Alternative Method for Onsite Sewage Disposal

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT DESIGN Term Paper 1 ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR ONSITE SEWAGE DISPOSAL (29 Pages) March 2nd, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION3 2. INFORMATION4 3. 1 Soil Absorption System in a septic tank4 3. 2 Soil Failures6 3. 3 Soils7 3. ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR ONSITE TREATMENTS 8 AND SYSTEMS OF DISPOSALS 4. 4 Alternative method for soil treatment and disposal systems8 4. 5 Alternative treatment devices13 4. 6 In-house alteration of wastewater16 4. REGULATION OF ALTERNATIVE ONSITE SYSTEMS21 5. CONCLUSION22 6. 7 Funding of existing state onsite programs22 6. Operation and maintenance22 6. 9 Failing systems23 6. 10 Water Conservation24 References25 List of Figures26 1. 0 INTRODCUTION Nearly 30% of the homes in the United States of America depend on onsite wastewater treatment and disposal. This percentage remained constant for the last two decades and is also estimated to be constant in the coming future. It is estimated that up to one half of the septic tanks do not perf orm perfectly or may even fail even before their expected life. The risk of contamination of ground water and surface water quality increases with the failing of an onsite system.These result in degradation of water quality, health hazards, outbreak of diseases and lowered property values. Nationally septic tank leachate is the most frequently reported cause for the contamination of the ground water and consumption of contaminated ground water is responsible for over 50% of all reported outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Lack of affordable and effective onsite sewage disposal is a national issue. Less than 35% of the land in the United States of America is suitable for conventional septic tank soil absorption systems.These limitations and requirements have resulted in developing many alternatives for onsite technologies. This study discusses recent research on alternative onsite technologies. 2. INFORMATION 2. 1 Soil Absorption System in a Septic Tank The soil absorption system in a septic tank is one of the most common treatment systems onsite. This soil absorption system consists of a septic tank, a water tight container which is usually large, and a field of soil absorption. It also contains a series of perforated pipes that are buried in the soil. This system performs two functions, the treatment of wastewater and the disposal.The septic tank provides biological treatment by removing large solids and greases. Further treatment followed by the final disposal is provided by the soil absorption field. A septic tank is made up of a large container which is water tight (usually 1000gal). This container is generally buried slightly below the ground and also adjacent to the building to which it is serving. The greases and fats are collected in a layer on the upper liquid surface whereas the solids settle to the bottom of the tank. For the liquid to be discharged from the layers between the solids and the scum, an outlet is constructed in the septic tank.For approx imately every three years, the solids and scum are pumped from the tank. The treatment or stabilization of contaminants in the wastewater are treated by anaerobic microorganisms. This process occurs in the absence of O2. The soil absorption field consists of a series of pipes. These pipes are placed in trenches which are usually 2 to 3 feet wide and 2 to 4 feet deep. These pipes are perforated. The pipes are placed in Gravel and it is covered with top soil. The effluent from the septic tank first flows down to the pipes, then out of the perforations and finally is absorbed by the adjacent soil.The microorganisms in the soil below the trenches absorb and treat the organic material in the effluent. This treated water percolates into ground water or may also evaporate. 2. 2 FAILURES The main causes for the failure of the system are * The water table being very high. * The surrounding soil being impermeable. * Improper Construction * Lacking in maintenance of the tank. The failed system can usually be defined as * When sewage effluent is collected on the surface of the ground. * When the wastewater is no longer being evacuated by the toilets or drainage systems.Main Causes for these types of Failures * Clogging of the Soil under the system * The rising of the water table to very close of the distribution trenches. * The soil being impermeable. The Clogging of the soil is being considered as the unavoidable occurrence for a soil absorption system over a period. The design of the system, the maintenance of the tank, and the characteristics and amount of wastewater being treated greatly influence the rate of clogging. The immediate clogging of the soil is also occurred when proper pumping of the septic tank is neglected.If the soil under the field of soil absorption is too permeable, even then the system failures occur. If this happens then the effluent directly enters the ground water without proper treatment in the soil. In this case it becomes more difficult to id entify, as there are no problems that can be found out or noticed in the disposal system. A sample of ground water may be taken to detect such failures. 2. 3 SOILS The ultimate disposal of the liquid part of the wastes treatment process depends mainly on soil for all onsite systems. The soil also provides the ultimate treatment in most of the onsite systems.The wastewater is made free of contaminant particles when the contaminants pass through soil by contact with the aerobic microorganisms and also absorption to soil particles. The pathogens and contaminants are completely removed from the wastewater if it travels slowly through 2 to 4 feet of unsaturated soil. If at all the wastewater is travelled quickly the treatment is not done completely and resulting in the contamination of the underground water. Even if the wastewater travels too slowly the saturation of the soil takes place aerobic treatment will also not take place.The time at which the wastewater is to be passed should be determined by the soil permeability. It is mainly affected by texture and structure of the soil. The texture of the soil means the physical nature of the soil with respect to portions of sand, silt and clay. The travelling of the water depends on the particle size of the soil. It travels quickly through the coarse soil and slowly in clayey soils. Soils whose structure is stable will allow more water to pass through than that of those soils whose structure is unstable.The kind of soil absorption system that has to be determined is mainly based on the characteristics of the soil. 3. 0 ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR ONSITE TREATMENTS AND SYSTEMS OF DISPOSALS The conventional septic tank absorption system is used in less than 35% of the land in the United States of America. There are some areas that are not suitable for the conventional absorption system because of the soil. For the past several years alternative methods to the conventional method of absorption system have been provided to de velop effective sewage treatment to those soils which were formerly not suitable.Most of the alternative methods are still in the experimental stage. This chapter describes the ongoing status of the research being carried out on a number of alternative methods to the conventional septic tank-soil absorption system. The alternative systems for the soil absorption system are divided into three groups * Alternative method for soil treatment and disposal systems * Alternative treatment devices * Alteration of wastewater in-house 3. 1 ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR SOIL TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL SYSTEMS The main factor in identifying the onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems is the soil.For this reason, the research has been primarily focused mainly on developing alternative soil absorption methods. Five alternatives to the standard soil absorption field are described here. Of which three of them are the alternative methods of distributing effluent to standard soil absorption field, a mound or fill system, and an evapotranspiration system. Soil Clogging over time is an unavoidable occurrence for soil absorption systems. This problem is caused by the manner in which effluent Is delivered to the system.The flows occur to a soil absorption field when the effluent is displaced from a septic tank by a water use event in the household. Such low volumes and irregular waste utilize only a small portion of the disposal trench area on all times. These cause clogging, progressive creeping failure and localized overloading. The following figure illustrates how the progressive failure reaches a state of equilibrium along the entire absorption field with respect to the time. To provide more uniform application of effluent over the complete trench area two systems have been developed. The two systems are Dosing system and Pressure Distribution systems.DOSING SYSTEMS The dosing systems are present in the dosing tank. These dosing systems store the pretreated effluent and apply large d oses to the soil absorption field by gravity, siphon or pump at regular intervals of time. The surface of the soil is returned to an unsaturated condition by allowing the system to drain. The soil type determines the frequency of dosing. It usually ranges from one to four doses per day. EALUATION: The specific cause for soil clogging is not well understood, and some question still exists whether dosing is effective or not. Clogging still occurs in dosing systems as well as standard systems.More research and careful tracking of installed systems is necessary. An additional dosing chamber and pump adds up to approximately $880 to $1000 to the price of the standard system. REGULATORY STATUS: Washington State Guidelines for dosing systems have been issued. There are 57 systems on the state inventory. PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Pressure distribution systems like the dosing system store pretreated effluent for periodic distribution to the soil absorption field. Diameters of small radiu s are used to pump the effluent over the entire absorption field. The pressure distribution system provides the most uniform distribution.Such accurate distribution avoids the localized overloading problems. The additional benefit of dosing are also achieved with the Pressure Distribution system. EVALUATION: The Pressure distribution systems are mostly suitable for permeable and coarse textured soils. This is because they improve the potential for treatment by the distribution of the effluent evenly over the entire absorption field and reduce the potential for direct bypass of effluent to the ground water. The installation cost, operational cost and the maintenance cost are much more in a pressure distribution system when compared with the gravity system.This is because of the additional cost of the dosing chamber and pumps which approximately adds to $800 to $1000 to the price of a standard system. The cost of installation of the absorption field is similar to that of the standard field. It is obvious that these systems result in the most effective treatment in coarse textured soils, but it is not clear whether or not the life of the absorption field is long lasted in fine grained soils. REGULATORY STATUS: Washington State Guidelines for pressure distribution Systems have been issued (revised SEPT 1984).There are a total of 52 systems on the state inventory. ALTERNATING DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS The effluent is not stored by the alternating distribution systems. Instead the disposing of the pretreated effluent is carried out between two separate absorption fields. These absorption fields are constructed in close proximity and the fields are usually alternated annually. This allows the unused field to drain and aerobic decomposition of clogging mat to take place. The residential systems are generally constructed with two equal fields each containing 75% to 100% of the required surface area.EVALUATION: Washington alternative system guidelines require each component field to contain 100% of the area required for a single field. In a conventional system it is also required that the soil meet its standards. Hence the installation cost is more and the benefit received is the increased life time of the absorption field. REGULATORY STATUS: Washington state guidelines have been issued. There are two systems on the state inventory. MOUND OR FILL SYSTEMS This is a pressure distribution system installed in a mound constructed on top of the natural soil.Such systems are used when the GWL is too close to the surface or when the soil is not permeable enough or is too permeable. This mound is constructed of a coarse grained material usually sand through which the pretreated effluent travels before it reaches the original surface of the soil. Vegetable cover and top soil are used to cover the mound. Usually the soil absorption field is constructed below the top soil. The mound system is placed on the top of the top soil layer and thus gains the additional be nefit of this soil layer for the treatment.The treated effluent is dispersed over laterally through the top soil until it is absorbed into the sub soil. EVALUATION: These mound systems have emerged as an effective alternative for sites whose soils are unsuitable. Anyhow construction of a mound requires the transportation of large amounts of new soil to the site and the mound must be carefully designed and constructed properly in order to see that no problem occurs in the future. The design and installation cost of the mound system can cost between $4000to$8000. Therefore this the last option for installation.REGULATORY STATUS: Final state guidelines have been issued for the mound systems and there are 257 systems on the state inventory. EVAPOTRANSPIRATION BEDS The evapotranspiration beds discharge the wastes into the air instead of the soil. The use of such beds is not allowed in those areas where the annual evaporation is more than the annual precipitation. These beds are lined wit h water tight materials such as plastic, filled with crushed rock and sand, and again covered with top soil. Perforated pipe lines are used distribute pretreated effluents to the bed as in the conventional absorption system.EVALUATION: Testing of 17systems took place in Easter Oregon and that revealed out poor performance. All but one of the systems developed holes in the linear. They allowed the untreated effluent to enter the ground water. REGULATORY STATUS: An experimental system permit would be required for installation of the evapotranspiration beds. 3. 2 ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT DEVICES The focus has mainly been on the disposal systems in an onsite research in the USA. However there has been some interest in reducing the clogging of soil absorption fields. This has led to in improving the quality or purity of the effluent from treatment devices.If the purity of the effluent is improved then the clogging in coarse unstructured soils is reduced. There are 2 devices in the pretreatm ent of wastewater, the septic tank and the aerobic tank. To provide an extra treatment to the effluents from septic tank and aerobic tank several technologies have been developed. Some of the devices are capable enough to produce the effluent suitable for surface discharge. However the surface discharge is not allowed in all states and so these types of systems can be utilized to improve the performance of the soil absorption field. AEROBIC TANKSAn aerobic tank is a watertight container which runs on the mechanism where the wastewater comes in contact with air. The decomposition of waste products takes place when they are in contact with the air. The separation of the solids and greases take place and the liquid waste is discharged into a disposal system. The solids must be pumped from the final chamber regularly. Aerobic tanks can reduce the BOD by 85% to 98% under ideal conditions and also reduce the Suspended Solids by 40% to 80%. A septic tank reduces BOD by 25% to 65% and suspe nded solids by 40% to 80%.EVALUATION: Aerobic treatment devices are sensitive to any changes in the quantity of wastewater or the characteristics of the wastewater they are treating. In normal conditions, the effluent has not been shown to be of a higher purity than the septic tank effluent and the purity of the septic tank changes vastly with time. These are mechanical devices which require skilled men to operate it and also to maintain it. Since the aerobic tanks need regular inspections and frequent maintenances, they are best suited for conditions where the management is done by Wastewater Management District or utility.REGULATORY STATUS: Final state guidelines were issued in 1975 for the aerobic devices. No systems are illustrated on the state inventory. ANAEROBIC FILTERS These filters are mainly designed to provide secondary treatment to septic tank effluent before they discharge to a soil absorption system. The filter is a water tight container which is filled with crushed ro ck or other soil type which will support microbial growth. Effluent is treated when it comes in contact with anaerobic organisms on the surfaces of the anaerobic filters. EVALUATION: Development is still in the experimental stage for small residential systems.It is reported that anaerobic filters can reduce the BOD of septic tank effluent by 30% to 80% and can further reduce fecal coliform by 43% to 95%. No additional source of energy is required and the maintenance cost is almost similar to that for a septic tank. Cost Estimations are not available. More research and field tests are needed. REFULATORY STATUS: No state guidelines are there for anaerobic filters and an experimental system permit would be required. SAND FILTERS Many sand filter designs have been installed on an experimental basis for residential onsite use.Sand filters operate by directing pretreated effluent into or onto a layer of sand allowing it to drain through the sand where aerobic decomposition of the wastewat er takes place and collecting the filtrate in a perforated pipe at the bottom of the filter. Filters may be constructed either above or below the ground. The systems that are constructed below the ground can be contained in a water tight vault or can also be uncontained in direct contact with the surrounding soil. Some filters send back part of the filtrate through the filter for further treatment. The liquid filtrate is ultimately disposed of in a soil absorption field.Sand filters are capable of producing very high quality of effluent with reported BOD and SS reductions of 99% and 97%, respectively. EVALUATION: The Oregon Department of Environmental quality has conducted extensive research into the use of sand filters for residential use. Their research has shown good success at improving the ability of soils to accept and treat effluent on sites with soils that are not acceptable for the conventional systems. In cases where the soil conditions are very poor, an installation of sa nd filter is made to treat the effluent coming out of the septic tank before the disposal in the mound system.However this system might cost up to $1000. REGULATORY STATUS: Washington State interim guidelines for sand filters have been issued and are currently being revised. 3. 3 IN-HOUSE ALTERATION OF WASTEWATER The main factors that are taken into consideration when designing onsite treatment and disposal systems are the quantity and quality of the wastewater being treated. These factors also have an important effect on the long term performance of those systems. Wastewater is created and its characteristics are determined by the water use habits of the residents belonging to the household.The quality of the wastewater is also influenced by the water use habits of the residents. One technique of altering the waste stream is one technique considered to permit onsite treatment and disposal on sites with less suitable soils. HOUSEHOLD WASTEWATER CHARACTERISTICS Household wastewater c haracteristics vary widely with the time of day and the season. Wastewater from residential houses is affected by high utilization of water like the day of wash, holidays and guests and periods of no flow in times of vacations. Below are given the values of average residential wastewater.Typical household wastewater is 99. 9% water by weight, and 0. 02% to 0. 03% suspended solids, plus minor amounts of other soluble and insoluble organic and inorganic substances. Wastewater also contains bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms from the digestive tract, respiratory tract and skin. Some of the physical and chemical characteristics of wastewater produced by various activities are listed below. TABLE 3. 1 HOUSEHOLD WASTEWATER – PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION ACTIVITY| BIOLOGICAL OXYGEN DEMAND| SUSPENDED SOILS| Kitchen activities| 42%| 27%| Bathing and showering| 6. %| 6. 8%| Clothes washing| 29. 9%| 31. 3%| Toilet Flushing| 21. 8%| 35. 8%| TOTAL| 100%| 100%| WASTE SEGREGATI ON Toilet flushes or black wastes contribute approximately 35% of the water, 36% of the suspended solids, and 68% of the total nitrogen to the household waste stream. The volume and pollutant load of remaining water which is called grey water is reduced if the toilet wastes are treated separately without using water. VAULT PRIVIES Vault privies and holding tank systems store the waste products from toilet in a storage vessel which is water tight and is pumped out periodically?EVALUATION: The storage systems are generally used to correct a temporarily correct a failing system but not always applicable to residential uses. REGULATORY STATUS: Washington state guidelines have been issued and the use is restricted to non-residential applications. INCINERATING TOILETS The use of natural gas and electricity is made to incinerate toilet wastes in the incinerating toilets. In these toilets the solids are reduced to ash and the liquids are evaporated and vented to the outside. Later the ash i s disposed of at regular intervals of time.EVALUATION: Incinerating systems consume energy either from electricity or from natural gas and should go through a fifteen minutes treatment cycle after every use. Five to Six units installed in Kentucky in the early 1970s had been abandoned by 1978 because of high operation costs, associated doors and frequent problems of repairs. REGULATORY STATUS: Washington state interim guidelines for incinerating toilets were issued. BIOLOGICAL TOILETS Biological toilets treat human wastes by composting. Composting takes place under specific conditions of temperature, moisture, exposure to Oxygen and the availability of carbon and nitrogen.This process of composting usually results in a relatively dry end product which is free from harmful components. This end product is intended for disposal as a soil additive. To assure successful treatment of wastes, proper maintenance of design and operation of composting toilets within the composting chamber. Th ere are two common designs used, (1) small units where the entire unit is on the floor in the toilet room and (2) large toilets where the composting unit is below the floor. EVALUATION: Even though they have been in use for many years, the design of composting or biological toilets is still evolving.Field testing in the United States of America has resulted in some problems. Two studies sponsored by U. S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and conducted in California and Oregon report generally poor performance including certain problems like excess buildup of liquid, problems caused by insects and rodents, structural failures and incomplete treatment of wastes. For certain units to operate efficiently an added heat and forced ventilation are required. REGULATORY STATUS: No existing regulations in the state of Ohio. GREYWATER TREATMENT AND DISPOSALGrey water contains concentrations of organic materials, solids, nutrients and fecal bacteria which require treatment to that of the t otal household wastewater. A significant amount of wastewater created can be reduced by segregating the waste. EVALUATION: Even though the conventional treatment and disposal methods are required, the segregation of black wastes allows the size of the system to be reduced significantly. Septic tank size can be reduced by 50% and the capacity of the soil absorption field can be reduced by 40%. REGULATORY STATUS: Guidelines for grey water treatment are included in the state regulations. . REGULATION OF ALTERNATIVE ONSITE SYSTEMS To prevent the spread of diseases, the need for regulation of onsite sewage disposal became necessary. However specific construction requirements are many times difficult to justify in terms of preventing the spread of diseases. This difficulty led to vast differences in policy and allowed regulations to be influenced by political purposes as well as public health purposes. A national survey of existing state codes in 1947 found considerable variation in requi rements for onsite sewage disposal systems (Weibel, 1947, in Kreissl, 1982a).These findings prompted the U. S. Public Health Service to become involved, and in 1957 they published the Manual of Septic-Tank Practice. A survey of all the states was conducted in 1971 and showed that most state codes had incorporated the recommendations of the manual (Patterson, 1971, in Kreissl, 1984). Since that time, states have been revising their codes in response to local experience and new research. In 1980 the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency published a Design Manual for Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal.Newer or â€Å"alternative† onsite treatment technologies are more complex than that of the conventional systems and incorporate pumps, recirculation piping, aeration, and other features (e. g. , greater generation of residuals) that require ongoing or periodic monitoring and maintenance. However, the current management programs of most of the jurisdictions do not typically o versee routine operation and maintenance activities or detect and respond to changes in wastewater loads that can overwhelm a system. In addition, in many cases onsite system planning and siting functions are not linked to larger ground water and watershed protection programs.The challenge for onsite treatment regulators in the new millennium will be to improve traditional health based programs for ground water and surface water protection while embracing a vigorous role in protecting and restoring the nation's watersheds. 5. CONCLUSION There are important problems not addressed by existing regulations 5. 1 Funding of Existing State Onsite Programs The Department of Social and Health Services currently has 1. 8 staff statewide for the entire onsite program. Department officials estimate that 4 to 5 full time staff would be required to adequately perform the state’s duties (Lenning, 1987). . 2 Operation and Maintenance The U. S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Design Man ual for Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems (1980) suggests that there are three distinct phases in the life of onsite systems that required to be controlled. * Installation * Operation * Maintenance The above phases of installation, operational cost and maintenance cost cause problems that may result in system failures that threaten public health or damage the environment. Guidelines for alternative and experimental systems require some monitoring of operation as mentioned in Section 4. 2.The difference between using an onsite system and being connected to a municipal sewer is usually not known to the home owners. Careful operation and careful maintenance is required for an onsite system to function properly. For example, there might be a serious effect on the operation of an onsite system with the use of garbage grinders or excessive water volumes (Refer Chapter 3. 3). An important maintenance function for most of the systems is pumping of septic tank. If this is not done properly it may result in the rapid failure of the soil treatment and disposal system (Refer Chapter 2. 2).Special operation and maintenance requirements are present in most alternative systems so that they can function properly. As of now there are no statewide requirements for operation and maintenance of conventional or alternative onsite systems. There are two possibilities to control the onsite system operation and maintenance. * Regular Inspection and documentation of maintenance * Community or regional wastewater management districts REGULAR INSPECTION AND DOCUMENTATION OF MAINTENANCE To adequately protect public health and the environment regular maintenance of the onsite wastewater systems is required.In some areas, the local governments require the property owners to provide local health authorities with evidence that their wastewater system is being operated and maintained properly. Inspections are conducted by health officials or licensed individuals, such as plumbe rs who are well trained and also are certified to carry out inspections. COMMUNITY OR REGIONAL WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS In the previous days onsite wastewater systems were considered temporary solutions until one of the areas were sewered. From then they have become an important wastewater treatment practice for many areas.The induced and often dramatic growth can be reduced with onsite system in low density areas. With the help of an onsite system the high costs for the construction of the traditional centralized sewer and treatment systems can also be reduced. The degradation of the ground water and the environment can be avoided if the management district sees that the maintenance of the onsite systems within the district is functioning properly or not. In some states wastewater management districts have been formed using a combination of alternative including individual and communal systems. . 3 FAILING SYSTEMS The repairs are usually difficult when a system fails because of its high repairing cost. The health officials find it difficult in the issues of failing systems. They are difficult to detect the cause of the failure and are even more difficult rectify the defect or to repair it. There are two regulatory problems, related to alternate systems that arise when a system fails. * If there is not enough land to construct an approved replacement system then a failing system may be located on this lot.If there is flexibility in the guidelines for the application of an alternative system or replacement systems, then this could allow people to improve their wastewater treatment system even if they are not able to meet all applications. * The Property owner not being able to afford the cost of an approved replacement system Some funding assistance is required to help low income householders to rectify the onsite system deficiencies. For example if the failing system is located on soil that is not suitable for a conventional system, an alternative syste m may be required.The installation cost and operational cost are very high for alternative systems. 5. 4 WATER CONSERVATION The advantages of water conservation on the treatment of soil and disposal systems are described in section 3. 3. Some of the advantages of water conservation are. * The performance of soil absorption system is increased. * Savings in energy costs * Potential for correcting a system which is failing Several applications for water conservation to regulate to onsite regulations are: * Regulations allow for soil-absorption field sizes to be decreased when it can be shown that low water use fixtures require a decrease.However some officials might be hesitant to permit the decreases in soil absorption field size fearing that the occupants in future might install non efficient fixtures and cause the system to fail. * Water conservation can be a cost effective method for correcting the failures of the system (Refer section 3. 3). There are currently no state guideline s for the application of this method. * Some states like Oregon and California have enacted a legislation which requires the installation of some water efficient fixtures in new construction (Puget Sound Water Quality, 1986). REFERENCES 1.Metcalf and Eddy (2002) Wastewater Engineering: Treatment, Disposal and Reuse, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York, New York 2. Syed R Qasim, Wastewater Treatment Plants- Planning, Design and Operation, Second Edition. 3. Wikipedia www. wikipedia. org 4. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) FIGURES 1. Typical Septic Tank – Soil Absorption System 2. Septic Tank (Adapted from Environmental Protection Agency, 1980) 3. Soil Absorption Field Cross Section 4. Typical Dosing Chamber with Pump 5. Mound System 6. Aerobic Treatment Unit (Aerobic Tank) 7. Sand Filter 8. Biological Toilets

Old El Paso

What: Kurt, the associate marketing manager of Old El Paso, needs to develop a new marketing plan to increase its brand awareness and educate the public about the convenience of preparing Mexican meals. Why: Old El Paso has been the market leader in the Mexican food industry for many years. Now, General Mills wants Old El Paso to increase its sales by 5% while maintaining the same level of profitability.However, Mexican food industry is growing at a relatively slow growth rate of 3% per year, because Mexican food is not always on customers shopping list as there is a strong perception that Mexican food is inconvenient and difficult to prepare. That is why Kurt needs to develop a new marketing plan to raise brand awareness and educate the public in order to achieve the 5% goal. There is a misunderstanding in the communication process between Old El Paso and its customers.Old El Paso has been positioning itself as a â€Å"Family Fun Experience† product. Meanwhile, the customers are more concerned about the process of preparing Mexican food, ie. , while many factors, including time needed for preparation and simplicity of preparation contributed to consumer perception of convenience/ease of preparation, ingredient availability was found to be the most significant barrier to making Mexican meals more often. They also need to educate their customers about the benefits of cooking Mexican food.For example, according to their consumer research, 70% of decisions to purchase Mexican meal products are made before consumers ever arrive at the grocery store. Apply the fact to the AIDA model, it is important to raise its brand awareness and get consumers interested in its products in order to increase sales, because most of the purchase decisions are made before the customers see the actual product. With the fact that Old El Paso is the market leader and its brand equity, as soon as the brand awareness and interest is established, the sales will increase.The biggest c ompetitor in the Mexican food industry is private labels. Old Pl Paso has most of the market share in Mexican dinner kits (91. 2%) and Mexican components (70. 4%) category, while ranks number 3 in the Mexican salsa (15. 6%) category. Although both private labels and Old Pl Paso products are in high standards, Old Pl Paso is the only brand that offers a full product line in the Mexican food industry and is distributed in 98% of all grocery stores (with an average of 7. Old Pl Paso items on shelf). This means that Old Pl Paso is reachable to most of consumers while certain private label’s products are only available in certain grocery chains. How: Targeted results: Increase brand awareness while convince the public that it is easy to prepare Mexican food. 1) General public: Using kiosks to demonstrate the process of how to cook a Mexican meal with in-store ingredients. Reason: 80% of the population still do majority of their shopping at grocery stores.By using in-store ingredie nts, the general public will know that everything they need for cooking a Mexican meal is in the store, so it is easy to prepare a Mexican meal. 2) Regular Mexican food shoppers: Place Old Pl Paso products at cashier counters. Reason: Placing products at the check-out counters to remain regular Mexican food shoppers that they could use Mexican food as an option for tonight’s dinner. Although this tactic implies impulsive shopping behaviour of some consumers, it also constantly remains consumers that Mexican food is available in the market.

Conversation Among Four Friends Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Conversation Among Four Friends - Essay Example Sally: You can’t tell when it's morning or evening, the streets are often busy. Mike: Lucky you, you have time to notice that. Some people elsewhere are so occupied they don’t even notice. Francis: I have to admit. Had we not been in this rented cab, we would not have noticed either. Tania: You don’t want to insinuate that the cab makes us any better placed. Francis: I didn’t mean that. What I meant was... Tania: I know! I know! What you meant was, you always speak your mind. Mike: Easy Tania. That was too harsh. You need not be angry. I thought we were over this. Weren’t we Sally? Sally: Sure, we were. It makes me sad to see Tania and Francis fight again. (The cab rounds the first bend and they are all swayed to the left side of the cab. Francis is in a melancholic mood. He is nervous. The others seem to have realized this and so they alert him.) Mike: Look out Francis! Be easy on the gas lever. (Francis apologizes immediately) Francis: Sorry Pals won’t happen again. Sally: You are angry Francis. Francis: I have reason to be. You are all aware that Tania lately accused me of Stalking Janet, a thought she wasn’t able to prove whatsoever. She insisted and so we had to engage Janet, a move I totally opposed. I was embarrassed at Janet’s site. Tania was not sorry. Now she interrupts me, she doesn’t give me time to speak. She lashes back at me as soon as I utter one word. Tania: Tell us then what you meant, Mr. Right. You know everything! (She suddenly turns pale)

Is the EU a declining global power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Is the EU a declining global power - Essay Example The European Union has been in the forefront in influencing policies, both in Europe and other parts of the world. The organisation has been a strong agent of change that has determined the fate of many nations within and outside Europe. Among other aspects, the organisation has actively participated in enhancing trade within Europe and ensuring that there is harmonisation of trade policies within the European nations. This has led to the establishment of the Euro as a currency, which is widely used when carrying out business transactions in Europe. Despite the dominance of EU and its notable strength as a global superpower, the organisation has been experiencing some challenges that have contributed to its decline as a global power (Prys, 2010: 480). The eurozone, which mostly comprises of the leading states, which make up the European Union, have been faced with immense challenges that have threatened to cause the fall of the European Union. The individual challenges faced by the states separately have had a negative impact on their production systems and economic growth. As a result, this has led to the decline of the entire union since the member states contribute significantly to the continuity of the union. The aspects of innovation and enterprise that once took centre stage in the EU have faced significant challenges; they have been frustrated and their advancement hindered by a number of factors (Hothi, 2005: 12). For the last three decades, the economic growth rates in the European Union have declined significantly as compared to the rates of growth in other regional actors. This case demonstrates that the EU has declined as a global power since it has faced difficulties in competing with other regional powers.

The only role women play in war is that of the innocent victim Essay

The only role women play in war is that of the innocent victim - Essay Example Thesis statement: The comparison based on Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht and Women of Troy by Euripides proves that the only role women play in war is that of the innocent victims. Comparison: A. Role of women in Thirty Years' War of 1618–1648 and Trojan War First of all, one can easily identify that Brecht was totally against Fascism and Nazism. So, he made use of the context of German invasion of Poland (1939) as the plot of his play, Mother Courage and Her Children. But he infused the plot to another context, i.e., the Thirty Years' War. The plot revolves around the life history of Anna Fierling (Mother Courage) and her futile attempt to make a living by serving as a canteen woman. Besides, Mother Courage considers her job as an opportunity to help her family. Bloom makes clear that â€Å"In the opening scene, Brecht uses â€Å"the song of Mother Courage† to project an attitude- Anna Fierling’s response to war as an arena for commerce† ( 37). From a different angle, her involvement in the Thirty Years' War (say, her service in Swedish Army) was indirect but she was forced to face its after effects (the death of her children) in a direct way. Besides, her daughter Catherine was killed during the war, without any solid reason. On the other side, in the play Women of Troy, the playwright portrays the women characters as the victims of the Trojan War. Their status in the society as the members of the royal family does not help them to be safe from the after effects of the war. For instance, the women of Troy faced multiple problems due to the utter defeat in the war with the Greek warriors. Besides, the women characters were not responsible for the war but they were forced to undergo a number of problems. Salisbury states that â€Å"In the Women of Troy, at the end of the war the women of Troy are enslaved, and Euripides shows the horror of warfare through their eyes† (153). Almost all the women characters in the play, like Hecuba, Helen, Andromache and Cassandra were not directly involved in the war. But abduction of Helen was the grass root level reason behind the war. To be specific, the women characters in Play Women of Troy were the victims of the after effects of the Trojan War. B. Family crisis One can easily identify that Brecht makes use of the main female characters in the play Mother Courage and Her Children, as his mouthpiece to communicate with the viewers. For instance, Brecht makes use of the character Anna Fierling and her service in the Swedish Army to unveil the futility of war. Besides, Anna Fierling’s service did not help her to save her children from the after effects of the dreadful war. Instead, her children (Eilif, Kattrin, and Swiss Cheese) were killed during the war. But Carney opines that† When Mother Courage lose one of her children, her immediate reaction is businesslike: it is necessary to divide up the work anew† (101). Her attempt to se rve the Swedish Army in the Thirty Years' War and to save her family became unsuccessful. Her daughter Kattrin (Catherine) was one of the direct victims of the war. Besides, Yvette Pottier, a female character in the play, was a prostitute who used to entertain the soldiers. One can easily identify that these female characters (say, Anna Fierling, Catherine and Yvette Pottier) were not directly involved in the war, but were forced to be the direct victims. On the other side, in the play Women of Troy, the women charac

Discovery of America and the Scientific Revolution in Europe Essay

Discovery of America and the Scientific Revolution in Europe - Essay Example While Columbus could not have been the first European to discover the â€Å"New World† and did not actually reach the mainland until 1498, his discovery greatly contributed to extensive knowledge on the â€Å"New World† for the first time in history3. The scientific revolution refers to the emergence of the modern science during the time of early modern period when development in physics, mathematics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and human anatomy transformed the views of nature and society4. Before the discovery of this â€Å"New World†, there was widespread belief that people living in such places were not normal. The Romans, in particular, held a belief that people who were living in northern Africa were monsters, and abnormal. Such beliefs went on into the medieval era5. The discovery of the â€Å"New World† by Columbus assisted a great deal in removing this ignorance and superstitions. Further, this discovery made Europeans be more interested in discovering the physical world. The relation with nature changed and it had to be controlled in order to have the desired effect. This was actually the beginning of scientific revolution6. Alongside these developments, there was also cultural and political change that occurred in Spain and the rest of Europe as result of exploration and extension of the overseas empires. The early modern period saw a tremendous rise in European engagement with and knowledge of the â€Å"outside world†. This paper discussed the relationship between the discovery of America and the rise of a scientific revolution in Spain and subsequently to Europe. The Columbian explorations in the New World led to the development of the new transportation technologies that could facilitate navigation and other forms of transportation between Spain and the New World7. European explorers improved the new transport technologies that were developed by Spain. These explorers gathered from the â€Å"New World† information  concerning the culture of the local people, and people who were not previously known.

Educational Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Educational Communication - Essay Example Susan realizes there is more to life and makes the decision to pursue an education regardless of the fact that her family disapproves of it. The film gives an account of Susan’s story and progress as an adult learner from an inexperienced person with reverence for great learning of the university types, to a higher appreciation of herself as well as the role played by education. Nonetheless, the film went further to exemplify numerous theories concerning adult education as well as learning while simultaneously depicts the continuing struggles that are faced by adult educators together with their learners. At some point in the film, Susan is depicted watching a television show for one of the course she takes. In 1983, this was the only realistic manner of running a massive open course because there was no internet as well as wide-spread use of videotapes. She then goes to see Frank as he is her tutor and this is a reflection of the manner in which the universities are run in Britain. However, the Open University targets the working adults with tutorial hours being held in the evenings. The Open University that was started in 1969 by the Labor Party waives the traditional entrance prerequisites for the adult learners. Open Learning continues to grow strong with more than a quarter a million students all over the globe and it has been recognized in the United States. This form of learning employs a blend of methods in its delivery of courses that include research, gradate as well as undergraduate divisions. There are various reasons and topologies that explain why adults take part in formal adult education initiatives. The first topology which is liberal is different from the vocational or careers programs, self-improvement, civic engagements as well as emancipator purposes. In this set-up, liberal denotes arts curriculum, awareness of literature, sciences arts as well as history that makes people human. The reasons

Real World Quadratic Functions Speech or Presentation

Real World Quadratic Functions - Speech or Presentation Example In different applications every individual is interested in searching for the maximum and minimum value. The maximum value of the variable that is dependent should be the 2nd coordinate of the vertex in the graph which shows a parabola that opens downward, whereas the minimum value of the variable that is dependent should the 2nd coordinate of the vertex in a graph which shows a parabola that opens upward (Carson, Gillespie, & Jordan, 2010). This is important for the manager because it provides information to him/her about the maximum or minimum profit. In the given case the graph shows the manger that how many of the clerks are required to attain the maximum profit. This graph also helps the manager in creating a relationship between the number of clerks and the profit earned and from that relation he or she can determine the ideal situation that is required for getting maximum profit, Whereas in case if the manager cannot attain the ideal situation he or she can use the graph and can use it to find out the maximum number that he or she can attain. If ideal conditions are not met then the manager cannot achieve the maximum

Observation Narrative Essay Example for Free

Observation Narrative Essay Days of Old When Knights Were Bold Growing up, I was never that girl that fantasized about becoming a princess and meeting that special prince that would sweep me off my feet and save me from all misery. Even sorcery books such as the Harry Potter series did not appeal to me. I did not believe in any of that quirky fantasy land stuff so the idea of being dragged to the Michigan Renaissance Festival with my family over Labor Day weekend did not appeal to me; I would have much rather been out having fun in the sun barbequing with friends just as any other American typically celebrates the holiday. Staring out the car window all I saw was cornfields and the occasional Ma and Pa family owned restaurant or ice cream parlor. Mt. Holly came into view a little further down the road, but the slopes were dry and scarce due to it being summer. Tucked behind all the forestation was a small fairground where police orderly directed cars into the lot. The parking lot, overwhelmingly large in size, branched in two directions. One led to a general area and the other took cars single file down a long and winding path. This brought butterflies to my stomach. License plates were country wide varying from fellow Michiganders to visiting guests from neighboring states such as Indiana and Ohio and some traveling from as far away as Florida or Kansas. Once we secured our designated spot and our legs were fully stretched after sitting stationary for the hour drive we merged with the herd of people and marched together through the forest to discover this new unknown world. The walk was a journey in itself. The weeds in the wasteland of the parking lot stood knee high and tickled my leg with every movement. There appeared to be no end in sight as it was at least a mile long containing various obstacles such as logs barricading the path and bridges. Surprisingly there were no mosquitoes but the sound of the crickets chirping and the leaves crinkling all echoed loudly. I so badly wanted to turn around and hike back to the car but as I got closer I could catch glimpses of the festivities through bare spots between branches and heard ear piercing screeches and rowdy whistles along with bursts exiting out the tall vintage buildings. This shot my curiosity level through the roof and the excitement continued to build. The path had ended and before my eyes was a new world; something I had only seen before in movies. The spirit of the festival had overtaken my  body and the feeling was enchanting. Giant castles awaited me along with colorful flags and banners streamed over the entrance with cheerful greetings labeled, â€Å"Huzzah!† I was suddenly willing to give this all a chance and I had a new frame of mind that was open to adventure. Walking in those front gates was a lot to take in and represented a totally new side of the social spectrum when compared to a normal festival. People were dressed in a wide range of attire and it was hard to differentiate the workers from the tourists. The main clue was that tourists casually walked around grinning whereas the staff tended to get fully into character by perfecting their accent. Each got the chance to live out a life they had always dreamt of through roll play and step outside their comfort zone without being judged. There were fair maidens, juggling court jesters, wizards, elves, and fairies. All fantasy elements were covered and all of this contributed to the illusion of taking a step back and reliving medieval times. Coming from a family of macho men it was absurd to see a men proudly sporting kilts along with boots accented with bells that jingled with every step creating a musical tune of its own. Even more shocking was the fact that they all had a strong family support system lined up behind them all dressed matching in theme as well. It seemed that the more eccentric the outfit, the better. Long velvet capes with matching feathered hats or flowery garland in the women’s hair were also common while others dressed as mystical animals and pranced around with tails and ears. These costumes were all things that I would never be caught dead in but after a while strangely enough, we all blended together. There was an aroma of sweat due to everyone dressed in multiple layers but no one seemed to mind as it was a mere part of the ambiance as back in the Renaissance Period people did not shower for days. There was a plethora of patrons however that attended dressed in causal street clothes that sought a gratifying day out with friends and family but even they got sucked into the spirit of things and unexpectedly started curtseying and using the language. Dressing in garb expressed the true rapture of upgrading from being a patron to now a participant. This event catered to all ages. Fairy Godmothers rested on stones along the pathway making them readily approachable and eager to share their tales with anyone willing to listen. Their voices were so soft spoken it was impossible for anyone to simply pass by. Street peasants welcomed on goers  into their dancing circle as they chanted traditional hymns. I have never been much of a dancer due to my lack of rhythm but I must say once they got me started with the basics I refused to stop and entirely forgot others were watching. The petting zoo provided a wonderful hands on experience featuring encounters with livestock as well as other exotic animals such as lion cubs, kangaroos and toucans that could be bottle fed if you wished to do so. The king set aside a playscape for the kids to interact, swing and slide but also had other ways to test one’s knightly skills. The bungee jump seemed to draw the most attention but the archery, king of the log challenge and axe throws did not fall short in interest. Little girls had the chance to learn proper waves, curtsies and poise through a boot camp run by the village Princesses themselves. The Mermaid Lagoon was a disappointment in my opinion. After patiently waiting in a line for over thirty minutes I expected to see a luxurious area with mermaids whose tails sparkled elegantly in the sunlight, when in reality all it turned out to be was one girl in a cheesy costume floating in a dunk tank. On the flip side there was a wonderful replica wooden horse hung between two massive oak trees that allowed kids to race down full speed to master the art of ring spearing just as they had seen the real knights do out on the playing field at the nearby arena. The smiles on the children’s faces were contagious and it was a continuous chain reaction of happiness that spread rapidly. The adults had just as many activities to keep busy as well. Throughout the day various competitions were held to win bragging rights and often at times, gold chalices. Some of these included beard competitions where one could show off his whiskers and have the chance to win in the following catego ries: longest, thickest, most unique, and best overall. Part of me felt as if the cast and crew of the reality television series Duck Dynasty should have guest appeared at the ceremony to distribute the prizes but my wish fell short. The tattoo contest was run in the same manner but instead with the categories being: best black and grey tattoo, best color tattoo, best overall, and worst overall. I was amazed to see that the male to female contestant ratio was relatively close to equal. To continue the friendly competitions, in one of the main colorful tents was a Root Beer belching competition that some competitors were proudly capable of rumbling the stage. It was impressive yet disturbing all in one. Good sportsmanship was  well displayed and no one took the loss to heart by sincerely congratulating the winners. The objective of the Pub Crawl was to drink one beer at each of the four stations while led by entertainers to keep the atmosphere cool, calm, and relaxed. Upon the departure from each bar, fairies would splatter glow paint on one’s chest. The streets were flooded with an abundance of vendors ranging from apparel and candles, to plants and paintings. This is how most vendors earned a living so without surprise, they pushed their products diligently. Unfamiliar musical instruments such as bird whistles and bongos brought a new sense of relaxation as I closed my eyes and let my mind take me elsewhere. I was utterly fascinated with the number of people willing to pay for palm reading to uncover different aspects of future life including successes and love. Superstitions were more common than I thought. As some would say, there is no harm in jumping on the bandwagon every once in a while. With that being said, a hookah station was set up encouraging tourists to take a break and get a little weird. Men dressed in puffy shirts and flared out pantaloons walked around carrying large, woven baskets overhead selling flowers to all the fair maidens. All were very well mannered and charming. The patrons were invited to participate in the annual fairy house competition in which the top three winners received awards for their hard work and creativity. The rules advised artists to make durable houses that could withstand any weather using entirely natural materials and furnishing the inside and outdoor with landscape. Out in the open area stood two actors that mastered the art of pretending to be a statue and were covered head to toe in grey body paint. Their movements were slow and swift as they changed poses to be photographed by on goers. My dad was the only one to spot the man standing in a pot to look like a shrub while the rest of us nonchalantly walked by completely oblivious to such a phenomenon. In this man’s case, he could join in the fun but also camouflage his true identity. The festival as a whole is made up of hundreds of very diverse and multi-talented entertainers that never fail to please and in most circumstances is what keeps people coming back year after year. There is always a show going on ranging from group or stand-alone comedians to singers and quartets greeting newcomers at the welcome gate. A group of the finest acrobats were selected to show off their coordination and extraordinary balance doing tricks requested by audience members. A  costumed human chess game took place behind the jousting arena and was played using actors instead of volunteers to bring out true combat when one tried to take ou t another piece. With this new twist whoever won the choreographed fight earned the right to the spot on the game board. The captain and his fellow ship mates auctioned off one of a kind items from his pirate ship. Here, buyers could purchase things such as swords and daggers at extremely low prices. Zoltan the Adequate was another street entertainer that did anything to please his audience. He did bizarre tricks such a balloon swallowing to fire eating to nearly severing his own arm. As one would assume young children would be the easiest to deceive although Zoltan was able to keep all age groups tuned in with his sense of danger, excitement and edgy interactive magic. An unsuspected audience member was selected to assist him in a few tricks and that individual coincidentally turned out to be my mother. My mother is very shy and certainly does not like being the center of attention so we were dumbfounded that she did not object or throw a tantrum about going on stage. She faced her fears and as result, all we heard for the remainder of the afternoon was how we should be proud of her. The most attended event of the day included the heart stopping jousting tournament which had trained professionals of this skill that were willing to fight to their death to win the honor and respect of their town’s people. I really liked the concept of this because nowadays it is no t as common to find gentlemen of this caliber. Back then, men were raised to be chivalrous towards women and the less fortunate, strongly serve God and do their King proud. Each knight and their noble horse were fancily clothed and color coordinated all promising to use the strength in their hearts to ride their opponents to the dirt. As in any highly competitive sporting event, both the crowd and the contestants heckled one another and at times, I would witness the crowd unite as one as we raised up our drinks and roared together with great enthusiasm. These knights did just as they had promised and played with blood, sweat, grace, and complete dedication never losing focus. The three main events were the warm up which consisted of squires holding the rings and after a few run-throughs, actually tossing them into the air as the knights rode by spearing them. Then proceeded with the joust face off which was quite physical being that the one knight intentionally knocked an opponent off resulting in an injury that sought  immediate medical attention. By the end of the joust all four knights hobbled their way to center stage to face each other one last t ime in a traditional sword fight. A little girl from the sidelines managed to escape her mother’s arms and ran out to an injured knight and healed him with a kiss on the cheek. The show shortly wrapped up after that and the barriers of the different cheering sections vanished as the knights mingled with the crowd and allowed the young children to pet their steed. The royal tavern had an endless array of food that would easily satisfy the heartiest of appetites. From savory turkey legs and Barbarian burgers to deep fried desserts and apple dumplings, there were plenty of options to choose from. The portion sizes were generous for the prices being so reasonable. Most things served to eat came on a stick whether it was hot pickles, which were conveniently sold at every street corner or frozen bananas and cheesecake. Table manners and common eating etiquette did not apply at the festival hence why they did not supply utensils or napkins. In fact, the most lady-like way of eating the authentic turkey leg was to take two fingers and rip off pieces. Most importantly, there was plenty of beer to wash it all down and for the nonalcoholic attendees; sodas, smoothies and other beverages were sold. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone opens a whole new world filled with opportunity and adventure. The biggest setback for exploring something new is fearing what others will say or think. The people involved with this festival clearly did not care abo ut any of that and it was enjoyable to see and appreciate their colorful imaginations. I gained a lot from this experience because going in, I had no clue what to expect it created an exhilarating suspense. I learned that is completely acceptable to be silly to whatever extent and people often tend to respect you more for it because you are willing to take that risk of resisting society’s norm.

Religious and Ethnic Groups Essay Example for Free

Religious and Ethnic Groups Essay According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Orthodox Judaism is a â€Å"the religion of those Jews who adhere most strictly to traditional beliefs and practices. † (Britannica, 2013) Differentiating from Christianity, Orthodox Jews adhere to daily worship, traditional prayers and holidays, and how and when a child goes through adulthood. While in a synagogue, men and women are separated, which is unlike many religions presented in our society. Orthodox Jews are often looked at as very strict and traditional. The dress garments are used to make them stand out from the world around them as well as to preserve the traditions. For women, pants are not permitted; all clothing must cover the chest to the neck and the arms to at least the elbows and fall below the knees. As a sign of modesty, married women hide their hair with a covering that may be a wig over a shorn head (in the most extreme cases), a wig over hair, a scarf, or a hat. † (Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices, 2006) For this reason, today’s society seems to have viewed Orthodox Jews as weird, segregated and just different. Our society sees lots of skin and very few modest women. Jewish people have contributed to American culture for their fight for rights equality. In 1965, in the march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama, you found â€Å"Rabbi Abraham Heschel and African American leader Martin Luther King Jr. joining arms and leading a group of hundreds of protestors in the action against discriminatory voting rights policies (Heschel. )† (Brown, 2010) Though Heschel was not an Orthodox Jew, he still fought for the rights of his people, all Jews, as well as the rights that every American deserves, regardless of race or skin color. Even in our society today you will see camaraderie between an African American and a Jew. Because they fought side by side with African Americans for equal rights, Jewish men and women will forever have an impact on our country. Throughout the history of the world, Jews have been discriminated against, and persecuted. Adolf Hitler sought to â€Å"exterminate† them from our society. Hitler killed around six million Jewish men, women, and children during the Holocaust. He not only discriminated against Jews, but anyone who could be a Jew, just based on their physical appearance. I think that learning more of their culture and religion has helped me better understand their group. I was curious of many things regarding Orthodox Jews and their Hasidic practices. For instance, I was unaware that the Torah is the first five books of the Holy Bible. Knowing that they dress in such traditional and modest clothing to adhere to their traditions is something that all American’s should look up to. Having such a devout faith to have no regard for the culture around you and being so devoted to your faith, or any cause, is something that I think is an admirable quality. South American Hispanics differ not only from White Americans, Asians or African Americans, but also, in part, to other Hispanics. Brazil does not speak Spanish as other Hispanic and Latino countries do. Brazilians speak Portuguese. Not all Hispanics from South America speak this language, but Brazilians, in their own right, have their own little corner if Hispania. South Americans also tend to have a harbored feud with other Hispanics. Brazilians do not want to be mistaken for Colombian; Columbian do not want to be mistaken for Chilean; and so on. In America, Hispanics also tend to be clumped together. Since the closest Hispanic country to the American border is Mexico, many American’s classify all Hispanic people as Mexican. This also becomes an issue among White American’s as well as Hispanics. Again, each group of Hispanics does not like to be classified as another, causing tension when being addressed as such, is most likely unbeknownst to the person who improperly identified the person or group of people. Hispanics have contributed a great deal to America. Through food, music and language, or nation has grown in leaps and bounds with the help of Hispanic people. There are many Mexican, Brazilian, Columbian and Chilean restaurants to be found in major cities across the U. S. A popular dancing style is the Salsa; which is a very sensual Hispanic dance. America’s unofficial second language is Spanish. There are many immigrants in the United States that are strictly Spanish speaking individuals. There are even classes called ESL, or English as a Second Language. Many employers often seek employees who are bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish. Hispanics, throughout History, have experienced uch discrimination, prejudice and are subject to stereotypes. Everyone is guilty, as there is no one group of people to be had as guilty or innocent. Even other Hispanics discriminate against each other. For example, Hispanics are often thought of as poorly educated, illegal immigrants with a very large family. Because these stereotypes have been so prevalent in our society, Hispanics are also thought to be a major factor in the unemployment rat e. Many Americans think that all Hispanics are here illegally taking their jobs and working for less money. This image hurts the Hispanic community, just as it would hurt any other racial or ethnic group. To say that they are poorly educated, therefore do not know how to fight to earn more money is stereotyping and just plain rude. I think that because I am of Hispanic descent, specifically Central America, and have experienced some of these discriminatory factors from both White Americans as well as other Hispanics, I understand where Brazilians, Mexicans, and all other Hispanic groups feel. To earn your way into a country and then to be looked down upon is a hard pill to swallow. It can often be difficult to take the high road and ignore the ignorance, but in the end, it is the most rewarding. Conclusion The discrimination experienced by Orthodox Jews as well as Hispanics is very similar. Both groups have fought for equal rights as American’s, regardless of race. Both groups receive looks and whispers behind their backs regarding their culture and beliefs. However, they are different in the fact that Orthodox Jews appear to be White American’s; whereas Hispanics tend to have a darker skin tone, which makes it easier to infer their ethnicity. I think that Orthodox Jews are more discriminated against because of their religious beliefs, the clothing that they were and their nonmoving stance on their religion. Hispanics are discriminated against, most often, because of their skin color, the way the talk or their country of origin. I believe that discrimination has many faces. There is no one set of rules for discrimination. Too often, society discriminates against what they do not know. People tend to fear the unknown. By shunning and discriminating against a religious group, a race or ethnicity, or a sexual orientation, people show that they are ignorant on the subject. I think that children are the greatest teachers to the negative minded discriminators. Babies are not born to know color or race or hate. They know people; they know love and compassion. I think the world would be better off if we listened to our children tell the tales of their adventures at school with â€Å"the kid who has skin that looks like chocolate,† as my niece once said.

The Visionary And Inspirational Leadership Styles Commerce Essay

The Visionary And Inspirational Leadership Styles Commerce Essay The term leadership can be defined as influencing the activities of an organized group in its efforts towards goal setting and goal achievement (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004, p.716). Leadership styles for that reason acts as a mean of motivation since employees are working collectively with management through delegation and empowerment. Consequently, ways in which employees are managed have an effect on their ability, motivation and attentiveness. Motivation is thus defined as wanting to do something or wanting to achieve a certain result (Thompson and Machin, 2003, p.154). In my perception, motivation within a workforce is subsequently valuable given that it helps to increase productivity along with output over a period of time helping to meet business objectives. With reference to Virgin; a multinational company established by Richard Branson, his style of leadership is shown to entail certain characteristics in relation to the question seeing all enterprises are linked by the single powerful central image of the founder and the characteristic red livery (Mullins, 2010, p.37). Styles of management therefore are shown to influence motivation and perceptions within a workforce. Branson style is thus exposed to motivate; even though Virgin pays staff with low salaries, employees within Virgin complete work to a high standard to the extent employees are important projectors of the brand image. The suggestion of visionary, inspirational and participative style can therefore be considered as essential in motivating workforces in achieving their goals and in giving a good corporate reflection. A participative style of leadership is directed towards democratic management whereby managers permit workers to key in views or ideas transversely before making decisions. From experience, this seems essential in motivating depending on the type of organisation, here employees participate in the decision making process and feel part of the progression. According to Billsberry J this style can thus lead to better quality decisions which are then more effectively implemented autocratic may stiffly creativity, not use available expertise and fail to establish motivation and commitment (1996 p.43). Having a sense of entered ideas can add towards job satisfaction and allow management to listen to workers views and ideas. In good judgment, it is seen to enhance and increase motivation as workers enjoy work through a logic sense of contribution which is an intrinsic source of motivation (motivation from inside the individual). In addition, when I was working within a restaurant as a waitre ss, we were managed in an autocratic route, where everyone was given instructions on what tasks to perform without having any insights on decisions. In my opinion this was fundamental to motivate me as I knew what to do and what was expected of me, whereas the idea of participative would mean I wouldnt be motivated as personally I am motivated by factors such as rewards e.g. money. In a situation where crucial decisions needed to be made, for example when lots of customers came in, decisions are made quicker than being participative as this slows down the business through consultation making it inflexible for management and patrons. De-motivation could therefore take place as customers may complain possibly having an impact on employees in the sense jobs arent done well. The reason why workers are motivated then depends on the type of organisation the business is. Within Virgin it could be viewed being participative is appropriate because of the nature of the industry. For instance, management at Virgin Atlantic and their cabin crew are there to be helpful and welcoming, a participative style could motivate as cabin crew are an important feature as well as feeling part of Virgin. Virgin shows aspect of a participative manner seeing that Branson stated I have to be good at helping people run the individual businesses, and I have to be willing to step back. The company must be set up so it can continue without me (McDermott, 2010). By stepping back and encouraging participation workers would feel trust is being implemented upon them, effectively this could individually motivate as they feel valued. A sense of involvement also makes employees feel they are contributing to Virgins success. Nevertheless, although ideas are shared, management may not take any form of action to each proposal as workers have diverse views as well as it being difficult to implement all ideas. In planning for the organisational behaviour event (group activity) we had a participative style to which everyone contributed on what we were going to do. This leadership style was good in the sense members coming up with several ideas, during the process however; I felt this caused some minor confusion as during the night part of the group didnt turn up, which could be reference to the range of ideas recommended. In improving the event, we should have assigned a leader with more direct control over the group; this for me would have motivated me more as fewer mistakes are made in relation to more control, though other people may prefer a participative style. An early idea on motivation in the 19th century was by Frederick Taylor who was a believer in the rational economic concept of motivation workers would be motivated by obtaining the highest possible wages (Mullins L, 2007, pg.43). An inspirational and visionary style may well be undermined in motivating as Frederick Taylor states workers are only motivated by money and it is a managers job to tell employees what to do. In supporting his judgment Taylor did an experiment with a group of workers linking altered factors with output, drawing up the conclusion money is linked to higher output. In this sense money could be seen as a vital way for motivating; if workers work harder and produce higher production, higher pay would be rewarded as a result, making employees achieve a set target. A participative, visionary and inspirational leadership is thus unessential in motivating workforces as in Taylors observation employees are motivated by monetary rewards. Incorporating Taylors concept within Virgin could conversely motivate staff, as employees like high pay linked to performance. Except the negative aspect is quality of service may be affected as not all workers are liable to be motivated by money and would want visions along with inspirations to motivate. As a result if workers are unhappy the Virgin brand may be pretentious as Virgin cabin crew are an important projector of the brand image. Although scientific management is viewed as outdated and has been criticised for being too bureaucratic towards workers and the lack of flexibility involved, many organisations still use this as a mean of motivation as workers are motivated by extrinsic factors such as reward, which I personally am motivated by partially. Visionary leadership involves having clear goals, being sensitive to stakeholder needs and interests and inspiring them with passion and determination (Buchanan and Huczynski 2010 p.609). Richard Branson is disputed to have implemented visionary within virgin as he provides goals to employees on what Virgin is accomplishing, Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic stated corporations should put their employees ahead of customers and shareholders to build sustainable businesses (Rex Mathew 18 November 2005), giving visions that Virgin couldnt be successful without its employee, so would motivate as workers feel appreciated and have the visions to work towards their goals. In effect visions seem to bring about confidence on the part of employees, confidence that instils in them a belief that they are capable of performing to their full potential (Bennis and Goldsmith, 1997, p.108). By having clear goals employees feel motivated as they will know what is expected of them as well as what they are capable of. In this sense visions are essential in bringing out the best within employees. According to Nanus Vision, if properly selected and implemented, is so energizing that it in effect jump starts the future by calling forth the skills, talents and resources to make it happen (Robbins, 2003 p.344). When applying idea of visions to my employment, this generally would motivate me as having a sense of direction makes me feel determined to achieve a certain goal set. For example, if my manager gave visions about sense of direction and where they are heading with enthusiasm this would inspire me to work harder to fulfil the satisfaction we may gain by accomplishing something. Just by managers stating their goals and the strategic action to achieve them would be a sense of vision personally. Inspirational in an organisation is a perceived importance as an online journal titled, The Role of Inspirational Leadership in Geographically Dispersed Teams the positive relationship between inspirational leadership and individuals commitment to the team and trust in team members was strengthened in teams that were more dispersed suggesting that inspirational leaders are important in all contexts but that their importance is underscored in highly dispersed contexts (Joshi, A, Lazarova, M. Liao, H, 2009). This illustrates inspirational leadership is vital during motivating as management relationship are strengthen with employees to feel appreciated by the company, making workers work hard in giving something back. In my view, by being motivated workers are more satisfied producing quality services and products which can be demonstrated at Virgin. Furthermore according to a survey conducted by the chartered management institute The power to inspire is rated highest and desirable lea dership qualities. The inspirational leader connects with the led, appreciates the capabilities of others and through trust will unlock the power in others (Mullins 2005 p. 304).In context, inspirational can motivate as when working in a group for my marketing presentation it was the inspirations of the group and the connection that motivated me personally as we had to work together to achieve a fine advertising campaign. Having inspirations from individuals motivated me to work harder as we all strived to achieve a good end result of the advertising campaign giving me self satisfaction. A participative, visionary and inspirational style of leadership isnt necessarily essential in motivating, for example a content theory of motivation is Maslows hierarchy of needs; what motivates the individual. Workers need to satisfy their basic physiological needs such as pay and condition, individuals would then work towards each level to gain self satisfaction in the form of motivation. When applying this conjecture to Virgin, the strength of Maslows theory is individuals have basic needs so applies to the majority. In theory, this resonance an effective way to motivate staff within Virgin as employees could fulfil their needs slowly working towards self actualization, for example a cabin crew may work hard to gain promotion. Yet, when applying Maslows theory into practice, it could be a difficult process as different people have diverse needs as well as the theory being too simplistic, which may be hard to apply within an organisation. If this presumption was applied to my job, it wouldnt really work for me as it isnt a job I want to be in for a time period, therefore I wouldnt work to self actualization but personally money, as a result, some levels would motivate me in the short term though not in the long term; in future a job that motivates me personally is something of interest to me. In talking about motivation, the human relations theory can be shown to motivate in regard to leadership styles. The human relation theory has its heredity in the Hawthorne study conducted in the late 1920s and into the early 30s by Elton Mayo; employees were now accepted as having social needs and interests, not as being motivated machines visualized by Taylor. The suggestion of participative, visionary and inspirational style of leadership is essential to effectively motivate the workforce can then be deduced as Elton Mayo experiment showed having an interest in workers boosted their motivation level even if it was only changing lighting settings, it also outlines importance of teamwork in an organisation. When applying this theory into Virgin, the repercussion shows employees would be motivated; in the lecture a video was shown when Richard Branson visited his stores which he talks to employees and takes an interest in them, in return employees are more motivated as Virgin pays st aff with a low wage, however staff produces work to a high standard to the degree it is a valuable brand name in society. In conclusion, participative, visionary and inspirational is seen to effectively motivate, however because of convolution in different organisations and ways in employees are organised/ managed other methods are shown to motivate as alternatives to leadership styles. If Virgin were to adapt the characteristic as stated, the outcome may be a quantity of employees will perhaps not feel as motivated in comparison as all workers are different. The theories of motivation are thus dissimilar to management in practice; a theory may sound good in principle, but when applying to organisations there will be issues arising such as employees having different needs and because of this are motivated by different aspects. In addition, not all motivation of employees is to be achieved because of dissimilar desires. Businesses therefore need to consider employee motivation as an important process in achieving their objectives. MODULE FEEDBACK FORM Reference list Bennis W and Goldsmith J. (1997) Learning to lead, page 108 Billsberry J (ed.) (1996) The effective manager: perspectives and illustrations, page 43 Buchanan and Huczynski (2004) Organizational behaviour an introductory text, fifth edition, page716 Buchanan and Huczynski (2010) Organizational behaviour, seventh edition, page609 Joshi A, Lazarova M Liao H (2009) Getting Everyone on Board: The Role of Inspirational Leadership in Geographically Dispersed Teams. Organization Science, 20(1), 240-252. [Online]Retrieved from Business Source Complete database, Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1hid=8sid=5fb20d14-bd45-4d39-8de5-204dcc9235f8%40sessionmgr14bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bthAN=36606878#db=bthAN=36606878 [Last accessed 5th Nov 2010] Mathew R (2005) Put employees first: Sir Richard Branson. Available: http://www.domain-b.com/people/in_the_news/20051118_richard_branson.html [Last accessed 13th Dec 2010] McDermott, F (ed.) (2010) To be a Leader: lessons from Richard Branson and Jesus Christ. Available: http://mcdermottsmiscellany.blogspot.com/search/label/Richard%20Branson. [Last accessed 4th Nov 2010] Mullins L. (2005) Management and organisational behaviour, seventh edition, page 304 Mullins L. (2007) Management and organisational behaviour, eighth edition, page 43 Mullins L. (2010) Management and organisational behaviour, ninth edition, page 37 Robbins S. (ed.) (2003) Organizational behaviour, tenth edition, page 344 Thompson and Machin (2003) AS business studies, page 154

Angelas Ashes - Brief Plot Summary :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Angela’s Ashes, the author Frank McCourt gives his whole self in the telling of this story. It is his life’s journey- the hardship, horrors, pain and suffering that he endures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Set in 1936, Angela’s Ashes follows the difficult lives of Angela McCourt, her husband, Malachy and their children. The oldest child of the family Frank McCourt was born into the worst kind of poverty in Brooklyn, New York. Frank and his family wore nothing more than rags and the little food they had came from the charity of kind people. His mother, Angela didn’t work and his father always drank his paycheck away. Even with out steady income to support one child, the McCourt family kept on growing extending to Malachy, Margaret, the twins- Eugene and Oliver, and eventually Michael and Alphonsus. Thus, beginning at a young age, Frank had the responsibility of tending to his brothers and sisters while his mother was desperately trying to find food to feed the family, and his father was getting drunk in the bars.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Frank’s father was not around for most of Frank’s life, Malachy did nurture in Frank an appetite for the one thing he could provide: a story. Throughout Angela’s Ashes Frank lives for his father’s tales of Cuchulain and The Angel on the Seventh Step, Frank’s very own angel who also brings his mother babies. â€Å"Would the Angel on the Seventh Step tell you what to do, if you didn’t know what to do?† â€Å"He would son, he would. That’s the job of an angel. Even the one of the Seventh Step.† I know he’s there because the seventh step feels warmer Than the other steps†¦ (Pg.125)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the death of Margaret, the McCourts move to Ireland where the situation only worsened. Frank’s father continued to drink the money away and most nights the family was left to starve. â€Å"I want ye to stand in the middle of the pub and tell every man your father is drinking away the money for the baby. Ye are to tell the world there isn’t a scrap of food in this house, not a lump of coal to start the fire, not a drop of milk for the baby’s bottle.† (Pg.183-184) Life for the McCourts was testing and difficult. The children wore rags for diapers, Malachy and Frank wore torn shoes in the winter, and Angela was forced to gather scraps of coal and paper from the roadside just to light a fire.

Symbols and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter      Ã‚  Ã‚  Carl Jung believed that the source of symbols is universal. Symbols arise from the collective unconscious common to all humans everywhere. Joseph Campbell's research supports this theory; he traces universal archetypes through the stories, myths, and artwork of various cultures. While most work done with symbolism has focused on the universality of symbols, Nathaniel Hawthorn focuses on their personal, subjective meanings.    A universal symbol arises from the symbol's relationship to reality; thus, such a symbol remains the same across cultures and with different individuals. While symbols can be created, such created symbols are subjective and must be given meaning within their context and because the context is different among individuals and societies and can vary over time, the meanings of the symbols are, likewise, highly variable.    In The Scarlet Letter, the symbol of most importance is the letter A which Hester Prynne is condemned to wear, having been found guilty of adultery. Literally, the letter A is an arbitrary visual representation of particular sounds used in languages. Nothing in the shape of the letter A or any other aspect of its being represents adultery. This shape is agreed upon by people who use the Roman alphabet to begin the series of marks that visually signifies the word adultery. This is not a universally symbolic relationship. The letter A means nothing in itself until the Puritans agree to a meaning in order to mark Hester and this meaning is altered according to the mindset of those interpreting it. Hester with this "mark of shame upon her bosom" is meant to "be a living sermon against sin" (59) yet the residents of Boston "had begun to look upon the scarlet letter as the token, not of that one sin . . . but of her many good deeds since. . . . The scarlet letter had the effect of the cros s on a nun's bosom. It imparted to the wearer a kind of sacredness, which enabled her to walk securely amid all peril" (149). Some people begin saying that A stands for "able" (148).    Another example of the changeable symbolism of the letter A is the astronomical event witnessed by Arthur Dimmesdale and others on the night of Governor Winthrop's death. Dimmesdale as:    a man rendered morbidly self-contemplative . . . had extended his egoism over the whole expanse of nature. Symbols and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter      Ã‚  Ã‚  Carl Jung believed that the source of symbols is universal. Symbols arise from the collective unconscious common to all humans everywhere. Joseph Campbell's research supports this theory; he traces universal archetypes through the stories, myths, and artwork of various cultures. While most work done with symbolism has focused on the universality of symbols, Nathaniel Hawthorn focuses on their personal, subjective meanings.    A universal symbol arises from the symbol's relationship to reality; thus, such a symbol remains the same across cultures and with different individuals. While symbols can be created, such created symbols are subjective and must be given meaning within their context and because the context is different among individuals and societies and can vary over time, the meanings of the symbols are, likewise, highly variable.    In The Scarlet Letter, the symbol of most importance is the letter A which Hester Prynne is condemned to wear, having been found guilty of adultery. Literally, the letter A is an arbitrary visual representation of particular sounds used in languages. Nothing in the shape of the letter A or any other aspect of its being represents adultery. This shape is agreed upon by people who use the Roman alphabet to begin the series of marks that visually signifies the word adultery. This is not a universally symbolic relationship. The letter A means nothing in itself until the Puritans agree to a meaning in order to mark Hester and this meaning is altered according to the mindset of those interpreting it. Hester with this "mark of shame upon her bosom" is meant to "be a living sermon against sin" (59) yet the residents of Boston "had begun to look upon the scarlet letter as the token, not of that one sin . . . but of her many good deeds since. . . . The scarlet letter had the effect of the cros s on a nun's bosom. It imparted to the wearer a kind of sacredness, which enabled her to walk securely amid all peril" (149). Some people begin saying that A stands for "able" (148).    Another example of the changeable symbolism of the letter A is the astronomical event witnessed by Arthur Dimmesdale and others on the night of Governor Winthrop's death. Dimmesdale as:    a man rendered morbidly self-contemplative . . . had extended his egoism over the whole expanse of nature.

Erik Erikson’s Eight Developmental Stages Essay

Development theories are psychological stages of life. Erik Erikson is best known for his stages of psychosocial development and coining the term ‘identity crisis’. Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development is one of the best known theories of personality. Though similar to Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of 8 stages. Unlike Freud’s theory of psychosocial stages, Erikson’s theory describes the impact of social experiences across the whole lifespan. Erik Erikson’s Eight Developmental Stages Erik Erikson is one of the best known neo-Freudians in psychological history. He Grew up in Europe and spent most of his young adult life under the direction of Sigmund Freud. Erikson’s psychosocial development model was heavily influenced by Freud, and shares a number of central ideas from Freud’s psychosocial development theory. Instead of five stages, like Freud, Erikson came up with eight stages. The first stage, known as trust vs. mistrust, focuses on birth to roughly 18 months. Erikson also referred to infancy as the Oral Sensory Stage, which is the term Freud used for his first stage. The major emphasis on this stage is the parent-infant relationship. If the parent was nurturing and loving, the infant would gain trust in the parent and vice versa. Erikson said that: â€Å"Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained hope must remain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Cherry, 2013). The second stage is autonomy vs. shame and doubt which is characterized by self-control, courage and will. The general age is about 18 months to two or three years old. Children learn to master basic skills such as using the ‘potty’, walking, talking and feeding themselves. If children master these skills, they build a sense of confidence and autonomy. One of the worst skills a child learns during his or her â€Å"Terrible Two’s† is the ability to use the powerful word, â€Å"NO!†. If shamed in the process of mastering a skill or potty training, children tend to feel a sense of guilt and doubt;  therefore, lowering self-esteem. From roughly three to five years old, children tend to observe and mimic adults around them and take initiative in creating play situations. This is the third stage, also known as initiative vs. guilt. The child strives to gain the ability to do things on his or her own, such as dress him or herself. If â€Å"guilty† about making own choices, the child will experience guilt and won’t function well. The fourth stage is industry vs. inferiority. This is â€Å"school-age†, usually six to twelve years old. ‘Child compares self-worth to others, such as in a classroom environment’ (Wikipedia, 2013). ‘At this stage, we are capable of learning, creating and accomplishing numerous new skills and gaining knowledge, thus developing a sense of industry’ (Harder, 2002). If we feel inadequate and inferior among our peers, we can experience serious issues in terms of competence and self-esteem. In the fifth stage, development depends primarily upon what the child does and what is done to the child. Life is now definitely getting more complex as the child attempts to find his or her own iden tity, struggle with social situations, and grapple with moral issues. The age range is from about twelve to eighteen years old. This stage is known as identity vs. role confusion. This is also where the child tries to find him or herself and figure out his or her own identity. The sixth stage of Erikson’s psychosocial development theory is intimacy vs. isolation. The average age is 18 to about 25 or 30. The young adult tries to find long lasting love and have mutually satisfying relationships with family and friends. Adults in this stage tend to generally begin to start a family. ‘If negotiating this stage is successful, we can experience intimacy on a deep level’ (Harder, 2002). The seventh stage is generativity vs. stagnation. This is during middle adulthood from about 35 to 65 years old. This is where work is one of the most crucial things in an adult’s life. ‘Strength comes through care of others and production of something that contributes to the betterment of society†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Harder, 2002). This is what Erikson called generativity. This stage is also notorious for the â€Å"mid-life crisis†. This basically means that once the adult’s child or children has gone off and flew the coop, the parent now has to find new priorities to tend to and struggle with finding new meanings and purposes. ‘If a person is not comfortable with the way their life is progressing, they’re usually  regretful about the decisions and feel a sense of uselessness’ (Wikipedia, 2013). This is what Erikson called stagnation. The last stage of Erikson’s development theory is ego integrity vs. despair. The adult is usually about 65 and it goes all the way to death. The individual has now reached the last chapter in their life. Retirement is steadily approaching his or her way or has already taken place at this time. Many have achieved what was important to them like graduating high school and college, getting married, raising a family and retiring from a great job. If the individual feels like he or she has done nothing with his or her life, a sense of despair will con sume him or her. If he or she feels very positive about looking back on life, he or she will feel a sense of integrity. Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development theory is one of the best known stage theories in the psychology world. It does a great deal of explaining why humans act the way they act and why they are who they are. References Cherry, K. (2013). Erik erikson quotes. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/psychologyquotes/a/erik-erikson-quotes.htm Erik erikson. (2013, April 14). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ErikErikson Harder, A. (2002). Erik erikson’s stages psychosocial development. Retrieved from http://www.support4change.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=108