Essay on Symbolism in The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

Many novels have used symbolism to express certain feelings and emotions in discreet ways. What is symbolism? The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships (Dictionary.com). Numerous authors use the same denotations to illustrate different thoughts or ideas. Mark Twain uses various symbols, such as the river and the land to expose freedom and trouble in his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, uses various concrete objects, such as rivers, to symbolize a diverse range of feelings, emotions, and even actions. The ultimate symbol in the novel is the Mississippi River. Rivers often†¦show more content†¦Sometimes we would have that whole river all to ourselves for the longest time. Yonder was the banks and the islands, across the water; and maybe a spark or two--on a raft or a scow, you know; and maybe you could hear a fid dle or a song coming over from one of them crafts (Examining the River in Terms of Symbolism in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn). Freedom is a wonderful thing many Americans today take for granted. According to Websters Dictionary, the word freedom is defined as the condition of being free from restraints. Although, both characters, Huck and Jim, were free in different senses, they were still free. ...Because the river was so peaceful and calm that it led to their freedom to do as they please without the barriers given by society on land (Examining the River in Terms of Symbolism in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)Jim is safe from those who hunt runaway slaves. On the river, Huck has the time to ponder all that goes on aroundShow MoreRelatedThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Symbolism860 Words   |  4 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Symbolism Questions 1. Compare and Contrast Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Although Tom and Hucklberry Finn have many things in common and are very good friends, they also live a life of two totally different lifestyles. Tom, who is a dreamer, lives a life out of romantic novels, and can be amusing and exasperating at the same time. He lives a life out of drama and brings out his imagination in a realistic way. He is amusing when showing his understandingRead MoreEssay Symbolism: the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1207 Words   |  5 Pageshave used symbolism to express certain feelings and emotions in discreet ways. What is symbolism? The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships (Dictionary.com). Numerous authors use the same denotations to illustrate different thoughts or ideas. Mark Twain uses various symbols, such as the river and the land to expose freedom and trouble in his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The AdventuresRead More The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn: Symbolism Essay859 Words   |  4 Pages The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Symbolism Questions 1. Compare and Contrast Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Although Tom and Hucklberry Finn have many things in common and are very good friends, they also live a life of two totally different lifestyles. Tom, who is a dreamer, lives a life out of romantic novels, and can be amusing and exasperating at the same time. He lives a life out of drama and brings out his imagination in a realistic way. He is amusingRead MoreSymbolism of the Raft and River in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn480 Words   |  2 PagesSymbolism of the Raft and River in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn I chose to examine the symbolism of the raft and river, and the journey Huck and Jim take on it in Mark Twains The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn. The Raft and the Mississippi River play a major role in this book. The river comes to symbolize many things, and one important role I believe the river play is being the deliverer for both Huck and Jim. The river takes both Huck and Jim away from captivity. As Huck wasRead MoreSymbolism in â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn† by Mark Twain751 Words   |  4 Pagescurrent, makes it an ideal scene to escape civilization. In â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn† by Mark Twain, the two main characters, Huck and Jim, find peace on the Mississippi as they spend endless nights floating down stream. Becoming civilized in society is a major theme in the novel and the Mississippi river helps Huck and Jim become uncivilized as it provides them with protection from the outside world, freedom, and adventure. The Mississippi River provides Huck and Jim protection from theRead MoreRiver Symbolism In Huckleberry Finn1252 Words   |  6 PagesThis quote relates to The Adve ntures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain because, Huck Finn has a friend who goes with him on his journey to the south. In a way his friend Jim becomes almost like family. They have spent all of their time together and they have been through a lot to get to the south and be free. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a valuable novel and should be included in high school curriculum because it teaches people through river symbolism, the language used in the 1800sRead MoreHuck Finn River Symbolism1067 Words   |  5 PagesIn ï ¿ ½The Adventures of Huckleberry Finnï ¿ ½, the Mississippi River plays several roles and holds a prominent theme throughout much of the story as a whole. Huckleberry Finn and Jim are without a doubt the happiest and most a peace when floating down the river on their raft. However, the river has a much deeper meaning than just a compilation of water. It almost goes to an extent of having its own personality and character traits. The river offers a pl ace for the two characters, Huck and Jim, to escapeRead MoreThe Censorship of Huckleberry Finn Essay1273 Words   |  6 PagesThe Censorship of Huckleberry Finn Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a significant book in the history of American literature that presents readers with the truth of our past American society in aspects such as speech, mannerisms, and tradition that we must embrace rather than dismiss by censorship. It is a novel that has been praised and proclaimed America’s â€Å"first indigenous literary masterpiece† (Walter Dean Howells) as well as one that has been criticized and declared obscene. It hasRead MoreThe Concept of Race in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain631 Words   |  3 PagesWithin his criticism of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Gregory Fowler uses examples from both the book and Mark Twain’s own life to discuss the different ways in which racism has morphed. Instead of analyzing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn critically and solely, Gregory Fowler critically analyzes parts of the book and its effect to prove the different ways in which slaver mo rphs through the uses of allusions, exemplifications, and anecdotes. Fowler’s opening paragraph consistsRead MoreMark Twain s Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1755 Words   |  8 PagesMark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a masterpiece and an American classic according to Alex Brink Effgen, a PhD student working on the impact of Twain’s writing (Effgen). Twain expresses the problems that faced America during the 1830s to 1870s through the point of a view of a boy that indirectly expresses his hate for the accepted societal rules that are placed on ideas such as racism. Twain’s use of dialect, language and symbolism express the Realism era and creates a powerful masterpiece

Cohorts and Generations - 2076 Words

SYP-4730 Aging in America Cohorts and Generations Research Paper Yonathan Mikelstein 300158279 September 7th, 2013 Dr. Y. Dokurugu Mondays 5:45-8:15 PM Age has become a very important topic to be discussed as the world carries on. As people become more knowledgeable and certain advancements in life occur, people are beginning to realize that there indeed is a way to maximize your years and to have a meaningful life once one is old. Studying age has become important in social behavior also. Each generation possesses its own definition and witnessed some of the same events. Studies have come to regard generations, as familial so on the true term for the different age groups is cohorts. Again, each cohort has a range of people in†¦show more content†¦The major event that signifies how these people lived their lives begins with the stock market crash in 1929. These were pretty dark times in America. At that time, not only were woman’s rights and minority rights at the forefront of life, but also white men had seen their wealth in jeopardy. People tend to compare the Great Recession of the current day to the Great Depress ion caused by the stock market crash but it really does not compare. The quality of life in those times was barely scraping the surface of what was to come. People literally starved, were homeless, and lost everything that they had worked for. To match the atrocities of the financial of the American people, this cohort also seen the events that lead to World War II. Japans invasions of countries began in this era and Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany. Though these times cost many American lives the effects on the economy were actually positive. This is possibly when America first began to realize that it had the power to pretty much do as it pleased. So on, Americas world police mentality in general was amplified because of this period in time. Many have analyzed this period in time as the consequences of abusing the swing era. People in the swing era were careless with money and had complete confidence in America as a whole and their lackadaisical ways left the Great Depression in its wake. (Kyvig, 2002) The people of the silent generation would not have the sameShow MoreRelatedMarketing Debate Essay1061 Words   |  5 PagesIs Consumer Behavior More a Function of a Person’s Age or Generation? MKT 6661 Strategic Marketing Management Troy University Introduction A heavily debated issue between marketers is what drives consumer behavior? There are two noted positions in this debate, one that believes that age differences are the deciding factors of a consumer’s wants and needs and others make the case that cohort and generation effects are better suited to uncover the consumer’s desires. Marketers have a majorRead MoreMy Cohort Of The United States997 Words   |  4 PagesMy Cohort Paper It is important to understand our current generations and previous generations. Understanding generations’ differences can help us when serving the clients. Human service workers will be meeting clients not only from different cultures but also from different generation cohorts. Generation cohorts usually define as grouping people together who born 12-15 years apart and have common experiences. There are five generational cohort groupings: Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, GenerationRead MoreThe Great Depression Of 1929 And World War II988 Words   |  4 Pages, percentage of the population) Information Seniors born entre January 1, 1933 and December 31, 1945 are described as Post-War Cohort and have a current Population of 55 million, but their population is declining. According to extension.missouri.edu, they are retirees in majority and formed the largest voting population. Seniors or veterans also called Silent Generation inherited the consequences of the Great Depression of 1929 and World War II. They feel gratified by the effort or work, they areRead MoreThe Aging Of Population Aging1563 Words   |  7 Pagespyramids will be used to illustrate how Italy is undergoing population aging. In figure 1 below the 35-54 cohort has the largest age structure and will eventually be more dependent than the generations before them. This creates a burden placed on the younger generations that will have to provide economically for a larger cohort than themselves. The shape of figure 1 at the bottom , shows a small cohort of people ages 0-25, this age group is one of the smallest in the age structure. This is evidence ofRead MoreMarketing Management : The Marketing Strategy For Elderly Customers Of Different Geography And Characteristics1432 Words   |  6 Pageslarger factor in the market, than marketers should find ways to advertise a good or service effectively, because a product should be able for the society as a whole instead of a specific age group? Due to the changed living conditions, the boomers generation feel younger and just want to have fun and enjoy the remainder of their life. As a result, changes are taking place in the distinct characteristics of seniors. Even in marketing literature, there is no real consensus about a correct descriptionRead MoreI Work At What Point I Became The Older Person At Work904 Words   |  4 PagesI work in an extremely diverse organization. I did not know at what point I became the older person at work. I believe that I have turned into a grumpy old fart because I have a love-hate relationship with the younger generation of work cohorts. The Millennials drive me crazy. They seem to worry and focus on what I consider ridiculous causes like a bike cage at work to keep their bicycles they ride to work on safe during the day. They are very talented, efficient, and productive. GenerationalRead MoreA Interview On My Life Event1219 Words   |  5 Pagesthe 31 year old and 55 year old participants demonstrates the cohort effect. Each of them expressed opposing feelings on aging. The 31 year old fears what will happen to her physically, whereas the 55 year old did not appear fearful of what would happen physically. At 55, he seems to be coming to terms of the changes that are happening physically. Additionally, that while aging is inevitable, it can also have its advantages. The cohort effect describes that there may be differences in people whoRead MoreThe Working Environment Of Westfield State University991 Words   |  4 PagesFrom the information deduced from the survey, there are three practical recommendations for better align the working environment of Westfield State University with the expectations and skills of the millennial generation in order to ultimately improve recruitment, retention, and productivity of administrative staff members. The three recommendations are implementing clear guidelines for promotion, creating a formal mentoring program, and allowing formal Flexible scheduling. Below a description ofRead MoreParenting Practices Essay1002 Words   |  5 PagesParenting a child is a very important role. Parents teach a child how to behave and they provide the needs for the child. Parenting practices varies from generation to generation. In the chart below I have described parenting practices over generations in my family.    | Generation 1: Years (1960-1970) | Generation 2: Years(1980-2000) | Generation 3: Years(2000-2014) | Parenting Practice 1: Education | Medium standards |   Medium standards |   High standards | Parenting Practice 2:Religious InvolvementRead MoreChild and Adolescent Psycology1049 Words   |  5 Pagesand environment. Parenting practices are vital in the development of a child, and are different for different generations. A study was conducted by (Frick, Barry, amp; Kamphaus, 2010), and provided the parenting practices across three different generations described in the table below. | | Generation 1 years children were raised (1950-1979) | Generation 2Years (1980-1989) | Generation 3Years ( 2000 to date) | Parenting practice 1Education | Monitoring | Yes | To some extend | No | Parenting

How does the television drama series Shameless Essay Example For Students

How does the television drama series Shameless Essay There is always a sense of care from the neighbours, especially from Veronica who claimed to have previously trained as a nurse. Frank, the father, is represented exactly how you would stereotype a male of his age that lives on an estate, an unemployed alcoholic. One thing he is not though is aggressive; in fact Frank is shown as very welcoming in the pilot episode, especially when Fionas new man, Steve arrives at the house. However, this seems to go against traditional representations on TV as fathers tend to look after their family in terms of providing financial support as the bread winner and showing displays of masculinity. But yet somehow without any parental guidance from the absent mum or father the family still mange to cope with day to day life and show great feats of unity. This is largely down to the fact that the eldest daughter, Fiona keeps the family afloat and in someway acts as the mother figure of the whole family. This representation of the eldest daughter is very unusual in television but shows working class life in a positive way as the daughter has been brought up well enough to take care of the family when called for. In more modern television females who take up this role of being the mother are also shown to be entrepreneurial but Fiona actually shows the representation of more traditional superwomen like roles that were shown in early television. Steve, Fionas new boyfriend also plays a role in disrupting stereotypes of working class ideologies and cleverly manages to portray him and Fiona in a positive light. When Steve and Fiona go out for a meal in a posh upper class restaurant Fiona is told to kindly wait outside so that she could smoke whilst Steve pays the bill. To her surprise Steve then exits the building in a valet parking uniform, takes the keys of a Mercedes off an old but wealthy man and drives off with the car. Steve then proceeds by ringing Fiona who is still outside looking rather confused at this point, whilst reversing back to her and tells her that he doesnt buy and sell cars but in fact just sells them. Fionas initial reaction was of shock and explains how it was wrong to do that to an old man but Steve convincingly justifies his actions by explaining that the old man drives whilst drunk. She then gets in the car and they both drive off whilst laughing. Although what Steve has done is wrong, the dominant message that the audience are left with is that he has done society a favour by taking a drunken driver off the road. Paul Abbott has managed to twist what would have been seen as unacceptable but expected behaviour of the working class into something that is in fact actually a good deed. Another positive aspect would be the relationship between the eldest brothers of the Gallagher household, Lipp and Ian. When Lipp find out Ian is gay he expectedly argues with him out of shock. However, as the pilot episode progresses Lipp shows understanding and comes to terms with his brothers sexuality. This defies all traditional representations of working class men being masculine and the acceptance of his sexuality from his brother is something that would be completely unexpected. This is reinforcing the strong relationships that this working class family have, something that could not be found in middle or upper class families. The pilot episode is then concluded with the whole family sitting around the table eating breakfast with the acceptance of Frank who is passed out on the floor. This ends the episode on a positive note with the element of a strong family relationship that has dominated throughout the episode. .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e , .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e .postImageUrl , .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e , .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e:hover , .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e:visited , .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e:active { border:0!important; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e:active , .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u03200cf2a1d57b207778f55f4673a70e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: CONCEPTS OF FITNESS AND WELLNESS EssayNow, lets move on and look at our next episode of Shameless, the last of the latest series (S. 1, Ep. 16). Within this episode the sense of community still remains at large but we shall be also concentrating on other characters around the Gallagher family to give us an insight into how Shameless represents the working class as a whole unit. This episode starts off with a scene in the local bar, where Franks new girlfriend Libby has set up a programme named guns for amnesty in which each gun that is handed in will be rewarded with a bottle of vodka. This shows that the people of Chatsworth estate are working together to help stop crime. This representation plays a huge role in disrupting the traditional stereotype of all working class people being involved in criminal activity. It is also important to mention at this point that Libby is a very free, intelligent and strong willed character which also goes against dominant representations of working class women as being dependant on their male counter parts. This notion of feminine independence is also backed up by the bar maid and former wife of local gangster Paddy Maguire, Mimi, when rival gangster Roscoe comes to the pub in assumption that Mimi will be venerable and insecure without her husband. Roscoe was proved wrong when she rejects his offer of protection. Mimi is a female character but with very masculine traits, in fact her display of masculinity sometimes out does that of her three sons. Mimi confirms her total independence towards the end of the episode where she unexpectedly gives birth to a baby completely by herself after months of complaining about stomach pains. Later on in the episode a death of character, Joe, somewhat also manages to shed a positive aspect on the life of working class society. Joe plays a character that tends to disconnect and separate himself from the rest of inhabitants of Chatsworth estate. Although he still regularly interacts with members of the community he always detests the area and the community and regularly talks about running away from the dump with his married lover, Karen, and his supposed son. Joe, although not all the time, is looked upon as a villain and betrayer of the community so when Joe attempted to kill Karen after a dispute Ian murdered him in order to save her life and protect her. This in someway shows a moral story in which loyalty and community will always prevail. Just as the pilot episode finished, the last episode finished on the same element of community. When Roscoe, rival gang member and outsider attempts to kill the two of the Maguire children in the pub, the remaining son of the Maguire family, Mickey, manages to steal the guns that were handed in to the police at the pub. These guns were then sneakily passed around to all the characters in the pub and when called for, everyone drew their guns out and pointed them at Roscoe and his gang. Everyone in the community came together to help fellow members of their community, and they succeeded. It is also important to mention that Frank Gallagher also played his part in assisting which was the first time he showed guts and determination to help other members of his community. This was probably the biggest representation of community and positive light in Shameless to date. Conclusion In summary Shameless does a very good job of disrupting the negative stereotypes and stereotypes in general of working class ideologies. The series is made in such a way as to be particularly uncomfortable for respectable middle class viewers, involving them in the lives of people who they would never encounter in their own neighbourhoods and challenging conventional assumptions about what constitutes normality and morality (Morley, 2009, p. 501). .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 , .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 .postImageUrl , .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 , .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8:hover , .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8:visited , .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8:active { border:0!important; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8:active , .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8 .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1ceb5682bcf313406265c7e3640e24f8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Batman and Robin Hood EssayAlthough the lives of families on Shameless are chaotic and dysfunctional, the bonds of loyalty between community and family always prevail to show an aspect of working class life that go against dominant representations and largely tops aspects of respectable middle class society. Shameless deserves credit for encouraging us to think about representations of working class on television in more complex ways (Morley, 2009). Bibliography Benson, J. (1989) The Working Class In Britain. New York, Longman. Fiske, J. (1987) Television Culture. London, Routledge.Miller, T (ed. ). (2002) Television Studies. London, British Film Institute. Morley, D. (2009). Mediated Class-ifications: Representations of Class and Culture in Contemporary British Television. European Journal of Cultural Studies vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 487-508. Rabrenovic, G. (2006) Mediating the Family: Gender, Culture and Representation. European Journal of Communication vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 117-118. White, M. (1992) Ideological Analysis and Television. In Robert C. Allen (ed. ), (1992) Channels of Discourse, Reassembled. London, Routledge.

Sudha Chandran †Success amidst Tragedy Essay Essay Example

Sudha Chandran – Success amidst Tragedy Essay Paper Born into a Tamil household in 1964. Sudha was exposed to a rich cultural heritage at a really immature age. Her male parent. K. D. Chandran was an employee of the American Centre in Mumbai. She started dancing at the age of 3 and it was so that her household decided to supply her formal instruction in dance. Surprisingly. Sudha was refused admittance to the esteemed dance school ‘Kala Sadan’ as the instructors believed she was excessively immature. However. continuity on the portion of her male parent saw her thru. Sudha continued her surveies at St. Josephs Convent School with her first dance public presentation at the age of eight. By the age of 17. she had performed 75 phase programmes. Very seldom we come across people who have the bravery and bosom to travel on in life after calamity work stoppages their personal lives. May 2nd 1981 was the twenty-four hours that changed Sudha Chandran everlastingly. A extremely complete Bharatanatyam terpsichorean. Chandran met with a route accident during a pilgrims journey via the Scindia School in Tamil Nadu. The coach she was going in hit a truck and her pess got stuck in the pandemonium. We will write a custom essay sample on Sudha Chandran – Success amidst Tragedy Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sudha Chandran – Success amidst Tragedy Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sudha Chandran – Success amidst Tragedy Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Those less injured helped out but by that clip her right pes was critically injured. Unfortunately for her. the physicians made a error while seeking to bring around the infection. This error cost Sudha her right leg. To halt the spread of the infection. her right leg had to be amputated 7. 5 inches below the articulatio genus. Sudha remained in a province of daze and for a long clip. battled depression. Many old ages subsequently she turned to moving after the traumatic accident and proved she was non a quitter. One twenty-four hours. she read about Dr. Sethi of Jaipur who manufactured unreal legs. Reading this gave Sudha hope and she and her male parent went to see him. Her will and trust was came down as she realized that with every dance session while have oning the unreal leg. her pes began to shed blood and the hurting became more terrible as the gait of her dance increased. Though she was determined to get the better of it. She mastered all the dance moves and patiently waited for an chance to boom on the phase one time once more. She had a point to turn out to herself. A receiver of two esteemed awards. the Nritya Mayuri from the Dance Academy and Bharatnatyam and Nav Jyoti from the Telugu Academy. Sudha knew she had to populate up to her repute. January 28. 1984 was the twenty-four hours she forgot about her leg and produced such a leading public presentation that the full state would shortly cognize her name. Her public presentation was appreciated and good received by all. even Ramoji Rao. a celebrated Telugu movie manufacturer and publishing house of ‘ Newstime’ and ‘Eanader’ who wanted to bring forth a movie based on her life narrative. Subsequently. Sudh was cast as the supporter in ‘Mayuri’ . The movie went on to go a hit and turned Sudha into an nightlong star. At that clip. the President of India. Gyani Zail Singh presented her a particular award-Silver Lotus and Rs. 5. 000 for her playing in this movie at the 33rd National Film Festival. The Hindu version of her film called ‘Nache Mayuri’ became a hit every bit good and was viewed by international audiences. As clip went by. Sudha’s part to dance declined which made manner for her to stand out in moving. Many offers rolled in and she ventured into telecasting as good. On the little screen she acted in many seriess such as Commander. Marshal. a kids programme called Shaktiman. Name from Patna Doordarshan. She besides appeared in popular movie vocal. Avval Number. Sudha Chandran’s life is a all right illustration of how one can make success despite a disablement. She had the bosom to travel on and do something of what she had while many of us would hold stopped in our paths and allow life so the manner it was.

Environmental Impact of Medical Wastes

Environmental Impact of Medical Wastes Introduction Several incidents concerning medical waste being spotted on public and private beaches have drawn a lot of public attention on the issue of management of medical waste. One such incident happened back in June 1987, when in Indiana polis, twelve children were found playing with blood vials that they had picked from a bin placed outside an HMO medical office.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental Impact of Medical Wastes specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Two of these vials were infected with the AIDS virus (10). These issues and others raise concerns on how medical waste is handled, treated and disposed. Medical waste can be defined as all the waste that is generated by health facilities and other sources such as funeral homes, research laboratories, doctor’s clinic funeral homes, nursing homes and veterinary facilities. These wastes consists the hazardous (radioactive materials), infectious also referred to as red bag waste and any other waste generated within the facility (4). Medical waste although not voluminous, is infectious and toxic and leads to serious environmental pollution (1). Background Information According to Environmental protection Agency (EPA), hospitals generate around 3.2 million tons of medical wastes per annum. (10). 10 to 15 0percent of this medical waste generated is infectious. In most hospitals, the non infectious waste is land filled while the infectious one is incinerated. Medical waste requires proper handling, disposal and treatment to minimize the environmental and health risks associated with it. Illegal or careless disposal of medical waste not only creates an aesthetic and health problem, but also increases public apprehension on the existing medical waste management methods. Due to the liabilities and the safety related concerns, some municipals refuse or ban any medical waste from their incinerators and landfills. Various states have prohibited all un-sterilized infectious waste from the municipal landfills.Advertising Looking for essay on ecology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The states have also banned construction of commercial incinerators handling medical waste. These afro mentioned bans, have made it increasingly difficult for medical facilities and hospitals in the country to properly manage medical waste (3). This situation is further complicated by the lack of clear and concise regulatory climate. These inconsistencies are present in the Federal guidelines laid down by the States with regards to the definition of medical waste and the management options available for handling, transporting, treating and disposing medical waste (5). The current situation can only change if the Congress adopts bills relating to medical waste management. In the meantime, most states have been mandated to devise their own plans and programs of managing t he medical waste generated. This means that there are a lot of variations between different states and local requirements. This paper aims at looking at the disposal problems posed by medical waste for both the local government and hospitals, the methods used in disposing medical waste, the long term implications medical waste has on the environment and the conclusions drawn from the discussion (2). Classification of Medical Wastes Medical waste is heterogeneous in nature as it comprises a variety of materials ranging from general waste such as food, office waste and non-infectious waste from patients. It also includes infectious waste e.g. contaminated sharps and blood products, hazardous waste generated from pharmaceuticals, cytotoxic chemicals from chemotherapy, mercury as well as radioactive wastes. Classifying infectious waste has proved difficult due to the variations resulting from different State regulations (10). These different classifications lead to inconsistency in stor age, disposal and treatment practices across different states. The variations also influence the preferred treatment methods, cost of management and eventually, the possible environment and health hazards created by these wastes. Around 10 to 15 percent of all medical waste is infectious but this percentage can differ from 3 to 90 percent, depending on the definition and procedure adopted (10). The state entities, EPA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have all tried to find the proper definition of infectious waste based on the characteristics of the waste.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental Impact of Medical Wastes specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to EPA, infectious waste is any waste with the possibility of causing an infectious disease. EPA has broadened its category of infectious waste compared to CDC. This has led to the adoption of EPA instead of CDC guidelines, in hospitals and other areas that generate medical waste, helping in minimizing potential environmental and health risks (4). Another concern is whether to classify infectious waste as hazardous which will increase the cost of managing it due the construction of special facilities. Such a move would improve the management of medical waste, but lead strict regulations and prosecution of illegal dumpers. Some of the wastes recommended to be included in the infectious category are waste from dialysis, stocks and cultures with infectious agents, blood products and human blood, contaminated sharps, soiled dressings, surgical gloves sponges and other surgical waste (6). Varied definition of infectious and hazardous medical waste has led to the public being exposed to this hazardous waste that poses a health risk. For example, the public was barred from accessing beaches in the East coast after bloody bandages, sutures and needles were found in the shores. Infectious waste is sent to the incinerators, thus if th e category was broadened as discussed above, such waste would not have ended up in the beaches (10). Handling of Medical Waste There are various occupational hazards associated with handling medical waste. Waste handlers and health workers are primarily exposed to this type of risk as they more than often handle this waste. Handling hospital waste include packing, storing and transporting it properly to avoid any contamination and littering as discussed below; 1. Packaging- before packaging any medical waste, it must be sorted into different categories and packed accordingly. This is a time consuming activity and quite risky to the handler.Advertising Looking for essay on ecology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bulk waste is put in polythene bags and colors used in differentiating different categories of wastes. Infectious waste is placed in red bags and all the waste is securely closed in readiness for storage or transportation. Sharps are put in puncture proof containers due to their infectious capability and also due to their prick injuries (7). 2. Storage- hospitals must designate special areas for storing the waste before it is transported or disposed. The area must be regularly disinfected and kept at the right temperature. According to EPA, storage areas must have the bio-hazard symbol and sufficient packaging to prevent vermin’s and rodents from accessing the area. The waste must also be stored for the shortest period possible, although EPA does not give the stipulated period, leading to a State disparity in specified temperatures and times. Lack of uniformity in regulating storage temperature and time can sometimes lead to increased rates of putrefaction and microbial growt h (8). 3. Transportation EPA guidelines address the movement of infectious of waste on-site briefly, and provide limited information on how to move this waste off-site. Such recommendations involve using leak proof and rigid containers to move the waste and not using mechanical loading devices that can rapture packed waste. There are no guidelines on how to handle and transfer medical waste off-site. Although EPA, recommends that hazard labels be put on all medical waste in accordance to Federal, State and municipal regulations, the energy and transport department limit the use of this label, confusing commercial waste handlers (10). Varied definition of infectious waste across different states complicates the matters and increases the likelihood of improper disposal and potential exposure to the public. For example, if a state does not classify bloodied sutures and bandages as infectious waste, it can dispose this waste from another state in the municipal landfill. However, such wa ste can be washed by storm water to the beaches and pose a health risk (9). Methods Used In Disposing Medical Waste Incineration As hospitals generate a lot of waste, both non-infectious and infectious wastes are incinerated together. There is no data on the exact waste incinerated in hospitals or information on the number of current medical incinerators available. Municipal incinerators burn a large volume of waste compared to hospital ones. However, hospital incinerators are situated in highly populated regions, leading to a greater probability of public exposure to toxic fumes and air pollutants. These small incinerators emit higher levels of pollutants, although few risk assessments are carried out, making it impossible to evaluate the risks emanating from these incinerators in comparison to other sources e.g. the municipal incinerators (10). Moreover, the short stacks in hospital incinerators might permit emissions from the incinerators to go into the hospitals via windows and air-conditioning ducts. Hospitals in US use three types of incinerators namely: rotary kiln models, multiple chamber air and controlled air. Most medical waste incinerators are closed air, since they are associated with lower costs and lesser pollution. The advantage associated incinerators is that they can reduce large volumes of waste, sterilize it, and make it possible for it to be disposed traditionally through landfills. Secondly, modern incinerators harness the heat created during the process and use it to power generators within the facility (8). Autoclaves Autoclaving uses steam sterilization in treating wastes before they are sent off to the landfills. Autoclaving is done in closed compartments, where pressure and heat are applied generating steam, within a given length of time so as to sterilize medical apparatus. All microorganisms found in the medical waste are destroyed by the steam generated and then disposed off disposed in landfills. After autoclaving medical waste, it undergoes compaction through shredding so that it is not used for any other purposes and then later on disposed in the landfills. However, autoclaving is not recommended for pathological waste due to the presence of low levels of radiation. The advantage of this method is that it can be used in processing 90 percent of medical waste and compaction reduces the volume of waste after (7). Long term Environmental Implications of Medical Waste Improper disposal of medical waste have far reaching environment impacts. Disposal of medical waste in oceans or other water bodies can lead to contamination of water by the pathogens found in this waste. Medical wastes such as soiled bandages or plastic gloves destroy the aesthetic appearance of the environment when they litter the beach or other places. On the other hand, the disposal methods used in getting rid of the medical waste causes serious air pollution. According to a JAMA study carried out in 2009, the health sector accounts for 8 pe rcent carbon emission (8). Most of the medical waste is plastic that produces furans and dioxins during combustion. Most old medical incinerators have no equipment for controlling pollution. The incinerator ash generated from combusting contaminated waste may contain potentially toxic chemicals that will end up in the landfill and cause environmental pollution. When autoclaving is used in disposal, the waste might not completely sterilized since the density and volume of material being sterilized determine the effectiveness of the process (7). There is a possibility of incomplete sterilization if the autoclave is overloaded and these pathogens will end up in the landfill, polluting the environment and posing a health risk to the public. Conclusion From the discussion above, it is clear that poor regulatory framework has hindered proper management of medical waste disposal. Medical waste is disposed through incineration and autoclaving, but both methods cause environmental pollution and pose a risk to the public health. Incineration releases toxic gases, while in autoclaving there is the risk of incomplete sterilization, transferring pathogens to the landfills. It is important for medical facilities to adopt new technology in waste disposal to reduce the environmental pollution. References Landrum, VJ. Medical waste management and disposal. California:William Andrew; 1991. NBCE. Medical, municipal and plastic waste management handbook. New Delhi: National Institute of Industrial Re; 2007. Office of technology Assessment. Finding the Rx for managing medical wastes. Washington DC: Diane Publishing; 1990. Friedman, M M and Rhinehart, E. Infection Control in Home Care. Sudbury: Jones Bartlett Learning; 1999. Hunt, DL and Fleming, D. Biological safety: principles and practices. Washington DC: ASM Press; 2000. Bassey, BE, Benka-Coker, MO and Aluyi, HAS. Characterization and management of solid medical wastes in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria. Afri H ealth Sci. 2006 March; 6(1): 58–63. Uzych, L. Medical waste management: regulatory issues and current legal requirements. J Environmental Health, 1990 May, 52 (3): 30-35. Pyrek, KM. Infection control today. Phoenix Virgo publishing; 2010 November 16. Web. Hossetti, BB. Prospects and Perspective of Solid Waste Management. Seborga: New Age International; 2006. Federation of American scientists. Washington DC: The Association; c1988-2002. Group and Physicians Workshop: [about 3 screens]. Web.

Funk Art Movement, From Ceramics to Found Objects

Funk Art Movement, From Ceramics to Found Objects By the middle of the 1950s, abstract expressionism had held sway in the art world for a full decade, and there existed certain artists who felt the adulation had gone on for roughly nine years too long. In an uncoordinated artistic rebellion, a number of new movements began to gain traction. The one characteristic these movements had in common was shunning the abstract in favor of the tangible. From this, the delightfully-named Funk Art movement was born. Origins of the Funk Art  Name The romantic version of Funk Arts etymology says it came from jazz music, where funky was a term of approbation. Jazz is also perceived as unrefined and especially with late 50s free jazz unorthodox. This fits neatly, for Funk Art was nothing if not unrefined and unorthodox. However, it is probably closer to the truth to say that Funk Art came from the original, negative meaning of funk: a powerful stench, or an assault on ones senses. Whichever version you believe, the baptism occurred in 1967, when UC Berkeley Art History professor and Founding Director of the Berkeley Art Museum, Peter Selz, curated the Funk exhibition. Where Funk Art Was Created The movement got its start in the San Francisco Bay area, specifically at the University of California, Davis. In fact, many of the artists who participated in Funk Art were on the studio art faculty. Funk Art never outgrew being a regional movement, which is just as well. The Bay Area, the epicenter of the underground, was probably the one place in which it could have thrived, let alone survived. How Long the Movement Lasted Funk Arts heyday was in the mid- to late-1960s. Naturally, its beginnings were much earlier; the (very) late-1950s seem to be the point of origin. By the end of the 1970s, things were pretty much over as far as artistic movements go. To include all possibilities, it can be said Funk Art was produced for no more than two decades and 15 years would be more realistic. It was fun while it lasted, but Funk did not have a long life. The Key Characteristics of Funk Art Found and everyday objectsAutobiographical subjects(Frequently inappropriate) humorAudience engagementElevation of ceramics Historic Precedent Funk was preceded by another Bay Area art movement known as Beat Era Funk or Funk Assemblage. Its attitude was more surrealistic than funky, but it did add a few notes to Funk. Despite also being regional, Beat Era Funk never garnered much popularity. In terms of humor and subject matter, Funk Arts lineage goes straight back to Dada, while its aspects of collage and assemblage hearken to Pablo Picassos and Georges Braques Synthetic Cubism. Artists Associated with Funk Art Robert ArnesonWallace BermanBruce ConnerRoy De ForestJay DeFeoViola FreyDavid GilhoolyWally HedrickRobert H. HudsonJessEd KienholzManuel NeriGladys NilssonJim NuttPeter SaulRichard ShawWilliam T. Wiley Sources Albright, Thomas. Art in the San Francisco Bay Area: 1945 to 1980, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985.Nelson, A. G. You (exh. cat.),  Davis: University of California Press, 2007.See: The Early Years of the UC Davis Studio Art FacultyOral history interview with Bruce Nauman, 1980 May 27-30,  Archives of American Art, Smithsonian InstitutionOral history interview with Roy De Forest, 2004 Apr. 7-June 30,  Archives of American Art, Smithsonian InstitutionSelz, Peter. Funk (exh. cat.).  Berkeley: University of California Press, 1967.Tinti, Mary M. Funk Art,  Grove Art Online, accessed 25 Apr. 2012.

Ethics class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics class - Essay Example The accepted standards of business operations safeguard the interests of companies, and violation of these standards constitutes unethical practices (Jennings 319). The emerging concern is whether Samsung has engaged in unethical business practices, or whether Apple is making false allegations against Samsung. Apple operates in the telecommunications industry with other numerous companies. The environment is competitive, guided by technology advancement, creativity, and innovativeness in developing products for the diverse world markets (Jennings 383). The situation that Apple is in following the allegations against Samsung is based on its product design technology and the numerous patents that it holds. The question is: Is Apple right or using false allegations to capture market attention? This has resulted in an ethical dilemma, especially after a South Korean court ruling in favor of Samsung. In this respect, a number of options emerge. These are: Apple’s allegations could have been right, Samsung could have actually imitated Apple’s products, or both companies could have engaged in unethical business practices in their line of operations and competition. The position of Apple in the matter constitutes an ethical

Statistics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Statistics - Coursework Example A marketing manager of a well-known bookstore in the UK conducted a survey measuring customers’ loyalty. Customers’ Loyalty was measured with one question on an ordinal scale from 1 to 10, with lower values indicating less strength and higher values greater strength. The manager also took details on their gender. The manager performed a t-test to examine whether there was an association between the variables loyalty and gender. The results are shown below. The difference between the means is evidently significantly low at 0.86. However, from the test results, the p value 0.0002 is less compared to the significance level of 0.05. For this reason, we reject the null hypothesis. We may thus conclude that loyalty may be associated with gender. It means that the difference between the mean loyalty level of males and the mean loyalty level of the females is 0.86. That is mean of male group minus mean of female group is -0.86. The negative sign shows that the mean of the female group is higher than the mean of the male

In Civil Peace, How Does War Affect Society Essay Example for Free

In Civil Peace, How Does War Affect Society Essay In human history, especially in the ninetieth century and the twentieth century, there were many civil wars in different countries because of political, economic, religious, ethnic, and cultural conflicts, for example, the American Civil War between the United States and several southern slaves states from 1861 to 1865; the Korean Civil War between the Republic of Korea and Democratic people Republic of Korea from 1950 to 1953; the Chinese Civil War between the Republic of China and the Communist Party of China from 1927 to 1950, and the Nigeria Civil War between the Hausas Party and the Igbo Party from 1967 to 1970. Civil wars cause serious poverty and starvation for the people, kill tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, and bring tragedies to many families. For instance, in the Korean Civil war, more than one million soldiers and civilians were killed, including over 40,000 American soldiers, 511,493 South Korean soldiers and civilians, about 400,000 North Koreans, and over 148,000 Chinese soldiers. Therefore, civil wars affect societies severely. In â€Å"Civil Peace†, the war causes terrible casualties of civilians and soldiers, results in fearful society instability, and destroys tremendous infrastructures and houses. In human history, especially in the ninetieth century and the twentieth century, there were many civil wars in different countries because of political, economic, religious, ethnic, and cultural conflicts, for example, the American Civil War between the United States and several southern slaves states from 1861 to 1865;[1] the Korean Civil War between the Republic of Korea and Democratic people Republic of Korea from 1950 to 1953;[2] the Chinese Civil War between the Republic of China and the Communist Party of China from 1927 to 1950, and the Nigeria Civil War between the Hausas Party and the Igbo Party from 1967 to 1970. 3] Civil wars cause serious poverty and starvation for the people, kill tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, and bring tragedies to many families. For instance, in the Korean Civil war, more than one million soldiers and civilians were killed, including over 40,000 American soldiers, 511,493 South Korean soldiers and civilians, about 400,000 North Koreans, and over 148,000 Chinese soldiers. [4] Therefore, civil wars affect societies severely. In â€Å"Civil Peace†, the war causes terrible casualties of civilians and soldiers, results in fearful society instability, and destroys tremendous infrastructures and houses. First, most Nigerian civilians live in hunger and malnutrition, but more miserably, tens of thousands soldiers and civilians are killed during the devastating civil war. It is estimated that about 180,000 soldiers and civilians were battle deaths and non-battle deaths. [5] Contrary to Jonathan’s luckiness, such as â€Å"He had come out of war with five inestimable blessing-his head, his wife Maria’s head and the heads of three out of their four children†(Achebe 20), many parents lost all of their children and many other children lost their parents. They all live in extreme grief and sorrow of losing their family members. Furthermore, those children whose parents are dead can hardly survive in the extreme postwar poverty. A lot of people suffer life poverty and spiritual grief. Most important, civil war brings tragedies to many families. These tragedies will affect survivors forever. Secondly, civil war not only results in lots of corporations being closed down and many employees being unemployed, but also brings social instability. For example, most of Jonathan’s fellow ex-miners cannot find jobs. They cook meals that they scrounge together in Bournvita tins. Moreover, because a large number civilian population lacks food and money and they are always in starvation; some civilians are forced to make a living through robbery. These robbers bring people serious fear and pain. In â€Å"Civil Peace†, after Jonathan brings his ex-gratia award back home, a gang of robbers comes and threatens that they will break into the house at night if he doesn’t give them one hundred pounds. â€Å"Jonathan and his family were now completely paralyzed by terror. Maria and the children sobbed inaudibly like lost souls. Jonathan groaned continuously† (Achebe 23). At last, the thieves rob Jonathan twenty pounds. Therefore, the Civil War causes serious social instability and brings civilians more sorrows. Thirdly, in addition to life hardships and spiritual grieves, tremendous infrastructures and houses are destroyed in the war. Many people become destitute and homeless. For example, when Jonathan comes back Enugu, he is astonished to find that â€Å"Only two houses away a huge concrete edifice some wealthy contractor had put up just before the war was a mountain of rubble† (Achebe 22). Some ex-miners are sleeping out of the offices because their houses are ruined in civil war. It is well known that roads, bridges, railways, and rban water and electricity facilities are always heavily destroyed during wars. Civilians suffer starvations during the days and endure cold during the nights because their houses are damaged. Indeed, it is inconceivable how tough conditions people live in during the war. Jonathan is an extra-ordinarily lucky man, but most civilians’ lives are tragic. Without food, houses, money, families and jobs, many people almost collapse into near-madness. Therefore, civil war results in numerous houses and infrastructures ruined. In addition, civil war will severely block postwar national economic development. The governments need to invest lots of money to rebuild ruined national infrastructures. â€Å"Nothing puzzles God† says Jonathan (Achebe 25), but civil wars puzzle everyone. Most Nigeria civilians undergo poverty, homelessness, cold and sadness. Civil wars not only bring extreme poverty and starvation, but also cause severe casualties of soldiers and civilians. Moreover, numerous houses and facilities are terribly ruined. In addition, a lot of factories and corporations are forced to close down. Above all, the civil war contributes to severe social instability, brings families tragedies, and causes people deep sorrows.

Missoula Flood :: miscellaneous

Missoula Flood Human beings existing, breathing, and walking around on a measureless, changing and growing quickly as times goes by. Similar to the human growth, landforms kept on changing rapidly over years after years. For many centuries, geologists believed landscapes were formed through a long process known as uniformitarian- a â€Å"gradually† slow process of changing its landscapes toward its environments. Evidence of multiple catastrophism- a â€Å"speed† process of landform has been developed over the years, especially during the time of J. Harlen Bretz, a remarkable geologist who defied the scientific belief of his day and argued that sudden flood of almost unbelievable force rather than the slow uniform process. By recognizing the effects of catastrophic flooding on the Columbia Plateau of eastern Washington, the Missoula flood was brought upon the geologist community. The event of Missoula flood caused spectacular changes in landscapes. Even though thousands years of land erosion, scars of the flood still visible and noticeable. This significant event made remarkable changes in the geology, and guide us to a new level of understanding the causes of changes in the past leading to present and into the future as well. Landscapes around us significantly change because of the Missoula flood. Bretz began to realized the area of Puget Sound- area filled with valleys and complex drainage channels and had been covered by mountain glaciers - is made up of giant discarded river channels during the time of glaciers expansion nudged the drainage system southward. (p. 19) One of the places that Bretz visited was Columbia River Gorge, a stretch of steep river valley that cuts its way through the Cascade Mountains. (p. 27) Here Bretz found certain number of misfit rocks called erratics, a rock type that located distance away from their area of origin. Erractics not only came from the coast but the interior of Washington and Idaho. Found their way into the Columbia Gorge, their boulders have clearly avoided the usual breaking up and smoothing down that occurs to river tumbled rocks. Rolling, grinding, and polishing action did not transport these erractics, something irregular has occurred. Their sizes are a thousand times larger than the river gravels and are likely to be angular rather than smooth. At the same time, Bretz notices the oddness of its dry falls in the Columbia Gorge on the U.S. Geological Survey map of Quincy Basin, showed up clearly at the western end of the basin.

Clinical Decision Support

A state of irritability, exhaustion, or bewilderment triggered in clinicians who have been exposed to too many alerts which cause the user to ignore some or all the alerts. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ; coordinates for the development of Health bevel Seven's Arden Syntax Standard. Bar Code Medication Administration (ABACA) ; An inpatient CADS to assist nurses with the five rights of medication administration. ; Provides warnings if any of the five rights are violated. ; It also requires the nurses to enter an override reason if he/she chooses to proceed.Bar Code Medication Administration Health Level Seven (HAL) ; A standards development organization for health information technology (HIT) Look-Alike, Sound-Alike (ALAS) ; Drugs with similar spelling or pronunciation. ; Refers to providing clinicians or patients with clinical knowledge and patient-related information, intelligently filtered or presented to appropriate times, to enhance patient care. ; Integrate patie nt-specific data with an available knowledge base in order to assist the clinician in selecting and delivering the safest and most effective therapies.Clinical Decision Support System A system intended to provide CDC to clinicians, caregivers and health care consumers. ; An Automated CADS includes: 1. A Knowledge base 2. An Event monitor 3. A Communication system Take Note: ; CADS may be a stand alone system ; CADS may be integrated into other technology solutions (ex. Bar code scanning technology and e-Prescribing) General Attributes of CADS 1. Designed for three purposes: Improve the quality of clinical decisions Notify of potential change in patient status ;. Prevent errant action at the point of care a.Error of commission b. Error of omission 2. Patient specificity 3. Context sensitive- relates directly to the work at hand 4. Integrated into workflow- convenient to use. 5. Timely- executes in real time 6. Pushes information to the clinician, care-giver or health care consumer 7. Intelligently filtered clinical information ; Information, advice or warning is relevant and meaningful ; CADS uses patient data to infer that the message is actually needed. ; CADS is customizable to clinical preferences. Types of Clinical Decision Support A. Patient-specific CADS B.Non-patient specific CADS ; This type of CADS consist of three types f alerts 1 . Commercial drug-interaction alerting system 2. Commercial dose and dose-range checking alerts 3. Commercial clinical rules engine Commercial drug-interaction alerting system ; Most common in COPE and Pharmacy Information systems. ; Provides alerts for drug-allergy, drug-drug, drug-pregnancy and other interactions. ; Limitation is that severity levels Of drug interaction is pre-assigned by the vendor based on the anticipated adverse reaction and cannot be customized.Four Possible Results from deterioration alerting system Alert Result Produces alert? Relevant? Clinician deeds to see? True Positive Yes True Negative NO No P ositive False Yes but never gets the chance Commercial dose and dose-range checking alerts ; Currently, this is rudimentary using few patient data, usually only age. Therefore this systems only loosely fit paternalistic category. Commercial clinical rules engine ; These allow local development or customization of clinical content and programming logic. 2. 3. 4.Data mining Informational notice Order sets Knowledge retrieval systems ; Provides population specific relationships and information. ; Encompasses numerous methods used to identify patterns and relationships in data. ; Usually just-in-time, product specific information. ; Examples: 1 . Provides alert for possible ALAS 2. In COPE, it might be order specific information such as the cost off lab test, or formula status of a drug. ; An organized set of patient care orders that are usually population, procedure or disease specific. It may be evidence-based such as clinical guideline. ; The KIRKS ; It could be: 1. Primary KIRKS ex. Google and 2. Secondary KIRKS (Harridan's online) 3. Tertiary KIRKS (ASAP, Thomson Health care and How to maximize the benefits Of CADS? Maximizing the benefits 1. Ensure that the data available for decision-making is as comprehensive as possible. Data should be current and urge Larry updated. 2. Optimize the method by which the decision support information is delivered to the health care provider values of CADS ; Application of CADS in different current medical technologies available: 1.COPE 2. OMAR(Getronics Medication Administration 3. Smart Pumps 4. Automated distribution cabinets CADS in COPE CADS integrated in COPE can: ; Reduce medication errors (any preventable event that may lead to inappropriate medication use or cause harm to he patient while the medication is in the control of a health care professional, patient or consumer) ; Improve compliance with recommended monitoring or adjunctive therapies. ; Improve efficiency by reducing the time spent clarifying incomplete ord ers. Screen for a variety or risks on the point of entry (ex. Duplicate therapy, drug-drug, allergic cross sensitivities) ; can reduced mathematical errors by automating weight-based and similar dosing calculations. ; can identify possible ALAS medications. Computerized Provider Order Entry CADS in Omar ; OMAR (Electronic Medication Administration Record) CADS integrated in Omar can: ; Can provide real time confirmation of the 5 rights of medication administration: 1. Right medication 2. Right dose 3. Right route 4. Right patient 5.Right time ; Can screen for recent changes in laboratory parameters, vital signs, or allergy status which may interact with a scheduled medication and alert the nurse prior to administration. ; Ex: laboratory shows critical level of potassium thereby alerting the nurse before administering dioxin to patient. CADS in Smart Pumps ; Smart pump- a computerized infusion device that can be programmed to include specific set of data. CADS integrated in Smart Pum ps can: ; Provide real time confirmation of the volume, rate and concentration of the solution being administered.Smart Pumps CADS in Automated Dispensing Cabinets ; ADS- secure storage cabinets typically located decennially on patient care units capable of handling most unit-dose and multiple dose medications. ; CADS integrated in ADS can: ; Notify nurses of potential hypersensitivity or ADAIR when certain trigger medications are withdrawn for a patient. ; In pharmacy, can provide alerts when medication is withdrawn too early or too ate based on scheduled administration time. Automated Dispensing Cabinets Unintended consequences in CADS ; A. Alert fatigue ; 8. Delay in care ; C. System performance A.Alert fatigue ; Tendency users to become overwhelmed and begin to ignore CDC messages due to a high quantity of alerts or a perception that the alerts have little perceived value. B. Delay in care ; The risk that interruptions in the workflow caused by clinical decision support alerts o r system limitations may lead to a delay in delivery of patient care. C. System Performance ; The risk that the processor resources seed by the CADS will cause the hospital information system software to perform slowly. Arden syntax standard ; A programming language designed for clinicians to build clinical rules. Streamlined computer language based on Pascal. ; Developed in Columbia University Arden Homestead in 1989. ; This standard provides a method to construct clinical rules, such as alerts, reminders and recommendations, known as Ml. ; Provides a flexible and clinically way to develop Ml. What is Ml? Ml ; Means Medical Logical Modules ; Offers a suggestion or warning (alert, recommendation or reminder) regarding a alnico decision or action, or an informational notice to report a change in a patient's clinical status.

Kite Runner Characters Essay

From that point forward, he is driven by his feelings of guilt as he searches to find a way to redeem himself. Ultimately he does so through courage and self-sacrifice, and he tells his story as a form of penance. Hassan  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚   Amir’s best friend and half-brother as well as a servant of Baba’s. Hassan proves himself a loyal friend to Amir repeatedly, defending Amir when he is attacked and always being ready to listen. His defining traits are bravery, selflessness, and intelligence, though his smarts are more instinctual than bookish, largely because he is uneducated. As a poor ethnic Hazara, he is considered an inferior in Afghan society, and he is the victim of racism throughout the novel as a result. He is Baba’s illegitimate child, though he is not aware of this fact, and he grows up with Ali acting as his father. His rape is an early catalyst in the story, and even though he is not present in a significant portion of the novel, he plays a major role throughout. Baba  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚   Father of Amir and Hassan and a wealthy, well-respected businessman. Baba believes first and foremost in doing what is right and thinking for oneself, and he tries to impart these qualities to Amir. He also never lets anyone’s lack of belief in him stop him from accomplishing his goals. Although he distrusts religious fundamentalism, he follows his own moral code and acts with self-assurance and bravery. When necessary, he is even willing to risk his life for what he believes in. Yet his shame at having a child with a Hazara woman leads him to hide the fact that Hassan is his son. Because he cannot love Hassan openly, he is somewhat distant toward Amir and is often hard on him, though he undoubtedly loves him. Ali  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚   Acting father to Hassan and a servant of Baba’s. Ali is defined by his modesty more than anything, and he works diligently as Baba’s servant. He loves Hassan deeply, though he rarely expresses his emotions outwardly. Poor and an ethnic Hazara, he suffers from partial paralysis of his face and walks with a limp caused by polio. Sohrab  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚   Son of Hassan and Farzana. In many ways, Sohrab acts as a substitute for Hassan in the novel, and he is a central focus of the plot in the later sections of the book. He is also an ethnic Hazara and is great with a slingshot. His character arc takes him from being a normal little boy to the traumatized victim of sexual and physical abuse, and he goes from speaking very little to not at all. Assef  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚   Hassan’s and Sohrab’s rapist and the novel’s antagonist. Assef represents all things wrong in Afghanistan. A racist who wishes to rid Afghanistan of Hazaras, he is incapable of remorse and enjoys inflicting violence and sexual abuse on those who are powerless. He even claims Hitler as a role model. Rahim Khan  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚   Friend of Baba and Amir. Rahim Khan is Baba’s closest confidant, and the one man who knows all of Baba’s secrets. For Amir, he serves a father figure, often giving Amir the attention he craves and filling the holes left by Baba’s emotional distance.

Finding the Percent of Change Between Numbers

Finding the Percent of Change Between Numbers There are two methods of finding the  percent of change between two numbers. The first is  to find the ratio of the amount of change to the original amount. If the new number is greater than the old number, then that ratio is the percent of increase, which will be a positive. If the new number is less than the old number, then that ratio is the percent of decrease, which will be a negative. The first question to ask yourself when finding the percent of change with this method is: Is it an increase or a decrease? Method 1: AProblem With an Increase Say one person had $200 in a savings account last month and now has $225. Thats an increase. The problem is to find the percent of increase in  money. First,  subtract to find the amount of change: 225 - 25 200. The  increase is 25. Next, divide the amount of change by the original amount: 25 à · 200 0.125 Now, to change the decimal to a percent, multiply the number by 100: 0.125 X 100 12.5 The answer is 12.5 percent. So thats the percent of change, an increase of 12.5 percent in the savings account. Method 1: A Problem Witha Decrease Say one person weighed 150 pounds last year and now weighs 125 pounds. Thats a decrease. The problem is to find the percent of decrease in weight- the weight loss,   First, subtract to find the amount of change: 150 - 125 25. The decrease is 25. Next, divide the amount of change by the original amount: 25 à · 150 0.167 Now, to change the decimal to a percent, multiply the number by 100: 0.167 x 100 16.7 The answer is 16.7 percent. So thats the percent of change, a decrease of 16.7 percent in body weight. Method 2: AProblemWith an Increase The  second method of finding  the  percent  of change between two numbers involves finding the ratio between the new number and the original number. Use the same example for this  method of finding the percent of increase: One person had $200 in a savings account last month and now has $225. The problem is to find the percent of increase in money. First, divide the new amount by the original amount: 225 / 200 1.125 Next, to change the decimal to a percent,  multiply the result  by 100: 1.125 X 100 112.5 percent Now, subtract 100 percent from the result: 112.5 percent - 100 percent   12.5 percent Thats the same result as in method 1: an increase of 12.5 percent in the savings account. Method2: AProblemWitha Decrease Use the same example for the second  method of finding the percent of decrease: One person weighed 150 pounds last year and now weighs 125 pounds. The problem is  to find the percent of decrease in weight. First,  divide the new amount by he original amount: 125 / 150 0.833 Next, to change the decimal to a percent, multiply the result by 100: 0.833 X 100 83.3 percent Now,  subtract 100 percent from the result: 83.3 percent - 100 percent -16.7 percent Thats the same result as in method 1: a  decrease of 16.7 percent in body weight.

Quotes About Simplicity

Quotes About Simplicity Living in simplicity is about more than taking your time to soak in the warmth of the sun or stopping to smell the flowers, although those actions could certainly fit in a simple lifestyle. Simplicity is about deciding what is necessary and important in your life and then not being distracted by the business that fills our days. It is about focusing on the important, rather than the urgent. The term simplicity can also imply a lack of pretense or sophistication, although many would claim that the most uncomplicated life is the most sophisticated.   John Kabat-ZinnVoluntary simplicity means going fewer places in one day rather than more, seeing less so I can see more, doing less so I can do more, acquiring less so I can have more. Albert EinsteinEverything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best for both the body and the mind. Charles WarnerSimplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough. ConfuciusLife is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. Winston ChurchillAll the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope. Charles de LintLife is like art. You have to work hard to keep it simple and still, have meaning. SocratesBeware the barrenness of a busy life. Dalai LamaMy religion is very simple. My religion is kindness. William MorrisHave nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. Orison MardenThe waste of life occasioned by trying to do too many things at once is appalling. Ronald ReaganThere are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.   Warren BuffettThe business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective. Doris Janzen LongacreThe trouble with simple living is that, though it can be joyful, rich and creative, it isnt simple. Elizabeth SeatonLive simply that others might simply live. Henry David ThoreauAs you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness. Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify. Leonardo Da Vinci Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Hans Hofmann The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. Stendhal Only great minds can afford a simple style. Oscar Wilde Simple pleasures are always the last refuge of the complex. Arnold H. Glasgow Success is simple. Do whats right, the right way, at the right time. Lao Tzu I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ï » ¿Ã¯ » ¿In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.

Recycling as a Mandatory Process Research Paper

Recycling as a Mandatory Process - Research Paper Example Among the top concerns in environmental pollution involve proper waste disposal and management among every citizen and the authorities that govern them since litter generated by humans is the primary cause of pollution (Ferrara and Missios 222-223). Every day, tons of garbage is being collected in every city all over the world. All kinds of wastes coming from household consumption and industrial by-products are dumped in landfills, segregated, incarcerated, recycled or worse, discarded anywhere. Emergent concerns for municipal waste generation and disposal are rapidly increasing mainly because of the public awareness in the effects of waste generation to the environment, specifically its contribution to climate change and water and air contamination. Government as well as its citizens is now hesitant in creating new landfills and incineration facilities for fear of ground water contagion brought by toxic chemicals in industrial and electronic wastes. Municipal wastes are also swellin g at a fast rate as a result of higher incomes, increase use of durable materials and packaging. Definitely the pollution that wastes carries to the environment is imminent and the impact to environmental pressures from household will probably build up in the following two decades (OECDa 82-83). Nevertheless, the issue of recycling or going green has been widely encouraged, from reusing glass and plastic bottles to utilizing old as cleaning materials in the house. In order to minimize trash, people are taught to reprocess, reuse, reutilize and recondition materials that can beneficial in saving the environment from pollutants. In 2005, household waste alone generated over 75% of municipal waste in key countries like Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Slovak Republic, Luxembourg, Denmark and Spain. Each household with one person accumulates two bags of mixed trash every week while households with three persons accrue an average of 3.2 bags. To a ddress the situation, local government units created policies that will lessen waste generation such as imposing fees based on volume of garbage and minimizing the frequency of collection. Studies show that households tend to lessen waste generation by 7.11% upon the implementation of volume-based fees. On the other hand, it has been observed that mixed waste generation decreases as the frequency of garbage collection also decreases. However, the figures gathered from these policies are not significant; consequently the need for recycling is also essential to resolve the issue (Ferrara and Missios 223-230). According to the Organisation of Economic Co-Operation and Development, Household consumption patterns and behavior have a profound effect on stocks of natural resources and the quality of the environment. As a consequence, governments have introduced a wide variety to encourage people to take environmental impacts into account in their purchases and practices. Recent initiatives include the phasing out of incandescent light bulbs, the introduction of energy performance labels for homes, and the provision of tax incentives to purchase alternative-fuelled vehicles (OECDa 15). In addition, the high volume of litter generated by the industrial sector is a huge concern for environmentalists. According to environmental policy analyst Linda Luther (1), the by-product

Discussion- CH5 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion- CH5 - Coursework Example Bank loans are not accompanied by any ownership condition. In addition, the bank personnel are not involved in the running of the business (Sloman and Sutcliffe, 104). The disadvantage of loan is that they are difficult to obtain and also the borrowers need to provide their personal guarantees. The pros of equity financing include no payment of interest. The investors are not paid interests though they will owe the entrepreneur some portion of profit. Equity financing has no liability. The entrepreneur is not liable and in case of failure, the investor takes the risk. No monthly payments are needed in equity financing. This allows for more money in the business to keep things running. Con associated to equity financing include giving up ownership. This is due to investors owning part of the business (Sloman and Sutcliffe, 303). Pros for stock include them being considered being having potential for higher returns as compared to other types of investments that are used by companies. Stock is considered to pay dividends. Extra income can be used to buy more shares for the company. Cons for stock include dramatically rise and fall that occur in stock price (Sloman and Sutcliffe, 167). Stack is seen also to have no guaranteed return. I agree with you that the most common types of financing for small entrepreneurs would be equity financing and debt financing. This is due to unavailability of ready finances. Debt financing allows using the finances and later pay to the lenders. Selling of shares is convenient to them as the money need not to be repaid. I equally agree with you that there are so many important skills that managers should have in order to drive success towards the company. The skills that are needed by the managers including ability to be a leader, positive relationship with employees, proper planning, proper delegation of duties, effective

THE FINAL SELF-REFLECTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

THE FINAL SELF-REFLECTION - Essay Example I designed my pet’s house when I was fifteen. I always wanted to learn how to draw maps and design structures of buildings, roads, and bridges. The fantasy grew into my ambition, and I wanted to learn more about architecture. My passion made me explore more about these issues, and I joined a local library to study the related literature. I have also studied a number of journals and articles that have increased my interest. My basic inspiration was a family friend, an uncle who was an architect and was helping my father in a project regarding designing a low cost orphanage facility in Congo. He inspired me into creating structures, and this increased my enthusiasm about architecture. Thus, I planned to extend my degree in architecture so that I may be able to excel in my field of interest and be a useful professional in my career. I feel it important to state here how pleasing it was for me to pursue architecture. I enjoyed the architectural studies a lot, and came to know about modeling, materiality and aspects of interaction between people and buildings. I learnt how to work in teams to achieve the goals. I gained knowledge of many architectural softwares and programs, like Rhinoceros, AutoCAD, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop. In my university, I have been a very active student, and have always gained the praise of my teachers and peers. I was a student representative in my first and third years. I also possess interest in games, and have stayed part of the volleyball team in my second year. I also deem it important to describe some of personal qualities. I can prove to be an ethical leader for teams, since I plan my work according to rules and standards. I care about my co-workers; keep in view the goals and objectives; and, have a broad vision regarding the advancement of my semester projects. My leadership qualities have always made me succeed in all university projects that I have taken so far, and I am proud

Analysis of Privacy Perception Among Open Plan Office Users

Analysis of Privacy Perception Among Open Plan Office Users CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION What is an Office? Offices are workspaces designed for regular use to achieve personal, group or organizational goals through the accomplishment of tasks. Sanders and McCormick, (2002) go on to state that these tasks can be grouped into cognitive, physical, social or procedural tasks. The office provides a location for contact and could also be a repository for tools, information and other resources required to meet business objectives. It is also a business resource, this a point most people fail to understand thus, the failure to properly design and evaluate work spaces. The work place or office is one of the places the modern man spends the bulk of his waking hours. Sanders and McCormick, (2002) say almost half of ones waking hours are spent in and around the office. This would provide explanation for research efforts into the design and utilization of offices. According to Myerson and Ross (2003) the office grew out of the factory and then followed the trend of bureaucratization of industry. Thus, offices have been viewed differently by users and companies. Some view it as an address, others as a necessary evil but to others it is considered to be an asset. Bjerrum and Bà ¸dker (2003) noted that the design of an office was mostly considered as a cost and done to support quiet work and also show peoples status. While the purpose of the â€Å"New office† is to be that of attracting and retaining staff as well as to revolutionalize corporate culture. Work places or offices have been described variously as; conventional, traditional, and closed or open plan offices. Some, group them as large or small, landscaped etc. (Sanders and McCormick, 2002). The general descriptions of workspaces fall under the categories of open plan and cellular offices and this is based on the architectural and functional features of the work spaces (Duffy, Laing and Crisp, 1992). Other descriptions and categorization of offices include the hive; which is suited to individual processes. The den; suited to group processes. The cell; designed for concentrated study while the club supports transactional knowledge (Sailer, Budgen, Lonsdale, Turner and Penn, 2009). There are other descriptions of office types for example, Myerson and Ross (2003) from an architectural point of view, showed that views of property and space as related to the office environment have been evolving and as such, they identify four thematic categories of offices namely: narrative which presents the â€Å"office as a brand experience.† Nodal where the â€Å"office as knowledge connector.† The neighborly theme sees the â€Å"office as a social landscape† and lastly nomadic â€Å"office as distributed work space† these grouping reflect more of necessity and corporate culture not necessarily a collection of generally practically replicable models. In another categorization of offices by Myerson and Ross (2006) is based on the fact that the offices evolved to suit knowledge workers, as such, the categories match each of the four â€Å"realms† of knowledge work namely: the academy â€Å"is likened to the corporate realm which is a more collegiate and collaborative approach to work†, guild â€Å"the professional realm in essence a professional cluster of peers sharing a skill or specialization†, agora â€Å"the public realm where the corporation is open to the city or the market place† and the lodge â€Å" the domestic or private realm more of the live and work setting†. In the general scheme of things offices are still broadly classified into open plan and private or cellular offices all other forms are variations of the two. Cellular Offices Also called closed offices, this type of offices are the traditional or conventional offices which are usually closed and private workspaces (Maher and von Hippel, 2005) i.e. they are designed with floor to ceiling walls, a door and dimensioned for a single user. This type of office is also called a cell-office and can be a shared room office, used by 2-3 persons (Danielsson, 2008). This has been the generally accepted, traditional or popular understanding of the place called an office. Open Plan Offices These are found to be a common workspace shared by a group of employees. The original concept of the open plan office has continued to evolve, but it is the absence of floor-to-ceiling walls that is said to be the primary characteristic of open-plan offices. The arrangements of office furniture, partitions, screens, office equipment, or plants mark out individual and functional work areas (Valesny and Farace, 1987). One of the strengths of the open plan office according to Bjerrum and Bà ¸dker (2003) is the openness and flexibility allowing one to move to where things are happening and allowing for â€Å"overhearing and over-seeing† (p. 207) thus enhancing peripheral participation. Other types of the open plan office include the bull pen office, action offices, landscaped offices (Sanders and McCormick, 2002). In the bull pen offices, the work desks are arranged in neat row as far as the eyes can see. In reality, most firms have a mix of office typologies ranging from cellular units designed for a single user to a small room office shared by a few people then the spaces shared with a large group with or without specifically assigned work places and with varying measures of visual and audio privacy. Recent Developments in Open Plan Offices It is safe to argue that, the open plan office has become increasingly popular (de Korte, Kuijt-Evers and Vink, 2007; Ding, 2008; Oldham and Brass, 1979; Pejtersen, Allermann, Kristensen and Poulsen, 2006 etc.) and several reasons could be advanced to explain the widespread adoption and use of the open plan offices and its variations. There is also a move to wards a reduction in open plan office workspaces especially in the United States of America due to the understanding that smaller workstations are cheaper to maintain (Dykes, 2011) this according to Veitch, Charles, Farley and Newsham (2007) is because there is a failure in understanding the full value of the physical office environment and related issues in open plan offices in particular. Advantages of open plan offices Searches through literature (Danielsson, 2008; Oldham and Brass, 1979; Pan and Micheal, 2007; Roper and Juneja, 2008; Valesny and Farace, 1987 etc.) present the following as reasons for the adoption of open plan offices. They include; Reduction in office space and cost decline: The price of real estate is predicated on the area rented and utilized. With organizations using rental spaces, it is cheaper to use the rented floor or floors as open plan offices. In most cases, the cost of partitioning is saved if an open plan set up is deployed fully or partly. Flexibility for organizational changes: The open plan office lends itself to easy restructuring of work areas. In most cases, it is easier to fit in one more members of staff (Sanders and McCormick, 2002). More efficient work flow and communication: Some jobs require continuous team work, face to face interaction and a relatively high level of routine procedures. For such work groups, the open plan office or variations thereof are usually recommended and deployed. The enhancement of some level of peripheral participation is one of the strengths of the open plan office. Possible enhancement of social facilitation: The enhancement of collaboration i.e. the fostering of a team spirit, where, work teams or task forces are close to one another and can quickly form a huddle to sort out problems without resorting to information technology provisions like the intercom, emails, phones, video conferencing or even the walk up to another office. Oldham and Brass, (1979) specifically examined interpersonal issues that included; intradepartmental and interdepartmental interaction, friendship opportunities, noting that supervisor and co worker feed back could be improved. Ease of supervision: There is an ease of supervision, in that, a look over the landscape of the office can give an idea as to who is present and what each member of staff is doing. Limitations of open plan offices. Regarding the limitations of open-plan office designs, Maher and von Hippel (2005) rightly point out the fact that in open plan office layouts â€Å"distractions and overstimulation are intrinsically linked to the design.† These issues have consistently been themain down sides of open plan offices and some of them include: Increased workplace noise (Pan and Michael, 2007). Increased disturbances and distractions. Increased feelings of crowding and loss of privacy. There is a reduction in autonomy and task identity and a reduction in supervisor and co worker feedback in certain cases (Oldham and Brass, 1979). One point of agreement in open plan office research is that there is a generally low level of perceived privacy in open plan offices, as interruptions and distractions of the visual and acoustic kind occur frequently in open plan offices. (Pejtersen et al. 2006; Roper and Juneja, 2008) Furthermore, researchers have observed that these negative outcomes resulting from the adoption of the open plan office design tends to result in dissatisfaction with work and the workplace thus, reducing functional efficiency, decreasing performance, especially, for non routine tasks and also, reduced feedback from supervisors due to some complexity with the freedom of communication (de Korte et al. 2007; Pejtersen et al. 2006; Sundstrom et al. 1982; Vischer, 2007 ). This understanding has led some organizations to begin returning to the traditional private offices i.e. with floor to ceiling partitions assigned to an individual (Roper and Juneja 2008). Evolving nature of office work Also worthy of note, is the evolution of work patterns. An increasingly large number of persons work mainly at or from home and visit the office sparingly. This has given rise to the several types of offices one of which is the flex-office, which is dimensioned for less than 70% of the total company staff to be in at the same time. Another design is the combi-office; where a member of staff is not assigned to a specific desk but sharing of common facilities provides the spatial definition of such an individuals work space i.e. the task and personnel at hand may determine the sitting arrangement of persons in the office (Danielsson, 2008). Thesis Overview The thesis is organized in to 5 chapters; Chapter one provides an introduction the concept of an office, its major types and variations. It then focuses on the open plan office and then highlights the strengths and limitations of the open plan office. Chapter two provides a literature review of the concept of privacy perception; it reviews the perceived benefits of privacy and then traces the expectation that privacy perception could be influenced by culture. Significant studies related to dissatisfaction with open plan offices are examined for possible links to culture. The discussion then moves to culture, its definition and then the attempts made in the classification of culture. The Hofstede paradigm is then discussed and some studies employing the paradigm are reviewed. The research motivation and hypotheses are presented. Chapter three discusses the methodology of the study, the survey method, issues noted and the challenge expected. The source and design of the questionnaire was presented and the analysis methods proposed. The statistical analysis tool was briefly introduced. Chapter four shows the procedure of the survey, documents the responses received, analyzed the data collected from the general information part of the questionnaire and then chronicles the statistical analysis of the second part of the questionnaire designed to elicit privacy perception in open plan office environments. Chapter five provides a discussion of the results obtained in chapter five and then presents the limitations of the current study while providing directions for further work. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW This part of the thesis discusses the links between privacy perceptions and culture. It also includes definitions and explanations of some related terms. Lastly, it includes a presentation of some ideas relevant to the work and results of related studies. The chapter concludes with the research question, research hypothesis and the motivation for the study. Privacy Perception In order to facilitate a better understanding, the term â€Å"privacy† is defined firstly then the concept called â€Å"perception. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary (2011), privacy is said to be â€Å"the quality or state of being apart from company or observation†. Wikipedia defines perception as â€Å"the process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory information.† It goes on to say â€Å"what one perceives is a result of interplays between past experiences, including one’s culture, and the interpretation of the perceived.† Privacy is a very difficult concept or construct to define not to talk of evaluating, it has commanded interest from the fields of anthropology, architecture, cultural geography, environmental design, ethology, history, law, philosophy, and sociology, as well as branches psychology such as; clinical, counseling, developmental, educational, environmental and social psychology (Newell, 1995; 1998). Newell (1995) in her extensive review of the concept of privacy divided the perspectives of privacy into, people centered, place centered and the person-environment or the person-place interaction with the primary interest on the place, people or equally on the person and place and or with the interaction itself. Leino-Kilpi et al. (2001 p. 664) in another review of literature on privacy noted that perspectives applied to the analysis of the concepts of privacy to be: The units experiencing privacy. They go on to note â€Å"the unit experiencing privacy can be either an individual or a group, or both.† Desired – Achieved privacy. This is explained by the understanding that the concept of privacy is either seen as a subjective state or studied as an achieved state (Newell, 1998). Reactive – Proactive privacy. This is to say the control of communication and also the control of knowledge. Furthermore, they describe the dimensions of privacy to include: physical, psychological, social and informational thus, suggesting privacy dimensions to be made up of four quadrants of the diagram as shown in figure 2.1 below.. Source: Leino-Kilpi et al. (2001) It would be seen that in an open plan office all the dimensions of privacy as enumerated Figure 2.1 above are impinged upon; First, physical accessibility to the person is unrestricted. Secondly, the cognitive intrusions abound due to audio and visual distractions. Thirdly, it is more difficult to control social contacts for example, the choice of participants for interaction, the interaction frequency, length and content of the said interaction. Then finally, the ease with which certain private pieces of information about the person is easily accessible is a problem in open plan offices, after all, most open plan offices do not have a single route of access or a door to the work space. So, it is difficult to mark and protect ones territory and as such protect some form of private information from would be trespassers (Anjum, Paul and Ashcroft, 2004). In the light of these perspectives, one of the definitions of privacy suggested is that â€Å"privacy is a voluntary and temporary condition of separation from the public domain† (Newell, 1998, p. 357). Oldham, Kulick and Stepina (1991) highlighted the fact that individuals reacted negatively to environments characterized by few enclosures, closeness and high density because such environments exposed individuals to too many unwanted or uncontrolled intrusions. It is also agreed that, the perception of the work environment leads to satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the work and the work environment. Fischer, Tarquinio and Vischer (2004, p.132 ) posit that the there are three major categories of mediating influences on workplace satisfaction and these are, â€Å"individual differences like culture, age, professional or status, organizational context and environmental features.† All these issues could be further grouped into two; internal and external factors as relates to the individual. These two descriptions could be mapped to the two ingredients required for a need for privacy to exist i.e. a person or persons and a place. Sanders and McCormick (2002, p. 485) also point out that apart from the physical features of the built environment, â€Å"people are influenced by nonphysical features like social, cultural, technological, economic and political factors characteristic of the environment.† External Factors These are the place factors, usually described as the environmental or design issues which can lead to noise distractions, visual distractions, interruptions, crowding and accessibility issues (Ding, S. 2008). Due to the absence of internal walls, the low height of walls or partitions in open plan offices influences privacy; the more enclosures, the lower the people per given space and the higher the partitions, the higher the privacy perceived (Danielsson 2008; Oldham, G. R et al. 1991; Sundstrom, Herbert and Brown, 1982 etc.). Organizational context is also considered to be an external factor. This involves the type of industry involved by the organization. For example doctors consulting rooms should provide more audio privacy compared to an architectural firms offices or design studios. Internal Factors This grouping is based on the person factors or what goes on within the person, the suggestion that individual differences related to but not restricted to personality traits, gender, individual experience etc. affect ones perception of, and hence the evaluation of the work environment (external or place factors). Some studies have found that variations exist across gender in perception of privacy in the open plan office (Yildirim, Akalin-Baskaya and Celebi, 2007). Also, in a different cross cultural study of privacy, Newell (1998) found that privacy was more a condition of the person thus, the duration of the experience and the change on the person as a result of the experience leads to its suspected therapeutic effect. In general perceptions and attitudes to privacy, she found that gender also played a part especially within cultures. Maher and von Hippel (2005) and others before them showed that individual differences in the ability to handle overstimulation by the application stimulus screening and inhibitory abilities influenced the perceptions of the work environment. These inhibitory skills are cognitive in nature and such inhibitory skills are found to vary between individuals and even especially across cultures. For example, Hall (1966) points out that the Japanese are said to be content with paper walls as acoustic screens while the Dutch and Germans require thick walls and double doors to serve as acoustic screens. Benefits of Privacy in the work Environment Newell (1998, p. 359) relates the need for privacy to help in â€Å"maintaining healthy internal physiological and cognitive functioning subjectively described as ‘wellbeing’†. The study concluded that achieving the perceived privacy had some therapeutic effects. On the area of performance, especially for knowledge workers like engineers, accountants, software designers, decision makers etc., auditory and visual distraction have been found to be a cause of stress and even performance impairment (Roper and Juneja, 2008). Furthermore, Oommen, Knowles and Zhao (2008) point to the likelihood of aggression and increased instances of eye, nose and throat irritations while working in open plan environments. This in turn affects productivity. Culture Culture is said to be the way of life of a group of people. This, among other things covers their beliefs, values, norms and rituals. Specifically, Hofstede (2009 p. 1) points out that â€Å"culture is the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from the others and it manifests itself in the form of symbols, heroes, rituals and values.† Earlier, an American anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his books, talked about language and especially modes of communication as a point of differentiating cultures (Hall E.T 1966; 1976). He even considered language to be the core of culture while, Geert Hofstede considers language as a part of the rituals of a particular culture (Hofstede, 2010). This goes to point out some of the existing disagreements about what culture is and even how it comes about. Culture is thus, studied as a means of understanding or shedding light into the behavior or reactions of individuals or people groups. Edward Hall in his book; the hidden dimension writes that â€Å"people from different cultures inhabit different sensory worlds, so that experience, as it is perceived through one set of culturally patterned sensory screens is quite different from experience perceived through another.† (1966, p. 2). This highlights and explains the link between culture and perception generally and in spatial terms especially. Classifying Cultures There have been several descriptions and models of culture (Matsumoto and Yoo, 2006; Hall, 1966; 1970), for example, Hall (1966) alludes to contact and non-contact groups or cultures in relation to spatial meanings and preferences within people groups . This is related to the social dimension of privacy (Leino-Kilpi et al. 2001), but he especially specifies high and low context cultures according to their ways of communicating. For the high context (HC) culture or communication for that matter, much of the information is implicit while, in the low context (LC) culture, nearly everything is explicit. He also wrote about the concept of time among cultures (Hall, 1976). Where there are polychronic (P-time) and monochronic (M-Time) cultures; the M-time society or culture would prefer to do only one thing at a time when serious i.e. for such persons, time is linear and segmented with each activity scheduled while, the individuals in a P-time culture can juggle several activities, they emphasize the involvement of people and the completion of tasks rather than schedules. Edward T. Hall coined the term â€Å"Proxemics† which he describes as â€Å"interrelated observations and theories of mans use of space as a specialized elaboration of culture† Hall (1966 p. 1). In explaining his observations in proxemic behavior (Hall, 1963 p. 1003) he notes that â€Å"what is close to an American may be distant to an Arab.† Many other researchers and individuals apart from Edward Hall had worked on other frameworks and dimensions of culture. Matsumoto and Yoo, (2006) lists some of these frameworks which are interestingly identified by the names of the researchers that discovered them and this list which is not exhaustive, includes; Hofstedes (1980) with subsequent revisions and dimensions added; Schwartz (2004) who presented seven universal value orientations, Smith, Dugan and Trompenaars (1996) had two universal value orientations; House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman and Gupta (2003) came up with nine value orientations related to leadership; Inglehart (1997) had two attitude-belief-value orientations, Bond et al. (2004) is said to have reported two social axioms. All cited in Matsumoto and Yoo, (2006 p. 239). The listing above does not mention each of the dimensions. The dimensions of each framework listed are found in Table 2.1 below. Table 2.1 Six Theoretical Frameworks for Universal Dimensions of Cultural Variability Framework Dimensions Hofstede’s (2001) dimensions of  work-related values Individualism vs. collectivism Power distance Uncertainty avoidance Masculinity vs. femininity Long- vs. short-term orientation Schwartz’s (2004) dimensions of  values Embeddedness Hierarchy Intellectual autonomy Affective autonomy Egalitarianism Mastery Harmony Smith, Dugan, and Trompenaars’s  (1996) dimensions of values Egalitarian commitment vs. conservatism Utilitarian involvement vs. loyal involvement House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, and  Gupta’s (2003) dimensions of  leadership values Performance orientation Assertiveness orientation Future orientation Human orientation Institutional collectivism Family collectivism Gender egalitarianism Power distance Uncertainty avoidance Inglehart’s (1997) dimensions of  attitudes, values, and beliefs Traditional vs. secular-rational orientation Survival vs. self-expression values Bond et al.’s (2004) dimensions  of social axioms (beliefs) Dynamic externality Societal cynicism Source: (Matsumoto, D and Yoo, S. H, 2006 p. 240) National versus Organizational culture As a society has a culture, so do organizations and such organizations employ staff who come from a particular culture(s). The organizations then require these individuals to work in offices. Apart from the culture description related to national boundaries, there is a culture that seems to characterize workplaces or organizations and this is called organizational or corporate culture. Barney (1986) notes that like culture itself, organizational culture has many competing definitions and then goes on to suggest that a generally acceptable definition of organizational culture to be â€Å"as a complex set of values, beliefs, assumptions, and symbols that define the way in which a firm conducts its business.† (p. 657). He goes on to point the pervasive nature of organizational culture in that, it helps to define the relationship of the firm to parties it comes in contact with through its business. This simply shows that culture within the work place especially geared towards profitability or the conferment of advantages could be termed organizational or corporate culture. Generally it will be assumed that the national culture will also play a part. Guidroz, Kotrba, and Denison (2009) from results of a study of multinational companies, claim that their study seems to point to organizational culture superseding national culture in diversity management practices. The issue in question in this thesis is not exactly a management matter but the individual perception of privacy in the open plan office environments and would suggest that both national and organizational cultures playing a part because according to (Brand, 2009) the design of the workspace or workplace communicates the corporate culture of the organization meaning, the adoption of the open plan environment can be tied to the organizations corporate culture. Hofstedes’ Cultural Dimensions This is a hugely popular cross-cultural model (Gerhart and Fang, 2005; Hofstede et al, 2010; Sivakumar, Nakata, 2001) currently in use, with its roots in industrial psychology (Meeuwesen, van den Brink-Muinen and Hofstede, 2009) is called the Hofstedes model of culture named after Geert Hofstede a Dutch emeritus Professor of organizational anthropology and international management in the Netherlands. Hofstedes work highlighted the fact that culture is manifested through symbols, heroes, rituals and values. But, Hofstede argues that values form the core of culture as represented by the Hofstede culture â€Å"Onion† in Figure 2.2. Figure 2.2 shows the onion structure graphically illustrating the manifestation of culture at different levels and even the interactions therein. As seen from Figure 2.2 above symbols, heroes and rituals are by themselves visible to all observers. It is the cultural meanings of the practices that are open to interpretation by the observer while, values are unseen or embedded within the person but they still subtly determine choices and much more (Hofstede et al., 2010). Hofstedes research studied value survey responses of similar respondents from different countries as to their approach, as related to four basic problems prevalent in most societies (Meeuwesen et. al, 2009) these included; Handling social inequalities in the society. The approach to dealing with uncertainty in general. The structure of the relationship between an individual and the group. The emotional role division between the male and females in a society. The initial data for Hofstedes culture study came about through an analysis of International Business Machine Company (IBM) staff surveys at a time, the company was called Hermes. He utilized the responses from routine staff surveys about values and related matters to provide ratings for countries on each of what he then called the four dimensions of culture. This was achieved by examining correlations between mean scores of questionnaire items at the level of countries. Other approaches, like analysis at the individual level did not provide much useful information (Hofstede, 2009). Later, certain studies showed the need for another dimension and this lead to the inclusion of a fifth dimension called, long term orientation. Each dimension of culture score for a country is calculated using a scale of roughly 0 to 100 for each dimension. A dimension of culture is an aspect of culture that can be measured relative to other cultures (Hofstede, 2009 p. 6) and the higher the score of a dimension, the more that dimension is exhibited in the society or nation in question while for lower scores the opposite pole of the dimension is more pronounced. Thus, the scores are therefore bipolar (Jones, 2007) In a 2010 book, Greet Hofstede, his son Gert Jan Hofstede and a research collaborator Micheal Minkov reviewed earlier works, alongside their recent studies and added a sixth dimension called indulgence versus restraint (IVR) to the previously known Hofstedes five dimensions of culture. The sixth dimension was largely as a result of the work of Micheal Minkov (Hofstede et al., 2010). The six dimensions of Hofstedes cultural model now include power distance (PDI), individualism (IDV), masculinity (MAS), uncertainty avoidance index (UAI), long term orientation (LTO), and the recently added indulgence (IVR). Power distance (PDI). This indicates the degree of inequality that exists and is accepted among the persons with and without power i.e. the leadership versus the followership respectively as normal and legitimate in any given society. If the power distance scores are high, it indicates a pyramidal or hierarchical system where the power is resident at the top while, lower scores indicate greater equality suggesting power is shared and spread within the group. Individualism (IDV). This is related to the se Analysis of Privacy Perception Among Open Plan Office Users Analysis of Privacy Perception Among Open Plan Office Users CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION What is an Office? Offices are workspaces designed for regular use to achieve personal, group or organizational goals through the accomplishment of tasks. Sanders and McCormick, (2002) go on to state that these tasks can be grouped into cognitive, physical, social or procedural tasks. The office provides a location for contact and could also be a repository for tools, information and other resources required to meet business objectives. It is also a business resource, this a point most people fail to understand thus, the failure to properly design and evaluate work spaces. The work place or office is one of the places the modern man spends the bulk of his waking hours. Sanders and McCormick, (2002) say almost half of ones waking hours are spent in and around the office. This would provide explanation for research efforts into the design and utilization of offices. According to Myerson and Ross (2003) the office grew out of the factory and then followed the trend of bureaucratization of industry. Thus, offices have been viewed differently by users and companies. Some view it as an address, others as a necessary evil but to others it is considered to be an asset. Bjerrum and Bà ¸dker (2003) noted that the design of an office was mostly considered as a cost and done to support quiet work and also show peoples status. While the purpose of the â€Å"New office† is to be that of attracting and retaining staff as well as to revolutionalize corporate culture. Work places or offices have been described variously as; conventional, traditional, and closed or open plan offices. Some, group them as large or small, landscaped etc. (Sanders and McCormick, 2002). The general descriptions of workspaces fall under the categories of open plan and cellular offices and this is based on the architectural and functional features of the work spaces (Duffy, Laing and Crisp, 1992). Other descriptions and categorization of offices include the hive; which is suited to individual processes. The den; suited to group processes. The cell; designed for concentrated study while the club supports transactional knowledge (Sailer, Budgen, Lonsdale, Turner and Penn, 2009). There are other descriptions of office types for example, Myerson and Ross (2003) from an architectural point of view, showed that views of property and space as related to the office environment have been evolving and as such, they identify four thematic categories of offices namely: narrative which presents the â€Å"office as a brand experience.† Nodal where the â€Å"office as knowledge connector.† The neighborly theme sees the â€Å"office as a social landscape† and lastly nomadic â€Å"office as distributed work space† these grouping reflect more of necessity and corporate culture not necessarily a collection of generally practically replicable models. In another categorization of offices by Myerson and Ross (2006) is based on the fact that the offices evolved to suit knowledge workers, as such, the categories match each of the four â€Å"realms† of knowledge work namely: the academy â€Å"is likened to the corporate realm which is a more collegiate and collaborative approach to work†, guild â€Å"the professional realm in essence a professional cluster of peers sharing a skill or specialization†, agora â€Å"the public realm where the corporation is open to the city or the market place† and the lodge â€Å" the domestic or private realm more of the live and work setting†. In the general scheme of things offices are still broadly classified into open plan and private or cellular offices all other forms are variations of the two. Cellular Offices Also called closed offices, this type of offices are the traditional or conventional offices which are usually closed and private workspaces (Maher and von Hippel, 2005) i.e. they are designed with floor to ceiling walls, a door and dimensioned for a single user. This type of office is also called a cell-office and can be a shared room office, used by 2-3 persons (Danielsson, 2008). This has been the generally accepted, traditional or popular understanding of the place called an office. Open Plan Offices These are found to be a common workspace shared by a group of employees. The original concept of the open plan office has continued to evolve, but it is the absence of floor-to-ceiling walls that is said to be the primary characteristic of open-plan offices. The arrangements of office furniture, partitions, screens, office equipment, or plants mark out individual and functional work areas (Valesny and Farace, 1987). One of the strengths of the open plan office according to Bjerrum and Bà ¸dker (2003) is the openness and flexibility allowing one to move to where things are happening and allowing for â€Å"overhearing and over-seeing† (p. 207) thus enhancing peripheral participation. Other types of the open plan office include the bull pen office, action offices, landscaped offices (Sanders and McCormick, 2002). In the bull pen offices, the work desks are arranged in neat row as far as the eyes can see. In reality, most firms have a mix of office typologies ranging from cellular units designed for a single user to a small room office shared by a few people then the spaces shared with a large group with or without specifically assigned work places and with varying measures of visual and audio privacy. Recent Developments in Open Plan Offices It is safe to argue that, the open plan office has become increasingly popular (de Korte, Kuijt-Evers and Vink, 2007; Ding, 2008; Oldham and Brass, 1979; Pejtersen, Allermann, Kristensen and Poulsen, 2006 etc.) and several reasons could be advanced to explain the widespread adoption and use of the open plan offices and its variations. There is also a move to wards a reduction in open plan office workspaces especially in the United States of America due to the understanding that smaller workstations are cheaper to maintain (Dykes, 2011) this according to Veitch, Charles, Farley and Newsham (2007) is because there is a failure in understanding the full value of the physical office environment and related issues in open plan offices in particular. Advantages of open plan offices Searches through literature (Danielsson, 2008; Oldham and Brass, 1979; Pan and Micheal, 2007; Roper and Juneja, 2008; Valesny and Farace, 1987 etc.) present the following as reasons for the adoption of open plan offices. They include; Reduction in office space and cost decline: The price of real estate is predicated on the area rented and utilized. With organizations using rental spaces, it is cheaper to use the rented floor or floors as open plan offices. In most cases, the cost of partitioning is saved if an open plan set up is deployed fully or partly. Flexibility for organizational changes: The open plan office lends itself to easy restructuring of work areas. In most cases, it is easier to fit in one more members of staff (Sanders and McCormick, 2002). More efficient work flow and communication: Some jobs require continuous team work, face to face interaction and a relatively high level of routine procedures. For such work groups, the open plan office or variations thereof are usually recommended and deployed. The enhancement of some level of peripheral participation is one of the strengths of the open plan office. Possible enhancement of social facilitation: The enhancement of collaboration i.e. the fostering of a team spirit, where, work teams or task forces are close to one another and can quickly form a huddle to sort out problems without resorting to information technology provisions like the intercom, emails, phones, video conferencing or even the walk up to another office. Oldham and Brass, (1979) specifically examined interpersonal issues that included; intradepartmental and interdepartmental interaction, friendship opportunities, noting that supervisor and co worker feed back could be improved. Ease of supervision: There is an ease of supervision, in that, a look over the landscape of the office can give an idea as to who is present and what each member of staff is doing. Limitations of open plan offices. Regarding the limitations of open-plan office designs, Maher and von Hippel (2005) rightly point out the fact that in open plan office layouts â€Å"distractions and overstimulation are intrinsically linked to the design.† These issues have consistently been themain down sides of open plan offices and some of them include: Increased workplace noise (Pan and Michael, 2007). Increased disturbances and distractions. Increased feelings of crowding and loss of privacy. There is a reduction in autonomy and task identity and a reduction in supervisor and co worker feedback in certain cases (Oldham and Brass, 1979). One point of agreement in open plan office research is that there is a generally low level of perceived privacy in open plan offices, as interruptions and distractions of the visual and acoustic kind occur frequently in open plan offices. (Pejtersen et al. 2006; Roper and Juneja, 2008) Furthermore, researchers have observed that these negative outcomes resulting from the adoption of the open plan office design tends to result in dissatisfaction with work and the workplace thus, reducing functional efficiency, decreasing performance, especially, for non routine tasks and also, reduced feedback from supervisors due to some complexity with the freedom of communication (de Korte et al. 2007; Pejtersen et al. 2006; Sundstrom et al. 1982; Vischer, 2007 ). This understanding has led some organizations to begin returning to the traditional private offices i.e. with floor to ceiling partitions assigned to an individual (Roper and Juneja 2008). Evolving nature of office work Also worthy of note, is the evolution of work patterns. An increasingly large number of persons work mainly at or from home and visit the office sparingly. This has given rise to the several types of offices one of which is the flex-office, which is dimensioned for less than 70% of the total company staff to be in at the same time. Another design is the combi-office; where a member of staff is not assigned to a specific desk but sharing of common facilities provides the spatial definition of such an individuals work space i.e. the task and personnel at hand may determine the sitting arrangement of persons in the office (Danielsson, 2008). Thesis Overview The thesis is organized in to 5 chapters; Chapter one provides an introduction the concept of an office, its major types and variations. It then focuses on the open plan office and then highlights the strengths and limitations of the open plan office. Chapter two provides a literature review of the concept of privacy perception; it reviews the perceived benefits of privacy and then traces the expectation that privacy perception could be influenced by culture. Significant studies related to dissatisfaction with open plan offices are examined for possible links to culture. The discussion then moves to culture, its definition and then the attempts made in the classification of culture. The Hofstede paradigm is then discussed and some studies employing the paradigm are reviewed. The research motivation and hypotheses are presented. Chapter three discusses the methodology of the study, the survey method, issues noted and the challenge expected. The source and design of the questionnaire was presented and the analysis methods proposed. The statistical analysis tool was briefly introduced. Chapter four shows the procedure of the survey, documents the responses received, analyzed the data collected from the general information part of the questionnaire and then chronicles the statistical analysis of the second part of the questionnaire designed to elicit privacy perception in open plan office environments. Chapter five provides a discussion of the results obtained in chapter five and then presents the limitations of the current study while providing directions for further work. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW This part of the thesis discusses the links between privacy perceptions and culture. It also includes definitions and explanations of some related terms. Lastly, it includes a presentation of some ideas relevant to the work and results of related studies. The chapter concludes with the research question, research hypothesis and the motivation for the study. Privacy Perception In order to facilitate a better understanding, the term â€Å"privacy† is defined firstly then the concept called â€Å"perception. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary (2011), privacy is said to be â€Å"the quality or state of being apart from company or observation†. Wikipedia defines perception as â€Å"the process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory information.† It goes on to say â€Å"what one perceives is a result of interplays between past experiences, including one’s culture, and the interpretation of the perceived.† Privacy is a very difficult concept or construct to define not to talk of evaluating, it has commanded interest from the fields of anthropology, architecture, cultural geography, environmental design, ethology, history, law, philosophy, and sociology, as well as branches psychology such as; clinical, counseling, developmental, educational, environmental and social psychology (Newell, 1995; 1998). Newell (1995) in her extensive review of the concept of privacy divided the perspectives of privacy into, people centered, place centered and the person-environment or the person-place interaction with the primary interest on the place, people or equally on the person and place and or with the interaction itself. Leino-Kilpi et al. (2001 p. 664) in another review of literature on privacy noted that perspectives applied to the analysis of the concepts of privacy to be: The units experiencing privacy. They go on to note â€Å"the unit experiencing privacy can be either an individual or a group, or both.† Desired – Achieved privacy. This is explained by the understanding that the concept of privacy is either seen as a subjective state or studied as an achieved state (Newell, 1998). Reactive – Proactive privacy. This is to say the control of communication and also the control of knowledge. Furthermore, they describe the dimensions of privacy to include: physical, psychological, social and informational thus, suggesting privacy dimensions to be made up of four quadrants of the diagram as shown in figure 2.1 below.. Source: Leino-Kilpi et al. (2001) It would be seen that in an open plan office all the dimensions of privacy as enumerated Figure 2.1 above are impinged upon; First, physical accessibility to the person is unrestricted. Secondly, the cognitive intrusions abound due to audio and visual distractions. Thirdly, it is more difficult to control social contacts for example, the choice of participants for interaction, the interaction frequency, length and content of the said interaction. Then finally, the ease with which certain private pieces of information about the person is easily accessible is a problem in open plan offices, after all, most open plan offices do not have a single route of access or a door to the work space. So, it is difficult to mark and protect ones territory and as such protect some form of private information from would be trespassers (Anjum, Paul and Ashcroft, 2004). In the light of these perspectives, one of the definitions of privacy suggested is that â€Å"privacy is a voluntary and temporary condition of separation from the public domain† (Newell, 1998, p. 357). Oldham, Kulick and Stepina (1991) highlighted the fact that individuals reacted negatively to environments characterized by few enclosures, closeness and high density because such environments exposed individuals to too many unwanted or uncontrolled intrusions. It is also agreed that, the perception of the work environment leads to satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the work and the work environment. Fischer, Tarquinio and Vischer (2004, p.132 ) posit that the there are three major categories of mediating influences on workplace satisfaction and these are, â€Å"individual differences like culture, age, professional or status, organizational context and environmental features.† All these issues could be further grouped into two; internal and external factors as relates to the individual. These two descriptions could be mapped to the two ingredients required for a need for privacy to exist i.e. a person or persons and a place. Sanders and McCormick (2002, p. 485) also point out that apart from the physical features of the built environment, â€Å"people are influenced by nonphysical features like social, cultural, technological, economic and political factors characteristic of the environment.† External Factors These are the place factors, usually described as the environmental or design issues which can lead to noise distractions, visual distractions, interruptions, crowding and accessibility issues (Ding, S. 2008). Due to the absence of internal walls, the low height of walls or partitions in open plan offices influences privacy; the more enclosures, the lower the people per given space and the higher the partitions, the higher the privacy perceived (Danielsson 2008; Oldham, G. R et al. 1991; Sundstrom, Herbert and Brown, 1982 etc.). Organizational context is also considered to be an external factor. This involves the type of industry involved by the organization. For example doctors consulting rooms should provide more audio privacy compared to an architectural firms offices or design studios. Internal Factors This grouping is based on the person factors or what goes on within the person, the suggestion that individual differences related to but not restricted to personality traits, gender, individual experience etc. affect ones perception of, and hence the evaluation of the work environment (external or place factors). Some studies have found that variations exist across gender in perception of privacy in the open plan office (Yildirim, Akalin-Baskaya and Celebi, 2007). Also, in a different cross cultural study of privacy, Newell (1998) found that privacy was more a condition of the person thus, the duration of the experience and the change on the person as a result of the experience leads to its suspected therapeutic effect. In general perceptions and attitudes to privacy, she found that gender also played a part especially within cultures. Maher and von Hippel (2005) and others before them showed that individual differences in the ability to handle overstimulation by the application stimulus screening and inhibitory abilities influenced the perceptions of the work environment. These inhibitory skills are cognitive in nature and such inhibitory skills are found to vary between individuals and even especially across cultures. For example, Hall (1966) points out that the Japanese are said to be content with paper walls as acoustic screens while the Dutch and Germans require thick walls and double doors to serve as acoustic screens. Benefits of Privacy in the work Environment Newell (1998, p. 359) relates the need for privacy to help in â€Å"maintaining healthy internal physiological and cognitive functioning subjectively described as ‘wellbeing’†. The study concluded that achieving the perceived privacy had some therapeutic effects. On the area of performance, especially for knowledge workers like engineers, accountants, software designers, decision makers etc., auditory and visual distraction have been found to be a cause of stress and even performance impairment (Roper and Juneja, 2008). Furthermore, Oommen, Knowles and Zhao (2008) point to the likelihood of aggression and increased instances of eye, nose and throat irritations while working in open plan environments. This in turn affects productivity. Culture Culture is said to be the way of life of a group of people. This, among other things covers their beliefs, values, norms and rituals. Specifically, Hofstede (2009 p. 1) points out that â€Å"culture is the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from the others and it manifests itself in the form of symbols, heroes, rituals and values.† Earlier, an American anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his books, talked about language and especially modes of communication as a point of differentiating cultures (Hall E.T 1966; 1976). He even considered language to be the core of culture while, Geert Hofstede considers language as a part of the rituals of a particular culture (Hofstede, 2010). This goes to point out some of the existing disagreements about what culture is and even how it comes about. Culture is thus, studied as a means of understanding or shedding light into the behavior or reactions of individuals or people groups. Edward Hall in his book; the hidden dimension writes that â€Å"people from different cultures inhabit different sensory worlds, so that experience, as it is perceived through one set of culturally patterned sensory screens is quite different from experience perceived through another.† (1966, p. 2). This highlights and explains the link between culture and perception generally and in spatial terms especially. Classifying Cultures There have been several descriptions and models of culture (Matsumoto and Yoo, 2006; Hall, 1966; 1970), for example, Hall (1966) alludes to contact and non-contact groups or cultures in relation to spatial meanings and preferences within people groups . This is related to the social dimension of privacy (Leino-Kilpi et al. 2001), but he especially specifies high and low context cultures according to their ways of communicating. For the high context (HC) culture or communication for that matter, much of the information is implicit while, in the low context (LC) culture, nearly everything is explicit. He also wrote about the concept of time among cultures (Hall, 1976). Where there are polychronic (P-time) and monochronic (M-Time) cultures; the M-time society or culture would prefer to do only one thing at a time when serious i.e. for such persons, time is linear and segmented with each activity scheduled while, the individuals in a P-time culture can juggle several activities, they emphasize the involvement of people and the completion of tasks rather than schedules. Edward T. Hall coined the term â€Å"Proxemics† which he describes as â€Å"interrelated observations and theories of mans use of space as a specialized elaboration of culture† Hall (1966 p. 1). In explaining his observations in proxemic behavior (Hall, 1963 p. 1003) he notes that â€Å"what is close to an American may be distant to an Arab.† Many other researchers and individuals apart from Edward Hall had worked on other frameworks and dimensions of culture. Matsumoto and Yoo, (2006) lists some of these frameworks which are interestingly identified by the names of the researchers that discovered them and this list which is not exhaustive, includes; Hofstedes (1980) with subsequent revisions and dimensions added; Schwartz (2004) who presented seven universal value orientations, Smith, Dugan and Trompenaars (1996) had two universal value orientations; House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman and Gupta (2003) came up with nine value orientations related to leadership; Inglehart (1997) had two attitude-belief-value orientations, Bond et al. (2004) is said to have reported two social axioms. All cited in Matsumoto and Yoo, (2006 p. 239). The listing above does not mention each of the dimensions. The dimensions of each framework listed are found in Table 2.1 below. Table 2.1 Six Theoretical Frameworks for Universal Dimensions of Cultural Variability Framework Dimensions Hofstede’s (2001) dimensions of  work-related values Individualism vs. collectivism Power distance Uncertainty avoidance Masculinity vs. femininity Long- vs. short-term orientation Schwartz’s (2004) dimensions of  values Embeddedness Hierarchy Intellectual autonomy Affective autonomy Egalitarianism Mastery Harmony Smith, Dugan, and Trompenaars’s  (1996) dimensions of values Egalitarian commitment vs. conservatism Utilitarian involvement vs. loyal involvement House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, and  Gupta’s (2003) dimensions of  leadership values Performance orientation Assertiveness orientation Future orientation Human orientation Institutional collectivism Family collectivism Gender egalitarianism Power distance Uncertainty avoidance Inglehart’s (1997) dimensions of  attitudes, values, and beliefs Traditional vs. secular-rational orientation Survival vs. self-expression values Bond et al.’s (2004) dimensions  of social axioms (beliefs) Dynamic externality Societal cynicism Source: (Matsumoto, D and Yoo, S. H, 2006 p. 240) National versus Organizational culture As a society has a culture, so do organizations and such organizations employ staff who come from a particular culture(s). The organizations then require these individuals to work in offices. Apart from the culture description related to national boundaries, there is a culture that seems to characterize workplaces or organizations and this is called organizational or corporate culture. Barney (1986) notes that like culture itself, organizational culture has many competing definitions and then goes on to suggest that a generally acceptable definition of organizational culture to be â€Å"as a complex set of values, beliefs, assumptions, and symbols that define the way in which a firm conducts its business.† (p. 657). He goes on to point the pervasive nature of organizational culture in that, it helps to define the relationship of the firm to parties it comes in contact with through its business. This simply shows that culture within the work place especially geared towards profitability or the conferment of advantages could be termed organizational or corporate culture. Generally it will be assumed that the national culture will also play a part. Guidroz, Kotrba, and Denison (2009) from results of a study of multinational companies, claim that their study seems to point to organizational culture superseding national culture in diversity management practices. The issue in question in this thesis is not exactly a management matter but the individual perception of privacy in the open plan office environments and would suggest that both national and organizational cultures playing a part because according to (Brand, 2009) the design of the workspace or workplace communicates the corporate culture of the organization meaning, the adoption of the open plan environment can be tied to the organizations corporate culture. Hofstedes’ Cultural Dimensions This is a hugely popular cross-cultural model (Gerhart and Fang, 2005; Hofstede et al, 2010; Sivakumar, Nakata, 2001) currently in use, with its roots in industrial psychology (Meeuwesen, van den Brink-Muinen and Hofstede, 2009) is called the Hofstedes model of culture named after Geert Hofstede a Dutch emeritus Professor of organizational anthropology and international management in the Netherlands. Hofstedes work highlighted the fact that culture is manifested through symbols, heroes, rituals and values. But, Hofstede argues that values form the core of culture as represented by the Hofstede culture â€Å"Onion† in Figure 2.2. Figure 2.2 shows the onion structure graphically illustrating the manifestation of culture at different levels and even the interactions therein. As seen from Figure 2.2 above symbols, heroes and rituals are by themselves visible to all observers. It is the cultural meanings of the practices that are open to interpretation by the observer while, values are unseen or embedded within the person but they still subtly determine choices and much more (Hofstede et al., 2010). Hofstedes research studied value survey responses of similar respondents from different countries as to their approach, as related to four basic problems prevalent in most societies (Meeuwesen et. al, 2009) these included; Handling social inequalities in the society. The approach to dealing with uncertainty in general. The structure of the relationship between an individual and the group. The emotional role division between the male and females in a society. The initial data for Hofstedes culture study came about through an analysis of International Business Machine Company (IBM) staff surveys at a time, the company was called Hermes. He utilized the responses from routine staff surveys about values and related matters to provide ratings for countries on each of what he then called the four dimensions of culture. This was achieved by examining correlations between mean scores of questionnaire items at the level of countries. Other approaches, like analysis at the individual level did not provide much useful information (Hofstede, 2009). Later, certain studies showed the need for another dimension and this lead to the inclusion of a fifth dimension called, long term orientation. Each dimension of culture score for a country is calculated using a scale of roughly 0 to 100 for each dimension. A dimension of culture is an aspect of culture that can be measured relative to other cultures (Hofstede, 2009 p. 6) and the higher the score of a dimension, the more that dimension is exhibited in the society or nation in question while for lower scores the opposite pole of the dimension is more pronounced. Thus, the scores are therefore bipolar (Jones, 2007) In a 2010 book, Greet Hofstede, his son Gert Jan Hofstede and a research collaborator Micheal Minkov reviewed earlier works, alongside their recent studies and added a sixth dimension called indulgence versus restraint (IVR) to the previously known Hofstedes five dimensions of culture. The sixth dimension was largely as a result of the work of Micheal Minkov (Hofstede et al., 2010). The six dimensions of Hofstedes cultural model now include power distance (PDI), individualism (IDV), masculinity (MAS), uncertainty avoidance index (UAI), long term orientation (LTO), and the recently added indulgence (IVR). Power distance (PDI). This indicates the degree of inequality that exists and is accepted among the persons with and without power i.e. the leadership versus the followership respectively as normal and legitimate in any given society. If the power distance scores are high, it indicates a pyramidal or hierarchical system where the power is resident at the top while, lower scores indicate greater equality suggesting power is shared and spread within the group. Individualism (IDV). This is related to the se