Outline and Evaluate Research Into Conformity

Outline and evaluate research into Conformity as an explanation of Human Social Behaviour â€Å"Conforming† is when a person changes the way they act and think to fit in with the majority of people in a group to gain acceptance. Kelman (1958) said that there are 3 types of conformity, Compliance, which means going along with others to gain approval and avoid rejection and accepting the group view in public but not private. Identification is conforming to someone who is liked and respected and Internalisation is accepting the group’s beliefs and accepting it both publicly and privately.However this essay will be discussing the two main theories as to why people conform, Informational Social Influence and Normative Social Influence as well as other factors that can affect as to why people conform. Informational Social influence is when an individual goes along with the majority because they believe that the majority is right and better informed then they are. Sherif (1935 ) conducted a study to test this theory in which he put the participants in a darkened room with a stationary point of light and asked them to say how much the light seemed to move and in what direction, with the participants giving their individual answers.Sherif then put them into groups of three and asked them to answer again. Sherif found that the participants changed their answer to reflect the groups as they believed the group was better informed and correct, which is an example of Informational Social Influence. However Sherif used an ambiguous test, it was impossible for Sherif to measure how far the light moved, and because it was impossible to provide a ‘correct’ answer, then it was also impossible to say for certain that the participants in the experiment had actually conformed.Also Sherif’s study lacked ecological validity as the test wouldn’t occur in everyday life and so the behaviour could be artificial. The other theory as to why people con form is Normative Social influence which is when an individual complies with the group, changing their behaviour and goes along with the majority publicly to avoid rejection but privately disagrees with their view. This was evidenced in Asch’s (1951) study into conformity with an unambiguous task. Asch put the participants into groups f seven, with all but one participant being confederates of the Asch. The group was shown a set of three lines and a separate reference line and the task was to judge which of the three lines was the same length as the reference line, with each set consisting of one line that was obviously the same length and two lines that were obviously different. The group gave their answers one by one with the â€Å"naive† participant answering in second to last place, and the confederates intentionally gave the wrong answers.Asch found that 37% of the responses the participant gave were the wrong answers the confederates gave, showing the participant conformed. Asch also found that the larger the majority, the higher level of conformity although above four, the level didn’t increase much and when there was a dissenter going against the group, conformity levels dropped drastically. Also when the task was made more difficult, conformity increased.Asch’s study has been criticised as being a â€Å"child of it’s time† as it was conducted in 1950’s America where conformity was more likely to occur. Another criticism is the sample of participants were all young male students from the same university and so the results can not be generalised. The study also lacked ecological validity as judging line lengths is not an everyday task. However what these theories do not consider is social roles. Zimbardo (1973) conducted an experiment to see what affect social roles would have on someone’s behaviour.He created a mock prison in the basement of Stanford University and recruited 24 male participants, who did not have aggressive personalities, to be â€Å"guards† and â€Å"prisoners† and informed them of what the experiment was about. To make the experience as realistic as possible Zimbardo had the prisoners â€Å"arrested† and given prisoner uniforms. The guards were given uniforms and mirrored sunglasses and had to enforce the rules of the prison. The prisoners rebelled on the first day and the guards responded by aggressively enforcing order and discipline within the prison.They used fire extinguishers against the prisoners, locked individuals in a dark broom cupboard for hours at a time, constantly harassed them, and even played prisoners off against each other. Over time the prisoners became more and more subdued and took on the submissive role of the prisoner. The guards began to enjoy the power they had, and their use of aggression and harassment steadily increased as they took on the dominant role of prison guards.The experiment had to be stopped earl y due to how dangerous and brutal it became, with three prisoners being released early due to severe psychological distress. Zimbardo concluded that the roles the participants found themselves in and the environment caused the behaviour displayed as both the guards and prisoners conformed to the behaviour they believed that role should display. Both guards and prisoners rapidly conformed, in just a few days, to the social roles that the situation placed them in.Zimbardo’s experiment has been deeply criticised as it was very unethical and he deliberately put the participants into a situation that caused them physical and psychological harm. There are also ecological validity issues as prison officers apply to be prison officers in real life, unlike the experiment where they could be guards or prisoners, and prison officers do not work 24 hours a day, which brings the ecological validity of the experiment into question. There are also other factors we must consider which affect whether people conform. One factor is the culture in which people are brought up.People who come from a collectivist culture are more likely to conform then someone from an individualistic culture as the collectivist culture focuses on group mentality and places the needs of the group over the needs of the individual, so a study in a highly individualistic culture like America can yield different results then conducting the same study in a highly collectivist culture such as China. Another factor is the time period the study was conducted in. The attitudes of that particular period can affect the results and may not hold true today.Thus the study might be measuring the attitudes of that time period and conducting the same study in a different time period could bring different results. Individual differences also play a part as a person’s age, their life experiences, education and gender can affect if and how much a person will conform. Recent research has suggested that wome n are more likely to conform then men as women are more socially orientated and thus will fear social rejection more. The group size also has an impact on conformity levels as the bigger the group is, the more pressure there is to conform.The unanimity of the group as well, if everyone agrees on an issue then the group pressure to agree with the group is huge, but if there are dissenters among the group then the group pressure decreases and it’s easier to resist conforming. The type of task is also a factor, if the task is difficult or ambiguous; people are more likely to defer to other people or a group and conform as the person believes the group has more information and is right, whereas if the task is easy and unambiguous the person is more likely to resist conforming.Conformity is a big factor in human social behaviour as every human feels the need to fit in with groups and society as a whole, which drives our social behaviour. As the research shows, people conform to av oid social rejection and because society expects them to behave in a certain way. Conformity can be a good thing, such as when people conform while they are driving and drive on the right side of the road, however conformity can also be a bad thing such as the guards conforming to the social roles in Zimbardo’s prison experiment, causing them to display aggressive behaviours.

“Ozymandias” Themes Essay

The message or theme of the poem of â€Å"Ozymandias† is that man is insignificant and his efforts are vain when compared to the forces of time and nature. Shelly expertly uses diction in the poem to portray important ideas. By encompassing time and nature into a theme Shelley brings a divine sense to the poem. To consider the issue of the power of time and nature, the poet has the narrator reporting on a meeting with a traveler from ‘an antique land’ or Egypt, who told of seeing in the desert, the remains of a vast statue. Only the legs remained standing. The trunk was missing and the shattered face lay half buried in the sand, he told that the sculptor had skillfully captured the ‘frown, the wrinkled lip, and sneer’ on the ‘shattered visage’ through ‘passions well read.’ The importance of this traveler is that of symbolism. The traveler symbolizes the power that ‘Ozymandias’ has lost in his death. In health he was one of the most powerful people alive but now it takes a wandering traveler to spread a tale of the once great king. The power of nature is well represented by this part of the poem also. ‘Ozymandias’ told his subjects to ‘look on my works; ye Mighty, and despair!’ however, thanks to the power of nature there are barely and works left to look upon at all, let alone despair upon! It can be seen that nature has destroyed his works in the quotes, ‘shattered visage’ and ‘sand, half sunk.’ Thus the major theme of the poem is reavealed. The statue is described as a â€Å"colossal wreck boundless and bare† drawing a parallel for the reason in which it was built. The condition of the stones, descriptively worded by Shelley, only emphasizes the despair drawn into the stone by the sculptor’s hand. By using words such as â€Å"frown†, â€Å"sneer†, and â€Å"mocked†, the author provides us with a slight portrait of â€Å"Ozymandias.† It gives us a picture of a powerful king with no motivation or reason to smile. The phrase ‘cold command† portrays him as a militaristic leader that has seen more death and destruction than a whole army and has come to realize that even he is not able to compete with the Almighty. Shelley’s words â€Å"lifeless†, â€Å"decay†, and â€Å"wreck† apply not only to the statue the author is describing but also to the sculptor of the statue. These words encompass his entire being, and go far into bringing â€Å"Ozymandias alive in the reader. Shelley cunningly uses Nature and time to bring in the â€Å"Mighty† one. God is the only being that has been around since time and Nature began. He represents what â€Å"Ozymandias† could not achieve and that is immortality. â€Å"Ozymandias† did however leave a mark on the world but in time even that too will be overcome by the relentless forces of Nature and time that is God. In conclusion, the main themes of the poem are nicely summed up in mans insignificance to time and nature. Shelley also puts across the idea of despair superbly through delicate and subtle use of diction.

What does it take to get into the University at Buffaloâ€SUNY?

With an acceptance rate of 57%, the University at Buffalo is moderately selective. What does it take to get in? The largest campus in the SUNY system, the University at Buffalo is comprised of eight schools, including the only schools of architecture and law among SUNY universities. While it is particularly well-known for its School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, UB students can take advantage of a wide range of stellar academic programs. UB also boasts notable alumni including Wolf Blitzer, Terry Gross, and Jeremy Jacobs. Applicants may apply to UB using the Common Application, Coalition Application, or the SUNY Application. If you use the SUNY Application, you must also complete a supplement . If you plan to apply using the Common Application, be aware that two SUNY Buffalo institutions are listed. You should select â€Å"University at Buffalo (SUNY).† On the SUNY Application, UB is listed as â€Å"Buffalo, University at.† Along with your application, you will submit your SAT or ACT scores. UB does not require but does recommend submitting the writing or essay portions of the SAT or ACT. In order to increase your chances of admission, advises submitting this section of your choice exam. You will also need to submit your high school transcript and a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor. Applicants may apply by the nonbinding Early Action (EA) deadline of November 15 or by the Regular Decision deadline of February 1. While prospective students should aim to apply by one of these deadlines, UB notes that students may continue to apply for consideration until the university reaches full capacity for its freshman class. If you wish to be considered for scholarships, however, you must apply by December 15. Keep in mind that some scholarships require separate applications. UB is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of 57%. Its EA acceptance rate is considerably higher at 83.6%. While many EA applicants apply to UB as their first choice and are therefore more likely to be strong candidates, applying early can give any competitive applicant an advantage, and considering that the plan is nonbinding, it is helpful to apply under this plan if you are able to meet the early deadline regardless of whether or not UB is your first choice. For the class of 2022, the middle 50% range for the combined critical reading and math sections on the SAT was 1190-1350 and 25-30 for the ACT. On a scale of 100, the middle 50% range for high school GPA was 91-96. To be a competitive applicant, you should aim to have scores and a GPA closer to the upper end of this range. UB performs a holistic review of applicants, evaluating your academic record as well as other factors such as your personal essay, recommendations, activities and special talents, leadership, life circumstances, and more. While UB does not require any specific coursework as prerequisites for admission, the university does suggest that prospective students complete the following by their high school graduation: Students who have not completed this coursework may still be admitted but will likely need to take additional courses after matriculating. To be a strong candidate for admission, you should aim to complete this coursework during high school.   Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. Emphasize your strengths and choose the most suitable program. UB does accept applicants who have not stated an anticipated major; however, you should still demonstrate strengths in certain areas to ensure that you are admitted into the correct school for you, as evidenced by your extracurricular participation and coursework. For example, if you are considering pursuing a major in the humanities in the College of Arts and Sciences, even if you’re undeclared, you should demonstrate proficiency and interest by challenging yourself and performing well in your English, history, and foreign language courses and by participating in corresponding extracurricular activities, such as a foreign language club. Keep in mind that some programs have additional requirements or are limited enrollment. For example, the Department of Music and the Department of Theatre and Dance require applicants to complete an audition as part of the admissions process. Additionally, engineering applicants will receive a more rigorous review to assess their â€Å"readiness† in key science and math disciplines. Some majors, including architecture, art, biological sciences, business administration, engineering, exercise science, and nuclear medicine technology, admit freshmen directly, while the others admit students in their sophomore year. Your coursework and extracurriculars should demonstrate a strong interest and aptitude in your specific discipline if you choose to apply to these programs directly. Identify special programs. UB offers special programs to some qualifying students. These programs can help you gain admission, as well as give you opportunities you may not have had otherwise. For example, the Educational Opportunity Program offers a path for talented students who have not been able to reach their full academic potential due to educational, economical, or personal circumstances. If you qualify for this program you will receive benefits such as mentoring, scholarships, and more. This means that even if you haven’t excelled due to circumstances beyond your control, you may still have the opportunity to attend UB. Learning about these programs and demonstrating your strengths in other ways can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. Because UB thrives on its diversity and celebrates student from all backgrounds, it also offers guidance to international applicants. Check out the International Undergraduate Admission Office website for details on applying, including additional requirements and the steps for applying for a student visa. Additional special programs include the Honors College . Among seminars and other courses, Honors students will complete a course on teamwork and service learning. To apply for the Honors College, you will select it as an option in the Academics section on your application. Keep in mind that is is much more selective than general university admissions, with a class size of 350 students. Successful applicants are generally within the top 10% of incoming freshman and have demonstrated civic engagement, intellectual curiosity, resilience, and other qualities. Being denied admission to any college, particularly one of your top choices, is disappointing. Still, it’s important to take a step back and regroup. If you get rejected from UB, here’s what you can do: Take a gap year or transfer in. If you had your heart set on UB but received bad news, one option is to take a gap year and reapply next admissions cycle. If you do decide to go this route, make sure you have a productive plan for the upcoming year. You might undertake a research project, volunteer, study to improve your SAT scores, or take classes at a local college. Do know, however, that this path is risky, as taking a gap year won’t ensure your acceptance the second time around. You could also begin your studies at another institution with the hopes of transferring. Approximately 2,300 students transfer to UB annually. Note that there are certain minimum admission criteria for transfer students and some programs have additional transfer admission requirements; for example, Biochemistry requires a departmental application and a GPA of 3.0 in prerequisite courses, along with a 2.0 GPA overall. Keep it in perspective. Even if UB was your top choice, chances are, you’ll find a way to make the best of your experience at another college. College really is what you make of it, and if you put effort into adjusting to another school by joining clubs, working hard in your classes, and cultivating a healthy social life, you’ll likely find that you can make a fulfilling college experience for yourself, even if you end up at your second or third choice college. When you sign up for our program, we carefully pair you with the perfect admissions specialist based on your current academic and extracurricular profile and the schools in which you’re interested. Your personal application specialist will help you with branding, essays, and interviews, and provide you with support and guidance in all other aspects of the application process.

Cardiovascular Disease Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cardiovascular Disease - Research Paper Example As per the study conducted by Andric & Vuletic (2012), it has been found that low level of motivation and hostile personal characteristics in relation to unsupportive social environment poses an impact on the health behavior. The stated factors further lead to harmful health outcomes which trigger unfavorable influences upon individual’s motivation and social environment. According to American Heart Association (2011), heart disease is the main cause of death among women in most of the developed as well as developing countries. It can be mentioned that in every article, the methods and tools utilized was found to generate similar results in various circumstances. The mechanisms related to the study which was utilized in all the articles proved successful at adequately evaluating what it was supposed to measure. It can be stated with reference to the above context that although there have been differences of emphasis as well as interpretations, the basics of medical ethics was deciphered to remain similar across all the cultures. Most of the studies were observed to be focused upon the degree of occurrence of cardiovascular diseases among women. However, the articles failed to identify the risks of such diseases along with the resolution techniques within men. The findings obtained from the articles can be easily applied to the clinical issue. One of the major clinical issues in the recent times has been the identification of strategies to minimize the risk of several chronic diseases.

Film report of Ten to chi to _ (Heaven and Earth). (VT 06718, 104 Movie Review

Film report of Ten to chi to _ (Heaven and Earth). (VT 06718, 104 mins) - Movie Review Example Kagetora, though not a pacifist, is powerfully drawn to that idea. He is shown in the film as someone with a compassionate heart and someone who cared for his people deeply. He doesn’t want his subjects to suffer and is thus thinks thoroughly before going to war. But circumstances, especially the claim to leadership of a unified Japan, greatly inspire him. It is probably for such reasons of pride than for conquest of material wealth that he engages in war with Takeda. Hence the movie offers enough detail and perspective for the discerning audience to study and learn. In the case of the portrayal of Kagetora, we learn that not all feudal lords are greedy for expanding their territory. He is not much interested in increasing his political power. In this sense, Kagetora is atypical, for he is philosophical and compassionate and is reluctant to go to war. He engages with Takeda only because he thinks the ‘ends justifying the means’. Hence the film is an informative re cord of the variety of provincial leadership styles witnessed in feudal Japan. This is useful for a student of history, for textbooks often paint a generic picture of political leadership. Ten To Chi To, on the other hand, presents feudal leadership in a nuanced and complex manner, informed as it is by the historical, philosophical and social undercurrents shaping major events in medieval Japan. Takeda is the aggressive feudal warlord who is quick to use force and intimidation to achieve his goals. He is someone who doesn’t care about cruelty to people. He represents a broader conflict that has been a theme in Japanese history for more than millennia. For example, on the on hand we have the fundamental conflict between the tradition and honor of the influential Samurai community. On the other hand is the Buddhist philosophical doctrine which disapproves of violence and killing. Hence a Samurai is a conflicted personality. But Takeda is ruthless when it comes to war and doesnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t heed to Buddhist philosophy at all. To this extent, one can say that the film is an exposition on the problems confronting religious philosophy in Japan’s feudal past. It is a reflection of religion’s inability to control aggressive human impulses that Japan was one of the main participants during World War II – a bitter and tragic episode that ended with the dropping of nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A facet of the Samurai tradition is its upholding of honor about all else. For members of this warrior caste, valor and fulfillment of duty are of utmost importance. They would rather die than be dishonored and disgraced. One of their important duties is to protect and obey their feudal masters during their military expeditions. The honor of the Samurai depends on the upholding of duties. In the film we see numerous illustrations of courage and sacrifice on part of the Samurai as they attempt to keep their honor. It is ironic that the two opposin g camps in warfare (both composed of Samurais) are united by this common virtue. In this respect, it is fair to claim that irrespective of who wins and loses the war, it is the Samurai and his set of values that come out victorious. Though the director Haruki Kadokawa does not focus much on this aspect of feudal Japan’s culture, it is available to the careful viewer of the film. Thus, alongside insights into politics and social structures of late medieval Japan, the audience

Three Levels of Local Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Three Levels of Local Culture - Essay Example When you study the artifacts level you find that in Bastrop volunteers usually interpret the parish history using local artifacts. The level of architecture of buildings is high. There are several building permits given in a year. In the job industry people use formal language. Newspaper and radio cover the news. Values and beliefs are explained in the sense that when IPC mill was closed the mayor predicted that a lot of people will be affected. This could be termed as his own view. In Bastrop there are various attraction sites which include Cairo museum, Tensas river national wildlife and others. The rate of crime is 75.79% than the national average. The government promises a great work force in order to make small businesses grow (Bastrop, 2015). Bastrop has hardworking people though the poverty line is high. For example multinational organizations operating beyond their own national culture, will still have influence of the deepest culture level. Underlying values reflect the way individuals evaluate the self and world. The decision to build a wood pellet in Bastrop will be observed to see if it will be successful or not hence forgotten. Culture exists as: the front line followed by middle management and lastly is corporate level (Nurdin,

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 10

Strategic Management - Essay Example Positioning of the organisation through strategy, responding to real time issues through strategic management and managing the resistance offered by the competitors through systematic planning are some of the broader aims of strategic management (Ayanda, M., n.d.). There are a few key attributes that strategic management addresses. It helps the organisation to move towards its goal and achieve its objectives. It helps the stake holders to be a part of the decision making body. The need of incorporating short term and long term goals can be identified. It also helps in understanding the trade off between efficiency and effectiveness in order to achieve the goals of the organisation. Some theorist do believe that the traditional approach is the standard approach to strategic management however it can no longer cope up with the complexities of the new demands (Dess, et.al., n.d). Brinkerhoff had a very simple way of defining strategic management. He defined strategic management as ‘looking out’, ‘looking in’ and ‘looking ahead’. According to Brinkerhoff looking out means, evaluating the environment in order to set organisational goals and also recognise the potential stakeholders. By looking in he means to identify the strengths that the firm possesses meaning the resources like finance and the man power. Looking ahead points out at formulating strategies and allocating resources to set targets and evaluate performance. Strategic management mainly consists of the following five factors. They are setting goals, analysing, strategy formation, strategy implementation and evaluating the strategy. These factors need continuous interaction and feedback between them (Susan. n.d.). The Balance Scorecard is an effective tool by which organisations can evaluate its performance which in turn helps to accomplish the vision.

Purchasing gloves for hotel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Purchasing gloves for hotel - Essay Example To start with, gloves are important for housekeeping activities because of several reasons. Firstly, gloves facilitate better and firm grip on housekeeping items. In most cases, housekeeping utensils and other items are used with soaps, making the utensils to be slippery and risky to handle. Therefore, gloves can be used to reduce risks of harm to staff carrying out housekeeping duties. Secondly, housekeeping activities involve use of various chemical that can be harmful to skin. In this case, gloves are used to protect housekeeping staff from chemical harm. Finally, gloves are used to protect housekeeping staff from coming into direct contact with dirt being cleaned from various surfaces and utensils. Of more importance, certain characteristics should be considered when choosing gloves o be utilized in housekeeping activities. To begin with, housekeeping staff should choose the right size of gloves that can fit effectively in their hands. This way, chances of gloves slipping off from hands will be minimized. Secondly, housekeeping staff should choose a form of gloves that can allow them to fit their five fingers comfortably hence increasing their quality of grip on various housekeeping items. In addition, the quality of gloves chosen should be capable of handling various chemicals and equipments used in housekeeping activities. For example, more tough gloves are required to handle washroom cleaning equipments and soaps as opposed to the lighter grade used in washing kitchen utensils. There are several companies that sale gloves in Russia that sale different types of gloves used in housekeeping activities. To start with, Dupont Protective Apparel is one of the famous companies that specialize in protective clothing to various industries. Another company that distributes gloves in Russia is the Magid Glove & Safety, which is the largest manufacturer and distributor of gloves. Other companies that distribute gloves in Russia include

Does one on one tutoring have a positive effect on my students' Dissertation

Does one on one tutoring have a positive effect on my students' attitude about reading - Dissertation Example Furthermore, studies showed a strong relationship between structured and quality tutoring and reading attitudes. Sources indicated, however, that contextual factors must also be considered when understanding attitudes on reading, such as training of tutors and structure of tutor strategies, frequency and regularity of tutoring sessions, close monitoring and evaluation practices, and specially designed curriculum for readers with reading problems or disabilities (McKenna et al., 1995; McKool, 2007; National Institute on Out-of-School Time at Wellesley Centers for Women, 2009; U.S. Department of Education, 1997). Does one-on-one tutoring have a positive effect on students' attitude about reading? I am directly involved in tutoring students to improve their attitude about reading. I am currently tutoring a 4th grader with ADHD, who reads at about a beginning 3rd grade level with poor comprehension skills. This boy has 3 siblings (1 older brother and 2 younger sisters) and a loud, rather disorganized home. The research will also include a 3rd grader who a co-worker is tutoring. This student has a stutter and reads at about a mid 1st grade level with difficulties in vowel sounds. This boy is an only child and I do not have knowledge of his home life or condition. Both boys have parents that are supportive, but only the 3rd grader’s mom is very involved with helping her child. ... This paper reviews the literature on tutoring and reading. Review of Literature The review of literature reveals that are numerous factors that shape reading attitudes, but the most prevalent are children's personal experiences in reading, children's self-confidence in reading, parents' attitudes towards reading, and teachers' teaching strategies. Furthermore, studies showed a strong link between structured and quality tutoring and reading attitudes. Factors that can Shape Reading Attitudes There are a variety of factors that affect children's attitudes toward reading: children's personal experiences in reading, children's self-confidence in reading, parents' attitudes towards reading, and teachers' teaching strategies. Sources indicated, however, that contextual factors must also be considered, such as training of tutors and structure of tutor strategies, frequent and regular tutoring sessions, close monitoring and evaluation, and specially designed curriculum for readers with readi ng problems or disabilities (McKenna et al., 1995; McKool, 2007; National Institute on Out-of-School Time at Wellesley Centers for Women, 2009; U.S. Department of Education, 1997). Children’s personal experiences in reading. Children's personal experiences in reading can improve children's attitudes toward reading (Wang, 2000, p.1). It is important that the environment of the children provides easy access to interesting books, because this leads to them experiencing the world of reading as an entertaining experience (National Institute on Out-of-School Time at Wellesley Centers for Women, 2009; Wang, 2000, p.1). Access to quality books, however, is not widely provided by low-income families.

Presidential candidates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Presidential candidates - Essay Example As a way of reversing this trend, each of the two presidential candidates have come up with different policies of propelling the country forward through the restoration of the economy and subsequent creation of jobs. President Barrack Obama and his Republican adversary Mitt Romney hold different positions on the economy of the United States. Obama looks forward to rescind the Bush cut tax for households that receive more than $250,000 and lowering the manufacturing industry taxes. His short-term economic goal includes initiating stimulus expenditure and cutting taxes for economic growth. In the long term, he hopes to cut expenditure and consequently increase taxes on the wealthy. This will help to trim down the deficits (AARP Bulletin, 2012). On his part, Mitt Romney looks forward to retaining the tax cuts associated with former president George W. Bush. He also intends to lower by 25 per cent the rate of taxes in all sectors. Additionally, Romney will also reduce expenditure on discretion that are not related to security by 5 per cent in a bid to trim down deficits. The Republican candidate hopes to cut and initiating regulations that will encourage business growth ( AARP Bulletin, 2012). President Obama supports the 2010 health care bill that he signed into law. He consequently advocates for the safeguard of patients from rascal insurance companies. He will allow the coverage for the currently prevailing conditions and ensure that insurers do not falter or dope patients whenever they fall sick. Individuals are required to purchase health care insurance or accrue a fine. However, employers on behalf of employees should do the purchase of the health care insurance. On his part, Romney holds a different view. According to him, citizens should buy their own health care insurance instead of doing it using their employers. Besides, the health care insurance policy should not be uniform across the states. Individual states should

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Example for Free

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Why would a Victorian reader find The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde shocking yet fascinating? Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Jekyll and Hyde in 1886 in the middle of the Victorian era. This book is both shocking yet fascinating to a Victorian reader, I will explore this further. Polar twins continually struggling, this quotation is talking about the struggle between Jekyll and Hyde; they are struggling to gain dominance over each other in Jekylls body. They are polar twins, Jekyll is good and Hyde is Evil, this quotation shows that Jekyll and Hyde are linked, and this idea that they are linked in body and soul would be shocking to a reader yet it would also be fascinating because it shows the dual nature of man, the ability to do good and evil. There are many themes in Jekyll and Hyde that a Victorian reader would find shocking and fascinating at the same time, like Science vs. religion, civilisation vs. savagery, the dual identity of man, the way Stevenson portrays London, the gothic elements of the story, and the description of the characters and their relationships. Jekyll manipulates science to resurface the dual identity of man, only God should be able to do this, Jekyll is going against his god and dwells on the thought of committing suicide to get rid of Hyde, a Victorian reader would find this shocking because almost all Victorian people at this time were devout Christians and committing suicide was against the laws of the church and even the thought of someone committing suicide was shocking to a Victorian. Also the ongoing debate between the church and scientists about Darwins theory of evolution surfaces in Jekyll and Hyde, this is a case of Religion vs. science. Dr Lanyon and Jekyll debate about this in the book, a Victorian reader would find these ideas fascinating. The book is also focused on temptation, Adam and Eve were tempted by the tree of Knowledge and were then thrown out of the Garden of Eden and Jekyll is also tempted by the knowledge that man is not truly one but truly two, Science undermines the church by the theory of evolution. Victorian readers would find this fascinating, as well as the parallels between the Garden of Eden story and Jekylls life. Civilisation vs. savagery is shown in where people live, Hyde lives in Soho in London, Soho is one of the worst parts of London, and it is the barbaric part of London where prostitution, drug dealing, gambling, lots of violence. This is Hydes world and it shows his character and nature. Hyde is violent, evil dark, twisted like Soho. A Victorian reader would find this fascinating that the area he lives in reflects his personality. Lanyon lives in Mayfair, this shows his rich civilised character and Jekyll lives in an area of working class apartments but lives in a whole house, a reader would find it shocking why Jekyll lives in such a poor area but as the read the book the see that this area reflects him, and because he is a doctor of science who dissects bodies he is probably frowned on in public and by higher classes. This makes the reader question the respectability of Jekyll. The reader would find this shocking and fascinating that the areas that they live in reflect their charact er. The idea of the dual identity of man would be shocking to a reader because a Victorian person wouldnt have heard of this before; they would also find it very interesting even if they dont believe in it. Man is not truly one but truly two, it shows that man is split into two parts, one part that is wholly good and odes good things and another part that is wholly evil. The idea that Hyde alone in the ranks of mankind was pure evil, comes up from the dual nature. The reader would find this fascinating that someone could be pure evil yet they would also be shocked by it, that this person would do evil things like kill people. Also the fact that Jekyll and Hyde share only one body would be shocking because man is supposed to be in two parts but they only share one body, Hyde is caged within Jekyll, so a potion is needed to turn them into each other and back again, a Victorian person would find this fascinating because of the fact that a potion might be able to do what only God has been able to do before. London is portrayed as a city covered by a great chocolate covered pall, for at this time smog was common over London. Areas like Soho are shown in more detail and the area around Jekylls house as well. All sorts of conditions of men shady lawyersobscure enterprises these are some of the descriptions of things around Jekylls house. A reader would find it shocking that the capital of an empire which spanned a quarter of the known world is described as sordid and black and dirty and covered with a thick blanket of smog. The gothic elements of the novella help make the book more interesting to the reader and it gives suspense to some of the scenes and makes them more vivid, using short sentences to give a strong atmosphere of tension and all of the descriptive words are dark, using dark colours like black and setting some of the scarier scenes at night to make it darker and more gothic. This would pull the reader in and make him fascinated by the detailed descriptions of what is happening. Also some of the descriptions of the characters especially Hyde are very gothic, with a kind of black sneering coolnessreally like Satan. Hyde is described as the devil. A reader would find this shocking because at first they would believe that Hyde is a normal person, but to be described as the devil must mean he is very evil and later on they find out that he is pure evil a part of a conscience and not a whole person, a reader would find this shocking and would disgust them as well Jekyll and Hyde is talked about by critics as a magnificent piece of sensationalism, which means that Jekyll and Hyde was a magnificent story and would be very fascinating to readers in the Victorian era. All of the different themes of the story add to this idea that Jekyll and Hyde is shocking and fascinating to readers. They would be fascinated and shocked by some of the ideas of science and the opposing ideas of religion. They would be interested by the theme of civilisation vs. savagery and shocked by some of the points. They would be shocked by Jekylls ideas of the dual nature of man yet because they havent heard of it before they would be fascinated by it. The way Stevenson portrays London would shock them and all of the gothic elements which enhance the story would help the readers appreciate Jekyll and Hyde more. The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a book that is both shocking yet fascinating to Victorian readers.

The First World War Essay Example for Free

The First World War Essay We dont live alone. We are all members of one body. We are responsible for each other. What is Priestleys main aim in An Inspector Calls? How successfully does he achieve it? John Boynton Priestley was a committed socialist. He was born in 1894 in Bradford and his mother died the same year. Priestley was raised by his father, who was also a passionate socialist. At the age of fourteen he became a junior clerk at a wool firm in his home town, before joining the army in 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War. During his time spent fighting in France, Priestley developed a strong sense of the class divisions that were an integral part of the capitalist system; I went into that war free of any class feeling, no doubt I came out with a chip on my shoulder; a big heavy chip, probably some friends thigh bone. Priestley grew to hate the way a few rich and greedy businessmen and industrialists exploited and abused the working classes, for the sake of greater profits. In Priestleys mind, it was simply the nature of this society which had made war in 1914 inevitable. As a socialist, Priestley believed that wealth should be equally distributed amongst the population, and that this could be achieved by the state ownership of the fundamental means of production, therefore abolishing the need for an upper class of capitalists. Priestley hoped that World War One had shown people that their way of life needed to change, but even though military service had caused much upheaval, soon, things had reverted back to the way they had been. When war broke out again in 1939, Priestley could see that the lessons of the first war had not been learnt, and felt that society had to change drastically. With this in mind, at the end of the Second World War after successfully publishing other plays and novels, Priestley wrote An Inspector Calls. He anticipated that the public, with the benefits of hindsight, would now be more receptive to his socialist ideas; This brings us to the second and more truthful way of looking at this warto regard this war as one chapter in a tremendous history, the history of a changing world, the breakdown of one vast system and the building up of another and better one theres nothing that really worked that we can go back to but we cant go forward and build up this new world order unless we begin to think differently, and my own personal view, for what its worth, is that we must stop thinking in terms of property and power and begin thinking in terms of community and creation.

The Debates on Offshore Outsourcing in America

The Debates on Offshore Outsourcing in America Outsourcing has provided growth to United States corporations and has allowed these corporations to reduce costs and compete more successfully in the global markets. Corporations are saving billions of dollars by replacing American employment with outsourcing to foreign countries at a much lower wages. In the meantime, workers who once made a middle-class living are now being forced to find different types of employment, and live with less money in their wallets. In the twenty-first century, the debate on outsourcing white-collar jobs to low-wage developing countries has picked up significantly. The general assumption is that jobs, money, skills, and experience are being exported to foreign countries, while the American people are losing jobs, money, skills and experience. Americas economic future is at risk due to jobs being outsourced to other countries. What is outsourcing? As simple as this question might seem, most people do not truly know and use assumption to what outsourcing means. When the average person hears the word outsourcing, it is presumed that an American company is outsourcing an American job to a foreign country. This is not necessarily true; outsourcing simply means a company that contracts with another company to provide services that might otherwise be performed by in-house employees, regardless if it is being done by a company in the same country, or outside of the companys country. Words that are commonly used in place of outsourcing are sub-contracting, flexible staff, employee leasing, and offshore. This report is focusing on offshore outsourcing. (Johnson, 1999) What is offshore outsourcing? Offshore outsourcing is when a company contracts with another company or person overseas to provide services that could be performed by in-house employees. Although offshore outsourcing is very close to the same implication of outsourcing, it is very simple to see how people can get confused over the explanation. Its hard to believe, but even the media confuses the two terms. Take for example a recent article published by Business Week: Pakistan, A Popular Outsourcing Destination? This article talks about how Pakistan is becoming a popular destination for companies all over the world to outsource to. Not once in this article does the author refer to offshore outsourcing, even though that is what the article is truly about. (King, 2009) The most common departments that are off-shoring outsourced within a company are Customer Support/Call Centers, Accounting, Human Resources, Manufacturing, legal and IT. These departments are the core departments of any corporate business, but really offshore goes further than the corporate office. Realtors, Oilfield labors, computer programmers, welders, shipping and receivers, and the list continue. The more companies research and find cheaper labors in other countries the more different types of American jobs are going oversea. The single most important tactical reason for outsourcing is to reduce or control operating costs and increase profits. Access to an outside providers lower cost structure is one of the most compelling short-term benefits of outsourcing. Foreign countries offer the talents of a college-educated workforce at a fraction of U.S. salaries. Partnering with an organization with world-class capabilities can offer access to new technology, tools and techniques that the organization may not currently possess; more structured methodologies, procedures and documentation, and a competitive advantage through expanded skills. Competing corporations are outsourcing operations offshore to have the cost advantages over the market and to free up management resources. Although outsourcing has achieved cost savings and has been used to enter key foreign markets, these benefits may not outweigh the long-term impacts on U.S. industries and the economy. Large companies such as American Express, Microsoft, Dell, IBM and SAP all offshore outsource to India. All of these companies are very successful and all have excellent profits. When searching on offshore outsourcing India, there are thousands of articles that claim there is a reduction of at least 40% or more in cost and great quality. There are three main reasons that can be accountable to offshore outsourcing to India: 1. Labor Wages are much lower than American wages, 2. Capital Infrastructure costs are lower in India then America, and 3. Labor Management Outsourcing enables companies to do-away with the expenses on bench labor, as the outsourcing vendor allocates the bench employees to projects for other clients or bears the cost of inefficiency. (Kobayashi-Hillary, 2005) International Business Machines (IBM) is well known for off-shoring their American jobs and helping other American companies to find employees overseas. IBM provides off-shore consultants to deliver highly quality services with lower hourly costs, which reduces operating costs and increases profits for the American company. Although the American company is benefiting from this service, the American people are losing their employment to other countries providing the same services an American provide the company. (IBM, 2008) According to [emailprotected] CWA Local 1701 (IBM union), IBM has laid-off approximately 10,000 jobs in American since the beginning of this year. According to IBMs annual reports, IBM employed the following in the US: 2006 127,000, 2007 121,000, and 2008 115,000. IBM 2009 annual report will not be out until late winter, but Alliance is predicting that 16,000 American jobs will be lost in 2009. While Americans are losing jobs, other nations such as India employment has been increasing. According to IBMs annual reports in 2007 to have 98,000 employees in Brazil, China, India and Russia, by 2008 employment overseas increased by 15% to 113,000, mostly in India. (Thibodeau, 2009) According to United States Department of Labor, from 2006 2016 employment for computer programmers will decrease by 4 percent. In 2006 computer programmers held 435,000 in American, by 2016 the projected jobs to be held is 417,000. One factor that will cause 18,000 jobs to be lost is offshore outsourcing. Computer Programmers are at much higher risk of having their jobs because this job function can be done from anywhere in the world. With todays technology, companies can transmit their programs digitally to anywhere in the world and take advantage of foreign countries lower wages. (Computer Programmers, 2007) â€Å"Every year India produces around 2.5 million university graduates, including 400,000 engineers and 200,000 IT professionals. It is estimated that India has 28% of the worlds IT offshore talent. The cost of an Indian graduate is roughly 12% of that of an American one.† These are just a few of the advantages that India brings to the market, which is why the offshore outsourcing boom continues to grow. This is one of the reasons why American students are not majoring in these fields. Young adults have the assumption that IT jobs are sooner or later going to be sent overseas, so there is not point on getting an education in these fields. (The Economist, 2006) The fear of offshore outsourcing is striking a chord with Americas future employees. Recently, the education system has seen shifts in college enrollment, as college students have begun to shun high-tech fields like computer science and even engineering. With the lack of stability in these fields students are concerned that their jobs could eventually be outsourced internationally and are therefore deciding to focus on their business skills. The war for talent is at its fiercest in high-tech industries which poses a threat to the future of the American technology industry and the overall economy. American companies may be forced to consider outsourcing not only to save costs, but due to lac k of local talent. Studies have shown that the proportion of incoming undergraduates planning to major in computer science is now 70% below its peak in the early 1980s. (The Economist, 2006) High-tech, white collar jobs are being transferred to foreign countries which limit opportunities for highly educated Americans. The U.S focuses so much attention on higher education yet people cannot put their skills to use if their job is outsourced. â€Å"When manufacturing jobs started moving overseas in larger numbers, American workers were told by free trade ideologues not to worry, that the U.S. comparative advantage was in services—especially high-tech and other knowledge-based industries. Displaced workers were told to simply acquire better skills and more education in order to succeed in the changing American economy. Many workers did, but now they find that knowledge and talent cant compete against the chase for higher profits and cheaper labor in the new global marketplace.† If Americans decide not to invest in their education, companies will mitigate their chances of sustaining a strong knowledge-base within the U.S. and induce the risk of international spi llovers. (Dobbs, 2004) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics between 1979 -1999, Thirty-six percent of employees who lost their jobs to outsourcing found jobs that matched or increased their wages. Although Twenty-five percent of workers were able to find employment, their wages were thirty percent or more decrease in wages. ‘These concerns are real and need to be addressed, says Diana Farrell, the director of the McKinsey Global Institute. But she argues that rather than trying to stop offshoringa practice that she argues increases wealth in the U.S. economyleaders should focus on its distribution and help workers who are disproportionately hit.(Otterman, 2004) â€Å"The $50 billion-a-year offshore outsourcing business was growing at a 29 percent annual rate until the credit crisis hit last fall, Mr. Bourgeois said. But he now forecasts growth in 2009 to be about 10 percent.† And according to Forrester Researcher Inc offshore outsourcing will increase 17 percent annually from now throug h 2012. That is a possible 10 17 percent increase in the already high unemployment statistics. With the possibility of more companies looking at offshore outsourcing, the better chance the unemployment rate will stay around 9%, or even increase in the next few years (Lohr, 2009). Highly paid jobs are being moved to foreign countries at an increasing rate. 500,000 financial jobs and 200,000 engineering jobs are being relocated yearly overseas. That is approximately 54 million square feet of office space vacate. Approximately 8,500 manufacturing plants are being closed each year. These are American jobs that should be staying in America, who would ever have thought these types of jobs would be moved across seas? China and India will soon be the world leaders in manufacturing and technological. (Pollina Ph.D., 2005) US President Barack Obama has proposed new tax laws that would affect American Corporations that operate operations abroad by disallowing deductions for various offshore business expenses; this tax law still needs to be approved by Congress. The new tax law, if approved, is aimed at providing tax cuts to companies that keep employment in America, and give higher taxes and removal of tax benefits to companies that outsource to other countries. President Obama is trying to keep jobs in America; many analysts do not believe this new tax law will slow down or stop offshore outsourcing. Companies are offshore outsourcing because costs are anywhere from 40 to 70 percent lower in foreign countries. (Srivastava, 2009) Corporate America should start â€Å"thinking out-side the box† and finding alterative ideas to off-shoring. It is true companies are saving money and having an increase in profits by off-shoring, but this does not help the average person needing to pay the bills. By looking at colleges in the area and hiring newly graduated students. Graduated students are inexperience and do not require a high wage, they are looking for experience. By hiring a graduate, this provides the person experience, the company is paying a low wage, and the job is staying in America. People who are on assistance are another area to look into. By teaching a person a new skill, this takes them off assistance, provides them experience, and again keeps the job in America. Extensive growth in the practice of offshore outsourcing has raised a number of political and social concerns. On one hand, it helps in creating new employment opportunities within offshore country but on the other hand, it results in cutbacks for white collar jobs within America. In addition to this, it also raises issues pertaining to the quality and confidentiality of specialized and sensitive work that gets outsourced to a foreign country. Offshore outsourcing of jobs, especially white collar jobs to India has emerged as one of hottest issues in United States. Bibliography Dobbs, L. (2004). Exporting America: Why Corporate Greed Is Shipping American Jobs Oversea. New York: Time Warner Book Group. IBM. (2008, February). Retrieved August 12, 2009, from IBM Congnos BI Report Migration Offshore Services: http://download.boulder.ibm.com/ibmdl/pub/software/data/cognos/support/en/products/cognos8/migration/8.4/report_migration_offshore_service.pdf Johnson, M. (1999). Outsourcing in brief. Woburn: Butterworth-Heinemann. King, R. (2009, June 4). Business Week. Retrieved August 14, 2009, from Pakistan, A Popular Outsourcing Destination?: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/technology_at_work/archives/2009/06/pakistan_a_popu.html Kobayashi-Hillary, M. (2005). Outsourcing To India. London: Springer-Verlag Berlin †¢ Heidelberg. Lohr, S. (2009, January 8). The New York Times. Retrieved August 17, 2009, from Troubles of Satyam Could Benefit Rivals and 2 U.S. Companies : http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/business/09react.html Otterman, S. (2004, February 4). C ouncil Foreign Relations. Retrieved August 6, 2009, from Trade: Outsourcing Jobs: http://www.cfr.org/publication/7749/trade.html Pollina Ph.D., R. R. (2005). Keeping Jobs In America. Business Xpansion Journal , 1-4. Srivastava, M. (2009, May 6). Businessweek. Retrieved August 7, 2009, from Obama vs. Outsourcing: http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/eyeonasia/archives/2009/05/obama_vs_outsou.html The Economist. (2006, October 7). Retrieved August 2, 2009, from The Battle for Brainpower: http://www.amrop.pl/ahgr/PHP/APP/eng/directors/i/p5.pdf Thibodeau, P. (2009, August 7). Computer World. Retrieved August 12, 2009, from IBM union: Layoffs could hit 16,000 by years end: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9136360/IBM_union_Layoffs_could_hit_16_000_by_year_s_end?taxonomyId=1 United States Department of Labor. (2007, December 18). Retrieved August 15, 2009, from Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos110.htm

Urban Legends Essay -- essays research papers

Joel Beckwith Febuary 13, 2001 Urban Legends In this paper I will explain exactly what an urban legend is,and give some examples of very popular ones that have been passed by word of mouth for decades across the United States. 1 " An urban legend is a story that is so bizarre,horrifying,or unexplainable, that it makes something inside of us want to believe it." Urban Legends can have traced origins from other countries, universities, states, or people,that just decided to made up as incredible story and pass it on to their friends and family members. Many of these legends were started in the sixties and seventies, and still continue to be passed on to this day. A good example, is the horrifying Pop Rocks death. 2"In the seventies ,school kids passed on the rumor that if Pop Rocks candy was eaten with any kind of soda,the person's insides would explode". A legend that eventually forced the candy company company to prove as untrue. Most urban legends are began with "friend of a friend", which is a key in realizing that what you are going to hear is probably untrue. When I was in second grade, a famous legend was passed to me, the story of the ''well to Hell''. Reportedly, down in Mexico, a group of men were drilling holes in the ground looking for oil. These holes were thousands of feet deep, and the men heard horrifying screams coming from the depths below. Supposedly these these terrible sounds were coming from Hell. This story caused much debate among the Christian community, and was repeating in news letters, and radio talk shows around the country. Eventually, an urban legend investigator traced the story to a school teacher who admitted that she made the whole thing up. As legends are passed from person to person the stories are modified and changed until several versions of the story actually exist. A good example of a mixed story is the classic urban legend of the vanishing hitch hiker. Most versions of the story are told of a tall thin hitch hiker walking down the road until he gets picked up.As the stranger is in the car he stays quiet and doesn't speak until he says ''The end is near'' and disappears right before the drivers eyes. Other versions are told of a young girl who does the same thing sometimes the hitch hiker claims ''Jesus is coming again ''right befor... ...hich is which and who is who", we see the Wicked Witch of the West looking at the dead feet of the Wicked Witch of the East. For "up..up..up", the Witch is on top of a ramp; on "down..down.. down..", she is walking down. "And in the end", the dead Witch disappears. "Out..out..out", Good Witch Glynda exits in a bubble. The song "Brain Damage" is played as the scarecrow sings "If I Only Had a Brain." The heartbeat heard at the end of the album coincides with Dorothy listening to the Tin Man's heart. (These similarities are found at http://turnerclassicmovies.com) Urban legends and their history can be a very interesting thing to devote your time to. The library has many good books on urban legends, one of the best is "Too Good to be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends" by Jan Harold Brunvand. Jan Harold Brunvard has written other good books as urban legend references, including "The Baby Train" and "The Mexican Pet". Overall I enjoyed writing this report and I have found urban legends to be very interesting and I hope to explore them more as a personal hobby.

The Medicinal Properties of the Papaya, Carica papaya L. :: Botany

The Medicinal Properties of the Papaya, Carica papaya L. Quite surprisingly, historians know little about Hippocrates, the physician often referred to as "the father of medicine". However, we do know that he was a strong advocate of the use of medicinal plants to prevent and cure diseases. He recorded between three hundred and four hundred plant remedies in his writing and during the middle ages herbal remedies were passed down from generation to generation. Although the church emphasized faith healing over other forms of healing, Christian monks would preserve many of the early Greek and Roman medical texts, later growing their own herbs in the monasteries. By the time the colonizers settled in the new world, they brought with them some knowledge of herbal medicine. This in turn was shared with the Native Americans and other indigenous peoples of the new world who practiced ethnobotanical rituals as a daily and integral part of their lives. Most recently beginning in the 1800's, while chemical drugs became popular with the medical establishment and those who could afford it, herbal medicine continued to be practiced by those who could not afford the later or who were strong believers in natural medicine. While chemotherapy has brought us many life-saving drugs, today nearly fifty percent of commonly used drugs are either plant derivatives or contain the equivalent of a chemical imitation of a plant compound. Indeed Digitalis, Aspirin, Reserpine, Quinine, Tetracycline and the ever useful Penicillin are all members of this list. In fact according to the World Health Organization, herbal medicine today is still the primary source of health care for approximately eighty percent of the worlds population. Papaya/Pawpaw Carica papaya L., more commonly known as the papaya, belongs to the Caricaceae. Its classification is as follows: Division: Magnoliophyta, Class: Magnoliopside, Subclass: Dilleniidae, Order: Violales and as previously mentioned Family: Caricaceae. It was first described by the Spanish chronicler Oviedo in 1526, from the Caribbean coast of Panama and Colombia. Soon after it was grown throughout the tropics, its distribution being aided by the abundance of its seeds. The Papaya seed is viable for up to three years under cool, dry conditions and it is a herbaceous , dicotyledonous plant that may produce fruits for more than twenty years. The plant usually has a single trunk with several well developed branches. The melon-like fruit varies in size and shape, and hangs from short, thick peduncles at the leaf axil. The Medicinal Properties of the Papaya, Carica papaya L. :: Botany The Medicinal Properties of the Papaya, Carica papaya L. Quite surprisingly, historians know little about Hippocrates, the physician often referred to as "the father of medicine". However, we do know that he was a strong advocate of the use of medicinal plants to prevent and cure diseases. He recorded between three hundred and four hundred plant remedies in his writing and during the middle ages herbal remedies were passed down from generation to generation. Although the church emphasized faith healing over other forms of healing, Christian monks would preserve many of the early Greek and Roman medical texts, later growing their own herbs in the monasteries. By the time the colonizers settled in the new world, they brought with them some knowledge of herbal medicine. This in turn was shared with the Native Americans and other indigenous peoples of the new world who practiced ethnobotanical rituals as a daily and integral part of their lives. Most recently beginning in the 1800's, while chemical drugs became popular with the medical establishment and those who could afford it, herbal medicine continued to be practiced by those who could not afford the later or who were strong believers in natural medicine. While chemotherapy has brought us many life-saving drugs, today nearly fifty percent of commonly used drugs are either plant derivatives or contain the equivalent of a chemical imitation of a plant compound. Indeed Digitalis, Aspirin, Reserpine, Quinine, Tetracycline and the ever useful Penicillin are all members of this list. In fact according to the World Health Organization, herbal medicine today is still the primary source of health care for approximately eighty percent of the worlds population. Papaya/Pawpaw Carica papaya L., more commonly known as the papaya, belongs to the Caricaceae. Its classification is as follows: Division: Magnoliophyta, Class: Magnoliopside, Subclass: Dilleniidae, Order: Violales and as previously mentioned Family: Caricaceae. It was first described by the Spanish chronicler Oviedo in 1526, from the Caribbean coast of Panama and Colombia. Soon after it was grown throughout the tropics, its distribution being aided by the abundance of its seeds. The Papaya seed is viable for up to three years under cool, dry conditions and it is a herbaceous , dicotyledonous plant that may produce fruits for more than twenty years. The plant usually has a single trunk with several well developed branches. The melon-like fruit varies in size and shape, and hangs from short, thick peduncles at the leaf axil.

Frankenstein :: essays research papers

How do people change in times of crisis and tragedy? In the novel â€Å"Frankenstein† by Mary Shelley, Victor learns a lesson in thinking before acting. Before creating the monster, he only cares about his studies and is relatively happy. After his creation, his studies become his phobia and his creation (which, while constructing him, used to be his love) became his tormentor. In the end, he learns his lesson and stops himself before committing the same mistake again. In creating life, one learns to live life a little wiser.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  IN the beginning, Victor has a happy and almost carefree life. His home seems a place â€Å"†¦from which care and pain seemed for ever banished† (36). With a family such as his, no burdens seem to exist on his back. He has an entertaining mother, a father as a teacher, affection demanding brothers, and a gentle Elizabeth. He simply has no concerns. When Catherine (on her deathbed) joined the hands of Elizabeth and Victor saying, â€Å"†¦my firmest hopes of future happiness were placed on the prospect of you union† (37), it shows that Victor’s love life is also worry-free. Allowing him to further pursue his primary love, his studies. In stating, â€Å"I ardently desired the acquisition of knowledge† (40), Victor shows that his first priority is his studies. Even in leaving all he has ever known (family and friends), he only wants learn. Before creating life, his world is dandy†¦ with only the amount of knowledge he acquire s being his worry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Furthermore, after his creation breathes its first breath, Victor already despises it, which leads to his health’s deterioration and hatred of his previous love. His love quickly changes to despise when he says, â€Å"I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardor that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart† (53). His statement shows how his heart does a complete 1800 and stops loving the monster the moment it lives. When Victor’s â€Å"†¦heart palpitated in the sickness of fear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (54), it proves how his monster tormented his creator without having to be near him. Which also leads to the teaching of the lesson â€Å"think before you act†.

Compare and Contrast Classical Greece and Han China Essay

From 600 BCE to 600 CE, known as the classical period, Greece and Han China began to develop. These empires were extremely important and successful. However, despite their success, Classical Greece and Han China had major similarities and differences in their political, technological and economic/environmental views. These societies were similar in the fact that they emphasized certain buildings being built, such as urban centers, or universities. Both built systems to make certain aspects of life easier as well. The Greeks built aqueducts and the Chinese built a system of roads within their society. They were both also similar in the fact that both civilizations experienced population growth during the classical period, which led to expansion. Although they had multiple similarities, these societies had their differences as well. Politically, Greece was not unified they were divided into separate city-states, where as China was unified. Technologically, The Greeks focused more on building up their army and staying strong, while the Chinese worked on products that could improve their everyday lives, and had less to do with the protection of their civilization. Also, they differed economically/environmentally. Greece’s main items of trading were grapes and wine, China’s main export was silk. Although they had many similarities, Classical Greece and China’s differences outweighed these similarities. Politically, these societies had major differences. Greece was not unified, and was separated into separate city-states. Each city-state was called a Polis. Each Polis included an urban center and its rural territory, an acropolis, agora, public buildings/establishments and fortified walls. Each Polis was also unique and different because they developed independently. Things in each Polis such as traditions, economies,religions and political systems were different. A different person was the â€Å"ruler† of each Polis. Polis’s also had a different, distinct form of government as well. In Han China, they were not divided! China was unified by Shi Huang Di. Since the empire was unified, they were able to focus on bigger and more important political advancements. The entire empire followed Confucian philosophy, which believed that deep down, humans were capable of doing good deeds. They had a standardized currency for trade, which made it easier for trading to take place. The empire even had a Civil Service system which was  non-existent in Greece. The Civil Service system was put in charge of duties that regulated the society and kept it in balance. They also conducted the Civil Service Exams, which a citizen could take in order to move up in society. This was China’s form of social mobility. However, these civilizations had slight similarities. Both societies stressed the importance of having certain buildings constructed, such as urban centers and universities. These buildings were highly important for these civilizations because they helped the societies carry out the values that were important to them. Urban centers offered a place to meet, while universities were a site where one could go to become more knowledgeable. Technologically, these civilizations were also different. The technologies that they were able to develop or that were important to them was based primarily on their location geographically. In Classical Greece, they focused on building up a strong military base to fend off the surrounding civilizations of Egypt, Persia (Turkey) and Rome. They did this by developing their technologies in things such as ship building, training skilled sailors, and developing their navy for trading and fighting. However in Han China, they were far less concerned about their military/army base because they only had to worry about their nomadic neighbors! They had time to develop technologies such as the cross-bow, the first seismograph (the tool that is used for predicting earthquakes), they built A LOT of roads, specialized in paper making, and they also popularized silk. The popularization of silk was very important because it was the main product that China used for trade! The Chinese even made their paper out of wood bark, which is partly how we make our’s in today’s society! This shows how technologically advanced Han China really was. Despite these immense differences, Classical Greece and Han China had a few similarities. Both societies built certain systems that made life easier for their society. In Classical Greece, they built aqueducts, which were brick water pipes. These pipes were used to transport water throughout the society. In Han China, a system of roads was built. These roads made it easier to transport goods for trade, and had other uses as well. Although the actual technologies may have been different, the one goal that they shared was similar- to make life easier! From the economic/environmental point of view, Greece and Han China had some major differences. Geographically, Greece was a peninsula. They had access to many natural harbors, and Han China did not, along the Silk Road of Han China, people often died of thirst. Greece was also wasn’t far from societies such as Egypt, Persia and Rome. Being so close allowed for cultural diffusion to be present in Greece. Classical Greece’s major trade products were grapes and wine. They often traded these to get the goods that they needed. Greece even had events such as the Olympic Games. The Olympics even brought the divided city-states together for a brief time, despite rivalries they might have had! In Han China, their society was based on agriculture. However, in Greece, the land wasn’t fertile enough to farm. This was a major difference since agriculture was such an important part to China’s society! Another big difference between the two was the Silk Road. It was China’s source of trade, and they often traded their main export, silk on the Silk Road. Despite all of the products the Silk Road gave China, such as horses (China’s most desired product), it also came with a down side. Many diseases were spread on the Silk Road from Europe! This resulted in diseases coming back to Han China, they didn’t just stay on the Silk Road! Despite their major differences economically/environmentally, there were some similarities. One of these similarities was that both civilizations experienced population growth, which led to expansion. The Han period in China was mostly a period of population growth, expansion, and migration! This was the same for Greece. These societies were doing so well in terms of trade, and being able to support the population and become more advanced led to this population growth! It is a great achievement that these civilizations were able to last so long despite all of the hardships they were faced with such as disease and invasions. Yet, they were so advanced for their time that they seemed untouchable! Greece and Han China were mostly different despite their civilizations lasting so long and being so successful. Their ways politically, technologically, and economically/environmentally worked for whatever problems that they were exposed to where they lived, which is what made them prosper. Their views also shaped the legacy that they would leave  on the world! Especially in terms of things that we use today such as road systems and paper making! These advancements are the things that are so important, and still have us learning about Classical Greece and Han China today!

Cultural Issues in Middle School Essay

Middle school is one of the most difficult situations of transition. Middle schoolers are awkward, hard to deal with and confused. They aren’t children but certainly not adults. They are egocentric to say the least and have little concern for the consequences of their actions. Yet, they are also one of the best ages to work with, if one is willing to try to understand their difficult lives. The culture in middle school can be broken down as such: sexuality, intellect, and social status. Sexually, these students have to deal with their changing bodies and feelings. They also have to try to understand how these feelings and changes fit in appropriately within the community. This is the area they are most sensitive toward. Intellectually, students have to decide if being â€Å"smart† is something they are willing to do. In some environments, being smart is cool, so those students who are gifted have no trouble fitting in. In other schools, these students are outcasts. When it is not cool to be smart, many students have a hard decision to make. If they show their gifts, they may sacrifice social standing. When it is cool, the struggling students feel even more left out and troubled. At times, these students may even act dumber to try to hide how much they truly struggle. Social status varies with each school environment. Wealth, possessions, address, family legacy and athletic ability are all indicators of success. Middle school is a contest and students are constantly scrutinizing each other to see who will win, popularity being the prize, of course. There are leaders and followers; the status symbols then change as the leaders themselves change. Whether it is the newest clothing label, shoe or track star, the culture of middle school is dominated by judgment. Evaluation The Illuminative Model of Evaluation rests its assessment on process. It appraises based on qualitative analysis of a situation in order to understand its initiation as clearly as its conclusion. Thus, in order to evaluate a situation, one must observe the effects of the process not simply look at data. The following tools of assessment are based upon that model and are applied to the curriculum overall. Several lessons will be used that typify the learning environment created within the classroom. Evaluation One: How does this lesson provide skills that work outside the testing environment? To evaluate this lesson, the calendar of lessons was assessed. Questions were asked such as, how do the lessons flow and what overall messages are the students receiving? Can they define, find and apply the concepts discussed in class? Upon reviewing the lessons, they seem to present isolated concepts. The entire unit is research process and narrative writing techniques which are two genres and should be taught separately. These lessons are trying to do way too much too fast. Middle school students are more successful when you break the process down and connect it to real world reasons for completing the work. If they would’ve started with day five, â€Å"reading the memoir,† then they could use the text to help define and find the language. Once they can do that, then they can apply the concepts such as writing dialogue, good word choice and using sensory language. The lesson plans as they are, present interesting skill sets but they aren’t connected to the question of, how do I apply this to reading and writing outside school. These skills might help them pass a test, but if you ask them to write dialogue, they will not know how. The non-fiction author board is a great idea but is not developed. They are completing tasks that have a function. This project should be enhanced by having students read Georgia authors and doing actual research and a research project on their author. This schedule needs to be totally revamped in order to serve the real world needs of the students. Evaluation Two: Does this lesson connect to a home environment? As is, there is no connection with the home environment. This will lessen the importance of the work and disconnect the families from what the students are learning. To enhance the process, when having the students write narratives, why not have them collect narratives from family members? This validates the home environment while creating an interest in the school environment at home. For the research section, they could research their family tree or conduct a survey at home regarding their family’s favorite authors. The greater the involvement from the home, the greater opportunity to work with the family for the student’s well being. Evaluation Three: What purpose does technology serve? This also needs improvement. There is no use of technology which works against evaluative point number one. In the larger society, students must be technologically literate. Students should research using the internet, present their projects via power point, and utilize online oral history collections to hear memoirs. Computers should not only be used to type in language arts but should be used as a tool for diversification of learning styles and presentation methods. Conclusion Overall, the learning process in this curriculum model needs to be improved. The questions of evaluation, based on the Illuminative Model, show that the process is flawed. Although there are many interesting lessons, they don’t flow together to teach an entire concept that can be applied to a real world learning situation. The terms need to be taught as part of an entire concept. Students can then define, find and apply what they have learned rather than simply be occupied for a 45 minute block of time. According to this model, students are more successful when the process is improved. The product should be the last point of evaluation rather than the first.

Blacks in the Criminal Justice System Essay

All I wanted to do was pop down to the all night chemist and get some medicine for my wife. Should have been a job that took ten minutes at the most but here I am sitting in my car a good thirty minutes later waiting for this young police officer to decide if he wants to prosecute me for something or not. Should have known better than to drive my mother-in-law’s car I suppose. I should have bought my own; but there you go. Her car was behind mine, she didn’t have a problem with me taking it, she gave me the keys for goodness sake. But no way should a young black male be driving a posh Mercedes around at night on his own. No I would have been ignored perhaps if I had been driving the old ford compact. But then no I would have still been picked up, after all it is gone ten pm and this is a â€Å"nice† area. No copper on this beat would understand that I was actually only about 200 yards from home. But that’s not how things are done around here, are they? No, this copper thinks I have stolen the car, you can just tell by the amount of time he is spending on that radio of his. Doesn’t matter that I have already given him my license and registration for the car; doesn’t matter that I have given him my home phone number so he can speak to my mother-in-law herself. Nope you can just tell from the way this guy is looking at me that he is planning to arrest me for something tonight, he is just having trouble working out what for. Oh well, I guess I am about to find out what he wants now, here he comes again. Oh yes officer of course I will get out of the car – do I mind being searched, what difference does it make if I do. Can he look in the car, well I am not going to stop him, I know what happens to young blacks who â€Å"resist† during a pull-over. Pop the trunk, yes, stand aside, well yes to that as well. I wonder how he is going to turn two bags of flour and some sugar into a criminal offence – â€Å"carrying an illegal substance† perhaps? After all sugar is supposed to be bad for you. Honestly this copper, doesn’t he realize that I know exactly what he is doing and why – doesn’t he know that I know that if my skin color was different that he would not have even pulled me over in the first place. After all I wasn’t speeding, I know there is nothing wrong with the car, there was no way I could be considered â€Å"acting in a suspicious manner†, my only crime – my face doesn’t fit that of a Mercedes owner. Funny thing is that I deal with cases just like this one everyday in my profession. Oh yes, I didn’t mention to the policeman that I am a lawyer. Didn’t want to aggravate him any more than necessary. I am an educated Black man, â€Å"made my moma proud† I did. Went to college and everything and yes I work full time. That is how I am able to afford to live in this posh neighborhood. That’s how come I can provide for my wife, our new baby and even my mother-in-law. I am a hard working, law abiding, family orientated young black man. But to this police officer I am just trouble with a capital â€Å"T†. Finally, what, I can go now officer? Oh thank you so much officer, I really appreciate it and yes sir I will go home directly. After all I have only been trying to do that for the last thirty minutes. My wife will be worried that I have been gone for so long, the mother-in-law will think I have crashed her new car. What is really ironic is that when we moved into this area we didn’t ever stop to consider that maybe the color of our skin would influence the way we would be treated. We just wanted somewhere safe for our children to grow up. I work, I pay my taxes and I try and help others. We go to Church regularly and want to teach our kids to be decent human beings. But how am I ever going to explain to my own kids that prejudice will follow you no matter where you go in life. In this country the American dream might be achievable for some people, but not if you are male, young and black. In this country being young and black means you look like a criminal, especially to white police officers. Part Two: White police officer pulling over African American male in late model Mercedes. It is just typical, you know. I had just stopped and bought myself a hot dog and some fresh coffee and wouldn’t you know it, I see a young black male cruising past driving a late model Mercedes if you can believe it. Those cars are worth what, $60 – $70,000, and I guess this guy just thought he was so lucky when he had â€Å"acquired† it. Okay you know and I know that this car is going to be stolen, but innocent until proven guilty and all that, it is my duty nonetheless to find out where this thug, I beg your pardon, young man is going in this posh car. Who knows maybe he runs an all night valet service and is just dropping off the car to its owner. Actually come to think about it I am fairly sure that I saw this car earlier this evening, that’s right, some older white woman was driving it. I think I saw it parked outside that posh looking place just around the corner. I know that some new people had just moved in there, well tonight is their lucky night. Caught a guy red-handed with the stolen car and it will only take a few minutes to let the owners know it has been recovered. Hey, I haven’t even heard a bulletin about the car being missing yet – well that’s the police force for you. Fast, efficient and ready to recover items you didn’t even know were missing. You can’t get any better service than that. The driver seems polite enough. Had to approach the car really slowly, because although I had only seen the driver, his mates could have been laying down in the back seat. Heard an officer was killed just last week when he pulled up what he thought was one person and there were three more thugs hidden from view. Can’t be too careful, especially when he went for his license and registration in the glove box. Gave me a bit of a fright when he leaned over to get the stuff, but there was no way I was going to let that show. No way, I am just going to take these documents back and sit in my car for a minute to let my nerves calm down. Let him think I am on my radio, checking him out really good. Well isn’t that strange? No criminal record, no warrants outstanding for this young thug. Address given doesn’t match the one on the license, but he claims he has just moved into the area. Claims too that the car is his mother-in-laws, like that is right. What woman with a surname like â€Å"Gladstone-Price† would have a son-in-law that was obviously a thug and Black as well, that guy must have thought I was an idiot. Dispatch reckons there will be a slight delay trying the phone number that the driver gave for the owner of the car, so while I am waiting I will just go and take another look at the car and driver – let this guy know who is in charge around here. Nothing like a good frisk and a car search to let these criminals know that police authority was not something to be mucked about with, especially in this neighborhood. What a strange night. Gave the guy and the car a good going over but didn’t find anything illegal. Then dispatch calls and tells me that the guy is in the clear and that the owner is a Mrs. Gladstone-Price, and that yes she had loaned her car to her son-in-law, Quincey Parks. What was even more astounding is that apparently this Parks is a lawyer and that he and his wife have just moved to that posh house around the corner. No telling what that will do to the local house prices. Still no need to apologize or anything, he’s a lawyer, he should know what to expect. I’m sure if I did a check on his family half of his brothers would be serving time and the other half probably should be. Time to head off and get another hot dog and some coffee. That guy Parks did mention something about police harassment, but hey he should be more understanding than anybody. If he doesn’t like drawing attention to himself he should never have bought his new house, and he should have stayed with his own people. That’s the problem with Blacks today – give them rights and all of a sudden they go moving into your neighborhood. Well if he thinks he is going to be asked to join the residents association he is in for a bit of a shock, we don’t welcome his kind around here.

Hrm Reflective Writing

Reflective writing and theories of Reflection There are several types of reflection. As mentioned by Taylor, All types of reflection are important and a combination of these may be used to make sense of practise and to bring changes. Technical Reflection is generally used to look at clinical practices and procedures along with the scientific knowledge. However, values play no part in this. Practical Reflection on the other hand judges human experiences and assumptions. It also develops common values in-line with organizational values.Emancipatory (Critical) Reflection involves critiques of the assumptions on which our social, political and cultural beliefs are based with the prospect of changing them. Reflective Practice is concept developed by Donald Schon. There are also several models of reflection used to draw lessons out of experiences. In 1978 Argyris and Schon established the idea of single loop and double loop learning. In the former concept the organization or the individual follows the current techniques or strategies even after corrections are made to the current errors.However, the late concept involves modification of techniques and strategies. Later in 1984 Schon coined the concepts of Reflection – in – Action (RIA) and Reflection – on – Action (ROA). RIA is a concept when the practitioner is faced with an issue he makes a decision based on his feeling and prior experiences. On the other hand, Reflection – on – Action is an idea where the practitioner analyzes the experience after it is over. Personally, I have experienced both the concepts during several situations in life knowingly or unknowingly.Specially, during our ALE1, we were given an opportunity to reflect on our performance after every task. This depicted our practical implementation of Reflection – on – Action. By implementing the learning from previous task in the later task we have also exercised the concept of Reflection  œ in – Action. To mention an example, in the first task we were given a sheet of instructions which were tricky. However, we went to perform the task without analysing the rules and we failed to finish the task within the given time.After the reflection session, when we went on to perform the second task, we made it a point to read and understand the rules carefully. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle is another great contribution to this concept. This learning cycle has four stages (Concrete Experience, Reflective, Abstract Conceptualization and Active Experimentation Observation) and the reflection takes place after the situation has occurred. In the first stage the practitioner concentrates on something that they have done and later reflects and explores the new ideas to better perform the task.In the third stage he forms new ideas and experiments them in the fourth stage. This loop is continued from one task to another. is another process where the practitioner not only describes the situation but analyses it. Unlike the other models it also has an action plan stage where the reflector mentions the actions that he would like to change if the same situation occurs. Jhon’s model of Reflection on the other hand involves sharing the experiences with a colleague. It has two stages ‘Looking in’ on ones thoughts and emotions and ‘Looking Out’ at the situation experienced.Reflection on my Personal Development : Initially, when we were given learning logs for our ALE, I didn’t know the importance and advantages of it unless we started writing the reflective log after every task. After learning that this is one of the best and easy ways to change oneself, I have stated using the reflective writing tool every time I wanted to develop the way I work and think. During our ALE we have used several tools to better understand ourselves. During our feedback session, we were asked to use Johari Window to know our intern- personal relationships and communication.Though I was happy about the adjectives mentioned in the public session, the adjectives mentioned in the Blind Spots section were quite surprising to me. The blind spots for me were ‘complex’ and ‘proud’. When I tried to find the reasons from my colleagues for the same, I was told that though I am a friendly, work-oriented person, I sometimes get too much into detail in a group task or assignment and it’s difficult for them to understand me. This may be because though I am clear about the topic, I sometimes find it difficult to explain which confuses the other people.Also, the feedback I generally receive from most of the people after few days of being with me is that â€Å"I thought that you are a very proud person when I initially met youâ€Å". The reason for this is, when I meet new people or enter a new environment, I take some time to get acquainted and unless I know them, I don’t initiate a con versation with people. Though this perception of them changes at a later stage, it gives a negative vibe to people in the initial stage. Also, according to Belbin Self-Perception Inventory, the team roles I have similarity towards are ‘completer’ and specialist’. These two roles reflect my working style rightly. I always try to learn more and specialize in the subject area of my interest. Also, because I am good at analysing and pay a good attention to details, I am always given the responsibility of doing the last minute polishing and editing in our group assignments. However, there are also negative sides to these team roles which I am aware of and are part of my development plan. As a ‘specialist’ though I learn in-depth about the subject of my interest, I neglect other subjects which I am not interested in.Also, the blind spot ‘complex’ that I have mentioned earlier can be related to the weakness of the completer. As a completer thou ght I try to get the every detail of the report correct, I sometimes take the perfectionism to the extremes. According to Honey and Mumford’s Learning Styles, I am a Reflector. As a reflector I like to learn from activities that let me think, watch and review. However, I find is difficult to concentrate on a lecture unless I find it interesting. This can be linked to my weakness as a Specialist.According to the MBTI my personality type is ISFP (Introversion, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving). This shows that I am a people’s person who is friendly and dislike conflicts. But, I like to have my own space. The MBTI and IDAP grid show me on the People Caring part of the grid. This is little contradicting. Though I am comfortable working in a team, I prefer to work on my own. I find it difficult to convey a message as I feel that contradicting with others views may create problems personally.As part of the self-development, I would like to develop a skill to converse a messa ge in a soft way and would like to learn to maintain a professional relationship with other people in team as most of the work in organization is team based. Also, would like to develop my networking skills. Reflection on my managerial skills: According to Reynolds Reflection â€Å"is a management tool for problem solving†. Also, the following quote depicts the importance of management in an organization. â€Å"Make your top managers rich and they will make you rich†.Robert H. Johnson A question that many people ask is why we should we study management theories? Personal traits, values, beliefs and attitudes are the core personal competencies which may enhance or weaken one’s ability to manage others. Also, it is the behaviour and talent of the individual that has major influence on the performance of the company. Hence, an understanding of managerial theories is very helpful for someone who aspires to be a manager as most rational decisions are based on theorie s.An extensive study of the theories available is also very helpful for a manager in order to better manage their team as theories provide info about how to behave and help change the behaviour. Theories also provide a common framework and idea about practices. Over a period of time the purpose of work and the way the work is conducted is changing in the organization. The management styles have to be changed accordingly. Minor says that â€Å"the more that is known about organization and their methods of operation, the better the chances of dealing effectively with them.Understanding may be more advanced than prediction, but both provide the opportunity to influence or to manage the future. Theory provides a sound basis for action†. Hence, an understanding of management theories and knowledge about organization are important for a manager to better perform their tasks. Mullin in his book, Management and Organisational Behaviour has followed a frame work of four main approache s to explain the Management Theory. The Classical Approach which emphasises on the purpose and formal hierarchy of management.The classical writers concentrated on improving the operational efficient in an organization. Brench, a classical writer also provided a concept of practical approach to organization structure based on tried general principles as opposed to the concentration on specific cases. Evaluation: The classical writers are criticised for not taking the personality factors into consideration and for creating an organisation structure in which people exercise a limited control. Also, providing a set of principles to perform management duties has been subjected to criticism. Two Major sub-groups of classical approach are :Scientific Management: This concept was developed by Taylor who was a believer in the Rational-economic needs concept of motivation. The emphasis of this was on obtaining increased productivity from individual workers through the technical structuring o f the work and providing monetary incentives as a motivator for higher levels of output. Though this concept has given a way to management thinking and the development of organizational behaviour, it was widely criticised by workers. Bureaucracy: This concept was defined by Weber. He didn’t define the concept of Bureaucracy.However, he attempted to identify the characteristics of this type of organizations. He emphasised on the importance of administration based on expertise and discipline. In this concept, the tasks of the organization are allocated as official duties among the various positions. There is an implied clear cut division of labour and a high level of specialization. Evaluation: Over-emphasis on rules and procedures becomes more important in its own right than as a means to the end. Argyris says that bureaucracies restrict the psychological growth of the individual and cause feeling of failure.The growth of bureaucracy has evolved through the increasing size and complexity of organisations and associated demand for effective administration. This theory is founded on a formal, clearly defined and hierarchical structure. However, with rapid changes in the external environment, empowerment and greater attention to meeting the needs of customers, there is an increasing need to organise for flexibility. The Human Relations Approach: While the main emphasis of classic writers was on structure and formal organisation, the emphasis was shifted to social factors at work and the behaviour of employees at work i. . human relations during the 1920s. The turning point in the development of the human relations movement came with the famous Hawthorne experiment at the Western Electric Company in America. During the experiment a better work environment and a concern for workers’ complaints has increased the productivity. Be Evaluation: This theory was also subjected to severe criticism. One of the criticisms is the lack of scientific approach. The Hawthorne experiment was criticised on methodology and on failure of the investigators to take sufficient account of environmental factors.After all the criticisms, the experiment did generate new ideas concerning the importance of work groups and leadership, communications, output restrictions, motivation and job design. Systems Approach: With this theory attention has been focused on the organization as systems with a number of interrelated sub-systems. This approach tries to bring together both classical and human approaches. Attention is focused on the total work organization; inter relationships of structure and range of variables within the organization.This encourages the managers to view the organization as separate parts and as a whole company as part of the large environment. The Contingency Approach: In contrast to both classical and human relations approach, this approach showed renewed concern with the importance of structure as a significant influence on organizational performance. The Contingency Approach that can be seen as the extension of system approach highlights possible means of differentiating among alternative forms of organizational structures and systems of management.This approach implies that organisation theory should not seek to suggest one best way to structure or manage organisations but should provide insights into the situational and contextual factors which influence the management decisions. DUCAMUS Leadership Development – was set up by Chris Rigby in June 2007 to plug gaps identified in many leadership development programmes during his research. As part of this Leadership Intervention, they use Downstream 9+1 model to support the critical reflection skills. John adair's action-centred leadership modelGenerally represented by three overlapping cycles, Adair’s three circle model is about balancing and managing Team, Task and Individual. Three core responsibilities in this model are: Achieving the task, Managing the team and Managing individuals. It helps to improve the quality of work, morale and productivity. Theory U is another change management method targeting leadership as process of inner knowing and social innovation developed by Otto Scharmer and originally based on a process known as the U-Process. It offers both theoretical perspective and Practical technology.As a theoretical view, it suggests that the way in which we attend to a situation determines how a situation unfolds. Practically, it provides a set of principles and practices for collectively creating the future that wants to emerge. It involves sensing and presence. There are seven stages in this theory and they are Suspending, Redirecting, Letting Go, Letting Come, Crystallizing, Prototyping and Institutionalizing. Moving down the left-hand side of the U is about opening up and dealing with the resistance f thought, emotion, and will; moving up the right-hand side is about intentionally reintegrating the intelligence o f the head, the heart, and the hand in the context of practical applications. An understanding of these theories not only helped me learn how the management theory is formed and changed over a period of time, it also helped me understand the effects of these changes on organizational working styles. Also, an understanding what happened in the past prepares me for changes that may occur in the future. It also gave me an idea about the skills that I need to develop to better manage others.I lack skills like creativity and inter-personal effectiveness which are very important to manage others. Career Development Model Career management involves the matching of individual career plans with organization needs and the implementation of activities to accomplish these joint objectives. Individual Career Development is another constructive model that helps in planning the career through self-analysis. It has several stages such as Life Planning, Career Interests, Goal Planning and Developmen t of abilities and skills.Though I always knew which field I want to get into and what I want to do in future, I never had a logical reason for my selection. This tool has helped me to analyze my interests, strengths and weaknesses and chose a career plan for myself. This development plan consists of several questionnaires about my Career Planning Values, My interests, skills, knowledge and a Priority Grid to prioritize my choices. After analyzing my inputs, I have decided a career of my interest. I always aspired to be a HR practitioner.After analysing my skills, I realized that I like Strategic Orientation and Team Orientation skills that are required to be a HR Practitioner. I will mention a development plan at a later stage along with the action plan that I am going to follow these skills. In a team environment, I can also use this model to know more about my team members career choices. Conclusion: I would like to conclude it by saying that this whole experience of reflective w riting was very pleasant and helpful in knowing me with a logical reasoning and my skills.It provided me with a tool that I can use life-long to develop myself. Few of my key learning’s from this exercise are : * A better understanding of myself * Understanding of several tools to know myself and people around me * A simple but effective Career Planning Model that I can use to know me and people around me Development Plan Skill| Action Plan| Effective communication| I have already started a lot articles about effective communication skills and started self practicing when I am along. However, in future I’l try to speak in public whenever I get a chance. Adaptability| I will try to be little open and go introduce myself to other people without thinking about what they might think as that is the thought that stops me from talking with strangers. | Inter-personal effectiveness| I have already improved a lot on this skill. However, I am not perfect yet. In future I am plan ning to take advice from tutors on how to develop this skill as it is very important for me in my desired profession. | Team Orientation| Though I prefer to work alone, these days I have started participating actively in the team activities and have already received positive feedback about the same from my friends.However, I am still putting in efforts to better perform. | Strategic Orientation| I am using the technique of writing an idea on a sheet of paper and think of several strategies to about it to develop my strategic skills. However, I am not being quite successful on this task. However, my efforts are still on to develop this skill| Creativity| This is one skill I lack completely. I can think logically and make appropriate decisions. However, lack of creativity is still my negative and I am quite not sure about developing this skill. | References : * Management and Organisational Behaviour by Laurie J Mullins, 8th Edition. Argyris, C. and Schon, D. (1974) Theory in practice : Increasing professional effectiveness, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. * Argyris, C. , ; Schon, D. (1978) Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective, Reading, Mass: Addison Wesley. * Kolb D. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. http://www. goodreads. com/quotes/tag/management-theory * F. W. Taylor (1856-1917) * Wester Electric Company (1924-32) * Elton Mayo (1880-1949) * Otto Scharmer * Chris Rigby