Saturday, August 31, 2019

Civil Rights Movement in the United States: The Effects of the Civil Rights Movement on Race Relations within the United States

The Jim Crow System is a system in and through which the central idea is â€Å"differentiation†. This differentiation is done on the basis of ethnicity or race. Differentiation entails the recognition that races are different and as such, it creates a political setting that â€Å"separates† races such as the Whites from the Blacks. In addition to this, it also separates and ultimately, limits or confines races such as the Blacks to a social sphere with corresponding social functions that are imposed on them. The Civil Rights Movement may be seen as a result of such a differentiation and segregation within the social sphere that it reflects the recognition of the unjust and inhumane aspect of such methods of social differentiation and social segregation. After the said movement, it has been argued that racial differentiation and segregation no longer exists within the United States, and due to this [in a sense] the Civil Rights Movement has been successful. However, there are several contentions to such a perspective. First, the effects of the expedited implementation of civil rights on all facets and areas of society, especially in the North, combined with the break from the traditional means of social integration helped spark the violent white backlash of the 1970’s. The White Backlash is a â€Å"reactionary populism† involving the middle, working class moved by a sense of â€Å"threat† regarding the policies implemented during the time. Thus, race and racism are not to be seen as the main factors involved for they cannot account for the White Backlash in a manner that is altogether acceptable. It is of equal importance that we take into consideration the fact that the White’s resistance to the policies implemented during the time was also brought about by a general feeling of threat and the idea of being displaced in their communities. The discussions regarding racial segregation in schools and communities and forced busing further strengthens this point. Another issue of vital importance that may be related to the idea of â€Å"gentrification†. This refers to the Whites reactionary stance on the implemented policies generated feelings of â€Å"threat†; regarding both their sense of security and sense of community. It is important to note that the very idea and experience of homelessness, being evicted from one’s immediate environment and his or her social and political milieu is degrading for the evicted families and individuals. The aforementioned experience generates feelings of powerlessness, anxiety, and oppression. In American history, gentrification is considered as a mechanism for the revitalization or rehabilitation of the casualties brought about by wars and conflicts both from external and internal threats. Examples of such destructive courses in history are World War I and World War II. Gentrification, as viewed by Smith, results in the â€Å"displacement† of lower income people such as laborers by the well-to-do or the middle class in the process of rehabilitating, revitalizing, and upgrading of deteriorated urban property. â€Å"In so far as gentrification obliterates working class communities, displaces poor households and converts whole neighborhoods into bourgeois enclaves, the frontier ideology rationalizes social differentiation and exclusion as natural and inevitable† (Smith, 1992, p. 2). These ideas strengthen the general view that the White Backlash is largely the reaction of the social classes in the middle and lowest strata, the working class White Bostonians since the elites are in his words â€Å"exempted from the start†. The feeling of threat and the fear of displacement in their communities, these are important factors to consider as to why the Whit e Backlash occurred. The problem with the frontier ideology and the process of gentrification, as I reckon, is that they pose serious threats on the very notion of a â€Å"shared history†. As the materially-driven real estate industries and markets continue to flourish and the advent of deindustrialization, the easier it displaces low-income people from their immediate social environment, social and political milieu; thus, endangering the very notion of a shared history. In contrast to such claims Weisbrot (1990) claims that although certain forms of injustice still exists what is important to consider are the facets of social change resulting from the aforementioned movement. He claims, â€Å"Like other reform movements the crusade for racial justice inevitably fell short of the utopian goals that sustained it. Still, if†¦ (it) is judged by the distance it traveled†¦a record of substantial achievement unfolds† (1990, p. 339). Such achievement involve school desegregation and the securing of representation and voting rights. In addition to this, Weisbrot argued that such developments may be seen as the result of the development of tolerance and hence pluralism within the American community. He claims that as a result of the aforementioned movement, pluralism is â€Å"more firmly rooted in American values than ever before† (1990, p. 342). However, the fast-paced implementation [that is, of the recognition of civil rights be regarded as fundamental rights that ought to be granted to every citizen of the state and not only to a selected few, the Whites] unraveled structures and ideologies of society too fast [most importantly the historically embedded ideas of race and class] without providing or setting up new structures for what was unraveled. This presents the second critique to the assumed success of the Civil Rights Movement. Third, educational equality and racial equality were never achieved in the expedited implementation of the civil rights through desegregation, forced busing and affirmative action policies. The federal government was forcing busing, economics, and housing all at the same time. This leads to Wicker’s point that the problem with the integration plan was how extensive it was and how difficult it was to implement. This is precisely because of the aforementioned reasons, which serve as warrants to my second argument. The question regarding the expedited implementation of such policies fails to consider that such radical changes will result to devastating consequences. The problem is, so to speak, much more complex. As Wicker suggests, â€Å"economic as well as political empowerment if African-American disadvantages†¦are to be overcome† (1996, p. 347). The problem with the Civil Rights Movement is that it was not universal. It was not universal in the sense that the Blacks themselves are not unified in their struggles for racial justice and liberation. It was not able to gain an inter-subjective consensus not only from human rights advocates but also most especially from the Blacks themselves. The movement lacks what may be called a unity of purpose which entails unified and collective actions. This is in accordance with Wicker’s argument regarding the failure of the aforementioned movement. Wicker (1996) contends that the Civil Rights Movement failed to enable racial integration due to the â€Å"continuing separation of whites and blacks into hostile and unequal classes† which leads to â€Å"political deadlock, economic inequity, and social rancor that mark American life† (p. 345). In summary, although the implementation of civil rights on all facets and areas of society created â€Å"changes† on the realms of the social, political, and economic but there remains a question whether such huge and radical changes are â€Å"effective† since the phenomenon in itself is deeply embedded in the culture of the American society. True, the American society and its political culture do have problems. In the case of racial and educational equality and the expedited implementation of the civil rights, however, the issues are more intricate. In order for racial inequalities to end, American society must be prepared for huge and radical changes

Friday, August 30, 2019

My Personalized Nutrition and Exercise Plan Essay

My current health problem that I am experiencing is my weight problem. I weigh one hundred and ninety pounds. I am unhappy about it and I also cannot afford to buy new pants due to my big size. A lot of the women and a few of the men in my family do suffer from being overweight or obese. Currently I am not obese but I am overweight for my age and height. I am five foot four and my healthy weight is between one hundred thirty pounds and one hundred forty pounds. Being overweight has affected me by lowering my self esteem and has pushed me into a weird sort of depression. Being down and depressed in not who I am and not someone I want to be. Making healthy choices now and changing my situation will help me greatly with not only my physical health but also my mental. Today’s insurance companies are not realizing that mental health is just as important as physical health. My realistic nutrition plan for me is very simple. Stop eating junk foods and stop drinking soda. Discontinuing the consuming of soda is not a hard thing for me to do as long as I get some caffeine throughout the day. In the morning I leave earlier for work so I can pick up a coffee and a blue berry muffin from a coffee house. Then for lunch at work I eat fruit and drinking juice or water. I work in a grocery store, so it is easy for me to find and obtain healthy foods and drinks, but it is also very tempting to grab that candy bar at the check-out. For dinner it varies since then I am at home, but I watch that I only eat once and I do not for back for seconds. The motivation for me not to grab that candy bar or any other truly unhealthy food, is that I am simply tired of being overweight. Motivation was a hard thing for me to do since I do not have a problem with what individuals think of me. I have already started this diet and I have already lost some weight, since it is simple it works for me and I do not have the feeling that I am getting stressed out by what I cannot have. My recommended amount of calories for me to consume a day going by my age and sex, is between 1,600 and 2,200 calories a day depending on my level of activity. My realistic exercise plan includes doing two sets of ten crunches and running on my elliptical for ten minutes. At work I break down our deliveries which can be a hard task depending on how heavy the boxes are. When we get a typically truck there are usually about one hundred fifty pieces on it. Half that is lunch meat, a quarter of it is meat that comes in already packaged and the other quarter is the meat that the butchers cut up for steaks and roasts. I cannot lift the boxes that come for the butchers but I do lift all the other stuff. Lunch meat consists of taking a box off the pallet and putting it on a cart. Do that about fifty times and that feels just like a workout, so I do feel like I do get exercise at work as well as at home. That may seem small and not a lot of exercise, but I am out of shape and I lose interest very quickly with working out. So this is a way where I am baby stepping my way into it and it does not take a lot out of me. When I do not feel strain from doing those exercises then I will increase my number of sets and I will run five minutes more. According to the mypyramid plan, I am in good standing with my work out plan. It is not an aggressive one but it works for and I am seeing results. When I feel like I can push myself I do try to do more. My goals for achieving my weight loss and a more healthy lifestyle is by eliminating foods that are basically junk, like chips, candy, greasy fast food, and soda. That alone is not enough because I also have to begin consuming foods that are healthy. I already love fruits and some vegetables, so switching to those foods will be easy. Instead of snacking on some chips I can get some baby carrots and snack on those. Another healthy switch that I make is instead of going to the deli at my work and getting fried chicken I go to produce and get a fruit cup, and I avoid the bakery. Beginning to eat healthy is not very difficult for me since I do like many healthy foods, stopping eating the junk is hard for me. I am getting my daily fruit servings at work and at home by eating fruit cups which are low in calorie, and I also keep some bananas and oranges in my kitchen. So my four goals for my nutrition is to make sure that I do not eat junk regularly, that I keep track of my calories and that I keep in mind what my goals are. Goal one, to make sure I eat my daily recommended servings of fruit and vegetables. My actions to make sure I reach that goal everyday is to eat a fruit cup at work and when I get home eat a piece of fruit. To make sure that I get my servings of vegetables is to make a can or corn or green beans ith my dinner, if I want to snack then eat some baby carrots. Goal two, make sure to eat breakfast. Breakfast is the first meal of the day and it is also what starts your metabolism for the day as well. When you do not eat breakfast the slower your metabolism works throughout the day. On days I have to work I stop by a coffee house and grab a blueberry muffin and a coffee for my breakfast and when I do not I eat two bowls of cereal for my breakfast. Goal three, to make sure I do active things at home and that I do cave to my cravings for junk food. I put those two together under one goal because I can balance it better that way. Whenever I crave junk food I get up and do something to take my mind off of it. Clean the house or run a couple minutes to get it off my mind. It is a great plan since my house stays clean and I get to expel some energy. Goal four, to not look at the scale more than twice a week. This goal my seem weird and off since I am trying to lose weight and be healthy. I find that because I am trying hard to lose weight that looking at the scale everyday would be what I should do, but if I look at it and I do not see what I think I should see I may lose motivation. Losing motivation to stay healthy and lose weight would very bad since I am overweight as it is, being one hundred eighty seven and I am a short five foot four. On to the setbacks or any hang-ups that might come along. I find that I do love chocolate and my cravings go nuts around the female time of the month. What I can do to help avoid the craziness is to make sure that I buy one pint of ice cream and that is all I have to make it last the week. Since the servings for one of those is typically run between 2-4 servings I will not eat way too much of it and probably only consume half a serving or less. I know that is cheating on my diet, but I feel like I would talk myself into binging and that would be worst than spreading out a couple servings of ice cream over the week. The one main motivation that I have for keeping true to my goals is that I simply cannot afford my bad habits anymore. Funny how that can be, but I cannot afford to keep buying new wardrobe every time I gain some weight. Clothes are expensive and I work a miminum paying job, so I find it difficult to have to keep paying a lot of money for things I cannot afford. My other motivator is that I am tired that when I climb the stairs I get winded, and since those stairs are to my apartment I am reminded every day. So I have every day reminders when I get to the top of the stairs tired or when I cannot get my jeans to fit right. I am not someone who is looking to lose some vanity pounds and I am also not looking to have a perfectly flat stomach, I am simply looking to slim down a bit and look healthy. How I will judge success is by how my body feels, I have been on my diet for a week know and I have already lost four pounds, before I wrote this paper I was already doing what I said for about a week. During that week I lost four pounds bring me down from one hundred ninety one pounds to the one eighty seven that I am now. The potential risks of me conintuing on the path that I was the next step, obesity. With mainly my fat being around my middle that increases my chances of having heart problems, high blood pressure, and many other awful problems that were avoidable if they were caused by me being obese. Since I am not conditioning or heavily exercising, I could keep this plan through my age with changing a few things depending how my health is through my life. When I grow older I will have to make sure that I get more calcium due to the fact that when I age my bones will be just as old and will need help and assistance in keeping their strength. Making sure I am getting enough fiber to keep my digestion, since I have noticed in my family we develop digestion issues, but usually everyone has digestion problems and their metabolism starts to slow down when we age. The changes in the weather will slightly affect my exercise plan more than anything. During the summer I can go swimming and take walks more often. The winter is so cold and that takes away both swimming and walking outside. Since I am starting my exercise and diet plan in the winter I will not be strayed due to the fact that I have to remain inside all of a sudden. I started doing my diet and my exercise plan during the winter. I am more active during the warmer months so that will help when it comes to me staying healthy and keep the calories burning. The only thing I see stopping me from keeping the weigh off is if I become pregnant, which I do want very badly. If I become pregnant I will have to increase my calorie intake to about 2,800 to help keep me and the baby healthy. Increasing the amounts of food I eat does not mean I get to eat whatever I want to have. Increasing the healthy foods I eat will help me staying on track with my diet and also give the baby healthy sustenance. Being pregnant will affect my exercise plan, instead of running on the elliptical I will take walks and instead of crunches I will focus more on dancing lightly. When I imputed dancing lightly in the mypyramid plan it was the activity that I did that burned the most calories and it is the one that would affect the baby less.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Bpo And Cloud Computing Contract Structure

Bpo And Cloud Computing Contract Structure There will be provision of a well-defined scope that includes proper identification of each proposed process. The contract should have a defined timeframe for how long the contract will be in effect, acknowledgment of project risks and how much it can run the company, whether there is flexibility in the budget and will we be guided by the scope or budget. With all these factors being addressed, the pricing structure most suitable for the proposed processes is the Unit-cost contract. This type of pricing structure will allow the vendor to charge us per unit, but it may be the better type as the company is steadily growing and cannot define the quantity of data we are seeking to store throughout the life of the contract. The quantity may vary and so will the total cost. Evaluation Criteria In an effort to select the company that best satisfies what we are looking for to fulfill our scope, here is a list of areas that we going to need to evaluate of the proposed vendors. This combination of criteria will prove which company is most suitable based on their evaluation. Understand the scope of work – the vendor needs to fully understand what it is we are looking for. We will provide a well-defined scope and we expect that the vendor can deliver what we ask for. Overall cost or financial proposal – since one of the company’s main reason to outsource is so that we can curb the expenses associated with doing it ourselves, the provision of a practical and transparent financial proposal is very important. Technical capability – the vendor will have the responsibility of providing strong the highly required strong technical support associated with data centers. Reputation/Experience/References – A company’s reputation is one of their strongest attributes. After we do our due diligence, we will determine that the vendor’s record can uphold to what we are seeking. Production capacity – Productivity along with efficiency is the key. The vendor should be able to produce a quality service. Business size and type – We need to analyze the business size and type to also ensure that they are qualified to carry our data weight. Timeline Select outsourcing team and manager. Identify main reason for outsourcing. Establish outsourcing objectives and service requirements. Develop request for proposal. Review proposals and conduct evaluation. Define scope and pricing/contract structure. Start and execute bidding process (amongst those considered). Select preferred vendor. Develop negotiation strategy. Thorough vendor due diligence. Produce Terms and conditions. Negotiate terms and conditions. Agree to terms and conditions. Administer contracts. Sign contracts. Correlation with COs and material There is a strong correlation with Cos and material. A strong correlation indicates how likely something is to happen a strong correlation means something is very likely to happen, or the occurrence of two things are greatly related.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Human Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human Psychology - Essay Example As a result, modern psychology is an amalgam of stances, theories and perspective that supplement or contradict each other. Functional psychology or functionalism is a broad psychological school that became popular in the early decades of 20th century. Advocates of functional approach focused on the active (functional) adaptation of human consciousness to the environment (Vandenbos, 2006). Functional psychology relied on the work of William James, a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher, and the evolutionary theory developed of Charles Darwin. The primary concern of functionalists was to understand how the human mind and consciousness functions. Functionalists believed that this could be done via introspection: "Functionalists studied the mind not from the standpoint of its composition-its mental elements of structure-but rather as a conglomerate or accumulation of functions and processes that lead to practical consequences in the real world" (Schultz, & Schultz, 2008, p.145). As a result, functionalists rejected the traditional positivist philosophy of experimental research and advocated the potential of rational thought being concerned with the capability of the mind and practical value of psychological research. The essence of functional psychology was articulated by John Dewey, the brightest representative of functionalism, in his "The Reflex Arc Concept in Psychology" (1896). Dewey criticized the notion of elementarism and atomism that dominated early psychology. His criticism also covered the emerging school of behaviorism with its stimulus-response theory (Dewey, 1964). Although functional psychology failed to become a formal school, the concepts and principles formulated by representatives of this approach contributed greatly to the development of behavioral psychology (Schultz, & Schultz, 2008). An essential contribution of functionalism was recognition of the validity of research involving animals, children and people with psychiatric disabilities. Yet the most important contribution of functionalism to contemporary psychological practice was introduction of novel research methods and techniques such as mental tests, questionnaires and physiological measures (Biro, & Shahan, 1982). T his legacy continues to play critically important role in modern psychological practice. Behaviorism The origins of behaviorist perspective, a theory successfully applied in modern psychological practice can be traced back to John Watson (1878 - 1958) whom was the first theorist to formulate the principles of modern behaviorism. The school of behaviorism embraces hundreds of theories, practices, and trends that have emerged over several decades. However, the underlying feature of any behaviorist theory or concept is the emphasis on external influences on behavior and motivation that are viewed as the most critical aspect of understanding the inner world of human beings. Thus, Wilfred Sellars (1963), an outstanding philosopher of the last century whom witnessed emergence development and decline of behaviorism noted "a person may qualify as a behaviorist, loosely or attitudinally speaking, if they insist on confirming hypotheses about psychological events in terms of behavioral

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Healthcare marketing the five Ps of healthcare marketing Assignment

Healthcare marketing the five Ps of healthcare marketing - Assignment Example Reading through the case, the most important strategic issue that CMC can be associated with is how to competitively win insurance holders from all walks of economic background to using its services. As it is now, the whole area of Fresno is noted to hardly embrace managed care and so there should be a strategy to making customers embrace this. With the strategic issue noted, it is expected that there would have been a strategic marketing plan that was designed to directly address the issue. This is because strategic marketing plans are useful only when they come to solve identified marketing problems (Good, 2008). specifically, the marketing plan should have made use of the focus strategic option to identify specific demographics whose managed care needs will be addressed directly. With the proposed strategic marketing plan and the outcome of the report, some of the foremost issues that should have gone ahead of positioning and promotion of CMC should have been the need for research and development (R&D) to understand the market, and also market feasibility to know the right marketing mix that works for this market. Elements of valid marketing plan that can be used include product or service, promotion, price, people, and purpose. These would help CMC to better position itself in a way that directly addresses the most salient needs it is faced with on the

Monday, August 26, 2019

Article Review on Technology in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article Review on Technology in Education - Essay Example The author describes the technology as the combination of a computer (coupled with internet connectivity) and a projector. The projector is used to create a touch-screen display on a whiteboard that might be mounted anywhere in the classroom. Koven (2008) stated that the touch feature of the screen enables the users to write and erase notes on the board and even control the computer applications that might be running on the computer. The author explains that screenshots can be taken of the board that would facilitate future reference to the information. Figure 1: Display of a mathematics problem with teacher’s notes on the interactive whiteboard (Koven, 2008) SMART Technologies Inc. (2006) stated that the interactive whiteboard provides the functionalities of a traditional blackboard since teachers and students can write on it with ease and it also serves as a multimedia connected to a computer that can project websites, images, videos, documents and applications to make the l ectures more interactive and interesting. The article discusses the advantages of interactive whiteboards in his paper and explains how this technology proves to even help students with special needs and disabilities.

Recruitment, Selection and Retention of Staff Procedures and Policies Essay

Recruitment, Selection and Retention of Staff Procedures and Policies - Essay Example The company has expanded its housing services all over the country therefore the company is considering to employ the best, qualified and experience country housing director who will oversee the company operation in all the established subsidiaries (Commonwealth Secretariat 2003). To have the process complete and successful appropriate recruitment and selection procedures has to be followed when carrying out this exercise. For a successful functioning of any company an effective recruitment, selection and retention of staff has to be established and all the policies and procedures underlying them followed to the latter. The effectiveness of this ensures that candidates with necessary expertise, skills and qualification are selected for a specified post in the company (Bizmanualz 2008). Recruitment, selection procedures acts a guideline in finding the right person for the right job at the right time and ensuring that they are kept in the company as they are important resource for the company. The formulation and the design of the recruitment selection and retention process, its procedures and policies in the recruitment, selection and retention of staff and employees in Aberdeenshire Housing Partnership Company is based on accountability, clear and suitable policies, team work and shared responsibility and executed by professionals who have the capability to deliver. With the effective coordination and communication between the various departments and the human resource department with it innovations this process can be carried out successfully thus challenges related to poor recruitment and selection are alleviated (Taylor 2002). The selection, recruitment of the country housing direction is a challenge to this company as it expands and its services having high d emand in Scotland. To ensure that a qualified candidate with relevant skills is selected for this demanding job the company has to come up with documentation on how the exercise has to be carried out. The human resource department in liaison with housing service department should execute the exercise using the guidelines provided by the

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Improving the Success Rate of Third grade students in solving Math Essay

Improving the Success Rate of Third grade students in solving Math word problems - Essay Example The data that has already been collected on the subject is a good starting point for further, more specific, research. In attempting to create a better learning environment for third grade second-language students, in particular those whose first language is Spanish, this basic research is most useful in devising a methodology conducive to higher achievement in school. The reason for undertaking such a project is simply due to the sheer numbers of students and citizens in the United States whose first language is Spanish, who are struggling to pick up English and use it effectively. Understanding the complexities of teaching bilingual students their second language will not only help them with daily conversation and interpretation of English but it will allow them to come to better terms with subjects that are not directly related to language learning, such as mathematics. To solve a mathematical word problem, the student must not only have the mathematical skills necessary to do so but he or she must also possess the ability to properly interpret the language. Word problems in math can be tricky because of the language itself; students who are fluent in English reading and writing can better interpret the meaning of these questions because they are so familiar with the language and its nuances. Second-language students will struggle to interpret the same problems, however, simply because they are working from restricted vocabularies and in transferring the words directly from English into Spanish for better comprehension may lose sight of the real meaning. Word problems are notorious for including extraneous information that fluent Anglophones are more capable of identifying; second-language students can find this process not only much more challenging but they also may not realize that extra information has been included at all. It is important in a ll cases for

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Is there 'one best way' to manage an organisation Essay

Is there 'one best way' to manage an organisation - Essay Example Organizational management is not one but a set of practices aimed at managing the business or an organization,its employees and other stakeholders.The set of practices for organizational management intends to bring the people of the organization into a common platform and instill common objectives in order to achieve the organizational goals.Managing an organization or a business includes an underlying plan of optimal allocation of resources in the business process and then establishing systems to control the performance of the organization in line with the set standards (White, 1926). Managing an organization effectively indicates good management of the employees and getting them aligned with the mission and vision of the organization. The roles and responsibilities of the manpower resources are allocated and expectations from the people of the organization are explained in the process of organizational management. Managing an organization The organization is a place where people fr om diverse background and having varying educational levels come to work in a common platform with their individual vested interests. It is obvious that the people in the organizational workforce would have different culture, habits, beliefs and ideologies. This would create differences between the manpower resources as well as alignment between manpower resources of same ideology. The result is the formation of several groups among similar people in the organization (Singla, 2013). ... The ways of managing an organization involve a set of practices which include planning, organizing, staffing, leading, control, management of time and motivating people to meet the organizational goals. Planning is the foremost step of managing an organization. In order to achieve the goals in line with the objectives of the organization, a proper plan should be prepared for implementation that takes into account the opportunities, limitations and risks associated with the process (Hatten, 2011). The planning not only includes the ways to manage the people and the workforce for carrying out the activities but also considers finances required and the available assets to carry out the business functions. The plan involves the budgeted expenses and the sources of finance in order to meet the expenses. Both the financial and the non-financial aspects are planned in order to effectively manage the organization. The next step is the organization of the resources as per the plan in order to fulfill the required usage. The resources that have planned for usage are allocated in the appropriate paces according to the fulfillment of the suitability criteria (Keith and  Gubellini, 1958). The organization of the resources including land, labor, capital and enterprises leads to the outcome of optimum results in the business process. The productivity levels of the organization are enhanced with proper organization and marshalling of resources. The tasks of the business process are completed in due time and this result in the increase in the business turnover. The profitability of the business could be maximized and this results in the generation of the desired cash flows. The

Friday, August 23, 2019

Immigration law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Immigration law - Essay Example Under the British immigration laws, deprivation of citizenship is under Section 40 of the British Nationality Act 19811. Deprivation of a citizenship can result into one being stateless as is in the Burnett’s Application [2010] NICA 22. Additionally, there has been an extension into the provisions for deprivation of citizenship by the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, and later by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 20063. Furthermore, the Secretary of State has power, as per Section 40 of the BNA 1981, to deprive one of their citizenship if such actions are for the public good4. The Carlos case thus falls under this category as such is considered an action that puts the public interest first. However, deprivation of the citizenship should not result into Carlos being stateless5. On the other hand, British nationals with dual citizenship are the ones affected by the requirement of not leaving one stateless. Just like in the case of Mahdi Hashi6, Carlos is deprived of his rights to live in the UK because of the â€Å"public good†. The UK law, however, allows one to appeal a decision in case deprivation leaves them stateless7. Entitlement to becoming British citizens falls under several categories. In the case of Frances, she has the right to be registered as a British citizen under the British law. According to the BNA s 1(4), children born in the UK and have lived there until the age of 10 years are entitled to be registered as British citizens. Given that Frances is 12 years and has lived in the UK her entire life, she is qualified to be registered as a British citizen. This is because she meets the minimum age requirement of 10 years of residence in the UK. However, Frances fails to qualify given that she is involved in a criminal activity. Shoplifting is a criminal offence hence she will be deemed of not good character8. Thus, despite the fact that Frances meets the legal minimum requirements, her involvement

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Information Gathering Obu Essay Example for Free

Information Gathering Obu Essay Every Research Report requires information as the basis for analysis. Information sources can be categorised as either primary or secondary data. There is no requirement for you to collect primary data within your Research Report; it is wholly acceptable to undertake your Research Report using only secondary data. The difference between primary and secondary data is identified below. Primary data is original data that has been collected by a researcher by whatever means appropriate in the answer of a specific research question. . e. it has been collected specifically for the Research Report. Examples of primary data include questionnaires, interviews, e-mail contacts and surveys. If you decide to collect primary data as part of your research work, then you should state and justify the following: ? The data collection techniques you intend to use e. g. questionnaires, interviews. ? Your sample size and an outline of your sampling strategy. ? The method you will use to select your sample and the likely response rate. If you intend to collect primary data from staff within your chosen organisation you must obtain permission to do this from a senior member of staff within the organisation. You should do this as early as possible during your Research Report, since if you are denied access to your desired information sources you may have to reconsider how to meet your project objectives and research questions. Secondary data is data that has been collected by others for their own purposes, but which may be used by a researcher for his or her different purposes. Examples of secondary data include reference material, books, CD ROMs and financial statements. You should always evaluate the appropriateness and relevance of secondary data sources. Information included in internet sources may not be reliable from an academic perspective and may not be appropriate for use in your Research Report. If you decide to use secondary data as part of your research work, you should state and justify your choice to do so. Where you use published secondary data you must provide precise references using the Harvard Referencing System. This is discussed in more detail in the following section. You must retain all of the information that you collected during your project work until you have received official notification of your RAP grade from Oxford Brookes University. This includes any questionnaire responses, copies of financial statements, extracts from journals, reports, magazines etc. Oxford Brookes University may wish to ask you to provide additional evidence of your information gathering following the marking of your Research and Analysis project.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Effect of culture in business Essay Example for Free

Effect of culture in business Essay 1. A growing number of Americans work for foreign-owned firms in the United States. Do you think that these American employees are being influenced by the foreign owners approach to management and the culture of the country of the owner? Because of globalization, businesses are open to do business in new markets and improving profits. Also because of globalization, companies are faced with different cultures, religion and norms. For a company to do business in another country, a manager needs to understand the differences associated with the host country. Globalization is defined as this interdependency of transportation, distribution, communication, and economic networks across international borders (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske, 2012, p 57). Each firm has their own organizational culture. According to Hellriegel, Slocum and Woodman (2001), organizational culture represents a complex pattern of beliefs, expectations, values and behaviors shared by organizational members. The knowledge of the culture in which an employee is working is crucial. In a dynamic and fast changing environment the inter and intra organizational behavior changes the productivity and growth trends (Chaturvedi, 2002). Because of the organizational culture most foreign-owned firms will tend to impose that culture on their employees. Just like U.S. companies settling abroad, foreign-owned companies will face some difficulties operating in a country with different culture. Based on Hofstedes research, which studies how values in the workplace are influenced by culture, four dimensions have been identified as explaining: Uncertainty avoidance: degree to which people are comfortable with ambiguous situations and with the inability to predict future events with accuracy (Gibson et al., 2012, p 69). Masculinity-Femininity: A culture that has a high masculinity orientation tends to emphasize on dominance, assertiveness, and interdependence. A culture with tendency of femininity orientation will emphasize more on interdependence, compassion, and emotional openness. Individualism-Collectivism: Tendency of a cultures norms and values to emphasize on satisfying individual needs or group needs (Gibson et al., 2012, p 69). Power distance: Degree to which members of a society accept differences in power and status among themselves (Gibson et al., 2012, p 69) Because each culture fits differently in the four dimensions, a foreign-owned firm will keep its own culture as it will be easier to deal with than having different organizational cultures in each country it operates. Americans who work for those companies are indeed influenced by their approach of management. 2. Assume that you want to develop your global skills so that you can pursue international assignments with your company. Identify five skills that you would want to develop and describe how you would go about improving these skills. Globalization is defined as this interdependency of transportation, distribution, communication, and economic networks across international borders (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske, 2012, p 57). Managers are more and more in contact with different cultures. According to HRMagazine (2012), business skills, clture and customs skills, geographic, political and economic skills need to be developed. Based on Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske (2012), the five main skills are: Global strategic skills: knowing how the economy (i.e. global financial markets), politics (i.e. foreign affairs, international law) are good ways for managers to know how to conduct business in another country. Team-building skills: Companies require more and more that their employees know how to work as part of a team. Team-building is a way to have more done more efficiently. A manager should know how to delegate work and know what each team members can or cannot do. Organization skills: It is important to know how employees react to certain management approach. McGregors motivational theory X and Y provides management approaches that can apply to motivate employees. Communication skills: Communication is essential when working abroad. It is imperative that a manager or employee be able to communicate with peers and superiors effectively. Transfer of knowledge skills: Learning about a practice, technique, or approach in one country that can be transferred elsewhere is a skill that managers can apply on a regular basis (Gibson et al., 2012, p 62). 3. Describe the attitudes a manager would need to be successful and effective in managing in India, China, and Saudi Arabia. A manager would need to have the same basic skills in order to a successful and effective manager in India, China, and Saudi Arabia. According to Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske Strong technical skills Good language skills Strong desire to work overseas Knowledge of the culture Well-adjusted family situation Spouse support Behavioral flexibility Adaptability Good relational ability Stress management skills According Goodall and Warner (2007), a manager who wants to work in China would need to be: Open-minded to the culture shock. Desire to learn the language and culture. Good communication skills. Strong organizational commitment: Think not what your company can do for you, but what you can do for your company (Goodall et al., 2007, p 13). In China, it is hard to retain employees due to the competition of labor. China does not have enough skilled labors and is experiencing tremendous growth economically. To be an effective manager, one should be able to retain employees and adapt to the culture in order to not lose such precious asset. According to Bhuian, Al-shammari, Jefri (2001), a manager needs have a strong organizational commitment, strong desire to work with foreign assignment, and especially good communication skills in order to work in Saudi Arabia. Trainings should be available to the expatriate manager. Gibson et al. identified three steps: Predeparture, which helps the manager prepare for the culture shock. Overseas Assignments, which is to help the manager ease into the culture. Having a mentor or a guide to introduce him or her to the culture. Repatriation, which is helping the manager adjusting back to his own culture when returning from assignment. References Assess-and improve-your global skills. (2012). _HRMagazine, 57_(8), 79. Retrieved from http://www.shrm. org/countryguides Bhuian, S. N., Al-shammari, E. S. and Jefri, O. A. (2001), Work-related attitudes and job characteristics of expatriates in Saudi Arabia. Thunderbird Intl Bus Rev, 43: 21-32. doi: 10.1002/1520-6874(200101/02)43:13.0.CO;2-B Chaturvedi, A. (2002). Organizational behavior. _Finance India, 16_(4), 1482-1484. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/224360708?accountid=6579 Gibson, J.G., Ivancevich, J.M., Donnelly, J.H., Konopaske, R. (2012). _Organizations: Behavior, structure, processes_ (14th ed.)_._ New York: McGraw-Hill. Goodall, K.L.N., Warner, M. (2007). Expatriate managers in China: The influence of Chinese culture on cross-cultural management. _Journal of General Management._ Retrieved from: http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/research/working_papers/2007/wp0701.pdf Hellriegel, Don, Slocum, John W. Woodman, Richard W.; Organizational Behavior, South-Western Thomson Learney, 2001, pp 671.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Great Northern Hotel Refurbishment Project Construction Essay

Great Northern Hotel Refurbishment Project Construction Essay A risk management report was undertaken to determine potential risks that may occur alongside the refurbishment of Great Northern Hotel. The chief executive of RAM-led consortium, which has been selected by Kings Cross Central to refurbish the Great Northern Hotel, appointed our team to identify, analyze and develop proper recommendations for managing potential risks. Our team used a cause-effect analysis based on a set of conclusions identified after several meetings with experts and brainstorming sessions to highlight areas of possible concern for the project. Another method used was to analyze historical records and reports from previous construction projects. The results of the report outline the fact that, without an accurate risk management applied before setting the baseline for the project, various factors may affect the overall duration and the necessary budget to refurbish the Great Northern Hotel. 2. INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY This report was requested by the chief executive of RAM-led consortium, before the beginning of Great Northern Hotel refurbishment. Our team was asked to submit its findings by 26th of May, 2010. The purpose of this report is to investigate what are the possible threats for this refurbishment project and to analyze how their impact can be minimized. Our team has responded to this request by developing a list of potential risks that might affect the refurbishment project and by carrying out a thorough risk analysis, as understanding the nature of risks is a precondition for a proper response, and also by suggesting appropriate recommendations for minimizing negative impact on the project. The objective of this report is not to eliminate risk or uncertainty, but to take a fundamental look into the future of the refurbishment project and to identify possible threats. By risk, our team understands the possibility of something happening that can affect the prospects of achieving project goals (Maylor, 2003, page 192). Nevertheless, our team also took into consideration several other risk definitions, all of them underlying the same idea. Some examples of definitions our team has worked with are listed bellow: Risks are those factors that may cause a failure to meet the projects objectives (Burke, 2003, page 253) Risk is the expected consequences of an event and the probability that the event might occur (Kendrick, 2003, page 2) The possibility of suffering harm or loss (Maylor, 2003, page 192) Considering its limitations of identifying all risks that might affect the refurbishment project as it is almost impossible to foresee all future events our team used these definitions in order to outline major areas of risks for construction projects, especially for the refurbishment project. To tackle risks, our team applied the risk management plan proposed by Burke (2003), which included the following steps: Identify and categorize risks Quantify and prioritize risks Develop risk response/managing risks Risk identification is considered to be the most significant part of risk management process (Burke, 2003), as risks that are not identified can have negative consequences on the project. For this step, our team chose to consider multiple techniques in outlining major areas of risk for the refurbishment project. Our main method implied categorizing risks, as this method can lead to the identification of specific problems (Kendrick, 2003). Our team mainly looked at projects objectives to define potential external and internal sources for risks. In doing this, our team focused on some of the methods indicated by Burke (2003), such as having meeting with experts and with members of the personnel to share risks experiences as previous experience can contribute to risk identification -, having constant brainstorming sessions and also analyzing historical records and reports on previous construction projects. After collecting results from the methods mentioned, our team applied a cause-effect analysis to identify risks for the refurbishment project. After having identified a range of potential risks, our team tried to measure the impact they could have on the project. Assessing how likely an event is to occur and determine the extent of the effect of the event (Maylor, 2003, page 195) is known in project risk management as risk quantification procedure. Risk quantification also implies undertaking a risk priority analysis (Burke, 2003), in order to establish what areas of risks to address first. For this maneuver, a Probability/Impact Matrix has been created to measure the level of risk and to prioritize potential risks. Final step undertaken by our team was to develop responses for the identified risks. In risk management, after identifying risks, they can either be reduced or mitigated in some way (Maylor, 2003). There are several procedures to respond to risks (Burke, 2003), among which: Eliminate risks avoiding the risk by removing cause (Burke, 2003, page 262) Mitigate risks reducing risk probability and impact (Burke, 2003, page 262) Deflect risks transfer the risk to another party (Burke, 2003, page 263) Accept risks As eliminating risks completely cannot always be a successful procedure, our team has chosen to combine the above mentioned procedures and offered solutions for eliminating, mitigating and deflecting risks. 3. FINDINGS 3.1 GENERAL CONSTRUCTION RISKS Before listing the results of the analysis undertaken for the refurbishment project, this report will outline some of the risks that are generally affecting construction projects. This information will contribute to a better understanding of potential risks a construction project may imply and it can influence part of the decisions concerning further risk monitoring and control for the refurbishment project. Based on data collected from meetings with experts and with members of the personnel, from brainstorming sessions and from the analysis of different reports of previous construction projects, out team concluded that there are several ways of classifying risks in construction projects. Our team has elaborated the following classification to underline possible areas of risks for construction projects: Financial risks which can include labor and material work or extra charges from contractors or suppliers Time risks which can include delays caused by different factors, major discrepancies between estimate and actual durations Technological risks which can include misinterpreted construction procedures or design assumptions or unplanned site conditions Socioeconomic factors such as environmental organizations or economic instability Organizational factors such as communication between workers, contractual relations Operational risks such as construction defects, labor risks, quality insufficiencies Generally, data analyzed revealed the fact that construction projects are more inclined to risks, as they rely on multiple factors to achieve their goals, such as material suppliers, labor force, site conditions, quality surveillance and fixed budgets. Moreover, results also suggested that construction projects have a higher degree of uncertainty than other types of projects, as they can be easily influenced and affected by weather condition or political and economic climate. The conclusion our team reached is that the refurbishment project can also be affected by the above mentioned factors and that a detailed risk management plan is compulsory to be developed for the project to reach its goals. 3.2 IDENTIFYING RISKS FOR REFURBISHMENT PROJECT Results collected from our meetings with experts and personnel members, from our brainstorming sessions and from the analysis of previous reports on construction projects indicated that for the refurbishment of Great Northern Hotel multiple areas of risks should be taken into consideration. From the areas identified, our team will outline through this report the first major categories of risks that could affect the refurbishment project. These categories are: Time risks Costs risks Quality risks A cause-effect analysis has been undertaken in order to identify time, costs and quality risks by considering the objectives of the refurbishment project. The findings are listed in the following pages. For a better understanding of our analysis, our team included the objectives of the refurbishment project. The project has three main objectives: Refurbish the Victorian-build Great Northern Hotel by early 2011 Constructing a new boutique hotel, with 94 luxury bedrooms, a bar and a restaurant by late 2011 Open the hotel in time for London Olympics 2012 By applying a cause-effect analysis, our team identified risks on time, costs and quality, their causes and effects. The risks are listed in the following pages: I. Time risks Severe delays in refurbishing the hotel Major differences between estimate time and actual time in constructing the new boutique, the bar and the restaurant Grand opening postponed with two months Workers strike Causes: Personnel causes illness, deaths Technical problems problems with work equipment Problems with suppliers equipments not delivered on time Weak communication among personnel Changes in contract between client and contractor Lack of risk management among workers Organizational culture conflicts Weather volatility Lack of detail work plans from contractor Necessary approvals not given on time Effects: Severe delays Slow progress Delays in money allocation for work equipment Project failure II. Costs Risks Insufficient budget for refurbishment Higher costs for construction of new boutique Currency fluctuation Hotel not opened in time for the Olympics Causes: Increases in labor and material costs from suppliers Higher bills from contractor on work progress Instable economy Emergency situation, such as extra equipment or extra personnel Effects: Over-budget Slow progress Activity stopped Project failure III. Quality risks Poor building condition Low quality refurbishment Weak structure for new construction Law quality of material used Causes: Unstable structure of old building Lack of professionalism Misinterpretation of work tasks Incorrect design assumptions Effects: Delays caused by additional works Objectives not achieved on time Over-budget Project failure RISK QUANTIFICATION Next step undertaken by our team was risk quantification, in order to measure risks probability and to establish their priority. This report includes a Probability/Impact Matrix for the risks identified. The Matrix has been developed using the analysis results following our meetings with experts and staff members, our brainstorming sessions and from the analysis of previous reports on construction projects. Risks Probability/Impact Matrix Probability and Impact have been rated on a scale from 1 to 4, where 1 = Unlikely/Minor, 2 = Possible/Moderate, 3 = Likely/Major, 4 = Almost certain/Critical Risks Probability Impact 1. Severe delays in refurbishing the hotel 3 4 2. Major differences between estimate and actual time in constructing new boutique, bar and restaurant 2 3 3. Grand opening postponed with 2 months 2 2 4. Workers strike 2 1 5. Insufficient budget for refurbishment 2 3 6. Higher costs for construction of new boutique 2 2 7.Currency fluctuation 2 1 8.Hotel not opened in time for the Olympics 3 4 9.Poor building condition 3 4 10.Low quality refurbishment 1 2 11.Weak structure for new construction 2 3 12.Low quality of materials used 1 1 By rating Probability and Impact for the identified risks, our team also prioritized them, as follows: I. Major risks (Major Impact, Likely Probability): Severe delays in refurbishing the hotel Hotel not opened in time for the Olympics Poor building condition II. Moderate risks (Moderate Impact/Possible Probability): Major differences between estimate and actual time in constructing new boutique, bar and restaurant Grand opening postponed with 2 months Insufficient budget for refurbishment Higher costs for construction of new boutique Weak structure for new construction III. Minor risks (Minor Impact/Unlikely Probability) Workers strike Currency fluctuation Low quality refurbishment Low quality of materials used RISK RESPONSE AND RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the results of risk identification, quantification and priority, our team makes the following recommendations: For eliminating risks, the client/contractor should: Obtain necessary approvals before starting the refurbishment Check material quality before beginning the refurbishment Before signing contract with suppliers, include statements on fixed costs and material delivery schedule/replacement Have more meetings between client and contractor before signing the contract, to clarify each detail Severely check workers background before hiring them For mitigating risks, the client/contractor should: Name a risk management committee and include a risk management plan Carry out condition surveys and measure surveys to establish building condition Elaborate a risk management plan focused on individuals Monitor timetables and ask for weekly detail work plans and proof on progress Include weekly quality controls Allocate extra money for unplanned events in the tendering period Include morning meetings with workers to explain details on tasks Offer common lunch for workers to improve communication For deflecting risks, the client/contractor should: Hire an Audit company to keep track of accuracy in billings and work progress 4. CONCLUSIONS This report outlines what potential risks can a refurbishment project encounter alongside its duration. By using appropriate methods for identifying the risks and their causes, the report highlights what impact these risks can have on the project and to what extent they can be measured and prioritized. The report also includes a set of recommendations for eliminating, mitigating or deflecting potential risks. By making this report, our team reached the following conclusions: Most decisions in construction projects are based on incomplete information with an associated level of uncertainty about the outcome (Burke, 2003, page 252) In construction/ refurbishment projects, level of uncertainty can reach a high level in multiple areas No project should start before developing a risk management plan Managing risks should follow fixed steps Identification, Quantification, Prioritizing and Risk response and use as many sources as possible when reaching these steps Risk response should combine different procedures to eliminate, mitigate, deflect or accept risks Before deciding for one of these procedures, a cost/benefit analysis should be undertaken For refurbishment projects it is very difficult to identify all risks, as they are more inclined to risks than other types of projects and can be easily affected by politics or by economic climate This report also includes outputs from Microsoft Projects on project scheduling, resources, task and finances developed by our team, in the Appendices chapter. This report counts 2365 words.

Monday, August 19, 2019

hiroshima :: essays research papers

Hiroshima traces the experiences of six people who survived the atomic blast of August 6, 1945 at 8:15 am. The six people vary in age, education, financial status and employment. Miss Toshiko Sasaki, a personnel clerk; Dr. Masakazu Fuji, a physician; Mrs. Hatsuyo Nakamura, a tailor's widow with three small children; Father Wilhelm Kleinsorge, a German missionary priest; Dr. Terufumi Sasaki, and the Reverend Kiyoshi Tanimoto are the six Hersey chose from dozens of people he interviewed. The book opens with what each person was doing moments before the blast and follows their next few hours, continuing through the next several days and then ending with their situation a year later. In the opening chapter, "A Noiseless Flash" he gives short scenarios of what each was doing moments before the blast and immediately after. At one point during the blast Dr. Sasaki says â€Å"Sasaki gambare!† which means be brave in English. The second chapter, "The Fire," picks up with each victim as they begin to realize their surroundings. All face a different sort of horror as they realize their lives have been spared yet the world as they knew it is gone. A quote by Miss Sasaki kind of sums up with this chapter is all about â€Å"I am lying here and I can’t move. My left leg is cut off.† "Details Are Being Investigated" is the title of the third chapter and as the title suggests, the people of Hiroshima are being bombarded with rumors about the bomb and eagerly await any official word. Information is scarce and the phrase "details are being investigated" is repeated throughout the city over word of mouth and other ways of communication. This chapter is the longest and talks about what is happening to the six as the day passes into night. At first I was confused by the title of the fourth chapter: "Panic Grass and Feverfew." But I later realized it was talking about the effect the bomb had on the growth of the wild flowers and plants around Hiroshima. Two of these plants that grew a lot around the ruins of the city were panic grass and Feverfew.

Romero Essay -- essays research papers

In the movie Romero, Archbishop Romero changes very much in his understanding of love and in his understanding of true conscience. At first Romero is just a priest who isn’t really concerned about the poor and how they are being oppressed, but when Romero is chosen to be the new Archbishop his friend, who is assassinated, I think has a slight impact on him. But I think when his friend is assassinated is when he really starts to realize what is happening to the country of El Salvador and how the government doesn’t want anyone to speak out about this. So, now Romero is starting to action against the government and tries to speak out against them. Here we see Archbishop Romero’s true conscience and love grow for the people around him because we see him taking more action against the government. I think that Archbishop Romero defines love as helping others who are in need and others who need his help whatever it may be. We see Romero do this when he starts to lead t he revolt in trying to tell the El Salvadoran Government to stop oppressing the poor and treat everyone as human beings. I think Romero has to make a very big decision considering, the gorillas were sending out flyers that said â€Å"Be a Patriot, Kill a Priest†. The decision that Romero had to make was whether or not to help the poor or just be a puppet for the cardinals that selected him to be a puppet in the beginning. I think the thing that made Romero choose to help out the poor was the love he had for them. I also be...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Missionaries in Pre-Colonial and Early Colonial Nigeria Essay -- Colon

Missionaries in Pre-Colonial and Early Colonial Nigeria In any study of colonial Nigeria, the groundwork accomplished by the missionaries in pre-colonial days must be a central concern. They were instrumental in setting the scene which would meet the colonists when they started arriving. Missionaries were used by the colonial power as an avant garde, to expand into new regions, a fact keenly displayed by Achebe in Things Fall Apart. For many Nigerians, missionaries were the first Europeans with whom they came into contact. The missionaries first made their presence felt through their work in abolishing the slave trade. As Crowder notes, they took the emphasis away from the ''human products'' of Africa in a bid to use more fully her abundant natural resources. The overall, and idealistic, aim was to promote a more healthy and mutually beneficial trade between Africa and Europe. Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton once put forward the argument that ''the only way to save Africa from the evils of the slave trade ... would be call out its own natural resources''(Crowder, The Story of Nigeria, 111). Right from the outset, there was both a commercial and religious context to all missionary work in Nigeria. If anything, it could be argued that initially, the commercial aspect was more pressing than the religious, due the urgent need to find a quick substitute for trading slaves so that the traders would not feel their profit was at stake. Outcry in England against the horrors of the slave trade reached unprecedented levels. Never before had there been such unanimous public support over a single issue. Cheap pamphlets and tracts were sold in abundance, meaning that the public was fairly well informed in matters such as the cramped and pes... ...y consulted their oracle. Yet, the underlying forces at work behind the missions, as well as their inextricable links with commercial activities should never be overlooked. From the outset, the missions were seen as ideal vehicles for gaining the trust and confidence of the tribal leaders, before the real monied interest moved in. It could argued that the missions were one part of the wheel of business and economics that starting to turn in Nigeria, while a substitute for slaves was sought. The humanitarian touch they seemed to bring disguised these motives behind a facade of peaceful and beneficent civilisation. It would be naive to assume that the missionaries were innocently unaware of the drastic consequences their opening of the African heartland would bring. In this sense they must, at least in part, be held answerable for the colonial predicament of Nigeria.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Digital Fortress Chapter 8

The twin-engine Learjet 60 touched down on the scorching runway. Outside the window, the barren landscape of Spain's lower extremadura blurred and then slowed to a crawl. â€Å"Mr. Becker?† a voice crackled. â€Å"We're here.† Becker stood and stretched. After unlatching the overhead compartment, he remembered he had no luggage. There had been no time to pack. It didn't matter-he'd been promised the trip would be brief, in and out. As the engines wound down, the plane eased out of the sun and into a deserted hangar opposite the main terminal. A moment later the pilot appeared and popped the hatch. Becker tossed back the last of his cranberry juice, put the glass on the wet bar, and scooped up his suit coat. The pilot pulled a thick manila envelope from his flight suit. â€Å"I was instructed to give you this.† He handed it to Becker. On the front, scrawled in blue pen, were the words: KEEP THE CHANGE. Becker thumbed through the thick stack of reddish bills. â€Å"What the†¦?† â€Å"Local currency,† the pilot offered flatly. â€Å"I know what it is,† Becker stammered. â€Å"But it's†¦ it's too much. All I need is taxi fare.† Becker did the conversion in his head. â€Å"What's in here is worth thousands of dollars!† â€Å"I have my orders, sir.† The pilot turned and hoisted himself back into the cabin. The door slid shut behind him. Becker stared up at the plane and then down at the money in his hand. After standing a moment in the empty hangar, he put the envelope in his breast pocket, shouldered his suit coat, and headed out across the runway. It was a strange beginning. Becker pushed it from his mind. With a little luck he'd be back in time to salvage some of his Stone Manor trip with Susan. In and out, he told himself. In and out. There was no way he could have known.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Conflict, Functionalist, Feminiist Perspective View on Prostitution

In sociology, conflict theory states that the society or organization functions so that each individual participant and its groups struggle to maximize their benefits, which inevitably contributes to social change such as changes in politics and revolutions. Prostitution is a way for an individual to maximize their monetary intake (benefit) by selling the thing that have readily, their bodies. Because this power that individuals have, the government had to come in and outlaw prostitution.The Conflict PerspectiveThe conflict perspective highlights the relationship between power in society and sex work. The laws that make prostitution illegal are created by powerful dominant group members who seek to maintain cultural dominance by criminalizing sexual conduct that they consider immoral or in bad taste.Conflict theorists argue that women become prostitutes because of structural factors such as economic inequality and patriarchy. Capitalism and patriarchy foster economic inequality betwe en men and women and force women to view their bodies as commodities.Conflict theorists suggest that criminalizing prostitution uniquely affects poor women, especially poor women of color, who are overrepresented among street prostitutes. The Functionalist PerspectiveThe functionalist perspective argues that the presence of a certain amount of deviance in society contributes to its overall stability. According to Emile Durkheim, deviance clarifies social norms and helps societies to maintain social control over people’s behavior. By punishing those who engage in deviant behavior such as prostitution, the society reaffirms its commitment to its sexual norms and creates loyalty to the society as people bind together to oppose this behavior.According to Kingsley Davis, in societies that have restrictive norms governing sexual conduct—including the United States—prostitution will always exist because it serves important functions:1) Prostitution provides quick, impe rsonal sexual gratification that does not require emotional attachment or a continuing relationship with another person2) Prostitution provides a sexual outlet for men who do not have ongoing sexual relationships because they are not married or have heavy work schedules3) It provides people with the opportunity to engage in sexual practices (e.g., multiple sex partners, fellatio, cunnilingus, anal intercourse, sadomasochism) that regular sex partners or spouses may view as distasteful or immoral4) Prostitution protects the family as a social institution by making a distinction between â€Å"bad girls† and â€Å"bad boys†Ã¢â‚¬â€with whom one engages in promiscuous sexual behavior—and those â€Å"good girls† and â€Å"good boys† with whom one establishes a family5) Prostitution benefits the economy by providing jobs for people who have limited formal education and job skills Some ask why prostitution spreads like a wildfire through our cities and st reets. This is an easy question for functionalists, prostitution flourishes because it satisfies sexual needs that are not able to be met elsewhere(Henslin 51). Prostitutes almost seem to serve as an outlet for sexually frustrated men. When a man is unable to find a partner he always holds the option of paying for sexual pleasure.A functionalist, Kingsley Davis, concluded that prostitutes provide a sexual outlet for men who: have difficulty in establishing sexual relationships, cannot find long-term partners, have a broken relationship, want sexual gratification that is defined as immoral, desire quick sexual gratification without attachment, are curious, and are sexually dissatisfied in marriage.From this it is shown that by meeting such needs prostitution functions as a form of social control over sexual behavior. This is beneficial because it brings men with sexual desires away from unwilling partners to partners that are willing but for a certain price. This undoubtedly helps br ing down the number of rapes and sexual assault for any given society. Also it brings in trashy hookers or prostitutes that seem to degrade any given city or  society.The functionalist theory is the best way to view prostitution through a sociological perspective. Functionalists see prostitution as a means of controlling or channeling sexual behaviors (Henslin 53).Prostitutes meet the needs of men who otherwise do not have women always available to them. Also it meets the needs of a man because it is inexpensive, non emotional and a fleeting relationship. Through looking at prostitution we see that it persists because it serves social functions.This works by servicing people who are sexually frustrated. Prostitutes relieve pressures that otherwise might be placed on people who are unwilling to participate. Without the aid from prostitutes stimulating the un-stimulated, there might be other social problems that become bigger issues such as, rape sexual assault, kidnap and many more . Functionalism allows seeing each function that prostitution serves in a society.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Mcmillan

There are many ideas that revolve around what is quality assessment. What can be done to make sure that we are ‘building proficiency in basic skills, closing achievement gaps, and fostering the top notch knowledge and skills that students will need in a competitive global society’ (Scherer, 2009, p. 5). The following paper identifies five key aspects of what represents quality assessment. The method of assessment can influence a student’s motivation and achievement. A student’s performance can be improved through their involvement in the assessment process and enable them to take responsibility for their own learning. McMillan states that by allowing a student to be involved in the grading criteria and apply those criteria to their work a teacher may increase the student’s motivation to learn and succeed. (McMillan 2000) Every student has an individual learning style, McMillan states that using multiple methods of assessment a teacher can shape the way students understands, processes, and uses information. By doing this a complete picture of what students understand can be compiled. Using multiple methods can assist to address each student's strengths and weaknesses. (McMillan 2000) Just as assessment impacts student learning and motivation, it also influences the nature of what is being taught. (McMillan, 2000) McMillan states that when assessment is incorporated with instruction it informs teachers what activities and assignments would be most useful, and what level of teaching is appropriate, where her students are, when to ask more questions, when to give more examples and what responses to student questions is most appropriate (McMillan 2000). Fair and ethical assessment ensures that all students are given a level playing field, which they are given the opportunity to demonstrate what they know. The Standards presents four views of fairness: as absence of bias (e. g. , offensiveness and unfair penalization), as equitable treatment, as equality in outcomes, and as opportunity to learn. ’ (McMillan 2000) Teachers have limited time, they need to be able to achieve a balance between providing to provide a full understanding of study material and score re sults. Therefore the efficiency of assessments needs to be considered. There are many facets that exist within the process of assessment that can influence a student’s enthusiasm and achievement. Teachers need to recognise the ability of students to take control of their own achievement and accept responsibility for their own learning. Clay, M. (2002) An observation survey of early literacy achievement. New Zealand. Heinemann Education. Code of fair testing practices in education (1988). Washington, DC: Joint Committee on Testing Practices (American Psychological Association). Retrieved from http://ericae. net/code. htm McMillan, J. H. (2001). Essential assessment concepts for teachers and administrators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Publishing Company. McMillan, James H. (2000). Fundamental assessment principles for teachers and school administrators. Practical Assessment, Research ; Evaluation, 7(8). Retrieved from http://PAREonline. net/getvn. asp? v=7;n=8 McMillan, J,H. (2011). Classroom Assessment Principles and practice for effective standards-based instruction. Boston USA: Pearson Education Inc. Schafer, W. D. (1991). Essential assessment skills in professional education of teachers. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 10, (1), 3-6.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Briefly Outline the Distinctive Features of the Sociological Approach to Understanding Human Life and the Illustrate How You Would Use Sociology to Make Sense of Globalisation.

Sociology is the systematic, sceptical and critical study of the way that people do things together . It’s not a science that simply lists facts and figures about society. Instead it becomes a form of consciousness, a way of thinking, a critical way of seeing the world. It welcomes you to challenge the obvious, to question the world as it is taken for granted and to de-familiarising the familiar. This is what empowers critical thinking which triggers the development of the understanding of the human life. The aim of this essay is to outline the sociological approach to understanding human life , to explore the different sociological perspectives , to question the reliability of the different forms of research and to emphasise the key elements that make sociology different to other ways of exploring the human life. Finally I shall be illustrating its approach with regards to my biography. Peter Berger distinctive approach to understanding human life was characterised by seeing the general as the particular. This meant that sociologist can identify general patterns of social life by looking at concrete examples of social life. The genesis of this approach is when we realise how the general categories into which we happen to fall shape our particular life experiences. Berger feels that the general impact of society on the actions, thoughts and feelings of particular people are made evident in the way that societies view change over time. For example the views on inequality have changed since the start of the 21st century. Another sociological approach to sociology is seeing the strange in the familiar, â€Å"the first wisdom of sociology is this , things are not what they seem â€Å", Bauman. This is the approach where you have to â€Å"de- familiarise the familiar† , which means that when your approaching to understand human life you have to look at it with a sense that people do not decide what to do but instead society guides their thoughts and deeds. So in essence sociology sets out to show the patterns and processes by which society shapes what we do. C. Wright mills approach to understanding human life was to show that most of our problems were not caused by us but from society. He felt that â€Å"The sociological imagination â€Å" was a way of understanding that social outcomes are shaped by social context. He claims that some things in society lead to certain outcomes. â€Å"when a society becomes industrialised , a peasant becomes a worker . â€Å" Therefore the things we do are shaped by the situation we are in, the values we have. I believe that all three approaches differ ut where they all overlap is in their belief that a person must be able to pull away from the situation and to think from an alternative point of view. To acquire real knowledge is to go against the status quo. 1. ‘The first wisdom of sociology is this: things are not what they seem (sociology global intro p. 5) 2. C. Wright Mills. 1959. ‘The promise’ in The Sociological Imagination New York: 3. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/C. _Wr ight_Mills 4. Macionis, 5th edition , chapter 1 5. Berger, Peter Invitation to sociology . New York , 1963 With regards to perspectives in understanding human life there are two which are prominent. The first is the functional perspective, this recognises that our lives are guided by social structures. It therefore organises sociological observation by identifying various structures of society and investigating the function of each one. This is a building block for theories that see society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. One of the problems I have with this perspective is that it evokes that society is organically stable, I also questions how we can assume that society has a natural order when social patterns change from location and time. The second sociological perspective is the conflict perspective . this analysis points out that, rather than promoting the operation of society as a whole , social structure typically benefits some people while depriving others, for example the rich in relation to the poor. So sociologist such as Marx that belong to this school of thought try to understand society at the same time change it . The problem here is that as this perspective highlights inequality and undermines unity among members in a society. The aim of this perspective is to pursue political goals , it overlooks scientific objectivity. The other side of the sociological approach to understanding human life is to conduct sociological investigation in order to find out what is sociologically true. There are many different areas of thought which have different angles on what is scientifically true. Positivism suggests that sociological/scientific truths are based on empirical evidence. So for example Berger approach of seeing the general within the particular would coincide here. The reliability of sociological truths do have limitations , for example Peter Berger social patterns change constantly, what is true in one society and in one particular time may not hold truth in another. As opposed to the laws of mathematics, they are universal truths and are immutable. This all evaporates to the argument of common sense versus scientific evidence, and leads to conclusions that sociology should adopt a more humanistic discipline when it comes to understanding human life. This is what differentiates sociology when it comes to other ways of exploring human life. The is because sociology pays more tribute to subjectivity, public opinion and examines how individuals behave to social constrains. This is something which is not evident in a scientific truth or theory. I shall now be making sense of my biography using sociology. The first step will be to consider my biography in a broader view. I have a very healthy family structure with both my parents happily married. Although we are catholic my parents have had a liberal approach in bringing me up. We have been a victim of crime when we were living opposite a council estate where they stole my father’s car. I am half Colombian, middle class and male. I believe that this trait has made me part of the sociological movement of Colombians who have immigrated to the west and choose to not be judged on the stereotypical Colombia (drug dealer ) but on the context of our character. I believe in terms of historical context I am part of the second generation of immigrants, this means that I have been given the opportunity to go to university , take advantage of great health care and go to top state schools where I have been able to mix with upper middle class children. I chose to use a historical context because In† the sociological imagination â€Å" , Mills claimed that we can only understand human life by â€Å"locating himself within his period†. This is because he felt that human choices are dictated by the times in which you live . Given the calibre of education I received at 6th form as was able to acquire a placement at a top carbon brokerage in the city . So I have never been effected by the economic downturn in this country . I was bought up in the 90’s the decade where computers/internet became accessible to most people. My parents always encouraged me to learn as much as possible online, aiding me to have extensive financial acumen, making me effective at my internship. I could of easily have stayed at this job but I decided to go to university. I am not a hundred per cent which social norms caused me to do this, was it to be perceived as an intelligent individual with a degree , was it effective government propaganda in order to have less under 21 in the job market or was it to simply promote inequality. A lot of people argue that going to university promotes this because only middle class children who have the money to pay the fees , who have been to top school that have aided their application or have the support of their academic parents are in a head start position compared to ethnic minorities from run down institutions whose parents have no idea of what upper education entails. In conclusion I feel that sociology has an effective approach to understand human life. It uses a humanistic science which develops as society does. The social sciences adopt scientific methods in the investigation of human behavior on the other hand sociology studies human society as Berger would say by â€Å"seeing the general in the particular†. Furthermore sociology encourages us to question the familiar , helping us to separate fact from fiction. You could argue that this is what has triggered the great minds such as Albert Einteirn. Sociology also helps us to differentiate opportunities and constrains that shape our lives , like I did in my biography where I have had the opportunity to attended a reputable state school which has opened many doors for me but I have also faced constrains with being stereo typed as a Colombian drug dealer. Bibliography ‘The first wisdom of sociology is this: things are not what they seem (sociology global intro p. 5) C. Wright Mills. 1959. ‘The promise’ in The Sociological Imagination New York: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/C. _Wright_Mills Macionis, 5th edition , chapter 1 Berger, Peter Invitation to sociology . New York , 1963

Bank Muscat is the chief financial services giver situated in Coursework

Bank Muscat is the chief financial services giver situated in Sultanate Oman in southwest Asia - Coursework Example The bank through its products and services to the customers has maintained a top position in the best banks in the region, for over six years. It has also received other rewards in the last several years to recognize its exemplary products and services (BANK MUSCAT 2012). The biggest achievements of Bank Muscat in the last few years are attributed to their strategic capabilities in the market. In addition, the bank’s exploitation of their market strengths results to well deserved competitive advantage over the other financial service providers (ALLARD 2004). Reports indicate that the bank’s capabilities lie in their ability to implement high levels of accounting standards, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, partnership and alliances, revolutionary products, and regulatory compliance. The accounting standards represent the principles that guide accounting practices. The International Accounting Principles (IAP) are accounting standards that are widely accept ed as apt to the field of accounting (GROSSMAN & LIVINGSTONE 2009). The Bank Muscat ensures that they maintain high levels of these standards that entail how the bank prepares and presents its business income and expenses, its assets and liabilities (STICKNEY 2010). As a result, the customers are attracted by the transparency provided by the bank regarding their operations. An increase in the number of customers served daily enhances the competitive advantage of the bank. As a result, an increase in the customer base enhances profitability for the bank in the long-run (ALLARD 2004). Corporate governance is the set of systems and principles used to govern an organization such as Bank Muscat. It offers the rules of how the organization can be controlled in order to achieve their objectives (BESLEY & BRIGHAM 2011). Furthermore, Bank Muscat has received several awards in the implementation of corporate governance. This is because corporate governance is done in a manner that adds value of the bank and proves beneficial to the stakeholders in the long-term (STEGER & AMANN 2008). The bank’s stakeholders include the shareholders, customers, management, and other individuals involved in the welfare of the organization. In 2012, Bank Muscat received the prestigious Hawkamah Bank Corporate Governance Award. The award honors the bank’s efforts of improving their corporate governance practices further than the legal and regulatory obligations imposed by their relevant jurisdictions. This entailed the introduction of an exceptional approach to various corporate governance areas and the corporate social responsibility. As a result, the employees work to their full potential thus providing excellent services to their customers. This leads to the creation of customer loyalty thus maintaining the banks competitive advantage over their competitors (EVANS 2002). Mergers and acquisitions, partnerships and alliances, are key Bank Muscat capabilities that have led to improved competitive advantage over competitors (BRUIJN 2002, COYLE 2000). It entails a corporate strategy that brings separate entities together to form larger business organizations (AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION 2006). It also involves the assimilation of smaller businesses to a large corporation to minimize competition. Bank Muscat has exercised the mergers and acquisition activity to continue amassing customers and increasing profitability

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Film - Essay Example This was because they aimed at putting across to many people about their philosophy, as they worked on a minimal budget. For this reason, they used techniques like jump cuts. These are strident edited cuts, which occur unexpectedly. It was done by changing the angle of the camera to less than thirty degrees, and it had a disturbing effect on the viewer (Greene 45). This was for saving costs but not to rush the movie. Another technique is the improvised film making. This is whereby shooting was usually done in public places, constructed plots on the go and dialogues were constructed. This captured a spontaneity and vibrancy, which no other film could match. There was also the use of natural sound, whereby, the New Wave did not remix their sounds. A natural sound, recorded during the shoot was used instead. Even  though, it had intrusions and mistakes, it was still used. This gave the films a sense of energy and freshness. It also uses hand held devices that are easy to maneuver with. This enabled them to take long shots and flow the camera, they could also shoot in tight areas that gave an illusion of bulkiness and intimacy. The term auteur was coined to mean that a movie of a particular writer, director or author was not similar to any other movies. Therefore, the New wave directors strived to make unique movies. They also placed homage to films that were before their work. This is evident in movie genres like Jerry Lewis comedies and crime movies (Greene 84). In conclusion, these techniques have been widely adopted by film makers, and have proved to be beneficial to them and to the audience. However, the question to be answered is whether the techniques used in the French new wave are still relevant

Monday, August 12, 2019

Annotated Bibliograpy. Environmental Change and Challenge Essay

Annotated Bibliograpy. Environmental Change and Challenge - Essay Example It is also important for the world to embrace the need for scientific concepts in the study and understanding of the global environment (Dearden and Mitchell 89). They further say that the environmental change in the West has played a significant role in the state of the region in the modern day. In Ammons poem he advocated for proper dumping of wastes. The need of proper dumping programs is the key to a pollution free environment. The increasing sizes of dumping sites are alarming to the environment. Each and every day the society faces cases of environmental degradation through inappropriate dumping and emissions of waste (Ammons, par 6). Cultural Trash: Waste In The West A.R. Ammons. Corsons Inlet; The City Limits; Garbage Dearden, Philip. & Bruce, Mitchell. Environmental Change and Challenge. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print Garbage has been one of the emerging problems in all countries including the United States. In referring to garbage, many environmentalists refer to dumping as an environmental hazard. Apart from dumping the society faces affects of industrial wastes. Generally, it can be referred as pollution through emission of waste. With the increasing population it is obvious to conclude with the assumption that the waste levels in the United States are significantly increasing. This begs the question; where does all this waste go to? Are they properly disposed? What does the government contribute to see appropriate disposal programs? As much as there is improvement in disposing regulations, they are not enough to ensure the people that the environment has become waste free. In years dumping sites have been the most contested issues for the activists, industries and the government locking horns on the location of dumping sites. Activists always believe that every location across the state is no t an option for a location of a dumping site. Activists advocate for a dumping site free environment. According to Dearden and Bruce, the government has the financial resources to recycle all the waste produced by the population (45). Apart from recycling, activists also advocate for the government intervention in the evaluating materials used in manufacturing products. With proper evaluation, there is the possibility that non biodegradable items will not find their way into the society. In an argument by Ammons, an appropriate measure to stop dumping is to tackle the problem right from the production face (par, 9). Environmental friendly packaging should be advocated for. Packaging materials form almost 90% of the total waste dumping. Population dumping is usually small scale if compared to industrial waste emission. Different from population dumping, industrial dumping constitutes of more hazardous chemicals and metal bits. If industrial dumping is properly dealt with, the polluti on status of the whole environment could be decreased by 70% (Dearden and Bruce, pp. 87). In the modern society, industrial evaluation and certification process covers the safety of emissions to the environment. In recent years, most industries have opted to join the go green campaign by using environmental friendly products and minimizing emissions. This trend is improving but in a slow motion. The government has fiercely joined in the fight for the controlling of industrial emissions. However, some mega companies and industries still have the green light to process goods with very great effect to the environmen

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Business Idea Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business Idea Evaluation - Essay Example The article also brings to light the strategic benefit of aligning the innovation strategy with the ecosystem and what a successful innovation evaluation model should seek to measure. Innovation is the key to business success. In order that it reigns supreme and contributes to increasing profitability it must be managed carefully. Organizations must create and sustain a creativity supporting culture through routines, rituals as well, control systems, symbols and systems. Organizations endeavour to instil some form of entrepreneurial spirit amongst their employees [15]. Ever since the discipline of management came into being, various models and criteria have been established to evaluate business ideas and propositions. In theory, these criteria should be able to assess the idea on many different dimensions. These include; "market opportunity, competition, the marketing system, financial factors and production factors." [1] Innovation is not just the domain of R& D. It exists everywhere, at all levels and all areas of the organization. However, not many companies know how to learn from this innovation and use it to improve the overall effectiveness of the organization. Also, "Starting a business is easy. Deciding on what business to engage in is the difficult part. There are literally hundreds of ideas you might think of that could bring in extra income. How do you know which of these business ideas will bring you success" A business idea is the 1st step in setting up a business. It's the beginning of the business development process. Since the concept behind a business is to make money, a business idea should be something people will be willing to buy, hence it should satisfy the value proposition. This is the unique value that a product has that a product brings to its customers. Business ideas usually start on a broad scope. These are then narrowed down keeping market conditions, customer requirements and business resources in mind.[21] Business models have been set out to assess the viability of a new idea. These are usually focused on a certain aspect of the innovation. In practice, a host of models are put to use for a comprehensive evaluation. While certain approaches are centred around the financial feasibility of the new venture such as Return on Investment and Net Present Value, others are more qualitative in nature. However, all of them have certain drawbacks and specific advantages. There is no best approach for any idea and many ideas must be evaluated keeping in mind variables such as type of industry, type of product, type of market etc. The Buyer Utility Map The Buyer Utility Map is a comprehensive tool used to evaluate the utility of a business idea for the target consumer. It focuses on the six stages of buyer experiences; purchase, delivery, use, supplements, maintenance and disposal. These are matched with the six utility levers which include