Medical Tourism in South India

MEDICAL TOURISM IN SOUTH INDIA – A SWOT PERSPECTIVE OF INDIAN MEDICINE SYSTEM J. Swaminathan AVCCE Health is wealth! (Ayurveda To Yoga) ABSTRACT The Indian Systems of Medicine include Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy is ancient and has the roots in traditional system of medical treatments in tune with the Mother Nature. Medical Tourism is the emerging industry next to the IT boom and India is the second best destination as of now. Especially the Indian Systems of Medicine, in South India can become the leader in medical Tourism Industry. This paper tries to appraise the facts and future possibilities based on a SWOT perspective. Introduction Without sound health we cannot achieve anything in our life, nor enjoy what ever we have. In service sector the concept of Medical Tourism is catching up at lightning speed across the world. The act of traveling to other countries for medical, surgical and other forms of healthcare along with recreation is called Medical Tourism. People from advanced countries, including the United States and Europe, see a benefit in traveling to developing third world countries, like India, Thailand, Philippines, South Africa, and etc. hile combining medical treatments with inexpensive vacation. According to a study conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry and Mc Kinsey consultants (2004), 1,50,000 foreigners visited India for treatment, with the number rising by 15 percent a year. The number has increased to 2, 72,000 in 2007 and has crossed the 3 lakhs mark in 2008. ASSOCHAM has predi cted that this will grow by 22 to 25% in the coming years. Scope The main demand for medical tourism is generated from millions of Indians who live abroad, though a growing number of foreigners are also keen on speedy and in expensive treatment. They are influenced by two important facts: India now has many world-class private hospitals and the alternative medicines are available in abundance. Foreigners are visiting India for serious medical help as well as rejuvenation therapies and other specific purposes. Medical Tourism has been a popular concept in countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Costa Rica, Hungary, India, Israel, Jordan, and Lithuania. South Africa specializes in medical Safaris-visit the country for a safari, with a stock over for plastic surgery. Due to liberalization of our economy and internalization of health care profession, India has entered the industry in only recent times. India’s corporate hospitals are fully equipped with up market and efficiency. The Indian Systems of Medicine also has become a valid reason for them especially in preventive cure and alternative medicines. Medical Tourism is poised to be the next Indian success story after Information Technology. According to recent study of ASSOCHAM, in 2008 the size of industry was estimated Rs 1500 crore and it would grow into Rs. 9500 crores by 2015 with an annual growth rate of 30 %. The Indian government has predicted that India’s $ 17 billion –a-year health care industry would grow by 13% in next four years. Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) The Indian Systems of Medicine include Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy together characterized under the department of AYUSH in the union health and family welfare ministry. During the ninth plan, with an expenditure of more than Rs. 1,000 crore, a quantum jump in outlays on schemes for development and promotion of AYUSH system of medicine has been achieved during Tenth and Eleventh Plan. Indians are known for their hospitality and warmth. India has an incomparably rich heritage in ancient systems of medicine that make up a veritable treasure house of knowledge for both preventive and curative health care. Around 1000 BC when Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) were fully documented in Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita. Thus, ISM is considered to be one of the oldest organized systems of medicine for positive health and cure of human sickness. The most important and massive ancient compilation of the school of medicine is known as Charaka Samhita. It contains several chapters dealing at length with internal medicine. About six hundred drugs of plant, animal and mineral origin are described in it. But traditional medicine was ignored when western medical knowledge and procedures were introduced into the country. Once again the same has regained its limelight. Ayurveda : Ayurveda means the â€Å"science of life† in Sanskrit. It is one of oldest and the best documented among the ancient systems of medicine. From the Charaka Samhita (600 B. C) and the Susruta samhita. Yoga & Naturopathy : Yoga is not really a system of medicine. Its objectives are self- realization and spiritual union with all –pervasive divine cosmic power. But certain intermediary practices and yogic attitudes have proved beneficial for reducing stress, preventing many lifestyle-related diseases, and promoting general health and well being. Naturopathy is based on the fundamental principles of airbed. The basic tenet of Naturopathy is to live according to the laws of nature: disease occurs due to the accumulation of toxins in the body, and to cure the ailment, the body is purified with the use of natural methods, dietary regulations and exercise. Unani : The Unani system originated in the fourth and fifth century BC in Greece under the patronage of Hippocrates (460BC-377)and Galen. The system is based on the humoural theory that good health depends on the balance of the four humours: blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. Siddha : Siddha means a â€Å"master† thus the name denoted the mastery of such practices. The most famous of the siddha was Nagarjuna, whose rasatantra forms the basis of this system. The distinctive features of siddha are its reliance on minerals and metallic compounds, and its emphasis on rejuvenation therapies. Homeopathy : The term homeopathy comes from the Greek word ‘ homios’ means like and ‘pathos’ means suffering. Homeopathy works by looking at the symptoms, will take into account the individual’s mental, physical, emotional,and spiritual health before deciding the treatment. Homeopathy is based on the principles that ‘like cures like’. Current State of Affairs The American Medical Association (AMA) has conducted a cost comparison study of health care in different countries. The surgical procedures and the dental treatment procedures have a cost advantage – approximately 1/6th of the cost in USA. Also the waiting period for even a simple surgery is minimum 6 months and specialty treatments are 9-12 months in USA / UK which is almost instant in India. AMA has proved though there are many countries less expensive than USA, India is the least expensive compared to European and Asian countries. Table 1: Summary of Medical care, Medical Manpower facilities available under Indian Systems of Medicine Facilities |Ayurveda |Unani |Siddha |Yoga |Naturopathy |Homeopathy | | | | | | | | | |Total | |Hospitals |2398 |268 |231 |8 |18 |230 |3203 | |Beds |42963 |4489 |2401 |135 |722 |10851 |61561 | |Dispensaries |13914 |1010 |464 |71 |56 |5836 |21351 | |Registered |453661 |46558 |6381 |0 |888 |217850 |725338 | |Practitioners | | | | | | | | Source: Department of Ayush, —- Health & Family welfare, Government of India. The Indian Systems of Medicine is given more importance in southern India. The state like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and other states in India plays a key role in medical tourism. Kerala-The Pioneer State Kerala has pioneered health tourisim in India. Kerala has strongly focused on Ayurveda and its wide array of treatments and medications, good facilities are also available in other traditional forms of medicine as well as in modern medical treatment. Kerala is Capitalizing on its Rich Cultural Heritage and alternate Medical Therapies. Karnataka’s Foray The government of Karnataka has ambitious plans to make Karnataka the top health tourism destination not only in India but internationally. In fact, the government is setting up a Bangalore International Health City Corporation for provision of a wide variety health care products and treatments. Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu has multi speciality hospitals that offer the best medical treatment at surprisingly low rates. In the state various other forms of medicine, viz, Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani, Nature Therapy and Yoga are also practiced, which the foreigners are inclined to patronize. The Tourism Department is taking steps to promote the â€Å"illness to wellness† concept by developing tourism with health care. Andhra Pradesh The famous Nizamia General Hospital is the one of its kind probably in the whole world to use Unani system of medicine, since 1938 and treating almost 1500 outpatients every day. The state made rejuvenation theraphy , alternative medicine, yoga and traditional healing systems as its main tourist attraction. Maharastra’s Unlimited Potential This state, as a gateway to India, offers tremendous potential to develop medical tourism. The latest addition in Mumbai is the Asian Heart Institute at Bandra-Kurla complex, which offers state-of-the art facilities for all types of heart complications and even preventive cardiological treatment to avoid heart alignments and keep under control a host of heart problems. This institute in collaborating with the Cleveland Institute, U. S. A offers ‘Five Star’ services at reasonable prices. Medical Infrastructure In India, it is estimated that there are 15,000 hospitals, 8,75,000 hospital beds, 5,00,000 doctors, 7,37,000 Nurses, 170 medical colleges, 3, 50,000 retail chemist outlets. Around 18,000 new doctors are added every year. Almost 80,000 additional beds are still required. Given below is a SWOT Analysis of the Indian Systems of Medicine and Medical Tourism Industry in its current state: |STRENGTHS |WEAKNESS | |Quality Service at Affordable Cost |No strong government support / initiative to promote medical | |Vast supply of qualified doctors |tourism | |International Reputation of ospitals and Doctors |Low Coordination between the various players in the industry– | |Diversity of tourism destinations and Experiences |airline operators, hotels and hospitals | |Traditional and Ancient systems of Medicine |Customer Perception as an unhygienic country | | |No proper accreditation and regulation system for hospitals | | |Lack of uniform pricing policies across Hospitals | |OPPORTUN ITIES |THREATS | |Fast-paced life style increases demand for wellness tourism and |†¢ Strong competition from countries like Thailand, Malaysia and | |alternative cures. |Singapore. |Increased demand and Shortage of supply in National Health |†¢ Lack of international accreditation – a major inhibitor. | |Systems in countries like UK, Canada. |†¢ Overseas medical care not covered by insurance providers. | |Demand from countries with underdeveloped healthcare facilities. |†¢ Under – investment in health infrastructure. | |Demand for retirement homes for elderly people especially |†¢ Identifying a real and ideal practitioner is a major problem in| |Japanese. |India. | |Personal touch by the doctors in India. |†¢ Exploitation of tourists | |Traffic system is well developed and easy to go from one country | | |to another country. | |Medicines and labour cost is low as compared to developed | | |countries. | | Role of Government The role of Indian Government for success in medical tourism in Indian Systems of Medicines are †¢ To Regulate functioning of hospitals to build consumers’ trust. †¢ To encourage private investment and FDI in medical infrastructure and policymaking for improving medical tourism. †¢ To provide conducive fiscal policies – providing low interest rate loans, reducing import/excise duty for medical equipment. To Facilitate hassle free visa process and institute visa-on-arrival for patients. The government should 1. Build the ISM Brand Abroad based on – high quality service, value for money and destination diversity. 2. Promote Inter-Sectoral Coordination like aligning the activities of various players – Tourism Department, Transport Operators, Hotel Associations, Escorts personnel etc. 3. Information Dissemination using Technology about ISMI and enabling online transactions. 4. Standardization of Services like pricing, hygiene and quality standards. Role o f Private Sector 1. Increased participation in building infrastructure 2. Integrate Horizontally by providing end-to-end healthcare solutions to consumers. 3. Joint Ventures / Alliances: Tie ups with foreign institutions MEDICITIES – A self-sustained healthcare hub with super specialty hospitals of international standards, ancillary facilities, research institutions, health resort, rehabilitation centers and residential apartments may be floated through a public-private partnership. Conclusion : India’s growing economy and the world’s high cost medical treatments are the bright opportunities for promoting Medical Tourism. To gain an competitive advantage over other countries the government may use our unique, ancient and traditional Indian Systems of Medicine as a USP and can participate in developing the needed infrastructure facilities, creating network and connectivity with health, tourism and other related industries, tie-ups with other countries. The sky is open for ISM Medical Tourism.

Welcome home

What did I do before I came to Blue Ridge Job Corp.? My name is Iodine Jackson I was born in Long Island, New York. I am 22 years old and I dropped out of school at a very young age. I have two children that are both two years old Sauvignon Jackson & Shall Brown that I have been taking care of by myself, but right as now there with my father.I used to work at a restaurant called Dyne's for about 8 months I also Volunteered at a Nursing home helping create ; make activities for them while they are there I currently reside In Hampton, Virginia with my sisters and family, and I hope to become a productive Individual one day. Being here Is an opportunity of a Lifetime to create a better life for me ; my children. Who Influenced me to attend Blue Ridge Job Corp. ? My family Influenced me to come to Job Corp. because Its free It also helps me become more employable, responsible : a productive citizen.Job corps Is a place where I can receive my High school Diploma, Drivers Licenses earn: al so become trained in a variety of trades. At this point I really had no choice in whether I was going to attend or not this was my only choice. The main reason why I came here with for my family ; children. Why am I here? I am here to prove that I can be .

The Elderly and Poor Living in the Community Research Paper

The Elderly and Poor Living in the Community - Research Paper Example The research paper "The Elderly and Poor Living in the Community" talks about the community-based health care problem. This paper shows that the identified vulnerable population was the elderly and poor persons residing in the survey area. This extent of poverty could be seen from shrubs, tall trees and uneven bushes surrounding the wood. The identified agency that the elderly and poor community in Grand Prairie in Texas is Arlington Charities Inc. which offers diverse support services to the population. They have a website through which contact was made and a phone call to the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS).Through phone calls to the aging and disability department offered a chance to learn and assess the kind of support they offer to the population under study. Arlington Charities Inc. helps both the young and elderly in various ways. To be specific on the elderly poor population who are also faced with risk of disability, it offers counseling, foodstuff to qualified candidates among other services. Its central mission is to render service to humanity through equal access to resources. It seeks to explore the poor segment of the United States community Grand Prairie in Texas through financial, items and knowledge awareness creation towards improved health and social welfare. Therefore, some of the services this agency offers include adult day care, the assistance of the elderly and poor in personal tasks, housing cleaning, laundry, shopping among others.

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Perfection Era - Research Paper Example Given such statement, women was regarded to be the light of every home. Each woman sees to it that their time is primarily devoted to their families and that culture made them the greatest possesion of every home. Thus, relative to this, it also shows that women is knowledgeable, skillfull and dedicated enough to do whatever task is attended to her which therefore confides that such notion can never be set aside and women can strike to deliver great changes. Consequently there was a paradigm shift on this as women started to make their own marks in the industry. One of which is in the world of literary arts. Not only that women excelled as novelists of their time but also women took efforts in teaching and nurturing in the academe of literary arts. This urgency stirred the liberate side of women as they can expressly divulge themselves through the novels, journals and articles that they write. Thus, it also restrained them due to the demands of their responsibilites for their familit ies alongside with the duties that their careers expects from them. They have to balance both responsibilities unto their hands which gave them extra challenge as they face their lives. Likewise, as women slowly unfolds diversities and starting to make a difference, abolitionists also quirked their thirst for accomplishing better. During the second great awakening, abolitionists did end the slavery days of the slaves. Social, political and religous concerns were brought up in a more provocative manner. They took a stand to voice out and fight for what they believe is in the realms of being humane and rightful. Pervertively, such actions also triggered social problems that somewhat worsen the situation due to the abrupt provocative fight of abolitionists. One evident example of the role of the second great awakening in the accompishments made by women and abolitionists is this, â€Å"1834 had been the year of the Lane debates and the Lane rebels much discussed in the abolitionist pr ess. Mob violence against abolitionist speakers and literature was everywhere. In August 1835, Angelina GrimkA © addressed the Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women at the Hall, while a mob stoned the windows. That night, mob arsonists burned the brand new Hall to the ground. I started out by saying that I would discuss the role of Seneca County in these movements, and here we are dwelling upon the southerners, Sarah and Angelina GrimkA © and the burning of Pennsylvania Hall in Philadelphia in 1838†( Second Great Awakening n.d.). This shows that the awakening aggrevated the rallying emotions of the people. What seemed to be the exuding genuises of the abolitionists somehow thwart the opinion of the resisters. We can now therefore conclude that women and abolitionists are seemingly quiet at first but when time gave them the chance to be heard everything turned upsidedown. Thus, its a good way of promoting equality and equilibrium in the society. One cannot truly say tha t a specific gender or group is superior than the other. We are made equally therefore we should all be treated with equal chances. With what happened in the second awakening it opened the avenue for more democratic state of the people. From the slightest thing up to the most

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Evaluation in human services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evaluation in human services - Essay Example Additionally, the staff may fear negative effects that evaluation can have on their employment. This negative implication of evaluation can include lost jobs for employees perceived to have underperformed or due to restructuring those results in elimination of some organizational functions and therefore role of some employees. Employees might also fear evaluation as it might result in increased workload for them especially when there is merging of some functions and roles. Therefore, fear and resistance to evaluation is as a result of employees not knowing the changes that this process will bring in the workplace; therefore, preferring maintenance of the status quo (Shell, 2002). Employee resistance to change is a widespread phenomenon in many workplaces since most of them do not want to be challenged by being asked to abandon routine and adopt new ways of doing things. Consequently, association of evaluation process to change in the way employees perform their duties is likely to en counter resistance (Austin, 2002). Evaluation has an important role in creating efficiency in organization functioning especially if it helps identify areas of waste, even in programs that seem to run successfully. Therefore, it is important that there is cooperation among everyone involved including staff and the management. When evaluation meets staff resistance, this indicates there is a problem that needs to be addressed through either the evaluation itself or prior to conducting staff evaluation. Therefore, the first area of concern when planning to undertake evaluation is to increase staff awareness of the process and possible actions based on results. Fear of evaluation is as a result of the unknown effect it will have on the staff especially as many of the employees wonder if they are going to lose their jobs, have increased workload or be held accountable for negative results. Consequently, evaluation should be done after employees have had adequate information access

The state removing children from their parents and taking them into Essay

The state removing children from their parents and taking them into protective custody - Essay Example For some parents, drugs are more important than their kids. Such people may make their children use these drugs (compelling children to use drugs). Children are nuisances for another group of parents. All these results in severe child abuse issues. There were cases when children had to undergo heavy physical tortures also. When parents get divorced, children have to stay with one of the parents or with relatives or other caretakers. They may have to undergo physical and mental abuse and even big assaults also. Such children will be deprived of parent’s love and care and will lose a good family environment. Relatives and caretakers will be least bothered about their welfare and will torture them to maximum. These abused and neglected children will suffer from various mental and physical problems that can lead them to wrong paths. Some children are exposed to drugs in their childhood itself since they their parents use drugs. Children, who are brought up in families where there are frequent fights, will naturally have fighting mood or other bad characteristics. Also if parents are having criminal background and other unlawful practices, children who are brought up in that environment also will have criminal characters and behaviors. Children are abused in different ways and are made deprived of all their childhood happiness and privileges. They are troubled and exploited and are subjected to mental and physical exploitations. There were incidents in which children were beaten, burnt and killed even. In a particular case, a petition was filed in Waukesha County Juvenile Court in order to keep 3 girl children in protective custody as their drug-addicted father troubled them making them accompany him during a crack cocaine binge. In another incident in 2004, a 9-month-old boy died accidentally and later doctor’s testified that the child’s injuries were

Research Paper on the Aztecs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Research Paper on the Aztecs - Essay Example Before settling near the southern edge of modern Mexico, the Aztecs were a group of semi-nomadic people with weak political powers and a notably fragmented identity1. A small part of the colorful politics of the area at the time, the Aztecs were actually driven into the highlands by other more powerful nations and for a few centuries they lived relatively peaceably with their neighbors, much differently than the society we envision now as the Aztecs: a violent and powerful group motivated by gold, wealth and bloodthirsty gods. In truth, it took at least 200 years for the Aztecs to work their way into a position of relative authority throughout southern Mexico, and this was accomplished with "judicious diplomacy, discreet military alliance, and well-timed royal marriages"2. Another factor in the rise of the nation was the capital city, Tenochtitlan, which now lies buried under Mexico City. Tenochtitlan was founded several hundred years before the Aztecs held control of their part of M exico, and as it grew so did the nation. The first grip the Aztecs held on their counterparts was via their city as an important marketing town, since people from all around would come to trade with each other and indeed relied on Tenochtitlan for their livelihoods. Through slow and deliberate state movement within the military, surrounding governments and the royal family, the Aztecs found themselves an undeniably powerful position within local and surrounding politics during the 14th and 15th centuries, thereafter undertaking a drastic change in policy that saw them become an unquestioned ruling force that we recognize from Spanish accounts. Ironically, the Aztec nation had only just become a society of an elite ruling class, with a vaguely centralized economy catering primarily to Tenochtitlan from countless surrounding villages and towns when the Spanish happened upon it. There is no telling where the society might have taken itself without the destructive influence of the Spanish, although given the history of the area historians are in a general consensus that like the Maya and Toltec nations, the Aztecs were doomed to fall victim to their own bad economic planning. In fact, such innately fragile forces have actually been cited as the rea son that the Spanish found their conquering party so successful3. One of the most persistent legends of the Aztecs is that of human sacrifice; the practice is often alluded to modern literature and television, and this is largely responsible for our contemporary view of the Aztecs as violent and barbaric. The stories come from the Spanish accounts of their enemies, with graphic scenes described where Aztec rulers marched their victims up the steep steps of a pyramid and laid them out, slitting their chests and pulling their hearts out by hand. The gruesome scene must have made some impression on the Europeans, and it does still affect us greatly today when we have hundreds of years safely separating us from the event. There can be little doubt that human sacrifice was carried out by the Aztecs since the remains of the victims is estimated at the hundreds of thousands by excavators and historic documents. What researchers really

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The evolving nature of masculine and feminine roles in relationships Annotated Bibliography

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Learning and education Essay Example for Free

Learning and education Essay Learning and education are some of the most prized assets any person could have. Many parents consider these assets to be the primary treasure which they can give to their children to face the challenges of the future. However, there are some instances in which education becomes unreachable due to some hindrances like learning disabilities. It may become a concern not only for the individual but for the family as well.   Fortunately there are still some available steps in order to combat the possible dilemmas learning disabilities might bring.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the part of Tony, it seems that he is not really that ready enough to become a part of the larger scope of education structure. He used to have a separated domain of learning which highlighted his interests to accommodate knowledge. The one-on-one teaching method provided by Ms. Brumbley became the most comfortable realm for Tony to achieve success. However, in order to develop more, he needs to take a few more steps of the education ladder. In middle school and beyond, school works are more complex and require more diligence in following directions. Add to that the extremely dynamic social nature of the class where students will tend to stabilize their roles and projections towards other members of the society. Because of such factors, Tony may have a hard time adjusting to the situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to accommodate Tony to perform his ultimate best, what can be done is to at least set some modifications in the classroom. First is to introduce the basic foundations of new lessons for discussion. For example, a lesson in Math can first take a course of simple arithmetic to fraction computations. This may seem too easy relative for the whole class but exampling to them the importance of the strong math foundation will not impose an obvious aspect that the procedure is intended for Tony to refresh what he has previously learned. It is also possible to provide Tony a separate customized textbook and assignments so that he can gradually adjust to the lessons involved in middle school education. This approach is not intended for a long term basis so that he can actually progress to entertain newer and more complex lessons in middle school subjects. Lastly, as a concerned teacher, he will be provided with at least an hour of academic assistance everyday after class. A consultation form of conversation is best for him so that he could provide any feedback about the class procedures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to support the standing of Tony in middle school through high school, coordinating with his other teachers would be the best practice to do. This will help the whole learning sector to have a single approach in fulfilling the special needs of Tony. Even if after he has completed the year level in a particular class, a complete coordination between his previous teachers and the ones who will be handling him should be initiated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Basing on some studies and personal observations, individuals like Tony do not simply experience learning problems. The nearest dilemma apart from education concerns is the social interaction aspect of the person. Primarily, if one is not able to acquire the supposedly pace of learning rates in education, then most probably there will be a certain problem within his core interactive capabilities. Of course, it was noted that he exemplifies a certain degree of fondness in dealing with people in a comical way but deep inside, Tony might also have some concerns in having an interaction with people in a serious manner. If he will realize his disadvantages over the people he will constantly interact with, he might experience a sense of inferiority or discrimination. Compassionate encouragement and kindness can minimize the inferiority factor this dilemma might induce (Kentucky Education Cabinet).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Helping the students to explore their capabilities is one way to nurture their personalities. But for individuals who have a relative disadvantage in learning, utmost assistance and care is needed beyond teaching. References Kentucky Education Cabinet. N.D. Learning Disabilities. Kentucky.gov. Retrieved February 4, 2008 from http://ada.ky.gov/learning_dis_def.htm.

Progression of Human Resource Information System

Progression of Human Resource Information System EXECUTIVE SUMMARY : Human Resource Information System has become one of the core software for each and every company. The companies policies are now monitored by the HRIS system.   Bank Dhofar strives to provide efficient service to its employees. They are in disadvantage in meeting these objective because they are having an out dated and inflexible human resource system.   In response to these challenges the company has   come to a conclusion that a proper human resource information system will be a major improvement for them by providing an efficient human resource system. Various potential alternatives for replacing the current human resource system has been analysed in the document. The recommendations and the strategy for going with the replacement of the HR system has been studied. The existing human resource application lack the needed functionality and flexibility which can allow the Bank Dhofar to deliver the HR services as effectively as possible. Human resources information systems have functioning right from the 1980s. In the initial days it was a simple computer application. It went on expanding from a simple application to a complex one where the whole organization details are being entered within the system. HRIS also is the name of the human resources discipline for HRIS specialists and other human resources professionals involved in the technology for employment and personnel matters. (Alan Price, 2004) INTRODUCTION In this modern world, the technology is changing day by day. Without the use of proper and latest technologies, the business cannot survive long. In order to make the human resource department more efficient there are many new technologies which are been introduced in the market. HRIS ( Human Resource Information System ) is one of these technologies which has been introduced. It is an integrated system which is designed to help the human resource management in decision making. It clubs the human resource management with information technology to reduce the time for decision making process, but also helps in complex consultations that come under the human resource work.  Ã‚   The main purpose of any HRIS system is to computerize employee records and to maintain upto date account of the decisions that need to be made or that has been made as part of the human resource management preparation. There are some defined principal areas of human resource that are affected by the Human resource information system. It includes Payroll, Employee benefits, Time and employee management and HR management.   Once these four areas of regularly updated, the system allows the user to see online the history of the employee details right from being appointed till the payroll and perks received by him. All the personal data of the employees can be viewed in flash (Bratton John and Gold Jeffrey (2003). The role of human resource is changing day by day with the introduction of rapid technologies, with the result of globalization and with the changes in the stake holders. The current issue of the human resource now a days is to manage the global human resources. The workers are migrating from one place to another, the expatriate employees issue are some of the common. The another issue is the increase presence of the female employees. The female employees are now competing in the job race which were mostly the male dominated one. The another issue is the employee behavior. The employer cannot terminate or dismiss an under performing employees as easily as they used to do earlier.(Heuring, Linda 2003). The existing human resource application lack the flexibility to allow the company to deliver the human resource services as effectively as possible. There were issues and challenges that directly impacted the company.   The challenges were as follows. The inability for job applicants to apply online The risk of shadowing the sensitive employee information Difficulty in obtaining the timely information for the management. Lack of flexibility of the current system to meet the changing business. (Cornelius N.E., Human). BANK DHOFAR Bank Dhofar was first started in the year 1990 in the name of Bank Dhofar Al Omani. It started its operations with two branches, one in Muscat and the other branch in Salalah. For the corporate growth of the bank Bank dhofar has assured   Effective Human Resource planning and management. In 2008 Bank dhofar had included a new organisational structure for the bank. A strategic five plan was launched. The introduction of new products, services and the investments made in upgrading the banks technological platform makes it clear that Bank Dhofar is scaling up its business to meet increased customer demands. The bank is committed to its ‘Customer First philosophy to build a strong relationship with customers. Technology plays a vital role in how a bank conducts business. Bank Dhofar is making significant investments in technology, giving customers convenient banking access, better service and greater value for money. Bank Dhofar is committed to continuously upgrading systems to enhance our customers experience. For employing the   people it has implemented the HRIS system within their database. This is helping them a lot for maintenance of employee records. The problem bank Dhofar faced with the old way of HR management was that they were keeping all their   employee records manual. The HR manager left for a new job and a other employee who joined has to figure out that system. The other weakness was that the manual workforce administration system was creating inefficiency and it was resulting in strain relation between the employees and the manager. Many companies have seen a need to transform the way Human Resource operations are performed in order to keep up with new technology and increasing numbers of employees. In the past recording keeping was done on paper and with spreadsheets. Mangers at Bank Dhofar realized that there was a need to change to a more computerized system and looked into different HRIS vendors. By making the move to a HRIS system, Bank Dhofar is able to keep more accurate records as well as better prepare for future growth. To meet the challenge of handling 800 new employees, Bank Dhofar acquired Web-based technology programs from an international company, like electronic pay stub, electronic timesheet software, time-off system, and human resource information system. By adapting these new programs, Bank Dhofar was able to reduce waste and cost. LITERATURE REVIEW (Tannenbaum, 1990) defined Human Resource Information system as a technology which is used to collect, store the information, analyse the collected information, and distribute the information to the human resource.   It is basically a online solution which is used for data entry. It can tackle many issues within the organization. It is used to manage all the employee information, to analysis and report the employee information, and to store the applicant tracking and resume management. HRIS is a systematic procedure for collecting, storing, retrieving and analyzing the data which is needed by the organization about its employees, their personnel activities and organization unit characteristics. HRIS is an integration between human resource management and the information technology (Kovach et al., 1999). Human Resource Information system is not limited to the computer hardware, software application which has a technical part of the system, it includes the employees, the procedures, policies and the data which is required to manage the human resource functions (Hendrickson, 2003). Human Resource information system merges the human resource management as a discipline and in a particular basic human resource activities and processes with the information technology (Gerardine DeSanctis, 1986). The core business functions of the HRIS system are Employee information, Payroll management and the benefits.   The system helps in streamlining the processes which frees up the Human resource staff to do the project work and solving the issues of employees. Before the implementation of the HRIS the resumes were handed over to the companies physically. The HR management staff has to physically handle it and then forward those applications to the specified department. But with the implementation of the HRIS system, the applications applying for job can straight away email their resumes through internet.   (De Cenzo David A. and Robbins Stephen P. 1996). The whole   employee information because of HR basic process are automated and stored in the connected database. HRIS simplifies the reporting and management decision support activities.   The system can be allowed for data sharing and integration with each department within the organization. The finance department and the supply chain department can be shared. An HRIS is used for employment actions such as applicant tracking, performance management, attendance, compensation and benefits management, work force analyses, and scheduling.   A very popular use of HRIS is employee self-service. Many employers are utilizing their HRIS to addition the human resources department staff by enabling employees for find answers to common questions they would have asked a human resources rmanagement people. Components of HRIS There are three major components of an Human Resource Information System (Kovach et al., 1999). Input   - > Maintenance of Data > Output. Input :   The user enters the employees information into the system. The input can be in the form of data entry or through scanning of the related documents. Maintenance :   The user updates the records which were entered in the input stage. The new employee records are also added in this component. Output : This is the most visible function in an HRIS system. According to Kovach et al., (1999) output is to generate valuable information for the user, the system has to process the output then do the necessary calculations and then that output has to presented in the form in which the management can understand it. The companies have realized the many of the cost reductions and efficiency gains very soon after implementing the human resource information system.   The pay back period or the time it takes to pay back the investment will be any where between one to three years .   HRIS contributes to cost reduction, customer satisfaction and innovation (Broderick and Boudreu, 1992). The disadvantages of the human resource information system are the human error during feeding the data within the system. The other disadvantage of this system is it is a costly technology to update the system and malfunction or insufficient application to support the human resources need. (Fombrun C. J., Tichy, 1984) One of the most significant challenges facing human resource managers today is the justification of the costs associated with the purchase and implementation of a Human Resource Information System. Most organizations already have a policy of cost justifying any new technology, and todays tight economy dictates that this be done for every new investment of this nature. The cost justification of an HRIS has always been a challenge as methods for quantifying the costs of personnel systems have only recently received much attention by executives and human resource practitioners. In comparison to financial and operational information systems, cost benefit analysis for HRIS are recent and still quite rare. (Scarborough, 2001) There is a growing realization that human resources cost money and that their inefficient use may lead to red ink on the corporate ledger. For many companies, as much as 90% of the corporate budget is spent on salaries and benefits. However, few are able to make the link between their people costs and the corporate bottom line. Although there was difficulty adapting to a new way of recordkeeping, Bank Dhofar was able to find a system that will help support the current and future growth of the company. Fortunately, some of the HR staff had experience working with an HRIS and were able to help their colleagues imagine new processes, as aided by a system. In order to help Bank Dhofar ease the HR burden of implementing a new HR system, the management of Bank Dhofar was convinced to look for a vendor to help implement and maintain a HRIS system. This system has helped Bank Dhofar better prepare for current and future growth. (Dessler Gary, 1999) The Internet is an increasingly popular way to recruit applicants, research technologies and perform other essential functions in business. Delivering human resource services online (eHR) supports more efficient collection, storage, distribution, and exchange of data (Friesen, 2003). An intranet is a type of network used by companies to share information to people within the organization. An intranet connects people to people and people to information and knowledge within the organization; it serves as an â€Å"information hub† for the entire organization. Most organizations set up intranets primarily for employees, but they can extend to business partners and even customers with appropriate security clearance (Byars Rue, 2004). The human resource department is the group formally established by an organization to help manage the organizations people as effectively as possible for the good of the employees, the company, and society. HR professionals include external consultants and service providers with HR expertise. At the end of the day, however, the managing of human resources gets done through a working partnership of HR professionals, line managers, and employees. At times, this partnership extends outside the organizationfor example, as the firm strives to forge better working relationships with its suppliers (Schuler and MacMillian, 1984). It may also venture into local education facilities as the HR staff works with schools to prepare students for internships in the firm. And, increasingly, companies use HR consultants to help with activities such as compensation, benefits, training, recruiting and selection, and implementing large-scale organizational change. RECOMMENDATION The weekness which has been identified as the contemporary issues in the human resource can be solved by implementing the Human Resource Information System in the company.  Ã‚   The organization has to strictly implement the system so that the employee record can be maintained in the sequence order. The performance of the employee can be analysed and proper justification can be given while appraisal of the salaries. The under performing employee can be notified.   The following are the recommendation for implementing the system. * A good human resource management team has to be set up Every company should have a proper human resource management system. The employees are the asset to the organization. If the employees with a high caliber are selected for the company, the company can gain their experience and run in making profits. * Selecting of the proper HRIS system after examining the need of the organization. The management has to select a proper HRIS system for the organization.   The organization has to first set up a team to manage the selection process of the HRIS system. The next step must be the team has to set a goal for the project. Once the goals are developed, The vendor who will be supplying the system has to be selected precisely. The actual need of what the organization is looking has to be identified. Demonstration for the new product has to be checked by the team members. Once the demonstrations are finished and all the questions have been answered, the selection has to be done. After selecting the vendor, the technical environment of the company and whether the new application will be suited for the same technical environment has to be verified.   After doing the budgeting and proper research the system has to be selected and implementation has to started. * Carefully entering the employee information within the system The next important part of the system will be to enter the employee information from starch. All the personal data of each and every employee has to be entered properly. Because this data will be base for the system. * All the new recruits resumes must be posted within the system The team has to see to it that all the resumes of the new recruited employees has to be entered in the system. This will help the management to clearly understand the strength of the employee. * Any employee appraisal / memos has to be entered within the system. Any memo issued to the employee either it might be in the form of appraisal / warning letters those has to be entered in to the system. * The automated attendance system should be linked to the system CONCLUSION Bank Dhofar is a good examples of facing issues similar to human resources information technology and human resources information systems. It know the importance of new technology, human resources information systems, and data security. Because of the increasing complexity of human resource management, nearly all medium to large size companies employ human resource professionals as full time employees, as vendors with long term contracts, and/or as consultants who work on short term projects. The ways organizations allocate responsibility for HR activities are many. Regardless of how HR activities are structured, however, companies that are most concerned with HR management seek professionals who effectively perform as the roles of business partner, enabler, monitor, innovator, and adapter. When this occurs, HR professionals can help organizations link their HR activities to the business. The three major groups that uses the advantages of HRIS are the human resource professionals, th e managers and the employees. The human resource professionals depends on the system for fulfilling their job functions, the managers rely on the system to provide the data collection and for analyzing the data especially for the salary increments of their employees. The employees are the end users of the system.   The usage of HRIS depends upon the size of the organization and the modules which the organization adopts. The study which has been done shows that the human resource professionals agree that the use of HRIS system leads to long professional standing within the organization.   The HR professions has to improve their IT skills and has to use this system inorder to remain competitive in the market. The role of integrating human resource management and information technology has lead to competitive advantage and has attracted many human resource personnels and managers. The usages of this system has increased remarkly well among organization of different sizes mostly bec ause of their increasing role in human resource management.

The Career Of Ray Charles Music Essay

The Career Of Ray Charles Music Essay Ray Charles has been described by many of his contemporaries, Such as Frank Sinatra, who said, Ray Charles is the only genius in the business. I am going to discuss to what extent Ray Charles contributed to popular music. Ray grew up alongside both gospel and country music and was heavily influenced by these two genres. I am going to discuss how through his integration of gospel and rhythm and blues in releases such as I Got a Woman helped Ray create his own musical identity but ultimately helped to create a whole new musical style Soul. Finally I will discuss how his fusion of white country music through Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music helped to break barriers and introduced country music to a mainstream audience. Nat King Cole and pianist-singer Charles Brown, much to similar style of Cole had a great effect on Ray Charles. Ray closely imitated these artists as a teenager and during his time with Swing Time Records, headed by Jack Lauderdale. However, for Ray too be more successful he would have develop his own musical identity. During the 1950s Ray Charles would begin to blend RB and secularise gospel styles, which would ultimately lead to birth of Soul. He would begin to incorporate the chord changes, song structures, call and response techniques, and vocal screams of gospel. The influence gospel had on Ray is present from an early age. Ray grew alongside church music and would listen to Wings Over Jordan and the Golden Gate Quartet. During his time at school he would regularly sing in a choir and also organise his own informal singing group, which would sing rhythmic gospel music. In 1953 Whilst recording for singer Tommy Ridgeley at the JM Studio, New Orleans, Ray would play a couple of tunes after the session. He performed Feeling Sad funeral march and Guitar Slims and Rays I Wonder Who. His performance is characteristically blues, as ray weeps his way through the lyrics as horns drone sombre chords. However as Micheal Lydon states that after re-listening, Ray opens his voice in baby steps, exploring how to shade his vocal textures. This recording shows that Ray would need to push himself further with his emotional range. Around his birthday after Ray begins to widen his emotional range his friends in New Orleans would notice a change he began to sound like a gospel singer. Trumpeter Wallace Davenport recalls The first time I heard him I thought he was Charles Brown, then he started getting into that church thing. As Ray began to incorporate gospel into his music he would listen to gospel radio and read the Braille bible he carried. Renald Richard explained how Ray loves the blues singers like Joe Turner, but most of all he loved gospel singersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦He used to talk about Archie Browne, the lead singer with the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, how much he liked them. He would then begin to sound like them by turning and playing around with his notes, which would be much to the enjoyment of the audience. Later on in December 1953 whilst with Atlantic Records, Armet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler would listen to four arrangements Ray had made on radio station, WDSU. In this you can hear three distinct elements: Jazz, Deep Blues and fervid Gospel, coming together in an early stage, not a sound which is fully refined but one that sounds like Ray Charles. If there was a single turning point in the career of Ray Charles, it probably occurred on November the 18th 1954 at a radio station in Atlanta. It was here Ray and his recently formed band would record I Got a Woman. This was his first hit Ray had with a gospel influence. In October 1954, Ray was touring with his first band toward Indianna. Whilst searching the radio stations he would stop when he found a gospel station. Renald Richard remembered vividly a gospel tune that came on with a good groove and started singing. Ray sang something like I got a woman and I answered yeh she lives cross town then shes good to me. Renald then wrote the song for the next morning to the satisfaction of Ray. I Got a Woman is an archetypal 16 bar secularisation of My Jesus is all the World to me. Others have seen it as a straight rewrite of I Got a Saviour. The songs Ray had performed before like The Suns Gonna Shine had the hortatory tones of a preacher in the pulpit. I Got a Woman was a preacher a t a picnic. Light heartened gospel spiritual joy into sexual delight. It would lift the listener with each of its 4 bar chord change, confirming his optimistic lyrics. Just as the church would joyfully celebrate the glory of God. I got a woman was a record for every happy couple in America, black, white and in-between. The band first performed I Got a Woman for Ahmet and Jerry as they arrived at the Peacock club in Atlanta. Ahmet described how the power and precision had stunned Jerry. Jerry stated that something fantastic had happened, Ray had hatched, ready for fame. Through blending gospel with blues, Ray had the first time fused two strict idioms. In the African-American community the blues and gospel are both part of their culture. However a blues singer didnt sing gospel and a gospel singer didnt sing the blue. It was taboo. Many people believed that it was sacrilegious to mix blues with spirituals says Big Bill Broonzy and American blues singer. However, it quickly rose to the top of the charts in early 1955, the success of I got a woman being down to good attention from both white and black markets. Before, Ray had recorded songs like Mess Around by Ahmet Ertegà ¼n, which were big in the RB charts but not the white charts. A year after its first recording, Elvis Presley would confirm the impression it made by his own cover of I Got a Woman at RCA. In Jan 1955 Billboard quotes as I Got a Woman as one of the most infectious blues sides to come out since the summer. At the following recording session for Atlantic in Miami. Rays defining sound would be clearly and precisely heard. Ray recorded four charts, two straight blues and two gospel charts. The gospel songs This Little Girl of Mine and A Fool For You would reiterate Rays push of his gospel influence. This Little Girl of Mine is an up tempo shouter with a rhythmic Latin feel based on the gospel song This Little Light of Mine. A Fool For You is a 6/8 double time waltz with Rays sanctified singing but without the heavenly lyrics, accompanied by piano gospel licks and preaching horns. Although, like I Got a Woman these two gospel and RB charts was seen as sacrilegious, the mix Ray had created appealed to so many audiences across the nation, and introduced a new music that would have a lasting effect, which would be later labelled as Soul music. As the 1950s progressed vocal groups following Ray Charles, began to add a sense of urgency and meaning- Soul, to their style of music resulting in the groups of Motown and others, including groups like the Chicago based family band called the Staple Singers who had hit songs which were centred around Gospel and RB. Their success followed on into the 1970s. In the late 1950s into the 1960s girl groups joined male Doo-Wop and RR groups, which resulted in groups like The Shirelles, Marveletess and The Supremes. Their material was largely written by the Brill Building writers and received hit records but never usually lasted. As Ray Charles added the gospel influence to his music, such as the call and response backing vocal groups like the Raylettes so too did Aretha Franklin. She reinfused her female backing groups with a gospel influence, which are present in her mid 1960s Atlantic recordings. Other artists like James Brown, who started his career as a singer with the Gospel Starlighters, following the style of Reverends Julius Cheeks and Claude Jeter added RB to their style. The vocal urgency and syncopated dance rhythms of gospel along with top notch RB house bands came together most clearly in the music of James Brown. Combining a Little Richard- style act with other theatrics from Joe Tex and a pleading version of Ray Charles gospel/soul. He then recorded his hit Please, Please, Please. In 1959 Ray released Whatd I Say, a song that became a top ten pop hit and would be one of his last singles with Atlantic before his move to ABC. There are clear gospel influences combined with the sexual innuendo in the song made it not only widely popular but very controversial to both white and black audiences. In the middle of the song. Charles indicated that The Raelettes should repeat what he was doing, and the song transformed into a call and response between Charles, The Raelettes, and the horn section in the orchestra as they called out to each other in ecstatic shouts and moans and blasts from the horns. This improvised interchange between himself and the Raylettes and between the band and audience is much like that of a Preacher and his congregation. Ray also uses gospel dialouge with unuh-uhnnh over charles moans and cries. He also uses phrases like shake that thing and I feel alright, and expression for the body instead of the lord. During Rays early life the influence of country and western music is ever present. When Ray Charles was growing up, the south was full of Country or Hillbilly music. Ray explains how there wasnt a single Saturday night that he wouldnt listen to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio. I loved Grandpa Jones and other characters. I could hear what they were doing and appreciate the feeling behind it. Ray would listen to Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff, Hank Snow, Hank Williams and later Eddie Arnold. I listened to them all the time, I certainly dug it and paid it some mind. In 1948 Ray joined a Hillbilly band called the Florida Playboys. It took just one audition to convince the Playboys that Ray could play country music with genuine flavour, and they hired him, no questions asked about race. For seven months he gigged with the band, playing current country hits of the day like Kentucky Waltz and Anytime in white honky-tonks in and around Tampa, learning to yodel and singing, Waiting All for You. Even as black, blind man, Ray was accepted and applauded just like anyone else by the audience. I could play the music right and I could do country music with as much feeling as any other southernerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. I had been hearing it since I was a baby. Long before the birth of his own country music, Charles looked back with pride on his stint with the Playboys.Lydon. In an outtake of a 1950s recording, Ray plays a limpid country lick. The producer chuckles over the studio intercom and says that he didnt know Ray could play Nashville. Ray then replies Man, Didnt you know I gigged with the Florida Playboys His time with the Florida Playboys, though brief would plant a seed in his mind that would rise during the 1960s. After leaving Atlantic Records in 1959, Ray joined ABC and at the end of 1961. He asked Sid Feller to get together 40 country hits from the last twenty years with the idea to record a country album. Sid Feller had not know at the time that Ray liked County and Samuel Clark and Larry Newton the executives at ABC Records were adamantly opposed to the idea that Charles brought to them. The ABC executives said, You cant do no country-western things.Youre gonna lose all your fans! However Feller believed that Ray understood Country music. He describes how Ray loved the simple plaintive lyrics, and he felt that giving the music a lush treatment would make it different Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music is a dozen tunes that runs the whole scope of Nashville from the traditional Careless Love to the rock and roll Bye Bye Love and from Hank Williams to the B-side fail of I Cant Stop Loving You. The tracks alternate from big band to string and voice. However regardless of all the jazz and symphonic effects present, the heart of every arrangement is a simple strummed guitar. Rays bluesy melismas wring every tear out of the country weepers, all the poetry out of their monosyllabic lyrics. I Cant Stop Loving You has a folk song strength, major scale melody, marching up and down over 3 chords and operatic grandeur created by his baritone voice and orchestra. He also uses his trademark letting the chorus lead the lyric with his voice following. Ray sings County in his own way, expanding the country sounds without distorting its colour. Rays own blend obscures the fact that Modern Sounds was his boldest album, which breaks many barriers. Invading white country music in the 1960s was something black pop-jazz singers didnt do. You had to be Country in 1962. After Modern Sounds it became a major player in Rays repertoire and on popular music. His unique blend of Country, Pop, Jazz and RB introduced country music to people of the city and showed to record companies and producers how to arrange their music to reach a much wider audience. Ray Charles played a pivotal role in shaping the course of a seemingly very different genre of popular music. In the words of his good friend and sometimes collaborator, Willie Nelson, speaking before Charles death in 2004, Ray Charles the RB legend did more for country music than any other living human being. The landmark album that earned Ray Charles that praise was Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, which held at number 1 for 14 weeks and stayed in the charts for 2 years. His single release I Cant Stop Loving You ruled at number 1 on RB and Easy Listening charts for weeks in the summer of 1962 dipping to 3rd in July and beginning to fall in august. As Charles told Rolling Stone magazine a decad e later, But Charles recognized the quality of songs like I Cant Stop Loving You by Don Gibson and You Dont Know Me, by Eddy Arnold and Cindy Walker, and the fact that his version of both of those country songs landed in the Top 5 on both the pop and RB charts was vindication of Charless long-held belief that Theres only two kinds of music as far as Im concerned: good and bad. Following the massive commercial success and notice of Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, country music experienced an immediate increase in popularity. According to music writer Daniel Cooper, the album raised the genres profile, specifically Nashville sound, of which Charles had covered. Benefiting from this were songwriters, music publishers and country singers who covered the subgenres material. As noted by Cooper, by the end of 1962, Nashville country publishers were being held as the hottest source of music material in the record business these days. Ray Charless success with the stylistic fusion of country and soul on Modern Sounds later lead to country soul efforts from performers, such as Candi Staton and Solomon Burke who were both greatly influenced by Charless Modern Sounds recordings. Many country music artists, such as Willie Nelson and Buck Owens, have cited Charless take on country music and Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music as their major influences. In an interview for Country Music Television, Nelson said of Modern Soundss influence that the album did more for country music than any one artist has ever done. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music has also been perceived by many critics and writers as a landmark album in American music, as the record was the first to blend the two racially distinct genres of country and soul. Ray Charles all-embracing attitude toward music was one that he developed during his childhood and early career. Ray was immersed in the sounds of jazz, blues, gospel and country in his youth, playing in RB bands and a Country Hillbilly band. Ray Charles pioneered soul music, which had a great effect on popular music. In secularising certain aspects of gospel music with RB, Ray received his first gospel and RB hit I Got a Woman, which received attention from both black and white audiences. Subsequently, further releases like Whatd I Say and the Hallelujah I Lover Her So album attracted a large mainstream audience. His fusion of white country music earned Ray mainstream and crossover success, with his album Modern Sound in Country and Western Music which broke racial stereotypes and exposed country music to city dwellers. It also helped other country artists; particularly them orientated around the Nashville sound, reach a wider audience, raising the genres profile. To him, the bounda ries between those styles of music were made to be crossed, and he made a career out of doing just that having a great effect on popular music.

Minority Rules :: essays research papers

In the novel A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, the author uses many minor characters. Although labelled "minor", these characters contribute fully, and are essential to the depth and excitement of the novel. Three such characters are: Miss Pross, Gaspard, and Jerry Cruncher. These three characters take on a couple different roles, depending on what point in the novel one is at. From the beginning, and throughout the novel, Miss Pross plays a simple role. She takes care of Lucie Manette. A simple role it may seem to be, but she adds humor to the story from the offset. Once Lucie and Dr. Manette have returned to England, after Dr. Manette's imprisonment, Miss Pross continues to take an influential role in the story. She is constantly looking after Lucie and this includes Miss Pross attempting to discourage any suitors. Miss Pross is quite successful at appearing and acting in a commanding and intimidating manner. An example of this is when Mr. Lorry came to visit at the Manette's home; "...Miss Pross, the wild red woman, strong of hand...`I don't want dozens of people who are not all worthy of Ladybird, to come looking after her....to take Ladybird's affections away from me.'" Miss Pross being part of the novel deepens the plot by providing some humor and giving the reader another side to consider when thinking of Lucie and her several relationships. Gaspard's purpose in the novel is dissimilar to that of Miss Pross. Gaspard is used to help the reader understand how the majority of the French population was feeling prior to the revolution. Gaspard and the other peasants were treated, by the aristocracy, as if they were disgusting rodents. When Gaspard's son is run over by the Marquis, all the Marquis is worried about, is if his horses or his coach were hurt or damaged. Gaspard's anger and realization of how he is being treated causes him to rebel and kill the Marquis. The one murder symbolizes the animosity of all the peasants and is a taste of what is to come with the revolution. Gaspard was therefore used to foreshadow what is to happen in the future, this is auvioce especially after Gaspard is captured and hung. He is left hanging with a knife in him so that he poisons the water. Later that afternoon the Jacquerie are talking in Defarge's wine shop of how "the chateau and all the race.

C Students Run the U.S.A. Essay -- Functionalist Theory, Conflict The

â€Å"I think the world is run by C students.† (Al McGuire, 1932 -2001) What Al McGuire meant is in today’s economy, one cannot logically mandate educators to match higher education standers, for if one did, and they would not find adequate educators to crew the classrooms. In addition, there is no possible way, with today’s economy, to pay educator a decent salary to make their operational circumstances well enough to contend with any other occupations that demand degrees. What is more, one would have to grapple with locating a method to change the existing bunch of small-minded quacks and penny pinchers in higher education management, with a populace who honestly cherish education, know education, and has a proficiency that contained actual education accomplishments. Traditionally, the United States education has furthered both political and economic desires, which hijacked the application of education, and traditionally there are three theories about this hij acked education system. In the present day, sociologists and educators dispute the role of education today. The three main theories that outline their philosophies are the functionalist theory, the conflict theory, and the interactionist theory. The functionalist theory centers on the methods in that the collective education supports the expectations of society. Functionalists view education in its present role, communicating basic information and abilities to the future age group. The founder of functionalist theory, Durkheim, labeled the hidden role of education as one of mingling children into society's majority. â€Å"Emile Durkheim feels that schools are there to teach morals to children. These morals are the ones that society has set up so that everyone is the same.† (Schaef... ...ch of how educators construct their desires or how learners may communicate elusive meanings to teachers about intellect, ability, and so on (Schaefer, 2009 pg 318- 317). Therefore, while political, culture, castes, and wealth browbeat the juvenile education system to deal with needs of society and changed higher education into a money only club or sell your financial future to the degree. Not only has society hijacked education it has imposed that the education system gives over time to sports. This vastly diminishes the time accessible for education. Society distorts the division between education and sports, and promotes the outlook that they are all equally important, especially when a learner receives a reward for non-education activities. The answer might be that to save the education system society needs to distinguish between education and personal views.

Effective Use of Montage in the Movie, The Night of the Hunter Essay

Effective Use of Montage in the Movie, The Night of the Hunter A rapid succession of images or scenes that exhibits different aspects of the same idea or situation, this is the definition of montage as provided by Encarta Encyclopedia ’98. The idea of a â€Å"montage of attractions† was first used by Eisenstein and Pudovkin in the 1920s for the purpose of invoking specific emotions in the viewers. The movie The Night of the Hunter starring Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish makes use of this film technique. The use of montage is apparent from the beginning of the movie. The first image we see is Mrs. Cooper (Gish) telling children a story as they are superimposed over the night sky. The next image is a bird’s eye view of children playing hide and seek and then finding the dead body of a woman in a cellar (which we are later led to assume was a crime committed by Powell). Following this we see Preacher Harry Powell (Mitchum) as he travels, views a burlesque show, and is arrested. Powell’s scenes are interspersed with Ben Harper’s scenes where he speaks to his children, hides his money, and is arrested. It isn’t until these two characters scenes converge in the prison that we begin to understand what’s going on and get a premonition of things to come. This is perhaps the most obvious use of montage in the film. We see this technique later in the movie as well. When Willa Harper is in Spoon’s shop talking to Mrs. Spoon (though we cannot hear what they are saying), all of a sudden we hear a train whistle and see an image of a moving train. Then again we see Mrs. Harper and Mrs. Spoon and again the train. This was a bit odd to understand at first as the transitions between the scenes are very sharp and sudden it almost startles you.... ... We see the timelessness of the dreamlike river scene and the mother’s hair floating under the water scene. Timelessness is a common theme that is representative of childhood and with the gift of the watch we can now see John as a man with the power to use time rather than drift helplessly along with it as he had drifted along with the river. When thinking of â€Å"a rapid succession of images or scenes,† my first thought was that this was an awkward use of film. As the book, Film Theory and Criticism says, â€Å"Simply stringing separate photographic shots together will not produce intelligible works of visual art.† Yet the use of montage in The Night of the Hunter was very subtle so that at points I wasn’t aware that I was watching a montage. It also enhanced the film’s thematic qualities greatly and by doing so convinced me of the values of a montage when used well.

Did Germany Cause The World War I

When Wilhelm II became a Kaiser, paths for ever-growing German industry were already set and Germany was becoming a world’s super power. New Kaiser, who according to many historians was disturbed mentally, wanted for Germany to become greatest of all countries in Europe through growing military power ( potentially war ) and through obtaining overseas colonies, what will later on bring Germany in conflicts with other European major countries. Kaiser’s offensive foreign policy and Schliffen Plan are the facts which eliminate every suspicion about Germany being innocent in question of who caused the World War I. German foreign policy dramatically changed when Kaiser Wilhelm II forced Bismarck to resign in 1890. After Bismarck’s resignation, Kaiser set a new course for Germany. Wilhelm II made an emphasis on militaristic and expansionist policy while he tried to â€Å"defend† Germany’s â€Å"place in the sun†. This new offensive, provocative and irrational foreign political path ruined Germany’s relations with major European countries. German militarism, which is the crime of the last fifty years, had been working for this for twenty-five years. 1] First proof of Kaiser’s bad methodology came in 1893 when he failed to renew alliance with Russia. Now, the doors for Franco-Russian alliance were opened and the Bismarck’s worst fear about encirclement of Germany in case of war, was becoming a reality. In 1894, Franco-Russian alliance was ratified. In order to prevent fighting on two fronts, German Army Chief of Staff – Alfred von Schlieffen came up with a plan. This plan was worked out in the 1890’s and completed and changed a little bit by Von Molkte in 1906. The fact that Germany worked out the plan of attack and all the other countries had just plans how to defend themselves, is the reason why Germany was sole accused for causing the war. Schlieffen planned the attack and win over France to be faster than Russian mobilization. So, Germany would attack France through Belgium with 90% of its military forces and 10% would just stay on eastern border to defend Germany against eventual Russian attack. Schlieffen underestimated French forces and that is why Germany in the end faced war on two fronts. The Schlieffen Plan must rank as one of the supreme idiocies of modern times†¦ It estricted the actions of the German government disastrously. In July 1914 they had just two choices; either to abandon the only plan they had to win the next war, or to go to war immediately. [2] Except this expansion in Europe, Kaiser desired to gain overseas colonies. To conquer countries on other continents and to later protect them, Germany needed powerful fleet. By this policy, which Bismarck avoided during his period as a chancellor, Great Britain felt offended because its navy status as the most powerful one was at stake and overseas colonies could be threatened. To justify his decisions, Kaiser said that they needed bigger and more powerful fleet to protect their growing trade. With accusations from one and bad defending arguments from another side, naval rivalry began and both countries spent millions on building their new ships. Kaiser Wilhelm II did not think about efficiency of his foreign policy; he just cared about arms build-up and improvement in navy. With this act, he insulted Great Britain and eliminated every chance for friendly relations. There is no comparison between the importance of the German navy to Germany, and the importance of our navy to us. Our navy is to us what their army is to them. To have a strong navy would increase Germany’s prestige and influence, but it is not a matter of life and death to them as it to us. [3] All these irrational moves made by Germany and Kaiser, led to making of a new alliance system Entente Cordiale ( friendly ‘getting together’ ) in 1904 between Great Britain and France. Russia joined this alliance in 1907. Not even this did make Germany to change its foreign policy. In stead of getting rational, Germany kept provoking other European powers by interfering in their or theirs colonial governments and intern issues. There was possibility of French to takeover Morocco. Germany said that they will pledge they allegiance and support Moroccan fight for independence. This conflict was solved on the conference at Algeciras in Spain where Germany sustained grave diplomatic defeat. Russia, Britain, Spain and even Italy supported the French demand to control Moroccan bank and police. In 1908, Austria-Hungary formally annexed ( took over ) Bosnia. When Russia protested against this decision – because they supported Serbia in ‘fight’ for Bosnia- , Germany supported Austria-Hungary. Since France did not want to get involved in the Balkans conflicts, they simply drew back. Britain just protested to Austria-Hungary. So, as Russia was alone with out any allies in this â€Å"battle† and did not want to engage another war after losing to a Japan – they recognized the annexation of Bosnia by Austria-Hungary. This was great win for the Austro-German alliance. In the Bosnia crisis, Germany showed for the second time that they were ready to start the war. They proved it once more, in the Agadir crisis where they needed just a little spark. When French troops occupied the capital city of Morocco in order to put down rebellion against the Sultan, it looked like the France was ready to annex Morocco. To avert this to happen, Germans sent the warship called the Panther in port of Agadir. British Prime Minister Lloyd George said that Britain is not going to just stand by and he gave warning against further German expansion. After these warnings, Panther was ‘removed’ from port of Agadir and Germany recognized French protectorate of Morocco in return for two strips of territory in French Congo. In these crises, Germans showed how prepared they were and how hard they wanted something to happen just to start the war. Germany played a more active role in the outbreak of war in that the Sarajevo assassinations served only as an excuse to re-ignite the militaristic Prussian tradition that looked towards war as a method of solving any problems, domestic or international. [4] The greatest war of modern times, and perhaps in the whole history of the human race, was begun by Germany using the crime of a schoolboy as an excuse†¦[5] The important political role Kaiser Wilhelm II played was crucial to the outbreak of war in 1914. Through a nationalistic, militaristic and expansionistic foreign policy, Germany did everything to make a mess in a diplomatic world. Germany actually created situation in which the slightest spark would explode in Europe-wide conflict. In the bottom line, Germany first invaded Belgium to get to the France in order to complete Schlieffen plan. They were rightly accused for causing all the damage and the loss to which other European countries and their people have been subjected.

Technology in Healthcare: Good or Bad

lI believe that technology is both good and bad in the healthcare field. With technology constantly changing, there is no end to what we can do. Technology allows us to use computers or computerized systems to collect, process, and store pertinent data. It also allows up to progress to the future with the machines we use in the healthcare field. Some of the upsides are better record keeping, data analysis, and convenient documentation which can provide more prompt medical billing. Patient security and safety is a concern with all advances in technology.After all, without the patients, what business would the healthcare field have? Technology via machines that are used are constantly progressing. These can be very good in the development of better machines to help to aide patients in better treatment and less lengthy hospital stays. There are downsides to technology in healthcare though. Let’s think for a minute. What causes errors in healthcare technology? Human error. This ca n be via inadequately trained, inexperienced, tired, or even cases where people don’t admit they made a mistake.How about faulty equipment or programming? If a machine or program is not running properly then it isn’t going to give the right results. One thing for sure is that there has to be constant monitoring and troubleshooting to maintain a safe environment for both the patient, the hospital or facility, and also for the companies who make the products we use in the technological aspect of healthcare. With technology being a definite for the future, I think it’s just a wait and see thing as to whether it ends up being better or worse.

How the Police Access Data to Obtain Criminal Information Essay

Advancement in technology has completely changed the way in which law enforcement agents obtain information, organize and make use of that information (Foster, 2005). Foster (2005) states that technology has enhanced the use of information both in strategic and tactical sense. Scientific criminal investigation is one of the earliest methods of obtaining information concerning crime and criminals. Fingerprint classification is a very good example of scientific criminal investigation. Information technology has greatly enhanced the use of fingerprints in criminal investigation (Foster, 2005). Interviewing is the other method used by law enforcement agents to obtain information. Uncle Bob was asked a few questions by the law enforcement officer in order to collect information concerning his name, address and driving license number. All information concerning criminal activities of an individual, collected by law enforcement and which law enforcement officers have access to, is taken as privileged information (Foster, 2005). This implies that this information is for official use only. Law enforcement agencies have general access to a wide range of information of the common man that is confidential and protected by law. The information retained by law enforcement agencies runs the spectrum from crime reports to personnel records (Pattavina, 2005). Police officers gather a great deal of information, which they preserve for a long time. Majority of the law enforcement agencies in the United States have computerized files and criminal records. This implies that most of the law enforcement officers in the country have access to computerized criminal histories (Pattavina, 2005). Criminal justice information systems contain all information collected in and used in the criminal justice system. This information include: state drivers’ license records, privately gathered information and personal data in addition to court transcripts of testimony. Police records on the other hand deal with information gathered, preserved as well as organized by the police (Foster, 2005). A fully integrated law enforcement record management system has the capacity to access to all other records preserved by different criminal justice organizations. The Florida police department was able to obtain information concerning the weight, height, and criminal history of uncle Bob because its record management system is fully integrated. A fully integrated record management system is made up of various smaller systems whose main role is to exchange information with a master server (Foster, 2005). Law enforcement management system, as stated by Pattavina (2005), is a comprehensive system that allows for the capture in addition to transmission of information from a wide range of sources and also allows for different types of information queries in addition to bridging law enforcement agencies to outside sources of information (Foster, 2005). Law enforcement agencies make use of the internet to exchange information on matters of national security (Pattavina, 2005). Miami Police Department obtained criminal and personal information of uncle Bob through the internet. Communication between the police officer in the field and his agency was enhanced by the fact that law enforcement officers can access a wide range of reference manuals as well as policy in searchable online databases (Foster, 2005). The internet is one of the major technology developments that supplements law enforcement communication schemes. Uncle Bob is likely to be charged with over speeding. It can therefore be concluded that advancement in technology has completely changed the way in which law enforcement agents obtain information, organize and make use of information. Interviewing is one of the major approaches employed by law enforcement agents to gather information. Communication between law enforcement officers in the field with their agencies as well as between different criminal justice organizations is enhanced by integration of Internet in communication system.

Leonardo da Vinci in our life

Leonardo dad Vine's contribution to the era of Renaissance The Renaissance era created an immense amount of talented scientists, artists, inventors, and philosophers who contributed great deal to the development of human race. In history it is hard to find a similar genius individual as the creator of High Renaissance art – Leonardo dad Vinci. Even aftereffects of research on his creations, we are still captivated by the brilliance of his works. Leonardo dad Vinci was an artist, a sculptor, an architect, a philosopher, a historian, a mathematician, a physicist, a mechanic, and an astronomer. Consider Leonardo a genius of the High Renaissance.He was undeniably way ahead of his time, and is undoubtedly one of desegregates geniuses that ever lived. He played an enormous role in the development of art and science of the High Renaissance in Italy. His creations â€Å"Last Supper† (495-97) and â€Å"Mona Lisa† (1503-06) are among the most widely popular art works of th e Renaissance. The â€Å"Mona Lisa† painting is a good example of his work which contributed to the development of art in the Renaissance. The Mona Lisa is a portrait of a wife of a Florentine noble. She refused to smile; Leonardo even tried ring musicians but that didn't change her mind.At last, Just for a second she smiled faintly and Leonardo was able to capture it. In his drawing Leonardo masters the techniques of Suffuse and Chiaroscuro. Suffuse involves the most gradual transition from one color to another, giving it a very delicate and expressive image. As mentioned in the studies, Chiaroscuro highlights the contrast of light and shadow. In the Mona Lisa, this is most evident in the contrast between the face and the dark background. I consider the â€Å"Mona Lisa† his most beautiful creation. Leonardo dad Vinci highly influenced the development of science of the High Renaissance in Italy.He is considered one of the prominent contributors to the scientific discov eries of the era. Dad Vinci extended his studies into science and other subjects. For example, he drew complex models of flying machines, as he was fascinated by flight. He also attempted to build flying objects himself and designed an immense amount of mechanical devices. Based on his studies of birds, he drew a human powered ornithology, which is a wing flapping machinate would fly, mimicking the movement of a bird in flight. As a result, some of the machines that he drew on paper such as helicopters would become reality many centuries later.He also had knowledge in the studies of anatomy and was one of the first to understand the circulation of blood in the human body. There seemed to be no limit to his interests and work. Leonardo dad Vinci is one the most prominent individualists lived in the Renaissance era and contributed a vast amount of scientific discoveries and beautiful works of art which are genius and timeless. Leonardo looked far ahead of his time and influenced our g eneration and development of the modern world today. Leonardo dad Vinci in our life By Andrews

The use of foul language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The use of foul language - Essay Example Tracing the origin of the rise of foul language is a very easy task since a quick click of the remote control will you lead you to a world where the utterances of defamatory, explicit, foul language is as natural as breathing. Foul language has already invaded our living rooms and learning it will take only a few minutes. Hence, it is imperative that the government puts into practice laws to control public use of bad language. The first step that our law enforcers should do is to discuss with the students and school authorities ways which could prevent students from using bad language to each other. As the students and the young people are the ones who spend the most time watching TV, they are also the ones who use foul language the most. What's worse is that, many students use defamatory and abusive expressions to each other which sometimes cause deeper problems such as fighting and bullying. School authorities, enforcers and students should make agreements to set up the rules with regards the avoidance of abusive language within the school premises.

Critical evaluation of two luxury brand stores Essay

Critical evaluation of two luxury brand stores - Essay Example Such kinds of people have high purchasing power and hence they go for such kinds of products. When one buys something of luxury brand one can genuinely feel the difference. Luxury brands grow and expand even when the economy goes down. People spend thousands of dollars to buy such kind of products. In this paper two luxury brands Hermes and Chanel will be considered. Hermes is a French manufacturer of luxury goods with its headquartered in Paris, France. Similarly Chanel is also a high fashion house headquartered in Paris, France. The each has their own touch points across the world where they reflect their individuality with the customers. Such brands need to take care of their marketing strategy in such a way that their brand value does not get affected. Discussion In this section of the essay, the detailed discussion about each of the two chosen brands will be conducted. The discussion of each brand includes overview and analysis of the brand; and brand message and communication a cross brand touch points. In overview and analysis of the brand the key focus will be on brand position and heritage, and brand DNA. In brand message and communication, the key focus will be on the concept stores and other communication tools. Analysis of the two brands in above mentioned perspectives has been conducted separately for each of the two brands below. Hermes International Figure 1: Logo of Hermes International It was founded by Thierry Hermes in 1837. ... Hermes International S.A. has around 304 exclusive stores including 180 branches, 21 retail outlets and 124 concessionaries (Tran, 2012, p. 3). It employees only 9081 persons, but their revenues keeps increasing rapidly in many years. Their revenue in 2011 was 2,841 million euros. The prices of their products are sky high but still their sales keeps on increasing every year. For example on an average Hermes handbag cost $ 3000 -$ 5000, but people still prefer to buy them (Hermes, 2013, p. 1). Hermes targets teenagers and young adults who love fashion. Their customer wants high quality merchandise with good features and wonderful after sale service. Their customers earn high incomes and do not bother about how expensive the prices are. They basically look for limited edition leather watches. Such customers want to own something which other common people can’t afford to buy. United States is an important market for Hermes. They target high income customers who are mostly males. Hence they focus more on male accessories than female counterparts (Ritson, 2010, p. 1). Likewise their target customers are different across different countries, depending on the demography of the economy. Like Hermes is now trying to target the Mainland China. According to a study in China, male consumer s purchase more luxury products online as compared to female counterparts. So there also they sell the male accessories. Figure 2: Hermes International Store in London Hermes basically gives two powerful messages thorough their stores. One is the craftsmanship displayed by their artisans in creating their products. Another message is the quality and commitment to service delivery which is displayed by the service received by the customers who visits