Analysis of Conspiracy Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Conspiracy Essay Within two hours the senior officials seem to casually discuss the most practical way of eliminating the Jewish race and conclude with the final policy solution. The film is based on the Wannsee protocol or the minutes the document which is authored by Adolf Eichmann and the document was found 1947 by Robert Kemper. The film is dramatized for entertainment purposes, meaning that it is not fully accurate because the creators tended to take certain liberties in making the film. Although at the end it is stated that the film ‘is based on a true story, with some scenes, events, and characters created or changed for dramatic purposes’. The issue still remains that most people tend to take films at face value, and do not bother doing further research about the topic at hand also the ending credits to do make that much of a difference to those people. The film as a historical source faces some limitations because it runs for ninety minutes when focusing on issue as deep as the origins of the final solutions, ninety minutes is not enough time to go into depth. The film would have been more valuable as a historical source if it had involved itself more in the debate of the origins of the final solution. However, film makers have a different duty from Historians their purpose is to entertain and not educate. The strongest limitation is the dialogue which is actually quiet misleading, because Pierson dramatizes it for entertainment purpose and it is mostly fictional. Eichmann stated in his testimony in 1962 that the last twenty minutes of the meeting were words like extermination and liquidation were used was removed from the official summary and summed in one sentence. Pierson and Mandel fail to analyse the document that the film is based on ‘minutes’ rather it summaries and add on fictional scenes for entertainment. For example in film Kritzinger protests against the idea of extermination because Hitler had promised him that this would not become a state policy. We also see another fictional scene where Heydrick pressures other senior officials Kritzinger and Stuckart to support him during the meeting there evidences suggests that he did not need to pressure them because he was powerful. During the first part of the meeting the senior officials discuss various solutions to the Jewish question, sterilisation of those with Jewish blood is discussed, and here the division between the politicians and the military can be seen. In the second part of the meeting the atmosphere becomes more serious when Heydrick suggests gas chambers and the rest of the men find out that S. S have already begun building extermination camps. The film should have clarified that Jews were already being murdered on an organised scale, Pierson slightly neglected that point. Film makers’ face the same problems Historians face when using the Wannsee protocol document, it is very open to interpretation when translated into English. Holocaust deniers have used the document to argue that Hitler had no involvement in the planning or implementing the final solution. Furthermore, Holocaust denier David Irving has argued the Wannsee conference was about immigration of the Jews, when testify during his trial he pointed that words such ‘killing’ or extermination of the Jews were not used in the conference. However in the film words like kill or exterminate were used, which is another inaccuracy because in the actual document killing euphemism are used instead. However Eichmann did confirm in his 1962 trail that after the meeting had ended the men became less restrained and freely discussed killing methods however this was deleted the official summary and replaced with one sentence. The film overplays the role of the Wannsee conference; Gerlach argues that the meeting occurred not to discuss the fate of Jews in Europe but for Heydrick to seek support from other senior officials. The conference was originally schedule for the 9th of December but happened on the 20th of January giving Heydrick time to prepare the new task based Hitler’s ‘basic decision’. Unlike other Historical source the film industry seem to have shallow research which it tends to exaggerate, this is one of the issues with this film. For this film to be an adequate historical source it should have not put so much emphasis on the conference and also focused to the prior events. Also the film does not address Hitler’s role in the final solution, most historical sources on this topic have done so, and Hitler’s role is one most controversial aspects of this topic. The relevance of the conference is widely debated amongst scholars, with conventional Historian arguing that the murdering of Jews had begun at the latest in December 1941 long before the conference. When focusing on the origins of the final solution the film gives an inaccurate perspective because although it mentions that the extermination camps were being built it fails to mention a mobile version of the gas chamber was already in use. In June 1941 the Soviet Union territory that was under Germany saw Jewish men of military age being executed by special mobile forces. On the 8th December an SS command unit used gas vans to kill Jews from neighbouring districts of Wartherland, clearly the preparations of the final solution began before the Wannsee conference. Clearly the final solution was already in place before the conference so there is no need place too much emphasis on it like Pierson. In conclusion, overall this a good film however if it is used as a historical source it should not be taken at face value. It is very good in delving into the bizarre Nazi psychology and behaviour and sophisticatedly highlights how their belief of the Nazi ideology had led them to dehumanise the Jews.

Health Essays Myocardial Infarction Mortality

Health Essays Myocardial Infarction Mortality Myocardial Infarction Mortality 1.0 Introduction In the UK, about 838,000 men and 394,000 women have had a myocardial infarction (MI) at some point in their lives, (NICE clinical guideline 48, 2007). The latest statistics from the British Heart Foundation state that approximately 227,000 people suffer from an acute MI (heart attack) each year (British Heart Foundation Statistics Website). To put this figure in to perspective this equates to one person every 2 minutes. Mortality is at approximately 30% which is 68,100 deaths in the UK per year. The National Service Framework (NSF) for Coronary Heart disease (CHD) is a 10-year programme published by the Department of Health in 2000 and has set key standards for the prevention and treatment of CHD. Access to the right treatment for those who suffer from an AMI, is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality and improve clinical outcomes. People with diabetes mellitus constitute a group of patients who have a higher risk of having an MI and also a poorer prognosis post infarction. The higher death and complication rates appear to be multifactorial but a significant finding in the Diabetes Mellitus Insulin-Glucose Infusion in Acute Myocardial Infarction (DIGAMI) Trial showed to reduce one year mortality by 30% (Malberg et al., 1995). It’s recommended 1.1 Primary Objective To determine the relationship between HbA1c and prognosis of patients in East Lancashire having a myocardial infarction. 1.2 Secondary Objectives To assess the prognosis of patients below the glucose cut off threshold for DIGAMI treatment and whether or not this borderline category falls in to the highest risk group in terms of mortality and morbidity. To determine if there is both a clinical and analytical case to use fluoride oxalate tubes for plasma glucose and HbA1c collection and analysis in East Lancashire. To ascertain the effect of a previous DIGAMI audit conducted in 2006 by the Clinical Audit Team and reflect on any improvements of conformance to the protocol two years later. If there is a significant relationship between HbA1c and prognosis then a risk stratification chart and a more clinically and analytically robust inclusion criteria on to the intensive treatment protocol (DIGAMI Regime) can be determined. This could lead to a better prognosis for a group of patients that fall into a borderline category that are not currently treated under the current protocol who potentially should be depending on the results of this study. 1.3 Cardiovascular Disease 1.3.1 Incidence of CHD The incidence of CHD follows different trends across the UK depending on various factors including regional, socio-economic and ethnic differences. There is a definite North-South gradient, and mortality rates are at the highest in Scotland and the North of England. Social class inequalities in mortality rates show that male manual workers are 58% more likely to suffer premature death from CHD than non-manual workers. Statistics also show that South Asians (Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans), are more likely to suffer premature death with figures of 46% for men and 51% for women. This ethnic grouping the highest risk (Figure 1.). The East Lancashire NHS Trust provides a service for over half a million people offering care across four hospital sites. The population of East Lancashire falls into one of the higher risk areas in the UK with local authority statistics for reflecting this fact. Age-standardised death rates per 100.000 in Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Rossendale, Nelson and Pendle show that these areas fall into the upper fifth quintile for men and upper fourth and fifth quintile for women (Coronary Heart Disease Statistics 2005). In the Lancashire NUTS-2 area, which includes Blackburn with Darwen Unitary Authorities 93.4% of the 1.41 million residents classified their ethnic group as white British, Irish or other white background. A further 5.3% gave their ethnic group as Asian or British Asian. This figure is 1.3% above the national average. Even more pronounced is when the East Lancashire population is singled out, where the percentage rises to 10.8%. (Appendix ). The sub region of East Lancashire contains the highest proportion of ethnic minorities which is a contributing factor to the high incidence of CHD in addition to the socio-economic differences compared with other regions. Myocardial Infarction 1.4.3 Risk Factors Pathophysiology 1.4.2 Morbidity and Mortality 1.4 Diabetes Although there have been significant advances in the care of many of the extrapancreatic manifestations of diabetes, acute myocardial infarction continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Factors unique to diabetes increase atherosclerotic plaque formation and thrombosis, thereby contributing to myocardial infarction. Autonomic neuropathy may predispose to infarction and result in atypical presenting symptoms in the diabetic patient, making diagnosis difficult and delaying treatment. The clinical course of myocardial infarction is frequently complicated and carries a higher mortality rate in the diabetic than in the nondiabetic patient. Although the course and pathophysiology of myocardial infarction differ to some degree in diabetic patients from those in patients without diabetes, much more remains to be known to formulate more effective treatment strategies in this high risk subgroup. J Am Coll Cardiol, 1992; 20:736-744 Acute myocardial infarction in the diabetic patient: pathophysiology, clinical course and prognosis RM Jacoby and RW Nesto Myocardial function is further impaired in diabetic patients by the metabolic changes that occur in the early stages of myocardial infarction: insulin resistance and hyperglycaemia are induced by release of catecholamines, cortisol, glucagon, and growth hormone.10 At the same time, secretion of insulin by the pancreatic islets is reduced,11 which impairs the ability to compensate for this state of insulin resistance. The combination of low insulin concentrations and elevated catecholamine concentrations increases release of non-esterified fatty acids, which augment myocardial oxygen requirements and depress mechanical performance. 12 BMJ 1996;313:639-640 (14  September) Editorials Insulin infusion in diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction 1.4.1 Pathophysiology Mention stress hyperglycaemia 1.5 Glycated Haemoglobin Glycation is a nonenzymatic process of adding a sugar residue to amino groups of proteins. Normal adult haemoglobin usually consists of Hb A (97%), Hb A2 (2.5%), and HB F (0.5%). HbA1c is one of a group of a minor haemoglobins separated from the major constituent Hb A. It has become the dominant measure of glycated haemoglobin because of improved analytical techniques and ease of routine separation and quantification. HbA1c is formed by the condensation of glucose with the N-terminal valine residue of the haemoglobin ÃŽ ²-chain to form an unstable Schiff base followed by dissociation or a Amadori rearrangement to form the stable ketoamine (Figure ). The glycation of haemoglobin is essentially irreversible and its level depends on the lifespan of a patient’s red blood cell and the blood glucose concentration. Tietz p791 HbA1c is primarily used as an indicator of glycaemic control and used in diabetic monitoring. The feasibility study of the DCCT trial (diabetes control and complications) published in 1993 provided evidence for the much hypothesised opinion that better glycaemic control would decrease long term complications of diabetes mellitus and that the HbA1c test can be used as a measure of this. The UKPDS (U.K. Prospective Diabetes Study) followed on from these findings and conducted the largest clinical research study of diabetes focussing on reducing life-threatening complications by appropriate treatment including maintaining a HbA1c result of 7.0% or below (see section 1.5.1). 1.4.1 Utility of HbA1c Type 2 diabetes can be diagnosed using two different criteria, the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and the 2 hour glucose value of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) which is the ‘gold standard’. The FDG cut-off value of 7.0 mmol/L has been calculated to roughly correlate to the OGTT 2 hour diagnostic value of 11.1 mmol/L and provides greater reproducibility. A major disadvantage to the patient is the requirement to fast prior to both of these protocols. Glycated haemoglobin concentration is an indicator of the average blood glucose level over approximately 90 days. Though the lifespan of a red blood cell is normally 120 days, the contribution of the plasma glucose concentration to glycated haemoglobin differs depending on the time interval, with the largest influence on the HbA1c value being the most recent. It provides a retrospective index of integrated plasma glucose levels and has been suggested to have a role to play in the screening and diagnosis of diabetes in addition to its primary role of monitoring diabetic control. The debate of whether an HbA1c result could be used for diagnosis continues despite the generally accepted argument that the test as a single entity is not sensitive enough to provide definitive cut-off values and determine reference ranges because the values of the two populations; non-diabetics and diabetes overlap. An HbA1c result above the upper reference limit however is specific for glucose intolerance. Another concern is the limitations of the HbA1c result in individuals with abnormal haemoglobinopathies and anaemias, especially when the latter is secondary to haemolysis or iron deficiency (Kilpatrick, 2005). Glycation depends on the lifespan of a patient’s erythrocyte and the blood glucose concentration so in these groups the results will not be accurately representative of metabolic control in comparison to reference ranges based on the general population. 1.4.2 Reason for the Study It is highly unlikely that the HbA1c test will replace routine glucose testing for the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes but it may still have an invaluable role in this area. HbA1c levels may be less influenced by acute stress induced by an ischemic event compared with plasma glucose and therefore could be useful as a tool for differentiating patients with diabetes, and identifying undiagnosed cases in the inpatient setting. Although the increased risk of CHD with type 2 diabetes is universally accepted, a study conducted by Khaw et al. of the general population showed that medically diagnosed diabetes only accounted for 20% of all CVD fatalities. The majority of fatal events came from apparently healthy individuals with a glycated haemoglobin > 6% in the absence of diabetes and this relationship was independent of other risk factors (Khaw et al., 2002). Minor glycometabolic dysregulation may be associated with an increased risk yet this route of research has been poorly explored. If a strong correlation exists then HbA1c could be used as a routine test in the primary prevention of CHD, and patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes can be diagnosed with dysglycemia. In this identified group of individuals, intensive treatment could improve the long term prognosis of the patient. 1.5 Previous Studies DIGAMI 1 and 2 DCCT VA Cooperative Study UKPDS 1.6 Current Situation at the RBH East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust provides a range of health care and acute services to the Boroughs of Blackburn, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale with a population of approximately 515,000 falling into its catchment area. The primary purpose of the Pathology Department at Blackburn Royal Infirmary is to provide a high quality testing service for the diagnostic, screening and monitoring of patient samples. Recent drivers for change revolve around The Pathology Modernisation Programme which was launched in 1999. This aims at improving the quality and efficiency of NHS pathology services and encourages the introduction of new technologies and practices to deliver high quality patient care and matching capacity with increased demand. England’s National Health Service has embarked on an ambitious program of system reform. The Labour Government has committed to increase NHS spending to implement changes of streamlining services and improving quality of service. One of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trusts Key Objectives is to streamline diagnostic services and to reduce overheads as part of a Trust wide cost improvement programme. The aim is to work ‘smarter’ rather than ‘harder’ to balance activity with demand. However, current capacity to meet demand is almost at saturation point and we have reached the inevitable point in which processes have to change. 1.6.1 Post MI Management DIGAMI 1.6.2 Laboratory Service to Users The decision of treatment for some patients with a suspected MI can rely on the venous glucose result. It is therefore paramount that the result validated is accurate and precise. 1.6.2.1 Glucose Stability The MI patients treated as per DIGAMI protocol are diabetic patients or non-diabetics with a glucose of >11.1mmol/L. An area of contention is the fact that for inpatients, serum glucose is collected in Startedt S-Monovette ® gel tubes containing no preservative and analysed on the VITROS 5,1 FS chemistry system. The manufacturers’ guidelines state the stability of glucose decreases by approximately 8% for every half an hour prior to separation of the serum from the cells (VITROS datasheet ). Though samples from A+E are dealt with urgently this is a short timeframe from collection to result. Some bloods are taken via a paramedic collection on route to the accident and emergency department and therefore are delayed even longer prior to analysis. The stability of serum glucose is a well known problem hindering the accuracy of results this is the reason that samples arriving from GP surgeries are processed routinely on the Thermo Konelab analyzer using blood collected in tubes containing a fluoride oxalate preservative. It has been discussed to also use such tubes for ward samples, with all glucoses being run on the VITROS analyzer. Up to now the stability issue of hospital samples has not been thought of as a clinical hindrance because they are prioritised and processed sooner than the GP samples and therefore there has been a ‘medically allowed tolerance’ The importance of the admission blood glucose result has come to light as it can be a deciding factor for the inclusion of MI patients on to the intensive DIGAMI treatment protocol, and as a direct consequence, will have a clinical impact on the prognosis of a patient. Due to the glucose being metabolised by the cells and giving a falsely lower result, a group of borderline patients may not meet the inclusion criterion for DIGAMI as a result and have a worse prognosis than they should have. Therefore this is an issue of great clinical importance. This project should indicate to what extent the stability is a problem and approximately how many patients it affects. If the HbA1c result could be utilised as a complimentary test to be used in conjunction with known diabetic status and admission plasma glucose then the inclusion criteria would be both more clinically and analytically reliable. Historically HbA1c analysis is performed by the haematology department on EDTA blood samples for logistical reasons. If analytical stability and comparison studies show that fluoride oxalate tubes can be used accurately and precisely for glucose and HbA1c analysis then one biochemistry tube would be sufficient for both tests. Laboratory practice for diabetic diagnosis and monitoring could then be a leaner process for cascade HbA1c testing in terms of archiving, retrieval and storage of samples. 1.7 Clinical Audit Clinical audit is a quality improvement process which is a component of clinical governance within the NHS introduced to improve patient care through a systematic review against explicit criteria and the implementation of change. Participation is recognized by the General Medical Council as an integral part of good practice and the results should be used to improve the quality of care. The Myocardial Infarction National Audit Project (MINAP) is funded by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) and is carried out by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). It was established in 1999 as a method of clinical audit to examine the quality of management of myocardial infarction and shows how hospitals in England and Wales are performing against targets in the NSF for CHD. 1.7.1 Summary of 2006 DIGAMI Audit In 2006, the clinical audit team conducted an audit with one of its’ main objectives being to assess whether the DIGAMI protocol was being adhered to. This was a retrospective study in which the casenotes of 46 patients were viewed and information extracted. These patients were either known diabetics or had a plasma glucose of >11.1mmol, and had presented with cardiac pain. A summary of the baseline characteristics was that over half of the patients were of Asian descent, there was a slight female prevalence and the majority included were known diabetics. They also concluded that the DIGAMI regime was only initiated in 24% of the cases, whereas all 46 patients should have been treated as per current protocol. Another non-conformance to the protocol was the fact that approximately 50% of the patients did not have a venous blood glucose checked by the biochemistry laboratory (Bharucha et al., 2006). The results of this audit will be re-addressed in this study to ascertain the effectiveness of the recommendations and the impact of the results two years on. Reasons for undertaking this project According to estimates there are as many as a third of undiagnosed diabetics (as cited in Greci et al., 2003). The DIGAMI regime is an intensive treatment protocol for the management of myocardial infarction in patients known to have diabetes mellitus or in patients with hyperglycaemia on admission. At East Lancashire NHS Trust, intensive treatment with intravenous dextrose and insulin reduce and control blood glucose levels to between 4-9 mmol/L. Currently, there is a standardised inclusion criterion and treatment protocol rather than a treatment programme which is graded in intensity, and tailored to individual glycometabolic status. Hospital glucoses are analysed using serum collected in Starsedt Monovet 4.2 ml gel tubes. The manufacturers’ guidelines state the stability of glucose could decrease by 7% every half an hour prior to separation of the serum from the cells. Although samples from A+E are dealt with urgently this is a short timeframe. Paramedic collection of samples on route mean even longer time delays before separation.

Global Leadership And Organizational Behavior

Global Leadership And Organizational Behavior Leadership has stimulated thousands of research studies for social scientists for over 60 years (Yukl, 2006). More than four hundred definitions have been proposed to explain the dimensions of leadership (Crainer, 1995; Fleishman et al., 1991), yet Crainer (1995) addressed that it is a veritable minefield of misunderstanding and difference through which theorists and practitioners must tread warily (p. 12). Leadership is, therefore, not an easy concept to define. Whilst one definition of leadership, directly related to our discussion, is the system proposed by Stogdill (1950), whose work had a profound impact on one of stages of research to be encountered below: Leadership may be considered as the process (act) of influencing the activities of an organized group in its efforts toward goal setting and goal achievement (p. 3). Three elements can be addressed in this definition: influence, group and goal. First, leadership is viewed as a process of influence where the leader has an impact on others by inducing them to behave in a certain way. Second, that influence process is conceptualized as taking place in a group context. Collinson (2009) argues group members are invariably taken to be the leaders followers, although that is by no means obligatory. He, however, emphasizes that without followers leaders do not exist and that leadership only exists in the interaction between leaders and followers. In addition, Parry and Bryman (2006) add leadership, being a process of influence, need not come from the person in charge, but can come from anyone in the group. Third, a leader influences the behavior of group members in the direction of goals with which the group is faced (Mullins, 2008). Moreover, leaders must help create cohesive and motivated teams (Knippenberg DeCremer, 2008). They must sell, or champion , new initiatives (Howell and Boies, 2004). And leaders must help people make sense of crises (Drazin et al., 1999). 2.2 Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) Project 2.2.1 Introduction of GLOBE Project Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) Project highlighted the investigation of leadership, national culture and organizational practices concentrated on further sharpening and refining the cultural knowledge for providing a systematic and integrated methodology on the interaction of cross-cultural management (Chhokar, et al., 2007; House, 2004a; Gupta and House, 2004). Based on the quantitative data of 17,000 managers in 62 societies, GLOBE as a ten-year research program is supported by 150 investigators throughout the world (House, 2004b). The major constructs investigated in the GLOBE Program are nine dimensions of cultures in the perception of global leader behaviors: Power Distance; Uncertainty Avoidance; In-Group Collectivism; Institutional Collectivism; Gender Egalitarianism; Performance Orientation; Assertiveness Orientation; Future Orientation; Humane Orientation. 2.2.2 Intellectual Roots of GLOBE Constructs Gupta and House (2004) emphasized that GLOBE constructs were theoretically derived, and empirically validated. They argued that Power Distance and Uncertainty Avoidance are based on Hofstedes (1980) work; In-group Collectivism measures pride in, and loyalty to, the family, and is derived from the Triandis et al. (1988) work on in-groups; Institutional Collectivism captures (inversely) the same construct as Hofstedes Individualism. They addressed that Hofstedes (1980) construct of Masculinity was used as a basis to develop the two distinct dimensions: Gender Egalitarianism and Assertiveness Orientation. Gender Egalitarianism is similar to the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP) concept of Gender Empowerment. Assertiveness Orientation is rooted in the interpersonal communication literature (Sarros Woodman, 1993). In addition, they claimed that Performance Orientation was derived from McClellands (1961) work on the need for achievement. Future Orientation is derived from Kluckho hn and Strodtbecks (1961) Past, Present, and Future Orientation dimension, and from Hofstedes (2001) Long Term Orientation, which focuses on the temporal mode of the society; and Humane Orientation has its roots in Kluckhohn and Strodtbecks (1961) work, Human Nature is Good versus Human Nature is Bad dimension. 2.2.3 Strategic Significance of Cultural Dimensions 2.2.3.1 Power Distance Hofstede (2001) and Schwartz (1994) address that Power Distance refers to a cultures preference for differentiated, hierarchical versus undifferentiated, egalitarian status within the society. Building on their work, the GLOBE Project definition of Power Distance is the degree to which members of an organization or society expect and agree that power should be shared unequally (House and GOLBE Program, 2004, P.517). Therefore, lower-status individuals are expected to concede to higher-status individuals who, in turn, have the responsibility to attend to the needs of the lower-status individuals. In cultures low in power distance, superior-subordinate relations are theoretically close and less formal in nature; in cultures high in power distance, their relationships are expected to be more hierarchically distant, ordered and reserved (House and GOLBE Program, 2004). Beliefs about the appropriate Power Distance between authorities and subordinates could shape the nature of peoples relationship with authorities (Offermann and Hellmann, 1997). Power Distance, therefore, is highly relevant to the study of leadership. High Power Distance indicates a preference for autocratic and paternalistic management, while low Power Distance requires more managerial consultation and approachability (Gupta and House, 2004). 2.2.3.2 Uncertainty Avoidance The dimension of Uncertainty Avoidance is concerned with the extent to which people seek orderliness, consistency, structure, formalized procedures, and laws to deal with naturally occurring uncertain and important events in their daily lives (Luque and Javidan, 2004). People socialized to have a high need for security are likely to resist change because it threatens their feelings of safety. In higher uncertainty avoidance societies, more priority is given to the training of experts rather than lay people for particular tasks (Hofstede, 2001). Here, Citizens are not only more dependent on government, but they want it that way. (Hofstede, 2001, P. 172) Uncertainty Avoidance is also associated with tight societies, where social solidarity and stability is emphasized (Hofstede, 2001). Thus, Uncertainty Avoidance is related to the values of personal conformity, resistance to social change, interest in national rather than international affairs, and a call for national leadership (Eckhardt, 1971). On the other hand, the loose societies tend to be less uncertainty avoiding. Here the values of group organization, formality, permanence, durability and solidarity are undeveloped, and deviant behavior is easily tolerated (Pelto, 1968). 2.2.3.3 In-Group Collectivism In-Group Collectivism relates to how the individuals relate to their family, as an autonomous identity or alternatively as consciousness of responsibilities towards their family (Gelfand, et al., 2004). It is associated with pride in affiliation and a general affective identification with, and a general affective commitment towards, family, group, community, and nation (OReilly and Chatman, 1986). In strong in-group collective cultures, people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, which throughout peoples lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. (Hofstede, 1980: 51) In such cultures, there is an emphasis on collaboration, cohesiveness and harmony, as well as an effort by people to apply skills for the benefit of their family or in-group. The in-group serves three basic needs: the need for affiliation, involvement, inclusion and belongingness; the need for intimacy, affection, and a sense of identity; and the need for social security, support, control, and power (Schutz, 1958; Festinger, 1954). It represents a high degree of emotional attachment and personal involvement of people in the larger group, and thus fosters an interest of the people in the overall best interests of the group (Allen Meyer, 1990). In-group collectivism fosters connectivity to a group primarily because people want to be a member of the group and only secondarily because they ought to or need to. 2.2.3.4 Institutional Collectivism The dimension of Institutional Collectivism is reflected in preferences for closer work relations and higher involvement with ones social unit (Chhokar, et al., 2007). Institutional Collectivism emphasizes shared objectives, interchangeable interests, and common social behaviors of the people based on association with others in groups (Chatman et al., 1998). In contrast, a lack of institutional collectivism tends to be associated with a preoccupation with self-esteem (Bellah et al., 1985). In less institutionally collective societies, people remember their past performance as much better than it actually was (Crary, 1966), claim more responsibility than their spouses give them credit for in household tasks (Ross and Sicoly, 1979), judge positive personality attributes to be more appropriate in describing themselves than in describing others (Alicke, 1985), and take credit for success, yet attribute failure to the situational variables (Zuckerman, 1979). Institutional Collectivism ten ds to be greater in the Eastern parts of the world, which typically rely on stable informal institutions for social stability and economic activity, as compared to most societies in the West, which rely on more formalized institutions (Gupta, Sully and House, 2004). 2.2.3.5 Gender Egalitarianism Gender egalitarianism reflects an inherent understanding between men and women, which enhances their ability to work together in social and economic spheres (Gupta, Sully House, 2004). Gender egalitarianism, therefore, influences role differences between men and women, as well as the common values of men and women. In gender egalitarian societies, gender discrimination is mitigated, enabling women to engage fully in both the public and the community domains (Coltrane, 1988). In contrast, in most societies of the world where men traditionally are engaged in jobs that do not sufficiently reward women for their labor, women often work part-time in feminine jobs, such as family maintenance activities, nurturance, and relationships with others in a service capacity (Littrell, 2002). Thus, gender egalitarian societies not only tolerate diversity, but also emphasize understanding, respect, and the nurturing of diversity in their communities, through sustained committed efforts (Martin, 1993). 2.2.3.6 Performance Orientation The performance orientation dimension reflects the extent to which a society encourages and rewards improved performance, goal-oriented behavior, and innovation (Gupta, Sully and House, 2004). Performance oriented societies put a thrust on achievement motivation, or need for achievement (McClelland, et al., 1953). The achievement motive translates into behavior through two major components: the hope for success (approach) and the fear of failure (avoidance) (Gupta and House, 2004). People with high achievement motive tend to approach rather than avoid tasks related to success, because for them success is a culmination of ability and hardwork about which they are confident of (Weiner, 1980). But in the face of continuing obstacles, they respond with a helplessness response, involving avoidance of challenge and a deterioration of performance (Diener and Dweck, 1980). They seek positive feedback and focus their efforts in areas in which they have already been successful (Dweck, 1986; Dw eck and Leggett, 1988). 2.2.3.7 Assertiveness Orientation The dimension of assertiveness orientation is associated with a strong consciousness, expression, articulation, and communication of ones thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and rights; in public, political and social forums, and is related to physical and psychological aggressiveness and confrontation (Gupta and House, 2004; Hartog, 2004). People in assertive societies stand up for their individual or collective rights, and demonstrate strong interpersonal competence (Lange Jakubowski, 1976). Assertiveness implies an action-oriented focus, founded on confident decision-making behavior, and characterized by strength, forcefulness, courage, initiative, conviction, and determination (Sarros Woodman, 1993). Assertive societies emphasize social skills and communication, direct personal influence and expression, and overall inter-personal effectiveness (Crawford, 1995). 2.2.3.8 Future Orientation The dimension of future orientation is reflected in behaviors such as planning, preparing and investing for the future (Ashkanasy, et al., 2004). It is related to the concept of short-term vs. long-term orientation (Hofstede, 2001). At a much deeper level, it is also associated with the distinction between materialistic vs. spiritual orientation (Cervantes Ramirez, 1992). Less future oriented cultures focus on the short-term materialistic considerations of respecting traditions to avoid isolation from the society, and maintaining face to protect ones reputation and creditworthiness in the society (Ashkanasy, et al., 2004; Hofstede, 2001). In contrast, more future oriented cultures emphasize long-term considerations of education for self-development, and the inner ability to persist in the face of obstacles for self-actualization (Gupta and House, 2004). Therefore, in the less future oriented cultures, people seek material acquisitions to make their life more meaningful; in future or iented cultures a strong concern for virtue allows a pragmatic integration of morals and practice (Hofstede, 2001). 2.2.3.9 Humane Orientation The dimension of humane orientation is concerned with generosity, compassion, and empathy for others (Kabasakal and Bodur, 2004). The value of humane orientation is deeply rooted in the human experience, and in the moral values arising from the situational and spontaneous demands of this human experience (Kurtz, 2001). Five distinct characteristics of humane oriented societies can be identified (Kurtz, 2001): Concern with Happiness: Humane oriented societies emphasize individual and social pursuit of happiness; Human Equality: Humane societies recognize equality and dignity of each person, and identify people as ends, not merely as means; Moral Freedom: Humane societies focus on the development of modem values of high intelligence, morality and aesthetics, and help individuals freely express their own needs and diverse views on life; Respect for Diversity: Humane societies instill tolerance for diversity of values and norms in individuals and groups without forcing dogmatic similarity. They encourage responsibility and consideration for others. Thus, these societies are founded on moral and civil virtues, such as honesty, uprightness, truth, sincerity, integrity, fairness and empathy; Experiential Reason: Humane societies recognize the need for evolving and discovering new moral principles as societal situations change. 2.2.4 GLOBE Project in China Although the history of China has been marked by periodic political upheavals, yet China, as a united country has experienced the longest span of homogeneous cultural development of any society in the world (Child, 1994). Chinese culture and tradition is deeply rooted and omnipresent in its present society. Fairbank (1987) argues that the influence of Chinas long past is ever-present in the practices of government, business and interpersonal relations. Other researchers have also emphasized the influence of Chinas culture in the way that its organizations are managed (e.g. Lockett, 1988; Pye, 1985; Redding, 1980). While there exist great differences in terms of political, social and economic dimensions among Chinese societies where Chinese culture dominates, it is still possible to identify certain core culture characteristics that are held in common by these Chinese societies. Therefore, the results from the GLOBE Project about Chinese societal culture and organizational culture will be presented as follows. 2.2.4.1 Power distance The two Chinese scores on Power Distance As Is (5.04) and Should Be (3.10) showed the largest discrepancy among the nine pairs of scores. In fact, scores of all countries on Should Be were lower than As Is, showing a common desire that people in all these countries aspire for more equality than they currently have. The relatively higher ranked Chinese Should Be score (12th) compared to As Is (41st) among the 61 countries may indicate that, compared to managers from other countries, the Chinese managers demonstrate a higher level of tolerance for inequality of power in society. The discrepancy between Chinas two scores may be viewed as an indicator of the existing two forces: whereas traditional values are still highly respected, and constantly pull back Chinese organizational leaders, the internal desire to become competitive, and the external pressure to do so, are all pushing Chinese organizational leaders toward modern Western ideologies (Fu, et al., 2004, p. 891). 2.2.4.2 Uncertainty Avoidance Chinas two scores on Uncertainty Avoidance are fairly consistent between As Is (4.94) and Should Be (5.28), ranking 10th and 9th, respectively. The high Chinese scores are consistent with the traditional Chinese value of order. Starting with Confucius, the Chinese seek peace and security by clinging to the past. For centuries, Chinese people were comfortable and felt secure only when they played-it-safe (Fu et al., 2004). It may sound bizarre to Westerners, actually ridiculous even to us Chinese now, but it was unfortunately true that during the 1960s and 1970s people in China were led to seek unity and order to such a degree that they would run their businesses the same way year after year without change, maintaining the same structure, the same products, the same everything (Bachman, 1991). Therefore, if one understands the long history and the traditional values of order, one should have no problem understanding why the current Chinese society has such a high intolerance for uncer tainty (Fu et al., 2004). It is true that all Chinese people enjoy the better living they have now and welcome change in that sense, but many of them are worried about the loss of order, therefore longing for more rules and regulations to reduce uncertainties (Chu, 1988). 2.2.4.3 In-Group Collectivism Chinese scores on family cohesiveness As Is (5.80, ranked 9th) were slightly higher than the scores on family cohesiveness Should Be (5.09, ranked 58th). The concept of family has always been discouraged. In China, altruism and loyalty, loyalty to parents a home and to bosses at work, are values that the society tries very hard to instill in children (Chen, 2001). A close parent-children relationship is a virtue that is widely respected and valued. Chinese parents take great interest in their children throughout their t lives, and their children, imbued with the doctrine of filial piety, are constantly reminded of their filial duty towards their parents (Chao, 1983, p.72). The reforms, nevertheless, have forced the Chinese to take care of themselves. A study that compared values held by Chinese managers before and after the Tian An Men Square incident in 1989 found a growing spirit of Chinese-style individualism, which is tempered by cultural relationships and centralized controls, yet compatible with Western values (Ralston et al., 1995, p.15).Young people are becoming increasingly independent. In addition, one-child-per-family policy also makes it impossible to maintain some of the traditional values of a family (Chen, 2001). That is probably a good reason explaining why the Chinese score on family collectivism Should Be is much lower than its score on in-group collectivism As Is (Fu et al., 2004). 2.2.4.4 Institutional collectivism For centuries, the individual as an end in itself was de-emphasized in Chinese society. Instead, the network of obligations and responsibilities as a group member of the society was emphasized (Chew and Putti, 1995). As Michael Bond (1991) described it: Chinese think of themselves using more group-related concepts than Americans do; and they see their ideal self as being closer to their social (or interpersonal) self than Westerners do (p,34). Based on these traditional values, the Chinese score on Institutional Collectivism As Is (4.77) was among the highest, ranking 7th among the 61 countries, meaning Chinese society is very collectivistic. The Chinese score Institutional Collectivism Should Be (4.56), however, is slightly lower compared to the As Is score. Although it ranked in the middle (36 among the 61 countries), the absolute difference between the two scores was very minimal (0.21). The relative discrepancy to other countries may be the result of the changes taking place in C hina. Like many other Chinese cultural ideologies that are being threatened by the acceptance of Western views, the collectivistic orientation, too, is being challenged (Chen, 1995). Individual contributions are now being acknowledged and rewarded. However, overall, peoples values in collectivism are still quite consistent with the traditional values (Fu et al., 2004). 2.3 Confucianism and Guanxi 2.3.1 Confucianism on Relationships The philosophy that is known as Confucianism comes mainly from the speeches of Confucius and writings of his disciples. Confucianism has been the main foundation of traditional thought that is deeply rooted in Chinese society. Confucianism is ethical teachings rather than a religion as described in Western literatures. Confucianism is widely regarded as the behavioral or moral regulations that are mainly concerned with human relationships, social structures, virtuous behavior and work ethics. In Confucianism, rules are specified for the social behavior of every individual, governing the entire range of interpersonal relations within the society. The core virtues of Confucius basic teaching can be extracted as Ren (Humanity), Yi (Righteousness), Li (Propriety), Zhi (Wisdom) and Xin (Faithfulness). According to Confucius, each person had a specific place in society, certain rules to follow and certain duties to fulfill. Confucius hoped that if people knew what was expected of them they would behave accordingly. He, therefore, set up Five Cardinal Relations, in which most people are involved, moreover he also laid down the principles for each relation. These can be illustrated as follows: Basic Human Relations Principles Sovereign and subject (master and follower) Loyalty and duty Father and son Love and obedience Elder and younger brothers Seniority and modeling subject Husband and wife Obligation and submission Friend and friend Trust Source: Fan, 2000 All of these five, except the last, involve the authority of one person over another. Power and the right to rule belong to superiors over subordinates. Each person has to give obedience and respect to his/her superiors; the subject to his/her ruler, the wife to her husband, the son to his parents, and the younger brother to the older brother. The superior, however, owes loving responsibility to the subordinates. These relationships are structured to generate optimal benefits for both parties, and the principles are laid to achieve a harmonious society (Fan, 2000). Among these five basic human relations, three are family relations, which show strong family-orientation in the Chinese society. Such a characteristic when applied to organizational management, leads to the birth of a paternalistic management style in Chinese society (Hsiao, et al., 1990). As China is a high context culture (Hall, 1976) and places much emphasis on Confucianism, relationships within the Chinese society have been explained in terms of harmony, hierarchy, and development of morality and kinship (Shenkar and Ronen, 1987). Defining Guanxi Under the impact of Confucianism, China is a nation whose social relationships are neither individual-based nor society-based, but typically a relationship-based society (Liang, 1974), in which almost everyone tries to maintain Guanxi. Guanxi, which literally means social relationship or social connection, is a prevalent cultural phenomenon that has strong implications for interpersonal and interorganisational dynamics in Chinese society. The concept of Guanxi is enormously rich, complex and dynamic (Yang, 2001). In English as well as Chinese, it can be defined at various levels and from different perspectives. Chen and Chen (2004) argue that rather than social networks or interpersonal relationships found in the Western literature, Guanxi should be viewed as an indigenous Chinese construct and should be defined as an informal, particularistic personal connection between two individuals who are bounded by an implicit psychological contract to follow the social norms as maintaining a long-term relationship, mutual commitment, loyalty, and obligation. The Confucian heritage of Guanxi The connotations of Guanxi vary greatly in different Chinese societies and may change over time even within a single Chinese society. However, some of the fundamental meanings of Guanxi are still traceable in ancient Chinese philosophical writings, particularly the analects of Confucius (Lau, 1983). King (1991) was among the first who took a theoretical approach to explore in to Confucianism for the historical and cultural roots of Guanxi. He contended that instead of Guanxi, the word Lun is used in the Confucian classics, which captures some of the most essential aspects of the ancient Chinese social, political and moral philosophy. Expanding the understanding of Lun may shed lights on the historical backgrounds of Guanxi. First, Lun attaches paramount importance to human relationships. The Five Cardinal Relationships as a whole, pictures a social system advocated by Confucius to achieve harmony, integration, and development through a hierarchical form. Inside this system Chinese people view themselves interdependent with the surrounding social context, and the self in relation to others becomes the focal individual experiences (Luo, 1997). Although the structural framework of relationship evolved since Confucius time, modern Chinese societies, both mainland and overseas still remain relationship-oriented (Redding and Wong, 1986) or in other words Guanxi-oriented. Second, Lun stresses social order. In Confucian society, everyone knows their own place and whom they must defer to. These status differences are regarded as the appropriate way of conducting relationships and are accepted and maintained at all levels of the hierarchy (Bond, 1991). Rights and obligations of the individuals also differ according to each ones position in society. Third, Lun refers to moral principles in regard to interactive behaviors of related parties. Confucianism has been a main pillar of current Chinese society for forming individual morality as well as for building harmonious community. Confucian principles put emphasis on self-cultivation and sociopolitical harmony. For example, considering the Confucian sociopolitical norms for the ruler, Confucius suggests that those who want to be rulers have to be ethical leaders having virtuous characters and attitudes. However, just as the relationships are highly differentiated, so are the moral principles. In Confucianism, furthermore, there is no universal moral standard applicable to all human relationships. Instead, each relationship has its own moral principles. The concept of Guanxi is embedded within the Confucius philosophy and it subtly defines the Chinese moral code and perpetuates its influence in Modern China (King, 1993). Lun in Confucius philosophy is actually a concise description of Guanxi. As a social hierarchical theory, Lun has prompted almost all Chinese rulers to adopt Confucianism as a strategic tool to achieve social stability in the Chinese society (Man and Cheng, 1996). 2.3.4 Characteristics of Guanxi Chinese people attach great importance to face (Mianzi). Face in Chinese context refers to an intangible form of social currency and personal status, which is affected by ones social position and material wealth (Park and Luo, 2001). Chinese people value the enjoyment of prestige without the loss of face and saving of others face (Hwang, 1987). Therefore, to cultivate Guanxi and expand the Guanxi network, it is necessary to maintain a certain level of face. Renqing, as elaborated by many scholars (e.g. Luo, 2007) is another Chinese philosophy related to Guanxi. It refers to an informal social obligation to another party as the result of a favor gained from a Guanxi relationship. On the one hand, Chinese people weave Guanxi web in their daily life; on the other hand, they are bound by Renqing obligations. Tsui and Farh (1997) contend that in essence, reciprocity, he/she not only loses his/her own face but also jeopardize his/her Guanxi. Based on its Confucian heritage and those philos ophical foundations like face and Renqing, Guanxi in Chinese context is characterized by some principles. First, Guanxi operates in concentric circles, with close family members at the core and with distant relatives, classmates, friends, and acquaintances arranged around the core according to the distance of the relationship and the degree of trust (Yang, 1994). In a preordained relationship, e.g. family, since ones behavior and responsibilities are largely fixed, his/her behavioral expectations and individual desires are heavily suppressed. However, in an external Guanxi network beyond the preordained relationship, one has considerable freedom in deciding whether to enter into voluntarily constructed relations (King, 1991) or not. Second, Guanxi operates in an exclusive manner. It is network-specific and does not extend to members of other social networks. Many observers have noted that in comparison to Westerners, Chinese have a stronger tendency to divide people into different levels of categories and treat them accordingly in terms of ingroup-outgroup boundary (Triandis, 1989). Guanxi binds people together and defines those who are ingroup and/or outgroup people. Ingroup members are always protected and benefited while outgroup people are walled off and may be rejected (Hui and Graen, 1997). To develop Guanxi is to form the basis for a gradual transition from an outsider to an insider so that a long-term close relationship can be built. Entering such networks ensures trust building, decision-making, and competitive advantages for network members (Haley, Tan Haley, 1998). Third, Guanxi is reciprocal. A person will lose his/her face and be viewed untrustworthy if he/she does not follow the rules of reciprocity and refuse to return a favor (Alston, 1989). In Western networks, reciprocity often requires exchanges of roughly equivalent value (Powell, 1990). However, the Chinese Guanxi network is often implicit, without time specifications, and not necessarily equivalent. Guanxi links people of different social ranks, and usually the weaker party can call for special favors from the str

Somalia Culture Essay -- Essays Papers

Somalia Culture Somalia is a country situated in the ÒhornÓ of East Africa. It is bordered by the Gulf of Aden in the north, the Indian Ocean on the east and southeast, Kenya in the southwest, Ethiopia in the west, and Djibouti in the northwest. Somalia is about four times the size of the State of Minnesota, or slightly smaller than Texas. The capital is Mogadishu. Somalia's population is mostly rural. Nearly 80% of the people are pastoralists, agriculturalists, or agropastoralists. Except for a small number of Somalis who rely on fishing, the rest of the population are urban dwellers. Somalia's chief cities and towns are Mogadishu (the capital), Hargeisa, Burao, Berbera, Bossaso, Marka, Brava, Baidoa, and Kismaayo. In the past few years, civil war and famine have changed urban demographics as hundreds of thousands of displaced Somalis have poured into the cities seeking sanctuary and relief. Ethnically and culturally, Somalia is one of the most homogeneous countries in Africa. Somalia has its minorities: there are people of Bantu descent living in farming villages in the south, and Arab enclaves in the coastal cities. A small number of Europeans, mostly Italians, live on farms in the south. But the great majority of the people are ethnic Somalis who speak dialects of the same language, Somali, and who practice the same religion, Islam. In a land of sparse rainfall, more than half the population consists of pastoralists or agropastoralists who raise camels, cattle, sheep, and goats. There are farmers, mostly in the south and northwest, and in recent years a new urban group of government workers, shopkeepers, and traders has emerged, but it is the nomadic way of life, with its love of freedom and open spaces, that is c... ...e or the hand up to the wrist. Its application often signifies happy occasions, such as a marriage or the birth of a baby. Somalia's economic fortunes are being driven by its deep political divisions. The northern area has declared its independence.. During 1992-1993, Somalia experienced a great famine. This famine was the result of a drought coupled with the disastrous effect that infighting among rival clan militias had on the land and the livestock in Somalia. Somalis have always relied on their land and livestock to support themselves, and so this famine was devastating to them. Consequently, over 900,000 Somalis fled to neighboring countries. Approximately 400,000 of these refugees fled to Kenya. Since that time, some of the refugees have returned to Somalia, yet the situation there is still so tenuous that many have chosen to remain in the refugee camps.

Florida Adoption Laws and Increased Involvement for Birthfathers Essay

Florida Adoption Laws and Increased Involvement for Birthfathers Since 1972, the issues surrounding the rights of unwed birthfathers have provided America with a highly controversial and morally challenging topic for debate. Prior to 1972, these unwed fathers were given little or no involvement in their child’s adoption proceedings, but because of highly publicized adoption cases in which birthfathers have retained custody of their child many years after their adoption took place, state legislatures have been forced to review their adoption laws regarding birthfathers and create more concrete ones. The laws in Florida regarding birthfathers have changed dramatically over the past several years, with complicating, senseless laws being replaced with more rational and reliable ones. The newest laws, passed in 2003 regarding a Putative father registry provide the most stable and fair support for legal adoption proceedings. According to ABC News, in August of 2002, a law passed concerning Florida birthfather’s rights regarding notification of their child’s placement for adoption. ...

Corruption in India Essay

CORRUPTION ï‚ §Corruption is defined as the misuse of any power of public consequence for private gain. ï‚ §Corruption is not something new, as per Arthasastra of Kautilya ( around 3rd century B.C) : â€Å"Just as it is impossible not to taste the honey(or the poison) that finds itself at the tip of the tongue, so it is impossible for a government servant not to eat up, atleast, a bit of the king’s revenue.† â€Å"Just as fish moving under water cannot possibly be found out either as drinking or not drinking water, so government servants employed in the government work cannot be found out (while) taking money( for themselves)† Major Scams in India Year 1976 1981 1987 1987 1991 1991 1992 1992 1994 1995 1996 1996 1996 2000 2001 2002 2006 2009 2009 2010 2012 Scam KUO OIL DEAL SCAM ANTHULAY TRUST (PAY OFF) HDW COMMISSION BOFORS SCAM TELGI SCAM JMM BRIBE SECURITY SCAM(HARSHAD MEHTA) INDIAN BANK RIP – OFF SUGAR IMPORT BHANSALI SCAM FODDER SCAM HAWALA SCAM UREA DEAL UTI SCAM MUTUAL FUND SCAM HOME TRADE SCAM IPO SCAM MADHU KODA SCAM SATYAM SCAM THE 2G SCAM (MOTHER OF ALL SCAMS) COAL ALLOCATION SCAM TOTAL AMOUNT Amount (In crore) 2.2 30 20 64 43000 0.3 4000 1300 650 1200 950 810 233 32 1350 600 61 4000 24000 1,76,000 1,85,591 4,43,894 Effect Of Corruption On Poor Brought Out By CMS-TII †¢With special focus on BPL household’s 2008 survey shows the following results. †¢About one third of the BPL families paid bribe in the last one year for one or more of the eleven public services covered in the study. †¢ This shows that even the poorest of the poor are not spared in their targeted programs. †¢The survey shows that about 3.4 % of people paid a bribe for a school education and 48% in the case of police service. †¢4% BPL households used contacts for PDS ,school education & electricity as they could not pay the bribe. †¢2% of the people could not get the above services sine they could not pay the bribe or had no contacts. Effects Of Corruption On The Poor BREAK UP OF BRIBES PAID FOR 11 BASIS SERVICES IN MILLION Services covered Public distribution system Hospital School education (up to class XII) Electricity Water supply National rural employment guarantee scheme Land record / registration Forest Housing Banking Police Total for 11 basic services of BPL families Total bribe paid in an year 450 870 120 1050 240 70 1240 240 1570 830 2150 8830 Source: TII-CMS India Corruption Study (2007) CPI – Corruption Perceptions Index-2012 ï‚ § As per the data for the year 2000 , India was in the 69th rank with CPI score of 2.8. ï‚ §As per Ratan Tata â€Å"Corruption has become worse after liberalization†¦Prior to 1991, corruption was in the form of granting licenses. Now, it’s replaced by the award of contracts and in changing the terms of contractual obligations.† Source: Transparency International 2012 CPI score. CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX 2012 Source: Transparency International 2012 Corruption Stifles Economic Progress Agents Role In the Licensing System †¢Corruption leads in reduction in efficiency. †¢Corruption leads to wastage of public funds and Resources. ï‚ §Institutionalization of corruption. †¢Most prevalent form of corruption in India. Eg: Driving Licensing Process in most states. †¢Willingness to pay bribes. †¢Bounce back on the society. Source: February 2, 2008-Economic & Political Weekly. What Is The Root Cause Of Corruption ? †¢Traditional practise. †¢Government services being monopolistic in nature. †¢Lack of trans-parency. †¢Lack of efficient and review monitoring mechanism. †¢Issues with electoral process (funding). †¢ Corporate politician nexus-(State Capture). †¢Socio economic divide. †¢Lack of effective grievance redressal system. Major Demands Of The Team Anna and Kejriwal †¢All govt. servants under the jurisdiction (Including PM). †¢Election and removal be independent of the govt. authorities. †¢CBI’s corruption investigation agency shall be brought under the admin control. †¢Investigation procedure shall be in tune with the criminal investigation procedures. †¢Setting up of lokayuktas. †¢Provision for the citizen’s charter. †¢Effective grievances redressal forum. Earlier Movements Against Corruption: †¢1974 Navnirman movement of Gujarat. †¢Jayaprakash Narayan’s (JP) anti-corruption movement in Bihar of 1974-75 were both against corruption. †¢Other movements: †¢Farmers movements. †¢Dalit movement. †¢Womens Movement. †¢Environmental Movements. †¢RTI Movement. India Against Corruption Movement -How it Differed ? †¢Anna’s Image. †¢Political Vacuum at its peak. †¢Media coverage. †¢In the first phase it seemed completely detached from existing political establishment. †¢Second phase suggested a political alternative. †¢Pan Indian image. ADVANTAGES: †¢Gave a very strict dead line. †¢Proposed several use full amendments. †¢His is a political struggle backed by a moral struggle. †¢Attracted the Youth. †¢Advantages of formation of a political party : †¢Other parties tend to choose better candidates. †¢Other parties tend to give more freedom to the lower level workers. †¢Other parties tend to function more transparently. †¢Could be a failure in election. But politically success. DISADVANTAGES: †¢Less features to prevent corruption prospectively. †¢Based on the assumption that Lokpal will be full of honest and efficient people. Lessons From Karnataka Lokayukta Lessons learnt : ï‚ §Lokpal should have the power of a criminal court. ï‚ §Selection of right candidate . ï‚ §Including PM ministers and MPs under the jurisdiction of the bill. Recommendations by Hegde : ï‚ §Powers to implement recommendations of the Lokpal should be the authority of Lokpal rather than the government. ï‚ §Lokpal to have a separate police force for investigation. ï‚ §Lokpal to have the administrative control over CBI’s corruption investigation team. ï‚ §Making CVC answerable to Lokpal. WAYS TO PREVENT CORRUPTION †¢We need a complete overhaul (holistic approach). †¢Bottom up approach will not work (top officials are also corrupt). †¢We need a top down approach (bring all levels of officers under the jurisdiction of Lokpal). †¢Have faith in the citizens. Emphasis on decentralized the governance structures. †¢Better salaries. †¢Better discipline (accountability and other related aspects). †¢Better recruitment process (importance of Attitude, Aptitude, Ethics). †¢Better automation (Transparency and related aspects). †¢Political will/commitment. †¢Social norms/values should change. †¢Electoral reforms. Question & Answer Session

The Good Daughter by Caroline Hwang

The essay is about the reflections of the author, Caroline Hwang about her identity and dual culture as an American and her ethnicity as a daughter of Korean immigrants. She started her anecdote with her trip to the dry cleaning store wherein she met a woman who is also of Korean ethnicity. She tried to identify herself as a fellow American-Korean by doing some customary Korean greeting through a slight bow of her head. Failing to get recognition through this, she introduced herself hoping her surname would produce the intended effect of interest and recognition.This too failed because she was unable to pronounce her name right – which in traditional Korean would sound something like â€Å"Fxuang†. This failure to identify herself to a fellow American-Korean triggered a series of flashback and reflections on her identity as an individual that has to contend with two cultures. These two cultures presented her with a lot of opportunities for growth but it also made her fe el that she is not fully assimilated or â€Å"accepted† in either one. During these reflections, she recalled the brief history of how her parents came to America two years before she was born.Upon her birth, she has come to be the embodiment of her parent’s aspirations and dreams. What she does with her future bears heavily on her shoulders because she felt torn between being â€Å"herself† and doing the things she wanted to do and her parents’ expectations of what she should do. A direct manifestation of this is her choice of major upon entering college. Her parents wanted her to be a lawyer whereas she wanted to be a writer. The plight of the first generation children of immigrants were also fully captured with her statement:â€Å"I identify with Americans, but Americans do not identify with me. † With the above statement, she has summarized in a single statement a lingering dilemma and sentiment of most immigrants irregardless of race or color. Dark colored immigrants have a harder time fully assimilating into American society and getting â€Å"lost† in a crowd. Somehow, people of color – whether yellow, brown or black, cannot seem to fully blend in a still predominantly â€Å"white† society. Caroline also went further by disclosing the internal conflict which plagued her parents while raising her.She felt the conflict when they would try to raise her in a democratic and liberal American society while constantly reminding her to be true to her Korean heritage. The values of these two cultures are sometimes complementary, but they could also be so contrasting and different. A specific example of this is her love life. Somehow, Caroline took it upon herself to just mingle with â€Å"acceptable† choices like other Korean-American men. She had never even tried to venture or attempt to have a love life outside the Korean-American community because she knew this would be unacceptable to her parents.S he knew deep inside that her parents expect her to give them a grandchild that looks like them. Summary: A Daughter’s Story by Nguyen Louie This essay tells of the author’s life experiences growing up with liberal immigrant parents and her perceptions (as a child) and realizations (as an adult) of her mother’s child rearing ways. Throughout the essay, the author would vacillate between past recollections and current iteration of her principles and beliefs. Nguyen Louie is the first born child of Asian immigrants and raised in a very liberal environment – the Berkeley campus community in the 1960s.Having activist parents enhanced the early maturation of Nguyen. She presented details of her youth growing up with parents who are always gone but who also presented her with opportunities to make choices of her own. At first, she resented the fact that her mother has other priorities in her schedule other than her own daughter’s birthday – the aut hor being born two days before International Women’s day. The author was jealous and questioning of her mom’s priorities and activities outside the house. Those early years reflected her notion of a traditional mother who would usually stay at home and care for her family – especially the children.Her jealousy was further sparked when she had a baby brother at the age of six (6). But later on, she realized, at the tender age of 11 years old that she, as a child, could also make a difference. Her mother tutored her to speak in a convention of several hundred people to raise funds for a child center in Angola. This exposure to her mother’s work and community involvement was a big eye opener for the author. She began to understand and value her mother for who she is and for the principles and beliefs that she represents and actively work for.Another anecdote she recalls is that of her trip to Cuba. She was adamantly against it at first but later on, the enti re trip and experience galvanized her resolve to be pro-active as her parents were. While in school, she started activities in the campus within her own group of Asian Americans. She took pride in the fact that although her parents helped her to be more â€Å"socially aware†, she now spawns social awareness activities out of her parent’s realm and she does it on her own. Nguyen Louie wrote: â€Å"I am a Chinese-Korean-American young woman.Being a feminist is an integral part of who I am, but it is not all that I am. † Nguyen Louie makes a declaration of her heritage and her identity. She shows no remorse or apology for who she is. In fact, you could feel the pride and confidence that exudes from the statement. Only a person who is self assured can issue such a declaration – unapologetic and so aware of who she is and where she wants to go with it. Summary: Culture as a Two-Way Street by Kevin Janda In his essay, Kevin traced how his family has assimilated or not assimilated into American culture.Kevin is a second generation American Indian. He is an American Indian who has fully embraced the two cultures to which he was born into. Kevin begins his essay by recalling briefly the history of how his grandparents and his parents came to the USA before he was born. Like so many immigrants, they came to America with very little money in their pockets and have a lot of hope for a bright future for their transplanted family. Kevin also recalls how his grandparents and parents remained conservative and has imbibed in him some intrinsic Indian values and native language.They also made sure he is exposed to Indian culture and music through the television as a medium of staying connected to their Indian culture. Growing up, Kevin remembers watching Indian love stories and musical numbers wherein Indian women are in their traditional costumes – fully covered. Through the years, this has also changed. He recalled how the costumes and cloth es of women have changed. More recently, scantily clad Indian women were shown dancing in TV. This has elicited a negative response and reaction from his grandmother, who remains to be conservative.Kevin further recalls that even the themes of the shows that depict marriage have changed. From the traditional â€Å"fixed† or pre-arranged betrothals, the theme has changed to a more marriage for love format and inter-cultural marriages. This change has transcended his family’s home and culture. Kevin states in his essay that he knows that his parents would allow him to marry by choice. However, he does remember that his classmates used to ask him during class sessions discussing Indian culture and history if he would be willing to undergo an arranged marriage – as was the custom for conservative and traditional Indians.Towards the end of the essay, Kevin states that: â€Å"As we are moving further away from the original immigrants, we are moving further away from our roots, but we can never lose our past. † This statement is the embodiment of the whole essay itself. It expresses the painful truth that although the original immigrants wishes to imbibe and ingrain in their offspring the traditional customs, language and values, they can only do so much amidst the more pervasive environment and influences outside the home like the school, the peers of their children and the media.Ultimately, their children will move and gravitate towards the bigger societal norms and influences outside the home.BRIDGING THE CULTUREAll of the three essays – â€Å"The Good Daughter† by Caroline Hwang, â€Å"A Daughter’s Story† by Nguyen Louie, and Kevin Janda’s â€Å"Culture as a Two-Way Street – depicted stories of immigrant families, their assimilation or non-assimilation into the larger mainstream society, their families’ reaction to living with two cultures and how they made it work or how they presented resistance to the cultural differences between their own and the American culture.Gauging by the presentation of the essays and the statements made by the authors, the strongest sign of â€Å"successful† assimilation – one that displays no remorse or apology for her ethnicity is that of Nguyen Louie’s â€Å"A Daughter’s Story†. All three essays tell of varying degrees of immigrant families as they struggle toward assimilation into American society while maintaining traditional ethnic values within their family. Each story depicted different manifestations of these struggles in their day to day lives.With Caroline Hwang’s â€Å"The Good Daughter†, the author recalled events and circumstances wherein she felt compelled or pressured to â€Å"concede† to traditional Korean beliefs and values. She recalled the struggle to assert her individuality and be her â€Å"own self†. She made an example of her coursework in college wh erein her parents wanted her to be a lawyer while she wanted to be a writer. She also (un)consciously obliged an unspoken â€Å"rule† that she marry within the Korean-American community by not even dating other men outside the accepted â€Å"realm†.As stated in the summary for â€Å"The Good Daughter†, Caroline summarized in one statement what her sentiments are with regards her identity of two cultures: â€Å"I identify with Americans, but Americans do not identify with me. † Although Caroline was born in the USA, her physical traits are of course inherited from her Korean parents. This makes her feel segregated and she felt it is a hindrance to her â€Å"full immersion† in American society and culture.Meanwhile, Kevin Janda in his essay â€Å"Culture as a Two-Way Street† also recollected details of his parents’ coming to America and of their attempts at keeping the traditional beliefs of their Indian heritage. They were apparently s omewhat successful with Kevin – him being able to speak two languages easily. He is also comfortable with his identity and his ethnicity. He values his heritage while enjoying the opportunities for personal growth as an immigrant in America.He is not, however, as assured of the â€Å"transfer† of his heritage to his children. In â€Å"Culture as a Two-Way Street†, Kevin also stated: â€Å"As we are moving further away from the original immigrants, we are moving further away from our roots, but we can never lose our past. † The statement is proven true by the fact that Kevin’s younger brother is not as exposed and as fluid in their native language as Kevin is. So, with Kevin’s family situation, they did not even have to wait for the next generation for Kevin’s statement to be proven true.Kevin’s younger brother’s inability to speak their native language and his failure to immerse himself or his parent’s â€Å"fail ure† to expose the younger brother with their native Indian culture with the same depth of appreciation and â€Å"ease† that Kevin has, the hard truth remains with Kevin’s statement. On the other hand, Nguyen Louie was more emphatic in her statements and convictions. She recollects memories of her childhood as a child of a first generation immigrant.But her parents’ own activism and idealism that greatly influenced her as a child and as an adult shines through her statements. Nguyen was definite in her statement: â€Å"I am a Chinese-Korean-American young woman. Being feminist is an integral part of who I am, but it is not all that I am. † In Nguyen’s statement, she clearly defined herself, without hesitation or apology, and instead, with a hint of pride and promise of what she still is to become. There is definitely a sense of assuredness and purpose of who she is and still to become.She hints with certainty that her identity is no secret no r does she intend to hide it. Instead, it was made like an announcement for all to hear – and heed. Although all three recollections of Caroline, Kevin and Nguyen have similarities in terms of theme and characteristics of being children of immigrant parents, the similarities stop there. Nguyen went more in-depth with regards the questions she had as a child and while growing up being raised by very progressive thinking and liberal parents.Her recollections centered more on the relationship she had and she felt she missed with her mother. Nguyen had traditional expectations of her mother. She thought that her mother’s presence should have been readily available for her – being the only daughter in the family – and for the first six years – being the only child. Hence, the realizations of Nguyen differed from Caroline and Kevin since hers departed from the theme of â€Å"feeling lost† or that of having a â€Å"cultural identity crisis†. Nguyen’s story and recollections never bordered on any form of the latter.Of the three authors, she was culturally â€Å"sure-footed†. In closing, although all three essays were written by second generation of immigrant American families, Nguyen Louie’s essay dealt with more intimate issues between her and her mother, not so much making an issue of her being an immigrant and of glaring differences between her and her peers. Nguyen’s parents’ awareness and activism brought forth bigger issues for Nguyen to be involved with thereby transcending other issues like cultural assimilation and differences.In fact, the very fact that Nguyen is different or that the color of her skin is different didn’t seem to matter – but only as a vehicle to effect changes – like jumping on the chance to conduct peer meetings to raise issues of race harassment at school. Being different should not be an end or an excuse for failure. On the contrary, like Nguyen, it should be used as a chance to pursue greater heights of success and as a vehicle for proactive change.