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Keep the world secure Essay
Introduction
How many people believe that guns are essential in defending themselves? Would they have the same feeling if they were aware of how often guns cause the death of innocent adults and children? This would definitely not be the case. The problem is that many magazines and other publications normally talk of the beauty and power of the guns in defending oneself without ever talking of the many individuals that are hurt, and in most instances killed using guns each day.
However, I am now beseeching you to play off the possession of guns by civilians owing to the actuality that a gun can be a weapon of violence. Guns cause the death of innocent people and children each day and make individuals blind to the reality that these persons are dying unnecessarily (Webster, Jon, and Michael 45-52). Now let me present a number of reasons for my allegation.
Keeping guns in the homestead generates the chance for deadly violence
Individuals with guns and that have unsound feelings or anger can bring about violent outcomes very simply.
Domestic dispute in Santa Monica
A good instance of the way individuals with guns and that have unsound feelings can bring about violent outcomes is the case of the killings on 7 th June 2013 in Santa Monica, California. This killing spree began with a domestic disagreement as well as consequent fire at home (Webster, Jon, and Michael 95-102).
This was followed by a sequence of shootings close to and at the grounds of Santa Monica College where six individuals were killed, encompassing the suspect (John Zawahri that was aged 23 years), and four individuals got injured in the occurrence.
Guns pose a significant risk especially in schools
Many students and school staff die because of gunshots every year
Virginia Tech massacre
This denotes a school shooting that happened in 2007 at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, US. In this happening, Seung-Hui Cho shot thirty-two individuals, injured seventeen persons, and six persons were injured as they attempted to escape through classroom windows in the two incidences.
The second incident happened two hours after the first one; before Seung-Hui committed suicide. This represents the deadliest horrible gunfire occurrence by one gunman in the records of the US. These attacks attracted global media coverage as well as extensive criticism of the gun culture in the United States (Webster, Jon, and Michael 85-89).
Moreover, the attacks ignited acute debate concerning gun violence and gun laws among other concerns. These shootings forced the state of Virginia to shut legal loopholes that had earlier permitted Cho to buy guns devoid of detection by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, and caused the establishment of the first key federal gun management appraise. President Bush endorsed a law reinforcing the National Instant Criminal Background Check System in 2008.
Shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School
Before the close of 2012, Adam Lanza that was 20-years old killed 20 grade 1 children and seven adults: 4 teachers, the principal, the school psychologist and his mother, who was the first to be killed at their home in Newtown. It was after shooting his mother dead that Adam headed to the school. In this incident, two other individuals were injured. With the arrival of the police, Adam shot himself in the head and died instantly.
This occurrence was the second biggest deadly shooting by one gunman after Virginia Tech massacre. These shootings attracted renewed discussions concerning gun possession in the US, and a recommendation for new laws prohibiting the sale and ownership of guns having a high number of bullets (Webster, Jon, and Michael 75-80).
Guns generate fatal tragedies in the society
Deaths can occur very easily by unpleasant use of guns
Shootings at Sikh temple
On August 2012, Michael Page lethally shot 6 individuals and injured 4 people in a shooting incident at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. Afterward, Michael shot himself in the head and died after a reacting policeman shot him in the stomach. Michael was an American white supremacist and a military veteran.
Every one of the individuals that were killed was a member of the Sikh faith (Webster, Jon, and Michael 66-72). This shooting incident attracted reactions from the US President Obama as well as Prime Minister Singh of India. Panjandrums took part in the candlelight vigils in nations like the United States and India with the US first lady, Michelle, paying a visit to the temple after the shooting occurrence.
Spree killing in Grand Rapids
In late 2011, a gunman shot 7 individuals dead and injured two others in a shooting at Grand Rapids, Michigan. These shooting incidences occurred in two different homes with two people getting minor gunshot wounds on the road. The gunman had led policemen on a chase, during which he shot the two bystanders prior to crashing his vehicle into a wall. The gunman then fled to a third home that had three occupants.
The suspect behind this incident was Rodrick Dantzler, who later committed suicide subsequent to a police response after holding the 3 individuals in the third home hostage for four hours (Webster, Jon, and Michael 54-58). The individuals killed in this occurrence encompass Rodrick’s ex-wife; their daughter aged 10 years, his ex-girlfriend and their family members. One of the bystanders that received minor gunshot wounds was also accustomed to Rodrick.
Conclusion
Better regulations require being put in place in a bid to help people; especially children, lead a happy and safe life. If the United States government could care for its residents and their security, then it could curb easy possession of guns in order to save lives (Webster, Jon, and Michael 33-37). If the congress were to ensure that the funds granted by the National Rifle Association have a maximum benefit, they could impose some regulations against easy purchase of guns by any civilian.
It is my hope that by 2020, there will be better regulations and a more concerned government that will succeed in making the United States a safe place without avoidable gun killings. Finally, the government and congress ought to make good use of their funding and power in safeguarding the lives of the residents, who look upon them for protection. My plea to you is that you join me in opposing gun possession in order to keep the world secure.
Works Cited
Webster, Daniel W., Jon S. Vernick, and Michael R. Bloomberg. Reducing Gun Violence in America: Informing Policy with Evidence and Analysis . Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013. Print.
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Concept of Bioregionalism in Environmental Ecosystems Essay
Table of Contents
1. The Philosophy
2. How does it work?
3. Is it feasible?
4. References
Bioregionalism is the phenomenon of understanding the process of environmental ecosystems in a way justifiable to the human cultures. It is a way of merging various human territories into what the universal territory holds in the form of global environment, which is only possible through human motivated effort towards environmental problem solving.
Environmental ecology has long before the Second World War has left reasons for us to manipulate the causes to study this subject. However, it occurred just after the anti-war peace movements of the post world war that the bioregional activists started realizing the hazards in the form of environmental crises caused by wars, human overpopulation, air and chemical pollution, and overconsumption.
The primary cause of our current environmental woes rests with the negation of bioregional process that we often do by not responding to the political and environment power relations of global economy. Bioregionalism requires a complete grasp of local and global integration of economic resources that in this era of capitalism should not have been ‘limited’.
By limited, I mean reserved talks that in this globalized era must not be encouraged. Unfortunately globalization does not go hand in hand with bioregionalism. Both are inversely proportional to each other’s needs and contribute to each other’s development respectively. For example, cheaper energy is not permitted by globalization and expensive energy is not allowed in bioregionalism.
So, we must remain open in our bioregional expressions to break the ice regarding what globalization has to offer us in context with policies and measures. What we are in our closed bioregions is not what today’s globalized era wants from us. In this manner we are isolated within what ecology does not want us to reckon. Isolated in terms of not integrating our ecological affiliations with that of our culture, or when we consider our ecosystem to be a separate entity, though it is not.
Our ecosystem is a part to be stemmed out of our larger landscape that means environmental activities like watershed, rainfalls, culture that makes us close to the nature, local community knowledge, environmental history, and climatic concerns. Environmental activities are not understood by us the way they are supposed to have been analyzed. This ignorant attitude has only left us in dark where habitat destruction is obvious in the longer run.
Thus, in order to preserve our environment and ecological stability, it is necessary to focus on the hazards that are caused by the “commercial, industrial and agricultural globalized developments, natural resource extraction, tourism and war, because all these initiate a new chain of ecological and cultural disruptions” (Mcginnis, 1999, p. 122).
In my opinion, the most significant aspect to analyze the threat of bioregionalism goes against the globalization phenomenon. If we talk about better health, we are not talking about the opportunities which in this case global health specialists are capitalizing on. Similarly, the more pollution factor, the least will be the cleanliness benefitting the global health trends. The more industrialization of the weapons of mass destruction, the more would be the production, the greater destruction caused by the warfare.
The concern arises why human warfare in this modernized age is a concern? Just because of the fact that we have chosen globalization over bioregionalism. We have put an end to all our communication modes along with the patience to bear aside. Since there is no communication understanding, we are more prompted to adopt the warring than to give in any room for peace.
Thus, weapons of mass destruction not only destroy humanity in the wake of warfare, but also disrupt our ecosystem. This is highlighted by many theories of globalization that asserts that our environmental problems possessing able solutions are not limited to overflow through national boundaries and borders.
Communication barrier with no understanding on either side is a common drawback that goes against bioregionalism. This applies to global climatic change, which is already unable to cooperate with our increased globalization trends, thus, leaving room for the water, air and environmental pollution.
The Philosophy
The main philosophy behind bioregional assumption is the geographical characteristic that asks explanation of physiographic ‘boundaries.’ Unlike humanly sketched political borders, it is difficult to define a hierarchical legitimacy in halting the spread of environmental causes and issues. For example, pollution is difficult to be dealt with as long as there is human existence. Globalization extension beyond borders has given rise to the economic and political relationships with that of technological cause.
This on one hand has produced tremendous capitalist results, while on the other it is making global world a future plight for us, where everything on earth will be materialized. What would be left with us will be the destruction in the wake of greenhouse effect, climatic severity in the form of increased volcanic disruptions, and tsunamis.
What the globalized trend has made us today is not the answer to the problems of bioregionalism. Instead, globalization itself has raised the concerns that make environmental NGOs to rake over the environmental crises. Thus, it is not wise to turn a blind eye to “the physical realities of environmental, resource, and biodiversity issues by not considering natural divisions within physiographic regions” (Thayer, 2003, p. 19).
Globalization has given rise to environmental awareness, leading to think about the consequences of the international trade and environmental conservation. The role of transportation in the environmental crises management has helped us in thinking about the policies that govern ports.
Similarly, port areas are considered to be the “functional organization of activities and operations that are designed specifically to attain high standards of environmental protection and the goal of sustainable development” (Pinder & Slack, 2004, p. 191).
Effective environmental management in this era of globalization requires high tech based evidences on which to base upon the key decisions governing ecosystems. Such decisions must rest upon some criteria marked by the key performance indicators so as to ensure the achievement is reliable and practical.
Globalization has become so much of our daily lives that we cannot deem to assess our performance without reckoning its significance. Therefore, environmental practice requires effective monitoring procedures that do not negate globalization or transportation weaknesses that come in the way of globalization.
Instead, it requires assessing “both the efficacy of management and the quality of the environment itself, the trend that most of the seaports within Europe have been developing towards this level of environmental practice” (Ibid, p. 191). These trends are policy based answers to the growing threat of environmental concerns and technology based.
Policies that are helpful to limit the globalized effect of the increased machinery based needs. Technology, of course cannot be set apart from what the machine generated environmental performance can be monitored with the environmental management systems.
How does it work?
Each traffic controller whether seaport or airport is geographically unique for it geographically possess a central position in providing and maintaining a significant source of data for the commercial analysis. Furthermore, it is governed by a set of principles that are limited by the considerations of political ownership and culture. It is this political uniqueness that makes up legislation.
This is a clear indication of how the environmental management tools along with auditing machines are utilized in detecting the sartorial nature of specific circumstances that take place on every port and harbor. In order to avoid the risk factor, maximum assurance is to be taken by shaping up legislation driven policies and user friendly solutions.
Similar to the traffic controller is the concept of bioregionalism that does not go after a materialistic market. It underlies no hidden physical or economic motives to opt human resourcefulness in order to “respond to impending shortages and existing problems with new expedients that, after an adjustment period, leave us better off than before the problem arose” (McConnell, 1999).
In order to see about the ecological destruction of the machine based civilization, it is necessary to first analyze the disadvantages of globalization that goes beyond creating weapons for wars. War, economic crunches, and capitalist competition are some of the menace that globalization has brought to us.
So, first of all, it is necessary to settle down the regional issues that lie inside the territories. This indicates that the first attempt in resolving the bioregional issue is to place bioregional deracination, the concept that envisions the humanity as one, no discrimination among habitat.
No discrimination among habitat is further accompanied by a homeland, where habitats are free to transform into commercial, industrial and agricultural developments, but without ecological disruption. It is through the disruption caused by the globalization era that today we face so many plights to humanity that are themselves a freefall call in a disaster.
Our ecological system, our earth that is protecting us is being torn apart through our deeds and actions. Thanks to the violence of corporate globalization that has torn apart our ecological eco system and has combined with the war on earth. No alternatives are being thought of to cooperate and live with universal brotherhood because every effort to maintain peace and order in this world would be an effort against war.
That would mean market non-sustainability. No weapon market would be flourished and social and economic upheaval would be a common imperative. “These alternatives need to combine our making peace with the planet and our making peace among people from diverse cultures” (Albritton, 2004, p. 53). The reason is that we are dependant upon each other and it is not possible to root out the real terrorism, violence and war if we need to sustain bioregionalism in the world.
Securing the environmental and ecological conditions is what matters to secure our people’s fate. “People’s security does not lie in larger military budgets, bigger bombs and stronger police states. It lies in ecological and economic, cultural and political security. Rebuilding these multiple securities can recreate peace, justice and sustainability” (Albritton, 2004, p. 53).
The threat of war to bioregionalism requires that various legislative policies should be renewed encompassing punishment and accusation, in which culprits are being taken care of by international powers. What fans globalization is the prevalence of mafia-style economies, boosted under the threat of economic and cultural warfare proposed by international interventions?
This situation sketches out a gruesome political economy dependant upon its capability to phase in various sorts of intra-state wars. This can be seen in United States where a complex economic crunch witnesses a multidimensional interplay between its local, regional and international forces, but also in between its regional territories.
This situation in which a super power deems war as a necessary weapon has two reasons to figure out its economy. First of all the growing era of unemployment that keeps on growing with every passing day, and secondly the consequence that people has to bear with the deceased economy, the brain drain, commonly take place in third world countries.
This many believe is the general school of thought that “the age of globalization is characterized by a gradual erosion of state authority, as in an industrialized world this development can be associated with the liberal substitution of military strife by economic competition, this idea does not apply to the social reality in large parts of the world” (Jung, 2003, p. 2).
One might ask the link between the proposed topic ‘Bioregionalism’ and the political histories that we envisage in the form of contemporary globalization. There is a link that defines “environmental degradation to be a product of localized and bounded political economies and histories that are often dependent on biology and geography” (Mcginnis, 1999, p. 101).
So, if we wish to call upon the root causes of ecological destruction, we must see our ecological states and phases in context with the political economies and histories that reveal that whenever war had been chosen to be the ultimate solution of ‘securing a territory’ it only has resulted in a political and economic chaos.
Political histories are the best medium for providing us an insight of how to build a legislative framework or a policy guide for addressing the dilemmas of our planet earth. The problems are further aggravated by the ‘globalized phenomenon’ backed by the emergence of creating latest weapons of mass destruction. The revenue produced by the global market, instead of spending on the donations, is utilized in warfare in the name of ‘foreign military assistance’, thereby acting as a catalyst in war economies.
Is it feasible?
When the Second World War was over, a common perception that emerged in the public was about the magnificent advantages of science and technology. People get convinced that science and technology has been advanced to the extent where any limitations could be placed on the warring strategies and thing is possible in the wake of war.
This perception not only influenced the general public who remained aloof from the technological transformations at a global level, but was also felt by the governmental actions and policies. Every developed nation experienced such stimulations which arise at a result of the ‘baby boom’.
This generation went less skillful and knowledgeable in terms of ecology and was more interested in the dramatic wartime successes. The developments of laser weapons, radars, communication modes, antibiotics, and atomic bombs gave a unique understanding to the naïve who believed that these advancements have been possible only through war like developments, and that it is good to secure the territories through nuclear strategies.
Soon the foundation of scientific understanding tumbled down when in every nook and cranny destructions of such weapons were witnessed. The final blow to the weapons was blown on the initiation of ‘war on terror’ where lessons were there to realize the economic and ecological devastation by the general public and government leaders.
Modern day ecological destruction is primarily due to increase in military weapons, arms, and ammunitions. Each year military budget keeps on increasing and comes up with scores of reasons to justify the significance of war.
This is not right to our ecosystems because war entrepreneurs in the context of present day ecological disturbances do not consider the notion that the zones of conflict are created by us. Regions do not consider that it is at the same local pace proliferating the national and global economic players who multiply their wealth by investing in the threat of peace at the cost of not only millions of lives, but at the cost of our earth’s disruption.
On the way to justify various excuses for promoting the military business, a new war ‘war against terror’ has been initiated. This on one hand eradicate the terrorists, on the other it creates theme at even greater speed. This illustrates the rate at which terrorists are alleviated, is doubled when they are investigated, thereby creating terrorists at a significant rate.
Thus, the analytical distinction between formal and informal economies is governed by all sorts of war and weaponry and the tools used in ‘war against terror’. This is further encouraged when anti-terror law enforcement gets the official internationalization stamp by various socio-political institutions, negating any bioregional strategies of their non-democratic allies.
A healthy community with least ecological threats is what is needed in the current society which has no room for any war. Thus, the ‘just war’ doctrine which suggests that “war must be controlled by a code forming a framework for evaluating decisions to kill for advantage and defence” (Klumpp, 2009) does not work any more. There is a need to think about emergence of the nation state which thinks about the ecological well being above all war and threatening states.
Environmentally, war is condemned and should be condemned at all levels. However, to many of socialists, negating war is a hopeless goal. I do not hold such opinion because we humans possess the ability to think about the hazards and destruction that the war causes. Instead of minimizing the environmental harm, we can think about the attempts to stop the root cause of war. That lies in open communication and coming straight to the problem.
Unlike “the military attempt to minimize civilian casualties and damage to the infrastructure (e.g. water supply, sewage treatment, power plants, hospitals, and other civil services) of the nation-state under attack” (Cairns, 2003) it is better to take necessary steps to put a halt on the global warfare phenomenon.
“The United Nations is processing more than US$70 billion in claims for environmental damage in the invasion of Kuwait through the Gulf War” (Cairns, 2003). That indicates the lesser destruction incur to ecology and our environment, the lower the cost for creating a wiped out economy.
Solution rests with the implementation of science in policy matters and policies in scientific matters. This can be illustrated through many examples of how it can be achieved to some extent. Environmental science should be analyzed and studies with the coalition of government policy.
“The creation of the Survey of the Coast in the early years of the nineteenth century stimulated the science and technology of geodesy; the resulting charting of the coastline and coastal waters led to the installation of aids to navigation and contributed to the growth of a profitable maritime industry” (Fleagle, 1999, p. 199).
A larger part of the process required the implementation of regulations that involved coastal shipping and the coordination of the working of the Coast Guard that went in hand in hand with the enforcement of legal jurisdictions.
Another illustration of the Signal Corps of 1870 reveal how public safety was considered as the priority in implementing the usage of telegraph system to transmit weather reports that later became National Weather Service. “Because these applications involve many national interests and the missions of several agencies, the Weather Service necessarily becomes engaged in policy issues requiring negotiations with other U.S. agencies and with international organizations and other countries” (Fleagle, 1999, p. 199).
This provides us a glimpse and explains how it could be possible if government policy discourage and support peace based reaching decisions, necessary to demote warfare. In order to promote ecological based scientific awareness, there is a need to ensure that policy decisions are based on institutional mechanisms. Following points should be considered to analyze the necessity of warfare, conducted by governmental support.
First, specification of national security missions; second, assessment of present ecological functions; third, assessment of impact of the war on ecology; fourth, the rate of ecological disruption between the expected and the unexpected; fifth, various modes of the resources likely to be involved in research; sixth, regulation controlling public and governmental concerns and the probability between negotiation and the rate of compromise.
So the policies must be devised in such a manner that prevents war at the utmost. Long term envisioning of future science policy is required which sees issues in the light of all possible advices and the lessons that have been learnt from the past, particularly from the war-torn societies.
Science and technology should be limited to produce only such machineries that are not a threat to human existence, not even at the cost of destroying in the name of national security. There is a need to ensure various advisory committees are being properly monitored with justification at every level.
Most significant is the need to understand the problems that are likely to appear when policies are implemented in the way to prevent war. This requires various measures such as introducing additional content in the syllabus of institute and universities to enable our youth see about the future global changes. This would enable them to have a broad spectrum of how we might encounter challenges in the next decades if effective measures were not implemented in the short span.
Thus, this is the time that we expect the same efficiency from our elected government to recognize the notion how much it is important to take action in putting halt to the coming global change. Institutional structure must be examined from top to bottom to sift out any defects and weaknesses it has in the course of implementing a renewed global change policy.
“Programs of environmental assessment should be established at universities and national laboratories with the support of the major environmental agencies and with coordination of the Science and Technology policy” (Fleagle, 1999, p. 218). This will make our youth understand how to cope up with the upcoming ecological challenges that are the consequences of science and technology.
References
Albritton Robert, Bell Shannon, Bell. R. John & Westra Richard. (2004). New Socialisms: Futures beyond Globalization : Routledge: New York.
Cairns Jr. John. (2003). War and Sustainability. International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology . 10 (3), 185.
Fleagle G. Robert. (1999). Global Environmental Change: Interactions of Science, Policy, and Politics in the United States : Praeger Publishers: Westport, CT.
Jung Dietrich. (2003). Shadow Globalization, Ethnic Conflicts and New Wars: A Political Economy of Intra-State War : Routledge: London.
Klumpp. F, James. (2009). Argumentative Ecology. Argumentation and Advocacy . 45 (4), 183.
McConnell. R. A. (1999). Population, Environment Globalization and the Survival of Civilization. Mankind Quarterly , 40(2), 155.
Mcginnis, Michael Vincent. (1999). Bioregionalism : Routledge: London.
Pinder David & Slack Brian. (2004). Shipping and Ports in the Twenty-First Century: Globalization, Technological Change and the Environment : Routledge: New York.
Thayer, L. Robert. (2003). Lifeplace: Bioregional Thought and Practice : University of California Press: Berkeley, CA.
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Kolb’s Learning Styles Inventory to Reach Every Student Essay
Published in 2010, the article Do They Really Get It? Using the Kolb LSI to Reach Every Student by Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk claims that Learning Styles Inventory (LSI) helps teachers design lesson plans capable of engaging students with different learning styles. The author explains Kolb’s learning cycle, describes four main learning preferences (GTP), and ultimately explains how this knowledge can be applied in classroom or studio teaching. Hurst-Wajszczuk tries to convince using her own experience that LSI is a great tool for teachers of singing, although it requires more thoughtful planning and more time. This article is published in the Journal of Singing, which shows that the author writes for her colleagues who understand the main concepts and language used.
II. According to Kolb and Fry, learning depends on how students process the learning experience and which preferences they developed. The author presents the main learning activities (processing and perceiving) and four learning processes developed by Kolb: abstract conceptualization, reflective observation, active experimentation, and concrete experience. Hurst-Wajszczuk negates Kolb’s notion that learners usually enter the process at either reflective observation (stage 2) or concrete experience (stage 1) and proceed to the next stages in a clockwise direction. Based on her own observations and experience in the studio, the author claims that students may step into the process at any point and follow in any order. Nevertheless, she agrees with theorists that all stages are essential for successful learning.
The ideal match of teacher’s learning preferences to students’ ones ensures the learning process’s success. Using the LSI and understanding four different learning approaches may help educators reach every student, not only those with similar styles. In this part of the article, Hurst-Wajszczuk elaborates on the qualities of every quadrant of the LSI test. For instance, Accommodator is usually a group leader who values specific experience and prefers to do something first before theorizing about it (Hurst-Wajszczuk, 2010). Reflectors are imaginative students who need a mentor’s support, feedback from peers, and reflective observation to understand things and find solutions to them. On the contrary, Activists do not stand group work, choosing to try it themselves in lab work making mistakes. Assimilators, also known as Theorists, are rational and organized learners that prefer doing research, reading, and analyzing information over talking or lab work. These specific characteristics and behaviors should be taken into consideration by teachers when they design the lesson plans.
Although every student may have a unique learning preference, the students’ groups organizing based on the LSI test helps to plan lessons capable of grabbing the attention of them all. For instance, the author usually encourages the Hearts by telling the applicable story, whereas the Equations are motivated by thorough syllabi availability, including timelines and a class calendar. The Questioners (Active Experimenters) should receive examples to try by themselves (Hurst-Wajszczuk, 2010). For the Products, trial and error are even more critical elements as they appreciate multiple examples with the ability to make mistakes and the absence of penalty. The author applied Kolb learning preferences in a studio setting in a specific weekly assignment. Every student should write a one-page entry, including reflections on the theoretical part (lessons) and further practice sessions, giving room for students with each learning preference. Although such course designing requires more effort and time, advantages outweigh any possible drawbacks. The author concludes that Kolb’s LSI helps to reach more students and consequently keep them in music, college, and continuously learning.
Reference
Hurst-Wajszczuk, K. (2010). Do they really get it? Using the Kolb LSI to reach every student. Journal of Singing , 66 (4), 421-427.
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New Governance in the European Union Problem Solution Essay
Abstract
Within the European Union, institutions can implement powers that have been bestowed upon them by the member states. As such, execution of fundamental rights is usually at the state level.
This paper investigations the perimeter of such a decentralised usage of the fundamental rights recognised in the Charter of Fundamental Rights as values which the Member States have in like manner, and it displays the open technique for coordination as an issue to move past these cut-off points without suggesting further transferrals of forces from the Member States to the Union.
A first piece of the article reviews the current understanding of the relationship between the security of fundamental rights inside the Union and the inquiry of abilities. Second, the paper proposes an option perspective of that relationship, taking into account the instinct that an endeavour by the Union to appreciation fundamental rights may suggest, in particular cases, a positive commitment to represent the satisfaction of fundamental rights.
In fields where the skills are imparted between the Member States and the Union, the open technique for coordination may be seen as an issue component to distinguish where an activity of the Union may be needed, because of the externalities, both constructive and adverse, which the activities of every Member State creates on the various States, with which they impart a typical zone of flexibility, security and justice– a range in which, specifically, the free development of persons and the free procurement of administrations are ensured and in which rivalry is to be free and undistorted.
Additionally, the open strategy for coordination could be a satisfactory method for better accommodating the prerequisites of business sector (monetary) opportunities constitutive of the inside business with crucial rights, particularly social rights, which the Member States are sure to ensure and actualise under their ward.
In conclusion, the open system for coordination could be seen as a consolation to common adapting, as the arrangements favoured in certain Member States may motivate the selection of comparative arrangements in other Member States, particularly where such replication maintains a strategic distance from the hazard that the usage of fundamental rights at the level of each one State reproduce deterrents inside the inner market or obstruct the collaboration between the Member States in the territory of flexibility, security and justice.
Introduction
The relationship between the open technique for coordination and the assurance of fundamental rights might right away be portrayed by the potential strain between two bearings in which the institutional advancements inside the Union have been diverted (Búrca 2003a).
One set of improvements could be described by the quest for a ‘high manifestation of constitutionalism’ prompting ‘the moulding of a compelling and obvious EU government’. An alternate, differentiating, set of improvements, could be portrayed by setting up of a thick and composite arrangement of administration close by the formal structures of government, best illustrated by the open system for coordination in the fields of work, social strategies, and the change of the benefits framework.
Under the in the first place, sacred, mode of government, fundamental rights work as an issue to the activity of the forces of the EU establishments and the Member States going about as decentralised European organisation. This compares to the capacity they have satisfied up to now in the arrangement of the Union, and which the reception of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in 2000 looked for just to affirm.
Considered from the perspective of the second mode of administration, major rights show up not just as points of confinement forced from the outside to the activity of the forces which exist inside this multilevel manifestation of administration, yet they could likewise satisfy a positive part.
In reality, they could serve to arrange the utilisation of these instruments the Member States and the establishments now have available to them – benchmarking, trades of data and the recognisable proof of great practices, assessment of encounters and the advancement of imaginative practices, and maybe defend growing the response to these new modes of administration to the execution of the Charter of Fundamental Rights as a rule.
This paper looks to recognise the handiness of the open system for coordination for the execution of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. It proposes a path in which this may be imagined in practice, and accordingly it analyses the conditions under which such an expansion of the open strategy for coordination may be fruitful.
It relates this new and extended part for the open system for coordination to the inquiry of the division of forces between the Union and the part states, and to the thought of administrative rivalry between the states.
In substance, this exposition investigates the cut-off points of a decentralised execution of the fundamental rights recognised in the Charter of Fundamental Rights as qualities which the Member States have in like manner, and it displays the open technique for coordination as an issue to move past these points of confinement without intimating further transferrals of forces from the Member States to the Union.
Fundamental Rights and issue of proficiency
The guarding capacity that fundamental rights have satisfied in the arrangement of the Union is generally reported. Fundamental rights were transported in and created in the legitimate request of the Union to react to the anticipation that the transferral of forces from the Member States to the European Union would bring about reducing the level of assurance delighted in by the people under the national lawful frameworks.
This clarifies both the introductory advancement of fundamental rights as general standards of EC law by the European Court of Justice, and the translation by the Court of the optional enactment which tries to offer a negligible level of security of fundamental rights at the level of the Union or opposite the foundations of the Union (Coppel & O’Neill 1993).
Fundamental rights as external threshold
Fundamental rights are thought about in the structure of the Union as points of confinement, and not as an issue to satisfy. They make certain demarcations that cannot be undermined; they do not demonstrate the course in which to make headway.
This trademark has been most unmistakably communicated by the European Court of Justice in the Opinion 2/94 that was conveyed on the inquiry of the promotion of the European Community to the European Convention on Human Rights. It expressed that the Community foundations don’t have available to them a ‘general force to establish leads on human rights or to close global traditions in this field’, in spite of the fact that it didn’t address that appreciation for human rights constituted a ‘state of legality of Community acts’.
The centrality of these announcements has been tremendously wrangled in convention. Specifically, Ph. Alston and J.H.H. Weiler have underlined that the Court in that Opinion at no time proposed that ‘the security of human rights was not a target of the Community, nor did it say that the Community needed fitness to enact in the field of human rights’ (Alston & Weiler 1999).
The Convention in charge of the drafting of the Treaty securing a Constitution for Europe, on the other hand, appears to have received the inverse perspective, by considering that fundamental rights as a rule don’t constitute a destination of the Union, albeit a percentage of the qualities recorded in the Charter of Fundamental Rights have been raised to the level of targets of the Union.
This last view, in fact, appears to speak to the prevailing conclusion. Human rights are stipulations which the establishments of the Union need to consider in all their exercises. On a fundamental level, they are not targets to be satisfied by the foundations in the activity of their forces. According to that context, fundamental rights stay outer points of confinement forced on the Union.
The impartiality on distribution of expertise between the Union and the Member States
Second and all the more in a general sense, the instrumental mode through which major rights were transported in inside the established structure of the Union – all the more definitely: the way they were included to that structure – intimates a division between the rationale which managed the division of abilities between the Member States and the European Economic Community, and now the European Community and the Union, from one perspective, and the rationale of fundamental rights, then again.
Up to this point, these two inquiries have been dealt with as plainly different. How the forces ought to be imparted, or ascribed, has never been settled on the premise of the outcomes the diverse modalities would create on the security of crucial rights.
Rather, when the talk on fundamental rights rose in the connection of the EEC in the late 1960s, the security of fundamental rights through the general standards of Community law was introduced as important to utmost the dangers involved for the privileges of the single person by the confirmation of the supremacy of European Law on the national law of the Member States and the distinguishment of its coordinate impact inside the national legitimate requests.
The need to admiration fundamental rights, therefore, went hand in hand with the transferral of forces. Yet the association went just in that bearing: the transfer of powers to the Community and the Union, on a fundamental level, has not been advocated by the need to guarantee a viable assurance of major rights.
Fundamental rights – Different than basic market freedoms
In spite of the obvious hesitance of the European Court of Justice to peruse social rights into the Treaty of Rome past those which are expressly perceived, the Court did acknowledge that States may defend forcing certain obstructions with the free development of merchandise, the free procurement of administrations, or opportunity of rivalry, where these impedances were defended by the need to save certain social rights or to advance targets of a social nature.
Nevertheless, the point of concern is whether the objectives have been met or not (Barnard 1996; Davies 1993; Deakin 1996; Kenner 2003). This is obviously to be invited.
It highlights, on the other hand, a third outcome on the status of fundamental rights in the EU lawful request of their instrumental nature, i.e., of the way that fundamental rights were foreign made inside EU law keeping in mind the end goal to secure the Union from the allegation that the development of its powers would bring about bringing down the assurance of the rights which the people appreciated under the national legitimate frameworks.
Surely, in this connection, where a clash emerges between the supposed ‘crucial opportunities’ perceived by the EC Treaty and the insurance of fundamental rights, the European Court of Justice has a tendency to acknowledge that the last target may advocate that certain confinements be forced on the previous, yet just to the degree that forcing such an impediment is vital for a Member State to appreciation its commitment towards human rights.
The further a State wishes to go on the way of the dynamic acknowledgment of human rights, the more troublesome it might be for the State to legitimise such confinements. This relationship between financial flexibilities constitutive of the inside business and fundamental rights – especially social rights – is obviously an outcome of the diverse capacities these sureties satisfy in the protected structure of the Union.
As communicated by Nicholas Barnard, business rights have been conjured in a hostile mode against measures received by Member States vulnerable of frustrating the acknowledgment of the inner business (Bernard 2003). By method for complexity, social rights have essentially been conjured in an opposing, to secure national capability from Community law invasions prone to have a negative effect on national frameworks of social security.
The intermediate view
There exists, accordingly, the established perspective, which Article 51 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights looked to solidify; and there exist the building squares for an option view, which would profoundly stretch the extent of use of the fundamental rights perceived inside the lawful request of the Union, contribute the Union with an order to understand them, and make the assignment of skills between the Union and the Member States subordinate to the need to guarantee the successful assurance of fundamental rights, as opposed to have this insurance rely on upon the current portion of abilities.
A third view might likewise be safeguarded. This perspective does not keep itself to the established understanding of the capacity of fundamental rights inside the protected structure of the Union; not one or the other does it deliver the sweeping outcomes the option see recently exhibited may involve, which are dreaded by numerous and would absolutely change the European Union into an association committed to the advancement and assurance of human rights.
The point of contention is to understand the extent to which the Charter of Fundamental Rights could be considered to accomplish its principles (Búrca 2003b).
Forces to create fundamental rights strategy for the Union
The moderate perspective investigated here is this. With a specific end goal to encourage agreeability with the positive commitments got from the Charter, the Union ought to be perceived suggested forces to understand certain fundamental privileges of the Charter, when these harmonise with targets the Union needs to satisfy; despite the fact that the crucial rights arrangement of the Union ought not prompt the transferral of supplementary skills to the Union.
It might be focused around the requirement for the Union to practice the forces it imparts to the Member States, where the decentralised usage of fundamental rights produces imperfect results; at long last, a commitment to act to actualise the privileges of the Charter at the level of the Union may be forced, specifically, where separating methodologies to fundamental rights danger making an impediment to the key opportunities of development perceived by Union law – at present, by the EC Treaty.
In addition, as the Member States are bound by the Charter in the execution of Union law, they may be obliged not just to avoid abusing the privileges of the Charter when they execute Union law, additionally to take measures to guarantee that fundamental privileges of the Charter will be completely ensured in the concerned territories. Even though the implementation of fundamental rights does not have a reference in EU’s objectives, Opinion 2/94 has implications for the same (Weiler & Fries 1999).
Constructive commitments drawn from the Charter
It can’t be rejected from the earlier that the Charter may force such a commitment on the Union organisations (Alston & Weiler 1999). Article 51(1) of the Charter specifies that the organisations and bodies of the Union and the Member States, to which the Charter is tended to, are gratified to advance the implementation of the rights and standards contained in the Charter.
The detailing proposes in any event that the drafters of the Charter perceived that it may force commitments past the simply negative obligation to keep away from meddling without avocation with these rights and standards (Maduro 2003). This ought not to be seen as being in strain with the procurement as indicated by which the Charter does not secure any new power or assignment for the Community or the Union, or alter powers and undertakings characterised by the Treaties (Article 51(2)).
In reality, as obviously perceived for example by the Working Group II ‘Consolidation of the Charter/promotion to the ECHR’ comprised inside the European Convention, where similar inquiry emerged as the Group surveyed the effect that the increase of the Union to the ECHR would have on the division of forces between the Member States and the Union, the activity of existing powers with a specific end goal to adjust to fundamental rights does not sum to the transferral of new powers.
Given the solid connection which the drafters of the Charter have looked to keep up between that instrument and the European Convention on Human Rights, in addition, this thinking for every similarity appears to be consummately reasonable. It is in accordance with the thought that, as the Charter of Fundamental Rights constitutes an instrument for the security of human rights, it ought to be deciphered likewise, and thusly ought to be seen as fit for forcing positive commitments where this seems, by all accounts, to be needed for the powerful insurance of those rights.
Barnard (2000) and Wedderburn (1992) contend that in an attempt to minimise the level of safeguarding fundamental rights, member states have a tendency to enter competition with their counterparts as far as deregulation of economic activities is concerned.
The meaning of an abnormal state of insurance of fundamental rights under Union law
Obviously, the Member States are certain to admiration the Charter of Fundamental Rights when they actualise Union law. It is expressed, on the other hand, that Union law itself ought to specify the assurances got from the Charter, as opposed to abandon it to the Member States to distinguish such ensures when they perform in the extent of use of Union law, under the control of the European Court of Justice.
The Member States are under commitment to uphold fundamental rights when they perform in the area of utilisation of Union law. This is not a substitute for guaranteeing, in every particular circumstance, that these rights will without a doubt be completely regarded by the Member States in this system.
A positive commitment ought to be forced on the Union administrator to guarantee that where it intercedes, and accordingly develops the extent of use of EU law, it builds its intercession with respect to an abnormal state of insurance of fundamental rights.
In reality, where an EU instrument characterises rather a certain insignificant level of assurance of certain fundamental rights or makes for the profit of the Member States certain special cases, this may make the feeling that gave they agree that instrument or stay inside the limits set by that exemption, the Member States are acting in congruity with the necessities of fundamental rights – an impression which, albeit in specific cases mixed up, may be hard to disperse.
Also, a preventive methodology of the dangers of crucial rights being disregarded, over a methodology which satisfies itself with the presence of a post hoc legal control including an audit of whether the Member States follow fundamental rights when they act under Union law.
To be sure, this last approach brings about subordinating the level of insurance of fundamental rights to the extent of the forces of the European Court of Justice and the components through which these forces may be worked out. Three different contemplations may be advanced to defend this assertion on a preventive methodology, in light of the burden of a positive commitment on the Union legislator.
Conclusion
European Union nations are bound by the EU Charter; the Charter includes details of human rights that have been approved by the EU. European Union nations have an obligation towards implementing the EU law but at the same time, they have to ensure that the fundamental rights of their citizens are not compromised under any circumstances.
As such, the Charter has become an effective tool for the people. By virtue of their fundamental rights, they are authorised to question the EU and/or its member states if they fail to deliver according to the provisions of the Charter.
The Charter also assists policy makers to formulate policies and strategies that are in congruence with the human rights requirements. Member states are individually responsible for upholding the fundamental rights of their citizens. In order to assist them in this endeavour, various courts have been set up to give judgments pertaining to conflicts on fundamental rights.
The penalty for non compliance of EU law is an exemplar of the apprehensions that might arise due to a difference between the commitment to execute the concerned law and the obligations of fundamental rights (Snyder 1993; Fitzpatrick & Szyszczak 1994).
References
Alston, P & Weiler, J H H 1999, ‘An even closer Union in need of a human rights policy: the European Union and human rights’, in Ph Alston, M Bustelo & J Heenan (eds), The EU and human rights , Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 24-25.
Barnard, C 1996, ‘The economic objectives of Article 119’, in T Hervey & D O’Keeffe (eds), Sex Equality Law in the European Union , Wiley, Chichester.
Barnard, C 2000, ‘Social dumping and the race to the bottom: some lessons for the European Union from Delaware?’, European Law Review , vol. 25, no. 1, p. 57.
Bernard, N 2003, ‘A new governance approach to economic, social and cultural rights in the EU’, in T Hervey & J Kenner (eds), Economic and social rights under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. A legal perspective , Hart Publications, Oxford, p. 249.
Búrca, G 2003a, ‘The constitutional challenge of new governance in the European Union’, E.L.Rev. , vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 814-839.
Búrca, G 2003b, ‘Fundamental rights and citizenship’, in B de Witte (eds), Ten reflections on the Constitutional Treaty for Europe , Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies and Academy of European Law, European University Institute, p. 21.
Coppel, J & O’Neill, A 1993, ‘The European Court of Justice: taking rights seriously?’, Common Market L. Rev. , vol. 29, no. 1, p. 669.
Davies, P 1993, ‘The Emergence of European Labour Law’, in W McCarthy (eds), Legal intervention in industrial relations: gains and losses , Blackwell Publ., London, pp. 313-359.
Deakin, S 1996, ‘Labour law as market regulation: the economic foundations of European Social Policy’, in P Davies, A Lyon-Caen, S Sciarra & S Simitis (eds), European community labour law: principles and perspectives , Clarendon Press, Oxford, pp. 62-93.
Fitzpatrick, B & Szyszczak, E 1994, ‘Remedies and Effective Judicial Protection in Community Law’, Mod. L. Rev. , vol. 57, no. 1, p. 434.
Kenner, J 2003, EU Employment Law. From Rome to Amsterdam and beyond , Hart Publishing, Oxford and Portland, pp. 2-6.
Maduro, M P 2003, ‘The double constitutional life of the Charter of Fundamental Rights’, in E O Erikson, J E Fossum & A J Menendez (eds), The chartering of Europe. The Europe Charter of Fundamental Rights and its constitutional implications , Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, Baden-Baden, p. 199.
Snyder, F 1993, ‘The Effectiveness of European Community Law: Institutions, Processes, Tools and Techniques’, Mod. L. Rev. , vol. 56, no. 1, p. 19.
Wedderburn, L 1992, Inderogability, Collective Agreements and Community Law’, Industrial Law Journal , vol. 21, no. 1, p. 245.
Weiler, J H H & Fries, S 1999, ‘A human rights policy for the European Community and Union: the question of competences’, in Ph Alston, M Bustelo & J Heenan (eds), The EU and Human Rights , Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 159-160.
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China’s Country Factor Analysis Report
Executive Summary
The purpose of this business report is to analyze and evaluate China’s current position in the global market from its past situation to the strategic changes that the country has taken to deal with the ever changing world business market. This will be done using several technical business models.
The analysis and evaluation explains whether an Australian automobile will be attractive in the Chinese market. This is done through conducting a professional investigation that reveals the external forces, such as, political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological that plays a major role in China’s global growth.
Through understanding this breakdown, the current strategic position and management can be explained and understood thoroughly. This helps a foreign investor to decide whether or not to invest in China. This analysis is done specifically to determine the economic attractiveness of automobile from Australia in the Chinese market. This is because automobile in Australia is only marketed domestically but with the increase in globalization, there is need to venture into other countries.
Austria concentrates in the production and marketing of agricultural products and mining which do not earn huge amounts of foreign income. To increase its GDP, Australia has to concentrate on the manufacturing sector especially the manufacturing of automobile since it has a lot of raw materials. China is one of the economically stable countries and should be the target country for the export of automobile from Australia.
Introduction
China is a Middle East country that has undergone rapid economic growth rate in the recent past. The economic growth is a major determinant for any investor in making a decision on whether to make an investment in the country or not. In the past decade the economy has been experiencing a positive economic growth rate estimated at 12%.
In conjunction with the economic growth rate, the government has decided to engage itself in numerous developmental activities, for instance, infrastructure building, development of the financial sector, and technological advancement. The rate of taxation in the county is as low as 25% corporation rate making it easy for many investors to invest in the country.
The rate of growth has so far been stable and it is expected to remain the same in the foreseeable future. With this rate of growth and economic situation, a foreign business is likely to experience positive effects both in the short and long term. This paper will analyze the external environment in China (PESTEL analysis) to investigate whether automobiles from Australian will be successful if marketed in China. It also gives some of the benefits and risks that come along with trading in China.
External Environment Analysis
P.E.S.T.E.L Analysis
P.E.S.T.E.L analysis is a management tool that assists organizations in making informed decision on how they are going to respond to the external environment. There is very little that a company can do to avoid the effect of the outside world. P.E.S.T.E.L is an acronym that stands for political, economical, social, legal, and environment.
Political
* Government regulation
* Taxation policies
* Regulation on excess capacity
China in its position as a world trade area has embarked on becoming a political neutral country and so far there is no country in the world that cannot trade with it on political grounds. During elections, democracy is highly adhered to and has a smooth power transition. The government policies are geared towards developing a good working environment in the entire country. The political situation of the country is thus favourable for business (Witzell & Lee, 1990).
Economic
* Economic growth rate
* Taxation
* Infrastructure
In the past decade the economy of china has been on a positive economic growth rate. According to Fan and Chan-Kang (2005), the average rate of growth has been 12%. Alongside the economic growth rate the government is engaging in numerous developmental processes, which include infrastructure building and technological advancement. The rate of taxation in the country is one of the lowest standing at 25% corporation rate (Wu, 2006).
The rate has so far been stable and it is expected to remain the same in the foreseeable future. With this rate of growth and economic situation the business is likely to enjoy in the short and long term. The economic crisis that hit the entire world in end of 2007 proved a lot about China, it has been described as the only country that was able to record a sensible economic growth rate this illustrate the stability of Chinese economy, a good feature in any business venture.
Social-Cultural
* Lifestyle trends and consumer preferences
* Demographic changes
* Leisure activities
* Increased spending
The attitude that the Chinese people have adopted is the attitude that embraces change and they have no ill heart for foreigners. They are willing to trade with anyone. There is an artificial social setting that is set by the numerous traders in the country. This has created an environment that all players are at the same level. There are no threats as far as the social environment is concerned (Randall, 2007).
Technological
* Innovation capacity
* Changes in technology
* Improved infrastructure
China is one of the technologically developed countries in the world. The technology is not stagnant and the country is willing to develop and adopt new and better technologies. With advancement in the level of technology, the cost of production has reduced and thus better profit margins.
The competitiveness of the new venture is enhanced due to the use of efficient technologies (Kilgrer, 2009). China is among the countries in the world that have the most advanced technology. This is through innovations that the Chinese people have embraced as well as importation of technology from other countries.
In today’s world, many products, ranging from electronics to domestics are imported from China. High technology assist in efficiency and reduction in the cost of production; this means that a business in China is more likely to produce quality and quantity at a very low price compared to other places in the world (Denis-Fred, 2003). China has also embarked on improving the technologies of other countries to suit its system. This will be an advantage for Australian automobile.
Environmental
The country values its environment and the world environment in general. It has policies that are targeted to compel companies to respect nature. On the positive note, since the country policy makers realize that no production can be made without emission of waste, it has embarked on waste recycling technologies as well as adopting environmental friendly technologies.
With this, a foreign company will not be let down by the regulation but will adopt the available remedies. It will also consider environmental conservation as its social corporate responsibility in order to fit in Chinese market.
SWOT analysis for Australian products
Strengths
1. Strong economic situation Weaknesses
2. Strong market position 1. Disappointing financial returns– asset, investment & equity returns
3. High turnover growth 2. Debt to Equity financing– future risks of high borrowing & cumulative interest
4. Effective distribution channels that reduces costs & improves cash flows. 3. Inconsistent growth & income revenue- cyclical results
5. Marketing power & growth- strong brand creation through cross-promotion 4. Inflexibility
6. Tax advantage in different countries- lower corporate taxes
Opportunities Threats
1. International business expansion 1. Global competition
2. Market development 2. Intense rivalry
3. Increasing technological advancements. 3. Political problems
4. Emerging markets 4. Price competition
Benefits of Investing in China
African countries have diverted their trading to China and killing the predominant markets of the west. This has been through the creation of a partnership kind of trading where we find contractors in Africa from china. These contracts are made through the creation of a long lasting relationship. Also, the western countries have a share in the Chinese market. Among the strategies that China has employed to attain this world economic command is the incentives they give to the sector players in the country.
According to Gsene (2002),”The outside world has an impact for change in China.” (p34). This statement emphasizes the move that china has taken to improve the economic situation of the country. It has realized that, to be successful it involves doing something extra and China has done it. Getting a visa and business permit to china is one of the simplest ways; no restrictions and thus trade is highly advantaged.
Infrastructure
China has highly modern developed infrastructures. The systems are advanced so well that asses to the country from any corner of the world is highly enhanced, the airports, the sea port, and internal transport are well managed and assessable. The communication network within and without is of high-technology (Fan & Chan-kang, 2005). This is an asset to the business since it reduces the cost of doing business. On the other hand, the international market is enhanced at all lengths.
The sectors have seen the private and public participation, this boosts the efficiency of the systems and thus one can trade with approximate assumptions. There is what the government refers to as private public partnership that is aimed at maintaining the infrastructures. This means that the continuity of the countries good systems have been taken care of. Hutrerd (2004) notes that, “China has an integrated infrastructure for moving goods in the digital age.” (p31).
Financial Sectors
China has a well developed financial sector with the privatized and government participation. The banks are stable enough to sustain the growing economy. Micro finance institutions have emerged in the country giving support to the small scale traders who are distributed all over the country (Zheng, 2009). Insurance companies are also the backbone of investment sector of an economy and China is not left behind. The insurance companies are stable enough and can handle big losses without going under.
At the same time, there are reinvestment insurance companies in the country, which help in maintaining stability even further. The banking sector has enabled firms to get loans at favourable rates. The insurance and the banking sectors thus have both direct and indirect effects. An example of a direct effect is the improvement on efficiency of these institutions and from an indirect effect empowerment of other sectors that trickle down to any business venture.
Risks
It is a growing perception, of late, that the quality of Chinese goods is questionable. This may be true because some companies are not maintaining the quality so required. This may be because the industries are so many that the government is not able to keep the quality at all times. This is likely to have a negative effect not only to the economy of China but also to the countries that are trading with it or those that that are considering trading with China (Reuvid & Li, 2005).
To ensure that this does not have a negative impact on the Australian automobile, a quality policy should be thought of before starting up the business. It is easy to keep in business always if the brand name is attractive and it is protected. Due to the high population there are social evils in the country that can influence the decision negatively. However, the government has continued to assure that security is checked. It has invested in modern security systems to boost the security systems.
Recommendation & Conclusion
The external forces described above can help in the determination of the Chinese market growth (or decline) and the implication of its strategic business unit.
If an economic recession occurs, the economic forces may have a considerable bearing on the future market strategies through ripple effects on the political and socio-cultural factors. Political factors put a restriction on the development of the industry by putting tough taxes and regulation requirements. However, through the above analysis, it is clear that China is a viable country for any investor to consider venturing into it.
It has a strong economic position and also the political situation is stable. China is slowly portraying itself as the world economic driver; this means that each and every country, individuals and companies are considering China as the trade partner, a thing that has boosted the economy of the country. The fact that each country is willing to trade with it has set the country in a good pace, now heading to be a political neutral country.
As nations get more confident in the country, the more they will be willing to trade with China and thus the market stands to gain. This has a positive effect on the business since Australian automobile will not be depending on local market alone but the entire world. China has come up as a bargaining market where traders interact in an open market. As the world come to fetch for varieties, Australian automobile industry will be one of these variety providers.
Reference List
Denis-Fred, S. (2003). Technological Innovation in China: The Case of Shanghai’s Electronics Industry . New York: Detlef Rehn.
Fan, S., and Chan-kang, C. (2005). Road Development, Economic Growth, and Poverty Reduction in China Intel Food Policy . New York: Rest institute.
Gsene, M. (2002). China in the World Market . Cambridge: Cambridge university press.
Hutrerd, R. (2004). Moving People, Goods and Information: The Cutting-Edge Infrastructures of Networked Cities . New York: Taylor & Francis Inc.
Kilgrer, J. (2009). Walking Dragon . New York: Times Press.
Randall, P. (2007). China Modernizes: Threat To The West, Or Model For The Rest? New York: Oxford University Press
Reuvid, J. and Li, Y. (2005). Doing Business with China . London: GMB Publishing Ltd.
Witzell, W., and Lee. S. (1990). Closing the Gap: Computer Development in the People’s Republic of China Technology and Culture . London: The Johns Hopkins University Press
Wu, Y. (2006). Economic Growth, Transition, and Globalization in China, Volume 2005 . New York: Edward Elgar publishing.
Zheng, Y. (2009). China Opening Society . London: Routledge.
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Park Therapeutic Recreation Programs Essay
Table of Contents
1. Contextual environment
2. Assessing of individual care needs of the client
3. Program implementation
4. Evaluation
5. References
Contextual environment
This is an analysis of Berala on the Park therapeutic recreation programs. Berala Park is twenty-four hours nursing care that offers high quality services and care to clients of all ages. Additionally, Berala Park offers leisure and recreational activities. Berala Park services are categorized into three groups, which include health, lifestyle and activities (Berala on the Park, 2012).
Berala on the Park mission is to provide “optimum quality resident care delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, professionalism and individual pride.” At the same time, the Berala on the Park is dedicated to providing excellence and compassionate care services to the aging members of the society.
The premise has established itself as a place where caring begins, and life continues. The main goal of Berala on the Park is to deliver a sustainable, healthy, and comfortable living environment for the aging. At the same time, Berala aims at providing a conducive environment that encompasses freedom, peace, and individuality. It is aimed at gaining new knowledge and insight into aged care so as to ensure high quality care services are delivered (Berala on the Park, 2012).
Berala offers low, high, dementia, and low and high respite care accommodation services to the elderly. Low care accommodation allows the client to enjoy the freedom and independence while being cared. It provides independent choices for the client and ensures that home setting environment that is warm, friendly and sociable.
High level care guarantees Gold standard level of care to the elderly by delivering quality service facilities, and comfort. This ensures the same environment is provided to the client family at the same time. High level care is designed to ensure that residents enjoy relaxing and pure comfort of peace. Low and high respite care are a flexible service that is designed for short-term stays. It gives the exact quality services as enjoyed by other permanent residents.
Various researches show that active treatment of delirium, depression and cognitive deficits caused by dementia are best treated through a supportive environment (Poole, 2000). It is on this basis that Berala on the Park introduced dementia care. Berala dementia care caters for emotional care of its residents by providing necessary care assistance. They encourage the participation of the elderly in the activities as well as providing a cheerful and friendly environment for the residents.
The primary focus of Berala on the Park is to make sure that the needs for the ageing individual are catered. At the same time, it gives the client and his or her family with peace of mind in a more professional way. Rooms at the facility are designed to ensure that paramount comfort is guaranteed. Air conditioning, flat screen televisions, fridge, telephones, broadband connectivity, and most modern en-suit are provided in all rooms. The facility has a 9A Grade hospital building that is in compliance with hospital grade standards.
Berala on the Park has highly qualified and experienced staffs that ensure that the needs of all clients are adequately met. The dedication of nurses to the service of the clients makes your stay at the facility a very nice experience for yourself and your family. The residence offers amazing and stimulating activities to the residents at all times.
Extensive activities program ensures that residents have fun and enjoy themselves with various activities such as bingo, bowls, concerts, karaoke, among other activities that are offered. Divisional Therapist creates full time activities that suit every choice. These therapeutic activities are to encourage social interaction and cultivate a sense of belonging to the residents.
Parole has well structured lifestyle that encourages residents to participate in leisure and therapeutic activities. Social and leisure assessment activities encourage individual residents’ input in the development of their own lifestyle care plans. These programs are maintained by divisional therapist officers.
Daily Physio aide exercise programs in the residence, live entertainment, morning music, gentle exercise activities, reminiscence or reflection sessions such as nostalgia mornings and memory boxes, aromatherapy and art are other therapeutic activities that the majority of resident finds very important (Astin, 1999).
Berala has improved technology for instance; televisions sets at the home interact with the call bell system, communication infrastructure such as phone systems such as call mobile and STD numbers, and new DECT phone. Berala staff also participates in activities with the residents. That such activities are all inclusive of the staff are exercises, music, and games. Other activities offered include art and craft, dancing, reading, scrabble, outings, and tai chi.
Berala has a stack to this philosophy by continuously pursuing improvement their building and making rooms more specious (Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Limited, 2009). All the workers have the skills of performing tasks. This ensures that education that is provided by the staff to the residents meets their needs. The company has a stack on its philosophy to offer quality care by intensively proper training and education of the staff.
Education relating to accreditation standards is regularly provided to the staffs which usually include quality management, aged care, administration and mentoring. Additionally, Berala in its philosophy is committed to maximizing residents privacy and dignity at all times. The staffs are adequately trained to manage the resident’s privacy by always requesting permission from the residents to access their rooms.
In support of its ageing care services, the company ensures that excellent meals are prepared for the residents. The home has chefs that that develop and prepare menus that provide fresh food for the resident. Above all, meals are very nutritious and delicious with seasonal ingredients that guarantee excellent satisfaction. The dishes provided are homemade and meet certain dietary needs of different residents.
At this point, it’s important to reemphasize the special attachment that Berala has for the aged individuals in the society. Residential aged care homes play a very important role in providing accommodation and support for elderly people in society who are unable to live independently at home. It is for the realization of these that Berala has endeavored to provide beautiful and friendly environment for resident through quality care, activities, meals, and accommodation.
Assessing of individual care needs of the client
The client I worked with in my program is called Betty. Betty is 80 years old retiree. Betty has not received any advanced aged care since she left Berala on the Park home in the last five years. Bettie experiences pain on a regular basis that has had a significant effect her individual quality of life for the last twenty years.
The pain has decreased her ability to function effectively thereby limiting her mobility, social interaction, appetite, and rest patterns. More so, the pain seems to have changed her psychological well-being for some time now. This has left her more anxious and depressed. Betty is on pharmacological pain management strategies on a daily basis of low and high respite care of Berala home.
Betty is an eloquent speaker with jovial character when a person gets used to her. What fascinates me about her is her composure and love of music and dancing. She particularly enjoys dancing to pop and jazz music and watching cartoon network. At the same time, she is a great fan of topic comic and reality shows.
Since pain assessment and diagnosis is carried out for residents with dementia or severe cognitive impairment, Betty gets the much needed assistance from the Berala home. She receives a high level of care and assistance that encourage her to participate in activities as well as stimulating mentally by creating social friends. This leaves her more cheerful than before.
Program implementation
Since Betty loves music, dancing, and watching top comic and reality shows, the intended program for her is leisure and recreation. The activity for the client should capture her likings so as a combination her current pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment can be successful. The illness caused her to be more anxious and depressed, therefore, the program is aimed at letting her recognize her that she only but her early stage dementia.
Letting her being engaged in listening to music or using imagery techniques like big screen top comic shows is inevitable in her program. This distraction will help her during painful episodes. It is good to realize that music episodes are important in reducing disrupting behavior of aggression by dementia residents. At the same time, this program requires someone who is cheerful so that my client stay active all the time.
Additionally, aerobic exercises, strengthening stretching, dancing will be fundamental in pain management so as to improve her conditions as well as improving her mood and pain intensity. At the same time, the program cognitive-behavioral therapy will be vital in reducing her anxiety and depression (The Australian Pain Society, 2005).
Evaluation
This program is not unique when compared to other pain and dementia programs in many residential aged care homes, in Australia. This is a positive score for the entire program that my client is to undertake. Well trained, educated and experienced personnel in pain management are required in such programs due to the fact that quality services are required for this program to be successful (Warden & Volicer, 2003).
These professional will be required in the program because of the attention required to avoid moving few step backs in the treatment process. This program might call for multidisciplinary collaboration of the family, nurses, physiotherapists or health professional as well as care workers.
The major aim of the program will be decreasing the pain of my client to a bearable level, and that is the essence of involvement of all these professional groups at one stage of the stages within the program. Education programs of the scope of the program activities will be made available on a regular basis to the staff as update of improving the pain management program (Parsons & Preece, 2010).
The severity of the pain will be regularly be monitored for effective treatment. Pain assessment scales can be used in the evaluation of the pain dimension during the program. The scales are used on a daily basis so as to check the changes in severity, of the pain and check whether the treatment activities are effective and how they can be improved (art et al., 2008). It is important to note that the client will also have a vital role in the program.
Betty’s individual goals are two established first and then become more honest about the treatment activities. Realistic goals of the therapy will be shared between the client and his family. Maintaining of top priority of the treatment goals will be core to the program (Steinhauser et al., 2000).
Post implementation audit is also critical is checking whether the resident pain treatment program has been completed within the required time. The program is expected to have a profound improvement in the condition being faced by my client. The major challenge of the program will be keeping the progress of the program on track so as to achieve the program goals as anticipated.
To ensure the success of the program and especially with regard to her favorite things she likes doing, I bought her favorite top comics and music and recommended the home on the best entertainment specification that are important in the entire process. From my interaction with her, she is a corporate woman willing to engage in activities that are likely to improve her conditions.
The success of this entire program depends on the staff who will be attending to her, her corporation, which is positive alongside other factor. This program promises good outcome due to the effectiveness of the treatment activities and, therefore, very important and highly recommended to other clients.
References
Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency limited. (2009). Decision to Accredit Berala on the Park. Web.
Astin, J.A. (1998). Why patients use alternative medicine: Results of a national study. British Medical Journal, 279 (19), 1548-1553.
Auret, K. A., Toye, C., Gluck, R., Kristjanson, L. J., Bruce, D., & Schug, S. (2008).
Development and testing of a modified version of the Brief Pain Inventory for use in residential aged care facilities. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society , 56 (2), 301-306.
Berala on the Park. (2012). About us . Web.
Parsons, G., & Preece, W. (2010). Principles and practice of managing pain: A guide for nurses and allied health professionals . England: McGraw Hill Open University Press.
Poole, J. (2000). Nursing Management of Disturbed Behavior in Aged Care Facilities. Web.
Steinhauser, K.E., Christakis, N.A., Clipp, E.C., McNeilly, M., McIntyre, L., Tulsky, J.A.
(2000). Factors considered important at the end of life by patients, family, physicians and other care providers. Journal of the American Medical Association, 284, 2476-2482.
The Australian Pain Society. (2005). Pain in Residential Care Facilities: Management Strategies. North Sydney, NSW.
Warden, V. H. & Volicer L. (2003). Development and psychometric scale. Journal of American Medical Directors, 4 (1): 9-15.
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Policy Analysis: Rules for Growing Medical Marijuana Essay
Table of Contents
1. Description
2. Healthcare and Social Determinants of Health
3. Special Interest Groups and Fiscal Impact
4. Impact on Community
5. Justification and Concluding Points
The title of the bill is “SB 8A – Establishes Rules for Growing Medical Marijuana”. It was introduced on June 7, 2017, by Senator Bradley. The bill represents the state of Florida. Since companion bills have been passed, the policy will go into effect after the companion initiatives have been considered.
Description
The bill attempts to specify the conditions of growing marijuana for medical use. It outlines that the state’s sales tax should be exempted. In addition, it defines the medical conditions in which this treatment can be prescribed to patients. Initially, several chronic diseases such as increased spasmodic disorders, multiple sclerosis, and other illnesses have been included in the list of diseases allowing the consumption of this substance for medical purposes.
The current bill has expanded this list to include cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, and other severe conditions. Apart from that, the initiative requires testing laboratories and research organizations to advance the existing body of knowledge in this field. Overall, the main goal of the document is to address the health needs of people requiring marijuana to relieve the manifestations of their illness as well as the implications of growing marijuana for medical purposes.
Healthcare and Social Determinants of Health
The bill has a potential to improve as well as to hurt healthcare. On the one hand, people requiring the use of marijuana to help them cope with the negative manifestations of their health status will receive quality care that corresponds to their needs. On the other hand, healthcare institutions will be subjected to reformations to be able to address the implications of SB 8A. In addition, growing medical marijuana can be associated with the recreational use of this substance, which can lead to false representations in people to whom marijuana has not been indicated.
Social determinants of health can also be affected by this bill. In particular, such negative manifestations as unemployment and poverty can determine the way people perceive the use of marijuana and the reasons for growing it. It can also lead to substance abuse. Therefore, the bill has a potential to change the social context for marijuana consumption.
Special Interest Groups and Fiscal Impact
The two special interest groups that will promote the legislation are Marijuana Policy Project and National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The parties that are likely to oppose the bill are police unions, alcohol companies, and pharmaceutical corporations. The latter two parties can oppose the bill because it will affect their revenues.
Importantly, no tax or fee issues will be present. The bill will influence both the private and the government sector, which is reasonable. In the first instance, institutions will have to experience increased licensing costs. In addition, laboratories will need to receive additional certification to be able to meet the new standards. In the second instance, governmental institutions may face increased expenditures related to the implementation of the new provisions. However, these costs can be compensated through licensure fees.
Impact on Community
The policy will have a negative, as well as a positive impact on the general community. If the bill is passed, the social norms of recreational and medical marijuana use are likely to be distorted. However, the individuals requiring this form of care will be able to receive it to achieve a positive health status. If the bill died, the perceived risk of use would be likely to increase. It can be assumed that the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration will review and enforce this legislation if it is accepted.
Justification and Concluding Points
It is difficult to state unequivocally whether the bill should pass or not. The consequences of it will be both positive and negative. Theoretically, it should be approved if growing medical marijuana does not result in its popularization and if the substance is used in the conditions specified by healthcare specialists. Overall, if the policy is accepted, a greater degree of responsibility will be placed on the healthcare industry and the population.
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The Quest for Arthur’s Britain Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Main Text
3. Conclusion
4. References
Introduction
The story of King Arthur has captivated readers for a long time and stories of the great king, complete with the Wizard Merlin, Sword of Excalibur, Knights of the Round Table, have become a part of the folklore. However, there is much debate and scepticism whether King Arthur actually existed and if any of the stories have really happened. The paper would discuss if King Arthur was real, mythical, legendary or a mixture of all.
Main Text
Ashe (1985) comments that King Arthur first finds mention in the 1138 work of Geoffrey of Monmouth who wrote the book History of the Kings of Britain. In this work, King Arthur is reported to have fought the Saxons when they invaded Britain in the 5th century. The King engaged in a series of romantic battles and finally managed to drive away from the invasion. He also manages to conquer Denmark, Norway and Gaul. Experts have argued that argues that the work of Geoffrey was nothing but fiction that was based on old songs and fables that tended to glorify the King. According to the sceptics, there was nothing like Merlin the Wizard or the Excalibur sword. Ashe does not believe that King Arthur was a totally fictional character and argues that the story penned by Geoffrey was based on an actual king called Riotamus who ruled Britain in the 5th century. While he agrees that over the centuries, King Arthur has been glorified by fables and folklore and recently in operas and movies, there is some substance to the legend.
Barber (1986) comments that the medieval scribes were very much prone to fictionalising and inventing events and deeds of the historical characters. Literacy was very rare in those days, even many kings were illiterate, and what was worse, the kings excreted pressure on the hapless scribes under their service who were made to write historical facts as the kings wanted them to appear and not as the events had actually happened. The author argues that the notion of King Arthur as a romantic figure who threw out the invaders was very good and it served the Kings who used the legends to boost the morale of their armies. Many supernatural events that are described could not have conceivably happened and the story of the Excalibur sword and the Holy Grail was just a figment of imagination.
Coe (1995) however points out that there were a number of Celtic fables and folk songs that hailed Ambrosius Aurelianus as the brave warrior who held off the Romans and the Viking raiders. The songs are legends are often referenced with many actual facts and happenings that are part of documented history such as the Battle of Mount Badon where the Saxons were defeated. The author concludes that the legend of King Arthur grew from this warrior king who managed to save his people. Over the centuries, the name was anglicised to Arthur and this was the real king Arthur. The fifth century was a period of intense violence and wars with marauding enemies and mercenaries overrunning major parts of Europe. Britain was relatively protected since it was an island. Coe argues that in such conditions, the legend of King Arthur grew from old wives tales and gradually came into the popular folklore.
Conclusion
The paper thus concludes by saying that there is reasonable information to assume that a great King did live in the 5 th century who drove out the Saxons. He was called by many names and King Arthur is one of them. However, the legends attributed to him are not all true and much of these stories are fictionalised and romantic.
References
Ashe, Geoffrey. 1985. The Discovery of King Arthur. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday.
Barber, Richard. 1986. King Arthur: Hero and Legend. Woodbridge, UK: Boydell Press.
Coe, John B. 1995. The Celtic Sources for the Arthurian Legend. Felinfach, Lampeter: Llanerch.
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Gucci Perfume: Interior Design and Merchandising Report (Assessment)
Renowned for the excellent quality and luxurious style of the items sold, Gucci perfume stores are popular all over the world. Solid and innovative approach to the marketing and branding procedures preconditions high rate annual revenues of the company in the fragrance industry all over the world. In the following assessment paper, the current strategy and situation in Gucci perfume stores will be observed in detailed.
Current Gucci Perfume Stores Strategy
Gucci perfume stores philosophy is reflected in the following quotation, “quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten” (qtd. In Moorcroft 2004). In connection with the above-mentioned statement, Gucci perfume stores strategy is based on the idea that quality is crucial in giving a customer an idea of brand while price is not the most important variable. Thus, the company targets a category of financially secure and ambitious customers ready to invest in their image and knowing the price of luxury. Gucci targeted customer category is women between twenty and thirty belonging to the get set lifestyle or wishing to demonstrate their association with this category (Arrigo 2011).
Gucci perfume stores management bases the network strategy on the concept of distinctiveness and exclusivity among the target category of buyers. To promote company elitism, the leaders have designed an image of Gucci customer characterised by vibrant appearance, sexual appeal, and ambitious stance (Fig. 1). The image is widely represented in the media and shopping malls through massive advertising companies, innovative approach to marketing, and the whole experience of shopping with Gucci perfume stores. The aura of prestige communicated through the Gucci image gives added customer value to the products sold in Gucci perfume stores since consumers are ready to invest additional funds into associating themselves with the picture of success, sexuality, and exclusivity the brand is depicting (Arrigo 2011).
Fig. 1: Gucci Perfume Image Woman
Fig. 2: Gucci Store Interior Design
Fig. 3: Gucci Store Interior Design
Gucci perfume stores interior design ( Fig. 2, Fig. 3 ) is an essential attribute of Gucci image according to the company leaders (Arrigo 2011). For that reason, every single detail of store design is taken into account by the top management. The company strategy includes the following essential components of Gucci perfume stores decoration and operation worldwide: (1) location on expensive high streets or at the best shopping malls in a city; (2) provocative decoration of the window displays; (3) visually appealing interior with a free flow layout; and (4) comfortable consumer browsing of collection on exhibit. Apart from rich classic decor, the company concept includes standardised requirements to the store employees. All of them should meet the highest requirements to their appearance, they should be smartly dressed in clothing of dark colours, and their outfit is to feature high quality makeup. To conclude customer experience, distinctive packaging is utilized. All Gucci perfume stores are directly operated by the world headquarters in order to ensure strict control of the company image implementation.
Current Situation
Current business situation for Gucci perfume stores is favourable which can be seen from the following figures. According to Global Fragrances and Perfumes Industry (2013), Gucci perfume stores annual revenue in 2012 was $1552.6 million in the United States and internationally it exceeded $4464.4 million. In 2013, the U.S. market demonstrated 18% growth for the company and the international market maintained the rates of the previous year ( Global Fragrances and Perfumes Industry 2013). The increase at the American market is traditionally observed in the women’s sector. Nonetheless, the company was surprised to register the growth at the men’s sector that year ( Men’s fragrance sales soar in the UK and US 2013).
The key to success of Gucci perfume stores is exclusivity along with distinctiveness. The company works with the best designers, the most innovative developers, and the most ambitious and risky marketers. To illustrate, Gucci advertising company of ‘Opium’ perfume became one of the most controversial in Britain due to the use of a naked image of Sophie Dahl. Despite the uproar in society, the perfume company was a great success and won a number of prestigious awards in European advertising competitions (Arrigo 2011). Another example of Gucci advertising strategy is the advertisement in Vogue magazine with an image of a naked lady having the letter ‘G’ depicted on her private parts. The use of this audacious advertising solution helped Gucci boost customer awareness of the brand as well as ensure wide media coverage. Another winning strategy the company is utilizing is involvement of top stars from popular industry and designer community.
References
Arrigo, E. 2011, “Fashion, Luxury and Design: Store Brand Management and Global Cities Identity”, Symphonya , no. 1, pp. 55-67.
‘Global Fragrances and Perfumes Industry’, 2013, PR Newswire , viewed 02 May 2014, via ProQuest Central Academic Database.
‘Men’s fragrance sales soar in the UK and US’, 2013, Telegraph , viewed 02 May 2014, via ProQuest Central Academic Database.
Moorcroft, R. 2004, “Quality remembered when price forgotten”, The British Journal of Administrative Management , no. 1, pp. 4.
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Group Participation Dimensions and Effectiveness Report
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Verbal and nonverbal communication
3. Group development overtime
4. Roles – task roles, maintenance roles
5. Social interdependence and trust
6. References
Introduction
To get to know the effectiveness of a group we have to be concerned first about the group’s efficacy which could as well be termed as the average or the approximate ability of the group to perform a given task. For a given group to be effective there are many things to be considered. These could be things like how the group sets its goals, how they conduct all its planning, discussions involved, the amount of time dedicated towards the group, and the contribution of the group members.
The perception of group members usually determines the effect it has on the group’s goals. For the effectiveness of a group to manifest itself, there are different levels of users to be considered. All these levels are mostly to self-usefulness. First is what achievement one has made in the past. The successes and failures one has had in the past will surely have an impact on what the person will do next by either giving the person confidence or discouraging the person. Another thing that affects self-worth is if a person finds someone similar to him or her in one way or another in doing a given job successfully. This raises a person’s confidence and gives him hope that he can also do it. The third one is when one is convinced to do something with everyone showing some sense of trusting in the person. This usually does not give that much effect on the person but it usually keeps the person long enough in the group whereby some other thing can later come to give an influence on the same person. The final one is psychological arousal which can have a positive or negative effect on a given individual but this usually depends on one’s interpretation (Chang, 2005).
We are going to determine how the following dimensions of group participation contribute to group effectiveness:
* Verbal and nonverbal communication
* Group development over time
* Roles – task roles, maintenance roles
* Social interdependence and trust
Verbal and nonverbal communication
Group work is mainly done through discussion which is part of verbal communication. When doing a given type of group work that is before coming up with the final piece of work, research is usually done then it is followed by a discussion. The main reason why discussion is done is for the whole group to understand what everyone has done. Before a discussion is done the group members are mostly advised to do personal research or to read about what is to be discussed so that by the time of discussion everyone in the group is informed of what the discussion entails. When this is done, what happens is during the time of discussion everyone contributes towards the discussion, giving what they understand on a given topic and being able to argue for or against what they think can be wrong or right. The main importance of group discussion is to enable everyone in the group to understand. When a nonverbal approach is used the opposite of what is achieved when doing it through a discussion is achieved. When a given piece of group work is done nonverbally there is no chance of getting to critique what has been done. Therefore, one is not able to know what the other group member has done. Also contradicting ideas may not get the chance to be sorted out; giving something that is not satisfactory and might also be erroneous.
Group development overtime
During the start of a group work members sometimes tend to be shy or afraid to express themselves. Expressing personal opinion usually to a stranger is not very easy for many people as they are not sure of how rational the other person can be. Would they give an honest opinion about your suggestion or would they be biased? When group members start to spend more time together they tend to be more honest with each other. To reach this stage they ought to have spent a lot of time together and also gain the trust of one another. Here, the effectiveness of the group now improves same as their ability to do a presentable job. When a tight bond between group members has been achieved we find that the group members start to be open with one another. This makes discussions easier and lively as nearly everyone contributes equally towards it leaving no one out. In cases where one or more members of the group find that they cannot understand something, they open up to their fellow group members who then give them the assistance they need. If there occurs a chance that the group has been dissolved you will still find the former members of the group doing things together or when they encounter problems within their course of study they seek help from the former members of their group. The main reason for this is that the bond they had established earlier is not easily broken.
Roles – task roles, maintenance roles
In a group members usually have roles to play to make the group they are in effect. The main role is mostly that of the group leaders. The leader is responsible for making sure that the members are always available for group meetings, ensuring that they are serious in their part as group members, and also assigning work to the group members. Another role that can be available for the group members is that of the secretary of the group. For the group to work properly and to avoid unnecessary complaints; is to rotate the roles which are available for the group members. This ensures that no member of the group would say that a certain person has an advantage over them while playing a given role. Another important thing of why roles are to be rotated among the group members is to ensure that every member is responsible for what is done and also have the feeling of not being considered less inferior to another member of the group. When this is done everyone would have the feeling of being an important member of the group and that he or she has an important role to play as a member of that group (Turner, 2001).
Social interdependence and trust
Social interdependence is a major reason why a group is formed. The main objective of a group is to help one another in areas they find to be hard or those they completely cannot understand. For someone to go and ask for help from another person he has to have some trust that the person he is approaching will be willing to help whether he is able or not. This trust should be achieved since it’s the essential bit needed to convince a person of the importance of the group. The group members can be considered socially inter-dependable when they can interact with one another openly without thinking negatively about each other. They also have to consider that they are all equal and that the most important role of the group is mainly to assist each other. The group does not only have to depend on one another academically but also in their social lives as anything affecting a person socially can at the same time affect their academic work. When they open up to one another and share their problems some of these problems are solved and those which are not solved, the people concerned get the necessary advice on how to go about them. One thing about social interdependence is that a person cannot just tell you the problems one has if there is no bit of trust available between the two parties involved.
References
1. Chang, D.T. (2005). Determinants of group effectiveness: the effect of group learning and knowledge conversion on the relationship between group stewardship and group effectiveness . Florida: Nova Southeastern University
2. Turner, M.E. (2001). Groups at work: theory and research . New York: Routledge
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Microsoft AG: SWOT Analysis Essay
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
* Development of software products which have wide recognition among the users with user-friendly features.
* Multinational presence in more than countries minimize cultural difference to sustain the growth (Fill, 2002).
* Loyal and committed workforce motivated by good compensation and stock options enables the company to retain highly skilled individuals (Davenport, 1997)
* Relatively rapid technologically advanced new products and software applications.
* Wide global brand reputation and customer loyalty. Highly innovative nature and customer-focused (King, 2004)
Weaknesses
* During the development stage, the company failed to anticipate growth opportunity in Internet and lost major share to Google.
* Dependency on hardware manufacturers to pre-install Microsoft products in their personal computers and other hardware products
* Perceived by many as an unethical corporation involved in destroying the competitors’ market position by unethical means
* Lost reputation because of legal entanglements in anti-trust cases.
Opportunities
* Development in global information and communication technology has opened new avenues for product development
* Mobile phone applications and personal digital assistants represent possible growth opportunity
* Increase in use and demand for personal computers in American and other global markets provide continuously enlarging market for the company.
* Synergies from the core competencies of the firms acquired by the company following an aggressive acquisition strategy.
* Partnerships and alliances with PC manufacturers would enhance the growth potential
Threats
* Stiff competition from other market players like Apple Linux poses a real challenge to the growth.
* Hardware manufacturers like Sun Microsystems, Oracle, and IBM have found new collaborators for platform technologies reducing the importance of Microsoft products and applications.
* Issue of their own pre-bundled programs on their hardware by manufacturers like Oracle, IBM and Apple has affected the importance of Microsoft products significantly
* Absence of strong presence on mobile phones, hand-held computers and other wireless products for internet access is a serious threat to the growth of the business.
* Unauthorized or illegal trading in unlicensed products undermines the scope of expanding the business.
Changes in External Environment and Impact on Opportunities and Threats
The external factors that can have an impact on the growth potential of an industry are the changes in macroeconomic situations, technological changes, changes in legislative frameworks, socio-cultural changes and changes in the competitive position (Business Wire, 2007). The recent change in the global economic situation has in general affected the purchasing power of people. This has resulted in a decline in the market demand for the PCs and consequently has hit the sales potential of Microsoft products. Fiscal year 2009 has witnessed a 3.2% decline in sales which is caused by legal charges and severance claims from employees who have been laid off in addition to drop in overall PC and server sales (Miller, 2009). Technological changes in the area of operating system developed by Linux and Sun Microsystems has largely affected the potential of Microsoft to expand its sales in its core products (Miles, 2000). The greatest threat for the company is its dependence on Windows and a suite of desktop applications produced 14 years ago for 80% of its sales and 140% of profits despite the rapid development in the technology (Murphy, 2005). Changes in legal environment prompting European and US Justice Departments to file antitrust lawsuits have been one other threat to the company to sustain its growth. However the positive changes in the socio-cultural environment with more number of people using personal computers at homes and offices has enlarged the opportunity for the company to grow. Despite the criticisms and negative publicity the company could ensure its sales growth till fiscal 2008 and the global economic downturn caused a slight dip in sales during fiscal 2009. Stiffer competition from Linux in corporate environments has been acknowledged by Microsoft, even though Microsoft could withstand the competition from Linux in Desktop segment (Millard, 2004). IBM another serious competitor planned to invest $1 billion during 2004 to meet the competition from Microsoft (Linux online, 2004).
Conclusion
With its large volume of sales and massive employee strength, the company has developed bureaucracy at all levels. This has made the company miss several opportunities in Web-server platforms and search engine segments. While ‘Google’ and ‘Yahoo!’ get 70% of the search engine queries, Microsoft’s MSN gets only 13%. It is for Microsoft to analyze the underlying reasons for the backwardness and introduce new concepts and selling points so that the company can build up its strength in this large segment. The company has to come out of its mid-life crisis with focused research and development in Web-server software and other Internet based applications rather than concentrating on refining and developing more of desk-top applications. Corporate network is another major area where the company can enter in to new inroads. With its huge cash reserves and talented employee pool the company can involve itself in more innovative products through continuous research and developments in the identified areas to increase its competitive strength.
Reference List
BusinessWire, 2007. Research and Markets: Microsoft Corporation’s Strengths and Weaknesses Examined Using SWOT . Web.
Davenport, T.H., 1997. Knowledge Management at Microsoft . Web.
Fill, C., 2002. Marketing Communications: Contexts, Strategies and Applications (3rd Ed) . UK: FT Prentice Hall.
King, D.R.K., 2004. Enhancing SWOT Analysis using TRIZ and BIPOLAR Conflict Graph: A
Case Study on the MICROSOFT Corporation . Web.
Linuxonline, 2004. IBM Will spend $ 1 Billion to challenge Microsoft .
Miles, S., 2000. Linux Closing in on Microsoft Market Share Study says .
Millard, E., 2004. Microsoft Battles Linux Threat . Web.
Miller, R., 2009. Microsoft sees First Annual Sales Decline in its history for fiscal 2009 .
Murphy, V., 2005. Microsoft’s Midlife Crisis . Web.
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Food Landscape in the Western Province, Kenya Essay
Western Province in Kenya was chosen as the focus of the study because of one’s familiarity with the area. Food from farms in this region is readily available to the population. The community practices subsistence farming and cash crop farming. The main crops grown are maize and sugarcane. This province has four sugar processing plants that produce cane (Maxon 299).
The Western Province is situated on the western section of Kenya and borders the eastern part of Uganda. It is among the smallest provinces in Kenya (about 8000 square kilometers) with a population of about 3 million people. Its headquarters is in Kakamega.
The province experiences specific tropical (hot, wet) climate characteristics of equatorial rainforests. Kakamega Forest is an outstanding example of rainforests found in the region. The African race is prominent in the Western Province with Luhya dominating the area (Mwakikagile 89).
The Luhya is a Bantu-speaking community that is the second-biggest tribal group in the country. However, a few Asians also live in the province. The community relies mainly on agriculture for getting income. Literacy level in the area is fairly high. In fact, Western Province hosts several public and private universities (90). The province has urban settings around its five main towns and rural settings away from the towns.
Maize is the region’s commonly cultivated food crop, and sugarcane is the main cash crop (Maxon 300). “Ugali” is the staple food in this region being the mixture of maize flour and water forming a solid mound. Therefore, the community consumes most of the maize harvest locally and does not depend on food from distant regions.
However, it sells a substantial quantity of the maize yield for income generating purposes. The community also grows other foods like beans and green grams, but imports wheat and rice from other parts of the country. People of Western Province also practice dairy farming on a small scale.
The community faces several obstacles in obtaining healthy food. Repetitive farming without fertilizers impoverishes the soils and leads to low yields. Extreme reliance on maize as a cash crop neglects other valuable products such as vegetables, fruits, and protein-rich cereals that are essential for a healthy balanced diet. Farmers do not have knowledge on proper farming procedures and use poor quality seeds (Ali-Olubandwa et al. 471).
The population consists mainly of middle-class income earners. Therefore, small grocery stores, markets, and roadside stands are common features in most towns. Several agricultural NGOs seek to improve the farm yields by educating farmers and providing loans to enable the farmers to buy fertilizer and other farm inputs. Schools in the region offer meals to students. However, parents have to pay for these meals as part of the school fees.
The local food system is sufficient to cater for the community’s needs. However, the government can intervene by educating farmers on superior cultivation methods to ensure better food quality. Financial institutions ought to lower interest rates on loans to make the loans accessible to most farmers.
Works Cited
Ali-Olubandwa, M. Adijah Kathuri, N. J., Odero-Owanga Dolphine, and Shivoga, A. William. “Challenges Facing Small Scale Maize Farmers in Western Province of Kenya in the Agricultural Reform Era.” American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 1.4(2011): 466-476. Sciencedomain International. Web.
Maxon, M. Robert. “Economic and Social change since 1963 .” Historical Studies and Social Change in Western Kenya: An essay in Memory of Professor Gideon S. Were. Ed. William Robert Ochieng. Nairobi: East African Publishers, 2002. 293-368. Print.
Mwakikagile, Godfrey. Kenya: Identity of a Nation . 1 st ed. 2007. Pretoria, South Africa: New Africa Press. Print.
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“Marry Me” through Google Glass Essay
The concept of postmodernism has critical impacts on advertisement. Before the era of advanced technologies and social media, advertisements were simple and direct, consisting of simple and direct words on newspapers, magazines, and billboards. However, by relying on new technologies and social media, advertisements have become ubiquitous in relation to consumers daily life by removing any existing barriers. It represents a form of postmodern marketing.
Thus, advertisements target consumers who are also the main subject of the advertisement. That is, the consumer is now a key component of advertising. This is the case of Google Glass. On February 13, 2014, Google posted a short one and a half minute video clip is known as Marry me [through Google Glass] (the video is available on YouTube ). The video was created through Google Glass, and it contains various scenes of marriage proposals.
This video has attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers because of the reaction it created on social media. Through this video, Google reinforces the attractiveness of Google Glass as an object that consumers can use to capture significant events in their lives. From the video, Google shows that the Glass is not about technology but rather about individuals who use it in everyday situations. This was one video from Google Project Explorer to capture special moments when using Google Glass. Google Glass is now omnipresent because of the new media in a postmodern advertisement.
The Google Glass video, Marry me [through Google Glass] reflects demystified culture, a new product, and marketing strategy supported with a small group of consumers, who rely on hypermedia to transcend physical barriers and limits of traditional media to experience the expandable and interconnected world of social media through the new media. It is a perfect example of a postmodern advertisement in the era of the new media.
The theoretical model chosen for this analysis is postmodernism, as depicted by various authors. Different authors, for instance, have shown the role of the new media in postmodernism advertisement. Their works have continued to evolve as they focus on emerging practices in advertisements brought about by changes in technologies and popular culture (O’Shaughnessy and Stadler 35).
O’Shaughnessy and Stadler (451) see postmodernism in relation to the new media and observable changes in society. Appignanesi and Garratt (174) provide an overview of postmodernism cyberspace experiences. For any technology to transcend its limits, there must be possibilities for commercial success. This explains why many large organizations have turned to new media and technologies for advertisement.
With new media, there are observable changes in meanings of terms and usage, which extend to commercial activities and advertisements. The postmodernism is marked with potential in business opportunities for companies that wish to exploit new media advertisement features. The dropping costs and abilities to reach the global consumer are breaking the physical barriers once witnessed in traditional media. In addition, consumers have embraced new media as everyday experiences and platforms for communication.
As a result, consumers are now exposed to various forms of commercial advertisements through new media than ever before, and they can virtually have these experiences anywhere. The postmodern era shows that information and communication can now occur without much effort.
The results are hypermedia systems that go beyond physical boundaries and overcome restrictions of the traditional media. It is an expandable and interconnected communication system that focuses on consumers and electronic systems to deliver the digital, interactive advertisement. In addition, the advertisement is user motivated, widely distributed, individualized, and runs across several new media platforms.
It is widely supported by file-sharing capabilities and clicks on social media platforms. Users, however, must navigate through information overload and ensure effective management of fragmented scenes, and Marita Sturken and Lisa Cartwright (307) help readers to understand the visual culture in new media.
The new media offer just-in-time knowledge and reality on how users can experience new products (Palmer 78), particularly technology-driven ones. It creates a new culture for niche products and targets a given class of consumers with specific identities.
In this case study, the focus is on the use of new media during the postmodernism era for advertisement. One fundamental issue for Google is to get millions of consumers to spend their dollars for a new device that they hardly understand, know how to use or wear on their faces to create ‘a near-awkward look.’ This was a major issue for Google as it prepared to launch its Project Glass. Google Glass is a high-tech Glass with the ability to take photographs, decode phrases, and provide directions to use.
It can accomplish all these tasks through a narrow glass built on the frame next to the users’ right eye. The Glass looks like a pair of spectacles but actually is a wearable computer device with an optical piece inserted for display. It is a product of Google’s Project Glass project. Before the release, the company had to make the early version of the Glass available for consumers, but only to a restricted group of consumers. Google introduced a twist by ensuring that this group of consumers had to answer the question, ‘If I had Glass’ before selection.
A major characteristic of a postmodern era is the strong presence of new media (Durham and Kellner 445). Companies have often focused on how they can exploit their platforms to reach users. Google, for instance, embarked on an extraordinary project of developing the Glass and creating a new way of utilizing the capabilities of the new media, including social media.
The company has overcome all the technical issues involved in the development of wearable Glass. It now faced the difficult assignment of convincing consumers to purchase and wear the Glass. The company must make this unique wearable device look normal for ordinary consumers.
In an attempt to ensure that the Glass assumes a status symbol rather than a scientific experiment object, the company has increased the number of early adopters to include everyday consumers.
These consumers are not within the technology sphere, and they would assist in familiarizing other consumers with the Glass. This approach is a strategic marketing strategy that can only be explained through postmodernism theory. It shows how and why consumers should purchase and use the Glass, and it gives assurance that they would still look fine with it.
It remains unclear what message Google intended to communicate by creating a wearable device. Nevertheless, it is imperative to note that early adopters would be a part of the team that will create the intended image. This explains the importance of early adopters in marketing.
Right now, for instance, consumers would commend Google as a proficient firm from a technical perspective, but the message from the Glass is not clear. The Glass is worn notably on the forehead, and it provides a remarkable style of the screen, and therefore, it is noticeable. However, its ability to impact the mainstream market can only originate if Google manages to make the Glass look normal. Thus, Glass should change social, custom, and style practices. Google has managed to achieve this shift.
The company has ensured that the Glass is omnipresent in everyday life, including social events. For instance, today, there are many videos on YouTube and other social media platforms of men proposing marriage through Glass.
In addition, the Glass has found its way into wedding events. Marsha Collier, for example, was the first bride to wear Google Glass for a wedding. In addition, several other guests also had the Glass. Marsha Collier was a part of the Explorer team.
For members of the audience, the Glass is meant to invoke a sense of everyday use and normalcy. It should give a similar experience to the wearer in real-time. In this manner, the Glass creates a strong popular culture and new media image that has significantly dominated contemporary reality, and the way modern consumers define themselves and their world, including social circles and events (Strinati 229).
By considering a postmodern point of view, media messages present even a diverse social reality in which users are constantly using, adopting, and experiencing new media. While viewers may remain passive recipients and feel like a part of the bride and groom, they nevertheless have opportunities to participate by sharing files and posting comments.
Thus far, critics have termed the Google Glass as nerdy, awkward, and ridiculous. In order to define the image of the Glass beyond tech-savvy early adopters, Google has embarked on a promotion that targets the public and makes the Glass a normal everyday use device.
Thus, the Glass Explorer Program focused on recruiting bold, creative people. This description targeted an exclusive social group. While the Program targeted a creative social group, it had to maintain hipster-types in advertisements noted in Silicon Valley and driven by new media in postmodern practices. In the video, youthful couples, men, and women of different lifestyles have the Glass.
Through the video, Google is also directly targeting everyday consumers, including patents, business class, and consumers who prefer outdoor activities. Thus, Google is eager to deliver the wearable device to various classes of users beyond tech-savvy consumers who understand the technical aspects of the Glass.
In this manner, Google can use the new media to create opportunities for demos, including picture snapping and video chatting, among other memorable roles. New media are important in establishing diversity for the product. Google understands that various age groups attend weddings, and by promoting the Glass at public places through the video, the company is creating a diverse base of consumers who will embrace the Glass and take it out for experiences beyond normal office or conference rooms.
Google has been able to seize chances for establishing the market for the Glass from the rich, successful, and famous consumers. While the Glass may be popular among these consumers, the video seems to suggest that Google has other consumers in mind. In fact, the high-end market could be limiting the potential of the Glass.
The video shows that Google wants possible consumers of the Glass to see it in public places, social events, and hear about it from neighbors, families, and friends. Through postmodernism and new media, the video has been able to achieve this intended marketing approach.
Early adopters have shown that the Glass is wearable and practical and thus offers inspiration for the public. The new media have demonstrated that normal people can also wear the device and still manage to look ‘cool’ even in wedding ceremonies. The postmodern advertisement of Google Glass aims to show that ordinary people can control the device and look and feel ‘cool’ in it.
Thus, couples in the video depict that Google Glass would become a normal device for different types of functions and situations. In addition, consumers want to highlight that the Glass is less obtrusive relative to cameras and mobile phones, specifically when snapping photos and recording videos. New media in a postmodern era have allowed users to manage fragmented aspects of consumer interaction with products.
In conclusion, video advertisement creates an experience with new media in a postmodernism era because it finally inspires normal consumers to embrace Google Glass. The video manages to drive the popular culture noted in postmodern advertisement, and thus, it becomes difficult to distinguish between popular culture and consumerism. Consequently, the popular culture created by the Glass advertisement is most likely to influence purchasing habits.
The video was created by the same product it advertised, and this depicts the role of the new media in enhancing interaction with potential customers and advertisement of the product simultaneously. Ordinary people who watch the video will develop a positive view of the Glass, purchase it, and ensure that it remains present in everyday events and situations.
Works Cited
Appignanesi, Richard and Chris Garratt. Introducing Postmodernism . London: Icon Books, 2007. Print.
Durham, Meenakshi Gigi and Douglas M. Kellner. Media and Cultural Studies: KeyWorks . London: Blackwell, 2001. Print.
O’Shaughnessy, Michael and Jane Stadler. Media and Society . 5th ed. 2012. Oxford: Oxford UP. Print.
Palmer, Dan. Structuralism and Poststructuralism for Beginners . London: For Beginners, 2007. Print.
Strinati, Domimic. Culture and Society: An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture . New York: Routledge, 2004. Print.
Sturken, Marita and Lisa Cartwright. Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. Print.
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The Political Economy of Germany Report
Overview of the political economy of Germany
According to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany is one of the strongest economies among the countries that form the European Union (16). During the last quarter of the year 2011, the real gross domestic product of Germany stood at $ 3.479 trillion (Global Finance 1).
This denotes positive economic development. The country was affected by the global financial crisis (Janning 1), which resulted in a fall of GDP growth of the country by 5.1%. The fall in the GDP of Germany during the crisis was attributed to the position that it occupied in EU trade.
Being an exporter of numerous technological goods and machineries across the European Union, the country had a low return from trade. The trading environment in Europe shrank because of the decreased financial sector in most of the European countries. The economic strength of Germany has been enhanced by the reunification of East and West Germany. Germany has an active political landscape (Lange 2).
The political landscape of Germany is marked by rational politics. The country has a federal government which is led by a Chancellor. The country is subdivided into different regions. The current head of the federal government is Chancellor Angela Merkel. Germany is headed by a coalition government which is composed of three parties; they include the Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union and the Free Democratic Party (Schwarzer 3).
Economic policy areas of Germany in relation to the European Union
Germany is amongst the strongest supporters of the European Union. The country has exhibited support for economic integration of Europe through the European Union. To that effect, the country has pursued many policies in regard to its incorporation into the European Union. Germany highly advocates for economic integration of the European Union because of the benefits that accrue to the functioning of the union.
The economy of Germany is highly supported by exports. A third of the national output of Germany emanates from exports. The EU presents many export opportunities to Germany. Current policies of Germany on European Union integration began in the early years of the 1990s. This is the time when the country began seeking for real economic identity in Europe. The European Union was uncovered as the main tool that would help Germany to keep pursuing its economic goals (Janning 2).
The fiscal policy in relation to the global economic crisis
The current government of Germany is pursuing numerous economic policies. The fist economic policy that is being pursued concerns the elimination the budgetary deficit in the coming years. Deficits in the budget of a country are argued to have been aggravated by the financial problems in the European Union (Schettkat and Langkau 10).
The government has focused on bringing together all the public finances so as to raise enough capital to bail the country from the crisis in order to improve the trading environment in the country, and the attainment of favorable figures in the balance of payments. The balance of payments is often depended on the rate at which a country participates and gains from exportation of products. As the country focuses on raising revenue generation, it must also assess the performance of the European Union.
The reason for this is that the EU forms the immediate foreign market that comes with many economic benefits to Germany. The benefits accrue to the level of integration that has been attained in the EU. Internal economic policies in highly economically integrated regions are often affected by forces from the Union (Schwarzer 2).
The common agriculture policy of the European Union – impacts on the economy of Germany
The European Union has what is known as a Common Agricultural Policy. The policy seeks to protect farmers in all countries forming the union. Farmers in Germany and other European Union countries are efficient. However, there are a number of factors that limit the farmers. They hinder them from competing effectively in the international market.
These factors include input, land and cost of fuel. Through CAP, extra funds are provided to farmers in order to help them subsidize the high costs of production. Tariffs and quotas are imposed on agriculture products that are imported into the union. According to the policy, Germany and other EU countries are barred from offering any other support to their agricultural sectors. Being a beneficiary of the CAP, the responsibility of the Germany government is to ensure that funds that offered by CAP are managed effectively.
Germany is one of the strong advocates of the policy. It was among the first signatories of the treaty that officiated this policy. With improvements in the framework on which CAP is administered, Germany and other EU counterparts are deemed to remain competitive in the international market (European Commission 1).
Positive and negative aspects of EU membership on Germany
Belonging to a regional economic body has both positive and negative effects to countries. Germany has derived a lot of economic benefits from its membership in the European Union. Germany is an active exporter of different commodities.
Its presence and membership in the European Union has enhanced its exportation capacity. A lot of cross border trade barriers have been eliminated from the EU giving Germany the opportunity to thrive in the EU market (Schwarzer 2). On the other hand, participation in regional trading blocs results in negative effects for participant countries.
Inasmuch as the country benefits from the reduced trade restrictions, it also faces increased importations from other countries. As a strong economy, Germany has managed to use its economic power to export more, thence, offsetting the deficit that is brought about by imports.
Foreign investment in Germany by countries which do not belong to the EU
Germany has a large economy. The economy of Germany is argued to be decentralized in the sense that internal economic policies are pursued regionally (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 16). The country possesses a favorable investment climate for foreign investors.
The country has a stable political environment which has been witnessed since the reunification that took place in the last decade of the 20th century. Germany has a stable government which oversees economic development. It has cultivated a strong economic environment that is supportive of continued investment. As of today, there are a substantive number of foreign firms that control their production in Germany.
The high rate of economic development of Germany is backed by investment in technological development. According to Legler, Licht, and Spielkamp (5), technological development backs industry in the country hence encouraging productivity. Nearly all industries in Germany utilize high technological production methods helping in positioning the country not only in Europe, but also in the entire world.
All these factors denote the presence of an active economic base in Germany. The wider economy and a relatively high population denote the present of a market and labor force for foreign investors (Adekola and Sergi 258). Foreign investors need to assess the role and benefits of Germany in the European Union. This presents an indirect but beneficial aspect. By investing in Germany, non- EU countries can get an opportunity to market their products in Europe without incurring excessive expenses.
Political stability in Germany is a positive factor of influence on economic development. Any foreign investor in the country would find a conflict free zone in which to establish a business. Good governance is also a positive feature in Germany (Lange 3). It Presents a favorable business climate by eliminating business vices like corruption. Investors are required to go through the stipulated procedures. The complexity of the procedures is reduced by the favorable business landscape.
The other supportive factor, which is an advantage to foreign investment, is the presence of numerous foreign companies in the country, some of which come from outside the European Union. Foreign investors can adopt to business entry practices that have been used by benchmark foreign firms operating in Germany.
Viitala (38) observed that the main disadvantage of foreign investment in Germany is the presence of a highly competitive economic environment. The competitive pressure resonates from goods and services from other EU countries that trade with Germany. The EU countries have a competitive edge over other countries or firms from other countries.
The advantage comes from the fact that EU based firms are exempted from numerous trade procedures and costs. The argument here is that irrespective of the presence of internal incentives for investment in Germany, firms originating from outside the EU are often disadvantaged. The disadvantage is seen in cases of access to the EU market.
Works Cited
Adekola, Abel and Bruno S. Sergi. Global Business Management: A Cross-Cultural Perspective . Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2007. Print.
European Commission. Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) . 2012. Web.
Global Finance. Germany Country Report: GDP data and GDP forecasts; economic, financial and trade information; the best banks in Germany; country and population overview . 2012. Web.
Janning, Josef. Europe: Germany’s Dilemma . European Policy Center. 2011. Web.
Lange, Thomas. The Political Economy of German Unification . Providence u.a.: Berghahn Books, 1998. Print.
Legler, Harald, Georg Licht, and Alfred Spielkamp. Germany’s Technological Performance: A Study on Behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research; with 28 Tables . Heidelberg: Physica-Verl, 2000. Print.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Oecd Economic Surveys: Germany . Paris: OECD, 2012 . Print.
Schettkat, Ronald and Jochem Langkau. Economic Policy Proposals for Germany and Europe . New York: Routledge, 2012. Print.
Schwarzer, Daniela. The Political Economy of Germany in the Sovereign Debt Crisis . Bruegel: Petterson Institute for International Economics. 2011. Web.
Viitala, Tomi. Taxation of Investment Funds in the European Union . Amsterdam: International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation, 2005. Print.
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Communication Plan for Beleza Spa Report
Introduction
Firms have diverse communication techniques and tools at their exposure, which they can use either individually or in combination in their pursuit to create sufficient market awareness (Lamb, Hair, & McDaniel 2012). Transformations within the contemporary market environment, for example, increased competition, high rate of technological innovation, and change in consumer behavior call for firms to acknowledge the importance of a high level of professionalism in their marketing communication processes (McDonald 2011). It is imperative for marketing managers to adopt a well-devised communication mix. The two main communication categories available to marketing managers include personal and impersonal communications.
Irrespective of the marketing communication method adopted, marketing managers should ensure that three main marketing communication elements, which include media, tools, and media are considered in the process. The target consumer constitutes one of the major factors that should be taken into account when deciding on the marketing communication plan as communication targets potential buyers. Sexton and Trump (2010) posit, “The target market influences the choice of communication media used” (p.174). Therefore, be it outdoor, broadcast, print media, public relations, promotions or the Internet, the marketing communication has to be directed at the target customers (Mullin 2002).
Traditionally, word of mouth has been a major public relations method (Heath 2010). However, the marketing communication developments such as the emergence of new channels of communication have resulted in public relations being taken to another level. Consumers are increasingly receiving numerous messages (Kotler 2000). The technological innovations with specific reference to Information Communication Technology (ICT) have motivated consumers to shift from traditional sources of information to emerging sources such as the Internet. The Internet has led to the emergence of an ‘information age’, which has greatly influenced consumers in their information search in order to make optimal purchasing decisions, which has led to the emergence of online communities.
This report seeks to propose an applicable communication plan in promoting Beleza Spa. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely objectives will be applicable. The report will focus on appraising contemporary public relations planning and demonstrate the application of traditional and non-traditional public relations and communication tools. Some of the PR tools that will be considered include online marketing tools, use of the word of mouth and designing flyers.
Proposal
Traditional public relations tools
Public relations have become an important marketing communication tool in recent years (Ultramod 2011). Public relations extend beyond creating product information for the target market. As a marketing communication tool, PR aims at establishing, maintaining, and influencing public attitudes towards a particular product or service (Kotler 2000). Firms can consider a number of traditional public relations tools.
Word-of–mouth ranks as one of the most powerful marketing communication tools. The word of mouth can be either official or unofficial. In a bid to benefit from word-of-mouth in its effort to create market awareness, it is vital for Beleza Spa to ensure that the customers derive a high level of satisfaction upon consuming the product (Ultramod 2011). On average, it is estimated that individuals share their experiences with approximately five people. The findings of previous studies conducted reveal that people hear about experiences from their relatives, friends, and co-workers. Friends, co-workers, and relatives are likely to share similar values, interests, and opinions (Phillip & Young 2009). Therefore, the probability of influencing these parties in their decision-making process is high because they consider it to be unbiased. In a bid to promote the creation of product awareness through word-of-mouth, the firm should ensure that the message is designed in a manner that appeals to the target customer. Beleza Spa should consider seeking the take of opinion leaders within the industry. Industry opinion leaders are likely to influence the consumers’ perception positively, hence improving the extent of potential customers engaging in the exchange of information using word of mouth.
Hosting special events is another public relations method that Beleza Spa should consider. One aspect of the special event that the firm should consider entails organizing beauty contests. Prior to holding the beauty contest, Beleza Spa should consider issuing media alerts or advisories. The alert should inform the media regarding the intended special event. The contests will provide the firm with an opportunity to interact with potential customers. Additionally, the firm should consider offering participants of the beauty contest some of its services. Beleza Spa’s management team should perceive the beauty contest as an opportunity to impress potential customers. Such an event might result in the firm increased the size of its customer base hence its sales revenue (Pearl & Golueke 2005).
In a bid to communicate to the entire market, Beleza Spa should consider using press releases. Gerber (2008) defines press releases to include announcements issued by organizations whose objective is to create awareness regarding their products or services. Beleza Spa should incorporate diverse mediums in issuing press releases. Examples of such mediums include print media [newspapers], radio, and television. The press releases should be effectively designed by making it interesting and reviewing the content to ensure that it is newsworthy. The press release should be written journalistically because its objective is to inform and influence the public and not to create a sale (Lea-Greenwood 2009).
The firm should also consider incorporating other publications such as brochures, annual reports, articles, and magazines in order to communicate to its target market. The firm will design attractive flyers to be issued to students who are the target customers. The flyers will be printed in the Asian language because Asians constitute the largest proportion of target customers. The flyers will also be posted in public places within the institution such as the bulletin boards. Currently, organizations are extensively relying on publications in their effort to access and influence their respective target markets (Kotler 2000).
In a bid to influence consumers psychologically, Beleza Spa should consider integrating feature stories in its PR efforts. For example, the firm should develop a strong feature story on how spas improve one’s beauty and the health benefits associated with visiting spas. Feature stories have a long shelf life and can be very effective in influencing customers. The Spa should post its feature story on renowned beauty magazines in the country, which will enable the firm to tell its compelling story to a large number of potential customers. Kotler (2000) asserts that feature stories are more effective compared to advertisements. Their ability to appeal to the public emanates from three main distinctive qualities, which include a high level of credibility and the ability to influence buyers positively.
Non-traditional public relations
Consumers have incorporated the Internet as one of the main sources of information in their purchasing behavior. Its reliance has been possible due to its ability to create effective and efficient interaction, which has led to the emergence of an online community that shares information regarding products and services (Moss & DeSanto 2011). Kitchen (1999) asserts that technology is increasingly becoming useful in PR in an effort to attain effectiveness and efficiency. The Internet has transformed marketing communication through the attainment of speed in communication, interactivity, delivery, personalization, and customization. Incorporating online marketing increases the probability of the firm increasing its competitive advantage significantly due to the high rate of interactivity amongst potential customers (Smith & Taylor 2004). Thus, the probability of influencing the consumers in their decision-making process is increased significantly.
Designing special media websites
Beleza Spa should consider designing a special website such as newsroom.beleza.com. The website should offer diverse information regarding the spa and the various treatments provided. Provision of product information will increase the level of awareness amongst potential customers and specifically the online community with regard to beauty, which will increase the probability of influencing the consumers in the decision making (Shimp 2010). In addition to product and service information, the website should also provide information regarding the firm. The main categories of information that the firm should consider posting on the website include company history, governance, structure, awards, financial results and contact information. Posting customers’ stories, clippings, and biographies, perspectives, and views of key company personnel are also important in its effort to influence the customers. Incorporation of diverse multimedia content such as pictures and company logos is also an important consideration for the firm. Logos aids in creating a visual identity for the firm to amongst consumers (Kotler 2000).
Tapping into social networking service sites
The growth in social networking technology presents a unique opportunity for the firm to boost its public relations campaign. Some of the globally recognized social networking sites include Facebook.com, MySpace.com, and Bebo.com (Solis & Breakenridge 2009). Beleza Spa should consider using Facebook.com in its public relations campaign. The website will provide an opportunity for the firm to interact and exchange diverse content with its customers. One of the main benefits of the social networking site is that designing the site does not present a challenge compared to developing websites and blogs (Brown 2009). Moreover, social networking sites have become very popular amongst consumers. Different audiences visit the sites daily (Phillips & Young 2009).
Web blogs
One of the Internet technologies that Beleza Spa should consider entails designing web blogs, which includes online publications using web technology. The blogs will provide the online community with an opportunity to read and post a comment regarding the Spa. On the other hand, Beleza Spa will be able to offer information regarding its products, provide a link to comments, and respond to different questions raised by the online community. The unique aspect of using web blogs is that the firm will be in a position to undertake continuous improvement by reviewing the ideas raised by customers on the blog. Therefore, web blogs will provide a collaborative marketing communication space.
Facebook
Beleza Spa should consider developing its Facebook Fan page by incorporating a number of aspects. Firstly, a well-developed message should be incorporated, which is attainable by incorporating the benefits that customers will acquire by seeking Beleza Spa services. For example, the firm should post information on the expected skin results after visiting the spa on its Facebook page as illustrated by appendix 1.
In a bid to influence the consumers’ decision-making process, the firm should post photos and videos of customers who have visited the Spa for certain services such as massage and the outcome of the process. Posting such photos will greatly influence potential customers to consider visiting the Spa for such services. The probability of such information being shared amongst friends and in general the online community is high if it is posted on Facebook. This aspect will significantly improve awareness of the firm’s products and services amongst potential customers. Currently, Facebook is an important viral marketing tool because it provides an opportunity for information about a firm’s product to be shared by the online community (Evans 2010). Approximately, Facebook has a total of over 33 million followers and fans. The followers and fans spend a considerable duration on the site. Consequently, it presents a unique opportunity to undertake public relations (Theaker 2004).
The effectiveness with which the Beleza Spa Facebook Fan Page is designed will greatly enhance the success of its viral marketing. Thus, the firm should ensure that it appeals to the consumers’ decision-making process. One of the aspects the firm should consider is their emotions. Emotions play an important role in the consumers’ decision-making process (Srivastava 2008, p.118). The Facebook Fan Page should be designed in a manner that generates traffic, which is attainable by continuously updating the page by posting photos and new information. In the process of designing its Facebook page, Beleza Spa should ensure that it is easy to navigate.
RSS Feed technology
In addition to the above non-traditional PR tools, Beleza Spa should also consider adopting the RSS [Really Simple Syndication] feed technology. The technology entails a sort description of the content that provides a link to the full version. Previous studies conducted reveal that the size of the Internet doubles every eleven months thus leading to information saturation and overload. Public relations practitioners emerge from the need to update their company’s web content continuously. However, this aspect is not sufficient. RSS technology provides firms with an opportunity to communicate to the public through their emails without influencing their emails. Beleza Spa should ensure that its RSS feed is attractive in order to attract customers to continuously subscribe. In a bid to utilize the RSS feed technology effectively, Beleza Spa should make the RSS technology be customized by incorporating the eXtensible Public Relations Language [XPRL]. This move will enhance the firm’s ability to transfer information electronically.
Conclusion
Developing a high competitive advantage relative to competitors is one of the most important issues that firms’ management teams should consider in their effort to ensure that their respective institutions survive in the future. Effective marketing communication is one of the major components in a firm’s effort to develop a competitive advantage. Apart from ensuring a constructive relationship with suppliers, dealers and customers, it is imperative for organizations to relate to the interested public. The public constitutes a major factor in firms’ quest to attain their objectives.
Public relations provide a unique opportunity for firms to promote their corporate and product image to the public. There are numerous public relations methods and tools available for marketing managers to select. The management team of Beleza Spa should consider integrating both traditional and non-traditional public relations tools. Some of the traditional PR marketing communication tools that should be incorporated include word of mouth, publications, events, news, and public-service activities. The publications that the firm should take into account include annual reports, brochures, magazines, articles, and newsletters. The firm should also consider drawing public attention regarding its products and services by organizing special events. Considering the fact that Beleza Spa is in the beauty industry, the firm should consider organizing beauty contests. This aspect will provide the firm with the timely chance to interact directly with customers. Press releases and feature stories should also be integrated as an alternative public relations tool. Alternatively, the firm should also consider participating in charity work. This aspect will lead to the development of a positive attitude amongst the firm’s operation in society.
Technological development with specific reference to the Internet presents an opportunity for the firm to enhance the effectiveness of its public relations campaign. Developments in ICT have significantly transformed public relations by making it more effective and efficient. Some of the emerging public relations tools that Beleza Spa should include social networking tools such as Facebook, blogs, and MySpace. Alternatively, the firm should also consider the probability of designing special websites on which diverse company information should be designed to suit all clients’ needs. RSS feed technology also presents another PR tool that the firm should consider utilizing. In the process of utilizing the above tools, Beleza Spa should ensure that an effective and appealing message and content are incorporated in a bid to attract more clients.
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Sexton, D & Trump, D 2010, Trump university marketing 101: How to use the most powerful ideas in marketing to get more customers and keep them, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken.
Solis, B & Breakenridge, D 2009, Putting the public in public relations: How social media is reinventing the aging business of PR, FT Press, New Jersey.
Shimp, T 2010, Advertising, promotion, and other aspects of integrated marketing communications, Cengage Learning, Mason.
Smith, P & Taylor, J 2004, Marketing communications: an integrated approach, Kogan Page, London.
Srivastava, M 2008, Developing emotional appeals in Internet advertising: A study of contributing factors in provoking emotional appeals, GRIN Verlag, Munchen.
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Franchisee Owner and Treat Team Member Jobs Essay
It should be noted that the Undercover Boss episode of Rita’s Ice showcases the interaction of the company CEO, Linda L. Chadwick, with several of her franchisees. The selected job positions for the analysis are franchisee owner and treat team member. The first job position is franchisee owner based on the example of Hezrron, and the second one is a treat team member position based on the example of Pastiche.
The analysis shows that the first job position requires a wide range of entrepreneurial skills and abilities since the franchise owner is practically a business owner who needs to adhere to the corporate standards. The second position is solely focused on cashier responsibilities, which puts an emphasis on human interactions as well as the ability to conduct financial transactions. The similarity of the two positions is manifested in the fact that financial competence and communication skills are critical in both cases. However, the first position also requires additional operational and organizational management capabilities. The data collection for each job position analysis utilizes one-on-one interviews on-site, which means that both practical observations and additional questioning can be done. The key challenges and issues can also be derived on site since the interview is being conducted while the job positions are being performed.
Job Description 1
Job title: Franchise owner
Location: Toms River, New Jersey
Terms: Full time
About us: Rita’s Ice is a restaurant chain based in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, which was founded in 1984. Our products include specialty creations, frozen custard, and Italian ice. We serve in 540 different locations all across the United States.
About the role: As a franchise owner, you are responsible for managing, leading, and supervising one of Rita’s Ice restaurants.
Responsibilities:
* Ensure profitable operation of a restaurant
* Adhere to the corporate standards of operations
* Manage inventory, and prepare the product on site
* Implement the core business elements with the use of the company’s resources
* Hire and assemble the team of employees
Candidate requirements:
* Be able to work from 12 pm to 9 pm
* Communication skills, financial management skills, operational management skills
Job Description 2
Job title: Treat team member
Location: Orlando, Florida
Terms: Full time
About us: Rita’s Ice is a restaurant chain based in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, which was founded in 1984. Our products include specialty creations, frozen custard, and Italian ice. We serve in 540 different locations all across the United States.
About the role: As a treat team member, you are responsible for greeting and communicating with customers and conducting payment transactions.
Responsibilities:
* Ensure accurate payment transactions
* Work with cash register
* Hand the customers’ products to the customers
Candidate requirements:
* Be able to work from 12 pm to 9 pm
* Communication skills, ability to work with cash register
In conclusion, the job description and analyses comply with state and federal regulations because they adhere to the Fair Labor Standards Act, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission standards, and state employment laws. The work hours are provided in accordance with The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (U.S. Department of Labor par. 4). The requirements and specifications do not discriminate in accordance with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission standards (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission par. 3). The positions do not discriminate against people with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (U.S. Department of Justice par. 2). Therefore, the job descriptions are based on the information collected from the on-site interactions and interviews, and the jobs descriptions do not violate federal or state laws.
Works Cited
U.S. Department of Justice. The Current ADA Regulations . Civil Rights Division, 2022. Web.
U.S. Department of Labor. Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act . Wage and Hour Division, 2022. Web.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Laws & Guidance . EEOC Headquarters, 2022. Web.
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Fraud Analysis: Enron Corporation Report
Introduction
Enron Corporation is an American Energy Company whose main offices are in Houston Texas. The company was formed in 1985 following the merger of Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth. Enron expanded rapidly in the United States and around the globe to become one of the worlds’ largest corporations. With a short period between 1995 and 2000, the company’s revenues rose from $9 billion to 100 billion to the level of making it one of the fastest growing companies in the United States. 1 However, in 2001, it was revealed that the company had misreported its financial status and balance sheets through a systematic, institutionalized, and creatively planned accounting fraud. Following the revelation, the company’s shares dropped from a high of $90 per share to less than $1 per share by the end of 2001. The result was more than $11 billion losses of shareholder investment. When the company revised its financial statements for the previous five years, losses amounting to $586 million were revealed. Consequently, the company filed for bankruptcy on December 2, 2001 (Li 37). 2 At the time, Enron scandal, as it came to be known, was the largest fraud case in the US history. The key individuals and organizations involved in the scandal were the former CEO Jeffrey Skilling, Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Fastow among other executives and its Auditors, and Arthur Andersen.
Fraud Risk Factors in Enron Scandal
The process of sustaining profitability and ensuring high returns to investors is a major goal for all organizations. The pressure is even higher for publicly traded companies that must strive to ensure that they have a good public standing and reputation in terms of the returns that they can generate to their investors. In the case of Enron, many factors indicate incentive to commit fraud.
Incentives or Pressure to Commit Fraud
Under the leadership of Jeffrey Skilling, the company adopted a tough corporate and performance-based management approach where employees were put under immense pressure to perform. Those who did not perform as expected were fired at the end of the year. In this case, employees had no option but to do whatever was possible in their capacity to bring deals to the company or to attain the performance that would ensure that they received their bonuses and/or were retained in the organization. At the same time, the company was involved in PR activities and programs that aimed at creating an image of a prosperous company that was not collapsible (Matoussi and Jardak 3). 3 Indeed, Skilling often promised investors 10-15% returns on their investments. This corporate culture opened the doors to fraud, which would take the organization down.
Another major incentive to commit fraud was the desire of the executives to protect their reputations as the leaders of the most successful corporation in the United States. To achieve this goal, the executives were prepared to ensure that Enron remained or appeared profitable to its investors around the world. The executives introduced the ‘mark to market’ accounting strategy for reporting its financials. Under this approach, the price or value of a security is determined on a daily basis to project profits and losses (Li 39). 4 In this case, Enron was able to count the projected earnings from its long-term investments and projects as current earnings. The inclusion of such projected earnings meant that the company had to ensure that it had ‘profitable’ future projects since the previously projected earnings could not be included in the financial statement once they had been received. Such a practice provided an incentive for Enron to continue including long-term projects as profitable. Hence, any future failures or losses in the previously projected profitable ventures would not appear on the financial statement. The method among other techniques allowed Enron to inflate revenue by manipulating projections for future revenues.
Opportunities to Commit Fraud
The case of Enron highlights many factors and weaknesses that provided an opportunity to commit Fraud. Initially, the regulations that governed the management of organizations had some gaps that needed to be addressed. They could be manipulated easily. For instance, the composition of the Board of Directors (BoDs) of publicly traded companies was not well defined. In this case, many BoDs were composed of administrators who had an interest in the company. In this case, even today, any company whose directors are shareholders in the same business is bound to witness conflicts of interest where the stakeholders are in a position to undertake many ethical, unethical, as well as legal or illegal activities to ensure that they have the highest returns on their investments. In the case of Enron, the majority of the directors were also major shareholders in the company. Hence, this situation opened an opportunity for fraudulent activities.
Another important opportunity to commit fraud resulted from the poor regulatory framework that guided the accounting methods that publicly traded companies would use in reporting their financial positions. For instance, Enron Corporation was the first non-brokerage and trading company in the United States to be allowed to use the ‘mark to market’ accounting technique to report its financials. Despite the fact that the method had known shortcomings, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the method in 1992. During the following close to ten years, the company continued to use the method. SEC never raised any concerns or repealed its wrong decision of allowing the method for a publicly traded company.
The company’s risk management approaches also proved a major weakness that led to opportunities for fraud. Due to the sensitive nature of the industry in which the business operates, it was important for the company to put in place risk management strategies to cushion investors from fluctuations in energy prices that characterized the sector. In this case, the company established long-term fixed commitments that were hedged by its derivatives and special-purpose entities.
Attitudes and Rationalization of Individuals involved in the Scandal
One of the unique characteristics of the Enron scandal is the fact that the collapse of the organization was because of deliberate actions of the executives and its other partners who were involved in one way or another in covering its fraudulent activities.
Firstly, following the investigation that led to the collapse of the company, it was revealed that the board of directors was aware of the accounting malpractices. The deliberate push for the ‘mark to market’ approach was a deliberate move by the executive management to use projections instead of its actual financial position to hoodwink investors and shareholders into believing that the company was on a positive balance sheet.
Secondly, the company’s auditor, Arthur Andersen, was involved in covering up the company’s poor performance. The main reason for this move was a conflict of interest on the part of the auditors who were more interested in the audit fees that they were receiving from Enron. For instance, in 2000, the audit firm received $27 million in consultancy fees and $25 million in audit charges from Enron. The figures represented approximately 30% of the revenues of the audit firm in its Houston Office (Nelson, Price, and Rountree 285). 5 In this case, the company allowed itself to be manipulated by Enron to misreport the latter company’s financial position. When the scandal emerged, Arthur Andersen deleted more than 30,000 emails and shred thousands of documents in a deliberate move to cover up its mistakes and involvement in the scandal (Li 41).
Thirdly, the use of special-purpose entities (SPEs) by Enron to hide its debt was a deliberate effort by the executive to commit fraud. The company had created hundreds of SPEs to hide its debts and poor performances of specific projects in dubious arrangements. Through the entities, the company managed to circumvent accounting rules. Consequently, it understated its liabilities while overstating its equity and earnings.
Conclusion
Poor financial recording is a vice that can ruin the success of an organization. The analysis of the risk factors has revealed why Enron faced the scandal that led to its collapse. In terms of the pressure to commit fraud, the risk was very high since the organization was keen on maintaining a positive outlook for its investors. Secondly, on the opportunities to commit fraud, the risk was moderate and was dependent on the other risk factors as identified previously (Matoussi and Jardak 33). 6 Lastly, the attitude and rationalization of individual involvement the management of the organization were a major driving force in the adoption of fraudulent activities. As the main decision makers, the management of the organization took deliberate measures to cover fraudulent activities that eventually led to the collapse of the organization.
Audit Procedures that Would have Detected the Fraud
The reason the fraud that Enron committed went for long is not that it was not detected early but that the audit firm in charge of undertaking audits was part of the scandal. In this case, the use of the single audit firm over the years meant that although the fraud was a known matter in the organization, it was never revealed to regulators or investors of the company. The only way the scandal would have been revealed was via undertaking a public inquiry into the company’s financial records. Further, another approach would have been the use of an independent auditor who would not have a conflict of interest on Enron. Another important process that would have allowed the detection of the fraud was a close monitoring by the SEC, which would have allowed the detection of the continuous rising of the value of the shares on the stock exchange. Overall, the Enron scandal reveals that deliberate efforts on the part of the management and its partners led to one of the largest fraud cases in the United States. However, the aftermath of the scandal led to new regulations and laws that govern the management of public organizations in the United States. It is also evident that without a good regulatory framework, the management of an institution can be a major perpetrator of large-scale frauds in organizations.
References
Li, Yuhao. “The case analysis of the scandal of Enron.” International Journal of Business and Management 5.10(2010): 37-43. Print.
Matoussi, Hamadi, and Maha Jardak. “International corporate governance and finance: Legal, cultural and political explanations.” The International Journal of Accounting 47.1(2012): 1-43. Print.
Nelson, Karen, Richard Price, and Brian Rountree. “The market reaction to Arthur Andersen’s role in the Enron scandal: Loss of reputation or confounding effects?” Journal of Accounting and Economics 46.2(2008): 279-293. Print.
Footnotes
1. See also Nelson, Price, and Rountree 281 for details on how Andersen manipulated the company’s reputation
2. See Li 37-39 for more information on the root of Enron’s bankruptcy
3. The last paragraph of page 3 reveals how such an image attracted doubts from investors
4. See also Li 40, especially the third paragraph, for more details on the meaning of ‘mark to market’
5. Revisit Nelson, Price, and Rountree 282, especially the section on ‘abnormal returns’
6. You can revisit Matoussi and Jardak 5-8 for more information on these risk factors
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“Nelson Mandela, Autobiography” Book Synthesis Essay
Introduction
The book titled ‘Mandela: The Authorized bibliography’ was written by Sampson Anthony. The book was published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing group and was copyrighted in 2012, and the exclusive copyright belongs to the writer of the book who is Sampson Anthony.
In his book, the writer talks about Nelson Mandela early childhood life, and the struggle he underwent through until he became the president of the republic of South Africa.
He talks about Mandela’s prison life, education and the fight for independence and freedom in South Africa. He also talks about his release from the prison, and how he led various South Africans to attain independence.
Discussion
In his book, the writer portrays Nelson Mandela as having various leadership characteristics and attributes.
The writer discusses several leadership skills and techniques that Mandela applied in order to obtain freedom in South Africa. The leadership styles discussed in the book include the following leadership skills:
Courage is not the absence of fear
Mandela states that most leaders have faced down fear, but it is during times of stress that the mettle of leadership is tested; this means maintaining the momentum in tough times, or, as Mandela explains, sometimes you must “put up a front” (Sampson, 2012).
A leader is that person who takes the initiative and is courageous enough to confront hard situations (Sampson, 2012).
Lead from the front
Mandela was always objective about his goals and used all the techniques that could help him achieve the objective it. In all his undertakings, he ensured that he did not leave his base behind. Richard Stengel describes Nelson Mandela as a historical man.
Mandela life in prison shaped his view about the leadership concept, where he viewed leaders as people who should lead by example. Mandela was a fore thinker who projected his thoughts in the future, he focused on the long term objectives and not short term objectives.
Lead from the back
The concept of leading from the back is contradictory from the concept of leading from the front. Mandela states that there come times when a leader has to lead from the back.
Suck an analogy is underpinned by the fact that the same way cattle are led from behind, individuals can also be led from behind too.
Know your enemy
Mandela states that the best way to lead is to know your enemy and identify their strongest and weakest points. Mandela states that understanding your opponent weakest and strongest point will assist an individual to come to a common ground in times of a conflict.
Mandela also points out that communication is also an important aspect in a leader. A leader should communicate effectively and efficiently in order to ensure that leadership is transparent and accountable.
Keep your friends close
Mandela states that another good leadership principle is to put your friends closer, and put your enemies even closer.
Mandela states that, in order for an individual to lead well, there should a distinct boundary for friendship ties. Friendship ties should not in one way or the other influence the decisions a leader makes.
Appearances matter
Mandela states that the appearance of a leader really matters. How a leader present themselves both physically and the verbal approach is important. Leaders should be smart, and should a sense of public opinion that is beyond reproach.
Mandela states that the little things we do greatly define our public image. For example, how we treat other people, how we greet other people are some of the things that define our leadership skills in the public domain.
Nothing is black or white
According to Sampson (2012), Mandela states that, at one point in time, leaders are always presented with two options to choose from. Mandela states that, as a leader, an individual should consider the outcomes of the circumstance and not the tactics to be used in addressing the issue.
To quit is to lead
Mandela states that leaders should always back from poor performing projects. Mandela notes that not all the decisions made by leaders will be successful, and the best way to lead such situations is to take a step backwards (Sampson, 2012).
Mandela notes that, in order to win in some cases, and then leaders must concede to win. The fastest way to win is by taking a step backwards and coming out more energized and goal oriented.
The above leadership qualities and characteristics had nelson Mandela to be one of the greatest leader the world has ever experienced. Mandela was determined and focussed towards achieving a goal, which was that of liberating the South Africans from Apartheid.
He led with wisdom, and always embraced dialogue in time of conflicts. The above leadership skills and techniques also ensured that, Nelson Mandela led by example while, at the same time, ensuring that others follow in the same path as he did.
The above leadership skills to large extent helped the former South African leader to economically steer the country through the peaceful co-existence of people belonging to different races. For example, during his release from prison, Mandela gave a press conference regarding his release.
People expected that he would hate the whites who had imprisoned him, but Mandela did not express any hate sentiments towards the whites.
Instead, he embraced dialogue and concession with his enemies. This is evident in the manner the leader made some negotiations with the white to form the South African government.
Major Crisis
The major crisis that Nelson Mandela encountered is the problem of solving the crisis that was being experienced in Nigeria. The crisis was caused by the annulment of the Nigeria election in June 1993.
After the annulment of the election, the General Sani Abacha of Nigeria arrested various political leaders and commanded for their execution. Abacha later executed nine political opponents from the ogoni community including the prolific writer, Ken saro-wiwa.
Leadership approach
Mandela sought to use the quiet diplomacy method of leadership and solving conflicts.
Mandela sent Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and the deputy president Thabo Mbeki to go to Nigeria and lobby for the release of Obasanjo, and several other people who had been detained by the General Sani Abacha (Sampson, 2012).
The methodology failed, and Mandela was left with the option of lobbying for support from the Commonwealth of Nations.
As a leader, the situation could have been handled by lobbying for the international criminal court to arrest and issue a warranty of arrest for the General Sani Abacha for political crimes and human rights abuses.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the above leadership skills, techniques and methods are good and will always make individuals to be good leaders. However, in order to effectively be a good leader, an individual should use the appropriate leadership technique in the appropriate environment.
Reference List
Sampson, A. (2012). Mandela: The authorized Biography . New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
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Syrian Migration: Facts, Reasons, Consequences Essay
The Reasons for Migration
The current global refugee situation is being described with the help of the word “crisis,” and the Syrian migrants contribute to this phenomenon greatly (Sengupta par. 1). The reasons for their migration can be described with the help of the push-and-pull migration theory, a “gravity model,” according to which the negative factors that exist in the country “push” migrants out of it while the positive, attractive factors of another land “pull” them (Molho 538-550).
The Syrian people started seeking refuge in 2011 when the conflict “between the government of Bashar al-Assad and various other forces” became a continuous cause of internal and external migration (Ostrand 255). As of 2013, there were more than “1.5 million [Syrian] refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt and North Africa” with 34% dwelling in Lebanon and two-thirds of them being younger than 18 years old (El-Khatib et al. 18).
Indeed, the people who flee are mostly the vulnerable part of the population: women with children, the men who do not want to take part in the conflicts (Yardley and Pianigiani par. 1-5). Primarily they have been “pushed” away by the insecurity of a political turmoil; the economic hardships that follow are another important reason (Yazgan, Utku, and Sirkeci 184-186). They seek peace, which their government cannot offer; therefore, the political and economic crisis in Syria “pushes” them out.
The “pull” of the other countries may include different aspects. By 2013, Syrian migrants had sought and found asylum in “44 industrialized countries in Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region,” while most of them chose to stay in the neighboring countries (Ostrand 257). When choosing a country to flee to, not every refugee appears to consider the options carefully as they are often guided by rumors and blind hope (Yardley and Pianigiani par. 22-24).
It can be implied that the “industrialization” of some of the destinations might “pull” the refugees, but it is obvious that the primary advantage of host countries is the absence of the unrest of the civil war. The people who are leaving Syria are desperate for safety, and their majority is definitely not opportunistic.
In 2015, the general number of Syrian refugees was estimated to amount to four million people (Sengupta par. 1). In 2015, the number of refugees only in Turkey reached 1.7 million (Bahcekapili and Cetin 1). Given the fact that the situation in Syria is not expected to change, the number of refugees would be expected to grow in the future, and the international community attempts to deal with this problem (Yazgan, Utku, and Sirkeci 184).
The Impact of Migration
For migrants, the necessity to migrate is, obviously, a stressful situation. They start a tedious journey to an unknown world, and they have all the chances of not fitting in, of being caught in red tape and poverty (Yardley and Pianigiani par. 6-9). They need healthcare, education, jobs; they need to be supported to become integrated into the new society (Yazgan, Utku, and Sirkeci 187).
For example, the problem of healthcare services is described by El-Khatib et al. They demonstrate that the refugees experience financial troubles, and, as a result, it is difficult for them to access healthcare even in the countries where the service is well-developed. The free healthcare that is provided by various organizations prioritizes urgent care, which is financially reasonable but unfortunate for many refugees.
According to El-Khatib et al., the governments of host countries attempt to tend to the situation, which puts them under additional financial strain and is not always sufficient. The authors conclude that both the host governments might need international support to tend to the needs of the refugees (El-Khatib et al. 18-23).
Indeed, the impact of migration on host countries is also becoming an increasingly attractive topic for modern researchers (Ostrand 255-256). For instance, Bahcekapili and Cetin discuss the economic impact of migration, using the example of Syria refugees in Turkey. The authors demonstrate that trade indicators improve in refugee regions, which is a positive effect of migration (Bahcekapili and Cetin 14). It owes to the fact that refugees do represent an influx of workforce.
The same factor causes an increase in unemployment, which tends to decrease with time as people find jobs, but leads to another problem, the problem of competition. Indeed, the fact that refugees have to compete with the natives for labor opportunities has the potential for causing conflicts and increases the rates of internal migration (Molho 551).
Finally, the sudden increase of population affects the GDP per capita index, and the authors conclude that despite the positive effects on the trade, refugees do not contribute to the growth of the economy (at least, not in Turkey). Similarly, Ostrand studies the host countries of Europe and the US, finds that the governments of the countries are committed to alleviating the hardships of the Syrian conflicts, and claims that even these well-developed countries suffer from the economic strain.
While the studies focus on particular countries, they demonstrate the general characteristics of a host country position. Refugees are a vulnerable part of the population that requires support, which is typically reflected in financial strain, especially given the numbers of Syrian refugees. For example, in 2013, Syrian refugees accounted for 7% of the population of Lebanon (El-Khatib et al. 18).
The international community acknowledges the necessity of helping the people who are forced to leave their homes, but it also recognizes the strain that is caused by the host countries, and a balance between the interests of the refugees and the natives is being sought (Ostrand 256). For example, it is reflected in the 2015 plan for the fair distribution of migrants, which sets a quota of migrants for every EU country depending on its economic development and capabilities.
This plan is supposed to alleviate the strain of weaker economies and encourage the stronger ones to assist within reasonable limits (Aisch and Almukhtar par. 1-2). So far, for example, a number of European countries (especially Sweden and Germany) have welcomed an unreasonably large number of refugees (Aisch and Almukhtar par. 6-9).
While their decision is most honorable, it is hoped that the governments of these countries assess their capacities in a reasonable way and do not neglect the interests of their nations. In the meantime, the US government intends to raise the refugee quota as well (Sengupta par. 23).
The readiness of other countries to accept the refugees could be another “pull” factor for migration. Still, it is apparent that the key reason for Syrian migration is the “push” factor, that is, the terrors of Syrian conflicts, which people would try to escape in any case. That is why the management of the refugee crisis is a necessary set of activities that are being carried out on the international level.
Works Cited
Aisch, Gregor, and Sarah Almukhtar. “ Seeking a Fair Distribution of Migrants in Europe .” The New York Times, 2015. Web.
Bahcekapili, Cengiz, and Buket Cetin. “The Impacts Of Forced Migration On Regional Economies: The Case Of Syrian Refugees In Turkey.” International Business Research 8.9 (2015): 1-16. ProQuest. Web.
El-Khatib, Ziad, David Scales, Jo Vearey, and Birger Forsberg. “Syrian Refugees, Between Rocky Crisis In Syria And Hard Inaccessibility To Healthcare Services In Lebanon And Jordan.” Conflict and Health 7.1 (2013): 18-22. ProQuest. Web.
Molho, Ian. “Theories of Migration: A Review.” Scottish Journal of Political Economy 60.5 (2013): 526-556. Business Source Complete . Web.
Ostrand, Nicole. “The Syrian Refugee Crisis: A Comparison Of Responses By Germany, Sweden, The United Kingdom, And The United States.” Journal on Migration and Human Security 3.3 (2015): 255-279. ProQuest. Web.
Sengupta, Somini. “ Refugee Crisis in Europe Prompts Western Engagement in Syria .” The New York Times, 2015. Web.
Yardley, Jim, and Gaia Pianigiani. “Out of Syria, Into a European Maze.” The New York Times, 2013. Web.
Yazgan, Pinar, Deniz Eroglu Utku, and Ibrahim Sirkeci. “Syrian Crisis and Migration.” Migration Letters 12.3 (2015): 181-192. ProQuest. Web.
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What Money Cannot Buy: ‘The Great Gatsby’ Book by F. S. Fitzgerald Essay (Critical Writing)
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Discussion
3. Conclusion
4. Work cited
Introduction
‘The Great Gatsby’ book is a novel that reveals the miseries the rich people have, despite having a lot of wealth. To be analyzed is the way in which the book portrays various lifestyles of different people justifying the statement that ‘money can not buy everything’ (Zafon, 2010).
Discussion
“I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” These words appear in chapter one in which they were said by Daisy describing her hopes for her little daughter; Jordan and Nick. Daisy’s words, though not that relevant to the theme of the book describe her being not only rich but also part of the social world. She wishes her daughter not only to come from a strong economic background; but also a desirable social environment (Seligman, 2003).
On the basis of this, she comes to a point of not valuing intelligent women who to an extent do not find happiness in their marriage. Her arguments are based on the fact that; the older generation values women who stay at their homes serving their husbands as opposed to the younger generation, which values pleasurable activities (Thaler &Sunstein, 2009).
“The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God…” These words are found in chapter six which was said by Nick describing Gatsby, as being like Jesus the son of God. This comparison is significant in the sense that in her history, Gatsby is said to have been the creator of her own identity. In this respect, therefore, Nick’s comparison of Gatsby to Jesus Christ reflects how Gatsby was a wealthy and very beautiful girl, yet she lacked happiness in her life. More precisely, considering the life of Jesus Christ who was the son of God the Almighty; his suffering is evident to the extent that in addition to the suffering he is even rejected by his own people (Seligman, 2003).
More about The Great Gatsby
What Was Gatsby’s Reaction to Daisy’s Child?
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1653
What Role Does Dan Cody’s Yacht Play in Great Gatsby?
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281
How Does the Narrator Describe Gatsby?
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214
Who Does the Narrator Think Daisy Is at the End of the Story?
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47
How Does Nick Meet Gatsby for the First Time?
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931
What is Daisy’s Opinion of Gatsby’s Party in Chapter 6?
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1581
This comparison of Gatsby and Jesus Christ gives a clear picture of how Gatsby’s life was a lonely one despite being very wealthy and beautiful. Gatsby’s life was full of obstacles that prevented her from getting what she needed, as a result of living an anti-social life (Zafon, 2010).
“….and perhaps we possessed some deficiency in common which made us subtly inadaptable to Eastern life.” These words appear in chapter nine and form a conclusion to the book whose speaker is Nick, as he was meditating on the lifestyle he was living. There is great segregation of lifestyles between the people living in the East and those living in the West. Nick comes to a realization that, despite his life being centered on the East Coast, he had acquired a Western character. Based on this fact, he thereafter comes to realize that despite being very rich and wealthy; one needs to access some other life values that make life better and more enjoyable like happiness (Gilbert, 2007).
Considering the above statement, the social part of life must be acquired for happiness to prevail among individuals. Based on this Nick comes to realize that, some deficiencies in life though not openly recognized, are very crucial as they play a great role in enhancing happiness among individuals (Gilbert, 2007).
Conclusion
The Great Gatsby is a book that unveils the instrumental role of the social aspect of life among people; which not only concentrates on the economic part of it. In contemporary society, it is of great importance to realize that life values are not only based on money alone but also on socialization.
Work cited
Gilbert, Daniel. “Stumbling On Happiness”. New York: Harper Perennial Publishers. (2007): 233-254.
Nettle, Daniel. “Happiness: The Science Behind Your Smile”. New York: Oxford University Press. (2006): 123-165.
Seligman, Martin. “Authentic Happiness”. Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. (2003): 100-167.
Thaler, Richard. & Sunstein, Cass. “Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness”. London: Penguin Book Publishers. (2009): 200-239.
Zafon, Carlos. “The Angel’s Game”. London: Phoenix Publishers, 2010: 25-76.
Sharma, Robin. “The Greatness Guide 2”. Mumbai: Jaico Publishing House. (2008): 441-446.
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”Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin and ”Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Things Fall Apart and World of Ideas by Chinua Achebe
3. Sonny’s Blues and The Price of the Ticket by James Baldwin
4. Conclusions
5. References
Introduction
The readings under analysis are Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin. Both stories are devoted to the theme of black people sufferings through the cultural and social misunderstandings and conflicts. The authors managed to illustrate cruel struggles both personal and intercultural reflecting hurts and sufferings of the society.
Things Fall Apart and World of Ideas by Chinua Achebe
Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe is focused on the intercultural problem of African society. The author analyzed and highlighted gradual disappearing of a culture. This novel is an address of the writer to the cultural society; to people suffering cultural changes and facing intercultural conflicts. The basic theme of the novel is Ibo culture which is to be changed because of the pressure on the part of the external forces.
The main idea of the story is to show the process of cultural degradation made by people of different race. The idea of Things Fall Apart is global and thought provoking. The author raised the problem of racial discrimination and minority. Not in vain the structure of the novel covers gradual description of the Ibo customs and traditions before the white colonizers’ arrival. It means that the author strived to underline the significance of his favorite cultural form.
The introduction of the protagonist of the story Okonkwo is the link to the main problems of the text. The first point to analyze is the social status within the culture described. Okonkwo is a representative of a hard working social community where work is always rewarded.
“If a child washed his hands he could eat with kings” (Achebe, 293)
Nevertheless the author managed to show how high social status can change a person and his view on the society he lives in. The position in the society which is appreciated may lead to the mental change of a man which was proved by the author on the example of the protagonist.
The second point which deserves analysis in the story is devoted to religious and political aspect of the culture. Here the book can be compared with one more author’s work World of Ideas . It is a video recording where the writer raised the problem of intercultural interaction. The theme is similar to the book under analysis. The author wanted to show how Africa views American culture. He tried to underline the fact that colonial regimes never promoted and supported democracy. Such policy resulted in many modern problems faced by contemporary Africa. (Timberg, 2008)
Both the book and the video highlight problematic side of the cultural aspect. Achebe tries to stress the fact how other big developing cultures can influence small ones. He underlined the effects of this impact both on the population Africa in World of Ideas and the inhabitants of Ibo in Things Fall Apart.
The story Things Fall Apart highlights some episodes of killings and cruelty which is above understanding for the inhabitants of the village. The problem of racial discrimination and intercultural conflict is sharply presented in the center of the story. Things Fall Apart discloses the change of the whole culture which was not global but had the right for existence. It is important to note that the arrival of the white nation brings vivid transformation of the whole community.
The author shows how the invaders change the structure of the fixed norms in the village. He tries to grab attention to the point that all legal and political tenets are completely changed with the interference of another nation and race. This inequality and intercultural conflict gives a start to the war between two societies bringing a lot of sufferings to the whole community. Complete change of the cultural structure results in the usual cultural taboo disappearance and values change. Complete transformation of the social order in the village cannot but influence the cultural place in the community. (Louisa, 2007)
One more central point to discuss in the story is the problem of unity. The author tried to show the gradual way of the wholesome society to the complete destroy of the culture developed by them. The story discloses the main reason for the failure of the black community. He stresses the fact that the following of the individual interests of the protagonist of the story results in the enemies’ victory. Political features are as well underlined in the story. Thus, the author stressed that the town
“never went to war unless its case was clear”(Achebe, 299)
Things Fall Apart is also the illustration of the women’s role in the Ibo society. By describing this aspect of the story the author tries to express his respect to the culture and values of the village. He notes that women have a special place; they are respected and are considered to be the main educators for the children. Besides, the author underlined the fact that the first wife of the Ibo man is especially respected by the society.
“the others [other wives] could not drink before her” (22)
This theme is disclosed by the author in order to show his love to his motherland; he wanted to highlight the aspect of cultural values of Ibo society which was devoted to their land and people living around them. (Louisa, 2007)
So, the analysis of the Things Fall Apart and World of Ideas provides a clear picture of the main problems raised in the text which are the following:
* Intercultural conflict;
* Racial inequality;
* Cultural disappearance;
* Social position discrimination;
* The role of the woman in the society;
* The meaning of the social community;
Evaluation of the main aspects of the story gives an opportunity to read between the lines and see the profound sense of the text. World of Ideas and Things Fall Apart show the combination of global problems existing in the society in previous centuries. Ibo culture reflected its power and value in the society being not strong enough to fight another civilization and win their place in the world. The author showed a thought provoking idea as to underlining the features of historical cultural development together with the peculiarities of the nation.
Sonny’s Blues and The Price of the Ticket by James Baldwin
The analysis of one more story Sonny’s Blues written by James Baldwin shows that it is also devoted to the theme of African society and its problems and sufferings. In comparison with the above mentioned analysis this story concerns more personal questions covering family relations within the African society.
The main theme of the story under consideration is sufferings. The thing is that the story covers hurts and troubles of Black people living in America. It is important to underline the fact that the story is written from the first person which is aimed at showing the narrators attitude to the atmosphere he lives in. African society in the American community is shown to be in extreme conditions in which they had to fight for their survival and place in the state.
On the example of a small family the author managed to disclose all the peculiarities of that time. Oppressive society surrounding black families influenced their moral and physical state; people had no chance to live in normal standard conditions as the entire American nation. The author highlighted the main characters who try to escape sharp pain underlining the reasons for their unhappiness and sufferings. (Annette, 2002)
The theme showed in the story is considerably reflected in his biographical video The Price of the Ticket . The author never tried to hide his origin and social position. The problems of his novel and video film are closely interacted. The video discloses all the facts from his life and life of his family. He managed to disclose all the aspects of his personal life. He showed the relation of white nation he suffered and how it was reflected on his close friends. The problems raised in the story and in the film cover the same aspects of the authors’ life and the life of Africans. (Boyd, 2008).
The theme of racism is considered to be the central one in the story and in the film. The characters of Sonny’s Blues used to suffer the hatred of the representatives of the white community and fight misunderstanding and humiliation on the part of white race; the same feelings suffered the author during his life as it was shown in The Price of the Ticket . (Boyd, 2008) The idea of describing African culture and society is considered to be important as it reflects the reality of that time when the question of racial discrimination was the central one.
Sonny, a character of the story, plays the role of one of the leading people presented in the masterpiece. The author used a number of stylistic devices in order to make the text more living and involving. For example, the usage of metaphors used in order to underline the feeling of fear:
“A great block of ice got settled in my belly and kept melting there slowly all day long…” (Baldwin, 277).
The description of two brothers’ sensibilities clash highlights the relations within the family but concerning global aspects of the whole African community. The same topic is described in the video The Price of the Ticket . Drug usage and murders are the global problem existing in African society. The author showed another lower level of the whole nation on the example of his characters. Sonny’s Blues covers the lives only of several people though it is possible to see the deep meaning of the contents. The author tried to compare and contrast the position of two different races showing the level of discrimination of that time.
The story under analysis is rather symbolic. The usage of literary means was compulsory in the story because they made it more alive and emotionally colored. The sphere of music is not the most meaningless in the analysis. Two brothers’ relationships are based on music in future; they are deep and exciting. The author tried to show their mutual relations at different stages of their life. He stresses how time can change everything.
Two brothers became respect the interests of each other. One of the themes of the story is also considered to be growing understanding reached by them with the time. Though the story abounds in negative aspects and problems such as race discrimination, national sufferings and drugs promotion, the author managed to devote the climax of the story to the reaching of the harmony between two close people no matter in what conditions they appeared to be. (Annette, 2002)
So, Baldwin managed to highlight the most important aspects and problems of the nation of African origin. He stressed the humiliation on the part of white people in their attitude to Africans and the social position of black people who were under the influence of drugs promotion.
Conclusions
Comparing these two stories disclosing the peculiarities of African culture it should be stressed that both authors successfully reflected the problematic side of intercultural conflicts. The authors managed to disclose the basic themes of their novels in the vivid in order to illustrate problematic aspects in more vivid and emotional way. Both texts are devoted to the racial discrimination which made a millions of black people suffer unjust and cruel attitude. The peculiarities of the African culture structure prove the power of the black community but their inability to resist the majority. All the characters in the stories carry symbolic features because they are the reflection of the African culture and society in its fight for self respect and self realization.
Thus, what is important is the structure of the mentality of black and white people. Being in minority black people have no chance to win their place for normal life because it is almost impossible to resist the majority of white society. Both stories managed to show fight with racism dominating in the period of the texts creations. The authors depicted the division of the society according to race, social position and class. Such division was reached by people themselves due to their disability to live in unity and national friendship.
References
Chinua Achebe. Things Fall Apart . In Mack, Maynard. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces . 1997.
Luisa, Maria. Achebe’s Lament for a Vanishing World. NY, 2007.
Baldwin, James. Sonny’s Blues. Creative Education. 1993.
Torrez, Annette. Identity in America. Center, USA. 2002.
Boyd, Herb. James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket. NY, 2008.
Timberg, Bernard. Bill Moyers: The Theme of the World of Ideas. US. 2008.
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Global Warming Effects on the Cayman Islands Research Paper
Introduction
Global warming refers to a state in which earth’s and ocean surface experiences increase in temperature. The effects of global warming are the social and ecological changes because of increment of global temperature (Gore, 148). These climatic changes are be apparent with the present recording of rise of sea level, increase in temperature and decreasing of snow level covering the Northern Hemisphere. It began in mid-20th century when increase of atmospheric temperature was recorded.
These recordings included observation made in relation to effects of greenhouse gases concentration perpetrated by human activities. It is believed that global warming will be rampant, because of the rise in sea level and considering the extreme weather changes (Greenhouse gases 2008).
Causes of global warming
Researchers have established that greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere cause global warming. These are carbon dioxide, water vapor, ozone, and methane. Greenhouse gases are causes increase in temperature of the earth’s surface by trapping heat in the atmosphere (Brown, 61). The main source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere is burning fossils as implicated in the graph below.
In addition, causes of global warming can be classified into two groups. These two groups are natural causes, and anthropogenic causes or man-made causes.
Natural causes
Natural causes of global warming include mainly emissions related to nature. Methane gas is a natural cause of global warming, which is emitted from wetlands, and tundra. Moreover, Climatic cycle changes are also classified under natural causes of global warming in the atmosphere.
Man-made Causes
Manmade causes have been termed to be causing the greatest damages to the atmosphere in terms of global warming. The leading cause of global warming is burning of fossils causing. This is because the main emissions from burning of fossils fuels are organic matter, which include oil or coal (Gore, 178).
In addition, after fossil fuels are burnt, they are responsible for the release of carbon dioxide gases into the atmosphere. Moreover, in oil and coal mining, methane will be released into the atmosphere. Furthermore, considering methane is naturally found in the ground, and will escape into atmosphere when it is dug up on surface of the earth- cultivation.
The other cause of global warming classified under manmade causes is population. When there is a large population, there will be more demand for transport and food. This means that there will be many gases such as methane, which would be emitted into the atmosphere. This will translate to rise in agricultural activities around the world (Staudt, 24).
On the contrary, to the belief of many researchers, agriculture contributes to emission of unwanted gases in the atmosphere. This is possible with the introduction of manure on the earth’s surface, which contains methane. When population increases in size, individuals will require more food and thus large quantities of manure to increase food production. In addition, increase in population will also mean increase in transport services (Brown, 89).
This will be associated with more cars, and more emission of unwanted atmospheric gases. Moreover, as population grows so does the increase in emission of carbon dioxide. This is because human beings emit carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Causes of the greenhouse gases due to the human activities are shown below:
On the other hand, human activities because of population increase contribute to global warming as they interfere with the conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen. This is because human cut down trees to build new houses due to increased population to create shelters and cultivating land. Therefore, this cutting down trees interferes with CO 2 conversion, as trees are responsible in the conversion carbon dioxide gas to oxygen gas (Brown and Leipold, 131).
How long before it occurs
There are predictions that these effects are yet to be experienced. However, some of these effects are being experienced in some locations around the globe. These effects include melting of ice worldwide especially on the southern and northern poles of the earth and in mount glaciers, Greenland ice found at arctic sea and the west Antarctica that was in the past covered with a large sheet of ice. The other indication of global warming is declining in the number of Adélie penguins, which are normally found on Antarctica (Gore, 124).
Moreover, rapid rise in sea level, in the past century, is also an indication of global warming. In addition, it has been reported that species of foxes, butterflies, and alpine plants are migrating to cooler sides of the earth surface such as higher lands and North Pole. The other indication of global warming is increase of snowfall and rainfall across the globe. The graph below shows some of the increase of emission of carbon dioxide, which has contributed in the global warming for years.
Some global warming effects that have already been experienced and noted but there are still expectations in the next century, which have been predicted by researchers. At the end of the century, it is expected that the sea level globally will increase by 7 to 23 inches as the ice is expected to melt by 4 to 8 inches.
This will mean that storms and hurricanes will be stronger as time elopes. It is also indicated that species, which normally depend on others, will become extinct. This is because species such as plants will not depend on pollinating insects to be active since they would have bloomed faster than expected. In the next 50 years, floods and draughts are also expected to be common globally.
The other effect is decline of fresh water with the melting of ice at a faster rate in places such as Quelccaya ice cap, which is found in Peru. This is expected to take place by 2100 (Brown, 161). There will also be increase in diseases such as malaria. Finally, there will be changes in the ecosystem, as animals it is believed those that will be successful to migrate to the north will survive, and those that will not be able will be rendered extinct. This means that melting of ice will perpetrate the disappearance of polar bears.
The effects on the Cayman Islands
The IPCC has indicated that global warming would have severe conditions for the people at Cayman Islands. One of the harsh predictions is rise of sea level, which might lead to the island disappearance. Moreover, there have been indications of earth’s cooling as most of coastal parts of the globe receive cold climate in.
There are also views that contradict that the Cayman Islands will suffer negatively from global warming. These contradicting reports argue that the island will benefit from the changes taking place in the world (Brown and Leipold, 69). This can be explained by the fact that world will have a shortage of food because of freezing fields, and crops failing to grow due to global warming.
This is an indication that there will be a rise in prices of food; canals will dry up as sea levels lowers. This will work on conversely with Cayman Island, as they will gain visitors who will be escaping the cold weather in their countries. The world is at the end of the warm period, which will be followed by an ice age.
The position of Cayman because of global warming
Moreover, references to global warming, the islands are expected to be the hottest regions in the world due to temperature rise, and sea level increasing. This will leave islands to be home of fewer animals as most animals will try to find places with cooler temperatures. The hot temperatures will not be favorable for animals and crops (Staudt, 78). When crops cease to grow, there will be a shortage of food, which will result to scramble for the little resources remaining.
Measures involved in the reduction of global warming
One crucial factor, which is seen to be the contributor of global warming, is pollution of the atmosphere with emission of gases. Some governments with introduction of Clean Air Act have been able to reduce emission of dangerous gases to the atmosphere (Brown, 60). Since production of electricity also contributes these greenhouse gases emissions from fossil fuel.
This has led to some countries introducing other alternative energy production such as solar and wind into their economy. This has been done to reduce the emission from fossil fuels, which are burnt. Gases emitted from fossil fuels have been reduced in some countries where cycling has been encouraged to reduce the emission of unwanted greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from cars.
Recommendations
The paper has clearly indicated that causes of global warming are because of burning fossil fuels, which causes emission of greenhouse gases. The first recommendation would be reduction in recycling and reusing this is because through recycling of products, fossil gases are emitted, which the major causes of global are warming. It is for this reason that it would be best to use disposable packaging instead of reusable packaging.
I would also recommend use of air conditioners as it will help in reduction of increasing temperature in the atmosphere. The other recommendation is reduction of driving in the major cities. This is because most cars emit greenhouse gases because they use gasoline, which is part of the fossil fuels. Finally, it is recommendable that there be planting of more trees this is to help with the conversion of carbon dioxide gas to oxygen by the trees.
Summary
The general effect of global warming is the increased temperatures on the earth surface. It is factual that temperature of the atmosphere has already increased by more than 8 degrees Celsius.
This has also led to melting of arctic tundra, which has translated to emission of methane into the atmosphere. In addition, as years pass by emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere have been increased due to human activities and are associated with melting in the arctic region.
Global warming is also associated with dangerous weather conditions such as increase in storms and hurricanes on the earth. In addition, it also have led drought and floods that are on the rise globally. Drought and floods have caused availability and distribution of food to be low globally translating to high food prices.
This is dangerous since individuals who are not able to afford high food prices will die of starvation. Moreover, there is agricultural instability globally whereby farmers are not able to predict climatic conditions, which will help them in nurturing their crops. Furthermore, taking into account drought conditions are twice harsh than it was years ago this has not been favorable for growing of crops by farmers.
Global warming has not spared animals as their survival is also affected, and some of the species are becoming extinct. These creatures of the ecosystem are establishing favorable survival tactics, which include moving to cooler regions. Moreover, the ecosystem is seen to be changing as plants are being found in places that they were not usually found, and they survive even in harsh conditions
Works Cited
Brown, Lester, Plan B 2.0; Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble , Norton, NY, 2006. Print
Brown, Paul, and Leipold, Gerd, Global Warning: The Last Chance for Change , Reader’s Digest, Pleasantville NY, 2007. Print.
Gore, Al, An Inconvenient Truth; The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It , Rodale, Emmaus PA, 2006, Print
Greenhouse Gases, Carbon Dioxide and Methane, Rise Sharply in 2007 , Science Daily, 24 April 2008
Staudt, Antony Understanding and Responding to Climate Change. A brochure prepared by the National Research Council . US: Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Academy of Sciences. 2008. Print.
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Giving Ex-Offenders a Second Chance Research Paper
Introduction
Prison recidivism rates are a major national and local issue given the sheer amount of money spent on prisoners in the United States ($35,000 every year for each inmate) and the number of individuals that cycle through the criminal justice system per year (11.6 million) (Miller, Curtis, Sønderlund, Day, & Droste, 2015).
Current statistics on the issue reveal that 68 percent of prisoners released by the state in 2005 were rearrested and sent back to jail within three years, and 75 percent of inmates currently in the system are rearrested within five years. This is indicative of a major problem with the current system of incarceration since there is an established pattern of release, arrest, then release again.
On the other end of the spectrum, Norway has one the lowest prisoner recidivism rates in the world at 20 percent compared to America, which has one of the highest at 76.6 percent as per the lastest statistical data examination (Zortman, Powers, Hiester, Klunk, & Antonio, 2016). The capacity of Norway to field such small numbers is due a process they call “restorative justice.”
Under this process, the Norwegian system of incarceration focuses on rehabilitating criminals to prevent their criminal tendencies from resurfacing. Practices that contribute towards this methodology consist of various vocational and education programs that aim to prepare prisoners for a successful integration back into society. The result is a much lower rate of recidivism and shows the effectiveness that such a methodology has in curbing an individual’s tendency to fall back into old criminal habits.
It is based on this comparison between the Norwegian and American systems of incarceration that the Second Chance Act makes sense. Simply put, if prisoners within the U.S. are presented with a program that helps them to integrate back into society, it is likely that the various deficits to a successful integration could be resolved. This would have a significant impact on a prisoner’s life since it would enable them to have the necessary vocational and educational skills that would help them turn away from a life of crime.
Combined with support programs, housing assistance, and work programs, this would transform the current system and contribute to reducing recidivism rates in the long term. As such, this paper will explore the various arguments, debates, and controversies associated with giving second chances to felons and where the stance of the justice department is on the issue. It is expected through this examination; a greater understanding can develop regarding the impact of second chances on both society and the present day system of incarceration in the U.S. Based on the facts presented, this report asserts that giving second chances to offenders is needed given the potential benefits this would have in reducing costs and in helping the lives of newly released prisoners.
Findings of the Study
Cohen and Whetzel (2014) clarified the source of the problem by explaining that the high recidivism rates in the American prison system are connected to the deficits tied to a prisoner upon their release. These include but are not limited to:
1. Little in the way of marketable skills: many prisoners upon their release lack the skills they would need to enter the workforce. As a result, they return to a life of crime to survive and are, inevitably, arrested again (Cohen & Whetzel, 2014).
2. Their criminal record: most employers hesitate to hire individuals that have a criminal record. This is due to the potential danger that a newly released convict would have on their business in the form of possible thefts or property damage (Cohen & Whetzel, 2014).
3. Limited education: being in prison is not conducive towards earning a proper academic education and, as a result, released prisoners often lack the needed training to get normal jobs.
4. Lack of sufficient stable housing: the presence of permanent housing is often required before a person is accepted for a job. By constantly being transient, this prevents a released prisoner from gaining a modicum of stability in a local community which limits their future opportunities (Cohen & Whetzel, 2014).
5. Potential substance abuse problems: before being arrested, many prisoners developed substance abuse problems, their release without sufficient medical and psychiatric assistance creates a high likelihood of them going back to a life of crime to support their addiction.
6. Lack of an adequate support network for help: lastly, most states do not have a support system in place for newly released prisoners to help them transition back into society. As a result, they tend to turn back to old criminal habits resulting in them being incarcerated again.
Zavin (2012) supports the work of Cohen and Whetzel by stating that the current system of incarceration in the U.S. is not conducive towards creating a proper means of transitioning people from being in prison to integrating back into society. Without such a system in place, it is almost inevitable that former prisoners become the current criminals on America’s streets (Zavin, 2012).
Current Arguments on the Issue
One of the current debates surrounding the issue of second chances is if some criminals deserve one in the first place. Based on the concept of incarceration as a form of punishment, second chances for criminals is viewed as a controversial stance among members of various conservative groups. For example, if a person was found guilty of a violent crime (i.e. theft and assault resulting in injury) should they receive free vocational training and education at the expense of the state? It would seem as if criminals are being rewarded for their actions rather than being punished.
Non-profit organizations such as “We Are All Criminals” (www.weareallcriminals.org) counterargue this position by stating that the problem with the current system of incarceration is that the punishment goes well beyond incarceration and can have a long-term negative impact on an individual’s life. Emily Baxter, founder of “We Are All Criminals” stated that having a criminal record can have a devastating consequence on a person’s career choices since employers do not look at the severity of the crime; rather, they look at the fact that an individual has a criminal record (Cohen, Cook, & Lowenkamp, 2016). These businesses make their choice beforehand resulting in fewer career options for ex-convicts with minor or non-violent crimes.
Delving deeper into the issue, Baxter’s non-profit created a series of presentations showing individuals (with their faces cropped out of the photo) being guilty of various minor crimes in the past and not being caught. These same people eventually became lawyers, police chiefs or achieved similarly respectable careers in society. They would not have been able to gain these positions if they had a criminal record which reveals the current problem with incarceration and the stigma that surrounds it (Cohen, Cook, & Lowenkamp, 2016).
Many people assume that the concept of second chances is limited to what was given in the introduction section of this paper wherein it focuses on educational and vocational support combined with methods to transition an individual back into society. Second chances for ex-convicts can go beyond this and tackle the issues surrounding the stigma of their criminal records. One of the best examples of this can be seen in Indiana’s Second Chance laws which are also known as expungement laws. These laws allow people with minor to significant criminal records to have them sealed with the decision being left up to the court (Evans, Huang, & Hser, 2011).
The length of time for a successful petition depends on the severity of the incident in question. An individual that was arrested but not charged with any crime could request to have their records sealed after a year. Those with a misdemeanor conviction could petition for the sealing of the records after five years (Evans et al., 2011). Lastly, those charged with felony convictions have to wait for eight years and the discretion of the court before the sealing process can even begin. Within the one to eight year period, the individual making the request should not commit any other crime. Otherwise, their petition will be considered null and void.
Overall, Indiana’s expungement laws are meant to address the stigma attached to having a criminal record thereby allowing a person to integrate into society and have a clean slate. However, while expungement laws are an excellent method, there are arguments present regarding their implementation. The most obvious debate surrounding Second Chance laws are connected to the length of time needed before a petition can be made. While it is understandable that a necessary period should elapse to ensure that a person will not commit another crime, the length indicated in present day expungement laws is simply far too long.
Proponents for change involving Second Chance laws correctly point out that five to eight years for a misdemeanor or felony crimes prevents a person from properly integrating back into society. How are they supposed to find meaningful work if they are prevented from expunging their criminal records? It is due to this that the current debate on the issue centers on lowering the amount of time to a more reasonable level or taking into consideration a person’s behavior in prison as a good indicator to reduce the amount of time needed or to grant expungement immediately after they are released from jail to help facilitate their reintegration (Pogorzelski, Wolff, Pan, & Blitz, 2005).
Do note that, on their own; expungement laws are still an insufficient means of preventing prisoner recidivism. What is needed is a combined approach that utilizes both expungement laws and the second chance act to maximize the ability of detainees to transition back into society. By addressing both the stigma against employment and addressing their capability to transition back into society via vocational and educational skills, this can create a situation where an ex-convict has more options available to them and, as such, helps to prevent them from turning back to a life of crime.
Does this Help to Reduce Offender Recidivism Rates?
It is still unclear whether this will dramatically reduce recidivism rates since one of the best examples, Indiana, that has implemented expungement laws has yet to show valid statistical data. Indiana’s Second Chance law was put into effect in 2014 and underwent various revisions until 2015. Currently, it is 2016, and insufficient studies have been conducted to examine the impact that this would have on the state.
However, there are several assumptions that can be derived from available facts. The first assumption is that the Second Chance Act can reduce prisoner recidivism rates. This is based on data released in 2014 that revealed a drop in the federal prison population by 4,800 inmates as of September 2013 (Steiner, Makarios, & Travis, 2015).
Such a reduction was considered as unprecedented since this was the first time that the prison population has gone down instead of up since the year 1980. The drop was attributed to changes in the criminal justice system in 2007 with the introduction of the Second Chance Act (Steiner et al., 2015). In fact, Attorney General Eric Holder even stated that estimates examining the trend in the reduction in the prison population project that by 2016 the reduction will have dropped by another 10,000.
In fact, statistical data examining the impact of the Second Chance Act has shown a decline of 10 percent in America’s incarceration rate (Steiner et al., 2015). This example indicates that policies that target easier societal integration for inmates can have a significant impact on the rate of incarceration and prisoner recidivism. Since expungement laws involving criminal records similarly contribute towards, effective prisoner integration practices, a similar phenomenon of reduced prison populations can also be expected.
Is There a Negative Impact on Society if Offenders are Given Second Chances?
The problem with the current system is that releasing prisoners back into society simply increases crime. The Justice Department Bureau of Justice Statistics revealed in a study that back in the mid-1990s, two-thirds of inmates that were released were rearrested after a period of three years (McShane & Williams, 1996). During the period that they were not in prison, they were responsible crimes that encompassed murder, rape, kidnapping, assault and robbery.
One of the best perspectives on this issue is from the Toscher and Lubin (2011) study which explained the concept of prison as being a “college of crime.” While this may seem to be a strange terminology, Toscher and Lubin stated that many prisons act as melting pots for different criminal elements to mingle. Prisoners with light to average offenses are often in the same facilities as professional criminals due to budget cutbacks and limited space within the American prison system (Toscher & Lubin, 2011).
This creates a system where convicts develop contacts both in and out of prison and learn skills and different pieces of knowledge that they otherwise would not have learned (Müller, Haase, & Stolpmann, 2013). As a result of such influences and the negative impact of sending them back into society without a system of transition in place, time in prison creates better and more experienced criminals.
This is, of course, a terrible result since the purpose of a prison is to punish people who have broken the law and not create an individual that is better at crime. Unfortunately, this is the outcome that was brought about which contributes significantly to the level of recidivism experienced by the prison system (Albanes, 2012). Simply put, the current American system of incarceration already has a negative impact on society and needs to be altered from a system geared primarily to incarceration to one that is closer to the Norwegian system of incarceration, rehabilitation, and resocialization.
The best way in which this can be accomplished would be the Second Chance Act and expungement laws since this gives prisoners the capacity to learn the skills they would need to get a job as well as have a blank slate that would prevent any form of animosity or discrimination being directed against them (Sturup & Lindqvist, 2014). The only potential negative effect such a system would have on society would be the slight increase in cost per prisoner for the necessary education and vocation problems that would be put in place in most prisons. However, given the cost associated with having to incarcerate people in the first place, a slight increase in the expense of each prisoner but a reduction in the overall amount of inmates would be financially acceptable.
Should Certain Offenders (ex: dangerous sex offenders) not be Given a Second Chance?
The debate surrounding second chances for offenders is particularly heated when it comes to whether or not certain criminals should be given the right to expungement or a second chance. The argument centers around the concept of equality under the law and the potential danger certain individuals pose to society. Laws should apply equally to everyone, and it is this concept that is the cornerstone of the justice system that is at work in the United States (Freedman, 2012). However, the application of the law goes both ways wherein a person can both be punished as well as rewarded by the laws that have been put in place.
This is an important facet to consider when examining its application to prison populations since not all prisoner are created equal. Some are incarcerated for relatively minor offenses while there are those who have been responsible for manslaughter, rape, grievous assault and other similar felonies. Should individuals convicted of serious crimes that have served their time in jail have access to the same rights of expungement of the felony records as well as the benefits of the second chance act?
One side of the debate firmly asserts equality under the law and points out that if they are not assisted in some way before their reintroduction into society, it is likely that they will continue to commit the same crimes (Freedman, 2012). By giving them access to a second chance, this helps to prevent recidivism and ensures they become a productive member of society.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are pundits who state that while second chances for criminals is an excellent way of resolving the prison population issue, there are simply some convicts that a second chance should not apply. They point to individuals accused of serious sexual offenses and state that these people should not have their records cleared or given a fresh start since it is likely that they could start the same behavior all over again without their local community having sufficient warning.
In apparent opposition to this assertion is the Kulani correctional facility’s sexual offender rehabilitation in Hawaii which has successfully treated over 800 prisoners convicted of sex-related offences since its start in 1988. The program has been considered as a success since only 20 individuals from the second chance program went back to prison for sexual offenses (Berenji, Chou, & D’Orsogna, 2014).
The Kulani program shows that even if a person is convicted of a sexual offense, they can still be successfully rehabilitated and become a productive member of society. Do note though that in some cases a person convicted of a felony cannot avail of expurgence laws. States like Indiana review expurgence requests by former prisoners who committed crimes. If they determine that a person’s crime is simply too grave to allow expurgence, then it will not be granted. The problem with this method is that the justice system, in effect, facilitates recidivism by preventing an ex-convict from leading a normal life.
Second chances should apply to all equally and, as such, by stopping people the capacity to make a life for themselves, you are in effect facilitating their downturn towards criminal behavior (Rowland, 2016). Taking this into consideration, the assertion that only particular types of criminals should be allowed a second chance is counterproductive to the aims of reducing prison recidivism rates. It is necessary to apply the policy to all criminals and not just a select few that the incarceration system deems as sufficiently harmless or not accused of a serious felony.
Drawbacks to the Application of the Policy
One of the drawbacks to the application of the Second Chance Act and expungence laws come in the form of the case of Antwon Durrell Pitt, a 21-year-old resident of Washington D.C., who has been arrested (eight times in total) for various crimes ranging from robbery to sexual assault. However, due to the presence of laws that were designed to give some leniency to young adult offenders, he has repeatedly been released. His criminal behavior culminated in the 2014 rape of a 40-year-old woman in Hill East, Washington.
This case shows the inherent problem with giving second chances to offenders since some of them are apparently unrepentant of their actions and are likely to continue their criminal behavior after they are released from jail. While the case of Pitt is not indicative of all offenders, it does highlight the potential that exists and helps to show why there are some drawbacks to giving criminals second chances.
Conclusion
After going over the arguments and data that have been presented, this report asserts that giving second chances to offenders is needed given the potential benefits this would have in reducing costs and in helping the lives of newly released prisoners. What this paper has shown is that combined with support programs, housing assistance, and work programs, second chances for offenders would transform the current system and contribute to reducing recidivism rates in the long term.
The best way in which this can be accomplished would be the Second Chance Act and expungement laws since this gives prisoners the capacity to learn the skills they would need to get a job as well as have a blank slate that would prevent any form of animosity or discrimination being directed against them. Based on data released in 2014 that revealed a drop in the federal prison population by 4,800 inmates as of September 2013, it can be asserted that second chances do help in reducing the current recidivism rate.
In the long term, provided that enough funding is given to the similar programs, it could be possible for the U.S. to emulate the Norwegian system of incarceration and hopefully lower some repeat offenders to manageable levels. While it is true that there are some assertions regarding the potential uselessness or even harm some offenders may do with a second chance, such as individuals accused of serious sexual offenses,
the claim that only particular types of criminals should be allowed is counterproductive to the aims of reducing prison recidivism rates. It is necessary to apply the policy to all criminals and not just a select few that the incarceration system deems as sufficiently harmless or not accused of a serious felony.
All in all, this report has successfully delved into the various nuances of giving second chances to offenders. While it is true that the debate on the issue continues even to the present day, the fact remains that the second chance act has proven its worth, and it is likely that expurgence laws also contribute towards lowering prisoner recidivism rates as well.
The next section will deal with future directions that research on this topic can go and what avenues of approach would be the most worthwhile to explore.
Directions for Future Research
For researchers looking for potential avenues of approach when it comes to examining this topic, one recommended option would be to determine the effectiveness of expungence laws and the Second Chance Act at the same time. Current studies on ex-convict recidivism rates lack sufficient examinations on the impact that both methods have.
It is possible that having both helps to drastically reduce the recidivism or one is simply better than the other. Conducting an analysis would assist in contributing towards developing better methods to help improve a prisoner’s transition back into society. Presently, legislative trends on the issue seem to support second chances for offenders by lowering inmate populations and lower costs for the prison system. However, it is still unknown what trends the current justice system may take when it comes to the combination of educational, vocational support systems.
Reference List
Albanes, J. S. (2012). Demystifying Risk Assessment: Giving Prisoners a Second chance at Individualized Community Confinement Under the Second Chance Act. Administrative Law Review , 64 (4), 937- 966.
Berenji, B., Chou, T., & D’Orsogna, M. R. (2014). Recidivism and Rehabilitation of Criminal Offenders: A Carrot and Stick Evolutionary Game. Plos ONE , 9 (1), 1-13.
Cohen, T. H., & Whetzel, J. (2014). The Neglected “R”–Responsivity and the Federal Offender. Federal Probation , 78 (2), 92.
Cohen, T. H., Cook, D., & Lowenkamp, C. T. (2016). The Supervision of Low-Risk Federal Offenders: How the Low-risk Policy Has Changed Federal Supervision Practices without Compromising Community Safety. Federal Probation , 80 (1), 3.
Evans, E., Huang, D., & Hser, Y. (2011). High-Risk Offenders Participating in Court-Supervised Substance Abuse Treatment: Characteristics, Treatment Received, and Factors Associated with Recidivism. Journal Of Behavioral Health Services & Research , 38 (4), 510-525.
Freedman, D. B. (2012). Determining the Long-Term Risks of Recidivism and Registration Failures among Sexual Offenders’. Federal Probation , 76 (1), 14.
McShane, M. D., & Williams, F. P. (1996). Encyclopedia of American Prisons . New York: Routledge.
Miller, P. G., Curtis, A., Sønderlund, A., Day, A., & Droste, N. (2015). Effectiveness of interventions for convicted DUI offenders in reducing recidivism: a systematic review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature. American Journal Of Drug & Alcohol Abuse , 41 (1), 16-29.
Müller, J. L., Haase, K., & Stolpmann, G. (2013). Recidivism and Characteristics of Highly Dangerous Offenders Being Released from Retrospectively Imposed Preventive Detention: An Empirical Study. Behavioral Sciences & The Law , 31 (3), 359-380.
Pogorzelski, W., Wolff, N., Pan, K., & Blitz, C. L. (2005). Behavioral Health Problems, Ex-Offender Reentry Policies, and the “Second Chance Act”. American Journal Of Public Health , 95 (10), 1718-1724.
Rowland, M. G. (2016). Projecting Recidivism Rates for Federal Drug Offenders Released Early from Prison. Federal Sentencing Reporter , 28 (4), 259-263.
Steiner, B., Makarios, M. D., & Travis, L. F. (2015). Examining the Effects of Residential Situations and Residential Mobility on Offender Recidivism. Crime & Delinquency , 61 (3), 375-401.
Sturup, J., & Lindqvist, P. (2014). Homicide offenders 32 years later – A Swedish population-based study on recidivism. Criminal Behaviour & Mental Health , 24 (1), 5-17.
Toscher, S., & Lubin, B. (2011). How About a Second Chance–Recent Developments in Reducing the Convicted Tax Offender’s Time in Prison. Journal Of Tax Practice & Procedure , 13 (2), 25-28.
Zavin, V. (2012). One Strike, You are Out: The Ninth Circuit Denies Second Chance for First-time Drug Offenders. Boston College Journal Of Law & Social Justice , 3 (2) , 83-92.
Zortman, J. S., Powers, T., Hiester, M., Klunk, F. R., & Antonio, M. E. (2016). Evaluating reentry programming in Pennsylvania’s Board of Probation & Parole: An assessment of offenders’ perceptions and recidivism outcomes. Journal Of Offender Rehabilitation , 55 (6), 419-442.
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Financing Health Care in US Cost vs. Quality Essay
Financing and funding for health care services is well acknowledged and known as a major way of improving the quality of services or products being offered to patients. It is also recognized as a key approach of improving the quality of life among the citizens, in general. In order to manage the funds of the governmental healthcare programs more efficiently particular educational programs directed to promotion of healthy lifestyles are to be implemented in schools. As a result of such educational programs significant amount of federal financial recourses will be saved; these funds may be applied for the governmental insuring program.
Speaking about the current situation in the US healthcare system, it should be stated that there is evidence from diverse information data banks showing increased financing and funding of health care services and its products by the government, public and private organizations, non-governmental organizations as well as by individual (Brownell 2004). Despite the fact that all of these policies have been formulated and adopted to deal with and combat all the range of human diseases and illness, certain unhealthy conditions of people such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, asthma among other diseases with high prevalence in the U.S community, have been a major drive for policy search, formulations and adoption. The abuse on the system by phamaceuticals, hospitals, and doctors can be also mentioned as one of the primary problems in the US healthcare (Mason 2012). Finally, the uninsured population including the most diversified categories of citizens suffers greatly from the current situation in healthcare on the reason of lacking an opportunity to attend a doctor on a stage of pathology when they can still be helped.
Reflecting on the above mentioned problems existing in the US healthcare system, it is evident how important the development of a new strategy in the area of governmental insuring and the implementation of new strategies of working with the population is important. Improvements are to be implemented both in urban and rural territories, but as rural territories are affected much worse than urban ones this proposal will concentrate on the rural communities. Citizens in rural areas are plagued with chronic diseases caused by their unhealthy lifestyles leading to obesity and causing severe medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and all types of cancer. Their lack of medical knowledge is one of the major reasons for their unhealthy lives.
A new health care policy is to be created and implemented into law that mandates schools to serve only healthy foods. As a result the above mentioned chronic diseases would not be as rampant. If children as early as pre-school began learning about healthy lifestyles and were made to eat only healthy foods, chronic disease rates would decrease; therefore, money would be saved on a national level. Fighting obesity is a major key to saving the entire nation money. The saved money, in turn, are to be directed to the governmental insurance program in order to provide a basis for the population having no needed financial means to timely receive a qualified medical help.
As a final point, the results of this proposed education shifting policy are expected to have a high positive impact in the field of health care financing in relation to the mitigation of health conditions and status.
References
Brownell, D. (2004). Food Fight. The inside Story of the Food Industry, America’s Obesity Crisis, and What We Can Do about It. New York: McGraw Hill.
Mason, D. J., Leavitt, J. K. and Chafee, M.W. (Eds.). (2012 ). Policy and politics in nursing and health care (6 th ed.) St. Louis: Saunders / Elsevier.
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Sickle Cell Anaemia and its Molecular Diagnosis Report
Abstract
Genetic diseases can result from several environmental factors; however, they primarily result from inherited genes. Genetic diseases are known to occur as a result of an abnormality in an inherited gene. Sickle cell anaemia is one of the most common genetic diseases. This report discusses its pathogenesis and presents classical methods available for its diagnosis. The classical methods identified in this report are haemoglobin electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Finally, the document discusses DNA-based methods used in sickle cell anaemia. The two methods presented in this report are Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms and Polymerase Chain Reaction.
Introduction
Any disease that occurs as a result of an abnormality in one’s genome is classified as a genetic disease. Genetic diseases are acquired through heredity, or gene mutation. Sickle cell anemia is one such genetic disease caused by genetic inheritance 1 . Sickle cell anemia is inherited as an autosomal recessive condition meaning that the gene that contains the disorder can be passed from the parent to either male or female child. However, both parents must have sickle cell genes for the inheriting child to have two sickle cell genes 2. The disease results from mutations that take place in the DNA sequence of a single gene and is therefore classified as a monogenetic disorder. Thus, it is a disorder of the blood and occurs as a result of inherited abnormal hemoglobin. The analogous nature of hemoglobin may cause red blood cells to rip apart. This leads to a reduction in the number of red blood cells as hemolysis continues, resulting into anaemia. The disease is the most widespread among the inherited blood anaemias and majorly affects Africans and African Americans.
Pathogenesis of sickle cell anaemia
The β-globin chain of hemoglobin undergoes the process of mutation and this causes the replacement of valine, a type of a hydrophobic amino acid, by hydrophilic amino acids 3 . The β-globin is located at the diminutive side of chromosome 11 4 . In this case, haemoglobin S (HbS) is formed by an alliance between “2 mutant β-globin subdivisions and 2 wild-type α-globin subdivisions forms” 4 .in case of low oxygen, the nonexistence of a polar amino acid at the sixth position of the β-globin chain increases the polymerisation of non-covalent haemoglobin. This deforms red blood cells into a sickle shape, and as a result, reduces their elasticity. This reduction in red blood cell elasticity is most important in the pathophysiology of sickle-cell anaemia.
The elasticity of normal red blood cells facilitates their deformation thereby enabling their passage through capillaries. However, in sickle-cell anaemia, low-oxygen condition enhances red blood cell sickling. Continuous sickling damages the cell membrane. The condition becomes worse since the cells can no longer regain their original shape even when normal oxygen condition is returned. Consequently, the red blood cells attain rigidity which is difficult to deform while passing through thin capillaries. This causes vessel occlusion, as well as, ischaemia. Ischemia is a restriction within the blood supply which leads to dysfunction of tissue or vasoconstriction. A high number of white blood cells may result in the formation of cytokines, and this may cause sickle cell anaemia.
In general, the pathogenesis of sickle cell anaemia is by haemolysis, which is the rupture of cells within the spleen as a result of their distorted shape. Even though the bone marrow will always produce more red blood cells to compensate for the ruptured cells, the rate of rapture is higher than that of production making it hard to balance or restore the situation.
The significant decrease in the Haemoglobin A in human beings is caused by the fact that sickle celled red blood cells can only survive for 10 to 20 days compared with the 90 to 120 days that normal red blood cells last. Normally, an individual has Haemoglobin A which has two β and α chains, Haemoglobin A2 (also with two β and α chains), and Haemoglobin F with two α and γ chains. Haemoglobin A comprise of 96-97% of normal haemoglobin. This means that haemolysis reduces the amount of haemoglobin in the body significantly.
Classical methods for sickle cell anaemia diagnosis
Haemoglobin electrophoresis
Haemoglobin electrophoresis is a test used to detect various forms of haemoglobin. The test applies gel electrophoresis principle that helps to disintegrate haemoglobin into its various components. It is used to detect abnormal HbS levels in the red blood cells and other abnormal haemoglobin-related disorders. According to the Southern 5 this technique uses electrical current in separating normal and abnormal haemoglobins within the blood using cellulose acetate. Various haemoglobins have varied charges, and these charges determine the rate of movement of haemoglobins depending on whether the gel is acidic or alkaline. The procedure involves staining of cellulose acetate gel with Ponceau red, and the Electrophoresis run at 150-200 volts. The amount of every type of haemoglobin within the current is measured and an abnormal type of haemoglobin found in the blood implies that a disease/disorder is present. In this case, HbS means that the sickle cell anaemia is present.
Isoelectric focusing (IEF)
IEF is used to analyse whole blood samples and haemolysates as well. The technique gives reliable separation of HbA from HbF and other variant hemoglobins such as HbS, HbC, HbD-Punjab, HbE and HbO-Arab 6 . The technique can be semi-automated to allow the screening of large number of blood samples. For example, it can be used to separate HbA into A 0 , A 1 , A(αmet), A(βmet), as well as, A(αβmet).
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
HPLC can be used to quantify haemoglobins HbS, HbA 2 , and HbF for detection, conditional identification, and the quantification of several variant haemoglobins. This method provides precise quantification of HbA 2 as opposed to isoelectric focusing.
It is used to separate HbA, HbA 2 , HbF, HbS, HbC, Hb-D-Punjab and G-Philadelphia from one another 7 . It allows for the detection of haemoglobin variants which were previously unidentified by other methods.
DNA-based methods for sickle cell anaemia diagnosis
Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms
Mutation which causes sickle cell anaemia coincidentally lives in the recognition sites of some restriction enzymes which are; Bsu II, Cvn I, and Mst II. A restriction enzyme identifies and separates double-stranded DNA from a specific nucleotide sequence 8 .This sequence is called restriction site, and exists within or around any particular gene. Those with sickle cell mutation do not have the restriction cell site found in people who have normal β-globin genes. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms has been used to directly test for the existence of an abnormal gene in an at-risk fetus. This method applies a radioactively labeled β-globin probe in diagnosing sickle cell anaemia. Gene mutation that causes the disorder coincides with a Cvn I site. However, chromosomes which have sickle mutation do not have the site which chromosomes that have normal β-globin genes possess. This is digested with Cvn I and hybridization to produce β-globin probe 9 . Thereafter, an analysis can now be done. DNA of persons with sickle cell anaemia produces a 1.3 kb fragment, and that from parents (both mother and father) who have normal β-globin genes produce a 1.1 kb fragment 10 .Carriers have 1.3-kb and 1.1-kb fragments.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
This is an in-vitro technique used to make several copies of specific DNA sequences. In this method, sickle cell anaemia is diagnosed on a PCR-amplified DNA through direct visualization done under ultraviolet light 11 . Sickle cell mutation is first amplified under a large complex genomic DNA. Molecular diagnosis of the disease necessitates the detection of one distorted nucleotide in a single gene within the genome. As a result, the region of the genome that contains the altered nucleotide has to be amplified. Amplified DNA that has β-globin gene codon 6 is digested with Cvn I. It is then electrophoresed with agaorose gel 12 . Smaller restriction fragments migrate through agarose gel electrophoresis faster as compared to larger restriction fragments. The sixth codon DNA is then labeled with Ethidium Bromide before visualization under UV light. When placed in ultraviolet light, digested DNA appears as a smear. The sickle mutation gets rid of the recognition sequence of Cvn I enzyme. As a result, HbS allele can now be visualized as a 340-bp, while HbA allele as 200 or as 140-bp bands 13 . In addition, a 100 base pair of constant band is present for every person tested.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method is faster and more efficient since it does not require performing of Southern blotting, autoradiography or hybridization, all of which uses labeled probe, compared to Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms 14 . Besides, it can be applied to any genetic disease where mutation that causes the disease forms or eliminates restriction site.
Conclusion
Sickle cell anaemia is passed down through lineages or family tree with abnormally shaped red blood cells or an abnormal haemoglobin type known as haemoglobin S (HbS). HbS distorts the shape of red blood cells particularly when they are exposed to conditions of low oxygen making them become sickle shape. They become rigid and therefore unable to deliver sufficient oxygen to an individual’s body tissues. Besides, they also become unable to pass through constricted blood capillaries and undergo haemolysis, thus affecting blood flow in the body. The tests commonly carried out to diagnose and monitor patients who suffer from sickle cell anaemia include haemoglobin electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing and high-performance liquid chromatography. Several DNA-based methods have also been developed to perform diagnosis for sickle cell anaemia. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms and Polymerase Chain Reaction are some of the most accurate DNA-based methods used to diagnosis the disease.
Reference List
Arnold, JL. Sickle cell anaemia. Medscape Reference. 2011. Web.
Cobb, BD, Waterfall, CM. Single tube genotyping of sickle cell anaemia using PCR-based SNP analysis. Oxford Journals, 2001; 29 (23): e119.
Consensus conference. Newborn screening for sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies. JAMA.1987; 258:1205-1209.
Erlich, HA, Gelfand, DH, Saiki, RK. Specific DNA amplification. Nature, 1988; 331: 461.
Ober C. Molecular genetics. Illinois: Global Library of Women. 2008. Web.
Southern, EM. Detection of specific sequences among DNA fragments separated by gel electrophoresis. Journal of Molecular Biology, 1975; 98: 503.
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Judaism in the Middle East Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Main body
3. Conclusion
4. Works Cited
Introduction
In the Middle East, Judaism is synonymous with the state of Israel. The country and the religion are completely inseparable.
Of all the Middle-Eastern states, Judaism is practiced almost exclusively in Israel. 74.9% of the population identifies as Jewish (Israel Central Bureau of Statistics t. 1). 26.5% of those identify themselves as Orthodox. 10%, known as Haredim, are a part of the Ultra-Orthodox movement. 3.9% and 3.2% named themselves Conservative or Reform Jews respectively (Ettinger par. 4). Only isolated communities exist outside the country. The distribution is explained by the unending conflict over between the Palestinians and the Jews over the former Palestine land. That tension was amplified by the Six-Day War when the Israeli forced crushed the opposing Islamic armies. Thus, in the Middle East Judaism is centered in Israel.
Main body
The Jewish denizens of the Middle East are generally less militant and less aggressive than their Muslim counterparts. On the other hand, Judaism, unlike Christianity, is not completely overshadowed by the Islamic influence in the region. Jewish population actively works with the Western nations to ensure their influence in the region remains significant. Most of the Jews are driven by the concept known as Zionism. It is a movement dedicated to reinstating and maintaining the Jewish dominance on the territories of the historic Land of Israel. The sectarianism within Judaism is limited. Some of the Orthodox groups can sometimes be prone to violence but, for the most part, Jewish people hold similar beliefs, and there are no dramatic schisms like the one between Shia and Sunni Muslims.
However, some of the Haredi Jews oppose the idea of Zionism. They condemn the secular nationalism and even state that the creation of Isreal was a sinful act. That does not, however, stop them from creating alliances of convenience with the nationalist groups (Jelen and Wilcox 178). Haredi parties are influential in Israel holding, at some point, 23 of the 71 seats belonging to the ruling majority. Despite their constant disagreements with the official government, the Ultra-Orthodox Movement is influential. Haredim are considered to be the keepers of the Jewish culture and traditions. More moderate Conservative and Reform groups are not largely recognized and have little real weight in the political life of Israel (Ettinger par. 8).
While, as a state, Israel seeks to secure its position in the region, the Orthodox movement is detached from the global questions of war and peace. Haredi Jews are even exempt from the compulsory military service since it is considered to be unfit for a modest religious student. Ultra-Orthodox students even receive significant scholarships for their religious studies while the military conscripts only get minimal pay. The main focus of the religious movement is on maintaining the Jewish traditions. For example, Haredim have secured gender segregated flights for the Orthodox (Nahshoni par. 1). They also frequently protest against the disruption of the traditional values.
Conclusion
Most of the Jewish population in the Middle East is working to keep their lands which are besieged by the Muslim forces claiming the same right for the land as the Israeli government. As a result, the Jews are probably the most consolidated people in the Middle East with little inner disagreement or conflict. The Jews are the most West-oriented and modern of the Middle-Eastern cultures. They are also the most likely reason why the other communities are so aggressive towards the US and their allies. The creation of Israel is one of the major causes of the current instability in the region.
The map illustrates the overwhelming influence of Islam on the Middle East, as well as the precarious position of Isreal.
Works Cited
Ettinger, Yair 2013, “Poll: 7.1 Percent of Israeli Jews Define Themselves as Reform or Conservative”. Haaretz. Web.
Israel Central Bureau of Statistics 2016, “Population, by Population Group”. Web.
Jelen, Ted Jerard and Clyde Wilcox. Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspective: The One, The Few, and The Many. Cambridge, UK: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 2002. Print.
Nahshoni, Kobi 2009, “El Al to launch kosher flights for haredim”. Ynetnews. Web.
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Reddit’s r/gaming Analysis Essay
Table of Contents
1. Blog Analysis
2. Audience Analysis
3. Visual Aid Proposal
4. Work Cited
Blog Analysis
Reddit’s r/gaming was selected as the object for this blog analysis. Most of the content is made up of various memes; there is also a discussion of video games, related news, and sharing of experience. Video game discussions include posts on the topic of the plot, characters, game mechanics, walkthroughs, co-playing, finding references, lore, and eSports events. The initial webpage also consists of a greeting, a description of the blog, an administration note, community rules, a list of moderators, and several ad units.
Since Reddit does not require personal data for registration, the audience consists of both anonymous users and those who are voluntarily non-anonymous. The r/gaming’s color scheme is the contrast between black, gray, white, and red colors. Important information and links are marked in red to attract attention, while the data is present on a white background. Empty unallocated space is represented by shades of gray for less distraction from the content. Drawing attention to essential aspects of the blog was done efficiently, but the creators of the blog were not able to use the page space to full because a blank space occupies half of the screen.
Audience Analysis
As the observation shows, the dominant age group of r/gaming is young people, presumably from 18 to 30 years old. More than half of this blog is the male audience, the second place is female, and only a small part of non-binary people are present. The participants of the r/gaming are mainly residents of English-speaking countries, namely the USA, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. The most frequent marital statuses are single and in a relationship.
Also, most of the audience claims to be hetero, then bisexuals and non-binary. The average income of the audience is fifteen thousand dollars. Regarding the family point, more than half of the users do not have children and are not going to have them. Bachelor’s degree is the most frequent educational level case.
The three predominant ethnic groups are Whites, Asians, and Hispanics. About half of users identify themselves as atheists or agnostics. The most common type of employment is a full-time job in the healthcare industry. The interests of the audience are chaotic; users want to see entertainment material often associated with a video game info field. There are several self-established “gurus” who create educational content that the rest of the public discussion.
Visual Aid Proposal
* To create a personal blog, I would use the visual aid method of infographics.
* Infographic is a simplified version of a combination of several visual aid techniques, namely texts, graphs, and pictures.
* The main advantage in the design of information through infographics is that text and graphic information are visualized, often simultaneously in several ways, which ensures its clarity and credibility.
* Simplified and visually pleasantly designed information contributes to the fastest and easiest process of understanding.
* Also, visually pleasing images, which make up the necessary part of the infographics, improve user focus and attract more attention, especially of young audiences.
* As various studies show, infographics are currently the most sought-after and financially successful methods to provide and attract information on sites.
* It is also equally suitable for large monitors and screens of smartphones.
* Authentic hyperlinks can also be placed in infographics, which is especially important regarding the question of the users most interested in information sources.
Work Cited
r/gaming. Reddit, 2007. Web.
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$100 Trillion Bond Market Renders Models Useless Essay
The article is titled “Unstoppable $100 Trillion Bond Market Renders Models Useless” and it is jointly authored by Dave Liedtka and Susanne Walker. The article examines the changing nature of the models that are used to value bonds. According to the authors of this article, the global bond market can no longer be predicted using the old bond valuation methods. The article appears in the June online edition of “Financial Press” and it encompasses views from several financial experts. The article also uses examples from some of the leading world economies such as Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The authors of this article begin by noting that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has reevaluated the methodologies that it uses to estimate the yields on bonds. The fact that the earlier methods of estimation have failed to work is the main reason behind this reevaluation. The article also notes that the Fed and central banks have stimulated the global bond market to a tune of $100 trillion. This stimulation has made it difficult for financial analysts to predict the outlook of the bond market. One of the cited incidences of flawed bond market prediction involves campaigns by central banks. These campaigns have sought to assure investors about the profitability of the bond market.
The article refers to current data and statistics that indicate that the global average return on bonds stands at 3.89 percent. On the other hand, the average return on 10-year bonds stands at 2.48 percent. The disparity between these rates is a testament of how unpredictable the bond market has become. The New York Fed has updated its metric of predicting the productivity of 10-year bonds. The new strategy excludes all human-based predictions and only factors in the market prices.
The authors of this article argue that even if most investors predict minimal yields on bonds, they are forecasting that borrowing costs will increase as the economy gains momentum. The yield of 10-year bonds is estimated to reach 3.25 percent in 2015. It is also noted that the United States’ interest rates have been near-zero over the last six years. This development has led to complacency among bond investors due to the low yields on bonds. Therefore, it is concluded that the United States treasury bonds are relatively expensive. The article quotes one investment expert who claims that “the treasury market is overvalued” (Liedtka and Walker 1). Central banks and the Fed are floating colossal amounts of money into the economy making it hard for financial analysts to predict the outcomes of the short-term bond market. The article also notes that the benchmark rates of the major economies stand at less than 1 percent. The Fed representatives attribute the current low benchmark rates to high unemployment rates and rising inflation. However, the authors of this article note that the bond market is still a viable investment avenue because it cautions investors against inflation and a waning global economy.
This article relates to most of the subject matters that were covered in class involving interest rates, bond valuation, and market drivers. Chapter six of “Essentials of Corporate Finance” contains several matters that are addressed by this article. For instance, the book contains a section on market drivers that outlines how risks and inflation rates influence investors’ choices (Westerfield, Ross and Jordan XXXX). In addition, chapter six also contains subtopics about bonds’ characteristics and their valuation methodologies.
Works Cited
Liedtka, Dave and Susanne Walker. Unstoppable $100 Trillion Bond Market Renders Models Useless. Financial Press . Financial Press Magazine, 2014. Web.
Westerfield, Randolph, Stephen Ross and Bradford Jordan. Essentials of Corporate Finance 8th ed , New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 2013. Print.
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Active Engagement by Shareholders Essay
Table of Contents
1. General Description of Active Engagement Activities
2. Investment Process of Active Engagement Managers
3. Four Types of Engagement Agendas
4. Systemic Risk Activists and Their Activities
5. References
General Description of Active Engagement Activities
Shareholders can engage with investee companies in a variety of ways. According to Hammond (2021), active engagement can be defined as proactive, constructive, and collaborative communication with the management teams of the investee companies. Investors that actively engage with the company can be described as activist shareholders. Such shareholders use their equity stake in a venture to put the necessary pressure on its management (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). Engagement can be proactive when investors reach out to the company and reactive when shareholders react to the organization’s communication. For example, proactive engagement can include informal meetings of investors with the management team, whereas voting during a shareholder’s meeting is reactive as the vote is initiated by company management (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). Shareholders can also propose specific changes to the company, such as adjustments in financial strategies or replacing the board of director members. Active engagement can be considered constructive when investors engage in purposeful dialogue with the investees on matters of strategy, governance, performance, and risk (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). Thus, investee companies and shareholders foster a more fruitful collaborative relationship through active engagement.
Active engagement also helps increase the corporate value of the investee’s business ventures. This is traditionally achieved by replacing the CEO and the shareholders taking seats on the board of directors (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). Investors can opt for a heavy approach and purchase the majority of shareholdings and thus, being able to delist the company and privatize it (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). These approaches can also be classified as active engagement by shareholders as they make decisions that affect the structure of the company in order to increase corporate value and profit from the investment.
Investment Process of Active Engagement Managers
Prospective activist shareholders have a well-defined approach to the investment process. Investing begins with deep research into the potential investee company (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). The research can last up to several years of engagement managers following the company as they need to ensure it is a worthwhile investment opportunity. After the research stage, active engagement managers meet with the top managers of the venture to better understand the company’s inner workings. Although potential investors have an analysis of the company at this stage, they do not go public with it (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). In the next stage, the managers invest in the company and reveal to the public and their customers their analysis and the proposed plan for increasing the corporate value of the investee. The final stage includes the execution of the shareholders’ plan to increase the company’s value. During this stage, additional insider information that can inform investors’ decisions regarding the company is gathered and acted upon (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). Overall, investing is a carefully thought-out process that requires substantial skill, knowledge, and time investment from potential shareholders.
Four Types of Engagement Agendas
There are four types of agenda when it comes to the engagement of activist shareholders with the investee companies. These include governance structure, business strategies, financial strategies, and engagement to investors’ relationship issues of the company (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). The governance structure agenda concerns board-related governance and remuneration and is aimed at selecting the best candidates for the board to improve corporate and shareholder value (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). Thus, engagement activities of the agenda usually include voting on the board members or creating the plan for CEO succession. Meanwhile, the business strategy agenda is focused on such issues as portfolio or business model restructuring (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). The purpose of this engagement agenda is to improve the venture’s cash flow, specifically enhancing the company’s liquid assets (Hayes, 2021). When engaging in business strategy, shareholders can vote on business strategy decisions such as mergers or partnerships.
Investors can also communicate their wishes on the financial strategy of the company. The financial strategy agenda usually concerns the profitability of the business with the purpose of ensuring long-term gain (Kenton, 2021). Actual activities of the engagement agenda include the shareholders communicating with the management team and voting on improving return on equity (ROE) and return on invested capital (ROIC) strategies (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). Finally, the engagement agenda can relate to engagement with shareholders itself. In this case, the purpose of communication is to discuss the existing engagement strategies with the investors and bridge any gaps between them and the investee company’s management (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). Engagement activities can include a survey of shareholders to find what information they find pertinent and an explanation of key performance indicators (KPI) to avoid misunderstandings.
Systemic Risk Activists and Their Activities
When engaging with investee companies, activist shareholders can also opt for a systemic risk activism approach. This engagement can be defined as a systematic approach that aims to reduce the negative effect of a business venture on other companies in the investor’s portfolio (“Active Engagement by Shareholders,” 2022). Shareholders with a diversified portfolio face a higher risk of certain investee organizations outperforming and negatively affecting others to the point of bankruptcy, known as systematic risk (Coffee, 2021). Thus, the engagement activities of such investors differ from those whose portfolio is less diversified. For example, such investors can purposefully vote on strategic decisions that lower the stock of one company if it will result in positive externality and value increase of the overall portfolio.
References
Active Engagement by Shareholders [PowerPoint]. (2022).
Coffee, J. C. (2021). The coming shift in shareholder activism: From “firm-specific” to “Systematic risk” proxy campaigns (and how to enable them) . The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. Web.
Hammond, J. (2021). Investing in the age of engagement . CFA Institute Enterprising Investor. Web.
Hayes, A. (2021). Cash flow . Investopedia. Web.
Kenton, W. (2021). Distinguishing between strategic and tactical financial management . Investopedia. Web.
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The Question of Diaspora and Its Role in the Society Essay
Although the modern global community develops according to the principles of globalization, the question of diaspora and its role in the society remains to be the controversial point for discussing.
Nicholas Van Hear explores the problem of diaspora in relation to its types and specifics of the development in his article “Immigration and Asylum: From 1900 to the Present”, and Robin Cohen presents his vision of the question in his work “Comparing Diasporas”. It is possible to discuss Cohen’s work as a kind of a summary for the views presented by Van Hear.
Thus, Van Hear and Cohen concentrate on the particular features of the diasporas’ development in the society, accentuating the history of the emergence and typical concepts developed as the part of the diaspora members’ common vision. In their works, the authors are inclined to analyze the types of diaspora and their influence on the society and globalization processes with references to the definite character of the interactions between the diaspora and the host society affected by the history of the certain diaspora.
Van Hear presents the discussion of several types of diaspora, determining the ‘classical’ and ‘new’ types. If several decades ago it was possible to concentrate on the development of victim diasporas, imperial diasporas, and labor diasporas the members of which were unchanged, today the global community can observe the results of migrations of Afghans, Shrilankans, and Somalis. The author accentuates that the reasons for these nations’ migrations are the same as for the ‘classical’ diasporas.
These reasons are wars, social and political conflicts, and the search for work. It is possible to agree with the author in relation to explaining the nature of diaspora where victims diasporas are associated with the definite catastrophes, imperial diasporas are the results of the colonists’ influence, and labor and trade diasporas are historically correlated with the notion of slavery.
Furthermore, Van Hear states that diasporas can be discussed as the positive and negative social phenomenon. The reader can agree with the author that there is no single vision of the role of diaspora in the society because professional migrants and refugees can contribute to the host country’s economy and society as well as to influence them negatively. From this point, it is possible to refer to Cohen’s view that labor diasporas often develop without the permission of the host country’s authorities and can affect the country’s economy negatively.
Cohen pays much attention to the discussion of the victim and labor diasporas in his article, but it is also important to focus on his analysis of the concepts typical for characterizing diasporas which are the myth about the homeland with references to idealization of the native country, the notion of return, solidarity in relations with the representatives of the same ethnicity in the host country, but the troubled interactions with the population’s majority. Thus, it is an interesting trend to idealize the homeland, to develop the ‘myth’ about the life conditions there.
The author also successfully associates the main idea of the return movement with the people’s ability to concentrate on the imagined past in the homeland. The stated idea of imagined past provides the reader with the possibility to think about the reasons for the diaspora representatives’ striving to return home.
Van Hear and Cohen’s articles are important for organizing the readers’ knowledge about the notion of diaspora and the associated concepts. Thus, the ideas presented in the articles help to form the vision about the diaspora types, the history of their development, and the role for the society in the context of such modern social tendencies as globalization.
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Relating Philosophical Concepts of Kant, Sandel, and Arendt Term Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Sandel’s perspective
3. Kant’s perspective
4. Arendt’s perspective
5. Personal reflections
6. Implications
7. Conclusion
8. References
Introduction
Various political philosophers have developed different concepts to help in the definition of moral limits of a liberal ethical approach, among other factors. This paper is an analysis of how different but relatively related concepts designed by three authors, viz. Immanuel Kant, Michael Sandel, and Hannah Arendt affect each other. These concepts include transparency as developed by Immanuel Kant, markets coupled with how they govern human lives by Michael Sandel, and human rights as developed by Hannah Arendt. The grounds for the interlink lies in the fundamental moral acceptance of the mainstream state of a person.
This article will argue that these three concepts are centered on the individual right to choose and the legal measures that enhance fair and just environs for facilitating such free will for everyone. The three authors share the theme of communicating political thoughts. Therefore, this article will evaluate the claim that these authors’ various concepts advance moral commitment, which is intertwined with the good livelihood that everyone wishes to pursue. These expectations thrive on the establishment of a community that embraces the moral philosophy concerned with equality and justice for all individuals.
Sandel’s perspective
Does the market develop a diverse set of behaviors, beliefs, and social ties? Upon what type of moral order do markets hold? Do markets provide universal solutions to human problems? These questions will serve as the projection upon which Sandel’s issues evolve. This section evaluates how Sandel’s market concept approaches the association between transparencies and human rights. His line of research views markets as moral projects, and it aims to explore the approaches by which such endeavors are actualized. Contemporary society presents almost everything in the market, meaning that it is possible to buy or sell anything. Gradually, markets are governing humanity in many ways, for instance, a good or service that can be bought, but whose monetary trade is morally debatable (Sandel, 2012).
Sandel gives an example of body organs such as hearts or kidneys. Some individuals promote markets engaged in organs for transplantation. Other people find such markets as morally unacceptable. If it is morally wrong to buy a heart, then money should not serve as a universal solution. In a bid to determine whether markets should serve to unify all moral controversies, Sandel has engaged a moral inquiry by evaluating the claims supporting markets as universal solutions and those against such principles. In a bid to understand such connections, it is good to examine where markets belong and how they should influence human coexistence.
In relation to Arendt’s human rights concept, the moral limits of markets demonstrate that largely contemporary society has failed to honor fair bargaining situations. According to Sandel (2012), the less privileged in society have often been deprived of their basic human rights by the injustices of the market models. Many inequalities have been reflected in the available market choices. The puzzle about how markets should be is actually on how individuals choose to coexist. A poor person may decide to sell his/her organ to cater to the basic needs, but the pressure of the necessities compels this decision. In this perspective, the markets have provided a platform to exploit morality under unfair conditions. However, market choices are neither transparent, nor are their free decisions because some individuals are unfairly poor, and they do not have the potential to bargain on equal grounds.
Kant’s perspective
The concept of transparency is important to anyone interested in the ethics of human dignity and the perpetual peace of Immanuel Kant. This study seeks to emphasize that the concept of transparency that Kant advances helps to understand human interactions in addition to what it takes to experience freedom. Transparency addresses an array of issues ranging from the nature and form of human interactions. Transparency entails what people say, why they say it, and what others translate different meanings. Transparency has been used as a term that defines market behavior, human rights, and integrity in business.
Transparent involvements define individuals as rational and as independent beings. The Kantian understanding of the concept of transparency requires all citizens to reckon the inalienable equality, freedom, and justice for fellow citizens within society (Class, 2012). Such rights do not necessarily need to be expressed in the civil constitutions, but on a personal philosophy, which acknowledges other humanity. Such statements demonstrate the link between the Kantian transparency concepts with Arendt’s human rights phenomenon. Kant argues that a political society must learn how to honor and safeguard human rights. In this perspective, Sandel (2012) suggests that market forces do not protect human rights, and they lack the proper foundation upon which justice is exercised for all regardless of socio-economic and political status.
As noted by Kant that individuals identify themselves with communities in which transparency is advanced coupled with the demonstration of the capacity to grow, Arendt to retaliates this claim. This insight links to Sandel’s idea that non-market interactions are founded on respect for moral self and acknowledgment of human rights in any just community. The Kantian transparency concept reflects the respect for the independence of others and human rights as the only way upon which contemporary states can experience perpetual peace. Relatedly, the market concept as a universal solution underscores the concept of human rights as defined by the moral self.
Arendt’s perspective
Arendt was among the leading political thinkers of the past century. In this work, she relates to most political situations of her time in a bid to get their meaning and associate with other works affecting human moral values and political philosophy. By doing so, she develops a new dimension that illuminates the human situation with regard to human rights. Arendt was a liberal thinker, an advocate for basic human rights, and a critic of public philosophy cemented on ethnic, class, illegitimate, and non-transparent ideals. Her perception of politics was focused on the concept of active public participation in the sense that individuals are free to make collective deliberations about all the issues affecting them as a political community. Political activity is reckoned if it reflects the Kantian transparency concept, which enables every individual to meet his/her needs for freedom (Birmingham, 2006). The contemporary markets favor conditions, which compromise transparency in most institutions, coupled with the inflated exercise of fundamental human rights.
Personal reflections
This section seeks to make several objections to Sandel’s approval of altruism and non-profit driven interactions. It is meaningless to attribute non-market interactions to perpetual peace or an individual’s freedom. The practice of altruism in the markets is not the alternative to markets as a universal solution to human problems. Non-market or rather non-profit driven interactions among individuals do not necessarily mean transparency, freedom, or self-sacrifice, but it might translate to be a usual human trait. Choosing altruism over market benefits leads to a time when one exploits all deposits and thus giving without taking marks an inevitable way to privation. Sandel fails to address much of his claims against markets. He argues that transparency and fairness should only thrive if markets are leveled by embracing work or services for zero profits.
With regard to market morals, it is less controversial if an individual is in a position to support his/her family’s needs by selling an organ. This aspect demonstrates altruism towards the family rather than giving it for free to favor Sandel’s model of non-market interactions. Sandel implies that markets have led to moral damage in the pursuit of happiness at the peril of human well-being. In addition, it is easy for one to acknowledge that capitalist markets have the best available conditions for the realization of personal needs and the distribution of resources. Markets liberate creativity and encourage transparency in most sectors of humanity.
This section disagrees with Kant’s application of transparency and the simplicity that he presumes regarding its adaptability. Nonetheless, his view about Sandel’s conceptualization of markets supports the argument depicted throughout this paper. Perpetual peace developed by Kant was arguably viewed as the basis of the modern liberal perspective. Perpetual peace was identified as a state of affairs where peace flourished in a particular region. Kant overemphasized this model as resulting in transparency, defined human rights, and better markets that factored in the morals of altruism. Even though Kant’s phenomenon of perpetual peace partly advanced contemporary democracy, it differed substantially from democratic values that he claimed to illuminate (Class, 2012). He emphasized on republican states as opposed to democratic ones.
He failed to show how this form of government embraces transparency and human rights. In addition, he fails to address some fundamental issues of modern democracy and even acknowledges that republican governments are insufficient to enhance human rights, peace, and hegemony throughout its structures. Kant differs from Sandel’s conception about markets by arguing that modern commerce and capitalism make stakeholders responsible and war unprofitable even for the victorious side. Therefore, markets make modern states peaceful and reduce the existing controversies about their moral limits.
Arendt’s concept of the human condition serves a major role in the assessment of community political perception. This article disagrees with Arendt’s view, as she seems blindfolded by her opinion, which misleads her to various questionable standpoints. First, Arendt overestimates the role of human rights within the political community. Concerning the market concept by Sandel, she insists on the distinction of the private from the public in a bid to ensure that the poor are not exploited by the markets (Birmingham, 2006).
Arendt is wrong to imply that human life is essentially about capitalism or rather search for dominance at the peril of other people’s freedom. On the contrary, humanity entails a fundamental establishment of what stands out as a desired lifestyle. Second, Arendt perceives that political parties as instruments via which the autonomy of the people is derailed and manipulated. She further identifies that this political organization excludes the majority from public life, coupled with generating indifference to public matters. This notion is lacking since democracy grants the masses the opportunity to exercise their rights and act as independent citizens.
Implications
Upon critical examination of the three authors, this article’s point of view is substantially influenced in various ways. First, Sandel’s critique of markets gives the reader new insights to understand how markets have altered the way humans relate with each other. However, as shown earlier, this argument generates a firm position for this article that markets have made contemporary society inherently peaceful, transparent, and free to exercise one’s independence.
Second, the Kantian idea of transparency overestimates the way people should express themselves, as sometimes they may feel constrained by the pressure to conform. The position is this article remains unchanged as it holds that transparency is just but a part of the many attributes that impact on markets and fundamental human rights. Lastly, Arendt’s concept of human rights does little to alter the position of this article. Her calls for free will are excessive and uncontrollable. Assuming that humanity attains all that she describes as fundamental rights, then the state will turn into chaos, and markets become worse since everyone will want to dominate.
Conclusion
As shown throughout this study, the three authors’ concepts form a stable link, which is fundamental to steer the necessary changes for human coexistence and prosperity. However, the communal theme shared by these concepts is questionable due to its limitation to grow and the insecurity to venture into new realms. For instance, Sandel seems constrained by his non-market interaction models, which are subject to decline due to the lack of benefits to ensure sustainability. Generally, inasmuch as these concepts may seem normative, they are limited in scope, hence unsuitable for the ever-evolving complexities in socio-political life.
References
Birmingham, P. (2006). Hannah Arendt & human rights: The predicament of common responsibility . Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. Web.
Class, M. (2012). Coleridge and Kantian ideas in England, 1796-1817: Coleridge’s responses to German philosophy . London, UK: Bloomsbury. Web.
Sandel, M. (2012). What money can’t buy: The moral limits of markets . New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Web.
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Problems in Socio-Behavioral Epidemiology Essay
Epidemiology refers to the study of health patterns and the health determinants in a given society (Berkman & Kawachi, 2000). Epidemiology forms a fundamental part in research in the area of public health and it is involved in coming up with design of research on issues such as outbreak investigation, disease surveillance which includes quarantine if need be, bio-monitoring and comparing treatment of the diseases to come up with the best treatment approach possible for a particular disease.
Due to the large scope of epidemiology in monitoring the human behavioral patterns in regard to health issues, this field encounters numerous challenges that hinder its smooth running. The first challenge is that socio behavioral epidemiology lacks the full support from the legislation in most countries. This is because social science as a subject is regarded as being soft because majority of the countries’ policy makers perceive that the most important area of study that will bring development lies in the physical sciences. This is the reason physical sciences are given more attention as compared to the area of social sciences such as epidemiology. As a result, a majority of findings that are made in socio-behavioral epidemiology aiming at improving the society’s behavior towards health related issues do not get support from the law. This jeopardizes the implementation of the findings which further hurts the contribution of behavioral knowledge in understanding the health issues (Berkman & Kawachi, 2000).
Secondly, socio-behavioral epidemiology is facing a lot to problems with keeping up with the drastic changes in the concept of health with the advent of technology which has influenced the demographic trends in the developed countries. This has resulted in changes about how people view health related issues. Prior to the twentieth century, health was perceived as only the absence of diseases in the society, but nowadays, people are more concerned about their health with the emergence of terminal illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS among other infections. This change has posed such a big challenge on socio-behavioral epidemiology on how to counter these new views of health due to the population dynamics instigated by revolutionizing technology (Cassel, 2001).
Thirdly, socio-behavioral epidemiology lacks the capacity to predict the society’s behavior in regard to who gets sick in the society, who seek medical attention that will cure their ailment and lastly, who recovers from the ailment after either seeking the medical attention from a professional medical practitioner. This inability by the socio-behavioral epidemiology departments to solve this problem has proved fatal. This is because socio-behavioral epidemiology sector cannot accurately ascertain how many ailments have been recorded in regard to a particular disease and in that particular society. Therefore, this makes it hard to strategize on how to elevate this problem. The solution to this problem is for the sector to come up with methods that will integrate the whole health science units and also understand what influences the society to behave the way it does (Cassel, 2001).
Conclusion
The above highlighted challenges that hinder the successful implementation of socio-behavioral epidemiology are not conclusive, but a representation of the numerous challenges that face this sector and thus, the successful implementation of socio-behavioral epidemiology are crucial to ensure that there is a decline in the health problems affecting the society. This can be achieved only if there is good collaboration between all relevant stakeholders that will form a genuine partnership and their collaboration will ensure that they have come up with a comprehensive consensus that will eliminate the challenges facing this sector.
References
Berkman, F.L, & Kawachi, I.(2000). Social Epidemiology . New York: Oxford University Press.
Cassel, J.C. (2001). The contribution of the social environment to host resistance. American Journal of Epidemiology , 104:107-23.
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Airbus: Setting Manufacturing Plant in Alabama Evaluation Essay
Most manufacturing companies that serve customers globally ensure that they have manufacturing plants in various parts of the world. The manufacturing plants in foreign locations improve the efficiency of the company’s services in these locations. Manufacturing companies may use the manufacturing plants in foreign locations to counter competition in these locations (Miltenburg, 2005).
Airbus attempts to use this strategy to conquer the lucrative American civil aviation market. The company intends to set up a manufacturing plant in Alabama. Alabama is the home of Boeing, Airbus’ main rival. The plant in Alabama would help in catering for large orders from American customers.
Alabama is the first US site of Airbus. The company has three plants worldwide. Airbus has two plants in Europe and one plant in Asia. The European plants are in Toulouse, France, and Hamburg, Germany. The Asian plant is in Tianjin, China. The American plant will cost approximately $600 million. Upon completion, the plant would create 1,000 jobs. In addition, the plant will create 3,200 jobs during the construction phase (Kaczmarski, 2012).
Airbus intends to use the Alabama plant to build relationships with American clients. By setting up a plant in Alabama, Airbus will increase competition in the civil aviation industry. Boeing will no longer be the only civil aviation manufacturer that has plants in the US. This would reduce the competitive edge of Boeing in the American market (Petrescu & Petrescu, 2012). Therefore, the Alabama plant is critical to Airbus’ success in the American civil aviation industry.
Airbus’ plant in Alabama will help in consolidating Alabama’s position as the aerospace production hub. The state of Alabama also hosts manufacturing plants of other multinational corporations. Vance is the site of the first Daimler plant outside Germany that manufactures Mercedes-Benz cars. Daimler intends to invest $2 billion in the expansion of the plant in Vance (Kaczmarski, 2012).
The Airbus plant in Mobile and the expansion of the Daimler plant in Vance would help in improving the economy of Alabama. According to the Governor of Alabama, the state strives to move away from low-end manufacturing to the manufacture of airplanes, rockets, and ships. Manufacture of airplanes, rockets, and ships would improve the economy of Alabama significantly (Kaczmarski, 2012).
Alabama has several environmental factors that attract manufacturing plants to the state. The Alabama Industrial Development Training program is one of the factors that attract manufacturing plants to the state. The program helps in providing quality workforce to Alabama’s new and existing industries (Tollefson, Garrett & Ingram, 1999).
Therefore, the abundance of highly trained employees creates a good environment for the success of manufacturing plants. The state of Alabama also has a right-to-work law. This law abolishes union security agreements. The law reduces the power of unions. In some instances, the activities of powerful unions may jeopardize the operations of a company (Holley, Jennings & Wolters, 2011).
In addition, Alabama provides various incentives to attract aerospace companies. The ‘Aviation Amendment’ grants tax exemptions to aerospace companies. Only ten other states provide a similar incentive to aerospace companies. These factors help in improving the business environment of Alabama (Kaczmarski, 2012).
Setting a plant in Alabama would improve the competitiveness of Airbus. The company would use the plant to serve large orders of American customers. The Alabama plant would enable Airbus to benefit from the favorable business environment of the state. The plant is critical in Airbus’ effort to counter the market dominance of Boeing.
References
Holley, W.H., Jennings, K.M. & Wolters, R.S. (2011). The labor relations process . Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Kaczmarski, M. (2012). Regions: Americas – US – Airbus rolls into Alabama. Foreign Direct Investment , Aug/Sep, 1-2.
Miltenburg, J. (2005). Manufacturing strategy: How to formulate and implement a winning plan . New York: Productivity Press.
Petrescu, F.I. Petrescu, R.V. (2012). New aircraft ii . Norderstedt: Books on Demand.
Tollefson, Garrett, R.L. & Ingram, W.G. (1999). Fifty state systems of community colleges: Mission governance, funding and accountability . Johnson City, TN: The Overmountain Press.
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Factors Other Than Linguistics Considered in Translation Research Paper
Introduction
Apart from linguistic methods, other aspects should be considered in translation. These elements include cultural perception and personal viewpoints of the translator. It incorporates the significant role that translators play in intercultural mediation arising from the cultural turn. The other approaches consider the aspects that are internal to the author who mediates for the self and those oriented to the audience. The two facets are linked together in a selective process, which determines the pattern that translation takes. There is a need for communication between different people from diverse ethnic origins in the highly industrialized and tech-driven world. However, for individuals to relate to others’ message, they have to understand their counterparts’ traditions. Comprehension is necessary since language is deeply embedded in people’s way of life and, in turn, influences the meaning of words. When transferring data from one language to another, factors other than the linguistic approach should be considered because people’s way of life determines the meaning attached to some words.
Outline of the Areas Covered
This paper will explore the issues involved in translation other than linguistics and their manifestation alongside the problems they create during the inter-lingual rendering process. It begins with a discussion of the primary concerns which give rise to several theoretical frameworks. Additionally, it examines the findings and their implications, and describes key concepts and their practical application in an example text. The examples are generated from the sections within the book and analysis of the title. The heading is analyzed regarding its application in Spanish and when interpreted in the Italian language. The examples’ discussion provides valuable deductions that prove the translation theories and the relevance of the features explored.
Description of the Key Concepts
Translation involves different concepts integrated to ensure that the original content is retained. The translator implements intercultural mediation, which in this case is seen as a relational and interpretative activity. It also involves linguistic techniques which can be expressed in three ways: intralingual, interlingual and intersemiotic translation (Jakobson, 1959). The first one refers to rewording, where there is an interpretation of given verbal signs using others verbal signals in the same language (Zethsen, 2009). Translation proper refers to an individual reinterpreting a particular message in a different linguistic code. The last refers to expressing verbal ideas in images or movement and vice versa. It is mostly used in the film, visual arts, and theatre industry where viewers are from different communities.
The most common types of linguistic conversion are direct and oblique. The former involves transferring terms from one source to another as it is without any changes to its form or alterations to its originality (Schjoldager, 2008). The latter is used when the literal form does not apply since the languages do not coincide regarding structures. One thus needs to trace the deeper meaning in the writings to the target readers before conversion to a more straightforward form. It involves changing of grammatical categories of words to fit in the new group’s (Baker and Saldanha, 2009). As Jacobson (1959) mentioned, it is imperative to emphasize the grammatical structure of the language. It makes translators work easier by presenting strategies and procedures. The complexities of grammar and the ease of loss of meaning make word for word translation somewhat limited to basic communication. However, for communicating important data and complex dialogues one thus needs to involve varied kinds of conversion methods.
Justification for the Discussion of the Primary Concepts
Several factors can influence translation and can be grouped into either of the three: linguistic, personal and cultural factors. The linguistic factors can be divided into phonological, lexical and textual aspects (Wong and Sheng, 1999). Individual elements also influence translation, and the notion that humans are the translators limits their level of objectivity. As such, the writer will inadvertently bring their psychological and professional conditions to the text they are producing. The primary goal of transferring knowledge from one community to another is to serve as a cross-cultural bilingual communication among people. The factors are considered primarily because of the rising need for data transmission. There is increased migration, recognition of linguistic minorities, international trade, expansion of the mass media and globalization (Venuti, 2012). It raises the need for one to know what someone from a different ethnic origin is saying.
Different linguistic societies have varied ways of segmenting, experiencing and describing reality. Consequently, the translation work should include cultural factors, and it acts as a link between different communities (Gorlee, 1994). A distinction can be made between intercultural and intercultural aspects. The former involves other identities perceiving the world differently, and thus, different ideologies may arise from the same object. The culture-specific expressions can equally include things like how people see beauty. The factors thus remarkably influence the ability of the writer to form a sound judgement. Besides, they equally play a significant role in his decision-making process of selection and materializing one form into another. Consequently, a concise and systemic understanding of the said elements provides useful tips in grasping the task’s complicated nature.
Relationship with the Module and Scholarly Work
The study of linguistics grew because of the need to facilitate translation to boost the texts’ contextualization. Essentially, it endows the words with their meaning and equivalence that someone from a different culture can relate to. Thus, linguistics features explore the ‘what’ and ‘how’ regarding such elements as truth, speech acts, verification, logical necessity, and reference. Various scholars have equally researched the subject and provided useful information for reference (Shaw, 1987). Wong and Shen (1999) suggest that the translation quality is embedded in the author’s ability to decode actual meaning. According to Ulanska (2015), several factors are needed to generate coherent data from the translation. Therefore, a comprehensive research on the relevance of the emergent perspective is valid.
Theoretical Examples
The chosen text is a book written by Luis Sepulveda, “The story of a dog called Loyal”. Luis is a Chilean author who wrote in Spanish, and in this story, the narrative voice is of a German shepherd dog (GSD) (Sepúlveda, 2016). The Mapuches who are indigenous people living in the south of Chile raised it. The GSD was named Afmau, which translates to loyal or Leal in Spanish (Sepúlveda, 2016). The origin of the culture from where the writer drew the story was from his uncle, and he grew up listening to the Mapuche’s stories. This book was explicitly considered because of its unique trait; it involves two cultures, the dog’s community and Chilean Spanish. The translation thus proves challenging and yet interesting since the combination is disproportionate and at different levels.
Katan highlighted the cultural turn translation in its aspects and derived the idea that it is a form of intercultural communication (Katan, 2009; Schaffner, 2003). Within this approach, the writer is viewed as an intercultural mediator (Liddicoat, 2016). Therefore, the translator takes a position between the author and the reader and ‘rewrites’ the text that does not share the language or knowledge to the audience (Liddicoat, 2016). In the usual context, the reader and the scribe do not know that they participate in intercultural communication. However, in the case of the chosen study, the author is aware that he is telling the story to a different setting for the Spanish speakers from Mapuche, thus becoming the mediator.
For instance, the book uses some words in the local language of the Mapuche without translation. The trend is evident for both the complicated terms and some simpler ones like the ‘moon’, ‘river’ or ‘death’. At the end of his writing, Luis provides a glossary explaining the meanings of the local words that he used (Sepúlveda, 2016). The style of writing shows how the translator takes up the role and connects two different cultural realities. He does this meticulously without losing the closeness to the original culture without switching to Spanish completely. Another striking feature is how he represents Mapuche’s traditions on a contextual level, although not entirely on the linguistic stage. Hence, a writer should aim to build a relationship between two different languages and their ways of life as he moves from one to another.
Another analysis can be formed from the translation of the book’s title. In Spanish, ‘Historia de un Perro llamado Leal’, translates to “History of a dog named Leal”. From the wording, the English title loses its sense because of the dog’s name. Moreover, Leal means “loyal” in Spain and Portugal and is equally a common name in Hispanic and some lusophone countries. However, even though some words have meaning attached to them in English, like Joy, there is no equivalent of the narrative’s purpose. The primary thematic concern evident in the book is about loyalty, and the dog wishes to honour the value attached to the name from the Mapuche people. Another example related to the book heading involves its Italian version. It goes; ‘Storia di un cane che insegno a un bambino la fedelta’, the English wording is written as ‘history of a dog that taught loyalty to a child’.
Analysis of the Chosen Position
The position derived from the examples provide a comprehensive illustration of the relevance of other considerations as a culture when translating. According to Katan (2009), the writer plays an essential role in mediating strategies to make a particular tradition relatable to another. As such, the author creates a relatively more substantial perlocutionary effect for the readers and helps them learn something new. Similarly, Liddicoat (2016) suggests that the process involves the translator who is tasked with ensuring that their interpretation, understanding and explaining helps the audience negotiate cultural phenomenon.
The functional and cultural approaches are further strengthened by the book’s heading when translated to the Italian language. The writer realized that it would not make sense to maintain “Leal” since it is not a common name in Italy. However, she rewrites the title so that it makes sense to the Italian readers. In any case, they would still understand while reading the text that the name Afmau refers to loyal. Hence, the GSD was named after the trait and it wishes to honour as desired by Mapuche people. The writer recognized the cultural attachment to the dog’s identity (Sepúlveda, 2016). However, she chose to use it to alter the meaning in the title and the book’s general content.
The Problematic Areas
Translation should involve a united perspective where all the approaches are simultaneously considered. House (2009) suggests that culture and linguistics should be integrated since language can only be perceived within a tradition. The functional approach is also part of translation because the author is primarily influenced by his cultural identity. As such, the writer should examine the two societies he is linking before beginning the task. In the book, it is evident that Luis does not attempt to separate linguistics from the Mapuche’s way of life (Sepúlveda, 2016). The text shows the elements; linguistics and culture, when the writer chooses to retain the names of things easily translated such as the moon in Mapuche language.
Conclusion
The discussion explicitly explains the need for using other methods other than linguistics during translation work. The primary considerations, in this case, are the cultural and functional approach which guide the process. The examples demonstrate how the author expresses his desire to show the culture to the other community. As such, it is no longer merely a linguistic process, and it is culturally contexted and influenced by factors beyond language. The writer takes a position where he relates two traditions and thus mediates the languages and ways of life. Therefore, he does not have mere knowledge of, but instead participates in the conciliation and utilizes his interpretative resources to enable one group to comprehend texts written for another.
Reference List
Baker, M. and Saldanha, G. (eds.) (2009). Routledge encyclopedia of translation studies . Routledge.
Gorlée, D. L. (1994). Semiotics and the Problem of Translation,
Halliday, M.A.K. (2006). On Language and Linguistics . New York: Continuum.
House, J., (ed) 2009. Moving across languages and cultures in translation as intercultural communication. Translation action and intercultural communication , Amsterdam, Atlanta, G.A. pp.7-39.
Jakobson, R. (1959). On Linguistic Aspects of Translation. In R. Brower (Ed.) On Translation (pp. 232-239). Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. Pym, A. (2010). Natural Equivalence. In A. Pym. Exploring Translation Theories (pp. 06–24). New York, NY: Routledge.
Katan, D. (2009). Translation as intercultural communication. In M. Baker (Ed.) Translation studies (pp. 74–92). London & New York, NY: Routledge.
Liddicoat, A. J. (2016). Intercultural mediation, intercultural communication and translation. Perspectives, Taylor & Francis Online . 24(3), 354–364. Web.
Schjoldager, A., (2008). Understanding translation . Academica. Miami.
Sepúlveda, L., 2016. Historia de un perro llamado Leal . Tusquets. Barcelona.
Shaw, R.D., 1987. The translation context: cultural factors in translation. Translation Review , 23(1), pp.25-29.
Ulanska, T., 2015. The role of linguistic factor in translation. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences , 191, pp.2585-2587.
Venuti, L. (ed.) 2012. The translation studies reader . Routledge. Abingdon.
Wong, D. & Shen, D. (1999). Factors Influencing the Process of Translating. Meta, 44 (1), 78–100. Web.
Zethsen, K. 2009. Intralingual translation: an attempt at description. Meta: journal des traducteurs/Meta: Translators’ Journal , 54 (4), pp.795-812. Web.
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Eastern Gear Inc.’s Orders Delay Issue and Solution Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Major Challenges Faced by Eastern Gear
3. Action Plan
4. Relationship with Operations Strategy and Process Design
5. Conclusion
Introduction
Eastern Gear is a company that manufactures customized gears for various customers, such as development laboratories, small manufacturers, and engineering research firms. The decision of the firm’s president, Roger Rhodes, to fulfil orders of more than 100 gears led to an increase in profits. However, it adversely affected the company’s production efficiency and the quality of its final products. The objective of this analysis is to assess the challenges that the company is facing and providing suggestions on how they can be resolved.
Major Challenges Faced by Eastern Gear
The most significant challenge faced by Eastern Gear is a delay in fulfilling customers’ orders. This is largely attributed to the duplication of processes and information. Specifically, order details are repeated on multiple forms, and unnecessary queries emerge from different departments. Poor communication within the organization is a significant hindrance to a smooth flow in the production process. This has resulted in incorrect inventory levels and errors in transactions.
Secondly, the company’s production process has an inefficient raw material inventory system. Most of the key raw materials are not readily available in stock, thereby forcing the firm to waste up to three weeks before fulfilling orders. The situation has been further compounded by the decision to take up large and urgent orders, which has significantly constrained the company’s resources. The company’s production rate is very low, mainly because of the disorganized and ineffective factory layout. The quality of the firm’s products is also very low, as illustrated by the 6% return rate of completed orders. This is an indication of a lapse in the company’s quality control system.
Action Plan
Several measures can be put in place to address the challenges at Eastern Gears. To begin with, an efficient raw material inventory system should be put in place to reduce the company’s production cycle time. As a result, the time required to fulfil orders will reduce. Measures aimed at improving the production rate should focus on creating a more efficient factory layout that has several assembly lines rather than stations. One of the assembly lines should be dedicated to urgent orders that normally interfere with the production and delivery of regular orders. High-quality standards are of essence if the company has to maintain a consistent clientele. To this end, the company’s management has to focus on the implementation of a total quality management (TQM) system. This involves introducing quality checks at various points in the production line to detect defects.
Relationship with Operations Strategy and Process Design
The focus of the company’s operations strategy should be to enhance efficiency in production and improving the quality of its products through the implementation of lean production policies. A lean operation system will significantly improve the production rate by ensuring a smooth flow of raw materials, elimination of unnecessary motions, and reduced transportation costs. It will also reduce excess inventory and minimize defects in finished products. Generally, more resources should be employed to improve the production process and product quality.
Conclusion
The challenges facing Eastern Gears are attributed to its decision to fulfil urgent orders using inadequate resources. This has resulted in a reduction in the quality of products and delays in delivery of orders. Thus, the company should implement a total quality management system by introducing multiple quality control checks in its assembly line.
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Substance Abuse Among Nurse Practitioners Term Paper
Table of Contents
1. Ethical Issue and Importance
2. Dimensions
3. Ethical Argument
4. Theological and Cultural Dynamics
5. Alternative Ethical Perspective
6. Nursing Profession and Policy
7. Conclusion
8. References
Substance abuse and drug addiction among medical professionals and nurse practitioners (NPs) is a major problem that undermines their standards of practice. When NPs become addicts, chances of providing high-quality and timely care to their patients decrease significantly. Addiction and substance use disorder (SUD) are social issues that many communities have to deal with. This means that all stakeholders should examine how they affect NPs and other medical experts and propose superior solutions to meet their needs. Many citizens in countries that have ignored the complexity of this problem continue to record negative health outcomes. Most of the affected individuals become disoriented and find it hard to fulfill their duties, act in accordance with the stipulated scope of practice, and be unable to meet the diverse needs of underserved populations. The purpose of this term paper is to analyze the nature of substance abuse among nurses and examine various arguments, principles, and perspectives that different stakeholders can consider to address this ethical issue.
Ethical Issue and Importance
Substance abuse remains high among registered nurses (RNs) in the United States and across the world. A study by Burkhardt and Nathaniel (2014) revealed that around 10 percent of all nurses had a problem to do with drug abuse or alcoholism. The latest report by the American Nurse Association (ANA) indicated that about 6-8 percent of RNs in the United States had serious addiction issues that could interfere with their practice capabilities and goals (Epstein, Burns, & Conlon, 2010). Some of the affected professionals face the challenge of substance overuse. There are other nurses whose drug abuse might have been triggered by treatment of an underlying illness, such as depression, mental complication, or back pain (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014). Nurses who encounter these problems require evidence-based care and empowerment in order to provide exemplary and timely medical services.
This predicament qualifies to be an ethical issue due to various reasons. Firstly, NPs who suffer from this problem will divert different drugs and substances intended to meet the medical demands of patients. Nurses who use them will threaten the medical outcomes of such individuals. Pilgrim, Dorward, and Drummer (2016) acknowledge that such professionals eventually become liabilities in their respective facilities and organizations. Secondly, most of the existing codes of conduct require that they report or identify workmates who might be stealing medical substances and drugs. However, the practice is associated with social stigma and rejection in the workplace.
Thirdly, forcing professionals to report individuals who might be suffering from drug use is a practice that can trigger various workplace challenges. Nurses who are labeled “whistleblowers” will be unable to practice independently or effectively due to isolation (Pilgrim et al., 2016). The established friendships in such working environments can also make it impossible for nurses to report their colleagues for drug addiction or theft. Finally, NPs are expected to use their skills and competencies to deliver exemplary care to their respective patents (McHugh, Papastrat, & Ashton, 2011). When the problem of addiction occurs, such professionals will be unable to provide high-quality support. This becomes a major dilemma that calls for immediate action plans. Understanding the nature of this difficulty can encourage different stakeholders, policymakers, and health leaders to implement superior measures that have the potential to empower all the affected RNs.
Dimensions
Being in a position to identify and make concrete decisions regarding the ethical issues experienced in the field of nursing is something critical. Health professionals should be aware of all emerging concerns and help each other to overcome and provide exemplary services to the targeted patients. The issue of drug abuse among RNs has an ethical dimension. This is true since this problem affects individuals who should provide medical services to patients (Pilgrim et al., 2016). Those who have become addicted will be unable to achieve this objective and make it impossible for the targeted people to lead high-quality lives (Pilgrim et al., 2016). This dimension also attracts the attention of different stakeholders in the field of care delivery, including psychologists, NPs, psychotherapists, and clinicians.
This ethical issue can be examined and studied from the lens of the professional dimension. Kopp (2009) asserts that nurses have to focus on the established principles and guidelines of care delivery. Those who become addicted will be unwilling to provide exemplary services to their patients. They might remain unsupportive and fail to collaborate with others to ensure that quality medical care is available to all people. This dimension also makes it possible for managers to appreciate the fact that drug abuse among nurses is a major problem that undermines nursing as a critical profession in the health care sector.
The personal dimension is critical when focusing or analyzing the nature of this ethical dilemma. Monroe, Pearson, and Kenaga (2008) reveal that RNs formulate evidence-based or powerful philosophies that guide them to identify their respective patients’ demands and offer high-quality care. Those suffering from addiction might not pursue their personal goals diligently. They will cause disturbance in their respective workplaces and make it impossible for their colleagues to deliver desirable care (Epstein et al., 2010). Any strategy implemented to address this issue should, therefore, be holistic if it is to deliver positive results.
Although the issue of substance abuse is a major predicament making it impossible for nurses to achieve their goals, it is very hard to separate it from the social dimension. Despite being in the medical field, RNs constitute an integral part of the societies they are in. Just like any other member of the community, nurses experience stressful life situations that compel them to use of addictive drugs. Socioeconomic issues and availability of various substances have exposed many people to this problem, including nurses and other medical professionals (Pilgrim et al., 2016). This analysis or dimension explains why there is a need for all stakeholders to treat substance abuse as a serious public health concern.
Ethical Argument
The ultimate objective of every healthcare practice is to ensure that more patients have access to sustainable and timely medical services. Unfortunately, the current issue of nursing shortage makes it impossible for many American citizens to get proper health care (McHugh et al., 2011). This challenge is complicated by the fact that around 10 percent of all nurses are affected by drug abuse. Dunn (2005) indicates that RNs facing the problem of addiction require timely care and help. This is something necessary since they are in danger of affecting the experiences of their patients and making it hard for them to record positive health outcomes. When the percentage of professionals suffering from addiction or drug overuse rises, the reputation of the identified institution or facility will be damaged (Dunn, 2005). Such an ethical challenge also affects the effectiveness and the true meaning of nursing practice.
While this problem has continued to persist, many societies and cultures view drug addiction is a major issue that affects individuals who do not have will power. They also indicate many victims are usually reckless and incapable of focusing on their goals in life. Nurses who suffer from this condition find it to acknowledge are accept the reality (Pilgrim et al., 2016). Instead, they continue to take alcohol or drugs that will make it easier for them to overcome most of the challenges they encounter in life. Additionally, many RNs will remain silent and fail to report when one of their own becomes addicted. Dunn (2005) indicates that such professionals do so to ensure that they do not jeopardize their colleagues’ licenses. These malpractices have resulted in a code of silence that is capable of affecting the experiences and welfare of many victims of drug addiction.
Since many nurses fail to acknowledge that their workmates are patients of addiction or drug abuse, they fail to report them to the right authorities. This gap explains why such individuals are usually unable to receive high-quality support or counseling. Consequently, the affected professionals continue to practice in their respective settings or units, thereby increasing chances of medication errors and sentinel events. Since these RNs are incapable of exercising prudent or acceptable behaviors, their patients are always at risk of injury or abuse. Kunyk and Austin (2011) go further to acknowledge that RNs who abuse prescription drugs make it impossible for citizens to access high-quality care. Such developments eventually make it impossible for the entire healthcare system to achieve its objectives.
The structure of medical profession complicates the nature of this ethical dilemma. Although drug addiction is a major challenge capable of affecting any individual, many “nurses erroneously believe that they are immune to the negative consequences of drug use and that they have the ability to control their own medication use” (Dunn, 2005, p. 577). Since they have basic training in medical use and knowledge of various illnesses, such professionals assume that they can apply their competencies and achieve their health goals. This gap explains why other RNs suffer in silence and ignore the need to seek timely and desirable medical attention.
Theological and Cultural Dynamics
Theological and cultural dynamics are powerful forces that nurses and other professionals in the field of health should always consider when relating with each other. These concepts guide human beings to establish meaningful relationships with God and discover His intentions for creating the universe. Focusing on theological notions and teachings, it can be possible for every individual to appreciate the importance of human life and transform his or her experiences (Monroe et al., 2008). Through the lens of religious teachings and values, RNs can understand the relevance of keeping their bodies holy and avoiding the use of various drugs that can result in addiction.
Similarly, cultural dynamics gives a wider view of people’s lives and experiences. Every society has its unique principles, ideologies, norms, and aspects that dictate the way its members view or treat reality. Many citizens in the American society expect their neighbors and colleagues to behave positively and engage in activities that will promote each other’s welfare (Monroe et al., 2008). From this analysis, it is evident that the problem of alcoholism among nurses can benefit from these dynamics. For instance, those who have strong religious foundations will be willing to educate others about the nature of alcoholism and why it amounts to sin (Kunyk & Austin, 2011). Cultural attributes encourage people to do what is right and provide adequate care to their neighbors. These aspects explain why community members should understand that drug abuse among nurses is a reality that requires evidence-based strategies or solutions.
Using the dynamics of culture, it is evident that many people will regard those who are affected by addiction as immoral or unable to take control of their lives. Consequently, such individuals will not receive adequate attention or empowerment, thereby being unable to re-pattern their lives. Burkhardt and Nathaniel (2014) explain why people should consider these gaps and implement superior initiatives that will ensure that all addicts get timely care and guidance. This achievement can address this problem and make it possible for many nurses to continue providing exemplary services to their respective patients.
Alternative Ethical Perspective
The above discussion has examined the problem of substance among nurses as a critical ethical dilemma. This analysis has portrayed it as a major challenge that has theological, cultural, and social implications. These arguments have not delivered meaningful support or empowerment to most of the affected RNs in the United States. This is a clear indication that a superior alternative to this ethical issue can present evidence-based ideas for guiding and empowering more victims (Epstein et al., 2010). Such a move is necessary since the ultimate objective is to examine the nature of the current challenge and implement sustainable measures that can eventually address this situation.
A relational perspective to this ethical issue can become an effective model or framework for identifying nurses with drug addiction as patients and ensuring that they receive timely support. When colleagues of affected RNs embrace this concept, they will be willing to provide sustainable support, make appropriate decisions, and transform the quality of care (Monroe et al., 2008). This kind of perspective requires that all nursing institutions, agencies, and organizations promote adequate values that can guide and encourage nurses to seek support whenever they encounter various problems throughout their careers.
The proposed perspective supports the concept of interdependence whereby RNs collaborate, focus on their unique issues, and consider the best approaches to empower each other. Nursing organizations will also benefit from this model since they will become moral agents for guiding, empowering, and meeting the unique needs of all nurses (Kunyk & Austin, 2011). The promotion of positive relational space in every working environment will minimize tensions and improve the quality of counseling available to different professionals (Kunyk & Austin, 2011). A multifaceted approach becomes a reality whereby the existing codes of ethics are redefined and modeled to encourage all RNs to collaborate, identify emerging problems, and solve them immediately. Nurses will also receive adequate training in an attempt to appreciate their respective predicaments.
This framework goes further to reveal that drug abuse among nurses is an issue that has numerous dimensions or implications. For example, the emergence of this problem can be an indication of personal challenges and family disunity (Epstein et al., 2010). Redesigning the nature of the working environment can ensure that more managers identify followers who might be affected by drug abuse or are at risk of addiction (Monroe et al., 2008). The new culture will make it possible for practitioners to report any misuse or loss of medicines. They will also be ready to collaborate and provide evidence-based care to their workmates who might be suffering from addiction (Epstein et al., 2010). The utilization of this new ethical perspective will deliver solutions to this problem instead of victimizing the affected nurses.
Nursing Profession and Policy
The nursing profession requires that practitioners follow the outlined principles of practice and act in accordance with the stipulated guidelines. There are specific values that are essential for RNs if they are to achieve their potential and meet the needs of all citizens. In many states and regions, RNs face disciplinary actions if they fail to act in accordance with the implemented codes of practice (Monroe et al., 2008). Unfortunately, the problems of drug abuse and addiction have not received the right support or analysis. This gap explains why the number of individuals facing this ethical problem has continued to rise in the United States. Existing policies promote reporting any misuse of drugs and misbehaviors in the provision of medical services. Fowler (2015) indicates that many nurses will be reluctant to identify workmates and colleagues who are facing the problem of addiction. The existing guidelines and requirements have, therefore, created numerous challenges instead of providing adequate support to the affected RNs.
The nature of this ethical challenge has compelled nursing associations and medical institutions to introduce new measures for empowering and meeting the needs of professionals struggling with drug overuse and alcoholism. This new approach has considered evidence-based and leadership approaches that will ensure that both disciplinary and assistive programs work synergistically to empower more RNs who are facing the problem of addiction (Monroe et al., 2008). The most important thing is for all stakeholders to acknowledge the nature of this ethical predicament and pursue programs that provide sustainable support to every at risk practitioner.
The current shortage of nurses should become a guiding principle for ensuring that institutions implement appropriate rehabilitation, empowerment, and aftercare systems that will support the retention of more NPs. The use of data-driven measures will make it possible for different agencies and institutions to understand how addiction among nurses is a major ethical issue (Fowler, 2015). The acquired information will empower them to understand the most appropriate tactics for supporting the affected practitioners and ensuring that they achieve both their personal and career aims. This development can also make it possible for more citizens to receive sustainable health services.
Conclusion
The above discussion has identified substance abuse among nurses as an ethical issue that has the potential to tarnish the nature of medical profession and affect patients’ health outcomes. Acknowledging that this is a critical problem is an effective approach that will guide different stakeholders to present evidence-based ideas for supporting and empowering the affected RNS. Those involved should consider the most appropriate measures to identify the existing gaps and create new opportunities that will eventually meet the needs of more NPs. These achievements will transform the nature of the above problem and ensure that every patient in the United States receives high-quality medical care.
References
Burkhardt, M. A., & Nathaniel, A. K. (2014). Ethics and issues in contemporary nursing (4th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Thomas Delmar Learning.
Dunn, D. (2005). Substance abuse among nurses—Defining the issue. AORN Journal, 82 (4), 573-596.
Epstein, P. M., Burns, C., & Conlon, H. A. (2010). Substance abuse among registered nurses. AAOHN Journal, 58 (12), 513-516. doi:10.3928/08910162-20101116-03
Fowler, M. D. M. (2015). Guide to the code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements (2nd ed.). Silver Springs, MD: American Nurses Association.
Kopp, M. A. B. (2009, April 1). Drug addiction: Many RNs fall prey to this hidden, potentially deadly disease. RN Magazine, 40-44.
Kunyk, D., & Austin, W. (2011). Nursing under influence: A relational ethics perspective. Nursing Ethics, 1, 1-10. Web.
McHugh, M., Papastrat, K., & Ashton, K. C. (2011). Assisting the drug addicted nurse: Information for the legal nurse consultant. Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting, 22 (3), 11-14.
Monroe, T., Pearson, F., & Kenaga, H. (2008). Procedures for handling cases of substance abuse among nurses: A comparison of disciplinary and alternative programs. Journal of Addictions Nursing, 19, 156-161. Web.
Pilgrim, J. L., Dorward, R., & Drummer, O. H. (2016). Drug-caused deaths in Australian medical practitioners and health-care professionals. Addiction , 112 , 486-493. Web.
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IDEA, IEPs, IFSPs,and 504 Plans: Professional Development Presentation
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
* In 2012-2013, 13% of public school students received a specialized education program, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (Woodworth, 2016)
* Key principles of the IDEA: freedom of discrimination, safe environment creation, and an interdisciplinary team approach.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was introduced by the US as a special federal law to ensure that schools can meet the needs of students with disabilities (Wilmshurst & Brue, 2018). Every state is required to adopt policies to implement the IDEA, and parents are also to be engaged in the process of discussing a child’s learning disability (LD) and needs (Kauffman, Hallahan, Pullen, & Badar, 2018). The key principles of the IDEA are freedom of discrimination, safe environment creation, and an interdisciplinary team approach.
IDEA: Eligible Categories
1. Specific learning disability (SLD) (Dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia);
2. Other health impairment ( ADHD );
3. Autism spectrum disorder ( ASD );
4. Emotional disturbance ( depression and anxiety );
5. Speech or language impairment;
6. Visual impairment, including blindness;
7. Deafness;
8. Hearing impairment;
9. Deaf-blindness;
10. Orthopedic impairment;
11. Intellectual disability;
12. Traumatic brain injury;
13. Multiple disabilities (Kauffman et al., 2018).
According to this act, the least restrictive environment should be created to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for eligible children who are aged between 6 and 17 years. The disabilities that are included in the IDEA are presented on the slide. In particular, the mentioned list contains autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emotional disturbance, visual impairment, intellectual disability, et cetera (Kauffman et al., 2018).
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
* An individual plan of learning in consistence with a student’s needs and abilities;
* Includes annual progress measurements and a collaborative work of the stakeholders (Caruana, 2015).
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) aims at offering an individual plan of learning in consistence with a student’s needs and abilities. Among the eligibility criteria, having at least one of the disabilities from a special list and the need for specific instructions can be noted. If the disability affects a student’s academic performance to benefit from the general learning environment, he or she should be given specialized instruction (Caruana, 2015). The goals of the IEP include annual progress measurements and a collaborative work of the stakeholders, who are involved in this program, including parents, school psychologists, special education teachers, grade level teachers, and district representatives. For a 504 Plan, the rules about the team members are less formal since they only mention that people familiar with a student should be engaged.
504 Plan
* According to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the schools should provide maximum adaptation to students with disabilities and their full participation in school life;
* The adjustments for ensuring major life activities of students should be made.
On the contrary to the IEP that refers to a SE law, the 504 Plan is attributed to federal civil rights, as it is stated by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is to be applied in cases when a child needs extra support for emotional, physical, and psychological challenges (the list of disabilities is wider than for the IEP (Kauffman et al., 2018). The conditions that limit major life activities serve as the indicators that point to the importance of 504 plans. Such conditions can include breathing, speaking, caring for oneself, hearing, performing manual tasks, and so on.
IEPs vs. 504 Plan
The details of the 504 Plan clarify any social, academic, and organizational adjustments in the educational environment, which are not covered by the IEP (Woodworth, 2016). As a rule, an informal document is completed, and a school takes the responsibility for accommodating one’s learning. Another difference between the identified plans lies in the review and revision: the IEP should be reconsidered at least once a year, but the regulations for the 504 Plan vary across the states. The disputes related to special education plans can be resolved in similar and different ways. For example, mediation and lawsuit are the two universal methods; due process complaint and resolution session are characteristic of the IEP; and impartial hearing along with a complaint to the office for civil rights (OCR) are more likely to be used in terms of the 504 Plan.
IEPs vs. 504 Plan.
Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs)
* Helps in early intervention in children up to age 3.
* Hhe services and expected outcomes a toddler or baby should be provided with: the present level of development, functioning, and needs is assessed to how the family can act to best support their child (Wilmshurst & Brue, 2018).
Compared to the IEP and 504 Plan, an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) helps in early intervention in children up to age 3. According to Wilmshurst and Brue (2018), it is both a process and document that is used to involve families in the provision of early intervention services. The resources, concerns, strengths, and weaknesses are considered while planning and personalizing the services (Woodworth, 2016). Likewise the IEP and 504 Plan, the IFSP can be revised of it required to meet the needs of a particular child.
General Process for Special Education Identification
The general process for special education identification comprises several stages that are presented on the slide. The Child Find Mandate obliges schools to evaluate and serve children, and the issues that can trigger this are behavior struggles, lacking social skills, school refusal, and problems with emotional regulation. To meet this duty, the districts locate children aged 3-21 if they are suspected of having one or several disabilities. More information can be received from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) (Smeets & Roeleveld, 2016). School referral implies that school personnel notices some deviations, which can act as the basis for determining the eligibility for special education. A child’s parents can also make a request to schools, parent referral, for conducting their child’s assessment, which should be done in a written form. The consent should be obtained from parents prior to beginning the evaluation process as it confirms their awareness of the procedures being conducted.
General Process for Special Education Identification.
Roles of Stakeholders
* Parents should not underestimate their role in the team since they provide critical input, having the fullest understanding of a child’s psychological, physical, social, and developmental background.
* Therefore, the family should act as the best advocate for the child, monitoring the identification and service delivery (Smeets & Roeleveld, 2016).
School personnel should be attentive to children since emotional and psychological struggles are likely to significantly impact the way children with disabilities learn and interact with others (Hornby, 2015).
The family of a student with disability, who requires special attention, is a resource that can significantly facilitate the process of transition from GE to SE by explaining this process and answering the emerging questions. Parents should not underestimate their role in the team since they provide critical input, having the fullest understanding of a child’s psychological, physical, social, and developmental background. In sum, all of the mentioned stakeholders are essential to ensure proper support and meet the unique needs of a particular student.
Each of the stakeholders involved in the identification and implementation of special education programs plays an important role as a team member. In terms of school referral, a general education teacher, a special education teacher, or an administrator may ask for the evaluation if he or she notices alarming behaviors (Smeets & Roeleveld, 2016). Once a program was adopted for a student with disability, support and reporting should be provided by a special education teacher, who is responsible for giving the necessary information to a GE teacher, adapting the curriculum, establishing collaboration with other stakeholders, and completing the records. As for the district faculty, it plays a key role in identifying disability and reporting the suspicions to the schools.
Communication with Families
* To communicate with families, it is possible to meet with them or contact by phone or email, which depends on a certain situation (Hornby, 2015).
* Some parents prefer discussing their child by phone as it creates a sense of intimacy, but this method is prone to misunderstanding.
* Face-to-face communication method serves as the most effective means in the process of special education identification.
* Traveling folders is another option: daily notes, a place for homework, and the communication folder.
Every team member must work towards the same goal of designing the most effective and least restrictive learning environment. The ongoing communication among the stakeholders is regarded as a key mechanism that ensures support for a child and leads to consistent results. It is recommended for the teachers to use emails and phones to share good news or make appointments.
The family can be embarrassed by discovering that their child has disability, others may think that teachers do not understand the value of their child. Regardless of a communication method, teachers should strive to provide the continuity of service delivery and interact with parents on a regular basis, not only in crisis periods.
Conclusion
* 504 Plan, IEPs, and IFSPs are launched and monitored by different acts and organizations, but their goal is to ensure that students with disabilities would learn in the least restructure environment.
* To identify, implement, and maintain the programs, not only school personnel but also parents should be engaged in the process of service delivery.
To conclude, the differences between the 504 Plan, IEPs, and IFSPs are associated with the degree to which a student needs support from teachers and parents. These programs are launched and monitored by different acts and organizations, but their goal is to ensure that students with disabilities would learn in the least restructure environment that can meet their specific needs. Proper communication between the team members is the key premise of their effective cooperation.
References
Caruana, V. (2015). Accessing the common core standards for students with learning disabilities: Strategies for writing standards-based IEP goals. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth , 59 (4), 237-243.
Hornby, G. (2015). Inclusive special education: Development of a new theory for the education of children with special educational needs and disabilities. British Journal of Special Education , 42 (3), 234-256.
Kauffman, J. M., Hallahan, D. P., Pullen, P. C., & Badar, J. (2018). Special education: What it is and why we need it (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Smeets, E., & Roeleveld, J. (2016). The identification by teachers of special educational needs in primary school pupils and factors associated with referral to special education. European Journal of Special Needs Education , 31 (4), 423-439.
Wilmshurst, L., & Brue, A. W. (2018). The complete guide to special education: Expert advice on evaluations, IEPs, and helping kids succeed (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Woodworth, J. (2016). IEPS, 504 plans and behavior contracts . Web.
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Learning to Write: Lesson Plan Essay
Grade Level : 1A
Subject : Understanding Text Types and Purposes
Lesson Aim/Objective : Teaching students when to differentiate between various text types and purposes. The students have to understand the goals that a text pursues and the audience for which it is intended. In addition, the learners will have to learn to state their opinion when writing.
Materials : The teacher will use two types of materials based on their purpose. The ones for laying out the rules will include a poster with key guidelines outlined in it and six slides with examples on them. The materials for students to train their skills will include exercise papers in which different types of texts will be provided, a small text the type o which they will need to decide upon, and an exercise in which learners will have to create a unique text of their own based on a series of requirements and with a specific text type in mind (e.g., an explanatory text such as a note to a friend).
Common Core Standards : The outlined lesson plan is compatible with the CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1 common core standards (“English Language Arts Standards » Writing » Grade 1”).
Motivation : The primary motivation behind the suggested lesson plan is to encourage learners to understand the importance of discourse, in general, and guide them to being able to differentiate between different purposes of writing a text. Thus, the students will be capable of navigating their writing process easier and lay out their ideas and thoughts more accurately and coherently.
Instructions/Procedure : The lesson will start with asking learners why they think texts are created. Afterward, the theory will be provided to them in the form of slides. A summative poster will be presented afterward. As soon as the students understand the key theoretical premises, they will proceed to exercises, which will then be checked. Finally, each student will write a text-based on the task, with the following analysis and evaluation of their writing. The lesson will end with the teacher explaining the home assignment to the students.
Assessment Activity : The assessment will involve writing a short text of a set type. The students will have to create a convincing piece of writing by using a restricted number of words (50 maximum) to develop an argument. The evaluation of learners’ understanding of the topic and the very notion of text types will be evaluated based on their use of signifiers of the said type of text. In addition, the purpose of the piece under analysis will have to be assessed and determined accurately. The students will need to describe the purpose of the writing in 2-4 words. Since there may be variations in the description of the text purpose, the use of synonyms to the keywords linked to the text purpose will be allowed (e.g., in the explanatory discourse, along with the word “explain,” the options of “clarify” will be possible).
Follow Up : The students will read each other’s stories and discuss their efficacy as a text with a specific purpose.
Notes/Reflections : Creating the lesson plan has helped to realize how important it is to build a profound understanding of the types of discourse in young learners. As students learn to discern between different types of text and their goals, they will gain the ability to formulate their ideas coherently, organize them effectively, and laying them out succinctly, thus producing unique texts with strong arguments and learning to convince their target audiences. The very idea of a target audience and the importance of appealing to it with the help of a specific type of writing can be shaped at this point in young learners, allowing them to understand the purpose of writing, in general.
Work Cited
“English Language Arts Standards » Writing » Grade 1.” CoreStandards.org , n.d., Web.
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“Fire from Heaven” by Mary Renault: Review Report
Alexander and the Palace Setup
Chapter one of the book Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault introduces the reader to the main characters of the book. It introduces life in the palace by giving the reader a description of how the palace was organized as well as governed in terms of security of the royalty.
Philip, the king, is the husband to Olympia. Together, they have a four-year-old son called Alexander and a daughter called Cleopatra. The kids have their own rooms where their Spartan nurses take care of them at night away from the royal bedroom. The setting of the book is in a Greek society where Philip is the king. Olympia is the king’s wife who practices witchcraft. At this point, she has introduced her son Alexander to the art of snake charming against his father’s will. She keeps a snake called glaukos.
When Alexander finds a snake coiled around him, he thinks it is glaukos only to realize that it is a new one when he takes it to his mother’s room. He names it tayche (Renault 1). While in the royal bedroom, Alexander witnesses firsthand the feuds between his parents. When he steps in between his parents, though on his mother’s defense, his father throws him mercilessly down the stairs out of the room.
Philip is a one-eyed king full of battle scars that make his own son view him as ugly: His son likens him to Polyphemos. Alexander is a smart child who knows how to have his way in the palace and places where he may not be allowed to access. Philip loathes his wife’s witchcraft.
Alexander has a friend called Ptolemy whom he has heard guards say that he is Alexander’s brother. However, Ptolemy does not want to talk about it at all. Alexander shows how bright he is when he engages the envoys to his father in hard questions some of which they refuse to answer.
He explains to them that they do not need to greet his father by lying on the ground with their faces touching it. Philip’s empire is exceptionally large spanning across Europe, Asia, and Africa from where he draws his soldiers of war. He rules above kings making other kings of certain kingdoms become mini kings to him. The chapter ends with Alexander attending a worship ceremony at the temple of dionysos.
Alexander and Leonidas, the Tutor
As Renault writes, King Philip is at war again. This time, it is on the north east of the Chilkadian coast. One thing that torments him most is the idea of his wife practicing witchcraft (24). Olympias has grown forceful in stamping her place in the royalty. She has send out spies who inform her on every move her husband king Philip makes towards other women.
The thought of the king taking another wife or just a concubine sends her to perform rituals in the tomb as a way of invoking a curse on to the king who loves young women. The king enlists the services of the well-travelled Leonidas to be young Alexander’s teacher since he has attained the age of seven. He does this as he leaves for the battlefront. Leonidas is a well-travelled man and Olympia’s uncle who has stayed in Athens and learnt the elegant Aristocratic lifestyle of the Greek aristocrats.
He is even more Hellenized than Philip himself. He therefore sets out to appoint Leonidas as a governor before proceeding to war. Leonidas would be in charge of Alexander’s education as well as his discipline. He would flank Alexander when he goes wrong thus making it his duty of ensuring that the young prince grows up perfectly as a Spartan. Alexander has been accorded teachers for different subjects with Epikrates being the music teacher and Naukles being the mathematics teacher (Renault 31).
Philip realized he could not find these rare teachers on his own thus conscripting the services of Leonidas. Alexander was therefore provided with some of the best teachers fit for a royalty. Alexander’s tutors are not accustomed to strong drinks the way Spartans are. They often excuse themselves whenever the drinking becomes too much during the evenings to the amusement of the Spartans who are their hosts. They discuss among themselves about their student. They agree among themselves and sometimes disagreeing entirely.
Their shyness towards the drink causes amusement among their Spartan hosts. Alexander is loathsome on how his teachers treat him. He even contemplates killing some of them. When he cannot do it, he runs away to the wild where a woodcutter picks him while injured to take him back to the palace. The king holds parties to celebrate his wins by inviting Alexander to sit with him to the point when the drinking starts.
Encounters between Philip and Alexander after the War
The king has taken a break from the war. He can be found sitting with his staff in the court of his palace. At this stage, Alexander is a ten-year-old boy who is remarkably sharp for his age. He knows almost all the guards’ names even for the ones who are barely a few days old at the posting in the palace.
As Alexander enters his father’s court after being summoned, he displays the gait of a real Spartan man as trained by Leonidas (Renault 48). The king brings his son a present. As part of his training, he requires him to be around when the envoys come. Philip son’s interests and attitudes towards him disturb him. He asks himself if all his enemies are his son’s heroes due to his quest to have his son stop following his mother’s footsteps to grow up a real Spartan with all the Spartan civility.
Alexander develops a tendency to take firm stands against his own mother. He accomplishes this attempt when his mother tries to influence the clothes he should wear when the envoys come. Renault writes, “I have to dress,” he told her, “for the Athenian envoys…I’ll wear blue” (50). Alexander tries as much as possible to please his father by looking at what his father wants him to look like.
Alexander uses his determination to satisfy his curiosity when he forces Phoinix to take him out to see the envoys as they arrive at night on their mules with torches.
The envoys arrive in the night. When they wake up in the morning, they are amazed at the splendor of the palace guesthouse. Demosthenes, who is one of the envoys, witnesses Alexander’s smartness when he comes into the guest room asking questions beyond his age and size with a unique demeanor. Demosthenes recites his points on how he will talk before the king.
Alexander and Epikrates
Alexander is about twelve years old. By him is Epikrates who is his music teacher. They spend a lot of time together though Epikrates tells him that he will never make a good musician. Epikrates is a renowned music scholar who feels wasted. Although he is paid to teach Alexander how to play music instruments, the student has no interest.
He feels it would be better to teach a child with a little talent for free than to teach a young rich royalty who has no interest at all. Epikrates feels resigned for the turbulence that he finds at the palace thus making a conclusion that he has to go away soon for his soul to find some balance (Renault 71). Alexander is supposed to perform at the dinner. However, his father comes late with an extremely filthy mood. Whispers go round that he is coming from seeing his wife who gives him a hard time.
Alexander fails to break his voice as a young adolescent. His father blames this on his sorcerer mother. He blames any defect on his son to his mother. Alexander performs before his father at the dinner table leading to a standing ovation from guests and other members of the royal court. To him and everyone’s amazement, his father dismisses the music as not coming from a man.
Once more, his anger rises based on the quarrel he has just had with his wife and the resemblance his son has of his mother when she would laugh sarcastically at him. Alexander runs away into the wilderness longing for a war at just twelve years old. He takes the hostage of Gyras who is one of the intermediaries who have taken the time off duty to visit their family. Alexander makes Gyras swear by a piece of meat he took away from the sacrifices that Gyras would not tell of him back in Pella, or betray him in his adventure.
Alexander’s urge to go to war led by the voice of Herackles leads him to sleep in a peasant boy’s bed full of fleas as he leads the scorpion army against the Kimolians. He invokes his father’s name. With Gyras’ support, the headman listens to him. Alexander puts the skills he has learnt to use during the war against Kimolian’s thus killing his first man in a war: a son of a Kimolian’s headman.
Aristotle the Philosopher
The chapter opens with the departure of Leonidas and the entry of Aristotle a distinguished philosopher and a student of Plato. Alexander hopes that he is better than Leonidas. Alexander realizes that, just like Leonidas, Aristotle too has not just come to teach him, but has come for political reasons. The only person with his welfare at heart is Phoinix. Alexander’s mother is against a philosopher being his son’s teacher though she does not know that Aristotle is one.
She believes that philosophers make men reason away from the gods (Renault 94). Alexander considers Hephaistion his dearest friend. The new tutor comes in with his conditions for students during his time. He asks that they be boarded somewhere away from the court and its distractions. Therefore, they are taken to a hose on a hill away from the palace from where Aristotle would conduct his studies for them. The house is twenty miles away at the foot of mount Bermion.
Philip had the house restored, and a garden too cleared for Aristotle, the tutor. Philip leaves Olympias to welcome the tutor. For the first time, the two agree on an issue. To his utter surprise, Alexander decides that he will do it now that he is the man of just about fourteen. This attempt sends his mother into a spin of madness by feeling betrayed by a son who she has fought for all the time in her marriage.
Alexander expresses himself when he is with Hephaistion (his best friend) by revealing his deep thoughts about his mother’s thinking that she can rule on his behalf based on how he made her cry by his firmness. Aristotle arrives by a whole ship, which had been sent to pick him. On arrival, he finds a waiting escort at the wharf to take him to the palace. The school is set in Mieza. Philip has some of his friends’ children join Alexander at the school as long as they are not too young as per the philosopher’s standards.
Some are young Alexander’s friends while others are not. For instance, Kassandros has been forced by his father to join the class. Alexander starts to develop emotions for girls. However, he does not know how to go about it other than what he has heard the soldiers say. He meets a girl called Gorgo who he later finds out to be having an affair with his father. His mother destroys the girl later.
The Mystery of Dionysio
The students go back to Mieza sometimes after the sacrifices to Dionysio. To Aristotle’s amazement, Alexander looks sharper than it is usual after such a sacrifice (Renault 128). Alexander reconciles himself with what he saw his mother do to Gorgo by accepting that it was her way of revenge just like when men go to war and kill.
While at school, his parents write him letters thinking his quietness is due to the Dionysio experience not knowing that it is due to some form of shame he feels his father is taking him through. To this situation, Alexander feels that he might never love a woman. Hephaistion still worships his friend Alexander by going a long way to impress him by importing him a book.
On his part, Aristotle keeps his duty of training the young lads while taking the time to make observations on the nature besides making notes on the deer’s coupling. Hephaistion discovers a vixen’s den. Together, they scout the vixen. The cubs seem to be the only thing that would make Alexander smile between long moments of silence, which makes his friend Hephaistion happy when he smiles because he has made it his loyal duty to keep Alexander happy.
Alexander yearns for war. From his conversations with his friend, he talks about how he dreams of marching into Greece as a general after the war. He is good at javelin and sword. However, he prefers the sword as his favorite weapon for a face-to-face combat. Philip has a disdain for his son’s south-like behavior when he comes in clean-shaven to which he does not consider Macedonian.
However, he restrains himself from saying anything that might offend him due to the business at the table. Alexander’s father startles him when preparing for war. He informs him that he will remain behind to do the administration work. He further tells him that he might be ripe maybe two years from then. He is left with the royal seal of Macedon, which is a symbol of the king’s authority.
Though the king makes it look like he wants his son to do administration before he can go to war, he feels from deep inside himself that his son is not man enough. Once again, when his father is away, his mother tries to influence him to do a favor to her henchman’s son. However, Alexander refuses with reason much to his mother’s disdain.
Alexander’s first War
As Alexander prepares to go to war, he goes to his mother to find answers to lingering questions about his paternity. Alexander goes to war with his father as they lay siege Thebes. On the way, Alexander comes across Leonidas’ grave to which he pays his respect though he never respected him as a general (Renault 170). Alexander observes that the southerners covet each other because they land starved. Thus, it makes them come out in a united front.
Philip gets the wall of Elatia put up again and makes it his fort. From here, he sends envoys to all cities he has laid siege on asking them to surrender. Philip lays siege to Thebes. This case brings out the experience in him in matters of war. Thebans debate over the idea of giving Philip a passage to Athens by considering him an ally though they are dismayed by the way he puts up Elatia. Thebans voted in favor of tearing the treaty with Macedon. They allied themselves with Athens thus counting Philip as an enemy.
Demosthenes, the king of Thebes, consults oracles as they prepare for Philip’s southern march. Athens prepare for war. However, when they consult an oracle, it shows the odds against them to which Demosthenes declares that someone among them is Philip’s traitor. Philip is simply trying to test his ally’s loyalty to which Thebes fails. Philip gives Alexander a Calvary to lead as his birthday present on his 18th birthday.
Demosthenes inspects the army as files of strong young men stand guard. They start falling on their spears due to fatigue as they keep watch for invasion from the Macedons. Demosthenes himself is a politician and not a fighter. Therefore, he has to account for everything that happens. Alexander leads the army in war as his father watches from a distance on the hilltop the way a shepherd looks over his ship.
Young Alexander has the voice to command. Demosthenes had instilled fear in the Athenians by telling that Philip would blot them off the face of the Earth. Therefore, they have to fight for their city’s survival. Philip and his father win the battle against Thebes. With it, they take prisoners from among the fighters. Father and son have a good relationship at this moment as the father avoids picking him.
Philip’s new Wife Eurydike
Eurydike, who is King Philip’s newest wife, gets a baby girl. To Philips relief, his new wife is a total opposite of Olympias. He mulls over a thought of having her killed by justifying that she has blood in her hands. Hence, it would be justice anyway.
This thought stops when he realizes that his son Alexander would one day come to know about it however discreet the plot would be. Alexander and his mother leave the palace for a place called Epiros. From there, Alexander sends his father a letter asking him to restore his mother’s place before they can come back (Renault 205).
The king’s plans for another war are affected by the news of bands of men or soldiers sighted in different parts of his region thus leaving him undecided on what step to take. This happens after Alexander has fled with his mother. Hephaistion is with Alexander as they live through a life of squalor since they are in a self-imposed exile. He tells him how much his father adores him and how he wishes he went back. Alexander dismisses this as just a plot to have him back to hold as his father goes out to war in Asia.
He puts a condition that his mother’s place must be restored before he can go back. Alexander ponders on how to get back home to his father, as he is apparent the heir who sends Demaratos to his father as a go-between for reconciliation. Philip is ready to reconcile with his son. However, the biggest impediment is his wife whom he does not want near him at all. At the end of the day, Philip is convinced by Demaratos to bring back his wife and son.
Eurydike, the new wife, has an affine house built for her a few meters away from the palace. Alexander feels ashamed of his father for going for a 15-year-old girl at his age. Olympias learns of Arridaio’s marriage plans, and sends her son immediately to relay the news.
Alexander is startled by the news of his half brother being made heir by his father though the boy is a halfwit. Alexander’s relationship with his father deteriorates after he tells him in his face that he should find inheritance for himself. This leads to a conspiracy between the mother and son. The situation leaves Philip dead so that Alexander can inherit the throne despite his bastard nature.
Evaluation
The Author
Author Mary Renault is a Hughes and Bristol college trained nurse born in 1939. She is an acclaimed author with many novels penned under her name. She was made a flow of the Royal literature in 1959 due to the work she had contributed in literature. As a writer, Renault comes out strong with the way she presents her story.
It is captivating in such a way that it keeps the reader’s attention to details. Her work is fiction. From the book Fire from Heaven , the reader finds that it takes so much knowledge about the ancient Greece for someone to come up with such a masterpiece. Though the story meanders a lot before it takes shape, the writer seems at home with the lifestyle of the old Greece.
The writer has experience with the subject as she has also written other pieces on ancient Greece besides this work. Renault is prejudiced in a way that she has a negative bias towards Olympia, the mother of Alexander. Though she pays so much tribute to Alexander, she paints his mother as a sorcerer.
The purpose the writer has on this book is to expose the intrigues of the ancient Greek’s royalty, which was a mix of heroes, villains, and gods. The lines between the gods and the people are so thin that kings would be referred to as gods. The book also exposes the reader to the ancient dark art when rituals were performed to please the gods.
Informative Nature of the Book
The book is informative about the ancient royal life and society in general. From this book, it is evident that education then was for the privileged few being the royalty and the aristocrats. It informs readers on the art of war. The book also enlightens readers on how battles were planned and executed during the ancient times. Small communities would unite against a common enemy or they would simply pay allegiance to the stronger ones in society.
The book informs readers on the art of diplomacy, its origin on how treaties were cut, and how submission was made. The book is convincing as it uses real life characters. It uses real life settings to create a picture of how things would work then. Although the book is a work of fiction, it is almost convincing in the way it has cast people like Aristotle who were real persons during that time.
The book is not particularly easy to read due to so many intertwined characters that have been used. The names of many places are mostly in Greece making it difficult to read easily. However, as the story line continues, there is more clarity as the main characters are used repeatedly. The piece is suitable to anybody who wishes to read both for fun and for academic purposes.
It offers an overview of historical Greece culture. It also enumerates practices, which would be good for anyone trying to understand the world of civilization and its origins as people live today. The masterwork is also good for literature students. Language students would profoundly benefit from the book due to the literary styles employed in executing the plot. The storyline leaves one curious for the next step.
It is full of tension. The work is recommendable to students in different fields of study spanning from literature, history, religion, as well as geography. It can also be a good recommendation for students studying English as a foreign language. Students who wish to improve on their vocabulary should also read the book. The subject is covered fairly with in-depth descriptions that bring out the picture the writer is trying to create.
Conclusion/My lesson from doing the Report
The lesson learnt from doing the report is that a person needs to have enough vocabulary that would enable him or her make a summary of work. To make a report, one needs to read the subject. The reader should understand the subject so that the summary he or she comes up with is a representation of the whole work.
Additionally, the reader should be able to give the picture of the entire story. One also needs to filter out what will make sense in the report. This summary should be used to prepare the report. A report should be brief in this sense, but loaded to the brim with the information it is trying to put across. The experience leaves a reader believing in him/herself with regard to the amount of work this assignment is and the time required to execute it.
Works Cited
Renault, Mary. Fire from Heaven. Arrow, London, 1970. Print.
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Documentaries – Capitalism: A Love Story by Michael Moore Essay (Movie Review)
“Capitalism: A Love Story” is a documentary film by Michael Moore. The film’s main focus is on the effects that capitalism has had on America. The documentary film debuted in 2009 and Michael Moore wrote, starred in, and directed it. The film’s storyline revolves around the financial crisis that befell America in the late 2000s and the accompanying recovery efforts. Some of the hot topics that are covered by Michael Moore in this film include Wall Street, Goldman Sach, worker’s conditions, corporate insurance policies on workers, home foreclosures, and the ‘runaway’ greed of corporate America.
The film also incorporates a religious angle in its outlook. Throughout the film, the filmmaker juxtaposes several historical situations with current ones. The subject matter that is addressed in “Capitalism: A Love Story” resonates with Michael Moore’s past topics. Michael Moore picks a topic that dominates day-to-day lives and then presents it in a manner that is appealing to the average citizen. This film is a testament of Michael Moore’s seasoned movie making abilities that have garnered him a league of admirers and critics alike.
Moore’s “Capitalism: A Love Story” examines the effects of capitalism on the American society. America’s loves and celebrates capitalism in equal measure and the filmmaker conducts extensive interviews with capitalism-gatekeepers. The film struggles to maintain a balance between the positives of capitalism and its negatives. At the beginning of the film, the filmmaker shows what capitalism has amounted to by running surveillance footages of bank robbers.
The filmmaker then takes viewers back to the golden age of capitalism. Michael Moore strategically fixes interviews with modern experts into the film. The film’s arrangement enables viewers to understand capitalism in a wider context. Furthermore, the filmmaker manages to maintain an outrageous and humorous analysis of capitalism using this strategy.
Moore’s attempts to highlight the evils of capitalism by taking a ‘total’ stand against it. However, as a filmmaker Moore is part of capitalism. For instance, the budget for making this documentary was in excess of seventeen million dollars. Therefore, this venture requires investors most of whom have Wall Street connections. This fact puts a blemish on Michael Moore who on several occasions during the film can be seen putting crime-scene tape in front of some Wall Street offices. Nevertheless, Moore’s crime-scene tape plastering routine begins to become ‘annoying to watch’ after some time.
“Capitalism: A Love Story” covers its subject matter less seriously as compared to other Moore-films such as “Fahrenheit 9/11”. In this film, Moore resorts to funny and outrageous depictions of capitalism. However, the serious concerns that are expressed in the film are still communicated to the audience successfully. For example, the audience can still recognize some of the serious effects of capitalism such as ‘condo vultures’ and the ‘Wal-Mart Dead Peasant life-insurance scam’.
The lengthy nature of the movie is also another indicator of Moore’s talent because the filmmaker is able to capture and maintain the audiences’ attention. The over-simplified nature of capitalism stands out in this documentary film. Moreover, this over-simplification is meant to help ordinary audiences to understand capitalism in their own terms.
“Capitalism: A Love Story” is a movie that seeks to vilify American capitalism. However, the filmmaker decides to use subtle humor and outrageous acts to pass his message across. The film is informative and its simplicity appealed to me in a great way. Through Michael Moore’s body of work, I was able to reflect on the ills of capitalism.
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Racial and Gender Issues in the USA Essay
The modern age is considered to be the era of democracy, tolerance, and humanism. People all over the world are supposed to have equal conditions for living and, moreover, should be treated equally, no matter what their religion or race is. It should be said that humanity needed two world wars to appreciate the price of human life. One can admit that society has already done a great number of steps, which helped people all over the world to obtain their rights and freedoms. International organizations like the United Nations also watch the situation and try to guarantee the stable development of humanism and tolerance.
However, there are still problems that could not be solved. The thing is that very often these problems had been topical for hundred years and humanity accepted it as an integral part of the world. That is why, it is so difficult to get rid of them nowadays. It is hard for some people to change their beliefs and to accept the idea that every person has the same rights and, moreover, he/she is the same as the man who believes in his/her superior character. That is why, unfortunately, some problems still remain, and something should be done in order to solve them.
Racial bias is the problem of this sort. The modern world is inhabited by representatives of a great number of different cultures and nations, and they all have their unique mentality and beliefs. All these people are worth admiring, and, nowadays, humanity is supposed to understand it. Thus, unfortunately, not all people like it and adhere to the policy of double standards. However, the problem is so old and complicated that it is very difficult to deal with it. The thing is that for centuries certain groups of people were treated as inferior, and the issue of slavery prospered.
Especially difficult was the life of black people. From ancient times they were just good for white people only because of the color of their skin. Being deprived of any rights, for the centuries, they had to serve people without any chance for freedom. That is why the image of a slave is so strong in the conscience of white people. Only the events of the first half of the 20th century were able to change this image; however, it still exists, and unconsciously some people adhere to the ideas of the past.
Especially the topical this issue is for the USA. The thing is the historical peculiarities of the development of this state influence the attitude towards representatives of some other nations greatly. Being discovered and colonized by Europeans, America became one of the greatest consumers of slave labor. Giant plantations demanded a great number of workers, and black people were delivered from Africa here. It is obvious that the attitude towards them was horrible, and they were not taken as people. However, the USA managed to obtain independence, though the situation had not changed for slaves. Society developed, and ideas of humanism became more popular, and the position of slaves improved.
The civil war was supposed to finish segregation and discrimination; though, it was just the beginning of the long road to equality and tolerance. Slaves were proclaimed to be free, and, moreover, they were supposed to have similar rights with white people. However, in sober fact, black people still suffered from racial prejudices and were discriminated against. Lynching and mob justice was usual practices at the beginning of the 20th century, and only after WW2 things became to change. Nowadays, constitution of the USA guarantees equal rights to all citizens of the country and proclaims tolerance. However, the situation is still not ideal, and the latest events in the state can be taken as the best evidence of this statement.
The thing is that the modern mass demonstrations and a great number of organizations that main aim is to guarantee equal rights to representatives of different races show that the problem is still topical and, moreover, every year it becomes more and more complicated. The level of aggression increases, though people still try not to break the law and use peaceful ways to show their position. The current situation can be compared with the mass movement for equal rights in the middle of the past century (Kelley 61). Being tired of the policy of segregation and double standards, millions of discriminated people decided to show their dissatisfaction and anger.
However, society supported them, and a great step to solving this problem was made. Tough, nowadays, it is possible to speak about the next wind of the same issue. The level of dissatisfaction grows, and very often, people face manifestations of the unfair attitude of racial prejudices. Resting on these facts, it is possible to admit that the current situation can be taken as a direct threat to the security of the USA. Being a multicultural state, the USA depends heavily on the level of comfort which every citizen of the country feels as only satisfied people can bring benefits to the state and contribute to its development. That is why the latest events could not but scare the government and should be given as much attention as it is possible.
The whole world witnessed the events in Baltimore, which became the peak of the dissatisfaction of people with existing orders. Thousands of people, who came to streets, can be taken as the evidence of the existence of racism and double standards in the USA. Being often called the home of democracy and the most tolerant state, the USA, however, is not deprived of inner problems connected with racial bias. Traditionally, the most discriminated group is black people who still feel the burden of stereotypes. According to statistics, black people still have poorer conditions for living and worse quality of life (Nolan para. 4). The majority of poor people belong to this category, and, moreover, police reports testify that the percentage of crimes committed by black people is much higher than the same numbers that are connected with white ones.
That is why it is possible to suggest the idea that, nowadays, American society is divided. It is obvious that some problems with crimes and poverty can be taken as the aftermath of long discrimination and damage, which was caused by the conscience of black people. However, at the same time, there is another thing, which can be taken as evidence of a prejudiced attitude towards this group of people. The thing is that sentences of blacks are, in general, 15.2% longer than the sentences white people (Nolan para. 7). This fact shows that the system of justice in the USA, which is supposed to be fair and help people to protect their rights, is corrupted and also influenced by racial bias. No wonder that people feel this attitude and do not want to be observers anymore.
Turning to the already mentioned situation in Baltimore, it is necessary to add some facts in order to be able to analyze it. The thing is that the cases of police excess are not new. In the last decades, the number of these accidents become extremely high, and it is possible to speak about thousands of situations in which police brutality took place (Pynchon para. 11). It is obvious that white people also suffered from it. However, this number is pale in comparison with the cases when black people become the victims of police and even were killed. The accident in Baltimore became just the next tragic event in a row. However, cynicism and weak reaction from the government triggered the wave of peoples dissatisfaction.
Additionally, the police officer who murdered a black man was not punished, which was taken as another sign of discrimination and double standards. Situation veered out of control, and even the forces of the United States National Guard were needed to calm down the people and patrol the city. Thus, surprisingly, these events were not taken as a sign of crisis by the government. The president proclaimed that in the USA, people are equal, and that situation will be controlled. However, there were no steps whose main aim was to analyze the state of racial affairs in the country and think about the possibility of some changes. That is why the situation repeated. Another policeman murdered a black man though it another city. With this in mind, it is possible to say that in the USA, the endemic problem of racism exists, though its manifestations are now hidden.
Another sphere situation in which can be taken as the evidence of the existing gap between representatives of different races in the USA is education. There is no use denying the fact that the majority of graduates from the most prestigious educational establishments in the USA belong to white people. Moreover, the level of progress in the study is also higher among the same group. This fact can serve as the background for discussion. There are several reasons which are now suggested as the main factors which prevent black people from entering college or university. The poverty of a great number of representatives of this race and their criminal inclinations take the first place among the most plausible reasons. However, these reasons can also be taken as a good example of bias-based thinking, which supposes that all black people are criminals.
Besides, there is another explanation for this problem. The thing is that education was traditionally taken as the privilege of the noble class, and black people were not supposed to obtain it. Needless to say that it is a very conservative environment and people, who work in this sphere, still have some prejudices, and it is very difficult for them to get rid of them. Some professors remember the time when black people were not allowed to attend schools and colleges; that is why it is very difficult for them to change their minds. This attitude can be taken as the root of problems connected with the state of black people in educational establishments. According to the latest investigations, education is still separate and unequal in the USA (Bonilla-Silva and Dietrich 193), and there is no tendency for its improvement.
Finally, the last sphere where the manifestations of segregation can be seen is the sphere of job. Being the main source of income of a common person can guaranty respect and appreciation from society. Additionally, it is the guaranty that a person will not live on the breadline. However, it is still problematic for representatives of some races to find a job. According to some research, racial names like Jamal or Lakisha can serve as the obstacle for a person to find a job (Francis para. 5). With this in mind, it is possible to say that the only possibility for black people to avoid poverty is not available for them. Additionally, very often, they are suggested not qualified and low paid jobs while white people are preferred when employers look for top managers or people who will perform a qualified job. Taking this fact into account, it is possible to assume that there is no wonder that black people very often have worse conditions for living.
Additionally, discrimination can be seen on another level. There is no use denying the fact that modern society proclaims equal rights for representatives of all genders and races. It is supposed that women managed to achieve their purpose and have the same rights as men. Though things are not so ideal. The thing is that women are still deprived of a great number of possibilities that men have. They still have much lesser representatives in the governments of different countries. Moreover, there are still manlike professions which remain unobtainable for women. Additionally, in a coherent society, more and more men start to think that womens classic role is to be a good housewife and satisfy the demands of her husband. That is why this tendency can be taken as a very threatening one as it can lead to the degradation of society. Needless to say, the situation with black women is even more complicated. Being discriminated against because of their race, very often, they also face gender discrimination. Nowadays, in the USA it is very difficult for a black woman to find a good and well-paid job even if to compare with a black man.
Resting on all these facts, it is possible to assume that the situation is very complicated and even critical. Society of the USA is divided according to racial and gender issues, and things get only worse. However, it is also silly to deny some progress that has already been achieved. The thing is that being rather complicated, the current situation is still better than in the great number of other countries. The USA is one of the most developed countries in the world and, that is why. Conditions there are not so horrible as it could be. Moreover, being the democratic state, the USA gives an opportunity for representatives of discriminated groups of people to show their dissatisfaction and suggests different variants for it. People are able to use means of television or the Internet for these purposes.
Thus, according to statistics, the USA is one of the leading countries in the world which has a relatively high percentage of black people in the government and in some huge international companies (Miah para. 12). These facts can be taken as evidence of some progress which has been achieved in the USA. Being one of the countries which had the greatest number of slaves in its past, the USA had obviously managed to improve the situation. Nowadays, black people have an opportunity to get an education and to obtain a job, though, as it has already been stated, it can be some obstacles on their way. Nevertheless, there are also some governmental programs nowadays whose main aim is the improvement of conditions of black people and the attempt to guarantee equal rights for them.
Besides, having analyzed information connected with this issue, it is possible to make a certain conclusion. First of all, it should be said that the situation is very complicated nowadays and the latest events can be taken as the best evidence for this statement. Police officers murdered representatives of black people without any hesitation, being sure in his danger. This police officer made the decision basing on the stereotype connected with the race of this man. With this in mind, it is possible to say that, unfortunately, society still adheres to some ideas of the past though much has been done in this direction. It should also be said that nowadays, people who are discriminated against prefer not to hide their feelings and emotions and situations like in Baltimore happen. Thus, it is impossible to mention the level of progress that has already been achieved. People have the possibility to study, to find a job, and even to work in the government. Resting on these facts, it is possible to say that the USA moves in the right direction, though, problems still remain and need to be solved.
Works Cited
Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo and David Dietrich. “The Sweet Enchantment of Color-Blind Racism in Obamerica”. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science . 634.1.(2011): 190-206. Web.
Francis, David. “Employers’ Replies to Racial Names” . The National Bureau of Economic Research . 2015. Web.
Kelley, Robin . Race Rebels . New York: Free Press. 1996. Print.
Miah, Malik. “Race and Class: Blacks Still Taking the Hit” . Solidarity . 2015. Web.
Nolan, Hamilton. With or Without Sentencing Guidelines, Black Men Get Screwed . 2015. Web.
Pynchon, Thomas. A Journey Into The Mind of Watts. The New York Times . 1966. Web.
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The Value of a High School Diploma Essay
The preparedness of high school graduates for college has always been an issue of debate among parents, scholars, employers, and policy makers in relevant government departments. Regardless of whatever direction the debate takes, one thing is clear: that a significant percentage of high school graduates are ill equipped (at least knowledge wise) to pursue courses offered in tertiary institutions.
According to Musgrove (2010), the situation is getting worse as millions of students graduate from high school across the country each year. Of the high school graduates who chose to pursue tertiary education, Musgrove (2010) notes that “more that 40 percent [going] to community colleges, and 20-30 percent [going] to public universities, need remedial courses” (p. 2).
Such high demand for remedial courses signifies that the high school education is deficient in preparing the students for tertiary learning. Tertiary institutions generally provide remedial courses to train students about things they should have learnt while still in high school (Leake and Lesik, 2007; Musgrove, 2010). Citing Lazarick(1997), Leake and Lesik (2007) note that remedial programs provide students who are unprepared to the challenges of college-level work a chance to develop the skills and knowledge needed for the courses.
Different reasons have been offered for the current state of the high school diploma. Bahr (2008) for example state that the low value of the high school diploma can be explained by a combination of factors. Reduced strictness and standards, irrelevant high school curriculums, inequitable standards of education in different schools across the country, and boring and undemanding high school courses are just some of the factors affecting the value of high school diplomas. As such, the Bahr (2008) citing the high school debate state that any remedies must factor in “equity, curricular relevance, and student interest” (p. 420).
Societal differences such as gender, class, and race have also been cited as reasons why some students are ill prepared for college work. Bahr (2008) argues that although the validity of remedial courses is a controversial subject in the U.S., there is no doubt that such courses provide opportunities “to rectify race, class, and gender differences generated in primary and secondary schooling” (p. 420). Those against the remedial courses however argue that they represent a wasteful spending of resources.
More to this, they argue that the provision of remedial courses demoralize the faculty in colleges thus necessitating the formation of more-stringent graduation testing requirements (Bahr, 2008). If such a requirement were to be enforced, equity in the education sector would still be a nagging issue that policy makers, scholars, and the larger society would have to manage. Even with the enactment of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) , the doubts regarding equity in high school education still linger.
According to the U.S. Department of Education (2010), NCLBA intends to provide high-quality instructions and support to all students across America regardless of the advantaged or disadvantaged backgrounds.
The main indicator for the attainment of education equity as indicated by the NCLBA framers was the closing of the achievement gap that exist between disadvantaged and their well catered for peers. In the NCLBA, high schools are required to set “Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)” objectives, which are meant to ensure that students attain proficiency in Mathematics and reading (U.S. Department of Education, 2007, p.1).
NCLBA further seeks to hold high schools responsible for student performances. In an obvious acknowledgement of the schools’ role in influencing students’ performances, NCLBA underlined the need for equipping community leaders and parents with information they would need to hold schools accountable (U.S. Department of Education, 2007). Regardless of the seemingly good intentions of the NCLBA however, there is little evidence on the Act’s impact on the value of the high school Diploma.
The value of the high school diploma is not just restricted to its worth in preparing students for college related work. Rather, some scholars have equated it in monetary terms.
Musgrove (2010) for example argues that annually, the country spends an average of 2.75 billion dollars in teaching college students things they should have learnt while still in high school. As any economist would know, this means that the economic value of high school diplomas, specifically for students who proceed to tertiary institutions, is approximately 2.75 billion dollars less their worth.
Cost and remedial courses aside, Higgins, Miller and Wegmann (2006) argue that even good grades among students who are not required to take remedial courses do not necessarily reflect their readiness for college courses. In their argument, Higgins et al (2006) observe that teachers concentrate too much on training their students about taking the test.
Ostensibly, this is done due to the need to have their students attain the pass mark. Unfortunately, such practices by the teachers sacrifice meaningful learning experiences. As a result, even though the students may pass, the value of their diplomas is highly compromised since the high school teachers are more intent on enabling the students attain high scores.
Conclusion
It is rather obvious that the debate about the value of the high diploma is nowhere near a meaningful conclusion. While part of the debate may argue students from disadvantaged backgrounds, deserve a chance to remedy their knowledge deficiencies through remedial courses, other feel that students who fail to attain set grades should not gain college admission.
Overall, it is evident that the value of the college diploma is compromised by the lack of non-standardization among the different groups represented in the society. As it has emerged in the essay, even students who pass their high school exist tests may not be fully equipped for the challenges contained in college course work. This only negates the value of the college diploma further.
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Southwest Airlines Positioning Map Research Paper
This paper defines the positioning strategy for Southwest Airlines. In the United States, the airline industry is ever-growing. With advancement in newer technology, equipment and better competitive strategies, it has become difficult for airlines to stay on the top, or stay in the industry, for that matter.
The overall positioning strategy that Southwest has chosen for itself is the ‘less for much less’ strategy (Kotler & Armstrong, 2008). This means that Southwest does not offer much; it’s a no-frills airline. But it also does not charge a high price. It prices itself according to the service that it provides; it is a low-price airline. Therefore, it has positioned itself as the no-frills, low-price airline. Passengers fly without luxury; there is no food, no first class sections and no reserved seats. However, they pay an extremely low price for getting to their destinations along with their luggage (Kotler & Armstrong, 2008).
Its major competitive advantage is its lower prices. It has also gained an edge in hedging its fuel needs better than the other airlines. It is a no-frills airline and in many cases, this works for Southwest as a competitive edge. More importantly, its exciting and friendly atmosphere is a significant competitive advantage that many of the other network airlines do not offer or cannot pull it off. Other competitive advantages include just one type of plane for all flights; the Boeing 737 series, point-to-point flying, simple in-flight service, and a relatively happier workforce (Brancatelli, 2008).
Positioning Map Attributes
The two main attributes of the company are price and the other is frills attached within the flight. Based on these criteria, the positioning map is made below (U.S. Air Carriers, 2003).
Repositioning Strategy
One strategy that immediately hits the mind is starting a business class in their airplanes. This will be a new product available to the huge number of business people flying regularly and might give them a sense of pride travelling in a different class to the ordinary people. For the ordinary people an economy class can be started which will be priced slightly lower than the business class. The only difference between the two will be the level of service received for the business class will be better. (Kotler & Armstrong, 2008)
Another product that Southwest Airlines can develop is start international tours at a low price using several connecting flights as a source to keep the costs low. However cities closer to US should only be considered for such an initiation.
Southwest is the most popular domestic airline and carries the most number of passengers domestically. Focusing on the domestic market and giving the lowest fares, Southwest Airline has been able to gain a competitive advantage in the industry and is one of few profitable airlines today in the times of economic recession. Everywhere Southwest starts its flights, the fares of that destination from the competitors fall due to the competitiveness in the industry that Southwest brings (Pounds and Weil, 2001). However even with the intensity of low cost airlines in US, Southwest remains a market leader and does so by coming up with new marketing campaigns, serving the most profitable routes and reducing its costs.
References
Brancatelli, J. (2008). Southwest Airlines Seven Secrets for Success. Web.
Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2008). Principles of Marketing. India: Prentice Hall.
Pounds, S. and Weil, D. (2001). The airline everyone seems to like. Palm Beach Post.
Southwest Airlines (2009). Home. Web.
U.S. Air Carriers. 2009. Web.
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The Role of Business Communication and Its Tools Essay
Communication is a prerequisite for organizational success. If communication in an organization has mistakes, the organization could suffer substantial losses due to wastage of valuable resources such as time, goodwill, employee efforts etcetera.
Business communication is among the most dynamic forms of communication due to the mere fact that businesses are aimed at profit maximization, and any change towards more effective communication would make a business achieve this goal.
In the contemporary society, businesses are changing their forms of communication to keep in pace with changes in technology. I have personally experienced and witnessed most of the contemporary trends in business communication in my workplace.
Communication is particularly crucial in the day-to-day running of a business. The need for effective communication in the day-to-day running of a business is due to the fact that a business may have a number of workers and clients who will need specific information at certain times in order for them to play their roles in the business.
In order to work on something during the day-to-day running of a business, stakeholders need to be involved in decision making and action taking. This need will necessitate that these people be informed of a meeting in advance so that they plan for the meeting.
The stakeholders will, in most cases, be separated by space and thus the achievement of effective communication will prove to be difficult without the use of reliable communication tools. Thus effective and reliable tools such as email or text messaging to convene the meeting will be necessary.
Some tools of communication are also critical in the running of the day-to-day activities of an organization because they provide evidence of transactions (Bates, 2010, p. 1). For instance, correspondences between an organization and a customer could be used as an evidence of a transaction in case a misunderstanding arises.
Communication is also important in the day-to-day running of a business because it ensures that employees’ efforts are properly coordinated. This results in effectiveness of the operations of the business because there will be no cases of duplications and repetitions.
In the recent past, people in businesses used to communicate via letters sent by post. Communication within the business or organization was mainly done by the use of paper memos. Minutes of meetings used to be documented in paper form and delivered by hand or mail to the person they concern. Nowadays, communication has been completely changed by the use of technology.
E-mails have substituted virtually all the former forms of communication such as letters, memos and minutes. Emails are now, increasingly, used in businesses and organizations to send letters,
memos and they are even to send minutes of meetings in which a soft copy of the minutes is emailed as an attachment to respective recipients (Hunt, 2010, p. 1). Also among the main changes to business communication is teleconferencing in which people hold a meeting by the use of their phones while in remote locations.
Also similar is the use of videoconferencing for holding meetings in which the members can see each other in a video device. Businesses and professionals are also using social networking sites in carrying out their day-to-day activities. This is achieved by the sending of private messages on the social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.
This is common with media houses that are increasingly using the social networks to reach their clients. Professionals and business people are also making use of blogs on the internet to look for customers and consultants (Ober, 2009, p. 37). The blogs also give their visitors a chance to post comments and messages to a given business, organization, or individual.
Although the contemporary change in the trends in communication has resulted in more effective communication, they also have their shortfalls. For instance, not everyone is technology-savvy, and thus an assumption by a sender of a message that the receiver is familiar with technology may have undesirable effects. Additionally, the tools of teleconferencing and video conferencing require effective planning for them to be successful.
The contemporary trends in business communication have seen the use of a variety of technology tools in day-to-day communication. There a numerous messages that have come as a result of the use of these technology tools. Some of these messages are stated in the discussion above and they include email messages, text messages and even private messages sent on social networking sites.
As evidenced from the discussion above, communication is a an important part of any business. Without communication, most businesses will, perhaps, be brought to a halt. The business community has thus been exploring ways in which to effectively communicate during their day-to-day activities.
From the discussion, the business community owes the contemporary effectiveness in communication to technology. This is because most of the changes that have taken place in communication over the years have been enabled by the presence of technology tools.
The tools include the aforementioned messages such as emails, text messages, and facilities such as teleconferencing, video conferencing, and the like. Business people who have not yet embraced the change in business communication should therefore ensure that they research on how they can use technology tools to make their communication effective.
Reference List
Bates, S. (2010). Workplace Communication Trends for 2010. Web.
Hunt, J. (2010). Current Trends in Business Communication. Web.
Ober, S. (2009). Contemporary Business Communication (7 th Ed). New York. Wadsworth Publishing.
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Light Effects on Pea Seeds Germination Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Data
3. Analysis
4. Conclusion
5. References
Introduction
Germination, which is responsible for the propagation of plants, requires moisture, warmth, and oxygen to liberate stored energy from the cotyledon. Thereafter, light is needed to help shoots from the germinated seeds to manufacture food for plant growth via photosynthesis. However, it is observed that seeds of certain plants fail to germinate even in the presence of water, moisture, and oxygen (Flores, González-Salvatierra, & Jurado, 2016). This observation indicates that light, a fourth factor, is needed for germination.
Consequently, plants can be grouped into three groups based on their need for light for germination. Positively photoelastic plants need light for germination while negatively photoelastic plants require darkness for the same process (Flores et al., 2016). In contrast, neutral photoelastic plants can germinate with or without light. Seed size is also thought to influence seed germination in the presence and absence of light. For example, small seeds are reported to be positively photoelastic, whereas large seeds are negatively photoelastic (Flores et al., 2016). Knowledge of the effects of light on germination is important in the proliferation of wild species to ensure their survival as well as to provide different plant species with optimal conditions to boost their productivity.
Based on the impact of seed size on the light requirement for germination, it was hypothesized that pea seeds would germinate well in the absence of sunlight than in the presence of sunlight. The purpose of this experiment was to use the scientific method to investigate the effect of light on germination and growth of seeds. Ten pea seeds and ten pots were provided. The pots were filled with potting soil after which one seed was placed into each of the pots and pushed 1 cm into the soil using a finger. Five pots for the negative controls (not exposed to sunlight) were labeled 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. A similar labeling approach was used for the treatment groups (peas grown in the presence of sunlight). All pots were watered with the same quantity of water every other day from day 0 to the last day of the experiment. The seeds were observed every day for germination. The length of the plants was measured (in cm) and recorded every day using a metric ruler.
Data
The pea seeds germinated faster in the absence of light than in the presence of sunlight as shown by the absence of germinated seeds by day 7 in pots kept in sunlight. Also, a faster growth rate was realized in the absence of sunlight than in the presence of sunlight as indicated by the height of the plants by the end of the experiment. Plants grown without sunlight attained a mean height of 23 cm while plants growing in sunlight reached 9 cm (Table 1). However, the plants growing in the absence of sunlight had thin stems and small leaves, whereas those growing in the sunlight had thick stems and large, broad leaves. The data in Table 1 were plotted as indicated in Figure 1. Figure 1 shows a significant difference in the growth rate of plants growing in the presence and absence of sunlight.
Table 1: The growth rate of peas with and without sunlight.
Days Growth rate without sunlight Growth rate with sunlight
0 0 0
7 2 0
8 4 1
9 6 1.5
10 8 2
11 11 3
12 13 4
13 19 6
14 21 7
16 23 8
18 23 9
Figure 1: A graph of the growth rate of peas with and without sunlight.
Analysis
The findings of the experiment supported the hypothesis that pea seeds would germinate well in the absence of sunlight than in the presence of sunlight. This observation can be attributed to the size of pea seeds. Simlat et al. (2016) reported that small-seeded plants germinated only when sunlight was available to evade growing deep in the soil. This adaptation prevents the plant from exhausting its food reserves in the cotyledons before accessing light for photosynthesis. Factors such as the moisture content of soil, color, and size of soil particles are known to interfere with the penetration of light through the soil (Motsa, Slabbert, Van Averbeke, & Morey, 2015). Consequently, beneficial light rarely penetrates more than half a centimeter through the soil. In this experiment, variations such as seed depth, soil particle size, moisture content, and soil type were controlled by using the same type of soil, planting all seeds at the same depth, and watering all plants with similar quantities of water at the same time.
It was also noted that plants growing in the sunlight had thick stems and large, broad leaves than those grown without sunlight. This observation could be because they were able to photosynthesize more effectively than those growing in the shade. Photosynthesis is the process through which plants use light energy to manufacture sugars from water and carbon dioxide. Chlorophyll in the leaves of plant traps light of various wavelengths from the sun for photosynthesis. Simlat et al. (2016) report that plants respond differently to the various components of light. For example, blue light promotes the development of leaves and roots and influences the number and rhythm of stomata. Conversely, red light augments the length of stems and roots but does not favor the synthesis of chlorophylls and carotenoids (Simlat et al., 2016). It was likely that growing peas in sunlight promoted the absorption of red light hence the observed rate of growth as indicated in Figure 1.
Conclusion
The findings of this experiment led to the conclusion that light did not influence the germination of pea seeds. However, the light was crucial for the healthy development of pea plants. Therefore, peas should be exposed to light to thrive.
References
Flores, J., González-Salvatierra, C., & Jurado, E. (2016). Effect of light on seed germination and seedling shape of succulent species from Mexico. Journal of Plant Ecology , 9 (2), 174-179.
Motsa, M. M., Slabbert, M. M., Van Averbeke, W., & Morey, L. (2015). Effect of light and temperature on seed germination of selected African leafy vegetables. South African Journal of Botany , 99 , 29-35.
Simlat, M., Ślęzak, P., Moś, M., Warchoł, M., Skrzypek, E., & Ptak, A. (2016). The effect of light quality on seed germination, seedling growth and selected biochemical properties of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. Scientia Horticulturae , 211 , 295-304.
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Way to Foster Creativity in Young Children Essay
Table of Contents
1. Importance of music in our lives
2. The chosen material must serve a kind of inspiration
3. Music helps children to learn the world around us
4. The way to foster creativity in young children
5. Works Cited
Importance of music in our lives
Music is a very important sphere of our life, it can help us understand some implicit meanings of the movie scenes, of ballet or theatre performance; it is aimed at making our mood better, coping with the stress and depression, sleeping more soundly. Children that attend early childhood classroom should make the acquaintance of music itself, music levels, tendencies, beat and rhythm; music can actually be useful in learning poems, rules of behavior and of different games and dances.
The teacher should explain the children difference between music and noise, because both are made of sounds; the music can be distinguished from noise by several simple features, suchlike intention, rhythm, and organization (Turner).
As children are not able to distinguish one style of music from another, they are to “learn traits of the style of their culture, just as they learn the grammar and syntax of their native tongue” (Jones, 2005).
The chosen material must serve a kind of inspiration
The chosen material must serve a kind of inspiration, so that you were inspired and had enough energy to inspire children. It would be interesting for children to take part in activities of different kinds: to sing, to dance, to play active games. By include different kinds of activities, such as a fun dance, an opening song, stories, good poetry, and activities making children move the teacher can achieve a greater success than giving them instructions in the form of a lecture (Bright).
Little children are all very clumsy at the beginning, but the more they learn about the rules of behavior, general manners, such as being kind and attentive to each other, keeping one safe with help of prohibition, helping the people around and keeping their feelings safe with help of expressions of politeness. As the children are not aware of the general rules of behavior, we should help them; give them necessary instructions in order to direct their actions.
Music helps children to learn the world around us
Music helps children to learn the world around us. We can apply the new method of environmental cognition, this would be a musical method, by means of which different complicated things would seem simpler to children. Musical method includes such means as body percussion; steady beat which helps to learn poems and rules of behavior; listening which presupposes quiet seating and attentive listening of a piece of music; different kinds and levels of movement starting with the simplest moves first individually, then with a partner and after that in a large group.
There exist four levels of body percussion, they are clapping, snapping, stamping, and patting. The body percussion not only helps to learn poems, songs and some rules, but helps to develop the coordination of movements. Body percussion helps the teacher to coordinate children; to control their actions by awaking interest in them towards games, songs, dances. The teacher should show the children the difference between diverse expressions of sounds that we produce: shouting, whispering, speaking, and singing; guarantee that any time children sing with the teacher, they do it in full accordance with singing rules (Bright).
The children should learn to recognize different sounds and to differentiate them from the noise, with the help of study of different sounds produced by different instruments. Mary and Mick Stratton in their article “If You Can Talk, You Can Sing” emphasize the importance of teaching music; as being aware of the beat, the rhythm, intonation, by learning this notions on the examples of pieces of music and engaging different instruments and movements, children become more experienced and proficient. Thus, if children learn to act, sing, dance together, it enhances mutual cooperation, and helps children to understand better the rules of behavior, to respect each other and to fell comfortably within the society.
The way to foster creativity in young children
There are different ways to foster creativity in young children. They include different approaches to the problem of making children more self-reliant, more creative, and more interested in the process of receiving education, obtaining experience, achieving certain results in the sphere of self-study. But there is some other problem, “As teachers, our fear of performance is an obstacle to the joyous inclusion of music in our classrooms. Our practice, however, assumes that children are more receptive to acquiring skills than we” (McTamaney, 2005). Thus, the teacher is responsible of the children’s actions not only because he/she performs the role of the advisor, mentor, tutor, instructor, and many others; he/she is the embodiment of wisdom, experience, knowledge; he/she serves a vivid example of the way of acting in different life situations. So, the teacher must show by personal example, how to act, what to say and how to say; here the rules of behavior and expressions of politeness are extremely important. If the teacher encourages children to act or speak in a certain way, the teacher becomes a responsible person, as he/she takes part in shaping the character, world outlook and the behavior of children.
One of the most sufficient ways of fostering creativity in young children is to help them to show their talents, make them participate in different games and performances; and the best method to achieve this goal is to introduce the use of music during the classroom activities.
Works Cited
Bright, Sarah. More than a Song: Integrating Musical Elements Meaningfully in the Early Childhood Classroom . Annapolis: The Key School.
Jones, Warren Duffer. (2005). Music, the Brain, and Education. Montessori Life, 40-45.
McTamaney, Catherine. (2005). Why Music? Montessori Life, 16-21.
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Healthy Growth during Different Stages of Life Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Obstacles during childhood
3. Obstacles during adolescent
4. Obstacles in Adulthood
5. Reference List
Introduction
Life can be said to be a cycle that begins with childhood, then adolescents and ends with the adulthood stage. In all these stages, it is important for an individual to be healthy so as to grow and be able to effectively move from one stage to the next. A common misunderstanding is that there are some stages that require more attention than the others. This is not the case as all stages are important in one’s life and should be well taken care of for good health progress.
Being healthy has for a long time been thought to generally mean a state of being free from disease. However, current research shows that being healthy not only includes the physical body but also mentally and spiritually. To achieve healthy growth, efforts have to be put by the individuals themselves or by third parties. This therefore means that there are a number of obstacles for healthy growth that hinder its achievement (Coon and Mitterer, 2006, p.122). This paper looks at some of the obstacles that hinder healthy growth during different stages of life.
Obstacles during childhood
Childhood is the first stage of growth and it usually comprises many new experiences in the child’s life. Some of these experiences are the main obstacles to healthy growth in infants and children. The healthy growth of a child in most cases depends on the guardian in this case the mother to be specific since this is the person who is entirely responsible the child’s life. A common obstacle to healthy growth in children is the susceptibility to diseases and infections.
Children at the very tender age do not have very strong immunity and therefore even the slightest infection has great harm on them. Most changes that occur in young children for example, teething, crawling and others are usually accompanied by body disorders such as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea among others. When the aforementioned occur, the child is rendered weak because of loss of water and blood which are essential for healthy bodies. The same also lead to decreased appetite making the child not to feed well and in the long run unhealthy growth. This obstacle can be overcome by making sure the child has had all the required immunizations and also ensuring hygiene in the child’s body as well as the environment.
Another major obstacle for healthy growth in childhood is the many activities children have especially in the second and third years of life. Most of these activities come along with excess depletion of the body’s storages (O’Boyle, 2008, p.1). A normal child during this age will have a minimal increase in physical weight as compared to the previous ages. This therefore means that if the child is not properly checked, they may have stunted or declined growth. This obstacle is at times difficult to overcome but the most important thing is to ensure that the child has proper diet and more so the energy giving foods which replenish the used tissues.
Obstacles during adolescent
The adolescent stage forms a major transition in growth as well as the health of an individual. The most common obstacle to healthy growth in the adolescents is eating disorders (Kim, 2004, p.1). A big percentage of the teenagers suffer from either anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. This is to mean some eat less while others eat in excess respectively.
These conditions occur in this stage of life since it is during this stage that the teenagers want to shape up their bodies, be recruited in certain professionals such as modelling and sports, some of them want to fit in a certain clique. All these factors may make an individual to change their eating habits which may have detrimental effects in their health (Coon and Mitterer, 2006, p.122). One way of curbing this problem is by ensuring constant awareness of the effects of such habits through counselling.
Another obstacle of healthy growth during this stage is the much time spent in school thus they are totally responsible for themselves. In most cases the adolescents are left to decide on their own since they are now school going and the parents have slightly detached from them. They are thus left to make their own decisions concerning food types and eating times. These decisions may be difficult to make especially for those without proper knowledge. You may find that most of them overindulge in sports and other activities hence skipping meals. Others forgo food to spend the money and time on leisure activities such as drugs and alcohols. This obstacle can be overcome by educating the teenagers and by also keeping a close watch on them.
Obstacles in Adulthood
This is the last stage where growth is minimal though important too. A common obstacle that dominates this stage is the many responsibilities that come with this stage. Adults spend time in work places, taking care of the young ones hence having less time of their own (Kail and Cavanaugh, 2008, p.302). The stress that comes in handy with these responsibilities is a major hindrance to healthy growth too.
Similarly, adults tend to neglect their bodies with the thought that since they have been healthy all along, they are strong and do not have nutritional needs. This thought makes most of them have poor eating habits which in the long run leads to unhealthy growth. These two obstacles can be solved by creating awareness to the adults on the benefits of healthy growth by educating them on their body requirements despites age. The other way is by encouraging them to have a balance between the responsibilities at hand and the requirements of the body.
Reference List
Coon, D. And Mitterer, J. Introduction to Psychology: gateways to mind and behaviour. Cengage Learning, 2006.
Kail, R. And Cavanaugh, J. Human Development: A life-span view. Cengage Learning, 2008.
Kim, S. (2004). Inspiring Courage in Girls and Women. Web.
O’Boyle, E. (2008) Obstacles to the development of Children as mature persons. Web.
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Conditions of People Migrating to the U.S.: Hispanic Migration Research Paper
Introduction
Throughout the history of the United States, the country was the primary direction for out-migration from Latin America. Hispanic and Latino migrants from different countries started to come to the U.S. before the beginning of the Gold Rush. In the following centuries, the influx of Hispanic migrants to the country increased significantly. This paper will consider the conditions of Hispanic out-migration to the U.S. and the reasons that caused the migration of the discussed populations. In addition, different views on Hispanic migration and its effect on the country, including the current impact, will be examined.
History of Hispanic Migration
The Gold Rush
Although the Hispanic minority was present on the territory of the United States since the annexation of Florida and Louisiana, the first great migration started after the end of the U.S.-Mexican War. The end of the war coincided with the discovery of gold in California and led to the first significant influx of Latino migrants to the U.S. (D. Gutiérrez). In addition, the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo signed in 1848 resulted in the territories of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah being surrendered by Mexico to the United States (Gregory). Thus, the Hispanic individuals living in these states were naturalized as U.S. citizens, and several thousands of Mexican migrants came to California to work in the gold mines. Overall, most Hispanic migrants to the U.S. in the second half of the 19th century were Mexican.
First Half of the 20 th Century
The migration from Latin American countries to the United States continued during the 20th century. In the first half of the century, Mexican comprised the majority of the Hispanic migrants to the country, with a small proportion of immigrants from the Caribbean countries. The influx of migrants can be explained by the acceleration of the agricultural sector in the U.S. and the need for seasonal farmworkers (R. Gutiérrez 3). Although many Latino immigrants were deported during this time, the government invited Mexican laborers to work in the defense industries and the agricultural sector due to the lack of workers caused by the Second World War (Gregory). Thus, the second wave of Hispanic migration was characterized by the need for workers.
Second Half of the 20 th Century
During the second half of the 20th century, the Hispanic migration to the U.S. became more diverse. Migrants from Puerto Rico and Cuba were granted permission to enter the country as the former were considered U.S. citizens, while the latter were granted the status of refugees due to Cuba being a Communist country (Gregory). Migrants from other Latin American countries were scarcer due to fewer quotas for the number of persons allowed in the U.S. granted to them.
Reasons for Migration and Migration Conditions
The reasons for Hispanic migrants to travel to the United States are varied. However, it can be argued that the economic reason was and remains most prominent. The country offered high wages for unskilled labor that compared favorably with the wages offered for the same work in the Latin American and Caribbean countries (Sánchez-Alonso 11). Compared to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and other nations, the United States offered more opportunities for migrants from those countries. In addition, various political events, such as the Mexican Revolution, contributed to many people being displaced and immigrating to a safer country (D. Gutiérrez). Most Hispanic migrants opted to move to the United States for economic reasons.
It should be noted that a large percentage of immigrants moved to the U.S. as spouses or children of American citizens. In the first waves of migration, spouses often came to the country together. However, most women worked in the household, with under 20% of Hispanic female migrants obtaining positions outside it, primarily in the domestic and personal service sector (R. Gutiérrez 8). Later, the migration trend changed to male migrants coming to the country first in order to find work and establish themselves in the United States before their families could join them. Thus, legislation allowed legal spouses, minor children, and parents of adult U.S. citizens to move to the country (R. Gutiérrez 15). Overall, the conditions of Hispanic individuals migrating to the United States changed substantially throughout history.
Views on Hispanic Migration to the U.S.
The Hispanic migration to the country was a divisive topic, and people with distinct points of view saw the issues differently. During the Gold Rush and the first half of the 20th century, Hispanic migrants were often victimized and discriminated against due to their ethnicity (R. Gutiérrez 22). However, employers considered migrants essential to maximize profit (R. Gutiérrez 22). In 1965, the Hart-Celler Act was established to prevent discrimination and better account for immigrants coming to the U.S. from different countries, affecting many ethnic minorities (R. Gutiérrez 14). Although the act regulates what persons are allowed to enter and remain in the country, it is often argued that the act normalizes and decriminalizes the anti-Mexican laws that are ignored when there is a need for seasonal workers (R. Gutiérrez 22). In the last two decades, views on immigration did not change substantially, with the Republicans viewing it as a critical threat, while the democrats have a milder view on it (Hammer and Kafura 2). Overall, the view on Hispanic migration remained largely negative since the first arrival of immigrants during the Californian Gold Rush.
Effect of Hispanic Migration to the U.S.
Effect of Migration throughout the History of the Country
Throughout the history of the United States, Hispanic migration primarily affected the country’s economy. During the Gold Rush, the Hispanic population comprised primarily Mexican migrants, who were engaged in several economic sectors, including the gold, copper, and coal industries (R. Gutiérrez 5). One of the most significant contributions of the small Hispanic populations was their work on the railroads and irrigation systems in the West of the U.S. (R. Gutiérrez 5). It should be noted that the labor of the Hispanic community was less restricted by government policies and regulations than other migrant groups. At the beginning of the 20th century, authorized and unauthorized Mexican immigrants comprised the majority of seasonal agricultural workers in the southwest of the United States (R. Gutiérrez 8). Furthermore, in the 1940s, due to the mobilization of the American population, the U.S. government established a guest worker program with Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and other Latin American countries (D. Gutiérrez; Gregory). Since the onset of the Hispanic influx to the country, migrants have become indispensable in the labor market.
The influx of Hispanic migrants and immigrants from other nations also led to the development and establishment of various policies and government agencies. For example, the arrival of vast numbers of Hispanic and Asian individuals into the U.S. through the Mexican border led to the creation of the U.S. Border Patrol in 1924 (R. Gutiérrez 7). In addition, Hispanic migration contributed to a change in the demographic composition of the United States. Overall, the Hispanic migration to the United States substantially affected the country’s development, legislation, and economy.
Current and Projected Effect of Migration
The Hispanic migration to the United States of America continues to affect the country today. According to Huertas and Kirkegaard, the Hispanic population of the U.S. contributes significantly to the economic growth and development of the nation and is expected to continue this contribution in the coming decades (2). Today, first, second, and third-generation Hispanic migrants achieve better living standards than migrants from other countries and actively engage in the country’s economic life. Huertas and Kirkegaard point out that the Hispanic community has higher levels of opportunity-driven business ventures that support the economy than other U.S. populations. Research shows that the Hispanic population of the United States is among the youngest ethnic minorities (Huertas and Kirkegaard 19). If the non-Hispanic labor force is aging and is less likely to contribute to the economy, the Hispanic population remains relatively young and vital. A forecast predicts that by 2048 the Latino community will account for most of the labor input in the country’s economy (Huertas and Kirkegaard 20). Thus, Hispanic migration is expected to play a crucial role in the future of the United States.
Conclusion
In summary, the Hispanic migrant community has a long history in the United States. Since the Gold Rush and throughout the 20th century, migrants from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and other Latin countries have come to the country. Their reasons for migrating to the country were primarily economic due to better wages being offered in the U.S. compared to their countries of origin. Although the views on Hispanic migration primarily remain negative, this community contributes significantly to the economy of the United States.
Works Cited
Gregory, James. “Latinx Great Migrations – Migration History 1850-2017.” Civil Rights and Labor History Consortium , University of Washington, 2018, Web.
Gutiérrez, David G. “American Latino Theme Study: Immigration (U.S. National Park Service).” NPS.gov , U.S. National Park Service, 2020, Web.
Gutiérrez, Ramón A. “Mexican Immigration to the United States.” Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History , 2019, pp. 1-30, Web.
Hammer, Bettina, and Craig Kafura. Republicans and Democrats in Different Worlds on Immigration . The Chicago Council of Global Affairs, 2019. Web.
Huertas, Gonzalo, and Jacob F. Kirkegaard. The Economic Benefits of Latino Immigration: How the Migrant Hispanic Population’s Demographic Characteristics Contribute to US Growth . Peterson Institute for International Economics, 2019. Web.
Sánchez-Alonso, Blanca. “The age of mass migration in Latin America.” The Economic History Review , vol. 72, no. 1, 2018, pp. 3-31.
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Best Practises When Selecting Judges Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Best Practises when Selecting Judge
3. Conclusion
4. References
Introduction
Achievement of justice by any judicial system depends on a number of factors that include the nature of facts surrounding a case, forces internal and external to the judiciary; for example, politics and societal values, and finally the competence or characteristics of judges handling cases. Although most individuals may argue that, the nature of available evidence is the primary determinant of any court outcome; which to some extent is true, it is important to note that, the sitting judges have also a crucial role to play when it comes to passing judgments on cases. This is because, the court’s final decisions depend on what they pass, after critically listening to the prosecution and defendant’s presentations, which includes analyzing the nature of the evidence that the prosecution presents in court. In this regard, it, therefore, becomes important for all judicial systems to use proper procedures and ethics while appointing judges. This is because; the quality of case outcomes determines the rapport of any judicial system primarily, on how much that judicial system achieves justice for all.
Best Practises when Selecting Judge
The selection of judges is one of the hardest undertakings in most governments, considering the fact that, in the current world, many political ideologies have interfered with the running of judicial systems. In this regard, it is important for governments to ensure they protect their judges from influence from external forces, because the nature of case outcomes serves not only specific groups in the society, but rather can also affect a country’s reputation (Gambrell, (n.d.), p.109). Common criteria used by most states in choosing their adjudicators include election, selection, or appointments based on ones qualification and competence. Each of this method has its own merits and demerits however, considering the current state of many states; whereby politics plays a major role in almost any governmental undertaking, selection by merit is the only best method of ensuring judicial systems achieves their mandates. This is because, in most election and appointment cases, corruption looms widely, a fact that jeopardizes the quality of judicial systems. The fact that most politicians do not know individual merits of those in the contest makes the whole scenario worse because it puts at stake the credibility of any existing law system.
Achievement of justice requires transparency, which is a rare case in all hotly contested elections. Political leaders always fight to ensure that, all they support win contests. Such support is in most cases is egoistic that is, aimed at personal satisfaction rather than serving the entire society’s outcry for justice. Attending to all societal justice needs should be the primary task of any judge, something that they can only achieve through transparency and responsibility. Hence, this makes it important for the overall appointing exercise to be flawless, because any mistake made at this level will reflect itself when it comes to providing justice to all.
To ensure that the government appoints individuals of highest and correct merits, it is important for governments to conduct wide consultations among its judicial organs. Governments can achieve this by using their top management organs in the concerned ministry to select potential candidates. After such selections, consultations should follow within the judiciary; with chief justices, and among other society law groups within a specific country or region. Such consultations are important in order to avoid discriminations that may occur within a government. It is important to note that, any selections made must consider the performance capability, level of merit, and above all the repute of all involved subjects (Salomon, 2002, pp. 1-3). When checking the level of competence, experience plays a primary role in ascertaining an individual’s proficiency with the law of that country or state. This is because, for one to be able to correctly interpret and apply laws that govern a certain country, it is necessary for such individuals to know what application of certain laws really entails. Such understanding depends on a state’s law provisions and conditions under which such laws prevail or work. It is important to note here that, such interpretations should be independent from any external manipulations, something that governments can achieve via transparent and unbiased appointment procedures (Clarke, 2009, p. 2-3). It is important to note here that, it is important for governments to have special bodies that conduct all these activities, whereby the composition of such bodies must equally represent all concerned parties. These parties should include individual communities or states, the judiciary whereby, the justice minister should not miss, and law bodies within a country. Failure to include all these parties in such a crucial process may jeopardize the quality of outcomes. To ensure that such committees achieve their mandate, governments should safeguard them from external interferences, for example, interferences from the ruling elites, a factor that is achievable through protecting their independence (Lammers, 2009, p.1).
Accountability is another major component that such appointments must take into consideration. For transparency achievement, governments must make their purposes clear by strictly adhering to stipulated procedures and processes. This is achievable by governments making known to its citizens what is exactly required for one to qualify for such crucial seats, whereby such governments must draw clear benchmarks, which all participants of the process must follow.
Conclusion
In conclusion, in order for the government to ensure its judicial systems achieve desired outcomes, there is a need for the adoption of correct judge appointment systems. This is because; a country’s judicial system is one of the most important elements, which define the type of ruling mechanism that a country embraces hence a country’s external rapport.
References
Clarke, L. (2009). Selecting Judges: merit, moral, courage, judgment, and diversity. Senate Lecture Series. Web.
Gambrell, S. E. (n.d.). Better Ways for selecting Judges. Judicial Sociology, 109, Web.
Lammers, K. (2009). Criminal Law: what can be with the ideal way to choose a judge? Criminal Law. Web.
Salomon, C. (2002). Selecting an international arbitrator. Meador International Arbitration Report, 17(10), 1-2. Web.
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St. Margaret’s General Hospital Marketing Essay
Marketing
Mary Wilson, the Director of Marketing and Communications at St. Margaret’s General Hospital, has a great task ahead of her. As a new appointee to this seat, she is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the hospital’s image is raised in the eyes of the numerous publics served. There are quite several image issues at St. Margaret’s General Hospital that needs to be addressed so that the institution may register an increase in both the number of referrals and physicians. For instance, the hospital has been gravely affected by government regulations, modern and expensive medical technologies and various concerns about lawsuits.
That notwithstanding, the institution’s image has also been affected by the reduction of government support and alterations in the health insurance policies, which apparently affect many other hospitals too. Other than the general problems, the hospital also faces stiff competition from similar hospitals in the neighborhood of Minnesota. For instance, its proximity to Mayo Clinic, one of the most prestigious hospitals in the state, offers a comparable challenge.
This is because most physicians tend to first have Mayo in mind when making referrals. Despite the setbacks, St. Margaret’s General Hospital still has a potential of improving its perception amongst clients and physicians.
In addition to the image issues, St. Margaret’s General Hospital has brand issues too. Mary believes that the name Margaret is an uncommon name in the current century. She thinks that an old-fashioned name may contribute to the low number of patients served at the hospital. This, to some extent, may be true since most people would want to be identified with things of their generation (Clow, and Baack, 2011).
Technology is a good example! In spite of the hospital’s affiliation with the Catholic Church, I would recommend that its brand name is changed from St. Margaret’s General Hospital to St. Peter’s General Hospital. Peter, unlike Margaret, is an acceptable name in the current century. The purpose of retaining the “St.” is to keep the clients who visit the institution solely because it is affiliated to the Catholic Church. Good marketers in any institution should ensure that present clients are maintained even if other marketing strategies are applied (Clow, and Baack, 2011).
It is important to note that Mary had realized that there was no distinctive service through which St. Margaret’s General Hospital was identified with. A good hospital should be identified with a distinctive service. This makes it easy to differentiate it from other service providers. In this case, Mary should make a choice between heart care and cancer treatment.
Only one of these should be a core service offered by St. Margaret’s General Hospital. As a competitive marketing and communications manager, Mary should have noted that the medical market is flocked with cancer treatment centers. In order to be unique and attract more clients and physicians, Mary should consider marketing the hospital as a heart care center. The key strategy behind attracting more customers is any business is becoming unique (Czinkota, 2007). However, St. Margaret’s General Hospital should continue providing cancer treatments.
The hospital being a nonprofit organization is a great advantage. Nevertheless, St. Margaret’s General Hospital should not just stop at that. It can engage in other promotional activities all in a bid to woo more referrals from other physicians. For instance, it may provide bonus services like cancer screening. In the event that heart care is made its core service. St. Margaret’s General Hospital may also offer occasional free heart surgeries to attract more patients.
References
Clow, Kenneth E., & Baack, Donald E. (2011). Integrated Advertising, Promotion and Marketing Communications: Student Value Edition . United States: Pearson College Div.
Czinkota, M. R. (2007). International marketing . United States: Thompson.
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Ethical Practices in Psychological Assessment Research Paper
Introduction
The practitioner should be aware that it is the wish of the assessed that the assessment is handled with a lot of circumspection and no other party is let known of the proceedings of the assessment. However, it is worth noting that the prudence policy may only be “unlocked” by the clients themselves. If the practitioner wishes to include a third party in the assessment process, the client has to be informed and their consent should be gained. Nonetheless, the proceedings must be restricted to the client and the practitioner alone (Fanibanda, 2011).
Implications
The significance of this ethical consideration in the assessment process cannot be challenged. It gives the client the confidence of opening up wholesomely to the practitioner. The assurance of a confidential process is an assurance of transparency. The client shall act as “natural” as possible throughout the whole process thus rendering the assessment very objectively, to say the least. Any assessment procedure should be anchored on a personal relationship between the practitioner and the client (Cohen, Swerdik & Sturman, 2013).
Ways to avoid the ethical issue
The client simply requires a word of assurance from the practitioner on the confidentiality of the process. Other than that, there is a need to carry out the assessment procedure in a secluded place to affirm the clients’ confidence of a secretive process. The signing of a legal agreement confirming the secrecy might be a confident way of avoiding “confidentiality” issues (Strong, 2005).
How the issue is addressed in section “E”
Assessment data should only be released on the consent of the client or the client’s legal representative as designated by the client themselves. This condition props up the “confidentiality” issue earlier discussed. The process should not engage another party without mutual consent of the client and the practitioner (Counselling code of ethics, n.d).
Competency
Anyone involved in the process of psychological assessment must be well endowed with the skills necessary to undertake such a task. All the members of the assessment teams must be very familiar with the assessment procedures and skills. This would offer both the clients and the practitioners a chance to have very objective results of the assessment. Anyone with inadequate skills and knowledge in doing the assessment should not be actively involved in the process.
Implications
A professional in the assessment process should know the assessment rubric very well. The manner in which professionals handle the activity reflects heavily on the resultant outcomes of the process. An experienced and competent practitioner is the determinant of the objectivity of the process. (Fanibanda, 2011).
Ways to avoid
A counsellor may want to declare his or her professional experience in the field before the beginning of the process. Other than this, it is important for the practitioner to “familiarize” themselves with the assessment tools and the process so as to affirm their knowledge. This would include the “renaissance” analysis of the process before it is carried out (Fanibanda, 2011).
How the issue is addressed in section “E”
Counsellors should restrict themselves to use only the tests and procedures of assessments for which they are conversant with in terms of training. If the process involves a team, the practitioner must take the initiative of closely supervising the process and give their own professional input (Counselling code of ethics, n.d).
Clarity of roles
The candidates should be given the opportunity to know their roles during the assessment process. It is the role of the assessor to clearly define these rules and indicate the responsibilities to the candidate or the client. This is significant in maintaining an effective working relationship between the client and the practitioner.
Implications
The demarcation of the responsibilities of all the stakeholders in an assessment process is a clear framework of getting good results from the process. Therefore, it is a fundamental task to declare the boundaries of the engagement of the two parties. Moreover, the declaration lists all the duties and responsibilities of both the assessor and the assessed. It is, therefore, in the interest of the process that the responsibilities of the stakeholders in the assessment are clearly outlined.
Ways to avoid
A briefing session before the beginning of the process should fundamentally help in the process of highlighting these roles. It is the prerogative of the counsellor to convene this session to highlight the rules of engagement of the assessment process. This would address the “status conference” issue as the activity progresses. During this session, the engagement should be established as a rubric of the entire process and both the stakeholders must endorse it as a consensual agreement between them (Strong, 2005).
How the issue is addressed in section “E”
For a successful assessment, the client should be updated on every process. In addition, the client must fully give his consent on the performance of these assessment procedures. The author asserts that the purpose of the assessment must be clearly defined to the client (Counselling code of ethics, n.d).
References
Cohen, R. J.,Swerdlik, M.,E & Sturman, E.D. (2013). Psychological Testing and Assesment: an introduction to test and measurement (8 th Ed). New York, NY: Mc Graw Hill.
Counselling code of ethics. (n.d.). Counselling . Web.
Fanibanda, D. K. (2011). Ethical issues of mental health consultation. Professional Psychology , 7 (4), 547-552.
Strong, T. (2005). Constructivist Ethics? Let’s Talk About Them: An Introduction To The Special Issue On Ethics And Constructivist Psychology. Journal of Constructivist Psychology , 18 (2), 89-102.
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Threat to Biodiversity is Just as Important as Climate Change Report
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Biodiversity
3. Sustainability
4. Governance
5. Conclusion
6. Works Cited
Introduction
Climate change has been acknowledged to be a global problem calling for a global solution. The adverse effects to the environment that result from greenhouse gases especially CO2 being concentrated in the atmosphere have begun to become a reality to human beings thus prompting for action by governments all over the world.
However, threats to biodiversity which are in fact intertwined with climate change issues have continued to be ignored despite them being of equal importance. ICLEI (2010) affirms that not only is global climate interconnected with biodiversity loss but that mitigation of climate change is directly dependent on biodiversity management.
Owing to the significance of biodiversity to human existence, it makes sense for efforts to be made to ensure that biodiversity is protected. Prominent world leaders such as the German Chancellor and the British Foreign Secretary have advanced that “threats to biodiversity are just as important as climate change”.
This paper shall articulate the truth of this statement by demonstrating that threats to biodiversity pose significant threat to the sustainability of human life on earth and are therefore the protection of biodiversity is as important as the mitigation of climate change.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is defined as “the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms” (Convention on Biological Diversity 2010). The unique interaction of the millions of life forms that make up biodiversity results in a habitable Earth that can sustain the lives of human beings.
Thompson (2009, p.9) notes that biodiversity is more than simply a list of species present at a location; rather, it is the variability among living organisms from the different sources.
While biodiversity change and the extinction of some species is a natural occurrence that has been going on for millions of years, modern day human activities have resulted in a rate of biodiversity loss that far exceeds the natural one.
The rapid growth and industrialization experienced by developing nations through the 20 th century has been blamed for most of the adverse effects on biodiversity (Anand 2004, p.28).
These changes have had mostly negative effects for man and have resulted in unsustainable development. Gitay et al (2007, p.13) notes that changes in climatic variables in the course of the last half century have led to an increase in the frequency and intensity of outbreaks of pests and diseases.
In addition to this, IPCC (2002) reveals that species which have limited climatic ranges or are restricted to specific habitat requirements will be at the risk of extinction owing to climate changes.
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2010) points to the bleak reality that over half of the ecosystem services required for sustaining life are being degraded and this will invariably have harmful consequences with time.
As such, it is of great importance that measure be undertaken to mitigate the loss of biodiversity or at best to encourage the recreation of the same. Sustainable development and governance are two means which if used effectively can have these desirable results.
Sustainability
Sustainability involves the exploitation of biodiversity in a controlled manner that does not threaten the future occurrence of the same. Naturally, biodiversity is able to ensure its own diversity.
For example, Thompson (2009, p.13) reveals that while many forests are prone to fire, the species are well-adapted to this natural disturbance and forests together with the species that exist in them are capable of regenerating after a fire.
Reid and Swiderska (2008, p.3) propose that only by using ecologically sound approaches to contain the effects of climate change can sustainability be guaranteed.
To demonstrate this point, the authors point to the Vietnam coastal problem where the severity of tropical storms as a result of climate change threatened the livelihood of people living near the coast. Instead of using expensive concrete sea walls to adapt to this problem, Vietnam rehabilitated coastal mangroves which not only protected from storms but acted as carbon sink.
The food crisis that was experienced in 2007 was an indication of what could happen if man continues to ignore biodiversity by engaging in unsustainable activities. While man has continued to convert land into cropland, only a minute percentage of food crops available to man cover this cropland (Hackett 2001).
As such, agricultural practices have become one of the prime human activities which have resulted in and continue to cause loss of biodiversity. UNEP (2008) declares that only by decreasing dependency on limited biological diversity as is currently the case can the risk of future food supplies dwindling be averted.
Governance
It has been noted that if the rapid and irreversible change in biodiversity that is as a result of human action is to be avoided, conservation strategies must be adopted. Gitay et al (2007, p.375) proposes that governance systems can be considered as institutional filters that act as mediators between human activities and biophysical process.
By use of this governance systems, policies can be come up with that ensure that only sustainable development is undertaken and paths that may lead to adverse environmental changes are avoided. Individual governments are seen to be important mechanisms in ensuring that biodiversity is protected and therefore guaranteeing the future of mankind.
Nations all over the world have created institutes, authorities and laws that are aimed at conserving and safeguarding the environment. This move has led to positive results in the protection of biodiversity and by extension mitigation of climatic changes.
However, Gitay (2007, p.378) note that most countries lack the capacity to adequately finance the implementation of policies and agreements reached at international levels therefore reducing the effectiveness of governance.
While international environmental governance is mandatory for any long lasting solution to the biodiversity issue, The regional level is also important since it is the at the local level where the pressures of environmental changes are felt therefore leading to a realization that change is required to negate adverse effects.
Conclusion
This paper set out to demonstrate that threats to biodiversity are of great significance and man should take a keen interest on them. To reinforce this assertion, this paper has documented the various ills that have or may arise as a result of loss of biodiversity.
The paper has also noted how these losses may be mitigated. It has been established that proper governance and sustainable development is required to ensure that ecological balance is maintained and hence the future of mankind guaranteed.
Particularly, the cooperation among governments will be necessary to make biodiversity protection a reality. From the discussions presented in this paper, it is clear that protecting biodiversity is in the best interest of us as human beings since it will result in sustainability of human life on Earth for an indefinite period of time.
Works Cited
Anand, R 2004, International environmental justice: a north-south dimension, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Gitay, H et al 2007, Interlinkages: Governance for Sustainability. Web.
Hackett, C S 2001, Environmental and natural resources economics: theory, policy, and the sustainable society, 2nd, M.E. Sharpe.
ICLEI 2010, Biodiversity and Climate Change. Web.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2002, Climate Change and Biodiversity, IPCC Technical Paper V.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2010, Experts say that attention to ecosystem services is needed to achieve global development goals.
Reid, H & Swiderska, K 2008, Biodiversity, climate change and poverty: exploring the links. International Institute for Environment and Development.
Thompson, I 2009, Forest Resilience, Biodiversity, and Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity.
UNEP 2010, Germany Hosts Global Conference on Biological Diversity – Promoting a Global Response for Addressing the Unprecedented Loss of Biodiversity. Web.
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Omniyat Establishment Company’s Market Study Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Market Research
2. SWOT and PESTLE
3. Limitations and Risks
4. References
Market Research
When deciding on whether Omniyat Establishment should stay in the UK or move (whether to Frankfurt or Singapore), the company should primarily evaluate the market situation, i.e. conduct properly structured market research. The first consideration is the economy: in its present location, the company’s net property space is 330,000 square feet, and it can be 15 percent more in Singapore and 7.6 percent less in Germany.
Moreover, the corporate tax rate in Liverpool is the smallest of all three options. Concerning infrastructure, JLL, a reputed company engaged in professional services and investment management, asserts that recent investments in infrastructure in Northern England, especially the transport infrastructure initiatives, allow expecting “[s]trong economic growth” (“Residential forecasts,” 2017, p. 4).
The company’s major competitors in the area include Stainless UK Ltd, a company that is involved in the civil engineering and geotechnical industry, and Barrett Steel Ltd, which is the largest independent steel stockholder in the UK. However, when participating in international projects in the US, UAE, or other countries, Omniyat face competition from companies from all over the world, which is why local competition can be disregarded in many aspects of the company’s operation, and the actual competition in international projects will not largely depend on the company’s location.
In terms of the availability of suppliers, the current location can be regarded as advantageous to the company because contacts, connections, and mechanisms of interactions with suppliers are already established in Liverpool. However, if the situation that initially caused Omniyat’s intention to consider changing the location affects its suppliers (which remains vague today), the supplier factor can become a decisive one.
Similarly, the current location provides benefits in terms of banking services because Omniyat has established banking connections in Liverpool. In summer 2016, the Bank of England took quick and resolute measures to respond to Brexit and “cut the bank rate to just 0.25% in August from its previous historic low of 0.5%” (“Residential forecasts,” 2017, p. 18), and several more measures were taken to bolster the economy and make the banking climate easier for the operation of UK businesses. JLL also notes that, in Northern England today, residential demand is outweighing supply to a remarkable extent.
In Liverpool, demand mostly comes from established areas, primarily in the city center, but the excess of demand relative to supply can be observed in other areas, too. At the same time, the demanded quality is growing in the city, which provides Omniyat with additional development opportunities.
As it was mentioned, the corporate tax rate for Omniyat is lower in Liverpool than in either of the two other options. Apart from the corporate tax and income tax, the company may also be subject to the Pay As You Earn tax, National Insurance Contributions tax, VAT, Insurance Premium Tax, and Stamp Duty Land Tax. Barrett Steel Limited (2017), one of the company’s major competitors in the area, states that eliminating tax risks in the industry is impossible and suggest a tax strategy based on risk assessment, control, and tax planning. In terms of access to capital, Omniyat’s conditions are favorable due to their current situation and the process of rental and capital growth in Liverpool, which is high and places the city “firmly at the top of many investor’s hit lists” (“Residential forecasts,” 2017, p. 17).
Growth in terms of various aspects of the market is the general trend and a major consideration in the process of deciding on relocation. Growth is expected, although, according to analysts, it will be “shallower … than would otherwise [if it had not been for Brexit] have been the case” (“Residential forecasts,” 2017, p. 2). The city’s sales market can be described as confident.
Brexit had a notable impact on the exchange rate and weakened the pound, which resulted in a rise in imported inflation and a rather unfavorable forecast for the CPI inflation dynamics (up to 1.6 percent per annum by the end of 2016). These forecasts, however, are expected to make consumer spending growth ease. GDP growth in the financial and business services sector in 2017-2021 is assessed to amount to 2.4 percent, and the rate is 1 percent for the manufacturing and utility sector.
Overall GDP growth is expected to slow by the end of 2017, but another rise is predicted to occur in 2018 and continue until 2021. Finally, it should not be overlooked that the economy will continue to be affected by Brexit throughout the following years. Measures to adapt to the changing conditions are hard to plan because the terms on which the UK will be withdrawing from the EU remain unclear. However, JLL predicts that the effects on the economy will not be too detrimental (“Residential forecasts,” 2017) in case efforts are made to maintain favorable trade agreements.
SWOT and PESTLE
Two instruments that can assist in assessing the feasibility and making the decision on either staying in Liverpool or relocating are SWOT and PESTLE analyses of each option. For the Liverpool scenario, the main strength is the availability of current connections and the established interaction procedures (e.g. logistics or reporting); many of these will need to be rebuilt upon moving to either Frankfurt or Singapore.
A major weakness is that certain deceleration of economic growth is expected during the rest of 2017 and in early 2018. At the same time, the excess of demand relative to supply in the industry presents many opportunities for Omniyat’s development. However, the threat component is possibly the most important one in the SWOT analysis: the main threat is the uncertainty regarding the impact of the completion of Brexit in March 2019.
The construction industry may be seriously affected in terms of taxes, suppliers, and business services (Gammon, 2017); this uncertainty made Omniyat consider relocation in the first place, and unless stronger analytical forecasts are provided today, the decision to opt for one of the relocation scenarios may be wise.
* Political * Technological
* Change of regulations * Advancements in the industry
* Taxation * Competition
* Economic * Legal
* Decelerating economic growth * The adoption of new laws and the cancellation of current laws
* Inflation
* Social * Environmental
* Migration * Waste, emissions, and pollution
* Age dynamics
Figure 1. PESTLE matrix for Omniyat.
The PESTLE matrix presented in Figure 1 shows factors that are likely to affect the operation of Omniyat. Political and economic factors were summarized above (see Market Research); however, it has not been mentioned that such social factors as changing migration and age dynamics in the UK may impact on the company’s workforce; however, the impact can be estimated as lesser in comparison with the relocation scenarios.
Technological advancements in the industry may affect the competition, but this is not specific to the Liverpool scenario only. Other major factors include legal changes—the UK can adopt new laws upon leaving the EU and cancel laws associated with the European integration (Barnard, 2017)—and environmental regulations, especially in terms of the government policy on waste, emissions, and pollution, which will make Omniyat, in case the Liverpool scenario is accepted, adjust its operation to new environmental requirements, and it remains unclear what those regulations will be.
Limitations and Risks
Major risks are associated with the uncertainty of the consequences of Brexit. In this regard, Omniyat currently experiences limitations in terms of planning their future in the UK, and from this perspective, planning the operation in Frankfurt or Singapore can be easier due to the more predictable political climates there. More specifically, there is the risk that, upon the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, the taxation situation will significantly deteriorate the financial performance of the company. New environmental regulations, unlike existing ones that comply with the European standards, may impose additional burdens on manufacturers.
The main recommendations for addressing the risks and limitations include developing better forecasting analytics and actively engaging in the industry’s participation in current negotiations on the terms of withdrawing from the EU. The tradeoff in which Omniyat is involved is sacrificing predictability and stability to the advantage of operating in the location in which they have established connections and business processes.
Industry-specific reports and augmented market research efforts can help the company build a more successful strategy for adapting to the new conditions or, in case the relocation scenario is accepted, to move with minimum losses. Also, the company should be willing to contribute to the recommendations that the industry provides to the UK government in terms of the conditions of withdrawing from the EU.
References
Barnard, C. (2017). Law and Brexit. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 33 (1), S4-S11.
Barrett Steel Limited. (2017). Tax strategy . Web.
Gammon, J. (2017). The meaning of Brexit. Engineering Insight, 18 (2), 35-36.
Residential forecasts: Northern England . (2017). Web.
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Urban Sprawl and the Need to Make Cities Livable Thesis
Table of Contents
1. An Attractive City
2. The Unattractive City
3. Conclusion
4. Works Cited
A city is a highly populated area that contains the necessary components to make it an attractive destination for workers, families and investors. Cities provide opportunities for residents and it is the main reason why people from the rural areas migrated to these urban centers. Residents believe that they can achieve greater success and happiness if they live in cities as opposed to small towns and rural areas. It is therefore important for the local officials to continually shape cities as attractive destinations for investors and productive members of society. The presence of investors as well as the timely infusion of government funding can enhance the economic and social development of the city. However, a rapid urbanization of cities may create a negative effect and forces residents to relocate.
It must be made clear that the combined factors of high population growth, industrialization, breakthroughs in healthcare, and technological developments enable mankind to dominate this planet. The capabilities of men to manipulate natural resources and develop practical solutions to a particular need have made human beings the undisputed ruler of the Earth. Unfortunately, humans find it difficult to reverse the impact of their actions. In the meantime mankind continues to build cities. Centers of commerce act as powerful magnet to draw more inhabitants in an already densely populated area. Rapid urbanization is a sure sign of progress but the degradation of the environment has forced many to flee to suburbs and rural areas to achieve a better quality of life. It is time to reconsider the long term effects of these trends.
An Attractive City
There are different types of policies that city officials can use to manage their respective cities. One of the most important is developmental policies. According to one commentary “Developmental policies are those local programs which enhance the economic position of a community in its competition with others” (Peterson 41). Developmental policies is a type of policy that can be enacted by city officials in order to strengthen the local economy, improve on the revenue generating base of the city as well as enhance the community’s welfare. This is the popular type of policy that can be ratified by the local law-making body. At first glance it is highly favored by the local residents because it seems that the cost to the community is minimal as compared to the benefits that such type of policies can bring to the city.
The first thing to consider is the cost that is brought about by the increase in taxes in order to finance a project. But in other application of developmental policies the cost is linked to the environment. However, in most cases, residents of the city weigh the pros and cons of such projects that come with developmental policies and they find that the short-term as well as long-term impact of the said policies are in their favor (Peterson 41). Consider for a fact the following benefits: new employment for community members; increase demand for locally provided services; increase in land values; and higher revenues (Peterson 41). These are signs of progress and development.
It is of critical importance to have employment opportunities. A city without employment opportunities can easily become a ghost town because residents will transfer to another city with more employment opportunities. It is not only employment opportunities that residents are interested to find in a city. They are also looking for better employment benefits. Thus, it is of great value to attract certain kinds of investors. Imagine the economic benefits of attracting companies like Microsoft, Google, and General Electric on the local economy.
Aside from attracting investors that can provide high-quality employment for the residents it is also crucial to catch the attention of different types of investors. The employment market within a city must be seen as competitive. A competitive employment market is beneficial for the residents because potential employers will be forced to give them better employment packages to entice the best workers to work for them.
The increase in demand for locally provided services is an important aspect to the sustainable economic development of the city. The bulk of the residents of the city are composed of employees and owners of small to medium-scale businesses. Many employees rely on the success of local entrepreneurs. These are the people that work in restaurants, gasoline stations, amusement parks, department stores, and various shops selling different types of products. A well conceived plan does not only attract investors but also visitors to the city. These are the thousands of tourists and businessmen that visit the city on a yearly basis. They spend money while they are in the city and this enhances the economic development of the area.
The increase in land values benefits the entrepreneurs and local residents. The higher the land values the better is the market price for commercial land as well as houses in the area. The entrepreneurs can sell real estate and make profit out of the deal. Furthermore, local businessmen can have a higher appraisal for their properties and they can use it to leverage for a more substantial loan. The money that they can get from commercial loans can be used to improve their respective businesses. The same thing can be said of the local residents who may decide to sell their homes for a profit. The rising land values make it easier for them to sell in order to improve their economic well-being.
The local government on the other hand benefits from all these because of the significant increase in the revenue generating capability of the city. Increase in revenues makes it easier to funnel in more funds for government services such as healthcare and infrastructure. It is therefore important to continuously support developmental policies. However, the positive outcome of high investment opportunities, employment opportunities, and improved services can also have an undesirable effect.
Air, water, and noise pollution are just some of the negative effects of development (Peterson 42). Environmental degradation is always the result of the increased presence of business and industry in a particular community. As mentioned earlier business and industry are the lifeblood of the city and therefore city officials cannot afford to block the entry of businessmen because they bring economic prosperity that are needed by the residents of the city. Nevertheless, city officials have to find a way to balance urbanization and the goal of creating a livable city that offers a less stressful environment for its residents.
The Unattractive City
It is important to maintain the attractiveness of the city. Although, it is advisable to reduce the number of residents in a given area, it is also detrimental to lose the best and the brightest residents because of rapid urbanization. It is therefore important to figure out the reason why city residents are no longer happy with their living conditions. At the same time it is important to find out the long-term impact if these residents continue to move towards the rural areas.
At this point it can be argued that a massive exodus of city residents to the rural areas is not a major concern because it is impossible for cities to be depopulated at a rapid rate. Many residents are dependent on jobs that can only be found in cities. Thus, the best alternative for them is to relocate in the suburbs. As a consequence, cities are undergoing transformation as the boundaries that separate city and rural areas are being reinterpreted. This phenomenon is called “sprawling” (Gillham 4). It is described as the stretching the boundaries of cities and suburbs to create more space for workers and employees (Gillham 4). It requires the construction of more highways. The purpose is to provide a better way for workers to commute from home to work and vise versa.
Sprawling is the answer to the need for more space to raise a family and to enjoy the weekends. But sprawling is now seen as another form of urbanization that continues to degrade the environment. There will come a time when people living in the suburbs will also find the living conditions unbearable. The Natural Resources Defense Council explains the new mode of environmental degradation: “Sprawling development eats up farms, meadows, and forests, turning them into strip malls and subdivisions that serve cars better than people” (Gillham 4). Thus, sprawling does not only destroy the environment it also destroys farmlands. In the long run the twin effects can make life more difficult for city dwellers.
In the Age of Information more and more people have access to ideas that shape their decisions. They are now aware of the fact that living in cities can cause health injuries due to exposure to pollution and the lack of exercise. The inability to excercise can have negative effects on the human body. They are now aware that if they relocate to rural areas or small towns, then, they can have the opportunity to exercise and live in a pollution free zone. They are also aware that the need to maintain a healthier lifestyle has become a very important part of modern living and “exercisers report more frequent and intense positive feelings and tend to have better functioning immune systems […] have higher life expectancy and are less likely to suffer from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, and a variety of other ailments” (Porta 76). For those who have the means to leave the city, there is little need for a second opinion.
In the book “Small Town Bound” the environment played a central role in many of the reasons why many opted to move out and settle away from the bustling cityscape (Clayton 7). The city has become unattractive but the rural areas continue to be an enticing place for families to live and grow old together, “It might be the scenery that draws you – mountains, rivers, farmlands, or forests. It might be images of a rural lifestyle or the accessibility of recreational opportunities such as kayaking, hiking, and others” (Clayton 7). It is therefore important to reconsider the application of developmental policies to reverse the trend.
There are many people who are now looking into a much more sustainable practice. Consider this statement: “Developmental policies need not always entail the attraction of business and industry to a community … it may be the creation of a wildlife preserve that will so enhance the attractiveness of surrounding residential property that any opportunity costs involved in allocating land for such a purpose will be more than offset by the increasing market value of the adjacent areas” (Peterson 42). Richard Bilsborrow said that there are now significant changes when it comes to the restructuring of private enterprises. He said that industrialized nations are aware of the need to relocate manufacturing facilities away from major industrial centers. These changes are enhanced by the development of economic activity in rural areas, particularly those that are associated with agriculture, forestry, and energy resource development (Bilsborrow 63). An example of such changes can be seen in Britain and in other parts of central Europe where small and medium sized firms are now situated far from highly industrialized zones (Daniels 111). Nevertheless, these firms are able to produce specialized products of higher quality (Daniels, 111).
It is important to reduce the impact of urbanization in the cities because of the decreasing quality of life. City officials may be complacent because they believe that most of the people living in cities do not have the means to relocate to rural areas. But changes in technology can make it easier to move from urban centers to small towns far from the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced city life. It does not require a scientist to determine the ill-effects of a depopulated city. A mere overview of cities like Detroit is a stark reminder that a highly progressive city can easily succumb to urban decay.
If a city loses its residents then there are no longer enough works and businessmen that can sustain its growth. An abandoned city is very unattractive to investors and other residents. Thus, in the long-term, a depopulated city is not a good idea as far as residents and city officials are concern. It is time to reconsider the use of developmental policies. There is a need to balance the use of resources to enhance the economic base of the city by bringing in business and industry. On the other hand it must be pointed out that developmental policies can be used not only to bring in business industry but also in the establishment of environmentally-friendly projects that can enhance the beauty of the city.
Conclusion
It is important to build a livable city. A sustainable city environment will ensure that residents, businessmen, and city officials can enjoy the fruits of their labor. It is foolish to pour in investor money and build industries that can choke the life out of a city. It is of critical importance to balance economic gain with healthy living. A healthy resident requires space to exercise and a less polluted environment. City officials must be more prudent when it comes to creating developmental policies. Long-term effects of rapid urbanization can easily backfire. City politics must be used to protect the environment and the people that live there.
Works Cited
Bilsborrow, Richard. Migration, Urbanization, and Development: New Directions and Issues. MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1998. Print.
Clayton, John. Small Town Bound . New York: Xlibris Corporation, 2000. Print.
Daniels, Peter. Services and Metropolitan Development: International Perspectives. New York: Routledge, 2002. Print.
Gillham, Oliver. The Limitless City: A Primer on the Urban Sprawl Debate. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2002. Print.
Peterson, Paul. City Limits . IL: Chicago University Press, 1981. Print.
Porta, Luigi. Economics of Happinesss: Framing the Analysis . New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.
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Child Development and Global Social Policy Essay
Child development has become one of the central issues in the contemporary global society. However, despite significant progress in the field, the fundamental aspects of social policies related to child development remain subject to debate. The following paper explores the concepts of dimensions of human development used in documents in the social policy domain and argues in favor of a unified set of criteria by distinguishing between needs-, rights- and capabilities-based approaches utilized by global organizations.
In order to distinguish between the rationales for actions on behalf of children’s development, it is first necessary to determine the meaning assigned to the dimensions of development, as well as the concept of development in general. According to Alkire, such specificity is important since the majority of sources that utilize these concepts rarely specify them, and when they do, the rationales behind the lists are questionable and prone to critique (Alkire 181). In the most basic sense, development can be considered as an expansion of human capability, or the ability to achieve value in functioning (Alkire 184). Importantly, the capability in question is not limited to a specific domain of human activities and can range from the most basic needs related to survival (e.g. the access to clean water and nutrition) to relatively complex social constructs (e.g. the ability to communicate with relatives or eat delicious food).
Based on this concept and the works of other theorists in the field, the author offers a working definition of dimensions of development as “nonhierarchical, irreducible, incommensurable and hence basic kinds of human ends” (Alkire 186). In simpler terms, they can be viewed as defining characteristics of values that determine the quality of life. These characteristics are do not comply with rigid criteria and may manifest in altered forms. In addition, they are not necessarily observed in a fixed combination. Nevertheless, once all manifestations of one of such dimensions are removed completely, the gap becomes immediately apparent on an intuitive level, even despite the fact that no specific definition can grasp the essence of the gap or measure the amount at which it can be observed. The author also roughly outlines the boundaries of dimensions of development by providing the lists offered by other scholars and suggested the possibility to synthesize a universal set based on these lists.
The dimensions of human development are important for measuring the state of well-being of different societies and making appropriate decisions. For this reason, they are incorporated in numerous documents that deal with the matter. For instance, Human Development Report uses one of the manifestations of the concept, commonly referred to as Human Development Index (HDI). In its original version, HDI is comprised of the dimensions of health, education, and living standards, each of which is measured using specific indicators (UNDP 13). However, it is important to note that the approach to measuring the indicators responsible for each dimension differs depending on the country in question and involves a range of variables that are not directly quantifiable (UNDP 15). In addition, the absence of substitutability between dimensions has prompted the revision of the aggregation process in order to achieve greater validity of the results.
The Convention of the Rights of the Child uses a different approach to human development. Specifically, it utilizes a set of criteria based on rights in order to facilitate the development process. For instance, the Convention specifies that every child has a set of inherited rights, such as the right to life, the right to know and be cared for by parents, the right to preserve identity, and the right to freedom of expression, among others (Unicef 75). The Convention also specifies that the identified rights are to be upheld and maintained by all entitled parties without the discrimination of any kind.
As can be seen from the examples above, different approaches to children development are used by different organizations. For instance, the Human Development Report outlines the basic needs of humans, such as health and education, and views development as the availability of means and opportunities to satisfy these needs. It is possible to characterize this perspective as a needs-based approach, which serves as a rationale for responding to the needs by providing the said means. The Convention of the Rights of the Child, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive list of rights and specifies the actions of respective entities that are meant to ensure the upholding of these rights.
This perspective is known as a rights-based approach and has been universally used to facilitate development as well as for a wide range of other purposes. However, it should be noted that rights- and needs-based approaches may reduce clarity of children development initiatives. For instance, it is reasonable to expect a significant difference in the outcomes resulting from the moral underpinnings of the approaches (Alkire and Chen 1070). It is thus reasonable to view needs and rights as entitlement to certain human capabilities, such as life, senses, and emotions, among others. This rationale, known as a capabilities-based approach, offers a more fundamental view of rights and needs but is less rigidly defined and requires value judgment through public debate.
The complexity of the concept of human development has prompted the creation of several distinct approaches. However, despite the methodological improvements in each of these approaches, the currently used ones lack specificity and contain debatable points. Thus, synthesizing a universal set of dimensions of human development may be an important step in adopting a unified rationale for action on behalf of children’s development.
Works Cited
Alkire, Sabina, and Lincoln Chen. “Global Health and Moral Values.” The Lancet , vol. 364, no. 9439, 2004, pp. 1069-1074.
Alkire, Sabina. “Dimensions of Human Development.” World Development , vol. 30, no. 2, 2002, pp. 181-205.
UNDP. Human Development Report 2010: 20th Anniversary Edition . 2010, Web.
Unicef. The State of the World’s Children . 2009, Web.
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Jack Abramoff Scandal in Congress Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Analysis
3. Conclusion
4. References
Introduction
Lobbying is a political technique to influence the government. It is the attempt of the individuals to influence the votes of legislators, normally in the lobby outside the legislative chamber. It is concerned with the activities of private interest groups, which are known as pressure groups. Sometimes, even public officials will attempt to indulge in lobbying mainly to influence the drafting of public policy by other officials. Thus, lobbying “engages a favored position in the constitutional system since it is essential to the perpetuation of self-government. Lobbying activity centers on the legislative activity of a free and democratic society. In US v Rumelly[1], it was held by US Supreme Court that lobbying should be understood in its generally acknowledged sense as a demonstration made directly to the Congress, its committees and its members. While defending the constitutional legitimacy of a lobbying law, Supreme Court in US v Harris[1] buttressed its re-analysis of the narrow scope of the law. (Johari 395).
The lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 was enacted to offer for the disclosure of lobbying activities, which aimed to manipulate the Federal Government policies. The main objective of this law was to plug the loopholes that existed in the previous lobbying law which authorized some categories of lobbyists to shun registering and for inconsistent and ineffective reporting of those who did register. LDA also defined how legislative and executive branch officials were covered and which lobbying activities were authorized and, which were not. According to article in Economist in 2006, the number of registered lobbyists in Washington has doubled to over 35000 over the last five years.
Political conversation in the US is often pelted with harsh references to “special interest “or lobbying. These lobbying or special interest groups are planned groups that engage in vigorous political roles , either through lobbying government officials in an endeavor to influence public policy or legislation or through making political contributions. These lobbying groups are more powerful as they are having millions of dollars at their disposal. The main question is whether this dirty money corrupts the American political system, that is, whether the legislators are giving more priority to their sponsors or donors and lobbyists than they are responding to the will of average citizens?
Analysis
Jack Abramoff was an erstwhile producer of B movies. During the 1980s, Abramoff took a short break from politics and engaged in writing and producing movies. The famous film he produced was Red Scorpion, a thriller starring Dolph Lundgren. He was the leading lobbyist with high-stake friends, Republican lawmakers who in turn exerted lever of powers on Capitol Hill. Abramoff became a curiously hot commodity in Washington D.C due to his deep association in conservative-movement politics since from the Reagan years and his longstanding involvement with many of the top images of the Republican revolution of the mid-1990s. Abramoff had unbelievable access to the top political Republican leaders and hence could get good favors. (Samuel et al 34).
Abramoff was the erstwhile national chairman of the College Republicans and also close friend of Tom DeLay, the erstwhile majority leader of House of Representatives.As a lobbyist, Abramoff initially worked for the Russian energy companies to the apartheid section in South Africa, Abramoff indulged in unethical means to earn money.
It was alleged that he demanded a large sum of money as the commission to be subtracted from the vast sum of money that government could provide to his clients. Abramoff as a lobbyist worked to prevent casinos from being made as lawful in non-Indian regions. (Welch et al 258).
Abramoff was so powerful that he can be approached if one wants to meet a committee’s chairman or if some group wants to some special languages in a pending bill. Tiguas of West Texas , a tiny tribe of American Indians whose origin dates back to some 100 centuries are running half billion dollars casino business through their 1500 odd slot-machine , adobe –method “Speaking Rock “ at the fringe of El Paso. The trouble started when their Casino was ordered to shut down by Texas authorities. (Samuel et al 34).
The issue was in court for a long time and finally Texas got the verdict in their favor for shutting down the Speaking Rock by deliberating for that Casino gambling was illegal in their state even on the ostensibly autonomous region like that of an Indian Reservation.
Thus, to find a solution to their issue, Tiguas, approached Abramoff to dissuade Texas authorities from shutting the doors of their casinos in 2002.
Abramoff was already known for having close links with some Indian gaming clients, and he was even called by the nickname “Casino Jack.” (Samuel et al 35).
Tiguas are badly in need of Abramoff’s help and they want a form of language to be inserted in a bill by a group of friendly congressmen and this would override the court’s verdict that facilitated the state of Texas to shut down their casino Presto.
Abramoff when approached by Tiguas accepted to act as a lobbyist for them with no fees initially but of course with a catch and the Tiguas were not aware that guy who had offered to assist them in reopening their casino had been really a basic ingredient of prior initiative by Texas Attorney General John Cornyn to close it down. (Samuel et al 36).
In fact , Abramoff and his friend Michael Scanlon earlier was responsible to shutting down the Speaking Rock by sending $4 million to Abramoff’s friend , Ralph Reed , who was the erstwhile leader of the Christian Coalition which organized a fundamental operation to create support for Cornyn’s (Attorney General) initiative to shut down the Tiguas casino.
Abramoff never knew that two wrongs do not make a right. Abramoff’s role in this deal can be described as one of the most disgraceful deeds of greed and fraud as Abramoff and his friend Scanlon received $4.2 million from Tiguas but failed in their effort to reopen “Speaking Rock.” (Samuel et al 36).
Abramoff’s Tiguas affair can be described as the greatest political lobbying scandal that Washington ever witnessed in a generation. It was alleged by a federal grand jury who was probing into Abramoff’s profitable lobbying with several Indian tribes that he amazed about $87 million over the past five years from Indian tribes in Alabama, Mississippi, California and Michigan.
Abramoff organized a grass root campaign against shutting down the Tiguas casino. However , the poor Tiguas never knew that the grass root outfit recommended by Abramoff was “Capital Campaign Strategies “ which was actually run by Scanlon, who was responsible for the shutting down of their casino! The poor Tiguas did not aware that both Abramoff and Scanlon allegedly dividing the fees paid for campaign. It was inferred from the Congressional records that over a five-year period of time, six Indian tribes paid more than $ 66.3 million to Scanlon and Abramoff benefited $21 billion out of it. This is apart from the monthly retainer ship fee from $125,000 to $150,000 from various firms he worked for. (Samuel et al 37).
During the George W Bush regime, there was a chain of congressional scandals and exposure of K Street Project, an attempt intended to support lobbying firms to employ Republicans and to reward lobbyists devoted to the Republicans with access to high Administration and congressional members.
It was alleged that Tyco International Ltd paid $1.7 million to a law firm which had a close association with Abramoff between 2003 and 2004 in an endeavor to stop the passage of the “ Corporate Patriot Enforcement Act “ and analogues bills that aimed to reprimand American companies that incorporated outside the U.S.A with an ulterior motive to save taxes. Finally, the bill was blocked. (Benoit 5).
Finally, Abramoff and his associates were sued by some of the Indian tribes on the charge that they were defrauded by Abramoff.
Abramoff was convicted for various felonies and implicated a broad range of public officials, lobbyists and staffers in his fraud scheme. (Welch et al 258).
Abramoff’s episode highlighted the lobbyist’s endeavor to donate money to Republican electoral candidates in barter for influencing legislation, which has made influencing buying more to the light. It was alleged that giant lobbying firms are anticipated to employ only top ranking Republicans as their lobbying agent and paid more than $1 million dollar per annum and these Republicans are anticipated to give away some portion of the money for Republic electoral campaigns. Thus , Republican congressional members who were in the pay roll of such lobbying companies were then supposed to come through with proper votes on pending legislation in their favor.Now , Abramoff is in jail along with two erstwhile DeLay aides, a member of congress and many others for the offense committed. (Welch et al 259).
Many famous nonprofit organizations have become associated to the Abramoff scandal. It is to be observed that Federal law bars tax-exempt organizations from receiving money for lobbying to execute public relations, and if they indulge in such activities, they may lose their tax-exempt rank by infringing this rule. Moreover, five nonprofit organizations were indulged in lobbying for Abramoff in barter for writing newspaper editorials and calling legislating on this behalf. Suppose, if Abramoff wants to bestow tax concession for a whisky manufacturer, he will request these nonprofit organizations to write op-ed articles and to make phone calls to legislators. For this, Abramoff will donate many thousands dollars to nonprofit organizations. (Welytok, Daniel S & Grassley Chuck 40).
In each house, Congress is having an ethics committee and unfortunately these ethics committees are nonfunctional. Further there are provisions for registering lobbyists. To one’s dismay, any of the recent scandals were not investigated by the Senate Committee. In the background of the 2005 scandal and Abramoff scandal, some senators vowed to introduce new regulations in place prescribing a ban of free gifts, travels, but there was no progress. (Welch et al 259).
One of the main reasons why Republicans lost power in the 2006 election was mainly due to influence peddling and widespread congressional corruption. However, we have to wait and see how Democrats are going to handle this lobbying affair and will they have the capability to castigate shady dealings is a million dollar question. (Welch et al 259).
US government should make stringent laws to punish those lobbyists who indulge in unethical activities to get gains from government for their clients. It is also conflict of interest to employ one’s government rank to get a job immediately after resignation or retirement. The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 attempts to control this. However, the above activities is not very strictly administered. For instance, the majority of the top employees of the Department of Homeland Security, under the leadership of Tom Ridge, the department’s first director resigned from the government services and became lobbyists, top executives and board members of the companies that presently having business with Homeland Security agency. Some officials are acting as consultants to companies that have been handled by them while they were in service and drawing hefty pay packets from it and this is known as “revolving door.” (Welch et al 259).
Influence peddling is the term used to denote the strategy of using access to powerful people to make money. For instance, the majority of the lobbyists employed by K-Street firms were former Republican senate members, and they could be able to seek customers because of their close link with DeLay and other mighty republicans. (Welch et al 259).
During the democrat rule, under Clinton’s administration, many numbers of top administrative executives including a cabinet secretary, Mike Espy resigned from their office under an ethical cloud pertaining to influence peddling and conflict of interest. (Welch et al 259).
During Bush administration, influence peddling was part of secret policy-making procedures within the White House. Ex vice-president Cheney was accused of having a financial interest in Halliburton which is a major American contracting company in Iraq. It was alleged that Halliburton was awarded contracts worth of many billions of dollars without competitive bidding. (Welch et al 260).
A democratic government should represent both the rich and poor alike and all should have an equal opportunity to influence government. The impact and influence of money in politics of America are a source of concern for ever. Politicians either Democrat or Republican in the guise of lobbying diverts public funds to their own pocket, generously accepting kickbacks, accepting liberally campaign donations from those who want favors from the government and look for personal financial elevation. (Welch et al 260).
In recent political annals, there were two great lobbying scandals that involved in use of money to buy access namely the Watergate scandal of 1972 and the Jack Abramoff scandal in 2005. Immediately, after the Watergate scandal, public reaction was stronger and as new laws were enacted mainly to clean up in the American campaign finance system. However, the shrewd politicians were able to find loopholes in these procedures and indulged in lobbying to make money. (Welch et al 260).
In retort to the Abramoff scandal, voters obviously concluded to replace the power from Republicans to Democrats as the culture of corruption had gone too long. In 2008 presidential elections also, the role of a lobbyist in the Obama and McCain campaign also mirrored that still prolong in an epoch of substantial anxiety over ethical norms in governments. (Welch et al 260).
Abramoff scandal has spotlighted the notice of the massive use of tips, money, networking by lobbyists to get favors from government through its officials. It was reported that Indian tribes that own a casino were spent more than $ 5 million to influence pro-gambling legislation.
The funny part was that some of these funds after being channelized through a chain of non-profit organizations so as to disguise that source of funds came to Ralph Reed, erstwhile top leader of the Christian Coalition to muster the Christian groups to support for anti-gambling legislation! (Benoit 4).
Government is rather reluctant to take stringent action against lobbyists or to enforce stricter laws on lobbying since they might have been benefited from the campaign funds. Just hours after the award of six-year sentences to Jack Abramoff for his dubious lobbying activities, the US government woke up and overwhelmingly enacted first ever key lobbying restriction legislation in over a period of ten years. The imposed restrictions were chiefly on travel, gifts, norms for revealing information on pet projects and regularity of reporting.
However, critics report that though the new restrictions are seeming to be very tight, but it appears like a “smoke screen” and will have a little impact the inconsistent supremacy of the lobbyists and the interest group they symbolize. (Benoit 29).
Obama’s government is indulged in an “ethics agenda” which is the most motivated agenda of ever set out by a new government. It ensures a stricter approach not only to the typical issues like the revolving door and the conflict of interest , but also expands into the wider confronts like political sway on career officials and paucity of transparency in government. The main aim of the streamlining agenda is more on enhancing the democratic setup rather than punishing political reprobates.
Conclusion
Abramoff’s case is awful in many aspects. Many lessons have been learnt from Abramoff scandal. It is necessary now to recruit and train well-paid lobbying staff in major congressional offices, mainly to address the wishes of the middle class and poor Americans. Abramoff scandal teaches a lesson to American government to deal more efficiently with the revolving door. To make sure that privately funded tour and travel is consistent and legitimate with chamber regulations and guidelines. US government is to set up more efficient system of disclosure and report systems and to minimize the chances available to members to deliver special benefits for mean interests.
References
Benoit Denise.. The Best-Kept Secret . Rutgers: Rutgers University Press, 2007
Johari, J.C. Comparative Politics . New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd, 1982.
Samuel, Terence, Edward T. Pound, and Betsy Streisand “SNAKE EYES FOR ‘CASINO JACK.’.” U.S. News & World Report 139.7 (2005): 34-40. Academic Search Premier . EBSCO. Web.
Tumulty, Karen, et al. “The Man Who Bought Washington. (Cover story).” Time 167.3 (2006): 30-39. Academic Search Premier . EBSCO. Web.
Welch Susan, Grul John, Rigdon, Susan M. Understanding the American Government. New York: Cengage Learning, 2009.
Welytok, Daniel S & Grassley Chuck. Non Profit Law & Governance for Dummies . New York: Dummies Press, 2007.
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Evolutionary Theory in Biology and Anthropology Research Paper
Introduction
In the quest to apprehend and elucidate the origin and development of species (including human beings), pundits, theorists, religionists, and other categories of people have postulated different theories and explanations. The theories could be broadly categorized into scientific and/or unscientific methods as suggested by Marks (2012).
Apparently, one of the most controversial theories, which have significantly influenced the development of anthropology and other scientific disciplines, including biology, is the theory of evolution. The evolutionary theory is based on the proposition that all species on earth and their diversity are linked to evolution, which could be termed as the alteration or modification of hereditary traits of living things over consecutive generations (Ashraf & Sarfraz, 2016). Moreover, the theory suggests that all the species originated from a single-cell organism (Ashraf & Sarfraz, 2016).
It is worth noting that although the origin and key concepts of the evolutionary theory are credited to Charles Darwin, other scientists and anthropologists have played significant roles in its development.
This paper discusses the evolutionary theory where the key concepts, development, shortcomings are deliberated.
The Evolutionary Theory
Ashraf and Sarfraz (2016)assert that the evolutionary theory links the origin, development, and diversity of all living species on the earth to evolution. For the last 4 billion years, living species have been evolving from the original single-cell organism.
The Key Concepts of the Evolution Theory
The evolutionary theory relies heavily on Charles Darwin’s observations and their influences on the postulation of the theory of evolution and the concept of natural selection. In addition, the theory is based on fitness and adaptation. Further, researchers and experts who came after Darwin introduced and developed the concepts of micro-evolutionary and macro-evolutionary (Gray, 2013; Smocovitis, 2012).
The Origin of the Evolution Theory
The breakthrough in the conceptualization of the evolution theory could be associated with the creation of the scientific theory of evolution through natural selection by Charles Darwin in the mid-1800s (Ashraf & Sarfraz, 2016; Pontzer, 2017). As such, the theory of natural selection and Charles Darwin are the most famous aspects of the evolution theory. Essentially, the theory of evolution through natural selection proposes that species change from one form to another where weak traits are eliminated while strong traits survive. As such, species that perpetually produce offspring with weak traits are more likely to be extinct while the species that produce adaptive young ones survive (Marks, 2012).
It is imperative to note that research has credited evolution through natural selection for the survival of human beings (Cagan, et al. 2016). Nevertheless, pundits argue that the theory of evolution through natural selection as postulated by Darwin did not comprehensively address the issue of human evolution. Perhaps, Darwin was faced with challenges, including a lack of comprehensive knowledge and, therefore, he could not say much about the topic of human evolution by the mid-1800s (Smocovitis, 2012).
Development of the Evolution Theory
Charles Darwin considerably relied on observations and basic scientific skills in his work, especially in the creation of evolution through natural selection. As such, he could not comprehensively support his work, particularly due to a lack of knowledge on pertinent aspects such as genes and their roles in inheritance (Smocovitis, 2012).
Therefore, it is worth appreciating other individuals who played significant roles in providing for the concept heredity and consequently proof the natural selection with considerable evidence. It is worth noting that the work many pundits from different disciplines enhanced the development of the evolution theory. After Darwin’s breakthrough in the mid-1800s, researchers and experts came up with critical amendments to improve the evolution theory. In their endeavors to come up with a general theory, pundits and researchers paid critical attention to ensuring that there were consistencies with claims from different areas of study, including genetics, paleontology, and biology.
Notable developments in the evolution theory can be traced back to the early and mid-20 th century. First, there was the postulation of the “evolutionary synthesis,” which was divided into microevolution and macroevolution (Smocovitis, 2012).
Second, scientific frameworks that supported Darwin’s selection, especially in populations in their natural settings were created (Smocovitis, 2012).
Key personalities in the development of the evolutionary theory in the 20 th century
Theodosius Dobzhansky
Arguably, Theodosius Dobzhansky made the most vital contributions to the development of the evolutionary theory. As such, many of the anthropologists and researchers that come after him relied heavily on his work (Smocovitis, 2012).
First among his immense contributions was his crucial participation in the creating of the argument that postulated the synthesis of genetics and natural selection and the related argument for the existence of microevolution and macroevolution (Smocovitis, 2012).
Second, Dobzhansky was instrumental in the creation of the argument for the problematization of the concept of race, which was an integral aspect of the amalgamation of biological and anthropological models.
Sewall Wright
Sewall Wright was a close associate and a helper of Dobzhansky and he was key in the creation of theoretical frameworks that hypothesized that selection would work best in micro-populations. Moreover, the Hardy-Weinberg principle, which was his conception, was fundamental in the establishment of the maintenance of evolutionary equilibrium. He did this together with other researchers such as R. A. Fisher and J. B. S. Haldane, and Dobzhansky. Their findings were vital in the creation of frameworks that would work for non-lab samples (Smocovitis, 2012).
Other researchers include Julian Huxley, who legendarily introduced Teilhard de Chardin’s 1950 Phenomenon of Man, G. G. Simpson, who waxed metaphysical about the mechanistic and materialistic science, George Ledyard Stebbins who was vital in humanizing evolution (Smocovitis, 2012).
Evolution, Biology, and Anthropology
Although biology and anthropology have developed independently for a considerable time, the evolutionary theory played a vital role in bringing the two disciplines together. Pundits argue that biology, as the study of life, depends heavily on evolutionary concepts such as natural selection and heredity. On the other hand, evolution cannot be studied with the exclusion of key human elements such as culture and without regarding the critical place of man in the ecosystem, which is one of the fundamental elements of anthropology (Smocovitis, 2012).
Proofs of the Evolution Theory and Evidence of Evolution
Initially, in the mid-1800s, substantiating the claim of the evolutionary theory was faced with critical challenges, including lack of proper knowledge of critical pertinent concepts such as genetics. Nevertheless, it became easier to prove the theory, especially at the beginning of the 20 th century.
As such, many scholars have carried out empirical studies, which have significantly elucidated and demonstrated aspects that prove the evolutionary theory.
Pontzer (2017) asserts that energetics could be used to illustrate how living organisms evolve. Energy acquisition and consumption are some of the fundamental functions carried out by organisms in their survival. As such, evolutionary concepts such as natural selection can be observed in living organisms, including human beings change from one generation to another.
Gray (2013) emphasizes that human sexuality could be viewed and elucidated from the evolutionary light. Sexuality is an essential aspect of human life and plays an important role in heredity. Moreover, the theory of natural selection is evident in search for mate where strong and attractive males are more likely to get females.
Ashraf and Sarfraz (2016) used a rather summarized and comprehensive approach to provide evidence of evolution where they listed them Biochemistry (DNA), bones and fossils, comparative anatomy and physiology, computer modeling, modern experiments, and developmental biology.
The Shortcomings of and/or the Challenges Facing the Evolutionary Theory
Although the evolutionary theory is somewhat evident with considerable levels of proof, it faces a number of challenges due to its shortcomings and other anthropological aspects such as religion and culture (Marks, 2012). The theory is either partially or wholly opposed, especially by creationists who believe that all species were created as opposed to evolving from a single cell organism. In addition, some pundits who argue that evolutionists propagate racism oppose the theory (Marks, 2012).
Conclusion
The evolutionary theory is one of the many descriptions put forward by pundits and theorists to describe and explain the origin and development of species on earth. The theory suggests that species evolve from one generation to another from common ancestry. The common ancestry is said to be a single-cell organism. Charles Darwin developed the key concept of evolutionary theory. Other experts including, Theodosius Dobzhansky, Sewall Wright, and others developed the theory from basic Darwin’s framework.
Apparently, the evolutionary theory has influenced other disciplines such as biology and anthropology. In addition, researchers have tried to put forward proof of the theory. Nevertheless, the theory is faced with challenges and opposition, especially from creationists.
Bibliography
Ashraf, Muhammad, Aqeel, and Sarfraz Maliha. 2016 Biology and Evolution of Life Science. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences 23(1):1-5.
Cagan, Alexander, Theunert Christoph, Laayouni Hafid, Santpere Gabriel, Pybus Marc, Casals Ferran, Prüfer Kay, Navarro Arcadi, Marques-Bonet Tomas, Bertranpetit Jaume, and Andrés Aida M. 2016 Natural Selection in the Great Apes. Molecular Biology and Evolution 33(12):3268- 3283.
Gray, Peter, B. 2013 Evolution and Human. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 57:94-118.
Marks, Jonathan. 2012 Why be Against Darwin? Creationism, Racism, and the Roots of Anthropology. Yearbook of Physical Anthropology 55:95-104.
Pontzer, Herman. 2017 The Crown Joules: Energetics, Ecology, and Evolution in Human and Other Primates. Evol. Anthropol. 26:12-24.
Smocovitis, Vassiliki, Betty. 2012 Anthropology, the Evolutionary Synthesis, and the Prehistory of Biological Anthropology, 1927–1962. Current Anthropology 53(5):S108-S125.
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Ancient Marble Statues Aren’t “White”: Vice News Video Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Main body
3. Conclusion
4. Work Cited
Introduction
The considered video presented by Vice News describes such a concept as polychromy and its application to ancient sculptural objects. The opinions presented by the participants of this fragment are based on the fact that white statues made of marble and perceived by many habitually carry much more information. According to one of the interviewees, due to modern technology, it is possible to establish that polychromy was common in ancient times (Vice News 00:00:37-00:00:42). As a result, one can argue that the prevailing stereotypes about the monochrome of ancient statues are incorrect, particularly with regard to the color scheme of the garments and decorations of these objects.
Main body
The perception of sculptures by modern people is largely due to the prevailing trend for white statues to be displayed. The heroine of the video asks why, in all areas where these objects are mentioned, including movies and video games, ancient figures are presented in exceptionally light shades (Vice News 00:00:23-00:00:34). Perhaps this is due to the fact that earlier, there were no those opportunities to restore the color of statues that exist today. The deterioration of sculptures and the fading of the paint are the reasons why those objects of art that have survived to the present are associated exclusively with white. Such a reflection is perceived naturally among the masses, and it is unprofitable for people involved in various entertainment industries to offer other options since viewers may not understand this message.
Nevertheless, museums and other repositories where ancient artifacts are contained should display this information. Modern technology allows specialists to restore true color solutions to which sculptors of past eras resorted. The interview participants in the video are convinced that polychrome statues are to be presented appropriately so that the public could know how they looked in the original (Vice News 00:03:03-00:03:13). This decision is significant because people can get more accurate data on the cultural characteristics and trends of past eras and evaluate how artists approached the creation of their masterpieces. Moreover, such a measure will make the process of cultural cognition more credible and unbiased. Therefore, when using modern digital technology, museum officials can make an effort to recreate the original appearance of polychrome sculptures that convey truthful information to the audience.
Conclusion
At the same time, despite the possibility of reconstructing history, this decision may not be approved. One of the video participants argues that “it’s a fiction that we really like telling ourselves” (Vice News 00:03:41-00:03:44). In other words, the images that are ingrained among people are familiar to everyone, and changes can lead to mixed opinions and the distrust of facts. However, even despite potential disagreement with possible amendments, searching for the truth is an important component of research work. Art historians who have uncovered the mystery of polychromy and promote the idea of displaying real images of ancient sculptures prove that reconstructing history is possible. People themselves take part in creating trends, and in case-specific decisions are perceived everywhere, this turns into a trend from an innovation. It is not easy to imagine whether changing the way sculptures are displayed will help people understand the real messages of their creators. Nevertheless, this measure will prove that skilled and conscientious work can lead to the rethinking of established opinions and even fundamental changes in perception. Therefore, any historical reconstruction is possible in case of an appropriate evidence base.
Work Cited
“Why Ancient Marble Statues Aren’t Meant to Be Seen as “White” (HBO).” YouTube , uploaded by Vice News, 2017, Web.
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Body Shop Company’s New Product Launch in Australia Report
Project background
The Body Shop International is one of the largest cosmetic franchises in the world; it operates in 61 countries, including Australia (The Body Shop, 2010, unpaged). At the given moment, this organization offers more than 600 different products such as soap, lipstick, face creams, and massage oils (The Body Shop, 2010). This company operates in a very competitive environment; among its competitors, one can single out Procter & Gamble, L’Oreal, Unilever, and Avon (Pitman, 2006, unpaged).
The key aim of this project is to provide Australian customers with a new moisturizer with a hat by selling it in the stores of the Body Shop. This product will enjoy considerable demand among customers; in part, it can be explained by the fact that Australian people are becoming more aware of the high incidence of skin cancer in this country (Cancer Council, 2011, unpaged). This project will enable the Body Shop to increase its market share and improve its corporate image. The thing is that a part of the revenues will be donated to the Cancer Council, a non-governmental organization that seeks to reduce the incidence of cancer.
Project definition
Nature of the project
In the course of this project, our team will partner with the Body Shop in order to sell moisturizers and hats as a bonus to the clients. Given current manufacturing costs, we can estimate that the price of the product will be $25. Furthermore, 8 percent of each sale ($ 2) will be donated to the Cancer Council, a not-for-profit organization that attempts to help the community overcome cancer. In turn, the Body Shop will receive three dollars of revenue from each sale. The product will be promoted by sales representatives and at the websites of the Body Shop and the Cancer Council. The customers must know that a portion of sales revenues will be donated to a not-for-profit organization; otherwise, it will be very difficult to differentiate our moisturizers among similar products.
Project aim
This project has to attain several goals. First, it is aimed at boosting sales revenues of the Body Shop and increasing its market share. Secondly, this project has to strengthen the reputation of this company as a responsible corporate player that is concerned about the challenges faced by the Australian community. In this way, the Body Shop will be able to strengthen the customers’ loyalty to their products. Finally, this project is to help a not-for-profit organization Cancer Council which strives to prevent cancer or reduce the incidence of this disease. These are the main objective that we need to achieve.
Project scope
This project will require an initial investment of $ 105,340 ; this sum includes the cost of advertising, production, and labor expenses. These estimations are based on the current cost of moisturizers and average labor costs. Secondly, we need to bear in mind that the Body Shop adopts a very negative attitude toward the products that were tested on animals. The official policy of this company is that the development of its products must not involve animal testing (The Body Shop, 2010, unpaged).
This is one of the key limitations or restraints of this project. Furthermore, at the initial stages of the project, the products will be marketed to the customers only at several stores of the Body Shop, although we expect that in the future, our products will available to customers throughout Australia. For this project, we have chosen only moisturizers these products are directly related to the protection from skin cancer. At this point, the donations will be given only to Cancer Council since this is a non-profit organization that requires funding.
Prerequisites and assumptions
There are several prerequisites for the successful implementation of this project. One of them is the demand for moisturizer. The customers must be convinced that this product really creates value for them. Moisturizers are manufactured by hundreds of companies, and we need to make sure that our moisturizers will stand out among others. Thus, we can argue that effective marketing strategies are indispensable for the success of this venture.
In particular, potential customers must know that they not only purchase a high-quality product but also contribute to the noble cause. The second indispensable condition is the effective functioning of the supply chain. It is necessary to make sure that our supplies of moisturizers can match the demand for this product. Overall, this project is based on several premises. The first assumption is that people will be more willing to buy a product if they know that the manufacturer does not only pursues profits but also tries to practice charity.
Another assumption is companies like the Body Shop recognize the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Modern companies do not view CSR as some necessity imposed from outside but rather as the cornerstone of their success among customers all over the world (Werther & Chandler, 2010). This is why the Body Shop can agree to help us with this project. These are the main underlying assumptions.
References
Cancer Council. 2011. Skin Cancer in Australia . Web.
Cancer Council. 2011. The Official Website. Web.
Pitman S. 2006. L’Oreal’s Body Shop acquisition meets with mixed reaction . Web.
The Body Shop. 2010. The Official Website . Web.
Rakos, J., Dhanraj, K., Fleck, L., Harries, J., Jackson, S., Kennedy, S., 2005, The Practical guide to project management documentation , John Wiley &Sons, New Jersey.
Werther William & Chandler D. 2010. Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Stakeholders in a Global Environment . London: SAGE.
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“Mad Men” First Season Trailer Essay (Movie Review)
Television series and movies, just like any other product, need advertising. According to Stoddart, an advertiser is given a few seconds or at most a couple of minutes to convince the audience that the product on offer is the best in the market (52). It means that the message must be condensed and packed with information that will pass the relevant message to the target audience. The most important factor is that the message presented must be captivating.
This is what trailers are meant for when advertising a television series. They use the best parts of the show as a preview of what is to be expected in the series. Martin says that trailers have become very important in modern society because they show what the audience should expect once the movie is released (45). In this paper, the researcher will conduct a semiotic analysis of a trailer of Mad Men Season 1.
The trailer starts with a soft music on the background. According to Stoddart, “Almost all trailers use some form of music in order to capture the attention of their audience” (65). People are easily attracted to music. It is a sign that the film is not boring. In many cases, the music used may be based on the target audience. The choice of background music used in this trailer shows that its major target audiences are young adults and middle-aged people.
This is confirmed by the next episode that follows. A charming young lady emerges and walks into the elevator of a tall building where she finds a group of men. This episode helps in bringing out the main theme in this film. One of the men said, “I think she is a nice girl, I am really enjoying the view” (Goodlad, Kaganovsky and Adul 43).
The men in the elevator turn to look at her. They approve the statement made by one of them about the girl. It is apparent that this makes her uncomfortable, given that she was the only female passenger in the elevator. However, she makes an effort to stay calm all through, then dashes out of the elevator once she reaches her destination.
The theme presented at this stage is sexual harassment that women are always subjected to in the workplace. Peggy Olson, who has just been molested in the elevator, walks into the office where she is greeted by craving eyes of men who are admiring her and do not bother hiding it from her. She is naïve, given that this is her first time in this office. The passive aggression of men towards female colleagues is confirmed by the statement Joan makes to her.
She says, “Follow my lead, and you may avoid making some mistakes I did” (Goodlad, Kaganovsky and Adul 43). She is actually referring to the sexual harassment from men in this office. She tells Peggy that she has to learn to be tough in order to survive in such harsh environments. According to Martin, this is one of the most popular themes in modern-day films (43). This is so because they present the realities in the workplace. Women are molested by their male counterparts in one way or the other.
Some struggle to stay in such offices just to earn a living. Others consider such molestations unbearable and consider other alternatives. Another group considers playing along, probably to earn promotions or just to survive in such environments. According to Stoddart, critiques have praised the trailer in relevance to how it depicts this form of harassment (88).
She gets an orientation in order to understand what it takes to be in an advertising agency. At this stage, a new theme is presented, which is about business. “Advertisement is like being in a marriage” (Goodlad, Kaganovsky, and Adul 44). This statement brings a new perspective to the field of advertising. By equating advertising to marriage, it leaves the audience wondering what it really means to advertise. He also says, “Bringing business is the key to your salary, status, and self-worth” (Draper 1).
This slightly changes the tone of the trailer, from the funny episodes at the initial stages to a more serious deliberation about what it takes to be in business. Stoddart says, “Some people watch movies which focus on business acumen” (70). Inasmuch as some of the concepts presented in such movies may be impractical, it gives them some clue on how to deal with difficult situations at work.
In the background, someone says, “The modern executive is a busy man with a family, fixtures, and social factors to deal with” (Goodlad, Kaganovsky and Adul 54). Many people struggle with their corporate lives, not knowing how to balance work and family matters. This television show promises to discuss this aspect of life and how one can deal with it. That aspect of a film can attract many viewers, and the director was keen to bring them out clearly.
The next episode in the trailer focuses on what many viewers would be looking for in a movie: how to integrate the social and work life in a seamless manner that does not jeopardize any of them. Someone in the background said, “Advertising is based on one thing, happiness” (Martin 48). We then see a group of executives making fun of a boardroom meeting. They try to find solutions to the problems their firm is facing, but this does not stop them from having fun.
The rigid office structure that existed in the past is not evident in this environment. There is a thin line between the boss and junior officers. They make fun, focus on the work at hand, and then continue with their casual discussions about their social lives. This intertwines their work and social life, something that many executives in the blue-chip companies are now trying to adopt. This makes this movie unique and a must-watch even to the busy business executives. It touches on a concept that they are trying to apply.
Even though this is just but a comical show with very minimal reality in it, Stoddart notes that such shows may help an executive to know where to start and what to expect when introducing new concepts (86). This is so because, in these films, the directors always make an effort to ensure that their shows are as real as it possibly can be, especially if they target the adults as their major audience.
The film then slips back to romance and relationships. According to Maasik and Solomon, life is about relationships, and many television shows always base their narrations on how people struggle to deal with it (102). Office romance, very different from the aggression seen in the first episode, becomes prevalent at this stage. There is a mutual understanding among the parties involved as people look for happiness. As they look for happiness at work, they find it easy mingling with their colleagues and having casual relationships.
The manner in which workmates balance their complicated social lives and their work demands is unique. Stoddart notes that some of the most successful producers and directors of television shows have mastered the art of bringing out the issue of casual relationships in the workplace (76). Martin says that in many practical settings, casual relationships among the employees may be destructive (56). When one is in such relationships, they tend to waste a lot of time trying to please each other instead of focusing on their work.
Such colleagues will go at great lengths to cover for their partners, even if that jeopardizes the success of the organization that has employed them. When the relationship comes to an end, then they develop a unique resentment towards each other. They start looking for ways of piling blames on their ex-partners, even in cases where they are innocent. However, in many movies, such relationships are presented in a way that demonstrates that they can be managed with very little effort.
According to Maasik and Solomon, some films widely use rhetorical tropes in order to bring out their agenda in a clear manner (44). This is clearly demonstrated when talking about the dynamics of advertising. It is a fact that advertising is all about manipulation. It is about creating an image in the mind of the customers about a product that will make them buy it even if they had something else in mind. One of the executives said, “Advertising is about manipulation, that is what I pay you for” (Martin 54).
Advertisers will rarely admit that advertising is about manipulation. However, here was a top marketing executive insisting that he is paying his junior colleagues to manipulate the customers. One would want to watch how the story unfolds in order to know how these executives manipulate us into buying their products by promising the experiences they know they cannot deliver.
This trailer also features some of the social behavior and occurrences that many people would want to ignore, yet they are very important. For instance, we see two men fighting, and soon after that, a lady slaps another in what appears to be a workplace setting. Stoddart says, “A viewer would want to know what could be the cause of such actions.” (46).
It is also apparent that a certain man has taken his own life. His dress code leaves no doubt that he is either in an office or from official duty. It is, therefore, interesting to know why such a man would commit suicide. All these are the factors that create a desire for one to watch this movie.
Conclusion
Trailers offer movie directors and producers an opportunity to advertise their products before they officially released. The manner in which it is structured in terms of the content, flow, and use of music will determine how popular such a movie will be among the target audience. The trailer of Mad Men has brought out several themes, including harassments, office romance, balancing of family and work life, among others. It achieves its primary role of creating a craving among the audience to watch the movie.
Works Cited
Goodlad, Lauren, Lilya Kaganovsky, and Robert Aduel. Rushing. Mad Men, Mad World: Sex, Politics, Style, and the 1960s . Durham: Duke University Press, 2013. Print.
Maasik, Sonia, and Jack Solomon. “The Semiotics of Home Décor.” Signs of Life in the USA. Ed. John Edwards. New Jersey: Wiley, 2015. 94-105. Print.
Maasik, Sonia, and Jack Solomon. “Writing about Popular Culture.” Signs of Life in the USA. Ed. John Edwards. New Jersey: Wiley, 2011. 43-45. Print.
Drapper, Don. “Mad Men – Promo Season by Mathew Weiner.” Online video clip. YouTube . YouTube, 2009. Web.
Martin, Brett. Difficult Men: Behind the Scenes of Creative Revolution : from the Sopranos and the Wire to Mad Men and Breaking Bad ., 2013. Print.
Stoddart, Scott F. Analyzing Mad Men: Critical Essays on the Television Series . Jefferson: McFarland & Co., Publishers, 2011. Print.
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Envy of Students: Educational Problem Research Paper
Envy is a state of emotion that one experiences when he/she feels the lack of perceived superior qualities that another person has. From various recent researches carried out, students have been known to envy each other, both from the collective (institutional level) down to the individual level. This is common especially among American and the Middle East student, in college and High schools. Many students consider their colleagues as rivals rather than partners, and this approach has generally caused their relationship more harm than good. Their attitudes towards each other as it has been seen even on social networks and blogs indicate that they generally have negative attitudes towards each other. The internet hasn’t made the situation any better. This is because it has become a forum whereby they even verbally attack each other on issues such as race, creed, the particular education systems that the students use and many other reasons, because they can hide their faces behind the internet. Various scholars and researchers have tried looking at the root and cause of this phenomenon, because it has been a trend in the past decades, and have come up with various conclusions (Sriraman, 2005).
Although some people believe that envy among students is as a result of seeking success, I believe that the envy is as a result of not having the ability to obtain success. From this statement, I believe that students who are less advantaged compared to their rival students will tend to be jealous of their counterparts, both from the resources they have, to their unique capabilities to carry out a given task. Students get frustrated every time they see their counterparts doing better and being in a better position to carry out one given task. This is not only common in a school setting, but also in working places; offices, governments and also in institutions. Such frustrations result to lower motivation in them, and this leads to even lower levels of productivity. Students who especially have just transferred to other schools or neighborhoods may find it difficult to adjust to their new environment. This may lead them to loosing focus and instead of concentrating on adjusting to the new settings; they may concentrate more on envying the students whom they find in their new schools. This will eventually lower their self belief and confidence, and they won’t work as hard as the others and this leads to poor performance. In different cases, some students have a strong personalities and confidence. These students go to their new schools and despite the new environment; they adjust quite fast and give their all to their education and extra-curricular activities such as games whereby they expose their unique talents. These too end up being envied by the other students. These are two sets of students and the only difference between them is their attitudes towards others. This shows how much impact envy and jealousy have on students.
When a student desperately tries to be at per with his fellow students through hard work and fails severally, he will run out of ideas as to how he can catch up with the others. The state of helplessness that follows will lead him to frustrations and desperation. This frustration will lead to him envying his fellow students. ‘Envy is when they try to be like you, but with no success’ (Freeman, 2001). In the above statement, Godberson A. argues that when a person admires what you do or what you have accomplished with no success, they will tend to be envious of your work. This envy leads them to try to outdo you through either imitation or their own innovation. If by chance they fail, they will feel like they have not achieved their purpose in a given course of an activity, and this will lead them to envying your work and achievements. The same situation happens among the students’ setting. When they try so much to be like their ‘competitors’ in either academics or even in extra-curricular activities (games, music, drama, recognition) and fail, they will eventually become envious of them. This envy is as a result of not being able to accomplish what someone else has done.
The internet is yet another source where one can study students’ behavior, thoughts and attitude towards different matters affecting them. This is because the internet and social sites are very popular among the youth especially high school and college students. Through this medium, students interact, share ideas, thoughts and meet new friends, and it is especially advantageous to the shy and quite students. This is because the internet gives them some freedom of expression without having to face the fear of accusations or rejection. One such blog is Oh how I envy American students. A British student shares that he envies American students in universities compared to him and other students in England. Ha goes further to state that the reason behind the envy is because he thinks that the American students are offered accommodation within the school unlike he, who has to look for private accommodation in his second and third years of university, and this makes him miss out on some of the activities that American students engage in, because they reside within school. From his argument, it is possible to figure it out from the anonymous student that he envies the American students probably because they have something that he and his colleagues don’t (in-school accommodation). If he had the same facilities as the American students, he wouldn’t have been envious of them.
Looking at the same problem from a different angle, people with equal levels of knowledge, facilities, resources and share the same views concerning a given phenomenon are less likely to be envious of each other. The reason is because they have nothing to be envious about, with no one standing better chances over the other. This has been portrayed well by Fullan, M. (1993). Through interviewing correspondents, he looks at North Korea as a whole, collectively where almost all citizens fall within the same financial and social capabilities. From this established fact, Fullan argues that the reason North Korea has experienced notably high levels of growth and development from being a third world country in the 1960s, a position that the country held together with African and several South and Central American countries is because the country is generally peaceful and there is minimal envy among the citizens. “When there is minimal envy among people who fall within the same financial bracket, and have a common goal to achieve, it is possible to attain their objectives through maintaining general peace and order within themselves.” (Massé, Line; Gagné, Françoys, 2002) This has been seen to bear fruits because the country has been doing well economically for the last two decades, and their annual Gross Domestic Product keeps on increasing, annually. The same case will apply to students in all schools. If a student feels at per with his/her colleagues in all areas, he/she won’t be envious of them. This is for the obvious reason that there is nothing to be envious about. It is the reason why students tend to form cliques with colleagues with whom they fall under the same or almost-same capability capacities. In many institutions, bright students, outspoken students etc tend to stick together, and vice versa.
From the study and the research from the books and general observation, it can be drawn to a conclusion that although some people believe that envy among students is as a result of seeking for success, envy is as a result of not having the ability to obtain success. Everyone has an equal potential to success, as it has been proven in the case of North Korea. Secondly, people who are less advantaged compared to their rivals tend to be envious of them, as seen in the case of the American verses English students.
References
Fullan, M. (1993). The new meaning of educational change (2nd ed.): New York, Teachers College Press. Print.
Freeman, J (2001). Gifted Children Grown Up: London, David Fulton Publishers. Print.
Massé, Line; Gagné, Françoys. (2002). Gifted Child Quarterly, Vol. 46 Issue 1: Austin, TX,Prufrock Press Inc.
Sriraman, Bharath.(2005). Journal of Secondary Gifted Education: Charlotte, Information Age Publishing.
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American Police Corruption and Its Classification Report
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Incident Classification
3. Justification for Classification
4. Recommendation
5. Evaluation of the Type of Corruption
6. References
Introduction
Police corruption is one of the most prevalent issues in the United States. The invention of camera phones gave everybody the ability to document the wrongful actions of police and have undermined the trust people had in the police authority. The presented video shows one possible case of police misconduct. This paper will analyze the ethics of this action.
Incident Classification
The video shows a large, male police officer pinning a small woman to the side of his patrol car. The woman must have been standing on the pavement before she was pinned because her feet are dangling off the ground. It is unknown what the police officer asks or tells the woman because only a few of the words are audible. The woman is distressed because her body language is very protective. She is also not struggling so there is no justification for this kind of force being applied to her. By the end, the woman was not charged with anything, so it is unclear why this incident occurred (Francis, 2016). I believe this incident can be classified as minor misconduct.
Justification for Classification
To justify this classification, I would like to overview the conditions for the use of force. While they are not strictly defined by any agency, their nature depends on the context of the situation and the need for self-defense of the officer, or others (“Police Use of Force,” 2017).
The officer in the video used physical and verbal restraint when the civilian was not visibly struggling to getaway. The complete context for this is unknown, but some information about the woman suggests she was aggressively yelling at a man who “propositioned” her before the officers arrived. However, this man is not seen in the video. The pinned woman was not armed and was physically weaker due to how easily he was able to hold her in midair. However, the woman did not receive lasting physical harm, lowering the level of misconduct (Francis, 2016).
Recommendation
This incident suggests that the officer is willing to overstep the boundaries of his authority without a just reason. His actions were not justified by the context and his partner did not do anything to stop him suggesting that both of them require disciplinary action. Both officers should be retrained to fully understand the situations where such force is permitted. The officer who perpetrated the misconduct should have a three-year discipline letter added to his file and should be suspended from specialty assignments for the next three months. These actions should serve as a just punishment because the actions of the officer do not reflect the position of the police department so he should not represent it in a specialty, and especially public setting.
Evaluation of the Type of Corruption
The type of corruption is hard to evaluate due to the lack of information on the incident, but it is a likely case of “rotten apples.” The severity of the force compared to the strength of opposition is such that it is hard to believe that this action was accidental or justifiable. However, the data shows that police misconduct in the DC area has already cost the state 31 million dollars which suggests that it is the case of “rotten barrels” rather than just the “apples” (“Police misconduct complaints,” 2016). Greater supervision of both the officer and the police of the state should be conducted to find the true cause of these actions, as well as the support of “whistleblowers” that might help uncover internal corruption.
References
Francis, E. (2016). DC Police Officer Appears to Hold Woman Off the Ground, Pinned to Patrol Car . ABC News . Web.
Police misconduct complaints have cost DC $31M since 2005 . (2016). The Washington Times . Web.
Police Use of Force . (2017). National Institute of Justice . Web.
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Amazon Company’s Strategic Audit Case Study
Strategic Planning
Current Performance and Mission
Amazon is the largest online retailer with the mission to be the global provider of customer-centered service online in the market. It provides customers with exceptional services for convenience and satisfaction in the business world. In line with its mission, the company has diversified its product offering to three broad categories that include internet services, online retail, and the Kindle ecosystem. Technological advancement has promoted Amazon’s product diversification to web services. These internet services include Amazon web services, Amazon Prime, Kindle library services, and on-demand video online streaming.
Online retail business refers to sell of diverse products, including movies, music household goods, books, and electronics through Amazon websites. Additionally, the company serves as a gateway channel for other retailers. The Kindle ecosystem includes the manufacturing of Kindle tablets that serve as electronic tablets, media devices, and electronic book readers. However, Amazon faces growth challenges that include competition, poor ventures, and dynamic customer requirements. These challenges have led to a massive drop in the company’s net income and urgent need to change its investment options.
EFAS Matrix Discussion
External Factor Analysis Summary (EFAS) is a matrix with weights ranging from one representing the most important to zero representing the least important. These figures signify the potential effect that a factor imposes on a company’s strategic position. Thus, the total weight of the matrix is the sum of the weights of each factor. The ratings refer to how the company has strategically positioned itself to overcome the threats and take advantage of the opportunity. The ratings used range from five representing a prominent position to one representing an inferior position.
From the analysis, based on the weights assigned, it is apparent that the most important factors affecting Amazon’s business growth and expansion include the growth of Internet usage, the expansion of the e-commerce industry, and the globalization of markets. However, Amazon has a weighted score of 3.04 in the EFAS summary analysis. According to Rauf, EFAS shows how a company performs in countering threats and utilizing the opportunities in the market (427). Therefore, the score shows that Amazon has performed averagely and can improve its business by countering the market threats and manipulating the opportunities presented by the market forces.
IFAS Matrix Discussion
Internal Factor Analysis Summary (IFAS) is a matrix with weights ranging from one that represents the most significant to zero representing the least significant. These figures signify the potential effect the factor imposes on the company strategic position. Therefore, weights in IFAS matrix add up to 1.00. The ratings refer to how the company has strategically positioned itself to overcome weaknesses and take advantage of its strengths. The ratings used range from five reflecting major strength to one reflecting major weakness.
From the analysis, the major strength of Amazon on the online market includes customer support services, strong company brand, and corporate culture. These factors are essential for the sustenance of the company business in the online market. On the contrary, the major weaknesses faced by Amazon include the risk of unproductive diversification and a gradual decrease in profit. Indris and Ina hold that analysis of internal factors determines the company’s ability to sustain its business activities (190). The company has an IFAS weight score of 3.10, which indicates a high internal position (Table 1). However, Amazon faces the risk of failing in business due to product diversification and undiversified website language that has affected its sales and net income.
Key Strategic Factors
Amazon strategic factor analysis is an essential tool that provides adequate information on the influence of external and internal environment factors on the company’s business activities. The strategic factor analysis involves SWOT analysis, Porter’s five forces, and CAPM.
SWOT Analysis
Amazon enjoys a strong brand of customer-centric services. Low product pricing, efficient delivery, global expansion, and local branding. The opportunities for growth include extending its global expansion, acquisitions, and establishing local physicals stores in the foreign market to promote brand recognition and customer loyalty. Product differentiation provides an opportunity to enhance competitive advantage. However, Amazon’s weaknesses and threats of online industry significantly limit expansion. Shrinking margins due to price wars, extensive delivery networks, product flops, and high debts from infrastructural investments have resulted in net losses.
Additionally, tax avoidance has significantly affected company brand. Threats affecting the industry include low entry barriers, intense competition from established and local brands, data breaches, and security flaws that have reduced customer trust. Wanare and Mudiraj argue that SWOT analysis is a crucial business tool for analyzing environmental factors influencing organization performance (33). In this view, Amazon must, therefore focus on profitability and not volumes by putting efforts to counter both its weaknesses and market threats, capitalize on its strengths, and tap market opportunities to sustain its business.
Porter’s Five Forces
Porter’s five forces analysis provides information on industry competitive structure. According to Safari et al., the five-force analysis provides information on the feasibility of business activities in an industry (73). The analysis shows that threats of new entrants are low due to high-cost requirement. Additionally, strong brand recognition, product diversification, and established customer loyalty to Amazon products lessen threats of new entrants. However, buyers bargaining power is high. Online customers have the advantage of accessing several e-commerce services from various companies significantly influencing the online industry.
Supplier bargaining power significantly influences profitability and conditions of the market. In the case study, the company has agreements with suppliers to guarantee product availability. In this view, disagreements over terms highly affect Amazon business activities. The presence of many competitors on the online industry makes threats of substitute products high. Additionally, rivalry within the industry is strong due to the rapid development of e-commerce. Nevertheless, the company has positioned its business activities through continued innovation, acquisition, low prices, and efficient customer-centered services to counter these market forces, gain competitive advantage, and sustain its business.
CAPM Risk Analysis
The capital asset pricing model (CAPM) is a business tool that provides the relationship between returns and associated risk of an investment. Assagat holds that CAPM help management predicts the risk of an investment and expected return (195). Thus, CAPM help investors evaluate the possible returns of an investment. CAPM structure assumes a linear relationship between risk and expected return on investment. In the case study, Amazon yearly revenues continuously increased from $19,166 million in 2008 to a high of $48,077 million in 2011. The yearly increase in returns means that online retail business has a high-risk exposure that requires proper evaluation by management to avoid losses and sustain business growth.
Strategic Alternatives
Amazon has an established market position. Babafemi explains that strategy involves establishing goals and formulating steps of achieving those goals (44). Thus, the strategic alternatives involve exploiting business activities with high margins that supplement the existing business model of online retail services. The strategic alternatives include improving on cloud-based services, strengthening core competencies, and expanding global markets
Advancing Cloud-Based Service
Cloud service is extensively an untapped market service by all competitors, and thus, provides an excellent opportunity for business expansion and diversification. The increase of big data usage and the need for convenient and reliable storage space by individuals and companies promotes the need for cloud services. Amazon currently enjoys good returns on this service through Amazon web services and requirements to establish itself in this segment through the expansion and diversification to attain a market leadership position. In essence, advancing cloud services act as an extension of the company’s core competencies to match the existing business platform.
Strengthening Core Competencies
Amazon has established a large online market share, and thus, it needs to stabilize customer flow. To achieve this, the company must form core competencies through the proper articulation of strategy to support its large diversification and market expansion. Identifying and strengthening its core competencies helps to build a strong business framework. The company needs to eliminate unproductive ventures of diversification that include Kindle Fire device that failed in the market as it does not match its core competencies of online retail services. The company should then refocus its strategies on diversifying into ventures that match the core business strengths including the provision of online web services.
Global Expansion
Amazon has global accessibility through advanced technological services. However, the company must set up local portals in the foreign countries that include developing worlds with new fast growing e-commerce market due to growing use of the Internet. The strategy should also focus on the global approach of setting core delivery model with local features to attract local customers trust, build brand identity, and create customer loyalty. Additionally, the company must focus its efforts of foreign market expansion on highly connected countries with high disposable income that form a market segment with high online purchasing potential.
Table 1: EFAS/
Opportunities Weight Rating
0.08 3 0.24
1. Increasing the number of buyers over the Internet 0.050.15 44 0.20.6
2. Positive changes in book selling business and market
3. Growth of the Internet users; predominantly in international markets 0.1 2 0.2
4. E-commerce expansion in foreign market 0.08 3 0.24
5. Increasing product categories 0.05 4 0.2
6. Young people’s acceptability of new technology and innovative ideas
7. Weak Dollar will help the value of International currency 0.03 2 0.06
Threats
0.15 4 0.6
1. eBay, Barnes & Noble’s, Apple, and iTunes 0.050.18 32 0.150.36
2. Possible rejection to on-line sales in international markets due to introduction of new taxes
3. Increase in competition due to low market entry barriers 0.05 2 0.10
4. Impact of Government regulations and instability on the Internet products in international economies
5. Strong U.S.D will hurt the value of international currencies 0.03 3 0.09
Totals 1.00 3.04
Table 2: IFAS.
Internal strengths
1. Strong brand name 0.18 5 0.90
2. Corporate Culture 0.12 4 0.48
3. High quality management team 0.05 4 0.2
4. Customer Support Services 0.1 5 0.5
5. Effective post sales services 0.08 3 0.16
6. Developed and upgraded technology: Software and Hardware 0.030.03 34 0.060.09
7. High shipping Quality
Internal Weaknesses
1. Gradual decrease in profit from 2010-2011 0.1 1 0.2
2. Risk associated with unrelated diversification 0.15 2 0.30
3. Certain products that are offered have high shipping costs 0.050.04 12 0.050.08
4. Company offering free shipping might affect future financial outcome
5. Lack of website with Custom languages 0.08 1 0.08
Totals 1.00 3.10
Table 3: SWOT Analysis.
Strengths Weaknesses
Strong brand Extensive delivery network
Efficient delivery network Price wars
Customer centered services Tax avoidance
Cost leadership Product flops
Acquisition High debts
Alliances and local branding
Opportunities Threats
Global expansion Low entry barriers
Acquisitions Competition
Localizing physical stores in foreign market Security flaws
Product differentiation
Works Cited
Assagat, Aminullah. “Analysis of Relevance Concept of Measurement Capm Return and Risk of Shares .” International Journal of Business and Management, vol. 10, no. 10, 2015, pp.194-204.
Babafemi, Ilori. “Corporate Strategy, Planning, and Performance Evaluation: A Survey of Literature.” Journal of Management Policies and Practices, vol. 3, no. 1, 2015, pp. 43-49.
Indris, Sofya, and Primiana Ina. “Internal and External Environment Analysis on the Performance of Small and Medium Industries (SMEs) in Indonesia.” International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, vol. 4, no. 4, 2015, pp. 188-194.
Rauf, Abdul. “Environmental Strategic Factor Analysis of the Tourism Industry in the South Coastal Part of Sri Lanka.” Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences, vol.5, no. 5, 2014, pp. 426-434.
Safari, Negin et al. “The Study of Construction Companies Based on Michael Porte’s Five Competitive Forces (Case Study: Armeno Project Development and Management Company).” European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, vol. 5, no. 3, 2016, pp. 72-81.
Wanare, Ramdas, and Amar Mudiraj. “Study the Importance of SWOT Analysis on ERP Implementation.” International Journal of Management and Social Sciences Research, vo. 3, no. 6, 2014, pp. 33-36.
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Telehealth and Public Health Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Main body
3. Conclusion
4. References
Introduction
Telehealth is the use of digital data and communications technology to facilitate and enhance long-distance medical healthcare coverage. It is a technology that promotes health-related training for patients and practitioners as well as aiding in health administration and public health. In their article entitled “Leveraging Telehealth to Improve Health Care Access in Rural America: It Takes More than Bandwidth,” Straminger and Arora (2020) highlight how telehealth can positively impact healthcare in the rural expanses. However, for this to be executed, internet connectivity to the areas must be excellent for residents and doctors to access the amenities easily.
Main body
The application of technology can help healthcare providers, practitioners, and institutions to increase services to remote healthcare and enhance its efficiency. The majority of people living in rural areas experience health-related difficulties. For instance, transportation concerns are associated with commuting for specialized treatment (Doarn & Merrell, 2019). Straminger and Arora (2020) state that due to this, telehealth has enabled remote hospitals to deliver quality, low-cost medical care. It helps the countryside patients, as they are no longer needed to drive lengthy journeys to receive advanced care. Today, physicians and semi-specialists can virtually visit rural patients and avail themselves of a wider variety of health services as a result of improved internet connectivity.
Some of the efficient healthcare services and initiatives which are delivered by telehealth technology in the countryside areas include Project ECHO, which was adopted by the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (Struminger & Arora, 2019). The aim was to develop virtual networks of information sharing to help in improving the ability of local doctors and other healthcare professionals in providing treatment for people with serious medical conditions (Raza et al., 2017). Telepharmacy, another telehealth service, is critical in enabling access to medicinal prescriptions for people using countryside healthcare and local pharmacies. Interpretation of various treatment services is conveyed to patients who understand little or no English on-demand via audio or visual technology.
Conclusion
In conclusion, telehealth is crucial in the 21st-century public health system. It is evident as it directly cuts the costs involved in traveling to receive the services, enhances the outreach of specialists to their rural patients, and improves rural providers’ capacity to tackle a wider variety of medical problems. Effective initiatives in underserved geographic areas to increase access to primary and specialty care require a structured approach that incorporates more efficient use of the internet and technology.
References
Doarn, C. R., & Merrell, R. C. (2019). Telemedicine, telehealth, and the public health good . Telemedicine and e-Health, 25 (9), 773–774. Web.
Raza, M., Le, M. H., Aslam, N., Le, C. H., Le, N. T., & Le, T. L. (2017). Telehealth technology: Potentials, challenges and research directions for developing countries . International Conference on the Development of Biomedical Engineering in Vietnam , 523–528.
Struminger, B. B., & Arora, S. (2019). Leveraging telehealth to improve health care access in rural America: It takes more than bandwidth. Annals of Internal Medicine , 171 (5), 376–377. Web.
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Adolescents and Popular Culture: A Critical Analysis on Blogging Culture Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Definitions
2. The Content and Characteristics of Blogging
3. How Blogging Culture Fulfil Adolescent’s Psychological Needs
4. Evaluation of Blogging Culture
5. Conclusion
6. Reference List
Introduction and Definitions
Adolescence is a very anxious and uncertain time in the lives of many youngsters in nearly all civilizations of the world. Physically, youngsters getting initiated into this important stage of individual development change rapidly and uncontrollably, exiting the comfortable and reassuring life of childhood forever.
Mentally, individuals start to gain superior consciousness of the world around them, and no longer want to be referred to as children. However, society denies individuals in this developmental phase the authority and independence of adulthood not withstanding the fact that they covet to be referred to as adults. But adolescents are a resilient lot, and would stop at nothing to redefine themselves as adults and assert their own independence (Gutgesell & Payne, 2004, para. 8).
In the redefinition process, which may entail some rebellion and open disregard of authority, the youngsters get sucked up into various forms of popular cultures that unequivocally promises to offer them the comfort they dearly lack from mainstream society. It is the purpose of this research paper to critically evaluate the popular culture of blogging among adolescents with the premise that it reinforces pro-social activities and self esteem among the teenagers.
According to Davis and McGrail (2009), blogging can be described as a “…venue for writing in which an author or group of authors post their work to web pages that display their posts in reverse chronological sequence” (p. 74). Blogs can be easily accessed by any individual with an internet connection, and therefore are able to achieve a worldwide audience.
In most instances, blogs are interactive in nature as readers can post their comments or connect to other blogs of their preference. Stoke (2007) defines a blog as a frequent, sequential publication of a mixture of an individual’s personal thoughts and life experiences on the one hand and the happenings and experiences achieved from the web on the other. It is a flexible platform that is consistently used for sharing and communication through the engagement of people and new technology.
Popular culture has no single universally accepted definition. The concept is both elusive and unpredictable as no expert or individual can forecast when an unanticipated occurrence will capture global attention (Fishwick, 1999, p. 8). For instance, no one in the eighties could have imagined that web logging could become a popular culture among the youth at the turn of the century.
In principle, however, popular culture is a cultural and psychological phenomenon that simply signifies a universally accepted group of practices, customs, lifestyles, and patterns of behaviour (Storey, 2006, p. 12).
The practices are prevalent within a given population, defining the lifestyles, tastes, and preferences of members. It is the totality of ideas, inclinations, values, attitudes, and other experiences that are considered preferred per an unofficial agreement inside the mainstream of any given culture.
Popular culture is manifested in inclinations and recognition or rejection of attributes in such various themes as clothing styles, music preferences, cooking, literature and poetry, consumption patterns, film, and blogging. Each of these themes has its own content and characteristics.
The Content and Characteristics of Blogging
Blogging is multidisciplinary, multicultural and multifaceted in nature. It should be remembered that the World Wide Web is a super highway of information and knowledge that know now borders in terms of geographical, cultural, social, and psychological orientations. As such, it is always difficult to limit the content of web logging to one particular perspective (Stoke, 2007, p. 174).
However, some Bloggers are interested in sharing their personal experiences, inspirational ideas, or knowledge about some common phenomena with others over the internet. Indeed, it is safe to argue that such Bloggers interested in social networking activities make up the largest proportion of blogs transmitted over the internet. The content of a blogging site may be as simple as an individual’s personal diary for the week, or his preferences and dislikes when it comes to eating, travelling, socializing, and others.
However, blogging entails much more than the above. According to Fishwick (1999), blogging is also about generating communities that shares important insights, resources, news, personal philosophies, and stories. It entails generating resilient networks where individuals, especially the youth, can share their problems, experiences, champion causes, and develop the space for innovation. Blogs have been used as reflective journals for an individual’s professional practice or social life. Still, blogging can be a valuable apparatus of sharing information at a local level.
However, some blogging sites are socially and psychologically harmful to the developing mind of adolescents as they deal with sexually explicit content and gang cultures. Overall, the features and content presented by blogging facilitates social networking and society building (Davies & McGrail, 2009, p. 75).
The characteristics of blogging as a form of popular culture are many and wide-ranging. First, successful bloggers must be knowledgeable and organized as they are always expected to have ready solutions to unanticipated situations. If the blogger is interested in social networking, he must have a sociable and outgoing character, and must view other people as sources of inspiration, knowledge and fresh ideas rather than as competitors (Stoke, 2007, p. 176).
Second, successful blogs are “characterized by a reverse chronological diary-like format, often produced by a single author, and intimately expressive of the author’s thoughts and expressions” (McCusker, 2008, para. 1).
A popular culture must enjoy a large, and sometimes hysterical mass following. For blogs to qualify as a form of popular culture, bloggers and their followers must have the ability to communicate with each other through an interactive format. In this respective, many blogging sites have an interactive section where readers can post their comments, suggestions, or questions.
The willingness and pleasure of bloggers to share their own knowledge, thoughts and experiences with others forms another significant characteristic of blogging. Also, for blogs to be able to influence individuals in the form of a popular culture, bloggers must have the capacity of accessing vital information from a number of valid sources everyday (Fishwick, 1999, p. 28).
In blogging, there exists a universally accepted code of behaviour, vocabulary, and peculiar way of writing posts. In most occasions, this is used as a basis of self identity and belonging. Lastly, the time factor is essential in the blogging culture as bloggers end up consuming large portions of their leisure and sleep time attempting to fulfil their irresistible desire to share with other individuals using conventional online platforms.
How Blogging Culture Fulfil Adolescent’s Psychological Needs
As already mentioned, the adolescence period is mostly characterized by instability and anxiety. It is a critical phase of development where an individual is neither a child nor an adult (Hamburg & Takanishi, 1989, p. 825). During this phase, many teenagers identify with various social-cultural experiences that act to sooth their anxieties.
Most individuals experience a complete shift in their media and socio-cultural preferences during adolescence. It is during this phase that individuals identify with experiences and events such as video games, reading novels and newspapers, going to concerts, gang culture, and, most lately, blogging culture.
As such, it can be vehemently argued that blogging fulfil the psychological needs of adolescents as it assists in cooling and soothing their anxieties and curiosities in life, which could prove disastrous if the teenagers are left on their own. In many instances, the teenagers are able to find answers about the changes happening in their bodies in the blogs.
Adolescents develop the capacity to surmount challenging situations in life through a mixture of external support networks and inner strengths. Positive blogging is known to contribute considerably to growth in flexible coping mechanisms and problem solving skills among the youth (Steinebach & Steinebach, 2009, p. 27).
In some cases during the developmental phase of adolescence, the teenagers are unable to open up even to the closest members of the family. They put their peers and social networks ahead of everything else in the social setting, and sometimes tend to disregard parental authority and advice.
In such circumstances, positive blogs come in handy to assist the individual to safely cope with the challenging moments. Most blogging sites dealing with adolescents are designed to reinforce supportive social bonds, capability, self-efficiency, and self-worth, ultimately encouraging resilience (Steinebach & Steinebach, 2009, p. 27).
Many adolescents become intrinsically motivated by engaging in blogging since it is an experience that they enjoy from within. Intrinsic motivation greatly assists the teenagers in enhancing their competence and self-determination. According to Arnone, Reynolds & Marshall (2009), “…Intrinsic motivation occurs when an individual engages in a particular task or behavior because it is enjoyable and satisfying in itself” (p. 117).
Most adolescents find the blogging culture deeply enjoyable and satisfying, and therefore are likely to benefit from intrinsic motivation. According to the authors, intrinsic motivation dwells within the individual, but the socio-cultural environment and experiences such as web logging and other popular cultures plays a significant function in supporting the teenagers’ feelings of self-determination, self-worth, and motivation.
It can be vehemently argued that blogging satisfies the psychological needs of adolescents in terms of friendship and an expansive social network without necessarily exposing them to the negative influences of covert peer pressure. Peers are known to have a commanding daily influence on the teenager’s healthy and unhealthy habits (Gutgesell & Payne, 2004, para. 11).
According to the authors, alcohol and drug use are encountered among teenagers who make physical contact. In situations where the peers make physical contact, such influence may go beyond substance abuse to other risk-taking actions such irresponsible sex.
For instance, peers who disrespect the significance of education may try to endorse negative school attitudes such as absenteeism or failure among unsuspecting adolescents. However, the situation changes when the social interaction is done online via blogging sites.
The chances of negatively influencing behavior where no physical contact is made are indeed minimal compared to when adolescents have the capacity to meet their peers face-to-face. In this respective, the blogging culture is able to meet the adolescent’s psychological needs of friendship and companionship without necessarily having to be negatively influenced through physical peer pressure.
The adolescence phase of individual development is often characterized by instances of delinquency and behavioral problems. However, systematic studies have revealed a correlation between the blogging culture and pro-social behavior, attitudes, and feelings of self-worth. The youth, unable to communicate their views and experiences, have leaned towards delinquent behavior. Systematic studies reveal that adolescence’ delinquent behavior is directly related to lack of communication, commitment, and attention (Fishwick, 1999, p. 12).
These functions are better handled by the blogging culture due to the fact that communication in the culture is open to all the adolescents. As already mentioned, adolescence is a period of unparalleled change, whereby teenagers experience spasms of exhilarated joy, tumbling despair, frozen apathy, and devastating experiences.
As such, teenagers tend to lean towards delinquent behavior. However, some popular cultures such as blogging have been viewed as a means of letting the teenagers expend the steam that is associated with the above named experiences. Through sharing in online blogs, the teenagers are able to comprehend about their experiences in an understandable and consoling manner.
Evaluation of Blogging Culture
The use of blogs as a popular culture among the teenagers is bound to grow in the future. According to experts, blogs have penetrated the lifestyles and value systems of the teenagers as they seem to have ready answers to the questions so frequently asked in adolescence (Fishwick, 1999, p. 32). With the increasing penetration of technology in many parts of the world, the blogging culture is bound to increase in popularity among the teenagers.
Indeed, the landscape of blogging has extensively grown in the 21 st Century from a social networking tool to a business oriented mechanism (Currid, 2003, para. 1). The adolescents, in particular, have benefited extensively from this culture since it has offered ready answers to their queries and anxieties during this challenging moment of individual development.
Answers to questions that the adolescents cannot direct to any specific member of the family are readily found in the web logs. What’s more, the blogging culture offers the anonymity of the subjects in a way that physical contact cannot guarantee. For adolescents, such kind of anonymity is always welcome.
The capacity to meet an individual’s psychological needs is viewed as an important motivator to group behavior (Shelaron & Bettencourt, 2002, p. 25).
Adolescents leans more towards deviant behavior if their psychological needs are unsatisfactorily met. As such, it should be the function of society to encourage the teenagers to link more with blogging sites as a means of socializing and finding ready answers to their problems and anxieties.
Adolescents need to be offered a chance to develop a healthy psychological disposition. The blogging culture is viewed by experts as one of the techniques that individuals can use to achieve significant developmental functions such as individuation, self-worth, and identity development processes (Goya, 2009, p. 3).
Conclusion
All in all, it is important to recognize adolescence as an important phase of individual development whereby individuals experience challenging situations that cannot be explained by even the closest members of the family. However, positive blogging culture has been found to enable the youth develop a capacity to deal with the most challenging situations in life through an assortment of external social support networks and individual inner strengths (Boniel-Nissam & Barak, 2009).
Indeed, “blogging has now become one of the most widely accepted forms of communication and impacts innumerable facets of our lives” (Gray, 2005, p.1). Through blogging, adolescents are able to link up with millions of other individuals who shares the same experiences and challenges, and who want to lead a positive life. In this perspective, the popular culture of blogging reinforces pro-social activities and self-esteem among the teenagers.
Reference List
Arnone, M. P., Reynolds, R., & Marshall, T. (2009). The effect of early adolescent’s psychological needs satisfaction among their perceived competence in information skills and intrinsic motivation for research. School Libraries Worldwide , Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 115-134. Web.
Boniel-Nissam, & Barak, A. (2009). The Therapeutic value of blogging by adolescents suffering from social difficulties . Web.
Currid, C. (2003). Get into the blogging Culture . Web.
Davis, A. P., & McGrail, E. (2009). The joy of blogging. Educational Leadership , Vol. 66, Issue 6, pp. 74-77
Fishwick, M. W. (1999). Popular culture: cavespace to cyberspace . Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press, Inc. ISBN: 078900643X.
Goya, M. Digitalization of adolescent transitional objects: From diaries to Blogs. Web.
Gray, C. J. (2005). Adolescent blogging: A comparison of developmental psychology and self-depiction in adolescent blogs . Web.
Gutgesell, M. E., & Payne, N. (2004). Issues of adolescent psychological development in the 21 st century. Pediatrics in Review , Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 79-85. Web.
Hamburg, D. A., & Takanishi, R. (1989). Preparing for life: The critical transition of adolescence. American Psychologist , Vol. 44, No. 5, pp. 825-827
Lewis, C., & Ketter, J. (2008). Encoding youth: Popular culture and multicultural literature in a rural context. Reading & Writing Quarterly , Vol. 24. pp. 283-310
McCusker, A. (2008). Blogging illness: Recovering in public . Media and Culture Journal , Vol. 11, No. 6. Web.
Shelalon, K. M., & Bettencourt, B. A. (2002). Psychological need-satisfaction and subjective well-being within social groups . British Journal of Social Psychology , Vol. 41, pp. 25-38. Web.
Steinebach, C., & Steinebach, U. (2009). Positive peer culture with German youth. Reclaiming Children and Youth , Vol. 18, Issue 2, p. 27-33
Stokes, C. E. (2007). Representing’ in cyberspace: Sexual scripts, self-definition, and hip hop culture in black American – adolescent girls’ home pages. Culture, Health, & Sexuality , Vol. 9, No. 2, pp 169-184
Storey, J. (2006). Cultural theory and popular culture: an introduction . University of Georgia Press. ISBN: 0820328391
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The Boutros Electoral Law in Lebanon Proposal
Introduction
In the recent past, questions have emerged in Lebanon about how to implement comprehensive and practical electoral reform to ensure a fair representation in the parliament and to make certain that elections are held in a free and fair manner. According to Salamey (2013), Lebanon has experienced a great deal of civil strife, notably the 1975 Civil War, which has been blamed on poor electoral laws that leave a section of the society feeling discriminated against. Every time the country comes close to having a solid electoral reform, controversy would emerge due to what Gleis & Berti describes as personal interest (Gleis & Berti 2012). While some people feel that the country should have laws that promote government by majority, others feel that there should be a proportionate system where the interests of all, including minorities, are taken into consideration during the elections.
The political elites have the responsibility of coming up with electoral laws that would protect country. Past events clearly demonstrate that the only way of ensuring that the country remains politically stable is to install electoral laws that society will consider fair and representative, as well as effective in meeting the expectations of all citizens. The political elites must realize that they are in leadership positions, and as such are expected to offer direction on this divisive issue to help protect the country.
Since 1957, a number of electoral law reforms have been proposed to help eliminate gerrymandered laws believed to helping those in power maintain their control. Some of these laws were so poorly designed that certain scholars even blamed them directly for the 1975 Civil War. In May 2006, then Prime Minister Fouad Siniora appointed a 12-member panel of experts, headed by Fouad Boutros, to come up with fresh electoral reform measures (Salamey 2013). The commission, commonly known as Boutros Commission, came up with a number of proposals designed to manage the interests of all citizens. The goal of this paper is to determine how relevant Boutros Electoral Law is in offering electoral guidance that is acceptable and unifying.
Analysis of Boutros Electoral Law
Electoral law reform
According to McQueen (2016), the stability of any country requires legitimate power that is recognized and validated by the public, whether under a dictatorial or democratic form of governance. The people must feel that leadership represents their interests and they must sense that they are considered part of the governance. In a democratic system of governance, the most important factor that those in power must consider is the election process. Given that the people are given the mandate to choose their leader, there must be a system that ensures their views are heard and respected in an electoral system. This is the case in Lebanon, where people are given the responsibility to elect their leaders.
However, Ekmekji (2002) says that the country has faced a number of challenges since the 1940s, as they try to balance the interest of a highly diversified group of people who make up the population of this country. There is a divide along religious lines, for example, and other demographic factors that cause polarization during every electioneering period. The country has never had a system where the entire population feels that they are effectively represented, which is why a number of regimes have in the past formed various commissions to address the concerning issues as a way of enhancing political stability in the country.
The Boutros Electoral Law Reforms Commission was established to address these concerns. At the time it was commissioned, Lebanon was still using a confessional system where Maronite Christians were guaranteed the country’s presidency, Sunni Muslims were guaranteed premiership, while Shiite Muslims were guaranteed to sit as Speaker of the House (McQueen 2016). This was a delicate arrangement, meant to ensure that every group felt they were fully represented in the government. However, Salamey (2013) says that a section of society feels that this form of government is out of touch with the realities of a modern democracy.
The main problem is that although many people are opposed to this structured form of leadership, they have been unable to agree on the best model going forward—one that would be accepted nationwide. There is also the issue of which model would be best for electing representatives into the parliament. The system has been subject to many changes, but there is yet to be a universally accepted system of electing representative to parliament. These are the most significant challenges that Lebanon now faces; they are the primary the primary reason why the Boutros Electoral Law was commissioned.
Important Principles of the Law
Along with the new reform law there emerged a number of new regulations, based on a variety of principles. To understand the principles on which the proposed draft law was based, it is important to look at the electoral policies it proposed.
Mixed electoral system
The Boutros Electoral Law proposes a mixed-electoral system (majority and proportionate; muhafazat and qadaas), which has been considered as its most important principle. Commissioners realized that having a system that focuses solely on majority or proportionate may be unsatisfactory because that was the major reason why previous electoral laws have long-since remained controversial. Embracing a majority system would be seen as creating opportunity for tyranny of the majority, where the voice of the minority remains forever muted.
On the other hand, giving more emphasis to a proportionate system, where elections are based on small constituencies, may raise controversy as it will be viewed as giving undue power to the minority. As such, the commissioners came up with something that lies between these two extremes. In the mixed method that was embraced by this commission, an amalgam of these elements was considered more appropriate for addressing the different needs of voters. This commission believed that the mixed method brought together advantages of both muhafazat and qadaas systems, where weakness of one system would be addressed by the other system. As McQueen (2016) asserts, it was a compromise of the two systems that was deemed controversial in this country.
Voting age
One issue that the commissioners considered of great concern was the lawful voting age for its citizens. Existing laws set the age for voting at 21 years old and older. However, the commissioners felt that it was necessary to reduce this to 18 years to be in line with other major democracies around the world. They believed that at 18 years old, one is capable of making independent and rational decisions about leadership of their country. According to Assi and Worrall (2015), this new regulation was meant to address concerns of the youth who were claiming that existing laws were biased against them. Lowering the legal age to vote was meant to demonstrate to the youth that the government is open to involving them in defining the future of the country.
Independent electoral commission
When the commission was tasked with the responsibility of developing new electoral laws, one of the major concerns it needed to address was widespread bribery, claims of rigging, and buying of the media to sell the propaganda of one segment of the political class. These are some of the issues that had in the past led to civil strife, and the Boutros commission was careful to come up with steps to address them. After broad and thoughtful consultation, the commission agreed that it was necessary to create an independent electoral commission that would be responsible for monitoring elections, including the campaign process and media financing. The commission would ensure that politicians do not incorrectly use media to manipulate or mislead the public. The commission was expected to oversee the electoral processes, from the registration of voters to voter education, and remain in charge of the actual voting process then announce the final results of the election. The commission also suggested that the independent electoral commission should be appointed by various stakeholders to ensure that their different interests would be taken into consideration in all activities inherent to the electioneering period.
Pre-printed ballots
The Boutros Electoral Law proposed that the ballot papers should have the names of all the candidates, and the symbol of their political parties, pre-printed for the purpose of making the voting process simpler and faster than what was current practice at that time. Common practice was for voters to write the name of their preferred candidate on the blank voting paper. This was a standard method in many democracies around the world, specifically meant to address the challenges faced by illiterate and semi-illiterate people who were unable to write the name of their preferred candidate on the paper. The new rule would help reduce cases of tainted voting that were very common. It was also necessary to help ensure that voting remains a secret process. The symbols, in fact, would be easy to identify, even by those who were illiterate, and cases where a voter may need assistance to choose a candidate would be significantly reduced.
Gender quota
Lebanon, just like many countries around the world and especially in the Middle East, sees men dominating most positions of leadership (Fakhoury 2009). This happens not only in political leadership but also in the corporate world where men make up the majority of chief executive officers and act often as senior managers. The need for equity in leadership led the commission to come up with a gender quota system that did not exist before in the country’s election system. The Boutros Commission proposed that women should be granted 30 percent of the seats in parliament (Fakhoury 2009). This was viewed as a deliberate attempt to achieve a one-third gender rule. These women were to be directly nominated after the election by individual political parties. This rule would ensure that a significant number of women would sit in parliament, possibly championing certain issues that applied more specifically to women in Lebanese society. According to Gleis and Berti (2012), this gender quota rule made the major assumption that women would frequently be underrepresented in the House. As such, the rule was meant to try and address the under-representation.
Non-resident voting
Lebanon has faced a number of challenges in the past in part related to civil strife, which has pushed a good number of citizens to migrate to other countries around the world. A number of Lebanese currently reside in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Australia. Others migrated to regional countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, and United Arab Emirates to seek political asylum or for other distinct personal reasons. The electoral laws that existed when the commission was appointed did not give these people in the Diaspora any opportunity to participate in their home country’s electoral process.
The commissioners felt that these people are still citizens of this country, and unless they revoked their citizenship, they had the right to vote during the general election. It maintained that it was the government’s responsibility to create appropriate avenues through which non-resident citizens could vote. It proposed that the electoral commission should identify countries or cities where there are significant populations of Lebanese and come up with a formula that would enable them participate in the elections. It also encouraged having the Lebanese who lived in places where it is logistically impossible to organize elections to travel to the country specifically to vote before traveling back. It also proposed countrywide same-day voting to enhance validity and acceptability of the election results.
Disallowing currently serving ministers to run for parliament
At the time when the commission was appointed, serving ministers were not barred by law to run for a political office. In fact, H̲azīn (2000) notes that it was easy for the ministers to win elections not only because of their financial muscle but also due to their influence in the electoral process, secured by their position in the government. The law was meant to eliminate cases where electorates misuse their offices to ensure that they are elected into parliament. A study had indicated that cases of ministers misusing government resources to ensure that they were elected were quite common (Salamey 2013). As such, the commission wanted to find a way to address this problem. It created a requirement for these ministers to leave office early enough in case they wanted to run for political offices. The law was meant to protect public resources and to ensure that those in power do not get personally involved in the election processes.
Outstanding questions
The implementation of Boutros Electoral Laws has not been realized despite the fact that it received approval not only from a section of the society in Lebanon but also in the wider international community, including the European Union. It is important to look at one outstanding question that may help in understanding the reason why this law has never been implemented since its 20016 implementation. The following is the fundamental question that needs to be answered when analyzing Boutros Electoral Laws.
How relevant is Boutros Electoral Law in offering electoral guidance that is acceptable and unifying?
Determining the relevance of this electoral law reform is important as the study seeks to determine why it has never been implemented. The government expended resources and spent money to come up with this law, and it is concerning that it has never been put into practice. To answer the above fundamental question, it is important to respond to the sub-questions below.
Why are the politicians reluctant to implement this law?
According to Assi and Worrall (2015), one questions that has been lingering over the Boutros Electoral Laws is the reason why the political elites have avoided its implementation after much effort and many resources were put in its enactment. The politicians had a legitimate reason to avoid implementation, and that reason emerged soon after the law was handed over to the government: the war with Israel. The war was then followed by a series of political crises that created instability across leadership entities of the country; however, many people expected that the law would be implemented in the 2009 elections. It was strange when the politicians agreed instead to enact the ancient 1960 electoral laws, which had in the past been heavily criticized.
Majoritarian voting in qaada had been criticized as being ineffective in its representation of the country’s population, but politicians preferred it over the newly enacted electoral reform laws (McQueen 2016). One aspect of the law that politicians rejected was the pre-printed ballots: in many democracies around the world, the candidates’ names are pre-printed on the available ballot papers, in alphabetical order, so the electorates only have to tick when voting. Many politicians argued that in pre-printed ballots, those whose names appear at the top have undue advantage over those whose names come later or even last on the ballot paper.
A study by McQueen (2016) shows that some of the politicians were opposed to the idea of barring serving ministers from seeking parliamentary elections. They felt that such a regulation would affect their political careers. There was also the contentious issue of gender quota. Some politicians felt that this was an unnecessary rule because women were not barred from seeking elective political seats. For these reasons and others concerns, politicians decided to go back to the 1960s electoral laws instead of implementing the more modern Boutros Electoral Laws.
According to Assi and Worrall (2015), the political elites feared the power of young voters.
What are the pros and cons of this law when implemented the way it is?
The proposed reforms had a number of pros and cons worth noting. It was evident that the proposed laws would reduce misuse of public resources by government officers running for political offices. Cost of the election itself, and the election process in general, would be simplified under this new system. It was also likely that cases of tainted voting results would be reduced or eliminated. McQueen (2016) says that this law absolutely ensured that women were adequately represented in the parliament. One of the main weaknesses of this proposed law was that it did not seem to consider adequately the fact that women can also work their way out in elective politics.
What are the possible amendments that are necessary to make this law popular among the political class?
Based on the major weakness of this proposed law, as stated above, the main amendment necessary would be to create elective positions for women instead of having them nominated post-election. It would also be necessary for the commission to come up with other laws instead of barring sitting ministers from engaging in elective politics.
The Variables
In this paper, the researcher put into consideration two variables, both independent and dependent. The independent variable was the following:
1. Implementation of the Boutros Electoral Law in Lebanese parliamentary elections.
The above independent variable may have an impact on the following dependent variable
1. An electoral system that is fair, acceptable, and able to unify the country politically.
In the above discussion, it has been determined that the proposed electoral laws would have a major impact on the country’s electoral system. It would help move toward fair representation of the people, reduce cases of electoral malpractices, and promote unity across the country. As such, it can be concluded that implementing the independent variable (Boutros Electoral Laws) would help in achieving attributes of the dependent variables.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Lebanon has gone through a long process trying to come up with appropriate electoral law reforms that are fair, acceptable, and able to unify the country politically. The proposal given in the Boutros Electoral Law was considered one of the best electoral law reforms that this country has ever enacted over the past six decades. However, it is unfortunate that these proposals have never been implemented. The politicians should consider implementing this proposed law instead of completely rejecting it, even if that means making some amendments before installing the law. The following is an inventory of recommendations that should be considered.
* Parliament should engage all relevant stakeholders in reviewing the Boutros Electoral Law Reforms.
* Any possible amendments should be made after a consensus is achieved.
* The proposed Boutros Electoral Law Reforms should then be ratified to help reform the elections in the country.
List of References
Assi, A & Worrall, J 2015, ‘Stable instability: the Syrian conflict and the postponement of the 2013 Lebanese parliamentary elections’, Third World Quarterly Journal , vol. 36, no. 10, pp. 1944-1967.
Ekmekji, A 2002, Confessionalism and electoral reform in Lebanon , The Aspen Institute Publishers, Beirut.
Fakhoury, M 2009, Democracy and power-sharing in stormy weather: The case of Lebanon , Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden.
Gleis, L & Berti, B 2012, Hezbollah and Hamas: A comparative study , Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
H̲azīn, F 2000, The breakdown of the state in Lebanon: 1967-1976 , Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
McQueen, B 2016, ‘Lebanon’s electoral system: Is reform possible’, Middle East Policy , vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 71–83.
Salamey, I 2013, The government and politics of Lebanon , Wiley & Sons Publishers, Hoboken.
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Pharmaceutical Manufacturer’s Market Research Essay
A pharmaceutical manufacturer observed 150 interactions between sales representatives and physicians and support staff.
In what category of research would this study fall?
The category in which the research falls is the qualitative using sampling techniques. Like in all qualitative researches, a more precise outcome about what is being studied remains to be the major objective (McQuarrie, 2006). In this case, a detailed picture about how sales representative behaves in certain circumstances as well as their feelings is to be built in order to inform future sales representative training.
What are advantages and disadvantages of this category of research?
However, it is essential to have the advantages and disadvantages of the sampling techniques used. The advantages of using sampling in the market research method used is that it ensures the sample represent the population hence the outcome (McQuarrie, 2006). Moreover, it is less costly when large populations are to be studied. In the contrary, in the event that the sample does not proportionally represent the larger population, the method is prone to biases (McQuarrie, 2006). In addition, when the long-time scale is considered, it can be uneconomical to achieve and the sample data are likely to change (Wenzel, 2012).
What would be the next step in the marketing research process?
The step that follows the data collection method or the research process is the analysis of the data that have been collected (Brown, 2008). The analysis requires different techniques depending on the method of data collection. During the analysis, it is essential that the trends be identified, patterns as well as any other vital information that would be useful in drawing the conclusion (Brown, 2008). The data analysis can use statistical techniques or any other techniques that would identify the patterns and trends existing in the collected data.
References
Brown, L. (2008). Market research and analysis . Rockville, Maryland: Wildside Press LLC.
McQuarrie, E. (2006). The market research toolbox: a concise guide for beginners . Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE.
Wenzel, A. (2012). The entrepreneur’s guide to market research. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.
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“The Power of Horses” Story by Elizabeth Cook-Lynn Essay
The Power of Horses is one of fifteen stories contained in the book The Power of Horses and Other Stories by a famous American short stories writer, Elizabeth Cook-Lynn. The author depicts the culture and the life of people in South Dakota, where she was born. The power of horses describes the story of an Indian girl, Marlene, whose family has many horses, but they have to sell them. Its central themes are challenges, which the Dakota people were facing, and complex relationships between the main characters.
The events take place on a farm in South Dakota. One day, an Indian girl, Marlene, one of the protagonists of the story, cooks beets with her mother. The readers can notice a conflict between them as the girl does this hot and uncomfortable job reluctantly. Then, she sees her father talking to an unknown white man. When they have run horses into a corral, Marlene asks her mother why her father was going to sell them, but the woman does not want to answer at first. After a while, she tells her daughter a story about her childhood, when her family had many horses, there was a mystic one, which could talk to people. However, white men came to their farm and took their animals when her “grandfather died because, they said, they were going to breed game birds there” (Cook-Lynn 72). The girl’s mother supposes that these people killed the horses.
Another protagonist of The Power of Horses is the girl’s father. He realizes that he does not want to sell the horses. That is why he wakes up his daughter the next morning after that white man’s arrival. He asks Marlene to ride with him to take the horses to the north pasture before the horse buyer returns. When they reached the ridge, “the girl and her father stopped and let the horses go their way, wildly” (Cook-Lynn 77). Even though the grass is short and it will be challenging to provide food for the horses, her father decided to keep them. It is unclear whether the horses will survive the drought conditions on their own, and the family will be impoverished by their loss.
In the story The Power of Horses , the author addresses the issue of the relationships between generations. Elizabeth Cook-Lynn highlights the significant influence of both parents on this young girl. They teach their daughter to respect their traditional familial values. More than that, another important idea of the story is that people should never give up despite the circumstances. The girl’s father represents an example of such a strong character. He, out of respect for the mythic power of his horses, decides to free them rather than sell them to an insensitive horse buyer.
The Power of Horses is a thought-provoking story whose events lead to an inescapable conclusion. By releasing the horses, Marlene’s father has reclaimed his dignity and autonomy and reestablished continuity between his family’s experience and its tribal heritage. Furthermore, each member of the family has contributed to this outcome – her mother in invoking mythic history, and Marlene in grasping and extending it. Elizabeth Cook-Lynn managed to plunge readers into the atmosphere of this severe period of American history and show the difficulties Dakota people had to encounter.
Work Cited
Cook-Lynn, Elizabeth. The Power of Horses and Other Stories. University of Arizona Press, 2006.
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Converting Non-profit Agencies into Financially Viable Institutions Proposal
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Objectives and Scope
3. Literature Review
4. Methodology
5. Data Collection
6. Data Analysis
7. Implementation Plan
8. Critical Discussion/Conclusion
9. References
Introduction
Non-profit organisations depend on “Voluntary, public and corporate funding through donations and bequests to render their services” (Todnem, 2005, p. 377). Increase in the number of non-profit organisations has led to competition for financial support. On the other hand, the available monetary resources have continued diminishing.
Furthermore, the monetary funds are neither adequate nor conventional. Non-profit institutions, thus, have to revolutionise and develop resourceful strategies of income creation. Even though the non-profit corporations are expected to spend all their financial resources in public services, they are not prohibited from converting to financially viable institutions.
However, that calls for management and organisational values, which are conventionally perceived as belonging to the for-profit institutions. This proposal will discuss measures that can be taken to convert non-profit agencies into financially viable institutions.
Mayrhofer (2004) recommends use of a grand conjecture to institute practical decisions, which are founded on realistic theories that constitute vital characteristics associated with all sensible issues that organisational leaders tend to tackle. This proposal will utilise the Biomatrix theory to establish a guideline for transforming non-profit organisations into financially viable institutions.
Objectives and Scope
The prime intention of this proposal is to determine how change management process can be utilised to fashion a fundamental revolution of the non-profit organisations to turn them into sustainable institutions. A fundamental revolution refers to transformation in organisational cultures.
It engages changing employees’ behaviour and way of thinking. The proposal aims at offering insights from an external point of view and direction for triumphant transition for organisational management teams. The project will use the terms organisational transformation and organisational change interchangeably.
The paper will investigate realistic discourse between the present condition and an ideal blueprint for the future. Besides, the paper will not have a particular organisation in mind. Instead, it will come up with a change plan that can be utilised by all non-profit organisations.
Literature Review
Globalisation and advent of modern technologies have led to considerable changes in organisations and organisational theories. McMillan (2004, p. 1) alleges, “Traditional notions of institutions and how to manage them may have suited more stable times, but they do not offer effective solutions to corporations coping with fast-flowing uncertainties of the modern world”. This proposal will draw on McMillan’s research.
In his study, McMillan (2004) explains the reduction of scientific archetype and mechanistic global views that are symbolized by linear methods, conventional patterns and collectively applicable regulations. A big number of the non-profit organisations work with an attitude of the industrial epoch preventing them from accomplishing their goals in these tumultuous times.
MacMillan (2004) identifies novel ways of thinking and working that may empower non-profit organisations to deal with challenges emanating from globalisation and technological development. He draws an explicit comparison between traditional and modern perceptions of organisational transformation. Nevertheless, MacMillan does not clearly elaborate managers’ opinion on the different attitudes.
The study will also draw on Argyris (1993) research. Argyris (1993) describes the present contemporary linear methods. His study focuses on incremental top-down procedures where change is designed and discharged sequentially. Nevertheless, Argyris (1993) overlooks the fact that the world is dynamic.
The world cannot remain static waiting for an organisation to implement its changes. According to Senge (1990, p. 79), “Most authors though clearly demonstrate a novel worldview, which is conscious of a hastily changing world where small causes can have big effects and where different approaches are needed”. Dostal (2005) contends that organisations are coming up with mechanisms to help them transform and cope with changes in a progressive manner.
In his literature, Dostal (2005) shows how organisations have come up with employee training programs to equip workers with skills on how to implement changes in a holistic and universal way. Dostal (2005) recommends Biomatrix theory as the best approach for achieving an integrative and holistic organisational transformation.
Stake (1995) argues that organisations require novel skills in order to work efficiently in a specified circumstance. Stake’s research is empathic. It is progressively focused and responsive to occurrences. Hence, the proposal will depend on the study to elucidate some of the measures that non-profit organisations may espouse to help them cope with the dynamic world. Stake (1995) applies systemic reasoning in his research.
He argues “The logic of the problem is not the logic of the solution” (Stake, 1995, p. 17). As a result, he advocates the establishment of problem-solving techniques based on novel and contemporary logic. Organisational ethos plays a significant role during change discharge.
Dostal (2005) alleges, “The ethos is the core of an organisation….describes the organisation’s culture, values, the guiding principles and beliefs, and the underlying information according to which the system evolves” (p. 60). Gratton (2004) explains how ethos influences organisational change. In her literature, she insists on the importance of considering ethos during brand development.
Additionally, Gratton (2004) identifies the different forms of philosophies and how they might influence organisational transformation. Hence, the proposal will use Dostal and Gratton’s literature to formulate strategies for dealing with ethos during organisational transformation.
Pascale, Millemann and Gioja (2000) assert that the success of organisational change depends on seven systems aspects and their correlation. These aspects are ethos, cultures, aims, process, structure, governance and substance. Pascale et al. (2000) describe how management influences organisational change.
Even though Pascale et al. (2000) describe how an organisation can efficiently introduce changes, they do not elaborate how a corporation can attain stability after changes. Therefore, the proposal will attempt to close this gap by identifying practices that non-profit institutions can apply to achieve stability after implementing changes.
In addition, Pascale et al. (2000) identify operational and adaptive challenges as some of the problems that arise due to organisational transformation. They further highlight some approaches that organisations can exploit to deal with these problems. Consequently, their literature will be invaluable to this proposal. Non-profit agencies are bound to encounter adaptive and operational challenges after transformation.
They cannot respond to the challenges if they are not equipped with the necessary skills. The proposal will draw on Pascale et al. (2000) ideas to develop a response plan for non-profit organisations. Archer (2000) uses Lewin’s model to elaborate the success of organisational change. She asserts, “Change occurs when forces that support organisation’s stable behaviour are modified” (Archer, 2000, p. 18).
She identifies two groups of forces that contend with one another during organisational transformation. Her literature gives astute information on how organisations can deal with the two forces. Therefore, the proposal will rely on Archer’s research to identify forces that might conflict during change implementation in non-profit organisations.
Besides, it will adopt Archer’s solutions. The main challenge with Archer’s literature is that the answers she gives are theoretical. She does not give an account of cases where the solutions were proofed successful. Hence, rather than endorsing Archer’s solutions as the ultimate solution to change management, the proposal will use them jointly with solutions obtained from other literatures.
Lewin’s model gives an explicit approach to organisational transformation. Hence, this research will rely on Lewin’s model to identify measures that might help to transform non-profit organisations. Lewin gives three-stage processes, which are critical to organisational transformation. The research will draw on the three phases to establish how non-profit institutions can realise changes.
Lewin’s model is flexible. Consequently, it is easy to modify it compared to other transformation models. One of the drawbacks of Lewin’s model is that it is “Based on small scale samples, and more importantly, it is based on the assumption that organisations act under constant conditions that can be taken into consideration and planned for” (Todnem, 2005, p. 367).
Therefore, the project will come up with ways of using Lewin’s theory to solve problems involving large scale samples. Besides, it will try to figure out how Lewin’s theory can be modified to address unpredictable and rapid changes. Holbeche (2009) is a specialist in the organisational development field. In his literature, he outlines skills and knowledge that managers should have before they embark on change discharge.
He further describes some approaches that leaders can use during change management. Holbeche’s work will help the study to identify the factors that might inhibit changes in non-profit organisations. The main disadvantage of Holbeche’s work is that it advocates broad-natured action series, which might not help to solve exclusive institutional contexts.
Thus, the study will use Holbeche’s work to come up with a “contingency” or “situational” approach that can be applied in non-profit organisations. The approach will focus on situational variables that affect different non-profit institutions.
Methodology
The proposal will use case study design to come up with information about how non-profit organisations can transform into financially viable institutions. Merriam (1998) claims, “Case study does not claim any particular method for data collection or data analysis” (p. 29). By drawing on a case study, researcher will be concerned of gathering novel information, evaluating them and gaining insights.
The proposal does not aim at experimenting any theory. Instead, it will investigate ten non-profit organisations to determine how they are transforming into financially viable institutions, and what should be done to help them achieve their objectives. The reason for selecting ten institutions is to warrant that the research gathers sufficient data within the available duration.
One advantage of case studies is that they emphasise particularisation and uniqueness rather than generalisation. Besides, case studies strive to understand the situation, but not to distinguish it from others. Therefore, the researcher will hoard different findings from various non-profit organisations and later compare the results to come up with a comprehensive report.
Cases studies are classified according to subject orientation (Merriam, 1998). The proposal will treat the study of non-profit organisations as an “Action research case study, utilising knowledge from the Biomatrix framework” (Merriam, 1998, p. 27).
To satisfactorily examine the situation and come up with viable solutions, researcher will require a broad and holistic knowledge of the environment of non-profit organisations, which make up the range of the study. According to Banister, Burman, Parker, Taylor and Tindall (1994), researchers’ “equality of status” refers those who participate in the study.
The equality of status insists that opinions of those involved in research should be treated as core to the research activity. In case of the non-profit organisations, the views of the participants will, therefore, be considered core to this study. The study assumes that all participants will respond to research questions to the best of their understanding and experience.
Data Collection
Action research is a multi-method research (Benister et al., 1994). Therefore, this proposal will use different modes of data collection based on the required information. In this proposal, data will be comprehensively collected. The study will obtain primary data through group and private interviews and participant observation.
The researcher, with the help of leaders from chosen non-profit organisations, will select respondents from workers and organise for group and private interviews. The study will use questionnaires to gather information from group and private interviews. Respondents will be given time to react to different questions concerning the challenges they encounter in the attempts to convert their organisations to financially workable institutions.
Besides, they will get a chance to brainstorm and suggest some of the changes that their institutions can implement to overcome the challenges. Questions will be framed in unstructured mode to allow the participants to make clarifications on their responses.
The study will also apply the policy of active participation to gather uniform information. Investigator will be actively involved in data collection after duration of intense observation to familiarise with the procedures. The investigator will identify five non-profit organisations from the selected sample and organise for site visits to observe what transpires within the organisations.
The five organisations will be identified based on the measures they have taken to switch to financially viable institutions and the duration they have implemented the measures. The study will use this method to “Enhance the possibility of subjectivity of the research and complicate it to avert researcher provoked biases” (Stake, 1995, p. 44).
Stake (1995) asserts, “Subjectivity is not seen as a failing needing to be eliminated but as an essential element of understanding” (p. 45). The researcher will regularly assume neutral positions to limit biases. In addition, the researcher will gather secondary data from peer-reviewed journals and books. A key focus will be put on gathering of data from sources hailing from varied dimensions in search for a pattern and uniformity.
Secondary data will mainly be collected from peer-reviewed journals and books that tackle the topic of organisational change and development. Additionally, the study will use anecdotes compiled by organisational leaders detailing challenges encountered during corporate transformation. This will serve to supplement primary data collected from the field.
Data Analysis
The study will use a combination of ground theory, quasi-statistics and hermeneutical methods to analyse data. Ground theory will facilitate to interpret information gathered from secondary sources. Researcher will focus on pointers of categories in behaviour and phenomena. The pointers will be coded, and the codes compared to determine differences and consistencies.
Consistencies between codes will facilitate to establish categories of different trends and behaviours. The analysis will stop when no more classes can be obtained, and core and axial categories determined from the identified groups. As aforementioned, the study will gather data from different sources in search for consistency. Therefore, it will use quasi-statistic method of data analysis to achieve this.
The researcher will calculate the number of times particular challenges or measures are pointed out by various participants to determine their frequency. The researcher will then enumerate the challenges and measures to establish categories. In addition, the study will use quasi-statistic method in collaboration with the ground theory to determine if observations are altered.
The study will be subjective. It will seek to analyse the findings and come up with solutions based on the situations that non-profit organisations go through. Final solution will be reached based on information obtained from the respondents and secondary sources.
Therefore, the study will utilise hermeneutic analysis to analyse data gathered from the respondents. Researcher will try to take a neutral ground when interpreting the data. The analysis will rely on participants’ responses. The analysis will use a number of layers of interpretation and compare them with information corrected from secondary sources. Additionally, the researcher will use context to have a clear picture of the non-profit organisations.
Implementation Plan
For a qualitative study to be successful, researchers should prepare carefully and carry out research systematically. It is imperative to have a lucid plan of when to start and end a project so as to allocate adequate time for each activity. The study will involve a number of activities, which include organising for site visits, preparing questionnaires, holding group and private interviews and studying secondary data among others.
All these activities will be completed within a period of six months, and the findings compiled. The study will start with a thorough preparation, which will take a maximum of 20 days. Preparation will involve selecting non-profit organisations and secondary sources to use for the research. Additionally, it will entail looking for the necessary research materials and financial resources to facilitate the research process.
The next activity will be preparing questionnaires for use in the study. The activity will take 21 days. The researcher will run a pilot study of the questionnaires to find out if they will capture the needed information. Therefore, preparation of questionnaires will go hand-in-hand with identification of a sample group to use for pilot study.
Results gathered from the sample group will help to structure final questionnaires to be used during the actual study. The pilot study will help the researcher to identify the best non-profit organisations to use for the study. The activity will be followed by site visits to inform organisational leaders about the researcher’s intention to carry out research in their companies and seek authorisation.
Upon authorisation, the researcher will begin to identify respondents and seek their consent before furnishing them with questionnaires. This process will take 40 days. The activity requires adequate time since the researcher has to move from one non-profit organisation to another. Besides, the researcher will need time to familiarise the respondents with the study and convince them that the survey will observe and respect their privacy.
The researcher will start organising for group and private interviews immediately after coming up with the right number of participants. The interviews will take three weeks. Interviews will be held within the organisations and at the times when employees are not busy to avoid interfering with normal operations of the organisations.
Additionally, some group interviews will require more than one day ensuring that participants respond to all questions. The researcher will have to finish with one organisation before going to the other. All the ten non-profit institutions will be allocated equal time.
After group and private interviews, the researcher will identify five non-profit organisations and arrange for site visits to gain firsthand experience in how the corporations are trying to convert to financially viable institutions. The researcher will observe and videotape the activities going on in the organisation.
Moreover, the researcher will identify challenges that affect the activities. The activity will take 20 days, with the researcher spending four days in each organisation. It will be followed by collection of secondary data from peer-reviewed journals and organisational anecdotes. The researcher will visit public libraries to collect information on how non-profit organisations can transform into financially viable institutions.
Besides, the study will use the internet and other available resources. The process will last for 20 days. After data collection, the researcher will embark on data analysis. The researcher will require adequate time to analyse and compare data collected from different non-profit organisations.
Moreover, the researcher will require time to compare primary data with secondary data obtained from public library and organisational anecdotes. Data analysis and compilation will take 40 days. The researcher will have ample time to use all necessary methods of data analysis and comparison to come up with accurate and feasible conclusion. After compiling the results, the researcher will take ten days to present and explain the results.
Also, he will give recommendations on what should be done to help non-profit organisations transform to financially viable institutions. Below is a Gantt diagram for the research implementation.
Activities/ Feb 01-Feb 20 Feb 21-March 13 March 14-April 27 April 28-May 18 May 19-June 07 June 07-July 17 July 17-July 24
Duration
Research preparation
Questionnaire development and running of pilot study
Respondents selection and interview administration
Active observation and video recording
Collection of secondary data
Data analysis and compilation
Research presentation
Critical Discussion/Conclusion
Biomatrix theory is a contemporary systems approach. It is a comprehensive approach to organisational transformation. The method was selected because it views an organisation as a system, which is developing over time.
Additionally, the approach puts into consideration environmental factors that influence organisational transformation. Gustavson (2001) alleges, “Biomatrix theory considers dynamic environment where pluralism and many-sidedness are the order rather than uniformity and single directedness….allows comprehensive analysis of organisations without losing picture of the whole organisation” (p. 20).
It is hard to give a precise solution on how non-profit corporations can transform into financially viable institutions. Nevertheless, with the help of Biomatrix theory, organisational leaders can incorporate feasible business models into non-profit institutions. What leaders should know is that before they start planning for transformation, they should have a clear picture of the institution’s future.
This study has the potential of converting non-profit organisations into financially viable institutions, therefore, ensuring their sustainability. Besides, the proposal has the potential of saving non-profit institutions the burden of looking for donors to fund their short-term projects.
Non-profit institutions are meant to benefit the public. Hence, there are state laws that dictate their activities. The proposal may give some recommendations that contravene state laws. Hence, it is imperative to understand all state laws before implementing the recommendations.
The proposed research may be susceptible to a number of ethical challenges. Participants may not be willing to disclose sensitive information due to fear of discrimination. Moreover, organisational leaders may decline to disclose information that they deem to violate state laws due to fear that it may reach state agents. Thus, the research may end up not gathering adequate and accurate information that can be used to give viable recommendations.
References
Archer, M. (2000). Being human: The problem of agency . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Argyris, C. (1993). Knowledge for action. A guide to overcoming barriers to organizational change . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Banister, P., Burman, E., Parker, I., Taylor, M., & Tindall, C. (1994). Qualitative methods in psychology. A research guide . Buckingham: Open University Press.
Dostal, E. (2005). Biomatrix: A systems approach to organisational and societal change . Cape Town: University of Cape Town Press.
Gratton, L. (2004). The democratic enterprise . London: Pearson Education.
Gustavsen, B. (2004). Theory and practice: The mediating discourse . London: SAGE Publications.
Holbeche, L., (2009). Organisational development- what’s in a name? Impact, 26 (1), 6-9.
Mayrhofer, W. (2004). Social systems theory as theoretical framework for human resource management-benediction or curse? Management Review, 15 (2), 178-191.
McMillan, E. (2004). Complexity, organizations and change . London: Routledge.
Merriam, S. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Pascale, R., Millemann, M., & Gioja, L. (2000). Surfing the edge of chaos . New York: Three Rivers Press.
Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline . New York: Doubleday.
Stake, R. (1995). The art of case study research . Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications.
Todnem, R. (2005). Organisational change management: A critical review. Journal of Change Management, 5 (4), 369-380.
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Artistic Representation of Nature Essay
One of the main qualities of visual art is that it allows people to get in touch with the surrounding physical reality through the perceptual lenses of another person’s mind – hence, making it possible for the spectators to experience the sensation of aesthetic pleasure. 1 The derived pleasure often proves particularly intense when the art piece in question is inspired by the works of nature, or when it is concerned with depicting the natural environment.
This simply could not be otherwise – nature has always served as an important source of creative inspiration for many generations of artists. The actual explanation for this has to do with the innermost essence of art, as the instrument for amplifying the pleasurable aspects of one’s ‘experience of being’. 2 When exposed to the elements, most people naturally grow to feel aesthetically overwhelmed – especially when surrounded by some breathtaking scenery. In its turn, this triggers several artistic anxieties in them – hence, prompting the affected individuals to consider creating art, or to act ‘artfully’. 3
Nevertheless, even though nature does inspire artists more or less equally, how they channel their fascination with the natural environment vary rather substantially. The most logical explanation as to why this is being the case is that just about any nature-inspired work of art is reflective of the specifics of ‘mental wiring, on the part of its creator. 4 What this means is that it is possible to experience the aesthetic thrill of observing ‘nature art’, and to gain certain insights into the innermost workings of the affiliated artist’s mentality. To substantiate the validity of this suggestion, I will discuss some nature-depicting paintings by Janaina Tschape and Katherine Del Barton.
Janaina Tschape is a German-born artist, who had spent her formative years in Brazil, and who now resides in New York. She is known for her willingness to experiment with the innovative artistic techniques, as well as for the prominent impressionist quality of many of her artworks. 5 Tschape’s painting Winter stands out as a perfect example in this respect.
Winter .
Even a glance at this artwork will reveal that by working on it, the artist was the least concerned with trying to ensure the lifelikeness of what is being depicted. Rather, she strived to provide the visualization of the whole range of her feelings, invoked by the snowy weather outside of the window. Partially, this explains a certain nebulosity of the author’s artistic representations of a cloudy sky, trees, water in the river, bridge, and some watery streaks on the window.
After all, it does take some time observing Tschape’s painting to realize that the cloud-like objects in the artwork’s upper part are indeed clouds and not the crowns of some trees, for example. This, however, is exactly what contributes towards strengthening the impression that the depicted objects are in a state of some elusive motion. The unmistakably ‘cold’ palette of the featured colors does its work helping to establish a proper perceptual mood in onlookers. 6
Tschape did not merely strive to ‘catch the moment’ while creating this painting, but also to present its discursive motifs being inseparable from her sense of individuality – hence, the earlier mentioned impressionist appearance of the analyzed art piece. In a certain sense, the artist’s personality is being objectified within the compositional elements of the painting, which implies that Winter is as much about the author herself, as it is about the portrayal of the snowy landscape in the distance. Essentially the same applies to Tschape’s other painting Clouds .
Clouds.
As we can see in it, the depicted clouds resemble the real ones only formally. However, while exposed to this painting, one is likely to experience the realistic sensation of standing under the cloudy sky. Just as it is the case with the earlier mentioned painting , Clouds presents viewers with the strongly personalized artistic account of nature – hence, the presence of bright yellow color amidst the otherwise ‘cold’ ones. In the painting, they codify the hidden ‘clusters of meaning’, which the audience members are expected to be able to ‘decipher’. 7 It is namely while ‘deciphering’ the artwork’s implicit semiotics that viewers can experience the feeling of aesthetic excitement. This excitement will prove particularly intense in those individuals who know a thing or two about the theory of art.
In light of what has been said earlier, it will be appropriate to suggest that Tschape tends to use the images of nature in her works as the vehicles for promoting her own highly subjective understanding of what accounts for the effects of one’s exposure to the surrounding natural environment on the formation of his or her attitudes towards life. Thus, it will only be logical to assume that Tschape’s interrelationship with nature is marked by the artist’s unconscious tendency to think of nature’s expressions as such that serve the purpose of helping her become increasingly enlightened, as to what accounts for human life.
For Tschape, nature is much more of an abstract idea of some omnipresent potency than merely the object of one’s aesthetic admiration. This provides us with a rationale to suggest that both paintings reflect the aesthetic workings of Tschape’s ‘Faustian’ psyche 8 – the artist regards nature to be the actual key to discovering the innate principles of how the universe operates, even without being aware of it consciously. Therefore, there is nothing too odd about the apparent whimsicalness of the artist’s style – it is yet another indication of Tschape’s innate predisposition towards trying to achieve some sort of intellectual enlightenment by the mean of subjecting the surrounding nature to her emotionally driven aesthetic inquiry.
The artworks of Del Kathryn Barton (an Australian artist, who lives in Sydney 9 ) are concerned with the deployment of the entirely different methodological approach to depicting nature, as compared to that of Tschape. The most notable difference in this regard is that whereas the works of the latter connote ‘motion’, Barton’s paintings are best described as ‘motionless’, in the representational sense of this word.
Partially, this can be explained by the reference being made to the technical details of how Barton’s artistic masterpieces come into being, “Her (Barton’s) paintings show an obsession with meticulous mark-making; from minuscule dotting to veins on leaves and strands of hair. Being that the production process for her larger paintings is extremely labor-intensive”. 10 To exemplify that this is indeed the case, we can refer to the artist’s painting Animals , as seen below.
Animals.
What immediately comes into one’s eye, regarding the subtleties of Barton’s artistic style, is that they are strongly ornamental. That is, the author made a deliberate point of using bright colors to increase the anthropomorphic appeal of the depicted animals – the aesthetic technique commonly used by the Aboriginal people in Australia. 11 The impression that Barton’s artwork was indeed inspired by the legacy of Aboriginal art is strengthened even further by the visual and thematic idealization of nature, 12 achieved through the application of the tiny bits of paint to the canvas throughout its entirety.
Given the sheer amount of time, required to create artworks like Animals , the discussed painting cannot be deemed quite as spontaneous and ‘moody’, as it is the case with Tschape’s Winter and Clouds . At the same time, however, there are a few similarities between the aesthetic strategies of both artists. The most distinctive of them is that, just as it appears to be the case with Tschape, Barton tends to treat the emanations of nature as being highly symbolical and allegorical. The artist’s painting Birds can be considered as yet another proof in this regard.
Birds.
That is, nature for Barton is more of an abstract idea than something that can be experienced and enjoyed as a ‘thing in itself’. While observing Barton’s art, people are also required to solve a mental puzzle as to what accounts for the proper approach to interpreting this art’s symbolical denotations. Thanks to the artist, there is nothing too challenging about the task. The pale coloring of human hands (one of the compositional elements in both Barton’s paintings), as well as how they are portrayed, implies that Barton uses her art as a medium for channeling the message of environmental friendliness to people. According to this message, people must aspire to live in perfect harmony with nature.
There is, however, even more to it. As it can be confirmed regarding the mentioned paintings by Barton, just about every depicted object in them is shown visually interlocking with the rest, which results in increasing the measure of both paintings’ holistic integrity. This specific effect is brought about by the fact that, despite the elaborative detailing of each component in Barton’s paintings, all of the featured elements (including the tiniest ones) are perceived as the integral parts of a whole.
Therefore, there is nothing accidental about the presence of Aboriginal motifs in Barton’s artworks – the specifics of the artist’s conceptualization of nature correlates well with the provisions of Non-Western ‘perceptual holism’, which stands in opposition to the Western (object-oriented) outlook on the natural environment and one’s place in it. 13
Thus, there is indeed a good reason to believe that the significance of a particular artistic representation of nature should be discussed in conjunction with what accounts for the affiliated artist’s psycho-cognitive predispositions, which define the qualitative aspects of this person’s aesthetic stance. This concluding remark is fully consistent with the paper’s initial thesis. There can be no ‘pure art’ 14 – just about every form of artistic expression is symptomatic of its originator’s psychological predilection – just as it was implied in the paper’s introductory part.
One of this conclusion’s possible implications is that, as time goes on, the positivist theories of art, based on the assumption that there are universally recognized ‘canons’ in the artistic domain, will continue to fall out of favor with more and more people. 15 The dialectical laws of history predetermine such an eventual development.
Bibliography
Chakravarty, Ambar. “The Neural Circuitry of Visual Artistic Production and Appreciation: A Proposition.” Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology 15, no. 2 (2012): 71-75.
Currie, Gregory. “Actual Art, Possible Art, and Art’s Definition.” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 68, no. 3 (2010): 235-241.
Davey, E. R. “‘Soft Framing’: A Comparative Aesthetics of Painting and Photography.” Journal of European Studies 30, no. 118 (2000): 133-155.
De Lorenzo, Catherine. “The Hang and Art History.” Journal of Art Historiography no. 13 (2015): 1-17.
Galenson, David. “The Life Cycles of Modern Artists: Theory and Implications.” Historical Methods 37, no. 3 (2004): 123-136.
Hawkins, Celeste. “ Del Kathryn Barton. ” The Art and the Curious , 2015. Web.
Leslie, Donna. “Seeing the Natural World Art & Reconciliation.” Art Monthly Australia no. 258 (2013): 30-33.
McClelland, Kenneth. “John Dewey: Aesthetic Experience and Artful Conduct Education and Culture.” Education and Culture 21, no. 2 (2005): 44-62.
Murphy, Margueritte. “Pure Art, Pure Desire: Changing Definitions of l’Art Pour l’Art from Kant to Gautier.” Studies in Romanticism 47, no. 2 (2008): 147-160.
Pearse, Emma. “Janaina Tschape.” ARTnews 104, no. 9 (2005): 184-185.
Tekiner, Deniz. “Formalist Art Criticism and the Politics of Meaning.” Social Justice 33, no. 2 (2006): 31-44.
Thomas, Daniel. “Aboriginal Art: Who Was Interested?” Journal of Art Historiography no. 4 (2011): 1-10.
Vasilenko, Ivan. “Dialogue of Cultures, Dialogue of Civilizations.” Russian Social Science Review 41, no. 2 (2000): 5-22.
Wilson, Henry. “Pleasure Palettes.” World of Interiors 30, no. 1 (2010): 58-67.
Young, Michael. “Del Kathryn Barton: Disco Darling.” Art and AsiaPacific no. 96 (2015): 68-69.
Footnotes
1. Gregory Currie, “Actual Art, Possible Art, and Art’s Definition.” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 68, no. 3 (2010): 237.
2. Kenneth McClelland, “John Dewey: Aesthetic Experience and Artful Conduct Education and Culture.” Education and Culture 21, no. 2 (2005): 46.
3. E. R. Davey, “‘Soft Framing’: A Comparative Aesthetics of Painting and Photography.” Journal of European Studies 30, no. 118 (2000): 138.
4. Ambar Chakravarty, “The Neural Circuitry of Visual Artistic Production and Appreciation: A Proposition.” Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology 15, no. 2 (2012): 72.
5. Emma Pearse, “Janaina Tschape.” ARTnews, 104, no. 9 (2005):185.
6. Henry Wilson, “Pleasure Palettes.” World of Interiors 30, no. 1 (2010): 65.
7. David Galenson, “The Life Cycles of Modern Artists: Theory and Implications.” Historical Methods 37, no. 3 (2004): 129.
8. Ivan Vasilenko, “Dialogue of Cultures, Dialogue of Civilizations.” Russian Social Science Review 41, no. 2 (2000): 10.
9. Michael Young, “Del Kathryn Barton: Disco Darling.” Art and AsiaPacific 96 (2015) 68.
10. Celeste Hawkins, “Del Kathryn Barton.” The Art and the Curious , 2015. Web.
11. Daniel Thomas, “Aboriginal Art: Who Was Interested?” Journal of Art Historiography no. 4 (2011): 14.
12. Catherine De Lorenzo, “The Hang and Art History.” Journal of Art Historiography no. 13 (2015): 5.
13. Donna Leslie, “Seeing the Natural World Art & Reconciliation.” Art Monthly Australia no. 258 (2013): 32.
14. Margueritte Murphy, “Pure Art, Pure Desire: Changing Definitions of l’Art Pour l’Art from Kant to Gautier.” Studies in Romanticism 47, no. 2 (2008): 147.
15. Deniz Tekiner, “Formalist Art Criticism and the Politics of Meaning.” Social Justice 33, no. 2 (2006): 33.
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The Domestic Violence Arrest Laws Essay
There are three main types of domestic violence arrest laws manifest in the United States. The arrest regulations employed by various states include mandatory arrest, pro-arrest, and permissive arrest laws. Consequently, there often arises a debate on which of the policies serves best in protecting the victims of domestic violence. As a result, there are endless arguments on the strengths and limitations of each regulation, as postulated by scholars and laypeople alike. However, the best method of discerning which stipulations best protect victims involves gathering data on which techniques lead to lower re-offending rates.
The primary aim of any domestic violence arrest law is to protect the victim and ensure no recurrence of the cruelty within homes while also preserving families. Surveys from the criminal justice system indicate that only 10% of arrested individuals go on to re-offend, while 26% of those forced to leave/ separated re-offended, and 18% of those placed under counseling re-offended (Karmen, 2020). The data suggests that arrests effectively reduce re-offending rates, which goes a long way in protecting victims. As such, mandatory arrest policies requiring the police officer to arrest wherever there is probable cause that violence happened are most critical. Such laws act as effective deterrence against DV, as the data suggests.
Furthermore, mandatory arrest policies place the entire burden of arrest on the police. Hence, the already traumatized victim endures less pressure concerning the arrest of their spouse, enhancing the chances of perpetrator reforms and preservation of the marriage. According to Karmen (2020), mandatory arrest policies importantly remove the immediate source of danger from home, protecting the victim. Mandatory arrests separate married couples to allow them time to reflect on their marriage and find the way forward. In many instances, the policies remove the need for retribution against the offender by the battered spouse. The offender’s removal protects both the offender and victim from further crimes and homicides. According to the National Institute of Justice, mandatory arrest laws are the most prevalent in US states, indicating a widespread agreement on their effectiveness.
Reference
Karmen, A. (2020). In Crime victims: An introduction to victimology . Cengage Learning.
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“How to Integrate the Curricula” by Fogarty R. Annotated Bibliography
Fogarty, R. (2009). How to Integrate the Curricula . New York: Skyline Publishing.
The book illustrates 10 models that provide school faculties a firm foundation for designing curriculums that assist students to make important connections while learning. The 10 models are explored within four categories: first, involves models that operate within single disciplines, such as, cellular model, connected model, and nested model; second, involves models that integrate across several disciplines, such as, sequenced model, shared model, webbed model, threaded model, and integrated model; third, involves models that operate within learners themselves such as the immersed model; and lastly, models that operate across networks of learners such as the networked model.
Models that Operate Within Single Disciplines
The author explores three models in this category to guide teachers in designing integrated curriculum. These models include cellular or fragmented, connected, and nested models.
Cellular Model
The cellular model is presented as a traditional model for organizing curriculum, which dictates separate and distinct disciplines. The model views curriculum with a directed focus on a single discipline. For example, major academic areas include math, language, science, and social studies. Each of these areas is viewed as a pure entity in and of itself. The relationship between single subject areas, for example; maths and physics are implicitly shown. These disciplines are taught by different teachers in different locations with students shifting from room to room in middle and secondary schools. Each separate session has a distinct cellular organization, leaving learners with a fragmented view of the curriculum.
Connected Model
The author presents this model to provide details and interconnections within one subject. The connected model emphasizes making explicit connections within each discipline area. It focuses on connecting one topic, one skill, one concept to the next. It also connects one semester’s ideas to the next semester. The book illustrates the central theme of this model to be its deliberate effort to relate ideas within the discipline, rather than assuming that students can understand connections automatically.
Nested Model
The author views this model of integration as a model that examines curriculum through three dimensions, aiming at multiple dimensions of a lesson. The nested model takes advantage of natural combinations. The model is aimed at targeting both concepts and assisting teachers to target the thinking skill cause and effect. The book provides an example of a lesson in a high school computer science class that targets computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacturing programs. As students learn how the program operates, the teacher can target the thinking skill for exploration and practice.
Models that Integrate Across Disciplines
Four models that integrate curriculum across several disciplines are explored in this text. These models are; sequenced model, shared model, webbed model, threaded model, and integrated model.
Sequenced Model
The model is explained to view the curriculum as separate but connected by a common frame. Although units in this model are taught separately, they are rearranged and sequenced to offer a broad framework for concepts that are related. The model enables teachers’ to rearrange topics or units so that similar units coincide. Fogarty gives an example of the graphing unit which can coincide with data collection in the weather unit. Another example provided was on how one might synchronize stock market study in math class with the study of depression in history (Fogarty, 2000)
Shared Model
The shared model brings two distinct subjects together into a single focused image. The author uses overlapping concepts as organizing elements. The technique involves shared planning or teaching in two subjects or disciplines. The text gives an example where cross-departmental partners in secondary or middle school may plan a unit of study. It requires two members of the team to approach the preliminary planning session with an idea of core concepts, skills, and attitudes taught traditionally in their single-subject approach. As the two identify priorities, they pinpoint overlaps in content. (Fogarty, 2000)
Webbed Model
This model of integration captures an entire constellation of subjects at once. Webbed curriculums use rich themes to integrate subject matters, for instance, inventions. The approach to integration in departmentalized situations is realized through the use of generic but fertile themes such as patterns. The text also explains that one can utilize a book or a genre of books as the topic, to organize the curriculum thematically (Fogarty, 2000)
Threaded Mode
The threaded model of integration examines the curriculum through big ideas enlarged throughout all content with a meta-curricular approach. The approach threads thinking skills, study and social skills, technology, graphic organizers, and multiple intelligences approach to learning throughout all disciplines. Fogarty notes that this model supersedes all subject matter content (Fogarty, 2000)
Integrated Model
The integrated curriculum approach examines curriculum through interdisciplinary topics rearranged around overlapping concepts and emergent patterns and designs. The model uses a cross-disciplinary approach to blend four important disciplines by determining overlapping concepts, skills, and attitudes all four (Fogarty, 2000)
Models that Operate within Students
The author explores the immersed model in this category. The model examines the curriculum in an intensely personal way. The integration takes place within learners with little or no outside intervention. For example, doctoral fellows are normally immersed in the field of study. All data are integrated by funneling them to the area of intense interest (Fogarty, 2000)
Models that Operate Across Networks of Learners
The author explores the networked model to integrate the curriculum. The networked approach creates multiple directions and multiple dimensions. The approach provides avenues of exploration and explanation. The book allows students to direct the integration process. Only students’ themselves understanding intricacies and dimensions of their field, can target necessary resources as they rich out within and across their areas of specialization (Fogarty, 2000)
Conclusion
The book espouses 10 models that function as necessary prototypes. Faculty can work easily with this model over time to develop an integrated curriculum throughout the school. Staff members may select one model to work within one semester.
Reference List
Fogarty, R. (2009). How to Integrate the Curricula . New York: Skyline Publishing.
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Development Agencies: Interaction With Corrupt Governments Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Moral aspect
3. Economic perspective
4. Political perspective
5. Conclusion
6. Reference List
Introduction
Governments bear the responsibility of governing societies that rely on them to ensure the maintenance and promotion of happiness for the general population. As such, it is imperative for governments and their agencies to ensure the procurement of measures that result in the growth and overall development of society through legal channels available to them. One of the main avenues for the promotion of development, especially in developing countries, is government collaboration with development agencies, both local and international. Although such liaison may seem straightforward to most people most of the time, it sometimes creates situations that raise controversy.
For instance, people hold varied opinions regarding the issue of whether development agencies should knowingly involve themselves in interactions with corrupt governments. This paper aims at a concise explanation underscoring why development agencies should participate in interactions with governments that most people think of as corrupt with ‘corrupt governments’ in this context used to mean governments that do not prioritize the interest of the citizens. It consists of arguments for and against the notation and reasons for the conclusion.
Moral aspect
Although some people view it as immoral to interact with a corrupt government, it is worth noting that the morality of the development agencies does not depend on the morality of the government. Judgment for every entity should be in terms of own actions and thus judging the morality of development agencies based on the morality of the governments they associate with amounts to a faulty criterion.
Governments have a duty of ensuring that the population they rule over is satisfied through the appropriate and adequate provision of necessities such as security, justice, accountability, and transparency. A well-functioning government also provides social amenities for its people and opportunities that allow for access to such amenities. In accomplishing these duties, most countries around the world, especially in developing countries, employ the use of local and international government agencies (Allen & Thomas 2000). The basic roles for the agencies include but are not limited to the provision of financial aid, research activities, the establishment of developmental projects for governments and individual citizens, and the creation of links for further aid from other organizations.
Theoretically, government-development agency relationships appear straightforward. However, in practice, certain aspects create complexities, morality being one of them. Some people have the view that development agencies should not work with corrupt governments as they serve to aggravate the problem. This concern usually relates to the role of development agencies to provide financial assistance for government projects.
Philosophically, the application of the social contract theory requires governments to act in the best interest of their subjects. John Locke, a proponent of the theory, explains that in most societies that elect their leaders, the people entrust the power to govern their own actions in the government in order to ensure that everyone gets a fair chance in opportunities such as property ownership and security provision (Boucher & Kelly 1994).
Therefore, in such a scenario, the government holds power in trust for its subjects. Considering Locke’s opinion, it goes against the social contract theory and morality for a government to tolerate corruption, thus making it wrong and illegal. John Stuart Mill, a proponent of the utilitarian theory, which is a subset of the social contract theory, presents the opinion that a government bears the obligation to ensure that its actions portray the people’s will through decisions that bring its subjects the greatest happiness (Boucher & Kelly 1994).
In Doing development research, authors Mansoor Ali and Andrew Cotton explain that the relationship between a government and a development agency is essentially a partnership where both parties agree on terms of reference, especially for finance-related issues (Desai & Potter 2006). In order to ensure that government organs do not abuse their power through corrupt dealings, most governments form independent institutions that serve as watchdogs.
The same case applies to development agencies and thus failure of one party to check its own activities does not usually affect the competence of the other. Additionally, both parties in the relationship have their own goals separate, albeit similar to each other, which create a necessity for development agencies to look out for their interests. It makes sense that such agencies would not allow the corrupt ventures of any government to interfere with the individual goals of the agencies.
Economic perspective
The relationship between development agencies and governments from an economic perspective emphasizes the reason why such agencies should associate with a government, despite allegations of corruption. Apart from being two different entities in terms of moral standing, it is important to consider the association in terms of economic benefits in contrast to disadvantages (Utting 2003). For instance, even though most governments in developing countries appear corrupt, without financial aid from development agencies such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has greatly contributed to the growth and development of most of those countries (Allen & Thomas 2000).
By providing financial aid to developing countries, the agency reduces the unnecessary burden that refugees create for countries with better economies. Although there is indeed a risk of misappropriation of funds by governments in those countries, follow-ups by the agencies ensure that the funds largely achieve their objectives, some of them being the creation of job opportunities and fostering innovation and education. Therefore, curtailing the efforts of such agencies to assist citizens in developing countries based on actions by government organs constitutes an injustice.
The economic relations between governments and development agencies are also symbiotic in nature, in the sense that the agencies invest in the development of countries for gain while governments obtain access to funding for development projects (Utting 2003). For several years, citizens in the United States have projected the public opinion that their government should cease funding development programs, especially in countries that are infamous for corruption (Moss, Roodman & Standley 2005). Although the concern of such citizens, as taxpayers, is understandable, looking at it as a symbiotic relationship creates a different perspective.
For instance, African countries are rich in resources in the form of raw products while the United States possesses an endowment in terms of capital wealth. The provision of capital for the exploitation of raw products enables industries in the US to obtain essential products at a lower cost while creating a friendly environment that allows for the expansion of America’s market for finished products. In return, the profits and loans that governments in African countries obtain enable them to expand development projects, thus creating jobs and funding the creation of vital social amenities such as infrastructure (Allen & Thomas 2000).
Therefore, instead of looking at foreign aid by development agencies to foreign countries as a burden on the economy, American citizens should consider the same as an investment for the expansion of the economy. Such an investment also proves helpful in instances where the economy is slow in one country and good in another as the returns supplement tax revenue for governments in which development agencies undergo incorporation.
Political perspective
Although the task of making appropriate policies lies within government organs, the involvement of development agencies aids in the creation of policies that represent the best interest of citizens in a country. Policy-making is one of the most important functions most governments bear. The lack of proper or adequate policies to safeguard financial organs in any government directly encourages corruption, thus leading to negative consequences for the economic development of a country. Development agencies reduce the likelihood of the occurrence of corrupt engagements by governments through the provision of terms and conditions of use for funds they provide.
For instance, the creation of a specific period for the repayment of a loan and substantial supervision by agencies ensures that governments follow through with their objectives. In addition, development agencies carry out extensive research, which in most cases proves essential for the establishment of viability for government projects and profitability for the agencies (Desai & Potter 2006). In most cases, when development agencies agree on a partnership with a government, they conduct independent research on the project and share the findings with the government. This aspect allows the government to obtain an objective perspective on issues that would otherwise suffer prejudicial treatment. In essence, development agencies help in reducing cases of corruption, hence making it plausible to associate with corrupt governments.
Conclusion
Although the issue of whether development agencies should work with a corrupt government usually elicit negative responses, a look at the matter from various perspectives suggests that the outcome of such interactions would do more good than harm. Some of the benefits that such relationships exhibit include the reduction of corrupt engagements by such governments, benefits for the individual citizens of the corrupt governments, and expansion of revenue for countries in which such agencies undergo incorporation. The pros outweigh the cons thus making such interactions commendable.
Reference List
Allen, T & Thomas, A 2000, Poverty and development into the 21st century , Oxford University Press, New Jersey.
Boucher, D & Kelly, P 1994, The Social Contract from Hobbes to Rawls, Routledge, New York.
Desai, V & Potter, R 2006, Doing Development Research , Sage Publications, London.
Moss, T, Roodman, D & Standley, S 2005, The Global War on Terror and U.S. Development Assistance: USAID allocation by country, 1998-2005 . Web.
Utting, P 2003, Promoting Development through Corporate Social Responsibility – Does it Work? ” Web.
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Conflict in South Sudan and Its Influence Essay
The current international situation could be considered complex. There are numerous regions characterized by hard-fought military conflicts and opposition between government forces and rebels. Also, the Middle Eastern region, Africa, and Western Europe pose a great threat to international security, as conflicts in these areas set the conditions for the clash of leading states and forces trying to protect their national interests. That is why these strategic regions are impacting the evolution of the state of modern international relations and are predetermining the way one or another state makes its foreign policy. Being one of the leading countries tends to guarantee the involvement of the United States in the majority of modern political affairs, to support its image and secure the preservation of its leading position. At the moment, the country has numerous instruments of power that could help it to achieve its goal.
The current situation in Sudan could be considered one of the above-mentioned issues. The region gives rise to domestic and international conflicts that might have a pernicious influence on diplomatic affairs. The United States has a long history of relations with local countries, stemming from an understanding of the great strategic importance of an area that is rich in crude oil, and might influence energy prices. Sudan is one of the significant oil producers in the region. However, the Heglig Crisis between Sudan and South Sudan, which started in 2012, brought great instability to the region. The rebels proclaimed war against the local government and gained possession of several strategic cities. Numerous causalities and instability in the region could not but attract US attention, as the combatants have not been able to reach a compromise and initiate negotiations.
At the moment, the United States pursues its foreign policy by its National Security Strategy, which states the existence of four basic national interests: security, values, prosperity, and international order (“National Security Strategy” 17). These four spheres are crucial for the United States, as the adherence to this very strategy guarantees the preservation of the country’s leading positions on an international level and helps to control the situation. Security affairs should also be considered crucial, not only to guarantee the state’s involvement in any international conflicts; however, they also assure that citizens of the United States will not suffer from the terrorist threat.
This fact also determines the important role the state plays in the above-mentioned conflict. Sudan has long been one of the main sponsors of global terrorism, distributing a huge part of its income between various terrorist organizations(Allen par. 6). Also, the weakness of local authorities and the absence of any structured approach to monitoring the state of the oil industry has created conditions that favor the use of these funds to align with the sponsorship of terrorists. That is why the United States has certain interests in the region.
Considering the above-mentioned information and the current situation in Sudan, there are several steps that I, as the President of the USA, could make to gain control over the situation and guarantee the restoration of peace in the area. It is a fact that modern diplomacy tends to find a compromise and assure that all sides are satisfied with the existing solution. For this reason, I consider negotiations the most efficient tool of modern democracy and diplomacy. In this regard, the initiation of talks is one of the main US tasks in the region (“The President’s 2010 National Security Strategy” par. 5). All sides of the conflict should be either persuaded or forced to come to the table and provide their view of the situation, along with possible solutions. Only under these conditions could some progress in the process of the peaceful settlement of the conflict be observed.
I, as The President of the United States, the Commander in Chief and the leader of the nation, should come forward with an initiative to stop the war and try to look for some other way to resolve the conflict. I could use diplomatic and military instruments of power. The United States has always been known for its strong and efficient diplomacy, exercised through numerous embassies, that has had a great impact on international affairs. They are considered powerful tools to bring to bear on the situation in a state as each embassy acts as the provider of US foreign policy. At the same time, in case the means of diplomacy are not enough, a display of real military power could be used by me to force an opponent to accept a proposal and act by a suggested strategic plan.
This very step will support US national interests in the region. Using the means of diplomacy will promote the United States’ image and help to obtain new admirers. Furthermore, adhering to the country’s main humanistic values, while trying to avoid the excessive use of power and persuading all parties to sit around the table, I will also promote democracy and human rights abroad. Negotiations could be considered the most civilized and democratic way to solve international conflicts. That is why, by emphasizing the necessity of a peaceful settlement to this very situation, I will also strengthen the power of our example, showing the countries in the region the way a democratic and tolerant commonwealth should act. The United States’ national interests will be kept in mind while trying to resolve the crisis.
Also, being the initiator of the highlighted course of action, I should play a key role in the negotiation process. I have to visit Sudan to establish direct contact with the representatives of the legitimate government. The visit should show the United States’ awareness and concern about the way the conflict is evolving. Furthermore, my involvement could not but impact other participants of the conflict, which will encourage a clear vision of the current international situation. I should also proclaim the US position related to the given topical issue and accepting the set of actions needed to achieve the highlighted goal. In other words, his support should have a great positive effect on the suggested course of action, and promote US national interests in the region.
Additionally, the National Security Strategy and US national interests imply the promotion of dignity and satisfaction of people’s basic needs. About the situation in Sudan, the state of humanitarian disaster is evident (Allen par. 8). Several people are deprived of food, freshwater, qualified healthcare services, etc. Additionally, fierce clashes have resulted in housing facilities’ total devastation. At the moment, hundreds of people have to live in the street, as their houses have been destroyed. In this regard, the provision of humanitarian assistance for citizens in need should be considered one of the main steps in my suggested course of action. It is an integral part of any strategy aimed at the mitigation of the negative aftermath of the military conflict, and the improvement of existing living conditions needed for people to survive.
I could use the economic instrument of power to guarantee the introduction of significant changes to the current situation. First, I will suggest a detailed program, aimed at the provision of humanitarian assistance for Sudan. Upon adoption by the Congress, it could be exercised to attain improvement and help people. The United States’ great financial power could guarantee the provision of the needed amount of help. Moreover, as one of the world’s greatest manufacturers, we could use our economy to influence the collection of all needed materials. Furthermore, the United States could also wield its great international heft to engage other prosperous states and help Sudan to alter the disastrous situation. Medicines, foodstuffs, construction supplies, and materials for the creation of refugee camps could be supplied to Sudan as examples of types of humanitarian assistance.
One should realize that a coherent society proclaims a human being to be of the greatest value. For this reason, the cessation of every person’s sufferings and the creation of appropriate living conditions are the main tasks of any state or government. Unfortunately, there are still regions characterized by extreme poverty. That is why society’s attention should be attracted to this topical problem. The state of the humanitarian disaster in Sudan could be used by the United States to support its national interests that are focused on the satisfaction of the basic needs of people in all areas of the globe. Additionally, in providing its positive example, the United States attains a significant alteration of the perspective related to this very question, and also might obtain support from its numerous allies all over the world.
Also, I will become the main actor who undertakes the initiation of the given program and promotes the positive image of the state. It could be considered one of my functions, as I am responsible for the state’s image; I could act as a goodwill ambassador who might suggest certain kinds of assistance to nations that are badly in need of help. Possessing great power, I can initiate numerous programs and guarantee delivery of care, services, or goods to various regions. My great level of involvement will help to attract people’s attention to the nagging problem and consolidate some extra financial support. For these reasons, my involvement is crucial, as I bring emphasis to the great significance of the issue and guarantee numerous positive outcomes needed to alter the situation.
Nevertheless, according to the latest news, the situation around Malakal is complicated; there have been numerous fierce clashes and army maneuvers that are posing a serious threat to the UN mission in the region (Bariyo par. 3). Its main function is the provision of shelter to all refugees and guaranteeing their security. However, at the moment, these people’s lives are endangered as the rebels and governmental forces try to conquer this strategic area and turn it into the bridgehead needed for a further march. That is why the pledging of security is one of the key tasks of the United States in the region (Booth par. 7). The state could use its main instruments of power, both military and diplomatic, to help those people and protect the UN mission.
One realizes the fact that the protection of a certain object implies the use of troops to guarantee security. However, the given object is not situated on US territory, which means that any employment of force should be discussed by the United Nations and accepted by the majority of its members. At the moment, the assembly recognizes the great threat posed by local warfare. However, the initiation of any military operation should be considered as a radical solution adopted in the case where there is no other course to pursue. Instead, diplomacy could be used to persuade the combatants to end the war and assure that all members of the UN mission and refugees will be evacuated to secure areas. As an additional consideration, this task is crucial to restoring the UN mission’s image, and guarantee the avoidance of incidents of this sort in the future.
This strategic step will promote the United States’ national interests and result in the state’s increased importance on the international level. The fact is that the United States is one of the main founders of the United Nations, and is responsible for its further evolution, spread, and growth. At the same time, the state also guarantees protection to all UN missions all over the world. For this reason, the timely and significant support provided by the United States will be appreciated by the rest of the leading states. This positive example is also important, in terms of efficient cooperation between other UN members, as they should recognize the fact that the protection and support of its missions could be considered the main tasks to guarantee stability in various regions and improve the image of the United States all over the world.
However, I should be the main actor who guarantees the needed level of attention devoted to the given sphere. My level of impact on various international organizations, and the possibility of establishing contact with the heads of other states, contribute to the increased importance of my involvement in these very affairs. At the same time, I have sufficient authority to introduce severe measures and sanction the use of military forces to alter the situation and evacuate people from insecure areas. For this reason, my role is extremely important to assure that all possible actions will be provided to alter the situation and help people in need. I believe that my involvement is crucial, to protect the UN mission and create an efficient strategy that will be able to eliminate any threat to security.
However, US interference in internal affairs should not be aimed only at the cessation of hostilities. It is also vital to help a state recover from civil conflict and mitigate the negative impact that numerous skirmishes have had on its economy. Sudan should be able to survive and exist without any off-board assistance in the short term. However, it is impossible without the restoration of the oil industry, considered to be the main source of the country’s income. Its strategic importance could hardly be overestimated, as it has a great impact on Sudan, states in the region, and the world economy. In this regard, the restoration of the given industry is crucial for the region in general, and the country’s further existence in particular. For this reason, I should give great attention to the protection of oil deposits and creating conditions beneficial for the development of the industry.
The economic instrument of power should be used by me. The United States has significant experience in the given sphere. Its missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, etc. also faced the same challenge. There was a need to restore the most important economic sector and align its efficient functioning. In Sudan, the situation is the same. There have been numerous occurrences of devastation and destruction that undermine the efficient functioning of the whole national industry. Being one of the main actors interested in the provision of an efficient solution to the given conflict, the United States could use its great financial power to supply extra funds aimed at the restoration of the oil refinery industry. The expected outcome is the restoration of the industry and its efficient functioning to provide sufficient income. Sudan could become an important participant in determining the well-being of the region. For this reason, it is crucial to help this state to renew its financial power.
At the same time, the stability of Sudan’s economy could be considered one of the main priorities for the United States. Its national interests are closely connected with the oil market. The state depends on energy stability, as the oscillations of oil prices have an impact on the power of currency, economy, and industry. For this reason, the United States is interested in the restoration of the oil industry in Sudan, as it will contribute to increased financial power. It will also promote the state’s prosperity and help to improve citizens’ well-being. Furthermore, the restoration of international order could also be achieved in the course of these actions. A powerful Sudan will be able to interact with neighboring states and protect their interests.
For these reasons, I am deeply interested in the restoration of Sudan’s oil industry, as it is a guarantee of the financial power of the United States (Allen par. 3). Its involvement in domestic affairs will attract the attention of various states that could be considered main US rivals. That is why, to preserve the image of my own country, I have to assure that Sudan will continue its evolution and growth. It is for me to accept a strategic plan to guarantee the implementation of the plan’s main aspects (“US-Sudan Relations” par. 4). Furthermore, I have the requisite authority to use the most powerful instruments of power and supply Sudan with the needed equipment.
Altogether, the above-mentioned course of action is focused on the stabilization of the situation in Sudan and the surrounding region. The military conflict in the country impacts the whole region, as numerous rebel troops will move to the territories of neighboring states to avoid punishment and obtain additional support. The creation of a peaceful solution to the conflict will help to guarantee the further development of the region.
The complexity of the current situation in Sudan predetermines the necessity of implementing a strategic course of action that implies the use of certain instruments of power to guarantee the state’s further evolution and existence. The President could be considered the main actor who assures that all the above-mentioned actions will promote the state’s interests while improving US power and its impact on the international level. At the moment, the United States is one of the leading states, and it should go out of its way to preserve its image and support allies.
Works Cited
Allen, Karen. “Why does South Sudan matter so much to the US?” BBC News . 2015. Web.
Bariyo, Nicolas. “South Sudan Troops Recapture Malakal From Rebels.” The Wall Street Journal . 2014. Web.
Booth, Donald. U.S. Policy Toward Sudan and South Sudan . 2014. Web.
National Security Strategy . 2010. Web.
The President’s 2010 National Security Strategy . 2010. Web.
US-Sudan Relations. n.d. Web.
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Teacher Career: Staff Development in Kindergartens Essay
Professional development for teachers in kindergartens is essential for quality education to be realized. There is a strong correlation between staff development and the quality of their teaching. Teaching in Kindergartens is a bit challenging because it is the next level just after early childhood care. Teachers at this level need to be equipped with the relevant skills to handle this category of pupils (Iverson, 2002).
Fundamental factors such as level of education of the teacher and the content of training the teacher received play a key role in determining the level of development a kindergarten teacher needs. The level of professional development of the teachers at the kindergarten stage plays a key role in the general development of pupils and the quality of education they receive at the end of the day. This paper will reflect on staff development in kindergartens.
The level of professional development can be measured in form of the formal education the teacher received in different courses and other forms of training such as workshops and seminars. The main focus is on the content of the coursework in all forms of training and the methods used to implement staff development mechanisms (Iverson, 2002). The behavior of the teacher in the classroom is fundamental in measuring their level of professional development.
Kindergarten programs should form the bulk of the courses and training these teachers receive for them to deliver quality education. Teaching in elementary schools requires some experience in pre-kindergarten programs since most of the pupils are still very tender and need the care of a child. Training programs outside the normal formal system help a great deal in the professional development of the staff in kindergartens.
There are some discrepancies in the qualifications of kindergarten teachers that need to be urgently addressed to breach the gap in qualifications of the kindergarten staff. The relevant authorities have the responsibility of ensuring that the kindergarten staff meets the current requirements of teaching in kindergartens (Iverson, 2002). Additional training has proved be very important in generating quality settings in classrooms.
Through extra training, the teachers are able to improve on their classroom language and stimulation in terms of reasoning (Joyce & Calhoun, 2010). The quality of the learning environment is greatly influenced by the professional development of the teacher. The models of staff development in kindergartens should constantly be revised to focus more on proximal factors such as practices and teacher attitude. The distal factors are not good enough to be used as a measure of professional development of a kindergarten teacher.
Staff development is also enhanced by better classroom resources together with other quality factors. Professional development is not only facilitated by educational qualification of the teacher but also the environment in which they work. A quality setting plays a major role in the professional development of a kindergarten teacher. The amount of salary the kindergarten teachers receives is also a major determinant of their general professional development.
Well paid kindergarten teachers will tend to have the required classroom attitude compared to underpaid teachers (Joyce & Calhoun, 2010). A good salary motivates the teacher to search for more knowledge and experience which are essential ingredients for professional development.
An integrated curriculum at the kindergarten level is also a major determinant in the professional development of a kindergarten teacher. The curriculum should integrate learning and practice which are essential factors in professional preparation of a kindergarten teacher.
There are some standards that need to be thoroughly observed in the process of staff development in kindergartens (Iverson, 2002). To begin with, the content of professional preparation should meet the current standards and should be based on the findings of a thoroughly done research. The standards followed in professional development should not only focus on mastering knowledge but should emphasize on the application of the acquired knowledge in daily activities of the kindergarten staff.
The implementation of the standard should be done by a process recognized and accredited by the relevant bodies responsible for verifying teacher education. The professional development of kindergarten teachers is a continuous process that follows the laid down standards of elementary teaching (Iverson, 2002).
The kindergarten staff should be encouraged to use assessments and family knowledge to improve the quality of learning and at the same time create valuable relationships. The kindergarten teachers have the responsibility of establishing a good relationship with their pupils in order to improve their responsiveness in class. A good relationship between the teacher and the pupils leads to professional development.
In conclusion, staff development in kindergartens is essential in improving the quality of education. Both distal and proximal factors should be used to evaluate the level of professional development of a kindergarten teacher.
Informal training received in workshops and seminars beyond the formal training system helps in professional development of the staff in kindergartens. Good wages and emphasis on the application of the acquired knowledge motivates the teachers and at the same time encourages them to look for ways of developing in their profession.
References
Iverson, N. (2002). Staff development and kindergarten reading achievement . New York, NY: University of Virginia.
Joyce, B. & Calhoun, E. (2010). Professional development: A celebration of educators . New York, NY: Corwin Press.
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Peru Economy and Business Risk Assessment Essay
Business risk is an essential part of any enterprise. It is the first step to innovation, which is undoubtedly crucial for success in the business world. The majority of the management decisions made in any company include a consideration of risk. However, better risk management can prevent catastrophic consequences. To create suitable conditions and effective management strategies for the long-term success of the organization, the risk committee must focus its efforts on identifying and analyzing the scope of possible risks as well as the effect these risks may have on the welfare of the company.
Risk Evaluation
Economic Risks
The Peruvian economy has grown by 5.5 percent on average from 2009 to 2013 with a steady exchange rate and a low level of inflation. The growth has been primarily driven by high international prices for Peru’s natural resources. The growth of Peru’s economy stopped in 2014 due to a reduction in the prices of minerals and metals. Due to the country’s dependence on the exportation of natural resources, the economy of Peru is especially vulnerable to changes in world prices. However, Peru continues to have one of the highest economic growth rates in the Latin American region. Despite the fact that poverty in Peru has been reduced by 28 percent since 2002, social inequality remains one of the most critical problems for the country. In the last few years, domestic demand has been the primary reason for Peru’s economic growth, due to the financing and boosting of this branch. A period of steady inflation and high appreciation of the national currency have made the economy of the country stable (The World Factbook, n.d.).
Today, Peru exhibits a strong macroeconomic performance and high levels of productivity in the financial and labor markets. According to Gov.uk (2015), “The Constitution and associated legal framework guarantee private property rights, the fulfilment of contracts, free capital transfer and remittance of earnings, unrestricted access to internal and external credit and unrestricted access to most economic sectors with only a few exceptions” (para. 15).
Environmental Challenges
The main environmental issues that Peru faces today are water and air pollution, soil erosion, and deforestation. The issues that can particularly affect the growth of All Star company in that country are water and air emissions and deforestation. These environmental problems have an impact on business because the laws of Peru require companies to use equipment that meets the standards of the country—equipment that of course costs money. Thus, the company has to pay for any protective environmental measures required by the government (Franks et al., 2014).
Deforestation has a significant impact on the business because the building of a plant requires space, and it is very likely that space for the plant will be created through deforestation. As a result, the company risks angering local and international environmentalists and getting a bad reputation. In June 2015, 210 social conflicts were registered in Peru, sixty-seven percent of which were caused by environmental protection issues (Gov.uk, 2015).
The manufacturing processes of the toothpaste plant will produce air and water emissions that include hazardous smoke and chemical substances that could enter the groundwater. As mentioned previously, Peru’s environmental protection laws require the use of special equipment and procedures to minimize pollution; in this case, the smoke stacks must be covered with screens of specified gauges, the wastewater must be filtered, and the retention ponds must be lined with clay. All of these measures are very expensive (Franks et al., 2014).
The company will have to pay for all of these required environmental protection measures and hope for positive income gains from the environmentally harmless policy.
Political Atmosphere
Regular changes of the Prime Minister and key Cabinet members during President Humala’s governance have not significantly affected the working of the Peruvian government. The Ministry of Finance and Economy, which is headed by Minister Segura, continues to improve the macroeconomy of Peru. There are also no restrictions on free and fair elections. However, campaign financing in Peru is not transparent. Campaigns are mostly financed through private means, and financing is highly unregulated. The government’s decisions are strongly influenced by business. The armed forces of Peru are mostly under civil control (Gov.uk, 2015).
Cultural and Social Risks
The company must take into account several important cultural and social risks including corruption and the features of Peruvian constitutional law.
The Constitution of Peru guarantees the right to strike. It also states that “all people have the right to equality before the law and that no one may be discriminated against by reason of national origin, race, sex, language, religion, opinion, socio-economic or other status” (Gov.uk, 2015, para. 18). The Constitution prohibits compulsory labor of children.
It should also be mentioned that in recent years, the number of public protests seeking environmental protection has grown. Primarily, these protests have related to the impact of large-scale mining projects on rural communities.
The problems connected with educational inequality and gender discrimination are still widespread in Peru’s highlands and the Amazon basin. Peru is also experiencing internal conflict caused by the government’s cruelty towards rural populations in the 1980s and 1990s (Gov.uk, 2015).
Peru has very high level of corruption in business, even though the most important business alliances of Peru have signed the Integrity Compromise, which unites businesses and the government to combat corruption in the country. Since 2002, the government has taken measures to fight corruption and in 2006 introduced harsh penalties for those involved (Gov.uk, 2015).
Conclusion
To achieve long-term success for the organization, the risk committee should focus on identifying and analyzing possible risks and their impacts. The economy of Peru has grown over recent years, and today it holds the highest growth rate among the countries of Latin America. However, Peru remains dependent on changes in world prices for metals and minerals, which are the primary sources of the country’s income. Today, Peru has a stable economy. Among all of the environmental risks, deforestation and air and water emissions should be given special attention. People in Peru are very concerned about environmental protection, and the company’s plant will require expensive special equipment to protect the environment. The political situation in Peru is stable, and the Ministry of Finance and Economy is doing well to keep the macroeconomy of Peru on a high level. However, the government often makes decisions under pressure from business leaders. Peru has a strong democracy and fights for the rights of citizens, but there are still significant issues with educational inequality, gender discrimination, and corruption on all levels of business and politics. Despite the measures that have been taken by the government, corruption remains one of the biggest business risks in the country.
References
The World Factbook. (2017). Web.
Overseas business risk – Peru . (2015). Web.
Franks, D. M., Davis, R., Bebbington, A. J., Ali, S. H., Kemp, D., & Scurrah, M. (2014). Conflict translates environmental and social risk into business costs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111 (21), 7576-7581.
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Critical Analysis on Neurodegenerative Diseases Essay (Critical Writing)
Public Health Significance
Public health is a vital health care department that provides information on diseases including prevalence and mortality rates. This aids in preventing and controlling the diseases by providing awareness and effective measures. It involves different studies in order to prevent, control, and eliminate diseases (Orla & Colin, 2011).
Endpoint (disease/injury)
The diseases related to the central nervous system, due to exposure of pesticides, include Parkinson’s and Alzheimer disease. They are degenerative diseases which result to low cognitive performance.
Study purpose
The main objective of the study was to find out the linkage between neurodegenerative diseases in elderly group and cumulative pesticide exposure for long periods.
Key points
* Neurodegenerative disease contribute to the rise of mortality rate in United States
* The mortality is expected to rise greatly between 1990 and 2040.
* Exposure to pesticides is the main cause of rise of the neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer disease
* There is no specific dosage of pesticide estimated to cause the disease neither there is a specific type of pesticide.
* Only few studies have worked on the link between exposure of pesticides and Alzheimer disease.
* Prevalence/Incidence Rates
The incidence rates are rising in the United States. The study shows 24 incidence cases of Parkinson’s disease and 96 cases of Alzheimer. High prevalence was indicated in men than in women.
Relative Risk
Relative risk varied depending on various factors including occupational exposure, rural residency, and the primary role in agriculture. Relative risk of Parkinson’s disease in men with occupational exposure was found to be 6.05% while in women, it was 0.81%. The percentage lowered in other factors. Alzheimer disease relative risk was low compared with Parkinson’s disease (Baldi, 2003). Under occupational exposure 2.86% relative risk was recorded in men and 0.89% in women.
Sample Size Power
The sample involved 1507 people, where women were predominant. The sample used on the study was reliable to give the outcomes.
Information Bias
The information collected from the subjects is not biased since the study involved a face to face interview and the questionnaires which were filled during the interview.
Study population
The study involved elderly people of age 65 years and above from the Paquid study. They included those who were living in an institution or at home in Gironde, southwestern France in 1987. The study took approximately 10 years. Due to the long duration of study some of the subjects died while others refused to be visited. This reduced the initial number of subjects on which the study was carried out. Majority of the subjects had high levels of education hence most of them were employed in blue-collar jobs. The highest subject percentage involved in the study was women who accounted for 61.2 %.
Participant selection
The subjects involved in the study comprised old people aged 65 years and above. They came from Gironde part of southwestern France. Sex and education level were not factors used in selection, but they play a major role in the study.
Selection Bias
The sample included both men and women. However, women were more as compared to men. However, this was not contributed by any favoritism during the selection as it followed certain criteria which included age.
Exposure
Exposure involves coming into contact with a something including chemicals, pesticides, and sun rays. Pesticide exposure however has been indicated to contribute to neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer diseases (Orla & Colin, 2011). The subjects in the study have been exposed to pesticides from the environment or their occupation. According to the study people exposed from their work places are shown to develop the diseases at a higher rate than others.
Study design
The study involved both interviews and questionnaires. The study took a long period and involved regular visits to the subjects’ home. The subjects who were suspected to have Parkinson’s disease were followed up to 10 years. This led to development of another phase.
Statistical analysis
The total number of the subjects that were involved in the study up to the end was 1507 and 78.6 years was the mean age. 21.2 % of the job codes were estimated not have any pesticide exposure. 11.5 % of the subjects recorded been involved with primary agriculture work. Parkinson’s disease incidents in the 5 year and 10 year follow-ups were 24 where 14 were found in women and 10 among men.
Eight Parkinson’s incidents were on subjects who were occupationally exposed while others were not. Association between occupational exposure and Parkinson’s disease was indicated in men. However, the same was not shown in women. Alzheimer disease cases analyzed were 96 during the study period and men were the most affected. The disease occurred in 26 exposed subjects. There was an indication of association between the disease and occupational exposure (Baldi, 2003).
Results
The results obtained were analyzed depending on gender with respect to the environmental and occupational pesticide exposure. The association between the pesticide exposure variable and the diagnosed Parkinson’s or Alzheimer disease cases was also explored. After the results were analyzed, it was clear that there was an association between past occupational pesticide exposure and cognitive performance (Calne, 2008). Men with primary work in agriculture were indicated to be affected more due to the nature of their work, which involved frequent exposure to pesticides. Environmental exposure din not cause any significant effect.
Confounding
The study was carried out to show the relation of nervous system diseases and pesticide exposure. However the study indicates some confounding findings which contradict the study objective. The results shows that after the 5 years follow-up of the subjects the diseases were confirmed more in non-exposed individuals. The results also indicate that women were more affected than men, though there was no association with pesticide exposure. The subjects who were involved with agriculture work indicated low relative risks of the diseases yet they came into contact with pesticides more frequent and more direct than others.
Comments
Due to the puzzling results the study does not fulfill its purpose as the results obtained do not agree with the study objectives. This contradicts the study indicating there are other underlying factors responsible for the development of the diseases (Calne, 2008). Furthermore the mortality rates are indicated to have increased in United States yet the study is carried out in France hence irrelevant. People involved with agriculture work are expected to be the most affected due to the high frequency rates of exposure. This is because they use pesticides more than any other group. However this is contradicted by the study indicating its irrelevance.
Recommendations for future studies
The study should analyze critically the hypothesis developed before any study is carried out. The study should be carried out in a location which favors the hypothesis. A study should take the shortest time possible to avoid possible shortcomings affecting the information collected.
Conclusion
Exposure to pesticide has detrimental effects on people’s health. Despite causing air pollution, pesticide causes health problems like neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. The rate of exposure to pesticides determines the risk of contracting the diseases. The study has effectively reflected on the same, by employing methods that helps to understand.
References
Baldi, I. (2003). Neurodegenerative Diseases and Exposure to Pesticides in the Elderly. American Journal of Epidemiology , 79-84.
Calne, D. B. (2008). Neurodegenerative diseases. Michigan: W.B. Saunders Co.
Orla , H., & Colin, D. P. (2011). Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Clinical Guide. NY: Springer.
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The disconnect between tradition and contemporary practice in yoga Proposal
The practice of yoga dates back to ancient Indian philosophy. It uses a system of mind and body control to achieve liberation from the vices associated with the weakness of the human body and mind. Traditionally, yoga practices were meant to unite the human body with the divine.
The postures involved in yoga (asana) were a means to achieving this higher spirituality. In the late 19 th century, yoga was introduced to the western world where it quickly took the form of physical exercises.
Modern yoga emphasized the use of yoga postures to achieve better health as opposed to traditional practice that emphasized achievement of a higher spirituality using the body and mind.
The purpose of this thesis is to point out the disconnect that exists between traditional yoga and contemporary practice. While traditional yoga is aimed at achieving spirituality, contemporary practice emphasizes yoga as a means of physical fitness.
In traditional meaning, yoga was seen as a disciplined way to achieve a goal. In simpler terms, it is spiritual training. To maintain the discipline, the body and mind had to be coordinated and geared towards achieving the kind of higher spirituality that would ultimately transform the human being from a normal chaotic state into a perfect ordered state.
In any religion, the sole purpose of spirituality is to be at peace with the inner self. Traditional yoga is the epitome of spirituality for it seeks to cease the agitation of the consciousness. To make that possible, one goes through a rigorous regimen of physical and mental endurance whose ultimate goal is to free the mind from the vices of humanity.
In this sense yoga becomes theistic. The spirituality of yoga is concerned with the human condition and how to manage the flaws of humanity. One trains to be in full awareness of these flaws and learns how to sustain their spiritual reality throughout any situation.
By going through the regimen of yoga, one learns how to discipline their inner awareness until such a point that they attain liberation to that place of perfection within the self.
Contemporary yoga came into existence during the late 19 th century, with greater emphasis on the physical postures of yoga. Consequently, modern yoga has come to be associated with physical fitness. Modernists perpetrate yoga as a physical system with a spiritual component.
It therefore means that the contemporary school of thought holds in high esteem, the physical aspect of yoga as a means to achieving satisfaction that is deemed spiritual.
In order to understand how the traditional practice of yoga is linked to spirituality whilst the contemporary practice is a mere physical act, a look into some academic sources will help shed the light by outlining the meaning and purpose of yoga from a traditional point of view and from a contemporary point of view.
Anderson, Sandra, and S.Rolf. Yoga:Mastering the basics , Washington: Himalayan Institute Press, 2000. Print.
Modern yoga is centered upon the physical aspects of yoga. This book offers a comprehensive and practical guide to the essential elements of yoga. In as much as the authors recognize the contribution of yoga to the transformation of the mind, body and soul, much of the book revolves around the physical aspect (asana) and going into details about the postures, breathe training, relaxation, and meditation.
This is a classic example of how modern day yoga practice has been contorted to be the achievement of spirituality through physical activity.
Muni, Rajarshi. Yoga:The ultimate spiritual path, New York: Llewelyn wordwide, 2001. Print.
The author is an accomplished yogi who has written numerous books on the practice of traditional yoga. He describes yoga as the union of the body and mind for spiritual development.Muni traces the history of yoga to the philosophy and religion of ancient India and its decline to what is now contemporary yoga as a result of western influence.
This book opens up the mind to the fact that traditional yoga is more than slow, gentle stretching and breathing exercises. Rather, he points to the philosophy and metaphysics of the practice in seeking to harmonize the spirit, mind and body.
Muni’s approach is important in establishing the origins of yoga and the fact it has a spiritual aspect.it is also important to note that the author is aware of the use of physical exercises to describe modern day yoga.
Singleton, Mark. Yoga body:The origin of modern posture practice , Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.
Singleton seeks to understand why the practice of asana (the physical exercises) has become the international face of yoga. Many people are misled into thinking that the physical aspect rather than the spiritual is the most important.
Despite this acknowledgement, the author makes a contradictory statement and thus reinstates the popular belief of yoga being the actual physical exercises by declaring that contemporary yoga is drawn from the more recent western influences in sporting activities.
Iyengar, Kelvin. Yoga:The path to holistic health , Maine: D.K Publishers, 2007. Print.
Iyengar is a world renowned yogi who shares the sentiments of contemporary yoga. Although he lauds yoga as a holistic experience that benefits the body, mind and spirit, he concentrates on the physical acts of yoga (asana) and how they can be adapted to counter the stresses of modern living.
This goes to show the extent to which modernity has influenced the true meaning of yoga to an acceptable norm of physical fitness.
Carpenter, David and W. Ian. Yoga:The Indian tradition , London: Princeton Univerity Press, 2003. Print.
Just like Muni, these authors share the same school of thought in which traditional yoga is viewed as having descended from Indian philosophy and hence religion. In this sense, yoga springs from Indian history and religion and its sole purpose is the affirmation of spirituality.
They do agree that contemporary yoga draws its mantra based on physical exercises from one of its disciplines but does not involve the spirit. Traditional yoga therefore transcends the physical by incorporating all the facets of the human body and mind to attain spirituality.
In conclusion, it is evident that there is a lack of connection between traditional and contemporary yoga practices. Traditional yoga is religious in nature and its main purpose is the attainment of spirituality within an individual.
This kind of spirituality is achieved through strict control of the body and mind therefore it is a spiritual as well as a physical and mental process. Contemporary yoga is far more widespread than traditional yoga.
Its use as a physical fitness or health guideline is far removed from spirituality and hence religion.it seeks to ensure the well-being of the physical body without involving the spirit. It would be safe to make an assumption that the goals of the two disciplines are far removed from each other.
Works Cited
Anderson, Sandra, and S.Rolf. Yoga:Mastering the basics , Washington: Himalayan Institute Press, 2000. Print.
Carpenter, David and W. Ian. Yoga:The Indian tradition , London: Princeton Univerity Press, 2003. Print.
Iyengar, Kelvin. Yoga:The path to holistic health , Maine: D.K Publishers, 2007. Print.
Muni, Rajarshi. Yoga:The ultimate spiritual path, New York: Llewelyn wordwide, 2001. Print.
Singleton, Mark. Yoga body:The origin of modern posture practice , Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.
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Vassanji’s “The In-Between World of Vikram Lall” Term Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Synopsis
3. The “in-betweenness” of Vikram
4. Conclusion
5. Works Cited
Introduction
M.G. Vassanji’s novel The In-Between World of Vikram Lall, narrated by the protagonist Vikram Lall, the novel depicts how his community, East African Asians, had complicated the colonial scenario of a white-black racial clash with their “in-betweenness.” Vassanji formulates a first-person narrative in a dialogical structure: the “in-between” protagonist Vikram is constantly impelled to undergo numerous modes of negotiations between different temporalities and localities, in Kenya and Canada. By representing the lives of the “in-between” East African Asians in modern Kenya, Vassanji succeeds in “spanning the literary record” of the Mau Mau rebellion. This paper will explore to the extent Vasanji has accentuated this “in-betweenness” of Lall.
Synopsis
M.G. Vassanji’s novel, The In-Between World of Vikram Lall, covering fifty years of Kenyan history, focuses on neocolonial difference and the elaborate postcolonial re-evaluation of cultures. At the beginning of the text, the Kenyan people are on the lowest rung of the social ladder with whites and Indians in power. In 1965 after Kenya assumed political independence and Jomo Kenyatta became president of the new nation, an elaborate repositioning of the classes occurred.
This tumultuous period contributed to chaos that fed lawless activities, realigning individuals in Western nations with Kenyan politicians and private citizens in the extortion that harmed the Kenyan people yet again. Vassanji’s elaborate novel depicts an international racketeering allowing some individuals like the protagonist to get very rich. The novel begins with a confession:
“My name is Vikram Lall. I have the distinction of having been numbered one of Africa’s most corrupt men, a cheat of monstrous and reptilian cunning. To me has been attributed the emptying of a large part of my troubled country’s treasury in recent years. I head my country” (Vasanji 3).
As an Indian child growing up in 1950s Kenya, Vikram Lall is at the center of two warring worlds — one of childhood innocence, the other ‘a colonial world of repressive, undignified subjecthood’ in which the innocent often meet with the cruelest of fates. He passes his early days playing with his sister, Deepa, their neighborhood friend Njoroge, and English expatriates Annie and Bill Bruce. Though he is a third-generation African, he understands that Njoroge is somehow more African than he or his family will ever be.
The British police regularly raid Nakuru looking for Mau Mau rebels, who are terrorists in the eyes of Europeans, but freedom fighters to native Kenyans; one-day tragedy strikes the Lall family’s English friends. Haunted by a grisly description of the crime scene, the Lalls eventually pick up and move to Nairobi. Fast-forward to 1965, when Kenya has achieved independence and Mau Mau sympathizer Jomo Kenyatta is now the president of the nation. Njoroge, who worshipped Jomo from an early age, becomes a rising star in the new government.
He tracks down the Lalls in Nairobi and begins an innocent courtship of Deepa, much to her parent’s chagrin. Meanwhile, Vikram continues to allow his memory of young Annie to define his life and, as a result, makes some morally ambiguous judgments when he lands a position in the new government. Telling his story from Canada, where he fled after getting top billing on Kenya’s ‘List of Shame’ as one of the most financially corrupt men in his country, Vikram is a voice for all those who wonder about the price of the struggle for freedom. Vassanji explores a conflict of epic proportions from the perspective of a man trapped in “the perilous in-between”.
The “in-betweenness” of Vikram
In a 1985 essay “The Postcolonial Writer: Myth Maker and Folk Historian,” which is included in his edited collection of essays A Meeting of Streams: South Asian Canadian Literature, M.G. Vassanji explicates his idea of a “postcolonial writer.”(42) Contending that a postcolonial writer is “a preserver of the collective tradition, a folk historian and mythmaker” (63), Vassanji begins his introduction of such a writer’s obligations with the following passage:
If we project onto a mental canvas, side by side as it were, the fictional spaces of V.S. Naipaul, Sam Selvon, Harold Sonny Ladoo, Cyril Dabydeen, and Clyde Hosein, we find that they loosely hang together, like segments of an unfinished jigsaw puzzle: not quite fitting yet belonging together. They all tell us about the lives of South Asians in the British Caribbean. They complement each other in time and space, and together they span the literary record of a collective experience. (63)
In The In-Between World of Vikram Lall, Vassanji explores a significant part of his life experience. Set up in the form of a memoir, the novel is a nostalgic story of the protagonist Vikram Lall, who is a descendant of a family of South Asian ancestry living in Africa for several generations. Earning the ironic “distinction of having been numbered one of Africa’s most corrupt men,” (Vasanji 3) Vikram is now leading an exilic life in his new “home” on the shores of Canada’s Lake Ontario. Here Vikram slowly unfurls the past—a story about his family’s multiple migrations and their entwinement with Kenya’s modern history over the past one hundred years.
Vassanji has deliberately inscribed this historically-constructed “in-between” situation of East African Asians into the act of crafting Vikram’s family drama. As part of the labor mobility within the British Empire, Vikram’s grandfather was “recruited” by the colonizers to participate in the British Empire’s colonization of East Africa, mainly working as “plantation workers, railway builders, clerks, custom officials, policemen, and soldiers” (Sarvan 512), these Indian immigrants came to occupy positions disparaged by white settlers. and, with the completion of the railway, he decided not to return to his “homeland” back in India but to adopt the place he had been working for years as his new “home”. As if in accordance with the grandfather’s initial displacement, “homelessness” becomes a major theme of this family’s story.
With their multiple migrations and displacements, these East African Asians develop a “multiplicity of affiliations” (Malak, 277). Straddling cultures and places, they have oscillated between different loyalties. Thus the eight-year-old child Vikram intriguingly finds that he is bestowed with conflicting role models that stand at the two poles. On one end stands his “proudly Kenyan, hopelessly… colonial” (Vasanji 21) father Ashok, who plays a willing-to-be-possessed colonial subject. Vikram’s maternal uncle, Mahesh, Labeled as a newly-emigrated political radical continues his advocacy of anti-colonial resistance in his “new home” in Kenya. Viewing the Mau Mau rebellion as the Kenyan struggle for freedom, Mahesh becomes a supplier of goods for the Mau Mau rebels hiding in the forests.
By dramatizing how this East African Asian family has been affected by the twisting forces of history, Vassanji forcibly represents the “in-between” situation of Vikram as he finds that he is stuck between his father’s total submission to colonialism and his uncle’s radical anti-colonial activism.
To further reveal the state of “in-betweenness” experienced by Vikram, Vassanji deliberately investigates the most domestic period of one’s life: childhood. Vikram’s own personal story starts amidst the high tide of the Mau Mau rebellion in 1953. Vikram along with his sister Deepa befriend a Gikuyu boy Njoroge, who is the grandson of the servant of Vikram’s neighbors, and William (Bill) Bruce and Annie Bruce, the children of a white settler family. While the “friendships” of these children seem to form a promising picture of harmony, the force of the Mau Mau rebellion is ready to encroach on the “innocence.”
The brutal killings committed by the Mau Mau rebels; the following police raid in cracking down the rebellion; and eventually Bill and Annie’s ranking as the newest victims of the Mau Mau rebellion—Vikram’s “innocent” childhood is completely consumed by the Mau Mau rebellion. In his early texts “Vassanji presents—consistently and concurrently—bifocal images of private drama within communal crises” (Malak, 280).
Vikram’s loss of innocence is a major plot in the first part of the novel. The supposedly “innocent” play-acting among the children in Vassanji’s novel is found to be already inscribed by political awareness: while the white boy Bill can unquestionably assume the role of winner/ruler, Vikram and Njoroge, who are both colonial subjects. Through their play-acting games, the positions of these children within the colonial structure in Kenya are revealed and strengthened.
As Vikram begins to detect his difference from Njoroge through these play-acting games—he observes that “I do recall that his being different, in features, in status, was not far from my consciousness. I was also aware that he as more from Africa than I was” (Vasanji 27) —he soon learns more about his perilous position. Such a “three-tier plural society” in colonial East Africa in which, as concisely summarized by Michael Twaddle, “white officials and settlers lived at the top of the colonial hierarchy, black Africans survived at its base, and brown settlers fitted themselves into its middle layers” (111).
His “friendships” with a black boy and two white children in colonial Kenya eventually initiate him into realizing his role as an “in-between” Indian. While Bill and Njoroge are dichotomized into playing their respective roles as a white colonizer and a black colonized, Vikram has no apparent place in this antagonistic relationship. Under the white-black racial clash of the Mau Mau rebellion, he is stuck as an “in-between” subject.
Undertaking the project of writing/remembering in his “Canadian retreat,” Vikram reaches out to engage in holding conversations with several characters, among whom his best friend Njoroge’s angry young son Joseph figures prominently. Like his father Njoroge, Joseph is a fervent political activist, being sent to Vikram in Canada to “escape the clutches of the police following a large riot” back home in Kenya. Enraged by the post-independence state’s persecution of “his people, the Kikuyu”, Joseph styles himself as one of the “Sons of Mau Mau,” who enjoin their fellow Gikuyu youths to “Come to Kenya and fight” with the oppressing government. Thus obsessed with his ideas of and assumptions about political justice—his thoughts of “revenge” and “war”—Joseph refuses to interact with Vikram but rather prefers to retain the racial category of seeing Vikram as “an Asian”.
The most racist person in the in-between planet turns out to be Vikram’s mother, whose brutal squashing of Deepa’s romance with Njoroge mixes the worst Hindu traditions from the subcontinent, caste-consciousness, communalism and abject disregard for individual will, with the nastiest elements of colonialism. This further accentuates the “in-between” world that Vasanji so dearly portrayed in the book.
If Vassanji dramatizes Vikram’s abortive relationship with Joseph to suggest the urgency of undergoing history-remembering—that the opening up of history is for the sake of building up communication—his text further presents a second targeted audience: Vikram’s sister. Vikram’s failure to communicate with this targeted audience indicates, “how much the political imagination, by its tendency to allegorization, denies people’s humanity” (Kortenaar, 182).
The suggestion of Deepa in Vikram’s memoir-writing points out the intimate character of remembering. A caring and thoughtful sister who sends Joseph to Vikram to strengthen the “bond” between the two, Deepa works like a guiding “light” to accompany Vikram to undergo his reconstruction of their collective memories. Her presence reminds Vikram of the importance of his writing; and, through his writing, Vikram has managed to preserve the collective communal memories—like the ones he shares with Deepa—that are otherwise ready to disappear: “How the past was slipping away; soon the untold stories among the older Molabuxes and the Lalls would simply have disappeared into the winds” (Vasanji, 284)
Functioning as a tool for communication and preservation of collective experience, Vikram’s writing works to open up memories to invite a wider participation in the project of exploring the past. The gradual significance of the librarian Seema Chatterjee in the latter part of the novel suggests the operation of such a process.
On the one hand, Seema is posed as a total outsider in Vikram’s story—unlike Joseph and Deepa who share the same past with Vikram, she is Vikram’s new acquaintance in Canada; on the other hand, however, Seema shares Vikram’s experience of displacement: a Bengali immigrant whose family were also “rendered refugees by the Indian partition,” Seema establishes a bond with Vikram in terms of their shared “tortuous histories and migratory roots”. With her double roles, Seema works as an alienated yet intimate audience on whom Vikram’s memory-writing leaves a conspicuous effect.
Like a “detective-woman” who digs out Vikram’s past to expose his real status as an unconscionable businessman Emerging from “corrupted Africa,” Seema nevertheless undergoes a noticeable transformation as her “discovery” of Vikram grows deeper: her quick and harsh judgment of Vikram as “an evil genius” who mercilessly exploits the suffering Africans inevitably becomes murkier and less righteous after she hears Vikram’s account of his own story and ends up establishing an intimate relationship with him.
Apparently Vikram seems to be a person who seems to understand love, as seen from his relationships, friendship, etc. and he expects a similar kind of feeling from others and often gets disappointed. However, as he becomes older, this sense of concern for others seems to disappear. His heart does become numb. Disappointment in others too often makes him cynical. The only person that Vikram seems to show concern for, even later in his life, is his sister.
While Vikram never experiences true love and thus is always unable to be truly committed heart and soul (to his wife for instance) one can never doubt that he does understand the love between brother and sister. But for poor Vikram, even though he has a strong relationship with his sister, somehow he always remains displaced; he is always without a place or person that he can rely on. Even in his later years all he was left with is the telephone as his way of communicating with his sister. While love can still be expressed, intimacy can never be passed through wires. Vikram only understands what it means to be “in-between,” it is a role he plays and knows well, and thus stays in that’s state because it is safe and familiar. However for Vikram, that state is a place in which he has always and will always walk alone.
Years later, while snowbound in his Canadian “home”, Vikram is dispassionate about the moral choices he’s made. In his urge to tell his story without moral judgments or frills, Vikram is ever the objective chronicler.
Titled as “Homecoming,” the last part of the novel is composed of a single chapter that traces how Vikram returns to Kenya to “meet [his] destiny” (412). With the termination of Vikram’s memoir-writing in Canada, the two parallel narrative threads of the novel converge into a present-tense narrative that dramatizes how Vikram is attempting to “start anew”(418) —his maneuver to cleanse his disreputable past by reconciling with the “Anti-Corruption Commission” in post-independence Kenya. Thus ending the bifocal narrative that runs throughout the novel with a present-tense narrative, Vassanji forcefully brings the readers into the fore.
What do “we” make of Vikram Lall, who has introduced himself as one of “Africa’s most corrupt men,” after hearing his story? Is he really an amoral man who, though surrounded by numerous ethnic clashes and killings, made his “millions; tens, hundreds of them” (374)? Eventually, as suggested by Vikram’s failed attempt to pursue a brand new start in Kenya, Vassanji does not offer a transcending reconciliation for his readers to “solve” these questions. Ending the novel with the disturbing image of Vikram’s unknown fate amidst a blazing fire, Vassanji alerts us that history has not yet been “enclosed”—our project of memorializing the past is still ongoing.
Conclusion
East Africa needs novels because its stories need to be told” (Interview with Chelva Kanaganayakam 25). With a depiction of Vikram’s “in-between world,” Vassanji forcefully brings into view how his ambivalent in-betweenness has rendered him a non-existent figure in dominant representations of the Mau Mau rebellion. Vassanji’s view of Kenya’s Asians appears as ambivalent as his “in-between” protagonist’s identity crisis. Throughout the book we experience a lack of self-identification in Vikram and in the end this accentuates to a different level. In Vikram, Vassanji has created a character that is at once sympathetic, a fractured man still suffering from the climate of fear of his childhood, but also a villain, making the protagonist permanently stuck in the void of “in-betweenness”.
Works Cited
Vasanji, M.G. The In-between World of Vikram Lall , Canada, 2003.
Sarvan, Charles Ponnuthurai. M.G. Vassanji’s The Gunny Sack : A Reflection on History and the Novel. Modern Fiction Studies 37.3 1991.
Malak, Amin. Ambivalent Affiliations and the Postcolonial Condition: The Fiction of M.G. Vassanji. World Literature Today. 1993.
Twaddle, Michael. The Development of Communalism among East African Asians. Community, Empire and Migration: South Asians in Diaspora. Ed. Crispin Bates. New York: Palgrave, 2001.
ten Kortenaar, Neil. Between Ethics and Politics. Rev. of The In-Between World of Vikram Lall, by M.G. Vassanji. Canadian Literature. 2004.
Interview with Chelva Kanaganayakam. ‘Broadening the Substrata’: An Interview with M.G. Vassanji. World Literature Written in English 31.2, 1991.
The Postcolonial Writer: Myth Maker and Folk Historian. A Meeting of Streams: South Asian Canadian Literature. Ed. M.G. Vassanji. Toronto: TSAR, 1985.
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Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Plot Summary
3. Themes and Characters
4. Opinion
5. Conclusion
6. Bibliography
7. Footnotes
Introduction
In Ralph Ellison’s novel The Invisible Man , the protagonist narrates in the first person about his invisibility. He, as he refers to himself without considering his person a subject while being a real person, is made «of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids». 1 He describes how people around are looking through him. The problem is not with their physical eyes, meaning it is not something that does not allow them to perceive physically. Only a few pages later, readers randomly find out that the narrator is spoken as of being black. The rest who look through him are characterized as white. In this way, the unexpected flow of expressively violent scenes pours light on an exceptionally sophisticated form of racist unification against which the protagonist will act. It is not a fact of physical absence but the social non-existence of an individual. To the question about his invisibility, the narrator replies that the nature of the vision of those who look through him has to be held responsible for this.
This is not a flaw in their physical vision and actual inability to perceive, but it is an internal prejudice that does not allow them to understand it the right way. The duality of the conflict between the main character and the world surrounding him is gradually unfolded with every step of the development of the book. Thus, with the sharp and aggressive sentences of the first-person narration, this prologue opens the story. The script is characterized by several particularly sophisticated forms of discrimination and humiliation against which the protagonist will fight throughout the novel. It takes a form of invisibility, namely, the suppression of the personality, which, obviously, deals not with physical absence, but with non-existence in a social sense. The demonstration of the latter explains why this story has such an importance for American and world culture.
Plot Summary
The story begins with the narrator’s reminiscence about his past life. He tells readers how he dreamed of becoming a renowned educator and orator. However, readers are quickly shown how the system is going to treat the narrator’s dreams as the humiliating procedure of receiving a scholarship to a specially designated state college is described in detail. The narrator then experiences a plethora of situations where he is disregarded, disrespected, and mistreated because of the color of his skin. He gets expelled from the college and goes North, where he eventually finds out that what he considered exceptional freedom turns out to be the same he saw in the South.
The author goes as far as putting the narrator through experiencing the consequences of explosion and being subjected to medical experiments by White doctors. This is acknowledged when the narrator gives an introspection of his life as being “based upon the fallacious assumption that I, like other men, was visible”, referring to his past worldview. 2 Further life makes the narrator more and more disenfranchised and disillusioned about the social situation of his race.
However, despite the numerous misfortunes of his life, including being chased into a manhole by a furious mob, the narrator finds a way to ease his hatred and emotional pain. To do so, he uses writing, and as he entrusts paper with the story of his path, he feels that life is still worthy of living. Thus, the man rediscovers the fact that he loves living no matter what. The latter is an example of an excellent new way of perceiving life that is not based on superficial ideas of others, judgment, and prejudice.
Themes and Characters
The theme of racial injustice is the most vividly expressed theme of the entire book. The author shows how deeply it has rooted in the fabric of society. The perceived social invisibility of the protagonist is representative of the racial practices imposed on the African American community that are described by the author in his novel. 3 The writer pictures the situation brightly and with striking accuracy because he was a witness of it during his lifetime. While it is obvious that social traditions such as segregation, discrimination, and similar are racist and, thus, absolutely unacceptable, the more important theme of the novel is not the description of the racial situation in the United States.
The topic of greater importance for the readers of all times and nations is the theme of one man’s journey to discovering self-identity. The main character serves the purpose of expressing that idea explicitly. In relation to this, the scene of the expulsion of the narrator from college has great importance as it functions as one of the most powerful triggers that move the character to step on a path of realization, which stems from the inability to understand southern mores. 4 The return of the narrator from the White culture to the cultural roots of his folk represents the evolution of his conscientiousness. This is the act of self-liberation of his true identity from the oppressive influence of the dominant racial discourse. As the character sets him free, Ellison here pushes the theme of Black identity in American literature, which strongly influenced future writers in their attempts to resolve this issue. 5
Opinion
In my opinion, Ellison’s warning to readers about the necessity of moderation, as it is depicted in the scenes of unrest in Harlem, was the most important idea. Despite the injustices, it is always crucial to stay away from violence or resentment and dedicate the efforts to something more productive. The latter I consider to be the second most valuable thought I derived from reading this book as it can be given to a person of any generation. If the piece of literature is capable of being useful through time, then it can be concluded that it is truly an art and is worthy of being a part of humanity’s cultural heritage.
Conclusion
The Invisible Man is one of the most powerful writings on the topics of racial justice ever written by any American writer. Its value is even greater as it provides readers with a valuable lesson on discovering one’s true identity and setting oneself free of the influence of the dominant culture. This idea is essential for modern culture as more and more people suffer from being unable to discover their true selves. Finding and establishing a meaningful connection with the cultural heritage of one’s people is presented by the author to be one of the ways to do so.
Bibliography
Banks, Joy. 2018. “ Invisible Man : Examining the Intersectionality of Disability, Race, and Gender in an Urban Community.” Disability & Society 33, no. 6 (2018): 894-908. doi:10.1080/09687599.2018.1456912.
Ellison, Ralph, and John Callahan. Invisible Man . London: Penguin UK, 2016.
King, Lovalerie, and Linda F Selzer. New Essays on the African American Novel . New York: Springer, 2016.
Wang, Gaixia. “On The Construction of Self Identity in Invisible Man “. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research 87 (2017): 656-660. doi:10.2991/icemeet-16.2017.139.
Footnotes
1. Ralph Ellison and John Callahan, Invisible Man , (Penguin UK, 2016), 1.
2. Ralph Ellison and John Callahan, Invisible Man , (Penguin UK, 2016), 3.
3. Joy Banks, “Invisible Man: Examining the Intersectionality of Disability, Race, and Gender in an Urban Community,” Disability & Society 33, no. 6 (2018): 895.
4. Lovalerie King and Linda F Selzer, New Essays on the African American Novel , (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016), 171.
5. Gaixia Wang, “On the Construction of Self Identity in Invisible Man,” Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research 87 (2017): 659.
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Master’s Degree of Arts in Early Childhood Education Term Paper
Table of Contents
1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Method: The Requirements and Courses of Level I, II, III
4. Result: Career Opportunities and Benefits
5. Conclusion
6. Reference
Abstract
In Kean University, Master’s Degree of Arts in Early Childhood Education is associated with the Classroom Instruction with Initial P-3 Certification as an option. After participating in this M.A. program, a graduate will obtain the Certificate with the right to work as a teacher in the grades from the pre-school one to the third one. The paper aims to provide the discussion of courses and requirements necessary to obtain the degree and to present the analysis of the career options available for the graduate of with the Master’s Degree of Arts in Early Childhood Education.
Introduction
Kean University, as a public university located in New Jersey offers its students a variety of majors for Master’s degrees, including the Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education. The program proposes the obtaining of the degree of the Master of Liberal Arts with the focus on the Early Childhood Education and with the Classroom Instruction with Initial P-3 Certification as an option. As a result of participating in this M.A. program, a graduate will obtain the Certificate with the right to work as a teacher in the grades from the pre-school one to the third one ( Kean University, 2015).
The paper aims to provide the discussion of courses and requirements that are necessary to obtain the degree and to present the analysis of the career options available for the graduate of Kean University with the Master’s Degree of Arts in Early Childhood Education.
Method: The Requirements and Courses of Level I, II, III
In order to receive the opportunity to participate in the program and become able to complete Level I and II courses and the Level III seminar, it is necessary to address a range of admission requirements. The participation in the M.A. program is possible only after receiving the Bachelor’s Degree in an accredited college. Thus, having received the Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Kean University, it is possible to apply for participation in the M.A. program.
The next important conditions are the cumulative grade point average higher than 3.0, the passing score on the Early Childhood Content Knowledge, according to PRAXIS (5022), and the Graduate Record Exam test scores. Additionally, the applicant needs to provide the two recommendation letters and transcripts from the institutions as well as Professional Resume, Curriculum Vitae, and Personal Statement ( Kean University, 2015).
Prerequisites for participating in the M.A. program are associated with the documented experience in the field of teaching or the 40 hours completed additionally to the Level I courses. Finally, the program requirements include the teaching portfolio, 24 credits that are required for certification, 45 credits obligatory for receiving the degree, and the advanced seminar at Level III counted for six credits ( Kean University, 2015).
The courses in Early Childhood Education provide students with the knowledge regarding children’s developmental stages, the role of cooperation between parents, teachers, and the community to improve children’s achievements, and regarding different types of diversity. In addition, much attention is paid to extending the candidates’ teaching experiences. There is six Level I courses for 3 credits and one course for 6 credits required for the certification.
For instance, “Foundations of Early Childhood and Family Studies” provides candidates with the opportunity to learn the historical, philosophical as well as specific psychological and social foundations of education of children during the early childhood stage ( Kean University, 2015).
The other required courses are “Language Reading and Thought in the Young Child: Theory and Practice” and “Developmental Theories for Teaching in Early Childhood and Family Studies”. Such a 3-credit course as “Integrated Curriculum Development” offers students the information on planning and following the appropriate integrated curriculum in preschool and primary school settings. “Creating Partnerships with Families” educates students on the principles of integrating partnership programs while working with families. “Integrating Technology into the Early Childhood Curriculum” is a key course to learn how to use technology while working with young children ( Kean University, 2015). At this level, the most important course is “Teaching Practicum and Seminar” counted for 6 credits.
After completing Level I courses, graduates have the opportunity to apply for the Provisional Teaching Certification that offers students options to participate in the program and be supervised by educators at public schools where graduates work with references to the provisional certificate. This opportunity is important for graduates to be recommended for future work at the selected public school as part of the permanent staff.
Five 3-credit courses are offered as Level II required courses. They are “Supporting Emergent Literacy at Home and at School”, “Science for Early Childhood Teachers”, “Research in Early Childhood and Family Studies”, “Mathematics for Early Childhood Teachers”, and “Theory into Practice: Observation, Interpretation and Integration”. The last course requires the completion of all previous courses to be obtained and completed by candidates ( Kean University, 2015). Level III is associated with the research, and at this stage, students are required to complete the two-semester seminar that is counted for six credits.
It is possible to state that the courses offered to complete the program and receive the Certificate are organized to guarantee that candidates receive all the information and develop knowledge regarding the principles of teaching and students’ learning and develop skills based on the actual teaching experience with the focus on examining the ways of collaboration of the teachers, parents, and community. The second stage is the acquisition of the theoretical knowledge regarding the principles of curriculum development, research, and pedagogy in relation to the early childhood education.
Result: Career Opportunities and Benefits
Upon completion of the Master’s Degree of Arts in Early Childhood Education, Classroom Instruction with P-3 Certification, the graduates receive the opportunity to work as school teachers at pre-school classes and classes till the third grade; childcare administrators; preschool administrators; parent educators; and early education program specialists. As a result, it is possible to develop the career in such organizations as preschools, public and private elementary or primary schools, childcare centers, and educational and social programs. The variety of rewarding career opportunities depends on the fact that the discussed M.A. program provides the wide education for candidates for receiving the P-3 Certificate.
The program proposes the balanced education in terms of theory, instructional methods, and early childhood education methods. It is important to note that the program like Classroom Instruction with P-3 Certification orients to preparing candidates for working with children of different ages, including infants and 8-years-old children.
Rewards and benefits associated with completed the program are in wide career opportunities for candidates because graduates have the developed knowledge not only in instructing young children but also in working as theorists in the field of early education. As a result, graduates can work as specialists in developing the curricula for classes in preschools and primary schools. These duties are associated with extended compensation opportunities and rewards.
More benefits are associated with taking the administrative position in preschools and elementary schools. The salary associated with the position of a teacher in preschools and elementary schools is about $55,000 in comparison with the salary in $35,000 of pre-school and elementary teachers with the Bachelor’s Degree. Furthermore, for specialists working in care centers or administrators, the possible salary is about $60,000 per year. In addition, all the teaching positions can be discussed as beneficial in terms of compensation because of the annual potential pay increase.
Thus, it is possible to state that there is a great range associated with the salary rates for different job positions and educational institutions. This variety of salaries and positions is proposed mainly for professionals with the Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, and in this context, numerous rewards are associated with the successful completion of the M.A. program. Furthermore, the demand for specialists in the sphere of preschool and primary school education increases regularly, creating the beneficial environment for potential teachers or administrators in the field.
While having an opportunity to work as a teacher, caregiver, or an administrator in private and public preschools and elementary schools, it is possible to concentrate on the job positions proposed at the Linden Public Schools as a public school district with the good reputation that is located in Union County, New Jersey. From this perspective, the potential career at the Linden Public Schools can be discussed as the goal and motivation for the successful completion of the M.A. program.
Conclusion
The discussed M.A. program that offers the P-3 Certificate is important to provide candidates with the opportunity to work in various settings related to the sphere of early childhood education and at different positions. The research on the program’s specifics and advantages demonstrates that the participation in the program can be discussed as beneficial for candidates who experience in working with children in different age groups and who can apply their theoretical and practical knowledge and skills in the variety of settings while receiving the relevant and competitive compensation.
Reference
Kean University: Classroom Instruction – P-3 Certification . (2015). Web.
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Strategic Marketing Planning Framework and International Marketing Communication Essay
A strategic marketing planning framework
Diagram 1: Holistic Marketing Framework
Strategic marketing planning framework is based on the belief that customers should enjoy products and services offered by companies. To get full benefts of these products and srvices, the respective providers need to offer them at an appropriate time and place. In some instances, consumers may be privilged to get custom-made products. The value addition delivery means the company will rely on its internal resources to create what its clients really need and desire to have.
The pricing aspect of marketing should take care of actual value that can be considered fair if mass market is the target (Kotler & Armstrong, 2001). It may sound quite simple in theoretical perspective, since all that is required is to create a product that is needed by a particular group of people, put it at the right place regularly frequented by these people, and finally offering the right price that would make them purchase the product with little strain. According to this framework, there are several aspects of marketing needed to solve marketing puzzle within the practical sense. The first requirement is to find out what these customers want in terms of product quality, quantity, placement, and pricing.
Value Creation
There are two main reasons for adding value to product and services: to benefit customers, and to build business domain. These can be achieved through formation of partnership with other firms, whose roles ensure business objectives and goals are reached.
Diagram 2
Value Creation → Customer benefits ↔ Business Domain ↔ Business partners
It must be noted that the ability to develop products that appropriately suit customers depends on the firm’s ability to afford the necessary resources. These resources will not only aid the production process but will also help in the distribution process, where the products are expected to reach the target customer at the right place and time. For example, a producer of FMCG in the present business environment will need to use faster means of communication to reach its target market so as to ensure profitable and faster sales. Some of the value creation will mean adding internet marketing as part of marketing process.
The other important part needed for successful marketing is to create partnership as illustrated in diagram 2. In this aspect, it is critical to note that many businesses would find it absolutely difficult to go into partnership with other businesses because of the difference in their divergent needs. Moreover, a firm can only benefit from business partnership if it is able to stand out among its partners as offering the best deal in a particular area of specialization (Hunt, 2002). According to Hunt (2002), the first step in developing an effective joint marketing strategy is to find out what the other firm need to effectively form marketing strategies. Basically, this would still need assessment of a firm’s internal resources to ensure it has the capacity to develop and offer the needed part for marketing.
Marketing and customer focus
Customer
Customer focus → Cognitive space ↔ Customer benefit ↔ Relationship
Management
It is noted that the most important aspect of marketing is focusing on the customers’ needs. This call for a clear and concise cognitive space to ensure the necessary actions is taken care of in the process of marketing. Once the position of the customer has been established, it is important to make them have the benefits they would need to get attracted to in terms of product and services.
How and why the details of this strategic marketing process may differ in the international context
Globalization has compelled many firms to go international in their marketing endeavours. This is because international market has presented a significant avenue for the companies to expand their market reach as well as increase profitability. However, it is noted that increased complexity of the international market makes the whole marketing aspect seems like a puzzle. This is because penetrating the global market depends on more that just customer focus. National wealth in the economically heterogeneous world market and cultural factors determine the economic viability of the marketing strategies that a company would deploy (Hunt, 2002). Secondly, in some fields, the global market is somewhat saturated, creating a form of cut-throat competition within the business environment. In essence, international market’s complexity is compounded by the need to navigate varied socio-political and economic situation in various target countries (Joshi, 2005).
Political, Economic, Social and Technological (PEST) Analysis
While the strategic marketing planning framework mainly concentrates on the customer, company and collaborator analyses, international market demands for more than just these aspects. It must be recognized that effectiveness of international marketing will require appropriate environment represented by stable political, economic and social structure of the state.
Political environment
Successful marketing strategy in the international arena demands that political environment be favourable. Such factors as the level of government intervention, i.e. the government dictating what goods and services the government wants produced, the level of subsidies the government are willing to offer and political decisions play key roles to marketing initiatives. Additionally, how a country takes care of its citizens will determine the health of the workforce and education, consumers’ ability to purchase (Mooij, 2010). Stable political environment will also determine the level of infrastructure development such as road networks, rail transport system, and air transport. The marketing framework highlighted above does not explore these aspects, a scenario likely to create difficulty in penetrating the international market.
Economic Environment
Some of the most common aspects of economic environment are based on tax and other charges, economic status of a state, exchange rates, and inflation rates. These factors will determine success or failure of any marketing strategies employed by a company. For example, higher interest rates in a country may interfere with the marketing initiatives as firms would be pressured to cut on the marketing budget, making it quite challenging to balance its production output and input. A country with a strong currency will make it difficult to export the products as their prices are likely to shoot up beyond the reach of the citizens of countries with weaker currencies (Mooij, 2010). Increased inflation is likely to make “employees to demand for higher wages, hence raises the cost of production” (Mooij, 2010, p.6). On the positive note, a country that faces economic growth and a boosted GDP is likely to generate increased demand for products and services.
The social environment as a factor
The social transformation in a state may also change what people wants and are willing to consume (Travis, 2007). For instance, United Kingdom has experienced some social changes in the recent past as majority of its population ages, thus increasing the cost of firms that have committed to pension schemes to its employees (Travis, 2007). All these factors are likely to impact on the budget for production and marketing initiatives of a firm in the international level.
Technological factors
The emergence of new technology may make the above marketing framework inapplicable. If a firm is not able to adapt to the new technological changes in the modern market, it is not possible for such a firm to build any substantial marketing initiative. However, this marketing framework calls for strengthening of a firm’s internal resources, which may include technological changes and management supporting the marketing initiatives.
Environmental Factors
For a firm to effectively manage its marketing process, several environmental factors are tipped to play a role in the process. Such factors as weather and climate are critical and they will determine what is to be consumed by the masses. For instance, temperature changes are likely to affect tourism and agriculture among many other sectors (Travis, 2007). This marketing framework is not able to control these environmental factors that are likely to impact on the marketing initiatives. There is also increased desire by global community to preserve environment, hence the increased call for firms to increase sustainable production and marketing in their strategic approach to business. This will also help them comply with the need to build more customers through satisfying their desires.
The Legal Factors
The law of the country will define what issues a firm will take into consideration before engaging in business. If marketing initiatives are considered discriminatory in a certain country, the overall impact would be that the firm would face serious legal implications if it carries out such initiatives. For example, United Kingdom recently introduced the discrimination and disability act that limits firms’ initiatives to develop marketing initiatives likely to infringe on the marketing process (Travis, 2007). The changes in legal setting may change the costs of marketing operations in a firm’s initiatives.
Executive Summary
Standardization and market fragmentation are the two main strategies to penetrate international market. The former is making the product appeal to the consumers, while the latter is making sure the products reach the target customer. These factors can only be achieved through marketing communication. Effective marketing communication helps foster brand identity and the buyer is able to categorise their needs and tastes. Pepsi Co. (UK) has developed vitamin water (V Water) since 2005 and the product has gained sizeable market penetration in its domestic market. The current need is for the company to expand its international market. Egyptian market has presented a good opportunity that would help the company increase its global market share. No company has ventured into the Egyptian market with similar product. Arabic is both official and national language of the country. That means our products will have to be branded and labelled in Arabic. Both online and physical placement of products will have to be used. On the distribution of products, intermediaries will be of paramount importance to the success of making products available to the consumers. Sales promotion will need to be one of the major means of communicating the products to the market.
Introduction
It is widely accepted that there are mainly two strategies that can be used to penetrate international market- standardization according to the local market and differentiating, and market fragmentation. According to Usunier, 1996 (cited in Hunt, 2002), cultural approaches to internationalization of the product need some relevant promotional mix decisions. The first is to establish if the product can be made in line with consumer behaviour. That is the company must establish if there is convergence in tastes and a concomitant diminution in the difference in culture of different regions or countries. The second is whether the firm should view globalization as a move away from competition at local as well as regional level to widening the market opportunities in the international arena.
According to the above views, some critical issues emerge from the assessment of consumer tastes and behaviour. The first is how products differ in the terms of cultural perception from different regional markets. The second is whether the consumers have free access to the global market or whether there are strong intermediaries that control the supply of the products.
Marketing communication can be used to impact on a number of cognitive and behavioural changes that include areas such as repositioning brand, changing misunderstanding, effecting the changes in beliefs and attributing the priorities among other issues. Similarly, proper research helps managers acquire adequate knowledge for effective marketing communications. The desired communication can also help build brand of a product. Moreover, marketing communication is meant to affect the buyer demand and create brand identity within the goal of building brand image (Travis, 2007). From effective marketing communication, the buyer is able to identify category needs, where they can categorise the products or services that they believe will impact on their motivational state. In this perspective, the buyer will be able to recognize and recall the brand within the set category to ensure there is sufficient reason to make purchase of the product or service.
Pepsi Co. (UK) has developed vitamin water (V Water) since 2005 and the product has gained sizeable market penetration in its domestic market. The company wants to enter the Egyptian market in the near future so as to increase its global market share. However, the two countries business environments are completely different and unique. It therefore follows that specific approach is needed if any success is to be realized. Furthermore, no company has ventured into the Egyptian market with similar product.
Pepsi Marketing Communication Issues
Language difference
While the UK’s official and primary language is English, the dominant language in Egypt is Arabic, which is also the official language. Additionally, the educated lot is able to speak and write English and French. Pepsi products are labelled and branded in English, including the description of mineral contents of the vitamin water. However, in the Egyptian market, it may not make much sense to insist on English as the language that will define brand name. It therefore means that for any successful penetration of this new international market, we will have to adopt Arabic language in the labelling of the content in the bottled water to make it easy for the local consumers to read and interpret what they consume (Zawya 2010). Basically, the essence and strength of our communication approach is based on the belief that Pepsi’s vitamins are better substitute for those in regular food.
Product Placement Communication
The majority urban populations purchase their products from retailers and wholesalers in the UK. The retail stores are mainly used to distribute Vitamin water products so as to reach the intended customers at the right time. It is through marketing communication that the Pepsi Vitamin Water can reach the intended market by developing a proper channel of communicating the existing product in the new market. This is due to the fact that product placement is in itself a marketing communication. For example, placing a product in the internet for advertisement is communicating the product to the internet users, hence marketing. Egyptian tourism sector is one of the most vibrant sectors in the country and constitutes one of the major income earners for the country (CIA, 2010). Majority of these tourists are from countries that have traditionally gained consciousness in health matters and are English speaking nations. It is therefore required that communicating the vitamin water to the tourist will need their understanding of the vitamin water as a result of the sedentary lifestyle they have adopted back in their native countries.
We need to use online placement of products and adopt home delivery of our products. This is important, particularly in reaching large institutional consumers such as hotels, schools, governmental and non-governmental organizations, etc. This is because there has been steady increase in internet use in the past years that can warranty the desired success. Basically, internet would be useful in marketing process as many people increasingly get attracted to the social sites giving companies opportunities to communicate with the target customers with ease.
It is noted that Egyptian market presents a huge business potential for Vitamin Water. However, this may only be possible when all the marketing communication aspects are taken care of in the entry process. But Egyptian market is still under heavy state control. That is, the public sector still has a big control of a huge chunk of the economy, and regulating much of the products, particularly food and beverage industry. The government recognizes and gives favouritism to foreign firms that collaborate with local firms in offering their products and services. This call for one important approach: collaboration and partnership with the local distributors to ensure adequate penetration in the market. This will form one of the biggest marketing communications to the successful marketing initiatives.
Sales Promotions as a Marketing Communication
The changes in the market environment have created a scenario where marketers have adopted the need to develop several approaches to communicate their products and services. It is further complicated by the increased fragmentation of the modern market, creating a situation where marketers are faced with tough decision making processes, especially on how to build and develop a strong business initiative through powerful communication to the target market segment. In the UK, different consumer audiences have emerged where marketers have targeted different and varied markets such as male consumers, gay, lesbians, affluent communities, aged and young among many other segmented groups.
In Egypt, the market has not been segmented as much as that of UK. That is, religious and cultural background factors are playing bigger role in the buying habit of many consumers in the country (CIA, 2010). Many soft drink companies like Coca Cola have adopted several techniques for sales promotion. One of the most common techniques is the premium promotion of Buy-One-Get-One- Free.
The other strategy is that of collaborative approach to marketing communication involving celebrities and charitable organization. This marketing communication technique is very common in Egypt. It is common to encounter some charitable organizations that are interested in organizing events for community development promotions such as health and safe water promotions. In this case, our sales team should be on the look out to find collaborators for the purpose of marketing vitamin water. Although it may be considered too early to speculate that this will happen, we have to put it into consideration to ensure that we link up with any charitable organization with such a plan to enhance Pepsi’s Vitamin water brand’s publicity. This is in line with common trend of charitable organization’s combining forces with celebrities for a specific course such as health development.
While UK’s population is mainly spread across the nation, Egyptian population is highly concentrated in urban areas and clustered agricultural points. Direct marketing would be a powerful marketing communication tool to provide an edge in an attempt to increase the accessibility of the target market. This is because engaging the clustered group of people would be easier, given the population distribution pattern. This subsequently calls for more in homogenous approach to advertisement. Online marketing is one of the best ways of providing an easy and cheap way of accessing the market, especially through the use of social networking sites.
Conclusion & Recommendations
Egyptian market presents a favourable destination for Vitamin water products. It is important to develop a marketing communication strategy that would help the company penetrate the market. The following recommendations will be important in developing a better communication strategy in penetrating Egyptian market.
1. It is critical to develop language interpretation mechanism that would help create understanding among the target customer. Basically, both English and Arabic language should be used to cater for all the demographic population, including the tourists;
2. Due to increased use of internet in the country, online placement and home delivery of products will be necessary. This will work well, particularly in reaching large institutional consumers such as hotels, schools, governmental and non-governmental organizations;
3. There will be need to adopt collaborative approach to marketing communication with an aim of increasing brand identity. This can be achieved through increased involvement with the celebrities and charitable organizations through organized events.
Reference
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2010), The World Fact Book. Cairo. CIA.
Hunt, S. (2002), Foundations of Marketing Theory: Toward a general theory of marketing. London. M.E. Sharpe.
Joshi, M. (2005), International Marketing. New York. Oxford University Press.
Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2001), Principles of Marketing. New York. Free Press. pp. 186-197.
Kotler, P. Jain, D., & Maesincee, S. (2002), “Formulating a Market Renewal Strategy,” in Marketing Moves (part 1) Fig 101. Boston. Harvard Business School Press, p. 29.
Mooij, M. (2010), Global Marketing and Advertising: Understanding Cultural Paradoxes. London. Sage Publishers.
Travis, T. (2007), Doing Business Anywhere: The Essential Guide to Going Global . Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
Zawya, P. (2008), Egypt: Food, beverages and tobacco forecast. Economic Intelligence Unit .
Bibliography
BtoB Magazine. (2008), The Integrated Marketing Mix,” Use of digital Media Rising,’ Web.
El-Swalhy, H. (2008), Using what we have. Al-Ahram Weekly On-line, Issue No. 919, 23-29. Web.
Gara, T. (2007), The Great Egyptian Gold Rush. Web.
Nawar, A. (2008), Anti-Inflation Policy Array in Egypt. Ministry of Finance and Central Bank of Egypt. Web.
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Path-Goal Theory: Four Major Aspects Case Study
Introduction
The three leaders in the case study operate under different work conditions, group norms and employee-types. Consequently, the effectiveness and ineffectiveness eminent in each of the shifts depends on the leader’s ability to merge his or her leadership style with these variables.
Model description
The model chosen for analysis is known as the Path-goal model. In this school of thought, leaders ought to motivate their followers in order to facilitate goal accomplishment. The theory has four major aspects that include goal definition, path clarification, elimination of obstacles and support provision. Furthermore, leaders ought to alter their leadership style in response to employee characteristics and task characteristics.
In the path-goal model, one can be a directive, achievement oriented, supportive, and participative leader. A directive leader clarifies goals, timelines and all other aspects of work. He or she manages various aspects of work. The achievement – oriented supervisor causes workers to feel challenged through high goal – setting and by urging them to accomplish those goals.
A supportive leader focuses on subordinates’ human needs while the participative leader seeks ideas and opinions from employees. These characteristics are not mutually exclusive as one may choose a different type of behavior depending on the situation under consideration. In addition, one leader can demonstrate more than one type of style at any one time.
For one to become a successful leader, one must know the characteristics of one’s followers. Subordinates traits change depending in their preferences for structure, their desire for control, their need for affiliation as well as the confidence they have in their ability to complete tasks.
Those with a high need for affiliation require a supportive leader while employees with an internal locus of control (those who believe in their ability to control their lives) require participative leaders. Individuals with great confidence in their ability to perform tasks need to have less directive leaders. Employees who exhibit authoritarian traits and work in uncertain situations require directive leadership for clarity.
Task characteristics can also alter leadership behaviors. Situations with ambiguous tasks require structured leadership, hence directive managers. On the other hand, repetitive tasks require supportive and human-centered styles. Work places with weak group norms and formal authority require less directive styles.
The model is useful in facilitating motivation among employees. Additionally, if applied correctly, employees will find great satisfaction in their work. They will have rewards and payoffs that they can work towards. It helps to put goals at the center of work activities and thus enhance results. Leaders can eliminate obstacles and support their followers to optimize their potential through this model.
Analysis of the case study
Art appears to have a number of leadership challenges. His employees are bored and lack motivation to carry out their duties. They also know their tasks inside out. The path goal theory states that directive leadership is suitable to dogmatic subordinates who have unclear, complex and ambiguous tasks. In the first shift, employees are not authoritarian at all. They are already confident about their ability to complete tasks. Additionally, they seem to have an internal locus of control.
The last thing they need is a directive leader, yet Art has selected the directive leadership style. His behavior is incompatible with his employees and well as their work environment.
Art needs to minimize his level of involvement in the employees’ work. He should borrow some of Bob’s ideas by dealing with his subordinates’ human needs. Art ought to work on his likeability as well as his ability to relate to his subordinates. These workers need a human touch and they have a high need for affiliation, which is the perfect scenario for supportive leadership.
Conversely, Bob, who supervises the second shift, has a different set of leadership challenges. Bob is a supportive leader as seen through his interactions with workers. He remembers his followers’ birthdays, takes them out for lunch, and praises their performance. However, this approach does not suit their task characteristics as outlined in the path-goal model. The employees are uncertain about some of their tasks especially when the computer is poorly calibrated.
They seem to have ambiguous goals and work under a lot of pressure. Their set up changes very frequently, so they require a supervisor who will clarify their goals. Additionally, these employees have low confidence in their ability to perform tasks as they keep talking about how difficult the job is. This scenario requires a directive leader who will provide structure and guide them in their daily tasks. Bob ought to get more involved in his subordinates’ tasks so as deal with this challenge.
Lastly, Carol seems to have mastered her situation and her employees quite well. She is a participative leader in certain circumstances, a supportive leader at other times, and an achievement-oriented supervisor in certain circumstances. She knows when to solicit for ideas or when to support workers. Carol represents the ultimate path-goal leader; she works on employees’ personal needs while focusing on the ultimate goal in the enterprise. She also eliminates obstacles and clarifies path in the way that the matter has been described in the theory.
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The Activities of Flight Attendants Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Conventional Roles of Flight Attendants
3. Modern Roles of Flight Attendants
4. Works Cited
Introduction
A legal requirement to all airlines is that they are required to provide flight attendants to guarantee the safety of the passengers. Though the principal responsibility of the flight attendants is to ensure that all the passengers adhere to the safety regulations, they are also charged with the responsibility of ensuring that flights are enjoyable and comfortable for passengers. Additionally, the government stipulates that flight attendants should act as the last line of defense against terrorists and segregate passengers who display symptoms of contagious diseases such as flu. Despite the numerous responsibilities placed on flight attendants, they are expected to be jolly at all times and implement creative methods of generating additional revenues for airlines. This paper discusses how the activities of flight attendants have generated revenues for airlines in the past and makes proposals that may be implemented to generate additional revenue for the airlines more so in the present financial dilemma.
Conventional Roles of Flight Attendants
An hour before take-off, the flight’s attendants are briefed by the captain of the flight on various issues. The issues include emergency evacuation procedures, the duration of the flight, the anticipated weather conditions, and other issues that may have impacted the flight. Flight attendants ensure that the first aid equipment is aboard the plane and is operational and that the passenger compartment is well attended to with ample supplies of food, beverages, and other amenities. As the passengers board the plane, flight attendants welcome them, verify their tickets, and guide them on where to place their jackets and their other carry-on luggage. These are the conventional responsibilities of flight attendants. These activities are not only aimed at ensuring that the passengers are comfortable but also to attract repeat business by clients who received world-class attention while flying. Therefore, airlines are engaged in hiring professional flight attendants as a means of attracting repeat and new clients; this ensures that the airlines generate additional revenues and counter the stiff competition that characterizes the airline’s industry.
Modern Roles of Flight Attendants
Presently, the airline industry is characterized by stiff and increasing competition. The onset of the international financial crisis, the increasing international oil prices, and the increased terrorist threats necessitating additional security measures have only acted to turn the situation from bad to worse. Therefore, airlines are faced with the challenge of developing new and more innovative measures that will generate revenue and ensure that airlines survive the financial turmoil. Numerous proposals can be adopted to increase airline revenues. These proposals are discussed below:
Advertisements are a highly sought means of publications and thus fetch substantial amounts of money for the advertisers. Airlines are always eye-balling for additional spaces to place advertisements; flight attendants may offer these additional spaces. All airlines should introduce proposals to ensure that all their flight attendants wear in-flight aprons that are adorned with advertisements. This would be adopted as an Onboard Marketing Program for promoting the products that are offered on board by the airlines. Additionally, they may act as advertising billboards for hire thus generating additional revenues for the airlines. Onboard Advertising sales are an effective means of lowering the operation costs for the airlines enabling them to charge lower fares and attract additional clients more so for the Low-Cost Carrier Airlines (Matt 1). Additionally, Onboard Advertising keeps employees on the job, does not compromise on the safety of the passengers, or hinders the effective performance of the flight attendants’ duties.
Over the last decade, airlines have been forced to cut pay and reduce benefits to their employees. These measures have not gone well with a majority of the airline’s staff resulting in constant strikes such as in the case of British Airlines. There are more innovative methods of avoiding these staff conflicts, the airlines may make proposals to the flight attendant to sell various products such as credit cards, foods and beverages, and headphones as a means of generating revenue. Additionally, the flight attendants may conduct in-flight raffles to raise revenue.
Flight attendants have also been instrumental in reviving airlines that have been declared bankrupt. The flight attendants of US Airways approved a concession agreement that helped the airline to save millions of US dollars in its efforts to cut costs and rise from bankruptcy. The flight attendants voted for a proposed concession agreement that cut their pay by up to 9% (Reuters 1). Other creative measures that can be employed by airlines to generate additional revenue include charging for the foods and beverages that are served on flights. Airlines are faced with increased competition from the food retail outlets that are located in airports. A survey conducted by Forester Research revealed that hungry travelers prefer to bring food bought from the take-away food joints onboard (Levere 1). Charging for the food portions that are served in airlines will enable these airlines to introduce a combination of meals and other promotions that will enable the airlines to compete effectively with the fast-food restaurants.
Works Cited
Levere, Jane. In-Flight Food Tries to Be Tasty, 2010. Web.
Matt, Phillips. Report: Spirit to Put Bud Light Ads on Flight Attendants, 2009. Web.
Reuters. US Airways Flight Attendants Approve Concessions, 2005. Web.
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Discovering Cumberland Island Essay
Well nested on the east coast, is a place I never imagined I could long to go back and visit. Its funny how many individuals perceive east coast to be; a land where money and time-share a common language; “scarcity,” while forgetting there are better things there. To some extent, owing to its geographic position, it is not wrong for one to ague that, it is a forgotten treasure because it is rarely spoken when it comes to choosing places to tour.
During our winter holiday in 2009, my parents proposed that we should have a visit to one of the less spoken tourist centers; something that I opposed at first but on further consideration I accepted without knowing the fun that was awaiting me. It takes approximately two days to travel by road to this wonderful island if you live in New York or its outskirts.
Geographically it is near the southern Georgia coast. Occupiers of this island thrive within a magnificent ecosystem comprising of sand dunes, marshland, and a variety of tree species, which makes the place look even more beautiful.
This habitat is mainly is comprised of animals of the giant lizard family (which can scare the breath out of one), wild horses, birds, and pigs, turtles, sharks and snakes of all species. The site of nesting turtles made the scenery even more beautiful as they maneuvered around their eggs making sure no predators struck.
Although the journey to the island was exciting, the site of the scenery left me more excited. One unique thing with this island is that, its weather; you can imagine living home in a quite chilly morning, hence the need to cover yourself, only to find that you have abused the weather on reaching the Island the following day; because the temperature were more than anyone could anticipate.
Because this is an island, our adventure commenced the moment we arrived at the seashore. We had an option of using a private boat but my parents opted for a ferry, which we boarded at St. Mary’s Georgia. It was my fist time riding in a ferry; hence, you can imagine how fun it was having met local natives who spoke a language one could think they were not American citizens, but rather originated from some foreign country where English was a scarce language.
Have small crawling animals like ticks ever defeated you? Do not laugh and take it as a joke because this visit proved this to me. Like oxygen, ticks were allover, hence acting as our welcoming masters and hosts something we got used to because even if you tried to kill them it was just a waste of time. Singly I can testify I removed more than 150 ticks stuck on my body, a fact that made me question the essence of companies manufacturing insecticides because, this ticks not only seemed stubborn, but also immune.
Although the ticks had given us a general preview of how life was to be in these nine days, it was important for the rangers on duty to give us a formal welcome. On funny thing about their welcoming note was that, instead of them encouraging us, they increased the levels of our heartbeats by telling us how dangerous animals in this park were; hence the need to take precaution.
I cannot deny that I had seen raccoons previously, but Cumberland’s Raccoons were more that one could anticipate their size could be; because not only were they enormous, but also they seemed more voracious. They were so famished that no matter how much we fed them, one could think they had an extra stomach they put the food because they were insatiable.
Because we could not stand these Raccoons, we opted to stay up at the Hickory hills, something we never knew was worse that feeding them. The conditions there were un-tolerable because, the place was extra thorny and invested with so many biting insects that included our welcoming friends; ticks.
On our second to seventh day, we went around the jungle park where we saw the beauty of creation and evolution, which included wild turkeys, a variety of serpents, and other wild animals, which I think are the causes of my nightmares. As it was culture of the island, on our second last day, we attended a unique swimming competition; unique in the sense that it was not between human beings, but rather between human beings and dolphins.
In addition to swimming with dolphins, the imagination of a shark attacking me made the experience more enjoyable, although terrifying.
In conclusion, I do not want to remember my last day in the park; it makes me long for the park. This is because for once, I had the chance of touching and feeding most venomous snakes, something that was my greatest fear. In addition, I had the chance of seeing wild horses mate, hence continuation of the living species; horses being my favorite animals.
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The Solar Energy and Photovoltaic Effect Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Solar Energy Usage
3. Technical Process
4. Types of Solar Cells
5. Conclusion
6. Reference List
7. Appendixes
Introduction
Sun has always been regarded as the key energy source for humanity since ancient times. The colossal energy and material reserve are able to supply light and warmth for millions of years, and the aim of humanity is to study how to use this energy wisely. Silicon cells that are also called solar cells are applied in various spheres of human life. The photovoltaic effect is aimed at transforming sunlight into electricity. Various silicon compounds are used for creating solar panels; these are monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium selenide/sulfide (Lynn, 2010). The future of solar energy is regarded as the opportunity to deliver sunlight-generated electricity to every house and every industrial object, while contemporary technology presupposes low-efficiency output, and, regardless of the quick technological development, the dream of cheap and available electricity stays nothing more than a dream.
Solar Energy Usage
As it is stated in Goetzberger and Hoffmann (2005), the photovoltaic effect was first discovered by French physicist Becquerel. He noted that sunlight carries energy that may be converted into electricity. However, the first solar cell was invented in 1883 by Charles Fritts. He used the junction of gold and selenium, however, the efficiency of the construction was only 1%. Silicon was first used by Russian physicist Stoletov in 1905. As the effectiveness was essentially larger in comparison with Fritt’s experiment, silicon became the key component for photovoltaic cells. Actually, this is explained by the statement that silicon has the optimal atomic structure, and is sensitive to sun radiation. However, certain alternatives are also used for increasing the effectiveness of the constructions and junctions. Hence, the actual importance of these alternatives is explained by using various components for improving silicon and non-silicon constructions. The key principle of the process is explained in Pachauri and Abeyratne (2000, p. 521):
Electrons are ejected from a material’s surface upon exposure to radiation of sufficient energy. The photovoltaic effect is different in that the generated electrons are transferred between different bands (i.e. from the valence to conduction bands) within the material, resulting in the buildup of a voltage between two electrodes.
Hence, the requirements to the atomic structure presuppose the existence of free electrons in atoms and the abilities for semiconducting. Hence, if sunlight affects the surface, the free-electron should be released from the atom, and transmitted to a conductor (electrode), for the electron did not have an opportunity to come back, the semiconductor is used, where the p-n junction is used.
Technical Process
The key difference factor of the solar cells is the material and technology that is used. Hence, the output parameters change, as well as the efficiency coefficient. First, it should be stated that the energy is transformed from the visible sunlight, and the technical features of the process are explained in Lynn (2010, p. 310):
Many currently available solar cells are made from bulk material that is cut into wafers between 180 to 240 micrometers thick that are then processed like other semiconductors. Other materials are made as thin-films layers, organic dyes, and organic polymers that are deposited on supporting substrates. A third group is made from nanocrystals and used as quantum dots (electron-confined nanoparticles).
In the light of this statement, it should be emphasized that the working regimes of solar cells are defined by the positioning of the cells towards the light, as the 90 angle presupposes the maximum effectiveness, while the lower angles decrease the effectiveness proportionally. Photons that are caught by solar cells undergo several steps. There is no necessity to explain multi-step p-n junctions, as contemporary cells are created using a single p-n layer. Photons, carrying some particular energy charge, liberate the free electron from an atom. Schematically it is shown in figure 1, where cell 1 is the photosensitive element, cell 2 is a semiconductor, and cell 3 is the electrode layer.
Photon behavior in a solar cell is defined by the materials used and the construction of the cell itself. Hence, there are at least three ways of photon behavior:
1. Photon can pass directly to the silicon layer. In accordance with Lynn’s (2010) research, this happens if photons are not charged highly.
2. Photon can reflect from the surface of the solar cell
3. The photon may be absorbed. If this happens, the solar cell generates an electron-hole pair if the charge level of the photon absorbed is higher in comparison with the charge of the silicon bandgap value.
An additional factor for defining regimes is the temperature of the environment. The comparative values are given in figure 2. However, the temperature defines the maximal output that may be derived from a single cell. It is in non-linear proportion with temperature and voltage.
An essential barrier for effective technology development is known as a physical side effect. It is explained by the statement given by Pachauri and Abeyratne (2000, p. 294):
As cell characteristics are referenced to a common cross-sectional area, they may be compared for cells of different physical dimensions. While this is of limited benefit in a manufacturing setting, where all cells tend to be the same size, it is useful in research and in comparing cells between manufacturers. Moreover, the density equation naturally scales the parameter values to similar orders of magnitude.
Considering the opportunity of current leakage, or loss depending on the temperature, another aspect of solar cell theory should be emphasized. This is called reverse saturation current, and it represents the reduction of Voltage with the increase of current produced. This is closely linked with the temperature behavior of solar cells, and the described saturation is regarded as the leakage caused by the transmission of currents across the p-n junction in reverse bias (Goetzberger and Hoffmann, 2005)
Ideality factor is the key parameter for defining the real capacity of a cell in comparison with the theoretic calculations. This is generally shown by voltage-current characteristics of the cell, and if the real characteristics coincide with the theoretic values, the ideality factor is 1. It may be higher or lower depending on space-charge region recombination. In fact, most solar cells that are large enough in comparison with diodes, exhibit close to ideal behavior in Standard Test Condition (Pachauri and Abeyratne, 2000). However, depending on the space-charge region recombination, the device operation may be changed. The increase of the I parameter and the ideality factor may be regarded as the result of voltage increase, while the lower ideality factors may stimulate solar cell erosion.
Types of Solar Cells
The types generally depend on the materials used for manufacturing solar cells. Silicon is used as the basis for any photovoltaic material, while the types may differ. Hence, monocrystalline silicon is the most expensive, and effective enough. Multicrystalline silicon is used for creating large blocks of molten silicon. These are less effective in comparison with the former. Ribbon silicon is the subdivision of multi-crystalline silicon, and they are less efficient in comparison with polycrystalline structures.
Regardless of the materials used, the principle of getting electric energy stays the same. Solar cells use the principle of the p-n junction when the special changes are used in the molecules of monocrystalline semiconductors. This is generally achieved by alloying or diffusing semiconducting crystalline structures with a different semiconducting material together.
Conclusion
Solar energy is regarded as the key alternative for future energy consumption, as the potentials of photovoltaic technology development are endless. In general photovoltaic panels are used not only in households but also in industry and scientific aims. The sphere of application may be extended essentially.
However, the costs and effectiveness of the contemporary crystalline junctions leave much to be desired. The effectiveness of the technology is in inverse proportion to its costs. However, the actual effectiveness of the solar cells is sufficient for using them as an alternative source of energy for various aims. Solar cells are highly dependent on their spatial position as well as the temperature of the environment, as the ideality factor of solar elements is closely related to the matters of reaction of the material for sunlight radiation as well as the temperature of the environment.
The alternatives of photovoltaic elements development are closely linked to studying the molecular and atomic physics of silicon structure, as this stays the only element suitable for creating photovoltaic elements.
Reference List
Goetzberger, A., Hoffmann, V.U. 2005, Photovoltaic Solar Energy Generation , Springer
Lynn, P. A., 2010 Electricity from sunlight: An introduction to photovoltaics , Wiley-Blackwell
Pachauri, R. K., Abeyratne, S., 2000 From sunlight to electricity (Solar photovoltaic applications) , University of New South Wales Press
Appendixes
Figure 1
(Pachauri, Abeyratne, 56)
Figure 2
(Goetzberger, Hoffmann, 87)
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The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe: The Role of the Narrator Essay
The role of the narrator is usually considerable and crucial for any literary work and reader’s perception of the content. With the help of the narrator, the reader gets a wonderful opportunity to become involved into the events, to evaluate the conditions from the narrator’s perspective, and to realize why the idea of the story is developed in this very way.
The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe is one of the best and most captivating works, where much attention is paid to the role of the narrator and his participation in the events. In this short story, the narrator is an old friend of the main character, Roderick Usher, who decides to come to Usher’s house in order to support him and help to overcome his and his sister’s illness.
The role of the narrator of the story The Fall of the House of Usher is great indeed; his rationality and his ability to represent the events from the side of an immediate participant of the story and from the side of an observer, who notice changes in the house but still cannot comprehend the reasons of why these changes bother other characters.
As a participant . Without any doubts, Edgar Poe was one of those writers, who could create a story and make each reader being involved into its events. His narrators are unique and unpredictable, because they are able to notice each detail and pay special attention to each trifle.
From the very beginning, the narrator of The Fall of the House of Usher introduces the reader “soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens” (Poe 109), where such a dark description aims to warn the reader and hint that the events will hardly cause laugh or tears.
The narrator performs the role of the participant of the story and suggests the reader to follow him and be involved into each step, breath, and look. This Poe’s decision makes this short story interesting to deal with for any reader and really remarkable in the world literature.
As a survivor and rationalist. Another significant role of the narrator in this horrific story is connected to his survival and the ability to describe the events in the Usher’s house rationally. “From that chamber, and from that mansion, I fled aghast” (Poe 128), the narrator tells. Such a fast decision of his proves that these events touch not only the body or mind, not perception of this world and own position in it.
In spite of the fact, that from the very beginning, the narrator seems to be a pure rationalist, who tries to present only rational explanations and see only rational events, and a person, who will never believe or accept some irrational things, he considerable changes his mind and tries to escape from everything, he has already got involved. Some time passes, and the narrator loses own voice of reason and admits that his fears and superstitions increase considerable.
However, the fact that the narrator is the only survivor tells that his life is not ended on this note, and he has to face many other challenges in his life; or, vice versa, he becomes trapped into the mystery of this house and his life would never be similar to the one before the event with the Usher’s house. The end of the story proves that narrator’s rationality has been lost in the madness of that house, and now, he faces numerous irrational challenges, which may influence his life considerably.
As a person, who can make mistakes . I truly believe that one more significant role of the narrators is directed to each reader in order to explain that even pure rational and smart people can make mistakes or think wrong because of numerous external factors.
From the very beginning, the reader observes the narrator as a rational, smart, and organized person, who is ready to present logical explanations to each even in his life. However, he makes a terrible mistake, when he agrees to Roderick Usher about the death of his sister and the decision to bury her alive.
Within a short period of time, the destiny of these two characters knocks to their door; it was “the lofty and enshrouded figure of the lady Madeline of Usher” (Poe 128). Such development of the events can be easily foreseen by the reader, but the narrator tries to postpone this climax as far as possible because of own rationality, and he perfectly does his job. However, the narrator is crushed by the madness of his old friend and cannot cope with all around irrationality.
All people make mistakes and suffer because of the consequences they cannot avoid; many writers try to describe this theme in their works in order to teach the reader and help him/her to improve this life. Edgar Poe’s narrator in The Fall of the House of Usher is one few characters, who may perform several roles simultaneously and do it very well that allows readers to accept this story as a significant and educative piece of writing.
To become a participant of the terrible events, to evaluate how one action may destroy several lives and the whole house, and to comprehend that some kind of mystery is somewhere near – these are that major purposes, the narrator of the story wants to achieve. The narrator’s role is really significant in The Fall of the House of Usher , and the reader should not only to worry about the destiny of the major characters but also to learn, to think, and to believe in faith and our predestination.
Works Cited
Poe, Edgar, A. The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales . New York: New American Library, Penguin Putman Inc., 1998.
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Self‐Awareness in Nursing for Providing Culturally Competent Care Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Discussion
3. Impact of Assigned Article Content on Future Practice
4. Conclusion
5. References
Introduction
The article examines the phenomena of self-awareness and reflection in nursing practice, how it can help patients, taking into account their cultural characteristics. The author emphasizes the importance of culturally competent care. Respect for racial, cultural, and religious differences and the promotion of social justice in healthcare settings underpin cultural competence. This approach to treatment and care will improve communication between staff and patients, increasing satisfaction and encouraging facilitation and adherence to treatment.
Discussion
Nowadays, effective work in a medical environment implies awareness of various factors that affect the sides’ interaction. Intrapersonal factors are related to the internal state of the nurse, interpersonal ones indicate the communication of the nurse with the patients. Contextual factors are also necessary “to be considered when interacting with the patient,” related to political, economic, cultural, and social. (Rasheed et al, 2019, p. 765) So, without considering all these factors, the nurse may assess the patient as “nonadherent” to the cure. Misunderstandings can negatively affect the relationship between the medical staff and the patient. Taking into account all of the factors described can improve the quality of nursing care in general.
Self-awareness is an essential component for the development and strengthening of intercultural therapeutic relationships. “Self-aware nurses reflect on their strengths and limitations; acknowledge their racial, cultural, and religious prejudices; and recognize negative and positive potentials to care for patients in different contexts and settings.” (Younas, 2020, p. 62) Experimental studies show that self-awareness and reflection are essential for the development of competencies related to a cultural approach in nursing. Being “aware of your own biases and ingrained cultural values, you can prevent yourself from projecting those biases on to patients when providing care.” (Younas, 2020, p. 63) The author points out that it is self-awareness that reminds nurses not to judge patients’ cultural values. Thus, being a tool for increasing cultural competence and providing more delicate care. Different strategies are determined to apply the approach in different situations. Reflexive practices include observing and tracking patient care needs, keeping a diary, and receiving patient feedback can help nurses see the problem from the patient’s point of view.
Impact of Assigned Article Content on Future Practice
The impact of the article’s content for future practice can be assessed as significant since the topics raised are crucial. The article offers practical advice aimed at developing cultural competence. According to the author, to learn more about patients’ cultural values and beliefs, they must be compared with their own. Analyzing the similarities and differences in values, beliefs, and views will help incorporate the findings into practice and improve cultural competence. This can be done during conversations with patients, personal observations, and constantly updating information. Learning from experience can significantly enhance a nurse’s ability and competence to provide care. What is more, nurses are also culturally diverse in many multicultural countries. Due to the fact that culture is an integral part of the individual, cultural competence is essential for the provision of quality nursing care.
Conclusion
To conclude, the article explores the topic of cultural competence in medicine and its importance. The ability of medical workers to demonstrate respect, acceptance, goodwill towards patients with different values, beliefs, and feelings is cultural competence. Such training is essential in an area where human interaction is a significant factor in care and assistance. Cultural competence can reduce inequalities in health at a broader sociocultural level and provide optimal care for patients regardless of their race, gender, origin, language, religious and cultural beliefs. Currently, nurses have a responsibility to take into account a number of factors when caring for patients, as well as to have self-awareness, this can contribute to improving the quality of care. Self-awareness is an integral part of nursing care in a culturally competent approach. Nurses are prepared to address cultural bias when they are aware of cultural differences.
References
Rasheed, S. P., Younas, A., & Sundus, A. (2019). Self‐awareness in nursing: A scoping review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 28 (5-6), 762-774.
Younas A. (2020). Self-awareness: A tool for providing culturally competent care. Nursing, 50 (2), 61–63.
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Chinese and Celtic Material Cultures Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Exhibit and Artifacts
3. Interpretation and Analysis
4. Conclusion
5. Appendixes
6. Reference List
7. Footnotes
Introduction
This paper is aimed at comparing two artifacts that represent different cultures. One of them is a pair of bronze plaques created during the Western Zhou dynasty. The other one is the terret which exemplifies the Celtic culture. It is necessary to show how these objects can throw light on the material culture of these civilizations.
This is one of the methods that are often used by historians or archeologists because such objects are primary sources of information (Adams, Langer, Hwa, & Stearns, 2000). Certainly, one cannot make generalizations only on the basis of such examples; yet, some of the details can be very informative.
The comparison of these exhibits show how various craftsmen attempted to combine functionality and aesthetic elements. Moreover, it should be mentioned these civilizations achieved a high level of technological development, especially by the standards of the historical periods which these artifacts represent. This is one of the main aspects that should be singled out.
The Exhibit and Artifacts
Much attention should be paid to the pair of bronze plaques 1 . The primary focus will be on this particular subject. One should mention that this artifact was created in China during the period between 1050-771 before the Common Era.
This artifact is an example of craftsmanship which existed during the Western Zhou dynasty which existed for more than two centuries (Higham, 2009). Secondly, one should speak about the terret 2 made from a copper alloy (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2013). It should be mentioned that these artifacts are parts of larger exhibitions aimed at showcasing the material culture of various civilizations or societies.
Admittedly, these cultures can hardly be related to one another because they represent different geographic regions or historical periods. Nevertheless, they have some similar traits such as sophisticated craftsmanship. The examination of these exhibits can informative and thought-provoking.
Interpretation and Analysis
At first, it is necessary to examine the pair of bronze plaques that exemplify the Chinese art. They resemble mirror images of an animal which curved fang and gaping mouth (The Art Institute of Chicago, 2013). It cannot be regarded as a cultural or political symbol. More likely, it can be viewed as a tool that had to perform certain functions.
These greenish plaques resemble mirror images of an animal which curved fang and gaping mouth (The Art Institute of Chicago, 2013). When speaking about this artifact, one should first point out that it was created in the civilization with a relatively sophisticated material culture because these people were able to process metals.
It should be kept in mind that archeologists discovered various bronze artifacts representing the Western Zhou dynasty. For instance, historians often speak about bronze vessels created during this period (Higham, 2009, p. 375). Moreover, this civilization is credited for the development of hydraulic engineering (Higham, 2009).
One should mention that during this period the ancient China had a distinct class of craftsmen who created the majority of artifacts which help researchers study the legacy of this cultural period (Higham, 2009). This is one of the details that should not be overlooked. It is vital for showing that the Chinese society during the Western Zhou dynasty attained significant results in various areas of production.
At present, one can identify only the approximate period when this object was created. This object could be produced between 1050-771 before the Common Era. Furthermore, researchers cannot tell when these plaques were found and indentified. Researchers make several conjectures about the use of this artifact. First of all, they could be a part of a horse bridle (The Art Institute of Chicago, 2013).
However, this object could also be a part of the armor (The Art Institute of Chicago, 2013). So, it is quite probable that these bronze plaques could be used by soldiers. However, this is only a conjecture that should be substantiated. Still, this artifact can be informative because it can indicate at the level of technology during the Western Zhou dynasty.
For instance, one can say that this civilization achieved some successes in such an area as metallurgy. Certainly, this area of manufacturing was only at the rudimentary stage of its development. However, at that time, it could be regarded as a remarkable achievement.
This is one of the points that can be made. Such artifacts are important for understanding the life of ancient China. Thus, the examination of this exhibit can be useful for describing the culture of the Western Zhou dynasty.
One should bear in mind that this material is part of a larger collection which is supposed to showcase the material culture of Asian countries. To a great extent, the exhibited artifacts are supposed to represent the diversity of artworks created in such countries as China or Japan.
The pair of bronze plaques helps the viewers to gain a better idea about the Asian art which is diverse in terms of styles, the use of materials, and techniques. This is one of the issues that can be singled out.
This pair of bronze plaques can be compared to the terret which represents the Celtic culture. First of all, the second artifact was created much later. In particular, this object was produced in the first century of the Common Era (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2013). One cannot say that this terret is a political or cultural symbol. Most likely, this object was used to manage a double harness.
It is one of the metal rings through which the reins were passed. It is made of a copper alloy which is colored in green and white. This terret could be used by soldiers. In particular, one can speak about the drivers of Celtic chariots (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2013). These troops were famous for their ability to defeat even overwhelming forces of an enemy (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2013).
To a great extent, this material object is also very informative. It shows that the paper the representatives of this culture were skilled at metallurgy and art. One can argue that the ancient Celtic culture attracts close attention of historians and archeologists. There are numerous artworks made of ornamented metals. The chosen artifact illustrates this peculiarity of the Celtic art.
This object is a part of the exhibition which illustrates the artworks created in the Roman Provinces. This exhibition is mostly aimed at showcasing the craft of metalwork which emerged at the beginning of the first of the century of the Common Era.
Moreover, these objects show that the ancient craftsmen attempted to combine functionality with aestheticism. This terret, which is discussed in this paper, fits this exhibition. It resembles other many other exhibits. This is the main argument that can be put forward.
The main similarity is that these material objects served both practical and aesthetic functions. They contain several decorative elements such as tracery. Nevertheless, they were applied for some specific purposes. They might have been used by the cavalrymen. Moreover, both of them represent civilizations with developed metallurgy. Additionally, one can say that the army played an important role in the life of these societies.
These are the main aspects that can be identified. It should be borne in mind that the assumptions made in this paper are other findings of archeologists. By looking only at two examples, one cannot reach definitive conclusions. This is one of the limitations that should not be disregarded. Still, this analysis can give rise to many interesting conjectures. This is one of the main claims that can be advanced.
Conclusion
To a great extent, these examples indicate that the study of material artifacts can throw light on the culture of a certain period. For instance, these objects can help researchers understand the economic and technological development of a country or region during a particular period.
Much attention should be paid to such issues as sophisticated craftsmanship, processing of metals, and people’s willingness to combine aesthetic elements and functionality.
These are the main similarities that should be distinguished. However, one can reach conclusions only by studying a great number of material artifacts. This is the main argument that can be put forward. Although the Celtic and Chinese cultures are not related in any way, they have some common elements.
Appendixes
Picture One
(The Art Institute of Chicago, 2013)
Picture Two
(The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2013)
Reference List
Adams, P., Langer, E., Hwa, L., & Stearns, P. (2000). Experiencing World History . New York, NY: New York University Press.
Higham, C. (2009). Encyclopedia of Ancient Asian Civilizations , New York, NY: Infobase Publishing.
The Art Institute of Chicago. (2013). Asian Art . Web.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2013). Terret (Rein Guide) . Web.
Footnotes
1 Please, refer to the Appendixes, Picture One
2 Picture Two
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Maraviroc: FDA Approved Drug Research Paper
Abstract
This paper aims at describing the Maraviroc drug that is approved by the FDA. Besides that, the paper is aimed at analyzing how the drug physiologically operates or works based on the mechanisms of human biology. The paper will cover how the mechanisms correspond to the biological activity, side effects, utility, and the experience with HIV aids patients. To manage a drug, one has to consider the patients’ outcomes and response toward the drug. Again, the drug itself has to be managed to achieve its intended goal. Therefore, the drug must be monitored closely in the market in order to investigate any adverse reactions or resistance.
FDA
Food and drugs administration is a body that scientifically endorses the usage of a given drug to cure human diseases. This drug must be approved before being released to the market. Besides that, this body closely monitors the welfare of that drug in the market and its side effects. Maraviroc (Selzentry) got FDA approval in 2007 for the healing or suppressing of CCR5-tropic HIV-1. This approval was prescribed for the experienced adult patients. Maraviroc is prescribed and can be used together with other antiretroviral treatments. However, Maraviroc does not heal HIV aids. Besides that, it does not stop the spread and contamination of the virus to healthy individuals.
HIV Virus
HIV is a virus that is composed of RNA molecules, the enzyme, and has got the reverse transcriptase enzyme that enables it to change its mechanism of replication. This virus cannot replicate or multiply unless it enters into the DNA of another organism. In order for this virus to replicate, it must seek shelter in the human host CD4 cell. In the host CD4 cells the virus implant itself into the first receptor which is the surface of the CD4 cell and then into the second receptor. This second receptor is either CCR5 or CXCR4. However, at the beginning of infections, most HIV strains use CCR5.
* Patient Version: Selzentry (Maraviroc)
* Brand Name: Selzentry
* Generic Name: Maraviroc
* Drug Class: Entry and Fusion Inhibitors (CCR5 antagonist)
Introduction
This FDA body has approved many drugs in connection to prevention, treatment, and curing of various diseases infecting or affecting human beings. Some of these drugs include Aptivus (tipranavir) and Selzentry (maraviroc) for HIV aids among others. For my part, I have decided to choose Selzentry which is also marketed as Celsentri outside the USA. This drug is an entry competitive inhibitor that fuses with the cells in order to inhibit the infected cells from affecting other cells. Therefore, it is used to suppress HIV aids in human beings or to slow down the process of infection but it does not fully cure the disease. Maraviroc is an antiretroviral drug for adults (with CCR5-tropic HIV-1).
Before I address the management, dosage, and side effects of maraviroc, it is good to understand the mechanism, pharmacology, and how the CD4 cells are affected by the HIV virus. After that, the mechanism of how maraviroc works will be understood.
The immune system in the body is facilitated by the blood. In the blood, there are the erythrocytes and leukocytes/lymphocytes. Leucocytes are the white blood cells that defend the body against foreign pathogens. Leucocytes work in conjunction with leucocytes. I am going to concentrate on the leucocytes and their associated cells of the immune system. T cell is a component of white blood cells or leucocytes that are involved in defending the body against foreign pathogens through the immune system.
T cell itself is a lymphocyte and there are more than 40% of lymphocytes in our blood system. T cells coordinate with other cells of the body’s immune system to fight viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Besides that, T cells are manufactured in the bone marrow but migrate in the thymus gland to mature. T cells branch into three groups of more cells. These include CD4+ cells that are also referred to as Helper T cells because they help other cells in the blood system to destroy pathogens. Other cells are CD8+ cells and killer T cells. CD4+ cells are the determinant of the fitness of an individual infected or affected by the HIV virus.
The reason why these CD4+ cells are the determinants of the health of a person is that they are the targets of the HIV virus and it is through the counting of these cells that the health status of an individual can be analyzed and the degree of the infection. After knowing the number and composition of CD4 cells, one can know when to start ant-HIV remedies and when to start prophylaxis measures to prevent opportunistic infections. This is because CD4 cells are the ones that send signals to the body’s immune system so that natural killer cells, interleukins, or suppressive cells can start acting on the virus. Since CD4 cells are the exact targets of HIV aids if this signal is not detected this virus gradually erode the CD4 cells making them decrease in numbers such that the patient now becomes affected by the disease and this is worsened by opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, malignant tumor, malaria, pneumonia, and typhoid.
Actually, the normal number of CD4 cells is supposed to be from 600 and above per cubic millimeter of blood. The infection starts when the CD4 cells drop below 200 cells per cubic millimeters of blood. The prophylaxis measures should start when you realize that CD4 cells are 200 per cubic millimeters of blood. But drugs for other opportunist infections must be prescribed after diagnosis even if CD4 cells are not less than 200.
Chemical Composition and Structures
Maraviroc is composed of CYP3A inhibitors e.g. nefazodone. These inhibitors may be combined with a CYP3A that is used as an inducer. Other types of inhibitors may be included in the composition. For example, enzyme inhibitors like protease. The chemical composition of these inhibitors is ketonised onazole (ketoconazole), clarithromycin, and itraconazole.
Maraviroc has a composition of active ingredients and inactive ingredients (filler material). Inactive ingredients are grouped into two; Tablet film coat composition and Tablet inner core composition. The Tablet inner core composition includes dibasic anhydrous calcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, and magnesium stearate, and sodium starch glycolate. On the other hand, the Tablet film coat composition includes polyvinyl alcohol, FD&C blue Aluminum Lake, macrogol 3350 (polyethylene glycol), talc, Soya lecithin, and titanium dioxide.
The active ingredients include the Maraviroc itself.
Physiological Reaction and Mechanism (How the Drug Works Based on the Mechanisms of Human Biology)
Maraviroc is an antiretroviral drug that binds to the antigen-presenting cells hence acting as the chemokine receptor. Therefore, it acts in a way to stop the HIV virus from entering into the CD4 T cells that are not infected (acts as an HIV entry inhibitor). Therefore, Maraviroc is a competitive inhibitor. Maraviroc is synthesized in a manner that can hinder HIV viral infection of CD4+ T cells by inhibiting CD4 cell chemokine receptor 5 that is abbreviated as CCR5.CCR5 is a coco-receptor that aids in entries of HIV aids in the cells (John L 2006).
According to Pfizer, maraviroc is an inhibitor that hinders HIV from entering leucocytes. It is in leucocytes that the virus replicates. This process involves confusing the cell’s DNA where it starts the synthesis of HIV single-stranded RNA into DNA. This leads to outnumbering the CD4 cells of the patient hence lowering the immune system. According to LaMattina John, cells chemokine receptor 5 can hinder the entry of the HIV virus to the cell instead of fighting it inside the body leucocytes. By blocking the entry, CCR5 antagonizes the virus from replicating itself. This instead retrogresses the process of virus replication. Therefore, maraviroc can reduce the chances of the HIV virus-producing more copies of the virus.
In physiological breakdown, Maraviroc is metabolized in the liver using cytochrome P450. The terminal half-life is expected to be between 15 and 18 hours at the stable state. Apart from the liver breakdown of Maraviroc, about 27 % of Maraviroc excretion is cleared through the renal pathway as urine. However, slight clearance occurs through perspiration, defecation, and sweating.
Administration
Maraviroc or Selzentry is an oral dose that is packed in 150 mg and 300 mg tablets or even in 600mg. It may be swallowed with or without food. It is supposed to be taken twice a day although doctors can change this dosage accordingly. This is because Maraviroc is prescribed together with other drugs for opportunistic infections (Nelson M and Fatkenheuer, 2007). Some other drugs that can be taken by the patient during medication of maraviroc can increase the rate of reaction in the body. For example, CYP3A inhibitors increase the speed of breaking down the maraviroc molecules. After swallowing the drug, maraviroc is metabolized by the Karpa cells in the liver (Goodrich J and Dejesus, 2005).
How These Mechanisms Relate to the Biological Activity, Utility, and Side Effects
Side effects are negative outcomes of the drugs that are not expected in the processing of treatment or prevention. But the overall effects of a drug are the determining factors as to whether it will be approved. When Maraviroc is administered to control HIV virus replications, the metabolic process occurs in the liver. Therefore, some side effects such as liver toxicity may result in some patients. This happens often when the patient has liver problems or h or she is taking a lot of alcohol.
Other features are specific hypersensitivity-like symptoms. These symptoms are body rashes and elevation numbers of leucocytes such as eosinophils. Besides that, an increase in Immunoglobin E titer may occur before the development of liver toxicity. Therefore, patients undergoing Maraviroc medication should be monitored closely.
While carrying out the clinical trials of Maraviroc, patients receiving this drug were diagnosed with cardiovascular problems such as heart attack. Due to immunological reactions, some blood vessels may be forced to expand or contract. In the case of coronary arteries, dialysis can lead to heart failure in some patients. However, this is a rare case. In addition to that, FDA has authorized the drug to be used keenly in patients who have got higher chances of cardiovascular infections.
Besides cardiovascular infections, Maraviroc binds the co-receptors of CCR5 where it inhibits the infected cells from infecting other cells. Unfortunately, CCR5 co-receptors are located in the cells of the immune system where they can cause infections or malignant tumors. But all the above are minor side effects. However, some common side effects that are found in the patients using Maraviroc are cough, dizziness, hypotension, stomach upset, muscle and joints ailments, while some patients have a fever, others have colds and rashes. Much of Maraviroc is cleared through renal pathways, patients with renal or kidney failure may face the problems of Maraviroc concentrating in the renal arteries. This is worsened by the failure of nephrites. However, dialysis may help to save the situation.
Clinical trials have been tested on the Maraviroc drug but clinical resistance has not been fully analyzed. However, viral tropism that leads to virology failure has been detected. Another side effect is IRS (Immune reconstitution syndrome) that is a minor occurrence. Having noted the side effects, patients are supposed to be monitored closely when on medications because of effects that occur in the immune cells due to CCR5-antagonism.
Safety Precautions
Maraviroc is supposed to be used by adults only who are HIV positive and not people below the age of 17 (Gulick M and Marks K, 2004 ). As mentioned earlier, patients with liver dysfunction, cardiovascular problems, Hepatitis B or C, kidney failure should be monitored closely when under medication. Maraviroc (CCR5 Antagonist) is best recommended for naïve patients who actually tolerate it. However, Maraviroc is not as effective as Efavirenz. Maraviroc (CCR5 Antagonist) works better toward the HIV aids after about six months in two phases.
When under Maraviroc medication, patients are not supposed to take drugs or products that have John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum). This is because Hypericum perforatum reduces the levels of Maraviroc in the blood system. By lowering the chemical level of Maraviroc, the drug might not work effectively to fight the CCR5-tropic HIV pandemic. It is easier to store Maraviroc since it requires a room temperature of Store 15◦Cto 30◦C. Even if there is a person who is suffering from the same disease, it is not good to share, prescribe, or treat a condition that was not mandated by your doctor. This is because Maraviroc may harm them since the dosage is not prescribed by the expert.
Patients should be able to detect early symptoms of allergies. Before serious complication arises minor side effects act as an indicator of early complications. For example, patients may experience allergic reactions before major complications e.g. liver toxicity or cardiovascular problems.
Maraviroc and Food Interactions
After clinical trials and research, 1 Maraviroc has been shown to change the concentration and exposure when it is administered with other antiretroviral drugs such efavirenz and lopinavir/ritonavir. Therefore, doctors are required to change the dosage prescription of Maraviroc. Due to this effect, Maraviroc is supposed to be prescribed by the physicians alone and it should not be sold across the counter.
Summary
The advantages of using Maraviroc are that it is an oral dose found in form of tablets and occurs in different milligrams. Maraviroc (selcentry) can be taken with or without food. Therefore, it does not have an adverse effect on the digestive system. It is easily broken down or metabolized faster, hence easier to start functioning after taking. Its prescription period is shorter and within six months, patients can tell the positive outcomes.
Maraviroc reacts effectively in the body system of a human being. Since it has both active and inactive ingredients, it is a good inhibitor and it easily competes with the HIV-aids virus thus preventing more infection to other cells. Again, Maraviroc can be taken while the patient is taking other drugs for opportunistic infections. Maraviroc can easily be eliminated in the body within a very short period of time through renal excretion.
The demerits of Maraviroc are that it does not cure or heal the pandemic. It only suppresses the rate of replication of the virus. Maraviroc must be mixed with other inducers and inhibitors but this is a common feature for all HIV virus drugs. They must be integrated in order to be effective and to avoid resistance to the virus because it keeps on mutating. Other demerits are the side effects that occur after taking the drug. Market-wise, Maraviroc is good since many patients are giving positive outcomes after using it but it is a bit expensive. However, Maraviroc generics are affordable even to the poor and are effective.
Maraviroc has been shown to change the concentration and exposure when it is taken together with other antiretroviral drugs such efavirenz and lopinavir/ritonavir. Therefore, doctors are required to change the dosage prescription of Maraviroc. Due to this effect, Maraviroc is supposed to be prescribed by the physicians alone and it should not be sold across the counter.
Conclusion
After establishing the mechanisms and management of the FDA drug (Maraviroc) and how it works to mitigate the HIV aids infection, I have discovered that Maraviroc is a good prescription for the pandemic. However, there are some minor side effects but the advantages of Maraviroc to the patients outweigh the demerits. This is because Maraviroc is well tolerated by HIV aids patients and it lowers the patients’ level of HIV infections in ten days. This is highly visible in positive patients with asymptomatic HIV aids infection (Rio de Janeiro, 2007). However, it is the work of the patient to inform the doctor about his/her conditions, drugs under medication, and the outcomes that arise after starting the dosage.
Reference
Fatkenheuer, Nelson and KonourinaI (2006), Maraviroc effective against HIV aids Aspen Publishers HIV aids and new updates. Web.
Journal of the American Medical Association Aspen Publishers Maraviroc composition and ingredients. Web.
M Gulick and Marks K (2004), Antiretroviral drugs for HIV Infection University Academic Press Patients and medical care. Web.
Research and clinical trials of Maraviroc. 2007. Web.
Smith, G P (2004), article in New England Journal of Medicine Articles Vol. 279, Issue 3,
Footnotes
Clinical trials and results for Maraviroc has been positive and hopeful. Web.
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The Cause and Effect of Divorce on Children Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Causes
3. Effects on Children
4. Conclusion
5. Works Cited
Introduction
Although the main objectives of marriage are permanent union and healthy relationship between couples, unfortunate circumstances do arise in marriage that forces marriage partners to divorce. Psychologists and sociologists have noted that causes of divorce entail many complex issues that complicate and stall continuation of marriage. Infidelity, lack of commitment, drug abuse, poor relationships, incompatible lifestyles, abusive behaviors, and financial problems are some of the common causes of divorces in the modern society.
When divorce occurs in a family, couples are not the only ones who experience emotional and psychological suffering, but also children. Children experience traumatic experiences seeing their parents quarrel and fight until they divorce leaving them to live under single parent-families, which denies them a chance to enjoy balanced parenthood. Given that divorce rates are increasing in the modern society, what are the causes and effects of divorce on children?
Causes
Psychologists and sociologists argue that causes of divorce are complex of issues that result from internal and external influences on marriage. Couples experience many challenges in their marriages that complicate their relationship status and compel them to divorce, as the only way out of the problems they face.
As mentioned above, the common causes of divorce in the modern society include infidelity, lack of commitment, drug abuse, poor relationships, incompatible lifestyles, abusive behaviors, and financial problems among other social issues. Nevertheless, research studies point at infidelity as the most common cause of divorce among young couples.
According to Stewart and Brentano, “extramarital affairs contribute about 27% of the divorce rates in the United States while domestic violence comes second with approximately 18% of divorce rates” (448).
These figures show that, the major factor that contributes to the high rates of divorce in the society is an external factor of extramarital affairs. Extramarital affairs are very common due to change in marriage lifestyles and perceptions of the society. Studies further reveal that husbands are the most unfaithful in marriages by having many partners as compared to their wives. Abusive behaviors of husbands that lead to domestic violence come second as the most cause of divorce in marriages.
Financial problems, incompatible lifestyles, drug abuse, and lack of commitment contribute to poor relationship in marriages leading to divorce. When couples experience financial problems in their marriages, they cannot agree on how to satisfy family needs; therefore, the priority of satisfying family needs creates conflict because partners feel that they are living poor lives within the marriage while divorce can offer freedom of satisfying one’s needs.
Since marriage involves union, husband and wife have diverse interests in life. Clashing interests of life in marriage result into incompatible lifestyles that complicate marriage relationship. Couples who have incompatible lifestyles will not lead a happy marriage life for they will always have quarrels and disagreements that eventually end up in divorce.
Stewart and Brentano argue, “Drug abuses such as alcoholism has made couples to neglect their marital responsibilities leaving their partners lose interest with marriage life causing them to file divorce in the courts” (451). According to survey, among couples, husbands are more likely to fall into drug addiction and neglect their marital responsibilities, which push their wives to seek divorce.
Effects on Children
Effects of divorce are very damaging to the growth and development of children and significantly change course of their lives. Research shows that the “effects depend on the age of the child at the time of divorce, on the child’s gender and personality, the amount of conflict between parents and the support provided by friends and family” (Temke 109). Children of two years and above can experience emotional and psychological disturbances if parents divorce.
The children at this stage are psychologically mature to understand the nature of relationships that their parents undergo and they are often depressed and traumatized when parents divorce. Preschool age children tend to blame themselves for the occurrence of divorce as they develop sense of guilt and become socially withdrawn from the family Since children are very young to endure emotional and psychological disturbances, they become depressed and their performance declines in class.
As children grow and approach adolescence, divorce experiences haunt them. They contemplate on how divorce has changed their lives in terms of increased family responsibilities and change in their lifestyles. Adolescents tend to lose meaning of life and marriage because they may leave their studies and decide never to get married in future.
“Teens experience anger, fear, loneliness, depression and guilt, some feel pushed into adulthood if they must take responsibility for many new chores or care of siblings and may doubt their own ability to get married or to stay married” (Lansdale, Cherlin, & Kiernan 1621). Therefore, if remedial measures are in place to help children cope with problem, divorce will adversely affects their future.
Conclusion
Divorce is the major marital problem that threatens survival of marriages and upbringing of children in the modern society. Infidelity and domestic violence are the two prime causes of divorce, the number one reason for single parenthood.
Other factors such as financial problems, drug abuse, and incompatible lifestyles also form part of problems that complicate marriage life for couples. Children suffer because they are very young to endure traumatic experiences due to divorce. Children become depressed and often lose direction in life due to lack proper parental support, which plays a key role in normal child development.
Works Cited
Lansdale, Chase, Cherlin, Andrew, and Kiernan, Kathleen. “The Long-Term Effects of Parental Divorce on the Mental Health of Young Adults: A Developmental Perspective.” Child Development 66 (1995):1614-1634. Web.
Stewart, Clarke, and Brentano, Cain. “ Divorce: Causes and Consequences.” Book Review Yale University Press, 2006. Web.
Temke, Mary. “The Effects of Divorce on Children.” North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, 2001. Web.
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Race Barriers to Dreams. “A Raisin in the Sun” by Hansberry Essay
Literary works that describe relationships between the representatives of dissimilar ethnic or racial groups often raise the issue of prejudice on the basis of origin. At the same time, the way that explicit or implicit biases impact the balance of power in society is also emphasized. A Raisin in the Sun , the globally recognized play by one of the most prominent African-American playwrights, Lorraine Hansberry, is not an exception. Focusing on the life of a Black American family, the author discusses the problems of race-based prejudice, segregation, historical memory, and the role of generational gaps in racial minorities’ attitudes to injustice.
In her play, Lorraine Hansberry places the key characters’ race and the resulting differences from the white majority in the context of everyday life and opportunities. Belonging to the middle class, the members of the Younger family have some money, but their most desired wishes are incompatible with their current financial position (James and Davidson 64). However, at the very beginning of the play, they are waiting to get ten thousand dollars, a life insurance payment, after the death of the father (James and Davidson 64). This money fills the family with hope, and the characters start thinking about their boldest dreams as if there were no race-related barriers to success in the mid-twentieth century (James and Davidson 64). The family members see a large sum of money as one of the best ways to pursue their personal goals. However, racial segregation still exists in different forms and places some de facto limitations on the family’s ability to exercise their rights.
Hansberry manages to demonstrate the problems of race-based prejudice without negative stereotypes. Unlike many literary works of the time, A Raisin in the Sun was written by a representative of a racial minority. Therefore, it was not aimed at using a set of offensive stereotypes in order to amuse the racial majority (James and Davidson 64). The questions of race and biases related to interracial differences are not just among the key themes in work – they are literally at the heart of the plot. Interestingly, different critics, for instance, Harris, and Anderson, are convinced that A Raisin in the Sun exceeds the scope of stereotypical views of black womanhood by introducing second to none characters (Murray 283). As an example, Lena Younger referred to as Mama, is the embodiment of different archetypes of black women simultaneously (Murray 283). Despite the presence of recognizable traits and behaviors, literature scholars define her as an accurate prototype for what is considered to be stereotypical today (Murray 283). Therefore, the need to discuss race-specific problems does not prevent the playwright from creating authentic characters.
Trying to shed light on the roots of segregation and prejudice, Hansberry introduces characters who have a life-long experience of racism and even face the long-run effects of slavery. According to the analysis conducted by James and Davidson, Hansberry makes Mama a prominent female character by referring to her strength “that she acquired through years of struggle” (65). Thus, since she acknowledges the underrepresentation of Black families in American theater, the author contributes to diversity in the art without being disrespectful to the experiences of people who have been oppressed and underrated for many years.
A large portion of the new matriarch’s suffering in the past is strictly interconnected with the imbalance of wealth and power in the American South. It includes, for instance, the family history of slavery that Mama will never forget and the woman’s experience of being unwelcome in some spaces (James and Davidson 66). At the same time, particular references to the family’s past related to racism are interspersed with the discussion of universal problems, such as the need to cope with failures and losses (James and Davidson 65). Based on that, the playwright manages to balance between turning the spotlight on the unique cultural experiences of enslaved people’s descendants and showing the members of the family as common people with ordinary problems.
Prejudiced attitudes to people on the basis of their race are thoroughly illustrated in the play due to the family’s decision to buy a house in a white neighborhood. For each family member, their future place of residence symbolizes different things associated with happiness. However, the representative of the local White community, Mr. Lindner, meets the family and tries to dissuade them from fulfilling their plans (Orem 195). Although he tries to look nice, his real attitudes toward racial minorities become evident when he claims that racial segregation in housing makes African Americans safer and happier (Orem 195). Judging from his words, the presence of pre-destined limitations that are indissolubly tied to racial origin does not cause harm to minority groups and is aimed at protecting their safety and encouraging cohesion. As a culminating point of his racist speech, the man offers the family a large sum of money in exchange for not buying the house (Murray 289; Orem 195). This part of the play leaves no room for the illusion of equality and justice and encourages the family to make a difficult decision.
Apart from the characters’ need to cope with limitations imposed on them just because of their skin color, the play touches upon minority people’s attitudes to race-based discrimination. This problem is shown with reference to the conflict between generations and younger people’s attitudes to the history of oppression. When one of Mama’s children is about to accept the proposal of the White community, she becomes furious (Murray 289). In this scene, it becomes clear that some of her younger relatives do not understand the broad implications of such decisions and their long-term consequences for the self-consciousness of the African-American population. More than that, modern researchers note that Mama symbolizes the memory of the previous generations and an “undying spirit” of pride and courage (Murray 289). Her children see the offer as a source of new opportunities for their family and are not fully aware of its ideological underpinnings and further contributions to segregation. Therefore, in addition to the issue of racism, the playwright raises the problem of the minority’s sense of dignity and willingness to come to terms with their oppressors.
To sum it up, although it is a fictional story, A Raisin in the Sun presents an important source helping to study the problems of racism and race. Its first advantage in this regard is that the play introduces a range of non-stereotypical African-American characters with their strengths and weaknesses, thus contributing to diversity and minority representation in art. The literary work attracts attention to numerous aspects of racism, including segregation in housing and the outcomes of slavery and other forms of legalized oppression. At the same time, it adds to the discussion of race by highlighting generational differences in people’s perceptions of prejudice.
Works Cited
James, Jeena, and Manjula L. Davidson. “Patriarchal Tones in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window.” International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities , vol. 7, no. 3, 2019, pp. 62-72.
Murray, William. “The Roof of a Southern Home: A Reimagined and Usable South in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun.” The Mississippi Quarterly , vol. 68, no. 1-2, 2015, pp. 277-294.
Orem, Sarah. “Signifyin(g) When Vexed: Black Feminist Revision, Anger, and A Raisin in the Sun.” Modern Drama , vol. 60, no. 2, 2017, pp. 189-211.
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Executive Manager: Level Action and Planning Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Background
3. Literature Review
4. Findings
5. Conclusion
6. References
Introduction
Federal acquisition service (FAS) has an unparalleled ability to provide comprehensive products and services across the government at the best possible cost. FAS is a process of thorough budget, finance, and staff planning; therefore, only successful managers can effectively distribute resources. However, to ensure the best performance, it is necessary that executive managers thoroughly work on a plan and use authority. The performance-based acquisition has not reached its peak due to several reasons. According to the source, “performance-based acquisition is a collective responsibility that involves representatives from the budget, technical, contracting, logistics, legal, and program offices” (Shick, 2016, p. 51). Therefore, this paper aims to investigate how planning and authority affect performance-based acquisition.
Background
It is widely accepted that planning, especially when propped by authority, is the principal managerial function and the key to stability in an organization. To ensure the best possible performance-based acquisition, a manager-leader always needs to make serious decisions that will affect future outcomes (Essig et al., 2016). Therefore, careful planning of the program is necessary to avoid inconsistencies and achieve performance goals. Moreover, it is stated that authority is one of the key traits a manager must own to impact people and empower them to set more significant objectives and achieve them without delay. Combining these traits helps best to set goals and accomplish them without further complexities.
Literature Review
Seven crucial steps gear performance-based acquisition competency:
1. Creating an integrated solutions team (empowering team members, distributing roles and responsibilities, identifying stakeholders);
2. Present a problem and solutions for it (linking acquisition to performance objectives, deciding the constituents of success, defining the present state of performance);
3. Exploring private and public sector solutions (creating a team approach, learning from private and public sector markets, looking for existing contracts);
4. Develop a statement of performance or account of goals (describing the scope, conducting an analysis, identifying the constraints);
5. Identify measurements and ways of managing performance (identifying the success determinants, selecting measures, considering the relationships);
6. Select the appropriate contractor (using oral presentations, assessing solutions concerning the conflict of interests);
7. Performance management (adjusting responsibilities and roles, keeping the team together) (Renmans et al., 2017).
Findings
The result of the research proved that only proper planning could establish excellent performance. Moreover, when the authority compounds preparation, the team of professionals is likely to have high performance (Miller, 2018). The seven-step performance-based acquisition plan is necessary to achieve objectives. The plan itself stands as a model aimed at presenting problems, finding solutions for them, setting new objectives, identifying measures that will evaluate the finished program, and managing performance. The mentioned actions should be strengthened by the authority of a leader or a manager who will supervise them and evaluate them. Therefore, the implementation of a structured plan constructed by the authoritative leader brings about excellent performance and positive outcomes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it seems reasonable to state that the FAS is a popular direction; therefore, the executive manager must efficiently articulate their authority to empower the team to achieve goals. Moreover, the manager must ensure every aspect of the program is carefully planned. Organizations are always faced with forces that drive them to change. Since change implies exploring new territory and obscure, the normal response is to oppose it. Augmentation program directors must conquer this obstruction and receive inventive and successful administration practices to stay superior workers. They should improve their own, group, and social administration aptitudes if they plan to adjust to an evolving world. In the vast majority of cases, current management aims to achieve decision-making as low as possible in the organization.
References
Essig, M., Glas, A., Selviaridis, K., & Roehrich, J. (2016). Performance-based contracting in business markets. Industrial Marketing Management , 59 , 5-11.
Miller, G. (2018). Performance based budgeting . Routledge.
Renmans, D., Holvoet, N., Criel, B., & Meessen, B. (2017). Performance-based financing: The same is different. Health Policy and Planning , 32 (6), 860–868.
Shick, R. (2016). Government contracting: A public solutions handbook. Routledge.
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Micro level Opinion: The Psychology of Opinion Holding Essay
Liberal and conservative elites are distinctively different. What are the political implications of these differences?
When respondents during opinion polling are requested to identify themselves along the liberal-conservative dimension, their answers correspond to their stance on policy matters.
The conservatives are interested in maintaining the existing state of affairs and institutions, they have the desire to maintain status quo. Liberal elites are considered to have flexible moral standards and they are not religious in thought. The opinion of the liberals is reflected in their response regarding contemporary issues like abortion and the rights of gay people.
Conservatism places great importance and attach significance to the past, they like tradition and resist change, to them change is not welcome. Conservatism is a product of Roosevelt’s new deal (Erikson & Tedin, 2011). The main aspects that differentiate liberal and conservative elites are: political philosophies, change, and their traditional connotation.
Concerning political philosophy, the conservatives prefer traditional and relatively slow changes. This is reflected in their opinions on topics like religion, culture and nationalities which are well defined. The liberals consider individual liberty the fundamental principle; also liberals emphasize equality and opportunity.
Liberals value principles like the freedom of expression and the limitation of government role and transparency and accountability are dear to them. Regarding change, conservatives acknowledge change but they believe change is gradual. Liberals on the other hand believe in radical change, they also have the common belief that traditions must be adjusted for the good interest of humanity.
In the American political scene, the republicans are considered to be generally conservative in their ideologies whereas democrats are considered to be liberal. In America, the conservatives are associated with their anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage and legalizing of gun possession stances.
Their stand on national issues is motivated by empirical understanding as opposed to rationality. Liberalism advocates for equality among all men and they value rationality. Liberalists support a level playing field in all matters ranging from wealth to race to religion. It is argued that conservatism emanated due to the excesses of liberalism.
Rules and mechanisms that citizens employ to convert information into political opinions
1. Party Differences: Democratic and republican political parties have different ideologies. The supporters of these political parties have different perspective on hot topics that are subject of public debate. During presidential campaigns presidential candidates of these political parties’ express their stand on public issues. Among the hot topics that elicit debate in America are matters of abortion, foreign policy and creation of employment. The position of these candidates is considered as the opinion of the supporters. Political opinion is a product of partisanship; Americans prefer association with political party and its policies without necessarily having substantial information regarding the political party. Party association gives an individual a sense of political identity.
2. Liberal and conservative dimension: This is used by majority of the population to derive their political opinion. This is due to the fact that being either a conservative or a liberal makes an individual to take a predetermined position on particular political debate. The political situation in the US have always developed a predetermined position for the conservative and liberals and any individual who traces his opinion along one of the dimensions will have no choice but to respect the stand of their respective ideological dimension.
3. Personal Ideologies and Individual Perspective: There is a group of people who are independent minded and as such they don’t subscribe to the opinions of other people, neither do they follow their party lines or is their opinion dictated by their ideologies as being either conservative or liberal. They arrive at their opinion based on their personal way of looking at things. This is often demonstrated on the debate concerning social issues like abortion and gay rights (Erikson & Tedin, 2011).
Macro level Opinion: The Flow of Political Sentiment
Question One : Social welfare concerns the distribution of wealth and the ability of the government to assist the under-privileged persons in the society.
Civil rights on the other hand pertain to the demand for equality of all people before the law. Foreign policy refers to views of the citizens concerning the role of the United States in the international matters. Cultural issues refer to the dissimilarities and variations in the lifestyle or moral values afflicting the society like abortion, religion and capital punishment.
On social welfare, Americans have expressed hostility towards matters regarding welfare. Race forms part of people’s opinion when social welfare is discussed. The white’s opinion on this matter is that the black population is lazy and majorly populates the welfare roles.
The white segment of the population believes that the black population is the beneficiaries of welfare and that the black despite this fact are still opposed to welfare. Majority of the American citizens are not willing to pay more taxes to uplift their welfare and to receive better public service. This response is often captured in survey questions concerning taxing and spending.
Concerning civil rights, there has been changing trends. The whites’ populations have liberal perception regarding the ideals of the civil rights but they demonstrate limited efforts in implementing the ideals. Pertaining to the fair employment practices, it has always been on the rise and by 1992 approximately 96 percent of the Americans had endorsed it.
The failure by the whites to endorse civil rights ideals was evident in 1944 and 1958 when in 1944 a small 45 percent agreed that the Negroes should have equal chance as the whites to secure employment and in 1958 only 38 percent of the whites were willing to vote for a black presidential candidate.
In America, racial discrimination is a universal phenomenon. The government has done little to alleviate this matter. The implementation of the ideals concerning civil rights is conservative in form.
This was evident by the desire of the whites to instill the belief that they have every right to keep the blacks out of their neighborhood which was supported by 87 percent of the white respondents. On of the contemporary civil rights matters is affirmative action. Racial messages are heavily latent among the whites.
On foreign policy, majority of the American people agree that US should avoid any foreign war. There is a group calling itself internationalist who advocates for the American involvement in world affairs.
Their opinion was brought to fore when America was involved in the Second World War. There is also another segment that is opposed to the internationalist perspective, this group is referred to as isolationist and they advocate against the involvement of the Americans in international affairs.
The appreciation of foreign policy as an important instrument of promoting America’s influence abroad is popular among majority of Americans as evidenced by their support for the United Nations. There has been a shifting and often varying public opinion regarding defense spending. Majority of the Americans believe that the defense spending by the government is small and it is underfunded.
Concerning America’s foreign intervention and war, Americans have always paid attention and raised their voices when their state gets involved in a war. There is always a widespread support when the country expresses desire to go to war but public opinion diminishes when the war is protracted.
On social issues, there has been widespread and varying support by the public. This has been evidenced in such issues as debate on marijuana, abortion, gay rights and pornography. Support for gay rights has been gaining public support (Erikson & Tedin, 2011).
Public opinion and foreign policy has vacillated between internationalism and isolationism
There has been debate over the position of America in the international arena. This was sparked by the act of Roosevelt to furnish the Great Britain with military aid.
Isolationists believe that the United States should adhere to its traditional policy of non-alignment or non-involvement in European matters just as it had been during the period of the World War 1. Internationalists believe that the United States should assert its role as a dominant actor in international affairs.
This debate between the internationalists and isolationists has been sparked by various events in the international debate which range from the world wars, the UN, independence of Germany where each side of the debate has adopted extreme approach.
America’s opposition towards European wars was considered an isolationist tactic since it demonstrated that America wished to withdraw its involvement in the international politics especially of the western hemisphere.
The isolationist stance of the Unites States of America was demonstrated when the senate rejected the treaty of Versailles that sought to establish the League of Nations. The setting of high tariffs and duties on all foreign goods was aimed at curtailing the fact that its high wage scale needed protection from cheap foreign labor (Erikson & Tedin, 2011).
The idea that pursuing isolationist alone could jeopardize the interest of USA abroad especially economic interest led to the adoption of internationalist approach.
Internationalist approach began with the Warren Harding’s policy on disarmament and foreign policy which was considered necessary. Consequently, internationalist approach was demonstrated by the signing of the four –power pact and the nine-power pact which permitted status quo in the Western pacific and China.
Majority of the American population support America’s participation and intervention in foreign affairs, they are against the idea that USA should adopt an isolationist stance.
Despite this strong public opinion in favor of USA involvement in foreign matters, majority of them express their dissatisfaction with particular aspects of USA role in international affairs since they consider it destabilizing. Most of the Americans are for the establishment of US military bases in the soil of traditional American allies.
Also regarding foreign policy, majority of the Americans are against the hegemonic role of the US and they have modest concerns for the preservation of the role of the US as the main superpower.
Concerning the United Nations, a significant population of the United States believes that UN plays a very important role in the globe and they strongly support US participation in the United Nations (Erikson & Tedin, 2011). The factors influencing opinion on America’s foreign policy are: the bureaucracy, public opinion, the media, interest groups and political parties. These are the domestic factors.
International factors include power, norms and international l institutions. Bureaucrats are the government officials who are charged with the responsibility of formulating government policy and they can also advocate for an amendment of policies, this is an indication that the bureaucracy has the chance to significantly change the foreign policy of America.
Public opinion: This is a critical source of opinion on foreign policy. Government officers especially the elected derive their mandate form the voters. Public opinion puts pressure on the government if it is dissatisfied with a particular policy and they can express it through demonstrations or petitioning the government. Public opinion is also significant in lending support to the interest groups and other actors in the society when it seeks to influence government opinion.
The media: The media is often considered the link between the public and the government. The media is a fundamental instrument for building support on foreign policy. Media is also important in articulating foreign policy matters and can also set policy agenda.
Interest groups: The influence of interest groups has gained momentum in the recent years. They pay attention to topical issues that are hot and capture the attention of the voters. Since they are in touch with the voters, their affinity to influence voters’ opinion on foreign policies is very high.
Political parties: These are particularly the political parties that are represented in parliament, both the one forming the government and the one in opposition.
A partisan realignment occurred during the 1930s.What is the composition of today’s electorate?
Party identification in USA refers to a situation whereby an individual identifies with a political party of his/her choice and it is determined by analyzing an individual’s support for a particular the opinion and policies of a political party.
In the US, individuals identify with one of the two main political parties: the republican and the democratic. In the US, party identification is considered an important aspect of political identity.
Realignment is understood as the change in the voting patterns behavior, it is the switching of voter preference from one party to another. The history of American politics is characterized by strong party system and political realignments on special circumstance. These two factors define the partisan party politics of US.
In the period of New Deal, the realignment resulted in the Democratic Party replacing the dominance of the Republican Party in the American politics. This was evident when the democrats won seven presidential elections out of nine elections (Erikson & Tedin, 2011).
The realignment concerned the new deal on 1930s and it involved a transformation of the new deal from predominantly republican affair to a democrat issue. This transformation was as a result of the great depression in eras of both republican president and a democratic president.
Elections that were held during the great depression period was characterized by shift in the American voting patterns since it created a permanent realignment which led to overwhelming vote for Franklin Delano Roosevelt , a democratic candidate. All voters irrespective of race, religion, party affiliation and social status and a coalition of labor unions approved the economic policy of New Deal by Roosevelt and voting him to power for three terms.
The realignments during the 1930 brought a new dimension in the party system and party politics of the USA. This realignment was brought about by the Great Depression and it catalyzed the transformation of the democrats from a minority to a majority political party.
The realignment was dubbed the New Deal Democratic coalition and it encompassed support from all the working class or labor unions and other minority groups to the already existing democratic followers
There were several reasons as to why there were political realignments in the era of New deal. This was due to the shifts in the distribution of the popular vote which was a response to the crisis that was witnessed during the 1930s which had attracted widespread tension and dissatisfaction.
It had little to do with dissatisfaction of the party in government by the electorate. The main purpose was to give any party whether opposing or in government an effective capacity and an opportunity to implementing policies that were considered to be perfect response to crisis.
The end result of the realignments was to be considered a response to crisis and also as a reflection of the dissatisfaction that one party was rejected by the voters, it consequently involved the endorsement and an affirmation of the advantaged political party following the elections.
Therefore, combination of factors prompted the political realignments: they included shifting in voting patterns, the case of need for policy action and the desire by the people to approve the New Deal as stop gap policy actions.
Political and party realignments do not necessary imply that there is a complete and radical shift with the existing tradition of party loyalties but it is only taken to be an emergency or a stop gap measure.
On the composition of the American electorate, the low income and the minority segment of the population are isolated from the voting population.
This is despite their substantial population and as such, the proportion of the population who are registered to vote and those who have not been registered is skewed in form since those voting are the whites, the wealthy and the educated. American electorate is made up of the whites, the blacks, the Hispanic and the Asian (Erikson & Tedin, 2011).
Reference
Erikson, R. S & Tedin, K. L. (2011). American Public Opinion (8 th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Longman.
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Online Learning Is a Superior Form of Education Report (Assessment)
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Arguments in Support of Online Learning
3. Arguments against Online Learning
4. Conclusion
5. Works Cited
Introduction
Education is regarded as an important aspect of society since it is through education that people are socialized and turned into productive members of the society. Policy makers and educators are therefore constantly looking for ways to make education systems more effective since quality education results in increased national productivity. Education institutes have through the years experimented with innovative methods of learning in a bid to get the best results from students.
In the recent years, advances in information technology have made it possible for online learning to take place. This paper will argue that online learning is a superior form of education since it helps students and learning institutes to overcome limitations imposed by the traditional learning environment. The paper will also look at some arguments raised against online learning and offer counterarguments to the same.
Arguments in Support of Online Learning
A significant merit of online learning is that it enables education institutes to overcome the restriction of limited resources. Over the years, the student population in many countries has increased at a higher rate than the physical educational resources. Many institutes have therefore had to cope with overcrowded classrooms while others have been forced to schedule classes at odd hours so as to deal with the high number of students.
This resource strain has led to a decrease in the quality of education offered to the students. Online education gives schools an opportunity to expand their capacity since it is not constrained by things such as classroom space (Haythornthwaite 4). In addition to this, online education enables the school to make optimal use of their teaching staff. One teacher can offer lessons to hundreds of students at the same time using the online environment.
Another major advantage of online learning is that it enables student to overcome the barriers of time and distance. Under the traditional system a person has to attend educational institutes physically. This system makes it impossible for people who want to study but have time limitations for example because of their work schedules. In addition to this, students who live far away from the educational institute and lack the means to move nearer so as to be able to attend school were locked out of the traditional system.
Online learning helps to overcome these barriers by enabling the student to learn in a more dynamic environment (Bennett, Marsh and Killen 321). Students can choose to have the virtual classes at the time which is most convenient to them. Students who live far form the educational institute can also enroll and take lessons from their current locations.
Online learning has significantly reduced the cost of acquiring education for many people. As it currently stands, education is significantly expensive and people are required to part with significant amounts of money so as to finance it. This is especially the case with higher education where in addition to the tuition fee paid to the school, there are other costs such as: accommodation costs, foregone income as one has to give up fulltime employment, and travelling expenses.
Bourne asserts that online learning is cheaper since the school will not incur huge costs as would be the case if it had to build the physical resources for the students (23). Students are not required to incur additional costs to the tuition fee as would be the case with the traditional system of learning.
Arguments against Online Learning
Opponents of online learning claim that it results in poor quality of education since the students lack the level of supervision and support from teachers that traditional learners enjoy. This is not an idle claim since as Bramble and Panda reveal, some educational institutes which offer online learning are keen to reduce on costs and therefore offer little support to students (135).
This translates to poor quality education being attained by the students through online learning. While this is true for some schools, most educational institutes are working on improving the quality of education they offer so as to attract more students. Students are being afforded greater chances to interact with their teachers which will lead in an increased quality of learning.
Another argument raised against online learning is that it denies the students community involvement as is the case with traditional learning. This assertion is based on the premise that schools serve a greater role than mere distribution of educational information; they are a socialization tool for the society.
Bourne reports that many students report feeling isolated as a result of online learning (74). While it is true that online learning might lead to isolation since there is limited interaction among the students, this can be overcome through interactive communication. Synchronous chat rooms and phone calls can ensure that the isolation resulting from online learning is dispelled.
Conclusion
This paper has argued that online learning is the best form of education. The paper had demonstrated that online learning assists schools to overcome resource limitation and it offers dynamism and flexibility for the student. It also reduces the cost of education therefore making it affordable to more people.
The paper has taken care to point to some disadvantages attributed to online learning such as isolation and a perceived reduction in education quality. It has been shown that this demerits can be addressed thereby ensuring that online learning remains beneficial.
Works Cited
Bennett Shirley, Marsh Debra and Killen Clare. Handbook of online education . NY: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2007. Print.
Bourne, John. Elements of quality online education: into the mainstream. Texas: Sloan-C, 2004. Print.
Bramble, William and Panda Kumar. Economics of distance and online learning: theory, practice, and research . Boston: Taylor & Francis, 2008. Print.
Haythornthwaite, Caroline. Learning, culture, and community in online education: research and practice . NY: Peter Lang, 2004. Print.
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Metthew’s and Mark’s Gospels and Their Historical Purposes Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Historical Background and the Purpose of Matthew’s Gospel
3. The Historical Background and the Purpose of Mark’s Gospel
4. Conclusion
5. Work Cited
Introduction
Four canonical Gospels describe the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, His miracles, and His teaching (Stanton 15). It is believed that all four Gospels were written soon after the Jesus’ death. Therefore, they were created for the early Christian communities with the purpose to retell the life of Jesus, to make people’s beliefs stronger and to bring them hope (Stanton 16). One of the most important historical events described in both texts is the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by Rome soldiers which has happened approximately in 70 AD (Mulder et al. 330) It is important to understand the historical background and purposes of this description in Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospels for their correct understanding and interpretation.
The Historical Background and the Purpose of Matthew’s Gospel
Matthew’s Gospel is the first one, and it makes a link between the Old and the New Testaments. It was written for both Christians and non-Christians, in particular, for the Jewish community. With this purpose, the author included “affirmations of the Torah in the Gospel” (Sim 5). Matthew described the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple and found the explanation of this event in Jewish sources in which “opponents are hypocrites (1QS 4:14), blind (cf. Wis 2:21), guilty of economic sins (cf. As. Mos. 5.5), unclean (cf. Jos. J.W. 4.382), […] destined for eschatological destruction (cf. m. Sanh. 10:1), and the cause of God forsaking his temple (cf. Jos. J.W. 2.539)” (Muddiman and Barton 69).
The author used this event to show the connection between Torah and Christianity and to confirm Jewish people that Jesus was a real Messiah. Therefore, it could be stated that Matthew’s Gospel was created to turn more Jewish people to Christianity (Martin 93). Probably, it was the main purpose of writing the story.
The Historical Background and the Purpose of Mark’s Gospel
Mark’s Gospel follows Matthew’s text. However, it is believed, that Mark’s Gospel was written first and was the source for Matthew’s story (Muddiman and Barton 27). It could be stated that it was written after the temple destruction (Incigneri 116). In chapter 13, “Jesus […] predicts that the temple will be destroyed, an event which of course happened in 70 CE” (Muddiman and Barton 121). Perhaps, this was the beginning of difficult times for Jewish people.
Also, Jesus predicted further suffering of Christians (Incigneri 119) which they actually faced from Rome (Incigneri 211). It could be supposed that the main purpose of the Gospel was to emphasize a suffering Messiah and his followers. However, Jew people did not expect their Messiah to suffer and die. It was expected that a Messiah would have a decent life with glory and admiration (Martin 79). Therefore, it could be supposed that in Mark’s Gospel, the author tried to introduce an image of suffering Messiah to support early Christians in difficult times.
Conclusion
It is important to understand that Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospels are narrative stories that describe a life and suffering of Christ and retell His teaching to make them available for early Christians in different parts of the world. It was supposed that Matthew’s Gospel was created to turn more Jewish people to Christianity. Mark’s Gospel served to proclaim Jesus as a Messiah and to support early Christians in their suffering. Therefore, it could be concluded that both Gospels played a significantly important role in spreading Christianity and making people’s beliefs stronger under existed difficult historical circumstances.
Work Cited
Incigneri, Brian J. The Gospel to the Romans: The Setting and Rhetoric of Mark’s Gospel . Brill, 2003.
Martin, Dale B. New Testament History and Literature . Yale University Press, 2012.
Muddiman, John, and John Barton. The Gospels . Oxford University Press, 2010.
Mulder, Noor, et al., editors. Exploring the Narrative: Jerusalem and Jordan in the Bronze and Iron Ages: Papers in Honour of Margreet Steine r. Bloomsbury, 2014.
Sim, David C. The Gospel of Matthew and Christian Judaism: The History and Social Setting of the Matthean Community. T&T Clark, 1998.
Stanton, Graham. The Gospels and Jesus . 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2002.
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The Antioxidant Properties of Peptides Essay (Article)
The synthesis of the most active fragments of peptides is possible when identifying the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC-FL) of component amino acids in these parts of peptides. Thus, the highest value of oxygen radical absorbance capacity was determined for Trp, and high ORAC-FL values were identified for Tyr and Met. This aspect indicates the significant and rather high antioxidant activity of these amino acids.
The lower antioxidant activity was typical of Cys, His, and Phe. Other amino acids, including Arg, Asn, Gln, and Asp among them, did not demonstrate any antioxidant activity. The explanation of the activity for Trp and Tyr is based on the ability of the indolic and phenolic groups to perform as hydrogen donors. As a result, stable indoyl and phenoxyl radicals become formed. In its turn, Met is oxidised, but Cys provides the sulfur hydrogen. Thus, the radical scavenging activity, in this case, is explained by the presence of Trp, Tyr, Met, and His in peptides.
The synthesis process and the focus on radical scavenging activity for three sequences of active peptides indicated that the sequence Trp-Tyr-Ser- Leu-Ala-Met-Ala-Ala-Ser-Asp-Ile had high antioxidant activity. The radical scavenging activity was about 1.7- and 4-fold lower than it is of the flavonoid quercetin and p -coumaric acid, but antioxidant activity was higher than the activity of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), which is a synthetic antioxidant with adverse effects.
Consequently, BHA is proposed to be replaced with natural antioxidants. In order to improve food antioxidant properties and prevent the oxidation reaction, such natural antioxidants as hydrolysates from whey proteins can be utilised, and they can be obtained from cheese whey, for example. Comparing protein hydrolysates to antioxidants from plants, it is important to accentuate their extra nutritional value, but their antigenicity should also be considered before using them in food.
The capacity of this sequence is explained by the presence of Trp, Tyr, and Met. It is important to note that the antioxidant activity of amino acids can be weakened because of the peptidic bond and structural peptide conformation, and radical scavenging activity can be decreased when several amino acids are present because of antagonist effects.
Other two sequences also indicated the radical scavenging activity because of the presence of Met and Tyr, but the antioxidant activity of these amino acids was even higher when they were measured separately. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of these amino acids was improved because of the peptidic bond and structural peptide conformation in contrast to the analysis of the previous sequence. Thus, both synergistic and antagonistic effects can be observed when several amino acids are present, influencing the radical scavenging activity.
The authors of the article conclude that this study is the first one to discuss the antioxidant properties of peptides that are taken from whey proteins with the help of enzymatic hydrolysis. In order to obtain antioxidant hydrolysates, Corolase PP is suitable to be used.
The tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was used to identify 42 peptides. Among them, the focus of the authors was on the peptide Trp-Tyr-Ser- Leu-Ala-Met-Ala-Ala-Ser-Asp-Ile because of its high antioxidant activity that was greater than the capacity of BHA. Furthermore, the researchers accentuated specific synergistic and antagonistic effects on the antioxidant activity that resulted from the peptide conformation of the amino acids. Therefore, further research is required in order to examine these effects in detail with the focus on the antioxidant activity.
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Religion in Health Care: Function and Dysfunction Term Paper
Introduction
There were minimal disputes on the existence of the creator in the nineteenth century. Many people believed in the existence of a sovereign being. Very few arguments existed on whether or not it was important for society to believe in sovereignty of the Almighty. As the twentieth century came in, many people embraced secularization, which has become quite prevalent in Western countries. This brought in many arguments as to whether God existed or not.
Religious people assert that a healthy, moral, ethical, and cohesive society emanates from the people therein being religious and acknowledging the sovereignty of the creator. They claim that anyone who is contrary to the creation theory but embraces evolution is subject to having immoral behavior and won’t enjoy good health. There hasn’t been clear verification concerning these allegations. Mainstream researchers concur that this issue has got radically differing worldviews. Other scholars contend that this hypothesis is largely centered on anecdotal accounts, is limited to one population, and are just based on assumption (Bainbridge, 2005, p. 33).
Relationship between various religions and health care
According to research, when people have a religiosity that is popular, that is characterized with prayer and worship, and then this has high impacts on their physical health. Studies show that highly religious people show improved physical health. This is normally attainable when people follow strictly the moral dictates that are stipulated by religion (Bainbridge, 2005, p. 42).
This is, for instance, attainable when people believe that they were created by God for a purpose. Research shows that religious believes and practices have a strong indication of dysfunction and entire health in the society.
This is according to research that was carried out in the year 2006. Sources of data show in the year 2005, Religion polls that were carried out by International Social Survey Program (ISSP) involved approximately thirty nations.. In this survey, approximately twenty-seven people were interviewed by researchers concerning this issue (Bruce, 2005) .This study included countries like Holland, Germany, and the Netherlands. This study examined ardency in religiosity, attendance of religious services, frequency of prayer, and their degree of conservatism. The results of research carried out in Swiss are a bit outrageous when closely compared to their actual prayer levels.
The various rates of people’s worship and belief in the sovereign creator correlate with the general health of individuals interviewed in the studies. Many of the developed nations feature dysfunctional health care systems. For instance, popular denial of evolution and strong religiosity has strong impacts on the heath of society. Many of the nations that are highly secularized show increased dysfunction. There are instances when increased rates of religion are an outlier to dysfunction in society. According to research, nations that are quite religious enjoy increased societal health compared to secular democracies (Bruce, 2005, p. 200).
As highlighted earlier, different religions have different believes in relation to health care. Buddhists believe that the body is just but a shell of the spirit. They believe that the body has to be treated with much respect. The Buddhists believe that people who follow their faithful regimen of meditation and are spiritually focused cannot become sick.
In case they become sick, then eighty percent of the sickness can be cured using one’s mind, and the remaining percentage is treated using herbs. They believe that when their body is exposed to harsh conditions, then the immune system is greatly strengthened. Other Buddhists say that it is only lazy people in faith who get sick (Gould, 2006, p. 112). They believe that the Intensive Care Unit, for instance, doesn’t have a good environment for the contemplation of the spirit. They claim that it is just too noisy and therefore doesn’t play a big role in the healing of the patient.
Many Buddhists believe in reincarnation. This is whereby they can easily re exist as an animal. For this reason, they do not take meat, but they are strict vegetarians. They claim that animal products play a big role in eroding the mind’s clarity. One of the functions that are clearly seen in this religion in relation to health care is as follows. They strongly believe that western medication is not good for treatment when they are sick.
This is because they believe that it weakens the human body a great deal. So in return, they simply avoid such types of medication. For instance, Buddhists believe that blood donation is an act of selflessness. In fact, they constantly donate blood free of charge. Buddhists have no problem with donating an organ so long as it is not bought. They also do not agree with donating an organ through coercion. They believe that their religious leader has to confirm the departure of the person’s spirit before the organ is transplanted or donated (Gould, 2006, p.114).
There are some Buddhists who condone birth control while others do not. They believe in serious contemplation between death and reincarnation and, for this reason, say that the mind doesn’t need to be filled with drugs at such a time. They believe n lessening or stopping the medication when a person is nearly dying. When a person dies, they want the body to be undisturbed for hours.
A mention of these two terms, health care, and religion, always comes along with controversies. Many religions greatly oppose or are against some of the health care attention due to their faith. For instance, Catholics are not comfortable with abortion practices. In fact, most of the Christian faith people are against abortions because they believe that this is killing and the bible does not allow murder (Hughes and Kroehler, 2006, p.32).
Some religions, like Catholics, are very vocal and against the use of contraceptives. They strongly demonstrate against the use of condoms as a family planning method. They believe that God is in charge of all the children that will be born, and therefore using contraceptives and other family planning methods is a way of controlling or limiting God. Other religions like Jehovah’s Witnesses are very much against blood transfusions. Many health practitioners find it hard to give health care to people of diverse religions.
According to studies carried out in the United States, many medical practitioners encounter problems as they administer health care to patients. This is because some of the patients claim that their religion does not allow them to do so. Approximately three out of five patients seen by a medical practitioner normally have such issues. Medical and nursing practitioners normally find it hard to decide what action to undertake in such cases (Hughes and Kroehler, 2006, p. 36). This means that health care professionals have to deal with this issue with sensitivity and in a way that meets the patient’s needs. Various religions have got diverse believes about pain and relief, and this greatly affects their expectations on the way they should be handled when unwell.
According to the Jewish religion, there are various exceptions to people of ill health. For instance, when the Jewish people are unwell, they are exempted from practices like fasting until when they are fully recovered (Misyko, 2005, p. 118). Korean Shamanism, on the other hand, believes that sickness emanates from spirits and therefore will carry out religious rituals such that a person is getting well. There are some religions that are totally against folk medicine, and when one of their own gets unwell, then such health care measures cannot be administered no matter the situation.
On the contrary, there are some religions that totally believe in herbal and folk medicines that they cannot visit a hospital. This means that when a person gets sick, they will always look out for herbalists who administer the treatment. All this shows that religions are quite different, and the way that they perceive treatment is also very different. Still, concerning religion and health care, some religious sects have cropped up in this twenty-first century (Misyko, 2005, p. 111).
These religious sects do not believe in any health care administration on a sick person. When a person is unwell, they simply pray until they get better. This is according to their faith. Muslims believe that physicians have the healing power. This is according to the teachings of the Koran that each disease has its healing power. Muslims believe that physicians and other professionals in the health care sector have the challenge of searching for cures for various diseases. The Islamic religion emphasizes hygiene. This includes simple practices like hand washing, breastfeeding, brushing teeth, and exercising.
Islamic religion views physicians as healing agents sent by God. The Islamic religion views health care as a holistic venture. Muslims also use herbal medicines, naturopathy, chiropathy, and homeopathy. This practice is called Hakim. Some the Muslims concur that physicians have to do anything in their disposal in order to save the life of the patient (Veatch, 2007, p.120) .There are some who simply don’t believe in prolonging life. This includes artificial help done to prolong life. In Islamic culture, when a child becomes a doctor or a health practitioner, this is seen as very noble. In the health care sector, the Muslim religion advocates for patients to be given one-third of water, one-third food, and one-third air as their dietary moderation.
They just believe that health care assistants are helping God, but they cannot and should not replace God. They believe that every disease has its cure. For them, blood transfusions can be given or received. Organ transplants are acceptable, whether from human beings or animals.
Muslims do not believe in the sale of organs in the case of organ transplants. According to research carried out in the United States in the year 2006, there are some Muslims who are always offended when they are given an organ transplant from a dead body. Muslim religion embraces the use of contraceptives. This, though, differs depending on where the Muslims are found. Muslims view Euthanasia as murder. They greatly believe in the sanctity of life but also accept the will of God and the entire reality of death (Veatch, 2007, p. 139).
Hindus believe that illness result from one’s own deeds, words, and thoughts. Illness, therefore, can be cured through purification practices. Hindus do not condone abortion unless if the child is deformed or in the case of rape. They accept and also carry out family planning. In case a Hindu woman needs health care, she has to consult her husband first before making any decisions(Bainbridge, 2005, p. 32).
Conclusion
Mainstream research carried out all over the world shows great correlation between religion, secularism, and health care. Sources show that there is a great relationship between highly religious people and their achievement of superior societal health. Nations show the existence of disparities among the people’s religious practices and beliefs. There are some that believe in the evolution theory while others believe in the creation theory. Diverse religions exist all over the world, and these have got different correlations to health care. All these have correlations to dysfunction in societies. Various research organizations reveal that societal dysfunction and health are related to people’s believes in nontheistic or theistic phenomena.
References
1. Bainbridge, W. (2005): Religion and Science; A Comparative view; Houghton Mifflin; Boston; pg 25-45
2. Bruce, S. (2005): Christianity in the United States; Sociology of Religion 61: 191-203
3. Gould, S. (2006): Rocks of Ages; Health care and Religion in the Fullness of Life. New York: Ballantine; pg 102-116
4. Hughes, M. and Kroehler J. (2006): Sociology; The Core; Prentice Hall; New York; pg 30-43
5. Misyko. R. (2005): Sociology in the Mainstream; Melbourne Press; New York; pg 109-123
6. Veatch, M. (2007): A Theory of Medical Ethics; Melbourne Press; New York; pg 118-143
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Unified State Exam: New Russian Educational Policy Case Study
Table of Contents
1. Abstract
2. Brief description
3. Advantages
4. Drawbacks
5. Conclusion
6. Summary
7. References
Abstract
This paper discusses the qualitative aspects of the new educational policy in Russia that requires high school seniors to undergo the Unified State Exam (USE). The paper also expounds on what can be considered the USE’s strengths and weaknesses. The 500-word summary of the paper’s main argumentative claims is attached.
Brief description
One of the main aspects of the process of the education system in Russia is currently reformed was the introduction of the so-called Unified State Exam (USE) in 2001. The USE is best defined as the set of exams that Russian high school students are supposed to pass (with the varying degree of successfulness), in order to be able to obtain their graduation diplomas. Simultaneously, the USE is being used as an alternative to the university-entrance examinations – based upon what happened to be a particular student’s USE-score, universities and colleges are able to qualify him/her for enrollment automatically.
Structurally speaking, the USE consists of three ‘blocks’. Block A – contains questions with four or five possible answers to them (out of which, one is correct). Students are expected to pick the right answer. Block B – contains questions that need to be answered, as briefly as possible (usually, with the mean of using a few words/digits). Block C – contains assignments for the evaluation of students’ ability to come up with the expanded elaborations on whatever happened to be the subject matter in question, such as asking the concerned would-be graduates to write an essay on the topic provided.
Within the USE, each of the given answers/completed assignments is evaluated on a 1 to 100 point scale. There are also ‘maximum’ and ‘minimum’ of points that students may score while addressing questions/assignments, related to each of the studied disciplines.
The actual process of calculating what happened to be a particular student’s ‘final score’ is thoroughly computerized, which in turn is supposed to ensure the process’s fairness. The regional specifics of where in Russia the USE takes place have only a minor effect on the actual content of the contained questions/assignments, as it is solely the country’s Ministry of Education, which remains in control of how the USE is being designed. Nevertheless, it now became a commonplace practice for the exam’s history-related questions to be ‘locally reflective’ to an extent. The outcomes of the USE can be disputed, within a matter of 2 days, after their public announcement takes place.
Ever since 2009, Russian students have been required to pass two primary exams, in order to be able to obtain their high school diplomas – in Russian language/literature and Mathematics (Zamyatin, 2012, p. 38). In case when a student fails at passing these two particular exams, he or she will be able to try the next year again. Since the year 2013, it also became possible for high school seniors to use their USE-certificates as ‘tickets’ to entering the university/college of their choice.
Nevertheless, these colleges and universities require applicants to undergo the additional set of tests (usually four), in order to determine the degree of each individual candidate’s eligibility with what happened to be the chosen major in question.
As of today, the public reaction to the USE continues to remain largely positive. It is usually praised for having brought much order into what used to be the essentially chaotic educational realities of Russia, through the years 1991-2001. For example, the USE effectively delegitimized the continual existence of many of the privately-owned high schools, which used to proliferate in Russia throughout the mentioned period – without having been licensed by the Ministry of Education.
Nevertheless, as time goes on, more and more Russians begin to express their discontent with the USE. As will be shown later, the state-exam in question is usually criticized on account of having fallen short of people’s expectations of its would-be effectiveness. What also seems to be adding a momentum to this process, is that the USE is being often regarded, as such that has been ‘enforced’ upon Russia by the so-called Bologna Declaration of 1999, which some of the Ministry’s officials perceive as the indication of the semi-colonial status of Russia (Anistratenko, 2005).
Given the fact that, ever since February of 2014, Russia exists in the state of the new ‘Cold War’ with the West, this situation indeed appears rather explainable.
Advantages
Initially, the introduction of the USE was meant to increase the efficiency of how the country’s education system functions. As Luk’yanova (2012) pointed out: “The USE was not simply a merger of high school graduation and university entrance examinations; its introduction was intended to provide a standardized, more objective and fairer system of assessment” (p. 1894). The reason for this is that the USE is expected to result in:
1. Eliminating/reducing the possibility for corruption, within the context of how students remain on the path of attaining a social prominence through education. The reason for this is that, as it was mentioned earlier, the actual process of assessing students’ responses to the USE questions/assignments is fully computerized. What it means is that the possibility for a third party to be able to meddle with this process is effectively reduced to an all-time minimum. Moreover, the USE is also aimed at reducing the number of bureaucrats, within the context of how the country’s education system operates. Given the fact that the problem of over-bureaucratization has been traditionally considered one of the main obstacles on the way of ensuring this system’s efficiency, there is indeed a good reason to think that the introduction of the USE will come in particularly handy, in this respect.
2. Making it easier for high school graduates from the remote/rural regions of Russia to be able to enter into the country’s most prestigious colleges and universities. According to Gounko and Smale (2007), “The exam (USE), which is often compared to the US SAT, was designed to replace the ‘wastefulness’ of university admission exams and to provide equal access to higher education” (p. 541). The reason for this is quite apparent – the sheer applicational universality of the USE creates the situation when, contrary to what it used to be the case in the past, the social disadvantage of many of talented students will no longer be impeding their chances to pursue the professional career of their choice.
3. Enabling high school graduates to submit their entry-applications to multiple colleges and universities, while the period for reviewing these applications lasts (from June to August). This, of course, empowers graduates rather substantially, in the sense of increasing their enrollment-chance. Because of the country’s geographic vastness, this particular feature of the USE is considered utterly beneficial.
4. Contributing to the efficiency of how educational policies are being designed in Russia. The proponents of this idea point out to the fact that, due to the USE, it now became much easier for the Ministry’s officials to assess what happened to be the measure of students’ educational attainment in every region of Russia. Moreover, the USE also enables these officials to speedily identify the qualitative nature of the educational situation in just about every part of the country, without having to leave their offices.
5. Creating the objective preconditions for the educational certificates/diplomas from Russia to be recognized thoroughly legitimate in the West. The reason for this that the USE’s very methodological approach to assessing the level of academic adequacy, on the part of high school students/university applicants, is thoroughly consistent with Western educational standards.
6. Stimulating the sense of self-discipline in students. While knowing that whatever the score they acquire (while USE-tested) will be thoroughly objective, students would be more likely to apply an additional effort into taking care of their academic assignments. In its turn, this is supposed to increase their overall level of academic adequacy, on their part.
Drawbacks
Nevertheless, ever since the USE’s introduction, it started to become increasingly criticized for what its opponents consider the policy’s methodological and procedural drawbacks. The most apparent of these drawbacks can be listed as follows:
1. The USE discourages analytical-mindedness in students. As it was implied earlier, the exam is largely concerned with requiring students to choose in favour of the right answer out of the provided ones. This, of course, cannot result in anything else but in prompting students to prioritize memorization, as the learning process’s most important part. However, there can be no guarantee that after having memorized enough of the academically relevant data (in order to be able to score highly during the USE); a particular student would be able to understand this data’s discursive implications. What it means is that the USE favours specifically those students, who are predisposed towards prioritizing their ego-driven commitment towards attaining a social prominence at any cost. Unfortunately, it simultaneously prevents these students from being able to work on expanding their overall intellectual horizons. In its turn, this has a negative effect on the concerned students’ ability to indulge in logical reasoning.
2. The USE is not quite consistent with the workings of Russian mentality. Unlike what it happened to be the case with the majority of Westerners, many Russians tend to think ‘holistically’. That is, they make practical use of the categories of formal logic only when it is being called for by the pressing circumstances while preferring to reflect upon the surrounding reality’s contextual aspects for the rest of time. This, of course, makes the USE tests ill-adjusted with the fact that Russians (by virtue of who they are) tend to provide extended answers to the questions asked, and not the simplified ‘yes’ or ‘no’ ones.
3. The USE contains questions that have been incorrectly formulated, as well as the answers the validity of which can be disputed. As a result, there have been many instances of the USE-tested students having submitted complains, on account of some of the exam-questions being discursively misleading. Consequently, this causes the USE to continue being deemed quite illegitimate by its critics.
4. The USE does not take into account what are the specifics of the educational process in the so-called ‘specialized schools’ (where the emphasis is placed on preparing students for a particular professional career). After all, it would indeed make a logical sense to design a specific set of examinations for this type of high school students. The introduction of the USE, however, is by its very virtue inconsistent with the above-mentioned suggestion.
5. The USE does not provide a 100 % guarantee that the answers to the questions, contained in the exam’s blocks A and B, will not be properly recognized by the specially designed computer software. In case of a mistake, students would be at risk to have their correct answers being marked as ‘wrong’. It is understood, of course, that this undermines even further the extent of the exam’s credibility.
6. The USE prevents those students, who represent the country’s ethnocultural minorities, from being able to undergo the required tests in their own language. Even though, during the course of the last few years, the examination-undergoing minority students were able to answer the USE’s liberal-science questions in whatever happened to be their native language (provided that it has the status of the ‘minority language of the Russian Federation’), the language of the A block continues to remain strictly Russian. This partially justifies the claims that the USE, in fact, radiates the spirit of Russian chauvinism, which can be hardly considered appropriate.
Conclusion
The provided earlier outline of the USE’s actual mechanics and also the discussion of what are being commonly deemed the policy’s advantages and disadvantages, allows us to conclude this paper by suggesting that it is much too early to come up with the definitive answer, as to whether it will come as an asset to the country’s education system. On the one hand, the USE is far from being considered the thoroughly effective instrument of ensuring the quality of education in Russia.
On the other, however, there is very little rationale in believing that this will continue to be the case in the future. The reason for this is that, due to being technology-friendly, the USE does not seem to face the danger of becoming functionally inflexible. In its turn, this implies that, contrary to what the policy’s critics believe, its earlier mentioned drawbacks can be successfully eliminated.
Summary
In the sub-chapter I (Brief description) of this paper, I define the USE, which is being commonly referred to as such just represents the cornerstone of the new education policy in Russia. I also describe the USE’s technical subtleties: the questions/assignments, provided by the USE, are divided into three blocks, in accordance with what happened to be their qualitative essence.
The assessment-methodology is concerned with the exam’s 1 to 100 point score-scale. Closer to the sub-chapters end, I provide readers with the historical introspective of what accounted for the policy’s developmental phases, ever since the time of its introduction, while pointing out that, even though the USE remained enacted for the duration of 13 years, it nevertheless continues to be considered rather controversial.
In the sub-chapter II (Advantages), I outline the set of advantages, which the USE supposedly provides to the functioning of the education system in Russia. Among them, I mention the fact that it reduces the likelihood for the graduation-examinations, held in high schools, to be affected by corruption, on the part of those in charge of the process.
I also bring it to readers’ attention that the USE does create a number of the objective prerequisites for the talented but socially underprivileged students to be able to proceed with studying in Russia’s colleges and universities. Finally, among the policy’s advantages, I mention the USE’s ability to encourage students to remain thoroughly committed to studying, as the main precondition that they would be able to pass the exam.
In the sub-chapter III (Drawbacks), I mention what is being considered the main drawbacks of the USE. The foremost of them appears to be the fact that the exam encourages students to memorize ‘bare facts’, as the mean of ensuring that it would be successfully passed.
This, however, has a counterproductive influence on the students’ ability to understand what accounts for the dialectical relationship between causes and effects. I also point out to the USE’s other commonly overlooked deficiencies, such as the fact that it is far from being deemed technologically perfected and the fact that it is language-chauvinistic to an extent. The USE’s less than admirable tendency to require students to provide definitive answers to the discursively controversial questions is being mentioned, as well.
In the paper’s final sub-chapter IV (Conclusion), I come up with the suggestion that, even though there are indeed a number of technical/methodological deficiencies to the USE, it nevertheless cannot be brushed off as utterly ineffective.
In order to prove the validity of this suggestion, I mention that fact that, due to the USE being fully consistent with the discourse of post-modernity (which happened to be technology-driven), those in charge of adjusting the exam’s questions/assignments on an annual basis, are more than capable of improving the technical and methodological subtleties of the USE’s continuous implementation. After all, this particular quality of the policy in question implies that there is indeed much of procedural flexibility to it. In its turn, this provides us with a good reason to believe that, as time goes on, the USE’s practical implementation will be becoming ever more deficiency-fee. This effectively ends the paper.
References
Anistratenko, Oksana. (2005). New trends in Russian education . International Educator , 14 (1), 10-12. Web.
Gounko, T. & Smale, W. (2007). Modernisation of Russian higher education: Exploring paths of influence. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education , 37 (4), 533–548. Web.
Luk’yanova, E. (2012). Russian educational reform and the introduction of the Unified State Exam: A view from the provinces. Europe-Asia Studies , 64 (10), 1893-1910. Web.
Zamyatin, K. (2012). The education reform in Russia and its impact on teaching of the minority languages: An effect of nation-building? Journal on Ethnopolitics and Minority Issues in Europe , 11 (1), 17–47. Web.
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Concept of the Budget Management Research Paper
According to QFinance dictionary, budget management refers to “the comparison of actual financial results with the estimated expenditures and revenues for the given time period of a budget and the taking of corrective action” (Para 1).
It entails the process of formally identifying, approving and paying all costs or expenses incurred in a project or any other activity for which a budget is prepared (“The Project Budget”, Para.18). A budget on the other hand is “a quantitative statement, for a defined period of time, that may include planned revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities, and cash flows” (QFinance Dictionary). Budgets enable people to predict revenues and expenditures.
This enables people and various organizations to measure the actual expenditure their business against the predicted expenditure in the budget. The budget becomes the focus of an individual or organization during spending as it helps to organize and direct activities as well as allocating resources. For an individual or a group of people to manage well a budget, they must have an intimate knowledge of the business the budget is addressing.
Large deviations from the budget reflect either mismanagement of the budget or insufficient knowledge of the revenue and costs of equipment and services by the people involved in coming up with that budget. Without proper budget management, the managers may not achieve the purpose, goals and objectives of the budget. The process of budget management also refers to budget control. Budget management is important in enabling individuals, groups, organizations and governments to achieve their goals.
Budget management ranges from the use of simple methods to the use of complex methods. Personal budgets may require the use of simple methods in management like the use of pen and paper to simple spreadsheets while complex budgets in big organizations may require complex computer programs to effect budget management. They may also employ other techniques like auditing, taking financial reports, control of operations or management by exception.
In any of these cases, it is important to remember that a budget is a tool, which the management or individuals use to achieve their goals. They prepare budgets prior to the effective period and therefore “effective budget management requires thinking ahead, anticipating needs based on relatively predictable conditions” (Sennewald, pg 175). Budget management should be an organized activity and must, among other components, embrace planning and control of the all activities involved within the budget (Bryans, pg. 154).
All the plans should be realistic and the managers or individuals should document them well. All activities should also be under control to ensure that there are no wide variations from the budget. Recording and reporting are also important components of budget management because they provide important information and data necessary to calculate deviations from the budget.
There is a wide range of budget management strategies. It ranges from highly centralized budget management strategy to highly decentralized management strategy. In a highly centralized budget management strategy, the chief management officer is takes the responsibility of managing the budget and holds the budget managers responsible for carrying out expenditure as stipulated in the original budget.
The main aim of the manager in this case is to achieve the goals of the budget and is less strict on what comprises a good budget management (Ferren & Stanton, pg. 125).
The manager has to approve all expenditures and any adjustments that have to be made to the existing budget. In decentralized budget management, the managers closest to the activities have the power to make decisions on effecting expenses and making minor adjustments to the budget.
This promotes accountability, which in turn leads to increased performance. In all these management strategies, we should understand that a budget does not give people an authority to spend. All expenses and adjustments to the budget have to be justified.
This is why, especially in highly centralized budget management, the management has to make approvals for every expenditure and adjustment to the budget. Even in this case, “good budget management requires flexibility” (pg.126). Cooperation and responsible management is necessary at both unit level and in senior management level in order to achieve the desirable goals.
Budget management should work in such a way to reduce overspending which might lead to a serious deficit and create serious problems to a firm, government or an individual. If overspending persists, there will be no money to pay wages and other expenses and this may lead to liquidation of a firm. People expect a good managed budget to produce books that balance. This is likely to be the case if suitable managers delegated with responsibility and authority for spending work at the field.
However, if the management imposes many rules, it may impair the success of budget management both at departmental level and even at the top management level. Therefore, if managers need to achieve good budget management, they should record and scrutinize all the records from the local management and take a corrective action to the budget where applicable.
In order to achieve effectiveness in budget management systems, budget managers have to consider a number of issues. They first have to understand the size and scope of the budget. This is because size and scope of a budget will affect the performance of the budget and will dictate the level of management input needed to achieve success. Therefore, managers must employ management principles to achieve success in delegation while at the same time taking into consideration the sustainability of the budget.
The managers also need to get financial information in time in order for them to take remedial action at the required time. The reports should be able to provide managers with early warnings of foreseeable problems. The reports the managers receive must be transparent, accurate and verifiable and presented in a simple and understandable way with facts, figures and variations at each stage. They should have clear figures and variations should be clear at each stage.
Teamwork is necessary for the budget managers in order for them to reach a mutual agreement and a working financial plan. Accountability and authority for budget managers is important for financial management as part of the delegation process with the overall goal of improving performance.
Budget management has both advantages and disadvantages. A budget coordinates activities across all departments of an organization. It also helps managers to translate their strategic plans into action. Good budget management helps managers to keep records, which help them to organize well their activities.
It improves resource allocation due to the process of clarification and justification of all requests. Good budget management also improves communication between employers and employees as well as providing a means for corrective action through resource reallocation (Barnat, Para. 1).
It helps maximize profits of enterprises. To achieve this, the managers have to undertake proper control over all expenses and revenues. Budget management enables managers to put available resources into the best possible use. It is a good tool for measuring performance of the management. The top management in big organizations gives targets to their departments and expects them to control their budget to meet their specified goals.
The departments compare the budgeted targets with the actual results and determine deviations from the budget. They then communicate this to the top management of their performance at departmental level. The performance, derived from the deviations, help the management to determine the weaknesses and strengths in the implementation of the budget towards achieving the specified goals.
This helps the management to direct their efforts to the areas where performance is less and thus improving the general performance. It also helps the management to take corrective action whenever there is a deviation thus reducing the costs of operation. Without the corrective action, the management may run into loss and sometimes lead to decreased efficiency in their work.
Budget management on the other hand can create problems. This mainly occurs in the process of budget control. Problems are likely to occur when the management applies budgets mechanically and rigidly.
This can lead to decline of motivation of the employers in the case of organizations or governments and thus lead to more problems due to lack of proper participation of all employees. If the employees are not fully involved in the process of budget management, they may not sometimes understand the importance or reason of the budgeted expenditures and thus will not commit themselves to them (Barnat, Para. 2). There can be resource competition due to implementation and management of budgets.
A rigid budget management may reduce initiative and innovation making it difficult to obtain money for new ideas especially at lower levels of an enterprise. These aspects can make organizations or individuals fail to achieve their goals. Therefore, budget management should be as flexible as possible for it to achieve the set goals.
In the case of a project, the management or the project finance committee prepare a budget and submit it to the donor or source of funding of the project for approval. The project budget prepared reflects all the money allocated for specific purposes for a specified period (“The Project Budget”, Para.1). Budget management in this context ensures that those involved control all the costs of the project to ensure that they are within the approved budget and that the budget yields the expected outcome.
The project budget manager is involved in monitoring and controlling the operations of the budget and ensures that only relevant and important changes are included in the budget baseline. The budget managers in the field level must communicate any changes they see necessary to be made to the budget to the management who then authorize the corrective actions.
In project management, the finance department is responsible for budget management. The general management expects the finance department to “record, track and monitor the budget from a cost accounting perspective” (“The Project Budget”, Para.17) and prepare reports for the management and the donor agency. In projects, “budget management is the process by which costs or expenses incurred on the project are formally identified, approved and paid” (Para.18).
Like many other organizations, the project budget management may have various authorization levels. If the authority is centralized, the central management before any adjustment or payment must approve all budget reports. A good managed project budget ensures that the managers achieve the project goals within the required time and without many deviations from the stipulated expenses.
Budget management in health and social care ensures that the cost incurred achieves the maximum level of service delivery possible (Bryans, pg. 3). Managers work to reduce the amount of expenses they can use to achieve successful health and social care without reducing the quality of service offered. They also monitor the budgets to eliminate all sorts of losses of funds through carelessness, fraud, corruption, collusion and other professional malpractices.
To achieve this, the managers have to come up with an implementation plan for the budget and use tactical interventions to avert wastage of budget funds and resources. They prioritize the activities and organize their implementation in such a way as to eliminate all the additional expenses that may arise due to disorganized operations. Inflation and changes in the economic climate of a place can affect the functionality and applicability of a budget.
In this case, the management under approval of the funding authority makes necessary adjustments to the budget to make it operational. “The main purpose of budget management in health and social care is to provide an early indication of resource performance within the limits of time and money so that, if necessary, appropriate intervention is possible.” (pg. 31). Best managers who are known to maintain discipline in spending are preferred in the post of budget managers in health and social care.
The management then gives them full authority and responsibility of spending in order for them to run smoothly the budget management exercise. Budget management in this case has its benefits. It enables the institutions to work within the stipulated limits, makes it easy for the budget manager and the institution to coordinate their activities as well as helping the institution to make realistic, tactical, and strategic decisions. Reporting is also an important component of budget management in health and social care.
Another example is the academic budget management. In large institutions of learning like colleges and universities with a few to many campuses or branches, the budget management process is sometimes complex and requires complex computer programs to effect. The chief academic officer is responsible for all the expenditure in the academic institutions (Ferren & Stanton, pg. 107).
He or she gives the budget managers authority to effect expenditure and corrections to the budget after submitting reports to him or her. This requires honest budget managers who are true and committed to the aim and objectives of the learning institution.
The budget management strategies in institutions of learning vary greatly from highly centralized to highly decentralized systems. If the chief academic officer has vast knowledge about budgeting and budget management, it makes it easier for the budget managers to perform effectively their management activities, especially, in a highly centralized management system. The major aim of budget management in this area is to align the budget with the requirements and priorities of academic work.
Budget managers ensure that the funds are used for the specified functions. They also encourage spending for the budgeted functions and discourage laziness among the academic staff in executing their duties. The academic budget management employs the internal audit systems to indentify the effectiveness of the budget implementation and to check the weak points thus giving recommendations and room for corrective action for improved performance.
Another example is the management of a personal budget. Individuals make budgets to enable them live within the limits of their income. Mismanagement of these budgets can create serious deficits an issue that will increase loans and debts, further leading to bankruptcy. Management of personal budgets involve the comparison of the budgeted values relative to the actual expenditure and making necessary changes to enable one live within the budget constraint.
An individual can make adjustments by cutting costs on unnecessary expenditures or on those expenditures that are not urgent. Inflation and other economic factors can alter the actual prices of the commodities or services budgeted for and therefore individuals normally adjust their budgets from time to time to ensure that it represents the most current value of what they budget for.
Different people use various methods and tools of personal budget management. This, like any other type of budget, depends on the complexity of the budget. This ranges from the use of simple diary records to use of computer programs.
Most people prefer the use of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to analyze their budgets and see where they need adjustments. The software enables an individual to identify easily the areas he or she is overspending in and thus gives room for adjustments. Like any other type of budget management, personal budget management also requires a lot of flexibility in order to achieve success.
In conclusion, budget management is an important component of financial management. It enables managers to compare the values in the budget to the values in the actual expenditure and allows them to make necessary adjustments to the budget. The level of management in a budget depends on the complexity of that budget. Complex budgets in complex organizations require more attention and a high level of budget management to achieve success.
It is important to note that the financial environment differs from time to time and therefore it is important to adjust the budget to be in agreement with the current financial standards. Budget managers need to be highly skilled in the issues of financial management in order for them to achieve efficiency in their work. In order for a budget to be effective in achieving its goals, its management requires a lot of flexibility.
Managers need to be skilled on the best methods of budget management in order for them to employ the relevant management tools to achieve departmental and organizational goals. A good budget manager is supposed to identify and eliminate all forms of mismanagement of budget firms through careless spending, corruption, collusion or other professional malpractices.
Taking good records and reporting is an important practice in any type of budget management. The success of a budget is when it achieves the intentions of the budgeters and in the period stipulated. This is likely to produce books that balance and is an indication of good budget management. Good budget management is also a good tool for organization and management of an institution, a firm or a country.
Works Cited
Barnat, Ryszard. Advantages and Disadvantages of Budget Control. N.d. Web.
Bryans, William. Practical Budget management and social care . Oxford. New York. Radcliffe Publishing. 2007. Print.
Ferren, S. Ann & Stanton W. Wilbur. Leadership through collaboration: the role of the chief academic officer . Westport, CT 06881. Praeger Publishers. 2004.
QFinance Dictionary. Budget management. Bloomsbury Information Ltd, 2009-10. N.d. Web.
Sennewald, A. Charles. Effective Security Management . Fourth Edition. Elsevier science (USA). Butterworth-Heinemann.2003. Print.
“The Project Budget”, Docstoc 2010 . N.d. Web.
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