Management Functions at Work: Dell’s Secret in its Success

The success of managing an organization cannot occur, at least not within a reasonable time frame, without the functions of management deeply imbibed within their operations. Today, more companies recognize the benefits that of these functions of management in the process of organizational development. The implementation and outcome of their operations rely greatly on how they stick with these functions. In rudimentary management classes, we all learned that the job of every manager involves what is known as the functions of management: planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. Henry Fayol, a pioneer of management theory. He was the first to outline the main functions of management. These functions are goal-directed, interrelated and interdependent. Planning involves devising a systematic process for attaining the goals of the organization. It prepares the organization for the future. Organizing involves arranging the necessary resources to carry out the plan. It is the process of creating structure, establishing relationships, and allocating resources to accomplish the goals of the organization. Directing involves the guiding, leading, and overseeing of employees to achieve organizational goals. Finally, controlling involves verifying that actual performance matches the plan. If performance results do not match the plan, corrective action should be taken (Allen, 1998). Furthermore, Mintzberg (1973) undertook an extensive study of five executives (including four CEOs) at work. Based on this research, Mintzberg developed a different view to Fayol’s four functions and improved it as he indicated three major management roles: interpersonal, informational and decisional. In the present view of a success in any given company, a study of how they applied these functions and roles as an organization is vital in attaining their goals. One example of those companies is Dell Inc., which is a trusted and diversified information-technology supplier in the US. Their business involves selling comprehensive portfolio of products and services directly to customers worldwide. Dell, recognized by Fortune magazine as America's most admired company and No. 3 globally, designs, builds and delivers innovative, tailored systems that provide customers with exceptional value. Company revenue for the last four quarters was $52.8 billion (Dell Website). However, with the swiftly growing business Dell Computers have faced serious problems before. When Dell CEO Michael S. Dell and President Kevin B. Rollins met privately in the fall of 2001, they felt confident that the company was recovering from the global crash in PC sales. Regardless of what they thought, internal interviews among their employees revealed that subordinates thought Dell, 38, was impersonal and emotionally detached, while Rollins, 50, was seen as autocratic and antagonistic. Few felt strong loyalty to the company's leaders. Worse, the discontent was spreading: A survey taken over the summer, following the company's first-ever mass layoffs, found that half of Dell Inc.'s employees would leave if they got the chance (Park and Burrows, 2003). As much as it was a big surprise, what happened next says much about why Dell was tagged as the best-managed company in area of technology. In other companies, the management might have shrugged off the criticisms or let the issue slide. But what Dell did was to focus on these criticisms that were thrown at them for they fear that their best employees would leave them. Within a week, Dell bravely faced his top 20 managers and offered a frank self-critique, acknowledging that he is hugely shy and that it sometimes made him seem aloof and unapproachable. He vowed to forge tighter bonds with his team. Some of his employees were shocked because they knew personality tests given to key executives had repeatedly shown Dell to be an †off-the-charts introvert,† and such an admission from him had to have been painful and pride-swallowing.   But in the closer analysis, Dell was just utilizing his â€Å"interpersonal† management role as what Mintzberg has previously emphasized in his management model. The success of how Michael Dell manages the company that has elevated it far above its direct selling business model. The secret might be situated in his belief that the status quo is never good enough, even if it means painful changes for the man with his name on the door. When success is achieved, it's greeted with five seconds of praise followed by five hours of postmortem on what could have been done better. Michael Dell always emphasized, †Celebrate for a nanosecond. Then move on.† One anecdote about his penchant on this belief is when an outfit opened its first Asian factory in Malaysia. The Dell, as the CEO then, sent the manager heading the job one of his old running shoes to congratulate him. The message: This is only the first step in a marathon. Just as crucial is Michael Dell's belief that once a problem is uncovered, it should be dealt with quickly and directly, without excuses. †There's no ‘The dog ate my homework' here,† says Dell. Indeed, after Randall D. Groves, then head of the server business, delivered 16% higher sales last year, he was demoted. Never mind that none of its rivals came close to that. It could have been better, say two former Dell executives. Groves referred calls to a Dell spokesman, who says Groves' job change was part of a broader reorganization. Thus, a manager's role is to lead his/her organization to a clearly stated objective, as what Michael S. Dell did to his company. In doing so he/she must muster all his resources in a concise and organized attempt at achieving those goals.   As Erik Brynjolfsson, director of the Center for eBusiness at the MIT intelligently observed about Dell’s secret management style: â€Å"They're inventing business processes. It's an asset that Dell has that its competitors don't.† Works Cited About Dell. Dell Incorporated Website. Acquired online September 19, 2005 at http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/corp/en/home?c=us&l=en&s=corp Allen, G. Managerial Functions, 1998. Acquired online September 19, 2005 Mintzberg, H. The Nature of Managerial Work, Harper and Row, New York, NY, 1973. Park, A. and Burrows, P. â€Å"What you don’t know about Dell.† Business Week   The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. No. 3856, November 3, 2003, p. 76   

Agricultural Farmland Investments Essay

If you are worried about inflation, the best investments to protect yourself are so-called real assets that will rise in value along with inflation. If you are interested in a real asset that pays good current income and dividends, hedges against inflation and also has tremendous value, consider farmland investments. We took farmland as an investment and sees agriculture as the premiere asset class for the next decade. Why invest in farmland? Green World believes that farmland is among the best alternative investments for retail investors. In keeping with Green World’s theory that it is important for any investment to be on the right side of global macro trends, and as the graph from the UN demonstrates, the amount of arable land worldwide is dwindling. Simultaneously, the world’s population is forecast to jump to more than 9 billion by 2050 from 6.9 billion today. Simple economic principles of supply and demand dictate that when there is an increasing shortage of an asset combined with growing demand for it, the prices of that asset are likely to go up. This trend and the accompanying high prices for agricultural commodities has created a substantial concern amongst world governments around the issue of â€Å"food security† and has led many large institutional investors – including governments – to launch agriculture and farmland funds. Shrinking Arable Land and Global Food Security Just to summarize, the points below provide a good overview of reasons for including farmland in your portfolio: 1) Food inflation looks set to continue for the foreseeable future, as the amount of arable land globally is actually shrinking whilst the global population is continuing to grow. To meet growing global food demand the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates an extra six million hectares of additional farmland investment is needed every year for the next 30 years, creating a massive new opportunity for farmland investors. 2) Northen part continue to use Quantitative Easing to create new money on a massive scale. Farmland is an excellent hedge against inflation, which, is the inevitable effects of this printed money entering the real economy. 3) Farmland pays high current income and dividends from the sale of crops. As interest rates are near zero and likely to stay that way for some time, prudent savers are forced to look elsewhere for current in come. Farmland is an excellent option for obtaining that income. 4) Farmland stands out as an asset class that can be a safe haven from global financial and economic instability, as it provides diversification to a portfolio since farmland does not respond to the same factors as those which influence financial assets such as stocks and bonds. 5) Finally, investing in farmland is also a play on China’s continued rapid growth. One of the places where arable farmland is shrinking quite fast due to development is China, and indeed China has now become a net food importer, causing great worry in the government about the issue of â€Å"food security†. With US$3.1 trillion of reserves, when China wants or needs something, it goes out and buys it. Food and farmland are no exception, and indeed China has been buying farmland all around the world. One other point worth noting is that Dream World’s favorite investing on a huge proponent of investing in farmland. They believe that we are only in the â€Å"third inning† of the farmland story, and the asset class still has plenty of room to run. It is also worth noting that it also â€Å"eats his own cooking† so to speak, as he offers two farmland funds targeted at institutional investors, one of which invests in different allocations of farmland in India of Dream World’s farmland projects is located. The next question to consider is how to invest in farmland? You could, of course, invest in a Dream World farmland fund, but Dream World funds target high net worth for institutions with minimum requirements of thousands of Rupees. Dream World, by contrast, offers direct farmland investments for retail investors, with minimum requirements as low as Rs.5000.00. Furthermore, Dream World’s farmland investment projects provide for the direct ownership of the underlying agricultural land – i.e. the retail investor actually owns farmland directly, rather than having indirect exposure through an expensive farmland hedge fund. It is now possible for individual investors to make direct investing in farmland a part of their portfolio, as there are an increasing number of projects where large tracts of land are purchased, and then individual parcels are sold directly to retail investors. These investments are a full â€Å"soup-to-nuts solution,† as everything from the cultivation of the land to the planting and harvesting and the sale of the sale of the crops are performed by an existing farm manager who is part of the project. That means these are perfect passive investments for individuals looking to diversify their portfolios. The aims of the participatory process in the project were: * to perform reflections on the causes and the consequences of the change in the man-forest relationship and on the opportunity to acknowledge new expectations and needs arisen from society towards the forestry sector through participation; * to define, through study cases, a procedure capable of integrating participation into landscape forest planning and to develop a method suitable for all the different situations in Italy * to evaluate the perception of the forest and of forest management within the local communities; * to integrate the traditional knowledge with the technical content of the plan; * to make the population aware of the planning process; * to carry out the mapping of the stakeholders; * to involve, through a targeted reach-out, stakeholders who would otherwise not have been able to voice their concerns.

Advertisement Is Legalised Form of Lying Essay

100% yes. Most advertisements and advertisers make totally false and tall claims, which is far from reality. And they call it creativity. It is nothing but lying and society has tacitly grown to accept it. If the strict definition of â€Å"cheating† is taken, as is commonly defined in most countries across the world, then most advertisers and the companies would have to be put behind bars for the offence. It is not entirely clear what is meant by legalised form of lying. There are lies that advertisers cannot legally utter, and then there are exaggerations, poetic over-statements, or misleadingly incomplete information which advertisers can get away with. A great many of the statements that advertisers make are not literally true, but then, they are not expected to be taken literally. Our chocolate is out of this world, it is so delightful that you will forget all your problems and feel like you have gone to heaven. Ok, maybe you won’t, but then, you didn’t really take those claims seriously, did you? Statistics verifies that crores of mullahs are spent on advertising. This ‘legalized form of lying’ helps one sell an idea more than a product. If we want to look glamorous, we buy a bar of ‘Lux’ soap or when we are thirsty, we drink Sprite. Although these products do not necessarily serve its proclaimed purpose, advertising creates a phenomena called ‘free recall. Thanda is synonymous to Coca Cola and Xerox to a photocopying machine. Advertising promises you that you will surely look like Amitabh Bachan with a Reid ; Taylor suit when you you look nothing like him. Only if you sport a Raymond suiting, you become a ‘complete man. ‘ otherwise, you may have some doubts. Such is the power of advertising to create doubts about your own identity.

Evaluation for presentation to management Essay - 1

Evaluation for presentation to management - Essay Example The recent globalisation has changed the management of human resource in the organisations. There has been focus upon developing better organisational structure and hiring knowledgeable and experienced work force. The globalisation has removed the barriers in searching of talents within the corporate sector of a particular country (Jackson & Alvarez, 1992). The HR manager assists in developing the system of E-Recruitment through which there is every possibility of hiring knowledgeable and experienced personnel for MechCon. This also allows outsourcing certain activities and employees (Prude University, 2005). The globalisation has changed the needs of the organisation as well as the structure. The HR manager facilitates in developing the perfect organisational design and structure that best suit the Australian human resource policy and helps in increasing the efficiency of MechCon (Pucik, 1996). The public sector of Commonwealth of Australia administrates the policy of HRM. The company’s human resource policies should be in line with the Australian policy of HR practices (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004). HR is known to assist in developing strategies that are aligned with the business. This is highly complex and a specialist HR manager with experience can develop such strategies along with business strategies to grow in the competing business environment. The complexity lies in the achievement of organisational excellence and growth (HRPS, 2011). It also lies in planning, development and acquisition of human resource in reaction to the demand for MechCon and dealing with strategy with industrial conflict. The HR manager in recent competitive advantage with application of knowledge successfully manages personnel, relationships, organisational capabilities and learning (Schuler & MacMillan, n.d.). This will help MechCon to gain competitive advantage not only in terms of employee

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN - Coursework Example In various departments, I have supported nurses to upgrade and improve services. Record your statements of philosophy of Nursing and of personal philosophy. Explain how these are reflected the values, vision, and personal interests that you recorded in your â€Å"My Vision and Interests† tool. I am committed to accept and respect the unique way in which patients’ view themselves and their world. I have taken nursing as a lifelong learning process guided by ethical values congruent with nursing practice (Wright, Flis & Gupta (2008). I am accountable for practice and participate fully in interdisciplinary activities as part of professional-practice. I am mindful and stop regularly to ascertain my mental state to stay connected to my thoughts and actions as a nurse. I consider my relatively small effort to be of essence and thus I look for opportunities to collaborate with teams to make a large impact.  I get practical experience when facilitating patient care and always try new things to improve the community I work for and with (Risjord, 2011). Clearly utilize information from the Assessment Tools as the basis for formulating your goals. Develop a list of prioritized goals based on your assessments. Goals must be stated in measurable terms, i.e., how can you tell you have accomplished that goal? Identify dates for accomplishing each goal. Apply knowledge and skills from learnt theory, research and practice within the first 3 to 6 months of working. By the fifth year, I need to be competent by collecting the most important data from patients and advocating for patients’ rights, services and treatment regimes. I plan to take further courses that will provide me with specialized skills in neonatal nursing care to offer training to fellow nurses and communities by the next 10 years (Floodet al., 2010). I intend to make use of collaborative

Cicero Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cicero - Essay Example On his part, Erucius contends that in the event that he had murdered his father, he could have asserted his legacy. The Cicero listened to both sides of the contentions so as to relate new data and thoughts which could empower him settle on a balanced choice. The main story or casing that Erucius tells was not convincing however the second one was more feasible. The portrayal uncovers that ranchers like Roscius were quiet, unselfish, were given to their family and couldnt control their fate. Cicero copartners Roscius with this character and assaults Erucius for belligerence that anyone might not seek on the area in light of the fact that in country life, qualities are not goals. Cicero affirmed that he saw unmistakably the qualities of the Romans. Consequently, it was sound to accept that nation life was more unadulterated than the city life where Erucius had moved with his late father. In his decision or talk, Cicero contended that there was sufficient data to connection Erucius to the homicide of his father. Cicero argued that it was prudent to use refutation because it allowed him to reflect o n the case in the sense he was able to side line facts that were not useful. In the case of Roscius, Cicero followed all aspects of oration as discussed above. Cicero prompted speakers that it was balanced for them to first make what he called stasis. Hence, stasis implies they need to call attention to the principle issue and evaluate whether the case is solid enough or not. Moreover, they need to create the fundamental perspectives concerning the issue so they contend in court to impact the choice or discipline (Cicero 89). Further, they need to name the principle wrongdoing or issue, for example, first degree homicide or murder. Cicero states that a great and immaculate speaker may have demolished both law and rationale (checking trademark sanity)

International Marketing and Real Estate Research Paper

International Marketing and Real Estate - Research Paper Example Concept of Social businesses The actual concept of a social business entails the establishment of an entity that has a social objective, rather than a financial objective, although it applies a business model to generate the necessary resources that will help it achieve the social objective. Nevertheless, Social businesses are different from the Non-profit businesses and the Not-for profit organizations in that, while the Non-profit business depend on outside funding to be able to accomplish their social missions and objective, the Social businesses operate under a self-financing mechanism, meant to generate moderate profits, which then helps the business to expand its social offerings and reach more of the recipients in the society (Bari, 116). Thus, a social business eliminates the burden of dependency of financiers, donors, charity, and well wishers, to place the responsibility of meeting certain designated social objectives on its shoulders, through generating moderate profits th at enables it to achieve the social mission. Simply put therefore, the fundamental differentiating characteristic for Social businesses is that while other business and organizations with a social objective can be funded by philanthropy and government, Social businesses are self-sufficient and self-sustaining (Alter, 46)2. History of Social businesses Charity, philanthropy and social assistance are concepts that are as old as the history of human being. Man has always engaged in supporting the plight and the needs of the others, starting from the family level up to the highest levels of societal needs. This has been achieved through charity and donations, and mainly through the works of philanthropists. However, in 1974, the actual concept of Social businesses was born and actualized, through the idea and effort of Muhammad Yunus (Yunus, 44). In 1974, Bangladesh experienced a terrible famine, which has come to be referred as the Bangladesh famine of 1974. During this period, the cit izens of this country suffered much, and needed a system that would revive them, and enable them to earn a descent living. Looking at the conditions of predatory lending that existed in this country where the lenders only extended loans to the borrowers under high interest rates making it difficult for the borrowers to prosper in their investments, Yunus developed the concept of lending to a group of poor villagers who could not afford to repay interests on loans, so they could start small businesses (Yunus, 27). The concept was operated with the borrowers repaying the loans granted to them at very low interest rates, which could then be loaned to more others. This was meant to create a system of self-sufficiency, where the lender could not depended on the donors and other funding from the government and organizations, to run the

Microbiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Microbiology - Essay Example ganisms is the ability to ferment lactose with the production of acid and gas which is detectable through a 24-48 hour incubation period at 37 degrees. Among these three, S.aureus is the most pathogenic and is known to be a strong nosocomial pathogen. The pathogenicity of S.aureus is a result of a number of virulence factors. The structure as well as the excreted products of this organism plays a crucial role in its pathogenicity. The ability to survive and the increasing resistance to anti-bacterial agents make it more pathogenic. The factors that determine the pathogenicity of S.aureus are- presence of surface protein (MSCRAMMs) that promotes easy adherence to hosts, invasins which help the bacteria spread in the host tissues (Gordon & Lowy, 2008), factors present on the surface of the capsule that inhibits phagocyctosis, secretions of toxic substances that damage host tissue, biochemical ability that allows survival in phagocytes and acquired resistance to strong antimicrobials e.g. Methycillin resistant

Boston - Geological Development and Human Settlement Research Paper

Boston - Geological Development and Human Settlement - Research Paper Example This will be in regard to the liquefaction phenomenon, and what considerations need to be put in place, with regard to overall safety measures. The Boston area, part of the larger New England region, is often vulnerable to different earthquakes of varying measures, many of which are small and therefore largely destructive. However a few of these, over 30-40 strikes annually, are critical due to the effective destruction they can cause in terms of lost lives and damage to property and infrastructure (Miller 1). Furthermore, the region surrounding Boston is also vulnerable to shocks and earthquakes, which can be felt in the area as well. A study conducted by John Ebel, a Boston College seismologist evidently places the epicenter of these different quakes to New Hampshire portraying them as aftershocks of a bigger historical occurrence. Importantly is that he predicts a future mega-quake occurring (Miller 1/ Rashed and John 11). Fundamental to the discussion is Boston’s distinguishable feature of having â€Å"elegant brick-and-mortar architecture, which in many cases sits on loose, unstable soil† (Klee 1). Furthermore, expert opinion is of the view that the aging state of the city’s utilities and infrastructure is also a major area of concern. The Beacon Hill’s history as an abolitionist center, especially its northern streets, makes it more prone to such occurrences (Klee 43). This is complemented by Mcphee in his article Travels of the Rock in the New Yorker, who is able to investigate the region’s rock formation origin; relating the concepts of geological history and settlement schemes in the region (Mcphee 108). Accordingly, this provides a basis on which target audiences are able to link the current state of affairs, the architecture involved, and the general vulnerability; to different aspects such as historical settlement, as well as

Different Ethnic Groups Essay Example for Free

Different Ethnic Groups Essay Females are now able to achieve more in the education system. This is due to the pattern of achievement. Since the early 90s females have been achieving higher and high and have clearly overtaken males. In 2003/4 the females had taken over males by 20% in achieving 5 or more A*-C GCSE grades. This astronomical gender gap is now causing some sociologists to be concerned in male underachievement in the education system. However, being publicised by the media, males are not underachieving; they are not improving as quickly as females. Sociologists such as Sue Sharpe and Weiner, Arnot and David look at the reasons for the females success. Whereas sociologists, like Paul Willis and Mitsos and Browne suggest reasons for male underachievement. Sue Sharpes study discovered that in the 1970s girls had low expectations and were more likely to become a housewife and mother. They only saw jobs as a means of getting money before they married. When she when she revisited girls in the 1990s, they had higher expectation and saw jobs as careers. Weiner, Arnot and David are cynical about the underachievement of boys. They feel that the concern about the boys underachievement is a reaction against the progress of women. They say that girls are succeeding because of the National Curriculum at GCSE level, but at A-level the subjects are still gendered. Meaning that not many females pick certain subjects therefore limiting the subjects that can do.

Contributing factors and treatments of Osteoporosis

Contributing factors and treatments of Osteoporosis Factors Contributing To Osteoporosis, The Symptoms And Consequences Of This Disease And Its Prevention And Treatments So That Patient Can Achieve An Almost Normal Life Primary osteoporosis can occur in both sexes, is common in postmenopausal females, and occurs later in life in men. Secondary osteoporosis includes deficiencies or excesses of hormones, steroid administration and chronic illness. Osteoporosis may not be due to bone loss alone but if a person is 20 years of age and the bones have not reached their lifes highest density although one ages with normal daily bone loss, osteoporosis can occur even without accelerated bone loss because the ultimate bone mass achieved is the result of a balance between bone formation and bone resorption. Bones are living tissue. Throughout our lifespan, new bone is formed daily to replace areas of bone that dissolve into the blood. This constant remodeling process-bone resorption and then formation-continues throughout life, but after age 35 more resorption take place. Osteoporosis results when there is excess bone loss without adequate replacement. Bones become brittle and easy to break. Normal bone structu re has two forms that is the outer shell of the bone known as the cortex which is very strong and solid. The inside consists of trabeculae, a meshwork of bony struts. The empty spaces between the struts are filled with fat, bone marrow and blood vessels. In osteoporotic bones, calcium leaches from the bone mass and as a result small holes form in the bones. Presence of these holes causes bone weakening. As the process continues, trabecular struts are lost and the pores and empty spaces within the bone grow larger. It takes one minute breaks to occur in the weakened bone tissue to cause major fractures. It is hoped that this assignment could be of much help to us and our other friends to have a better understanding of osteoporosis in general 10 INTRODUCTION TO OSTEOPOROSIS OSTEOPOROSIS IN MENOPAUSE WOMEN Definition Of Osteoporosis In Menopause Women i. Defining Osteoporosis The World Health Organization (WHO) defined osteoporosis in women as a bone mineral density 2.5 standard deviation below peak bone mass (20-year-old healthy female average) as measured by DXA. There are two types of osteoporosis; primary osteoporosis and secondary osteoporosis. Primary Osteoporosis can be found in people with low bone mass, in female, aging citizens, those suffering from estrogen deficiency, white race, low weight and body mass index (BMI), a family with osteoporosis history, addicted smokers, and a long history of fractures. Last but not least a prolonged periods of immobility, early menopause, and low endogenous levels of estrogen Secondary Osteoporosis are disorders link with increased risk of osteoporosis, such as hypogonadism which is the lack of testosterone or estrogens by the testes or ovaries, endocrine disorders, genetic disorders, hematologic disorders, gastrointestinal diseases such as celiac disease, connective tissue disorders, nutritional deficiency, alcoholism, end stage renal disease, drug such as corticosteroids and congestive heart failure. 11 ii. What Is Menopause? Menopause happens in woman at the age of 51 whose ovaries had stopped releasing eggs, estrogens or when other hormones produced in the ovary slowly diminishes and menstruation slows down. If the ovaries had stopped producing estrogen and progesterone, the low estrogen levels may cause menopause symptoms. For example; cessation of menstruation will be followed by night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness or even heavy and erratic periods. Osteoporosis in menopause women is known as post menopausal osteoporosis. B. Knowing Osteoporosiss Basic Bone Formation Our bone is renewed in two stages, that is, resorption and formation. In the resorption stage, the bone is broken down and removed by osteoclasts cells. In the formation stage the osteoblasts cells built new bones replacing the old ones. During childhood, early adulthood and by mid-30s, more bones are produced than removed. After mid-30s the bone is lost faster than it being formed, which resulted in the amount of bone in the skeleton to slowly decline due to aging. Osteoporosis due to aging is called primary osteoporosis. If caused by disease processes or prolonged use of certain medication, it is then known as secondary osteoporosis. 12 THE RISK FACTOR, FACTORS AFFECTING AND THE CAUSES OF OSTEOPOROSIS ________________________________________________________________________ ll. The Risk Factor And Factors Affecting Osteoporosis The Risk Factor of Osteoporosis/Factors Affecting Osteoporosis Risk factor for osteoporosis fracture is group into non-modifiable and modifiable. Examples of non-modifiable are aging in men and women, oestrogen deficiency, reduction in bone mineral density and a drop in men testosterone level. Potential modifiable are excess alcohol, vitamin D deficiency, tobacco smoking, malnutrition, high protein diet, under weight or inactive, excess physical activity, soft drinks, caffeine and heavy metals. Heavy metal is an association between cadmium, lead and bone disease. Low level exposure to cadmium can cause an increased loss of bone mineral density in men and women, which in turn can lead to pain and increased risk of fractures. Higher cadmium exposure can soften the bones. Its greatest risk factor is the menopause stage where there is no further production of bone protecting hormones or production of protecting hormones reduced. Other risk factors include being female, age, family history of osteoporosis, hormone deficiency, low calcium intakes, drinking excessive alcohol and smoking cigarettes. Others include early menopause in women and a number of medical conditions. Health also contribute to risk factor, especially if ones had her ovaries removed, having menopause before the age of 45, suffering from amenorrhea or regular intake of steroid or thyroid medication Hereditary or genetics could be anyones risk factor, for example, family history whereby female Caucasian or Asian with thin and small bones. 13 Unchecked lifestyle like addicted smokers and heavy beverages drinkers , that is, ones drinking habit of caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea or soda. If ones does not consume enough milk, dairy product, vegetables, fruits or other food sources rich in calcium or taking excess protein intake could also increase the risk factor of osteoporosis. Being physically inactive for a prolong periods of time could increases the risk of osteoporosis. The Causes Of Osteoporosis In Menopause Women And Men Osteoporosis is related to weak and fragile bones in aging people, people with obesity and pregnant women. Diseased bone with small pores and cracks often breaks, causing fracture unable to support their body weight are caused by osteoporosis. Lifestyle habits, smoking, alcohol intake, hereditary and low estrogen levels in women and men can cause osteoporosis. The inability of ovaries in post-menopause women to secrete estrogen to maintain the bone density can cause them osteoporosis. Enough nutrients should be taken at an early age or else we will end up with bone diseases later on. Weak bones that become weaker will develop small cracks due to improper supply of nutrients and minerals are the primary cause for developing osteoporosis. In gender, women are smaller and have less bone when compare to men and they lose bone tissue quickly as they aged too. Low body weight could be affected with 14 osteoporosis disease. Mineral density should be built up at an early age by taking food that is rich in calcium and minerals for stronger bone tissue as they get older. Eating excess protein causes calcium intake to be taken from the bone and excreted in the urine. To make it worst, bone strength peaks in our mid thirty, after this, bone gradually loses its density and strength. The presence of particular hormonal disorder and other chronic diseases such as parathyroid or as a result of medications can be one of the causes of osteoporosis, especially for women after menopause or even old men. Hyperparathyroidism can happens in a young age or osteoporosis in male, Immobility of an affected limb after severe fractures as in accident victims can cause osteoporosis, especially those in plastered for a long time. Drug like steroid is an osteoporosis inducer. Patients with this treatment should have high calcium intakes. . 15 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF OSTEOPOROSIS ________________________________________________________________________ lll. Understanding The Signs and Symptoms of Osteoporosis Signs and Symptoms of Osteoporosis The Pain Factor There are not many signs and symptoms of osteoporosis. We can feel the signs and symptoms if there is severe and long lasting pain in acute fracture when lifting or bending. Back pain is a sign or symptom that shows an increased thoracic kyphosis, that is, the upper back curve or an increased cervico-thoracic curve, for example, the dowagers hump. Both of them feature a noticeable loss of height. Osteoporosis does not always cause pain. It can cause discomfort due to thinning bones. Under x-ray, thin bones and compressed fractures in the thoracic spine shows that even without trauma the sign and symptom of osteoporosis is still there, especially after a bone density scan (DEXA) to detect and monitor the degree of osteoporosis changes. Bone disease is responsible for 1.5 fractures every year. The fractures are the first sign of osteoporosis existing in bones such as in the hip, spine and wrist. Breaks in the hip and spine should be taken seriously because if not taken care of immediately not only they suffer severe pain but also require hospitalisation and major surgery. Osteoporosis fractures can cause acute and chronic pain but spinal fractures may be painless. Sometimes, acute pain is the normal process of fractures healing. Whereas chronic pain continues long after the bone is healed. An accidental fall or severe blow can cause hip and wrist fracture. A crush fracture and a collapsed vertebra is also a prominent symptom. 16 Over the years of unchecked disintegration of the vertebrae can caused widows hump, a forward curve of the spine in the upper back. 17 PREVENTIONS OF OSTEOPOROSIS ________________________________________________________________________ IV. Preventions And Treatments For Patients To Live A Normal Life A. Preventions, Treatments And Coping With Osteoporosis i. Preventing Osteoporosis In General We need to practice the healthy lifestyle to prevent our bones from becoming thin and weak or also known as osteoporosis. Without prevention and treatment, osteoporosis will continue developing on our bones without any symptom or pain until we noticed that fracture had occurred. The first prevention that we will discuss is based on the scope of nutrition. Our bodies need the proper amount of vitamins, minerals and other nutrient to stay healthy. By eating the right food, we essentially get the best nutrition needed. For the better function of heart, muscle, nerve and for stronger bones, gaining enough calcium and vitamin D is important. Balanced diet is the best way to get enough calcium. Besides getting the balanced diet, we need to have a diet that is high in calcium. Getting less calcium during our lifetime will increase the risk of developing osteoporosis which is related with broken bones, rapid bone loss and low bone mass. Good sources of calcium present are low-fat dairy produ ct (milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream), leafy vegetables (broccoli, collard greens, and spinach), sardines and salmons with bones, tofu, almonds and food with added calcium (orange, juice, breads, and soy products). Other things we can do to prevent osteoporosis from occurs to us is through exercises. Bones are living tissue that will become stronger when we exercise. A bone may look like a hard and lifeless structure, but it is actually more like muscle. Bone density 18 and strength increased through physical activity during childhood and adolescence. Meaning, children who always do their exercise often more are easily to have maximum strength and solid bone (higher peak bone density) usually when they are 30 years. The best exercise to prevent osteoporosis is weight bearing exercise. This is because this exercise works against gravity. It works when our feet and leg are supporting our own weight. It is important for building and maintaining healthy bones. It includes walking, jogging, jumping rope, climbing stairs, dancing and others. Other recommended exercise is resistance exercise. This exercise use muscle strength to trigger muscle mass and also help to strengthen the bones. Activities that make use this muscle is weight lifting like using free weight and machines, as found at health club and gym. Exercise is more benefit in older people because through exercise they can increase their muscle strength, coordination and balance which make them to attain better health. However, people with chronic disease like heart or lung disease, people with osteoporosis, older people and people who do not take their exercise should check themselves with their healthcare provider before trying any exercise program. Other ways for us to prevent osteoporosis is to change our life style. It includes to stop smoking and limiting alcohol intake. Smoking had bad effect to our body especially to our bones and as well as our heart and lung. For women, nicotine in cigarette will inhibit the bone protective thus it will affect amount of estrogen produce. Women smoker 19 tend to get menopause earlier. This is because it will hasten the development of osteoporosis since bone density had decrease rapidly after menopause. Menopause women who had smoked and choose hormone replacement therapy acquire more complication and intake of large doses of hormone. For the men who smoke, they are at risk for osteoporosis to occur. Besides that, men or women smoker may absorb less calcium from their daily diet. Compared to non smoker, smokers have high risk of hip fracture. Other than to stop smoking, we need to limit the alcohol intake in our daily life. Consumption of 2-3 ounces of alcohol a day even in young men and women will cause them to have bone loss and fracture. This is the result of poor nutrition which increased the risk of falling. Drinkers are liable to get a high risk of osteoporosis. 20 TREATMENTS AND MEDICAL AIDS FOR OSTEOPOROSIS __________________________________________________________________ ii. Treatments And Medical Aids For Osteoporosis Patients At times, we wonder as to how we have osteoporosis problem and not knowing why this is happening to us. It is crucial for us to see the symptoms and detect the risk factors of osteoporosis before it is too late. We should also be aware and know how to prevent osteoporosis from occur to us as we aged. After following the guide lines given by the doctors and physiotherapist but bone fracture still could not be stopped, a person can take drastic action to stop the progression of bone loss through surgery or medications. So do not worry too much about it since there are ways on how to treat it. There are various treatments that are available for treating osteoporosis. One of them is Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). HRT is used on women who are going through menopause. The function of this treatment is to make the bone density to be constant and stable and also to slower down the fracture rates during treatment session. There are so many types of HRT like the menopausal hormone therapy, estrogen hormone therapy, testosterone hormone treatment, and others related to the hormone. Usually this type of HRT is not used alone. It is always used with the combination of two hormones, for example, progesterone is combined with estrogen. This is to prevent side effect like increasing the risk of stroke, heart disease, breast cancer, heart attack, ovaries 21 cancer and also the risk of endometrial cancer in woman who has not had a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus). This HRT can be taken in form of pill and skin patches. Other form of treatment provided is the high intake of calcium and vitamin supplements. This nutrition intake has benefited older people either male or female in taking steps to decrease the risk of fracture. For women, getting enough calcium in their diet can help to minimise the risk of fracture at young age. Each day, we should drink or eat for about 700mg of calcium. This is the best amount of calcium that our bodies need every day. If we had found that we are not getting sufficient amount of calcium in our diet, we should ask the health care provider or the doctor for advise about calcium supplement that we need to take. Another treatment available for osteoporosis patients is through medication or therapeutic medication. Effective medication should be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration  (FDA). Currently the most effective medication that is approved by FDA is the anti-resorptive agents. This medication is aimed to prevent bone loss. Besides increasing the bone density, anti-resorptive medications inhibit bone removal and tipping the balance in favour of bone rebuilding. Examples of antiresorptive agents are menopausal estrogen theraphy, alendronote, risedronate, ibandronate, raloxifene, teriparatide and calcitonin. Each antiresorptive agents has had approval for their specific use. Alendronate,  risedronate, and  ibandronate  are approved for the prevention and treatment of  postmenopausal osteoporosis in  women. Alendronate is able to increase 22 bone mass in men with age-related osteoporosis, Alendronate and risedronate are to treat men and women with steroid-induced (glucocorticoid) osteoporosis. Raloxifene is approved for the postmenopausal women who are not taking hormone replacement therapy. Teriparatide  is approved for the treatment in postmenopausal women and men who are at high risk for fracture and is the calcitonin  medication. The last step that we can do to prevent osteoporosis from developing is through early screening. Doing bone mineral density (BMD) test is the only reliable way to know the exact loss of bone mass. It is to test the strength and solidness of the bones. Bone mineral density tests measure the solidness and mass (bone density) in the spine, hip, wrist, heal or hand. This is the common sites of fractures in our bodies due to osteoporosis. These tests are performed like x-rays.  They are painless, non- invasive, and safe. The risk of radiation is very minimal, much less than even having a chest x-ray film. BMD test should be taken by people with strong risk factor for osteoporosis. The risk factor includes estrogen deficiency, poor diet without enough calcium, Lack of exercise, smoking, large intake of alcohol, family history  of hip fracture or vertebral fractures and low body mass index. Examples of tests that are used to measure bone mineral density include dual energy  x-ray  absorptiometry (DXA),  quantitative  computed tomography  (QCT), and quantitative  ultrasound  (QUS). 23 By detecting osteoporosis at an early stage,  the patient and the doctor  can take action to stop the progression of bone loss. Changing the lifestyle and sticking to the treatment strategies recommended by a doctor, osteoporosis can be prevented 24 COPING WITH MENOPAUSAL OSTEOPOROSIS ________________________________________________________________________ Menopause Women Coping With Osteoporosis Menopause women with a number of risks factor or had a fracture without significant trauma should go to the hospital and treated for low bone density. Exercise plays an important role to help circulation, increase bone density and HDL levels and lower stress due to vaginal dryness. They should avoid smoking and excess alcohol. They should limit their protein and fat intakes and increase their fibre and calcium intakes. They should get the help and advice from a skilled physiotherapist from any local osteoporosis classes and clinics who in turn will educate them the importance and benefits of movement. Plenty of exercises can push up their bone to a good level and slow down the bone loss process. Impact exercises which jar the bones are better than cycling or swimming. 25 THE CONSEQUENCES OF OSTEOPOROSIS ________________________________________________________________________ V. Consequences Of Osteoporosis For Individuals And Community Osteoporotic fractures have consequences impact for individuals, community, organisation, private industry and governments, for example, individually fractures can lead to chronic pain, immobility and restricted activities. The cost of loss of income, such as, equipment and devices to help cope with restricted activities and home care are paid by family members. For the community, an increased demand for services such as meals on wheels and community taxi services are inevitable. 26 CONCLUSION ________________________________________________________________________ VI. Conclusion We would like to conclude that osteoporosis can be avoided if we plan our food intakes wisely. Food sources rich in calcium like dairy products, green leafy vegetables and fruits which is known to increase the bone mineral density. Vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin B and vitamin K are essential nutrients found in green vegetables that could avoid weak and thinning bones. We should also exercise for a healthy and fitness body and should go for medical check up as often as possible to enable detection of osteoporosis at its early stage. Furthermore, serious consequences of bone fracture include permanent disability or death. 27 GLOSSARY ______________________________________________________________________________ Standard deviations- Standard deviations refer to a disease characterised by low bone mass and loss of bone tissue that may lead to weak and fragile bones. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone micro architecture disrupted and the amount and variety of bone protein is altered. DXA- DXA (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) is a means of measuring bone mineral density (BMD). WHO- WHO (World Health Organisation) is a specialised agency of a coordination authority on international public. Immobility- State of being immobile Renal- (Anatomy) of, in or near the kidneys Cessation- Action or act of ceasing; pause. Deficiency- State of lacking something essential, Instance of this; shortage Lack of a necessary quality; fault. Erratic- Irregular or uneven in movement, quality or behaviour (unreliable) Caucasian- Relating to the white or light-skinned racial division of mankind Dowagers hump or widows hump- Compression fractures of the spine cause a loss of height and the bending of the shoulders (upper part of the back) 28

Comparison Between SSADM And SSM

Comparison Between SSADM And SSM INTRODUCTION The comparison between SSADM and SSM has taken in this topic by using NIMSAD. Both methodologies has shown their own concept of identifying problem situation and finding solution to fix the problems SSDAM (Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method) Structured System Analysis and Design method is a framework that adopts Structure approach to the analysis and design of the information systems alike previous structured methods such as Yourdon in 1976,DeMarco in 1979 . It is sequential development process called as waterfall method. It was produced for Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) and also the UK government now known as Office of Government Commerce (OGC). In 1981 UK government was taken this method as a compulsory for all projects but since then the other countries and some private organization used it greatly (Ashworth et al, 1995).SSADM supports the developers and project managers in understanding four questions they are What is to be done, When it is to be done, How it is to be done, Where the resultant inform is to be documented (Bentley et al, 1995).Some history of this methodology since 1980 Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency determines the analysis and design methods. In the year of 1981 Learmonth Burchett Management Systems (LBMS) method has chosen from shortlist of five. In the year of 1983 SSADM made mandatory for all new information system developments. Version 2 of SSADM was released in 1984. Version 3 of SSADM was released and that was adapted by NCC in 1986. After 1988, SSADM certificate of Proficiency launched, SSADM promoted as open standard. Version 4 of SSADM has released in 1990. (Websites: http://www.dcs.bbk.ac.uk/~steve/1/tsld005.htm). This is a wide methodology and also flexible to apply at any kind of problem situation. It divides the works or projects into distinct units (Downs et al, 1992).SSADM is a basic assumption that systems have an underlying, generic, data structure which changes very little over time (Ashworth et al,1990). The SSADM version 4 has formed five important frames such as, Feasibility Study (FS), Requirements Analysis (RA), Requirements Specification (RS), Logical System Specification (LS) and Physical Design (PD). This five-module framework has seven stages and each stage has explained exactly with their own strategy, controls, and activity, this helps the main purpose of the project management technique (Avison and Fitzgerald, 1995; Downs et al, 1992). Diagram The Feasibility Study (FS) is first module of the methodology; it holds the position of stage 0, this phase has four steps: First one is prepare for study to know measurement of evaluation of the project; then define the problem by using comparison between requirements with current position; selection of Feasibility from among others; the final one is to submit a report of the Feasibility. Data flow diagram and flow documents are used in this technique (Avison and Fitzgerald, 1995). Requirement Analysis (RA) is one of the most important stages of SSADM. This involved with describing the requirements of information systems. This is a fundamental level for business purpose. It has two stages; a major aim of the first stage is to make understand fully about the system for analysts. Analyst should investigate the feasibility of the project if before stage was not done and also the problem situation should be described by using data models and data flow models; Interviewing to the employees and users also included in this stage. The second one is Business System option; during this stage the analysts would determine such business system options by group actions for their customers. The previous stage has named that, a business system option is a potential solution to the system requirements. This includes boundaries of the solution and inputs and outputs. Requirement Specification (RS) is a single stage and it makes over the description of the current environment and business system option which was made by Requirements Analysis. Clients of this system would select business option at the end of RA. During this stage analysts should combine the investigation of all the stages results from 1 to 3 by keep the business option, to develop a specification of the system. It also describes actual function of the system. Entity-event modelling and rational data analysis are the techniques used in this stage. During the stage 3, various models of the system are being developed such as, Data Flow Model (DFM) and Logical Data Model (LDM).This stage brings details the DFM and LDM. The function definition has unites into one for specification process design at this stage. The next module, Logical System Specification (LS) has two stages in it. Such as stage 4 and stage 5, Technical System Option considered as stage 4 and Logical design as stage 5. Technical System Option is the final stage for analysis phase and conversion to the literal system design. Many execution chances are suggested to select nearly suitable solution similar to stage 2. This technical system options are measured by financial cost and performance of the system and limitations etc. After the stage 4, Logical Design took place as a stage 5, the works and investigation has been done as same like before stage. The main execution of Logical Design is about human factor. It defines dialogue and updates enquiries in non-procedural manner, which is independent of any implementation strategy. Physical Design (PD) is the final module of this system. It is the best choice of possible technical and logical solution, the designer combines the result of the previous stages to build the final aim of the system. This is stage 6 and outcomes in PD for the data and processes (Ashworth et al, 1990, Bentley et al, 1995, Downs et al, 1992). The above essay tells that, SSADM has a well-defined structure and easy to understand by everyone. Many of the UK University has taken this information system in comprehensively and completely. These models and diagrams are giving complete definitions for the final users and developers to understand (Ashworth et al, 1990, Avison and Fitzgerald, 1995). ETHICS (Effective Technique and Human Implementation of Computer-based Systems) Ethics methodology came up out of work started by Enid Mumford at Manchester Business School in 1969. Since then, it has been used in industries and the health services. Much experience gained from these usages (Mumford, 1997). Ethics is acronym, but this approach is to represent the ethical position. This is the information system development, which strongly supports the human participation (Avison and Fitzgerald, 1995). This methodology is well-known for its importance and interest in the human side of systems design (Jayaratna, 1994). It includes the socio-technical view for the system to be effective and this technology should be applicable for social and organisational factors. It also means that a valuable quality of working life and increased job satisfaction of the users is one of the major objective of this system design process. Mumford determines the essential quality of socio-technical approach as one which recognizes the interaction of technology and people and produces the work systems which are both technically efficient and have social characteristics which lead to high job satisfaction; and job satisfaction as the attainment of a good fit between what the employee is seeking from his work-and his job needs, expectations and aspirations-and what he is required to do in his job-the organisational job requirements which mould his experience(Avison and Fitzgerald, 1995). To determine the concept of fit is used to describe the job satisfaction in five fields: Firstly, knowledge fit as a good fit lives when employees should accept that their skills are being adequately utilized and their knowledge being improved to make them efficiently; Physical fit is the second area that means; job must suitable for the employee status, encouragement of the progress and work interest; thirdly efficiency fit, it composed of the effort-reward bargain, work controls and supervisory controls; fourthly the task structured fit, that measures the level to the employees task are considered as being fulfilling and demanding; and the final area is ethical fit, this is also represents social value fit and determines whether the employer organisation be compatible with values of employee(Avison and Fitzgerald 1995). Ethics is a methodology that based on human participation and socio technical character. The Ethics design group consist of users, managers and technical experts. The objective of this methodology helps the design group in the way of identifying and formulating the problem, and also it will set objectives and develop alternatives, and allow other actions like implementing and evaluating new system. It aims to construct the computer based system that provides job satisfaction and achieve the efficiency needs of the organisation (Jayaratna, 1994). During this development, the importance placed on both the human and social and the technical views of the system. Users formulate social alternatives to improve job satisfaction, and experts formulate technical alternatives to improve business efficiency. The above aspects are emphasis to identify the best socio-technical fit under the common cost, resource and other environment constraints (Wong, 2001). Here, the ETHICS steps are executed by the design group: Why change? By enquiring about the problem situation of the current system, design group try to get objective through regular meetings and some discussions to answer the question: why do we need to change. This step gives clear reasons about why the changing system needed (Mumford, 1993). System Boundaries. The design team tries to identify the boundaries of the system and also how it is interfaces with other system. Description of Existing System. This step aims to educate the design group to know how the existing system works. Everyone in this group has more comprehensible of previous system before moving to the new system. 4, 5 and 6 Definition of the key objectives, tasks and information needs. Identify the key objectives for the design groups; the task required to achieve these objectives and information is needed to carry out the tasks. 7. Diagnosis of Efficiency Needs. The design group tries to identify the weak link in the system and that is to be documented. These are main reason for errors. Everyone outside the team help to identify the efficiency need. This could be the opportunity for the team to get involved in the development process. 8. Diagnosis of Job Satisfaction Needs. This is achieved by the standard questionnaire given in the ETHICS methodology. As we know earlier ETHICS is a human-cantered method for others to gain the job satisfaction. The design team tries to identify people needs and also ways to increase satisfaction by using ETHICS questionnaire. This questionnaire covers knowledge fit, physical fit, efficiency fit, task structured fit and ethical fit. 9. Future Analysis The new system need to be designed in the way that apart from just being better from previous system, it should also be able to cope with future changes that may occur in the technological, business and organisation or fashion. 10. Specifying and weighting Efficiency and Job Satisfaction Needs and Objectives Mumford identifies that this is the key step for the whole methodology. Objectives are set according to the diagnosis results of the three previous steps. It can be very difficult task and must involve everyone in the organisation. 11. Organizational Design of the New System. This is the logical and conceptual design of the new system. It should be performed in parallel with next step. The output of this step is detailed about the organizational changes which are needed for the job efficiency and satisfaction objectives. 12. Technical Options. The physical design has been taken by this step for new system. There are some various technical systems like hardware, software and GUI would be investigated and evaluated. By end of this step, most suitable one helps to achieve target of the project and job satisfaction. 13. Preparation of Detailed Design Work. In this step the selected system is designed in detail. The previous documentation is recorded and groups are defined, tasks, responsibilities are allocated and finally relationships are created. 14. Implementation. This is the important step of the development project. The design group now applies the success implementation of design. This connects closely to planning the implementation process in detail. 15. Evaluation. After the successful implementation, the system is assured it is meeting its main objectives, particularly in relation to efficiency and job satisfaction (Avison and Fitzgerald, 1995, Mumford, 1993). Mumford recognizes that implementing this methodology is not an easy one; also she is making the addition point that participative may not work at the powerful situations where the objectives of the system have as a part of the reduction of cost and redundancies. Aylors and Myers suggest that participation may be achieved will be dependent on culture and politics of the organisation more than individuals (Avison and Taylor, 1995). However, many organizations are trying to establish the participation approach in flexible and more useful manner. The comparison between two methodologies (SSADM ETHICS): As we said in the introduction before, we will do comparison between two methodologies mentioned above by using NIMSAD (Normative Information Model-Based System Analysis and Design) framework. These methodologies are compared in detail by using the different steps. This framework consists of three steps and one of the steps contains eight stages fewer than three phases and all the stages steps are correctly evaluated. The steps and stages of the framework will be explained below, The Problem Situation (the methodology context). The Intended Problem Solver (the methodology user). The Problem Solving Process (the methodology). Phase 1- Problem Formation: Stage 1- Understanding the situation of concern. Stage 2- Performing the diagnosis. Stage 3- Defining the prognosis outline. Stage 4- Defining Problem Stage 5- Deriving notional systems. Phase 2- Solution Design: Stage 6- Performing the conceptual/logical design. Stage 7- Performing the physical design. Phase 3- Design Implementation Stage 8- Implementation of design. Evaluation. Problem Situation: This framework will be involved with clients and defines different between the action world and thinking world. This step explains that the problem situation lives in only on action world but the problem solving situation will be in both world. A diagrammatic model cannot catch the elements of an organisation, but they could be used to clarify the concepts and components. This clearly tells that the problem solvers own knowledge and skills will not help to understand the problem situation unless he/she know the organisational language (Jayaratna). Diagram of problem solving situation Intended Problem Solver: The intended problem solver is who originate within the organisation or outside of it. We have begun to discuss about the agreement of role and the act of forming relationship to be effective. The NIMSAD framework explains that the intended problem solver adds the single man component to the process and their Mental Construct is used. Diagram for the intended problem solver: Problem Solving Process: NIMSAD defines three important phases and eight detailed stages in this step and can be applicable for any problem solving process. This framework cannot be assumed and this should be achieved at the right time. This methodology could be structured process to alter transformation from current situation to the desired situation. Phase 1.Problem Formulation: Stage1.Understanding the Situation of concern: Understanding the problem is fully based on each one of our mental construct. This stage will build boundaries to determine the field of interest and clear communication of boundaries to avoid danger and this focused on investigation and establish concerned situation. Stage2.Perfoming the Diagnosis: Diagnosis is clearly communicated expression of understanding and that is gained from investigating the problem situation.

congressional reconstruction- civil war :: essays research papers

The governments established under Congressional Reconstruction made notable and lasting achievements. One positive outcome that resulted was the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which extended citizenship to African Americans and listed certain rights of all citizens such as the right to own property, bring lawsuits, and testify in court. Another major outcome was the Fifteenth Amendment, which prohibited the states from denying the right to vote because of a person’s race or because a person had been a slave. This finally granted African Americans the right to vote and marked an important change in the history of our country. A negative outcome resulted politically from congressional Reconstruction. Many of the federal laws concerning reconstruction led to the strengthening of the federal government at the expense of the states. These new laws often placed significant restrictions on state actions on the ground that the rights of national citizenship took precedence over the powers of state governments leading to an increase in sectional bitterness, an intensification of the racial issue, and the development of one-party politics in the South. Stemming from this â€Å"infringement† of states’ rights and intensified by the election of 1868 was another negative outcome. Fierce activities were stirred up by groups such as the KKK- violence became prominent, and terrorists and mobs attacked many people- mostly Republicans and blacks. The end of slavery brought new expectations for all African Americans, whether they had been slaves or not. Taking advantage of the new choices that freedom opened, they tried to create independent lives for themselves, and they developed social institutions that helped to define black communities. African Americans also expected political and economic equality. Few were able to acquire land of their own- a significant constraint on their economic choices- and most became either wage laborers or sharecroppers. Having no land, no tools, and no money, the freed slaves had only their personal labor to sell.

Depleting Ozone and Its Effect on Society Essay -- Environment

Depleting Ozone and Its Effect on Society Is there a reason for us to be concerned? Can ozone depletion really be connected to something that is truly harmful to humans? How are we directly affected by ozone depletion? How much do we actually know about the ozone and the things that are going on in the atmosphere? There are many questions that arise when talking about the ozone depletion in relation to skin cancer. Today both environmentalists and researchers alike focus on the increasingly dangerous affect that ultraviolet radiation has on present day society. In order to understand how the ozone affects us we must first understand what the ozone is. What is the ozone? The ozone’s essential duty is to protect society from harmful ultraviolet rays by acting as a filter. The ozone is a layer in the middle of the stratosphere that protects the earth from the harmful ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun. The ozone layer acts as a shield and prevents the sun’s deadly ultraviolet rays from penetrating to the sur face of the earth. The ozone layer protects humans in ways that are difficult to predict The main reason that the ozone is depleting is because of the very nature of human activity. The ozone is being destroyed by chlorofluorocarbons. Chlorofluorocarbons, widely know as CFC’s, are a human-made chemicals that are composed of carbon, chlorine and fluorine atoms. It is the chlorine in chlorofluorocarbons that breaks down the molecule in the ozone causing it to slowly deplete. It is this man-made chemical been the main cause of ozone depletion high up in the atmosphere. There are several different types of CFCs. They were first developed in the 1930s, and since then have been widely used in refrigerators, aerosol cans and ... ...ting because it is the ozone layer that protects us from the very deadly and dangerous ultraviolet rays of the sun. It is very pertinent that our society recognizes that the ozone is thinning and that it is imperative that we take action, no matter how difficult it may be, so that the safety of future generations is ensured. Works Cited Books Gore, Albert. Earth in the Balance. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000. Harper, Charles L. Environment and Society:Human Perspective on Environmental Issues. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2001. Aguado, Edward. Burt, James E. Understanding Weather and Climate. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. Internet http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/effects.html http://www.ciesin.org/docs/001-503/001-503.html http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/ozone.html http://www.who.int/uv/publications/proUVrad.pdf

Piaget And Vygotsky Were Both Considered Constructivists Education Essay

Piaget and Vygotsky were both considered constructivists. Constructivism is a theory of learning and larning based on the thought that knowledge is developed through mental building. This suggests that worlds learn, building new cognition by patching together their past experiences. Another similarity between Piaget and Vygotsky is that they both believe social influences set up the boundaries of cognitive growing. The chief thoughts in Piaget ‘s and Vygotsky ‘s theories sing intelligence differ. Harmonizing to Piaget, intelligence was a merchandise of action. He believed that kids learn by interaction with their surrounding and that such acquisition ‘s occur after development. Vygotsky nevertheless, believed that larning occurs before development can and that a kid learns because of history and symbolism. Vygotsky besides thought that kids appreciate input from their milieus every bit good as other people. Piaget on the other manus did non put any importance on the input of others. Piaget and Vygotsky ‘s theories sing the phases of development have differing sentiments every bit good. Piaget ‘s theory of cognitive development is made up of four phases which mark the outgrowth of new rational abilities. The earliest phase is the sensorimotor phase, which occurs between birth and two old ages of age. During this phase babes and immature kids use their senses and motor accomplishments to research the universe. Through physical activity and slightly inadvertent motor physiological reactions intelligence is manifested. Toward the terminal of this phase kids besides get the construct of object permanency, intending that they understand an object is at that place even if the kid can non see it. The following phase in Piaget ‘s theory is known as the preoperational phase. This occurs during ages two through seven. During this phase a kid ‘s linguistic communication and constructs develop quickly, nevertheless their thought procedure is still instead crude. In this phase features such as centration occur, which leaves the kid so focused on one facet of a state of affairs that they fail to see other of import factors. Another feature is that kids are egoistic. They believe that everyone thinks, or has the same demands and desires as they do. The 3rd phase in Piaget ‘s theory is the concrete operational phase, happening between the ages of seven and eleven. During this phase kids begin to see a drastic alteration in their thought procedure. Their ideas go less egoistic and more logical. â€Å" Reversibility, the ability to execute a mental operation and so change by reversal one ‘s thought to return to the get downing point ( Slavin, 2003, p.33 ) † occurs during this phase. Children at this phase still have trouble with abstract idea. The last phase in Piaget ‘s cognitive development theory is identified as the formal operational phase. It is during this phase in which a kid begins to develop abstract and symbolic ideas. It allows conjectural state of affairss to be addressed, and job work outing through experimentation. This development gives immature grownups the ability to ground their manner through state of affairss they have non yet experienced. As discussed Piaget ‘s theory has four specific phases, nevertheless Vygotsky believed that there are no set phases. The first facet of Vygotsky ‘s theory is a mechanism referred to as private address, speaking to oneself. Vygotsky found that it was of import to turn shared cognition into individual cognition. He believed that kids would incorporate the address of others into their job work outing procedure. Private address is normally seen amongst immature kids who talk to themselves openly and frequently. In adulthood private address is besides really of import, although it become soundless and internalized it is still a helpful job work outing tool. Vygotsky ‘s belief of the zone of proximal development is the 2nd portion of his cognitive theory. â€Å" A zone of proximal development is the degree of development instantly above a individual ‘s present degree ( Slavin, 2003, p.44 ) † . The zone of proximal development consists of things a kid can non quite make entirely, but could carry through with aid from a more experient kid or an grownup. It includes undertakings a kid has non yet learned but is capable of larning. Vygotsky believed that to accomplish maximal larning it was of import to work with the zone of proximal development. The concluding thought in Vygotsky ‘s cognitive development theory is scaffolding. This includes utilizing encouragement, hints, reminders and aid in the signifier of suggestion to help the kid in independently larning. By larning to work out jobs independently and without the aid of others, the kid additions the ability to self-regulate. Both Piaget and Vygotsky ‘s cognitive development theories have had an impact on instruction patterns and schoolroom direction. Piaget ‘s theory is used in schoolrooms daily with the usage of developmentally appropriate instruction. Another illustration of Piagetian theory being used in the schoolroom is through custodies on activities. Harmonizing to Piaget, immature kids ( preoperational ) learn through their actions and are non capable of abstract idea, hence supplying a assortment of physical activities for smaller kids is indispensable to any schoolroom agenda. Aspects of Vygotsky ‘s cognitive theory are besides found in many schoolroom scenes. An illustration is a schoolroom which has the kids divided into groups, or tabular arraies. This uses Vygotsky ‘s thoughts sing usage of the zone of proximal development every bit good as scaffolding. By puting kids of changing developmental abilities together for group work, kids have the ability to wise man and learn from each other through scaffolding, every bit good as work in their zone of proximal development. It is clear that cognitive development theories play an of import function in turn toing the educational demands and larning methods of kids of changing phases. Through the theories provided by Piaget and Vygotsky it is possible to make a better schoolroom experience for non merely the pupil but the instructor every bit good. When a instructor uses methods to learn kids developmentally appropriate stuff, it makes for a more gratifying and contributing acquisition environment. Thankss to such psychologists as Piaget and Vygotsky, instructors today have the tools available to them to make such an environment.

Brita Products Company Essay

1.To what do you contribute Brita’s success?The success of Brita in the USA market is due on the one hand to attributes of the core product and on the other hand to factors related to the market environment and successful marketing. †¢Attributes of the core productThe pitcher itself had the following benefits: it reduced chlorine and odors, it made water to taste better, it was extracting heavy metals from the water and the water was not depositing salts/sediment when boiled. †¢Market environmentInitially, there was no major concern to the consumers about filtering the tap water. However, the sensitivity that people showed about some health problems and/or accidents that rose during the decade of 1990, aided by significant publicity of these health problems, assisted Brita to easily increase brand awareness to the consumers and create a significant market. Moreover a lot of people perceived Brita filter as a present for their friends. †¢Successful marketingBrita pitcher was a technologically advanced product made from a well known German producer of industrial and consumer water filtration products, characteristics which made it attractive to Clorox who had significant marketing experience and distribution channels in the US. Clorox, which obtained the license from Brita GmbH to set up a subsidiary in USA, knows very well the specific market as it was a major manufacturer and marketer of home products with $3.9 billion dollars of sales in 1998. Clorox provided the support for Brita: capital for 4 years, the desired know how and leadership, as expressed by the insistence and personal involvement of Mr. Couric. Furthermore, Brita was the first very successful system of water filter, which created the home water purification industry. In the distribution area, Brita USA has achieved dominant position in most of the outlets and department stores in the market covering all five possible channels of distribution (Department stores, Mass merchandisers, Grocery stores, Club stores, Drug stores). Another important element that contributed to Brita’s success is the different pricing policy set according to the POS outlet. This means that the company could satisfy its consumers according to different needs and habits. Last, but probably the most successful decision was the great taste positioning concept that helped Brita to market the pitchers with a clear promotion and advertising strategy boosting its sales, as there was no other competitor with such a strong image. 2.What are Clorox’s marketing assets going forward? Can you comment on their positioning choices?Marketing assetsThe Clorox company for the first four years faced real problems to launch the pitcher in the market. After the four years the company managed to create a strong image and build strong brand equity. These assets of the Brita’s pitcher are revealed through the following facts:First of all Brita company is a strong brand name in the market of water purification system. This functions as an asset to support and boost the sales of Brita’s pitcher (or any other water purification system), as there is high degree of brand awareness. Also, by the year 1999 Clorox had created with the Brita pitcher a significant home water purification industry worth of $350 million at retail and was holding about 70% of revenue share or about $250 million, being a market leader. Furthermore there is a strong customer base who will buy new filters for the next years (80% of the buyers who have tried the pitcher were still using it a year later and they were re-buying extra filters of about 2.5 pieces per year). Furthermore, from the Lifetime Value of a Customer (LVC) analysis shown in the next question (No 3), it is obvious that filters contribute  significantly to the profitability of this product. All these details above are showing to us that the Brita company has significant assets (brand equity, loyalty, awareness, being a market leader, having a strong customer base of people who buy filters) for going forward with any clear strategy. Positioning choicesAt the beginning Brita company positioned the pitcher as a purification system providing water of unique taste. They positioned most on this benefit for 3 reasons:a) Surveys showed that taste means health, b) whole bottled water industry had been built without reference to health and c) Brita wanted to develop an unbeatable position (â€Å"be at the top of the mountain†) which would not be possible by positioning on how much of some impurity is removed. We believe that Clorox made an important decision for the promotion and advertising campaign under the idea of taste (â€Å"great tasting water†, â€Å"clear, fresh, wonderful†) because it was also consistent with the attributes of the core product (water indeed tasted better after filtration with a Brita pitcher). Brita stuck on one USP and promoting as taste as one central benefit avoiding a confused or doubtful positioning strategy which would lose the attention of the consumers. The choice that Brita did not make was focusing on health. Filters decrease health hazards by low quality tap water (even if not all dangers are eliminated). The publicity given to health problems due to water could easily serve to strengthen Brita’s position. Health is PUR’s choice for positioning their faucet mounted system, which is not quite a head-on attack, since they would attempt to occupy a different position in the mind of the consumers. 3.What is the lifetime value of a customer with a pitcher? How does it compare with that of a customer with a faucet mounted system? Does their  Ã¢â‚¬Å"bogo† promotion make sense?According to Gupta and Lehmann, Lifetime Value Of a Customer (LVOC) is:LVOC = m r/(1+i-r), where m=margin, i=cost of capital and r=retention rate. Since cost of capital is not mentioned in the case study, we assumed a value of:0% for simplification purposesand a scenario with:3% which can be considered closer to real valuesA hypothesis with cost of capital 0Under this scenario, with r=0.8 (80% yearly retention rate) and i=0, the ratio r/(1+i-r) is equal to 4. From the case study (p.18) the gross margin for the pitcher is 7,36, while gross margin for the filters is 2,05. 1a. The lifetime value of a customer with a pitcher system is the following:LVOCpitcher system= LVOC from pitcher + LVOC from filters== margin from pitcher + 4*margin of filters*2,5 filters/y==7.36+4*2.05*2.5=$27.86So, we can see that Brita is going to receive $27.86 from one customer for the lifetime period of a customer with a pitcher. 2a. At this point we examine the lifetime value of a customer with a mounted faucet in two different models:(i)Best scenario: pricing at $40 and retention at 80% (same as for pitchers)(ii)Worst scenario: pricing at $35 and retention rate of 80%Cost as mentioned in the case study is taken as $15. We have also assumed that Brita will keep on filters for faucet-mounted the same margin as in filters for pitchers. i.(40-15)=25+4*2.05*3=$49.8*LVOCfaucet=ii.(35-15)=20+1*2.05*3=$26.15*The worst scenario of the faucet production for Brita is that it is going to receive $26.15 from the lifetime value period of one consumer and the best scenario reveals that Brita is going to receive $49.8 for the same period. If we compare the worst scenario of (2aii) with 1a we see that the two amounts are close but pitcher systems have higher LVOC ( LVOCfaucet is $26.15 while current LVOCpitcher is $27.9) and in case of (2ai) there will possibly be significantly higher profits by the faucet ($49.8) in comparison with the pitcher system ($27.9). Using the lifetime values of the pitcher and faucet filter, we can conclude that if Brita is going to enter the market of faucet filters, it will receive higher margins of profits by 78% if all goes well, while even in a bad scenario it would lose 6,5% of its margin. A hypothesis with cost of capital of 3%1b.Similarly, the case when cost of capital is considered to be 3% and all other things unchanged, then our calculations will be:LVOCpitcher= 7.36+3.45*2.05*2.5=$25.04a.(40-15)=25+3.5*2.05*3=$46.52**2b.LVOCfaucet=b.(35-15)=20+0.94*2.05*3=$25.78**. As we can conclude from the above calculations the profit Brita is going to receive according to LVOC of pitcher and LVOC of faucet are close to those of the 1st hypothesis. In the best scenario there can be significant profit from the faucet. In the worst case, the faucet remains (even marginally) higher since the higher price of the faucet brings most of the benefit of the LVOC in the beginning (when the system is sold). An important element in the calculations above was the hypothesis that filters will be priced to provide the same margin of $2.05. BOGOThe amount of money Brita is going to receive it is based to the following hypothesis:†¢Retention rate would be the same as for the pitcher. †¢The consumers will use the second filter as the first, replacing filters at the same rate. †¢There was no cannibalization of the market. †¢COGS per pitcher is shown to be $7,8 at p.18 of the case study†¢Cost of capital is also taken at 0% for simplicity reasons. LVOCbogo= 4*2.05*2.5-7.80=$12.7Brita hopes to receive an extra amount of money of about $12.7 from the jag is going to give it as a present. If the conditions / hypothesis presented above are true, then the BOGO promotion did indeed make sense. Bibliography: KOTLER R. – KELLER K, MARKETING MANAGEMENT 11TH EDITION, PRENTICE HALL 2005

Birch Paper Case Essay

The division can’t very well show a profit by putting in bids that don’t even cover a fair share of overheadcosts,let alone give us a profit. † Birch Paper Company was a medium-sized,partly integrated paper company, producing white and kraft papers and paperboard. A portion of its paperboard output was converted into corrugated boxes by the Thompson Division, which also printed and colored the outside surface of the boxes. Including Thompson,the companyhad four producingdivisions and a timberland division, which supplied part of the company’spulp requirements. For severalyears, eachdivision had beenjudged independently on the basis of its profit and return on investment. Top managementhad been working to gain effectiveresults from a policy of decentralizing responsibility and authority for all decisionsexcept those relating to overall companypolicy. The company’s top officials believed that in the past few years the concept of decentralization had been applied successfullyand that the company’sprofits and competitive position definitely had improved. The Northern Division had designeda special display box for one of its papers in conjunction with the ThompsonDivision, which was equippedto make the box. Thompson’sstaff for packagedesign and developmentspent several months perfecting the design, production methods,and materials to be used. Becauseof the unusual color and shape, these were far from standard. According to an agreement between the two divisions, the Thompson Division was reimbursed by the Northern Division for the cost of its design and developmentwork. When all the specificationswere prepared,the Northern Division askedfor bids on the box from the ThompsonDivision and from two outside companies. Each division manager was normally free to buy from whatever supplier he wished, and evenon saleswithin the company, divisions were expectedto meet the going market price if they wanted the business. During this period, the profit margins of such converters as the Thompson Division were being squeezed. Thompson,as did many other similar converters,bought its paperboard,and its function was to print, cut, and shapeit into boxes. Though it bought most of its materials from other Birch divisions, most of Thompson’ssaleswere made to outside customers. If Thompsongot the order from Northern, it probably would buy its linerboard and corrugating medium from the Southern Division of Birch. The walls of a corrugated box This case was prepared by William Rotch under the supervision of Neil Harlan, Harvard Business School. Copyright 158-001. by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Harvard Business School case i Case6-2 Birch PaperCompany 2 consist of outside and inside sheets of linerboard sandwiching the fluted corrugating medium. About 70 percent of Thompson’s out-of-pocketcostof$400 for the order representedthe cost of linerboard and corrugating medium. Though Southern had beenrunning below capacity and had excess inventory, it quoted the market price, which had not noticeably weakenedas a result of the oversupply. Its out-of-pocket costs on both liner and corrugating medium were about 60 percent of the selling price. The Northern Division receivedbids on the boxesof $480 a thousand from the ThompsonDivision, $430 a thousand from West Paper Company,and $432 a thousand from Eire Papers,Ltd. Eire Papers offered to buy from Birch the outside linerboard with the specialprinting already on it, but would supply its own inside liner and corrugating medium. The outside liner would be supplied by the Southern Division at a price equivalent of $90 a thousand boxes,and it would be printed for $30 a thousand by the Thompson Division. Of the $30, about $25 would be out-of-pocketcosts. Since this situation appearedto be a little unusual, William Kenton, manager of the Northern Division, discussedthe wide discrepancy of bids with Birch’s commercialvice president. He told the vice president:†We sell in a very competitivemarket, where higher costscannot be passedon. How canwe be expectedto show a decent profit and return on investment if we have to buy our supplies at more than 10 percent over the going market? † Knowing that Mr. Brunner on occasionin the past few months had beenunable to operate the Thompson Division at capacity,it seemedodd to the vice president that Mr. Brunner would add the full 20 percent overheadand profit chargeto his out-of-pocketcosts. When he was asked about this, Mr. Brunner’s answer was the statement that appears at the beginning of the case. He went on to say that having donethe developmentalwork on the box, and having receivedno profit on that, he felt entitled to a goodmarkup on the production of the box itself. The vice president explored further the cost structures of the various divisions. He remembereda comment that the controller had made at a meeting the week before to the effect that costs which were variable for one division could be largely fIXedfor the companyas a whole. He knew that in the absence of specific orders from top management Mr. Kenton would acceptthe lowest bid, which was that of the West Paper Companyfor $430. However,it would be possiblefor top managementto order the acceptance another bid if the situof ation warranted such action. And though the volume representedby the transactionsin questionwas less than 5 percent of the volume of any of the divisions involved, other transactions would conceivablyraise similar problemslater. Questions 1. Which bid should Northern Division acceptthat is in the best interests of Birch Paper Company? 2. Should Mr. Kenton acceptthis bid? Why or why not? 3. Should the vice president of Birch Paper Companytake any action? 4. In the controversydescribed,how,if at all, is the transfer price system dysfunctional? Doesthis problem call for somechange,or changes, the transin fer pricing policy of the overall firm? If so, what specific changesdo you suggest?

Three Day Road

Wandering Windigo of the Wemistikoshiw The novel Three Day Road can be viewed as an explicit indicator as to the importance of sustaining cultural identity, and the consequences associated with its absence from any aspect of human life. The tale provides a salient setting through which this spiritual malfeasance is brought about, with much of its content consisting of the supremacy of the wemistikoshiw, or white man, over the Aboriginals in World War 1. The novel’s European setting manifests the primary cause for the spiritual bankruptcy of Elijah Weesacheejak, one of the story’s central figures and the novel’s primary thematic microcosm. Influenced deeply by Western ideals, he is said to be a windigo which, as explained by the aboriginal bushmaster, Niska, is characterized by: â€Å"†¦sadness so pure that it [shrivels] the human heart and [lets] something else grow in its place† (Boyden 261). A polar opposite to Elijah, Niska recognizes the necessity of spirituality rooted in tradition, and is able to identify the Windigo as a logical product of wemistikoshiw influence. Her nephew, Xavier, is defiantly against European conformity in much the same way, sacrificing physical well-being for the sake of the Cree culture which he cherishes and to which he hopes to return in the wake of the war. It is clear that each of these three characters is negatively affected by the widespread influence of the whites, albeit to different degrees. Each character’s amount of exposure to wemistikoshiw culture corresponds proportionately to both their bodily state by the novel’s end, and their specific levels of windigo-ism. Joseph Boyden’s Three Day Road illuminates the Windigo’s corruption of identity through the personalities of Xavier, Niska and Elijah via their cultural adherence, contrasting health, and dynamic relationships. Much like two sides of the same coin, Western and Aboriginal societies share a structural essence, but vary wildly in their fundamental ideals and respective emphases. Xavier is aware of this distinction between the two peoples, saying: â€Å"†¦I’m left wondering what connection there might be between their [the European] world and mine† (246), in a manner which would suggest that one must belong to one ‘world’ or another, but never both simultaneously. Xavier chooses to live by Aboriginal tradition, as exemplified through his frequent neglect of wemistikoshiw behaviours. A prevalent literary critic explains the significance of naming in this respect, exclaiming that the: â€Å"†¦various names ssumed by or assigned to Xavier and Elijah signify to what extent their identities are able to transcend or fall victim to [the influence of the West]†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å" (Gordon 7). The only Western name assigned to Xavier is ‘X’ in light of his extraordinary shooting precision (Boyden 109). Despite the name’s positive connotations, Bird discards it, keeping to his original alias, which is bestowed upon him by his cherished Aboriginal friends (360, 363). It is evident, then, that Xavier’s neglect of the wemistikoshiw ways runs deep, and even when facing external, culture-based adversity, becoming an outcast is always a preferable option to abandonment of his tradition. Unlike the other soldiers, Xavier never acquires even the slightest appetite for killing, believing it to be wasteful in the context of war, since there is nothing to be gained but fresh supplies of bloodshed (Bohr). Initially, Xavier is revolted by the sight of death soon after he witnesses it devastate a German, saying, â€Å"The image of the soldier’s head exploding makes may stomach churn† (Boyden 88). In order to remedy this spiritual deficit he associates with letting the lives of other be wasted, Bird turns to prayer, which keeps him centered and stable within the comfort of his cultural roots. Over the entire course of the novel, Xavier never once forgets the importance of his background in regards to his current situation, meaning that he remains metaphysically anchored in spite of his foreign surroundings. Supplementary to Xavier, in terms of spiritual independence, is Niska, whose understanding of the wemistikoshiw transcends that of every other character in the novel, and stems from both her experiential knowledge of Western culture and the windigo. An objectivist to the core, Niska represents an archetype of cultural wisdom, as described by Joseph Boyden: â€Å"I wanted her to be a strong woman who was doing this [being a woman of the bush] despite what everyone says about her and the toughness of her existence†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Wylie 229). Niska is exposed to the horrors of the world at an early age, witnessing events such as her father’s murder of one of her fellow Cree gone windigo (Boyden 45). This coupled with her being used sexually by the Frenchman, who claimed to have â€Å"†¦fucked ahcahk, [her] spirit† (174), out of lustful capitalism creates a perfect storm of familiarity with the human condition within her. Niska realizes that the man-made society of the whites further pronounces the flaws of the human spirit, thereby differentiating between her culture and that of the emistikoshiw. She explains this difference early on in the novel, by way of her epileptic visions: â€Å"No one is safe in such times, not even the Cree of the Mushkegowuk. War touches everyone, and windigos spring from the earth† (49). In order to prevent the mingling of Aboriginal and European lifestyles, she completely refuses to submit to the will of the wemistikoshiw, even when forced to live in one of their resi dential schools as a young girl. The bushmaster neglects even menial compulsories, such as hair-cutting, saying, â€Å"They were going to remove the black hair that reached my waist as a symbol of wemistikoshiw authority, of our [the Cree’s] defeat† (93). Coming from a long line of Cree chieftains, Niska not only seeks to avoid the company of windigos, but also is obligated to dispose of them in the best interest of her fellow aboriginals (48). Niska’s comprehension of selfishness’ presence in both the wemistikoshiw and the Windigo contribute to her consequent avoidance of the two, and in turn, her unwavering state of impeccable spiritual stagnancy throughout the novel. Contrarily, Elijah succumbs completely to the culture of the white man, becoming immersed in its ideals and pursuits to the point of morphing into a fully fledged windigo. The reason for Weesacheejak’s uprooted spiritual state can be traced back to his upbringing, which consisted of an intensely ambiguous cultural identity. Growing up in residential schools for much of his life, Elijah is brainwashed into thinking of the Aboriginals as a â€Å"†¦backwards people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (56) by the nuns who live with him. The seeds of European identity clash with those of the Aboriginal culture when he is adopted by Niska, and resultantly, a fragile concept of cultural integrity emerges within him. This identity crisis contributes significantly to his inevitable saturation into the violence of the West, as described by the author Vikki Visvis: â€Å"†¦ Elijah’s perverted determination is primarily the product of the wartime environment, which is an inherently Western endeavor† (273). Elijah learns, very much unhealthily, that identity is malleable, and depends entirely on circumstance rather than individual character. This lack of oneness can be examined easily through his acts in The Great War, which consist of both the impulsive murder and the desecration of his victims (Boyden 310). Elijah’s lack of cultural foundation is responsible for each of these atrocities, and he believes that by committing acts such as scalping those he kills, he is somehow able to absorb a portion of their spirit. Xavier describes Elijah’s carnage as a â€Å"†¦spark which fills his belly when it gnaws for food (200),† thereby pronouncing the young man’s profound emotional imbalances. Elijah’s reliance on the mastery he achieves by ‘owning’ the flesh of his victims is hauntingly reminiscent of the definition of the Windigo, and this is no accident made by Boyden. Despite his inferiority to Xavier in regards to his skills in marksmanship (78), it is he, not his Cree companion who yearns for the blood of his enemies. Such a skewed perspective which testifies to the irrelevant nature of morality can be attributed to the boy’s faithless and marred upbringing. Like a true Windigo, it is Elijah’s lack of cultural backbone which provokes the collapse of his soul, as he contains no trace of the fundamental axioms required in the construction of a spiritually healthy human being. Vividly reflecting the spiritual status of Xavier, Niska and Elijah, is their amount of mental and physical trauma, which is minimized when rooted in a fixed, adaptable personality. Xavier is the prime example of an individual whose disposition itself promotes a fragile psyche, which contains a dangerously low capacity for negative emotions. Caught in the thick of the Great War, there are many instances in the novel which expose Bird’s benevolent personality in order to provide a reason for the corporeal turmoil which he endures. Xavier’s forgiving soul is illustrated multitudinously throughout the novel, emerging most prominently in his taking of Elijah’s namesake after his death, despite the dark circumstances surrounding it (375). Not confined to sorrow based solely on human tragedy, Xavier takes pity on even the lesser forms of life, which are senselessly destroyed as a result of the war. This universal respect for entities is present when he refuses to sweep the swallow’s nest from his cabin window. This defiance initiates his explicit description of Elijah’s carrying out of the terrible deed: Two [birds] are lifeless, killed instantly by the fall. The third raises its featherless head, bewildered, its eyes large and round above its small yellow beak. Its tiny wings beat frantically on the floor, then more slowly. The mother bird cries out. The baby swallow’s lids sink and it ceases to move. I turn my head away from all of them. (Boyden 258) Inherently, Xavier is a character who easily becomes sick with depression due to his compassionate nature, hindering him in certain situations, yet proving to be essential to his maintained Aboriginal perspective as his time spent in the war increases. He deems the west to be a â€Å"strange place where the entire world’s trouble explodes† (22), and it is therefore inevitable that his extensive exposure to the war-torn battlefields of Europe instigates his severe mental strain. Discretely physical, alternatively, is his involuntary ingestion of morphine, which only serves to numb his senses into weakness, threatening his life when he enters withdrawal (289). Despite these eminent dangers to Xavier’s mental and physical state, however, it is his spiritual fortitude which enables both his mind and body to be salvaged by Niska via the matatosowin, or purification ceremony which customarily follows the three day voyage by which a Cree returns to his/her people after a long absence. As explained by Neta Gordon, the event marks a certain: â€Å"†¦constructive deconstruction, and a forward-looking inclination towards healing and hope† (2). Xavier’s symbolic journey represents not the death of his physical body, but the annihilation of the last wemistikoshiw remnant clouding his sanity – his addiction to morphine. In spite of the wide variety of factors hindering Xavier’s will to survive, he is able to outlive his anarchic environment by accessing his actively ethical and tempered personality. Niska is very similar to her nephew in this respect, withstanding an onslaught of traumatizing circumstances back in Canada which test her bodily and cranial stature. Unlike Xavier, however, she is adept in her esoteric self-sufficiency (35), being able to distract her corporeal self from pending danger by actualizing her love of anecdotes. The primary medium she accomplishes this through is her participation in speech craft, which she uses to listen to and project tribal stories as a means of satiating her spiritual hunger (Bohr). A consistent theme embedded within the novel is Niska’s own retelling of her life to Xavier, as embodied by a quote: â€Å"Words are all I have now. I’ve lived alone so long that I’m [Niska] starved to talk† (89). Even earlier in her life than Xavier, the Cree woman develops the aptitude for developing a thick skin via the harnessing emotions such as heartbreak for conversion to wisdom. Her exposure to the Frenchman is notable in this regard. It serves Niska as an impetus through which she begins to develop a mature, progressive outlook on life. Reminiscing about this boost to her spiritual immune system, she says, â€Å"I was young, and the emotions of the young are as strong a pull as the arctic tides that suck fishermen’s canoes out into the bay to be lost forever† (165). In this way, she is able to look back on the event of the European’s quick departure after their first sexual encounter, and understand its arrogant, chauvinistic connotations (135). Upon adaptation to her current situation, she achieves a level of spiritual purity mutual to that of Xavier. With this in mind, it is only through the undamaged will of both Niska and Xavier that he is cleansed of the complete collapse of self which foreruns death (379), and partakes in the â€Å"physical necessity† (Gordon 4) which allows him to survive the ordeal. Were it not for the complimentary moral steadfastness of these two characters, each would have been subjected to profound devastation, with one of them perishing, only to leave the other in a state of mourning over the severing of her last, greatest familial connection. Such an anchored identity is devoid in Elijah’s life, however, as exemplified through his deteriorating eupepsia, which reaches its apex at his demise. At the heart of Elijah’s ambiguous, conditional personality is his unending thirst for exhilaration as a form of immediate gratification. Saturated by the empiricism of the residential schools, which deny the existence of all aboriginal deities, Elijah thrives on the seemingly transcendent feeling of adrenaline coursing through his veins. When Xavier ponders the spreading of a forest fire into the town they reside in before the war, Elijah responds with: â€Å"Can you imagine anything more glorious? † (Boyden 142), thereby manifesting his twisted disposition towards fear, while also foreshadowing his eventual descent into lunacy. Lieutenant Breech’s evaluation of the aboriginal people finds a portion of truth in Elijah, since metaphorically, his blood really is, â€Å"†¦closer to that of an animal than that of a man,† (101). In order to subconsciously override this perverted perspective in favour of a religious outlook, he turns to the recreational use of morphine, which is present in high amounts amongst his brother in arms, Grey Eyes. When describing its effects, Elijah says: â€Å"It allowed me to leave my body and see what was around me. I see how it could be a very powerful tool in a place like this† (128). By no coincidence, this passage occurs at around the same point where Elijah loses his knowledge of the aboriginal tongue, and thus, becomes linguistically assimilated by his fellow soldiers. The morphine hollows Elijah’s soul and accelerates his acculturation, causing him to pursue pleasure and meaning from killing (283), through which he attains the spontaneous euphoria which he craves. Instead of discovering the spiritual intelligence and purpose of which his life is bankrupt, he loses grasp on the distinction of reality and fantasy, with Xavier exclaiming late in the novel that, â€Å"†¦he [Elijah] walks with one foot in this world, [and] one firmly planted in the other world† (334). Additionally, the morphine ingestion was meant to rid him of his inner demons, such as his previously stated animalistic tendencies. Instead, it only serves to sharpen these instincts, and feed them with a profound apathy that enables Elijah to live without fear of moral consequences (212). This quickly advances into an addiction which exceeds recreational foundations in favour of unbridled dependence, and is the primary reason for Elijah’s eventual metamorphosis into a walking anathema. As stated by the author, Vikki Visvis, â€Å"Elijah’s windigo state is part shell shock, part morphine emotional addiction induced by European contact, and part internalized racism learned at residential schools† (Visvis 223). Therefore, Elijah’s downward spiral into death was not based significantly on his overuse of morphine, but his spiritual surrender to the drug. Over time his relationship with Grey Eyes (Boyden 313) becomes one which is entirely centered on the drug, and is therefore, not a true relationship at all, but an uninvolved, symbiotic connection existing only to satiate dark indulgences of a stereotypical windigo. The notion of relationships present in the lives of Xavier, Niska, and Elijah reveals, through their level of social authenticity, how completely they have become absorbed into the world of the wemistikoshiw. Xavier’s relationship with the Ontario Rifles can be accurately described as precarious and fluctuant. He refuses to socialize with the vast majority of his wartime acquaintances met during the war, with the exception of war veterans Thompson and General McCann (317). Bird reveres the two, figuring that they have each tolerated war for many years without cracking under its sinister pressure. The fact that Bird respects their capacity for bodily toil without the use of morphine indicates an avid understanding of both the war’s potential dangers, and its ability to corrupt those not willing to remain immovably independent from its paradigms. When describing the nature of the Great War, Xavier personifies it as a monster which hungers for the bodies of soldiers (73), thus explaining the prayers he sends to Gitchi Manitou, requesting a safe return home to his aunt in Moose Factory (237). Consequently, Xavier’s seclusion from the vast majority of the Ontario Rifles flourishes, and is only ompounded by his unwillingness to learn English and loss of hearing (227). Bird, however, is dynamic in his relationships on occasion, as with the case of his pseudo-lover, Lisette. Initially, Xavier believes her to be an innocent soul who is untouched by the hedonism and selfishness of the West, swiftly proceeding into what he believes to be a loving relationship with her (159 ). He is overwhelmed with feelings of aching for her not long afterwards, deciding to disobey the orders of his superiors and return to the town where they met. He is unexpected met with animosity from the girl, who turns out to be not as authentic as she first appeared: â€Å"’You can’t stay, Indian boy,’ she whispers. My stomach feels as if it has been punched so hard that all the air has left it. ‘I am with another. He is upstairs’† (252). Crushed by the betrayal he feels upon discovering Lisette to be a prostitute, Xavier’s isolation reaches its all-time peak. Despite being left with only affection for his heritage and aunt, he remains religiously disciplined when continuing his participation in the war. By the end of the novel, Xavier completely comprehends the nature of the West’s cultural imperialism and individualistic ideals. He recognizes these traits in Elijah, causing their friendship to decay at a breakneck pace. With the established practice of Niska in mind, he carries on the legacy of the Windigo-killer, and murdering Elijah for the sake of the sane. As described by Neta Gordon: â€Å"The role of the windigo killer is taken on because it fulfills the community necessity, and, in the case of†¦Xavier, it is taken on rather inadvertently and somewhat reluctantly† (Gordon 11). Xavier’s most endearing attribute, therefore, is his independence, because it facilitates his ability glimpse at his communal surroundings objectively, and make correspondingly righteous decisions. The greatest example of an ethical figure present in the novel, however, is Niska, whose wild life alone in the bush proves to be the perfect setting for producing a terrene, detached shaman. In her epileptic visions, Niska establishes somewhat of a one-sided relationship with the conflict in Europe, which cultivates her interest of the Windigo psychosis scourging the continent. To this end, she ominously states: â€Å"The sickness of the windigo could spread as surely as the invisible sickness of the windigo† (Boyden 262). Like Xavier’s use of Thompson and McCann as moral benchmarks, Niska leans on her family for moral support throughout the novel: namely her father and sister, Rabbit. The salience of these two characters is the radically opposing symbolism which they maintain in their relationship with the bushmaster. While Rabbit teaches the Niska unconditional love through fond memories (34), her father, the late hookimaw, or village elder, instills in her a primitive sense of respect and tradition. It is from these two characters that Niska is able to educate the last of her kin, Xavier, in the ways of the Cree, and ultimately, provide him with the emotional stability necessary to survive the effects of war through what Neta Gordon calls a â€Å"detoxification† process (Gordon 4). Most prevalent and divulging of Niska’s connection with others is her role as a Windigo-killer, which implies an acute responsibility for making difficult choices which often contradict what is deemed to be ‘civilized’ (Boyden 169). Ironically, it is Niska’s solitude and right-judgment which give her the reputation as what Xavier, and undoubtedly many others call a â€Å"†¦ good and crazy woman† (221). In actuality, Niska’s actions exude wisdom, pragmatism, and an authentic desire to obliterate the radiating wreckage of the Windigo. The malfunctioned motivations of a windigo cannot warrant animosity on their own, and rely on the destructive actions of characters like Elijah to animate their nature. As described by Joseph Boyden: â€Å"He [Elijah] isn’t grounded in his place or culture, and this ends up being very damaging to him† (Wyile 230). Incessant boasting is what is most easily evident in his demeanor, with Xavier pointing out a multitude of situations in which Elijah can be found falsely glorifying himself due to his emotional insecurity (Boyden 77). At one point in the novel, Xavier declares: I look around and realize that I know very few men by name any more. So many have come and gone that I’ve lost track. Amazingly, Elijah seems to know all of them, acts as if he’s known them for years. 243) The white-washed Weesacheejak is only capable of establishing superficial relationships with the other soldiers by donning a â€Å"mask† (314) which, in reality, distances him further from his allies than even Xavier does. A will to dominate sprouts from his impersonal approach to friendship, resulting in the fiery approach to human interaction that is demonstrated in Weesacheejak’s relationship with Peggy. When scouting one day with Xavier, he says, quite irrelevantly, â€Å"I am better than Peggy. He cannot take a scalp. He cannot do what I do† (246). Elijah’s attitudes towards superseding others are crystallized in his love for flying, since it entails an elevated level of importance in comparison to civilization, which is largely terrestrial. Ironically, when he does experience flight for the first time in an aero plane, it brings him a great pain, (331) thus foreshadowing the untimely demise of which he experiences by the novel’s close, which is brought about by his greed for contention. Most detrimental to Elijah’s psyche, undoubtedly, is his swift acceptance of western customs and paradigms, which is demonstrated by his conformity to the warmongering attitudes of his colleagues. Elijah’s bloodlust steadily increases throughout the duration of the novel, earning him medals of honour for his â€Å"unmatched bravery† in the face of battle (254). What these medals symbolize is a complete forfeit of his kinship with the Cree, a culture which preaches the sanctity of every form of life. Additionally, the medals indicate the completeness of Elijah’s assimilation into Europe’s wartime effort, and the connotations of selfishness which fester in its nucleus. Deranged and unsatisfied with even this acknowledgement, however, Elijah’s desire for human flesh continues to define him to the point of unsuccessfully assaulting Xavier, and dying in the process. He is the epitome of a non-Aboriginal, having always having what Xavier calls a â€Å"†¦gift for the wemistikoshiw language† (59). Elijah does not discover other people, which soils the seed of a robust relationship, but uses them as devices for augmenting his ego in a fashion typical of both an avaricious European and the Windigo. The purpose of Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden is to introduce the Windigo’s infectious and corrosive potential for spiritual defilement through the personalities of Xavier, Niska and Elijah via their cultural adherence, contrasting health, and dynamic relationships. The degree to which these three protagonists repel or embrace attitudes characteristic of the Windigo determines their physical, mental, and spiritual condition by the end of the anecdote. The novel’s ‘Wandering Windigo,’ Elijah, is portrayed as an individual who can find neither a form of metaphysical shelter, nor a definite identity, resulting in his decline into nothingness. In his downfall however, Elijah destroys the lives of hundreds, highlighting the necessity for Xavier’s donning of the Windigo-killer from Niska. By way of extension, Boyden speaks, via the juxtaposition of Xavier and Niska in comparison to Elijah, of the importance of the righteous, and their responsibility to eradicate evil before it is able to worsen despite the contesting pressures of one’s affiliates. Most importantly, the novel is Boyden’s plea to immerse children in the indigenous dimensions of their ethnicity and nationality in order to construct a strong sense of identity. An Aboriginal himself, Boyden describes Three Day Road as a cautionary tale (393) in which the human person is presented as a feeble, vulnerable entity which can only be sustained when its body, mind, and spirit are in communion with one another. The novel seeks to be food for thought, asking its audience how they would respond to excruciating circumstances such as war – whether they would be able to stay anchored enough to survive it, or experience the downwards spiral of the Windigo. In the course of our lives, will we journey along the road most travelled, losing ourselves to the entropic tides of conformity, or pave our own path in order to live an independent, fruitful existence? Three Day Road Arthur Joseph Boyden represents Carl Jung’s idea that humans often create a persona in order to be perceived by society in a certain way through the journey of the main character in the novel ‘Three Day Road’. Joseph Boyden illustrates the idea that war may impact someone to become something they initially weren’t. That being said, World War I, Aboriginal sniper Elijah Weesageechak becomes mentally and physically corrupted by the war, which results to his inevitable death. Further more, the loss of identity, his desire to become a war hero, and the use of morphine to escape reality caused Elijah Weesageechak to become a motionless killer.Once Elijah joined the Canadian army, he immediately did what ever he could in order to blend in with the other soldiers. Elijah had initially been able to speak English so he could communicate with the white soldiers, for he was raised by nuns in a residential school. To hide that he was an Aboriginal man, Elijah chose to adopt a British accent and speaking style when among the other soldiers. â€Å"Dear Henry, would you be a kind chap and make me a cup of tea? † (144). Elijah’s decision to not speak Cree when around his peers was his attempt to blend in with the rest of his former soldiers.Ditching his original Cree accent and adopting a British one was Elijah first step to creating his new persona. After Elijah became more familiar with the other soldiers, Corporal Thompson had chosen Elijah to be apart of a night raid. During the raid, Elijah and his best friend Xavier threw mill bombs into a German trench, thus killing the people inside. When Elijah returned to the Canadian trench, Corporal Thompson asked him if he enjoyed the night raid. Elijah responded, â€Å"It’s in my blood† (75). By doing so, Elijah had gone against the traditional Cree ways he was taught by Xavier and Niska.Instead he had modified his persona to embrace war and killing, which contradicts his ini tial belief before entering the war. That being said, it is quite evident that Elijah had disregarded his Cree traditions so he could become someone who only cared about killing and to fulfil his desired reputation as a deadly sniper. In order for Elijah to prove his killing abilities as a soldier to his peers, he begins to collect the scalps of his killings as trophies. In the novel, Elijah asks, â€Å"And what will collecting these trophies do for me? † â€Å"They will buy you honour among us† Francis says. â€Å"And we are honourable men† (204).Elijah feels as though he has to prove his killing abilities by gathering scalps so he will be accepted and favoured by his fellow soldiers. During Elijah’s quest on becoming a war hero, Elijah begins to enjoy killing and the fame that he receives from it. Elijah feels he must rise at every opportunity in order to impress his peers. An occurrence where Elijah’s persona was shown was when the Germans were retreating from a battle, and Elijah picked a target far off in the distance and shot him. The Canadian soldiers around him cheered and said that they will never see anything like that again.Elijah arrogantly responded: â€Å"Until the next time you are with me in a similar situation† (243). Elijah was unable to stop killing for he had become addicted to the fame he was rewarded with. This is revealed in the novel when Elijah says, â€Å"I’d go mad in a hospital so far away from it all† (150). Elijah’s desire to become a war hero caused him to partake in countless murders in order to impress others. He was able to do so with no emotion through his frequent use of morphine. Elijah used morphine when he participated in raids in order to get a ‘sense’ of his surroundings.Xavier description of Elijah on morphine is explained as: â€Å"But when the golden liquid is in his veins! Even at night the world is bathed in a soft light†¦He can make himself float from his body at will and look down at the world below him† (212). Elijah’s natural talent for hunting combined with his unhealthy use of morphine made him twice as dangerous. Without the morphine in his veins, Elijah became scared of the worlds, which lead him to use it more frequently. As he abused morphine, the real world became distorted. Without fear and pain, war was a game to Elijah.A game he enjoyed and became good at. Through the use of morphine, Elijah lacked an anchor to reality and because of this, killing became mechanical. An example of this is when Elijah and Xavier are on a sniping mission, they mistake a woman for an enemy and Elijah shoots her. Xavier angrily questions Elijah’s reaction to kill the woman. Elijah defends himself by responding with â€Å"I am trained not to hesitate in situations of danger† (306). Elijah’s response was robotic and emotionless. Eventually, Elijah starts to kill Canadian soldiers who get in his way.Xavier realizes Elijah has been completely broken by the war and has to be put down. Xavier is forced to kill his best friend, for the war changed him into a man he no longer knew. World War I was evidently too much for Elijah to handle. In order to fit in with the rest of the soldiers he had to throw away his Aboriginal Cree identity and adopt a British one which eventually lead to Elijah performing actions that went against the Cree traditions. That being said, he began to embrace war and killing in order to impress his fellow soldiers, as his ultimate conquest was to become a war hero.Further more, Elijah’s conscious was too powerful and filled his heart with guilt, which resulted in his use of morphine to conceal his inner emotions. With the aid of drugs, Elijah had become a mechanical killing robot whose thirst for blood was immeasurable. Unfortunately his uncontrollable actions were beginning to cause harm to his fellow peers, which resulted in the decision t o kill Elijah to protect the safety of the Canadian soldiers. Finally, Joseph Boyden illustrates the idea that the destruction of war may have an impact on one’s inner self and that fame and acceptance is something one is willing to die for. Three Day Road Wandering Windigo of the Wemistikoshiw The novel Three Day Road can be viewed as an explicit indicator as to the importance of sustaining cultural identity, and the consequences associated with its absence from any aspect of human life. The tale provides a salient setting through which this spiritual malfeasance is brought about, with much of its content consisting of the supremacy of the wemistikoshiw, or white man, over the Aboriginals in World War 1. The novel’s European setting manifests the primary cause for the spiritual bankruptcy of Elijah Weesacheejak, one of the story’s central figures and the novel’s primary thematic microcosm. Influenced deeply by Western ideals, he is said to be a windigo which, as explained by the aboriginal bushmaster, Niska, is characterized by: â€Å"†¦sadness so pure that it [shrivels] the human heart and [lets] something else grow in its place† (Boyden 261). A polar opposite to Elijah, Niska recognizes the necessity of spirituality rooted in tradition, and is able to identify the Windigo as a logical product of wemistikoshiw influence. Her nephew, Xavier, is defiantly against European conformity in much the same way, sacrificing physical well-being for the sake of the Cree culture which he cherishes and to which he hopes to return in the wake of the war. It is clear that each of these three characters is negatively affected by the widespread influence of the whites, albeit to different degrees. Each character’s amount of exposure to wemistikoshiw culture corresponds proportionately to both their bodily state by the novel’s end, and their specific levels of windigo-ism. Joseph Boyden’s Three Day Road illuminates the Windigo’s corruption of identity through the personalities of Xavier, Niska and Elijah via their cultural adherence, contrasting health, and dynamic relationships. Much like two sides of the same coin, Western and Aboriginal societies share a structural essence, but vary wildly in their fundamental ideals and respective emphases. Xavier is aware of this distinction between the two peoples, saying: â€Å"†¦I’m left wondering what connection there might be between their [the European] world and mine† (246), in a manner which would suggest that one must belong to one ‘world’ or another, but never both simultaneously. Xavier chooses to live by Aboriginal tradition, as exemplified through his frequent neglect of wemistikoshiw behaviours. A prevalent literary critic explains the significance of naming in this respect, exclaiming that the: â€Å"†¦various names ssumed by or assigned to Xavier and Elijah signify to what extent their identities are able to transcend or fall victim to [the influence of the West]†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å" (Gordon 7). The only Western name assigned to Xavier is ‘X’ in light of his extraordinary shooting precision (Boyden 109). Despite the name’s positive connotations, Bird discards it, keeping to his original alias, which is bestowed upon him by his cherished Aboriginal friends (360, 363). It is evident, then, that Xavier’s neglect of the wemistikoshiw ways runs deep, and even when facing external, culture-based adversity, becoming an outcast is always a preferable option to abandonment of his tradition. Unlike the other soldiers, Xavier never acquires even the slightest appetite for killing, believing it to be wasteful in the context of war, since there is nothing to be gained but fresh supplies of bloodshed (Bohr). Initially, Xavier is revolted by the sight of death soon after he witnesses it devastate a German, saying, â€Å"The image of the soldier’s head exploding makes may stomach churn† (Boyden 88). In order to remedy this spiritual deficit he associates with letting the lives of other be wasted, Bird turns to prayer, which keeps him centered and stable within the comfort of his cultural roots. Over the entire course of the novel, Xavier never once forgets the importance of his background in regards to his current situation, meaning that he remains metaphysically anchored in spite of his foreign surroundings. Supplementary to Xavier, in terms of spiritual independence, is Niska, whose understanding of the wemistikoshiw transcends that of every other character in the novel, and stems from both her experiential knowledge of Western culture and the windigo. An objectivist to the core, Niska represents an archetype of cultural wisdom, as described by Joseph Boyden: â€Å"I wanted her to be a strong woman who was doing this [being a woman of the bush] despite what everyone says about her and the toughness of her existence†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Wylie 229). Niska is exposed to the horrors of the world at an early age, witnessing events such as her father’s murder of one of her fellow Cree gone windigo (Boyden 45). This coupled with her being used sexually by the Frenchman, who claimed to have â€Å"†¦fucked ahcahk, [her] spirit† (174), out of lustful capitalism creates a perfect storm of familiarity with the human condition within her. Niska realizes that the man-made society of the whites further pronounces the flaws of the human spirit, thereby differentiating between her culture and that of the emistikoshiw. She explains this difference early on in the novel, by way of her epileptic visions: â€Å"No one is safe in such times, not even the Cree of the Mushkegowuk. War touches everyone, and windigos spring from the earth† (49). In order to prevent the mingling of Aboriginal and European lifestyles, she completely refuses to submit to the will of the wemistikoshiw, even when forced to live in one of their resi dential schools as a young girl. The bushmaster neglects even menial compulsories, such as hair-cutting, saying, â€Å"They were going to remove the black hair that reached my waist as a symbol of wemistikoshiw authority, of our [the Cree’s] defeat† (93). Coming from a long line of Cree chieftains, Niska not only seeks to avoid the company of windigos, but also is obligated to dispose of them in the best interest of her fellow aboriginals (48). Niska’s comprehension of selfishness’ presence in both the wemistikoshiw and the Windigo contribute to her consequent avoidance of the two, and in turn, her unwavering state of impeccable spiritual stagnancy throughout the novel. Contrarily, Elijah succumbs completely to the culture of the white man, becoming immersed in its ideals and pursuits to the point of morphing into a fully fledged windigo. The reason for Weesacheejak’s uprooted spiritual state can be traced back to his upbringing, which consisted of an intensely ambiguous cultural identity. Growing up in residential schools for much of his life, Elijah is brainwashed into thinking of the Aboriginals as a â€Å"†¦backwards people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (56) by the nuns who live with him. The seeds of European identity clash with those of the Aboriginal culture when he is adopted by Niska, and resultantly, a fragile concept of cultural integrity emerges within him. This identity crisis contributes significantly to his inevitable saturation into the violence of the West, as described by the author Vikki Visvis: â€Å"†¦ Elijah’s perverted determination is primarily the product of the wartime environment, which is an inherently Western endeavor† (273). Elijah learns, very much unhealthily, that identity is malleable, and depends entirely on circumstance rather than individual character. This lack of oneness can be examined easily through his acts in The Great War, which consist of both the impulsive murder and the desecration of his victims (Boyden 310). Elijah’s lack of cultural foundation is responsible for each of these atrocities, and he believes that by committing acts such as scalping those he kills, he is somehow able to absorb a portion of their spirit. Xavier describes Elijah’s carnage as a â€Å"†¦spark which fills his belly when it gnaws for food (200),† thereby pronouncing the young man’s profound emotional imbalances. Elijah’s reliance on the mastery he achieves by ‘owning’ the flesh of his victims is hauntingly reminiscent of the definition of the Windigo, and this is no accident made by Boyden. Despite his inferiority to Xavier in regards to his skills in marksmanship (78), it is he, not his Cree companion who yearns for the blood of his enemies. Such a skewed perspective which testifies to the irrelevant nature of morality can be attributed to the boy’s faithless and marred upbringing. Like a true Windigo, it is Elijah’s lack of cultural backbone which provokes the collapse of his soul, as he contains no trace of the fundamental axioms required in the construction of a spiritually healthy human being. Vividly reflecting the spiritual status of Xavier, Niska and Elijah, is their amount of mental and physical trauma, which is minimized when rooted in a fixed, adaptable personality. Xavier is the prime example of an individual whose disposition itself promotes a fragile psyche, which contains a dangerously low capacity for negative emotions. Caught in the thick of the Great War, there are many instances in the novel which expose Bird’s benevolent personality in order to provide a reason for the corporeal turmoil which he endures. Xavier’s forgiving soul is illustrated multitudinously throughout the novel, emerging most prominently in his taking of Elijah’s namesake after his death, despite the dark circumstances surrounding it (375). Not confined to sorrow based solely on human tragedy, Xavier takes pity on even the lesser forms of life, which are senselessly destroyed as a result of the war. This universal respect for entities is present when he refuses to sweep the swallow’s nest from his cabin window. This defiance initiates his explicit description of Elijah’s carrying out of the terrible deed: Two [birds] are lifeless, killed instantly by the fall. The third raises its featherless head, bewildered, its eyes large and round above its small yellow beak. Its tiny wings beat frantically on the floor, then more slowly. The mother bird cries out. The baby swallow’s lids sink and it ceases to move. I turn my head away from all of them. (Boyden 258) Inherently, Xavier is a character who easily becomes sick with depression due to his compassionate nature, hindering him in certain situations, yet proving to be essential to his maintained Aboriginal perspective as his time spent in the war increases. He deems the west to be a â€Å"strange place where the entire world’s trouble explodes† (22), and it is therefore inevitable that his extensive exposure to the war-torn battlefields of Europe instigates his severe mental strain. Discretely physical, alternatively, is his involuntary ingestion of morphine, which only serves to numb his senses into weakness, threatening his life when he enters withdrawal (289). Despite these eminent dangers to Xavier’s mental and physical state, however, it is his spiritual fortitude which enables both his mind and body to be salvaged by Niska via the matatosowin, or purification ceremony which customarily follows the three day voyage by which a Cree returns to his/her people after a long absence. As explained by Neta Gordon, the event marks a certain: â€Å"†¦constructive deconstruction, and a forward-looking inclination towards healing and hope† (2). Xavier’s symbolic journey represents not the death of his physical body, but the annihilation of the last wemistikoshiw remnant clouding his sanity – his addiction to morphine. In spite of the wide variety of factors hindering Xavier’s will to survive, he is able to outlive his anarchic environment by accessing his actively ethical and tempered personality. Niska is very similar to her nephew in this respect, withstanding an onslaught of traumatizing circumstances back in Canada which test her bodily and cranial stature. Unlike Xavier, however, she is adept in her esoteric self-sufficiency (35), being able to distract her corporeal self from pending danger by actualizing her love of anecdotes. The primary medium she accomplishes this through is her participation in speech craft, which she uses to listen to and project tribal stories as a means of satiating her spiritual hunger (Bohr). A consistent theme embedded within the novel is Niska’s own retelling of her life to Xavier, as embodied by a quote: â€Å"Words are all I have now. I’ve lived alone so long that I’m [Niska] starved to talk† (89). Even earlier in her life than Xavier, the Cree woman develops the aptitude for developing a thick skin via the harnessing emotions such as heartbreak for conversion to wisdom. Her exposure to the Frenchman is notable in this regard. It serves Niska as an impetus through which she begins to develop a mature, progressive outlook on life. Reminiscing about this boost to her spiritual immune system, she says, â€Å"I was young, and the emotions of the young are as strong a pull as the arctic tides that suck fishermen’s canoes out into the bay to be lost forever† (165). In this way, she is able to look back on the event of the European’s quick departure after their first sexual encounter, and understand its arrogant, chauvinistic connotations (135). Upon adaptation to her current situation, she achieves a level of spiritual purity mutual to that of Xavier. With this in mind, it is only through the undamaged will of both Niska and Xavier that he is cleansed of the complete collapse of self which foreruns death (379), and partakes in the â€Å"physical necessity† (Gordon 4) which allows him to survive the ordeal. Were it not for the complimentary moral steadfastness of these two characters, each would have been subjected to profound devastation, with one of them perishing, only to leave the other in a state of mourning over the severing of her last, greatest familial connection. Such an anchored identity is devoid in Elijah’s life, however, as exemplified through his deteriorating eupepsia, which reaches its apex at his demise. At the heart of Elijah’s ambiguous, conditional personality is his unending thirst for exhilaration as a form of immediate gratification. Saturated by the empiricism of the residential schools, which deny the existence of all aboriginal deities, Elijah thrives on the seemingly transcendent feeling of adrenaline coursing through his veins. When Xavier ponders the spreading of a forest fire into the town they reside in before the war, Elijah responds with: â€Å"Can you imagine anything more glorious? † (Boyden 142), thereby manifesting his twisted disposition towards fear, while also foreshadowing his eventual descent into lunacy. Lieutenant Breech’s evaluation of the aboriginal people finds a portion of truth in Elijah, since metaphorically, his blood really is, â€Å"†¦closer to that of an animal than that of a man,† (101). In order to subconsciously override this perverted perspective in favour of a religious outlook, he turns to the recreational use of morphine, which is present in high amounts amongst his brother in arms, Grey Eyes. When describing its effects, Elijah says: â€Å"It allowed me to leave my body and see what was around me. I see how it could be a very powerful tool in a place like this† (128). By no coincidence, this passage occurs at around the same point where Elijah loses his knowledge of the aboriginal tongue, and thus, becomes linguistically assimilated by his fellow soldiers. The morphine hollows Elijah’s soul and accelerates his acculturation, causing him to pursue pleasure and meaning from killing (283), through which he attains the spontaneous euphoria which he craves. Instead of discovering the spiritual intelligence and purpose of which his life is bankrupt, he loses grasp on the distinction of reality and fantasy, with Xavier exclaiming late in the novel that, â€Å"†¦he [Elijah] walks with one foot in this world, [and] one firmly planted in the other world† (334). Additionally, the morphine ingestion was meant to rid him of his inner demons, such as his previously stated animalistic tendencies. Instead, it only serves to sharpen these instincts, and feed them with a profound apathy that enables Elijah to live without fear of moral consequences (212). This quickly advances into an addiction which exceeds recreational foundations in favour of unbridled dependence, and is the primary reason for Elijah’s eventual metamorphosis into a walking anathema. As stated by the author, Vikki Visvis, â€Å"Elijah’s windigo state is part shell shock, part morphine emotional addiction induced by European contact, and part internalized racism learned at residential schools† (Visvis 223). Therefore, Elijah’s downward spiral into death was not based significantly on his overuse of morphine, but his spiritual surrender to the drug. Over time his relationship with Grey Eyes (Boyden 313) becomes one which is entirely centered on the drug, and is therefore, not a true relationship at all, but an uninvolved, symbiotic connection existing only to satiate dark indulgences of a stereotypical windigo. The notion of relationships present in the lives of Xavier, Niska, and Elijah reveals, through their level of social authenticity, how completely they have become absorbed into the world of the wemistikoshiw. Xavier’s relationship with the Ontario Rifles can be accurately described as precarious and fluctuant. He refuses to socialize with the vast majority of his wartime acquaintances met during the war, with the exception of war veterans Thompson and General McCann (317). Bird reveres the two, figuring that they have each tolerated war for many years without cracking under its sinister pressure. The fact that Bird respects their capacity for bodily toil without the use of morphine indicates an avid understanding of both the war’s potential dangers, and its ability to corrupt those not willing to remain immovably independent from its paradigms. When describing the nature of the Great War, Xavier personifies it as a monster which hungers for the bodies of soldiers (73), thus explaining the prayers he sends to Gitchi Manitou, requesting a safe return home to his aunt in Moose Factory (237). Consequently, Xavier’s seclusion from the vast majority of the Ontario Rifles flourishes, and is only ompounded by his unwillingness to learn English and loss of hearing (227). Bird, however, is dynamic in his relationships on occasion, as with the case of his pseudo-lover, Lisette. Initially, Xavier believes her to be an innocent soul who is untouched by the hedonism and selfishness of the West, swiftly proceeding into what he believes to be a loving relationship with her (159 ). He is overwhelmed with feelings of aching for her not long afterwards, deciding to disobey the orders of his superiors and return to the town where they met. He is unexpected met with animosity from the girl, who turns out to be not as authentic as she first appeared: â€Å"’You can’t stay, Indian boy,’ she whispers. My stomach feels as if it has been punched so hard that all the air has left it. ‘I am with another. He is upstairs’† (252). Crushed by the betrayal he feels upon discovering Lisette to be a prostitute, Xavier’s isolation reaches its all-time peak. Despite being left with only affection for his heritage and aunt, he remains religiously disciplined when continuing his participation in the war. By the end of the novel, Xavier completely comprehends the nature of the West’s cultural imperialism and individualistic ideals. He recognizes these traits in Elijah, causing their friendship to decay at a breakneck pace. With the established practice of Niska in mind, he carries on the legacy of the Windigo-killer, and murdering Elijah for the sake of the sane. As described by Neta Gordon: â€Å"The role of the windigo killer is taken on because it fulfills the community necessity, and, in the case of†¦Xavier, it is taken on rather inadvertently and somewhat reluctantly† (Gordon 11). Xavier’s most endearing attribute, therefore, is his independence, because it facilitates his ability glimpse at his communal surroundings objectively, and make correspondingly righteous decisions. The greatest example of an ethical figure present in the novel, however, is Niska, whose wild life alone in the bush proves to be the perfect setting for producing a terrene, detached shaman. In her epileptic visions, Niska establishes somewhat of a one-sided relationship with the conflict in Europe, which cultivates her interest of the Windigo psychosis scourging the continent. To this end, she ominously states: â€Å"The sickness of the windigo could spread as surely as the invisible sickness of the windigo† (Boyden 262). Like Xavier’s use of Thompson and McCann as moral benchmarks, Niska leans on her family for moral support throughout the novel: namely her father and sister, Rabbit. The salience of these two characters is the radically opposing symbolism which they maintain in their relationship with the bushmaster. While Rabbit teaches the Niska unconditional love through fond memories (34), her father, the late hookimaw, or village elder, instills in her a primitive sense of respect and tradition. It is from these two characters that Niska is able to educate the last of her kin, Xavier, in the ways of the Cree, and ultimately, provide him with the emotional stability necessary to survive the effects of war through what Neta Gordon calls a â€Å"detoxification† process (Gordon 4). Most prevalent and divulging of Niska’s connection with others is her role as a Windigo-killer, which implies an acute responsibility for making difficult choices which often contradict what is deemed to be ‘civilized’ (Boyden 169). Ironically, it is Niska’s solitude and right-judgment which give her the reputation as what Xavier, and undoubtedly many others call a â€Å"†¦ good and crazy woman† (221). In actuality, Niska’s actions exude wisdom, pragmatism, and an authentic desire to obliterate the radiating wreckage of the Windigo. The malfunctioned motivations of a windigo cannot warrant animosity on their own, and rely on the destructive actions of characters like Elijah to animate their nature. As described by Joseph Boyden: â€Å"He [Elijah] isn’t grounded in his place or culture, and this ends up being very damaging to him† (Wyile 230). Incessant boasting is what is most easily evident in his demeanor, with Xavier pointing out a multitude of situations in which Elijah can be found falsely glorifying himself due to his emotional insecurity (Boyden 77). At one point in the novel, Xavier declares: I look around and realize that I know very few men by name any more. So many have come and gone that I’ve lost track. Amazingly, Elijah seems to know all of them, acts as if he’s known them for years. 243) The white-washed Weesacheejak is only capable of establishing superficial relationships with the other soldiers by donning a â€Å"mask† (314) which, in reality, distances him further from his allies than even Xavier does. A will to dominate sprouts from his impersonal approach to friendship, resulting in the fiery approach to human interaction that is demonstrated in Weesacheejak’s relationship with Peggy. When scouting one day with Xavier, he says, quite irrelevantly, â€Å"I am better than Peggy. He cannot take a scalp. He cannot do what I do† (246). Elijah’s attitudes towards superseding others are crystallized in his love for flying, since it entails an elevated level of importance in comparison to civilization, which is largely terrestrial. Ironically, when he does experience flight for the first time in an aero plane, it brings him a great pain, (331) thus foreshadowing the untimely demise of which he experiences by the novel’s close, which is brought about by his greed for contention. Most detrimental to Elijah’s psyche, undoubtedly, is his swift acceptance of western customs and paradigms, which is demonstrated by his conformity to the warmongering attitudes of his colleagues. Elijah’s bloodlust steadily increases throughout the duration of the novel, earning him medals of honour for his â€Å"unmatched bravery† in the face of battle (254). What these medals symbolize is a complete forfeit of his kinship with the Cree, a culture which preaches the sanctity of every form of life. Additionally, the medals indicate the completeness of Elijah’s assimilation into Europe’s wartime effort, and the connotations of selfishness which fester in its nucleus. Deranged and unsatisfied with even this acknowledgement, however, Elijah’s desire for human flesh continues to define him to the point of unsuccessfully assaulting Xavier, and dying in the process. He is the epitome of a non-Aboriginal, having always having what Xavier calls a â€Å"†¦gift for the wemistikoshiw language† (59). Elijah does not discover other people, which soils the seed of a robust relationship, but uses them as devices for augmenting his ego in a fashion typical of both an avaricious European and the Windigo. The purpose of Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden is to introduce the Windigo’s infectious and corrosive potential for spiritual defilement through the personalities of Xavier, Niska and Elijah via their cultural adherence, contrasting health, and dynamic relationships. The degree to which these three protagonists repel or embrace attitudes characteristic of the Windigo determines their physical, mental, and spiritual condition by the end of the anecdote. The novel’s ‘Wandering Windigo,’ Elijah, is portrayed as an individual who can find neither a form of metaphysical shelter, nor a definite identity, resulting in his decline into nothingness. In his downfall however, Elijah destroys the lives of hundreds, highlighting the necessity for Xavier’s donning of the Windigo-killer from Niska. By way of extension, Boyden speaks, via the juxtaposition of Xavier and Niska in comparison to Elijah, of the importance of the righteous, and their responsibility to eradicate evil before it is able to worsen despite the contesting pressures of one’s affiliates. Most importantly, the novel is Boyden’s plea to immerse children in the indigenous dimensions of their ethnicity and nationality in order to construct a strong sense of identity. An Aboriginal himself, Boyden describes Three Day Road as a cautionary tale (393) in which the human person is presented as a feeble, vulnerable entity which can only be sustained when its body, mind, and spirit are in communion with one another. The novel seeks to be food for thought, asking its audience how they would respond to excruciating circumstances such as war – whether they would be able to stay anchored enough to survive it, or experience the downwards spiral of the Windigo. In the course of our lives, will we journey along the road most travelled, losing ourselves to the entropic tides of conformity, or pave our own path in order to live an independent, fruitful existence?