buy custom Health Care Professionals essay

buy custom Health Care Professionals essay Caring for a patient with terminal illness is challenging because most of the time the patient is unconscious thus remains a passive recipient of care. Health care professionals and family members are left to decide for the patient yet they do not experience the physical impact of the disease. With a view to the selected incident, two issues that arise are ethical and legal. The rationale of selecting the ethical and legal issues is that Battes (2003) states that they interfere with decision making process in times of a dilemma. Autonomy is one of the ethical principles and it requires that the patient makes decision about the care that he wants (Gedge et al. 2007). In an event where the patient is unconscious, health care professionals compromise autonomy by deciding for the patient or letting the relatives decide. The right of a patient to live is one of the legal issues (Rhome 2004) that arise from the incident. The doctor is faced with a challenge of whether to take the patients life by withholding medications or letting him live and suffer. Legal and ethical issues have an imperative impact on the delivery of care to the patients and carers because they influence the actions of the health care professionals. According to the law, the doctor can withhold treatment and let the patient die peacefully (Cook, 2008). On the other hand, Chantal (2006) explains that it is unethical to withhold treatment if the majority of the people concerned do not feel happy about the idea. For instance, if withholding treatment will annoy the family members, the doctor has no right of doing so. According to the ethical principles, health care providers should supply comprehensive and holistic care to the patient and the significant others regardless of whom they are. Ethics is a way of examining morality. Singer (2010) states that clinical ethics dictate the professional behaviors of health care providers because they issue a framework for decision making process. Ethics in terminal care entail practical reasoning about the management of the patients. Occasionally, the health care provider may find himself in an ethical dilemma because the ethical principles which are autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice are in conflict (Matzo et al. 2004). For instance, the patient has a right to make decision but when he is unconscious, it becomes hard for the health care professional to decide who should play that role on the patients behalf. In such a case the health care professional should select a course of actions that he thinks is morally upright. By this, the health care professional can decide for the patient or allow the relatives to make an informed decision. The ethical principle of autonomy dictates that it is a patient who should decide whether he wants to continue living or not. Autonomy is similar to self determination and Thomas (2009) states that every insane human being has freedom to choose what can be done to his body. The focus of autonomy is informed consent and health care professionals should explain to the patient about the disease process, management and outcome so that he can make a choice (Chantal, 2006). In the event where the patient has a cognitive problem the significant others can decide for him. With a view to the selected incident, the doctor explained the patients condition and management to the family members so that they decide on his behalf. The ethical theories of beneficence and non-maleficence guide the health care professionals so that they provide quality care to the patients. Thomas (2009) explains that according to beneficence theory, health care professionals should provide care that is beneficial for the patient while non-maleficence states that the patient should be protected from harm. These theories form the goal of patients management which is to assist them in recovering or reduce suffering and thus prolong life (Gallagher et al. 2007). With the view to the selected incident, the issue that arises is withholding some treatment and life supportive assistance. The patient could not completely benefit from the hospital interventions but he was likely to experience more harm because of lack of treatment at the hospice. That is why the family members were confused when the doctor declared that he was going to stop the intravenous fluids and some medications. The question that comes out from the incident concerns the authority of sustaining or withholding life. Is it a doctor, a nurse, a patient or the family members who should make a decision about withholding treatment? According to Wright (2003), the patient should decide, but if he is unconscious the significant others can decide and the doctor has no authority of imposing forced treatment regimen. Justice is an ethical principle that concerns fair and equal treatment of the patient, the relatives and the significant others (Battes 2003). It states that the nurse should treat every person equally regardless of their social status, culture and disease condition. With a view to the selected incident, the nurse respected the patients relatives by explaining them the patients condition and the treatment plan. The nurses action demonstrates distributive justice. On the other hand, the nurse was unfair in her attempts to withhold treatment and deny the patient his or her right to live. Analysis of Legal Issues In the provision of care, health care professionals cannot assume legal issues since they affect care. Some actions may be allowed by ethics, while being not permitted by the law (Thomas 2009). According to the law, it is forbidden to take any humans life while the ethical principle of autonomy permits it in case of patients request to take his life. With a view to the selected incident, the doctor could not have stopped the patients treatment if he had followed the law that forbids to withhold someones life. According to Wright (2003) the law is minimal ethics because it operates under the values and principles of the society. The law is a reflection of the ideas of the majority concerning specific issue. If the health care professionals are to follow the law, they have to respect the voices of the family members and significant others (Cook 2008). This means that when it comes to matters concerning life and death, the family members and significant others should be given the first priority. With a view to the selected incident, the doctor should have asked for the family members opinion about treatment withdrawal instead of implementing the plan that only afterwards was introduced to them.. Most of the legal issues relating to care of the patients with terminal illness fall under the common and statutory law (Matzo et al. 2004). The court decides the common law and it involves issues like autonomy and treatment withdrawal while the statutory law concerns euthanasia (Thomas 2009). The law limits ethical actions that may be risky for the patient or the family members. Wright (2003) states that the law acts as a framework for decision making process and it helps the health care professionals avoid liabilities. With a view to the selected incident, the doctor could have prolonged the patients life for some days by not withholding treatment since the law states the patients right to live. Rhome (2004) explains that the law provides guidelines for the health care professionals to balance between benefits and harm. Health care professionals should relieve any patient from the signs and symptoms of the disease, inflicting no harm. In the event that the patients relatives doubt the treatment regimen and are worried about the side effects, the health care professional should prioritize the law about harm prevention (Matzo et al. 2004). On the other hand, if the benefit is imperative in comparison to the prevention of harm then the health care professional should prioritize the law of benefits. Witha view to the selected incident, the doctor followed the law of benefits by withholding treatment. This is because being allowed to continue living, the patient could have suffered more. The law provides guidelines that assist the health care professionals in dealing with two harmful situations. If the health care professional cannot compare the danger of prolonged treatment with the side effects of medical care, he should select one action that is less harmful to prevent the occurrence of a more serious harm (Battes 2003). With a view to the selected incident, the prolonging of the patients life could have a negative impact on both the patient and the family members. The patient could have suffered for a long period of time while the family members would continue experiencing psychological and emotional difficulties while caring for him. This is the reason why the doctor decided to take an action with a lesser harm that is to withhold the treatment. How Nursing Practice Can Be Improved In Relation To Ethical and Legal Issues In relation to ethical and legal issues nursing practice can be improved by the application of ethical-legal theories while providing care to the patients and the significant others. The ethical-legal theories include deontology, utilitarianism and natural law (Wright 2003). Although these theories will assist the nurse in making a rational decision while in a dilemma, a moral reasoning is important. Therefore, a nurse should learn how to establish a therapeutic relationship with the patient, so that the moral skills develop (Chantal 2006). Moral skills will assist the nurse in making an ultimate decision about the care of the patient. With a view to the selected incident, the nurse could have refused to stop the medication if she considered it to be unethical. Utilitarianism is an ethical-legal theory that operates under the principle of making many people happy regardless of the consequences to an individual (Gallagher et al. 2007). Application of this theory to the nursing practice is important because it will reduce the prevalence of self interests. Singer (2010) explains that according to utilitarianism, a nurse should provide quality care because that is what the hospital institution is aimed at. With a view to the selected incident, the nurse could have provided holistic care to the patient till death because it is in line with the hospital guidelines. By so doing, the nurse could have alleviated the distress that the family members underwent while observing their relation die peacefully. On the other hand, it was ethical for the nurse to stop the medication, having explained the treatment plan to the relatives. This is because the relatives accepted the treatment plan. According to the deontology theory, common sense is important and nurses should perform their duties fairly that is to treat every person with integrity and apply the ethical principles without discrimination (Wright 2003). Ethical principles that are deontological in nature include autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficience and preservation of life (Chantal 2006). A nurse should provide services that are beneficial for the patient and avoid any source of harm, preserving his life. Considering the selected incident, the nurse should have provided holistic care to the patient and the significant others because it is her duty. Additionally, the nurse could not have stopped the medication because the theory of deontology states that a nurse should preserve life. The natural law of ethical-legal theory states that an action is morally good if it is in line with the human goals and it does not harm a person (Singer 2010). According to this law, it is unethical for the nurse to refuse to care for the patient. The nurse should help the patient to become independent,providing a collaborative care that addresses his needs. With a view to the selected incident, the nurse could have collaborated with the doctor and provide comprehensive care to the patient. Withholding of the treatment decreased the patients ability to progress into a different stage of recovery. Potential Barriers The application of the ethical-legal theories in the nursing practice can be interfered by a number of barriers concerning the patient, the significant others, health facility and the health care providers. According to Wright (2003), a patients beliefs, disease condition and financial status can be a barrier to application of ethical-legal principles and theories in the nursing practice. A patient who believes that intravenous medication is the best solution may refuse other treatment modalities. In the event that a certain drug does not have an intravenous preparation it may be hard for the nurse to provide beneficial services for the patient is likely to refuse treatment. In a study done, Singer (2010) explains that approximately sixty eight percent of the patients with terminal illness were willing to allow the doctor to end their lives because of financial difficulties. Many of them preferred to die because they could not afford to support their families financially. This shows that financial inability can be a barrier to application of ethical theories in the nursing practice. For instance, the aforementioned patients can refuse nursing care because they want to die. Lastly, the disease condition of the patient is a potential barrier to nursing practice because it influences the decision making process (Matzo et al. 2004). A patient with cognitive abnormalities cannot make a rational decision concerning his management. In the event that such a patient refuses treatment, the nurse is in a dilemma of whether to force the patient to take medication or follow his wishes and command. With a view to the selected incident, the nurse had to follow the fami ly members commands because the patient was unconscious and could not decide about his care. The patients family members and the significant others can be a barrier to the application of ethical principles in the nursing practice because they influence the management of the patient (Gedge et al. 2007). When a nurse wants to provide a comprehensive and holistic care to the patient and the significant others want the nurse to withhold treatment, it becomes hard for the nurse to apply the ethical-legal theory. Rhome (2004) explains that the culture and social values of the family members are potential barriers to provision of nursing services. For instance, people who believe that the nurse should not administer narcotics to a patient with a terminal illness can interfere with the nursing practice by prohibiting the nurse from administering medication to the patient. The potential barriers to application of the ethical-legal theories that relate to the health facility include lack of enough supplies, the hospital policies and the human resource (Wright 2003). A nurse may want to support the patients life but if the hospital does not have the necessary supplies, it becomes impossible. For instance, lack of protective devices like gloves and masks can prevent a nurse from providing the patient with a quality care. The hospital guidelines play an imperative role in the application of ethical-legal theories in the nursing practice. If the hospital rules dictate that the doctor is the final decision maker in the management of a patient, the nurse is unlikely to provide quality services (Chantal 2006). With a view to the selected incident, the nurse had to withhold treatment yet the nursing ethics states that a nurse should assist the patient until he dies. Finally, inadequate human resource is a potential barrier to provision of nursing care (Wright 2003). For instance, if the nurse is under pressure because of understaffing, she is likely to withhold treatment so that the patient dies and relieves her from the excessive workload. Besides, lack of knowledge about application of ethical-legal theories can be a potential barrier to the nursing prractice (Rhome 2004). A nurse who is unaware of ethical principles is likely to harm the patient in case of a dilemma. Thus, if a patient wants a pain relieving medication while the relatives are against it, the nurse should apply the principle of autonomy and the deontology theory and is to give the patient the medication instead of following the relatives command. A nurse who is not aware of the principle of autonomy and the theory of deontology is likely to follow utilitarianism theory and deny the patient the medication. This will cause harm to the patient as it makes him suffer. Policies and Guidelines that Affect the Ethical and Legal Issues The national, international and local policies and guidelines that apply to ethical and legal issues concern the nursing care of a patient who is terminally ill. The nurse should provide care to a patient who is terminally ill so that he can have control over his management (Gedge et al. 2007). This policy is related to the ethical principle of beneficence and it means that the nurse should not withhold treatment but continue caring for the patient. Cook (2008) explains that the management of a person with terminal illness should be in line with his beliefs as well as the culture. This policy coincides with the principle of autonomy and the ethical-legal theory of deontology. The nurse should respect the dignity of the patient and provide care not discriminating his culture or beliefs. This also means that the nurse should not harm the client because going against his beliefs and culture can interfere with the healing process. With a view to the selected incident, the nurse could have listened to the views of the patients relatives and act accordingly instead of following the doctors instructions and withholding medication. The nurse should know about conditions like mental disabilities and beware of the side effects of medications that can affect the decision making process of a patient who is terminally ill (Rhome 2004). This policy is important because it affects the nurses choice about the autonomy of the patient. It influences the selection of a person who should decide on the behalf of the patient. The nurse should explain the progression of the disease, the management and possible outcome to the person acting on behalf of the patient ,so that he can make an informed decision (Singer 2010). With a view to the selected incident, the nurse acted ethically explaining the treatment regimen of the patient to the family members. The nurse who is taking care of a terminally ill patient must know the patients wishes as well as expectations regarding his management (Gallagher et al. 2007). The nurse should develop a therapeutic relationship with the patient so that she probes him to express his feelings and thoughts about the disease. By so doing, the nurse will know the patients wishes and expectations. This policy is important because it provides a solution in case the relatives or the health cares wishes are not compatible with the patients expectations. With a view to the selected incident, ethical and legal issues arose, since the patient was unconscious and no one knew either his wishes or expectations. The nurse who is responsible for the patient with terminal illness must know the outcome of the doctors management and document it accordingly (Cook 2008). This means that the nurse should discuss the patients care and progress with the doctor.. This policy is in line with the principle of beneficence and nonmaleficience. When a nurse knows the rationale behind the doctors management, she is likely to provide the service, beneficial to the patient, and avoid harm. With a view to the selected incident, the nurse could have discussed the patient management with the doctor, so that they explore other possibilities instead of withholding treatment because it was distressing for the family members. It is essential for the nurse to provide palliative care to a patient with terminal illness (Chantal 2006). The care should include physical, psychological, social and emotional support. Physical care involves provision of medication that relieves the distressing symptoms of the disease process. Psychological and emotional care involves counseling the patient about the disease process, so that he comes to term with it. Social support entails talking to the patient and encouraging him so that he does not feel lonely. This policy relates to deontology and utilitarianism theories. According to the deontology theory, the nurse should provide palliative care to the terminally ill patient because it is her duty. On the other hand, utilitarianism theory will restrict a nurse to provide palliative care to the terminally ill patient if many people do not feel happy about the idea. With a view to the selected incident, the nurse withheld treatment instead of providing palliative care because t he majority accepted the outcome. Conclusion In conclusion, ethical and legal issues are imperative in the care of a patient with terminal illness. This happens because they influence the decisions of the health care providers concerning the management of the patient. With a view to the selected incident, the ethical issues that arise are autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficience and justice. Legal issues concern the law and they assist the health care professional to make a rational decision when the ethical principles are in conflict. One of the legal issues is the law that prohibits killing and when a patient wants his life be taken the nurse can disrespect his autonomy because the law forbids killing. Nurses should apply the ethical-legal theories in the nursing practice if they want to provide a comprehensive and holistic care to the patients with terminal illness. Recommendations Nurses should strive to know the ethical and legal issues concerning patients with terminal illness by reviewing relevant literatures about the issues. This will assist them in making a rational decision when faced with an ethical dilemma. Battes (20003) states that a nurse who is knowledgable about ethical and legal issues is likely to provide comprehensive services in times of an ethical dilemma than the one who does not know anything about it. Hospital institutions should organise seminars or workshops for the nurses to attend and learn about ethical and legal issues. This is important because as nursing continues to evolve, the legal and ethical issues keep on changing (Rhome 2004). Attending such seminars, they get to know the current practices of taking care of the patients with terminal illness. Nurses should conduct research about barriers to ethical and legal issues and then address the findings accordingly. For instance, if the barrier is understaffing then the hospital should employ more health care professionals. In case of the knowledge deficit, the nurses should be taught about ethical principles and theories. According to Thomas (2009), research enables the nurse to gain more insight about legal and ethical issues. Through research, a nurse can get introduced to the new ways of solving ethical legal dilemmas. This will assist the nurse in providing beneficial services when faced with a conflict. Finally, nurses should educate the relatives about the care of the patient and the outcome. This will assist them in making a rational decision about the patients care in the event where the patient is unconscious and cannot decide. Cook (2008) states that educating the relatives about care of the terminally ill patient alleviates the negative belief and culture that they usually hold. A patients relative who knows about the management of a terminally ill patient is unlikely to interfere with the management of the patient by prohibiting the nurse to provide care because he knows that rationale of the management. Buy custom Health Care Professionals essay

Racial Formation - Definition and Overview

Racial Formation - Definition and Overview Racial formation is the process, resulting from the interplay between social structure and everyday life, through which the meaning of race and racial categories are agreed upon and argued over. The concept comes form racial formation theory, a sociological theory  that focuses on the connections between how race shapes and is shaped by  social structure, and how racial categories are represented and given meaning in imagery, media, language, ideas, and everyday common sense. Racial formation theory frames the meaning of race as rooted in context and history, and thus as something that changes over time. Omi and Winants Racial Formation Theory In their book Racial Formation in the United States,  sociologists Michael Omi and Howard Winant define racial formation as â€Å"...the sociohistorical process by which racial categories are created, inhabited, transformed, and destroyed,† and explain that this process is accomplished by â€Å"historically situated projects in which human bodies and social structures are represented and organized.† â€Å"Projects,† here, refers to a representation of race that situates it in social structure. A racial project can take the form of common sense assumptions about racial groups, about whether or not race is significant in today’s society, or narratives and images that depict race and racial categories through mass media, for example. These situate race within social structure by, for instance, justifying why some people have less wealth or make more money than others on the basis of race, or, by pointing out that racism is alive and well, and that it impact s people’s experiences in society. Thus, Omi and Winant see the process of racial formation as directly and deeply connected to how â€Å"society is organized and ruled.† In this sense, race and the process of racial formation have important political and economic implications. Racial Formation is Composed of Racial Projects Central to their theory is the fact that race is used to signify differences amongst people, via racial projects, and that how these differences are signified connects to the organization of society. In the context of the U.S. society, the concept of race is used to signify physical differences amongst people but is also used to signify actual and perceived cultural, economic, and behavioral differences. By framing racial formation this way, Omi and Winant illustrate that because the way we understand, describe, and represent race is connected to how society is organized, then even our common sense understandings of race can have real and significant political and economic consequences for things like access to rights and resources.Their theory frames the relationship between racial projects and social structure as dialectical, meaning that the relationship between the two goes in both directions, and that change in one necessarily causes change in  the other. So, the outcomes of a racialized social structure- differentials in wealth, income, and assets on the basis of race, for example- shape what we believe to be true about racial categories. We then use race as a sort of shorthand to provide a set of assumptions about a person, which in turn shapes our expectations for a person’s behavior, beliefs, worldviews, and even intelligence. The ideas we develop about race then act back on the social structure in various political and economic ways. While some racial projects might be benign, progressive, or anti-racist, many are racist. Racial projects which represent certain racial groups as less than or deviant impact the structure of society by excluding some from employment opportunities, political office, educational opportunities, and subject some to police harassment, and  higher rates of arrest, conviction, and incarceration. The Changeable Nature of Race Because the ever-unfolding process of racial formation is one carried out by racial projects, Omi and Winant point out that we all exist among and within them, and they inside of us. This means that we are constantly experiencing the ideological force of race in our everyday lives, and what we do and think in our everyday lives has an impact on social structure. This also means that we as individuals have the power to change the racialized social structure and eradicate racism by changing the way we represent, think about, talk about, and act in response to race.

Langston Hughes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Langston Hughes - Essay Example Langston's sensitive nature was also responsible paradoxically in reinforcing his sense of separateness as a Negro. He acknowledged his race to be clearly an advantage, which gained him fame and recognition not only among his peers but also among those towards whom he was subjected towards color sensitivity, as it was his color that acknowledged and helped him in seeking his own identity in revealing the black experience. Langston Hughes was aware of the fact that being a black, his race would never be granted permission to gain access in participating in any effort towards America. He wanted the blacks to awake from the long sleep and start making the dream of their homeland a reality, although it was the dream which according to Langston was converted into a nightmare for Southern blacks, he aimed at rehabilitating that nightmare again into an American dream. No doubt Langston Hughes was among one of those renaissance writers who produced little work on Harlem, but whatever they produced, the work emerged as a magnum opus in the Harlem Renaissance history and produced a true Harlem color. Langston Hughes, the Harlem writer was especially adept at portraying New York's ghetto life concerning about people, culture and religion. What he experienced during the renaissance enabled him to portray the true face of white Americans and in the form of words he described it. Langston's work about Harlem reveal his versatility as wh... ons African Americans had to face regarding social and economic factors of Harlem, he found a ready market among some blacks who wanted to read about life in the black metropolis on one hand, while on the other he was aware of those whites who were attracted to the exotic, strange, and colorful rhythms of 'nigger heaven'". (Wintz, 1988, p. 45) Harlem, though, was more than a playground for white Manhattan, for Africans it was more than a battle. A battle conducted not to loose, but to win and make whites acknowledge their identities as African Americans. "It was a teeming, overcrowded ghetto, and much of its laughter and gaiety only thinly veiled the misery and poverty that was becoming the standard of life for the new black urban masses. This, too, was reflected by the Harlem Renaissance, viewed from the perspective of Langston". (Wintz, 1988, p. 46) "Langston portrayed the outbreak of World War I as the only means, which intensified racial conflicts in America. He was aware of the sacrifices given by every single African of America and realized the importance of African traditional people in supporting America's war, with a hope that their efforts would display one day a result of loyalty and battlefield gallantry to win them popular support in their quest for equality". (Rampersad, 2002, p. 54) Langston encouraged their efforts to participate fully in their country's battles; blacks have traditionally confronted a government reluctant to accept their services. During World War I the already existing racial strife intensified these problems. Some poets saw Harlem slightly different as compared to other poets of Renaissance in a sense that unlike many would be black writers; Langston Hughes was strongly drawn to the black people of Harlem, which won the hearts of

American Government and Politics Today Research Paper

American Government and Politics Today - Research Paper Example However some proponents support the electoral college as a good system and therefore need no reform. This essay explores the proponents’ arguments for electoral college Reforms and why some people think it should not be reformed. Electoral College Reform The system of electing the presidents through the use of an electoral college is considered an outdated mechanism of an electoral process, and therefore need to be reformed. It is seen to deny the citizens the voice to choose a leader of their choice as the selected group forming the electoral colleges that represent the larger group may be compromised and not elect the leader who is popular with the rest of citizens (Formisano 193). It is also prone to interference by the independent candidates. It should therefore be reformed and replaced by a system of direct election of a presidential candidate with an instant runoff if the clear winner is not produced. This will give every citizen a chance to vote and elect a leader of th eir choice. The electoral college system also needs a reform in order to replace it with a system where the electorate are allowed to vote directly with a popularity rule system where every voter will be given an opportunity to cast one vote for a preferred candidate. The candidate who gets the most votes will be declared the automatic winner. This system is seen to reflect the will of the people as opposed to the Electoral College system where voting is a representation of third parties. Direct voting system will also eliminate the Electoral College’s system that essentially dilutes the votes of the people as it is prone to compromise and betrayal by the third parties. The Electoral College system needs to be reformed to such an extent as to be replaced with a system that is democratic; one that reflects the people’s wishes. This is because with the Electoral College system which in some cases involves maximization of power by assigning all the representative votes to the winner with most votes is so undemocratic. This in most cases result in a situation where a candidate who wins the nationwide popular votes, still looses in an electoral college. This has been witnessed in the United States elections in recent years (Stromberg 769). The electoral college system only see presidential candidates concentrate on key vote battle grounds, this makes them consider only the interests of a few voters found on those key states ignoring other states. It should therefore be replaced with the direct popular voting system where the candidates are forced to carry out vigorous campaigns across the whole country. This will promote democracy and allow for equal participation across the country. It will also promote high voter turn-outs and eliminate voter apathy associated with the electoral colleges system. This is because voters will be assured that their votes make a difference in choosing the candidate of their choice. However, reforming the electoral system is arguably a bad idea according to Rohwer (215). The proponent of the electoral college system argue that the system avoids the instance of a presidential run off. In many instances a winner is declared as soon as the result shows that the candidate has the majority votes as the provisional results in most cases are ignored. The direct popular system of election is also seen to interfere with the federal system of

August Wilson’s Fences Essay Example for Free

August Wilson’s Fences Essay August Wilson’s Fences The immigration of Africans to America as slaves has had a great effect to many things including literature. Despite their experiences in this foreign land, they brought with them a different culture that had not been experienced in the American society. The stories and experiences of African-Americans have seen authors write books and plays being staged with large audiences. This is due to the different but almost similar stories that these people have to tell regarding their journey to America and how difficult it was for them to fit in the society they found. Introduction In 1983, the American playwright August Wilson released a play titled Fences. The play has a setting of the 1950s and it explores the evolving African –American experience with race relations as one of the many themes depicted in this play. The play revolves around a 53-year-old man named Troy who is an African-America. He is struggling to provide for his family and although he is a baseball player his color is a barrier for him being able to join professional baseball thus receiving little money to support his family. This paper seeks to analyze the play and check on why it was given the title Fences (Wilson). Analysis of the play Fences by August Wilson As earlier stated, the play is about a man named Troy. The play shows how Troy is struggling to not only provide for his family but also to fit in a society in which people are judged by their skin color. The theme of race discrimination is portrayed well throughout the play. First, in the 1950s in which the play is set, people of color were seen as those who do not deserve any good thing in the society. They were associated to social crimes and ending up in jail for a crime not committed was a normal phenomenon (Wilson). However, emotional disconnect with the society they lived in and failure to secure a job so as to earn a living was greatly contributing to them ending up being involved in these social crimes. In the play, Troy is shown as a baseball player a game he had learnt and played while in prison. He had ended up in prison for an accidental murder he had committed during a robbery. From this act it is evident that due to his failure of securing a job, Troy had ended up involving himself in robbery so as to earn himself a living but this time it turned out ugly and he ended up in prison. Further, discrimination is seen at work place where some jobs could not be done by an African-American but instead they were reserved for the whites. This is seen when Troy manages to secure a job with a garbage collecting firm and he is heard asking Mr. Rand; who he refers to as the boss, why black men were not allowed to drive garbage trucks. This shows that indeed there was race discrimination at work place where African-Americans could not be bestowed with some responsibilities. The act of being denied an opportunity to drive a garbage truck can be seen as a sarcastic event. It can be viewed in the way that even if garbage collection was being seen as dirty work that could only be done by those who were seen as less fortunate in the society, the fact that driving a garbage truck was seen as â€Å"literary driving a vehicle†, an African-American would not be allowed to drive the truck since they were restricted to do so during that time (Tamura). In addition, the play shows Rose who is Troy’s wife with whom they have a son named Cory, however, Troy has a son Lyon from a previous marriage but he does not leave with him. Gabriel is Troy’s younger brother who has notable psychological damage after he suffered head injuries when he was serving as a soldier. This new development of Gabriela having served as a soldier brings contrast of sentiments of race discrimination and at the same time it can be viewed as one way in which discrimination of people of the color was being cemented. First as a contrast, this play shows how certain jobs were being reserved for whites. Soldiers were people who not only deserved respect from the society but also received a good pay. Therefore, Gabriel’s employment as a soldier, contrasts the theme of discrimination where some jobs such as a being a soldier were being reserved for those the society thought they owed respect to. However, it can be viewed differently in the sense that owing to the tasks, experiences and challenges that faced soldiers in the battle fields, African-American men were seen as the right people for the job. This follows, the understanding that most of those who served in the army died in war or if one was luck to survive they would come home having sustained severe injuries like in the case of Gabriel. This can be seen as a form of discrimination where those who were less regarded in the society were being recruited as soldiers since the society would be seen not to worry even if it lost them (Tamura). The play unfolds on a payday when Troy and his friend Bono are drinking and chatting. His son Lyon comes to him asking to be lent 10 dollars promising to refund the money soon since his girlfriend had secured a job. Troy gives him a hard time but after persuasion from his wife Rose, he finally lends his son the money. From this scenario, one can see that the family is really struggling to survive owing to Lyon’s inability to raise even 10 dollars thus leading him to borrowing from his father. This shows that African-Americans were struggling a lot so as to survive in a society where living standards were high and a society where job opportunities were rare given the much rooted racial discrimination (Wilson). Further, as the play continues, Cory tells his parents of an opportunity for a college football scholarship. Troy vehemently condemns his son’s thought of applying it and they argue. Troy does not want his son to play basket ball since he does not him to experience the racial discrimination he went through during the time he was playing baseball. The man does not back down his argument and following his experience with racial discrimination he is not ready to watch his son go through the same. As a result, Troy even approaches Cory’s coach and tells him that his son will no longer be playing football. Upon discovery of his father’s lies, Cory confronts him and they end up in a fight that causes Cory to be thrown out of the house by his father. This scenario shows the effect that racial discrimination had to Troy’s life. Following him denying his son the opportunity to play college football with an excuse of racial discrimination, one can see that indeed Troy had gone through tough time due to racial discrimination and he was protecting his son. Despite his time of playing baseball and that of his son playing football being different, Troy could hardly believe that racial discrimination could have melted away, thus, the unmoved stand exhibited by him(Wiggins Miller). Consequently, after Cory is kicked out of the house, they no longer get along with his dad. This can be seen during the final act when Troy dies and Cory refuses to attend the funeral due to the long-standing resentment. However, after his mother’s persuasion, Cory attends the funeral to pay respect to the man who had tirelessly struggled to provide for them even if he was hard headed. The rivalry between son and father can be traced back to have been caused by racial discrimination. This is due to the fact that if Troy had not suffered through discrimination, he could not have denied his son to take the college football scholarship and as a result they could not have argued to the extent of later not setting eyes on one another. One can see the indirect effect that racial discrimination had to people’s lives (Wiggins Miller). Further, during Troy’s burial, Cory had just come from the military training. This can be analyzed as a positive step towards fighting racial discrimination. This follows the fact that during his father’s youth days, certain jobs opportunities such as joining the military were mostly given to the whites. Therefore seeing Cory coming out of the military training it is evident that with time, racial discrimination had come to reduce thus allowing African-Americans be able to get job opportunities which earlier being people of color they could not easily get. In addition, throughout the play, Troy is shown as a man who had a different cultural influence or different socialization. First, this can be seen through his son Lyon who was from an earlier marriage. Further, in the play, Rose discovers that his husband has been having an affair with a lady called Alberta and he had made her pregnant. However, Alberta dies during childbirth and Rose accepts to adopt her daughter Raynell whose father Troy dies when she is seven years old. Being an African-American, the act of having more than one wife is not out of the norms owing to African culture with him. However, finding himself in a society where polygamy is viewed as a thing past by time, Troy could not marry Rose while still having the first wife and he could not bring Alberta as another wife thus he ended up having an affair with her other than coming to the light (Sofola).. In the African culture, to which Troy can still find some association, most communities allow polygamous marriages as this is seen as wealth as the man will have many children from these wives. Traditionally, in the African culture having more than one wife was seen as a public sign that a man had more resources that would allow him to marry as many women as he pleased. However, the culture was against adultery and a man would not be allowed to bear children outside marriage unless he would later end up marrying the lady (Sofola).. Therefore, although the African culture among the African-Americans was fading away, its influence continued to affect them for years. Consequently, Troy was a man who had been influenced by this culture but the society which he currently lived in was not in support of the culture. Therefore, this explains his act in life of having a first marriage, then marrying Rose and finally having an affair with Alberta. Troy’s case shows the effect that migration to the West had to African-Americans; it did not only give them a hard time trying to fit in a society where they were less regarded but it also eroded their cultures and presented them with a different and difficult socialization (Sofola). Having analyzed the play, one would seek to answer the question on why it was given the title â€Å"Fences†. First, the theme of racial discrimination can be seen to have portrayed the title Fences. This is seen throughout the play where lines of racial discrimination were used to deny Troy and other African-Americans job opportunities. This judgment on bases of color is a fence in itself since it prevented them from getting good money to support their families. In addition, Troy could not join professional baseball playing due to the ‘fence’ of racial discrimination. However, to Cory, his father is the fence that does not allow him to get the college football scholarship after he refused him on the grounds of racial discrimination. In addition and to the literal meaning, Rose wanted to build a fence and forced Troy to start so that she could protect what is hers in the inside and leave what belongs to the society outside the fence. Conclusion Throughout the play, racial discrimination is shown as the cause of anything that Troy’s family is going through. One can appreciate the writer’s overemphasize on this issue owing to the fact that this play is set in the 1950’s when racial discrimination was still evidently being experienced. The play assists one to understand the effect that racial discrimination had on the lives of African-Americans as well as the influence of Western culture to their socialization and culture. This play will assist in keeping the history of the experience of African-Americans in the American society and it will remain to be a crucial part of literature.

B2B vs. B2C Marketing Differences Essay example -- Marketing Business

B2B vs. B2C Marketing Differences Once a decision is made to develop a business, whom the customer will be is the next decision to be made. Whom will the company target as a customer? Will it be a business? Or will it be a consumer? Business-to-business (B2B) marketing has differences from business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing practices. This paper will outline these differences between the two types of e-commerce business transactions. 'Traditional marketing in the business-to-business environment requires very different strategies from those campaigns directed towards the consumer market.' (ExtraVision, n.d., p. 1) 'Consumer competition can be a lot fiercer, with customer loyalty a constant battle.? (ExtraVision, n.d., p.1) Routes of marketing in business today include e-mail, pop up advertisement, television and banner advertising. This paper will primarily focus on e-mail marketing. E-mail marketing is different when marketing to a business versus a consumer. Debbie Weil (2002) lists five ways business-to-business marketing is different from business-to-consumer email marketing. Weil (2002) says these five ways are:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Distance from click to sale  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Permission  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Copyrighting Challenge  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lists  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B2B: the more interesting option (p.1) When discussing the concept of the distance from the click to the sale, Weil (2002) explains business-to-business e-mails are primarily for lead generation. On the other hand, an e-mail campaign for a busin...

Major Problems Faced by Indian Agriculture

Major Problems Faced by Indian Agriculture The major problems confronting Indian agriculture are those of population pressure, small holdings, depleted soils, lack of modern technology and poor facilities for storage. (a) Population Pressure: India has a huge population of over one billion and it is increasing at a very fast rate. According to 2001 census figures the over all density of population is 324 persons per sq. km. This is likely to increase further in future. This has created great demand for land. Every bit of land has been brought under the plough.Even the hill slopes have been cut into terraces for cultivation. (b) Small and Fragmented Land Holdings: The pressure of increasing population and the practice of dividing land equally among the heirs has caused excessive sub divisions of farm holdings. Consequently, the holdings are small and fragmented. The small size of holdings makes farming activity uneconomical and leads to social tension, violence and discontentment. (c) Inadequate Irrigation Facilities: By and large the irrigation facilities available in India are far from adequate.So for half of the total area under food crops has been brought under irrigation and the remaining half is left to the mercy of monsoon rains which are erratic in time and space. (d) Depleted Soils: Indian soils have been used for growing crops for thousands of years which have resulted in the depletion of soil fertility. With deforestation the sources of maintaining natural fertility of soil has been drying out. Lack of material resources and ignorance of scientific knowledge have further depleted the soils of the natural fertility. Earlier only animal waste was enough to maintain soil fertility. e) Storage of food grains: Storage of food grains is a big problem. Nearly 10 per cent of our harvest goes waste every year in the absence of proper storage facilities. This colossal wastage can be avoided by developing scientific ware-housing facilities. The government has ta ken several steps to provide storage facilities. (f) Farm Implements: Although some mechanisation of farming has taken place in some parts of the country, most of the farmers are poor and do not have enough resources to purchase modern farm implements and tools.This hampers the development of agriculture. Challenges agriculture sector challenges will be important to India’s overall development and the improved welfare of its rural poor: 1. Raising agricultural productivity per unit of land: Raising productivity per unit of land will need to be the main engine of agricultural growth as virtually all cultivable land is farmed. Water resources are also limited and water for irrigation must contend with increasing industrial and urban needs.All measures to increase productivity will need exploiting, amongst them: increasing yields, diversification to higher value crops, and developing value chains to reduce marketing costs. 2. Reducing rural poverty through a socially inclusive s trategy that comprises both agriculture as well as non-farm employment: Rural development must also benefit the poor, landless, women, scheduled castes and tribes. Moreover, there are strong regional disparities: the majority of India’s poor are in rain-fed areas or in the Eastern Indo-Gangetic plains. Reaching such groups has not been easy.While progress has been made – the rural population classified as poor fell from nearly 40% in the early 1990s to below 30% by the mid-2000s (about a 1% fall per year) – there is a clear need for a faster reduction. Hence, poverty alleviation is a central pillar of the rural development efforts of the Government and the World Bank. 3. Ensuring that agricultural growth responds to food security needs: The sharp rise in food-grain production during India’s Green Revolution of the 1970s enabled the country to achieve self-sufficiency in food-grains and stave off the threat of famine.Agricultural intensification in the 197 0s to 1980s saw an increased demand for rural labor that raised rural wages and, together with declining food prices, reduced rural poverty. However agricultural growth in the 1990s and 2000s slowed down, averaging about 3. 5% per annum, and cereal yields have increased by only 1. 4% per annum in the 2000s. The slow-down in agricultural growth has become a major cause for concern. India’s rice yields are one-third of China’s and about half of those in Vietnam and Indonesia. The same is true for most other agricultural commodities.Policy makers will thus need to initiate and/or conclude policy actions and public programs to shift the sector away from the existing policy and institutional regime that appears to be no longer viable and build a solid foundation for a much more productive, internationally competitive, and diversified agricultural sector. Priority Areas for Support 1. Enhancing agricultural productivity, competitiveness, and rural growth Promoting new techno logies and reforming agricultural research and extension: Major reform and strengthening of India’s agricultural research and extension systems is one of the most important needs for agricultural growth.These services have declined over time due to chronic underfunding of infrastructure and operations, no replacement of aging researchers or broad access to state-of-the-art technologies. Research now has little to provide beyond the time-worn packages of the past. Public extension services are struggling and offer little new knowledge to farmers. There is too little connection between research and extension, or between these services and the private sector. Improving Water Resources and Irrigation/Drainage Management: Agriculture is India’s largest user of water.However, increasing competition for water between industry, domestic use and agriculture has highlighted the need to plan and manage water on a river basin and multi-sectoral basis. As urban and other demands mu ltiply, less water is likely to be available for irrigation. Ways to radically enhance the productivity of irrigation (â€Å"more crop per drop†) need to be found. Piped conveyance, better on-farm management of water, and use of more efficient delivery mechanisms such as drip irrigation are among the actions that could be taken. There is also a need to manage as opposed to exploit the use of groundwater.Incentives to pump less water such as levying electricity charges or community monitoring of use have not yet succeeded beyond sporadic initiatives. Other key priorities include: (i) modernizing Irrigation and Drainage Departments to integrate the participation of farmers and other agencies in managing irrigation water; (ii) improving cost recovery; (iii) rationalizing public expenditures, with priority to completing schemes with the highest returns; and (iv) allocating sufficient resources for operations and maintenance for the sustainability of investments.Facilitating agric ultural diversification to higher-value commodities: Encouraging farmers todiversify to higher value commodities will be a significant factor for higher agricultural growth, particularly in rain-fed areas where poverty is high. Moreover, considerable potential exists for expanding agro-processing and building competitive value chains from producers to urban centers and export markets. While diversification initiatives should be left to farmers and entrepreneurs, the Government can, first and foremost, liberalize constraints to marketing, transport, export and processing.It can also play a small regulatory role, taking due care that this does not become an impediment. Promoting high growth commodities: Some agricultural sub-sectors have particularly high potential for expansion, notably dairy. The livestock sector, primarily due to dairy, contributes over a quarter of agricultural GDP and is a source of income for 70% of India’s rural families, mostly those who are poor and he aded by women. Growth in milk production, at about 4% per annum, has been brisk, but future domestic demand is expected to grow by at least 5% per annum.Milk production is constrained, however, by the poor genetic quality of cows, inadequate nutrients, inaccessible veterinary care, and other factors. A targeted program to tackle these constraints could boost production and have good impact on poverty. Developing markets, agricultural credit and public expenditures: India’s legacy of extensive government involvement in agricultural marketing has created restrictions in internal and external trade, resulting in cumbersome and high-cost marketing and transport options for agricultural commodities.Even so, private sector investment in marketing, value chains and agro-processing is growing, but much slower than potential. While some restrictions are being lifted, considerably more needs to be done to enable diversification and minimize consumer prices. Improving access to rural fi nance for farmers is another need as it remains difficult for farmers to get credit. Moreover, subsidies on power, fertilizers and irrigation have progressively come to dominate Government expenditures on the sector, and are now four times larger than investment expenditures, crowding out top priorities such as agricultural research and extension.

A Most Special Person in My Life Essay

Except my family, there is one person, Thu Cuu, who I will always remember and respect because of her personalities, she is kind and also she is the one I love. Nothing is impossible with her no matter what is it, where is it and why is it, that is what I learn from her. A girl is perfect for every situation; she does not need to be dazzling, but people still have looked at her. Basically, I think every man in this world wants this lady to become his wife, even me. Surely, her personalities can make people who do not like to talk will talk, and her kindness can make everybody respects her, even that is the guy who hates her the most. In my opinion, it is hard to find one like her in this century, whether there is at least one or not, I still always think of her. First of all, her personalities attract me when we first met each other, I really admire her. She is friendly and kind of cute with her voice and smile to keep people around her. She can be a center in a crowd easily. I like her at the first time we met; we talk about a lot of things just like we are best friends. That is also the first time I feel free with a girl, because I usually stuck when I try to talk to a girl. Read more: The person I admire the most is my mother  essay She is very sociable, that is the reason why she has a lot of friends. Moreover, she likes to play no matter what kind of games. You can image that when a girl play some games that only reserve for boys like bias, she can play and play even better than boys. The trick is she does with all her heart and forgets what people say about her, just be happy when she plays. She respects friendship and loves her family. I am very sure that she is going to do anything to protect them. For example, I remembered clearly one time that she was late for a party and I yelled on her, then we altercated. Soon, I found out that she was late because she had to pick up her mom from work; it was not her fault. I did not know that, but the first person said sorry was her. Later I knew that the first person said sorry, it did not mean that person was wrong, it meant that person respected relationship between them more than other. I felt like I was guilty; I apologized her, instead of still getting angry on me, then she smiled with me like nothing never happened Secondly, her kindness can make a most kindness person must be jealous. She is very kind for everyone, not only her friends, just because that is who she is. Imagine that when you go to the gas station and someone goes to ask you to give them some money, because their car is out of gas and they are out of money. Certainly, you will look at their car, what they wear and think is it a trick. In opposite way, while you are busy at exploration, she already gives them money, because one time she told me helping people is the happiest thing in the world. She does not care much about it is a trick or not, even if it is a trick, she is still happy. Moreover, she is a good listener. Usually, when I am sad, or any kind of feeling, I will share with her, she will be there to hear them. Not just listening, she also gives me a best advice. I believe that she never tell anyone else what I tell her, she extremely knows how to keep secret. That is why people believe her mostly. Sometimes, I get angry on her because of my stuffs, but she is still quite, listens and never complains a word. Say, for other example, I got 35/100 on a physical exam; I was very sad and disappointed. When she knew that, she made a plan to revive me. She knew what I like and I do not like. Something I like but she does not, but she accepted it and did it for me. We went to the movie theater, went to eat my favorite food and got my major drinks. We went to play skating and skiing, then heading to the beach. Beach was my favorite place; I usually went there when I was in feeling, but she did not like the beach at much. We went down to the beach and high to the mountain. Really, that was the funniest day with me, we talked a lot, I forgot why I was sad and headed to the future. Thu Cuu is the best Last but not least, Thu Cuu is the one I love, a hundred percent surely. One day, a girl appeared without many attractive characteristics who changed my life. She was not like any other girls I met before. When I was stuck in the dark and very disappointed, she stood there in front of me with her smile such as a brightest star and showed me which ways were right or wrong. She told me that I did not know what was waiting for me ahead; I got to learn how to fight it. For example, at the final time last semester, my family had some problems like my brother sold his car and went to Vietnam without asking my parents a word, my dad and my mom’s jobs were in trouble, and my study was more difficult. I was blind and disappointed. At that time, there was no one helping me except one, Thu Cuu. Side by side, she and I figured out every problem and solved it like she helped me to contact and persuade my brother to come back here. She helped me to study, kept me in calm and bought me drinks and food, so I could focus on the exams. She also had her exams, but she still spent her time to help me. Honestly, I knew this was the person I could live with forever. Another time, her friend from other state came here to visit her. I was jealous. Without her, I felt like I was in the hole. I was easy to get angry because of nothing, I just wanted that she was only for me, and I knew that I loved her. Beside her, I always feel happy and love life. One of the most beautiful things about Thu is her smile, if she just smiles with me, I am very sure that all of my stress will be gone, also it is the most reason why I love her. A girl without many attractions who I think of most of my time always stays with me when I am in trouble. Totally, she is a hundred percent perfect. After all, Thu Cuu is the only one I will treat with all my heart. She is now such as my family member that I never want to lose. No matter what people say about her, in my mind, she is always a girl I first met and loved. Because of her personalities, I know that nothing is impossible in this world. She helped me to be able to understand how to be a good man. Her kindness brings me much knowledge of treatment. That helps me how to get respected from people who hate me. Love is the most beautiful thing in the world that people do not use machine to know, and it will be prettier if you love a person who you never forget.

How Far Women Have Come essays

How Far Women Have Come essays It is truly amazing to see how far things have come for women over the last century. So many freedoms are so easily taken for granted everyday. The stories I read opened my eyes and even shocked me a little to situations I never considered or was aware of. Thanks to the convictions and courage of so many women we have been able to emerge form insubordinate creatures to people, actual citizens, with rights, freedoms, needs, and control over what happens to our bodies, our children, our community, and our government. Relating too far back in time to the actual roles of women and their place in society is very difficult, almost impossible to do. A small group of women, led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, started what would be an incredibly long journey in pursuing the most basic of human rights for women. The Declaration of Sentiments was a document signed by hundreds of women at the Convention of Seneca Falls in 1848. This document, and the articles it contained, is the foundation of the rights and liberties several women would devote their entire life to making a reality for all. I found Susan B. Anthonys argument in her defense against legal charges for voting in the presidential election, extremely articulate and moving. Her arguments were so compelling and worded so eloquently as if anyone who had merely glanced at the constitution would have to support her stance. There are few people that can say so much in so little words. Stantons Introduction to The Womens Bible is also a very powerfu l argument. It takes another person pointing out how women are inferior and subordinate in the religion that they so strongly and actively support. It reminds of women today talking about quietly getting men to do what they want by making them think that whatever the situation is was the mans idea. I feel like we figured this one out from years of experience. Along with the Declaration of Sentiments, The Introduction to ...

A Besetting Sin

A Besetting Sin A Besetting Sin A Besetting Sin By Maeve Maddox A reader asks for a definition of besetting sin. What †¦ is a besetting sin? Are there different types of sin, or is sin an inclusive? What is sin anyway? Does it have anything to do with missing the bulls eye? Theologically speaking, sin is a transgression of divine law and an offense against God. For the nonbeliever, sin can be a violation of a moral principle, or merely a violation of some standard of taste or propriety. Hester and Dimmesdale committed a sin that did not intentionally hurt anyone but their own souls, Nicolas Sarkozy has committed the sin of voluntarism THE 1913 Natives Land Act is considered by many people to be SAs original political sin The verb of which besetting is the participle form means to surround with hostile intent; to set upon, attack, assault on all sides. For example, The fox was beset by hounds. St. Anthony was beset by demons. Believers are beset with sin. In the expression besetting sin, however, the word besetting seems to mean chief or principal. Judging from usage, a besetting sin is one to which a particular individual is particularly susceptible. A besetting sin is one to which on account of our constitution, or circumstance or both, we are peculiarly exposed, and into which we most easily and most frequently fall. In the life of every individual, there is a besetting sin that can tower like a mountain between the individual and God. Pastor John has a good word for those who battle the besetting sin of worry. Prodigality is nearly as much the besetting sin of youth as avarice is the besetting sin of age; Evelyn Waugh observed: Prince of Darkness is a magnificent study of sloth- a sin which has not attracted much attention of late and which, perhaps, is the besetting sin of the age. Tolerating intolerance is still this countrys besetting sin The expression besetting sin derives from a verse in the New Testament: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us†¦ Hebrews 12:1 KJV Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?Cannot or Can Not?7 Proofreading Steps

Steel Industry Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Steel Industry - Term Paper Example This has been the case in the oil industry. However, the steel industry is more complex. The steel industry does not suffer from scarcity of resources. Hence the same barriers of entry to the industry do not exist. Nor does the steel industry suffer from controls exercised by OPEC; the cartel that controls the oil industry. This lays the foundation of a very different and potentially more volatile industry especially when there are some governments that subsidise their steel industries which has an impact on the level and effectiveness of competition. There is little doubt that with the broad range of industries that are reliant on steel this is an industry with a long term future. However, this does not assure the future of any particular firm within the industry nor does it indicate the way that firms will have to compete within the industry. One thing is certain; the firms that are active within the industry will need to understand the influences, and this is likely to impact the performance of the companies. In order to develop an understanding of the steel industry as a whole the paper will start by giving a good overview of the state industry in terms of the cost at the present time. This will help to provide the context and background relevant to understanding the sector. Following the assessment of the industry three companies have been chosen, in order to give an insight into the way firms within the industry are performing. These are different in terms of size, types of steel produced and each firm has been incorporated in a different country, although all of the companies compete in the global marketplace. The three companies chosen are; The United States Steel Corporation, China Precision Steel Inc. and Arcelor Mittal. 2. The Steel Industry 2.1 Historical Performance of the Steel Industry In the middle of the 19th century, steel was used throughout the world, and the United States became the largest single steel producing nation by the end of the 19th centu