Operations and Information Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Operations and Information Management - Essay Example This was a significant and big expansion by the retail shop moving towards becoming a huge retail chain in the country having its stores across in all the main places. MobUlike also had its two stores in Italy which gave the chance to Smartz to spread its business even in Europe. Through this report using various theories and aspects the importance of usage of new IT strategies like ecommerce in the business expansion and its benefits are been seen and understood. Along with this the importance of information management system for a company in its process improvement is been studied which gives a clear understanding over what and how IT system helps in growth of a particular company. The particular retail chain Smartz sells smartphones and its accessories. This company is looking to grow its chain widely across the country and trying to reach every customer by providing the best facility and good products and a good price. The company owner has looked to take up packaged software’s from commercial vendors to interconnect the whole process of Smatrz, MobUlike and also the end consumers in all aspects. The acquisition of MobUlike by Smartz is a big change in the business process for the company. The company is looking to take up the process of ecommerce to reach the end consumer which is a big step towards the growth as the ecommerce usage in the country has grown a lot and that to at a rapid pace (Doyle, 2001, pp.34-45). Business process management is basically the process involved in management of the overall business in an efficient way as per the requirements of the client or the customer to achieve the customer satisfaction by fulfilling their needs and wants. In this case the owner Imran needs to manage the process of both Smartz and MobUlike and integrate them along with launching the ecommerce process (Golden, 2005, pp. 65-72). The It systems in both the companies are different as a result the integration of

Analysis of Child Development Research Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Child Development Research Essay The purpose of the study was to compare the outcomes of youth in long-term foster care with a group of children who entered into foster care and were subsequently adopted before reaching the age of 7 (Vinnerljung Hjern 2011). Previous research conducted by Bohman and Sigvardsson found that at the age of 15, foster children who had been adopted performed as well in school as their peers who had never entered foster care. Children who were still in foster care had poorer grades and more behavioral problems. This gave the first implication that differences in child rearing environments are a strong factor in the positive or negative development of a child. The study consisted of a sample of 3,951 Swedish children born between 1972 and 1981. Each child entered care before the age of 7, and they were tested periodically until age 26. Of these children, 899 were adopted before the age of 7, and 3,062 grew up in foster care for more than 12 years (before aging out of the program at the age of 18). Adopted children spent an average of 1.6 years in foster care before adoption, while long-term foster care children spent an average of 16 years in care. The control group consisted of (consensus) data collected from 900,418 children who were never adopted or in foster care. These groups were adjusted for confounding variables, such as parental mental health problems and substance abuse before and/or after birth, as well as for age at entry into care. The outcomes were measured by an intelligence test that consisted of four subtests: logical, spatial, verbal, and technical capabilities. The scores ranged from 1-9, with 5 being average and a higher score indicating a higher cognitive competence. Both experimental groups had weaker outcomes compared to the control population, but foster children measured lower than adopted children in school performance, educational achievement, self-support capability, and cognitive competence. Children who were adopted at ages 4-6 showed improvements in cognitive ability over time, and by their late teens typically scored closely to their non-adopted or fostered peers. Negative outcomes were found to be far more likely for those in long-term foster care, regardless of gender, while adopted children had more favorable outcomes for school performance, cognitive test scores, educational achievement, and reliance on public welfare. Foster children had, on average, lower grades and cognitive abilities. Half of fostered boys had very low or incomplete grades from primary school, compared to 1/3 of adopted boys and 1/5 of the control population boys. For girls, the data was 1/3, 1/6, and 1/12. Attrition rates for grades at the age of 16 were the following: 13.4% for long-term foster care children, 4.3% for adopted children, and 2.4% for non-fostered or adopted children. By the age of 25, around 30% of fostered boys and 25% of fostered girls had only received a primary education. This is three times that of the control population, and twice that of the adoptees. Similarly, more fostered children were dependent on welfare at age 25 than children of the control group or adopted children. PAPER TWO: Developmental outcomes after five years for foster children returned home, remaining in care, or adopted Similar to the first, this study compared the developmental outcomes of children who entered into foster care as infants and either returned home, were adopted, or remained in foster care long-term. The first years of a child’s life are critical for proper development, particularly because younger children are more easily influenced and have the highest levels of brain plasticity (Llyod Barth, 2011). Furthermore, previous research has suggested that young children in foster care are at a developmental risk compared to their peers. It is possible, then, that either reunification or adoption might alleviate these risks. The sample consisted of 353 children who were initially tested at 13 months, then again at 18, 36, and 66 months. The assessments were conducted with the child and the child’s current caregiver (whether that be biological parent, adoptive parent, or foster parent). The child’s status at 66 months determined their group designation of adopted, reunited/in-home, or fostered. All of the sampled children had to have at least one allegation of maltreatment. Maltreatment was divided into type (physical, emotional, neglect), to adjust for confounding factors. Many different tests were used to assess cognitive and behavioral delays in the children. These included: the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Screener (which screens for problems in adaptive behavior and daily living skills), the Pre-school Language Skills (which assess developmental domain of language), the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (which assess cognitive development in children over 4 years), the Woodcock-Johnson III tests of achievement (which assess educational outcomes of children at least 5 years old), and the Child Behavior Checklists (which assess behavior problems in children ages 2 and older). Far fewer children in the adopted group were classified at high developmental risk. This group also scored significantly higher on cognitive stimulation and caregiver responsiveness. The foster care group had the lowest means in cognitive and language skills, but the highest scores in adaptive behavior. On these measures, adopted children and children who were returned to their homes scored relatively close to one another. There were no significant differences among groups in different poverty rates. In conclusion, reunification and adoption generally led to more positive outcomes, while long-term foster care typically resulted in poor developmental outcomes. These findings further suggest that adoptive placement specifically leads to improved social competence, language skills, and reading skills, but lower adaptive behavior development, while reunification mainly leads to better language development, math skills, and reading skills. PAPER THREE: Developmental, Cognitive, and Neuropsychological Functioning in Preschool-aged Foster Children: Associations with Prior Maltreatment and Placement History This study differs slightly from the first two by investigating the physical and cognitive developmental differences between foster children and children living with their biological parents. Typically, younger foster children display higher rates of developmental and mental health problems, which are often associated with maltreatment, multiple placements in foster care, and younger age at initial placement (Pears Fisher, 2004). However, the majority of children receiving social and mental health services are over the age of 6, despite the fact that most children in foster care are between the ages of 2-5 years. Likewise, studies show that around 60% of the preschoolers entering foster care receive no treatment for developmental delays. The sample consists of two groups of children: the first consisting of 99 3-6 year old foster children, and the second of 54 non-maltreated, same-age, comparable SES children living with their biological families. There were no major differences in mean child age, gender, or ethnicity between the two groups. Height, weight, and head circumference were used to measure physical growth over time. Neuropsychological function was tested with the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, which includes 11 subscales in five domains: visuospatial processing (visual and spatial information processing), memory and learning, sensorimotor function, language, and attention/executive function. Cognitive function was measured with the Weschler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence-Revise. Auditory comprehension and expressive communication were measured with the Preschool Language Scale-Third Edition. Executive function was further measured with two different tasks: the stroop task, where, when a card with a sun on it is held up, the child must say day, and when a card with a moon on it is help up, the child must say night; and the card sort task, where the child must first sort cards according to the shape on the card, and then according to the color of the shape on the card. Height for age was positively associated with memory and language in both groups, although the correlation was slightly stronger in the foster group. Foster children were, in general, shorter and lighter, and had smaller head circumferences than same-aged children in the control group. Children in the control group scored higher than foster children in visuospatial functioning, language, and general cognitive functioning. There was a moderately positive correlation between the age at which a child was first placed into foster care and the child’s executive function. Children placed in foster care before the age of 2 scored significantly lower on visuospatial processing, and children with more than the average number of placements had lower scores on executive functioning. IMPLICATIONS AND POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS All three of the studies show that children placed in long-term foster care typically have more developmental delays and behavioral issues than children who are adopted, reunited with their biological families, or never enter foster care in the first place. A general conclusion can be made in that foster children need higher quality care and support from their foster parents, caseworkers, and doctors. The negative educational trends found by Vinnerljung and Hjern (2011) suggest that foster children received less satisfactory support in their schoolwork than adopted children. Foster parents and caseworkers could benefit from lessons in how to interpret a child’s behavior, nurture the child, and create a supportive learning environment for the child. This is especially important for younger children. Limited caseloads for social workers would allow for workers to concentrate on children and spend more time ensuring that they are receiving proper care. It is also clear that foster children would benefit from more early intervention services. Early development, as discussed by Lloyd and Barth (2011), is rapid and easily influenced by environment and quality of caregivers. Intervention services could prevent developmental delays, and lessen preexisting ones. Currently, resources within the system are limited, and largely consumed by older foster children. This is assumed to be because as children age, they become a larger threat to themselves (by displaying instances of self harm, suicide, increased violence, etc.), and thus, are referred to mental health specialists. However, most of these behaviors stem from existing conditions present at a younger age, and would be more easily controlled if addressed at the younger age. It would then also be important that these children receive consistent, satisfactory health care. Screenings for developmental delays and other behavioral problems would increase the ability to catch these problems early on, and treat them when the child is still young, and potentially easier to help. As well, because foster children are constantly changing homes, it would be important to maintain records of these screenings, so that the information is always readily available to caregivers, caseworkers, and doctors. This will ensure that the child is always receiving appropriate care. All three studies show the negative association between long-term foster care and a child’s development, even with skilled caregivers and placement stability. Working toward the preservation of families and the avoidance of placement in foster care may benefit the child developmentally. If necessary, the child may be removed from the home for a period of time, but there should be increased efforts made to reunite child and parent. Increased programing for parents (rehab programs, teaching about early childhood development, etc.) could increase such potential. References Llyod, C., Barth, R. (2011). Developmental outcomes after five years for foster children returned home, remaining in care, or adopted. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(8), 1383-1391. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.04.008 Pears, K. Fisher, P. (2004). Developmental, cognitive, and neuropsychological functioning in preschool-aged foster children: Associations with prior maltreatment and placement history. Journal of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, 26(2), 112-122. Vinnerljung, B., Hjern, A. (2011). Cognitive, educational and self support outcomes of long- term foster care versus adoption: A Swedish national cohort study. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(10), 1902-1910. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.05.016

The Hon. Dr :: essays research papers

Among the gay press's responses to my 1993 book A Place at the Table was the charge by some critics that I'm "sex-negative." Frank Browning griped that I want to "to have everyone put on 30 pounds, buy a Brooks Brothers suit, and wander off on the golf links, becoming [an] upper-class version of Ozzie and Harry. Those who don't want to take risks should join Mr. Bawer on the golf course. Those who want to feel alive will benefit from the exploration of our bodies and what our bodies can grant." Golf? Ozzie and Harry? Brooks Brothers? What, I wondered, does any of this have to do with what I've written? I've never been on a golf course. Or worn a Brooks Brothers suit. And when did I join the upper class? Of course I want gay people to enjoy what their bodies can grant. I also want them to have equal rights under the law, the love and respect of their friends and families, and a meaningful life beyond their orgasms. I want gay kids to grow up knowing that, as wonderful as sex can be, gay identity amounts to more than belonging to a "culture of desire." Browning and others mocked me for being "serious." Well, isn't discovering oneself as a gay individual in this society a serious challenge? Isn't gay rights a serious issue? Being serious about gay rights in public discourse doesn't preclude being able to have fun in one's personal life. Yet if some right-wing critics can't write about homosexuality without smirking, some gay writers seem unable to address the subject without prattling frivolously about their own sex lives and longings. Which is a shame, because it's vitally important for us to recognize that at the heart of homophobia lies an inability to see that gays can love each other as deeply and as seriously as straights can. Explaining why he'd refused to print my review of the film Longtime Companion, an American Spectator editor told a New York Observer reporter, "Bawer was striking a total equivalence between a heterosexual couple in love and a homosexual couple in love. To me, that wasn't convincing." That editor isn't alone in rejecting the idea of the moral equivalence of gays and straights. It's not only heterosexuals who draw these sex-related distinctions. "The defining thing about being gay," a gay man tells Susan Bergman in her new memoir, Anonymity, "is that you like to have sex a lot.

Pillars of Democracy in Tanzania

Democracy is a political form of government in which governing power is derived from the people, by consensus (consensus democracy), by direct referendum (direct democracy), or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy). The term comes from the Greek word (demokratia) â€Å"rule of the people†, which was coined from (demos) â€Å"people† and (Kratos) â€Å"power†. There is no universal definition of the term democracy, people like the late USA president ABRAHAM LINCOLN define democracy as â€Å"The government of the people, for the people and by the people† which means : ?Of the people means the government derives all its powers from the people ? For the people means the government is there to serve the interest of the people ? By the people means the people elect those who are to govern on their behalf According to Nnoli(20033) he defined democracy as the system of government usually involving freedom of the individual in various aspects of life, equality among citizens, justice in the relations between the people and the government and the participation of the people in choosing those in government.Democracy is devided into direct democracy where by all adult citizen of a community participate fully in a decision making on matter brought for discussion. Decision are by the popular vote YES or NO. The Anthens are the first people to practices direct democracy. It is mostly conducted in the small populated areas like classrooms in the election of the Class representative.The other type of democracy is indirect democracy where by different groups in community elect reoresentative and give them mandate to make public decision on their behalf. The representative may be one person or small group of people. Indirect democracy originated in Europe during the emergence of capitalism. In this kind of democracy periodic elected leaders are placed into power and are removed from the power through periodic elec tion, it mostly done in highly populated areas.Also these representative is divided into three categories which are parliamentary democracy Which is kind of representative democracy where by the executive is a part of the legislature here king or queen is the head of the state and prime minister is the head of government example Britain,Spain,Holland,Beigium and so on, the other category is Presidential democracy where by the executive and the legislature are independent of each other. The president is the head of both state and government and holds ffice for a fixed period example USA In order for the democracy to stand in any society the following are some of the essential pillars of the architecture of democracy; First, free and fair elections lend legitimacy to democracy by preventing one person or a small group in society from imposing certain vested interests on the general population. No one person or group should exercise a monopoly of power over the election process. In a d emocracy, political parties can be formed and can campaign without intimidation.Some countries require political parties to have a minimum level of popular support before they can participate in elections. All political parties must also have access to a free media and other means to broadcast their election manifestos. The electoral process is supervised, monitored and carried out by a neutral body, often an election commission. In Tanzania free and fair election is conducted though in other hand it is not practiced since some political parties are given more chances to broadcast their election manifestos than others.For example CCM(Chama cha Mapinduzi) is given priority to broadcast its election manifesto than other political parties like TLP(Tanzania labour Party), CHADEMA (Chama cha demokrasia na Maendeleo), CUF(Civic United Front) and others. Also there is no neutral electoral commission as the commissioner of National Electoral Commission (NEC) is appointed by the President an d it works under the President office which might violate its neutrality. The second pillar is political tolerance. Free and fair elections do not give a mandate to oppress or sideline those who have voted against the government.It also does not mean that the majority have the right to rob the minority of its civil liberties, rights, property or life. Tolerance is required for democracy to be sustained. If minority groups do not benefit equitably from the election process, there can be no peace. That absence of peace would make a mockery of efforts to be democratic. In many countries, there are examples of rewards being given only for those voters who supported the ruling party, with neglect or punishment for those who voted for the opposition. The distribution of food, water supplies and development resources has been used as a weapon of control to win elections.In Tanzania to some extents the majority rule is applying while minority rights are respected but the political tolerance is yet to stand as we saw in our last general election where Chama cha demokrasia na Maendeleo(CHADEMA) didn’t accept the win of the President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and in the opening assembly of the second phase of his term their Members of Parliament went out and didn’t recognize his position of President. That was being intolerant. The third pillar is the rule of law. There has been much debate on the meaning of this.What is clear, though, there is close connection between the rule of law and democracy. When the political process is subject to laws and the government officials exercising their power and authority within the constitution and laws of the country, it enables citizens to judge the lawfulness of the government. Democracy becomes dysfunctional when the bureaucracy, the judiciary, the legislature, the private sector, the police and the military all use their power to enrich themselves and advance their own interests at the expense of civil society. Laws n otwithstanding, corruption undermines the rule of law.To ensure the functioning of the rule of law, it is vital that the integrity and independence of the judiciary and the entire justice system are not subject to undue influence and illegal intervention. In Tanzania the practice of rule of law is very minimal the governors undermine its practice where some of the leaders who break the laws are not taken care of as the laws claims, also the problem of corruption in the judiciary branch is persisting never the less the judiciary has done its part in solving elections cases of Igunga, Ubungo, and Arusha constituents as well as private candidacy in general election by standing on the lawsThe fourth pillar is freedom of expression. What people in civil society are allowed to say, print, distribute and discuss is indicative of the democratic nature of a political system. A free press is a measure of the freedom of expression in a society. Few governments have a genuinely easy relationshi p with a free press. Yet, despite all its shortcomings, a free press, supported by open Internet access, is indispensable to keeping the public informed as part of a functioning democracy. Even in an established democracy, government may seek to manipulate a free press into serving its own ends.Governments often conduct spin campaigns, to advance their agenda and dilute the power of independent media. New technology is unleashing powerful new forces through expansion of information dissemination and space for public discourse. These new forces have made it much harder for governments to control the flow of information. The fact remains that even democratically-elected governments will go to great lengths to manipulate public opinion whether on TV, in the print media or the Internet.Taking the case of Tanzania where newspapers like Mwanahalisi was banned by the government just because it provided information that affect the welfare of some of government leaders. Also the Editor of Ta nzania daima newspaper Absalom Kibanda is also facing the court charges for allowing publishing of news that affect the current government interests so the freedom of press is denied and government create fear indirectly for the public opinions to be expressed The fifth pillar is accountability and transparency.This means that institutions of government and individuals in those institutions must be held accountable for their actions. A government must be accountable to the people who elected it. Furthermore, it must be accountable to an independent judiciary or other impartial institutions established to check government action. Decisions must not advance the agendas of vested interest groups over the public interest. As Mmuya and Chaligha(1994: pg 189) claimed â€Å"Democracy become meaningful only when political parties are accountable to the people.Moreover the government has not only to be transparent but also be accountable to the people through their representatives. † Also political parties have to be accountable and perform their duties as they are supposed to be. To some extent the Tanzania government is accountable the public can question the government actions and expenditures, officials who misuse their power are removed from their positions. Example Dr. William Mhando the former managing director of TANESCO together with his subordinates were removed from office due to misuse of public office for their own interest.To some extent the Tanzania government is transparent from time to time it inform the public about its decisions and action example now days all members of parliament and high officials are asked to disclose their wealth before start to work and after fixed period before moves out from their positions. The sixth pillar rests on local political empowerment. The closer the government is to the people governed, the more responsive the government is likely to be. At the same time, for decentralised democracy to work, here must also b e a decentralisation of funding, material and human resources and institutional capability. Decentralisation of the political process is another way to curb the concentration of power and influence exercised by political forces. Citizens become more aware, interested and willing to participate in democracy when they see their officials as neighbours and what is at stake as something close to home. Only the national government can print currency, conduct foreign policy, provide for the nation’s defence.However local matters such as community services are best managed by local or state, regional or country or provincial government. The other pillar of democracy is the Separtion of power. Is the system where by Government powers are separated and divided between the three branches namely Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. Each of these branches performs its functions independently without interference from other branches. Executive is the body of government which comprises th e President, the Cabinet and civil servants. Is the rulling body which conduct all administrative works in the government.Legislature is the law enacting body which comprise of the President and national assembly and the Judiciary body comprises of court judges, magistrates and headed by Chief justice and their duty is to enforce laws. In Tanzania these three branches are ideologically there but their practice is not efficient. The President who is the head of executive branch is also part of the parliament or legislature so he might have the influence to members of parliament when they will be required to pass the bills. In that sense the legislature branch is not fully independent from the executive branch.Also the President have the mandate to appoint court judges of high court as well as court of appeal together with the Chief Justice so they will ideologically being separate as judiciary branch but their work might have the influence of the one who apoointed them hence the sepa ration of power is yet not being achieved. The other pillar is human rights which are the needs which all people deserve simply because of their humanity. For example right to live, right to vote and to be voted. Ther are individual rights, moral rights and others.In Tanzania human rights are included in the national constitution and are also maintained, like right to vote, right to have basic needs, right to live though there are actions which deny some of these rights like killing of elders in Shinyanga and the Lake Victoria zone, also albino killing which both deny the right to live. All in all the pillars of democracy outlined above are necessary but insufficient without leaders to build and maintain them. The qualities of leadership for sustainable democracy are to be found in those who act in an honest, transparent and accountable manner.They are consensus builders, open-minded and fair. They are committed to justice and to advancing the public interest. And they are tolerant of opposing positions. In admitting our father’s limitations, let us strive to avoid the mistakes of the past and look forward to a new generation of leaders who can build on the lessons of the struggles of ordinary citizens for democracy. References: ?Mmuya and Chaligha(1994) Political parties and Democracy in Tanzania, Dar-es-salaam University Press Tanzania ? Nnoli(2003) Introduction to politics, Enugu Nigeria ?www. nationmultimedia. com

Conflict Theory Essay

A. What is Conflict Theory? Farley (2000:73) contends that conflict theory arose primarily from the work of Marx and was continued in the work of C Wright Mills and Ralf Dahrandorf. The general underlying assumption associated with conflict theory is that society is made up of groups with competing self-interests. Often the competing groups have unequal power. People compete for resources that are in scarce supply. Generally, the resources that are in short supply involve wealth and power. Conflict theory generally consists of the following four points. 1. Conflict Built into Society Societies naturally tend toward conflict. This occurs because wealth and power are distributed unequally; therefore, different social groups have different and conflicting interests (Farley, 2000:73). 2. One Group Becomes Dominant Because competing interest groups have unequal power, one group usually becomes dominant. The dominant group then uses its power to control most or all other aspects of the social structure. The dominant group can ensure that society operates in a way that serves the interests of the dominant group. As a result the dominant group controls a vastly disproportionate share of scarce resources such as wealth and social status (Farley, 2000:73-74). 3. Consensus is Artificial When a consensus appears in a society, it is usually artificial and is unlikely to persist over the long run. A Functionalist might argue that consensus is â€Å"necessary† and is, therefore, automatically something desired by all concerned. The conflict theorist contends that a consensus in a society is either based on coercion and/or repression by the dominant group. 4. Conflict in Society is Desirable Conflict is desirable because it makes possible social change which may lead to more equitable distribution of wealth and power (Farley, 2000:74). 5. Ideology A central assumption of Marxist theory is that the distribution of wealth by  and large determines other aspects of society, such as the political system and the characteristics of culture. This includes the norms, values, and beliefs of the culture. The norms, values, and beliefs of the culture are such that they legitimize the control of wealth. Everyone, the rich and poor alike, accept the cultural beliefs as just and correct. Another term for these beliefs is IDEOLOGY. Marx, however, argued that beliefs in the dominant ideology is not in the interest of the subordinate group. Marx referred to the pattern of the subordinate group’s acceptance of an ideology that goes against it’s own self interest as false-consciousness. a. False Consciousness A consensus can also be achieved when a minority group accepts an ideology that is not in its self interest. This is false consciousness. It can occur because the dominant group exerts disproportionate control over the sources of influence and public opinion. It might also come about because the dominant group, through sheer power and force, can create an atmosphere where the subordinate group feels that resistance is futile. In either case, the apparent consensus is fundamentally unstable and is not likely to persist over time (Farley, 2000:74). b. Class Consciousness Racism can only be dealt with by changing the institutions that are the source of racism. Marx called upon the oppressed to realize how dominant ideology serves to oppress the subordinate group. Arrival at this understanding is called class-consciousness. B. Marx Karl Marx’s writings on class conflict, differing class interests, the ownership and control of the means of production, and the exploitation by one class over the other were precursors to the development of conflict theory. Marx saw class and class conflict as the moving forces in history. A dominant class owns the means of production and exploits other classes. It is then in the interests of the dominated classes to overthrow those in positions of dominance and to establish a social order more favorable to their interests (Kitano, 1985:42) (also see Farley, 2000:74-75). C. C Wright Mills and the Role of Intellectuals in Society â€Å"Only when mind has an autonomous basis, independent of power, but powerfully related to it, can  mind exert its force in the shaping of human affairs. This is democratically possible only when there exists a free and knowledgeable public, to which people of knowledge may address themselves, and to which people of power are truly responsible† (C Wright Mills, 1956) V. A Comparison of Functionalism and Conflict Theory Both perspectives can be viewed as two faces of the same society. For example, one of the basic problems facing a nonwhite individual in the functional model is that of high alienation and loss of identity. However, racial conflict, with its ideological apparatus and action system, functions to alleviate alienation and to facilitate an ethnic identity. Group solidarity is enhanced, group boundaries are clarified, and the linkage between the individual and the group is strengthened through personal commitment and social action. In time, the group identity can be extended to the larger system through communication; the individual is exposed to larger social networks and to national core values (Kitano, 1985:43). Farley (2000:75-76) provides two observations regarding the nexus between conflict and functionalist theory. He contends that a synthesis of the two theories is possible. A. Both Theories are Partially Correct Society might operate according to both perspectives. Order and stability might exist in the presence of extreme income inequality. It is possible, for example, that a given institution might serve to make society efficient while at the same time serving the interests of the dominant elite. B. Societies Go through Cycles of Stability and Conflict Societies go through cycles of stability and conflict. Under different circumstances, people behave differently. At one point in time a society may be stable and orderly, where minorities are able to get ahead through hard work. At another point, however, society might be characterized by disorder and conflict where minorities might advance only via protest and rebellion (Farley, 2000:86). VI. The Social Structural Perspective and Social Problems Functionalist and conflict people tend to disagree on two basic elements. One  revolves around the definition of the social problem. The other is the location of the problem (Farley, 2000:76). A. The Definition of Social Problems What is considered a social problem? It is human reaction that makes something a problem. 1. Functionalist For a functionalist, any thing is a problem if it threatens the smooth and efficient running of society. Conflict of most kinds is seen as problematic because conflict threatens consensus. Conflict can potentially have serious consequences if it causes the disruption of society. 2. Conflict Theory For a conflict theorist, on the other hand, social problems include things like poverty and racism and, more generally, the inequitable distribution of wealth and other scarce resources (Farley, 2000:77). B. The Location of Social Problems Where do the two perspectives place the source of social problems (Farley, 2000:77-78)? 1. Functionalist The cause of social problems for a functionalist lies predominantly in the characteristics of the disadvantaged group. For example, functionalist might argue that a minority group lacks the necessary skills that would yield the greatest rewards in society. Or, perhaps the group in question has a culture that is incompatible with the dominant culture. In either case, the burden of change is placed mostly on the disadvantaged group. 2. Conflict Theory Conflict theorists see the source of social problems as being embedded in the exploitative behavior of the dominant group. It is assumed from the conflict perspective that if someone or some group is suffering or placed in a disadvantageous position, there must be some other group (that is more powerful) that benefits from the misery of the disadvantaged group (Farley, 2000:77-78). VII. The Social Structural Perspectives  and Majority-Minority Relations Ethnic stratification refers to a system that distributes scarce resources on an unequal basis according to race and ethnicity (2000:79). A. Functionalist Theories about Majority/Minority Relations A paradox of sorts exists for the functionalists. Inequality, they argue, is desirable in society because it ensures that the most qualified people will get the most important jobs in a society. On the other hand, functionalists contend that ethnic inequality has the potential to cause serious disruption of society (Farley, 2000:78-79). 1. Inequality Functionalist would argue that inequality is necessary in order to create incentives. Some jobs are more necessary than others. They also require more training. To ensure that these jobs are filled by competent individuals, they have to provide more greater rewards. 2. Is Ethnic Stratification Necessary? A functionalist might argue that the stratification must meet some kind of societal need. The problem is that, while a society might need to be stratified (in order to ensure important jobs are filled, etc.), it is not at all clear why ethnic stratification is functional. 3. Ethnocentrism: The Source of Ethnic Stratification In order to understand ethnic stratification, one has to understand ethnocentrism, according to the functionalists (Farley, 2000:80). a. Society’s Need for Consensus Functionalist would argue that ethnocentrism in moderation is functional for a society. The explanation for this lies in society’s need for consensus and to have a shared identity. The only way a society can cooperate is when it shares basic values. Ethnocentrism contributes to this in several ways. b. Ethnic Stratification: An Unfortunate By-product An unfortunate side effect is that aggression might be also directed against an ethnic minority within the society. 4. The Elimination of Ethnic Stratification The methods advocated by functionalists to diminish the effects of ethnocentrism is to: Reduce the cultural differences between the majority and minority group Eliminate legal and other barriers set up by the dominant group which excludes minorities. Ensure that the minority groups  develop skills that would allow them to participate in a society. This approach leads to assimilation, which is the process whereby minorities are fully integrated into the system and becomes culturally similar to the majority group. (Farley, 2000:80). B. Conflict Theories about Majority/Minority Relations The conflict theories tend to see majority minority relationships as a matter of domination and exploitation. The conflict perspective is, in essence, a critique of functionalism. Many argue that functionalism is merely a justification for inequality (Farley, 2000:81). 1. Ethnic Stratification: Not an Unfortunate By-product Ethnic stratification exists because it serves the interests of the dominant elite. It occurs because of the exploitative nature of the majority group as a whole or because of the exploitative nature of a wealthy elite within the majority group (Farley, 2000:83). 2. Inequality is Inherited, Not Earned The necessity of stratification for productive purposes is also called into question. Stratification cannot act as an incentive because inequality is inherited, not earned. In order for inequality to work the way the functionalist claim, there would have to be free mobility between generations. Example: The daughter of a share cropper, who is very bright, should have the same chance of becoming a medical doctor as anyone else. 3. Planned Shortages It is also argued that the shortages found in highly demanding jobs often exist because professional organizations restrict entry into the profession — not because there is a shortage of qualified people (Farley, 2000:83). C. Varieties of Conflict Theory in Race and Ethnic Relations 1. Marxist Theories Farley (2000:85) contends that Marxists see inequality as being based mainly on class. There are two – those who own the means of production and the rest of society who works for wages. Marxist see racism as a mechanism that keeps the working class from recognizing their own interests. It divides workers. While minorities fight with each other, wages remain low and profits remain high. Marxists believe that workers would be best serves by putting aside their racial and ethnic differences and to act on their common class interests. 2. Split Labor Market Theories Split-Labor Market Theory argues that there are three classes: There owners of the means of production, higher paid laborers and lower paid laborers. The owners are interested in getting the best workers for the lowest wage. The higher paid workers, on the other hand, are trying to protect their jobs from competition from lower paid workers. One means the higher-paid workers use to protect their interests is to discriminate against lower-paid ethnic workers (Farley, 2000:85). 3. Internal Colonialism Internal colonialism theory argues that societal inequality as largely racial and ethnic (Farley, 2000:85). The dominant racial or ethnic group establishes a system of inequality for the benefit of the dominant racial or ethnic group. The oppressed (Blacks, Mexicans, Native Americans) are involuntarily brought under the rule of the dominant group. Internal colonialism argues that the dominant group promotes a racist ideology, it attacks the culture of the people who are dominated. It isolates the dominated from mainstream labor markets. The dominant group rationalizes exploitation through myths of the cultural inferiority of the oppressed. VIII. Culture of Poverty Oscar Lewis, author of La Vita (1965), coined the term â€Å"Culture of Poverty† (also see Edward C. Banfield, The Unheavenly City Revisited, 1974). The essence of Culture of Poverty theory holds that poor people share deviant cultural characteristics. The poor have lifestyles that differ from the rest of society and that these characteristics perpetuate their life of poverty. According to the Culture of Poverty thesis (in Eitzen and Baca-Zinn, 1994:173) â€Å"the poor are qualitatively different in values and that these cultural differences explain continued poverty.† The Culture of Poverty Theory is a functionalist theory. Eitzen and Baca-Zinn (1994:173) maintain that there is a strong implication embedded in the Culture of Poverty that defects in the lifestyle of the poor [cultural deprivation] perpetuate  poverty. Such defects are passed from one generation to the next. Under these circumstances it is extremely difficult for people, once trapped by the Culture of Poverty, to escape poverty. Characteristics that typify the Culture of Poverty exist across a variety of racial and ethnic groups. While these characteristics (see below) are certainly present in poverty populations, Culture of Poverty Theory leaves the impression that they typify all poor people. THAT IS A FALLACY! The following characteristics typify the culture of poverty. Some may be accurate in some settings. Some may have had explanatory powers a few decades ago, but today are no longer accurate. Some are contradictory. They all tend to present negative connotations. All are highly stereotypical. Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty 1. Parents are more permissive in raising their children. They are less verbal with their children. Family-heads display a strong disposition toward authoritarianism. 2. Children raised in poverty also have drastically different orientations in life when compared to middle-class children. There is an absence of childhood. Children experience an early initiation to sex. 3. Families often form based upon free unions or consensual marriage. This partially explains the trend toward female-headed homes. 4. The poor are more fatalistic. One might expect that a poor person would believe the following idea: â€Å"What will be will be and I can’t change it.† 5. The poor are less apt to defer gratification. Banfield argues that the essence of the poor subculture is its present-time orientation. He asserts that the poor do not know how to defer gratification (see Eitzen and Baca-Zinn, 1994:173). 6. The poor are less interested in formal education. Source: Eitzen and Baca-Zinn, 1994, and Farley, 1988 The Culture of Poverty theory argues that the characteristics presented above enable the poor to adapt to poverty. For example, the lack of childhood happens because sometimes poor children have to begin working at an early age. Moreover, poor children have to â€Å"hustle† to survive. There is no time to be young. To act young is a sign of weakness. The absences of privacy and competition for limited goods are self-explanatory characteristics of poverty. Perhaps the strong disposition toward authoritarianism is necessary  because of the hard choices that poverty provides. A. The Moynihan Report The Culture of Poverty is a functionalist approach to poverty. It assumes a â€Å"right† or â€Å"correct† culture and a deviant culture. The poor are poor and are likely to remain poor because their culture deviates from the norm. The Moynihan Report (1965) is an example of a study that (perhaps inadvertently) borrows aspects of the Culture of Poverty to explain African-American poverty. Its goal was to explain continued poverty in the 1960s. The Moynihan Study accurately pointed out that much of the poverty associated with the Black community was due to a history of slavery and economic oppression (unemployment). It also called attention to the necessity of altering one’s lifestyle as a means to cope with poverty. Moynihan, however, ultimately came to concentrate on the characteristics of the Black family that required changing, rather than the system of oppression that needed changing. B. A Critique of the Moynihan Report and the Culture of Poverty 1. It Blames the victim The most important criticism of the report is that it put the blame for poverty on the victim. Blaming the victim places the burden of change on the victim and removes it from society. From the Culture of Poverty perspective, poverty is viewed as the fault of the poor in that, their culture, not social injustice, causes and perpetuates poverty. The implied assumption is that until the poor changes their â€Å"culture,† no amount of government intervention will solve the problem of poverty. 2. Negative Emphasis on Female-headed Families Another objection to the Culture of Poverty thesis revolves around the negative emphasis placed upon female-headed families. Female-headed families do not ensure a life of poverty. Children of single-parent family perform well in school. They do not have greater problems with mental health. Poverty, of course, affects both. Poverty, not single-parenting, generates social problems like illiteracy and crime, not single-parenting. Furthermore, single-parent are usually women and women are placed in economically disadvantaged positions due to the structure of the economy that pays women only 68 percent the salary that it pays men. THIS IS NOT  CULTURAL. It’s SYSTEMIC. 3. The Attack on Divorce There appears, imbedded in culture of poverty theory, an attack on divorce. There is no evidence that divorce, itself, causes poverty. Sometimes divorce can lead to better social adjustment. Since 1957, as the number of divorces has risen, the percentage of people saying they are happy with their marriage has also risen from 67 percent to 80 percent (footnote missing!). People who focus on the problems associated with single-parent families also forget the positive impact of the extended family. The extended family supports single-parent families by providing grandparents, aunts, and even friends. 4. Most Black Families are Not Poor Other problems with the Moynihan Report pertain to the implied image that the majority of Black families are typically broken homes. The poverty rate for Blacks is about 30 percent. That means that 70 percent of Black families are above the poverty line. Furthermore, while focusing on the characteristics of the Black family, the Moynihan Report does not attack aspects of the social structure that put one group at a disadvantage when compared to another. With the Black family, the disadvantage flows from historically based discrimination (which included forced breakups of families while under slavery), high levels of unemployment, and welfare laws that encourage one parent families. 5. Poor People Do Not Have Radically Different Lifestyles Finally, the culture of poverty contains the assumption that families living in poverty have radically different outlooks than middle-class families. Elliot Liebow in Street Corner Man (as referenced in Eitzen and Baca-Zinn, 1994:173) suggests that most poor people, in fact, attempt to live by society’s values. Their struggle is frustrated by externally imposed failures. Most people who are poor would prefer to escape poverty via a good job. Good jobs that poor people are eligible for are rare. Liebow suggests that the characteristics associated with the culture of poverty are those that appear when individuals try to achieve goals defined by society, but who fail to achieve society’s goals because society has not provided means to achieve those goals. These are the proverbial blocked opportunities. 6. One-Way Adaptation? Culture of Poverty proponents argue that the poor adapt to a lifestyle which allows them to deal with poverty. They tend to assume that one these lifestyles have been adopted, they become institutionalized with poor culture making it very difficult fort the poor to escape the culture of poverty. One might ask that if it is so easy to adopt to poverty lifestyles, that it might be just as easy to adopt to a middle class lifestyle one that lifestyle is provided. C. Concluding Observations Concerning the Culture of Poverty In short, rather than blaming the victim for his or her biology or for his or her culture, public policy planners might more appropriately focus their attention on the economic characteristics of society. The United States is one of the richest countries on earth. Simultaneously it has the greatest levels of inequality in the First World. Social structure, not genetics or culture causes poverty. Solutions to poverty are political. In 1973 after LBJ’s â€Å"War on Poverty† the poverty rate fell to an all-time low. One might look to other First-World counties for inspiration. Scandinavian counties, for example, have very low levels of poverty and they are culturally diverse. IX. Culture of Poverty and Welfare Policy Farley (2000:91-92) argues that this debate is directly relevant to welfare policy in the United States. [Remember: your perspective of the source of the problem influences how you perceive solutions] A. The Functionalist Perspectives From the functionalist court comes a positive and negative viewpoint. Both points of view see the existence of poverty as being related to family structure. 1. Moynihan Moynihan argues that the existence of single parent is a major cause of poverty. He contends that government programs are necessary to alleviate poverty in these homes. 2. Murray Murray, on the other hand believes that welfare makes it possible for people to survive poverty without working. He argues that welfare support reinforces the culture of poverty. B. The Conflict Perspective Conflict theorists are skeptical of both points of view. Rather than   structure being the source of poverty, structural problems, like the concentration of the poor in inner cities, is the source of poverty. While functionalist desire to rehabilitate the individual that is poor, conflict theory advocates structural solutions like job creation in inner city neighborhoods.

How to Design a Logo Essays

How to Design a Logo Essays How to Design a Logo Essay How to Design a Logo Essay HOW TO DESIGN A LOGO You know a great logo when you see one but you would like to know how to properly design one. A word of caution if youre thinking about going the do it yourself route in designing your own logo. It is one thing to read and understand the elements or principles of good design, but applying them appropriately is another matter. The explosion in software development has flooded the market with a wide variety of programs that will enable you to design your own identity. Even the most basic Desktop Publishing program has enough features to get the job done. Creativity is an art, not a science, and all too often novices sit down with the DTP software and are so enamoured with the available features that they use as many of them as they can. Professionals know what features to apply and in what proportions. The Internet has made a variety of lower cost professionals available at reasonable prices. Most offer custom design services and include diagnostic interviews so they can learn what your company is all about. So at least explore the possibility of hiring a professional design consultant to help. The use of color will illustrate one of the many benefits of professional services. If you go it alone your DTP program will let you concoct color combinations never seen by human eyes. But when you take your logo to the printer, can they be reproduced? A professional designer will know. Organizing Principle of Logo Design The color discussion leads us to the organizing principle of design: simplicity leads to functionality. Think about it and youll realize that some of the best logos ever created are really pretty simple. The McDonalds Golden Arch, Apples apple with the bite out of it, and Nikes swoosh are all examples. So where does functionality fit in? Logos are used in too many ways to even list. Consider some of them: on the corporate offices and satellite locations, on banners and billboards, on the Internet, on letterhead and business cards, on every piece of marketing material the company produces, on promotional items like shirts and hats, and yes, even on the tops of sticks placed in drinks served at company sponsored events. Simple images will work for any of those uses. They can pretty much go anywhere and do anything. So remember the KISS principle: Keep it Simple, Stupid! Font Style and Size As is the case with all elements, Fonts should be selected which match the nature of the companys business. If you want viewers of your company image to be reassured that your company is reliable, safe, and trustworthy, avoid flashy fonts and bold use of font sizes. Leave that for the companies representing bold, new, and innovative fields like alternative energy development. Banks and other financial service companies should use traditional and familiar font styles. Using Color Again, use bold colors like reds and oranges for bold businesses. Muted colors are not what you want here. Use of a lot of colors can actually be distracting. The old Apple logo contained multiple layers of color but it was redesigned to improve its functionality in the late 1990s. Using Enhancing Effects Many good logos simply present the company name and graphically enhance certain letters by wrapping them or stretching them in some way. Look at the FedEx logo. Simply boxing off the name created the desired effect. Simple, yet functional! That is how you design a logo.

Medical uses of algae essays

Medical uses of algae essays Algae have been used for centuries, especially in Asian countries, as a remedy to cure or prevent various physical ailments. Scientific research has established a connection between these nutrient-rich sea plants and the bodys immune system response. It all started when intensive studies of marine life began in the 1970s to locate potential sources of pharmacologically active agents (Baba et al. 1988). Researchers found that algae contain a remarkable amount of components valuable for human health. According to Baba (1988), algae are beneficial in the following ways: 1. It is a complete protein with essential amino acids (unlike most plant foods) that are involved in major metabolic processes such as energy and enzyme production. 2. It contains high amounts of simple and complex carbohydrates which provide the body with a source of additional fuel. In particular, the sulfated complex carbohydrates are thought to enhance the immune systems regulatory response. 3. It contains an extensive fatty acid profile, including Omega 3 and Omega 6. These essential fatty acids also play a key role in the production of energy. 4. It has an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements in naturally-occurring synergistic design. With all these benefits, it is no wonder why extensive research is being conducted on algae as a medical treatment. Three specific treatments that have been tested will be discussed. One medical use of marine algae is for the treatment of Herpes Simplex Viruses. The drug Acyclovir (ACV) is commonly used for treatment of herpes, but it, like many medications, results in undesirable symptoms (Field & Biron 1994). ACV has induced the emergence of drug-resistant viruses and can lower immune activity, causing even more illnesses (Field & Biron 1994). These findings made it necessary to find new sources of anti-herpetic treatments, one being marine algae. Marine algae, which are a source of potential c...

Berlin Airlift and Blockade in the Cold War

Berlin Airlift and Blockade in the Cold War With the conclusion of World War II in Europe, Germany was divided into four occupation zones as had been discussed at the Yalta Conference. The Soviet zone was in eastern Germany while the Americans were in the south, the British the northwest, and the French the southwest. Administration of these zones was to be conducted through the Four Power Allied Control Council (ACC). The German capital, located deep in the Soviet zone, was similarly divided between the four victors. In the immediate period following the war, there was great debate regarding what extent Germany should be allowed to rebuild. During this time, Joseph Stalin actively worked to create and place in power the Socialist Unity Party in the Soviet zone. It was his intention that all of Germany should be communist and part of the Soviet sphere of influence. To this end, the Western Allies were only given limited access to Berlin along road and ground routes. While the Allies initially believed this to be short-term, trusting to Stalins goodwill, all subsequent requests for additional routes were denied by the Soviets. Only in the air was a formal agreement in place which guaranteed three twenty-mile-wide air corridors to the city. Tensions Increase In 1946, the Soviets cut off food shipments from their zone into western Germany. This was problematic as eastern Germany produced the majority of the nations food while western Germany contained its industry. In reply, General Lucius Clay, commander of the American zone, ended shipments of industrial equipment to the Soviets. Angered, the Soviets launched an anti-American campaign and began to disrupt the work of the ACC. In Berlin, the citizens, who had been brutally treated by the Soviets in the closing months of the war, voiced their disapproval by electing a staunchly anti-communist  city-wide government. With this turn of events, American policymakers came to the conclusion that a strong Germany was necessary to protect Europe from Soviet aggression. In 1947, President Harry Truman appointed General George C. Marshall as Secretary of State. Developing his Marshall Plan for European recovery, he intended to provide $13 billion in aid money. Opposed by the Soviets, the plan led to meetings in London regarding reconstruction of Europe and the rebuilding of the German economy. Angered by these developments, the Soviets began stopping British and American trains to check the identities of the passengers. Target Berlin On March 9, 1948, Stalin met with his military advisors and developed a plan for forcing the Allies to meet his demands by regulating access to Berlin. The ACC met for the last time on March 20, when, after being informed that the results of the London meetings would not be shared, the Soviet delegation walked out. Five days later, Soviet forces began restricting Western traffic into Berlin and stated that nothing could leave the city without their permission. This led to Clay ordering an airlift to carry military supplies to the American garrison in the city. Though the Soviets eased their restrictions on April 10, the pending crisis came to head in June with the introduction of a new, Western-backed German currency, the Deutsche Mark. This was ardently opposed by the Soviets who wished to keep the German economy weak by retaining the inflated Reichsmark. Between June 18, when the new currency was announced, and June 24, the Soviets cut off all ground access to Berlin. The next day they halted food distribution in the Allied parts of the city and cut off electricity. Having cut off Allied forces in the city, Stalin elected to test the resolve of the West. Flights Begin Unwilling to abandon the city, American policymakers directed Clay to meet with General Curtis LeMay, commander of United States Air Forces in Europe, regarding the feasibility of supplying West Berlins population by air. Believing that it could be done, LeMay ordered Brigadier General Joseph Smith to coordinate the effort. Since the British had been supplying their forces by air, Clay consulted his British counterpart, General Sir Brian Robertson, as the Royal Air Force had calculated the supplies required to sustain the city. This amounted to 1,534 tons of food and 3,475 tons of fuel per day. Before commencing, Clay met with Mayor-Elect Ernst Reuter to ensure that the effort had the support of the people of Berlin. Assured that it did, Clay ordered the airlift to move forward on July 26 as Operation Vittles (Plainfare). As the US Air Force was short on aircraft in Europe due to demobilization, the RAF carried the early load as American planes were moved to Germany. While the US Air Force began with a mix of C-47 Skytrains and C-54 Skymasters, the former was dropped due to difficulties in unloading them quickly. The RAF utilized a wide array of aircraft from C-47s to Short Sunderland flying boats. While initial daily deliveries were low, the airlift quickly gathered steam. To ensure success, aircraft operated on strict flight plans and maintenance schedules. Using the negotiated air corridors, American aircraft approached from the southwest and landed at Tempelhof, while British aircraft came from the northwest and landed at Gatow. All aircraft departed by flying due west to Allied airspace and then returning to their bases. Realizing that the airlift would be a long-term operation, the command was given to Lieutenant General William Tunner under the auspices of the Combined Airlift Task Force on July 27. Initially derided by the Soviets, the airlift was allowed to proceed without interference. Having overseen the supply of Allied forces over the Himalayas during the war, Tonnage Tunner quickly implemented a variety of safety measures after multiple accidents on Black Friday in August. Also, to speed up operations, he hired German work crews to unload aircraft and had food delivered to pilots in the cockpit so they would not need to deplane in Berlin. Learning that one of his flyers had been dropping candy to the citys children, he institutionalized the practice in the form of Operation Little Vittles. A morale-boosting concept, it became one of the iconic images of the airlift. Defeating the Soviets By the end of July, the airlift was delivering around 5,000 tons a day. Alarmed the Soviets began harassing incoming aircraft and attempted to lure them off course with fake radio beacons. On the ground, the people of Berlin held protests and the Soviets were forced to establish a separate municipal government in East Berlin. As winter approached, airlift operations increased to meet the citys demand for heating fuel. Battling severe weather, the aircraft continued their operations. To aid in this, Tempelhof was expanded and a new airport built at Tegel. With the airlift progressing, Tunner ordered a special Easter Parade which saw 12,941 tons of coal delivered in a twenty-four hour period on April 15-16, 1949. On April 21, the airlift delivered more supplies by air than typically reached the city by rail in a given day. On average an aircraft was landing in Berlin every thirty seconds. Stunned by the success of the airlift, the Soviets signaled an interest in ending the blockade. An agreement was soon reached and ground access to the city reopened at midnight on May 12. The Berlin Airlift signaled the Wests intention to stand up to Soviet aggression in Europe. Operations continued until September 30 with the goal of building a surplus in the city. During its fifteen months of activity, the airlift provided 2,326,406 tons of supplies which were carried on 278,228 flights. During this time, twenty-five aircraft were lost and 101 people killed (40 British, 31 American). Soviet actions led many in Europe to support the formation of a strong West German state.

This a field note Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

This a field note - Essay Example I want to relay the commentators’ views verbatim, but I am at a loss. No matter how I probe my brain to remember how they said things, all I can remember were the feelings those words had on me. Still, in this narrative, I will try to relay the details by interpreting and paraphrasing what was retained in my memory (Emerson, Fretz, and Shaw 75). Additionally, in this account, I will also try as much as possible to refer to scenes as I have personally experienced and seen them, to provide the most detailed account of the event I want to narrate (Emerson, Fretz, and Shaw 83). In reference to the title I chose, I am not saying that people are asking for blood, but boxing, as we know it, sort of makes one expect that the more bloody the event is, the more exhilarating the winning is. This was what I felt during the hours of watching a spectacular boxing match a couple of months ago. I was at home cozily sitting on the plush brown sofa I chose to sit on for the event. On the mahoga ny center table, I placed a large bowl of yellow buttered popcorn that I just got out from the microwave. The flavorful scent that permeated the air made me smile as I placed a tall glass of iced tea beside the glass bowl. I was preparing myself to be as excited as the crowd because it is a very much talked about match. Curious to see what this titleholder has to offer, I began to immerse myself in the game. I was trying to listen to what the commentators were saying, and the crowd’s piercing screams caused me a frown or two occasionally. By the middle part of the match, my hands were already clammy with cold sweat. I did not realize I was so much taken by the events inside the ring. I clutched my white handkerchief, gripping it every time a good punch was given. My heartbeat was already above normal at that time, feeling like I took a 15-minute brisk walk. What really held my interest were the cuts and wounds on T’s face. I do not want to imagine how it feels like to have swollen flesh with nasty-looking cuts being hit with strong punches every few minutes or so. I could swear I see T’s grimace towards the latter part of the game. I even began to wonder whether they were really grimaces or his face was just badly swollen and disfigured. The camera zoomed across the audience at the end of every round. It focused on faces smiling, laughing, and anxious. The noise and screaming were overwhelming. Funny how the camera seems to quickly catch standout expressions like mouths wide open to scream their taunts and jeers. I noticed one teenage person in bright red shirt whose freckled face appeared to be more freckled as he seemed to shout his outrage. I particularly do not know what he is mad about, but his expression told me a lot. He kept nudging his other companions while waving and pointing his fingers towards the ring, making all verbal gestures that spoke of how agitated he was. On the other hand, some played it cool, casually smiling, and l aughing with their friends, or even strangers who happen to be near them. Observing the crowd made me feel like I was there with them; the only difference is the advantage of watching specific angles of the whole arena. The bell for the last two rounds rang and the crowd sounded more frenzied. Everyone

Employee Negative Habits and Attitudes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Employee Negative Habits and Attitudes - Essay Example Unfortunately, bad workplace habits and negative employee attitudes create serious problems: poor workplace performance, workplace conflicts, and failure to achieve strategic organizational outcomes are just some of the numerous effects caused by bad workplace habits on organizations and their members. Bad habits make suffer both employees and employers. Workers may loose their job and the reputation of the company may suffer greatly. Bad workplace habits are numerous and varied. No one knows what exactly can fire the flame of conflict and disobedience within an organization. At times, employees can be extremely sophisticated in their negative habits and attitudes. Yet, in most instances, bad habits can be easily detected and addressed. Absenteeism and sick list abuse is, probably, one of the worst employee habits. Dozens of workers miss work intentionally, since they are unwilling to attend their workplace and are pretty satisfied with getting their sick list payments on time. Other s are convinced that spending half of the work day in a smoking room is absolutely normal and even necessary for their emotional stability. Such employees will not rush to deal with their obligations. Most probably, they perceive their work as some kind of entertainment and do not understand that the success of business and its profitability largely depends upon the contribution each and every worker makes on a daily basis. Other bad habits include gossiping and unnecessary sarcasm: some employees cannot be serious even when it is crucial for the organization’s survival. Employees may tend to withhold important information or will make excuses every time they fail to cope with their responsibilities. These are further supplemented by the negative attitudes, which employees hold about their work: it is no secret that not all employees like their job and these negative attitudes have far-reaching implications for strategic performance within organizations. Bad habits and negati ve attitudes of employees affect all aspects of organizational performance. Employees who miss work, fail to cope with their obligations, find excuses, and do not assume responsibility for their acts cannot be useful for the organization. Instead, they increase the burden of organizational problems and concerns. Moreover, their presence in organizations always comes at a cost: they receive salaries and benefits for doing nothing. It should be noted, that bad habits and negative attitudes work like an infection – they can infect other employees, who slowly learn a valuable lesson of laziness and non-productivity. As a result, one employee can negatively affect the whole organization and cause a chain reaction of bad attitudes toward work. Eventually, bad habits and negative attitudes of employees may threaten organizational safety. Gossiping may lead to information leakages. Withholding important information may disrupt the stability and operation of the organization’s security systems. Employees who do not share information with others will not let their colleagues and co-workers cope with their job tasks. Consequentially, other employees may fall victims to the bad habits and negative attitudes of their co-workers. What to do with employees and their bad habits depends upon the situation. No matter the seriousness of the problem, firing an inefficient employee should always be a measure of

Assessment of Supply Chain Improvement Statistics Project

Assessment of Supply Chain Improvement - Statistics Project Example The dangers in using predictive models are in the quality of input assumption. If we underestimated our lawmakers and their willingness to impose import tariff for scooter imports from China is 70% and not 30% this would change the result in favour of production in Scotland as it would suggest that the result expressed as daily profit for outsourcing to China would come to only Ã…  425,33 which is less than Ã…  453,33. The simplicity with which I checked the result under changed assumption may be considered as one of advantages of EMV modeling approach. The same goes for all other assumptions like sales probability prediction. In original scenario I would recommend that everything for Milton Keynes be made in Manchester. I would recommend that Toulouse makes as much as possible for Paris and Madrid and Stuttgart to fill in where Toulouse can not deliver for Paris and Madrid. It turns out that Toulouse does not make Professional model so it should make more profitable Weekender and less profitable De Luxe model. From available material Toulouse can make 1500 sets of Weekender and 100 sets of De Luxe model. Limitations are available steel and aluminum. Toulouse makes â‚ ¬ 297.700 in profits. Stuttgart would be able to make Professional and De Luxe models but not Weekender so available materials there allow for production of 400 Professional sets for Paris and 200 professional sets for Madrid as well as 1000 De Luxe sets for Madrid and 900 De Luxe sets for Paris. Stuttgart makes â‚ ¬ 411.700 in profits. ... It turns out that Toulouse does not make Professional model so it should make more profitable Weekender and less profitable De Luxe model. From available material Toulouse can make 1500 sets of Weekender and 100 sets of De Luxe model. Limitations are available steel and aluminum. Toulouse makes â‚ ¬ 297.700 in profits. Stuttgart would be able to make Professional and De Luxe models but not Weekender so available materials there allow for production of 400 Professional sets for Paris and 200 professional sets for Madrid as well as 1000 De Luxe sets for Madrid and 900 De Luxe sets for Paris. Stuttgart makes â‚ ¬ 411.700 in profits. Manchester can make all three sets, thus it supplies all the needs of Milton Keynes (600 professional, 800 De Luxe and 800 Weekender) as well as 100 De Luxe sets for Madrid and 1000 Weekender set for Madrid. Manchester unit makes â‚ ¬ 616.900 in profits. b) However, if in above scenario we deduct fixed costs from profits we find out that our Toulous e unit does not cover fixed costs. Therefore I would recommend closing down facility in Toulouse and transferring materials to Manchester to make demanded units there. If we have no possibility of transferring materials than we can fulfill our 80% obligation by transferring production of Weekender Sets to Manchester (we can not make them in Stuttgart) where we have surplus materials. We have to transfer production of De Luxe sets from Toulouse to Manchester as Stuttgart is close to limit in steel and can not accept 100 De Luxe sets more. We do not want to lower production of professional sets (they were not produced in Toulouse at all) as they carry the biggest profit margin if possible. If we lower production for De Luxe sets for

How the images of refugees framed in the media will influence people's Literature review

How the images of refugees framed in the media will influence people's sympathy and per ception on refugees - Literature review Example This essay aims to conduct a study, which explore the relationship between how a person feels refugees and the images of refugees framed in the mass media. In order to examine the research question: what is the influence of images of refugees framed in the mass media images on people’s perception, the essay would expect to organize a group experiment. According to FADIMAN, (2012, p. 54), the human nature dictates that humanity is an intrinsic feature that every human being has. This intrinsic feature is dependent in certain humanitarian standards and in feelings that must be accumulated within the body of a human being. For instance, pain is one of the intrinsic characteristics that depict a human being. Humanity is fearful to pain and suffering. Refugees are people considered to be facing intermediate imbalance in their capability to access the humanitarian requirements and standards for living. This is why in most cases, their mention signifies suffering, death, lack of everything that helps keep life, and total failure in knowledge and understanding of a certain body that resulted in them. Refugee camps are characterized with human suffering captions. People face little chance of survival, yet in most cases, they survive with intriguing human feelings. The media is a channel through which several human intentions are perceived and delivered. For instance, it would take an easy stature for media personnel to convince a group of people offer the sufferings found in the refugee camps. With the intrinsic human nature founded in people, it becomes an easy and even unthinkable task to offer help to people facing such refugee challenges (HOUTMAN- DE SMEDT 2005, p. 56). Challenges are common in every society. Nonetheless, the ones faced by refugees appear to touch the innate feelings of many people in the world. The mass media images exploit on the fact that challenges and sufferings being faced by

Racism Still Exists in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Racism Still Exists in America - Essay Example Facts about racism would be well understood among the Americans if it would be considered for what it really is; an institutional ideology, according to CNN which reported that â€Å"racism is like a virus that has mutated into a new form that we don’t recognize†. There is more to racism than personal hatred. It refers to the belief that a group of people, identified by unique biological make up are superior to other groups with different biological make up. The President of Catholic Charities USA, Synder further indicates that racism refers to â€Å"unearned advantage, conferred dominance, and invisible privilege enjoyed by white Americans, to the detriment, burden, and disadvantage of people of color† (8). The superior group would thus be allowed to rule economically and socially over the groups considered to be weaker. The situation has been made worse in America due to the many action plans that have been started in the recent past to fight racism in the country. Since the times of Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 to the 1965 Selma March led by Martin Luther King, the relations were assumed to be headed towards improvement. With every move forward, the country appeared to be moving backwards in achieving genuine racial reconciliation. In the 20th Century, racism was mainly between the Blacks and the Whites. However, with the immigration of people from different parts of the world into the country, racism now includes hostility among people from different cultures.... Effects of racism Synder (11) acknowledges that the privileged status of being white did not just happen accidentally. This had been constructed through time, through social policies, procedures and institutions which deliberately developed a system that promoted the white Americans’ welfare while greatly hindering opportunities for people of color. Racism has caused people from other cultures in America to despise their own cultures in favor of Americanism. Alvarez (37) describes her personal experience in America, having emigrated from Dominican Republic where beauty was synonymous with all women. In America, however, beauty was reserved for American girls only. Women from other races would not enjoy what Synders (5) describes as white privileges but would always be socially discriminated due to their different biological traits. This was well demonstrated with the airing of Miss America beauty pageant where Julia Alvarez and her sisters were portrayed to admire being Americ an girls to be considered beautiful. The beauty pageant show presented Americanism as desirable and made people from other races appreciate the American blue eyes and blonde hair while despising their biological traits. Such discrimination in beauty contests enhanced racism in the American society. Among the major indications of racism, or otherwise white privilege include economic advantage which has been reserved for the white Americans through public policy and also through political power over years. Racism results into economic burden and disadvantages people of color. Take for instance the institution of slavery. Slavery was just a means to exploit labor where African slaves would be used to create

Global Awareness and Modern Business Survival Term Paper

Global Awareness and Modern Business Survival - Term Paper Example Basically, in order for an organization to remain relevant in the market for long-term basis, it is critical for the organization to find ways of developing and maintaining competitive advantage. This can only be learned from contemplation of how different markets around the world behaves and what is required to create a strategy that would keep the organization relevant even in the long run. Although the primary goal of every organization is to make profits, it is essential to study other areas relevant to keep the organization relevant in the market. The global business operation requires organizations to consider strategic areas that the customer and community are equally focusing on and define as practices of a successful organization. For instance, although definition of organizations focusing on long-term goals tends to or revolves around sustainability, other areas are critical focusing on or that foster the sustainability. Notably, issues of corporate social responsibility ha ve been highly prioritized globally as to having played a key role in strategically placing organizations in a position to thrive in a highly competitive market. Specifically, customers and the community through which businesses operates are looking beyond what the business offers. This is critical because issues such as environmental and social are considered ideal in any business operations. In addition, governance issues have also been prioritized globally. Studies have documented that organizations that have good practices of governance tends to win the favor of investors and employees. This means that such organizations recognize employees as part of the primary assets of the organization thus according them the treatment they deserve. In this regard, global awareness means that the organization learns different ways through which such matters other than profit gaining can positively contribute to the organization. Incentives such as different and new ways of attracting and ret aining competent workforce are contemplated upon. In another dimension, due to globalization, different ideas, innovations, and new ways of conducting business are learned. In fact, these issues can easily be learned by subjecting not only the organization leaders, but also the workforce in training and development programs. The idea behind such a move is to produce or develop people who can formulate and integrate multinational strategies in the organization. Globalization has effects both for local businesses as well as well as the international businesses. In a global business environment, every business in the world is competing with another business in the world, as long as they are in the same sector. For instance, a dairy farmer in America is in competition with a dairy farmer in Africa. In this regard, if a dairy farmer does fails to gain the competition which makes a dairy farmer in the Africa has, the farmer will have issues. This phenomenon can be exemplified in the trade relations between the China and the United States (China Briefing Media, 2006). Because Chinese manufacturers can achieve the highest competencies as compared to US firms, Chinese producers have taken over the US economy. If a firm in one market in the world is unable to meet the competencies in the global economy, the firm will be pushed out of the market by a firm that is far away in the world. This has been seen in numerous situations. For instance, South African farmers have been able to find way to produce low price and high quality agricultural products. The cost of production and expert for these firms have been so low that they are able to produce and exported products around the work and sell the so cheaply in the export market at they are able to

Racism Still Exists in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Racism Still Exists in America - Essay Example Facts about racism would be well understood among the Americans if it would be considered for what it really is; an institutional ideology, according to CNN which reported that â€Å"racism is like a virus that has mutated into a new form that we don’t recognize†. There is more to racism than personal hatred. It refers to the belief that a group of people, identified by unique biological make up are superior to other groups with different biological make up. The President of Catholic Charities USA, Synder further indicates that racism refers to â€Å"unearned advantage, conferred dominance, and invisible privilege enjoyed by white Americans, to the detriment, burden, and disadvantage of people of color† (8). The superior group would thus be allowed to rule economically and socially over the groups considered to be weaker. The situation has been made worse in America due to the many action plans that have been started in the recent past to fight racism in the country. Since the times of Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 to the 1965 Selma March led by Martin Luther King, the relations were assumed to be headed towards improvement. With every move forward, the country appeared to be moving backwards in achieving genuine racial reconciliation. In the 20th Century, racism was mainly between the Blacks and the Whites. However, with the immigration of people from different parts of the world into the country, racism now includes hostility among people from different cultures.... Effects of racism Synder (11) acknowledges that the privileged status of being white did not just happen accidentally. This had been constructed through time, through social policies, procedures and institutions which deliberately developed a system that promoted the white Americans’ welfare while greatly hindering opportunities for people of color. Racism has caused people from other cultures in America to despise their own cultures in favor of Americanism. Alvarez (37) describes her personal experience in America, having emigrated from Dominican Republic where beauty was synonymous with all women. In America, however, beauty was reserved for American girls only. Women from other races would not enjoy what Synders (5) describes as white privileges but would always be socially discriminated due to their different biological traits. This was well demonstrated with the airing of Miss America beauty pageant where Julia Alvarez and her sisters were portrayed to admire being Americ an girls to be considered beautiful. The beauty pageant show presented Americanism as desirable and made people from other races appreciate the American blue eyes and blonde hair while despising their biological traits. Such discrimination in beauty contests enhanced racism in the American society. Among the major indications of racism, or otherwise white privilege include economic advantage which has been reserved for the white Americans through public policy and also through political power over years. Racism results into economic burden and disadvantages people of color. Take for instance the institution of slavery. Slavery was just a means to exploit labor where African slaves would be used to create

Physical wellness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Physical wellness - Essay Example Proposed fitness plan: Diversify cardio activities if possible through different activities - running on treadmill, swimming, spinning, step aerobics, kick boxing. Increase cardio activity to 40 minutes at least 3 days a week. Intensify by using weights - ankles, waist, or specially designed weight jacket. Goals: Maintain weight through cardio and strength training. Proper and regular eating habits will be instituted. 4 - 5 small meals each day will be used to maintain energy. Fruits and vegetables can be eaten for healthy snacks between meals. Avoidance of high sodium, high carbohydrate, and high fat foods. Consistent water intake of at least 64 ounces a day for optimum body functioning will be needed. Avoidance of energy drinks and caffeine. Drinks containing electrolytes should be careful consumed, assisting in the body maintaining homeostasis. Proposed plan: Alternate upper body and lower body work-outs in minimize fatigue of larger muscle groups in each area. For each exercise, a total of 12 -15 reps, and a total of 3 sets of reps should be followed. Work major muscle groups and smaller muscle groups to maximize the workout. Circuits can provide cardio during strength training - this entails moving from one exercise to the next with little to no rest in between. Free weights and exercise bands can be used for resistance training. Less weight more reps for lean muscle and less reps higher weight for creating heavier muscle mass should be taken into consideration. Exercises to be used: To work large muscle groups within the legs, squats and lunges should be used, with or without weight. Arms: bar bell bicep curls - allows for heavier weight usage and is easiest in technique; alternate dumb bell bicep curls, allows for one arm to rest while another arm works; use of bands with these exercises - use one foot or both feet to hold the band in place while pulling the band in the same motions used with free weights. Abs: standing abdominal work will reduce the stress that is placed on the back while doing crunches in a lying position - the basic standing tuck position works the abs by having the person tuck their hips while maintaining a straight back. Bending from side to side will work the obliques in concert with the abdominals. Goals: Increase muscle tone through gradual weight increments and usage. Increase the amount of weight that can be used during workouts before exhaustion sets in. Use of strength training equipment at Planet Fitness Gym and/or exercise instructional videos for wide variety of exercises. Stress Management Plan: Part 3 Current stressors: Full time college student, living at home with parents, working 3 -4 days a week as a secretary. Inable to sit for long periods of time. Constant stress and high anxiety levels present. Current stress relief activities: Use of sports/exercise; playing piano. Proposed plan: Using time effectively, both exercise and relaxation techniques could be employed. Yoga, pilates, and the newest combination called piyo can be used for stretching, strengthening, as well as for meditative purposes. Receiving a full body massage monthly will help reduce muscle fatigue and lower stress levels by fully relaxing the entire body. A hot bath will also relax the body and help reduce muscl

A Look from “Dreams from my Father” by Barack Obama Essay Example for Free

A Look from â€Å"Dreams from my Father† by Barack Obama Essay Barack Obama’s narration of mostly his father’s life story transcends many debatable topics such as racism and socioeconomic classifications. Topics such as those brought out literally as needed in his accurate and factual description of their lives but not to create any arguable pointers of discussions. Two scenes in the book that shaped this memoir as a whole and could be enough to make a thorough study on how Barack Obama Jr. seek his sense of belongingness and his finding a way to form an ambition being a public servant were: first, how his black father Barack Hussein Obama Sr. of Kenya and his white-coloured mother Ann Dunham of Kansas, USA met, fell in love, got married and divorced; and second, his absentee father’s thoughts and activities as told by his mother and grandparents. Having been recalling his parents blossoming relationship could manifest a picture of success as he recounted episodes where his father’s intellectual charisma and ambitious thoughts won his grandparents heart irregardless of colour and racial differences after opposing Barack Sr. and Ann’s love story. He pointed out that the only reason of his parent’s broke up was the lacking of money in which during that time, Barack Sr. couldn’t afford to take his wife and son back to Kenya. Thus, he went home alone to his motherland along with his ambition to complete a promise to serve Kenya and the continent of Africa, as it is the reason of his methodical studies in US, specifically in Harvard University. It was merely a patriotic deed and nationalism of Barack Sr. as he absolutely believed that Africa and Kenya need him and his service. It is also noted that Zeituni, Barack Sr. ’s sister, mentioned that his brother really has a heart that was too big. As for the comparison of these two episodes of Barack Obama Jr. ’s account, it suggests love and charity accomplished in two dissimilar forms. Barack Sr. ’s love with his wife Ann and their son broke the difficulty of racial discrimination in which Barack Jr. brought out in the world and raised freely despite of living in the land of white men. It is the same as what Barack Sr. s decision to leave his family in US. Barack Jr. made a justification out of his parent’s decision to be separated with each other that it was due only because of his father’s charitable instinct to serve and help Kenya because it is where his whole ancestors belong. Hence, who could say that neither of the two kinds of love is wrong? Colour difference has never been a problem on Barack Jr. ’s parents, and it is totally contradictory to the completion of the second story where the Kenyan roots of Barack Jr. ’s father has been an issue. Everyone could agree that loving both the nation and one’s own family at the same time doesn’t mean sacrificing one for the sake of the other. As an effect of demonstrating these two kinds of love, Barack Jr. ’s journey to look beyond his roots and himself being a black man in the land of the white race created a similar motive with his father’s to serve his own country, though on his end it is America, whether in sociocivic works or in a political slot. R E F E R E N C E Obama, Barack Jr. Dreams from my Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1995.

Fragments of A Painful Case and Paper Pills -- Painful Case Paper Pill

Fragments of "A Painful Case" and "Paper Pills" Although James Joyce and Sherwood Anderson situate their subjects in very different milieux (Joyce's in Dublin; Anderson's in Winesburg, Ohio), two of their subjects speak the same language of idiosyncrasy. In Joyce's "A Painful Case," Mr. Duffy keeps on his desk "a little sheaf of papers held together by a brass pin. In these sheets a sentence was inscribed from time to time and, in an ironical moment, the headline of an advertisement for Bile Beans had been pasted on to the first sheet" (Joyce 103). In Anderson's "Paper Pills," Dr. Reefy records his thoughts on "scraps of paper that became hard balls and were thrown away" (Anderson 36). These scribbled bits of subjectivity offer insight into the constituions of Anderson's doctor and Joyce's painful case. Living "in Chapelizod because he wished to live as far as possible from the city of which he was a citizen" (Joyce 103), Mr. Duffy provides an example of the unwittingly mechanized individual. Mr. Duffy attempts "to preserve an interior life of introspection against the overwhelming and machine-like activities of city life" (134) but he resembles nothing so much as a well-oiled machine. Duffy tries to live self-contained in the gap between nature and culture, when these terms are defined so that "we can see the infant's relation to the mother as somehow 'natural' and the post-Oedipal child as one who is in the process of assuming a position within the cultural order as a whole" (Eagleton 156). Associating with "neither companions nor friends, church nor creed" (Joyce 105), Duffy removes himself from familial and societal ties and from "his body, regarding his own acts with doubtful side-glances" (104). The first threat to... ...uded the world. It became terrible and then faded away and the little thoughts began again" (37). In this cycle of univocity and fragmentation, even the twisted apples have their day in the sun. As opposed to Duffy's ordered collage, Reefy's confounding lack of order -- in a different twist of Modernist irony -- assure his wholeness and his health. Works Cited Anderson, Sherwood. "Paper Pills." Winesburg, Ohio. Ed. John H. Ferres. New York:Viking Penguin, 1977. 35-8. Butler, Christopher. Early Modernism: Literature, Music, and Painting in Europe, 1900-1916. Oxford: Clarendon, 1994. Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1995. Joyce, James. "A Painful Case." Dubliners . New York: Penguin, 1993. 103-14. ---. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.. Ed. Chester G. Anderson. New York: Viking Penguin, 1977.