Shooting an Elephant Essay

A price is payed to save oneself from humiliation, but, being pressured into doing something that one doesn’t want to do, makes people feel lost and pushed into a big problem. In the story â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† by George Orwell, he himself goes through a struggle in being the one to shoot an Elephant. In the beginning he knew what he had to avoid of being laughed at from the Burmese people that surrounded him, since he is an imperial policeman. Throughout the story, Orwell uses rhetorical tools such as: metaphors, connotation, and irony to give his readers a better perspective in what’s going on in the story. Seeing different forms of writing can help readers see the relationship between these tools and what Orwell is saying about imperialism. First of all, George Orwell uses the rhetorical tool metaphor in story. In the story â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† Orwell wrote that â€Å"They were watching me as they would watch a conjurer to perform a trick. † This metaphor meant that the Burmese who was following behind were waiting for Orwell to shoot the elephant. If Orwell shot the elephant then it would be like he was putting on a show since they were watching him. Another metaphor that he uses in the story is when he wrote that he was â€Å"seemingly the leading actor of the piece; but in reality I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind. † This metaphor meant that Orwell was the center of attention because he was being followed by two thousand Burmese people waiting for him to kill the elephant, and he was being controlled by the Burmese when he said he was an â€Å"absurd puppet. † Another metaphor he wrote, â€Å"He wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it†¦ meaning that Orwell pretended that he was strong and powerful, but he really didn’t want to shoot the elephant, he was just being pressured into doing it because if he didn’t then he would pay the price of being humiliated by the Burmese. Another rhetorical tool that George Orwell uses in the story â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† is connotation. In the story he said that â€Å"One day something happened which in a roundabout way was enlightening. † This sentence has a positive connotation because of the word â€Å"enlightening† meaning that Orwell speaking the truth about how he feels about the true nature of imperialism is a good thing. Orwell also wrote that â€Å"I marched down the hill, looking and feeling a fool, with the rifle over my shoulder and an ever-growing army of people jostling at my heels† This has a negative connotation because. Lastly, Orwell uses the rhetorical tool, irony in his story. In the story, Orwell wrote that â€Å"The thought in my mind was that if anything went wrong those two thousands Burmans would see me pursued, caught, trampled on and reduced to a grinning corpse like that Indian up the hill. And that happened it was quite probable that some of them would laugh. That would never do. † The irony that was being employed is that Orwell was more worried about being laughed at then being killed by the elephant. Therefore, Orwell’s writing was convincing because he uses different types of rhetorical tools to prove his point that imperialism is the worst. And Orwell prove this when this little incident happened about the elephant and how he gave him a better glimpse than he had had before about the real of nature of imperialism.

Hydrolic Fracking Research Paper Essay

Hydraulic fracturing is a process used in nine out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States, where millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are pumped underground to break apart the rock and release the gas. Scientists are worried that the chemicals used in fracturing may pose a threat either underground or when waste fluids are handled and sometimes spilled on the surface. The natural gas industry defends hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, as safe and efficient. Thomas J. Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research, a pro-industry non-profit organization, claims fracking has been â€Å"a widely deployed as safe extraction technique,† dating back to 1949. What he doesn’t say is that until recently energy companies had used low-pressure methods to extract natural gas from fields closer to the surface than the current high-pressure technology that extracts more gas, but uses significantly more water, chemicals, and elements. The industry claims well drilling in the Marcellus Shale will bring several hundred thousand jobs, and has minimal health and environmental risk. President Barack Obama in his January 2012 State of the Union, said he believes the development of natural gas as an energy source to replace fossil fuels could generate 600,000 jobs. However, research studies by many economists and others debunk the idea of significant job creation. Barry Russell, president of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, says â€Å"no evidence directly connects injection of fracking fluid into shale with aquifer contamination.† Fracking â€Å"has never been found to contaminate a water well,† says Christine Cronkright, communications director for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Research studies and numerous incidents of water contamination prove otherwise. In late 2010, equipment failure may have led to toxic levels of chemicals in the well water of at least a dozen families in Co noquenessing Township in Bradford County. Township officials and Rex Energy, although acknowledging that two of the drilling wells had problems with the casings, claimed there were pollutants in the drinking water before Rex moved into the area. John Fair disagrees. â€Å"Everybody had good water a year ago,† Fair told environmental writer and activist Iris Marie Bloom in February 2012. Bloom says residents told her the color of water changed to red, orange, and gray after Rex began drilling. Among the chemicals detected in the well water, in addition to methane gas, were ammonia, arsenic, chloromethane, iron, manganese, t-butyl alcohol, and toluene. While not acknowledging that its actions could have caused the pollution, Rex did provide fresh water to the residents, but then stopped doing so on Feb. 29, 2012, after the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said the well water was safe. The residents absolutely disagreed and staged protests against Rex; environmental activists and other residents trucked in portable water jugs to help the affected families. The Marcellus Outreach Butler blog (MOB) declared that residents’ â€Å"lives have been severely disrupted and their health has been severely impacted. To just ‘close the book’ on investigations into their troubles when so many indicators point to the accountability of the gas industry for the disruption of their lives is unbelievable . In April 2011, near Towanda, Pa., seven families were evacuated after about 10,000 gallons of wastewater contaminated an agricultural field and a stream that flows into the Susquehanna River, the result of an equipment failure, according to the Bradford County Emergency Management Agency.The following month, DEP fined Chesapeake Energy $900,000, the largest amount in the state’s history, for allowing methane gas to pollute the drinking water of 16 families in Bradford County during the previous year. The DEP noted there may have been toxic methane emissions from as many as six wells in five towns. The DEP also fined Chesapeake $188,000 for a fire at a well in Washington County that injured three workers. In January 2012, an equipment failure at a drill site in Susquehanna County led to a spill of several thousand gallons of fluid for almost a half-hour, causing potential pollution, according to the DEP. In its citation to Carizzo Oil and Gas, the DEP strongly recommended that the company cease drilling at all 67 wells â€Å"until the cause of this problem and a solution are identified.† In December 2011, the federal Environmental Protection Agency concluded that fracking operations could be responsible for groundwater pollution.â€Å"Today’s methods make gas drilling a filthy business. You know it’s bad when nearby residents can light the water coming out of their tap on fire,† says Larry Schweiger, president of the National Wildlife Federation. Whatâ €™s causing the fire is the methane from the drilling operations. A ProPublica investigation in 2009 revealed methane contamination was widespread in drinking water in areas around fracking operations in Colorado, Texas, Wyoming, and Pennsylvania. The presence of methane in drinking water in Dimock, Pa., had become the focal point for Josh Fox’s investigative documentary, Gasland, which received an Academy Award nomination in 2011 for Outstanding Documentary; Fox also received an Emmy for non-fiction directing. Fox’s interest in fracking intensified when a natural gas company offered $100,000 for mineral rights on property his family owned in Milanville, in the extreme northeast part of Pennsylvania, about 60 miles east of Dimock. Research by a team of scientists from Duke University revealed â€Å"methane contamination of shallow drinking water systems that is associated with shale-gas extraction.† The data and conclusions, published in the May 2011 issue of the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, note d that not only did most drinking wells near drilling sites have methane, but those closest to the drilling wells, about a half-mile, had an average of 17 times the methane of those of other wells. â€Å"Some of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing—or liberated by it—are carcinogens,† Dr. Sandra Steingraber told members of the Environmental Conservation and Health committee of the New York State Assembly. Dr. Steingraber, a biologist and distinguished scholar in residence at Ithaca College, pointed out that some of the chemicals â€Å"are neurological poisons with suspected links to learning deficits in children,† while others â€Å"are asthma triggers. Some, especially the radioactive ones, are known to bioaccumulate in milk. Others are reproductive toxicants that can contribute to pregnancy loss.† An investigation by New York Times reporter Ian Urbina, based upon thousands of unreported EPA documents and a confidential study by the natural gas industry, concluded, â€Å"Radioactivity in drilling waste cannot be fully diluted in rivers and other waterways.† Urbina learned that wastewater from fracking operations was about 100 tim es more toxic than federal drinking water standards; 15 wells had readings about 1,000 times higher than standards. Research by Dr. Ronald Bishop, a biochemist at SUNY/Oneonta, suggests that fracking to extract methane gas â€Å"is highly likely to degrade air, surface water and ground-water quality, to harm humans, and to negatively impact aquatic and forest ecosystems.† He notes that â€Å"potential exposure effects for humans will include poisoning of susceptible tissues, endocrine disruption syndromes, and elevated risk for certain cancers.† Every well, says Dr. Bishop, â€Å"will generate a sediment discharge of approximately eight tons per year into local waterways, further threatening federally endangered mollusks and other aquatic organisms.† In addition to the environmental pollution by the fracking process, Dr. Bishop believes â€Å"intensive use of diesel-fuel equipment will degrade air quality [that could affect] humans, livestock, and crops.† Equally important are questions about the impact of as many as 200 diesel-fueled trucks each day bringing water to t he site and then removing the waste water. In addition to the normal diesel emissions of trucks, there are also problems of leaks of the contaminated water. â€Å"We need to know how diesel fuel got into our water supply,† says Diane Siegmund, a clinical psychologist from Towanda, Pa. â€Å"It wasn’t there before the companies drilled wells; it’s here now,† she says. Siegmund is also concerned about contaminated dust and mud. â€Å"There is no oversight on these,† she says, â€Å"but those trucks are muddy when they leave the well sites, and dust may have impact miles from the well sites.† Research â€Å"strongly implicates exposure to gas drilling operations in serious health effects on humans, companion animals, livestock, horses, and wildlife,† according to Dr. Michelle Bamberger, a veterinarian, and Dr. Robert E. Oswald, a biochemist and professor of molecular medicine at Cornell University. Their study, published in New Solutions, an academic journal in environmental health, documents evidence of milk contamination, breeding problems, and cow mortality in areas near fracking operation s as higher than in areas where no fracking occurred. Drs. Bamberger and Oswald noted that some of the symptoms present in humans from what may be polluted water from fracking operations include rashes, headaches, dizziness, vomiting, and severe irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. For animals, the symptoms often led to reproductive problems and death. Significant impact upon wildlife is also noted in a 900-page Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) conducted by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation. According to the EIS, â€Å"In addition to loss of habitat, other potential direct impacts on wildlife from drilling in the Marcellus Shale include increased mortality . . . altered microclimates, and increased traffic, noise, lighting, and well flares.† The impact, according to the report, â€Å"may include a loss of genetic diversity, species isolation, population declines . . . increased predation, and an increase of invasive species.† The report concludes that because of fracking, there is â€Å"little to no place in the study areas where wildlife would not be impacted, [leading to] serious cascading ecological consequences.† The impact of course affects the quality of milk and meat production as animals drink and graze near areas that have been taken over by the natural gas industry. The response by the industry and its political allies to the scientific studies of the health and environmental effects of fracking â€Å"has approached the issue in a manner similar to the tobacco industry that for many years rejected the link between smoking and cancer,† say Drs. Bamberger and Oswald. Not only do they call for â€Å"full disclosure and testing of air, water, soil, animals, and humans,† but point out that with lax oversight, â€Å"the gas drilling boom . . . will remain an uncontrolled health experiment on an enormous scale.† Bibliography of Works Cited: http://www.marcellusoutreachbutler.org/ http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/03/19/the-perils-of-fracking/ www.coalitiontoprotectnewyork.org http://psehealthyenergy.net/data/Bamberger_Oswald_NS22_in_press.pdf http://www.scribd.com/doc/97449702/100-Fracking-Victims http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/us/04natgas.html?pagewanted=all http://steingraber.com/ http://frack.mixplex.com/content/scientific-study-links-flammable-drinking-water-fracking http://www.hydraulicfracturing.com/Pages/information.aspx http://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracture/ http://geology.com/articles/hydraulic-fracturing/

Community Health Assessment Essay

Riverside County is a vast geographical area in Southern California with a diverse population. It represents a melding area of different cultures, ideals and median income, resulting in a community full of variety. Geographically, Riverside County covers 7200 sq. stretches eastward from the Orange County border of Southern California to the border of Arizona. There is a variety of climate within the county, as it includes a section of the Cleveland National Forest including Mount San Jacinto Mountains with a peak of 10,800’ and the eastern portion of the county is made up of the arid Mojave and Colorado deserts. (Wikipedia) Population Economic Status Assessment The population of 2.3 million is made up of 46.5% Hispanics, 7% African Americans, 1.9% Native American’s 6.6% Asians and 38.5% whites. 27% of the population is made up of those under 18 years old, over 12% is over 65 and over 7% is under 5 years. Over 50% of the population is female. (Citydata) Healthcare challenges include a large population of Spanish speaking immigrants that often lack an understanding of resources available. There are over 54,000 people in the county enrolled in Low Income Health Plans but over 15% of the population, 620,000 people are uninsured. The county developed healthcare program for those individuals that do not qualify for Medi-Cal has 25,000 enrollees. In 2013 there were 33 reported non-business related bankruptcies filed, with a national average of 25% citing medical expenses directly as cause. Home sales peaked in 2008 in both median price and number of home sales. Following the recession, sale prices fell but has steadily risen since the end o f 2012, nearing the early high numbers. Neighborhood/Community Safety Inventory Several types of crime present problems for the community. In 2005 there were 39 murders, 115 rapes, 416 robberies, 1577 assaults, 3829 burglaries, 8215 thefts and 3910 auto-thefts. Over 15,000 people are incarcerated in Riverside County. (Citydata)There is significant drug problems in the county increasing crime and resulting in family disruption. The manufacturing of  methamphetamines plagues the area especially in the rural areas and desert regions, which make it easier to perform unnoticed. Drug related crime is common in the inner city areas of the county including Riverside City, Jurupa Valley, Banning, Moreno valley and Perris. Air quality presents the primary environmental hazard due to smog and other pollutants that often exceed the state averages. Ozone 1 and 8 hour exposure, PM 2.5, PM 10, Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Oxide levels all exceed the US average significantly. In 2005, Riverside County had the second highest levels of PM 2.5 and Ozone 8 hour exposure in the st ate of California. Other environmental hazards include heat exposure in the arid regions during summer months and the poisonous plants found in the region. Poison Oak, Oleander, Stinging Nettles, Jimson Weed and mushrooms are all poisonous plants identified in Riverside County. (Citydata) Vectors contributing to possible disease transmission include ticks, fleas, rats and squirrels. Plague has been identified in isolated squirrels, Hanta virus has been confirmed in mice and rats. The county does battle a considerable West Nile Virus risk with mosquito larva populations in stagnant water sources. (Vector) 2011 had 30,611 live births, with 2.9% late or no prenatal care in Riverside County. (CDPH) Birth rates have remained steady over the last ten years averaging 10-12 per 1000 persons annually. Deaths have followed a slight decrease in tend over the last ten years, as have infant deaths. Population growth has grown sharply over the last ten years, almost doubling the state average. (Citydata) Disaster As sessment Tool Because of the population makeup of Riverside County, with near half of Hispanic descent and many having Spanish as their primary language, there is a high likelihood that disaster response in this community will require a large Spanish speaking component. Another group that will require special planning for disaster response is the disabled. Riverside County has over 20,000 sensory disabled individuals between the ages of 21-64, 39,000 mentally disabled in the same age group and 55,000 physically disabled also in this age group. Because of the large immigrant population and the large number of imprisoned or jailed individuals, there is a higher risk for TB transmission which could affect persons staying at shelters in close proximity to one another during a disaster. Riverside County has a robust  Emergency Response Plan which is detailed in the two part document found on the Riverside County Fire Department webpage. The arid desert regions present flash flood risks when sudden rainstorms deliver water levels above that which the soil can absorb. Because of the overall arid environment, wildfires are a seasonal risk and have plagued the county considerable in recent years. The county is dissected by the San Andreas fault line, resulting in a 4711% rate of earthquakes over the US average. Natural disasters over the last 60 years include 22 fires, 15 floods and 7 severe storms. (Geology) Many of the rural areas of the county are adjacent to areas of denser population, and house communities based around having horses and other livestock. Disaster management in these areas will require additional resources and cooperation to facilitate moving personal animals, including horses, goats and other medium size livestock, to safe areas. These areas, usually possessing a strong cohesiveness, will likely work well together in such situations. Significant preparations have been made for notification of disast er information, utilizing state level disaster comms down to the local HAM radio operators, as well as satellite communications and personal cell phone notifications. Cultural Assessment Tool The majority immigrants come from Mexico at 66%. Just under half of the population identify with a specific religion at 43%, and by far the majority report as Catholic at 66%. Additionally 5% associate as Mormons, leaving 29% as members of all other religious sects and denominations. In all of California, Latinas overwhelmingly make up the group of mothers seeking late prenatal care, with white and blacks following. In 2002 this number was 41,000 for Latinas, 15,000 for whites and 5,100 for blacks. Riverside County has a considerable Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual and Transgender population at 70,747 persons. By far the most dense makeup of this group is in Palm Springs where the LGBPT population is estimated at 40% of the cities entire makeup.

Effectiveness of Talent Management in the field of Human resource Research Proposal

Effectiveness of Talent Management in the field of Human resource - Research Proposal Example According toPhillips & Gull (2012), training key employees should be top priority for the Human resource department. Boudreau & Ramstad (2005) found that organizations that have put deliberate measures to identify high potential employees are seven times more effective in delivering results. This shows the importance and relevance of knowing how to identify, manage, develop and reward talent in human resource studies. Organizations realize that they must have top talents for their success.Becker & Ulrich (2001) found that the best practices being adopted include aligning the talent strategy with the business strategy. A business strategy must always drive the talent needed. The second is that competence should be a basis for succession, hiring, and promotions and finally the third practice is putting the right people in the right jobs. Sometimes hiring the right skills is more efficient than developing those skills. The relevant professional experience in talent management in human r esource is having a degree in human resource or a masters and having been involved in human resource for not less than five years to augment productivity and ability to develop employees for management and talent creation in a firm.

Liquified flesh in edvard munch's paintings Research Paper

Liquified flesh in edvard munch's paintings - Research Paper Example The essay "Liquified flesh in edvard munch's paintings" discovers the art and life of Edvard Munch. In order to understand the ‘liquid flesh’ concept as indicated, there is a need to understand Symbolic artistic style that employed images to convey ideas or experiences. In this regard, symbols were used as signs to communicate a perspective. In symbolism, the artist devised a way of communicating with images while avoiding portraying these images in a naturalistic manner as they appeared to the audience this involved avoiding vanishing points and perspectives in from the painting, and altering the naturalistic colors in avoid any detail that would make the image real. These involved the artist exaggerating, simplifying or applying a new style, and application of unnatural colors to indicate that the images were not real by themselves but were standing in for a certain perspectives. However, The Kiss painting did not amuse Prxybyszewski due to the distortion of images to hide reality and facilitate symbolization of ideas. As such, the The kiss" is repulsive, and that it resembles "liquefied flesh.† Therefore, Munch’s paintings were visual messages that reflected issues in the society, and which expressed his feelings concerning issues affecting him on a daily basis, suggesting that any literal definition of these paintings lost the actual messages that Munch expressed. Prxybyszewski when referring to Munch’s paintings as liquefied flesh and repulsive was reacting to the disorder. involved in the symbolism approach, in communicating ideas and perspectives  through images. As Prelinger explains, the symbolic artist had a view of communicating with images, but the images were not to have any realistic resemblance so as not to blur the message communicated.2 As a result, the artist embraced a tendency to change the images used by simplifying them, exaggerating or distorting the style of painting to ensure the images only communicat ed the intended message. In other words, symbolism artists such as Munch had a tendency of imposing their dominion on the reality to ensure the reality was their servant and not the artists acting as the servant of reality.3 As Prelinger explained, symbolism in this approach only had regard for thoughts and moods and employed reality as symbol. In this case, Prxybyszewski was referring to this alteration in images. In painting â€Å"the kiss,† the two images while kissing are closely fused and are embedded as two people with one head. â€Å"On the rosy frontier, the inner and outer parts of the man meet and exchange their emancipations while thousands of sensitive nerves give and receive the impressions received from the senses.†4 Between man and the women, space has been lost and has merged their heads together forming the symbol of a knotty tree, which makes the lovers seem like to ancient trees.5 The image portrays the togetherness that results from burning passion between a man and a woman such that there is no distance between them as they explore fantasy. Prxybyszewski laments, â€Å"†¦.but the entire passion of the kiss, the horrible power of sexuality, painfully yearning longing the disappearance of the consciousness of the ego†¦. – all this is so honestly experienced that we can accept the repulsive-unusual.†6 Prxybyszewski in this remark portrays the power passion and live experienced between a man and woman such that they were completely merged to one another and with all their consciousness lost. In other

Policy argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Policy argument - Essay Example Accordingly, this paper would be divided into several categories wherein reasons for the cessation of troop deployment to the Iraqi and Afghan warzones would be in the best interest of all the stakeholders, including alternative policies currently undertaken and feasible proposals by respective governments. First and foremost however, a factual backdrop would be necessary regarding troop deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq. In February and March 2009, respectively, the Obama Administration declared its strategy to amplify troop deployment levels in Afghanistan, while providing for the decrease of troop deployment levels in Iraq. In Afghanistan, 30,000 more troops are deploying this year while in Iraq; troops will gradually decline to 35,000 to 50,000 by August 31, 2011 with all troops to be out of Iraq by December 31, 20111 (Belasco, 2009). The possibility of increase in troop deployment in the aforementioned warzones has been met with reluctance, and even expresses political disappro val by several of the stakeholders. Conversely, the counter-proposal of withdrawal is constantly gaining support, from the US and the invaded countries themselves. In the case of the United States of America, public support for the war has constantly waned. Both public opinion and government policy require the means to cease or at least lessen further war expenditure and troop deployment. Recent events relative to the conduct of the war continually depreciate popular support at home for the United States. US military causalities in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Enduring Freedom total to 6049 soldiers killed in action, further fanning public outrage against the conflicts, apart from hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq2 Accordingly, the economy of the US is also one of the major concerns. The  financial cost of the war  for the US has reached almost $845 billion  to the U.S., while the entire cost to the U.S. economy is projected to amount to  $3 trillion, a majority of which to be shouldered by American taxpayers.3 The conflict has also disrupted Iraqi  oil  production, which has spawned energy security concerns such as significant increases in the price of oil, thus disrupting the world economy. 4 The conflicts also have had adverse effects for international political relations. These include the circumstances of the legality and morality of the invasion, including the refusal of the US to comply with UN Security Resolutions and international law. Public opinion of several countries and diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern countries and their allies has also been severely affected. The US has been portrayed as imperialists and hegemons, effecting to massive protests not only in the Middle East, but also in Europe and even the US itself, drawing comparisons of the war to the Vietnam War 5. With regard to Afghanistan, political analysts have asserted that the democratization and develo pment of the country has been obscured by a â€Å"lack of agreement on objectives, a lack of resources, lack of coordination, too much focus on the central government at the expense of local and provincial governments, and too much focus on

Sodium Na+ channel Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sodium Na+ Channel - Lab Report Example Patients with cardiac insufficiency receive drugs that affect the sodium pump in order to stabilize the heartbeat. Voltage-gated sodium channels. The family consists of at least 9 members and is largely responsible for action potential creation and propagation. The pore-forming alpha subunits are very large(up to 4,000 amino acids) and consist of four homologous repeat domains, comprising six transmembrane segments and transverse the cell membrane 24 times. They coassemble with a beta subunit that spans the membrane. Scorpion toxin has been used for classification of these channels. Diagram of a voltage-sensitive sodium channel ÃŽ ±-subunit. G - glycosylation, P - phosphorylation, S - ion selectivity, I - inactivation, positive (+) charges in S4 are important for transmembrane voltage sensing Frank H. Yu and William A. Catterall (2003) "Overview of the voltage-gated sodium channel family" in Genome Biol. 4(3): 207. ([http://www.pubmedcentral.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=153452 Full text online]). Class Ia agents depress phase 0 depolarization and reduce Vmax which prolongs the action potential duration by slowing conductance, these agents include quinidine, procainamide, and disopyramide and should be used in conjunction with an AV node blocking agent such as digoxin or a beta-blocker. Class Ib agents have the fast onset and offset kinetics and little or no effect at slower heartbeats. These include lidocaine, mexiletine, tocainide, and phenytoin. Class Ic agents markedly depress the phase 0 depolarization. They are indicated for life-threatening ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation and for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. They are potentially pro-arrhythmic, especially in settings of structural heart disease, as in post-myocardial infarction and contraindicated in such instances.  

SWOT Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

SWOT Analysis - Research Paper Example Australia consists of six states; New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania and 2 territories; the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Its capital city is Canberra. Even though Australia is the smallest continent in the world, it is the sixth largest country in the world. The population is concentrated mainly on the eastern and southeastern coastal areas. The geography of Australia is extremely diverse including snowy mountains, deserts, tropical and temperate forests etc. This paper analyses the population, culture, economy, political, legal, and technological environment, strength, weakness opportunities, and threats of Australia. Aborigines, who migrated to Australia from South Asia around 40000 years before are believed to be the first inhabitants of Australia. Europeans started to settle in Australia during the latter part of eighteenth century. Before that indigenous Australians, were the inhabitants in Australia . Eastern half of Australia was claimed by Britain during the latter part of 18 th century and Britain implemented colonial rule in Australia for a longer period. The major culture in Australia is essentially a Western culture since the Europeans established their colonies there. English is the predominant language in Australia. Even though Britain ruled Australia for a longer period, the Australian English vocabulary, accent, and pronunciations are slightly different from that of the British English. â€Å"In most practical ways, Australia is an egalitarian society. This does not mean that everyone is the same or that everybody has equal wealth or property† (About Australia). Unlike many other countries in the world, class distinctions are invisible in Australia. People respect each other irrespective of the wealth, power or social influence. â€Å"Australia is the thirteenth largest economy in the world. As of 2009, Australia GDP was estimated to be $920 billion.   Austr alia has managed an impressive 18 years of continuous growth since 1992 - see Australia GDP  Growth†(Australia Economy). Unlike many other nations in the world, Australian economy kept its growth phase even when the recent recession struck other countries. Revenues from natural resources, tourism, agriculture, industries etc keep Australian economy in the growth track. Australia is a parliamentary democratic country which respects human rights, freedom, liberty, etc of the people very much. Two party political system, is prevailing in Australia even though in many other democratic countries multiparty political system prevail. The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia consists of two chambers: The Australian House of Representatives and The Australian Senate. The Australian House of Representatives has 150 members whereas Australian Senate has 76 members, each elected for a three-year term of office from a constituency. The Australian legal system is based on a fundame ntal belief in the rule of  law, justice and the independence of the judiciary. All people—Australians and non-Australians alike—are treated equally before the law and safeguards exist to ensure that people are not treated arbitrarily or unfairly by governments or officials. Principles such as procedural fairness, judicial precedent and the separation of powers are fundamental to

The Effects of Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment on High School Students Essay

The Effects of Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment on High School Students - Essay Example To resolve this issue of seniors â€Å"blowing off the senior year† due to a lack of any substantial challenge, in 1973 the Project Advance program of Syracuse University was created (Andrews, 2004). Following this development the model was adopted by various institutions and consequently there was an emergence of a multitude of dual credit programs. In 1974, LaGuardia Community College, New York established the Middle College High School program targeting alienated and at risk students in typical high schools who potentially may not succeed in acquiring their diplomas (Lewis & Overman, 2008). Similar programs were adopted by Florida International University in 1982 (Partners in Progress) and Kingsborough Community College in 1984 (College Now). Motivated by the success of the Minnesota dual credit program, Washington State passed the ‘Running Start’ program in 1990 which allowed juniors and seniors with necessary qualifications to take college level courses at te chnical and community colleges without having to pay college tuition. In 1994 this was expanded to incorporate four year universities if there were no community colleges in the high school district (Kim & Bragg, 2008; Board, 2011) In 2004, the legislature founded House Bill 3103 which established federal guidelines tailored to provide assistance to high schools via increasing the magnitude of dual credit programs, expanding the breadth of the curriculum of these programs, and tutoring/mentoring students to aid in a seamless transition into postsecondary educational institutions (Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2005). Definitional Issues Opinion is divided among experts regarding the proper terminology that should be accorded to the opportunity provided to high school students to attend college classes which generate credits at both high school and college levels. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board defines a dual credit course as one that includes academic as well as technical courses. For the present purpose, dual enrollment hereon is defined following Klein (2007, p.23) as â€Å"courses that allow high school students to receive both high school and college credit simultaneo usly†. These modules are typically taught by professors or adjunct instructors belonging to the institution, and the same classes are attended by college and high school students. Concurrent enrollment for early-college high schools is also located on the college campus but only high school students attend class. The Early College High School, founded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation in 2002 serves traditionally underrepresented students by enabling them to access the simultaneous pursuit of college credits and a high school (American Institute for Research, 2009). Because they are easier to implement as well as less expensive, concurrent and dual enrollments have gained greater popularity (Karp & Bailey, April 2005). Kim & Bragg (2008) additionally distinguish articulated credit courses such as career and technical education, International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement which only allow high school students to apply for the college credits. The present literatur e review will restrict its focus to concurrent and dual credit courses. Notably, these courses have the twin fold benefit of assisting a high school student either to an academic career or into the workforce (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2011). The paper will primarily address the following questions: 1. What are the principal benefits and major concerns for students who participate in dual enrollment/dual credit programs? 2. What are the central advantages and disadvantages for partnering institutions? 3. What

Week 2 Hand-in Assignment -2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 2 Hand-in -2 - Assignment Example But how does that rectangular box, on the wall of the bank, in a private booth, or maybe in a convenience store, dispense all of that cash? What are the user requirements? The ATM is a classic example of the textbook definition of Chapter 4.1.1 â€Å"The functional requirements for a system describe what the system should do†. The European Community basically agrees in its ATM Protection Guidelines (2000). Although it is relatively old, the University of Maryland issued a very good document on this subject (1996). The following steps must be undertaken before the customer can receive his or her money. Any answers of no will cause a rejected transaction and the person will be turned away. 4. If valid, customer is prompted to enter his Personal Identification Number. Is it correct? (Depending upon the policies of the bank, the customer is given a number of chances [usually three] to enter the correct number). 6. If the answers to questions two, three or four or no, depending upon the type of machine and again the bank or network policy, an error message is displayed on the screen. The card is either returned or seized without printing a receipt. 11. If all questions other than Item Ten are â€Å"Yes†, then cash is dispensed, a receipt is printed, and the customer is reminded to remove his card. The ATM also notifies the customer bank of the transaction, along with any fees assessed. All of these steps are completed (most of the time) in a matter of seconds, probably less than two minutes. Some say the increased use of debit cards, twenty per cent in the last fifteen years (FED 2006), may spell the demise of ATM. Yet the recent credit card crunch and tightening of bank regulations have led to the use of more cash and that means the little boxes will continue to

Realism and Emotion in Gothic Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Realism and Emotion in Gothic Art - Essay Example The term maintained its deprecating association until the 19th century. During this period, a positive critical revaluation of Gothic architecture took place. The term Gothic remains a standard one in study of art history even if modern scholars have long realized that Gothic art has nothing to do with the Goths. 2. Gothic Art and Architecture The most important and original art form during the Gothic period is architecture. Its principal structural characteristics began out of medieval masons’ efforts to solve the problems connected with supporting heavy masonry ceiling vaults over wide spans. An example of the earliest Gothic sculptures which is said to be a revolution in style is the Western (Royal) Portal at Chartres Cathedral (ca. 1145). These jamb statutes affixed to the columns next to the doorways are tall, slender standing figures of kings and queens from whom the Portail Royale derived its name. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, these figures were erroneously identified as the Merovingian monarchs of France. 3. Gothic Painting Gothic painting did not emerge until the beginning of the thirteenth century. This became visible nearly 50 years after the start of Gothic architecture and sculpture. The transition from the Romanesque art to Gothic is very vague and inaccurate. However, beginnings of darker and more emotional styles were seen as deviating from the previous period. Paintings during this period were practiced in four primary crafts such as frescos, panel paintings, manuscript illumination and stained glass. Simone Martini is one of the most original and influential artists of the Gothic era. He painted many frescos and altarpiece panels such as the Virgin and Child (1320) for the Church of Saint Catherine in Pisa. He added refined contour of line, grace of expression and serenity of mood in his paintings. 4. Trend to Realism and Emotion The growing concern for realism and emotion can be traced across Gothic art forms. The two majo r and important arts forms during the Gothic era are sculpture and painting. The trend toward greater realism and emotion can be said to have been entrenched from the era. The general effect of the development of the Gothic style is now shown on the west front of the Chartres Cathedral (c. 1140-50). This is the first impulse of Gothic art towards realism. One can see the development of sculpture during this early period of Gothic art which is towards increased realism and that deviates from the wooden feel of Romanesque sculpture. This was achieved in a series of stylistic impulses and not by continuous evolution. The figures in the sculpture on the west front of Chartres are barely â€Å"real† and their forms are strongly aligned with the architectural composition. The work of the goldsmith Nicholas of Verdun showed the second creative impulse of Gothic art. His artwork is marked by graceful, curving figures and soft Greek-like ridged-and-troughed drapery or the so-called Mu ldenstil. A third impulse towards realism in Gothic sculpture, based on 10th century Byzantine prototypes, seems to have originated at Notre-Dame, Paris (c.1200)2. This style is characterized by figures with a

The Tragedy of Macbeth and the word Blood Essay Example for Free

The Tragedy of Macbeth and the word Blood Essay William Shakespeare was the greatest playwright of his time. One of his most well-known plays is The Tragedy of Macbeth. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, the word blood appears many times throughout the play. The word has drastic effects on the characters in the play, and its meaning changes throughout the story. The meaning of Blood changes significantly as the story progresses according to the character of Macbeth, and it affects Macbeth and other characters along the way with some feelings of guilt. First of all, the whole play is actually based on the word blood because as the story goes on, blood changes along the way and reflects Macbeths character and behavior. At first, Macbeth is a brave and honored soldier, but as the play goes on, he becomes a treacherous person who has become disliked and associated with death and bloodshed, and then finally, the meaning of the word returns back to its original usage. The first reference of blood is about honor, and it occurs when Duncan sees the injured sergeant and says What bloody man is that?(1.2.1). This is symbolic for the brave fighter who got injured in a noble battle for his country. In the next passage, the sergeant says Which smoked with bloody execution(1.2.20). He is referring to Macbeths braveness for killing the enemy triumphantly with his sword. Duncan responds to this news by saying O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman!(1.2.26). These quotes show that blood was used honorably, and when said to a person, it would be taken as a compliment. After these few references to honor, the symbol of blood begins to change to show a theme of treachery and treason. Lady Macbeth starts this off when she asks the spirits to Make thick my blood, Stop up th access and passage to remorse(1.5.50-51). What she is saying by this is that she wants to make herself insensitive and remorseless for the bad deeds which she is about to commit. Lady Macbeth knows that the evidence of blood is a treacherous symbol, and knows that it will relieve the suspicions of guilt from her and Macbeth and transfer it onto the servants when she says smear the sleepy grooms with blood(2.2.63-64), and If he do bleed, Ill gild the faces of the grooms withal, For it must seem their guilt.(2.2.71-73). After the murder of Duncan, Banquo states let us meet, And question this most bloody piece of work to know it further(2.3.149-151), and Ross says ist known who did this more than bloody deed?(2.4.31), they are both questioning who  it was that did this treacherous act of killing Duncan. Much later in the play, after Macduff slays Macbeth, the symbolic meaning of blood swings back to what it was at the beginning of the play. Macduff gets honored for killing Macbeth, and finally at the very end of the play, the word blood returns to its original place of honor after the villain that changed the meaning from honor to tyranny is killed. Although the meaning of the word blood changes throughout the play, its biggest effect on the images of the characters is guilt. First Macbeth hints at his guilt when he says Will all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?(2.2.78-79), meaning that he wondered if he would ever be forgiven or able to forget the awful deed he has done. Then the ghost of Banquo, all cut up and bloody, comes to haunt Macbeth at the banquet and the sight of it represents his guilt for planning the murdering of Banquo. Lady Macbeth shows the best example of guilt using the symbol of blood in the scene where she walks in her sleep. She says Out, damned spot, out, I say! One. Two. Why then, tis time to dot. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?(5.1.37-42). This is the little speech Lady Macbeth recites while sleepwalking, this represents the fact that she cannot wipe the blood stains of Duncan off of her hands because killing him has done a lot more damage than benefit. Its ironic that she says this, because right after the murder when Macbeth was feeling guilty, she said A little water clears us of this deed.(2.2.86), but in reality, she is also very scared and feels an overwhelming amount of guilt that she lets it out while she sleeps. When the doctor of the castle finds out about this sleepwalking, he tells Macbeth As she is troubled with thick coming fantasies,. What this means, is that Lady Macbeth is having trouble with fantasies or even nightmares where she sees blood. In his mind, Macbeth knows the truth, that Lady Macbeth is actually having troubles with her guilt, but he does not say anything about it. In conclusion, The Tragedy of Macbeth is a complex story filled with elaborate characters and strong emotions, all of which Shakespeare created using a few key words and symbolism as his tools. With just the word blood  he created many meanings and emotions to affect not only the characters, but also the readers and watchers of his plays.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Fiber Optics

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Fiber Optics This paper looks at fiber optics as a technology that has been developing and improving the way the world communicates for more than two centuries. It examines its origins from 1790, when a French engineer Claude Chappe invented a system for sending messages using a series of semaphores mounted on top of two towers. This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of fiber optics and describes some of the uses of fiber optics in our everyday lives. It analyzes the manner in which fiber optic technology has revolutionised and advanced the field of telecommunications, imaging and data transmission. Modern information systems handle ever-increasing data loads, processor speeds and high-speed interconnection networks, thus impacting our world and expanding the boundaries of our technological development in all spheres of life. INTRODUCTION Nothing in the world gives us more power and confidence than having information. The ability to communicate information is essential to achieve the successful advancement of humankind. Transmission of information is imperative to the expansion of our horizons. What does this all have to do with fiber optics? This research paper will cover the basis of fiber optics in terms of its transmission, communication, origin, uses and applications. Fiber optics transports light in a very directional way. Light is focused into and guided through a cylindrical glass fiber. Inside the core of the fiber, light bounces back and forth at angles to the side walls, making its way to the end of the fiber where it eventually escapes. The light does not escape through the side walls because of total internal reflection. Why is fiber optics so important? Besides being a flexible conduit that is used to illuminate microscopic objects, fiber optics can also transmit information similarly to the way a copper wire can transmit electricity. However, copper transmits only a few million electrical pulses per second, compared to an optical fiber that carries up to a 20 billion light pulses per second. This means telephone, cable and computer companies can handle huge amounts of data transfers at once, much more than conventional wires can carry. Fiber optic cable was developed because of the incredible increase in the quantity of data over the past 20 years. Without fiber optic cable, the modern Internet and World Wide Web would not be possible. Origin of Fiber Optics Even though it may seem new, the origin of fiber optics actually that dates back several centuries. This is a brief timeline illustrating the history and discovery of fiber optics. 1790 French engineer Claude Chappe invented the first optical telegraph. This was an optical communication system which consisted of a series of human operated semaphoresmounted on top of a tower. 1870 Irish philosopher and physicist, John Tyndall, demonstrated to the Royal Society, that light used internal reflection to follow a specific path. This simple experiment marked the first research into the guided transmission of light. 1880 Alexander Graham Bell patented an optical telephone system called the photo phone. The photo phone was an optical voice transmission system that used light to carry a human voice. This unique device used no wires to connect the transmitter and the receiver. William Wheeler invented a system of light pipes lined with a highly reflective coating that lit up homes. He used a light from an electric arc lamp placed it in the basement and directed the light around the home with the pipes. 1888 Dr. Roth and Prof. Reuss of a medical company in Vienna used bent glass rods to illuminate body cavities. 1895 The French engineer Henry Saint-Rene designed a system of bent glass rods. 1898 David Smith, an American from Indianapolis, applied for a patent on a dental illuminator using a curved glass rod. 1926 John Logie Baird applies for British patent on an array of parallel glass rods or hollow tubes to carry image in a mechanical television. Bairds 30 line images were the first demonstrations of television using the total internal reflection of light. During the same year, Clarence W. Hansell outlined principles of the fiber optic imaging bundle 1930 Heinrich Lamm, a German medical student, was the first person to assemble a bundle of transparent fibers together to carry an image. During these experiments, he transmitted an image of a light bulb filament through the bundle of optical fibers. His attempt to file a patent is denied because of Hansells British patent. 1931 Owens-Illinois invented a method to mass-produce glass fibers for Fiberglas. 1937 Armand Lamesch of Germany applied for U.S. patent on two-layer glass fiber. 1939 Curvlite Sales offered illuminated tongue depressor and dental illuminators made of Lucite, a transparent plastic invented by DuPont. 1951 Holger Moeller applied for a Danish patent on fiber optic imaging in which he used cladding on glass or plastic fibers with transparent low-index material. This patent was also declined because of Hansells patents. In October of that same year, Brian OBrien, from the University of Rochester suggested to Abraham C. S. Van Heel of the Technical University of Delft, that applying a transparent cladding would improve transmission of fibers in his imaging bundle. 1954 The Dutch scientist Abraham Van Heel and British scientist Harold H. Hopkins separately published papers on imaging bundles. Hopkins delivered his paper on imaging bundles of unclad fibers while Van Heel reported on simple bundles of cladded fibers that greatly reduced signal interference. American Optical hired Will Hicks to implement and develop fiber optic image scramblers, an idea OBrien proposed to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). 1955 Hirschowitz and C. Wilbur Peters hired an undergraduate student, Larry Curtiss, to work on their fiber optic endoscope project. 1956 Curtiss suggested making glass clad fibers by melting a tube onto a rod of higher-index glass. Later that year Curtiss made the first glass-clad fibers using the rod-in-tube method. 1957 Hirschowitz was the first to test fiber optic endoscope in a patient. The Image scrambler project ended after Hicks tells the CIA the code was easy to break. 1959 Working with Hicks, American Optical drew fibers so fine they transmitted only a single mode of light. Elias Snitzer recognised the fibers as single-mode waveguides. 1960 Theodore Maiman demonstrated the first laser at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu. 1961 Elias Snitzer of American Optical published a theoretical description of single mode fibers. A fiber with a core so small it could carry light with only one wave-guide mode. 1964 Charles Kao and George Hockham, of Standard Communications Laboratories in England, published a paper indicating that light loss in existing glass fibers could be decreased dramatically by removing impurities. 1967 Corning summer intern, Cliff Fonstad, made fibers. Loss is high, but Maurer decides to continue the research using titania-doped cores and pure-silica cladding. 1970 Corning Glass researchers Robert Maurer, Donald Keck and Peter Schultzinvented fiber optic wire or Optical Waveguide Fibers capable of carrying 65,000 times more information than copper wire. These optical fibers could carry information in a pattern of light waves and could be decoded at a destination a thousand miles away. The Corning breakthrough was among the most dramatic of many developments that opened the door to fiber optic communications. In that same year, Morton Panish and Izuo Hayashi of Bell Laboratories worked with a group from the Ioffe Physical Institute in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and made the first semiconductor diode laser capable of emitting continuous waves at room temperature. Telephone companies began to incorporate the use of optical fibers into their communications infrastructure. 1973 Bell Laboratories developed a modified chemical vapour deposition process that heats chemical vapours and oxygen to form ultra-transparent glass that can be mass-produced into low-loss optical fiber. This process still remains the standard for fiber-optic cable manufacturing 1975 First non-experimental fiber-optic link installed by the Dorset police in UK police after lightning knocks out their communication system 1977 Corning joined forces Siemens Corporation, to form Corning Cable Systems. Cornings extensive work with fiber, coupled with Siemens cabling technology, helped launch a new era in the manufacturing of optical fiber cable. General Telephone and Electronics started to send live telephone messages through underground fiber optic cables at 6Mbit/s, in Long Beach, California. Bell System started to send live telephone messages through fibers in underground ducts at 45Mbit/s, in downtown Chicargo. 1978 Optical fibers began to carry signals to homes in Japan AT T, British Post Office and STL pledge to develop a single mode transatlantic fiber cable to be operational by 1988. 1980 Graded-index fiber system carries video signals for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. 1981 British Telecom transmits 140 million bits per second through 49 kilometers of single-mode fiber at 1.3 micrometers 1982 MCI leases the right of way to install single-mode fiber from New York to Washington. The system will operate at 400 million bits per second at 1.3 micrometers. 1984 British Telecom lays the first submarine fiber to carry regular traffic to the Isle of Wight. 1985 Single-mode fiber spreads across America, carrying long distance telephone signals at 400 million bits per second. 1986 The first fiber optic cable begins service across the English Channel. In the same year, ATT sends 1.7 billion bits per second through single-mode optic fiber 1991 Masataka Nakazawa of NTT reports sending soliton signals through a million kilometres of cable 1996 Fujitsu, NTT Labs and Bell Laboratories all report sending one trillion bits per seconds through a single optical fiber. They have all used separate experiments and different techniques to achieve this. APPLICATIONS OF FIBER OPTICS As the popularity of optical fibers continue to grow, so does their applications and practical uses. Fiber optic cables became more and more popular in a variety of industries and applications. Communications / Data Storage Since fiber optics are resistant to electronic noise, fiber optics has made significant advances in the field of communications. The use of light as its source of data transmission has improved the sound quality in voice communications. It is also being used for transmitting and receiving purposes. Military Optical systems offer more security than traditional metal-based systems. The magnetic interference allows the leak of information in the coaxial cables. Fiber optics is not sensitive to electrical interference; therefore fiber optics is suitable for military applications and communications, where signal quality and security of data transmission are important. The increased interest of the military in this technology caused the development of stronger fibers, specially designed cables and high quality components. It was also applied in more varied areas such as hydrophones for seismic and sonar, aircrafts, submarines and other underwater applications. Medical Fiber optics is used as light guides, imaging tools and as lasers for surgeries. Another popular use of fiber optic cable is in an endoscope, which is a diagnostic instrument that enables users to see through small holes in the body. Medical endoscopes are used for minimum invasive surgical procedures. Fiber optics is also used in bronchoscopes (for lungs) and laparoscopes. All versions of endoscopes look like a long thin tube, with a lens or camera at one end through which light is emitted from the bundle of optical fibers banded together inside the enclosure. Mechanical or Industrial Industrial endoscopes also called a borescope or fiberscope, enables the user to observe areas that are difficult to reach or to see under normal circumstances, such as jet engine interiors, inspecting mechanical welds in pipes and engines, inspecting space shuttles and rockets and the inspection of sewer lines and pipes. Networking Fiber optics is used to connect servers and users in a variety of network settings. It increases the speed, quality and accuracy of data transmission. Computer and Internet technology has improved due to the enhanced transmission of digital signals through optical fibers. Industrial/Commercial Fiber optics is used for imaging in areas which are difficult to reach. It is also used in wiring where electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a problem. It gets used often as sensory devices to make temperature, pressure and other measurements as well as in the wiring of motorcars and in industrial settings. Spectroscopy Optical fiber bundles are used to transmit light from a spectrometer to a substance which cannot be placed inside the spectrometer itself, in order to analyse its composition. A spectrometer analyses substances by bouncing light off of and through them. By using optical fibers, a spectrometer can be used to study objects that are too large to fit inside, or gasses, or reactions which occur in pressure vessels. Broadcast/CATV /Cable Television Broadcast or cable companies use fiber optic cables for wiring CATV, HDTV, internet, video and other applications. Usage of fiber optic cables in the cable-television industry began in 1976 and quickly spread because of the superiority of fiber optic cable over traditional coaxial cable. Fiber optic systems became less expensive and capable of transmitting clearer signals further away from the source signal. It also reduced signal losses and decreased the number of amplifiers required for each customer. Fiber optic cable allows cable providers to offer better service, because only one optical line is needed for every  ± 500 households. Lighting and Imaging Fiber optic cables are used for lighting and imaging and as sensors to measure and monitor a vast range of variables. It is also used in research, development and testing in the medical, technological and industrial fields. Fiber optics are used as light guides in medical and other applications where bright light needs to shine on a target without a clear line-of-sight path. In some buildings, optical fibers are used to route sunlight from the roof to other parts of the building. Optical fiber illumination is also used for decorative applications, including signs, art and artificial Christmas trees. Optical fiber is an essential part of the light-transmitting concrete building product, LiTraCon which is a translucent concrete building material. ADVANTAGES OF FIBER OPTICS The use of fiber optics is fast becoming the medium of choice for telecommunication systems, television transmission and data networks. Fiber optic cables have a multitude of advantages and benefits over the more traditional methods of information systems, such as copper or coaxial cables. Speed One of the greatest benefits to using fiber optic systems is the capacity and speed of such a system. Light travels faster than electrical impulses which allow faster delivery and reception of information. Fiber optic cables also have a much higher capacity for bandwidth than the more traditional copper cables. Immunity to electromagnetic interference Coaxial cables have a tendency for electromagnetic interference, which renders them less effective. Fiber optics is not affected by external electrical signals, because the data is transmitted with light. Security Optical systems are more secure than traditional mediums. Electromagnetic interference causes coaxial cables to leak information. Optical fiber makes it impossible to remotely detect the signal which is transmitted within the cable. The only way to do so is by actually accessing the optical fiber itself. Accessing the fiber requires intervention that is easily detectable by security surveillance. These circumstances make fiber optics extremely attractive to governments, banks and companies requiring increased security of data. Fire prevention Copper wire transmission can generate sparks, causing shortages and even fire. Because fiber optical strands use light instead of electricity to carry signals, the chance of an electrical fire is eliminated. This makes fiber optics an exceptionally safe form of wiring and one of the safest forms of data transmission. Data signalling Fiber optic systems are much more effective than coaxial or copper systems, because there is minimal loss of data. This can be credited to the design of optical fibers, because of the principle of total internal reflection. The cladding increases the effectiveness of data transmission significantly. There is no crosstalk between cables, e.g. telephone signals from overseas using a signal bounced off a communications satellite, will result in an echo being heard. With undersea fiber optic cables, you have a direct connection with no echoes. Unlike electrical signals in copper wires the light signals from one fiber do not interfere with those of other fibers in the same cable. This means clearer phone conversations or TV reception. Less expensive Several kilometers of optical cable can be made far cheaper than equivalent lengths of copper wire. Service, such as the internet is often cheaper because fiber optic signals stay strong longer, requiring less power over time to transmit signals than copper-wire systems, which need high-voltage transmitters. Large Bandwidth, Light Weight and Small Diameter Modern applications require increased amounts of bandwidth or data capacity, fiber optics can carry much larger bandwidth through a much smaller cable and they arent prone to the loss of information. With the rapid increase of bandwidth demand, fiber optics will continue to play a vital role in the long-term success of telecommunications. Space constraints of many end-users are easily overcome because new cabling can be installed within existing duct systems. The relatively small diameter and light weight of optical cables makes such installations easy and practical. Easy Installation and Upgrades Long lengths of optical cable make installation much easier and less expensive. Fiber optic cables can be installed with the same equipment that is used to install copper and coaxial cables. Long Distance Signal Transmission The low attenuation and superior signal capacity found in optical systems allow much longer intervals of signal transmission than metallic-based systems. Metal based systems require signal repeaters to perform satisfactory. Fiber optic cables can transmit over hundreds of kilometres without any problems. Even greater distances are being investigated for the future. To use fiber optics in data systems have proven to be a far better alternative to copper wire and coaxial cables. As new technologies are developed, transmission will become even more efficient, assuring the expansion of telecommunication, television and data network industries. DISADVANTAGES OF FIBER OPTICS Despite the many advantages of fiber optic systems, there are some disadvantages. The relative new technology of fiber optic makes the components expensive. Fiber optic transmitters and receivers are still somewhat expensive compared to electrical components. The absence of standardisation in the industry has also limited the acceptance of fiber optics. Many industries are more comfortable with the use of electrical systems and are reluctant to switch to fiber optics. The cost to install fiber optic systems is falling because of an increase in the use of fiber optic technology. As more information about fiber optics is made available to educate managers and technicians, the use of fiber optics in the industry will increase over time. The advantages and the need for more capacity and information will also increase the use of fiber optics in our everyday life. Conclusion From its humble beginnings in the 1790s to the introduction of highly transparent fiber optic cable in the 1970s, very high-frequency optic fibers now carry phenomenal loads of communication and data signals across the country and around the world. From surgical procedures to worldwide communication via the internet, fiber optics has revolutionised our world. Fiber optics has made important contributions to the medical field, especially with regards to surgery. One of the most useful characteristics of optical fibers is their ability to enter the minute passageways and hard-to-reach areas of the human body. But perhaps the greatest contribution of the 20th century is the combination of fiber optics and electronics to transform telecommunications. Fiber optic transmission has found a vast range of applications in computer systems. As we move towards a more sophisticated and modern future, the uses of fiber optics are increasing in all computer systems as well as telecommunication networks. As new optical fibers are being made, many telecommunication companies are joining forces to share the cost of installing new network cables. In July 2009 and underwater fiber optic cable was put down along the East African coast by Seacom. New technologies are constantly being invented and video phones and video conferencing such as Skype are becoming an everyday occurrence in many businesses and households. Shopping from home via the internet and online stores such as Amazon.com and Kalahari.net are making many peoples lives easier. Even television on demand, such as being offered by DSTV, will replace the current cable television systems of today. We live in a technological age that is the result of many brilliant discoveries and inventions. However, it is our ability to transmit information and all the media we use to achieve this that is responsible for this evolution. Our progress from using copper wire a century ago to modern day fiber optics that can transmit phenomenal loads of data over longer and longer distances at ever increasing speed has expanded the boundaries of our technological development in all spheres of life.

Literature review of corporate social responsibility theories

Literature review of corporate social responsibility theories Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), also known as corporate citizenship, responsible business, or sustainable responsible business is all but a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model where companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society. Arguably, business and society are interwoven where society has certain expectations regarding business, thus, implying that firms have responsibilities towards society. Hence, being a steward of the needs of society is deemed to be a socially responsible, appropriate, and natural act. Corporate describes a business that aims to make a profit for its shareholders, hence this excludes, charities, foundations, NGOs and social enterprises. The first book acknowledging CSR is the Social Responsibilities of the Businessman (Howard R. Bowen) in the mid 1950s. But, the term CSR came in widespread use in the early 1970s. In fact, it owes its origin due to the globalisation which took place after many multinational corporations were formed, thus, bringing in force the corporate governance mechanisms to ascertain fairness and transparency as well as social responsibility in the corporate world. CSR is defined in various ways in different countries, of about being the capacity building for sustainable livelihoods from Ghana to about giving back to society from Philippines; and of being conventionally presented in a philanthropic model from the United States to being focused on operating the core business in a socially responsible way, complemented by investment in communities for solid business case reasons and voluntary interaction with the stakeholders from the European model. As such, according to Caroll (2003), The social responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical and discretionary (philanthropic) expectations that society has of organisations at a given point in time. Hence, ideally and broadly, the concept of CSR is a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business would monitor and ensure its support to law, ethical standards, and international norms. 2.1.1 CSR and CSP In todays competitive market environment, businesses are confronted with a new set of non economics-related challenges. To survive and prosper, firms must bridge economic and social systems. Maximising shareholder wealth is a necessary but is no longer a sufficient condition for financial prosperity. Despite the concept of CSR addresses such issue, a specific connotation of CSR and a new performance measure called the corporate social performance (abbreviated as CSP) needs to be unified to capture the performance of a business in the social realm, and also to be more precise in thinking about CSR. CSP defined as a business organizations configuration of principles of social responsibility, processes of social responsiveness, and policies, programs, and observable outcomes as they relate to the firms societal relationships (Wood, 1991), clearly shows that social performance is not limited to corporations only, but also applies to any firm and organisation. This comprehensive definition assumes that CSP is broader than CSR, which consists of three norms at different levels of analysis: institutional, organisational, and individual. Additionally, it includes organisational processes of environmental assessment, stakeholder management, and issues management, and also various measures of its external manifestations and societal effects, such as social impacts. Hence the CSP model expresses and articulates three stages, from less to more engage towards stakeholders: social obligation, social responsibility and social responsiveness (S.P. Sethi, 1975). 2.1.2 Views on CSR According to Hancock (2005), CSR can be viewed through 3 ways namely: Views on CSR Hancock (2005) Sceptic View Milton Friedman (1970) Utopian View Evan and Freeman (1988) Realist view Patricia Werhane (2009) Few trends would so thoroughly undermine the very foundations of free society as the acceptance by corporate officials of a social responsibility other than to make as much money for their stockholders as they possibly can. Notion of CSR is opposed to democracy and freedom where business focus is on wealth creation Went for Stakeholder Theory A corporation must recognise and respect the vital interests of each of its surrounding stakeholders. CSR reflects the idea that companies have a prior duty to anyone touched by their activity, their stakeholders rather than their shareholders, and especially the vulnerable that may be exploited by the companys operation. Gathers the greatest following of an alliance model CSR is also about the integrity with which a company governs itself, fulfils its mission, lives by its values, engages with its stakeholders, measures its impacts and reports on its activities. CSR is not simply about whatever funds and expertise companies choose to invest in communities to help resolve social problems 2.1.3 Key Drivers of CSR CSR is seen by Porter and Van Der Linde (2000, p. 131) as a competitive driver that requires appropriate resources. CSR programmes, however, on their own, have certain main drivers which are as follow: Bottom Line Effect This is the most relevant driver of CSR programmes as it incorporates a socially responsible element into corporate practice. As John Elkington (1997) rightly underlined that many companies exhibit corporate citizenship through charity or philanthropy. Nevertheless, a new perspective evolved over time for some corporate stakeholders. Success of a corporation is now weighted and defined by evaluating businesses using a Triple Bottom Line comprised of its social, environmental and financial performance. Managing Risk An endeavour to adopt CSR programme has been the gain in market share, key personnel and investment which pioneering companies enjoy when they seriously address labour and green issues. In fact, corporations implement such a programme to manage risks and ensure legal compliance as denoted by Levine Michael A. (2008). They try to avoid investigation, litigation, prosecution, regulation or legislation. Influence of the Corporate Disasters There has been an increased perception of greed amidst senior business officials in the corporate world following corporate scandals affecting Enron, WorldCom and the like. CSR is important in counteracting allegations of corporate greed. As a result, as described by Hancock (2005) in his book, corporations are now shifting away from the philanthropic approach towards CSR and are moving towards the greater alignment of CSR with business strategy and corporate governance. Lower Equity Risk Premium Reputation Management Corporations can face economic damage when their corporate reputations and brands are assailed or sales are affected by consumer boycotts. As argued by some rating agencies, a comprehensive CSR programme will lower a companys equity risk premium. A direct correlation between reputation and financial outcome measures share price and credit rating (Hancock, 2005) has been illustrated through a model designed by the global public relations company Bell Pottinger. In fact, companies may face a variety of legal and reputational risks if they do not have adequate social compliance or corporate social responsibility/sustainability programs in place. Customer Loyalty In todays markets, companies have to focus on building and maintaining customer loyalty. As proposed by Zhou Y. (2009), this can be done through a CSR programme which builds loyalty with customers by offering a competitive advantage in a marketplace where consumers find ethically delivered or produced goods and services. Stakeholder Activism Investment Incentives As perceived by Visser, W. (2008), CSR is encouraged through the activism of stakeholder or pressure groups which often address the alleged failure of the market and government policy. The trend of socially responsible investment gives CSR an incentive where funds are screened on ethical, social and environmental criteria. Thus, this proactively encourages businesses to inform shareholders of potential risks and issues and it helps them to better understand their stakeholders, including shareholders. According to Hill Knowltown (2006), surveys have indicated that analysts place as much importance on corporate reputation as they do on financial performance. 2.1.4 Theories for CSR There are several theories that emerged to explain the reasons behind environmental reporting over the time. These are: Operational Efficiency Theory Operational Efficiency occurs when the right combination of people, process, and technology to boost the productivity and value of any business operation, while reducing cost of routine operations to a desired level. In the context of CSR, operational efficiencies can be achieved through managing impending risks and liabilities more effectively and efficiently through CSR tools and perspectives by reducing costs; streaming information to stakeholders concerning the investment community for better transparency and by using corporate responsibility and sustainability approaches within business decision-making to result in new market opportunities, newly developed manufacturing processes that can be expanded to other plants, regions or markets as advocated by S. B. Banerjee (2007). Social Contract Theory The current practice of CSR by corporations was explained by O. O. Amao (2007) under the social contract theory. This theory dates from the classic period of history but took its modern form in the 16th and 18th centuries with best known philosophers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau who talk on social contract. Rousseau, in fact, conceptualised the individual-society relationship as a symbiotic situation whereby the two parties mutually confer some right to the state in order to maintain social order which makes human life and cohabitation better and to gain benefits of community and safety. In parallel to the social contract, the corporate social theory, pertaining to a firms indirect social obligations, is advanced where businesses are bound by the social contract to perform various socially desired actions in return for approval of their objectives and other rewards. Legitimacy Theory Similar to the social contract theory, the legacy theory was adopted by corporations to ensure that operations are within the limits and norms of their respective societies and the outside parties perceive their activities as being legitimate. Society grants legitimacy and power to business. In the long run, those who do not use power in a manner which society considers responsible will tend to lose it. This principle developed by Davis (1973) is commonly known as the Iron Law of Responsibility. It expresses legitimacy as a societal-level concept and describes the responsibility of business as a social institution that must avoid abusing its power. Thus, this principle expresses a prohibition rather than an affirmative duty, and it applies equally to all companies, regardless of their particular circumstances. According to A.K.H. Khor (2004), the legitimacy theory is fundamentally a system-oriented theory where organisations are viewed as components of the larger social environment within which they exist. Stakeholder Theory A key feature of CSR involves the way that a company engages, involves, and collaborates with its stakeholders including shareholders, employees, debt-holders, suppliers, customers, communities, non-governmental organisations, and governments. M. C. Branco and L. L. Rodrigues (2007) argued that companies need to use stakeholder engagement to internalise societys needs, hopes, circumstances into their corporate views and decision-making. While there are many questions about how far a companys responsibilities extend into communities relative to the roles of governments and individual citizens, there is a strong argument that CSR can effectively improve a companys relations with communities and thereby produce some key features that will improve business prospects for its future. Agency Theory This theory comes to explain the relationship that exists between the owners/shareholders and the management. The latter is the agent appointed by the principal (owner/subsidiary). In such an agent-principal relationship, problems such as the potential moral hazard and conflict of interest are likely to occur. CSR comes as a middle way so that both parties can maximise their gains. As such, when CFP is strong, managers may reduce social expenditures in order to maximise their own short term private gains whereas when CFP weakens, managers will try to offset their disappointing results by engaging in conspicuous social programs, hence increasing their own wealth and that of shareholders as well, pursuant to the managerial opportunism hypothesis by Preston OBannon (1997). 2.2 2.2.1 Corporate Financial Performance (CFP) Most of the businesses operate with a view of yielding profits. The financial performance of a company is reflected through its policies and operations in monetary terms. These results are reflected through its return on investment, return on assets, value added, return on sale and growth in sales. Managers work in the best interest of shareholders to maximise profits. Financial performance is the most common, however, it cannot be considered as the only indicator used to measure a firms wealth. A broader definition of financial performance is accompanied by additional indicators such as short-term profits, long-term profits, market value, and other forms of competitive advantage, as noted by Jensen (2001). 2.2.2 Corporate Social Performance and CFP Many previous studies have indicated an unclear relationship between CSR and financial performance. Thus, literature has pointed out towards an innovation in bringing the concept of CSP to better explore its impact upon corporate financial performance (CFP). In todays world, for a firm to achieve a good and high level of CFP, it has to go beyond the limits of its own corporate strategies and adopt views of other stakeholders who may be directly or indirectly related to the company. Since over the three decades, the study of the correlation between CSP and CFP has gained much salience. Many studies conducted in this effect have yielded positive correlation, while others produced contradictory results with negative or non-significant different causal directions being found. In effect, there are several competing theoretical models which are proposed to explain three varying findings on the CSP-CFP link. Owing to these differing relationships, I.Y. Maroam (2006) proposes a unified theory of the CSP-CFP link that explain the different relationships that may be observed between CSR and CFP, thus basing itself on the parallels between the business and CSR domains. The concept of CSR instils in corporations the moral responsibility towards society that go beyond the goal of simply making profits for their owners and shareholders (Berman et al., 1999). As Freeman (1984) rightly pointed out that corporations should be socially responsible for both moral and practical (instrumental) reasons, by reflecting a socially responsible posture, a corporation can enhance its own performance. Thus, CSR activities can, inter-alia, be rewarded with more satisfied customers, better employee, improved reputation, and improved access to financial markets, all pertaining to improving financial performance and sustaining the business. However, social accomplishments may equally involve certain financial costs which can effectively reduce profits and comparative performance. Hence, Vance (1975) came up with the trade-off hypothesis to show negative linkage between CSP and CFP whereby corporations displaying strong social credentials experience declining stock price s relative to the market average. 2.2.3 CSP as a Business Strategy So far, it is clear that CSP can be used as a business strategy which can contribute to the competitive advantage of firms. A study by N. A. Dentchey (2004) on the effects of CSP on the competitiveness of organisations reveals that CSP should not be thought as an innocent adventure for executives. It is rather a strategy for achieving corporate strategies, which if not warily implemented, may harm the firms competitive advantage. Competitive advantage, as seen by Porter (1996), denotes the ability of a company to outperform others from successful differentiation from rivals actions. This strategic fit between the outside environment and companies internal resources and capabilities (Hoskissoon et al., 1999) results in superior financial results, as indicated by various measures of profitability. Hence, as per Burke and Logsdon (1996), a strategic implementation of social responsibility benefits all by resulting in strategic outcomes such as customer loyalty, future purchases, new products, new markets and productivity gains. Arguably, CSP can be a source of competitive disadvantage for firms which regard CSP as an additional cost. Business contributions to social prosperity (CSP) are seen by Keim (1978, p.33) as an investment in public good which is consumed or enjoyed by a number of individuals disregarding the cost sharing. Thus, investing in CSP is likely to bear negative effects for the firms which are in curring costs that might otherwise be avoided or that should be borne by others, for example, individuals or government (Aupperle et al., 1985). 2.2.4 CSP, CFP and the Stakeholder Theory Following the above arguments, a new perspective of CSP, based on the stakeholder analysis, emerges to argue furthermore that there exists a positive relationship between CSP and CFP. As such, S.A. Waddock and S.B. Graves (1997) propose that a tension exists between the firms explicit costs (for instance, payments to bondholders) and its implicit costs to other stakeholders (for example, product quality costs, and environmental costs). Hence, a firm which tries to outweigh its explicit costs by increasing its socially responsible actions incurs higher implicit costs, resulting in competitive advantage. Thus, high levels of CSP are seen as indicators of superior management by Alexander and Buchholz (1982) which lead to lower explicit costs and enhanced financial performance. The stakeholder theory accompanies the concept of CSR by shedding more light on the issue of social responsibility. This theory is spread over three aspects (Donaldson and Preston, 1995) namely, descriptive, instrumental and normative. While the descriptive aspect describes and explains the theory, the instrumental aspect discloses the cause-effect relationships between stakeholder management practices and improving corporate performance. The normative aspect, on the other hand, as perceived by I.Y. Maroam (2006) emphasizes on the moral imperatives for practising stakeholder management, rather than the business benefits it may provide. A parallelism between the core business domain and the CSR domain will maximise a firms profitability. The stakeholder theory provides a framework for investigating the relationship between CSP and CFP by examining how a change in CSP is related to a change in financial accounting measures. In fact, the two concepts of CSR and stakeholder share the proposition that social responsibility affects financial performance in some way or other. This subject area has been so vastly explored that this trend is now seen as a natural progression which goes associatively with developments in the industrial and business world. There is an increasing concern and emphasize on humanity, environmental preservation and enlightened social consciousness. Thus, a new area of research began to pave its way within the field of business and society where the relationship between corporate social conduct, both toward the corporations stakeholders and the wider society, and the corporations financial performance was and is still being investigated across several countries. Over environmental issues, research h as revealed that businesses which are eco-friendly and demonstrate good CSR practices enjoy increased consumer purchase preference (Gildea, 1994; Zaman, 1996) and good economic performance (Al-Tuwaijiri, et al., 2004). A stakeholder group, as identified and defined by Freeman (1984), is one that that can affect or is affected by achievement of the organisations objectives, that is, which can be harmed as well as can help it to achieve its goals. Therefore, there is a growing need for firms to address the needs and expectations of the stakeholders to avoid negative outcomes and produce positive outcomes for themselves (Donaldson and Preston, 1995; Freeman, 1984; Frooman, 1997). Pursuant to the stakeholder theory perspective, CSP can be assessed in terms of a company meeting the demands of multiple stakeholders, ranging from cost minimisation to societal maximisation. Building on the previous mentioned definition of CSP, Wood and Jones (1995) propose that stakeholder theory is the key to understanding the structure and dimensions of the firms societal relationships thereby assuming that firms are responsible for honouring all the implicit and explicit contracts they hold with their various constituen ts. Therefore, the stakeholder theory provides a system-based perspective of the organisation and its stakeholders where it acknowledges the dynamic and complex nature of the interplay between them. The various stakeholders of the firms, such as the employees, shareholders, financers, environmentalists, government, communities, customers and even competitors should be convinced by the management that it is working harder to satisfy them. The more important the stakeholders to the firm, the more effort the firm needs to put to uphold its relationship with the former. According to Clarkson, Donaldson and Preston et al. (1995), the stakeholder theory must place shareholders as one of the multiple stakeholder groups which managers should consider in their decision-making process. However, like the shareholders, the other stakeholders may have a say upon the firm, bestowing societal legitimacy. Notably, Bernadette M. Ruf et al. (2001) asserted that firms must address these non-shareholder gro ups demands otherwise they might face negative confrontations which can ultimately result in diminished shareholder value, through boycotts, lawsuits, protests and so on. Hence, firms have a fiduciary duty relationship not only to the shareholders, but to all stakeholders (Hasnas, 1998, p.32). So far, recognising a companys contractual relationship with the various stakeholders has been instrumental in better comprehending the relationship that CSP and CFP share. Stakeholders have expectations from the organisation. Nevertheless, these expectations may conflict with the firms limited resources leading the firm to evaluate its costs and benefits tradeoffs. Firms must thus come with measures representative of the various factors of CSP and stakeholders interests. Unlike neo-classical stockholders who were only interested in financial performance (Grouf, 1994; Shapiro, 1992), the major stakeholders of today, that is, the stockholders are more interested in the firms current and future financial benefits and social performance. 2.3 Empirical Review This section reviews the works done and methods used by researchers on the relationship of CFP and CSP. Empirical results on the latters correlation are mixed whereby some yielded in positive, some in negative and some in non-significant relationships. Basing on the stakeholder theory approach, several models on the CFP-CSP relationship have been proposed, where the largest number of investigations found a positive CSP-CFP linkage. Notably, different methods to compute indexes for CFP and CSP have been used since data on both cannot be possibly obtained in absolute figures. As such, using aggregated weights assigned to K dimensions of social performance obtained through questionnaire for CSP and using change in return on equity (ROE), change in return on sales (ROS) and growth in sales as financial measures on a sample of 496 firms, Bernadette M. Ruf et al. (2001) came up with a positive relationship between CSP and CFP. They, in fact, regressed change in CSP on change in CFP. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between change in CSP and change in ROE and change in ROS in the long term but that with growth in sales was significantly positive only in year 0 and 1. The study suggests that improvements in CSP have both immediate and continuing financial impacts. The authors have furthermore suggested that since many financial performance measures follow a random walk or mean reversion  [1]  , it is important to use lead/lag studies to establish a causal sequence of CSP and CFP. Concerning time period, one year may be short in strat egic terms and could well be distorted by rogue figures, hence, it suggested to take two or five years data in analyses. A paper by S. A. Waddock and S. B. Graves (1997) also found positive linkage between CFP and CSP. An index for CSP was computed using eight attributes relating to shareholder concerns and were rated consistently across the entire Standards Poors 500 by a rating service. The firms profitability was measured using three accounting variables, namely, return on assets (ROA), ROE and ROS used to assess CFP by the investment community. Factors such as size, risk and industry which affect both CFP and CSP were taken as control variables. Used on a sample of 469 companies and using CSP as both dependent and independent variable, the results revealed that CFP does depend on CSP and vice-versa and also indicated the importance of controlling for industry in assessing such a relationship. Size has been suggested in previous studies, like that of Ullman (1985) and McWilliams, A., and D. Siegel (2000), to be a factor which affects both CFP and CSP. Size remains a relevant variable because there had been evidence that smaller firms may not demonstrate the same obvious socially responsible behaviours as larger firms. Authors like Pinkston and Carroll (1993), for instance, investigated the extent social responsibility orientations, organisational stakeholders, and social issues can differ among firms of differing sizes. P. A. Stanwick and S. D. Stanwick (1998), on the other hand, found a significant positive association between size (annual sales) and CFP at the 10% level for three of the six years of their study. Firm size is particularly the scale of operations in an organisation (Price and Mueller (1986, p. 233)). Previous literature has indicated a need to control not only for industry, and size (Ullman, 1985; Waddock and Graves, 1997), but also for risk (McWilliams and Siegel, 2000) to render research results more complete. The argument to use risk as a control variable is supported by the fact that the degree of risk is seen as the other important component of firm performance assumed by a firm in order to achieve a given level of financial performance as stated by Bettis and Hall (1982). Baird and Thomas (1985) also advocated risk as being both as a strategic variable (firms choose a given level of risk) and as an outcome variable (strategic choices lead to a level of risk) which ultimately leads to improved financial performance. As such, M. Brine, R. Brown and G. Hackett (2004) used risk alongside size as control variables to assess financial performance of 277 companies. Their preliminary results stated that the adoption of CSR does lead to increases in turnover and also an increase in equity, which in turn improve the CFP level. According to Mahoney L. and Roberts R.W. (2007), there is no significant relationship between a composite measure of firms CSP and CFP. Using four years panel data of Canadian firms, they calculated a composite measure of CSP score by summing all dimension strength ratings, such as, community relations, diversity, employee relations, environment, international, product safety, and amongst others and subtracting all dimension weaknesses ratings. Following Waddock and Graves (1997a), ROA and ROE were used separately to measure a firms CFP. As CFP was expected to be positively related to CSP, a one-year lag between CFP and all independent variables (CSP, firm size, debt level, and industry) was used. Inconsistent with their expectation, they found no significant relationship between the composite CSP measure and either ROA or ROE. However, the use of individual measures of firms CSP regarding environmental and international activities and CFP resulted in a significant relationship provi ding mixed support for the business case for CSP. A study, using the Granger causality approach, by Rim Makni et al. (2008) reaffirms Mahoney and Roberts (2007) works on the non-significant relationship. However, there may also be a simultaneous and interactive negative relation between CSP and CFP, forming a vicious circle.