Monday, September 30, 2019

Banning Catcher in the Rye Essay

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger should not be banned in schools based solely on the fact that it is a controversial book that uses harsh language and sexual references. This book is J. D. Salinger’s freedom of speech, and it is a violation of the first amendment for schools to ban this book. This book is only offering an inside look into what teenagers go through in some point of their lives. According to the Los Angeles Times, The Catcher in the Rye’s, â€Å"†¦ profanity and sexual references drew scandalized reactions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Rotella 18). Although this book has many sexual references, it is not in any way as explicit and as bad as what teenagers see and hear nowadays on television and in the world. Holden occasionally thinks and talks about sex: â€Å"Most guys at Pencey talked about having sexual intercourse with girls all the time. † (Salinger 48). The average teenager often thinks and talks about sex. It is not unusual for teenagers to do this. The profanity in this book is also not as bad as it may seem. Patty Salazar, a concerned mother and religious activist, claims that, â€Å"‘It uses the Lord’s name in vain 200 times’† (Rotella 17), but the curse words used in The Catcher in the Rye are nothing that teenagers have not heard before in their everyday lives. Banning The Catcher in the Rye in school is not acceptable. It is a violation of the first amendment, and it is nothing far from what teenagers encounter everyday. This book gives teenagers someone in literature that they are able to relate to in one way or another. The Catcher in the Rye is not a book that will corrupt young readers. The underlying theme of this book is loss of innocence. This loss occurs when a teenager makes the change to adulthood where he or she is obscured by phoniness. By banning this book from schools, the only thing that teenagers would be sheltered from is reality.

Gendering Biology and Sociology Essay

Can we define gender both biologically and sociologically? That question is at the forefront of the continuing debate between cultural and scientific researchers. The issue stems from a fundamental difference in how to explain gender definitions in an era of fluid identities and particularized conceptions of the body. This brief essay will outline the path this debate has taken in an attempt to see where it will take us in the future. Biologists and sociologists see the world in different ways. Biologists tend to believe that the natural world should form the basis of our understanding about life while sociologists believe that culture is the primary driving force that creates our collective knowledge. In this way, a gap has been created between two competing theories about what and how gender should be defined. For example, sociologists critique the biological basis of gender because they speculate that cultural practices influence what type of biology to undertake. Physical appearance, chromosomal sequencing, personal psychology, social norms, and many other factors are at work when we ask questions that transcend sexual difference and enter the realm of gender identity definitions. In the realm of sports, we have seen how outdated scientific gender testing has proven to be unreliable in determining what counts as a male or female. As chairman of the International Olympic Committee medical commission Arne Ljungqvist notes, â€Å"Sometimes, fingers are pointed at particular female athletes, and in order to protect them, we have to be able to investigate it and clarify. † (Thomas). In order to traverse this widening gap, sociologists and biologists need a common language and framework if we hope to come to a deeper understanding of gender and how it will influence our lives. Works Cited Thomas, Katie. (2008). A Lab Is Set to Test the Gender of Some Olympic Athletes. July 30, 2008. The New York Times. Retrieved January 9, 2009 from http://www. nytimes. com/2008/07/30/sports/olympics/30gender. html

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Impact of Globalization on Management Education

IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON MANAGEMENT EDUCATION – CURRICULUM TO CAREERS [pic] IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON MANAGEMENT EDUCATION – CURRICULUM TO CAREERS Abstract The global techno –economic paradigm is changing at a pace that defies easy mapping. Emergence of global village and digital economy with internet connectivity is the order of the day. This results in fundamental changes in the way the business is organized and conducted in every functional area, globally and in India as well. On the domestic front, India’s economic growth, in recent years, has been impressive.This has been due to conscious move towards market based economy. The imperative question is how to sustain it and if possible, better it. Sustainability is possible by spurring innovation and creativity to move up the value chain. Indian business models need to be re oriented, incorporating the newer dimensions of risk and inclusive growth. Excellence is seen in few quarters and that is not en ough. Increasing complexity and consequent instability marks the emergent business environment that defies solution through traditional managerial tools.Further to have sustainability in business the role of manager is to be sensitized. But the current curriculum and pedagogies of management education needs a paradigm shift from transaction based approach to transformative approach. Knowledge ecology needs balancing with an integrated curriculum encompassing multiple skills. For equitable distribution and applied innovation we need to pick up transferable skills and reverse applied learning systems with top down approach.Hence there is a great need to be updated the curriculum to meet the changing needs of the components of globalization which should be incorporated into all areas of management like  basic courses, Core functional,   inter-functional courses,  Ã‚  integrated and value addition courses. The basic courses have to be rejuvenated so as to meet the dynamically chan ging global business trends. Core functional courses such as banking and insurance should be effectively managed to meet the global demand in banking sector.Inter-functional courses like mass communication and marketing embedded with finance are greatly evolving. Integrated and value addition courses  such as training on soft skills and value added skills like SAP, PEOPLESOFT etc to get job ready. Hence, the suggested framework will balance both theoretical knowledge and acquired skill which has been proven essential for the employability by the placement organization to meet the challenges of a globalized economy.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Does e-cigarette really safe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Does e-cigarette really safe - Essay Example It used this correlation to establish causality that by smoking e-cigarette instead of traditional cigarette one is safer because it is like smoking room air. By using this method of inferences, the author made the reader to forget that e-cigarette still has addictive substance such as nicotine and that it still put glycerin or propylene glycol into our lungs and who knows what the flavorings are made of. By using the above inferences, the author implied that smoking nicotine, glycerin or propylene glycol and other chemicals for the flavoring is similar to inhaling room air which is incorrect. The ideal experiment is not to compare inhaling the two substance to establish correlation that and then imply causation that e-cigarette is safe. Instead, the experiment should involve controlled test group such as comparing the effect of e-cigarette between people who smoked e-cigarette for a certain number of years and then compared them with those who did not to correctly establish the safety of

Thursday, September 26, 2019

How did the target market change for Holiday Inn Hotels after the Literature review

How did the target market change for Holiday Inn Hotels after the financial crisis amongst hotels in England & Bosnia - Literature review Example Different types of relevant literatures are reviewed for the purpose of attaining some conceptual findings regarding research work. From the perspective of impact of financial crisis in late 2008, Platt, Carper, and McCool (2010) have presented their views. As per the findings of the author, it can analyzed critically that recent financial crisis have been proved quite critical for business organizations operating across the world. The failure of some of the major business organizations has induced different domestic as well as multinational business organizations to change the norms of their business practices and strategies for the purpose of minimizing risks in their business operations2. Kotler, Bowen, and Makens (2011) have presented the theory of strategic change in the market. As per the theory, external environmental factors can be responsible factors for changes in the market place. As per the theory, although the major impact of recession have been seen in the operations of finance sectors organizations, yet still there are some other sectors such as hospitality, manufacturing, and automobile, that hav e been affected quite significantly after the occurrence of this financial slump across the globe 3 In contrast to such findings, Corgel, and Woodworth (2012) have explained the impact of recession over hospitality sector. Authors have argued quite critically that hotel industry is one of the industries which directly relates with other business industries. The recession has affected the patterns and trends followed by different hotel organizations4. In the support of this Shi, White, Zou, and Cavusgil (2010) has elaborated that such crucial differences can be observed in the context of product and service offerings, internal administration, operations, and marketing strategies. Due to shortage of financial resources during the time of recession, hotel organizations have started to be more concerned about refining their

Moka Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Moka - Essay Example This is because pigs are everything to the tribe and the bigger the moka is, the more respect and status is earned. According to Ongka, pigs are everything as it keeps the tribe alive; moka can also be used to pay for troubles, debts and get a wife. The lack of pigs according to Ongka is sad as the individual who lacks pigs is referred to as being nobody and rubbish altogether in the tribe. The last significance of moka is that it is the only possible way to get a life, marry and get children, without moka then a man has nothing. Finally, moka is also used to impress other people and also as a way to do business. For example, Ongka wanted to give a hundred pigs as a system of investment and the investment would pay itself in several years time. Body decoration or adornment is prominent in the Kawelka tribe as it is their way of living and respecting their origins. Secondly they use body decoration during great achievements so as to celebrate special occasions. In the film, they celebrate moka by going to the tribe dressed in their traditional attire and decoration and call out Ongka so that they can hand to him the moka in form of a pig as a returned favor for his previous gifts. In addition to that, body decoration was worn to pay the last tribute to a fallen leader. In the film, when one of the elders passed on, they wore big green leaves and sang a sad song as part of their

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Effectiveness of Knowledge Management In Organizations Literature review

The Effectiveness of Knowledge Management In Organizations - Literature review Example This report stresses that the globalized business environment is featured with the fast changing business condition, high production, flexible organizational structure, information and communication technology, market liberalization and partnership development. With the changes in the environment, the intensity of competition is sharpened in the market. Therefore the companies are forced to develop and implement new strategies for improving the functionality and quality of the products in order to survive in the market. This paper makes a conclusion that the application of knowledge management is very critical and difficult to be implemented and also it is very time consuming. But the advantages and its contribution in the present world has replaced its limitations or disadvantages. Every organization is required to adopt the concept of knowledge management in their organization for its workers or employees. Knowledge management contributes significantly towards the growth and development of the organization. The organizations are expected to recruit skill and knowledgeable employees in their organization, since the inability or inefficiency of the workers in the company may affect the productivity or performance of the whole organization or entity. Knowledge management through the learning, strategy and information technology influenced positively the organizational performance in terms of its return on investment for achieving its long term as well as short term goals of the organization. It has a strong affect on the productivity of the organization.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Media Study Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Media Study Assignment - Essay Example Primary journalistic beats and comparison with other newspapers The stories covered in the newspaper are mostly issue-centric related to public cause and the role of the politicians in improving the current scenario like â€Å"Occupy Ann-Arbor†, â€Å"Ann-Arbor City Council Candidates Discuss Public Safety†. It also covered news on some exclusive events and developments in the university campus like â€Å"Hundreds of E-mails Spam Students on U List serve†. The theme of the newspaper seems to have ample material to grab the interest of the readers. In comparison, another student newspaper THE DAILY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON mainly focused on stories related to the university campus like â€Å"Campus Watch: Guns on College Campuses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"A Catwalk to Education†. The difference between the two is in their unique style of presentation and layout. THE MICHIGAN DAILY seems to have two segments of stories. The ones related to Ann-Arbor commu nity are thematic as they are issue based and the others about the campus are episodic as they are event based. But the other daily covers stories that primarily revolve around information about the university activities. Therefore the stories are mainly episodic as each one records a specific action. In way of presentation THE MICHIGAN DAILY seems to hold a neutral stand and opts for a non-committal role whereas THE DAILY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON seems to be more direct in its approach and tone. The news story and the four information biases The story that I have chosen for my analysis is â€Å"Occupy Ann-Arbor† from THE MICHIGAN DAILY. The article is the follow-up of the article â€Å"Occupy Wall Street† by the same writer and discusses about the protest movement undertaken by the common people of Ann-Arbor against the politicians for protecting the rights of the common people. The reason for selecting this particular beat is that it reflects the four informat ion biases mentioned by Lance Bennett. The article starts with the lines â€Å"In the middle of Occupy Ann Arbor’s assembly on the Diag last night, University alum Matt Bussey asked the crowd of about 200 students and Ann Arbor residents to take out their cell phones and call U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D–Mich.).† The effect is clearly one of dramatization. The story is captured right in the middle of an extremely provoking action. Throughout the article the focus has been on maintaining the high drama quotient by the use of action words, direct quotations and criticizing remark. But drama does not seem complete without the involvement of some personality and a collision with authority. This explains the attempt to personalize the story by referring to characters and at same time making an implication towards authority-disorder. In this article people like Whitney Miller and Luciana Sabgash who were involved with the movement are directly quoted. Sabgash’s di sappointment with the system is conveyed in her words â€Å"I voted for none of this. I voted for change and saw all the same.† Most of the readers would share the same feeling and immediately connect with the story. The disgruntled attitude of the common people towards the political rulers is the bottom line of the article. The authority-disorder bias underpins the entire argument. Though the

Monday, September 23, 2019

Strategic Plan and Power Point (Community Coffee) Research Paper

Strategic Plan and Power Point (Community Coffee) - Research Paper Example If the way we make the products will be unique, then it is likely to establish a presence in this competitive market. The next tactic will be making the products adopt to the market by ensuring we put into consideration the rules that exist in our area of operation. From this, we will position our brands in such a manner that they can be explained as one big idea, hence leaving an impact to the mind of the consumers (Nieuwenhuizen, 2007). The final steps will be the maintenance of the brand by making sure the consumers never lose interest in it. The second objective in place is to make community coffee go national in the shortest period possible. This might seem as a drawback since it will stress financially, but it is a tactic of its own, and might prove to be rather successful. However, before the business evolves to be national, we must first ensure that a good reputation has been built in the present area of operation. This will make it easier to capture the market as the business will have its own personality established. The third objective is dynamic modes of service provision, depending on the area of operation. In areas that the customer is rather busy and have less time, community coffee will adopt on-the-go service provision, while a slower pace for the rural coffee shops that require a friendlier and slower pace for everyone there is community (Nieuwenhuizen, 2007). The first marketing method is through the media. This involves both television and print media such as daily and weekly newspapers. Although they may be old school methods, they are the most widely used and the most effective tool. On the television, an advertisement that portray the new range of products, and dynamic modes of operation. The second method will be through the use of websites such as those of social media. This is because they are the most accessed websites by both teenagers and adults. An

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Learning objectives of the student Essay Example for Free

Learning objectives of the student Essay By the end of the grant period, the learners should be able to: †¢ Internalize the basic definitions of concepts which will be met during the study. †¢ Use the various methods of measuring techniques to find measurements of simple lengths. †¢ Use the measurement tools effectively in class and outside the classroom. †¢ Demonstrate on the board on the use of the various tools in measuring. †¢ Apply the knowledge learned in class in real life situation i. e. giving the students a challenging life application question and finding out if they can get the answers correctly. Method of Instruction: Teacher may adopt the instruction led method to disseminate information to the learners by use of segments of information and presenting the idea systematically. Teacher can adopt use of the demonstration method where the learner follows in detail how a particular procedure or technique is being followed. The lecture method is also a common instructional method which can be used by the teacher. This involves the teacher gives monologue information without getting responses from the learners. The teacher can use the coaching instruction for the learner. This refers to a detailed step in which the learner is taken through so that he can grasp the concept. The students can also be left on their own to practice what has been learned in class, thus the practice method is another instructional method to be used in the classroom. Reference: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Retrieved o

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Causes of Dyslexia

Causes of Dyslexia Possible Causes of Dyslexia Dyslexia is a learning disability that causes reading and language difficulties, in terms of spoken or written. Today, there are many researches actively taking place regarding the fundamental causes of dyslexia (Temple, 2002; Ramus 2001; 2003) and a number of possibilities are beginning to emerge but the specific cause is yet to be discovered. However, there are several theories proposed by specialist doctors and researchers and also some evidence which can help in clarifying the origin of this condition and they believed that these are the possible causes which are genetic inheritance, neurological differences, phonological disorder and last but not least, hearing problem. Genetic Inheritance Dyslexia is inherited in families, and is often accompanied by left-handedness which believed by most of the researchers. However, it also cannot be generalized that all dyslexic parent will have a dyslexic child or a left-handed child will have dyslexia, yet according to them, it can identified that between a third and a half of children who have learning difficulties’ history and more than half who have a family member who is left-handed are dyslexic people. That inherited genes run in the family have a defect that will cause a problem with the development of a particular kind of nerve cell in the brain. The defects in that genes which associated with problems in reading performance are known as DCDC2. It was found by a team at the Yale School of Medicine which also reported that this defective gene appears to interact with KIAA0319, a second dyslexia gene. In the journal Dyslexia, Dutch scientists reported that dyslexia is a highly heritable learning disorder that has a complex genetic architecture. They also added that they can identified several candidate genes which related to the reading performance that may contribute to dyslexia susceptibility. Fortunately, there are many researches are carried out in the recent years due to the advancement of technology in brain-scanning. With that, they are able to examine and compare the brain of dyslexic and non-dyslexic children. For comparison, the researchers have detected that bunch of cells are found beneath the surface of dyslexic children’s brain which lie on the surface in the brain of non-dyslexic children. These cells are supposedly moving when the brain was developing in the foetus which is to the surface of the brain but they failed and these defected cells are known as ectopic cells (like an ectopic pregnancy, where the egg fails to reach the womb and is fertilized in the Fallopian tube). They can be found mostly in the front and left area of the brain which are very important for reading and writing ability. Besides that, they also traced that an area of the brain named magno-cellular system is smaller where it deals with the ability to see moving images. Due to thi s, dyslexic children will have difficulties in reading process, where the brain has to interpret the different letters and words at a faster rate as they scan words and sentences with their eyes. Neurological Differences Neurological or brain differences is the cause of dyslexia where right hemisphere of the brain is larger than non-dyslexic children and they are having strong activity in the right side of their brain. Due to that, dyslexic children are always known to have significant strengths in areas which controlled by the right side of the brain such as musical talent, artistic, athletic and many more. Because of that, they are engaging this area frequently while performing language tasks. However, language tasks are known to be most efficiently performed in the left side of the brain. These differences lead to dyslexia which consists of structural and functional brain differences. Firstly, in structural, the brain is made up mainly of two types of material which are gray matter and white matter. Gray matter can be found at the lower part of the brain whereas white matter is within the deeper parts of the brain. Gray and white matter are composed of nerve cells and connective fibers covered in myelin, the coating designed to facilitate communication between nerves respectively. The primary function of gray matter is processing information while white matter is responsible for transferring information around the brain. According to Booth and Burman (2001), they found that children with dyslexia have less gray matter in the left parietotemporal area than non-dyslexic individuals. This could lead to problems processing of the sound structure of language (phonological awareness). Furthermore, it can be said that dyslexic children who have less white matter in this same area, which is important as more white matter is correlated with increased reading skill (Deutsch, Dougherty, Bammer, Siok, Gabrieli, Wandell, 2005). If the white matter is less, the ability or efficiency of the regions of the brain to communicate with one another is less as well. In functional brain differences, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is known as a method that measures physiological signs of neural activation using a strong magnet to pinpoint blood flow. This technique is called functional because participants perform tasks while in (or under) the magnet, allowing measurement of the functioning brain rather than the activity of the brain at rest. Several studies using functional imaging techniques that compared the brain activation patterns of readers with and without dyslexia show potentially important patterns of differences. For example, a research is carried out by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Boston Childrens’ Hospital where 40 children had their brains’ scanned using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). They also had their pre-reading skills assessed. The children are at the age where they are the beginners in reading process. The brain scans were looking at the arcuate fasciculus (a junction that connects the areas of the brain responsible for written and spoken language). From the study, it can be identified that the more robust this brain section in children, the more likely they are to perform well on the pre-reading test of phonological awareness. Phonological Disorder Usually, for regular children, they have the ability to understand spoken language which can be acquired easily and naturally from a very early age. Regular children are able to recognize the letters that make up a word, and then use them to identify the phonemes, and put them together to make sense of the word in terms of reading and writing. However, according to theNational Health Service, reading and writing is difficult for dyslexic children because of phonological processing impairment. They have troubles in recognizing phonemes and therefore, they have to struggle in order to connect the sound and the letter symbol for that sound and also to blend sounds into words. It is most prominent in their native languages with a great deal of irregularity of spelling, such as Malay, English and others. For example, the word ‘dog’ can be broken down into three phonemes. This is, of course, a three letter word made up of three phonemes. However the word ‘read’ is a four letter word that only has three phonemes. This creates confusion when dealing with the smallest units of speech sound (phonemes). Moreover, dyslexic children mostly have poor short term verbal memory which is a very common cognitive difficulty. Usually, regular children use verbal memory to blend sounds in words together when reading them for the first time. This is why an inability to read non-words (made up words) is one of the strongest signs of phonological dyslexia. Problems with short term verbal memory naturally lead to difficulties with long-term verbal memory. For example, dyslexics may often forget the names of people they have met before or the words that they learned in two days before. This shown that short-term memory also influences their phonological processing. Besides that, it can be seen that for a children with dyslexia, it takes them a lot of time to sound out a word. They are typically have trouble in spelling and expressing themselves in writing and even speaking. The phonological disorder theory is one of explanation for possible cause of dyslexia. The fact that the majority of dyslexic children have problems with verbal short term memory adds weight to the theory of phonological disorder. Indeed, they are struggling in phonological processing. Hearing Problem Hearing problem is one of the least possible causes of dyslexia. The researchers believed that if a child suffers frequent colds and throat infections during their early age, range from 1 to 5 year, the ears will be blocked from time to time and eventually it leads to hearing problem. This condition is known as glue ear or conductive hearing loss. The parents of the child should take this into account as it will affect the developing brain that links the sound it hears. At this point, the learning of sounds and words are essential in developing their ability to handle and link the sound to language and text as well. If they cannot hear clearly, they will be unable to hear the difference between words like pin and thin, or fan and van. The lack of clear hearing will also delay the childs phonemic awareness the ability to hear that words are made up of smaller sounds and syllables, like c-a-t, or in-ter-est-ing. Therefore, to be safe, a corrective action should be taken at a very early age to prevent the phonemic problem of their children as it causes lifelong difficulties which may lead to dyslexia. Conclusion In this research study, it can be concluded that working memory skills affect dyslexic children in terms of reading, writing and spelling as there is research that stated children who have problem in reading may have severe working memory deficits. They are unable to store the informations for a long time but for dyslexic children, they may forget about it the next day. However, teaching methods or strategies are employed by the educator in Pacific Speech Therapy and Learning Centre in order to attract their attentions such as playing games, reading from books, guessing based on pictures, constructing sentences and recognizing syllables. The children are also taught individually which is between the teacher and the student only. The instructions for students with learning differences are to be explicit, systematic, structured and multisensory. There are many researches carried out by specialist doctors and researchers regarding dyslexia which lead to possible causes of dyslexia. There are four possible causes where they believed that these are the famous and found by most of the researchers which are genetic inheritance, neurological differences, phonological disorder and last but not least, hearing problem. These are connected to each other as the genetic inheritance are the root of the cause as it plays an important role of brain development and it goes on and on to hearing problem which is certainly true. However, the specific cause is yet to be discovered and still remains unclear. Regarding to the effects of dyslexia, it may varies according to the severity of dyslexia and success of the therapy followed by them. There is no cure for dyslexia as it is a specific learning disorder which need supports from educational institutes to improve on their reading, learning and spelling skills, it can be done in a special educations lessons and with the right and appropriate therapeutic methods bound with differences of each dyslexic individual, the difficulties faced by them can be reduced. References Kaufman, Lorna N., PH.D., and Pamela Hook, PH.D.,The Dyslexia Puzzle: Putting The Pieces Together, Newton, Mass. International Dyslexia Society, New England branch, 1998. Carrion-Castillo, A., Franke, B. and Fisher, S. E. (2013), Molecular Genetics of Dyslexia: An Overview. Dyslexia, 19:214–240. Snowling, M. J. (2000).Dyslexia. Blackwell Publishing. http://www.solasbt7.com/Causes-of-Dyslexia-6809.html Appendix Figure 1 Figure 2

Friday, September 20, 2019

International Policy Analysis: Methodology

International Policy Analysis: Methodology 1. Introduction The last decade has witnessed many international developments that have profoundly affected the destinies of nations and humanity. The emergence of American unipolarism, the horrific attacks of September 11, and the rise of militant Islam, as well as the birth of the Euro and the business unification of affluent Europe are all important developments that have had far reaching effects on international affairs. However, these developments have been overshadowed by the rise of the phenomenon of globalisation, a process through which the developing world, riding on the strength of its low costs and ever expanding skill and knowledge base, has started integrating rapidly into the global economy. Most organisations operating in areas of government, business and not for profit need to work with the global community and operate in accordance with structured or informal international policies, which in turn define both their initiatives in the international arena as well as their responses to global developments. International organisations and international policy networks, in which many national bodies play a part, have significant roles in global governance. Considering that movements in goods and services are the causal factor behind the globalisation effort, multinational corporations and other organisations involved in overseas activity essentially need to have formalised international policies. Efficient and methodical analysis of international policy is an intriguing and specialised area of social research that involves deep understanding of social theory and international affairs, as well as sound familiarity with research tools. It is the objective of this manual to elaborate and describe the methodology that needs to be followed to analyse the international policies of different organisations in diverse environmental settings. 2. International Policy Analysis An assignment for analysis of international policy can arise either from an organisation responsible for framing the policy or from an external body wishing to analyse the policy of another organisation for specific purposes. Analysts could be part of in-house teams working on framing or implementing policies, or of external consultancies or think tanks engaged in the preparation of dispassionate appraisals. Researchers and analysts should also realise that many users of policy analyses have been disappointed with its results, despite the plethora of analytical studies and the increasing competence in the area. The proliferation of policy analysis has not, however, been matched by an examination of whether the annual production of hundreds of thousands of memos, briefings, articles, reports, books, and sundry policy prognosticationsinformed and otherwiseare actually useful to policymakers. What we do know is not encouraging: In public policy making, many suppliers and users of social science research are dissatisfied, the former because they are not listened to, the latter because they do not hear much they want to listen to (Lindblom (Hird, 2005) It thus becomes critically important for the analyst to understand the nature of the organisation desiring the analysis and its reasons for doing so. A thorough understanding of these reasons becomes invaluable in planning the assignment and in its subsequent conduct. Areas in international policy that need analysis are generally diverse and could encompass economic, political, security, environment or trade concerns. The framing of international policy primarily involves the evaluation and choice between different courses of action, programs and policies that are intended to address and resolve issues regarding social, economic and political issues in the global arena. It is the objective of this manual to guide policy advisors on the adoption of a systematic approach in the conduct of international policy analysis. It draws on the writing and theory of Carl Patton and other social researchers, all of whom find place in the bibliography. A policy analysis assignment involves certain steps in its execution and calls for the observance of certain principles to ensure the validity of its result. This manual commences with a discussion of the concept of policy, especially in relation to power and governance. It, thereafter, briefly takes up the practical principles that need consideration while planning and conducting the research, and then elaborates the sequential steps required for its proper execution. Policy A policy, very briefly, is a formulated plan used for the guidance of decisions and action and is used by groups, associations and organisations in the governmental and private sectors. An interesting and comprehensive definition refers to policies as â€Å"political, management, financial and administrative mechanisms arranged to reach explicit goals.† (Policy, 2006) >From universities and schools to public agencies and large corporations, policy is increasingly being codified, publicized and referred to by workers and managers as the guidelines that legitimate and even motivate their behaviour. To adapt a metaphor from Arthur Koestler (1967), policy is the ghost in the machine—the force which breathes life and purpose into the machinery of government and animates the otherwise dead hand of bureaucracy. (Shore Wright, 1997, p. 5) In a world that is becomingly increasingly complex, situations or problems are dynamic and incapable of proper definition. The process for policy formulation commences with the identification of issues and the development of various alternatives to deal with them. A rigorous and far-reaching assessment of the various alternatives leads to the selection of the final policy, which then needs proper implementation and monitoring. Very obviously, policies affect environments, societies and the lives of people, and while they can result in the greatest of good, they can lead to disastrous mistakes and to the commitment of the greatest crimes. The holocaust was a result of policy and so is the WHO’s global polio eradication programme. Policies have become a major institution of western and international governance and are distinguished into formal policy, embodying policy principles and objectives, and operational policy, which comprise of mechanisms for implementation and delivery. In the international policy of a trading organisation, the formal policy may, for example, require trade with East Asia with the clear definition of environmental and child labour constraints, whereas the operational policy would detail whether the operation would be controlled by the corporate headquarters in Europe or the regional hub in Singapore. Practical Principles of International Policy Analysis International policy can appear to be contradictory and difficult to understand. The analyst must try to understand and focus on the central and essential core of the policy, which in turn could involve cost, environmental, humanitarian or nuclear proliferation concerns. Policies frequently have several and opposing objectives, some of which suffer from poor definition. Analysts must thus try to focus on the core issues for analysis and not spend time on peripheral matters. Carl Patton and David Sawicki (1993) in their book â€Å"Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning† state that that the principles described below should help in planning and conducting an analytical assignment on international policy. Ideally, analysts should base their approach on using analytical tools appropriate to the issue at hand and refrain from thrusting their preferred method onto the assignment. The chosen method should be simple, transparent, logical, based upon common sense and tailored to the issue under scrutiny. In many cases, policies are uncertain about issues and there is a lack of clarity in approach. Researchers must thus be ready to take uncertainty in their stride and realise that despite their best efforts some areas will remain cloaked in uncertainty; this constraint should however not be allowed to retard the progress of the analysis or devour too much of the time allotted for the assignment. International policy involves factors that are frequently alien to domestic situations and requires an understanding of different cultures and political systems. An international aid organisation, for example, may have to provide succour to the citizens of a country known to have a notoriously corrupt government. In the absence of quantitative data, which is usually the norm in such cases, any analysis of international policy must necessarily depend upon subjective interpretation for projecting outcomes. While some factors of international policy are bound to be subjective and incapable of interpretation or analysis through numerical data, numbers do throw light on many issues and are useful for projecting outcomes. The use of quantitative techniques and numerical data thus becomes important, wherever appropriate. Simplicity in analysis and the use of figures are also often effective in driving home the distinguishing features of different alternatives, especially during client inter action. It is also very important for analysts to check their facts exhaustively, try to appreciate the viewpoints of people with radically different opinions and arrive at analyses, not opinionated decisions. Steps in Policy Analysis Effective analysis of international policy requires an understanding of world affairs, a firm grounding in the social sciences and familiarity with quantitative and qualitative research tools. Moreover as much of the data is subjective and needs informed interpretation, international policy analysis falls as much in the domain of art as that of science. Given the choice between too much of structure in charting of an analytical assignment and leaving everything to the judgement of the researcher, it is advisable to follow a few sequential steps in the conduct of the assignment. Policy analysts, as a rule follow a series of six easily distinguishable steps. While some experts advocate the breaking of these steps to make the process simpler, this manual stays with the practice of adopting six important steps. These steps start with the definition of the problem and are followed by establishment of criteria for evaluation and collection of evidence, identification of alternatives, evalu ation of alternatives, distinguishing among alternatives, and finally implementation and monitoring of policy. a. Definition of the Problem A policy analysis exercise must necessarily commence with the definition of the problem. This step is crucial and integral to the success of the project. It provides the reason for the exercise and gives direction for gathering of evidence. While a certain amount of experience helps in defining and detailing the issue, the process should be iterative and the â€Å"definition’ exercise repeated a few times. A meaningful effort at problem definition will enable the researcher to state the problem appropriately, determine its scale, eliminate extraneous matter, and question both the thinking and the definition of the issue. While defining the problem it is important to use quantitative data, study similar projects and locate relevant data. This will help in removing uncertainties, illuminating objectives, resolving divergences and focussing on the essence, i.e. the core issue. â€Å"Problem definition is a crucial step. However, because it is hard to get it right (the) same ste p (might be needed) again and again. Over the course of analytic work, empirical and conceptual understanding will evolve.† (Bardach, 2000, p. 7) b. Establish Evaluation Criteria The next step involves the establishment of criteria for evaluation and collection of evidence. This is essential to crystallize the modus of measurement of policy goals, bring about uniformity and establish similar criteria for assessing different alternatives and policy outcomes, desirable or otherwise. A number of factors, including costs, net gains, efficacy, fairness, organizational comfort, legal validity and suitability need consideration while establishing evaluation criteria. Most of the time spent on policy analysis happens because of the time required to gather data and time needed to think. While thinking is obviously by far the more important activity, data gathering is laborious and takes time. Data helps in three ways in the projection of realistic outcomes of policy and in the analysis of its implications. One purpose is to assess the nature and extent of the problem(s) you are trying to define. A second is to assess the particular features of the concrete policy situation you are engaged in studying. The third purpose is to assess policies that have been thought, by at least some people, to have worked effectively in situations apparently similar to your own, in other jurisdictions, perhaps, or at other times. (Bardach, 2000, p. 8) c. Identification of Alternatives Establishment of evaluation criteria leads to the next step, i.e. the identification of alternatives. The generation of alternatives requires imagination, knowledge and the ability to constructively brainstorm with other experts. The challenge of identifying alternatives, as good or possibly superior to the given policy, calls for combining ideas from different alternatives as well as from the one under study. It is important at this stage to assess the impact of any change in public policy that could have taken place in the interim or may well take place in the short and medium term. Public policy changes can occur due to a number of reasons, namely changes in the political establishment following elections, changes in budget, changes in the political structure of foreign countries or occurrences of disasters like the Tsunami or the Bird Flu epidemic. International policy, by its very nature is not prone to change at short notice and the assimilation of the possible effect of future changes into the generation of alternatives has proved to be very helpful in projecting policy outcomes. d. Assessment of Alternatives The identification of alternatives results in a need for their evaluation in terms of the benefits that each of them could provide vis-à  -vis established criteria. Data collection may again be required at this stage for the assessment of different alternatives and the projection of possible outcomes. This is a crucial phase of the process as new aspects of the problem could now surface, leading to reiteration of the various steps of the analysis. The evaluation of alternatives should actually focus on evaluating the outcomes of the different proposals as trade-offs between different alternatives cannot occur in the absence of projected outcomes. The criteria for evaluation should encompass different perspectives like costs, efficacy, fairness, equity and justice. Carl Patton (1993) states that evaluative criteria could also include issues like free markets, economic freedom, capitalism, freedom from government control, equality of opportunity, equality of result, free speech, relig ious freedom, privacy and safety. The analyst must bear in mind that the objective of the exercise is analysis for a specific user and not the handing down of a considered decision and should thus try to be as broad ranging as possible in the choice of evaluative criteria. e. Distinguish and Display Alternatives Evaluation of alternatives and outcomes makes it possible for the analyst to assess the extent of benefits met by individual alternatives, in the context of previously decided criteria, and in distinguishing between them. In case of conflict between alternatives that do not easily fit into the matrix of benefits, it is possibly advisable to go by the alternative that suits existing public policy. Issues of legality and political acceptability are also very important while distinguishing between alternatives and it would be patently unwise to consider alternatives, which while satisfying other criteria, skirt legal requirements or could end up as politically difficult to implement. While distinguishing and displaying alternatives, the analyst should focus on simplicity of presentation, use of tables and quantitative data and the highlighting of worst and best case scenarios for each alternative. The report must be clear, simple, tabulated properly and be easy to comprehend. f. Implement and Monitor Policy Once a policy alternative is accepted it is the role of the analyst to round off the exercise by planning for its implementation and creating a system to monitor policy outcomes. The monitoring and effective implementation of international policy is crucial as improper application and inadequate monitoring could result in undesirable outcomes and policy failure. International policies need to be very carefully monitored during implementation to ensure that unintentional changes do not occur and actual outcomes can be measured against those projected. 3. Conclusion The analysis of International Policy falls under the domain of applied social research and is a complex task that requires knowledge of social sciences, grounding in international affairs and familiarity with the tools of social research. A detailed and comprehensive understanding of the core issues involved in policy analysis assignment is a sine qua non and possibly the most crucial part of the analytical process. International policy analysis involves the use of quantitative and qualitative data, a variety of approaches to the subject and choice of appropriate methodology. Analysts must be ready to work â€Å"out of the box† at all times, especially in the identification of various alternatives. Policy analysis, while it uses scientific and statistical tools, is very interpretative in its approach and liable to bias. It is thus imperative that the exercise has a structured and phased approach and that all assumptions are identified clearly. Records should be kept accurately, information must be accessed from multiple sources and relevant professional and ethical considerations addressed appropriately to ensure the success of the exercise. Bibliography Bardach, E. 2000. A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving. New York: Chatham House Publishers. Feller, I. 1986 Universities and State Governments: A Study in Policy Analysis. New York: Praeger Publishers. Fischer, F. Forester, J. (Eds.). 1993. The Argumentative Turn in Policy Analysis and Planning. London: UCL Press. Gross, F. 1954, Foreign Policy Analysis. New York: Philosophical Library. Hird, J. A. 2005, Policy Analysis for What? the Effectiveness of Nonpartisan Policy Research Organizations. Policy Studies Journal, 33(1), 83+. Hogwood, B. W., Gunn, L. A. 1984. Policy Analysis for the Real World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Patton, C and Sawicki, D, 1993, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning, 2nd Ed., Prentice Hall, USA Policy, 2006, Wikipedia, Retrieved January1, 2006 from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Policy Roe, E. 1994. Narrative Policy Analysis: Theory and Practice. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Rust, M. 2001, November 19. Who Bought off the Think Tanks? Corporations Eager to Do Business with China Have Cozied Up to Conservative Think Tanks, Raising Concerns about Their Influence Level on Foreign-Policy Analysis. Insight on the News, 17, 20+. Shore, C. Wright, S. (Eds.). 1997 Anthropology of Policy: Critical Perspectives on Governance and Power. London: Routledge. Thomas M. Meenaghan, Keith M. Kilty and John G. McNutt Social Policy Analysis and Practice. 2005. Journal of Sociology Social Welfare, 32(3), 208+. Wignaraja, G. (Ed.). 2002. Competitiveness Strategy in Developing Countries: A Manual for Policy Analysis. London: Routledge

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Financial Management Notes Essay -- GCSE Business Management Studies

ROLE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Financial management is one of the functions of management -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Financial management is concerned with o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Profits and losses of operations  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Control over funds o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ensuring appropriate cash flow is available o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chas management o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Raising funds / controlling internal funds o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Investment of funds o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cost control / pricing o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Forecasting / measuring financial performance against expectations -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Accounting is a subset of financial management. Financial transactions must be recorded, classified, stored and eventually reported to the managers. -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OBJECTIVES OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Liquidity Refers to cash reserves being held, or to the ability to turn and investment into cash with little or no delay or loss of capital o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Solvency Refers to a business ability to pay its debts when due, and remain a going concern o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Profitability Refers to how profitable the business is from the perspectives of profit on sales, assets and shareholders equity o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Efficiency Examines how well working capital is managed, that is how quickly cash is collected from debtors, inventory sold and creditors paid. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Growth Once a business is formed and operations commence, it enters a growth phase, where there should be an increase in the number of goods or services sold -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  THE PLANNING CYCLE o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strategic or corporate plans involve how the business can accomplish its objectives, generally to create a strong competitive advantage o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Organisational planning processes involve   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The formulation of mission, goals and objectives,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An analysis of key environmental variables that present opportunities, threats, and constraints. It is known as an environmental audit   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An organisational audit to evaluate strengths and weaknesses and identify where change needs to be met   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The formulation of strategies within deadlines to achieve specific objectives   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Monitoring and review to ensure that the mission is on target and that performance indicators are being met o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tactical plans focus on the most efficient resource use by a business unit or department o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Operational plans are concerned with implementing the strategic plan through day to day processes, procedures, workflow and efficiency o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Financial plans represent the dollar quantification of the stra... ...e lease agreement come to an end. Here the emphasis is on rental, rather than what is effectively deferred purchase. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The lessee may be responsible for paying all or any of the maintenance, insurance operating costs etc ï‚ §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Factoring †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Is the selling of accounts receivable or debtors ledgers to a third party for less than the book value ï‚ §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sale and leaseback †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Refers to a transaction in which the seller retains the use of an asset such as occupancy of a building, by simultaneously signing a lease, with the purchaser of the asset at the time of sale -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  EFFECTIVE FINANCIAL PLANNING  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  EFFECTIVE CASHFLOW MANAGEMENT ï‚ §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Source of funds = use (application) of funds ï‚ §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sources include †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Injection of new capital †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Raising new loans †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reductions in stock ï‚ §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Applications include †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pay out of loans †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tax paid †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Purchase of fixed assets ï‚ §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Management strategies for cash flow problems include †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shortening the operations cycle †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increasing net profit margins †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increasing trade payable †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Borrowing money †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maintaining a minimum cash reserve

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Performance Budgeting :: American Government, Budgeting Initiatives

This paper examines the benefit of performance based budgeting as a practical theory of efficiency for government programming. Confronted by fiscal limitation and demand for improved public services, government agencies are utilizing the budget as a means to elevate government accountability and efficiency, rather than simply as a means for distributing funds and controlling expenses. Performance based budgeting has been defined as a system wherein managers are provided with the flexibility to utilize agency resources as required, in return for their commitment to achieve certain performance results. (Brewer, 3) Performance budgeting is a system of planning, budgeting, and evaluation that emphasizes the relationship between money budgeted and results expected. (Government of Alberta, 1) Performance budgeting signifies an important divergence from habitual line item budgeting. A line item budget is mainly a tool for controlling expenditures it characteristically indicates the amount of spending permitted for particular purposes. As a fiscal year progresses, departmental spending must remain within the budgeted amounts unless formal budget amendments are approved. Under line item budgeting spending in one category cannot automatically be used to supplement another category. (Government of Alberta, 2) While traditional budgets can be useful in assisting managers with internal control, they are not typically as useful as a policy or decision making tool. Line-item budgets assure elected and administrative officials that money is being spent only for approved purposes, but they do not show what is being accomplished with the money. (Government of Alberta, 3) Additional drawbacks to line-item budgets involve the promotion of indolence, due to the minor modifications made to budget planning each year. Line-item budgeting can result in ineffective and costly actions because management is not allowed the flexibility to address changing situations. (Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, 7) Many government programs are often forced to use funding, or lose funding at the end of a program year; these restrictive processes have the potential to invite micromanagement and impede the fulfillment of program objectives. (Government of Alberta, 3) In comparison, performance budg eting has more of a policymaking orientation it links plans, measures, and budgets and it pushes administrators and policymakers to contemplate the big picture. (Brewer, 23) Performance budgeting provides useful information about the impact of budget decisions on people and gives departments increased budgetary flexibility. Additionally, performance budgeting allows for ongoing monitoring and strengthens legislative decision making and oversight.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A look into history Essay

What would constitute a period in history called a â€Å"Golden Age†? Would the prosperity seen and felt by people make the description adequate? Would a greater sense of freedom in the regions of the world fit the description? How can we describe a â€Å"Golden Age†? In the years of the so-called â€Å"Golden Era†, from 1950-1973, the world saw an unprecedented rise in term of growth, with global averages reaching 4. 9 percent in the period of national Keynesianism (Monthly Review). This period, however, was not an isolated one (Institute of Industrial Relations). The period with the highest national growth rate, from 1935-1950, after an expansion in the previous economic period, 1918-1935, the distance between the two ends of the income distribution became smaller (IRI). Families of workers tried to adjust the loss of distance from the black community by downsizing in terms of number of additions to the family and the use of utilities (IRI). But in order for us to fully grasp the meaning why this period in time is called the Golden Age, we have to frame it beside two other growth periods, one before the age and the one just after it. It must be also noted if there were changes in the period that contributed to the growth of the succeeding growth periods. Before the Golden Age Families in the United States used to see how they have progressed through the years by taking a peek at their family albums, remembering the early years of their parents’ hard life (Bob Davis & David Wessel). During the years of the Age, almost every tier of American life had been extended the benefit of a upbeat and climbing standard of living (Davis & Wessel). But again, we must peek farther than the time before this period of unprecedented growth. In the past two centuries the world has seen an era of unhampered growth (Bart van Ark). In the years between 1820 and 1997, the gross domestic product around the world rose at around 2. 2 percent on the average (van Ark). This growth rate was around seven times the growth the world experienced from the preceding period, from 1500to 1820 (van Ark). But as time wore on, the disparity between the recipients of that high growth rate become more and more separated (van Ark). The world’s growth rate accelerated in 1870, and again at the beginning of the Golden Age, in 1950 (van Ark). Since the growth of the world’s economy grew in that time frame, it is not ti be understood that everyone benefited from that growth in equal shares (van Ark). Great Britain, one of the leading powers during the era, learned very well from the lessons of the founder of the capitalist system, Adam Smith (Robert L. Bartley). Smith blieved that raising the economic bar could only be done by practising free and open market principles, that traders and merchants interacting with the consumers will lead to a better share of the economic benefits (Bartley). Agnus Maddison, widely regarded as one of the premier authorities on long-term growth, gives us some insights into the growth engines at the time (Daniel Ben-Ami). In his studies, Maddison points to the year 1820 as one the more impotant inflection periods in the study of the world’s growth (Bartley). Global GDP per capita hadd increased from $420 dollars (1990 value) to about $545 by about the year 1820 (Bartley). The period of 1913-1950 would probably be the most interesting sections of the years before the Golden Age. This period embraces the events of two world wars, the Great Depression, the economic upswing in the 1920’s (Bhanoji Rao), and one of the greatest political and bloody historical events in the modern era, the Bolshevik Revolution (Irma Adelman). Both World War one and two reversed the trends for the unrestrained movement of goods, money and migration of people (Rao). But in developing nations, the effects of these events were not felt as much, thus mirroring the differing aspects of the Wars and the Depression (Rao). In the aftermath of the war, large influential movements had espoused the needs for reform, and the captains in the capitalist end of the world were afraid of a return to the time of the Depression (Crotty). What should be seen however in this time before and after the Industrial Revolution was not the disparity in growth rates (Adelman). What was evident during this time was the degree that events bought leading to worldwide economic insecurity and to the global economic framework as a a whole (Adelman). The initiatives aimed at halting the transfer of the economic downturn led to the adoption of very strict global trading and payment methods (Adelman). As the initiatives took hold, tariffs and other quantity restrictions were soon implemented (Adelman). Tight constraints were implemented for the regulation on the movement of workers and capital (Adelman). The value of many currencies tended to be overvalued (Adelman). Rampant and widespread inflation led to the collapse of international payments (Adelman). This development led to the adoption of extreme government concern as to the stability of prices and foreign exchange as it relates to the level of unemployment (Adelman). Shifting to the Golden Era The march toward the golden age of the world’s growth had been marked by a shift from a market-driven and guided economy to one that was basically a government managed type (James Crotty). The era of the Golden age can be characterized by one of swift and widely distributed growth, having for its foundations an increase of control over quality of the markets dictated by the market and vented through the state (Crotty). Rather than a time of markets being centralized, it was a time rather of the markets being embedded in the society, the state rather than an enforcer taking on the role of a guide (Crotty). Agnus Maddison calculated that the world’s GDP rose to an average of 2. 9 percent, hitting 3. 9 percent in Europe and about 8 percent in the European continent (Bartley). The Second World War had spawned a time of demand that was pent -up during the time of the war, as capital and infrastructure was totally wiped out in Japan and on the Continent (Adelman). The command type of economy that was installed during the war, quickly gave way to the reinstitution of the usual framework of capitalism (Adelman). A great aid in the redevelopment of devastated Europe to get the continent up on its feet was the Marshall Plan (Adelman). With this Plan in place, the capital needs and infrastructure needed to jumpstart the economies of Europe were set in motion (Adelman). It was during this time, as stated earlier, that the world was experiencing a high degree of growth (Ben-Ami). In Japan, the Golden Age and the following decades after, the land of the rising sun was identified with the traits of efficiency and the highest levels of manufacturing standards (Terutomo Ozawa). This was exemplified by the low cost in the production of their automobiles nd electronic products (Ozawa). In Europe, the road to recovery was much simpler (Barry Eichengreen). Europe at the time underwent an almost complete transformation in the way they conducted their lives. In the middle of the century, Europe’s households had heat from burning coal, kept their food fresh with ice, and had no semblance even of basic plumbing. At present, they have gas-fired furnaces for heating, refrigerators to keep their food stuffs, and an endless number of electronic items that will make one dizzy. Incomes of an average European nearly went to three times their value by the turn of the century (Eichengreen). Also, working conditions and hours steadily improved, as time at work was reduced by at least a third, giving a boost to the leisure time of Europeans (Eichengreen). An upswing in the rates of the life expectancy in Europe’s residents was enhanced by new technological discoveries in health accompanied by a parallel advances in nutrition (Eichengreen). But all was not a pretty picture, as one would think. Levels of the ranks of the unemployed rose. Taxes levied on the people increased. The effects of the destruction of the environment, state repression and consumer spending limits were the order of the day under Eastern Europeans’ repressive regimes dominated that part of Europe for the next for decades following World War 2 (Eichengreen). But what made the road to recovery relatively easy for Europe? Europe, for its part, didn’t have to plan anything new for its rebuilding; it just simply rebuilt. Europe just had to rebuild the damaged or destroyed infrastructure, reinvesting in its capital stock, and redeploying the men that were in the war effort to jobs in peacetime efforts (Eichengreen). This â€Å"catch-up† mentality had demonstrated itself in the utilization of technologies that were not yet in the pipeline, so to speak (Eichengreen). These were the technologies that were developed in the period between the wars, and were used by Europe to sustain its economic juggernaut (Eichengreen). But in the 1930’s and 40’s, Europe was thrown into an atmosphere of a depressed investment environment (Eichengreen). It was in this period that the United States gained a bit of a headway against their European counterparts. The Americans had outpaced Europe in terms of overall production and levels of productivity. By using the Americans’ technology, under license, adopting their business philosophies of American mass-production and personnel management, Europe could close the gap on the Americans. Hence was born the concept of â€Å"convergence†, fusing the levels of per capita income and levels of productivity to that of the United States (Eichengreen). But in the generation of wealth, particularly in the aspect of its distribution, not all of Europe could say that they were given an equal share of the pie, so to speak. For example, the northern parts of Europe were gaining faster than their southern counterparts. The same trend went for Western Europe, outpacing Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe’s woes came a failure of the central planning strategy that was common in the authoritarian governments that dominated that part of the continent. Though these are also important features of the Golden Age in Europe, nevertheless the period marked an era of expanded growth and change on the continent (Eichengreen). The economic machine of the Japanese economy, after the brilliant star of its economic achievements faded, had gone from one that was admired to one that was dealt with indifference, even one thrown pity (Ozawa). This was bought about by the virtues of the Japanese to put into secure positions some of the political interests rather than focusing on the real problems that had dogged the nation’s economy (Ozawa). In its early steps to climb out of the destruction wrought upon it in the 2nd World War, Japan had adopted its industry to a road of industrial improvement, moving from low value industrial output, gradually moving up to higher levels of value-added goods (Ozawa). But as the years passed, Japan began to remove the protection it afforded to its industries, essentially preparing them for competition (Ozawa). These industries that were left unsheltered were the ones that are the reason for the current state of the Japanese economy’s morass (Ozawa). Most of the world had been under the Bretton Woods Agreement (Adelman). This agreement was instrumental to the reintroduction to the regime of fixed rate payments, all payments to be based on the value of the dollar (Adelman). This regime was supported by a number of international organizations with the goal of giving some form of flexibility and in the management of foreign exchange inconsistencies (Adelman). After the Golden Era, the period of another growth slowdown was about to rear its head. After the Bubble burst After the Bretton Woods agreement had collapsed and countries and adopted more flexible foreign exchange rates, coupled with the skyrocketing of the price of oil, all these led to the indication that the Golden era was officially over (Rao). This was the era of the â€Å"stagflation† that hit the world in the mid-1970’s (Ben-Ami). The Bretton agreement had become quite inadequate in meeting the liquidity requirements of most nations (Adelman). When the agreement eventually broke down, the system was replaced by a unstable, fluctuating means of foreign exchange (Adelman). The currencies of many countries went through a period of devaluation against the American currency (Adelman). But this was only the precursor of the coming storm. Oil prices had tripled their price in 1974, cereals doubled their prices by 1973, and gold prices doubled in the years of 1971-1973 (Adelman). Other problems were beginning to crop up for the world as the age ended. According to the International Labor Organization in its 1995 report on world unemployment, does not dispute the fact the upswing in the world’s economic standing, but it also emphasizes that the world, after the Golden Era, witnessed its GDP cut in half, and the levels of unemployment had reached levels never before seen or to be even though of during the era (Canadian Auto Workers Union). For this reason, economists divide the era into two parts (CAW). The first 25 years at the turn of the century has been called the â€Å"Golden Era†, the second part is called â€Å"The Age of Permanent Insecurity† (CAW). The effects of the downturn were quite visible. Growth rates had been sliced in half, good jobs were the exception rather than the norm, wages did not go up, surpluses were wiped out and social programs introduced at the end of the golden age, were dismantled at a slow but steady pace (CAW). Within a generation, the rate of growth fell to half its previous level, unemployment rates doubled, and decent jobs became the exception. Real wages stopped growing, budget surpluses turned into chronic deficits, and social programs which were proudly introduced near the end of the first period were dismantled in the second – slowly at first, but then at an accelerating pace (CAW). The labor market in Canada and other industrialized nations also took a hit, as the unemployment rates hit 9 percent in the latter part of the turn of the century, as compared to the 4. 5 percent average registered in the first half (CAW). In the United States, the Federal budget registered a budget surplus from 1946 to 1970 (CAW). In the years following the Golden Era, the Federal government has never once posted a budget surplus (CAW). The Federal government, for every dollar that it allots for programs, it pays about 63 cents of its earnings to pay for the interest of its debt (CAW). The period after the War was one of significant unheralded growth, born out of the combination of several factors (CAW). Among them was the combination of the development of emerging technologies tapped during the War, the retooling of the war time workplace to be reused for peacetime work, reconstruction of the war torn areas of Europe and in Japan, the demand held in check for so long after the Great Depression and the restraints bought on by the war, and the new found competitive situation that it has found with Communist states (CAW). The War had asked from the citizens a great amount of sacrifice, these sacrifices led to the demand for the upgrading for the people’s living conditions, equity and concerns for their security concerns (CAW). These concessions were won over by the labor movement from very jittery corporations (CAW). But how does this relate to the downturn of the Golden Era? After The Golden Era, what happened? The concessions that the workers had gained from the corporations had produced a contradiction for them (CAW). In the case of Japan and Europe, after they had reconstructed from the destruction of the war and had strengthened their economies, was building a contradictory effect for the corporations (CAW). Once the economies were put back on line, the competition of the industrialized countries again began once again on the uptake (CAW). This upswing of the economies of capitalist industries put some amount of pressure on the companies’ profits (CAW). The companies in turn tried all efforts to put up a hedge around their profits (CAW), which companies then transferred these pressures from competition on the workers themselves (CAW). Since the workers felt secure and bold enough to challenge any initiative to be pressured in the workplace, the companies transformed these workers from mainly being employees to consumers, increasing their prices to keep their profit margins (CAW). The workers, feeling the pinch of the higher prices, asked the companies for the increases in their wages to match the increases that the companies imposed (CAW). This initiated the cycle of price escalation (CAW). The price increases had a negative impact on the global competitiveness of the corporations (CAW). As a result of such developments, inflationary pressures set in (CAW). The companies had to find ways to stay viable while contending with the workers, who were becoming hindrances to the company in terms of supervision over the workplace. As such, the companies had to choose, between the companies’ insatiable drive for profit and the needs of the society and the workers, the workers and society lost (CAW). Here is the start of the end of the Golden Era, where the share of the wealth began to be hoarded, rather than shared. Works Cited Adelamn, Irma. â€Å"The genesis of the current global system†. van Ark, Bart. â€Å"Accumulation, productivity and technology: measurement and analysis of long term economic growth†. Bartley, Robert L. † The future of economic freedom†. 2000 October 16. Ben-Ami, Daniel. â€Å"Ferraris for all†. 2007 January 27. Canadian Auto Workers. â€Å"From False solutions to growing protest: recapturing the agenda†. Crotty, James. â€Å"Trading state-led for market led stagnation: from the golden age to global neoliberalism†. Davis, Bob & Wessel, David. â€Å"The Golden Age: the rise of the American middle class†. Eichengreen, Barry. â€Å"The European Economy since 1945†. The New York Times 2007 March 25. Monthly Review. â€Å"Notes from the Editors†. Monthly Review 2007 Septem

Monday, September 16, 2019

Pygmalion: George Bernard Shaw and Play Essay

A problem play is a play in which a number of problems are presented and analyzed thoroughly but no solutions to those problems are provided by the dramatist. Such a play serves as a great irritant to the thought. It is though provoking. the readers are provoked to think over the problem presented in the play and work out their own solutions to those problems. Pygmalion is a problem play in this sense. A number of problems have been presented and discussed; the discussion is thought – provoking; the readers are expected to think for themselves, and work out their own solutions. Problems created by education The most important problem presented in the play is the problem of education. Eliza Doolittle’s education in phonetics is a difficult problem, but Higgins successfully overcomes the difficulties so much that within six months Eliza can easily pass as foreign princess at an ambassador’s garden party. But her education creates problems for Eliza . she has become a lady and has lost her earlier identity. This problem, this dilemma, this predicament, was foreseen by Mrs. Pearce in the very act I of the play, and it is foreseen by Mrs. Higgins in act iii of the play. Eliza is confronted with the problem of loss of identity, and alienation, and she must search for belongingness in the new social environment to which she has been raised by her education. She poignantly puts her own problems in the following words: â€Å"what am I fit for? What have you left me fit for? Where am I to go? What am I to do? What’s to become of me? † A word problem As A. C word puts it, â€Å"the problem in Pygmalion, therefore, is like the world – problem of education. to educate is to give (or at least to offer ) new life to those who receive the education , and that new life produces discontent with existing circumstances and creates the desire for a different kind of world . in places where the spread of education has led to personal and social unrest , any teacher might be told , as Eliza tells Higgins replies : â€Å" would the world ever have been made , if its maker had been afraid of making trouble ? Making life means making trouble† This world- problem is represented in Pygmalion through the medium of a lesser theme which is a national one confined to the English who, wrote Shaw, â€Å"have no respect for their language, and will not teach their children to speak it† Bernard Shaw was disgusted by the harsh and slovenly speech of many people in England. He blamed this on to English spelling, and he left most of his large fortune to pay the expenses of starting a new English alphabet based on phonetic principles which would provide a separate symbol or sign for each spoken sound, thus enlarging the alphabet considerably. Shaw believed that this exact representation of sounds, in writing and in print, would bring about correct pronunciation by everyone and break down class- distinctions. The solution to Eliza’s problem But the class distinctions are not so broken in the present play, and so Eliza’s predicament remains. As Higgins takes no further interest in her, she has to work out her own solution. Indications in the play are given that the problem would be solved by marrying Freddy. But he is a weakling and has been brought to no occupation. Eliza herself would have to support him, if she marries him. Their marriage and after life has not been depicted in the play itself. But the account of their marriage and of their success as florists green grocers has been given in the appendix which Shaw has added to the play and which A. C ward considers to be , â€Å" one of Bernard Shaw’s least successful pieces of writing† . Not all can hope to find generous patrons like Colonel Pickering who, through financial help, would enable them to resolve their problems. Nor are all husbands so responsive and docile as Freddy is, nor are all wives so painstaking, loyal and dedicated as Eliza is. The natural solution to Eliza’s problem would have been a marriage professor Higgins or colonel Pickering. But they are both â€Å"confirmed old bachelors â€Å". Higgins is a victim of Oedipus complex or mother – fixation, and takes no human interest in Eliza. This would have been a proper solution to the problem of Eliza, but this does not happen, and so basically, her problem, as those countless others who face similar predicament remains unsolved. The dramatist has provided no solution, has certainly focused on the problem, and made sit up and think. The problems of Alfred Doolittle Another problem presented in the play is the predicament of Alfred Doolittle. He was poor, he was considered â€Å"an undeserving poor†, and so nothing was done for him by society. Still he was happy in his poverty. He would form time to time get money by â€Å"touching† others, i. e. by black – mailing them, and then he would have good time with his mistress. He was quite happy and contented with his life as a poor dustman. His loss of identity But then suddenly, as a result of a joke of Professor Higgins, he acquired large wealth and became one of the newly rich. He was raised to the status of the middle class. He could no longer be a happy dust man. It became imperative for him to conform to the middle class morality and social code. He had lost his former identity. He was a alienated from his former class and the kind of life he lived as a poor dust man, and he must now acquire a new identity and a new sense of belonging to a higher class. His quest for belongingness He poignantly expresses his problem thus, â€Å"who asked to make a gentleman of me? I was happy. I was free. I â€Å"touched† pretty nigh everybody for money when I wanted it , some as I touched you , Enry lggins, now I am worried; tied neck and heels; and everybody â€Å"touches† me for money. It’s a fine thing for you, says solicitor. Is it? Says I. you mean it’s a good thing for you, I says. When I was a poor man and had a solicitor once when they found a pram in the dust cart, he got me off, and got shut of me and got me out of him as quick as he could. Same with the doctors; used to shove me out of the hospital before I could hardly stand on my legs, and nothing to pay. Now they finds out that I’m not healthy man can’t live unless they looks after me twice a day. In the house I’m not let do a hand’s turn for myself: somebody else must do it and touch me for it. A year ago I hadn’t a relative in the world except two or three that would not speak to me. Now I’ve fifty, and not a decent week’s wages among the lot of them. I have to live for others and not for myself; that is middle class morality. You talk of losing Eliza. Don’t you be anxious; I bet she’s on my doorstep by this: she that could support herself easy by selling flowers, if I wasn’t respectable. Look more:  old age problems and solutions essay And the next one to touch me will be you, enry iggins. I’ll have to learn to speak middle class language from you, instead of speaking proper English. That’s where you’ll come in : and I daresay that’s what you done it for† Intimidation by middle class morality Further, he must now marry his mistress with whom he was happy so far, but after marriage he would lose happiness, for she would no longer be so docile and obedient as she was in her unwedded state. But middle class morality intimidates him into marrying g her. He cannot stay in his old ages and so he cannot refuse to accept the wealth that has come to him, for his support and stay in his old age and so he cannot refuse accept it. He must, therefore, acquire the middle class moral code and must try to it, though in the process, he would lose all his happiness. Conclusion Such is the predicament of Alfred Doolittle. The dramatist highlighted his problem and of many others like him, but no solution has been provided. The readers must think for themselves and find out their own respective solution.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

College Application Essay

At some point in our lives, we all have one significant experience that can affect us. Whether this experience is big or small, it still happened and made its impact on you. I remember when I first pushed myself to do something that pushed me out of my comfort zone and do more during that time period. That something was to be better than my siblings and be more successful than they were. My older brother and sister were good kids, but never did what they said they were going to do after high school. My sister had wanted to be a nursing assistant for the longest time and my brother had wanted to be a lawyer. Although my sister wasn’t the smartest in school she still passed and graduated with her class, but did not go to college. My brother on the other hand had a different path to become a lawyer, which he could have with his grades, but did not. He decided to enlist in the military and hoped to go to school afterwards. Although he had planned it all out, he didn’t follow it. Instead a tragedy struck him while in the military and is now discharged medically and only working a part time job. Of course I don’t believe the military is a bad job at all and I believe that if things happened differently for him his life would be different now. Today he is still undecided when and where he wants to attend college. My older siblings always told me high school would be different and harder than the smaller elementary and middle schools. I knew this but I didn’t mind because I knew that I had wanted to excel in school to do something successful afterwards. I didn’t just want to be more successful than my siblings but it made me realize that if you don’t drive yourself to work hard in school you don’t always achieve what you want to do. By pushing myself harder in school I’ve made an effect on myself that has put me in a great position throughout my years of high school. Through high school I’ve had the privilege of being able to take high honor classes and even college classes that have allowed me to be ahead of the game. But in order to be ahead of the game I have had to study hard, do my homework and pay attention closely to the classes that I have taken. I believe within my four years of high school I have achieved so much more than my siblings all from great teachers and other role models in my life teaching me various things. Even throughout these times it has been some stressful days and weeks I still was calm and handled everything in a well-timed manner. Therefore, I have been able to push myself one step closer to what I want to do and it has  encouraged me greatly so I can see what I may do soon in the future. My risk to go out of my comfort zone and put more pressure on my shoulders has been a great deal for me. I hope that me pushing myself to do harder and better work throughout high school helps me in my later future studies and work.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Heredity Determines Personality

Heredity determines  personality Argument supporting  Heredity  determines  personality Introduciton: Personality is defined as the sum total of beliefs, behaviors, attitudes andvalues that distinguishes an individual. Each of us has unique personalitieswhich distinguish us from the others. Even twins who look alike and arereared in the same environment differ in personalities. A number of factorsdetermine a person’s personality. These include environment and genetics. Our personality is the product of the interaction of these two factors.It is notexclusively molded by the environment or genetics but a combination of  both. Body: Heredity is the main factor which determines a person’s personality. TheDNA makeup of a child have all those characters and personality traits thathis parents had. Its no doubt that person’s learn through learning andenviornment which affects their perosnality but the point is, a person willlearn what he has percieved in his mi nd and that comes from heredity. Hereditary, or the genetic transmission of characteristics from parents tooffspring, determines personality to a certain extent.Hereditarycharacteristics manifest at birth such as hair and eye color, skin color andbody type. Hereditary also includes aptitude or the capacity to learn a skill orinclination for a particular body of knowledge. It establishes the limits of  one’s personality traits that can be developed. This aptitude creates the desire for a person to learn something. Forinstance, the son of a sports hero like a boxer superstar is expected toinherit the genes of his father.His capacity for growth in the boxing arena isimmense because he is born with the ability. Or, take the case of a daughterof a writer. Obviously, with her genetic predisposition to write she will bemore inclined to study or learn writing compared to other endeavors such assports. Behavioral geneticists, Behavioral geneticists believe that the genesdo not act a s the exact blueprints that determine every detail of ourpersonality and behavior; rather, they think that heredity or these enesreveal through a person’s actual interactions with the environment. Thegenetic make-up of a person brings out particular reactions to things andpeople which in turn determine the person’s personality. To further explain this, it is important to know how DNA works. The DNA of aperson is responsible for a certain kind of nervous system such as one that isalarmed at new situations, one that wants new sensations and one that isslow to react.In different situations, children react according to the one that would be most suitable for their genotype or genetic endowment. The abilityto choose reactions though increases as a person grows older. Conclusion: The personality of an individual is mix of both inherited factors and learningand enviornmental facotrs but heredity plays a bigger role in determiningthose traits which affect our personality and o ur perception and how wepercieve things and learn them. http://www. scribd. com/doc/23710964/Heredity-Determines-Personality

Friday, September 13, 2019

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 31

Ethics - Essay Example With the pursuit of perfection in the chosen specialization, a code of ethics is put into place. The topic of the paper revolves around the code of ethics in nursing and two other professions which are occupational therapy and physical therapy. Nursing code of ethics has nine principles or provisions while the occupational therapy and physical therapy has seven principles respectively. All of the said professions are meant to assist the doctors in rendering services to the patients in specific ways as nurses directly work with the doctors while occupational therapists are responsible for helping the patients cope with their daily lives. On the other hand, physical therapists focus on assisting the patients in recovering their bodies back to normal condition through exercise and proper diet. In general, all of the three codes have the same ethical principles in terms of respecting the patients and fellow professionals, promoting health, continuously enhancing health assistance skills, respecting privacy, and protecting the well-being of the patients. Each profession just differs from one another in terms of elaboration of the principles and the way the professionals practice their career. Another comparison can be done between the nursing code of ethics and Nightingale Pledge in which the latter is a modified Hippocratic Oath. The pledge had been modified to match the modern changes until the code of ethics was written based on the pledge. It is considered that Nightingale pledge is specific, personal and limited in terms of content than the nursing code of ethics (Zwemer, 1995, p. 113). The original pledge has more differences from the code since the revised pledge was closer to the code when it comes to meaning. Also the Code of Ethics is addressed objectively unlike the pledge which is subjective. It is also noticeable that the original pledge used some words that are not very much used today like the

Thursday, September 12, 2019

UV Index Forecast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

UV Index Forecast - Essay Example There are five categories for UV index, level 1-2 (low--can safely enjoy being outside), level 3-5 (moderate--take precautions by wearing a hat and sunscreen SPF+15; seek shade during midday hours), level 6-7 (high--protection against sun damage is needed; use sunscreen SPF+15; wear long sleeves and pants where applicable), level 8-10 (very high--protection against sun damage needed; try not to be outside between 10am-4pm; shirt, hat sunscreen are a must; seek shade) and level 11+ (extreme--same as very high category). The UV Index is a next day forecast of the amount of skin damaging UV radiation expected to reach the earth’s surface at the time when the sun is highest in the sky (solar noon). The amount of UV radiation reaching the surface is primarily related to the elevation of the sun in the sky, the amount of ozone in the atmosphere, and the amount of clouds present. The UV Index can range from 0 (night time) to 15 or 16 (in the tropics under high elevations with a clear sky). The higher the UV Index, the greater the dose rate of skin damaging and eye damaging UV radiation. The higher the UV Index, the smaller the time it takes before skin damage occurs. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a specific part of the sun’s entire spectrum of wavelengths. UV-C spectrum is entirely absorbed by atmospheric ozone adn does not reach the earth’s surface. UV-B is mostly absorbed by the ozone, but can affect plants and animals, and affects humans by reddening of the skin, and possible development of skin cancer. UV-A radiation is needed by humans for the synthesis of Vitamin-, but too much UV-A causes toughening of the skin and other irritations. The variation throughout the day of UV radiation is much like that of visible light. The UV Index is a forecast of the probable intensity of skin damaging ultraviolet radiation reaching the surface during the solar noon hour (11:30-12:30 local time).

Is employment the solution to end child poverty Essay

Is employment the solution to end child poverty - Essay Example In essence, poverty is judged in relation with society. This means that even though someone is earning enough money to provide for his basic needs, he would still be poor, if his income falls short of what the society around him is earning. (Galbraith, 1998) The instruments to judge poverty are as widely differing as the debate on the definition of poverty itself. Where some people measure poverty according to the household income, others measure poverty by understanding the concept of depravity and the basic needs lacking in any person’s life. In Britain since the year 1999, the government has been measuring poverty using a criterion of sixty per cent of the existing average income level adjusted according to the size of the household. Studies about poverty suggest that the population demographic is hit by poverty across different age-groups, ethnicities and nationalities. Where some individuals feel that poverty is experienced by those who are involved in double-crossing either the state or the society, other believe that the concept of a ‘welfare-state’ is what breeds poverty among masses. Such critics are of the view that the idea of welfare-state itself is responsible for higher rates of poverty; when individuals are aware that they will be able to obtain a decent amount of the basic necessities that they require, even if they do not work, such individuals might be tempted to stop working and rely on the state instead. â€Å"The persistence of child poverty in rich countries undermines both equality of opportunity and commonality of values. It therefore confronts the industrialized world with a test both of its ideals and of its capacity to resolve many of its most intractable social problems.† (Centre, 2000) The key findings of the Innocenti Report Card show how child poverty is still very much a relevant issue in the developed world, whereby

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

History - Essay Example At the core of the issue was their original demand for representation but not independence. The American leaders knew that the nation is destined for greater things than just being a colony. The economic atmosphere was likewise that of a new beginning; for the country was on the verge of becoming a great economic power herself due to its vast natural resources. The former British colonizers were exploiting American resources for export to its own colonies. The primary domestic concern of the newly-independent Americans was to preserve the nation so it will not fragment into small independent states. There were some frictions with the slave-holding Southern states such as the 3/5 clause which gave these Southerners a big political clout for every slave owned (Amar 17). Hyper-inflation was a big issue (Trask 1). Throughout much of Europe, the people there were overthrowing their own monarchies and tried to give back power to the people. The French Revolution, for example, tried to do t his by toppling their own king because their political structure was based on feudalism. The American framers of the constitution tried to imagine every political possibility that could happen in the distant future by integrating flexibility such as that by way of amendments. It also ensured checks and balances by making the three branches of government co-equal.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 75

Summary - Essay Example They tend not to exaggerate any of their stories in an effort to look better and never put any effort into attempts to imitate others. Genuine leadership is not an imitation of what other leaders have done or are trying to do; it is the end product of our being freely and fully ourselves. Life is short, and we should try and spend time doing the things that we love though it might not always be easy and trouble free to do this. Before there can ever be a me and you, there must be a me. When one learns how to tell their own story, they are able to perceive the stories of other individuals in such a manner that they are able to cause for there be to an us in the place of a me. When make advances towards stepping into who you innately truly are, people start perceiving you as being real and build levels of both confidence and trust in you that no amount of PR or spin could ever possibly manufacture. People mostly tend to respond to a person if they are authentically and down rightly themselves. The development of the relationship with ourselves takes time. An integral part of living authentically is, learning how to trust or internal compasses and has absolute clarity on who we genuinely are. We should try and return to our life’s main passion and focus on being who we genuinely are. Our attempts to find our place in the world are not a onetime affair; they are an ongoing process that carries on throughout our lives. It is imperative at times for us to learn how to grant ourselves the permission to change our direction. We all have the capacity and power to change the roles we play in both our professional and personal lives. This should be encouraged to happen even if it seems to be challenging and upsets the status