Love and Friendship Essay

Aristotle once said, â€Å"Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.† As everyone knows, it is one of the important things in our lives. It is the only ship that doesn’t sink even without the captain or the crew. Love and affection must maintain its equilibrium otherwise, that friendship can’t be possible. Friendship is a gift by God; it is the beginning of love and care and it should be cherished by every individual. Did you ever realize life without it? Like your family, a friend is your number one supporter and maybe a favorer of a cause. A friend can be the best of all or your worst enemy. They can be your annoying sister who teases you, laugh at you and make fun of you or your loving mother who gives you advice, hug you and protect you. Friendship is between you and your friends and it depends on how you treat them and how they treat you back. If you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything. For me, a friend’s argument hurts more than a broken partner’s relationship. A broken trust cannot easily rearrange your relationship with your friends. It’s like a crumpled paper, you can use it again but its appearance will be unpleasant. You can never straighten the wrinkles on the paper unless you replace it with a new one. Friendship is built on trust and it should be until the end of time. There are lots of benefits your friend can give you. First, they can be your light in the dark – you should never seek them because if they’re true, they will always be there for you. Next, they can be your shield to protect you and your strength to boost your confidence. Lastly, they can be your partner in crime. They can help you in times of need, they can give you a lot of advice, they can lift you up when you’re down etc. If life goes wrong, don’t worry, they won’t turn their back against you. As Plato said, â€Å"Friends have all things in common.† They teach us how to be strong in facing reality and how to fight for what we believe. This is one of the proofs why God created people with other people. People can’t leave without friends because a friend teaches everything and they don’t just benefit us, they benefit all. You’ll experience great and strange adventures if you have them and you’ll learn a lot because of them. Come; see the world behind your wall with me my friend.

HRM Case Johnson Assosciates

This case is about a software consulting firm, Johnson and Associates. The business was established in 1989 by James and Michael Johnson. The two brothers opened the business at a time when the computer market was prospering and the software market was estimated to grow from 17% to 20% worldwide. Their plan was to concentrate on three target markets for their products which included health and racquet clubs, independent insurance agents and wholesale distribution companies.The product that was being offered by the firm was a software that would automate day-to-day operational tasks for users and provide marketing information. The name of the software was ‘Club-Kit. Contrary to what the prevalent trend, the firm was focusing on one product. Generally in the market. Firms with many products were more successful. This was a problem for them, along with the fact that copies of successful software were made by competition and this declined the profit margin for the firms involved. T he firm comprised of four individuals, two brothers and two friends of theirs.James Johnson was the rains behind the product and had an inclination towards technology. Michael on the other hand was more charismatic and was responsible for marketing the product. Jackson and Wilson were the two friends on board with the venture. They had launched the business and were looking for ways to market the product. For that purpose Johnson and Associates should keep in mind the marketing mix elements in order to obtain success. The elements include distribution, price, promotion and the product itself. Mainstream advertising was a very costly option and the new firm couldn't afford it.The firm should rely on personal selling to a large extent and on advertisements in trade journals. Since Michael is a charismatic person he should go individually to people and try to market the product. Secondly trade journals are a very economical option for telling the details about the software. It could ma ke many people aware of the company and the product. Incidentally, the general trend was that Service and Support, instruction, distribution and marketing presence were key components to the success of specialized software.Hence the firm should focus on extending their reach as much as they can as they were focusing on just one specialized software. The decision of pricing the software had a divided vote, while two members were for keeping the price of the software fixed, the other two wanted it to be negotiable in order to attract customers. However I believe that they should set the price of the software at 700$. The overall reduction in price should be due to hardware, which wouldn't cause a decline in their profits.

Summary and evaluation writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summary and evaluation writing - Essay Example Although, he admits that one may unintentionally omit some drawing aspects, he emphasizes on the essence of the incorporation of standard symbols and features when representing a source or a specific target. Goldschmidt ecucidates on how creative sketching can moderate the problem space by showing the representation behavior depicted in the sketches. While drawing has undergone evolution over the years with improvement of paper, Goldschmidt argues that it is recemmended for skilled sketchers to integrate orthogonal projections in their skecthes for complete representaion. Though a number of researcher suggest the benefits of imagery over sketches, Goldschmidt strongly disapproves this allegation. Concerning the beneficial aspect of skething on sharpening one’s creative imagination and reflective skills, I wholly support Goldschmidt. Though not every person or child may possess good skething skills or simply the passion as every individual has their innate capabilities. His ack nowlededgement of the fact that skething in a child improves over time to a detailed level is largely accurate as regular practice in sketching advances over time. However, I do not subscibe to the idea that emphasizes on the necessity of incorporating orthogonal projection as I strongly believe that each artist has their own way of enhancing their sketches. This takes me to the point that sketching is a liberated field and so every sketcher should do their own style. Lastly, I concur with Goldschmidt in emphasizing that sketches speak volumes as compared to imagery and they are easier to interpret. Although th use of imagery is crucial in creative writing, it is best suited for longer works besides involving some element of reading skills. Schon, D. 1983, ‘Design as a reflective conversation with the situation’, The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action, Basic Books, New York, pp. 76-104. Schon complains about the little attention that architecture has received over the years especially considering the fact that most design professions derive their foundation from architecture as field. He goes ahead to affirm how design can manifest as a reflective conversation more so in difficult and complex circumstances and situations. Schon categorically mentions in his article the close relationship between verbal and non-verbal communication, clearly depicting the essence of design as an architectural tool in eliminating language barrier. In reflecting the design aspects, Schon agrees that the shape plays an important role in architectural design as it forms silent reflective conversations with the subjects. Besides, he states the role of different shapes in as far as enhancing space is concerned. Schon claims that there are three dimensions attached to architectural design namely the consequences of the design sphere, the implications of the discovery, and the ability to respond to the situation. Schon argues that architectural desig n is crucial in solving problems of geometrical nature through critical and analytical reflection of the elements of design domain. I agree with Schon’s claim that architecture as the mother of all designs does not get the deserved acknowledgement in as far as

Case Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case - Assignment Example In this case, competition is rife and a good image is likely to create a competitive advantage for St Margaret’s Hospital. 2. The issue related to brand name is that there is a general feeling that the name Margaret is old fashioned and is no longer commonly used. However, the brand name should not be changed for good reasons that include the following. This is a church owned institution and this should be reflected in the name of the hospital. The name itself makes the hospital distinct from other healthcare institutions operating in this particular area. If the name is changed, people may be confused hence it should be maintained for the sake of the people who identify with the catholic mission. 3. Mary should focus on the core services offered by the institution and attention should be given to the fact that this institution is not for profit. This helps to attract people if there is a clear distinction from other competitors in the same sector. Mary should also try to target competent medical personnel to join the institution so as to improve its reputation as a force to reckon with in the health care profession. The advertisements should target the less privileged people in society so as to make a distinction between the catholic hospital and other institutions that are for profit making. This differentiation strategy is advantageous in the targeted people can easily identify with their preferred institution for all their medical requirements. 4. St Margaret’s hospital should pursue activities that are socially responsible in the communities they operate so as to build a strong and positive corporate image. The institution should engage in activities that are meant to benefit the less privileged members of the society so as to appeal to the interests of many people. Since this is a not for profit organization, the institution should try to offer free medication to people with special cases who cannot afford to pay for their medical expenses.

Economic Theory of Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Economic Theory of Capitalism - Essay Example It can be said that capitalism has had a huge impact on the sovereignty of the states, which have come to depend on it completely. It has, in fact, been said that it undermines state sovereignty because decisions that governments have to make have to put into consideration their impact on international affairs (Anderson 85). An example of this is oil-exporting countries, which heavily depend on the income from this product to fund their national budgets. Moreover, if these countries were to act in a way that displeases the international community, then they would be forced to abandon such decisions through the placing of sanctions on their exports by those countries, which import their oil (Hobson 64). Moreover, because of capitalism, many countries have economic interests in other countries. To protect these interests, it has become necessary for the power to meddle in the political affairs of the weaker ones. This has not only made the latter countries lose their sovereignty, but i t has also encouraged their overdependence on more developed nations for economic aid. In many countries, it has been found that economic power is disproportionately balanced so that a few hold most of the wealth while the rest only hold very little or none at all (Lenin 18). This has created a situation where individuals own the majority of the resources in the society and this has made the gap between the rich and the poor to widen. The rich become richer while the poor have continued to become poorer as the cost of living increases while their income has remained the same. The economic policies of many countries tend to be left in the hands of politicians, who make decisions about things or places they are unacquainted with, lack of adequate information about the framework to design effective and correct policies and programs to facilitate the development of their people. This has led many nations to pursue policies that are detrimental to the equal development of all their citiz ens, as they have tended to secure the status quo; namely, the rich being favored at the expense of the poor, who make up the majority of many societies the world over (Schumpeter 105). The potential for social chaos because of this, as propagated by Marx, is quite possible especially when one considers that the trickle effect policies propagated by capitalists do not seem to work. It is a fact that economic inequality is a reality among the majority of the world’s population and this has come about mainly because of the fact that capitalist policies have become dominant. Despite this situation being rampant the world over, most of the people with the power to make a difference are either unwilling or unable to do so because they do not want to disturb the status quo as it is.

Experience Working in the medical environment Essay

Experience Working in the medical environment - Essay Example The institution’s location is also suitable for learning. My background study into the institution also identifies competent staffs that are ready to mentor students in the profession’s scope and in leadership. Consequently, studying in the institution, instead of an alternative institution, will improve my chances of completing the program and my chances of securing a job and advancing in the field, besides empowering me with operational and leadership for the field. Compassion for patients is, however, my main reason for pursuing the field of study and this developed from an experience in which care personnel mistreated my friend during our early adolescence. The friend had collapsed and when we took him to the nearest health facility, the personnel appeared preoccupied with other patients and presumed that the friend could have been under influence of drugs and that we could be an illegal gang. This treatment hurt me and I purposed to work in an environment in which I can interact with patients in such a condition and offer them the necessary services. My secondary objective into the field is to play a leadership role and ensure that medical assistants offer patients proper treatment.Working in the medical environment has been my dream and the scope of work of a medical assistant, that involves clinical service, seems to offer an opportunity to fulfilling this dream.

The Current and Future use of Internet Technologies for LLOYDS TSB Essay

The Current and Future use of Internet Technologies for LLOYDS TSB Bank - Essay Example The first ATM put up by City Bank of New York heralded the era where technology graduated from being a superficial accessory to being an integral part of the entire banking process. The present form of online banking finds its roots in the pioneering initiative launched by four of the major banks of New York, Citibank, Chemical Bank, Chase Manhattan and Manufacturers Hanover bank. These banks simultaneously, yet individually, offered home banking services that allowed bank customer to maintain records as well as carry out transactions without leaving the comforts of their home (Mary J.C., 1997) Internet Banking received a major boost with the rapid development and penetration of banking activities conducted over the internet. Activities like money transfer and securities trading can be done through internet banking. It’s a virtual bank in itself which is often an extension of its brick and mortar model. With expanding information technology it is wise for the banks to adopt and leverage it, for expansion of business and better and faster delivery of services to the customer. Some of the benefits of internet banking are:Â   Internet banking is being used both in B2B (business to business) and retail banking. There are also some banks which only have a virtual presence, for example Nexity Bank. Generally bigger banks tend to offer internet banking. This is because smaller banks often find the cost of the service unprofitable before they expand to a certain scale (Gup B.E., 2003) Lloyds TSB is the largest retail bank in UK serving over 30 million customers. Being one of the largest banks in UK and the world, it has taken to internet technology in a big way and offers an array of services to its customers over the internet. Some of the internet banking services offered by TSB are like payment of bills, management of direct debit and standing orders, online application for savings account– over draft –

Neoliberalism And Urban Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Neoliberalism And Urban Environment - Essay Example It is characterized by freedom and liberty. In a liberalist perspective, they view such concept as letting the people decide of what they want and without any intervention or influence by others or the government itself. It advocates a free market policy and tries to open the economic possibilities of doing business globally. In such time, great thinkers and even ordinary people are hungry for a development, hungry for another structure that would best cater the interests of the public. People want something new in the system that governs them. As a result of hunger, they in turn had given birth to neoliberalism that until now is a living idea that influences the world, a science that helped and continue to help in shaping the world. Neoliberalism is a set of principles and theories governing economics. These are principles and theories that are widely influenced by Adam Smith. These are theories mostly used in dealing with the problems of developing countries and the relationship in trade and commerce of developed and developing countries. Neoliberalism is greatly linked to Frederick von Hayek's theories of economics, the IMF and departments of economics such as the Economics department of the University of Chicago. Neoliberalism became a central concept to critical researchers in the realm of economics in the 1990's. Neoliberalism, a globally pervasive political project with manifestations at a variety of scales, strives to resurrect the classical economic works of Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus, and David Ricardo to name some. The context in which classical economists were working in, the 18th Century is marked with ideals of democracy and citizenship in which the theory of liberalism was sculptured and developed. The western political theory of liberalism sought to free a 'natural' market from the unnatural control of government. Few seem to argue the merits of a democratic society and the role of political and economic freedom. Although democracy has room for improvement and development, it is no longer a movement without precedence that is looking for an eloquent theory to act as agent. Neoliberalism suggests there is something new and different about the goals of contemporary liberalism. It is referred to by some liberalist thinkers as an offspring of liberalism. In general terms, the 'new' of neoliberalism is the idea that there are inevitable external market forces that will require structural change; and that structural change is only applied to select institutionalizations of the state (Peck 2004). This idea is 'new' compared to classical liberalism because neoliberals work to diminish the state to a point of near death, whereas classical liberalists recognized the state as a necessary evil to be looked at with skepticism. And, again in general terms, the difference between neoliberalism and its root liberalist ideals is the contextual embedded ness - different times develop different ideas. And, neoliberals are not necessarily fighting a totalitarian state as their liberalist predecessors had. NEOLIBERALISM PROPONENTS AND VIEWS One of the great thinkers that made his name famous in this field was Frederick von Hayek who founded the Mont Pelerin society in 1947. The main objective of the Mont Pelerin society was to establish a free market which is not in control of the government

History of public administration Essay Example for Free

History of public administration Essay Glossary Bibliography Biographical Sketch Summary Historical accounts of African public administration often highlight the colonial setting and usually overlook pre-colonial Africa. The African civil service has its roots in precolonial institutions on which European powers relied to build the colonial state and consolidate their administration. Thus, this chapter analyzes the development of African administration from the pre-colonial era up to the present. The first section discusses the pre-colonial period. The colonial system constitutes the second section. The third section deals with the post-colonial period and discusses some problems associated with African administration. 1. The Pre-Colonial Period: From the Ashes of Pharaohs to the Berlin Conference At the end of the prehistoric period (10 000 BC), some African nomadic bands began to settle more permanently in villages along the Nile River to develop the political foundation of ancient Egypt. As these early farmers increased their mastery over soil and animal life, irrigation became a key development strategy to increase food production, which in turn multiplied their populations. Eventually, different villages came to recognize their common interests, to coordinate their efforts and broaden community linkages. People from different communities joined together through confederation or conquest for purposes of commerce or defense, and developed African  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since Emizet F. Kisangani empires, kingdoms, and chieftaincies. Two types of systems, hierarchical political systems and horizontal or acephalous societies, developed to help generate stable communities and foster prosperity. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S Stateless societies were small political entities and had no bureaucracies as they were mostly based on kinship. Hierarchical societies, however, had bureaucracies to carry out certain functions such as collecting taxes, supervising ceremonies, entertaining dignitaries, and compelling people to do the rulers’ bidding. These polities, which evolved before the arrival of Europeans in Africa, were either centralized or decentralized political entities presided over by emperors, kings, chiefs, or military commanders. The following analysis covers the first hierarchical form of rule that emerged some three millennia BC in ancient Egypt, followed by a brief overview of Medieval Africa. The final sub-section discusses the African administration up to the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885. 1. 1. Ancient Civilization of Africa: The Case of Egypt Around 3300 BC, farming lineages along the Nile Valley joined together as villages to increase production of food and to defend themselves against outsiders. From these villages regional confederations of Upper and Lower Egypt developed. By 3100 BC, a central authority emerged and unified these confederations under the rule of divine pharaohs. From 2700 to 2181, six dynasties succeeded each other to form the Old Kingdom. A century and a half of civil war and provincial rivalries gave rise to the First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdoms that ruled Egypt from 2080 to 1640 BC. The Middle Kingdom was replaced by the Second Intermediate Period and the New Kingdom from 1570 to 1090 BC. Three dynasties (18th through 20th) ruled in the New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period began around 1089 BC with the Kushite Kings. The Egyptian empire was multinational consequent to the conquest of foreign nations. The Old and Middle Kingdoms were highly centralized and ruled by â€Å"god-kings† or pharaohs. With its capital at Memphis, the Old Kingdom was divided into provinces. Next to the king was the vizier, the administrative hand of the king, who was also in charge of day to day administrative, fiscal, and judicial matters. Although very few administrative documents have survived, court documents provide a glimpse of the Egyptian bureaucracy. Three basic administrative divisions existed: the Department of the Head of the South, the Office of Government Labor, and the Treasury. The Palermo Stone provides further evidence of administrative structure in the collection of revenue and in the assessment of Egyptian wealth. On the Stone was documented a biennial administrative census that left nothing unaccounted for, so that taxes could be assessed even on the basis of canals, lakes, wells, and trees of an estate. The system consisted of a hierarchical structure with diverse administrative agencies spreading throughout the kingdom for effective management. Another governmental task was the administration of justice, on which was founded the concept of ma‘at (or justice), whereby some high priests bore the title of priest of Ma‘at. In addition to the capital city of Memphis, there were other towns of importance that  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since Emizet F. Kisangani made up provinces headed by town governors, who were also chief priests in charge of temple revenue in many parts of Ancient Egypt. Provincial temples were the subject of central government regulations to avoid any strong power at the provincial level. However, during the first intermediate period, the office of governor in charge of civil affairs became the office of chief priest. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S The role of bureaucracy in these early kingdoms was to facilitate the transfer of resources from different provinces to the king’s court. If early administrations were in charge of maintaining irrigation and agricultural output, later administrations seemed to be more involved in supervising construction work and wealth transfer. The proliferation of these later types of bureaucracies, at the expense of those that used to maintain the agricultural system, would probably have produced pressures on the agricultural output and might have been the first sign of political decay in Ancient Egypt. The centralized system itself between the king, court officers, and ambitious governors may also have led to the same result. The New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period generated a great mass of documentation about Egyptian political and administrative life. The form of government remained the same, based on divine kingship. The government always stressed the religious function of the political system. Under the auspices of Gods, the government was expected to maintain the integrity of Egyptian territory and expand its frontiers. The most important function of the government was to create civic and individual security, and the vizier carried out the duty of ensuring that law and regulations were obeyed throughout the bureaucracy. The society was divided into hierarchical stratifications with the king at the top, a small group of high-ranking and wealthy officials next, and a much larger group of bureaucrats (scribes), priests, soldiers, stable masters, citizens, cultivators, and herdsmen filling the bottom layer. The Egyptian political system under the New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period was divided into an internal government and a government of conquests. Internally, the civil government was run by two viziers (northern and southern), overseer of the granaries of upper and lower Egypt, and the chief taxing master. The two viziers also supervised the overseer of the treasury and lower level officials in charge of bureaucracy, judiciary, and the police. At the lowest level of the administrative hierarchy were the chiefs, town mayors, and councils. The government of conquests had several governors who supervised vassal kings and their battalion commanders. Most of the Northern Lands were small and scattered, and under the direct control of various battalion commanders. The goal of this decentralization scheme was to obstruct anyone from controlling a large estate and challenging the king’s power. The governor of the Southern Lands was the Viceroy of Kush and his role became important internally at the end of the Twentieth Dynasty. He also supervised two deputies and a battalion commander. Military forces were all centralized under one commander. In addition to these administrative entities, there existed a religious government hierarchy, with the â€Å"overseer of prophets† at the top, a position held at various times by a vizier who was the head of two high priests. Below them was the priesthood bureaucracy. The corps of the centralized system was maintained by a small group of powerful officials. They headed each department and reported directly to the king who appointed  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since Emizet F. Kisangani and removed them. The bureaucracy consisted of a group of educated scribes whose role consisted of collecting taxes, conducting censuses, regulating agriculture, and administering justice and law with a small police force. A professional army was divided into various units, each with its own hierarchy of officers. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S Pressures on land and rising inflation may have been politically significant in later days of the New Kingdom, though bureaucratic inefficiency and abuse of power were probably the main causes of economic collapse. Besides the deterioration of administrative integrity, another major cause that weakened the kingship was the changing relationship between the king, civil government, army, and a few powerful families. Some families came to control major economic resources of the state, and the civil service became less susceptible to royal control. In addition, the kings’ tours of their provinces became less frequent, and royal princes and other deputies carried out religious rites formerly performed by the kings. During the ensuing Third Intermediate Period (1069 664 BC), Egypt was in perpetual crisis and the Egyptian civilization disappeared after the Roman conquest around 30 BC. In summary, the evolution of Ancient Egypt is characterized by the rise and fall of large scale governments that reflect alternating periods of unification and fragmentation. 1. 2. Medieval Africa Medieval Africa was different from the Ancient in several respects. First, Medieval leaders attempted to balance local traditions and regional autonomy in response to their peoples needs by developing and consolidating large-scale kingdoms and empires for purposes of trade or defense. A second difference was the impact of Islam on African societies. Muslims believed that one God (Allah) called on them to undertake jihads (commonly known as holy war against non-believers) when necessary. The most renowned of Africas medieval empires of Mali, Songhay and Morocco rose to the highest stages of their international influence with Islam as the imperial religion. Other medieval African kingdoms and empires developed indigenous political ideologies based on regional customs and beliefs, while Coptic Christianity remained the official state religion in the Abyssinian kingdom of medieval Ethiopia. In 969 A. D. , Muslims from the Maghreb conquered Egypt and established the Fatimid Dynasty in Cairo (c. 970-1170 A. D. ), which was highly hierarchical and whose military was highly professionalized. This strict hierarchy of officials, and the controlling powers of the vizier, left room neither for the autonomous tendencies of provincial governors nor for the growth of widespread corruption. Tolerant of other religions, the system let Copts and Jews occupy prestigious positions in the administration. The centralized administration controlled tax revenues, the payment of troops, and the allocation of military fiefs. The Fatimid administration was in charge of regulating and distributing the waters of the Nile River. Dams and canals were regularly repaired and improved; even an occasional period of low water did not greatly damage the general economic situation. When the Fatimid rule in Egypt was threatened by European Christian Crusaders (c. 1170), it was Egypts professional soldiers, or Mamluks (slave-soldier), who rallied behind Saladin to defeat the Crusaders. He then established a new Mamluk Dynasty in  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since Emizet F. Kisangani Cairo from 1171 to1517. By the thirteenth century, the institution of the slave-soldiers became an integral part of the political and social system in many Muslim countries. The Mamluk oligarchy never accepted in its ranks someone who was not a slave soldier, so that the military establishment not only remained hierarchical, but also continued to be a caste dominated by slave soldiers. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S Most Mamluk caliphates were divided into military fiefs centralized under one single Caliph. The basic administrative entity was the village because the Mamluk dynasty obtained most of its revenues from landed estates. A major innovation to ensure payment was that the peasants were prohibited from leaving their villages without permission. In addition to land taxes, the Mamluk caliphates drew their revenues from customs duties, based on ad valorem and the religion of the merchants, so that Christian importers had to pay taxes as high as 30%, whereas Muslim importers paid only 10%. This canonical tax was abolished under the reform of 1316. Several other kingdoms, such as Ghana and Mali, developed in Medieval Western Sudan. But the best known was the Kingdom of Songhay founded around the trading town of Gao (c. 1000 A. D. ). The Songhay Kingdom broke away from Mali and subsequently arose to become the third great empire in the medieval western Sudan (c. 1460-1590). Songhays founding emperor, Sunni Ali, established imperial authority northward into the Sahara in order to control international trade routes and valuable deposits of rock salt (which was mined and cut into large blocks to be traded for gold). Following Ali’s death, one of his generals, Muhammad Toure, overthrew the legitimate heir, and embarked on a hajj to Mecca. In 1496 he returned to wage jihad against nonMuslims. He conquered new territories and ruled over Songhays expanded empire as Caliph of West Africa. Under Muhammads authority (1493-1528), Songhay, especially the towns of Timbuktu and Jenne, rose to become one of the medieval worlds largest multinational empires. The administrative system was open enough to provide lower level citizens some type of upward social mobility. The empire was highly decentralized and Islam was used as a tool to assimilate different communities. Different categories of slaves cultivated fields, constructed adobe buildings and mosques, acted as porters, or served as soldiers and officials in the imperial government. Some of the latter rose through government and military bureaucracies by virtue of meritorious work to achieve high positions of administrative responsibility, as did soldier Muhammad Toure, when he rose by military merit to become a general and then became the emperor of Songhay. As emperor of Songhay, Muhammad established effective central supervision over provincial governors. He also reformed Songhays imperial government so that merit (rather than birth) became the principal criterion for advancement in bureaucracy. Eventually, after Muhammad became blind and was deposed in 1528, Songhays trans-Saharan trade declined. This was also partly due to competition from European sea traders along the West African Atlantic coast, which undercut the trans-Saharan gold trade. After severe political crises of succession disputes, rebellions and civil war that Songhay emperors faced during the 1580s, their imperial army was decisively defeated by Moroccos elite musketeers at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591. Other kingdoms and chieftaincies came up throughout Central, Eastern and Southern  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since Emizet F. Kisangani Africa. Although some of these polities were decentralized or confederated, most of them developed as centralized systems where the king or the chief represented the top, followed by the house of the king or an inner circle of advisors, and finally the Council of Elders as the legislative branch. The army and bureaucrats were in charge of maintaining security and law, collecting taxes, and conducting censuses. In most polities, age was a major social feature of stratification, while in other areas the system was meritocractic. 1. 3. Beyond the Medieval Era to the Nineteenth Century U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S In the late 1500s and through the 1700s, Europeans and Arabs introduced new weapons and made new demands for captives of war throughout Africa to meet the demands of a growing international slave trade. Consequently, many of Africa’s previous patterns of political and economic growth were disrupted, even though many of the great traditions of medieval African politics and administration continued to guide their evolution. As African kingdoms and empires continued to develop, and trade between coastal cities and interior regions expanded throughout the continent, various African peoples established political confederations based on religious ideology, commercial linkages and/or military authority. Such confederations were committed to establishing broader nationalist ideologies, promoting literacy and advancement by merit, expanding both regional and international commerce, and undertaking significant administrative and military reforms. The first great reformer and leader in North Africa was an Ottoman military commander, Muhammad Ali (1805-1848). He established the first secular schools, engineering and medical colleges, modern factories, modern printing presses, and stateowned textile and munitions factories. His successors continued his policies of borrowing foreign capital and building projects, such as the Suez Canal that was completed in 1869. In the west, the original Asante confederation, established by seven clans near the city of Kumasi (in modern day Ghana), united around the symbolic Golden Stool of their ruler Asante-Hene. This confederation built roads and promoted agriculture, commerce, industry and education through self-help and self-reliance. The Asante emperors implemented several modernization policies in administration that included promoting advancement by merit and the development of state enterprise through public investment. By 1874, the British imperial army defeated the Asante army and annexed the Fante territories into their Gold Coast colony. In East Africa (c. 1800-1885), there was also a movement toward centralization of authority and broadened commercial linkages throughout the region, from Ethiopia’s Highlands to the Limpopo River in Southern Africa. In the first half of the nineteenth century, however, Africa continued to be significantly disrupted by international trade in slaves, even as new Euro-American markets began to demand large imports of such African-based commodities as palm oil, cotton, peanuts, and ivory. By mid-century, European merchants realized that Africans could produce such valuable exports more efficiently and humanely by working in their own countries than by working as slaves in the Americas. Many other nineteenth century African nations were consciously modernizing their various political economies and shifting to regional confederacies,

Code of Ethics Paper Essay Example for Free

Code of Ethics Paper Essay Most professional healthcare organizations have defined a mission statement, a code of ethics, and core values. These three documents must be agreement with each other and work together to define the organization. A mission statement communicates the overall purpose of the organization, and uses concepts such as philosophy or distinctive factors (Babnik, Breznik, Dermol, 2014). A code of ethics is defined as â€Å"one of the characteristics of a profession. It is defined by the profession through the professional association and serves to inform members of that profession and society about the profession’s expectations in ethical matters† (Kikuchi, 2005). Finally, core values are the chosen principles or virtues on which importance is placed (Fremgen, 2009). Here we will discuss these aspects of the American Nurses Association (ANA), as well as the relationship between the organizations goals, social responsibility, and the congruence between the ethical values and those of the professionals who belong to the organization. The nurse, in all professional relationships, practice with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems. The nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group or community. The nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the health, safety and rights of the patient. The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to preserve integrity and safety, to maintain competence, and to continue personal and professional growth. The nurse participates in establishing, maintaining and improving health care environments and conditions of employment conducive to the provision of quality health care and consistent with the values of the profession through individual and collective action. The nurse participates in the advancement of the profession through contributions to practice, education, administration and knowledge development. The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public promoting community, national and international efforts to meet health needs. The profession of nursing, as represented by associations and their members, is responsible for articulating nursing values, for maintaining the integrity of the profession and its practice, and for shaping social policy. The relationship between an association’s nurse’s culture, ethical behavior and decision making can be divided into severe parts. According to the Ethics Resource Center when serving the health care industry place more emphasis on profit, they risk losing their integrity. Health care practices that are more concerned with their place in the market often face greater challenges in maintaining ethical standards. Administrators, doctors and other health care workers provide ineffective care when their priorities become skewed. Care eventually is eroded when the organization’s culture promotes greed and power over patient-centered care. Now there are seven guidelines in making ethic decision making when individuals find themselves in the position to make decisions, they should first consider some of the guidelines associated with ethical decision-making, and keep these in mind throughout the entire decision-making process. Nurses deal with people during some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. It is therefore critical that there be a clear description of the duties and obligations that are an integral part of being a nurse. A high standard of ethics and personal responsibility is imperative. The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics is a nine-part that defines the expectations and responsibilities of the professional nurse. A code of ethics makes the primary values, obligations, and goals of a profession explicit. The American Nurses Association code of ethics serves a few purposes. It is a succinct statement of the ethical obligations and duties of every individual who enters the nursing profession. It is also the professions nonnegotiable ethical standard. The American Nurses Association code of ethics is also an expression of nursing’s own understanding of its commitment to society (ANA, n. d. ). Part of the statement of purpose, or mission statement, is that the American Nurses Association is dedicated to ensuring that an adequate supply of highly skilled and well educated nurses are available. The American Nurses Association is committed to meeting the needs of nurses as well as health care consumers. The code of ethics for nurses was established as an example for handling the responsibilities as a nurse in a behavior consistent with quality nursing care and the ethical responsibilities of the occupation. One ethical theory the American Nurses Association bases their code of ethics on is ethical relativism. They believe that people’s opinions vary from society to society and what one person believes is right is not necessarily what another person believes. This relates particularly to autonomy due to the fact that each individual is allowed to make their own decisions based on their care. The patient has the choice to accept or decline the care offered by their medical provider. the medical team has to abide by the patients choice whether or not they agree with it. another ethical theory that the American Nurses Association stands behind is deontology. Deontology, according to American Nurses Association (2014), â€Å"examines a situation for the essential moral worth of the intention of act, or rightness or wrongness of the act†. This theory correlates well with beneficence because it essentially means to be compassionate. As a nurse it is important to attempt and do well in every aspect of your job but it is most important to strive to help each individual to the best of ability. Most codes of ethics have little to say regarding charter and virtue, as such moral values are difficult to methodize than rules and principles of behavior. The American Nurses Association code is arguably unique in its relative emphasis on virtue and character, most especially the virtue of compassion. Most ethicists today recognize the importance of virtue and character in concert with the recognition of rules and principles in order to achieve a more complete and fulfilling moral life and in order to more sincerely and authentically discharge one’s moral duties. Even in the American Nurses Association code, the primary intended interpretation is likely to have been deontological and contractarian, but the importance of character and virtue is not ignored either.