Should Sociology Be Scientific?

In sociology there are two main contrasting views to how the subject of sociology should be approached and studied, as a science or not. In this essay I will be explaining the arguments of each side of the discussion fully, and aim to show the positive and negative points of either approach to studying sociology. The first argument I will analyse is Positivism. Positivists support the view that sociology should be studied as a science, arguing that society and the activities of the individuals in society as a whole hold main similarities and attributes to the physical or natural world. Positivists believe that social factors are largely involved in determining human behaviour, an example being that positivists think that people wish to seek partners in order to allow them to marry and produce children, letting them fulfil societies expectations of them. Positivists use scientific methodology, which means that their procedures resemble methods of collecting data that are usually seen in practice in natural sciences. Examples of some of these methods are questionnaires, structured interviews or statistics. Using scientific procedures in the Positivists view means that more accurate results will be collected, they hold the view that it is possible to see society in an objective way. An example of this is Durkheim, who believed the social facts of society could be considered in the same way as objects and events of the natural world. He thought that social facts did not only consist of things that could be observed objectively or in a direct manner, but also belief systems which exist in the consciousness of individuals. To look at these belief systems in a scientific manner Durkheim thought that they couldn't be changed at will, but were controlled by society making them available to scientific approaches. Correlation is another part of scientific methodology, where by looking at different social facts correlations are found between them, where there is evidence of a relationship between two or more different factors. Durkheim found that in his study of suicide there was a relationship between suicide and religions, (e. g. Protestantism and a high suicide rate). After correlations are found between social facts the researcher may believe that one social fact causes another to make a hypothesis, such as crime causes a person to become working class, or being working class causes a person to commit crime. One problem with this part of the positivist scientific methodology is that some correlations found by researchers may just be by chance or indirect. This can happen where two social facts are found together but in actual fact don't have any direct connections to each other. It can happen that a third social fact has a relationship with both the other social facts, which can cause them to be linked. An example of this is gender being the cause of both level of criminality and location in the class hierarchy, which illustrates that class and crime aren't actually linked, but are both related to gender. In positivists research they also believe that if findings are verified and found in many different contexts such as in different societies around the world and during different time periods the research can be see as being a law of human behaviour, which is the main aim of the positivist perspective. This is where a statement is found to be true in all circumstances, a comparison being scientific laws such as gravity being established, positivists hold the view that these laws can be found in human behaviour. Durkheim thought he had found a law of human behaviour when his research into suicide had the conclusion that suicide rates always increased when in society there was a drastic change in the economy. Using scientific methodology such as questionnaires does have the positive of being reliable, as the data could be collected repeatedly and it is likely to achieve the same conclusions over and over again, but also has the weakness that people can lie and be biased in the questionnaires towards themselves. Another problem is that questionnaires restrict the answers of the individual being asked the questions, which also can happen in structured interviews where the individual cant put across what they want to say because of the structured questions and style of the interview. Also questionnaires and scientific methodology doesn't take into account the individual differences that could be involved in the issue that is being researched. An example of this is suicide. Research into the matter of suicide has been criticised when it has been done using scientific matters as Douglas made the criticism of Durkheim's research that not all suicides can be treated as the same type of act as they could have different or contrasting meanings behind them, e. g. lderly Eskimo's will kill themselves for the sake of their society, where as a someone in a western society may kill themselves because they are depressed. Also, in Durkheim's research into suicide, J. D Douglas criticized him saying that the statistics used weren't valid, as the decision to if the sudden death was a suicide is made by the coroner, who in turn is influenced by the family and friends of the victim. This creates the possibility of there being systematic bias in the decision, having the consequence of not very reliable statistics to base his conclusions on. Another weakness of scientific methodology is it can result in generalisations in the conclusions, where the researcher will split the data collected into different categories, as Durkheim carried out in his study into suicide, which can be too reductionist, missing out important factors in the issue being researched such as the background of the suicides etc. Another method used in sociological research is observation, which positivists believe that the social world can be objectively observed and classified. Observation is not only used by positivists, but is also used by many anti-positivist sociologists who have observed situations in connection with subjects like education and suicide, where Atkinson observed the processes involved in the decisions made by coroners in the coroners courts. One problem with using observation is that it is restrictive in the type of situations it can be used in, such as in the study of the subject of politics, sociologists are prohibited from observing the British Cabinet. Also because the results are based on how the situation was observed through the researcher, it is possible for there to be interference from the researcher in the data collected. Another group that support the idea of sociology being a science is realists, who see much of sociology being scientific. An example of this is the realist's sociologist Keat, who saw Marxist sociology as scientific as the models developed by Marx was evaluating processes and institutions in society based on empirical data. Realists suggest that both natural and sociological sciences have the same aim in the research carried out which is to develop theories and create perspectives to explain the world based on collected evidence. Auguste Comte was a founder of sociology, and through founding the subject attempted to show it as a science using a scientific manner in his research, studying social phenomena. He talked about discovering the laws social phenomena being the main aim behind the subject of sociology, and scientific methods being the best way of accomplishing this. He also thought that society as a whole was greater than the individuals within it, which in other words meant that society was more complex than the number of people in it, that it involved many other variables. One procedure that Comte supported was the HD procedure, which was where you started with a theory, created a hypothesis based on that theory, slected a research method that could be verified and analysise the data collected through this method to see if the hypothesis was correct. One problem with this procedure is that although it does have reliable data that is collected, and a straight forward procedure involved, a negative aspect of creating a hypothesis to work with before carrying out the research is that it brings in the possibility that the researcher will pick a research method which will be biased to the hypothesis by be the method most likely to prove it. An example of where this happened was the research into aids attempting to prove it as a ‘gay plague'. Another example of a positivist theory was made by Karl Popper, who created the theory of falsification. Popper believed that the best way to see if a theory or conclusion was true was to let it stand the test of time. In this he meant that the longer a theory was supported and unreputed by other sociologists, the more true it was. Popper was critical towards Marx, saying that he was unscientific because he didn't use empirical data and that Marx's theory couldn't be proved wrong or right as Marx left his theory open to when the revolution would actually happen, meaning that if a revolution didn't happen in that time period, Marx would still be able to argue that it was going to happen ‘some day in the future'. The other side of the argument of should sociology be scientific is held by anti positivists, such as Max Weber. Weber claims that to come to true conclusions the motives of a situation or a persons actions must first be understood. An example of this is if a person is fishing, are they doing it because its their hobby, or maybe because they are hungry. One process supported by Weber was verstehen, which is where the sociologist imagines himself or herself as the person or in the position of the person whose being studied. Weber thought that the motives behind an action are just as important as the actions themselves for coming to the truth behind a subject. There third perspective involved in the debate is Post Modernism, which believe in the grand narrative, or that there is no such thing as just having one dominant theory. Post Modernists believe the best results and theories are academic pick and mix's, where conclusions are drawn from many different perspectives and theories to get an all round finding that includes all the different points of view involved. Post Modernists also think that there is no such thing as one objective truth, and that no one method or way of looking at sociology can arrive at true conclusions as in reality, society is always changing as is the norms and values within society. One post modernist who believes that there is no one technique that can find the truth (a belief held by epistemology) is Lyotard, who sees all epistemology as being based on more the researchers opinions instead of being based on objective knowledge. This is known as being a metanarrative.

Cost Behaviors and Allocations Essay

The relationship between fixed, variable, and total costs of an organization is called cost behavior. It is also known as underlying cost structure, and is used for planning, control, and decision making within the organization. Healthcare organizations face several challenges to try and improve the quality of care and reduce costs at the same time. Their response to how to do this describes their cost behavior. Fixed costs is a cost that are certain regardless of the volume of services that are delivered and will occur even if the facility is closed. Variable costs are related directly to the amount of service that is delivered. These two costs make up the underlying cost structure of an organization. For example the costs of supplies used to draw blood in a laboratory, would be the variable costs, the costs to keep the laboratory open would be fixed costs. To understand the cost behaviors of the organization you have to figure out the relationship these costs have with the amount of services that they are delivering. To manage your costs you want to make sure that you are bringing in enough volume that will cover your costs. Cost allocation is a very important part of cost measurement. It is a pricing process that within the organization where managers allocate the costs of all the departments. Within healthcare organizations the overhead costs, costs from patient services departments, and support costs have to be allocated. Due to this pricing and service offerings are based on the total costs in relation with each services. If the allocations of overhead costs are allocated properly the organization is better able to make good decisions for the organization. Works Cited Evans III, J. H. (1998). Cost Management and Management Control in Healthcare Organizations: Research Opportunities. Behavioral Research in Accounting , 10, 78-103. Gapenski, L. (2012). Healthcare finance: An introduction to accounting and financial management (5th ed. ). Chicago: Health Administration Press.

Patterns and trends in health among society Essay

Gender Women’s life expectancy is higher than men; women typically live five years longer than men (Stretch and Whitehouse 2012. In 2002, life expectancy at birth for females born in UK was 81 years, compared with 76 years for males. This contrasts with 49 and 45 years respectively at the turn of the last century in 1901(Sikin, L undated). Another reason why women live longer could be because men tend to smoke and drink more alcohol than women in general. Men also take more risk than women; Women have less chance in getting cardiovascular disease, like heart attack and stroke. Women usually develop these problems usually in their 70s and 80s, about 10 years later than men, who develop them in their 50s and 60s (Blue, L 2008). Another reason why women live longer could be because men in their late teens and 20s go through something called ‘’testosterone’’ (Blue, L 2008). Testosterone is when the level of hormones is high and changeable, this can create dangerous behaviors. For e.g. they may not wear seatbelts; they drink alcohol and they can become aggressive. These kinds of behaviors can lead to higher death rates for males. Men also take risk more than women; expert claims that men take more risk, making them twice as adventurous and carefree than female. However in 2011 bps state that woman often takes more risk than men. Psychological Science – a journal of the Association for Psychological Science – has shown the reality of what type of person is prone to taking chances is more complicated than first thought. The study found that despite stereotypes, females sometimes take more risks than men and adolescents can be as  cool-headed as any other demographic. (3). they have found out that men are prone to financial gambles and women often take social risks. Another reason why women life expectancy is higher because men tend to do dangerous sports such as rugby, surfing, motorcycle racing and skiing. In 2002 statistic said that females born in the UK live up to 81 years, whereas males live up to 76 years. This contrast with 49 and 45 years respectively at the turn of the last century in 1901 (2). This is a table is from 2007-2009 about life expectancy in different parts of the UK. In the UK, males and females expect to spend more than 80 per cent of their lives in very good health or general health from birth. Falling to around 57 per cent at the age of 65 (1). In recent years males are taking care of their health more than females. However in today’s society it is believed that female’s health has improved more than males. Social class Statistic produced a biases picture. They believe that people in the lowest social class work in dangerous industries. This causes higher rates of illness. Therefore it is not the class but age and employment of people that causes high levels of illness and lower life expectancy. /http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1007 Ethnicity All ethnic minorities have higher rates of still births, perinatal moralities (death within 1 week), and neo-natal mortality (within 1 month). Ethnicity backgrounds tend to have shorter life expectancy. Children from Asian families have higher rates of getting rickets. Only Afro-Caribbean’s and Pakistanis continue to show ‘excess mortality throughout infancy’ (Whitehead 1992). Afro-carribeans more likely to be admitted to mental health units, men more so than women and more likely to be sectioned. Once there they are more likely to receive harsh treatment e.g.- electro-shock therapy, anti psychotics. Age Geographical location The black report Internet Blue, L (2008) Why Do Women Live Longer Than Men [online] Available at: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1827162,00.html http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/disability-and-health-measurement/health-expectancies-at-birth-and-age-65-in-the-united-kingdom/2008-10/index.html Sikin, L (undated) Life expectancy [online] Available at: http://www.agediscrimination.info/statistics/Pages/LifeExpectancy.aspx The telegraph (2012) Men twice as likely to take risks [online] Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/evolution/9005552/Men-twice-as-likely-to-take-risks.html

Personal Leadership Development Project Paper Essay

Personal Leadership Development Project Paper - Essay Example The training period, all the trainees are conduct seminar, study classes etc, for developing the quality of employees. It is a good training. Verizon wireless, my role is to design the job, job analysis, human resource planning, recruitment, selection, hiring, induction, evaluation of performance, compensation management, training and development, welfare administration, employee movements, health and safety administration, grievance handling, discipline etc. The H R training in offices getting lot of experience, these experience are helps to manage the colloquies in the organization, also helps to identify the minds and behaviour of sub-ordinates. In my carrier planned some strategies. First one is to keeping 99% attitude for work and personal matter. Attitude is 99 percent, every person’s carrier is successful, for the reason I am keeping attitude for one year for the marketing training period, and our attitude is loose at one time for losing our carrier. Another strategy is to don’t cheating others. As a manager, in my view, to achieving the goal of the organization, to motivate and trained to the subordinates to achieve the higher volume of business. Which subordinates are performing better, to give additional bonus, gifts etc,. The main role of HR manager is to functioning the effective utilization of human resource in an organization. The overall goal of the organization is to building strong brands, expanding the bus iness, and getting marketing leadership. The main goal of organization is to create a new business in new areas. The top of the organization focusing expanding the networks across the countries. The training is conducting in the branch office; communicate the sub-ordinates for the entire process of organization and the organizational goals. The aim and objectives of the company is to achieve the market leader in wireless network. It is a very good feedback from my sub-ordinates or trainees, because,

War on Terror Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

War on Terror - Research Paper Example War on Terror The interest that this author had in joining the military began when as a senior at Whetstone High School in Columbus, Ohio. During the autumn of 1988, Eddie Johnson, a former classmate, came home from Marine Boot Camp and visited the school. Standing tall in the hallway Eddie was shaking hands with all the teachers and students commanding the space around him with ease and confidence I had not seen from him previously. It was amazing to see the Principal; standing beside him beaming proudly. Eddie had just completed 8 weeks of hell at Parris Island, SC and he was looking fit, and trim in his shiny new Marine Uniform. One glance at him it was apparent that those same qualities which Eddie displayed should be exhibited in more young men. As this author compared himself to Eddie, it became clear and apparent that if he could endure and carry on through such hardships and trials, so too could anyone determined to succeed. Shortly after that day, this author mustered up the inner courage and went and talked to the Marine Recruiter and signed up. Two weeks after that point in time, graduation from high school had taken place and the long and difficult path of becoming a Marine lay ahead. From entering boot camp a young know-it-all and emerging a hardened warrior forged by blood, sweat and tears, it became apparent that United States Marines must value the rights and desires of others above their own. In this way, the development of an appreciation for guarding and providing the frontline of defense became to be born. Yet serving one’s country is not just a decision that is right only for this author; rather, serving our country should be vitally important to every citizen. The war on terror knows no bounds and is being fought each and every day on our soil as well as abroad. The struggle between radical Islamic sectarian beliefs and the principles of free societies have been on a collision course for quite some time now. Due to the fact that so many fanatics believe so strongly that their narrow-minded interpretation of religion is the â€Å"true† and â€Å"right† way, a glut of active and willing volunteers from many of the most poverty stricken regions of the planet has come to exist. Many nations that are controlled by radical elements of fundamentalist Islam practice cultural and ideological hegemony in these countries; thereby having a low tolerance towards different religions or views being practiced of promoted. In order to gain further control, many of these radical fundamentalists have splintered off and chose to use terrorism to achieve their ideological goals. Many American have always taken the concepts introduced by the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, or the Bill of Rights for granted; believing that â€Å"all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness†. This belief has often come with a level of comfort that we are safe; that everyone likes our country and most importantly that bad things do not happen to good people because we have a right to be happy. This sheltered and wholesome belief system, although admirable, was shaken to its very core within the recent past. On September 11,

Foster Children That Received Improved Relationship From Foster Essay

Foster Children That Received Improved Relationship From Foster Parents Can Develop Secure Attachment - Essay Example This is due to the lack of time for working parents, specifically mothers, to nurse for their children. Likewise, growing costs of home care also allowed for professional foster caregivers a better option. It is therefore necessary to find out and seek best environments for children needing foster care but this cannot be established without extensive research and findings. Dozier et al (2001) suggested that babies in foster care "organize their attachment behavior around the availability of their new caregivers" although acknowledged that it is possible that previous experiences lessen the babies' chances of forming trusting relationships with new caregivers. This study will specifically find out if foster children that received improved or high quality relationship from the foster parents can develop secure attachment. It will answer the question will foster children that received high quality or improved relationship from the foster parents can develop secure attachment Since there are several acknowledged factors that suggest attachment behaviors are organized around the availability of caregivers (Dozier et al, 2001), this study proposes that foster children that received improved or high quality... It will try to establish definitive structure of a "quality relationship" and "secure attachment" and how these could be developed in a foster care setting. Likewise, it will also distinguish foster parental from professional foster care in relation to caring foster children in the process. This study will be relevant as a guide for future and present caregivers, whether foster parents or professional care providers for children from infanthood to pre-school or even schooling children. Dozier et al (2001) suggested that it is necessary to establish attachment quality "because it reflects the quality of the (children's) relationship with the caregiver and [] it is associated with the child's later interpersonal functioning." Likewise, the three aspects: internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior and trouble with peers shall also be considered in this research as these are qualitative factors that define the aim of this study. Background of the Study: Marcus (1991) established that children are "placed in foster care when any local Department of Social Services and the courts have determined that current parental care for those children has fallen below acceptable community standards and the child is at risk to be harmed." While Ericksona and Egeland (1987) proposed that "foster care may be haven from further neglect or abuse," it is possible that child may bring to this arrangement the sequel of maltreatment, including feelings of rejection, lowered self-esteem, mistrust and resentment. Marcus (1991) provided for basis of quality care in the form of social supports, perception of affection from adults, and the quality of

Security tools comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Security tools comparison - Essay Example Finally, criteria 4 produced separate advantages and disadvantages for each tool. In this regard, GFI LANguard proved to better when remediating vulnerabilities that required downloaded patches. On the other hand, DMV has an upper hand at remediating vulnerabilities that require adjustments to the system. 23 Evaluation 23 Reference 24 Introduction This report’s main rationale of is to create a responsiveness and understanding of a variety of tools essential to protect computer networks against attack. Aim The report aims to analyse comparatively two vulnerability scanners of a similar type. Objective The objectives of the report are: 1. To provide a brief overview of the two vulnerability scanners and their features accompanied by either diagrams or screenshots. 2. To provide a brief discussion of the criteria used to compare the two vulnerability scanners. 3. To provide a comparison of the two vulnerability scanners using the criteria discussed. 4. To provide a conclusion tha t summarises the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two vulnerability scanners. ... ir roles, these vulnerability scanners depend upon databases, which store essential information necessary to analyse vulnerabilities in a system (SearchToolQuality.com, 2006) Scanning vulnerabilities is crucial in securing a system or a network. In addition, it can identify weaknesses in the system or network that a potential attacker can use and effectively prepares the system or network against such attackers. For that reason, the fundamental objective of utilizing a vulnerability scanner is to discover recognized vulnerabilities and eradicate them prior to an attacker using them against the system or network (Bradley, 2004). According to SearchToolQuality.com (2006), an ideal vulnerability scanner should have the following capabilities: 1. Unfailing and an up-to-date database of vulnerabilities 2. Effective detection of definite vulnerabilities devoid of numerous erroneous positives 3. Ability to carry out compound scans simultaneously 4. Ability to execute trend analyses and pres ent a comprehensible report of the results 5. Propose methods of getting rid of the exposed vulnerabilities In addition, Zorz (2011) pointed out the following significant factors to consider while deciding on the best vulnerability scanner for a precise need, which correspond with SearchToolQuality.com’s (2006) capabilities: Scalability – This implies that a tool should be able to cope with high workload when used by large or distributed networks. In effect, this corresponds with the third capability from SearchToolQuality.com (2006). Results accuracy – Since analysing, prioritising and remediating the security issues can be time consuming, it is essential to secure the network within the shortest timeframe. However, it is important to point out that some factors such as duplication

States have used Responsibility to protect as a reason not to act Essay

States have used Responsibility to protect as a reason not to act rather than a reason to act. Discuss - Essay Example mple, the Americans used their own troops to attack Afghanistan in October 2001 and Iraq on March 2003.The principle of the state responsibility to protect is a norm and military interventions are the last resort and permission from the United Nations Security Assembly is a requisite before use of force. In this article, I will define the meaning of responsibility to protect and will discuss the state’s responsibility to protect norm by providing instances where the states used international organizations to advance this norm. I will also provide instances where the state failed to effectively intervene. I will analyze the states responsibility to protect role in view of Bosnia and Darfur Sudan as well as the impacts of their actions, for example intervention as in the case of Bosnia and limited or lack of it in the case of Darfur. This article will equally analyze the notion of legitimacy in the intervention of states in pursuit of their responsibility to protect role and it will answer the following questions: If a state is a failed state, and is unable to protect its citizens from the above crimes and peaceful measures are not working, then the international community has an obligation to prevent such crimes through diplomacy or coercive means. In September 2000, The Norm of Responsibility to Protect got a major boost from the Canadian Government. The Commission on States Sovereignty and Intervention, formed by the Canadian Government released its report on December 2001. The report noted that the Global Community has a responsibility to prevent mass atrocities by using diplomatic means or a more coercive means and use of military interventions should be as a last resort. Security should be emphasized while enforcing this role and justice should be carried out to victims of mass atrocities. The African Union, in its founding charter observed the fact that the global community has a duty to intervene in crisis situations if states cannot provide security

Managing people and developing, leading team Essay

Managing people and developing, leading team - Essay Example I am a member of the Libyan students’ society in Leicester; I was involved in a social program that was working with young Libyan people. The organizations involved in coordinating the social program were Libyan Red Crescent and some civil society organizations. The main objective of working with the civil society was to carry out charity works and equip community members with assertive skills with respect to observance of civil rights. Working with young Libyan people was both fun and challenging at the same time because of the stubborn nature of young men when they grow up. This program offered a platform to sharpen my skills, as they will be needed during the next visit. It was crucial that we avoid past mistakes and use new techniques. I worked with young Libyan people in Libyan secondary school in Leicester and Taiba mosque near Libyan school. The project was organized based on the presumption that most young people need some motivations to navigate life and still lead he althy lives. The charity programs helped to reduce the desperation of the locals who were faced with a high rate of unemployment. I applied my aesthetic skills in helping restore the dignity of girls who have been victims of rape and other abuses. There were a lot of activities that indulged young Libyan people, for example, participating in lectures about first aid, playing football, visiting interesting places and others. In order to accomplish the project’s objectives, there was need to partition ourselves into various teams and use the teams as a means of getting to the end. We organized ourselves into strategic teams, which were headed by my fellow colleagues. There was a need to identify common values, goals, and objectives. This was crucial in the management of conflicting interests and desires. The boys were teenagers in their early and late teens, and had a lot of enthusiasm for fun games. Our aim was to use the principles

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 128

Summary - Essay Example Though this theory measure the voting activity in terms of individual cost and benefits, it supports the ideological difference that exist between those willing to and those not willing to vote. This means that voting is a choice according to the theory of voting in relation to the voting calculus. This article depicts the reasons behind peoples’ participation or lack of participation in voting activities. According to the article, voting is a choice based on the level of commitment, civic knowledge, and finance to support the process. The three mentioned factors are grouped under resources and any of these determines whether an individual is ready to vote. A person with poor civic skill sees no need of voting and tends to calculate its benefit in line with spent time. Again, a person engaging in a more beneficial activity apart from voting sees no need in the process and continues with a more beneficial activity. This is a clear indication that voting is a choice based the costs and benefits according to the information displayed in this article. This article explains the voting process as a choice propelled by self-interest. According to the given information, nobody can participate in an activity without an interest. Voting is a public activity that involves many people though only few people benefit from the entire process (Riker & Peter, 36). For instance, the candidates and their family relations tend to benefit largely from the voting process and this explains self-interest and the level of benefit as a motivating factor. Apart from self interest, some people vote to save a magnitude without considering their interests. Voting without self-interest is a choice as explained in this article. This makes it difficult to determine whether voting is a choice or a fundamental activity. Social Identity, Political participation, and Altruism are choices that determine the voting

English Mock Exam Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

English Mock Exam - Term Paper Example Anyone can be arrested suddenly, and for no valid reason, at any time of the day or night. There can be no recourse to the law, or appeal for justice. The ‘knock on the door’ can happen at any time to anyone. In both the poems, all citizens are the helpless victims of state sponsored terrorism. The government is absolutely ruthless and does not tolerate any form of dissent. The background of both poems is an atmosphere of fear. Both First They Came and Not my Business share the common theme of the impossibility of isolating oneself from injustice. It can be said that the underlying message in both the poems is the brotherhood of man. Niemoller and Osundare emphasize that no man can live in isolation from his society. What affects one man will have its repercussions on all others. No one can live in a cocoon and remain untouched by the experiences of others. If injustice is left unchecked, it will inevitably engulf everyone. The poets are united in their call for every ma n to speak out against injustice. Both poems urge every individual to give voice to the demand for justice and protest against wrong: even if one is not personally affected. The writers call for everyone to overcome their fear and have the courage to stand up and be counted for their convictions. If we remain passive spectators to wrongdoing, we will definitely be the next victims. The themes of the poems can be said to be almost identical. Niemoller writes from his personal experience as a protestor against Nazi rule in Hitler’s Germany, and his active opposition to state control of the church. He has actually lived the lines of his poem, having been arrested and sent to the notorious concentration camps, where he has spent seven years. The line, â€Å"Then they came for me,† is based on his real life experience. It is a true account, which was written after the fall of Nazism and his release from the camps. His poem is biographical. However, although Osundare has not been subjected to such actual arrest and imprisonment, his empathy for his countrymen makes his poem as vivid and intimate as First They Came. Osundare’s poetry is so personal, that it remains as true-to-life and genuine as Niemoller’s. Both the poems reflect their own culture. Niemoller, as a Protestant clergyman in Nazi Germany, bases his list of the various kinds of people on religion: Communists, Jews, Catholics and Socialists. This is in accordance with the anti-religious sentiments which Hitler established as part of his Nazi ideology and also with Niemoller’s strong religious identity as a churchman. Niemoller focuses on religious belief in his poem and conveys the message that one should stand up for everyone’s right to practice their own faith. On the other hand, Osundare’s poem reflects the realities of Africa, where the scarcity of resources is a fact of everyday life. Hunger is a very real threat which hangs over every person. In accor dance with this fact, he focuses on food. Osundare asserts that one should speak out in defense of others, even at the cost of losing one’s daily food: represented in his poem by the humble yam. It is clear that Not my Business is based in a country where poverty is widespread. The names used by Osundare, and the mention of yam as a staple food, also speak of Africa. The writers use similar forms in their poems. First They Came and Not my Business both have short stanzas and are not lengthy. However, Osundare’s indentation of the repetitive lines forms a kind of chorus, while

Role of the Government vs. Private Sector in Paying for the Healthcare Essay Example for Free

Role of the Government vs. Private Sector in Paying for the Healthcare Essay Writing Prompt 1 Table 1: Clinical United States (High Income Country) Somalia (Low Income Country) High life expectancy. Low life expectancy. Low mortality rate. High mortality rate. Low infant mortality rate. High infant mortality rate. Low adult mortality rate. High adult mortality rate. Cause-specific morbidity and mortality (low mortality rate due to communicable, non-communicable, and injury). Cause-specific morbidity and mortality (high mortality rate due to communicable, non-communicable, and injury). Low rate of infectious diseases (Cholera, Malaria, TB). High rate of infectious diseases (Cholera, Malaria, TB). High health service coverage. Low health coverage. Low risk factors. High risk factors. High availability of health systems as regards to physicians, nurses, and hospital beds per 10,000 people. Low availability of health systems as regards to physicians, nurses, and hospital beds per 10,000 people. Median availability of generic medicines in public and private sectors. Median availability of generic medicines in public and private sectors. Median consumer price ration of generic medicines in public and private sectors. Median consumer price ration of generic medicines in public and private sectors. Median age of population = 40 years. Median age of population = 17.5 years. Median age among adults = 55 years. Median age among adults = 30 years. Low literacy level. High literacy level. High gross national income per capita of $50, 120. Low gross national income per capita of $150. Little part of population living on $1 and below a day. Large part of population living on $1 and below a day. Table 2: Sources Expected years of life at birth. Categories of national health expenditure. 80 years in the United States and 51.19 years in Somalia. $2.7 trillion or $9,000 per person in the United States and $2 per person in Somalia. Role of the Government vs. Private Sector in Paying for the Healthcare From the data available in the table, it is evident that the role of the Government apropos the provision of healthcare to the citizens of the United States is a high compared to the same services in Somalia. That is, the public sector has a high responsibility to ensure payment and subsidizing of hospital bills for its citizens. National health systems of these two countries differ significantly because of public and private sectors involved in the health docket. The Government of the United States plays greater role in healthcare services starting from the provision of healthcare facilities to making relatively cheaper and available healthcare services and providing health insurance cover to all public employees. Andersen, Rice, Kominski (2011) assert that the Government also provides healthcare payments through Medicare and Medicaid to its citizens without favors. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of the US enables treatment of patients, who need emergency trea tment by availing funds that cover the costs incurred in such instances. Public sector is the backbone of the United States as an independent country whose values and principles are well established to ensure maximum social  advantage. Private sector also plays a greater role in paying for healthcare compared to the public sector in the United States. On the other hand, both private and public sectors play minor roles in paying for healthcare services and facilities. This is mainly because of the fact that Somali’s government is not politically stable, and this also hampers private investors, which translates to government’s and private sector’s minor role in paying for the healthcare of its citizens. Unlike in Somalia, there is quality service assurance in many healthcare centers in the US, which ensures that proper healthcare procedures provided for the welfare of United States’ citizens. Besides, Capobianco Naidu (2008) opine that Somalia is a poorly developed country, whose healthcare development heavily depends on inter national aids to support the country. The World Health Organization reports that Somalia has high mortality rate with low life expectancy compared to the United States, which is a much more developed nation in the globe. Data also unveils that health system physicians allocated per ten thousand people is reasonably good due to higher literacy level in the United States compared to Somalia. Here, both private and public sectors play a bigger role, whereby the public sector provides enough support to a private sector in various ways. This also explains why there are enough hospital beds available to accommodate a bigger number of patients. The Government of the United States through its intervention ventures into necessary expenses ensures that enough healthcare facilities, such as clinics, are set up in various communities and centers in a bid to reduce the risk of running into shortages. In addition, the Government of the United States in collaboration with the private sector has inexorably endeavored to support one another to pay for the healthcare and improve services in all states. Burden of Illness and Other Health Indices The United States is one of the most developed countries in the world, which means that the country has the potency to provide healthcare facilities and highly competitive healthcare services to its citizens without feeling the pinch. The country has well-developed heath care units that range from clinics that are set up in almost every corner to large hospitals with  relevant and enough healthcare equipment and tools to meet the demand when it arises. In addition, unlike in Somalia, the United States has various research centers that are involved in everyday research in a bid to find medical solutions to everyday problems as far as diseases are concerned. These very research institutes have enough facilities and expertise to undertake numerous studies and develop solutions to various problems. Barton (2010) reiterates that the burden of illness in the United States is not evident due to the high investment in countrys healthcare sector. Various health indices depict the United Sta tes as a nation that can comfortably and without strain provide some free healthcare services and other subsidized services to its citizens. This is however not the case in Somalia due to lack of such institutions and disparity in healthcare service delivery. There are incredibly few healthcare centers in the country, and those few that are available cannot fully serve the whole population. Low mortality rate both among children and among adults, which translates into high life expectancy in the United States, clearly depicts that the burden of illness is insignificant. This is unlike in Somalia where the opposite is true. That is, life expectancy in the United States is 80 years, while it is only 51 years in Somalia. Besides, there is high health coverage in terms of provision of healthcare services that covers almost all diseases that cannot be easily treated in Somalia due to lack of expertise and facilities at the few available healthcare centers in the country. There are more risk factors leading to high mortality rate in Somalia compared with the United States due to poor implementation of policies regarding stepping up health facilities and prevention measures to reduce the number of deaths among the Somali populace. Relationship b etween Payment System and Health Burden There exists a nexus between the payment system and the health burden evident in each of the two countries. That is, the health burden directly related to the payment system of these two nations in the sense that there is a bigger health burden in Somalia due to poor payment system implemented. This significantly contributes to a heavy health burden experience in this country. High mortality rate both among adults and among children as well as low life expectancy coupled with low income per capita and low illiteracy  levels in Somalia are indicators of a huge health burden among country’s populace. According to Capobianco Naidu (2008), poor development in infrastructure and in relevant sectors have utterly crippled countrys potency to provide proper medical care to its citizens despite the availability of resources. Insecurity has also been among the top reasons hampering private investors from setting up for-profit healthcare facilities both in urban and rural areas due to physicians’ fear of loss of their dear lives. Most healthcare practitioners fear for their lives and do not want to work in an insecure environment despite the escalating health issues that are rampant in the nation. On the other hand, developed US also shows pure connection between the existing payment system and the negligible health burden. That is, country is well established healthcare sector has a momentous impact on the insignificant health burden. The Government’s role in the healthcare sector in collaboration with the largely operated private healthcare centers in the country contributed to the reduced health burden due to the efficient payment system. There are also many private healthcare centers, which create stiff competition among themselves, which leads to reduced healthcare prices paid by individuals in a bid to access the services. References Andersen, R. M., Rice, T. H., Kominski, G. F. (2011). Changing the U.S. health care system: Key issues in health services policy and management. New York: John Wiley Sons. Barton, P. L. (2010). Understanding the U.S. health services system. New York: Health Administration Press. Capobianco, E., Naidu, V. (2008). A review of health sector aid financing to Somalia. Washington D.C: World Bank Publications.

How Do Peer Relationships Effect Social Development Young People Essay

How Do Peer Relationships Effect Social Development Young People Essay The purpose of this essay is to evaluate how friendships and social interactions with peers, influence the social development of children. Furthermore, to consider the links between family relationships societal influences and the effects that these have on childrens social development in early life. In addition to understand the complexities of an adults role when supporting childrens social development, in the nursery setting. Research suggests that friendships are fundamental in providing future relationships, which help children cope with the stresses of life; learning to make and keep friends is one of the most important influences in the social development of children Early Excellence for Childhood Development (2009). Establishing relationships with peers is one of the major development tasks of early childhood, and how well they fare at this time, matters not only to the children themselves, but also to their future Shonkoff and Phillips (2000:163). This is in line with Phal (2000) it is not friendships per se that is important but the trust security feelings of self-esteem and of love are important (:148). Childrens friendships with others build upon two individual interactions based on trust respect and security Shaffer (1996:324). Shaffer further suggests that sociability plays a key part in the social development of children and that this depends on the skills children acquire during the first yea rs of life (:325). By the age of two years, children begin enjoy playing with peers, laughing, talking, yet with trial and error; they learn to carry out their social skills (Development Milestones 2006), talking helps children make sense of things, and this puts things into perspective. However, children become protective of their possessions, which results in them not sharing, nevertheless, childrens interactions grow out of egocentric modes of thinking and by being confronted with peers points of view and through peer interactions (Piaget 1932). Even so, children learn ways in which, their cooperation is welcomed, and how they can take part for what they want (Elkin and Handel, 1978). Furthermore, they start imitating their peers at early ages, spending lots of time watching what they do, even though, children between the ages of two to three years, are more likely to be self-centred and are not interested in others feelings. Piaget also states as children get older they learn how to share and take turns, and start to make friends with peers within their social groups, and in social situations (1932:47), such as swimming clubs, dance or football lessons. Equally as children become aware of the world around them, in particular how everything in it relates to them, they learn to make friends, and start communicating with their peers, both within their own age group and older. Children move in peer environments offering opportunities for support, and develop an understanding of others (Piaget 1932:42). Such as befriending younger peers, as some children need help in bridging their differences, in finding ways to learn from and enjoy the company of one another. Additionally, once children learn to empathise with their peers, they will learn how much fun it is to have friendships, and that these may turn into long-lasting relationships. Equally, childrens acceptance by their peers are influenced by factors suc h as, relationships at home including relationships with siblings, childrens own behaviour, relationships with parents and parents own relationships with each other. Families give children their social networks and social support, but children, who construct themselves in relationships with peers and friends, as well as parents, identify the rule of reciprocity and understand that personal and shared resources can have mutual benefits. Research suggests that this is especially true when making friendships. Therefore, children who show negative behaviour towards their peers will find it difficult to make friends. Peer difficulties in the early years are predictors of future problems, such as, feelings of loneliness, aggression anxiety and depression (Shaffer 1996: 326). However, some children differ in their social behaviour such as, individual personalitys temperaments extended family relationships, and cultural environments, which affect their social behaviour, (Rothbart Bates, 1998; Kagan1992). What is right, or effective social behaviour in one culture, may not be in another. Such as eating food with fingers, this is acceptable in some eastern society; however, this is not acceptable in that of western society. Evidence suggests, children enter society at the mercy of others, from the time they are born children have innate responses, these influence their social development outcomes, which will then continue and change throughout their lifespan. Family influences start from the time of conception with genetic makeup provided by parents, such as the colour of hair and eyes, height bone structure and temperament Shaffer (1996:163). However, the mother is the primary caregiver, providing an environment to which the child will grow and mature; she provides the child with nourishment, a safe environment, and the necessary health care for her and her child (Elkin and Handle 1978). Consequently, the mother provides the child with the first smile sound touch taste, and attachment. According to Bowlby (1944) for children to form relationships, they must first learn to develop an attachment with others this will lead children to form bonds and secure attachments with others later in life (:62). Chil dren become dependent on their family to provide clothing food shelter a clean safe environment, support, access to necessary health care and education. Children come to feel loved, valued, and learn to believe in a shared set of values and beliefs The Family Paediatrics Report (2003). Children also receive; care for their dependency and attention for their sociability, however, the kind of care and attention children receive during their early years will affect their management of important issues in later life, such as trust and distrust, Shonkoff and Phillips (2000:265). Therefore, the kind of parenting styles influence childrens social development and childrens characteristics according to Baumrind (1971) children who have authoritative parents tend to be self-reliant self-controlled cooperative socially responsible and keen to achieve, because parents have the power control, and how they direct their children. Children with permissive parents tend to lack confidence in voicing their opinions, are not interested in success and have no direction, as parents have limited control over them, over indulgence and inconsistencies regarding discipline. However, these parents are very loving and affectionate. Authoritarian parents on the other hand, tend to be in control over their children, giving them strict rules but in ways that encourages communication and mutual respect. Whereas Authoritarian parents are more involved, are more responsive sensitive and attentive to their childrens individual needs. However, children whose parents use this parenting style have children that are more likely to be impolite, rebellious and especially in boys socially incompetent. Rejecting-Neglecting parents however, shows an emotionally detached style of parenting with little effort of providing food and clothes for their children, they are uncaring do not watch or support their childrens activities they do not provide structure for the social rules or an understanding of the wo rld they live in, and actively reject their responsibilities to rearing of their children. In addition, they have a combination of low approval and low involvement with little interest in the control of general indifferences to issues autonomy. Therefore, their children tend to be immature in cognitive and social development. However, personality may also influence and affect parents responses to some behaviours showing that parents may not in nature adopt these styles but be forced into them (Johnson and Nohamond-Williams). Although family is an important factor in influencing the social development of children, research suggests that normal family is forever changing Shonkoff and Phillips (2000:263) with increases in divorce, one-parent families stepparents, cohabitation as well as civil partnerships and the growing diversity of values, beliefs ground rules culture, social and economic status. Shonkoff and Phillips (2000:264). However, the fundamentals of family life are to provid e their children with a stable environment for children to learn through the process of socialisation to become acceptable members of society, besides social status recreation, and leisure pursuits. The family has also seen changes in terms of social values, attitudes and structure, such as that within the British Royal family and their conformity to social trends, with three out of the four children now divorced. Studies also show that children of divorced parents are at greater risk of emotional and behavioural problems, including depression The Family paediatrics Report (2003). Such children tend to have social difficulties and more problem relationships with one or, both parents, however, childrens inability to cope without the social support of their families can stem from social strains such as parental mental illness, substance abuse, violence, and divorce, Family Paediatrics Report, (2003). Studies show that parental abusive behaviour results from parents negative interpreta tions of a childs behaviour, poor social skills, and how they cope with stress Goldsmith, (2001:184). Goldsmith (2001) further suggested, stress leads to problems of parents feelings of depression helplessness anger, exhaustion and marital tension. Nevertheless parents who develop better management skills will find it easy to form tactics, solve problems, and amend to change, therefore will have a sense of being in control Goldsmith, (2000:186). However, if the needs within family cannot be fulfilled the fulfilment of those needs can be sought after in the community, by dishonesty such as theft. Research suggests that unemployment and poverty can also affect the social development of children, with unemployment increasing the financial strain on family; this may compromise parent-child relationship by inducing hostility as well as reducing support and love in the home. Therefore, having an impact on the social environment to which the child develops, relating to Brofenbrenners ecolo gical system theory, referring to the multiplicity of social influences that influence on childrens development.

Dualits Marketing Strategy Analysis

Dualits Marketing Strategy Analysis Over the next three years the market for kitchen products and appliances is expected to grow by up to 17.6% (Datamonitor, 2009). This growing market makes it the ideal time to be the manufacturer of these goods.   Consumers of these goods are looking for products which are both stylish and built to last.   Dualit has created a product with has incorporated both these key elements; the Dualit NewGen toaster. Dualit is a British company which designs and manufactures toasters and other kitchen appliances.   Founded in the early 1940s (Dualit, 2010), Dualit is portrayed as a company which offers high quality and well-engineered products. The first Dualit toaster to be made with a timer and manual eject button was created in 1952 and ever since Dualit has continued to produce toasters based on the original design (Dualit, 2010). In this essay Dualits marketing strategy will be assessed using the 4Ps framework.   This framework allows product, place, price and promotion to be considered (Marketing Teacher, 2010).   As well as looking at the companys marketing mix, their targeting, positioning and segmentation will also be evaluated.   By considering all of these aspects, alternatives can be suggested on how Dualit can improve their strategy.   All the information used for this essay will come from secondary sources. Dualit want to be considered as a company which offer high quality products which are superior to their competitors (Dualit, 2010).   This is illustrated in the way in which they target their customers.   Dualit use a differentiated marketing strategy to target their consumers.   Using a differentiated marketing strategy allows them to target several markets and design a separate offering for each market (Armstrong et al, 2009).   Products which use a differentiated strategy tend to be valued by customers and customers perceive the product to be better than or different from products of the competition.   Also, according to Michel Porters model if a company has a corporate reputation for quality and innovation like Dualit does, then they will usually use a differentiated strategy (QuickMBA, 2010). Dualit segment their market using psycographic segmentation, this allows Dualit to divide its buyers into different groups based on social class, lifestyle or personality characteristics (QuickMBA, 2010).   Dualits 2 slice NewGen toaster will appeal to people with a high disposable income that will pay a lot to get a stylish product like the NewGen toaster but who also care about the environment, as the NewGen has a control which allows only one slot to be heated.   Whereas, the 4 slice NewGen toaster appeals more to the commercial users such as cafes and restaurants, who might need to make several slices at any one time.   By targeting more than one target market it allows Dualit to increase its market share. After considering their target market and deciding how to segment them, Dualit can then consider all aspects of their marketing mix and how the different aspects work together. Dualits NewGen toaster can be split into three product levels.   These three levels are the core product, the actual product and the augmented product.   The core product is the benefits the customer will receive (Kotler et al, 2008).   Buyers of the NewGen toaster range will benefit from a product which makes toast but at the same time is compact and stylish and comes in over ten colours meaning it will complement almost any kitchen.   The core benefits are offered through the components that make up the actual product (Armstrong et al, 2009). The actual product includes styling, features and design.   The extra wide slots on the NewGen toaster that allow for nearly every type of bread to be toasted can be seen as a core benefit.   The augmented product is built around the core benefits and the actual product by offering additional customer service (Armstrong et al, 2009).   Dualit offer a two year guarantee on the elements in the toaster and a one year guarantee on al l other parts.   Customers are also given a users guild to allow them to see other ways to use their toaster, this guide is also available from their website.   The Dualit NewGen toaster also has replaceable parts meaning that if it breaks it doesnt need to be thrown out, it can be fixed.   This means it will last significantly longer than any other toaster. There is no obvious improvement that Dualit could make to the NewGen toaster as it has more features than every other toaster currently on the market. Dualit make some of the most expensive kitchen appliances on the market.   The NewGen toaster ranges in price from  £135 to  £195 depending on the size of the toaster and how it is finished (John Lewis, 2010).   Dualit appear to use two pricing strategies.   They appear to use product line pricing, where a company prices different models within a range at different prices (Armstrong et al, 2009).   It is more expensive for a 4 slice NewGen toaster than it is for a 2 slice NewGen toaster; this is a perfect example of product line pricing.   However, Dualit also appear to use value based pricing as a way of pricing their range, whereby buyers perceptions, not the sellers costs are key to pricing (Armstrong et al, 2009). Dualits toaster may be highly priced but the consumers perception is that the high price means it is high quality.   Unfortunately for Dualit many of its competitors offer a similar product in a similar style for a fraction of the price that is sold by t he same retailer.   Although they dont have as many features as the NewGen toaster, they still do the same job so potential customers may feel it is unnecessary to buy a toaster that costs  £135 and purchase a rival toaster instead.   Dualit may need to consider lowering their prices if it begins to affect them in the future.   The Dualit NewGen toaster hasnt been highly publicised.   The only advertising that Dualit does for the range is on their own website.   Any other advertising is mostly done by the individual retailers that sell the product.   John Lewis currently offer a five year guarantee with all NewGen toasters, this may act as an incentive to potential customers as they feel they are getting more for their money and their product is protected longer.   Dualits lack of advertising may be a way to reduce costs but in the long run it could cost them potential customers.   The NewGen toaster is currently sold out on one of its main retailers website so their lack of advertising doesnt currently seem to be affecting their sales but in the future it could, so to increase publicity Dualit may consider taking part in a joint advertising campaign with a premium bread company such a Warburtons or Hovis, which are both popular brands.   This would allow Dualit to target a wider market which ma y, as a result increase their market share. Dualit currently sell their product on their own website and through high end retailers such as John Lewis and House of Frasers, which are as reputable but expensive department stores.   This enhances Dualits image of being manufacturers of high quality products.   Department stores carry a wide range of product lines (Armstrong et al, 2009) which can attract a larger range of customers, so by selling their product they may increase their market share.   Dualit may want to appeal to a larger target market.   They could do this by selling their products in large supermarkets such as Tesco or Asda because thousands of people go to these shops every day.   Although this would allow them to reach a larger target marker, it may put off existing customers as they may feel that it takes away from the brands high end reputation.   If Dualit did consider this they would have to decide if they would rather gain new customers or risk losing existing customers. After having analysed all the aspects of Dualits marketing mix, it can be seen that although there are a few improvements which they could make to their marketing strategy such as more advertising or vary where they sell the products overall their current marketing strategy is working well as their products are sold out on retailers websites.   With the market for kitchen appliances set to largely increase, Dualit may have to consider altering their marketing if they wish to dominate more of this increasing market.   If Dualit do decide to change their marketing strategy in the future it should be for the better as long as they continue to make high quality products that out perform their rivals. References Armstrong, G.; Kotler, P.; Harker, M. Brennan, R. (2009) Marketing An Introduction. 8th Ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. Dualit (2010) Dualit Our History. Available at: http://www.dualit.com/our-history (Accessed: 12 February 2010). John Lewis (2010) Search Results NewGen. Available at: http://www.johnlewis.com/Search/Search.aspx?SearchTerm=NewGen (Accessed: 13 February 2010). Kotler,P.; Armstrong, G.; Wong,V. Saunders, J. (2008) Principles of Marketing. 5th Ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. Marketing Teacher (2010) Marketing Mix. Available at: http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_marketing_mix.htm (Accessed: 11 February 2010). QuickMBA (2010) Market Segmentation. Available at: http://www.quickmba.com/marketing/market-segmentation (Accessed: 12 February 2010). Datamonitor (2009) Kitchen Appliances Global Industry Guide, Special Report, London, The Data Monitor Group

Educational Philosophy :: Education Teaching Teacher Essays

Educational Philosophy I have wanted to be a teacher since the 2nd grade. My teacher was wonderful. No problem seemed too small or insignificant to her. She was always there for my every need. Her love for children, like my own, is one of the reasons I want to be a teacher. It is my belief that every child is a precious gift from God. The biggest reason I am pursuing my education degree is to make a difference. Through the path of life there are many people who influence us, and help us to make the right decisions. It is my dreams to touch the children of America through this path, as did my 2nd grade teacher touch me. I myself want to be an elementary teacher; my own philosophy of education is a mix between Idealism and Pragmatism. Idealism fits me because I want to be a master teacher and know my content area very well. I will encourage my students to take on new challenges and learn new things. I think that every student learns differently and shouldn’t be labeled by a test score. I fit as a Pragmatist because I think the classroom should be a community of learns. Not only will I teach my students; they too will teach me things not found in textbooks. I also believe that the three R’s should be taught, but in conjunction with other important subjects such as health, art, and history. My classroom will have group seating. I will group the children in a way that will help them learn. For example, if Bobby is having trouble with his math problems I will group him with Kelly who is doing well. Kelly is on Bobby’s mentality level so she may be helpful in his learning. Every so often I will change the groups around to cut down on the cliques. I want each student to have the opportunity of sitting with every other student. The bulletin boards in my classroom will be full of my students’ work. When we complete an art assignment I will place all of my students’ pieces up, not just the best ones.

Two Great Rebellion Films :: essays research papers

Rebellion is a common topic in movies because it draws in audiences with its bad boys and bad attitudes. Two of the greatest rebellion movies of all time are Rebel Without a Cause, starring James Dean, and Bonnie and Clyde, starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. The opening scene in Rebel Without a Cause shows a drunken teenage boy lying in the street, giggling, while he plays with a toy. The directors of these two films show rebellion using the same elements: themes, characters, and memorable scenes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In both films, the main characters are all rebelling against common things that audiences can relate to. In Rebel Without a Cause, Jim Stark is rebelling against his parents because he is upset with the fact that his father will not stand up to his mother. His girlfriend, Judy, is also rebelling against her parents, but for a different reason. Her father refuses to give her any affection because she is too â€Å"grown up.† Jim’s friend, Plato, is rebelling against his parents because they have abandoned him. These three characters rebel in many ways. Jim and Judy both smoke because they were told not to. Plato shot and killed puppies to get attention. Jim and Judy are both involved in a gang because it is â€Å"wrong.† Jim and Judy both pay a visit to jail: Jim because he is drunk and Judy because she ran away from home. In Bonnie and Clyde, Clyde Barrow is rebelling against the law and the common way of making a living. He rebels by robbing b anks. Bonnie also rebels against the law and her old life working as a poor waitress in a small town. She rebels by helping Clyde rob banks. C. W. Moss rebels against his overbearing father. Buck Barrow rebels against the law, but his wife is never too keen on the whole rebellion thing. Clyde, Bonnie, C. W., and Buck all rebel by robbing banks and stores, stealing cars, and killing. C. W. also rebels by getting a tattoo on his chest because he knows that his father will not approve of it. The theme of rebellion can be seen in both films by showing what the characters rebel against and how they rebel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Comparable characters can be seen in both films. Jim Stark is just like Clyde Barrow in that they are both the leading men and the main rebels. They are also played by cute actors.

Plutonium and Internet Start-Up Company Essay

Plutonium and internet start-up company which was founded at the beginning of the technology boom was developing the technological systems necessary to support the rapidly expanding user base. Plutonium purchased an expensive and complex billing system to automate the billing of internet accounts using a credit card to integrate its system. Jonathan, the manager of operations department, was given the phony credit card to help fix corrupted accounts created by the launch and integration. Chris an employee of Plutonium, who very knowledgeable and trusted was given the phony credit card number. Chris was using the credit card to access websites that have pirated software and music. After an FBI investigation, Chris was warned and put into probation. Jonathan was asked to write a warning letter to Chris. Few months later, Jonathan noticed a change in Chris’s behavior. He was making unusual purchases, such as Palm Pilots, MP3 Players. The first element of the fraud triangle is pressure. Every fraud perpetrator faces some kind of perceived pressure. Most pressures involve a financial need, although nonfinancial pressures, such as the need to report financial results better than actual performance, frustration with work, or even a challenge to beat the system, can also motivate fraud. Financial pressures often motivate misappropriation frauds by employees. Common pressures such as living beyond one’s means, greed, high debt, unrecognized performance and inadequate pay could lead employees to fraud. Chris had several perceived pressures to commit fraud. He has a family to support and he earned minimal wages compared to other who has his skills. Chris could have a student loan and other debts he has to pay in addition to taking care of his family. That could have caused him a lot of pressure. The second element of the fraud triangle is perceived opportunity. â€Å"The opportunity to commit and conceal fraud when a company has unclear policies and procedures, fails to teach and stress corporate honesty, and fails to prosecute those who perpetrate fraud. † (Romney 129). The opportunity for fraud is created when employees are given access to records and valuable information. In the case of Chris, he had the opportunity to commit fraud because he has the expertise in technology. He has the phony credit card given to him by his manager and he was able to use that without the knowledge of his manager or co-workers. The third element of fraud triangle is rationalization. Rationalization allows perpetrators to justify their illegal behavior. For example, a fraudster can rationalize by saying, â€Å"I only took what they owed me. Or the rules do not apply to me†. Perpetrators rationalize that they are not being dishonest, that honesty is not required of them, or that they value what they take more than honesty and integrity. â€Å"Some perpetrators rationalize that they are not hurting a real person, but a faceless and nameless computer system or an impersonal company that will not miss the money. † (Romney 130). Christ could have thought that he was underpaid and by using these credit cards he was not hurting anyone. He might have also used the lack of underpayment as justification for the use of the company’s credit cards for personal gain.

Competition in Energy Drinks, Sports Drinks, and Vitamin-Enhanced Beverages Essay

Porter’s five-forces model reveals that the overall alternative beverage industry attractiveness is high. Some beverage companies, such as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, have mastered the art of brand building in the alternative beverage market and have been rewarded with rapid growth rates. The rising population of health conscious consumers is increasingly leaning towards alternative beverages that are believed to offer greater health benefits. The strongest competitive force, or most important to strategy formulation, is the threat of entry of new competitors. Competitive pressure from rival sellers is high in the alternative beverage industry. The number of brands competing in sports drinks, energy drinks, and vitamin-enhanced beverage segments of the alternative beverage industry continue to grow each year. Both large and small vendors are launching new products and fighting for minimal retail shelf space. More and more consumers are moving away from traditional soft drinks to healthier alternative drinks. Demand is expected to grow worldwide as consumer purchasing power increases. Another strong competitive force is buyer bargaining power. Convenience stores and grocery stores have substantial leverage in negotiating pricing and slotting fees with alternative beverage producers due to the large quantity of their purchase. Newer brands are very vulnerable to buyer power because of limited space on store shelves. Top brands like Red Bull are almost always guaranteed space. This competitive force does not affect Coca-Cola or PepsiCo as much due to the variety of beverages the stores want to offer to the customer. As a result of this certain appeal, the two companies’ alternative beverage brands can almost always be found shelf space in grocery/convenience stores. Distributors, like restaurants, have less ability to negotiate for deep pricing discounts because of quantity limitations. The weakest competitive force is the bargaining power and leverage of suppliers. Most of the raw materials desirable to manufacture alternative beverages are basic merchandise such as flavor, color, packaging, etc. The suppliers of these commodities have no bargaining power over the pricing due to which the suppliers in the industry are relatively weak. Raw materials for these drinks are basic commodities which are easily available to every producer and have low cost which makes no difference for any supplier. Low switching costs limit supplier bargaining power by enabling industry members to change suppliers if any one supplier attempts to raise prices by more than the cost of switching.

Cultural Considerations Essay

This paper will examine and assesses the cultural concerns and influences of today’s societies with mixed cultures and the effect on the criminal justices system. The paper will address how the cultural concerns and influences affect justice and security administration and practice. The paper will show some contemporary methods by the police and security used in societies of mixed cultures. The paper will address how these influences and considerations relate to and affect nondiscrimination practices within the criminal justice system. Finally, the paper will address Sir Robert Peel’s nine principles and how they fit into today’s police departments. The military occupation of numerous countries in the Middle East and Europe has brought police practices into question. The local police forces have been trained by the military in which the rules are different. The free people are suffering abuse at the hands of the police in those countries. In those cases where militant law is present and security is more prevalent, the police appear to work more for the current occupying military than for that country’s government or the people. More than 200 cases of torture have either been investigated or court marshaled by the United States in violation of the United Nations anti-torture body in 2006. This increase in torture may be caused by racial, ethnic, and religious differences in the contemporary War on Terrorism (French &Wailes, 2008). The abuse on that scale does not occur within the United States; however, a problem still exists with the assessment of police and security personnel. These practices are scrutinized by the military, governments, security agencies, and local and foreign police. Of course, these practices question discrimination and profiling. Profiling is one of the major concerns here in the United States. Some confusion exits between profiling and racial profiling. A person cannot be profiled by a police officer based on color, sex, religion, or culture. However, a person can be profiled if he or she matches the description of a suspect. The measures currently used to assess officers are objective and may disclose intimate aspects of the person tested. The standard for recognition in the United States is the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) that was established in 1979. Psychological testing is in place, however; standards are not set by CALEA, and each agency conducts their own testing (French & Wailes, 2008). In 1973, the National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals recommended that every police agency follow a formal selection process that includes a written test of mental ability or aptitude, an oral interview, a psychological examination, and a background investigation. It was believed that introducing greater screening and standardization to the selection process would result in a more qualified police force. International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) developed several guidelines for pre-employment psychological evaluations. These recommendations address such issues as validation of testing instruments, compliance with legislation, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), using qualified psychologists familiar with the relevant research, and content of the written reports (Cochrane, Tett & Vandercreek, 2008). Compliance with such acts as the ADA indicates the implementation of diversity in the testing process. A few of the most common comprehensive personality tests given to police officers during their psychological testing include the following: Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Openness (NEO) Personality Inventory, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2(MMPI-2), and Inwald Personality Inventory (IPI). Traits from the NEO Personality Inventory–Revised, which was based on the five-factor model of personality, have also shown to be predictive of police performance. The MMPI-2 and the IPI have been shown to be effective in predicting several job criteria for police officers as well (Cochrane, Tett & Vandercreek, 2008). Today’s American policing and justice system is based on English principles and English common law. One such tradition was limited police authority. This gives way to liberties and freedoms and limits governmental authority. Another tradition was the localized police control as opposed to a national, centralized police force as experienced in many other countries. This turned out to be both an advantage and a detriment. The localization resulted in fragmentation and decentralization of law enforcement. The advantage was acquiring little national control (Walker & Katz, 2011, p. 24). Peel believed that prevention of crime could be accomplished without intruding into the lives of citizens so he developed the nine principles of community policing. His first concept was the basic mission of police was to prevent crime and disorder. The prevention of crime makes the job easier of the police. Police presence is deterrence, therefore prevents crime from occurring. This is the basis for today’s community policing concept. The public must also approve of the actions of the police in the performance of their duties. The people must work voluntarily with the police in observance of the laws to maintain public order (History, 2002). The public must comply voluntarily with the laws and work with the police. Most people do what is morally correct; in turn the police also must do what is lawfully correct. The police are directed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights to safeguard every citizen’s right from interference from government. These philosophies are still observed today. If a citizen does not approve of the conduct of the police, a complaint is filed. If the public does not agree with a law, they work to make changes. If the public fails to observe the law, there are consequences, such an arrest or a fine. Another concept concerns the use of physical force to gain compliance. The public is cooperative with the police whereas physical force not need be employed. If compliance is not gained and physical force is required, the force will not be so great as to be considered excessive (History, 2002). The Constitution provides rights to the people and protects them from the police in this area. Laws in most states specifically write out what is considered â€Å"force,† when and how it can be used. Last, the police are specifically trained in the application of force through means of various weapons and hand to hand combat. This force is not to be excessive, not to be used as punishment, or in a punitive manner. The force used is that reasonable force to effect and arrest, to protect oneself or another from death or great bodily harm. The police serve both the public and the law, they shall not show impartiality, but to the law. The officers are also members of the public. Any interest the public has would also be interest to the police (History, 2002). In this case, the officer may come from any background may be either sex or any race. The officer must show fairness to members of other groups and not discriminate against those members or members of his or her own group. The officer shall treat everyone as equally as possible. The police are hired to uphold the law, at the same time serve the public. Peel’s theory indicates, when a conflict arises, the service to the law should outweigh the public service. This concept is contradictory to today’s practices. Policing has become â€Å"customer service†-oriented, where the customer is always right. The officers are members of the public, when they are in an off duty capacity, they are afforded the same rights as any other citizen. However, they should govern themselves as an upstanding citizen because they do represent the law. The final concept indicates the effectiveness of policing is the lack of crime and disorder. This concept is known as preventative policing. In today’s society, the crimes are not occurring where there is a high police presence. So, Peel’s principles are still used to some extent. The demographics have changed since his time. People and crimes have evolved. People’s values have changed, whereas they are tolerant of certain crimes. The attitudes toward police have changed. In a location where there is a strong police presence, fewer crimes occur. This is consistent with Peel’s concept. However, if the demographics of the neighborhood are less desirable, the people of the neighborhood indicate the police are prejudiced and do not want the police in the neighborhood. Thus, more crimes occur in this less protected neighborhood. If fewer police are present, the response time for an officer to an incident is longer because there are fewer officers and more calls. The ratio of officers to calls is higher. In these cases discrimination is blamed for the increased of police presence and the lack of it as well. The affected parties assume they are discriminated against because more police are in their areas, where more crime occurs. However, when the police are not present, they blame the police for the increase in crime because the police are not present. In conclusion, most of Sir Robert Peel’s principles can be applied to the organization of a police department today. In fact, many departments in England still work by his principles. Some need to be altered to accommodate today’s society to be more â€Å"customer† friendly. The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights need to be recognized, as well such as the Due Process Clauses to both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments if his principles are applied.

Acts of Rebellion Essay

In 1984, Orwell presents the act of rebellion through love. â€Å"Listen. The more men you’ve had, the most I love you. Do you understand that?† this whole quote suggest that they are both rebelling, meaning that Julia has already rebelled in the past by having sex with other men. Also Winston is declaring that the more she rebels the more he would love her, which is also an act of rebellion in itself because love is unauthorized, by Big Brother. â€Å"The most† could suggest that Winston is encouraging everyone to rebel against Big Brother, which could mean that as Julia loves Winston, he is taking advantage of her by telling her that whatever Julia is doing is right that he is totally supporting her. Additionally this could mean that he wanted more people to be corrupt, and everyone to go to the wrong path and disobey Big Brother. Orwell presents the act of rebellion through love because in the Dystopian society there are strict rule that need to be followed, s uch as no having sex for pleasure, and this is clearly an act of rebellion as Julia had sex with lots of party member. Similarly in Romeo and Juliet where Shakespeare is presenting their love by rebelling, they are both willing to disobey the orders of the wise ones just to be with each other. â€Å"Therefore stay yet; thou need’st not to be gone† proposes that Juliet is stubborn, as the Daughter of Capulet; she is used to get what she wants. Additionally Romeo declares to her † Let me ta’en, let me be put to death† This could emphasise that he is willing to die for Juliet and stay with her than live his life without her, this clearly shows that he is rebelling against all the rules put upon them, just to stay with Juliet. â€Å"Not to be gone† could suggest that Juliet is being bossy as she is ordering him to stay with her. But alternatively this could highlight that as men in the Elizabethan had power over women, and they were patriarchal meaning that Juliet was a bad influence on Romeo, and that she was almost a threat to his manhood. As he accepts defeat Ro meo says â€Å"let me put to death† which could declare that Juliet is Romeo’s weakness and that if someone breaks Juliet, Romeo will also shatter.

Adriaen Kocks Research Paper

The Delft pottery production process starts with the sourcing of white clay that is imported from Germany. The clay is then mixed with water to form liquid clay. Afterwards, the liquid is poured into moulds made from plaster of Paris. The plaster absorbs the water and makes the clay to dry quickly.After the liquid clay is poured into the mould, it takes around thirty minutes to solidify around the mould. The excess liquid is then poured out. Consequently, the moulds are turned upside-down to remove the remaining liquid. The mould is afterwards removed from the pottery after four hours.Later, the edges are trimmed with a knife and the rough surfaces are smoothened by use of a wet sponge. The pottery is then left for three days to dry completely, followed by burning in an electric kiln for eight hours at a temperature of about 1040 degrees centigrade. Consequently, the pottery is allowed to cool for 24 hours. 1 The baked ceramic articles are then painted with the appropriate decoration s.The Delft Pottery technique started way back in the 13th century when the Delft Company received its municipal rights. In the 16th century, many delft factories were established in many Dutch towns. The plants produced many products including the famous â€Å"Maiolica† which was made of tin glaze decorated by being painted blue or being given polychrome design.The delft company acquired its name from a Dutch village where the articles were widely produced. Due to the civil war in China, many delft factories were closed down due to lack of raw materials. The existing language barrier also made the companies to close down.In the 19th century, the remaining companies closed due to increased competition and lack of appropriate technology. The cultural aspects and tradition of the Dutch people dictated that they paint all their articlesDuring the time when the delft pottery started, there were a lot of innovations and artistic techniques due to the discovery of the white porcela in in China. At this time, there was the civil war in China that led to the decline of the products of the delft companies.In the 17th century, the delft companies brought many exotic wares and spices from China. This action caused many artisans to make their own homemade pottery which led to the decline of the market. 2 By the 19th century, delft pottery had declined due to other European materials gaining popularity.Moreover, many Germany and other countries’ potters developed their articles which they distinguished from the original delft products by use of more advanced techniques, thus making their products more durable. The sales of the delfts thus diminished.  Some of the current artists that are producing pottery works that are related to delft pottery include â€Å"de Delftse Pauw† which exclusively sells and produces entirely hand-painted delft articles although with a different approach.Further, the British airways has made several airplane tail parts with the delft pottery technique. The delft technique is widely used in the manufacture of many products in the current world and it is an artistic method used by professionally-trained painters.In addition, many of the collections made by tourists include many of the of the delft remains. Delft pottery thus acts as an investment of the Dutch culture. Further, the delft pottery is used in the manufacture of building tiles, thus adding artistic flavor to modern technology.Works CitedKidson, Joseph R. Historical Notices of the Leeds Old Pottery. Verona NJ: Read Books, 2008.   .Reevens, George M. Sims, Ian and Cripps, J. C. Clay Materials Used In Construction. Bath, United Kingdom: Geological Society, 2006.Time Out. Time Out Amsterdam. Time Out Guides, 2005.

Project Management Concepts Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project Management Concepts - Coursework Example The present study has been conducted in lieu to analyze the critical factor related to the successful execution of a project. The present study consists of two divisions; the first part consists of various stages of a project life cycle while the second part of the study deals with the preparation of a project plan for KFC Hale (Kousholt, 2007, p. 121) Task-1 Project life cycle brief Before getting in to explaining the case of project life cycle through practical example it is important to provide a brief overview of a project life cycle. A project life consists of four different stages namely initiation, planning, execution and evaluation. The initiation phase begins with defining the scope and purpose of the project. The first step of the planning phase is creation of the detailed project plan. The execution phase of the project includes the explanation of the deliverables by the project manager. It also includes the monitoring and control of the project delivery. The project evalu ation or implementation phase is carried out in order to determine the overall success of the project (Biswas, 2011, p. 105). Example The XYZ manufacturing company LTD is a small and medium scale computer manufactures. The company is looking to achieve process efficiency by reducing product delivery time and inventory costs. The company has hired a project consultant to provide guidance for the project throughout the life cycle of the project. Initiation This phase involves defining the purpose and the scope of the project. In this particular case the main goals of the project is to provide improved system and controlling the inventory as well as reduce the product delivery systems. The project would look to provide a modularized, flexible bill of material system to reduce the support cost. The objectives of the project would be to achieve inventory cost reduction of 25% of the display, improve average days to deliver the displays from eight to three days and server delivery to ten to five days (Kloppenborg, 2011, p.345) Planning The planning phase would involve the creation of a set of planning documents. The main objective of the phase is to create a project plan to identify the work breakdown structure or WBS of the key activities needed to complete the project. Project ID Deliverable Due Date Display Division goes live Complete inventory module Complete Bill of material module Complete order entry module Finalize testing and training 05/01/13 08/04/13 11/09/13 05/01/14 Server Division Live Complete inventory module Complete Bill of material module Complete order entry module Finalize testing and training 01/06/13 02/07/13 03/09/13 05/01/13 The planning phase would also require human resource planning as well as financial planning. The brief overview has been given blow: Execution Phase During the execution phase the project deliverables are physically built and presented for the acceptance of the client Activity Description Ownership Identification In the beginning of the project the major risks would be documented for the purpose of tracking. Specific management team is responsible for developing key project management strategies to establish the possible risks.  

Bloodstain pattern analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Bloodstain pattern analysis - Essay Example This was to prevent the destruction of the valuable and fragile evidence such as shoe prints, concealed weapons and bloodstains. We began to scrutinize and examine the crime scene by taking a walk into the trail of the crime scene. We preferred to use a video recording in documenting the events in the crime scene because these recordings provide a detail perspective that could not be easily perceived in sketches and photographs (Labe, Terry and Barton, 1983). The recordings was mostly focused on the victims surroundings such as the murder weapon, the orientation of the bed that he was murdered on, the blood stains on the victim and the surrounding environment. We did not made the assumption that the blood belonged to the same victim. In this case, it was possible that some of the blood stains gathered at the scene could have been that of the suspect which might have been caused by self-wounding. We documented some classic patterns at the scene to help with the investigation. This pattern included; cast-off Blood stains, the swipe marks on the victim, pattern transfer and the drip patterns (Labe, Terry and Barton, 1983). We also used photograph to document the events at the scene. This was accomplished before anything could be moved or touched at the scene. The photographs that were taken depicted the overall scene which was then followed by close-up and medium range views of the pattern. We included the scale of measure with the close-up photographs. Similarly, we employed sketches and diagram to indicate the position of the bed in relation to the significant and fixed object in the crime scene. During sketching we did not just focus on the immediate environment from where the impact was identified, but we also sketched the larger surrounding in order to shoot the shooting scene in its proper context. We photographed the blood stains, bullet fragments, bullets and the trigger cases in their place and had