Ethics, Innovation and Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics, Innovation and Technology - Essay Example This has led to banning of deep oil drilling and thus created a heated debate on whether to permit or ban deep oil exploration. Ethical issues have been raised on deep oil drilling. Deep Oil Drilling The constant and ever increasing need for fossil fuels (particularly gas and oil) has pushed exploration and drilling industry to drill in very (ultra) deep waters (more than 2,000 meters water depth) with the wells being drilled to depths more than 7,500 meters. These forms of wells are very costly to drill and complete with expenses up to approximately 100 million United States dollars. According to the Energy Information Administration, the world needs for energy are increasing at an estimated rate of 1.5 to 2.0 percent per year. The United States National Energy Council report predicts that, by the year 2030, the energy demand for gas and oil will increase by 50 to 60 percent. The current total estimated oil stands at 1,258 trillion barrels and with the present oil consumption at 86 million barrels of oil per day, the hydrocarbons in place are estimated to be there in the next 42 years (Kelessidis 2009, p220). Ethical Issues Surrounding Deep Oil Drilling Ethical concerns are usually raised after a tragic accident. This was certainly true in the case of the 2010 deepwater drilling spill in the Gulf and other countless oil spills documented throughout the universe in the last century. It was only after the engineers were confronted with the graphic, photographic imagery of numerous oil soaked marine life and birds, and heard the testimonies of the Gulf coast residents (whose culture was adversely threatened) that they began to focus their attention as a society on the imminent disaster. As a profession, engineers seem reluctant to deal with the ethical issues involved. The rate at which the new technologies are converging and emerging and the damage caused by these accidents (like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill) on the reputation and the integrity of the profess ion, it seems imperative that the profession adapts a new, comprehensive ethical approach. The approach to be adapted has to be capable of dealing with the technical issues involved and the social and environmental implications (Catalano 2011, p1). On 20 April 2010, a number of explosions cut across the giant oil-drilling rig (the Deepwater Horizon) situated in the Gulf of Mexico, 48 miles from the shore. From the blast, 114 workers survived, and 11 others were never found. The rig collapsed and sunk two days after burning at the sea, destroying the steel piping and opening an oil volcano that released into the Gulf approximately 200 million gallons of crude oil. Deep-ocean, wetlands, beaches, and coastal waters were devastated by the spillage of the crude oil. Wildlife habitat and wildlife from Texas to the Florida Keys were adversely threatened. Countless families and individuals who rely on the Gulf waters for their way of life and their jobs were devastated emotionally and econo mically. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster has raised many ethical issues on the engineering profession (Catalano 2011, p1). These issues include; what exactly occurred, the role played by the engineering profession in regard to the disaster, how such disasters can be prevented in the future, ethical responsibilities, in events like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and if the codes of conduct developed by the engineers are adequate (Catalano 2011, p2). Impact of Deep Oil Drilling The Deepwater Hor

Dissertation ;HOW EFFECTIVE ARE CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS IN CHANGING UK Essay

Dissertation ;HOW EFFECTIVE ARE CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS IN CHANGING UK CONSUMER ATTITUDES ABOUT VARIOUS CLOTHING BRANDS - Essay Example The paper has been based on two main objectives, i.e. Studying the consumer attitude towards brands and Studying the impact of the celebrity endorsements on UK customer attitudes in clothing industry. The paper has a major limitation as it lacks a qualitative research and is also focused on the low income group of the population. The research findings clearly highlight that a majority of the individuals are not impacted by the celebrity endorsements. Branding is one of the most essential aspects of any business. In the recent times, the main motif behind complete branding can be understood to be attempts to combine the customer preferences with the various diverse activities. The impact of celebrity endorsements on an overall brand specifically in the clothing industry is essential to understand and relate to. The form of marketing adopted by marketers significantly affect the consumer purchasing style and decisions. Fashion marketing is a complicated business process, much like any other industry, which involves everyone in the industry from manufacturing workers to the retail buyer. Clothing is produced, promoted using a variety of mediums, and ultimately delivered to the final buying segments. Once in the retail environment, the buyer instructs salespersons about new clothing merchandise, develops employee talents in selling and sales techniques, and generally has flexibility in deciding on specific fashions and designs (Care ers, 2005). All of these activities contribute to the process of ensuring that sales targets are met for both the manufacturer and the retail organisation which carries the fashion brands. In the UK alone, consumers spent  £46.2 billion on clothing in 2006 (Brand Strategy, 2008). Across the whole of Europe, consumers spent 311.6 billion Euros on clothing and fashion, representing a very profitable industry internationally. Marketers hence recognise this industry is very large and

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Project management - Essay Example The network diagram below illustrates the sequence of the Foundry project that is due to be completed within 25 weeks. This shows the sequence of different activities that will be undertaken. This constitutes project management that is commonly known as careful management of all the activities involved in a particular project (Burke, 2010). Project planning is also required in order to carry out all the activities and tasks successfully. This helps the people involved in the project to achieve the desired goals in undertaking the work. 2. The critical path in the project shows the longest sequence of events that should be completed on time in order to meet the project schedule with regards to its completion (Business Dictionary, 2015). Accordingly, each sequence that constitutes a critical path should be commenced after the completion of the predecessor. In some cases, these critical paths can be carried out simultaneously after the completion of the predecessor. In the diagram shown above, there are mainly three critical paths. The first one being pouring concrete and installing frame which ought to be carried out after implementing the first two components in the project. This path should take four weeks and effort should be made to ensure that it goes according to schedule in order to avoid delaying the project. The other important critical paths include building high temperature burner and installing air pollution device which take four and five weeks respectively. These activities should be completed within t he set time frame in order to ensure that the project is not delayed. Since these activities are long, they should be carried in such a way that everything goes according to schedule in order to avoid wasting resources. 3. The activity schedule of the project can be illustrated in the form of a table and it shows the different activities that would be performed in undertaking the project. This schedule shows the exact

Self-Evaluation Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Self-Evaluation Paper - Essay Example However, this way of solving dispute has been criticized for being expensive, time-consuming, and in some cases leading to unfair and unjust outcomes regarding particular cases (Frenkel and James 22). As a result, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms have been devised in order to provide an economical, quicker and a more just and fair outcomes to parties in dispute. Mediation is one of the main alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Mediation is a confidential and voluntary type of alternative dispute resolution. This method involves an impartial and independent person(s) who helps two or more parties to reach a solution over a dispute which is acceptable to all the parties. It may involve talking to the parties separately or together. Often, mediators do not make judgments, instead they ask questions in an attempt to unravel underlying problems relating to the dispute, help the parties in understanding issues and clarifying the alternatives for resolution of their dispute ( Goodman 51). Principles of Mediation Being a critical alternative dispute resolution mechanism, mediation is guided by a number of principles that ensures that it achieves its objectives effectively. There are five principles of mediation which are generally- recognized that guides the mediation process. However, it should be noted that there are more other elements or principles that have been incorporated, but in a broader sense they still fall under the five which are generally- recognizable (Frenkel and James 46). The first principle is the principle of informed consent that requires that prior to consenting participation in mediation, the parties in dispute should be informed about their legal options and rights, as well about the mediation process (Wall and Dunne 217-8). The second principle is that of voluntariness which requires that mediation process should be voluntary and that parties should enter into it freely and in any outcome resulting from the process. The parties a re also free to end their participation in the process at any time. The third principle is that of confidentiality which seeks to make parties aware that the process is confidential. This enables them to freely explore options and speak without fear that their communications in the process might be used against them. Also, confidentiality enables a party in dispute to request that particular information disclosed to the mediator not to be shared with the other parties (Frenkel and James 49). In addition, impartiality is a mediation principle which dictates that the parties are entitled to impartial and fair process involving an impartial and neutral mediator. The final principle is that of self-determination that requires that the parties and not the mediator to define the scope of issues to be addressed at mediation, and that the parties will determine the mediation’s outcome or results (Goodman 105-6). In order to understand the concept of mediation clearly and better, this self- evaluation paper will; consider the evaluation of my performance as a mediator. The paper will include the agreement reached by the parties and discuss the lessons learnt from the process that are deemed to be helpful for the future. I acted as a mediator between these two parties: Sammy Atwater (Plaintiff) and James

Democratization processes and rise of corporate power Essay

Democratization processes and rise of corporate power - Essay Example In this respect, the government must respect a citizen's right to associate freely, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and the freedom to criticize their leaders. Members of a democratic society have the right to know the goings on in their country; they ought to be able to stand for any civic or parliamentary post within their country or vote for a leader of their choice. Such governments must not discriminate women or other groups from participating in government. Citizens have a right to choose whatever political party they prefer and to involve themselves in campaigns .Lastly, the rule of law must apply in a democratic state. This means that no one can take away another's right and be left unpunished. The law keeps powers of government under check and no one should think they are above the law including the head of state. Citizens in a democratic state should not use their powers within their offices to infringe others. Imprisonment, torture or other un fair treatments have no place in democracy (Anderson, 2000) Corporate power is not a new issue in the world today. There are numerous ways in which corporations demonstrate their far reaching political abilities. Corporations have dominated economies of the world and have the ability to surpass common law to the detriment of the common man. Consequently, the process of democracy has been affected by the influence exerted by these corporations. The relationship between these two aspects is what shall be examined in detail in the next section of the essay. Unlimited power on the part of corporations also causes a huge impact on the social and environmental aspects of people's lives. (Anderson, 2000) Democracy and the rise of corporate power Decision making ability The rise of corporate power has transferred the right to make decisions from citizen's lives to big time corporations thus demeaning the major principles of a true democracy. This type of influence enables corporations to make decisions about what technology a country should adopt and what kind of production should be adopted within a certain country. Corporations use their power to determine the kind of methods used for production. Because these large corporations market, employ and deal with majority of the country's population, they cause a large effect on them. Corporate influence surpasses the law because corporations are regarded as private entities in most countries of the world. In this sense therefore, they cannot be questioned when they make their choices. Corporations also participate in politics. They do so by lobbying and giving politicians treats such as a dinner or luncheons. In such cases, they have direct influence in the way things are done Political contributions Corporations have been known to participate in political processes through the monetary contributions which they have made. A research done by the Institute for Policy Studies in the year 2000 showed that there are about eighty two companies that made contributions in the United States during their last election. The sum total of money contributed by these corporations was about thirty three million dollars. This was the largest contribution made by any entity in the election. Compared to the next highest contributor in the elections; Labor Unions, Corporations exceeded the

Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Emily Dickinson Essay Example for Free

Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Emily Dickinson Essay The lives and works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Emily Dickinson may be different in many ways, but there are existential treads that bind these two people together by similarities. Elizabeth Browning became famous while she was alive and was very influential opposed to Emily Dickinson who became famous for her poems after she died. In the eighteenth century two of the finest poets; Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Emily Dickinson are two people who are close in certain aspects but completely different individuals. Thus, looking deeper into each individual’s lives and works will give us a better perception on these two poets. The Victorian poet â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born in 1806, March 6th Durham, England, and was the oldest child out of twelve children† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). â€Å"Elizabeth’s father, Edward Barrett, was a businessman who was very wealthy from many sugar plantations in Jamaica† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). As a child, Elizabeth wrote her first earliest known poem for her mother’s birthday and for her fifteenth birthday; her father had one of her poems privately printed. This poem was â€Å"The Battle of Marathon† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). â€Å"Elizabeth experienced her first sorrow in 1828 when her mother Mary suddenly died† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). â€Å"By the time Elizabeth had moved to London, her health was poor and she suffered from a spinal injury and shown signs of a lung condition but was never diagnosed† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). However in these conditions Elizabeth never seemed to give up her love for poetry. Shortly after Elizabeth’s brother, Edward, drowned in a boating accident on his way back to London (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). â€Å"Feeling responsible for his death, Elizabeth became a recluse and practically an invalid rarely leaving her room† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). This characteristic made Elizabeth similar to Emily Dickinson in the way that they are both easily affected by a tragic incident in their lives, resulting in the act of isolating themselves from others. â€Å"Elizabeth’s work brought her the man that would eventually woo, win, and marry her: Robert Browning† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). â€Å"Robert became so impressed with Elizabeth’s work that he wrote to her and over the course of the next few months, he and Elizabeth wrote to each other almost every day until they finally met on May 20, 1845, where they discovered that they were already in love† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). â€Å"More letters (over 500 in all) and visits continued until the two were secretly married on September 12, 1846† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). â€Å"The newlyweds fled to Florence, her father never forgave her, and she found herself disinherited. She and her father never reconciled† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). Elizabeth and Robert remained in Italy for the remainder of their lives and had a baby boy, Penini in 1849 (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). In 1850, Elizabeth’s â€Å"Sonnets from the Portuguese† were published. â€Å"Although they had been written as a private gift to Robert, her husband was so moved by the forty-four sonnets the he felt they should not be hidden from the world and published them, making the collection stand as her greatest well-known achievement† (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). Elizabeth died on June, 29, 1861, and was buried in Florence (â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning†). Likewise, Emily Dickinson’s writing was similar to Browning in the way that she crafted a new type of first person persona (Wider). â€Å"Like the speakers in Browning’s works, Dickinson’s are sharp-sighted observers who see the inescapable limitations of their societies as well as their imagined and imaginable escapes† (Wider). â€Å"In 1890, four years after Dickinson’s death, the first volume of her poetry appeared† (Wider). â€Å"Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts† (Wider). â€Å"Emily’s father at the time of her birth was an ambitious young lawyer, and was educated at Amherst and Yale. He returned to his hometown and joined the ailing law practice of his father, Samuel Fowler Dickinson† (Wider). â€Å"Edward joined his father in the family home, built by Samuel in 1813† (Wider). â€Å"Active in the Whig Party, Edward was elected to the Massachusetts Start Legislature (1837-1839) and the Massachusetts State Senate (1842-1843)† (Wider). â€Å"Little was known of Emily’s mother† (Wider). â€Å"She often represented as a passive wife of a domineering husband† (Wider). â€Å"Emily wasn’t the only child of Edward and Emily Dickinson; she also had a brother William Austin Dickinson and a sister Livinia Norcross Dickinson† (Wider). â€Å"All three children attended the one-room primary school in Amherst and then moved on to Amherst Academy, the school out of which Amherst College had grown† (Wider). Futhermore, â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning was the most respected woman poet of the Victorian age† (Burlinson). â€Å"By 1900, she was better known as the heroine of a turbulent love story than as a prolific and successful writer† (Burlinson). â€Å"Browning was an experimental writer who felt sufficiently comfortable working within poetic convention to disrupt and revise it to her own ends† (Burlinson). â€Å"Elizabeth was known for writing sonnets, allegories, ballads, political odes, love poems, occasional verses, poetic dramas, and an epic, as well as essays in literary criticism and a translation of Aeschylus† (Burlinson). Her greatest poetic success was in the sonnets from the Portuguese as stated above in Elizabeth’s biography. Elizabeth poured all her profound thoughts into these sonnets and yet the exquisiteness if the mould has compelled a rigorous pruning alike of superabundant imagery, which has had the happiest affect (Arnold). â€Å"One of her best known poems from 1850 is â€Å"The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point,† an impassioned protest against slavery in which a black woman; the rape victim of her white master, murders her child† (Burlinson). â€Å"The rage and grief of the woman chillingly conveyed in the first-person narrative† (Burlinson). Elizabeth held a deep belief that poetry could change attitudes toward the world, and indeed it did. â€Å"Her poem â€Å"The Cry of the Children† caused a sensational reaction that caused public reform in a protest against the working conditions of children† (Burlinson). â€Å"In fact, Elizabeth is one of the greatest sonnet writers in our language, and she is worthy enough to be ranked side by side with Milton and Wordsworth† (Arnold). Elizabeth has managed to touch all the chief human relationships and when she touched them, it was always in a noble manner and severe simplicity which is greatly preferred to be her most luscious and copious versification (Arnold). Unlike Elizabeth, Emily seemed to be more reclusive with her life and at a young age Emily went into seclusion, resulting in her not socially maturing. Emily also avoided doing routine house work or other normal daily activities because she like being alone to dream and use her imagination (Southworth). Many readers believe that by shunning the realities of everyday life, Emily was able to find the greater reality in the realm of imagination (Southworth). Despite being lonely and frustrated she never out grew adolescence and this seemed to show in her poetry (Southworth). Her writings showed that she was not capable of grasping the joy of reality and that she really didn’t have a true understanding of life challenges (Southworth). Like Elizabeth, â€Å"Emily’s poems were meant to be and experience, to render experiences as well as refer to it† (Ryan). â€Å"For Emily the living presence is the poem itself. If it is not intermediately between the poet and the reader, it is the thing alive the reader experiences† (Ryan). â€Å"Dickinson was a master at grammar, rhythm, rhetoric, and narrative. A master of the inextricable, intricate, intimate and constantly shifting, interrelationship’s among them† (Ryan). â€Å"Emily Dickinson wrote nearly 1800 poems, but only seven were published in her lifetime. When the first posthumous collection of her work appeared in 1890, she was regarded as an interesting but idiosyncratic minor poet. As the twentieth century has progressed, however, her poetic achievement has won interesting recognition† (Tredell). â€Å"Dickinson nonetheless engages in an original and vibrant way with love, eroticism, nature, death, immortality and eternity. Her work is notable for its power and compression and complexity, its precise and startling phrasing, its inventiveness of rhythm and rhyme, and the exploratory daring which belies its apparent decorum† (Tredell). Emily said to Higginson that poetry is something that makes the body feel so cold that no fire could warm it, that if the reader physically feels as if the top of their head were taken off that its poetry. She claims that this is the only way she knows its poetry (Ryan). Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem â€Å"The Cry of the Children† is about child labor. In this poem Elizabeth is trying to show us how the children feel about working and how it makes them sad and exhausted. They suffer as they work with trembling knees and heavy eyelids. The children are demanded to keep working no matter how tired and weak they are. I know that this is the theme because the speaker says â€Å"Do ye hear the children weeping,† (â€Å"The Cry of the Children†). This means that the children were weeping in sorrow because in the playtime of others they are working. Another detail that supports my idea for the theme is the lines â€Å"For oh, say the children, we are weary, / and we cannot run or leap;† (â€Å"The Cry of the Children†). This detail shows that the children are suffering that they are tired and weak. When Elizabeth describes how the children look she is using imagery by saying, â€Å"we are weary, / and we cannot run or leap; / if we cared for any meadows, it were merely / to drop down in them and sleep. / our knees tremble sorely in the stooping, / we fall upon our faces, trying to go; / and, underneath our heavy eyelids drooping, / the reddest flower would look as pale as snow† (â€Å"The Cry of the Children†). This connotation is showing how the children are looking and feeling this verse is not only using imagery but it also uses a simile to show how the children’s eyes are so tired and heavy that the reddest flower would look as pale as snow for them. Emily Dickinson’s poem â€Å"Heart, we will forget him† talks about how Emily is trying to forget the man that hurt her and her heart. In the poem Emily is instructing her heart â€Å"to forget the warmth† and that she will forget â€Å"the light†. â€Å"But Emily is scared that if her heart takes too long to forget, then it will give her time to remember, thus causing her to not be able to carry out her self-given assignment† (â€Å"Heart, we will forget him†). I know that the theme of the poem is getting over someone you love by the line â€Å"Heart, we will forget him† (â€Å"Heart, we will forget him†). This line is referring to Emily’s heart trying to forget the man that hurt both her and her heart. Another detail supporting my thought for the theme is the line â€Å"you may forget the warmth he gave / I will forget the light† (â€Å"Heart, we will forget him†). This line is trying to demonstrate that the heart is trying to forget the warmth that the man gave it and that Emily will try to forget the light he brought to her world. In this poem Emily tells the heart what do to by commands making the hearts seem as if it can act, think and follow orders like a brain. By making the heart have a human characteristic Emily is using the literary device personification. Emily also uses a literary device called tautology which is use when there is a repetition of words, and in the first stanza of â€Å"Heart, we will forget him† Emily uses the word forget three times to emphases that she and her heart will forget the one that broke them. Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Emily Dickinson were two poets that works were very similar in structure despite being born in different ears. The two poets depicted similar first person’s personas in their writings and became famous for it. Although Elizabeth became famous while she was alive, Emily Dickinson did not. Each poet however had their work published and found by someone else. Elizabeth’s husband was the person who made her forty-four sonnets one of her well-known achievements and for Emily her sister Livinia was the founder of many poems left from her death. By comparing the works and lives of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Emily Dickinson, we can conclude that the inner life of an artist has more impact on their literary output than the external factors that shaped their lives. Works Cited Arnold, William T. â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861).† The English Poets: The Nineteenth Century, Wordswort to Rossetti. Ed. Thomas Humphry Ward. Vol. 4. Macmillan and Co., 1893. 562-567. Rpt. in Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Laurie Lanzen Harris. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale Research, 1981. Literature Resource Center. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. Burlinson, Kathryn. â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning: Overview.† Reference Guide to English Literature. Ed. D. L. Kirkpatrick. 2nd ed. Chicago: St. James Press, 1991. Literature Resource Center. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. â€Å"Elizabeth Barrett Browning.† LitFinder Contemporary Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2007. LitFinder. Wed. 6 Dec. 2011. Ryan, Michael (American College Teacher). â€Å"Dickinson’s Stories.† The American Poetry Review Mar.-Apr. 2009: 5+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. Southworth, James Granville. â€Å"Emily Dickinson.† Some Modern American Poets. James Granville Southworth. Blackwell, 1950. 14. LitFinder. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. Tredell, Nicholas. â€Å"Emily Dickinson: Overview.† Gay and Lesbian Biography. Ed. Michael J. Tyrkus and Michael Bronski. Detroit: St. James Press, 1997. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 28 Jan. 2012. Wider, Sarah Ann. â€Å"Emily (Elizabeth) Dickinson.† The American Renaissance in New England: Fourth Series. Ed. Wesley T. Mott. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 243. Literature Resource Center. Web. 11 Dec. 2011.

Gender roles in the nursing profession

Gender roles in the nursing profession The discussion of the results is presented in this chapter. More specifically, it presents, the demographic data gathered, the male nurses point of view in choosing to be in the nursing profession, their experiences as male nurses, and the stereotyping regarding males experienced in the profession. Most importantly, this chapter of the thesis presents relevant literature that supported and disputed the results found by the research. Also, the strengths and limitations of the study are discussed. 5.2 Demographic data The thesis results showed, in relation to the demographic data, that the majority, 28 nurses, or 80.7% of the male nurses were between the ages of 20 to 35 years old and that 32.2% worked for less than five years. This data conformed to the data collected from a qualitative study of Lou et. al., (2009), where 83.8% of the participants were under the age of 35 years, and 49.4% had been working for less than five years. The present results revealed that a greater part of the male nurse population was diploma holders (59%) and 26% baccalaureate graduates. These results are similar to Lous et. al., (2009), studies conducted in Taiwan where 47.1% of male nurses were in the possession of an undergraduate degree The thesis results showed that male nurses usually worked in male wards (58%) and mixed wards (42%) and never (0%) in female wards. These mixed or male wards included the emergency department, operating room, pediatric area, psychiatry, medical area, and intensive care unit (LaRocco, 2007). Similarly, in Norway and other Western countries, male nurses usually worked within the health sectors limited parts such as the psychiatry and acute medicine ward and administration (Bakken 2001). In terms of speciality, 24% worked in the operating rooms (Lou, et.al. 2009, p 905). In fact, psychiatry is one of the most common fields where 15% of all male nurses transfer to (Abrahamsen, 2004). Furthermore, Dassen et.al. (1990) found that in The Netherlands, men were dominating technical wards, and critical care units(p.367). It seems that they wanted to be involved in less feminine aspect of nursing. As Evans argues (1997), to compromise his reputation in patriarchal society, men in nursing develop different strategies as to occupy administrative and elite specialty positions in order to protect themselves from the feminine image of nursing .The latest results from UK reveal that one third of the almost 100,000 nurses who have a mental health qualification are men (Torjensen Waters, 2010, p.21). In the 1960s, men were not allowed to enter the delivery room and this still remains until today. Even though inequity is diminishing, situations like these in areas such as the obstetrics and gynecology departments continue (Chung, 2006). This may then be attributed as the primary reason why the study results found that 0% of the responses worked in female wards. However, it is worth mentioning that in Malta, up to the 1960s female nurses were excluded from the male wards (Camilleri, 1964). 5.3 Challenges that male nurses encounter at work The present findings indicated that approximately half of male nurses were aware of opportunities in the nursing profession. With increased postgraduate qualifications, pursuance of managerial positions is fast paced (OLynn Tranberger, 2006, Marsland, et al, 2003) among the male nurse respondents, and their propensity to earn more is improved (Hader, 2005). Also, studies found that it is easier or quicker for males to acquire top managerial positions than their female counterparts (Kvande 1998, Hoel 1995). Similarly, Abrahamsen (2002), findings showed that 70% of male nurses after twenty years from graduation were in leadership position, and away from somatic wards. Furthermore, Yang (2004) found that the male nurses future development has more potential because their careers would not be disrupted by a maternity leave. In addition, an interview done by LaRocco (2007), confirms as one man stated that being a male in a predominantly female profession sets you up to be recognized (p.1 27). In contrast, most of the respondents in this survey, or 61% disagreed that men in nursing are promoted quickly, which is not in the agreement with the statement of Williams (1992), that men in nursing are privileged minority which enables them to move out of female dominated profession by the glass escalator to the most rewarded and respected jobs reserved only for men in this patriarchal society. In relation to this, LaRoccos (2007), study showed that one man revealed his income to be below $50,000, while three indicated that theirs was greater than $100,000 per year (p.123). However, the findings of Stoltenberg et.al.,(2008), suggest that nursing needs to continue to raise the bar pay, because only 46.67% of male nurses rated nursing as financially rewarding. Hence, these results are in agreement with the thesis results findings where only 32% of male nurses agreed that nursing provides good salary and benefits. Despite these advantages, some men, however, find inequities in other fields, like obstetrics and gynecology, which put considerable pressure on them (Williams 1995, Tseng 1997). Truly, Hart (2005) found that 56% of male nurses were seen as muscles(p.48), and uncaring by their female colleagues, just because of their gender. This then puts a strain on how the male and female nurses communicate with their colleagues (Hart, 2005). Furthermore, some studies found that males perceive that being in a predominantly female profession brings about a low status upon the male nurses (MacDougall, 1997; Williams, 1989). In History of Nursing in Malta, during 19th Century, it was written that the social class from which nurses were recruited was illiterate and without any education, and that the same conditions existed in other European countries (Camilleri,1964). Also, labeling nursing as an extension of womens domestic role devaluated profession in relation to male occupation. Although this image is changing, many negative images still persist. Further still, in relation to the slight increase of men in the nursing profession, uneven numbers of male nurses are leaving compared to female nurses due to deficient respect from their colleagues, job dissatisfaction and problems arising in a predominantly female profession (Sochalski, 2002). However, results in this research revealed that majority, or 88%of respondents disagreed that men in nursing feel insecure because it is a female dominated profession. Findings in this thesis suggest that male nurses in Malta do not feel as they are crossing segregated work boundaries, and infiltrate in female domain (Bagilhole Cross 2006, p.35). In addition to, 71% of men in nursing in this survey expressed that they are satisfied with the work they do. As one respondent wrote nursing is a males profession as the other profession or jobs are. Hence, this result tally with findings of Rochlen et. al., (2009) where men employed as nurses were satisfied with their work in non-traditional career. According to Avery (2007), despite the feminine image in nursing, nursing is profession for everyone, due to the fact that men were present in nursing since 250 B.C when males-only nursing schools opened in India(p.1). They continued playing an important role in nursing (Meadus, 2000), until F lorence Nightingale stated that Every woman is a nurse, establishing nursing as only one gender profession.(Fitzerald, 2007), and portraying the presence of the men nurse in this profession as an anomaly(Meadus, 2000, p.6). 5.4 Respondents motivation for choosing a traditionally female profession The present findings indicated that 48% or fifteen male nurses choose the nursing profession to help others. As one male nurse replied there is nothing better than being able to help people, and bringing smile to others. However, 16% or 5 respondents stated that the money kept them in the profession. These results coincide well with previous studies of Bartlett et.al.,(1999) where altruism and job satisfaction, rather than extrinsic rewards, have been found to be the main motivating factor for male nurses. Furthermore, Laroccos (2007) study showed that eight men specifically stated that connecting with patients and aiding people are important factors when nursing is considered. One participant also added that I just thought of nursing as caring for patients (LaRocco, 2007, p.126). Moreover, according to Boughn (1994), Brown and Srones (1971), Bush (1976), Garvin (1976), Mannino (1963) and Perkins et al. (1993), interaction with patients and helping people are important reasons in choosing nursing. Even Taylor et al. (1983), Skevington Dawkes, (1988), Galbraith, (1991), Cyr, (1992), Kelly, et al (1996), MacDougall, (1997) suggested that caring for others and having the desire to be of help is a main factor for men in choosing a career in nursing. Family and friends also served as the motivation for the resulting 26% or 8 of the male nurses who took part in this thesis survey. Positive family influence, like a nurse relative, a mother who is a nurse, became a good motivation for men. Moreover, in La Roccos (2007) study, five of the interviewees had a mother nurse. This response was found to be similar to the results of this thesis where three males had a mother nurse, and surprisingly one respondent had both parents working as nurses. Also, these findings conformed to the data collected from a qualitative research of Whittock et. al., (2003), where positive influence, for most participants, on choosing nursing as a career comes from the parents, specifically mothers who worked in nursing sector or other healthcare profession. Also, friends who gave positive reactions helped with their career choice of being a nurse (LaRocco, 2007). Eleven men in LaRoccos (2007) study, claimed that their family was very pleased with their caree r choice. In contrast, some men were discouraged by both family and friends, to enter the field of nursing and other medical fields (LaRocco, 2007). As found in a study done in the UK, only 12% of the male nurses said that their parents were happy about their career choice (Skevington Dawkes, 1988). Abrahamsen (2004), also stated that most men who decide to qualify as a nurse find themselves problematic because the decision to become a nurse causes family and friends disbelief and surprise. In a society where nursing is seen as a female profession, very often family and friends ask, You want to be a nurse? Why not a doctor? I guess they feel that traditionally males are doctors and females are nurses.( Chung, 2006, p.1). Other than that, ten percent of the male nurses who served as the respondents for this study stated that their motivation was good pay and security. It seems that nursing in Malta, according to the data collected from the survey, is being one of the last secure job posts, as one respondent replied. Furthermore, Yang (2004), interviewed a man who stated One day I noticed a statement in the newspaper which said, Male nurses earn as much as NT$ 50,000 per month, so I put nursing department down on my form as my choice (Yang, 2004, p.645). In addition, LaRocco (2007), also had a dialogue with a male nurse who stated I knew I would always have a job, [and] I did it for a steady job that I could handle (LaRocco, 2007, p.125 ). Most importantly, Boughn (1994) found that money and job security were two major motivations for choosing nursing. On the other hand, Simpson (2005), found several reasons that motivate men to seek a non-traditional career, and one of them was that most were not seek ing entry(p.365). They entered female-dominated occupations almost bydefault in that they were not actively seeking such entry, but simply fell into it.(Williams Villemezs s, 1993 p. 66.)These results are in agreement with the results in this study where, three or 10% of respondents couldnt give the reason for choosing nursing as a career, which suggests, as found previously, that they were not actively seeking such job but simply fell into it, either through availability or convenience(Simpson , 2005, p.365). Finally, the least percentage of participant stated that they considered nursing as a last resort and one even said: I didnt get accepted by any school except for that nursing one, so it was my only choice, and I studied there (Yang 2004, p.645). The findings in this thesis revealed that two nurses or 6% didnt have other career opportunity, which supports the previous research results of Yang (2004). The findings also showed that these nurses were age over 40 and with working experience of more than 20 years. These two respondents stated that fear to change, and lack of a good opportunity where the reasons for remaining in nursing profession. 5.5 Perceived stereotypes of men in nursing In addition to the problem that nursing is a female profession, male nurses also have to face the problem of overcoming the stereotype that they are gay or effeminate (Williams, 1995). Some of the stereotypes that these male nurse have to contend with were presented in the thesis results that 52% of male nurses were not embarrassed of their choice of profession. These results are similar to the findings of Hart (2005), where 40% of respondents sometimes feel awkward or defensive when asked about their profession(p.47). According to the thesis results, most of the respondents or 64% strongly disagreed that men in nursing are being questioned if they are a real men. Furthermore, 77% disagreed that men in nursing are too gay or feminine. These findings revealed that they are not in agreement with the results of several studies that have found supporting data regarding these stereotypes. For example, because of inequities, male nurses sexuality is usually questioned and they are labelled as homosexuals (Kelly, et al, 1996). Moreover, Wingfield also reported that men in nursing consider themselves as sufferers of homophobic abuse, with a respondent even claiming that Ive been called awful things-you faggot this, you faggot that (2009, p.23). Furthermore, Harding (2007), explored discourses which stereotyped or labeled male nurses as gay and conflate homosexuals and sexual predators(p.639). Also Harding (2007) reported that majority of men in nursing are heterosexual but public perception is still that most male nurses are gay. This stereotype persists only in general nursing, men working as psychiatric nurses are perceived as masculine due to need of physical strength. Although society is becoming more comfortable with men as nurses, nearly half or 48% of the respondents experienced the stereotype that men choose nursing because they failed to enter a medical course. Because of the situations and stereotypes, a more serious stereotypical belief was formed that male nurses are not appropriate caregivers (Evans, 2002). Truly, different societal norms have created concepts of caring as something that is not included in masculine images of males, and that caring falls under a female conception (Evans, 2002). Evans (2002) found out that for men nurses touching patients is potentially dangerous, and that men are vulnerable caregivers(p. 7). Similar results were found by Abrahamsen (2004), where male nurses were minority in somatic wards due to the fact that they were pressurized by their friends and family to apply for more masculine jobs or seek a leadership positions, because it is not natural for men to undertake intimate nursing tasks (p.12). Gender stereotyping creates a compound and conflicting situation of rejection, acceptance and doubt for male nurses ability as caregivers and nurturers (Evans, 2002). Thus, as a sad effect of this, and to avoid tight situations, some male nurses alter their caring principles and nursing roles (Egeland Brown, 1989; Kauppinen-Toropainen Lammi, 1993). Even though, studies of Ekstrom (1999) resulted that male nurses exhibit lower caring behaviours, they in general, do not effect the care given to the patients. As Mac Doughall (1997) stated, man do have ability to care, but they need to be shown how. (p.813). Lately, society is becoming more comfortable with men as nurses. As Cyr (1992), stated, the art and science of nursing has not always been a predominantly female profession(p.54). 5.6 Conclusion In all, this chapter has presented a discussion of the findings of the study. The various demographic profiles of the respondents, the reasons for choosing nursing, the experiences, and the stereotypes among male nurses in Malta were presented, with subsequent presentations of other relevant studies. At the end of the analysis and discussion, it was found that various related literatures, both old and new, confirmed the results of the study, while there were a few others that disputed it. Overall, the findings suggested that men employed in nursing, are just as committed to the profession as women. 5.7 Strengths and Limitations of the study It should be noted that this study has several limitations and strengths. Firstly, the chosen sample does not represent male nurses as a whole. The male nurses that work in Gozo, and other different hospitals in Malta were not included in this research. Moreover, a satisfactory response rate (88.6%) helped strengthen the outcome of the study. However, the purpose of the study was not intended to allow generalisation among the male nurses working in different hospitals in Malta and Gozo. Secondly, a self- administered questionnaire was used to collect data, and thus all data that were used in this study were self-reported. Although the questions for the survey were carefully chosen and modified by the researcher reading an extensive literature especially Smith (2008), it seems that some of the respondents did not understand that their sexual orientation was not questioned, but only concept of gender stereotype. To avoid similar misunderstandings, in future studies, a focus group design method could contribute to explain the motivation for choosing nursing as a profession, and career development of male nurses in a female dominated profession. The rather high response rate of 88.5% indicated that male nurses were interested in subject, and this helped strengthen the outcome of the study. Although in this study, the research tool was a questionnaire, some qualitative data were also obtained. Despite being time limited prior to specific deadlines, this study has educated and motivated the researcher to understand more nursing as a science. Although this study was purely quantitative, some findings provided valuable information about male nurses in a female dominated profession. Further qualitative research could give clearer picture about the real perceptions of men in nursing, and establish the extent to which the findings from this research can be applied in more general context. The next chapter shall conclude this dissertation with recommendation for further research, and implications in nursing.