Creon is the Tragic Hero of in Sophocles Antigone :: Antigone essays

Creon is the Tragic Hero of Antigone Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I am here today to argue the title of tragic hero in the play Antigone by Sophocles. I would like to start off by saying that it will be extremely difficult for me to have the passion that I usually have because of my client. My client's ruthless leadership disgusts me in the worst way. But I will still stand in front of you, the jury, and defend my client. As I said before I am here to argue the title of tragic hero in the play Antigone. I could see that some of you are dazzled by the word "tragic hero". No need to worry for I will enlighten you. The great Aristotle was one of the first men who defined a tragic hero. His definition is not a rule for what tragedy should be, but it is a description of what he believed tragedy was. According to Aristotle a tragic hero must have these qualities to qualify as one. A tragic hero is neither good nor bad. Along with being neutral in his stance, a tragic hero must also be born into royalty. A tra gic hero could never be of the common folk. In addition to this a tragic hero must suffer a large fall from good grace. By this he means that a fall that brings him "down to earth". A tragic hero also has some type of flaw. Whether it is a character flaw such as pride and ego or the character must make an error of judgment or a mistake. With the tragic flaw the character must also recognize the flaw that they have made. In other words, they have to be enlightened. The audience is then supposed to feel pity and fear for the tragic hero because of his tumultuous journey. The tragic hero also is supposed to inspire catharsis in the audience. In some respects Creon is seen as good but with others as bad. The large fall that Creon took was the fall from the good grace of being a respected king. "Your people are beginning to question your judgment and are beginning to side with Antigone.

Diversity in the American Classrooms

The classrooms of the schools in the United States of America, especially for the public ones, may be considered as a box of M&M’s or Skittles, where each student is of different ethnic background and comes from a culture different from the rest. The flooding and diversity of cultures in the classrooms may be due to the fact that the American System of Education seeks to educate the most number of people and to provide Western thoughts and theories. In addition to this, the American System of Education has proven its economic value by giving its graduates the edge among the rest.The excellence exuded by the universities and schools and America can be seen by their continuous grip on the top 10 rankings among the universities of the world. Out of the 10 top universities of the world, six are from the United States. These universities are Harvard University (1), Yale University (2), Princeton University (6), University of Chicago (7), California Institute of Technology (7), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (10) (â€Å"Top 400 Universities†).As said earlier, the economic value placed for the graduates of these universities is higher than the others and this would be a very strong advantage for the American System of Education. The fact that the best education could be found in the US paves the way for a higher quality in terms of human capital. The labor market of the American country is consequently filled with professionals coupled with the decent opportunities created by the economy. Thus, it can be said that the good education and sterling quality for the tertiary education can be a antecedent factor for a good pool of professionals for the firms.This becomes a factor in reducing the poverty rate for the country. The high demand for the American Education puts much pressure to pursue excellence. America is considered as the land of milk and honey by a lot of people (Soriano). In relation to this, the American dream matches the belief tha t America is the land of milk and honey. The American dream is the pursuit of material prosperity and where life is better and richer according to one’s ability (â€Å"What is the American Dream? †). This has led to the influx of migration to the US by families and the subsequent rise for cultural diversity.This cultural diversity provides a huge benefit for several reasons. First, the classroom diversity enhances the classroom experience for both the students and the teachers. Aside from the day-to-day topics that the teacher or professor discusses and the facts presented by the textbook, the diversity in the classroom serves the purpose of learning through experience. One could learn from the various beliefs, traditions, principles, customs, and languages that the other cultures have (Vortemizzi). In a way, it gives the students learn â€Å"extra things† without the stringent requirements of the educational setting.Their daily interaction with the other cultur es and the high frequency of such would create a higher level of exposure for both cultures. Likewise, the teachers also learn to manage the differences in each classroom and learns how to deal with a diverse group of students to become fully aware of an international setting. Second, the diversity of the classrooms in the American Educational System prepares the students for the international arena. When one achieves to excel and think global, interaction and communication with other cultures is inevitable.The primary problem that is often encountered in international communication is with regard to how messages are perceived by the receiver and is sometimes different from what the sender means. According to Habeck et al. , â€Å"although the words are often the same, the meaning and unspoken assumptions can be very different, leading to misunderstanding and confusion† (86). However, with the exposure that the American classrooms bring to the students of different culture, t he problem would be minimized especially if the atmosphere inside the school is accommodating to the various cultures.Likewise, the teachers and the school administrators would be able to prepare for a varied setting and to be able to compete with the dynamic ways of the education sector. This would mean that there would be more chances that the enrollment rate would be higher since leeway is given for the acceptance of other cultures. The recognition of teachers and administrators of the different cultures provides for â€Å"a comfortable learning situation in which to realize their educational goals and accomplishments† (Connors).Third, this kind of setting teaches the students to become aware of how flexibility, tolerance, respect, and acceptance is important for everyone. This is especially true for the case of young children in the pre-school where they are given the opportunities to be able to understand a different color than they have. This makes them prepared for fur ther challenges and also equips them with the value of acceptance and understanding. With this, the friction is reduced especially when one would enter the workplace.The workplace is considered to be a rather dynamic setting where an international labor market is starting to emerge and the need to deal with different cultures is increasing. There is also the claim that with the acceptance and respect for the different cultures, social stability could be preserved and crime and poverty will be prevented (â€Å"Public Education in the United States†). Likewise, my personal experience with regard to interacting with different cultures and becoming aware that my culture is not the lone culture existing today has provided me with the chance to freely accept the whereabouts of a culturally diverse surrounding.This has also kept me more sensitive and aware of the other cultures and has helped me in the dealings and interactions I made with other people. For instance, my English clas s includes cultures of Asians, Middle East, Europeans, and Hispanic. I am able to adapt to this kind of setting for I am able to interact with them daily and understand their ways. With the foregoing discussion, it can be said that one benefit of the American system of education is its capability to accept various cultures and this provides benefits for both the students, the teachers, and the system itself.Works Cited Connors, Jeanne. â€Å"Cultural Diversity in the Classroom: Reaching out to Native American Students. † Setting the Stage: Opening with Influence. Aug. 1996. Habeck, Max, et al. After the Merger: Seven Rules for Successful Post-merger Integration. Great Britain: Prentice Hall, 2000. â€Å"Public Education in the United States. † Microsoft ® Student 2007 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2006. Soriano, Jaime N. The Land of Milk and Honey? 5 June 2005. Manila Times. 23 March 2008 [http://www. manilatimes.net/national/2005/jun/05/yehey/career/200 50605car6. html]. â€Å"Top 400 Universities. † Quacquarelli Symonds. 23 March 2008 [http://www. topuniversities. com/worlduniversityrankings/results/2007/overall_rankings/top_400_universities/]. Vortemizzi, Julius. Diversity in American Schools. 22 March 2007. Stanza Ltd. 23 March 2008 [http://www. quazen. com/News/Opinions/Diversity-in-American-Schools. 19095]. â€Å"What is the American Dream? † 19 December 2002. The Library of Congress. 23 March 2008 [http://lcweb2. loc. gov/learn/lessons/97/dream/thedream. html].

Industrial Revolution Essay - 920 Words

The Industrial Revolution started in Great Britain during the late 1700s. The rest of Europe did not catch up for a couple more years as Britain started this trend. I will talk about why the Industrial Revolution happened in Great Britain, the cottage industry, major industries during this time, and the downside of this major event. Great Britain had a technological head start over the world which led them to the first Industrial Revolution. This happened in Britain due to many factors. Augmenting waterways and creating canals made transportation easier. Policy of the British Parliament was politicians, who were part timers, passing laws for the growth of business as a whole. Another element was population. The population was rapidly†¦show more content†¦With this abundant production, cotton was now cheap so ordinary people can now afford to buy cotton clothing. This invention made people realized they needed a new source of energy as the Water Frame ran on water and did not always power the machine during the days it did not rain. During this time period of the Industrial Revolution, the only sources of energy were coal, water, wind, manpower, livestock, and the steam engine. The steam engine was perfected by James Watt in the 1780s. It took him twenty years to accomplish this unlimited power that runs on steam. The bigger the product, the bigger the steam engine needed. This introduces mass productions and businesses building factories everywhere in the country. Another industry to take off in Great Britain is iron. This takes off because coal is no longer expensive due to unsmelted coal. Iron, which is strong, durable, and malleable, is used for building things like bridges. Majority of the bridges built during the Industrial Revolution still exist and are still in use today. Another major industry was the locomotive thought up by George Stephenson. The train changed everything as it was the first machine to run by itself. Not only did it start to shape how our world is today, it remodeled how business runs. Businesses were thriving and were now able to give their clients an exact date and time when their shipment will arrive. In less than twenty years, the whole countryShow MoreRelatedEssay on Industrial Revolution1489 Words   |  6 Pagesenvironment. Industrial revolution was so fundamental that it’s often compared with the transition from farming to stock raising, which began several thousand years before the birth of Christ. Considering the uses of natural resources, can human history be dived up into three pieces of varying length; hundreds of thousands years before â€Å"the agricultural revolution†, thousands of years between this and the Industrial revolution and the two hundreds years after the beginning of Industrial revolution. BeforeRead MoreIndustrial Revolution Essay766 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican Industrial Revolution In the 19th century, America became an industrial country, the powered machinery shifted the industry into mass production. The development of steam engines improved the transportation system, further, increased the production of iron and steel. The textile industries have begun to develop, and produce various products. The industrialization leads to accessible banking, further, deliver telegraph communication to many businesses through locomotive trains. This essayRead More Industrial Revolution Essay1623 Words   |  7 Pageshuman culture since the advent of agriculture eight or ten thousand years ago, was the industrial revolution of eighteenth century Europe. The consequences of this revolution would change irrevocably human labor, consumption, family structure, social structure, and even the very soul and thoughts of the individual. This revolution involved more than technology; to be sure, there had been industrial quot;revolutionsquot; throughout European history and non-Eu ropean history. In Europe, for instanceRead MoreEssay on Industrial Revolution1279 Words   |  6 PagesIndustrial Revolution Europe during the eighteenth century was at the height of the industrial revolution, none of which reached America. In New England the population was largely English, but America as a whole had more than 20 ethnic strains present, nowhere in Europe could such a heterogeneous mixture be found. America was unique in its political structure. Americans vested authority in personalities, rather than, as in England, in institutions of tradition. As a people they had been stripedRead MoreIndustrial Revolution Essay841 Words   |  4 Pages19th century, a period of industrial revolutions transformed the west as it is known and the people living there. The first and second industrial revolutions shaped the west as it is today through changes in manufacturing, labor, and the exchange of ideas and goods. Inventions and ideas of the time changed the way goods are made. Advances in manufacturing, whereas previously, families would work in their homes and rural farms with many workers, after the industrial revolutions, manufacturing was doneRead MoreIndustrial Revolution Essay734 Words   |  3 PagesDue to the Industrial Revolution, many changes started occurring in this new era such as the factories began to use more mechanics, limiting skill needed to produce products as well as hastening the harvesting of raw materials. Secondarily there was a huge standard of living and wage drop in cities due to urbanization which occurred after the factories created an abundance of jobs. Also, there was a huge shift in the population and there was a massive population growth due to the excess food andRead MoreEssay on The Industrial Revolution1366 Words   |  6 PagesThe Industrial Revolution Introduction to the Revolution The Industrial revolution was a time of drastic change marked by the general introduction of power-driven machinery. This change generally helped life, but it had its disadvantages as well. Pollution, such as Carbon Dioxide levels in the atmosphere rose, working conditions declined, and the number of women and children working increased. The government, the arts, literature, music, architecture and mans way of looking at life allRead MoreIndustrial Revolution Essay763 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ The Industrial Revolution The Agriculture Revolution was a time when people worked the land by using simple hand tools. By the 1800’s, most people in Western Europe and the United States lived on farms. The nation’s economy was based on farming and the making of goods by hand and trading. They lived in rural areas in little cottages lit with firelight and candles. They made their own clothes and grew their own food. The system of making your own clothes was called the putting out systemRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesConditions of laborers and the role of women in society has been constantly evolving over the course of history. However, these two major groups experienced the most drastic alterations during the Industrial Revolution. Between the 19th and early 20th centuries, laborers diversified in age, while labor conditions declined. During this same time period, the role of women was reinvented as females searched for work and changed their role within the family. To begin, industrialization was the instigatorRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution Essay847 Words   |  4 PagesThe Industrial Revolution During the 1800s, phenomenal changes took place in America. These changes would impact our society incredibly for years to come and even still in the present. The major changes that took place were in transportation and industry. American society expanded so much in the early 1800s that it very well could have been the only time in history where this happened in such a short amount of time. From steamboats to railroads and from textile mills to interchangeable parts

Understanding Genetically Modified Organisms - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 3051 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/02/14 Category Health Essay Level High school Tags: GMO Essay Did you like this example? Genetically Modified Organisms. Just the name sounds like something out of a science fiction novel. There was a time when it was. Modified or altered DNA has always been a favorite subject in various novels, movies, and tv shows from the likes of Spiderman to the clone army of Star Wars. However thanks to modern technology, we have been able to copy and even edit the DNA of plants and animals. Possibly the most significant example of this is the Biotech industry; responsible for the creation of GMO crops. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Understanding Genetically Modified Organisms" essay for you Create order At first glance, it seems to be the ideal solution for many problems in agriculture. Corn is modified to be toxic to harmful insects that eat up the farmer’s hard worked fields, a potato can be made to be more resistant to bruising than its natural counterpart, and crops can be edited to be bigger and therefore more appealing to customers. It also has been a long-standing claim that GMOs could be the key in solving world hunger. It sounds enticing, reasonable, and in a word ideal. However, are we entirely certain about the safety of the food we eat? To this day the DNA remains to be a subject we have hardly scratched the surface on, and are we really fully aware of the possible consequences of altering the basic building blocks of life? It is the answers to these questions that will reveal that we should stop producing GMO crops in America since they are an endangerment to our health, and to farming communities at home and abroad. Thesis Thesis: We should stop producing GMO crops in America since they are an endangerment to our health, and to farming communities at home and abroad. History and Terms In the past, humans had a hand in controlling what desired traits should be passed on through â€Å"artificial selection.† These terms, coined by Charles Darwin, describe the process of choosing the organisms with the most desired traits and allowing them to reproduce with others with the same desired traits. This process would result in the production of offspring that have the desired traits. While artificial selection is not what we typically consider GMO technology as we know it today, it contributes to the inspiration of modern biotech in the agricultural industry and the earliest example of humans tampering with genetics. It is through this process that what we know as corn today exists as well as the multiple variations of apples. In 1973, Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen engineered the first successful genetically engineered organism. These two scientists developed a way to cut out a gene from one organism and insert it into another. A method that’s now used to create GMO crops. After this discovery, the question of whether or not genetic engineering should be made legal in America was heavily debated and discussed by scientists, government officials, and lawyers in the Asilomar Conference of 1975 for three days. It was concluded at the end of those three days that the GE projects should be allowed to continue with certain guidelines in place. Since 1975, genetic modification remained in the medical field for making medicines as well as experimentation only until 1987. In this year, Calgene’s Flavr Savr tomato became the first food crop to be approved for commercial production by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These modified tomatoes were inserted with a DNA sequence that inhibited production of a certain natural tomato protein that causes a tomato to go soft or show bruising, thus increasing its firmness and extending its shelf life in comparison to its natural counterpart. In 1995 the first pesticide-producing crop was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A year later, Bt corn was approved, and now the majority of corn in the U.S. has the Bt toxin gene which makes the corn secrete its own toxins and thus makes the corn poisonous to various insects. All of these products of genetic engineering were created using the same basic steps: identifying a trait of interest, isolating that genetic trait, inserting that trait into the genome of the desired organism, and then growing the engineered organism. However, there are also several different ways to change the DNA such as Protoplast Fusion; when two plant cells have their hard cell walls removed (Protoplasts) and a chemical called polyethylene is added which sticks the two cells together. Once stuck, chemicals are added to help the two cells combine and exchange genetic information to create a hybridized plant cell. Another is by Mutation Breeding which involves exposing plants or seeds to mutagenic agents, whether by ionization radiation or chemical components, to cause random changes in the DNA sequence. The most commonly used tactic is replacing or inserting genes within seed cells using â€Å"molecular scissors† called nucleases—enzymes which can to loosen, remove and add nucleotides. These nucleases are artificially engineered to insert desired genes into the genome of a crop. It is through this process that the Bt corn, which makes up the vast majority of America’s corn production, was created by slicing a gene from a bacteria that had the desired pesticide effect for insects and inserted into corn genes. Proof #1 GMO crops are a threat to our physiological health. Hippocrates states Each of the substances of a mans diet acts upon his body and changes it in some way and upon these changes his whole life depends. Whatever we eat, may it be ice cream from Marble Slab or French cuisine, affects the body whether good or bad. The immune and excretory system prevent and treat foreign toxins and bacteria that enter the human body. While the immune system neutralizes viruses and harmful bacteria, the excretory system sorts through the food we consume and removes the toxins or waste that enters the human system. The kidneys are a key organ in this system. They constantly filter and clean the bloodstream, thereby preventing waste build up or toxins from interfering with the natural functions of the body. But what happens if there are too many toxins for the kidneys to handle? Unfortunately, this can cause the kidneys to become overwhelmed to the point that they no longer function as they should. The Bt gene that is inserted into a crop such as corn may decrease the need for pesticides, however, the cost is the fact that now the genetically modified corn secretes its own toxins. It is these toxins that are harming primary organs like the kidney. According to an Austrian study, mice fed genetically modified corn had lower birth rates, fewer offspring that were also notably smaller, but most importantly was that it degraded how well their kidney and liver function and therefore make them more susceptible to disease. Even Monsanto, a biotech seed company, found that about 10% of rats fed their M0N89034 corn developed kidney damage and bladder stones, and one even died after two weeks. If these effects can be found in rats after only a few weeks of tests, it can be assumed that the same will happen in humans who consume a consistent diet of these GMO based foods. As more toxins are able to enter the bloodstream due to the kidney weakening, this will then harm the body’s immune system. This can cause allergic reactions as the body tries to rid the body of the alien toxin. In fact, it has been found that allergens have increased by more than 50% in the last 20 years: a statistic that follows the trend of the growing use of GMOs.This could be passed off as a coincidence, but the parallels are too significant to ignore. There are also other chemicals that cause adverse health effects such as Aperture, (a common artificial sweetener, that increases lipids in the bloodstream and decreases biomolecules needed for essential functions in the cells. In particular, this creates dysfunction in the endothelial cells, cells that make up the skin and important for various secretion glands in the body, and about 40% of Americans consume Aspartame on a daily basis. While the immune and excretory systems are designed to keep the body healthy, the constant consumption of these foreign toxins only weaken these key systems and makes the other vital organs more susceptible to being infected. In recent years, scientists have studied the organ, known as the Gut Microbiota, which plays such a significant role in the well being of our bodies that it has been dubbed the â€Å"2nd Brain† by various experts in microbiome research. Gut Microbiota is positive bacteria that thrive in the intestinal system and play a key part in the endocrine system at the molecular level. These bacteria control what hormones are created and secreted, which in turn impact changes and functions throughout the entire bodily system. If there are too few of these, the negative consequences of this can be extreme. Because the Gut Microbiota is in the intestines, this makes the microbiota exposed to toxins that enter the digestive system. Once enough Bt toxins have been run through the system, this can create a â€Å"leaky gut†. This is a condition ulcer from that act as â€Å"holes† in the intestines and allows waste and toxins into the bloodstream as well as kill off these vital m icrobiotas. If genetically engineered crops can wreak this much damage to the body, what could it be doing to our minds? Proof 2 Consuming GMO products negatively influences and degrades our mental health. You may have heard idioms such as â€Å"hating someone’s guts†, or perhaps having a â€Å"gut reaction†. Or maybe you recall moments where you have had â€Å"butterflies in your stomach†. These idioms derive from the old idea that the gut houses the intuition or the innermost being of a person. According to modern research, this is actually true. Not only does the gut microbiota create and regulate hormones within the body, but it also influences the body’s neurons, of which 90% of these said neurons are located within the gut. It is here that the microbes interact with the neurons to create neurotransmitters including serotonin, acetylcholine, and histamine. Serotonin helps regulate sleep, appetite, mediate moods, and inhibit pain while acetylcholine controls the actual neural functions of the brain and histamine affects metabolism as well as controlling the body’s sleep/wake cycle. In order for neurotransmitters such as these to be produced, the body requires microbiota as well as a sufficient amount of nutrients. Once created, about 90% of these neurotransmitters are housed in the gut while the rest is sent to the brain. On the flip side, the brain can send signals to the gut through the vagus nerve which connects the two organs together. That is why if one feels something like anxiety, the â€Å"butterflies in my stomach† sensation arise from the brain releasing these negative signals to the gut. The brain is an organ that hardly needs an introduction. It plays a vital role as the â€Å"control center† for the human body and is where we store our memories and knowledge we accumulate over the years. However, just like any other organ, the brain can get sick. According to the National Institute on Mental Health, about 44.7 million adults in America suffer some form of mental disease, while 10.4 million of the adults suffer a severe form of mental disorders. These statistics are significant when we consider the fact that we live in a country rich in medical research and facilities. A key factor that has played into this high number of mental disorders are GMOs. When the toxins from GMO foods like Bt kill off gut microbiota, this cuts off the brain’s key supplier of neurotransmitters and the decreased amount of neurotransmitters can disrupt or halt different brain functions. This can also kill off or make the neurotransmitters housed their ineffective once they are sent to the brain. Some of the immediate effects can be irregular sleep patterns, mood swings, and aggression. On the other hand, this can become severe enough to result in depression, anxiety disorders, and Parkinsons disease. Various GMO derived ingredients can also directly alter the already existing neurotransmitters, such as high fructose corn syrup which can disrupt the functions of the neurotransmitter dopamine: an essential neurotransmitter that controls movement as well as mood and the ability to learn. In the long term, disrupting dopamine can cause Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia. Of course, the brain has its own defenses against possible damage. One, for example, is the blood-brain barrier, which acts as a sort of gateway into the brain. It follows a strict system of ensuring which and what chemicals are allowed and blocked from entering the brain. However, a leaky gut causes antibodies to be released that attack the blood-brain barrier, thus allowing dangerous substances and chemicals to enter the brain. These chemicals also include the toxins from GMOs that can now directly harm and alter the brain. If GMOs were to be removed from the market, we could see a significant change in the number of people with mental disorders in America. Proof #3 Growing genetically modified crops in America endanger neighboring farms and small farming communities around the world. Modern technology enables us to not only create GMOs but also track the DNA. This ensures that the GMO seed created by a biotech industry such as Monsanto is not stolen and planted by another farm or company. If this were to happen, the company has the right to sue for copyright infringement. Unfortunately, this has created several problems for farms with no intention to steal seed property. In the present time at least, GMO seed is not sterile and can pollinate just like its natural counterpart once grown, whether through being carried by bees or by the wind. This is a problem for organic farmers or even other GMO farmers. If the pollen lands in their fields, they could grow the GMO seed illegally without realizing it. Once it discovered, they are susceptible to be sued or at the very least remove a large portion of their crop to rid the GMO in their field. This results in money and crop loss for the farmer for something that was not even their fault. Two solutions have been proposed for this problem. One suggestion is to increase the distance between farms to prevent cross-pollination. However, pollen has been found to be able to spread for miles and even in some cases about 2-3 thousand miles. This indicates that protecting farms from unintentional piracy would be near impossible since it can also be safely concluded that no farmers are too eager to start trying to move their farmland. It demands too much time and money that none of them can afford. The second idea is the possibility of the use of GURT (Genetic Use Restriction Technology), otherwise known as â€Å"Terminator† or â€Å"Suicide† seeds. First developed in the 1980s, these types of seeds are designed to turn off or on a certain trait within the DNA. This technology was later used by the USDA and a small seed company called Delta who had sought a â€Å"genetic switch† in order to protect copyright on GMO seeds. At first glance, it seemed to be th e ideal solution; The GMO crops would be edited using GURT to stop them from reproducing and thus allow farms to be able to coexist safely with a lesser likelihood of copyright issues. However, this had been counter argued with the fact that it would force farmers to get new seed every year as well and in turn make them heavily dependant on the seed corporations; something that can easily be taken advantage of as then the seed corporations could raise the seed price as much as they want to since the demand for seed would constantly be high. This reasoning banned the use of this technology in countries such as India and Monsanto pledged to not use terminator seeds in 1999. The legal implications of GMOs, as well as the regulation process, are also questionable. Just like their natural counterparts, GMO crops or derived food must be approved by the FDA before being legally allowed to be grown and sold in the food market. According to the FDA, the process follows through three main steps; first, the GMO plant developers introduce their product to the FDA and the FDA, in turn, provides feedback for kinds of data that should be considered for the safety assessment. Second, the developers independently complete the safety assessment and submit a summary to the FDA. Finally, the FDA evaluates the information and ask questions such as â€Å"Does food from the GE plant contain a new toxin or allergen?† or â€Å"Is food from the GE plant as nutritious as that from its traditionally bred counterpart?†. Once all of the data can â€Å"logically support the conclusion that food from the new plant variety will be as safe as food from conventionally br ed varieties† it is allowed by the FDA and dubbed as safe. However, there is a key flaw in this regulation system that’s too large to overlook. According to the regulation process, it’s the developer that assesses the safety of the product and the FDA merely evaluates the information given and decide based on it. Meaning, they would have to trust that the developers are telling the truth. Suppose the developers did happen to find a new toxin or allergen in their product but lied and told the FDA that their product was completely free of any new toxins or allergens? Because the FDA relies on their word, they could release this product and not know the actual data that the developers found that would have impacted the product being permitted. Counter-Arguments It has often been argued that the USDA and FDA along with multiple scientific studies have had and continue to assure that GMOs are safe. More often than not, the case has been made that GMOs could solve world hunger. That with the already existing impoverished areas in the world combined with the foreseen global population increase, GMOs provide a way to feed everyone. Sadly, however, this is a falsehood. First, it is crucial to understand that seed companies and industries are just that; companies and industries. Not charities. We also have to consider; Does the poor only deserve the cheapest quality of necessities?

IT Project Management - 2632 Words

1. Discuss the reasons why IT projects fail. Although there are many contributing factors to project failure, there are six common factors. 1. Undeveloped Project Goals: Poor project planning will almost always lead to failure. One main reason for this failure is the inability to agree on the missions, goals, or objectives that the project is attempting to undertake. It is necessary that specific plans and requirements for the project are instituted in the development phase. Failure to do this will most likely result in â€Å"fragmented efforts† and a â€Å"lack of team focus† for the duration of the project. It is equally important to make sure that the chosen goals and objectives are within reach of the project and team. If the intricacy or†¦show more content†¦While research has shown has that schedule overruns often lead to failure more often than budget overruns, maintaining both are key to a successful project. The following graph illustrates this point by showing the highest percentage of failed projects as overrunning schedule and overrunning budget. 2. Define the outsourcing advantages and limitations. When outsourcing is done for the right reasons will actually help your company grow and save money and hence the advantages; i. Focus on the core activities; In rapid growth periods, the back-office operations of a company will expand also. This expansion may start to consume resources (human and financial) at the expense of the core activities that have made your company successful. Outsourcing those activities will allow refocusing on those business activities that are important without sacrificing quality or service in the back-office. Example: A company lands a large contract that will significantly increase the volume of purchasing in a very short period of time; Outsource purchasing. ii. Cost and Efficiency savings; Back-office functions that are complicated in nature, but the size of your company is preventing you from performing it at a consistent and reasonable cost, is another advantage of outsourcing. Example: A small doctor s office that wants to accept a variety of insurance plans. One part-time person could not keep up with all the different providers and rules. Outsource to aShow MoreRelatedProject Management : Projects Management902 Words   |  4 PagesProject Management Project Management. What does the words Project Management mean and what are the steps to managing a great project. If we break down the two words Project Management it is defined on dictionary.com as â€Å"The process of planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling the production of a system†. As shown in the website Project Insight there are multiple different steps in the project management roll such as project scope, life cycle, objectives, assumptions, constraintsRead MoreProject Management and Project Management It3115 Words   |  13 PagesExamination Paper: Project Management IIBM Institute of Business Management Examination Paper Project Management Section A: Objective Type (30 marks) †¢ †¢ †¢ This section consists of multiple choices questions and short answer type questions. Answer all the questions. Part One questions carry 1 mark each and Part Two questions carry 5 marks each. Part One: Multiple choices: 1. 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Four Primary HRM Functions

Question: Describe about four primary HRM functions and Influencing people management activities in organization by the organizational structure and management style of managers. answer: Introduction: Human beings are the greatest asset of an organization; without them the organizational activities could not be completed. In order to achieve the high level of success, the organizations should manage the human resources of the organization in an effective way (Buller and McEvoy 2012). The primary functions of the human resource management (HRM) are recruitment, development, performance management, reward management, discipline management, administrative function management, employee wellbeing management etc. In this report, four primary functions of the HRM will be discussed and then the role of organizational structure and management style in the area of employee management will be discussed. Four primary HRM functions 1) Recruitment and selection: Recruiting people in an organization is a vital task of HRM. Both of the job specification and job description are important tools of this process. Job title, department and the date on which the employee is needed are the preliminary information required for the recruitment process. The recruitment can be done by selecting candidates either internally or externally (Renwick et al. 2013). Therefore, the process of selection should also be clear at the initial stage. The recruitment and selection procedure should be done in a structured way which can ensure the qualification and efficiency of the selected people for the desired job position (Alfes et al. 2013). 2) Training and development: After recruiting new employees, the HR department of an organization has the responsibility of developing them for the specific job positions. In order to do that both of the theoretical and practical training is required (Kehoe and Wright 2013). Some of the effective training methods are positioning and a) informing the employees about the responsibilities, b) developing required skills, c) resisting accidents by providing safety training, d) professional and technical education, e) supervisory training and executive education etc. Training has the focus on activities required for the current job positions and development deals with the supporting activities for enhancing the knowledge bases of the employees for performing better in the workplaces (Campbell et al. 2012). 3) Performance management: Performance management is a complicated function of the HRM of an organization. Performance management can be treated as a systematic approach through which the overall performance of an organization can be improvised by improving the performance of tee individual employees or working framework. It encompasses various activities like goal setting, progress review, collecting feed backs, providing coaching for improving performance, developing and maintaining reward programs etc. (Dries 2013). 4) Reward management: Motivating the employees is one of the most important tasks of the HRM activities. After providing the effective level of training and development process, the HR managers should stimulate them for better performance. In order to motivate the employees, the HR managers have to give them some rewards. Pay is the key of managing the human resources of an organization as people works for getting paid by the employers. Some extra payments or some kinds of other facilities as the term of rewards encourage the employees for performing better in their workplaces (Banfield and Kay 2012). HR managers should maintain equality and a justified approach for providing the rewards to the employees. Organizational structure and management style of the managers for managing the employees Only the management skills are not enough to manage the employees of an organization in an open way. Organizational structure has a major influence on the style of management and the working strategy of the employees of an organization. The managers can choose one of the two basic management style; centralized management and decentralized management (Park and Shaw 2013). Selection of the management style depends on the organization structure of the organization. If the managers follow the centralized approach for managing the people of the organization then the employees follow the decisions taken by the central managers. It is best with the simple organizational structures in some small business organizations or product companies. In the decentralized management style, the managers coordinate with the output of the activities with the experts without interfacing with the contents of the works. In this case, the managers are extremely analytical and have the focus on the area of impr ovement of the process by discussing with the experts about the logistic and other working conditions. This management style is the best in the corporate sector with a high level of professional accuracy (Nyberg et al. 2014). It is important to consider the condition of the market and the whole industry while selecting a management style for an organization. Sometimes conflicts occur between the overall management style of the organization and the individual management skills of the managers. The managers should apply their skills which fit to the management style following by the organization (Neubert et al. 2014). Failure of the people management can occur in any circumstances if the management skill of the managers does not fit with the organizational structure. They have to identify their different management skills for taking right decision depending on the management style of the organization (Csaszar 2012). This will ensure the most effective way for managing the employees. In order to achieve a high level of success, an organization should have a good fit between the organizational structure and the management style. The organizations having the highest fit between these two factors have the quality of achieving maximum productivity through synchronized quality effort of their employees. This right fit gives the ability of developing a happy workforce. The employees respect the managers with good management skills. This refers to the style of the management, reward management etc. Conclusion and Recommendations: HRM is the systemic approach for controlling the network of all fundamental activities and members of an organization. The basic functions of the HRM should be performed with the high level of care by the HR department of an organization. These activities should ensure the choice of appropriate people for a job position, proper development of the people, effective performance management and motivating the people for better performances. The management style of the managers have to be properly fit with the organizational structure and management style for the effective management of the people who are working in the organization. Bibliography: Alfes, K., Shantz, A.D., Truss, C. and Soane, E.C., 2013. The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behaviour: a moderated mediation model. The international journal of human resource management, 24(2), pp.330-351. Banfield, P. and Kay, R., 2012. Introduction to human resource management. Oxford University Press. Buller, P.F. and McEvoy, G.M., 2012. Strategy, human resource management and performance: Sharpening line of sight. Human resource management review, 22(1), pp.43-56. Campbell, B.A., Coff, R. and Kryscynski, D., 2012. Rethinking sustained competitive advantage from human capital. Academy of Management Review, 37(3), pp.376-395. Csaszar, F.A., 2012. Organizational structure as a determinant of performance: Evidence from mutual funds. Strategic Management Journal,33(6), pp.611-632. Dries, N., 2013. The psychology of talent management: A review and research agenda. Human Resource Management Review, 23(4), pp.272-285. Kehoe, R.R. and Wright, P.M., 2013. The impact of high-performance human resource practices on employees attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Management, 39(2), pp.366-391. Neubert, M.J., Hunter, E.M. and Tolentino, R., 2014, January. The Influence of Servant Leadership and Organizational Structure on Employee and Patient Outcomes. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2014, No. 1, p. 17320). Academy of Management. Nyberg, A.J., Moliterno, T.P., Hale, D. and Lepak, D.P., 2014. Resource-based perspectives on unit-level human capital a review and integration. Journal of Management, 40(1), pp.316-346. Park, T.Y. and Shaw, J.D., 2013. Turnover rates and organizational performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(2), p.268. Renwick, D.W., Redman, T. and Maguire, S., 2013. Green human resource management: a review and research agenda*. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15(1), pp.1-14. Vaiman, V., Scullion, H. and Collings, D., 2012. Talent management decision making. Management Decision, 50(5), pp.925-941.

The Body Shop Case free essay sample

The Body Shop Based on our projections for the years 2002-2004, the biggest driver that effects debt is the company’s operating expenses. Based on the history of the upward trend of operating expenses, our recommendation is that The Body Shop needs to concentrate on lowering the operating expenses, and keeping those expenses around 45% or lower in order to avoid borrowing money. Our 45% recommendation includes a safety net which will prevent having The Body Shop borrowing cash if sale do not continue to climb at a significant rate.Sales For sales from 2001 to 2002, we are projecting a 13% increase because we want to base the same revenue growth as the previous fiscal year. It will take some time for the company to do better like before in the earlier years in sales growth. This increase however, does show improvement for the company as revenue growth hit a downward turn to 8% in the late 1990’s. We will write a custom essay sample on The Body Shop Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For sales from 2002 to 2003, we are projecting another 13% increase because again we want to base the same revenue growth as the previous two fiscal years.Keeping the sales increase at a steady rate would still mean growth for the company at a consistent rate still showing improvements for the company. For sales from 2003 to 2004, we are only projecting a 10% increase because of cutting down on operating expenses. For this year, we plan to close down some of the low revenue shops from the malls in America and from Britain’s shopping streets. Our idea for the future is to go back to our old brand image by not being in the mass-market line as much as in the previous years.We project that by closing some shops and cutting some of these operating expenses will also lower our sales growth by a small rate. We also project that more and more competition will be out there and selling the same kind of products at that time in the future. Cost of Goods Sold For cost of goods sold (COGS) for each of the following three years, we are projecting that COGS will be 38% of sales. The Body Shop had signed a five year contract with its supplier two years ago saying that the prices of inventory and supplies will remain the same as long as the business would stay with them.Therefore, the COGS will remain about the same for the next three years and therefore, so will the percentage of sales at 38%. The economy has recently been showing small signs that it will into a depression in the following years. If this was to occur our projection for costs will probably be inaccurate. Because of our contracted pricing we want to be consistent in projecting the COGS even though that it will truly be based on a percentage of sales. Operating Expenses BEING DONE BY ALEXANDRIAInterest Expense For interest expense for each of the following three years, we are projecting the same percentage of 6% of debt which is the current interest rate. Because of the small signs that the economy is showing that it might go bad, we never know how it will affect interest rates in the future. So we will be consistent in using the current interest rate which is 6%. By using this rate, it will kind of be an average of the rates if interest rates go up and down within the next years.We do not expect however, for interest rates to go tremendously high or low within the next three years so keeping the rate at 6% would be the best projection at this point. Tax For tax expense for each of the following three years, we are projecting the same percentage of 30% of profit before tax which is the going corporate tax rate in Britain. Because of the small signs that the economy is showing that it might go bad, we never know how it will affect tax rates in the future. So we will be consistent in using the going tax rate in Britain which is 30%. By using this rate, it will kind of be an average of the rates if tax rates go up and down within the next years. We do not expect however, for tax rates to go tremendously high or low within the next three years so keeping the rate at 30% of profit before tax would be the best projection at this point. Dividends For dividends expense for each of the following three years, we are projecting the same amount of GBP 10. 9 million. This amount was also used for dividends in the previous three years.Because this amount was correct in projections used for the previous three years, we will again use it for the next three years. This decision is based on past accurateness and the consistency of the company. Current Assets For current assets for each of the following three years, we are projecting the same percentage of 32% of sales. Assets that are constantly flowing in and out of a organization in the normal course of its business as cash converted into goods and then back into cash show small growth if any, in periods of time.The assets that are expected to last or be in use for less than one year will also show the small growth if any due their usage life expectancy. Because of these facts of our current assets, we will continue to use the projected 32% of sales as in previous years. Because this projection served correctly in previous years, we will again use it for the next three years. This decision is based on past accurateness and the consistency of the company. Current Liabilities