The Business Network free essay sample

How are these two approaches different? Does it depend on the state of the economy which one should be used? Why? Before the dot-com debacle Cisco Systems used â€Å"push† approach – a lot of inventory was made, and it was based on best-guess forecasts. This approach was not bad when economy was strong and there was huge demand and there was no need to predict precisely the inventory. When during the recession of the economy Cisco Systems implemented â€Å"pull† approach, which rely on precisely planning of inventory. The second approach allows having free costs because of reducing inventory and also freeing up working capital. 2. What are the different elements that need to come together to bring supply chains to the optimal levels needed by these companies? What role does IT play? In order to bring supply chains to the optimal level company needs to coordinate supply chain operation system with IT technologies. We will write a custom essay sample on The Business Network or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Also, in order to work in appropriate manner system needs to get and adapt information from marketing, finance, sales and supply department. IT plays a very important role: its connect the whole system, coordinate it and adapt. . How are the approaches to inventory management taken by O’Reilly Auto Parts, on one hand, and Cisco Systems and Black amp; Decker, on the other, different? O’Reilly Auto Parts uses inventory as a competitive differentiator and try to increase customer service levels and replenish inventory on a nightly basis, while at the same time managing an increasing number of products. Also its strategy relies on partnership between the supply chain operation and IT. Black amp; Decker chose another strategy: they try to lower inventory levels to free up working capital.

The effects of making employee salaries public

The effects of making employee salaries public We’re living in a rapidly evolving world where almost everything is done online and the very notion of privacy seems to be evaporating. Most of us are growing increasingly more comfortable having our lives made public through a variety of social networks. This new open and public approach to sharing information is affecting companies as well. How so? Many companies are embracing the notion of complete public transparency and disclosure in ways they never have before. Everything is potentially on the table for being made public, including employee salaries- something that up until recently has long been held in the strictest of confidence. Let’s dig deeper into this concept of employee pay transparency, and how it’s affecting the status quo.The idea behind making employee salaries public is an arguably noble one- more and more companies are seeking to embrace the philosophy that being open and honest with their employees about all things is an effective way to for ge more progressive, sincere, and honest employee/employer relationships. It can also help address some unfortunate inequities in compensation that women and minority groups sometimes face, an issue that gets inadequate attention, especially when salary information is kept hidden.The Wall Street Journal published an article on the good, the bad, and the downright awkward aspects of companies adopting an open salary policy. According to the article, â€Å"The idea of open pay is to get pay and performance problems out on the table for discussion, eliminate salary inequalities, and spark better performance†¦ But open pay also is sparking some awkward conversations between co-workers comparing their paychecks, and puncturing egos among those whose salaries don’t sync with their self-image.†The truth is, as employees we can make a direct correlation between our pay and how our employers perceive and value our contributions, so having this information helps take the gu esswork out of knowing where we stand- both as individuals and in comparison with our colleagues.So, despite its good intentions, when salaries are revealed employers can count on seeing a potentially disruptive effect- while those employees who are at the top of the pay scale will likely be grateful and appreciative (unless they feel that they’re still not being paid enough compared to their coworkers), those at the bottom of the salary food chain can count on being unhappy and confronting their bosses to help remedy the situation. Then, if balance regarding compensation is not reached, it will likely lead to some employees seeking better opportunities elsewhere. Making salary information public can also lead to potential awkwardness and strife among colleagues who sit at opposite ends of the compensation spectrum, which can adversely affect productivity and motivation.It seems clear that although there are some truly good potential reasons for publicly disclosing salary inf ormation, there are some significant potential pitfalls that employers should be on the lookout for when making the decision to do so. Progressive employers who react quickly and decisively to address issues regarding pay inequity will be in the best position to quell any potential disruptions, while those who are slow or late to respond may create some tension among their staff or lose some valuable talent to competitors who are willing to pay your employees what they feel they deserve.Perhaps the best approach for handling the issue of whether or not to publicly disclose salary information is to plan carefully- and proceed with caution.

How to Solve a Redox Reaction Problem

How to Solve a Redox Reaction Problem This is a worked example redox reaction problem showing how to calculate volume and concentration of reactants and products using a balanced redox equation. Key Takeaways: Redox Reaction Chemistry Problem A redox reaction is a chemical reaction in which reduction and oxidation occur.The first step in solving any redox reaction is to balance the redox equation. This is a chemical equation that must be balanced for charge as well as mass.Once the redox equation is balanced, use the mole ratio to find the concentration or volume of any reactant or product, provided the volume and concentration of any other reactant or product is known. Quick Redox Review A redox reaction is a type of chemical reaction in which reduction and oxidation occur. Because electrons are transferred between chemical species, ions form. So, to balance a redox reaction requires not only balancing mass (number and type of atoms on each side of the equation), but also charge. In other words, the number of positive and negative electrical charges on both sides of the reaction arrow are the same in a balanced equation. Once the equation is balanced, the mole ratio may be used to determine the volume or concentration of any reactant or product as long as the volume and concentration of any species is known. Redox Reaction Problem Given the following balanced redox equation for the reaction between MnO4- and Fe2 in an acidic solution: MnO4-(aq) 5 Fe2(aq) 8 H(aq) → Mn2(aq) 5 Fe3(aq) 4 H2O Calculate the volume of 0.100 M KMnO4 needed to react with 25.0 cm3 0.100 M Fe2 and the concentration of Fe2 in a solution if you know that 20.0 cm3 of solution reacts with 18.0 cm3 of 0.100 KMnO4. How to Solve Since the redox equation is balanced, 1 mol of MnO4- reacts with 5 mol of Fe2. Using this, we can obtain the number of moles of Fe2: moles Fe2 0.100 mol/L x 0.0250 L moles Fe2 2.50 x 10-3 mol Using this value: moles MnO4- 2.50 x 10-3 mol Fe2 x (1 mol MnO4-/ 5 mol Fe2) moles MnO4- 5.00 x 10-4 mol MnO4- volume of 0.100 M KMnO4 (5.00 x 10-4 mol) / (1.00 x 10-1 mol/L) volume of 0.100 M KMnO4 5.00 x 10-3 L 5.00 cm3 To obtain the concentration of Fe2 asked in the second part of this question, the problem is worked the same way except solving for the unknown iron ion concentration: moles MnO4- 0.100 mol/L x 0.180 L moles MnO4- 1.80 x 10-3 mol moles Fe2 (1.80 x 10-3 mol MnO4-) x (5 mol Fe2 / 1 mol MnO4) moles Fe2 9.00 x 10-3 mol Fe2 concentration Fe2 (9.00 x 10-3 mol Fe2) / (2.00 x 10-2 L) concentration Fe2 0.450 M Tips for Success When solving this type of problem, its important to check your work: Check to make certain the ionic equation is balanced. Make certain the number and type of atoms is the same on both sides of the equation. Make certain the net electrical charge is the same on both sides of the reaction.Be careful to work with the mole ratio between reactants and products and not the gram quantities. You may be asked to provide a final answer in grams. If so, work the problem using moles and then use the molecular mass of the species to convert between units. The molecular mass is the sum of the atomic weights of the elements in a compound. Multiply the atomic weights of atoms by any subscripts following their symbol. Dont multiply by the coefficient in front of the compound in the equation because youve already taken that into account by this point!Be careful to report moles, grams, concentration, etc., using the correct number of significant figures. Sources Schà ¼ring, J., Schulz, H. D., Fischer, W. R., Bà ¶ttcher, J., Duijnisveld, W. H., eds (1999). Redox: Fundamentals, Processes and Applications. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg ISBN 978-3-540-66528-1.Tratnyek, Paul G.; Grundl, Timothy J.; Haderlein, Stefan B., eds. (2011). Aquatic Redox Chemistry. ACS Symposium Series. 1071. ISBN 9780841226524.

Human Development in Brazil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Development in Brazil - Essay Example Conditions are slowly improving for all Brazilians, as the Human Development Indicators(HDI) imply, though translating the figures into real progress is more difficult. The HDI is developed by the United Nations Development Programme to aid in determination of how well â€Å"countries turn income into health and educational opportunities†(UNDP). The 2006 report indicates that Brazil falls into the fifty-eighth place among one hundred seventy seven nations. The HDI is calculated by combining three sets of data: lifespan, knowledge and standard of living. The UNDP provides other indices such as the Human Poverty Index(HP1 and HP) and the Gender Related Development Index(RDI). HDI is the most inclusive and allows for a better understanding of overall data. Brazil is by no means a poor country, with abundant natural resources and $30 billion in foreign capital invested by 2002. However, â€Å"forty million live on less than $2 per day, while twenty million live on less than $1 pe r day.†(UNDP). Inequality of income is linked to gender, race and geographical region. The Northeast, where the greatest disparities exist, is comparable economically to nations such as Kenya. The UNDP has set a goal of lowering poverty to below ten percent by the year 2015. This goal seems fully attainable as the poverty rates fall from twenty percent in 1991 to roughly fourteen 2 percent by 2000. Obstacles such as slowing economic growth are identified as barriers to attaining that goal.

Analysis essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Analysis - Essay Example With this exposure a new sense of understanding and confidence is gained. The new world has its own realities and customs. It is the experience of an individual which changes reality for him as he perceives it to be. Antonio and Longoria are two individuals suffering from abrupt changes. Longoria completely changes his beliefs and principles after he joins the battalion, whereas Antonio enjoys a mundane life until his wife and son are killed by guerillas. It is this experience of life that changes the reality for Antonio. So in this theory on education, Plato argued that if one were to learn or search for truth, he ought to do so in a gradual manner (PSYOPS). The characters mentioned above were exposed to sudden and unexpected experiences and as a result they could not grasp the real meanings of such experiences and hence the way they perceived reality was changed. Characterized as an ordinary citizen under rural setting, Antonio Bernal is a Guatemalan who sought to live a life of simplicity which he managed to fulfill with a radical wife and son Carlitos in brief span, despite his feeblish attributes. Originally, he is that type of fellow who is far from engaging complex ideas and would rather prefer humble settlement and not demand beyond ordinary living at San Cristobal, Acatapan. He does not find satisfaction in complex ideas and the results that arise as a result of acting on such ideas. Little does he know that his joyful pursuits in wedlock with Elena, whose fulfillment lies further on revolutionary movements against unlawful regularities in their region, is bound to culminate into tragedy. Longoria, on the other hand, is a peasant who leaves his mother in spite of his reluctance to join the army, where he got completely altered on becoming an official member of the Jaguar Battalion. His life is completely disturbed and changed by the s udden change in circumstances that he encounters after

Evidence Based Practice for Pain Assessment

Evidence Based Practice for Pain Assessment   Introduction: Pain is a sensation of discomfort that is subjective to each individual, and it is characterized by an unpleasant feeling that can be either physiological or psychological. Acute pain is a sudden feeling of pain, occurring for a short duration lasting less than 3 months and disappearing once the injury has healed. Nurses are the most health care providers present on the unit with patients; therefore, they are the main providers responsible to carry out pain assessment appropriately. Nurses are expected to intervene accordingly to a person’s self-reported pain, and work with the person to manage the pain appropriately. Hence, nurses are required to possess the competencies to assess and manage pain, including knowledge and skills in interviewing techniques, and the ability to do physical assessment and manage pain of individuals who don’t have the ability to self –report (Herr, Coyne, McCaffery, Manworren, Merkel, 2011, as cited in RNAO, 2013). It is evident that unrelieved or poorly managed pain is a burden on the person, the health care system and society (Lynch, 2011, as cited in RNAO, 2013). In fact, 50 to 75 % of postoperative patients do not attain sufficient pain relief (Huang et al., 2001; Chung Lui, 2003, as cited in Bell Duffy, 2009) and some providers underestimate the intensity of the pain for 50% of the cases (Helfand Freeman, 2009). Therefore, this observed nursing practice gives rise to a PICO clinical question. In adult patients with acute pain, does utilizing a standard pain assessment protocol, in comparison to the current practice, affect the pain relief process? Literature review: Effective pain management is a person’s right. Hence, assessing pain, implementing interventions to alleviate it, and prevent it are priorities while caring for a person (Jarzyna et al., 2011, as cited in RNAO, 2013). The article written by Bell and Duffy (2009) inspects two important barriers that serve as obstacles for appropriate pain assessment, which are the beliefs and attitudes of patients and nurses, and time management. Research done by Sloman et al. reinforced that pain can be perceived differently in various cultures (as cited in Bell Duffy, 2009). Regarding the nurses’ attitudes, a triangulated study performed by Schafheutle et al. found that 39.3 % of respondents stated that not having enough of time, enough staff on the units and being overwhelmed with work were major features contributing to unproductive pain assessment (as cited in Bell Duffy, 2009). Regarding time management, an observational study was performed for random nurses that showed that inte rruptions, such as answering the telephones, participating in the multidisciplinary rounds, assisting other nurses and looking for things contributed in poor pain assessment practice. In addition, it was noted that nurses’ priorities were to get all tasks and activities done before the end of their shift rather than allowing time to interact directly with patients to assess their comfort and pain level (Manias et al., 2002, 2005, as cited in Bell Duffy, 2009). While assessing acute pain in adults patients, nurses have to be aware of the routine pain assessment, the choice of measure and the protocols. According to Helfand and Freeman (2009) study, there has been an agreement among most of the institutions that routine assessment of self-reported pain is the best measurement for pain assessment, since some providers underestimate the intensity of the pain for 50% of the cases. According to Helfand and Freeman (2009) study, no evidence was found that directly linked the timing, frequency, or method of pain assessment with outcomes or safety in medical inpatients. It was also noted that instituting routine pain assessment along with an educational component improved rates of assessment and treatment. The protocols in the institutions tend to guide the assessment and the management of pain; hence the assessment should be unified and accurate in order to intervene accordingly. Pain is universal but it is a subjective experience. Hence, it is challenging to obtain adequate objective information about it. Many assessment tools are used to rate and assess pain, such as the Visual Analogue Scale, the Verbal Numeric Rating Scale, Verbal Description Scales, Facial Pain Scales, Brief Pain Inventory and McGill Pain Questionnaire (Helfand Freeman, 2009). For the choice of measure, it must be simple to use by the health care providers, and easy for the patients to understand and able to respond to it (Helfand Freeman, 2009). The Visual Analogue Scale for pain assessment is used universally, however its efficacy and reliability is put to question since it may bias the results. A randomized control trial was tested over forty healthy volunteers where they were induced by thermal laser stimulations. Pain was tested during different sessions using two different visual scales; the classical pain visual analog scale (unbearable pain/ no pain), and the pleasantness visua l analog scale (very pleasant/ very unpleasant). And at same time, somatosensory evoked potentials were measured. Results showed that the thermal laser stimulations that were of low intensity were reported as painful on the visual analog scale of pain, whereas they were rated as pleasant on the visual analog scale of pleasantness. Meanwhile, following the low intensity thermal stimulation, the cerebral responses indicated the activation of only C-fibers which indicate the warm sensations that are not painful. Therefore the somatosensory evoked potential results matched with the pleasantness visual analog scale and not with the classical pain visual analog scale. This signifies that when healthy individuals rate the â€Å"no pain† using the classical visual analog scale of pain, they are more likely to rate the intensity of the stimulation and not their pain perception (Kemp, Despres, Dufour, 2012) EBP Process: Observations In hospital X, Y, Z pain assessment was observed being performed by RNs. However, in hospital X, RNs were not using a pain assessment tool to assess the pain, some were just asking if the patient was in pain or not, even though the Visual Analogue Scale was available on the floor, others for sedated patients, were squeezing the patient’s skin to check response to pain, in addition to assessment of facial expressions and vital signs (heart rate), meanwhile in hospitals Y and Z, RNs were mostly using the Numeric Rating Scale to assess for pain by asking the patient to rate the pain between 0-10, where 0 was explained to be the absence of pain and 10 to be the worst pain. In hospital X, some RNs were observed documenting the pain assessment by filling a pain flow sheet, while others were only seen to document pain assessment on the pain flow sheet if the patient was on Patient-Controlled Analgesia, meanwhile in hospital Y, RNs were observed to document pain assessment per shift b asis, whereas in hospital Z, RNs documented pain assessment only after a pharmacological intervention. In hospitals X and Y, RNs were not reassessing pain after pharmacological interventions, while in hospital Z, RNs were observed to do so. In the three hospitals, RNs were observed to inform the physician if the patient was assessed to have pain. Hospital Protocols: Pain assessment protocols were taken from 3 hospitals: X, Y Z. It is important to note that the 3 hospitals were similar in the method/system that they adopted: The American system. That is, one of the references from which the pain assessment protocol of hospital X was taken, was JCR, J.Caho, Joint Commission Resources (USA), 2003. The protocol was issued on 15/01/2011 and updated on 15/01/2013. On the other hand, hospital Y has the followings as main references: Joint Commission International standards, Hospital standards, 4th edition, January 2011, Care of patient, and 2006 Lippincott Williams Wilkins, Inc., Volume 1 (4), August 2006, p. 20-28. The pain assessment protocol is issued on January 2011 and revised on March 2012. While the pain assessment protocol of hospital Z is based on the Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals-5th edition, JCAHO Pain Management Standards (CAMH 2002) and The Ministry of Public Health (MOH), (2003). The protocol was i ssued on December 2006 and revised on June 2014. We can note that some references are outdated thus the protocols should be often revised to keep them equivalent with the latest evidence based practice. 3 of the pain assessment protocols stress on that pain assessment should be individualized according to the patient’s age and beliefs, values and cultural considerations. Hospital Z adds that pain assessment should be part of patient handover report. Three of the protocols state that assessment of pain should be done: Post-procedure (or within 1 hour of admission), post pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, with routine vital signs assessment, at time of discharge, before any planned activities (physiotherapy, stress test, post-operative ambulation). Apart from the assessment of pain, reassessment is considered as a crucial aspect, to monitor the pain level, in the 3 hospital protocols. Hospital Y mentions that prior to reassessment nurses should always refer to the literature of the analgesic agent for its peak action period. In hospital Z when pain is identified (score 2 and above), DMS-MRM-Nursing Sheets-Scale is activated while in hospital Y when pain is i dentified (score three and above), pain assessment and interventions flow sheet is activated. The scales used to assess the pain of adult patients with acute pain common in 3 hospitals is the numeric scale, where the patient is instructed to choose a number from 1 to 10 that best describes his current pain, where 0 refers to no pain while 10 refers to the worst possible pain. Another common pain assessment scale among the three hospitals is the Visual Analogue Scale, where the patient points out his/her pain level across a continuum with the extremities of no pain and worst pain. The FLACC (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability) scale is used for critically ill, sedated and paralyzed, intubated and ventilated patients in ICU in hospital Y while it is used for children up to 3 years old in hospitals X and Z. In addition, Adult Nonverbal Scale is used for patients unable to report pain in hospital Z. Similar to the FLACC and Adult Nonverbal scales used in the 2 hospitals, hospital X uses the Behavioral rating scale (components: Face, Restlessness, Muscle tone, Vocalization, Consolability) for patients unable to self-report pain. Wong Baker Facial Grimace is a common scale in the 3 hospitals for patients who cannot communicate their pain, recommended for patients of 3 years of age and older in hospital X, while up to 7 years of age in hospital Y. Guidelines: According to the guidelines mentioned in Assessment and Management of Pain Clinical Practice Guidelines (Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, 2013), nurses should screen for the presence, or risk of, any type of pain upon admission, after a change in medical status and prior to, during and after a procedure. Nurses should also perform a comprehensive pain assessment using a systematic approach and appropriate, validated tools and using appropriate tools for persons unable to self-report. The nurses should take into consideration the person’s beliefs, knowledge and level of understanding about pain and pain management. Then, document the person’s pain characteristics. After implementing pain relieving measures, the guidelines state that re-evaluation is important and should be done by reassessment of the pain characteristics, and accordingly documenting the outcomes. There are some validated assessment tools, recommended to be used by the guidelines, and are the following: Faces Pain Scale Revised, Numeric Rating Score, Verbal Rating Score, Brief Inventory Short Form, and Behavioral Pain Scale (See Appendices). Proposed Change/Recommendations: Most of the nurses in the three hospitals were observed to be unfamiliar with the pain assessment protocol. Hence, it is recommended to implement frequent sessions for all nurses to inform them about the criteria of the protocol, identify any gaps, and train them accordingly. Additionally, supervision is essential on each floor to evaluate the effectiveness of these sessions. It is recommended by the guidelines that health-care professionals should participate in ongoing education opportunities to improve their knowledge and skills to be able to knowledgeably assess and manage pain (RNAO, 2013). Apart from hospital setting, the guidelines recommend that educational institutions include guidelines, assessment and management of pain into their curricula for registered nurses, and all health care providers programs to indorse evidence-based practice (RNAO, 2013). It was noted that some of the hospitals’ pain assessment policies were established on outdated references. It is hence recommended that hospitals always update their policies and base them on up-to-date EBP guidelines. In addition, it is also recommended for hospitals to establish a model of care to support inter-professional collaboration for the active assessment of pain and declare pain assessment as a strategic clinical priority (RNAO, 2013). Another common observation was that the three hospitals still used the Visual Analogue Scale, which is not among the list of recommended validated pain assessment tools mentioned in the guidelines (RNAO, 2013) and research found it to be unreliable, since patients are more likely to rate the intensity of the stimulation and not their pain perception (Kemp, Despres, Dufour, 2012). The University of Zurich and ETH Zurich in Switzerland, invented a new method for accurate pain assessment: The Pain Mouse. It is an electronic pain assessment tool that offers credible evaluation, lessening missing data and unclear markings concerning pain. The device captures the clenching reaction to pain through a pressure sensor that is connected to a portable computer (Schaffner et al., 2012). PM is recommended to be used in the near future considering that it distinguishes different levels of pain, is less time consuming, more accurate and can be used for patients with limited physical activity and vision impairment compared to the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (Schaffner et al., 2012). References: Bell, L., Duffy, A. (2009). Pain assessment and management in surgical nursing: a literature review. British Journal of Nursing, 18(3), 153-156. Retrieved April 4, 2015, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lau.edu.lb:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6sid=ff36c8fd-ed44-444c-8182-9487d39e913b%40sessionmgr4005hid=4104 Helfand, M., Freeman, M. (2009). Assessment and management of acute pain in adult medical ‎inpatients: a systematic review. Pain Medicine, 10(7), 1183-1199. Retrieved April 10, 2015, http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3sid=7b1adb63-ced7-4486-94ef-4ecc54ddc64b%40sessionmgr111hid=123bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=rzhAN=2010437732 Kemp, J., Despres, O., Dufour, A. (2012). Unreliability of the Visual Analog Scale in experimental pain assessment: a sensitivity and evoked potentials study. Pain Physician, 15(5), 693-699. Retrieved on April 10, 2015 from http://www.painphysicianjournal.com/2012/september/2012;15;E693-E699.pdf Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO). (2013). Assessment and management of pain (3rd Edition). Toronto, ON: Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO). Retrieved April 4, 2015, from http://rnao.ca/sites/rnao-ca/files/AssessAndManagementOfPain_15_WEB-_FINAL_DEC_2.pdf Schaffner, N., Folkers, G., Kappeli, S., Musholt, M., Hofbauer, G.F.L., Candia, V. (2012). A new tool for real-time pain assessment in experimental and clinical environments. PLoS ONE, 7(11), art. no. e51014. Retrieved on April 10, 2015 from http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0051014

The Extent of Fidel Castro’s Achievement of His Aims

To what extent was Fidel Castro able to achieve his aims between 1959 and 1979, and what prevented him from achieving more? During Fulgencio Batista’s reign in Cuba, Fidel Castro had insistently professed his dissatisfaction with the government, and when he finally took over in 1959, he effected a government that formed the basis from which the criticism of many historians today derives. To a minimal extent, Fidel Castro was able to achieve his aims between 1959 and 1979. Revealed in the 26th of July Movement’s doctrine, Castro’s goals called for Cuba to become fully independent and purely democratic while having a just society.Castro’s goals were hindered not only by the dependence on the U. S. , but also on the Soviet Union after relations with the U. S. intensified. By the end of his reign, Castro had not upheld his initial revolutionary ideology; therefore, he did not achieve his aims for Cuba to the greater extent. In one of his aims, Castro hoped to see Cuba become independent. In order to become less dependent on foreign countries, Castro implemented an economic reform that would allow Cuba to become less dependent on the foreign countries. He wanted to create a more centralized economy by confiscating businesses, many of which were American-owned.The U. S. saw this attempt of nationalization as a direct challenge to their interests, thus they removed the sugar quota placed an embargo on Cuba, threatening to destroy the base of the Cuban economy. Cuba had now become independent from U. S. trade, but with no means self-sufficiency, Cuba turned to another group–the socialist/communist nations in the eastern hemisphere. Cuba had increased their sugar production tremendously because of Castro’s speech, â€Å"The Year of Decisive Endeavor,† in 1963 which set a production goal of 10 million tons of sugar by 1970 so that Cuba could industrialize and become more self-reliant.USSR began buying this Cuban sugar in r eturn for industrial equipment and machinery which allowed Castro to develop their countries as allies. Germany also agreed to sell the industrial necessities needed by Cuba. During these early 1960 years, Cuba quickly lost nearly all economic dependence on the U. S. , but any progress toward self-sufficiency was undermined by the developing relationship with the Soviet Union. Unlike the U. S. , the Soviet Union was not hostile to the idea of an independent Cuba and was willing to defend Cuban interest.In reality, Castro might have professed his devotion to socialism in his Marxist-Leninist speech only for the benefit of siding with the world’s socialist superpowers for military and economic support. Castro’s favoring paid off because the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962; however, this caused U. S. -Soviet tensions to peak when the U. S. made the threat of invading Cuba. Castro also attempted to establish Cuba’s independence by making the cha nge to a Communist state, which began distinguished officially in 1965.Although the changes were small in the early 1960s, it was not until 1976 that Cuba created a new constitution. Another aspect proving Cuban independence was the buildup of a strong military force from foreign intervention and internal opposition. Castro suspected the U. S. of military action because of their discontent with his socialist policies. Nearing the end of the first decade of his reign, Castro revealed that Cuba did not meet the 10 million ton harvest, but welcomed the shame and criticism that the failure would bring about.Throughout the years of Castro’s reign, he strived to assert Cuba as an independent nation, as demonstrated with the victory in the Bay of Pigs Invasion; however, he never fully accomplished this aim, continuing to depend on their monoculture and export-oriented economy. Castro's objective for Cuba was to uphold an uncorrupted, democratic nation. However many of his actions pr ove his ideology wrong. Within the early months after he overthrew Batista, Castro made a decision with other revolutionaries to pass the Fundamental Law of the Republic in February of 1959.By passing this legislature he gave himself more legislative power as executive of the country, adding to his power to veto due to his rank as Executive of Army. Jose Cardona was replaced from his job as Head of Legislature which allowed Castro to basically become a dictator–the opposite of a democracy. The people of Cuba lost their freedoms that citizens should have in a democracy. The government began redistributing income from the urban to the rural working class. Although it created successes such as a raise in wages, a raise in purchasing power, and a decrease in unemployment, incomes were still not all equal.Land became another freedom of the people that the government decided to take away and redistribute. Large plantation estates called Latifundios were outlawed and limited to 995 acres with the Agrarian Reform Law. The INRA enforced the ARL which hurt large American owned companies like Coca Cola and Hershey’s, contributing more animosity from the U. S. Along with the Second Law of Agrarian Reform in 1963, both reforms created an agricultural system that did not produce the same amount of crop as they did pre-1959 until the late 1960s.After forming the Constitution in 1976, Castro made a government that was not very efficient and could silence any complaint with the â€Å"red tape† effect. By reorganizing the government into the military, executive committee, and communist party, the constitution made the Cuban bureaucracies contributing to a more authoritarian-like government. More and more, Castro nationalized Cuba in every aspect and Castro, having achieved an economic stability, made a Communistic dictatorship; therefore, he did not achieve his goal for a democracy in Cuba since his own regime was corrupt.Another goal that Castro had for Cu ba from 1959 to 1979 was to create a just society. One way Castro made this society was by targeting the needs of the people and providing them with an education and healthcare system. One of the biggest issues during Castro’s reign was the country’s lack of educated revolutionaries because most of the trained workers and professionals emigrated from the island. In his 1961 speech Castro proclaimed that this year would be the â€Å"Year of Education. † To some extent he did achieve this aspect of providing immediate literacy which rose from 76% to 94% in 1979.Other improvements occurred up through this first decade of Castro’s reign such as recruiting 100,000 students, the tripling of teachers, and quadrupling of schools. However, Castro did create a curriculum that would not only provide an education limited to only basic reading and writing but also indoctrinate students with the loyalty and morals of Communism. Vilma Espin, the head of The Cuban Womenà ¢â‚¬â„¢s Federation, advocated for literacy rates in the female population while also pushing for education and healthcare as well. Through Espin’s work, Castro realized that it was larger issue, thus he passed the Family Code.This law mandated equality in marriage and legitimized divorce. This law was never really enforced but women were generally happy with the gain. Gender and racial equality was an issue with which no other country in Latin America had dealt. Castro also stressed the need for a healthcare system in Cuban society in order to create a just society. His system would implement a method that trained doctors in universities around the country. Because of forming of education and healthcare systems, Castro’s aim for social justice in Cuba was achieved to some extent.Castro was not able to uphold his ideology because limited reasons. The chief reason that may have hindered him from achieving more is the on-going tensions with the U. S. and the economic con sequences from this. If the U. S. did not have the discontent toward Cuba’s regime, Cuba would have developed the revolutionized economy that they sought. If Castro had developed relations with the U. S. and given up the socialist policies, Cuba would have avoided severe U. S. tensions and the embargo altogether. The U. S. embargo on Cuba was a major influence that hindered economic prosperity and diversified agriculture.Castro focused on manipulate Cuba from his revolutionary political aims in the 26th of July Movement. Initially, he attempts to create Cuba in the ideology of a system of social justice within the broadest concept of democracy, of freedom and of human rights. Throughout his reign Castro enacted laws and promoted policies in order to create this fully independent and democratic Cuba with a just society. To the least extent, Castro fulfilled this vision during the first two decades of the revolution, and on-going tensions with the U. S. prevented Castro from ex tending his revolutionary aim.