. Most functions in bureaucratic institutions are centralized. Delegation of responsibility is a rare practice in such institutions. Conclusion Institutional accountability is closely associated with decentralized systems of governance. This system of governance is synonymous with liberal democracies. Liberal democracies encourage the decent ralization of power and delegation of administrative responsibility. Most institutions in liberal democracies embrace the democratic principles of management. These principles include delegation of institutional power and responsibilities. This system governance is synonymous with autocratic regimes. In such regimes, institutions’ accountability is quite low due to the failure to enhance delegation of authorities. Institution’s power is also highly centralized. From this discussion, it is imperative to say that there is a close relation between decentralization of institutions’ power and attainment of institutions’ accountability. Reference List Behn, R D 2001, Rethinking democratic accountability, Brookings Inst. Press, Washington, D.C. 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