Changmai Corporation Essay

1. What reasoning should McLeod apply to try and handle the dilemmas he is facing? Due to McLeod is a highly qualified engineer and had a wide experience gained in some of the most sophisticated pulp mills in the world, he believed that using Western standards is always only correct way. However, it seems not suitable in every country. The based ask from McLeod is to protect safety for employees, which is good, but by announced human right and ensured into contract don’t work in this area. People working in Asia are more respect strong sense of family not individual right. Based on this culture sense, McLeod could start on building relationship and imposing how important to execute safety process such as employees are property, if they get hurt, the construction will be delay. According to cultural difference, word by word in contract is not good way to enforce Asia contractors to follow. McLeod should be flexible about how to balance western standards and eastern standards. 2. How do you think Bailey’s CEO, Mr. Hartford, should respond to Bailey’s predicament? Since American is obviously not allow bribe and corruption and Mr. Hartford has always been in the press about the decline of moral values in business, he might reply Bailey it is unaccepted for special budget. However, when you work in different country, it is possible to follow their standards. In this case, if Bailey wants to make sure it is not behind schedule and the mill can be finished as soon as possible, this special reliable service tax should be paid. This is a challenge for multinational corporations to keep their own standard value or adjust to host country’s standard value. 3. What is your reaction to the debate presented in the final paragraphs? I totally agree with the Frenchman, Thierry Dupont, said that â€Å"With 13 per cent unemployment in France, anyone who creates jobs is a hero.† Corruption is everywhere but present in different form and meaning. There is no one standard for every country. Western people are announced human right and they do what they want. It spreads social problems such as dug and violence. Eastern people are hierarchical oriented and they value relationship with group not individual performance. On the other hand, their corruption and pressure from good relationship around are more than western. Everything has two sides; I would like to say it is all right for each country’s standards.

Historical Background of Rural Finance of Bangladesh

Historical background of rural finance The non-institutional or informal rural finance Informal rural finance markets enable flow of funds and transfer of rural financial assets through relatively localised transactions in money, and real goods and services among friends, relatives, kin-members, landlords, neighbours, shopkeepers, farmers, artisans, itinerant traders, marketing intermediaries, village mahajans (moneylenders), and other local income groups.Informal financial markets do exist in urban areas, but are more prominent in rural areas where institutional sources of finance are either absent or insufficient to cater to the needs of funds of local professionals of different categories. The sources of informal rural finance in most developing countries include (a) professional moneylenders; (b) agricultural moneylenders; (c) commission agents; (d) relatives and friends, and different associations of rural professionals/self-help groups; (e) well-to-do rural people; and (f) shop -keepers, and marketing intermediaries and proprietors.Contrary to formal rural finance, the informal segment of rural financial markets is not subject to regulation. The institutional or formal rural finance The sources of funds in the formal part of rural finance markets are mainly: (a) co-operatives that meet the needs of short, medium and long-term credit; (b) commercial, cooperative and specialised banks; (c) micro-finance institutions (MFIs) and NGOs conducting micro-finance operations; (d) agri-product marketing associations; and (e) land mortgage banks, and various government agencies including those established for agricultural development.The operations of financial institutions in formal rural financial markets are typically heavily regulated, and the nature and extent of formalities, as well as the interest rate structure, usually make access to credit from this market restricted to limited segments of the rural population. . Before (1971) Formal financing through instit utional sources evolved in Bengal during the British period. The Hindustan Bank was established in Calcutta in 1700. The Bengal Bank, established in 1784, is considered to be the first British-patronised modern bank in India to start trading in credit and money.The 14 prominent banks operating in Bengal during the British period were located in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rangpur, Chandpur, Mymensingh, Pabna, Dinajpur, Comilla, and Narayanganj. In addition to these bank offices, 17 loan offices were established which operated throughout the Bangladesh region between 1850 and 1894. These were at Faridpur (1865), Bogra (1872), Barisal (1873), Mymensingh (1873), Nasirabad (1875), Jessore (1876), Munshiganj (1876), Dhaka (1878), Sylhet (1881), Pabna (1882), Kishoreganj (1883), Noakhali (1885), Khulna (1887), Madaripur (1887), Tangail (1887), Nilphamari (1894), and Rangpur (1894).These loan offices extended their lending activity to the rural areas and gave short, medium and long-term credits. Pr ovincial co-operative banks were established in 1912 under the Co-operative Society Act that was passed and enacted in the same year. The Bengal Co-operative Societies Act 1940 was enacted to allow the formation of co-operative societies. Following the Partition in 1947, Pakistan inherited a banking and credit structure from the British regime consisting of 631 bank offices belonging to both local and foreign banks.Of these offices, only 159 were in rural areas. The State Bank of Pakistan, the central bank of the country, came into being in 1948 and attempted to strengthen the country's credit system through setting up new branches of commercial banks and other types of credit institutions in rural areas. In addition to the progress achieved in commercial banking, other credit institutions had also been established to satisfy the need for medium and long-term credits for rural trade, agriculture, industry, and housing in the 24 years between 1947 and 1971.Among credit institutions, the Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan had its branches in the rural areas of both the provinces. The East Pakistan Provincial Government's loan for agriculture in East Pakistan was Rs 28 million in 1956 and Rs 25 million in 1961-62. takavi loans for West Pakistan and Agricultural loans for East Pakistan constituted the operations of the government as a direct lender with no intermediate link between it and the agriculturists. Co-operative societies and organisations played a significant role in providing agricultural credit.Total credit disbursed by East Pakistan credit societies for agriculture was Rs 27. 5 million in 1948-49 and Rs 4 million in 1959-60. Non-credit co-operative societies provided Rs 1. 6 million in 1948-49 and Rs 0. 5 million in 1959-60. There were 8 land mortgage banks in East Pakistan at the end of 1959-60. These banks advanced Rs 0. 63 million to farmers for redemption of old debts and permanent improvement of land. There were 83 central co-operative ban ks in East Pakistan in 1948-49. Together, they provided Rs 17. million in 1948-49, Rs 10. 64 million in1955-65 and Rs 28. 8 million in 1959-60 to the agricultural sector. The Central Multipurpose Societies that existed in East Pakistan at that time often resorted to credit business in order to fulfil the requirements of areas which were not served by central co-operative banks. There were 62 societies in operation in 1959-60. Their total outstanding credit was Rs 6. 02 million. After (1971) After independence in 1971, Bangladesh inherited a weak banking system, which had 1,130 branches of 12 banks.Between 1971 and 1976, Bangladesh Krishi Bank (formerly the Agricultural Development Bank) and the co-operatives were the two institutions that were meeting the need of agricultural credit. To increase the flow of credit for agriculture, the government inducted the NCBs in the field of agricultural credit in 1976 under a new programme called Special Agricultural Credit Programme (SACP) whi ch was designed to cater to all seasonal crop loans. Rural branches of NCBs are now engaged in agricultural credit.As against a total disbursement of Tk 860 million by the banking system in 1976-77, the agricultural loans rose to Tk 3. 75 billion in 1980-81, Tk 11. 5 billion in 1984-85 and Tk 76. 3 billion in 1999-2000. The 844 branches of bangladesh krishi bank (BKB) and 301 branches of rajshahi krishi unnayan bank (RKUB) are engaged in providing agricultural credit. At present, BKB has set its target to distribute a total credit of Tk 14. 5 billion for agriculture in 1999-2000. Previously, the bank disbursed total agricultural credit of Tk 4. 897 billion in 1997-98, Tk 11. 69 billion in 1998-99, and Tk 9. 175 billion in 1999-2000. RKUB distributed agricultural credit amounting to Tk 1. 517 billion in 1997-98, Tk 2. 50 billion in 1998-99, and Tk 2. 636 billion in 1999-2000. Other major institutions providing rural finance in Bangladesh are the Bangladesh Samabaya Bank Ltd (BSBL), t he apex institution of all central co-operative societies, co-operative land mortgage banks, central sugarcane growers associations and thana co-operative societies. Any of the above societies can be a member of the Samabaya Bank Ltd, which had 511 members on 30 June 1999.Total loans and advances of the BSBL as of 30 June 2000 was Tk 27. 43 million, of which Tk 25. 94 million was distributed to the agricultural sector. The rate of interest charged by the institutions of the country's banking systems engaged in agricultural credit varied from 9. 75 to 15. 50% on 30 April 2000. Despite the significant increase in the amount of total agricultural credit in the country during the last two and a half decades, NCBs, BKB and the RKUB together cater to only 50% of the total agricultural credit at present. The rest is being provided by the informal money market.A Lead Bank Scheme is in operation for co-ordinated distribution of agricultural credit throughout the country. Under this scheme, e ach of the branches of NCBs, and BKB was allocated one or more of the Unions for servicing agricultural credit so that the NCBs, together with BKB and RKUB, could cover the entire country. For each financial year, the central bank of the country (bangladesh bank) formulates and promulgates the agricultural credit policy according to which banks and other institutions operate their agricultural credit-giving activities.The agricultural credit market in the country is highly vulnerable as most part of the credit is non-performing and eaten up by big farmers, the rural rich elite, and touts. On the other hand, a large portion of institutional agricultural credit goes to the informal market and for re-lending to needy farmers and the rural poor at exorbitant interest rates. A huge amount is also diverted for consumption and other purposes. Moreover, the recovery rate of agricultural credit in the country is now only around 42%, which is a heavy barrier to its expansion.The NGOs operatin g in the country with microcredit programmes also constitute a major group of formal institutions providing rural finance. They work with the rural poor who are largely bypassed by the banking system and other credit-giving agencies. A few NGOs are also working with the urban poor. One statistical report on 369 NGOs, the grameen bank, Palli Karmasahayak Foundation (PKSF), and the Ministry of Youth and Sports reveals that these institutions distributed Tk 535. 9 million to their 4,926,427 borrower-members in 1998. .

Roman Catholic Communion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Roman Catholic Communion - Essay Example Hence, when it comes to rituals, Communion tends to be an important ritual in the Roman Catholic religion. Communion in the Roman Catholic religion not only extends a sense of belonging to the Roman Catholics around the world, but also helps them stay connected with the essential beliefs and values associated with their religion. In the Roman Catholic Church, communion tends to be the source and centre of the Roman Catholic religion. Communion tends to be the high point of any Roman Catholic mass. In the Roman Catholic Church, communion happens to be an important sacrament. It is a way and means to reach Jesus. The Ritual of Communion The communion in the Roman Catholic Church begins with an opening prayer. The clergy conducting the mass makes a sign of cross and says the opening prayer. The clergy formally welcomes the believers attending the mass and offers prayers for the well being of the parish and the community. After the opening prayer, the clergy starts the reading of the scr ipture. It does need to be mentioned that the reading of the scripture in a Catholic communion is not random or haphazard, but rather it follows a liturgical calendar. The Catholic Church has prescribed the readings for each and every day of the year. This practice of affiliating to the same reading on a particular day at the Catholic Churches placed all across the world, lends a sense of community and camaraderie to the people following the Catholic religion. The reading of the scripture is followed by the Lord’s Prayer. Once the Lord’s Prayer is said then begins the sacrament of communion. The priest offers to the believers gathered in the Church for the mass, the bead dipped in wine, which at a symbolic level is taken to be the blood and body of Jesus, offered to the believers so that it could atone for the sins committed by them (O’Collins & Farrugia 250). It does need to be mentioned that communion tends to be the most important aspect of a Catholic mass. T he Roman Catholic religion preaches that receiving communion is a must for the attainment of salvation. The other important belief associated with the Roman Catholic communion is that only a priest, who has been ordained in the apostolic succession, could manifest through Jesus Christ the imminent miracle of Transubstantiation, thereby changing the ordinary bread and wine into the blood and body of the Christ. Meaning and Significance of Communion It does need to be noticed that Communion or Eucharist commands a central place in the Roman Catholic form of worship. Baptism and Communion are the two sacraments that have been clearly mentioned in the Bible. It is held that the practice of Communion was actually started by Jesus Christ, and this ritual is clearly recorded in the Gospels. It was Jesus Christ who initiated the practice of the Last Supper where he offered bread to His disciples, telling them that it is His body, and then made them drink a little wine, saying it to be His b lood. Jesus told his followers to repeat this ceremony and the Catholic Christians have been practising this ritual right from the days of early Christians. The ritual of Communion owes its spiritual moorings to the sacraments relation to the actual sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. In the New Testament one many a times come across Jesus addressing himself as a sacrifice, thereby pointing towards his imminent sacrifice on

Social Security Programs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Security Programs - Research Paper Example This was meant actually to ensure the retirees had some money at their disposal so as to ensure cash flow which would in turn stimulate the economy. In addition he also wanted this program to be an income supplement. This was also supposed to ensure that most people especially the old and disabled were to be entitled to a social security insurance program especially those who were of the aged (Dilnot, 1989). Over the past year there has been much to say about the social security fund though most talks don’t seem to be very appealing. The truth of the matter is the Us government is really having it rough now as far as the social security fund is concerned since the dependants today compared to the time when this project was initiated has rose by millions. In the coming 2-3decades this fund will be practically impossible to run and offer the citizens of US that social security it was intended for (Sacks, 2000). One major blow to the social security fund is the fact that the group of beneficiaries have been increased over time from just the elderly and disable to the spouse or minor children of a retired workers and another benefit was also included for the family of a worker who has dead prematurely. Now if you put together these facts together with the fact that Americans are living longer then this is a big blow to the success of this fund in the coming years (Sacks, 2000). According to the additional views by the Senator Robert J. Dole, the long term deficit that will be in the non-medical social security program translated to 1.8% of the taxable payroll. when one On closely looking at the projections of the actuaries, in the next 75years the benefits of this program shall be very challenging to payroll tax income translating to about $25 billion per year in deficit. This deficit is seen practically a big problem to the success of the social security fund and if not addressed this program has a very terrible

How Christianity shaped the colonization of the New World Research Paper

How Christianity shaped the colonization of the New World - Research Paper Example this concept is so wrapped around with the misconception, if not premeditated efforts to have it seem either less or more important to native people than it actually is, that getting it directly, even precisely expressed, seems to be a task nearly impossible to accomplish. People of European origin who harbor no exacting ill-will toward Native American have a tendency to over-emphasize the notion of the Great Spirit because it makes some people seem more Christians than others. Some even propose that it is but a little step from belief in a Great Spirit to faith in the one, true God of Judeo Christian custom. At the same time, individuals who still anchorage the hope of our ultimate annihilation point to the notion as one that proves we still persevere in worshipping the devil, an article they see as a Great Spirit with authority over a pack of evil spirit who intimidates the existence of a Christianized civilization itself. Neither situation can be said to conserve any truth whatsoe ver with regard to Native American culture. This tries to guide in understanding the thesis of this essay, which question Native Americans concept on Christianity (Beardsley, pgs 463). Spanish Conquistadors The famous Spanish conquistadors, who were tremendously active throughout the Age of Exploration to the new civilization, impacted the process of civilization in regards to Christianity. In fact, thy were so well skillful and victorious in their efforts that they were directly accountable for a large part of the eastern zest trade, as well as creating massive wealth for their state of Spain.   Gold and spices along with the unearthing of silver made Spain a powerful nation. The name conquistadors imply conquer, which is precisely what these men accomplished.   The Spanish conquistadors were faithful soldiers and explorers, dedicating their lives to the improvement of their favorite Spain.   The Muslim Moors lost charge of the Iberian Peninsula to these soldiers after 800 ye ars of conflict.   This particular victory, referred to as the reconquist, entailed of Holy War fighting.   The Spanish soldiers and explorers travelling the journey to the New World possessed the name of conquistador. In addition to the prosperities enjoyed by the gold, spice, and silver commercial activities the Spanish conquistadors had other motivations.   For example, they sought to grasp a position of power and prestige, key fundamentals to building the Spanish territory (Abler, pgs 1-2).   Additionally, the conquistadors needed to convert natives to the Catholic religion; Christianity, which is why ministers always traveled with the explorers. The Spanish conquistadors took the Indians as being savage.   The exploitation and oppression associated with the populace became recognized as the Encomienda System, which was alike to the Medieval Feudal structure.   In spite of, the objective was to penetrate the Indian communities with religion so they would transform.   However, while the conversion progression was taking place, the Spanish conqu

The Dramatic Form and Riders to the Sea Research Paper

The Dramatic Form and Riders to the Sea - Research Paper Example he reader a more diverse set of characters because other than the protagonist and antagonist, characters such as the minor character, stock character, foil, and confidant are present in a drama. In Riders to the Sea, the following characters are identified: Maurya (protagonist), Bartley and The Sea (antagonist), Cathleen (Minor Character), The Priest (Foil; while this character was never actually present in the play, references to him show that his approaches differ from Maurya’s), and Nora (stock character). Moreover, while the reader discovers each character as the piece progresses, they are immediately identified at the start of a dramatic piece. The same can be said about the setting of the drama, which is explicitly stated at the start of every scene. Another common element in a drama is the soliloquy made by the characters. A soliloquy is the speech given by one of the characters that is directed to the audience (Styan, 1960). One of the most powerful soliloquies of Ride rs to the Sea is that of Maurya’s towards the end when she was quite not sure whether to follow Patch’s or Michael’s

Bonuses for performance vs no bonuses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bonuses for performance vs no bonuses - Essay Example On the contrary, I will assert in this paper that with the right attention to detail in the planning and implementation processes, the incentives that bonus pays offer will positively affect employee performance and that â€Å"increasing labor costs make your cooperative more competitive† (Vogt, 1995). I must clarify that the argument that the implementation of bonuses can encourage positive performance in employees is based on a well thought out bonus plan as the mere introduction of a bonus payout, without any regard for meticulous goal setting and research, may result to failure. The study conducted by Dan Ariely (2008) and his three colleagues prove this as they found, through an experiment wherein promise of payments were made for the participants to complete a series of cognitive tasks, that â€Å"the offer of a higher bonus led to poorer performance† (Ariely, 2008). They also found that participants who wanted to excel performed worse as the pressure got to them (Ariely, 2008). Thus, I must emphasize that before a bonus plan is implemented, the employers must first establish a clear objective and the nature and frequency of the bonus pay (PeopleMatters, 2004). These must also be clearly communicated to the employers (PeopleMatters, 2004). Furthermore, a comprehensive employee research must aso be conducted in order to ascertain whether the percentage of the effectiveness of the payout is high—this should take into consideration the stress and pressure factor that Ariely found to be an obstruction brought about by the participants pressuring themselves to excel in order to get the cash payout. Also, a time allowance must be made in order for the employees to attain substantial improvement (Canada, 2000). The positive results are not in any way claimed to be instantaneous. In this way, the risk for failure is minimized. Having clarified my premise, I will then discuss in the next section the evidences that strengthen the argument of this

The role of inventory management in the logistics and operation of Fed Essay

The role of inventory management in the logistics and operation of Fed Ex Corporation Limited - Essay Example This report will seek to describe the process of inventory management undertaken at Fed Ex Corporation Limited (courier industry) and the role it plays in the overall logistics and functioning of the company in helping it pursue its objective: the fast and efficient delivery of parcels to their desired destination anywhere across the globe! Knowing the role of inventory management is important because it contributes to the overall functioning of the company and in turn, determines the efficiency of the entire process. In other words, it is very important for any firm to deal with its inventory carefully because this in turn complements and directly affects other related processes such as warehousing, transportation and all of this eventually determines the level of customer satisfaction. This customer satisfaction is essential in building and maintaining the goodwill of the company. Any little negligence or carelessness can lead to big failures and destroy very easily the goodwill that the company took years to build. Therefore, through this report, we aim to highlight the importance of inventory management and hence, the logistics operations in the overall functioning of any company, specifically explained here through Fed Ex corporation.

Edit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Edit - Essay Example The intent of using two images to illustrate the details of the van Gogh’s use of style is commendable, however I recommend that use of student-centered approach would help the learners understand the stylistic shift of Van Gogh. This should be done theoretically, as it will offer the learners more time to examine the attributes mentioned. The student’s participation in the learning process is a positive sign of understanding the topic. The indication that the students are able to access the National Art Gallery Website and create their digital archives is an illustration of the students’ participation. The general concept of the lesson is admirable; however, I am not sure the nature of the sources you will use to authenticate your content. There is need to offer a wide perspective of the lesson by giving a range of sources relative to the topic of discussion. In addition, how can one measure the progress of the students who do not grasp the contents of the lesson, particularly the computer

Canadian Funding for Highways Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Canadian Funding for Highways - Case Study Example Although this alliance dates back in the history but still it represents a strong case for the betterment of the transport industry. As CTA is a coalition of regional trucking associations it represents an extensive cross-section of the trucking industry. There are about some 4,500 transport vehicles, owned re-operators, and industry suppliers who fall under this alliance. CTA has worked in lobbying on national and international policy, as well as authoritarian and governmental issues that affect trucking. The other industry that has had problems is the railway industry. The freight industry along with the domestic highway vehicles has suffered from the deficit making them incompetent in their respective industry. Regardless of a very old policy on nationwide transportation the federal authority was proficient in completely setting it aside for the cause of reduced spending in the 1990s. This was achievable because the national transportation policy did not correctly identify the role of governments in the provision or administration of transportation infrastructure. As the national decentralization of infrastructure was done during the 1990s and as inter-modal transportation has developed, the financial responsibilities between the public and private sector have become vague. Important transport accountability areas, such as airports or marine ports have been changed to private or non-profit organization. While others have been able to create entirely new economic responsibilities for the local body; for example, the movement from rail to road has augmented the provincial role in goods transportation. Dating back to 1994, the federal curriculum review amplified the financial stress on regional and municipal infrastructure. In the mean time, provinces also decentralized local transport infrastructure to municipal and provincial bodies. This reforming of transportation has produced a hefty infrastructure deficit that needs consideration by all levels of government. Addressing the requirements of transport infrastructure can be managed in a more improved manner if the financial tasks, with suitable revenue streams, can be clearly outlined for all levels of the governing body in national transportation policy and supporting legislation. A major reason for the inability of the national transportation policy is the breach between policy, legislation and execution. A widespread scheme of bridging this gap is the connecting of transportation policy and legislation to a venture approach or program funding. The most memorable example of this is the American model where central funding is coupled for compliance with rules and policies. For instance, highway subsidy eligibility depends on achieving the set environmental standards that replicate national policies. As a fact the Canadian policy is

Different Theories of Management Essay Example for Free

Different Theories of Management Essay Nowadays we have new implementing plans for management. The different theories of management are: classical, behavioral, quantitative and quality management theory, systematic and contingency management theory. The classical management theory focuses on finding the â€Å"one best way† to accomplish and manage task (p. 37,2008. W. Plunkett, R. Attner, G. Allen). The behavioral management theory recognizes employees as individuals with real human needs. It is very important for the manager to establish trusted relationships and value his/her employees. Successful leader will put his staff first. Good communication with employees- key to success! From my personal experience, I had bad first-level management in our department. The most important, I felt that, they are using employees as a machine in the factory, like in old days practices. There were no communication connection between workers and â€Å"the boss†. All they wanted to know your working schedule: â€Å"When are you coming to work or can you stay late today? â€Å" I could not work there for a long time. There was no teamwork feeling and very poor customer service. Now, I have a better place to work, where the leaders appreciate and value you. I definitely have closer relationship with management. Our manager has a good communication skills, she creates a warm, productive atmosphere. We solve problems together as a team. I am proud to say that we only get a positive feedback from our customers. The quantitative management theory uses mathematical tools to help plan, control and analyze nearly everything in an organization. Quality management process is leading to ability to meet the needs of the customers. Total quality comes from satisfied customers. The systems management theory powers that an organization comprises various parts that must perform tasks necessary for the survival and proper functioning of the system as a whole. Human resources management is a core of the organization, because those people responsible for interviewing people and checking their professional skills. The contingency management theory is based on the premise that manager’s preferred actions or approaches depend on the variables of the situations they face (p. 50,2008). Early Management Theories In the past, the old system required the boss to do everything. For example, to manage, planning, processing, thinking, finance and analyze budget. Frederick Taylor (1856-1915) The Father of Scientific Management. Scientific Management theory arose from the need to increase productivity in the U. S. A. especially, where skilled labor was in short supply at the beginning of the twentieth century. The only way to expand productivity was to raise the efficiency of workers. Taylor devised four principles for scientific management theory, which were: 1. The development of a true science of management, 2. The scientific selection and training of workers, 3.  Proper remuneration for fast and high-quality work 4. Equal division of work and responsibility between worker and manager Successful management requires an understanding of the fundamental concepts of effective management techniques and principles. In order to gain such insight, and manage effectively and efficiently, managers must develop an awareness of past management principles, models and theories. From the turn of the 20th Century, the need for a formal management theory was growing evident; organizations required a system to guide managers in an attempt to improve productivity and efficiency of workers. This urgency for a theory saw the development of six major management approaches, the focus of this essay will be on two of the classical management theories; the scientific management theory and the human relations movement. The contributions of both these theories will be examined, followed by an analysis of the similarities and differences that these two theories propose. The last point will see a discussion of the relevance that these two theories have in modern managerial practice.

How the Organizing of Work Influences Experiences of Work

How the Organizing of Work Influences Experiences of Work Consider how the organizing of work  influences experiences of work. Introduction The question of how the organization of work influences the experiences of work can take on many differing connotations depending upon the viewpoint that is being utilized to address the foregoing. From a dictionary point of view, work is defined as follows (American Heritage Dictionary, 2005): â€Å"1. Physical or mental activity that is directed toward the accomplishment or production of something.† As well as the activity of â€Å"†¦ looking for work†¦Ã¢â‚¬  one’s occupation, the production of some measured unit of accomplishment, as well as one’s occupation (American Heritage Dictionary, 2005). Watson (2003) indicates that work is an activity â€Å"†¦ in which everyone in the world is involved†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and utilizes the examples of those who are employed as well as one tending to their garden, the owner of a building as the landlord, investors and even those who have servants. Given the broad based meaning that can be and is associated with this word, as a concept in this connotation work shall be thought of as those activities one performs for compensation. Polanyi (1944) saw work as a creative activity whose goal is human development. And while in our modern society this view might tend to be slightly utopian its undertones nevertheless have merit. The very question of how the organizing of work influences the experience of work makes reference to, although indirectly, work as something that can be thought of as enjoyable, or to the contrary depending upon not only what is being done but how one views said activity. The experiences one has at work can run the gamut from inferior to exceptional, for want of more descriptive terminology. As such, we shall examine this question from the standpoint of the work experience as the feeling and or satisfaction one derives and thus how that work when organized either contributes to or diminishes from the foregoing. For those of us for whom work is a means to either earn a living, practice a profession or support oneself and their family, it plays an extremely important part of our lives in terms of time spend at said activity, as well as in terms of how the experience of this activity impacts upon, influences one and acts upon us outside of it. Maslow ´s (1954) hierarchy of needs provides us with a guide to exploring the realm of work and its influences on the individual as it contains compelling insights into the psychology of who we are and how we function internally. His theory of personality states that are contained in Maslow ´s (1954) hierarchy of needs is as follows: Physiological Needs This is the basic biological need for food, air water and warmth and represents those which come first in our search for satisfaction. Safety Needs After the satisfaction of safety needs, the needs for security take precedence. And after this need is met, we move onto the third need. Needs of Love, Affection and Belongingness Maslow (1954) indicates that we seek to overcome our feelings of loneliness along with alienation, and this entails the giving as well as receiving of love, belonging and affection. Needs for Esteem This need addresses the subject of work organization as it entails the need for esteem. This aspect was also referred to by Polanyi (1944) in terms of work being an aspect of human development. Maslow (1954) refers to this need as self esteem emanating from within an individual as well as that which one receives from others, along with the need for a stabile relationship environment in which to thrive. This aspect is extremely important as to how one’s work organization is, and interacts with this key human personality quotient. Needs for Self Actualization When all of the preceding needs have been satisfied, then Maslow (1954) indicates that the self-actualization need becomes active. Simply put, this means that a person will gravitate towards doing what they were born to do. The short, yet important examination of Maslow ´s (1954) hierarchy of needs aids in the understanding of the deeper seated aspects of how the organization of work influences the experiences of work. From the preceding it should be evident that if one’s work is organized logically and contains a level of diversity and creativity as evidenced by changes of pace, then it will fit within Maslow ´s hierarchy and thus be more satisfying. Watson (2003) refers to the sociology aspects of work in that it aids in the employer, manager as well as employee to make â€Å"†¦better informed judgments†¦Ã¢â‚¬  concerning the work at hand and how to go about performing it. The foregoing is highly important in equating the question as one’s experiences at work might be deemed as satisfying if they can see it progressing towards a more fulfilling method or way of getting said work accomplished. This ongoing organizing and re-organizing, if conducted in an intelligent and pr ogressive manner, might be as rewarding as one who’s work experience is at a firm where the work flow organization is scientifically as close to perfect as can be humanly ordained. Varied levels of frustration are inhibiting factors which can and do affect our thinking as well as levels of performance. The elimination of such frustrations through insightful work organization represents a positive contribution to increasing one’s satisfaction experience in this regard. Techniques such as Just-In-Time, Total Quality as well as Lean Production techniques as referred to by Fiona Wilson (2004) in and of themselves do not produce or create job satisfaction as they are constructs from which to organize and customize work to fit the organization, management, the corporate culture and the individual. Lest we forget, all business enterprises are composed of flesh and blood individuals who all fall under Maslow ´s (1954) humanistic guidelines. As such, in constructing or organizing the work process we need to be mindful that repetition breeds boredom and boredom breeds discontentment (Noon et al, 2002). Within the context of work organization are all manner of su b routines and associated aspects that impact upon it. Ergonomics, aesthetics, colors, materials, light, sound, work space, distance between other workers, the amount of space one has to function in, the static or non static nature of the work all are factors in its organization. Thus, to think of the subject as one confined to office personnel belies its meaning and intent as it has applicability for factory, farm, forestry, management, field personnel and back office employees or executives. It entails how interesting, challenging, creative and diverse it is or can be made to be as a function of how it is organized or structured (Watson, 2003). Management in equating the production variables needed to be met in the attainment of work output must be mindful of exactly how said work is performed in order to create techniques that seek out and enlist the input of those actually doing said functions to aid them in structuring, modifying and upgrading work procedures and how it is organized. Those who perform the function on a daily basis can also be assisted by management taking part in said work functions to reach determinations on a first hand basis as to what potential modifications and or improvements can be made or added to make the work experience more pr oductive as well as satisfying. And work organization, as mentioned by Watson (2003), Wilson (2004), and Noon et al (2002) does not just consist of the work itself, it includes the social, contemporaries one works with, the working relationship manner in terms of contribution in a what is being done as well as job satisfaction. Understanding that work is something that is performed by human beings who all represent personalities under Maslow ´s (1954) hierarchy of needs is a foundational construct by which to accomplish making the experience one that translates into higher output and professionalism. Conclusion Hochschild (1997) helps to provide a level of understanding concerning the need to reduce work to human terms as he found that for most individuals their work takes precedence over their home life. While the foregoing is not universally true, as indicated by Jacobs et al (2001) the importance of providing within the organizational matrix a means to attain higher levels of job satisfaction is nevertheless a function that encompasses understanding that personal fulfillment along with our wants, needs, desires and individual goals are inner facets present in varying degrees in all of us. The corporate culture that understands the human equation in consort with the need of the company to generate profits and compete in an increasing globally influenced sphere is the organization that is well on its way to producing individuals whose contributions will exceed those of competitive companies who have not yet elevated their thinking to encompass the importance of their personnel as the key r esource driving the bottom line. Thus, the organization of work and its influence(s) with respect to the experiences of work is not solely about how many words per minute are being typed, or how many units being built, it is about the individuals performing those tasks and their personal levels of commitment to same. The higher their relative levels of contribution in the process from a work as well as suggestion point of view, the higher will be their commitment and contributions in terms of quality of work and performance. And this represents the experience that truly defines influencing the work experience through organizing it for the individual. Bibliography American Heritage Dictionary. 2005. Work. http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/work Hochschild, A.R. 1997. The emotional geography of work and family life. Pp. 13-32. Saint Martin’s Press, New York, New York Jacobs, J.A., Gerson, K. 2001). Overworked individuals or overworked families? Explaining trends in work, leisure, and family time. Pp 40-63. Work and Occupations, Issue 28 Maslow, Abraham. 1954. Motivational and Personality. Harper and Row, New Cork, N.Y. Noon, Mike, Blyton, Paul. 2002. The Realities of Work. Labour / Le Travail. ISBN: 0333984587 Polanyi, Kart. 1944. The Great Transformation. Beacon Press, Boston, MA. Watson, Tony. 2003. Sociology, Work and Industry. Routledge Publications. ISBN: 0415321662 Wilson, Fiona. 2004. Organizational Behaviour and Work: A Critical Introduction. Oxford University Press. ISBN: 0199261415

Cultural Impacts on Eating Disorders: Anorexia Nervosa (AN)

Cultural Impacts on Eating Disorders: Anorexia Nervosa (AN) Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder most commonly affecting adolescent women (Russell 1970, 132). The diagnostic criteria for anorexia is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of the American Psychiatric Association 4th ed (DSM-IV) as excessive dieting or exercise leading to extreme weight loss, a refusal to gain weight, disturbance in body shape perception and amenorrhea (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). It has been suggested that the psychopathologies behind AN arise from within a cultural framework, namely the Western culture (Bordo 1993, 141-145). The Western ideals of beauty and portrayal of a slim body type in relation to attractiveness and healthiness have perpetuated a culture of thinness and fat-phobia, from which AN manifests from extreme measures taken to achieve these conceptions (Bordo 1993, 146-149). Furthermore, in recent years AN has become a transcultural disorder, affecting non-Western cultures influenced by Western culture such as the Chi nese, Fijians and African Americans. Mass media has enabled widespread access to Western culture, resulting in a global culture phenomenon that has increased the incidence of eating disorders such as AN worldwide (Simpson, 2002, 66-67). In addition, cultural assimilation as well as cultural clash in those who must balance their traditional culture with the modern Western culture has been shown to contribute to a predisposition towards AN, as a result of self-conflicts and unstable self-identity (Shuriquie, 1999, 355). Finally, some have advocated for a more culturally sensitive definition of AN, which currently is thought to be Western-centric in its definition. Proponents advocate the consideration of individual sociocultural factors, notably unrelated to the culture of thinness, contributing to the development of AN within the context of local biologies (Simpson, 2002, 68-69). Thus AN must be analyzed from within a transcultural framework, one which encompasses the influences of t he Western culture on perceptions of the body as well as considers the specific cultural context, which sheds light on causes of AN. Anorexia is considered a Western culture-bound phenomenon as a result of the current sociopolitical demands placed upon women in regards to the ideals of beauty, body shapes, and feminism (Derenne and Beresin 2006, 257). The term culture-bound denotes a restriction of a phenomenon within a particular cultural group due to specific social, political, culture and psychological factors from within that culture (Prince 1985, 197-198). As most American women are preoccupied with their weight, AN could simply be an extreme manifestation of the nation-wide preoccupation with weight and body image (Lake 1999, 83-84). Historically, the concept of the ideal female body was fluid, changing with the political and economic climate, which affected cultural values and thus attitudes toward female bodies. During the colonial era, strong, fertile, able-bodied women were favoured, as they would be capable of assisting with chores as well as bearing many children to increase family size. Times changed in the 19th century with the introduction of a more comfortable lifestyle, when the waifish look became popular and women sported short hair, pants and a slender, androgynous look that symbolized feminism and liberation. Since then, there has been a cultural trend towards thinness, with famous models such as Twiggy becoming household idols, culminating in todays nation-wide obsession with weight-watching, calorie-counting and dieting (Derenne and Beresin 2006, 258-259). It is the mass media portrayal of the ideal thin female body as attractive, desirable and healthy that has further perpetuated the culture of thinness, targeting particularly vulnerable women young adolescents and teenage girls. Coincidentally, pre-teens, teenagers and adolescent females have the highest incidence of AN (Borzekowski 2005, 289). Recently, the incidence of AN has increased in pre-teen and teenage girls, as they are often the main target audience for a variety of media, which present unrealistic expect ations of their body shapes (Borzekowski 2005, 290-291). Fashion magazines often depict thin women as desirable and healthy, television ads promote the latest technological invention that helps a woman lose weight and the Internet offers countless websites with tips on eating healthy, keeping off the fat, appetite suppressants and 0 calorie dietary supplements. Particularly notable are the pro-anorexia websites that proclaim AN to be a lifestyle choice, offer advice on weight management, effective dieting strategies and community support encouraging AN (Derenne and Beresin 2006, 258-259) . This bombardment of social and cultural expectations to be thin in order to be attractive has predominated Western culture since the 19th century and has not only grown, but crossed cultural boundaries through communication via mass media to affect other cultural groups (Shuriquie 1999, 356-357). Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that the psychiatric problems behind AN may be described as a set o f particular symptoms that arise from within a cultural framework the Western culture of thinness. The origin of AN may have arisen from Western cultural values, but there have been an increasing number of reports of eating disorders such as AN in non-Western populations, challenging the notion that AN is a Western culture-bound syndrome. This trend is attributed to the exposure of non-Western cultures to Western culture via mass media. One study has shown that Hispanic and South African girls exhibit AN, influenced by their exposure to Western media, suggesting that AN transcends cultural and socioeconomic boundaries (Nasser 1994, 26-27). It was previously believed that the mentioned group of people were protected from modern Western influences, due to their traditions of embracing larger, full-bodied women. Yet, a study conducted by Becker (Becker 2002, 509) found that the women of a group of islanders hailing from the South Pacific Ocean, the Fijians, have been heavily influenced by the Western culture of thinness. There were no reports of eating disorders in the Fijian populat ion until 1995, when an international television station was broadcasted for the first time, depicting Western media. Three years later, reports of dissatisifation with body image, attempts to control weight such as dieting and self-induced vomiting were heard, suggesting that these Fijian women were significantly affected by the Western cultural ideals of the perfect body and perhaps could not distinguish between the idealism and concepts of perfection that television presented and reality. Despite a tradition of favourably viewing full-bodied women (Becker 1995, 27-29), a few years of exposure to Western cultural and perceptions of beauty have negatively impacted the Fijians. Anthropologists have studied the reasons behind the heavy influence of Western culture and have suggested that less developed, non-Western populations such as the Fijians regard the values portrayed by Western culture as symbols of socioeconomic progression, high social status and social acceptance (Shuriquie 1999, 358-360) and thus strive to emulate and assimilate Western culture values within their local cultures. Streigel-Moore points out that even African American groups within the United States have shown increasing incidence of AN, stemming from a desire to participate in the white world (Striegel-Moore 2003, 1326-1328). Similarly, a study conducted by Nasser on the prevalence of AN in teenage Egyptian girls in Cairo indicated that traditional Egyptian values of larger, fertile women have not conferred protective effects from the assimilation of Western conceptions of the ideal body type via mass media in young Egyptian women (Nasser 1994, 28-30). These findings highlight a phenomenon known as global culture, where the world is connected via media, allowing cultural values to be readily accessible by other cultures across the globe (Banks 1992, 867). In this instance, global culture has contributed to the rising incidences of eating disorders such as AN, which has ultimately becom e a transcultural disorder that is not limited by cultural boundaries. In addition to the global cultural phenomenon, some have argued that those immigrating to the West from non-Western cultures experience cultural clash, leading to greater risk of psychiatric disorders such as AN (Lee 1996, 21-23). Studies have indicated that those who are assimilated into Western culture are less impacted by media-driven concepts such as dieting and maintaining a slender frame than those who choose to maintain their own cultural values while living in a Western culture. Culture clash occurs when an individual adopts two cultural systems, which are often in conflict. Mumford and Whitehouse have shown that Asian girls in the United Kingdom that have not acculturated struggle to balance their beliefs and attitudes at home, where their traditional culture dominantes, and at school, where there is pressure to conform to the norms of the Western culture (Mumford and Whitehouse 1991, 222-225). Unfortunately, the unrealistic expectations of body shape is often taken as the n orm in individuals affected by this cultural clash, leading to increased vulnerability to the negative influences of Western culture on body image and subsequently increased susceptibility to AN. These findings interestingly point to the influence of a non-Western culture within the context of Western culture not as protective, but exacerbative of eating disorders. Although the phenomena of global culture and culture clash demonstrate the extensiveness and impact of Western cultural values on the rest of the world, it has been argued that attributing the cause and symptoms of AN solely to the sociocultural influence of the West may be inaccurate. The culture of thinness may be pervasive, but it is not the sole explanation for AN. Simpson claims that the prevailing biomedical definition of anorexia as a psychiatric disorder characterized by fat phobia and a distorted perspective on body image is itself a cultural construction within the confines of the Western culture (Simpson 2002, 66-70). This suggests a need to adopt a culturally-sensitive definition of AN, one which stems from within the context of local biologies rather a universal framework. Fat-phobia is currently the defining characteristic in AN, but there have been accounts of those with an eating disorder very similar to AN, except for the obvious lack of fat-phobia. Simpson presents reports of Chinese women suffering from AN who do not report fat-phobia. Rather, they attribute chronic epigastric bloating and a loss of appetite to their disinclination to eat (Simpson 2002, 68). In another case, a woman refuses to eat after being separated from her boyfriend, citing abdominal discomforts and a disinterest in food (Simpson 2002, 68). These psychosomatic symptoms are a result of somatization (Kleinman 1989, 57), where the illness symptoms of AN manifests from social problems, rather than any dissatisfaction of body shape. Psychosomatic symptoms are commonly reported in the Chinese population and contribute to the etiology of AN, although they are not included in the DSM-IV criteria. Furthermore, some women from conservative religious fundamentalist backgrounds have been cited to abstain from food, as a result of their beliefs about food, the body, femininity and spirituality (Simpson 2002, 68). Similarly, Mogul discusses a case where an anorexic patient refused foo d and fasted to the point of emaciation due to a religious belief that attainment of the highest spirituality and freedom from materialism came with a rejection of the temptations of food (Mogul 1980, 51). Thus, explaining AN within a Western cultural framework establishes a limited perspective of the disorder that does not take into account the personal, sociocultural factors within local biologies that contribute to various forms of AN. Ultimately, AN is not a universal disorder, but a transcultural disorder. AN should not be viewed within the confines of any one culture, but rather understood to be a cross-cultural phenomenon. Essentially, AN is a psychiatric disorder with multi-factorial causes, requiring the incorporation of the Western cultural preoccupation with fat-phobia and unrealistic body shape expectations and the cross-cultural psychological and sociocultural reasons within local biologies to arrive at a holistic and culture-sensitive definition. References Russell, Gerald F. M. 1970. Anorexia nervosa: Its identity as an illness and its treatment. In Modern Trends in Psychological Medicine. Butterworths: London. American Psychiatric Association. 1994. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Washington, DC: AMA. Bordo, S. 1993. Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body. University of California Press. Simpson, K. J. 2002. Anorexia nervosa and culture. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 9, 65-71. Shuriquie, N. 1999. Eating disorders: a transcultural perspective. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. 5(2):354-360. Derenne, J. L. and Beresin, E. V. 2006. Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders. Academic Psychiatry. 30:257-261. Prince, R. 1985. The concept of culture-bound syndromes: anorexia and brainfag. Social Science and Medicine. 21:197-203. Lake, A. J., Staiger, P. K. Glowinksi, H. 1999. Effect of Western Culture on Womens Attitudes to Eating and Perceptions of Body Shape. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 27:83-89. Borzekowski, D. L., Bayer, A. M. 2005. Body image and media use among adolescents. Adolescent Medicine. 16:289-313. Nasser, M. 1994. Screening for abnormal eating attitudes in a population of Egyptian secondary-school girls.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 29:25-30. Becker, A. E., Burwell, R. A., Gilman, S. E. et al. 2002. Eating behaviours and attitudes following prolonged exposure to television among ethnic Fijian adolescent girls. British Journal of Psychiatry. 180:509-514. Becker, A. 1995. Body Imagery, ideals and Cultivation: Discourses on Alienation and Integration. In Body Self and Society: The View from Fiji. Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press. Striegel-Moore, R. H. 2003. Eating Disorders in White and Black Women. American Journal of Psychiatry. 160:1326-1331. Banks, C. G. 1992. Culture in Culture-Bound Syndromes: The Case of Anorexia Nervosa. Social Science and Medicine. 34(8):867-884. Lee, S. 1996. Reconsidering the status of anorexia nervosa as a Western culture-bound syndrome. Social Science and Medicine. 42:21-34. Mumford, D. B., Whitehouse, A. M. 1991. Sociocultural correlates of eating disorders among Asian school girls in Bradford.British Journal of Psychiatry. 158:222-228. Kleinman, A. 1989. The Illness Narratives: Suffering, Healing, And The Human Condition. Basic Books. Mogul, S. L. 1980. Asceticism in adolescence and anorexia nervosa. Psychoanalytical Studies on Children. 35:155-175.

Electronic Performance Monitoring Essay -- Business Management

Companies (organizations) are adopting the use of various forms of modern technologies to improve their performance. Most of these technologies are implemented to check on performance and management of these organizations. The technologies are computer based and are mostly used to check employees’ performance (Ludwig & Goomas, 2010, p. 393). The technologies also help these organizations to evaluate employees based on their performance. One of such technologies is the electronic performance monitoring, which is the latest advancement (Lliopis, Gonzalez, & Gasco, 2005, p. 215). The electronic performance monitoring (EPM) advancement refers to application of technology to check what employees do while at work. In other words, this technology monitors workers’ productivity output, which includes how effectively the employees utilize their work time (Lliopis, Gonzalez, & Gasco, 2005, p. 218). The organizations, which have installed EPM in their premises, have an easy task of monitoring the interruptive activities their employees get involved in. Such activities include making and receiving phone calls and receiving and sending personal mails among others (Ludwig & Goomas, 2010, p. 394). EPM has advantages as well as disadvantages. However, the advantages are more pronounced than the disadvantages. For instance, the electronic device helps to save time in an organization. The device has the ability to gather metric data annually and is able to use the human resource formulas, as well as evaluate and grade employees based on their performance. EPM also ensures that appraisals are only viewed by the individuals who they are intended for (Lliopis, Gonzalez, & Gasco, 2005, p. 222). This has a positive effect on the company since it enh... ...al decision to implement electronic surveillance at work: A research framework. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 13(3), 244-268. Lliopis, J., Gonzalez, R. M., & Gasco, J. L. (2005). Transforming the firm for the digital era: An organizational effort towards an E-culture. Human System Management, 23(4), 213-225. Ludwig, T. D., & Goomas, D. T. (2010). Real-time performance monitoring, goal-setting, and feedback for forklift drivers in a distribution center. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 82(2), 391-403. McNall, L. A., & Roch, S. G. (2009). A social exchange of employee reactions to electronic performance monitoring. Human Performance, 22(3), 204-224. Smith, W. P., & Tabak, F. (2009). Monitoring employees e-mails: Is there any room for privacy? The Academy of management Perspectives Archives, 23(4), 33-48.

Global Warming :: Greenhouse Gases Climate Change

For decades and decades, human factories and cars have discharged billions of tons of artificial greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and the climate has begun to show many signs of global warming. On the other hand, some people want you to believe that global warming does not exist. There are many people who are only out for personal gain and are outright liars. According to a scientist at NASA "Global warming is the single largest threat to our planet"(Weier 2002). Over the past two hundred years we have seen significant changes in the effects on our environment, primarily due to humans and both their lack of awareness, or their total disregard for the effects that their actions have on the environment. Global warming is one of our toughest environmental challenges. It threatens the health of people, wildlife and economies around the world. The problem is carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping pollution. This pollution mainly comes from cars, power plants and other industrial sources that burn gasoline, coal and other fossil fuels. This matter collects like a blanket in our atmosphere. As a result, the planet gets warmer. We can say that the amount of radiation from the sun that reaches the earth each year has been fairly consistent from year to year and century to century until recently. Thirty percent of the total solar energy that strikes the earth is reflected back into space by clouds, atmospheric aerosols, reflective ground surfaces, and even ocean surf. Seventy percent of the solar energy is absorbed by the land, air and oceans.  ¡Ã‚ °The absorbed light is mostly in the form ultraviolet and near infrared solar radiation ¡Ã‚ ±(Weier 2002). Absorption of this solar energy makes life on this planet possible. The energy does not stay bound up forever. If it did our planet would wind up being hotter than the sun. Instead, when the rocks, air, and sea heat up, they give off thermal radiation, which escapes into space and allows it to cool down. This radiation is invisible to our eyes, but our hands can feel it radiating from a fire or a car engine. What we should be worried about now is that over the past 250 years, we have been artificially raising the concentration of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Factories, power plants, and cars, burn coal and gasoline and spit out a seemingly endless stream of carbon dioxide. Power plants are the largest contributors to global warming.

Rating Othello Essay example -- Othello essays

Rating Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Is this Shakespearean tragedy Othello at the top of the rating chart, or is it just near the top? And why? This essay intends to examine various aspects of this subject, along with critical opinion.    This play ranks near the top. The Bard’s presentation of emotions, character, of good and evil actions that are down-to-earth – these are sometimes seen as the main reasons for the high ranking of Othello. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar in â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello† maintain that the popularity of this play has been consistent for about 400 years because    it treats emotions that are universal and persistent in human nature. Its characters do not exist on a plane far removed from ordinary life; we are not asked to witness the conflict of kings and conspirators beyond the experience of everyday people; we are not involved in the consequences of disasters on a cosmic scale; what we witness is a struggle between good and evil, the demonstration of love, tenderness, jealousy, and hate in terms that are humanly plausible. (126)    The realistic aspect of the play presents a full range of characters, a full range of emotions, a full range of motivations, a full range of actions – just as are present in real society. The down-to-earth, realistic consideration is very important to Othello’s enduring popularity.    Francis Ferguson in â€Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Other† ranks the play Othello quite high among the Bard’s tragedies:    Othello, written in 1604, is one of the masterpieces of Shakespeare’s â€Å"tragic period.† In splendor of language, and in the sheer power of the story, it belongs with the greatest. But some of its admirers find it too savage [. . .]. (1... ...d Nothing.† Essays on Shakespeare. Ed. Gerald Chapman. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1965.    Heilman, Robert B. â€Å"The Role We Give Shakespeare.† Essays on Shakespeare. Ed. Gerald Chapman. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1965.    Levin, Harry. General Introduction. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Rpt. from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957.      

Mass Media and Violence

Mass Media and Violence Is it hard to believe that just forty years ago only a few privileged American families had televisions in their home? In recent years, it is estimated that a whopping ninety-eight percent of Americans have one or more television sets in their home. Motion pictures, televisions, video games, and the internet are just some forms of mass media that have emerged since the last century. With the rise of mass media, the increase of violent behavior has increased as well. Mass media influences many factors of people’s lives such as moral beliefs, behavior, and values.Violence in mass media is greatly dominating our society and continues to do so. It causes aggression and is a growing epidemic among the youth. Scott Barbour praises the American Academy of Pediatrics: â€Å"The vast majority of studies conclude that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between media violence and real-life violence. This link is undeniable and uncontestable. † It is n o lie when they say the average American child witnesses 200,000 acts of violence on TV by the age of eighteen. Watching violent TV shows or movies promotes aggression.People want to follow what everyone else is doing so they will follow and may even commit what these actors are doing on the television. According to L. R. Huesmann, research shows that fictional TV and film violence contribute to both short and long-term increase in aggression and violence in young viewers. Children are in particular are affected by violence, aggression, or sexual abuse in our media because of their helpless psychology. Some forms of aggression include truancy, lack of social skills, and failing out of school. It is no doubt that the media that promotes violence and aggression is the same one to have an effect on society.This is a monkey see, monkey do world and people may not even know that they being effected, but they are. Especially with the next generation coming up, they sort of are growing up with the violence. It becomes more and more traumatic as they see it more. According to Mughal, children and teen’s values and beliefs will become more aggressive. He goes on to say that media portrays war as entertainment [in video games]. War is not entertainment and nobody wins in real war while real people are getting killed. This illustrates another problem: can ociety depict from reality and fantasy? Most of the recent shootings in the United States were committed by the youth. Is it just a coincidence or is it because of the hostility displayed on their television sets? Many people think that violence in media is entirely based on real life. They proclaim that since we live in the real world, the media cannot possibly be more violent than what we already know. Actually, it is impossible for people to know all horrific events that have taken place. Also, some would say that it is up to the individual to decide what to be exposed to. That is not true, since you are expos ed to cruel media whether you know it or not. Even on the news, â€Å"Crimes such as murders, robberies, and abuse are shown as deviant behavior† rather than actual violence. In conclusion, violence in media does affect society. It is a growing wave and teaches aggression. Some solutions could be placing regulations on TV and motion picture producers. If gun makers have regulations on guns they make, why not placing rules on producers? Also, parents should be aware of what their children watch.There is no way to be completely censored of the media but it can be kept at a minimum. Times have changed since the last show of Leave it to Beaver. If there was less violence in the media, there will be less violence in the real world as well. Works Citied Cline, Victor. â€Å"How the Mass Media Effects Our Values and Behavior. † . N. p. , n. d. 20 Dec 2012. Dean, Gregory. â€Å"A Mediated Culture. † Marketogrpahy N. p. 23 Nov 2010. Web. 19 Dec 2012. Barbour, Scott. â₠¬Å"What Causes Teen Violence? † Teen Violence, pg 49-51. San Deigo, CA. 1999. Print. Huesmann, L.R. and Taylor, Laramie. â€Å"The Role of Media Violence in Violent Behavior. † 2006. PDF. 21 Dec 2012. Mughal, M. A. â€Å"Mass Media and its Influence on Society. † Opinion Maker. N. p. , 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 22 Dec. 2012. Norton, Eric. â€Å"The Dangers of Violence in Modern Mass Media. † Center for Community Health Partnerships. N. p. , 22 June 2009. Web. 21 December 2012. ——————————————– [ 2 ]. Cline, Victor. â€Å"How the Mass Media Effects Our Values and Behavior. † . N. p. , n. d. 20 Dec 2012. [ 3 ]. Dean, Gregory. â€Å"A Mediated Culture. † Marketogrpahy N. p. 3 Nov 2010. Web. 19 Dec 2012. [ 4 ]. Barbour, Scott. â€Å"What Causes Teen Violence? † Teen Violence, pg 51. San Deigo, CA. 1999. Print. 4 Barbour, 49 [ 6 ]. Huesmann, L. R. and Taylor, Laramie. â€Å"The Role of Media Violence in Violent Behavior. † 2006. PDF. 21 Dec 2012. [ 7 ]. Norton, Eric. â€Å"The Dangers of Violence in Modern Mass Media. † Center for Community Health Partnerships. N. p. , 22 June 2009. Web. 21 December 2012. [ 8 ]. Mughal, M. A. â€Å"Mass Media and its Influence on Society. † Opinion Maker. N. p. , 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 22 Dec. 2012. [ 9 ]. Norton, Eric. [ 10 ]. Dean, Gregory.

A Stereotypical Teenager Essay

Loud, obnoxious, rebellious, out of control, and up to no good†¦ these are just a few of a wide number of stereotypes that are attributed to American teenagers. What is it about teenagers that make the rest of society seem to turn against them? I believe that there are many misconceptions about teenagers. Many people in different generations sincerely believe that all teenagers are up to no good, and are guaranteed trouble no matter where they are. I am not arguing that teenagers like that don’t exist, because there are plenty of them out there, but it bothers me that one type of teenager has been able to spoil the image of all other teenagers. Personally I think that these stereotypes apply more to me because I am a male. In addition to being a male teenager, I also have noticed that people think negatively of me because I wear a longer hair style than what is typically expected in society. Some people grow long hair to show rebellion, or to be unique, but I wouldn’t classify myself into either of those categories, I simply enjoy having it more than short hair. But because of that, many members of society link certain stereotypes of male teenagers to me because I show long hair. I could be considered many different things including: rebellious, troubled, angry, arrogant, or any other sort of stereotype out there. How could anyone possibly claim to know all of these false accusations simply based on my age, and my gender? At times it can be bothersome when people take certain precautions around teenagers, because they believe that we are all reckless, and dangerous. Parents will cross to the opposite side of the street with their kids, people clear sidewalks when walking, other drivers tense up on the road, and all while this is happening, other people will keep one eye carefully watching, just to make sure that all of the rotten teenagers don’t do anything dangerous. I sometimes think that people see me and other teenagers as giant, shiny explosives that are about to detonate, so everyone else needs to distance themselves as much and as quickly as possible. Just because a teenager happens to be walking around outside, that should in no way trigger a response where people feel that it isn’t safe to be near  teenagers. Although it does bother me, I can also see a point of view where I would do the same thing. If I saw someone outside that looked a little bit off-beat to me, I would most likely go a different path as well. However, that raises the question, why does society take in all of these stereotypes and live all of their lives believing false statements? All of it is ridiculous I believe. Anyone that knows me will be able to explain that I am the exact opposite of a stereotypical teenager, so no one should need to take precautions if they see me out somewhere. A stereotypical teenager would most likely be thought of being connected to alcohol, tobacco, and drugs in some way, shape, or form; I on the other hand do not do any of those things, and am strongly against them. Because I do not consider myself anywhere close to a stereotypical teenager, it does bother me when people mistake me for doing those types of activities. All of these common stereotypes don’t do any good for the people who actually work hard, and try to do something with their lives. For many people, stereotyping does more than just become a bothersome hassle. For a handful of teenagers, the effect of stereotyping makes them feel pressured into behaving like a stereotypical teenager. For example, some people do drugs and alcohol because they are expected to by society’s stereotypes, so someone may think, â€Å"Oh, I am a teenager now, I guess because other people are drinking then I have to as well.† I don’t even see peer pressure as that much of an issue here, people tend to start drinking or doing drugs voluntarily; more often than not, there isn’t peer pressure that is forcing them into doing something. And that creates an entire roundabout of madness. To simplify this; many people start acting like stereotypical teenagers, because they feel that they need to in order to be a â€Å"normal† teenager. But that in turn makes society cast out teenagers, when it is actually those same members of society who created these stereotypes for teenagers to follow. In reality, there are several statistics that illustrate a decline in teenage drug abuse, alcoholism, and teenage pregnancy, yet stereotypes still exist (Poole). Are all teenagers loud, obnoxious, rebellious, out of control, and up to no good? Obviously not, there is no way that every single teenager in the world  could fit that description. And yet, society still labels every teenager in the world by a description very similar to that. The few teenagers that live a life similar to that have managed to destroy the image of every teenager that happens to be a good kid. It seems that hardworking, determined, and honest teenagers don’t have a place in the world anymore. They are out there, and ready to be noticed, but the rest of society has chosen to view them in the same manner as the bad crowds that exist in the teenage population. Quite strange, that the model teenager that is acceptable in society is not taken seriously. Why does society view superior teenagers that way? It is not only teenagers; it is everybody in the world. No person will ever be right in prejudicing someone, no matter who they are.

World War Ii and Candidates

12 eP e ap . c rs om FOREWORD This booklet contains reports written by Examiners on the work of candidates in certain papers. Its contents are primarily for the information of the subject teachers concerned. 9697 History June 2005 HISTORY GCE Advanced Level and GCE Advanced Subsidiary Level Paper 9697/01 Paper 1 – Modern European History, 1789 – 1939 General comments The general standard of the scripts was satisfactory and all of the Examiners read some excellent work that was relevant, clearly argued and well supported by appropriate knowledge. Most candidates answered four questions as required and used their time effectively. The standard of the answers to Question 1, the Source-based question, was better and Examiners welcomed the improvement.Fewer candidates only summarised the sources and more gained credit by comparing and contrasting them and by assessing their relative value. They considered how reliable and useful the passages were. This could be done in sever al ways, including testing the reliability of what a source said against one’s own knowledge, testing the reliability of what a source said against what other sources indicated, examining the language and argument in a source to indicate its bias, and analysing a source’s language and argument in relation to the author’s purpose or audience. Sometimes candidates dismissed sources because they were biased.However, all sources might be biased in one way or another and the task of historians is to see through the bias and extract useful judgements or knowledge. When answering the essay questions (Questions 2 – 8), weaker candidates were usually unable to provide enough knowledge to support their explanations so that their answers tended to be assertions. On the other hand, good answers were able to balance arguments or explanations with accurate knowledge. This knowledge does not have to be detailed but candidates must provide support for their claims. This was particularly apparent in Questions 3 and 5.In Question 3, there were some acceptable arguments about the general social effects of the Industrial Revolution but the answers could not be given high credit when the claims were not supported by examples. This was the reason why candidates were required to refer to developments in two of Britain, France and Germany. In Question 5, many candidates were able to record accurately a variety of reasons for European imperial expansion but the better answers emerged when they illustrated policies by the use of examples. Less satisfactory answers tended to be vague about specific developments.A discriminating factor between good and less creditable answers was that the former paid attention to key words or phrases in the questions whereas the more moderate responses sometimes comprised general accounts of topics. The essay questions are given below with the key words or phrases in bold. Teachers might decide that it would be a useful exerci se to provide their candidates with exemplar essay questions and discuss which are the key words or phrases that need particular attention in answers. Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5 How far was Napoleon Bonaparte an oppressive ruler in his domestic policies from 1799 to 1815?Discuss the claim that the middle classes gained most from the Industrial Revolution in Europe. Explain the growing support for nationalism in Germany and Italy from 1848 to 1871. Why were European governments more willing to support imperialist policies in the later years of the nineteenth century? (You should refer to developments in at least two of Britain, France and Germany in your answer. ) How far had Lenin achieved his aims by the time of his death in 1924? How accurate is the claim that the effects of World War I were the most important reason for the rise of totalitarian governments in Europe during the period to 1939? You should refer to at least two of Germany, Italy and Russia in your a nswer. ) Examine the claim that Marxism developed to 1914 as the result of industrialisation. Question 6 Question 7 Question 8 2 9697 History June 2005 Comments on specific questions Section A: The Origins of World War I, 1870 – 1914 Question 1 ‘Russia’s policies caused the outbreak of war in 1914’. Use Sources A-D to show how far the evidence confirms this statement. This Source-based question on The Origins of World War I asked candidates to use four Sources to consider whether Russia’s policies caused the outbreak of war in 1914.Candidates were given credit when they sorted the Sources into groups. Sources C and D confirmed the claim whilst Source B contradicted it. Source A was interpreted by most candidates as contradicting the claim but some candidates noted the strong hint in the last sentence that Russia would stand by Serbia, often interpreting this as a ‘blank cheque’ from Russia that equated with Germany’s ‘blank cheque’ to Austria-Hungary. Many candidates attempted to evaluate the extracts but some answers applied simplistic tests of reliability.For example, they stated that Source A was reliable because it was a personal telegram from the Tsar to the Kaiser, whilst Sources B, C and D were reliable because they were, in different forms, official documents. The most successful candidates used the internal evidence of what the sources contained to assess their reliability and value. For example, was Source A correct to claim that ‘Germany had used all her influence on Austria-Hungary in order to bring about an understanding with Russia’? Some candidates were given credit when they referred to Germany’s ‘blank cheque’ to deny this claim.There were creditable contrasts between the effects of German long-term planning and Russian mobilisation. The least successful answers sometimes spent too much time in summarising, or paraphrasing, the extracts. They la cked a conclusion whereas the best answers included a conclusion that provided an overall judgement. Section B Question 2 How far was Napoleon Bonaparte an oppressive ruler in his domestic policies from 1799 to 1815? The question asked candidates to examine how far Napoleon Bonaparte was an oppressive ruler in his domestic policies from 1799 to 1815.The overall standard of the answers was sound. The most successful candidates examined a range of issues but focused on domestic issues because these were specified in the question. Answers could not be given credit for discussions of foreign policy. Some answers devoted too much time to the rise of Napoleon to 1799. This could be used as a brief introduction but not as a major point in the argument. Credit was given when candidates considered some of the major policies and reforms introduced by Napoleon, such as the Code Napoleon and the Concordat. They also referred to the police system and censorship.Good answers examined the politica l structure of Napoleon’s rule; it was highly centralised and authoritarian. Some moderate and weak answers omitted this very important aspect of the question. Question 3 Discuss the claim that the middle classes gained most from the Industrial Revolution in Europe. The question was based on the claim that the middle classes gained most from the Industrial Revolution in Europe. The standard of the answers was variable. The most frequent reason why answers did not gain a high mark was that they devoted too much time to eneral descriptions of the processes of the Industrial Revolution and did not examine sufficiently the effects on social classes. There were some sound answers that explained the profits that were gained by the middle classes from investment in industries. Increasing wealth allowed them to play a more important political role. The same reason gave them advantages in society. The question allowed candidates to compare the middle classes with other social groups. Some weak answers only described the hardships of the lower orders and referred to the middle classes by implication but the better responses included a fuller comparison. 9697 History June 2005 Question 4 Explain the growing support for nationalism in Germany and Italy from 1848 to 1871. The key issue was the growing support for nationalism in Germany and Italy and the specified period was 1848 to 1871. Examiners read some very effective answers that were analytical and considered a variety of relevant points. Some referred to the legacies of the French Revolution and the Vienna Settlement. This was relevant as long as it was not given too much space. The most successful answers were balanced between Germany and Italy whereas some did not merit the highest credit because they were imbalanced.Some moderate answers wrote narrative accounts of political leaders such as Bismarck and Cavour. This approach was relevant but it sometimes omitted to link these leaders to nationalism. On the other hand, Examiners read some perceptive answers that argued that, whilst Bismarck and Cavour promoted unification, they were not essentially German or Italian nationalists. There were interesting assessments of the effects of the 1848-1849 revolutions and of the Zollverein in Germany. Question 5 Why were European governments more willing to support imperialist policies in the later years of the nineteenth century? You should refer to developments in at least two of Britain, France and Germany in your answer. ) A recurring quality of the best answers was their combination of argument and examples. Many candidates could explain a number of relevant factors that encouraged governments to support imperialist policies but their essays sometimes lacked examples so that the answers were too general for a high mark. The most successful answers combined explanations of factors such as political and economic interests with references to regions where these were implemented. Question 6 How far had Lenin achieved his aims by the time of his death in 1924?Examiners were pleased with the quality of most of the answers. Credit was given when candidates explained Lenin’s aims explicitly; these were assumed by some of the more moderate responses. The most successful answers considered both his successes and his failures and came to a considered balance of judgement. Answers in the middle and lower bands sometimes focused exclusively on successes. A few candidates devoted too much time to the rise of Lenin and Bolshevism to 1917; this was relevant but needed to be linked to the key issue of Lenin’s achievements by 1924.Among the successes that were explained was that Lenin took the Bolsheviks to power in 1917. He then led the new government to victory against the Whites in the civil war. The war with Germany was ended. He established a one-party state, defeating opponents, and he was unchallenged personally. On the other hand, possible failures might have incl uded the fact that Lenin’s economic measures, especially War Communism, almost led to collapse and had to be revised in the New Economic Policy. Survival was achieved at the cost of abandoning Marxist-communist principles.Terror became widely used. Question 7 How accurate is the claim that the effects of World War I were the most important reason for the rise of totalitarian governments in Europe during the period to 1939? (You should refer to at least two of Germany, Italy and Russia in your answer. ) The question asked candidates to consider whether the effects of World War I were the most important reason for the rise of totalitarian governments in Europe. They were required to refer to at least two countries out of Germany, Italy and Russia in their answers.The general quality of the essays was satisfactory and Examiners read some excellent answers. These assessed the impact of the war and compared it with other factors; their arguments were supported by appropriate knowl edge. Good candidates explained that the war had serious political and economic effects. For example, it destabilised an authoritarian regime in Russia and the post-war democratic governments in Germany and Italy because neither state was content with the outcome of the conflict (including Germany and the imposition of the Versailles settlement and Italy’s disillusionment with erritorial issues). Economic consequences were examined. In Germany and Italy, the war led to the growing appeal of ultra-nationalist groups whilst it confirmed communist leaders, Lenin and then Stalin, in power in Russia because the 1917 Revolution was a direct outcome of World War I, although it was not its only cause. With this basis, sound answers explored other factors in the rise of totalitarian governments, such as the personal appeal of leaders and their use both of propaganda and terror to enforce obedience. Democratic governments were weak. 4 9697 History June 2005Question 8 Examine the claim that Marxism developed to 1914 as the result of industrialisation. The key issue was the connection between Marxism and industrialisation. Candidates gained credit when they explained that Marx believed that there was such a link; he held that capitalist industrial states suppressed the wage earners or proletariat. The middle class or bourgeoisie were said to use industrialisation to exploit the lower classes. Sound answers explained that Marxism appealed most to those in industrial societies, especially in France and Germany.However, it did have less appeal in highly industrialised Britain. Some noted that Russia, the centre of the first Marxist revolution, was not an industrially-based country. Some weak answers were vague about Marxism and provided only general accounts of industrialisation. These did not deserve a high mark because they did not address the key issue in the question. Paper 9697/03 Paper 3 – International History, 1945 – 1991 General Comments The num ber of candidates taking this paper was slightly up on last year. The overall standard of the candidates was satisfactory.Most scripts demonstrated a reasonable level of knowledge and understanding. The paper produced answers which covered the entire range of marks with a pleasing number of candidates producing some high quality answers. An example of a high quality answer has been included below under Question 1. The most successful candidates used their knowledge and understanding of the topic to answer specifically the question on the examination paper. Knowledge was used to support and sustain an analytical argument which came to a specific conclusion.Many candidates underachieved because they tended to use their knowledge to write narrative and descriptive answers which contained only a limited amount of analysis. Each question on the examination paper focused on one of the topic areas contained within the syllabus. In Question 1, candidates were asked to assess the hypothesis that the UN Secretary-General was the most important factor in ending the Suez Conflict of 1956. The command instruction of ‘how far’ required candidates to offer an analytical answer ‘for’ and ‘against’ the proposition in the question, using source information and contextual knowledge to support their answers.The essay questions (Questions 2-8) were all framed in a similar way to enable candidates to engage in analysis. Command instructions such as ‘how important’, ‘assess’ and ‘discuss’ require candidates to produce a balanced analysis in direct response to the question. Given the limited time available in the examination, lengthy contextual sections which ‘set the scene’, unfortunately limit the time available for direct coverage of the issue in the question. Although it is useful to plan an answer, candidates should be aware that this exercise should take only a few minutes for each answer .Very few candidates failed to attempt four questions. However, although a number of candidates failed to finish their final answer, this was presumably due to pressure of time. Comments on specific questions Section A: The Development of the United Nations, 1945 – 1991 Question 1 How far do Sources A-E support the view that the work of Hammarskjold was the most important reason why the Suez conflict was brought to an end in November 1956? The question required candidates to study five sources on the UN and the Suez Crisis of 1956.They had to consider the view that the UN Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjold was the most important reason why the Suez Crisis was brought to an end in November 1956. In doing so, candidates should have considered information within each source, cross referenced information between sources and have analysed the attribution of the sources to decide whether or not the hypothesis in the question was correct. 5 9697 History June 2005 The vast majority of candidates were able to use source information to construct an answer which both supported and challenged the hypothesis in the question.However, although most candidates used information within the sources, fewer were able to cross reference information between sources or evaluate the sources as examples of historical evidence on the issue. In providing source devaluation, many candidates did not go beyond referring to specific sources as ‘biased’ or ‘fairly reliable’, without explaining precisely why this assessment was made. For candidates to receive adequate reward for source evaluation, an explanation of why sources might be ‘biased’ or ‘unreliable’ is required.Some candidates wrote extensive answers to this question which created time problems in answering the essay questions later in the examination. The following is an answer to this question; although it did not receive full marks, it does illustrate a very high standar d of answer. The claim that Hammarskjold was the most important reason why the Suez Conflict came to an end is debateable. Source A supports the hypothesis by almost making it seem that UNEF would not have been possible without him. ‘Hammarskjold found himself acting as much in the diplomatic as in the administrative field. This was because he had to persuade Egypt to be the host country for the UNEF. This source gives one the sense that the Secretary-General was an effective leader in a time of pressure and was willing to take up the challenging role. For instance ‘The Assembly asked the Secretary-General†¦ to produce a plan for a UN force within 48 hours’. Hammarskjold took up the challenge and organised the force. This gives the impression that the UN General Assembly would have been helpless without Hammarskjold’s involvement. This source has been written by a British journalist six years after the end of the conflict.Although not a key player in t he conflict the journalist provides credible evidence as to the role of the Secretary-General. Source B also supports the hypothesis. It looks more at the diplomatic side of the conflict by stating that ‘Hammarskjold†¦succeeded in establishing a basis for co-operation between the UN and Egypt upon which the UNEF operated smoothly’. The source only focuses on this fact of how Hammarskjold was able to persuade Nasser. This point is also mentioned in Source A. One has also to note the author of the source. Brian Urquhart was a key player concerning the UN presence in the conflict.As it is explained in source C Urquhart was part of Hammarskjold’s ‘admirable staff’. Therefore, this source provides more effective information because Urquhart was involved in the UN at the time and therefore knew precisely what was happening. The source, in that sense, can be said to be reliable. However, as a member of Hammarskjold’s team it may be likely to sup port the role of the Secretary-General. This source comes from a biography of Hammarskjold and does not offer any critical comments on the Secretary-General’s role in the Suez Conflict. Therefore, source B may not be wholly reliable as evidence.Source C partially challenges the hypothesis, unlike the first two sources. It points out that ‘the idea (for the UNEF) came from Lester Pearson’. Therefore, Hammarskjold cannot be said to be the most important reason for the ending of the Suez Conflict. The author of this source concentrates more on the role of the General Assembly. It states, ‘the Suez crisis was†¦ the finest hour of the General Assembly’. The author gives credit to Hammarskjold ‘and his admirable staff’. One can see that Hammarskjold is not praised as he is in Source A and furthermore, this view can be seen in Source D which also partially challenges the hypothesis.The General Assembly gets more attention when the Security Council would not do anything following the veto by Britain and France. Hammarskjold is shown in a different light compared to sources A and B. Hammarskjold is said to have ‘had serious doubts at first about’ Pearson’s idea. In sources A and B Hammarskjold seems to have jumped at the challenge without having second thoughts. On the other hand, one should take note that the source was written in 1995 and would have had a better overview of what happened. This would explain the playing down of Hammarskjold’s role.Source C is written by a diplomat and source D is written by a journalist neither of which were key players in the conflict. The sources are both from books which attempt to place the Suez Conflict in wider international context. The sources cannot be said to be wholly reliable but they do offer an objective view. Source E partially supports the hypothesis. Yet, like sources C and D states that there were different key people. The source states â⠂¬Ëœthe key person, in addition to Hammarskjold himself, was Lester Pearson’. Lester Person is actually labelled as a key erson rather than just being mentioned as the person who came up with the idea of the UNEF. But this source does not play down Hammarskjold’s role and also mentions that he ‘quickly provided a preliminary plan’ about the crisis. This is similar to source A. 6 9697 History June 2005 In conclusion, source A and B fully support the hypothesis while source partially supports it. Sources C and D partially challenge the hypothesis. Sources C, D and E all have the advantage of having a better overview of the Suez Crisis, being written some time after the event.However, these sources are not written by key players and they cannot be considered wholly reliable. Source A is not written by a key player but was written soon after the event. Source B, on the other hand, is written by a key player but cannot be said to be wholly reliable because one would not expect a person to openly criticise his own organisation. The hypothesis claims that the Suez conflict was brought to an end because of Hammarskjold’s work. Yet, most of the sources have pointed out that other key players, the General Assembly, Pearson and Nasser, also helped to end the conflict.I would suggest that the hypothesis should be modified to ‘How far do sources A-E support the view that the work of Hammarskjold, in carrying out the idea of Lester Pearson, was an important reason why the Suez conflict was brought to an end in November 1956? ’ Section B Question 2 Which of the following has the best claim to mark the start of the Cold War: Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech, 1946; the Truman Doctrine, 1947; the Berlin Blockade, 1948-1949? Explain your answer. This was by far the most popular of the optional essay questions.However, some candidates did not differentiate effectively between the ‘cause(s)’ and ‘start’ of the Cold War. In many of these answers a significant amount of time was used to provide detailed contextual material going back to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. The vast majority of candidates displayed a detailed knowledge of the1945 to 1949 period of the Cold War in Europe. The best answers were able to use this information to answer the question directly. Those candidates who achieved high marks were able to explain directly which of the three developments had the best claim to starting the Cold War.Knowledge was then deployed to support and sustain the case made. A number of candidates took the view that none of the three incidents constituted the start of the Cold War. The best of these answers were able to explain which of the three developments did not constitute the start of the Cold War as well as pointing out why another incident deserved the title. The Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe, 1945-48 and the Marshall Plan were offered as alternatives to the three develo pments offered in the question. Question 3 Who or what was responsible for the globalisation of the Cold War?This was also a very popular question. Many of the better answers were able to give a definition of the term ‘globalisation’. They also made specific reference to the two command instructions in the question, ‘why’ and ‘what’. Most of the candidates were able to mention the Korean War as a possible starting point in the globalisation of the Cold War. Other events such as the Vietnam War, Cuba and the Arab-Israeli conflict were mentioned. Some candidates mentioned the collapse of the European overseas empires in the 1950s and 1960s which resulted in the involvement of the two superpowers.In determining responsibility, the vast majority of candidates chose either the USA or the USSR or both as the prime culprits in globalising the Cold War. However, a small number of candidates also laid blame on the ambitions of the People’s Republ ic of China. Question 4 Assess the relative contribution of America and the Soviet Union to the outcome of the war in Vietnam? This was not a popular question. A clear majority of candidates chose Question 3 over Question 4. Many answers adopted a narrative-chronological or narrative description of the Vietnam War.Very few candidates were able to assess the ‘relative’ contribution of either the USA or the USSR. In many cases, the US contribution was seen in providing troops and leading the conduct of the war from 1965 to 1972. The Soviet contribution was seen in terms of providing military equipment to North Vietnam. Very few candidates were able to link the term ‘relative contribution’ to the ‘outcome’ of the Vietnam War. As a result, diplomatic aspects of the contribution of both the USA and USSR were ignored. 7 9697 History June 2005 Question 5 How important was the West in the collapse of the USSR in 1991?This proved to be a very popular qu estion. It was clear that the majority of the candidates had a clear understanding of why the USSR collapsed in 1991. Those candidates who underachieved tended to ignore the role of the West and instead, concentrated on the internal factors which resulted in the collapse of the Soviet Union. Most of this type of response mentioned Gorbachev’s attempted reforms (Glasnost and Perestroika) and their subsequent failure. Fewer candidates referred to the impact of nationalism (The Baltic States and the Caucasus region) on the weakening of the USSR.Only a small number of candidates referred to the events of August 1991 which led directly to the USSR’s collapse. Unfortunately, those candidates who displayed detailed knowledge of internal factors without mentioning the importance of the West, did not score highly. Of those candidates who referred directly to the role of the West, the vast majority referred to the role of the USA. The Second Cold War was regarded as a major dest abilising factor for the USSR. The cost of matching the USA in both conventional and nuclear armaments was cited as an important cause of the Soviet Union’s collapse.A small number of candidates mentioned the broader role of the West. The disparity of lifestyles and wealth which were picked up via TV and radio in East Germany or by radio across the Soviet Bloc were given as examples of this phenomenon. Question 6 How successful were attempts to control the nuclear arms race between the superpowers in the period 1960 to 1980? Examiners noted that the majority of answers to this question adopted a narrative and narrative-chronological approach, with only very limited analysis of the issue of ‘success’, which was mentioned in the question.The vast majority of answers referred to the Test Ban Treaty of 1963, the Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 and the two SALT treaties of the 1970s. Unfortunately, a significant minority of candidates did not limit their coverage to the period ending in 1980. As a result, considerable time was spent describing and explaining the role of START, SDI (The Strategic Defence Initiative or Star Wars) and the INF (Intermediate Nuclear Forces) treaty. Considerable detailed knowledge was displayed on the treaties of the 1960s and 1970s mentioned above.However, this knowledge was not always used to its full effect. In many cases knowledge was deployed to describe events and the terms of treaties, rather than used to explain the degree to which attempts were successful. Question 7 ‘By the 1980s, the American dominance of the international economy had almost disappeared’. Discuss. Examiners noted that this was not a popular question. Many responses showed only a limited knowledge of the international economy between 1945 and the 1980s. Many candidates accepted the assertion in the question at face value.They mentioned the rise of West Germany and Japan as potential economic rivals to the USA in the internation al economy by the 1970s. They also mentioned the rise of the Asian Tiger economies in a similar vein. Some candidates mentioned the collapse of the Bretton Woods system by 1972, with the abandonment of the Fixed Exchange Rate system. However, only a few candidates offered a balanced approach which mentioned that although the USA’s overwhelmingly dominant position in the international economy after the Second World War had been eroded, it had not disappeared.US dominance in I. T. related industries as shown by the NASDAQ index of companies (e. g. Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Apple etc. ), and its dominant role at the WTO and with the World Bank, were cited as examples of continued dominance. 8 9697 History June 2005 Question 8 Why did Africa experience serious problems of famine in the 1980s? Although not a popular question it, nevertheless, produced some very good quality answers. It was clear that some Centres had taught this topic extremely well.Candidates were able to menti on social, climatic, political and economic factors which resulted in large areas of Africa experiencing famine in the 1980s. The best answers gave specific examples of the areas of famine. The most regularly mentioned were Ethiopia and Somalia. However, in several cases candidates interpreted the question somewhat differently. Many candidates displayed sound knowledge of Africa in the 1980s but used this knowledge to explain why Africa was relatively poor compared to the rest of the world, rather than the specific issue of famine.Paper 9697/05 Paper 5 – History of USA c. 1840 – 1968 General comments There was a considerable increase in the number of candidates compared with June 2004. The overall standard was sound, but certain common weaknesses were evident, resulting in lower outcomes. The most common was failing to answer four questions, or alternatively only offering a few lines as answers. There were also a number of completely irrelevant answers which scored Ban d 7 (0-7 marks).However, the best scripts were a pleasure to read, being consistently relevant, well structured, analytical or explanatory, with good supporting evidence appropriately used. These scored Bands 1 and 2 (18-25 marks). One script even attained the exceptionally high mark of 96. The compulsory source based question, Question 1, was answered indifferently. To simply repeat and recycle the words of the sources with a few general remarks at the beginning and/or end of the response could at best only result in Level 3 (10-14 marks), and this is what most candidates did.To achieve the higher bands it was essential to use the sources as evidence, i. e. to interpret and evaluate them in their historical context. The most common failings in the essay questions (2-8) were over reliance on narrative and descriptive responses and a reluctance to engage in relevant analysis of the problems posed in the questions, backed up by good evidence in a coherent structure. Comments on specif ic questions Section A: The Road to Secession and Civil War, 1846-61 Question 1 ‘It was the complete breakdown in trust between North and South that made compromise impossible. Using Sources A – E, discuss how far the evidence supports this assertion. Only a minority of candidates evaluated the sources as evidence in their historical context, but those who did scored higher marks in Levels 5-6 (19-25 marks). A common failing was to put the case for or against the contention, whereas it is important to show the evidence for and against it and then to come to a conclusion as to which, in the candidate’s view, is better or more reliable.Few candidates noted that the sources came into three groups, A being two years before Lincoln’s election in November 1860, B and C being an immediate reaction to his victory and D and E, after the secession of the lower south had occurred. Few candidates pointed out that Douglas was a Presidential candidate in 1860 and only s ome explained what his doctrine of Popular Sovereignty involved and how it had proved unworkable in Kansas. Most candidates saw the significance of Stephens being later Vice President of the Confederacy, but few gave evidence of his strong pro-Union views until his home state of Georgia seceded.The best approach was for candidates to give the evidence for the contention; this would be Sources B, D and E in their historical context and then to give the evidence against the contention; this would be Sources A and C in their historical context. Finally, the candidate should state his or her conclusion, or at the highest level, why sources point to a different hypothesis to that stated in the question, or alternatively, why the hypothesis should be modified in the light of the evidence. 9 9697 History June 2005 Section B Question 2 ‘Mexico will poison us. United States? How accurate was this prediction of the effects of the Mexican War on the This was a very popular question with the great majority of candidates answering it. A significant number simply ignored Whitman’s quotation and gave a descriptive account of the origins and course of the war. The majority of candidates went beyond this to point out that as a consequence of the huge annexation of territory the slavery question flared up violently with sectional tensions getting steadily worse and leading to secession and civil war.The best responses went beyond this to point out that the ultimate result was not only a transcontinental nation from Pacific to Atlantic but that the Union victory led to the elimination of the Southern veto in the Senate and that America became the most aggressively capitalist and individualist nation in the world. It could be argued that the modern American nation took shape as a result of the territorial annexations from Mexico. Question 3 ‘I claim not to have controlled events but confess plainly that events have controlled me. ’ (Abraham Lincoln, spee ch in 1864). Do you agree with Lincoln’s assessment of his Presidency?A very popular question but few really good responses; most candidates played it safe by giving a descriptive account of Lincoln’s Presidency, in some cases going back long before he became President. The point of the question was not that Lincoln simply reacted to events but that many of the key events facing him were beyond his control. Obvious examples would be the acute sectional crisis of the 1850s, the whole slavery issue and the decision of the Lower South to secede and form the C. S. A. Relatively few pointed out that Lincoln was decisive and active when needed.Good examples would be his skill in keeping Kentucky and Maryland from seceding, the Emancipation Proclamation, his flat refusal to negotiate terms with the Confederacy when this appeared to be the only way to end the war, as in the early half of 1864. He also assumed to himself almost dictatorial powers in suspending, in effect, the B ill of Rights, introducing censorship and suspending Habeas Corpus. He also appointed and retained Grant amid much criticism and towards the end of his Presidency had a Reconstruction programme which, if implemented, might have reconciled the defeated South.Question 4 Explain why the United States became the world’s leading industrial nation in the period 1865-1900. A minority choice but reasonably well answered. The role of technological inventions was well handled and nearly all candidates discussed the endless supply of cheap and motivated labour by immigration. Relatively few mentioned cheap land or the fact that the US had a political and legal framework in this period which was extremely favourable to business and hostile to any degree of government in economic matters, with the partial exception of the railroads.There was an almost total lack of data – for example, that by 1900 the US produced 30% of the world’s industrial goods. 10 9697 History June 2005 Question 5 How was it possible, in spite of constitutional protection, for the Southern States to deny basic civil rights to African-Americans from 1895 to 1964? A very popular question, though not very well handled, with little discussion of the roles of Presidents Kennedy and Johnson in granting full civil rights. In theory the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth Amendments had granted full legal and civic equality to the Freedmen.The basic problem, which few candidates mentioned, was that the whites had lost interest in the fate of the African-Americans; the latter were a small minority in the nation and even in the former slave states they were a majority in only two states in 1900. As a result, the southern states were able by a variety of means, which were quite well described, to circumvent the plain intention of the Amendments by reducing blacks to the status of permanently second class citizens, denied the right to vote and access to the same level of education as the whi te majority.Most candidates mentioned the effect of the Supreme Court decision in Plessy v Ferguson. The role of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s was probably overstated and few mentioned FDR’s juggling act in keeping the Solid South as part of his victorious coalition, while successfully wooing Northern blacks into voting for him. Most Presidents in this period were indifferent to black aspirations. Candidates correctly dwelt on Martin Luther King’s inspiring and intelligent leadership in the civil disobedience campaign from the 1950s onwards.Few mentioned his building up of alliances with Democratic politicians in the North, in particular Kennedy. The effect of the Brown case was dealt with well and better responses highlighted the effect of the Cold War on putting pressure on the American political establishment to grant civil rights. None pointed to the irony of the Texan career politician Lyndon Johnson pushing through the major civil rights legislation when his more high minded predecessors had been unable, or unwilling, to do so. Question 6 How different were the policies adopted by Hoover and Roosevelt to deal with the Great Depression?A popular question but candidates paid little attention to Hoover. Unlike Roosevelt, Hoover believed firmly that it was quite wrong for the Federal Government to engage in the regulation of, and interference in, the economy. No one mentioned that Hoover tried very hard to commit FDR to a continuation of his own policies even up to the day before FDR’s Inauguration in March 1933. Hoover was, of course, regarded as one of the great humanitarians of the twentieth century for his outstanding work in famine relief in Russia in 1919 and 1920 and it is quite wrong to portray him as indifferent to suffering.His policies were, however, ineffective and from 1929 to 1933 unemployment, business failures and falling stock market prices grew steadily worse until it seemed that the whole financial system of the US was on the very edge of total collapse. While candidates were correct to portray FDR as both different from and more effective than Hoover, few made much sense of the famous New Deal. It was not a coherent, logical programme and at times it was not easy to see precisely what FDR was trying to do; this was not helped by his persistent deviousness.However, he managed to infuse all around him with his unfailing cheerfulness and optimism (in contrast to Hoover) and he was clearly an activist ready to try any policy, however unorthodox, to beat the slump. As a result the popular mood shifted and disaster was averted. Some candidates correctly pointed out that unemployment figures were still very high up to 1939. Question 7 ‘Gradually and rather reluctantly, the United States became an imperial power and a military presence on a global scale. ’ Is this a fair assessment of American foreign policy, 1890-1919?This question required skill in organisation as it covered two wars, but most candidates relied on a descriptive, rather than an analytical answer, and as a result the treatment of the 1914 to 1919 period was frequently hurried with, too often, the Versailles Peace Conference being ignored. Few were prepared to tackle the assertion contained in the question. The war with Spain was brutal and pitiless, resulting in de facto control of Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and in effect Cuba. There was certainly nothing accidental or hesitant about it. It did make the US a global, and in effect, imperial power.No candidate mentioned Theodore Roosevelt’s successful mediation in the Russo-Japanese war which resulted ironically in the Nobel Peace prize being awarded to one of the most aggressive and warlike US Presidents. Many candidates discussed Roosevelt’s acquisition of the Panama Canal and the creation of both the US Canal Zone, with sovereign powers, and the creation of the state of Panama being hived off from Columbia. The first World War was ha ndled better, with most candidates being correct in describing President Wilson’s determination to stay out of conflict.It is arguable that the US was slowly dragged into conflict once Russia had withdrawn in 1917, leading to the strong likelihood of German victory which financial considerations, among other factors, made unacceptable to the US. No candidate mentioned the famous Zimmerman telegram and its effect on US public opinion. In 1918 and 1919 Wilson seemed to develop illusions of grandeur in attempting to force his own internationalist ideals on reluctant Allies. 11 9697 History June 2005 Question 8 How far was increasing national prosperity from 1945 to 1968 shared by all Americans?Very few candidates answered this question and none did particularly well. The main focus of responses was on the exceptions to the national prosperity, usually African-Americans, but the other pockets of poverty such as the rural poor, declining mining areas and Hispanic migrant workers, were usually ignored. One would have preferred to have seen much more discussion on why and how Americans became so prosperous in the post war period. Alone among major powers, it gained enormously in wealth from the war and dominated the world economic scene during the whole period.The US was a major beneficiary of the long economic boom from post war reconstruction and the huge armaments industry benefited greatly from the Korean War and the Cold War with the Soviet Union. These factors were ignored. Paper 9697/06 Paper 6 – Caribbean History, 1794 – 1900 General comments In the main candidates attempted the required four questions, although there were a few who obviously spent too much time on Question 1 and either could not finish a fourth question or, in some cases, had failed to tackle a fourth question.As far as possible, candidates should give equal shares of the time available to each question as a truncated or missing final answer will affect the examination r esult. Among the ways of avoiding the most serious consequences of failing to complete four full answers would be to plan responses to the questions so that, if need be, a firm outline of an answer could be given when time is running out, rather than writing two or three paragraphs which only represent a fraction of the material a candidate may have available.Question 1 was always answered. Many candidates were able to consider critically the material in the sources and the reasons why they were written. Some answers only made use of the sources for their content and at face value. A number of candidates did not write a conclusion to their response and so failed to link what they had written to the statement in the hypothesis. Of the other questions, Question 4 was the most commonly answered followed by Questions 3, 2, 6 and 5 in the order of frequency.Though many candidates did use examples for their answers from across the whole Caribbean area, some answers were written in very ge neral terms and, often, with the experience of the British Caribbean (or Jamaica only) in mind. Question 4 was an example of this, but answers to other questions sometimes had a similar appearance. In Question 2, abolition in the British colonies often took up more than half of an answer which should have given prominence to French and Spanish experiences too. Detailed comments on the answers to all the questions follow later in the report.There were some examples of candidates embarking upon answering questions without sufficient thought or planning. Examples included Question 2, in which there were long accounts of how the slave trade in the British Empire was ended, which might have provided a single point about abolition but where a page and a half of detail represented a wasted opportunity to deal with the question more directly. Candidates probably needed to take some time to collect their ideas about Question 5 and to plan to cover both societies and economies. In general, sc ripts were well presented, though some candidates’ handwriting was difficult to read.A few candidates failed to arrange their scripts in proper page order and some did not number their questions. 12 9697 History June 2005 Comments on specific questions Section A: Emancipation and its Consequences Question 1 ‘As the nineteenth century progressed, it became clear that there was no future for the Caribbean sugar industry’. How far does the evidence of Sources A-E support this statement? The Level description for candidates to receive at least two-thirds of marks is that a candidate ‘by interpreting/evaluating sources in context finds evidence to challenge and support the hypothesis’. Evidence is a key word.Candidates should use all the sources, use them as more than a source of information and relate them to the hypothesis in order to gain a high mark. Responses to this question varied widely. Many considered at least some of the sources critically. Som e answers were unnecessarily long. Sources A and B described the introduction of machinery to the processing of the cane and gave a hopeful impression of the future of parts of the sugar industry in the early 1850s. Candidates raised questions about the possible attitude of the Governor of British Guiana in Source A and possible journalistic and pro-planter bias in Source B.Other points about the wide time scale of the sources and their limited geographical scope were made in order to assess the sources. Many missed the chance to use Source D (about the problems of the sugar industry in the British Caribbean, 1876-77) and Source E (on Cuban sugar production in the 1890s) to compare the seemingly dire situation in one part of the area at one time (Source D), with a more buoyant one a little later (Source E). In Cuba, sugar production recovered rapidly after the disasters of war, presumably because of the underlying strengths of the industry there.In addition, both could be related to the hypothesis and used to suggest that the situation of sugar production was not hopeless in every area and also to question whether Source D really indicated that there was no future for British West Indian sugar. Both Sources C and E were occasionally misunderstood when candidates did not read the extracts through to the end. Many candidates seemed to assume that each of the sources would be directly for or against the hypothesis where, in fact, it could be suggested that none is as clear cut as that.Section B Question 2 Discuss the factors which account for the abolition of slavery in British, French and Spanish colonies in the Caribbean. A strong point about many answers was that a number of factors, humanitarian activity, resistance of the enslaved, political and economic circumstances, were outlined in the introduction. These themes were then continued through the essays with comparisons of all three sets of experiences together or sometimes with British and French situation s compared, followed by a section on Spain. The dominant element was often material about British colonies.Individual factors sometimes were sketched in and there were examples where description replaced the discussion and weighting of the various factors. Treatment of economic and political factors was often slight in comparison with humanitarian activities and slave resistance. Dealing with France, only Victor Schoelcher’s influence tended to attract much attention and some candidates wrote little about Spain. Less successful answers took each country’s experiences separately and sometimes went back into the eighteenth century anti-slave trade movement in Britain in great detail.This led to over long essays which failed to deal adequately with the question. Question 3 Compare apprenticeship in the British Caribbean with the patronato in Cuba and assess their respective results. The comparison element in this question was usually well done and many candidates were wel l informed on the Spanish experience. Normally there was a reasonable attempt to compare the two schemes in terms of planter control, punishments, wages, manumission and judicial supervision. The premature ending of each was explained and many candidates judged the Spanish experience to be more humane and more successful than the British.There was a minority of candidates who gave great detail on the emancipation legislation but did not look at the working of the systems in much detail. 13 9697 History June 2005 Question 4 Assess the reasons why freed people left the estates where they had been slaves. This was the most widely attempted question in Section B. There was a tendency for candidates to present a series of possible explanations without any assessment or illustration to show the complexity of the situation or the time scale involved.In general, answers were restricted to the British Caribbean and mostly attempted to cover the push and pull factors. The most successful answ ers reflected an awareness of the debate among historians about the reasons why freed people left the estates, emphasising opportunities which freed people saw and exploited. Only a few answers dealt only with the rejection of plantation life and the consequent ‘flight from the plantations’. Some candidates used the development of the peasantry to 1860 as an illustration.Others made good use of the theme that emancipation widened the expectations of freed people. Question 5 To what extent were societies and economies of Caribbean colonies affected by emancipation up to 1900? Explain your answer. Many answers concentrated on economic change and did not reach the date 1900. Some largely reproduced material which was appropriate to Question 4. More effectively, a large number of answers concentrated on the creation of the peasantry and its social and economic results, including the impact on plantation labour and the knock on effect of immigration schemes.Some candidates w rote about the diversification of crops and the export trade, using Jamaica as an example. Also mentioned were issues about the quality of life (family and education) and social development (village communities and financial cooperatives). Developments in education and health care were mentioned in some essays. There were some sound and well organised answers. Question 6 How far was there a labour crisis in the Caribbean sugar industry in the second half of the nineteenth century? This was a good question for those who were prepared to plan the answer on the extent of the crisis.Very few candidates did this. Most candidates discussed labour problems in general and the introduction of immigrant labour. Reference to a labour crisis was either non-existent or very brief, possibly a statement that from the landowners’ point of view, there was no longer an adequate or dependable labour force or, with reference to Trinidad and British Guiana, that even in the slave period there was an insufficient supply of labour. Because of the tendency to deal with the ‘labour issue’ rather than the ‘labour crisis’, most answers lacked emphasis in relation to the question.One plan could have been to deal with: †¢ †¢ †¢ the idea of a crisis, ‘a crisis for whom’ areas of ‘crisis’ where there was no crisis (Cuba, Barbados). Question 7 How significant was discrimination based on gender in Caribbean societies after emancipation? Explain your answer. Answers tended to centre on examples of male dominance, though in any one answer few were mentioned. The main point made in relation to the ‘How significant’ element in the question was that gender discrimination was one among a number of forms of discrimination in Caribbean societies.Most answers were short and limited in scope. Question 8 Explain how Haiti achieved and consolidated its independence. This question was based on the final section (VII) of the syllabus. Unfortunately, most candidates who attempted to answer it used material which was appropriate to the first two content sections. In consequence, few of the answers covered independence or the period which followed. Many answers dealt only with Toussaint, or even with earlier