The Pay Gap And Gender Discrimination - 2248 Words

Taylor Bruton Professor Kathy Dillion English 211 November 10, 2014 Abstract For this paper, my objective was to investigate the pay gap and gender discrimination in the workplace. Through systematic examination, this paper explores numerous factors correlating to the wage gap such as occupational choices and annual earnings. On average, women have lower income due to emphasis on familial responsibilities and desiring more accommodating work schedules than men. The wage gap primarily exists within same occupational fields. In these fields, women were often faced with the â€Å"glass ceiling† and unable to advance in higher positions because of their gender. Women also earned less pay since less likely to ask for promotions or higher wages. In short, gender shouldn’t be a factor in measuring equal pay. Taylor Bruton Professor Kathy Dillion English 211 November 10, 2014 â€Å"Mind the Wage Gap† Throughout history, women have typically been undermined and denied the same equal rights as men. From the Equal Pay Act to the Paycheck Fairness Act, women have fought an uphill battle for their gender equality. Women earn less than men in almost every job occupation regardless of their race, age, ethnicity, or academic credibility. Most often, the emphasis that women place on family—leading to breaks in employment and a desire for more flexible working hours—negatively impacts their career trajectory, and is correlated with issue of the nationwide wage gap.Show MoreRelatedGender Inequality And Gender Pay Gap1543 Words   |  7 Pagesthe gender pay gap in the UK. These theories are taste discrimination, statistical discrimination, human capital and occupational segregation. Other research and data are included in this essay as evidence to support the different theories. The four theories covered in this essay all provide some explanation for the gender pay gap in the UK, some more than others – statistical discrimination theory having the highest explanatory power for the magnitude of this pay gap. The gender pay gap can beRead MoreEurope s Gender Pay Gap And The Factors Affecting The Gap1346 Words   |  6 PagesEurope’s gender pay gap and the factors affecting the gap Europe has a significantly wide gender wage gap. In the broader sense, women are paid an average of 16% less per hour than men in European countries. As a result of this wage gap, women earn much less than men over their lifetimes. This causes for lower pensions as well as a risk for poverty once a woman reaches old age. In 2012 alone, 21.7% of women aged 65 and over were at a high risk for poverty due to their pay. This is significantlyRead MoreGender Inequality Of The Financial Sector1498 Words   |  6 PagesGender Inequality in the Financial Sector Inequality based on gender is an ongoing ethical issue that many women still face in the workplace. Gender inequality refers to unfair treatment and perceptions on another person’s gender and tends to happen a lot in many different companies and organizations. These types of inequality can range from women getting paid less then men or women not chosen for high positions in companies such as CEOs. As Hannah Gould points out in her newspaper article, â€Å"WeRead MoreGender Discrimination And The Wage Gap Essay962 Words   |  4 PagesGender Discrimination and the Wage Gap Definitions Gender discrimination has been a controversial topic since the introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923. Gender discrimination is defined in the Encyclopedia of Small Business as any action that specifically denies opportunities, privileges, or rewards to a person (or a group) because of gender (Burton, 2011, p.617). While women are often the subject of gender discrimination, men may also find themselves being discriminated against. CasesRead MoreGender Inequality During The Civil Rights Movement1480 Words   |  6 Pagesshould be paid more than a woman even though his duties are the same† (Karr 81). Socially constructed gender roles have led to gender inequality throughout society, but sex-based discrimination is most prevalent in the workplace. During the Civil Rights Movement, gender inequality was targeted with a number of movements that promoted equality, including the Equal Pay Act of 1963. This Act requires equal pay for equal work, which calls attention to th e unethical practice of paying female employees lessRead MoreFemale Discrimination And Domestic Violence869 Words   |  4 Pagesargument throughout the reports was strongly about female discrimination in workplace and the cause of the issue. Inequality issues such as pay gap significantly affect female graduates. A report showed that some industries suffer a larger gender pay gap than others. The pay inequality was then argued to stem from a lack of women in Parliament. The lack of women representatives was witnessed to have a direct impact on workplace discrimination and domestic violence. Due to an image that women are â€Å"lesser†Read MoreThe Gender Pay Gap1639 Words   |  7 PagesThe Gender Pay Gap PROBLEM Introduction The pay gap between men and women has fallen quite dramatically over the past 30 years though a sizeable gap still remains, but this headline figure masks some less positive developments in recent years. We are used to each generation of women making progress relative to the one before, but this process has slowed slightly with the better than the previous one(Centre Piece Summer 2006). The gender pay gap measures the earning differences betweenRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Equality1391 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will look at Gender discrimination in an Australian prospective with some overseas perspectives overlapping this essay will look at gender deference’s in pay in Australia and discuss the ideas and arguments surrounding gender equality in the work place. Gender equity in work place is still a heavily understudied in Australia and as is more or less worldwide. In Australia a country of so called â€Å"equality† which is still, even in the 21st century is an ambiguous and questionable ideal asRead MoreDifferences Between Men And Women1085 Words   |  5 Pages Both men and women have been inequalities in the workplace. Women are still are not receiving equal pay for the equal work and the equal pay of work of the equal value. Even though women have increased their presence in higher paying jobs that are dominated by men, still women continue to work in low paying occupations as men. For so long woman have received less pay in jobs. They have not been treated fair and equal as a man does in the same job fields. Woman has worked so hard and have accomplishedRead MoreThe Wage Gap Within The United States1687 Words   |  7 Pagesto equal wages; gender and ethnic inequality has been an on-going issue in the United States for a very long time. This inequality has been the reason for the Wage Gap which is a violation of everyone’s human rights. Some people believe that the wage gap is just a gender problem but it is not, it is unequal opportunities for racial and gender minorities; in fact some women that are of a certain race are paid significantly less than someone who is only of one minority. The wage gap relates to human

Organizational Culture And The Social Environment Of The...

Foundation Organizational culture was discovered to be an important factor in the social environment of the workplace. The attitudes and beliefs of employees and management are what have shaped the culture of an organization. The culture of an organization has been particularly important in the healthcare setting because it has shaped the type of healthcare that the patients receive within the healthcare organization (Sovie, 1993). The construct organizational culture was developed after the term organizational climate, which was previously used in place of organizational culture. Organizational climate was described as the behavior patterns of people in social climates (Lewin, Lippitt, and White, 1939). Organizational climate was also used to describe the characteristics of the organizational environment that was experienced by the members and how that environment affected their behavior. (Tagiuri and Litwin, 1968). The term organizational culture was needed to be determined because organizational climate was not establishing what exactly a work environment was. Many organizations used organizational culture as a way to offer members of an organization an understanding of the environment they were working in, as well as to study how employee satisfaction has correlated with organizational culture. The term organizational culture was most recently described by the sociologist Schein (1987) as, â€Å"Organizational culture is the pattern of basic assumptions which a givenShow MoreRelatedSocial System and Organization Culture1661 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Week 3 – T-Th 3:00 – 4:30 HBO Social Systems and Organizational Culture Understanding a social system A social system is a complex set of human relationships interacting in many ways. Possible interactions are as limitless as the stars in the universe. Two points stand out in the complex interactions among people in a social system. First, the behavior of any one member can have an impact, directly or indirectly, on the behavior of any other, simply stated, a change in one part ofRead MoreDiversity, Diversity And Culture Is The Most Important Strategy That Needs Be Address?1179 Words   |  5 PagesIn international business the topics of diversity and culture is one the most important strategy that needs be address. Making the decision to outsource for profit gain will not necessarily happen if preparation of cultural change is not in place first. What is values and a norms in a company’s country may be offensive to other social groups of people. For example, in Germany lack of attention to diversity and culture had a serious impacts on Walmart’s position. It build frustrations to both theRead MoreCross-Cultural Problems in the Uae1641 Words   |  7 PagesCross-Cultural Differences at Workplace in the UAE OR Impact of Cross-Cultural Differences On Adjustment of Expatriate Employees in the Work Environment of the UAE INTRODUCTION / LITERATURE REVIEW The working environment in the UAE has seen huge changes in the last 25 years or so. The change has been introduced primarily by the opening up of multinational firms in the UAE. This has created job opportunities for expatriates, therefore bringing about a large diversity in the workplace with multitude ofRead MoreMultiformity in the Workplace Essay example659 Words   |  3 Pagesgender, race, religion, or life-style. Workplace diversity refers to variety and multiformity in the workplace. This multiformity can be driven in numerous ways; demographic composition of geographical location, an aging population, increasing presence of women in the workplace to mention a few. In this paper we examine how diversity can be manages using operant and social learning practices to reduce the incidence of workplace stereotypes. Diversity in the workplace With market globalization and internationalRead MoreEssay about The Effects of Values on Decision Making1022 Words   |  5 PagesEffects of Values on Decision Making The purpose of this paper is to examine how personal, organizational, and cultural values affect decision making in my personal and professional life. My cultural, organizational and personal values represent my beliefs and traditions of my cultural environment. Through my research, I examined values and based them on how important they are within my personal, organizational, work, and cultural lifestyle. Based on the research, I came to the conclusion knowing theRead MoreCultural Values Essay example1059 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract The purpose of this paper is to examine how personal, organizational, and cultural values affect decision making in my personal and professional life. My cultural, organizational and personal values represent my beliefs and traditions of my cultural environment. Through my research, I examined values and based them on how important they are within my personal, organizational, work, and cultural lifestyle. Based on the research, I came to the conclusion knowing the foundational elementsRead MoreThe Importance Of Interpersonal Skills On The Workplace1695 Words   |  7 Pagesimportance of interpersonal skills in the workplace? Interpersonal skills are important because they can help determine the effectiveness of a manger. It has been shown that places that have a reputation of being a good place to work have performed well in comparison to those that don’t have a good reputation. Managers that display interpersonal skills help companies attract quality employees and improve the retention of employees. Interpersonal skills in the workplace are so important because the qualityRead MoreCross-Cultural Work Environments750 Words   |  3 PagesJanuary 14, 2012 Leadership and Organizational Behavior Unit 1 Assignment Organizational Theory: Cross-Cultural Work Environments I will be researching a theory on the analysis of cross-cultural management style and structure. In researching this theory, it will help managers in a multinational company, or work environment, interact with employees of a diverse background. In understanding, and getting a better idea of how cultures interact in workplace environments, the manager can be more productiveRead MoreCulture And Conflict In The Organizational Culture Of Uber1276 Words   |  6 PagesCulture is the collective attitude, intellect, and atmosphere that a community creates for itself. This includes values, traditions, and social norms. Specifically, organizational culture is within a community, group, or business that shares values, follows a code of conduct and standards, and holds its members accountable for their contributions. Organizational culture arises from the goals and mission set out by the company. A negligent culture can provoke and encourage inappropriate behavior betweenRead MoreThe Impact Of Organizational Culture On Enron s Predicament And Understands How These Behaviors Were Cultivated And Reinforced1460 Words   |  6 Pagesto organization culture. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of organizational culture on Enron’s predicament and understands how these behaviors were cultivated and reinforced. The organizational culture, strengthened by social control, normalized unethical practices that caused the failure of Enron. The organizational culture at Enron is unique and unconventional. The source of Enron’s stems from the company’s founders Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling. They fostered a culture based on the biological

Global Issues Obesity, Inactivity, and Water-Crisis Free Essays

Health is a precious gift that needs to be cherished. Unfortunately, there are three global issues that are destroying people’s health and killing them. These health concerns include inactivity, obesity and lack of safe drinking water. We will write a custom essay sample on Global Issues: Obesity, Inactivity, and Water-Crisis or any similar topic only for you Order Now The positive side of these issues is the fact that they are all preventable through making the right decisions and taking action. Due to higher trends of sedentary lifestyles, inactivity has become one of the critical current global issues. Inactivity is defined as a failure to meet the daily minimum physical requirement of moderate exercise. According to New York Times, worldwide, 31. 1% of adults are inactive, from which 43. 4% of North America, 34. 8% of Europe, 30% of Russia, 30% of the Middle East, and 27% African. Based on these percentages, it is reasonable to assume that the wealthy the region is, the more inactive it is likely to be. Sedentary lifestyles have recently been linked to many health issues such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, colon cancer and breast cancer. As stated in the New York Times, globally, around 5. 3 million people die from health issues that are related to physical inactivity; however comparatively, 5. million people die due to health concerns that are related to smoking. It is unfortunate that people do not understand the magnitude of the importance of physical activity due to the fact that inactivity is as deadly as smoking cigarettes. In the United States, inactivity level is the highest in the world, which makes it an undeniable concern. The average American lifestyle consists of dr iving to work, sitting at a desk all day, then sitting in front of a computer or a TV screen until falling asleep. The common trend of this routine is a lot of sitting and very little exercise. Although, the good news is that health issues correlated with inactivity can be easily prevented by meeting the minimum exercise requirement, which is a twenty-minute walk per day. Additionally, as for worldwide prevention, governmental intervention may be necessary. Some examples are to build more parks, promote the importance of exercise, and set up financial incentives. Obesity is another growing global concern, which is defined as an â€Å"abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health,† which is caused by an â€Å"energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. According to the World Health Organization, as of 2008, there are 1. 4 billion adults that are overweight, of which 200 million men and 300 million women were obese. Obesity is the fifth leading risk for deaths around the world; around 2. 8 million adults each year die due to health issues concerning being overweight or obese. Some medical conditions are cardiovascular disease, dia betes, and several types of cancers. Globally, obesity has been a growing concern, due to consumption of high calorie processed foods. In addition, an increased level of inactivity adds to the growing number of obese people. The bright side of obesity is that it is very easily preventable. On an individual level, obesity can be prevented by limited intake of highly calorie processed foods, increased intake of fresh produce such as vegetables and fruit, and regular exercise. The United States, also known as the fattest country in the world, has been battling with the growing issue of obesity. The fast pace and busy lifestyle does not help this fast food loving society. American’s love for McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, and other fast food joints is not helping the battle with the expanding waistlines. In response to this concern, there have been several preventable initiates, such as Michelle Obama’s â€Å"Let’s Move† campaign that aims to teach kids the importance of eating healthy and exercising regularly. Overall, obesity is a fast growing concern but it can be prevented by the correct actions, knowledge and initiatives. Furthermore, the lack of safe drinking water is another critical global concern. According to WHO, unsafe drinking water causes diarrhea, malaria, malnutrition, lymphatic filariasis, and trachoma. The availability of safe drinking water is the essential to staying healthy. The human body is made up of mostly water; thus, to stay healthy, we require clean water just as much as we need proper nutrients from food. The developing areas of the world have the lowest availability of safe cleaning water due to insuffient governmental capital funds. However, clean water concern is not limited to only really poor areas such as Africa and Southeast Asia. Eastern European countries are also suffering from the problem of not having clean drinking water. From my own experience of living in Kiev, Ukraine, the water that comes out of the faucet is pigmented yellow and is not recommended for drinking. There, most people opt for drinking only bottled water. The good news about the issue of unsafe drinking water is the fact that according to the WHO, â€Å"89% of the world’s population had some form of improved water supply. † In order to continue improving the world’s water supply, local governments need to invest in necessary precautions to make the drinking water safe, such as distributing water filters, water bottles, and building protected dug wells. Overall, the three current issues that are affecting global health are inactivity, obesity and lack of safe drinking water. A person cannot be healthy if they sit around all day, consuming more calories than their body knows what to do with and drink contaminated, dirty water. Physical activity, healthy eating patterns and clean water are essential to our everyday health; thus, actions need to be taken at the individual and governmental level in order to save and prolong human lives on this planet. Works Cited â€Å"How does safe water impact global health? † WHO. 9 Sept. 2012 http://www. who. int/features/qa/70/en/index. html. â€Å"Obesity and overweight. † WHO. 19 Sept. 2012 http://www. who. int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/. â€Å"The Couch Potato Goes Global. † Well. 19 Sept. 2012 http://well. blogs. nytimes. com/2012/07/18/the-couch-potato-goes-global/. â€Å"Water-related diseases. † WHO. 19 Sept. 2012 http://www. who. int/water_sanitation_health /diseases/malnutrition/en/. â€Å"Water, sanitation and hygiene. † WHO. 19 Sept. 2012 http://www. who. int/gho/phe/water_sanitation/en/index. html. How to cite Global Issues: Obesity, Inactivity, and Water-Crisis, Essay examples

Perception Errors as Seen in “Twelve Angry Men” free essay sample

The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but Time† William Butler Yeats The movie â€Å"Twelve Angry Men† opens up with a sequence which justifies the above stated quote. The storyline follows the story of two random people chosen as jurors who have been asked to give a verdict on a murder case. The case involves the murder of a father by his teenage son. The verdict can be held legal and valid only if it is unanimous. At the start of the movie, everyone except a gentleman votes as ‘guilty’ for the boy. The gentleman expresses his desire to go over all the facts after which he would make his decision whether the teenager is guilty or not. After several deliberations, re-questioning of the stated facts and witness testimonials, slowly the jurors start changing their verdict from ‘guilty’ to ‘not-guilty’. The story ends with the unanimous verdict in the favor of the teenager. We will write a custom essay sample on Perception Errors as Seen in â€Å"Twelve Angry Men† or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Common Perceptual Distortions: 1. Stereotype or Prototype: One of the jurors has the belief that teenagers growing up in slums tend to be criminals. A generalization on the behalf of the juror is incorrect. . Projection: One of the jurors shares a failing relationship with his own son. This creates an effect wherein he sees the image of his son in the teenager held in the trial. He tries to force his own conscious image onto the teenager and sees him as guilty. 3. Self Fulfilling Prophecy: One of the jurors is timid in nature and hence his opinions are not heard and ignored. 4. Mine is better thinking: One of the jurors thinks that since he is an influential person in his domain, he knows better because of his higher status in society. . Selective Perception: One of the jurors is only interested in finishing the verdict. He has no arguments in favour or against the teenager. 6. Pretending to Know: One of the jurors tries to justify everything by giving the statement ‘know what I mean’, inspite of having no concrete facts supporting his arguments. 7. Unwarranted Assumptions: One of the jurors holds onto the testimony that the murder weapon is unique. Also one more assumption is the thing that the sick man can cover a long distance to the stairs in a few seconds. 8. Attacking other people : One of the jurors starts fighting and shouting at everyone as if that would prove that others are wrong. 9. Halo Effect: The fact that the teenager stays in the slums creates a general impression in one of the jurors’ minds that the teenager is guaranteed a criminal. 10. False Consensus Effect: At the beginning of the session, all but one decide as ‘guilty’ on the verdict. Many of the jurors gave their vote just on the simple reason that others would give the same, and not on their own opinions.

The Collection free essay sample

Who doesnt love an album that you can listen to all the way through? â€Å"The Collection† is a compilation of all your Morissette favorites. This lyrically blissful record is one you surely wont get sick of. This collection is composed of tremendous hits from four of Morissettes albums, an MTV Unplugged performance, singles from movies, and more. One aspect of this CD that deserves a lot of respect is that just about every song was written by Morissette. She also composed much of the music. I think its cool that she is the only big-name artist on this album. With hit after hit, this album is perfect for cranking up the volume in your car and screaming along with. If you havent already mastered the genius lyrics to every song, you soon will! No matter what mood you are in, jamming to this mix will satisfy your musical thirst. We will write a custom essay sample on The Collection or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When you listen to â€Å"The Collection,† you can expect to fall in love with each piece again. This CD rocks my socks because the lyrics are so original. If youre looking for completely original music that youll never get sick of, this CD is for you. So, for now Ive got one hand in my pocket and the other one is giving a thumbs up for â€Å"The Collection.†

Mecca - Holy Pilgrimage Site for Muslims

Mecca - Holy Pilgrimage Site for Muslims The Islamic religions holiest city of Mecca (also known as Mekka or Makkah) is located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its importance as a holy city for Muslims harks back to it being the birthplace of the founder of Islam, Mohammed. The prophet Mohammed was born in Mecca, located approximated 50 miles from the Red Sea port city of Jidda, in the year 571 CE. Mohammed fled to Medina, now also a holy city, in the year 622 (ten years prior to his death). Muslims face Mecca during their daily prayers and one of the key tenets of Islam is a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a Muslims life (known as Hajj). Approximately two million Muslims arrive in Mecca during the last month of the Islamic calendar for the Hajj. This influx of visitors requires a great deal of logistical planning by the Saudi government. Hotels and other services in the city are stretched to the limit during the pilgrimage. The holiest site within this holy city is the Great Mosque. Within the Great Mosque sits the Black Stone, a large black monolith that is central to worship during the Hajj. In the Mecca area are several additional sites where Muslims worship. Saudi Arabia is closed to tourists and Mecca itself is off limits to all non-Muslims. Roadblocks are stationed along roads leading to the city. The most celebrated incident of a non-Muslim visiting Mecca was the visit by the British explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton (who translated the 100 stories of the Arabian Knights and discovered the Kama Sutra) in 1853. Burton disguised himself as an Afghani Muslim to visit and write Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al Madinah and Mecca. Mecca sits in a valley surrounded by low hills; its population is approximately 1.3 million. Although Mecca is definitely the religious capital of Saudi Arabia, remember that the Saudi political capital is Riyadh.

10 things you learned about American history Essay

10 things you learned about American history - Essay Example The document had the traits of democratic principles the country would be based on. Signing of the Declaration marked the end of the war and signaled the desire of the former colony to build its own state. The declaration was a new phenomenon for its times and marked the end of the era of empires. 3. I learned different groups within the same society can have different views on the rights. In this view the history of Mexican-American War is significant because resulted in the acquisition of new territories and marked the nation’s potential for expansion. However, the war was very divisive both in Congress and the society. The war brought the problem of sectionalism to the surface. What is more, the debates in the Congress bore the seeds of growing tensions between northern and southern states concerning their different views on slavery. 4. I learned that from the start the concept of equality was important for the USA. The Civil War became the major conflict caused, among other factors, by the different views on the principles underlying the structure of the society, namely the belief that all men were born equal. The Civil War was the largest military conflict in the history of the country at the time. It was the first occasion when hostilities started because the nation itself was divided and not as a result of the aggression from the outside. For me the Civil War is significant because it led to the abolishment of slavery and the establishment of the society we know today. 5. I learned that in the modern world, there is no such thing as local war. In this view, World War II demonstrated that countries could no longer be isolated. Even though military aggression of Germany and Japan did not pose immediate threat to the US territory, the bombing of Pearl Harbor proved that Nazism endangered all the humanity and concerned every nation. The decision of the US to join the war marked the

Should Alcohol Sales Be Allowed at College Sporting Events Essay

Should Alcohol Sales Be Allowed at College Sporting Events - Essay Example I acknowledge that beer and chips are a traditional part of any spectator sport activity, which is why our university has been quite lenient over the years regarding the entry of alcohol into the stadiums and sports arenas. As a student body, we know the risks involved in binge drinking and we acknowledge that the university authorities constantly remind us that we must know how to place the alcohol â€Å"in the belly and not in the brain†. But there will always be students who overstep the bounds and get drunk either before, during, or after the game. It is important that you understand that the recent violent actions of some students have nothing to do with the sale of alcohol at the college sporting events. The sale of alcohol is a necessary evil when it comes to keeping a college or university sports program alive. While the budget during the year for the sport is set aside by the board of trustees of the school, that does not mean that the amount set aside will be suffici ent enough to cover all of the necessary expenses that the team will incur during the year. The coaches already admitted that the revenue from alcohol sales helps to keep the team in active play. The alcohol sales help to augment the shortage in the budget. While it is true that there is a tendency among the students to abuse alcohol at the sporting venues, that is not to say that all of those who drink excessively will be prone to acts of violence. The same goes for tailgating parties that occur prior to the events. Alcohol is one of the main drinks served at such parties which occur prior to the game. In this situation, the alcohol serves as a bonding instrument for the students, who come together pre-game in order to celebrate and prime themselves for the game ahead. Although alcohol is abundant at tailgating parties, there has never been any conclusive evidence to prove that the alcohol consumed by the spectators pre-game has anything to do with their mindset and actions once th ey enter the stadium. Spectator violence is something that usually happens in Europe but only began to emerge in the United States. Not all of the spectator violence is alcohol related. There are other ways and means that opposing teams can get on each other's nerves or egg each other on. Acts as simple as taunting, teasing, gesturing, destruction of public property, and physical challenges can all lead to spectator violence. But that does not necessarily mean that alcohol is to blame for the actions of the students. There are other reasons, such as being high on illegal drugs, that contribute to the problem of spectator violence. To automatically assume that excessive alcohol intake by the students is the primary cause of violence means that you are barking up the wrong tree. Remember that there is a high police profile at these stadiums during these events due to security concerns. These law enforcers are the first line of defense when it comes to silencing a drunk spectator. Gran ted that the police cannot guard every student that enters the venue. But the guards at the gate can definitely tell who is entering intoxicated. In which case, a Breathalyzer test can automatically be administered in order to prevent the outbreak of misunderstanding and violence at the venue. The drinking starts long before the students enter the venue. Therefore, the students who try to enter the venue drunk can and should be denied entry until the sober up. Keep in mind that restricting alcoholic intake at the sports venue just means that the students will get their alcohol fix before, during, and after the game in another manner. A manner that will most likely cause spectator violen

Racism in America (the zeitgeist) around year 1890-1920 based on the Essay

Racism in America (the zeitgeist) around year 1890-1920 based on the book Give Me Liberty, by Foner (chapter 17, 18, and 19 only) - Essay Example Black and white people resided nearby on lands as well as agricultural estates and physical segregation developed contact involving neighbors sporadic. On the other hand, liberated color citizens, situated mainly in northern and southern municipalities as well as metropolis, suffered isolation in different sorts. When the High Court made judgment in Dread Scott versus Strafford (1858) that Black Americans weren’t American people, whites from the north isolated black people from civic transport seats as well as banned their entrance, except for employees, from nearly all lodges with food outlets. When permitted into lecture hall as well as theaters, black people sat in separate parts; they as well attended isolated schools. Nearly all churches, as well, got segregated (Washington 4). Rebuilding subsequent to the civil fighting caused severe problems to white primacy and isolation, particularly within the Southern part where the majority Black Americans continued to reside. The slavery abolition during 1866 after which approval of the 14th modification (1869) followed which extended nationality as well as same law protection to Black Americans moreover within decades just following the Civil fighting isolation reduced. However the chances of black people using together public transportation as well as shared housing with white people grew in the time subsequent to 1866. Black people received right to use public vehicles as well as railway transport on the basis of integration. Definitely, numerous transport corporations preferred integration since they didn’t desire a danger losing business with blacks Black American gained entrance to unified public accommodation. Enactment through Parliament of public Privileges Act (1876), which banned racial favoritism within public housing, offers proof concerning sustained existence of racism as well as the call for

Sustainability Strategies for Proctor Gamble

Sustainability Strategies for Proctor Gamble 1. Introduction: Procter and Gamble is an organization which produces diverse products, and its ambition is to reach the consumers demand. PG began in the 1911; with the theme of innovation by producing every time a different product. For every product they go through three stages. The first stage was to make innovative needed products; the second was to proceed with the successful products with suitable quantities; and the third is to have more investments of capital to enlarge the company. These three stages preserve the success of PG. PG is a multinational corporation with 156 branches in more than 70 countries. There are three main development centers, the first center is in Germany in which paper products like Always and Pampers are developed. The second is in Brussels, used to develop detergents. The last center is situated in the United Kingdom where soap and shampoos are developed. PGs environmental science department plays a unique role to ensure that their products are safe to use for the consumer as well as for the environment. Environmental safety is an internal part of the quality that PG builds into its every product. The Company is committed to produce best quality of products to refine the consumers of whole world. The companys actual performance could be deduced by looking at its 2009 Annual Report. Its worldwide net earnings for the year 2009 were 13,436 million dollar, which is 13.61% increase over the prior year. It has total assets of $134,833 million and liabilities of $71,451 million. PG has been paying a dividend for 120 consecutive years since its incorporation in 1890 and has increased its dividend for 54 consecutive years at an annual compound average rate of approximately 9.35%.This is an evidence of how much consumers demand PGs product and how this initiates the company to develop 300 brands to satisfy five billion consumers all over the world. Alan G. Lafley became chairman of PG in 2000, he made it clear that he wanted innovation across the spectrum-in how the company invents, markets, manufactures, and distributes its products. 2. Methods 2.1 Data collection methods We get the data from the documentary analysis of the PG which come from the website of the PG. The data is easy accessed in the internet. PGs annual plans are useful in the research. At the same time, we keep contact to PG via emails. They give us information on the plan of the companys development. 2.2 Issues and challenges Biases different comments of PG in massive aspects, often find data from some organization within the PG. that circumstances may cause biases, which influence comments to become less objective and even flattery. It is significant to distinguish the information because possibly comments on one aspect could go opposite and cause dilemma. Detailed resource constraints it is not difficult to find general information about PG. However, it was not easy to search details and depth objections. Although, connecting PG for details may work, yet it cannot be certain that the opinions gained from PG are 100% objective and real. Collecting from dispersive information a majority of resources is dispersive. It means much time consuming and less efficiency. Also some information may mislead ideas to somewhere wrong. 2.3 Analysis Through the analysis of companys annual report, we know the performance of PG. according to the structure and culture of PG, we can forecast the development foreground. We evaluate the approaches to management and leadership. We use the view of a manager, trying to give out a better way. We are based on management principles and analysis the existing business model. PG has a unique pattern in the business management which was widely praised by consumers. 3. Business strategy, mission and goals 3.1 Introduction PG products touch the lives of people around the world billion times a day. This happens because PG provides products of best quality to improve the lives of all consumers around the world. This results in sales, profit and value creation, between the company and the consumers in which they operate to prosper. Its business is divided into three global units: beauty, health and well being, and household care. It also makes pet food and water filters and produces soap operas. Some products of PGs brands are billion-dollar sellers, including Gillette Fusion, Always, Braun, Bounty, Charmin, Crest, Downy/Lenor, Folgers (which it reportedly plans to spin off), Gillette mach 3, Iams, Olay total, Pampers, Pantene pro v, Pringles, Tide lemon jasmine, and Wella, among others. The above products were mentioned by Robert N. Lussier(2009) in annual report 2009. The PG consists of over 138,000 employees working in over 80 countries. It began as a small, family-operated soap and Candle Company which now not only provides products but also concentrate on services of best quality and value to consumers in more than 180 countries. In PG, they are focusing their efforts on where they can make the most meaningful difference in both environmental and social Sustainability. According to Andrea Redmonds (2010) research, their dedication begins with PGs Purpose, values and principles, in which Sustainability is embedded, and manifests itself in a systemic and long-term way. They try to make their company better. 3.2 Mission and goals In 2007, PG implemented five strategies to Sustain goals for the future. In March of 2009, PG made a progress to emphasize their commitment to achieve more significant goals. The five strategies are as follows: Strategy1 Products: Delight the consumer with sustainable innovations which improve the environmental profile of the products. They have developed the market which was at least $50 billion in cumulative sales of sustainable innovation products, and products that have an improved environmental profile. Strategy 2 Operations: Improve the environmental profile of PGs own operations. An additional 20% reduction (per unit production) in CO2 emissions, energy consumption, water consumption and disposed waste from PG plants, leading to a total reduction over the decade of at least 50%. PROGRESS (percent reduction per unit production) Since July 2007 Since July 2002 Energy Usage 11% 48% CO2 Emissions 10% 52% Waste Disposal 30% 53% Water Usage 13% 52% Strategy 3 Social responsibility: Improve childrens lives through PGs social responsibility programs. Enable 300 million children to Live, Learn and Thrive. They prevented 160 million days of disease and also saved 20,000 lives by delivering 4 billion liters of pure water for the Childrens Safe Drinking Water program. Strategy 4 Employees: Engage and equip all PG employees to build Sustainability thinking and practices into their everyday work. Strategy 5 Shareholders: Plan the future by working transparently with their shareholders so that they can work with freedom to innovate in a responsible way. Beside the five strategies, they have several goals on the market. 1. Designed to Matter In PG, they focus the Sustainability efforts on improvements that matter, to make the most meaningful impact they can. 2. Purposes, values principles PGs Purpose, Values Principles formulated their shared vision, a common sets of behavior and their beliefs about the business and its potential. 3.3 Marketing strategy Many people think that multi-brand strategy will result in a situation that internal competition happens, but P G believes that the best strategy is to compete with their own product. Gary Armstrong (2009) said this is because the market economy is a competitive economy, while its opponents to develop new products to share the market. As their challenge themselves and overcome their own, so that their products  brands may occupy a different market, in order to consolidate its leadership position. 1. Differentiated brands If P Gs multi-brand strategy to be understood as simply more brands, it would be wrong. Actually the pursuit of similar products, the differences between different brands, including features, packaging, promotion, etc., to form each brand distinctive, such as Procter Gamble brand strategy so that each brand has its own development, the market will not overlap, and it will not lead to market its brand in the consumer confusion. The words above are supported by Piero Morosini (2005) 2. Manufacture of USP According to the report, USP means unique selling proposition. It is proposed by the American advertising guru Rosser Reeves (said Brent Green 2006). Marketing theory: the core of its content: Advertising should be according to the characteristics unique to the consumer for rhetoric,  and allow consumers to believe that this feature is not available to others or others not mentioned. These features can bring tangible benefits to consumers. 3. Unique way: numbers brands in one organization As Michel Philippart (2005) and Hangzhou da Xues (1994) study, multi-brand strategy is very difficult to succeed. While a single image of the brand extension strategy to facilitate the unity of management, reduce marketing costs, easy-to-be customers to accept, but it is not guaranteed, because of a branding, the easy formation among consumers  fixed image, resulting in the customers mind-set is not conducive to the extension product. 4. Overall structure: The Procter Gamble Company (PG) is divided into three main worldwide units, which are household care, beauty and grooming and health and well-being (Marketing magazine: 2009). Every units report is sent to Susan E. Arnold, who has been promoted from vice chair of PGs beauty and health department to the position of president of global business units. The beauty care section is also managed by Susan Arnold. PG has restructured its hierarchy of top executives, who include Arnold, in order to meet the changing needs of their larger, more flexible and faster-paced global business. Lafley, who is the chairman of PG, announced that PG has nearly doubled its business since 2000 with the acquisitions of the Clairol, Wella hair care businesses and Gillette. The change in structure is designed to meet the needs of a larger business that is also developing new initiatives faster than in the past (Balendu: 2007). Initially, PG managed its international operations through an international division of foreign expansion, in the same manner many other multinational enterprises. A variety of products were identified to match national differences and preferences. Consequently, a portfolio, consisting of subsidiaries, run by country general managers was established. However, this management structure may result in two basic problems. Firstly, the cost of operating these subsidiaries is high, and secondly the ferocious autonomy of national subsidiaries prevented the global roll out of new products and technology improvements (Lin, 2008: 9). Therefore, PG needed innovation in the subsidiaries management structure. It concluded that the matrix structure, in which subordinates report to more than one superior (MacKenzie, 2002:22), is a better alternative for PG, as it allows authority to be kept at lower levels. However, most firms would have some difficulty implementing this Matrix structure into their organization because it is difficult to organize multinational activities through this complex structure. For example, dual reporting can lead to disagreements and confusion and a possible overlap of responsibilities. This may result in a loss of accountability and wastes time. Through time PG has been trying to optimize its structure. The current structure resulted in a culture within PG, which was viewed as slow, conformist and risk-averse (Lin, 2008:11). This led to a decrease in productivity and an increase in inefficiency in the organization. Moreover, these factors would slow down the decision making process and reduce the competitiveness of the company. Although, the management structure of PG seems imperfect at the moment. However, the Procter Gamble Company is still a giant in the area of consumer goods and the leading maker of household products in the United States. PG operates its business in over 80 countries around the world and has approximately 300 brands in more t han 160 countries. The matrix structure helps PG develop its global business structure into more specific areas. As a result, the company has become more flexible to change within market competitions and the different expectation of PG. The final stage of completing the innovation process of management structure is to transform the formal structure and responsibilities of the company. For example, the global business units of PG were established in order to manage product development, manufacturing and marketing of their respective categories all around world. Furthermore, global business service units were established to organize with the transactional activities such as Accounting, HR, IT, etc. Eliminating bureaucracy and increasing accountability is another main objective of structure change (Bartlett, 2004: Chp 4). The Procter Gamble Companys corporate structure has been mainly dependent on worldwide subsidiaries and merging. During this time of restructuring, PG has continued its active acquisitions pace. For instance, PG entered the European tissue and towel market through the purchase of Vereinigte Papierwerke Schickedanz AGs European tissue unit and added the luxury fragrance business of Giorgio Beverly Hills, Inc. In the same year, PG returned to the South African market following the lifting of U.S. sanctions. PG has altered its geographic management structure gradually. As a result, PG has divided its operations into United States and other countries, which mainly includes four regions North America, Latin America, Asia and Europe/Middle East/Africa. PG announced a new restructuring initiative in September 1998. A key factor of this restructuring was a shift from an organization centered around the four geographic regions to one centered on seven global business parts based on product lines: Baby Care, Beauty Care, Fabric Home Care, Feminine Protection, Food Beverage, Health Care Corporate New Ventures and Tissues Towels. PG has continued to restructure and adapt to different markets and different financial situation worldwide. According to a firm press release announcing the new structure, This change will drive greater innovation and speed by centering strategy and profit responsibility globally on brands, rather than on geographies 5. PGs Culture: Culture plays an important role in any organization to run their organization well in this fast growing business world. According to Scheins theory of culture it is defined as A pattern of shared basic assumption that the group learned as it solved its problem of external adaptation and integration that has work well enough to be considered valid and therefore to be taught to new members as a correct way to perceive, think and feel in relation to those problem-(Scheins 1992, p12, italics altered). According to Schein organizational culture is the acquired outcome of group experience, as it is to a large extent unconscious. Schein considers culture to the three layer phenomenon. From figure 1 it is clearly seen that the organizational culture comprises of three layers first one is the artefacts, espoused values and underlying assumption. Artefacts Innovation culture is the mission statement of Procter and gamble organization in which they state that the consumer is boss, consumer should be the heart of all PG do from ideation stage through the purchase of the product. For example if 30 seconds with a deodorant or one minute with a disposal diaper have made a small part of your life a little bit better then PG made a difference. PG policies made the company a unique one that respect of governments and law, respects in workplace and respect in the market place (annual report of PG, 2005). PG is a multinational company and it is widely spread geographically. They maintain open work system in lots of work places around the world. Executive offices do not have doors. Leaders do not have a secretary cordoning them off. The executive floors on all the offices at Procter and gamble are open, conference room is an open round space. They made it round as a small symbol of the new approach (Lafely .A, 2000 CEO of PG). Espoused values PG is having hierarchy of company ethics principles. PVP(Purpose, Values and principles), corporate policies, worldwide business conduct standards, operating policies/procedure/practices. For over 170 years PG purpose values and principles has been guiding the way they do business and it is shown in the fig 2 below. There purpose is to provide branded products and services of superior quality and values that improves the lives of the worlds consumer. PG lives with its people and values, they recruit the finest people in the world who built organization by promoting and rewarding people without regard to any difference related to performance. Lafely said that PG have been fortunate that some of this flexible multifaceted ethics exist in our heritage. For example Procter and Gamble pioneered a system which is technician based in its manufacturing plants during the 1960s and 70s. In this system they avoided the approach in which one person assigned to do only one job. The technician sys tem still operates today and working well. To get the highest evaluation rating in PG factory, you learn how to do all the jobs on line and once you have that rating, company expect you to be that much capable of problem identification, problem solving, and innovation. This background has made it easier for company to plug manufacturing and engineering in to the innovation culture. PG CEO Lafely said in one conference that once people in our organization have succeeded at innovation then you can see the energy in the company changing. People at PG routinely says that we can do this, this is feasible and the change of attitude of the people in PG is incredible to watch. Integrity, leadership, ownership, passion for winning and trust are the main asset values of PG. By considering purpose and values they made their principles like the show respects for individual, interest of the company and individual are inseparable and innovation is the cornerstone of PG success. These are the offi cials objectives which had been espoused by the company head and it is common for PG organization all over the world. Fig 2 PVP of PG 2003 sustainability report Underlying Assumptions It consists of unconscious, taken for granted beliefs, perception, thoughts and feelings. PG are having problem relating to external adaption and internal integration. PG keep refining their products, launch model from ideas, to prototype, to development, to qualification and to commercialization. Applying this sequential practice on large scale and replicate them does not mean to eliminate judgment, thats why PG needs active leaders and a strong innovation culture. Therefore PG introduces the inclusive culture for leaders and they expected to build inclusive work environment that welcomes and embraces diversity an environment where people feel comfortable. Forced diversity training/learning process are utilized to equip leaders to values and nurture difference in management experience, style of leadership and problem solving approaches. By analyzing the PGs culture it is seen that PG is having a strong and dominant culture and that culture follows in every part of the world. Innovation is the main theme of PGs success and to bind organization culture together. 6. PGs management leadership: Innovative Management and Leadership of PG When we observe organizations and try to classify, we tend to classify them in terms of their success and describe them as highly successful, successful, struggling to succeed or unsuccessful. There are certain factors influencing their success. Management in the organizations has to perform some functions like planning, organizing, staffing, directing, leading and controlling for success. Management consists of implementation of the vision and strategy provided by leaders, coordinating and staffing the organization and handling day-to-day problems. By Koontz and Weihrich management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals work with such performance for optimizing efficiency in reaching goals. HENRI FAYOL identified the main operations in business management- technical, commercial, financial, security, accounting and administration. The administration function he further subdivided into organizational, coordinating, commanding, controlling and purveyance. The purveyance further included the concepts of forecasting and planning.  [i]   PG was facing certain disadvantages using the Henri Fayol method because it was not an empirical but more theoretical. Moreover PG wants to be innovative and wants to differentiate products by its formation. So they adopted the Cooper-Kleinschmidt study of innovation method which was based on the triangle process. The Innovation Diamond in Exhibit 1 began as a triangle process, Resources, and strategy the result of a 1990s Cooper-Kleinschmidt study of innovation across a Broad range of businesses.4 Procter Gambles management in the 1990s subsequently transformed the triangle into their Initiatives Diamond, shown in Exhibit 2.  [ii]   The Innovation Diamond is a guiding framework to help management focus on whats important to success: innovative strategy, a good idea-to-launch process, portfolio management, the climate and leadership. PGs Initiatives Diamond serves as a guide for each businesss product innovation efforts, and helps to focus managements attention on what is important to success. Heres what Bob McDonald, PGs Vice Chairman of Global Operations, says: The Initiative Diamond played a significant role in improving the business results in PGs Fabric Home Care global business unit. This work brought us a new discipline to manage our innovation programs, and yielded a major increase in the in-market success of our initiatives. We aligned our organization on how to use Stage-Gate ® success criteria and portfolio and resource management to deliver better innovations for the consumers we serve.  [iii]   The top half of PGs diamond in Exhibit 2 is strategic in nature, and captures the businesss product innovation strategy: goals, the mix of new products required to meet those goals, and the required resources. Portfolio management (or project selection) is thus closely connected to strategy. The bottom half of the diamond is more operational and focuses on delivering specific new product projects or initiatives: what resources must be put in place for each project; and how individual new product projects are managed so they succeed using PGs idea-to-launch SIMPLTM Methodology? Thus how the PGs business success has been generated through focusing on effective innovative Management. Peter F. Drucker says Leadership is the lifting of mans thinking to higher sights, the increment of mans performance to higher standard, the building of mans personality beyond its normal limitation. Alan Bryman offers the working definition of leadership as: the creation of a goal about a desired future state which seeks to mesh every members of an organization in its net. Many commentators trait spotting approach to; have argued or assumed that the performance of an organization depends on the quality of leadership exercised by its leaders; same is the case with PG organization. The single most enduring thing PG leaders can do is to identify develop our next generation of leaders. If we can get the right people with the right skills and experiences in place to run our business, the rest will take care of itself. By Lura Mattimore, Director, Leadership development PG. So the leader is someone who exercises influence over other people leading is a process of actuation. It provides an electrifying effect to the organization makes people action-oriented and bridges gaps within the organization. Distribution of work, delegation of authority and supervision of work should be done meticulously. There are various approaches to leadership such as trait spotting, style counseling, content fitting, New leadership. PG uses the trait spotting approach to leadership. PG leaders are built from within because they believe that their future success is entirely dependent on the ongoing strength of talent pipeline. So the first trait spotting in PG is done by PG leaders itself who select the next leader of the company by searching a quality of dedication towards the work. PG leaders are not born leaders at first they are just the ordinary people of the company. For PG people are the company most important asset. Their success depends entirely on the strength of the talent which they build from within manage with a disciplined process led by the CEO the senior leadership team. This is an essential element of how PG is designs to lead. Thus PG develop leaders whose purpose is to centre on improving more consumers lives in all parts of the world. Thus PG uses two dimensional style of leadership because it concerns for the production as well as for the people. People are the main asset of PG and for production they always wanted to get differentiated by their innovation method. Thus PG uses the two dimensional style. (Blake Mouton 1964) According to the Likerts there are four leadership systems: Exploitative Autocratic Benevolent authoritative Participative Democratic Democratic leaders have complete confidence and trust in their subordinates, they allow the subordinates to make decision for themselves; these types of leaders always motivate their subordinates by reward for achieving goals and to share the new ideas and opinion. PG uses the democratic type of leadership system. They believe to build their organization from within; PG consider their most important asset as the people of the company because of their faithful work excellent performance. Procter gamble respect all employees and consumers and offer them their trust on condition that they treat them similarly. PG also uses servant type of leadership because they always feels that the customers are the boss .And in servant leadership, leaders put the needs of their followers first. According to the John Adair Leadership is a social process in which an individual influences the behavior of others without using the path of violence. Below is the example of how the innovative product is developed under the innovative leadership of PG, which shows some relationship between leader and follower of the PGs. PG crank up on one on one consumer research, so the marketers of PG spend a time with the consumers, watching the way they wash, clean their floors, diapers their babies and asking about their habit and frustration. So based on this one on one technique PG opened a diaper -testing centre right down the hall of their office, where moms watch their babies get undressed, diapered, and measured by PG technicians. So one thing the PG learn from this experience is that parents are frustrated by the time it takes their youngsters to be toilet trained and they have to change their diapers every time when they wet those. So thus based on the comments received from the parents PG launch their new innovative product in the line of pampers whose mission was to dry diapers to helping moms with babys development. Thus how the PG is always innovative in the way of leadership to find new products which improves their relationship with their followers, as the consumers are the main boss of the PG. 7. Future Aspects: Strategy improvement: Through analysis of P Gs multi-brand strategy we realize that many of the benefits of this strategy are clear, but it is very difficult to achieve in the market, they have to note that several aspects of business practice. According to Sanjay Tiwari (2000), they can make some improvement by the ways below. A company which operates a variety of brands must have the appropriate strength; the work of brand extension is complicated.  From market research to product launch, to advertising, every job has a large number of enterprises to spend manpower and material resources. In the specific operation, they must be through careful investigation, to find the product differentiation. The industries in which according to the specific situation of enterprises, such as Procter Gambles consumer products industry which with easy access to a successful multi-brand strategy.   Structure Improvement: The improvement of structures of PG possibility could be to have wholly autonomous temporary groups or teams that are responsible for an entire project, and are split up as soon as it is successfully completed. Teams are often not very good for decision-making, and they run the risk of relational problems, unless they are small and have a lot of self-discipline. Actually, team members still require a definite leader, which is indicated from decentralization. It means the separation of the organization into competing autonomous divisions. PG has various branch brands, and some in one subject. Competition between own brands may seems unreasonable. However, changing corporate structure may encourage positive challenges among PG. In addition, appropriate manipulating probably is required during the management process. On the other hand, some inefficiency brands or areas may better to be abolished for saving funds and decrease expenses. Decision- making is very crucial of this innovation, which is easy to regret if prediction is wrong. Various differences of brands among PG could be helpful and practical in different occasions. However, this improvement could go to the opposite and create unexpected situation because sometimes the market could be influenced by news in many ways.

A Memorable Game of Cricket :: Art

A Memorable Game of Cricket Statement of Intention: My intended audiences for this piece of writing are teens who are interested in sports. I aim to show them that in times of need how people from all different interests come together as one to help those in need. I plan to do this with a very soft, friendly yet excited tone of writing, which I am writing a journal entry. Dear Diary, Cricket, one of the best sports any can play, where eleven fielders and two batsmen stand on a field trying to show how they are better than the other. This was definitely not the case at one of the best cricket matches I have ever been to. The Asian XI VS The Rest of the World XI match which was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in January 2005. This match was played for the reasons of Charity for the Boxing Day Tsunami disaster in 2004. The match was very different to a normal cricket match where racial slurs would be thrown around and people would only be supporting their own team and putting down the other. There were many factors that made this match very special and very memorable. Well excluding the first factor that made this match special that millions of dollars were being raised to go to the countries that were hit by the terrible Tsunami disaster, there were so many others. One of the things that made this match very special, which would be near the top of my list was that you got to see all your favorite superstars in the one go. You had some of cricket’s greats including Sachin Tendulkur, Brian Lara, Steve Waugh, Daniel Vettori and last but not least muttiah muralitharan. To see all these players, playing together in the same teams was just excellent. Talking about teams I don’t think there were any. Even though the players were in two different teams playing against each other the crowds didn’t seem to think so. For the first time at a cricket match that I have seen people from all countries supporting not just their own country but all the others no matter which side they were on. Everyone was joining into the chants no matter which country they were from or were supporting. I being Indian was sitting in a huge group of Indians and what really got my attention was that the Indians were joining the Go Aussie Go chants and the Australians were joining into the Indian chants though I doubt they new what they meant but yet still chanting along.

Intervention on Mary’s Crisis

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1994) says that those who are in crisis need immediate intervention through emotional first aid and support. Crisis intervention aims to improve health or resolve a personal conflict through an immediate, short-term psychotherapeutic approach. Mary is just the right person who is in need of immediate intervention. Her problems began when she discovered that she could not conceive a child due to some biological reason. She suffered from this because â€Å"she is incapable of doing something that is a simple biological function of being a woman† (Vasudev, 2005). This could be the reason why she thought she was a failure because she could not give her husband a child. In our society today, those who cannot bear a child are a laughing matter. Even during the times of our ancestors, a woman’s auspiciousness is measured by the number of children she has. This was considered an asset, especially when her children are male. Vasudev (2005) considered children as important for survival and for economic and social situations. He said, â€Å"People did not experience life to any depth with any other aspect except by bearing children. It’s as if you have not experienced life† (Vasudev, 2005). But he added that so many factors are involved, such as social, economic, emotional, physical and biological aspects. What has been embedded in the history of humans about child bearing is still observed today. A woman who cannot bear a child is considered unfortunate or outcast in our society. This was probably how Mary felt with the dilemma she was facing. To make matters worse for her, her inability to produce a child precipitated the bitter divorce between her and her husband. This only made her feel inadequate. This situation proved hard for Mary, especially when her second husband also wanted to divorce her. She blamed herself for losing her husband and his child because she thought she was not a better wife, despite her efforts in devoting herself to them. This indicated that she was crisis prone, as shown by her tendency to feel overly depressed by unfavorable events in her life. Greenwald (undated) explained that depression is caused by many factors, one of which is biological. Mary had problems with eating and sleeping. Another factor is psychological. Greenwald noted, â€Å"If you fail to live up to some internal standard of who or what you are supposed to be, some internal watchdog notes your failures and begins to let you know that you haven’t been all that you could be† (Greenwald, undated). Moreover, people tend to feel depressed because they think they haven’t done what they think they should have. This results to low self-esteem, as is the case with Mary because she could not conceive a child. She also blamed herself for the bad things in her life. Dr. Greenwald added that when important people fail to understand or recognize or appreciate, it could result to depression. Sometimes, this made a person feel that she is not good enough. Mary was sensitive to this since she had a history of divorce. Mary’s condition after learning of her husband’s plans showed that she was in a crisis. She was undergoing a strong, reactive depression, which is not normally experienced by someone who is upset. Moreover, it involved her health, her job and her self-esteem. She also indicated that â€Å"it would be better to be dead†¦Ã¢â‚¬  which showed that she was considering suicide as an option to end her dilemma. This is an indication that should not be ignored. It is important to let Mary know that someone cares for her, and that is me and it is why I’m there to help her solve her problem. I will use Roberts’ Seven Stage Crisis Intervention Model (2000) in conducting the intervention. After gaining her confidence and trust, I will conduct crisis assessment, including lethality. Is she depressed, lonely or suicidal? Is she safe or alone? Does she mean to harm herself? These questions should be asked with sensitivity. Assessment of danger must be throughout the intervention. I must establish rapport and make her feel at ease in telling me her problems. I will listen for important events and persons so that I know who and what are important to her. I will listen for significant changes, losses, disappointments and failures to identify the major problem/s. I will find out the trigger events so that I can think of strategies in helping her. Through active listening, I will ask about the feelings surrounding the people or events as she tells me her history. Questions include: â€Å"How did you feel about that?† â€Å"What were your feelings?† â€Å"What do you think about this situation?† â€Å"You might have been angry?† â€Å"Were you hurt about that?† It is also important that I listen for problems about anger. I should help the person discover if her depression was to do with unexpressed anger. â€Å"It sounds like you have problems expressing your anger.† â€Å"How do you vent your anger?† If anger is not the issue, I will look for other possibilities. If Mary tells about her depression on her first divorce, I can refer her to psychotherapy. I can also give support through validation. I will convince her that what she is feeling is ok and that she is not alone. She is worthy and can overcome her problems. She is stronger than she can imagine. I can tell her â€Å"I’d feel the same way if I were in your shoes† or â€Å"Of course I’d feel depressed; I think anyone would.† Then I will ask her the areas where she considers she excels. I will tell her that she is not a failure. She just needs to explore her feelings, ideas, skills and accomplishments. I can convince her to join any club or activities where she can use her talents, or to try calling her sister and family because I’m sure they care for her. I will point out resources that she may have forgotten. I can give her the power to make choices and opportunities for herself, and take charge. Mary found out that despite what happened, she can move on because she is strong. The time of feeling down is past; she must look for the brighter things and dedicate her energy to more important things. She felt thankful that she called that crisis hotline; although her problems were not over yet, she felt as though her burdens were lifted. REFERENCES Crisis Intervention and Domestic Violence National Resource. (undated). Roberts’ Seven Stage Crisis Intervention Model. Crisis Intervention Network. Retrieved on September 16, 2007 from http://www.crisisinterventionnetwork.com/intervention_roberts.html Greenwald, Barry. (undated). Loneliness, Depression, and Suicide. Retrieved on September 17, 2007 from http://www.uic.edu/orgs/convening/depress.htm Vasudev, Sadhguru Jaggi. (May 3, 2005). Barren Woman. Chennai Online. Retrieved on September 17, 2007 from http://www.chennaionline.com/health/yoga/2005/04yoga45.asp

Happy Birthday Wishes That Make Dreams Come True

Happy Birthday Wishes That Make Dreams Come True Douglas Horton said, If wishes were fishes, wed all be throwing nets. If wishes were horses wed all ride. However, on your birthday, you are entitled to make a wish. It is believed that if you make a silent wish as you blow the candles on your birthday cake, your wish will come true. The History of Birthday Wishes The tradition of putting candles on a birthday cake dates back to early Greek civilization. In ancient times, the Greek lit candles on the cake offered to the Moon Goddess, Artemis. They believed that the smoke emanating from the blown candles carried the prayers to heaven, and these prayers were answered. It was also believed that blowing out candles in one breath brought good luck. The tradition of blowing candles continues even today. The Meaning of Birthday Celebrations But birthday celebrations have become far too elaborate and laborious. Today, it is no longer just about cakes and candles; it is also about exotic party venues, theme birthdays, and expensive goody bags. Let us not forget the significance of birthday celebrations. The presence of your loved ones on your birthday makes you feel cherished. You cannot measure their love with the budget of the birthday party. Even a simple birthday celebration or a heartfelt birthday wish should make you feel blessed. Whether it is your 18th or 60th birthday; whether you have a simple or an elaborate celebration, you are lucky to share this special occasion with your near and dear ones. Birthdays bring families and friends closer and keep you smiling throughout the year. Birthday Wish Quotes Convey warm birthday wishes to your dear ones with these happy birthday wishes. A warm hug, a loving birthday wish, and blessings make birthdays memorable. George HarrisonAll the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much. Pablo PicassoYouth has no age. Tom StoppardAge is a high price to pay for maturity. Franz KafkaYouth is happy because it has the ability to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old. George SantayanaThere is no cure for birth and death, save to enjoy the interval. William Butler YeatsFrom our birthday, until we die,Is but the winking of an eye. Tom WilsonWisdom doesnt necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself. Anthony PowellGrowing old is like being increasingly penalized for a crime you have not committed. Marie DresslerIt is not how old you are, but how you are old. Gertrude SteinWe are always the same age inside. Chinese ProverbA diamond cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials. Muhammad AliAge is whatever you think it is. You are as old as you think you are. Irish BlessingMay you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live. Chili DavisGrowing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. Anna MagnaniPlease dont retouch my wrinkles. It took me so long to earn them. Leo RosenbergFirst, you forget names, then you forget faces, then you forget to pull your zipper up, then you forget to pull your zipper down. Jack BennyAge is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you dont mind, it doesnt matter. Robert FrostTime and tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty. Frank Lloyd WrightThe longer I live the more beautiful life becomes. Christina RossettiMy heart is like a singing bird. Because the birthday of my life is come, my love is come to me.

5 Nutty Careers for Writers Showing up Their Skills at College

5 Nutty Careers for Writers Showing up Their Skills at College 5 Nutty Careers for Writers Showing up Their Skills at College Writing skills are very important in many different careers. People who are good at it are more likely to find a high-paying job. From resumes to cover letters to interview thank-you notes, good writing impresses potential employers; once you’ve landed a job, it’s even more important when you’re writing memos and emails, preparing reports, writing copy for a website or blog, and so on. If you’ve got major writing skills, here are some of the best careers for writers you should consider taking up after college. 1. Executive Assistant Do you like creating high-quality products that make someone else look really, really good? Consider becoming an executive assistant, where you will work with the big bosses. Whether it’s constructing a brief, writing an end-of-year report, or composing a thank-you note to an important business associate, your superb writing skills will make the entire company shine. 2. Media Relations Specialist When a company needs to communicate with the press, they employ a media relations specialist to write press releases, create press packets, and otherwise work with journalists to create positive news about their organization. This work is especially important when the company hits a rough patch and needs to smooth things over. Someone who can communicate the value of a brand as well as maintain the loyalty of its customers needs superb writing skills, and you might just be the right person for this particular position. 3. Video Game Copywriter If you think that video games are just for nerds, think again. The video game industry is constantly growing, and as virtual reality (VR) becomes more popular, the need for video game copywriters grows as well. Your job will be to design the narratives that make the game so realistic and engaging, so a natural, conversational style and knowledge about your customer vernacular is really important. 4. Legacy Writer Are you fascinated by the past? Do you love learning about history? Are you great at working with people, especially older ones? You might enjoy being a legacy writer. Legacy writers, also known as personal historians. They write down all of the important events of their and their family members’ lives. They need excellent soft skills and the ability to listen and stay well-organized. If history is really your thing, then legacy writing could be a meaningful and lucrative career path for you. 5. Content Writer Content writers need to be able to write to their audience. That means adopting an appropriate style and choosing topics of interest for their particular demographic. Since content writers frequently make a living by working for a number of different clients, blogs, or websites, they need to be able to quickly adapt to whatever style is needed. They also need to be able to generate truly original content. The final skill needed for content writing is a familiarity with SEO, or search engine optimization; this means that certain keywords need to be included in posts in order to get the most traffic to the site. While there is definitely a learning curve, it is a solid career choice for professional paper writers that is not going away anytime soon. Still think that your writing skills are just good for your student papers? Come on! You even do not know what kind of treasure you have. Start thinking about your future career, as you have such a great variety of positions to choose among.

Management Public vs Private Employee Research Paper

Management Public vs Private Employee - Research Paper Example This essay stresses that the HR managers need to ensure that prior to assigning the new tasks, the employee is equipped with adequate knowledge regarding his new roles and goals. The employees must be provided with the necessary tools such as manuals, computers and other related job aids so that the jobs can be completed effectively. This paper makes a conclusion that the employees in the public sector also demand career development opportunities and promotion after certain period of time for the purpose of personal development. By paying attention towards the career development of the employee force, the employee as well as the employer will be capable of managing change in the structure of the employment opportunities. It is through career development that the companies can attract and hence retain the best people with the organisation as it assists the employer to recognize and to respond to the individual needs of the employees. The public sector can avail the scope of superior performance from the employees if due attention is paid towards the career development of the employees. The employees of the modern times generally prefer taking challenges and therefore are motivated when they are provided with challenging job opportunities. Therefore, the public sector employers need to take these factors into consi deration and also focus upon timely promotion of the employees. It can also make use of other reward systems in an organization in order to motivate the employees to work for the achievement of the goals of the organization.

PM Company (International Business Practices) Essay

PM Company (International Business Practices) - Essay Example The balance between two types is an effective method for PM Company, because it is closely related to delegation of authority and is concerned with what should be transferred down, what policies are needed to guide actions and the need to train and select people and control their actions. Decentralization is closely related to delegation, but it includes all areas of management and requires a great deal more than handing authority to subordinates. In contrast to centralization, decentralization will help to avoid duplication of efforts, and overcome lack of sufficient flexibility to permit immediate reactions to local problems. New strategy will require additional spending and staff, a new department of international trade and opening new offices abroad. Organizational activities should be organized into separate product businesses, each having its own market and responsible for its own profit or loss. In general, this strategy will help PM Company to penetrate new markets faster and attract wider target audience delivering a wide range of the company's products. Using this organizational structure, PM Company can extend its international expansion plans, and cover more foreign countries, for instance, European and Asian market.

Interpretation and Analysis of the essay From hope to Hopelessness by

Interpretation and Analysis of the From hope to Hopelessness by Margaret Wheatly - Essay Example is will also focus on the techniques that Wheatley employs as a function of delivering her method and whether or not these techniques are successful or not. Finally, the response piece will focus on how the essay made this student feel after reading it. Accordingly, it is the hope of this student that the forthcoming analysis will not only provide something of a personal take with respect to Margaret Wheatley’s work, it is my further hope that the reader will come to gain a more informed understanding for the tactics and approach that Wheatley uses to engage the reader. The first strategy that Wheatley employs is with respect to providing a pathos filled introduction that discusses the level of depression and hopelessness that she has been feeling with regard to the state of the current world. Referencing the human brutality, environmental destruction, and lack of vision for the way in which these issues might be addressed, Wheatley confesses that she battles with depression at the specter of these issues and how they impact upon her and the remainder of the human race. This is an especially interesting and effective approach to the issues at hand. The underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that Wheatley engages the reader in an understanding of the issues that have driven her to write the piece, encourages a degree of empathy from the reader, and then expands the need for discussion based upon the fact that these very same issues affect almost each and every stakeholder on the planet equally. The rhetorical strength of the introductory paragraphs is also important to note; due in part to the fact that it is within these paragraphs that Wheatley raises the key questions she will go about answering during the course of the remainder of the essay. For instance, the question of whether fighting hopelessness is a worthy human goal, whether human labor means anything, and whether or not action or inaction ultimately rank the same are all briefly

King Henry and His Six Wives Essay Example for Free

King Henry and His Six Wives Essay The Elizabethan Era contained major events that remain documented in history. If the historical figures of the Elizabethan Era had not existed, history would have taken a dramatic turn. The full histories and personalities of each of Henry’s wives show how these women left their marks on the English throne and they changed the course of history. King Henry VIII was endowed with outstanding mental and physical gifts. He mastered Latin and French, understood Italian, learned mathematics, studied Homer and Virgil, read Cicero, and was knowledgeable about the histories of Thucydides and Tacitus (Shostak 6). Henry was the first English king to acquire a Renaissance education. Henry was also endowed with great physical accomplishments. He was a superb horseman. He enjoyed wrestling, jousting, swordsmanship, and tennis. Henry also had a passion for music. He mastered the skill of performing with three different instruments: the lute, organ and the harpsichord. He also composed music. He wrote two five-part masses, several different instrumental pieces, several songs and one anthem (6). â€Å"King Henry VIII was born Henry Tudor VIII after late-king, Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of York on June 28, 1491† (Bruce 3). Henry was the King of both England and Ireland from 1509 until death. Henry VIII was a true Renaissance prince. He also wanted absolute power.Henry was not the only Monarch of the Tudor regime; â€Å"He had three other brothers: Prince Arthur, Edmund, and Duke of Somerset Tudor, and two sisters: Mary and Margaret Tudor† (Shostak 5). Arthur, who became Prince of Wales, married Catherine of Aragon in November 1501. After a short period of the marriage, Arthur died, which made Henry Prince of Wales. On April 22, 1509, Henry VII died, which upgraded Henry VIII as king and the seventeen-years-old prince acceded to the throne on April 22, 1509 (Bruce 23).Two months later, he married his brother ´s widow, Catherine of A ragon. This queen was widower of Arthur, Catherine of Aragon. Catherine was born on December 16, 1485 in Spain. She was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella. They sent over 100,000 crown worth of plate and gold as a wedding gift. She had left Spain to marry Prince Arthur of Wales in 1501, which they went off to marry in London. After Arthur died, Catherine and Henry married as King and Queen of England (Shostak 15). She was happy through the first few years of marriage, but due to health problems, she miscarried five of six pregnancies; the child who survived was named Mary, born in 1516. They went off to marry in London. King Henry VIII was brought up to bring forth an heir of his throne a son. He knew after trying continuously with Catherine, he would never have a son, while she was still announced as queen (Bruce 27). Henry tried to put pressure on Pope Clement VII to give a special dispensation to him to divorce Catherine. When Wolsey failed in his negotiation with the Pope to get the dispensation, Henry fired Wolsey and decided to sidestep established legal procedures of the Church (Bruce 34). In a 1529 Act of Parliament, they limited the powers of the clergy by a series of statutes. Then, in 1533, he married Ann Boleyn, who soon gave birth to the future Queen Elizabeth (tudorhistory.org). The following year, Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy, which named the king the Supreme Head of the Church of England. Then, there followed the suppression of Catholic monasteries throughout England in May, 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed on the grounds of marital infidelity (Shostak 45). Henry married his third wife, Jane Seymour, who died in childbirth after giving birth to the king ´s only legitimate son, the future King Edward VI (tudorhistory.org). In 1540, Henry vice-regent and chief minister Thomas Cromwell arranged a political marriage between Henry and Ann of Cleves in the hope of attaching German protestant interests to those of England. Henry detested Anne ´s appearance so he had the marriage annulled and ordered for Thomas Cromwell to be executed on the charge of treason. In 1543, Henry married Catherine Parr, his sixth and final wife (Jokinen). They were married for three years before Henry ´s death. Henry ´s later years saw a renewal of hostilities with both France and Scottish. Henry personally invaded France in 1544, where his armies captured city of Boulogne (tudorhistory.org). The two nations ceased fighting in 1546. Henry ´s later years were also characterized by rigorous persecution of both Catholics and Protestants. Henry died on January 28, 1547, at the age of 55. It was Henry ´s request that he was laid to rest alongside his third wife, Jane Seymour (Sypniewski). Tudor Parliaments were an essential aspect of English government and administration in the sixteenth century. After the Kings Council, Parliament was the nations most important institution. In Tudor times most important decisions concerning government were made by the king or queen and a small group of advisers called the Privy Council. However, before these decisions became law, they had to be passed by Parliament. Parliament was the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords was made up of about sixty Bishops, Dukes, Earls and Barons. It was unusual for members of the House of Lords to criticize the kings policies. If they did so, they were in danger of being stripped of their titles. Members of the House of Commons were more independent as they were sometimes elected by the people who lived in the area they represented. However, few people had the vote and in many cases the largest landowner in the area decided who went to Parliament. Parliament was much of an occasional institution. Meaning Parliament was active under the Tudors, and exceptionally active in the reign of Henry VIII. Henry VIII was in favor of holding regular Parliaments (Shostak 57). When Henry was in conflict with the Pope in Rome, he claimed that the votes taken in Parliament showed he enjoyed the support of the English people. Elizabeth held fewer Parliaments than her father. On average, she held a Parliament once every four years. Elizabeth made it clear that members of the House of Commons had complete freedom of speech. However, she believed that certain issues such as religion or foreign policy were best left to her and her Privy Council (tudorhistory.org). Henry VIII wanted an annulment of his marriage on the grounds that there had been adultery. Although, nobody knows if this was true or not, was a way out for Henry and a chance for him to marry Anne Boleyn, who he hoped would give him an heir. He sent Cardinal Wolsey to the Pope to plead his case, but he failed, for this reason Henry VIII dismissed him in 1529. However, in 1533, Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, deserting the Catholic faith, granted the annulment. He passed legislation restricting papal jurisdiction in England and eventually, passed the Act of Supremacy, making him the Head of the church in England (Jokinen). Thomas Cranmer suggested Henry to abolish and destroy the monasteries, since they were very rich and confiscated their wealth and properties for his own use (Jokinen). Through the Act of Supremacy, he declared himself to be the only Supreme Head in Earth of the Church of England instead of the Pope (Jokinen). Henry VIIIs courtships were equally sexually driven. He wooed Jane Seymour with gifts and bribes to members of her family, but only decided to abandon Anne Boleyn days and possibly hours before she was arrested. In the case of Katherine Howard the transition from would-be mistress to consort is evident. Henry was in full pursuit within weeks of seeing her, not without a degree of encouragement on her part which should have indicated to him that she was more experienced than was claimed (Jokinen). They were married three weeks after the Cleves divorce and by then Katherine may already have begun sleeping with Henry. The Elizabethan Era was full of controversy and obstacles for many of its historical characters to overcome. The six different wives of King Henry VIII experienced first hand controversy due to the King’s love of women as well as power. Although King Henry VIII married six different women, his decisions helped to change and fascinate the course of history for the modern world to reflect.

Genes Encoding HLA Antigens

Genes Encoding HLA Antigens The genes encoding HLA antigens are clustered on chromosome 6p21 at the telomeric end of the HLA region. Relatively few HLA class I genes are transcribed or translated.The expressed class I genes are subdivided into class Ia, which includesHLA-A, -B,and -C, and class Ib, which includes HLA-E, -F, and -G. As a non-classical major histocompatibility complex class I molecule, HLA-G is expressed predominantly and restrictedly in extravillous trophoblast cells at maternal–fetal interface. Alternative transcription of spliced HLA-G mRNAs encodes at least seven different HLA-G iso- forms, namely the membrane-bound HLA- G1, -G2, -G3 and -G4, and the soluble HLA-G5 and -G6 and –G7 proteins (1, 2). Experiments in vitro showed that HLA-G may contribute to maternal acceptance of the semi-allogenic fetus, by suppressing the maternal immune system during.it has been shown to bind to the immunoglobulin-like transcript (ILT)-2 and killer inhibitory receptor (KIR)2DL4 (p49) inhibitory r eceptors on NK cells and confer protection to extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) via these receptors (3)(Figure2). This suggests that the interaction between HLA-G and immunocompetent cells at the placental interface could be critical in determining the outcome of pregnancy. In this regard, it may be helpful to look for deviations in these interactions by studying early pregnancy disorders of unknown aetiology (4). Among its several limited polymorphisms, the 14-bp ins/del polymorphism at 3 ´ untranslated region (3 ´UTR) of HLA-G gene has been shown an important role in post-transcriptional regulation of HLA-G molecule(5). Reports indicated that 14-bp polymorphism is associated with HLA-G mRNA stability and isoform alternative splicing patterns, therefore may influence functionality of HLA-G in pregnancy (6). In the present study, we analysed the 14-bp insertion ⠁„ deletion polymorphism in normal pregnancy and recurrent miscarriage patients with different miscarriage frequencies and discovered a possible correlation between the 14-bp polymorphism and recurrent miscarriage. Material and methods We carried out a case–control study. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from iranian women who had been seen at the infertility center in Yazd city during 2013 to 2014 for the evaluations of recurrent miscarriage. All of these women had regular menstrual cycles and were health. We analyzed a total of 200 patients with three or more recurrent spontaneous abortions (as a case group) and 200 healthy women without any history of abortion (as a control group). During the entire investigation period the current laws of ethical committee were followed; the patients gave their informed consent for use of their blood collected. Studied patients were without anatomical, microbial, viral, genetical disease and hormone profile tests and tests for ovulation and tubal patency were normal. Male partner’s semen analysis were included in the study. According to medical evidences, etiology of these abortions are unexplained. The following data for the patients were obtained: age, age at each abortion, numbers of abortions, time of abortion during each pregnancy, familial history of abortion, occurrence of bleeding and pain during abortion. Genotyping of the 14-bp insertion ⠁„ deletion polymorphism The blood samples of the control group and of the patients were collected in tubes containing EDTA. The molecular analyses were performed using DNA extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes with a routine salting out procedure. The 14-bp insertion ⠁„ deletion polymorphism was genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplification was done using the forward primer 5 ´-GTGATGGGCTGTTTAAAGTGTCACC-3 ´ and the reverse primer 5 ´-GGAAGGAATGCAGTTCAGCATGA-3 ´ for the HLA-G 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism analysis. PCR products were run on 1% agarose gel electrophoresis. The sizes of the PCR products were confirmed by sequence analysis. The PCR products of exon 8 were analysed by 10% nondenaturing poyacrylamidel gel electrophoresis containing ethidium bromide and visualized under ultraviolet light. PCR products were of either 224 or 210 bp, respectively,depending on the insertion/deletion of the 14 bp in exon 8. The cycling conditions used were: 94  °C for 5 min; 35 cycles of 94  °C for 1 min, 55  °C for 1 min, 72  °C for 30 s; and a final cycle extension at 72  °C for 5 min. Statistical analysis The data were analyzed by using the Chi-square test in the presence and absence of 14-bp insertion ⠁„ deletion polymorphism expressing individuals. Odds ratio was calculated with a confidence interval of 95 %. The data were processed by SPSS 16 software. The significance level of the tests for considering Pvalues as significant was set to Results HLA-G genotype frequencies were in agreement with a Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in this study. Depending on the 14-bp deletion homozygotes, 14-bp insertion homozygotes or +14-bp ⠁„-14- bp heterozygotes of exon-8, the size of the amplified PCR products was either 224 or 210 bp or both in the case of heterozygotes (Figure 1) and was confirmed by DNA sequencing (Figure 2). Our results showed that both the +14-bp ⠁„-14- bp and -14-bp ⠁„-14-bp genotype frequencies were not significantly different between patients with recurrent miscarriages and fertile controls. However, the genotype frequency of +14-bp ⠁„ +14-bp homozygotes was significantly increased in those with recurrent abortions (three or more abortions) as compared with normal fertile controls. The mean age in the case group was: 35.3 yr  ± 5.8 (range 19–43), the mean age in the control group was: 34.9 yr  ± 3.2, (range 20–41) (Pvalue =0.40), in addition, some features of patients shown in Table 1. Distribution of the genotypes in the RSA patient and control groups is shown in Table 2. Frequencies were consistent with those previously reported by other investigators. (p value =) Discussion For more than two decades, the non-classical human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecule HLA-G has been supposed to be an important immunoloregulation molecule in the maintenance of foetal–maternal immunotolerance. HLA-G has the ability to inhibite immune cell functions like natural killer cells, cytotoxic T cells and dentritic cells. In our study, we focused on the 14-bp deletion ⠁„ insertion polymorphism in the 3 ´ UTR of exon 8 of the HLA-G gene,which may contribute to the regulation of HLA-G expression. Our results showed that there were more women who were heterozygous in RSA group than in the fertile controls. Also the frequency of the +14-bp variant showed a significant increase in patients with three or more miscarriages. Thus, our data suggest that there is a detectable relationship between susceptibility to recurrent miscarriages and +14-bp homozygotes of the HLA-G locus.A report by Hviid et al. showed a significant over representation of the 14-bp +⠁„ + 14-bp HLA-G genotype in a recurrent miscarriage group. Although no significant difference was observed for the 14-bp +⠁„+14-bp genotype between the recurrent miscarriage and the control groups in their study, the same trend was found by Yan et al. Their hypothesis was that the frequencies of the HLA-G genotype, homozygous for the + 14-bp sequence, would be higher in women with several unsuccessful IVF treatments or with recurrent miscarriage than in control groups. This hypothesis was based on a previously published study. HLA-G alleles may result in different levels of HLA- G proteins. To date, the 14-bp deletion has been assigned to the G*010101, G*0102 and G*010401 alleles, and the 14-bp insertion to the G*010102, G*010103, G*0103, G*0105N and G*0106 alleles. Rebmann et al. reported that alleles G*01013 and G*0105N with the +14-bp sequence are known as ‘lowsecretor’ alleles, and are associated with reduced soluble HLA-G levels . Thus, The 14-bp insertion in ex on 8 of the HLA-G gene may be associated with low levels of plasma soluble HLA-G. Low concentrations of soluble HLA-G in maternal serum appear to be correlated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in IVF pregnancies .If the HLA-G ‘low-secretor’ allele is a factor involved in the pathogenesis of recurrent miscarriage, one would expect an increase in the number of carriers with the number of recurrent miscarriages , which is in agreement with the results of this study. The HLA-G 14 bp insertion ⠁„ deletion polymorphism may, in turn, affect the serum levels of sHLA-G and pregnancy maintenance, although the exactm mechanisms will require further study. The reason may be explained as follows, serum secreted HLA-G is conductive to early embryo implantation, as insufficient serum sHLA-G pro- motes trophoblasts attack by the mother’s immune cells induced by early embryonic trophoblast invasion of spiral arteries. This can result in a loss of implantation andpregnancy mai ntenance, leading to embryo loss as unexplained recurrent miscarriage .Based on these observations, our data indicate that the difference in HLA-G 14-bp genotype frequencies is not highly significant in this study. Probably, HLA-G as a single factor has a very modest effect in relation to risk for recurrent miscarriage. However, more genotyping investigations and functional studies on immune regulation are essential to elucidate the role of HLA-G in pregnancy. HLA-G gene encodes four membrane-bound and three soluble HLA-G isoforms by alternative splicing (16). The 14- bp insertion/deletion polymorphismin exon 8 of the HLA-G gene has been reported to be associated with HLA-G mRNA stability and splicing patterns, thus may play a role in the context of HLA-G functionality during pregnancy (17). Few studies on 14-bp polymorphism have been carried out in the association with RSA to date. A study by Tripathi et al. (14) indicated that 14-bp polymorphism is not a susceptible risk factor fo r RSA, but the number of heterozygotes (14bp1/2) was increased in the RSA group. However, another study indicated that homozygosity for the presence of the 14-bp polymorphism was higher in women with RSA than in the control groups (13). Recently, a report by Hviid et al. (15) showed a significant over- representation of 14bp 1/1 HLA-G genotype in the RSA group. Although no significant difference was observed for the 14bp 1/1 genotype between the RSA and the control groups in the current study, the same trend was found. In regard to the frequency of 14bp 1/2 heterozygotes, our study is inconsistent with that by Tripathi et al. (14) where more number of heterozygotes was observed in the RSA group. The discrepancy may be the result of ethnic variations, for a significantly different distribution of the 14-bp genotype was observed among Chinese, Danish, and Indian populations (Table 2) (14, 15). The 14-bp polymorphisms are involved in the stability and splicing patterns of the HLA-G mRN A isoforms. A rather detailed study by Hviid et al. (10) addressed that the HLA-G isoform transcripts were at a significantly lower level than the corresponding HLA-G isoform mRNA with the 14-bp sequence deleted, and an additional alternative splicing pattern, especially the HLA-G2 mRNA, could be observed with the presence of the 14-bp sequence. In accordance with this, a study by Rebmann et al. reported that HLA-G allelic variants are associated with plasma-soluble HLA-G levels. Alleles G*01013 and G*0105N with the 14-bp sequence are known as ‘low-secretor’ alleles, whereas alleles without the 14-bpsequence such as G*01041 are known as ‘high-secretor’ alleles, which are associated with elevated soluble HLA-G levels (18).Therefore, particular HLA-G alleles may result in different levels of HLA-G proteins. In the current study, higher frequencies of the 14-bpinsertion allele in RSA group may be a reflection of the association between the 14-bp insertion and the altered balance in HLA-G mRNA isoforms and probably the protein concentration. A recent report by Yie et al. (19) addressed that the embryos that express HLA-G benefit a higher in vitro fertilization rate. To the contrary, low soluble HLA-G seems to be correlated with an adverse pregnancy outcome (20). Taken together, our data indicated that the 14-bp insertion allele might have importance in the outcome of pregnancy. However, more genotyping investigations and functional studies on immune regulation are essential to elucidate the role of HLA-G in pregnancy.