Management (wider environment) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management (wider environment) - Essay Example e therefore being pressurised to consider the welfare of the communities within the environs of their operations particularly among the economically and physically challenged communities as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Among the developing countries, TNCs are looked upon as the critical stimulus for growth with far more essential impact than local governments often mired in corruption and mismanagement. The Britannica Concise Encyclopaedia defines globalisation as ‘the process by which the experience of everyday life, marked by the diffusion of commodities and ideas, is becoming standardized around the world (Britannica.com, 2009). The Bankingdictionary.com describes it in financial terms as the ‘interdependence of buyers and sellers of financial instruments in financial centres around the world.’ The Small Business Encyclopedia however gives it a broader meaning, describing it as ‘the process by which the economies of countries around the world become increasingly integrated over time. This integration occurs as technological advances expedite the trade of goods and services, the flow of capital, and the migration of people across international borders.’ (Bhagwati, 2004) According to a World Bank definition, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), ‘is the commitment of businesses to behave ethically and to contribute to sustainable economic development by working with all relevant stakeholders to improve their lives in ways that are good for business, the sustainable development agenda, and society at large’ (World Bank, 2001). Marks & Spencer (M&S) is a UK based retailer with 895 stores in over forty countries though only a third overseas. Its main product lines include garments, foodstuff, household goods, hospitality, furniture, apparatus, beauty, banking and energy products (Marks & Spencer, 2009). Although it has in recent years virtually stabilized, it had turbulent times in the 1970s to late 1990s when it

First Confission Essay Example for Free

First Confission Essay The opening sentence drew me in: All the trouble began when my grandfather died and my grandmother my fathers mother came to live with us. We learn that the grandmother, a country woman, is unsuited to life in town. She walks around the house barefoot, eats with her fingers, and drinks quite a bit of porter straight from the jug. The narrator, a seven-year-old boy named Jackie, is mortified by this behavior, while his older sister Nora sucked up to the old woman for the penny she got every Friday out of the old-age pension In one instance, we find Jackie, who refuses to eat any meal prepared by his grandmother, hiding under the table threatening to protect himself with a butter knife as Nora tries to force the food upon him. Jackie is preparing for his first confession and communion. The teacher, who talks mostly about hell, has scared him to death. When the day of confession arrives, Jackies mother sends Nora to accompany him to the church. Now that girl had ways of tormenting me that Mother never knew of. She held my hand as we went down the hill, smiling sadly and saying how sorry she was for me, as if she were bringing me to the hospital for an operation. Oh, God help us! she moaned. Isnt it a terrible pity you werent a good boy? Oh, Jackie, my heart bleeds for you! How will you ever think of all your sins? Dont forget you have to tell him about the time you kicked Gran on the shin. Nora goes to confession first. Noras turn came, and I heard the sound of something slamming, and then her voice as if butter wouldnt melt in her mouth, and then another slam, and out she came. God, the hypocrisy of women! Her eyes were lowered, her head was bowed, and her hands were joined very low down on her stomach, and she walked up the aisle to the side alter looking like a saint. You never saw such an exhibition of devotion; and I remember the devilish malice with which she had tormented me all the way from our door, and wondered were all religious people like that, really. Jackies turn follows. The description of the confession is quite comical and well worth reading. The entire piece is about five pages long and can be found  here. I loved this story and will look for others by Frank OConnor.

Essay --

Revelation No other book of the Bible and its interpretation is more controversial than the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation, written by John, is the last book in the New Testament and perhaps the most important book of the Bible. Revelation enforces the importance of faith and obedience to the concept of Christianity by describing God’s plan for the world and his final judgment of the people. Revelation answers the question of what the future holds for this planet and its inhabitants. While it is a sobering reality for those who have fallen astray, it can be a great comfort for believers. The book of Revelation is somewhat troubling to read because it is a forecast of God’s wrath upon humanity, and it is filled with warnings to the church to remain loyal and obedient so that they may avoid eternal damnation. Most other books in the Bible are concerned with teaching the church how to live in such a way that we will be at home in the New Jerusalem. The book of Revelation, however, tells the church why it is important to live according to God’s will in hopes that the church will be on the favorable side of God’s judgment. In comparing the book of Revelation to the apocalyptic themed movie Contagion, it is important to realize that Contagion’s plot revolves around an event that causes widespread havoc and could have ended humanity, but never actually does. Revelation, on the other hand, speaks of God destroying the earth and then creating a new earth. The movie Contagion is about the threat posed by a deadly, highly communicable, flu-like virus that spreads a disease with no known cure, kills within hours of the onset of symptoms, and results in mass casualties. As you can imagine, this causes widespread panic and global ch... ...emain loyal and obedient to his teachings no matter what hardships they may face. I believe that this is God’s way of warning his people and attempting to save them from the fate of those who have fallen away from the Lord’s will. To be human means to always be faced with a choice of which path to go on. Whether we chose to follow God or to go our own way will ultimately decide our fate and that is something that we cannot say of animals or other life forms. What it means to be human cannot be answered without acknowledging the fate of humanity, and Revelation provides us a glimpse of what that is. For some, what is means to be human will mean to be thrown into the lake of fire with Satan being eternally separated from the goodness of God, and for others, what it means to be human will mean to live forever on a perfect earth surrounded by the love of a perfect God.

Wilkie Collins’ The Woman In White: 19th Century Victorian femininity e

Wilkie Collins’ The Woman In White: 19th Century Victorian femininity exposed through the accounts of multiple narrators Readers of nineteenth century British literature imagine typical Victorian women to be flighty, emotionally charged, and fully dependent on the men in their lives. One envisions a corseted woman who is a dutiful wife, pleasant entertainer, and always the model of etiquette. Wilkie Collins acknowledges this stereotype in his novel The Woman in White, but he contradicts this image by creating strong women in the characters of Marian Halcombe, and to a lesser extent, of Laura Fairlie. Collins also explores these powerful women in relation to marriage, and their loss of identity in becoming a wife, as exemplified by Madame Fosco. He reveals personal details about the women by employing a journal-style novel, one in which most characters have the ability to describe the action in their own words and thoughts. In this way, Collins can craft a mystery where both sexes are in a constant power struggle and the women are as well-equipped to be detectives as the men. The character of Laura Fairlie is an interesting one to explore; on one hand, she appears to be the embodiment of Victorian sentiment. Laura is emotional and considered very feminine by all narrators in the novel, and initially seems to be controlled by men because of the promise she makes to her father on his death-bed. Her consent to this loveless marriage with Sir Percival Glyde also proves her to be stronger than an average Victorian woman might be; she is a moral, respectable woman, whose conscience will not let her betray the promise to her father for an alternative escape. The reader first meets Laura through Walter Hartright’s eyes, and... ...ntellect with regard to detection and solving a mystery. In The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins employs a changing narrator that gives voice to powerful women and their struggle against the oppressions of marriage. With the characterizations of Marian Halcombe and Laura Fairlie, he dismisses the outmoded notions of Victorian womanhood, and places equal power between the men and women in his novel. Madame Fosco is representative of the passive Victorian woman, and her extreme change in character forces the reader to examine the negative aspects of marriage for these women more closely. With the distinct accounts of different authors, the reader is able to gain insights into these women and their motives for accepting or denying their gender roles in the novel. Works Cited Collins, Wilkie. The Woman In White. Oxford University Press, Inc: New York. 1996.

Martin Gansberg Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder and Didn’t Call the Police Essay

The article by Martin Gansberg, Thirty-eight who saw murder and didn’t call the police, is about an isolated event. I don’t think something like this happens a lot. Normally people would call the police or do something to help the victim. But unfortunately sometimes people can be very cold or even cruel, like in this case. Some people just don’t care about what is going on around them, if someone is in need of help or some cooperation. It’s more typical for those who live in big cities because in a busy urban life, in the crowd current they don’t have a time to stop and analyze what would be the right thing to do and they just don’t want to get involved and put themselves in troubles. In small towns people are more responsive, and the situation like this would less likely to happen. Another thing that is influent is crime and violence scenes that people constantly see on television, internet, movies. People getting used to seeing that on tv all the time in real life perceive it like another show and just watch without any action and some of them even get excited about how it’s all going to end. Luckily I have never been in situation when I had to report a crime in progress, but I know if something happens I am not going to stand there and watch. And hopefully I will never get in situation when I’m the one who needs help and no one helps. The opening line of the Martin Gansberg’s article â€Å"Thirty-eight who saw murder and didn’t call the police† states: â€Å" For more than half an hour 38 respectable, law-abiding citizens in Queens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks in Kew Gardens. † But it doesn’t mean that they were staying around like in arena watching the killer slaughtering a victim from the very beginning to the end. The author uses little exaggeration to dramatize what happened. It may not be the fact but it expresses author’s position. It shows how angry and disappointed he is, it shows his condemnation. Although writers, especially reporters, have an ethical responsibility to be accurate, little exaggeration and distortion can take a place, what can help author to express their position and their point of view. What matters is what exactly and how much has been distorted. For example, article says that the killer made three attempts to kill the woman. If indeed the victim died from the first attempt and the killer run away after that, but author changed the story to make it more dramatic, that would be very serious distortion of the story.

9 Phone Interview Tips That Will Land You A Second Interview

9 Phone Interview Tips That Will Land You A Second Interview So you have followed all the best resume tips and land yourself a job interview. You’re prepared to interview. You’re just not prepared to do it on the phone. Make sure to go over these 6 hardest interview questions. Here are 9 ways to adapt your interviewing strategy to the phone format, without losing your cool.1. Be readySometimes you’ll be notified to schedule. Sometimes the call will come straight out of the blue. If you’re not somewhere where it would be convenient or possible for you to chat, ask the interviewer if it would be possible to find a mutually suitable time. If not, don’t panic: you can do it. Just muddle through. Once you’ve applied for a job- any job, make sure you start mentally preparing for the interview in case you find yourself thrown into one just by picking up the phone!2. Be organizedHave a copy of the job description and whatever information you’ve gathered about the company at your fingertips before the ca ll begins. While you’re at it, make sure to also have a copy of your resume and your application materials as well. Otherwise, the interviewer will be able to hear that frantic stalling and rustling around.3. Be preparedThe phone interview is just like any other interview. You should be well versed in your answers to common interview questions, or questions you think will be likely to come up for that particular position. The only difference is you’ll have to be charming without your knockout smile and friendly face. Try compensating with more vivid answers. And cut the rambling and verbal fillers like â€Å"um,† which will stand out more over the phone.4. SmileSeriously. Not only can people hear the difference when someone is smiling over the phone, smiling will have a massive effect on your demeanor. You’ll sound much more upbeat and confident. Keep a mirror by the phone if you need reminding!5. Use the InternetIf it would be too complicated to explain something, or you want to be able to provide a visual, try directing your interviewer to your website, portfolio, or LinkedIn page. That way, you can talk them through it during your actual interview, narrating each accomplishment for them.6. Be smoothJust like in any other conversation, try and match the tone and speed and volume of your interviewer. Ask a friend to assess your telephone voice for you in advance and give you feedback.7. Be easygoingInitial interviews, particularly over the phone, are not the time to start making demands or asking very particular questions about PTO or benefits packages or job duties. Make them want to talk to you again; hopefully that will score you a proper face-to-face interview where you can proceed with your usual interview protocol.8. Be firmDon’t let your interviewer off the phone without scheduling another interview. Or the name and contact information of someone you can be in touch with at the company to follow up.9. Say thank youEve n though it’s a phone interview, the normal rules apply. That means a written thank you. Emailed or handwritten. Don’t be too pushy, but it’s always okay to subtly remind them of your strengths in your thank you note.

Censorship Of Childrens Literature in Canada †Education Essay

Censorship Of Childrens Literature in Canada – Education Essay Free Online Research Papers Censorship Of Childrens Literature in Canada Education Essay Censorship is the control of forms of human expression; it is sometimes implemented by the government. The visible motive of censorship is often to stabilize or improve the society that the government would have control over. It is most commonly applied to acts that occur in public circumstances, and most formally involves the suppression of ideas by criminalizing or regulating expression. Furthermore, discussion of censorship often includes less formal means of controlling perceptions by excluding various ideas from mass communication. What is censored may range from specific words to entire concepts and it may be influenced by value systems. The censorship of materials that are used in an elementary public school setting are unique to other forms of censorship in society because of the nature of the audience in a school setting. Age appropriateness needs to be taken into consideration when examining materials for elementary school use because of the naivety and immaturity of students at a young age. In todays free Canada, challenges of literature are taken seriously almost everyday. Furthermore, a great number of the recent challenges have pointed towards childrens literature for its literary content and illustrations. Surprisingly, many Canadian childrens books are censored, not at the government level, but at the level of local schools and libraries. How can Canadians allow this to happen if many of us believe that the role of the true educator is to teach children to be free thinkers, not closed-minded? Restricting childrens literature puts a severe limitation on a childs right to read. Many local and school libraries actions contradict the Canadian Library Associations Statement of Intellectual Freedom, which states that all persons in Canada have the fundamental right, as embodied in the nations Bill of Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to have access to all expressions of knowledge, creativity and intellectual activity. What should be done to solve this problem? Before this question can be tackled, three other questions have to be answered. These questions involve the ways childrens books are censored, the reasons why childrens books are censored, and the actual effects that the challenged books have on children. Learning involves the full awareness of the spectrum of knowledge, skills and attitudes, thus how will students learn to critically analyze material if not given the opportunity? However, the question may not be whether or not to teach critical analysis of controversial issues but rather, at what point students are mature enough to make informed decisions regarding certain issues. Students may not be able to critically analyze material for themselves, because of their lower stage of cognitive development, thus all material will predictably be taken at face value. Therefore, content of material needs to go through some sort of screening process when being assessed for school use. Another important issue regarding censorship is the authorization of a person or persons to be responsible for the analysis of questionable material. Everyone has different perspectives and opinions in regard to content that they deem obscene or objectionable and therefore which opinions are most prominent in regards to the education of our youth? This paper will analyze the schools, teachers and parents rights in regard to the censorship of student resources and also the implications of allowing or banning objectionable or controversial material within the public school system. Rights of the School (Minister, School Board, Principal) Legally, the Minister of learning has an overriding authority over the curriculum and instructional materials to be used in the school setting. The school board and superintendents answer to the recommendations of the Minister. The Alberta School Act states in Section 39b that the Minister may authorize courses of study, education programs or instructional materials for use in schools. In addition to authorization, in Section 39d the Minister may approve any course, education program, or instructional material that may be submitted to the Minister by a board or another operator of a school for use in a school. These statements allow the minister the right to implement and approve resources and courses into school but, in addition, the Minister also has the right to censor the use of materials in the school. As stated by Section 39e of the School Act, the Minister is subject to the right, by order, to prohibit the use of a course, an education program or instructional material i n schools. Thus, when curriculum materials are concerned, in regard to censorship, the Minister is at the head of authority within the perimeters of the school system as to the censorship of programs and instructional materials. As stated in Section 20b of the Alberta School Act, the principal works in conjunction with the Minister and the school board by ensuring that the instruction provided by the teachers employed in the school is consistent with the courses of study and education programs prescribed, approved and authorized pursuant to the School Act. The principal also must promote cooperation between the school and the community as mentioned in Section 20g of the School Act. Thus the principal must ensure that the parents are informed about what is being taught to their youth in regards to courses and instructional materials. Rights of the Teachers Legally, the Alberta School Act states in Section 18b, that a teacher, while providing instruction or supervision, must teach the courses of study and education programs that are prescribed, approved or authorized pursuant to the School Act. Thus, the teacher has obligations to the curriculum and approved resources. However, the teacher also has rights to apply professional judgment into the education of students within their own classroom. Professionally, as stated in the ATA manual Section II, The Nature of a Profession, it discusses how teachers have the ability to â€Å"apply reasoned judgment and professional decision making daily in diagnosing educational needs, prescribing and implementing instructional programs and evaluation progress of students† (Pg. 7). Therefore, teachers have the right to base diagnosis, planning, methodology and evaluation on professional knowledge and skills, as illustrated in the Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities for Teachers, Section 1. The teacher also maintains the responsibility to the pupils to teach in a manner that respects the dignity and rights of all persons without prejudice as to race, religious beliefs, color, sex, sexual orientation, physical characteristics, age, ancestry or place of origin, as stated in Section 1 of the ATA Code of Professional Conduct. The teacher has the right to teach in a manner that he or she deems professionally reasonable in resp ect to the rights of others and within the confines of the curriculum. Rights of the Parents Parents play a vital role in regards to their childrens education, and as such have special parental rights in regards to the rights, power, liberties, duties that a parent has with respect to his/her child (Pansegrau, 2003). The parens patriae authority refers to the rights of the parents as the childs natural guardian and as such, is closely associated to the principle of the best interests of the child (Magsino, pg. 300). Parents living in a democratic society have the legal right to voice concerns related to their childs education. Section 2b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression. The Teachers Rights Responsibilities and Legal Liabilities states that the teacher is required to act in loco parentis. This refers to the teacher standing, in relation to the student, in the position of a caring parent, as unofficial guardian (pg. 24). Therefore, the teacher must act in a way that the parents of a child w ould, so if the values of the parents are not respected in the classroom the teacher may not be acting in loco parentis. Parents then have a right to question the instruction or material that their child is required to learn. Judicial Rights of all Canadians The court system, mainly the Supreme Court, would be the highest-ranking decision maker in Canada regarding the censorship of materials allowed in schools. Thus, after a person has taken the objection of the curriculum or instructional materials, throughout the ranks of the school system, they then have the right to turn to the judicial section of Alberta or Canada. Article A case in British Columbia that discussed censorship rights was in regard to a teacher who chose to use homosexual books as instructional resources for his kindergarten class. A group of religious parents objected to the use of books that contained same-sex parents and thus the teacher went to the school board for approval of the use of the books in his class. The school board turned down the use of the particular books in the classroom but the Supreme Court later overturned the decision stating, â€Å"no age is too tender for children to learn the value of tolerance† (Globe and Mail, 12/21/2002). This case was very publicized and consisted of passionate protesters on both sides, however, many Canadian childrens authors books have been taken off the shelves as a result of a few complaints to librarians or principals. This case is quite complex in regard to the issues of homosexual rights and the involvement of homosexual material in the classroom. Thus, the issue of censor ship rights will be the primary topic of analysis. Analysis and Reflection on Article and Issue of Censorship In terms of a consequentialist perspective, I will address the courts ruling in regard to the acceptance of homosexual material in an elementary school based on benefit maximization. The main focus of this case is in regard to the censorship of material based on discriminatory beliefs. One must look beyond the homosexual nature of the material to explore the rights of parents, teachers and the school board in regard to the implications that the allowance of these instructional resources implies. To provide a basis for the implications of the issue, a list of the advantages and disadvantages will be described. Educating students to become tolerant, open-minded humans is a means to promote the greatest good for the greatest number. Thus, censorship should not be used to promote discriminatory beliefs about another individual or group. Advantages o The goals of education as illustrated by the ATA manual are to encourage students by developing his or her ability to get along with people of varying backgrounds, beliefs and lifestyles. Students will be made aware of topics that are relevant to the lifestyles of Canadas diverse society. Therefore, students are not only taught tolerance or acceptance towards a diverse range of individuals but students are also allowed to critically analyze issues to develop their own perspective on those topics. This provides for benefit maximization because the future population will be more tolerant of a diverse population and therefore society will learn to respect the rights of others differences. o The rights of the students are upheld in regard to Section 2b of the Charter in regards to freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression. Students are constantly bombarded with images in the media regarding many controversial issues that they are exposed to at a young age. Thus, it is beneficial for students to have intellectual freedom to examine those topics in an intelligent, bias free manner. o The School Act is upheld because the material reflects the unique lifestyles of society and allows for understanding of lifestyles different from ones own. Section 3 of the Act states that all education programs offered and instructional materials used in schools must reflect the diverse nature and heritage of society in Alberta, promote understanding and respect for others and honor and respect the common values and beliefs of Albertans. o Teachers are able to make decisions about the material used in their classrooms. Teachers also have a fiduciary obligation to not impose their personal opinions on issues since the teacher would be abusing their position of authority. o People of a religious background are not able to manipulate the school system to support their own ideas of what lifestyles are acceptable or what topics are to be taught or banned from the public school system. Since every individual will have different perspectives on issues presented in the school system, tolerance of different ideas should be taught instead of the exclusion of one belief or another. Disadvantages o Students may be faced with issues that they are not cognitively or emotionally able to comprehend. Children may become confused with issues that are at a maturity basis much higher than their own. John Stuart Mill states that truth is achieved by open criticism and public debate; however, the issue of immaturity is a factor. Children need to be protected from consequences of their own actions (Strike, pg. 41). o Parents represent a wide array of special interests, cultural backgrounds, religions, political preferences and lifestyles. Therefore, there is a huge array of perspectives to take into consideration when deciding between developing a sound education for students and being sensitive to the motives of special interest groups. o By not allowing parents to censor material to suit their beliefs it restricts the parents choice to limit their childs exposure to certain beliefs. Implications The negative connotation of the term censorship should not be confused with the need for schools to develop an intelligent, sensitive, broad-minded basis for the proper selection of curriculum and research materials. Teachers need to respect the Minister and school boards decision in regard to the approved list of curriculum and instructional materials. However, as strengthened by the British Columbia case, the teacher has the right to present his or her case for either implementing or banning the use of certain materials for classroom use to the school board, Minister or Judicial system if they feel that their own or others rights are being violated or if discrimination is occurring. Teachers are instructed to provide information to parents in regard to curriculum to be covered, methods of evaluation and instructional resources. In return, parents will be able to support the learning of their children. This is a necessary component to any classroom especially in regards to the content that will be covered by the classroom teaching. Parents still have the right to remove their child from studies that they believe to be objecting to the values that they as parents hold. Thus parents should be given opportunity to be included in their childs education. Conclusion In regard to issues on censorship, it is difficult to define the importance of each stakeholders rights in reference to the censoring process. However, it is clear that some censorship for appropriate material for use in public elementary schools is essential to the education and development of our youth. The maturity of an audience is a key factor to the type of censorship instilled within that school system. Public school systems must allow access to many facets of knowledge and information in the search of truth. Therefore, the instructional material used in a classroom must represent this goal. However, in regard to discriminatory material or material that excludes the rights of others, censorship should be used to promote the rights of all individuals and not to promote the beliefs or values of one individual or group. Unfortunately, censorship in its many forms is part of peoples lives from the very first moment they walk into their kindergarten classrooms. Many books are too easily censored as a result of a few complaints or preconceived views. An educators job is to open up the world of books to children. Those who restrict the world of books, because somebody might object, are simply failing to do their job. Schools must respect the censorial rights of groups and individuals, but schools must equally try to ensure that such people do not succeed in extending their prohibitions to everyones children. If not, childrens authors will be unable to write about controversial or unexplored issues. Childrens literature will go back to the boring educational texts of the past. Every child should be allowed access to these controversial books, so that thoughts and questions can be raised about the world that we live in. References Alberta School Act, (2000) Alberta Teachers Association (2004). Teachers Rights Responsibilities and Legal Liabilities. Retrieved May 20, 2006, from teachers.ab.ca Alberta Teachers Association (2004). Professional Code of Conduct. Retrieved May 20, 2006, from teachers.ab.ca Alberta Teachers Association (2004). Teaching in Alberta. Retrieved May20, 2006, from teachers.ab.ca Canadian Christianity. Supreme Court rules on gay books. Retrieved June 1, 2006, canadianchristianity.com/cgi-bin/na.cgi?nationalupdates/021224supreme The Constitution Act, 1982, being Schedule B to the Canada Act 1982 (U.K.), 1982, Part 1 Magsino, K . (1995). Social Change and Education in Canada (3rd ed.). Toronto, Harcourt Brace, 290-309 Makin, K , (2003, December 21). Schools cant ban gay books, court rules B.C. board faulted for giving in to objections of religious parents. Globe and Mail. Protecting The Freedom To Learn. Censorship in Schools. Retrieved June 1, 2006, from http://pages.zdnet.com/trimb/id25.html Schrader, A, (1992). Too Young to Know? The Censorship of Childrens Materials in Canadian Public Libraries, Canadian Childrens Literature, Summer, p. 85. Strike, K. Soltis, J. (1998). The Ethics of Teaching. Teachers College Press, New York. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. Censorship, Retrived May 20, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship Research Papers on Censorship Of Children's Literature in Canada - Education EssayStandardized TestingQuebec and CanadaEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Project Managment Office SystemDefinition of Export QuotasHip-Hop is ArtGenetic Engineering

Organizational studies Essays

Organizational studies Essays Organizational studies Essay Organizational studies Essay The main characters in this movie are James p. Sully and Mike Waxworks as the workers at the Monster Inc. Another key characters are Henry J. Watermelon the Company Chairman, Randall Bogs the co-worker, Number 001 the Chief Of Children Detection Agency (CAD) and Boobs as the children. Generally, Monster Inc. Is viewed as a power sourcing company with target to produce energy source as many as they can and they have a slogan Mime scare because we care. They have scaring doors as a production doors and numbers of highly skill and professional scare teams. It is assumed that Monster Inc. Is the sole electrical energy provider for Monstrosities using children fearful scream as a source. The source is collected and preserve in the energy bank in the form of yellow bottle can. Monstrosities is populated with monster being and the films showed that the connection between monster world and human world is the children. The technique to scare the children is not easy as it perceive because from the beginning the monster believe that children are toxic and touching them would be fatal. Monster Inc has a training centre to produces the special scaring team that can go into the unman world and scare the children effectively without physical touch to their body or any of their belongings. How the Monster Inc does reflect as an organization? What elements of organization that can we expound from the movie? Company Theory Monster Inc as a commercial organization, they employ monster to achieve the target, and they bring together the monster and the sources to produce the solutions of the needs. Monster Inc has a leader to manage the organization. The company in the movie is a large power company. Just like any factory, employees bunch in to start work and bunch out at the end of he day. Employees and managers are separate in the hierarchy of the organization. In the Organizational theory, study of the organizational behavior with the environments, Monster Inc fit in the Resource Dependence Theory. Resource Dependence Theory is a theory of organization that seeks to explain organizational and inter-organizational behavior in terms of those critical resources which an organization must have in order to survive and function. As an open-systems theory, the resource dependence argument suggests that a given organization will respond to and become dependent on hose organizations or entities in its environment that control resources which are both critical to its operations and over which it has limited control. From the Movie, Monster Inc. Have three external environments that they need to adapt in their organization, the population, CAD and the children. The production of the power of the screaming children contributes to the survival of Monster Inc. They have imperative responsible to provide daily needs of the monster world, without Monster Inc. The monster world will have disastrous circumstances. So they have the obligation to maintain their revises in order to avoid that situation. Apart of that they have to complied with the regulations that no physical contact with the human world. Monster Inc. Company Organizations has been designed adapting to those environments. If any of the factor changes, Monster Inc. Also need to change. Their setback with one of the environments is that their only source of energy has evolved; the children are becoming hard to scare and Monster Inc. Chairman found that the situation is critical. This is where Henry and Randall secretly find alternative means to extract children scream by force. Their lack operation is a reaction of the scarcer resources and the policy set by the CAD. There is no observation that indicates Monster Inc. Acquire Research and Development department that can innovate the technology of power extraction. All by coincidence, they found other alternative resource to acquire the power source, which are by extracting children laugh that are ten times stronger than their scream. Scaring technique is not required anymore and technique making the children laugh is the preferable skill. Also there are no harms of physical contact with the human. At the end Monster Inc. Have hanged and may evolve into better organizations which the resources are multiple now. Company Structure @ Company System Monster Inc. Organizational structure is designed in hierarchy structured. First there is distinction between the workers what might be called administrators like the CEO and COO and the training manager. This shows that there are a hierarchy of managers and workers in the company. Second the leadership is shown on personnel level when Mike and Sully go out their way to save the company and the child form destruction. They uncover scandal in the organization that goes all the way up to the CEO. Their main components in the organization is the Scarecrows, they have numbers of scaring team working daily producing the power resource. The scaring team comprise of the scarcer and assistant. The scaring team on the Scarecrows in structured in horizontal line provides mass outcome daily. It is assumed that the account department, marketing department and training department are at the same level structured where they are direct link to the chairman. CAD is not part of the company, but CAD may not relevant in future in their operational after finds that there is no toxic effect by the children if contact. Company Strategy Monster Inc fosters good image and a reliable power company to the perception of the public in their advertisement. Even after the reveal of the scandal, Monster Inc they have promoted new paradigm of power sourcing where by the end of the film, the company is back in the black and a positive light when they change from screams to laughter as the best practice for powering their world, During the movie we see television commercials for the company with its slogan and tagging. We also see magazine covers and advertisements with corporate image messages. They continuously enhance laity of create power where the scarcer compete each other to be the high score scare leader. Through their work and through the training program, the organization is trying to improve their efforts to create power for the city. Turning to laughs in the end, instead of screams, is really TTS. Corporate culture Monster Inc presents corporate culture that shown in the routine of the workers. Employees of different job types socialize together in the break room and in the hallways. Workers relationships have created a culture which is the workers activities, the company history in the intranet and the way the errors look up to Sully and Mike and the CEO, who uses a walking around type of management style. Sullen is a hero of the company because he has been the lead scarcer for years. Other employees look up to him for advice. The company values safety and quality work. This is shown through the display of safe days and high production of the scarcer. Rites and rituals are also there through the procedures that are used and reinforced by the employees. Conclusion It seems that in this movie, Monster Inc the only company that serves the public for power resource. Without Monster Inc, the disruption of power apply may unavoidable, and this is unacceptable circumstances. As a Company in the Movie, more or less, few organizational lessons can be extracted as example for learning purposes. Company seems to be observed as classic bureaucracy but equipment and technology may change the management theory into scientific management after finding out the laughter is the best options for power source. Company strategy must have far vision to make sure there will be no disruption of resource.

Ecology of the Box Jelly fish (can change it if writer desires ) Essay

Ecology of the Box Jelly fish (can change it if writer desires ) - Essay Example And as the temperature in our waters heats-up, it harms and kills the algae which serve as food to other living organism in the ocean. When that happens, it inadvertently destroys the ecosystem and balance in the ocean (252-253). There have been several causes of global warming. The most obvious is the carbon dioxide emission from our use of fossil fuels like gas, oil and coal has been the primary culprit of global warming as it traps heat to remain in our atmosphere that makes it warmer. Much of carbon dioxide emission comes from our energy use ranging from the electricity that lights our houses to the to the carbon emission of our cars and industrial plants. Another is population explosion as people now have higher life expectancy resulting to an increased in population that burdens the planet as too many people emits carbon dioxide that is beyond her regenerative capacity. Everybody agrees that the environment has to be protected and that the continuous warming of our atmosphere w ill have a serious consequence on the environment; weather pattern changes, agricultural yields become unpredictable and disrupt the ecosystem of our waters. Yet, this has to be balanced with the energy needs of both developed and developing countries. For any serious effort to reduce greenhouse emission requires the cooperation and commitment of everybody to make it workable. Sustaining the climatic conditions which are necessary to sustain life on the planet and the mitigation of the global warming caused by greenhouse gases build-up in the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans must be done to enable the survivability of all forms of life and its environment. Thus, Massawe conducted a research to formulate a theoretical basis for the â€Å"development of empirical model of global warming fit on the main global determinants of human activities caused greenhouse gases build-up in the atmosphere to enable the identification of global regulations which could be administered to control global warming and the resultant climate change† (254). It was aimed that with such global warming control, it would be able to mitigate climate change that would achieve â€Å"greenhouse gases emission and build-up in the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans based on the generation and deployment of global solutions† (254). Massawe identified the determinants of global warming as the population estimate, birth rate, death rate, hydropower consumption, geothermal power consumption, nuclear power consumption, solar power consumption, wind power consumption, bio-fuel consumption, coal consumption, oil consumption, gas consumption, defense spending, GDP, greenhouse gases emission estimate and forest coverage estimate. He concluded that the solution to the mitigation of global warming is possible by replacing the determinants in individual countries with the global determinants. In effect, the research suggested that global warming and climate change cannot be solved by in dividual countries and that it can only be addressed by international cooperation with all countries, both developed and developing are in cooperation to address the determinants of global warming. How the article increased my knowledge or changed my point of view on the topic. The study was an eye opener for me and in a way, enhanced my understanding about ecology

Individual Write-Up Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Individual Write-Up - Essay Example The need to have someone with a good experience at this activity reflected in all of us and one can easily understand why while they continue on the journey to the peak of the mountain. The timing was right, the season was one that would encourage climbing and there was limited snow at the time making it very hot and requiring less thick clothes. World animals also less populated the mountain hence eliminating the fears of the wild. The courage of the group members made a whole lot of effort in encouraging the rest of the group and this made the experience both worthwhile and exhilarating though somehow scary. Challenges and perseverance of putting ones hands on the rocks and ensuring their feet grip well on the rocks makes mountain climbing a wonderful experience (Green, n.d). Mountain climbing as an experience made a lot of adventure sense to the writer with less of its experience to boost of; the particular experience was worth trying. The anticipation that grew each day waiting the particular weekend when we were to try out this adventurous activity was filled with anticipation of what to expect and how the day will end. The fear of heights made it more thrilling. As one of the first experiences of heights, the writer had to ensure that they were ready for it before embarking on it. Each day that went by had more and more anticipation grow. Talks of those that had experience and the desires of those without made up the source of anticipation. The desire to beat ones fears and reach places they only though would remain admired but never reached motivated the writer to think of what to expect from the adventure. Many stories surround mountain climbing as an adventure both good and bad stories. These only served to sharpen the desire of the writer to experience this side of life. The anticipation grows more and more each day and only gets to

Effects of package warnings on the demand of tobacco Thesis Proposal

Effects of package warnings on the demand of tobacco - Thesis Proposal Example the costs to society are directly linked to the number of individuals that smoke, broad based movements towards decreasing smoking and seeking to break nicotine and/or tobacco dependence have been sought after. Necessarily, these stake holders have come to recognize that decreasing the demand for tobacco products has a direct level of impact on the negative effects that tobacco can cause within society as a whole. Not surprisingly, one the ways to decrease smoking and tobacco usage has been to utilize especially horrific warnings and direct representations of harm that such behavior can cause; invariably on the product itself. Ultimately, the research that has thus far been conducted, within such articles as â€Å"Liability of Cigarette Manufacturers for Lung Cancer: An Analysis of the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act†, has indicated that these warning labels have not had the desired effect with respect to decreasing smoking and tobacco usage (Thornton, 2007). As a function of seeking to understand this topic to a more full and complete degree, the following research will be concentric upon researching two groups, a control and a test group. The control will of course not be influenced by warnings and packaging as a function of tobacco legislation or government intrusion into consumer markets. However, the test group will have been exposed to such warnings and the researcher will seek to draw inference based upon how these groups score with respect to the overall rates of quitting tobacco products that they exhibit (Green, 2006). Ultimately, a noted difficulty within such a methodology is consistent with the fact that the test group and the control group will not be drawn from the same society or even nationality; due to the fact that legislative requirements for cigarette labeling and warnings do not exist in certain places of the globe. However, the alternative to such a research design would be to reach back in history and seek to meas ure

Persuasive speech , recycling or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Persuasive , recycling - Speech or Presentation Example We take these as simple daily acts of negligence but failing to throw that piece of paper, plastic, glass or metal in the right trash bin for recycling is slowly killing this beautiful earth we call home. Today, I am going to highlight the problem we face when we fail to recycle and contribute to build up of trash on Earth, the benefits of recycling and the steps we can take as individuals and communities to help. Effects of Trash Build-up and Benefits of Recycling Recycling is one of those things we all know we need to do, it is in our to-do list, but we fail to do it as effectively as we have planned, or in some of us, we completely disregard it. However, there are various reasons why we should always remember to recycle that piece of paper or plastic. In case an individual is not been very diligent in making an effort to throw the empty can of soda into the trash, here are the reasons why everybody should begin recycling. First of all, recycling fundamentally reduces global warmin g. Our mother Earth is unfortunately feeling the effects of global warming already and it is our duty as the inhabitants to take whatever initiative possible to cut down or totally eliminate the negative impacts that come with this sad phenomenon. The industrial production of certain materials that we use in our daily lives can release significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. For example, the production of new aluminum, the material used to make the cans for sodas, leads to the production of 92% more carbon dioxide that recycling old aluminum cans (Hieronymi, Ramzy and Eric 94). Now we all know from our chemistry lessons that carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming and additional release to the atmosphere is a resultant increase in global warming. Recycling also makes us more energy efficient as more energy is usually needed to create something from the raw materials than to recycle it. For instance, producing paper from trees c onsumes sixty four percent more energy than recycling it while burning plastic uses double the energy that would have been consumed if recycled. The energy saved when materials are reprocessed can be applied in other useful areas, for instance, if only one pound of steel is recycled, the energy can be used to power a 60-watt bulb for a whole day. Is it not just intriguing how much we can save by remembering to throw that litter in the right trash bin? Recycling waste also keeps our landfills from overflowing as we are soon running out of space to use for dumping our litter. I believe that none of us here today would wish to see his landfill of trash backyard his balcony. Moreover, studies have shown that 60-70% of garbage in landfills can be recycled which implies that if we became more diligent in recycling, we would be getting rid of 60-70% of the garbage lying in the landfills (Miller and Spoolman 555). We should also not forget that these landfills release toxic gases that are n ot only harmful to us human beings, but also to the ecological life around them. The process also improves the quality of the earth’s groundwater as the garbage deposited in landfills is never treated but just buried. Therefore, any toxic chemicals that could have present in the garbage are allowed to seep into the ground water that are used in other areas as a source of water for daily household usage. Furthermore, runoff rainwater from these

Compare The Story of an Hour and Shiloh Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compare The Story of an Hour and Shiloh - Essay Example Mallard, Norma Jean’s behavior in Shiloh is observed and reflected by her husband representing a totally different perspective on the issue. This essay will argue that the combination of female point of view represented by Chopin and male point of view from Shiloh allows seeing the full picture of traditional patriarchal family relationships. Mrs. Mallard, the main character of The Story of an Hour, perceived the news about her husband’s death with tears. However, the picture changes quickly when she goes to her room and reflects on her feelings. First she experiences emptiness and indifference; step by step she recognizes her real feelings in her heart. She finds herself full of â€Å"monstrous joy† and feeling of freedom; she perceives the death of her husband as a relief from her unhappy marriage where she was supposed to sacrifice her life and interests for the sake of her husband (Chopin). Mrs. Mallard does not see any positive sides in her marriage; she even does not know whether she loved her husband of not. Sitting in her armchair, she prepares to start her life from scratch. There are hints in description of the settings that Mrs. Mallard is not going to mourn. On the contrary, everything looks pleasant and even joyful. Ironic title of the story indicates that she does not have much time for the transformation. In an hour, her husband comes back home. Unwilling to get back to old life and shocked by this sudden coming back, Mrs. Mallard dies either because of her â€Å"hear trouble† or, as it is said by the doctor, â€Å"the joy that kills† (Chopin). Alongside with this inner transformation of the main character, Mr. Mallard is not visible in the story. As a result, the story shows only one side of the coin. The other side of this coin is fully represented in Shiloh by Bobbie Ann Mason. The story is narrated from the point of view of Leroy Moffitt, a former truck driver, who spends all days and night at home after a serious road incident. Leroy

Persuasive speech , recycling or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Persuasive , recycling - Speech or Presentation Example We take these as simple daily acts of negligence but failing to throw that piece of paper, plastic, glass or metal in the right trash bin for recycling is slowly killing this beautiful earth we call home. Today, I am going to highlight the problem we face when we fail to recycle and contribute to build up of trash on Earth, the benefits of recycling and the steps we can take as individuals and communities to help. Effects of Trash Build-up and Benefits of Recycling Recycling is one of those things we all know we need to do, it is in our to-do list, but we fail to do it as effectively as we have planned, or in some of us, we completely disregard it. However, there are various reasons why we should always remember to recycle that piece of paper or plastic. In case an individual is not been very diligent in making an effort to throw the empty can of soda into the trash, here are the reasons why everybody should begin recycling. First of all, recycling fundamentally reduces global warmin g. Our mother Earth is unfortunately feeling the effects of global warming already and it is our duty as the inhabitants to take whatever initiative possible to cut down or totally eliminate the negative impacts that come with this sad phenomenon. The industrial production of certain materials that we use in our daily lives can release significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. For example, the production of new aluminum, the material used to make the cans for sodas, leads to the production of 92% more carbon dioxide that recycling old aluminum cans (Hieronymi, Ramzy and Eric 94). Now we all know from our chemistry lessons that carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming and additional release to the atmosphere is a resultant increase in global warming. Recycling also makes us more energy efficient as more energy is usually needed to create something from the raw materials than to recycle it. For instance, producing paper from trees c onsumes sixty four percent more energy than recycling it while burning plastic uses double the energy that would have been consumed if recycled. The energy saved when materials are reprocessed can be applied in other useful areas, for instance, if only one pound of steel is recycled, the energy can be used to power a 60-watt bulb for a whole day. Is it not just intriguing how much we can save by remembering to throw that litter in the right trash bin? Recycling waste also keeps our landfills from overflowing as we are soon running out of space to use for dumping our litter. I believe that none of us here today would wish to see his landfill of trash backyard his balcony. Moreover, studies have shown that 60-70% of garbage in landfills can be recycled which implies that if we became more diligent in recycling, we would be getting rid of 60-70% of the garbage lying in the landfills (Miller and Spoolman 555). We should also not forget that these landfills release toxic gases that are n ot only harmful to us human beings, but also to the ecological life around them. The process also improves the quality of the earth’s groundwater as the garbage deposited in landfills is never treated but just buried. Therefore, any toxic chemicals that could have present in the garbage are allowed to seep into the ground water that are used in other areas as a source of water for daily household usage. Furthermore, runoff rainwater from these

Population Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Population - Research Paper Example Countries Rank by Total Fertility Rate (TFR) Rank Countries Children Born /Woman Date of Information 1 Zambia 5.81 2013 2 Nigeria 5.31 2013 3 Tanzania 5.01 2013 4 Senegal 4.61 2013 5 Ghana 4.12 2013 6 Cameroon 4.00 2013 7 Kenya 3.76 2013 8 Zimbabwe 3.58 2013 9 Egypt 2.90 2013 10 Kuwait 2.56 2013 11 South Africa 2.25 2013 12 United States 2.06 2013 13 United Kingdom 1.90 2013 14 Brazil 1.81 2013 15 China 1.55 2013 Source: (3Central Intelligence Agency 2013). ... For example, developing countries such as Zambia and Cameroon rank higher in terms of TFR and MMR than developed countries such as the US and the UK. Correspondingly, it can be stated that there exists a direct relationship between TFR and MMR. Evidently, the decline in fertility leads to decrease in the exposure of risks associated with maternal mortality and vice versa (1Central Intelligence Agency 2013; 2Central Intelligence Agency 2013) Rank the Countries by Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) Rank Countries Death/1000 Live Births Date of Information 1 Nigeria 72.97 2013 2 Zambia 68.58 2013 3 Cameroon 58.51 2013 4 Senegal 53.93 2013 5 Tanzania 45.10 2013 6 Kenya 42.18 2013 7 South Africa 42.15 2013 8 Ghana 39.70 2013 9 Zimbabwe 27.25 2013 10 Egypt 23.30 2013 11 Brazil 19.83 2013 12 China 15.20 2013 13 Kuwait 7.68 2013 14 United States 5.90 2013 15 United Kingdom 4.50 2013 Source: (Central Intelligence Agency 2013). Rank by Life Expectancy at Birth Rank Countries Years Date of Information 1 United Kingdom 80.29 2013 2 United States 78.62 2013 3 Kuwait 77.46 2013 4 China 74.99 2013 5 Egypt 73.19 2013 6 Brazil 73.02 2013 7 Ghana 65.32 2013 8 Kenya 63.29 2013 9 Tanzania 60.76 2013 10 Senegal 60.57 2013 11 Cameroon 55.02 2013 12 Zimbabwe 53.86 2013 13 Nigeria 52.46 2013 14 Zambia 51.51 2013 15 South Africa 49.48 2013 Source: (1Central Intelligence Agency 2013). Population Growth Rate (Measured By Total Fertility Rate) Varies With Infant Mortality Rate and Life Expectancy at Birth It has been determined from the above presented charts that infant mortality rate is higher in developing countries than developed countries. On the contrary, life expectancy rate at birth is higher in developed countries than developing countries. Correspondingly,

The Fair Value change with respect to the Financial Crisis Essay Example for Free

The Fair Value change with respect to the Financial Crisis Essay The world has come under the grips of a global financial crisis. Such events with big accounting and financial impacts are few and forlorn but when they do come, they bring with them uncertainty and pessimism as well as the desire to bring about some change so as to curtail such events from taking place in the future. With regards to standard setting, this is being achieved through the debate surrounding fair value reporting. Banks and many other troubled financial institutions that bore the brunt of the tidal wave of the credit crunch are calling on the Financial Accounting Standards Board to ease their stance in relation to fair value accounting whereas investors and financial analysts are standing forward to block this move. Fair value accounting had been brought into place after much deliberation by standard setters over the years. Its application worldwide was a reflection of the need for financial statements to reflect the assets held by firm on their balance sheets at prices they could be realized at today in the markets, in a fair deal and an arm’s length transaction. This was recognized as something that provided a fair outlook of the current financial position of banks and other institutions and was held very closely guarded by the FASB (Katz 2009). The chairman of the board’s adherence to the need for fair value to continue and his defense of the methodology in a testimony before the US House of Representatives Financial Services Subcommittee in March of 2009 is a strong indicator of where standard setters actually fall in the debate. However, in April of 2009 the board voted to relax the fair value rules under strong political pressure and in an uncharacteristically rapid fashion for a body that is known to engage in long debates and continued discussion before enacting any changes in the accounting standards. This change has sparked unique responses from the two sides of the debate. Banks and other financial institutions have been delighted with the measure. They had come out in open opposition to fair value rules following the financial crisis stating that it unfairly influenced their accounts. They argued that the use of the fair value criteria resulted in them show items in their balance sheet as significantly lower value than they would be actually realized at, thereby giving them a relatively bleak financial outlook with very pessimistic figures (Katz 2009). The impetus for the move was that if this could be alleviated to some extent, then banks would be better able to report their true financial situation and reduce some of the write-offs that have wrecked the industry, thereby even putting them in a better position to issue more loans and perhaps precipitate faster recovery from the crisis. The optimism of the banks with regards to the proposed shift by the FASB was reflected in the markets as the stocks of major banks such as Citibank and Bank of America went up in the New York Stock Exchange. Investors and financial analysts however have been strongly against the move being put forward by the FASB in April. They argue that fair value accounting results in showing the actual financial health of the financial institution and changing the rules would result in a distorted perspective being put forward to the investors. It is further seen as being a highly transparent view of the financial health as it leads to assets being valued at the amount they could be traded today which is a reflection of the economic times as well as the trend of decision making that has been going on in the industry. Thus after the changes have been brought into place, investor group are showing growing unhappiness at what is viewed as something potentially harmful. They were also wary of the involvement of political pressure in the move, which if freely allowed to influence international standard setting would compromise the integrity of the field and harm investor confidence as well. The FASB did come out in support of the investor though by additionally requiring more disclosure of the methodology employed by firm for valuation after the FASB allowed them significantly more room for judgment regarding it through relaxation of the rules. It further did not allow the financial institutions to apply the changes retrospectively which would have altered their 2008 statements as well. It also restricted the application of some proposed changes such as those relating to valuing impaired securities by keeping it only for debt securities. FASB’s shift has been in a manner that can be considered characteristically different from its formal procedure. The world of standard setting has been slow with prolonged discussions before any changes are brought forward. With regards to the current change, it was made considerably rapidly by bringing in remarks for discussion, pursuing a review of one day and then handing out the proposed changes which is a testament to the tricky financial times and political pressure. The shift that was brought about included allowing the firms considerable room for â€Å"judgment† with regards to gauging prices of some of their investments represented on the financial statement as well as those for mortgage backed securities (Katz 2009). This did meet with opposition from other bodies such as the CFA Institute and investors groups, the former arguing that such arbitrary changes damage their credibility while the latter is in woe of the difficulties investors will face now. They have even gone out to condemn to some extent the U-turn taken by the chairman of the FASB whereby he shunned the changes proposed to fair value methodology in front of congressional subcommittee but then agreed to put in place the same measures hardly a month later. Thus it can be seen that the current financial crisis has altered the direction standard setting in accounting has taken. It can be said that this is a fairly damaging trend. While it may result in short term gains for fighting the financial crisis and help shore up loans and lending, it could be damaging in the long run as political pressures and advocacy groups may damage the credibility and transparency of standard setting and financial statements presentation. It could also be adverse for the investor who may not trust the standards as providing fair information and affect their behavior. Furthermore, the integrity of the institute may well have been compromised in this case by the u-turns being adopted by the chairman of the FASB. Bibliography Katz, Ian (2009, April 2). FASB Eases Fair-Value Rules Amid Lawmaker Pressure. Retrieved June 17, 2009, from Bloomberg Web site: http://www.bloomberg.com

Underachievement: African Carribean

Underachievement: African Carribean Underachievement African Caribbean Abstract This study discusses various issues related to under achievement of African-Caribbean or Black boys in British schools. The study highlights the fact that there is a denial in the British educational system of race and racism and that this is reflected in the in-flexibility of many schools to consider the differential positioning of Black boys in the UK and the effect of their experiences in the school system and opportunities gained thereafter in the workplace. In sum the study shows that there is clear evidence that African-Caribbean pupils have not shared or have been received equally in the increasing rates of average educational performance at various academic platforms. Chapter 1: Introduction Boys’ underachievement has been a major concern within academic circles and among government bodies (Gorard, Gillborn) for quite a while. Ofsted 1996 highlighted the gap between the performance of boys and girls as the attainment continued to lower for boys as they move along the key stages. Coard explores some of the issues that black children faced three decades ago. Some of the abysmal failure of black children within the British school system includes: Racist policies and practices of the education authorities in the past Racism within the curriculum itself Low teacher expectation and how destructive a force this could be Inadequate black parental knowledge of and involvement in what was happening to their children (Coard 1971). According to Coard, black children were deemed as Educationally Sub-Normal (ESN) and were excluded from mainstream. This issue coupled with racist policies and curriculum and low teacher expectation caused most of these children to encounter emotional disturbances which in the long run affected their overall performance of black children in Britain. Despite the odds, in the late 1960s and 1970s some black children were able to make it academically but the majority were not so lucky (Coard 1971). Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to investigate the educational experiences of African-Caribbean boys in the UK. The main focus will be to identify the factors that have contributed to the poor academic performance of Black Boys over the years. Furthermore, this work would investigate the claim that there is a denial in the British educational system of race and racism and that this is reflected in the inflexibilityof many schools to consider the differential positioning ofBlack boys in the UK and the effect of their experiences in the school system and opportunities gained thereafter in the workplace. This work will draw on a study in which various stakeholders voice e.g. (Tony Sewell) their experiences of why Black Boys in Britain perform poorly in schools and alsoseek to identify alternative visionsof schooling to re-engage Black males thereby increasing their prospect for a successful future. Research Questions What is the relationship between under achievement and social exclusion of black boys studying in UK schools? How are schools dealing with the issue of student underachievement of black students studying in UK institutions? Are all black boys underachieving? Significance of the Study This study is quite significant as it shows that high under-achievement rates are not just an issue for black pupils. In 2005-2006 the permanent under-achievement rate for special schools was 0.54% compared with 0.34% for secondary and 0.04% for primary schools; overall, pupils with statements of special educational need were seven times more likely to be excluded from school than pupils without statements (DCSF, 2007). Other groups who are over-represented in the statistics include children looked after by local authorities and children from Gypsy and traveller families, despite the behaviour of travelling pupils being generally good (OFSTED, 2006b). Links have been made between school under-achievement and long-term social under-achievement (Blyth Milner, 2003), as have links between school under-achievement and juvenile crime (Graham Bowling, 2005; Gilbertson, 2005); these links are also recognised by government as a policy issue (Social Under-achievement Unit, 2005). For many pupils permanent under-achievement from school marks the end of their formal education: a recent report by the Audit Commission (2006) suggests that only 15% of permanently excluded secondary pupils return to mainstream schooling. Chapter 2: Literature Review A review of the literature on student under achievement highlights the fact that ethnic monitoring of under-achievement was first introduced by the DCSF in the 2004-2005 national schools census. Data from that census indicates that although `Black Caribbean pupils form only 1.1% of the school population they represented 7.3% of those excluded from school and were around six times more likely to be excluded than their White peers. The disproportionate under-achievement of black boys is a particularly serious problem because overall many more males than females are excluded: official statistics show the ratio to be 4.3 boys for each excluded girl. Nevertheless, within the female school population, girls identified as `Black Caribbean are also particularly vulnerable to under-achievement: the school census shows they accounted for 8.8% of excluded girls in 2004-2005 (DCSF, 2006) and are thus eight times more likely to be excluded than might be suggested by the ethnic composition of schools. There is also evidence that African-Caribbean pupils have not shared equally in the increasing rates of average educational performance at GCSE. An OFSTED-commissioned review of research on the achievements of ethnic minority pupils over a 10 year period up to 2005 concludes that the relatively lower exam achievements of Caribbean pupils, especially boys in a wide range of academic and LEA research studies is a cause for concern. The research evidence suggests that ‘A combination of gender and racial stereotypes may make it more difficult for young black men to avoid being caught up in cycles of increasingly severe criticism and control’ (Gillborn Gipps, 2006, pp. 29 and 58). For black families rising under-achievement rates, combined with boys relatively low levels of achievement in public examinations, amount to an educational crisis. Under-achievement and Special Educational Needs It has been suggested (for example, Norwich, 2004; Parffrey, 2004) that in some schools children may be excluded when it is required as assessment and provision for special educational needs (SEN). Analysis of permanent under-achievement from Birmingham schools during the 2006-2007 school year indicated that 53% of those excluded were on the schools special needs register. The Code of Practice relating to special educational needs (DfE, 2004a) requires schools to draw up an individual education plan (IEP) for a child identified as having SEN and outlines a series of stages in which the school is responsible, in co-operation with support agencies, for meeting these needs. It can be argued from a personal experience and evidence from an interview with a teacher that most of the black boys that are underachieving are SEN children who comes under social emotional and behavioural difficulties and probably that is why they are underachieving because the have not been diagnosed for IEP to be made on them yet. These are pupils whose learning and/or behavioural difficulties may be placing stress on teachers but for whom the amount of additional support is limited. It is possible that some of these childrens needs might have been met and under-achievement avoided if the school had been able to access appropriate additional support at an earlier stage. Although official national statistics recognise the over-representation of children with SEN among those excluded from school, these statistics only count excluded pupils with a statement of special education need and thus record pupils with SEN as a minority (17%) of all under-achievements (DCSF, 2007). Analysis of the Birmingham data, which allows us to consider all pupils on the special needs register, indicates that over half the children permanently excluded from Birmingham schools have identified special educational needs. If this pattern is replicated across the country, then it seems likely that the extent to which unmet special educational needs may be contributing to the problem of under-achievement has been under-estimated. It is possible that some LEAs with low proportions of children assessed as having special educational needs, both overall and from particular ethnic groups, may not be identifying children in need of SEN support. Where this correlates with high under-achievement rates, there is reason to suspect that neglected learning difficulties may lie behind some of the disciplinary problems. Ethnicity and Reducing Under-achievement An analysis of the number of groups under-achieving per secondary school over the three year period 2001-2003 with the number of under-achievement in the three years 2004-2006, in order to identify schools which had reduced the number of pupils permanently excluded in Birmingham, show a reduction in the number of pupils excluded over this period, from an average of 11 to an average of seven per school. Those secondary schools which had reduced their use of permanent exclusion had, overall, cut under-achievement by nearly half for all ethnic groups. This suggests that where schools had developed policies for reducing under-achievement, these had been equally effective for all ethnic groups. Nevertheless, this still left black pupils to be over-represented among the under-achievement from these schools. The evidence suggests that if the problem of over-representation of black pupils is to be addressed and racial equality achieved then strategies which specifically address the needs of these children are important. Since African-Caribbean pupils formed some 28% of excluded pupils and only 8% of the school population in Birmingham, I wished to argue whether this might be because African-Caribbean pupils are more likely to attend schools with high under-achievement rates. A total of 14 schools with high under-achievement rates, i.e. schools which had permanently excluded 30 or more pupils in the 6 year period 2001-2006, were identified (two of them grant maintained schools). Of these, 11 had an African-Caribbean population of 8% or less and the other three had higher proportions of African-Caribbean children than for the city as a whole, ranging from 11 to 33%. Sewell (1998), mentions that African-Caribbean boys were six times more likely to be excluded from school as compared to the other group. Furthermore there are argument that these black boys were seen to be conformists in that they were seen to be accepting both the means and goals of schooling but they are most likely to be excluded. There is evidence of an interview with a black boy on page 113 which goes further to prove that not all boys are the same. This particular point is important to my research as there seems to be the assertion that all black boys are underachieving and this is what this research seeks to address. Sewell unpacks some of the oversimplification that exists in the current debate about boys’ underachievement. He goes further to describe boys as ‘a tip of the iceberg in a doomsday scenario within the school’. There seems to be a link between gender identity and anti-school attitude which makes peer group pressure which is sensitive in boys to allow the generalization to be made about boys as unified lumps, in this content as underachieving academically Identifying Good Practice The study sought to understand teachers and head teachers attitudes and approaches to under-achievement and to equal opportunities. Previous research studies have tended to ignore teachers perspectives and the ways in which under-achievement merge into the lives of schools (Gillborn Gipps, 2006), although Haydens (2007) study of children excluded from primary schools does consider the perspectives of both head teachers and class teachers of excluded pupils. My study addressed schools with low or declining under-achievement rates with the aim of identifying good practice in minimising the practice of under-achievement. In particular, I wished to establish whether teachers in the case study schools felt supported in managing difficult or challenging pupil behaviour or whether a low under-achievement rate might be masking other problems and causing stress to individuals working in these schools. Where schools are able to avoid under-achievement we wished to identify the alternative strategies they adopt. Teachers Explanations of Rising Under-Achievement Rates Teachers and head teachers in the case study schools were not asked about the impact of recent educational reforms, but as they reflected on pupil behaviour and their own attitudes to excluding pupils they made regular reference to the changing social policy context in which they are working. They referred frequently to the impact which market forces in education have made on school discipline, increased teacher workloads, changed parental expectations and to how the National Curriculum had limited the scope for schools to meet individual needs and address pupils personal and social behaviour. They broadly agree with Charlton David (2003), Blyth Milner (2004), and Hevey (2004) and Hayden (2007) that increased competition between schools for pupils’ and resources is a key underlying reason for a general rise in under-achievement. As Parffrey (2004) argues, Naughty children are bad news in the market economy. No one wants them. They are bad for the image of the school, they are bad for the league tables, they are difficult and time-consuming, and they upset and stress the teachers. The teachers believed that although schools were all experiencing similar conditions, some had resisted excluding pupils who presented problems. In that have lower excluding rate such as their own, when teachers were working with numbers of children with behavioural difficulties, they argued that the costs of maintaining higher thresholds of tolerance were felt by teachers themselves, in terms of teacher stress and fatigue. Many teachers in the study, notably those in primary schools who have responsibility for the whole curriculum, believed that the National Curriculum has led schools to accept a narrow view of education and, as Gray et al. (2004) have suggested, that it has diminished the importance of personal and social education. They indicated that curriculum pressures and demands for additional record keeping leave them with little time to support a disruptive child or to develop appropriate alternative materials for children with learning difficulties. This in turn can lead to frustration and consequent disruption among such children if they are unable to succeed in the tasks set. Teachers set these difficulties within the context of wider social problems facing childrens families, notably unemployment and poverty. They suggested that pressures faced by children in school, allied to difficulties which a number of them were experiencing out of school and young peoples belief that schooling might not support them in finding future work, were having an impact on their motivation, even at primary level: We are into the second generation of children whose parents have not worked. A lot of the original reasons why people toed the line are not there any longer and I think that a lot of the children in our school are living in situations where there does not seem an awful lot of point [to education]. Everyone wants to achieve in some form, but I feel at home and at school they are not seeing opportunities for themselves as individuals. Some of the traditional motivations are not there. So weve got to look at alternatives. Where we become negative its because of tiredness, its because of workload, its because of the amount of curriculum we have to cover. Weve lost sight of making it interesting. (Primary teacher) Interestingly, none of the teachers suggested that the removal of corporal punishment as a possible disciplinary option had contributed to discipline problems, and ultimately to the increasing use of under-achievement as a sanction, as did a number of the teachers and parents in Haydens (2007) study of excluded children. Teachers Understandings of Racial Equality Some teachers also argued that pressures to meet the demands of the National Curriculum had led to an approach where teachers often fail to consider whether or not the content of lessons builds upon particular childrens experiences and cultures. This would lead some children to feel neglected or marginalised and thus more likely to become disaffected. One teacher argued that an inappropriate curriculum was part of the solution, as was inadequate teacher training, but felt that teacher expectations played a central role: The over-representation of African-Caribbeanboys (among those excluded) is a very complicated issue. However, I think expectations make a big difference, and I think we do tend, however well intentioned, to see a black boy and think they are going to be trouble. A lot of this is down to the media and how they over emphasise issues about black boys, the society in general as well as other research findings. I think that one of the problems is that after a long period of dependency (on National Curriculum requirements) and considering new teachers now, there is a whole generation of teachers who are sent into schools without the grounding of making decisions about what is appropriate for example SEN issues in the class (experience from supply teaching) These teachers comments about a generation of teachers being inadequately prepared to make decisions about appropriate curriculum content within the context of a culturally diverse classroom was supported by a number of newly qualified teachers. Such teachers reported that they wished to develop multicultural approaches but lacked training in this area and were unaware as to where they might find suitable materials. (Birmingham report 2004) Head teachers generally showed themselves to be more aware of issues relating to cultural diversity and racial equality than class teachers. Parffrey (2004) points out that schools in Canada and the USA do not exclude children since schooling is recognised as the means by which children realise their basic human right to education. According to research studies on teachers understating of racial equality none of the teachers or head teachers interviewed in the case study schools supported the abolition of permanent under-achievement, although all heads saw it as a last resort. A number characterised it as a failure on the part of the school: `I would say permanent under-achievement is a defeat (secondary head teacher). Some head teachers recalled their personal sense of failure and distress as they recounted the experience of permanently excluding a pupil. Nevertheless, all the head teachers, including the two primary headsone of whom had never excluded and the other who had excluded only two pupils in 20 years as head teacheradvocated retaining permanent under-achievement as an ultimate sanction: Behaviour Policies Most school had developed its own system of rewards and sanctions which were generally explicit in the behavioural code. The aim is to provide a structure of support for difficult pupils, with a system of rewards and a full range of lesser sanctions so that permanent under-achievement was, where possible, avoided: There is some evidence (for example, Holland Hamerton, 2004) that even within schools there can be inconsistency in the types of offence for which pupils are, and are not, excluded. Such inconsistency might, in certain circumstances, allow sanctions to be applied in a discriminatory way. However, it could be argued that policies listing particular offences as leading to under-achievement should be avoided, as they could place heads in the position of having to exclude a pupil when mitigating circumstances might make under-achievement inappropriate. While this might mean treating the same offence differently when committed by different pupils or groups of pupils, it could also reduce the rate of under-achievement. It is essential that clear explanations of school policy are made to both pupils and parents, so they can see the justice of a schools approach. In some cases of under-achievement from school, teacher inexperience or lack of skills or training in managing difficult pupil behaviour may play a part (OFSTED, 2006a). A lot of the behavioural problems that exist , and I do not think there are many, are due to the fact that the whole staff have not got together to go over the approach to aspects of misbehaviour in real depth. So what I think is happening for example, if a member of staff does something inappropriate-this is not criticise a kid gets into the situation where the school has to send them home. But I think if we could change the approach in the classroom more, this would happen less. At the moment we have to react to situations and also we are trying to send a message to the students about the standards that are required of them. Pastoral Care and Mentoring In a case study of schools, (Birmingham city council 2004) particularly in the secondary schools, they felt that school discipline was directly related to the degree of respect which was shown to them by teachers and also to the level of support they received from teachers. A number stressed the importance of giving pupils occasional opportunities for individual tutorials with a teacher at which they might raise personal or academic concerns. Effective pastoral care systems were also highlighted by a number of head teachers as contributing to good discipline and self-discipline among pupils. At some schools the behaviour policy was incorporated within the schools pastoral policy: Managing difficult behaviour and developing discipline is to do with the whole school ethos. We are in the business of caring and supporting; therefore we do whatever we can. We are in the business of being fair. Another thing looked at was how to reinforce positive behaviour. (Head teacher, secondary school) Some schools had worked hard to ensure that their Personal and Social Education curriculum allowed all pupils to reflect on issues of their personal conduct. For example, some had introduced a mentoring programme for pupils who were presenting problems or who were disaffected. In one secondary school, a group of African-Caribbean boys who had been regularly in trouble and were perceived as vulnerable to under-achievement were being informally mentored by the (white male) head teacher. On the other hand, an African-Caribbean man could be invited to lead weekly sessions with African-Caribbean boys. Another aim was to raise self-esteem, and we be bring in consultants to work with the pupils on half-day conferences, to get them thinking about Where do I want to be in three or four or five years time?. (Head teacher, Birmingham school) Equal Opportunities Policy and Practice One explanation for the over-representation of African-Caribbean pupils within the under-achievement statistics is racism. The suggestion is not that most teachers operate in overly racist ways but that deep-seated stereotypes held by teachers and school governors may lead to black children being seen as having behavioural difficulties. Bridges (2004) suggests that with additional pressures on black families from high levels of unemployment, cuts in social spending, racial harassment and social dislocation imposed on their family and community life it is hardly surprising that some black children present themselves as aggressive in school, as this is a stance that society outside has taught them is necessary for survival. Stifling (2003), in her research into the causes of under-achievement , found that race often featured as a background issue and that although schools think they treat all their pupils the same and do not exclude black pupils unfairly, they do not take into account the factors which have caused the unacceptable behaviour, particularly racial harassment by other pupils. She concludes: Throughout the course of my research I have found evidence of open racism demonstrated by staff in schools to be uncommon. Far more common is the racial harassment of a black child by a white peer group. A government-commissioned study to establish why some schools appear more effective in managing pupil behaviour and avoiding under-achievement also highlighted racism, in the area if not in the school, as one of the problems likely to be experienced by excluded pupils (OFSTED, 2006a). Community and Support Services Previous research has suggested that in many cases of under-achievement , support from outside the school has been lacking, while the support provided within school has been to help the teacher cope, rather than to help pupils overcome their problems (Abbotts Parsons, 2003). A case study schools drew on a wide range of outside support agencies, including voluntary agencies, independent consultants and LEA support services. However, they noted that resources for LEA services were often limited and that they may not always be available for all pupils who need them. One community-based initiative which has been welcomed by a number of Birmingham schools is the KWESI project (Klein, 2006), a mentoring project run by black men which targets black boys judged to be vulnerable to under-achievement . The mentors enter into a partnership with schools to support individual children and KWESI asks its volunteers and participating schools to adopt a no blame approach, so that both parties work for the best interests of the child. Although none of the case study schools was working directly with KWESI, evidence suggests that the scheme has been influential beyond the schools where volunteers are working. It has made head teachers aware of the need to address the disproportionate under-achievement of African-Caribbean boys and may have contributed to a change in the climate of opinion. The Role of the LEA There is a clear role for LEAs in providing feedback to schools on the patterns and trends in exclusions and the impact on under-achievement. Monitoring of exclusions varied considerably among schools. Some head teachers, for example, did not have the data to discuss numbers of fixed term exclusions in relation to permanent exclusions nor any evidence as to whether fixed term exclusions helped to prevent permanent exclusions. The desirability of recording and monitoring action taken to support vulnerable pupils was also stressed by a number of schools. Birmingham LEA currently provides support for schools own monitoring by analysing their records to highlight any patterns in under-achievement by ethnic group and sex. A school wishing to monitor under-achievement thoroughly would need to collect and analyse data for both fixed term and permanent exclusions by sex, ethnic group, special educational needs, socio-economic background (for example, by entitlement to free school meals) and year group. Schools can record additional data which might indicate a need for changes in practice or school policies; for example, noting the pupil’s and teachers who are involved in incidents leading to under-achievement. LEAs might provide guidance in such matters and put schools in touch with schools in similar circumstances who have found solutions to particular difficulties. Head teachers of schools with low under-achievement rates often feel penalised if they are asked to accept pupils excluded from other schools. Head teachers also suggested that the LEA might impose a ceiling on the number of previously excluded pupils a school should be expected to take within a given period, thus protecting the support and resources available for difficult pupils within any one school. According to a research a school had received a small grant from the LEA to assist with the integration of excluded pupils. Although the head argued the money had not stretched far, this was seen as a gesture of goodwill. Such funds can support an induction programme which might include additional supervision and support from outside agencies. Other support for reintegration might include allocation of a special teacher-tutor and the development of a peer group mentoring scheme. Within LEAs there is also a need for greater collaboration between those who address the needs of vulnerable children and curriculum and advisory services which have particular expertise regarding equal opportunities and race equality issues. In many LEAs responsibility for under-achievements rests with an individual or service responsible for special educational needs; in such a situation questions of structural or unintended racism or possible racial discrimination are likely to have low priority if they are on the agenda at all. The West Midlands Under-achievement Forum, set up to bring together representatives from nine LEAs to share expertise and develop policies and strategies to minimise school under-achievement, is a good example of inter-LEA co-operation. It is not just at the level of policy development that such co-operation is important. For children living in one area but attending school in a neighbouring LEA there are sometimes difficulties in the co-ordinated provision of services. Chapter 3: Methodology Research Method For this study I have utilised the qualitative research approach. Qualitative research is much more subjective than quantitative research and uses very different methods of collecting information, mainly individual, in-depth interviews and focus groups. However, since this research study is a secondary qualitative research the data that has been collected for qualitative analysis has been through an extensive review of literature that has been published in the field in the past few years. Secondary research is often less costly than surveys and is extremely effective in acquiring information about peoples communication needs and their responses to and views about specific communication. It is often the method of choice in instances where quantitative measurement is not required. For the purpose of this project the qualitative interview is the perfect approach to take using semi structured interviews. Quantitative research involves counting and measuring of events and performing the statistical analysis of a numerical data (Smith, 1988). The assumption behind this is that there is an objective truth existing that can be measured and explained significantly. The main concerns of the quantitative approach are that, their measurement is reliable, valid and generalisable in its clear prediction of cause and effect (Cassell and Symon, 1994). Primary Data was collected first through interviews. Merriam (1994) said that; Interviews are the best form of collecting evidence if the researcher wants to find out facts that cannot be observed. The student used semi-structured int

Essay on Picture of Dorian Gray: The Rotting of the Spirit :: Picture Dorian Gray Essays

The Rotting of the Spirit in The Picture of Dorian Gray      Ã‚  Ã‚   Oscar Wilde, author of The Picture of Dorian Gray, makes Basil's life change drastically by having him paint a portrait of Dorian Gray and express too much of himself in it, which, in Wilde's mind, is a troublesome obstacle to circumvent. â€Å"Wilde believes that the artist should not portray any of himself in his work, so when Basil does this, it is he who creates his own downfall, not Dorian† (Shewan 36).    Wilde introduces Basil to Dorian when Basil begins to notice Dorian staring at him at a party. Basil "suddenly became conscious that someone was looking at [him]. [He] turned halfway around and saw Dorian Gray for the first time" (Wilde 24). Basil immediately notices him, however Basil is afraid to talk to him. His reason for this is that he does "not want any external influence in [his] life" (Wilde 24). This is almost a paradox in that it is eventually his own internal influence that destroys him. Wilde does this many times throughout the book. He loved using paradoxes and that is why Lord Henry, the character most similar to Wilde, is quoted as being called "Price Paradox."    Although Dorian and Basil end up hating each other, they do enjoy meeting each other for the first time. Basil finds something different about Dorian. He sees him in a different way than he sees other men. Dorian is not only beautiful to Basil, but he is also gentle and kind. This is when Basil falls in love with him and begins to paint the picture. Basil begins painting the picture, but does not tell anyone about it, including Dorian, because he knows that there is too much of himself in it. Lord Henry discovers the painting and asks Basil why he will not display it. Lord Henry thinks that it is so beautiful it should be displayed in a museum. Basil argues that the reason he will not display the painting is because he is "afraid that [he] has shown in it the secret of his soul" (Wilde 23). This is another paradox because he has not only shown the secret of his soul, but the painting eventually comes to show the secret of Dorian's soul also.      In the preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde explains that "to reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim" (Wilde 17).