AstraZenecas Strategic Information Management

AstraZenecas Strategic Information Management An extensive research has been by conducted to present the following outcome from of my study regarding Strategic Information Management. To compliment my study I did the research on AstraZeneca, a bio pharmaceutical Business company. Which gave me closer view and clear idea of my topic of study and I have related my report on that. Understanding the impact of management information on decision making Assessment Criteria Identify the features of data and information As we know that data is the collection of facts and figures. There is a several sources that are used to obtain the data but all the data that we get is not relevant. The relevant data to the management becomes information. The management needs information to make decisions. Information is needed in every type of decision making, from every day business decisions to the large and most important decisions. Data can be qualitative or quantitative of a collection of both. Such qualitative and quantitative data is attributed to a variable or different set of variables. Data is obtained on the bases of different variables depending on the nature of the data. Data is collected in a large form and then information and knowledge are filtered from the data to support in decision making. Qualitative Data: The qualitative data can be in forms of characters, graphs, pictures etc. The qualitative data determines the qualitative information from the source. It is descriptive and not all of such data is concrete. Qualitative data categorizes the items. It defines the items according to their specifications. It is also used to differentiate between the items as most of the items are not differentiated when collection their quantitative data. Quantitative Data: Quantitative data is also referred numerical data. Quantitative data is the data that determines the quantity from the source. It is often in forms of numbers and values. It is used to differentiate the date on the value or the quantity of the items. It is used for the measurement of the exact and approximate values. Example: AstraZeneca conducts market research and divides the information in two different groups qualitative data and quantitative data. In qualitative Data it has got consumer demographics, cultural norms, likes, dislikes, personalities where as in Quantitative data it has sales, average spent by consumers, cost of product etc. Information: Information is the part of the data is useful for decision making. Information is extracted from the data. Data is always in a larger amount and not all data is used by the managers to make decisions. So they filter the most important form of data which becomes information for them. Determining the criteria to be applied when selecting data and information to support decision-making. It is very important to have a suitable and sufficient data and information to support any type of decision making. Easy and every day decision making requires less amount of data and information where as complex and difficult making requires more amount of data and information. There are several standards used to determine the importance of specific data and information for the managers to make decision. i. The nature of data and information should be relevant to the decision that is going to be made. It should not be irrelevant data and information that is distracting from the main idea. The data should be related to the decision in a way that it supports the decision in and the information builds up the bases required for the decision making process. ii. The data and information should not be biased to a point. It should be a multi dimensional data that shows different angles to support the decision making. iii. The data and information should be complete. It should be sufficient enough so that the manager gets complete information that would be required to make the decision. That data should collect more amount of factual information with proper expression of numerical values. iv. The data and information that we perceive from different sources around us supports the decision making process. Before making a decision an individual or set of individuals set a goal which they aim to achieve as a result of their decision. So the data should be goal focused. It should reflect the goal that we need to achieve as a result of the decision. v. It is very important that data and information are collected from multiple sources. That the data collected from those sources should be compared and the best possible information should be filtered to suit the decision making. Different sources of the data could reveal essential information that could be used for the decision making process. Evaluating the impact of a management information system to an organisation. Every business organization needs information to support its all business activities and decision making. The system that enables the organizations to access the information to manage the organization is called Management information system. A management information system (MIS) is a system that provides information needed to manage organizations effectively . MIS in any organization is used to manage the flow of information and the uses of that information. The effective the flow of information is the smoother the business will be. Management information system is also used to the evaluate and manage all other forms of information systems that are used by the organization. Such as the decision support system or expert system. In other Management information system is the master systems that controls all other management and information systems with in the organization. Since the discovery of MIS, organizations have benefited from it a lot as it has increase the efficiency and effect iveness. It has also made the complex decision making process a lot easier and time saving. If management information system is utilized in an effective manner, it can make business operations more efficient and it would reduce the risk of wrong decision making. Information empowers people and correct and effective form of information benefits the organization by empowering the employees that would improve their performance and performance of the organization as a whole. There are high chances of rise in productivity if the management information system is implemented effectively. According to a business cycle the outcomes of a successful MIS are planned to be obtained for a five year business plan. It provides managers with relevant information regarding all the business aspects. It also assists them in the decision making. It also acts as a performance indicator and tells the managers how the business has performed. It can also be used to improve the performance of the business where it can be improved. 2.1 Determining the legal responsibilities in sourcing, sharing and storing information Legal responsibility is the responsibility that lies on the organization in accordance with the law as it has to follow certain legal procedures in business activities. Every organization has got a legal responsibility regarding sourcing, sharing and storing information and it has to follow it to avoid any legal action against that organization. Confidentiality. The confidentiality disallows the organizations to disclose the information of any individual, group of individuals or business to be disclosed to any other individual, group of individuals or a business without a proper approval. The confidentiality also restricts the organizations to disclose the information of individuals to the unauthorised employees of those organizations. Integrity The integrity puts a responsibility on the organizations in which they cannot change, customise or personalize any information that is provided to them. The organizations are legally bound to keep the information to them. Integrity can be violated if the message has been changed. It is organizations responsibility to keep all the information to them as it has been provided to them. Availability The availability of the information enables the information to be available when is required. That means the information should be accessible to authorised people when they need it thus it should also be protected at the same time. The information should only be available for the use of the authorized people and any unauthorized person or business should be denied access. Authenticity It is also one of the legal responsibility of the business organizations to make sure that any information that they provide is not fake or forged. The data should also be authentically validated in its true form and actual state. Non-repudiation Non-repudiation is a legal responsibility on the organization that they have to fulfil their legal requirements. I also ensures that sender and receiver can not deny that the information has been sent or received respectively. Example AstraZeneca has got a confidential information which it collects in its surveys and researches and it protects the data as a legal obligation. 2.2 When should information be offered and access allowed. Access control It is a responsibility of the organizations to control the access of the individuals, group of individuals and businesses to the information. Organizations are supposed to restrict the access of unauthorised entities or any individual that has not been identified as an authentic person to access the information. Organizations are responsible to control the disclosure of the information only to the parties that have the right to access the information. Identification It is important for organizations to identify the individuals correctly before granting them access to the specific information. There are several different processes used by the organizations to the identify they individual intending to the access the information. So organizations should allow the access when the identification of an individual satisfies them for the authenticity of the individual to qualify to access the information. Authentication Authentication is a process that establishes weather an individual, a group of individuals or a business has the right to access the information or not. When an individual is identified it is then evaluated on the basis of authenticity that if the individual qualifies for the access to the information or not. Organizations verify the authenticity on three different ways: identity of an individual, possession of the individual or the specific knowledge of the individual. These are the ways in which information can be evaluation from individuals. Cryptography Cryptography is used by the organization to make the information unusable to unauthorized people. It is modern and technologically advanced process. That restricts the access of information to the people who are not authorized to use it. Organizations should allow access to individuals that they want to and restrict the access of everyone else. Example There is certain information in the management information system of AstraZeneca which is only allowed to certain people on prove of identification. 2.3 Evaluating the formats in which information can be offered. The data format in which the organization offers the information must be a format of the organization is fully aware of. It should be a format that is the most suitable format to disclose the data in a from where the distortion can be minimized. The formats used to offer the information should be the formats that are widely accepted and which are in a standardized form and if there are no standardized format for the information that we need to offer then formats should be used that are defined by open consortia. If the document is modified the format should also be modified according to that document. Print The data in print format can be offered by books, journals, news papers, paper documents, cards etc. print format is the most conventional and safe to protect. Audio The information on audio format is very widely used. It used mainly in informal method. The audio format can be very effective in specific situations. Telephones and mobile phone are coming used to offer data. Radios are also part of audio format. Most of the people prefer Audio with Video. Video Video format is one of the most expensive formats to offer information but it is easy to access by masses. Video format is in easy reach of many and preferred by most. It is considered more effective than audio. It is more interactive than print but it has a shorter life than and less concreteness than print format. Computer/Internet Computers and Internet are the most common and most efficient means to offer information the individuals. It is cheap and efficient. There are security risks involved in it. It is easy to access and can be access by multiple users at the same time. It saves time and money but some times it can be hard for those people who dont know how to use computers or for the people don not have the access to the computer and internet. Example: AstraZeneca provides information to customers by brochures, Radio ads, TV ads and internet website. LO3: Use information to inform and support strategic decision-making Assessment Criteria 3.1 Analyze information to identify patterns and trends Information that is extracted from the date is used into the business to make decision. That information helps to build perceptions. Information is used to specify different patterns and trends. Different patterns and trends can be expressed by graphs, diagrams or charts. Example AstraZeneca uses pie charts, bar graphs and other graphic and it tells the different patterns of cusumer and market trends. Which helps the management to make decisions. AstraZeneca uses the information to identify the development of new products and new sales opportunities. Evaluating a range of decision making tools and techniques available to support a strategic decision There are several tools and techniques that are used by the managers to support a strategic decision making. Organizations use these tools according to their needs and according the magnitude of the decision that has to be made. Decision Trees To draw a decision tree the management has to identify all the available options. So the list of the available option would be considered and then out of each of the decision should be stated. The similar options are merged to form two main options. The decision is often represented by the nodes. Decision nodes, chance nodes and end nodes. The Pareto Analysis The is a technique used to identify the option from all the available options that would get the best possible out of all. Most commonly the options that have chances to result in 80% positive outcome by 20% work are selected from the options available. This is also commonly know as the 80/20 rule. Pros and Cons In this technique the manager has to state all the advantages and disadvantages of all the decisions and then the manager has to identify the most effective decision in which advantages outnumber all the disadvantages. PMI In this technique there is an addition to the advantages and disadvantages category that is interesting. That adds up the available options of the decisions. Six thinking Hats This is one of the most effect techniques of decision making. It is combined with the parallel thinking. It requires a group of individuals which think in a combined and prolonged way to reach to the decision making. Determining the sources available to assist in analyzing data information Different organizations use different sources to analyze the data information available to them to support them in decision making process. Accuracy The accuracy of the data should be evaluated to analyze it. The more accurate it is the effective it will be. If it is not accurate it will not be effective to use. Ease to use The data information has to be easy to use for its users. If it is too difficult to be understood then it cannot be utilized in a best possible manner. It should be user friendly and system friendly. Comparisons The data information should be compared with other data available to the business. Comparison of data will give a clear view for the analysis. As it will later be easier to select the more most appropriate data information for the management information system. LO4: Monitoring and review management information Assessment Criteria 4.1 Identifying methods of evaluating management information within an organization There are different methods involved in evaluating the management information within an organization. The management information is evaluated to know weather the information would be relevant and useful for the organization or not. Identifying sources The sources should be identified from which the information has been derived. So that the concreteness of the information can be confirmed later. It is more likely for information to be reliable if the source is reliable. Relevance The information has to be relevant to be used in the management information system. So that it can be used into the organization to make decisions. The relevance of the information can be determined by the objectives that need to be achieved through it. Access There should be an easy access of the information for the authorised users of the information. Access to any unauthorized person should be denied to that information. Objectives The information should be evaluated against the organizational objectives. The information should complement the objectives and can be used to achieve objectives. 4.2 Discussing process for analyzing impact of information on strategic decision made There is a very strong impact of information on strategic decisions made. This impact is analyzed by the out come of the strategic decisions made and the contribution of the information on them. The informations role in achieve the objective and the assistance by the information to make strategic business decisions is crucial part to analyze its impact. Information is used to get the essential bases to make a decision. Information is made into work when it is used as knowledge. Example With effective Management information system and successful application of Decision support system AstraZeneca has been able to benefit a lot. They use their information to effectively to make successful strategic decisions. 4.3 Determining methods of developing information capture to inform and support strategic decision making Information can be collected in different methods which is then used to support strategic decision making. Surveys Different organizations conduct different surveys to collect information. These surveys are based on different questionnaire which are specifically designed to get a definite information about anything. Surveys can be targeted or sometimes they are conducted on random people Research Large organizations have got specific devoted research department to conduct researches but small and medium sized organizations form groups of individuals to which conduct researches when they have to get any information to make a strategic decision or when they have to develop a new product. Outsourcing Many business organization try to outsource the information. They get the information from other business firms which collect information and provide it to other businesses. Example A has got a devoted research and development department which has been specifically designed to conduct surveys and conduct research to develop new products or to improve previous ones. Summery Information is very vital for any business operations. So it is important for the organizations to develop effective management information systems. The information from the management information systems should be used to make effective strategic decisions and to make effective strategic decisions the information has to be the best possible information available. It is also important for the organizations to

Stephen King’s Biography Essay -- american authors, the stand

Stephen King was one most of the popular American authors in history. He was born in Portland, Marine on Sept 21, 1947. He was raised by his mother, Nellie Pillsbury, and his father, Donald King. Today, Stephen King and his wife, Tabitha King, are living in Florida. â€Å"He and Tabitha Spruce married in January of 1971. He met Tabitha in the stacks of the Fog Library at the University of Maine at Orono, where they both worked as students.† (King) He published his first horror novel while study at the University. â€Å"While at college, King supported his education and family’s hard pressed finance by taking small jobs and selling stories to various magazines.† During his early career, he was famous for a series of horror novel called, â€Å"Dark Tower Stories†. In the late 1990s, he was injured by a car crash which resulted in a very bad condition in his leg and lung, too (â€Å"Stephen Edwin King†). Now, he and his wife support local community charities and a scholarship for local high school students in Florida (King). Stephen King show of his life where it has influences of his writing and how it did impact many people. King’s fascination with honor of fact his writing throughout his career. The first evidence of Stephen King being very interest in horror showed in his work in his early education (â€Å"Stephen Edwin King†). He read a scary comic book which affected how he wrote (â€Å"Biography of Stephen King†). â€Å"Much of King’s early works were science fiction based, but because he lacked the scientific grounding, they tended to be a bit thin on detail, but still excellent for someone of his age.† Later, he combined science fiction and fantasy in his writing to have more eff... ...21006/Top- ten-Stephen-King-books.html>. King, Stephen. "The Stand." www.goodreads.com. Goodreads Inc, 11 Feb 2014. Web. 11 Feb 2014. . King, Tabitha. "The Author." http://www.stephenking.com/. Stephen King, 06 Feb 2014. Web. 6 Feb 2014. . "Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition." www.stephenking.com. Stephen King , 23 Apr 2012. Web. 9 Feb 2014. /stand:_the_complete__uncut_edition_the.html>. "Stephen Edwin King." www.thefamouspeople.com. FAMOUS PEOPLE, 06 Feb 2014. Web. 6 Feb 2014. edwin-king-34.php>. "Stephen King." http://www.greatamericanwriter.webs.com. N.p., 14 Feb 2014. Web. 14 Feb 2014. .

Effects of Divorce on Children Essay

Although divorce is now allowed by law in some countries, it is still unhealthy for a family especially in the presence of a child. Due to the fact that they are still young, the children often do not understand why some couples need to separate and they respond in a variety of ways that parents should understand and deal with. When the divorce is settled, the children might wonder why their father or their mother is no longer around and this might be quite hard to explain to a young mind. This produces short and long term effects on the children and even sometimes causes teenagers to rebel against their parents causing more problems than there already is. Another issue regarding children and divorce is who will have custody of the children and alimony. Usually, the mother gets custody over the children while the father still provides financial support. Depending on the situation, the custody is being granted to the father. One problem about divorce is that couples think that the matter is only between them; failing to consider what effects it would have on their children. Little do they know that the changes that will occur once the divorce takes effect will have many negative effects on children. In a case to case basis, children might feel different because of the many changes that will take place once the divorce becomes effective such as changes in schedules and daily routines as well loss of contact with members of extended family (Parker). Children may also develop a fear that losing one parent will eventually lead to the lost of the other. The loss of attachment of a child to a parent may also lead to the loss of other secure relationships such as friends, siblings, neighbors and even pets. Children also, more often than not, are attached to their surroundings and divorce sometimes mean moving out or migrating which could prove unhealthy for the wellbeing of a child. A parent also has a tendency to create a dis-attachment between the child and the other parent which could prove to be a major predicament in the psychological health of the child (Parker). Many children tend to think that they are somehow the reason why their parents want to get divorced. Children often remember rough times that they had with their parents such as arguments, poor grades, getting into trouble, vices, etc. They start to think that the conflict came from them and they start to blame themselves. If this is the case, the parents should make clear that they are not responsible for the conflict and that both of the parents still love them. Explaining custody arrangements would also prove better to prepare the child and for a better understanding (Clandos). In some cases children try to bring their parents back together by either â€Å"acting out† in negative ways or trying â€Å"so good† so that his/her parents would think twice and reconsider about pursuing the divorce (Parker). As a reaction to a divorce, children especially teenagers show aggressive and defiant behavior. A problem here is that parents usually think that this is the normal behavior of the children instead of a reaction to problem. Parents should be keen observers and must be able to identify if the behavior is still normal. In such cases, children also show depression and parents must watch out for this kind of reactions (Parker). In one study, it has been proven that children have adapted to their parents divorce and have emerged as successful individuals. According to Constance Ahrons, the author of We’re Still Family: What Grown Children Have to Say About Their Parents’ Divorce, although they are now adults, children who belonged in families that divorced emerged â€Å"stronger and wiser† having coped with â€Å"difficult times and experienced stressful family changes†. The research indicated that 79 percent feel that their parents decision to have divorce proved to be a good one. On the other hand, according to David Blankenhorn, founder of the Institute for American Values, â€Å"a ‘good divorce’ is not nearly as important as having less divorce. No matter how good your divorce is, it is still a very painful experience for your child† (Peterson). Many children who have grown up may have coped with the effects of divorce but still, a good number of children were affected and were not able to cope with it. It has been proven that children from divorced families are usually victims of abuse and exhibit more health, behavioral and emotional problems compared to children from intact families. Data also indicate that children from divorced families have more likely been associated with drugs, crime and even suicide (Fagan). According to a survey conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Health Statistics, fatherless children show a much greater risk of committing suicide while another study indicated that three out of four teenage suicide cases are from families where a parent is absent. Moreover, another study by Kalter and Rembar indicated from a sample of 144 children and adolescents that 63 percent showed subjective psychological problems such as anxiety, sadness, moodiness, phobias and depression while 56 percent had poor grades. Another 43 percent showed aggressive behavior towards their parents (Fatherless Homes Statistics). Children from divorced couples have been noted to perform poorly in academic subjects such as reading, spelling and math. They have also been identified to have higher drop-out rates and more often repeat a grade. It was also indicated that these children have a less likelihood of graduating from college. It was also noted that families that have gone through a divorce have experienced a 50 percent drop in their income levels resulting in poverty. Divorce also resulted in less religious worship which is associated with many positive outcomes such as better health, longer marriages and improved family life (Fagan). Divorce also affects the sexual behavior of children. Children from divorced families start to accept premarital sex and divorce. The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth indicated that â€Å"African–American girls are 42 percent less likely to have sexual intercourse before age 18 if their biological father is present at home. For Hispanic–American girls, the stepfather’s presence increases the likelihood of sexual intercourse before age 18 by 72 percent† (Fagan). Robert Sampson, a professor of sociology at the University of Chicago, discovered that divorce rate is connected to the robbery rate in 171 cities in the United States that have a population of at least 100,000. Lower rate of divorce meant higher social control which in turn also results in lower crime rate. There is also a close line relating child abuse and crime rates. Higher divorce rates result in higher rates of child abuse but instead of curbing child abuse, remarriage only adds to it. Having a stepfather would most likely increase child abuse and data indicate that serious cases of abuse is much higher for stepchildren compared to children from whole families (Fagan). Likewise, a study by Kalter indicates that teenage and adult females that have been exposed to parental divorce resulted in lower self-esteem, heightened sexual activity, delinquent behavior and are unable to maintain a lasting heterosexual relationship. It was also stated that girls who grew without interaction from a father missed out on a key element. â€Å"The continuous sense of being valued and loved as a female seems an especially key element in the development of the conviction that one is indeed femininely lovable. Without this regular source of nourishment, a girl’s sense of being valued as a female does not seem to thrive† (Fatherless Homes Statistics). Children may suffer traumatic experiences in cases of divorce but steps can be taken to reduce these kinds of effects that divorce has on children. These steps are the following: â€Å"(1) be honest for the potential of emotional trauma on each of your kids; (2) allow your children to communicate openly; (3) offer your children choices, whenever possible, to increase their sense of power over their lives; (4) find support for yourself and your children; and (5) provide continuity† (Clandos). It is, likewise advised not to expose the children to any marital conflict. Talking about the spouse’s negative behavior should also be avoided while developing amicable relationship with the spouse is advisable for the sake of the children. Taking care of one’s self will also help children adjust to the changes caused by the divorce. Moreover, discussing the separation with the children would also be helpful but one must always be mindful because what one says might affect the outlook of the child in a negative way (Clandos). Some changes in behavior may be observed from children that have been affected by the separation. Some children who are most of the time jolly and playful may become moody and may lose self-esteem. Sadness and moodiness may become excessive at times. Children also sometimes develop a fear of â€Å"clinginess† and may show anger outbursts (Clandos). Teen marriage account for a good percentage of divorce cases. Early marriages have been considered more unstable because of different factors such as the inability to support a family because of the absence of a good paying job having not finished college. It is estimated that one half of teen marriages with women ranging from 18 to 19 years of age result in divorce within 15 years time although the rate of divorce for women over 20 is also particularly high at around 33 percent. In cases of out-of -wedlock pregnancies, marrying before giving birth will increase paternal support because the male partner would have better access to the child and may provide better financial support even if there is a high risk that the marriage will result in an divorce (Seiler, 7). According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, over time, the rate of divorce per 100 marriages have increased from three in 1870 to 30 in 1945 and 51 in 1998 (Fagan). Half of the marriages in the US end in divorce and from this data, one may state that people now no longer consider marriage as a strong binding force for a couple. Marriage now no longer provides a perception that it is permanent. Marriage is also no longer considered as a life-changing decision because of the availability of divorce. Dating games such as ‘The Bachelor’ which sometimes end in marriage is proof enough that people no longer take marriage seriously. A divorce is caused by many factors such as common misunderstandings, financial difficulties, adultery, vices, and other irreconcilable differences. Many couples experience financial difficulties and this is one cause of divorce but prior to what most believe, financial problems are not the top cause of divorce. It only ranks fourth or fifth next to other factors that produce higher divorce rates, namely, â€Å"incompatibility, lack of emotional support, abuse and sexual problems†. According to Jan Andersen, associate professor at California State University in Sacramento, only 5 percent of divorce cases are caused by a couple’s financial difficulties (Weston). Other usual causes of divorce aside from financial problems are â€Å"lack of commitment to the marriage, lack of communication between spouses, infidelity, abandonment, alcohol addiction, substance abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, inability to manage or resolve conflict, personality differences or ‘irreconcilable differences’,differences in personal and career goals, different expectations about household tasks,different expectations about having or rearing children, interference from parents or in-laws, lack of maturity, intellectual incompatibility, sexual incompatibility, insistence of sticking to traditional roles and not allowing room for personal growth, falling out of love, religious conversion or religious beliefs, cultural and lifestyle differences, inability to deal with each other’s petty idiosyncrasies, mental instability or mental illness, criminal behavior and incarceration for crime† (Panse). Even if many countries legal ly accept divorce, there are still some countries that do not approve of divorce and most of these countries are against divorce because of religious beliefs. In biblical texts, adultery is often mentioned but nothing is clearly mentioned about divorce. Even theology scholars and pastors do not share the same views regarding biblical teachings about divorce. Christian scholars have different positions regarding the controversial issue. They argue that â€Å"(1) divorce is never permitted under any circumstances; (2) divorce is permissible under certain, specified circumstances; and (3) divorce is permissible under many circumstances† (House). The first argument supports that â€Å"marriage is lifelong and permanent† and divorce is against God’s standards and Christians are strictly prohibited from having divorce. Those who support the second argument that divorce is permissible under specific circumstances believe that divorce is not prohibited by biblical texts. They believe that one spouse commiting adultery means that a divorce can be allowed. Desertion is also being considered as a valid reason for divorce in this argument. On the other hand, the third view argues that divorce is allowed not just for conditions of adultery and desertion but for many other conditions as well (House). Generally speaking, divorce has many adverse effects on children. It affects their behavior, emotional and psychological health. Although some research studies indicate that children have been able to overcome the behavioral, emotional and psychological effects caused by divorce and were able to break out as successful individuals, many children still suffer from the harmful effects of divorce. As discussed, children from divorced families have a higher tendency to commit suicide, are more likely to commit crime and premarital sex as well as having poorer performance in academics. To sum it up, divorce does not provide any good effects on children and because of the many negative effects, it would be better if couples do not resort to divorce so as not to disregard the well-being of their children. It would be better off if couples just settle their differences for the sake of the children. It is also recommended that the government take steps to at least be able to lessen the cases of divorce if not eliminate it. On the other hand, the church should re-orient people the importance of marriage and deciding who to marry as simple as it has become today. The Church must make the people know that marriage is a life-changing decision. The status of marriage, particularly in the United States which is one of the countries with the highest divorce rates, is not strong. Works Cited Parker, Wayne. The Effects of Divorce on Children and How to Cope. accessed April 2, 2008 from, Clandos, Rosemary, Kemp, Gina M. A. , Jaffe, Jaelline Ph. D. , & Segal, Jeanne Ph. D. 28 September 2007. Coping with Divorce: Helping Your Child Cope with Separation or Divorce. accessed April 2, 2008 from, Peterson, Karen. Is Divorce a Bad Thing? Does it often leave broken children in its wake? Apparently not. 2004 June. accessed April 2, 2008 from,

Essay about Pagan Aspects in Beowulf - 1573 Words

Scholars have argued about the religious stance of the epic poem Beowulf for centuries. Although the man who put the poem down on paper, known as the Beowulf poet, was a devout Christian, the actual poem itself is pagan. There are many clues in the epic that lead us to this conclusion such as the numerous references to pagan symbols, namely the symbol of fate. Also, the central idea of revenge in the poem opposes the ideas of Christianity. The poem also contains many breaches of the Ten Commandments, which prove that the story is not Christian. However, the biggest clue to the paganism of Beowulf is the scene that contains the burial of Beowulf and the building and idolization of the tower, all of which go directly against the†¦show more content†¦There is no evidence anywhere that leads us to believe that poison is part of the Christian religion, again emphasizing the paganism of the poem. Although all of these are important pagan symbols that lead us to believe that this poem is not Christian, probably the most significant pagan symbol is that of fate. The idea of fate ruled the lives of the pagans. Their belief was that you were born with a fate, and there was nothing that could change this destiny. This idea becomes apparent in Beowulf several times. As Beowulf is dying he refers to his leaving this earth as just part of his destiny when he says that [m]y days have gone by as fate willed (Norton 1604). The idea of fate is called on again when Beowulf asks Wiglaf to succeed him as king of the Geats. He tells Wiglaf that he would have given the honor to his son, if he had one, but fate did not allow it. We see a reference to fate a final time when Wiglaf speaks of Beowulf after his death. He offers that as much as Beowulfs people tried to convince him to leave well enough alone, to allow the monster to live on forever, there was no changing Beowulfs destiny. Beowulfs [f]ate, and his will, [w]ere too strong (Norton 1611). Fate is clearl y a non-Christian idea, and its presence in the poem helps the case for Beowulf being a pagan story. A huge theme in Beowulf is the revenge ethic that all of the characters possess. During the time inShow MoreRelatedComparing Beowulf And The Epic Of Beowulf937 Words   |  4 PagesEmpire. In the story Beowulf, his actions portray him, indeed be an epic hero. Both Christianity and Paganism are both portrayed throughout the epic Beowulf. Beowulf frequently speaks of God throughout the story, while there are also many Pagan elements that are evident throughout the story as well. In addition, It s hard to ignore the Christian and Pagan elements in Beowulf. These types of elements are what define the heroic warrior in the epic Beowulf(Vengeance the Pagan and Christian Inspiration)Read MoreBeowulf Is A Pagan Work Essay519 Words   |  3 Pages The poem Beowulf was written in England sometime in the 8th century. It was written during a time when the society was in the process of being converted from paganism to Christianity. The Christian influences are combined with early folklore and heroic legends of Germanic tribes. Yet, the pagan elements in the epic poem Beowulf clearly overshadow the Christian elements, and it is visible in the character’s superhuman personifications, their hunger for revenge, and their strong belief in fateRead MorePaganism In Beowulf953 Words   |  4 PagesChristianity and Paganism in Beowulf Beowulf was composed when England was transitioning from a pagan to a Christian culture. In chapter 3 of A Little History of Literature, it is said that Beowulf was likely written by a Christian monk who inserted Christian themes into the story. This is why Beowulf reflects both Christian and pagan views. These two religions and their elements affect the story in different ways. There are pagan views of fate and fame in Beowulf, but there are also ChristianRead MoreBeowulf : Christian Or Pagan Epic?865 Words   |  4 PagesMichael Smith Waterman English 12 24 September 2015 Beowulf: Christian or Pagan Epic? Believe it or not, Thor was not just a fictional superhero that appeared in comics created by Marvel. Ultimately stemming from Proto-Indo-European religion, Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of Germanic mythology and paganism. Pagans, a member of a community observing a polytheistic religion, dominated Southern Europe society and literature until Christianity slowly drove out paganismRead MoreBeowulf Is A Christian Allegory1310 Words   |  6 PagesIt is common opinion that Beowulf was written by a Christian poet. This was probably true because at the time when it was written, most of the few people who knew how to read and write were in the clergy. There are various references within the poem to elements of the Christian religion. However, the story is about Pagan people and certain aspects of their culture are even glorified. The ambiguity of Beowulf’s religious content has caused confusion as to what significance religion had inRead MoreThe Religious Principles Of Beowulf1236 Words   |  5 PagesSyncretism is defined as the combination of different beliefs or practices. This term is an important topic within Beowulf, since the poem has obviously united two religious principles. Beowulf is dedicated to expressing and explaining the Germanic heroic code, but there are specific moments when Christianity and paganism over laps. Though Paganism focuses on victory, honor, and masculinity the author manages to add the act of forgiving your enemies, the significance of the monsters within the poemRead More Beowulf - Pagan or Christian Epic? Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf Pagan or Christian Epic Beowulf: Pagan or Christian Epic? Although the story of Beowulf is filled with references to religion and faith, many discrepancies occur throughout the story that suggest that Beowulf is not a Christian epic. The character of Beowulf frequently speaks to God and obviously believes in His existence. However, pagan practices are mentioned in several places. Beowulf often refers to another being rather than the Christian God. Pagan practices of cremation andRead MoreBeowulf as Christian Propaganda1318 Words   |  6 Pagesliterary work of Beowulf is believed, by many, to contain numerous attributes of Christian propaganda. Throughout the story of Beowulf, there are several circumstances and coincidences that distinctly relate to the Christian belief system. One can only imagine that these ideas of Christian propaganda; which include the use of Christian themes and beliefs in works of literary art, were strategically placed throughout the story of Beowulf to help the conversion from the old world pagan religious belie fRead More Beowulf: Christian Vs Pagan Influence Essay1652 Words   |  7 Pages The European epic, Beowulf, was written sometime in the eighth century in England. This time period provides us with an idea for the mixture of Christian and pagan elements because of an English society that was in the process of converting from Paganism to Christianity. Examples of Pagan and Christian traditions are presented all throughout literature. Many of the influences deal with what it going on in the world, when the piece is written. When Beowulf was written, St. Augustine had just comeRead MoreBeowulf And The Epic s Christian Identity896 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf and the Epic’s Christian Identity Composed in early eighth century by an unknown author the epic poem Beowulf, follows the exploits of the protagonist of the same name. Originally composed orally by a tribe’s scop, the epic of Beowulf delivers insight on the lives and adventures of characters that lived in the sixth century. Although, the tale of Beowulf was formulated during post Roman collapse by presumably pagan people; written around seven hundred A.D., it is probable that a Christian