Timeless Theme Present in The Crucible Essay Example for Free

Timeless Theme Present in The Crucible Essay One timeless theme found in many pieces of literature is the abuse of power. Many people who are in power, abuse their power, and commonly become corrupt or unjust due to the power. The essence of human nature is to crave power. Along with this craving of power in some humans is the corruptness and injustice when one comes into power or on ones path to achieving power. This is a timeless theme, as power and human nature have always existed in mans history. This theme may be observed in Macbeth, a play written by William Shakespeare in the early quarter of the 17th century and set in the 11th century. This can also be observed in The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller in the 20th century, and taking place in the 17th century. In the beginning, Macbeth is a virtuous man, or at least interpreted as one by those who know him. He has been thinking of power, but has not yet made any decision upon it, and it is really just a thought, a dream even, in the back of his head, which he seems to have no real intention of pursuing. One may see how Macbeth is virtuous when an injured Captain is coming back from the front, and tells Duncan and Malcolm about the battle: And Fortune, on his damnà ¨d quarrel smiling, / Showed like a rebels whore: but all s to weak; / For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name), / Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel, / Which smoke with bloody execution, / Like Valours minion, carved out his passage, / Till he face the slave; Which neer shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, / Till he unseamed him from the nave to the chaps, / And fixed his head upon our battlements. (Act One, Scene II, l.14-24 Shakespeare) In this story told by the captain, Macbeth is a virtuous man. The Captain qualifies Macbeth as brave and even comments on how Macbeth deserves that name. This may be considered Macbeth initial and noble stage, before power corrupted him, to the point of committing numerous atrocities for the sake of power. Macbeth however is soon corrupted by the thought of achieving supreme power over Scotland, brought forth by the witches telling him that the crown would be his. The corruptness may be seen in Macbeth mostly seen in Macbeths path to  power. The thought of obtaining power has pushed Macbeth to contemplating murder much more than before, and he stacks up the reasons of why he should not kill Duncan against the reason to kill Duncan. One can see this in a monologue early in the book: [] First , as I am his kinsman and his subject, / Strong both against this deed; then as his host, / Who should against his murder shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself. [] hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like angels, trumpet tongued, against / The deep damnation of this taking-off; / [] To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which oerleaps itself / And falls on the other - (Act One, Scene VII, l.1-28 Shakespeare) In this passage, one may understand that Macbeth realizes that the reasons not to kill are that Duncan is part of his family, that Duncan is a guest in his house, and that he is a subject of Duncan and therefore has sworn loyalty to Duncan. He then realizes that his only motive to kill Duncan is his vaulting ambition. This vaulting ambition corrupts him and seems to be enough to make him want to murder Duncan to obtain kingship, and to murder many more to keep it. Macbeths corruptness comes up many more times in the play. In order to keep his kingship, he also kills Banquo. He visits the witches again to know his fate, and they tell him to be careful of Macduff. On his return he learns news of Macduffs departure for England. In this passage, one may see how Macbeth resolves this dilemma: The castle of Macduff I will surprise, / Seize upon Fife; give th edge of the sword / His wife and babes, and all unfortunate souls / That trace him in his line. (Act four, Scene I, l.49-151 Shakespeare) This decision is an atrocious one, and is only being made in Macbeths confused fury to defend his throne. Power has corrupted Macbeth enough for him to want to hurt Macduff by any means, even if this does not benefit Macbeth other than to have Macduff suffer. This passage shows just how low Macbeth has sunk, and how twisted his actions have become since his initial stage. As one may now conclude, power strongly corrupts Macbeth. Originally he is a virtuous man, defending his homeland from rebels, yet he slowly gets transformed by power into a ravaging terror, destroying everything in his way. In The Crucible, power as a corrupting force may be seen through many characters. The girls in the Crucible tell many lies to become officials of the court. Mary Warren, for example, evidence may be seen in a scene where Mary Warren is speaking with Parris and Elizabeth: Mary Warren: You must see, sir, its Gods work we do. So Ill be gone every day for some time. Im- I am an official of the court, they and I- She has been edging toward offstage Proctor: Ill official you! He strides to the mantel, takes down the whip hanging there. Marry Warren: Ill not stand whipping any more! (59 Miller) In this passage one may see that Mary Warren seems to believe that she has gained power in the court, and we discover later, that this power was gained through lies. Originally she was considered to be part of one of the lowest classes in the Crucibles hierarchy of society, however telling these lies and giving false evidence has promoted her directly to official of the court, which is much more honorable and important than being a servant. She has therefore gained power through her corrupt practice. Another character in The Crucible who is corrupt is Danforth. He is an example of a character that has power, but then uses it unjustly. For example, in the passage where he accuses Giles of contempt one may see Danforth being unjust: Giles: I will not give you no name. I mentioned my wifes name once and Ill burn in hell long enough for that. I stand mute. Danforth: In that case, I have no choice but to arrest you for contempt of this court, do you know that? Giles: This is a hearing; you cannot clap me for contempt of a hearing. Danforth: Oh, it is a proper lawyer! Do you wish me to declare the court in full session here? Or will you give me good reply? Giles, faltering: I cannot give you no name sir, I cannot. [] Proctor, breaking in: Your Honor- he has the story in confidence sir, and he- [] Hale: We cannot blink it more. There is a prodigious fear of this court in this country- [] Danforth: [] to Giles: You are under arrest in contempt of this court. (98 Miller) In this passage one may understand how corrupt and evil Danforth is, as he has been told something by Giles in confidence, and he turns this into Giles being arrested. Both Proctor and Hale, two characters who are portrayed as virtuous and fair, defend Giles, however Danforth goes in opposition and has Giles arrested. Another way one may interpret Danforths malice is by the terror of the court which Hale calls their attention to in this passage. Danforth obviously reigns in terror and only gets respected because people are afraid of being put in jail if they oppose him, as in Giles case. A third character in The Crucible who is also corrupt is Parris. He uses his power as preacher in attempts for personal financial gain. One may see this when Proctor, a virtuous and honorable character, is telling Hale about Parris: Since we built the church there were pewter candlesticks upon the alter. [] But Parris came, and for twenty week he preach nothin but golden candlestick until he had them. I labor the earth from dawn of day to blink of night, and I tell you true, when I look to heaven and see my money glaring at his elbows- it hurt my prayer sir, It hurt my prayer. (65 Miller) In this passage one may see how selfish Parris is, and how he abuses of his position to get what he wants. We may equally see Parris when he is speaking with Giles, Proctor and Putnam about the pay he should be receiving and many other financial affairs: Parris: The salary is sixty-six pound, Mr. Proctor! I am not some preaching farmer with a book under my arm; I am a graduate of Harvard College. Giles: Aye, and well instructed in arithmetic! Parris: [] I am not used to this poverty; I left a thrifty business in the Barbados to serve the Lord. (29 Miller) In this passage one can see how Parris is trying to use his position as preacher for financial gain. This is completely in opposition with what the religion is all about, and what a preacher is meant to be doing. He is therefore, also a corrupt character in The Crucible, as he is using his power for corrupt reasons which are in opposition with the message he is meant to be transmitting. As one may now conclude in The Crucible several characters are corrupt due to power, such as Mary Warren, Danforth and Parris just to name a few. Mary Warren is tells lies to move up in society, while Danforth is unjust with  his power, and Parris uses his power for financial gain. In conclusion, a timeless theme present in both The Crucible and Macbeth is that power corrupts. Power corrupts because it is in human nature to crave power, sometimes overly so which leads one to commit terrible acts. In addition to this craving for power, in some humans, is corruptness and abuse of the power. The Crucible and Macbeth were written and set in different time periods, yet the theme that power corrupts is recurrent and is therefore a timeless theme.

Antibacterial Properties of Compounds from S. Frutescens

Antibacterial Properties of Compounds from S. Frutescens Kabir Prema Introduction Rationale There are approximately 6.1 million people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome in South Africa (Unaids.org, 2014). People with HIV/Aids have a higher risk of getting secondary infections and diseases such as Tuberculosis, which is the cause of many deaths in South Africa (Tbfacts.org, 2014). About 5.5 million people in South Africa are infected with Tuberculosis (Salim S. Abdool Karim, 2009). I have chosen to research and experiment on the Sutherlandia frutescens because it has anti-bacterial and anti-HIV properties (Katerere and Eloff, 2014). I also have a keen interest in alternative medicines so researching and testing a plant with many diverse properties such as S. frutescens will be an interesting and fruitful experience for me. Hypothesis Compounds extracted from S. frutescens have antibacterial properties. Aim: To test three extraction methods (water, ethanol and acetone) on S. frutescens, to see which method will have the most effective anti-bacterial properties on two different strains of bacteria (E. coli, S. epidermidis). Research and Experimental Methodology: For this project I will rely on secondary research. Which includes research articles and information from websites on the S. frutescens, extraction methods of antibacterial compounds and statistics regarding specific diseases affecting South Africa. I will also be doing primary research such as using different extraction methods to extract the antibacterial compounds from S. frutescens. I will testing the extracts on two different strains of bacteria. Limitations The limitations that I would face in my research task would be the reliability of the research articles I used with regards to the S.frutescens. The strains of bacteria that I’m using are harmful to human beings. Review of Literature Source 1: Title: A review of the taxonomy, ethnobotany, chemistry and pharmacology of Sutherlandia frutescens (Fabaceae). Authors: B-E. van Wyk, C. Albrecht Year of publication: 2008 Summary: The article is a review of many different articles on S. frutescens. The article focuses on the chemistry and ethnopharmacology of S. frutescens. It names the ailments that S. frutescens is used to treat ailments such as urinary tract infections and HIV. It’s also used as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Its has been shown that S. frutescens has been widely used as a medication by various groups in South Africa particularly the in the Western Cape. Validity: This article is review of many different articles and most of the  information is derived from other articles concerning  S. frutescens and its properties and uses. Reliability: This article is from the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, which is published on the journal publishing site elsevier.com. The journal was also reviewed by a board of editors from many  different countries. Evidence use to support conclusion: The leaves of the Sutherlandia frutescens have antibacterial properties. Recent studies on this plant have mostly focused on the anti-cancer, anti-HIV, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, analgesic and antibacterial activities. Usefulness: The article describes the many uses and properties of S. frutescens such as it’s antibacterial properties, it’s anti-inflammatory and its anti-HIV properties. The article also goes over the many uses of S. frutescens ov Limitations: The article doesn’t elaborate on much on the antibacterial activities of S.frutescens The article doesn’t show methods of extracting S.frutescens. Author Credentials: B-E. van Wyk is a professor at the University  of Johannesburg and teaches undergraduate plant taxonomy,  postgraduate taxonomy, systematics, chemosystematics of African  plant families, medical plant chemistry and ethnobotany. Source 2: Title: Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activity of Sutherlandia frutescens (Fabaceae), A Reputed Anti-HIV/AIDS Phytomedicine Authors: David R. Katerere†  and Jacobus N. Eloff* Year of publication: 2005 Summary: The article describes the extraction methods that were used to extract S.frutescens The article also describes the how the different extracts where tested on different strains of bacteria. The article is about the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of S.frutescens. The second method of extraction produced a greater yield than the first method of extraction. Validity: The first extraction method used five grams of a commercially available leaf sample of Sutherlandia frutescens (Sutherlandia/ Unwele ®). The Sutherlandia frutescens (Sutherlandia/ Unwele ®) sample was consecutively extracted three times using different substances, first with Hexane (coded SF-H), then by dichloromethane (DCM) (SF-D), then by acetone (SF-A) and finally by ethylacetate (SF-E). The second method consisted of splitting a leaf sample of a Sutherlandia frutescens into three portions weighing 5g each. The portions where portions where extracted separately twice with acetone, ethanol and water. Each extract was then dried using a rotary evaporator and weighed. The aqueous extract was then freeze dried. Reliability: S, frutescens was extracted using two different extraction methods. Evidence use to support conclusion: The total yield of all four solvents in the first method of extraction was 10.5%. In the second extraction method, acetone extracted 5.6%. Ethanol extracted 12.6% while eater extracted 17.2%. Usefulness: It’s useful as it gives methods to extract the active ingredient  from the plant. Limitations: The article doesn’t give a testing method that I can easily perform at school. Author’s Credentials David R. Katerere† : Specialist Scientist at SA MRC, Visiting  scientist at Scynexis, visiting scientist at UNINA, trainee  Pharmacist at Drug Tech Pharmacy, Chief Bioanalyst at  PAREXEL, Postdoc at University of Pretoria Jacobus N. Eloff*: Gold Medal for Science for Society  Academy for Science of South Africa (September 2012), Gold  medal of the South African Academy for Science and Art is  awarded for Scientific and Technological Achievement, Bronze  medal from the International Horticultural Society (December  2008) in recognition of the organising the World Conference on Medical and Aromatic Plants. Source 3: Title: Five Ochna species have high antibacterial activity and more  than ten antibacterial compounds Authors: Tshepiso J. Makhafola1 Jacobus N. Eloff1 Year of publication: 2011 Summary: The article is about the antibacterial activities of five Ochna species. Leaf samples where extracted using different mediums from the leaf. The extracts were tested against various strains of bacteria. Validity: The dried leaf powder was extracted with 20mL of acetone. The solution was then shaken in 50 mL centrifuge tubes and  centrifuged for 15 minutes at 4000 rpm. The extracts were  decanted through into glass vials through filter papers and the  solution was concentrated to dryness with a stream of cold air. Only clean and dry leaves were selected, the selected leaves had no blemishes or dirt. The leaves were not washed with water as the water would possibly extract some water-soluble compounds, and to limit the posibilty of fungal growth on the leaves due to the moisture left on the surface due to the water. The leaves were dried at room temperature in the dark. The leaves were then made into a fine powder, with the particles being less than 1 mm in diameter. The leaves were then stored in sealed glass bottles in the dark to reduce chemical changes in the compounds present in the leaves. Reliability: There were no competing interests the article. Evidence use to support conclusion: The percentage yield in acetone between the five species was: O. gamostigmata (8%), followed by O. pulchdra, (7.5%), O. serullata (7%) O. pretorienses and O. natalitia ((2.5%) Usefulness: This article shows different extraction methods and it also gives  a suggestion to which extraction method and solvent worked  the best to extract the particular compounds. It provides detailed  images, tables and graphs which makes it easier to view the data  that was collected. Limitations: Only gives information about on genus of plant (Ochna) and there is no information of S. frutescens. Author’s Credentials Kobus (Jacobus N) Eloff: Gold Medal for Science for Society,  Eskom award for capacity development, Gold medal of the South  African Academy for Science and Art is awarded for Scientific  and Technological Achievement, Gold Medal for Botany Tshepiso Makhafola: Attended the University of Pretoria from  2008-2010. He has skills and expertise in research, molecular  biology and biotechnology. Source 4: Title: Influence of Sutherlandia frutescens extracts on cell  numbers, morphology and gene expression in MCF-7  cells Authors: B.A. Standera, S. Maraisa, T.J. Steynberga, D. Theronb, F.  Joubertc, C. Albrechtd  and A.M. Jouberta Year of publication: 2007 Summary: The article is about the influence of S.frutescens on cell numbers, morphology and gene expression in MCF-7 cells. An extraction was made our of small twogs and leaves, the solution was then filtered. It was demonstrated that ethanolic extracts of S. frutescens inhibited multiplying of MCF-7 mammary adenocarcinoma cells. Validity: Dulbeccos minimum essential medium eagle (DMEM)  with Glutamaxâ„ ¢ (Gibco BRL, USA) †¢ Trypsin–EDTA †¢ Crystal violet DNA stain was used to determine the  number of cells. (Spectrophotometrically) †¢ Heat inactivated fetal calf serum (FCS) was used to  culture the MCF – 7 human breast cell line. †¢ Penicillin was used to culture the MCF – 7 human  breast cell line. †¢ Streptomycin was used to culture MCF – 7 human  breast cell line. †¢ Sterile cell culture flasks †¢ 96-well plates where used to house the culturing cells. †¢ MCF-7 human breast a denoma carcinoma cell line  were cultured in DMEM †¢ Cell Morphology: Two hundred and fifty thousand   MCF-7 cells were put onto heat-sterilized coverslips  in well plates and they were exposed to 1.5 mg/ml of  Sutherlandia Frutescence extract for periods of 24, 36,  48, and 72 hours at 37 °C cells where counted using a  microsceope. Reliability: Sterile culture flasks and well plates where used, the cultures  where kept at a constant temperature of 37 °C and in a  humidified atmosphere with 5% CO2, the specimens of  Sutherlandia frutescens were air dried in the shade in the  area of Murraysburg in the Karoo, to reduce the chance  degradation of the specimens. The specimens where identified  as Sutherlandia frutescens by the botany and biotechnology  department at the university of Johannesburg. 1 gram of Sutherlandia frutescens was mixed with 10ml of 70%  ethanol to produce a stock solution. After the extraction of the  Sutherlandia frutescens it was centrifuged to remove any debris  and then it was filtered twice to obtain a purified 100mg/ml  stock solution. The cells where cultured for 24 hours. Vehicle controles where  used prove the effectiveness of the Sutherladnia frutescens. The results that were obtained were statistically analysed for  significance using analysis of variance factor model. This was  then proceeded by a two-tailed Student’s t-test. Evidence use to support conclusion: The ethanol extracts of the Sutherlandia frutescens inhibited  the growth of the MCF-7 mammary adencarcenoma cells of the  period of 72 hours. 1.5 mg/ml of the Sutherlandia frutescens  ethanol extract was statistically found to reduce 50% of the  growth of MCF-7 cell over 24 hours when compared to the  vehicle-treated control. Usefulness: It shows different methods of extracting the Sutherlandia  frutescens and different substances used to extract the plant. It  also gives results that have been statistically proven. Limitations: There aren’t any tests to prove its antibacterial effectiveness. The article doesn’t mention the chemical compounds present in  the plant that prove it’s effectiveness. Author’s Credentials B.A. Stander: Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 2034, Pretoria 0001, South Africa S. Marais: Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 2034, Pretoria 0001, South Africa T.J. Steynberg: Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 2034, Pretoria 0001, South Africa D. Theron: ACGT Microarray Facility, University of Pretoria, 0002 Pretoria, South Africa F. Joubert: Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Unit, University of Pretoria, 0002 Pretoria, South Africa C. Albrecht: Cancer Association of South Africa, P.O. Box 2121, Bedfordview 2008, South Africa A.M. Joubert: Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 2034, Pretoria 0001, South Africa Source 5: Title: Antibacterial Activity of Leaf Extracts from Combretum micranthum and Guiera senegalensis (Combretaceae) Authors: Stefano Banfi, Enrico Caruso, Viviana Orlandi, Paola Barbieri,  Serena Cavallari, Paolo Viganà ², Pierangelo Clerici and Luca  Chiodaroli Year of publication: 2014 Summary: Guiera senegalensis and Combretum micranthum lwaves were  used and tested on for the presence of antibacterial compounds. Five solvents were used to extract the plant material; the solvents  were used in increasing polarity. Escherichia coli C1a and  Staphylococcus aureus MSSA were used to test the antibacterial  effectiveness of the plants. A bioautographic method was used to  monitor the antibacterial activity of the plants extracts throughout  the purification steps. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration  and Minimum Bacterial Concentration of the most purified and  active plant extracts were evaluated at the end of the procedure. Validity: Dry leaves extraction procedure: Whole leaves of C. micranthum and G. senegalensis, were dried immediately after  obtaining them from the plant in a local drying room at 40 °C. The dried leaves were then sent to Varses. Dried whole leaves  weighing 100g were poured in a 2.5 L bottle and treated with  600ml of cyclohexane (least polar solvent). After a period  of 24 hours the leaves were separated from the solvent by  means of a Buckner funnel. This procedure was repeated using  progressively more polar solvents: toluene, acetone, EtOH and  water respectively. Agar diffusion assay: Between 4-5 isolated colonies of each  strain were collected and resuspended in 5ml of PB. It was then  put onto its respective solid growth medium by means of a sterile  cotton swab. The plates were incubated at 37 °C for a set amount  of time required for each microorganism. The antibacterial effect  of the extract was measured by measuring the growth inhibition  halo. Pictures if the inhibition halos were taken using a camera to  document the findings. Reliability: Incubation temperature was kept constant at 37 °C. Evidence  of the inhibition rings were taken by means of a photo camera  and those images were later analysed. A fair test was performed  as four different methods of extraction where used, each with  increasing polarity. Evidence use to support conclusion: Cm4-P showed good activity against S. aureus and S. xylosus. Cm4-P showed some activity against Gram negative strains. Gs2-Paq was found to be more active against the Gram positive strians  compared to Cm4-P. Usefulness: Gives an example of how an extraction could be done by ordering  the solvents according to polarity. It shows how the inhibition  rings can be measured and analysed i.e. By means of taking  photographs. Limitations: The article doesn’t show extraction methods and testing methods for S. frutescens Author’s Credentials Stefano Banfi: Degree in organic chemistry in February1980 at the University of Milan, Assistant Professor in Organic Chemistry. Enrico Caruso: Graduated with a degree in organic chemistry in October 1998 from the University of Milan, Assistant Professor in Organic Chemistry, Viviana Orlandi: 1995: Degree in Biological Sciences, University of Milan discussing a thesis on Expression of oppioid receptor in primary coltures of murine cortex neurons: trasduction signal pathway and interaction with glutamate receptors. Member of the Italian Society for General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology (SIMGBM). Paola Barbieri: 1980: Degree in Biological Science at the University of Milan, Institute of Genetics. Member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM)Member of the Italian Society for General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology (SIMGBM). Serena Cavallari: Paolo Viganà ²: Degree in Biological Sciences; Postgraduate Diploma in Microbiology, Doctor of Biological Sciences; Specialist in Microbiology Luca Chiodaroli: Conclusion Source 1 deals with the general usage of S.frutescens as a medicinal plant in South Africa. Source 2 deals with the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of S. frutescens. It also shows extraction methods and bacterial testing methods. Source 3 shows the antibacterial activities of the Ochna species of plants. This source gives an indication of what types of bacteria that need to be used for testing the antibacterial activities of the S. frutescens. Source 4 is about the influence of S. frutescens extract on MCF-7 cells. It has a good indication of an extraction method that can be used. Source 5 is about the antibacterial activity of leaf exracts from Combretum micranthum and Guiera senegalensis. It gives an example of an extraction method that can be used for S. frutescens. All the sources deal with extraction method that can be used for certain plants. Not all the articles deal with the extraction methods and testing of S. frutescens. References: B-E. van Wyk and C. Albrecht, 2008. A review of the taxonomy,  ethnobotany, chemistry and pharmacology of Sutherlandia  frutescens (Fabaceae). Journal of Ethnopharmacology, [Online].  119, 621-629. Available at: http://def-sa.com/def/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/A-review-of-the-taxonomy-ethnobotany-chemistry-and-pharmacology.pdf [Accessed 20 April 2014]. David R. Katerere†  and Jacobus N. Eloff . 2005. Antibacterial  and Antioxidant Activity of Sutherlandia frutescens (Fabaceae), A  Reputed Anti-HIV/AIDS Phytomedicine. [ONLINE] Available at:  http://def-sa.com/def/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Antibacterial-and-Antioxidant-Activity-of1.pdf. [Accessed 06 April 14].   Tshepiso J. Makhafola and Jacobus N. Eloff. (2011). Five  Ochna species have high antibacterial activity and more than  ten antibacterial compounds. South African Journal of Science  [online]. 108, 689.Available From:http://www.sajs.co.za/five-ochna-species-have-high-antibacterial-activity-and-more-ten-antibacterial-compounds/makhafola-tshepiso-eloff-jacobus. St, er, B., Marais, S., Steynberg, T., Theron,  D., Joubert, F., Albrecht, C. and Joubert, A. (2007). Influence  of Sutherlandia frutescens extracts on cell numbers,  morphology and gene expression in MCF-7 cells. Journal of  ethnopharmacology, 112(2), pp.312318. Banfi, S., Caruso, E., Orlandi, V., Barbieri, P., Cavallari,  Ã‚  S., Vigano, P., Clerici, P. and Chiodaroli, L. (2014). Antibacterial Activity  of Leaf Extracts from Combretum micranthum and Guiera senegalensis  (Combretaceae). Research Journal of Microbiology, [online] 9(2), pp.66-81. Salim S. Abdool Karim, S. (2009). HIV infection and tuberculosis in South Africa: an urgent need to escalate the public health response. Lancet, [online] 374(9693), p.921. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2803032/ [Accessed 14 May. 2014]. Fritz Lherisson, F. (2014). South Africa. [online] Unaids.org. Available at: http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/southafrica/ [Accessed 16 May. 2014].

Garden for the Blind Essay :: Architecture Design Essays

Garden for the Blind Essay One of the first actions needed in constructing a garden for the blind on the south lawn of Hume Hall is to construct a barrier on the northern end and eastern end surrounding the garden so as to block out any unwanted street noise. The wall would preferably be cement, with the sides facing Museum Road and North-South Drive unpainted so as to absorb as much sound as possible. However, the sides facing the garden should be painted so as to reflect the sounds of the garden back to its occupants. This wall may need to be as high as seven feet or larger, however high it needs to be in order to block as much external noise as possible. When a person walks through this garden, the first sense that is triggered is the sense of sound, for the walkway is wooden at the beginning of the garden path. Since this garden is situated on a steep hillside, the walkway needs to be level and built up next to the hillside, with steps going down leading to the next level walkway. The garden path continues, winding back and forth to the bottom of the hill. The entrance to this garden is to the west of the north wall, and the first realization that one is in the garden is the aroma of the mints lining the edges of the walkway on the hillside. Wooden railings line either side of the walkway to help guide the visitor, and the person would be able to touch, smell, and even taste the different mint plants lining this area of the garden. The different mints would include chocolate mint, pineapple mint, spearmint, and peppermint. The next area of the garden a person encounters is one that appeals to the active touch, for these plants have appealing textured bark and leaves. A person realizes that this next stage of the garden applies a different sense because the walkway changes to a brick path, which reflects a different sound to the person, whether he or she is tapping the path with a cane or simply listening to the sound of his or her own footsteps. The first plants found in this ?texture? area are crape myrtle, which have smooth bark. These plants can be considered small trees or shrubs, and occupy some space, so the visitor can walk along the path, gently touching the leaves and bark until the next plant, the lamb?

Fighting Charges of Assimilation in Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun and

Fighting Charges of Assimilation in Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun and The Cosby Show The critical reception of The Cosby Show, an enormously popular television sitcom in the 1980's, roughly paralleled that of A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry's highly acclaimed play of the 1950's. Both the television series and the play helped change the way Blacks are portrayed in the entertainment media. But despite being initially greeted with critical praise, both subsequently fell under heavy scrutiny by many critics for being too assimilationist. However, in both cases, the charges of assimilation may perhaps be too harsh. A Raisin in the Sun, a drama of a middle-class family in Chicago, should not be regarded as a wholehearted endorsement of black assimilation into "white society. " Instead, the play offers a rather realistic view of the complexity of struggles that involves this issue. The Cosby Show, a comedy series about a successful upper-middle-class black family in New York, must also not be viewed as an endorsement of black assimilation into "white society ." Instead, the sitcom dealt with universal family issues and posited traditional family values and morals. But most importantly of all, both tried to do away with the prevailing negative black stereotypes in order to promote more positive and realistic representations. The claim that A Raisin in the Sun expresses the idea of black assimilation can be somewhat justified. Walter Lee Younger and George Murchison openly and consciously admit that desire for the white lifestyle. George has willingly denounced his race rather than uplifted it and is the epitome of a black man that has fully assimilated into the White mainstream. Walter, on the other hand,... ...revolution, not the just the entertainment industry. Works Cited Color Adjustment.Videotape. Dir. Marlon Riggs. Narr. Rudy Dee. California newsreel.1991. 87 min. Crenshaw, Anthony. "The Cosby Show Changed the Way Blacks are Viewed." Once Upon a Time in the Eighties. (1995) n. pag. Online. Internet. 3 Aug. 1998. Link to above site: www.engl.virginia.edu/~enwr1016/amc2d/cosby.html Pouissant, Alvin. "The Huxtables: fact or Fantasy." Ebony. Oct. 1988. 72-74. Turner, Darwin T. "Visions of Love and Manliness in a Blackening World :Dramas of Black Life Since 1953." The Black Scholar. vol. 25. No.2. 2-12. Link to the Lorraine Hansberry Page: http://www.%20accd.edu/sac/english/bailey/hansberr.htm Link to an interesting site which provides some helpful info and question about A Raisin in the Sun: www.randomhouse.com/acmart/raisintg.html

Blindfold :: essays research papers

â€Å"Blindfold† by Diane Hoh   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The title of this book is called Blindfold and it is called that because at the end of the story before this girl is going to be killed the other girl blindfolds her. The author is Diane Hoh and there isn’t really any fact at all in this book about the author. The setting takes place in a small community, everybody knows everybody in this town. I think the theme of this book is to never trust anyone even if you think that they are your really good friends. The protagonist in this story is Maggie Keehe. The antagonist is lane the girl who is going on a killing spree and her next victim was Maggie. The character I most like is Maggie for one she is the main character. I didn’t really dislike any of the characters in this book. And no I really don’t agree with what some of the choices the characters make. For one Lane is killing a lot of people because she don’t like them. I would have not killed anyone in the first place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The plot and summary of this story is Maggie lives in Felicity Ohio. They tell about the old courthouse and how the whole town is trying to work together to fix up the old courthouse. The courthouse had been in that town for many generations. To make a long story short there is a girl in town and she killed another girl with an iron. The police came after the boyfriend & arrested him. He had to be in jail for at least four years. The police didn’t take the case any further. The guy that was arrested and convicted supposedly tried to escape from his cell. His name was Dante Guandino. He never really tried to escape from his cell because later on in the book the kids are going over the courthouse and stubble over his body (it was decomposed) before any of this some one had tried to kill Maggie because she was at a cook out, and someone tried to blow up the building she as working in. She was hurt with minor injuries. Then the accident in the urbanely where so me one was pushing her ladder back and fourth and trying to hit her hand, then she falls through the floor on the cellar and discovers the decomposed body of Dante Guandino.

Mobile Phone and Favorite Website Facebook Essay

Introduction I. A woman driving her car, her eyes off the road, an accident occurred due to texting and are found dead. Being bullied on facebook led a teenage girl to commit suicide. II. These are the two scenarios in how technical reality is a dangerous part of today’s society. III. I have done research in texting and facebook that effects people in many different ways. IV. Today, I would like to persuade you that many people live in a technical world by using texting and a website like facebook instead of facing reality. (Transition: Let’s start with everyone’s favorite activity texting) Body I. Everyone is texting and has impacted their lives, which have caused them to injury or even death. People text while driving, running, walking, and even in places like school and work that are easily distracted by receiving a text. A. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety there statistics show that in the year 2010 there has been over 33,788 lives lost. 1. Many people know the danger of texting, but they rather risk their lives and just answer that text they received or read an email instead of focusing on their driving. 2. For instance, on CBS News in Minnesota announced that a mother was texting on her cell phone, with her two kids in the car, and caused her to crash into a motorcyclist that was in serious injuries. B. Besides texting and driving, adults and students are easily distracted from work and/or school. 1. On September 2011, Chris Gayomali from Time, his statistics shows that 83% of American adults that own cell phones, 73% of them send roughly about 110 texts per day or 3,200 text messages per month. 2. For example, students are easily distracted when they feel the buzzer go off on their cell phone and are eager to read their text, which cause them to loose focus of the lecture. (Transition: Now that I have discussed about texting let’s move on to everyone’s favorite website facebook.) II. Everyone has facebook. More than 800 million people have a profile activated. Most people use facebook to gossip about each other even adults. A. Many teenagers have facebook and are harming them in many ways. Some are being distracted from school; some are being bullied on facebook. According to Consumer Reports, 7 million kids under 13 are on Facebook. 1. For instance, the ABC News on October 2011 Nicolette Taylor a 13-year-old girl was being bullied on facebook about her having a big nose, which caused her to have cosmetic surgery done at a young age. 2. Another incident occurred, Douglas Stanglin from USA today, that Phoebe Prince a 15-year-old teen a recent immigrant from Ireland was found hanging from her room dead due to being bullied on facebook and harassed. B. Besides the facebook teens’ bullying, adults are zoned into facebook at work and not focused on their work. 1. For example, at my job New York Road Runner the organization of the NYC Marathon, I have seen m any on facebook chatting and browsing on photos, which have nothing to do with their work. Conclusion I. As we have heard that the virtual world is effecting everyone in different ways II. For our safety and the safety of others we should stop texting and face our reality. III. Being focused on a cell phone or facebook your being distracted from school, work, friends, or places you worship. IV. I encourage you today to try to use less of your cell phones or/ and facebook page and pay attention to the world. Bibliography AAA Foundation of Traffic Safety. Distracted Driving Gayomali, Chris. Jaw Dropper; 18 to 24 olds Average 110 Text Massages per Day, Time Techland, September 2011. Print. Chang, JuJu. Bullied on Facebook, teen 13, Gets Nose Job, ABC News, October 2011. Print. Stanglin, Douglas. Nine, Teens charged with Bullying in Teen’s Suicide, USA Today, March 2010. Print.

Manage Quality Customer Service Essay

DESCRIPTION OF THE ORGANISATION Telstra Corporation Limited is a Public Company that is ranked number 9 out of the top 2000 companies in Australia stated on Ibis World a Business reporting site (World, Ibis, 2011). The company generates the majority of its income from the Telecommunication Services in Australia industry. Telstra has employed 39,790 people by June, there end of Financial Year 2011. Since 2009 its current CEO, is David Thodey. (Telstra, 2011) The name â€Å"Telstra† is derived from the word Telecommunication Australia. The (TEL) is from Telecommunication and (STRA) from Australia. The creation of this name was trading under â€Å"Telecom Australia† domestically until a constant branding of â€Å"Telstra† was introduced throughout the entire organisation in 1995. (About Telstra Fast Facts,2011). Business Operations †¢ Book and Telephone Directory Publishing in Australia Telecommunications and Other Electrical and Electronic Equipment Wholesaling in Australia Telecommunication Services in Australia Wired Telecommunications Carriers in Australia Mobile Telecommunications Carriers in Australia Internet Service Providers in Australia Online Information Services in Australia Telstra’s Business Units †¢ Telstra Consumer including Country services the metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas of Australia. It provides telecommunications products and services, for home and mobile phones and devices, to fixed and wireless internet as well as Pay TV services. †¢ Telstra Enterprise & Government (TE&G) is the leading provider of network solutions and services to Enterprise and Governments in Australia. †¢ Telstra Business is another division responsible for serving the needs of Australia’s small to medium enterprises (SME) with fixed phone line, mobile and broadband. Data and Internet solutions can be tailored for business. IDENTIFY THE TARGET CUSTOMER Age of Customer Age Group 55+ 35-44 25-34 45-54 8-24 Customers 2008/09 9.9% 30.6% 23.9% 25.7% 9.8% 2009/10 11.1% 30.5% 24.3% 25.9% 8.2% 2010/11 12.0% 29.9% 24.4% 26.3% 7.4% Telstra provide products and services to Home and Family (residential), Businesses, Government and Wholesale customers. This also includes a Disability Equipment Program for people with a disability and Access for everyone packages for people on a low income. The chart found in a Telstra Sustainability Report (Davies, Paul; Migonneau, Bastein, 2011) shows the percentage of different aged group customers that have been connected with Telstra. Source: (Davies, Paul; Migonneau, Bastein, 2011) KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS Key performance indicators (KPIs) are ways to periodically assess the performances of organisations, business units, and their departments and employees. They measure the process through a SMART criterion by Specific – Measurable – Achievable – Relevant – Time. Monitoring KPI as a whole and through staff performance The Call Centre Activity chart shows the percentage of customers that called and counts for each action that can occur once a call has been queued to a call centre. This is one form of measuring call centre KPI. People must learn to work together, ask for help, training etc. and understand how to relate to one another otherwise the team’s output will be less than it could be. This Call Centre chart generated a report that includes statistics relating to one call centers. The chart report provides information related to how calls are handled by call centers once they have been queued. Successful leaders care for and support colleagues and employees. Treating people with respect, demonstrating integrity, and showing empathy strengthen the development of trust and confidence in the workplace. In order to make your teamwork on their set goals, performance and meet KPI you must demonstrate that you are reliable, honest, and trustworthy and that you walk your talk. They need to see your values in action and that you have their best interests at heart. They need to see that you value openness and  honesty in offering and receiving feedback. SERVICE TARGETS As technology has grown, so has the ease by which information can be generated and presented to management and stakeholders. Today, everyone seems concerned about information overload, From my thorough investigations online I can report that service targets are reported quarterly to identify opportunities for improvement and outline progress of achievement and adjustments if needed are also made at this point. The most informative reports I found online from 2010-2012 on Telstra are: †¢ Financial Results for Half Year ended 31 December 2011 †¢ Telstra Corporation Limited and controlled entities and †¢ Telstra Sustainability Report 2011 They all outline the results of Telstra’s performance, goals and statistics in achieving their customer service/product commitments. When organisations constantly review their service delivery, they gather an enormous amount of data. The data collected is important and crucial to the ongoing survival of the organisation and therefore it must be recorded, maintained and be accessible. The financial report â€Å"Financial Results for Half Year ended 31 December 2011† (Laird, Jason; McKechnie, Nicole, 2012) presented by David Thodey CEO & acting CFO Mark Hall has been published and reports that Telstra announced its strategy continues to deliver financial benefits. Report Statistics & Targets for 2012 Business revenue results discussed by the Directors from Telstra’s â€Å"Financial report half year ended 31 December’ 2011† (Laird, Jason; McKechnie, Nicole ;, 2012) are as follows: †¢ Total revenue increased by -1.1% or $136 million  to $12,419 million †¢ Net Profit After Tax increased by -22.9% or $274 million to $1,468 million In relation to the 2011 Sustainability Report (Davies, Paul; Migonneau, Bastein, 2011) Telstra believes that monitoring, measuring and reporting their progress helps them to improve on their service performance and lists this in figure 3. Figure 3 Telstra’s Values & Priorities For 2012 Source:(Davies, Paul; Migonneau, Bastein, 2011) FEEDBACK ON STAFF PERFORMANCE Telstra’s performance review process incorporates two informal quarterly reviews and a formal annual and half yearly review, targeting business results and leadership. Each team and section of Telstra has reward and recognition schemes in place to reward and encourage top performers. Telstra has a variety of incentive plans, tailored to different sectors of their workforce, which is designed to encourage high performance by rewarding employees for meeting and exceeding performance objectives. Another way of accessing performance is by collating data on customer’s feedback about the individual consultant. All results can be produced through a team email, meeting or coaching. Obtaining a 360-degree feedback will be most valuable in assessing their strengths and weaknesses. The 360degree should be performed and completed by their manager and up to five of their peers with whom they work. This assessment will let the business and employer know what people they work with think about their attitude, performance, and business ethics. Performance Appraisals Determines: †¢ Rewards and/or promotions for an individual who is meeting /exceeding performance †¢ Identify and discuss gaps in skills, knowledge and attitudes that impact on an individual’s performance †¢ Identify and discuss environmental or workplace weaknesses preventing the individual from meeting their goals and objectives and †¢ Identifies an individual’s future training and development needs Most staff members will expect that they will be  required to give feedback at the end of their appraisal. What is important is team members are made to feel that management will actually take notice of their feedback and use it to coach and make any improvements. Live Performance Monitoring I have provided a sample bar chart below from when I worked at Telstra. The chart displays how a team’s Adherence on calls is monitored by the sales teams. As you see the amount of calls answered is the first column which is then followed by the activities that one undertakes while on that call. The red highlighted boxes indicate improvement is required as the KPI target for AHT is 630min and Adherence is 88% while your wrap should be the lowest possible as this is when the call has ended and your phone is sitting in Not Ready status, the key here is finish what you are doing while customer is on the phone & be in READY status for the next call. This Report is also part of the scorecard paying system to calculate any sales bonus Figure 4 Activity Chart Sales Call Centre KPI Targets AHT: 630 Adherence: 88% Source:( Pusca, et al., 2012) Figure 4 shown in this report is my own collection of statistical results I obtained when working at Telstra in 2011/2012. The results are solely only for the purpose of this assignment. Names of Staff members have intentionally been removed for privacy STRATEGIES TO ADAPT CUSTOMER SERVICE The only measure that will connect a business with the relevance of the work a staff member is performing is to find out if customers are happy or not with their service. You need to measure how the customer judges the outcome of the product or service, through a phone or email survey at the end of each business discussion. Telstra have this process in place. The process is completed by asking the customer to stay on the line while at the end of the call while you transfer them through to a questioner/ survey about your performance today. The rating is from 1 (lowest) & 5 (highest) then next they will be ask to provide any feedback. Statistics can be taken via the login of the consultant’s phone that produces a per cent % on how many customers were transferred to the questioner /survey. Customer Survey Satisfaction Result Telstra’s Customer Support Services is also launching an initiative to revisit the handling and processing of customer requests for prompt reliable services and assistance. For the past few years, Telstra have proactively been monitoring the â€Å"First Contact Resolution† (FCR) metric as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of 80%. This is a ‘voice of the customer’ driven strategy – reported in a Corporate Responsibility Report (Inc, 2012) we are doing a lot more listening. We are implementing tools and processes that allow us to clearly understand and fix main points for our customers states David Thodey CEO. As well as the phone interaction customers have with staff Telstra has established a new online panel – My Telstra Experience – so that customers can regularly tell them what they think of their experiences and where they need to improve on service. 2 Figure 5 Compliance MTD1F Increase FCR Staff Must: †¢ Set the right expectation to the customer about the call (how long it takes to process the order, keep the customer in the loop) †¢ Follow the correct hold procedure (set the expectation on how long they may need to wait) †¢ To reduce repeat calls within 7 days by giving the right contact numbers to customers i.e. for any IT Support or Bigpond enquiries– please give out the correct number, that way in will not affect your FCR. †¢ When transferring, give the customer the number for the department you are transferring them to. Encourage customers to call the number provided for future reference or in case, the call drops out. SOURCE : (Dave, 2012) Remember to ask – Can you please stay on the line to answer 2 questions regarding my customer service today? FEEDBACK TO MANAGEMENT ON MEETING/EXCEEDING KPI’S Within a call center, there are common business roles. There is Centre Managers for each department, Team Leaders, and Agents. †¢ The Centre Manager will have a number of Team Leaders reporting to them. They will be responsible for the recruitment, development and coaching of those who directly report to them. The Team Leader’s role is to ensure individual agents are performing against targets, reviewing their performance and coaching/training them to do so. The Team Leaders will meet on a regular basis with the Centre Manager to provide feedback and to receive instructions or actions that need to take place. The Team Leader is responsible for keeping their agents informed of what is happening in the centre and anything that may affect the agent’s key tasks or performance targets. It is good management practice to consult and reflect on employees and other managers for feedback on a regular basis. Feedback allows one to gain input from others including, praise, criticism and suggestions for improvement. The Report Providing Performance feedback to Management when their team has achieved KPI is an extraordinary accomplishment. Feedback is backed up with reports and they can include: †¢ Documentation of expected results †¢ Standards of performance †¢ Progress toward achieving of results †¢ How well they were achieved †¢ Examples indicating achievement A report outlines the performance of team and individual staff members and how they have progressed since the last monthly/quarterly report. It will also show a comparison of whether they have improved or dropped in performance and if any training is required to fill gaps. Figure 6 shown in this report is my own collection of statistical results I obtained when working at Telstra in 2011/2012. The results are solely only for the purpose of this assignment. The names of staff members have been removed for privacy A GAP ANALYSIS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE MEASURES The following performance reporting covers the 2011 financial year for Telstra Corporation Limited (Thodey, David; Hall, Mark, 2011). In 2012, Telstra continue to focus on simplifying their business and improving their processes in order to better serve its customers. Telstra’s Primary Goals: †¢ †¢Serve the needs of its customers Improving online services & support Make Telstra a great place to work Reduce Telstra’s TIO complaints Contribute resources – people, money, technology, products, and services To support the communities Strengthen the capability of the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure, and providing a strong foundation for economic growth, productivity improvement, and global competitive advantage. Service Goals Figure 7 Gap Analysis Actual Performance 2011 6.8% Target as of June 2012 7.1% Gap Analysis Corrective Action 1. Customer Satisfaction 2. Improving online service 3. Telstra a great place to work 4. Reduce Telstra’s TIO complaints 5. To support the communities 6. Economic growth Success 0.3% Failed 13% Failed 0% Failed 6% Failed 21% Success 0.7% Listen to customers, undertake a cause analysis when issues arise, & fixing the areas that customers are not happy with i.e. pricing Improved online access for account enquiries on mobile phones & customers to easily manage their account online Launched a new reward & recognition program to recognise individuals & teams Conducted a review of system operations to ensure that privacy of customer information continues to be protected Provide communication technology training through grants, events, online content and DVDs They engage more with community organisations on issues impacting the lives of children and young people 22% 75% 24% 44,000 people $24.80 million 35% 76% 30% 80, 000 people $25,06 million Source: (CSG, Customer Service Guarantee) 1. Telstra reached a 3% per cent improvement in customer satisfaction. Their approach is to be able to connect with the customer, understand and exceed their expectations, respond to and solve customer complaints and fulfil expectations 2. Improving online services and encouraging customers to go online will help reduce call centre call queue and visiting Telstra stores. This should have enhanced the customer experience. Telstra failed by 13% of online customer interaction with staff. 3. In 2012 Telstra’s goal was to  Improved development performance by 1%, they failed 4. The Telecommunications industry Ombudsman (TIO) records complaint issues under several broad categories. Telstra had set a target to reduce TIO complaints by 30% in 2012 though failed by 6% 5. In 2010/11, the total value of Telstra’s social investment was $248 million. Increased numbers of people to be trained to know how to use mobile, internet etc. was set from 44,000 to 62,447. Telstra failed by 21 % 6. A key driver to the increase has also been the focus on improving customer service through investments made to improve the customer experience including improvements to the online Telstra portal and the implementation of the after hours customer service line. CONCLUSION Telstra is Australia’s leading full service telecommunications and information services company. It offers a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications, and information products and services across Australia and overseas. Telstra uses its own network infrastructure. In addition, Telstra provides wholesale services to other telecommunications retailers, who then provide services, including voice, broadband and data services, to their own end user customers. Over the past year Telstra has recorded a turnaround in operational results, with strong customer growth. While not meeting majority of their targets, this year’s 2012 achievements must demonstrate real progress against their Service Goals. Telstra still have significant improvements to make and have set targets to improve their Service. In recent years, customer satisfaction in Australian telecommunications has failed to keep up with community expectations and consumers have responded with increasing complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO). Customer Service is an essential factor in maintaining an organisation’s competitive edge in the marketplace. Many organisations are placing greater emphasis on developing a customer service culture and making it a priority. At the end of the day it is the people in the center who are the real influence on customers not the technology or the processes. A company can  have great products, great services, great technology and great processes, but it’s the people that bring it together and make it happen. To establish the right service quality standards is what Telstra need to bring into place. The following points list some standards I had not come across or not been mentioned by Telstra as one of their focuses for improvement †¢ †¢Top management commitment to providing service quality Set, communicate, and reinforce customer-oriented service standards Establish challenging and realistic service quality goals Train managers to be service quality leaders Be receptive to new ways to deliver service quality Standardise repetitive tasks Telstra recorded a 3 per cent improvement in customer satisfaction in 2011/2012, with a reduction in TIO complaints however did not meet the target and failed by 6 per cent they had set out to achieve. To attract and retain customers a business needs to recognise different customers want different things, and they need to provide products, solutions and service to cater to this. To differentiate themselves from their competitors, a business will benefit if they can demonstrate that they can provide the understanding and experience customers are seeking. Overall, the company is a dominant player and for the last five fiscal (financial) years of 2007 to 2011, continued to make up around 60% of the whole Australian communications services market. The significantly improved growth in customers returning to Telstra is tribute to the value in the company’s new mobile plans as well as their network quality. Telstra will continue to roll-out new products for all our customers, from individual to Corporate and Government customers, taking into consideration the feedback of what their customers have told them. They are committed to upholding the legislated Telecommunications Customer Service Guarantee Standard 2011 (â€Å"The CSG Standard†), as amended and issued by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Thodey, David; Hall, Mark, 2011) The objective of the Customer Service Guarantee is to impose a minimum level of performance on telecommunications carriers and service providers, for specified services, so that the quality of that service should not deteriorate in any way but will improve significantly and should enable consumers to enjoy a reasonable level of service. (ACA, 1999)