Ethics on Surrogate Mothers Essay

Sometimes couples who cannot conceive a baby by themselves choose to use a surrogate mother, where another woman carries their child. One way of surrogacy is when a woman who’s unable to carry a baby to term, but is otherwise fertile, has her embryos transplanted to the surrogate mother. The eggs might be fertilized by the biological father or by artificial insemination if the male has fertility issues. In other cases, a surrogate mother is in fact the biological mother of the child as her very own eggs are used to create the embryo. In certain states, such as Arkansas and Delaware, surrogacy is illegal. Even in states where surrogacy is allowed, it can be quite a complicated process for the non-biological mother to be named as the parent, particularly in cases when the surrogate is the biological mother. The surrogate must sign away her maternal rights so the intended mother can adopt the child. If the sperm of the adoptive mother’s husband was used to fertilize the egg, the biological father is named on the child’s birth certificate. Many states require a legal contract be drafted between the couple and the surrogate and her spouse or partner detailing all arrangements concerning the pregnancy and birth. The parties involved with a surrogacy contract should seek the advice of legal counsel to be sure that pertinent issues are addressed and that the contract is in compliance with state and local laws involving surrogacy and adoption. Sometimes a surrogate mother changes her mind and refuses to give up her child. However, in states where surrogacy is allowed, the biological mother usually doesn’t win custody or visitation rights. Typically, the surrogate and the parents sign an agreement to avoid this from happening. Nonetheless, there’s always the possibility that the surrogate mother might win her case. Many surrogacy agreements state what the surrogate can and cannot do while pregnant. But ultimately, the parents should trust the surrogate mom to do what’s in the best interests of the baby. Issues may develop whenever a surrogate breaches the agreement by smoking, abusing drugs or consuming} alcohol while pregnant. As with any pregnancy there’s always the possibility for medical or obstetrical troubles, which may hurt the baby or the surrogate mother. For starters, there’s the chance of transmission of contagious disease to the surrogate when another woman’s eggs are transplanted into the surrogate. Because of this, both biological parents should be prescreened. In case a surrogate develops problems in the beginning that put her life at an increased risk, she may want to end the pregnancy. Another issue that may arise is if health practitioners discover learn that the fetus has possible birth defects and other health concerns. In that situation, the parents may choose they cannot continue with the surrogacy. This generates all sorts of legal issues, especially when the sperm is from a donor or eggs other than the surrogate’s were used for pregnancy. The problem then becomes who gets to determine whether to proceed with the pregnancy. Even though some people see surrogacy as baby-selling and look down on a female who is a surrogate, in recent years surrogacy has become more of a recognized practice. However the ethical issue remains concerning whether a female who’s being paid for her surrogacy is exploiting infertile couples and entering the agreement for money. Others begin to see the infertile couple as exploiting the surrogate’s body and taking advantage of a female who needs money. Another issue, a couple that would adopt a child would be rigorously screened and be assessed to their suitability. This would not be the case with surrogacy. Some people who would be restricted from adopting could avoid this process by using a surrogate. One of the key issues is with regards to surrogacy is it is impossible to determine the risks involved in the surrogacy process. A surrogate needs to be informed of the potential risks to her health and the possible psychological trauma she can suffer. There should a moral requirement for all parties involved to consider the welfare of the child born into any agreement. However, surrogacy raises the debate of people’s â€Å"right† to have children. If we refuse the option of surrogacy, are we discriminating against the infertile? The first recorded case of surrogacy in the United States was in 1976. Noel Keane, a lawyer, arranged the first surrogacy agreement between a surrogate mother and the intended parents. This mother was not compensated financially. Afterwards, Keane went on to create the Infertility Center, which arranged hundreds of surrogacy agreements every year . However despite the numerous ethical issues at stake, statistics show that there has been an increase in the numbers of women who become surrogates. From 2004-2008 the number of infants born to gestational surrogates had doubled. The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology reported from 738 infants born to over 1,400 from surrogate births. However, the amount of surrogacies annually is likely to be more, as many fertility centers don’t report to SART. Additionally, there are couples who enter private agreements with a surrogate where agencies aren’t involved. References Pacific Connection Fertility Services: Surrogacy Yale — New Haven Teachers Institute: Ethical Problems Surrounding Surrogate Motherhood Dr Rebecca Gibbs, North East Essex PCT, Surrogacy, January 2008. http://www.northeastessexpct.nhs.uk/public_29_01_2008/surrogacy-policy.pdf

“Art for Heart’s Sake” by Reuben Lucius Essay

â€Å"Art for Heart’s Sake† is a short story written by Reuben Lucius â€Å"Rube† Goldberg, an American cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer, and inventor, who lived between 1883 and 1970. He is best known as a cartoonist and a founding member of America’s National Cartoonists Society. Collins P. Ellsworth is a wealthy 76-year-old businessman who is being treated for a form of compulsive buying disorder, otherwise known as oniomania: His uncontrollable buying habits—he can hardly suppress the urge to purchase businesses and property such as grocery stores and railroads—have precipitated a host of mental and physical problems. Dr. Caswell, his doctor, convinces him to try art therapy sessions with Frank Swain, a young art student. As the treatment progresses, Ellsworth turns his interest to painting and to the operations of art galleries. He then paints an amateurish picture, which he exhibits at the Lathrop Gallery. A letter soon arrives, revealing that the First Prize of the Lathrop Show has been awarded to none other than Ellsworth; it turns out that the old businessman has recently purchased the Lathrop Gallery. Written in a combination of third-person narrative and direct speech, the story brings Ellsworth and his experiment with art therapy into focus, reaching its climax when the old man, almost improbably, decides to exhibit his third-rate painting at the Lathrop Gallery (â€Å"He was going to exhibit it . . . !†). The story may be divided into five sections, each of which recounts a different stage of Ellsworth’s progress: from his background as a compulsive property buyer, to Dr. Caswell’s treatment suggestion, to the art therapy sessions with Frank Swain, to the Lathrop exhibition, and finally, to the startling revelation of Ellsworth’s purchase of the gallery. [Possible section titles: Enter a Cranky Property Addict, Cajoled into Rehab, Art is Medicine, Practice Doesn’t Always Make Perfect, A Relapse.] The story is told in a humorous and, to an extent, ironic tone. We would be hard-pressed to deny the situational humor of a snappy and petulant, albeit very wealthy, 76-year-old in a hospital-like establishment. The epithets â€Å"a loud, raucous splash on the wall† and â€Å"a god-awful smudge,† along with the metaphor â€Å"gob of salad dressing,† are teasingly said in reference to Ellsworth’s weak painting skills. His personified dislike of the pineapple juice prescribed by Dr. Caswell (â€Å". . . old pineapple juice comes back.†) is likewise worth a smile. By using zeugma (â€Å"All his purchases of recent years had to be liquidated at a great sacrifice both to his health and his pocketbook.†), Goldberg forges a link of irony between Ellsworth’s health and his money: the more money the old man spends on compulsive property purchases, the more his condition deteriorates. The ultimate irony, however, is that a treatment designed to alleviate Ellsworth’s oniomania serves only to aggravate it. The character of Collins P. Ellsworth is portrayed, mostly indirectly, as crabby, materialistic, and petulant. From the very first lines, we can hear him retorting with the informal nope and brandishing dated colloquial pejoratives (e.g., bosh, rot, poppycock). The simile â€Å"like a child playing with his picture book† brings out Ellsworth’s childishness, while his impatience is highlighted by his frequent use of the interjection umph. Vain and impatient, he â€Å"snaps† and â€Å"grunts with satisfaction† at his feeble attempts at painting. His belief that money—as opposed to talent—can buy one anything may not be the best philosophy to live by, for it is money and his uncontrollable urges to spend it that have undermined Ellsworth’s health. Dr. Caswell is driven by professionalism (â€Å". . . with his usual professional calm . . .†), logic (â€Å"He had done some constructive thinking . . . .†), and compassion, alway s acting with Ellsworth’s best interests at heart. The fact that he recommends Frank Swain as tutor to the often intolerable Ellsworth, thereby helping Swain pay his tuition, also speaks positively of Dr. Caswell. Frank Swain is similarly patient and attentive, which is evident, for example, when he brings the grumpy old man watercolors and oils, or when he politely (â€Å"Not bad, sir.†) comments on Ellsworth’s risible picture, although there is no certain way of establishing whether the remark was or was not used somewhat sarcastically. The character of Koppel, the male nurse, does nothing but fetch pineapple juice and therefore plays only a subsidiary role in the story—perhaps that of helping fuel Ellsworth’s grumpiness and of functioning as a sort of human prop in the final â€Å"surprise† scene of the story. As noted above, apart from largely neural vocabulary, the story features a number of dated informal words (as above, e.g., bosh, rot, poppycock), phrases (by gum), and colloquialisms (kinda), which all serve the purpose of portraying Ellsworth as an old, grumpy, and childish man. Vocabulary pertaining to painting—such as water-colors, oils, picture book, gallery, exhibit, and numerous others—helps establish the setting and reinforces the image of Ellsworth as a grown-up baby â€Å"[fooling] around with chalk and crayons.† At the syntactic level, brisk, simple sentences account for the majority of the sentences found in the story. If not too simple, the syntax, on the whole, is rather uncomplicated, with a significant number of elliptical (â€Å"Not bad.† â€Å"Fine.†) and exclamatory (â€Å"Nope!† â€Å"Bosh!† â€Å"Umph!†) sentences. Such sentences, in conjunction with the straightforward syntax, strengthen the impression of Ellsworth’s awkwardness. Through repetition (â€Å"See, see . . .†) and aposiopesis (â€Å"But, but—well, now . . . .†), Goldberg imitates the way many people would react in moments of overwhelming surprise. This story is interesting in that it portrays a complex man—old, rich, petulant like a child, and in a precarious state of mental and physical health. As we watch his ostensible passion for art develop, we may find ourselves inspired by his progress and, not infrequently, even amused by his caustic remarks. But when we learn about his regression at the end of the story, we are bound for disappointment—we begin to view Ellsworth as a childish and materialistic person not worthy of our sympathy. Is he such a man? That is precisely why this story is so interesting: While humorous and ironic on the surface, it poses the deep question of whether Ellsworth is really in control of himself when he decides to purchase the Lathrop Gallery, or whether he is a victim of a mentall illness none of us would ever wish on our worst enemies. Should we be amused at his regression, or should we pity him?

Night World : The Chosen Chapter 7

By the time Rashel intercepted the girl, the truck was already braking to turn around. Someone was shouting, â€Å"She's out! We lost one!† â€Å"This way!† Rashel said, reaching toward the girl with one hand and gesturing with the other. Up close, she could see that the girl was small, with disheveled blond hair falling over her forehead. Her chest was heaving. Instead of looking grateful, she seemed terrified by Rashel's arrival. She stared at Rashel a moment, then she tried to dart away. Rashel snagged her in midlunge. ‘Tm your friend! Come on! We've got to go between streets, where the truck can't follow us.† The truck was finishing its turn. Headlights swept toward them. Rashel looped an arm around the girl's waist and took off at a dead run. The blond girl was carried along. She whimpered but she ran, too. Rashel was heading for the area between two of the warehouses. She knew that if there really were vampires in that truck, her only chance was to get herself and the blond girl to her car. The vampires could run much faster than any human. She'd picked these two warehouses because the chain-link fence behind them wasn't too high and had no barbed wire at the top. As they reached it, Rashel gave the girl a little shove. â€Å"Climb!† â€Å"I can't!† The girl was trembling and gasping. Rashel looked her over and realized that it was probably the literal truth. The girl didn't look as if she'd ever climbed anything in her life. She was wearing what seemed to be party clothes and high heels. Rashel saw the truck's headlights in the street and heard the engine slowing. â€Å"You have to!† she said. â€Å"Unless you want to go back with them.† She interlocked her fingers, making a step with her hands. â€Å"Here! Put your foot here and then just try to grab on when I bounce you up.† The girl looked too scared not to try. She put her foot in Rashel's hand-just as the headlights switched off. It was what Rashel had expected. The darkness was an advantage to the vampires; they could see much better in it than humans. They were going to follow on foot. Rashel took a breath, then heaved upward explosively as she exhaled. The blond girl went sailing toward the top of the fence with a shriek. A bare instant later, Rashel launched herself at the top of the fence, grabbed it, and swung her legs over. She dropped to the ground almost noiselessly and held her arms up to the blond girl. ‘Let go! I'll catch you.† The girl, who was clambering awkwardly over the top, looked over her shoulder. â€Å"I can't-â€Å" â€Å"Do it!† The girl dropped. Rashel broke her fall, set her on her feet, and grabbed her arm above the elbow. â€Å"Come on!† As they ran, Rashel scanned the buildings around them. She needed a corner, someplace where she could get the girl behind her and safe. She could defend a corner-if there weren't more than two or three vampires. â€Å"How many of them are there?† she asked the girl. â€Å"Huh?† The girl was gasping. â€Å"How-many-are-there?† â€Å"I don't know, and I can't run anymore!† The girl staggered to a halt and bent double, hands on her knees, trying to get her breath back. â€Å"My legs†¦ are just like jelly.† It was no use, Rashel realized in dismay. She couldn't expect this bit of blond fluff to out-sprint a vampire. But if they stopped here in the open, they were dead. She cast a desperate look around. Then she saw it. A Bostonian tradition-an abandoned car. In this city, if you got tired of your car you just junked it on the nearest embankment. Rashel blessed the unknown benefactor who'd left this one. Now, if only they could get in†¦. â€Å"This way!† She didn't wait for the girl to protest, but grabbed her and dragged her. â€Å"Come on, you can do it! Make it to that car and you don't have to run anymore.† The words seemed to inspire the girl into a last effort. They reached the car and Rashel saw that one of the back windows was broken out cleanly. â€Å"In!† The girl was small-boned and went through the window easily. Rashel dove after her. Then she shoved her down into the leg space in front of the seat and hissed, â€Å"Don't make a sound.† She lay tensely, listening. She barely had time to breathe twice before she heard footsteps. Soft footsteps, stealthy as a prowling tiger's. Vampire footsteps. Rashel held her breath and waited. Closer, closer†¦ Rashel could feel the other girl shaking. She watched the dark ceiling of the car and tried to plan a defense if they were caught. The footsteps were right outside now. She heard the grate of glass not ten feet from the car door. Just please don't let them have a werewolf with them, she thought. Vampires might see and hear better than humans, but a werewolf could sniff its prey out. It couldn't possibly miss the smell of humans in the car. Outside, the footsteps paused, and Rashel's heart sank. Eyes open, she silently put her hand on her sword. And then she heard the footsteps moving quickly-away. She listened as they faded, keeping utterly still. Then she kept still some more, while she counted to two hundred. Then, very carefully, she sat up and looked around. No sight or sound of vampires. â€Å"Can I please get up now?† came a small whimpering voice from the floor. â€Å"If you keep quiet,† Rashel whispered. â€Å"They still may be somewhere nearby. We're going to have to get to my car without them catching us.† â€Å"Anything, as long as I don't have to run,† the girl said plaintively, emerging from the floor more disheveled than ever. â€Å"Have you ever tried to run in four-inch heels?† â€Å"I never wear heels,† Rashel murmured, scanning up and down the street. â€Å"Okay, I'll get out first, then you come through.† She slid out the window feet-first. The girl stuck her head through. â€Å"Don't you ever use doors?† â€Å"Sh. Come on,† Rashel whispered. She led the way through the dark streets, moving from shadow to shadow. At least the girl could walk softly, she thought. And she had a sense of humor even in danger. That was rare. Rashel drew a breath of relief when they reached the narrow twisting alley where her Saturn was parked. They weren't safe yet, though. She wanted to get the blond girl out of Mission Hill. â€Å"Where do you live?† she said, as she started the engine. When there was no answer, she turned. The girl was staring at her with open uneasiness. â€Å"Uh, how come you're dressed like that? And who are you, anyway? I mean, I'm glad you saved me-but I don't understand anything.† Rashel hesitated. She needed information from this girl, and that was going to take time-and trust. With sudden decision she unwound her scarf, one-handed, until her face was exposed. â€Å"Like I said, I'm a friend. But first just tell me: do you know what kind of people had you in that truck?† The girl turned away. She was already shivering with cold; now she shivered harder. â€Å"They weren't people. They were†¦ ugh.† â€Å"Then you do know. Well, I'm one of the people that hunts down that kind of people.† The girl looked from Rashel's face to the sheathed sword that rested between them. Her jaw dropped. â€Å"Oh, my God! You're Buffy the Vampire Slayer!† â€Å"Huh? Oh.† Rashel had missed the movie. â€Å"Right. Actually, you can call me Rashel. And you're†¦ ?† â€Å"Daphne Childs. And I live in Somerville, but I don't want to go home.† â€Å"Well, that's fine, because I want to talk to you. Let's find a Dunkin' Donuts.† Rashel found one outside of Boston, a safe one she knew had no Night World connections. She pulled a coat on over her black ninja outfit and lent Daphne a spare sweater from the trunk of her car. Then they went inside and ordered jelly sticks and hot chocolate. â€Å"Now,† Rashel said. â€Å"Tell me what happened. How did you end up in that truck?† Daphne cupped her hands around her hot chocolate. â€Å"It was all so horrible†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I know.† Rashel tried to make her voice soothing. She hadn't had much practice at it. â€Å"Try to tell me anyway. Start at the beginning.† â€Å"Okay, well, it started at the Crypt.† â€Å"Uh, as in ‘Tales from the†¦'? Or as in the Old Burial Ground?† â€Å"As in the club on Prentiss Street. It's this underground club, and I mean really underground. I mean, nobody seems to know about it except the people who go there, and they're all our age. Sixteen or seventeen. I never see any adults, not even DJs.† â€Å"Go on.† Rashel was listening intently. The Night People had clubs, usually carefully hidden from humans. Could Daphne have wandered into one? â€Å"Well. It's extremely and seriously cool-or at least that's what I thought. They have some amazing music. I mean, it's beyond doom, it's beyond goth, it's sort of like void rock. Just listening to it makes you go all weird and bodiless. And the whole place is decorated like this post-apocalypse wasteland. Or maybe like the underworld†¦.† Daphne stared off into the distance. Her eyes, a very deep cornflower blue under heavy lashes, looked wistful and almost hypnotized. Rashel poked her and chocolate slopped onto the table. â€Å"Reminisce about it later. What kind of people were in the club? Vampires?† â€Å"Oh, no.† Daphne looked shocked. â€Å"Just regular kids. I know some from my school. And there's lots of runaways, I guess. Street kids, you know.† Rashel blinked. â€Å"Runaways†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yeah. They're mostly very cool, except the ones who do drugs. Those are spooky.† An illegal club full of runaway kids, some of whom would probably do anything for drugs. Rashel could feel her skin tingling. I think I've stumbled onto something big. â€Å"Anyway,† Daphne was going on, â€Å"I'd been going there for about three weeks, you know, whenever I could get away from home-â€Å" â€Å"You didn't tell your parents about it,† Rashel guessed flatly. â€Å"Are you joking? It's not a place you tell parents about. Anyway, my family doesn't care where I go. I've got four sisters and two brothers and my mom and my step-dad are getting divorced†¦ they don't even notice when I'm gone.† â€Å"Go on,† Rashel said grimly. â€Å"Well, there was this guy.† Daphne's cornflower eyes looked wistful again. â€Å"This guy who was really gorgeous, and really mysterious, and really just-just different from anybody I ever met. And I thought he was maybe interested in me, because I saw him looking at me once or twice, so I sort of joined the girls who were always hanging around him. We used to talk about weird things.† â€Å"Like?† â€Å"Oh, like surrendering yourself to the darkness and stuff. It was like the music, you know-we were all really into death. Like what would be the most horrible way to die, what would be the most awful torture you could live through, what you look like when you're in your grave. Stuff like that.† â€Å"For God's sake, why?† Rashel couldn't disguise her revulsion. â€Å"I don't know.† All at once, Daphne looked small and sad. â€Å"I guess because most of us felt life was pretty rotten. So you kind of face things, you know, to try to get used to them. You probably don't understand,† she added, grimacing. Rashel did understand. With a sudden shock, she understood completely. These kids were scared and depressed and worried about the future. They had to do something to deaden the pain†¦ even if that meant embracing pain. They escaped one darkness by going into another. And am I any different? I mean, this obsession I've got with vampires†¦ it's not exactly what you'd call normal and healthy. I spend my whole life dealing with death. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said, and her voice came out more gentle than when she'd been trying to soothe Daphne before. Awkwardly, she patted the other girl's arm once. â€Å"I shouldn't have yelled. And I do understand, actually. Please go on.† â€Å"Well.† Daphne still looked defensive. â€Å"Some of the girls would write poetry about dying†¦ and some of them would prick themselves with pins and lick the blood off. They said they were vampires, you know. Just pretending.† She glanced warily at Rashel. Rashel simply nodded. â€Å"And so I talked the same way, and did the same stuff. And this guy Quinn just seemed to love it-hey, look out!† Daphne jerked back to avoid a wave of hot chocolate. Rashel's sudden movement had knocked her cup over. Oh, God, what is wrong with me? Rashel thought. She said, â€Å"Sorry,† through her teeth, grabbing for a wad of napkins. She should have been expecting it. She had been expecting it; she knew that Quinn must be involved in this. But somehow the mention of his name had knocked the props from under her. She hadn't been able to control her reaction. â€Å"So,† she said, still through her teeth, â€Å"the gorgeous mysterious guy was named Quinn.† â€Å"Yeah.† Daphne wiped chocolate off her arm. â€Å"And I was starting to think he really liked me. He told me to come to the club last Sunday and to meet him alone in the parking lot.† â€Å"And you did.† Oh, I am going to kill him so dead, Rashel thought. â€Å"Sure. I dressed up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Daphne looked down at her bedraggled outfit. â€Å"Well, this did look terrific once. So I met him and we went to his car. And then he told me that he'd chosen me. I was so happy I almost fainted. I thought he meant for his girlfriend. And then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Daphne trailed off again. For the first time since she'd begun the story, she looked frightened. â€Å"Then he asked me if I really wanted to surrender to the darkness. He made it sound so romantic.† â€Å"I bet,† Rashel said. She rested her head on her hand. She could see it all now, and it was the perfect scam. Quinn checked the girls out, discovered which would be missed and which wouldn't. He kidnapped them from the parking lot so that no one saw them, no one even connected them with the Crypt. Who would notice or care that certain girls stopped showing up? Girls would always be coming and going. And there had been nothing in the newspaper because the daylight world didn't realize that girls were being taken. There probably wasn't even a struggle during the abduction, because these girls were willing to go-in the beginning. â€Å"It must have been a shock,† Rashel said dryly, â€Å"to find out that there really was a darkness to surrender to.† â€Å"Uh, yeah. Yeah, it was. But I didn't actually find that out then. I just said, sure, I wanted to. I mean, I'd have said the same thing if he asked me did I really want to watch Lawrence Welk reruns with him. He was that gorgeous. And he was looking at me in this totally soulful way, and I thought he was going to kiss me. And then†¦ I fell asleep.† Daphne frowned at her paper cup. â€Å"No, you didn't.† â€Å"I did. I know it sounds crazy, but I fell asleep and when I woke up I was in this place, this little office in this warehouse. And I was on this iron cot with this pathetic lumpy mattress, and I was chained down. I had chains on my ankles, just like people in jail. And Quinn was gone, and there were two other girls chained to other cots.† Without warning, Daphne began to cry. Rashel handed her a napkin, feeling uncomfortable. â€Å"Were the girls from the Crypt, too?† Daphne sniffed. â€Å"I don't know. They might have been. But they wouldn't talk to me. They were, like, in a trance. They just lay there and stared at the ceiling.† â€Å"But you weren't in a trance,† Rashel said thoughtfully. â€Å"Somehow you woke up from the mind control. You must be resistant like me.† â€Å"I don't know anything about mind control. But I was so scared I pretended to be like the other girls when this guy came to bring us food and take us to the bathroom. I just stared straight ahead like them. I thought maybe that way I would get a chance to escape.† â€Å"Smart girl,† Rashel said. â€Å"And the guy-was it Quinn?† â€Å"No. I never saw Quinn again. It was this blond guy named Ivan from the club; I called him Ivan the Terrible. And there was a girl who brought us food sometimes-I don't know her name, but I used to see her at the club, too. They were like Quinn; they each had their own little group, you know.† At least two others besides Quinn, Rashel thought. Probably more. â€Å"They didn't hurt us or anything, and the office was heated, and the food was okay-but I was so scared,† Daphne said. â€Å"I didn't understand what was going on at all. I didn't know where Quinn was, or how I'd gotten there, or what they were going to do with us.† She swallowed. Rashel didn't understand that last either. What were the vampires doing with the girls in the warehouse? Obviously not killing them out of hand. â€Å"And then last night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Daphne's voice wobbled and she stopped to breathe. â€Å"Last night Ivan brought this new girl in. He carried her in and put her on a cot. And†¦ and†¦ then he bit her. He bit her on the neck. But it wasn't a game.† The cornflower-blue eyes stared into the distance, wide with remembered horror. â€Å"He really bit her. And blood came out and he drank it. And when he lifted his head up I saw his teeth.† She started to hyperventilate. â€Å"It's okay. You're safe now,† Rashel said. â€Å"I didn't know! I didn't know those things were real! I thought it was all just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Daphne shook her head. â€Å"I didn't know,† she said softly. â€Å"Okay. I know it's a big shock. But you've been dealing with it really well. You managed to get away from the truck, didn't you? Tell me about the truck.† â€Å"Well-that was tonight. I could tell day from night by looking at this little window high up. Ivan and the girl came and took the chains off us and made us all get in the truck. And then I was really scared-I didn't know where they were taking us, but I heard something about a boat. And I knew wherever it was, I didn't want to go.† â€Å"I think you're right about that.† Daphne took another breath. â€Å"So I watched the way Ivan shut the door of the truck. He was in back with us. And when he was looking the other way, I sort of jumped at the door and got it open. And then I just fell out. And then I ran-I didn't know which way to go, but I knew I had to get away from them. And then I saw you. And†¦ I guess you saved my life.† She considered. â€Å"Uh, I don't know if I remembered to say thank you.† Rashel made a gesture of dismissal. â€Å"No problem. You saved yourself, really.† She frowned, staring at a drop of chocolate on the plastic table without seeing it. â€Å"Well. I am grateful. Whatever they were going to do to me, I think it must have been pretty awful.† A pause, then she said, â€Å"Uh, Rashel? Do you know what they were going to do to me?† â€Å"Hm? Oh.† Rashel nodded slowly, looking up from the table. â€Å"Yes, I think so.†

Distinction between Heath and Illness in Context with the Medical Assignment

Distinction between Heath and Illness in Context with the Medical Anthropology - Assignment Example Finding the differences between the two notions seems to be useful in medical anthropological context since diseases are mainly concerned with the biomedical curing, while illness involves both biomedical curing as well as psychological treatment. The psychological factor encompasses the perception of the patient’s emotions, which forms the basic concept in the field of Anthropology. Thus, for example the disease which includes measles can be cured by biomedical medicines, whereas illness which may include both mental and physical disorders need to be treated accordingly. In this context, an explanatory model reveals how individuals sense their illness and the related experiences of it. The explanatory model are usually used to explain â€Å"how people view their illness in terms of how it happens, what causes it, how it affects them, and what will make them feel better† (â€Å"Explanatory Model† ). Thus one of the advantages of the explanatory model would be, it can assist in the integration of clinical, epidemiological and other social science related aspects of diseases and illnesses, thereby enhancing the depth of the scientific understanding of any diseases and illness. ... four major steps: 1) With the effective background of the cultural myth, and under the culture specific symbols, both the experiences of the healed and the healers becomes generalized. 2) The patient’s problem is described by the healer in the form of a myth. 3) Patient’s emotions are attached to the transactional symbols from the general myth 4) Finally, the healer manipulates those transactional symbols skillfully and help the patient transact his/her emotions. (Waldram). Variations in the structure of this symbolic healing happens when the treatment has to be fastened and due to certain culturally specific symbols. The basic crux of all these symbolic healing methods is, the healing process involves â€Å"an ontological shift for the patient into a particularized mythic world.† (Dow 61). A symbolic healing can be considered a success and even possible when that particularized mythic world is present for both the healer as well as the patient, and importantly, when the patient fully agrees to the power of the healer to judge and de?ne the patient’s relationship to it. When this healing is compared with biomedical curing, the difference is the focus on mind in the case of healing, while the focus is on the physical body in later case. In general the psychosocial factors become one of the neglected areas in biomedical curing. Thus the biomedical curing can be considered as a historic shift from the ways the doctors carried out their practice. That is, in the case of symbolic healing the patient’s emotions are centered, while in biomedical curing the body rather than the mind is targeted. Brief description of Medicalization, pregnancy and Demedicalization with suitable examples Medicalization can be defined as a process in which many key non-medical aspects of

Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Case Study - Assignment Example From the increasing sales that are being made from mobile commerce, it is quite evident that in the coming years a large percentage of all sales that occur in a particular country will be online. This is due to advancements that are being made in the technological world from smart phones to computers and even tablets. In future people all over the world will seem to be so busy working such that time for shopping is limited hence they will be obliged to do over the internet. As computer knowledge increase from generation to generation, there will be more conversance with these electronic devices and this will also raise the percentage rate of increase of mobile commerce. Through online buying, one can select a wide range of goods and services from foodstuffs to banking services hence saving time of having to move from place to place. Companies that involve mobile commerce such as OLX continue to build their routes because it is evident that the future of business is dependent on onlin e shopping due to studies done by Ipos indicating that the percentage of online shopping continues to increase over the years (Chen & Lee 33). The Edward Jones is a big company situated in the USA and it offers financial help to its customers through advising them on how to invest their money in the best way. It has been established strongly for many years because of managing properly the techniques they use to handle their customers. Although the company management interacts with its clients over the internet and other social media, it cannot do its business activities online. This is because it has branches all over Canada and USA hence they can easily be physically reached. It is also a risky business to do money transactions to people that are met over the internet hence the obligation for face to face encounter (Chen & Lee 37). However the use of internet makes their messages reach a wide range of potential customers who may be looking for their

Qualitative research and questionnaire design Essay

Qualitative research and questionnaire design - Essay Example In its simplest sense, emotional branding pertains to that type of strategy which gives paramount importance to the emotions, most especially that of the consumers. Nowadays, members of the corporate world have recognized the importance of Corporate Branding. Big companies such as Victoria’s Secret, Coca-Cola, Godiva and Starbucks have all resorted to the use of emotional branding to attract more customers. Basically, emotional branding denotes one thing: that is, to place the customers at the core of the marketing strategy rather than focusing too much on the product (Berrada 2010; Gobe 2010). Pertinently, it is the goal of emotional branding to ensure the development of customer loyalty by making sure that the brand dominates its competitors with respect to the attention given by the customers (Travis 2000). Generally, emotional branding gives importance to the five senses of the consumers. Hence, advertisements focus on these, making sure that the customers connect not just with the product being advertised but to the brand as well. Hence, through emotional branding, the consumers are perceived to have the capacity to connect more to the brand. In this regard, the connection of the customers and the brand results to a greater profit for the company or manufacturer concerned (Gobe 2010; Taher 2006). The use of emotional branding then appeals to the internal aspect of the consumer. It is basically more concerned with the use of abstract concepts yet at the same time, yields to results that are concrete (Berrada 2010; Norman 2005). Evidently, not much research has been successful in determining why emotional branding results to customer satisfaction. It was considered as the marketing trend of the current generation (Gobe 2010; Passikoff 2006). Because of the competition dominating in the business arena, companies must not only tell their consumers what they need; instead, they must focus on the different reasons why the latter needs to obtain this (Desg rippes, Hellman and Gobe 2007; Norman 2005) This research generally focuses on emotional branding in the case of one of the most successful brands in the whole world: Starbucks. Undeniably, Starbucks has been considered as one of the most successful companies that have carried out the emotional branding strategies. Its products appeal to its consumers, enjoy high name recall, and finally, experience high degrees of customer loyalty (Gobe 2010; Mennen 2010; Passikoff 2006). In fact, Starbucks has been considered as the benchmark for mainstream coffee houses in view of its ability to market its products by promoting the social status that it gives. In this regard, this research draws on the perceptions of the customers of Starbucks with respect to aspects of emotional branding carried out by the corporation as well as the successfulness of the said strategies in the attainment of the following results: (1) appeal of the products to the customers, (2) high name recall, and (3) customer loyalty (Dorfmeister 2003; Gobe 2010). To attain the said objectives, this research employs the use of the qualitative approach to research, focusing on the use of the interviews in the form of questionnaires to obtain the pertinent data for this research. Literature Review Having established the main objective that this paper seeks to attain, this section then focuses on the review of pertinent literature with respect to emotional branding. Generally, this literature review focuses on three pertinent issues,

Employee motivation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Employee motivation - Case Study Example The subject context analyzes various environmental circumstances with close scrutiny on company performance. A discussion on the matter also tackles employee expectations and eventual outcomes in an organization. The authors use statistical data as indicators to the study presented. As such the article compares notes from various organizational settings. The context presented has several credible viewpoints to concerning employee motivation factors. The authors argue employee motivation factors from a logical perspective. The authors say â€Å"An organization as a whole clearly has to attend to the four fundamental emotional drives, but so must individual managers† (Nohria, Groysberg & Lee, 2008). According to this view managers have a responsibility to identify driving forces in the scope of employee motivation. However, the article has limitations to working environments that have complex structures. The authors have failed to provide alternatives to extended institutions. In my opinion, Employee Motivation by Nohria, Groysberg and Lee (2008) addresses significant issues that affect organizational performance. The approach used by the author is effective evidenced by the supported company analysis. Additional review of other related journals on the same topic would enrich the article

The Day of the Locust explication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Day of the Locust explication - Essay Example Alternatively, they could be waiting for a bus to deliver them to a place full of hope that, realistically, will never come. The novel depicts a poor mass that are surrounded by glitters of Hollywood, which provides them with the illusions of good life. However, the narrator cannot comprehend the irrationality of the crowd, who seem to be angry with everything. The paper analyzes the use of crowd in The Day of the Locust. There is the use of crowd to symbolize the direction American society has taken, with masses not being recognized by their contribution to the success of the Hollywood stars, who have lost touch with the reality of life, built a ringed barrier around them and creates illusions among their followers. Tod Hackett, a fresh graduate from an Art School, Yale University who has been living in Hollywood for about three months. As he works on his epic painting, â€Å"The Burning of Los Angeles† he encounters what can best be described as a dangerous crowd of people w ho cling to hope against the backdrop of hard reality. As depicted in the apocalypse of landscape, the crowd is charged; as they arm themselves with baseball bats and torches. In page 10, he describes the scene at the movie premier in the manner in which the crowd is charged and show signs of impatience; â€Å"...Thousands of people had already gathered. They stood facing the theatre with their backs to the gutter in a thick line hundreds of feet long† Nadel 226). In a view to describe the gap between the crown and those Hollywood personalities, the narrator states continues; â€Å"A big squad of policemen was trying to keep a lane open between the front rank of the crowd and the faced of the theatre...† (Gehman 10). The narrator’s description of the life of the Hollywood stars and the masses depicts two sides that are not in sync with each other. His perception is that the Hollywood art is just meant to provide some sort of mechanical fantasies to the American poor populace. In fact, the use of imagery in the description of Los Angeles is a direct creation of perception that the people have been exposed to some sort of machination to fantasize and live in some fabricated world of dreams. This kind of dream offers short term gratification, and that any form of delay to the actualization of this dream can lead to disastrous reaction from the crowd. The latter is depicted in the grotesque facial depictions of the people: â€Å"all those poor devils who can only best stirred by the promise of miracles and then only to violence† (Gehman 10). The novel relentlessly exposes the decay and constant violence that emerge from the failure to accomplish the dreams of the masses. The idealism and the actuality of the life in Los Angeles’ Hollywood is depicted as worlds apart. In this case, finding the reality from the discrepancies of imaginations is so hard that the Tod can only predict doom. The novel, in other words, predicts the imagi ned American dream that is full of fantasies remarkably addressed in symbolic characteristic of the crowd. Within the core of this dream is a seemingly eminent violence, which may arise when the masses realizes that they have not been part of the illusion of activities presented in the events. The crowd becomes difficult to control and portrays uncertainty with the goals, even as they feel threatened by the Hollywood idols. Ironically, they are prepared

Case analysis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Case analysis - Coursework Example This indicated the desire to serve customer in the best quality service (Mennen 2006). As of 2001, the company had started to realize some profits when its sales exceeded 3.12bn. In 2002, the company made a modest profit of 64 million dollars. In 2003, the company made profits of 814million dollars. This thus indicates that eventually the harvest did come. In 2003, the business vision of the company changed to a place where people could buy anything (Stockport 2004). According to Bezos, e-commerce was the way of the future. This was an accurate estimation as the internet has dominated everyday life. It is a cheaper and efficient means of communicating as well as a trading hub. According to the numbers, the concept of being all things to all people is quite an impressive and profitable business vision. This is because it allows the company to diversify, thus having some forma of safety nets. Some products may not make profits, thus are kept afloat by those that are popular. The concept also means that the company is flexible and a one-stop-shop. According to the vision of the founder, the driving factors of the business are technology, technology, technology (Stockport 2004). This means that the company will focus on technology as its real estate. The company has a lot of potential terms of its capabilities of achieving. At the moment, Amazon.com has only but a while to become the dominant player in the online market. The company has ensured that this will be a reality through some of the features that it has put in place. These features will see to it that the payments are secure, a simple method of ordering as well as a fast delivery system. With this, this company is in the right path to being the Wal-Mart of the

Nutrition, Physical Activity and Weight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nutrition, Physical Activity and Weight - Essay Example From this study it is clear that  evidence based messages to promote healthy nutrition in adolescents should target food groups, snacks, meals, fast food and beverages. Teenagers should ensure that their diet contains a variety of foods such as grains, meat, poultry, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, and nuts to accommodate their growth requirements of minerals, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Daily 5 servings of fruits and vegetables are recommended.This paper highlights that energy dense-nutrient poor foods such as fried potato chips, biscuits and cakes lead to a lower intake of fruits and vegetables and are more likely to be associated with consumption of other energy dense-nutrient poor foods like colas. Energy drinks and soft drinks should be consumed in limited quantity because of their high caffeine and sugar content. Current research suggests that reducing consumption of sugar sweetened and carbonated drinks can help in obesity prevention. Instead, water in take should be increased. They should be taught to read the labels before consuming packaged and processed foods regarding calories, fat and sodium content of the product and choose accordingly and wisely. Also, difference in home cooked and processed food can be explained and reasons for ‘eating out’ analysed.  Adolescents should be explained about the benefits of staying physically active and how it can be achieved. Teenagers should be encouraged to take part in sports and other physical activities at school.

Gender Roles In Primates Essay Example for Free

Gender Roles In Primates Essay Primate behavioral and biological research has resulted in a huge number of observations that has served as basis in understanding gender roles among their closest relatives, the humans. Earlier concepts of gender differences among primates only described that female primates influenced the organization structure of primate groups. After comprehensive analyses of primate behavior for several decades, it has now been determined that female primates serve as the foundation for primate social organization, acting as the prime individuals that shape the structure of the society, as well as mold the dynamics of primate groups (Gagneux et al. , 1999). More importantly, observations from kin selection among primates have facilitated the understanding of human sexual behavior. Primate behavioral studies have examined that the females of several primate species have diverse roles in their kin, as well as in the primate social groups. The significant increase in information associated with primate behavior has been observed in the past decade and the amount of information is massive that it has circumvented the previous knowledge on primate behavior and social roles in the past centuries. Another primate behavioral feature that has been of interest to primatologists and anthropologists is primate dominance. Earlier studies have described that male primates have an inherent characteristic of dominance, which thus can be translated to the dominant personalities among humans. However, a novel characteristic that was recently reported involved the behavior of female primates, wherein females were observed to be highly competitive among their groups, which explains the human aspect of competition among women over different issues in life. In addition, primate studies have also shown that female primates are very resourceful in finding ways in solving issues on daily living in the wild, including searching for food, a place to live and even finding worthwhile mates for offspring production (Pope, 2000). The female primates are also independent wherein they have the inherent ability of constructing contraptions and methods that would help in their survival in the wild. Such observation among female primates helps in the understanding of human females and their ability to easily adapt to different situations in life, better than their human male counterpart. Primate research has also reported that primate females are assertive in terms of sexual behavior. Primate females show the ability to control a situation when a primate male is present and they are the ones who will determine whether copulation will occur with a particular primate male. It is also interesting to know that female primates are more susceptible to promiscuity during stages of puberty than male primates. The social organization of primates is very interesting because these species also have hierarchies which determine which individual will have the right to choose his mate and this is mainly based on the level of aggressiveness of the male primate. The most aggressive male primate is thus given the first chance to pick his female primate of choice and the least aggressive male primate often ends up with lesser of a choice among the female primates. Such behavior is generally observed in human society wherein the most aggressive men often get to choose and pursue the most attractive woman and the shy and quiet men often end up with relationships with less attractive women. The female primates have also been observed to show prime responsibility over her offspring, just like the human female (Maestripieri, 1994). The primate males have also been determined to be responsible in finding food for his offspring, searching the forest for fruits and other plants that will be brought to their place of living to feed his young. The male primate has also been observed to protect their place of living from other predatory species as well as other aggressive and destructive male primates. Primate research has transformed our old concepts of human behavior and it is interesting to know that all primates follow the same behavior for specific situations. References Gagneux, P, Boesch, C. , and Woodruff, D. 1999. Female reproductive strategies, paternity, and community structure in wild West African chimpanzees. Anim. Behav. 57: 19-32. Maestripieri, D. 1994. Social structure, infant handling, and mother styles in group-living Old World monkeys. Int. J. Primatol. 15: 531-553. Pope, T. R. 2000. Reproductive success increases with degree of kinship in cooperative coalitions of female red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus). Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 48: 253-267.

Classification of Beer Essay Example for Free

Classification of Beer Essay Whats more refreshing on a hot summer day than a nice cold beer? Or how about drinking a nice cold one with some buddies after work at a local bar, sound nice doesnt it? Beer has been around for many years and will probably be around for many more. A beer is any variety of alcoholic beverages produced by the fermentation of starchy material derived from grains or other plant sources. The production of beer and some other alcoholic beverages is often called brewing. Most every culture has there own tradition and the own take on beer, thus producing many different styles and variations. Simply put, a beer style is a label given to a beer that describes its overall character and often times its origin. Its a name badge that has been achieved over many centuries of brewing, trial and error, marketing, and consumer acceptance. There are many different types of beer, each of which is said to belong to a particular style. A beers style is a label that describes the overall flavour and often the origin of a beer, according to a system that has evolved by trial and error over many centuries. According to the type of yeast that is used in the beers fermentation process, most beer styles fall into one of two large families: ale or lager. Beers that blend the characteristics of ales and lagers are referred to as hybrids. An ale is any beer that is brewed using only top-fermenting yeasts, and typically at higher temperatures than lager yeast. Because ale yeasts cannot fully ferment some sugars, they produce esters in addition to alcohol, and the result is a more flavourful beer with a slightly flowery or fruity aroma resembling but not limited to apple, pear, pineapple, grass, hay, plum or prune. Stylistic differences among ales are more varied than those found among lagers, and many ale styles are difficult to categorize. Top-fermented beers, particularly popular in the British Isles, include barley wine, bitter, pale ale, porter, and stout. Stylistic differences among top-fermented beers are decidedly more varied than those found among bottom-fermented beers and many beer styles are difficult to categorize. California Common beer, for example, is produced using a lager yeast at ale temperatures. Wheat beers are often produced using an ale yeast and then lagered, sometimes with a lager yeast. Lambics employ wild yeasts and bacteria, naturally-occurring in the Payottenland region of Belgium. Other examples of ale include stock ale and old ale. Real ale is a term for beers produced using traditional methods, and without pasteurization. There are five main sub-catagories of ale beer which are: barley wine, bitter, pale ale, porter and stout. Despite its name, barley wine is indeed an ale. It has a hearty, sweet malt flavor which is offset by a strong and bitter flavoring from the hops for balance. Bitter ale has heavier hopping, dryer hop finish, light in alcohol content and if they are higher alcohol they are know as ESB (extra special bitter). Pale ales share a pronounced hop flavor and aroma with low to medium maltiness, and there is also a good deal of fruity esters. The Porters name comes from the Porters at Londons Victoria Station. They would frequently mix several styles of beer into one glass and drink large quantities of the mixture. A style was eventually created to approximate this blend and came to be known as a porter. The porter is a good beer for those who want a full flavored, dark beer without the bitterness from the roasted barley that a stout now possesses. Finally, there is the stout, a dark copper to very black in color ale. It has a rich and complex maltiness with noticeable hop bitterness. The two main ingredients are the dark roasted barley and black malts. Lagers are the most commonly-consumed category of beer in the world. They are of Central European origin, taking their name from the German word lagern, which means to store. Lager yeast is a bottom-fermenting yeast, and typically undergoes primary fermentation at 7-12Â °C (45-55Â °F) (the fermentation phase), and then is given a long secondary fermentation at 0-4Â °C (30-40Â °F) (the lagering phase). During the secondary stage, the lager clears and mellows. The cooler conditions also inhibit the natural production of esters and other byproducts, resulting in a crisper tasting beer. Modern methods of producing lager were pioneered by Gabriel Sedlmayr the Younger, who perfected dark brown lagers at the Spaten Brewery in Bavaria, and Anton Dreher, who began brewing a lager, probably of amber-red color, in Vienna in 1840? 1841. With modern improved fermentation control, most lager breweries use only short periods of cold storage, typically 1? 3 weeks. Most of todays lager is based on the Pilsner style, pioneered in 1842 in the town of Plzeo, in the Czech Republic. The modern Pilsner lager is light in colour and high in carbonation, with a mild hop flavour and an alcohol content of 3? 6% by volume. The Budweiser brand of beer is a typical example of a pilsner. The five main sub-catagories of lagers are: pilsner, bock, helles, dunkel and Oktoberfest. Pilsners defining elements were the extremely soft water that was pumped locally and the unique aromatic hops that were also grown nearby. Pilsners are malty sweet, and well hopped. Caramel flavors are often noticed accompanied by medium to high bitterness. Pilsners have a good amount of carbonation and are clean and crisp. Bock beer is a hearty beer with high alcohol content. Contrary to the rumor, bock beer is not whats cleaned out of the bottom of the vats at the end of the year! Bock beer has a pronounced malt flavor with just enough hop bitterness to tame the sweetness. Bock beer is matured for a long period of time during the second fermentation. Helles is a pale lager that is light in color, not taste or calories. It is low in alcohol and intended to be an everyday or session beer. Only a mild, short lived bitterness should be expected. Dunkel is basically a helles with additional roasted malt added for color and a toasty, chocolate-like taste. Last but not least, Oktoberfest or marzen. This beer is amber in color and is slightly heavy. It is malty sweet as typical with beer from southern Germany and Austria. There is low to medium bitterness but enough to offset the sweet. Hybrid beers are the last of the three main types of beers. Hybrid or mixed style beers use modern techniques and materials instead of, or in addition to, traditional aspects of brewing. Although there is some variation among sources, mixed beers generally fall into four sub-categories: fruit and vegetable, Herb and spiced, smoked, and speciality. Fruit beers and vegetable beers are are a variety of mixed beer blended with a fermentable fruit or vegetable adjunct during the fermentation process, providing new qualities. Herb and spiced beers add herbs or spices derived from roots, seeds, fruits, vegetables or flowers instead of, or in addition to hops. In a smoked beer a brewer will fire his malt over a wood fire and let the smoke absorb into the grains. This imbues a smoky character in the taste of the brew. Specialty beers are a catch-all category used to describe any beers brewed using unusual fermentable sugars, grains and starches. With all of the different brewing techniques and styles and forms of ingridents there is almost and endless world of beer. Beer is diffently the ultimate social drink and it has been proven for years. Beer can be anything from dark, fruity and mysterious to light, crisp and refreshing. Beer tasting is an art and should always be respected. So respect your beer and have fun. Go to your local bar today with a few buddies and begin on your own beer journey.

Fast Food Industry Challenges and Opportunities

Fast Food Industry Challenges and Opportunities Fast food franchising was still in its infancy in the 1950s however this picked up greatly in the 1970s due to several factors including the steady decline on hourly wages of US workers which resulted in a substantial percentage of women re-entering the job market to support their families. This trend resulted in great business opportunities for fast food chains whose product saw a substantial increase in demand due to long working hours of parents, thus lack of time to dedicate to cooking due to other family commitments, including a lack of quality time between family members. Fast food options thus made it easier for families who could choose to either purchase take away food, on their way home, or else consume it at the chains premises together with family members or friends. Thus this provided an affordable solution to purchase cooked food, for families, single parents, youths and professionals. Burger King was the first fast food chain to introduce drive thru service which now accounts for a majority of the companys business. www.datamonitor.com Apart from the drive thru option, Burger King as well as other fast food retailers, offered home service delivery in order to suit the needs of consumers who were pressed for time. The provision of such convenient services boosted the organisations turnover. Lack of elaborate furnishings and low skilled labour of fast food chains, compared to full service restaurants were substantially lower, contributed to low operating costs, which was reflected in the price of meals, rendering them affordable. Although the chains sales were very promising, stiff competition from other fast food operators forced fast food leaders to engage in aggressive marketing campaigns and diversified product offerings. Burger Kings major limitation has been the adoption of a reactive rather than a proactive strategy. This resulted in higher costs which were at times wasted as the reactive strategy would have been employed too late, and the competitors effort would have by then been too effective to be beaten. It is also worth noting that although in the case of Burger King, its major competitors have been McDonalds and Wendys being the first and third placed leaders respectively, in the fast food industry, so far, yet competition from many well-established food service companies, has been cut throat. The restaurant industry is intensely competitive and BKC competes with many well-established food service companies on the basis of product choice, quality, affordability, service and location. Burger King Corporation- SWOT Analysis: May 2010 ( www.datamonitor.com) Health concerns lead to a substantial slow down by fast food chain companies in the 1990s. Health campaigns bombarded the media claiming that obesity was the result of excessive fast food consumption. Fear of heart conditions, damaged liver and other health conditions, resulted in lower consumption of fast food, which proved to be a major threat to fast food sellers, particularly large chains like Burger King who had thousands of outlets spread across the globe reflecting high investments in the franchise. This major setback also led to a considerable drop in value meals which had been introduced to beat stiff competition from other fast food suppliers. Such favourable pricing strategies encouraged consumers to opt for the added value meal options, contributing further to health problems including obesity. During this period, Obesity was believed to cause more deaths than smoking. (Case Study:4) Apart from consuming high levels of fast food, people hardly engaged in physical due to their working commitments and hectic lifestyles which were the main reasons for drawing crowds to fast food consumption. Had fast food companies not have catered for such a shift in demand, they would have probably been driven out of the market particularly since people have become more health conscious due to higher exposure to media and the internet the latter being a super highway of information. The emerging popularity of certain diets including the Atkins and the South Beach diets, which proved to be effective for many, were also a threat to the industry, thus the introduction of a much varied menu by fast food retailers. With increased health consciousness, consumers shifted to healthy food like salads and organic food. (Case Study: 6). Leaders in the fast food industry sought to adapt to changing consumer preferences. The provision of healthier options increased operational costs, including the requirement for more cooking spaces. Fast food leaders sought to transform the initial threat into an opportunity for business development, particularly since the desire for healthy options at fast food outlets, was not a phase but is still in demand today. Awareness of the negative effects of hydrogenated oils which were deemed to be cancerous, had to be eliminated from fast food kitchens and replaced buy healthier oils. The industry was further challenged by the bird flu and Mad Cow diseases which also contributed to a decrease in consumer traffic. In 2005, the World Health Organisation (WHO), also made reference to the fact that Acrylamide in certain foods as fried or roasted potato products, has shown to cause cancer. Growing public awareness about Acrylamide levels in French fries, could affect the companys sales. Other threats faced by fast food retailers including Burger King, include Legal tangles such as violation of accessibility requirements under federal and state law, which will reflect negatively the brand image of the organisation. Unemployment and low consumer confidence the US a case in point, will affect consumer spending and thus will impact directly Burger Kings financial performance which tends to be highly sensitive to such economic conditions. Burger King, apart from dealing with the number of threats faced earlier in the write up, had a number of internal issues to solve. These problems contributed to higher challenges the company has to face particularly since for a company to deal with external factors, it must be backed up by key important factors, including internal organisational stability. Lack of constructive communication between the Mother Company and franchisees led to a number of outlets to close down. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] disagreements soon erupted between the franchisees and the parent company regarding issues of product control, store image, design and operations. (Case Study: pp 6) Franchisees claimed that Burger King failed to understand and adapt to the needs and requirements of the franchisees target audience who demanded a varied product to suit the culture and trends of the particular country and location. Franchisees also claimed that they had no financial backing from the mother company to refurbish the ir outlets, thus a considerable percentage of Burger Kings outlets were shabby and neglected. The No. 2 fast food chain may need to spend billions on refurbishing. Burt Helm (2010) Burger King also faces the threat of expiry franchise agreements. Of the 409 agreements that expired in fiscal 2006, only 47% were renewed and 28% were extended for similar periods. If a substantial number of franchisees decide not to renew their agreement, the companys operations would be affected. (www.datamonitor.com) In spite of the number of threats faced by fast food retailers during the past decades, one must not underestimate the future opportunities which such industry players can take advantage of. In this regard there has been a considerable rise of the restaurant industry in the US. New dining and lifestyle patterns including an increased percentage of working women, divorce, rise in single parent household and longer working hours have all been extended further over the last three decades. Demographic changes including the demand for snacking and increased comfort requirements are creating further opportunities for businesses within the catering industry. The FFHR business in the US is expected to grow at an annual rate of 4% per annum during 2006-2011. (www.datamonitor.com) Burger King is seeking to extend on product development by introducing new products and an increase in limited time offers. Ongoing product development must be in line with current market trends to ensure that the menu is appealing to the target market and to ensure that the menu is not stale, which will benefit competitors. Launching new products will enhance the brand image in line with the success of its direct competitors. However the success of the Whopper which is Burger Kings signature product which initially contributed to Burger King Brands image, should continue to appear in the chain marketing campaigns, with the latter being more innovative. Burger King is also seeking to expand in current and tap potential markets, including Asian markets such as China and Malaysia. This diversification plan will hopefully improve Burger Kings threat of market concentration. Further investment in the chains restaurants could also be an opportunity to boost the brand image. A change in design and image of the outlets, would provide an opportunity for further growth, targeting upcoming generations proactively. Market analysis and in-depth research will provide the company with feedback regarding the emerging customer needs not only as regards food menu, but also design and dà ©cor and in-store facilities including a potential area accommodating business meetings and coffee breaks, if in demand. In todays global, fast changing and ever growing competitive environment being a market leader, today, will give you some advantages but definitely will not grant you automatic market leadership for the future. A competitive strategy based on a number of key internal competences will provide a solid platform for organisation sustainability and long-term success. Internal competences may be referred to as stated by Barney (1991) in Lado et al. (1994) organisational resources that are rare, valuable, non substitutable and imperfectly imitable form the basis for a firms sustainable competitive advantage. Unless these core competences are unique to the company, achieving competitive advantage would be harder particularly in todays competitive business environments. Further more Prahalad and Hamel (1990) state that In the 1990s managers will be judged on their ability to identify, cultivate, and exploit th core competences that make growth possible indeed, theyll have to rethink the concept of the corporation it self. Organisations must seek to understand first and foremost the micro and macro environment including, the immediate industry (micro) and competitive environment, and general economic conditions (macro). Understanding the Critical Success Factors of the industry in which they operate helps companies identify the areas in which the company must excel over its competitors to achieve competitive advantage in the market place. Internal competences will prove to be effective if they contribute directly or indirectly to the organisations success, based on the industry Critical Success Factors. In this respect, the Board of Directors and the CEO should: have the ability of understanding the process of industry evolution; be able to predict change that would satisfy customers in terms of their expectations and preferences; understand that company Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, is not a one off exercise. Such factors have to be analysed and revised regularly to ensure that the organisations strategy is updated to cater for any changing patters, newly recognized weaknesses or threats and that any potential opportunities are tapped in real time Investment in quality Human Resources contributes towards achieving competitive advantage. Recruitment and selection processes are fundamental for a companys long term success, considering nowadays, the organisations best resources are human resources. Ongoing training and development of employees contributes to high efficiency levels within companies, and in the case of retail, ongoing training and monitoring ensures that high levels of customer service by the organisations employees, is practiced at all times. In the case of a large company as Burger King, standardised and compulsory training ensures that service standardisation is achieved throughout its franchise outlets. Apart from providing ongoing, updated training, companies should seek to develop their staff complement so that their key staff members will improve their skills and will be given the opportunity to be promoted internally and contribute to the companys success, rather than leave the organisation in search for better opportunities. This investment in human resources contributes highly to a companys internal competences, thus to the companys overall success, considering a substantial percentage of Burger Kings (as an example) employees are the chains front liners, providing the service directly to the customer. The way employees are treated at the workplace and the relationships with their superiors, automatically affects their performance and hence the efforts they give. In a way this all depends on the management level and as Foot and Hook (1999) state [] they enhance the willingness and ability of employees to contribute to the achievement of their organisations goal. The level of Information Sharing and Effective Communication within organisations may also be viewed as a fundamental internal competence. Members within an organisation should be informed and should feel part of the organisations success of failure. The Mission and Vision of the company must be clear from top to bottom, otherwise it may result in lack of commitment due to a lack of understanding of the companys goals. Dissemination of information and communication within companies may take different forms ranging from meetings, e-mails, intranet and newsletters. Further advancements in technologies, have reduced communication barriers to a substantial degree, thus communication between the head office, or parents company and its internationally spread businesses, is now even more possible than ever. The use of Skpe, conference calls, video conferencing have contributed to new forms of communication options. Total Quality Management (TQM) emphasises the responsibility of each individual for ensuring high levels of quality throughout the organisation. Commitment and training in this regard will require less supervision and higher levels of commitment. Encouraging Quality Circles, involves having a group of people who meet away from the shop floor to discuss potential improvements in the work systems. Members of quality circles will then analyse the data and set up proposals addressed to senior management for consideration. Achievement of effective Total Quality Management within companies provides results in competitive advantage over competitor organisations since high levels of quality, are the order of the day. Other examples of organisational competences include; innovation, embracing change rather than resisting it and other key characteristics which render a companys product or service distinct from those of direct competitors or substitutes. Organisations must not take their internal competences for granted but must seek to develop them further so as to maintain long-term competitive advantage. Seeking other forms of key internal competences is very important in view of the ever changing market conditions in which organisations operate. Unless organisations have key ingredients distinguishing them from what their competitors are offering, it would be very challenging to operate sustainably and register ongoing growth. Market research including competitor analysis is carried out by companies with the main purpose of identifying any potential threats or new opportunities within the diverse business markets. Unless companies seek to embrace their key competences and improve to maintain mar ket leadership position whenever possible, they will soon be challenged by upcoming competitors. Enterprises across the whole spectrum of the economy are faced with multiple challenges generated within the parameters of national and global economy. Globalisation is resulting in a high degree of economic openness, and to a very large measure, this exposes emerging businesses to vulnerable business scenarios. Ruysseveldt et al (1995) highlighted that In general, companies now face fierce competition, and this in turn affects the employment relationship, which is increasingly subject to the logic of the market. In this regard, organisations which fail in adapting their structures to emerging societies of the market will eventually face a natural death. Subsequently, visionary agile organisations need to capitalise on a proactive approach, in anticipating and responding to change effectively. 2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the franchising business model used by Burger King. What are the implications of this approach for successful implementation of their strategies? Franchising is a form of business in which the franchiser gives the authority to a franchisee to distribute services, products or methods of business to affiliated dealers. In many cases franchisees are given exclusive access to a particular geographical area. The franchiser usually mandates uniform symbols, trademarks and standardization of services. On the other hand negative macro consequences of franchising include the propensity of franchising to promote anticompetitive distribution systems (Hunt, 1972), the rationalization of consumer choice (Alon, 2004), and the destruction of local customs (Ram, 2004), leading to what has been called the McDonaldization of Society (Ritzer, 1995). Currently Burger King has 3 different forms of franchise schemes, which correspond to 3 different types of franchise ownership: Individual or Owner/ Operator Entity Corporate Individual or owner/ operator ownership was traditionally used for individuals who signed the franchise agreement personally and who were personally responsible for operating the franchise restaurant. Although the individual franchise agreement can be assigned to an operating company under certain conditions, the individual remains personally responsible under the franchise agreement. Entity ownership allows different forms of ownership and management of, and equity investment in the franchisee. Under the Entity ownership program, a corporation, a limited partnership or a limited liability company can directly execute the Entity franchisee scheme if they satisfy Burger Kings guidelines and for approval of franchise ownership distribution plans. Generally, one of the conditions of Entity ownership is that one or more individuals or entities guarantee to be responsible for the franchisee obligations to Burger King out of which one of them has to be designated by Burger Kings approval to be the managing owner who shall be responsible to ensure that they comply to the franchise agreement and has to have enough authority to make certain decisions. Additionally the managing owner must have at least 5% ownership of the franchisee. Corporate ownership franchise scheme occurs when a company with publicly-traded stock or a subsidiary of a publicly-traded company, that controls locations that are not accessible or have limited access to the general public. Such franchisees are typically food service companies that provide a variety of contract feeding services in a institutional location such as government buildings and facilities, airports, bus and train stations, theme parks and zoos. A qualified director of operations who shall be approved by Burger King needs to be appointed who will have certain responsibilities and authority to ensure that the corporate franchisee is complying with the franchise agreement. Although these 3 franchise schemes may slightly vary between them as to responsibilities and setup costs, however in substance they follow the traditional franchise setup that Burger King has adopted through the years. Burger King grants franchisees to operate restaurants using Burger King trademarks, trade dress and other intellectual property rights that it owns, from quality of products and standardization of service. For each franchise restaurant, Burger King enters into a franchise agreement that covers a number of standard terms and conditions that are common to all franchisees. Franchisees incur recurring fees consisting of royalty and advertising payments that range between 3.5% to 5% on monthly gross sales, and a fixed yearly fee that starts from $50,000 depending on the size of franchisee set-up. Burger King offers its franchisees its renowned barbell menu strategy, which gives the franchisees the opportunity to expand on Burger Kings high-margin premium products and value products in order to grow the core drivers of its product offerings. The barbell menu strategy is aimed at driving average check and traffic, since Burger Kings management team believes that by adopting this strategy Burger king is balancing higher margin products with value offerings and at the same time increasing the brand equity of flame-broiled taste. However the fast food industry is highly competitive and some of Burger Kings competitors have greater resources, such as Macdonalds. This leads to a disadvantage when it comes to compete with Macdonalds, since Burger King takes a reactive mode to price changes, furthermore Macdonalds marketing campaigns in general are more effective than Burger Kings. Clearly this gives the competitors a competitive advantage through higher levels of brand awareness among consumers. In addition, our major competitors are also able to devote greater resources to accelerate their restaurant re-modelling and rebuilding efforts, introduce new product and implement advantageous product offerings, which in most cases gives them a competitive edge over Burger King. Furthermore, the market for retail real estate is highly competitive. Due to the economies of scale that Burger Kings competitors managed to achieve, Burger Kings major competitors may have the ability to negotiate more favourable terms and entrepreneurs may offer priority or grant exclusivity to these competitors for more desirable locations. As a result, this may hinder the ability to obtain new franchisees or renew existing agreements. The capital required to grow and maintain Burger King Corporation is primarily funded by franchise agreements, this presents a number of drawbacks in Burger Kings portfolio management strategy, especially when the company currently holds ownership of only 10% of its restaurants. Burger King is planning to significantly reduce the ownership of these restaurants over the next 5 years. This may lead to problematic situations whereby Burger King being the franchisor will have limited influence over franchisees and high reliance on franchisees to implement major initiatives. This may also lead to limited ability to facilitate changes in restaurant ownership, limitations on enforcement of franchise obligations due to bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings and inability or unwillingness of franchisees to participate in our strategic initiatives. On the other hand Burger Kings principal competitors are mainly Macdonalds and Wendys. These have greater influence over their respective franchisees due to the significantly higher percentage of company restaurants and ownership of franchisee real estate that they hold. This may result, that they may have a greater ability to implement operational initiatives and business strategies, including their marketing and advertising programs. While Burger King can mandate certain strategic initiatives through the enforcement of its franchise agreements, they need the actively seek support from its franchisees for a successful implementation of these initiatives. These efforts to build this alignment with its franchisees may result in a delay in the implementation of the marketing and advertising programs. Although the current relationship with its franchisees is positive, there is no assurance that it will continue to be so. In fact Burger King has already been sued by the National Franchisee association, this organisation represents over 50% of Burger Kings franchisees in the United States. This law suit is due to Burger Kings decision to dictate to the U.S. franchisees to sell the 1/4 lb. Double Cheeseburger and the Buck Double burger at $1. This is a clear example whereby Burger Kings failure to win the franchisees support in its marketing programs and strategic initiatives could lead to negatively affect the ability t o implement the strategy that it would have decided to adopt. Burger Kings operating results substantially depend upon its franchisees sales. However, its franchisees are independent operators and they cannot control many factors that impact the profitability of their restaurants. Pursuant to the franchise agreements and their operational manual, Burger King mandate menu items, signage, equipment, hours of operation and value menu, standardization of procedures and approval of suppliers. However, the quality of franchise restaurant operations may be diminished by any number of factors beyond its control. Consequently, franchisees may not successfully operate restaurants in a consistent manner with the mother company standards and requirements. Due to various factors, Burger King as a franchisor may not be able to identify problems and take action quickly enough; as a result, its image and reputation may suffer. Most of Burger Kings franchisee restaurants are presently located on leased premises. As restaurant leases expire, our franchisees may be unable to renegotiate a new lease, on commercially acceptable terms or nothing at all, which could cause a number of its franchisees to close down. As already stated, the fast food industry is intensely competitive and Burger King has to compete both in the U.S. and internationally with a number of established companies on the basis of product choice, quality, affordability, service and location. Burger Kings competitors include a variety of independent operators, in addition to well-capitalized national and international chains and franchises. Furthermore, this industry has few barriers to entry, and therefore new competitors may emerge at any time. Burger Kings ability to compete will mainly depend on the success to improve existing products, to develop new products, effectively respond to consumer preferences and to manage the complexity of its operations as well as the impact of our competitors actions. 3.Using relevant theory and examples to support your answer, critically evaluate the role of leadership in managing cultural and behavioural factors during the execution of a turnaround strategy.    In the rapidly developing modern world and the age of globalization, the concept of organisational change has become more important than ever before. Although it has always been an important feature of organisational life, the place, magnitude and necessity of organisational change has considerably escalated over the past two decades (Arnold, 2005). As Mullins (2007) states, Change is a pervasive influence. It is an inescapable part of both social and organisational life and we are all subject to continual change of one form or another. There exists a multitude of reasons as to why organisations must constantly make changes, both external and internal. Although internal factors play a role, the main pressures faced by companies to change comes from external forces. This is because in order to survive in the corporate world, organisations must be properly prepared to face and respond to the new challenges and opportunities presented by the ever-changing external environment (Mullins, 2007). Many organisations appear to be in a continuous state of change as they are forced to increase the speed with which they respond to the unpredictability of external factors, essential for their survival (Hussey, 2000). One of the most influential forces instigating organisational change today is the rapid rate of globalisation and consequent fierce world competition. With the accelerating emergence of economies such as India and China, Mayle (2006) states that globalisation is no longer an academic discipline or a fringe movement but a business imperative Thus creating the need for constant change and the fact that competition is intensifying, means that organisations cannot simply ignore developments and give advantage to their competitors. Technological change has therefore become extremely significant as the rate of obsolescence increases, a trend that is set to become more significant with the rapid growth of the internet and E-commerce. As Hussey (2000) states, it is unlikely that organisations can introduce new developments without causing changes to skills, jobs, structure and often culture. Another external factor to consider is that the demographic profile of most countries is changing the proportion of older people is increasing relative to the proportion of younger people. This will create huge pressures for organisations, and corporate issues may involve finding ways of dealing with skill shortages, changes in attitudes to the employment of older people and problems of motivation in flat organisational structures which of fer little opportunity for promotion (Hussey, 2000). Other external forces of change relevant to organisations include government intervention, political interests, scarcity of natural resources and the nature of customers. Internal sources of change include innovations, new methods of work, re-locating, training, staff development and the re-allocation of resources and responsibilities (Mullins, 2007). The survival and success of any organisation depends how they choose to adapt to these internal and external demands. It is not about whether to change, but to how and when. Burger King started this process in 1977, by hiring Donald Smith as president and CEO. Smith identified the shortfalls that Burger King was facing at the time. Smith adapted and executed his turnaround strategy, and modelled on the basis of Macdonalds strategy which proofed rather successful. The processes involved in organisational change may differ widely depending on the corporation in question and the current situation that it is facing. However, it is important for all organisations in todays globalised economy to understand the importance of continual change constantly transforming in order to keep up with the changing environment and hence survive in the competitive modern world. The actual changes to an organisation can either be implemented in a planned and systematic fashion, often designed and implemented by consultants, or in a more informal and reactive way, where managers react to situations on a daily basis and implement change accordingly (Tosi, Rizzo Carroll, 1994). The notion of organisational development change that focuses on the whole organisation is concerned with anticipated, planned and consciously designed change that will serve to increase an organisations effectiveness (Cummings and Worley, 2001). Lewins change model provides a fundamental m odel of planned change, which perceives change as a modification of those forces keeping a systems behaviour stable. In this model, Lewin believes that the change process consists of three steps: Unfreezing, Moving and Refreezing. Unfreezing involves diminishing the forces that uphold an organisations current behaviour often done by showing employees the discrepancies between behaviour desired by the organisation and behaviour that is currently displayed. Through a process of psychological disconfirmation members can thereby be motivated to change. The second step, Moving aims to shift the current behaviour of

Religious and Traditional Symbols in the Lottery by Shirley Jackson Ess

Religious and Traditional Symbols in the Lottery Religious groups encourage and enforce conformity of their social norms and beliefs upon their members. Religious traditions are usually passed on from parent to child at an early age. In â€Å"The Lottery,† Shirley Jackson reveals the tradition of the lottery and how all of the villagers conform to the ritual of a human sacrifice. Growing up with an exceptionally religious father I can relate to way of thinking of the villagers that traditions are accepted without questioning. In â€Å"The lottery,† the children were stuffing their pockets with stones before all of the parents had arrived, â€Å" Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones† ( 529). This illustrates that the children were taught what to do in the event of the lottery and by being prepared it shows that they were keen to please their parents. My father had always pressured me to follow his religious beliefs and traditions. At first I was eager to attend his church sermons and Sunday school because it made me fell like I was pleasing my father and he would reward me with praise and ice creams on the drive home. But as I got older I started to realize that certain rules and regulations of the church were unnecessary and some were even ludicrous. For example, at the age of twelve my father had announced that we would discard our television because the church th...

Julius Caesar :: essays research papers

The story of Julius Caesar’s assassination has been told both historically and fictionally. Historical sources focus on the facts of the assassination, while fictionary works focus more on the characters and the drama of the story. Because of the different purposes of the sources, there are many differences between the historical and fictional stories. William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar adds certain details and dramatic elements to make the story more interesting and to make the play more enjoyable. Historical sources such as Roger Bruns’s Caesar and Manuel Komroff’s Julius Caesar present an more accurate account of the events that occurred on and around the Ides of March. There are however, because all of the sources are telling the same story, even more similarities. Reading all of the sources can give a reader an understanding of not only what really happened and why, but also what the people involved were probably like. The time before Caesar’s death has many differences in how events happened rather than if events happened. Both historical accounts record that Caesar had recently returned from a long military campaign that sent him to the far reaches of the Roman Empire. Shakespeare’s account tells of a recent victory over Pompey but does not say that Caesar returned from a massive campaign. In Komroff’s account, The conspirators had planned for much longer than the other authors recorded. Komroff wrote that the conspirators convinced the Senate to offer Caesar the crown. The conspirators then placed a crown on a statue of Caesar that was quickly torn down by Caesar’s friends. â€Å"Then, a few days later, as he was riding through the streets of Rome, a crowd of people who had been led on by the Aristocrats hailed him as King† (Komroff 161-162). The final offer of the crown occurred before a large crowd of Romans, when a crown was placed on Caesar’s head he took it off and said â€Å"The Romans have no kings but their gods† (Komroff 162). Caesar refused the title every time because he knew that the second he did, the people would turn against him. Caesar also knew that the conspirators were behind these offers and was not about to play right into their hands. In both Shakespeare’s and Bruns’s works, Mark Antony was the one who offered the crown to Caesar. He did not do it to harm Caesar but out of respect for Caesar.

Development of Anthropology as a Discipline in the United States Essays

Development of Anthropology as a Discipline in the United States I. Early History of Anthropology in the United States 1870-1900 â€Å"The roots of anthropology lie in the eye-witness accounts of travelers who have journeyed to lands on the margins of state-based societies and described their cultures and in the efforts of individuals who have analyzed the information collected. In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, a number of anthropologists recognized that the practice of anthropology was intimately linked to commerce and colonial expansion.† (Patterson 1) There were essentially three â€Å"schools† of anthropological thinking by the First World War and after. The first, cultural determinism, maintained by Franz Boas and his students, stressed the interrelation of â€Å"ethnology, linguistics, folklore, archaeology as an autonomous academic discipline† (Patterson 55). The second was physical anthropology, whose major proponent was Ales Hrdlicka of the National Museum; it stressed biology and wanted physical anthropology to be a distinct academic discipline. The third was the eugenics movement, propagated by Charles B Davenport, it maintained that the status of eugenics, or racial hierarchization, was a legitimate science and asserted the supremacy of White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. Because of page constraints we will not examine closely physical anthropology, as it is not absolutely vital in a treatment of the development of anthropology as a discipline, but briefly it is the application of biological data and principles t o the study man in society. Anthropology in the United States in the period immediately following the Revolution and the drafting of the constitution was used to fulfill three purposes: (1) forge a national iden... ...f Columbia’s first instructors in anthropology; he used his positions at the American Museum of Natural History and Columbia University to train a generation of anthropologists. Boas, by 1932, had instructed a sizeable number of people from these marginalized groups, who were lumped together as savages or inferior races. We must remember however, as Dr. Paterson points out, that, â€Å"Anthropology was professionalized during a period characterized by intense discrimination against people of color, immigrants, women, and poor folks† (65). Works Cited Boas, Franz. â€Å"Report on the Academic Teaching of Anthropology.† In American Anthropologist, 21:41-48, 1919. Kroeber, A.L. â€Å"The Place of Anthropology in Universities.† In American Anthropologist, 56: 754-767, 1954. Patterson, Thomas C. A Social History of Anthropology in the United States. Oxford: Berg, 2001.