Emergency Department Essay Example for Free

Emergency Department Essay I am a senior staff nurse working in the Emergency Department in an Acute General Hospital in Singapore. I have been assigned by my senior nurse manage to mentor Susan, a third year student nurse. As Susan was observed to be underachieving, I aim to use the Gibbs reflective cycle (1988) to guide me to identify the issues that have arisen during the placement and plan strategies to help Susan achieve her expected competencies at this stage of her clinical placement. Upon completion of the reflective cycle, mentor should be able to come up with methods that can help to resolve the student’s identified problems. It is important that windows of learning opportunities are created for reflection to be done and thus help both the mentor and mentee for future progression. Stage 1: Description Susan, a third year student nurse, is in her penultimate clinical placement of her three years training course. She had just reached the end of her second week of placement and has another four weeks to completion. The ward staff had observed that she was not entering patient’s vital signs, at times, into the system. The hospital uses the electronic system of entering patients’ charts. In addition, it appears that Susan did not inform any staff when there were abnormal readings, for example: there were two occasions where a raised temperature in a patient receiving blood transfusion and a head injury patient with an altered level of consciousness. Whilst having a weekly debriefing session as agreed during the first day of Susan’s clinical posting, the mentor was aware that Susan did fail to achieve the basic competency, which was required of her. The mentor had to stress to Susan on the importance of recording vital signs as it determines the patient’s prognosis. Thus, the mentor decided to develop an action plan (SMART) template (Kerry, 2012, Appendix 3), to aid Susan’s progression. Stage 2: Feelings Given a mentor’s role, it was a concern to me that I did not pick up Susan’s problem until my colleagues’ feedback. As Susan was proceeding to her third week of posting, it was crucial to speak to Susan and find out more in depth what might have led her to the behavior seen. I felt that Susan may not have the theoretical knowledge regarding what were the implications if fever occurs during

Character of Curley Essay Example for Free

Character of Curley Essay Candy joined the attack with joy Glove fulla vaseline ; he said disgustedly I didnt wanta; Lennie cried. I didnt wanta hurt him. Ques : Explore how the language in this extract influences your view of Curly? The language used in the extract shows Curley to be hateful, violent and angry. The extract describes a scene where by Curley is attacking Lennie, and it begins mid-attack. From the beginning of the extract it is clear that Curley is in an angry mood from the way that he â€Å"glared† at Candy when Candy joins the attack. Steinbeck uses a simile to describe Curley – â€Å"Curley stepped over like a terrier.† This comparison to a terrier works on two levels because a terrier is both small and aggressive, and Curley’s small size and aggressive nature are theme not only in the extract, but also throughout the book. When Curley speaks to Lennie, he uses obscene language and such as â€Å"bastard† and â€Å"son-of-a-bitch.† This further gives the reader the impression that Curley is rude and aggressive, and also that he dislikes Lennie. Curley attacks Lennie, punching him in the face and stomach, but at first Lennie does not fight back or defend himself. However, Curley continues to attack him. At this point, the reader feels sympathy for Lennie and feels that Curley is the guilty aggressor. This feeling is shared by Slim, who jumps up and calls Curley a â€Å"dirty little rat.† The language used here creates a very negative portrayal of Curley, as rats are very dirty animals But then when Lennie does finally fight back, we see a different and weaker side to Curley. Lennie is much bigger and stronger than Curley. Lennie catches Curley fist with ease and Curley is left â€Å"flopping like a fish on a line.† This use of simile shows Curley to be weak and defenceless and shows that Lennie has caught him out. There is a sudden transition from Curley being violent and aggressive (like a terrier ) to him being beaten up and defeated â€Å"Curley was white and shrunken by now†¦ He stood crying.†

Amistad: Film and Book Comparison

Amistad: Film and Book Comparison Jinchen Zhao After watching the film Amistad and read the book of this story, I feel like they are both valuable to study the history of America in 1840s. Meanwhile, from my point of view, the book is more academical than the movie while the movie can give you a quick idea about what is really going on in the story and you can feel the story more directly than the book. Now, lets compare them in different aspects. What can the student more readily learn from the film as opposed to the book? After watching the movie, the first thing that I feel different from the book is the mood that those actors behaved were really shocking. From the movie, we can directly feel the eager of those black people whom lead by Cinque want to regain their freedom.The time that Cinque yelled out Gives us free make me feel the power of those black people and this cant be shown in the book. Furthermore, the visual appeal it emanates to the audience, and we all can feel the frustration as the Africans when they want to say about themselves but they cannot due to they are unable to speak English, meanwhile, we all can feel the happiness when they finally have their freedom back. That is hardly to feel when we only read the book. Do the different mediums tell the same story or are there sufficient reasons to argue they do not? This question is pretty hard to tell, in my point of view, they are neither telling the EXACT same story nor they are telling the different story. First of all, the book is more academical resource of the story, and the book is telling us the story more in direct ways. For example: There are a lot of examples about the effect to people, city, countries if the Africans are freed. E.g. Van Buren was more thinking about the influence about his re-election if he choose to free those African people.(p.47) The Cuban Planters always considering the number of free black people they would like to give as they do not want the uprising of them and at the same time, they want profit. (p.19) All those examples made the book a perfect resource for research and the book gives us more details about the environment in the society as well as introduced many political jargon. On the other hand, the story line in the movie is almost the same as the book. From the uprising to got caught and finally earne d their freedom in the end. Yet there is some difference. As we all know. The movie Amistad is a typical Hollywood film, in this case, there is inevitable changes to the original story in order to let people pay to watch the movie and be entertained by the film. For example:In the book, Roger Baldwin was interested in free the African people before the Amistad trial and he was trying to help them in a previous court base. Yet in the film, thats not what the person is, the film want to make the character: Roger Baldwin, have a good turn-around and make the story more interesting,Roger Baldwin only begin to fight for the African people at the end of the movie, he was more caring about his career advancing in the beginning.(p.37 and film). Cinque did not kill the captain of Amistad in the book(p.25), instead he let his friends strangle him. This can be reasoned as the Hollywood movie usually want to build a hero in the film and that is Cinque. The most different thing about the film an d the book is the procedure of the trial. Although they reach the same conclusion: The Africans earned their freedom, but in the book, there are long long story that they used many words to convince that the Africans should earned their freedom while in the movie, it is more likely that all people are persuaded by John Quincy Adams in a matter of time.(p.193) Since the film version of this historical event cannot contain the same amount of detail as the book version, do the details omitted from the film essentially presented different account to the extent that the history portrayed is essentially different from that depicted in the book? From my opinion, the details that omitted from the film does not produce a different story. They are more likely to be a additional remarks to each other. Basically, the book and the film shows us the same story, from the beginning of the uprising to get caught again and through the trails then finally get their freedom back, the main story line are pretty the same,yet there is still differences. The people in the book are more accurate to describe what they really are, their personality, the thinking, the attitude is clearly described in the book. On the other hand, as the major goal of a film is to make audience pay and make them entertained, there are some difference in the film. But in general, the film cannot be called a different story. Is one medium more suited to academic study? Does this make one medium superior to the other when it comes to teaching history in university? To this question, I think the answer is: Yes, the book is more suited to academic study. First of all, the book is extremely informative as it is based on the research those who are extremely well-known in the Amistad subject, legal materials and records from archives. All this gives Jones plenty of valuable information to write a accurate book and provide a deep analysis about the whole story around Amistad. The detail provided by the book is extremely valuable and this makes the book a much more suited to academic study than the book because when people read the book, they can know that this is what really happen in the past rather than thinking which part is changed in the film in order to make people like the movie more. Jones remains neutral in the book and he only gives us the facts of the story. He clearly described how Amistad trial affect the people who were fighting for black peoples rights(p.27), he told us the divide between the North and South of America during the elect ion, and the problem between Spain and America. On the other hand,   the film did present the story to us, but to be honest, although the main story line are the same, yet the details are inaccurate. In academic study, you want to teach students the truth about history and let students know the details of the whole trial. It is just not quite well to use the film to teach in academic study due to the inaccurate and lack of details. Do both mediums use the same sources? And What sort of sources do the film and the book rely on? In my point of view, they are using the different sources, as I said earlier, the book is based on the professors research of Amistad project, court records from archives and legal materials etc. It is more detailed and accurate while the film is almost totally based on the book and made some adjustment to entertain audiences more while earn some profit in the film. 6. If you would be given the task of teaching the history of this subject, is using one medium more preferable than the other for teaching a first-year university class? In this case, as we are teaching a first-year university class. To be fair, it is not easy for students to read a 280+ page books in a short time. In this case, I would say I will use the movie as the primary resource to teach first year students to let them have a general idea about the story. At the same time, I will tell them that there is some problem with the film which is inaccurate and lack of details, I might assign homework or assignment to let student have a research on the books about the difference between the real story and the story that presented in the film. Of course, I will provide a small range of page on the book to help students quickly locate the main points. E.g. Pg20-25. Meanwhile, it is good to write a small essay around 300-400 words after finish watching a 2 hour film. The film is a perfect resource to let first-year students know the general idea of the story and at the same time, it wont be too hard to understand. Although I do believe that reading the wh ole book is much more accurate and full of details. To be fair, it is still not good enough to be a teaching material as we cannot spend whole term on a single story. In conclusion, Amistad is a good story to study the past of 1840s in America, the book is more detailed and accurate about the history and make it a perfect choice of academic study or research while the movie can let us have a wonderful two and half hours of history feast while still can get the main story line. Both material are extremely valuable, we cannot decline any of those two in the function of helping us learning the past. To best describe the relationship between the book and the movie, I think the movie can be the best attachment to the book. The Gender Imbalance in China: History and Overview The Gender Imbalance in China: History and Overview Introduction Carl Max identified social class as the definitive origin of classism as well as of oppression in regards to women. In respect to China, leaders assumed that the birth of the Republic brought with it the demise of class-based discrimination thereby liberating women. But this is not particularly the case as the new society was characterized by amplified efforts to transform the society through masculinization as women became increasingly pressured to act as well as dress in a manly manner. In this respect, the period encompassing the Cultural Revolution saw â€Å"women who tried to look feminine† criticized â€Å"for their improper attitudes† (Ownby, 351). This submission will seek to â€Å"In China’s Modern Economy, a Retro Push against Women† appearing in the New York Times in regards to the picture it paints in relation to gender in China to ordinary American reader. Based on the course as well as various course materials, the article will be critiqued i n regards to the manner in which it displaces various figures presented by the course. Discussion The economic explosion in China has created an array of opportunities for Chinese women on the one hand, but has equally fostered a renaissance of long-introverted traditional values. Increasingly, men as well as women hold the hold the opinion that a woman’s place in society is confined to the home. In this regard, affluent men take mistresses in what epitomizes a modern resurgence of concubines coupled with increasing pressure for women to marry early. In the workplace and particularly the corporate scene, the Socialist-epoch consensus has been substituted with open sexism, which in some intances is toughened by the law (Tatlow and Forsythe, 1). This summation is consistent with the requirement that women bind their feet as the men did as outlined by predetermined cultural norms as well as practices to in an effort to fulfill the need to use the body as attire and therefore use the body as reflection of the society. â€Å"The body was a signpost that could be rearranged by a person to show political allegiance or defiance. The mass hysteria that enforced conformity to Manchu attire unleashed, in turn, affords new insights into the gendered nature of conceptions of the body† (Ko, 20). Patriarchal Society In regards to the article and the impression created to the general reader in America, China is not the society that has been portrayed in various media. It is not a model state in relation to the place of women in the society in comparison with other parts of Asia. The regime has gone to great lengths to portray women as being equal to their male counterparts by declaring their role in the society as being equal to the half the sky (Tatlow and Forsythe, 2). However, the reality is that women still play second fiddle to men and what the Chinese authorities are trying to do is present as false picture to the world in order to justify their position as a global leader underlined by the need to achieve gender equity as well as equality. However, this conclusion does not present itself clearly from the article but the underlying theme of the article is predicated on debunking the erroneous myths advanced to the ordinary American reader. Indeed, while the women in corporate America are struggling with the glass ceiling, their counterparts in China are battling a different and more potent form of career discrimination: the sticky floor. Though the glass ceiling does prevail in China, most women do not seem to progress from the point they entered a career in. They will remain there playing a predefined role in order to meet a specific target. The reality presented here is one where the society tries to maintain as well as control traditional values as opposed to promoting the ideals of a modern woman within a contemporary society. To the American reader, having a woman or several of them in on the board of public or private organization is standard practice due to the inherent advantages within the global business context. However, in the Chinese society as presently constituted, this notion is met with misunderstanding and to some extent boredom by business and government leaders. At this point, the question that begs is why this trend is so prominent in China particularly in state-owned organizations where for instance, a majority of the firms making up the CS300 assemblage do not have women directors despite being owned by the state which could simply make an executive order and make it a requirement for the fairer sex to be represented. A closer look at the article reveals a situation where the society as it were tries to justify why women are still being oppressed and confined to peripheral roles within the great economic renaissance sweeping through China. In this regard, women should be blamed for the precarious situation they find themselves in the present society as they have failed to fight for equality (Tatlow and Forsythe, 3). This conclusion could not deviate further from the truth as the society as presently assembled fails to facilitate the creation of a conducive environment for women to demand their rightful place in the social, economic as well as political realm. Take the Leadership of the Chinese Communism Part as a case in point. The party is primarily dominated by the male gender throughout its ranks. In fact, no woman has ever expressed any intention of ascending to its leadership and by extension the leadership of the Republic due to the patriarchal nature of the current political dispensation th at then defines the interactions within the other facets of the society. Further â€Å"the feminine qualities of irrationality, willingness, regret, romanticism, and love of illusion† have been carried forward to the present generation and as such continue to determine the role women play in the society as regards politics (Barlow and Bjorge, 316). Republican China It is important to take cognizance of the fact that the situation presented by the article has not been sustained throughout the entire history of China. It is therefore important to examine the function women have played historically particularly during the initial decades of the twentieth century- an aspect that has not been adequately examined by the authors. In this regard, the Guomindang Civil Code during the last decade of the 20th century recognized the vital role of an individual in regards to legal purposes. Women were consequently accorded passive agency which, enabled them to resist or endure abuse and if their resistance was judged insufficient, they were criminally liable. Consequently, women were regarded as active agents as well totally autonomous and like men; they controlled their own choices in marriage, sought divorce and inherited property. These then laid the foundation of the new republican society in China (Hershatter, 24). This means that the present society in China was build through an appreciation of the critical role that both sexes can play in building a modern society predicated on class as well as social equality. As previously Stated, the leadership within the Republic views women as holding up half the sky and this statement is therefore not as misplaced as the article would like to portray to the common folk in America. The only difference here being that over time and particularly in the years following the Cultural Revolution, the society changed and perceived the role of women as confined to the home setting. This is why women are today encouraged or rather pressured into marrying early and therefore leaving their career to raise children. New Woman versus Modern Girl The change in gender and sexuality in China during the preliminary decades of this epoch, was first and foremost motivated by the recognition that confining women to their conformist roles within the confines of home and away from the work force meant that their potential to add to the revolution required in the country would remain unexploited and consequently restrain the productivity required to build a modern society as well as economy. To realize this nationalistic goal, China had no option but to construct a novel woman- one who would contribute positively to the state as well as the nation. This woman would be detached from conventional female seclusion based on the fact that labor or gender roles were â€Å"linked with family disaster, with hardship, and barely getting by† (Hershatter, 57). However after China achieved its intended goal as regards to creating a new state, it seems that it was widely believed that women had made their contribution and such, would not be required in China and their place was subsequently their role was confined to the domestic realm. Though a great read, the article fails to take cognizance of these facts in order to give the common reader a lucid picture as to the important contribution made by Chinese women throughput various stages of its illustrious history. What the article does is portray a society that never went through various transformations since the Maoist era where discussing such issues like â€Å"personal life, romantic relationships, or sex was considered bourgeois and hence taboo† (Honig, 143). The new woman created during the creation of the republic therefore differs markedly from the modern girl in the sense that the latter has no role to pray in furthering the goals of the current dispensation as was the case w ith the latter. In this regard, it is important to note that the Cultural Revolution succeeded in creating a modern woman but did not extend the benefits to the modern woman. Positionality in Modern China The current position of women in China is borne out of the realization that the communist regime emphasized gender equality in an effort to unite the two sexes as the nation focused attention on building socialism. The general picture portrayed here is one that depicts gender equality rhetoric that basically epitomizes the reality of inequality in the present society, where women are no more than keepers of the home and therefore cannot play any significant or make any significant contribution to Modern China. Women were only accorded equal status as men in order to for them to get educated and therefore reflect the aspiration of the new Republic. From the article appearing in the New York Times, it is important to examine what being a woman in the current society in China means in regards to the dynamic responsibilities in workplaces as well as the society. The changing social in addition to economic fabric has created numerous opportunities in regards to Chinese women but it is important to interrogate whether these transformations have impacted the roles of women in any significant way. In this respect, a Chinese woman is required by the society, to continue playing her traditional values as espoused by the traditional values esteemed by the cultural stratum while at the same time utilizing the opportunities as well as freedoms presented by the new China (Tatlow and Forsythe, 4). In addition, the growing middleclass living lucratively within the cities is focused on giving their daughter the opportunities they never hand in order to compete effectively with their male colleagues but the idea that women should marry early and consequently leave their careers early in order to raise their children still underlines their perspectives as regards the role of women. This conclusion is supported by fact that even though the Chinese society has changed profoundly in the last few decades, just like other women in the world, they have to strike a balance work and family responsibility if they are going to gain their rightful place in the society (Tatlow and Forsythe, 5). In this respect, a woman can be on the one hand an individual while on the other represent numerous characters. This is markedly different from the manner in which men are viewed as they are only required to be individuals without other characters irrespective of the setting. It is clear that the society under consideration is more opened-minded and continues to recognize the important contribution of women towards social and economic as well as political advancement but societal pressures still persist. Gender differences will therefore continue to influence the way women are viewed and as such, they will never be truly emancipated. Indeed, the powerful assumptions that women are obliged to marry early and consequently focus their energies on families after the birth of a child will account for inherent disparities going forward. More importantly, despite the provisions in law prohibiting discrimination, the vagueness in the writing as well as spirit will continue to maintain the status quo and as such, women will repose as well as reside in the realm of second citizenly from where they cannot make any significant contribution to the future of China (Tatlow and Forsythe, 6). Conclusion The article, â€Å"In China’s Modern Economy, a Retro Push against Women† is great read in regards to painting a true picture of the position women hold in contemporary China. It portrays gender as defining factor in interactions within the society. To the American reader, it depicts are a markedly different situation since the women in the corporate sector there are battling the sticky floor as opposed to the glass ceiling. In essence, the article underscores the need within the society to restrict women to a particular rank without giving them any incentive to progress as societal needs in regards to gender roles must at all times supersede the need to progress career-wise. Works cited Barlow, Tani E and Bjorge Gary J. I Myself Am A woman: Selected writings of Ding Ling. Boston: Boston Press, 1989. Print. Hershatter, Gail. National Countermemories: The Gender of Memory: Rural Chinese Women and the 1950s. Gender and Cultural Memory, 2002: 43-70. Print. Honig, Emily. Socialist Sex: The Cultural Revolution Revisted. Modern China 29.2, 2003: 143-175. Print. Ko, Dorothy. The Body As Attire: The Shifting Meaning of Footbinding in Sebenteeth Century China. Journal of Womens History, 1997: 8-27. Print. Ownby, David. The Gender of Rebels. Du, Shanshan and Ya-chen Chen. Women and Gender in Contemporary Chinese Societies: Beyond Han Patriarchy. Lexington Books, 2013. 385-386. Print. Tatlow, Didi Kirsten and Michael Forsythe. In China’s Modern Economy, a Retro Push Against Women. New York Times, 20th February 2015. Web.

William Shakespeares Othello as a Classic Tragic Hero Essay -- GCSE C

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Simply defined, a tragedy always entails the downfall of the protagonist. As a common standard in tragedy, the protagonist, or "tragic hero" is of high standing who is faced with some opposing force whether internal or external. "Tragedy is the imitation of an action; and an action implies personal agents, who necessarily possess certain distinctive qualities both of character and thought; for it is by these that we qualify actions themselves, and these- thought and character- are the two natural causes from which actions spring, and on actions, again all success or failure depends...." This excerpt from Aristotle's Poetics illustrates an aspect of tragedy upon which many works, including Shakespeare's Othello, are based. In Poetics, Aristotle expresses the writer's obligation to create what is known as a "tragic hero" in all forms of tragedy. He further explains that this persona must be dominated by a "hamartia" or tragic flaw which leads to his downfall. Prevalently in Othello, the protagonist, Othello, can be seen as a classic tragic hero who is opposed by the strong force of his innate naivetà © and over-trust as flaws in his otherwise virtuous character. Through the rapid development of the play, we see Othello's character disintegrate as a result of his growing jealousy and are finally stricken by a powerful catharsis where despite his wrongdoing, the reader feels pity for Othello and his mis... ...ty of Nebraska Press, 1993.    Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. ?The Engaging Qualities of Othello.? Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957

The Italian and English Legal Systems Essay -- Law

Judicial systems have been used predominantly throughout the world to address disputes in various contexts, where accused criminals, to law enforcement officers and expert witnesses take part on a daily basis to resolve deputes in judicial manner (Silverman et al 2010). However, characteristics of the judicial systems differ from country/region to another, depending on the basis of the system which may cause an impact on the expert witness. As an explanation for the above statement, it could be said that legal systems fall into two systems, the adversarial system and the inquisitorial system. Conversely, a hybrid between those two systems has formed yet another system which is identified as the mixed system. These derive from historical law and judicial practices which have been practiced for a considerable amount of time, which eventually improved and standardised. Debara.K in 2002 suggested that the foundation to form a jury was based on medieval trail modes of combat where two par ties argue their points to crown a champion. Jonakait (2008) concluded that by the 18th century, the legal systems developed into a stage where lawyers actively participated in English criminal trials making the legal system more â€Å"Adversary†. Paradoxically, inquisitorial system was born right after the 13th century, as a result of disbelief upon the adversarial system. Essentially, this system was formed by the French and then was horizontally transferred into few more countries which ultimately become one of the two dominant legal systems in the world (Johnson.Het al 2008). In this short study, English legal system will be elaborated in comparison to the Italian Legal system. Prior to that, both adversarial and inquisitorial systems shall be discusse... ...and Jones, M. (2008) History of criminal justice,4th ed. Waltham: Elsevier, p.67-70. Jonakait, R. (2008) The rise of the American adversary system: America before England, Widner Law review, 14(1), p.656. Koppen, J. and Penrod, S. (2003) Adversarial versus inquisitorial justice: psychological perspective on criminal justice systems, USA: Springer, p.29. Malleson, K. (2007) the legal system, New York: Oxford University press, p.11-14. Siegal, L. (2010) Criminology: The core, USA: Cengage learning, p.385-387. Silverman, J. and Silverman, S. (2010) how the judicial system works, UK: A Discovery company, p.27. Smith, S. and Langan, B. (1992) Civil jury cases and verdict in large countries, Burean of Justice statistics, - (1), p.3-10. Wall, W. (2010) Forensic Science in courts: the role of the expert witness, West Sussex: John Wiley and Sons, p.2-56.

Education Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"If the colored children are denied the experience in school of associating with white children, who represent ninety percent of our nation society in which these colored children must live, then the colored child’s curriculum is greatly being curtailed† (1).In the fifties and sixties the civil rights movement along with help of organization like the NAACP fought racial segregation, because blacks were not equal to their white brothers and sisters. African-Americans schools were usually undermined to white schools throughout America history. African-Americans were considered privileged if they received an education or could comprehend the reading and written language of society. Segregation of children in schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored child, who gains a sense of inferiority which later affects the colored child ability to sustain knowledge (2). In 1954, the United States Supreme Court in the Brown vs. the Board of Education ruled that racial se gregation in public schools was unconstitutional which violated the fourteenth Amendment, which granted equal protection to all citizens regardless of race. This outcome had overturned the old standard which was set in 1896 in the Plessey vs. Ferguson, which said separate but equal facilities were constitutional. The new ruling made it possible for a little third-grader named Linda Brown could attend a predominately white elementary that was just a mile away from her house, instead of walking about six miles to the rundown black elementary school. In 1955 following the United States Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, granted equal access and opportunity for education of minorities to be carried out ASAP. But it was not until the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that efforts final took effect to desegregate schools in the south. This act made it possible for black children in twenty-one other states could attend white public schools, if their school was not equal to there counterparts. In the years that followed the public school systems of many states where reluctantly to bus black students off to far distances, because they were trying to maintain racial proportion (O’Connor 374). The color-lines of America will never change according to W.E.D Dubois: we as Americans need not to forget our past, because we have now installed a new school plan, called choice schools throughout t... ..., and religious societies. One of the primary purposes of schools is to prepare students for the working world, and it makes no sense to prepare them with a faulty model. If the world at large is desegregated, the schools should not be segregated, either† (Watson 4). The Civil Rights Project† 5 November 2003. Home page http://www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu/research/choice/school_choice.php www.gsu.edu/mwwwsps/news/release/segergated_schools.htm O’Connor, Karen and Sabato, Larry J. American Government: Continuity and Change 2002 Edition, Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Peterson, Paul E. â€Å"School Choice: A Civil Rights Issue† Home page. 5 November 2003. http://www-hoover.stanford.edu/pubaffairs/we/2002/peterson_0602.html â€Å"Public School Choice: Issues and Concerns for Urban Educators.† ERIC/CUE Digest No. 63. 5 November 2003. http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed322275.html Ryan, Kelly. Home page. 5 November 2003. http://www.sptimes.com/News/101800/NorthPinellas/Pinellas_school_choic.shtml 5 November 2003. Tampa Bay Kids. www.tampabaykidsnet.com/pinellasschoolchoice.htm 5 November 2003. Civil Rights. http://www.watson.org/mlisa/blackhistory/early-civilrights/brown

Ethical Business Scenario Essay

Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in the U. S earn a hefty salary compared to CEO’s in Europe. They earn on a daily basis what an average worker would earn in a whole year. To some this is justified by the fact that they are talented and that the forces of demand and supply dictate they earn more. To others this is unfair as the employees who also contributed massively to the success of the company get very little in return. Again, European CEO’s earn three times lesser what the CEO’s in U. S earn despite their having similar qualification. According to pay analysts the high salaries could have rose due imperfections in the market place. CEO salaries are determined by Board Committees, which fail to link performance with the salary awarded. This allows for great variance in the salary scales of workers. Consultancy firms that advice such committees on how much to pay the CEO are also a factor contributing to hefty CEO salaries. Hefty CEO salaries do not translate to better performance. The company shares could be declining due to customer dissatisfaction despite them spending so much money on CEO’s pay. Workers pay remain very low even after the federal increment of the minimum wage however this is like a drop in the sea as when adjusted for inflation it is still 7% below where it was 10 years ago. On the contrary CEO’s pay has rose by 45% after being adjusted for inflation. The CEO’s also gain from many benefits from the companies they work for. Different philosophers have different views on ethical and justice issues. Aristotle was dissatisfied with unjust gain. He insisted on the importance of ethical behavior and shows that people with virtues have performance in whatever they partake. Happiness is the spice of life and all human beings work to attain it. All actions are for a purpose or an end and people enhance tools needed to attain the goals they want in life. For instance a knife’s work is to cut and to cut better knives should be sharp. Peoples action should aim at making them better people and building their character. The essence of being human is the ability to reason. Virtues are classified into moral and intellectual moral virtues entail gentleness, liberty, truthfulness, wit and pride. To him, a mean is appropriate, too much or a deficient should be discouraged. Barnes, 500) Justice is an important virtue to him and he classifies it into two; particular and general. Particular justice complements the general justice by not earning unjust gains from an act while general justice is being observant to virtues relating to people. Intellectual virtues include knowledge, wisdom, prudence and art and they distinguish people’s capabilities as people behave according to them. Gaining at the expense of others is unjust. Injustice is said to occur when someone gets too little of a good thing or too much of a bad thing. (Michael, 59) Kant’s moral theory entails the ‘supreme principle of categorical imperative’ that entails the formula of universal law and of the end in itself. He says that man should â€Å"act in such a way that you always treat humanity in your own person or in the person of any other never simply as a means but always at †¦. the same time as an end†. All people act for a reason, which he calls ‘maxim’. (Alan, 66) To him maxims are more important and they should be pursued despite the harm or misery they cause on the process. People should just be cautious not to use others as mere means to an end but as ends in themselves. Using someone as a mere means implies that the person’s consent is not sought. (Onora, 219) People can be used as mere means by deceiving them; using false pretenses or giving misleading account at their expense. Coercion can also be used in using people as means to an end. Justice, to Kant entails not acting on maxims that use others as mere means to an end. Duties performed should be beneficial even to the people used in attaining the goals. Kantian approach does not focus a lot on the outcomes of an act but on the intentions. Sometimes good intentions could result to bad results. Human beings are rational beings with the ability to choose and plan and consequently should not be used as mere means in attaining happiness or goals in life. Kant emphasizes on cosmopolitan justice where justice is felt at a global level. His approach allows respect for human rights and also encourages cultural diversity. (Onora, 218) Sartre explains how we live in a society full of oppression and exploitation. He tries to create a responsible nation. People have different egos and should be controlled by their consciousness in doing their actions Sartre was an atheist who believed that God doesn’t exist. He devotes concerns to emotion as a spontaneous activity of consciousness that is projected onto the real world. To him people use their free will in partaking their actions and this poses the danger of people not being ready to take responsibility for their deeds. Freedom should entail responsibility as only then can people’s living conditions be improved. Human dignity would be retained freedom. Freedom is therefore corporate social responsibility. The society is full of hostility of man towards his fellow men. Sartre coins Marxist theory and states that ‘man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself’. The ultimate responsibilities of man are to first form himself then have social responsibility to help society. â€Å"Man can will nothing unless he has first understood that he must count no one but himself; that he is alone, abandoned on earth in the midst of his infinite responsibilities, without help, with no other aim than the one he sets himself, with no other destiny than the one he forges for himself on this earth† (Being Nothing 1943). Aristotle would see the high salaries of CEO as justified. This is because the CEO’s have established what they want in life and have worked hard to achieve it. They may have acquired appropriate education and professional skills that is required in the demanding CEO Job. This can be seen as the sharpening of a knife used for cutting objects. The good pay rewards their hard work and they attain happiness, which is very vital in human beings life. CEO’s have moral virtues as they find pride in what they do using the liberal means. They do not unjustly gain as they have what it takes to be in the CEO’s position. Just like other human beings, the CEO’s can reason but can do it better no wonder they get such positions. The workers should be challenged to improve on their skills to enable them become better people in society. However, Aristotle would consider CEO’s who earn hefty pay but fail to perform as being unjust. This could be attributed to the fact that the equilibrium or balance required between the good is not attained. Giving too much to the CEO’s and very little to the workers despite their hard work in itself a form of injustice. However, CEO’s can be justified with their hefty salaries because they have the appropriate knowledge and wisdom to lead companies to great heights in society. To him virtue is about proper functioning of something and consequently things should work properly for that which they are meant to do. CEO’s should earn enough salary to justify what they are worth. To Kant, hefty salaries for CEO’s would be a normal scenario in the society. This is because in society people have different ‘maxims’ or purposes for which they intend to satisfy. The only point of concern to consider when satisfying this maxim is to make sure one does not use others as mere means to an end. Although CEO’s have hefty wages they strive to attain what it takes to be in such positions. Again they do not use workers as mere means to an end but as ends to themselves. This is attributed to the fact that the workers gain in this arrangement. The CEO’s ensure good management of the organization or company, which translates to increased profits, and survival of the firm. Without these the companies would close down and the employees or workers too, would lose their jobs. Since the workers are aware of the situation then it is all right. (Lewis et al, 40) In most cases, the CEO’s do not use false pretenses of what they are doing. They provide clear guidelines of the company’s or firms. Again they do not use any form of coercion or use misleading accounts at the expense of the workers. Their wages are therefore justified as the good intentions, which are of much importance that lead to bad results. Workers work harder at the ground but the pay does not match the hard work. To Kant, human beings are rational and have the free will to plan not be exploited by being used as mere means to an end. Workers can choose and plan to develop their skills, which would see them in higher positions in society. Higher positions translate to better pay and a good life in general. Hefty salaries for CEO’s according to Sartre would be another form of exploitation, which is common in society. The society is full of individuals who are out to take advantage of their fellow individuals. CEO’s have an ego that shows they are very prominent and important in the society as well as in the companies they work for. Consultation firms that work to ensure the salaries are high also share that feeling. This feeling that CEO’s deserve hefty pays ensures that the salaries remain high at the expense of the workers who work more. Sartre would see the lack of corporate social responsibility on CEO’s to their workers. Human beings are what they choose to be and they have the freedom at their disposal. CEO’s choose such positions and pursue all that entails being there but they should show some responsibility to society by ensuring that the workers salaries are increased. Earning what someone else in the same company or firm would earn in a whole year is a high degree of oppression. On the contrary workers contribute to their oppression by not airing their grievances like demonstrating against the hefty CEO’s wages. Man is nothing without mutual responsibility and consequently responsibility should be instilled in the CEO’s minds. They can reduce their salaries and work to improve the workers welfare by increasing their salaries. Sartre is close in explaining my view that CEO’s should not be earning in a day what a worker earns in a whole year. Workers perform most of the work and rewarding their efforts will be appropriate. It will act as an incentive to work. Motivated workers produce quality work, which would lead to increased profits. CEO’s should not be too selfish in feasting on the largest piece of cake. They should show some responsibility which is part of what makes a human being by ensuring reduced salaries on their part while increasing the workers pay (Thomas, 150) The role of the workers in an organization cannot be underestimated. Despite good management from the CEO the workers should work under conducive environment. For firms to thrive, workers are involved at the grass root level in implementing of policies. Mere formulation without implementation is useless. Equality can be maintained by following the pay on performance approach where both CEO’s and workers are encouraged to work for the benefit of the whole firm or organization. Workers should unite in fighting for fair or justice in pay. CEO should not be paid hefty pay at the expense of workers. Appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that workers are not exploited. Closing loopholes on taxes that allow companies to deduct, as much money as they please should be observed. Compensation should be done with relation to performance and increment in pay should be justified. Introducing progressive taxes can work to reduce the amount of money CEO’s take home as salaries. Limit should be made on the amount of money CEO’s can take as their retirement plans. This will reduce the hefty amount of money CEO’s take home on retirement.