Organisational Behaviours and HRM Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organisational Behaviours and HRM - Coursework Example rce management and staff management may differ in so many ways depending on the scope, nature of the roles and even the services with human resource management being broader in perspective in both compared to staff management that is narrower in perspective. They too have similarities. The similarities can be summarized in terms of; Payroll & Associated Tasks, new staff recruitment procedures, the documentation processes, and models. In terms of models, both focus on the significance of integrating personnel and human resource management techniques with organizational objectives (Armstrong, 2006) so that both can aim to achieve a common overall objective. The organizational behavior concept and human processes are quite basic in relationship. Organizational behavior concept manifest themselves as some regulations or guidelines that define how employees in a given organization should conduct themselves when they want to engage themselves within certain activities like politics, examples include; organization culture, politics, and ethics. Human resource management, on the other hand, is concerned with implementing the said concepts by doing whatever is necessary to develop strategies of setting rules for the concerned employees. Example, under the organization concept of organization culture, human resource will be concerned with acting as an amplifier of the organization culture using any communication means like employee orientation to help him/her understand the said culture. The same is true for other concepts. The primary responsibility of a human resource manager is to ensure that human resources are utilized and managed as efficiently and effectively as possible (Saiyadain, 1999). Particularly, he/she does; recruitment and selection as well as developing the workplace as required by the organization. He also sees through that all employees receive the required training that is relevant to their job. Others are; motivating employees, ensuring a balance

Norwegian International Ship (NIS) Register: Pros and Cons

Norwegian International Ship (NIS) Register: Pros and Cons Introduction The concept of ship registration dates back to the time when vessels started to sail under national flags. Belonging to different countries, the nationality of a ship provides not only protection of the owners rights, support and other advantages, but also responsibilities and certain limitations. Registration means subjecting the ship to the jurisdiction of a country. However, the ways and approaches to ship registration were not rigid and inflexible. Prior to the 1980s, national registers were the only phenomenon in the ship registration practice. But the so-called open registers appeared due to several developing countries, such as Panama, Liberia and the Bahamas. They provided more flexible conditions and lower costs than national registers. Ship owners were attracted by open registers to become more competitive in comparison with their rivals. The response of the developed countries was to introduce international or second registers that gave wider opportunities than national on es, but provided better technical support and service to the member-vessels. The current literature review is aimed at providing the overall classification of ship register types and to concentrate on the four registering companies: NIS, NOR (Norwegian Ship registers), IOM Ship Register (Isle of Man) and UK Ship Register. Definition, Classification and Functions of Ship Registers Rayfuse (2004) argues that according to existing international legislation, ships are allowed to sail under the flag of one country only. Consequently, the concept of a ship register or flag state addresses a vessel to the state, which carries out the regulatory control over this ship (Harwood, 2006). However, this registration will imply further certification and inspection of the ship. Special attention is given by ship registers to the maintenance of environmental regulations and the prevention of pollution (Raikes, 2009). Hinkelman (2005) proposed an overwhelming classification of ship registers types. The researcher argues that all the register types are subdivided into national registers, flags of convenience (FOCs), second registers and bareboat charter registers. In the case of national registers, the direct link between the nationality of the vessels owner and the flag state is implied. National registers are often referred to as closed registers (Hinkelman, 2005). Flags of convenience (FOCs) do not directly link the nationality of the owner with the state flag. On the contrary, they are foreign registers, which provide more convenient conditions for the ship owners. Bareboat charter registers grant the possibility to obtain for vessels a foreign registration for a certain time period. However, they retain their primary registration (Hinkelman, 2005). The current dissertation focuses predominantly on second and national registers. Second registers are often referred to as offshore registers. Their operation is determined by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) (Mulcahy and Tillotson, 2004). This type of register is usually established either by the separate legislation in the country, which already has a national (primary register), or in the offshore territory with the direct legal connection to the host country. The main second registers are the Norwegian International Ship Register (NIS) (Norway), Isle of Man (UK), Madeira (Portugal), Kerguelen (France) and Danish International Ship Register (DIS) (Denmark) (Farthing and Brownrigg, 1997). From the standpoint of the world economy, the main function of international ship registers is to assist in global maritime commerce. According to Odeke (1998) this assistance may be seen in eliminating certain restrictions and limitations imposed by primary registers. Besides the implementation of the official control function, international registers protect the rights of the owners of vessels. Furthermore, second registers tend to subscribe certain original regulations for vessels owners. They stipulate definite manning, taxation rules and safety requirements (Chircop and LindÃÆ'Â ©n, 2006). For instance, the nationality requirements for manning are usually relaxed by the international registers. At the same time, the second register country has the right to call all registered vessels in the event of war or other emergencies (DeSombre, 2006). Klikauer and Morris (2002) argue that it is beneficial for countries to have their own second registers. International registers charge registration taxes and fees from the vessels owners. Even providing the above mentioned services to the ships, they remain profitable. International registers attract ship owners, as they ordinary provide more favourable conditions and terms than those of the home states (Raikes, 2009). It may be even stated that the second registers compete against each other in attracting new candidates. Norwegian International Ship (NIS) Register Background The Norwegian International Ship Register was founded in 1987. The second register provides the possibility of the registration and certification for vessels under the flag of Norway, which has been an outstanding nautical nation since the time of the Vikings. The main purpose of the NIS is formulated as the following: to offer a flexible and commercially attractive alternative to open registers while retaining the essential features of quality registers (Branch, 2007, p. 164). The organisation was established to compete against other international registers for the benefit of Norway. The Norwegian International Ship Register allows the certification of the following types of ships: hovercraft, cargo and self-propelled ships, movable platforms and installations. The citizenship of the owner is not limited or restricted by the NIS. The ships sailing under the Norwegian flag have to subject to the jurisdiction of that country. The key differences with the ordinary NOR may be seen in the following. First, according to the NIS, direct certification of foreign companies is allowed which is not possible in case of NOR. Secondly, according to the NIS, the employment of foreign crew with the standard local salary level is allowed. Limitations of the NIS The limitations subscribed by the NIS were originally formulated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) of Norway and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The main limitation of the NIS is that the ships under the Norwegian flag are not allowed to carry passengers or cargo from one Norwegian port to another Norwegian port. Furthermore, regular transportation of passengers between foreign and Norwegian ports is not permitted either. It is specified that Norwegian gas and oil installations are considered to be Norwegian ports from the standpoint of this limitation. Despite the fact that the NIS legislation allows foreign ownership of the vessel, owners are obliged to have a Norwegian representative. This requirement may be also interpreted as a limitation for foreign owners. Another limitation may be seen in the fact that a foreign crew of the vessel is not allowed to carry out all the technical and commercial maintenance operations by themselves. Furthermore, their home country cannot be involved in these operations either. The NIS legislation implies the participation of the third party, a Norwegian company, which will accomplish the minimum set of technical and commercial operations for a foreign vessel. Hence, a certain degree of dependence in technical and financial operations for foreign vessels may be classified as a limitation because crew cannot make a choice of their own. At the same time, the NIS legislation does not limit the age of the vessel to be registered. The main requirement is satisfactory technical functioning of the ship. The Number of Registered Ships It is reasonable to trace back the dynamics of the registered quantities of vessels in the NIS. At the beginning of 1999, the number of registered vessels was equal to 705. In forthcoming years it was fluctuating and finally dropped. In 2000, 2001 and 2002 the number of the registered vessels constituted 712, 717 and 693 respectively. However, in 2008, this figure constituted only 577 vessels. The NIS registered 358 vessels owned by the Norwegians and 192 owned by foreigners. This illustrates that the general tend in the number of NIS registration was decreasing. To estimate the NIS registration in tonnage, the following indicators can be mentioned. During the period from 1999 to 2005, the tonnage of the NIS registered vessels changed from 19,000 gross tons to around 14,000 gross tons. Again, the overall trend for the NIS registers in tonnage was decreasing. Advantages The following advantages can be attributed to registration in the NIS. Norwegians are universally recognised as a competent and experienced maritime nation. The Norwegian taxation system is relatively mild in comparison with the overall European taxation regulations. The Norwegian judicial system characterises itself as one of the most predictable and sophisticated towards the maritime business. The NIS system has a very good reputation, which eliminates further inspection of the cargo in foreign ports. The registered vessels will reap all the benefits of high-quality tonnage. The implementation by the NIS of other international standards, such as ILO, IMO, ISM, SOLAS, WTO, OECD and MARPOL, increases the universality and uniformity of their legislation, which is advantageous for trade. The NIS provides more than 500 service stations on a global scale, which are easy to apply to for technical and financial management and support. The income of the crews including foreign citizens is not taxed by the Norwegian authorities. Disadvantages It may be argued that the following disadvantages can be found in the NIS. Foreign owners and cargo or passenger transportation companies are not permitted to enter the internal Norwegian market. The NIS legislation does not allow transportation between Norwegian ports for foreign vessels. However, this disadvantage is recognised by foreign owners only. The Norwegian authorities secure themselves against additional competition in the sea transportation market, which is recognised as an advantage for them. Foreign ships have no possibility to turn to their domestic technical and financial support services. Ship owners have to coordinate their payments to the employees within Norwegian legislation. Mandatory participation of the Norwegian representative in the communication with the Norwegian government. Norwegian Ordinary Register (NOR) Background The Norwegian Ordinary Register (NOR) has certain similarities with the NIS, but the main difference may be found in the class of the register. According to the above given classification, the NOR belongs to the national type of registers. It means, that it emphasises the direct link between the nationality of the owner and the host country. The NOR can be considered a closed register. The NOR legislation implies two options upon registration of vessels: mandatory and voluntary registrations. The mandatory registration is necessary for all the Norwegian vessels, which have a length of 15 meters or more. However, if they are already registered in other countries (have international or second registration), the NOR registration is not required. The voluntary option of registration can be applied to the Norwegian vessels, which have a length from 7 to 15 meters. In addition, other vessels, which are not used for commercial purposes may be registered voluntarily according to the NOR. Floating docks and cranes, hovercrafts and installations and moving platforms can be registered on the voluntary basis. In all the other cases, which are prescribed by the Act concerning the Registration and Marking of Fishing Vessels, the registration of vessels is mandatory. Limitations of the NOR According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2005), the main limitations of the NOR may be found in its nature of being a national or closed register. In particular, to be registered by the NOR, the shipping company is to be owned by an EEA citizen. Nevertheless, non-EEA ownership is possible too, but the share owned by the EEA citizens must be no less than 60%. If compared with the NIS, such limitation does not exist there. On registration in the NOR, the company that owns a vessels becomes a company with limited liability. The headquarters of a cargo or passenger transporter must be on the territory of the EEA. Similar requirements are attributed to the crew of the vessel registered in accordance with the NOR standards. The prevailing majority of the crew members including the captain itself are to be EEA citizens, who had resided in the EEA area the two preceding years. Another limitation deals with the technical and financial management of the registered vessel. The NOR legislation allows technical support for a vessel from a Norwegian technical servicer only. The maintenance may be given abroad, but this company has to ultimately belong to Norway. The Number of Registered Ships In 2007, the total number of vessels registered in NOR was equal to 749. In 2008, this figure increased by 2.8% and was equal to 770. The NOR registration in tonnage was equal to 2,411 gross tons in 2007. In 2008, this figure decreased and constituted only 2,305 gross tons. It is quite difficult to comment about the tend in the NOR registrations because the two recent years demonstrated a small rise in numbers, but a fall in tonnage. Advantages The following advantages are usually attributed to the NOR. The vessels operating in the inner market reap the benefits of high-quality support and the protection of foreign competitors. Sophisticated and highly experienced maritime tradition contributes greatly to the development of sea transportation businesses for different types of vessels. It is beneficial for ship owners that the country has two types of ship registers: national and international. Disadvantages The following disadvantages may be seen in the NOR registration for vessels. The registration fees are not stable and fluctuate from year to year depending on the prescriptions of the Maritime Act. Opportunities of technical support are limited only to the domestic providers of this service. It may be concluded that as Norwegian International Ship (NIS) Register and Norwegian Ordinary Registers (NOR) belong to one country, they have much in common. However, the main difference between these registers is that they belong to different register groups: national (NOR) and international or second (NIS) registers. The NOR completely binds the registered ships to the host country, Norway. It may be noticed in terms of ownership, cooperation with maintenance and support services and the location of the headquarters. The NIS naturally allows foreign ownership, but the limitation of mandatory service remains. Moreover, companies are obliged to have a Norwegian representative. UK Register Background The UK register is part of the Maritime and Coastal Agency (MCA), which controls and monitors all of the marine activity in the UK. Since the UK is a kingdom, all of the activity is ultimately answerable to Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain. The UK register is a closed register. The UK register handles: Merchant ships Fishing vessels Large yachts Pleasure Crafts/ Small ships With 116 (UK Ship Register, 2010) ports around the UK, all of the above vessels can register and receive a UK flag. Although the register provides a list of restrictions on who can be registered, it covers quite a wide range of geographical locations (e.g. British Dependant territories citizens, EEA countries, those that have a registered business in one of the EEA countries). Benefits of having a UK Flag The UK flag is considered to be one of the best performing flags in the world, ranking 3rd (lowest by risk) in the Paris MoU list The UK Flag is one of the top performing Flags on the Paris MoU White List' (UK register, 2010). The register is proud to offer their customers assistance both before and after registration. Financially, it rewards its members with relatively low annual renewal fees and contributes around ÂÂ £1.4 million to a Crew Relief Cost Scheme. Furthermore, UK registered ships are not targeted by Port State Control regimes in the worlds major trading areas ISPS plan approvals and verification audits at no cost to owners and operators An international reputation for expert advice and guidance with a proactive leading role at the IMO, EU and Quality Shipping Committees Worldwide security threat level information provided to UK registered ships with support for British Nationals on board from British Consuls and Royal Navy protection dependent on the availability of assets and exact situation Quality Assurance offering certification to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards with audits being taken in harmonisation with ISM Alternate Compliance Scheme: A voluntary scheme that streamlines the survey and certification process by minimising duplication of effort with Classification Societies. Eligibility is conditional upon certain criteria being met (UK Register, 2010). Disadvantages of the UK Flag The National Audit Office (2009) has reported that the efficiency with which the MAC operates has deteriorated over the years. Until 2000 the agency have managed to carry out all of the required surveys in order to check the quality of the ships that operate under a UK flag. However, by 2007, the targets were not met. Furthermore, it was predicted, that the targets would not be met again in 2008-2009. Failure to meet its targets will increase the risk that UK vessels which do not comply with regulations operate without detection in UK ports and waters (National Audit Office, 2009, p.5). In order to be efficient, the MAC needs more resources However, at the moment, even the cost of surveys are not met by the revenues that are brought in by the owners of the vessels. Another worrying fact, is that the quality of the UK flag, which has been enjoying a very good reputation over the years, is starting to disappear. The audit has found that an increasing number of UK flag holders are being detained overseas due to the inability to pass quality checks. Although relatively this detention number is lower compared to other flags, it has been argued that the difference is getting smaller every year. Partly, because the quality of the other flags is increasing and partly because the quality of the UK flag vessels is deteriorating. Registered Ships In order to increase the growth in registered ships, the Government has introduced a tonnage tax in 2000. In turn, instead of charging vessels on the profits that they make off their activities, they are now charged on the tonnage of their vessels. This regulatory measure has allowed the UK register to see a good increase in the number of vessels. By the end of 2007 the UK registered merchant fleet had grown from 1,050 to 1,518. Of these, 646 vessels were trading vessels compared with 417 vessels in 2000 (National Audit Office, 2009, p.5). The tonnage that was brought in also increased. In 2007, the average tonnage per vessel increased from 11,000 to 19,000. This increase had an interesting effect on the number of overseas surveys that the MCA had to perform in 2007. Nearly a quarter of them had to be done overseas. This is a large increase, considering that in 2000-2001, 5% were performed overseas, while the rest were done domestically (National Audit Office, 2009, p.5). Large increases were also seen in the number of Certificates of Equivalent Competency that were issued, from 3,244 in 2003 to 4,722 in 2007. However, although absolute numbers have increased, the overall rate of growth has declined. In 2007, the fleet grew by 10%, compared to 13.33% average growth from 2001 to 2003. The MAC argues that too many external factors are at play, which do not allow them to enhance the growth with more control. For example, the MAC found that some shipping companies were happy to wait and see whether the EU would bring in a tonnage tax as well, before making the final decision on their flagging. In turn, this shows that although the UK ship register provides a large number of benefits, they are not relatively strong enough to become a deciding factor for the shipping companies. Isle of Man Registry Background Isle of Man Registry (IOM) works closely with the Isle of Man government to provide relevant solutions to its members. Tynwald (the local parliament) is ultimately answerable to the Crown, however, as has long been agreed, the UK government does not legislate the IOM, and therefore, shipping legislation is approved by Tynwald alone. The Isle of Man operates a Category One, Red Ensign Group British Register that provides for the registration of ships of any size or type. The Isle of Man Register is a component part of the British Register (The Red Ensign Group, 2010). IOM registry is relatively new, established only in 1984. Over the years, the IOM has seeked local private solutions for its clients, and today works closely with local marine lawyers, accountants, PI clubs and even banks, bringing a diverse, one-stop-shop solution to anyone who registers. Due to its offshore jurisdiction capabilities and proximity to Europe, IOM can provide a highly competitive solution. The IOM strongly competes on its tax exemption regime, its financial centre capabilities and developed technical solutions whilst on the island. The IOM registers a large number of different vessels, including VLCC, superyachts, fishing boats and pleasure crafts. Advantages of the IOM The Isle of Man Ship Registry has recently been voted best in the world, claiming the top spot in the international shipping industry round table annual flag state performance table (PDMS, 2008). Like the rest of the registrars, IOM conveys that it will provide the ship owners with the cost-efficient and customer-friendly solution. Quality is key to the Isle of Man, where our reputation as a high quality jurisdiction makes us the flag of choice for todays modern maritime business (IOM, 2010). Furthermore, the website states that this registers customer service has a can-do approach. A professional Ship Registry providing a high quality of service available 24/7 with fast response to queries Reasonable costs and no annual tonnage dues A favourable taxation regime designed to encourage business The right to fly the Red Ensign and access the support of British consular services world-wide and British Royal Navy protection Flexibility in the requirements for registered owners The availability of Demise registry both IN and OUT Support for ships treated unfairly by Port State Control Full political support for shipping ISO 9001/2008 Accreditation Not a Flag of Convenience Regular advice bulletins on key issues to help owners respond to them (IOM, 2010). Unlike the rest of the registers, it can be argued that IOM offers a number of unique solutions and help. For example, the Ship Managers and Owner Association (IOMSA) brings together the ship owners with the relevant legal and financial representatives, where they are able to discuss outstanding issues and come up with solutions. A similar association is offered to the superyachts sector (Manx Yacht Forum). In turn, it can be argued, that the register can see the issues quickly and address them, which takes the customer service to a different level. Furthermore, since a large proportion of its business is coming from the private yacht owners, the IOM offers one annual yacht fee, which includes all of the charges and exemptions in it already. This makes it very easy for the owners to delegate all of their paper work to the registers, without getting involved in the complex structure of the system. The Annual Report (2008) puts strong emphases on the quality of the vessels that register with the IOM registry. Consistent quality checks before the registration and during the time that the vessel is under the IOM flag, reflects in the strong decline in the number of accidents that the IOM are subject to. Over 5 years, the number of accidents declined from 53 in 2004 to 35 in 2008 (Annual Report, 2008, p. 20). The Number of Registered Ships The IOM has grown over the years, yet, this growth has never been aggressive. In 2008, its main growth was in the registration of yachts, where the target was to register 1 per month. In 2008, 995 vessels were sailing under the IOM flag. Figure 1. IOM registered vessels by type Source: IOM, Annual Report, 2008, p. 10 It is extremely important for the IOM register to be within the first third on the Paris MOU register. So far, out of 83 members of the Paris MOU, they have managed to stay within the first 11. Figure 2: Paris MOU register and IOM position Source: Annual Report, 2008, p. 21 Conclusion The literature review has shown that there are the second registers have been developed by the countries in order to compete with those that were offered by the developing countries. The closed registers examined still prevail in size (by the number of registered vessels), however, the difference is not very large. Each of the registers offers their members a large number of benefits. However, as the case with NIS has shown, reluctance to be flexible is likely to results in less demand for their services. It was interesting to see the results produced by IOM. The registry has managed to grow steadily, despite having a large amount of competition. The low costs that the IOM offers has not impacted on the quality of the service provided. It has been found that the UK Register is much bigger in size than NOR and enjoys a steady growth. Despite the deteriorating ability to meet its survey targets, it still has the 3rd place in the MOU whitelist (see Appendix). It can be argued that if the vessels are less likely to be detained overseas due to deficiencies, this plays an important part on their ability to make a profit. Therefore, low risk registers, such as the UK Register is likely to be more attractive. Both NIS and NOR has seen a decline in their registered members. It can be argued that unlike the UK register and the IOM, they did not make enough competitive changes to stay attractive. References AppleBy (2009) Brief: Ship registration in the Isle of Man [online]: http://dc.co.im/uploaded/Publication/1362_File_5.pdf [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Branch, A. (2007) Elements of shipping, 7th ed., Taylor Francis, p. 164 Burroughs R (1984) Offshore supply vessels: An emerging maritime industry Maritime Policy Management, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 269 276 The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (2008) UK Ship Register continues to grow [online]: http://www.ciltuk.org.uk/pages/industry-news/article?EBA1745A-D18A-4443-A2FE-946C24DFD242 [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Chircop, A. and LindÃÆ'Â ©n, O. (2006) Places of refuge for ships: emerging environmental concerns of a maritime custom, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, p. 265 Department of Trade and Industry (2010) Registration of Manx Ships [online]: http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/dti/shipregistry/Registration/rans/ran01registrationofmanxships.pdf [Accessed on 2 March 2010] DeSombre, E. (2006) Flagging standards: globalization and environmental, safety, and labor regulations at sea, MIT Press, p. 83 Farthing, B. and Brownrigg, M. (1997) Farthing on international shipping, 3rd ed., the University of Virginia, p. 187 Harwood, S. (2006) Shipping finance, 3rd ed., Euromoney Books, pp. 200-204 Hinkelman, E. (2005) Dictionary of international trade: handbook of the global trade community includes 21 key appendices, 6th ed., World Trade Press, p. 374 IOM (2008) Annual Report, [online]: http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/dti/shipregistry/formsdocs/reports/iomsr/reportfinalwebsiteonly.pdf [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Isle of Man (2010) Ship registry [online]: http://www.gov.im/dti/shipregistry/ [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Isle of Man Government (2010) Registry: Qualified Owners [online]: http://www.gov.im/dti/shipregistry/registration/qualifiedowners.xml [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Klikauer, T. and Morris, R. (2002) Into murky waters: Globalisation and deregulation in Germanys shipping employee relations, Employee Relations, Vol. 24, Issue: 1, pp. 12-28 Mulcahy, L. and Tillotson, J. (2004) Contract law in perspective, 4th ed., Routledge Cavendish, p. 147 National Audit Office (2009) The Maritime and Coastguard Agencys Response to Growth in the UK Merchant Fleet Great Britain, [online]: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sdq=HYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sUK+Ship+RegisterHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_slr=HYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navli nks_sHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_ssource=gbs_navlinks_s [Accessed on 2 March 2010] NOR (2010) NOR [online]: http://www.nis-nor.no/NOR.aspx [Accessed on 2 March 2010] NIS (2010) NIS [online]: http://www.nis-nor.no/NHYPERLINK http://www.nis-nor.no/NOR.aspxISHYPERLINK http://www.nis-nor.no/NOR.aspx.aspx [Accessed on 2 March 2010] PDMS (2008) Client: Isle of Man Register [online] http://www.pdms.com/clients/casestudies/marineadmin.xml [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Odeke, A. (1998) Bareboat charter (ship) registration, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, pp. 8-9 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2005) National treatment for foreign-controlled enterprises, OECD Publishing, p. 73 Paris MOU (2010) Black Grey White list [online]: http://www.parismou.org/upload/anrep/BGWlist2006-2008.pdf [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Paris MOU (2010) Basic Figures [online]: http://www.parismou.org/ParisMOU/Statistical+information/Basic+figures/xp/menu.4270/default.aspx [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Raikes, F. (2009) The Maritime Codes of Italy, BiblioBazaar, LLC, p. 115 Rayfuse, R. (2004) Non-flag state enforcement in high seas fisheries, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, p. 22 Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2009) Research Methods for Business Students, 5th ed., Pearson Education, pp. 56-66 Ship Management (2010) Isle of Man to introduce annual fee in April [online] http://www.shipmanagementinternational.com/?p=1557 [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Sletmo G. and S. HosteÂÂ  (1993) Shipping and the competitive advantage of nations: the role of international

America Does NOT Need Gun Control Essay -- Argument Paper Argumentativ

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the years, a great amount of effort and money has been spent on legislation regarding gun control. Gun control advocates maintained that increased gun control could reduce the soaring crime rates found in cities across America. However, most of the arguments used for gun control are the result of careful manipulation of data and emotional appeal. These â€Å"myths† are twisted by our liberal media until they are seen as the truth. However, despite the claims of gun control activists, gun control does not reduce crime, it only leaves law abiding citizens increasingly vulnerable to violent crime.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One common claim of gun control advocates is that gun control in foreign countries, notably Great Britain, is responsible for their lower crime rates. They present statistics showing that Britain has lower murder rates than America, but skip some other interesting information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First, the gun control methods used in Britain include searches and other checks found unconstitutional in America. Also, the British are far more successful than Americans in prosecuting criminals. For instance, 20% of robberies reported in London end in conviction, compared to only 5% in New York City (Ten Myths 5).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a broader sense, consider that despite the fact that in a typical year about 8.1 million violent crimes will be committed in America, only 724 thousand will be arrested. Of those, only 150 thousand will receive prison sentences, and over 36 thousand will serve less than one year terms. The biggest problem in America is our revolving door justice system (Ten Myths 3).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Despite the efficiency of British investigative procedures, the British armed robbery rate has never been less than twice the highest recorded before the gun control laws took effect in 1920. In fact, over the last twelve years, the British armed robbery rate has increased an astonishing 300% while the American rate has dropped (Ten Myths 5). Also, from 1930 to 1975, the British murder rate has increased 50% while the American murder rate rose 30%. Another foreign nation, Jamaica, totally prohibited gun ownership in 1974. By 1980, Jamaica’s gun murder rate was six times that of Washington D.C., which has the highest rate of any American city. However, Switzerland, Israel, Denmark and Finland, all of whom have a higher gun ownership rate than America, all have lower crim... ...educe crime. I. Introduction II. â€Å"Myths of Gun Control   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Foreign gun control works   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Gun control reduces â€Å"crimes of passion†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C. Criminals do not fear armed citizens   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  D. Guns contribute to crime   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  E. Criminals are constitutionally exempt from gun control   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  F. American favor gun control   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  G. Police support gun control   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H. Registry is a harmless aspect of gun control   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I. Gun control reduces crime III. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Solutions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Final analysis and personal observations WORKS CITED Bender, David ed. Would Gun Control Reduce Crime? St. Paul: Greenhaven Press, 1984. Matza, Michael. â€Å"Do more guns mean less crime? No point blank answers† Philadelphia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enquirer 31 May, 2007. NCPA Crime Summary. Available (Online) http://www.arcrafts.com/think/Essays/NCPA Crime.html. 4 April 2007. Pratt, Larry. â€Å"Concealed guns save lives.† USA Today. 26 April, 2007. natl. ed. Rogers, Bill. â€Å"Gun Locks Go Faster Than Police Can Hand Them Out.† Naples Daily News. 27   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  March, 2006, natl. ed. Ten Myths About â€Å"Gun Control.† Available (Online)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.arcrafts.com/think/Essays/Ten.html. 4 April 2007.

Learning Activaties Essay

When working with children especially children who you support in class you will be given the opportunity to input your own ideas into the teachers planning, as you have your own areas of expertise or if you are a one-to-one you will have your own knowledge of the child you work with. When you work with children with special needs they will need more structure in the activities that they do every day and you will be aware of their strengths and weaknesses. The child that I work with in school has a range of difficulties from social communication difficulties to a speech and language problem. Everyday is different because he is so interchangeable, one day he will sit and work with me and the next he will not want anything to do with me, sometimes this makes it hard as most of the work we do is structured around work given by various professionals who come into school to support him (speech and language, education psychologist, communication and interaction team and learning support). Because I work with him every day I can see what works with him and what doesn’t and just about daily I have to give feedback to her so that we can both plan the lessons for him for the next day. Here are a few examples of when I have offered constructive suggestions in supporting planned learning activities:- I was sat with the teacher one morning before the children came into school because that is when we do our planning for the child I support or we modify anything that he has to be supported with in class. I noticed that the teacher had planned an arts and craft lesson that involved the use of tissue paper, the child that I support does not like the touch or feel of tissue paper (I had done an activity with him the other week which had resulted in him refusing to anything else with the tissue paper has he did not like the feel he got so upset and I had to put the tissue paper away). I mentioned this to the teacher because I wanted my child to be involved with the lesson but I did not what them to disrupt the rest of the class. So we decided that we would alter the materials we were using not just for the child that I support but for the whole class so that he could feel included in the whole lesson. Another example was when I was working with a group of children doing a numeracy lesson. The lesson was about rounding numbers up to the nearest ten, I had a group of six children one of which as special needs first the teacher explained to them in class what they were expected to and told them how to do it, I then took the six children out side of the class and supported them with the lesson. The children found the task very difficult and could not grasp the idea of rounding off numbers to the nearest ten. When I took them back into the class room I talked to the teacher and explained that most of them found the task hard and suggested that we modify the task by letting them use a number line to help then see how to round the numbers off to the nearest ten. She agreed that i was right and said that it was a good idea for tomorrow’s numeracy lesson. By doing this I gave constructive suggestions to the teacher and supported planned learning activities.

Effects of Reducing Class Size Essay

Education plays an important role in the society particularly on the development of the technical necessities, character build-up and the growth of the skills of each individual for the civilization’s improvement. Under this principle that the society itself and the concerned groups devote much attention and efforts in expanding and developing the educational system in the present to realize better benefits and potential for the people in general. This includes the constant study and improvement in the educational strategies and approaches being implemented in the common facilities and institution operating in this aspect. In this concept, the approach of reducing the size of the classes gathers much positive criticisms and reactions establishing this system to be an advantage for the general educational aspect. Class size is mainly the sectionalized grouping of the student community depending on the factors of institutions, grade level, and others including potentials, skills and even grades. In this aspect, the reduction of the class size is viewed to be a relevant factor on the development of the general cause as this is expected to result to more focused and close attention for each student in his or her respective classes. Indeed, the number of students is an important factor in the effectiveness and efficiency of the education given as this will determine the distribution of efforts, attention, and the participation of each student under the class grouping. Having a smaller class will give more time for the educational facilitator to focus more on the progress, problems, and performance of each student and the entire class as it now has smaller quantity. In addition, smaller classes are also more manageable making it an ideal learning environment for the students. In the aspect of class size reduction, consider the experience of the author of this paper regarding the actual observation of the learning environment in small size classes. In an actual experience, being in a small size class is indeed effective and more efficient for both the students and the facilitator. As observed, the teacher in small size classes can easily attend and observe the progress and performance of each of his or her student, as they are only quantifiably small. The teacher can also devote a significant portion of his time and effort for each student towards attending to their needs, monitoring their progress, and having an interpersonal communication for encouragement and evaluation. On the other hand, students in small size classes can easily approach their teacher as he or she has sufficient time for each. In addition, the environment is not that crowded and is manageable thus, radiating an inviting and progressive environment for the students. In general, the approach of reducing the class size in the educational institutions is indeed advantageous and effective for the progressive learning development of the student population for the development of the next generation.

Symptoms of the Black Death

Symptoms of the Black Death The Black Death is a plague which killed millions of people. In one particularly destructive explosion, over a third of the whole European population might have died in a few years in the mid 14th century, a process which changed history, birthing, among other things, the start of the modern age and the Renaissance. For a history of the Black Death in Europe, see our page here. This is an explanation of what happens when someone contracts it. You really have to hope you never do! How you get the Black Death Despite plenty of people trying to claim other things, the evidence comfortably points to The Black Death being Bubonic Plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia Pestis . A human being usually receives this by being bitten by a flea which has ingested the disease from the blood of a house rat. The infected flea has had its system blocked by the disease, and remains hungry, regurgitating older infected blood into a human before drinking new blood, spreading infection. The rat’s flea doesn’t usually target humans, but seeks them out as new hosts once their colony of rats die off from the plague; other animals could also be affected. Plague carrying fleas didn’t have to come straight from a rat, as the fleas could survive for several weeks in bundles of cloth and other items humans conveniently came into contact with. On rarer occasions, a human could receive the disease from infected droplets which had been sneezed or coughed out into the air from a sufferer of a va riation called Pneumonic Plague. Even rarer still was infection from a cut or sore. Symptoms Once bitten, a victim experienced symptoms like headaches, chills, high temperatures and extreme tiredness. They might have nausea and pain throughout their body. Within several days the bacteria had begun affecting the body’s lymph nodes, and these swelled up into painful large lumps called ‘buboes’ (from which the disease takes its popular name: Bubonic Plague). Usually those nodes closest to the initial bite were first, which normally meant in the groin, but those under the arms and in the neck were also affected. They could reach the size of an egg. Suffering great pain, you could then die, roughly a week after you were first bitten. From the lymph nodes the plague could spread and internal bleeding would begin. The sufferer would expel blood in their waste, and black spots could appear all over the body. Sufferers with the spots almost invariably died, and this is noted in the chronicles of the day. The disease could spread to the lungs, giving the victim Pneumonic Plague, or into the bloodstream, giving Septicaemic Plague, which killed you before the buboes appeared. Some people did recover from the Black Death – Benedictow gives a figure of 20% - but contrary to the beliefs of some survivors they did not gain an automatic immunity. Medieval Reaction Medieval doctors identified numerous symptoms of the plague, many of which correlate with modern knowledge. The process of the illness through its stages wasn’t fully understood by medieval and early modern doctors, and some interpreted the buboes as signs the body was trying to vent foul liquids. They then attempted to relieve the illness by lancing the buboes. A punishment from God was seen at the frequent underlying course, although quite how and why God was inflicting this was heatedly discussed. The situation wasnt one of total scientific blindness, as Europe has always been blessed with proto-scientists, but it was confused and unable to react like modern science. Even so, you can still see this confusion exist today when it comes to popular understanding of illness.

Home Burial’s Character Analysis

Home Burial’s Character Analysis Home Burial’s Character Analysis Robert Frosts Home Burial is an absorbing and engaging description of marriage life and the events that follow the tragic loss of a family member. This narrative describes the confrontation that is shared between a wife and her husband in the aftermath of grieving for their departed son. The poem was written by Frost after he and his wife experienced the loss of their four-year-old son. Because of this terrible incident, Frost was able to deliver the experiences and frustrations that husband and wives go through after the occurrence of the tragedy. A tragic hero is one that demonstrates strength in the face of daunting circumstances and is also a source of strength to others. {t_essay_order} At the beginning of the narrative, the husband seems to be mainly apathetic about the loss of their son, but it soon becomes clear that his way of grieving is different from that of his wife. The poem demonstrates that men have different way of grieving from the one typical of women. The husband shows strength and composure. He proceeds in carrying out his everyday activities by stating that three hazy dawns coupled with a rainy day are enough to rot the finest birth fence built by a man. The husband illustrates the traits of a classic tragic hero, as it is regarded by the society, and expects men to be the figure of strength and poise in the face of tragic circumstances. This example shows how the husband is trying to move on from the loss through resorting to work. Additionally, the husband demonstrates heroism while speaking about his departed son and saying cant a man speak of his own dead child. Through the use of words, the husband is able to keep his sons memory alive. However, the husband is also selfish and insensitive and lacks respect for his wifes feelings The wifes sensitive, unrelenting and stubborn nature generates anger in the husband who is ready to use force against her. The wife is too attached that even in walking down the stairs she is frequently looking over her shoulder at some fear. She is a heroin to some extend, as she is unable to forget her sons memory so quickly, the way she assumes her husband has done. However, she fails to accept the tragedy and to move on with her life. The husband is domineering and unsympathetic in this situation, which might be viewed as his own way of being strong for both of them as he displays frustration be it in somewhat gentle tone of voice. Feminine audience may want to view the narrative from a totally feministic point of view, and insist that the male character is completely wrong and the female character is the victim of lack of genuine concern. The couples different approaches to grieving are seen as the tip of an already existent iceberg in their marriage as the narrative progresses and not as the lack of understanding from the husband. Many of these problems lie in the wifes self absorbed behavior of consuming anger and unhappiness. Her attitude towards her marriage and life in general is so fine lined that she ends up creating a drift in the relationship, as she makes them both victims of her personal issues. The authors intention of making his audience read through the lines and capture the selfish nature of a person, and the power their misery has in causing havoc to others is clear. The husband is the stronger of the two characters and he demonstrates heroism by trying to move on from the loss, albeit in a sensitive way to his wife. Heroism comes from finding a silver lining in the middle of the storm, and guiding others in weathering the storm as well. The wife is not particularly portraying heroism in tragedy as she displays emotional wreck and does not want to accept reality. She is clearly self absorbed and tries to use the opportunity of death as a scapegoat to lashing out at her husband to her anger and unhappiness in the marriage.

CE vs. AD

CE vs. AD CE vs. AD CE vs. AD By Maeve Maddox A reader takes issue with my use of the designation CE instead of AD in this sentence: â€Å"A mix of these tribes migrated to England in the fifth and sixth centuries C.E.† Here is the reader’s reaction: Give me a break with the New Age (CE) crap.   You cant make-up words and slogans to change history or our calendar.   Its AD period. Clearly, the reader prefers the traditional Western designation of AD and BC to the equivalent CE and BCE to denote the eras demarcated by the birth of Christ. Contrary to the reader’s belief, the use of AD in lieu of CE to denote the Christian era is nothing so new as â€Å"New Age.† The term â€Å"New Age† refers to a movement of the 1970s that was characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture. Environmentalism and an interest in spirituality and mysticism as opposed to organized religion are especially associated with the New Age phenomenon. The designation CE as an abbreviation for â€Å"Christian era† predates the New Age movement by about 300 years. According to The World Heritage Encyclopedia, â€Å"The expression Common Era can be found as early as 1708 in English.† Still earlier than that, another chronological term used by Christians was vulgaris aerae, â€Å"the common era.† (The adjective vulgar derives from the Latin noun vulgus, â€Å"the common people.†) This designation occurs in English as both â€Å"vulgar aera† and â€Å"vulgar era† and is abbreviated V.Ae. or V.E. However, AD/BC have been with us for a very long time, and the reader is not alone in feeling a strong repugnance toward the growing practice of replacing it with CE/BCE. At least one Christian governing body urges adherents to resist the CE/BCE notation, seeing it as a result of â€Å"secularization, anti-supernaturalism, religious pluralism, and political correctness.† On the other hand, many Christians support the change, in deference to non-Christian cultures that also employ the chronology. The abbreviations CE and BCE may be interpreted as any of the following phrases: Christian era, before Christian era common era, before common era current era, before current era I started using CE/BCE in my posts for Daily Writing Tips because we have an international audience and because I’ve become aware that more and more publishers are adopting these designations. For example, five books pulled from my shelves at random reflect the changing convention: AD/BC: Christianizing the Roman Empire, Yale University Press, 1984. AD/BC: A History of Private Life, Volume I, Harvard University Press, 1987. CE/BCE: The Encyclopedia of World History, Houghton-Mifflin, 2001. CE/BCE: Life After Death, Doubleday, 2004. CE/BCE: The Real Messiah, Watkins Publishing (London), 2009. For my part, if the World were to organize a vote on the matter, I’d vote to keep BC/AD- if only for the fact that it’s easier to tell which is which. When I read a book that uses the BCE/CE abbreviations, I have to slow down when I come to a date because the letters CE are in both designations. Any culture designing a chronology will choose a culturally significant event to mark â€Å"Year One.† Before the AD designation became common, Christians made use of the Hebrew Anno Mundi chronology, which began with the estimated date of Creation. Some Christian writers reckoned time from the birth of Abraham. â€Å"Year One† for the Islamic calendar is the year Mohammad led his followers from Mecca to Medina- 622 CE on the Gregorian calendar. Whether we call the first year of our current era AD 1 or 1 CE, the fact remains that the reckoning is based on ancient Christian belief about the year in which Jesus was born. Modern scholars calculate that the historical Jesus was actually born four to seven years earlier than 1 CE. I think it’s very likely that in another fifty years or so, a new world reckoning will supersede the current one for international use. A new chronology will separate the â€Å"before and after† eras with a new â€Å"Year One† based on some event lacking religious connotations. Style considerations The Chicago Manual of Style recommends writing CE and BCE without periods. Writers making the switch from BC/AD to BCE/CE need to be aware of a difference in where the abbreviations should be placed in relation to the date. With BC/AD, the tradition is to put BC after the date and AD before the date: Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC. Joan of Arc was executed in AD 1431. With the BCE/CE designations, both follow the date: Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE. Joan of Arc was executed in 1431 CE. Writers not governed by a publication’s style guide are free to use BC/AD. However, anyone who reads much history may as well get used to seeing BCE/CE. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Punctuate References to Dates and Times20 Words Meaning "Being or Existing in the Past"Double Possessive

Business Management, Organizational Learning Essay

Business Management, Organizational Learning - Essay Example Learning has been considered to be the life blood of IBM, fundamental to its heritage and the success key to the future. Individual learning is the traditional domain of human resources as it includes training, work experience and formal education. Learning by individual in an organization is a prerequisite of the organizational learning. But, an organization with organizational learning should actively create, capture, transfer and mobilize knowledge in order to enable it to adapt it to a changing environment. The need for organizations to continuously learn and adapt to a changing market has been central concern to organizational learning theorists. According to Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), organizational learning refers to the ways firms acquire, create, supplement and organize knowledge and routines around their competencies and adapt and develop organizational efficiency through improving the use of their core capabilities (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, p.302) IBM management has well promoted productive learning by instituting organizational learning mechanisms buy fostering structural, cultural, and psychological, leadership and policy facets of the multi facet norms of the learning structure. The management has enhanced organizational commitment and psychological safety among the subordinates. IBM has transformed individual learning in to organizational learning looking at its advantages over the business performance and effectiveness. The IBM executives have high expectations and confidence on how the learning strategy should be done within the organization so as to enable IBM to develop the workforce and organizational capabilities that would produce innovative solutions for its customers. IBM has considered organizational learning as the most effective learning strategy mainly because it can enable the company adapt

Lean Six Sigma process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lean Six Sigma process - Essay Example Lean Six Sigma requires cultural change because at the core of its philosophy is the identification of customer value that any activities that is not consistent to customer value, or anything that the customer is not willing to pay for is removed. Thus, with the implementation of Lean Six Sigma, the organization is driven drive improve values that the customer is willing to pay for. Then a value stream is created to serve customer value. The process of Lean Six Sigma typically involves defining and prioritizing process, measuring performance, analysis of root cause, implement improvements and control the process. Training of Lean Six Sigma Blackbelts will also be beneficial to an organization. The successful implementation of Six Sigma’s Tools has substantial impact on an organization’s bottom line and it was estimated that the typical contribution of an experienced Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt to an organization is $1 annually (Klaasse,

Parent education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Parent education - Research Paper Example The failure of many adults to succeed is rooted in the poor parenting skills of those who raised them, therefore society should insist that parenting courses be a requirement of those who are pregnant, both the mother and father of the child, so that the needs of society can best be served by the actions of the parents. A society has the right and the obligation to define how its members will interact within the ideological framework of its culture. One of the biggest problems in the United States is that most people do not have generations of ancestors who came before them on which to base their cultural belief systems. Therefore, the way in which parents pass their heritage to their children is often convoluted and without social structure, the design of the community not based upon generations of cultural belief systems, but a patchwork of concepts that do not inform those who are trying to find a way to raise their children on exactly what is best in regard to their future.

The God Delusion Debate Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The God Delusion Debate - Article Example Evaluation of the debate In the debate, Dawkins explains his theses regarding the rejection of God’s existence saying that science is based on evidence-based grounds whereas faith is blind and is based merely on satisfactory beliefs and thus it drags humans to believe what is told in religion without the need of understanding and exploring. He says that science does not support religion; rather, it supports rationalism or atheism. He further argues that the designer God, if there is one, must need another designer to resign him. He argues that Christianity poses dangers to the existence of humans as all wars and destructions come as a result of the religious beliefs and difference in faiths. In short, the debate is all about the six main claims that Dawkins has presented in his book. The matchless arguments placed by Lennox dragged Dawkins to give a second thought on his atheistic views and at the end of the debate, Dawkins comes to admit that God is not a delusion. Dawkinsâ⠂¬â„¢s Arguments Dawkins (2006) explains an argument from his book, that is, faith is blind whereas science is evidence-based (p.92). He argues that faith is another name for self-created superstitious beliefs. According to Dawkins, â€Å"science uses evidence to discover the truth about the universe† and scientific discoveries are based on research and investigation. Thus it is based on clear pieces of evidence and proofs and has â€Å"grown out of religious traditions†. Another argument that Dawkins explains from his book is the Ultimate Boeing 747 gambit, that is, the designer is dead; otherwise, one must explain who designed the designer (p.113). He explains this argument by saying that the creator of this universe and everything in it has to be as complicated as his creation, and if a complicated entity needs a designer to come into being, then the designer being complicated also needs a designer, and this process should go on to infinite times back. He argues tha t the existence of life on this earth has been designed by natural selection and evolution and, thus, the designer must have evolved through the same mechanism. Counter-Arguments Lennox presented his counter-arguments about faith being blind and science being evidence-based. He said that science is not able to answer the questions that come in a human being’s mind- Who am I? What is the purpose of my creation? Where am I going? Answers to these questions are taught by religion and faith in God. Science is not able to answer any of these questions. He further caught Dawkins off-guard by asking him if he had faith in his wife to which Dawkins responded affirmatively. And when Lennox asked what was the evidence of this faith, Dawkins gave contradictory statements. Lennox explained the evidence for some of the illustrations from the Bible to prove that â€Å"not all faith is blind faith†. About Dawkins’s assertion about the designer hypothesis, Lennox counter-argued that â€Å"Darwinism does not explain life† because he had just explained that the evolution began due to a mutant replicator but he failed to explain â€Å"how the replicator came to exist at the first place†. Lennox said that the designer of the universe has not been created by anyone and he is eternal.  

Inferential and Descriptive Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Inferential and Descriptive Statistics - Essay Example In order to undertake inferential statistics changes should be made in the analysis of the data, frequencies should be recorded for the gender, for the right handed or left handed variable and for the preferred T shirt variable which should be treated as a dummy variable, for the income, age and grade variable, the mean, standard deviation and variance should be determined. A hypothesis should be formulated following the analysis of the central tendency of the data, for example a hypothesis may aim at finding out whether more participants prefer the red T shirt, another hypothesis may be aimed at finding out whether more male prefer the red T shirt or whether more female prefer red shirt. Finally in order to undertake inferential statistics the sampling method should be random, this involves selecting an appropriate method which will ensure that data is reliable. Example a random sample or cluster sample should be selected. The random sample ensures that the population is properly represented and that if another study is undertaken a study will yield the same results. There are a number of advantages associated with inferential statistics, one of the advantages is that inferential statistics will provide more information than descriptive statistics, for example descriptive statistics regarding the gender variable will indicate percentages of male and female participants, inferential statistics will involve determining the percentage of male, and also will also involve an analysis of the gross income for the year 1993. Inferential statistics may involve determining whether the average male gross income is greater than the average female income in 1993. Further inferential statistics will also provide information regarding the relationship between variables as shown in the above example. Another advantage of inferential statistics is that it reveals causes and effects, for example gender may influence preference. The other advantage is that inferential statistics helps in prediction, for example results may help in predicting the level of demand for both types of T Shirts. This form of analysis also has an advantage in that it provides convincing results which are widely accepted, hypothesis or theory under test in a study will require inferential statistics such as chi square tests, the results are compared and a conclusion is made regarding the hypothesis or theory. Therefore inferential statistics has an advantage over descriptive statistics whereby inferential statistics will aid in making conclusion about the data. Conclusion: From the above discussion it is evident that there are a number of changes that should be undertaken in the analysis in order to perform inferential statistics, frequencies and measures of central tendencies should be determined. A hypothesis should be stated that will be tested in order to make conclusions. There are number of advantages associated with inferential statistics which include the fact that inferential analysis will provide more information, reveal cause and effect and help in making conclusion that widely acceptable. Reference: Cheng Lee and Lee C. J. (2000) Statistics For Business And Financial Economics, Prentice Hall Publishers, New Jersey.

Lesson 5 - Course work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lesson 5 - Course work - Assignment Example mber was considered the beginning of winter), the souls and ghosts of the dead visit the Earth, and therefore, on Halloween people preferred not to stay alone, made fire and were on their guard in order to make sure the evil spirits could not have them over the barrel. So that is where modern carnival comes from: in order to protect oneself from the evil spirits, one has to dress up and pose as these spirits. The Church, normally respected by the Americans, considers that when imitating evil spirits, people take over demonic disposition and destroy their appearance that was given to them by God. Such behavior contradicts Christian foundations; however the Americans never cease being true believers. Also there are usually acts of â€Å"petty vandalism† which the Church also does not approve of – children break glasses, burn trees, etc. Though in the 1920s the scouts called to introduce the practice of â€Å"trick or treat† instead, sometimes people still like to commit something they would not usually do in their normal life. Respectable businessmen are likely to turn over garbage bins, stewardesses (mainly on domestic flights) dress up like a witches or fairies, teachers have no less fun than their students. It is really an unusual tradition – to wear a mask and play a role quite opposite to what one is in the society. Both children and grown-ups enjoy themselves and have fun meeting November in the costumes of witches and vampires, throwing eggs, taking part in the â€Å"best costume† competitions, and eating pumpkin dishes. It reveals the Americans being in need of throwing away from time to time their â€Å"normal† social roles and taking up something quite uncommon. Americans particularly care about their children and are usually good parents. The paradox is, though some scientists think it can traumatize the child’s mind, demoralize the children and even demonize them, American people treat Halloween as a means to please their kids. Also, more and more

Inferential and Descriptive Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Inferential and Descriptive Statistics - Essay Example In order to undertake inferential statistics changes should be made in the analysis of the data, frequencies should be recorded for the gender, for the right handed or left handed variable and for the preferred T shirt variable which should be treated as a dummy variable, for the income, age and grade variable, the mean, standard deviation and variance should be determined. A hypothesis should be formulated following the analysis of the central tendency of the data, for example a hypothesis may aim at finding out whether more participants prefer the red T shirt, another hypothesis may be aimed at finding out whether more male prefer the red T shirt or whether more female prefer red shirt. Finally in order to undertake inferential statistics the sampling method should be random, this involves selecting an appropriate method which will ensure that data is reliable. Example a random sample or cluster sample should be selected. The random sample ensures that the population is properly represented and that if another study is undertaken a study will yield the same results. There are a number of advantages associated with inferential statistics, one of the advantages is that inferential statistics will provide more information than descriptive statistics, for example descriptive statistics regarding the gender variable will indicate percentages of male and female participants, inferential statistics will involve determining the percentage of male, and also will also involve an analysis of the gross income for the year 1993. Inferential statistics may involve determining whether the average male gross income is greater than the average female income in 1993. Further inferential statistics will also provide information regarding the relationship between variables as shown in the above example. Another advantage of inferential statistics is that it reveals causes and effects, for example gender may influence preference. The other advantage is that inferential statistics helps in prediction, for example results may help in predicting the level of demand for both types of T Shirts. This form of analysis also has an advantage in that it provides convincing results which are widely accepted, hypothesis or theory under test in a study will require inferential statistics such as chi square tests, the results are compared and a conclusion is made regarding the hypothesis or theory. Therefore inferential statistics has an advantage over descriptive statistics whereby inferential statistics will aid in making conclusion about the data. Conclusion: From the above discussion it is evident that there are a number of changes that should be undertaken in the analysis in order to perform inferential statistics, frequencies and measures of central tendencies should be determined. A hypothesis should be stated that will be tested in order to make conclusions. There are number of advantages associated with inferential statistics which include the fact that inferential analysis will provide more information, reveal cause and effect and help in making conclusion that widely acceptable. Reference: Cheng Lee and Lee C. J. (2000) Statistics For Business And Financial Economics, Prentice Hall Publishers, New Jersey.

Hazardous Material Management and Hazard Communication Essay - 7

Hazardous Material Management and Hazard Communication - Essay Example By names, it means the names of both the hazardous chemicals and the other chemicals perceived as not hazardous (McLeod 2009). The availability of spread sheet that has more information such as chemicals name, manufacturer’s name, room number stored and availability of the material safety data sheet that should be available to all the employees when needed. The inventory would be very current if also the chemicals with a higher flammability level are well indicated in the inventory well. The inventories should have spaces for recording the chemicals physical properties it contains, health hazards it can cause this helps to be able to choose the kind of protective wear to use on the chemical( Hoboken 2009). The inventory would be said to be current if it includes the manufacturer’s emergency number. This emergency number helps in getting back to the manufacturer in case of a chemical spill or an unusual reaction of the hazardous chemical. The inventory would be current if it is checked regularly and a different person from the same department crosschecks again. In conclusion, the inventory should be very much current with all the said things above-mentioned (McLeod

History of Sensory Theatre

History of Sensory Theatre What does sensory theatre mean to the modern audience? Asone of the oldest art forms and as one of the primeval kinds of humanexpression, the nature of theatre is as varied across the continents aspainting, pottery, sculpture or any of the classic art-forms. Each civilization, each society, each gathering of humankind has had its personalform of theatrical performance from street artists to court jesters to nomadicplayers. Many would say that this variety at the very core of theatrical achievement is what has permitted theatre to take such a respected and crucialpart of our modern societies. Too often it is claimed that our present daylifestyles leave little time for abstract thinking and artistic appreciation orachievement. This is lamentable but thankfully not usually true. One need only observe the continuation of events such as the Welsh National Eisteddfod forhundreds of years to realize that the human desire and need for theatre willnever diminish. However, this is not to say that modern society has not changed theatre. It is only natural that artistic output should be modeled by the lifestyle surrounding it. After all, warlike civilizations such as the Vikings delighted in the narrating of age-old sagas whereas more enlightened peoples like the Ancient Greeks would draw inspiration from mythical dramas which detailed the flaws at the heart of humanity and their relationships with their gods, representing a search for elements greater than themselves. However,we can take it as certain that the theatrical productions of the last fiftyyears have overwhelmingly been part of a resurgence of theatrical diversity. Asthe free market has made nations more accessible to each other, a rise ininterest for all sorts of artistic expression has been felt around the world.Herein, we shall focus on the analysis and comprehension of one of these.Sensory theatre, or at least the old meaning of the term, is not a new concept.At its very core, much of what constitutes theatre relies heavily on the senses,both those of the audience and that of the actors. Nevertheless, at a time whenour fast-paced lifestyle seems to reject anything out of the ordinary or whichcan be labeled as different, it is refreshing to feel that this resurgence hasregenerated one of the truly great aspects of theatre, oft labeled as post-modernistbut one which links so much of relatively recent artistic output across theboundaries of different art forms: Post-modernity,in attacking the perceived elitist approach of Modernism, sought greaterconnection with broader audiences. This is often labelled accessibility andis a central point of dispute in the question of the value of postmodern art.It has also embraced the mixing of words with art, collage and other movementsin modernity, in an attempt to create more multiplicity of medium and message.Much of this centers on a shift of basic subject matter: postmodern artistsregard the mass media as a fundamental subject for art, and use forms, tropes,and materials such as banks of video monitors, found art, and depictions ofmedia objects as focal points for their artPostmodernisms critical stance isinterlinked with presenting new appraisals of previous works. As implied abovethe works of the Dada movement received greater attention, as didcollagists such as Robert Rauschenberg, whose works were initiallyconsidered unimportant in the context of the modernism of the 1950s, but who, bythe 1980 s, beganto be seen as seminal. Post-modernism also elevated the importance of cinema in artisticdiscussions, placing it on a peer level with the other fine arts. This is bothbecause of the blurring of distinctions between high andlow forms, and because of the recognition that cinema representedthe creation of simulacra which was later duplicated in the other arts. (Wikipedia,2005) Inthis dissertation, we shall be analyzing aspects of sensory theatre as has beenexplored and toyed with by some great artisans of the craft. Despite anyproblems we have with wholesale rejection of this type of theatre, in the interestof fair-minded and complete research, we shall pay due attention to theAristotelian school of thought. That which claims that theatre is a particulartype of experience, one from which the audience member should feel cleansed andhave learnt a lesson. This is a valid point of view, one which we shallthoroughly explore in order to see if it is indeed more artisticallyjustifiable than sensory theatre. Afterexploring Aristotles opinions, we shall look in further depth at the nature ofsensory theatre. What does this term mean? How is each sense tapped? Can themelding of experiences of several senses which are simultaneously stimulatedprovide an elevating experience? For this exploration, we shall use the casestudy of Dwr (water in Welsh), a sensory piece of theatre put on in2003, using water, light and various materials to explore reactions amongst itsaudience. The reasons for using this play are that it was an audiovisualexperience as well as a mere theatrical one as projections and cameras were anintegral part of the performance. Furthermore, the sensory effect of theaudience can be better analyzed as members of the audience were also used inthe play, their reactions helping to define the type of sensory experience. However, Dwr also gives us a good example of Brechtian theatre for the number of levels the play takes on. The actors themselves act as facilitators for the audience to receive personal sensory experiences. With only a minority of audience members taking part in the play, we can gain two further levels of emotional depth and complexity. The general background of the audience will see their emotions and senses assailed by the movements, gestures and decisions of those taking part while this minority will be subjected to sensory input and emit feedback with no room for forethought or planning ahead. Thus, we shall provide a very definite and interesting example to back up any clear defining of sensory theatre we come to. We shall also look at how Dwr fits into the patterns of sensory theatre created by Brecht and Artaud and how its attitude towards its audience defines this multi-tiered theatre as one of the crucial points of sensory theatre. However,no analysis of sensory theatre without detailed research into the works ofpioneers of the genre. Here, we have chosen to look at Bertolt Brecht andAntonin Artaud, each for specific reasons. Brechts attitude, utterly inconflict with the age-old Aristotelian views of theatre, helped build hisreputation as an agitateur who decided to stamp his own distinctive markupon an art form he viewed as static. Thus, the habits of Brechtian theatre oftotal acknowledgement of the audience caused as much mirth as it did anger. Onthe other hand, Artaud provided his audience with a completely integralexperience. By using sensory theatre to deny audience members their usual rightto involve themselves in a performance to a degree of their choice, Artaud madesure his plays would deeply shock his audiences. We will be exploring Artaudstechniques as well as his reasons for providing this kind of theatre. It is the goal of this dissertation to highlight the differences that make sensory theatre an integral genre of its own, containing so many outlets for creativity, expression and emotional impact as to make it not only an interesting part of theatre but an essential one. Its recent resurgence will thus provide us with an ideal platform from which to assess its meaning to a modern audience. TheAristotelian view of theatrical norms Goodoratory can blow the walls off brick buildings. Not just in the real world ofpolitical speeches or rallies but in the arts as well. As one of the only formsof human expression where no point of view is unheard, no eventuality unconsidered,no leaf left unturned, theatre has throughout its history naturally overthrownand shrugged off any shackles or conventions attached to it. This idea couldgive rise to an impression of mayhem and anarchy in an art form that had runaway with its own importance. As one of the leading figures in the history ofliterature, Aristotles views on the nature and importance of theatre arewell-documented and naturally thought of as still relevant today. Aristotlehad the very human characteristic of harking back to the good old days, andthinking them much better than the days in which he lived. Taking scant accountof Aeschylus,he regarded Sophoclesand Euripidesas models in tragedy. His chief complaints were that the poets of his own timespoiled their work by rhetorical display; that the actor was often of moreimportance than the play; and that the poets tampered with the plot in order togive a favorite actor an opportunity of displaying his special talent. He saidthat the poets were deficient in the power of portraying character, and that itwas not even fair to compare them with the giants of the former era. (FletcherBellinger, pp.61, 1967) However,in the matter of sensory theatre, we run into an area of some problems. Beingof a conservative mind-set which appreciated theatre for the moral lessonscontained within the narrative, Aristotle worshipped Sophocles with hisstraight and narrow approach to theatrical drama whilst eschewing the work ofhis contemporaries as being too popular, too watered down to meet the needs ofa public desirous of less preaching and more fun within the theatre. Aristotlepossessed perhaps what could be interpreted as a rather narrow view in that hesaw tragedy as the greatest form of dramatic expression, almost utterly passingoff on comedy as mere fluff as compared to tragedy with the great lessonscontained within it. Furthermore, Aristotle also considered tragedy to bemagnificent when it also contained a clear and well constructed narrativeframework and mythological references to the deeds of greater men and gods in anobler past. Although Aristotles writings on these topics did make a lot ofsense, they are considered somewhat restrictive and far too imbued with theirown authority to be seen as of much use today. After all, in a society wherethe possibilities of theatre are slowly catching up with those of television orcinema as directors, playwrights and stage designers are always exploring newavenues of performance, Aristotles three unities of time, place and actionseem ready to be retired. Their far-too stringent requirements of both cast andcrew make them almost impossible to operate in the modern world of freetheatre. This is no longer a society where the writings of one man, whoever he may be, carry enough influence to truly make as significant an impact as in Ancient Greece. It is not to say that Aristotle should be disregarded but concerning sensory theatre, rules relating how plot should be more important than character and how all the action in a tragedy should be centered around a personage of importance to better capture the attention of a fickle audience seem slightly moot. Its relevance is in the fact that much of what is known of theatrical conventions among a lay audience is heavily based on Ancient Greek theatrical philosophy, particularly Aristotle. It is precisely this philosophy that sensory theatre will have to overcome in order to claim its place as a rightful and deserving genre of theatrical achievement across the globe. Visual,auditory, tactileDwr Choosingan example to illustrate the nature of sensory theatre is a tricky balancingact as one must therefore, in some way at least, pre-define ones understandingof the genre. How do we choose between the senses? After all, since the name ofsensory theatre does not make any kind of distinction, do we consider thesenses of sight and hearing more important than the other three since they areoverwhelmingly the most stimulated in matters of theatre? A distinction such asthis would make sense certainly but since sensory theatre is often seen asstanding alone from usual theatre, perhaps it would be unfair to appraise itthanks to assumptions based on more conventional modes of theatre. Instead,the best way to gain a true idea of sensory theatres range of potentialimpacts would be to base an example upon several criteria. Firstly, although itwould be somewhat over-expectant to try and find a play which could tap allfive of our senses, several attempts at sensory theatre have successfullyenga ged audiences on three senses, if not four. Herein has been chosen Dwr,a Welsh piece put on in 2003 in Aberystwyth and then broadcast on S4C on thearts programme, Croma. Theset-up of the piece was simple. The audience were seated on one side of thestage on a raised-up area, overlooking a long perpendicular dinner table. Theinside of the table, rather than being an ordinary flat surface, had beenhollowed in order to form a shallow pool about six inches deep along thetables entire length. The pool was filled with a level amount of clear waterat the bottom of which a table had been set ready for dinner, complete withplates, cutlery, glasses and napkins. Above the audience, shining down upon thetable was a strong projector which reflected the pool of water onto a backprojection screen in a way which magnified and increased the shadows cast byany ripples in the water. Six audience members were asked to be seated at thetable, as if for dinner before being submitted to a range of experiences by theactors whilst cameras recorded their reactions. These sensory experiments allinvolved stimulation of an audience member in matters of sight, sound, taste orfeelin g. We shall look at the manner in which each of these senses was tappedas well as Dwrs technical set-up. Firstof all, if one were to ask any theatre-goers, it would be certain that even themost intermittent of these would claim the two most stimulated senses in thetheatre are that of sight and hearing. Whilst conventional thinking would allowthis to be true, a cynical perspective would add that since our behinds orfeet, depending on posture, contribute much to the enjoyment of a theatricalperformance three senses, not two, must all be satisfied for a performance tobe considered praise-worthy. After all, although stage design is an oftforgotten art among those who are not privileged to the inner workings oftheatre, the choice of venue often signifies how an audience will feel duringthe performance. Stage design is often considered only in terms of sets, propsand technical apparatus whilst the idea of crowd comfort is often overlooked. In the case of Dwr, the crowd comfort was adequate but the truly interesting phenomenon for the audience of this play was that their peers were submitted to the action contained within it. The stage design was such that the light poured onto the water was bright enough to cause the right amount of shadow reflection whilst not blinding either the audience or the actors. This careful use of projection in order to achieve the desired effect was a technique made famous of Josef Svoboda who pioneered the use of audiovisual projection in theatre to enhance the general experience. The stimulation capabilities of a performance, when combined with camera and sound equipment, is vastly heightened thus cementing Svoboda as one of the great names of sensory theatre. Asfar as the audience members who became a part of the performance itself, thesenses stimulated were done so in a way which gave every sense the time tofully absorb the impact of its experience. First of all, each audience memberwas seated at the table in the guise of a dinner guest but asked not to talk toeach other or carry out any action except if indicated to do so by one of thesurrounding cast. First of all, each dinner guest was asked to remove theirshoes and socks before climbing onto the table into the water. The stage itselfwas kept at a warm temperature in contrast to the cold water, making the changein surroundings quite drastic. Then, the audience member was asked to burst aplastic bag full of water with a long hooked pole. The water would thus droponto the audience member along with a fake plaster egg. The audience member would then be lead back to their seat, given a towel to dry off before being given two chopsticks. After breaking the egg on the side of the table, the contents would then be spilt onto the plate just below the surface of the water. Each egg contained some food coloring, spreading across the table along with the ripples, along with a small piece of paper. Each piece of paper showed the face of a man, wearing different emotions, whilst a brief poem on the back seemed to explain the expression, a poem that would be read by one of the surrounding cast to the relevant audience member. The relationship between the pictures and the poems may not have been immediately obvious but the reactions of the audience members were still assured to be both personal, if not natural due to unusual surroundings and odd experiences. These reactions were filmed by the technical crew on video cameras, adding another level of complexity to the performance as the traditional boundaries between cast and crew become blurred. Furthermore, Dwrs entire performance was played out under a constantly shifting pattern of music which although always instrumental would speed up in tone or gently slow down in function of events happening in the play. Thepurpose of using Dwr as an illustration of the modern applications ofsensory theatre and its meaning to a present-day audience is threefold. Firstof all, the timing of the piece and its broadcasting on a national channelalong with subsequent interviews with the chosen audience members proves theinterest placed in it by a major broadcaster as the BBC has major impact uponS4C scheduling. Secondly, the sensual experience of the show provided afascinating outlet for the audience members, both for those who took an activepart or a passive part, to find out more about what constitutes modern sensorytheatre. Although the audience numbers for this show were relatively small and thus can only provide us with a minor cross-section of theatre-goers, the positive feedback gained at the end during the interviews can give a lot of hope as to the future of sensory theatre. Finally, to use an example such as Dwr gives us a view as to what kind of reaction this genre of theatre would meet with. Dwr covers a broad base of sensory theatre as its performance, not only stimulating several of the senses themselves, dealt with a range of theatrical theories and ideologies which we shall look at in further detail. By separating audience members from each other, creating many layers of reality between crew and cast, audience and cast and audience and crew, Dwr rejectedmany traditional aspects of theatrical performance. However, by engaging its audience/cast members with an individual experience through the messages contained within the eggshells and filming their response, Dwr could be said to have engaged with a more conservative Aristotelian version of theatre. Each audience member not involved with the show directly as a dinner guest will have experience the play as a visual and auditive experience but it is for the six members of the audience at each performance that Dwr transcended the limits of ordinary theatre and became a emotional and sensory journey felt by each in their own individual way. Below, we will be casting an eye at the ways in which theatrical pioneers such as Brecht and Artaud tackled the rigours and the conventions of an art form that they viewed as being a free form, lacking in any structural restrictions. Before doing so, we can still observe that even if Dwr did pander even the slightest bit towards an Aristotelian theatre, the main body of its performance was firmly in the territory of Artaud as we can see when applying this passage to precisely the type of theatre Dwr tries to avoid. If people are out of thehabit of going to the theater, if we have all finally come to think of theateras an inferior art, a means of popular distraction, and to use it as an outletfor our worst instincts, it is because we have learned too well what thetheater has been, namely, falsehood and illusion. It is because we have beenaccustomed for four hundred years, that is since the Renaissance, to a purelydescriptive and narrative theater storytelling psychology; it is becauseevery possible ingenuity has been exerted in bringing to life on the stageplausible but detached beings, with the spectacle on one side, the public onthe other and because the public is no longer shown anything but the mirrorof itself. Shakespeare himself is responsible for this aberration and decline,this disinterested idea of the theater which wishes a theatrical performance toleave the public intact, without setting off one image that will shake theorganism to its foundations and leave an ineffaceable scar. If, in Shakespeare,man is sometimes preoccupied with what transcends him, it is always in order todetermine the ultimate consequences of this preoccupation within him, i.e.,psychology. (Artaud,No More Masterpieces, 1976) Evensuch divides as between audience and actors, theatrical conventions that are sohabitual as to often be altogether forgotten, were not sacrosanct enough fordirectors, playwrights and actors such as Brecht, Artaud and Svoboda. TheBrechtian impact or the alienation of theatrical tradition Earlierin this dissertation, it was suggested that Aristotles views on theatre andsubsequent impact thereon had diminished somewhat with the dawn of a time wherethe philosophies of the Ancient Greeks mattered little. However, the centuriesthat his views transcended have signified that they could not dissipate soquickly. Many modern opinions on theatre, however avant-garde or post-modernistthey wish or claim to be, are still formed largely on the back of the opinionsof men such as Aristotle. However, this obstacle would be taken to piece by menand women like Brecht, who wished not to merely co-exist with existing viewsbut confront their defenders and destroy the ideological entrenchment that manytheatre critics had resorted to in the face of the changes sweeping throughtheir beloved art form. In his early plays, Brechtexperimented with dada and expressionism, but in his later work, he developed astyle more suited his own unique vision. He detested theAristotelian drama and its attempts to lure the spectator into akind of trance-like state, a total identification with the hero to the point ofcomplete self-oblivion, resulting in feelings of terror and pity and,ultimately, an emotional catharsis. He didnt want his audience to feelemotionshe wanted them to thinkand towards this end, he determined todestroy the theatrical illusion, and, thus, that dull trance-like state he sodespised. The result of Brechts research was a technique known asverfremdungseffekt or the alienation effect. It wasdesigned to encourage the audience to retain their critical detachment. (Imagi-nation,2003) Thisis not to say though that to achieve such an accomplishment was possible formerely any theatrical commentator. It took men of special gumption, gravitasand guts to dare attack such a powerful establishment as that of traditionaltheatre. Bertolt Brecht was one of these. Blessed with the ability to fightbattles on several fronts whilst still maintaining a clear head, Brecht beganto cause controversy early on in his career. Looking to fulfill a desire formore relevant and modern theatre amongst German theatre-going audiences,Brecht, through plays such as Drums in the Night and with therecognition of director Erich Engel, flirted with an expressionistic style thatbefitted his rising status but left Brecht himself feeling uncomfortable.Although his style was becoming fashionable and it would undoubtedly havebrought him his time in the spotlight, Brecht felt that he should discover aplaywriting identity which was his own and not borrowed from anybody else. Ifwe consider that at this ti me Brecht was writing in post World War I Germany,we can observe the bravery it must have taken for him to make this type ofdecision. Duringthe turbulent years of the socialist rise in Germany and the Weimar Republic,Brecht knew a modest amount of success in both theatre and literature thanks toplays such as In the Jungle of the Cities and his partnership with Engeland Hans Eisler but he was only just beginning to find his feet in a style allof his own. The final step in this direction would be his years with his owncollective of writers, the most famous fruit of which would be the Lehrstuckewhich would form the root of the theatrical changes and theories we thinkof as Brechtian today. Lehrstucke propounded that passive audiences werea thing of the past in matters of theatre and that it was necessary foraudiences to become more actively involved in a performance whilst keeping astrong level of emotional distance in order to remain capable of rational thoughtand criticism. This collection of thoughts would slowly pass into commonpractice in theatrical troupes and communities around the world, a practiceknown as epic theatre. Epictheatre today may seem as historical and passÃÆ'ÂÂ © as Aristotles views did forBrecht but the truth is that the numerous and varied adaptations of epictheatre have formed much of todays common theatrical practices. Before Brecht,the demarcation between the audience and the actors was sacrosanct. SinceAristotle, the status of the star actor had risen so much that now actors wouldmerely be cast in a role that was known to be in their repertoire, a fact whichcould lead to truly spectacular levels of diva treatment or ridiculouscastings. Take for example Sarah Bernhardt whose notoriety had reached suchproportions that she cast herself as Hamlet. This is not to say there isanything wrong with female actors playing traditionally male Shakespeareanparts but it is the manner in which Bernhardt carried out this casting that madethe situation ridiculous. Aristotle lamented this type of situation as beingone of the great plagues striking tragedy theatre whilst Brecht merely laughedat it and lambasted it in his own style. His patented Verfremdungseffekt (or estrangement effect) was a sweepingly original style which not only acknowledged the audience as a part of a theatrical production and encouraged them to change their own attitudes to theatre. Instead of allowing traditional suspension of disbelief and letting audiences feel as if they were watching a truthful event, Brecht went out of his way to remind them that what they saw was a representation, a mirror onto reality and never reality itself. This was carried out by having actors suddenly break character and address the audience to explain the plot, grossly over-exaggerated props or sets in the middle of an otherwise serious play or great placards on the stage asking the audience to behave in a certain way by ignoring a particular happening or to stare less romantically. These unusual situations for an audience confused them and alienated them from the play, hence the name alienation or estrangement effect. This separation from conventional thea trical theory became very fashionable after the war in both America where he lived until being pestered by HUAC and in communist East Germany where he resided until his death in 1953. The appeal of Brechts type of theatre across the globe speaks volumes about how the traditions of theatre were rejected by a large section of theatre going audiences. The sensory feel of the Verfremdungseffekt were indirect but by creating this new separation of audience and stage in an allegorical as well as in a physical sense, Brechtian theatre enabled its audiences and directors to experiment with new sensations. The greatest example of this is in some of Brechts later plays such as The Good Person of Szechwan and Galileo. For example, in Galileo, the portrait he paints of the astronomer is of a tortured soul wracked between his scientific duty to tell the truth to an unsuspecting world and the threat of vengeance from the dark figure of the Grand Inquisitor. This moral dilemma was planned by Brecht as a way to get his audience to think rationally about the situation and contemplate what they would do in such a situation rather than feeling sorry for Galileo. However, if Brecht had one failing, it was that despite his ability to meld together a myriad of sources into a convincing single narrative, he did not understand the human nature of his public. Persuaded that with the right play, he could force his audience into abandoning their emotional side, whether he realized it or not Brecht was asking people to set aside the precise reason most of them came to the theatre. His theories resulted in a number of epic dramas, among them Mother Courage and Her Children which tells the story of a travelling merchant who earns her living by following the Swedish and Imperial armies with her covered wagon and selling them supplies: clothing, food, brandy, etc As the war grows heated, Mother Courage finds that this profession has put her and her children in danger, but the old woman doggedly refuses to give up her wagon. Mother Courage and Her Children was both a triumph and a failure for Brecht. Although the play was a great success, he never managed to achieve in his audience the unemotional, analytical response he desired. Audiences never fail to be moved by the plight of the stubborn old woman. (Imagi-nation, 2003) Anemotional journey where characters could and should be empathized with orcondemned was much of what has always constituted theatres engagement. Eventhe averagely smart and aware audience member does not need the moral absolutesof right and wrong as claimed by Aristotle but the desire to identify with oneor more of the central characters instead of merely rationalizing about theirfates without feeling was too strong in the vast majority of theatre-goers. Brechtis claimed doubly to be both a modernist or one of the first post-modernists.Although some claims have been made that a taste for his kind of theatre quicklyinspires in the face of so much cynicism, his importance and the size of hisimpact upon world theatre cannot be underplayed. Today, many of his conventionsare so common as to be taken for granted whilst a collective of Brechtiansstill operates and remains as long-standing proof to the glory of his genius. Conventionalrelief in theatre and Artauds rejection of it Everygeneration is locked in a perpetual struggle with those that come both beforeand after to break free from the shackles of their ancestral traditions, carvetheir own identity and thus prepare the way for a similar fight with thegenerations that are to follow. Although social morays may seem to remain stilland constant, this is only an illusion, one that can only too easily be piercedby artistic expression. Artists have often been marginalized as second-ratemembers of society, ones that are not indispensable to the everyday running ofour lives. Seen as not producing useful since all their efforts did not feed,clothe or warm anybody, it became a painful reality that if actors or musicianswanted to survive, they were required to curtail any creativity and pander toprecisely what their audiences desired. While this unfortunate turn of events could be passed off as a mere passage in the history of theatre, it left behind some highly tell-tale signs. The simplest of these is that from the Renaissance onward through the Classical period, theatre had become significant with escapism. The majority of plays, and here one cannot deny Aristotles continuing influence, harked back to former days lamenting a fallen age of glory, honour and noble deeds. Whilst this fond reminiscing was unimpeachable in its desire to awaken a better side of humanity in audiences, it often met with boredom and