Providian Trust Essay

Business Context/Key Business Drivers Providian Trust delivers financial and fiduciary services to clients across 216 branches. In an industry built on servicing clients, many of Providian Trust’s trust officers had 20-30 years of experience with the company and managed clients at a personal level. The trust officers had total control over what was sent to the client, including generation of financial statements. Control of the financial statements often resulted in a 2-3 month lag in statement delivery, a slower turnaround time compared to competitors. Additionally, trust officers often discounted or waived client fees for late or inaccurate statements, costing the company an estimated $2 – $5 million dollars per year. The institutional custody business was becoming technology intensive, and from the client’s perspective, Providian Trust had outdated reporting systems. In response to client demand, Providian Trust embarked on an initiative to upgrade their systems and change the way they serviced th eir clients. Initiative Objectives/Benefits To better serve their clients, Providian Trust started a large information technology project within the trust division. The objective of the project was to convert their outdated information system into a more efficient, trust and custody management system. Initiative leader, Michael LeBlanc, also wanted to address issues between the back office and front office, issues Providian Trust experienced for years. He convinced the Providian Trust board that the new software (Access Plus) would support a redesign of business processes. After board approval, the project scope included a system implementation and business process redesign. Providian Trust expected annual savings of approximately $9.2 million from this project. In addition to the estimated annual savings, the initiative expected the following benefits: Initiative Challenges Leadership * Inadequate member selection for Steering committee * A key leader of the field was not selected, intensifying political tension within the group * Impact: Â  * Ineffective executive sponsorship and lack of leadership guidance for the project * Implementation Committee (made up of junior people) took on Steering Committee responsibility. Implementation Committee was unaware of their role and responsibilities associated with it (e.g. are they responsible for the success of the project?). Unrealistic Timeline * Project timeline to deliver technology infrastructure and train employees was not sufficient * Many employees did not have the proper computer skills to operate a PC. PC skills were a pre-requisite for the success of Access Plus. * Clients were expecting changes as a result of the software implementation, but the field did not even have PCs or PC skills to operate the new technology * Impact: * User audience not prepared for implementation training, adoption is at risk * Risk of not meeting client expectations Project Team Selection * Proper resources were not identified for the project team * The project team was mostly made up of individuals from the Operations department that only represented a portion of the processes the initiative would impact. * The IT group selected to implement the technological changes did not have experience implementing an information technology initiative of this magnitude * Impact: * Lack of implementation experience puts technology implementation at risk * Lack of user group representation affects accuracy of business processes being changed * Employees are not fully supportive of the project since they were not represented Risk Management * Risks not handled appropriately * In multiple instances, the project team was notified of risks by senior management. Project Team did not address risks directly. Instead, they handled the topics one-off. * Project team did not handle risk of insufficient testing * Impact: * Risks not addressed impact success of project * Sufficient testing is not conducted. It is unknown whether the system can handle the information volume Results I do not expect this initiative to be successful. Inadequate planning, poor resource selection and an undefined vision put the project at risk for failure. From the beginning, there was a lack of due diligence across many levels of the project. The employees involved in the project were not selected appropriately. Junior employees who lacked experience were making project decisions, decisions that would have a significant impact on the company and the way they do business. Additionally, user representation on the project team was low, impacting the accuracy of business processes and also impacting user support and adoption of the initiative. It was evident that Providian Trust lacked strong executive leadership on the project which did not send a good message to the field. Lack of executive support will impact the adoption of new business processes. At the end of the day, if the users do not adopt the system or the new business processes, it will impact clients and clients are the central focus in this service-focused industry. Relevance and Analysis In my experience, if the project vision is not defined and the project team selection is not right, the foundation for the project is unstable. Providian Trust was operating with an inexperienced project team that lacked executive sponsorship. Executive sponsorship is a key support component to a project team, especially if the team is inexperienced. Executive support and guidance would have impacted the decisions being made and made this initiative more successful. Providian Trust underestimated the amount of training that was needed for this initiative. Success of the project was highly dependent on user adoption, something that was not addressed adequately. Providian Trust decided to take a Train the Trainer approach for this initiative. Trainers were trained 8 months before the implementation. A lot can change with 8 months remaining in a project and it is likely that training topics covered would have changed in the 8 months left of the project. Further, many employees did not have PCs and others did not have PCs for enough time to learn basic computer skills that would serve as a foundation to learn Access Plus. From a financial perspective, only 3% of the net investment was dedicated to training. In an initiative that introduces so much change into an organization that is historically resistant to change, user training needs to be a top priority. In my experience, Train the Trainer approaches are effective when trainers are sufficiently trained and there is strong leadership support. Both of these elements were missing at Providian Trust. This case reminded me of the importance of a defined project vision, leadership support and proper resource allocation.

The Soviet Union and the United States

After WWII The Soviet Union and the United States had many different political ideologies particularly communism and capitalism. Capitalism is a belief that private property should be replaced by community ownership. Communism is opposed private ownership economies of the United States and its allies. Based on Document A, a document was first telegraphed to American officials in Washington on February 22, 1946 and it happened after WWII. In Document A the United States made the idea of containment.Containment is the idea of the Soviet Union and Soviet communism should not be allowed to spread. One idea of containment was the Berlin Airlift and the Berlin Blockade. The Berlin airlift went from June 27th 1948 to May 12th, 1949(Document B). Between these two dates Stalin and The Soviet Union decided to stop any shipments including food coming into West Berlin. What happened to West Berlin was that they were completely surrounded by communism and may have to surrender if it not been for the US and it allies.Then a year after on May 12th,1949 Stalin stopped the blockade ( Document B). This is a good demonstration of containment because it shows that Stalin failed with the blockade because he caused the West Berliners to quit and give up all they and had and turn to Communism. Another idea of containment was the United States answers to the Korean War. The war started on June 25th 1950 and ended on July 27th 1953( Doc C). What happened was the on June 25th, 1950 North Korea first invades South Korea ( Document C).North Korea was supported by Harry Truman and the Soviets and attacked South Korea which was supported by General Douglas MacArthur and help of the United Nations The war had caused 50,000 American death and 2 million of others. China decided to help North Korea because they lacked the logistical support to supply any further pressure to the south ( Document C). The Korean War shows Containment by keeping North Korea contained and communism did not work to s pread. The last demonstration of containment was the Cuban Missile Crisis.On January 1959 the country Cuba becomes communist under a guy named Fidel Castro. Three years after that on May 1962 the soviets secretly begin the shipping of 40,000 troops, 60 missiles and 158 nuclear warheads to Cuba. ( Document D). In response to this the Unites States announced a separation against ships carrying offensive weapons to Cuba. Then in April 1963 in a quiet agreement with the soviets United States removes the missiles from Turkey. This shows containment by the Cubans failing to use the soviets missiles against the US.

Of mice and men typicallity Comparison Essay

How typical is this passage of the ways in which Steinbeck uses detail to make readers think about events and characters? (27) This passage contains many techniques and figurative details typical of those Steinbeck has used throughout the novel Of Mice And Men. For example the use of light to suggest what is about to occur, reflecting the mood of the writing accompanying it completely. For example â€Å"sun streaks high†¦light†¦soft† has a very deep meaning, and goes along way to suggest what is to occur in the scene; with the height of the sun metaphorically showing the lateness of the hour for someone in the novel. Here it is almost certainly used to show what is to become of Lennie, with the light from the sun, the source of all life on earth fading and growing weak, implying metaphorically that his life is nearing its end; that his time at the ranch is about to be cut short, just as it had in every job that had preceded them. The use of natural imagery to show inevitability is not an unusual occurrence in this novel, with the â€Å"narrow beams of light† that are referred to here as â€Å"sun streaks† used earlier in this scene, during the discussion between Lennie and Curley’s wife used to portray prison bars, suggesting this time that it is impossible for her to escape her fate, that just like so many other times in this novel, death is inevitable. The way that Curley’s wife has been portrayed throughout this novel, as a flirt and trouble maker, is explored here in a very interesting way, with Steinbeck taking advantage of what had taken place to her to offer an element of alternate interpretation on her character; allowing her, through death, to tell her own story; a very different one to the one woven by the ranch hands. One the one hand how she was in life is stated obviously and with no hint of delicacy, the â€Å"meanness and ache†¦attention† that was apparently shown on her face offering a very simple look upon the superficial side of her character, but written in an ironically superficial style, allowing for the first time a hint at her true self to be displayed; a side that had by no means been explored before hand. In death, it seems that Steinbeck wanted to show how she could have been, how she and other women perhaps would be if not for the distraction, if not for the false sense of purpose installed in their heads by men. In death she is alone, alone with no need for the make up, the glamour or the sense that she is inadequate. When she has no one to impress, when there is no one left for her to aspire to or feel a need to impress she is â€Å"pretty and simple†, â€Å"sweet and young†, a far cry from the â€Å"jail bait† that she was referred to earlier in the novel. This viewpoint is one that was not offered by Steinbeck whilst she was alive, and so from that point of view this extract is highly atypical, and is the sole place in the novel that offers a chance to look upon women caught up in such situations as equally unfortunate and suppressed as the men that shared their fate. The briefness of this idea in the novel is deliberate, showing the discrimination women suffered from in the 1930’s – an idea explored consistently throughout this novel. The use of animalistic imagery is also highly typical of the novel, with the use of the â€Å"Shepard bitch† and the â€Å"pigeon† in this scene highly typical of the novel. Steinbeck uses these animals in a way as such to show that they appear to have a degree of intelligence, an ability to feel foreboding where as Lennie, who was also subjected to anthropomorphosis by Steinbeck, and yet had no power to see what was to occur, no power to leave when was necessary â€Å"the pigeon circled then flew out† , † the bitch†¦caught dead scent†¦scampered away†. In short lennie, despite all his characteristics, possesses less ability to asses a situation and its dangers than the simplest of animals. This is a confusing message, as he is presented with many animalistic qualities throughout the novel, however it is justifiable in that he is portrayed, crucially through metaphor as almost animalistic (â€Å"paw like hands†): He retains features and certain characteristics, and yet possesses none of the survival instinct, none of the ability to interpret a situation, no sense of flight and/or fight (shown by his need to be instructed to harm Curley in the barn († go on Lennie, fight back you crazy son of a bitch†)). He is innocent as the purest of animal, the simplest of minds, and yet this seemingly perfect existence has catastrophic effect on the lives of the two men – he is incompatible with human life, with society and as such he is tragically driven from it by the man who gave so much in an attempt to integrate him, his counterpart George. The demise of Lennie, the nature of it and the inevitability of such an occurrence are also highlighted through use of animals, giving more evidence to the typicality of this extract in comparison to the rest of the novel. Candys dog is slain by a third party, and the greatest regret of candy is that he did not take his own dogs life. The similarities between the fates of the dog and lennie are blinding and it is through this that it is made tragically evident what is to occur to lennie, and who it must be to do it: George must be the one to end his suffering, the one to send him to a better place, one where perhaps, he will be compatible. Steinbeck follows the conformations of descriptive writings with his work, and appeals to the senses of the reader in order to create the desired effects. He did so during the scene of the murder, where the minutes running up to, and the time immediately thereafter containing no sound, only a deadly silence with not even an animal present to disturb the deathly silence. He does so here too by manipulating the effects of sound, and the constant of time, deliberately altering their behaviour perhaps with ironic motive; if only there had been people present outside to cause noise at the time of the murder, someone to hear her scream; if only there had been a possibility for time to stand still, for enough time to pass in the barn for George to come and rescue Lennie, as he has done so often before. The need to silence the noise outside, the omission of even a whimper from the puppies who were present in the barn suggests such a motive is possible, and that here, like in so many other places in the novel, the sound, or the lack of it, is highly relevant. Just as the â€Å"heron swooped silently† to catch the wriggling water snake, so here silence prevails, a silence that shows intention on Steinbecks part, tragedy on the part of Lennie and is a perfect reflection of the readers mindset in reading the scene; aware what was to occur there, perfectly capable of deducing from the many escalating signs that it was coming, and yet still silenced by the reality of something so innocent as Lennie committing such an atrocity. The use of sound and time then is not merely a typical feature this passage shares with the rest of the novel; it is an integral feature that naturally they all have in common.

Human Resource Management Information Information Systems Personal Statement

Human Resource Management Information Information Systems - Personal Statement Example During the dark days, any available job posting could be filled be anyone, this was due to the fact that; no special skills were required because technology had not advanced at that time. The main implication that various HR department have been going through includes, trying to keep up with the changing demand of labour skill that is changing at a high rate. Also, many companies have not included human resources as part of their strategies; rather they have incorporated technology in their strategies. HRIS, standards for human resources information system, this is a system where employee, statistics are kept in a data base. The information that is captured by HRIS includes; grade, history salary and education information. HRIS, Is basically a system where data and information of the employees in a company is captured and kept in a controlled manner This is software developed for the purpose of hr day to day running of the department. HR software have helped in streaming operations, improvement of relation in various department and finally removing barriers both vertically and horizontal in any organization set up. Hr software coordinates all the activities with accuracy and error

Capital Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Capital Investment - Essay Example What market share the company enjoys? Some of the financials such as debt-equity ratio, earning per share, dividend payout, yield, current price-earnings (P/E) ratio, net profit margin, liquidity or quick ratio are calculated to look at the current state of the company versus others in the industry (Arnold, 2008). These ratios provide only current status of the company but it does not give information about future potentials. It is essential to know whether the company is growing and if yes, then at what rate? Does its growth rate exceed its rivals? Is the market share of the company rising or stable? Is the industry growing or stagnating due to the reasons that lie in external environments? No analysis is complete unless qualitative factors such as brand equity, quality of man power, research and development activities, patents owned and its future implications, the company’s image among stake holders in terms of its management, ethical business dealings and corporate social responsibility factors, the new markets discovered, new projects undertaken for growth are evaluated thoroughly though one many question about the tangibility of these factors; nevertheless, they are equally important. Investors tend to buy any stock because they see the potential of appreciation in its price; in other words, when the stock trades much below its real value also called the intrinsic value then it is a right time to buy the stock. Opposite is also true that when the stock price exceeds its intrinsic value then it is time to sell the stock; however, there are certain important questions to be asked whether calculated intrinsic value is correct and how long will it take to reflect the intrinsic value of the stock in the stock market. Timing is an important factor while deciding about the investment on fundamental factors (Bodie, Kane & Marcus, 2011). It will be interesting to know about the key investment secrets that Warren Buffet

Financial management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Financial management - Assignment Example In a perfect market, it is assumed that no taxes are imposed and interest rates are derived by the market demand and supply function (Layton, Robinson & Tucker 2012, p. 895). If we consider a perfect competition in the market, an investor would be indifferent of the capital structures followed by each firm. The M&M theory suggests that in a tax-free economy, capital structure becomes irrelevant to the value of the firm. Some assumptions that the theory makes include: Investors are concerned about the returns or future cash inflows. Hence, they expect the same whether the investment is made in bonds or equity. As a result, investors would make decisions based on the firm’s value. Debt and equity components are traded in perfect markets, such that the transaction costs, taxes and bankruptcy costs are nil. Competitors, in a perfect competition market cannot set their own price for similar product offerings. Moreover, investors do not bear the burden of transaction costs leading to their indifference to moving funds from one company to the other. Keeping an eye on the above discussion, it can be concluded that investors would go for an geared company if they are interested in the investment returns. In the case provided, Aguia seems to be a more lucrative opportunity for the investors. Aguia, being a geared company will have lower cost of capital and have higher expected returns in future. Since, it was assumed and provided above that investors are only concerned about the future cash flows, a rational investor would prefer a geared firm i.e. Aguia over the un-geared firm i.e. Pomba, in our case. In addition, a rational investor can make decision on future prospects and plans of the management. Let’s assume that Pomba plans to switch toward debt financing, it might be a more attractive option compared to Aguia as it has higher profit margins comparatively. Hence, financing arrangements in a

Damages recoverable electronic funds transfer transactions under UK Dissertation

Damages recoverable electronic funds transfer transactions under UK Law - Dissertation Example To create a process that is safe for the customers, and well protected from losses arising from a lack of adequate legal remedial processes, is of utmost importance for a successful banking operation, which by its very nature of handling large amounts of money, comes under ‘high-risk’ business practice. Such high risks associated with banks comprised mainly of credit-interest risks, law related issues, and liquidity risks. With the start of the internet banking or the electronic funds transfer system has further increased these risks while creating some additional new ones, which may arise from the banks trying to circumvent regulatory and supervisory norms, in order to expand their customer reach. Other risks of a legal nature include the ambiguities on various legal processes and requirements that vary from country to country. 3 Though there are laws that specifically address the issue of frauds and other legal problems within internet banking and funds transfer, not m uch attention has been given to the area of remedies. In this era of high-end technology, it is necessary to review and re-examine various remedial processes like damage claims and injunction, within the electronic funds transfer transaction process. Discussion Banking system and electronic funds transfer under the English law: Under the English law, 'banking business' 4 is seen as comprising of two main basic features: â€Å"acceptance of money from and collection of cheques for their customers and placing them to the customer’s credit, and honouring cheques drawn on the bank by its customers and debiting customers' account accordingly.†5 The term 'banking' has been framed differently within the English legislation, and is covered under Banking Act 1979, the Banking Act 1987 and, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 also referred to as FSMA 2000.6 In the context of modern banking system through the internet, â€Å"electronic banking† or â€Å"e-bankingà ¢â‚¬  is defined as banking operations conducted by authorised banks (or their official representatives), from a remote location through tools that function under the bank's direct management or through outsourced agents. Thus, e-banking encompasses an entire set of process through which a customer can transfer funds electronically, without having to visit a bank physically, and these processes also includes services where the customers can access their accounts, conduct business transaction, receive necessary information on different financial services and products all the Internet (fig 1). In UK, all electronic modes of payments/transactions come under the jurisdiction of the â€Å"law of contract and agency and the customs and usages of banking.† 7 Fig 1: Various processes and available services as seen within e banking.8 As

Classification and division essay on types of colleges (ex. Public,

Classification and division on types of colleges (ex. Public, Private, State or University) - Essay Example Moreover, it only offers a two-year associates degree after the completion of which, it is to the discretion of the student to transfer to another college or work based on the degree provided by the community college. However, many students have been opting for a baccalaureate degree after completing a two-year program at the community college (Bridget, & Kurlaender, pp. 1-5). However, a liberal arts college is different. The basic focus is to polish the students’ abilities in terms of writing and analysis. It does not delve too much into the intricacies of specialized teaching or learning. Liberal arts colleges offer a bachelors degree at the completion of the four-year program (Aldrich, pp. 29-35). The college does not offer any program beyond the bachelors level, but it creates too interactive an environment for the limited population of students it caters to. Side by side, the United States offers public as well as private colleges. The local governments run public colleges by the taxes they collect. This is their major source of funding, and by virtue of it, they can afford a significantly lower fees than privately run colleges. Moreover, due to the lower cost it accrues to the student, it attracts many people and public colleges generally have a bigger student body than state colleges. Private colleges, on the other hand, depend on self-generated money for operating and so have a higher cost. However, the higher cost is often associated with better facilities for students and staff as well (Aldrich, pp. 49-58). Moreover, public and private universities offer courses ranging from sciences to liberal arts. Students from a broader background tend to attend these due to the diversity of offered courses at the institutions. In addition, the degrees offered are of Master’s and PhD level too. The different types of colleges discussed have been unique in one aspect or the other. The system of education

Sustainable Development in the UK and the Netherlands Essay

Sustainable Development in the UK and the Netherlands - Essay Example Netherlands have extracted and prioritised the demographic factor about world population, a knowledge based economy, energy consumption and mobility, sustainable water consumption and biodiversity functioning in the earth's ecological balance (NSDO, Feb 2002) It is just because of the workings of well-known sources of market failure, that the economy is left to its own devices for 'under supply' or ignoring the environmental goods and services that make up sustainable development, such as clean air and water, parks, wilderness habitats, water levels, and plant diversity (Scott et al, 1995, p. 4). The area I have chosen for analysing sustainability is the water management. UK realises the way we survive today i.e., we drink and breathe a carbon constrained and water constrained world. This is the reason for why UK has recently proposed the Eco-towns Prospectus that requires sustainable water development as a whole should reach zero-carbon standards. The Future Water Strategy as set in March 2008 for England plans the decisions of UK Government to set for water in the future and the practical steps that will need to be taken to ensure that clean water is available for the people to drink. The current plan of 2008 looks forward towards 2030 in order to examine the water cycle that have a profound effect, from rainfall and drainage procedures to discharge and treatment (TCPA, 2008a). Flood Risk: New development is going on in terms of managing flood risk in which sequential testing method is planned to be applied. In this case "Planning Policy Statement" is applicable and requires development away from the area that is subjected to highest flood risk. Therefore technical assessment is necessary in context with FRA (Flood Risk Assessment), where assessment easily identifies the main factors behind potential risks involved with the surface water drainage and sewer flooding, therefore the development should fulfill all the requirements for a sustainable master plan. UK now being aware of the possible threats of floods have managed eco-towns to clearly demonstrate innovative approaches so as to minimise the loss of flood risk while taking into account all those longer-term impacts of climate change that somehow directly or indirectly influences the lifetime development of water management. This has provided the UK water management some options like identifying the possible opportunities to reserve enough space for water usage while strategically locating green space for flood storage in times of flood, using conveyance and Sustainable Drainage Systems and recreating functional flood plains. This way the various flood zones work in accordance with the communities to improve their performance and vigilance so that in circumstances where exceptional flood occur, an eco-town suffers the least impact. Sustainable Drainage Outcomes (SUDS): A new technique incorporated by eco-towns is the SUDS that incorporate viable and cost-effective solutions by avoiding or reducing the need for hard engineering solutions. In order to avoid the threat of eco-towns exploitation, various planning authorities work in collaboration with planning and legal agreements to secure the implementation of SUDS. The SUDS

Recollection and reflection of recent hospitalization and medical Research Paper

Recollection and reflection of recent hospitalization and medical treatment - Research Paper Example Through this paper, the author of this article will discuss several facets of my pain, as well as discuss the medical treatments he attempted to get, and will note them down in such that he will be able to provide a description of the events that can be as detailed as possible. The researcher will also attempt to look back at his job history and try to look for a possible source or pattern for his hip pain. This paper will provide feedback and reactions will as much detail as the author can remember and will provide information that is objective when necessary and subjective if needed. This paper will break the topics down as such: †¢ A short history of hip replacement †¢ The author’s perception of the hip pain †¢ The first medical treatment the researcher attempted to seek †¢ The second medical treatment the researcher attempted to seek †¢ The author’s initial and subsequent reactions to the doctor's diagnosis †¢ The author’s stay at the hospital †¢ The researcher’s work history and how it may have affected his hip condition †¢ Conclusion and final thoughts According to an article on thehipdoc.com, one of the first hip socket replacements was performed in 1923 by a man called â€Å"Marius Nygaard Smith-Peterson.† the socket cup was constructed with glass, and as the article indicates, although that particular implant failed over time, it â€Å"paved the way to construction of hip cups in similar fashion, only using different materials such as plastic and metal.†. The next noticeable advancement came with the surgery performed by Sir John Charnley. After this, the advancement of hip replacement has evolved in such a way that patient’s needs can be met by custom-fitting the implants to be installed. My perception of the hip pain For the past few years of working with my current company ATT, I felt a pain in my right knee that slowly went from being a random annoyance, to such a pain as I preferred to not have any pressure on my right leg at all, even while standing. It felt like a sharp pain, similar to pressing down on a swollen muscle or joint, and at first it did not bother me much but the pain got worse and eventually became bad enough to affect my work and my day to day functions. I initially thought of the pain as just something that comes with age, or something similar to the parts of a car that may just wear out over time. I initially paid no mind to the pain, but eventually, it became hard to ignore it and I resorted to going for medical help. The first medical treatment I attempted to seek As previously said, th e pain in my leg, more specifically my knee, evolved to a point where it became alarming and it affected my work and general functionality, and I decided to seek medical attention. I went to a doctor who was recognized by my medical plan, and described him what I was experiencing and how bad the pain was. I told him the history of the pain and how and when it occurred. He had some X-ray scans done on my knee area and after he had checked the X-rays and further examined me. He concluded that it was just a case of arthritis, and advised me to take some medicine whenever the pain returned. This seemed to work for a short while, but eventually, even the medicine did not help, and my knee still did not feel right. I still experienced the pain in my knee and it did not feel right at all. I ended up seeking more medical treatment, this time, from an orthopedic specialist. The second medical treatment I attempted to seek My first attempt at seeking medical attention worked only as a tempora ry solution. The medication that was prescribed only worked for about a month, and even then, my knee still did

Chronic Offenders Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chronic Offenders - Assignment Example A group of North American researchers, including Don Andrews, Paul Gendreau, Robert Ross and Ted Palmer were reanalyzing data in 1975, same time as Martinson was announcing that only a few things had effect on recidivism, and found out that many things worked in contrast to the report that Martinson was basis his theory on. The re-analysis of the facts proved that the ‘Nothing works doctrine’ was wrong, a claim which was further boosted by Martinson’s proclamation of the same in his paper in 1979, acknowledging the errors in the earlier reviews. Since then, a number of meta-analytical study results verify the efficacy of some of the correctional approaches to chronic offenders. Instances include review of twelve meta-analyses on correctional treatment by Losel, which estimated the effects sizes of these treatment ranges between r=+.05 and r=+.36, with a mean of r=+.10 in all the cases analyzed. McGuire followed suite in 2000 with analysis of six other meta-analyses, obtaining a reduction rate on recidivism of between 5% and 10%. His conclusion was that some methods of correction were more effective and consistent than other, but rehabilitation definitely worked on chronic offenders. Punishment-oriented correctional measures are not effective. Personally, I perceive these punishments as crime cultivators; enhancing the growth of what they claim to root out. The intimidation of the offenders by punishment-oriented measures does not lower the risk of these offenders engaging in crime, rather, it increases it. Recidivism increases with each punishment. These sentiments are consistent with the recent research carried out by RAND Corporation on adult inmates of state prisons in America (Franklin, Pratt & Gau, 2011). Inmates subjected to punishments had a tendency to commit more crimes than those subjected to rehabilitation measures. According to Robert Ross and Gendreau, claims of effective rehabilitation of chronic

Catholicism in Quebec and the Quiet Revolution Essay Example for Free

Catholicism in Quebec and the Quiet Revolution Essay Montreal is Quebec’s largest city, has always been renowned for its many churches and basilicas, earning it the nickname la ville aux cents clochers. Mark Twain once said â€Å"This is the first time I was ever in a city [Montreal] where you couldnt throw a brick without breaking a church window†. Today, it is better known for the diversity of its people and its culture painted streets, such as the Quartier Latin and the booming Quartier des spectacles. The city is home to over a hundred and twenty cultural communities and seventy-five languages; seemingly fitting since well over a quarter of the population was born abroad. In the June 2008 issue of Monocle, a London based magazine, Montreal was dubbed â€Å"Canada’s Culture Capital†. It seems hard to imagine that the Catholic Church had a monopoly over not only Montreal but the entire province of Quebec simply half a century ago. How did a land founded and built on Catholicism become a place renowned for its cultural diversity? This essay will explore how the Catholic faith’s image developed in Quebec after the Second World War, touching the province’s strong religious foundation, the Church’s control of the education and medical systems, and how the Quiet revolution paved the way for the prosperity of the French language and the multicultural land we have today. Jacques Cartier officially claimed Quebec in the name of the King of France in 1534, bringing the first sign of Christianity by putting up a cross in Gaspà © that is still visible to this day. The farm, family, faith and language were until recently stereotypical symbols for the Quebecois, but gradually became symbols of French settlers instead. However, these hadn’t always been symbols of the colonists; farming and permanent families were not part of the mindset of the early colony. Samuel de Champlain first met with the Algonquin people on his exploration journey in 1603 and the two parties were quick to form an alliance. The French and Algonquin began trading firearms for furs to keep warm throughout the winter but were mainly sent to be sold in France. During the long alliance with the Algonquin people many Jesuits, members of the Society of Jesus, a Christian male religious order of the Roman Catholic Church, sought to evangelize and convert the aboriginal people. This created a bitter divide between the traditional practitioners of Midewiwin and the Catholic converts. Champlain returned in 1608 to create a settlement in what is now Quebec City, however at the time the French were interested in trading, fishing cod fish and later hunting beaver. This lifestyle made it difficult to attract potential colonists, and upon Champlain’s death in 1635 there were only 300 settlers in New France. King Louis XIV began encouraging members of his military to remai n and settle in New France after discharge, and also hiring young laborers to work in the colony then encouraging them to stay as well. The recruitment efforts of the King of France resulted in a 2:1 male to female ratio, thus he supported les filles du roi, a plan where poor women without a dowry migrated to New France to be married and bear children. By 1681, the marriages and families of these women grew the population to 10 000. These 10 000 French settlers would produce most of the francophone population of Canada (Phan, 292). Once King Louis XV signed the Treaty of Paris, handing over the French territories to the English, the French military, upper-class and business elite all returned to France. The abandoned settlers turned to the Roman Catholic Church as the clergy begun opening schools and hospitals. The French colony of Quebec wanted to avoid an American influenced political policy which stood for Protestantism, republicanism and war, as well as severing its ties with France following the Treaty of Paris and the French Revolution’s religious prosecutions. The colony then adapted policies of the Church, associating the land with the Vatican instead. The Church system worked well for the prosperity of the people at the time, but later Pope’s decisions would eventually lead to the downfall of faith in Quebec. The early 19th to mid-20th centuries saw the farm, family, faith and language become the sacramental lifestyle of the Quebecois. At the end of the 19th century in Rome, Pope Leo XIII called for a renewal of ecclesial studies to modernise the Church’s lessons to aid in the application against the challenges of the new world. Reform-minded scholars were thus encouraged to explore and revise the conventional positions of the church and were given much elbowroom until the Pope’s death in 1903. His successor, Pope Pius X, had a much different approach. In 1907 the Pope published Pascendi Dominici Gregis, a letter condemning modernism as the synthesis of all heresies (Jodock, 56). The Vatican began enforcing anti-modernism, which set the stage for what would later be the Quiet revolution. `The period leading up to the 1960s was one through which the province had long been undergoing a process of industrialization and urbanization that had dated back to the latter part of the nineteenth century. Various transformations had been taking place, making it no surprise that the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) was able to dethrone the Union Nationale (UN) as leaders of provincial government. During the 1940s and 1950s, the image most frequently associated with Quebec’s French-Canadian people was that of a church-ridden, agricultural society outside the mainstream of the urban-industrial North American way of life. Although the Catholic Church is credited for the preservation of the French language and culture, the Western world had moved its interest away from the large families and agriculture supported by the Church. This seemingly outdated view of Quebec as a society gave politicians a clear view on what to campaign for. Jean Lesage of the QLP was able to garner over 50% of the popular vote and gain 51 seats to defeat the UN, ending a 16 year run for that party in Quebec. The province was about to come out of the period known as â€Å"la grande noirceur†, due to the scandal and corruption that the Union Nationale leader used to remain in power, and to enter a new era that Quebec still finds itself in at this very moment. The Quebecois expected change and Lesage was to come through for them. As the former provincial government had been supported by the Catholic Church, he had started what seemed to be a secularization process that coincided with the status of religion in Quebec at that time. Between the years 1961 and 1971, religious practice in Montreal fell from 61 percent of the population to 30 percent, and only 14 percent among people aged 16-24. The low number of young Catholics raised many concerns for the Church as to wear they would find future replacements for its aging clergy (Gauvreau). The emergence of lay Quebec organizations that defined nationalism in terms of language and political independence instead of religion also hastened a loss of confidence in the church. Not the least of significant markers in the 1960s was the bishops decision to dismantle Catholic Action itself. The entire process resulted in a de-Christianization that most defined carefully as not the decline of private belief, but as the rapid loss of a Catholic public identity. Jean-Paul Desbiens wrote a letter under the name Brother Anonymous criticizing the education system, stating the importance of the involvement and control of the provincial government over such services. The characterization of Quebec citizens as a religious people was outdated and the following period gave birth to a new identity for the Quebecois to latch on to. The Premier began this procedure by having the province take control of education by first establishing the Department of Youth (which became the Ministry of Education in 1964) and provided free education up through high school. Lesage would then go on to make schooling up until the age of 16 mandatory with the belief that educating the youth would lead them to become the successful leaders of tomorrow, replacing the Anglophones who were in control of most of Quebecs businesses at the time. Continuing the reform, he increased government control over the healthcare system, by implementing a hospital insurance plan in 1961 (a prequel to Quebec’s version of a universal healthcare plan in 1972). These two essential institutions, which had been the responsibility of the Catholic Church ever since the birth of New France, were now primarily in the hands of the provincial government, giving substantiation for the many that now believed Quebec was a secular society. In Conclusion, a land founded and built on Catholicism became a place renowned for its cultural diversity after the anti-modernisation of the Church forced the Quebecois to break free from its monopoly over the province. After exploring how the Catholic faith’s image developed in Quebec, it is made evident that the stereotypical symbols of the 19th century Quebecois had to be shaken in the 20th century in order for them to prosper in the 21st century. Works Cited: Tentler, Leslie W. and Kevin Christiano. The Church Confronts Modernity: Catholicism since 1950 in the United States, Ireland, and Quebec. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America, 2007. Print. 19-90 Jodock, Darrell. Catholicism Contending with Modernity: Roman Catholic Modernism and Anti-modernism in Historical Context. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge UP, 2000. Print. Van, Die Marguerite. Religion and Public Life in Canada: Historical and Comparative Perspectives. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2001. Print. Phan, Peter C. Ethnicity, Nationality and Religious Experience. Lanham, MD: University of America, 1995. Print. Gauvreau, Michael. The churches and social order in nineteeth- and twentieth-century Canada. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press, 2006. Print. Baum, Gregory and Michael Gauvreau. The Catholic Origins of Quebec’s Quiet Revolution, 1931-1970. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2005. Print.

Disadvantages of gm food

Disadvantages of gm food Abstract This report strives to provide an insight upon the numerous disadvantages of GM food and crops pertaining to humans and the environment. The fundamental core of this report concerns the human health risks posed by the consumption of GM food by the community. Safety tests for GM foods are scant and sparse, and toxins as well as allergenic components in these GM foods are unpredictable. Alternatively, GM crops prove to be disparaging to the environment. As a result of GM crops being grown, GM superweeds exist and the earths biodiversity is disrupted. Conversely, GM crops incur substantially high costs. Cost of seeds for GM crops is excessively priced and agri-biotechnological companies stand a chance to abuse this cost in order to reap more profits. 1.0 Introduction Genetically modified foods, otherwise recognized as GM foods, pertain to crop plants or animals engineered for consumption through the application of the latest techniques for molecular biology (Whitman, 2000). Desired traits and characteristics such as increased resistance against pests and improved nutritional content are expressed through the modification of these plants in laboratories. Newly improved crops have been known to demonstrate resistance towards pests, require less water, and generally thrive as well as develop in less than optimal growing environments. Genetic engineering was first discovered in the year 1983, and since then has been utilized for the potential benefit of mankind. However, GM foods have made an impact on the world as it is today. As avowed by Whitman (2000), GM foods have been actively protested against by environmental organizations in Europe and public interest groups for months, and the matter of genetic manipulation has been propelled to the vanguard of public awareness by contemporary disputable studies regarding the effects of genetically-modified corn pollen on monarch butterflies. In the United States of America, research has proven that in the year 2001, more than 60% of processed foods in the country contain bio-engineered foodstuffs such as genetically-modified soybeans and corn (Sakko, 2002). Though there are many queries regarding the safety of such GM foods, in addition to its advantages and disadvantages, the actual question arising from such an issue remains evident: Should GM food be banned for the benefit of mankind? Despite claims that GM food is beneficial to human health, environmentally friendly and its benefits outweigh its disadvantages; GM food should be banned for the greater good as it evidently poses human health risks, is environmentally hazardous, and is costly. This report exposes the disadvantages and adverse effects of GM foods on humans as well as the environment. The scope of this report is global, as GM foods are present in almost all countries around the world and GM crops are on the rise in replacing conventional crops in order to to conform to the needs of humans. 2.0 Human Health Risks Many shortcomings arise from the consumption of GM foods. First of all is the endangerment of human health. It is possible that by introducing foreign genes into the genetic make-up of a plant may result in unexpected and negative impacts upon the wellbeing of humans. As the application of genetic engineering is relatively new to the human society, there is inadequate scientific study regarding the many dangers to health caused by GM foods, and safety test technology is insufficient in gauging the potential dangers to humans. Aside from that, GM foods may carry within themselves unpredictable toxins and might possibly increase the threat of allergenic reactions. 2.1 Scarcity of Safety Tests Knowledge regarding health risks due to GM foods is sparse. As affirmed by Domingo (2000), many opinions exist concerning health risks of genetically modified foods. However, actual publications and information on GM food toxicity remains scarce. It is relatively harder to appraise the safety of foods originating from crops compared to individual chemicals, food additives, or drugs. This is because of the genetic composition of crop foods that is much more complex, and may vary in accordance to discrepancies in growth and agronomic conditions. An example of this is the initial and sole assessment of a GM fruit, the FLAVR SAVR tomato, as assigned by Calgene. This GM tomato was cultivated through the insertion of kanr genes into a tomato by an antisense genetic modification method. Outcomes asserted that no major differences in overall mineral and vitamin as well as in toxic glycoalkaloid levels were observed. Hence, the GM tomatoes are considered to be as harmless as their parent tomatoes (Pusztai, 2001). This is undeniable that the safety test in regards to the safety of the FLAVR SAVR tomato is oversimplified, and does not encompass all aspects of how a safety test should be. As such, the safety test is defectively planned and executed, rendering the conclusion that the GM tomatoes were safe implausible. 2.2 Unpredictable Toxins and Allergenic Components Unwanted consequences can also be a result of the insertion of genes into the genetic make-up of GM crops, as some of the ways and methods the incorporated genes express themselves or the way they affect the exhibition of the genes of the crop are evidently random and mostly erratic. This could result in the production of unfamiliar toxins and allergenic components when consumed unknowingly. This is as evidenced in a toxicity test done on mice. Mice were fed with GM potatoes induced with a Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki Cry1 toxin, a toxin imbued within the genetic composition of the potato for the sake of repelling insects. This was shown to have caused villus epithelial cell hypertrophy and multinucleation, disrupted microvilli, mitochondrial degeneration, increased numbers of lysosomes and autophagic vacuoles and activation of crypt Paneth cells in the mice (Pusztai, 2001). These results still manifest despite claims of the contrary by its producers and manufacturers, resulting in widespread confusion and fear within its consumers. In another case, a proposition to splice a gene originating from Brazilian nuts into soybeans was rejected due to the trepidation of resulting in unforeseen allergic reactions. GM food derived from modified GM crops is known to trigger new allergies through the synthesis of new proteins by the imported genes introduced. Almost all food allergens are protein-based, and they are likely to be comparatively small and resistant to heat, acid and stomach enzyme degradation (Chow, 2009). Although crops frequently used as staple foods contain thousands of dissimilar proteins, relatively few are known to be allergenic. Though so, their allergenic potential might have been altered through the use of genetic engineering, rendering even foods not generally known to instigate allergies to do so. Should a host plant be noted to express allergenic properties, bringing in new genes into its genetic make-up could actually lead to the allergenic proteins being over-expressed, making the plant more all ergenic. Beneficial to Human Health Proponents of GM foods constantly assert that GM foods are beneficial to human health. They contend that GM foods possess medical advantages, and are able to be modified to make edible vaccines. However, this argument is inadequate. GM foods are still being researched on, and the assumption that they are able to function as supplements is dangerously over-rated. Data and information regarding the effects numerous types of GM foods are insufficient, in spite of everything that those who support the commercialisation of GM foods state. Should GM foods be released to the population without proper examination and regulation, many lives would be endangered, in contrast to what is as claimed due to the unknown effects of many allergens to the human body. As such, GM foods are actually detrimental, and should not be acclaimed to be advantageous to human health when it has not been proven to be so. 3.0 Environmentally Hazardous Additionally, another disadvantage due to the cultivation and breeding of GM crops is the risks it poses to the environment. Numerous environmental activists and advocates of the environment have all made known their concerns and apprehensions regarding the threat GM crops create for the ecosystem. Tempering the genetic make-up of crops to produce GM food might consequently result in the manifest of GM Superweeds. Also, the biodiversity of the environment will be altered or could potentially be disrupted at a larger scale. 3.1 Creation of GM Superweeds Crops genetically manipulated to be able to generate their own pesticides or to be herbicide-resistant pose a dangerous danger to the environment. These crop plants altered genetically to be tolerant to herbicides and pesticides might cross-breed with the local flora, causing the herbicide-resistant genes to be transferred from crop plant to weed. As avowed by Cummins (1999), the growing of these GM crops will inevitably ensue in the emergence of weeds that are resilient to pesticides and herbicides, resulting in the need for stronger, more potent forms of toxic chemicals to liberate the pests. These superweeds will then be a menace to the GM crops in turn, and even to the environment as a whole. This is as illustrated by the emergence of the first superweed, a plant that cant be killed by almost anything, in Canada. A single canola plant in Ottawa was discovered to be resistant to numerous types of pesticides (gmwatch.org, 2001). Canola plants contrived to help farmers in increasing their productivity had instead escaped and cross-bred with one another to produce offsprings that are even more resistant than their parents. Most pesticides werent able to exterminate these super canola weeds, which were wrecking havoc in wheat fields and other prospective areas in which farmers dont want them to grow in. 3.2 Disruption of Biodiversity The notion of biodiversity denotes the wide variation of organisms in a given ecosystem. Numerous interactions between these organisms keep the biodiversity of an environment high, and when disturbed will result in an often adverse if not disadvantages effect to the particular ecosystem. Wild type plants in an area will typically be overwhelmed when a GM crop is planted in its vicinity due to the superiority and better adaptation of the crop to its environment compared to the wild type plants. The GM crops will then be competing with the wild type plants for essential resources like light, water, and important nutrients in the soil for survival, and will most likely prevail. The subjugated wild type plant will then either be extinct or be wiped off from that area. This will then indirectly affect the survival of other organisms that might have relied on the wild type plant for food, shelter, or protection. For instance, research has proven that the plantation of a GM plant, B.t. corn resulted in a high mortality rate in monarch butterfly caterpillars (Whitman, 2000). Unfortunately, the ideal conditions for the plantation of B.t. corn coincides with that of the milkweed plant, which is the staple food for monarch butterfly caterpillars. Milkweed plants were unable to compete and were wiped off in large amounts due to the prevalence of B.t. corn in the ecosystem. This caused monarch butterfly caterpillars to perish in significant numbers owing to insufficient food supply. Hence, this perfectly illustrates the adversity of GM crops to the environment. Can Be Engineered to Maintain Quality of Soil Supporters of GM food relentlessly insist that GM crops are able to be genetically altered to maintain the quality of the soil regardless of the nutrients required. They claim that akin to herbicide-resistance, GM crops can be engineered to return the nutrients it derives from the soil, to the soil, thus sustaining the nature of the soil. However, this assertion is derisory. In fact, as verified by Cummins (1999), due to the mounting use of herbicides owing to the herbicide-resistant traits typical to GM crops, the effectiveness of pesticides will gradually decrease. This will subsequently increase the use of even more toxic pesticides by farmers intending to rid their fields of weeds without any detrimental effect to their crops. Should these super-pesticides be used excessively without moderation, pesticide residues in soil and on crops will inexorably increase, rendering the soil infertile and even poisonous. Therefore, it can be deduced that the cultivation of GM crops is harmfu l to the environment. 4.0 High Costs Introducing a GM food into the market worldwide proves to be a costly and arduous process, in which companies involved would then be inclined to ensure positive, profitable revenue for their investment towards its manufacture and marketing. To avoid copyright infringement, these companies then patent new plant engineering technologies and GM crops produced by them respectively. This would inevitably raise the costs of seeds of GM. In addition, agri-biotechnological companies might abuse the costs of these seeds to generate more profit and proceeds to the dejection of farmers. 4.1 Excessive Cost of Seeds Due to the patenting of GM crops and new crop engineering technologies, the price of seeds of GM crops has soared to astonishing heights as the prices are dictated by their respective agri-biotech companies. Certain breeds of GM crops and their seeds can only be created by certain companies, and these companies will then have full monopoly over its pricing. As such, prices of such GM seeds are not regulated and can even be as much as ÂÂ £10 for 100 grams as compared to ÂÂ £10 for 100 kilograms for its conventional counterpart (Malone, 2008). Small-scale farmers and Third World countries are unable to afford the cost of these GM seeds, but remain dependent upon them due to dire circumstances or termed conditions. This inevitably widens the gap between the privileged and the marginalised. As elucidated by Andrews (2009), GM seeds have skyrocketed and increased sharply throughout subsequent years. Farmers and Third World countries purchasing Monsantos Roundup Ready 2 Soybeans, a GM crop engineered by a leading agri-biotechnological company specialised in the manufacture of GM crops, in 2010 are required to pay an additional 42% more than the price they disbursed for in 2009. However, these countries and farmers are tied down by a contract in which they are required to patron Monsanto for specified number of years, rendering themselves incapable of any other option other than being indebted to the company. This is merely one of the examples in which the elevated prices of GM seeds prove to be detrimental to farmers and Third World Countries. 4.2 Abuse of Cost by Agri-biotechnological Companies Agri-biotechnological conglomerates might also exploit the cost to produce GM seeds. In an effort to enhance sales and profits, agrochemical industries have developed a technique referred to as the terminator technology to prevent farmers cultivating particular GM crop to save and re-plant harvested seeds. The terminator technology designates crops that have been genetically manipulated to yield sterile seeds upon harvest. This will result in farmers and Third World countries being compelled to procure seeds from those companies often at an inflated price. To further fortify this argument, it has been reported that Monsanto has incorporated Delta Pine Land, the worlds prime cotton seed company possessing three US patents on terminator technology, into its midst. These sterile genetically altered seeds would be able to secure a much greater monopoly than patents by making it unfeasible for farmers to re-use harvested seeds from their GM crops. This compels force dependence upon external sources for seeds by small farmers as well as Third World countries that are financially challenged. Hence, agri-biotech companies stand a chance to garner huge profits from the fragile fiscal instability such parties endeavour from. Beneficial to Farmers Advocates of GM crops persistently insist that even with the high costs required for growing GM crops, farmers remain as the ones reaping the benefits eventually. They are assured that GM crops are able to incur massive yields and produce, despite their initial costs for seeds. The profit gained at the end of the day would be more than sufficient to reimburse the cost of GM seeds at the start. On the contrary, this allegation is falsely based. GM crops have proven time and time again to be damaging to farmers. As is the case in India, thousands and thousands of Indian farmers are resorting to suicide after planting GM crops (Malone, 2008). They were promised with harvests previously unheard of and riches as well as incomes undreamt of by cultivating GM crops. Enticed by the assurance of future prosperity, these farmers then borrowed money in order to purchase the seeds needed. However, when harvests failed attained what has been promised, these farmers are left with escalating debts , and no incomes. Consequently, to escape from reality and anguish, they remedied their predicament through suicide. Hence, it can explicated again that GM crops are in fact, disadvantages to man. 5.0 Recommendations To address this issue, first of all, governments worldwide should play their respective parts. To curb and stem the growing ascendancy of GM crops and the marketing of GM foods, governments of countries should place a nationwide ban on GM food and crops. Agri-biotech companies should be imposed upon to discontinue manufacture and further development of GM food immediately. However, should this option be impractical, mandatory health testing of GM food must be employed. Before being released to the public as food products, GM food must be made to undergo multiple examinations to determine its various side-effects, if any, and to ascertain its safety for human consumption. Furthermore, compulsory food labelling of GM food must be necessitated. Agri-business industries should be made to mark their products of GM food in order for consumers to identify genetically modified foodstuff from unmodified ones. Additionally, the usage of chemical and toxic substances such as pesticides and herbicides that may result in harm to the environment should be regulated by the government. Stringent perimeters should be implied upon the amount of these pesticides used that may be employed throughout the growth and production of these GM foods. 6.0 Conclusion Succinctly, GM food should be forbidden for the greater good of mankind due to human health hazards, environmental risks, as well as exceedingly high costs for cultivation. GM food has not been proven to be entirely safe for consumption, as proven by multiple cases of dangers wrought through its intake as well as utilization. Therefore, in an attempt to restrain the increasing popularity of GM food, various parties must play their respective parts and take a stand in this issue. We, as humans capable of thought and logic, must progress with caution and prudence lest we bring destruction to ourselves and to the environment. Only by doing so can the future of mankind be guaranteed and the lives of our future generations spared from unnecessary dilemmas. 7.0 Bibliography Andrews, J., 2009, GM seed prices soar, Farmers Weekly Interactive, Reed Business Information Ltd., viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2009/12/07/119087/GM-seed-prices-soar.htm> banterminator.org, n.d., Introduction to Terminator Technology, Ban Terminator, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.banterminator.org/The-Issues/Introduction> Chow, S., 2009, Genetically Modified Food Allergenicity and Safety Assessment, Centre for Food Safety, viewed on 2 March 2010, http://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/multimedia/multimedia_pub/multimedia_pub_fsf_36_02.html> Cummins, R., 1999, Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods and Crops: Why We Need A Global Moratium, In Motion Magazine, NPC Productions, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/geff4.html> Domingo, J. L., 2000, Health Risks of GM Foods Many Opinions but Few Data, Mindfully.org, viewed on 2 March 2010, http://www.mindfully.org/GE/Many-Opinions-Few-Data.htm> geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk, n.d., Are GM Foods Destroying Biodiversity?, Genetically Modified Foods, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk/are-gm-foods-destroying-biodiversity.html> gmwatch.org, 2001, Superweed story turns nasty, GMWatch, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.gmwatch.org/latest-listing/1-news-items/4021-superweed-story-turns-nasty> Malone, A., 2008, The GM genocide: Thousands of Indian farmers are committing suicide after using genetically modified crops, Mail Online, World News, Associated Newspapers Ltd., viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1082559/The-GM-genocide-Thousands-Indian-farmers-committing-suicide-using-genetically-modified-crops.html> Steward, G., 2000, Genetically Engineered Superweeds Emerge in Canada, Organic Consumers Association, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/superweed.cfm> Pusztai, A., 2001, Genetically Modified Foods: Are They a Risk to Human/Animal Health?, actionbioscience.org, American Institute of Biological Sciences, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/pusztai.html> Sakko, K., 2002, The Debate Over Genetically Modified Foods, actionbioscience.org, American Institute of Biological Sciences, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/sakko.html> Whitman, D. B., Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful?, ProQuest, viewed 2 March 2010, http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php> 8.0 Appendix 1

Gravimetric Determination of Chloride | Lab Report

Gravimetric Determination of Chloride | Lab Report This experiment was done to determine the amount of chloride ions present in a known Sodium Chloride sample and an unknown sample by Argentometric method. Silver nitrate solution of 0.2 M was added slowly to the aqueous solution of 0.50 g test sample while continuously stirring and the chloride was precipitated as silver chloride. This precipitate was filtered, dried and weighed. Then the average percentage of chloride present in the known NaCl and the unknown sample was determined to be 65.40% and 24.98% respectively. Introduction of gravimetric determination of chloride The use of silver nitrate to form the precipitate of silver chloride and gravimetrically determine the amount of chloride present in the sample is one of the most common methods employed in lab. Any inorganic compound containing halogen can be made into aqueous solution and treated by silver nitrate to obtain the precipitates of silver halide. The reaction involved is as follows: Ag+  +  X−  (aq) → AgX (precipitate) where  X−  =  Cl−,  Br−, or  I−. In this lab, chloride salt was used as test sample. The salts (both known and unknown) were treated with silver nitrate to obtain white precipitates of silver chloride. The silver chloride was initially formed as colloidal solution. After subsequent heating, nucleation process was dominated by particle growth and the precipitates separated out as coagulated mass. During this procedure, the pH of the solution is kept slightly acidic by addition of Nitric acid. The acidic pH eliminates the interference by anions (like carbonate and sulphides) of weak acid (www.wikipedia.org). Otherwise, these anions can from sparingly soluble silver salt in neutral pH. Similarly, the silver nitrate is also added in a little excess to enhance the formation and diminish the solubility of silver chloride (Le Chateliers Principle). Moreover, the combined action of moderately high pH and slightly excess silver nitrate promotes the coagulation of the silver chloride precipitate by formation of dielectric layer (Skoog, 317-319). During the experiment, if the precipitate of silver chloride is exposed to light, it photo-decomposes to give elemental silver and chlorine gas. The elemental silver (violet color seen in precipitate) combines with other chloride ion to from silver chloride. However, due to the chloride that escaped as gas, the product is lost and that gives low yield (www.cooper.edu). Although, in practice, the amount of silver chloride nitrate that decomposed is negligible, it is better to avoid exposure to direct light. The photodecomposition formula is as follows: 2 AgCl (s)  Ã¢â€ â€™Ã‚  2 Ag (s) + Cl2  (g) 3 C12  (aq) + 3 H2O (l) + 5 Ag+  (aq)  Ã¢â€ â€™Ã‚  5 AgCl (s) + C1O3-(aq) + 6 H+(aq) Materials and Methods: Materials: Equipments Three 400 mL Beakers Three fritted funnels Heating plate Graduated cylinder Aluminum foil Analytical balance Hot oven Desiccators Chemicals Sodium Chloride (0.50 g) Unknown sample (0.50 g) Silver nitrate solution (0.2 M) Nitric acid (concentrated and 6 M) Ammonium Hydroxide or Ammonia in water (6 M) Distilled water Methods: Procedure Three 400 mL beakers and three fritted funnels were cleaned, dried and labeled properly. By using the analytical balance 0.50 g of sodium chloride (NaCl) salt was weighed and dissolved in 100 mL of distilled water in each beaker. Slowly, with continuous stirring, 0.2 M of silver nitrate was added to each beaker until the coagulation of silver chloride was observed. Then, 3 to 6 mL of 6 M of nitric acid was added to each beaker. The mixtures in the beakers were heated to digest the solution for ten minutes. Small volume of silver nitrate was added periodically while heating the beakers until the solution stopped becoming cloudy upon the addition of silver nitrate, confirming that the reaction was complete. The precipitate of each beaker was filtered through the pre-weighed fritted funnel. The precipitates were washed up to eight times with distilled water mixed with 0.5% of 6 M Nitric acid. (1 mL concentrated HNO3 in 200 mL distilled water). The funnels along with their contents were wrapped in the aluminum foil and placed in the oven at 120oC for ninety minutes. The funnels were taken out and placed in desiccators to cool to room temperature. The mass of the fritted funnels and their respective contents were determined by using analytical balance and subtracting the weight of fritted funnel from that of fritted funnel and its contents combined. All the above procedures were repeated fro the unknown sample. Cleaning fritted funnel Concentrated nitric acid was allowed to stand in each funnel for five minutes. Using a vacuum the acid was drawn out and disposed in proper waste container. Each crucible was rinsed with three portion of water. Then, 5 mL of 6 M ammonium hydroxide was added, and after five minutes it was drawn out through the filter. Each crucible was rinsed with six to eight portion distilled water. The crucibles were placed in oven at 110oC for about ninety minutes to dry them to constant weight. The funnels were taken out and cooled in the desiccators. The crucibles were weighed, three times each, to ensure they give constant mass. (If not, heating and drying wouldve been repeated.) Results: Sample weight = 0.050 g Gravimetric factor (GF)= Cl− formula weight/AgCl formula weight = 35.45/143.3214 = 0.2473 Percentage of Chloride = Wight of AgCl precipitate weighed (g) * G.F. * 100 Sample weight (g) Discussion of gravimetric determination of chloride: The percentage of Chloride in the known sodium chloride salt and the unknown sample was determined to be 65.40% and 24.977% respectively via gravimetric method. In theory, the percentage of chloride in sodium chloride salt is 60.66%. The variation in the percentage of chloride in the known sample may have been resulted by impurity in the sample or due to the random error during experiment. This experiment is the classical example of the precipitation reaction where the formation of dielectric layer of silver chloride stabilized by nitrate ions takes place. Upon the addition of silver nitrate in the aqueous solution of the salt, the formation of the silver chloride occurs as a colloid. Slightly excess silver nitrate is added and also nitric acid is added to raise the concentration of the nitrate ion in the solution for two reasons. The first reason is to prevent the solubility of the silver chloride precipitates that are formed as precipitate. The second reason is to enhance particle growth and the formation of the dielectric layer (Skoog, 317-319). The precipitates formed are formed as colloids. Since colloids are stable molecules, it is necessary to heat, stir and add more electrolyte (nitrate) to obtain particle growth by the process of adsorption. The colloid obtained is made of silver chloride as primary adsorption layer and nitrate ions make up the counter-ion layer to stabilize the system. Continued heating ruptures the counter ion layer and promotes stabilization by the nitrate ions produced by the addition of slightly excess silver nitrate and nitric acid (Skoog, 317-319). However, addition of too much silver nitrate is avoided to prevent the co-precipitation of the silver nitrate. Nitric acid is used in the reaction mixture as well as to wash the precipitates formed. Washing with nitric acid ensures that the precipitates will be preserved because washing with water may dissolve it (Lab Handout). The precipitate thus obtained was weighed to determine the percentage of chloride present in the starting sample. This process can be employed quantitatively to determine the purity of the sample. In many cases, precipitation reaction of silver halides is qualitatively used to identify whether the inorganic compound consists of halides. In this lab however, the silver nitrate was used to quantitatively determine the percentage of chloride present in the samples. The known sample of Sodium chloride seems to have impurity because it gave more percentage of chloride than theoretically expected. But, the identity of unknown sample was unknown and jus by analyzing the percentage of chloride ion nothing can be said about its identity.

There are no Truly Victimless Crimes Essay -- essays research papers

A man chooses to take cocaine. He understands the risks he is taking, and he believes that taking the cocaine is worth the risk. Should he be allowed to take the drug? Or should the government force him to abstain from it, in his own interest? He is not hurting anyone but himself, so why should there be a law against it? This debate has raged since the beginning of civilization. J. S. Mill, in his Essay on Liberty, takes the position that is commonly accepted: the government should not interfere with matters that do not involve more than one person. These matters are often called "victimless crimes." Mill - along with the majority of people in today's world - claims that if a person commits a crime against his or herself, such as harming the body by taking certain drugs or suicide, the person should not be prosecuted. The argument is that no other person is affected. All involved parties consent to the arrangement, so they should be responsible for whatever happens. A few com mon victimless crimes are prostitution, taking harmful drugs, and suicide. These are perceived as having no negative effect on anyone but the people who agreed to accept the negative effects. In reality, all victimless crimes cause problems for other members of society. J. S. Mill did not understand that "victimless" crimes do not actually exist. Prostitution is one of the most debated of the victimless crimes, because the US has been "slow" in adopting it legally. Only ten Nevadian counties out of the entirety of the 50 United States have passed laws that legalize prostitution, while in Holland prostitution is a recognized occupation. Holland even has a union for prostitutes. It is argued by proponents of legalized prostitution that the business is ... ... cases, this can go so far as to cause suicide by a survivor, repeating the cycle. Besides those negative psychological effects, survivors of suicide usually experience some need to place blame. This can either be manifested in anger towards the suicidal person, to a third party that may have the blame placed on him, or on the survivor himself. It is very common for a survivor to feel self-loathing and to entertain the idea that there was something that could have been done to save the lost loved one. Suicide is not a victimless crime. These are only three of the "victimless crimes" that have been postulated by people such as J. S. Mill. While he may have had strong urges for social liberty, he never understood the fact that there is no such thing as a victimless crime. All crimes have a victim, and no amount of philosophy or political theory can change that.

Benedicks Changing views on Love in Much Ado about Nothing :: essays research papers

Throughout Act one and two, Benedick repeatedly says that he will never love a woman or get married. At some stage in the duration of the play his mindset changes. In the end he is head over heels in love for Beatrice whom he once quarreled with habitually. The turnabout in his behavior was brought about by the deceiving Claudio and Pedro who indirectly told Benedick that Beatrice loved him. At the beginning, Benedick’s attitude is negative towards women in general. He swears he will never marry, as he is very critical of women and does not trust any of them not to cheat on him. He seems to oppose with Beatrice in a competition to outwit, outsmart, and out-insult each other. Obviously he has been in some sort of past relationship with Beatrice because when he meets her at the masked ball, she describes him as a selfish pig. We can infer that Benedick has some kind of deep feelings for her because after she insults him he is hurt and says, â€Å"Will your grace command me any service to the world’s end? I will go on the slightest errand now to the Antipodes that you can devise to send me on. I will fetch you a toothpick from the furthest inch of Asia . . . do you any embassage to the pigmies, rather than hold three words’ conference with this harpy† (II.i.229–235). This blatantly means that he does not wish to talk to her. When Benedick hears that Claudio has fallen in love for Hero, he is enraged. He thought that Claudio would live a bachelor’s life like him. Benedick tells him that men who are in love are not masculine. Near the end of Act IV, Benedick’s complete change is evident when Benedick chooses love over friendship. Benedick challenges Claudio, previously his closest friend in the world, to duel to the death over Claudio’s accusation as to Hero’s unethical behavior. After Beatrice complains to him about Claudio’s mistake, Benedick gives in, â€Å"Enough, I am engaged. I will challenge him.† At this point, there is no doubt that Benedick has switched his allegiances entirely over to Beatrice. But then again, Benedick was relieved that Hero was proved guilty so he would not have to fight his close friend Claudio. On the â€Å"second† wedding day of Hero and Claudio, Benedick showed maturity by not fighting Pedro and Claudio when they teased him about loving Beatrice.

Research Methodology Essay

â€Å"The study of man contains a greater variety of intellectual styles than any other area of cultural endeavor. How different social scientists go about their work, and what they aim t accomplish by it, often do not seem to have a common denominator †¦ Let us admit the case of our critics from the humanities and from the experimental sciences: Social science as a whole is both intellectually and morally confused. And what is called sociology is very much in the middle of this confusion. † Wright Mills Images of Man Abstract The quest for knowledge has always been at the forefront of societies mind. What makes us tick as a society or an individual, what circumstances have to come about to lead to different phenomena to occur? Sociologists, psychologists, philosophers and social scientists have spent eons of time pondering on these questions. Research is the way in which these questions may be answered, but the question remains, as to what type of research leads us to the right answer or, if there is a right answer, what is the one true answer? If different research methods produce different answers, which is the right, the true answer and if we find it does this render all the other answers null or wrong? These are some of the questions that I will be asking in this paper through examining concepts such as the symbolic order in research, the role of emotions in research, the grouping together of different methodologies to create a clearer picture of the research and the importance of reflexivity during the research process. Keywords; emotions, symbolic order, reflexivity. The word research originates from the late 16th century French word recerche, re (expressing intensive force) and cherchier to search. It means the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. In this essay I will be focusing on qualitive research methods, examining some of the problems that may be encountered when conducting social research and how these problems may be overcome and used to advantage. Qualitative research takes an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter; qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings that people bring to them. This process begins by understanding that there are a variety of ways of making sense of the world and therefore focuses on discovering the meanings that are seen by those who are being researched, to better understand their view of the world. The methodology used in research will vary in accordance with the research being conducted, this can be limiting if a type of methodology is decided on and rigidly adhered to throughout the research leaving no room for reconsideration or change of view. Different Methodological Approaches. The manner in which sociologists study society varies greatly between individual sociologists. There are many reasons for these varying views such as backgrounds, culture, family influences, religion and experiences with these experiences leading them to come to certain conclusions about certain situations. For this reason it is important not to rely on one type of sociological perspective which may constrict the researcher in the researching of certain phenomena. In research however objectively the reality of the social world was approached, its meaning was never self evident but always subject to interpretation with this interpretation being subject to the researchers biases formed out of the afore mentioned factors. Some of the different methods of researching or research style are Positivism which means scientific; positivists would argue that it is possible and desirable to study social behavior in ways similar to those used by natural scientists when studying the natural world. The interpretive approach to research has been gaining attention in recent years as an alternative to the more traditional positivist approach (Lee 342). Lee describes the interpretive approach as â€Å"such procedures as those associated with ethnography, hermeneutics, phenomenology and case studies. By the positivist he refers to inferential statistics, hypothesis testing, mathematical analysis and experimental and quasi experimental design. Ethnography (Greek ethnos = folk/people and graphein = writing) is a qualitative research method often used in the social sciences, particularly in anthropology and in sociology. It is often employed for gathering empirical data on human societies/cultures. Data collection is often done through participant observation, interviews, questionnaires, etc. Ethnography aims to describe the nature of those who are studied (i. e. to describe a people, an ethnos) through writing. In the biological sciences, this type of study might be called a â€Å"field study† or a â€Å"case report,† both of which are used as common synonyms for â€Å"ethnography. Lee states that the difference between positivist and interpretive approaches has been described as objective versus subjective (Burrell and Morgan 1979), outsider versus insider (Evered and Louis 1981), quantitive versus qualitive (Van Mannen 1979) and etic versus emic (Morey and Luthans 1984). In literature it may seem that these 2 methods of research are opposed and irreconcilable and there is some concern over what Morey and Luthans call the â€Å"widening gap between the two major orientations to organizational research† (1984, 84). Lee puts forward the idea of joining the two methodologies together as he argues that they both have something to offer the researcher. He devised a framework called three levels of understanding. [pic] The first level belongs to the observed human subjects, this consists of common sense and meanings which are true for these subjects and how they see themselves, which give rise to the behavior that they manifest in socially constructed settings. The second belongs to the observing organizational researcher. This understanding according to Lee is the researchers reading and interpretation of the first level, common sense understanding where the researcher may use concepts such as subjective interpretation, the hermeneutical circle or thick description. The third level of understanding also belongs to the researcher. This understanding is one that the researcher creates and tests in order to explain the empirical reality that he is investigating. This explanation is called scientific theory is made up of constructs that belong only to the observing researcher. This explanation consists of formal positions that typically posit the existence of unobservable entities such as social structure, issues that may attempt to account for the influence of certain factors of which the observed subjects may not even be aware. The above diagram shoes the flow of ideas and understanding between the three levels of understanding and the relevance of the two methods of research in question. This illustrated the importance of varying the methods of research used, to create a legitimate piece of research work it is vital to come at the work from different angles rather than taking a blinkered approach. This is vital all there can be no definite knowledge in research as there are so many variables and researchers take the research on for so many different reasons with so many different worldviews. Identifying applicable research strategies is almost as difficult as methodologies tend to differ according to the various factors found within the desired outcome. Yet methods cannot be orchestrated to generate this outcome from the data, but merely facilitate its collection and synthesis. Any successful research methodology does not, therefore, create knowledge, but rather is an applicable strategy for identifying and processing the information which exists. Hathaway (1995) stresses that there are decisions embedded within the creation and conduct of research methodologies that are generated both within the research setting and within the perceptions of the researcher. The concept of an unbiased methodology is thus inherently impossible: Are we creatures of reason and logic? Or are we better characterized as the victims of unconscious drives, forces and emotions? Does the different language we use really make such a difference in what we have to say? Are we saying something better and more academic if it is considered almost too technical for the reader to understand? Are texts considered more valid if they are difficult to understand and read? Are these technical essays and writings elitist, written by elitist academics just to be appreciated by like minded and like educated individuals? Why publish research ideas that are inaccessible to society? All researchers come to the experimentation process with preconceived opinions of how and why the research process should transpire. â€Å"When one chooses a particular research approach, one makes certain assumptions concerning knowledge, reality, and the researcher's role. These assumptions shape the research Endeavour, from the methodology employed to the type of questions asked. † (Hathaway 1995). So how do we carry out the most informed research possible? It is important not to take a ‘sat nav’ approach to the research, asking a question that you already know the answer to and not be prepared to change course along the way, the research process is the information that the researcher finds along the pathway to the research, the phenomena the researcher encounters along the pathway is as relevant as the final conclusion and it is vital to include this in the research process. If the research question is not working is it preferable to change the question or come at the research from a different angle rather than trying to fit your research question into every area of the study? Reynolds argues that the methodologist turns research technician, in spite of himself, and becomes an aimless itinerant, moving in whatever direction his research techniques summon him, studying changing patterns of voting because these are readily accessible to his techniques rather than the workings of political institutions and organizations for which he has not evolved satisfying techniques of investigation. Reynolds 190). In my own research on texting differences between adults and teens I will be using field work which will consist of focus groups with informal questioning and conversation, individual interviews and data analysis in the form of analyzing a number of text interactions in both focus groups. Bourdieu and the Importance of Reflexivity in Social Research. Is knowl edge independent of the situation of the knower, or a product of it? Bourdieu stresses the importance in reflexivity while conducting social research. The sociologist must at all times be aware of their own habitus, their position of thought and in life and how bringing this to research will affect the research outcome. According to Bourdieu it is impossible for our objectivity to remain unbiased and unprejudiced due to our preconceived habitus. It is only by maintaining such a continual vigilance that the sociologists can spot themselves in the act of importing their own biases into their work. Reflexivity is, therefore, a kind of additional stage in the scientific epistemology. If there is a single feature that makes Bourdieu stand out in the landscape of contemporary social theory’, wrote Loic J. D. Wacquant (1992: 36), ‘it is his signature obsession with reflexivity. ’ For Bourdieu, reflexivity is an epistemological principle which advises sociologists, as ‘objectifying subjects’, to turn their objectifying gaze upon themselves and become aware of the hidden assumptions that structure their research. Without this reflexive move, sociology cannot escape the ‘fallacies of scholasticism’ and loses its chances to provide a truly scientific analysis of the social world. Reflexivity requires an awareness of the researcher's contribution to the construction of meanings throughout the research process, and an acknowledgment of the impossibility of remaining ‘outside of' one's subject matter while conducting research. Reflexivity then, urges us â€Å"to explore the ways in which a researcher's involvement with a particular study influences, acts upon and informs such research. † (Nightingale and Cromby, 1999, p. 228). In the rush of interest in qualitative research in the past 15 years, few topics have developed as broad a consensus as the relevance of analytic â€Å"reflexivity. † (Macbeth 2001). Macbeth argues that contemporary expressions of reflexivity have attachments to critical theory, standpoint theory, textual deconstruction and sociologies and anthropologies of knowledge and power and agency with theorists such as Bourdieu and Wacquant at the forefront of this type of thinking. Bourdieu has problematised social research in relation to his concept of habitus stating that the researcher must at all times be aware of his habitus,(prevailing and long learned personal norms and biases, formed over a lifetime) and take steps to acknowledge this habitus by looking back on himself and his research with a critical eye. The postmodern condition is such that there are no certainties in social research as norms and values become intertwined, identities and culture intermingle and clash as do gender and sexualities, power is gained and lost through means of popularity alone and social researchers can only strive to explore every avenue of their research subject reflexively in the quest for knowledge and answers. In research this reflexivity can be put into two categories, personal reflexivity, which involves the researcher acknowledging their own habitus and how this is affecting their research and in turn affecting the researcher carrying out the research. The second is epistemological reflexivity which requires us to ask questions of the research such as: â€Å"How has the research question defined and limited what can be ‘found? ‘ How have the design of the study and the method of analysis ‘constructed' the data and the findings? How could the research question have been investigated differently? To what extent would this have given rise to a different understanding of the phenomenon under investigation? Thus, epistemological reflexivity encourages us to reflect upon the assumptions (about the world, about knowledge) that we have made in the course of the research, and it helps us to think about the implications of such assumptions for the research and its findings. † (Willig, 2001). The Use of Emotion in Social Research. Williams and Bendelow (1996), map the field of sociology of emotions onto the concerns of sociology: â€Å"emotions have fundamental implications for a range of pertinent sociological themes and issues including social action, agency and identity; social structure; gender, sexuality and intimacy; the embodiment of emotions across the life-course (from childhood to old age); health and illness; and the social organization of emotions in the workplace (formal and informal). Emotions play an important part in the field at a number of levels. It is important to realize that the researcher's identity and experiences shape the ideas with which they go into the field, their political and ideological stance, and there is an analytic cost if this interplay of person and research is not taken into consideration. The researcher takes assumptions and emotions into and generates emotions in the field about the researched. Kleinman and Copp (1993) suggest that if a researcher experiences negative emotions about their participants they would prefer to ignore, or repress those feelings, since to admit them might constitute a threat to their professional and personal identity. But these can be the very feelings (anger and disappointment perhaps) that could help the researcher to understand their own assumptions and their participants. It is clear to me that emotions are very important in fieldwork, both those of the participants and of the researchers. The researcher's emotions can have effects at the personal and professional levels, in relation to their understanding of their self and identity, and their capacity to perform in a fashion that they would themselves regard as professional, and these effects can be long term. A considerable amount of emotion work is called for in qualitative research, and often the dangers consequent on this are not recognized. In some instances researchers have been made quite ill (physically or emotionally) through their experiences of denying, ignoring or managing emotions. The emotions experienced by respondents in the field are data and need to be drawn into analysis and interpretation. It has been suggested here that emotions are important in the production of knowledge from a number of perspectives. In most cases, despite some unpleasant experiences, researchers value the extra power in understanding, analysis and interpretation that the emotions they experience in the field can bring to the research. In his article Hidden Ethnography: Crossing emotional Borders in Qualitive Accounts of Young People’s Lives. Shane Blackman concludes that different ethnographic episodes show how powerful feelings of emotions from love to hate grip both the researcher and the researched. He states that his fieldwork consisted of constant negotiation and respect with participants who allowed him access to their public and private spaces. He advises that to advance more open, reflexive approaches that explain how research is conducted and written, sociology needs greater disciplinary understanding and recognition of the real challenges and opportunities faced by qualitive research, which demands emotion. The Symbolic Order in Social Research. â€Å"The â€Å"Symbolic Order† achieved its currency in Anglo-Saxon human sciences by way of Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalytic theory but originated in Claude Levi-Strauss’s Les structures elementaires de la parente (1949) [translated into English as Elementary Structures of Kinship, 1969] which used the term to group the many different codes which constitute human societies—from social identities and kinship relations to cooking and feasting rituals and religious observances—in short all cultural practices and inscriptions, whatever their language. Levi-Strauss showed that patterns we can observe in one level are invariably linked to and determined by similar patterns in other levels†. (Clark 2004) How important is the symbolic order in social research? There are many factors to take into account when discussing the symbolic order in relation to research. Gusfield and Michalowicz argue that in recent years, sociologists and anthropologists have conducted â€Å"significant studies of modern life using concepts and perspectives derived from symbolic anthropology. Among anthropologists words like ritual, myth, ceremony and symbolism are central to the study of social life in primitive societies. In contemporary society they have been peripheral terms and the activities they denote have not usually been studied in modern societies. † (Gusfield and Michalowicz 1984). The symbolic is of huge importance in social research and cannot be separated from it. When researching we must ask, what is happening here? Recognizing the potentially multiple responses to this question illuminates the way in which meaning is mediated by cultural categories and structures of thought. This awareness of the social construction of reality, which Richard Brown calls symbolic realism (Brown 1977), implies that any segment of human, social activity can be experienced in different and in multiple ways by diverse actors and observers. David Blacker in his thesis argues that for Gadamer, all understanding — whether of a text or of another person — is interpretive. This means is that, whatever else it is and does, understanding moves in what Heidegger called a â€Å"hermeneutic circle. † This circle is productive of meaning. To generate meaning from a text, for example, one must always move around from whole to part and back again. The â€Å"whole† may be the language in which the text was written, the literary tradition to which it belongs, its historical period, the life circumstances of its author, and so on. This â€Å"whole,† then, provides the backdrop against which one gives significance to the â€Å"part,† e. g. , the particular words comprising the text, the individual work in question or the specific period of the author’s life. A helpful analogy is with understanding an ambiguous word within a sentence. If the meaning of the word itself is not immediately obvious, one must find it in its larger context. The newly appreciated meaning of the part (the word) then alters to a degree the meaning of the whole (the sentence). One never escapes â€Å"outside† this whole-part circuit — even the dictionary only relates words to other words. In my own research on ‘the difference in meaning of texting between teens and adults’ the symbolic order plays a large part. The mobile phone will mean different things to these two groups and these issues must be taken into account when formulating the research. Mobile telephone has been widely adopted by many people in society. As it integrates into daily life, it alters the way people communicate, identify their personalities and relate to others in social system. It affects socio-economic structures as well as individual life. Mobile telephone enables accessibility, emancipation, security and micro-coordination and serves as a symbol of prestige, pride and self-identity. The aim of this study is to explore the symbolic factors influencing the use of mobile telephone among teens and dults where in the case of adults the phone may be vital for communication; the teen may find it impossible to function socially without the use of the phone and the texting facility. Conclusion There is no way of determining a sure path for arriving at sociological knowledge; there is unlikely to be, just over the horizon, a new approach, paradigm or perspective to rescue us from the intellectual difficulties involved in a sociological theorizing which can giv e us a better understanding of our social world. Reynolds 339) As researchers we must be aware of our limitations in the social world in so much that we cannot really promise to theorize in a way that explains everything. This is not possible in life as there are too many different collective and individual ideas that are thousands of years in formation. In social research these variables and ideas must be acknowledged and given importance within the research area and with their relevance acknowledged the researcher may move on to the findings of her own particular studies. Karl Mannheim answers critics in letter to the members of a seminar on the sociology of knowledge, by stating that â€Å"if there are contradictions and inconsistencies in my paper this is, I think, not so much due to the fact that I have over looked them but because I make a point of developing a theme to its end even if it contradicts some other statements. I use this method because I think that in this marginal field of human knowledge we should not conceal the inconsistencies, so to speak covering up the wounds, but our duty is to show the sore spots in human thinking at its present stage. In a simple empirical investigation or straightforward logical argument, contradictions are mistakes; but when the task is to show that our whole thought system in its various parts leads to inconsistencies, these inconsistencies are the thorn in the flesh from which we have to start. The inconsistencies in our whole outlook, which in my presentation only become more visible, are due to the fact that we have two approaches which move on a different plane. (Mannheim in Reynolds 1970) David Hume held that we can never be absolutely sure that what we know is true. (Bernard 2006). He argues that we come to understand what is true from what we are exposed to. This reiterates the fact that research is personal even when we try our best to avoid this being the case. We can never be sure according to Hume what we know is true, Humes brand of skepticism is a fundamental principle of social science according to Bernard, â€Å"the scientific method, as it is understood today, involves making improvements in what we know, edging towards the truth, but never quiet getting there and always being ready to have yesterday’s truths overturned by today’s empirical findings.. † (Bernard). In the social sciences we can see sociologists, philosophers and social psychologists such as Michael Foucault, Fredriech Nietzsche, Pierrie Bourdieu and others changing their views on subjects and seemingly contradicting themselves but I would consider that this is paramount when conducting any type of research, as society evolves, technology changes and people become more individualized the world is changing rapidly so we as researchers must be open to change and not be afraid to re-examine our research and research motives to ensure that we are generating the most informed and comprehensible research possible. In the case of Foucault , Tom Keenan argues that â€Å"these contradictions and paradoxes do serve a very important strategic purpose since they allow to articulate a critique of the juridical discourse on a theoretical level. Foucault’s work produces paradoxa since it struggles against doxa, it seeks to place in question orthodoxies of political thought and leftist critique. It is contradictory since it contradicts dominant forms of critique that itself functions as a constraint for imagining political alternatives (Keenan 1987)†. Bibliography Blacker, D. (1993). Article on Education as the Normative Dimension of Philosophical Hermeneutics. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA. Bourdieu, P & Wacquant (1992). An Invitation to Reflexive Sociology. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Burrell, G. , & Morgan, G. Sociological Paradigms and Organizational Analysis, Heinemann, 1979 Cuff. E. C, Sharrock. W. W, Francis. D. W (1998) Perspectives in Sociology. Fourth Edition. Routledge, London. Clark, R. (2004) â€Å"The Symbolic Order†. The Literary Encyclopedia. March 2004. Evered, R. , Louis, M. R. (1991), â€Å"Research perspectives†, in Craig Smith, N. , Dainty, P. (Eds),The Management Research Book, Routledge, London Gusfield. J & Michalowicz. J (1984). Secular Symbolism: Studies of Ritual, Ceremony and the Symbolic Order in Modern Life. Annual Reviews Inc 1084 Holland, J (2007) International Journal of Social Research Methodology. Volume 10 Issue 3. July 2007. Keenan, T, (1987) The ‘P aradox’ of Knowledge and Power: Reading Foucault on a bias, in: Political Theory, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1987. Kleinman, S. & Copp, M. A. (1993) Emotions and fieldwork. Sage, Newbury Park, CA Macbeth, D. (2001). On â€Å"reflexivity† in qualitative research: Two readings, and a third. Qualitative Inquiry. Morey, N. , and Luthans, F. (1984) â€Å"An Emic Perspective and Ethno Science Methods for Organizational Research,† Academy of Management Review (9:1), 1984. Nightingale, D. & Cromby, J. (Eds) (1999). Social constructionist psychology: A critical analysis of theory and practice. Buckingham: Open University Press. Reynolds, L & J (1970). The Sociology of Sociology. Analysis and Criticisim of the Thought, Research and Ethical Folkways of Sociology and its Practitioners. David McKay Company INC, New York. Van Maanen, J, (1979). â€Å"Reclaiming Qualitative Methods for Organizational Research: A Preface,† Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 24 Williams, S. J. & Bendelow, G. A. (1996b) Emotions and ‘sociological imperialism': A rejoinder to Craib. Willig. C, (2001) Introducing Qualitative Research in Psychology (p. 10).