Early Christian, Jewish, and Byzantine Art

Early Christian art spans from the first to fifth centuries followed by the vast era of Byzantine art from the fifth century to the 16th century in Eastern Europe. Much of the art during this period had a religious context or enacted a religious purpose. The paintings and mosaics were meant to remind worshippers of their God, and the architecture was meant to serve both functional and aesthetic purposes. When Constantine I issued the Edict of Milan in 313 and moved the center of the Roman’s empire from Rome to Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire and Constantinople became the center of power and culture. The architecture of the Christian era came in two forms: the basilica and central plans. The basilica plan typically contains a large nave, an apse and an atrium on either end, clerestory windows, and two side aisles along the nave. This plan is found in The Church of Santa Sabina. The central plan, or tholos, served as tombs, martyrs’ churches, or baptisteries. These plans typically contain either a sarcophagus or altar at the center and most often have a large dome on top. This plan is found in the Church of Santa Costanza and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, which employs the cruciform, or cross-shaped, style. Mosaics during the Christian era sometimes used syncretic images such as in Harvesting of Grapes in the ambulatory of the Church of Santa Costanza. The architecture of Byzantine art is characterized much by the Church of Hagia Sophia, or â€Å"Holy Wisdom. † This church combines the two floor plans of the Christian period, basilica and central. It has pendentives to hold its massive dome, flowing layers of half domes along its exterior wall, and many windows to let the gold on the mosaics shimmer. The Church of San Vitale is designed in a central plan but is interesting in that it has a very modest, unassuming exterior, but a complex, mosaic-covered interior. Two mosaics depicting Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora represent how artists employed reverse perspective. The Transifguration of Christ as St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai depicts Christ in a blue mandorla which represents royalty and glory. The mosaics in later centuries depict Christ in a Pantokrator fashion: a bust level portrait of Christ with book in one hand and â€Å"peace† in other. This Late Byzantine art also depicts Christ in new ways, such as the Crucifixion and together with Mary in Virgin of Vladmir.

Arizona vs Grant Case

On August 25, 1999, acting on an anonymous tip that the residence at 2524 North Walnut Avenue was being used to sell drugs Tucson police officers Griffith and Reed knocked on the front door and asked to speak to the owner. Gant answered the door and, after identifying himself stated that he expected the owner to return later. The officers left the residence and conducted a records check, which revealed that Gant’s driver’s license had been suspended and there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest for driving with a suspended license. When the officers returned to the house that evening they found a man near the back of the house and a woman in a car parked in front of it. After a third officer arrived they arrested the man for providing a false name and the woman for possessing drug paraphernalia. Both arrestees were handcuffed and secured in separate patrol cars when Gant arrived. The officers recognized his car as it entered the driveway and Officer Griffith confirmed that Gant was the driver by shining a flashlight into the car as it drove by him. Gant parked at the end of the driveway got out of his car and shut the door. Griffith who was about 30 feet away called to Gant, and they approached each other meeting 10 to 12 feet from Gant’s car. Griffith immediately arrested Gant and handcuffed him. Because the other arrestees were secured in the only patrol cars at the scene Griffith called for backup. When two more officers arrived they locked Gant in the backseat of their vehicle. After Gant had been handcuffed and placed in the back of a patrol car two officers searched his car One of them found a gun and the other discovered a bag of cocaine in the pocket of a jacket on the backseat. Gant was charged with two offenses possession of a narcotic drug for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia the plastic bag in which the cocaine was found He moved to suppress the evidence seized from his car on the ground that the warrantless search violated the Fourth Amendment Among other things Gant argued that Belton did not authorize the search of his vehicle because he posed no threat to the officers after he was handcuffed in the patrol car and because he was arrested for a traffic offense for which no evidence could be found in his vehicle. I think that to better prepare for such an inquiry officers should focus on articulating the reasonableness of any such search based on the following facts and circumstances: (1) Distance: The distance between the arrestee and the place to be searched. 2) Restraints: Whether the arrestee was handcuffed or otherwise restrained what kind of Restraints were used and whether the arrestee was handcuffed in the front or back (3) Display of guns or other weapons by officers: Whether the police had weapons drawn or pointed at the arrestee or other suspects (4) Positioning: Whether the police were positioned so as to block the arrestee suspects and bystanders from the area to be searched. (5) Access: The ease of access to the area or container itself to include whether a container is open or closed locked or unlocked. 6) Numbers: The number of officers present versus the number of arrestees, suspects, or bystanders. (7) Arrestee’s conduct: Attempts made by the suspect before during, or after the arrest to access the area to be searched. (8) Reasonable change in circumstances: Do police need to move the arrestee away from a dangerous environment into another private area or can police articulate a legitimate need to retrieve something such as the arrestee’s shoes or clothing? Searches of a Vehicle Following Arrest of an Occupant or Recent Occupant: Two Potential Justifications Arrestee could access the vehicle Gant held that police might search a vehicle incident to arrest when the arrestee an occupant or recent occupant of the vehicle is unsecured and within reaching distance of the passenger compartment at the time of the search. The Court noted, It will be the rare case in which an officer is unable to fully effectuate an arrest so that a real possibility of access to the arrestee’s vehicle remains. In such a rare case however an SIA of the passenger compartment would be reasonable under the Fourth Amendment. Since Chimel justifies this search officers may search for weapons any evidence of any crime and means of escape. Offense related evidence might be in the vehicle. Even if the arrestee can no longer access the vehicle’s passenger compartment the Court held that an SIA will also be permitted when it is reasonable to believe evidence relevant to the crime of arrest might be found in the vehicle. In many cases, such as arrests for traffic violations or outstanding arrest warrants there will be no reasonable basis to believe that the vehicle contains relevant evidence of the crime. In other cases however such as arrests for possession of controlled substances the basis of the arrest will supply an acceptable rationale for searching the arrestee’s passenger compartment and any containers inside. In a case where the search is justified by the possibility of locating offense related evidence in the vehicle officers are limited to searching only those places in the passenger compartment where the offense related evidence might be located. How to define the reasonable to believe standard? Is it the same as probable cause or is it something less? One must compare the search incident to arrest exception in Gant to another firmly established search warrant exception to find the most likely answer. In U. S. v. Carroll the Supreme Court established the mobile conveyance exception to the Fourth Amendment search warrant requirement. under this exception an officer may search a readily mobile conveyance without a warrant upon probable cause that it contains evidence or contraband. Once this standard is met the officer may search any area of the vehicle to include the trunk compartment if that area may contain the objects of the search. The rule in a Gant search incident to arrest however first requires a lawful custodial arrest of an occupant or recent occupant of a vehicle. A search of the passenger compartment incident to arrest is then justified by a reasonable belief that evidence of the crime of arrest might be in the car. If Gant’s reasonable to believe standard is equal to probable cause then the Court has created an M. C. Escher-like puzzle. An officer who has made a custodial arrest and has a reasonable belief equated to probable cause that evidence of the crime of arrest might be in the car could search only the passenger compartment. An officer who has made no arrest but has probable cause to believe that evidence of any crime is in the car could search the entire vehicle. In other words the officer who meets the higher standard custodial arrest probable cause for particular evidence gets to search less but the officer who meets the lesser standard probable cause for any evidence can search more. At best the Court would have created a new search warrant exception that is instantly swallowed by another that has existed for almost 85 years. The better explanation is that reasonable means. easonable. There is no need to equate reasonable to believe to a percentage or particular level of probability in fact the Supreme Court has stated the test of reasonableness under the Fourth Amendment is not capable of precise definition or mechanical application. Rather as in issues regarding an officer’s use of force the proper application of the reasonableness standard requires careful attention to the facts and circums tances of each particular case and must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene. The ultimate question should be whether another reasonable officer if confronted with the same facts and circumstances could believe that evidence of the arrestee’s crime might be found in the vehicle the arrestee recently occupied. Facts and circumstances leading to such a reasonable belief will include information about the offense and the offender the age of the information the nature of the crime at issue the behavior of the arrestee before during and after the arrest ownership and control of the vehicle and results of questioning arrestees and occupants. The Court did not expound upon why it believed vehicles to be special in this context but Justice Scalia’s concurrence in Thornton from which the language was taken reminds us that motor vehicles are a category of effects which give rise to a reduced expectation of privacy and heightened law enforcement needs. Therefore it appears as though officers may not justify a search of an arrestee’s non vehicular lunging area based upon a reasonable belief that evidence of his crime might be found therein. Rather they will have to articulate reason to believe that the arrestee could access the area at the time of the search. Other Vehicle Search Exceptions Remain Available If an officer cannot justify a search of a vehicle incident to arrest under Gant or is uncertain whether an SIA is warranted other established exceptions to the search warrant requirement remain available to safeguard evidence and protect the safety of officers. 1) If an officer has a reasonable suspicion that a passenger or recent occupant of a vehicle whether arrested or not is dangerous and may gain access to a weapon he may frisk the passenger compartment for weapons This exception is known as a Terry frisk of the vehicle. (2) If the officer has probable cause that the vehicle contains evidence of criminal activity the officer may conduct a thorough search of any area of the vehicle in which the evidence might be found. This exception is the aforementioned mobile conveyance exception or the Carroll Doctrine. (3) If an officer conducting an arrest reasonably suspects that a dangerous person is hiding in a nearby vehicle he may conduct a protective sweep of the vehicle by looking in places where such a person might be concealed. (4) Consent will always allow an officer to search as long as it is given voluntarily by one with actual or apparent authority to give it and the officer stays within the boundaries of the consent given. 5) Although not permitted for use as a criminal search tool an officer who effects a lawful impound of a vehicle may inventory its contents in accordance with standardized agency policy. If the inventory is performed lawfully any evidence or contraband identified during the process may be seized and used as evidence in a criminal prosecution and may provide justification for another warrant exception. References ^ â€Å"Law professor Tomkovicz writes brief for case in upcomin g Supreme Court term†. The Press-Citizen. 2008-09-29. http://www. google. com http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Arizona_v. _Gant

Human equality (Man & Woman) Essay

Introduction Human Equality means the state of being equal before the eyes of God. All have equal responsibilities, equal rights, and equal parts in the society they belong. In ancient times men did not treat the woman – folk with justice and fairness, they show arrogant in that time and show to the woman that they are more intelligent and more knowledgeable from them. The inferiority complex from which woman suffers has its roots in the remote past. The social framework which has remained basically unchanged assigned to her a status much lower than that of man. According to the scriptures that woman was created for the man to be a â€Å"helpmeet† for him. Woman got its named because she was â€Å"taken out of man†. Her obligations were for marriage, procreation, establishing and maintaining a home, providing for the family, and as personal companionship of a husband. In ancient times man made society, the dice were heavily loaded against her. The powerful forces of custom, law and religion were ranged against her. Woman in ancient times could not own property in her own right. She could not choose her own mate. Woman had no right in anything around her. This research paper will discuss about the human equality happen to woman in the different places and to the different cultures they have. Body of the Paper Human Equality has been experience even since during ancient times, it is the practice of the people in the past that woman is not a high regard individual, the focus of the people at that time merely on the man who they think will be a great help for them. Human rights for the woman were being neglected. It is their belief that when a mother gives birth to a baby girl it is a bad luck for the family especially when it is the first born baby in the family. But when the mother gives birth to a baby boy the whole family well rejoice for the coming of the baby because they believed that it is a sign of good luck for them. Women rights refer to the social and human rights being an individual. From women’s involvement within the abolition movements, women became aware of the male dominance and oppression (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) in ancient times women are struggling for the equality treatment they get from their parents and from the people in the community. In ancient times in Athens woman role is to live controlled by the man in their lives and they are controlled by their father when they are not yet married. They are forced to marry in their teen’s period to a man whose age is 30s with the choose of their father, Once a woman was married her husband controlled all her property. Any property that she might have inherited would go directly to her husband, her obligations is just to follow what her husband wants and be a slave to him for the rest of her life. In Athens, woman had no rights to wander around the town, without a valid cause. Because they believed that any respectable woman would not be seen roaming in public. Athens women had virtually no political rights they don’t have the right to vote or to take part in the operation of the state. Woman was controlled by men at all stages of their lives they don’t have all the rights to go against the well of their husbands. They are totally the property of their husband. In Athens, the men usually spent most of their time away from their houses, women dominated their home life. In the absence of their husband the wife was in charge of raising the children and making clothes for the family. She’s responsible in supervising the daily running of the household chores. Athens is a totally slave based economy, where plentiful numbers of female slaves was their available for cooking, cleaning and carrying water from the fountain for the middle class families. In the poorest homes of Athens, the wife was expected to do all the household chores. At present times, Athenians women have already freedom from their husband. They can give birth normally and raise their child as what the other mother is doing. Women now can participate in all the activities in the society they belong. Some of the women now have a high position in their chosen career. In ancient China women lived under the rules set by Confucius. His doctrine stated that women weren’t equal to men, because according to him women were unworthy or incapable of a literary education they are just fitted to be a servant. Throughout ancient Chinese history women were in a position of servitude from birth until death. They were actually considered woman as a man’s private property (Heng) this was justified because they believed that â€Å"disorder of this world is not sent down by heaven, it is produced by women† (women in world history. com pg. 3). Women were subject from birth to their fathers and brothers. They had to obey them without question. Women were often despised by their fathers, so much so that many Chinese women had no name. They were simply called daughter No. 1, Daughter No. 2 and so on. At present government in China, Women are already recognized. They have an equal rights with the men in the society, The father can only suggest and recommend what is good for their children’s but the final decision come from the children. At this time in China after giving birth to the child they already got their names and they are already a part of the community. In the Islam concept, they propagate a concept of equality between man and woman because they believed that Allah has created both man and woman for their own specific purposes. Both have their own right to be respected and honored. But it is in their traditions that woman has no right to choose the right man for them to marry, it is the parents who will decide whom they will spend the rest of their lives. In this modern times, Islam women still agreed the decision of their parents in terms of their marriage, but some of them especially the educated ones choose whom they want to married not looking what might be the risk that they will get for their decisions. In these modern times the females enjoy their freedom to have quality education. Now they are free to go anywhere they want to travel. They can wear any styles of dresses and they can have anything’s they want to own. In Egypt, the woman were consistently concluding some contracts, including marriage and divorce settlements, purchase of property and even arrangements for self – enslavement, Under self – enslavement the servitude was stipulated for a limited number of years. And on the duration of self enslavement, women often received a salary of their labor. In regards to the occupation status of the woman the upper and middle class was limited only for the home and for the family for the reasons of the customary role of being the mother and the bearer of the children. In Egypt woman were not entrusted to any major religious task and any primary position in the government sector. At this present times in Egypt. Woman has already the rights to acquire quality education. And they have all the rights for a good job in the community. Some of the Egyptian women at this time have a good position in the government. They have all the rights to vote and can participate in any activities in the state. In Ancient Israel some of the liberal feminists believe that women were simply the property in Ancient Israel, and it is the men who have the complete control of female sexuality and fertility. In their society woman have had an inferior status in the law, their main obligations focus on their roles in the family, especially in the reproduction and upbringing of the children. The Jewish and Christian communities downgraded the place of the woman in the community. Because they believed that woman is only a part and they considered them as an outcast in the society. Today, Israel acknowledges the great participation of women in their success. Some of the women in their country at present serve in the government; they are now well respected and honored. Some of them get high positions in their chosen career; they have all the freedom to exercise their rights in the society. In 1950’s women were blamed for creating the ills of the society by just leaving their husbands and children to go to work, critics of the working mother maintained the view that if the woman were to ignore their deepest needs of domesticity and motherhood, it would lead to emotional instability. In that year equality reveal because men held the vast majority of the position in the work place and job opportunities offered to woman is only in the clerical positions. Despite the rapid success of recent years women still face many challenges in life. While they are equal under the law, Because of recent moves towards capitalism women have found it harder to find well paying jobs. Factories and businesses prefer to recruit men more because of women’s traditional responsibilities of having kids and maintaining households. Women are not seen as efficient as men are. So many women have gone into low-paying jobs or are receiving lower pay for the same work this though has had unfortunate side effect. Families, especially those in the country, want to have a boy to do heavy farm work and to continue the family line. If they get a girl it isn’t uncommon for her to be killed. Fewer girls than boys are enrolled education in some countries today, especially in poor areas. More than 70 percent of school dropouts are girls, some because many fathers want them to take a traditional role and look after the house. In ancient Romans, most women deal with the aristocracy. In the upper class families it was the men who got the best education and the best positions in the society. The women in their society shared over one overwhelming and pervasive role and responsibility as child bearer of the family. Roman women were usually married by the time they were twelve years old, sometimes even younger. Girls married very young and often died in childbirth because they were weakened from having many children without reprieve. Women were expected to have as many babies as they could because they were never sure how many of the children would reach the age of maturity. In Roman, women have no choice between having children or not, because they could not overrule their husband if he want to have a newborn baby from her. It is in their law that female infants could not bring the family name of the father and they are required to ask for a dowry in time of their marriage. The earliest power of the father was exercised over the exposure of the families, at birth, in a highly symbolic rite, newborns were be displayed – males and females – it is deposited at the feet of the father. He – without explanation or justification – either recognized the child as his by picking it up, or withheld his recognition by leaving it where it was, The recognized child will became the member of the family; and the unrecognized child was abandoned to the river or left to die by starvation. Roman Woman did have some personal freedom, but they had a little chance for individuality or personal choice. They were always the constant supervision of their fathers, husbands, male relatives, who regularly kissed them on the mouth to find out if they had drunk wine. It is their law that woman who drink wine, and to commit adultery will be punish by death. By their father or guardians. In Roman society the woman certain prescribed roles was a child bearer, mother, daughter, and wife. They are considered citizens but they were not permitted to vote or participate in the government functions. In Japan, in the early feudal period, samurai women were expected to exhibit loyalty, bravery, and take on the duty of revenge. As her warrior husband was often absent, the samurai wife also had important duties at home. Her responsibility was to cook food for the family and to do all the household chores. She was in charged to oversee the harvesting of crops, and managed of all the servants, and she’s responsible over all financial business in terms of earnings disorder. In all the matters concerning the well-being of the family, her advice was accepted and her opinions were respected. On her, custody fells the burden of providing the proper education of her children. She was required to instill a strong sense of loyalty to the samurai ideals of courage and physical strength. And the woman is required to obey and follow all the government procedures without any questions. Over the years, the independent samurai woman was replaced by an image which depicted the ideal samurai women as humble, obedience, self-controlled and above all subservient to men. Respecting one’s husband and family’s customs and tradition, and the rule of bearing a male child becomes one of the ideal woman’s most important tasks. By the later feudal ages, the law of primogeniture prevailed as increasing disputes over the claiming of the property that resulted that girls was being debarred from their rights to inherits properties from their parents and husbands. Supporting the deterioration in women’s position were both the Confucian doctrine and Buddhism which denigrated women’s intellectual and moral capacities to own a property of their own. After the 15th century, the teachings of the â€Å"Three Obedience’s† reigned. Stated as follows that; â€Å"A woman has no way of independence through life. When she is young, she obeys her father; when she is married, she obeys her husband; when she is widowed, she obeys her son. † A hundred years ago, women had little standing in the Church, like in society in general. Women were not allowed to receive communion during their monthly periods; and after giving birth to a child they needed to be ‘purified before re-entering a church building. Women were strictly forbidden to touch sacred objects such as, the chalice, the paten or altar linen†¦ They certainly could not distribute Holy Communion. In church, women needed to have their heads veiled at all times. Women were also barred from entering the sanctuary except for cleaning purposes reading Sacred Scripture from the pulpit, preaching, singing in a church choir, being Mass servers, becoming full members of confraternities and organizations of the laity, and the most important than all this that women were barred from receiving Holy Orders. In our time, a new awareness has arisen of human rights: of the basic equality of men and women, and of the need to secure equal opportunities to all. On account of this the attitude to women has also begun to change in the Church. Women may now be ‘temporarily deputed’ to be readers, Mass servers, cantors, preachers, leaders of prayer services, ministers of baptism and of Holy Communion. But the ban on ordination remains in place. Conclusions Human Equality in the Ancient times are difficult to achieved, the Woman in that times are maltreated and known to be an overcast of the society. They can’t fight for their rights because they are under the power of their father whom to be powerful for the control of their lives. Some of them suffered and died without any justice in their lives. In these modern times, Women are smarter than man, they have all the right before the laws, and they are free to do what is right for them. Some woman of today civilizations was holding high position in the government; they are exposed to any skills and works that only man can do. Since those early years, much progress has been made for women in developed and developing countries alike: in many countries, provisions guaranteeing the enjoyment of human rights without discrimination on the basis of sex have been included in constitutions; legal literacy and other measures have been introduced to alert women to their rights and to ensure their access to those rights; the world community has identified violence against women as a clear violation of women’s rights; incorporating gender perspectives into regular programmers and policies has become a priority at the United Nations and in many member states. Although much remains to be done to achieve full equality, the voices of women are being heard. There is a saying that goes, because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, â€Å"She doesn’t have what it takes. They will say, â€Å"Women don’t have what it takes. † (Clare Boothe Luce). Today generations, woman can already compete or surpass the accomplishments of the man in terms of work and positions in the government. Woman of today can do mush well than the man in all aspects of technology. Authorities have to realize those women are not going to face discrimination because they are only women. This world must realize that women of today are fighting for their rights because they want to be equal to men because they want to join their hands together to utilize potentials to the fullest of their abilities. In this expanding world it is important for all the people to be united to firmly stand despite of all the trials with the help of a common goal to express our own right and concern for life. Through all the successes of women’s in the 70’s and 80’s women began to dream big dreams. Crossing all the economic, social, psychological and political barriers we the women of the present times want to tell the male chauvinist world that we are not merely a commodity found in the advertisements. This is a wake up call for both the genders that the elimination or the decreasing number of either sex will pose greater threat to the future generations. In one of the scriptures, says a reminder for all the people concern that, â€Å"Be careful if you make a woman cry because god sees her tears. A woman came out of man’s rib not from his feet to be walked on, not from his head to be superior over, but from his side to be equal†. Finally and most important, that women of today are giving back to work and not simply taking, knowing that they are privileged to any aspects of life but mostly these women use their knowledge, money, and power to make the lives of the less fortunate a better one.. As women have fought a constant battle toward equality and opportunity, and the world was benefited by their works and accomplishments for the progress of all. References: Bains Kaur Gurmanjot, Because I am a Woman, Retrieved December 3. 2006 from http://www. livepunjab. com/node/1954/print Jacobw500, Role of Women in China – Ancient times and Today, Retrieved December 3, 2006 From http://www. planetpapers. com/Assets/4637. php Lewis Jone Johnson, Women and Marriage in Ancient Rome – Chapter 1, Retrieved December 3, 2006 from http://womenshistory. about. com/cs/ancientrome/a/roman_wm_10101b. htm Mason K. Moya, Ancient Roman Women: A Look at their Lives, Retrieved December 3, 2006. From http://www. moyak. com/researcher/resume/papers/roman_women. html Modern Times 1950-Present Day, Retrieved December 3, 2006 from http://www. angelfire. com/ca/HistoryGals/Elisa. html Samurai Sisters: Early Feudal Japan, Retrieved December 3, 2006 from http://www. womeninworldhistory. com/sample-08. html Walsh John W. Women in Ancient Israel, Retrieved December 3, 2006 from http://www. crystalinks. com/egyptianwomen. html What is it all about – in a nutshell? Retrieved December 2, 2006 from http://www. womenpriests. org/summary. asp.

Personal and professional development report Essay

Personal and professional development report - Essay Example In the many groups that I have been a member of, I have not had any conflicts with any member of the group. For that reason, I consider myself a diplomat, a good team worker and more importantly an eloquent orator with unquestionable communication skills. Nevertheless, for so many years I have never imagined that conflict can negatively impact the effectiveness of communication that in turn impinge on the quality of work done. This was not until I experienced in a group where I was a member. The discussion in this paper reflects the situation that took place last semester to help develop and utilize my personal skills while avoiding conflicts so as to maintain a good rapport with other team members in the future. Our lecturer instructed us to form groups so that we could present a report on ‘Diversity and Conflict Management.’ Most of the groups had an average of 4 to 5 members. In our group, we were four boys and one lady. The lady was tasked with the responsibility of leading the group. As the leader, she split the topic in various sub-topics and assigned each member a certain sub-topic. Shortly thereafter, we were joined by a new member. Sadly, there were rifts between the lady and the new member that arose from misunderstandings on how the tasks were been delegated. I tried to resolve the problem between them, but my efforts were fruitless as I had never experienced it there before. Notably, the rest of my colleagues did not make take any meaningful action in a bid to help resolve the issue. Consequently, the girl opted to withdraw from our group, an effect that made us not attain a high grade on that assignment. First, the feedback of the presentation was fundamentally important as it helped me realize the importance of good communication among team members. Unarguably, the team could have achieved higher grades if only there were no conflicts. I was pleased to work with other team

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Criminology- prisons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Criminology- prisons - Essay Example It is a place to prepare the prisoners to meet the challenges of the outside world upon their release. The person responsible for training the prisoners and mentoring and transforming them into good citizens is known as the prison officer (The role and function of prison 2000). The job of a prison officer is quite complicated and involves risks as well as rewards. The present day conditions of the prisons in the UK have made this complex job even more challenging. Many controversies associated with the prisons in UK, deaths in the custody and suicide attempts have made matters worse. The frequent incidents of bullying and assaulting of prisoners by prison officers have added insult to injury (Dawkins 2008). Condemning such practices and other flaws in the prison system, Dawkins a former prison officer highlighted the job of prison officers. In Dawkins (2008) opinion the most important job a police officer performs is to make the prisoners under their care, realize their wrong doings and help them amend their ways. Prison officers are unfortunately portrayed negatively in media and in literature. They are shown as violent individuals who are corrupt as well. They are portrayed as uniformed men whose daily rituals are beating and torturing the prisoners. It is portrayed that prison officers can commit these felonies and escape without facing any consequences. However, this is not always correct as they are the upholders of law and never at any point are above the law (Champion & Champion Jr. 2011, p. 105). Nevertheless, there are some aggressive kind of prison officers who take undue advantage of their power and authority and this is just because of it all of the prison officers are referred to negatively. It is true that not all prison officers are tolerant and amiable individuals; there are some officers who behave rather

EEC discussion 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

EEC discussion 2 - Assignment Example Caring for a child with ability differences may put the primary caregiver and family at a certain level of strain. To avoid this, parents will be needing the support of early childhood professionals in order to address behavioral child problems and foster effective child guidance skills. It is essential that we discuss ways on how to give them communication and support, patience, understanding, and encouragement. Parents might be shocked at first to learn that their child has ability differences; thus, give parents an ample time to accept the situation and aid in the experience of overwhelming emotions. In addition, parents must also be advised for early identification and treatment. Miller suggested the following ways in dealing with parents of children with ability differences, namely: (1) â€Å"pushing† to carry out tasks as some of them cannot proceed on their own phase; (2) careful and regular observation; (3) positive, assertive guidance; (4) making them feel safe, supported, and valued; and (5) putting them in inclusiveness to develop a better understanding of the real world environment and to allow their peers to realize that children with ability differences are real people with real feelings whom are deserved to be treated well (135). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees that persons aged 3-22 determined to have an ability difference fitting the IDEA definition of a "disability" will have an educational program best suited to their needs (Miller, 145). Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) assure the realization of the IDEA by designing different learning activities which are fit to meet the specific needs of the child and to nurture teamwork among family members, professionals, and government/private institutions. IEP is team composed of parents, teachers, other school staff, and the child. As a team, they will share their commitments in providing the child his/her unique needs.

Has the Arab Spring met the popular demands in North Africa A Case Thesis Proposal

Has the Arab Spring met the popular demands in North Africa A Case Study as Tunisia Negotiates an inclusive governance - Thesis Proposal Example Inspired by the social uprising in Tunisia, the Arab Spring caused similar impacts in other North African states like Egypt, Libya, etc. The extent to which the governments of the North African states have been able to meet the expectations of the Arab Spring and the demands of the people can be found in this thesis work. The thesis work has been conducted with the help of analysis on the secondary data and information on the North African states and the occurrence of Arab Spring that brought about the changes in those countries as desired by the common masses. The Arab Spring is a wave of mass protests and demonstrations that began in the Arab world for the time in the year of 2010. The wave of protests were not only limited to the Arab countries but also spread to the other parts and majorly in the North Africa. Tunisia which is the smallest country in North Africa and is a member of the Arab League has been in the forefront of the news with Arab Spring spreading to the country and other parts of North Africa. The uprising of the Arab Spring in North African States and Tunisia in particular has been mainly due to the discontent of the people in the region on the failure of their governments to establish an inclusive government that upholds the freedom and rights of the people (Perkins, 2013, p.57). The differential treatment of the North African governments on the different sections of the society and the lack of legitimacy of the Muslim brotherhood rulers in providing the basic infrastructure for the growth of the countries have led to the uprising of the people and opposition leaders against the ruling authorities. The North African government, namely Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, etc were unable to meet the rising demands of the people. There were lack of infrastructure for education, health, livelihood and investments. The availability of jobs in the countries was much below the demand for employments. Thus the income level of the people

Justice and the Island of Tagg PowerPoint Presentation

Justice and the Island of Tagg - PowerPoint Presentation Example Unjust laws deny citizens the right to utilize public resources for their own benefit. The council of elders should scrap laws that discriminate on gender in the island of Tagg. Laws that compel the state to make decisions on behalf of the citizens of the island of Tagg should be rejected because they are unjust. Authorities ought to repeal laws that prohibit freedom of expression among citizens of the island of Tagg. Repealing the laws benefits the public by giving them the right to access information. Laws that allow authorities to refute the public the privilege to access vital information are unjust because they create tension and anxiety among members of the public. According to Sandel (2007), a law is unjust based on an individuals’ rational thinking.    Comparison between just and unjust laws   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Walzer, (2006), Laws are constructed social limitations to human behavior. They are devised to ensure order in the society.   Each individual in the island is held responsible for maintaining the laws of the land. Laws can be just or unjust.   In the case of Tugg Island, a just law is the one seen to represent an individuals and the society equitably. It elevates the human personality no matter the race, status or gender.   It is rooted in the moral and religious laws of the people. An unjust law is one that is in disharmony with the moral laws (Sandel, 2007). For a law to be just one must have an understanding of the wrong they did and the punishment or reward should commensurate to the offence. Therefore, any law that lowers the human nature is unjust. Unjust laws relegate people to the status of animals or things. It classifies people

Market Force Description and Analysis of Impact on Product Services Essay Example for Free

Market Force Description and Analysis of Impact on Product Services Essay Communications-Security System Services-These devices and systems have a wide range, specifically, home and car. The demand is driven partly by home sales, new home construction and office construction. Most security systems like Brink Security have warning decals on the windows or in the yard to advertise. Commercial marketing usually consist of a direct sales force that call on owners and operators of commercial building companies that provide security monitoring services often have large account recieveable and credit problems with payments from subscribers, defective or poorly installed equipment or poor service, can have expensive consequences and Law suit risk in false alarms and frequent investment in new technology, The demand for residential and commercial construction and sales, need is in customer service and product, the companies increase their and systems and services by going to the senior citizens and dual income families. In their growth over the next 10 years included will be monitoring and security systems that include devices that measure environment factors, such as humility and quality of air and water. Healthcare-Nursing Home and Assisted Living-over 5 million elderly, mentally ill and, other physically and mentally challenged people need healthcare. The healthcare industry provide long-term care , includes onsite healthcare, counseling, medication dispensing, may become more prevalent. Demand for residential care facilities will grow as the baby boomers age, spurring investments in new construction, upgrades for existing facilities, additional beds, labor and services. The healthcare facilities industry faces a nurse shortage and is pressuring colleges to graduate nurses. To overcome threats, in the nursing facilities background checks, monitoring of the patients making sure they are changed, bath, and fed, also for the ones in assisted living, this is to insure that injuries to the elderly are not caused. The rise in Healthcare has risen by 80 percent. The risk with healthcare is that is not being made affordable and the premiums have sky rocketed, to were the elderly have a hard time getting the medicine and supplies. I do have love ones in the Nursing Home, and when I go and visit, I see the elderly just sitting there, not one of the staff takes time to ask them if they want to be moved, or just to check on them, some do not get bath until the end of the day, and there clothes are soiled, it is like they have been thrown away, The strategies I would use would to be train nurses aid how to care and properly change and check on the patient, there tone of voice used, close supervision of the elderly. General Business-Laundry Detergent-In the U. S. oap and detergent has over 650 companies worldwide. Detergent is packaged in cartons, bottles, pouches, or bags. The growth rate is low, because there are new and cheaper products available. One company is Proctor and Gamble, they are a household name they serve 180 countries, they strive and produce, superior quality and values, that improve the lives of the Consumer’s. Demand for soap and detergent result in wide swings in production, capacity planning is difficult. Challenges PG face is the manufacter must comply with different state and country environmental regulations. The soap and detergent industry will impact the nation because its represented in over 145 nations, the marketing of such companies as PG has been proven to be the best in strategy brands most important to retailers, strong business , and fundamentalist. In using, Gain and Tide, they over the consumer dye free and perfume free products, as well as the different soaps. The soap and detergent companies have Capitalized on opportunities by, having antibacterical hand soaps and bath soaps. Another stragedy that these companies have utilized is environmental friendly products, that are safe for our environment. Let’s take soap its used for animals and people and washing cars, and just about everything. Many big companies, do not see the threat of little companies with products such as Power Soaps and detergents this company is out of South India, they spend a lot of money on advertising. Marketing plays the pivotal role in making or breaking any product or service. In my closing, I will sum up all three subjects starting with the Security.

Zaras Supply Chain Managment Essay Example for Free

Zaras Supply Chain Managment Essay Abstract This case essay provides a business analysis on Zarathe most profitable and well-known fast fashion brand under the world’s largest fashion distributor Inditex Group. The analysis will evaluate Zara by using Porter Models, looking at its Supply Chain Management and defining its current IT challenges. Then, the essay will discuss the costs and benefits of upgrading to the new OS systems. The essay will give recommendations on whether Zara should upgrade its POS terminals after considering all above factors. Case Summary Founded by Amancio Ortega, the richest man in Spain and its biggest shareholder, Zara is a clothing and accessories retailer that opened its first store in La Coruna, Spain in 1975. Zara has been operated under Inditex Group, the world’s largest fashion distributor, since 1985. Zara was originated on a simple business idea explained by the CEO of the company Jose Maria Castellano Rois who joined Inditex in 1997 that: Link customer demand to manufacturing, and link manufacturing to distribution. (McAfee, Dessain, Sjoman, 2007) As a flagship chain store of the company, Zara plays a very important role in the Inditex Group. By 2003, Inditex has 1558 stores in 45 countries which nearly one third of them were part of the Zara Chain. For the fiscal year of 2002, Inditex’s net income was posted as â‚ ¬438 million on â‚ ¬3,974 million revenue, which Zara alone generated nearly three quarters of sales. Women clothing accounts for 60% of Zara’s sales, and Menâ€℠¢s and Children’s segment each accounts for about 20%. (McAfee, Dessain, Sjoman, 2007) Zara’s operation system is very critical. Compare to other companies that it takes them about six months to develop a product and deliver it to the store, Zara only needs three weeks to complete the whole procedure. And Zara launches about 11,000 garment items on average each year. (Business Week, 2006) Only the fast speed of Supply Chain Management (SCM) can assure Zara to respond very quickly to the demand of target customers who are young, fashion-conscious city dwellers. And to reach its goal to quickly respond to customer demand, Zara developed three cyclical processes from ordering to fulfillment to design and manufacturing. Zara’s Information Technology has matches its preferences for speed and decentralized decision-making. There’s no CIO within Zara, but instead, Salgado and Castellano are on board of the technology committee who makes decisions around IT. Due to Zara’s business uniqueness, most of its IT applications are established internally by its IS department rather than buying commercially available software or outsourcing. At August 2003, Salgado and Sanchez must make a decision on whether Zara should upgrade its operating system or not. In every Zara store, there are basically two technological systems that are used—PDAs (short for Personal Digital Assistant) and POS (Point of Sales) terminals. PDAs are handhelds that were used primarily for ordering and were upgraded constantly. POS terminals are cashier computer systems with Zara’s own application installed and had remained unchanged for over a decade. Zara, at 2003, was using the DOS operating system that was no longer supported by Microsoft. The POS application that was ran on top of the DOS system worked very fine and efficient for Zara so Sanchez insists on not changing it. Salgado, on the other hand, thinks that there are potential problems with the outdated system and there are rooms for improvement if they upgrade it with a new system. As far as the debate could go, the two men need to agree on a decision and come up with a solution for this challenge. Business Analysis To help Mr. Salgado and Mr. Sanchez to solve this tough problem, we need to firstly understand Zara’s business model. I will use Michael Porter’s Generic Strategies, Five Forces and Value Chain to analyze Zara Company. Generic Strategy Among the three generic business strategies Dr. Porter identified, which are (1) broad cost leadership, (2) broad differentiation, and (3) focused strategy, I think Zara inherited both cost leadership strategy the differentiation strategy. Zara differentiates itself from the rest of the clothing industry not only by offering unique products but also by having full control of its operation processes. As Daniel Piette, LVMH’s fashion director, described as â€Å"Possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world†, Zara truly has its unique business philosophy. (CNN Business, 2001) Zara meets its customers’ expectation by delivering the latest fashion lines at affordable prices the soonest it can. This concept itself is unique enough. Unlike high-end designer brands that offer limited exclusive lines at big prices, or like some other clothing retailers that offer trendy styles at low costs but poor qualities, Zara is able to bring the newest fashion into mass production and deliver them to people with a normal quality for very good prices. While most of the clothing or textile companies rely on outsourcing and cheap labors from China, Zara established a vertically integrated operation system. (Osterwalder, 2005) Customer demands are Zara’s heavenly goal, and Zara collects them from its stores throughout the world. Zara has its own â€Å"commercials† that make decisions on what to design and produce. Zara owns a group of factories around La Coruna and near Spain to finish manufacture and production quickly. Zara is able to use this network to move a new design from concept through production and into the Distribution Center in as little as three weeks. And deliveries to the store usually take only one to two days via various transportation methods. Jeffrey Ballinger, a Harvard researcher and director of pressure group Press of Change, said that. â€Å"Zara has turned control over garment factories into a competitive advantage.† (CNN Business, 2001) Zara’s differentiation strategy results in a low cost strategy. Zara uses a low cost structure than its competitors to cut cost. Unlike fashion brands that creates or used well-known designers or design groups that cost millions of dollars, and produce with exotic, rare to find fabrics. Zara takes its designs from its â€Å"commercials† and use easy to find textile to not only react to changes quickly but also cut the majority of the cost, therefore, Zara can always offers a lower price. Zara’s generic strategies—both differentiation strategy and low cost strategy are due to Zara’s closeness to its customers. Zara’s designs are generated from preferences collected in the store, and Zara is able to satisfy its customer by taking full control of the operation process and therefore, fulfilling customers’ demand quickly. The ability to transform this close relationship into a value proposition gives Zara complete advantage over its competitors. (Osterwalder, 2005) Five Forces Michael Porter’s Five Forces can be used to identify Zara’s competitive forces within the environment to assess the potential profitability in the clothing retail industry. According to Paige Baltzan, Five Forces’ purpose is to â€Å"combat these competitive forces by identifying opportunities, competitive advantages, and competitive intelligence. If the forces are strong, they can increase competition.† (Baltzan, 2010) Below, I will discuss Zara’s competitiveness from the five forces. 1, Buyer Power—is the ability of buyers to affect the price they must pay for an item. (Baltzan, 2010) Buyer power is not very strong in Zara’s case. Customers who buy from Zara know exactly what kind of merchandises they are purchasing from this brand—trendy fashionable items with a normal quality for a good price. Since Zara has 531 stores over the world, it has a large number of customers. Since Zara’s garments have â€Å"fairly short life spans† (McAfee, Dessain, Sjoman, 2007), it creates a sense of urgency for customers. Customers know that if they don’t buy the item this time because they are hesitating on the price, they may not even be able to find it next time they visit the store. This gives Zara power to name its own price, but of course, within a reasonable â€Å"Zara price range†. Although there are brands like Gap, HM, Benetton and so on to compete with Zara, the unique fashionable items that are offered at Zara, which c hange constantly, makes the switching costs high for Zara. There are definitely loyalties in Zara’s customers who check out the store frequently hunting for new items as soon as they are available. 2, Supplier Power—consists of all parties involved, directly or indirectly, in obtaining raw materials or a products. (Baltzan, 2010) Zara’s operation structure gives it a comparably lower supplier power. Clothing retail industries rely on their manufactories to produce their garments, so usually their suppliers have high bargaining power. If the price of cotton goes up, the whole industry is likely to be influenced and therefore, their cost will go up, their merchant price will rise as well. However, since Zara owns its factories, Zara is its own supplier. Supplier power is comparably lower than its competitors. 3, Threat of Substitute Products or Service—is high when there are many alternatives to a product or service. (Baltzan, 2010) The thread of substitutes is low for Zara. Even the fashion industry is very unpredictable and Zara has a lot of competitors wanting to make the next big fashion trend, Zara is still distinctive because it is known for constant innovations and designs for the latest fashion. No competitors of Zara could catch up its speed on producing so many items a year and deliver that fast. 4, Threat of New Entrants—is high when it is easy for new competitors to enter a market. (Baltzan, 2010) The enter barrier to create a company that is similar to Zara is high so the threat of new entrant to Zara is low. Profitability always attracts investment to enter the industry, and in fact, there are new entrants all the time. However, Zara’s business model is quite unique and difficult to copy. Zara has already built its reputation, and is the leading company in the industry. It will be hard to achieve what Zara has. It also takes time and capital to establish a successful company like Zara. It is hard to gather all the resources including talented people like what Zara has to create an industry giant. There are going to be some threats of new entrants but not that big of the influence to Zara. 5, Rivalry among Existing Competitors—is high when competition is fierce in a market. (Baltzan, 2010) Since there is not many similar fast fashion stores in the market, Zara’s rivalry is low among existing competitors. Zara’s existing competitions come from sharing the same clothing retail industry, but not so much from what Zara is specialized in—fast fashion. So again, Zara distinguishes from other competitors for its products and speed, and so far competition for Zara is not that fierce within the market. Value Chain Analysis Support Value Activities Value Added Michael Porter created value chain analysis to identify competitive advantages by viewing a firm as a series of business processes that each adds value to the product or service. (Baltzan, 2010) By identifying Zara’s value chain, we can determine the ways in which Zara can implement IT or add value to its products and services. Primary Value Activities As it was described in the case, Zara’s primary value activities are Ordering, Fulfillment, Design and Manufacturing, Distribution and Store Operations. Store managers at Zara place an order to La Coruna twice a week encompassing both replenishment of existing items and initial requests for newly available garments. Commercials at La Coruna then fulfill and ship clothes to stores to satisfy their orders. Zara has its own team of design who amazingly produce approximately 11,000 new items a year. Zara also has a vertically integrated manufacturing operation system that moves its design to production quickly. Zara’s distribution center then transport and distribute Zara products to stores. Zara stores are responsible for selling items and collecting customer preference for fashion trends. These primary activities consist all basic business activities happen within the company everyday. Zara’s Support Value Activities, like many other companies, are Administration, Information Technology, Human Resources and Procurement. Zara’s approach to IT is consistent with its preference for speed and decentralized decision making. (McAfee, Dessain, Sjoman, 2007) IT team, who creates most of the applications that Zara uses internally, supports Zara to function the best way it can and supports well. Zara’s IT is used in store operations, logistics, administrations and so on. It has reduced the overhead cost in many areas, and therefore, has helped Zara to achieve a cost advantage. Implementations of Porter Models Zara differentiates itself from the rest of the industry for its concept of fast fashion at an affordable price. And this is done and supported by not only Zara’s talented employees such as powerful store managers and commercials but also by the IT Zara employs. Information plays an important role through Zara’s supply chain management. Information of customer preference was collected from the store and transferred to commercials so that they can generate the right products quickly. Information of SKUs (stock-keeping-units) was communicated so that the Distribution Center knows what to replenish to stores twice a week. IT adds value to Zara in almost every primary and supportive activity in the value chain. Zara used IT in terms of functional processes and decision level. Even Mr. Sanchez states that the current system is stable, effective and easy to use, there are still many potential risks and problems and there is a big room for Zara’s IT to improve so that the operation could perform even better. Zara POS terminals are run on DOS operating system that is not supported by Microsoft any more. Zara also uses the PDAs to make orders and handle returns. (McAfee, Dessain, Sjoman, 2007) As important as sales information is, Zara’s POS terminals were not connected to one another via any in-store network, so employees have to transport all the information on a disk and to the one modem-equipped terminal to accomplish transaction. This process is inefficient and has many potential risks of losing the information. PDAs also use the same terminal’s modem to receive the offer and transmit the order. Within a store, POS terminals and PDAs could not share information. That being said, one the terminal modem is dead or has some kind of flaws, the whole store operation will be delayed or stopped. Then, Zara will lose its competitive advantages from its five forces in the market and less value will be added to the value chain. As a result, its generic strategy won’t work as well. Solution Evaluation The question is: should Zara choose to upgrade its POS system? Nicholas G. Carr explained in his article It Doesn’t Matter that IT has lost its ability to create a sustainable competitive advantage and suggested companies not to try new technologies but follow the ones that have been tested to reduce risks. (Carr, 2003) But from the study of all publically traded companies in the article Investing in the IT we learned that there is an industry concentration that large share of the market is concentrated from a small number of companies. (AcAfee Brynjolfsson, 2008) As where Zara stands in the clothing company, it definitely doesn’t want to lose its competitiveness as one of the small group of companies who hold a large piece of pie from the market. The case problem is a semi-structured one since we only know some of the valuables and it is hard to measure the future value of the result. Peter Drucker said that â€Å"If you can’t measure it, don’t do it.† Within Zara company, Salgado and Castellano were only involved early in discussion of initiative that might include computerization. They only determine what new system there is department should purchase or who should work on them without further conductions for cost/benefit analyses. However, I will give a financial forecast using the numbers given in the case to show whether upgrading the system would add value to Zara or not. Cost analysis From Exhibit 13 of the case, we can collect some data and ideas of how much it will cost Zara if it decides to upgrade the system. The company can try the new system in a few stores first to test the efficiency. However, my calculation is based on installing the Windows Operating System throughout all 531 Zara stores average five terminals per store within a year. (Despite new store openings) Total cost to purchase and maintain the Windows OS system per terminal is â‚ ¬170. Hardware required to install in the store including POS terminals, wireless router and wireless Ethernet card cost â‚ ¬5,430. High-speed Internet connection will cost â‚ ¬240 per store annually. Time required per store to install new POS terminals with new POS application, establish wireless network and train staff is 32 hours, which convert to four days of work. Cost per day will be â‚ ¬2,000 times four days, and that gives â‚ ¬8,000 expenditure per store. So, total cost per store to completely install the new OS system with new POS application ready to perform daily tasks is â‚ ¬14,520. Total programming time required to port existing POS application to new OS and expand POS application to include some new features is 20,000 hours. Assuming that computer programs can be run on the machines 24 hours a day, each day cost â‚ ¬450, total cost will be â‚ ¬375,000. As a result, 531 Zara stores will cost â‚ ¬7,710,120 to install the program, plus â‚ ¬375,000 expenses from the IS department, total cost to upgrade the POS system will be â‚ ¬8,085,120. (See Exhibit 1) Since Zara generated 73.3% of the Inditex Group’s sales, Zara’s Net Operating Revenues can be estimated at â‚ ¬2,913 million in 2002. And assume all companies under Inditex Group operate in the same way and share expenses equally as sales, Zara will make â‚ ¬313.8 million Net Income. (See Exhibit 2) The â‚ ¬8 million upgrading expenses will count for a 3% investment for Zara. Benefit Analysis A â‚ ¬8 million IT upgrade is not a small investment, we need to look at potential benefits that can be made out of the system to measure if it makes a profit for Zara. In another word, we need to forecast future returns to see if the new system will add value to Zara or not. I will use some Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and some Critical Success Factors (CSF) to analyze the outcome. Financial Forecast There are some tangible KPIs we can measure to see if Zara benefit from the new system. I will use Revenue, number of garment, percentage of time saved using the new system as my KPIs. Every business is about making money. If the new system cannot bring Zara extra revenue, why invest? Let’s suppose that the system runs smoothly and well once it is installed. Hopefully it will link up the POS terminals and PDAs that are used in each store to headquarter automatically using the wireless Internet. Added new features are supposed to enable staff to check theoretical inventories from the store as well as all other Zara stores near it. The system will minimize faulty transactions from human errors. Staff in the store does not have to record sales numbers and transport it from one terminal to another. More information from customers and store managers can be collected and sent back to commercial teams quicker and more accurately. Distribution Center will be able to see store inventories from the system simultaneously so replenishment can be made without making an order. Shipment can arrive more frequently to the stores. Let’s say the system accelerate the whole operation process by 10% of the total time, and the design group is able to make 10% more garment items a year due to the time they saved. That will make a total of 12,100 items a year compared to 11,000 before. Revenue can be increased to â‚ ¬3,204.23 million from â‚ ¬2,912.94 million. Although the number may be too positive, it gives us an idea that multi-million of revenues can be made due to the increased efficiency of the system. Another important fact is that the new system installed will last for a period of time, not just one year. The current DOS system has been used for over a decade, and I believe the new system can be run for about the same period. The IT investment expenses can be distributed over the next few years and Zara will continuously benefit from the uses of the system. Other benefits There are also some intangible values that can be added from the new system. Some Critical Success Factors include market competitions, Supply Chain Management, Customer Relationship Management and Material Resource Planning II. The new OS system will help Zara to be competitive in the industry. As an innovative company, Zara has its unique and simple business model that has a proven success. The IS department of Zara that create program application for Zara to use is a valuable Proprietary Technology benefit that Zara owns. It is beneficial because no other competitors have access to the technology. Infrastructural Technology such as this DOS or new OS system has better value when more users are taking advantage of it. (AcAfee Brynjolfsson, 2008) Zara should take the advantage by also applying the new OS system as many other competitors in the industry have already used it. Thus, Zara will have both benefits from both proprietary and infrastructural technologies and stay competitive in the market. New OS system will link Zara’s supply chain better and faster. Zara’s business model decides that the company wants to exchange information and it wants the information to be exchanged fast. Zara’s supply chain links from Supplier to Manufacture to Distributor to Stores and to Customers are tighter than many other companies because its products turn over more frequently. Zara needs a good system to perform operation than any other companies. Having an upgraded system will help Zara to achieve its business goal. New system will bring more customer satisfaction to Zara. A lot of Zara’s customers have some degrees of loyalty to the company and their satisfaction is important to Zara. Despite chatting with customers for their fashion sense when they are in the store, Zara doesn’t make much networking effort with customers. Product says it all. Zara simply keeps its customers coming by offering their favorite items. These fashion-forward, young city dwellers come to Zara enthusiastically want to buy what they like. So, being able to check inventories in nearby stores when a customer’s size runs out is very important. The new system will let Zara do that. Material Resource Planning and Labor will also be better off with the new system. Zara’s vendors have promised to follow Zara’s IT system so it was not really problem. Yet, Zara shouldn’t be standing on the passive side to wait until when it has to switch to a more up-to-date system. By taking the lead, Zara gains more flexibility and comfort to utilize resources it needs. The new system will also fix and install some new features that Zara’s employees have being requesting for. Keeping the labor force happy is essential since talents (people) are the key factor that makes it hard for other companies to copy and apply the same IT and business model Zara has successfully. (AcAfee Brynjolfsson, 2008) Auditing Some main reasons that Sanchez pointed out to support his idea of not upgrading and some other factors that need to be considered are discussed below.   Mr. Sanchez worries that switching to the new system will turbulent the stable usage of the current system and cause troubles. We have to admit that what he said could happen. That’s why we take close consideration of it to prevent it from happening rather than not to do it. The current system is effective, stable and rolls out easy to use for employees because it has been tested and run for more than ten years. Staff is familiar with the system, and IS department knows how to fix it when there’s a problem. However, this shouldn’t stop Zara from innovations. Zara can plan on installing the new system and test it with a small number of stores first and slowly transformed the rest of the company to use the new system. Zara may also face the difficulties to train employees to use the new system, or the system doesn’t work perfectly for Zara at the beginning phase, and therefore, causing systematic troubles that affect the business negatively. Yet, generally speaking, these software interfaces for businesses are easy to use. Not to mention that Zara has a strong IS department that can support its technology uses. In the process of new system development, Operation/Maintenance consists 80% of the time and cost while User Acceptance only contains 20%. That being said, maintaining the system and Auditing the system after it has been installed is crucial. Zara’s IS department should pay more attention to them. Overall, there are more benefits and predictable profits than shortcomings to upgrade the outdated DOS system for Zara. Conclusion and Recommendations Taking into considerations of all possible factors, I believe that this case analysis is in favor for Zara to consider upgrading its outdated DOS system to OS system. As a successful fast fashion clothing retailer, Zara’s business idea, which links customer demand to manufacturing, and links manufacturing to distribution, works very well and keeps Zara a flagship chain store for Inditex Group. Zara’s generic strategy is to differentiate and save cost. Since Zara has a strong demand for speed in the operation process and tight links in Supply Chain Management, its requirement for IT is high. The evaluation of the solution shows us that there are more predictable advantages than disadvantages for Zara to upgrade its system. With thoughtful considerations and backup remediation plans, Mr. Bruno Sanchez shouldn’t be so conservative and against the idea to upgrade the system. I am confident that upgrading the system will meet Zara’s business goal to be the most innovative and profitable fast fashion retailer in the industry. References AcAfeeAndrew, BrynjolfssonErik. (June-August, 2008). Investing in the IT. Harvard Business Review. BaltzanPaige. (2010). Business Driven Information Systems (3rd Edition). New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Business Week. (Arip 4th, 2006). Zara-Taking the Lead in Fast Fashion. CarrNicholas G. (May 2003). IT Doesnt Matter. Harvard Business Review. Castellano RiosMariaJose. (1975). Business idea for Zara. Spain. CNN Business. (June 15th, 2001). Zara, a Spanish sucess story. McAfeeAndrew, DessainVincent, SjomanAnders. (2007). Zara: IT for Fast Fashion. USA: Harvard Business School. OsterwalderAlexander. (June 23rd, 2005). Business Model Alchemist. http://www.businessmodelalchemist.com/2005/06/zaras-business-model.html

Hank Green Biography

Hank Green Biography William Henry â€Å"Hank† Green was born on the 5 May 1980, he is an entrepreneur, musician and vlogger (goodreads, n.d). In 2007, Hank Green uploaded his first video onto the YouTube channel VlogBrothers as part of a project called Brotherhood 2.0. The goal of this was to communicate with his brother John solely through video blogs for a year, with the possible exception of phone calls (Green, 2007). After brotherhood 2.0 ended, Hank and John agreed to continue producing video blogs (Burgin, 2013). As of today they have over 2.5 million followers, and 1300 video uploads (VidStatsx, 2015). Green is also involved in numerous other channels. He and his brother John created and developed the educational YouTube channel Crash Course (PBS, n.d), he is the creator (Green, n.d) and a host of SciShow, a science education YouTube channel (Stone, 2014), and a developer of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries (LBD), a web series adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (Pemberly Digital, n.d). Green creat ed Vidcon, a conference for fans of online video in 2010 (Green, n.d), and is a co-creator of the Foundation to Decrease World Suck (Kliger-Vilenchik, 2013, p. 10), a non-profit fundraising foundation for other non-profit organisations (The Foundation to Decrease World Suck, n.d). Additionally, Green interviewed the president along with two other YouTubers after the State of the Union address (Colin Megan, 2015). Hank Green’s career would not exist without the significant influence of media convergence on the platforms through which media is distributed, created and consumed.. Jenkins defines media convergence as, â€Å"more than simply a technological shift. Convergence alters the relationship between existing technologies, industries, markets, genre and audiences† (Jenkins, 2004, p. 33). The most distinguishable form of media convergence in Green’s career is technological convergence, which can be defined as the amalgamation of technology facilitating the distribution of information (Drula, 2014, pp. 47-51) Technological Convergence has provided the social platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr and Twitter through which Green has amassed his audience. As a result, he is able to engage with and distribute content to his substantial online following. In conjunction with technological convergence, Industry and Content Convergence have likewise influenced Green’ s career. Industry Convergence refers to â€Å"the blurring of boundaries between industries, induced by technologies and markets† (Brà ¶ring, et al., 2006, p. 487). Green’s YouTube channels, Crash Course and SciShow were originally funded through a YouTube grant (Mayrer, 2012), however, they have now partnered with the Television Network PBS Digital (Gutelle, 2014). Furthermore, Crash Course is now available on DVD (DFTBA Records, n.d) as well as SciShow (DFTBA Records, n.d), a demonstration of Content Convergence. In addition to this, The LBD web series likewise exhibits components of Convergence, evident within its transmedia narrative. Transmedia is a mode in which fans are encouraged to observe characters from a narrative beyond the constructed barriers, resulting in access to more information and further immersion in the story (Stanfill, 2013). LBD portrays Lizzie Bennet and her sister Lydia Bennet as vloggers, and Jane Bennet as a fashion blogger, with the story taking pl ace over a wide range of social media platforms (Stein, 2013). As well as Media Convergence, Globalisation has additionally impacted on Green’s Career. The increasingly globalised nature of the media and technology industries have enabled Green’s significant contributions to charity and education throughout his career. Globalisation refers to the growing scale and effect of â€Å"transcontinental flows and patterns of social interaction (†¦) a shift or transformation in the scale of human organization that links distant communities and expands the reach of power relations across the worlds regions and continents† (Held and McGrew quoted in Flew, 2007). Moreover, Warlaumont brings attention to the internet’s role in globalisation due to its ability to connect individuals through digital mediums, allowing communication between groups of people from different cultural backgrounds and lifestyles (Warlaumont, 2010). Hank Green has utilised the potential impact of his global audience, through advocating his support of numerous charities, and co-founding organisations such as the Foundation to decrease World Suck. Not only is Hank Green’s career one I would wish to emulate, but his passion for the YouTube platform, as well as his audience, is inspiring. Hank Green started video blogging in 2007, originally when there was no way to monetise content. Throughout Google’s acquisition of YouTube, and YouTube providing grants to channels with the goal of creating additional content, Green’s goal remained the same, to provide content that is engaging and rewards viewers with an enriching and educational experience (http://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2015/03/11/hank-green-loves-science-and-wants-others-to-love-it-too). Furthermore, the community that has developed around Nerdfighteria has provided a safe space for individuals and groups to discuss ideas and values without judgement. Vidcon, is a physical representation of the public sphere, in the sense that it is a space where individuals can gather out of a shared desire to debate, discuss and arrive at a deeper understanding of the ideologies surrounding the YouTube community, and broader communities as a whole (http://capitalistcreations.com/the-vlogbrothers-have-turned-passion-into-profits-and-popularity/). Furthermore, he has brought attention to media bias, as a result of the negative press regarding his interview with President Obama. In publicly condoning the bias of organisations such as Fox News and CNN, he has essentially acted as a watchdog for the watchdogs, through policing the organisation that is designed to hold those in power accountable. Hank Green is a forefather, and driving force in the YouTube community (http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/missoula/hank-greens-business-is-just awesome/Content?oid=1582736).He represents not only what an individual can achieve, but of the possibilities attainable from collaboration. References Brà ¶ring, S., L, M. C. Leker, J., 2006. The front end of innovation in an era of industry convergence: evidence from nutraceuticals and functional foods. R D management, 36(5), p. 487. Accessed April 2, 2015 doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9310.2006.00449.x Burgin, R., 2013. A Brief History Of The Vlogbrothers. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk05_6Mf1GU [Accessed 2 April 2015]. Colin, D. Megan, S., 2015. http://mashable.com/2015/01/22/youtube-obama-video-live/. [Online] Available at: http://mashable.com/2015/01/22/youtube-obama-video-live/ [Accessed 2 April 2015]. DFTBA Records, n.d. CrashCourse. [Online] Available at: http://store.dftba.com/collections/crashcourse [Accessed 2 April 2015]. DFTBA Records, n.d. SCISHOW: THE APOCALYPSE COLLECTION DVD. [Online] Available at: http://store.dftba.com/products/scishow-the-apocalypse-collection-dvd [Accessed 2 April 2015]. Drula, G., 2014. Media Convergence and Mobile Technology. Journal of Media Research, 7(3), pp. 47-51. Accessed April 2, 2015. url: http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/1649753314?pq-origsite=summon Flew, T., 2007 Understanding Global Media, N.A, N.A pp. 67. Accessed April 4, 2015. N.A goodreads, n.d. Hank Green. [Online] Available at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7023543.Hank_Green [Accessed 2 April 2015]. Green, H., 2007. Brotherhood 2.0: January 1st. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtyXbTHKhI0 [Accessed 02 April 2015]. Green, H., n.d. Hank Green. [Online] Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hankgreen [Accessed 2 April 2015]. Gutelle, S., 2014. Hank Green, John Green Team With PBS For More Crash Course Episodes. [Online] Available at: http://www.tubefilter.com/2014/11/06/hank-john-green-pbs-digital-studios-crash-course/ [Accessed 2 April 2015]. Jenkins, H., 2004. The Cultural Logic of Media Convergence. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 7(I), p. 33. Accessed April 2, 2015. doi: 10.1177/1367877904040603 Kliger-Vilenchik, N., 2013. Decreasing World Suck: Fan communities, Mechanisms of Translation, and Particpatory Politics, N/A: N/A. Accessed April 2, 2015 url: http://ypp.dmlcentral.net/sites/default/files/publications/Decreasing_World_Suck_6.25.13_0.pdf Mayrer, J., 2012. Hank Greens business is just awesome. [Online] Available at: http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/missoula/hank-greens-business-is-just-awesome/Content?oid=1582736 [Accessed 2 April 2015]. PBS, n.d. PBS DIGITAL STUDIOS AND HANK AND JOHN GREEN ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND POPULAR â€Å"CRASH COURSE† YOUTUBE SERIES. [Online] Available at: http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2014/crash-course-library/ [Accessed 2 April 2015]. Pemberly Digital, n.d. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. [Online] Available at: http://www.pemberleydigital.com/the-lizzie-bennet-diaries/ [Accessed 2 April 2015]. Stanfill, M., 2013. Fandom, Transmedia and Consumption 2.0. Selected Papers of Internet Research 14.0,. Accessed: 2, April 2015. url: http://spir.aoir.org/index.php/spir/article/viewFile/911/pdf Stein, L., 2013. Stay Square!: Fan Address In the Web Series. Selected Papers of Internet Research 14.0. Accessed: 2, April, 2015 url: http://spir.aoir.org/index.php/spir/article/viewFile/911/pdf Stone, M., 2014. How A YouTube Channel That Answers Weird Science Questions Amassed Millions Of Fans. [Online] Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-scishow-and-hank-green-landed-a-national-ad-campaign-from-youtube-2014-10 [Accessed 02, April 2015]. The Foundation to Decrease World Suck, n.d. The Foundation to Decrease World Suck. [Online] Available at: http://fightworldsuck.org/ [Accessed 2 April 2015]. VidStatsx, 2015. http://vidstatsx.com/vlogbrothers/youtube-channel. [Online] Available at: http://vidstatsx.com/vlogbrothers/youtube-channel [Accessed 2 April 2015]. Warlaumont, H. G., 2010. Social networks and globalization: Facebook, YouTube and the impact of online communities on Frances protectionist policies. N.A, 8(2), p. 207. Accessed: 2/04/2015 doi: 10.1057/fp.2010.8

Human Genetic Screening Essay -- Genes Science Papers

Human Genetic Screening What is genetic screening? Genetic screening is the testing of cells to check for certain kinds of genes, or for potentially damaging changes to those genes. It may be defined as a systematic search for persons with a particular genotype in a defined population. Genetic screening serves as an important adjunct of modern preventive medicine. The usual approach is to identify persons whose genotype places them or their offspring at risk for genetic diseases. Such screening has the potential to lessen the devastating impact of genetic diseases. Genetic screening may be undertaken for research purposes unrelated to disease or the improvement of health. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that genetic screening is an appropriate form of medical care only when certain conditions are met. These include: (1) evidence of substantial public benefit and acceptance, (2) the benefits outweigh the costs; (3) appropriate public education can be carried out; (4) informed consent is feasible; (5) the means are available to evaluate the effectiveness and success of each step in the process (Blank, 1982). Some screening is aimed at the general population, while others are targeted at selective high-risk population; screening can also be conducted at various stages of life. There are three principal types of genetic screening. (1) Newborn screening identifies serious genetic disease at birth, permitting prompt treatment to prevent mental and physical retardation. (2) Fetal screening and prenatal diagnosis identify genetic disease in the fetus permitting selective termination of pregnancy and the opportunity to have children free of defects detectable in uterus. (3) Carrier screening identifies individuals hete... ...5. Fost, N., 1993. Genetic diagnosis and treatment, American Journal of Diseases of Children. 147(11):1190-1195. 6. Knoppers, B.M., 1986. Genetic information and the law: constains, liability and rights. Can Med Assoc J. 135(12):1257-1259. 7. Markel, H.M., 1992. The stigma of disease: implication of genetic screening. The Americal Journal of Medicine 93:209-214. 8. Rowley, P.T., 1984. Genetic screening: marvel or menace? Science 225(4658) Jul 13: 138-144. 9. Waugh, D., 1994. The human-genome project and pandor's box. Can Med Assoc J. 151(1):73. 10. "What is genetic screening" obtained from the WWW: http:/www.scicomm.org.uk/biosis/human/whatis1.html 11. "The principles of genetics and heredity" obtained from the WWW: http:/www.eb.com:180/cgi- bin/g?docF=macro/5002/57/50.html&DBase=Articles&hits=10&context=all ¶gra phType=1&indexremove=off#0102

The Circulatory System Essay -- essays research papers

The Circulatory System   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The circulatory system in anatomy and physiology is the course taken by the blood through the arteries, capillaries, and veins and back to the heart. In humans and the higher vertebrates, the heart is made up of four chambers the right and left auricles, or atria, and the right and left ventricles. The right side of the heart pumps oxygen-poor blood from the cells of the body back to the lungs for new oxygen; the left side of the heart receives blood rich in oxygen from the lungs and pumps it through the arteries to the various parts of the body. Circulation begins early in fetal life. It is estimated that a given portion of the blood completes its course of circulation in approximately 30 seconds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pulmonary circulation is where the blood from the entire body is transported to the right auricle through two large veins. The superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava. When the right auricle contracts, it forces the blood through an opening into the right ventricle. Contraction of this ventricle drives the blood to the lungs. Blood is prevented from returning into the auricle by the tricuspid valve, which completely closes during contraction of the ventricle. In its passage through the lungs, the blood is oxygenated, that is, then it is brought back to the heart by the four pulmonary veins, which enter the left auricle. When this chamber contracts, blood is forced into the left ventricle and then by ventricular contraction into the aorta. The bicuspid, or mitral, valve prevents the blood from flowing back into the auricle, and the semilunar valves at the beginning of the aorta stop it from flowing back into the ventricle. Similar valves are present in the pulmonary artery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The aorta divides into a number of main branches, which in turn divide into smaller ones until the entire body is supplied by an elaborately branching series of blood vessels. The smallest arteries divide into a fine network of still more minute vessels, the capillaries, which have extremely thin walls; thus, the blood is enabled to come into close relation with the fluids and tissues of the body. In the capillaries, the blood performs three functions then it releases its oxygen to the tissues, it furnishes to the body cells the nutrients and other essential substances that... ...itiating the heartbeat. The contraction then spreads over the auricles in the septum between the auricles, it excites another node called the auriculoventricular node. The auriculoventricular bundle conducts the impulse from this node to the muscles of the ventricles, and in this way contraction and relaxation of the heart are coordinated. Each phase of the cardiac cycle is associated with the production of an electrical potential that can be recorded by electrical instruments to produce a reading known as an electrocardiogram.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Circulation of the blood in superficial capillaries can be observed under the microscope. The red blood cells can be seen moving along rapidly in the middle of the blood current, while the white cells advance more slowly along the walls of the capillaries. The capillaries present a far larger surface with which the blood comes in contact than do other blood vessels end because they consequently offer the greatest resistance to the progress of the blood, they have a great influence on the circulation. Capillaries expand when temperature rises and help to cool the blood then they contract in cold and help preserve internal heat.

Water in T. Coraghessan Boyles Greasy Lake Essay -- T. Coraghessan B

Water in T. Coraghessan Boyle's Greasy Lake Water is a powerful medium for introspection. This truth is evident in the short story, 'Greasy Lake,' by T. Coraghessan Boyle. In this story, water serves as a catalyst for self-reflection, as it propels the protagonist into a certain degree of conflict, and ultimately works to reveal and confront the character?s inner struggle. In 'Greasy Lake,' the dualism of the characters' nature is ever-present. They are self-proclaimed bad guys who 'cultivated decadence like a taste' (79). As the story progresses, however, it is revealed that just the opposite is true. While they are essentially caricatures of themselves, it is this dynamic that drives the story. Their tough exterior is just that, an exterior veneer that permeates their actions as 'dangerous characters.' The narrator is somewhat detached from the younger self of his story. It is an ironic detachment'a parody of his moral ignorance. He recalls the 'bad? antics of his youth: driving their 'parents' whining station wagons,' but doing so as bad as humanly possible, of course. He mocks both himself and his friends in his retrospection of their experience in Greasy Lake, the consummate locale of 'bad.' To the boys, the lake serves as a kind of haven for bad characters such as themselves. Truly, however, the lake is an extension of the dynamic between who the boys are and who they parade around as. It is here where the previous and false understanding about their world is shattered, and they are thrust into a moralistic reformation. Ultimately, the dichotomous nature of the protagonist is resolved by his visit to the lake, and perhaps, the lake itself. Water proves to be significantly influential as it relates to... ...ll he can do is suppress his urge to cry. The protagonist?s realization of his own maturity is ironic. Once so eager to appear ?bad,? but lacking the true essence of this word, the narrator has achieved this status at the price of his naivete, and wishes that he could return. In ?Greasy Lake,? water is a powerful entity. The lake works to reveal the true nature of the narrator and his friends. Water is in itself the most influential character of the story. It submerges the protagonist, both physically and metaphorically, in his own mentality. The lake serves as a great equalizer. It creates and resolves conflict, all to force the narrator to confront his weakness and reveal his strength. Works Cited Boyle, T. Coraghessan. ?Greasy Lake.? Doubletakes: Pairs of Contemporary Short Stories. Ed. T. Coraghessan Boyle. Boston: Wadsworth, 2004. 79-87

Development of Complex Societies Essay

In the early stages of the development of complex societies, many different factors had a powerful impact on the way the societies developed. In some areas of the world, religion was the primary force that led to the creation of organized societies. Other areas developed on trade routes that made it necessary to develop complex societies to incorporate the growth of different economic classes and the wealth they generated into the structure of the government. In each part of the world where complex societies emerged, the communities were responding to different types of challenges and the complexities each society created forced them to confront new challenges which then led to the great, complex societies of history. The urban society of Mesopotamia developed because of the engineering discoveries that allowed residents of the area between the Tigris and Euphrates to increase food production, while the predictability of the Nile River allowed the Egyptians and Nubians to build large , complex societies around their commercial and religious activities. Many simple early societies were based around farming. Through cultivating crops and the land, people learned they could settle down in one place instead of being nomads and support a larger population of people. These villages needed a social structure, but their sizes were limited by the amount of food they could produce. In Mesopotamia, especially Sumeria and Babylon, there is not much rainfall, but farmers learned they could artificially irrigate their crops using the fresh water in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers[1]. The large-scale engineering projects required greater social organization than the simple farming communities that came before, but they also resulted in increased food production that allowed them to build cities. The urban centers that resulted required more sophisticated organization to make sure that the population was productive: that building projects could be completed, that resources were distributed fairly, and that the city could continue to grow[2]. The division of labor also created different economic classes, which resulted in various social classes as well. Some merchants grew wealthy catering to customers who came to the city from other places, and community building projects required supervision, organization, and funding[3]. Such a large society could not exist as small farmers trading with one another. Political authority was needed to maintain order between the citizens and protect the interests of the entire community, especially the cropland that existed outside the city walls. An example of the way that authority influenced society is the codification of laws by Hammurabi, especially as they related to family relationships and how husbands could treat their wives. Upper-class people whose marriages represented political and economic alliances were subject to the same law, so that even if a husband had a right to punish his wife for a suspected affair, he could not do anything to her unless he caught her in the act. If he did act out on his jealousy, he would be punished. Hammurabi’s laws treated women like the property of their husbands and fathers, but they also described certain standards of behavior that citizens should be expected to follow for the sake of stability and to reign in people’s behavior[4]. The innovation of urban development also led to the Sumerian creation of military power, as each city-state had to protect its farmland and irrigation projects from one another and from outside invaders. Once the city-states had organized themselves into relatively peaceful social organizations united under a single government, their growing populations often led them to go out and try to conquer other city-states or areas with more resources to increase their wealth[5]. In Mesopotamia, the social organization created in the first cities led to the establishment of the first empires. Along the Nile River in northern Africa, small city states also emerged due to the increased production of food that agriculture made possible. Agriculture first developed in Sudan, where people first cultivated wheat crops and domesticated animals that roamed the grassland. The growing populations made these cities into cultural and commercial centers, as well, and they also required political authority to keep the peace and maintain the functioning of all of the complex institutions of a city: dividing up resources, keeping the peace, and protecting their resources from other city-states[6]. These cities were often ruled over by Kings who were not only thought of as political authority but were also considered to be divine themselves, so they also held a great deal of religious authority[7]. Over time, the grasslands became desert and agricultural activity centered along the floodplains of the Nile River in Egypt and Nubia. Egypt, particularly, had a very wide and predictable floodplain which attracted immigrants and allowed the population to grow. United under one ruler, who was also considered to be divine, Egyptian society became increasingly complex. Massive amounts of resources, especially wheat from the fertile harvests, had to be dealt with, marketplaces had to be managed, and armies had to be raised to protect the fertile land from invaders. The main organizing force in Egyptian society was its strong religious component. The Pharaoh was considered a god as well as a king, and the religious power he held was just as important as the political power. The colossal building projects that the Egyptians embarked on, such as the pyramids and temples, required a very complex society and highly skilled workers and engineers[8]. They developed a very complex writing system not only to keep commercial records, but also to record their spiritual beliefs and the history of their empire. Harkhuf used it to document his exploration of Nubia and opening of trade routes there, showing the high levels of complexity that each of those societies had risen to[9]. Both the African and Mesopotamian civilizations developed out of small farming communities who practiced small-scale agriculture. In both areas, advances in agriculture led to increased populations living in densely-populated cities, which allowed the people to divide labor and specialize in different things. The division of labor led to advancement in almost every area: from engineering and agriculture to art and, especially, the political organizations that organized the whole society and made all of those things possible. Both civilizations developed writing systems, originally developed to keep records, but soon used to express imaginations, beliefs, and to write down the histories of their nations. While Mesopotamian cultures were organized around the complex building projects needed to irrigate their fields, societies in the Nile River had other pressures. Their cropland was regularly fertilized and irrigated, so their complexity developed out of a need to organize the wealth of the city-state and the empire that came as a result. Without the pressure of constantly trying to keep their crops irrigated, the Egyptians organized around religious beliefs, which they expressed in their greatest building projects and influenced almost everything they did. The pressures that led smaller societies to develop more complex structures were different in each case, but they both resulted in the building of the first great cities which are necessary for the political, social, and technological innovations of complex society. Although the places they lived were very different, the Sumerians and the Egyptians both developed writing to record their progress, political innovations to maintain control of growing populations, and laid the foundations for great building projects and the great civilizations that would come after them. Bibliography Bentley, Jerry H. and Ziegler, Herbert F., Traditions and Encounters Vol. 1 from The Beginning to 1500, 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010 ———————– [1] Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler, Traditions and Encounters Vol. 1 from The Beginning to 1500, 5th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010), 25 [2] Bentley and Ziegel, Traditions, 27 [3] Bentley and Ziegler, Traditions, 33 [4] Bentley and Ziegler, Traditions, 36 [5] Bentley and Ziegler, Traditions, 29 [6] Bentley and Ziegel, Traditions, 50-51 [7] Bentley and Ziegel, Traditions, 52 [8] Bentley and Ziegel, Traditions, 53 [9] Bentley and Ziegel, Traditions, 56