A Metaphor Of Postmodernism In Blade Runner

A Metaphor Of Postmodernism In Blade Runner In the film Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott, the film embodies many important characters aspects of the postmodern cultural period. The film is mostly about what it means to be human in a controlled technological advanced world, and the struggle between humans and replicants. Which are machines that are so much like humans you cant tell them apart, but it has a deeper meaning of a world in the future and you can see this with the many symbols laid out in the film. In the film, it always rains and the sun never shines and the streets are narrow and filthy. The film revisits the past, mimics it and holds it up to ridicule. The freedom that humans give up so easily to machines so willing is the actual danger in the modern society which leads to a post-modern. The postmodernism can be noted from the architectural layout of the film to the waste all over the ground that later leads importance and connects postmodernism to industrialism. Post-modernity is on its way to the future, but then seeks shelter in the past; Blade Runner has many boundaries between past and present. The audience is told the film is set in the future in 2019, but there still happens to be a lot of evidence of the past such as; the eighties clothes and haircuts, the language and the technology looks extremely outdated. Another indication of the past is that Rachel dresses in a 50s clothes and the soundtrack of the film does not follow the normal drama movie music. The reasons why there is evidence of the past are that Blade Runner is a film based in the future that is afraid of the future. Films that are portrayed like this usually are made to warn people about the dangers around the corner. In post-modern films they present the unpresentable and what was formerly thought of as unsuitable. Blade Runner pushes into the future where the unreal becomes real and not just a fantasy or a possibility. Cars fly, and scientist can even plant memories in to machines. These are two examples of the unreal being made real. These kinds of films portray that Postmodernism tends to place the most disturbing things into the everyday living of the characters. In the film Blade Runner the replicants escape on earth and are labelled extremely dangerous. They could be anywhere and they look like anyone. This can be seen as postmodernism being pussed into the future. The film Blade Runner uses many symbols to illuminate post modernity such as the films use of the owl. The owl is not just an owl it is described in three ways a woman, an artificial creature and a product. The role of women is explored with the three lead female roles in the film which are all replicants, an artificial creature. Women in this film are label as models of pleasure and represent that they are just products that can be bought or sold. It gives a whole new meaning to the term woman being characterized by an object. These three things represent a link to the past where postmodern reveals its break with the past. These three things are the unreal made real into one thing where lines of force intersect and these are the places where modernity is transferred into post modernity to the description of a woman. The film doesnt take place in a spaceship with friendly aliens; the film takes place in Los Angeles 2019 in a city full of industries and waste placed in the postmodern period. The future which the film is set in, does not realize their technological order, but they see it as the development of the present day state of the city and the later effects of capitalism. The city is not a modern city, but a postmodern city. It is not an orderly layout of skyscrapers with comfy interiors. The high-tech buildings with high populations are set alongside abandoned buildings and neighbourhoods in decay. Due to the crowding of immigrants the middle class moves to the suburbs or off world if they choose. With a large portion of its people from other countries the melting pot effect of the culture clearly takes place the city explodes with the different cultures making the architectural work imitate the style of many previous works. In the film they have buildings that resemble Egyptian temples, Ch ina, France, and many more. The city itself is a huge Chinatown that is a large market of underground networks in all the regions of the city. With the explosion of immigrants and the moving of the middle-class results in an intercultural first world and third world in the same place. The uniqueness of the architecture and cultures in the film are lost in the postmodernism. Going forward in the future but still in the past and the structures from the past are recollected and they attempt to create an aroma of the memory of history and of the past. Between postmodernism and late capitalism the films representation of this is the industrial decay, such as waste all over the city, rather the film creates an aroma of decay exposing the dark side of technology. It is the waste that the characters of the film constantly step in, and many of the buildings are left to disintegrate. The post-industrial decay is an acceleration of the overall time of the process of the industries. The postmodern visual of Blade Runner is the result of recycling and the system only works if there is waste produced. The disconnected temporality of the replicants and the pastiche city are all an effect of a postmodern, post-industrial condition: wearing out, waste. The continuous expulsion of waste is an indexing sign of the well- functioning apparatus: waste represents its production, movement, and development at increasing speed. Post-industrialism recycles; therefore it needs all the waste. A postmodern position exposes such logic, producing a visual of recycling. The artistic form exhibits the return of the waste. Consumerism, waste and recycling meet in fashion, the wearable art of late capitalism, a sign of postmodernism. Costumes in Blade Runner are designed according to this logic. There is even the increased speed of development and process produces the diminishing of distances. Things cease to function and life is over even if it has not ended. The post-industrial city is a city of ruins. Blade Runner has one main message: that the future is hopeless. It marks a new age by showing its own end. It is shown as industrial and dark, the raining weather and no sunshine which create a moody atmosphere. Technology has progressed so rapidly but, still manages to lack the new look. The postmodernism of this film is displayed throughout this whole film. It represents the chaos of what happens when the people rejected the modern period. It embodies the present pushing forward to the future as well as holding on to the past to create post-industrialism. The more technology we gain and control always has a bad side for everything.

Maternal Mortality Rate in Pakistan

Maternal Mortality Rate in Pakistan Maternal Mortality a Public Health Issue Shahida Abbasi Introduction Maternal mortality refers to when a woman dies during pregnancy or within six weeks after delivery. There are many factors such as biological, socio-economic, cultural and availability of quality Reproductive Health Services (RHS) in the country which contribute to the alarming figure of Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR). Pregnancy is a normal process in which women experience some physiological changes as it is essential for fetal growth and development. During pregnancy women need healthy diet, antenatal checkup for pregnancy progress and identification of dangers signs and proper treatment. Unfortunately due to certain reasons these needs are not satisfied and resulted in death of the mother. This paper aims to in-depth analysis of the determinants of MM. Significant of the Issue Every year more than 500,000 women die during childbirth or from pregnancy-related causes worldwide. 99% maternal deaths occur in developing country (WHO, 2005) as RHS, and family planning services are not easily accessible and affordable. According to UNDP’s report Roca (2013) Pakistan has highest mortality ratio 260/100,000 per live births in the region. Socio economic determinants Poverty Poverty plays as a barrier to satisfy basic human needs and to access reproductive health services which contribute to maternal mortality. Current global economic crises adversely affected specially marginalized poor women. Escalation in fuel prizes made the food items so expensive that it is beyond the capacity of the poor to buy. Due to inadequate quantity and quality of food intake, the pregnant women suffer with nutritional deficiency anemia. A study conducted by Khan, Fatima, Imran and Khan (2010) in Rawalpindi, to assess the risk factors associated with the nutritional deficiency anaemia revealed that majority of the pregnant women were anaemic due to iron deficiency followed by folate and cobalamin and all these belonged to low socio-economic group. Moreover, these nutritional deficit anemic women are at greater risk of having postpartum hemorrhage and sepsis. Furthermore, cost of RHS such as formal fee, screening, purchasing of medicine and travelling acts as barrier for wome n to obtain care. In case of emergency obstetric complications the cost of treatment goes much high and causes the delay in treatment. A qualitative study by Ronis, Mehboob, Masood, Amjad, Nishtar (2012) revealed that seventy percent of the patients sold their belonging or borrowed money in order to pay for delivery charges. Poverty is a great barrier for pregnant women in approaching family planning and counseling services. National Institute of Population Study (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013. depicts that in rural areas twenty percent of married women have an unmet contraception needs that increase the chances of unwanted pregnancies leading to abortion. A study conducted by Fawad, Naz, Islam, Zaffar, Abbasi (2011) over the period of 5 years in Abbottabad calculated the MMR 1,057/100,000 live births. All the 78 patients who died belonged to low socioeconomic status and majority of them were illiterate. Female literacy Poverty effects female education as they cannot afford even primary education. These women are not aware of their reproductive health rights and utilization of RHS. According to Lynd, (2007) the literacy rate of youth between the age 15 to 24 years of Pakistans female is (53%) comparatively lower than the boys’ literacy rate (77%) in the same age group. In-fact educated women are more autonomous in decision making and utilization of quality ante natal and perinatal services. It is also illustrated in National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013National Institute of Population Study (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013. that the antenatal care is widely received by women with secondary or higher education. Moreover, an international cross sectional study was conducted by Karlsen, et al. (2011) revealed that lower levels of maternal education were associated with higher maternal mortality. This depicts RHS are not being utilize by illiterate women. Cultural Cultural values are deeply rooted specially among poor and illiterate and it has significant impact on women’s health. It is cultural heritage that boys are nourished with rich food as compared to girls beside the fact girls that requirement good quality and quantity of food in order to carry out reproductive responsibilities. Moreover, in conservative families, women mobility is strictly prohibited even to obtain emergency obstetric care. As women are not financially empowered they totally depend on husband regarding their treatment. All the important decisions related to ante natal care, place of delivery and post natal visit are made by the mother in law or husband. Sometime the decisions related to reproductive health issue are made so late that pregnant woman’s condition gets worse. Moreover, women do not have the right to make independent decision for healthy timing and birth spacing which consequently lead to higher fertility one of the contributing factor to inc rease mortality. A qualitative study by Ronis et al., (2012) revealed that cultural norms in Pakistan restrict the women to opt RHS from female doctor only. Therefore their unavailability makes the services inaccessible. Gender Inequality Government has done much to decrease socio-economic gender inequalities on its part. As it is evident in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report by Bekhouch, Hausmann, Tyson, and Zahidi (2013) Pakistan is on ranked 64 out of 136 countries in political empowerment of women. Pakistan had secured the second lowest ranking in the overall measure of gender-based biases. The cultural heritage and ethnic diversity have been playing role in mediating gender inequality. In-fact boys are provided with nutritious food and good quality of schooling as compared to girls. A report by Bekhouch et al. (2013)14 million girls and 18.3 million boys enrolled in basic education in 2006, this depicts the accessibility and affordability of girl’s education. Moreover, gender inequality is also reflected by the accessibility, affordability and acceptability of RHS. According to UNDP’s report Roca (2013) in Pakistan 260 per 100,000 live births, women die due to pregnancy relat ed causes reflects the commitment of the government to provide the RHS to marginalized women. Early marriages Early marriage is one of the customs which is mostly practiced in rural areas. Due to low socio economical resources parents cannot afford required amount of food especially to their daughters therefore, early marriages is considered one of the way to get rid of this burden. Thus early marriage leads to early pregnancy that is one of the factors contribute to MMR. Early marriages consequently lead high parity. The National Institute of Population Study (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013. report indicated total fertility rate in rural areas is high (4.2) and it is age specific fertility which is strong indication of early childbearing. It is estimated that 30 percent of all marriages fall into the category of child marriage which is more common in interior Sindh (Dawn 2012-01-19). It is well reflected in PDHS 2012-2013, that eight percent of teenage girls became mothers or expecting their first child. According to Roca (2013) Adolescent fertility rate is 28.1per 100,000 liv e birth which depicts the strong evidence of early marriage tradition in Pakistan. High Parity Early marriages consequently lead high parity. The National Institute of Population Study (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013. indicates the total fertility rate in rural areas is high (4.2) and it is age specific fertility. Every time when a woman gets pregnant, the risk of dying increases. A study conducted by Rahim, Shafqat and Faiz (2011) also revealed that out of 268 deaths 47 percent were having more than five children thus supporting the evidence that maternal mortality is higher in grand multigravidas. These findings are consistent with the study of Fawad et al. (2011) out of 78 maternal deaths 49 patients were multigravida. Skilled Birth Attendant Due to dearth of skilled birth attendants (SBAs) in most of the rural areas deliveries are attended by unskilled traditional birth attendants (TBA) in Pakistan. These TBAs are not competently trained to detect dangers sign during pregnancy and delivery and to refer women for further treatment. The National Institute of Population Study (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013. indicated that 67% of rural women received antenatal health care, while 41% women were assisted for deliver by SBAs. The reasons for less utilization of antenatal and delivery services are dearth of SBAs, geographical hindrance and long distance from health facility. Medical causes Obstructed labor, antepartum postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis and eclampsia are obstetric emergencies which need timely intervention. Mortality due to these cases can be prevented by proper antenatal care and detections of life threatening signs and timely referral to comprehensive emergency maternal obstetric neonatal care (EmOC) services. A retrospective, analytic study to analyze direct causes of maternal mortality over a period of seven years was conducted by Rahim et al. (2011) identified hemorrhage a leading cause followed by pregnancy induced hypertension, ruptured uterus and septicemia. A study conducted by Fawad et al. (2011) revealed that eclampsia was the leading cause of maternal deaths followed by sepsis and hemorrhage. Perhaps these precious lives could have been saved if the antenatal and natal services were provided or utilized. These studies calculated MMR 1311/100,000 and 1,057/100,000 live births live birth respectively a big figure as compared to UNDP’s report by Roca (2013) reported MMR 260/100,000 live birth. Abortion Abortion is one of the most important direct medical causes of maternal mortality, accounts for 12-40 % of overall global maternal deaths (WHO, 1994; According to a study conducted by Sathar, Singh, and Fikree (2007) an estimated 890,000 induced abortions are performed annually in Pakistan and 6 to 13% deaths occurred due to complications of abortion like hemorrhage, sepsis and visceral injuries (Jafarey, 2002). A descriptive observational study conducted by Shaikh, Razia, Abbassi, Rizwan and Abbasi (2010) revealed that 230 women were admitted with complications of unsafe abortion over period of one year. These complications include bleeding, uterine perforation, and gastro intestinal injury due to the procedure. Of these 12% women died as they developed septicemia. Deaths due to abortion can be prevented if the safe abortion care services are available by the skilled birth attendants at the door step. Poor Reproductive Health Services: It is quite encouraging that we have good health system that includes basic health unit (BHU), Rural Health Center (RHC) and Tertiary unit. Even though RHS services are available free of charges, BHU and RHC services are underutilized because of long distances to access. Moreover, poor referral system causes a delay in getting access and treatment. According Ali, Bhatti and Kuroiwa (2012) majority of the hospitals were lacking EmOC services and most referral hospitals equipped with EmOC were inaccessible. As in most of the rural areas broken roads and unavailability of proper ambulance services hinder the transfer of women in time. A cross-sectional survey on emergency obstetric care services facilities conducted by Ali et al. (2012) revealed that more than 50 percent of the public health facilities were lacking female doctor to provide Emoc services, thus creating a barrier for women to opt reproductive health services. Summary of analysis Maternal mortality is a public health issue that should be stem out. There are many factors which contribute to MM, and poverty is worse determinant that prevents female to receive education, have nutritious food and get access for reproductive health treatment. Reducing inequity and promoting female education is one of the key strategies to empower women and to bring their status equal to man. MM due to obstetric emergencies can be prevented by strengthening existing health facilities and increasing female skill birth attendants Recommendation Government and NGOs should have one focused agenda to invest in female education as this is their fundamental right. Empowering women with education consequently will improve their socio economic status and will reduce the gender inequity as well. Incentive should be provided to poor women who attend antenatal services in order to eliminate costs issue. Food supplement and medicine for correction of anemia should be free available to pregnant women. All the stake holders should collaborate in ensuring family planning and counseling services as to reduce unintended pregnancies which leads to induces abortions. Reproductive health services including Post Abortion Care (PAC) and family planning services should be made available, accessible and affordable within community settings. Civil society, educationist and health professionals should raise the awareness regarding Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 and its reinforcement, as child marriage is widely practiced in some parts of the country. It is imperative to strengthen existing health care facilities in order to provide emergency obstetric care. More skilled birth attendants should be trained and deployed who will provide twenty four hours services and make timely referral in case of emergency obstetric care. Health professionals should focus on research as suggested by Travis, et al., (2004) that identification of common national and international barriers in several studies will guide the policy makers and donors to pay attention. References Ali, M., Bhatti, M. A., Kuroiwa, C. (2008). Challenges in access to and utilization of reproductive health care in Pakistan.Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad,20(4), 3-7. Bekhouch, Y., Hausmann, R., Tyson, L. D., Zahidi, S. (2013, September). The global gender gap report 2013. Geneva Switzerland World Economic Forum 2013. Dawn (2012, January 19). Child marriage behind high mortality rate. Dawn. [Punjab]. Retrieved from:http://www.dawn.com/news/689119/childmarriage- behind-high-maternal-mortality-rate. Fawad, A., Naz, H., Islam, A., Zaffar, S., Abbasi, A. U. N. (2011). Maternal mortality in a tertiary care hospital. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, 23(1), 92-5. Jafarey, S. N. (2002). Maternal mortality in Pakistancompilation of available data. J Pak Med Assoc, 52(12), 539-44. Karlsen, S., Say, L., Souza, J. P., Hogue, C. J., Calles, D. L., GÃ ¼lmezoglu, A. M., Raine, R. (2011). The relationship between maternal education and mortality among women giving birth in health care institutions: Analysis of the cross sectional WHO Global Survey on Maternal and Perinatal Health. BMC Public Health, 11(1), 606. Khan, D. A., Fatima, S., Imran, R., Khan, F. A. (2010). Iron, folate and cobalamin deficiency in anaemic pregnant females in tertiary care centre at Rawalpindi.J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad,22(1), 17-21. Lynd, D. (2007). The Education System in Pakistan.Retrieved June,30, 2012. National Institute of Population Study (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013. Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (2012-13). Islamabad, Pakistan, and Cleverton, Maryland, USA: NIPS and ICF InternationalNational Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013.National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013. Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012-13. Islamabad, Pakistan, and Calverton, Maryland, USA: NIPS and ICF International.National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013. Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012-13. Islamabad, Pakistan, and Calverton, Maryland, USA: NIPS and ICF International. Rahim, R., Shafqat, T., Faiz, N. R. (2011). An analysis of direct causes of maternal mortality.Journal of Postgraduate Medical Institute (Peshawar-Pakistan),20(1). Roca, T. (2013). Human development Report 2013. The Rise of the South, Human Progress in a Diverse World.Afrique contemporaine, (2), 164-166. Ronis, K. A., Mehboob, G., Masood, M., Amjad, S., Nishtar, S. The Voice of Women. Sathar, Z. A., Singh, S., Fikree, F. F. (2007). Estimating the incidence of abortion in Pakistan. Studies in Family Planning, 38(1), 11-22. Shaikh, Z., Abbassi, R. M., Rizwan, N., Abbasi, S. (2010). Morbidity and mortality due to unsafe abortion in Pakistan.International Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics,110(1), 47-49. Travis, P., Bennett, S., Haines, A., Pang, T., Bhutta, Z., Hyder, A. A., Evans, T. (2004). Overcoming health-systems constraints to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The Lancet, 364(9437), 900-906. WHO. World Health Report–2005. Make every mother and child count. Geneva: WHO; 2005.(2012, 19 January). National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013. Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012-13. Islamabad, Pakistan, and Calverton, Maryland, USA: NIPS and ICF International.National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) [Pakistan] and ICF International. 2013. Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012-13. Islamabad, Pakistan, and Calverton, Maryland, USA: NIPS and ICF International.

Of Mice and Men: My Ending :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Crooks and Curley’s wife both receive a paramount amount of isolation. Many people are unable to cope with this. Few people are able to cope with this type of loneliness in a healthy way. That is why there are so many problems as it is with Crooks and Curley’s wife. Many times a person does â€Å"weird† things in order to get attention, or to make the feelings of seclusion recede for a while. I plan to open your mind to some of the ideas of why our characters, Crooks and Curley’s wife, act the way they do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Crooks is a victim of a different types of loneliness. Crooks, does not ask to be isolated from everyone. It is simply because he is a black man. That is the reason he is isolated and rarely spoken too. Back in those days people of different races did not associate as they do now. After a while, Crooks gets accustomed to the loneliness he receives on the farm but never learns to live with it. To accept loneliness is to give up. I believe that deep down inside Crooks always hopes that someone will come and talk to him, just because they want his camaraderie. He forces himself to believe that eventually someone will come, that helps him get through some of his toughest times. Not because they (that person) want him to do something. I think when Lennie comes to Crooks’ room and talks with him it heals a part of Crooks that has been scarred. Just by Lennie being there it lets Crooks knows there is still hope. When Lennie first comes Crooks says, â€Å"You got no right to come in my room. Nobody got no right but me. I ain’t wanted. Crooks says this to Lennie at first because I think he has to admit to himself that this no longer applies. That eventually he will be able to have a friendship with someone. That someone is Lennie.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Curley’s wife starts off with many problems. As Curley’s wife states earlier in the novel, â€Å"Sure I gotta husband.† Spend’s all his time sayin what he’s gonna do to guy’s he don’t like. Think I am going to stay in that 2 x 4 house! I think her husband Curley does not satisfy her needs. As a person I do not think they are compatible. They probably both jumped at the opportunity for to marry a person they thought they were in love with.

Andrew Carnegie :: essays research papers

Andrew Carnegie was not only an outstanding industrialist, but also a great philanthropist. In the excerpt from page 105, Carnegie is stating that an end to Individualism would result in a revolution not an evolution because it is changing human nature itself, and there would be no way to know if it would even be a change for the better. This excerpt was one trying to convey a communist utopia; a policy of working for the better of each other, not just for the individual alone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This concept of ending Individualism and beginning one class of people, is one that arises with each leader (especially communist) trying to change a society during this period of history. I don’t believe, however, that Andrew Carnegie was trying to become a leader or begin a revolution. He was strictly stating his opinions on wealth and in turn giving that wealth away. Carnegie was a man of many contradictions. He was the wealthiest human being of all time, and he was convinced of the value of poverty in developing character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Carnegie’s later life, I believe he had realized his selfishness with his wealth and felt the need to give it away. In the excerpt, I feel he was assessing his own situation of wealth and was trying to encourage the rest of mankind to not live the type of life he had experienced. He stated, â€Å"it is a nobler ideal that man should labor, not for himself alone, but in and for a brotherhood of his fellows, and share with them all in common†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I sense that the reason he made this statement was to encourage mankind to give away their wealth and not hold it for their own possession. Carnegie felt that society should work together instead of individually.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In many ways I agree with his statement, but I don’t feel that this is a feasible concept. Individualism is something I wouldn’t want taken away from me because I wouldn’t be able to have that constant desire to better myself.

Source of the Legend of Dracula Essay -- Legends

Dracula Reconsidered Background: The legend of Dracula is a renowned tale told all over the world. Created by Irish writer, Bram Stoker, the story was inspired by the Romanian ruler, Vlad Dracul. The story teller was a Caucasian 49-year-old male. He was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania and was quite familiar with the past history of and current events in the country. He identified with the Romanian orthodox religion. The Story: â€Å"Everyone knows the story of Dracula. [Walks around the table, moves his hands as he speaks.] He has been depicted in novels, movies, and paintings. In Romania, this story is told from generation to generation and it had become an integral part of our culture. However, not many people know the true origins of Dracula. [Pauses, tone changes, has a displeased look on his face, moves toward a chair and sits down.] This legend angers me since it is a figment of popular culture and gives a bad name to our Romanian society. It is unfair, and its main purpose is to promote the tourism of our nation. It was created by an Irish man. [Pauses, thinks.] I think he was Irish. I can’t recall his name right now. Nevertheless, this man was quite misinformed and he just created this legend out of thin air. He was obsessed with phantoms, castles, and the supernatural. [Points up to the ceiling and gazes outside towards the sky.] He transformed the reality of Vlad Tepes into a silly legend. Let me give you a history of Vlad Tepes, in order for you to understand the background behind the story. In the 1400s, Romania was split into three provinces, Wallachia, Transylvania, and Moldova. [Puts three fingers in the air.] Vlad was born in a castle in Sighisoara in Transylvania. He be... ...The teller used his hands a lot to subtly express his inner emotions. He also tried to show the actions of a vampire attack, but it wasn’t very effective, since there were no props and I had to use my imagination to understand. The storyteller performance embodied his annoyance with the myth’s mischaracterization, in his view, of Vlad Dracul, which shows the social implication of the story. The ability to believe easily without questioning the circumstances is a negative characteristic of our culture. Works Cited Leblanc, Benjamin H. â€Å"Vlad Dracula: An Intriguing Figure in the Fifteenth Century.† Journal of the Dark. 13 Oct. 2004 http://members.aol.com/johnfranc/drac05.htm. Porter, Ray. â€Å"The Historical Dracula.† 13 Oct. 2004. http://www.eskimo.com/~mwirkk/castle/vlad/vladhist.html. Vamp Club. 13 Oct. 2004. http://www.vampclub.com/index.htm.

Faculty Attendance System Using Automatic Image Processing Essay

As technology grows fast, certain advancements are being developed nowadays and life is getting even better to live with. It makes every task as easy as possible and nothing seems too tiring if human tasks are aided with technology. It can be applied in any aspects of life. Computer technology would be the first on the list that provides great potential for improving effectiveness and efficiency of the information system. The use of computer has not become a major tool to simplify job and task. There is no doubt that computer technology has had a great impact on society and also brought many technical developments with it. It has brought many changes to the way we live as individual as well as members of societies and organizations. It has had major effects and changes on the economy, health, education, industry, agriculture and many other fields. The ability of computers in gathering, processing, presenting and sending large amount of information has had major changes in the way large organizations as well individuals organize their lives. Computers are at work, in schools and many other places. The human face plays an important role in our social interaction, conveying people’s identity. Using human face as a key to security, the biometrics face recognition technology has received significant attention in the past several years due to its potential for a wide variety of applications in both law enforcement and non-law enforcement. As compared with other biometrics systems using fingerprint/palm print and iris, face recognition has distinct advantages because of its non-contact process. Face images can be captured from a distance without touching the person being identified, and the identification does not require interacting with the person. In recent years, face recognition has attracted much attention and its research has rapidly expanded by not only engineers but also neuroscientists, since it has many potential applications in computer vision communication and automatic access control system. Especially, face detection is an important part of face recognition as the first step of automatic face recognition. However, face detection is not straightforward because it has lots of variations of image appearance, such as pose variation (front, non-front), cclusion, image orientation, illuminating condition and facial expression. With the continuous development and progress of science and technology, facial biometric recognition technology has become more sophisticated and perfect. As the world’s most cutting-edge biometric technology and image processing technology, facial biometric recognition technology will play a unique and irreplaceable role in today’s public security prevent, arrest fugitives, network security, financial security and many other areas. It is a milestone of development and progress of human society science and technology. It will be widely used in public security, aviation, ports, customs, banks, large enterprises, large-scale conferences, high-end clubs, important streets, docks and other places of security. It will bring revolutionary changes for safety defend and prevention of the current complicated domestic security situation. Face recognition serves the crime deterrent purpose because face images that have been recorded and archived can later help identify a person. Many citizens express concern that their privacy is being compromised by the use of surveillance technologies by corporations and the state. Some fear that it could lead to a total surveillance society, with the government and other authorities having the ability to know the whereabouts and activities of all citizens around the clock. This knowledge has, is and could continue to be deployed to prevent the lawful exercise of rights of citizens to criticize those in office, specific government policies or corporate practices. Many centralized power structures with such surveillance capabilities have abused their privileged access to maintain control of the political and economic apparatus and curtail populist reforms. Facial recognition can be used not just to identify an individual, but also to unearth other personal data associated with an individual – such as other photos featuring the individual, blog posts, social networking profiles, Internet behavior, travel patterns, etc. – all through facial features alone. Moreover, individuals have limited ability to avoid or thwart facial recognition tracking unless they hide their faces. This fundamentally changes the dynamic of day-to-day privacy by enabling any marketer, government agency, or random stranger to secretly collect the identities and associated personal information of any individual captured by the facial recognition system. Purpose and Description Nowadays, industry is experiencing many technological advancement and changes in methods of learning. With the rise of globalization, it is becoming essential to find an easier and more effective system to help an organization or company. In spite of this matter, there are still business establishments and schools that use the old-fashioned way. In a certain way, one thing that is still in manual process is the recording of attendance. Face detection is a computer technology that determines the locations and sizes of human faces in arbitrary (digital) images. It detects facial features and ignores anything else, such as buildings, trees and bodies. Dealing with this matter, the proponents thought of an easy way to do the checking of attendance. This study entitled is intended to develop an attendance monitoring system to be used inside the school vicinity of Batangas State University JPLPC Campus for better management of employees. We come up with a computerized attendance-monitoring system using image processing. It serves as a timed log-in/ log-out system that is set up as a computerized database. This system maintains a daily record of a faculty’s arrival and departure time from work. Aside from the records of time and date, our system features the name, position and the assigned number of each staff. So it also serves as an identification profile system. The system also protects the employees by providing the exact number of hours they worked, making it much more difficult for employers to cheat them out of their wages. This thesis features all important facts about our system as well as its importance.

Organization and Behaviour Essay

Contents 1. Compare and contrast different organisational structures and culture 2. Explain how the relationship between an organisation’s structure and culture can impact on the performance of the business 3. Discuss the factors that influence the individual’s behaviour at work 4. Compare the effectiveness of different leadership styles in different organisations 5. Explain how organisational theory underpins the practice of management 6. Evaluate the different approaches to management used by different organisations 7. Discuss the impact that different leadership styles may have on motivation in organisations in periods of change 8. Compare the application of different motivational theories within the workplace 9. Evaluate the usefulness of a motivation theory for managers 10. Explain the nature of groups and group behaviour within organisations 11. Discuss factors that may promote or inhibit the development of effective teamwork in organisations 12. Evaluate the impact of technology on team functioning within a given organisation P1: Compare and contrast different organisational structures and culture. Organisational structure: There are different types of organisational structures. There is the Functional structure which is based on the activities that people do in the organisation then the Product based structure, when the product determines the structure, the Geographically based structure when the location determines the structure and the last one is the Matrix structure (segregation) which is the combination of functions (activities) and product. Organisational culture: Is the values and behaviours that contribute to the unique social and psychological, Organisational culture is the sum of an organisation past and current experiences, philosophy and values that hold it together and is expressed in its self-image. The organisational structure focuses on the mentality, work ethic and the values of the company’s management and employees. The main factors that influence the structure of an organisation are products, environment, staff, task, culture and management style, size number and type of dept. A culture of innovation, teamwork and partnership means that the company has a firm foundation of relationships and open communication channels on which to build its growth. A major determinant of an organisations structure is its culture. The general nature of culture in terms of both external influences and how things are done as well as common values, belief and attitude will have a significant effect on organisational processes including the design of structure. P2: Based on the scenario given explain how the relationship between an organisation’s structure and culture can impact on the performance of the business. The way the Coca cola company works reflects the many countries and cultures in which it does business. An essential part of the organisation’s structure therefore focuses on ensuring that individual products are given the best possible support in regional markets. Within the company different teams concentrate on particular products and use their specialist knowledge of the brands and consumer needs to support the sales and promotional effort. In some cases a product is developed solely for local consumption and an example of this is the product Lilt, which is only available in Great Britain and Ireland. A structure depends on the organization’s objectives and strategy. In a centralized structure, the top layer of the management has most of the decision making power and has tight control of departments and divisions. In a decentralized structure, the decisions making power is distributed and the departments and divisions have different degrees of independence. A company such Coca-Cola Great Britain is a more centralized structure that has a corporate (Head office) that is responsible for giving the company an overall direction and providing support to the regional structure. P3: Discuss the factors which influence individual behaviour at work. Organisations are made up of their individual members. The individual in a central feature of organisational behaviour whether acting in isolation or as part of a group in response to expectations of the organisation or as a result of the influences of the external environment. Where the needs of the individual and the demands of the organisation as incompatible this can result in frustration and conflict. It is the role of management to integrate the individual and the organisation and to provide a working environment that permits the satisfaction of individual needs as well as the attainment of organisational goals. The first factor to consider is the location. The organisation has to think about how they can improve the environment so that the staff will remain motivated at work. A good location and environment helps to create a positive attitude to staff and customers. Another factor is the amount of working hours. Hours of work are extremely different throughout the industry- some people are happy to work unsocial hours because it fits with their lifestyle or they wish to have time off when everyone is working. On the other hand, the overall amount of hours per week should not go over 40 hours. If staff are working overtime consistently it will not influence them to come into work so it is important that all hours of work is balanced. Safety and security factors must be considered in the workplace, and legislation such as Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 must be adhered to. These regulations particular apply where food is served or where there are chemical hazards, for example in a swimming pool. All these requirements are important. For some organisations a little error in the safety procedures can mean the end of the business including a trial. Companies that organise activity holidays for children, for example Disney Land, Thorpe Park or London Dungeon, must make health and safety a priority. Health and safety is important for both customers and employees. When employees know that they can go about their work in safe environment and work together to ensure their customers are safe then this could also influence them because they will know that they are working in a safe environment. Most Companies organise Christmas parties or social events and outings for staff. These are useful to create a friendship amongst staff and help influence staff to build solid teams within the organisation. Good pay may is also another factor as staff like to see that their hard work has paid off. P4: Compare the effectiveness of the different leadership styles in two or more organisations of your choice. Management in an organisation is about influencing people to behave in positive ways so that the team can achieve its general goal. A good manager must inform, motivate and develop the team as a whole. An autocratic manager makes all the decisions and announces them to the team. This person is the boss and has full control. The main advantage of this kind of leadership is that decisions are made quickly, as no meeting will be held about the decisions made by the leader. The advantages that could motivate staff include: * Where there is a need for urgent action the autocrat will take control * Some team members gain security from being told what to do. The disadvantages are: * Team members may become frustrated at their lack of control * There may not be room for the team to express creativity * There may be over-dependence on the leader. Autocratic management belongs in a traditional hierarchical structure. Democratic management: With democratic management, the decision-making is shared among the team. The advantages include: * Ideas are encouraged from everyone * There is greater involvement and commitment from team members * The team is likely to be supportive of leader * The team is fully informed. The disadvantages include: * Some team members may not be able to cope with being involved in decision-making * The democratic process can take too long * The leader may not agree with the decision of the team * Powerful team member may take over. P5: Explain how organisational theory underpins the practice of management. Organisational theory: Organisational theory represents a young and complex field of study related to the behaviour of organisations and companies. Through particular methods like analysis, generalisations and observation, organisation theory specialists try to determine how companies and organisations will behave in certain situations. (http://www.publicorgtheory.org/organization-theory.html) The way the organisational theory underpins the practice of management is by bringing change to actual behaviour. It can influence the manager’s behaviour which can be observed in the ideas portrayed or conclusions. It is important as it helps give insight to interrelationships between the development of theory, behaviour in organisations and management practice. It also gives an understanding of the development of management thinking. The knowledge of the history helps in the understanding of the nature of management and organisational behaviour. Many of the earlier ideas are of continuing importance to the manager and later ideas in management tend to incorporate early ideas of conclusions. P6 & P7: Using an organisation of your choice evaluate the different approaches to management. Discuss the impact that different leadership styles may have on motivation in organisation in periods of change. The organisation that I will be evaluating is Tesco which is a PLC (Public Limited Company). I will be talking about the different approaches to management. There is a difference between management and leadership. Management is about getting things done. Managers organise human and physical resources to achieve business aims and objectives. Leadership is about influencing, motivating and inspiring people. It is about coaching and developing people, treating them with respect but challenging them. Leaders seek to create strong teams, with people committed to the organisation’s overall goals. The process of managing starts with the target or objective to be achieved. A manager must decide on the appropriate approach for reaching that target. The manager then needs to communicate this approach clearly to his or her team and to allocate tasks to each team member. Task allocation and delegation of responsibility is part of the management function. However, other factors will also have an influence on whether the target is achieved, including the task in hand, the skills of the team and the style of leadership. The style of leadership can vary depending on the task. Some managers allow teams to take charge of their own decision-making for many tasks. Team leaders will set the objectives but empower team members to decide how these objectives are achieved. This has several advantages. It helps to motivate individuals in the team and it draws on the expertise of the members of the team. The leadership style that Tesco store managers sit between autocratic and democratic both th ese styles allow staff to participate to an extent. However the manager has the right to reserve the final decision. Managers who lead using the autocratic leadership style often tend to give clear direction to staff and are good in terms of managing a crisis but this method does not allow team member to be heard and creative. On the other hand a democratic manager will consult with staff before making his final decision this style of leadership helps encourage staff to put forward ideas and increases motivation. Some manager will adopt leadership styles in which are appropriate to the situation. Most managers prefer to take a democratic approach as they feel that staff respond better to this approach. For example when planning a major stock reduction programme at Tesco the store manager may encourage other management within the store to put forward ideas and develop plans as said before this increases team motivation and encourages creativity. Although some mistakes may be made this can be put forward as a learning experience. However as a store manager they may deal with many different situations. Some may be business critical and it is important that the manager is able to respond to these situations in the most appropriate manner. In some situations the manager may need to adapt the leadership approach and exert more authority. Laissez-faire is at the other end of the field from autocratic. A laissez-faire manager takes a ‘hands-off’ approach and trusts teams to take appropriate decisions or actions with broad agreed boundaries. For example, a store manager might leave an experienced departmental manager to develop a budget. This could be because he trusts that the manager has a good knowledge of the needs of the department and of the business. Although each manager will have their own preferred leadership style, the most effective leaders take on a style that is appropriate depending on the situation. They will consider several factors such as: * The task – Is it business critical? Must a decision be made immediately? What will be the potential impact on the business? * The team – Does it have the right skills and resources? Is it used to making decisions? * Tradition – What has been the norm in the past? For example, a manager that uses a more authoritarian style if something needs achieving in a particular way or in a very quick timeframe. Sometimes budgets need to be reduced quickly in order to make cost savings. The store manager will tell departmental managers what needs to be done and by when so that they can then resubmit their budgets in line with expectations. Managers have to be aware of the possible consequences of using the wrong style in a particular situation. For example, a manager will not use a laissez-faire approach with a new member of the team. If the employee is not given proper instruction this could jeopardise the business. In some cases employees could be injured if they don’t use the equipment correctly. In this situation, it is essential to adopt an autocratic style. P8: Compare the application of different motivational theories within the workplace. Theories of motivation Maslow America 1940, Abraham Maslow developed a theory of motivation. The theory is suitable for trying to understand how people are motivated in the workplace. Employers can use it to provide conditions that fulfil people’s needs at the different levels. Maslow’s theory is displayed as a pyramid because employees can only move up the levels once the lower levels are fulfilled. So for example an employee cannot achieve at work (level 4) if they having problems in their personal life or with work colleagues like in (level 3). Similarly, if they have just been made homeless (level) their concern will be finding shelter not performing work, meaning people have to be satisfied with their own needs and their life before even being motivated to do work. Herzberg Herzberg’s theory is also known as the ‘Hygiene’ theory. Herzberg recognized features which make people happy and satisfied with their jobs and those which make them dissatisfied and unhappy he called the ‘satisfiers’ and ‘dissatisfies’. The ‘satisfiers’ are factors which give people continuing motivation and allow them to enjoy their work: * The type of work * Promotion prospects * Having responsibility * Sense of achievement * Personal development * Gaining recognition. The ‘dissatisfies’ or hygiene factors need to be operating well in an organisation but according to Herzberg do not ultimately motivate people. However, if they are unsatisfactory then they do de-motivate people. These are: * Salary * Working conditions * Relationships with others – colleagues and managers * Company policy P9: Evaluate the usefulness of a motivation theory for managers. The motivational theory is useful for managers because of the practical implications it has on individuals lacking in motivation, which in most cases do not have clear goals. Specific performance should systematically be identified and set in order to direct behaviour and maintain motivation. Goals should be set at a challenging but realistic level. Difficult goals lead to higher performances however if goals are set too high a level or regarded as impossible to achieve this can lead to stress and performance will suffer especially over a longer period. It is assumed that complete accurate and timely feedback and knowledge of results is usually associated with high performance. Feedback provides a means of checking progress of goal attainment and forms the basis of any revision of goals. Although goals can be determined either by a superior or by individuals themselves goals set by other people are more likely to be accepted when there is participation. Employee participation in the setting of goals may lead to higher performance P10: Explain the nature of groups and group behaviour within organisations Group work: Good groups achieve synergy; that is, together they can achieve more than the members could individually. More ideas, energy and resources are made as a group because: * The group solves problems and make decisions together * The group focuses on priorities, with everyone working towards the same aim * The group provides a sense of belonging and sense of status * The group provides a support network Not everyone in a group is the same – each person has their own strengths and weaknesses. If each person had the same weaknesses, the group could not work; there needs to be a balance of skills. A method of recognising individuals’ strengths and weaknesses is needed in order to build and effective team. The management expert R. Meredith Belbin has outlined nine team roles necessary for successful team. Belbin’s roles: C hairperson/co-ordinator – the group leader, likely to be relaxed and outgoing person, also likely to be a good communicator. They will build on the strengths of team members and give them encouragement. Plant – the ideas person in the team, a person who is creative in looking for solutions to problems, but not always good at details, and so may make careless mistakes. Shaper – the task leader, who unites ideas and effort. Needs to be dominant and outgoing person in order to make things happen. Monitor/evaluator – the team analyst, who is not so good at ideas but pays attention to detail, therefore keeping the team directed towards its target. Implementer – the organiser of the team, who is able to take the ideas of the plant and shaper and turn them into manageable and realistic tasks, a practical, stable and disciplined person.   Resource investigator – the person who is outgoing and will explore and report on ideas and developments outside the group; this person always has a solution to problems, is sociable and enthusiastic, and good under pressure. Team worker – a very people-oriented person, sensitive to others’ needs. The team worker has good communication skills and will be good at motivating others. A natural mediator, who will deal with any conflict within the team, this person is very good to have around in a crisis. Finisher – a person who sticks to deadlines and likes to get on with things. Will probably be irritated by the more relaxed members of the team. Specialist – this person is single-minded and a self-starter, and provides knowledge and skills in specialist areas. Each of Belbin’s roles acquires a different level of importance according to the objectives of the team and the stage in the team’s life. P11: Discuss factors that may promote or inhibit the development of effective teamwork in organisations. Team development: Formal teams are part of the structure of an organisation and are planned in order to meet that organisation’s objectives. The official team will follow rules and rules and may meet on a fixed schedule and complete administrative procedures. Examples of good practice in travel and tourism include sales teams and marketing teams. Informal teams work within or outside formal teams. They are sometimes based on personal relationships between members rather than on work roles. When you complete group work for assignments, you often choose the colleagues you wish to work with. You choose to work with people you like and ones you know will be as committed as you are to the work. This as an informal team. There are several theories of team structure and development, which will help you to understand the effectiveness of teams. Bruce Tuckman (1965) identified four main stages of team development: Forming – at this stage, team members from their first impressions of each other establish identities. They are sounding each other out and finding out what is expected of them.   Storming – the team members have, by now, become more used to each other. Members are prepared to put forward their ideas forcibly and openly; they are also prepared to disagree and so there may be some conflict and hostility. Norming – the team now begins to establish co-operation. Conflict is controlled, views are exchanged and new standards introduced.   Performing – the team is now working together; it begins to arrive at solutions and achieve objectives. There can also be fifth stage, called ‘adjourning’ or ‘mourning’, where the team has disbanded and the members miss being part of the team. Benefits of team work to colleagues and customers and organisation. The benefit of team work to colleagues is that they get to be confident and have a great self-esteem. Working together makes them communicate well with each other it also makes them makes the right decisions. British Airways staffs respects and trust their teams they all have their clear roles and responsibilities, they support each other in their job, when their team member does not know what they are doing they help one and other out. Their customers are always happy with their service and this gives their company a positive image. British Airways spend a lot of money training their staffs to help their team works together at the end of the day they make a lot of profits. Job roles and lines of responsibility: An organisation chart shows the structure of the company and how the work is divided into different areas. It also shows the lines of responsibility between staff, so that it is apparent who is responsible to whom. An employee studying a chart will find the possible promotion routes. The chart may show a hierarchical structure or line relationship. This is a very traditional structure and shows a chain of command with each person responsible to the person above them. It is sometimes referred to as a pyramid structure. Many organisations today would be depicted in a chart with a flatter structure. There are fewer layers of management, and each manager has a broader span of control. Restructuring of organisations often involves getting rid of middle managers, hence the flattened structure. P12: Evaluate the impact of technology in team functioning within a given organisation.   In this modern day and age the use of IT is very important because of modern technology, and this is also part of some peoples working lives. Same thing is applicable to travel and tourism sector. for most jobs or roles you would IT skills like the uses of databases, spreadsheets and email system and be able to use the word processor as well as skills explicit to a role. For example people working in an airline reservation team will get trained on how to make bookings and reservation systems such as Galileo or Amadeus. In a tourist information centre you would need to be able to access the sites and use the software that provides timetables and local information. Thomas Cook Thomas Cook has an intranet ‘Get in Touch’ facility, to which all staff have access. There is also a dedicated e-mail address for staff to send feedback direct to UK chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa. A spokeswoman added: â€Å"we issue an annual staff questionnaire to gain a temperature check on morale and motivation within the company’. Thomas Cook also runs panel sessions – made up of a cross-selection of the business – which are held regularly to provide feedback on new ideas and marketing initiatives. Other internal forms of communication include a quarterly magazine and monthly videos for stores. Electric: Electric communications for internal use include e-mail, which is a popular way for staff to communicate with one other, and intranets. An intranet is a website that has restricted access, usually for employees only. It may hold information that a company wishes to share internally but not externally. Working in a team will also motivate staff to interact and also learn skills off their peers because one person can represent more than one role, as most people have strengths in more than one area. References/Bibliography http://www.publicorgtheory.org/organization-theory.html http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/tesco/developing-appropriate-leadership-styles/management-and-leadership.html#ixzz2HxoCDjYE Management & Organisational behaviour by Laurie J. Mullins (Ninth edition)