Web of Institutionalization

Introduction This paper aims to discuss the use of web of institutionalization developed by Caren Levy (1998) in assessing the opportunities for community-led development. We will discuss a particular conflict situation, the construction of the Ilisu Dam on the lower Tigris River, and make general conclusions based on our discussion.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Web of Institutionalization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The case of the Ilisu Dam is quite interesting: on the one hand, this project may create at least 10.000 jobs; however, it will force more than fifty thousand people to resettle. Furthermore, it will virtually erase a great number of cultural heritage sites (Johnson et al, 2010, p 3). This situation can be regarded as conflict of interests, and one has to carefully evaluate the motives of each party that can be involved in this conflict. Such tool as web of institutionalization can be applied to assess the opportunities for sustainability of social justice and policy planning. Furthermore, with its help one can develop strategies for resolving the dispute. These are the key issues that will be scrutinized in this paper. Web of institutionalization as an assessment tool In this part of the paper we need to describe the model offered by Caren Levy. The author defines institutionalization as â€Å"the process whereby social practices become sufficiently regular and continuous to be described as institutions† (Levy, 1998, p 254). To some extent, institutionalization can be viewed as provision of guidelines that regulate the relation between people and help to resolve disputes or conflicts (Shaffer, 2004). The web itself constitutes thirteen elements, yet, their exact number depends on the specific situation, as under some circumstances, the elements of the web may be either very weak or even non-existent1. This web represents a chain of factors and processes which ar e needed for the institutionalization of a social phenomenon, for instance, pressure of political constituencies, political commitment, the structures that represent the rights of certain interest groups, methodologies that help to implement a social policy and so forth (Levy, 1998, p 254). In its nature, web of institutionalization is a guideline that helps a political party or any other organization to work out an action plan.Advertising Looking for essay on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nevertheless, it can also be used as diagnostic tool. In such case, its main objective is to measure the extent of institutionalization. On the whole, the components of the web can be categorized into four spheres of influence which are as follows: Citizen Sphere, Policy Sphere, Organizational Sphere and Delivery Sphere (Johnson et al, 2010, p 13). We will study the case from the perspective of interests of those peo ple whose living conditions will be endangered by the construction of the Ilisu Dam. Under the current circumstances, the main task is to provide these people with an opportunity to participate in decision-making and help them to better protect their rights. We will discuss the Ilisu Dam case considering four spheres listed above and then make generalizing conclusions about how the web of institutionalization can be used in analogical projects with respect to each sphere. Application of the web to a particular situation Citizen Sphere If we apply the web of institutionalization, we can say that the citizen sphere will consist of three elements. The first component is the experiences of those people, who will have to find new housing due to the construction of this dam (Johnson et al, 2010). In other words, the increased public concern will be the most crucial factor that may force the government to re-evaluate the necessity for project or at least to develop alternatives that would better suit the needs of this population. The second element of citizen sphere is the pressure of political constituencies or forces which influence the government in any possible way. As for the Ilisu Dam case, we can speak primarily about the representatives of Kurdish nationalist movement, because the majority of people, who may need to resettle, are Kurds (Atakuman, 2010, p 119). The key issue is that as a result of this construction the water will flood many sites that are of historical importance to Kurdish people (Smith, 2006). The power of Kurdish nationalist movement is very strong, in part because the government of Turkey does not want to attract international attention to this ethnic problem of the country (Arat, 2007).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Web of Institutionalization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The second player that can impact the outcome of this conflict is UNESCO. If this internati onal organization decides that Hasankeyf centers are the world cultural heritage, the government may put an end to the construction of the Ilisu Dam (Johnson et al, 2010, p 7). Additionally, one should not disregard the role of non-governmental agencies that operate across Europe. For instance, we can mention ECA (Export Credit Agency) Watch. This is the institution that regulates international export financing. ECA Watch insists that European investors should not take part in this project as it will have disastrous ecological and cultural effects (ECA Watch, n. d.). Apart from that, the governments of bordering countries such as Syria or Iraq will also oppose to this project because they are very dependent on water supplies and the Ilisu dam will make them even more dependent on Turkey (ECA Watch, n. d. p, 12). Another group of players that will pay attention to this project are human right organizations. This project may leave many people homeless, and if the government does not o ffer them an adequate substitute for their houses, the construction of the Ilisu Dam will be a direct violation of human rights. The combined power of these stakeholders is very strong, and Turkish government cannot disregard their opinion. The third element of the citizen sphere is the representative political structure or the political party or parties that act in the best interest of these people. Unfortunately, Kurdish people are heavily underrepresented from political standpoint and there is no party in the Turkish parliament that could voice their discontent (Roy, 2005, p 360). As a matter of fact, Turkish laws do not allow forming parties on an ethnic basis. Thus, we can say that this element of the web is very weak. Thus, the web of institutionalization can help evaluate the effects caused by the Citizen Sphere powers that will act and complement each other if a project is implemented. These powers are the increased public concerns, impact of political forces that are capabl e to influence the government, and the political structures that represent people’s interests.Advertising Looking for essay on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Together, these three powers may have significant influence on the outcome of the project implementation, that is why it is important to consider them when developing the action plan. Policy Sphere The policy sphere is also comprised of the elements: 1) political commitment or the willingness of politicians to address the needs of this population; 2) policy planning or those legislative acts that support the rights of people whose wellbeing is imperiled by a community-led development project; 3) resources or ways of translating the policy into practice (Levy, 1998, p ). As regards the Ilisu dam case, the level of political commitment is very low because Turkish government is not very interested in the needs of people, who will be deprived of their houses. They are only concerned with international reaction to this problem, as the construction of the Ilisu dam can be viewed as discrimination against Kurds. They will also have to take into account the objections raised by Syria and Ir aq if these countries do object to this project. Yet, this is most likely an obligation rather than commitment. The existing Turkish policies also will not help these people to guard themselves against intrusion into their lives. According to the current legislation, a new resettlement law, the government is not required to inform people about the resettlement plan and the options they have. Furthermore, these families are not permitted to choose the location of their resettlement. Finally, they will be compensated only for their housing; no other losses will be taken into account (Eberlein, 2007, p 8). Overall, Turkish resettlement laws do not meet the standards, established in the EU and in no way they can promote the interests of these people (Wegerish Warner, 2010). The population of these areas has virtually no resources that would help them to support their interests. There is no political commitment of the government and no legislation to help them. They can only rely on the assistance of non-governmental organizations, for example, the Nature Association of Turkey and the Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive (Johnson et al, 2010, p 7). These NGOs will not approve the construction of the Ilisu dam, as it will pose a threat to environment and destroy many historical sites. The only thing that will really help them to uphold their opinion is the willingness of the Turkish government to enter the EU (The Economist, 2010). The thing is that they will certainly want no international scandal to break out in connection with this dam and particularly the rights of Kurdish people. Thus, the elements included into the Policy Sphere of the web of institutionalization help to evaluate whether policies that relate to a project that is going to be implemented are â€Å"consonant† with the community’s interests. It gives opportunity to see the extent to which the community will actually benefit from a project and â€Å"how much† will it â€Å"cost † to it. Organizational Sphere The Organizational Sphere comprises such elements as mainstream location of responsibility and procedures (Levy, 1998). The first component, mainstream location of responsibility, can be understood as the willingness of the governmental agencies to take responsibility for the well-being of this population. As regards the Ilisu dam case, there are several agencies that will be held answerable for the resettlement of these people: 1) the District Governorate of Hasankeyf and various regional developmental authorities or RDAs (Johnson et al, 2010, p 5). The key difficulty is that the scope of their responsibilities is very limited and it can be explained by the fact that Turkish resettlement laws do not require the local government to offer adequate compensation to the displaced population (Eberlein, 2007). As concerns the procedural part of resettlement, we need to point out that very little attention has been given to this aspect. For instance, Tu rkish State Hydraulic Works did not offer any security to the people, who may be displaced. In this case, the term security means a sum of money that must be paid for the dispossession (Eberlein, 2007, p 8). More importantly, no information was provided to the affected people about the resettlement plan. It seems that their opinion is of no interest for the local government. Thus, the components of the Organizational Sphere help understand to what extent the way fulfillment of a project is organized ensures people’s safety and secures their interest. Delivery Sphere The elements included to the Delivery Sphere, such as delivery of programs and projects or staff development, reflect how the corresponding fields will meet the needs of the population. Together with the elements of these three Spheres, they give the full picture of what impact the implementation of a project will have on people. As for the Ilisu dam case, at this point, we cannot speak about the delivery sphere b ecause no resettlement has yet to begin. However, judging from policy sphere and organizational sphere we can argue that the needs of the displaced population will not be met. The most dangerous thing is that no one will attempt to address their grievances. As a matter of fact, such element of institutionalization web as delivery of programs and projects or staff development are non-existent in this case. This is why it is very difficult to apply this model for this particular situation. Discussion The examination of the Ilisu dam case has enabled us to identify those strings which must be pulled in order to prevent the construction of the Ilisu Dam or at least to help those people who will be deprived of their property as a result of this project. First of all, this country intends to enter the European Union, and the government has to make sure that Turkish laws and governmental agencies meet the standards, established by the European commission (ÇarkoÄŸlu Rubin, 2003). Thu s, the Ilisu project can be a great barrier on Turkey’s integration into the European Community. Another reason why Turkish State Hydraulic Works may be forced to abandon the construction is active participation of human rights agencies, which must show that the Ilisu dam threatens the well-being of a large Kurdish community. In fact, political underrepresentation of Kurds is the key obstacle on Turkey’s way to the EU. Finally, Turkish government has to take into consideration its relations with other countries such as Syria and Iraq. The construction of the Ilisu dam can sever Turkish partnerships with these states. These are the forces that may help the displaced population to receive adequate compensation for their losses. Conclusion Having discussed the Ilisu dam case, we have seen how the web of institutionalization can be used as an assessment and diagnostic tool in relation to project implementation. Thus, it can be successfully applied to different community-le d development project to anticipate and avoid violation of people’s interest. On the whole, web of institutionalization is a very effective tool for evaluating social practices and assessing the behavior of governmental institutions. The findings, collected in this way may help to protect the interests of certain populations. Nonetheless, one has to bear in mind that it was initially designed for the institutionalization of gender (Levy, 1998). Caren Levy tried to develop a strategy for empowering women in society. In itself, this web is not supposed to resolve conflict situations. Appendix Picture 1 (Levi, 1998, p 256) Reference List Anonymous author. (2010). â€Å"A special report on Turkey: anchor weigh†. The Economist. Arat. Z. 2007. Human rights in Turkey. University of Pennsylvania Press. Atakuman. C. 2010. Value of Heritage in Turkey: History and Politics of Turkey’s World Heritage. Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology. 23.1 (2010) 107-131. ÇarkoÄŸ lu. A. Rubin. B. 2003. Turkey and the European Union: domestic politics, economic integration, and international dynamics. London. Routledge. Eberlein C. 2007. Evaluation of the Terms of Reference on Resettlement and their implementation for the Ilisu Dam Project in Turkey. Export Credit Agency. ECA Watch (n.d) â€Å"Stop Ilisu†. Export Credit Agency. Johnson C. , Canellakis K. Paquet B. et al. 2010. The Iluse Dam: Negotiating the Future of Hasankeyf and the Tigris River Valley in Southeastern Anatolia. University College London. Levy C. 1998 Institutionalization of Gender through Participatory Practice. In Gujt I. Shah. M. ed. The myth of community: gender issues in participatory development. NY: Intermediate Technology Publications. Kurdish Human Rights Project. 1999. The Ilisu Dam: a human rights disaster in the making : a report on the implications of the Ilisu Hydro-Electric Power Project, Batman Province, Southeast Turkey following a fact-finding mission to the regio n. Kurdish Human Rights Project. Oktem K. 2002 When Dams are Built on Shaky Grounds. Erdkunde. pp 310-315 Roy. O. 2005. Turkey today: a European country? NY: Anthem Press. Smith. H. 2006. â€Å"Bathed In controversy† Guardian. Shaffer. E. 2004. Institutionalization of usability: a step-by-step guide. Addison-Wesley. Yildiz. K. 2005. The Kurds in Turkey: EU accession and human rights. Pluto Press in association with Kurdish Human Rights Project. Wegerish K. Warner J. 2010 Politics of Water: A Survey. London: Taylor Francis. Footnotes 1 To see the web of institutionalization refer to the Appendixes Picture 1. This essay on Web of Institutionalization was written and submitted by user Analia Benton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Book Report on Stand the Storm A History of the Atlantic Slave Trade essays

Book Report on Stand the Storm A History of the Atlantic Slave Trade essays Reynolds, Edward. , Stand the Storm: A History of the Atlantic Slave Trade. My Responses from Reading Stand the Storm With my sallow understanding of slavery, I imagined slavery only happening in the New World, where they obtained a better treatment than the book recorded; at least, slaves would have enough nutritious food on their trip to North and South America. After reading this book, Stand the Storm, the pains of African slaves conjured up on my mind, and I thought their suffering and humiliation was difficult to compensate with any amount of money. This book portrays thorough history and impacts of how African slaves were captured and sent to North and South America. One thing was true that slave trade favored the economic development of Americas to expand in a fast pace. However, it was absolutely an evil economic activity that brought great suffering and incredible distress to many thousands of the Africans. In this paper, I would like to probe deeply on how the Africans slaves were treated in their tribes. Also, in that sense they were captured to serve as slave on their own continent of Africa. Comparing with North and South America, I will find out the differences of practicing slavery between both places, and the ways of the African salves adapted to the new environment and conditions in the New World. Slavery was common in many African tribal societies long ago before the Europeans introduced slavery to the New World. In Africa, a slave was generally known as servant or property of his host whose social status was lower than the other society members'. In the most inferior case, especially in Eastern Nigeria, they could be pawned by their masters, or even acted as a medium of exchange. Their lives were worth nothing that could be completely controlled by their masters; it meant he could take it or leave it. Once slaves were captured or traded to another kinship society, they would probably be treated as outs...

How to Organize Your Remote Team for Better Collaboration and Increased Results

How to Organize Your Remote Team for Better Collaboration and Increased Results Remote work is the new black. More and more specialists understand the pros of remote work for their productivity  and professional growth, choosing this type of employment today. To be specific, around two-thirds of global employees  work remotely. And while 44%  of global companies don’t allow remote work, small ones are twice as likely to hire remote specialists. Why? Remote teams demonstrate better focus and productivity. They have a better work-life balance, 82% less stress, and more opportunities for professional development. Marketers or business owners, we all want to work with the best professionals, right? So we need to understand all the hidden pros and cons of managing a team of remote workers. Are we sure we know who they are? What makes them different from freelancers? And, after all, are we ready  to build and work with a remote team for better business results? In this post, youll find the detailed profile of a remote specialist, get the idea of how to organize your everyday work with them, and know how to check their performance and motivate them to work even better. Sure enough, it goes with actionable tips and tools for organizing your remote teams work processes for max result. Templates to Manage a Remote Team Before getting into the nuts and bolts of this post, check out some templates to make managing a remote team easier. You’ll find: A creative brief template  to improve communication. An Agile standup template  to improve daily syncs. A Marketing Calendar Template  to set and meet all your deadlines. Freelancers vs. Remote Workers Some managers confuse remote workers with freelancers, but these two categories of specialists are far from the same. Freelancers have no employment obligations. You make a deal, asking a freelancer to do some work on your project; you discuss requirements and deadlines, and that's it. Freelancers work according to their own schedule, can choose projects from multiple brands, and invoice you based on their  rates and fees. Remote workers are your full-time employees who are just absent in the office physically. They are free to work remotely  from anywhere in the world but have a fixed working schedule and monthly salary. They can't work for other brands. In plain English, it's an office job that's not in the office. Your remote worker should clearly understand what goals they'll achieve in the workplace, what skills they'll get, and what they can give to your brand. Remote specialists need to realize they want to work for your company. With all that, they'll create cool things, outstanding and appreciated by others. They should have creative thinking  and independent decision-making: as a manager, you don't have the time nor the opportunity to answer constant questions; and your remote workers don't have time to ask tons of questions since they can’t just drop by your desk whenever. That said, they need to exhibit good decision-making skills as not to slow down the work process. Around two-thirds of global employees work remotely at some point during the week. Here are the...Why It's Awesome to Work With Remote Teams Reasons are many, but the top five are: Remote Workers are Result-oriented They understand that the company is giving them something they truly value†¦ the ability to work remotely. This creates a great deal of loyalty and the desire to prove their worth so remote workers are often high-performers that produce great results. You Open Your Doors to the Best Talent The global state of remote work allows you to find and hire specialists from all over the world. You don't choose from 10 or 100 people in your local market, but thousands across the world. It's specifically handy to have local knowledge when promoting your marketing campaigns  abroad. You Get a Chance to Organize all Business Processes Better For efficient work with remote teams, you need to organize, plan, structure, and manage everything up and down. It's your opportunity to fix drawbacks and improve your existing processes. You Have a Better Chance of Attracting Gen Y and Z By 2025, Millennials will occupy 75% of the workplace; and by 2020, 36% of employees  will be Gen Z. These are generations known as life hackers, global citizens, entrepreneurial spirits, and individualistic. They look for flexible work hours, desire to travel the world, and want a job that wouldn't nail them down to one location. That said, remote work becomes the top option for them. Your Employees Will be Happier Allowing your employees to work remotely creates happier employees. They aren’t subjects to many of the stress-related aspects of an office job like long commutes, they travel more and live how they want, and they appreciate that. So, as a rule, remote workers are more loyal  to your business organization.

The manufacturing process of Claires Antiques Case Study

The manufacturing process of Claires Antiques - Case Study Example This is a very critical area since non-value adding processes require company resources like people, equipment, and time which drives up the expenses. However, if these processes do not add to the value of products being manufactured, Claire is just wasting these resources which could have been channeled to processes that will generate value to the products. Thus, it is recommended that Claire focus on streamlining its production processes in order eliminate these non-value adding processes or sub-processes. In so doing, the company can also minimize costs and maximize the value and satisfaction delivered to customers. In doing this, Claire should list out all the activities in its manufacturing plant together will all the sub-processes involved. Afterwards, it should determine which processes are value adding and non-value adding. To further the analysis, the company can also possibly assign dollar values added by an activity. From this, Claire can then cross-out and eliminate non-v alue adding activities while retaining and enhancing those which are not. Also, another important consideration is the arrangement of the processes and the assigned personnel to it. The company should also devise a strategic plan on how to arrange processes to maximize its resources and to equip the workforce with adequate knowledge and skills to enable them to accomplish their tasks most efficiently.

Cultural Gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural Gap - Essay Example Raised in a Christian family. My parents lived by the church doctrines. Something to do with the relationship was out of the question, especially at our tender age. Going to LGBT meeting was a big decision I made. Many of the online discussions about the meeting seemed appealing. The encouragement I received from online friends gave me hope; I had to find out what I did not know. I focused on finding self-fulfillment. At first, I was nervous and at the same time excited. I never knew what was in place for me. It was like going to another planet. It seemed something intimidating and a scary one to walk into a room and be sincere over something I could barely admit. The truth looked fantastic, but from hiding in it, it ended up being the scariest thing. As I joined college, I sent an email to the LGBT coordinator concerning where and when the meeting could occur. Unfortunately, at that time, I failed to turn up for the meeting due to some reasons I could not avoid. On this occasion, I was confident and focused on attending it, though felt scary than before. On the initial day of the meeting, I walked to the building and found the room number. My nerves took held of me. How I wished, I knew it was okay to be who I am and to feel the way I felt. I had spent years denying who I was. It is so ridiculous to feel so at the place where I should have called home. I had no idea of having people around me who cared and who could understand me. I took a friend to the meeting with me. I was too nervous to go alone. The environment inside was nothing I expected. At first, I felt it would not work. In some few minutes, the room was with young men who were open, smart, fantastic, and very welcoming. The room was so welcoming and open. Afer introducing myself, I talked about how I felt. I had to accept myself and come out. With time, I am glad to have learnt a lot about LGBT people and myself. I wished I had involved myself

Morality in Young Goodman Brown by Hawthorne and The Tell Tale Heart by

Morality in Young Goodman Brown by Hawthorne and The Tell Tale Heart by Poe 'Young Goodman Brown,' by Hawthorne, and 'The Tell Tale Heart,' by Poe, offer readers the chance to embark on figurative and literal journeys, through our minds and our hearts. Hawthorne is interested in developing a sense of guilt in his story, an allegory warning against losing one's faith. The point of view and the shift in point of view are symbolic of the darkening, increasingly isolated heart of the main character, Goodman Brown, an everyman figure in an everyman tale. Poe, however, is concerned with capturing a sense of dread in his work, taking a look at the motivations behind the perverseness of human nature. Identifying and understanding the point of view is essential, since it affects a reader's relationship to the protagonist, but also offers perspective in situations where characters are blinded and deceived by their own faults. The main character of Poe?s story embarks on an emotional roller coaster, experiencing everything from terror to triumph. Both authors off er an interpretation of humans as sinful, through the use of foreshadowing, repetition, symbolism and, most importantly, point of view. Hawthorne teaches the reader an explicit moral lesson through the third person omniscient point of view, whereas Poe sidesteps morality in favor of thoroughly developing his characters in the first person point of view. Third person omniscient point of view, dialogue, and imagery are three literary tools used to reveal the intimate thoughts and feelings of the key characters in Hawthorne?s ?Young Goodman Brown.? For example, Faith bids her husband farewell ?softly and rather sadly? (Hawthorne 133). The tranquility of her adieu... ...ther serves to excite and stimulate our senses as we travel into the deranged mind of a killer ? offering us a unique perspective through the first person point of view. Similarly, the ending of ?Young Goodman Brown? offers a moral, but leaves the main character in a state of discord and callousness towards his wife, and his religion. The story is didactic, because the main character is punished for his transgressions. Symbolism, evident especially in Hawthorne?s allegory, and the repetition of Poe?s suspenseful tale serve to further the goals of each writer. Ultimately, Hawthorne?s Goodman Brown becomes isolated from humanity, an issue of the head and the heart, and Poe?s narrator withdraws inside himself, an issue purely of the mind. Recognizing this discord from the self and humanity is essential to understanding the behavior of these troublesome characters.

The Digestive System

The Digestive System Why is it that 1 in 3 people perhaps even more regularly battles some kind of digestion problems? Understanding how the digestive system works will help to understand why digestive problems are so common. The digestive system is more than stomach and intestines. It is a system of organs that turns food into energy and is one of the most important functions the body performs. There are many reasons that cause so many people to suffer with digestive problems. Three of the most common reasons are the lack of knowledge of how the digestive system works, poor nutrition and undiagnosed medical conditions. Lack of knowledge of how the digestive system works is one of the many reasons that cause digestive problems. The digestive system is uniquely constructed to perform its specialized function of turning food into the energy and extracting nutrients necessary to sustain life. It does this by breaking down food into its basic nutrients, which include vitamins and minerals, fats, carbohydrates, proteins and water, before transporting them to the small intestine, where most of the nutrients are absorbed into the body. The digestive system takes place in the alimentary canal, a tube that runs from the mouth to the anus and includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, colon and rectum. The liver and pancreas also contribute to digestion, but are not part of the alimentary canal. Digestion begins in the mouth, where chemical and mechanical digestion occurs. Food inters the mouth and is chewed by the teeth, turned over and mixed with saliva by the tongue. The sensations of smell and taste from the food sets up reflexes which stimulate the salivary glands, saliva is produced by the salivary glands and is released into the mouth. Saliva begins to break down the food, moistening it and making it easier to swallow and contains a digestive enzyme called amylase which breaks down the carbohydrates (starches and sugars). One of the most important functions of the mouth is chewing. Chewing breaks the food into pieces and allows food to be mashed into a soft mass that is easier to swallow and digest later. Movements by the tongue and the mouth push the food to the back of the throat for it to be swallowed. A flexible flap called the epiglottis closes over the trachea to ensure that food enters the esophagus and not the wind pipe to prevent choking. Once the food is swallowed, it enters the esophagus, a muscular tube that is located between the throat and the stomach. Food is moved by peristalsis which pushes the food down through the esophagus to the stomach. The stomach is the widest part of the alimentary canal and acts as a reservoir for the food where it may remain for between 2 and 6 hours. The stomach has 3 main functions: to store the swallowed food and liquid; to mix up the food with various hormones, enzymes, including pepsinogen which begins the digestion of protein, hydrochloric acid, and other chemicals; and to slowly empty its contents into the small intestine. The wall of the stomach is impermeable to most substances, although it does absorb some water, electrolytes, certain drugs, and alcohol. At regular intervals a circular muscle at the lower end of the stomach, the pylorus opens allowing small amounts of food, now known as chyme to enter the small intestine. Most digestion and absorption of food occurs in the small intestine. The small intestine consists of 3 parts: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. The small intestine has 2 important functions. First, the digestive process is completed here by enzymes and other substances made by intestinal cells, the pancreas, and the liver. Second, the small intestine absorbs the nutrients from the digestive process. The inner wall of the small intestine is covered by millions of tiny finger like projections called villi. The villi are covered with tinier projections called microvilli. The combination of the two allows absorption of nutrients to occur. Undigested material travels next to the large intestine. The large intestine is to remove water and salts from the undigested material and to form solid waste that can be excreted. Bacteria in the large intestine help to break down the undigested materials. The remaining contents of the large intestine are moved toward the rectum where feces are stored until they leave the body through the anus. The anus is the last part of the digestive tract. Accessory digestive organs which include the pancreas, liver and gall ladder are not part of the digestive tract or also known as the alimentary canal, but play an important role in the digestive process. The pancreas produces enzymes that help digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates it also makes sodium bicarbonate which neutralizes stomach acid. The liver produces bile, which helps the body absorb fat and it also regulates substances in the blood cells. The gallbladder store s bile until it is needed. The enzymes and bile produced by these organs move through ducts into the small intestine where they help breakdown food. The nutrients from the small intestine travel through the blood to the liver, which help process the nutrients. Digestive problems results from poor nutrition. Good nutrition is essential for maintaining proper functioning of the body systems especially the digestive system. Eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are the best ways to prevent digestive problems and diseases (Lipski, 2005). The kinds and amounts of food a person eats and how the digestive system processes that food plays key roles in maintaining good health and preventing common digestive problems. Since the digestive system is responsible for breaking down food into nutrients that can be absorbed by the body and used for fuel, growth and cell repair. Good nutrition is essential for maintaining proper functions of the body systems. Generally, health experts recommend eating fiber to help prevent constipation and diarrhea. Reduce fats and oils which can slow down digestion. They also suggest drinking plenty of water which helps lubricate food waste so that it passes more easily through the alimentary canal, it helps soften stool which may prevent constipation. Water also helps dissolve minerals, vitamins and other nutrients, there by facilitating their absorption by the body’s tissues. Good nutrition is not only essential for maintaining proper function of the body systems it is also essential for maintaining homeostasis of the body systems. The body needs good nutrition for the body systems to properly function correctly. The digestive system does assist with homeostasis however; it can not accomplish it alone. All organs systems work together to maintain homeostasis. The digestive system provides the nutrients needed for the circulatory system. As the food moves through the stages of digestion (mechanical, peristalsis, chemical) it is broken down into simple water-soluble molecules that can cross cell membranes. Since the circulatory system is the transportation system of the body it transports wastes, gases, hormones, electrolytes and nutrients from good nutrition to and from the body cells. It also transports water to and from the tissues. So as these molecular-sized, water soluble particles pass through the cell membranes of cells in the digestive tract and pass through the walls of capillaries the nutrients are picked up by the blood for transport. Blood in the capillaries carries the nutrients to all the cells in the body. Red blood cells, White blood cells, and Platelets and Plasma all help to maintain homeostasis. Red blood cells transport oxygen and hydrogen ions throughout the body. White blood cells fights infections and platelets assist in blood clotting and the plasma transports the blood cells. None of these things can function without the nutrients supplied by the digestive system. Blood also maintains homeostasis of water, electrolytes and body temperature all by getting the nutrients necessary to function from the digestive system. The digestive system needs good nutrition to keep it functioning properly and all organs systems working together properly to maintain homeostasis. Undiagnosed medial conditions will cause digestive problems if left untreated and is one of the most common reasons that so many people suffer with digestive problems. Nearly everyone suffers from heartburn and indigestion now and then and these might be normal side effects of digestion, but when they occur often it might be signs of a problem and should have medical attention. Seeking medical attention or being seen by a medical doctor will help to establish if the heartburn or indigestion are from normal side effects of digestion or whether any mechanical factor such as a hiatal hernia or even silent ulcers of the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum maybe causing the digestive problems. A hiatal hernia and silent ulcers if left untreated could turn into a serious problem which can cause bleeding, pain, scarring and difficulty in swallowing and can cause a chronic condition with complications. Treatment of heart burn and prevention of its complications are almost always medical, not surgical procedures these days; and, if followed faithfully are very effective. Peptic ulcers is another serious problem that many people have and do not even know it, one might mistaken them for heartburn, indigestion and nausea. The pain and discomfort comes and goes and sometimes lasting for days or even weeks. An ulcer can be treated by medication and usually takes about eight weeks to completely heal. If left untreated it can cause internal bleeding and more severe damage that might need surgical repair (Monroe, 2000). The digestive system is a complex system. There is a lot of information that we know about this system and so much more that is still unknown. For example, for many years the American Heart Association has recommended taking aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Now, there appears to be a downside to taking a low dosage of aspirin daily. According to research taking a daily aspirin can cause serious problems in the digestive system. Research shows that people who take aspirin are at risk for excess gastro-intestinal bleeding or ulcers that perforate. So the question is does the risk balance the benefit? Through research they have found out that there are three factors that particularly affect developing gastro-intestinal complications they are the increased risk, male gender and ulcer history. All of those things are doubled when a person takes a daily low dose aspirin and the complications can be serious including death. In fact five to ten percent of people with these complications will die from it. Research has proven that the thing that is in aspirin that causes these problems is the same thing that prevents heart disease and the same prostaglandin changes are the ones that somehow enhance the probability of developing gastrointestinal irritation that can lead to bleeding, that can lead to perforation. So research has taught us that there is a high risk of developing gastro-intestinal complications including bleeding or ulcers that perforate, with the use of a low daily dosage of aspirin especially in the male gender and in those with a past history of ulcers. Through this research we still do not understand why the risk is much higher for the male gender than the female gender, that mystery is still unknown. Reasons that cause so many people to suffer with digestive problems are the lack of knowledge of how the digestive system works, poor nutrition and undiagnosed medical conditions. The most obvious solution to maintaining good health and preventing digestive problems would be getting to know the digestive tract and understanding how it works, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle and seek medical attention instead of letting the digestive problem turn into something much worse. The Digestive System The human body consists of number of organ systems which work collectively to execute functions of the body. The three most important human organ systems are circulatory, digestive and endocrine system. The main function of the digestive system is to process food in such a way that the energy molecules are absorbed by the body and the residues are left out. The physiological processes which are required for the digestive system are absorption, digestion, motility, secretion and excretion (Margaret E. Smith, 2001) Digestive System: Digestive system helps the body to maintain stability, equilibrium or balance.Digestive system contributes in homeostatic regulation of the body. The body would suffer if there is no regular supply of energy and nutrients from digestive system. The digestive system helps in absorption of ions, vitamins, organic substances and water that is necessary to the body. When the food is chewed and swallowed, the food is broken down in the digestive tract to very sm all nutrient molecules which can be easy to enter into the villi of small intestine. (Rebecca L. Johnson, 2004) Digestive enzymes are formed by the pancreas and the digestive tract.Besides this, the liver produces bile which is stored in the gall bladder to digest the fats. By the use of hepatic portal vein, blood passes from smaller intestine to the liver i. e. , in to the circulatory system. The liver is the vital organ of homeostasis and it monitors the blood. The liver produces urea by breaking down toxic substances like alcohol and other drugs. After eating, the liver stores glucose as glycogen and produces plasma proteins. Liver keeps the blood glucose concentration constant by releasing glucose in between eating. This is how the digestive system works along with the other systems which include circulatory system.Organs in the Digestive system: There are several organs in the digestive system. The digestive system can be divided in to two systems. They are upper gastrointestin al tract and lower gastrointestinal tract. The upper gastrointestinal tract consists of several organs like mouth, oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus and stomach. The lower gastrointestinal tract consists of small intestine, ileum, large intestine, anus and rectum. (Cheryl Jakab, 2007) The functions of some important organs include Oral Cavity: The oral cavity or the mouth is the first part of the digestive system. It accepts food by way of ingestion.Here, the food will be broken in to smaller pieces and get mixed with saliva. Saliva helps as lubrication for the food particles. The oral cavity consists of different parts which are helpful in the digestive system. They are tongue and teeth. Small Intestine: The small intestine is about 35 millimeteres in length and grayish purple in color. The small intestine is the longer intestine which is six to seven meters long. The small intestine has the general structure of the GI tract. The small intestine consists of exocrine cells in the muco sa which secretes peptidase, mucus, maltase, sucrose, lipase, maltase and enterokinase.Endocrine cells secrete secretin and cholecystokinin. The process of digestion is completed by the small intestine. It absorbs the nutrients and sends the residue to large intestine. The gall bladder, liver and pancreas are important organs in the digestive system which is closely related to the small intestine. Small intestine is divided in to duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The small intestine helps in several functions such as hormone secretion, intestinal juice secretion, ninety percent absorption, forward propulsion of contents and it is the major site of digestion.Rectum: The rectum can be found in the lowest portion of the large intestine which connects to the anus and it is a muscular tube like structure. The waste is stored here and permits expulsion when pressure on the rectal walls is caused. Anus: The anus is formed by the surface layers of the body, skin and the intestine. The anus is th e opening at the end of the digestive tract through which the waste matter is ejected from the body. There are many diseases which are caused due to the improper functioning of the digestive system. The most specific disease is the Ulcer.Ulcer is the disorder caused in the upper digestive tract. Ulcer can be developed in the duodenum, lower part of the esophagus and in jejunum. There are many causes for ulcer. Some of them include certain medications, infection and disorders caused by the over secretion of stomach juices. The symptoms of gastric ulcer include weight loss, feeling heart burn and indigestion and gastrointestinal bleeding. Most of the patients suffering from ulcer suffer from bleeding which results in vomiting blood, anemia or blood through rectum.