Negative Impacts of Disney Speech

A word that connotes childhood enjoyment, its messages of love and happiness influencing us for the better. This is exactly what Disney would like us to believe. Despite what they say, there is a sinister side to this innocence. Its messages have been corrupting our poor, unsuspecting children. How beauty is imperative in order to succeed in life; how only the beautiful can achieve their own ‘happy ending; how people who are less than ‘perfect' are dark and evil.How can anyone truly feel comfortable with themselves, when such horrifying messages have subconsciously consumed our minds? We are all being duped, being influenced into worshipping Disney; what child in this world can claim not to have watched or heard of Disney? But this corruption does not stop at DVDs. It continues to emerge in toys, clothes, furniture, even technology. It has taken over our lives.Young children are being preyed upon by scavenging eagles rampaging for money from our naive purses; Disneys annu al revenue for 2012 was $45 billion, insinuating how much a childhood depends on Disney's merchandise. With intellect such as yourselves, you must see the ulterior motives of Disney, but ost importantly, the detrimental effects this is having on our young children. Prejudice and sexist views are being embedded into the innocent minds of today, continuously influencing their thoughts and processes.Does this seem fair to you? To allow this company the right to poison young, ignorant minds is revolting. The protagonist from the childhood classic ‘Cinderella', for example, is subliminally portrayed to have a lack of independence and aspirations for her life. According to Cinderella's creators, a women's main duty is to slave for people of higher class by erforming derogatory tasks. However can we expect sexist views to disappear when they are being promoted through children's television.When she at last breaks free of this ridiculous stereotype, she is not saved by her own perseve rance and determination, but rather by impressing a wealthy prince with her looks. Even for this she must be beautiful and ‘perfect'- not in her usual attire of maid's clothes! Girls are being taught that masquerading their true identity is necessary for a better life. And people wonder why women from a young age overuse makeup. Young children are eing taught that a piece of cloth will make all their problems disappear. Does this sound like a fair representation of life to you?How can we expect to produce hardworking, independent women if they are constantly reminded that ‘looking nice' is all that matters? Disney always plays to the same stereotype: the beautiful woman has to be saved by ‘prince charming for her life to get better. Does this seem realistic to you? Does this seem like a world striving for equality? The hypocrisy is sickening. Self-consciousness is also promoted by Disney's ‘princesses', which can lead to erious repercussions such as depressio n and eating-related disorders.From such a young age it is embedded into our minds that a sizeO body is needed to achieve happiness. How can the constant hopelessness felt by impressionable teenagers of pin-sized and hair not thick and glossy. What does this say about Disney: delusional, thoughtless and sexist. Stop this disgusting behavior on Disney's part now! Speak up and protect the children of the world from untrue stereotypes and plastic idols. As long as you speak up, we can abolish these sickening pressures put upon young women.

Cba 300 Ch 1 Notes

CBA 300—Section 01 ? Dr. Sam Min CBA353 ? Office Hours: Friday 8:00am – 10:00am ? Read your text book first, come & take notes, and read newspapers ? Tests are straightforward, text, weakly reading, and lectures TEST 1 September 14 Chapters 1, 2, 3 TEST 2 October 5 Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7 TEST 3 October 26 Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11 TEST 4 November 16 Chapters 12, 13, 14, 15 FINAL Final Week Chapters 16, 17, 18 Assignments & in-class activities Total (50 points) (50 points) (50 points) (50 points) (50 points) (30 points) 280 points CBA 300—Section 01 †¢ The grading system will be as follows: Total points Possible: 280 252 and more = A 224 to 251 = B 196 to 223 = C 168 to 195 = D Less than 167 = F 2 3 ASSIGNMENTS 1-5 Please read any article of your interest, which is related to International Business and (1) summarize the article (1/2 page) and (2) discuss what you learned from reading the article (1/2 page). †¢ Do not write more than 1 page. †¢ Use 12 font size, 1. 5 spaced, 1-inch margins, and Times New Roman. This assignment is worth maximum 4 points. Due is on each testing date! 4 Chapter 1 – The Challenging World of International Business International Business 13e by Ball, Geringer, McNett, and Minor 5 Why you need global business perspective? †¢ â€Å"Having a foreign perspective gives you an advantage not only for doing business outside U. S. but domestically, where we have the most diverse society in the world. † – Carlos Gutierrez, the CEO of Kellogg & US 35th Secretary of Commerce 6CEOs of Fortune’s larges American corporations strongly believe: (1) An international orientation should be an important part of college business education (2) International business skills and knowledge were important not merely for promotion to senior executive positions, but also for appointment to entry-level positions, and across a broad array of functional as well as cross-functional areas (3) The above two p oints are even more important for those anticipating international activities increase in the next five years. 7 My suggestions 1) Take IB course(s) (2) Consider going overseas (exchange program, intern, English teacher, volunteer, mission, etc. ) (3) Learn foreign language 8 Topics †¢ What is international business? †¢ IB Concepts and seven dimensions for globalizing a business †¢ What is different about international business? †¢ Growth of international firms and IB †¢ What is globalization? †¢ The drivers of globalization 9 What is International Business? †¢ International Business (IB): any business transaction across national borders – Trade in goods – Cross-border services ? consulting, advertising, egal, financial, accounting ? tourism, banking, communications/media, construction management, etc. †¢ Company activity inputs may involve IB activity even if outputs do not – Firm’s revenues may come entirely from the home country – Key raw materials, knowledge, processes may come partially or entirely from other countries Concepts of International Companies A Multidomestic Company has multi-country affiliates, each of which formulates its own business strategy based on perceived market difference A Global Company attempts to standardize and integrate operations worldwide in all functional areas. 1 The 7 Dimensions for Globalizing a Business 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 1-12 Product Markets Promotion Where value is added Competitive strategy Use of non-home-country personnel Extent of global ownership in firm What is Different about International Business? International Business †¢ deals with 3 environmental forces: 1. Domestic 2. Foreign 3. International Domestic Business †¢ deals with the domestic market †¢ But†¦may face foreign competition in domestic market 1-13 Why is International Business Different? : Forces in the Environment ?Environmental forces can be classified as external or internal. †¢ External forces are uncontrollable, but perhaps can be influenced by mgmt. †¢ Internal forces are controllable by mgmt, but not completely. 14 External Forces †¢ Competitive – Kind, number, location †¢ Distributive – For distributing goods and services †¢ Economic – GNP, unit labor cost, personal consumption expenditure †¢ Socioeconomic – Characteristics of human population †¢ Financial – Interest rates, inflation rates, taxation 15 External Forces, cont’d. Legal – Laws governing how international firms must operate †¢ Physical – Topography, climate, and natural resources †¢ Political – Forms of government, and international organizations †¢ Sociocultural – Attitudes, beliefs, and opinions †¢ Labor – Skills, attitudes of labor †¢ Technological – Equipment and skills that affect how resources are converted to produ cts 16 Internal Environmental Forces †¢ Factors of Production – Capital, raw materials, and people †¢ Activities of the organization – Personnel, finance, production, and marketing 17Explosive Growth †¢ Exporting – transportation of any domestic good/service to a destination outside a country or region – The level of world merchandise exports increased from $2 trillion (1980) to $15. 24 trillion (2010). – Service $365 billion (1980) to $3. 7 trillion (2010). 18 Growth in the volume of world merchandise exports and production, 2000-2007 2000-07 World merchandise exports Agricultural products Fuels and mining products Manufactures 5. 5 4. 0 3. 5 6. 5 2005 6. 5 6. 0 3. 5 7. 5 2006 8. 5 6. 0 3. 5 10. 0 2007 6. 0 4. 5 3. 0 7. 5World merchandise production Agriculture Mining Manufacturing World GDP 3. 0 2. 5 1. 5 3. 0 3. 0 3. 0 2. 0 1. 5 4. 0 3. 0 3. 0 1. 5 1. 0 4. 0 3. 5 4. 0 2. 5 0. 0 5. 0 3. 5 Note : See the Metadata for the estimation of world aggregates of merchandise exports, production and GDP. 19 Growth in volume of world merchandise trade and GDP, 2000-11 (Annual % change) Source: WTO 2011a: Figures of 2011 are projections 20 Explosive Growth ? Foreign Direct Investment – Direct investment in equipment, structures, and organizations in a foreign country †¢ level sufficient to obtain significant anagement control – World stock of outward FDI was $19 trillion at the beginning of 2010 (9 times larger than what it was in 1990). 21 Number of International Companies †¢ Keeps expanding and the big get bigger. – ExxonMobil sales for 2011: $486 billion – Wal-Mart sales revenue for 2011: $446 billion 22 Globalization †¢ the process of transformation of local or regional things or phenomena into global ones. – Technological globalization – Political globalization – Economic globalization – Cultural globalization 23 Globalization Economic Globalizati on – is the international integration of goods, technology, labor, and capital. – refers to the implementation of global strategies which link and coordinate a firm’s international activities on a worldwide basis. 24 Drivers of Globalization †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Political Drivers Technological Drivers Market Drivers Cost Drivers Competitive Drivers 1-25 Political – There is a trend toward the unification and socialization of the global community. – NAFTA and the European Union present significant marketing opportunities for companies. the progressive reduction of barriers to trade and foreign investment by most governments. – the privatization of much of the industry in formerly communist nations. 26 Technology – Advancements in computers and communication technology are permitting an increased flow of ideas and information across borders. †¢ The Internet and network computing enable small companies to compete globally. †¢ Business to business commerce is experiencing significant savings by using the Internet for business exchanges. †¢ Foreign outsourcing more and more common 27 Globalization Forces Market – As companies globalize, they also become global customers. †¢ Companies follow customers abroad in order to avoid a competitor stealing the account. – The saturation of the home market also sends companies into foreign markets. – Emergence of global customers 28 Cost – Economies of scale to reduce unit cost are always a management goal. †¢ Globalizing product lines to reduce development, production, and inventory costs can help achieve economies of scale. †¢ Companies can also locate production in countries where production costs are lower. 29Competitive – Competition continues to increase in intensity. – Companies are defending their home markets from competitors by entering the competitors’ home markets to dis tract them. 30 Views On Globalization Arguments Supporting Globalization †¢ Enhances socioeconomic development Concerns with Globalization †¢ Uneven results across nations and people †¢ Promotes more and better jobs †¢ †¢ Deleterious effects on labor and labor standards Decline in environmental and health conditions 1-31 $1. 25 per Euro Crude Oil ($94. 61) Gold ($1,653. 5) Corn ($8. 10 per bushel)

Motivating Employees Simulation Essay

Attrition is something that a company may experience at any time with or without notice. The company must be prepared when such a situation arises within their organization. During the interview process, key questions can be asked in order to understand the thought process of the interviewee. These questions can be related to future plans, past employment and details about specific duties the job requires. Questions relating to future plans will give the company a general idea on how long the potential employee plans on staying with the company. If they have other goals that do not meet the company expectations, this could be a sign of them using the position as a stepping stone to a better opportunity. Past employment details can show loyalty to a company. If the interviewee has moved from job to job in a short amount of time, this may display a lack of commitment and potential issues within the workplace. When asking about past employment, talk about reasons for leaving each company. This will give insight to their leaving and whether they may be a good fit. The last topic to discuss would be about specific job duties that the employee will be executing. This will give them a glimpse into the working environment and how the operation of the company works. The employee and the company will then be able to use this information and decide whether they feel each party will be satisfied with the position. During the interview and hiring process, the company will need to decide on whether they will use selection tests and other techniques to get information about the candidate. From the simulator, it did not appear that Magic Graffix was using reference checks during the hiring process. The use of reference checks, preferably professional, will allow for the company to get information from previous employers about the job performance of the candidate. It can provide information about rewards, promotions and whether  or not the performance was satisfactory. By utilizing this tool, Magic Graffix can differentiate between strong and weak candidates. Another test that can be used is a job skills test. Given that the company will be hiring for a new sector, they will want to hire experienced employees that require little or no training. Software development is a highly skilled job and a job skills test will allow the company to consider highly qualified candidates. Training can be an additional cost to the company; therefore, limiting the amount needed at time of hire will add money to the bottom profit line. In a company, it is important to provide feedback to the employees about how their job performance has been over an extended period of time. This feedback will allow for the company to share the positives and negatives regarding work related performance. There are many different ways to provide this information to the employees. Two methods that can be used are behavior-oriented rating methods and results-oriented rating methods. â€Å"Behavior-oriented rating methods focus on employee behaviors, either by comparing the performance of employees to that of other employees or by evaluating each employee in terms of performance standards without reference to others. Results-oriented rating methods place primary emphasis on what an employee produces; dollar volume of sales, number of units produced, and number of wins during a baseball season are examples.† (Cascio, 2005) Within each of these methods, there are different appraisal techniques that can be used. Work planning and review will help the company identify goals attained, problems encountered and the need for training over the given time period. This method will allow the company to set goals for their employees and accountability can be more accurately measured. Although this can be a time consuming method, it will ensure proper follow up and can set guidelines for training programs. Training opportunities will be easily identified through attainability of measurable goals. A behavioral checklist can be used to give a clear comparison across the employees. Scores will be given based on performance and job analysis. These scores can then be compared with their peers to see where opportunities can be addressed. If employees are scoring low, training can be delegated to improve performance. Questions can be asked on specific job requirements and answers will be given in the form of either always, very often, fairly often, occasionally and never. Each category will hold a numerical value and then the total number will give the employee their rating. Another form of appraisal is ranking. â€Å"Simple ranking requires only that a rater order all employees from highest to lowest, from â€Å"best† employee to â€Å"worst† employee.† (Cascio, 2005) This form can be good for making comparisons; however, it will provide very little feedback on a given individual. The best tool for Magic Graffix to use would be work planning and review. Although this will require intense and repeated follow-up, it will give the company an opportunity to identify training and development opportunities. Through the results of the Employment Satisfaction Survey, training concerns were high among all groups of workers. By setting attainable goals and properly measuring output, the company can identify the needs and have a faster resolution time. Magic Graffix is looking to expand their company and hire new talent to help them achieve this goal. Proper interview and recruitment techniques will need to be used in order to make sure only the highly qualified candidates get hired. Development of a performance appraisal plan will need to be implemented. This will allow for proper follow up and help identify opportunities in training and development. Magic Graffix is on track to succeed in their new venture as long as they continue to keep morale high and attrition low. References Cascio, Wayne F. (2005). Managing Human Resources. Chapter 9: Performance Management. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, HRM/558 website. ISBN: 9780072987324

Business opportunities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business opportunities - Essay Example The business should also possess a unique and superior way of doing things. Building an efficient scalable plan requires an entrepreneur to focus on the consumers as the critical component of the business growth. A business that values customers attracts them and enables them to spend considerably. This also ensures sustainability whereby more customers are anticipated in the future than their current numbers. A scalable plan should describe the industry of operation of the business and identify a niche that the competitors cannot fill. Focus on the business’s environment can be especially difficult if the competitors are of the same size or experience the difficulties of monopoly dominance. Once the business has identified the marketing niche, it should apply the necessary strategies that enhance its expansion into a prominent player. Health care scalable plan focuses on strategic performance, project management and process improvement (CeÃŒ line, BeÃŒ rard and Luc, Cassivi 160). The emergency management operations have been improved through improving the emergency response and crisis management. The health care has also focused on application of the technology in the improvement of the business operations and dissemination of the health information related to health. Performance has also been enhanced through improved training of the employees to equip them with the necessary information related to improved productivity in the changing health environment. How can the management tools be applied in health care to ensure

Civil Rights Movement111 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Civil Rights Movement111 - Essay Example The struggle for the basic right to be recognized as a citizen - more, as a human being, - began really during the years of slavery as is evidenced by the case Dred Scott vs. Sandford in 1857. However, as an organized movement it did not gain momentum until the pre- World War 1 years, beginning in 1905 with the formation of the Niagara Movement. For years after that, the Movement was restricted to the battleground of the courts, with only a few incidents threatening to lead to mass action. It was not till 1955, with the brutal murder of fifteen year old Emmett Till, that the black community as a whole was galvanized into action and forced the Southern states to accept integration and obtained the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The division of the Movement into these broad stages; first a period of quiet but steady legal battles followed by the transition into dramatic but nonviolent mass action is very noticeable when one follows the timeline of events. The reasons for this , I think, go back into the years of slavery and Reconstruction and it is impossible to understand the motivations and ramifications of the movement spanning World War 1 to the eighties without delving into the conditions prior to this era. The years of slavery left the majority of bla... Washington, who believed that by passive acceptance of the segregation and taking up non threatening pursuits like farming they would slowly be able to persuade the White South to accept them. It seems likely that the blacks had not yet developed the mass consciousness that is necessary to fight a battle of the proportions it later took on. The lack of education and exposure was a huge barrier to overcome at first; without any experience of other worlds many blacks did not realize that life could be significantly better This would change with time, notably during the First World War. Another hurdle, infinitely more difficult to overcome, was the 1896 Supreme Court ruling in Plessy vs. Ferguson that legalized segregation of facilities as long as they were equal. This led to the widespread abuse of the ruling in the south with facilities for blacks definitely inferior. Legally, they had no leg to stand on I fighting racism. It hampered the Movement considerably during the years up to 1 954. The development of the Movement was greatly helped by the Black Churches that were formed after segregation. The churches were more than a place for worship; they served as a political platform, as a social work organization. (Calhoun-Brown, A., 2000). It was here that they learned to survive as well as regained pride. The attitude of nonviolence that they brought to their protests later was probably a result of their church training. It was in 1905 that groups of people began to realize that the method of passive acceptance was getting them nowhere. W.E.B. DuBois, broke away from Washington and founded the Niagara Movement to fight for quality education and to end discrimination. The organization

Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Geography - Essay Example She even added that since no huge uprisings have taken place, the UN estimated a total death toll of 60,000 by the starting of 2013. The article further cites an event of airstrikes that were conducted on gas station located in the region of Damascus and the article states that Pillay’s estimates of the death toll of 60,000 might be correct. The article further states that the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights have stated that a total of 45,000 deaths have taken place and those who have died are mostly civilians living in Syria, the report provided by UN failed to distinguish whether more civilian lives or more combatants lives have been taken away (UN, 2013). Pillay further adds that if a resolution to the conflict is not figured out, soon there will be more deaths and sufferings. The most intriguing part of the entire article was not that over 60,000 lives have been taken away; the most intriguing part was Pillay’s statement that a resolution is necessary. This led me to figure out what is being done to solve the issue. To find answers I found an article written by Ayman Mohyeldin who is a correspondent with NBC News and she states that $60 million amount has been accepted by the US to give aid to the people of Syria and this aid is not lethal in nature (Mohyeldin, 2013). The article writer asserts that this kind of aid is very necessary but it is not going to be helpful in resolving the issue. The most eye catching element stated in the article is the UN has levied a ban on using arms to support the case of Syria. This is of high concern because several civilian lives have been lost in the battle and still there is no resolution and many more will be taken away until some real help in the shape of arms and ammunition and military support is extended to Syria. This is because even if the people of Syria outnumber the army, still the

SABMiller Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SABMiller - Essay Example While the company itself is in those who consume its products do not know many instances, its brands are quite popular among the consumers. In many of the African nations, in which it has businesses, the brands under SABMiller are often the most popular. SABMiller is a company that has throughout its history, displayed a high capacity for being able to manage and develop its brands to a high quality level that many of its rivals have rarely been able to match. This skilful management of its brands in different countries has enabled the company to become highly successful, as those who work for it receive a high level of training to ensure that the quality of its products is retained. The wide range of products that this company produces means that it has to hire and maintain a large workforce in order to be able to function effectively. Unlike other companies, SABMiller has since its founding, been extremely careful with the management of its staff, not only because of the need to ma ke profit continuously, but also to further the good reputation that the company has always had. Because of the skill that SABMiller has been able to display in the production of its products in diverse countries, it has been able to achieve success on the international scene where other companies take years to achieve the same. One would claim that SABMiller’s success is based not only on the quality of the company’s products, but also on the strategies that it has been able to implement to make its operations successful. This company was founded as South African Breweries towards the end of the 19th century in South Africa, and for many years afterwards, the functions of this company were restricted to Southern Africa. This is because of the fact that this company had established an overriding position in the southern African market. However, in 1990 this company decided to venture into the European market, and in 1999, it managed to get listed in the London Stock Ex change, with the intention of raising enough capital to make acquisitions. It is in 2002 that the company was able to acquire Miller Brewing Company in North America, and with this acquisition, the company chose to change its name to SABMiller (Hobday, 2002). A series of hostile takeovers in Latin America and Europe saw the swift growth of the company, and this eventually brought it to its status as the second largest brewer in the world (Bruss 2002, p.10). The company’s innovation has ensured that it has remained at the top of the world’s brewing industry and an example that can be given of this innovation, is the recent introduction of Impala Cervejas, the first cassava beer that has been produced for commercial purposes in Africa (Appropriate Technology 2012, p.23). This company has about 70000 employees all over the world and its operations have, according to its 2012 records, it managed to bring in revenue of just over 21 billion dollars (Buck 2012, p.49). In Afri ca, the activities of SABMiller are conducted in 15 countries, all of which are in the Sub-Saharan region. This company has been dominant in the region for many years and because of this, its brands are well known by the people. The large customer base of SABMiller’s products has ensured that the company has been successful in the region and has creates a loyal market for its products (Peaple, 2012). A further 21 countries in Africa are enclosed all the way through a strategic alliance with the Castel group which has ensured that SABMiller has become the largest brewer in Africa, by market share, a feat that has not been achieved by any other brewing company on the continent. In addition to the brewing activities of SABMiller in Africa, it is under license from Coca-Cola to bottle soft drinks on behalf of the latter

Huella Online Travel Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Huella Online Travel - Case Study Example was also found that the firm was viewed as risky and not very reliable especially because of perceived security and stability concerns regarding the online security. People especially feared that online purchasing exposes them to cybercriminals and hackers. Consumers need to be provided with data about the workings of the organization, in Huella’s case, many claim they only used it to check prices and compare the products to what they were getting in regular brick and mortar store (Zhou and Chan 2008). The firm needs to enlighten customers on the merits of online shopping and reduce the negative perception associated with internet business. In addition, given that most people do not even know of Huella’s existence, the firm needs to educate perspective clients through aggressive advertisement so they are both aware of the products existence and what they are used for. Most importantly however is the phobia to do business online in as much as they have been found to techno-savvy, if Huella plans on making headway in the online market, it needs must educate its customer base on online security and ensure they are aware of the security protocols in place. Given that Huella is targets clients who use frequently use the internet, the target population in the Hong Kong market is the group aged above 15 years to 45 who either were using the internet currently or were likely to become generic users of online services in the future. This group makes up approximately 59% of the population in Hong Kong (Zhou and Chan 2008), whereby the youths were especially targeted because they are the heaviest consumers of online content. Consequently, they were by virtue of that more likely to come across Huella’s services on online marketing boards as they browsed through social media sites. Before carrying out the survey, the qualitative insights for the current Huella users however have to be tested; their sample basis is approximated to have generated HK$80.7 million in

Critically evaluate the management of sustainability at Barclays Essay

Critically evaluate the management of sustainability at Barclays through the triple bottom line, and critically comment on the c - Essay Example The banking industry should be responsible for proper risk management, upholding business ethics and investor protection. However, their contribution to the society and environment by way of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is important for a sustainable growth and development in the long run. Organizational culture and management According to Yeung (2011, p. 112) the bankers shall establish positive organizational culture and socially responsible mindset in the organization and demonstrate accountability and creditability by reducing risks and enhancing quality of service to customers and community through effective and efficient internal audit. Therefore, the bankers’ primary responsibilities of accountability and creditability are very important. The Salz Review is an independent review of certain Barclays’ processes, business practices and culture.   Anthony Salz who headed the Salz Review Team observed â€Å"Despite its turbulent recent history, Barclays ha s emerged from the financial crisis, somewhat against the odds, as one of the world’s leading banks. But this has been achieved at a cost. Significant failings developed in the organisation as it grew. The absence of a common purpose or common set of values has led to conduct problems, reputational damage and a loss of public trust† (Salz Review, 2013) During the period of financial crises there has been â€Å"disproportionate sharing of risk between employees and shareholders became apparent† (Salz Review, 2013, p. 163). The report has also highlighted absence of values, cultural inconsistencies, insufficiency of strong controls, focus on financial performance, but lack of focus on development of its people that led to conduct problems, breach of regulations, investigations, litigations and loss of public trust. Also, the report suggests that Barclays has to re-establish its purpose and values with customer focussed culture by reassessing its governance and risk management. The report concludes that it will need perseverance and consistency at all levels of leadership. (Ibid, p. 164) In response to this review report Barclays (2013b, p. 1) clearly stated â€Å"The Board is committed to implementing all of the recommendations and to publishing an account of our progress in doing so going forward† It should also be remembered that the review has appreciated many other positive aspects and stated that the problems faced by Barclays are also industry problems in some ways though Barclays is cautioned about taking comfort from this. Sustainable management and Social accounting Non-financial accounting and reporting developed over years have been founded on the principles of corporate accountability. The society provides capital, resources and patronage for the growth and development of the companies. Therefore, social and economic sustainability are fundamental for the stability and growth of the commercial organizations. Sustainability accounting seeks to quantify the effects of the contributions made by the companies by way of corporate social responsibility. Barclays published 2011 Citizenship Report, its environmental and social performance for the 12th year on 26 April 2012 (Barclaysa, 2013a). The highlights include ?63.5m invested in communities, 73,000 employees involved in fundraising activities and four per cent reduction in C02 emissions, achieved ahead of our 2013 target date. Corporate Social Responsibility forms the basis for sustainable managem

Health Promotion Essay Example for Free

Health Promotion Essay In today’s society, individuals do not recognize that every phase of their life is influenced by their health. People cannot accomplish their goals in society to their full advantage when they are unhealthy. In order to help the population improve their overall health, health promotion is essential. Health promotion and its objective will be discussed in this paper. In addition, it will further examine what our responsibilities are as nurses in the structure of health promotion. Furthermore, health promotion is separated into three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention, all benefitting the individual. The U.S. Public Health Service identifies health promotion as â€Å"the process of advocating health in order to enhance the probability that personal, private, and public support of positive health practices will become a societal norm† (Edelman Mandle, 2010, p. 14). In addition to offering information to patients regarding their health, health promotion incorporates supporting patients to enhance their general well-being and recognize their individual health potential (Skybo Polivka, 2007). Health promotion provides patients with the understanding of the different elements that can alter their health and inspires them to obtain control of it (Bennett, Perry, Lawrence, 2009). As well as enhancing patient outcomes, health promotion assists in reducing costs, which are consistently rising in health care (Edelman Mandle, 2010). According to Edelman Mandel, health promotion can be used on a public level, community level, or personal level (2010). For instance, on the public level, health promotion could include granting assistance or low-income housing programs by the government. The community level might incorporate Habitat for Humanity, which is a great advantage for that particular population. Lastly, the personal level would include individuals who vote to favor programs that assist the community (Hoyle, Bartee, Allensworth, 2010). Health promotion, a frequently used phrase, is especially critical to the nursing career. It encompasses many concepts that nurses encounter daily. Because education is crucial to succeed, nurses are an essential part in health promotion. Every day, nurses provide education to their patients. To assist them in maintaining and enhancing their well-being, nursing interventions benefit individuals by expanding their resources (Edelman Mandle, 2010). Since there are various settings in nursing, this is the ideal opportunity to educate individuals. With the help of nurses, healthy communities, homes, and schools can exist with proper education. Regardless of the specialty, all nurses need to educate patients on how to remain fit so they can live a longer, healthier life. Currently, collaboration occurs with an interdisciplinary team, which all assist in improving patients’ lives. Team members may include physicians, therapists, social workers, and dietitians. By working together to create a diverse educational background, this team helps patients overcome their illnesses or helps them manage the disease affecting their life (Bennett et al., 2009). Since health promotion is employed entirely across nursing, nurses are accountable for facilitating the best outcome for each individual patient. Health promotion includes three levels; primary, secondary and tertiary (Edelman Mandle, 2010). Primary prevention includes delivering strategies and education to help patients avoid illnesses (Edelman Mandle, 2010). For example, when a nurse delivers an immunization to a patient, she educates them about the potential risks of the disease and how the immunization will help prevent them from contracting the disease. In addition to the community, primary education is also applied in schools as an informative tool, to educate students about harmful diseases such as those taught in sex education classes. This offers support to students, enabling them to make informed decisions about protecting their health from such diseases. Secondary prevention is the next level of health promotion. This includes timely diagnosis of an illness and immediate therapy (Edelman Mandle, 2010). This level aids in reducing occurrences of illness and inhibiting development between patients (Bennett et al., 2009). By offering community screenings for diabetes or hypertension, nurses are applying secondary prevention. Public health screenings allow nurses to identify potential diseases at an early stage, as well as provide the patient with beneficial information to slow the progression of the illness. Lastly, the tertiary level consists of helping the patient with rehabilitation and recovery (Edelman Mandle, 2010). This stage identifies the disease and makes the patient cognizant of their health challenges. The nurse’s role in this level is to deliver education to help reduce complications. If a patient is admitted to the hospital with a stroke, physical and occupational rehabilitation may be initiated to retain the maximum stage of function and to avoid another stroke from transpiring (Skybo Polivka, 2007). The three levels of health promotion are utilized every day and positively assist patients with improving themselves. Nursing will continually incorporate health promotion and the prevention of illnesses. To help support the best outcome for all patients, it is essential that nurses adapt to change. Primary, secondary, and tertiary are the principle levels of health promotion in the nursing profession. These three levels will contribute to patients living longer, healthier lives. References Bennett, C., Perry, J., Lawrence, Z. (2009). Promoting health in primary care. Nursing Standard, 23(47), 48-56. Retrieved from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=rzhAN=2010367201site=ehost-livescope=site Edelman, C., Mandle, C. L. (2010). Health promotions throughout the life span (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby. Hoyle, T., Bartee, R., Allensworth, D. (2010). Applying the process of health promotion in schools: A commentary. Journal Of School Health, 80(4), 163-166. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2009.00483.x. Retrieved from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=rzhAN=2010582507site=ehost-livescope=site Skybo, T., Polivka, B. (2007). Health promotion model for childhood violence prevention and exposure. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 16(1), 38-45. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2702.2006.01621.x. Retrieved from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct =truedb=rzhAN=2009481108site=ehost-livescope=site

Impact of User Fees in Healthcare

Impact of User Fees in Healthcare Introduction An old proverb offers a world of insight when it says that â€Å"health is wealth†. Truly without health nothing in life is worth it be it a million dollar Ferrari or a state of the art beach house. Looking at the statistics, the overall health of the population across the globe is deteriorating and no amount of medical technology or innovation is able to mask the fact that people are really getting sicker and need treatment. Method of payment differs from one country to another and within countries as well. The developed nations support their citizens by subsidizing health care and making it free in some cases. The developing nations have government hospitals which offer treatments at subsidized rates. The health care burden that the developed nations are facing is colossal. In an attempt to reduce this burden, some suggestions of introducing a co-payment are being made in the developed nations. The rationale behind this suggestion is that people who are covered with insuranc e tend to over use medical services because they don’t have to pay anything out of pocket. However, critics argue that introduction or rise of existing co-payments will significantly erode the will to get treatment done and many individuals will end up not going to doctors for essential treatment. The proponents of co-payments assume that every individual is insured and able to afford co-payment. This is contrary to reality where many people are unable to pay for even the most basic necessary medical interventions. I support the latter. One of the primary reason behind my conclusion is that this would increase the burden on the bourgeois and the poor population for their health care and worsen their condition. Background on User fees in Healthcare Healthcare is generally price inelastic. People who have used these services pay the predetermined prices, at least for critical care, absolutely essential visits to the physician and prescribed medicines. â€Å"Moral hazard arises when an insured person chooses unnecessary/more expensive form of healthcare because she/he knows that the insurance company will be paying for it†(Banerjee, 2010). Developing countries like India and China have made their health care services such that the people get more of health care at a subsidized rate due to the fact that 29.5 % of the population in India lies below the poverty line (Kaul, 2013). The ultra-low-cost position of hospitals in countries like India may not seem surprising because the wages are significantly lower than those in the developed countries for instance the U.S. and U.K. However, the health care available in these hospitals is cheaper even when the wages are adjusted: For example, even if Indian neurological hospitals pay their doctors and staff salaries of U.S. level, their costs of open-heart surgery will still be one-fifth of those in the U.S(Vijay Govindarajan, 2013). Under such circumstances, if the government increases the rates of health care services, it would lead to under usage of these services because the people would have lesser access to hospitals due to the higher costs as compared to their salaries and savings. Not many people in such countries choose to insure themselves for health because of the perceived limited requirement of hospital services as compared to high payments to the health insurance companies. Rationale for introducing user fees The rationale behind keeping user fees could be that they could generate additional tax income for the health industry when financial help from outside sources were minimal, liability refunds were shooting up and the governments of medium income countries were feeling the pressure on their internal finances. There was also a philosophical shift in the functioning of the healthcare industry in the early 1990s during which, the system of out-of-pocket payments was introduced. In this, the patients were asked to pay for the services they get from the hospitals which in turn motivated the healthcare workers and increased their efficacy (Action). Quality can be improved with better finances and remuneration. And quality is a significant aspect of health care which cannot be compromised under any circumstances. In the later years, after implementation of totally free health care, it was realized that some patients actually â€Å"over used† medical services. Introduction of a user fe es greatly reduced this moral hazard. Secondly, bulk billing and abolition of user fees leads to an increased burden on the government financially. The rising cost of health care compels the government to introduce a system where the consumer is liable to pay some amount. Supporters of user fee also claim that universal health care is a myth and the citizens ultimately bear a much higher cost (than the user fee) for the so called â€Å"free medical treatment†. User fees compounded poverty User fees inconsistently damage the health of poor and middle class people. They tend to push families into debt and poverty thus compelling them to scrounge money through illegal means or from financiers, or to sell or hypothecate livestock or resources that they depend upon to earn a living. The charges can especially pressurise women who have fewer resources to rely on. Such circumstances tend to create a brutal condition where in there is a constant increase in poverty which leads to malnutrition and the ailments they live with. This results in poorer health which ultimately results in bigger issues each time there is a need to pay for healthcare emergencies. â€Å"The World Health Organisation estimates that 100 million people each year are forced into poverty by these sudden healthcare costs† (Action). When reporting to the hospital becomes excruciating because of high costs, people are more likely to take care at home. This increased load of care in addition to other household work usually puts burden on women and girls This may force them to entrust their education or jobs to take care of the ill (Action). Studies done by the World Health Repot Report of 2010 show that the affliction of non-communicable diseases is emerging and is already a major drawback even in the poorest countries and the people are unable to have access to the services they need to prevent or control these diseases due to financial incompetency or inability to access those services (Priyanka Saksena, 2011). Household burden due to specific non-communicable and chronic illnesses A number of studies demonstrated that the household burden led to financial crisis from specific illness and conditions like, diabetes in India for example, presented that 596 diabetic patients taken as sample group at a private and public hospital in Chennai showed that in the private hospital, the poorest sample of patients spent 24.5% of their income on services for diabetes, compared to 3.5% in the richest group. This was mainly demonstrated because of the increased out of pocket costs. On the other hand, in the public hospital, where middle class family income was much lesser than in the private hospital, the poorest group payed 3.3% of their income on diabetes care while the richest cluster almost 0% of their incomes on care. Another research that was done in 2006 on the total economic cost of illness for households was continuously above 10% of household income. As an illustration, total household charges of malaria per annum were as large as 18% of annual income in Kenya and 13% in Nigeria. Total expense for all forms of illness added up to 11.5% of monthly household income in Sri Lanka, and about 11% of average monthly income in Nigeria. Some of the researches are concerned that even 10% of household income being disbursed by health care expenditure as potentially disastrous where the medical expenditure levels are prone to drive households to cut their consumption of other basic needs, trigger productive asset sales or high levels of debt, and lead to impoverishment. It is clear that this is a somewhat subjective cut-off point and expenditure levels lower than this may be catastrophic for very poor families. Furthermore, it is not only the level but also the timing of health care expenses, which have to be paid in full at the time of illness in the case of out-of-pocket payments that determine whether or not there are catastrophic consequences for a household. This is related to the unexpected nature of most medical expenditure, the fact that the magnitude of payments is heavily influenced by the provider, and that this is precisely the time when income may be lower than usual(Diane McIntyrea, 2006). Current perspectives on User fees in health sector in medium and low income countries Equitable approaches to financing health services are crucial for achieving the goal of universal coverage of health services. When user fees are assigned to a particular service, they become an inequitable financing mechanism which produces barriers to access for a large number of people. Though in some of the Public Health Centres, revenue is provided by the government, it is almost always that it turns out to be inadequate and a persistent challenge in the developing countries(Rohan Sweeney, 2011). This thus leads to imposition of user charges which hinders the poor from using the available services. Another example of this is that under the Alma Ata declaration of ‘Health for all’, developing countries like Bangladesh tried to design country health care programs but had continuously failed to do so because of the problem of increased health care needs and decreased available resources. Hence, when user charges were imposed, there were serious interferences between the two most vulnerable groups which are the poor and the women and the maintenance of patient profile (Stanton B, 1989). There have been studies that show that when user fees were introduced, there was a substantial decrease in the use of health care facilities that ranged from 5% to 51% immediately after the intervention but a significant increase in the use of most curative services was seen that ranged from 30% to 50% when the policy was changed again (WP, 2014). Unfortunately, it is only the user fees that the researches and economists concentrate on to reduce moral hazard. Doctors are well equipped to judge whether a patient requires treatment or not. When such wide spread reliance is placed on doctors regarding treatment, why can’t the same doctors be trusted not to over treat a patient? It must be made mandatory for doctors and other health practitioners to take steps to prevent themselves from doing treatments that could be otherwise be tamed. How do the hospitals function with low prices of healthcare services? Three major practices have allowed the hospitals of low and medium income countries to cut costs while still improving their quality of care. A Hub-and-Spoke Design In order to reach the people in need of care in the rural and other remote areas, hospitals must create hubs in major the city areas and open smaller clinics in rural areas that transfer patients to the main hospital that has all the diagnostic facilities and other resources. This would reduce the need for duplicating the personnel and equipment in every village and the most expensive equipment and expertise in the hub, thus eventually reducing the cost burden on the village population. It would also create specialists at the hubs who, while performing greater numbers of focused procedures, develop the experience that will improve the overall quality. This can also lead to proper and frequent utilisation of machines. For example, an MRI machine if installed in every village separately, would do only 1-2 scans per day. But if a common machine is installed in the main hub, it would scan about 10-20 patients per day. Task Shifting The hospitals can transfer responsibility for routine tasks to lower-skilled workers like the newly graduated and less experienced doctors, leaving expert doctors to handle only the most complicated procedures. Again, such countries always face problems because of shortage of highly skilled doctors. Thus, hospitals have to maximize the duties they perform. Doctors at these hospitals tend to become incredibly productive as they can focus on only the critical parts of the surgical procedures and the final decision making during the diagnosis of diseased conditions. This allows them to perform 6-7 surgeries in a day rather than just 1-2 surgeries in other developed countries like the U.S. This innovation would ultimately reduce the costs. After shifting tasks from doctors to nurse practitioners and nurses, multiple number of hospitals can create a lower tier of paramedic employees with two years’ training after high school to perform the most routine medical jobs. In some hospitals, these workers can comprise more than half of the workforce. Good, Old-Fashioned Frugality â€Å"Necessity is the mother of invention†- Hospitals of lower income countries should come up with wiser ways of sterilization techniques and safely reusing the surgical products that are otherwise discarded after a single use in other developed countries. These hospitals must concentrate less on building designing and making it attractive and spend more on the amenities that would be needed for the welfare of the general population using them. They have also developed local devices such as stents or intraocular lenses that cost one-tenth the price of imported devices. These hospitals can be innovative in rewarding doctors. In the program where fees are payed for every service, an incentive to perform unnecessary procedures and tests is created. Thus, the doctors at some hospitals must be paid fixed salaries, irrespective of the number of tests they order. Other hospitals can employ team-based compensation, which produces peer pressure to avoid unnecessary tests and procedures (Vijay Govindarajan, 2013) Conclusion In conclusion, it can be stated that the user charge has an abundance negative implications in the socio-economic, socio-cultural, political and administrative and management dimensions. Developing country administrators must eliminate fees for essential healthcare and choose a program of financing that will best improve access to health services for their most disregarded groups. This should be suitable to existing institutional structures, cultures and traditions, and to their economic progress. This could be through taxation with healthcare costs paid by the government. Putting an end to user fees is likely to see a rise in the use of services. Governments of developed countries should provide foreseeable aid, committed for the long term, to give developing countries the confidence to eliminate fees. The World Bank and other international institutions must stop prescribing user fees to countries as part of official or unofficial policy advice and provide more financial assistance to scrap fees. The low pay and poor conditions of health workers must be addressed to stop informal fees being tolled(Action). References Action, H. P. Key Facts: User Fees for Health Services. Retrieved from http://www.healthpovertyaction.org/policy-and-resources/health-systems/user-fees-for-health-services/key-facts-user-fees-for-health-services/ Banerjee, R. (2010). HEALTH INSURANCE AND MORALHAZARD. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/938630/Economics_Insurance_and_Moral_Hazard Diane McIntyrea, M. T., Gà ¶ran Dahlgrenb, Margaret Whiteheadb. (2006). What are the economic consequences for households of illness and of paying for health care in low- and middle-income country contexts? . Social Science Medicine, 62(4), 858-865. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953605003631 Kaul, V. (2013). Required: A new poverty line that shows 67% of India is poor. Retrieved from http://firstbiz.firstpost.com/economy/required-a-new-poverty-line-that-shows-67-of-india-is-poor-43862.html Priyanka Saksena, K. X., David B. Evans. (2011). Impact of out of pocket payments for the treatment of non-comuunicable deseases in developing countries: a literature review. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/health_financing/documents/dp_e_11_02-ncd_finburden.pdf Vijay Govindarajan, R. R. (2013). India’s Secret to Low-Cost Health Care. HBR Blog Network,Retrieved from http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/10/indias-secret-to-low-cost-health-care/

The Teapot Dome Scandal

The Teapot Dome Scandal Tarryl Garner The topic is Teapot Dome scandal. People in the office decided to make a company for oil to make more money for themselves. Harding called for a return to normalcy, which meant support for the pursuit of private profit. The people in the office was caught and had to turn the oil company to the navy. The Teapot Dome scandal of 1923 was the worst of many political scandals of Hardings tenure and of the 1920s in general. It happened in 1921-1923. It was the first time that a president that had a scandal. The first person who is involved in Teapot Dome is Albert B. Fall. Albert Fall received approximately four hundred thousand dollars exchange for his favoritism. Fall was the United States Senator from New Mexico and the secretary under President Warren G Harding infamous for his involvement. Albert Fall became the first cabinet official was sent to prison. The second person is Edwin C. Denby. Edwin singed all the leases Edwin was cleared of all the charges he had. Became interested in mines, lumber, land, railroads, farming, and stock raising member Territorial House of Representatives 1891-1892. Convicted of bribery for leasing federal lands to oil companies in exchange for personal loans. Fall spent nine months in a New Mexico state prison. Fall retied in major Marine Corps in the United States Reserve in 1919. Appointed chief probation officer in the recorders court of the city of Detroit and in the circuit court of Wayne County in 1920. Resumed the practice of law and various bus iness enterprises died in Detroit Michigan February 8, 1929 interment in Elmwood Cemetery. He also was well known as a dancer. He was writer and wrote books. The third person was Harry F Sinclair. Sinclair wanted to be in a businesses into the oil fields, which was in the early phase of their development in the central part of the country. He was an American industrialist and was the founder of the Oil Company. He was implicated in the 1920s Teapot Dome Scandal. He served six months in prison for jury tampering. Sinclair decided he didnt want to be in jail so he decided to deny all guilt so he can get back into the oil company to make more money that he lost, which continued to prosper. During the Great Depression, he purchased troubled oil companies continuing to build a nationwide network of oil fields, pipelines, and refineries. The fourth person is Edward L. Sinclair. In 1922 Sinclair was the president of the Mammoth oil company, Sinclair was received the rights to the Teapot Do me. He rose from years as a drifter to become the richest man in America. He wants to spend his last years in prolonged court battles on charges of bribery and corruption in the famous Teapot Dome Scandal. While Edward Sinclair waits for his second trial, for bribery, Doheny faced a major family tragedy. Edward Doheny was a friend of fall was prominent in the American petroleum and Transport Company was leaked in the fields in California Elk hills. Edward Doheny was guilty of bribery charge, but Edward was forced to repay $47 million in settlements, taxes, and penalties by the court. The last person was Warren G. Harding. Warren G. Harding was elected the 29th U.S. president on his birthday, and served from 1921 to 1923. At age 14, Harding attended Ohio Central College where he edited the campus newspaper and became an accomplished public speaker. He personally overturned or allowed Congress to reverse many policies of the Wilson Administration and approved tax cuts on higher income s and protective tariffs. Facts about the teapot dome scandal. It was named after rock formation. Fall received bribes of over $400,000 it did not remain as a secret for along time. Greatest and the most sensational scandal in the history of American politics. The Teapot Dome was a geological formation that traps oil underground by the layers of the rocks layer up to form a dome. In 1924, the senate inquiry concluded that the Teapot Dome and Elk hills oil leases had been fraudulent and corrupt. Both Albert Fall and Edwin Denby they had to resign from office because of the Teapot Dome scandal however, President Harding was not involved to have a role in the illegal dealing. Edwin Denby was not fraud but with his helping, the other he was forced to resign from the office. When President Harding he surrounded himself with a group of his old friends that become known as the Ohio gang. Then on August 2nd 1923, President Harding died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Calvin Coolidge became president. The Teapot Dome scandal period was from 1921-1923. The First World War ends for the United States in August of 1921 when the U.S. and Germany signed the Treaty of Berlin. New York Yankee pitcher Babe Ruth hit his 138th home run during June of 1921. Ruth broke the career home-run record that had been held by Roger Connor for 23 years. Seven of the sixteen major railway unions at the time joined to protest wage cuts for railway maintenance workers. At the start of the strike about 400,000 workers walked off the job and while the strike had some economic effects across the country. The surrounding circumstances. Fall secret granted to Harry Sinclair of the oil company to see if he had the exclusive rights to the Teapot Dome Wyoming reserves. He granted similar rights to Edward L. Doheny of pan American Petroleum Company for the Elk Hills reserves in California. They all came very rich. Teapot Dome is a geological feature in Wyoming, Teapot Dome named for nearby rock, and you can see the oil company. In addition, private wells surrounded the naval reserve fields, siphoning off their underground deposits. When the news became public in April 1922, conservationists and small oil producers in Wyoming, who objected to the secrecy and lack of competitive bidding, raised a storm of protest. Teapot Dome was only the most dramatic example of corruption by Hardings appointees. President Coolidge set up the Federal Oil Conservation Board to encourage closer coordination in oil production between the federal government and the oil industry. A company from Sinclair and the rest of the people that was in the scandal indicating that the bonds receiving good things from the leases. There were rumors where in which couple people in Hardings Administration had bought a rich deserted oil reserve in Wyoming to private interest to eventually payback the bribes toward the company. The senate public made a choice to investigate the Albert fall received not only $100,000 from Doheny Fall also received $300,000 from Sinclair the president of Mammoth oil company Fall exchange it to cash for the use of the Teapot Dome oil reserve. It started with rumors that the members of the administration had purchases some the remote rich land which was an oil reserve in Wyoming to private interests in return for bribes. Some men in New Mexico had become increasingly suspicious when they noticed fall buying more land and improving his property there, and oilmen in Wyoming and Colorado began to write their Congressmen in protest and for information. At an executive session of the Public Lands Committee on January 26, 1924, Walsh introduced an idea where he introduced on a Monday during the Senate Resolution calling on President Coolidge to annul the leases of Teapot Dome and Elk Hills and to appoint a special counsel to investigate and prosecute the individuals of all who were involved in the mater. The effect on the government. Judge T Blake ruled against the government to give the scandal to someone else but the leases were finally cancelled when the United States Supreme Court overturned the Kennedy decision. Became synonymous with government corruption and the scandals arising out of the administration of President Warren G. Harding. Since then, it has sometimes been used to symbolize the power and influence of oil companies in America politics. Occidental Petroleum Company took over operations there in 1998 in the largest single divestiture of federal property in the history of the US government. Which currently produces a small amount of crude oil and natural gas and earns approximately $5 million per year for the federal government. Eventually everything was okay the United States Supreme Court decided to get rid of the lease inoperative and the oil company at the Teapot Dome and Elk hills was returned to the government. The suffering of the people were involved in the teapot scandal. Albert B. Fall was convinced of bribery he served nine months of a one-year sentence but after 9 months he been in jail he was released because of bad health. Harry Sinclair was put in prison he served six and half months in prison. Harry Sinclair left prison denying all guilt and returned to his oil business, which continued to prosper. Edward Doheny was acquitted again of the bribery charge, but was ordered by the courts to repay $47 million in settlements, taxes, and penalties. Edward Doheny son was killed by Plunkett. Plunkett later comminuted suicide because Plunkett feared that he was going to be sent to prison for helping delivering cash to Albert Fall. The outcome of the Teapot Dome scandal. District Judge T. Blake Kennedy ruled in favor of against the government, but the leases were finally cancelled when Supreme Court overturned the Kennedy decision. Concluded that the Teapot Dome and elk hills oil leases had been fraudulent and corrupt. The federal government brought the trial to federal court in the state of Wyoming to deny the bribery-induced leases to Teapot Dome that fall had given to Sinclair. Congress made President Harding to cancel the leases. The Supreme Court made the leases cheating ruled illegal the charges what President Harding had go against Albert Fall. People in the office decided to make a company for oil for a backup plan to make a lot of money. When you are in charged you should become a leader and show people how to be a better person.

Boxer-Snowe Amendment Essays -- essays research papers

Abortion Rights and the Boxer-Snowe Amendment February 15, 2001 was the first day the Global Democracy Act of 2001 was to be introduced by Senator’s Barbara Boxer, Olympia Snowe and Lincoln Chafee. This legislation would prevent the United States from imposing undemocratic and dangerous restrictions on health providers overseas. Representatives Nita Lowey and Nancy Johnson also would be introducing matching legislation in the house when it returned from recess. Senator Boxer and Representative Lowey developed the legislation in response to the â€Å"global gag rule,† imposed by President Bush on January 22, 2001 on the 28th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. The rule reinstated the Reagan-era Mexico City policy, which denied United States funding to any foreign non-governmental organizations that provide abortion services, counseling or referrals, or lobbied to change abortion laws. (freerepublic.com, 2001) It was thought that by imposing the â€Å"global gag rule,† President Bush interferes with the doctor patient relationship, and the sovereignty of other nations. This rule required foreign health care providers to withhold critical medical information from their patients, as a condition of receiving U.S. funding. This restriction created a culture of fear among those best equipped to address the health needs of women and their families around the world. (freerepublic.com, 2001) In our countries’ desperate time of need over seas, this legislation also banned pu...

Life Outside Our Biosphere :: essays research papers

Life Outside Our Biosphere The fragile balance of the Earth's ecosystem is constantly being disrupted. Overpopulation is placing heavy strain on the world's resources. We are burning all our fossil fuels to create the energy we need, and clearing our rainforests to make enough farmland to feed everyone. The ozone layer is slowly eroding, exposing us to harmful UV light. The room we have on this planet is just enough to provide for our population now! As the population grows, we will find ourselves more and more crowded, with no room left to expand. Solution: Transfer part of the population off the Earth, to colonies established either on other planets or on orbiting space stations. This will lessen strain on the world's land resources by providing more agricultural area, and will help solve problems associated with overcrowding. In our solar system, a few planetic possibilities exist for colonization. Mars, one of our closest neighbors, was previously a prime choice until it was explored more in depth. Scientists have now found it to be a red, rocky, barren desert with little atmosphere, no water, and containing no life. If Earthlings were to settle on Mars, we would remain totally dependent on the Earth's resources. Another close planet is Venus, the second from the sun. This "sister planet" of Earth proved to have extremely hostile conditions. Scientists were hopeful when they found traces of water vapor in the upper atmosphere, but were disappointed when concentrations of sulphuric acid were discovered mixed with the water. Venus has surface temperatures of around 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and an atmosphere one hundred times as thick as the Earth's. (This produces pressure equivalent to pressure two miles under water on Earth.) These conditions project a less than comfortable life on Venus. The Moon has held Man's curiosity since we were created, leading to such missions as the Apollos. These space missions have taught us a lot about what life on the moon would be like. The moon has little to offer us in the way of settlement: it has little to no atmosphere, and only one sixth of the gravity of Earth. Although the moon might not be the best place for colonies to settle, it would be an excellent source of resources for nearby space stations. ( Scientists can extract oxygen from the rocks, and glass, aluminium, and other metals as well.) Space stations orbiting in the past have been very dependent on the Earth's supplies for construction and maintenance. The Soviets have launched a brigade of structures called Salyuts. In fact, one of their cosmonauts has lived in space for more than 235 days! They supplied the Salyuts by shuttle

Sexuality of Men and Women: A Comparison

The perceived views of men s and women s sexuality have been the subject of great speculation and conflict. Although great strides have been made over the years in the sexual â€Å"revolution†, the basic views of male and female sexuality have remained the same. Throughout history the ideas of proper sexuality for men and women have changed little. Men have always been portrayed as the aggressive pursuer of a woman’s sexual favors. Women, in turn, have been required by society to diligently preserve their honor outside of the marital bed. Andrew Marvell’s â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† offers a good example of the game-like behavior that has become almost expected of a man and woman in society. The narrator beseeches his Lady to â€Å"sport us while we may like amorous birds of prey†. The Lady on the other hand, flirts casually and spurns the narrator’s advances. Women are praised highly for their virtue and honor in keeping their virginity for the institution of marriage. Even though it is perfectly acceptable for a man to attempt for and even acquire the sexual favors of a woman it is a social sin and in some areas a crime for a woman to succumb to her sexual desires outside of marriage. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, Hester Prynne is ostracized by her community for having an extra-marital affair. Her punishment condemns her for her adultery and assures her a lifetime of humiliation. Many societies have gone through great lengths over the centuries to ensure fidelity or virginity in women. In the Middle Ages, women were often forced to wear chastity belts to ensure their virtue was kept intact while men were away at war or some other manly undertaking. In some countries, women are forced to cover every inch of their bodies in an effort to avoid the advances of other men. The narrator in Amy Lowells Patterns speaks of her passion that wars against the stiff brocade of her dress, the very heavy and unrevealing style of the era in which the poem is set. She laments the death of her betrothed as they were to be wed in a month and, as she felt bound by the dress, he was to have freed her from it. This poem also illustrates how the narrator, as many women in the past, did not consider it proper to succumb to her passions before marriage. Men on the other hand have often been revered for their sexual prowess. Kings often kept concubines, or mistresses. In some countries, it is acceptable for a man to have many wives. Sexual conquest has become almost a gauge by which manhood is tested. Men are often bombarded by peer pressure to become sexually active at an early age. Seen as a rite of passage by many men, they begin their pursuit of women before they are even capable of reproduction. In Stevie Smith s The Frog Prince, the narrator speaks of his being happy the way he is but he feels that it is required of him to have a girl. Changing times have allowed people to become a little more open in expressing their sexuality. However, more often than not, most men and women tend to conform themselves to expectations that remain the same even in today s society.

Prose Commentary: “The Dragon Can’t Dance”

The extract from Earl Lovelace's novel, â€Å"The Dragon Can't Dance†, is a highly descriptive prose which reveals the feelings the character Aldrick Prospect has for the loss of his community's traditional warrior mentality. The piece of prose provides us with a third-person yet detailed account of how ancient customs in Aldrick's home (presumably Trinidad and Tobago, as the capital of Port of Spain is mentioned as being a part of his locality) are disappearing in the face of more modern and temperate customs. Aldrick, the protagonist of the prose, yearns to reignite the people's passion for celebrating traditional carnivals, which he portrays in uniquely violent, sinister, vivid and energetic depiction. He has a sense of nostalgia for the past, when carnivals were more beastly. Even with this rather austere rendering of past carnivals, Lovelace insists that ancient traditions supersede the significance, awe and entertainment of modern carnivals, which present ‘clowns' and ‘fancy robbers'. Aldrick laments at the loss of almost antediluvian traditions, and his sadness is effectively conveyed in the intensely passionate prose. The passage is structured in two paragraphs, each comprising of twenty lines. The equal organization of the passage aids in making it clearer and more coherent. Lovelace is able to clearly contrast two opposing carnivals (past carnivals and the carnival Aldrick is experiencing in the present), thus allowing readers to make clear distinctions between them. The tone of the prose is generally calm and monotonous, with the narrator exposing a slight sense of dread towards what has become of the famous carnival. Although the language of the passage is generally simple and direct so as to give the reader a clear impression, Lovelace also adds a few colloquial phrases which originate from the West Indies. In Line 23, for example, ‘calypsos of rebellion' is mentioned, describing Philo's lost sense of tradition. In Line 30, ‘jab jabs' are mentioned as being part of the present carnival, again instilling a sense that the narrator is conversing with the reader in a casual manner appropriate for the West Indies. Rhythm in the passage is achieved through a multifarious number of methods. Most sentences are lengthy, and pauses are created with the frequent use of commas, which are regularly spaced to create a successful rhythm. It is the usage of commas in long sentences which give the passage most of its flow, as it creates a calm and slow-paced atmosphere, in which the narrator appears to be intensely contemplative. The lack of punctuation, however, aids in speeding the pace. Repetition is also used to create rhythm, as it accelerates the pace. Usage of this can be observed in Line 6, where ‘and' is repeated three times, and in line 6 to 7, in which ‘back' is repeated twice. Rhyming, especially in Line 1, provides the prose with a smoother flow, when the ‘backs of these thin shacks' are described. Rhyming, however, is not a very significant element in the passage, and usage of it is minimal. The listing of similar terms is evident throughout the passage and clearly generates a rhythmic beat. Line 10 contains a quintessential example of this technique, where ‘the village, the tribe, warriorhood and feminity' are grouped. Alliteration is applied for the same reason of creating a smooth beat, as it connects neighboring words more intensely, as is apparent in Line 1, with the phrase ‘Monday morning'. The usage of imagery in the passage is very subtle, and mainly utilized to describe what carnivals used to be like. The main symbol used to represent ancient customs is the dragon costume that Aldrick wears in preparation of the carnival. When Aldrick wears the dragon costume, he feels ‘a sense of entering a sacred mask that invested him with an ancestral authority', accentuating the amount of reverence that only Aldrick feels for ancient tradition. In Line 19 to 2o, the dragon is again used to illustrate Aldrick's attraction to ancient carnivals, as the narrator describes his aspiration to reestablish old traditions ‘like the open claws at a dragon's hand, threatening destruction'. The terms ‘open claws' and ‘destruction' serves to reinforce the link between ancient customs with violence and evil. Yet, even with this rather negative characterization of ancient customs, Aldrick urges people to practice them, so as ‘to let them see their beauty', as is shown in Line 18. In this line, however, ancient customs are linked with the release of ‘beauty'. The fusion of both violence and beauty to depict the carnival celebrated in bygone years creates a particularly strong oxymoron that enhances the mystery and virility of ancient customs. The image of the ancient carnival as evil, violent, and mysterious is further emphasized by terms such as ‘stickfighters' in Line 25, ‘warriorhood' and ‘devils' in Line 26, and ‘black' in Line 27, which are used by the narrator to recount an actual description of the ancient carnival. The usage of imagery is a vital component of enhancing the depiction of the ancient carnival, as it adds elements of mystery and fear. Personification is another literary device used by Lovelace for a variety of reasons. In Line 1, the narrator describes Monday as the ‘morning breaks upon the backs of these thin shacks', giving ‘morning' the ability to physically influence the structure of ‘shacks'. The phrase exudes a slight sense violence with the use of the word ‘breaks'. With this, one is reminded of the physically violent ancient carnivals. In Line 4, personification is again used in a similar method, with the term ‘awakening Hill'. Bestowing a hill with a human action gives the prose a mysterious and lively quality, which supports the main theme of attempting to prompt a return of primeval and violent traditions to Aldrick's homeland. The main theme of ancient carnivals in contrast with present-day carnivals is focused throughout the passage, partially due to repetition. ‘Rebellion' is a word frequently used in the prose, and underscores the violent nature of ancient carnivals which Aldrick tries to revive. ‘Black' is another term that is apparent in copious amounts throughout the passage. The repetition of black heightens the sense of mystery and evil surrounding ancient carnivals. The author Lovelace, primarily to add emotion and drama to the passage, also practices the literary device of onomatopoeia. The terms ‘crow', in Line 2, ‘beating' in Line 4, ‘cries' in Line 9, and ‘crack' and ‘tinkling' in Line 31 exemplify the use of onomatopoeia, and present readers with a more dramatic narration. Onomatopoeia also amplifies the amount of energy which the ancient carnival contains. All these literary devices effectively give the passage a somewhat poetic quality that enriches the impression of the carnivals to readers. The passage is a narrative account of how one person (Aldrick Prospect) yearns to revive his community's ancient carnivals, in the face of new, more peaceful carnivals. This ancient carnival originates from Africa, which is presumably where Aldrick and his community of people derive from. His longing for this has a certain dream-like quality, because of the mournful and monotonous tone. The consequential implication is that Aldrick yearning is more a pipe dream rather than a goal, and indeed, his desire for a return to ancient traditions are unachievable in the end. The narrator reveals that ancient traditions have always been a part of the people of the community, yet it has been suppressed in the face of modernization. This so-called ‘warrior mentality' has, instead, remained ‘if not in brain, certainly in blood', connoting that people still retain a primitive instinct which could be freed. The notion is starkly similar to Golding's novel â€Å"Lord of The Flies†, in which children who were taken away from their civilized atmosphere and placed in a natural environment devoid of human interference become more violent, evil, and generally primitive. In the passage, however, it is only Aldrick which retains and exhibits his primeval instincts, as he fails to make other people behave like him. As observed in Line 35, ‘the dragon alone was left to carry the message', depicting Aldrick's loss of support. Ultimately, even Aldrick himself admits that his thirst for ancient traditions is diminishing, as it states in Lines 39 to 40 that ‘maybe he didn't believe in the dragon anymore'. The last believer in ancient traditions- the dragon, has lost not only support for his cause, but perhaps even his own heart, as the forces of modernization triumph against the people's original roots. The basic theme presented is the loss of culture and primitive passion, which have simply developed into more pacific actions and behaviors with the progression of time. The people's need to ‘rebel' and fight has abated, and resultantly there is less of a need to demonstrate violence and fear. Aldrick is plainly a character who is trapped in an age where ancient violent traditions hold no practical value, thus creating a mournful atmosphere of suffering. In conclusion, I can assert that the passage from the novel â€Å"The Dragon Can't Dance†, by Lovelace, is exquisite in it's depiction of one man's loss of identity. The passage utilizes a combination of different literary devices to instill a lugubrious and melancholic atmosphere to perfectly suit the theme, which is the loss of ancient traditions. This unique theme is thus conveyed to readers in a very idiosyncratic yet effective manner, and the author's message is successfully expressed. On the whole, the passage is able to elucidate the complicated theme of the loss of tradition due to civilization in a simple and artistic and effective manner.

The Cathedral by Raymond Carver

Raymond Carver, the author of Cathedral was born in Oregon in 1938. He came from a poor family. At the age of 40 he was one of the most promising writers of his generation and was also near ruin in everyway from alcoholism. He quit drinking but lung cancer took over- taking his life at the age of 50. He wrote 3 collections of stories: â€Å"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love†,â€Å" Cathedral† and â€Å"Elephant†, poems and essays. He was considered a minimalist until Cathedral where he started changing his style. Cathedral like many of Carver’s other stories portray individuals isolated from each other for a variety of reasons.In this story he creates a realistic human picture. He wants us to see the narrator’s character as figuratively blind. By the title we think the story is about a cathedral, but it is really about two man who are blind, on physically and the other psychologically. The Narrator looks at life from a very narrow-minded po int of view, for example he seems to believe that the most important thing to women is being complimented on their looks: second he is unable to imagine his wife’s friend as a person, only as a blind man. The narrator does not understand that what blind people cannot see they can experience by feeling and hearing.He does not see what is underneath the skin or what is behind a face. He sees people and things at face value. In Contrast, the blind man sees things with his ears, his hands and his heart. As the story opens the narrator gives a short background about his wife and the blind man’s relationship. We can sense his disgust and unwillingness to understand what it is like to be blind. He feels threatened by the blind man. This story shows that you don’t have to see someone or something in order to appreciate them for who or what they are. This story does follow typical dramatic development, which helps develop the theme.In the beginning, Carver, gives you an idea of what type of characters you are working with. He then forms the rising action with conversation among the 3 characters. The climax is when Robert, the blind man, and the narrator begin to draw the Cathedral together, two hands moving together- one guided by sight the other not, which lead us to the resolution of how the narrator becomes changed and learns a valuable lesson, which is overall the theme of the story. Several things bring out the theme: One is the point of view from which the story is told. The narrator talks from a first person point of view.Throughout the story he describes people by their outer appearance. He is amazed that the blind man has a beard. He only sees people for what they are outside, but is blind to appreciate the true beauty of a person’s inner self. You begin to understand this better when he goes to Pray† Pray that the phone wont ring and the food doesn’t get cold†. Prayers normally are said to show appreciation to al l that God has blessed us with. He prays in a cold type of way because he cannot believe in God if he does not appreciate the beauty of ones inner self, including the soul.The characterization of the story brings out the message too. There are 3 characters: Robert, The blind friend of the wife, who is the most important character. Unlike the narrator Robert can’t physically see, but has a clear vision of appreciating the person’s true inner self. â€Å"Talking about the miserable life the blind man’s wife must have had†. These two characters are complete opposites. The narrator cant understand that Robert probably loved his wife deeply for the person she was inside. The setting also plays a big part in the theme, because tells you about the characters personalities.Once again the narrator describes everything in great detail. Like the part where they are getting ready to watch the tape Robert sent. This shows us the type of character he is. There are two symbols in this story: the cathedral and Robert’s inability to see. The Cathedral is important because even though Robert has never seen the building he still knows the true and special meaning behind it. The narrator starts to change his attitude towards Robert at dinner, when he watches Robert use his fork and knife on the meat.This is when the narrator starts to see Robert for who he is inside instead of just seeing his handicap. At the end the narrator fully appreciates Robert when he learns the valuable lesson: that you don’t have to literally see someone to know how beautiful a person truly is. â€Å"Like the saying says: to never judge a book by its cover†. Cathedral ends with hope, although there is no proof that the narrator will overcome his isolation, for the moment he is in communion with himself and another human being. Robert teaches the narrator to imagine and feel like a blind man.The story is about one man’s prejudice which is overcome by another man’s gift. This story is about revelation and prejudice, but has a unfolding of marital drama. The story tells of how a close outside friendship can threaten marriage by provoking insecurities, creating feelings of invasion of privacy and aggravating communication barriers. The narrator feels jealous that they talk about everything. He feels left out when his wife and Robert recall the years they spent together. The narrator feels that the visit of the blind man is an invasion of his privacy and to his private relationship with his wife.It seems that the couple has a failure of communication Most criticism about this story focuses on how Robert helps the narrator overcome his prejudice, but we can to see that in certain marriages â€Å"outside relationships† can either cultivate or destroy lives depending on the relationship shared by a married couple. The outside Friendship can threaten a couple by provoking insecurities, creating feelings of invasion of pri vacy and aggravating communication barriers. Robert here I believe brings the couple’s marital problems up to the surface. Is Cathedral a religious revelation too? The Cathedral by Raymond Carver Raymond Carver, the author of Cathedral was born in Oregon in 1938. He came from a poor family. At the age of 40 he was one of the most promising writers of his generation and was also near ruin in everyway from alcoholism. He quit drinking but lung cancer took over- taking his life at the age of 50. He wrote 3 collections of stories: â€Å"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love†,â€Å" Cathedral† and â€Å"Elephant†, poems and essays. He was considered a minimalist until Cathedral where he started changing his style.Cathedral like many of Carver’s other stories portray individuals isolated from each other for a variety of reasons. In this story he creates a realistic human picture. He wants us to see the narrator’s character as figuratively blind. By the title we think the story is about a cathedral, but it is really about two man who are blind, on physically and the other psychologically.The Narrator looks at life from a very narrow-minded poi nt of view, for example he seems to believe that the most important thing to women is being complimented on their looks: second he is unable to imagine his wife’s friend as a person, only as a blind man. The narrator does not understand that what blind people cannot see they can experience by feeling and hearing. He does not see what is underneath the skin or what is behind a face. He sees people and things at face value. In Contrast, the blind man sees things with his ears, his hands and his heart.As the story opens the narrator gives a short background about his wife and the blind man’s relationship. We can sense his disgust and unwillingness to understand what it is like to be blind. He feels threatened by the blind man.This story shows that you don’t have to see someone or something in order to appreciate them for who or what they are. This story does follow typical dramatic development, which helps develop the theme.In the beginning, Carver, gives you an id ea of what type of characters you are working with. He then forms the rising action with conversation among  the 3 characters. The climax is when Robert, the blind man, and the narrator begin to draw the Cathedral together, two hands moving together- one guided by sight the other not, which lead us to the resolution of how the narrator becomes changed and learns a valuable lesson, which is overall the theme of the story.Several things bring out the theme:One is the point of view from which the story is told. The narrator talks from a first person point of view. Throughout the story he describes people by their outer appearance. He is amazed that the blind man has a beard. He only sees people for what they are outside, but is blind to appreciate the true beauty of a person’s inner self. You begin to understand this better when he goes to Pray† Pray that the phone wont ring and the food doesn’t get cold†. Prayers normally are said to show appreciation to al l that God has blessed us with. He prays in a cold type of way because he cannot believe in God if he does not appreciate the beauty of ones inner self, including the soul.The characterization of the story brings out the message too. There are 3 characters: Robert, The blind friend of the wife, who is the most important character. Unlike the narrator Robert can’t physically see, but has a clear vision of appreciating the person’s true inner self. â€Å"Talking about the miserable life the blind man’s wife must have had†. These two characters are complete opposites. The narrator cant understand that Robert probably loved his wife deeply for the person she was inside.The setting also plays a big part in the theme, because tells you about the characters personalities. Once again the narrator describes everything in great detail. Like the part where they are getting ready to watch the tape Robert sent. This shows us the type of character he is.There are two s ymbols in this story: the cathedral and Robert’s inability to see. The Cathedral is important because even though Robert has never seen the building he still knows the true and special meaning behind it.The narrator starts to change his attitude towards Robert at dinner, when he watches Robert use his fork and knife on the meat. This is when the narrator starts to see Robert for who he is inside instead of just seeing his handicap. At the end the narrator fully appreciates Robert when he learns the valuable lesson: that you don’t have to literally see someone to know how beautiful a person truly is. â€Å"Like the saying says: to never judge a book by its cover†.Cathedral ends with hope, although there is no proof that the narrator will overcome his isolation, for the moment he is in communion with himself and another human being.Robert teaches the narrator to imagine and feel like a blind man. The story is about one man’s prejudice which is overcome by a nother man’s gift.This story is about revelation and prejudice, but has a unfolding of marital drama. The story tells of how a close outside friendship can threaten marriage by provoking insecurities, creating feelings of invasion of privacy and aggravating communication barriers.The narrator feels jealous that they talk about everything. He feels left out when his wife and Robert recall the years they spent together. The narrator feels that the visit of the blind man is an invasion of his privacy and to his private relationship with his wife. It seems that the couple has a failure of communicationMost criticism about this story focuses on how Robert helps the narrator overcome his prejudice, but we can to see that in certain marriages â€Å"outside relationships† can either cultivate or destroy lives depending on the relationship shared by a married couple. The outside Friendship can threaten a couple by provoking insecurities, creating feelings of invasion of privacy and aggravating communication barriers. Robert here I believe brings the couple’s marital problems up to the surface.Is Cathedral a religious revelation too?Minimalist: Movement in art, music, etc. in which only the simplest design, forms, etc, are used often repetiously.

Factors to Instructors Satisfaction of Learning Management Systems

Learning direction systems ( LMS ) enable establishments to administrate their educational resources, back up their traditional schoolroom instruction and distance instruction. LMS survive through teachers ‘ uninterrupted usage, which may be to great extent associated with their satisfaction of the LMS. Consequently, this survey examined the cardinal factors that influence the teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition, and how this satisfaction is related to their purpose to continuously utilize LMS in blended acquisition and strictly for distance instruction. These investigated factors are related to teachers ‘ single features ( computing machine anxiousness, engineering experience and personal innovativeness ) , LMS ‘ features ( system quality, information quality and service quality ) , and organisation ‘s features ( direction support, inducements policy and preparation ) . The findings indicated that computing machine anxiousness, persona l innovativeness, system quality, information quality, direction support, inducements policy and preparation are cardinal factors to teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition. Furthermore, teachers ‘ satisfaction is a important determiner of their uninterrupted purpose to utilize LMS in blended acquisition, and their purpose to strictly utilize LMS for distance instruction. Introduction Learning Management Systems ( LMS ) and e-learning have become recently the difficult sell among stakeholders in instruction and preparation. A figure of top universities around the universe have adopted LMS for teachers and pupils to heighten the educational procedure ( Hawkins & A ; Rudy 2007 ; Browne et al. , 2006 ; National Center for Educational Statistics, 2003 ) . More than 90 per centum of all take parting academic establishments in the US are following LMS ( Hawkins & A ; Rudy, 2007 ) . Similarly, about 95 per centum of take parting establishments in the UK have adopted LMS ( Browne et al. , 2006 ) . Users ‘ satisfaction of an information system is critical to its uninterrupted success. Likewise for a LMS, its success to a great extent depends on teachers ‘ satisfaction of the system. Measuring single users ‘ credence and usage of the e-learning systems is a â€Å" basic selling component † ( Kelly & A ; Bauer, 2004 ) . Teachers may non to the full use all the characteristics, even when LMS are good in topographic point ; a study of more than 800 teachers at 35 LMS-adopting establishments found that really few teachers use LMS tools for measuring pupils or advancing community ( Woods et al. , 2004 ) . Research besides indicated that fright of engineering and deficiency of clip may restrict teachers ‘ acceptance of LMS ( Yueh & A ; Hsu, 2008 ) . Teachers ‘ demands and capablenesss should exhaustively be investigated when deploying LMS applications ( Yueh and Hsu, 2008 ) . Therefore, teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS is important and should b e carefully studied to guarantee successful LMS deployment. LMS survive through teachers ‘ uninterrupted usage, which may be to great extent linked to their satisfaction of the LMS. Consequently, the aim of this survey is to look into the cardinal factors lending to teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS usage in blended acquisition environment. These factors can be categorized as teachers ‘ single features ( computing machine anxiousness, engineering experience and personal innovativeness ) , LMS ‘ features ( system quality, information quality and service quality ) , and organisation ‘s features ( direction support, inducements policy and preparation ) . Investigating the non-technical factors is of import to advance the acceptance and diffusion of LMS enterprises ( Albirini, 2006 ; ElTartoussi, 2009 ) . In add-on, the survey besides assesses how teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS usage in blended acquisition is related to their uninterrupted purpose to LMS usage in blended acquisition, and their purpose to strictly utilize LMS for distance instruction. Several organisations initiate their LMS acceptance by utilizing them in blended acquisiti on environment, to promote the hazards of a complete pure LMS usage for distance instruction. The undermentioned subdivisions discuss the background literature, research model and methodological analysis, analysis and consequences, and the decision. Background Learning Management Systems & A ; Benefits Harmonizing to the World Bank ( 2010 ) , a LMS is a package bundle that automatically administers instruction and trains human resources. It is the usage of a Web-based communicating, coaction, larning, cognition transportation, and developing to add value to scholars and concerns ( Kelly & A ; Bauer, 2004 ) . In peculiar, a LMS is an Internet application that aims to back up instruction and preparation activities ( Cavus and Momani, 2009 ) and provides a platform to back up e-learning activities ( Yueh & A ; Hsu, 2008 ) . Course Management Systems ( CMS ) and Learning Content Management Systems ( LCMS ) are sometimes used to bespeak LMS ( Yueh & A ; Hsu, 2008 ) ; other related footings are Computer-assisted Learning ( CAL ) , Computer-based Learning ( CBL ) , and Online Learning ( Chan, 2008 ) . It should be noted, nevertheless, that LMS applications are non alone to educational establishments ; even public and private organisations use such systems for preparation intents. Many LMS applications are available. The most popular LMS used at colleges and universities in the US is Blackboard followed by WebCT, which was acquired by Blackboard, Inc. in 2006 ( Falvo & A ; Johnson, 2007 ) . Other LMS solutions are Moodle, ATutor, Learn.com, Joomla, and Krawler. LMS applications offer teachers several functionalities that benefits and contribute to learning procedure. Course direction tools, group confabs and treatment, assignment entry, and class appraisal are the primary tools in LMS ( Yueh & A ; Hsu ; 2008 ) . In add-on, LMS aid teachers provide scholars with educational stuffs and track their engagement and appraisals ( Falvo & A ; Johnson, 2007 ) . More technically sophisticated LMS characteristics include keeping office hours online, making pupil groups, and delegating on-line undertakings to groups, harmonizing to Yildirim et Al. ( 2004 ) . Besides, Ceraulo ( 2005 ) indicated that ePortfolios is a cardinal characteristic in some LMS applications, which e nable teachers to keep pupil entries throughout the class ( i.e. , trials, assignments, undertakings ) . LMS solutions purpose besides to increase involvement in larning and learning among scholars and teachers, severally ( Mahdizadeh et al. , 2008 ) . Furthermore LMS enhance learning procedure efficiency and consequence in cost-savings ( Aczel et al. , 2008 ) . Prior Studies on LMS LMS have been adopted by academic and developing establishments to back up their distance instruction and/or supplement their traditional manner of instruction ( Rainer et al. , 2007 ) . Users ‘ satisfaction of LMS, as any other information system, is critical to their uninterrupted success ( DeLone & A ; McLean, 2003 ) . There are a figure of surveies that have investigated the scholars ‘ credence, usage and/or satisfaction of LMS such as Arbaugh ( 2000 ) , Pituch and Lee ( 2006 ) , Roca et Al. ( 2006 ) , Liaw et Al ( 2007 ) , Raaij and Schepers ( 2008 ) , Sun et Al. ( 2008 ) , and Wu et Al. ( 2006 ) . However, limited quantitative surveies have investigated teachers ‘ credence, usage and/or satisfaction of LMS. In the LMS context, research workers have studied LMS credence and success, from teachers ‘ position, in assorted ways. Liaw et Al. ( 2007 ) assessed factors act uponing scholars ‘ and teachers ‘ behavioural purpose to utilize e-learning, which is influenced by sensed utility, perceived self-efficacy, and perceived enjoyment. Ball and Levy ( 2008 ) investigated the impact of teacher ‘s single features on teachers ‘ purpose to utilize LMS. Teo ( 2009 ) assessed the instructors ‘ perceived utility of LMS and perceived easiness of usage. However, users ‘ satisfaction of an information system is critical to its uninterrupted usage and resulted benefits ( DeLone & A ; McLean, 2003 ) . Furthermore, cardinal factors that might impact the teachers ‘ acceptance of LMS can be related to their single features ( Ball & A ; Levy, 2008 ; Liaw et al. , 2007 ; Raaij & A ; Schepers, 2008 ; Teo, 2009 ) , LMS features ( Pituch & A ; Lee, 2006 ; Roca et al. , 2006 ) and organisation features ( Sumner & A ; Hostetler, 1999 ) . None of these surveies, nevertheless, investigated the direct impact of teachers ‘ features, LMS ‘ features, and/or an organisation ‘s features on teachers ‘ satisfaction. User satisfaction is an of import index of IS success ( DeLone & A ; McLean, 2003 ) . In add-on measuring the impacts of organisation features along with teachers ‘ features and LMS features on teachers ‘ satisfaction is critical.Teacher FeaturesThe acceptance and satisfaction of LMS may, to a great extent, be determined by the features of its users. Several dimensions of users ‘ features have been proposed and investigated as determiners of engineering credence. In the context of e-learning, few surveies have investigated the impact of teachers ‘ dimensions on LMS credence. Ball and Levy ( 2008 ) investigated the impact of self-efficacy, computing machine anxiousness, and engineering experience on teachers ‘ purpose to utilize emerging larning experience in a l ittle private university in the US and found that self-efficacy was the lone major determiner of teachers ‘ purpose. Teo ( 2009 ) found that computing machine self-efficacy straight impacts pre-service instructors ‘ perceived utility, perceived easiness of usage, and behavioural purpose in Singapore. Liaw et Al. ( 2007 ) found that perceived self-efficacy determines teachers ‘ behavioural purpose to utilize e-learning in Taiwan. Albirini ( 2006 ) investigated the perceptual experience of school instructors of the usage of ICT in instruction in Syria, and the consequences highlighted the importance of instructors ‘ vision of engineering, their experiences with it, and the cultural conditions on their attitudes toward engineering. Mahdizadeh, Biemans, and Mulder ( 2008 ) found that instructors ‘ old experience with e-learning environments and easiness of usage explain instructors ‘ perceptual experience of the utility of e-learning environments and their existent usage of these environments. Teachers ‘ innovativeness is of import to the satisfaction of e-learning ( Raaij & A ; Schepers, 2008 )LMS FeaturesThe features of LMS may hold a great impact on the teacher ‘s credence and usage of LMS. Features of any information system, including LMS, may be related to system, information, and service support quality as classified by DeLone and McLean ( 2003 ) . E-learning systems ‘ quality was found to be important on the teachers ‘ perceived utility, perceived enjoyment, and perceived self-efficacy, which accordingly affect their purpose to utilize the system in the schoolroom ( Liaw et al. , 2007 ) . In the e-learning context, few surveies have examined the general quality of engineering or specific dimension. For case, from teachers ‘ and scholars ‘ position, Liaw et Al. ( 2007 ) investigated the impact of e-learning systems ‘ general quality on sensed utility, perceived enjoyment, and perceived self-efficacy, which accordingly affect their purpose to utilize the system in the schoolroom, and found it important. Albirini ( 2006 ) indicates that teachers ‘ vision of engineering impacts their attitudes toward the usage of ICT in instruction. Two important surveies on the impact of engineering on users ‘ credence of LMS are Pituch and Lee ‘s ( 2006 ) and Roca et Al. ‘s ( 2006 ) , but they are from the scholars ‘ position. Roca et Al. ( 2006 ) investigated scholars ‘ perceived system quality from three dimensions ( system quality, information quality, and service quality ) . They found that scholars ‘ sensed system factors ( system quality, information quality, and service quality ) straight affect their e-learning satisfaction and purpose to utilize and indirectly their sensed utility. Pituch and Lee ( 2006 ) examined the impact of system quality from three dimensions: the system ‘s functionality, interactivity, and response. As indicated, limited surveies provide a elaborate scrutiny of the influence of the three dimensions ( system quality, information quality, service quality ) of LMS on teachers ‘ satisfaction. This survey integrates these three dimensions of LMS on the teachers ‘ satisfaction.Organization FeaturesAn organisation ‘s features play a major function in the behaviours of its employees, including the credence usage and satisfaction of any engineering such as LMS. Corporate civilization plays a cardinal function in the success of any undertaking. Schein defines civilization as â€Å" the manner we do things around here † ( 1985, p. 12 ) . Cultural values shape an organisation ‘s norms and patterns, which accordingly influence employees ‘ behaviours such as LMS use. Some of an organisation ‘s features that might be relevant to the use of LMS are direction support, inducements, and preparation. There is a deficiency of empirical surveies that capture the influence of organisation factors on the credence and usage of LMS by and large. In the e-learning context, senior direction support and the alliance of e-learning with the section and university course of study are of import for its acceptance ( Sumner & A ; Hostetler, 1999 ) . Incentives are besides an of import factor for teachers ‘ credence to incorporate the engineering in learning. Incentives or inducements for teachers can be enforced by holding the usage of the engineering as a factor in a nomination for learning award, publicity, and term of office ( Sumner & A ; Hostetler, 1999 ) . Finally, developing end-users is of import, and can be in signifier of workshops, on-line tutorials, classs, and seminars. In add-on, Teo ( 2009 ) found that easing conditions, measured by proficient support, preparation, and administrative support, indirectly affect instructors ‘ credence of engineering in instruction. Teachers ‘ SATISFACTION OF LMS Framework Development This survey aimed to analyze the impact of teacher ‘s single features, LMS ‘ features, and organisation ‘s features on teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition, and accordingly, on their uninterrupted usage in blended acquisition and pure usage purpose for distance acquisition. As indicated, few surveies have examined this incorporate probe of teachers ‘ LMS credence and use. This survey assessed the single features based on teachers ‘ computing machine anxiousness, engineering experience and personal innovativeness, LMS features based on system, information, and service quality ; and organisational features based on direction support, inducements policy and preparation. The impact of teachers ‘ ego efficaciousness was besides ab initio considered as portion of teachers ‘ features, but was dropped out after the analysis because of low dependability and cogency of the concept in this survey. Figure 1 illustrates this survey theoretical account. Figure 1: Teachers LMS Acceptance and Use Model Instructor Individual Characteristics HypothesesComputer Anxiety HypothesisComputer anxiousness is â€Å" the fright or apprehensiveness felt by persons when they used computing machines, or when they considered the possibility of computing machine use † ( Simonson, et al. , 1987, p. 238 ) . Computer anxiousness is an of import factor for the credence of the engineering ( Ball & A ; Levy, 2008 ; Piccoli et al. , 2001 ; Raaij & A ; Schepers, 2008 ; Sun et al. , 2008 ) . Fear of computing machines may negatively impact the credence of LMS and the user ‘s sensed satisfaction ( Piccoli et al. , 2001 ) . Empirical grounds of the impact of computing machine anxiousness was assorted. Ball and Levy ( 2008 ) did non observe a important nexus between computing machine anxiousness and teachers ‘ purpose to utilize the e-learning ; nevertheless, Sun et Al. ( 2008 ) found that computing machine anxiousness significantly impacts the scholars ‘ sensed satisfaction of e-lear ning, and Raaij and Schepers ( 2008 ) found the computing machine anxiousness impacts the scholar ‘s sensed easiness of usage of e-learning. Therefore we hypothesized that: Hypothesis 1: Teachers ‘ computing machine anxiousness is negatively associated with their satisfaction of LMS.Technology Experience HypothesisUsers ‘ experience with the engineering ( EUT ) besides plays a major function in the credence of engineering ( Venkatesh & A ; Davis, 2000 ; Thompson et al. , 2006 ) . An person ‘s EUT is his/her exposure to the engineering every bit good as the accomplishments and abilities that are gained through utilizing a engineering ( Thompson et al. , 2006 ) . Therefore, EUT may impact teachers ‘ credence of LMS for their categories. Although empirical quantitative research, such as that of Ball and Levy ( 2008 ) , found no important impact of EUT on teachers ‘ purpose to utilize LMS, research workers Sumner and Hostetler ( 1999 ) indicated that current degree of computing machine accomplishments and extent of usage of calculating accomplishments in learning are of import for teachers ‘ credence of ICT in instruction . Likewise, Wan et Al. ( 2007 ) highlighted the importance of engineering experience on the acquisition procedures and, accordingly, larning results. Mahdizadeh et Al. ( 2008 ) suggested that teachers ‘ anterior experience with e-learning may explicate their perceptual experience of the utility of e-learning environments and their existent usage. Therefore we hypothesized: Hypothesis 2: The teacher ‘s experience with the usage of engineering is positively associated with their satisfaction of LMS.Personal innovativeness HypothesisPersonal innovativeness is another issue that may be critical factor on teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS. Personal innovativeness in information engineering context means individual ‘s attitude reflecting his inclination to experiment with and to follow new information engineerings independently of the communicated experience of others ; â€Å" Bing used to accommodating to new systems and procedures might uncover the utility and easiness of usage more rapidly to an advanced individual than to a non-innovative individual † ( Schillewaert et al. , 2005 ) . Teachers ‘ innovativeness is of import to the satisfaction of e-learning ( Raaij & A ; Schepers, 2008 ) Hypothesis 3: The teacher ‘s personal innovativeness is positively associated with their satisfaction of LMS. LMS Characteristics HypothesesSystem Quality HypothesisSystem quality is indispensable for the user ‘s satisfaction of any engineering, including LMS. Researchers, such as DeLone and McLean ( 2003 ) , and Seddon ( 1997 ) highlighted the impact of system quality on engineering credence, usage or satisfaction and have introduced several ways to mensurate it. Teachers ‘ credence of LMS may be determined to a great extent by system quality. The more functionalities, interactivity, and response of LMS, the better is its credence and use ( Pituch & A ; Lee, 2006 ) . Quantitative empirical surveies found a important impact of system features on e-learning credence: dependability ( Wan et al. , 2007 ; Webster & A ; Hackley, 1997 ) , handiness ( Wan et al. , 2007 ) , and system functionality, interactivity, and response ( Pituch & A ; Lee, 2006 ) . Albirini ( 2006 ) indicated that teachers ‘ vision of engineering impacts their attitudes toward the usage of ICT in instruction . Therefore, we hypothesized that: Hypothesis 4: Lumen system quality is positively associated with the teacher ‘s satisfaction of LMS.Information Quality HypothesisInformation quality is besides of import for teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS, and refers to the perceived end product produced by the system. Information quality with great truth, relevancy, seasonableness, sufficiency, completeness, comprehensibility, format, and handiness are of import for the success of an information engineering ( Seddon, 1997 ) . There is a deficiency of research on the impact of information quality on teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS. Some research was conducted from the scholars ‘ position. Roca et Al. ( 2006 ) measured information quality of LMS by indexs related to relevance, seasonableness, sufficiency, truth, lucidity, and format, and proved that information quality was straight important for scholars ‘ satisfaction and indirectly for sensed utility. Likewise, Lee ( 2006 ) found content quality was imp ortant for scholars ‘ perceived utility. Consequently, we hypothesize that: Hypothesis 5: LMS information quality is positively associated with the teacher ‘s satisfaction of LMS.Service Quality HypothesisService quality refers to the quality of support services provided to the system ‘s end-users. Teachers ‘ credence of LMS may be related to the quality of the support services. Common measurings of service quality are tangibles, dependability, reactivity, confidence, and empathy ( Parasuraman et al. , 1988 ; Kettinger & A ; Lee, 1994 ) . Few surveies have investigated the impact of service quality on LMS acceptance and success. For case, Roca et Al. ( 2006 ) assessed service quality by indexs related to responsiveness, dependability, and empathy, and confirmed its direct significance on scholars ‘ satisfaction and indirect significance of sensed utility in the e-learning context. Therefore, we hypothesized that: Hypothesis 6: LMS service quality is positively associated with teacher ‘s satisfaction of LMS. Organization Features HypothesissManagement Support HypothesisManagement support is a cardinal factor for the credence of any organisational enterprise. Senior directors ‘ unfastened blessing and indorsement of LMS acceptance promote teachers ‘ acceptance and credence of LMS. Directors may back up an LMS by promoting teachers to follow it and place a clear vision of the aim of the LMS and how it is aligned with the university vision. Small research has investigated the impact of direction support on teachers ‘ credence of LMS. However, in the e-learning context, senior directors should clearly place the end of LMS for the university course of study ( Sumner & A ; Hostetler, 1999 ) . This directors ‘ support assures teachers that utilizing LMS is portion of the organisation ‘s civilization and is utile and encourages them to follow and utilize the system. Directors are recognized as a high authorization ( Ali, 1990 ) ; therefore, teachers ‘ acceptan ce and credence of LMS may be associated with the indorsement of their senior directors. Management support of end-users significantly improves computing machine use ( Igbaria, 1990 ) . Facilitating conditions, including administrative support, indirectly affect instructors ‘ credence of engineering in instruction ( Teo, 2009 ) . Consequently, we hypothesized that: Hypothesis 7: Management support is positively associated with the teacher ‘s satisfaction of LMS.Incentives Policy HypothesisIncentives, in footings of inducements, are of import factors to promote teachers to incorporate LMS in their instruction. Incentives can be â€Å" non-trivial † pecuniary and non-monetary inducements. E-learning research lacks the appraisal of inducements on LMS credence. Incentives or inducements for teachers can be enforced by utilizing the LMS as a factor in nomination for a learning award, publicity, and term of office ( Sumner & A ; Hostetler, 1999 ) . These inducements ‘ policies push teachers to follow and use LMS for their instruction. Therefore, we hypothesized that: Hypothesis 8: An inducement policy is positively associated with teacher ‘s satisfaction of LMS.Training HypothesisSupplying end-users with preparation is of import, as preparation improves teachers ‘ acceptance of LMS and illustrates its possible utility, and encourages its usage in learning. Limited research has investigated the impact of developing on teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS. Training can be in signifier of workshops, on-line tutorials, classs, and seminars ( Sumner & A ; Hostetler, 1999 ) . Facilitating conditions, including preparation, indirectly affect instructors ‘ credence of engineering in instruction ( Teo, 2009 ) . Therefore, we hypothesized: Hypothesis 9: Training is positively associated with the teacher ‘s satisfaction of LMS. Use and Future Intention HypothesesContinuous Blended Learning Intention HypothesisThe purpose to utilize the engineering is significantly determined by users ‘ sensed easiness of usage and perceived usefulness ( Venkatesh & A ; Davis, 2000 ) . The higher the teachers ‘ perceived utility of LMS, and existent usage, the more likely it is that they will go on to utilize it. Continuous purpose to e-learning usage is determined by sensed usefulness and satisfaction ( Hyashi et al. , 2004 ) . Therefore, we hypothesized: Hypothesis 10: The teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS is positively associated with their purpose to continuously utilize LMS in blended acquisition.Pure Use Intention hypothesisMany organisations begin their LMS acceptance as a auxiliary tool to traditional schoolroom instruction, trusting that this auxiliary acceptance will finally advance the pure usage of LMS for distance instruction. Perceived easiness of usage, perceived usefulness, and existent usage may hold an of import impact on uninterrupted purpose for auxiliary usage and purpose for pure usage of the LMS for instruction. When teachers believe that LMS is utile, and can be utilized for auxiliary intents, they are more likely to follow it strictly for distance instruction. The sensed utility of a engineering is found to be important determiner of the purpose to utilize the engineering ( Venkatesh & A ; Davis, 2000 ) . Perceived usefulness and auxiliary usage are important determiners of scholars ‘ usage of e-learni ng for distance instruction ( Pituch & A ; Lee, 2006 ) . Thus we hypothesized: Hypothesis 11: The teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition is positively associated with their purpose to strictly utilize LMS for distance instruction. Methodology Participants ‘ Profile This survey included 82 teachers from Oman. Teachers can voluntarily follow Moodle LMS to supplement their traditional categories. The teachers were from different colleges in the university and with different demographics. About 62 per centum of them were male and 38 per centum were female. About 5 per centum of them were adjunct lectors, 27 per centum were lectors, 50 per centum were adjunct professors, 13 per centum were associate professors, and 5 per centum were full professors. The teachers ‘ age varied from 20s to above 50s: approximately 8 per centum were in their 20s, 26 per centum were in their 30s, 16 per centum in their 40s, and 32 per centum were 50 or over. Almost 44 per centum had less than six old ages of work experience, 30 per centum had less than 11 old ages, 16 per centum had less than 16 old ages, 7 per centum had less than 21 old ages, and 2 per centum had more than 20 old ages. Most indicated that their computing machine accomplishments were above norm. Almost 71 per centum have above mean computing machine accomplishments ; 23 per centum, approximately norm ; and merely 6 per centum were below norm. The bulk, approximately 59 per centum, has used the LMS for categories for three old ages or more ; 30 per centum have used it for one to two old ages ; and 11 per centum have used it for less than one twelvemonth. Research Questionnaire The questionnaire was distributed to SQU teachers. An invitation electronic mail was sent to teachers to finish the survey questionnaire either online or on an affiliated MS Word papers. A reminder was sent two hebdomads after the initial invitation. Most of the teachers filled the questionnaire online ( about 95 per centum of them ) . The questionnaire included the concepts to be measured for quantitative analysis, along with demographic inquiries ( e.g. , gender, age, grade, LMS use experience, work experience, and occupation rubric ) . Concept measurings points were phrased harmonizing to a five-point Likert graduated table ( 1= strongly disagree ; 2=disagree ; 3=Neutral ; 4= agree and 5=strongly agree ) . To statistically measure the survey model, 28 indexs were used. Tables 1 and 2 show the entire indexs used for each concept. The LMS characteristic concepts ( system quality, information quality, and service quality ) were adopted and modified from Roca et Al. ( 2006 ) and Pituch and Lee ( 2006 ) . Individual features concepts ( computing machine anxiousness and engineering experience ) were adopted from Ball and Levy ( 2008 ) ; while the personal innovativeness concept was adopted from ( Raaij & A ; Schepers, 2008 ) . Organizational features ‘ concepts ( direction support, inducements, and developing ) were self-developed, based on Sumner and Hostetler ( 1999 ) . The user satisfaction concept was adopted from Sun et Al. ( 2008 ) , and uninterrupted blended acquisition and pure LMS purpose were adopted and modified harmonizing to Pituch and Lee ( 2006 ) . DATA ANALYSIS & A ; RESULTS PLS Analysis Methodology Data was analyzed by PLS-Graph 3.0 package. PLS ( partial least square ) is a variance-based structural equation theoretical account ( SEM ) technique that allows way analysis of theoretical accounts with latent variables ( Chin, 1998 ) . The PLS attack is a variance-based SEM that assists research workers in obtaining determinate values of latent variables for prognostic intents. The PLS does that by minimising the discrepancy of all dependent variables instead than utilizing the theoretical account to explicate the co-variation of all indexs ( Chin, 1998 ; Chin and Newsted, 1999 ) . Therefore, the theoretical account waies are estimated based on the ability to minimise the residuary discrepancies of the dependent variables. The PLS algorithm uses an iterative procedure for the appraisal of weights and latent variables tonss. The procedure about converges to a stable set of weight estimations. The rating of the theoretical account is based on ( 1 ) the appraisal of the theoretical a ccount measurings by measuring their cogency, dependability, and discriminant cogency, ( 2 ) the analysis of the waies of the structural theoretical account ( Chin, 1998 ) . Table 1 and Table 2 show the independent and dependent concepts ‘ steps and lading severally.Table 1: Independent Constructs Measures and LoadsConcept MeasuresLoadingComputer AnxietyI believe that working with computing machines is really hard. 0.8717 Computers make me experience uncomfortable. 0.9493 I get a sinking feeling when I think of seeking to utilize a computing machine. 0.8961Technology ExperienceI feel confident utilizing the e-learning system 0.7617 I feel confident downloading/uploading necessary stuffs from the Internet. 0.8460 I feel confident utilizing on-line communicating tools. 0.6333Personal InnovativenessI like to experiment with new information engineerings. 0.6713 Among my equals, I am normally the first to seek out new information engineerings. 0.9735System QualityThe system offers flexibleness in learning as to clip and topographic point. 0.7046 The system offers multimedia ( audio, picture, and text ) types of class content. 0.7225 The response clip of the system is sensible. 0.7017 The system enables synergistic communicating between teacher and pupils. 0.8190Information QualityThe information provided by the system is relevant for my occupation. 0.8537 The information in the system is really good. 0.9060 The information from the e-learning system is up-to-date. 0.8457 The information provided by the system is complete. 0.8186Service QualityThe system support services give me prompt service. 0.8485 The system support services have convenient operating hours. 0.8388 The system support services are dependable. 0.8859 The system support services are easy to pass on with. 0.8769Management SupportSenior decision makers strongly back up the usage of e-learning system. 0.8811 I get support by section chair or dean on my usage of e-learning system. 0.8253 My troughs highlight the importance of e-learning system on my course of study. 0.8624 Senior decision makers clearly identify the importance of e-learning to the course of study. 0.7517IncentivesThe usage of e-learning is a factor in the nomination for learning award. 0.9396 The usage of e-learning system is a factor in finding publicity. 0.9620 The usage of e-learning system is a factor in one-year lift of instruction. 0.9685TrainingI receive developing workshops on how to utilize e-learning tools. 0.8015 I receive online manuals on how to utilize e-learning tools. 0.7993 I receive seminars on the usage of e-learning tools. 0.8761Table 2: Dependent Concepts Measures and LoadsConcept MeasuresLoadingUser Satisfaction ( SAT )I am satisfied with the public presentation of the e-learning system. 0.8078 I am pleased with the experience of utilizing the e-learning system. 0.9133 My determination to utilize the e-learning system was a wise one. 0.8684Continuous Intention to LMS Use in Blended Learning ( CUI )I will often utilize e-learning system to make a instruction undertaking. 0.8743 I will utilize e-learning system on regular footing to supplement my categories in the hereafter. 0.8645 I will ever seek to utilize the e-learning system to make a instruction undertaking whenever it has a utile characteristic. 0.8917Purpose to Pure LMS Use ( PUI )I plan to learn strictly on-line classs for distance scholars. 0.9393 I will utilize e-learning system to learn strictly on-line classs. 0.9594 I plan to learn strictly on-line classs in every bit many occasions as possible. 0.9304 Concepts Validity and Reliability The dependability and the cogency are two standards used by research workers to measure the pertinence of their measurings to their investigated theoretical account. Reliability refers to the consistence of the steps ( indexs ) of a specific latent variable ; whereas, cogency refers to how good the construct is defined by the steps ( Hair et al. , 1998 ) . With PLS, the dependability of the measurings was evaluated by internal consistence dependability, and the cogency was measured by the mean discrepancy extracted ( AVE ) , which refers to the sum of discrepancy a latent variable gaining controls from its indexs. AVE was developed by Fornell and Larcker ( 1981 ) to measure concept cogency. The recommended degree for internal consistence dependability is at least 0.70, and is at least 0.50 for AVE ( Chin, 1998 ) . Tables 1 and 2 show the theoretical account concepts ‘ measurings and lading. Table 3 shows that the survey concepts ‘ dependability and AVE are above the recom mended degrees for all the concepts.Table 3: Concepts Reliability and ValidityConceptEntireItemsDependabilityAVEComputer Anxiety ( CA )3 0.932 0.821Technology Experience ( TE )3 0.794 0.566Personal Innovativeness ( PI )2 0.818 0.699System Quality ( SQ )4 0.827 0.545Information Quality ( IQ )4 0.917 0.734Service Quality ( SvQ )4 0.921 0.744Management Support ( MS )4 0.899 0.692Incentives ( IN )3 0.970 0.915Training ( TR )3 0.866 0.683User Satisfaction ( SAT )3 0.898 0.747Continuous auxiliary Use Intention ( CUI )3 0.909 0.769Pure Use Intention ( PUI )3 0.960 0.889 To accomplish the discriminant cogency of the concepts, Fornell and Larcker ( 1981 ) suggest that the square root of AVE of each concept should transcend the correlativities shared between the concepts and other concepts in the theoretical account. The discriminant cogency is used to guarantee the differences among concepts ( Chin, 1998 ) . Table 4 shows that the theoretical account constructs satisfy that regulation, as the square root of the AVE ( on the diagonal ) is greater than the correlativities with other concepts. Therefore, all the theoretical account concepts have a satisfactory discriminant cogency concept.Table 4: Concept ‘ Correlations and Discriminant ValidityConceptCalciumTelluriumPiSQIntelligence quotientSvQMultiple sclerosisInchTRSaturdayCUIPUIComputer Anxiety( CA )0.906Technology Experience( TE )-0.1530.752Personal Innovativeness( PI )-0.295 0.5510.836System Quality( SQ )-0.092 0.159 0.2600.738Information Quality( IQ )-0.078 0.179 0.209 0.6330.857Service Quality( SvQ )-0.027 0.056 0.128 0.472 0.6890.863Management Support( MS )0.199 -0.174 0.125 0.298 0.226 0.2290.832Incentives( IN )0.227 -0.224 -0.106 0.158 0.124 0.142 0.5300.957Training( TR )0.020 0.003 0.165 0.271 0.348 0.353 0.241 0.2970.826User Satisfaction( SAT )-0.338 0.182 0.333 0.491 0.497 0.324 0.226 0.209 0.3880.864Continuous auxiliary Use Intention ( CUI )-0.329 0.373 0.493 0.488 0.365 0.191 0.173 0.163 0.340 0.7640.877Pure Use Intention( PUI )0.008 0.123 0.374 0.103 0.054 -0.026 0.072 0.094 0.113 0.355 0.4350.943Model Evaluation and Paths Analysis With PLS, R-square values are used to measure the prognostic relevancy of a structural theoretical account for the dependent latent variables, and the way coefficients are used to measure the effects of the independent variables ( Chin, 1998 ) . The significance of the theoretical account waies was assessed based on their t-values.Table 5: Model Evaluation & A ; Paths AnalysisWayBeta( I? )p-valueHypothesisCAi? SAT– 0.3058 & lt ; 0.0005 H1: supportedTEi? SAT0.0587 & gt ; 0.5 H2: non supportedPIi? SAT0.1115 & lt ; 0.025 H3: supportedSQi? SAT0.1808 & lt ; 0.025 H4: supportedIQi? SAT0.2371 & lt ; 0.001 H5: supportedSvQi? SAT0.0398 & gt ; 0.5 H6: non supportedMSi? SAT0.1272 & gt ; 0.5 H7: supportedINi? SAT0.1476 & lt ; 0.01 H8: supportedTRi? SAT0.2046 & lt ; 0.001 H9: supportedSATi? CUI0.7693 & lt ; 0.0005 H10: supportedSATi? PUI0.3592 & lt ; 0.0005 H11 supported Table 5 shows the R2 values of the endogenous dependent concepts. The analysis indicated that the theoretical account explains 47.1 per centum of discrepancy in the teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition. The analysis besides showed that teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition explains 58.4 per centum of discrepancy in their purpose to continuously utilize LMS in blended acquisition, and 12.6 % of their purpose to utilize LMS strictly for distance instruction. Table 5 besides shows the waies ‘ coefficients analysis between the exogenic independent concepts ( teachers ‘ features, LMS ‘s features, and organisation ‘s features ) and the endogenous dependent concept ( teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition ) , and, accordingly, purpose ( uninterrupted LMS usage in blended acquisition, and LMS pure usage for distance instruction ) . The analysis showed that most of the teacher ‘s features, the LMS ‘s features and the organisation ‘s features to some extent have impact on the teacher ‘s satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition. First, teachers ‘ computing machine anxiousness negatively impacts their satisfaction of LMS ( Beta -I? = – 0.3058, P & lt ; 0.0005 ) ; therefore hypothesis 1 is supported. Second, the impact of teachers ‘ experience with the engineering is non important on their satisfaction of LMS ( 0.0587, P & gt ; 0.05 ) ; therefore hypothesis 2 is non supported. Third, teachers ‘ personal innovativeness positively impacts their satisfaction of LMS ( I? = 0.2371, P & lt ; 0.001 ) ; therefore, hypothesis 3 is supported. Fourth, system quality significantly impacts teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS ( I? = 0.1808, P & lt ; 0.025 ) ; therefore, hypothesis 4 is supported. Fifth, information quality significantly impacts teachers ‘ satisfaction of L MS ( I? =0.2371, P & lt ; 0.001 ) ; therefore, hypothesis 5 is supported. Sixth, service quality is non important on teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS ( I? = 0.0398, P & gt ; 0.05 ) ; therefore hypothesis 6 is non supported. Seventh, direction support significantly impacts teacher ‘s satisfaction of LMS ( I? = 0.1272, P & lt ; 0.025 ) ; therefore, hypothesis 7 is supported. Eight, incentives policy significantly impacts teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS ( I? = 0.1476, P & lt ; 0.01 ) ; therefore, hypothesis 8 is supported. Ninth, developing significantly impacts the teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS ( I? = 0.2046, P & lt ; 0.001 ) ; therefore, hypothesis 9 is supported. In add-on, teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended larning significantly impacts their purpose to continuously utilize LMS in blended acquisition ( I? = 0.7693, P & lt ; 0.0005 ) , and their purpose to strictly utilize LMS for distance instruction ( I? = 0.3592 P & lt ; 0.0005 ) ; therefore, hy pothesis 10 and hypothesis 11 severally are supported. DISCUSSION & A ; CONCLUSIONS Discussion of Findingss and Deductions LMS include several tools that provide academic and preparation establishments an efficient and effectual agencies to back up distance instruction and supplement their traditional instruction. Furthermore, LMS enable these establishments to capture their educational stuffs and continue them for future reuse. This survey examined the impact of teachers ‘ features ( computing machine anxiousness, engineering experience and personal innovativeness ) ; LMS ‘ features ( system quality, information quality, and service quality ) ; and an organisation ‘s features ( direction support, inducements, and developing ) on teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition, and, accordingly, their future purpose of utilizing LMS in blended acquisition and in pure e-learning for distance instruction. The consequences showed that teacher ‘ single features, LMS ‘ features, and organisation ‘s features have assorted impacts on teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition. Sing the teachers ‘ single features, the survey, foremost, found that teachers ‘ computing machine anxiousness negatively impacts their satisfaction of LMS. In fact, the survey showed that teachers ‘ computing machine anxiousness is the chief cardinal factor act uponing teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS. As indicated earlier, empirical surveies showed assorted impacts of computing machine anxiousness on LMS acceptance ( sensed easiness of usage, perceived usefulness and satisfaction ) . These assorted consequences might be linked to computing machine literacy or cultural issues. Nevertheless, organisations need to look into the causes of persons ‘ computing machine anxiousness in order to extinguish it and accordingly better the acceptance of LMS in their organisations. Second, even though qualitative research has suggested that persons ‘ engineering experience might lend to the LMS acceptance and satisfaction, this empirical survey was unable to happ en a important impact of this factor on teachers ‘ satisfaction, which is consistent with Ball and Levy ‘s ( 2008 ) empirical survey. Third, the survey found that teachers ‘ personal innovativeness is another positive key factor to their satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition, which is consistent with ( Raaij & A ; Schepers, 2008 ) . Therefore, bettering teachers ‘ personal innovativeness will better their satisfaction of LMS. Refering the LMS ‘s features, the survey found system quality and information quality are besides positive cardinal factors to teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS. This determination is consistent with Roca and his co-workers ‘ ( 2006 ) empirical survey on scholars ‘ satisfaction of e-learning. Therefore, for a successful deployment of LMS organisations should guarantee that system is with high functionalities and contains good information quality. Unfortunately this survey was unable to observe a important impact of service quality on teachers ‘ satisfaction inconsistent with Roca and his co-workers ‘ ( 2006 ) happening. This survey, compared to Roca and his co-workers ‘ survey on scholars, investigated more factors. Refering the organisation ‘s features, the survey significantly found that direction support, inducements policy and preparation are cardinal factors to teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS. Even though much qualitative research has suggested this issue, non much empirical quantitative research has asserted this impact on LMS satisfaction. Therefore, organisations and their senior directors should invariably back up the LMS enterprise and promote teachers ‘ usage. Senior directors should besides incorporate LMS usage in their inducements policy such as a factor in nomination for a learning award, publicity, and term of office. Finally, senior directors should supply sufficient preparation to teachers ; this preparation plan can be in signifier of workshops, online manuals or/and seminars Finally, the survey found that teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS is a cardinal determiner of their uninterrupted usage of LMS in blended acquisition. The survey besides found that teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition is a cardinal determiner of their purpose to strictly utilize LMS for distance instruction. Few surveies have examined the nexus between teachers ‘ usage of LMS in blended larning to their purpose of pure e-learning. Therefore, this survey showed organisations that are non ready for pure e-learning, that the usage of LMS in blended acquisition is a valuable option to fix organisations and teachers to finish digital transmutation through the usage of LMS strictly for distance instruction. In decision, LMS is assuring for developing states, as they provide tools to expeditiously construct human resources. This survey offered important findings for research workers and practicians. The survey has demonstrated that single features, LMS ‘s features and organisation ‘s features are cardinal factors to teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition, and that teachers satisfaction of LMS is important factor on their hereafter purposes for blended acquisition or pure e-learning. Therefore, this survey provided utile penetrations for practicians ( teachers and academic establishments ) . Organizations, particularly in the Middle East where computing machine and Internet literacy is non every bit high as in developed states, should supply developing to decrease teacher ‘s computing machine anxiousness, and accordingly better their satisfaction of LMS. In add-on, organisations should follow high-quality LMS ( in footings of system quality and infor mation quality ) to advance their acceptance and usage by teachers. Furthermore, direction support and inducements are of import to better teachers ‘ satisfaction of LMS in blended acquisition. Restrictions and Future Research This survey has few restrictions. First, the sample was from one academic establishment in Oman ; more research can be conducted in several organisations in different states to better the generalisation of the findings. Second, the survey assessed LMS use from teachers ‘ position ; farther research may measure it from scholars ‘ position. Third, this survey was unable to measure the impact of self-efficacy ; new measurings might be developed to better its dependability and cogency across different states. Furthermore, future research could besides analyze in item the benefits of LMS for teachers and the critical factors act uponing organisations ‘ deployment of LMS.