Managing at the Edge Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing at the Edge - Research Paper Example This is an approach that underestimates the abilities of the employees to carry out tasks and to innovate and improvise as they go. In this kind of companies, each and every decision has to be taken at top level and the employees in the lower levels of hierarchy only have to mechanically obey what they are told. There will a fixed chain of command that will often be lengthy as well (Carney and Getz, 2009, p.23). The decision making will be highly â€Å"procedure-driven† (Carney and Getz, 2009, p.23). Lack of flexibility caused by stringent rules and stunning of the possibilities of creative contribution from employees, are two major drawbacks of 'how' companies. In contrast to this, a 'why' company is one which shares with its employees a single quest, namely, 'why we are doing what we are doing?' (Carney and Getz, 2009, p.16). Naturally, it is a common quest for the company and the employees. The only answer possible for this question is, â€Å" to keep the customers happyâ €  (Carney and Getz, 2009, p.17). Thus the 'why' company wants the employees to keep its customers happy and does not bother much about how it is attained (Carney and Getz, 2009, p.17-18). This is an approach that allows maximum contribution and participation from the employees. It gives freedom to the employees to innovate and improvise and through that, will enhance their motivation and self-esteem. In traditional 'how' companies, the strict control can help achieve good growth and profits (Carney and Getz, 2009, p.43). But this positive aspect will be counter-balanced by the detachment and stress that the employees feel in an environment where there is least freedom (Carney and Getz, 2009, p.43). This will get reflected in their output as well (Carney and Getz, 2009, p.43). References Carney, B.M. And Getz, I. (2009) Freedom, Inc., New York: Crown Business. 2. What are the characteristics of a Level 5 Leader? Level 5 leader is someone who has the capability to lead a company f rom â€Å"good to great†, according to Collins (2001). The term, level 5, is used to indicate â€Å"a five-level hierarchy† (Collins, 2001). Collins (2001) has explained these five levels as given below: Level 1 relates to individual capability, Level 2 to team skills, Level 3 to managerial competence, and Level 4 to leadership as traditionally conceived. Level 5 leaders possess the skills of levels 1 to 4 but also have an "extra dimension": a paradoxical blend of personal humility ("I never stopped trying to become qualified for the job") and professional will ("sell the mills"). People who inhabit the level 5 leadership category are not egocentric and dislike showing off (Collins, 2001). All the same, they have the strength and will power to take bold decisions when the hour needs so (Collins, 2001). It is the goals, the organization and the meaningfulness of the whole exercise that come first for them rather than their personal ego (Collins, 2001). They are highly a mbitious but not in the real sense the word, ambition is commonly used (Collins, 2001). Level 5 leaders are ambitious not towards their own narrow personal career goals but for greatness of the job involved and the organization (Collins, 2001). Level 5 leader will always be only partially satisfied by the results achieved and would constantly seek self-improvement (Collins, 2001). The greatest motivation of such a leader is to leave behind a real

College Binge Drinking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

College Binge Drinking - Research Paper Example Studies reveal that depending on alcohol is a cause that is not directly or genetically transferred from generation to generation. However, it can be said that it is an outcome of a complex combination of psychological, genetic and environmental factors. People might drink to run away from problems, they might drink alone because of its short-term soothing effects, they might even drink on an excessive scale while attending parties or in bars for the sole purpose of entertainment and getting drunk, but as they carry on with their drinking practice, they forget that their drinking habit is accompanied by a long term chain of adverse side effects. This is because drinking itself highly disturbs the organ systems of a human body and slowly poisons the entire human system (Dryden-Edwards n.d.). Binge drinking, therefore is a common known terminology that is normally used to describe excessive intake or abusive intake of alcohol in the United States. Students attending their college are more likely to be involved in this practice. It is a pattern of getting drunk or in-taking alcohol in such a way that it brings an individual’s BAC (blood alcohol concentration) to 0.08 grams percent or at times even higher. Usually, this is more likely to happen when a male dinks five and more drinks. A woman, on the other hand, is projected to fall into the same state when she consumes up to 4 drinks in almost 2 hours. There are almost 79,000 deaths that occur each year and fall in the category of deaths due to excessive alcohol usage in the United States. Â  This means that excessive use of alcohol is the third greatest cause of death in the United States of America. Â  Moreover, excessive usage of alcohol can also be subjected to cause a massive, 2.3 million potential life losse s, per year. In addition, the statistics for the year 2005 show that up to 1.6 million people have to be admitted to the hospital and about 4 million have to be taken in the

Qualitative And Quantitative Research Methods Computer Science Essay

Qualitative And Quantitative Research Methods Computer Science Essay Qualitative research is involves using various methods ranging from participant observation, interviews, and action research, to ethnography, document review and grounded theory in order to investigate and explain phenomena of predominantly human sciences. However, qualitative research can also be found in various other disciplines, subject to suitable methodologies. A general shift in orientation of Information Systems (IS) has resulted in an elevated focus on organizational and managerial rather than technological issues. The reorientation also requires qualitative research to enter the discipline of IS, which used to be exclusively relying on quantitative research for testing its theoretical body. This paper is to review and discuss the methods of qualitative research with the aim of identifying their suitability for research in Information Systems. Based on the limitations and benefits of the individual research methods, a framework for applying such methods will be presented to be considered as a vantage point in applying such methods scientifically. Introduction The concept of methodology refers to the principal way of going about doing research or practicing the discipline in its present activities. Consequently, the term research methodology refers to the way research is being conducted within the discipline, and normally this is methodology is confined to the respective scientific discipline. Research methodology refers to all the methods employed specifically when doing research, e.g. the subjects interviewed, the materials used, the methods used to collect data, etc. The aim is to accurately and exhaustingly describe and list all parameters which led to the obtaining of a certain set of data, so that it could be repeated elsewhere and by other researchers. The methodology also specifies the upper and lower limits, the exact circumstances under which the research was conducted (Alavi Carlson, 1992) (Myers, 1997) (Orlikowski Iacono, 2001). The emergence of computer science and the absence of a research tradition like the disciplines of physics, chemistry, or biology led to the predominance of a technical perspective on information systems. Realizing the tremendous social consequences of information systems, computer science and technology on people and society has paved the way for using qualitative research in this discipline. Not surprisingly, researchers such as (Mangan, 2004) have pointed out the increasing occurrence of qualitative research methods in information system research and its related management areas. Discussion The human desire to shape the world and materialise ideas and concepts brought on us many notoriously failing, yet at other times marvellously ingenious pieces of engineering and concepts of grandeur, which is unique to human life as much as we are able to reflect on ourselves and our actions. This paper is to discuss computer science by defining the terms science and scientific method in relation to the Theory of Science. Based on the writings of (Kuhn, 1962) (Carnap, 1994) (Popper, 1999)and (Chalmers, 1999), the relationships between science, research, development and technology is explored. Computer Science has as its object of investigation the computer as a technology, as a tool to structure knowledge and information in and about our world. As much as computer science is based in mathematics and logic, its theoretical and experimental research methods follow that of classical sciences. However, computer science also features those unique methods of modelling and simulation which have drawn and transformed other sciences while impacting tremendously on artistic and commercial fields. In maintaining a close relationship with technology, computer science is subject to a continuous development parallel to modern life, though lacking a scientific tradition of classical sciences. By the time computer science emerged in the late 1940s, it was more of a bringing together of various existing sciences, culminating in various concepts of other sciences (logic, mathematics, physics) to be re-assembled to bring forth a new theory and practice of general abstraction and specific design. Though termed computer science, however, it is not so obvious that the field qualifies as a science in the traditional sense. Still a young discipline, it also started out very differently than for example similar classic Greek sciences such as mathematics and physics. The historical development of computer science brought about an age of dramatically increased communication, which, for one, allowed other sciences to communicate much more effectively than ever before, while at the same time allowed a holistic view of our world to emerge and establish itself amongst most of todays societies. What is commonly referred to as science can be described a systematic observation of phenomena by means of (certain) sets empirical and logical methods in order to understand such phenomena. We consign to a certain understanding of phenomena, once we have a theory which can help us to explain such phenomena why they are what they are, or why we experience them as we do, whether they follow a certain pattern, etc. Traditionally, the scientific enquiry is first and foremost concerned with the physical world, with empirical phenomena which require logical and empirical methods to observe, describe and explain such phenomena. As such, science is divided into several specific sciences in order to cut down on complexities. Natural sciences contain fields such as physics, chemistry, geology, biology, etc., while social sciences refer to psychology, sociology, economics, anthropology, etc. The humanities refer to areas of investigation such as philosophy, history, linguistics, etc., while culture refers to areas such as religion, art, etc. A special class of science is logic and mathematics, in that they are exclusively abstract fields of enquiry with no need to refer to the physical world in any way. What is referred to as science is also a body of knowledge that is more or less organized, and which gives rise and consistency to the agreed logical and empirical methods employed in going about the observation and explanation of phenomena. However, science is also the concrete application of such organized knowledge to the physical world. Science attempts to explain and understand the physical world. It is important to note that science is always an after-the-fact effort in understanding the observed phenomena. Scientific knowledge is not a priori, meaning, it never occurs before the observation. This is different for logic and mathematics, in that knowledge in these fields does not presuppose an observation. In these fields, conclusions are reached by logic, while at the same time logic is the object and field of investigation. Science presupposes an order in the natural world which structures and order everything in the universe, an order which is relatively constant, and which can be discovered in order to gain increased levels of knowledge about the world. In the end, science is an expression of human curiosity and a desire, and ability, to solve problems. Such problem-solving endeavours eventually lead to the building of theories, attempting to unite and unify all our observations, or a subset of observations into rational structures which depict the natural world. As such, theories are nets cast to catch what we call the world: to rationalize, to explain, and to master it. We endeavor to make the mesh ever finer and finer. (Popper, 1999) The Scientific Method There is no single scientific method. While one could define the scientific method as a set of practices which scientists use to answer questions within their specific field of research or investigation, the methods employed can vary significantly. Some of the methods used for scientific enquiry are of logical nature, as they refer to arriving at deductions from certain hypotheses, or as they refer to causal relationships and their logical implications. Other methods are of an empirical quality, in that they refer to making observations, the designing of instruments (e.g. to collect data), or the designing of controlled experiments. However, all and any scientific method employed is subject to the criterion of being replicable and repeatable. Any other person should be able to duplicate the very experimental setup or enquiry, and produce either the same results, or dissimilar results. This is also a strong indicator of scientific methods being impersonal, or put differently, unless another person can duplicate the results of another scientist, this serves as a sign that there are substantial errors in either the design, the methodology, or the interpretation of such results. Scientific methods are used to generate the logical limits or environment within which to generate information, which can serve either as a result of certain questions asked, or as input to questions to be asked. Such methods also serve to establish scientific theories about whatever can be theorised about in the context of the specific research environment. In science, everything is theoretical until substantiated by logical deduction (or induction), empirical proof, or a combination thereof. The scientific method is characterised by the very nature of science, in that it is never absolute, constantly in a state of being changed and reviewed. All findings are negotiated in empirical terms, and this positivist negotiating process is a recursively self-correcting process which roots science exclusively in the empirical paradigm. It should be noted, though, that the scientific method is just that, a method, a set of human practices geared and calibrated towards obtaining knowledge about the world in a certain, exclusively positivist way. Researchers such as (Feyerabend, 2000) et al. maintained that all human epistemological endeavours, and with that all scientific endeavours, do not arise from a vacuum. All human experience and thought are based on prior experience and thought, thus all experimental data is rather theory-contaminated. This bears specifically on computer science, in that the design of experimental equipment has to follow a similar pattern like the scientific method exemplified above in order to maintain a verifiable baseline. Qualitative Research The most common differentiation between various research methods is that of quantitative versus qualitative research methods. Quantitative research is concerned with quantifiable data, objective measures which can be repeated always and everywhere, given that all parameters which could influence the measurement process have been analysed and specified in the research design. This is the predominant research methodology of all natural sciences (Myers, 1997), and includes methods such as e.g. mathematical modeling (also used in computer science), test performance scores, measurements (weighing, counting, etc.), but also context-free survey responses. Qualitative research is about evaluating, measuring, and understanding of social issues (e.g. in sociology) or human problems (e.g. in psychology), as embedded in a social context featuring the influence of subjective opinions, goals, objectives or understandings (Cresswell, 1994). Here, more than often, it matters for example how questions and statements are worded, and how such is understood across various cultures, societies, groups, or individuals. Accordingly, the methods employed range from participant observation to interviews and questionnaires, in short, whatever method is suitable to elucidate the very quality of a situation or condition. The fact that the Information Systems discipline is rooted in the engineering tradition due to its positivist qualities regarding computer science and the activities around designing and building computers, prototyping and modelling have led researchers such as Roger Clarke to indicate that positivist approaches alone are insufficient to gather the interpretive aspects and qualities which often are emergent phenomena when approaching Information Systems from a management perspective (Clarke, 1995). Positivist Information systems research was classified as positivist by researchers (Orlikowski Baroudi, 1991), provided such research provided quantifiable measures of variables, hypothesis testing and formal propositions about a problem, the phenomenon and the sample of the population. Researchers such as (Yin, 2002) and (Marzanah, 2007), on the contrary, have exemplified the applicability of case study research as a valid approach to information system research. Interpretive Notwithstanding the ideals and benefits of a positivist approach to the world, not all phenomena can be accorded for by an empirical approach as practiced in the hard sciences of physics et al. The attempt to understand the complexities of a subjectively experienced but socially constructed reality in which it is important to understand the context within which such processes happen and meaning is imbued on a multitude of processes and relations, has fostered the scientific approach to history and culture, and the embeddedness of human life into such complex systems (Orlikowski Baroudi, 1991). Irrespective of the perspective on such negotiated contexts, qualitative research still aims at maintaining the objectivity of the researcher as he/she attempts to collect data for interpretation. Likewise, the use of qualitative research in the Information Systems discipline is aimed at producing an understanding of the context of the information system, and the process whereby the informatio n system influences and is influenced by the context (Walsham, 1993). Engineering The movement from logic and mathematics to natural science, social sciences, the humanities and culture is an indication that human society developed parallel to human thought as contained in the purely natural sciences concerned only with the natural world. The development of science beyond those natural sciences and logic and mathematics is to show that humans were successfully integrating and re-integrating the then current knowledge to include further areas of interest which do not correlate with the traditional field of investigation of the respective sciences, i.e. humans were repeatedly relating one subject with another, say, the functions of vitamins in the human body with the effects thereof within a social context. The emergence of computer science was possible by the inclusion of mathematics and logic, in the form of the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), while at the same time drawing on physics, chemistry, biology and psychology. Since its inception in 1936 as a branch of mathematics, computer science has been limiting itself to an exploration of how mathematics can be codified by and into mechanistic explanations and principles, with the earliest computer programs being FORTRAN in 1954 to solve problems in numerical analysis, and LISP in 1958 to solve problems in symbolic processing. Computer science is more of a meta-activity, in that it reflects on the practice of writing software programs or designing computer hardware. More precisely though, computer science is concerned with the design, development and investigation of empirical methodologies and logical concepts that are the basis of the scientific activities of specifying, developing, implementing and analyzing computational systems (Eden, 2007). Qualitative Research Method in Information System IS research has been the study of processes related to the development of IS applications and the effects that IS applications have on people, particularly in formal settings such as organizations. The importance of IS research until now, has led to a number of different research approaches and methods, usually adapted from other disciplines such as sociology, natural sciences, and business studies. Harvard colloquium on qualitative IS research methods and QualIT conference in Griffith University in Brisbane on November 2005 have highlighted qualitative research, as a distinctive research approach. Qualitative research methods were developed in the social sciences to enable researchers to study social and cultural phenomena. Qualitative data sources include observation and participant observation (fieldwork), interviews and questionnaires, documents and texts, and the researchers impressions and reactions. According to Northcutt McCoy (2004), Myers (2006), and Hesse-Biber Levy (200 6), there are four research methods being used by IS researchers. The research methods are the case study research, ethnography, action research, and grounded theory. Case Study Case study research is the most common qualitative method used in information systems (Alavi and Carlson, 1992). Yin (2002) defines the scope of a case study as an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident. Yin further suggested the following steps techniques for organizing and conducting the case study research. The steps are to determine and define the research questions, to select the cases and determine data gathering and analysis techniques, prepare to collect data, collect data in the field, to evaluate and analyze the data and lastly preparing the report. There are numerous case study research, in the organizational context for the implementation of information systems, to illustrate and investigate theories related to IS and organization. Ethnography This is the research method of anthropology with its emphasis on culture. It is undertaken by observation, interviews and examination of documents. In the research, the researchers observe their collaborators without prejudice or prior assumptions. Ethnography is widely used in the study of information systems in organizations, from the study of the development of information systems (Davies Nielsen, 1992). Ethnography according to Avison and Myers, (1995) is suited to providing information systems researchers with rich insights into the human, social and organizational aspects of information systems development and application. The goal of ethnographic research is to improve our understanding of human thought and action through interpretation of human actions in context. Basic steps recommended as a general framework for an ethnographic study (Rose et al., 1995), used to conduct an ethnographic study. The steps include preparation to understand, familiarize setting goals and access to observe. Field study to establish rapport with managers and users, observe/interview and collect data. Analysis to compile the collected data, quantify data and compile statistics, preparing report and presenting the findings. Randall, D., et al. (1999), explore the issue of legacy through the use of a long-term empirical investigation into how information technology is employed in a major UK bank. The closeness of their investigation into the day-to-day operations of the bank from the perspectives of individual users (using ethnographic techniques) identifies the embedded nature of the technology and the impact of cultural, organizational, and individual employees legacy on organizational and technical change. Action Research Action research has been promoted and practiced as one way to conduct empirical research within Information System discipline. Information system action research (Davidson, 1998) is applied research to develop a solution that is of practical value to the people with whom the researchers are working, and at the same time to develop theoretical knowledge of value to a research community. According to Baskerville, R. (1999), information system research in has led to a number of different research approaches and methods, adapted from other disciplines such as sociology, natural sciences, and business studies and is often identified by its dual goal of both improving the organization participating in the research project, and the AR practitioner is expected to apply intervention on this environment. Action Research methodology was normally chosen as a research methodology as it provides the research with an inside and working view of the research matter. AR study done is characterized by the researcher applying positive intervention to the organization, while collecting field data about the organization and the effects of the intervention. Grounded Theory Grounded theory is a research method that seeks to develop theory that is grounded in data systematically gathered and analyzed. According to Corbin and Strauss (1990), grounded theory is theory discovery methodology that allows the researcher to develop a theoretical account based on concepts, categories and propositions. There are five phases of grounded theory building: research design, data collection, data ordering, data analysis and literature comparison, and each phase were evaluated against four research quality criteria: construct validity, internal validity, external validity and reliability. Orlikowski, (1993) uses grounded theory research in the findings of an empirical study into two organizations experiences with the adoption and use of CASE tools over time. The study characterizes the organizations experiences in terms of processes of incremental or radical organizational change. These findings are used to develop a theoretical framework for conceptualizing the organiz ational issues around the adoption and use of these tools and issues that have been largely missing from contemporary discussions of CASE tools. Singh et al (2005) discussed on the challenge of methodological implication of moving from grounded theory to user requirement in IS design. Results and Discussion Conclusion A research method is a strategy of inquiry to research design and data collection. The choice of research method will influence the way in which the researcher collects data. Specific research methods also imply different skills, assumptions and research practices. According to Benbasat et al (1996), no single research methodology is better that any other methodology, and in order to ensure the quality of information system research, Clarke (1997) listed the following requirements to be present in an IS research: the research method, applied within the scientific, the interpretive or the engineering tradition, the explication of a body of theory, which in most cases needs to reach back into reference disciplines, and also the extension of the theory. This give rise to the following motivation in conducting qualitative research in IS: Spending many hours in the field, collecting extensive data, and trying to gain access, rapport, as to gain an insider perspective in natural setting, and doing exploratory studies, where variables cannot be identified, theories are not available to explain behavior of participants or their population of study, and theories need to be developed. The qualitative research does also present some challenges that the researchers might face in using the method. In grounded theory, the challenges for the researchers are to set aside, as much as possible, theoretical ideas or notions so that the analytic, substantive theory can emerge, the researcher must recognize that this is a systematic approach to research with specific steps in data analysis. The researcher faces the difficulty of determining when categories are saturated or when the theory is sufficiently detailed. The ethnography is challenging to use for the researchers as the researcher needs to have grounding in cultural anthropology, time to collect data is extensive, involving prolonged time in the field, and there is a possibility to be unable to complete the study or be compromised in the study. In case study research, some of the challenges that the researcher must face is that whether to study a single case or multiple cases. The study of more than one case may dilutes the overall due to the lack of depth. In action research methods, lack of agreed criteria for evaluating action research, further complicates the publication review process, and makes this approach a difficult choice for academics. There is also an issue in both ethical and professional problems. Researchers who do not carefully explain their research orientation may mislead clients who are expecting consulting-type performance, creating an ethical breech regarding informed consent. In the field of IS a variety of research methodologies has been explored by researchers for different aspects of research study depending on the research focus and application domain of the researchers. Whatever research method to use, there must be some way of assuring the quality of the data collected, and the correctness of interpretation. There is also the need of a framework to guide the effort, and to clarify such methodological details, as it will provide a set of guidelines for a good IS research as suggested by Checkland (1991) and Lau (1997). A framework in Table 3 is proposed and has been used by Marzanah (2007) to guide the effort, clarify methodological details as the role of the researcher, the process of problem diagnosis, the nature of the intervention, the extent of reflection and learning intended, and whether there is new knowledge to be gained in the research. The action research approach enabled us to understand the interaction of social organization and information systems, by introducing changes into these processes and observing the effects of these changes. The action research approach is proposed due to the value of capturing and explaining what is going on in real organization. By using action research, it enabled us to understand the interaction of social organization and information systems, by introducing changes into these processes and observing the effects of these changes. It serves as a checklist with its criteria and questions to assess the quality of the research. The qualitative research methodology approach is viewed as significant in IS research due to the value of capturing and explaining what is going on in real organization. It enabled us to understand the interaction of social organization and information systems, the processes and observing the effects of these changes brought forward by IS. A research framework inaction research is proposed as guidance for the research activities to be undertaken to ensure the research objectives are met. The framework would guide the research effort and clarify methodological details of the role of the researcher, the process of problem diagnosis, the real world happening in an organization, the extent of reflection and learning intended, and whether there is new knowledge to be gained.

Leviticus Essay -- essays research papers

Leviticus 11 is dealing with the subject of cleanness and uncleanness, specifically, with the subject of clean and unclean foods. The word "clean"has a lot of different meanings today depending upon the context in which it is used. For one thing, the expression clean and its counterpoint unclean is one of the prominent themes of Leviticus. Unclean and its cognates occurs 132 times in the Old Testament; over half of these are in Leviticus. So the sense of uncleanness is a predominate theme, and the word clean, along with its related terms, occurs 74 times in Leviticus, which is over one-third of the uses found in the Old Testament. When we come to chapter 11, it is stated that cleanness and uncleanness has to do principally with food. It deals secondarily with cleanness or uncleanness that is the result of contact with a dead animal, but it seems the reason the dead animal is called unclean is because we couldn't eat it. Even a clean animal, a bull or a sheep, could not be eaten if it were not killed in a sacrificially prescribed way. So it has to do with food or that which is touched when dead.we find first the land creatures, the animals that roam about through the earth (vv. 1-8); then we find in verses 9-12 the water creatures, those that live under water or in the water, and finally we have the flying creatures. First, there are the land animals. There are two basic stipulations which must be met bef...

Microbiology Coursework: Bacillus Cereus

Microbiology Coursework: Bacillus cereus After investigation following on outbreak of food poisoning at a pizza restaurant, it was found that all suffers had consumed a portion of side salad from the self-service salad bar alongside their main dish. Subsequently, this was further traced to a rice salad. Environmental Health Officers investigating this outbreak suspected it may have been caused by Bacillus cereus (B. cereus). The presence of large numbers of B. cereus in a food is indicative of active growth and proliferation of the organism and is consistent with a potential hazard to health. The diagnosis of B. ereus can be confirmed by the isolation of more than 105 B. cereus organisms per gram from epidemiologically implicated food, but such testing is often not done because the illness is relatively harmless and usually self-limiting 1. Design a method(s) to enumerate the: i)Total bacterial count ii)Bacillus cereus count In the rice saladThis outbreak of food poisoning could be i nvestigated by performing an enumeration (plate count) of the total viable bacteria in the rice salad on a general non-selective agar using either the pour or the spread plate method. To confirm that the outbreak had been caused by any B. ereus present in the rice salad a selective media agar, such as mannitol egg yolk polymixin agar (MEYP/MYP), should be used. Once B. cereus has been confirmed a further enumeration of the B. cereus should be performed on the MEYP/MYP agar selective media plate to show whether the amount of B. cereus present is within the range known to cause food poisoning 105–107 cells g? 1 of food for Diarrhoeal syndrome, or 105–108 cells g? 1 of food for Emetic syndrome. (Granum & Lund, 2006) To perform a total cell count and the confirmation of B. cereus by either the pour or spread plate method the equipment required is as follows:General non-selective agar Mannitol egg yolk polymixin agar (MEYP/MYP) Petri dishes Glass or disposable â€Å"hockey stick† spreader Bunsen burner Test tubes Ringers solution Pastettes / Pippettes Food blender Before a cell count can be performed a serial dilution of an homogenate of the rice salad is required. For this one part rice salad is blended to nine part ringers solution, from this initial homogenate that the serial dilution is created by taking 1ml of this original and adding it to 9ml of ringers solution thereby creating a 1:10 dilution of the original.This step is repeated a further 5 times, each time taking 1ml from the dilution created in the previous tube and adding it to 9ml of ringers solution thereby with each step the original sample is diluted by a further factor of 10, (Figure 1). Once the serial dilution has been completed down to a dilution of 1:1,000,000 (10-6) either the pour or spread plate method of plating out of the samples can be performed Figure 1: Serial dilution When using a general non-selective agar both the pour and spread plate methods can be used for en umeration of the total bacteria in the rice salad.With both methods all plates are performed in triplicate. Along-side the non-selective agar, an agar such as MEYP/MYP selective agar which is selective for B. cereus can be used to confirm that B. cereus is present in the original sample. In the pour plate method 1ml or 0. 1ml of each of the dilutions prepared earlier within the serial dilution are added to individual petri dishes and a nutrient agar which is held at around 50oC is poured over each of these samples, the petri dishes are swirled causing gentle agitation and mixing the bacteria with the agar.After the agar has solidified the plates are incubated, after this incubation the pour plates show bacterial growth both on and within the agar due to aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. In the spread plate method 0. 1ml of each of the serial dilution solutions is pipetted onto the surface of a pre-poured agar plate and spread using a â€Å"hockey stick† spreader, the agar plate s are then incubated. Bacterial colonies only grow on the surface of the spread plate, (Figure 2) Figure 2: Method of Pour and spread plate technique. Microbial Growth, 2011) Once the plates have been incubated they are examined and the number of colonies counted, only plates that show between 30-300 colonies are counted, if the number of colonies is above 300 then the plate is discarded as too numerous to count, if below 30 it is discarded as too few to count. After the plates showing between 30-300 colonies have been counted the number of bacteria in the original sample can be worked out using the calculation Number of colonies on plate x dilution of sample = number of bacteria / mlIf growth has occurred on the MEYP/MYP plates, a Gram stain can be performed on a sample from one of the colonies, when the gram stain is examined under oil immersion B. cereus should appear as large Gram-positive bacilli in short-to-long chains; with spores that are ellipsoidal, central to subterminal, and that do not swell the sporangium. (Tallent, Rhodehamel , Harmon, & Bennett, 2012) (Figure 3) Figure 3: flow diagram showing order of events leading to the enumeration of total bacteria and Bacillus cereus in a sample of food. 2.Explain why MEYP/MYP agar is selective for Bacillus cereus B. cereus is mannitol-negative. The mannitol content of the medium thus allows differentiation of the accompanyingmannitol-positive microbial flora which are identified by a change in colour of the indicator phenol red to yellow. B. cereus is not affected by concentrations of polymyxin which inhibit the common accompanying microbial flora (Donovan, 1958). Addition of polymyxin is necessary, however, if the sample material is suspected to contain high-numbers of accompanying microorganisms B. cereus produces lecithinase.The insoluble degradation products of egg-yolk lecithin accumulate around the Cereus colonies to form a white precipitate. A lecithinase reaction occurs very early in many strains, Cereus colonies can, therefore, often be rapidly identified before accompanying polymyxin-resistant microorganisms have had a chance to fully develop. Incubation: 18-40 hours at 32  °C. B. cereus appears as rough, dry colonies with a pink to purple base which are surrounded by a ring of dense precipitate. Colonies surrounded by a yellow or a clear zone are not Bacillus cereus.Further tests should be performed to confirm the identity of Bacillus cereus (anaerobic degradation of D(+)glucose, degradation of gelatin, positive nitrate reduction). (Merck, 2012) 3. Suggest how health officers may have come to the tentative conclusion of B. cereus poisoning. Health officers may have come to this conclusion based on the short incubation time to the sudden onset of illness, and due to rice already being implicated as the source of this type of food poisoning in other cases. 4. Suggest ways in which: i. The rice salad might have been infected by the Bacillus cereus; ii.The Bacillus cereus c ould have survived the normal cooking process of the rice; iii. Bacillus cereus causes food poisoning. B. cereus is present in the outer casing of rice and, because it is able to form spores that are very resistant to low or high temperatures, it can therefore easily survive cooking and less-than perfect refrigeration. Improper storage of food stuffs is the issue. Bacillus cereus spores can survive boiling and if the food, in this case rice is stored at ambient temperature, the spores can germinate into toxin producing bacteria. Herriman, 2009) Bacillus cereus has been reported to be present in stools of healthy humans at varying levels (Johnson, 1984) therefore if an individual had not washed their hands after going to the toilet then handled the serving spoon any B. cereus from the hands could be transferred to the serving spoon which in turn could either infect the rice salad or the hand of the person next using the spoon. When rice is boiled and then stored in the fridge without being cooled first, these spores can germinate on the cooked rice and grow well at 4oC.If the rice is then used in a stir fry or similar dish, where the cooking time is relatively short, or the rice is held at an insufficient temperature enough of the bacteria survive to be ingested. Bacillus cereus causes food poisoning of two different types, emetic and diarrhoeal. (Table 1) Table 1. Characteristics of the two types of disease caused by Bacillus cereus Diarrhoeal syndromeEmetic syndrome Infective dose105–107 (total)105–108 (cells g? 1) Toxin producedIn the small intestine of the hostPreformed in foods Type of toxinProteinCyclic peptide Incubation period8–16 h (occasionally >24 h)0. –5 h Duration of illness12–24 h (occasionally several days)6–24 h SymptomsAbdominal pain, watery diarrhoea and occasionally nauseaNausea, vomiting and malaise (sometimes followed by diarrhoea, due to additional enterotoxin production? ) Foods most frequently implicatedMeat products, soups, vegetables, puddings/sauces and milk/milk productsStarch-rich foods; Fried and cooked rice, pasta, pastry and noodles The form that produces diarrhoea is accompanied by symptoms that are virtually indistinguishable from those caused by the Clostridium perfingens bacteria.The affected person experiences abdominal cramps and severe watery diarrhoea within about 15 hours of eating the contaminated rice. Vomiting rarely occurs but the diarrhoea carries on between 1 and 2 days. The diarrhetic syndromes observed in patients are thought to stem from the three toxins Hemolysin BL Hbl, Nonhemolytic Enterotoxin Nhe and Cytotoxin K CytK. These enterotoxins are all produced in the small intestine of the host, thus thwarting the issue of digestion by host endogenous enzymes. Some strains of the bacteria have an extra plasmid that carries a gene for a toxin that causes severe vomiting.These strains cause the emetic form of Bacillus cereus and produce symptoms very similar to food poisoning by Staphylococcus aureus. After ingesting rice contaminated with these strains, vomiting begins between 1 and 5 hours. The effects are fairly short-lived and the digestive system usually returns to normal within about 24 hours. The emetic form is commonly caused by rice that is not cooked for a time and temperature sufficient to kill any spores present, then improperly refrigerated. It can produce a toxin, cereulide, which is not inactivated by later reheating. This form leads to nausea and vomiting 1–5 hours after consumption.It can be difficult to distinguish from other short-term bacterial foodborne pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureusReferences Microbial Growth. (2011). Retrieved March 3, 2012, from The Growth Of Bacterial Cultures: http://classes. midlandstech. com/carterp/Courses/bio225/chap06/Microbial%20Growth%20ss5. htm Donovan, K. O. (1958). A selective medium for Bacillus cereus in milk. J. Appl. Bact. (21), 100-103. Granum, P. , & Lun d, T. (2006, January 17). Bacillus cereus and its food poisoning toxins. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 157(2), 223-228. doi:10. 1111/j. 1574-6968. 1997. tb12776. x Herriman, R. (2009, September 13). Food-Borne Intoxication – Bacillus Cereus. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from ezinearticles. com: http://ezinearticles. com/? Food-Borne-Intoxication—Bacillus-Cereus&id=2915150 Johnson, K. M. (1984). Bacillus cereus food-borne illness. An update. J Food Prot, 47, 145–153. Merck. (2012). MYP Agar. Retrieved March 01, 2012, from Merck Microbiology Manual 12th Edition: http://www. mibius. de/out/oxbaseshop/html/0/images/wysiwigpro/MYP_Agar_105267_engl. pdf Tallent, S. M. , Rhodehamel , E. , Harmon, S. M. , & Bennett, R. W. (2012, February 02). BAM: Bacillus cereus. Retrieved March 05, 2012, from FDA U. S. Food and Drug Administration:

During protestant reformation

Henry Vic's people became angry with the church, and German monk Martin Luther spoke out (95 theses). B. The Elizabethan Era (p. 288) Elizabeth l, prove to be great ruler. Sent Sir Francis Drake across globe, and Sir Walter Raleigh tried to put colony in Virginia. Greatest feat is defeating the Spanish Armada. C. The Rise of the Stuart and The Defeat of the Monarchy (p. 289) After death of Elizabeth, James I took throne (Scotland). This angered Catholics after his support of Church of England. Charles I took over in 1625 and relations withPuritans worsened, also after he dismissed Parliament. This put England into civil war. Oliver Cromwell and puritans defeated Royalists. Puritans made a commonwealth. Big set back. Once Charles II came back from exile to assume the throne restoration began. D. The Renaissance (p. 290) Art, poetry, music, theatre, all thriving during this time period. Started in Italy and spread throughout Europe. Life on Earth began to hold more energy and interest than thoughts of afterlife and religion. A renaissance man was a well rounded man who did the best he could with his or her talents. This was the time of Shakespeare,Galileo, and other creative people who invented and developed things to cultivate time period. Such as compass, printing press, and things like that. People began to explore life on earth and began to question many important things. Theatre was huge during this time, and King James Bible was made. The time period concluded in 1660 II. Renaissance Literature A. Pastoral Poems and Sonnets (p. 291) Energy became vibrant in literature. Sir Phillip Sidney, Sir Walter Raleigh and Edmond Spencer all put forth great literature. A pastoral poem is one that represents an idealized manner of shepherd life. Literature of Nature also emerged evilly.B. Shakespearean Drama (up. 292-93) Shakespeare contributed so much to drama and literature during time period. Mystery, mystical and morality plays developed greatly. Interludes and Lati n and Greek dramas. He contributed tragedy and Comedies that to this day are famous. Also satires. His plays displayed many events and stories throughout history C. The Rise of Humanism (up. 294-95) Art, History, Philosophy and literature is what Humanists studied. English humanists were Erasmus, Sir Thomas More. Utopia was famous work of literature. Many translations also appeared. D. Spiritual and Devotional Writings (up. 295-96)King James Bible did more to mold English writing than anything. Scholar John Wickedly was scrutinized for his translation of spiritual scripture. King James Bible influenced John Million's â€Å"Paradise Lost†. Also puritan writer John Bunyan who was famous for his allegory arose during this time. E. The Metaphysical and Cavalier Poets (up. 296-97) Ben Johnson was an accomplished poet related to Shakespeare because of that manner or writing. Ben Johnson had a group of men who followed him called â€Å"Sons of Ben†, this included Robert Heroi c, Richard Lovelace, and Sir John Suckling. John Done represents the Metaphysical poets.

Torture is not Morally Permissible

Torture is not Morally Permissible Introduction To understand this statement we need to define the term torture. According to United Nations Convention against Torture, torture is an act of severe infliction of pain or suffering; be it mental or physical. There are three reasons that lead to torture namely to gather information, for punishment purpose and crimes of hate.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Torture is not Morally Permissible specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Torture is outlawed in most countries, and is considered anti-Christian by such denominations as The Roman Catholic. Torture does not work. Most people therefore say it is not permissible and only shows lack of moral authority in a society that practices it. It demeans a person’s human rights, shows lack of respect to his ego and results into hatred from the tortured. Arguments against torture Some philosophers argue for torture. For example, Miller states that a thief who steals a car with a child inside. The police get hold of him and have to torture him to release information on whereabouts of the vehicle, failure to which the child may die of heat stroke if not found within twenty minutes. Miller’s other example is that of a terrorist who hides a nuclear time bomb in a city. The police must find this time bomb early enough, failure to which it will kill crowds of people. In both cases, Miller argues that torture is acceptable. Miller states that torturing the thief and the terrorist will make them furnish the police with the required information. Miller further argues that the thief is considered derisive, pugnacious and rebellious. Miller concludes that upon beating, the thief will realize the beatings will go on until he releases the necessary information of the whereabouts of the child. However, beating the thief is more or less likely to make the thief defiant and angry rather than repentant. He feels oppressed and hated. Other approaches to the matter would be more operative. For example, offering a gift if the thief releases the car and the child, asking the mother to plead with the thief to have mercy upon the child or opting to withdraw the charges completely. The thief is just interested in the car and he is not after killing the child. The beatings will go on until the twentieth minute, after which this will be no more important for the sake of the child. It will only be a punishment. In reality, the thief will decline to offer the information after the twenty minutes elapse as he will be accused of murder.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the terrorists’ scenario, torture is unlikely to be effective too. The terrorist is committed to his cause and is willing to die for the act. Often, some terrorists even go to an extent of bombing themselves. Torture will only make terrorist more reluctant to relea se the information1. Terrorists may even send the police into various likely locations which may end up being fruitless searches until the bomb is detonated. This way, a terrorist escapes torture and the plan is executed. The terrorist’s community or family members may forward the information to save their relative’ hence, hindering the mission. In both cases torture is not permissible. In the thief’s scenario, it involves subjecting one person to pain to save another. Both are human beings and need recognition. Hence, the two scenarios just show how torture works but are naà ¯ve to bring out its effects as well as the moral implications. The philosophers who propose torture fail to display how torture works and do not show evidence of its effectiveness. Torture is not permissible as the culprit may be innocent. In some instances, innocent people are charged with holding of important information which poses a risk to the lives of people. These individuals are i n most instances, unaware of what is happening. Items are stolen from a shop, but a shop attendant is accused of the offence. Robbers hijack a bus, a passer-by is accused. Bomb attacks occur; innocent citizens are hostage of the attacks. These are some of the instances, where innocent individuals are tortured innocently. They lose their liberty, identity and their dignity. For example, a report released by wikileaks in December 2010, stated that Khaled EL-Masri who was a Germany citizen was arrested by mistake and taken to Afghanistan. His arrest was simply because his name resembled that of a real terror suspect whose name was Khalid Al-Masri. Worse still he was dumped in Albania when CIA realized he was innocent. Torture may sometimes make people look guilty even when they are not. For example, an innocent individual is held captive of an offence, upon torture he pleads guilty to escape the injustice. In other instances, the expression of pain by the tortured convinces the witness es and the torturer of his guilt. There is also the need to protect life. An individual should not be tortured to death for claims of committing crime2. The tortured also have a right to sanctity of life and Kant states that it is our duty to allow this sanctity to thrive. Some individuals are however to release information they do not have a clue. An example is a terrorist’s wife who will be tortured to tell the whereabouts of her husband. A thief’s son may be exposed to torture to give information about the hidings of his father. Torturing these individuals is not permissible as they are neither involved in the criminal act itself nor the reason behind the crime.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Torture is not Morally Permissible specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Torturing innocent people is usually referred to as using persons as a means to an end. In other words, the torturers are willing to end crim e by spilling innocent blood. One is left to wonder if prevention is really better than cure. Hence torturing innocent people is less tolerable than failing to prevent the danger that occurs to other people by not being vigilant. Torturing an innocent person is far too huge a cost for any intended purpose. There are times when the innocent are tortured to death. This is done as a form of punishment so that others may learn from the scenario. This is wrong as life deserves preservation irrespective of conditions or results. There is a responsibility involved in killing as compared to letting a person die which does not. While killing is terrible, letting a person is merely out of negligence. When torturing one individual to save thousands of people, the importance of torture must be made in no indefinite terms3. We are therefore required to stimulate the circumstances necessary for survival of human beings and provisionally to uphold the ends or contentment of these people. We are mo rally impermissible to kill our morally innocent. We should therefore make a huge sacrifice to preserve the greater innocence of individuals. Where the individual is innocent of an offence, torture is not permissible either. This is because it is morally condemnatory and does not regard the victim. For example when we kill a terrorist, we violate his negative right of not receiving any harm although we have a duty towards the citizens to protect them. Torture ethically tints our society. It leads to corrosion of a state’s character. As stated earlier, it is an evil that receives much condemnation from all over the world. A society that tortures its people is considered as one that lacks morals and does not uphold the rights of human beings. Christians particularly condemn the act of torturing others, quoting Jesus’ words when He forbade His disciples from giving an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Christians further claim that Jesus was tortured on the cross for our sake and fled us from the bondage of sins. Torture harms the victim, the torturer and eventually the entire society. Torture is too much an evil to be considered a means towards an end. It is considered a means through which sadists meet their satisfaction. Torture thus imparts a spirit of revenge. Tortured individuals develop a feeling of revenge and will want to inflict the same pain and suffering upon the torturer4. For example, bombing of terrorists hiding venues makes the terrorists react angrily by bombing the attackers too. It is rarely appealing. Tolerance of torture perverts the societal morals. It shows moral decay in a society. Individuals who are subjected to torture may become rebellious after the exercise.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In fact, the rebellion might be practiced in form of a coup d’à ©tat in some countries. They may lose a sense of living and become demoralized. In an organization, employees who are subjected to torture, may become demotivated and perform poorly. This in turn may translate into low profits for the organization. A tortured victim lacks defense. In a scenario where an individual is being tortured to reveal crucial information, his only defense is the information he is withholding. Hence when we torture individuals we deny them the peace and joy whereby individuals are furnished with the means to accomplish needs, live with a purpose and delight in pleasure with lack of pain. We therefore ought to view people as ends not means. Torturing individuals is not a means to end unfairness or to clean the world. In fact torturing a wicked person does not add any peace. Conclusion In conclusion therefore, torturing the innocent does not reduce peace in the world. Neither is it a means t o acquire justice. Torturing people to death is inherently wrong as there is something sacred and special about sentient rational life which deserves preservation. If torture is used as an extraordinary measure for resolving our problems, its use will be normalized. Individuals henceforth be treated with a lot of brutality whenever need arises. There will be loss of integrity and respect for human rights will be no longer upheld. In a nutshell, torture is morally disgraceful. It yields lies and hatred and demeans the torturers along with the tortured. It is a vice which we should all fight against. Footnotes 1 The terrorist is committed to his cause and is willing to die for the act. Often, some terrorists even go to an extent of bombing themselves. Torture will only make terrorist more reluctant to release the information 2 There is also the need to protect life. An individual should not be tortured to death for claims of committing crime. 3 When torturing one individual to save th ousands of people, the importance of torture must be made in no indefinite terms 4 Tortured individuals develop a feeling of revenge and will want to inflict the same pain and suffering upon the torturer