If i were the prime minister of India Essay

The Prime Minister of India, aha! The highest executive of the largest democracy of the world, what a promising position, what a status, and Oh! What laurels. However I see this position as it were with a pinch of salt as, it is more a thorny crown on the head of the person who wears it. Dealing with the daily affairs of the country, is not easy, so, this positions, this status, this name are not without the demerits. If I was to be the Prime Minister of India, the first and most difficult thing I would deal with would be the building of the character of the people of the nation. I feel that, all the drawbacks and failures of the country and its people are, mainly due to the lack of character of its people, its Executives, its politicians and all others. Now developing characters is not something that can be done in a day or something that can be imposed on a generation. There is no magic cure for this malady which is inherent in the Indian scene. Since I know that neither can character be infused overnight, nor can it be eliminated from the scene, I would ensure that all bad characters no matter that, are booked for their wrong doings, punished as per the laws of the land. I really believe that even if just a few wrong doers are punished strictly, instead of being shielded by their patrons, then others will not indulge in similar malpractices. I earnestly feel that punishment is the only approach to this Herculean problem of character. If few, yes, just a few are punished all others will be frightened of the consequences of wrong doing. This exercise of punishments I would start from the highest rungs of the ladder and then come downwards, though the lower rungs would get cleaned by themselves if the cleaning be done at the top. The next area of influence I would try to work upon would be the education of the masses. Our education as I understand it had been framed by the British rulers. They had the objective of creating bab es for their Government administration who would slave for them. It is this heritage of creating babus that we have continued for the last so many decades, and made a real mess of our education. The area of higher education has been pampered but the sphere of primary education which lays the foundation of the country ‘s literacy has been neglected totally. I would lay greater stress on primary education and make higher education a choice for the children and that also only according to their choice and merit. I would not allow any admissions in institutes of higher education on the basis of just donations.  My heart feels so very hurt when I see all around me the influence of westernisation in our country. It appears that we have just nothing of our own and we are learning and have learnt everything from the West. A culture as rich as India ‘s having to borrow everything from the west depicts the slave mentality of us Indians and I feel very sad when I see it all around me. My next priority as the Prime Minister would be the Indianisation of the Indians. I do wonder where our culture has disappeared, where our life style and our heritage are. How could we throw such riches of a great culture to the winds? I would infuse the teaching of Indian culture in every school and college. T his would not mean that we stop learning from the west no, not at all. We would continue borrowing all knowhow from the west but, only in spheres in which we have to, not just because it is western but because it is necessary for our growth. Besides all this, I would ensure that social changes are brought about evenly throughout the country, keeping in mind beautiful blend of our culture and the western ethos. For social changes I would mobilise and encourage non Government agencies because I feel that social changes can be brought about smoothly only by social welfare organisation and not laws of the Government. With all these priorities I would also try to ensure infusion of patriotism in the younger generation. Sometimes I really wonder at the whereabouts of our patriots of the early decades of this very Century, where are they, and have we stopped producing the like now? With this much achieved or at least the trend set, I would be happy and a person absolutely satisfied with my achievements. With so much to be done within the country, I would try also to produce good neighbourly relations with all the neighbours of India, as; I believe a good neighbour is an asset to an individual and even country. I would send peace delegations to all the neighbours and invite them on peace missions to India. I do think that such activities would yield satisfactory results and we would have friends all around.

Failure to maintain the rule of law Essay

The government’s repeated failures to bring levels of violent crime under control contributed to an environment which saw people resort to violence without fear of arrest or successful prosecution. In failing to maintain the rule of law the state had conditioned many poor communities to violent behaviour. The failure to protect communities from criminal elements and to remove those elements had allowed criminals to take full advantage of chaos and disorder to rob, rape, and loot during the violent uprisings. Incompetence in the ministry of safety and security, falling standards in the South African Police Service, corruption up to the highest levels of the police, and affirmative action had eroded the capacity of the police to provide a safe and secure environment in South Africa. This was further exacerbated by the poor performance of the prosecution service in securing convictions for offenders and the failure of the department of correctional services to rehabilitate offenders. South Africa was faced with an effective breakdown of the organs responsible for maintaining law and order. Warnings to this effect from a variety of sources had been largely ignored or treated with arrogance and contempt from the office of the minister of safety and security downwards. That not a single minister or deputy minister responsible for law and order, justice, or prisons was dismissed over close on ten years of Thabo Mbeki’s presidency suggests that the government was either unable to identify the risks presented by lawlessness or had resigned itself to the consequences. Regardless of which of the two options is correct the failure of the state to maintain law and order is the first direct contributing factor to the violence. 2.) Border control The collapse of proper border control mechanisms saw literally millions of people gaining entry to South Africa illegally. The responsibility for this law enforcement failure rests jointly with the army, police and the government who saw fit to hand many border dut ies to the police when it should have been obvious that the police were unable to handle the responsibility. The closure of the commandos is instructive in this regard as it suggests a government more interested in ideology than in pragmatism. During a period when South Africa experienced some of the highest levels of violent crime in the world the state saw fit to close down one of the key organs responsible for rural policing. Poor policy decisions and simple incompetence in border policing therefore contributed directly to the presence of a large illegal population in South Africa. Without adequate legal standing in the community these people became easy or soft targets for mob violence. The police’s own heavy handed raids on illegal immigrants further created the impression that they were fair game in South Africa. The policy response to the cross border influx revolved chiefly around a programme of arrests and deportations often without regard to the human rights and due process issues that should have applied. This policy continued long after it was apparent that it was having no effect on the number of illegal immigrants in South Africa. Again no senior political official with responsibility for this critical area of policing was dismissed for underperformance despite the obvious threat to national security. 3.) Corruption Corruption in the state sector became endemic under Thabo Mbeki and very little was done to curb it. The examples of Travelgate, Armsgate, and Oilgate served to create the impression that the South African state was corrupt up to the highest levels of government. Such corruption in turn filtered down into the various government departments at local, provincial, and national level. In the home affairs, social welfare, and law enforcement areas literally tens of thousands of officials were implicated in corrupt dealings. Anger by South Africans at immigrants with illegal documents getting access to services is therefore understandable and was brought about in large part by the failure of the police and the department of home affairs to crack down on fraudulent documents. Evidence of widespread corruption was uncovered by a host of agencies and the media. The government, however, failed to act with due diligence and most corrupt officials got away with a slap on the wrist. Even where the law took its course as in the case of Tony Yengeni the ANC saw fit to carry him into prison like a conquering hero. Confidence in the state was substantially eroded by corruption policy failures and poor judgment on the part of government. Consequently it is not surprising that communities saw the need to take their anger onto the streets. Widespread corruption undermining the role of the state is therefore a further direct contributing factor to the violence. 4.) Employment With close on 40% of South Africans failing to secure a proper job it is not surprising that scores of youths were able to conduct days and nights of violent campaigns in informal settlements around Johannesburg. Unemployment was therefore a direct contributing cause to the violence. Among young black South Africans the unemployment rate extends to over 50% in some areas. Overall only 50% of African households get their main source of income from employment. Social welfare which now reaches 25% of South Africans was never going to be sufficient to meet communities’ expectations of a better life. Warnings as to the risks of sustained levels of high unemployment were largely ignored by government. Labour legislation, hopelessly inappropriate for a largely unskilled workforce, has contributed to keep many mainly black South Africans out of jobs. Immigrants were able to secure employment as these labour policies did not apply to them and were in many cases able to make a living free from government grantsor regulation. Policy responses such as the Expanded Public Works Programme were a case of too little too late to prevent the turbulence that has gripped parts of Johannesburg for the past seven days. The government showed limited urgency in dealing with an unemployment crisis that required dramatic changes in policy to address. A host of talk shops, forums, and strategies were substituted for actual progress. It is a valid question how the government could ignore such an obvious political risk factor for so long without an adequate policy response. Partly the answer may lie in the ANC misjudging its electoral support for satisfaction with its policies. 5.) Education This has been government’s biggest failure and carries much of the blame for the high unemployment levels. It is arguable whether current state education is in its totality any better than that under apartheid. Only 1% of black matriculants achieve a good HG maths pass. The output of the school education system was therefore far from adequate to free households from state dependency or to acquire the skills necessary to find employment in a heavily regulated labour market. The education system is a good example where policy failures in one area compounded those in another. In this case poor education compounded the inappropriate labour market policy which in turn compounded the unemployment problem. Many warnings to government in this regard have been dismissed as alarmist and sensationalist. That combined with critical policy misjudgments such as the adoption of outcomes based education and the closure of teacher training colleges sabotaged any chance of rehabilitating the education system. The failure of education is therefore a further direct contributing cause to the violence. 6.) Slowing economic growth The failure to take proper advantage of a global boom in commodities meant that South Africa attracted limited benefit from the economic climate of the last five years. Empowerment policy, affirmative action, and bureaucratic interference in mining for example saw South Africa’s mining sector stutter over a period when it should have boomed. In many cases racial bean counting, self enrichment through economic empowerment, and ideological arguments for transformation trumped the need to boost economic growth rates above 4.5%. South Africa was therefore unable to use the global commodity boom to establish subsidiary industries or to invest in its industrial base. Policy failures in electricity supply and telecommunication technology in turn further hampered the economic growth rate in South Africa and further compounded the failure to adopt an industrial policy aimed at facilitating growth off the commodity boom. Education and skills shortages share some of the blame for this. In many cases ideologically driven beliefs in the state’s role in managing the economy overruled pragmatic policy responses. Agriculture is a prime example where the governments’ policy on commercial producers could best be described as hostile even as food prices begun to rise. Increasing food prices directly compromised the welfare of poor communities and must be identified as one of the key causal factors responsible for the violence. Rising inflation is a second key causal factor for the violence where a failure of the Reserve Bank’s inflation targeting policy has largely undone much of the anti-poverty impact of social grants spending. Again this is an example of one policy failure compounding failures in a host of other areas. Both food prices and inflation together with rising fuel costs directly impacted upon poor households and must have forced them to cut down on basic staples. That alone may have been sufficient to spark much of the anger visible in and around Johannesburg this week. These three factors directly undid the efforts of social grants in alleviating poverty as they undermined the value of those grants. Two of the three factors were in government’s direct policy responsibility to address. An analysis of economic policy failures would not be complete without examining the role of empowerment policy in establishing a very small and often politically connected black middle class. Government saw fit to celebrate this limited success even as the majority of black South Africans continued to live in relative squalor and poverty. In retrospect it is extraordinary that government would flaunt such limited participation in the broader economy by a select group of individuals when most of its supporters had no hope of ever becoming the beneficiary of an empowerment transaction. The now regular site of a high speed government convoys of black luxury sedans escorted by scores of police shoving through traffic points to a similarly misguided and extraordinary arrogance on the part of those who had promised a better life for all in 1994. Warnings of political risk accompanying such policy blunders where sharply disputed by government most notably in the example of Tony Trahar who was admonished by Thabo Mbeki for raising the issue of political risk in South Africa. 7.) Foreign policy Particularly in the case of Zimbabwe foreign policy was wholly inappropriate and incompetent. Thabo Mbeki’s quiet diplomacy provided a lifeline to the ailing Zimbabwe regime that kept it in power longer than would otherwise have been the case. The failure to condemn initial violence and electoral fraud in Zimbabwe contributed directly to the massive inflow of foreign immigrants. Such quiet diplomacy stands in strong contrast to the unanimous condemnation by government of the current violence in South Africa and creates the impression that violence targeted at Zimbabweans was acceptable as long as it took place in Zimbabwe. Seen in light of South Africa’s inability to secure its borders our foreign policy on Zimbabwe was destined to have only one effect – the inflow of illegal immigrants. It is far from convincing to argue that the best South Africa, as Africa’s economic superpower, could do was to quietly engage the Harare regime. Targeted economic and financial sanctions together with clear criticism of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe were a perfectly feasible alternative policy. As in almost every area of policy failure warnings directed at government were scoffed at and dismissed. In the Zimbabwe case Thabo Mbeki’s government was quick to describe as racist any criticism of his Zimbabwe policy. Need one only remember the tumultuous reception Robert Mugabe was given at Thabo Mbeki’s inauguration? Ideology again trumped pragmatism, a failure for which South Africa is paying heavily. 8.) Service delivery While a host of government targets were met service delivery provision was far from adequate to meet expectations of a better life for all. A policy failure is again at the heart of the problem as the state took it upon itself to provide services and jobs and thereby tied households to its ability to deliver. Where delivery appeared to falter public protest was the outcome and literally thousands of protests, many of them violent, have been directed at the state over the past 36 months. In many cases the government relied on corrupt and incompetent local authorities to implement its policies. Despite much bluster and posturing not enough was done to bring these authorities into line even as a growing trend of protest actions became visible over the past 36 months. The failure of local government in delivery was never adequately addressed and communities lost faith in the willingness of government to address their queries when these were made through official channels. Communities learnt to express their dissatisfaction violently and this is set to continue as long as local authorities remain corrupt and incompetent. High unemployment was again a further contributing factor exacerbating other policy failures. The protests of the past 36 months have in the main been isolated and sporadic but should have sent a clear warning to government that dissatisfaction with delivery could spark large scale unrest. Government however continued to insist that it was on the right track and that dismissed criticism as alarmist or aimed at threatening the national democratic revolution. The government effectively miscalculated that continuing strong voter support for the ANC translated directly into support for its delivery efforts. This has proven to be a tragic misjudgment. Current legislation pending in provinces to ‘eradicate’ informal dwellings is a perfect example of a type of heavy handed delivery blunder that has characterised the government. If implemented it will no doubt aid in creating exactly the kind of havoc currently experienced around Gauteng. It is in a sense a good measure in deciding whether the government has learnt any lessons from this week’s violence. 9.) Race relations Thabo Mbeki’s efforts at re-racialising South Africa and the numerous pieces of race based policy and legislation that accompanied his time in office undid much of the progress in improving race relations accomplished under Nelson Mandela. Mbeki’s tenure re-enforced differences and assigned values based on race. It was not surprising therefore that racial conflict could be an end result of his government’s numerous policy failures. That that conflict is black on black and not black on white is unsurprising considering that levels of latent ethnic tension remain present in South Africa. Obsession with black on white racism meant that the apparently more widespread form of black on black racism was never adequately addressed. Overzealous self censorship and political correctness prevented many commentators from speaking up clearly about a possibly far more deep seated racism between black and black than existed between black and white. What can be done? Combined failures in these key policy areas have come together to create a virtual tinderbox of dissatisfaction with government delivery and the protests originating in Alexandra where merely a matter of a spark igniting the tensions at the right time in the right place. Similar political risk factors exist throughout South Africa and there exists the danger that the violence could spread further at a point in time. A second danger exists that the violence could come to take on a more ethnic nature and devolve into a renewed conflict particularly if it spreads in KwaZulu-Natal. It is a risk that South Africa will have to live with for several years as there is no quick fix solution for the current crisis. The appointment of a panel to investigate the violence is a useful academic exercise but is again a wholly inappropriate policy response to resolve the crisis. This is equally true of revitalising the failed Roll Back Xenophobia campaigns and the like which cannot adequately capture the underlying causes to the violence. The short term response should be a well thought out and coordinated law enforcement response that aims to identify and arrest anyone responsible for inciting violence or the destruction of property while isolating violent hotspots and saturating these areas with police personnel. It should be intelligence driven and managed by detectives. Tragically it is questionable, however, whether the police have the skills or equipment to conduct such an operation effectively. Employing the military in a civilian capacity risks a major disaster. They are not trained, equipped, or prepared for such a function. There is a real risk of the army shooting into a crowd with live ammunition and causing casualties that could inflame tensions even further and will almost certainly see a nationwide uprising against the state. Conclusion The violence we have experienced over the past week can be directly attributed to a series of policy failures on the part of Thabo Mbeki’s government. Warnings to that effect were too easily dismissed by government spokespeople who accused analysts of racism and ‘doom and gloom’ scenarios. A ‘worst possible scenario’ has now materialised and requires a more mature and measured response from government. Failing that we should expect that similar unrest could occur with little warning in any area of South Africa. *Frans Cronje is the Deputy CEO of the South African Institute of Race Relations. This is an edited version of an article published by the SAIRR on May 20 2008

How has Globalization shaped Energy Systems in Emerging Economies and Essay

How has Globalization shaped Energy Systems in Emerging Economies and the Global South Illustrate your answer in reference to y - Essay Example History Though no consensus exists in the emergence of globalization, many historians, and social scientists have come up with different views of globalization history (Lule, 2012:22). Nevertheless, the majority of these scholars agree that globalization emerged during the first movement of people out of Africa into other parts of the world (Young and Kent, 2013:443). This is the case because the immigration caused interaction, exchange, and adaptation of customs, ideas, and products. The term globalization emerged in the 1960s, but it first appeared in the Merriam website dictionary in 1944.The term later became popular in the 1990s and the first article containing globalization content became published in 1983. Definition A general definition that befits globalization is that it is a process, which encompasses several aspects like route, origin, and outcomes of both intercultural and international combinations involving human and non-human activities. However, there still lies a he ated debate on the real definition of globalization. Diverse authors’ argue that globalization cannot undergo definitions; neither can it be encompassed within a set period simply because it is not a single concept. This means that globalization involves and encompasses vast aspects like economic incorporation, transmission of knowledge, inter-border transfer of policies, cultural stability, and discourse of power among many others. Therefore, globalization covers a multitude of disciplines, cultures and communities, which allows a range of viewpoints. This has resulted to various definitions from vast scholars who base their interpretation on the background of different disciplines. For instance, peter dicken argues on the economic perspective by claiming that globalization is an intricate and advanced form of internationalization that fosters a level of functional incorporation between internationally dispersed economic activities (Anderson, 2000:6-7). Other authors chip in and argue on cultural basis where he suggests that globalization is another image that influences cultural forms and patterns as well as drawing attention to the union of cultural styles as western forms of consumption that spreads all over the globe. Additionally, Amin and Thrift 1997, add up political definition by arguing that globalization is essentially about changes in the way the world performs its governance (Hennis, 2005:14). Another definition emerges from sociology whereby Robertson 1992 claims that globalization is a process where the constraints of geography on cultural and social arrangements withdraw, and that it's also a process where people become increasingly aware that they are withdrawing or receding (Robertson, 1992:10). Nevertheless, in spite of the vast globalization definitions offered by different authors, globalization is inherently geographical in its scope and impacts because it the physical expansion of the geographical domain of the globe, which means that it is an increase in scale and volume of global flows. How Globalization shaped Energy Systems in South Africa South African energy overview Before analyzing the impact of globalization in South Africa’s energy system, it is crucial to review the country's energy system. South Africa is among the largest and most developed countries in Africa. It also has

How Will Nanotechnology Affect The Future Economy Term Paper

How Will Nanotechnology Affect The Future Economy - Term Paper Example Nanotechnology will drive economic prosperity and will be an enabling factor in shaping productivity and global competitiveness (JEC, 2011). The information technology and the telecommunication sector will be greatly shaped by nanotechnology in the near future. We are bound to witness new computers based on quantum computing, these are not only faster in terms of data processing but are computers that can perform complex operations similar to those done by supercomputers. We are also bound to see faster and smaller telecom switches that will include optical switches. These are not only efficient but also highly cost effective and can be used for the mass populations without incurring huge costs of installation. The speed at which information will be transmitted will be high based on plasmonics and other quantum-level phenomena. This will mean high efficiency in terms of operations for individuals and organization because information will be readily available for decision making (Kaew kamnerdpong & Bentley, 2007). Another area that will be highly transformed is that of memory and storage such that the previous years so the use transistors but the trend is moving towards reconfigurable arrays that can be used to store large amounts of data in smaller spaces. As a result of nanotechnology we can expect the introduction of magnetic RAMs. Every nanobit of a memory device will be used in storing information. A look at the above elements in the field of information technology signifies faster, efficient, reliable systems that will be cost effective, avail information at the touch of a button and lead to improved productivity and decision making. This means improved economy as information is very important in any economy. Better decisions can be made easily, space can be highly utilized with large storage available and costs of operations are highly reduced therefore boosting the economy (Kaewkamnerdpong & Bentley, 2007). The New energy economy is proving to be highly d ependent on nanotechnology and therefore playing a central role in the future economy. This can be seen in its emerging application to solar power, the generation of hydrogen, batteries, lighting systems and window glass coatings among others. Its application will see the adoption of renewable energy sources and increase energy efficiency (Luther, 2008). Solar photovoltaic electricity production is one area that nanotechnology is highly applied. These are used to generate electricity from solar panels used in homes that are far away from the main electricity grid. This kind of renewable energy is important in any economy as it reduces the dependence on other sources of energy such as oil and natural gas. It is highly cost effective and its continuous use could spell huge gains in the economy as funds can be used in the development of other areas of the economy. A second area of application is in hydrogen generation where it is said to become the dominant fuel in future economy as a result of its conversion into electricity in fuel cells (Elcock, 2007). Though the processes used in the conversion requires huge investments in nanotechnology the end results are beneficial owing to the fact that it is renewable and that water and other sources are available for its continuous production. The hydrogen energy will be used to power machines especially vehicles such as

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 - Essay Example The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) aims at more financial disclosures by companies to prevent accounting frauds. Due to this act a new agency, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB came into existence. The purpose of this agency is to oversee, regulate, inspect and discipline accounting firms that conduct auditing activities of public companies. SOX act is applicable to all US registered public companies. International companies that are registered with the SEC and the accounting companies that conduct auditing services are also covered in this Act. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act ensures corporate accountability and makes provision for penalties in case of violations. Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act specifies corporate responsibility for financial disclosures. CEOs and CFOs are made accountable for the veracity of financial disclosures. The Act makes it mandatory to include an internal control report in all financial disclosures of companies. This is to ensure that the management is confident about the reported financial data because of necessary controls in place to verify authenticity of data. Each financial report will also conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of the internal controls to be certified by auditor of the firm. Section 1348 has been added in Chapter 63 of title 18 pertaining to securities fraud. Accordingly, Criminal penalties are enforceable for defrauding investors of the companies by false presentations. Criminal penalties are also enforceable under section 802 for modifying documents. Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is further modified through section 409 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to provide Real Time Issuer Disclosures. Under the provision, any material changes in the financial condition must be provided by the companies to protect the interests of shareholders or investors. The auditor conducting an audit of

Discussion Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Discussion - Personal Statement Example This gives a business platform for future reference. General accounting standards are the rule and concepts that govern accounting. Investors and speculators will make wrong choices, if companies make annual adjustment entries. Closing entries are made at the completion of journals, which are transferred from temporary to permanent accounts while reverse entry is the vice versa. Accounting process involves journal entries, trial balance, financial statements, and closing books. The main steps in closing cycle are closing the revenue, expense and income accounts. Accuracy involved in the above process can be improved by double checking system and by using a computerized system of accounting. Double checking will increase chances of sporting mistakes while computerized accounting enhances safety. E-activity helps users of financial information since they will be able to make correct and timely decisions. There will also be easy sharing of information. Obviously, there will be a decrease in delays caused by a manual system of operation. Closing entries in accounting accuracy entail zero balancing of temporary accounts by transferring all balances to permanent accounts. Reverse entry is the opposite of closing entry. The steps involved in the accounting process in financial accuracy are repeating the same process of accounting

Brand Extension for Reducing Risks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Brand Extension for Reducing Risks - Essay Example This dilemma has long stared the food industry in the face, this sector being made up mostly of small and medium-sized companies each with 20 or so employees. (The likes of McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Kenny Rogers are the few notable exceptions.) Even so, the food sector is perhaps the most profitable and widely distributed industry in the world with, it is said, one food establishment to be found in every street corner. Economists have come to think of this industry as uniquely recession-proof, catering as it does to the most primal urge of man - the appeasement of hunger. During an economic crisis, people may forego acquisition of cars, appliances and cut back on their expenses for clothes and the like but food establishments will always draw them in. As a gold mine rich in business opportunities, it is said that all the food companies have accomplished at present is scratch the surface of this bottomless industry. Because of the food companies' size, the food sector has been described as a low-tech industry, with the lowest research-and-development to sales ratio. The industry's R&D to sales ratio is pegged at an average of only 1 per cent as against 12 per cent for the drug industry, 8 per cent for electronics and 4 per cent for motor vehicles (MAPP Working Paper 38, EU Concerted Action). This leaves much to be desired since R&D is crucial to achieving success in innovation, which in turn is necessary for making any company competitive. The said European Union study noted that a modern supermarket carries about 10,000 to 15,000 products at any given time with a yearly turnover of 10 per cent. One United Kingdom food retailer alone successfully introduced 1,500 new own-label products in 1993 to place the company ahead of its competitors. The conclusion is that introduction of new products is an "essential element of competition between food companies" and that innovation definitely gives them a competitive edge. Still and all, food companies operating on the economy-of-scale basis simply cannot afford the risks involved in diversification and innovation in the traditional sense. The advent of the brand extension concept gave these companies a way out of their problem by enabling them to develop new products without the attendant risks and extra costs. With brand extension, food companies found an effective strategy to reduce the risks of new product development. Brand extension is the use of an established brand name for a new product that is intended for another product category or class (Keller & Aaker 1992). Simply put, a brand extension is a product that carries the name of a known brand even as the new product fills a market need different from that of the parent brand. The idea is to ride piggyback on the name established by the parent brand so that the new product avoids the extra costs and risks inherent in coming up with a totally new consumer product. An entirely new product without the "symbolic" meaning of brands (i.e., company prestige, status and personality) to prop it up would be difficult to sell otherwise (Czellar 2003). The use of brand extension to good

Managing Human Resources in Health and Social Care Essay

Managing Human Resources in Health and Social Care - Essay Example 1.1) Planning a recruitment drive for health facility workers is a crucial process of obtaining the best possible workforce. Every health facility desires the best for its optimum operations. A facility planning to hire health workers, therefore, needs to create an environment that attracts its target labor force. Most workers usually discern good employers from the amount of money the employers pay. Being a health worker, however, is more of a calling than mere employment opportunity for dedicated health and social care givers. Social care workers derive more fulfillments from results of what they do than the pay they get from it. The period of recruitment should be preceded by an extensive publicity campaign intended for the target workforce. Healthcare or social facilities planning to carry out recruitment should pre-package its success stories and present them to a local media house. The same stories should be produced in newsletters, facility website and the social media. There should also be a spotlight on healthcare providers considered icons by the society. These service heroes should tell of their fulfillment and joy derived from working for the institution. As mentioned before, health and social work is a sacrifice, and individuals value fulfillment more than earnings. The facility needs to rely on its representatives and associates to take their image message to masses. An example is a facility that cares for the aged. Major drive to work for such institutions is service to humanity. They should work at improving their image to attract required qualified staff by portraying a superior picture. The institutions cannot afford to entice workers with heavy payment packs, and, therefore, have to prove their ability t o provide an environment for self-satisfaction for their prospective staff. 1.2) Other than

Individual interviewsversus group interviews Essay

Individual interviewsversus group interviews - Essay Example Individual interviews are also found to be an appropriate form of data collection in the event that an interviewer needs to ask a number of follow up questions. During individual interviews, there is no significant time delay between when a question is first posed by the interviewer and when the interviewee answers it. Both the interviewer and the interviewee can be able to immediately react to what the other happens to be saying. A key advantage to his synchronous communication is identified as being the fact that the answers provided by the interviewee are found to be more spontaneous without having any extended reflection (Harris, 2013). Group interview or focus groups would be deemed to be more appropriate or be beneficial when used in addition to individual interviews in the event that the interview wants to determine how the different candidates are able to interact with each other in a group setting. The interviewer may ask the interviews to work together towards the resolution of problems. This will provide an opportunity whereby the interviewer will be able to observe and very carefully note how each individual performs. Group interview are found be more appropriate in the event that an interviewer wishes to reduce the amount of time it takes to conduct the interview. Individual interviews tend to take a lot of time but with group interviews, a number of candidates can all be interviewed at one go (Denscombe,

Outline Proposal Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Outline - Research Proposal Example Gender conflicts have become one of the major consequences for several leading retail chain organizations within the industry. It is true that these multinational leading retail chain organizations have developed workplace diversity in the business operation process in order to ensure effective knowledge sharing within the workplaces. However, several organizations are trying to maintain gender equality in the workplaces in different global places in order to maintain strong relationship with the valuable internal and external stakeholders (Daft, 2010, p.21). Application of â€Å"Stakeholder Theory† sustainability theory can be implemented in the study with respect to the selected topic issues i.e. workplace gender conflicts in leading retail chain organizations. Gender conflicts can be considered as one of the serious CSR or SD issues that can hamper the social sustainability of an organization (Eifler and Seifert, 2009, p.269). It is true that the external stakeholders gener ally take interest in the business operation process and business performance of an organization if that organization successfully meets the developed corporate values, business ethics and social or communal demand (Sims, 2003, p.104). This research will majorly focus on the application of this theory to analyze the particular issues. Valuable related thoughts and views of different authors have been considered in this part of the research to meet the developed research objective. There are two types of research methods, such as qualitative and quantitative research methodology. Quantitative research methodology generally deals with the numerical data on the other hand qualitative research methodology generally deals with inner feelings, behaviour and response of the respondents towards asked questions based on the research objective (Kothari, 2004, p.21). Qualitative research methodology has been selected based on the exploratory nature of the study (Kuada, 2012, p.57). In

Employment Essay Example for Free

Employment Essay Overview: An elementary toy that is due to be shipped at the end of the week has failed quality control testing. A metal whistle has been shown to exceed the federal regulation guidelines for lead. The testing process showed the lead level for this particular toy tested at 103 parts per million. The federal guidelines dictate that toys cannot contain lead with more than 100 parts per million (OSHA, 2013). The projected cost to conform to federal guidelines and replace the whistle are projected to cost 0,000. This should take 3 weeks for completion. Facts: Lead is naturally occurring, but it can be toxic to humans (EPA, 2013). It can cause serious medical conditions, such as, hearing loss, learning disabilities, physical growth retardation and neurological damage. Lead gathers in the body quickly and increases at a fast pace if it exceeds federal guidelines. Children because of their size are more susceptible to lead poisoning than an adult. Children are curious by nature and often place themselves in danger without realizing it. Children often investigate by touching, placing objects in their mouths and then sharing with others. These actions can cause lead poisoning to occur. Although the cost to replace the whistle is considerable, this is a small price in the long run. Our company will retain customers by providing customer satisfaction by replacing the faulty whistle. This will also save the company money in costly legal fees by facing our responsibilities now. Our company needs to ensure that we have identified all involved when considering our options. It would be remiss of our company to not consider the parents, dealers, and stakeholders with an interest in the company. Parents—trust our company to produce products that are safe Vendors—sell our company’s products and assume reliable construction Employees—rely on our company to sell products to continue to receive money for the work they have provided Investors—hold an interest in how the company’s actions and decisions affect employees, customers, and overall viability Options to Consider: Cost Monetary—Reproduction costs, fines, legal fees, litigation and income Vendor Relationships—strained relations, decrease in customer relationships Reputation—loss of customers Employment – layoffs Time Length—reproduction time, construct reputation and relationships Reasonable—ability to get products to customers Ethical Responsibility—employees, vendors, parents, children, investors Due diligence—don’t take risks, maintain ethical position, weigh all the options The options listed help define possible reasons for possible lawsuits and probable fines if the product is found defective. Our company needs to consider alternative options to fine a viable solution. Three options will be discussed in detail to be considered. Cost Considerations The yearly budget is not far from thought and to remain within budget we must consider the option of shipping the product as it stands now. The amount of lead was only slightly above the federal recommended guidelines. We would be able to get the product to our customer on time and without added cost. However, the children may be subjected to possible lead poisoning. Depending upon the extent of exposure, this could lead to detrimental side effects. This would leave the company open to the risk of legal action and may have a devastating effect on investors, employees and the company not to mention the children harmed. Legal action against our company would be costly. The fines can be as much as $100,000 per violation with $15,000,000 for a series of violations (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, 2008). We would most definitely have a series of violations, but more importantly our relationship with our customers would be damaged. The company’s reputation would be in tatters. Ethical Considerations Our company has a moral obligation to keep our customers safe. The code of ethics within our company is to be honest and provide protection to the children who play with our products. The overall cost to our company is how big of a risk are we willing to take. Our company needs to decide if business growth and profit is more important than the risk we would be taking in delivering those toys to children. Reproducing the whistles is ethically correct, however doing so will impact our vendors by missing out on peak sales. This may lead to other companies replacing our company and products, which will lead to overall revenue losses and possible employee layoffs. On the other hand, if we replace the defective whistles, parents will believe in our company because we ensure our products meet the federal guidelines for safety. This alone may increase revenue. Our company has a responsibility to meet the federal guidelines. This protects our company from costly fines and legal proceedings. Most importantly, we protect our customers—parent and children. Risk is good, but not when it can potentially kill children. Time Considerations Our company cannot dismiss time considerations when discussing the impact on business. We can dismiss the time consideration when we consider the risk of legal implications upon our business. First, our company can notify our vendors and customers that we plan to substitute a like item for the whistle in our elementary toy collection. This would allow us to move ahead with the current shipping date. This would cost considerably less than reproducing the whistle. Secondly, we can notify our vendors and customers that the whistle has been removed from the elementary toy collection and offer a credit towards future purchases. The company would still incur a monetary loss, but retain vendor and customer relations. Thirdly, the vendors and customers would have an option to wait for the whistle to be reproduced. Should the vendors and customers choose this option, we can reproduce the whistles, but reduce the overall number of whistles to be replaced. This would still cause the company to incur a monetary loss, but retain positive relationships with our vendors and customers. The options outlined are viable. We can maintain company integrity, provide protection to our company, employees, investors, and customers. Following federal recommended guidelines will secure our position in the business realm and provide longevity for all involved. Our company would take a risk by announcing the problem with the whistle, but we would be able to highlight our commitment to protect our customers. We would be able to convey we place safety over profit. This would help raise consumer confidence, avoid legal implications, and retain satisfied customers. Recommendation: Notification of our vendors and customers is the best option. We know how much lead is in our product and how much is considered safe per federal guidelines. We need to be honest in our business dealings and not take unethical risks for profit. We also need to find a cost effective material that has reduced lead readings to replace any future whistles. Our commitment to protect everyone involved cannot be taken lightly. We should begin notifying customers affected by this product and shipment. We should advise them the order must be changed and the circumstances that require this change. We should allow our customers to make an informed decision and then find out how they would wish to proceed. We would then be placing any liability into the customer’s hands, as we made every effort to right a wrong. This will help preserve our relationships with vendors and customers. As a company, we need to minimize risks that are ethically and legally wrong. We need to be socially responsible and have strong relationships with our employees, vendors, customers, and investors. Longevity is everything in business and by following these rules, our company will have vendors, customers, investors and employees who want to be there and not forced to be there. Moral, ethical, and responsibility are keywords within my own personal mantra. I believe striving to be morally, ethically and socially responsible helps have a positive impact on business and personal endeavors. These traits provide positive contributions both in business and society. I believe our company has strong moral and ethical values. Thus, we cannot allow this shipment to proceed. This would be hypocrisy and go against not only my own beliefs but the company’s code of ethics. I understand the cost is considerable to replace the toy, but by replacing the whistle we have an increased positive impact in our own company, customer base, investors, and employees. Finally, we are showing social responsibility and will set a standard in our industry as a leader. We cannot be a leader by taking unnecessary risks children’s lives.

Engagement In Classroom Participation Education Essay

Engagement In Classroom Participation Education Essay Participation usually means students speaking in class: answer and ask questions, make comments, and join in discussions. Students who do not participate in those ways mentioned above are often considered to be passive and are generally penalized when participation is graded (Jacob chase, 1992). Participation in classroom: To engage the students in Participation in a classroom is an important method of teaching. It provides the students opportunity to receive input from fellow students, to apply their knowledge and to enhance public speaking skills. From the Participation of teachers can get a more accurate idea that what is the understanding level of students about the concept being taught (Maznevski 1996). Engagement in classroom participation: Engagement within the learning environment generally refers to the relationship between the learner and the content or topic being pursued. While the highest levels of engagement are seen when the learner is passionate about the topic, significant levels of engagement can be achieved through a variety strategies that actively involve the learner in activities and environments that make learning both interesting and challenging. Engagement with content leads to higher levels of learning (Whelan, C.1997). Our experience reveals that for many students class participation is a big problem. Teachers often complain about students passive behavior in class participation. But up till now there has been a very little research into the promotion of class participation. But studies have been conducted in social scial sciences and business studies (e.g., Egan 1996, Hyde Ruth 2002, Litz 2003). More often low self-esteem, anxiety, and general lack of confidence is considered responsible for students non-participation in the classroom (Kennedy, 1997; Thomson, 2001). Student Participation: Lack of participation could be due to multiple factors. My first thought was that students reluctance could be due to lack of understanding, but it could very well be that he does not feel connected to the curriculum; he cannot relate to it. Students who are empowered by their school experiences develop ability, confidence, and motivation to succeed academically. They participate competently in instruction as a result of having developed a confident cultural identity as well as appropriate school-based knowledge and interactional structures (Cummins, 1983). Active learning Bonwell, C.C., and J. A. Eison (1991) suggest that Active learning is generally defined as any instructional method that engages students in the learning process. Active learning requires students to do meaningful learning activities and think about what they are doing. The core elements of active learning are student activity and engagement in the learning process. Adopting instructional practices that engage students in the learning process is the defining feature of active learning. The importance of student engagement is widely accepted and there is considerable evidence to support the effectiveness of student engagement on a broad range of learning outcomes. Importance of language: Language is a mean of communication by which human beings express their feelings, emotions and fulfill their needs. According to Tariq Rehman, 1996: Language is a coin and what it buys in the market is power. Higher status and attractive jobs are attached with English language. The demand for learning a language is linked to empowerment. So English language is promoted in university education, so that the students can attain their goals. But this prevailing of language in higher education is not as simple as it seems because all the students have diverse demographics which do not equally support the speaking of English in classroom. The language barrier becomes an additional hurdle in students classroom participation. kachru (1992 pp.66-67) found that poor pronunciation and Accent problem stops many students to participate in classroom discussion. Kachru, (1995) points out majority of Asian students study through the medium of English but they are not proficient enough in English and reflect their regional varities of English while speaking. Sociolinguistics view of language: Sociolinguists are of the view that individual differences in oral communication among students are dependent upon social variables like age, status, ethnicity, gender etc. when students step in classroom, their pattern of language is already influenced by these factors (Scott, 1995). In he earlier studies, students communicative competence was considered as an important set of rules by learning these rules they can comprehend and participate in classroom context. If the student fulfills the specific requirements about language use, he can communicate effectively with class fellows and teachers. If they dont comprehend the class room communication system their learning is affected and they learn comparatively less. Due to language problem they participate passively in classroom activities. Difference between home language and classroom language also reflect upon development of students communicative competence. If these both languages are identical somehow, students are motivated to learn literacy events taken place in classroom (Morrow, 1993;Â  van Kleeck, 1990, 1995, 1998;Â  van Kleeck Schuele, 1987;Â  Whitehurst Lonigan, 1998). Vygotskys social constructivist theory played a major role in language learning theories. He is of the views that all learning is socially integrated. Motivation: The process of learning begins when an individual faces various social situations. These situations provide certain type of experience to the individual as the nature of the situation, which further enables the individual to behave in a certain way. All of these social situations give some sort if instigation, which act as motives and drivers for the individual. These motives and drives may be evident in the form of behavior of the individual concerned. Such kind of behavior undertakes the purposes which are indirectly dominated by the drives and motives. Therefore, a motive may be said as the base of the behavior of the individual, which works as internal factor to make individual behave in the desired direction. A motive is an internal factor that arouses, direct and integrates a persons behavior. It is not observed directly but inferred from his behavior or simply assumed to exist in order to explain his behavior (Marry, 1964, p.7). These motives not only describe the desired goal but also the role of the individuals in the concerning social situation. This undertakes individuals social as well as psychological condition. Motivation is a general term used to refer to any arousal of an individual to goal-directed behavior. The term motivation when applied to human is a Social-psychological concept and motivation cannot be considered apart from the individuals conception of himself, his social status and roles, and the existence of society and culture which define situations and appropriate and desirable behavior. (Theodorson and Theodorsm 1969, p.26) Motivatin participation: Studies have linked motivation and participation to students achievement (Eccles Wigfield, 2002). Students who gave importance to learning the material and have greater expectancy to be successful in a course are more likely to achieve at higher levels (Wigfield Eccles, 2000).Learners with a more positive attitude towards lifelong learning tend to be more persistent, more self-directed, and more self-confident (de la Harpe Radloff, 2000). They efficiently use cognitive strategies to maximize their learning (Zimmerman Martinez-Pons, 1992). Achievement Motivation: Achievement motivation is an important determinant of aspiration, effort and persistence when an individual expects that his performance will be evaluated in relation to some standard of excellence (Sill 1972, p. 27). Relationship between Performance and Achievement motivation: Atkinson and Connor (1966) conducted a study to find out the relationship between the task performance of students and the strength of their achievement motivation. The texture of the study revealed that the students with stronger motives to achieve success and avoid failure show greater performance for difficult risks and more efficient and faster tasks performance for difficult risks and efficient and faster tasks performance than those who had relatively weak motive to achieve success and avoid failure. The finding of this study suggests that stronger achievement motives determine the degree of the performance of the individuals which struggling to achieve their certain desired goals In the same token (Atkinson, OConner. 1996). Achievement goal theory: Various kinds of purposes of students towards participating in class room activities are based on their sentiments, thinking, performance and attainment according to achievement goal theory (Midgley, 2002; Ames, 1992). Most of the researchers emphasized on two major types of goals: Mastery goal: it enhances competence in the students. Performance goal: it concentrates on acting upon that competence. Both of these goals may be attained through the personal goal of the students (Urdan 1997; Kaplan, Middleton, Urdan, Midgley, 2002). Personal Goals The competence of the students might be improved through their personal goal and that competence is based on their own prior performance instead of the others (Maehr, 1984; Ames, 1992; Nicholls, 1989). Kaplan et al., (2002) argue that students of full devotion for the sake of being proficient in some specific skills may show their mastery goal. Both performance-approach goals and performance-avoid goals are ultimately depend on students personal goal (Skaalvik, 1997; Middleton Midgley, 1997). Diligence, attempts and efficacy beliefs are related with performance approach goal. However, refusal from participating in class room for the sake of achieving some tasks is often linked to performance-avoid goals (Elliot, McGregor, Gable, 1999; Kaplan et al., 2002; Urdan, Ryan, Anderman, Gheen, 2002). Adopting difficult tasks, good learning strategies, questing for something at the time of need, positive behaviour according to various tasks and fascinating class room atmosphere are the good consequences which could be attained through mastery goals ( Ames, 1992; Urdan, 1997; Kaplan et al., 2002). Classroom Goal Structures: Ames (1992) stated that according to goal theory, class room, the nature of the students and their beliefs may affect the motivational factor of the students. Class rooms with more performance- focused may put negative impact on students than that of a normal class room. Negative results may include various types of cheating and different kind of misbehavior in the classrooms (Kaplan et al., 2002; Turner et al., 2002; Urdan et al., 2002). Multiple Goals Students may have multiple goals along with other various types of goals as some researchers have noticed this in different ways. This is compound of different sorts of personal goals and it is therefore, called multiple goals. A few researchers indicated that multiple goals may have positive or negative effect as well (Meece Holt, 1993; Pintrich, 2000; Wentzel, 1991) Teacher Instruction and Achievement Goal Structures: The students perceive their goal structures according to the instructions of their teachers (Ames, 1992). Different teachers give instructions according to their vision. Middle class teachers detail their students according to their knowledge and in the same manners teachers of all classes motivate and direct their students in their own way. Turner et al., (1998) gave a brilliant idea about motivation of the students that what teacher says and in which manner, is main pillar among students to be motivated. The Association between Personal and Environmental Factors Covertly or overtly, the motivation of the students depends upon their behaviour as individuals as they treat in the classroom whether they obey the instructions or demonstrate ignorantly (e.g., Elliot et al., 1999; Pintrich, 2000; Patrick, Ryan, Pintrich, 1999). Most of the researches try to inquire in learning process in the class room but they seldom effort for knowing the atmosphere of interaction among students that how much differently they behave in the same classroom (Patrick et al., 2001; Turner et al., 1998, 2002 ) Aspect of person-in-context undertakes the responsibility to know how individuals and environments influence on each other (Lemos, 2001; Vauras, Salonen ; Magnusson Stattin,1998). Socio-cultural theories are used to assay the process of children being socialized in the classroom and in the systems of meanings along with the way they try to take these meanings by their own as well (Brown Campione, 1994). ` According to Rogoff, (1990), pint of view, the child and social world are essencial for each other. Factors affecting students participation in the class and suggestions as well: More of the students appear to have an inactive role in the class room participation (Weaver Qi, 2005). Synthesis, evaluation, analysis and application are the more important things which are to be developed during class room participation (Tinto, 1997); (ACER, 2008). Weaver Qi (2005) argues that in large class room size, most of the students maintain their secrecy as well and have less opportunity to participate in the class room activities. The power of the instructor (Howard Baird, 2000), gender and the age discrimination of the pupils (Howard, James Taylor, 2002), the cognitive level towards class room(Chung, 2000;Tinto 1997) and also the sentiments of the students (Chung, 2000;Howard et al., 2002) are such factors which have significant influence on the interaction amongst students in the class room. The societal behaviour of students and teachers as well has a great effect on class room participation (Weaver and Qi (2005). The students get frightened by the instructor and lose their confidence to participate in different kind of activities in the class room (Dallimore, Hertenstein Platt, 2004;Chung, 2000). To lessen the gap among students and teachers and to provide student-friendly atmosphere enhance the degree of participation in various activities in the class (Weaver Qi, 2005; Auster MacRone, 1994). It means, the more the social links among student-teacher and among student-student, the more student-centered atmosphere there will be. The participation in the class room increases the reasoning of the students, critical thinking and creativity skills in them as well. (Tinto, 2002; Foster et al., 2009; Wilson Fowler, 2005). The best learning environment and participation could be increased through demolishing the factors like uncertainty and anxiety in the class room (Sim, 2006). McInnis (2001) suggested that the participation of the students could be increased in the class room through redesigning our curriculum and different types of courses in a significant manner which may prove a mile stone in engaging different groups of students with one another. Tinto (1997), related class room with academic and social interchange and by keeping this point of in mind, even a lay man can propose the idea of producing the social links among students with other students and with teachers also. Confidence Classroom participation: The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary defines confidence as the mental attitude of trusting in or relying on; firm trust, reliance, faith, assured expectation, assurance arising from reliance (on oneself, circumstances, etc.). In the literature on the topic, confidence has been defined as a trait (Bernstein et al, 1994; McKinney, 1960) and as a situationally specific concept (Brodie, Reeve Whittaker, 1995; Champion, 1993). Confidence is assuredness in oneself and in ones capabilities (Erwin Kelly, 1985, p.395). In relation to social interaction it has been defined by Manning Ray (1993) as calmness and assertiveness during social interaction (p.180). Manning Ray (1993) found confidence as being the opposite of shyness and as situational. Some researchers referred to self- efficacy as confidence (Wanberg, Watt Rumsey, 1996) whereas, Bandura, originator of the term self-efficacy wrote in 1997, that confidence and self- efficacy are not the same. Confidence has been thought to be part of self-esteem or to be synonymous with the concept of self-esteem (Wells Marwell, 1976), whereas Coopersmith (1967) argued that self-confidence was a term used to describe the subjective state of self-esteem and reported that an individual who expresses negative attitudes towards himself thereby indicates that he has little confidence in his abilities to deal effectively with the events that confront him. Lawrence (1999) defined self-esteem as confidence writing confidence is self-esteem in practice and has two aspects: Confidence in abilities Confidence in personality Owens (1993) viewed self-esteem as being comprised of general self-confidence and general self-deprecation; he explained general self-confidence in terms of positive self-evaluation. Indeed, this lack of confidence (DFES, 2002, p.1) on the part of large numbers of students was considered specifically in recent policy documents concerned with the drive to enhance basic skills. It is, certainly, a crucial factor in learning at all levels. Reisenberger (2002) suggests that although there are still situational and institutional barriers for students participation in the classroom to be overcome more attention need to be directed towards dispositional barriers, particularly factors linked to learners confidence. Students feel shyness when they are asked to take part in classroom (Fassinger 1995; CELT 1998). Sometimes students show lack of confidence because of the fear that they may seem unintelligent to their fellows and teachers while answering the questions or presenting their point of view on an assigned topic and so they feel it comfortable to remain silent (CELT, 1998). Thsee issues can sometimes be traced to a lack of participation by students (Howard Henney 1998). Many research work indicates that although the individual learner can affect his/her own level of confidence, tutors, peers, mentors and workplace supervisors can help increase the learners confidence by providing support, encouragement, and constructive feedback. Such learning support needs to unpack meanings of confidence in task-specific contexts in order to overcome particular dispositional barriers. Self confidence: The students who feel shy and hesitate to ask the various questions in the class are assumed to have lower level of achievement motivation. Whereas those who do not feel this kind if hesitation are expected to have higher level of achievement motivation Students Personality Type and Attitudes towards Classroom Participation: Personality is one of the affective factors that are equally important for explaining differential success among students. Extroversion is linked with risk-taking; introversion is considered under the concept of self-esteem (Brown, 2000). Passive students: mean who do take part in class room activities frequently are often punished by the teachers. Overtly or covertly, their being passive in the class could be either because of their personality. Personality is two types as following: Extrovert Introvert These types of personality affect classroom participation according to the situation. Personality is also more important for learning process. Extrovert personality is linked with risk-taking where as introvert is associated with self-esteem. (Brown, 2000) Similarly, Galvan and Fukada (1997/1998) put forth their experience of avoidance from participation in student-centered classroom because of personality factor. They also concluded that extroverts participated in the classroom more than introverts. Often students of introvert personality couldnt raise even a single question. Extroverts are more interactive than that of introvert students in class room because introverts like to have few friends in the class but extroverts keep on enhancing their company (Myers, 1962). Introverts often fail to achieve the norms of the academic requirements due to less participation in classroom (Barrett Connot, 1986) as Carskadon (1978) concluded that extroverts, though have few thoughts, they act more than that of introverts who have more thinking power but act less than extroverts. Myers (1962), suggests that extroverts tend to prefer learning situations that afford interaction, while introverts tend to prefer small groups. Galvan and Fukada (1997/1998) found that extrovert students participated more than introverts. The participants who self-reported as having passive learners were least likely to initiate a question or volunteer an answer to a teachers question. Additionally, knowledge of personal preferences can help teachers and administrators understand and predict student performance so they can restructure the situation to facilitate more student participation. Barrett and Connot (1986) found that introvert learners do not get involved in classroom activi ties and have lower academic achievement. Extrovert students usually produce more action with fewer thoughts whereas introvert students produce various thoughts with little action (Carskadon, 1978). Constructivism of theory of classroom learning: Constructivism theory of learning and knowledge emphasis upon the learners active participation in constructing his own knowledge (Anderson, 1987; Jonassen, 1995; Resnick 1983, 1987; Schauble, 1990; von Glasersfeld, 1989, 1992). Constructivists consider that knowledge is gained when a learner uses his prior knowledge to understand the new information. So knowledge can be enhanced by instruction or guidance of teacher, but it is not a direct outcome of teachers instruction. As the construction of knowledge is dependant upon the prior knowledge of student, so all students get the understanding from teachers lecture according to his existing level of knowledge. Social constructivist perspective: Knowledge is socially constructed through collaborative efforts made by human beings (Brown, Collins Duguid, 1989; Cole, 1985; 1-lewson, Kerby Cook, 1995; Lave, 1988; Vygotsky, 1978). Knowledge can not be gained or a new concept is difficult to understand without its social context. Classroom factors: Tha construction of knowledge is also affected by classroom environment factors (Garner, 1990). A new concept is well understood by interaction with fellow students and teacher in classroom. Student Self-regulation of classroom behavior: Self-regulation of cognition and behavior is an important aspect of student learning and academic performance in the classroom context (Corno Mandinach, 1983; Corno Rohrkemper, 1985). There are a variety of definitions of self-regulated learning, but three components seem especially important for classroom performance. First, self-regulated learning includes students metacognitive strategies for planning, monitoring, and modifying their cognition (e.g., Brown, Bransford, Campione, Ferrara, 1983; Corno, 1986; Zimmerman Pons, 1986, 1988). Students management and control of their effort on classroom academic tasks has been proposed as another important component. For example, capable students who persist at a difficult task or block out distractors (i.e., noisy classmates) maintain their cognitive engagement in the task, enabling them to perform better (Corno, 1986; Corno Rohrkemper, 1985). A third important aspect of self-regulated learning that some researchers have included in their conceptualization is the actual cognitive strategies that students use to learn, remember, and understand the material (Corno Mandinach, 1983; Zimmerman Pons, 1986, 1988). Knowledge of cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies is not sufficient to promote learners achievement; they also must be motivated to use the strategies as well as regulate their cognition and effort (Paris, Lipson, Wixson, 1983; Pintrich, 1988, 1989; Pintrich, Cross, Kozma, McKeachie, 1986). There are some classroom tasks that can motivate the students (cf., Corno Rohrkemper, 1985; Malone, 1981), it is also evident to suggest that students perceptions of the classroom and their individual motivational orientations and beliefs about learning are relevant to cognitive engagement and classroom participation and performance (e.g., Ames Archer, 1988; Nolen, 1988). General expectancy-value model of motivation (cf., Eccles, 1983; Pintrich, 1988, 1989): This model presents three motivational components linked to the three different components of self-regulated learning. An expectancy component, which includes students beliefs about their ability to perform a task in the classroom: The research suggests that students who believe they are capable engage in more metacognition, use more cognitive strategies, and are more likely to persist at a task than students who do not believe they can perform the task (e.g., Fincham Cain, 1986; Paris Oka, 1986; Schunk, 1985). A value component, which includes students goals and beliefs about the importance and interest of the task: It includes students goals for the task and their beliefs about the importance and interest of the task. This motivational component essentially concerns students reasons for doing a task. The study recommends that students with a motivational orientation involving goals of mastery, learning, and challenge, as well as beliefs that the task is interesting and important, will participate in more meta-cognitive activity, more cognitive strategy use, and more effective effort management (e.g., Ames Archer, 1988; Dweck Elliott, 1983; Eccles, 1983; Meece, Blumenfeld, Hoyle, 1988; Nolen, 1988; Paris Oka, 1986). An affective component, which includes students emotional reactions to the task: It deals with students affective or emotional reactions to the task. There are a number of affective reactions that might be relevant (e.g., anger, pride, guilt), but in a classroom learning context one of the most important seems to be test anxiety (Wigfield Eccles, 1989). Effect of Socio-economic factor on classroom participation: Socioeconomic status is positively correlated with both educational attainment and achievement. The higher the students socioeconomic status, the greater his or her educational accomplishment is likely to be. The national Longitudinal Studies revealed several direct positive relationships between educational success (classroom participation) and socioeconomic status. One such relationship was found between the students socioeconomic statuses and their scores on various standardized tests administered as part of the study. One each test students from successively higher socioeconomic categories got better mean scores. Students come to college/university with variety of talents and handicaps that predispose them to towards academic success or failure and as they move through academic institute they continue to be influenced by these factors and others that are beyond the control of educational institutions. Family background and classroom participation: Students position in college and society are determined in large parts by their family background. Coleman (1996) and Jencks (1972) found that one-half to two third of student achievement variance is directly related to home variables such as socioeconomic level (Greenwood and Hickman, 1991, p. 287). Some home environment factors that influence student achievement include social class of family, early home environment, parenting style, type of mother child interaction, effect of the mother working, parent involvement in school decisions and activities, family and student aspirations, and the number of children in the family (Rubin and Borgers, 1991). The more children in the family, the less time parents interact with each child. Family and students aspirations for the future are another aspect of the influence of class, racial, or ethnic background. Parents who set high standards and have high aspirations for their children are more likely to have high-achieving children. James Coleman and colleagues found that black and white seniors had comparable aspirations; the difference was in taking the necessary steps to carry out their goals. Black students felt that they had less control over their environment and left their fate to luck and chance (coleman et al., 19666), though many lower-class black mothers find multiple strategies to encourage their childrens academic achievement (Rosier, 1993). Educational and social class background and classroom participation: Educational and social class background is the most important factor in determining differences between students. In fact, Jencks findings indicate that family background accounts for more than one-half of the variation other in educational attainment. Regardless of the measure used -occupation, income, parent education-family socioeconomic status is a powerful predictor of academic performance. Children succeed in large part because of their family background and what parents do to support their children in their education. Parenting style and parental expectations play a crucial role in setting the child, educational agenda. Guidelines about after school and weekend activities, television watching, home- work and other school- related decisions give the child structure and help the child set goals (Dornbush and Ritter 1992; lee, Dedrick and Smith,1991). One of the most important ingredients in a childs success in school is the degree of what parental activities help or harm childs school achievement. Involvement of parents is shaped by their social financial resources, their opportunities to be involved, and their own orientation towards education. Cultural effect on classroom participation: Difference in cultural background does also have effect on perceptions about classroom participation. Japanese students show long silence in interpersonal dealings and protection of face in classroom as well (Winbush 1995). Chu Kim (1999) found that Vietnamese students prefer to be right than to initiate the discussion. According to Chu Kin (1990) Concept of classroom participation among Asian students is different than other students. They consider the class participation just as answering the questions not to interact actively with fellow students and to pose questions. They are reluctant to comment on fellows presentations. They always prefer one-sided feedback from the teacher rather than from whole class critique. Dunphy (1998) found that western universities have their own social conventions that are not familiar to overseas students. Their social conventions also include the rules for classroom participation. Parents involvement in

Sports Agents Role in Succeeding as a professional sportsperson

Sports Agents Role in Succeeding as a professional sportsperson ESSAY These days, turning into a great player relies on upon having a great agent in the greater part of the professional sports. A sports agent is an individual who acquires and arranges job and underwriting contracts for a player. In exchange, they get between four and ten percent of the playing contract and ten to twenty percent of the underwriting contract in spite of the fact that this figure shifts dependent upon their arrangements with the sports figures. That implies that sports agents, profit. A sports agent is an individual who helps market competitors or items connected with that player to advertise a competitors vocation. Agents are answerable for all correspondences with group holders, directors, mentors and different people to help advertise a competitors vocation. Fundamentally, agents are utilized to dealer and arrange contracts for their customers. Likewise, they are answerable for making proposals as to their choices. Notwithstanding discovering approaching sources, agent s frequently handle advertising matters for their customers. In some vast sports org, for example, IMG, Creative Artists Agency and Octagon, agents bargain with all parts of a customers accounts, from venture to recording duties. Sports agents may be depended upon by their customers for direction in all business parts of life, and frequently considerably all the more extensively. The amount of customers a singular agent can deal with and what number of his or her utilizing office can deal with in aggregate are associated variables. The marked contract is such that the player will get the full contract sum and the specialist organizations then take their wage from the ads specifically speaking to the player. Sports Agents have not been around for quite a while. Until the 1970s, not many competitors had agents in light of the fact that groups might not manage agents (Masteralexis, 244) Proficient competitors depend on sports agents to speak to them in the business parts of their calling. Agents assume a basic part in the players lives by overseeing business undertakings off the field, so that the competitors can concentrate on their execution on the field. Most expert competitors depend on agents as trusted consultants for a lot of people off-the-field parts of their professions: to arrange contracts, participate in promoting exercises, create players brands, secure their budgetary fates, and equip them for life after their playing vocations. In assuming such a key part in the competitors life, extraordinary trust is placed put in the agent. Violation of that trust by him, which achieves dispensing with a competitors physical qualification, demolishing a players money related future, hurting a university sports program, and meddling with expert contracts ought to be tended to by Congress. Around the first sports agents were theater advancer (Money and Carry) Pyle, who in 1925 arranged an arrangement with the Chicago Bears for Red Grange to procure $3,000 for every amusement and an extra $300,000 in motion picture rights, and sports visual artist Christy Walsh, who furnished Babe Ruth with fiscal counsel throughout the Great Depression. In 1960, Mark H. McCormack’s noteworthy handshake bargain with Arnold Palmer propelled the full administration sports organization business. 6 Athletes progressively depended on sports agents in the late 1960s and the 1970s as expert sports developed exponentially. The development, nonetheless, processed an oversupply of agents for a limited number of customers. At present, there are 4,300 expert players in the four significant groups in United States and between 1,600 and 1,800 agents ensured by their separate player’s affiliations. Because of the substantial rivalry for customers, agents regularly act in an excessively f orceful way when enlisting and holding customers. LATE CASES: Cecil Newton, father of Carolina Panther quarterback Cam Newton who played school football at Auburn, professedly attempted to offer his childs school playing administrations to Mississippi State for $180,000 while Cam was being selected out of The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) suspended fourteen football players for some piece of a season, and eight for the whole season, from the University of North Carolinas group for getting shameful profits from an agent and scholastic offense. Marcell Dareus, a protective handle on the University of Alabamas football group, was suspended for two amusements by the NCAA for tolerating about $2,000 in inappropriate profits from an agent. The NCAA suspended A.j. Green, and University of Georgia beneficiary, for four diversions for offering a football shirt for $1,000 to an agent in Nior College. The NCAA decided that Cecil Newton did endeavor to offer his childs administrations yet that Cam did not think about the plan and, hence, there were no suspensions. Congress ought to rethink the inclusion of agents with learner players, as it gives the idea that enactment to date has been incapable. There have been numerous aggregations occupied with endeavoring to control agents. Around them are players acquaintanceship, colleges, physical meetings, national administering bodies, the NCAA, state and central governments, a now-dead proficient companionship called the Association of Representatives of Professional Athletes (ARPA), and another affiliation, the National Association of Sports Agents Athlete Representatives (NASAAR). Regardless of the presentation of regulations by these aggregations, none have been positively compelling at tending to the full extent of issues that have happened since the late 1970s when previous sportswriter Richard Sorkin, agent too many NHL and NBA players, wasted an expected $1.2 million of his customers cash, much of it on his own betting and poor ventures. As a rising administration industry, sport organization might profit from professionalization. Regulation toward oneself and administrative regulations are frequently instituted because of a negative picture. Set up of the negative picture, regulation toward oneself shows issue distinguishment and a proactive methodology to making results. Instead of various agents working under varying principles, regulation changes the dynamic to one where people are playing by the same tenets. This proposal uses the structures made by expert administration firms to get to the learning of industry specialists to impact practices, while using the force of government regulation to authorize the standards with a specific end goal to restore open trust in the sport industry. REFERENCES 1) Shropshire K.L., Agents of Opportunity: Sports Agents and Corruption in Collegiate Sports, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1990. 2) Sobel L. S, the regulation of sports agents: an analytical primer, Baylor Law Review, vol. 39, 1987, pp. 702-786. 3) Verow R., à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ª Sports agents à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ « in Verow R., Lawrence C. and McCormick P., Sport, Business and the Law, Jordans Ltd, Bristol, 1999, pp. 289-324. 4) Baggott R (1989), Regulatory Reform in Britain, The Changing Face of Self-Regulation, Public Administration, 67:4, pp435-454. 5) Baldwin R and Cave M (1999), Understanding Regulation, Theory, Strategy and Practice, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 6) Hood, C James O and Scott C (2000), Regulation of Government, Has It Increased, Is It Increasing, Should It Be Diminished? Public Administration, 78:2.

Fight Club Essay -- Film Movie

This movie is mainly about a narrators search for meaning and the fight to find freedom from a meaningless way of life. It setting is in suburbia, an abandoned house located in a major large city. Ed Norton, plays the nameless narrator, Brad Pitt, is Tyler Dunden, and Helena Boaham Carter is Marla Singer, the three main characters. David Fincher directs this film in 1999, which adapted it from the novel written by Chuck Palahnuik. It begins depicting Edward Norton, the narrator, working for an insurance company as a representative, who produces evidence for recalling automobiles. He lives in a 15 story, glass front condominium, with the best expensive furniture, designer clothes and a totally empty way of life. Society has yet to understand how employment can influence a person life experiences. His first experience in solving his problem is to seek medical advice for insomnia, which is not the answer. He was advised by his doctor to really see pain, participate in is a group of men who have testicular cancer and really experience pain. This begins his phony search and fix to his search for a painless life. He portrays his self as a cancer survivor, and creates an identity to fill his emptiness, and thus ends up attending seven groups a week. He then meets Bob, who is later killed because of his participation in a bombing of a coffee house. During this process the narrator meets the chain smoking, Marla Singer. Confronted with realization, they were both liars and looking in the mirror irritated him, Marla and the narrator agreed to a plan not to be at the same group, and they could both also avoid self-reflection and contact at the same time. These groups lead the narrator into finding his ?cave and finding t... ... up, Marla and the narrator holding hands and he says ?you met me at a very strange time in my life.? The last song is ?Where is my Mind It also can be a symbol representing the narrators search for his true identity. This movie is sending a message to society about what can happen in a world of confused, angry men. Its points to the hypocrisy of the general public which promotes enforcements of movie ratings, gun control but drops its children off the see ?The Matrix?. In my opinion, this is a good movie for college students, who are studying in Sociology, Mental Health or Nursing Careers. This assignment required many skills, to understand the information you required. This information was hidden in the plot so distinctly a freshman student could have easily missed it. I think this movie would be a challenge for upper level college students.

Sexual Predators :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Sexual Predators Childhood is supposed to be a time of discovery and play, not abuse. Was there ever such a world? Sexual predators have been lurking this planet for decades; now they're being marked for life because of there actions. Neighbors and the home towns of sexual predators are being alerted of their crimes and whereabouts by local police. Such towns have responded by putting up signs in their town, "CHILD MOLESTER TWO DOORS DOWN" (Popkin, pg 73). Others responded by burning or flooding their new neighbors out (Popkin). What did these convicted criminals do to deserve such punishment? They violated the most precious living creature on this planet, a child. Communities definitely have a right to know that a dangerous child molester is moving to their town. Child molesters have been convicted, charged and sentenced for their crimes for many years. Maybe people already have one as their next door neighbor. Do people really know the people they live by so well, that they would leave their own child with them? Also, if they had a legal right to, would they check out their neighbor's history at the police office, or trust them? In the summer of 1994, seven-year-old Megan Kanka was kidnapped, raped, then killed by convicted child molester Jesse Timmendequas. Her story started many parents to question the safety of their own children. The outraged community was never informed that Timmendequas and two other convicted child abusers had moved in across the street from Megan (Megan Kanka). Megan's death lit her parents' fires to do something about notifying communities of convicted child molesters. They began to lobby for "Megan's Law", a law that would require immediate community notification of convicted child abusers, who were living in their area (Popkin). Some critics contend that the law is unconstitutional because it adds additional punishment to offenders (Megan's Unfinished Legacy). Other critics say that it would drive predators into hiding and away from seeking counsel. Child molester Scott Murphy said, "Without counseling, you're the same person when you go to jail as when you get out"(Popkin, pg.73). Before the passing of the law, a group of offenders appealed the judges' ruling that the notification was unconstitutional because it's intended to protect children, not further punish criminals (Megan's Unfinished Legacy). The law was passed. The biggest problem that police officers face is determining which released sex offenders are the most dangerous.

Transculturation in Our Sister Killyjoy and Nervous Conditions Essay

Transculturation in Our Sister Killyjoy and Nervous Conditions Postcolonial insights include theories of Diaspora, cultural hybridity and transculturation. The latter, ‘transculturation’ is the term used to define ‘cultural change induced by introduction of elements of a foreign culture.’[1] The term ‘transculturation’ was first coined by Cuban anthropologist and sociologist Fernando Ortiz in 1947 to describe the phenomenon of merging and converging cultures. Transculturation covers war, ethnic conflict, racism and multiculturalism, hence it is a concept very relevant to the postcolonial period and subsequently to postcolonial literature. When transculturation affects ethnicity the term ‘ethnoconvergence" comes into being and is opposed by ‘ethnocentrism’ the view that one's culture is of greater importance than another’s. Ethnocentrism manifests itself in various aspects of culture, though the main ethnocentric divider is always religion or belief, these ethnic divides are most frequently binary. ‘Our Sister Killjoy’ and ‘Nervous Conditions’ both show aspects of transculturation, perhaps the most obvious sign are the narrator's adoption of the dominant English language to write their novels. At varying points in each novel it is also clear that both Aidoo and Dangarembga have difficulty in choosing between the two cultures in their own personal struggles with transculturation. I shall go on to explore these instances of transculturation within both novels. Tsitsi Dangarembga’s 1988 novel ‘Nervous Conditions’ is a landmark in postcolonial literature as it was the first published English novel written by an African woman. Set in 1960’s Rhodesia and emerging from the shadows of apartheid, it chronicle... ...147 [10] Dangarembga, Tsi Tsi. Nervous Conditions. Scattle: The Seal Press, 1988 page [11] Okonkwo p6 [12] Odamtten, Vincent O. The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo: Polylectics and Reading Against Neocolonialism (Florida: University Press of Florida, 1994) page 122 [13] Aidoo, Ama Ata Our Sister Killjoy (New York: Longman, 1977) page 13 [14] Aidoo, Ama Ata Our Sister Killjoy (New York: Longman, 1977) page 57 [15] Odamtten, Vincent O. The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo: Polylectics and Reading Against Neocolonialism (Florida: University Press of Florida, 1994) page 125 [16] Aidoo, Ama Ata Our Sister Killjoy (New York: Longman, 1977) page [17] Aidoo, Ama Ata Our Sister Killjoy (New York: Longman, 1977) page 112 [18] Pratt, Mary Louise Imperial Eyes: Travel Writing and Transculturation (London, Routledge 1992)

Literature Narrative

Hemingway's modernist style of storytelling requires an impersonal narrator. The narrator describes the scene, and interjects small actions into the dialogue, but remains a facilitator for the reader to concentrate on the dialogue and the action of the story. The narrator in this story seems to tell the story as if it were a video clip, a nameless railway station somewhere between Barcelona and Madrid, ghostly white hills, a faceless waitress and an anonymous couple.The use of this narrator makes the reader look much deeper into the dialogue of the couple, because without the narrator spelling out the action for the reader, one is forced to interpret much more from the character's words. This modernist device tends to separate the reader momentarily from the text, so that the full impact of the story is not truly felt until one is finished reading. However, this device serves to make the story connect on a deeper level, and to have more impact as it hits one suddenly, instead of bein g built into a slow climax.From almost the beginning of his writing career, Hemingway employed a distinctive style which drew comment from many critics. Hemingway does not give way to lengthy geographical and psychological description. His style has been said to lack substance because he avoids direct statements and descriptions of emotion. Basically his style is simple, direct and somewhat plain. He developed a forceful prose style characterized by simple sentences and few adverbs or adjectives.He wrote concise, vivid dialogue and exact description of places and things. Critic Harry Levin pointed out the weakness of syntax and diction in Hemingway's writing, but was quick to praise his ability to convey action The majority of his early novels were narrated in the first person and enclosed within a single point of view, however, when Hemingway wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls, he used several different narrative techniques.He employed the use of internal monologues (where the reader is in the â€Å"mind† of a particular character), objective descriptions, rapid shifts of point of view, and in general a looser structure than in his earlier works. Hemingway believed that â€Å"a writer's style should be direct and personal, his imagery rich and earthy, and his words simple and vigorous. The greatest writers have the gift of brevity, are hard workers, diligent scholars and competent stylistsTo explain Hemingway's style in a few paragraphs in such a manner as to satisfy those who have read his articles and books is almost impossible. It is a simple style, straight forward and modest. Hemingway's prose is unadorned as a result of his abstaining from using adjectives as much as possible. He relates a story in the form of straight journalism, but because he is a master of transmitting emotion with out embelli