Mining In Canada Essays - Mining, Occupational Safety And Health

Mining In Canada The Importance of Mining Industry The importance of mining is definitely significant to Canada. Mining, is an important industry, and Canadians are very advanced in their mining technology, but during the mining process, there is certain level of pollution produced. The Canadian government and the mining companies have very good plans and controls toward this problem, while ensuring the smooth running of the industries, and also helping to create strong economy and employment. The world of today could not exist without mineral products. Canada produces about 60 minerals and ranks first among producing countries1. As well, Canada is the largest exporter of minerals, with more than 20 per cent of production shipped to world markets2. In a typical year, the mining industry is responsible for almost 20 per cent of Canada's total export earnings3 (See Appendix A). As for the employment rate, over 70 per cent of the mines are owned by Canadians and approximately 108,000 Canadians are directly employed in the mining industry4. Mining is very important in Canadian life. Not only do the products power the family car and heat the family home, the manufacturing sector, the high tech industries and even the better known resource industries are all dependent, in some way, on the mining industry. The mining industry will continue to be an important support to the economy. Mining is taking full advantage of the quick expansion of computers and microelectronics. These technologies are found in nearly every aspect of mineral development activity - from exploration methods, through production, mineral processing and even marketing. Computers and related equipment now have a lot of different applications in geophysical logging, geochemistry, geological mapping and surface contouring5. At the mine planning stage, the job of designing a mine is now greatly simplified by automation. Through the use of advanced software, geological models can be produced from drill hole data. Computers are also being used to develop plans for mine expansion, develop mining schedules for yearly, quarterly and in some cases, weekly operations. At the operating stage, this new technology is everywhere6. Both in research and operational applications, automated mine monitoring systems now determine immediate information on the status of equipment in underground or remote locations. Canada produces its 60 mineral products from roughly 300 mines across the country7. Before these products can make the trip from mines to the marketplace, they must be searched for, staked, tested, analyzed, developed. There are many difference methods to mine for minerals, an open pit mine is one of the method we use today. The ore - waste material along with the minerals, is recovered directly from the surface. Drilling rigs are used to drill holes into the ore areas and blasting charges will be set in them to break loose the ore. The ore: first stop is at the primary crushing station, often located underground, where the large chunks of ore are crushed to a finer size. Further crushing is required prior to sending the ore to the mill where it is ground to a fine powder8. The purpose of crushing and grinding is to free the minerals from the rock. Treatment may consist of gravity or chemical concentration techniques. The end product of the mill is a concentrate, whereby the percentage of valuable mineral has been increased by a factor of 10 to as much as 50 times contained in the ore9. The concentration operation may be complicated or relatively simple, depending on the mineral content of the ore. Milling processes are designed to separate the valuable minerals from the undesired minerals. Although the milling process separates valuable minerals from waste, it does not actually recover the metals in final form. The smelting operation treats the metal-bearing concentrate further, up-grading it to purer form called matte. Basically: The ore concentrates are mixed with other materials and treated at high temperatures to change the material to other chemical forms. The metal in the matte can be separated further. Further treatment is applied to the final purification of the metal and finishing to the standards required in the metal-using industries. Mining, as we understanding, is a very important industry. But there are underlying dangers to our environment. Mining companies and the government have realized this problem, and regulations and controls have been applied to it. The major environmental problem usually results from the processing and transportation of mineral products rather than from the actual mining process. Example: when an oil spill has occurred in the ocean, the problem caused to the environment is very big, because gallons of oil is spilling over the ocean's surface, resulting in the death of many ocean organisms, and in the pollution of the ocean. (See Appendix B) In

How Much Information Will an Individual Store in His or Her Iconic Memory essays

How Much Information Will an Individual Store in His or Her Iconic Memory essays How Much Information Will an Individual Store in His or Her Iconic Memory? How much information will an individual store in his or her iconic memory? In a given time, individuals are able to perceive more information than they can verbally encode. This is the process by which a visual stimulus is transformed to neurons to enable the brain to store information in the immediate memory. The rate of transfer is how fast an individual can encode something in a given time, which is stored in the immediate or short-term memory. It is stated that visual input can be stored in some medium, that later will be recalled. When the duration of the stimulus is limited, information is not properly encoded from a stimulus to a verbal code and it is lost from immediate memory. This is a cognitive process. The term icon was introduced by Neisser (1967) to refer to the brief persistence of information from a visual display after the display is no longer present. Early experimenters, such as Erdman and Dodge (1898), had been concerned with this phenomenon and asked ho w much information could be acquired at a single fixation reading. The typical finding from briefly presenting a set of letters and having the subjects report as many letters as possible (full-report) was that the perceptual span was 4 to 5 letters. In replicating Sperlings experiment we hope to see why iconic memory as well as duration recall is limited. He has shown that the duration of an icon has to do with the ability of an individual to encode the visual information. One limitation to the study of the icon is, its very brief duration. As individuals begin reporting the contents of the icon, it is already disappearing. Sperling invented the partial-report technique to overcome this difficulty. His third experiment is being replicated to understand the problem at hand. He used manipulations to control the rate at which i...

Cultural relativism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cultural relativism - Research Paper Example The customs, for example practiced by many cultures and religions such as infanticide, human sacrifice or self-mutation are considered right in those particular cultures and religions, while at the same time they are abhorred in other societies. In cultural relativism there is considered no concept of universal truths. The relativists claim that since every culture has its own distinct and diverse moral and ethical codes therefore there cannot be any universal standards to judge anything other than to consider it in the context of that particular culture. As in the case of abortion, which is highly abhorred and considered illegal in many countries, is considered completely legal and an act of birth control in Japan and many such countries. The idea of cultural relativism advocates the idea that everything is valid and right in its cultural context. This means that there is nothing truly right and wrong or moral and amoral, rather there is only different cultural aspects which may or may not validate an act or practice. The anthropologists, who contradict the idea of cultural relativism, consider the ethical subjectivism more appropriate in term of morality of actions. Ethical subjectivism implies that whatever an individual does or feels is right as far as he considers it right. This means that one thing that is morally justified for one person may not be so for another person. In other words the concept of right and wrong on a culture basis shrinks to an individual basis. For example extra marital relations or open marriage may be considered right for some while it will not be a justified act for others (Rae, 2009). There is another term of situational ethics generally applied by anthropologists which implies that morality is situation based. This term is introduced by Joseph Fletcher, advocating that all morality is relevant to the particular situation in which an individual finds himself. The most cited example of situational ethics is that of a woman impris oned in Nazi camp. She asked a guard to make her pregnant so that she could be released and meet her family (Rae, 2009). All these terms of cultural relativism, ethical subjectivism or situational ethics are valid in their own context, yet they can’t all be correct. If we truly follow ethical subjectivism, it would mean that there is no concept of society or culture but individual choices. This would only alienate individuals from one another. If everything has to be justified according to individual choices and preferences than no one will think of the consequences of their actions, rather there will only prevail selfishness and biased natures. To accept the individuality and diversity of different cultures and to give space and freedom of practice is essential, but to accept all the aspects of a particular religion or culture whether they are right or wrong is definitely not essential. Respecting cultures does not mean we respect their inhumane practices as well. Every cult ure teaches the basic doctrines of humanity and justice and they should be appreciated for whatever is good and humane in them. Yet there can’

Typographer Matthew Carter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Typographer Matthew Carter - Essay Example Although the process followed in the above type foundry was considered to be anachronistic, this activity helped Carter to create his own style in typography design (a sector that became soon the centre of Carter’s work in typography). During his visit in New York approximately in 1960 Carter had the chance to study the work of Herb Lubalin and Milton Glaser. It was the work of these two typographic designers that caused the transition of Carter from a ‘type-maker to a type designer’ [1]. It should be noticed that in New York Carter ‘joined Mergenthaler Linotype and began developing fonts that would exploit the new photo-typesetting technologies’ [2]. It was there that Carter’s skills in ‘calligraphic and script renderings’ [2] were revealed. In this context, the skills of Carter in typography could be considered as formulated mostly under the influence of typography trends existed in 1960’s in New York (of course his work n ear his father was an important factor for the development of Carter’s skills in typography). Carter has been based primarily on earlier designer’s work adding his own style. The value of the work of earlier designers on the development of Carter’s skills can be identified in the case of Galliard, ‘designed for Mergenthaler Linotype in 1978 and based on Robert Granjon’s forms of the mid-16th century, discovered during Carter’s research at the Plantin-Moretus Museum in Antwerp in the 1950s’ [1]. Generally, it could be stated that ‘Carter’s outstanding knowledge of type and its history has not led him to be fastidious or conservative in his attitude towards the democratisation and instability of type in the digital environment’ [1]. In fact, Carter managed to combine the style of earlier typography designers with his own personal style in order to create a series of fonts that are considered to be unique in terms of t he style and the method used for their production. Moreover, Carter has

Holocaust Memorial Visit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Holocaust Memorial Visit - Assignment Example The exclusivity of commemorating the Jewish victims For a race that was almost annihilated and made extinct by Hitler’s genocide, it is only proper that their suffering is commemorated and such remembrance will only be exclusive to them. The purpose is not to dilute the message of how terrible a war crime is when the commemoration is remembered along with other circumstances during the Second World War. Their pain and suffering during the war cannot be compensated by any gesture but at least that by solely remembering them can mitigate the pain caused by the Holocaust. Eisenmann’s preference of No Ort. My stand. It is quite absurd as an idea for a Museum to be built underground because it defeats the very purpose of erecting that Museum. Museums are built to memorialize or remember something. To memorialize and remember it, the museum has to be seen by the most number of people possible. Constructing it underground not only defeats its purpose but it sends the message that it is concealing the atrocities that were done to the Jews during the Holocaust. Why the US taxpayers money should not be used to commemorate the Jewish victims It is the Germans who committed those war crimes against the Jews during the Second World War and not the Americans. And as such, it is only proper that German’s taxpayer should be used to build those monuments as a form of remuneration for what they have done to the Jews during the Holocaust. Americans should not pay to commemorate a crime they did not commit.

Principles of Managers and Management

Principles of Managers and Management We must understand who is manager before further our study into the aspects of management. Managers have long been responsible for planning, organizing, leading and controlling in such a way as to ensure that the organizations objectives are achieved efficiently. A major change is occurring in many organizations, however Management is increasingly becoming a responsibility of every individual in the organization, not just those who are formally designated as managers. In many organization, all members are managing themselves more than was generally in the past. They are performing some of the functions of management, such as planning, not simply the task assigned to them as part of the organizing process. 1.1.2 Who are managers? Manager can be defined as, A manager is an individual who is directly responsible for ensuring that tasks are performed by people or employees in an organisation. or A manager is a person tasked with overseeing one or more employees or departments to ensure these employees or departments carry out assigned duties as required Practically, managemer is divided into three levels, 1) Senior / Top managemer 2) Middle manager and 3) First level / Lower manager. Top managers, who are responsible for making ornagization decision and establishing the plan and goals that affect the entire organisations. These individuals typically have titles such as Executive Vice President, Vice President, President, Chief Operation Officer (COO) or Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Senior or Top manager commonly consists of a board of directors or shareholders who own the company and are responsible for making key decisions that affect the company. Middle managers include all levels of management between the first level manager and top level of the organisation. These managers manage the work of first-line managers and may have titles such as regional managers, project leader, plant managers or division managers. First-line managers, the lowest level of management, manage the work of nonmanagerial employees who typically are involved with producing the organizations products or servicing the organizations customer. There are three key elements to get to know about the manager. The fuctions performed by managers in the management environment, roles and the skills. This three key elements will be discussed later. 1.1.3 What is management? Self check : In your opinion, what is the definition of management? Management can be defined as follows: Management is defined as the process of overseeing and coordinating resources efficiently and effectively in line with the goals of the organisation. The attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organizing, leading and controlling organizational resources In the simplest of terms, management is all about getting things done. However, it is the way and the process of how one achieves ones target or goals and it is in this respect that management is considered an art and a science as well. Peter Drucker (1993) defined management as Supplying knowledge to find out how existing knowledge can best be applied to produce results is, in effect, what we mean by management. But knowledge is now also being applied systematically and purposefully to determine what new knowledge is needed, whether it is feasible, and what has to be done to make knowledge effective. It is being applied, in other words, to systematic innovation. (Drucker, 1993) From all the above definitions, it is clear that management is a creative as well as a systematic flow of knowledge that can be applied to produce results by using human as well as other resources in an effective way. Management has not been limited to managing human resource; management today has been segregated into various branches like financial management, strategic management, operations management, time management, crisis management, marketing management etc. Each of these is a separate branch that is being handled by managers who specialize in these fields. Today the importance of management from an organizations point of view has increased multifold. It is only through effective management that companies are developing and executing their businesss policies and strategies to maximize their profits and provide with the best of products and services. Management today combines creative, business, organizational, analytical and other skills to produce effective goal-oriented results! Some of the key functions in management includes learning to delegate, planning and organizing, communicating clearly, controlling situations, motivating employees, adapting to change, constantly innovating and thinking of new ideas, building a good team and delivering results which are not just figure -bound but results that also focus on overall growth and development. Management focuses on the entire organization from both a short and a long-term perspective. Management is the managerial process of forming a strategic vision, setting objectives, crafting a strategy and then implementing and executing the strategy. Management goes beyond the organizations internal operations to include the industry and the general environment. The key emphasis is on issues related to environmental scanning and industry analysis, appraisal of current and future competitors, assessment of core competencies, strategic control and the effective allocation of organizational resources. Nevertheless, based on definition number 2, effectiveness is the attainment of goals that enables the realisation of the objectives of an organisation or, briefly, as doing the right thing whereas efficiency is performing a job using minimum effort, cost and wastage or simply put as doing things right. The end result of an efficient and effective management is the success of an organisation. A person can be described as efficient but not effective or effective but not efficient in managing a specific task. Both elements are not interdependent. Lets say a factory worker finds a shortcut to doing a task with lower cost but by doing so, he deviates from the ethical objectives of the organisation. For example, he disposes of production waste by dumping it into the river. But one of the organisations ethical objectives is to preserve local harmony. So, the factory worker, through his action, deviated from the objective although he was efficient. In short, he was efficient but not effective. In contrast, an employee is considered effective but not efficient if he uses an old method to resolve a management issue even if it could have been resolved efficiently without deviating from the objectives of the organisation. For example, in delivering information, the employee sends a letter via post instead of e-mail. Although it does not affect or clash with the organisations objectives, the employee has wasted a part of the resources allocated to him. Both efficiency and effectiveness cannot be excluded from the definition of management as these are essential elements in defining management. 1.1.4 What is organizations? When two or more people get together and agree to coordinate their activities in order to achieve their common goals, an organization has been born. There is really no doubt about the present meaning of organization. Its purpose is to create an arrangement of positions and responsibilities through and by means of which an enterprise can carry out its work. An academic textbook definition of organization can be formulated as follows: a. the responsibilities by means of which the activities of the enterprise are dispersed among the (managerial, supervisory, and specialist) personnel employed in its service; and b. the formal interrelations established among the personnel by virtue of such responsibilities. It must be emphasized that an organization should not be seen as rigid as the term framework implies. In reality, almost all organization structures must be occasionally reviewed due to various changes in the external environment of the organization in question. Moreover, internal changes also occur oftentimes due to the development of various informal relationships. However, in order to develop a so-called science of organizations a conceptual framework of theory and principle must first be developed. It is true to state that principles of management have existed for a long time. These principles were not recorded as scientific truths, but simply applied as practical means to accompany the process of modernization. As societies became more complex, an acceptable framework to encompass the unscientific principles of management was needed. Since the nineteenth century, many writers and researchers have contributed a great deal to existing principles and accepted practices. It is in the formulation of principles that the science of management can be developed. A management principle distils and organizes knowledge that has been built up through experience and analysis. It is highly unlikely that management will ever become an exact science with many laws governing it because personal judgment will always be needed to supplement available knowledge. Unlike principles in the natural sciences, management principles are not fundamental truths, they are only conditional statements which largely depends on many other variables. However, it is still necessary to continue the process of understanding and applying accepted principles to improve the quality of day-to-day management practice. For this reason management will always be an art. 1.2 Who are managers and what they do? There are three key elements to get to know about the manager. Management Fuctions Management Roles Management Skills. 1.2.1 Management Functions Today in most management book, basic management functions The manager is involved in various basic activities. These activities are usually grouped in a concept categorised as management functions. These functions are illustrated as follows. Management functions Planning, Organising, Leading Controlling Referring to the table below, all four management functions elorated. Table 1.1: Management Functions Management Functions Descriptions Planning Defining objectives to be achieved for a given period and what needs to be done to achieve the objectives. All management levels in an organisation need to be involved in planning. Managers need to develop objectives in line with the overall strategies of the organisation. Organising Determining what tasks are to be done; who will implement and co-ordinate them; how the tasks are to be grouped; who reports to whom; and where decisions are to be made. The manager needs to logically and effectively organise the information, resources and workflow of the organisation so that he is able to react positively towards changes in the business environment. Leading This involves motivating subordinates; selecting the most effective communication channels; resolving conflicts; and directing as well as guiding the actions of others with the intention of achieving all objectives. The effective leader of today has to be visionary in foreseeing the future, sharing the vision and encouraging employees in realising the vision. Controlling The measuring of performance in all pre-determined objectives, determining reasons for deviation and taking appropriate actions, where necessary. Controlling is an important function in the management process as it provides ways to ensure that the organisation moves towards achieving its objectives. 1.2.2 MANAGEMENT ROLES Manager can identified by the role they play in the organisations. An expert in management, Prof Henry Mintzberg, did a research by observing what managers did during their work hours. His research conclude that managers not only have 4 elements as discussed in Management Functions, but they have to play another roles as detailed below (Lewis, P.S. et al; 2001). Role as a Figurehead A manager must carry out ceremonial duties. For example, the vice-chancellor of a university must be involved in the opening ceremony of programmes conducted at the university. The head of a department is responsible for entertaining his clients. Role as a Leader A manager indirectly functions as a leader. Each manager must function as a leader in motivating and encouraging his subordinates. The manager steers members of his unit to continuously work effectively to achieve the goals of the unit and organisation besides resolving problems and issues. Role as a Liaison Officer A manager conveys relevant information gathered to individuals outside his unit or to other relevant parties outside his organisation. The manager will allocate time for interacting with people outside his organisation. Thus, a manager acts as a channel for communications between his department and those within as well as those outside his organisation. For example, a human resource manager may liaise with the finance manager to check on funds allocated for the recruitment of new employees by the organisation before embarking on a recruitment drive. Role as a Spokesperson The manager of an organisation usually acts as its spokesperson. For example, a supervisor will usually ensure that the operations manager is furnished with the latest information on the running of his production plant. Similarly, the general manager of a factory will lobby local authorities for a new tender. Role as a Negotiator No organisation is without problems. A manager is compelled to find a solution for each of its problems regardless of complexities. The manager needs to spend a lot of time in discussions as he plays the role of a negotiator. For example, a manager will negotiate with the trade union chief to reach an amicable agreement on salaries. Role as an Initiator Two management experts, Sumantra Ghoshal and Christopher Bartlett (Dessler, G; 2001), highlighted the additional role of a manager as an initiator of corporate actions and transformations. Moreover, an excellent manager is one who cultivates three processes that steer his employees towards achieving initiatives for change. These processes are as follows: Entrepreneurship Process The manager will try to improve his units performance and when he gets a good idea, he will launch a programme to realise the idea. Researches carried out in Japan, the United States and Europe showed that a successful manager is one who focuses a lot of time and effort on steering his employees towards thinking like an entrepreneur. To meet this objective, the manager needs to empower, support and provide incentives for employees to attain self-direction. Capability Development Process In a technology-centred world, conglomerates need to fully utilise their advantage as a large establishment not only in matters of economies of scale but also in the aspects of widening and deepening the knowledge and abilities of its employees. A manager who succeeds will focus on creating a conducive environment that encourages employees to shoulder additional responsibilities. He will also focus on preparing the necessary training and guidance to build their self-confidence. The successful manager will allow employees room for making mistakes without the fear of being penalised while undergoing training and encourage them to learn from their mistakes. Reformation Process A successful manager will identify situations that might pose challenges to the strategies of the organisation and assumptions made. In other words, the manager is capable of cultivating a querying disposition such as why something is done in a certain way and whether there are alternative ways of doing it. 1.2.3 MANAGEMENT SKILLS SELF-CHECK 1.2 When an organisation shortlists employees for the position of a manager, it will usually select individuals with technical, interpersonal and conceptual skills. Therefore, the third approach to understanding the tasks of managers is to analyse the skills required to carry out the tasks. Figure 1.2 shows three types of essential skills required at each level of management. The arrow pointing upwards shows the type of skills that are needed by top-level management. The arrow pointing downwards shows the type of skills that are needed by lower-level management or line managers. Figure 1.2: Skills required of a manager (a) Conceptual Skills Conceptual skills refer to the ability to view the organisation as a whole, and the impact the different sections have on the organisation, as a whole and on each other. It also involves observing how an organisation adapts to or is affected by external environmental factors such as society, economic pressure, customers and competition. An efficient manager should be able to identify, understand and solve the various problems and critical perspectives. The need for conceptual skills becomes increasingly crucial when a manager climbs higher in the management hierarchy. (b) Interpersonal Skills Interpersonal skill is the ability to work well with other people. Managers with good interpersonal skills work more effectively in a group, encouraging other employees to input their ideas and comments as well as being receptive to the needs and views of others. The manager will also, indirectly, become a good listener and speaker. Interpersonal skills are crucial, regardless of the level of management. However, a low-level manager will be more occupied in solving technical problems while a manager at the middle and higher levels will be mainly occupied with dealing directly with others. (c) Technical Skills Technical skills are the ability to apply procedures, techniques and specialised knowledge required in a certain task. For a shoe factory supervisor, the technical skills required will include the steps involved in shoe manufacturing from the beginning until the final product is ready. A housing developers technical skills will include ways to complete the development of a housing estate. Technical skills are crucial for low-level managers as they supervise employees in manufacturing or service sectors. The manager needs to have technical knowledge and the skills to train new employees and assist employees in solving problems. Skills and technical knowledge are required to solve operational problems that cannot be handled by employees. Nevertheless, the higher the position of a manager in a hierarchy, the fewer the technical skills required. SELF-CHECK 1.3 Self check Based on what you have learned, identify the differences between the three levels and tabulate your answers. Exercise Explain each of the management functions that you have learned about. 1.3 HISTORY OF MANAGEMENT Scientific Management Theory (1890-1940) At the turn of the century, the most notable organizations were large and industrialized. Often they included ongoing, routine tasks that manufactured a variety of products. The United States highly prized scientific and technical matters, including careful measurement and specification of activities and results. Management tended to be the same. Frederick Taylor developed the :scientific management theory which espoused this careful specification and measurement of all organizational tasks. Tasks were standardized as much as possible. Workers were rewarded and punished. This approach appeared to work well for organizations with assembly lines and other mechanistic, routinized activities. Bureaucratic Management Theory (1930-1950) Max Weber embellished the scientific management theory with his bureaucratic theory. Weber focused on dividing organizations into hierarchies, establishing strong lines of authority and control. He suggested organizations develop comprehensive and detailed standard operating procedures for all routinized tasks. Human Relations Movement (1930-today) Eventually, unions and government regulations reacted to the rather dehumanizing effects of these theories. More attention was given to individuals and their unique capabilities in the organization. A major belief included that the organization would prosper if its workers prospered as well. Human Resource departments were added to organizations. The behavioral sciences played a strong role in helping to understand the needs of workers and how the needs of the organization and its workers could be better aligned. Various new theories were spawned, many based on the behavioral sciences (some had name like theory X, Y and Z). General Administrative Theories Administrative theory, Classical administrative theory An early form of organization theory, pioneered mainly by Henri Fayol (1841-1925), which was concerned principally with achieving the most rational organization for co-ordinating the various tasks specified within a complex division of labour (see his Administration industrielle et gà ©nà ©rale, 1916) . The translation of this book into English as General and Industrial Management (1949) implies that Fayol was concerned mainly with business management, although he himself makes it clear that his ideas about management were intended to apply to all formal organizations, including political and religious undertakings. Expressing the French administration as management has also led to the alternative designation of this approach as the classical school of scientific management. More recent exponents include Lyndall Urwick and Peter F. Drucker. Fayol, who is acknowledged to be the earliest advocate of a theoretical analysis of managerial activities, identified the key functions of management as being those of forecasting and planning. The most rational and efficient organizations were, in his view, those which implemented a plan that facilitated unity, continuity, flexibility, precision, command and control. Universal principles of administration were then distilled from these objectives. These include the key elements of the scalar chain (authority and responsibility flowing in an unbroken line from the chief executive to the shop floor); unity of command (each person has only one supervisor with whom he or she communicates); a pyramid of prescribed control (first-line supervisors have a limited number of functions and subordinates, with second-line supervisors controlling a prescribed number of first-line supervisors, and so on up to the chief executive); unity of direction (people engaged in similar activities must pursu e a common objective in line with the overall plan); specialization of tasks (allowing individuals to build up a specific expertise and so be more productive); and, finally, subordination of individual interests to the general interest of the organization. This list is not exhaustive, but illustrates the key proposition of administrative theory, which is that a functionally specific and hierarchical structure offers the most efficient means of securing organizational objectives (see M. B. Brodie , Fayol on Administration, 1967) Classical administrative theory, like its near-contemporary the scientific management approach, rests on the premisses that organizations are unproblematically rational and (effectively) closed systems. In other words, organizations are assumed to have unambiguous and unitary objectives, which the individuals within them pursue routinely, by obeying the rules and fulfilling their role expectations, according to the prescribed blueprint and structure. Moreover, in the attempt to maximize efficiency, it is only variables within that structure that need to be considered and manipulated. The interaction of the organization with its environment, together with the various factors which are external to the organization but nevertheless have consequences for its internal functioning, are systematically ignored. Clearly, both perspectives take a rather deterministic view of social action, since each assumes that individuals will maximize organizational efficiency, independently of their own w elfare, and with no thought for the relationship between the collective goal and their own particular purposes. The Human Relations Movement in organizational analysis, an otherwise diverse group of writers and approaches, is united by its opposition to precisely this assumption. Despite such criticisms, the classical theory of administration has exerted considerable influence on the fields of business studies and public administration, and it still provides the basic concepts which many managers use in clarifying their objectives. Question why they need evolution in the first place? What change the theory, From the start of the 19th century until the 20th century, managers and scholars formed a theoretical framework to explain what they believe to be good practices of management. Their efforts led to five different classes of perspectives on management classical, behavioural, quantitative, systems and contemporary. Each perspective is based on different assumptions towards the objectives of the organisation and human behaviour. Figure 1.3 will help you to understand the chronological sequence of the perspectives. You might be wondering why it is important and necessary to study the historical development or the evolution of management thought. Studying history enables us to learn from mistakes made in the past so as to avoid making them in the future. History also enables us to study past successes that can be emulated accordingly in the future. Most importantly, we must understand the reasons behind such occurrences in order to improve in the future. 1.4.1 Classical Perspective This perspective existed in the 19th century and early 20th century. It focused on the rational and scientific approaches to the study of management and on finding ways to mould an organisation to become more efficient. There are three sub-classes in this perspective, the scientific management, bureaucracy management and administrative management. (a) Scientific Management This approach existed at a time when productivity was deemed critical by businessmen. Businesses were growing rapidly but businessmen were facing a critical shortage of workers. Hence, management was continuously finding ways to improve the performance of its employees. The focus on improving employees efficiency is known as the scientific management approach. A number of researchers contributed towards the findings of scientific management, among them Frederick Winslow Taylor, Frank and Lilian Gilbreth and Henry Gantt. Frederick Taylor (1856-1915), a mechanical engineer, was of the opinion that problems arose mainly due to bad management practices and, to a lesser degree, problems with employees. He stressed that management itself needed to transform and that the transformation method could only be established through scientific research. He suggested that decisions based on rules of thumb be substituted with established procedures, after analysing each situation. Taylors theory, which stated that the productivity of the labour force could be improved through scientifically-based management practices, earned him the title Father of Scientific Management. To improve the work performance of employees, Taylor conducted a research entitled Time and Motions Study. From the research findings, Taylor identified five principles of management that could boost production efficiency. The five principles were: (i) Using the scientific approach to determine best practices and not relying on rules of thumb; (ii) Selecting suitable employees to perform a particular task. Suitability covers mental and physical aspects; (iii) Training and developing an employee so that he is able to perform a given task according to established procedures; (iv) Giving monetary incentives to ensure that employees perform a task accordingly; and (v) Reassigning all responsibilities pertaining to planning and organising to the manager. Taylor was not alone in this research. Henry Gantt (1861-1919), a friend of Taylor, focused on the control system in the scheduling of production. The Gantt Chart is still used today in planning the schedule of a project and has also been adapted in computerised-scheduling applications. The husband and wife team of Frank (1868-1924) and Lillian Gilbreth (1878-1972), also strived to further expand the scientific management approach. Lillian was a pioneer in the field of industrial psychology and contributed greatly to human resource management. She believed that if scientific management was widely utilised, the abilities of each employee would grow considerably. (b) Bureaucratic Management Bureaucratic management is an approach to management that is based on guidelines, hierarchy, clear division of labour as well as rules and procedures. Max Weber (1864-1920), a German social theorist, introduced many bureaucratic concepts. Among the components of bureaucracy are: (i) Authority and clearly defined responsibilities; (ii) Positions in an organisation that are structured according to hierarchy; (iii) Promotions based on qualifications; (iv) Records of all administrative actions and decisions to ensure continuity of organisational rules; (v) Separation of ownership and management; and (vi) Guidelines implemented to all employees without bias. The bureaucratic approach strives to increase efficiency and ensure continuity of overall operations of the organisation. This approach differs from scientific management, which only focuses on the employee as an individual. Nevertheless, this principle, used to improve efficiency, also may cause inefficiency. Rigid guidelines create red tape and slow down the decision-making process, resulting in the inability to change swiftly to adapt to the needs of the environment and, at times, create conflicts in performing a task professionally. (c) Administrative Management The administrative management principle focuses on the organisation as a whole. Among the contributors to this approach are Henri Fayol, Mary Parker Follett and Chester I. Barnard. Henri Fayol (1841-1925), a Frenchman, is considered the pioneer of administrative theory as he introduced the organisational principles and administrative functions. His most relevant contribution was presenting the definition and roles of an administrator. Fayol defined administration and management as planning, organising, directing, coordinating and controlling. He identified 14 principles of management: Division of labour: This is a concept on specialisation of work, based on the assumptions that: No one can do all the work; Each job requires different skills; and Repetition of work will increase efficiency. Authority: The right to give directions and power to be complied with. Here, authority at the office has to be differentiated from personal authority. Discipline: Based on respect and conformity. Unity of command: An employee should receive instructions from one superior only. Unity of direction: One superior and one direction for a particular activity with the same objective. Subordination of individual interests to the general interests: Personal interest should not exceed or precede over common interest. Remuneration: Salary payment based on various factors. Centralisation: The centralisation of work depends on th

Olivia Shaw Essay -- English Literature

Plot and Sub-Plot A Streetcar Named Desire ======================== The main plot in A Streetcar Named Desire is all based around the character Blanche DuBois and the never-ending downfall of her life. The play opens with Blanche arriving in New Orleans where she has come to find and stay with her sister Stella. Stella lives in an apartment with her controlling husband Stanley, when Blanche sees the apartment which she stays she cannot believe her sister lives in such a place. Blanche and Stella greet each with passion but before long Blanche becomes irritable. Blanche has bad news and tells Stella she has lost they’re old home ‘Belle Reve’ Blanche says to Stella it’s her fault and her leaving was the reason they lost their home. This gets Stella upset so she goes to the bathroom. While she is there Stanley comes home, he gives Blanche a frank stare and they have an awkward conversation, we find out Blanche had a husband who died when they were both very young. Stanley is common and rough compared to Blanche who is delicate. Stanley is a very sexual man and sex is part of what makes him tick. His appraisal of women is frank and straightforward. It becomes obvious that the sexual bond between Stanley and Stella is intense, and that this is what keeps their relationship going. Stella tells Stanley about the loss of ‘Belle Reve’ and Stanley thinks Blanche has profited from this and goes through her things. When Stanley routes through the letters her husband had written this makes Blanche angry and also brings back memories of her past. That night Stanley has his friends round for a poker game and this is where Blanche first meets Mitch they talk about things they have in common and she tells him she is ... ...l ingredients to a play. ‘A play should be about one character’, in A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee used Blanche, the tragic heroin the protagonist he based his play around Blanches character. ‘A play should be set in one place’ Tennessee used New Orleans, with the play begin set in one place this increased the tension, be more intense so more confrontations would occur if there was no where else to escape to. For Blanche’s character New Orleans becomes a trap. Aristotle also said ‘A play should be set over a 24hr period’ Tennessee didn’t use this ingredient in his play because we needed time for Stella’s pregnancy to develop and cause more conflict. We needed to see Blanche and Mitch’s relationship develop and unfold. Also Blanches mental state needed time to deteriorate so we wouldn’t feel so shocked when she was taken away by the nurse and doctor.

Heritage Project Essay

To me heritage is something that should be of vital of importance, something that has played a part in history and contributed to why I am where I am today. For heritage to be important to me, it must have had an impact on the lives of my ancestors and the choices they made as well as the things which they fought to uphold. Heritage defines who we are, with the different types of foods, buildings and ways of life between the different cultures that bring us together. The stories and memories passed on from generation to generation, bringing us together and giving us a sense of direction. It is the foundation that we are built upon and allows us to lay new grounds for the future. Debate around the public representation of Juma Masjid. Juma Masjid represents the Muslim community, being one of the most glamorous and extravagant mosques in the country people tend to take it for granted and not take into account its unique architecture and design. With the Muslim population annually increasing, space is not a problem as Juma Masjid is the most spacious Mosque in the southern hemisphere. It represents the Muslim community as it is greeted with great numbers of Muslims on the days of Eid as well as a number of tourists who make the trip into town to marvel at its beauty. Although Indian and Muslim people always having a strong bond and togetherness, they aren’t allowed into the Masjid. This is for any non- Muslim for that matter. In Islam, which has strict rules that one has to abide by and comply too. When you are a Muslim, you believe in the One and Only Allah, all other heritage and cultures are of no effect and are said to be false. There is no place for other religions in Islam, a Muslim should not become derailed from Islam and weaken his faith by giving into the western temptations and ways of life. Juma Masjid has never caused uproar or been part of anything controversial regarding its structure. Muslim people should be grateful as South African is a very understanding and accommodating place, with the government allowing Minarets to be built on Mosques. Muslims in Switzerland aren’t so lucky however, as existing Minarets stand and new ones cannot be built, the Muslim people came out saying that instead of trying to make life hard for them and drive them out of the country the Swiss government should rather ‘integrate rather than exclude†. Throughout history people have been oppressed upon, some more than others of course. Because of this people would always remember the past and the way that they were treated and try to turn the oppression around. Our divided past still has an impact on the lives we live today, with sport for instance. White people are highly regarded as cricket and rugby players while Black African people are associated with Soccer and form most part of the support system in the sport locally. We should ask ourselves, how do we sort this out? One should remember that common interests bring people together, so instead of carrying on with the old bring in the new and expose people to different environments, taking them out their comfort zones and creating a better future for our country moving forward. As much as we can say that apartheid is over, there is still the lingering after effects of stereotypes and racism in different aspects of life. Therefore, we cannot just forget about it and move on, we should learn from it and educate about it, so it does not deter this country again. The Juma Masjid. The first bit of history surrounding Juma Masjid may be only from the early 1880’s but for Islam, it was introduced a lot earlier in South Africa, most people believe it to be brought into the country in around 1667 by the Cape Malays. It wasn’t until 1863 though when Aboobaker Amod Jhaveri and Hajee Mahomed Hajee Dada arrived in Durban did Islam really take off and open up to them; the people at the time. It is accepted that they were aboard the SS Truro, one of the passenger liners that brought down labourers from India and other areas. Aboobaker Amod Jhaveri together with Hajee Mahomed Hajee Dada then purchased a plot of land in 1881 from K. Moonsamy for a sum of ? 115 with the intention of building a Masjid for the Muslim people of the Durban area. There was not much of a structure on the site, but none the less they turned this small piece into what would become the largest and most visited Masjid in the southern hemisphere in the century to come. This however still wasn’t the Masjid to be; rather it was a Jamaat Khana. A Jamaat Khana is simple structure in which people could go into and perform their daily prayers. A Jamaat Khana is not even nearly big enough to accommodate the number of Musallees that a Masjid can. A Masjid is much more elaborate in terms of the architecture and minarets, domes and craftsmanship’s. It wasn’t until 1884 when the two founders had the structure rebuilt to make room for the ever growing numbers of Muslim people in the area. This was now the first Masjid ever to be built in the Natal region. This Masjid could now capacitate up to 200 Muslims. Aboobaker being a businessman and knowing the trade, went ahead and purchased land surrounding the Mosque. This proved a smart and important buy as in the following years he would pass away in India from cholera while on a business. This land that had been bought paid dividend as it was used to expand the Masjid even more. As the last surviving trustee and care taker of the Masjid, Hajee Mahomed had to take action as again space for worshippers was becoming an issue because of the influence of Aboobaker’s business transactions and dealings. It is said that he was an honest and fair man, who attracted many non-Muslims to the path of Islam by the way he went about with his dealings and mannerisms. Hajee Mahomed then acquired more land from John Stanger for a sum of ? 300 in 1889 for the Masjid to expand a little more and comfort the Muslims from. Then in 1893 the British Empire abolished slavery and the Indian population wasting no time formed the Natal Indian Congress. With the freedom now granted to people, the first minaret was built on the extensions of the Masjid; this caused a chain reaction as in the same year two shops were built alongside the Masjid providing some money for the caretaking and maintenance of the Masjid. Then in 1905 during the time in which the Masjid was in full flow, the second minaret was built together with a number of rooms, it also facilitated visitors and travellers by establishing toilets and showers for the people at the back of the Masjid. A living area was also built for the Muazzin; the Muazzin is someone who gives the call to prayer for Muslims all around, the call for prayer is called the Azaan. With the Muazzin now in place, it was about time a group of trustees took control of the Masjid and in 1916; which proved a rather important and significant time in this Masjids history. A board of trustees were elected; they included. Hajee Mahomed Dada, Moosa Hajee Cassim, Abdoola Hajee Cassim, Omar Amod, Joosab Jan Mahomed Tayob Hajee Khan Mahomed. These Muslim men made up the first batch that took the realms and pressure off Hajee Mahomed as they worked with him on continuously allowing this Masjid to flourish. These two minarets were the tallest structures in the area of Durban at the time. In 1927 it was decided that it was time to expand and rebuild Juma Masjid, this contract was given to Payne and Payne architectures. A great part of the Masjid was demolished as the second minaret was brought down as construction was completed in 1928; it was also planned that the minaret would be rebuilt. Many parts and mediums of the Masjid changed then after but the greatest and most significant took place 15 years later when the Masjid went under construction again. This time in 1943, the entire building rather than just part of it that was demolished; everything was brought to the ground except the first minaret. Everything else was rebuilt with the exception of the first minaret as the rest of the Masjid was built and fitted into the Masjid. Juma Masjid is not only a place of worship but also a place of education and learning for people. A school for young Muslim girls was also established in 1957, this school has a roll of approximately 400 learners and 300 Madressah students. A Madressah is an institute put in place for children to learn about their religion of Islam and become law abiding citizens, teaching their students morals, values and etiquette. Being in the heart of the bustling Durban central it is convenient for people working in the area. Established as a girl’s school it is now a co-ed school. The Masjid itself is very beautiful Juma Masjid is of major importance in the Muslim community of Durban, as it is occupied daily by hundreds of Muslim men who attend prayers daily. On Fridays in particular, Grey Street will always be busier than usual as all roads lead to Juma Masjid. Friday is the day of most important after Eid prayers in a Muslims life. Thousands of Muslim men close their shops, leave work early and make their way to Juma Masjid in prayer. Women at home prepare lunch as they get ready for their prayers as well. Two other days are also busier than usual; the days of Eid. As thousands of Muslims take the day off from work as everything apart from religion comes to a stop. Everyone in the household is awake early as they ready themselves for the day that lies ahead. Muslim men all flock to Eid Prayers early in the morning as there are large gatherings all around the city. The day is then spent with family, great functions are held as people come together to celebrate this auspicious day of Eid. Juma Masjid has a distinct Islamic architecture style to, with its golden minaret which glistens in the rays of the sun many people often forget it’s majestic and eye popping beauty. I for one am yet to come across a Masjid that has shops, offices, a school and still a beautifully designed Masjid; all in one structure. When you enter this Masjid you are greeted with an archway, which is just underneath one of the golden minarets. Leaving your shoes outside your feet are met by the soft and warm red cushioning carpet as they sink into the carpeted floor as you enter this century old marvel. Once inside, it is realised Juma Masjid is amazing inside as well, built in a baronial style. Juma Masjid is truly something to be admired. With a Corinthian type walls on each of its high rise levels. Being Muslim I have visited many different Masjids around the country but not once have I ever come across another Masjid that has a pond in its Wudhu area. Wudhu being commonly known as ablution, simply cleansing oneself of impurities and keeping yourself clean and respectable as you prepare to stand before Allah in prayer. With the Wudhu area being a square with ablution stations all around it, all comes together with a pond in the middle and topping it off fish swimming inside is just the wonders of this spiritual sanctuary.

Definition and Examples of Linguistic Americanization

Definition and Examples of Linguistic Americanization In linguistics, Americanization is the influence of the distinctive lexical and grammatical forms of American English on other varieties of the English language. Also called linguistic Americanization. As Leech and Smith* observe below, If the term Americanization is taken to imply direct influence of AmE on BrE, it should be treated with caution (2009).See Examples and Observations below. Examples and Observations Globalization in the current era is associated, for better or for worse, with Americanization. This is particularly true of its cultural dimension. For it is the United States, as the worlds hyper-power, that has the economic, military, and political power to projects its culture and values globally. Yet, as many commentators have noted, Americans appear parochial and unworldly, hardly the cosmopolitan sophisticates needed to proffer a truly global vision.The ambiguity of the United States representing globality is perhaps no more apparent than in the projection of its language globally. On the one hand, Americans are particularly notorious for their linguistic insularity, rarely exhibiting the foreign language proficiency so common elsewhere in the world. Yet, as well known, the American language, English, is a global import, inherited from an earlier global power, England. Hence American ownership of global English is more tenuous than its ownership of other global cultural icons, such as McDonalds or Disney.(Selma K. Sonntag, The Local Politics of Global English: Case Studies in Linguistic Globalization. Lexington Books, 2003) Grammatical and Lexical ChangesThe evidence provided by the Brown family of corporaespecially the comparison between the British corpora (1961, 1991) and the American corpora (1961, 1992)often shows AmE to be in the lead or to show a more extreme tendency, and BrE to be following in its wake. Thus, must, in our data, has declined more in AmE than in BrE, and has become much rarer than have to and (have) got to in AmE conversational speech. Users of British English are familiar with lexical changes due to American influence, such as increasing use of movie(s) and guy(s), but grammatical changes from the same source are less noticeable. . . . [A] finding that AmE is ahead of BrE in a given frequency change does not necessarily imply direct transatlantic influenceit could simply be an ongoing change in both varieties where AmE is more advanced. If the term Americanization is taken to imply direct influence of AmE on BrE, it should be treated with caution.(*Geoffrey Leech and Nicholas Sm ith, Change and Constancy in Linguistic Change: How Grammatical Usage in Written English Evolved in the Period 1931-1991. Corpus Linguistics: Refinements and Reassessments, ed. by Antoinette Renouf and Andrew Kehoe. Rodopi, 2009) Be going to[B]e going to was more than twice as frequent in the American corpus as in the Australian or British corpora, suggesting that Americanization may be a factor in its growing popularity. That colloquialization may be another relevant factor is suggested by the finding that be going to is greatly preferred in speech over writing (by a ratio of 9.9:1), further confirmation for the applicability of this suggestion to AmE and BrE being provided by Leechs (2003) finding that between 1961 and 1991/2 be going to enjoyed a strong increase in popularity in American writing (51.6%) and in British writing (18.5%).(Peter Collins, The English Modals and Semi-Modals: Regional and Stylistic Variation. The Dynamics of Linguistic Variation: Corpus Evidence on English Past and Present, ed. by Terttu Nevalainen. John Benjamins, 2008)The Americanization of EuropeBecause of the advent of linguistic Americanization, . . . one can no longer claim that Europes lingua franca is unequivocally a Briti sh commodity. English is emerging in Europe, not only as a universal language, but also as a potential norm-generating variety. . . .Basically, what we have is a traditional basis for ELT [English Language Teaching], one centered in BrE, on the teacher as model, on British and American social studies, and on the goal of mimicking the idealized native speaker, evolving into a platform for ELT which constitutes a radical departure from such beliefs and practices. Instead, linguistic Americanization, the mixing of BrE and AmE which suggests a kind of mid-Atlantic accent and a rich blend of lexical usage, the idea of a variety of Euro-English, the use of postcolonial texts in cultural studies modules, and the desire to develop cross-cultural communicative skills, is on the upswing, while BrE, prescriptivism, and traditionalist positioning are declining.(Marko Modiano, EIL, Native-Speakerism and the Failure of European ELT. English as an International Language: Perspectives and Pedagogic al Issues, ed. by Farzad Sharifian. Multilingual Matters, 2009) Yiddish and American English: A Two-Way ProcessThroughout Yekl [1896] and his early stories, [Abraham] Cahan translates the Yiddish of characters into correct (albeit ornate) English while leaving incorporated English words in their misspelled, italicized forms: feller (fellow), for example, or preticly (perhaps particular). Speech thus represents the cultural intermixture arising from contact between the immigrant and American society, an intermixture captured in remarkably hybrid sentencesDont you always say you like to dansh with me becush I am a good dansher? (Yekl, 41)and even in individual words like oyshgreen: A verb coined from the Yiddish oys, out, and the English green, and signifying to cease being green (95n).This narrative technique also represents a reversal of perspective, whereby English becomes the contaminating element within another language. The Americanization of Yiddish is given from a Yiddish perspective. English words are thrown backrulesh (rules), deshepoitn (disappoint), saresfied (satisfied)transformed and defamiliarized by their inclusion in another linguistic system. Just as Yiddish becomes Americanized in Yekl, American English becomes Yiddishized: transformative linguistic contact is shown as a two-way process.(Gavin Roger Jones, Strange Talk: The Politics of Dialect Literature in Gilded Age America. University of California Press, 1999) Alternate Spellings: Americanisation

Analysis of the Hounds of Tindalos essays

Analysis of the Hounds of Tindalos essays The Hounds of Tindalos is a short science fiction story containing many and varied elements that have been long associated with the genre of science fiction. This essay will identify these elements, examining their placement within this short text and also the interchange of these elements with the characteristics of other genres, more specifically, horror. Belknap Long, the author, was clearly intent of incorporating the elements of horror within the genre of science fiction and this amalgamation of these two genres was a popular combination employed by future horror and SF writers. Perhaps the inclusion of horror within the SF genre is a comment in itself about perceptions of SF held by writers, the elements of horror being a cautionary warning to those in the science world. Longs main character is Halpin Chalmers, a self proclaimed rebel and champion of originality and lost causes. From the start it is clear there are present within this text some elements of the SF genre that seem to be in just about every SF story, beginning with the main character. Many writers have as their main characters people who are non-conformists, who wish to boldly go where no one has gone before and who are willing to take seemingly illogical and irrational risks in the hope of furthering makinds scientific discoveries. Chalmers is no exception in this as he willingly partakes in an ancient Chinese drug that is a known powerful hallucinogen in a bid to go back in time. There is of course the proverbial wet blanket in the shape of the narrator, known only as Frank, who believes his friend Chalmers to be quite mad, but who never-the-less agrees to aid his friend in his bizarre experiment despite the risks he is taking. Frank represents all those characters in SF stories who are the skeptics, the non believers, who have a solid faith in the science of the present, and who consider characters like Chalmers to be eccentr...

Project Management 10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project Management 10 - Essay Example nately, Terry was bombarded with detailed engineering-related questions about the specifications and production issues hence she gets frustrated and close the presentation leaving the meeting. Terry presentation however, shows us that she was not prepared well for this presentation and that through various questions she was asked from the audience shows that the presentation was not appropriate. Before presentation, one needs to dedicate his her appropriate time which is a crucial part of marking a successful presentation (Steele, 2009). Terry was supposed to think carefully about the message to communicate and this could have played a role in boosting her confidence as well. A good presentation incurs distinctive elements including the objective, subject, and the nature of the audience, the place, time and length of the talk which makes a presentation successfully. Terry however, at the start of her presentation would have critically articulated clarity on whether and when she should be answering the questions from the audience. She should have told the audience to raise their questions when she completes her all slides explanation of the project. This help a lot since the some of the audiences questions can be well answered as go along the presentation. The decision to walk away from presentation was null. As a project manager, it is better to explain engage divisibly with the audience and assure them to get their questions answered as soon as possible once the problem have been resolved since nature at times takes into

International economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International economics - Essay Example The main advantage of this system was the elimination of the costs of converting currencies and exchange rates uncertainties. This system also brought with it increased transparency, efficiency, and inward investment. Among the disadvantages was the one size fits all policy. When one country was doing badly and the rest were booming economically, the central bank might be interested in increasing the interest rates, this would make the situation worse for the country experiencing a recession. Also some countries may be reluctant to improve their economy with the hope that countries doing well would bail them out. Portugal, Greece and Spain have been the poor performers of the Eurozone. These countries have shown the disadvantages of having a fixed currency regime. Ever since these nations adopted the Euro, they have been unable to implement the required measures for independent monetary policy in order to mitigate the effects of an economic downfall in the Eurozone. European Union leaders have been giving stabilization packages to bail out these countries and maintain stability in the Eurozone but these countries are still lagging behind. Despite the many advantages a fixed currency regime has to offer, Portugal Greece and Spain prove