Discuss research relating to bystander behaviour Essay Example for Free

Discuss research relating to bystander behaviour Essay The murder of Kitty Genovese and the bystander behaviour that was apparent that night triggered a great deal of research to explain bystander behaviour. Latane Darley suspected that the fact that the number of possible helpers was so large might actually have contributed to their lack of intervention. They processes that might explain the reluctance of others to get involved in situations such as the Kitty Genovese incident. The Diffusion of Responsibility explanation suggests that the more witnesses there are to a person needing help, the less anyone witness feels responsible for giving help. Latane Darley conducted a lab based experiment using male university students seated in individual cubicles connected by an intercom system, believing they had come to take part in a discussion on collage life. Students were lead to believe they were on their own, alone with one other participant who would later appear to have an epileptic seizure, or an increasing number of other participants. Help was less likely and slower to be given when participants believed that other potential helpers were available. The findings from this study support the notion of diffusion of responsibility as, as suggested the more witness there were to the victim needing help, the less the participant felt a sloe responsibility to help. Participants assumed that his intervention would not be necessary, as confederates would have taken care of the situation. However, it could be argued that as the experiment was lab based it holds no ecological validity, and therefore the results cannot be generalised to real life situations. Participants reluctance to help may have been caused by an attempt to avoid social disapproval (e. g. being the odd one out), or they may also have picked up demand characteristics from experimenters or other confederates as to the true nature of the experiment and felt they needed to supply the experimenters with the results they required. Latane Draley also proposed the Pluralistic Ignorance theory. This hypothesis suggests that when making a decision about whether or not to help, we look to see what other bystanders are doing. If other bystanders appear to act as if the situation is an emergency situation and help the victim, we are likely to do the same. If no one else offers to help we are unlikely to offer help as well. In the smoke filled room experiment participants were invited to take part in what they thought was a psychological experiment. While waiting for it to begin they were asked to fill out a questionnaire in a waiting room that is filled with smoke. In the first condition they were in the room on theyre own, and then in a variety of conditions including an increasing number of confederates, who acted like it was not an emergency situation. When on their own participants seeked help 100% of the time, but as the number of people present increased, participants remained seated and acted like it was not an emergency situation (mirroring the confederates behaviour). This strongly supports the idea of pluralistic ignorance as they were looking to confederates for guidance on how to shape their own behaviour. Again this was a lab-based experiment and therefore it lacks ecological validity. As a result of Latane Darleys research, Piliavin conducted a field in a New York subway, where a stooge collapsed in a variety of conditions (black stooges that looked ill, white stooge that appeared to be drunk and visa versa), with other experimenters observing commuters behaviour. If the victim appeared to be ill they were helped much more frequently than if they appeared to be drunk. The colour of the victim made no difference to the frequency of help they received. This real life study demonstrates that personal characteristics of the victim appear to play a more important part in whether to be a bystander or not. This study is much higher in ecological validity than those conducted by Latane Darley as it was conducted in a real-life situation. Most of the above research has been carried out in the USA. The dominant approach in the USA is based on self-interest, rather than concern for others. There is evidence that this selfish approach is not dominant in other cultures, e. g. a study by Whiting Whiting found large differences in the prevalence of altruistic behaviour form one culture to another. Darley said in 1991; in the United States, and perhaps in all advanced societies, it is generally accepted that the true and basic motive of human action is self-interest.

Comparison of Home-Made and Store Bought Apple Juice

Comparison of Home-Made and Store Bought Apple Juice COVER PAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT This extended investigational report was aimed to show and prove how store bought apple juice (golden circle) is unhealthier and less beneficial to the body than home-made apple juice. The apple juice samples were analysed and tested using pH using litmus paper Determination of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) by iodine titration Determination of fruit acids by iodine titration (sugar acid ratio) Testing foe simple sugars Refractometer These tests were used to find out the differences between store bought and home-made apple juice and which was unhealthier and less beneficial to the body. It was found that- X X X X X This report discusses apples and both their benefits and deficiencies, investigating the chemical reactions that are occurring whilst doing the experiments to gather a better knowledge and understanding of the chemical processes that occur. The aim of the investigation is to prove that store bought apple juice is unhealthier and less beneficial to the body in comparison to homemade apple juice. AIM The aim of this experimental investigation report is to identify, determine and prove that home-made apple juice will be much healthier than that of the store bought apple juice. INTRODUCTION Consumers are becoming increasingly demanding of food manufacturers. They want to know exactly what is in the food they are eating. Some people need to be aware of the content in food due to severe allergies, while others want to know so they can maintain a healthy diet .These days, due to increase in amounts of advancements in chemical and biological technologies, Chemicals that are more than just added preservatives, additives and sugar can be added into any kind of food to make a certain user friendly product that is available in the market. Therefore manufacturers are trying to create food and beverages by manipulating certain ingredients in the product which contain artificial ingredients rather than natural ingredients. A good example of it is Apple juice. Commercial apple juice typically include Vitamin C to increase the ascorbic acid content as well has some certain preservatives, additives and certain sugars to prolong shelf life. This report compares a home-made apple juice with a high end commercial grade apple juice (golden circle). APPLE Apples are the most common fruit that is eaten. It even states that â€Å"An apple a day keeps the doctor away†. There are almost nine types of apples that are grown and found in Australia and the rest are imported from overseas. Apples are one of the best, because it is rich in minerals and vitamins. It has minerals like potassium(K),Calcium (Ca) , phosphorous (P), magnesium (Mg) , manganese (Mn), iron (Fe) , sodium (Na) , copper (Cu) , zinc (Zn) and vitamins like A,B1( thiamine),B2( riboflavin),niacin and folate.In Queensland there are only four family farmers that provide apples to whole of Queensland. They are the Simon Favaro, David and Roslyn Sutton, Nicolette and Vincenzo’s. Because there are not many farmers that grow apples in Australia, apples are imported from different countries. But the countries that it gets imported from needs to meet the legislations of food organizations. It mainly get imported from Japan and china as it is cheap and it is high quality. BENEFITS OF APPLE Apples have many benefits when it comes to eating healthy. Apples are known for their high amounts in antioxidant activity, and it contains a lot of beneficial vitamins and minerals that are needed for the body and are low GI. Antioxidants are molecules that oxidise to form other molecules. Oxidation when occurring can have a reaction forming free radicals. But in turn the antioxidants get rid of these free radicals so it does not damage the body. Reducing agents like thiols , ascorbic acid and polyphenols are antioxidants which are present in apple. Apples help prevent diseases like Brain health, stroke, diabetes, cancer and heart diseases. All these diseases are prevented when linked back to antioxidants. DEFICIENCY OF APPLE Apple just like any other fruit has vitamins and minerals and if not supplemented with it, you may suffer from different diseases. Because apple contains potassium(K),Calcium (Ca) , phosphorous (P), magnesium (Mg) , manganese (Mn), iron (Fe) , sodium (Na) , copper (Cu) , zinc (Zn) and vitamins like A,B1( thiamine),B2( riboflavin),niacin and folate, not getting enough amounts of these vitamins and minerals might hinder your health and may damage your body. Some diseases that can be causes are scurvy, wound to heal slower, make skin more sensitive and joint pains. Apple juice contain Phytonutrients which help reduce the chances of artery blockage However this assignment deals with apple juice .The commercial apple juices adds gratuitous amounts of sugars that are unhealthy and less beneficial. Even though the store bought apple juice might say zero sugar, it contains artificial sweeteners that are more harmful than normal sugar. Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes but may be derived from naturally occurring substances, including herbs or sugar itself. Artificial sweeteners are also known as intense sweeteners because they are many times sweeter than regular sugar. VITAMIN C Vitamin C which is commonly known as Ascorbic acid (C6H8O6), is found in a lot of organic compound, and especially in apple juice and has antioxidant properties. Its melting point is 192o Celsius and the boiling point is 553o Celsius. (Wiki, 2014).It has a molar mass of 176.13 g.mol-1.This Vitamin is essential for humans as it reduces kidney and liver diseases, acne and chronic fatigue syndrome(CFC),it is also uses as an agent in enzyme and non-enzyme reactions. The international Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry names Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 2-oxoL-threo-hexono-1, 4-2, 3-enediol.Its visual aspect is a white solid, and the impure samples of it are yellowish. This acid can be oxidised to dehydroascorbic acid ((5R)-5-[(1S)-1 , 2-dihydroxyethyl]furan-2,3,4,5(5H)-trione) Ascorbic acid is commonly known acid, because it is weak acid and definitely a weak sugar acid and has a structure that is similar to glucose. This acid is found to have one of the lowest pH levels. Nevertheless when the acid is standardised the pH level rises to more than 4.0, It is profusely found only in its ionised formation, it is called ascorbate.(BIO CyC , 2004).Because ascorbic acid has properties of having antioxidants in it , it is often used as a preservative and additive in few drinks. Ascorbic acid has one downfall; it cannot protect fats from the oxidation process. (ncbi , 2006).Because ascorbic acid can be destroyed easily by reactions occurring with different gases, it is very hard to preserve it for an extended period of time. Therefore the manufacturers try to seal the food and beverages preventing gases from entering and destroying the product chemically. It is also used as an agent to prevent browning of enzymic foods. MALIC ACID Malic acid is a weak organic acid and it has a molecular formula C4H6O5.Malic acid are found in many fruits and plant matter. It sometimes is noticed as ascorbic acid than malic acid because the chemical structure is quite similar. The IUPAC name for malic acid is hydroxybutanedioic acid and has a melting point of 1300 C and a boiling point of 3220 C. Its molar mass is 134.09 g mol−1.This acid can be found in various types of food and it acts as a natural preservative. It is sometimes used as a flavour additive because the acid is quite tangy in taste. HYPOTHESIS The quantity of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in home-made apple juice is higher than the amount in a commercial store bought apple juice, making them healthier. Home-made apple juice has a higher pH than commercial apple juice due to ascorbic acid occurring naturally The amount of sugar in commercial apple juice is higher than that of home-made apple juice , which makes it less beneficial for health The quantity of fruit acids in commercial apple juice is higher than that of the home-made apple juice, making it less beneficial. METHODS Preparation of apple juice Materials: 1 x 1kg apple(fresh produce) 1 x 1 x 3 x 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 1 x 5mL Dropper 1 x 25mL pipette 1 x 50mL burette 1 x Burette Stand 4 x 250mL beaker Determination of Vitamin C by Iodine Titration (Malic Acid) Aim: This experiment aims to determine how much vitamin C , both the apple juice have. Hypothesis: The quantity of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in home-made apple juice is higher than the amount in a commercial store bought apple juice, making them healthier. Materials: 1 x Distilled water 1 x 500ml graduated cylinder 1 x 250mL Volumetric flask 3 x 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 1 x 5mL Dropper 1 x 25mL pipette 1 x 50mL burette 1 x Burette Stand 4 x 250mL beaker 1 x 600mL beaker 1 x Electronic scale 1% Starch indicator Potassium Iodide Potassium Iodate Ascorbic Acid 3M Sulphuric Acid 3 x Apple juice samples 1 x Funnel Method: Iodine Solution (NOTE: Prepared by the lab technicians prior to the experiment) 5g potassium iodide and 0.2680g potassium iodate was dissolved in 200.0mL of distilled water. 30.0mL of 3M Sulphuric acid was added. This solution was poured into a 500.0mL graduated cylinder and diluted to a volume of 500mL with distilled water. The solution was mixed. The solution was transferred to a 250.0mL beaker to allow ease of pipetting. Vitamin C Standard: 0.250g of ascorbic acid was weighed and added to 100.0mL distilled water (in a 250mL volumetric flask). The solution was diluted to the 250.0mL mark with distilled water. The standard was labelled. Titration: 5.0mL of the standard was added to a 250.0mL Erlenmeyer flask using a pipette. 2 drops of the 1% starch indicator solution was added. It was swirled to ensure it mixed properly. The above steps were repeated three times with all standard and juice samples (the pipette was rinsed between uses with distilled water). The burette was rinsed with some Iodine solution and then filled (using a funnel) to the zero mark. The solution was carefully titrated until the blue/ purple endpoint was reached and persisted after 20 seconds of swirling. The final volume was recorded. This was repeated for all aliquots. Determination of Fruit Acids by Titration (Sugar Acid ratio) Aim: This experiments tried to determine which apple juice contained more malic acid. Hypothesis: The quantity of fruit acids in commercial apple juice is higher than that of the home-made apple juice, making it less beneficial. Materials: 1 x 50mL Burette 1 x Burette stand 1 x 25mL Pipette 1 x Distilled water Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) O.1M Phenolphthalein 1% in 95% ethanol 3 x 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 2 x Apple juices Method: NOTE: While doing this experiment the home-made apple juice sample was too concentrated and thus after taking advice from the laboratory technician, we diluted distilled water in the apple juice, to make it less concentrated and easy to see the titration and thus the values were changed.25 ml of home-made apple juice sample was diluted to 250ml diluted water (1:10) 3 drops of Phenolphthalein were added to the samples in the Erlenmeyer flasks. This was repeated three times for both apple juices. 0.1M solution of NaOH was poured into the burette until it reached the zero mark. The sample was slowly titrated with the NaOH until the endpoint was reached (light pink that lasted after 30 seconds of swirling). The amount of NaOH used to titrate was recorded. This was repeated for all samples. Testing for Simple Sugars Aim: This experiment tried to determine how much sugars each sample contains and which juice has more samples Hypothesis: The amount of sugar in commercial apple juice is higher than that of home-made apple juice, which makes it less beneficial for health Materials: Benedict’s reagent 1 x Scale illustration colours and associated sugar concentrations 1 x 500mL Beaker 6 x Glass Test tubes 1 x Test tube holder 1 x Graduated cylinder 10mL or 100mL 2 x Apple juices 1 x Kettle 1 x Distilled water 1 x 25mL pipette Method: 4.0mL of apple juice was added to a test tube using a pipette. 1.0mL of Benedict’s reagent was added to the juice. It was swirled to ensure it mixed well. This was repeated three times for both types of apple juice (the pipette was rinsed between each use with distilled water). Each sample was labelled to ensure there was no confusion over which sample reacted. The kettle was filled with water and boiled. The boiling water was then poured into the 500mL beaker. All the samples were held in the beaker for a few minutes (about 3 minutes) until the colour change was totally completed. The colour change was noted and compared to the Scale illustration. The results were recorded. Repeat for all samples. pH using Litmus Paper Aim: This experiment tried to determine the changes of pH between store-bought and homemade apple juice. Hypothesis: Home-made apple juice has a higher pH than commercial apple juice due to ascorbic acid occurring naturally Materials: litmus paper 1 x Glass Stirring rod 2 x 100mL beakers 2 x Apple juices 1 x Tweezers Method: The samples of Apple Juice were added to separate 100.0mL beakers. A piece of Litmus paper was removed from the vial. The samples were stirred using a glass stirring rod. Some solution was obtained on the end of the stirring rod. The litmus paper was held using the tweezers on one end and a drop of sample was placed on it using the stirring rod. The colour change was noted according to the scale provided on the litmus paper vial. This was repeated three times for the homemade and store-bought samples. The results were recorded. Refractometer: Aim: Aim of this experiment was to determine the brix value for the samples of apple juice. Materials: 1 x Refractometer (sugar, Brix value) 1 x Distilled water 1 x Dropper Paper towel 2 x Apple juices Method: The Refractometer was calibrated to zero by dropping a few drops of distilled water on the glass section (this was only done once as recalibration is only needed every half hour). Three to four drops of apple juice were dropped on the glass section. The reading was then recorded. The Refractometer was cleaned using distilled water and paper towels between uses. These steps were repeated for three samples per apple juice. REFINEMENTS Determination of Vitamin C by Iodine Titration (Malic Acid) Materials: 1 x Distilled water 1 x 500ml graduated cylinder 1 x 250mL Volumetric flask 3 x 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 1 x 5mL Dropper 1 x 25mL pipette 1 x 50mL burette 1 x Burette Stand 4 x 250mL beaker 1 x 600mL beaker 1 x Electronic scale 1% Starch indicator Potassium Iodide Potassium Iodate Ascorbic Acid 3M Sulphuric Acid 3 x Apple juice samples 1 x Funnel 1 x sheet of white paper 1 x kettle 1 x 500mL beaker 1 x electronic thermometer Method: Iodine Solution (NOTE: Prepared by the lab technicians prior to the experiment) 5g potassium iodide and 0.2680g potassium iodate was dissolved in 200.0mL of distilled water. 30.0mL of 3M Sulphuric acid was added. This solution was poured into a 500.0mL graduated cylinder and diluted to a volume of 500mL with distilled water. The solution was mixed. The solution was transferred to a 250.0mL beaker to allow ease of pipetting. Vitamin C Standard: 0.250g of ascorbic acid was weighed and added to 100.0mL distilled water (in a 250mL volumetric flask). The solution was diluted to the 250.0mL mark with distilled water. The standard was labelled. Titration: 5.0mL of the standard was added to a 250.0mL Erlenmeyer flask using a pipette. 2 drops of the 1% starch indicator solution was added. It was swirled to ensure it mixed properly. The above steps were repeated three times with all standard and juice samples (the pipette was rinsed between uses with distilled water). The kettle was boiled and the water was poured into the 500mL beaker. The samples were placed into the boiling water bath until a temperature of 20ËÅ ¡C was reached. The burette was rinsed with some Iodine solution and then filled (using a funnel) to the zero mark. The sheet of white paper was placed under the burette tap. The solution was carefully titrated until the blue/ purple endpoint was reached and persisted after 20 seconds of swirling. The final volume was recorded. This was repeated for all aliquots. Determination of Fruit Acids by Titration (Sugar Acid ratio) Materials: 1 x 50mL Burette 1 x Burette stand 1 x 25mL Pipette 1 x Distilled water Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) 1M Phenolphthalein 1% in 95% ethanol 3 x 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 2 x Apple juices 1 x white paper 1 x Kettle 1 x 500mL beaker 1 x electronic thermometer Method: 3 drops of Phenolphthalein were added to the samples in the Erlenmeyer flasks. This was repeated three times for both apple juices. 0.1M solution of NaOH was poured into the burette until it reached the zero mark. The kettle was boiled and the water was poured into the 500mL beaker. The sample was placed into the boiling water bath until a temperature of 20ËÅ ¡C was reached. The sheet of white paper was placed under the burette tap. The sample was slowly titrated with the NaOH until the endpoint was reached (light pink that lasted after 30 seconds of swirling). The amount of NaOH used to titrate was recorded. This was repeated for all samples.

Celebrity Puppets Essay -- Personal Narrative

Celebrity Puppets The concept of using sports stars to market non-sport items has soared to new heights. Every corporation in the world is trying to get the edge over their competitors. The classic example is that of the â€Å"Cola Wars.† During the 1980s, Pepsi and Coca Cola began an advertising slugfest, in which Pepsi emerged victorious by using Madonna and Michael Jackson as puppets in their commercials. These two companies, as well as thousands of others, have taken advantage of exposing celebrities in their commercials and advertisements. This is done as a means to persuade the public that these products are worth buying. As the years went by, marketers began to realize that in America, sports imagery constituted the most popular way of communicating to the public. The major sports organizations that corporations use to market their products consist of the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Hockey League, but more groups are beginning to get in on the act. These groups include the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), as well as many others as a result of their increasing popularity and a younger group of stars. A little over a year ago, San Francisco Forty-Niner star wide receiver Terrell Owens caught a touchdown pass and began a unique celebration. When he reached into his sock and pulled out a Sharpieâ„ ¢ marker and signed the football, giving it to a friend in the stands. His touchdown celebration was covered by many major media sources. As a result Owens was offered a partnership with the marker manufacturer. Sharpieâ„ ¢ agreed to donate five hundred dollars to the Alzheimer’s Association in Northern California/Northern Nevada for every touchdown Owens scor... ...ich the rock band Metallica wrote, entitled â€Å"Master of Puppets.† The lyrics go: Master of Puppets I'm pulling your strings Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams Blinded by me, you can't see a thing Just call my name, `cause I'll hear you scream This reminds me of today’s marketing world because these corporations all over the world are trying to twist our minds and make us believe that their products are superior to those of their competitors. In today’s world it is no longer who makes the better product, but who can present the product in a better fashion. There is no major difference in the quality of sneakers throughout the world. But unless the Nike, Adidas, or Rebok logo is not there, the sneaker is viewed as poor. It just goes to show how a song written in the 1980s can reflect the marketing era of the year 2003.

Personal Identity and Psychological Reductionism Essay -- Psychology P

Personal Identity and Psychological Reductionism When we tackle the question of 'What makes us the individual persons that we are?', one approach that we can take is to seek an answer to the question of what it is that is required for a person to continue to exist over time. If we could agree on what is required for it to be true that you continued to exist, then we would have good grounds to believe that we had discovered what makes someone the particular person they are, and by extension, what makes any person the person they are. In essence, what we are searching for are the necessary and sufficient conditions for personal identity over time. In this essay we will focus on the claim that it is in fact, only the psychological characteristics of a person that are essential to personal identity over time. These characteristics include memory, beliefs, intentions and personality. It might also be the case that persons require some kind of body, or at least a physical means of sustaining thought, but it is the thought, not the physical basis of it, which matters. This stance, known as 'Psychological Reductionism', argues that all other features, be it physical or otherwise, are neither necessary nor sufficient for personal identity over time. Looking at the history of Psychological Reductionism may be useful in helping us understand how this view came to be considered as a possible model for personal identity over time. Descartes, in a way, set the scene for Psychological Reductionism by identifying thinking as the essential characteristic of the 'self'. His famous "I think therefore I am" placed at the core of the 'I' the capacity to think. However, by no stretch of the imagination, could we label Descartes a Psyc... ...). Chapter 14. pp. 407-415. Palmer, D.E.. Parfit, the Reductionist View, and Moral Commitment. Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy. Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (1998) http://www.bu.edu/wcp/Papers/PPerPalm.htm Pyle, Andrew. Key Philosophers in Conversation. Routledge.(1999). Chapter 16. pp179-195. Scruton, Roger. Modern Philosophy — An Introduction and Survey. Mandarin.(1994). Chapter 22. pp.304-307. Torriani,T. Continuity without Identity. Rootless Self-Images (Recovering Ethnic Identity) (1998), Section 1.3. http://www.padanialibera.net/torriani/htm/mprft3.htm Warburton, Nigel. Philosophy — The Classics. Routledge.(1998). Chapter 5. pp 55-56. Westphal, Jonathan. Philosophical Propositions. Routledge.(1998). Chapter 7. pp. 89-106. Wilkes, Kathleen. The Systematic Elusiveness of ' I '. The Philosophers' Magazine 12, Autumn 2000. pp. 46-47.

Steroid Use in Major League Baseball Essay -- Sports Drugs Steroids Ba

Steroid Use in Major League Baseball Steroids are unhealthy for baseball players and they are giving the game of baseball a bad reputation. Since steroids have become such a hot topic in Major League Baseball (MLB) fans have had nothing but bad things to say about the sport and its players. When sports illustrated asked some of its readers to give reaction to the steroid controversy in the MLB here is what baseball fan Howard Langsner from New York had to say 'Horrible, just horrible. We take Olympic medals away from athletes on steroids, but we're supposed to look the other way in MLB because a guy can make the ball go further? Drug testing is commonplace everywhere, and used in other sports, as the article mentioned. Baseball should be no different'. Matt Bookman of San Jose, California writes 'That's it. I'm done as a baseball fan until MLB has a comprehensive drug testing policy. I feel so naive. I really thought that the players had gotten bigger and stronger because they had learned the value of hitting the wei ght room and staying in shape during the off season. It breaks my heart that I won't be able to give my children the same experience I had growing up -- to go to the ballpark and feel good about your guys and cheer on your team.' The fans reaction speaks for itself but MLB should not sit back and let steroids take over a game that was at one time America?s pastime. In this paper research will be given on what exactly are anabolic steroids and how they can affect your body, testing policies, the effectiveness of steroids on players and major league baseball. There are many different kinds of steroids but anabolic steroids are the ones most commonly used by pro baseball player. Anabolic steroids are synthetic ... ... It takes no fool to realize that without the fans there is no professional baseball. The fans who are the ones who pay the salaries of the players who in all honesty said Canseco is why players are doing steroids, to make the game more exciting with homeruns. In this paper research was given to prove that steroids are unhealthy for baseball players and giving the game of baseball a bad reputation. MLB is losing their fan base and good name due to the use of anabolic steroids. In the end baseball with suffer the consequences if this problem is not handled quickly and efficiently Bibliography Haley, J.(eds.).(2003). Performance-enhancing drugs. San Diego, Ca: Greenhaven Press. Levine M, H.(eds).(2000). Why are Steroids so ?Big?. Austin, Tx: Greenhaven Press. Bodely, H. (2005, January 12). Baseball announces tougher steroid policy USA Today, 23, 37.

Conceptual Skills

Conceptualizing Organizational Change This paper focuses on conceptualising organisational change as a planned and manageable process. Different theoretical assumptions are presented in order to support the argument of change as a planned and manageable process in contemporary organisations. The paper utilises examples from two Nigerian companies, Access Bank Plc and Unilever Nigeria Plc. The main conclusion is that Access Bank Plc indicates that change can be a planned process, while Unilever Nigeria Plc shows the case of change as a manageable process. However, it is indicated that change may not succeed as a planned and manageable process especially in the context of Nigerian public education and the food and beverage industry. The paper also contributes to understanding change as a flexible and innovative process occurring in global companies. Introduction It has been suggested that organisational commitment may lead to the proper implementation of change. Managers tend to rely on employees while planning or managing organisational change, but organisational commitment may decrease as a direct response to such change (Grieves 2010). Manifesting positive employee attitudes towards change has been linked with successful change initiatives in organisations. It has been argued that change can be both a planned and manageable process (Caldwell 2006). At the same time, it may appear that change as a planned and manageable process may fail, as it will be shown in the case of Nigerian public education and the food and beverage industry. The objective of this paper is to explore the dimensions of change as a planned and manageable process, with focus on the performance of two Nigerian organisations, Access Bank Plc and Unilever Nigeria Plc. Change as a Planned Process: Access Bank Plc, Nigeria This section provides evidence on change as a planned process as applied in Access Bank Plc, Nigeria. There is an argument outlined in the change management literature suggesting that employee attitudes towards change might be affected by the perceptions employees demonstrate towards organisational change (Olufemi 2009). Employees play an important role in forming specific attitudes towards organisational change as a planned and manageable process (Caldwell 2006). They may either show positive or negative evaluative judgments of the change model. Change as a planned process indicates the presence of two dimensions, change readiness and change resistance. These dimensions reflect the presence of strategic planning within organisations that are ready to embrace the innovative concept of change. Change readiness has been associated with employees’ behavioural responses to change (Hughes 2010). Resistance to change may not take place in case employees strongly believe that they ha ve the capacities to cope with such projected change. Even though resistance to change may take place, it may be perceived in a positive way considering that it would force companies to implement new and more effective strategies to address the issue of change. Change can be a planned process, which managers aim to link with change-oriented activities. It can be argued that planned change occurs when some stakeholders manifest a desire to change, enhance their personal introspection, and modify their behavioural patterns in relevant ways (Hughes 2011). However, it would be unrealistic to state that planned change reflects the idea that everyone decides it is useful. Change as a planned process indicates the presence of solid changing forces in both the internal and external environment of organisations. Kotter’s 8-step model of change indicates that change can be a planned process involving eight proposed steps from creating the urgency for change to managing it accordingly in the organisational context (Hughes 2010). Jarrett (2003) has argued that planned change seems to increase an organisation’s effectiveness. Approaches to change as a planned process may reflect the relevance of different theories and concepts that tend t o describe the stages and procedures of implementing change. The integrative model of organisational change suggests that change can be a planned process through a strong focus on exploration, planning, action and integration (Jarrett 2003). In addition, emergent theories of change present an argument that managers who aim at developing change as a planned process show an in-depth understanding of the organisation, its culture, assets and readiness to change. Researchers have argued that change projects utilising process orientation and learning are more expected to succeed than those manifesting expert planning at all stages of organisational change in contemporary business (Nistelrooij and Sminia 2010). Change planning and management have identified change as an essential competency for the majority of organisational leaders. Planning change in the context of certainty has become a necessary aspect in organisations which openly promotes flexible communication based on change and innovation. Since some individuals may perceive change as an i ntegral part of organisational life, it would be relevant to focus on developing effective strategies to monitor and sustain such change (Hughes 2010). Planning in relation to change refers to a consideration of the current and future needs of organisations. Companies illustrating that change can be a planned process focus on planning as a goal-directed activity, in which emphasis is put on organisational goals while trying to maintain change. This may result in better coordination and easy implementation of change in companies (Carnell 2007). An exploration of the Nigerian banking industry reveals a close relationship between planned organisational change and HRM interventions. New banking management practices in Nigeria require the implementation of planned change that may contribute to improved organisational commitment, performance and compliance with important regulatory standards (Olufemi 2009). The acquisition of Intercontinental Bank by Access Bank Plc, Nigeria, has resulted in the necessity of redefining organisational change as a planned process to reflect the needs of the new workforce and the objectives of the banking organisation (Paton and MacCalman 2008). It has been suggested that successful change planning and management in organisations depends on staffing, alleviating fears, effective communication and planning, and integrating human resource systems (Hughes 2011). In the case of Access Bank Plc, planned organisational change has resulted in creating the need for the human resource department to focus on staffing (Olufemi 2009). The expansion of the bank’s recruiting base has been associated with perceptions of change as a planned process, in which the institution is focused on attracting more talented employees. Even though organisational change may create fear and uncertainty, managers considering change as a planned process may alleviate those fears (Hayes 2010). The acquisition initiated by the Nigerian bank shows that employees have learned to adapt to new processes and procedures within the institution (Olufemi 2009). The case of Access Bank Plc indicates that organisational change can be a planned process due to the interventionist strategies employed by HR managers of the organisation. The creation of new job structures by the bank reflected the necessity to relate organisational change to employees’ roles and expectations (Olufemi 2009). This was done in order to accommodate employees working in both companies considering the acquisition process that took place. The existing human resource systems in the bank showed the trend of planned organisational change which further reflected employees’ commitment to the bank’s long-term objectives. Moreover, Access Bank Plc needed to adjust its HRM policies to achieve its initially determined strategic goals which represent the process of planned change within the institution (Hayes 2010). The model found in the bank presents the existence of convergence among HRM interventionist strategies that were consistent with the perceptions o f change as a planned process. Variables such as fear, planning and development as well as integrated human resources indicate a strong focus on organisational change which has been adequately planned at Access Bank Plc. The bank’s managers have ensured understanding of the planned change process which is fundamental for change implementation (Nistelrooij and Sminia 2010). The interests of various stakeholders are considered as part of such ongoing planning process. As a result of the acquisition, Access Bank Plc tried to alleviate employees’ uncertainty through setting clear corporate objectives and effective communication (Paton and McCalman 2008). Flexibility has been associated with planned organisational change in this Nigerian organisation. Taking various perceptions into consideration was important in encouraging employees’ commitment and planning change. Despite the occurrence of certain conflicts in the institution, the managers demonstrated strong leadership skills while planning and managing change. Another significant aspect of the planned change process in Access Bank Plc is the formation of a change team for better articulation of the stages expected during organisational change. The Nigerian bank has demonstrated readiness of its employees to accept change as it has been linked with improved organisational performance (Olufemi 2009). The organisation’s managers encouraged integration between processes and implementation of new organisational methods to cope with the process of planned change. Strong corporate culture, strategy, structure and relevant organisational priorities emerged as a result of the Nigerian bank’s focus on organisational change as a planned process. The process of planned change tries to incorporate potential situations of crisis that may occur in the organisation (Caldwell 2006). Therefore, the planned approach to change incorporates unpredictable events that may result from different organisational conflicts. The Nigerian bank ensures constant adaptations to changing organisational situations. Considering that organisational change is unpredictable is important in perceiving such process as comprising of different organisational factors and flexible learning (Hughes 2010). Lessons learned from the case of Access Bank Plc involve both practical and theoretical considerations, such as identifying sources of change resistance, involvement of employees on a regular basis and developing proper communication plans (Olufemi 2009). The idea is to help the bank’s employees perceive themselves as part of the ongoing organisational change which reflected elements of a planned process. They need to understand that organisational change may influence them to a significant extent in terms of becoming more confident and competent in accomplishing their roles and responsibilities (Nistelrooij and Sminia 2010). It has been demonstrated that all levels of management of Access Bank Plc were aligned w ith organisational change and thus prevented the formation of negative attitudes among employees. In conclusion, the progress of change in the Nigerian bank was significant due to the role played by HR managers and leaders who placed importance on communication to achieve the planned process of change. Failure of Change as a Planned Process: Nigerian Public Sector This section describes the failure of change as a planned process in the Nigerian public sector. In a study conducted by Abdulraheem et al. (2013), it has been found that government reform agenda in Nigeria failed to achieve proper results in improving the quality of education in the country despite adopting the model of change as a planned process. In-depth interviews were conducted as the results showed that cultural differences are a significant indicator of adherence to organisational values (Abdulraheem et al. 2013). It has been suggested that despite the easy formulation of theories and models of change as planned, such aspects of change were difficult to implement in practice. Employees’ resistance to change was indicated across the Nigerian public sector. Cultural differences in terms of change prevented the successful implementation of change. Different education programmes have been introduced in the context of the Nigerian public sector, but they failed to achieve the objectives of meaningful change in education they initially presented. Abdulraheem et al. (2013) pointed out that change as a planned process was counterproductive to some educational programmes. The divergence of organisational values in Nigeria reflected the unsuccessful adoption of change as a planned process in public education. Despite change efforts, the level of educational development was failed to be comprehended properly. Change as a Manageable Process: Unilever Nigeria Plc This section covers the implications of change as a manageable process in the case of Unilever Nigeria Plc. The business environment in general has created a fast pace of change in the workplaceVarious acquisitions, advanced technological tools, reformation, cutbacks and economic recession are all aspects that contribute to a quite unstable business climate (Hayes 2010). The capability to adjust to the demands of the evolving workplace is considered an essential element for individuals and organisational existence. Organisational change is constantly present at Unilever and individuals are shown ato manage, control and guide it. Such change refers not only to accepting human factors, but also to an ability to organise and manage change factors efficiently, considering that change may be predictable (Grieves 2010). Organisational change taking place in the Nigerian organisation is at a transitory stage in a direction of stabilising its future position in the industry. The process of o rganisational change at Unilever can be managed as the procedure of planning, controlling and executing change in organisations in such a way is to reduce employee confrontation/resistance and cost to the organisation. In turn increasing the usefulness of the change effort becomes a priority to managers. Change is both predictable and attractive for the Nigerian company embracing the idea of innovation (Carnell 2007). The current business environment indicates signs of rapid competitiveness which results from the application of change initiatives that target the development of companies in a relevant direction Aspects of globalised markets and swiftly evolving technology influence businesses to adopt change in order to strengthen their performance in the market (Hughes 2010). For instance, such changes may reflect the introduction of a new software programme, or refocusing a marketing strategy. Companies, it has been suggestsed, must accept the force of change simply because their business environments require constant changes to take place (Jarrett 2003). Different external and internal organisational factors guide companies to consider the importance of change. Internal demands for change are derived from senior management and lower-level employees who drive the urgency for implementing change. External demands reflect changes in the PESTLE business environment (Burnes 2005). In practice, the management of change as presented in the case study of Unilever Nigeria Plc reflects common aspects of change observed in other Nigerian manufacturing organisations. . Observing the level of accepting organisational change among employees of Unilever Nigeria Plc may allow managers to structure the process of change in a manner to reflect employees’ different perceptions and expectations of change (Anthonia et al. 2013). This example also focuses on drawing lessons that can be functional and useful to other companies operating in the business environment of Nigeria. Approving and implementing organisational change indicate Unilever employees’ eagerness and willingness, support and assurance to the organisation which is important during the phase of major shifts in the structure of the organisation (Jarrett 2003). It has been suggested that senior managers are usually not in a rush in introducing change. They adhere to the belief that such procedure must be slow, balanced and systematic, particularly in large manufacturing companies like Unilever Nigeria Plc. Results from the survey conducted among employees of the Nigerian organisation revealed that the mean acceptance of change for all participants was reasonable. It has been indicated that characteristics of work settings do not represent any barriers to adopting change by Unilever employees. Acceptance of change by Unilever employees indicates the enthusiasm and confidence of the involved parties to hold and operate in a flexible business environment dominated by stakeholders’ assurance to influence and execute the changes (Anthonia et al. 2013). As highlighted by different scholars (Caldwell 2006; Jarrett 2003), the process of change can be both planned and managed especially if all stakeholders accept the desired outcomes by such organisational change. Researchers have argued that change should be established, executed and managed in such a way that draws the dedication from the affected parties like employees to accomplish the desired goals (Burnes 2004; Carnell 2007; Hayes 2010). The idea is that change is obligatory and predictable for organisations, as in the case of Unilever. It has been argued that to productively promote innovation in Unilever Nigeria Plc, it is not possible for senior management to have the ability and expertise needed for recognising th e necessity to manage change. Managers needed to widen their understanding of the major factors that may encourage or obstruct employees’ support for change initiatives in the organisation (Hughes 2010). This is significant because employees are considered the main stakeholders as well as the executers of change in the organisation. In the case of Unilever, it has been indicated that older employees and management staff were less receptive to the concept of change in comparison to younger employees working in the organisation. From the perspective of Unilever Nigeria Plc, employees were expected to hold and manage the execution of innovation through recognising the importance of innovative organisational culture. Unilever is a manufacturing company, in which the success of innovations is closely associated with support and encouragement from both senior management and non-managerial personnel (Anthonia et al. 2013). Additionally, innovations in Unilever Nigeria require strategic policies representing the company’s vision, goals, priorities and ways of action. In order to contribute to successful management of change within the organisation, senior managers combined effort and interpersonal reliance of all employees from all organisational departments and levels comprising the organisation’s hierarchical structure (Olufemi 2009). Unilever Nigerian Plc indicates an objective to deliver sufficient dividend on stakeholder investments. Yet the company is not resistant to most problems faced by oth er Nigerian companies. Similarly to most organisations operating in Nigeria, Unilever faced different internal challenges that weakened its competence to accomplish its mission thus pursuing to reinvent itself and manage the change process. Unilever Nigeria Plc has achieved solutions through innovations in order to implement change which has been recognised as a manageable process. The organisation is dedicated to innovation in various dimensions of its business, such as products, change policies, marketing initiatives and change mechanism strategies. It has been demonstrated that Unilever should reconsider the way in which it carries out its business activities in the economic Nigerian environment (Anthonia et al. 2013). The Nigerian organisation provides a practical example of how companies embrace the idea of change and manage it accordingly, with the idea to guarantee that the change process is executed effectively (Hayes 2010). Employees’ support, motivation, encouragement and commitment to change is fundamental. For example, results from surveying employees at Unilever revealed that most employees accept innovations, as non-managerial staff was more ready to accept change. Unilever Nigeria Plc tries to achieve the goals outlined in its vision of being a leading manufacturing organisation in Nigeria. However, the changes (or innovations) used to direct the company in that direction must be suitable to all stakeholders as well as properly executed (Burnes 2005). However, the successful execution of change and implementing other alteration measures in Unilever Nigeria Plc represents the relevance of two functional categories of human resources, that is management and non-management employees. Employees’ commitment to accomplish the various stages of change is a necessary requirement for the transformation of the company into an innovative enterprise because it would reflect strong indications of a company’s dynamic tempo of development (Hughes 2011). It has been found, through administering surveys to a sample of 720 senior/management staff and junior/non-managerial staff, that employees of Unilever Nigeria Plc demonstrated a positive attitu de towards change. This indicates a high level of recognition of change on the behalf of stakeholders (Anthonia et al. 2013). The findings recommended that senior management of Unilever Nigeria Plc indicated effective practices of uniting employees in order to sustain and manage the change process. The findings further implied that since employees at the company are likely to assess change completely, they are not opposed to it and thus any resistance is not expected to take place. In other words, employees would accept change and oppose it only if it increases legal concerns that may emerge in the workplace (Hughes 2011). This is consistent with the views shared in the organisational change management literature in the sense that negative attitudes of change may be an indicator for growing anxiety among employees. These findings are consistent with claims presented in existing literature, which shows that individuals may resist change or innovations because of uncertainty, misunderstanding, peer pressure, personal conflict and inaccurate perceptions of the change process (Anthonia et al. 2013; Hughes 2011; Paton and McCalman 2008). In particular, participative management, quality control management and trust in management emerged as important determinants of accepting the vali dity of the organisational change process by turning it into manageable and acceptable among employees of Unilever Nigeria Plc (Anthonia et al. 2013). The change initiated by senior management of Unilever Nigeria Plc was supported by employees, indicating that the organisation has adequately communicated the necessity to embrace and manage change (Anthonia et al. 2013). The major objective of the case study was to describe the organisational management of change at Unilever Nigeria Plc, which provided evidence that the change process can be manageable. The outcome that can be illustrated from this case study is that the corporate strategic model implied above does not seem to fit in with the assumptions of change demonstrated by senior managers (Hughes 2010). This may result in damaging the execution of necessary change at the organisation. This can apply to all manufacturing companies in Nigeria, as the majority of Nigerian organisations face interrelated challenges across different industry sectors. Failure of Change as a Manageable Process: The Food and Beverage Industry in Nigeria This section demonstrates findings that change has failed as a manageable process in some companies operating in the food and beverage industry in Nigeria. Olarewaju and Folarin (2012) aimed at exploring the impact of economic and political environment changes on organisational performance. Respondents from three companies operating in this industry filled questionnaires, as the results indicated that change failed as a manageable process. It has been suggested that managers should demonstrate greater concerns regarding organisational change and performance in terms of employing regular scanning of programmes introduced in organisations. It has been concluded that the influence of the external business environment, which involves persistent change, on organisational performance in the food and beverage industry in Nigeria was inadequate (Olarewaju and Folarin 2012). Understanding change as a manageable process was not effective across this industry because some food and beverage companies did not succeed in maintaining their performance measurement system properly. Forces shaping competition in the industry were irrelevant, pointing out that change initiatives were inadequate in this business context. Conclusion This paper presented arguments that change can be a planned and manageable process in contemporary organisations. The focus was on discussing the implications of change in the context of Nigerian companies, respectively Access Bank Plc and Unilever Nigeria Plc. It has been concluded that Access Bank Plc demonstrates a change structured process that is planned, whereas Unilever Nigeria Plc illustrates a manageable change process (Caldwell 2006). In addition, details of the failure of change as a planned and manageable process were included with regards to Nigerian public education and the food and beverage industry. The paper also illustrated the argument that change is linked with innovative organisational culture, which indicates a strong focus on the expected innovative performance of companies (Burnes 2004). The implications of conceptualising change as a planned and manageable process may help individuals and practitioners in the field recognise important characteristics and stag es of organisational change. References Abdulraheem, I., Mordi, C., Ojo, Y. and Ajonbadi, H. (2013) ‘Outcomes of Planned Organisational Change in the Nigerian Public Sector: Insights from the Nigerian Higher Education Institutions’, Economic Insights-Trends and Challenges, Vol. 2(1) pp26-37 Anthonia, A., Adewale, O. and Joachim, A. (2013) ‘Organisational Change and Human Resource Management Interventions: An Investigation of the Nigerian Banking Industry’, Serbian Journal of Management, Vol. 8(2) pp139-153 Burnes, B. (2004) Managing Change, London, Prentice Hall Burnes, B. (2005) ‘Complexity Theories and Organizational Change’, International Journal of Management Reviews, Vol. 7(2) pp73-90 Caldwell, R. (2006) Agency and Change, London, Routledge Carnell, C. (2007) Managing Change in Organisations, London, Prentice Hall Grieves, J. (2010) Organisational Change: Themes and Issues, Oxford, Oxford University Press Hayes, J. (2010) The Theory and Practice of Change Management, London, Palgrave Hughes, M. (2010) Managing Change: A Critical Perspective, London, CIPD Hughes, M. (2011) ‘Do 70 Per cent of All Organizational Change Initiatives Really Fail?’, Journal of Change Management, Vol. 11(4) pp451-464 Jarrett, M. (2003) ‘The Seven Myths of Change Management’, Business Strategy Review, Vol. 14(4) pp22-29 Olarewaju, A. A. and Folarin, E. A. (2012) ‘Impacts of External Business Environment on Organisational Performance in the Food and Beverage Industry in Nigeria’, British Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, Vol. 6(2) pp194-201 Olufemi, A. J. (2009) ‘Managing Organisational Change in Nigeria Manufacturing Enterprises: Lessons from the Unilever Nigeria Plc’, International Business Management, Vol. 3(2) pp15-21 Paton, R. A. and McCalman, J. (2008) Change Management: A Guide to Effective Implementation, London, Sage Van Nistelrooij, A. and Sminia, H. (2010) ‘Organization Development: What’s Actually Happening?’, Journal of Change Management, Vol. 10(4) pp 407-420

Renaissance Architecture as the Pinnacle of Genius Or Brunelleschi’s Dome

Architecture is the evolution of beauty in the fourth dimension. Art has continuously been about the creation of something beautiful, intrepid, and ingenious. Although there are many great art movements such as Baroque, Pop Art, Gothic, Avant-Guard, none are more striking in architecture as that of the Renaissance era. With the Renaissance convalescence to beauty, the color combination and the presence of the classical nude incorporated into a lot of the decor, it is with the Renaissance art era that art history was witness to the best possible architecture. The following essay will seek to prove this point using the geniuses of the Renaissance period and using their works as examples of this thesis. The Renaissance took its cue from the elegant forms of architecture and beauty from the Greeks and Romans. The idea of symmetry and shapes and elegance are staple features in Renaissance architecture. Thus, a viewer can see a lot of Rome represented in the Renaissance architecture such as columns, pediments, arches and domes. It was through Vitruvius’s writings on architecture that inspired many Renaissance artists to embrace the Roman ideal of beauty, harmony, and symmetry (Architecture in Renaissance Italy paragraph one). This is Vitruvius’s idea of symmetry as is presented in Renaissance architecture and conceptualized by Vitruvius in the human body, The measurement pertaining to the body being designated by headlengths is emphasized by Vitruvius in this manner, â€Å"For the human body is so designed by nature that the face, from the chin to the top of the forehead and the lowest roots of the hair, is a tenth part of the whole height; the open hand from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger is just the same†¦The other members, too, have their own symmetrical proportions, and it was by employing them that the famous painters and sculptors of antiquity attained to great and endless renown† (72). Some of the famous architects of the Renaissance era included Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Battista Alberti and Palladio. Each had their own style and power to not only engineer great feats of architectural beauty but to also bring forth their vision of classical Roman design with symmetr y as the focal point. Though Vitruvius speaks of symmetry his nature of the term also gives leeway, â€Å"Therefore, since nature has designed the human body so that its members are duly proportioned to the frame as a whole, it appears that the ancients had good reason for their rule, that in perfect buildings the different members must be in exact symmetrical relations to the whole general scheme† (73). This is especially seen in Brunelleschi’s brilliant masterpiece the dome of the Florence Cathedral or duomo as the Italians call it. The genius of the duomo was that it is a dome built within a dome. Bruniselleschi realized the weight issue of this dome, and thought that another structure to hold most of the weight would allow for the architecture to last longer without future engineering. Along with the genius of building this dome within a dome, Brunelleschi also used less material at the top of the dome where the oculus is located in order for the issue of weight to have less of a detrimental effect on the design, â€Å"As the total weight of the structure was thereby lightened, he could dispense with the massive and costly wooden trusswork required by the older method of construction† (Janson 1997, 419). Among Brunelleschi’s other major accomplishments and contributions to architecture is he renewal of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns in their proper places. Another recognized accomplishment of Brunelleschi is his system of proportions; although his architecture seems simple to the layman, his intricacies lie within his use of appropriate measurement inducing harmony in his overall structure such as the Ospedale degli Innocenti. This modular cube building is pristine in its measurements between columns, and the height and space are especially p roportioned (Architecture in Renaissance Italy paragraph two). There is a definite sense of these elements intermingling in architecture so much so that the physical is being eclipsed by the virtual and when this happens the most important element of architecture which will lead the evolution is light. The Renaissance was an era of individuals. The art movement occurred in the 1400s at which time the world was succumbing to great travesties. The one hundred years war was happening, the bubonic plague had killed at least 50% of the population among such countries as France, Germany and England, but Italy was spared. Due to Italy’s political system, which is a series of city republic states with not king, no true peasant class, and so there is room for social mobility, and capitalism has made the culture a commercial society. Merchants, such as the Medici’s, ran this commercial society and all of these circumstances put together gives way for the Renaissance, â€Å"In 1419, while he was working out the final plans for the Cathedral dome, Brunelleschi received his first opportunity to create buildings entirely of his own design. It came from the head of the Medici family, one of the leading merchants and bankers of Florence, who commissioned him to add a sacristy to the Romanesque church of S. Lorenzo† (Janson 1997, 419). . In order for artists to have observed the world around them, leisure time must have been pursued and because Italy did not so entirely succumb to the great plague, the entire culture was left to flourish. They flourished in everything, mostly art. This era of individuals allowed for self-made millionaires who would commission artists to create whatever they wanted. One of the main contributors to the Renaissance was the Church. The ability of a Renaissance artist to create and invent hinged on the indulgence of the commissioner. Thus, many great religious art works were also the focal point of the artist. , and so, by observing the world around them Renaissance artists created a plethora of religious structures. By seeing the world around them and inventing necessary objects with which to engage in that world or to improve life, Renaissance artists proved that invention was key in discovering the world. Thus, the Renaissance did not only give the world great art, but the artistic genius and fortitude to create great monuments and inventions. By simple observation, artists such as Brunelleschi could give the world new forms of sculpture, architecture, and design implementations involving grand scale construction. Observation is the key to artistic genius, and it is through observation that art and invention collide. The genius of Brunelleschi was able to flourish because of religion. His work on the duomo was not limited to just the architecture, but the engineering as well, â€Å"Instead of having building materials carried up on ramps to the required level, he designed hoisting machines† (Janson 1997, 419). Thus, not only was architecture thriving but also other avenues of art such as engineering. It was financial freedom which lead to the greatness of the duomo, and Brunelleschi’s stamp in art history.