Calls for Change in High School Mathematics Essay Example for Free

Calls for Change in High School Mathematics Essay Mathematic educators, parents and students are calling for proper changes in approaches to learning mathematics in high schools. The need to improve learning of mathematics in schools is highly recognized and underlined. Thus, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics published the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics that offered recommendations for high school mathematics reform. In addition, the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences in their official report ‘The Mathematical Sciences Curriculum K–12: What Is Still Fundamental and What Is Not’ stresses the importance of new topics and techniques in the secondary schools. New approaches should develop new learning techniques that would be discrete from statistics, mathematics, and emphasis on algebra and geometry should be properly re-assessed according to different abilities and needs of students who are taking mathematics course in the secondary school and high school respectively. The need for change and innovation is generally driven by emergence of advanced computing technologies that offers excellent opportunities for school educators to replace manipulative traditional techniques with more complex realistic problem-solving techniques. In its turn, the National Science Board Commission issued a report ‘Educating Americans for the 21st Century’ challenging courses in algebra and pre-calculus and stressing the importance of developing integrated mathematical sciences curriculum in the secondary school. Researchers argue that new curriculum will positively affect students’ achievement outcomes in the secondary and high schools. To make changes more effective teachers are required to understand the advantage of curriculum’s full scope and its consequences; students are required to support the expectations of classroom environment. The Core-Plus Mathematic Project is newly developed curriculum for high school mathematics. Of course, the Core-Plus Mathematic Project or CPMP curriculum is a matter of debates and controversies as not everyone admits the need of high school mathematics reforms. Nonetheless, the CPMP curriculum is worked out with assistance of mathematics education researchers, instructional specialists and classroom teachers. Moreover, the curriculum is shaped by empirical evidence gathered from students and teachers who are willing to participate in field testing. In particular, organization of mathematics curriculum should be interpreted in terms of teaching and assessment recommendations and should follow the standards set in the above-mentioned reports. New mathematics curriculum is a three-year mathematics course for high-school students who are allowed to take the fourth year to prepare for college mathematics. Newly designed curriculum differs from more traditional approaches as new curriculum encourages students’ understanding of mathematics – statistics, probability, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and discrete mathematics. Learning mathematics is developed in focused units that combine fundamental ideas with mathematical habits of mind. It means that new curriculum stresses the need to connect function, data analysis and symmetry with recursive and visual thinking. In contrast to traditional approaches to mathematics, new curriculum emphasizes the role of mathematical modeling and problem-solving instead of simple calculus. Researchers say the primary goal of curriculum improvement is to enhance students’ understanding and comprehension of key mathematical processes and concepts, to enhance student’s ability to use mathematical concepts in real-world problem-solving. Graphic calculators should enhance students’ understanding and abilities to solve authentic problems. Improved instructional materials encourage active teaching and learning processes that will primarily focus on problem situations, abstraction and analysis. Oral and written communication, reasoning with ability to represent, and conceptual understanding are highly appreciated and encouraged. All courses centre on mathematical reasoning and thinking with abilities to develop formal proof. Additional fourth year course will allow to keep students, who prepare for college mathematics, despite whether their undergraduate program is based on calculus. Students interested in mathematics are encouraged to be accelerated into the fourth course year. Today, many researches are focus on identifying whether new curriculum meets its specific goals. In particular, they try to reveal whether the learning outcomes based on new patterns of mathematics learning process differ from outcomes based on more traditional curriculum. During the past eight years researchers conducted various studies to examine mathematical achievement in classroom with CPMP curricula. Research studies have revealed that performance of CPMP students is much better than that of students with traditional interpretation of mathematical representation. It means that problem-solving and recursive thinking appear to be more effective in learning mathematics than simple understanding of key concepts of processes. Further, CPMP students are characterized by higher grade results at the end of the years than students with traditional approach to mathematics. Summing up, recent researches have indicated that CPMP students perform better than students with traditional curriculum. CPMP students are characterized by better abilities to interpret mathematical representation and calculation, to measure conceptual understanding and to recognize the importance of problem-solving. CPMP students are better in probability and statistics, algebraic manipulative skills, etc. Nonetheless, researchers argue that student’s success in college mathematics doesn’t fully depend on CPMP curriculum. Other factors, as, for example, student’s attentiveness, readiness to participate in learning process, self-awareness, classroom environment, play their important role in student’s high school mathematics performance. With guidance from educators, researchers and teachers, curriculum developers will be able to build on stronger patters of student outcomes. References Schoen, H. L. , Hirsch, Ch. R. (2003). Responding to Calls for Change in High School Mathematics: Implications for Collegiate Mathematics. The Mathematical Association of America Monthly, February, pp. 109-123. Available on-line from http://www. jstor. org/stable/3647770 .

Influence Taylor’s Scientific Management Theory

Influence Taylor’s Scientific Management Theory Introduction The modern world has been marked by specialized management that is characterized by effective planning methods in order to attain certain objectives, division of labor which has served to increase specializations and innovations in work places, and a formalized interaction between the employees and their managers in their work places. These formal manifestations can be attributed to the twentieth century from the works of Taylor who came up with the concepts of scientific management. Taylor has been accorded the legacy as the founder of scientific management principles. He was a mechanical engineer and his works served to provide efficiency in the management of industries which at the time had no formal management and were characterized by various anomalies (Taylor, 1911, p.64). The workers came up with their own decisions on how the tasks were going to be accomplished in the factories. This was however changed by Taylor through development of scientific management. He sought to impr ove the workers productivity in their areas of work. At various times he was criticized for destroying the workers morale and turning them into machines. This went to an extent of workers downing their tools at Watertown Arsenal which led to the House of Representatives Committee conducting an investigation into his works so as to establish the truth. It was concluded that his concepts of scientific management were a good tool for the management of organizations but at the same time offered the managers with increased power which had no checks and balances. This led to the ban of his concepts of scientific management by the Senate at that time. This was after a survey showing that his methods received a high level of hatred from the working population. The survey showed that scientific management did not put into consideration the workers social needs in their areas of work and it failed to appreciate the differences that existed between the working populations in any industry. In addition, the scientific management concepts viewed the workers as ignorant and therefore did not take into consideration their contributions in terms of work related suggestions and ideas (Taylor, 1911, p.65). However, after various improvements into these concepts it has come to be productive in the present day running of organizations. This essay discusses the Taylors scientific management and how it has influenced the modern day business practices. Historical origins of scientific management The 19th century factory system manifested itself in lack of formal management, unofficial relations among the workers and even with their employers and casual jobs with no formal arrangements where the leader just hired a group of men in the industries and could fire them if he deemed it fit due to their inability to work or for not following his directions. A need arose by the late decade of the 19th century as competitions between different factories went into the rise, emergence of improved technologies in the factories and formations of trade unions that pressurized the factories to improve the working conditions of workers in the factories or risk industrial actions against them. The government had also realized the efforts in the factories and wanted to reap maximum benefits (Taylor, 1911, p.12). This therefore called for improvements in the organization and management of these institutions. This was the period that Taylor established himself with his novel ideas of organizati onal management and various technical innovations. For instance, he devised a stopwatch that was used for timing the workers during the working hours so as to determine their best possible times. Taylor had a brief career in engineering after which he went into consultancy services for various industries. He vigorously advocated the application of systematic management by the factory managers (Taylor, 1911, p.17). He introduced time studies to measure the workers performance, piece-rate systems that served to instill obedience in the workers and other production systems that provided the managers with the capability of knowing what was happening on the ground. He diffused his thoughts and coined the term scientific management which was somehow metaphorical. He proposed that he had invented principles of management that could be applied universally to replace what was known as the rule of thumb methods. His book became a success and was embraced by many during those times. This period of development of scientific management became known as the progressive era in the US (1890-1920). It was a period that had many reforms which were meant to overcome the problems that had been cr eated by the just ended industrial revolution. This era also experienced its problems. Among them was; lack of formal training for the business leaders in ways of running the day to day activities of their institutions and workers performed their duties due to internal fears of imminent job losses as a result an increase in the industrial out put or due to inefficient management systems in the organizations (Taylor, 1911, p.4). This resulted to poor relationships between the workers and their employers which ultimately caused a reduction in the efficiency in the industries. The then president of the US, Roosevelt even went further to call on the factories to increase their efficiency in production so as to be at par or ahe3ad with other competing nations. This ultimately led to emergence of the scientific management movement. Taylor and scientific management movement After his works at Philadelphia, Taylor moved to Bethlehem Company which dealt with steel and continued exploring his ideas. He was not alone in proposing the scientific management but there were other players who set in to streamline the concepts. For instance, according to Shenhav (1999, p. 94), there was Brandeis who was an attorney and later became a Supreme Court justice. Later there were others like Frank and Gilbreth who were able to conduct studies on the human motion while doing work with an intention of finding ways that could add to increase workers efficiency during working hours. Taylors principles of scientific management After systematic analysis of his experimental works, Taylor came up with four principles which lay the foundation for scientific management. The first involved finding an alternative method to take over the rule of thumb practices of management. The alternative was to be scientific and would provide a chance for the managers to be in a position to analyze the problem facing management in their organizations. The use of a scientific approach was to put into use the systematic experiments. He believed the application of these experiments would come up with a solution to the problems faced in management and during the process of production. According to Locke (1982, p.50), Taylor has received acclaimed fame for his ideas that a scientific approach can be applied in the process of managerial decision making. The second principle involved scientifically selecting, offering training sessions and providing work development to each worker. This was as opposed to the former methods that invol ved disorganized management and leaving the workers to rule themselves as well as train themselves on various duties in the factories. By application of this principle, Taylor noted that the highly qualified person will occupy the top positions in the organizations and thus will lead the others in a systematic and efficient manner. By application of systematic management, a payment system was developed that considered the amount of output the worker had as well as the workers efficiency in production of quality goods and services. This principle increased efficiency in work places and improved the system of management. The third principle involved the managers developing formal working relations through establishing teamwork to ensure that the methods developed scientifically were being adhered to by the work force. To develop this principle, Taylor measured the workers performance with stop watch and motion studies in order to come up with an efficient process that would lead to accomplishments of the work tasks in good time. His experiments were crucial in determining the quantity of work that a hard working man c ould perform in a day (Taylor, 1911, p.23). This was to do away with the tendency of workers to perform their duties slowly in the factories. His experiments would indicate the standards that are to be achieved by the workers so as to increase performance. The fourth and final principle involved ensuring equal division of work between managers and their employees. By so doing, the managers would utilize the principles of scientific management in the planning of duties in their organizations while the workers on their side would actualize the duties in a timely manner. It is worth noting that these principles were put into use in various factories across the world. Their application usually had a positive effect by enhancing their productivity by three or more times. Taylor had a strong believe that scientific management would enhance the efficiency in the industries which would then lead to increased wages, production of low cost products and thus improved standards of living for the employees and their families. However, his ideas did not go well with the trade unions which were on the rise during those times to fight for the rights of the factory workers. Due to this, its influence was lowered until the end of the First World War whe n it picked up. According to Shenhav (1999, p.68), engineers in the Ford industry were able to standardize their job routines being guided by the principles of scientific management. They were able to increase their production and the Ford gained recognition all over the US for its production of quality motor vehicles. Taylors scientific management had a big influence to the development present day management theories. His ideas influenced two fields of management which are the human resource management sector and the accounting departments within an organization. He contributed to cost accounting procedures in the manufacturing industries. While working at Simonds Company he formulated a system of accounting for the company. Later on he perfected his methods coming up with a standardized costing technique for railroad systems. His ideas formed a foundation for development of techniques for budget control in any organization so as to ensure a free flow of cash for production costs and for payment of wages and salaries. This ensured an improved management in these industries. The second and third principles of the scientific management as discussed above influenced development of human resource management. Other scholars followed these principles to come up with various aspects of human resource lik e managing by objectives by Drucker which can be traced to the Taylors application of the differential piece rate systems to ensure workers efficiency (Shenhav, 1999, p.34). Taylor receives attribute even to the teaching and development of management courses. He lectured on management at Harvard, therefore shaping the minds of future business owners and managers who apply his teachings up to the present day world. Criticisms of scientific management Despite scientific management improving production even up to three times, it also had its own setbacks. It was accused to have led to monotony of worker lead to workers being bored at many times. The concepts also perceived man as a machine that achieved maximum satisfaction through monetary rewards (Locke, 1982, p.35). His rate cutting ideas could as well be utilized by cruel managers to mistreat their employees without many benefits to them. There was an up rise against scientific management by workers leading to strikes. As a result, parts of it like the use of stop watches by the managers to time their workers were banned. Scientific management and its influence on modern day business practices Taylor was of the view that employees needed to be supervised at all times to ensure that they fully performed their tasks and productivity of the factories went on the rise. His critics however disapproved the idea of taking the workers to be like machines without psychological feelings. The disapproved the idea that human ambitions are highly motivated by the rewards they receive in form of wages. To prove their point, the critics developed what is termed as organizational behavior that was meant to counter the ideas of Taylor. This took place in the 1930s after experiments were carried out to determine what really influenced the workers morale and their efficiency in production. The Hawthorne experiments proved otherwise from what Taylor had postulated. In one specific case, a study was conducted to find out what increased the productivity of workers in the Hawthorne Works factory (Locke, 1982, p.70). It was noted that an increase in lighting in the workshops was able to have an i ncrease in productivity as workers did their work in well lit areas. The negative had been hypothesized to be true but unfortunately it was not. This left questions unanswered on what really caused the increase in productivity. Left with no other options, the experimenters had to seek technical aid from Harvard University where various professionals turned up. The group consisted of sociologists, psychologists who were headed by the famous clinical psychologist Mayo Elton and anthropologists. These specialists were able to conclude that what led to the increase in production was due to the presence of supervisors throughout the period the studies were being carried out. This observation became to be known as the Hawthorne effect and it was significant to human relations in work places and led to improvement of the study of organizational behavior (Wren, 2005, p.279). Various other studies have been carried out after Hawthorne experiments to try and discover the real factor behind human motivation. In other experiments, McGregor postulated a theory commonly referred to as Theory X and Theory Y to distinguish between the factors influencing human motivation. According to Theory X, the workers got their motiva tion from rewards in terms of money that they received after the job they had done while Theory Y observed that men gets their motivations from an inward desire to attain self fulfillment in any task that they are accorded. Unlike Taylors scientific management, this theory was able to acknowledge the ability of people to have an inner drive that enhanced their capacity to do work rather than just focusing on what they received as wages and salaries. Thus the social perspectives of a person started gaining recognition in workplaces in order to enhance productivity (Wren, 2005, p.267). The managers of the factories started considering the social welfare of their workers while in work stations and eventually relations strengthened in the factories. This brought about team spirit and reliance on one another to attain a common objective. Several welfare organizations that were involved in fighting for the rights of the workers were formed and which are still there in the 21st century world. Taylor with his scientific management therefore laid a foundation around which various other studies have been conducted to improve the situation of the workers in their work places while at the same time ensuring that pr oductivity is maintained to ensure success of organizations and businesses. Organizational management has gained recognition in todays world and managers are professionals with skilled knowledge in the process of management. Major CEOs in different organizations must have attained a certain higher level of knowledge and have experience in management. Taylors scientific management formed a foundation for operations research which is present today in various organizations. Both operations research and scientific management aims at increasing efficiency in the workers operations through the application of scientific means and systematic analysis so as to come up with a valid conclusion. According to Gass (2005, p.19), the proposers of scientific management like Taylor himself, Gilbreth and Gantt were the founders of the process of operations research. In fact, some of the techniques they applied in their studies to provide efficiency are still in use even up to date. For example, Gantt in his studies used a chart that involved planning time and tasks to be performed so as to achieve maximum productivity. It came to be known as the Gantt chart and it is still in use today especially in the project management areas. Despite operations research gaining growth as a branch on its own, it incorporates Taylors principles in its application . It continues to apply scientific methods with an aim of improving efficiency which is attributed to Taylors scientific management. Taylors scientific management gained recognition in the US and around the world. His book The Principles of Scientific Management was a hit and a success and was sold the world over. His principles were put into test by many managers in their factories so as to increase efficiency. His book was translated to different languages and his influence was now felt outside the US. The Japanese led by Takuo Godo utilized some of Taylors principles to test the productivity of Japanese workers during the Osaka Efficiency Exhibition. Takuo was able to point out that the workers in Britain were 5.3 times more productive than those in Japan while the American worker was seven times more that of the Japanese worker. In their pursuit for increased efficiency, the Japanese had to apply some of Taylors principles (Wren, 2005, p.289). Taylors work went as far to influence the Toyota production system which ensured that quality products were produced while at the same time increasing the efficiency of their workers. The application of scientific management enhanced Toyotas production system leading to their success. These principles were incorporated with novel ideas as time went by to furnish them so as to reap their full benefits. The success of Toyota is seen even today due to their high exports of their automobiles to various countries all over the world. In the 21st century, most of the activities that occur in work places base their foundation to Taylors scientific management. The cars we are driving, the hospitals we get medication from and even in the food eateries that we frequently visit have in one way or another been influenced by the principles postulated by Taylor. Their functioning has been streamlined into enhanced efficiency through these principles. Scientific management brought a revolution to management systems which have them evolved with time to accommodate new ideas and other changing variables in the workplaces. Work places have become areas of specializations where only those with specific skills and experiences can perform a certain task. Given such facts, division of labor is a common feature in todays society and this has served to improve on innovative ideas and effective production (Wren, 2005, p.293). Competition has gone on the rise for the few job opportunities that are available unlike previously when the labor force was sometimes lacking. As a result workers have continued increasing their knowledge into in order to retain their positions or even be promoted to higher posts. Companies have learnt to apply scientific methods in solving any problem that they may be facing rather than by use of a rule of thumb. For instance, it has become a common venture for companies to conduct market surveys before and during a release of a new product in the market. Once a company intends to release a product to the market, it ventures into the anticipated market to find their views and opinions on the said product. The opinions are analyzed scientifically and viable conclusions are derived. The conclusions are then incorporated into their strategic objectives and planning is taken to take into considerations the conclusions. This has served to increase the efficiency of production and improving the companys profits. A failure in the management to conduct such surveys or to embrace the reflected opinions would lead to either customer dissatisfaction or production of low quality products. When this happens, customers will shy away from the products hence sales will be minimal and thus the profits. With the current competition in the market in this 21st century such a company will be edged out of the race for customers and will definitely fall out of the market and close down. This clearly illustrates that although Taylors principles were postulated over a century ago, their effects are still being felt in the running of day to day activities of various institutions. In present days industrial processes, Taylors principles also come to play an important role. Taylor had studied the appropriate scientific designs for the tasks that the workers were performing so as to ensure they never were over worked nor were they underworked to unproductive levels. In addition, Taylor proposed that the workers should be selected scientifically according to a persons skills so as to perform those tasks that the workers are in a position biologically to perform and handle well. The workers who best adopted to their positions and worked with high efficiency were rewarded with high wages in order to motivate them to repeat the same actions (Gass, 2005, p.21). Presently, this principle has continued to be used in nearly all organizations. As a result, they have established a human resource department that is tasked with the process of recruitment. The department first announces any vacant position in their institutions through the various media and invites qualified persons to tender for the positions. The recruits are then taken through a thorough recruitment process that involves vetting their skills and abilities as may be illustrated by the experiences they have. This process can be equated to the scientific selection of workers that were proposed by Taylor and his followers. Finally, the best man for the job takes it thus securing employment in the said company. Taylor in determining the payment to be given to the workers in wages and work incentives proposed a piece-rate system. This was to award any worker more wage if they increased production outputs and also produced quality products. A very similar situation is applied presently where even in civil service the amount of payment depends on the years of experience in service and also on the skills and knowledge that you process which clearly distinguishes you from the rest. Thus the higher the experience and level of education the higher the salaries will be. Secondly, in todays institutions the human resource department has established a complex reward system that compensates the workers for their improved output in production. The various reward system used today are like fully paid holidays for employees, pay rises for good performing workers , scholarships to pursue high education, paid leaves among a variety of others. This has ensured increased competition between departments in an organization to raise their production levels so as to enjoy the enticing rewards. Psychologically, human behavior can be reinforced through positive reinforcements and vice versa. The human resource managers are thus able to utilize this to positively reinforce the behavior of ensuring increase in production in their organizations through the rewards. The application of these ideas has led to improved production within the work places as the workers are motivated to perform their duties to perfection. This has led to production of quality products into t he market that reaches the thresholds of customer satisfaction. It is also important to note of the Fordism theory which bases its concepts on the scientific management. It was employed in mass production and incorporated the concepts of a moving assembly line with the ideas of Taylors of piece rate system and division of labor (Gass, 2005, p.30). This theory proposed for a distinction between the skilled processes of production and the unskilled ones. This theory was instrumental in shaping the industrial process of mass production of various commodities which require line production like motor vehicles. However, this theory also contained several anomalies as contained by the scientific management like not allowing the workers to give their views and also according more importance to the machines than the human beings who are operating them. This theory however, rewards the workers with high wages for their increased production. This theory also accords the employers with total ownership and control to the work force and therefore could be used to harass the work force. Scientific management as presented by Taylor offered a chance for scientific training and education of all the workers with an intention of increasing their on hand skills and basic understanding of their working environment. He conducted researches to ensure maximum potential of the workers were utilized in performing their tasks. In modern times, this has continued taking place in various institutions. It has become increasing necessary for continued education due to the changing patterns and trends in the production industries (Gass, 2005, p.34). There is improvement in technology like the use of computers in performing tasks that were initially performed manually. Some of the machines that were once used in the processes of production and other tasks in the organizations have become redundant thus necessitating the use of a different and more complex machine. For example, not long ago were typewriters a common feature in offices for production of written materials. Currently, it is quite hard to notice any typewriter in use in any office across the country. This is due to rise in computer usage which have rendered them redundant. If the office worker had no relevant knowledge of computer usage, he/she will be forced to take classes in order to learn how to use the same machine. The same thing is happening in big production companies where large machines are acquired that have different usage and thus necessitating the workers handling it to undergo a further training. After noticing this tendency, the human resource departments have been tasked with ensuring their workers undergo on job trainings to increase their knowledge and remain relevant in the market. Several companies offer free scholarships to their deserving employees to pursue higher education after which they are promoted in their duties to higher positions. Other types of training are conducted like inviting a consultant who will facilitate the process of learning in formal seminar s and meetings. Whichever type the human resource decides is beneficial to their company the aim is to increase the workers scientific knowledge and education. The scientific management propagates for the idea of division of labor equally among the workers and their managers. This would ensure that there is mutual cooperation between the workers and managers and each is relying on the other for accomplishment of certain duties in their organization (Taylor, 1911, p.13). This builds formal and official relations with respect which ensures that the tasks given to each worker is performed and in good time. A team spirit is cultivated within these organizations and they are able to work together as one to achieve common objectives. In modern world, this principle has been expounded and applied resulting into increased performance and enhanced efficiency in doing work. The social aspects of a human being are catered for like the need to effectively communicate ones feelings about a certain procedure in any institution. Management has changed to democratic type where various views of each individual are incorporated into the institutions planning . The institutions frequently hold meetings where each and everyone is given a chance to air their views concerning anything that may be affecting them or even to commend a certain process being used by their organization. This has served well to increase communication in the organizations. Communication is an important process to any organization. It serves to pass important messages from managers down the organizational hierarchy up to the subordinates. Communication as a process serves to hold the organization together. It builds team work across the various departments in an organization and leads to attainment of strategic objectives and hence meeting their mission and vision. It is therefore important to have improved communication for an organization ion order to reap maximum benefits from the employees. Effective communication in an organization boosts employees morale and increases their productivity (Busch, 1980, p.98). Communication which was once referred to as a soft skill in business enterprises has turned to have impacts for the business which are hard and with dire consequences. Failure to establish effective communication will lead to dissatisfaction among employees leading to high employee turnover in the organization, there is a rise in the number of employees who dont report to work as expected due to low morale, the customers will feel dissatisfied due to receiving of poor services from the dissatisfied employees and this will lead to low quality products being produced which are not up to the standards required in the market. In addition it will lead to lack of innovations in the business which is harmful to development. Conclusion In conclusion, Taylors scientific management has served to shape the behaviors witnessed in todays organizations. However, various improvements to Taylors principles have been done by various other scholars. For example, Henry Fayol was able to integrate the social aspects of workers in to the principles. For the success of any organization, effective leadership is critical. It is for this reasons that effective managers are sought for by many institutions in order to succeed and pull through the high competition that have been witnessed in the present world. How well a leader is able to influence the team that he/she is leading will either lead to the success or to the failure of the organizations. In order for a leader to be able to lead, he/she must gain and apply power in order to see that work is performed to the given standards. They work at reinforcing their own organizational positions while at the same time striving to achieve the broad and strategic objectives of their orga nizations. Modernization and formations of workers union has served to shape the scientific principles as proposed by Taylor. With this in mind it is worth to note that Taylors scientific management principles although proposed over a century ago are being felt even in the modern day practices in institutions.

Case Study: Patient with Heart Burn

Case Study: Patient with Heart Burn The patient is a 45 year old male with a history of eight weeks complaint of heart burn that worsens with lying down after dinner. The patient states that the pain lasts thirty minutes to two hours, and that it wakes him at night. Patient reports taking Maalox and Rolaids up to five times daily, however these only help for a short time. Medical History No Known Allergies Hypertension for two years Rheumatoid arthritis in hands and feet for one year Social History Patient is married with three children. Patient drinks two beers daily for the past twenty years and smokes one pack per day for twenty years. Current medications Prednisone 20 mg orally daily Diltiazem 240 mg orally daily Piroxicam 30 mg orally daily Multi- vitamin one orally daily Physical examination T. = 99 RR=18 Pulse =77 BP = 127/76 Weight 242 Height 59† ENT EOMI, PERRLA, mild sputum Cardiac – normal S1 and S2 Chest slight dyspnea Abdomen – soft, with mild pain (4 on 1-10 scale, with 10 being worst) to upper quadrant below sternum. Genitourinary deferred Rectal- deferred Extremities arthritic changes to hands Skin normal Neuro AAO times 3, normal DTR Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a condition in which stomach content leaks backward from the stomach into the esophagus. The symptoms are heartburn, nausea, and regurgitation; this causes an inflammation of the esophagus and possibly the larynx. Complications can be esophageal ulcers, Barrett esophagitis, chronic cough, and can lead to infection and inflammation of the lungs. Diagnosis is typically made by symptoms, endoscopy, and esophageal acid tests (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). GERD is caused by a break down in the barrier between the esophagus and the stomach. There are three main types of treatment that physicians consider when treating reflux disease. The treatment will depend on the severity of the symptoms (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). With any patient suffering from GERD, there are lifestyle changes and dietary changes that are effective in management of the disease (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Lifestyle changes that the patient can do are as follows: Stop smoking if tobacco products are used (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011) Taking antacids (of aluminum hydroxide content) (PubMed, 2012) Avoid food consumption within 2 hours of going to bed (PubMed, 2012) Avoid caffeinated beverages, chocolate, nicotine, alcohol, and peppermint (PubMed). Monitor intake of spicy and acidic foods (PubMed, 2012) Limit the amount of high fatty foods in the diet (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011) Eat 5 to 6 small meals during the day, instead of 3 large meals (PubMed, 2012) Monitor weight, as obesity increases the symptoms of GERD (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011) Elevate the head of the bed using a 6 to 8 inch block or a wedge under the mattress to enhance acid clearance when reclining (PubMed, 2012) Eat slowly and chew food thoroughly to enhance digestion (PubMed, 2012) *Avoid restrictive clothing, lifting heavy objects, straining, working in a bent position, and stooping (PubMed, 2012). * Chewing gum, this increases saliva production and natural acid reduction (PubMed, 2012). The symptoms may be controlled with the medications; however, the medical issue never goes away. Lifestyle changes are helpful in the overall treatment and control (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Diagnosis Diagnosis and treatment consist of a physical examination and history, esophageal motility testing, esophageal acid test, endoscopy (esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy or EGD), and possible biopsy to diagnosis Barrett’s (Ananal, 2012). The esophageal acid test is considered the â€Å"gold standard† for diagnosis (PubMed). Current medications and interactions related to GERD Calcium channel blockers are classifications of medications used to treat hypertension. These drugs can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, which can cause GERD (Hughes, Lockart, Joyce, 2007) Corticosteroids in increased amounts have been associated with indigestion, heartburn, stomach pain and cramping, vomiting and diarrhea (Ananal, 2012). NSAIDs such as Piroxicam may cause abdominal cramping or severe pain, severe continuous heart burn and nausea. In combination with corticosteroids there is a higher risk of abdominal pain and the risk of stomach bleeding (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Treatment Treatment can include elevation of the upper body when sleeping, diet changes, and avoid certain foods, eating smaller more frequent meals, and stop smoking and alcohol use (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Medical treatment will include antacids taken one hour after meals; Tums and Rolaids are not recommended for regular use due to being a calcium carbonate. Histamine antagonist, such as Zantac, should be taken 30 minutes before bedtime to prevent nocturnal acid breakthrough. Proton pump inhibitors, such as Prilosec, should be taken, one hour before the morning meal. Foam barriers such as Gaviscon, work as a barrier to stomach acids and may be taken as needed for symptom relief, three times daily (Ananal, 2012). Antacids and alginic acid (Gaviscon) are the drugs of choice for quick relief of symptoms. These agents act primarily by rapidly increasing the ph of the gastric refluxate. Alginic acid reacts with sodium bicarbonate in saliva to form sodium alginates. The sodium alginate floats on the top of the gastric contents where it acts as a mechanical barrier, minimizing exposure of the esophagus to refluxate. H2 receptor blockers act by inhibiting histamine stimulation of the gastric parietal cells, thereby suppressing gastric acid secretion. They are most effective in suppressing nocturnal acid secretion. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) strongly inhibit gastric acid secretion. They act by irreversibly inhibiting the H+ K+ adenosine Triphosphatase pump of the parietal cell. By blocking the final common pathway of gastric acid suppression compared with H2 receptor blockers. When prescribed appropriately to patients with severe symptoms or refractory disease, the PPIs are more cost effective bec ause of their high healing and remission rate and the consequent prevention of complications (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Prescriptions #1 DATE__6/12/2014_____ Patient name________ (M/F) AGE__45____ Address____________ Weight__242____ Prilosec 40 mg tablet # 30 Take one tablet by mouth every morning before the morning meal for acid reflux control Refill__1__ signature______________ Generic sub __Yes__ DEA#__________ #2 DATE__6/12/2014_____ Patient name________ (M/F) AGE__45____ Address____________ Weight__242____ Zantac 75 mg tablet # 30 Take one tablet by mouth every night 1 hour before bedtime for acid reflux control Refill__1__ signature______________ Generic sub __Yes__ DEA#__________ #3 DATE__6/12/2014_____ Patient name________ (M/F) AGE__45____ Address____________ Weight__242____ Gaviscon 1 chewable tablet as needed for heartburn relief # 1 bottle Take one tablet by mouth three times daily as needed for relief of breakthrough heartburn Refill__1__ signature______________ Generic sub __Yes__ DEA#__________ References Ananal, B. (2012). Peptic ulcer disease. Retrieved from Medscape.com: http://www.medscape.com/article/181753 Brunton, L., Chabner, B., Knollman, B. (2011). Goodman Gilmans:The pharmacological basis of therapeutics (12 ed.). McGraw-Hill. Hughes, J., Lockart, J., Joyce, A. (2007). Do calcium antagonists contribute to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and concomitant noncardiac chest pain? The British Pharmacological Society Journal. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2007.02851.x PubMed. (2012). Lifestyle changes as a treatment of gastroesophgeal reflux disease:A survey of general practitioners. Retrieved from Pubmed.com: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article/PMC1661628 PubMed. (n.d.). Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Retrieved from PubMed health: http://www.nebi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH6001311 Identification of Didanosine | Results Identification of Didanosine | Results DISCUSSION The procured sample of didanosine was tested for its identification. The drug sample showed compliance with the data given in B.P. and Clarkes which reflects its quality and purity. Quality and purity of sample was also confirmed by the manufacturer. The lipids such as soyalecithin and cholesterol and all other excipients provided by the supplier confirmed by their identification test official in USP 24, IP and EP. All the excipients showed results in compliance with standard specifications. STANDARD CALIBRATION CURVE OF DIDANOSINE From the scanning of drug in 7.4 pH phosphate buffer was concluded that the drug had ÃŽ »max of 249 nm. From the standard calibration curve of drug, it was concluded that drug obeys Beer-Lamberts law in concentration range of 0-20mcg/mL. R2 = 0.9995 Correlation coefficient values indicated the linear correlation between concentration and absorbance. PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LIPOSOMES Among the various methods thin film hydration method is widely used on a laboratory scale. In this method the lipids are casted as stacks of film from their organic solution using flash rotary evaporator under reduced pressure and then the film is dispersed in an aqueous medium. This method yields the liposomes with a heterogeneous size distribution. Also the liposomes that are formed are multilamellar in nature with some unilamellar vesicles. (Vyas and Khar, 2002). Venkataram et al., 1990 have used PC to prepare liposomes in a drug to lipid ratio of 1: 10. The temperature during preparation has been kept 40à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ °C as the glass transition temperature of PC is very low. The drug entrapment into the liposomes depends mainly on Drug: Lipid ratio. In this study, the cholesterol and PC are selected as lipids in combination on basis of percent drug entrapped and rigidity (stability). S.Vemuri et al are stated that, cholesterol improves the fluidity of the bilayer membrane, reduces the permeability of water soluble molecules throught the membrane, and improve the stability of bilayer membrane in the presence of biological fluids such as blood/plasma. The hydration characteristic of lipid film was studied for different batches of liposomes and then liposomes were evaluated for % drug entrapment. From results of % drug entrapped of different batches of liposomes that were prepared and stability of liposomes under different temperature condition it was observed that as the percentage of cholesterol was increased there was subsequent increase in the stability and rigidity of liposomes but at the same time percentage drug entrapment reduced, Due to reduction in phosphatydilcholine. Formulation F4 containing 70% of PC and 30% cholesterol showed maximum drug entrapment (29.41%) with satisfactory stability and rigidity i.e. showed spherical shape with only 1.86% of drug leaching at 25 after 30 days. However, when PC was further increased to 80% keeping cholesterol to 20% there was increase in % drug entrapment but simultaneous decrease in stability and rigidity. The shape was lost and drug leaching was more i.e.10.25%. The data was also treated statistically by using one way analysis (ANOVA) and found to be satisfactory significant difference (P PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DIDANOSINE PROLIPOSOMES The proliposomes of Didanosine were prepared by powder thin film hydration (New, 1990). Here modified rotary evaporator unit was used as described by Lee et al., 1999. Different carriers like lactose, sodium chloride and lactose beads were used for preparation of proliposomes. Were hydrated with distilled water and the liposomes was analysed for % drug entrapped for different batches of proliposomes derived liposomes were as shown in the table 5.3. The Lipid: Carrier ratio was kept 1: 10 as reported by Song et al., 2002. The proliposomes of lactose were quite free flowing compared to the lactose that was used to prepare them and lactose proliposomes showed highest % drug entrapment (29.17). They were less sticky. Also as the amount of lipid i.e. lecithin was increased the proliposomes powder was found to be very sticky. This is because the lipid is sticky at room temperature. In case of sodium chloride the carrier was very free flowing but the proliposomes powder was very sticky compared to that made with either lactose or sorbitol. The particle size of the liposomes formed in sodium chloride and lactose beads was also greater than that formed with lactose. Here the carrier is non porous so majority of the lipid has to be deposited over the on the surface of the carrier, thereby maximizing the possibility of agglomeration and also because sodium chloride is hygroscopic. So it can be said that such nonporous carriers are suitable only for high melting lipids. The results are in accordance with those observed by Payne et al. As the amount of lipid was increased in case of sodium chloride the proliposomes were found to be extremely sticky because they tend to agglomerate (Payne et al., 1986a). The entrapment of the proliposomes made by using sodium chloride as a carrier was very low compared to that of either lactose or lactose beads because of the effect of the monovalent cation Na+. Sodium ion has the effect of increasing the release of cyclosporine from the liposome hence it decreases the entrapment of drug in the liposomes (Al-Angary et al., 1995). The proliposomes of lactose beads were found to be very free flowing just like the lactose beads from which the proliposomes were prepared but the surface area available for coating less compared to lactose powder and sodium chloride so film formed is thick so it yields multilammelar liposomes. Based on the above results the carrier was finalized. In subsequent experiments Lactose was used as a carrier and the formulation was optimized by a 32 factorial design. The effect of the two independent variables viz. Drug: Lipid ratio and Lipid: Carrier ratio was studied on dependant variables like entrapment and mean particle size. All other processing factors like vacuum applied, speed of rotation of round bottom flask; temperature, amount of surfactant etc were kept constant. OPTIMIZATION OF PROLIPOSOMES A prior knowledge and understanding of the process and the process variables under investigation are necessary for achieving a more realistic model. Based on the results of the preliminary experiments, drug: lipid ratio was found to be a major variable in determining PDE and Lipid: carrier ratio in determining the PMD. Hence, these variables were selected to find the optimized condition for higher PDE and PMD using 32 factorial design. By using 32 factorial designs, 9 batches of didanosine liposomes were prepared varying the two independent variables at three levels as recorded in the table. The prepared batches were evaluated for % drug entrapment (PDE) and mean particle size, which were taken as dependent variables and the results were recorded in the table A substantial high drug entrapment was achieved in liposomes of variable X1 (drug: Lipid = 1:15) and X2 (Lipid: Carrier = 1:15). EVALUATION STUDIES OF DIDANOSINE PROLIPOSOMES A) Microscopy of proliposome The microscopy of proliposomes revealed that the surface was smooth due to the coating of the lipid and some of the particles were agglomerated. The pictures of proliposomes are as shown in Figure. After hydration with deionized water a series of time-lapse photographs of proliposome hydration are as shown below in Figure. Here the formation of liposomes form proliposomes is shown. The results indicate that the process of dissolution/disintegration may occur by a progressive hydration of the lipid surface of the proliposome, taking the form of liposomes ‘budding off’ from the central core of the proliposome until both hydration of the lipid and dissolution of the carrier is complete. Although only an imitation of the process of proliposome hydration (due to absence of hand shaking to aid proliposome dispersion), this approach was thought to offer a reasonable indication of the process (Payne et al., 1986b). Finally the liposomes are formed that are multilamellar with a heterogeneous size distribution. The photographs reveal the multilamellar nature (Figure). Also the Maltice crosses shown in Figure indicate that the vesicles are multilamellar in nature. Also there are many unilamellar vesicles. B) Scanning electron micrographs. The scanning electron micrographs of carriers and optimized batch of proliposomes made with different carriers were taken and are as shown in the Figure. From the SEM pictures it is evident that after coating the surface becomes somewhat smooth and the surface defects are no more visible and a thick coating is also seen in proliposomes compared to the carrier alone. After coating of lipid on the surface the particles looks quite opaque and smooth compared to the carrier. EVALUATION STUDIES OF PROLIPOSOME DERIVED LIPOSOMES A) % Drug entrapped By using 32 factorial designs, 9 batches of didanosine liposomes were prepared varying the two independent variables. Various methods have been reported for determination of drug content in liposomes that involve separation of free drug from liposomes either by centrifugation or by dialysis or by sephadex column. Here the separation was affected by sephadex G25 column as reported by Guo et al., 2001. Here the PDE was calculated from the difference between the initial drug added and the drug detected after separation of the free drug. The results of various batches are as shown in the table. It was found that the % drug entrapped was highest when the Drug: Lipid ratio was highest. Also the Lipid: Carrier ratio was found to affect the entrapment of the drug into the liposomes. It was found that the highest % entrapment for all three levels of X2 was obtained at +1 level of X1 that is 21.37% at –1 level, 26.73% at 0 level and 30.89% at +1 level of X2. Graphical presentation figure shows the effect of the independent variable (drug: lipid ratio) on % drug entrapped. The results indicate that as the drug to lipid ratio increases the entrapment of the drug in the liposomes increases, as didanosine is a hydrophilic drug, which finds place within the core. B) Particle size analysis Particle size analysis results of various batches of proliposome derived liposomes are as shown in the table. The results are expressed as particle mean diameter. The particle size of the liposomes decreases as the amount of the carrier increases because there is a greater surface area available for thin lipid film formation which gives rise to a small particle size compared to a thick film that is formed when the amount of carrier is decreased (Hwang et al., 1997). The graph (figure) represents the relationship between lipid: carrier ratio on mean particle size. Mean particle size decreases as the lipid: carrier ratio increases because as the surface area increases thin film formation occurs that gives rise to smaller particle size. C) Stability Studies The optimized formulation was subjected to stability studies at 40C, 250C, 450C for 60 days. They were evaluated for physical appearance, entrapment efficiency, drug content etc. All the results obtained are within the limits and no major changes were identified physically.

Leni Riefenstahl Essay -- essays research papers fc

Leni Riefenstahl Leni Riefenstahl, a dazzling individual that has lived through and experienced many things that no other person may have. She has lived through the World War One, Great Depression, Nazi Germany, World War Two, the Cold war and September 11. However, what fascinates historians and people all over was her involvement and relationship with Hitler and the Nazis party. This report will look over Leni’s early to role as director of her Infamous films Triumph of the Will and Olympia and her involvement and view of Nazism and Hitler. Helene Bertha Amelie (Leni) was born on 22 August 1902 in Berlin. Leni lived in a comfortable middle-class family. Since a young age Leni has had a passion for dance. Leni’s dancing career began in the 1920s, during the Weimar republic that saw the birth of a culturally and politically diverse nation. Max Reinhardt, a prominent producer hired Leni as a dancer. Leni soon extended her talents to choreography. Her dancing career suffered due to a continuos knee injuries and one in particular in 1925, when she performed Prague. However, her life was going to under go a dramatic change that would lead her to acting and finally directing. Suddenly the image of a man climbing a jagged mountain came into focus. The colourful poster was promoting a movie with predictive name â€Å"Mountain of Destiny†. Leni instantly became entranced with the movie and soon went off to meet Arnold Fanck who would open the world of cinema to Leni. She stared in six of his movies, such as The Holy Mountain, The Big Jump and the White Hell of Pitz Palu, where she was portrayed as the hero and where her physical proficiency was displayed (which has always been a male domain). Franck had become her mentor and it been his opening scene of the ‘The magic mountain’ that Hitler admired. In 1932 the political situation in Germany was intensifying. The Republic was crumbling and the great depression was taking its toll on the German people. Leni was not greatly affected by the depression and saw little of the violence that was occurring. In Berlin she was persuaded by friends to attend a political rally at Sportsplatz where Hitler would give an address. Instantly Leni had become spellbound by Hitler as he did upon thousands-‘He radiated something very powerful,’ she later observed, ‘something which had a kind of hypotonic effect.’ Inspired by Hitler, Leni ... ...after the event. Bibliography Republic to Reich: A history of Germany 1918-1945 (K.J. Mason) 2003 This text was useful for my research, because it gave a good overview of the life of Leni Riefenstahl and it examined her two controversial films Triumph of the Will and Olympia. It also gives names of Historians and of the historical debates. I used the text through understanding what it was saying and compared it to my opinion of Leni. I used quotes from the text, which it had taken from historians, or other texts. A Portrait of Leni Riefenstahl (Audrey Salkeld) 1996 The text was quite and interesting as it presented the views of not only Audrey but of other historians. The text gave me both views of the debate over Leni. It also helped me in determining my standing over the debates surrounding Riefenstahl. I used quotes from the text and used it in my reports. http://www.thesportjournal.org/2001Journal/fall/olympia.htm http://courses.washington.edu/ger371/riefenstahl/biography.html http://womenshistory.about.com/od/riefenstahl/ Teaching History: Leni Riefenstahl Sources and Debates (Andrew G. Bonnell) 2001 http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,12589,1038696,00.html

Charles Manson and the Manson Family Essay -- Murder Slaughter History

Charles Manson and the Manson Family   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Jails, courtrooms and prisons had been my life since I was twelve years old.† (Emmons and Manson, 21) These are the words of Charles Milles Manson, a convicted serial killer who has never actually murdered a single person in his life. Manson was born â€Å"no name Maddox† on November 12, 1934, and has in fact been in prison for more than half of his life. (28) It was 1967, after Manson had just been released from the Federal Penitentiary at Terminal Island, San Pedro, when the â€Å"Manson Family† had begun to form. (85) In just two years the family would not only grow to a surprisingly large number, but become nationally known for the brutal murders of Sharon Tate, Voytek Frykowski, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Steven Parent, Gary Hinman, Leno LaBianca, and Rosemary LaBianca. (Bugliosi and Gentry, 558) Although many people know of the â€Å"Manson Family†, few are aware of the lives the family members led before 1967; these are their stories. Mary Theresa Brunner is usually considered to be the first member of the Manson "Family." She was born on December 17, 1943, to parents John and Evelyn Brunner in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Shortly after graduating from the University of Wisconsin she moved to California to accept a librarian position at UC Berkeley. It was there, while walking her poodle in the spring of 1967, that she met a man who had only weeks before walked out of a federal penitentiary. (Brunner) Perhaps the most well known of the "Manson girls" is Lynette Alice Fromme. She was born on October 22, 1948 in Santa Monica, California. Her mother, Helen Benzinger Fromme, was a homemaker and her father, William Millar Fromme, was an aeronautical engineer. Her father was known to be cold and intimidating; his treatment of his growing daughter was very harsh. Upon moving to the LA suburb of Redondo Beach in 1963, Lyn's grades began to suffer and she started drinking and abusing drugs. After barely graduating in 1966 she moved out of her parents' home and was supporting herself. After only a few months her newfound freedom ended at her father's insistence. She enrolled at El Camino Junior College and had only been there for a couple of months when a final argument with her father left her out on the streets with no place to go. She went to her boyfriend’s only to discover that he was not home, so she decided to head up ... ...ere originally sentenced to death by the gas chamber, but California did away with such a sentence.). Manson is currently seventy-years-old. (Parole) These seven people each came from completely different backgrounds, but all were searching for a new way of life. They all had found the life they were looking for with a thirty-two-year-old ex-convict from Cincinnati, Ohio. Together, they came to be known as the â€Å"Manson Family†, and together they achieved fame by taking the lives of eight innocent people in 1969. Works Cited Bugliosi, Vincent and Curt Gentry. Helter Skelter. New York: Bantam Books, 1974. Emmons, Nuel and Charles Manson. Manson In His Own Words. New York: Grove Press, 1986. www.charliemanson.com. Manson Family Photo Gallery #1. April 25, 2005. ---. Parole Hearings. April 25, 2005. www.charliesfamily.com. Lynette Fromme aka Squeaky, Red. April 25, 2005. ---. Leslie Van Houten. April 25, 2005. ---. Mary Brunner. April 25, 2005. ---. Patricia Krenwinkel aka Katie. April 25, 2005. ---. Susan Atkins aka Sadie. April 25, 2005. www.cielodrive.com. Charles Denton Watson. April 25, 2005. ---. Robert Kenneth Beausoleil. April 25, 2005. Charles Manson and the Manson Family Essay -- Murder Slaughter History Charles Manson and the Manson Family   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Jails, courtrooms and prisons had been my life since I was twelve years old.† (Emmons and Manson, 21) These are the words of Charles Milles Manson, a convicted serial killer who has never actually murdered a single person in his life. Manson was born â€Å"no name Maddox† on November 12, 1934, and has in fact been in prison for more than half of his life. (28) It was 1967, after Manson had just been released from the Federal Penitentiary at Terminal Island, San Pedro, when the â€Å"Manson Family† had begun to form. (85) In just two years the family would not only grow to a surprisingly large number, but become nationally known for the brutal murders of Sharon Tate, Voytek Frykowski, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Steven Parent, Gary Hinman, Leno LaBianca, and Rosemary LaBianca. (Bugliosi and Gentry, 558) Although many people know of the â€Å"Manson Family†, few are aware of the lives the family members led before 1967; these are their stories. Mary Theresa Brunner is usually considered to be the first member of the Manson "Family." She was born on December 17, 1943, to parents John and Evelyn Brunner in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Shortly after graduating from the University of Wisconsin she moved to California to accept a librarian position at UC Berkeley. It was there, while walking her poodle in the spring of 1967, that she met a man who had only weeks before walked out of a federal penitentiary. (Brunner) Perhaps the most well known of the "Manson girls" is Lynette Alice Fromme. She was born on October 22, 1948 in Santa Monica, California. Her mother, Helen Benzinger Fromme, was a homemaker and her father, William Millar Fromme, was an aeronautical engineer. Her father was known to be cold and intimidating; his treatment of his growing daughter was very harsh. Upon moving to the LA suburb of Redondo Beach in 1963, Lyn's grades began to suffer and she started drinking and abusing drugs. After barely graduating in 1966 she moved out of her parents' home and was supporting herself. After only a few months her newfound freedom ended at her father's insistence. She enrolled at El Camino Junior College and had only been there for a couple of months when a final argument with her father left her out on the streets with no place to go. She went to her boyfriend’s only to discover that he was not home, so she decided to head up ... ...ere originally sentenced to death by the gas chamber, but California did away with such a sentence.). Manson is currently seventy-years-old. (Parole) These seven people each came from completely different backgrounds, but all were searching for a new way of life. They all had found the life they were looking for with a thirty-two-year-old ex-convict from Cincinnati, Ohio. Together, they came to be known as the â€Å"Manson Family†, and together they achieved fame by taking the lives of eight innocent people in 1969. Works Cited Bugliosi, Vincent and Curt Gentry. Helter Skelter. New York: Bantam Books, 1974. Emmons, Nuel and Charles Manson. Manson In His Own Words. New York: Grove Press, 1986. www.charliemanson.com. Manson Family Photo Gallery #1. April 25, 2005. ---. Parole Hearings. April 25, 2005. www.charliesfamily.com. Lynette Fromme aka Squeaky, Red. April 25, 2005. ---. Leslie Van Houten. April 25, 2005. ---. Mary Brunner. April 25, 2005. ---. Patricia Krenwinkel aka Katie. April 25, 2005. ---. Susan Atkins aka Sadie. April 25, 2005. www.cielodrive.com. Charles Denton Watson. April 25, 2005. ---. Robert Kenneth Beausoleil. April 25, 2005.

Importance of Slavery to the Caribbean Essay -- History Slave Slavery

Importance of Slavery to the Caribbean The significance of the role played by slaves in the history of the Caribbean cannot be overemphasized. Nearly everything that defines the Caribbean today can be traced back to the advent of Africans to the sugar plantations several centuries ago. For this reason it is impossible to ignore the issue of slavery when studying the history of the Caribbean, as we are doing in this class. Through our numerous readings on the status of slaves and their treatment by the societies in which they lived, we have learned much about the sufferings and ordeals of these people. The following is an attempt to organize my own particular feelings and reactions, which I have previously posted on-line throughout the course of the semester, to the readings on this subject and to the reactions of other students as well. Imperialism, Plantation Slavery and the Slave Trade: 16th-18th Centuries It is interesting to note the ever-increasing reliance on slaves as the transition to sugar plantations not only occurred but also proceeded to become the main form of economic activity in the Caribbean in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. When the main crop out of the Caribbean was tobacco products in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, the slave trade was non-existent. But when this crop failed, in addition to ginger, coffee and others, the inhabitants began to try sugar. This, of course, took off immediately, and the need for slaves became imperative. Thus began the true slave trade from Africa, which would forever alter the demography of the Americas. Also interesting to see are the two forms of non-exploitation society that thrived (contrary to European desire) in the Caribbean: the Maroons ... ...e, no present-day obstacle could stand in their way. The religion, skin color, music and culture of the Caribbean are all based on the difficult past of its people. Despite the rampant poverty that still plagues the region today, many of the people seem strangely content and remain optimistic. This alone speaks volumes about the strength of character these people project. It is a lesson for the rest of the world to learn from. Happiness is far more important than any material goods or trivial pursuits that we will ever pursue. It is certainly something that I will take away from this class, and I hope others do as well. Sources Beckles, Hilary and Shepherd, Verene. Caribbean Slave Society and Economy; The New Press (New York, 1991). Knight, Franklin W. The Caribbean: The Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism (2nd ed.); Oxford University Press (New York, 1990).

Manage Own Performance in a Business Environment Essay

1: Understand how to plan and be accountable to others.1.1 There are a number of guidelines and procedures in place to enable me to do my job not only to the best of my ability but in a professional manner. In administration, there are procedures that need to be followed relating to various aspects of the job including correct procedures to, answer the telephone, confirming tickets, dealing with outgoing mail, rooms as well as other procedures. All of the administrators procedures are kept in a file at the office area where any member of admin staff can revise them as and when necessary. In my work place, these general procedures cover a wide range of skills used within any administration such as how to deal with a telephone call and how to used the office printer. They are available on the system for any staff member to review. 1.2 As a employee I am accountable to my employer. They have a right to see that my work is up to standard. Having a plan allows for my manager to see a quick overview of my daily tasks and allows them to check that I understand what needs to be done through out the day. It also helps to agree timescales and goals, and helps with performance managing.Planning skills allows me to be efficient and to successfull in my job.I have to be able to set and achieve targets and help others to do the same.1.3 The purpose for agreeing realistic targets for work is to keep everyone on task and focused, there is no point setting a target that is impossible to complete in the time scale given. Things will always get rushed and missed if the target is unrealistic. Work will not be done to the highest standard. However you should always push yourself at work. There should be a balance between the time it takes, how much work you have to do and making sure your work is to the highest standard. This wa y, everyone can contribute effectively and reach targets efficiently instead of struggling to achieve the impossible. 1.4 I need to make sure that the deadline is fair and be honest about how much work I can handle. When speaking to my manager I will gain respect by being straight about how much I can do. If I set too easy a target for myself I won’t be pushed to improve myself and it will be clear to my manager. If I make it impossible to reach my manager will be unimpressed by my inability to work out how long I need and missing the deadline. Setting targets is part of planning so the more accurately you can stick a plan usually the more likely you are to succeed. 1.5 The first thing I do in the morning is to prioritize my work. That is, place the most important job at the top; the least, at the bottom. When judging priorities, I need to do several things: I need to determine what is required. This is the number of jobs that need to be done. I need to figure out what is required. I need to ask myself â€Å"What must I do that nobody can or should do for me?† I have a list on which I write every target I need to Achieve and then I plan this around my day. If I’m stuck or behind on an important job I can ask my office manager Jack or other employees to help me. I don’t put everything into a ‘pending’ or ‘jobs to do’ file. I Classify my targets into those that are: both urgent and important (class 1) urgent (class 2) important (class 3) neither (class 4).1.6 So other people can help me when I am stuck and it doesn’t waste time. We can work as a team together to get the task finished.They can give me tips and say how I could improve my work.If someone is relying on a piece of work from me to complete their own tasks then it is important to keep them informed of where I am. By doing this I can also gain information on timescales, when this work needs to be completed. If I am unable to complete something by the time requested then other people will have to re-prioritise their own workloads to fit around me and by keeping them informed of my progress I can show where I am with my work.1.7 It respects people’s time and allows people to be better prepared for work, mentally, physically and tools-wise. It is respectful of the other person’s time to give him or her a good idea of what and how you want them to do something and when they need to start. If these plans change, respect demands that you infor m others involved of the changes to these plans. 1.8/1.9Computer crashingWork not getting savedPower cutsPhotocopier runs out of tonerPhotocopier runs out paper. All of these issues can be resolved very simply.Any technical fault that involves my computer I would report this to my manager or director. Things like photocopier running out of paper would be common sense I would fill the paper tray myself with the correct size and type of paper. If there is a jam I would try and resolve this myself without creating danger or ask somebody I would ask my manager who knows how to fix this. 1.10 The importance of learning from mistakes is so that you will not make the same mistakes (or similar mistakes) in the future, and you will thereby make more right decisions and fewer wrong decisions, and therefore will enjoy more success and less failure. Outcome 2: Understand how to behave in a way that supports effective working.2.1 The purpose of agreeing and setting high standards for work assures that each person tries their hardest and achieves there goals. By setting high standards you are showing a good example to the hole work team. Your building trust with your employer, it can give you benefits such as a pay raise or promotion and It gives you a great sense of satisfaction. You must always make sure you have the right amount of work for your time scale. This allows you to make sure your work is to the highest standard and isn’t rushed. I have learnt from working at h2o the its better to take a little bit longer doing something than doing it to quickly and having to go back and correct your mistakes. 2.2/2.3 I can set high standards of work by putting 100% into every task I do. By being the best I possibly can be. If I challenge myself in areas I will improve at my work, impress my employer and set a high example to all of the staff. By not challenging myself I am not learning anything. I should always take on new challenges if given them. This means I will earn new skills and will allow me to become experienced at my job. 2.4 If there are changes, its best to find out the purpose and make a plan, gather as much information as you can. Discuss the changes with your manager as understanding the situation helps you plan an appropriate course of action. Find out if the changes will affect your salary or benefits. There are always changes made in our workplace such a new office equipment, new staff, change in role. It gives me new challenges and experience. 2.5 The purpose of treating others with respect, honesty, and consideration is to treat others how you would like to be treated. To help people when you can. Never judge anyone and understand people as individuals. This gives people self confidence and positive a work environment. In my workplace we always listen and respect one another. 2.6 Behaviour is vital to the workplace because it can affect everyone. A person’s negative outlook can spend to those around that person. The workplace can immediately become a hostile environment due to the action or attitude of a single person. 2.7 Types of behaviour that display honesty, respect, and consideration are listening to others’ ideas and providing thoughtful feedback, being sensitive to the needs of others, seeking a solution that will benefit all, cooperating with everybody, treating others fairly and with dignity. Some negative behaviours are not listening to people, ignoring the opinions of others, having a selfish attitude, disregarding the efforts of others, and spreading false or hurtful information about others like spending rumours.