Cultural Ethnography, Scheins Model Essay Example for Free

Cultural Ethnography, Scheins Model Essay Introduction: Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless company in the United States. The company boasts the largest voice and data network and over 58 million customers. In 2004, Cingular generated over $32 billion in revenue. Cingular is owned by ATT Inc. and Bell South. Cingular‟s vision is, â€Å"To be the most highly regarded wireless company in the world, with a driving focus around best-in-class sales and service† (Cingular, 2006, p.1). The corporation values customers, integrity, performance, teamwork, and its employees The goal of this study was to reveal the organizational culture of Cingular Wireless at a retail sales location. To help determine the culture, this study focused on what is the nature of work for Cingular Wireless sales consultants, and how do employees identify themselves within the corporation according to Edgar Schein‟s models of organizational culture. To guide this study, several aspects of employment at Cingular were studied including employee daily routines, flexibility, expectations, and the relationships between managers, sales representatives, and customers. To analyze Cingular, this study will be utilizing Edgar Schein‟s model of organizational cultures. â€Å"Edgar Schein is a management scholar and consultant interested in the role of leaders in the development and maintenance of organizational culture† (Miller, 2006, p. 105). Schein (1992) believes that culture can be studied in levels, which are the degrees to which the culture is visible to observers. His three levels include artifacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions. According to Miller, artifacts are the most obvious in Schein‟s model which consist of the architecture, furniture, technology, dress, written documents, art, forms of address, communication during meets and decision-making styles. (Miller, 2006, p. 107108). â€Å"The problem with artifacts is that they are palpable but hard to decipher accurately. We know how we react to them, but that is not a reliable indicator of how members of the organization react† (Schein, 1990, p. 111-112). The second level of culture Schein recognizes is that of espoused values. Schein‟s espoused values are, â€Å"the articulated, publicly announced principles and values that the group claims to be trying to achieve† (Schein, 1992, p. 9). Schein (1990) believes that the values, ideologies, and norms can be found using interviews, questionnaires, and surveys. Schein believes that, â€Å"Open-ended interviews can be very useful in getting at this level of how people feel and think† (Schein, 1990, p. 112). The third and most difficult level of culture for observers to witness is that of basic assumptions. Miller (2006) believes that members of the group can rarely articulate these basic values since they are a natural part of their daily lives, making the basic assumptions even more difficult for observers to see. From Schein‟s models and definitions it is apparent that the Schein views, â€Å"culture as a complex pattern of assumptions, values, behaviors, and artifacts† (Miller, 2006, p. 111). Schein (1990) believes that through intense observation and the involvement of motivated employees usually unconscious assumptions and perceptions can be discovered about the organizations culture. Schein states, â€Å"Working with motivated insiders is essential because only they can bring to the surface their own underlying assumptions and articulate how they basically perceive the world around them† (Schein, 1990, p. 112). In addition to these three basic levels this study will also utilize the ten major categories Schein uses to help define an organization‟s culture. These will include (Schein, 1992).: 1. Observed behavioral regularities when people interact 2. Group Norms 3. Espoused values 4. Formal philosophy 5. Rules of the Game 6. Climate 7. Embedded skills 8. Habits of thinking, mental models, and/or linguistic paradigms 9. Shared meanings 10. â€Å"Root metaphors† or integrating symbols Although Schein‟s models are widely applied and studied, areas of disagreement with his methods include how much time is actually required to reveal the levels of an organization‟s culture. How many participants are needed to properly assess the culture, and if bias affects the review of an organization also can all hinder the accuracy of a study based off of Schein‟s model. To conduct this study eight of Schein‟s ten major categories were incorporated. The first, observed behavioral regularities are the languages, rituals, traditions and routines of employees. The second category is espoused values which are publicly known goals of the group. The third category is the formal philosophy which is company policies and interactions with customers. The fourth category will be the rules of the game which are the things new employees must learn to fit in. Embedded skills and shared meanings will be the fifth and sixth categories incorporated into this study. These are the necessary skills to do the job and how the employees have similar meanings for certain things. Finally, the basic assumptions will be the eighth category incorporated into the study of the organizational culture of Cingular Wireless. (Schein, 1992) Methodology: To discover how Cingular fits into Schein‟s categories of organizational culture a method f participant observation will be used including observing daily routines, employee interactions amongst themselves and customers, and participating as a member of the Cingular staff at a retail store location. This ethnographic approach is influenced by an article Esteban, Hirt and McGuire. The article incorporated Schein‟s model in a study on â€Å"The Work Life of Student Service Professionals at Rural Community Colleges. The article was helpful in the organization of this study as well as an example of different methods of conducting the study itself. (Esteban, 2003). Applying Schein‟s Model To Cingular Wireless-7 For this study, information from Cingular Wireless was collected including orientation information, employee handbooks, daily forms and corporate publications. In addition, the company owned retail store at Marley Station Mall in Glen Burnie, Maryland was extensively observed and studied. The store has a manager, three full-time employees, and one part-time employee that were interviewed as well. These methods are being used because they will provide a window for gaining insight into the culture of Cingular Wireless. These methods will reveal the way the organizational culture is shaped by the management, employees, and corporate headquarters. The methods are better than others in this situation because it will allow the study to examine a variety of aspects rather than only one or two. Participants: Jason Celani, 34, has been the manager of the Marley Station store since its opening in the fall of 2005. Celani was a former ATT employee and has been in the wireless industry for about 8 years. His job consists of scheduling staff, ordering products, conducting inventory checks, reporting to a regional manager, conducting weekly meetings, and attending training sessions. Jason loves technology and enjoys reading about new products in his spare time. (J. Celani, Personal Communication, 11/06/2006). Tracy Corcoran, 39, is a full-time employee that has been in the wireless industry for 6 years. Previously Corcoran was also an ATT employee. He is the senior sales representative at the Marley Station store and is not very interested in new technology. Tracy is hoping to get out of the wireless industry within the next few years. (T. Corcoran, Personal Communcation, 10/28/2006). Is a part-time college student that has been working at the Marley Station store since March 2006. She enjoys having the newest phone on the market and loves being able to get her email wherever she goes. She has no previous experience in the wireless industry. (L. Andes-Miller, Personal Communication, 10/27/2006). Chuck Payne is the newest full-time employee at the store. Payne is 20 years old and a former radio broadcaster for a gospel station in the Washington D.C. area. Payne has never worked in the wireless industry but also enjoys getting new phones when they come out. Payne began his employment in late July of 2006. (C. Payne, Personal Communication, 11/01/2006). Alejandro Quant is the only part-time employee observed and interviewed at the Marley Station store. Quant, 21, is a full-time student at the University of Maryland. Quant is valuable to the location because of previous job experience with T Mobile, another wireless provider and also because he is bilingual. He speaks both Spanish and English. (A. Quant, Personal Communication, 11/05/2006). The participants were all observed and interviewed and the way in which they interacted was noted. They were asked about likes and dislikes, daily operations, and if they saw a future within the company. This study was conducted at the Cingular Wireless at Marley Station by a parttime employee that has been with the company since June 2006. As an embedded observer internal access to the organizational culture of the Cingular store was gained. The research for this ethnography also benefited because as an employee the basic workings of the company was easily accessible, the other employees are not uncomfortable interacting with me, and access to internal documents and meetings was possible. The goals of this ethnography are to gain a better understanding of the basic assumptions of the organization. The representatives studied work long hours and they have a good grasp on the organizational culture of Cingular. To bracket avoid bias in this study observations and interviews were conducted off the clock. Time was spent observing the employees out on the sales floor and also via the security cameras located in the office. Also to avoid bias, interviews were conducted outside of the work environment at local restaurants. They were not conducted during or after scheduled shifts. Materials: A variety of materials and sources will be used to support this study. This will include orientation and training documents, internal employee handbooks, external documents, interviews with employees, and on site observations. Analysis of Data: To analyze the data collected in the study of Cingular Wireless at Marley Station Mall this portion will be organized according to eight of Schein‟s categories utilized for this study. They will be supported using internal and external documents, observations, and employee interviews. Artifacts: The Marley Station Cingular store had a plethora of easily observable artifacts. The most apparent was the colors and logo of Cingular all over the store. There was no furniture and a very linear floor pan. In general all of the staff members said that they disliked the floor plan because standing all day got tiring and it was hard to maneuver around the store when it got crowded because it was small and the counter‟s linear design made it impossible to get around each other. The colors of orange and blue were on most signs and popular slogans such as â€Å"raising the bar,† â€Å"roll over minutes,† and â€Å"All over network† were visible all over the store. The floor plan pushed what Cingular refers to as its advantages over other wireless carriers. Cingular shirts and name tags were the next most obvious artifact. All of the employees wear Cingular branded shirts and a name tag on the right hand side. Cingular has a contract with Lands End clothing company to customize what the company refers to as its â€Å"Team Colors.† (See Appendix A) Each employee is allowed $125 for their spring wardrobe and $175 for their fall and winter uniforms. Specific vocabulary and language is very obvious at the store. Celani often sends text-messages to all of his employees at the end of the business day and he refers to them collectively as â€Å"team.† When a representative has customers come in, they are referred to as an â€Å"opportunity,† and extras that can be added onto a calling plan are referred to as a â€Å"bolt-on† (J. Celani, Personal Communication, 11/01/2006). Cingular boasts that it has the largest product variety in the wireless industry. The store itself has a large amount of products on the wall which are referred to as „live.‟ This means that the phones are in working condition and the customers can try them out in the stores. â€Å"At de alers the phones on the walls are dummies, customers can‟t try them out† said Andes-Miller (L. Andes-Miller, Personal Communication, 10/27/2006). There is a large amount of documentation conducted at Cingular Wireless stores. Every morning a form titled â€Å"Non-Negotiable Standards† is filled out by employees. (See Appendix B) This is a check list of standards such as cleanliness, work attire, and merchandise that is to be completed before the store opens. â€Å"The non-negotiables are like getting a cup of coffee in the morning, we all are used to doing them,† said Corcoran (T.Corcoran, Personal Communication, (10/28/2006). Every time a representative makes a sale or adds on to a customers account they are also required to mark it on the â€Å"Daily Sales Record† sheet. (See Appendix C) Observed Behavioral Regularities: Cingular has what they refer to as a six step sales process. (See Appendix D) Each employee is introduced to this on their first day of new-hire training, which is a program that introduces new employees to the Cingular way of selling. According to this process each customer is to be greeted within 10 feet/10 seconds of entering the store. The representatives at the Marley Station store do this without thinking. Also included in this process is building value for the customer, offering solutions, asking for the sale, educating the customer, and thanking the customer. In addition to a set sales process each representative knows to sell what is referred to as â€Å"The Cingular Advantage.† (See Appendix D) All of the representatives are required to have skills on a computer system called Opus. This is the computer system which allows the representatives access, create, and change accounts. â€Å"Opus is much easier to use than past systems,† said veteran employee Corcoran, â€Å"It freezes but we all know how to deal with it. Each of us uses the same system and procedures every day to work on and verify accounts† (T. Corcoran, Personal Communication, 10/28/2006). Every employee realizes that they must attend a meeting every Friday morning before the store opens. At this meeting the floor plan is discussed, scheduling is worked out, and any other issues are brought up. The communication between the employees and the managers is very informal. Everyone has a chance to speak and the staff knows that once all business is completed they will go out to breakfast. It is very obvious that Cingular‟s first level of organizational culture, the artifacts, is prevalent through out the store. Employees have a common vocabulary specific to their work, they have uniforms, a system for selling and a store that advertises what the company is all about, being the best wireless provider. Espoused Values: The team at the Marley Station Cingular store is constantly striving to achieve goals which are advertised by the wireless company. While working with customers the sales representatives know that they need to promote the Cingular Advantages. The Cingular Advantages include the best technology, great value, best products and services, newest handsets, and the most convenient services. (See Appendix D) â€Å"Orientation and training pounds these ideas into our heads from the first day we have our jobs,† said Quant. â€Å"Cingular has high standards that we all must uphold† (A. Quant, Personal Communication, 11/05/2006). To ensure that the representatives uphold the values of the company Cingular sends out mystery shoppers to each store at least once a month to make sure that the representatives are selling in accordance to Cingular policy. The mystery shoppers have a checklist and grade the representatives. (See Appendix E) The company also makes what it values available to the general public. On its website Cingular lists its goals and core values, as well as their definitions and what the values mean to the company. (See Appendix F) Basic Assumptions: The basic assumptions and values of Cingular wireless are hard to observe as both an outsider and as an employee initially. After extensive observation, job experience, and interviews there are some basic assumptions that surface. The first is that the organization values employees that are „hungry.‟ If it is a slow day at the store employees print out flyers and distribute them to local business or make calls to customers asking how their service is going in hopes of adding onto their plans. These behaviors are highly praised by the manager of the store for being innovative and going above and beyond the job description. An example of this is employees distributing flyers outside of their scheduled hours for events such as â€Å"Friends and Family Day,† which gives customers extra discounts for coming in on designated dates. (See Appendix G) Unlike many full-time workers that have benefits the employees of the Marley Station store expect to work nights and weekends. If an employee begins to gripe about working these hours the other employees tend to remind them that that is just the way things are. Finally, all employees seem to understand that they are expendable by the company and do not question quotas, paperwork, or seemingly superfluous procedures that waste time and do not make sense. New employees tend to learn quickly the way are and solutions that have been turned into operational policies. All staff members know to let a customer know that not all phone numbers may be successfully transferred when they upgrade their phone but they will do their best. Very rarely are numbers unable to be transferred but employees know the steps necessary to cover themselves in case rare things actually happen. â€Å"I didn‟t understand half the stuff when I started working here, I thought that Friday morning meetings were stupid, and I did not want to be here at 9am on Saturdays. Now I just how things are, I didn‟t realize that those things were a part of Cingular‟s culture. I didn‟t even know Cingular had a culture, but I guess that makes sense,† said Payne (C. Payne, Personal Communication, 11/01/2006). Conclusion: This study tried to examine the organizational culture of Cingular Wireless in relation to Schein‟s model and his levels of artifacts, espoused values, and basic assumptions. The study would have been improved if there was an employee in the process of leaving the company that an exit interview could have been conducted on. This would have benefited the study because it would probably have uncovered some downfalls of the culture of Cingular. The next step and question in this study would have been to compare the employee experiences at the Marley Station Mall store to employees at a stand-alone store or at a kiosk to see if their experiences were any different. Finally, the implication of this study on later discussions of the corporation is that this study provides a solid base for a person trying to research this wireless provider in the Washington D.C./Baltimore market. References Cingular Wireless. (2006). About us- Cingular at a glance. Atlanta, GA: Retrieved on †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.November 8, 2006 from http://cingular.com/about/ Cingular Wireless. (Spring 2006). 2006 COR team colors program guide. Atlanta, GA. Cingular Wireless. (2005). Expectations: Selling the Cingular advantage. (Cingular †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦publication, CGL-PT-PG-050605). Atlanta, GA. Esteban, R., Hirt, J., McGuire, L.(2003). Editor’s choice: The worklife of student service †¦ professionals at rural community colleges [Electronic version]. Community College †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Review. Retrieved November 8, 2006 from †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0hcz/is_1_31/ai_107200755. Johnson, D. (2000) The Corporate Culture Survival Guide. (Review). In Journal of †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Leadership Studies, 7, p111. Retrieved November 8, 2006, from Academic Onefile †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦via Thompson Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/itx/infomark.do?contentSet=IAC.Documentstype=retrievetablD=T002prodld=AONEdcld+a65538125source. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦=galeusergroupname=aacc. Miller, K. (2006). Organizational communication: Approaches and processes (4th ed.) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Belmont, Ca: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Schein, E. (1993). On Dialogue, culture, and organizational learn ing. (Special issue on †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the Learning Organization). In Organizational Dynamics, 22, p40 (12). Retrieved †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.November 8, 2006, from via Thomson Gale: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.http://find.galegroup.com/itx/infomark.do?contentSet=IAC- Applying Schein‟s Model To Cingular Wireless-16 .Documentstype=retrievetablD=T002prodld=AONEdcld+a14606098source. =galeusergroupname=aacc Schein, E. (1990). Organizational Culture. American Psychologist, Vol. 45 (No.2), p. ,,,,,,,,,,111-113). Schein, E. (1992). Organizational culture and leadership (2nd ed.) San Francisco, Ca: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Josey-Bass Publishers.

Cause of the Difference between West and East Eating Habit

Cause of the Difference between West and East Eating Habit The Cause of the Difference between West and East Eating Habit   1. Introduction Why people distinguish calling between Western and Eastern or Eastern and Western.   There are many reasons, maybe it is because that it is divided by ocean which people cannot easily cross.   In the other word, East countries and West countries were not easily connected until some point in the past. In that sense, food culture is also very different. Even though eating habit is a part of food culture, there is an obvious contrast between the East and West.   In this report, we will compare what is different about the eating habits and find out nutritional problems. 2. Methodology Data was collected from international co-worker and friends from March of 2017, aged 25~35 year olds. 3.1. The Cause of Different Eating Habit between Western and Eastern   Ã‚  Ã‚   a. Main food ingredients for environment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -The most of the Eastern countries have good weather for growing grains. Among them is especially rice. The rice grows well in the monsoon climate. The features of monsoon climate are the seasonal change of the wind, the humid summer, and the dry winter. Though this climate often brings death and destruction, monsoon rains are an annual phenomenon in Asia and are vital for food productivity and overall economic growth.   This led to the development of rice and vegetable dish rather than western. On the contrary, most of the Western countries climate have suited the wheat and livestock industry Suraj Yadav (2014)provide information about wheat which is well growing in cool, moist climate and ripens in a warm, dry climate. U.S Department of Agriculture (2011) provide information about a largeof wheat is still have been produced in the Western and it has been exporting to the Asian countries. http://necsi.edu/research/economics/grainconsumption.html    For this reason, a variety of flour based food has been created and have developed in the West, for example, bread, pizza, pasta and so on. Also, there is a wide range of fields for raising livestock. This was a good way to get quality meat, so eating a meat meal is common. Therefore, the recipe and cooking methods for bread and meat have developed, Even now, there are many kinds of food which are using the wheat and meat than East. On the other hand, the kind of recipes for rice and vegetables in the West countries are very few compared to East countries.   Ã‚   b. Differences Food Culture   Ã‚   We can see the difference in eating habit by the tool.    Westerners cook the food ingredients in large pieces and cut the food on their plates using knives and forks while east people cut food ingredients into bite size before cooking, then use chopsticks to eat. The use of these tools is affecting the cooking time and eating time. To put it simply, Western food tends to need more time to cook and eat, because using the big food ingredients through that survey, we can know this information 2) The Problem of Each Eating Habit a. The problem about eating habits It is commonly known that Eastern people eat food quickly. As mentioned above, this is why, it is influenced by the cooking tool and cooking methods, but it causes obesity because when people eat fast, people normally feel less satiated than those who eat slower and therefore end up overeating.   Ann MacDonald(2011)who is Harvard health contributor said that people who eat fast tend to consume more because they do not give their brains a chance to tell the body that it is full, even they tend to swallow food without enough chew, and prefer the spicy flavour, but these eating habits are very harmful to stomach. On the other hand, a lot of Western people prefer frying as cooking methods. Many dishes are easily cooked by this methods, but it can cause many diseases such as obesity, hypertension.   S.D. Wells(2011)warn about the danger of fried foodand they tend to prefer sweetness. Sweetness is a property of sugar. It is known to be the cause of diabetes and obesity, and Julie Corliss(2014) executive editor said that sugar may raise the risk of dying of heart disease. b. The nutrition problem of each main food.   Ã‚   For our health, we should carefully check and study food nutrition facts.   Let us take a look at the rice and wheat which we were examples above. RICE http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5716/2 Nutrition Information As you can see in the chart, rice has high calories, the nutrient which can be a cause of obesity and these nutrient elements that are more important such as less vitamin B, protein WHEAT Nutrition Information Wheat has long been controversial among a great number of scientist. Wheat has many nutrients but also has many problems. KRIS Gunnars(2013)said that wheat contains a gluten which many people cannot properly digest. It causes anaemia, bloating and so on. Conclusion To sum up from what has been discussed above, it goes without saying that our eating habits are influenced by various environmental factors and our eating habits have a lot of problems. Especially, obesity and adult disease coming from wrong eating habits are the serious problems in a modern society. We need to lay our heads together to solve that problem. We should try healthy eating habits to live a happy and healthy life. The Reference List       Ann, M. (2010, Oct 19).Why eating slowly may help you feel full faster. Retrieved from   http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-eating-slowly-may-help-you-feel-full-faster-20101019605 Julie, C. (2014, Feb 06).Eating too much added sugar increases the risk of dying with heart disease. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-too-much-added-sugar-increases-the-risk-of-dying-with-heart-disease-201402067021 3)   Kris, G. (2013, May 27).Potential problems with whole wheat. Retrieved from https://authoritynutrition.com/6-ways-wheat-can-destroy-your-health/ Suraj, Y. (2014, APR 15). Climatic conditions for growing wheat. Retrieved from http://www.importantindia.com/12612/climatic-conditions-for-growing-wheat/ U.S Department of Agriculture. (2011). Global Grain Consumption Map. Retrieved from http://necsi.edu/research/economics/grainconsumption.html Wells, S. (2011, Dec 26).Health Basics : Why are fried foods terrible for your health?. Retrieved from http://www.naturalnews.com/034483_fried_foods_health_damage.html

Sullivan vs. Bennett Essay -- Gay Marriage Homosexuality Essays

Sullivan vs. Bennett The two texts examined within, present the opposing extremes of views regarding gay and lesbian marriage. The first text entitled Let Gays Marry by Andrew Sullivan examines the intricacies of same sex relationships and why homosexual couples should be allowed to publicly show affection for one another. The second text that will be examined is titled Leave Marriage Alone written by William Bennett. Bennett gives his views on why couples of same sex nature should not be allowed to engage in marital relations. These two authors, although very different, each has a view of the ideals of marriage, and how it should be presented to the public. Sullivan, a proponent of same sex marriages is a firm believer that gay and lesbian couples should be treated as equals in society and no different than anyone else. Many people are afraid of the effects that same sex marriages may have on our culture, and Sullivan explains that gay men and women are no different from anyone else in society as far as political and moral beliefs are concerned. These people are not out to change America as a whole, they just want the freedom to decide and to do as they wish. Sullivan explains that homosexuals want the right to marry for the same reasons as anyone else and that the lobbying of gays in America, for marriage, is not to destroy our moral system or who we are, they just want to be able to devote to one another as a regular couple does. Same sex marriage may seem, to some, a crazy idea as marriage in this country is built on the foundation of a man and a woman marrying, but Sullivan points out that until recent centuries marriage was a contract into which a woman entered so that she would be controlled by her husba... ... to agree on the fact that the issue at hand is one of religion. Religion seems to be the deciding factor right now when it comes to the question of what is right and what is wrong. Both authors see religion as the main concern when the question of homosexual marriage is brought up. So as each has very different ideals for society as a whole, both Bennett and Sullivan try to represent the happiness of the people as a whole, in their own ways. The two authors present very different points of view and each has well thought out reasoning behind what he has to say. Although the authors feel very different about how marriage should exist and how it should be regulated, there is some common ground between the authors. Citations †¢ Sullivan, Andrew. Let Gays Marry. United States: Random, 2002 †¢ Bennett, William. Leave Marriage Alone. United States: Random, 2002

Break Stalin :: essays research papers

Break Stalin Destalinization: A Wise Political Strategy Although many of his ideas did not bring the expected results, Nikita Khrushchev policies of de-Stalinization were politically wise. He went against many of Stalin’s tyrannical policies and gave the people a much greater sense of freedom. In the process known as “de-Stalinization';, legal procedures were restored, some greater degree of meaningful public controversy was permitted, forced labor camps were closed and the secret police tactics of Stalin’s era were erased. Stalin’s method of personal rule was replaced by group rule and more orderly processes of government, the terror apparatus was largely dismantled, the economy was notably modernized and foreign policy was conducted with much greater diplomatic initiative and flexibility. There was free political discussion, a standard forty-hour work week where people were free to change jobs, better government planning on production, and eased travel re strictions over the “Iron Curtain';. In the process of de-Stalinization the cities that were once named in honor of Stalin were given new names or returned to their old names1. The statues and pictures of Stalin were destroyed and letters were sent to families of those who were killed in battle, which criticized Stalin’s weak leadership during the time of the war. Stalin’s grave was vandalized during this process, and Khrushchev gained approval from the West. These policies were used to erase the past and ease the minds of those who suffered under the dictator2. Khrushchev worked to denounce his former leaders doings and clean up the image of the nation on a worldwide scale. Khrushchev worked hard to be agreeable with the majority of people he ruled. He sought to contrast his own present policies with the extremities of Stalinism, and therefore restore public confidence in the Soviet system.3 Perhaps the most notable example of de-Stalinization was wher e Khrushchev denounced Stalin and criticized the dictator along with those who agreed with his views. These views which murdered so many Russian Citizens. At the 20th All-Union Party Congress (1956) where Khrushchev delivered a “secret'; report on “The Personality Cult and Its Consequences,'; bitterly denouncing the rule, policies, and personality of Stalin.4 The speech was supposedly kept a secret so that the Capitalist media would not receive word of it and gain an edge over the Communists if they knew of the problems occurring within the party. Khrushchev accused Stalin of being responsible for mass murders and deportations, the German invasion during World War II (1939-1945), and the USSR’s

The Effect of the Church in the World Essay -- Religion, Christians

There is significant debate about the effect of the church in the world. Did it really disrupt the existing social order? For many years Hans Conzelmann’s thesis that Christians are â€Å"docile subjects and trouble arises only when Jews rouse the populace with false accusations against the church† dominated scholarship. Later, Richard Cassidy (Political Issues in Luke-Acts) challenges this perspective by viewing Jesus as a â€Å"nonviolent social dissident who was †¦ a potential danger to the Roman empire† by paralleling Jesus’ effect on Rome with Gandhi’s effect on the British empire. Though Luke (in Acts) tends to depict Rome as â€Å"fair and respectful in their treatment of Christians, and the apostles are certainly not seeking to foment rebellion against the empire,† Hays also notes that the apostles and the Christian community do sometimes upset the cultural conventions which creates tension with the â€Å"established social order.† In fact â€Å"Luke’s vision for the transformative power of the church †¦ turns the world upside down not through armed revolution but through the formation of the church as a counterculture, an alternative witness-bearing community.† Schnackenburg believes that the church saw themselves as the â€Å"true ‘Israel of God’† and as â€Å"legitimate heirs of the old people of the covenant.† They preserved the Jewish way of life, while confessing Jesus as Messiah, held to the teaching of the apostles, kept the Eucharist and communal meals, and held worship services in private homes with common prayer. Though externally identifiable with Judaism, it was â€Å"a separate community in faith and worship† whose life was affected by these practices.† Though there were controversies within the community, these are presented as being reso... ...dom.† Hays sees Luke as portraying the early community fulfilling two ideals: the Greek conception of friendship, and the Hebrew (Deuteronomic) ideal of covenant community. Aristotle argued that true friendship was an â€Å"extension of regard for self† citing proverbs such as â€Å"Friends have one soul between them† and â€Å"Friends’ goods are common property.† Additionally (as mentioned above), Deuteronomy 15 outlines the blessings for God’s people who remain faithful to the covenant (Deut. 15:4-5, 7-8). Ultimately, Luke Johnson develops an idea that â€Å"possessions function as symbols of response to God† and so the Jerusalem community’s response â€Å"are sure signs of the presence of God’s Spirit in their midst† and that they shared goods demonstrated â€Å"God’s effectual grace.† Once again, the movement of the Spirit is credited for the dynamic life and growth of the community.

Food Label Report Essay

Eating and food are part of the way human beings live. Besides being an important source of nutrients, food is also essential for good emotional, physical and social well being of human beings. The main concern for AGHE (Australian Guide to Healthy Living) is physical health. Its main aim is to offer information on all types of foods that can be included daily in ones diet. This report was carried out to evaluate food labels on five products represented by AGHE. This report details the findings as follows. 1. Jewel Whole Grain Bread (500g) Food nutrients The food label indicates that this type of bread should be served as a single size. Each serving constitutes a total of eighty calories, and 10 calories from fat. Total fat in a serving is 1 gram. This is unsaturated fat since the food lacks Trans fat, polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. The daily value of the fats required is 2% of one gram. The next item found in jewel bread is Sodium which constitutes 130 grams . The daily value of sodium is 5%. This is followed by Total carbohydrates which is 14 grams and has a daily value of 5percent. Dietary fiber constitutes 1 percent and has a daily intake of 4 % where as sugars constitute 2% . The last nutrient on this food label is protein and is valued at 3grams. The daily intake of protein is 6 %( Michael). The estimated percentage of calories in jewel bread is seventy percent from carbohydrates, fifteen percent from proteins and point two percent from fats (Michael). The calorie estimates on this bread are intended for a person weighing 1451b. According to AGHA a sample serves of bread is two slices of bread for persons aged four years and above is three to four serves each day. The recommended serves for adults is seven serves. Where as the AGHE Recommends two slices of bread per serving, Jewel breads recommends one slice of bread. Core food groups Jewel whole grain bread belongs in group one foods which comprises of breads, cereal, rice, pasta and Noodles (AGHA). According to the recommended sample size for bread is between seven to eleven serves for adolescent boys and between four to seven serves for adolescent girls. Women aged between 19 and 60 years are supposed to have between four to nine serves per day. Percentage macronutrients in Jewel bread According to the label on this food, 500g 14g carbohydrates in 500g is equivalent to 28g carbohydrates in 100g bread 28g/100 ? 100= 28% carbohydrates 3 grams of protein in 500g is equivalent to 0. 6g in 100g of bread 0. 6/100 ? 100 = 0. 6% proteins The recommended daily value of carbohydrates is 2% where as the recommended protein value in 100g bread is 6%. From the above findings the bread does not conform to the recommended dietary intake. Major nutrients The major nutrients in Jewel whole white bread is carbohydrate and protein. The main purpose of carbohydrates is to provide energy fro the body. However carbohydrates do not constitute essential nutrients because energy can still be synthesized from proteins and fats. If taken in excess carbohydrates can lead to obesity and increased prevalence of heart diseases. The second major nutrient in bread is protein(Pharmacy Inc). The main functions of proteins include body building and repair of warn out tissues, energy giving during starvation. Taking excessive proteins leads to kidney failure and proteinuria. 2. Jewel California Blend Frozen vegetables (250 g) Food nutrients The nutrient facts on Jewel frozen vegetable food label indicates that the serving sample is two thirds of a cup. The calories in this vegetable are 25. Sodium constitutes 30 mg and the daily value of sodium is 1%, total carbohydrates is 4g with a daily percentage value of 1%,diatary fiber and sugars constitutes 2% each with a daily value requirement of 8% dietary fiber. The protein present in this vegetable is 1g and a daily value of 2%. The vegetables also comprises of vitamins A and C with a daily value of 10% and 35% respectively and lastly calcium with a daily value of 2%. The estimated calories are 64. 0% from carbohydrates, 16. 0% from proteins and 0. 0 percent from fats. The food label on this food is in accordance with the AGHE. According to AGHE the recommended sample serve for vegetables is a half a cup or 75 grams of cooked vegetables. Jewel California frozen vegetable should be kept under refrigeration. Jewel California Frozen vegetable do not comply with the AGHE, Because AGHE recommends that foods in this group should have much of vitamin, followed by minerals, as well as dietary fiber and finally carbohydrates. According to the food label the vegetables have high carbohydrate content as opposed to minerals and vitamins. Core food groups Jewel California frozen vegetables belongs in group two foods which is made up of vegetables and legumes. Persons aged over four years should have two to nine sample serves on daily basis. The sample size for adults aged 19-60 years is five samples serves (AGHE p21). Percentage macronutrients in Jewel California Frozen Vegetables 250g of frozen vegetables 0. 3 g of sodium in 250g hence 0. 0012g will be in 100g % sodium is 0. 125 Vitamin C is 35% The food conforms to the daily dietary intake recommendations. Major nutrients The main nutrients in this group are vitamins and minerals. Vitamins are very important in a human body because they protect the body against illnesses. For instance vitamin A enhances growth of bones, mucous membrane hair and eyes; Vitamin D promotes tooth and bone development; vitamin E is responsible for protection of fat tissue from oxidation as well as red corpuscles synthesis, enhances cardiac blood flow, reduces cholesterol level in the blood including fatty tissues;. Minerals on the other hand are also essential in human body. For instance calcium is important in teeth and bone formation; iron is important in blood synthesis; Iodine prevents goiter via promoting growth of thyroid gland; copper enhances absorption of iron; Zinc enhances vitamin B absorption and reduces cholesterol deposition (Pharmics INC). 3. Fresh lemon 25g Food nutrients Nutritional facts on the food label on a lemon indicated that one seedless fruit weighing 108g should constitute one serving. Each serving should have 22 calories 3 of which are from fats. The lemon constituted three milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of protein and total carbohydrates constituted 12 grams five of which are from fibers. % daily values with respect to a calorie diet of 2000 are vitamin A, 1%, Calcium 7%, Thiamin 4%, Niacin 1%, Vitamin B6 6%, phosphorus 2%, Zinc 1%, Vitamin C 139%, Iron 4%, Riboflavin 3%, Pantothetic Acid 3%, Potassium 4%, Magnesium 3% and Copper 14 %( Peer trainer). AGHE recommends that one sample serve of fruits is one sizeable fruit. Core food groups According to AGHE, Fresh lemon belongs in the third food group which comprises of all kinds of fruits including apples, oranges, pears and bananas. Adults are advised to eat at least one to five sample of a fruit on a daily basis. This food label meets the AGHE standards. Percentage macronutrients 1g of protein is equivalent to 17 kJ where as I g of carbohydrates is equivalent 17 kJ (Soccer performance). 1 calorie is equivalent to 4. 184 kJ. Therefore, 22 calories ? 4. 184 is equivalent to 92. 048 kJ of energy (Weight loss program). 1 g of protein ? 17Kj = (17/92. 048) ? 100 = 18. 47 % energy 12g of carbohydrates ? 17Kj = (204/ 92. 048) ? 100 = 97. 6% energy Major nutrients The main nutrients found in fruits are vitamin C, folate, natural sugars as well as fibers. Vitamin C is critical in collagen formation where as natural sugars fiber on the other hand adds bulk to a diet. Fiber aids in digestion, prevents constipation, aids in treatment of diabetes, heart diseases and diverticulitis. Too much fiber in the diet is harmful especially when eaten within a short time can result to abdominal cramps, flatulence and bloating (New York Times 2010). 4. Wild harvest organic yogurt(450g) Food nutrients The food label on wild harvest organic yogurt indicated that one serving constitutes one cup of yogurt. The total calories in this type of yogurt are 190, total fat constitutes 3g where as saturated fat is 2g. Other nutrients include sodium which is 130g, sugars 31g protein 8g and total carbohydrates 35g. The yogurt lacks vitamins (Michaels). The yoghurt is to be kept under refrigeration. This label correlates with the AGHE measures which states that a sample serve is equivalent to 200g yoghurt which is equivalent to one carton. Core food groups According to AGHE yoghurt belongs in the fourth food group together with cheese and milk. A sample serve for yoghurt is 200g . Adults are supposed to have at least two sample serves of yogurt on daily basis. Percentage macronutrients Total grams 450 3g of fat /450 = 0. 007? 100 =7% fat 8g of protein /450 ? 100 = 1. 78% protein 35g of carbohydrates/450 = 7. 78% carbohydrates This food label conforms to the AGHE. This is because the main food nutrient found in yoghurt is fat and as it can be noted from the calculations, fat is has the highest percentage. Major nutrients The main nutrients found in this group include calcium and fats. Calcium is important in bone and teeth formation. Fat is important because it provides more than 80% of the bodies energy requirement, it protects essential organs of the boy as well as acting as a thermal insulator this is because it is a bad conductor of heat.. Fat is used in transportation of fat- soluble vitamins and finally it is a hunger suppressor. Fat provides an important part of skin which holds the skin together. Fat is essential in the activation of the flow of bile, hence gall bladder emptying, it important in the formation of the structure of brain as well as production of hormones to initiate and regulate body activities (Weight loss program). 5. Ball park fat free beef franks(100g) Food nutrients The food label indicated on this food showed that the food should be served as one frank (50. 0grams) per serving. (Soccer performance . org)The total calories present in the food were 45. The food constitutes of 10mg of cholesterol, 420 mg of sodium, 5. 0 g of total carbohydrates, 2g of sugars, 6% of Vitamin C, 45 of iron and 6. 0 g of proteins (Weight loss program). The values were founded on a caloric diet of 2000 calories. It is rich in vitamin C. Ball park fat free beef franks expiry date is 22nd of May 2010. AGHE values for a single serve is higher than what has been provided on the food label. AGHE recommends that a sample serve for cooked meat should be between 65g and 100g. Core food groups Meat belongs in the fifth food groups alongside chicken, lean mince, fish, lentils, eggs and peas. Adults are encouraged to eat between one to two serves of meat per day. Percentage macronutrients I g of fat is equivalent to 38 kJ, 1g of protein is equivalent to 17 kJ where as I g of carbohydrates is equivalent 17 kJ (Soccer performance). 1 calorie is equivalent to 4. 184 kJ. Therefore, 45 calories ? 4. 184 is equivalent to 188. 28 kJ of energy (Weight loss program). 5g of carbohydrates /100 = 0. 05 ? 100 = 5% carbohydrates 6g of protein / 100 = 0. 06 ? 100 = 6 % proteins Iron 4% The food product conforms to AGHE food guidelines. This is because the daily requirement for protein from meat is 2% and iron 4%. Major nutrients The major nutrients found in meat are protein and iron. Protein is important because it aids in repairing and building worn out tissues, it is a source of energy, it maintains the skin, nails and hair and it is important in the overall body functions like muscle contraction, and nutrient transport. Nearly 45 percent of the human body is made up of proteins (Soccerperformance. org). Iron is important in the production of myoglobin and hemoglobin which transport oxygen in muscles and blood. Iron is also important in that it assists the white blood cells produce element essential in combating bacteria. It also aids in the synthesis of many critical neurotransmitters. Bibliography AGHE , Enjoy A Variety Of Foods Every Day, Accessed on 20/05/2010 from http://www. health. gov. au/internet/main/publishing. nsf/Content/E384CFA588B74377CA256F190004059B/$File/fd-cons. pdf Jewel Whole Grain bread. Accessed on 20/05/2010 from http://www. livestrong. com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/jewel/whole-grain-bread/ Michaels Jillian, ‘calories in wild harvest organic yogurt’ accessed on 20/05/2010 from http://www. myfitnesspal. com/food/calories/wild-harvest-organic-low-fat-vanilla-yogurt-848062 New York times (2010) , ‘Fiber’ accessed on 20/05/2010 from http://health. nytimes. com/health/guides/nutrition/fiber/overview. html Peertrainer. com , ‘Calories in fresh lemons’ accessed on 20/05/2010 from http://www. peertrainer. com/DFcaloriecounterB. aspx? id=2117 Pharmics Inc, ‘Functions of vitamins and minerals’ accessed on 20/05/2010 from http://www. pharmics. com/welcome. htm Soccerperformance. org, ‘Nutrition: Energy Expenditure’ accessed on 20/05/2010 from http://www. soccerperformance. org/specialtopics/energyexpendit

How a Christian might apply their beliefs Essay

In this, my second piece of coursework I will be looking at how a Christian might apply the beliefs that I just outlined in A01 and will refer to specific situations of conflict to illustrate this. A Christian could apply the beliefs I recently mentioned in A01 through all different means. The most recent event of late to do with war conflict is the Iraq war. Saddam Hussian we were told and could see was not a particularly pleasant man. I heard in papers and through television what he was doing to people and how he treated them. As Christians then in one point of view from the Sermon on the Mount we should forgive this man for his wrong doings and let him repent his own sins. This belief of forgiveness decelerates that should he recognise his wrongs and change his behaviour he could then be forgiven of his previous sins. Unfortunately Saddam was tolerant of the pain and suffering caused under his regime and unwilling to recognise a need to change his behaviour. However once captured Saddam was not subjected to the torture that he imposed but treated in a Christian and humane manner. Though as the passage states we should still maintain our Christian values and be forgiving, `to turn the other cheek`. An issue closer to home regarding conflict and Christianity is the fighting in Northern Ireland regarding the Catholics and Protestants. The two communities are constantly at war with one another over their faiths and in doing so are abandoning the core values of their religions. These two sets of people are following the `eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth`, way of dealing with their problems and issues, which has proven itself through twenty years of conflict to be ineffective and destructive. As again the passage from the Sermon on the Mount comes into effect and the two sides should realise that when a person of one side is killed they should not seek revenge and to kill, but to `live and let live`. Then this may result in an end to the violence and tragedies that are so often occurring. In the other effect towards Saddam Hussian issues we as Christians could most notice the quote of `An eye for and eye and a tooth for tooth`, from the Old Testament and do to Saddam the horrific things that we hear of him doing. Not many Christians, today I believe see this way of dealing with things. More to the point would not be really able as out generation of law and order would just not allow it. When people saw Saddam Hussian damaging an empire and country most I would have believed that they were angry and human instinct gets the better of belief. It is a natural feeling to become angry and upset with something or somebody. And this combining with believing that it is right to acknowledge the passage from the Old Testament results in terrible effects to peoples lives. Also this relates to the Wars going on around Northern Ireland. The two religions are constantly battling each other. We have seen the results of this situation and there is no justice to the trauma and deaths that are carried out.