Moral And Ethical Considerations Health And Social Care Essay

The end of utilizing automatons in medical specialty is to supply improved diagnostic capablenesss, a less aggressive and a more comfy experience for the patient, and the ability to make smaller and more accurate intercessions. A Automatons are presently used for prostate surgery, hysterectomies, the remotion of fibroids, joint replacings, open-heart surgery and kidney surgeries. They can be used along with MRIs to supply organ biopsies. While the physician can see images of the patient and command the automaton through a computing machine, he does non necessitate to be in the room, or even at the same location as the patient. A This means that a physician can run on a patient who is far off without either of them holding to go. It besides provides a better work atmosphere by cut downing strain and weariness. Surgeries that last for hours can do even the best sawboness to see manus failing and shudders, while automatons are more stable and drum sander. Dr. D'Ovidio has extended experience in thoracic and esophageal malignant neoplastic disease, reflux and achalasia instances. Embracing the most advanced engineering, he has been trained to execute robotic thoracic surgery. Although you might visualise bantam small automatons repairing jobs inside your organic structure, Dr. D'Ovidio explains it ‘s â€Å" non like a automaton is making surgery and I ‘m holding java in a saloon. † ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.columbiasurgery.net/tag/robotic-surgery/ ) The sawbones sits at a console to run a mechanical arm that has tools loaded on to it. In add-on to the fact that the sawbones can sit at easiness, another advantage is alleviating the weariness of holding to keep instruments for an drawn-out period of clip. The automatons use well greater optics to present 3-dimensional vision. In truth, robotic surgery is 3D. It has two â€Å" eyes † alternatively of merely 1. This gives a much better position. Besides, the automatons have articulations that articulate the tool in all waies. For illustration, like holding an arm with a carpus, as opposed to a laparoscope, where the arm is stiff with no wrist motion. â€Å" Although it ‘s fundamentally the same process as unfastened or laparoscopic surgery, you have much more refined action, † Dr. D'Ovidio says, â€Å" and achieve greater preciseness, less mistake, and less possible hemorrhage. That ‘s a benefit to the patient. † ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.columbiasurgery.net/tag/robotic-surgery ) Marjorie Paulson, 75, lives in Long Island. Mrs. Paulson was thrilled to larn about Dr. D'Ovidio ‘s automaton and flew into the metropolis for surgery on February 28, 2012. Her process was a great campaigner for the robotic attack. Equally good as her hiatal hernia fix, due to the presence of esophageal shortening, Mrs. Paulson required a Collis gastroplasty to widen the gorge and easiness tenseness on the anti-reflux Nissen fundoplication process. She went home the following twenty-four hours, has had no hurting or any other symptoms, and feels superb. The district attorney Vinci surgical system is a somewhat invasive new attack that uses cutting edge robotic engineering. The district attorney Vinci Surgical System takes gynaecological surgery to new statures by leting highly precise motions, legerity and control through minimum surgical gaps and strong 3D vision and magnification. Marginally aggressive roboticA prostatectomy and roboticA hysterectomy intervention options now offer the potency for first-class post-operative map and malignant neoplastic disease direction results.A Quickly going the global intervention pick for prostate state of affairss, the district attorney Vinci Robot is besides puting a new benchmark with the district attorney Vinci hysterectomy, for the broad scope of uterine conditions that need surgery. This criterion is accredited to the improved benefits of truth and magnification at the operative site, every bit good as a shorter timeline for recovery, decreased hurting, fewer troubles, reduced scarring an d lower hazard of infection. With the sawbones steering robotic weaponries from a sing console some pess off from the patient. As an option to doing a big scratch, the automaton ‘s tools and camera are inserted through four little holes in the patient ‘s thorax. The automaton used in the patterns, the Intuitive Surgical district attorney Vinci System, has Food and Drug Administration consent for a figure of clinical tests in bosom surgery. Initial consequences show that on norm, patients stayed in the infirmary two to four yearss less and returned to work 50 per centum quicker than those holding the unfastened process. The district attorney Vinci Surgical System, made by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. , is freed to execute surgery under the counsel of a sawbones. As of May 2012, more than 1,840 da Vinci Systems are installed in over 1,450 infirmaries worldwide. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //allaboutroboticsurgery.com/surgicalrobots.html ) The district attorney Vinci Si double console besides permits sawboness from different Fieldss to work together on the same patient. For illustration, a patient undergoing gynaecological and urological processs can be robotically operated on at similar times, allowing both sawboness to work together and decreasing the hazards of jobs for the patient. The most apparent advantage of the double console is the capacity to develop new robotics sawboness. Alternatively of the mentoring sawbones and mentoree swapping topographic points back and Forth throughout the surgery, both can now work in tandem. The productiveness of holding two sawboness working at the same clip could easy accelerate the acquisition curve as both sawboness are seeing the same anatomy and sharing the same tools, merely like the larning procedure in unfastened surgery. The accelerated acquisition curve for the sawboness means a batch more instances can be done, allowing even more patients to gain from robotics surgery. Hospital corsets can be decreased by about half, cut downing infirmary cost by about 33 % . These fewer yearss in the intensive attention unit are a consequence of less hurting and quicker recovery. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //allaboutroboticsurgery.com/surgicalrobots.html ) Though the size of the mechanism is still non little plenty for bosom processs in kids, the minimally aggressive nature of district attorney Vinci does non go forth a big surgical cicatrix and still has some limited applications in kids for the clip being. Furthermore, harmonizing to Intuitive Surgical, merely 80,000 out of 230,000 new instances of prostate malignant neoplastic disease undergo surgery because of the high hazard invasive surgery carries, connoting that more people may undergo surgery with this germinating engineering. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //allaboutroboticsurgery.com/surgicalrobots.html ) The chief disadvantages to this engineering are the steep acquisition curve and high cost of th e device. Though Intuitive Surgical provides a preparation plan, it took sawboness about 12-18 patients before they felt secure executing the technique. The big floor-mounted patient-side cart confines the helper sawbones ‘s attack to the patient. Though, there are besides many who are unable to entree the district attorney Vinci based on the steep monetary value. In a paper published by The American Journal of Surgery, 75 % of sawboness claimed that they felt financially limited by any system that cost more than $ 500,000. As of now, surgery with the district attorney Vinci Surgical System takes 40-50 proceedingss longer, but the FDA considered this a learning curve variable and expects clip to better with more usage of the system. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //allaboutroboticsurgery.com/surgicalrobots.html ) Acrobot Precision Surgical Systems mission is bettering the velocity, truth and duplicability of joint replacing, guaranting maximal benefit for the sawbones and the patient Acrobot provides preciseness surgical systems for computer-assisted 3D planning, surgical pilotage and surgeon-controlled robotic surgery. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //allaboutroboticsurgery.com/surgicalrobots.html ) In order to better clinical results, addendum sawbones accomplishments, enable bone preservation and increase productiveness. When joint replacing cogwheels are implanted exactly and successfully, the patient ‘s post-operative recovery clip can be cut and hurting and troubles can be minimized, which should so take to improved quality of life for the patient. With the enlargement of accoutrement engineerings, such as visual image systems, retractors, and stabilizers, every bit good as other methods of vascular canulation and cardiorespiratory beltway ( CPB ) , such as peripheral CPB and endoaortic balloon engineering, many past restrictions have been conquered. Many physicians have shown promising consequences utilizing a mini-sternotomy, parasternal scratch, and mini-thoracotomy for complex cardiac processs, including coronary arteria beltway grafting ( CABG ) , mitral and aortal valve surgery, and atrial septal defect ( ASD ) closing. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/77/4/1328 ) The following measure has been the creative activity of thoracoscopic surgery utilizing computerized telemicromanipulation. Using a surgical robotic system, sawboness can work little endoscopic instruments, which are put in through ports one centimetre in size, recognizing many of the proficient operations merely anteceden tly possible with unfastened surgery. Supporters of minimally aggressive techniques have assumed that by diminishing the scratch size and entire operative injury, it may be possible to diminish postoperative hurting and better quality of life, rendering into a rapid recovery and the ability to go on preoperative activities, such as work. While several surveies of robotically supported cardiac surgery have reported hurts and deceases, merely one survey has addressed hurting and quality of life, comparing patients who underwent larboard entree techniques with patients who underwent a sternotomy. Supporters of robotic engineering for atrial septate defect closing have stated, based on subjective experience, that postoperative hurting is reduced and quality of life is improved in patients undergoing surgery with robotic techniques as opposed to conservative attacks, such as a sternotomy or thoracotomy. Robotically aided thoracoscopic atrial septate defect fix resulted in first-class quality of life after 30 yearss. Quality of life result steps were significantly superior in the robotic group as compared to patients who underwent surgery utilizing nonthoracoscopic techniques, such as sternotomy and mini-thoracotomy. ( http: //onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.02038.x/full ) A robotic attack prevents the injury of a sternotomy or thoracotomy, which is an of import concern to many patients. Patients who endured a robotic attack returned to work earlier than patients who endured a mini-thoracotomy or sternotomy. Along with better-quality patient attention, another end of doing medical robotics conventional is to cut down on medical costs. But, this is non ever the instance. Some robotic surgery systems cost more than $ 1 million to get and $ 100,000 a twelvemonth or more to keep. A This means that infirmaries need to measure the cost of the machine vs. the cost of conventional attention. If robotic surgery cuts down on the hurting and healing clip, so money is saved because the figure of yearss the patient stays in the infirmary is reduced. There is besides a decrease in the sum of employees needed in the operating room during surgery. In contrast, monolithic preparation clip is required for physicians to larn to plan and command the machines. Another fright is that there are really few shapers of medical robotics. With small competition, the few shapers that exist can put their ain monetary values. Medical robotics are still new, and there is much more work to be done. And expensive, which can do it unaffordable for many infirmaries and health-care centres. A There are besides still issues with inaction. This means the clip oversight between the blink of an eyes when the physician shifts the controls and when the automaton responds. Plus, there is still a hazard for human mistake if the physician falsely plans the automaton before surgery. Computer plans can non modify their class during surgery, while a human sawbones can do needful corrections. As sawboness become more acquainted with utilizing automatons for surgery, and as more companies provide medical automatons, thereA will come a twenty-four hours when automatons are used in about every infirmary. Yet, this is still far off in the hereafter. One of the defects of most robotic surgical systems today is the absence of the esthesis of touch for the sawbones. Execution of tactile feedback into robotic surgical systems can transform the physician ‘s user experience by leting designation of altered tissue constructions, forestalling tissue harm, sing right sutura arrangement and dwindling undertaking completion clip. The increasing trouble of recent surgical engineering will necessitate more rigorous guidelines for concern and pattern similar to the subject used in air power. Using a surgical automaton suggests that the sawbones is no longer in direct physical or ocular contact with the patient. The sawbones non merely operates through computing machine bids but there is besides a significant distance to the helpers go toing the operation tabular array. Unfortunately, the current systems lack an acceptable manner to pass on between the operator and the helpers. As with many new technological developments, communicating might look to be the Achilles ‘ heel of robotic surgery. More suited equipment of communicating and more steadfast subject in followup of the orders from the primary responsible individual, the sawbones, will be critical for a safe and successful process. Telemedicine makes cross-border intervention possible. Cross-border attention should non alter the usual medical moralss but makes intervention likely of patients in countries the physician can non make in individual. Under served parts and states could be assisted. But the engineering could besides rise the resettlement of physicians from hapless to rich countries and states. Besides, the security of the transmitted information between the sawbones and the distant automaton is at interest. That informations should be treated the same manner as written medical records. Mistakes of the robotic system will go on more often with the increasing usage of the machine. Fortunately, it appeared that less than five per centum of device mistakes lead to patient troubles. Additionally, the sum of unfastened alterations due to malfunctions decreased from 94 % in 2003 to 16 % in 2007. ( http: //onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.02038.x/full ) Even though automatons seem to move freely, all of their motions and actions are controlled by the sawbones and as such do non differ from any other surgical equipment. Still, as with any complicated system, safety safeguards will be more important than with the usage of simple instruments. Local every bit good as national and international guidelines will necessitate to be established to turn to specific issues. In 2007, the first policy guidelines for the robot-assisted prostatectomy were suggested in an column by Valvo et Al. ( http: //onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.02038.x/full ) The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the Minimally Invasive Robotic Association thought that guidelines for the usage of robotics were missing. To get the better of this spread, they issued a consensus statement on robotic surgery including guidelines for preparation and credentialing. The World Medical Association ( WMA ) made a statement on the moralss of telemedicine on their last meeting in Copenhagen. Included are codifications for the patient-physician relationship and confidentiality, the duties of the doctor and the quality of attention. The World Medical Association is assuring the development of national statute law and international understandings on telemedicine. Robotic surgery is besides known as cyber surgery. The elaborateness of judicial proceeding associated with robotic surgery is complex. In add-on to being able to action doctors and infirmaries, patients who endure an unpleasant result after robotic surgery will hold the possible to action the robotic maker and the telecommunications company. Nevertheless, robotic surgery judicial proceeding will affect Torahs that are by and large unaccustomed to healthcare suppliers. There are non excessively many instances on robotic surgery malpractice, a batch of the instances have been hard to turn out whether it was the sawbones or the mistake of the shapers that made the automaton. Over the following few old ages, robotic or distant surgery will be in pattern on a broader graduated table and cases will finally follow.

Humanitarian Intervention in Iraq Essay

In March of 2003 the United States of America invaded the Middle Eastern nation of Iraq. Under many pretenses, the stage was being set for this invasion, one reason calling for the invasion was that Bush administration and its officials assured the world that the Hussein regime was producing weapons of mass destruction or WMD’s, which would pose a huge security threat to all the nations around the world. Another being the fact that Hussein supported the group responsible for the attacks on our country on September 11th 2001, which angered plenty of Americans and seemingly justified violence to be used. And also the fact that Hussein needed to be removed from power as he was a brutal dictator who was committing egregious acts of violence against his own people. Therefore a humanitarian intervention would be called for using militaristic means. The administration under President Bush pushed the idea on the American people and the world that Iraq would be a better place without H ussein in control, also making the world a safer place. This war has cost the lives of approximately 600,000 Iraqis and 3,163 American soldiers, not to mention other soldiers from other nations involved in the conflict. The actions leading up to the subsequent invasion and occupation affected Iraq negatively and caused consequences that harmed all of Iraqi society, mainly innocent people. The way the world dealt with Saddam Hussein wasn’t proper nor in the best interests going forward for the Iraqi people and the citizens of the world based on many factors. Years before boots were even on the ground in Iraq, the world had taken extreme steps to curb Iraqi aggression, most notably beginning in 1990 when Iraq invaded its neighbor Kuwait in August. There were many reasons why Iraq may have invaded Kuwait. Some say that it was because Kuwait was stealing Iraqi oil and even the fact that Iraq owed Kuwait large sums of money after the Iran-Iraq war. But one of the very first steps that were taken was that the United Nations (UN) became heavily involved. The UN includes the UN Security Council (UNSC) which is the group that has control over UN military force and is in charge of implementing resoluti ons against regimes that may be breaking international law. The first resolution put in place against Iraq was UNSC 678, which was implemented just a few days after the Iraqi Revolutionary Guard invaded the country. UNSC 678 â€Å"authorized force against Iraq, to eject it from Kuwait and to restore peace and security in the area.† This action was ordered through all necessary means including use of the military. This was known as the Gulf War, but UNSC 678 only applied to the actions taken in 1990 through 1993 and does not include the intervention in 2003 by American and coalition forces. Next was UNSC resolution 1154, passed in 1998 and which mandated that Iraq was not allowed to be in possession or manufacture chemical, biological, or nuclear weaponry. This resolution also stated that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its inspectors were required to inspect Iraq’s suspected nuclear and weapons manufacturing facilities. Iraq did not completely comply with the resolution because they did not allow unrestricted access with what the IAEA inspectors wanted to see. This was seen as a shady move to much of the world and as if the Hussein regime had something to hide. A final warning to Iraq was issued in 2002 in UNSC resolution 1441, which was the last warning to the Hussein regime to comply with the demands of the previous UNSC resolutions and limit their weapons capabilities. In Alex Conte’s book, Operation Iraqi Freedom he states that, â€Å"Resolutions 678, 687, 1441, and 1154 do not legitimize use of force in Iraq† (Conte 139-162). There are only a select few instances in which the UNSC authorizes the use of force, one being if the expression â€Å"all necessary means and measures† is used in the resolution or if a member state of the UN is granted a mandate for action in another state and it is approved by the UNSC. Wording for many of these resolutions was very controversial be tween representatives of various nation states on the UNSC, regarding what powers one could legally take. But overall none of these UNSC resolutions approved of any military action to be taken in Iraq humanitarian or not in 2003; so in other words, all of the military actions that were taken were not legal in any form and against international law. The economic sanctions against Iraq also heavily affected the country before it was invaded by the coalition forces in 2003. â€Å"Iraq’s devastation is not primarily the result of American bombing†¦but the economic crisis that befell the country before the first shot was fired† (Rieff 185). The sanctions placed on Iraq were intended to hurt the Hussein regime, but in fact they just hurt the people under Hussein’s rule and put the entire Iraqi economy into terrible condition. The sanctions were a response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and reportedly used as a deterrent to Hussein’s aggression in the area, but the people hurt most by the sanctions were innocent Iraqis. â€Å"From 1991 until 2003 t he effects of government policy and the sanctions led to hyperinflation, widespread poverty, and malnutrition† (Dodge 706). This goes to show the negative effects that the sanctions had on the citizens of Iraq. Also mentioned in Rieff’s book, Democratic Dreams and Armed Intervention: At the Point of a Gun, is the fact that daily life was getting harder for Iraqis and their ability to receive the same goods as they had before the sanctions diminished drastically; â€Å"Before the sanctions Iraq imported 70% of its food, medicine, and chemicals, UNSC resolution 661 stopped all of that† (Rieff 187). These facts made the Iraqi citizens hate the crippling sanctions that were being placed on them because of the aggression of just their dictatorial leader. Many scholars believe that the sanctions made life already under a brutal dictator even more constrained and restrictive. Iraq before the sanctions was a very strong welfare state just like many of the oil rich nations of the Middle East which gave pensions to their citizens based on oil income, about â€Å"40% of Iraqi households were dependent on government payment† (Dodge 709). But because of the sanctions that same forty percent had to find other ways to receive income in a worsening economy. Many citizens such as Khaled Afra, a student opposed the sanctions just as they opposed the rule of Hussein, â€Å"Saddam was a criminal, the biggest. But the sanctions were also criminal†¦ You see the sanctions really crushed our dreams – not my personal dreams only, but those of my Iraqi people, all of us† (Rieff 193). Hussein did use the sanctions to his advantage though; he used them as premise to form Iraqi public opinion against the sanctions, the various governments of the West, and the United Nations. Huge propaganda campaigns began in the country and in a way were very successful, Hussein, for example, would convince his people that in fact he wasn’t evil and it was the nations of the West that were evil as they placed the sanctions on Iraq to try and starve innocent Iraqis. Hussein even agreed to the Food for Oil program, which help ed relieve some of the pressure and troubles faced by civilians as a result of the sanctions. The program allowed Iraq to sell its oil not for money but for food, medicine, and other supplies that were highly needed in Iraq at the time. Iraqi citizens loved this and praised Hussein for going through and agreeing with the program. A highly questioned component of the sanctions placed on the regime is why did they last so long? As mentioned earlier, the sanctions began right after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 but yet they didn’t end until 2003 when the American invasion of Iraq began. Most in the international community believed that the sanctions should’ve ceased to exist after the Gulf War was over or maybe just for a few more years after Iraqi forces were pushed out of Kuwait, but not for a full thirteen years. â€Å"Even many Arab nations who supported the sanctions at first believed that they should have been removed after Iraq left Kuwait† (Rieff 190). Most nations, even those who were against the Hussein regime saw the sanctions being in place after Iraq was ejected from Kuwait as unnecessary, cruel, and throwing salt on the wounds of a nation. The sanctions just made life worse for the regular citizens of Iraq, but the worst was yet to come. One good thing that may have come out of the sanctions is the fact that they did prevent the Hussein regime from obtaining or creating any weapons of mass destruction because the country just could not afford the types of technology needed to do so. Another factor that made conditions even worse for Iraq was the failed planning and research that should’ve been completed before the invasion of the country. â€Å"Fear that Iraq was developing a weapon of mass destruction became sufficiently unbearable to Bush and Congress that they launched and supported a preemptive war based on a poorly defined threat† (Sheenan 6). For one many were forced to believe that Hussein was in possession of WMDs which he wasn’t, therefore that threat did not even exist at all and should be exempt from reasons to invade and occupy the country. Planners of the invasion came up with a plan to oust Hussein from power using what they referred to as the decapitation thesis. The decapitation thesis is just as literal as it sounds, remove the head of the government, referring to Hussein and other high ranking Ba’ath party officials, and continue to use the body, which would be the institutions still under state control, as the head is replaced with new leadership. But the plan did not work as it was supposed to; after Hussein was ousted the country just fell into a power vacuum. Who would the people turn to for leadership? Because Iraq no longer had very strong state institutions, they were collapsed and were no longer working since the country was invaded. â€Å"In the space of two years, because of invasion a nd then state collapse, Iraq went from Rogue, the first category of problematic state, to the second, collapsed. Although military intervention into Rogue states has become increasingly common since the Cold War, it has to date been largely unsuccessful† (Dodge 706). This goes to show that largely — based on the past and places in similar situations — that Iraq was destined to fail. And besides the fact that the planners didn’t fully investigate the situation it seemed that they have even had other objectives besides the ones being expressed to the public. For example, â€Å"In April 2006, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visited Baghdad to intervene in internal discussions about the government and to seek assurances that any future government would allow the United States to preserve its military bases in Iraq† (Arnove 116). Why would the U.S. need to establish bases in Iraq if the primary goal was humanitarian and to free the repressed people under the Hussein regime? Humanitarian intervention was also a huge factor in why the invasion and subsequent occupation was being justified in Iraq. Humanitarian interventions are usually mandated and put in place at the request of the legitimate government that needs the intervention. In this case the government of Iraq would have needed to explicitly ask outside powers to intervene, in which they did not. â€Å"The Security Council did not approve the invasion and the Iraqi government; its existence on the line, violently opposed it† (Roth 1). The Hussein regime opposed such an intervention obviously because it would signal an end to their rule. Even if it was to be a humanitarian intervention by the rules of international law the leaders accused of the alleged crimes against humanity should be brought on trial by the International Criminal Court (ICC). This was not the case for Iraq; none of the high ranking Ba’ath party officials including Hussein were even tried.

Privacy and surveillance in the Information Age Essay

Privacy and surveillance in the Information Age - Essay Example According to Nissenbaum (1998, p.4), information technology has not only affected communication, but has actually led to a need to redefine privacy. With increasing surveillance and information recording, personal privacy is taking a new direction. According to Nock (1993) the cost of surveillance is personal privacy and the American public has to trade between privacy and security. The biggest turn in information technology came at about the mid of 20th century with the invention of the electronic computer. As soon as the computer was invented, it was used by governments and large corporations for information capture, storage and analysis. Information technology did not only help in increasing the way information is captured and stored, but also in the way the same information can be analyzed as well as manipulated (Hughes, 2004, p.78). As a result, the role of the government and private corporations can in safeguarding information has increased and has also taken a new course. Information stored in computes is easier to disseminate and can be accessed from remote access points. This leads to the risk of losing this information to hackers and this can lead to private information being disseminated by unauthorized personnel. Information and communication technology has changed the way people communicate and carry out their daily social, political and economic activities. With the arrival of computers and the internet, communication has always increased, and people are today better able to communicate. Business transactions have taken a new route as private firms can now easily capture, analyze and disseminate different formats of communication and information. A good example of this is the US based international retail giant Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has been able to develop a system based in computers and wide area network that is able to capture information from all the retail stores and then sending this information to a central database where the

Persuasive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Persuasive - Essay Example According to Alan Keith of Genentech, leadership is about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen. An effective leader has many qualities and characteristics which help them in running any type of an organization. This paper aims at dealing with being just as an important leadership quality. There are many definitions of justice according to different scholars and books. Justice can be defined as upholding of what is just, especially fair handling and due prize in accordance with standards, honor, or law. In other words it is the principle of moral rightness; equity. It advocates on treating situations in an organization with fairness and equality (Spillane 28-23). Injustices in any organization may be based differently. For example, there can be injustice according to race, tribe, religion, gender, family relations, or even jealousy. A good leader must be totally unbiased. They ought to not have personal bests in their team, to whom they give more power or less labor. All the members in a team should be treated equally without favoritism and discrimination. Whenever group activities are mandatory, the appearance of a leader becomes imminent. A group always works efficiently when there is a leader to guide the members and keep them aggravated on their way to success. With no a superior head, a group will not be able to do to the best of its abilities. Nevertheless, as much is it essential to have a leader, it is also important that they have the right character and the required skills. Having a bad head is even worse than having no head at all (Zaccaro 17-9). In case one wants to be a leader, one needs to cultivate certain skills and qualities in them, one of which is justice. Having a leader who is biased and does not uphold justice may lead to conflicts in the organization and it may have many hazardous effects like drop in productivity of the group and the company at large.

Adult learning theory and practice Research Paper

Adult learning theory and practice - Research Paper Example s deemed to be integral for eradicating the issue of interpersonal communication and thus the students need to be highly sensitive over eradicating the communication gap and differences. Thus, the aspect of utilizing the transformational theory of learning can make the students to become sensitive over other behaviors and likewise improve the communication process. Moreover, with the combination of reflection and discourse, the students can be able to shift their perceptions about learning new objects or things. Specially mentioning, with the approach of this theoretical aspect, the students will certainly become task-oriented and determine effective cause and effect relationship (Kitchenham, 2010; Blackwell 2008). Correspondingly, in order to ensure and induce proper learning within the students, teachers need to understand the challenges and difficulties in an efficient manner. Thus, in this regard, it can be affirmed that with the use of Kegans theory, the teachers can unfold the ways of organizing experiences towards supporting the students in growing by themselves (Townsend & MacBeath, 2011). On the other hand, psychological theory or concept tends to resolve the issues that face by the students during learning. Besides, with the approach of psychological attachment, an inherent relationship amid the students can be brought up within the learning environment towards working with utmost efficiency and obtaining mutual benefits (Arnold & Yeomans, 2005; Jarvis,

See below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

See below - Essay Example The active participation of the legislature started from the (DPP v Myers, 1965 AC 1001) case, where the House of Lords, stated, that the no uniform principles were being followed, in the current scenario and the future determination of exceptions to hearsay should be left to the legislature. At the very onset, we should state that the Dictionary defines, ‘hearsay’ as ‘second-hand information’. Speaking in legal terms, Hearsay refers to the testimony given by a witness not about what they personally saw or heard but about something, someone else saw or said they heard. In legal cases, the use of hearsay has been resorted to include evidence that under other circumstances would not have been admissible in court. However at all times it must be borne in mind that Hearsay must not include, any form of gossip or rumours. To state it in a more simple form, hearsay is according to Sir Auld, â€Å" an assertion other than one made by a person while giving oral evidence in the proceedings as evidence as any fact asserted.† However, Hearsay is an exclusionary rule of Evidence Law albeit subject to a multitude of statutory and Common Law exceptions. Tracing the origin of the concept of ‘hearsay’ leads us to the trial of Sir Walter Raleigh, 1603 where wrongful judgement passed, based on hearsay evidence. It was this wrongful judgement that led the English Jurists to devise hard and fast rules with reference to hearsay evidence. Subsequently, all hearsay evidence was banned on the pretext that they were the admissions of a third party to whom neither the defendant nor the prosecution were privy to. It is obvious that the hearsay rule is intricately interwoven with the concepts of â€Å"truth† and â€Å"proof† and with the credibility, reliability and the memory of the witness in question. Hearsay contains within its womb a very high degree of implication and this implication weighs very heavily on the minds of the jury before they deliver a verdict.

Rich and Poor by Peter Singer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rich and Poor by Peter Singer - Essay Example It is therefore there could not be any possibility of comparing the level of deprivations between the two culturally and economically pole-apart zones of the globe. The rich nations, according to the author, spend millions of dollars in feeding their pets, while they are unable to realize the bitter fact that by doing so, they are adding their share in respect of depriving the millions of humans of adequate food and proper nutrition. Although, the animals should not be deprived of the food, yet humans must be considered at first stance in order to make the world healthy, productive and beneficial one for the collective benevolence and progress of humanity at large. The affluent do not acknowledge the sufferings of the extremely poor and downtrodden nations, which neither do have any access to purchase seeds and fertilizers for their fields nor can they grow grains and other crops properly to feed their people subsequently. As a result, hunger, diseases, crimes, and deprivations domin ate these meager and underprivileged regions of the globe, and a large number of people leads their lives amidst the drab, dull and dismal dance of illness, hunger, scarcity, illiteracy and high mortality. The author looks to be capturing the attention of the affluent nations by awakening them from their deep sleep of negligence and indifference from their duties and obligations towards their fellow humans. The affluent are, according to Singer, so much absorbed in their everyday chores and personal and professional activities that they pay almost no heed to the miseries of others, which is equivalent to a grave abandonment in the light of moral values and ethical law. Although, the statutes of law do not impose any bar or restriction on the negligence, witnessed by the affluent, yet the principles of morality and justice certainly regard such an act as perversion and offense on the part of the rich and well-to-do towards the downtrodden strata in general. It is partly due to the ve ry reality that the rich do not have to sacrifice anything for supporting or feeding the deprived ones; on the contrary, they just have to consume few dollars from the extra amount of their income for the financial and social uplift of the poor. Hence, spending something, from their surplus wealth, Singer asserts, for the cause of humanity, as well as to combat with the awkward clutches of poverty, serves as an essential moral obligation of the wealthy and prosperous individuals, communities and nations of the world. The author stresses upon the eradication of the misconception that little contribution for the cause of helping the starving would not be the effective one to challenge the ugly and enormous face of poverty, as tiny drops of help and support to the deprived strata, would become a huge ocean of help for defeating the large-scale starvation, hunger and diseases with an iron hand. Though such contributions would not offer a high-quality life to the poor, yet they would cer tainly be beneficial in pulling them out from the whirlpool of hunger by fulfilling their basic needs.

Seeds of the Peace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Seeds of the Peace - Essay Example He is of the opinion that if Palestine and Israel join hands then they can also become one of the dominant powers of the world. As both the sides have an efficient and effective workforce. All they need is the clear direction towards the achievement of common goals. Israeli people associated with Seeds of the peace are of the opinion that military action is not the way to bring peace in the region. They admitted the fact that Israeli army is not the representative of the thought and feelings of an ordinary Israeli person. After surfing through the videos related to the Seeds of the Peace project it can be inferred that the youth of Palestine consider themselves as a suppressed nation. Majority of the Palestinian participants have highlighted the fact that their families are at the mercy of Israeli Army. They can kill their loved ones at any time and at any place without having any reason. Therefore based on this observation it can be concluded that there is a great residue of hatred always in inside as they are born with it as well as grew up with it (Peretz iii). Palestinian participants seem too depressed with the situation prevailing in their areas. Most of the participants are of the opinion that after Yasir Arafat they did not find any leader who can project the problems of the region in front of the world in and efficient and effective manner. Palestinian also cleared their point of view regarding the suicide bombing. They suggested that although it is a reaction towards the action of what has been done by the Israeli army however they still do not support the killing of innocent. By analyzing the thoughts of Palestinian participants it can be inferred that the young generation of Palestine has realized the fact that Israel is also a reality. Therefore they can not deny the existence of such a big group prevailing in the region. Christians, Muslims and Jews can live together like they in any other part of the world. Seeds of

MGMT499 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MGMT499 - Essay Example In terms of legal environment, strict environmental legislation results into higher costs for both discount retailers. This factor even encompasses rising awareness amongst customers which increases costs for retailers such as Walmart and Target who follows green movement (Zentes, Morschett & Klein, 2012, pp.102-103). On the other hand social environment comprise of varying income levels of customers which give an opportunity to both the retailers in relation to lowering prices and acquiring large market share. The culture prevailing in Walmart is to work in collaboration and increase efficiency of the overall team. They even focus on reducing overhead expense so that better prices can be offered to customers. The performance rate of Walmart is higher in comparison to other retailers and hence it ranks as topmost retailer across the globe. On the contrary Target has a performance ratio lower than Walmart and occupies second position amongst all discount retailers based in America. Its low performance is due to limited product range being offered in all its retail stores. However the company culture is similar to that of Walmart where team members are considered to be an integral part of the system. The promotion policies of Walmart are such that it gives more emphasis on increasing responsibilities and retaining experienced workers in the system. There were 170,000 promoted by the company in previous year with more benefits and higher pay scale. These policies are based on average performance of employees and impact of their respective performance in growth and success of the company. On the other hand Target has a different set of promotion policies as it focuses on time period which has been spent by an employee with the organization. Promotion in this company is given to those employees who possess more experience in comparison to other individuals. However the promotional benefits are similar to that of Walmart. Walmart is a big retail

Female Genital Mutilation in Africa Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Female Genital Mutilation in Africa - Article Example By definition a rite of passage is "a ritual associated with a crisis or a change of status (as marriage, illness, or death) for an individual" (Agnes, 1990, p. 1018). Although the excisions do not occur because of a crisis, they do, in fact, occur in preparation of a change of status, as in marriage, and the woman or young girl often takes on new roles after the operation is performed. Those operations that are performed on infants cannot by definition be considered a rite of passage since the change in status is not in the near future. Thus, FGM can be considered a rite of passage when it is performed in preparation for the new roles the girl will assume in her future marriage. Indeed, the ritualistic components of FGM are evidenced by the preparations that are made for the operation. Girls are often given new jewellery, clothing, and gifts as part of the operation. In some cases, a great feast will occur in celebration of the operation. From the definition, it can be concluded tha t FGM qualifies as a ritual. Another reason often cited for FGM is that it is a fertility rite. Saadwai (2002) comments that if FGM were intended to be a fertility rite, the excision would be partial and symbolic: However, in the Sudan, after the girls are circumcised, they are then washed in the Nile as a fertility offering to the god of the Nile. There certainly are many aspects of FGM that make the connection with fertility rites a plausible one (Lowenstein, 1978; Salama, 1980; Saadawi, 2002). Sociologists and anthropologists have tended towards concurrence with the perception of FGM as a traditional ritual and rite of passage. Campbell (2006), most noted for his work on male circumcision, maintains that FGM is a direct offshoot of male circumcision rites among the ancient totemistic hunting groups. In these societies, there is an abundance of large game which led to the development of the art of hunting. Emphasis in the social structure was placed on the men as they were the providers. Wile the rite of circumcision in these societies reflected "a bias in favour of the males and therewith an emphasis on the sexual aspect of the rites and particularly on circumcision," female circumcision evolved in complementarily to the male fertility dimension of this practice. (Campell, 2006, 320). Some sociologists have argued an alternative theory, suggesting that FGM is an outcome of the desire of some primitive societies to control female sexuality and, thereby, ensure the paternity of children (Morris, 2003). This argument is inextricably linked to the mother's premarital chastity and fidelity during marriage, not the father's per se. This line of thinking can be taken to its logical conclusion: perform a physical operation to keep the woman from having sexual relations outside of marriage. This will be viewed as necessary for societies that see the constraint of female sexuality as the necessary condition for continued propagation of the human race (Sanderson, 2001; Morris,

Relationship Between the Brand Equity and the Sales of Bottled Water Industry Essay Example for Free

Relationship Between the Brand Equity and the Sales of Bottled Water Industry Essay This research basically pertains to find out the relationship between the brand equity and the sales of the product. The questionnaire was constructed and the pilot study using 15 respondents from ICBS was carried out to ensure that there were no confusions or ambiguities in the questionnaire. All ambiguities or confusions found were removed before administering the final questionnaire. The questionnaires were divided into two parts. On first of June the questionnaires were administered among half of the sample. The other half of the questionnaires among the remaining samples on 1st July 2007. As our research was basically descriptive in nature, we then quantified the values we were given in the questionnaire results and used them to graph the responses of the elements of the research. The results were then analyzed. Introduction The broad area of the research is related to the currently existing situation in the bottled water industry. As the bottle water industry is flourishing in Pakistan and new competitors are entering the market but still Pure Life has managed to maintain the considerable amount of market share due to its brand equity. The concept of brand is integral to the success of any given product. Brand equity necessarily affects the performance of a product. The concept of brand equity can have a marked effect on the longevity of a products performance. Brand equity is defined as the bundle of intrinsic features/attributes delivered by a branded product or service. It is measured as the price differential someone is willing to pay for a particular branded product or service over an identical product or service that is unbranded. Alternatively, this definition can be re-crafted to state that brand equity is the difference in utility between two products or services that are perceived to deliver an identical set of tangible benefits at the same price. Consumers see a particular brand name as a contract. A brands name may reduce consumers sense of uncertainty, allowing them to purchase, uncertainty reduction, or trust, thus improving their sense of value. Background Nestle have taken a strong interest in Pakistan at a time when the country’s food, drink and retail industries in general are all actually struggling to attract large-scale multinational investments of this nature. Although these companies all have more profitable product categories, which are their primary concerns in more developed markets, in Pakistan a key element of their business strategy at the present time is a strong presence in the increasingly competitive bottled water industry. Should economic growth continue, the introduction of their added-value, more premium products, will simply prove a bonus at a later date? Such investment cannot help but drive bottled water sales in Pakistan, while inflows from multinationals also provide much needed jobs and contribute to essential infrastructural developments in the country. However, there is a huge flipside to these advantages the creation of a population, which can barely afford to spend beyond necessity, reliant on a product that is still considered a luxury item in some of the worlds most developed economies. Pakistan’s response to this dilemma affects not just its population, but its likelihood of establishing itself as a destination for much sought after food, drink and retail industry investment in the future. Literature Review Brand equity is the value built-up in a brand. It is measured based on how much a customer is aware of the brand. The value of a companys brand equity can be calculated by comparing the expected future revenue from the branded product with the expected future revenue from an equivalent non-branded product. This calculation is at best an approximation. This value can comprise both tangible, functional attributes (e. g. TWICE the cleaning power or HALF the fat) and intangible, emotional attributes (e. g. the brand for people with style and good taste). It can be positive or negative. Positive brand equity is created by effective promotion and consistently meeting or exceeding customer thoughts. Negative brand equity is usually the result of bad management. In the early 2000s, the Ford Motor Company made a strategic decision to brand all new or redesigned cars with names starting with F. This aligned with the previous tradition of naming all sport utility vehicles since the Ford Explorer with the letter E. The Toronto Star quoted an analyst who warned that changing the name of the well known Windstar to the Freestar would cause confusion and discard brand equity built up, while a marketing manager believed that a name change would highlight the new redesign. The aging Taurus, which became one of the most significant cars in American auto history, would be abandoned in favor of three entirely new names, all starting with F, the Five Hundred, Freestar and Fusion. By 2007, the Freestar was discontinued without a replacement, and Ford announced record losses. In a surprise announcement, the discarded Taurus nameplate would be re-used on an improved Five Hundred which had disappointing sales and whose nameplate was recognized by less than half of most people, but an overwhelming majority was familiar with the Taurus. Brand Equity and Market Share Very often only the market share of a brand is looked at as a means of determining how successful the brand is. Although market share is of importance in assessing the performance of a brand, its relationship with brand equity is of great significance, as this relationship can be an indication of the potential success of a brand, or alternatively can direct strategy on how to attain such success. The following diagram illustrates the relationship between brand equity and market share: Brand equity and market share are not always proportionate. As can be seen from the diagram, the ideal place for a brand to be situated is in the top-right quadrant. This shows that the brand is successful in that it has a strong brand equity and high market share. However, this may not always be the case. It is possible that a brand may have high brand equity, but may not have an accordingly high market share (top-left quadrant). In order to improve the market share of a brand in cases such as this, regard must then be had to in-store issues such as display, shelf space, distribution etc. Thus, understanding brand equity plays an important role in that it gives an indication of how a brands performance can be improved. Where there is low brand equity and a strong market share (such as the bottom right-hand quadrant), the situation is extremely tenuous. Although the picture may look good owing to the strong market share, the reality is that, with weak brand equity, the product is vulnerable to competitor or other in-market activity. Therefore, measuring only the strong market share does not give the complete picture brand equity must also be considered, and by improving this, the full potential of the brand can be secured. What is Brand Equity? In layman terms brand equity is the value that a consumer attaches to a certain brand. Although brand equity can be measured tangibly by way of certain indicators, a large component of the concept is intangible, i. e. what perceptions and associations people have of a certain brand, and the familiarity of those brands in the mind of the consumer. The diagram below illustrates how brand equity is made up: From the diagram, it is evident that the sources that drive brand equity (brand awareness, consideration and the factors associated with it) will lead to certain outcomes. And the more powerful the sources are, the more significant these outcomes will be. Thus, a strong brand loyalty and ability to command a price premium will lead to resilience against any negative short-term market factors. And this is why brand equity is essential in assessing the performance of a brand: it has the potential to secure the success of the brand against many variable in-market factors. Further, the importance of brand equity is that, by understanding how brand equity drives market share, it is then possible to make use of this knowledge in order to grow the market share of a brand. Understanding the link between brand equity and market share will thus assist marketers in which strategies are required to grow market share. The Benefits of Brand Equity: What are the benefits of strong brand equity? Well, strong brand equity leads to, inter alia, strong market share, customer loyalty, more favorable response to price increases, less vulnerability to competitor activity, brand extension opportunities, and communication messages which reach the consumer. In attaining these benefits, strong brand equity will ensure that a product is of an enduring nature. Ultimately, strong brand equity will improve profitability. To build a winning brand, therefore, is to understand the relationship between brand equity and market share, and to leverage both to their full potential. In so doing, a brand will be successful and sustainable in the long term. It must be kept in mind that increasing market share does not increase brand equity, whereas increasing brand equity invariably leads to increased market share. Another benefit of brand equity is that it’s an asset which can be sold or leased. The importance of brand equity to customer loyalty: Keller (1998) argues that brand equity is unique from customer loyalty, and can be defined as: †¦ the differential effect that brand knowledge has on consumer response to the marketing of that brand. He argues that a brand possesses positive customer-based brand equity when customers react more favorably to a (brand identified) product and the way that it is marketed as compared to when it is not. Brands can also possess negative customer-based brand equity, expressed when consumers react less favorably to the marketing activities associated with a brand, as compared to an unnamed or fictitious named version of the product. Keller (1998) further states that one of the characteristics of brands possessing strong brand equity is stronger brand loyalty. This position appears consistent wit that of Aaker (1991) who argued that brand loyalty could be considered both a dimension and an outcome of brand equity. Problem Statement The problem statement of the research is to find out that â€Å"Are pure life sales greater than competitors due to brand equity of Nestle? † Nestle pure life was launched in Pakistan in 1998. The brand now holds a solid position as number 1 in Pakistan by having more than 50 per cent of the countrys small bottled-water market of 33 million liters (35 million quarts) a year. Pure Life is everywhere at roadside stalls, gas stations and rest stops. Its hawked at street corners in traffic-clogged Lahore. Middle-class shoppers buy it by the case in supermarkets. On the remote mountain road leading from Islamabad to the hill town of Murree, Pure Life billboards urge drivers to drive only Nestle Pure Life. At small stores along the way, a flurry of banners proclaim: Pure Safety, Pure Trust. The ideal water. From Nestle with love. As the purchase of the bottled water involves low involvement of consumers therefore factors such as price, packaging and taste are not as important as compared to the brand image of the product. Therefore, the research is conducted to find out whether the equity of a brand affects the sales of the product or not Limitations, Delimitations and Assumptions The concept of brand equity is important to every brand therefore it can be applied to every product in the Pakistani market. For the purpose of simplicity, researchers chose water bottled industry of Pakistan. In this industry Nestle Pure Life was chosen due to the fact that as purchase of bottled water involves low involvement of consumer so the only thing that matters for the consumer is the brand name. Furthermore another reason for choosing Nestle Pure life was that the researchers assumed that the sales of Nestle Pure life were greater than competitors due to brand equity of Nestle. There was another limitation that the researchers would only focus on a particular age group of people i. . people between 20-25 yrs of age. Theoretical Framework In the research the independent variable is brand equity, the dependent variable is sales, whereas there are three intervening variables identified which affect the relationship of independent variable and the dependent variable which are, production capacity, distribution and availability. There is a positive relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable because it’s assumed that the brand equity causes an increase in the sales of a product which is Nestle Pure Life. Coke and Pepsi entered the bottled water industry as their production capacity was 18000 crates but after production of sodas their production plant was idle so they decide to jump in the bottled water. industry. They had the advantage that the industry is developing and consumers are becoming conscious of the importance of pure drinkable water. And their setup was already developed. Their distribution is extensive and they can capture all the consumers who buy their sodas. There is a positive relationship between sales and the intervening variables that are production capacity, distribution and availability. Nestle has an advantage over the other bottled water competitors due to the fact that they are the market leaders and their production and distribution is much more then the other competitors and their production plant and capacity is only used for the bottled water only. Their availability is much more extensive because nestle food products are distributed all over the country and hence they utilize their already developed distribution setup. Hypothesis The hypothesis that the researchers intended to test was the following: â€Å"Pure life sales are greater than competitors due to brand equity of Nestle† Nature of study The type of research is basic or pure because the study aimed to find out the affect of brand equity on sales of Nestle Pure Life and literature review was done to find out the relationship between brand equity and sales and primary study was also conducted by distributing questionnaires to MBA students of various universities. The relationship between the brand equity and sales is also generalizable. No matter what the product is there is always the positive relationship between them. Purpose of Study The purpose of the study is descriptive. The study will help in better understanding of the relationship of brand equity of a product and its sales. It will also help the organizations to make decisions related to brand awareness, brand loyalty and brand preference that will affect the brand equity of a product. It will also help other researchers to work on the similar concept. Throughout the study the researcher interference was minimal as there was no control of researcher on the independent variable which was brand equity. The type of investigation was correlation as the study aimed at finding the relationship between the independent variable and dependent variable. It was a field study done in non contrived settings. Methodology Data Collection The initial data for research was obtained through secondary sources of information, which included internet articles, journals and books. It would not be enough to substantiate the hypothesis; therefore, the data collection technique of questionnaire survey shall be used. Population Our target population consists of business schools students in the age group of 20-25 years using Nestle Pure Life. Sample â€Å"Proportionate stratified random sampling technique† was used for the sample. UniversitiesNumber of Elements Proportionate sampling NCBA250250 * 32% = 80 LSE350350 * 37% = 130 GCU200200 * 25% = 50 Sample Size Out of the total of 800 students the size of the population, the sample was 80 students of National College of Business Administration, 130 Students of Lahore Scholl of Economics and 50 students of Government College University Lahore. The sample sizes were determined using table given by Uma Sekeran, using 90% confidence interval and standard error of 9. 5. Instruments Questionnaires were used as a tool to gather the primary data for the research. The questionnaire consisted of 7 questions and was administered among NCBA, LSE and GCU students. The questionnaire used in this study was a non-standardized instrument constructed solely for the purpose of this study. Copy of the questionnaire is attached in Appendix I in the report. Scale Dichotomous scale was used for five questions. YesNo Category scale was also used. Multiple items were given to elicit a single response from the respondent. From ranking scale forced choice scale was used which enabled the respondents to rank the brands of water bottles according to their preferences. Pilot Study A pilot study using 15 respondents from ICBS was done to ensure that there were no confusions or ambiguities in the questionnaire. All ambiguities or confusions found were removed before administering the final questionnaire. Reliability The reliability of the instruments was ensured through split- half reliability method. The instrument of the study which was questionnaires was divided into two halves. On first of June the questionnaires were administered among 40 NCBA students, 75 LSE students and 25 GCU students. The other half of the questionnaires among the same number of students on 1st July 2007. The reliability test will reflect the correlation between the two halves of the questionnaires. Validity The validity of our instrument was checked by the content and construct validity test. Results Question 1 Do you buy bottled water? Our population included only those elements who are users or buyers of the bottled water. So as the sample is the replica of the population then it can be said that the sample contained all the users or buyers of the bottled water. Question 2 Rank the following brands of water bottles according to your preference. As this question asked to rank the brands in order of preference it helped us to find out what brand people prefer. The results showed that 45% or 117 consumers prefer Nestle Pure life. Aside from that the other preference were 20% or 52 prefer Aqua Fina , 15% or 39 prefer kinley, 13% or 34 prefer Sufi and the least was aqua safe which is 7% or 18. It showed that the highest demand or preference is of Nestle Pure life. The name Nestle Pure Life was used because it is known as Nestle or Nestle Pure Life among people. Question 3 What are the reasons of your preference? This question asks about why the brand is preferred? And what is the reason for there preference? The results showed that 37% or 96 for international brand, 21% or 55 marked companied credibility, 18% or 47 went for quality seal, 11% or 29 marked packaging, 9% or 23 for price and 4% or 10 for certification. By these results we concluded that most people don’t know about quality seal and certification and some brand don’t have them so it wasn’t marked. One aspect was that those who marked nestle as their preferred brand marked international brand and company’s credibility as their reason for preference. Price and packaging was not such a major factor in their reason for the preference. It was only marked by consumers who use aqua safe and Sufi. Question 4 Do you recall any advertisement of your preferred brand? The results showed that 83% or 216 answered yes and 17% or 44 answered no. It showed that one reason of preference was the advertisement showed. Research shows that it has a major impact on people as it repetitive. It leaves the impression and the companies or brands qualities and messages in peoples mind. They do remember and recall it when buying a product. Question 5 How long have you been using your preferred brand? The results showed that most of the people have been using the brand for more than a year 45% or 117. 37% or 96 were using it for a year, 12% or 31 for 6 months and 6% or 16 for a month. The results also showed that most of the people have been using Nestle and Aqua Fina and Sufi and Aqua safe had a few consumers as they have not been using it for so long. Question 6 In your opinion are you brand loyal to your preferred brand? The results showed that 87% or 226 were brand loyal and 13% or 34 were not. The result showed that students are not brand loyal. But it has been observed that when people ask for drinking water they ask for nestle water. We also observed this at super stores that while passing by the water bottle shelves they pick Nestle. This behavior is same as schools and colleges. Question 7 What if your preferred brand is involved in an unethical business or fraud, will you still buy it? The results for this were that 64% or 166 answered as Yes and 36% or 94 answered as No. It showed that if a companied credibility is in doubt people back of from it. It does show a sense of rightness in people and also that for a brand to be successful it’s important that the company should be credible. As brand equity is the goodwill of the company and it’s important for a company to succeed and be reputable. Is also important because now, with media awareness people are becoming more conscious to these factors, so, the companies have to be conscious of these factors. Question 8 Would you prefer a brand which is popular in your social circle? The results of this question were that 55% or 143 answered as Yes and 45% or 117 answered as No. t helped to show that is the preference dependent on the social behaviors. But the result showed that it has a 10 % difference so it is slightly significance. For some people it who look for acceptance from their circle but it’s not that important as it low involvement purchase and it related to thirst which know no boundaries. But for some its status symbol to use bottled water as some peop le don’t care as long as its water. Discussion If the hypothesis is selected it would mean that the brand equity and brand image is important for the customers. They do take it into consideration while buying as its imprinted in their minds. Advertisement helps the customers to see the attributes of the company and the product . It keeps the brand equity in the minds of the customers. If the hypothesis is not substantiated by the questioner’s results, it would mean that some other factors are involved in the greater sales of the brand besides it brand name and the research would have to be conducted again with a new hypothesis. . Conclusions The conclusion of the study is that the Pure Life sales are greater than competitors due to brand equity of Nestle. The company should concentrate on things like brand preference and brand loyalty. They can do this by a lot of advertising and other promotional campaigns like public relations. Brand preference, brand loyalty and trust leads to establishment of brand equity which can be said as goodwill. Implications Brand equity is the customer’s subjective and intangible assessment of the brand, above and beyond its purely perceived value. In a market where many products are rather similar (i. e. commoditization), the brand can have a large effect on whether customers want to buy the product and what price theyre willing to pay. Brands therefore add more and more value to the basic product or service. Example: although a blind test panel taught researchers that most people prefer Pepsi above Coca-Cola, yet Coca-Cola is much stronger on the market. Our research findings shall help marketers understand the relation between brand equity ad sales. We have used Nestle Pure Life as a model for the study to illuminate the same relationship. As mentioned earlier, if there is a relationship between the variables, the marketers need to take it into account while designing their marketing strategies and policies.

Measuring the Impact of Stress on Physical Health

Measuring the Impact of Stress on Physical Health Psychologists are very interested to understand the many ways in which stress can make us unwell. Before psychologists can get to the point of very significant real-life benefits to be had from understanding this relationship, they need valid and reliable way of measuring stress first. There are two main categories of measurement that has been developed and they are self-report and physiological methods. One psychological measurement of stress is self-report scales and they include the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS). The Social Readjustment Rating Scale was developed by Thomas Holmes and Richard Rache in 1967 and is a well-known self-report method of measuring life changes that go on in an individuals life. Both Holmes and Rache studied the medical records of patients, picking out the events that occurred in the patients lives not long before they fell ill. Within the SRRS, it presents a list of 43 life changes and each one of the 43 stressful life events was given a Life Change Unit (LCU). Obviously this unit depended on how traumatic the event felt to be by a large sample of participants. The researchers calculated averages for each life event and further divided these numbers by ten. This gave the overall LCU score for each change and these changes were put into rank order from highest to lowest. It was found that if an individual has less than 150 LCU, they have a 30% chance of suffering from stress. Between 150 and 299 LCU, it equates to a 50% chance of suffering from stress, and finally over 300 LCU it means the person has an 80% chance of developing a stress related illness. The downside of this measurement of stress is that it doesnt take individual difference into consideration. The scale just assumes that each stressor affects people the same way but this is not true, for example some people may say that divorce is very stressful however for others it may even be a relief or amicable. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is the most commonly used psychological instrument for assessing the perception of stress. Items were made to assess how overloaded, uncontrollable and unpredictable respondents find their lives to be. Also within the scale, it has a number of direct queries about current levels of stress that the person experiences. The questioned asked in the (PSS) are about thoughts and feelings during the past month. In each case, people completing it are asked how often they felt a certain way. Another psychological measurement of stress is the Hassles and Uplifts Scale (HSUP). It is a self-report measure of the stress associated with everyday irritations known as hassles and of the small pleasures of daily life that are thought to partly offset the negative effects of hassles known as the uplifts. It is a more comfortable way to identify the pros and cons events that happen in each persons daily life. Also, Allen Kanner et al put forward that the combined effects of daily hassles and uplifts would be a more useful indicator of stress therefore he then developed this scale. The HSUP has three different forms: Daily Hassles Scale Daily Uplifts Scale Combined Scale The Daily Hassle Scale consists of 117 items and includes seven categories which are family, friends, work, environment, chance occurrences, health and practical considerations. Examples of hassles include disliking work colleagues, troublesome neighbours and too much responsibility. The scale measures how severe each hassle is on a three-point scale: somewhat, moderately or extremely severe. Based on the severity measure, it will reflect on the fact that the psychological meaning of each hassle to the individual is more important than how often it occurs. On the other hand, the Daily Uplifts Scale was constructed by a similar process that consisted of 135 items that were processed from the same content areas as the Hassles Scale. Examples of uplifts include relating well with friends and meeting responsibilities, liking fellow workers, and getting enough sleep. The individual identifies all of the uplifts that apply, followed by how often they have experienced them over a specific period of time. After many years of research with the Hassles and Uplifts Scale, some limitations were identified and so it was updated by Anita DeLongis et al and became the Hassle and Uplifts Questionnaire. The Skin conductance response (SCR) is a physiological measure of the degree of sweating associated with arousal of the autonomic nervous system. ANS arousal activates the bodys fight or flight response when a stressor occurs. Small increases in sweating can be detected as greater electrical conductance across the skin. To detect sweating, electrodes are attached to the index and middle fingers of one hand. A very small current that cannot be felt is applied to the electrodes in order to measure how much electricity is being conducted. Since human skin is a good conductor of electricity, the more we sweat, the more conductance there will be. There are two types of skin conductance. One is tonic conductance and this is skin conductance when we are not experiencing a stimulus. It is used as a baseline measure against which to compare phasic conductance. This type occurs when something happens like for example when someone asks you a question or we are shown a picture. The whole response can take from four to five seconds. Along with respiration, blood pressure and heart rate, the SCR makes up a polygraph, more commonly known as the lie detector test. Another physiological measurement of stress is by testing the persons blood pressure. Blood pressure is a measure of the force that exerts on the walls of blood vessels. When blood is measured by a sphygmomanometer, two numbers appear like for example 135/85mmHg. The first number, 135, represents the systolic pressure which happens when the heart pushes blood out of the arteries, whereas the second number, 85, represents the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure of the heart at rest. Salivary alpha-amylase is another physiological way of measuring stress. Alpha-amylase is an enzyme thats made under sympathetic innervations and can be collected in the individuals saliva. There is a lot of evidence suggesting that the level of salivary alpha-amylase increases with physiological stress, such as exercise.

Effects of Flying on Cavities

Effects of Flying on Cavities Aviation dentistry – New Horizon, New Challenge Abstract: After the innovations in aviation at the beginning of the 20th century, many in -flight pathologic and physiologic conditions were reported. Changing atmospheric pressure, especially if it is rapid, can cause discomfort and damage to the oral cavities and maxillofacial areas unless the pressure within these cavities containing gas is able to equilibrate with the external air pressure. Out of these conditions- barodontalgia (pain due to gas entrapment) and barotrauma (pressure induced tooth fracture, restoration and tooth fracture) was most frequently seen to occur. Due to partial pressurisation of aeroplanes cabins and improvement in dental techniques and oral health awareness, prevalence of flight-related oral manifestations has declined. It is important for the dental practioners to be familiar with these facts and not to neglect dental education with respect to aviation. Aircrew patients as well as air passengers often make it challenging for the dentist to treat several flight-re lated conditions. Correct diagnosis should be made before these conditions lead to serious complications. With thorough practice and experience, the aircrew are now able to avoid, or treat, these pressure related problems. Keywords:Â  Barodontalgia, Barotrauma, Aviation Dentistry. INTRODUCTION It is a known fact that at higher altitudes there is a reduction in air density and air pressure.The decrease in pressure is that at 18,000ft, air pressure is half that of that at sea level and at 33,000 ft. it is quarter as seen at sea level.1 This reduction in air pressure has a many negative effects on aviators. When an aircraft is at a high altitude, atmospheric pressure will be too low but inside aircraft pressure is maintained such that it is comfortable for crew and passengers. The pressure and temperature regulation in aircraft is done by means of aircycle machines and outflow valves.2 During flight, the aircrew is responsible for the lives of the aircrew members and passengers for completing the flight successfully. Any problem within the flight could lead to failures in the flight’s safety. 3 Dental practice and education is evolving with technological advancements. The focus is now on prevention. With the advanced expansion in the airlines industry with air travel now being the chief mode of transport, special attention must be paid towards the crew members and air travellers.4 Aviation dentistry primarily deals with the oral and dental health status of the aviators. It deals with the diagnosis, principles of prevention and treatment, disorders or conditions which are related to the oral cavity and maxillofacial area and their impact on those who travel in such an environment where there is change in pressure than that of the normal atmospheric pressure.5 Several areas of the body normally contain gas which includes the lungs and air-passages, the sinuses of the face, the stomach and bowel, and the middle ear cavity. Gas may be present in other areas of the body under abnormal circumstances such as the gas produced when a tooth abscess forms, or sometimes under a tooth’s filling. 2 A person in flight is subjected to reduced air pressure.Here, the gas present within the body will expand. This is not a problem if the gas communicates freely with the outside (as with the mouth, nose, and to a degree the sinuses and the middle ear cavity). The gas merely expands and escapes to the outside atmosphere. But if the gas doesn’t communicate freely with the outside, its expansion will cause a build-up in pressure on the cavity walls causing discomfort .It can even impair the function of the organ involved .6 Large changes in altitude can cause toothache (Barodontalgia = pressure-tooth-pain). The reason this occurs is either the presence of small pockets of gas in deep (usually unlined) fillings, or collections of gas in areas of decay, gum inflammation, or root abscesses where the pain can be quite severe.7 Due to infrequent meals, the aircrew members may suffer some gastro- intestinal problems too.8 With practice and experience aircrew are able to avoid, or treat, these pressure related problems .5 We as dentists should prevent the creation of in-flight hazards when we treat aircrew members and frequent flyers. BAROTRAUMA Barotrauma refers to injury sustained from failure to equalize the pressure of an air-containing space with that of the surrounding environment. The most common examples of barotrauma occur in air travel, scuba diving , hyperbaric oxygen therapy or exposure to shock waves from an explosion .9 It is a tissue injury seen due to changes in pressure, wherein the gas compresses or expands which is present in various hard or soft body structures. In cases where there is increased pressure outside the body, this pressure is equally transmitted throughout the blood and body tissues, which do not compress because they are composed mainly of liquid. However, gases (such as the air inside the lungs, sinuses, or middle ears) compress or expand as outside pressure increases or decreases causing pain, numbness and damage to the involved tissue. 5,10 Barotrauma of non-dental origin Barotrauma can commonly affect the ears which is also called aero-otitis or Barotitis .11 It is observed that plane landing leads to extreme pain in the ear (the pressure change can create a vacuum in the middle ear that pulls the eardrum inward causing pain), dizziness (vertigo), bleeding or fluid coming from the ear (due to a ruptured eardrum) and ultimately hearing loss.12, 13 Risk of barotrauma is increased by conditions that prevent air from freely flowing between spaces, such as sinus congestion or blockage of Eustachian tube or any other upper respiratory tract infection.14 It may impair the balancing function of the Eustachian tube, thus predisposing the individual to barotrauma. However, pulmonary barotrauma is the most serious amongst the other types of barotrauma. Pulmonary barotrauma may cause shortness of breath, chest pain, and feeling of fullness in the chest, pain that radiates to the neck and/or shoulders, light-headedness, seizure or coma. Potential complications can include pneumothorax and stroke. Measures that can help prevent pulmonary barotrauma include ascending slowly and breathing during ascent .15 High altitudes can also cause acute or chronic inflammation of one or more of the paranasal sinuses, mainly the frontal sinus . This is produced by the development of a pressure difference (usually negative) between the air in the sinus cavity and that of the surrounding atmosphere .This condition is termed as Barosinusitis, Sinus barotrauma, Aerosinusitis or Sinus squeeze .14 Normally, there is no air pressure differential between the sinuses and the outside environment. Barosinusitis can occur and be manifested as toothache (indirect barodontalgia)16. Vacuum created inside the sinus may also seem to cause damage to the ethmoid cell mucosa which may trigger the ethmoid nerves (branches of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve that innervate the mucosa on the inner surface of the sinus).This may lead to orbital and/or peri-orbital headache. 17 To prevent the above risks from occurring, it’s better to postpone the flight for people suffering from a cold or congestion . Using a decongestant could help in some cases. To relieve the pressure during take-off and landing sucking candy, chewing gum, yawning or breathing with the mouth open can be beneficial .Usage of filtered earplugs can help to slowly equalize the air pressure against the eardrum. Since one does not swallow enough during sleep, keeping awake during descent can also prove helpful. Barotrauma of dental origin BARODONTALGIA Barodontalgia is an oral (dental or nondental) pain caused by a change in barometric pressure in an otherwise asymptomatic organ. Gases are confined within the closed spaces due to which it is unable to contract to adjust the internal pressure. Individuals experience pain which may be sharp or squeezing in nature. Whether the pain occurs during ascent or descent depends entirely on the related pathology. 5 Generally, pain on ascent is related to vital pulp disease (i.e., pulpitis) and pain on descent to pulp necrosis or facial barotrauma .Pain related to periapical disease can appear during ascent as well as descent.9 The pain usually ceases when returning to onset level or ground atmospheric level but can last longer if caused by periapical disease or facial barotrauma. Barodontalgia is a symptom rather than a pathologic condition itself. In most cases, it is an exacerbation of pre-existing subclinical oral disease.18 Several suggestions to explain the pathogenesis of barodontalgia were given. Strohaver 19 in 1972 advocated the differentiation of into direct and indirect types. In direct barodontalgia, reduced atmospheric pressure leads to direct effect on the affected tooth, whereas in the indirect type, dental pain is due to the stimulation of the superior alveolar nerves at the time of maxillary barosinusitis. Direct barodontalgia is characterised by moderate to severe pain, which usually develops during take-off. It is well localized and the patient can identify the involved tooth whereas indirect barodontalgia is a dull, poorly defined pain that generally involves the posterior maxillary teeth and develops during landing. Exposure to altered atmospheric pressure is obviously a significant factor resulting in pain production in barodontalgia with disease of the pulp as one of the probable cause. Ferjentsik et al 20 stated that normal pulp tissue would not produce pressure associated pain, regardless of whether restorations or caries were present. However, Hodges 21 has reported that dental pain could be produced in apparently healthy teeth when the atmospheric pressure was increased. Experimental research indicates that barodontalgia may depend on an increased pulpal pressure induced by pressure variations in the permeability of the dentinal tubules. Kollmann W (1933) said that barodontalgia could be due to expansion of trapped air bubbles under a restoration or against dentin that activates the pain receptors. 22 It could also be due to stimulation of nerve endings in an inflamed pulp or stimulation of nociceptors in the maxillary sinus with referred pain to the teeth. BAROMETRIC TOOTH EXPLOSION It was reported that teeth with pre-existing leaked restoration or remaining/recurrent caries lesions underneath restoration led to tooth explosion when exposed to changes in atmospheric pressure.23 This condition is known as Barometric tooth explosion, Barodontocrexis or Odontocrexis. Although the destructive potential of arrested or remaining carious lesions in daily life is minimal, it seems that these lesions may not be as asymptomatic or minimal in a pressure-changed environment. Calder and Ramsey 24 reported that all the damaged teeth either had poor quality of amalgam restorations with unfavourable clearance between the tooth and the amalgam or secondary caries under the restoration. Odontocrexis can potentially lead to severe pain, swallowing of the tooth fragments or even their aspiration. 25 Patients should be advised not to fly while having provisional restorations or temporary cement in their mouth. Leaky or faulty restorations should be diagnosed and replaced. Carious lesions should also be excavated and restored. Placement of cuspal coverage crowns could also be a preventive measure. PROSTHETIC CONSIDERATIONS Lyons et al. studied the retention of crowns to extracted teeth in environmental pressure changing conditions. The crowns cemented with glass-ionomer cement or zinc phosphate cement had reduced retention with the tooth. Crowns cemented with resin cement did not have reduced retention.26 This can be due to porosities incorporated at the time of manipulation of zinc phosphate cement and glass-ionomer cement. These microporosities expand and contract upon pressure changes leading to a weakened cement . 25 Microleakage was also detected in zinc phosphate and glass-ionomer cements after pressure changes , whereas no microleakage was detected in resin cement.27 Reduced barometric pressure can reduce the retention of full removable dentures (especially maxillary dentures) 28 Retention by osteointegrated dental implants is the best solution for edentulous fliers.4 RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY Pure oxygen inhalation may cause corrosion of dental amalgam restorations in cases due to increased percentage of oxygen.29 Differential thermal contraction in cases of low temperature of a high altitude environment is seen of amalgam materials as compared with tooth hard tissue. Harvey30 reported that cold temperature is unlikely the dominant mechanism underlying dental fracture. Excessive occlusal forces was also a factor in dental restoration dislodgement .Sognnaes, suggested that clenching or grinding of teeth was a causative factor for restorative failure.18 ENDODONTIC CONSIDERATIONS Although not evidence based, Rossi 31 contraindicated direct pulp capping in aircrew patients and recommended endodontic treatment in each case of suspected invasion to the pulp chamber in order to prevent sub-acute pulpitis or silent pulp necrosis and their potential barometric pressure-related consequences. Open unfilled root canals may cause leakage of the intracanal infected content to the periradicular tissues and subcutaneous emphysema . PERIODONTAL CONSIDERATIONS Decrease in salivation and dryness of mouth are few of the risk factors responsible for the development of caries lesions. Dryness of the mouth can be due to breathing of dry compressed gases in the aircraft. 32There is increased risk of periodontal diseases because of xerostomia. ORAL SURGERY When maxillary teeth are extracted, the dental surgeons should always rule out the existence of an oroantral communication as it can lead to sinusitis when exposed to a pressure changing environment .33 PREVENTION Caries excavations and restorations should be completed before airtravel. Leaky restorations should be replaced. During the restoration of a carious tooth, a thorough examination of the floor of the cavity should be done to rule out any penetration leading to the pulp chamber. In such cases a protective cavity liner should be applied (e.g. glass-ionomer cement) . During multi-visit endodontic treatment, the temporary restoration must be placed properly .When oroantral communication is diagnosed; referral to an oral surgeon for its closure is indicated.9 Cuspal coverage crowns could also be a preventive measure.Resin cements are preferred for cementation,as they give better retention. During flight, chewing gum or candy will increase salivation and prevent dryness in mouth. CONCLUSION There has been a tremendous increase in air travellers viz pilots, aircrew personnel, air passengers, flight attendants and leisure pilots. Special precautions must be taken during endodontic, restorative, prosthodontic and oral maxillo facial surgical treatments for the aircrew patients to prevent any kind of in -flight incapabilities leading to serious issues. Aviation dentistry is an emerging science which has been much neglected .With air travel gaining popularity, the in-flight dental hazards cannot be ignored anymore. The dental clinicians should take an initiative to raise awareness levels and sensitize the air travellers about this issue. The need of the hour is to promote diagnostic tools and treatment guidelines to the aviation industry to ensure wellness of air travellers.

Anthropology and Zora Neale Hurstons Their Eyes Were Watching God and

Anthropology and Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and Jonah's Gourd Vine Zora Neale Hurston described the study of anthropology as a spy-glass, an illuminating lens (1). Anthropology is defined as the scientific study of the origin, the behavior, and the physical, social, and cultural development of humans (2). Through this study and with the aid of an essay defining human nature written by Cardinal Jean Daniello, we can take a closer look at the behavior of the characters in Hurston's novels Their Eyes Were Watching God and Jonah's Gourd Vine. Hurston uses her anthropological lens to create complex characters in these two works. Hurston began her study of anthropology at Barnard College in the 1920s where she concentrated on African American culture and folklore. Hurston became the first African American to chronicle African American voodoo and folklore (1). The publications Mules and Men and Tell My Horse are works that directly incorporate her anthropological field notes on Black folklore and tradition (1). Hurston’s background with anthropology was the foundation for her future fiction writings. The title of her first novel, Jonah’s Gourd Vine, reflects Hurston’s passion for storytelling and folklore because it is inspired by a biblical story. The story tells of Jonah, who has a beautiful plant growing around him. However, God destroys it because Jonah does not appreciate it and it leads to his fall. Therefore, the story becomes a metaphor for the fall of John Pearson. In the novel, Hurston utilizes the personal experiences with her family to create complex characters in the story. It centers on John Pearson, a man who lusts after many women. John’s desire for women at times appe... ... imply the fixity" that some people want it to. John's behavior is not a product of human nature. What is natural is not an excuse for a person's wrong-doing. No characters in these novels share the same imperfections. Everyone is flawed, but there is still control. Under Hurston's anthropological lens, one can better understand her complex characters and their motivations in these stories. Works Cited 1) American Feminist for Anthropology. "Zora Neale Hurston." April 10, 2005. http://sscl.berkeley.edu/~afaweb/Hurston%20Bio.htm. 2) www.dictionary.com 3) Danielou, Cardinal Jean. "Does Human Nature Exist?" April 10, 2005. http://www.ewtn.com/library/THEOLOGY/NATEXIST.htm 4) Hurston, Zora Neale. Jonah's Gourd Vine. HarperCollins Publisher: New York, 1990. 5) Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. HarperCollins Publisher: New York. 1998.

History of Percussion Instruments Essay -- Music

History of Percussion Instruments There are few certainties about the percussion family. No one can say how many instruments it contains; few have agreed on playing techniques; and few could name one orchestral piece specifically written with percussion in mind. However, one thing is certain, percussion has been shown over time that it is not merely a matter of beating out rhythm (â€Å" History of Percussion† 1). The family of percussion instruments is the first musical instrumentation introduced to the world. To this date there are countless percussion instruments. Each group of instruments has a different ethnic origin and history in different societies. From the shallow drums of fourth century B. C. to the giant cot rattles of the fifteenth century, percussion instruments have had a unique history. Percussion instruments have had an extensive background on many factors of their sound, and playing style. All percussion instruments fall into two main categories, idiophones and membranophones. Idiophones produce their sound from vibrations without the use of a stretched membrane. This could include castanets, rattles, and mallet instruments. Membranophones are those that produce a sound from the vibrations of a stretched membrane. These include any type of drum hit with a stick. Both of these instruments are tunable in many different ways and forms; therefore, these instruments can be used as melodic instruments (â€Å" Percussion† 653). Basic idiophones (also refereed to as concussion instruments) are struck together. This includes clappers, cymbals, stones, and castanets. Percussive idiophones are hit by nonsonorous strikers. These types of instruments include gongs, triangles, and xylophones. Shaken idiophones were usually cups or shells that contained rattles or pellets, the shaking of the shells and cups produced a sound. There are many other idiophones including scraped, split, and plucked kinds. (â€Å"Percussion† 653). These certain instruments are very important in the percussive arts field. Membranophones are commonly referred to as just drums. They fall into many categories such as kettledrums, bowl shaped drums, tubular drums, friction drums, and mirlitons. Kettledrums and tubular drums are sometimes tunable drums that can be played with hands or beaters. Friction drums are rubbed togethe... ...drum became a major advantage. It was believed that the Muslims invented the kettledrums (â€Å"Percussion† 659). Around the dawn of the seventh century, the use of drumsticks became a vital role in playing drums in Asia (â€Å"Percussion† 658). China and Japan invented a thunder drum, which is a drum that resembles the sounds of rolling thunder. These drums were used during large ceremonies and were played by many men at once. Drums played a vital role in Chinese and Korean orchestras. Some orchestras were just percussion orchestras. Around the twelfth century the first friction drums were used in Spain and Western Europe. The history of percussion is very unique and impressive. The origins of different percussion instruments are interesting to the mind. Many other musical instruments have a long history but the history of percussion is very unparagoned and compelling. Today, percussion instruments are widely used in orchestras and symphonies around the world, these instruments of the past have taken many different forms. The future of percussion instruments holds new innovative musical ideas, and an increase for the music appreciation endeavor.