Oil And Food Commodities Prices. Oil prices effect on agricultural Term Paper

Oil And Food Commodities Prices. Oil prices effect on agricultural commodity prices in Latin American Nations - Term Paper Example To achieve this objective, this paper investigated the agricultural food prices for seven major farm products namely meat, oilseed, egg, rice, wheat, milk and sugar. On the other hand, the macroeconomic investigated were fossil crude oil prices, agricultural food prices indexes, GDP and consumer price index around Latin America as from 1963 to 2007. The study applied the use of Scree test and the magnitude of the variance method for measuring the optimal value of the common factors. The relationship coefficient that existed between the obtained principal function or component and the macro-economic index fluctuates between 0.87 for Latin America GDP and 0.36 for the consumer price index (CPI). According to the findings, agricultural food production index has the largest impacts on the macro-economic index and similarly the crude fossil oil has the greatest influence on the agricultural food production index and as a consequent, the prices of crude has a direct impacts and influence o n the agricultural food prices in Latin America. In the economic advancement process, food supply and its security are imperative issues. Therefore, food prices are an essential effective variable that have a direct effect on its supply and demand. Ever soaring food prices and cases of food riots across the globe and more important in Latin America have heightened concerns about the world food supply and food security. Food prices of major arable agricultural products

Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) Essay - 1

Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) - Essay Example SHRM is regarded as an approach to the management of human resources, which offer a strategic system in support of long-term business objectives, goals, and outcomes. SHRM entails long-term issues of the people within the organization which include structure, culture, quality, commitment, values, and matching resources with the future needs. Strategic human resource management is a complex endeavor that evolves over time (Nankervis et al., 2008). The opinions regarding the relationships of SHRM with business strategy and planning are varied from one scholar to another. This paper will explore the issue of SHRM as it relates to health services organization. Just like other organizations, health service organizations are under great pressure from customers to maintain quality as well as pressure from other organizations. This changing business environment through competition calls for advanced strategic approaches. In the case of John Hopkins hospital, which falls under health service organizations, the issue of SHRM has been adequately considered. The organization has been steadfast in addressing employee issues through training and development, motivation, leadership, and rewards system. The organization is much aware on the importance of SHRM through prioritization of employee needs (Schulz & Johnson, 2003). In aligning the organizations to SHRM, several strategies have been put in place. The main issue of concern is that SHRM entails the prioritization of the needs of human resources in the organization. Some of the factors put into consideration in positioning the organization include investment in the people. Since human resources play a fundamental role in the organization, training and development is a key issue. Introduction and encouragement of learning and development to the employees is a strategic move of increasing employee efficiency. Strategic human resource management by educating employees is essential for increasing capability. Learning process helps in aligning employees with skills to address the organizational needs. Training and development of employees is a strategic move in HRM, which positions the employees for dealing with all production requirements of the organization (Brand & Bax, 2002). Health service organizations seeking to strategize their human resources need to align their human resource capacity with the organization’s vision and mission. Development of intellectual capital of the employees is essential in SHRM. By educating employees and increasing their intellectual capital, an organization is able to benefit from realization of its goals. This is mainly on the aspect of customer service and quality, whereby the employees are empowered with skills and knowledge of dealing with day to day organizational operations (Fegley, 2006). Another aspect of strategic human resource management is the definition of required behaviors and alignment with the organizational culture. It is essential to note that that establishment of a good organizational culture helps in enhancing human capital and performance. Managers should be steadfast in setting organizational standards, which match the vision and mission of the organization. This includes the setting of values and norms which every member of the organizati

Four Main Religions In Sri Lanka

Four Main Religions In Sri Lanka There is four main religions in Sri Lanka; Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. The maps on the right hand side show where, and percent proportion of each religion in Sri Lanka. Buddhism: Theravada Buddhism is the majority religion in Sri Lanka, with about 70% of the countrys population as followers. Around 200 BC, Buddhism became the official religion of Sri Lanka. However, later on, Hindu and European colonial influences contributed to the decline of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. By the mid 19th century, a Buddhist monk started a revival movement in Sri Lanka. This movement eventually helped to return Buddhist dominance in Sri Lanka. Buddhism is a religion based on the teaching by Siddharta Gautama (Buddha). There are three different schools in Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. In Sri Lanka they practise Theravada. Theravada means the Teaching of the Elders or the Ancient Teaching, and is the oldest of the schools. It is relatively conservative, and generally closest to early Buddhism. In Theravada Buddhism Buddha is above all an enlightened teacher which can show you the path to Nirvana. The monks have a high status, and are the only ones who can accomplish full enlightening. The religious ideal is Arhat, which is someone who has gained full enlightening and can thereby reach Nirvana. Nirvana is the contradictory of affliction. The word means to die out and that hatred, desire and ignorance takes an end. Nirvana denotes the condition that takes place when all karma is exhausted. First and foremost, the Theravada philosophy is a continuous analytical process of life, not only a set of ethics and ritual s. The ultimate theory of Theravada uses the Four Noble Truths; these can be described as the problem, the cause, the solution and the pathway to solution. The Noble Eightfold Path, the fourth of the Buddhas Noble Truths, is the way to the cessation of suffering. 1. Viewing reality as it is, not just as it appears to be. 2. Intention of renunciation, freedom and harmlessness. 3. Speaking in a truthful and non-hurtful way. 4. Acting in a non-harmful way. 5. A non-harmful livelihood. 6. Making an effort to improve. 7. Awareness to see things for what they are with clear consciousness; being aware of the present reality within oneself, without any craving or aversion. 8. Correct meditation or concentration. Buddha lived a life filled with love, compassion and charity. He formed five maxims to guide the people: 1.) I shall not kill any living being. 2.) I shall not steel. 3.) I shall not abuse sexually (only one partner). 4.) I shall not speak untrue. 5.) I shall not use drugs. Hinduism: Hindus make up 16% of Sri Lankas population. As Buddhism, it experienced some decline during the European colonization. In modern times the religion is still dominant in the Northern and Eastern provinces. The most important Hindu religious figure in Sri Lankan modern history is, Satguru Siva Yogaswami of Jaffna. One of the greatest and most profound mystics of the twentieth century, Yogaswami was the official satguru and counseling sage of Sri Lankas several million Tamil Hindu population. Satguru is a true guru, a master. Hindu practices generally involve seeking awareness of God. At home, Hindus often create a shrine with icons dedicated to their chosen form of God. Temples are usually dedicated to a primary deity along with associated subordinate deities. Visiting temples is not obligatory, and many visit temples only during religious festivals. Today three Gods are widely seen as all powerful: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma is regarded as the ultimate source of crea tion; Shiva also has a creative role alongside his function as destroyer. Vishnu is seen as the preserver or protector of the universe. Out of these three, Vishnu and Shiva are far more widely represented and have come to be seen as the most powerful and important in the belief of Sri Lankan followers. Islam: Today, about 8% of Sri Lankans handset to Islam. By the 15th century, Arab traders had controlled much of the trade on the Indian Ocean, including that of Sri Lankas. Many of these traders settled down in Sri Lanka, encouraging the spread of Islam. However, when the Portuguese arrived at Sri Lanka during the 16th century, many of their Muslim descendants were persecuted, thus forcing them to migrate to the Central Highlands and to the east coast. In modern times, Muslims in Sri Lanka are handled by the Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs Department, which was established in the 1980s to prevent the continual isolation of the Muslim community from the rest of Sri Lanka. There are two major denominations of Islam, the Sunni and Shia. The schism developed in the late 7th century following disagreements over the religious and political leadership of the Muslim community. Roughly 85 percent of Muslims are Sunni and 15 percent are Shia. Muslims believe that God revealed the Quran to Muhammad, Gods final prophet, and regard the Quran and the Sunnah (words and deeds of Muhammad) as the fundamental sources of Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam is the term given to the five duties incumbent on every Muslim. These five practices are essential to Muslims: 1. Shahadah (profession of faith) 2. Salat (prayers) 3. Zakat (giving of alms/charity) 4. Sawm (fasting, specifically during Ramadan) 5. Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) Christianity: Christianity make up 8% of Sri Lankas population, most are Catholics. Christianity first came to Sri Lanka upon the arrival of the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. Under their rule, Roman Catholicism was spread out on the Island with many Roman Catholic schools for the Sinhalese and the Tamils. When the Dutch took control of Sri Lanka, they encouraged their own missionaries of the Dutch Reformed Church. Under their patronage, 21 percent of the population in the low country was officially Christian by 1722. The relative number of Christians in Sri Lanka has declined steadily since the end of colonial rule. The Catholic Church holds that there is one eternal God, who exists as a mutual indwelling of three persons: God the Father; God the Son; and the Holy Spirit. There are seven sacraments in the Catholic Church that the Catholics go after: Baptism: is the ritual act, with the use of water, by which a person is admitted to membership of the Christian Church, Confirmation: is one of the seven sacraments through which Catholics pass in the process of their religious upbringing. According to Catholic doctrine, in this sacrament they receive the Holy Spirit. Eucharist: refers to both the celebration of the Mass, that is, the Eucharistic liturgy, and the consecrated bread and wine which according to the faith become the body and blood of Christ. Penance (confession): is the method given by Christ to the Church by which individual men and women may be freed from sins committed after receiving Baptism. Anointing of the Sick: is the ritual anointing of a sick person. Holy Orders: include s three orders: bishop, priest, and deacon. Matrimony: catholic marriage.

Authenticity of The Great Santini :: essays research papers

Comparison Between Movie and History   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After watching the movie from Hollywood and reading the actual thoughts of Pat Conroy of whom the story is based on, there is significant evidence supporting the basis that â€Å"The Great Santini† was made on and Hollywood very accurately filmed â€Å"The Great Santini†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It isn’t to say that all military veterans were abusive and hard on their families. However, men in the military return from the service and seem to take a great sense of pride in their families and America. To this day some people are the same way as Bull Meechum. There are many similarities between Bull Meechum and Donald Conroy. For instance, they both lived life in the fast lane and to its full extent. In the movie, Bull Meechum mentions how fast and free it feels to fly. Donald Conroy also felt the same way as he flew over the American troops and proceeded to bomb the Koreans. They were both alike in the aspect that they lived for an adrenaline rush. Meechum and Conroy both loved life and lived it to its greatest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The two men also were excellent soldiers. Donald Conroy was said to at one time, been the most decorated man in the military. Bull Meechum moved his family to South Carolina in order to take a position in training other pilots. Although neither were great family men, both soldiers had been trained in the art of killing other people as quickly and as many as they could.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another similarity that Donald Conroy had with Bull Meechum was the way he pushed his family to be better and tougher. In his eulogy, it states that if Donald Conroy would have seen the tears that his family cried at his death, he would have yelled at them and been embarrassed of the fact that his boys were behaving like girls. They both wanted the best for their family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the movie is based on a true story, there aren’t very many parts that happen in the movie that never happened. The movie is extremely accurate in its portrayal of the military emotionally hardened father.

Code of Ethics Analysis

Kristen has been a social worker for over ten years; she has always presented herself in a professional manner and has never had any conflicts or ethical dilemmas when working a case. However, her recent case has changed this and Kristen has begun to feel a mutual sexual attraction towards one of her clients. She is trying her best not to let this affect her work but she has noticed that it is becoming an issue for her and she is unable to think clearly about the case. Kristen must now make a decision on whether she should remove herself from the case and avoid any further contact with this client or continue working the case and have this dilemma on her hands. The NASW Code of Ethics (2003) offers a straightforward guide about sexual relationships with clients and those closely related to them. According to the NASW Code of Ethics, social workers should under no circumstance engage in any type of sexual contact or activities with a clients, relatives, or individuals in which the clients have a personal relationship with. Such contact could be detrimental to the health and well being of the client. This is fully stated in Section 1.09 Sexual Relationships of the NASW Code of Ethics (2003). The code offers an ethical guideline for social workers to follow and is adequate for the intended use of the service provider. Though the code offers guidance for this particular ethical dilemma it does not actually forbid it, which in my opinion it should. If any type of sexual conduct is conducted between a social worker and their client, there should be serious consequences, such as termination or suspension, for such unethical behavior. The social worker may want to speak with a licensed professional about the matter at hand and figure out a way to resolve the issue before it becomes a major issue for the client and their case as well.

American Medical Association AMA

Amongst the midst of the ancient remains of a mastodon (Mammut amercanum) inside the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, more than two hundred fifty delegates from twenty-eight states met in May 7, 1847 to form a national convention of medical practitioners as response to the resolution of Dr. Nathan S. Davis (1817-1904) in the New York Medical Association. All affirmed Dr. Davies’ vision and agreed to the founding of the American Medical Association with Dr. Nathaniel Chapman as its founding president (â€Å"Founding of the American Medical Association,† 2005).Since then AMA has been the leading organization in promoting the medical science and consolidating the doctors and their patients. Among its goals are to centralize scientific advancement in the field of medical science, to set standards and establish rules for medical practice and education, and to improve public health. The AMA’s Strategies To achieve their goal to consolidate sci entific advancements in the field of medical science, they institutionalized the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 1883. This publication became the largest publication for a weekly medical journal in theâ€Å"33183073 American Medical Association AMA† â€Å"Page # 2† world and became a forum for members of the medical society to communicate easily with each other and learn of the most recent medical discoveries or research in the science of medicine (â€Å"American Medical Association,† 2006). In the advent of computer technology and the internet, they gained new means of relaying new discoveries and data to their members and even to non-members alike. In their official website, the association provides links to electronic editions of JAMA.Also they provide a means for patients to find the right physicians to help them with their health problem, together with their location and availability trough the â€Å"DoctorFinder† feature of th eir website (â€Å"DoctorFinder,† 2006). To attain national recognition and to increase its membership, the AMA in 1901 decided to reorganize the association and create a more effective national body by enabling each state medical society to have equal representation. They then established the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) as the legislative body of the AMA (â€Å"American Medical Association,† 2006).This permitted the organization to increase its number and relevance with respect to the national medical society. The establishment of the HOD increased the organization’s influence in the medical society enabling them to make decisions that are respected by all medical practitioners. According to the US History Encyclopedia (2006), the AMA recommended the implementation of severe standards of medical training in schools and was the one who established the original Code of Medical Ethics in 1847 and provides a lead role in the development of the American Code of Med ical Ethics until today.In regards to their mission to improve the condition of public health in America the Association took part on numerous public health initiatives such as the declaration of â€Å"33183073 American Medical Association AMA† â€Å"Page # 3† alcoholism as an illness in 1956 and the recommendation of a nationwide polio vaccination in the 1960’s. Recent efforts of the organizations to promote the Children’s Medical Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act in congress show the AMA’s intention to help improve public health by making public care affordable to less able patients or citizens.Their support for CHAMP is consistent with their vehement campaign against the reduction of Medicare funds that would greatly increase the cost to beneficiaries of the insurance system and reduce their access to care (â€Å"Tell Congress to pass the Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act,† 2007). These, together with numerous other efforts, not mentioned here, by the AMA are vital to the improvement of the American public health and the medical community as a whole. ConclusionThe AMA is fighting a continues struggle for the improvement of medicine as a science and the development of public care so as to continually give patients the proper attention that is due them. Their success in the elevation of the status of the medical science and public health in the USA is their contribution to the American society as a whole, and this allowed the United States to be one of the worlds leading countries in the field of medical science. References American Medical Association. (n. d. ). Encyclopedia of American History. Retrieved August 02, 2007, from Answers. com Web site: http://www. answers.com/topic/american-medical-association American Medical Association. (n. d. ). Encyclopedia of Public Health. Retrieved August 02, 2007, from Answers. com Web site: http://www. answers. com/topic/american-medical-associatio n DoctorFinder. (2006). Retrieved Aug. 2, 2007, from http://webapps. ama-assn. org/doctorfinder/home. html Founding of the American Medical Association. (2005). Retrieved July 28, 2007, from http://www. ama-assn. org/ama/pub/category/12982. html Tell Congress to pass the Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act. (2007). Retrieved Aug. 2, 2007, from http://capwiz. com/ama/issues/alert/? alertid=10078856