Developing Health and Safety for Fire Fighters

Creating Health and Safety for Fire Fighters Part 6 Conversation This part contains the clarification and assessment of the discoveries introduced in the former segment. This part give us assessment and examination dependent on the theories, goals, or exploration question. This section identifies with the distributed works delineated and evaluated in the audit of writing part. 6.1. Segment profile During the entire review and during the investigation of information assortment inside the Mauritius Fire and Rescue administrations, it was seen that inward factors were predominant contrasted with outside variables while indentifying the effect on the wellbeing and security of firemen. While breaking down the segment profile segment inside the survey, it was discovered that a large portion of the respondents were somewhere in the range of 20 and 30 years showing a generally youthful working power inside this part. 71 respondents had Higher School Certificate as most noteworthy instruction level and over one year working experience. 6.2. Attention to risks and long stretches of administration. The outcomes indicated that all the respondents are of the risks relating to their activity The outcomes gathered shows that there was a feeble noteworthy relationship between the two factors (phi=0.353, p=0.00 6.3. Kinds of injury continued during profession Q 4: Which kind of injury have you supported during your vocation? The sorts of word related wounds supported by firemen are in that capacity; Minor wounds, for instance, minor cuts and wounds Significant wounds, for instance, significant cuts, wounds, injuries, sickness or injury bringing about under 3 days lost workdays More than 3 days wounds, for instance, head wounds, inward dying, eye wounds, spinal wounds, cracks, disengagement and any disease or injury bringing about 3 days or progressively lost workdays. Figure 7 above outlines the sorts of wounds continued by firemen at the working environment. 117 firemen have continued minor wounds, 70 of them have supported significant wounds and the staying 58 have supported more than 3 days wounds which is less contrasted with minor wounds. It was discovered that most of the firemen experience minor wounds Moreover, figure 6 speaks to how much firemen are presented to fire. 73 firemen were presented to perils to a huge degree and 128 of them were presented to dangers partially. Less significantly 32 firemen were presented to perils and the staying 12 firemen were not presented to risks by any stretch of the imagination. Target 3: To look at the kind of wounds supported by the firemen and the level of introduction to dangers in putting out fires. Firemen have incredible injury rates because of their occupations’ weighty requests and introduction to dangers conditions (anon, 2013). The information gathered in the review that proper preparing and consideration is given to the wellbeing and strength of the firemen. The impression of the firemen on kinds of wounds and level of presentation to dangers is that they concur that suitable preparing is given to them however the administration framework ought to be improved, new highlights ought to be contemplated. Notwithstanding, there is still opportunity to get better to diminish different sorts of wounds that is significant wounds and more than 3 days wounds. The factor on injury chance possibly gives knowledge on the most proficient method to target injury avoidance endeavors for the local groups of fire-fighters. 6.4. Evaluating whether chance appraisal did. A hazard evaluation is a procedure to recognize possible risks in a work environment and to dissect what could be the results if a peril happens. (HSE, anon). Each business has the obligation to impact a hazard evaluation inside 30 days of the beginning of any activity (OSHA, 2005). The information gathered have demonstrated that most of firemen concurred that hazard appraisal is completed in MFRS. Each business has a legitimate commitment to impact a hazard evaluation inside 30 days of the beginning of any activity (OSHA, 2005). The outcomes indicated that 183 respondents concurred that hazard appraisal was done on the fire ground and 62 respondents oppose this idea. We can in this manner find that the perspectives on the respondents were palatable as most of them concur that chance evaluation in completed and this affirms the administration was withstanding to the law. In addition, a one example t-test was done to decide the connection between consciousness of hazard appraisal and firemen supposition whether chance evaluation can dispense with or relieve dangers. The one example test, measurements programs produce a gauge mean (1.27), with populace mean ÃŽ ¼. The mean variable of the variable fir this specific example of attention to chance appraisal is 1.27, which is factually and fundamentally unique in relation to the test esteem 0.4. We can in this way presume firemen supposition on whether chance evaluation can wipe out or relieve chance has an essentially higher mean on attention to chance appraisal than 40%. The view of the firemen in the local groups of fire-fighters is that they concur that chance appraisal can help take out or moderate dangers. However there’s opportunity to get better in the MFRS. Enhancement for chance administration plan can be likewise made by making overviews on the perils and hazard that mess wellbeing up and wounds. 6.5. Surveying the executives care and firemen capacity to impart One of the destinations of this examination was to evaluate whether the executives care about the wellbeing and strength of firemen and firemen capacity to speak with the executives. The administration has the obligation to invest the best of energy in giving security, wellbeing and government assistance of the considerable number of workers. Be that as it may, it is a lawful commitment for the administration to give the extent that is sensibly practicable a sheltered work environment to all the representatives (OSHA, 2005). A connection test was done to decide if there is a connection between whether the board care about the wellbeing and soundness of firemen and firemen capacity to speak with the administration a relationship test was done. For the relationship test the measurement program delivered a gauge r (0.134). The Pearson’s r esteem 0.134 is certain at 1% certainty stretch. In this way, the connection test between the executives care and firemen capacity to speak with the board shows that there is a feeble connection between the board care about wellbeing and security of firemen and firemen capacity to speak with the board. The perspectives on the respondents on the administration was not palatable as the administration was not withstanding to the law and even the firemen delay or are in able to speak with the administration. In this way, we can conclude that there is a poor administration framework at the MFRS. 6.6. Giving proposal to improving security and strength of firemen To give proposals to improving security and wellbeing in the local group of fire-fighters is one of the destinations of this investigation. The minority of the firemen who know about the techniques in the local group of fire-fighters found that the administration has the need to give security preparing to every one of them concerning wellbeing systems, wellbeing strategy, rules and guidelines and mindfulness on their privileges to give proposals to improve their security and wellbeing. Hence to improve the wellbeing and security of firemen in local groups of fire-fighters certain guidelines of wellbeing which incorporate hazard mindfulness by the firemen, firemen support in chance evaluation , the firemen ought to be given persuasive advantages to expand wellbeing society and wellbeing practices at the working environment and the firemen ought to be all around prepared and given proper individual defensive gear for the undertaking they are alloted. The administration should complete examination and discover ways how to cure a risky circumstance. Likewise the administration should look for the impression of firemen about the dangers and perils. . The administration can likewise execute wellbeing programs which will incorporate customary examination of the firemen and a consistent report of the soundness of the firemen ought to be recorded

Invitation meeting Essay Example for Free

Greeting meeting Essay Boston worldwide is an organization that has given re-appropriated assets administrations to fortune 500 organizations. The organizations have had the option to tackle their issues through our recommendation. We are the business heads in dealing with our workers as far as their remuneration protection and incapacity protection inclusion. Your organization has as of late encountered various human asset issues. This might be because of the development that you are experiencing. Your organization is developing quick and necessities to developed in human asset benefits as well. I additionally comprehend that your organization doesn't have the in †house skill to rapidly build up the human asset and the methodology required inside a bigger, traded on an open market association. It is significant for each organization to have a human asset office with qualified workers that investigate the government assistance of its representatives. I was pondering whether your organization has ever considered worker’s remuneration handicap introduction. It is consequently that my organization might sympathetically want to request that you set up a gathering with us I request to examine the issues you are as of now confronting and the administrations that our organization offers. We are confident that we will go into an agreement with you for these administrations so you organization can keep developing.

Understanding the Marketing Mix Concept - 4Ps

Understanding the Marketing Mix Concept - 4Ps THE FOUR P’S Marketing is simplistically defined as ‘putting the right product in the right place, at the right price, at the right time.’ Though this sounds like an easy enough proposition, a lot of hard work and research needs to go into setting this simple definition up. And if even one element is off the mark, a promising product or service can fail completely and end up costing the company substantially.The use of a marketing mix is an excellent way to help ensure that putting the right product in the right place, will happen. The marketing mix is a crucial tool to help understand what the product or service can offer and how to plan for a successful product offering. The marketing mix is most commonly executed through the 4 P’s of marketing: Price, Product, Promotion, and Place.These have been extensively added to and expanded through additional P’s and even a 4C concept. But the 4Ps serve as a great place to start planning for the product or even to evaluate an existing product off ering. © Entrepreneurial InsightsIn this article, we will look at 1) the four P’s, 2) history of the marketing mix concept and terminology, 3) purpose of the marketing mix, 4) key features of the marketing mix, 5) developing a marketing mix, 6) key challenges, and 7) marketing mix example â€" Nivea.THE FOUR P’SProductThe product is either a tangible good or an intangible service that is seem to meet a specific customer need or demand. All products follow a logical product life cycle and it is vital for marketers to understand and plan for the various stages and their unique challenges. It is key to understand those problems that the product is attempting to solve. The benefits offered by the product and all its features need to be understood and the unique selling proposition of the product need to be studied. In addition, the potential buyers of the product need to be identified and understood.PricePrice covers the actual amount the end user is expected to pay for a product. How a pro duct is priced will directly affect how it sells. This is linked to what the perceived value of the product is to the customer rather than an objective costing of the product on offer. If a product is priced higher or lower than its perceived value, then it will not sell. This is why it is imperative to understand how a customer sees what you are selling. If there is a positive customer value, than a product may be successfully priced higher than its objective monetary value. Conversely, if a product has little value in the eyes of the consumer, then it may need to be underpriced to sell. Price may also be affected by distribution plans, value chain costs and markups and how competitors price a rival product.PromotionThe marketing communication strategies and techniques all fall under the promotion heading. These may include advertising, sales promotions, special offers and public relations. Whatever the channel used, it is necessary for it to be suitable for the product, the price and the end user it is being marketed to. It is important to differentiate between marketing and promotion. Promotion is just the communication aspect of the entire marketing function.PlacePlace or placement has to do with how the product will be provided to the customer. Distribution is a key element of placement. The placement strategy will help assess what channel is the most suited to a product. How a product is accessed by the end user also needs to compliment the rest of the product strategy.The Marketing Mix[slideshare id=28668730doc=themarketingmix-131127043828-phpapp01w=710h=500][cp_modal id=cp_id_75506] [/cp_modal]HISTORY OF MARKETING MIX CONCEPT AND TERMINOLOGYThe marketing mix concept gained popularity following an article titled “The Concept of the Marketing Mix” by Neil Borden published in 1964. Borden explained how he started using the term inspired by James Culliton who in the 1940s described the marketing manager as a ‘mixer of ingredients.’ Borden’s article detailed these ingredients as product, planning, price, branding, distribution, display, packaging, advertising, promotions, personal selling among many others. Eventually E. Jerome McCarthy clustered these multiple items into four high level categories that we now know as the 4 P’s of marketing. “Its elements are the basic, tactical components of a marketing plan”. Together, elements in these four categories help develop marketing strategies and tactics.PURPOSE OF MARKETING MIXThe 4P’s were formalized and developed over the years by experts to ensure the creation and execution of a successful marketing strategy. Through the use of this tool, the attempt is to satisfy both the customer and the seller. When properly understood and utilized, this mix has proven to a key factor in a product’s success.KEY FEATURES OF MARKETING MIXInterdependent variablesThe marketing mix is made up of four unique variables. These four variables are interdependent and need to be planned in conjunction with one another to ensure that the action plans within all four are complimentary and aligned.Help Achieve Marketing TargetsThrough the use of this set of variables, the company can achieve its marketing targets such as sales, profits, and customer retention and satisfaction.Flexible ConceptThe marketing mix is a fluid and flexible concept and the focus on any one variable may be increased or decreased given unique marketing conditions and customer requirements.Constant MonitoringIt is vital to keep an eye on changing trends and requirements, within the company as well as in the market to ensure that th e elements in marketing mix stays relevant and updated.Role of Marketing ManagerA mature, intelligent and innovative marketing manager needs to be at the helm of the marketing mix. This pivotal role means that this manager is responsible for achieving desired results through the skill manipulation of these variables.Customer as a focal pointA vital feature of the marketing mix is that the customer is the focal point of the activity. The value of the product is determined by customer perceptions and the goal is to achieve a satisfied and loyal customer.This video shows how you can create value by using the marketing mix. DEVELOPING A MARKETING MIXIntuition and creative thinking are essential job requirements for a marketing manager. But relying on just these can lead to inaccurate assumptions that may not end up delivering results. To ensure a marketing mix that is based in research and combines facts with innovation, a manager should go through the following systematic process:Step 1: Defining Unique Selling PropositionThe first item on the marketing manager’s agenda should be to define what the product has to offer or its unique selling proposition (USP). Through customer surveys or focus groups, there needs to be an identification of how important this USP is to the consumer and whether they are intrigued by the offering. It needs to be clearly understood what the key features and benefits of the product are and whether they will help ensure sales.Step 2: Understanding the ConsumerThe second step is to understand the consumer. The product can be focused by identifying who will purchase it. All other elements of the marketing mix follow from this understanding. Who is the customer? What do they need? What is the value of the product to them? This understanding will ensure that the product offering is relevant and targeted.Step 3: Understanding the CompetitionThe next step is to understand the competition. The prices and related benefits such as discounts, w arranties and special offers need to be assessed. An understanding of the subjective value of the product and a comparison with its actual manufacturing distribution cost will help set a realistic price point.Step 4: Evaluating Placement OptionsAt this point the marketing manager needs to evaluate placement options to understand where the customer is most likely to make a purchase and what are the costs associated with using this channel. Multiple channels may help target a wider customer base and ensure east of access. On the other hand, if the product serves a niche market then it may make good business sense to concentrate distribution to a specific area or channel. The perceived value of the product is closely tied in with how it is made available.Step 5: Developing Communication / Promotion strategyBased on the audience identified and the price points established, the marketing communication strategy can now be developed. Whatever promotional methods are finalized need to appea l to the intended customers and ensure that the key features and benefits of the product are clearly understood and highlighted.Step 6: Cross-check of the Marketing MixA step back needs to be taken at this point to see how all the elements identified and planned for relate to each other. All marketing mix variables are interdependent and rely on each other for a strong strategy. Do the proposed selling channels reinforce the perceived value of the product? Is the promotional material in keeping with the distribution channels proposed? The marketing plan can be finalized once it is ensured that all four elements are in harmony and there are no conflicting messages, either implicit or explicit.Marketing Mix Development[slideshare id=8625244doc=marketingmixdevelopment-110718090426-phpapp02w=710h=500]KEY CHALLENGESOver the years, marketing managers have felt that the traditional marketing mix has its limitations in how it is structured. Several important elements have been grouped withi n four larger categories thereby belittling their true importance amid several factors. Two main criticisms and their solutions:Lack of Focus on ServicesThe conventional marketing mix tends to be applicable to tangible goods i.e. the traditional definition of products. Services or intangible goods are also a vital customer offering and can be planned for in much the same way as physical products. To cater to the unique challenges of services, the 4P model has been supplemented with 3 additional categories which are:Physical Evidence is proof and a reassurance that a service was performedPeople are the employees who deliver the serviceProcesses are the methods through which a service is executed and delivered to the customerLack of True Customer FocusThough a total focus on the customer and what they desire is a vital element of the 4P model, this truth is often in danger of being overlooked by enthusiastic marketing teams. To counter this, Robert F. Lauterborn put forward his custom er centric four Cs classification in 1990. This model converts the four P’s into more customer oriented four C’s:Product to Customer SolutionPrice to Customer CostPromotion to Customer CommunicationPlace to Customer ConvenienceMARKETING MIX EXAMPLE â€" NIVEAThe CompanyNIVEA is a well-known company that is in the high quality skin and beauty care product market. NIVEA is one the brands manufactured and sold by Beiersdorf, which was established in 1882. In UK, the company has always focused on ensuring availability of their products to as many people as possible. In addition, the company has always strived to understand the varied needs of its vast consumer base and bring as many specific products to market as possible.Marketing mix for new product lineMarket research revealed an opportunity in the market for a younger customer base. This led to the launch of Nivea Visage Young in 2005. This product was developed for girls in the 13 to 19 year age range.For the eventual launch of the product, the company needed to develop a balanced and relevant marketing mix to appeal to its young audience. Through its initial launch in 2005 to a subsequent re launch in 2007, the company focused closely on the marketing mix balance to help ensure that all elements of the product appeal to the target audience to achieve success.ProductThe company put significant importance in ongoing research to understand the constantly evolving market and consumer dynamics. This knowledge has helped the company develop more innovative new products that fulfill consumer needs. Through this research, it became clear that younger consumers wished for a more specific product that addressed the skin needs of their age category. The need was for a product that offered a beautifying regime for daily use rather than a medicated product that targeted specific skin problems. The latter were abundantly being offered by competition. The product was subsequently redesigned to meet these specialized req uirements.From the company’s perspective, some of the changes helped meet its commitment to the environment which included more efficient packaging to reduce waste, the use of more natural products and the use of recyclable plastic.PriceAn effective pricing strategy takes into account the product’s perceived and actual values. The final price should be based on both these in order to make the product attractive to both buyer and seller. After its relaunch, Nivea Visage Young was priced a little higher than before to account for the new formula, better packaging and extended range of products. Since the product as being bought by mothers for their daughters, it remained low enough to remain good value for money. Effective pricing means that sales from this product account for nearly 7 percent of all Nivea Visage sales.PlaceAs mentioned, Nivea aims to have a wide reach for its products to ensure that it is easily available wherever needed by the extensive target market. The primar y channels used are retail stores. High Street stores such as Boots and Superdrug account for nearly 65 percent of all sales. Another portion comes from grocery chain stores such as ASDA or Tesco. This covers young people making their own purchases (mostly high street), as well as their mothers buying for them (mostly grocery stores). These stores ensure a cost effective distribution channel that has a wide reach. The company manages its own cost by selling to wholesalers rather than directly to smaller stores. It also does not sell online directly, but the product is sold through stockists.PromotionNivea’s has always tried to base its promotions on the actual lifestyle of its target market. The company does not find above the line promotions to be very effective as these are one way communications through TV for example. Instead, the promotion is more consumer led through different below the line solutions. Sample sales are a key activity that allows consumers to try out the actu al product. There is also an interactive online magazine FYI (fun, young, independent) to increase product visibility and association. The company has also maintained a strong social media presence on popular social media networks. This used of new media has ensured a better brand awareness and association among target audience.ConclusionThrough its successful use of a balanced marketing mix, Nivea Visage Young has managed to create a clear position in the market. It addresses a need felt by a specific niche segment. Traditional distribution methods are balanced by a unique product and updated promotional strategies. This ensures that the brand message reaches the right people at the right time in the right way.As we see from the Nivea example, it is vital for any company to focus equally on all elements of the marketing mix while planning for a product. Eventually, there may be a need to divert more resources towards one variable such as strong distribution channels over promotiona l activities. But this needs to come after a clear plan and strategy has been decided upon. An effective marketing mix can mean the difference between a flash in the pan product or one that is bound to become a well-loved classic.

Worldviews in Conflict - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1081 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/09/11 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? Worldviews in Conflict: Summary and Critique Worldviews in Conflict: Summary and Critique I agree with the introductory quote by Will Durant: â€Å"From Barbarism to civilization requires a century; from civilization to barbarism needs but a day. † It is always much easier to destroy something (in this case, civilization), than it is to create it. In general, there is very little effort required to demolish something; but building it up takes a conscious effort, passion and burden. It involves a great deal of work! It is, therefore, very easy to understand how civilization can be destroyed in a day. Simply sit back and do absolutely nothing, save watch the walls topple, so to speak. It is true that the world is divided more so by â€Å"religious and cultural traditions† than by physical boundaries. â€Å"Religious belief is one of the most divisive issues. If we are to unite under a government of the people and by the people it must be a government separate from the issues that strongly divide us to which there is no concrete or moral truth. † (Crook, n. d. ). I think the problem with the increasingly complex worldviews in conflict is, as Aristotle said, â€Å"All men naturally desire knowledge. † (Seldes, 1960). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Worldviews in Conflict" essay for you Create order This hunger for knowledge leads men astray when they look to the wrong, worldly sources for information, instead of looking to the Word of God for Truth! I also agree with the statement that â€Å"Christians regard the Western tradition and heritage as worth defending; that is, to the degree that historically it has been shaped by a Biblical worldview† (Colson, 1999, p. 2). We are fortunate to live in a country, such as the United States of America, that was founded upon Christian principles. We should be careful never to take our heritage for granted, for it has shaped us into who we are today, as individuals. Without our rich history, we certainly wouldn’t be who we are, or where we are today. â€Å"In America, apparently, calling a person an atheist is as bad as calling her a child molester. † (Stenger, 2009, p. 23). God bless America! The life we live before others is possibly the greatest testimony one could have. It isn’t always necessary to preach to be an effective witness of the Gospel. I believe the world more readily accepts our lifestyle as a witness than our words. This is yet another important reason to know what your personal worldview is, and to truly live it! Because Asians associate the West with Christianity, the flood of smut from the West is making his Christian witness [as a missionary] difficult. † (Colson, 1999, p. 1) I am one of the (hopefully many) Christians who oppose the moral relativism worldview. Truth is not relative; Truth is God’s perspective, as recorded in John 17:17: â€Å"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is tr uth. † (King James Version, italics mine. ) When we fail to realize that God’s Word is true, and God is absolute, we are opening countless doors of opposition. I have struggled with the enlightenment notion myself because I find it hard sometimes not to believe that human nature is essentially good. The truth of the matter is, due to the Adamic fall, we are all inherently evil, sinful people – until we allow God to transform us, that is. Once that happens, we take on His nature and are no longer creatures of sin. Our past failures are forgiven and washed away by the precious Blood of the Lamb and we become godly men and women. We must, however, make a daily, conscious choice to walk in the path of holiness or we can very easily become entangled with the bondage of sin again. Galatians 5:1, warns us against this very thing:†Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. † (KJV. ) It is interesting to note the origin of the word â€Å"Prometheus† (as cited as one of the publishers in my reference page). According to the ‘cultural dictionary,’ â€Å"Prometheus  has  become  a  symbol  of  lonely  and  valiant resistance  to  authority. † We need to be careful what we allow to enter our minds. Make a conscious choice to read godly, edifying books that will promote the Kingdom of God, not tear it down by creating doubt and confusion in our minds. Studies in neuroscience have shown that the human brain treats vividly imagined events and real ones almost identically. † (Parsley, 2007, p. 34). If you think your videogames, daydreams, television shows, horror movies, murder mysteries, romance novels, etc. , are harmless because they are all â€Å"fantasy† – think again!! When you don ’t know what you stand for, it is easy to be persuaded to change your beliefs. Without a solid foundation, anything goes. I am personally thankful for my Biblical convictions, and knowledge of the Truth for being established on the Word of God. I know what I stand for and I am unshakable in my beliefs! We must know what we believe, and why. Only then can we teach others and obey the Great Commission given in Matthew 28: 16-20 to go and teach ALL NATIONS; teaching them to obey the Word of God. According to Strong’s Greek 5083, observe means â€Å"to guard†. Thus, Jesus commands us to: â€Å"Teach them [all nations] to observe [to guard] all things whatsoever I have commanded you. † We are horribly failing the Great Commission when we sit idly by allowing opposing worldviews to materialize, spread, and eventually even dominate. Christians must not continue to remain silent. It is high past time to spread the Gospel; our worldview! While the task at hand seems challenging, we must be encouraged. We know how the story ends we are victorious through Jesus Christ! References Boston, R. (1993). Why so many church-state problems? Why the religious right is wrong about separation of church and state  (2 ed. , pp. 25-26). Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books. Colson, C. , Pearcey, N. (1999). Worldviews in conflict. How now shall we live? (pp. 19-26). Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Parsley, R. (2007). Why worldviews matter. Culturally incorrect: How clashing worldviews affect your future (pp. 34-35). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. Prometheus. (n. d. ). The American heritage ® new dictionary of cultural literacy, third edition. Retrieved July 26, 2010, https://dictionary. reference. com/browse/Prometheus. Seldes, G. (1960). The great quotations  (Second printing ed. ). New York, NY: Lyle Stuart, Inc. 1960. Stenger, V. J. (2009). The new atheism: Taking a stand for science and reason. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. Crook, B. M. (n. d. ). Welcome to ‘one nation’. One nation. Retrieved July 26, 2010, from https://bmccreations. com/one_nation/index. html.

Flash Your Headlights and Die An Urban Legend

The story is that a new gang initiation ritual has become prevalent in your city. The hoodlums pile in a car, at night, and drive the highways and byways with their lights off. The first person who flashes them with their lights (in the time-honored gesture of hey, idiot, your lights are off!) becomes their prey. The gangbangers then pursue the samaritan and the initiate must gun him or her down without mercy. Sounds like a myth, right? But do you suppose there is a kernel of truth to the rumor; that perhaps somewhere at some time some thugs did, in fact, use this modus operandi? The Stuff of Legends Apart from one or two copycat incidents which may have been inspired by this urban legend (not the other way around), probably not. This story has run rampant in virtually every major U.S. city since the early 1990s, sparking public panics and police investigations, but no one has ever documented an actual gang initiation incident matching this description in all that time. It is believed that one of the earliest outbreaks of the rumor (in 1993) may have been inspired by a real-life incident that occurred one year before -- the shooting of Stockton, California school secretary Kelly Freed, who was a passenger in an automobile whose driver gestured at a car full of teenagers to inform them that their headlights were off. Mistaking the hand signal as an insult, one of the teens fired a gun at the car Freed was riding in, killing her. Police determined that none of the youths were gang members, nor was the incident connected with an initiation rite. On the Internet Email versions of what has come to be known as the Lights Out legend began appearing in October 1998, perhaps inspired by the release of the popular horror film ​Urban Legend, in which the apocryphal gang-initiation tale figured prominently. The online alerts resulted in a fresh flurry of panicked inquiries to police departments in cities and towns throughout the U.S., many of which were already aware of the rumor by then but lacked the information to either substantiate or disprove it. In November of that year, John Moore, senior research associate at the National Youth Gang Center based in Tallahassee, stated that to the best of his knowledge the Lights Out legend is completely false: I know of no incident in the country where this type of thing occurred, he told a reporter for the Washington Post. This is one of the wonders of the Internet, that you can take something that has no basis in fact and make people believe it. Nevertheless, probably because they fear the possibility of copycat outbreaks, some law enforcement agencies still recommend that motorists play it safe and refrain from flashing their headlights when driving in areas where gang activities are known to occur. Example #1 Email text contributed by Trevor M., Nov. 25, 1998: Subject: FW: WarningTHIS IS NOT A JOKEPLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD.The police officer that works with the DARE program at an elementary school passed this warning on.... If youre ever driving after dark and see an on-coming car with no headlights turned on, DO NOT flash your lights at them! This is a common gang member initiation game that goes like this: the new gang member under initiation drives along with no headlights and the first car to flash their headlights at him is now his target. He is now required to turn around and chase that car and shoot at or into the car in order to complete his initiation requirements. Make sure you share this info with all the drivers in your family!! Stay safe!! Example #2 Email text contributed by Ernest W., July 3, 2000: Subject: A Warning****** STATE POLICE WARNING TO NIGHT DRIVERSTHE FOLLOWING BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHED BY THE BETHLEHEM,PA. STATE POLICEPlease be advised if you are driving after dark and you see a car without headlights on DO NOT FLASH YOUR LIGHTS.... BLOW YOUR HORN... DO NOT SIGNAL THE CAR IN ANY WAY!!!This is a new GANG MEMBER initiation called GAME going on in the street and it works like this: The new member being initiated drives along with their headlights off until someone notices and flashes their at him. The car that signals to the gang member is now the TARGET of the game. The gang member is required to chase the car that signaled and SHOOT at, or into the car in order to complete initiation requirements.Police ask you to share this information with your family, friends and anyone else you come into contact with. This bulletin originally came from the 3rd district of Cleveland, Ohio Police Department. We understand it is beginning to happen in the Pittsburgh, PA area also and the warning is because this could escalate into any other geographic areas.THIS IS NOTA JOKE IT REALLY IS HAPPENING JUST CHECK WITH LOCAL STATE POLICE!!!!!PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS

Risk and Safety Management Free Essays

string(32) " and safety management systems\." INTRODUCTION The idea of occupational health and management systems is rather complex and several definitions exist. The debate about OSHMSs is evident that there is no universal knowledge of the concept of occupational health and safety management. Rather there exist many models and approaches which are frequently merely sub elements regarded as complete management systems. We will write a custom essay sample on Risk and Safety Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although the fundamental objective is to improve the health and safety of employees, at a more indebt level, one can find a variety, for example by using prevention as a fundamental company objective, by projecting the employer’s responsibility or by improving the employees’ participation and their representatives. Occupational Health and Safety management system can be defined as a set of harmonized and incorporated processes, that allows a business or organisation to be able to control and manage their occupational health and safety issues in a homogeneous, orderly and effective way. It also enables organisations to comply with the requirements of legislation and also to initiate current best practice. Because it uses a systems approach, it helps guarantee’s a reliable and systematic approach to health and safety management throughout an organisation. Implementing this type of system is an indication that an organisation is taking a coordinated approach to the prevention of occupational health and safety risks. It is a choice that explicitly sets out to: – Improve an institutions responsiveness and performance in OSH – purge or reduce health and safety failures – predict change – Ensure overall uniformity with other management policies – Contribute to improving the Company’s image. HS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MODELS There are two recommended approaches depending on the organisational needs of the business and with the objective that the approach will be integrated into the total management system. One is based on successful health and safety management HS (G) 65. Another model is OHSAS 18001, the international standard for health and safety management systems. You read "Risk and Safety Management" in category "Essay examples" The international standard recognises HS (G) 65 and uses essentially identical principles. Both models are very similar with some minor differences. Effective health and safety management systems should have clear processes to follow, such as clear directives that describes who does what and when. Effective health and safety management systems should also have Control Forms in place that are used to control the important steps in the process. These should be simple, clear and easy to use as they will, when concluded, records that are necessary for the continues effectiveness of the management system. Some of the basic components of an effective management system are thus: 1) developing a sound policy, 2)organising, 3) developing procedures, 4) monitoring performance and 5) Reviewing the effectiveness of the management system. The various models of management systems standards are in effect establish on the same values of management as those of general management. Management systems based on OHSAS 18001, AS 4801-2000 and ISO 14001 are prescriptive than others that are base on HSG65 and, to a great extent, ILO-OSH 2001, which base greater concern to the responsibility of people in the management of occupational health and safety risks. RESERACH EVIDENCE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Some research has been carried out to assess the effectiveness of Occupational health and safety management systems. Frick et al. (2000:2) pointed out that the lack of critical assessment is astonishing despite the fact that: ‘OHSM has evolved internationally as the major strategy to reduce the serious social and economic problem of ill-health at work’. On the other hand, there are some researches that base their findings on the effectiveness of OHSMS, and which will be grouped as the ‘effectiveness research’. The first (effectiveness research) is a project started in the late 1970s, by researchers at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the USA to look at the different characteristics of companies with outstanding health and safety performance. In the first two stages of the research, matched pair comparisons were undertaken of safety programme practices in companies with high and low injury rates (Cohen et al., 1975; Smith et al., 1978). The third stage of the research looked at the health and safety programmes of five companies with commendable health and safety performance (Cohen Cleveland, 1983). Some sensitive issues were identified in the NIOSH research and other research linking the practise of health and safety management with injury result data (Simonds Shafai-Sahrai, 1977; Viner et al., 1989; Gallagher, 1994; Zohar, 1980; Chew, 1988; Shannon et al., 1996; Simard Marchand, 1995; Eyssen et al., 1980). Research findings of the studies suggest the fundamental and critical role played by senior management employees (managers) in successful health and safety management systems, the role of effective communication, employee participation and consultation in the whole process. Another research conducted in the nuclear industry have identified further conditions for the effectiveness of health and safety management systems. Marcus’ (1988:251) research of externally induced health and safety innovations in nuclear power companies following an incident (Three Mile Island incident) found autonomy to be a fundamental factor for the effectiveness of Health and safety management system. Nichols and Marcus (1990) in their research emphasize the eventual negative impact of the lack of management attention from vital production and safety requirements. There are some factors that stand against the adoption of effective health and safety management systems. These include: -the difficulties faced by small firms, -subcontracting arrangements, and -contemporary labour market changes. Research conducted in Australia by Gallagher (2000) was based on the relationship between OHS type and system performance. This is the only major empirical research of health and safety management system effectiveness in Australian industry. Research evidence was collected in the mid 1990s from some twenty organisations that had implemented an occupational health and management systems. The systems in these organisations were grouped according to Gallagher’s cross typology based on management structure/style and control strategy. Performance was then evaluated using three criteria – Incident/claims trends, -changes in performance relative to industry benchmarks, and – An assessment through an audit tool based upon Safety MAP. The research findings suggest the type of occupational health and safety management system may influence its effectiveness or failure. There was a tendency for innovative/safe place enterprises (adaptive hazard managers) to perform better than traditional/safe person enterprises (unsafe act minimisers). Adaptive hazard managers stand out from the remainder by the vigour of their focus on elimination of hazard as the underlying purpose of their system activity. They had an organised approach to the management of hazard for the full spectrum of hazards, in contrast to other cases where systems activity variously had an underlying risk management or cultural change purpose, or appeared to be base at improving the health and safety system as an end in itself. Gallagher’s findings strengthen the results of the various ‘effectiveness’ research that highlight the important role played by top managers and of employee participation and engagement ‘’That the most senior managers should drive health and safety change and that health and safety representatives should move away from the margins of health and safety management, into more mainstream health and safety management planning, implementation and review.’’ In his analysis of the Esso gas plant disaster, Hopkins’ (2000) provides a thorough case study of how lack of management commitment can cause a system to fail in practice. Esso had its own occupational health and safety management in place called Operational Integrity Management System (OIMS), once complemented by many as an ideal system and one which company audits suggested was operating at peak level. Reviewing material from the Longford Royal Commission, Hopkins identifies a number of failures in the Esso system that directly contributed to the disaster: 1) Defective auditing processes, 2) Failure to adequately identify hazards and assess risks, 3) A hands-off management strategy, 4) Absence of procedures to deal with the immediate set of incidents, 5) Inadequate training, 6) Poor communication mechanisms 7) Inadequate hazard reporting system. All the above can in a sense be seen as some of the barriers to the effectiveness of an occupational health and safety management system. Hopkins (2000:147) on the other hand challenges the critics of Occupational health and safety management systems who argue that the Esso disaster discredits the idea of an OHS management system and points instead to the need for ‘organisational mindfulness’, an idea said to account for the reliability of high reliability organisations. Hopkins suggests that mindfulness can strengthen an OHSMS by highlighting the aspects of health and safety management that are essential for high reliability. A further research by Dell (2000) was out to identify the conditions of an effective OHSMS and the needed interventions to ensure the systems characteristics are well understood and applicable to industry. Dell draws the differences between proactive and reactive systems, the later marked by reactive activity following an incident; the former by proactive hazard management linked to quality and continuous improvement philosophy. Of the fifteen companies assessed, more than half have no management focus on health and safety and high levels of legislative non-compliance and no fundamental system in place. Of the remaining companies with some sort of system in place, the systems are mainly reactive in nature with no indication of proactive logical hazard or risk management activity. System performance remains difficult to separate given these sub-optimal conditions. BARRIERS TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM The evidence from research suggests that Occupational Health and Safety management systems are likely to fail because of the following reasons: 1).The inability to meet primary conditions for Occupational health and management systems effectiveness (by not customising systems to organisational needs, imposition without consultation, relax top management commitment and non-employee involvement). 2).The inapt utilisation of audit tools (where they become an end in themselves, are base on misdirected management goals, and are conducted without any expert auditor skills, standards and criteria). 3). Application of the system in hostile contexts (small business, precarious employment, contractors and labour hire companies). CASE STUDY OF MY EXPERIENCE IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM These case studies are base on my experience on a review which was undertaken by ASHMAN ASSOCIATES LTD CAMEROON between 2001 and 2009. These studies include: 1) A review of occupational health and safety management systems used within the Cameroonian chicken processing industry. 2) An evaluation of injury prevention within a large governmental department with multiple locations across Cameroon. 3) The development of a strategic plan for injury prevention within a large governmental departmental involved in the running of detention centres. 4)The approach towards injury prevention with the Douala reference hospital 5) A manufacturing company involved with the making and distribution of textiles. Each of these case studies involved an objective of assessing the effectiveness of the occupational health and safety systems for developing an injury prevention model suitable for the culture and hazards associated with the respective workplaces. Each project primarily involved the following methodology: 1) A review of the workplace’s injury history for the previous three to six years and identification of the primary types of injuries as well as their location and causal agents. 2) A review of incident reports and safety committee minutes, as well as consultation with key stakeholders in identifying the variety of hazards that is evident within the respective workplace. 3) A series of walk-through inspections and audits of targeted areas within the workplaces. 4) Technical assessments based on a risk management approach for identifying hazards, with assessing based on legislative and best practice models, and development of appropriate risk controls. 5) Maintaining consultation with the stakeholders throughout the risk assessment approach and monitoring the adoption and evaluation of recommendations. 6) Integrating the results of the risk assessments into a range of appropriate business plans relevant for the size and scope of issues managed in the business. 7) Debriefing the senior management of the organisation on the major findings and recommendations. 8) Developing key performance indicators, in consultation with the stakeholder groups, to ensure an approach of ongoing implementation and continuous improvement with respect to addressing injury prevention in the workplace. RESULTS OF EXPERIENCE On the basis of the research conducted in these workplaces, a range of business imperatives were clearly identified within those companies which were successful in addressing occupational health risks. The key imperatives were as follows: 1) Management commitment and active participation 2) Participation of the employees 3) Setting of goals and measuring performance 4) Integration of Occupational health and safety strategies into business plan 5) Positive feedback and recognition of achievements. The commitment of senior management and their participation in the prevention systems was vital. The direct involvement and commitment of the senior management was the major determinant within specific workplaces as to the level of improvement and sustained performance in injury management. Without their commitment and participation, the prevention appeared to achieve a ‘glass ceiling’ above which the performance appeared not to improve. This was particularly evident where responsibility for OHS management was delegated to a ‘middle level’ manager, in particular those with non-operational responsibilities, such as human resource managers or OHS officers. The successful integration of OHS with other management systems will ensure that the long term objectives of the organisation incorporate a desire to develop OHS initiatives through each stage of the design and development process. It is evident from these case studies that the five basic imperatives outlined should be key components of a system which will produce a sustained focus on injury prevention. Many of the OHS management systems available on the market were found to be too complex and too time consuming and costly to implement and maintain for the majority of the businesses assessed. However, the requirement of at least a simple system which contains these key imperatives would seem a sensible starting place for organisations contemplating a programme focusing on injury prevention at the workplace level. CONCLUSION Implicit in many of the research reviewed above to show the effectiveness of Occupational Health and Safety management system is the finding that OHSMS sometimes work under the appropriate conditions. It also alludes to the significant importance of top management commitment and employee involvement in the whole process. A general agreement also emerged that the effectiveness of Occupational health and safety management systems depends on concrete top management commitment and employee involment which were relentlessly described as essential and inter-linked. Top management commitment is regarded as a pre-requisite for embarking on a systems approach in the first place. Without this whole concept of top management commitment, an OHS management system cannot be effective or is likely to collapse into a token exercise. Employee consultation and Involvement was also considered equally important to its effectiveness. REFERENCES Cohen, A., Smith, B., Cohen, A. (1975) Safety Program Practices in High vs. Low Accident Rate Companies – An Interim Report, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Publication No 75-185, Cincinatti. Cohen, H., Cleveland, R. (1983) Safety Program Practices in Record-Holding Plants, Professional Safety, March, 26-32. Dell, G. (2000) Current Safety Management Practice: Does a Systematic Approach DeliverPaper presented at the First National Conference on Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, UWS, Sydney. K. Frick P. Jensen M. Quinlan T. Wilthagen (Eds.) Systematic OHS Management: Perspectives on an International Development, Elsevier, Amsterdam. Gallagher, C. (1997) Health and Safety Management Systems: An Analysis of System Types and Effectiveness, National Key Centre in Industrial Relations, Monash University, Melbourne Gunningham, N., Johnstone, R. (1999) Regulating Workplace Safety: System and Sanctions, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Health and Safety Executive (1991) Successful Health and Safety Management, HMSO, London. Hopkins, A. (2000) Lessons from Longford: The Esso Gas Plant Explosion, CCH Australia Limited, Sydney. How to cite Risk and Safety Management, Essay examples

The Dark Ages Essay Example

The Dark Ages Essay Introduction During the reign of the Roman Empire, Europe had advanced in terms of technology and literal work as well as education. During this time, civilization had boomed with many cities being built that facilitated structured formal civilization. During this time agriculture, economy and trade had boomed. It is also a time when literal work was at its peak during those ages. However, towards the fifth century, the roman army was loosing grip of the empire due to economic, political, social and military hardships. The army was becoming increasingly unable to defend the territory during the barbarian invasions and lost. Upon loosing, what was left of the Roman Empire was destruction and stagnation in economy as well as hardship since the civilization had been lost. After the fall, many regions of the territory including Europe were left in social, economic and literal crisis. Several centuries after the fall of the empire literal work was limited and development went down. This has come to be known as the Dark Ages of Europe where there is little known to historians about what was happening at the time. It took a few centuries and great efforts from different parts of Europe including Irish people in coming out of the dark ages through their efforts in preserving of the literal work done before the fall of the Roman Empire. We will write a custom essay sample on The Dark Ages specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Dark Ages specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Dark Ages specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Meaning of Dark Ages The Dark Age represents the first centuries after the fall of Roman Empire and before the middle ages that left Europe quite susceptible to violent warlords, natural calamities such as famine, disease and economic downturn. The term was used as a metaphor to show the contrast between the prior ages and after the dark ages when there was development in both economics and literal work that resulted from education at the time (Mommsen, 1942). The dark ages denotes a time when literal work was limited and hardly any literal production was realized at the time. It characterizes a period during which historical records and other written materials were scarce. Further, it was a period when very few people knew how to write and read. The darkness described was an intellectual one where very little intellectual work took place compared to the period before and after (Mommsen, 1942). Why the Dark Ages were Dark What made the dark ages dark was the effect of lack of intellectual capacity and the waves of war and invasions that followed as well as the theological teachings that advocated that only what was in the bible was true. During the Roman Empire, much of the territories within Europe were unified and well protected by the roman army. This had contributed to an economic, political as well as social development across the whole of Europe. After the fall, maintaining the unification was hard without the protection of the Roman Empire leaving the territories open for grabbing by the warlords that were seeking power. Waves of war accompanied by cultural, economic, political and literal work declined almost to a standstill (Snodgrass, 2000). During the invasions, the barbarians left nothing standing including buildings, arts and even schools. Thus, knowledge was only left to a few people within the monasteries. Without knowledge and literal work for reference, Europe was left in a mess where productivity in all aspects went down. The main reason it was named Dark Age was lack of learning and production of arts or literal work. People were in no position to learn and produce such works due to the hard times of the Dark Age especially warfare from the warlords that roamed through out Europe. This lasted for several centuries before the middle ages when the Europeans started the work of thinking and advancing again. However, this was influenced by the eastern territories that had not been conquered by the barbarians such as China and India where great civilizations thrived during the 1000s.During the invasions by warlords, food would be stolen, people killed, and cities destroyed. This would live the people homeless and wit hout food. What made it quite dark was the lack of intellectual material and lack of scholars to advance the available knowledge. Lack of knowledge made it impossible to advance economically and the people within this age lived a devastating life. It is a time when a third of Europe’s population was lost to plagues that ravaged the territory. At this time, the only formal education was found in church, which acted as the unifying power. The Christian teachings taught that whatever was not in the bible was not true and people should not have to do what is outside of the biblical teachings. Thus, if biblical teachings did not support scientific discoveries, people were not supposed to study science. Thus, the people living in this age only clung to the hope that a better life awaits them in heaven. The hardships during this time made the dark ages dark. Coming out of the dark ages The dark ages had left Europe in crisis and people had lost al hope. Although civilization had stopped in Europe, other territories continued with scientific discoveries. Some of the territories that continued with civilization were Israel, India, China and other territories in the east. During the Dark Age when the Catholic Church was considered the ruler of Europe, the pope ordered crusades. The crusades were religious wars that aimed at restoring access of Christians to Jerusalem. During the Dark Age after some of the invasions, Christians were stopped from accessing Jerusalem. This did not go down well with the Catholic Church tat considered Jerusalem a sacred city that represented the three Abrahamic religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islamic. Thus, the crusades were started in an effort to regain access (Snodgrass, 2000). During the crusades, the warriors who went there interacted with the people they met in the eastern territories and realized there was better civilization than back at Europe. Soon, the crusaders would return home with new technology and skills. As the crusades went on, more was realized and the Europeans interacted with newer architecture, arts and other literal works. It is here that Europe prepared inadvertently to come out of the Dark Age by interacting with other civilizations in the east such as Israel (Snodgrass, 2000). Impact of Ireland in Emerging From Dark Ages During the dark ages, the literal work was lost to many parts of Europe. However, there was a time when efforts to revive the literature was done in the Carolingian period. The Carolingian period represents the period in which efforts were made to revive intellectual and cultural literature and classical texts (Herren, 1981). The Irish during this period had developed a taste for the Latin classical work. There was classical Latin learning in Ireland during the dark ages in the seventh and eighth centuries. The Irish served to protect most of the classical literature through incorporating the principles and ideas in the publications between the ninth and subsequent centuries. During this time, some English scholars went to study in Ireland. â€Å"What, pray, I beseech you eagerly, is the benefit to the sanctity of the orthodox faith to expend energy by reading and studying the foul pollution of base Proserpina, which I shrink from mentioning in plain speech †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Herren, 1981). Further continuation implies that Aldhelm’s disciple went to Ireland to study since he was preparing to go to Ireland. In coming out of the dark ages, Ireland had a significant impact through preserving of the classical literature. The Chivalric Code During the dark ages, many warriors emerged paying loyalty to a leader who would be from their tribe. Their quest was adventure and conquering. Many of the warlords sought their services in the invasions. They were highly trained with their training going for many years. Working for the small warlords the knights were brutal and went around taking anything they want when the Dark Age progressed (Moelker and Kummel 2007). However, powerful people began to reunite the European knights, where a code of conduct was set out to prevent them from engaging in brutal activity. The code set out came to be known as the chivalric code describing how a knight was supposed to treat others within the society especially the weak such as women. It required knights to be gentle and courteous towards women and during their conquest. In modern times, this can be considered a code of ethics that seeks to regulate how the powerful within the society should treat the weak (Moelker and Kummel 2007). However, in military field it would mean stopping women from becoming soldiers since it considers women as weak. Conclusion Warfare and invasions by warlords in Europe was heightened after the roman empire fell. The Roman Empire had established formal structures and governments, laws and formal education that played a crucial role in the economic and social development. When it fell, all this was lost including the literature at the time. The great civilizations were lost in the destruction by ranging wars. It took an effort of several territories and the church as well to get Europe out of the Dark Age. Annotations Herren M. (1981). Classical and Secular Learning among the Irish before the Carolingian Renaissance. Florilegium, 3: 118-157. The article seeks to present evidence about learning in Ireland during the dark ages that many scholars have not accounted for. The Carolingian period represents the period in which efforts were made to revive intellectual and cultural literature and classical texts. The Irish during this period had developed a taste for the Latin classical work. There was classical Latin learning in Ireland during the dark ages in the seventh and eighth centuries. The Irish served to protect most of the classical literature through incorporating the principles and ideas in the publications between the ninth and subsequent centuries. The article further cites that some Englishmen studied at the generosity of the Irish in their land at their expense as well. Thus, Ireland played a crucial role in coming out of the Dark Age through studying and reserving the classical literature. The article illustrated proof that the Irish people exploited the opportunity to study Latin classical literature during the Dark Ages. It portrayed the role that Irish played in coming out of the Dark Ages as that of academic scholars interested in continuing to study classical literature, preserving it and educating the English students simultaneously. Herren discussed various instances of individual accounts of people during the Dark Ages such as Aldhelm. â€Å"What, pray, I beseech you eagerly, is the benefit to the sanctity of the orthodox faith to expend energy by reading and studying the foul pollution of base Proserpina, which I shrink from mentioning in plain speech †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Herren, 1981). Further continuation implies that Aldhelm’s disciple went to Ireland to study since he was preparing to go to Ireland. The article provides a good account of the impact Ireland had on the world in emerging from the Dark Age. Moelker, R. Kummel, G. (2007). Chivalry and Codes of Conduct: Can the Virtue of Chivalry Epitomize Guidelines for Interpersonal Conduct? Journal of Military Ethics, 6 (4): 292-302. This article was published in the journal of military ethics asking a question about the relation or relevance of chivalry codes of conduct and their relation to interpersonal conduct. The article cites that there exists doubt about chivalry being a virtue or just a code of conduct for the military, considering it is not a theological or cardinal virtue. However, some philosophy, tradition and history have been found to regard chivalry as a virtue, describing the agreed conduct of a knight in the middle ages. It contains codes of courteous behaviors that are formal or informal, making interpersonal behavior civilized. It seeks to regulate the behavior between the two genders within the social interaction. The article seeks to find out whether the chivalric code of conduct provides a guideline for leading a virtuous life. the chivalric code represented the expected behavior or conduct of a knight in his quest for adventure, conquering, serving in the army and relating to others within the society such as women with care and love. The article refers back to the historical contexts meaning of chivalry, which meant a definition between roles of men to women. â€Å"Despite this, archaic, symbolic, or anachronistic forms of chivalry may have survived, in which the male was perceived as strong, and protector while the female was perceived as weak, passive, in need of protection, and courteously treated† (Moelker and Kummel 2007). As the chivalric code described how the knights should treat women or those, considered weak in the society, so does the modern world need to treat others with courtesy. The contemporary world should be able to adopt some of the features of the chivalric code that prescribed how men should treat women and weaker people in the society. The article implied that considering chivalric behavior as a virtue would exclude women from serving in the military, as they were considered weak and in need of protection. I agree with the authors that chivalry is a benevolent sexism that excludes wo men. However, it applies in other contexts within the modern society such as protecting the weaker people including women from violence. This article is quite useful in defining the chivalric code and answering the question of its relevance to modern ethics. Mommsen T.E. (1942). Petrarch’s Conception of the ‘Dark Ages. Speculum, 17 (2): 226 – 242. The article presents a conception of the Dark Ages as portrayed by Petrarch, an Italian poet and scholar, as well as one of the earliest humanists in the 14th century. The article cites that the Dark Ages, in its most popular meaning, is used to denote the period in which there was an intellectual depression in the European history that corresponds with the Middle Ages. The Dark Ages and Middle ages have been used to describe the same period but from different perspectives. However, the two names have come to be distinguished as representing two different ages. â€Å"But they have come to be distinguished, and the dark ages are now no more than the first part of the middle age while the mediaeval is often restricted to the later centuries, about 1100 to 1500,† (Mommsen, 1942). The Dark Age now represents the age between the fall of the Roman Empire and revival of the literature. The article clarifies the meaning of the dark ages in details, stating what period can be considered as the Dark Age since it is supposed to represent an era when intellectual work or literature was limited. It clears the controversy contained in considering the Dark Age as the same period as the Middle Ages. Its credibility is entailed in the use of Petrarch’s conception of the Dark Age, and middle age considering he wrote during the middle ages. The fact that the article borrows from Petrarch’s idea who wrote during the middle ages implies that the Dark Age, which represents an age of intellectual depression, could not be the same as the Middle ages since he produced literal work. This makes the definition of the Dark Ages as being an era of intellectual depression agreeable. Snodgrass, A.M. (2000). The Dark Age of Greece: An Archaeological Survey of the Eleventh to the Eighth Centuries BC. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press, The book is written after new archeological evidence has been found supporting the idea of a dark age. Snodgrass presents the evidence that provides an insight into what the Dark Age represented by showing some of the reasons it was considered so. He starts by defining the Dark Age in the first chapter, The Concept of a Dark Age. â€Å"There if a far-off island of knowledge, or perhaps knowledge; then darkness; then the beginning of continuous history,† (Snodgrass, 2000). By this, he defines the meaning of Dark Age, which is a period in which history was not well recorded due to lack of literal materials. It is between two eras, the first one being an age where information or knowledge is available to an age when information is not available followed by a continuous history well recorded. He further provides evidence of why it was considered dark. At the time, there was scholarly scarcity, and people who lived in this age were poor, isolated and aware of the lost skills. The b ook shows a period of discontinuity in development, intellectual knowledge and other issues present before and after the Dark Age. Information regarding this age was scarce, consequently limiting our knowledge about it. This is what qualifies it as a dark age. Through providing strong evidence of the dark age in terms of scholarly and life during this period, the author manages to provide a detailed lens through which to look at Europe’s experience during this age by focusing on Greece. It depicts the experiences of the Dark Age to the people who lived in it, thus providing a good account of the Dark Age. Considering the author makes use of evidence from archeological data collected recently, it provides students with a source of information about how the Dark Age might have affected those who lived in it and reasons it is considered dark. It helps in answering the question on what made the Dark Age dark. References Herren M. (1981). Classical and Secular Learning among the Irish before the Carolingian Renaissance. Florilegium, 3: 118-157. Moelker, R. Kummel, G. (2007). Chivalry and Codes of Conduct: Can the Virtue of Chivalry Epitomize Guidelines for Interpersonal Conduct? Journal of Military Ethics, 6 (4): 292-302. Mommsen T.E. (1942). Petrarch’s Conception of the ‘Dark Ages. Speculum, 17 (2): 226 – 242. Snodgrass, A.M. (2000). The Dark Age of Greece: An Archaeological Survey of the Eleventh to the Eighth Centuries BC. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press,