Monday, September 30, 2019

Nutrition Log Reflection

In addition to the lack of fats that I was consuming on day one, my milk intake was Daly rather low as well. Although, this TLD come quite as a surprise to me, because I tend to be lactose intolerant at times, and don't always necessarily lean towards foods containing dairy. However, since I have learned the importance of the vital nutrients found in dairy products such as calcium, potassium, Vitamin D, and protein, I have decided to take calcium supplements as a start.Also, I have decided to incorporate more lactose- free alternatives Into my diet such as low-fat cheese, and low-fat yogurt. In contrast to my seemingly deficient Intake of total fats on day one. I seemed to eve made up for my lack thereof by surpassing my recommended intake by 24. 6% on day two. Needless to say, that could not have been good for my health, considering that the majority of the fats ingested that day were the non-good ones. My intake of total calories from saturated fats was supposed to be less than 10% , I exceeded the recommendation by 3. 6%.In order to decrease the amounts of saturated fats that I consume from now on, I am going to choose foods with less or no saturated fat thereby helping myself malting blood cholesterol levels within a normal range, and decreasing my risk for heart disease. In spite of all of the negative aspects of the foods that I had consumed during the three days of logging, I am happy to say that there were a few areas that I met the recommendations of. For example, on day three, my sodium intake was only (and I say only loosely) 1 882 MGM, even though the upper limit recommendation for me Is 2300 MGM.This was more of a personal triumph for me, considering that I am well aware of the fact that I only need 500 MGM of sodium a day to survive. Nevertheless, I always thought that I was consuming well above the upper limit recommendation, and was quite pleased with my findings regardless. In addition to my lower sodium consumption, I was also happy to discover that my diet was well under the recommended limit for cholesterol, not only on day three, but all of the days.In conclusion, I found that this assignment was highly beneficial not only for my health, but also because of the extra knowledge It helped me obtain to help me create and maintain a better lifestyle for myself. What stood out to me in particular were my fluctuations of total fat and saturated fat intakes. One of my goals is to try and sustain a healthy balance of the two, and making sure that I include more of the DOD fats that help lower OLD cholesterol, and help raise HAD cholesterol.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Basic Concepts of Effective Communication

Objectives: * Describe the nature of communication in science and technology; * Understand the meaningful process of communication; * Explain the components of communication; * Overcome their difficulties in communication; * Consider the most describable characteristics of an effective style for technical writing; and * Compare and contrast technical writing from nontechnical writing. The nature of Communication Communication comes from the Latin word con-meaning with, munus- meaning a business, communis meaning common, and commonico-to confer or to relate with one another.In layman’s language, communication emanates from the need to share ideas or information from one person to another by the use of symbols such as words, pictures, figures and graphs. Common Concepts about Communication Different authorities have common concepts about communication. Some of these are present hereunder. * Communication is a purposive activity which is prompted by need to express ideas, feeling s, attitude and course of action to attain a predetermined goal * Communication is the process of conveying and exchanging facts, ideas, and research results.Communication is a two-way process which entails a communicator and a receiver. * Communication is a continuing process which Is interactive. * Communication emerges in response to the different functions and contexts that it calls for. Be it oral or written, people communicate to ask and give information explain something, agree or argue with others, narrate or describe an event, report an accomplishment, and so forth. * Communication is needed when recent discoveries, inventions and developments in science and technology are to be disseminated.Its importance is also felt when pertinent information should be imparted through letters, reports and memoranda. People are by nature social beings. They have to interact to attain a common goal. In so doing, use of language to communicate their ideas, opinions and feelings is undeniab ly inevitable. In communication, the skillful use of language can readily influence the opinion beliefs, values and behaviors of the members of an organization. Particularly, the use of simple, concise and accurate language in giving instructions in a certain industry or firm can facilitate mutual understanding between and among employee and employers.Effective communication is one of the determiners of success in any organization. It is an essential instrument in implementing the goals and objectives of a company. It serves as a tool in decision- making , providing permanent record, information from top to bottom level of management, and the like. As such, it plays an important role in the operational efficiency of a form. Written communication, specification reports, could be considered as the prime mechanism by which technical men and businessmen transmit their messages to action. Likewise, jobs to be done in any firm or organization are formally requested through communication.F indings of researches are known through oral and written communication. Oral presentation of reports is usually done in top-level management meetings. Consider the following illustrations: * In the morning, the engineer listens to the weather bureau’s forecast for the day over the ratio. * For a panel discussion, the computer technician presents through Powerpoint each detail of the researcher’s report. * A Veterinary Medicine sophomore writes a research paper on â€Å"The Effects of Rabies on Humans†. Each of the abovementioned situations illustrates the call for communication.The individual, in each of the examples cited, enters the common, shared world of other human beings. Aside from oral and written communication, there are other means of communication like facial expressions, Gestures, nods, signal, marks on paper, electric data and others. However, the raw materials of language are the sounds made by the human voice and the written patterns that are form ed from with them. The Process of Communication The cycle of communication, according to Eugene White , can also be applied in oral communication for science and technology.This is usually done in presenting/reporting periodic activities during meetings with top management. The presentor will undergo eight stages: thinking, symbolizing, expressing, transmitting, receiving, decoding, reacting and monitoring. The speaker will think of what information will be provided to the audience. These ideas which will be transformed into words and sentences will be expressed to the listeners through an organized report. Such will affect the receiver via sound waves. As the message is sent, the reciever’s mind starts decoding the information.The value of the information to the listener/receiver and the clarity of presentation will affect the reactions. Being aware of the audience’s reaction, the presentor and ends with his monitoring activities. Components of the Communication Proce ss The communication process consists of the following components: A. Communication Situation- the particular context by which a need to tell something arises; B. Communicator- the provider of the information; C. Medium- this consist of oral and written modes of communication; D. Information-the message that will be imparted to a particular audience and; E.Receiver- the reader or listener of the information Reports in Communication Process The communication process consists of the following components: A. Communication Situation- the particular context by which a need to tell something arises. B. Communicator- the provider of the information. C. Medium- this consists of oral and written modes of communication. D. Information- the message that will be imparted to a particular audience. E. Receiver- the reader or listener of the information. Reports in the Communication Process How do reports fit into the communication process? It requires a minimum of two persons to communicate.In th e case of superior-subordinate relationship, communication usually emanates from the former if he/she wants a certain course of action to be done. The subordinate, who is the report writer, will research and gather facts in fulfillment of the assignment give to him. If the supervisor is satisfied with the information given, the communication process will stop temporarily. But if it does not meet his standards, additional work will be asked for. Thereby, the process of communication will start again. In sum, communication process is unsending- it’s a continuing process.Suppose the writer developed a description of the three phenomena, all in one paragraph. The paragraph would run quite long. Instead of one long paragraph, write three shorter ones, one on each phenomenon so that the material can be separated into small units. The style which is characterized by objectivity accuracy and conciseness should be utilized to communicate with people who belong to specialized professio ns. Example: Operation was becoming uneconomical both labor and full costs were more than what had been anticipated. -Adapted The word operation has different meanings to different people.In this case, it means a military action or mission. The scientific style of writing uses the third person and the passive voice for an impersonal approach in writing. If possible, avoid using â€Å"I† which will only lead to subjectivity. Technical writing is concerned with the action being done and not the person who has done action. This concept does not imply that the use of personal pronouns and verbs in the active voice is erroneous. However, the adaptation of such will also create another style of writing. Example: Set up the testing equipment in the laboratory and run three tests before I read the conclusions stated in this report. First Person, Singular, Active Voice) The testing equipment was set up in the laboratory and three tests were run before the conclusions stated in this re port. (Third Person, Passive Voice)-Adapted The second example is the style commonly found in technical reports. Qualities of Good and Effective Scientific and Technical Style Some of the qualities that could lead to a good and effective scientific and technical style are the following : * Honesty about facts * Care in obtaining and evaluating the facts * Accuracy in Presenting Data * Dignity and Restraint in Manner Objectivity in Analyzing and Interpreting Information Ways of Presenting Information Different companies have varied ways of presenting information. Some follow standard formats and others adopt their own format. This denotes that all technical writers must consider the usual practice of a certain company and the expectation of the receiver of the message. Hence, the use of formal or informal style is dependent upon context. Personal communication between business associates or personal friends calls for a Personal Writing Style while major reports which are submitted to top management are usually Impersonal in Style.It requires the format of a report. Requisites of a Technical Style The following are the requisites of a technical style in writing: Factual- refers to the orderly presentation of facts and ideas which could be achieved through careful planning. Functional- gives pertinent information and does not amuse or argue with anybody else. Informative- conveys facts and information. Objective- free from biases and prejudices, personal beliefs, emotions and attitudes. Concreteness- tantamount to definiteness, therefore generalizations should be supported by concrete facts or evidences.Consistency- the shift of tense and point of view in presenting a report will lead to inconsistency. Shifting of such will affect the personality of the writer and his style as well. For long and formal reports, it is better to use the third person consistently. Dignity- is achieved when the writer avoids colloquial/slang expressions and contractions. Simplicity- simple and familiar words are more emphatic and striking, hence, highfalutin words are less preferred in technical writing.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Mamluks

The emergent of Mamluks started under Hasan Pasha's whose intent was to strengthen his personal base of power by creating a group of disciplined military and civil functionaries committed uniquely to him and not to the government at Istanbul or the Arabs of Baghdad. A page corps was formed, originally recruited from local families but later composed almost exclusively of slaves imported from the Caucasus and Georgia (Thomas Philipp, Ulrich Haarmann, 1998. These slaves were instructed in reading and writing, but also horse-manship and swimming, a combination of martial and bureaucratic virtues making them superior to Turks and Iraqis as civil servants. Their training emphasized a sense of interdependence and â€Å"esprit de corps. † They were made to feel that they owed their privilege to their master and to the Mamluks institution. John Joseph Saunders in the â€Å"The History of the Mongol Conquests† noted that the Mamluks dominated the power elite, but as an alien force, and they were merciless to any suspected rival to their authority. A close disciplined fraternity, and the only effective civil and military organization within the country, they provided their pashas with the power of an independent monarch. He argued, nevertheless, Mamluk pashas at no time renounced allegiance to the sultan of the Ottoman Empire. He went on to explain how they defended Iraq from the Wahhabis and Persians but did not create war on neighbors within the empire. They were the only Islamic dynasty that withstands the invasions of the Turks and Mongol. They were slave boy children captured and trained carefully groomed for life as military men. They were leaders’ corps of warrior-slaves, mostly from Turkic or Kurdish Central Asia, but also including some Christians from the Caucasus region of south-eastern Europe. They were called the Mamluks which literally mean slave. According to historians, Mamluks were young boys who were not Muslim and groomed to be Sunni Muslim soldiers( Saunders 2001). The Mamluk institution creates a lot speculation and comment among pre modern observers. Consequently, James Waterson reported that the Mamluks are the slave warriors of medieval Islam who overthrew their masters, defeated the Mongols and the Crusaders and established a dynasty that lasted three hundred years. He continued to say that these young boys turn out to be great soldiers. Interestingly, Halperin commented that at the same time as the Islamic world was combating off Christian Crusaders from Europe, the great Muslim general Saladin conquered Egypt in 1169, founding the Ayyubid Dynasty. He also stated that Saladan and his descendants used increasing numbers of Mamluk soldiers in their struggles for power. In fact, according Charles Halperin a researcher in the field of history commented how during this time the Crusaders controlled several small coastal principalities in the Holy Land. † He explained that during the war the Mongols approached the Mamluks offering them an alliance against the Muslims. The Crusaders' former enemies, the Mamluks, also sent representative to the Christians offering a deal against the Mongols. † They feared that the Mongols were a more immediate threat, the Crusader states opted to remain nominally neutral, but agreed to allow the Mamluks’ armies to pass unhindered through Christians’ occupied lands.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Launching Energy-R Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words - 2

Launching Energy-R - Case Study Example It is regarded by many critics that marketing is the most crucial of all the functional aspects of the business; it can be argued that marketing is the prime means for attracting a customer, and without customers, there is little that the other departments are going to do. Marketing is important in helping the company to construct upon their corporate and business foundations, and to use them to solidify their goals. In order to further the objectives of the business, the business needs to consider the bigger picture. From the perspective of launching a product in the market, the bigger picture would entail exploring the market potential for the product, researching the competitors in the market giving particular attention to their strengths and weaknesses, coming up with an appropriate marketing strategy for the product and selecting suitable marketing channels. Moreover, it is also important to develop apposite measures for managing and supervising the launch of the product in the market. The purpose of this paper is to research the market potential for an energy drink in London, UK, and to go through the aforementioned process of launching a product. The energy drink is called Energy-R. The initial part of the paper reviews the literature explaining strategic and operational literature. There are various marketing orientations that the customers show towards the consumption of products. Functioning businesses have two main purposes. Firstly, they are working for the retention of the customers that they have attracted. Secondly, businesses are endeavoring to attract new customers and increase their clientele. There are a number of philosophies that can be implemented for the attainment of these two goals of the business. The first philosophy relates to the production concept. This means that all consumers are going to consume those products that are not only within the range of affordability but are also easily and extensively found.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Importance of Executing the New Agreement of the City Research Paper

The Importance of Executing the New Agreement of the City - Research Paper Example The legal issue was whether Gangnam Style was a vessel. In this case, Mr Park affirmed that the defendant’s never qualified as maritime transport or a vessel of maritime commerce, but rather designed as a floating structure that served as a shelter. Further, the city asserted that the vessel is capable of transporting goods and people over water. This was later supported by judge Cowell who supported the city’s argument that under federal law, the word vessel described the watercraft or any artificial machine used as a means of transportation on water. In explanation, the judge used plain meaning of the statute of Gangnam style as a vessel used for the purpose of transporting people or goods over water as indicated in order 1 under subsection 3 of Water transportation. In essence, the general provision of the rule is that a vessel is any machine that offers means of water transportation. While it appeared the Congress never intended to group boats like Gangnam style in the act, the main responsibility was to interpret the law as written. As indicated, the rule provides that a vessel includes any means of water transportation that can transport people and goods. Following this, the judge interpreted the law as defined in the act that a vessel is any machine used for transportation over water. From the mentioned case, there are various things that are worth considering before giving the answers to the legal issue. First, it is important to note that Mr Park, a known Korean artist, purchased the Defendant’s boat, Gangnam style and later used the vessel as a primary residence until April 2012.

Do you or do you NOT consider the problem solving techniques such as Term Paper

Do you or do you NOT consider the problem solving techniques such as COP, POP, and COMPSTAT as intelligence-led processes - Term Paper Example For example, Compstat technique is an information-driven managerial process. It is a strategic crime control technique that relies on timely and accurate intelligence for its procedures. According to Bratton and Knobler (1998), Compstat presents practices and structures that enable organizations to successfully maximize efficiency and reduce crime. It is based on the principle that police will be in a better position to maintain order and solve other problems in the community by controlling serious crimes. This will enable them to achieve their goal of promoting public safety. According to Weisburd (2003), Compstat operates under four critical crime-reduction principles. These are, effective statistics, fast deployment of resources and personnel, accurate and timely intelligence, and relentless follow-up and assessment. Compstat involves collecting and analyzing crime data then mapping them. It also involves regularly analyzing other important police performance measures and holding their managers accountable for their level of performance as indicated by these data. Information used in Compstat is usually obtained from various sources like prisoner debriefings, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) records and reports, field interview reports, incident reports and field interview reports. Compstat presents a paradigm for discretion and accountability at the various levels of the organization. Commanders are held responsible for solving crime problems by top administrators using this information. Compstat has created a management system that keeps everyone focused on the mission of the organization. Through its utilization, Compstat has produced notable public safety (Blumstein and Wallman, 2000 and Conklin, 2003). Law enforcement units hold Compstat meetings regularly. These provide a rational inspection and assessment system that helps to monitor their activities and identify the responsibilities of the middle manager. Compstat

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Using Effective Promotions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Using Effective Promotions - Essay Example It was also a good advert as it alerted consumers that Nike offered free shipping on some orders. Therefore, it encouraged consumers who could not visit a Nike outlet, due to varying reasons, and are not members, to order the products online. Consequent to this, the advertiser has to communicate the intended message, which informed consumers of the possibility of online purchasing. Online purchases contribute to the increase of the sales of the company, which makes the advert significant to the company. Informing people about the free returns for members also made this a good advert, because, it motivated online purchasers to order for the goods they needed without worrying that the goods may be in bad condition. Therefore, the advertiser has to communicate about the free return service offered to members of the community, if the delivered products fell short of their expectations. The advert was also good as it drew more customers to join the Nike community, and it promoted the loya lty of consumers to the organization. Such offers also help in shifting the attention of the consumers from the price of the products to the services offered, which gives Nike an opportunity to create good relations with its customers. Conclusively, the discussed advertisements allowed the advertiser to achieve increased sales of the products. The seller gets to advertise to the consumers at a personal level, through the social media, which reached a wider group of people. This boosted the competitiveness of the company.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Organisational Structure and Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organisational Structure and Design - Essay Example Nokia is seeking to understand on how to sustain business sustainability in the long term. Introduction Nokia Corporation is an international leader in cellular communications whose products have turned out to be part of a fundamental part of community’s lives around the globe. The corporation’s hi-tech and design novelties have made its trade name among the most acknowledged in the globe. Nokia seeks to regain Smartphone leadership by forming strategic partnerships with Microsoft. The main element of the corporation is to build a new winning mobile ecosystem by partnering with Microsoft. The corporation also seeks to invest in next generation disrupting technologies, bring next billion online in developing growth markets, as well as increase focus on speed, results and accountability. For the corporation to achieve its strategy, it management has to recognize the importance of formulating a strategy on corporate social responsibility. Business sustainability is managin g the triple bottom line in which companies manage their monetary, community and environmental risks duties and opportunities. The three impacts are referred to as people, profits and planet. Business sustainability represents resilience over time, where business can bounce back from shocks as it is connected to environmental, social and healthy economic systems. Business sustainability necessitates that firms adhere to the rules of sustainable development. These are economic efficiency (prosperity and innovation), social equity (health and wellness and poverty) and environmental accountability (biodiversity and climate change). Managers need to understand business sustainability in order to comprehend how businesses can reconcile the need to be socially and environmentally sustainable with demands of a high market based system, whose key dimensions of success are profit and growth. Further, business sustainability helps managers to understand more thoroughly what makes business sta y alive. How organizational sustainability will influence organizational behavior Organization culture is usually viewed as the core reason for the failure of implementing organizational change programs. Whilst tools and techniques fir change strategies exist, scholars assert that failure results because the essential culture of the organization remains the same. Successful implementation of organizational culture for business sustainability may well be largely reliant on the values and ideological underpinnings of an organization’s culture, eventually affecting how corporate sustainability is implemented. The competing values framework of organization culture discusses the connection between business sustainability and organization culture (Schein, 2004, p 54). Competing values framework demonstrates the contending demands within a business on two separate and competing proportions Competing values framework The internal-external dimension reflects whether the organization i s focused on its internal dynamics or the demands of its outside environment. The flexibility-control aspect exhibits managerial preferences for control and coordination formation. Organizations relying on control end of the model tend to lean on official mechanisms of control and coord

Monday, September 23, 2019

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR - Essay Example Another reason for the inability of a manager to manage creativity is the fact that change whether positive or negative will always receive criticism when introduced to a firm. It is not the role of management to create animosity in its daily operations and it will therefore not push for changes in production unless the methods proposed will lead to a very significant change in productivity (Kreitner 2009, p.434). The role of creativity and innovation although important in any field could be expensive as finances are necessary in order to conduct research into the feasibility of the new proposals. Therefore, management might not always be inclined to invest in this research as it does mean diverting resources into risk prone areas when already proven departments in a company might need money to fund other methods of production and projects whose profit is guaranteed (Finney 2010, p.149). Therefore, for creativity to grow in a company, management should strive to reduce its level of s upervision in the company’s daily operations. ... These include the employees’ freedom to operate, encouragement from their work group, encouragement from their immediate supervisor and as well as encouragement from the team as a whole (Williams 2008, p.159). Other factors to consider would be occupational obstacle due to policy and the degree of sophistication of the work, by evaluating these factors the management can see how to promote creativity in the organization. This is such as by increasing the difficulty of the work for the employees, the firm will see innovativeness nurtured as the employees will be forced to think critically as opposed to when doing repetitive rudimentary tasks. Creative people tend to have a disregard for rules and therefore do not stay in places with many policies and procedures it is therefore imperative to give them space to perform lest they become discouraged (Andriopoulos and Dawson 2009, p.339). Although creativity cannot be managed, management must find a way of dealing with the demands o f creative people lest they demoralize them and lose out. Why is environmental awareness important and what are the likely consequences to organizational effectiveness of failing to take account of environmental factors? Environmental awareness is very important for any business especially in this error where preservation of natural resources has been put as a priority by most governments. The environment always changes and it is important for a business to respond to emerging trends in a good time before it is viewed as irrelevant and therefore surpassed by its competitors. Detecting trends before they have become mainstream is very important for businesses as its gives them an edge over others in product design and branding.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Panera Bread Company Essay Example for Free

Panera Bread Company Essay Panera Bread Company is regarded as one of the largest company in the United States that has specialized in the production of breakfast and lunch food for its consumers. Panera Bread Company which was in the years back been referred to as An Bon Pain is reported to be producing products such as baked foods, sandwiches, soups among other food products and beverages. The company is reported to have been founded in the year 1987 by Ken Rosenthan with its headquarters situated in Richmond Missouri in the USA. The company operates in divisions namely; franchise segments; who are licensed to carry out business transactions in the name of the company and retailing operations; which covers over five hundred bakery cafes that are reported to be company owned and over six hundred cafes which are franchised operated in more than thirty five states. In the year 1999 it was expanded into a national restaurant. Panera Bread Company has struggled to survive the growing competition and to effectively utilize its opportunities by utilizing the concept of company analysis which is very critical in modern business world. The aim of Panera Bread Company has always been to become a market leader in production of foods and beverages globally by diversifying and reaching to many new markets. In the year 2005, the company was ranked top forty by the Business Week in the annual list of hot growth companies. By that year its earnings was projected at $ 38 Million with an increase of over 40% in profit. In the year 2007, Zagat rated the company to top the list of Overall Food Facilities and Popularity rankings. Panera Bread Company is further recognized for its involvement in community events such as silent auctions, runs and walks by making donations. SWOT Analysis Modern businesses are faced with changing business environments and Panera Bread Company is not exceptional from facing such changes within their business context. By carrying out SWOT analysis, environment analysis is very decisive to Panera Bread Company and it is usually analyzed in two extents; the external environment and internal environment examination within the business perspective. Research reveals that the analysis of external environment illustrates opportunities and threats that exist in the market for a firm that may be either present or impending. On the other hand, internal environment examination depicts the strengths and weaknesses that the business may face in the market place (Anthony, 1998). Strengths Strength in this context can be identified as that distinctive ability posed by a firm and if the company utilizes such an opportunity it can succeed and can gain competitive advantage, over its rivals in the industry. The most common strength associated with Panera Bread Company is that of being a market leader in the food industry and particularly marketing of bread. Research indicates that Panera Bread Company is better placed than its main rivals in the market in that it has significantly acquired larger market share which is attributed to its diversification to various countries in the world, for example it has opened many subsidiaries in Toronto, Canada. It is also reported that the company has a strong brand name of its products which have significantly aided the company in terms of achieving a larger market share. The other strength that the company has is that of the best marketing channels that have aided marketing of packaging solutions products to a wider range of customers (Kotler, 1996). Weakness Weakness in this context can be referred to as any dimension of a firm that possibly will deter the accomplishment of set objectives by the firm and usually considered to comprise the company’s resources, capabilities and assets that are not fully utilized. From the company’s profile it can be noted that Panera Bread Company has weak policies, procedures and regulations that may deter the attainment of target performance of the company in some target markets. It is also reported that recently, the employees are not motivated to work and there has been complains regarding low pay and poor working conditions among others although such reports have not been proved. The management of the company should therefore look for ways in solving such problems that may affect adversely the performance of the employees and thus the overall performance of the company. Also the culture of Panera Bread Company has been under scrutiny and there has been allegation that the company is producing loaves of bread which are of poor quality, an issue that the management should look at it seriously (Anthony, 1998). Opportunities For companies to achieve the set objectives, they have to identify and devise events or features in the business external environment that will give them an added advantage or chance of performing better than their competitors. Such an event or feature can be referred to as an opportunity because it will create more chances to the company by increasing the current proceeds through acquiring a significant market share. Panera Bread Company has opportunities that if utilized will be of great benefit to the firm because it will lead to exploring and reaching to more new markets. Research indicates that there is greater demand for bread products in Africa and the management of Panera Bread Company should open subsidiaries in some of those countries after carefully analyzing the situational analysis in those potential markets. Since Panera Bread Company is among the market leaders in bakery industry; it is perceived to be having a well developed financial foundation and thus does not face any liquidity or cash flow problems. It is for this reason that the company should explore new markets and can compete across the entire market without fearing that its competitors can outdo them financially. However, before competing Panera Bread Company should carry out cost benefit analysis in order to avoid unnecessary expenditure (Brandenburger and Nalebuff, 1995). Threat In business context, a threat is regarded as an event which if not taken care of it may possibly deter the accomplishment of company’s goals e. g. customers declining income and competition among other events deemed to causing danger to the operations of the business. Panera Bread Company is basically faced with intense rivalry in bread and beverages products since many firms have opted to join the market because it is considered profitable. In fact, in some market segments particularly in Canada there has been a significant drop in terms of the company’s market share because new firms has entered the industry. Globalization concept has brought about new inventions and Panera Bread Company is faced with the task of coping with such innovations, for example the task of training and development programs to educate the employees on new technologies might be costly and difficult to acquire; such as the use of on-line marketing techniques and networking facilities (Anthony, 1998). Competitive Strategy According to research, Panera Bread Company has embarked on identification of markets that bread products and beverages can do best and it is through this that the company has sold a lot in the target areas. This strategy is normally referred to as segmentation; where the company has avoided competing entirely across the entire food industry but instead targeting certain markets i. e. bread and some beverages markets. Market segmentation will be an ideal situation for Panera Bread Company since competing across the entire market is expensive and considered to entail a lot of risks that the firm cannot sustain for example unfair competition by its rivals in the market (Bagley and Savage, 2006). This will involve Panera Bread Company marketing staff subdividing the existing market into different subsets of clientele where each division may be chosen as an intended market to be explored with a different marketing mix strategy. In essence, target marketing strategy will involve market segmentation which Panera Bread Company will have to find it on the acknowledgment that any segment comprises of potential buyers of bread products and beverages with diverse needs and dissimilar buying behavior. After carefully developing and subdividing the entire market to segments or the target markets, Panera Bread Company should then position itself on how to carry out the marketing activities in order to meet the overall objective of the corporation. Under this; positioning will imply to the formation of limits for bread products and beverages in the minds of the intended market in relation to the rivalry faced. Positioning of any firm including Panera Bread Company is very essential since it forms the foundation of all the communication of the company that comprise the following; branding, publicity, advertising and packaging among other strategies. Therefore it will be prudent for Panera Bread Company to create a single unique position which will operate as a guide for marketing communications involved thus will aid in transmission of steady image (Cullen and Parboteeah, 2005). HR and its Importance Since the mission statement of Panera Bread Company is clear, that it aims at being the market leader of producing bread products and some beverages not only locally but globally it should implement its marketing strategies particularly in the identified target markets. Implementation is putting in to action whatever plan or strategy that the management had formulated and therefore human resource is the most crucial asset in this stage. Research indicates that any company must motivate and provide clear direction to its human resource in order to attain its objectives. Therefore, Panera Bread Company should clearly identify the needs of its employees and try to meet them in order to give them an ample opportunity to serve diligently and be dedicated to the company. By offering a competitive package and offering performance contracts to the employees; ensures that they perform to the fullest because they will be highly motivated to work. Good leadership and management skills will be essential to Panera Bread Company’s management staff in order to command respect from the employees (Hilltop and Sparrow, 1994). Recommendations Panera Bread Company should note that nowadays, it is possible to use e-business through the internet for distribution purposes especially when dealing with international businesses. Digital innovations coupled with rapid growth in new technologies are changing the way distribution channels for companies and Panera Bread Company is able to use such hi-tech communication channels to monitor progresses in the market places not only in USA but globally. The company should further utilize modern entry market modes which such as Foreign direct Investments and licensing in order to build long-term markets in its target markets. It will be possible to also adopt joint ventures which will make possible for Panera Bread Company to gather enough market information quickly and familiarize itself with the laws, regulations and needs of the customers in the target market (Grant, 2005). Conclusion Panera Bread Company is among the current market leaders in the food industry and therefore stands a better chance of attaining a significant market share as a result of the brand name of its bread products and beverages that are regarded to be of high quality. Every business including Panera Bread Company is faced with challenges and it has to fully adhere to market regulations in order to avoid unfair competition. The concept of globalization cannot be written off either since many firms including Panera Bread Company has diversified to various markets and there are threats and opportunities associated with such globalization. Therefore the company should formulate strategies that are considered global in nature in order to meet the current expectations of the customers in the target customers. Such strategies like build, harvest or divest should be considered by the Panera Bread Company when assessing the performance of its products in its target markets. Management functions of planning, directing, leading and controlling should be adhered to by the management of Panera Bread Company in order to significantly improve the operations of the company by achieving the required targets (Kotler, 1996)

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Development of Child Minding Business: Activity Planning

Development of Child Minding Business: Activity Planning Unit Two Part One – Documentation for a child minding business Clear documentation is essential, as it is an area that receives inspection from Ofsted. Ofsted is the independent regulatory body for schools (including child care providers delivering the early years foundation stage curriculum) that reports directly to the government. The documentation you need for a child minding business are as follows: Criminal records bureau check (CRB)- this will check a person for any criminal records or convictions that may be held against their name. CRB is the first piece of documentation that should be filed in the documentation toolkit. A CRB check is necessary for any adult that will be caring for children within the childcare setting. Child record form- this provides a snapshot of crucial information relating to the child being cared for and will be the first form accessed in the case of an emergency. This form should include, child’s name, D.O.B, address, parent/carers address and contact details, child’s doctors names and contact details, 2 emergency contacts, medical history, immunisations, allergies, dietary requirements, medical conditions, religion (if appropriate) and any other relevant information. Child information record book- this is an essential piece of documentary evidence required by Ofsted, it documents daily the various activities a child has carried out, food they have eaten, number of nappies changes (if applicable) and any other relevant information relating to the child that occurs during the day. The book is usually taken home daily or weekly by the parent so they can see what activities their child has been engaging in during the day and what learning has taken place. The record book can also act as a means of communication for non-urgent items between the parent and child care provider. Childcare agreement forms- this provides the contract between the parent and the childcare provider. The child care agreement sets out essential information such as the child’s contact details, parent/guardian information, start date, hours and days the child will be attending, details of collection from the setting and fee information (including any retainer fees that may be payable). Accident record and incident forms- the accident form gives a detailed account off the accident that has occurred, where it happened, names of any adults who witnessed the accident, type of first aid that was given at the time (if applicable), this should also include the date, name and signature of the person who completed the form. It should also contain a section for the child’s parent to sign to confirm that they have read the report and are aware of the accident. The incident form is very similar to the accident form, it is used to give details of anything that may result in the child becoming upset and distressed ex, a child may be playing with a family cat and be scratched. The incident form is to be completed and signed the same as the accident form and read and signed by the parent. Existing injuries form- an existing injuries form is used to document any injuries, (bruise or cut) which a child may arrive with. Both the childcare provider and the parent should sign the form. These could be completed in the setting before the session starts or issued to parents in advanced. Fire and safety form- this is used to give details if the correct evacuation process from the setting in case of a fire breaking out. All children being cared for should be regularly exposed to a practice fire drill the dates of the drill and children involved should be documented, dated and signed in the fire safety form. Vehicle records and parent permission to travel in a vehicle- this form should contain information regarding registered and insured vehicles that are to be used for the purpose of childcare. These vehicles should have appropriate insurance cover and documentation about who is insured and registered to dive the children around. As well as the vehicle record, it is necessary to obtain a signed form from a parent giving permission for their child to be transported in their childcare provision registered vehicles. This could be for regular trips t a playgroup, the park or an organised outing. Prescription and non-prescription medical record card- this can either be incorporated into the child’s record or detailed separately. It should contain information on prescription and non-prescription medicines the child may need administered by the childcare provider. It should detail the name of the drug, dose and frequency it should be administered. The childcare provision should obtain written permission from the parent for each drug to be given to their child. Each time it is administered it should be recorded in the form. This procedure should also be carried out for non-prescription medication that a child requires, as agreed with the parent. The parent should also detail under what circumstances the medication should be given. Outings and consent forms- there are 2 different typed of consent forms that may be required for documenting small trips and pre-planned larger scale trips. A form including clauses that detail the types of outings a child can go on can be used; this form could include permission statements for trips on public transport, foot, carer’s cars or any other car (e.g. carers friends car). This form should be signed by the parent and kept in the child’s file. In addition to this form a separate form may be required for larger outings, or for those that may require financial contribution from the parent. Financial forms- record of payment, invoice, receipt- as well as the collection of forms already discussed, there are three necessary financial forms for recording financial details relating to the home child care business. Record of payment of fees- used to record fee payments by the parent. The childcare provider signs to say that the payments by the parent have been received. There may be occasions when a receipt is used for other purposes, educational products purchased from the childcare provider. Record of complaint- any complaints may be required to be shared with parents, Ofsted and possibly other agencies. Therefore, it is extremely important that the complaints form is completed accurately, and as soon after the complaint is made so the information is accurate. The next section should contain details of the complaint in full. The following sections should go on to detail how the complaint was dealt with, along with any action that was taken. The child provider should ten sign and date the form. Depending on the nature of complaint, it might be necessary to refer it to Ofsted, particularly if an allegation f serious harm or abuse is made. Part Two – Activities that stimulate children developmentally Play is an essential part of a child development, and there are many activities that can be done to enhance the development of a child, intellectually, socially and physically. Depending on the space available, there are various different options for incorporating physical development activities into a child’s day; for example, skipping is a good physical development activity as it encourages co-ordination and strength. Physical development activities also help to promote a healthy living and exercise. Physical development also helps to develop a child’s gross-motor skills; gross-motor skills refer to the big physical movements made by a child or baby, such as crawling, rolling and walking. Additional activities that enhance physical development of gross-motor skills are throwing or catching a ball; this develops hand eye co-ordination, riding a bike; this helps to develop balance skills, and hopscotch; this helps to develop jumping and counting skills. Fine-motor skills involve dexterity and fine control of muscle movements such as, writing, drawing, using a knife and fork and doing up clothing. Fine-motor skills require a child to use precise and well-controlled movements; there are many activities that can be used to develop these skills such as a dressing up box. There is a wide range of multi-sensory toys to develop a baby’s fine-motor skills from around 9months. Toys that can be squeezed to make a noise, or finger foods are ideal for a baby’s hand eye co-ordination. At about 12months, a baby will love to drop objects such as toys. An excellent toy to have is a shape sorter; babies love the bright colours and will love the sound of the shapes dropping into the sorter. Fine-motor skills are used as the baby picked up each shape, determines where it goes and turning it until it drops into the sorter. For toddlers up to about 24months, the range of fine-motor skill activities changes. A brilliant addition to the home or setting is a dressing up box. Toddlers enjoy dressing and undressing; and a dressing up box helps to encourage fine-motor skills with the various fastenings that the toddler may encounter on the clothing such as zips and buttons, it also encourages creativity. Painting, drawing and colouring are also excellent ways to develop toddler’s fine-motor skills. Multi-sensory baby books are a great aid for developing a baby intellectually. There are lots of picture books in the market that have mirrors, crinkly fabric etc. that babies love to touch when being read stories. Music, singing and colourful, noisy toys all provide brilliant stimulation for a baby’s intellectual development. For toddlers there is a wide range of activities that can be used to stimulate intellectual development. Card games such as pairs are very popular, as are board games such as connect four and dominoes. These are excellent for developing numeracy skills. Toddlers have very inquisitive minds and there are intellectual learning opportunities around every corner during the day-to-day activities that can be promoted by questioning, such as â€Å"what do you think we do next†. Role-play is an excellent way to develop social skills in a safe environment, children can explore different roles in different settings; for example, a post office could be set up where children have to interact with each other as customer and staff. Again here, this task is very closely matched to the study guide. Please amend this task and ensure that you are writing in your own words. Task three- Draft food health and safety policy All employees, paid or voluntary, who handle food, have a responsibility to: Maintain a high standard of personal hygiene Refrain from handling food when they or anyone at home are suffering from an infectious disease such as; diarrhoea, throat infection or rashes Adhere to the settings health and safety policy Report any shortcomings to the appropriate person, e.g. Faulty or damaged storage, preparation and service equipment Principles of handling food: All foods must be checked to ensure they are of the quality, substance and temperature required and that they are within there use-by dates All foods must be stored under conditions that will prevent their deterioration, instructions on the label, if present, must be followed Keep it clean-keep it cool- keep it covered: Food and food only, must be stored in areas designated specifically for that purpose (refrigerators, cupboards etc.) Saucepan handles should not overhang the stove or worktop edges Any food or liquid spillage must be cleaned up immediately When cooking food, recipes or packet instructions must be followed Food not eaten at the meal it was prepared/given must not be kept or offered at a later time Signs of any type of pest infection must be reported immediately Principle of safely using equipment in food areas: All electrical equipment must be switched off and the plug removed from the power source when it is being cleaned or not in use Refrigerators, freezers and other types of temperature control equipment must be routinely checked to ensure there effectiveness All equipment must be according to manufacturer’s instructions Doors and lids of equipment in use should fit securely Hob burners, grills, ovens etc. must always be turned off when not in use All cooking equipment should be checked when in use to ensure that it is functioning correctly. Any slight electrical shock received from the equipment must be reported immediately All equipment and working surfaces must be kept in a clean and hygienic condition Cleaning chemicals should be used at the prescribed dilution rate Task four- Travel plan Amount of children attending: 3 Destination: 100acre woods Date of trip: 3rd September 2014 Time of departure: 09.15am Time of return: 12.15pm Permission slips received: 3 Travelling via car Ensure full tank of petrol Ensure car is correctly insured Ensure child locks are enabled Ensure breakdown cover Ensure permission slips and informed of any child likely to attempt to take off their seatbelt Ensure all children have suitable clothing e.g. rain coat Ensure there is a first aid kit in car and any medication that may be needed Joshua’s inhaler Ensure there are snacks and plenty to drink Ensure risk assessment has been carried out before organising the trip -low risk

Friday, September 20, 2019

Franklin Roosevelt :: essays research papers

Franklin Roosevelt was 32nd president of the US 1933-45, a Democrat. He served as governor of New York 1929-33. Becoming president during the Great Depression, he launched the New Deal economic and social reform program, which made him popular with the people. After the outbreak of World War II he introduced lend-lease for the supply of war materials and services to the Allies and drew up the Atlantic Charter of solidarity. Once the US had entered the war 1941, he spent much time in meetings with Allied leaders. Born in Hyde Park, New York, of a wealthy family, Roosevelt was educated in Europe and at Harvard and Columbia universities, and became a lawyer. In 1910 he was elected to the New York state senate. He held the assistant secretaryship of the navy in Wilson’s administrations 1913-21, and did much to increase the efficiency of the navy during World War I. He suffered from polio from 1921 but returned to politics, winning the governorship of New York State in 1929. When he first became president 1933, Roosevelt inculcated a new spirit of hope by his skillful "fireside chats" on the radio and his inaugural-address statement: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Surrounding himself by a "Brain Trust" of experts, he immediately launched his reform program. Banks were reopened, federal credit was restored, the gold standard was abandoned, and the dollar devalued. During the first hundred days of his administration, major legislation to fac ilitate industrial and agricultural recovery was enacted. In 1935 he introduced the Utilities Act, directed against abuses in the large holding companies, and the Social Security Act, providing for disability and retirement insurance. The presidential election 1936 was won entirely on the record of the New Deal. During 1935-36 Roosevelt was involved in a conflict over the composition of the Supreme Court, following its nullification of major New Deal measures as unconstitutional. In 1938 he introduced measures for farm relief and the improvement of working conditions. . In spite of strong isolationist opposition, he broke a long-standing precedent in running for a third term; he was reelected 1940. Franklin Roosevelt was a well like man by almost all of the country. He was even considered by many as a god. Much of this was in his charisma that he had, but he also surrounded himself with bright, intelligent people. Here is a listing of the members of the cabinet who were under Roosevelt: Franklin Roosevelt :: essays research papers Franklin Roosevelt was 32nd president of the US 1933-45, a Democrat. He served as governor of New York 1929-33. Becoming president during the Great Depression, he launched the New Deal economic and social reform program, which made him popular with the people. After the outbreak of World War II he introduced lend-lease for the supply of war materials and services to the Allies and drew up the Atlantic Charter of solidarity. Once the US had entered the war 1941, he spent much time in meetings with Allied leaders. Born in Hyde Park, New York, of a wealthy family, Roosevelt was educated in Europe and at Harvard and Columbia universities, and became a lawyer. In 1910 he was elected to the New York state senate. He held the assistant secretaryship of the navy in Wilson’s administrations 1913-21, and did much to increase the efficiency of the navy during World War I. He suffered from polio from 1921 but returned to politics, winning the governorship of New York State in 1929. When he first became president 1933, Roosevelt inculcated a new spirit of hope by his skillful "fireside chats" on the radio and his inaugural-address statement: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Surrounding himself by a "Brain Trust" of experts, he immediately launched his reform program. Banks were reopened, federal credit was restored, the gold standard was abandoned, and the dollar devalued. During the first hundred days of his administration, major legislation to fac ilitate industrial and agricultural recovery was enacted. In 1935 he introduced the Utilities Act, directed against abuses in the large holding companies, and the Social Security Act, providing for disability and retirement insurance. The presidential election 1936 was won entirely on the record of the New Deal. During 1935-36 Roosevelt was involved in a conflict over the composition of the Supreme Court, following its nullification of major New Deal measures as unconstitutional. In 1938 he introduced measures for farm relief and the improvement of working conditions. . In spite of strong isolationist opposition, he broke a long-standing precedent in running for a third term; he was reelected 1940. Franklin Roosevelt was a well like man by almost all of the country. He was even considered by many as a god. Much of this was in his charisma that he had, but he also surrounded himself with bright, intelligent people. Here is a listing of the members of the cabinet who were under Roosevelt:

Thursday, September 19, 2019

What Are the Career Doldrums? :: Employment Jobs Work Essays

What Are the Career Doldrums? The notion of the career doldrums is not a new one. Individuals have suffered from the symptoms associated with this concept for as long as jobs and careers have existed. What is new is the more open acknowledgment of the phenomenon. Judith Waterman, a career counselor in San Mateo, California, has seen her client base change significantly during the last 20 years. After beginning with reentry women in the 1970s, Waterman reports that "during the 1980s, [she] was seeing high achievers who were thinking, 'How did I get here and why am I not happy?' but they were keeping it under wraps." By the mid-1990s, however, she reports that it had become more acceptable to admit career dissatisfaction (Hornaday 1995, online). Betsy Collard, another career specialist, believes that part of this trend is related to "how personally knowledge workers view their work and the meaning of it," but that it is also related to changes in the economy. "In times of change, everybody turns inward to get clear about what's important to them, who they are, and what they want out of this" (ibid.). The career doldrums may also be associated with certain career stages. Careers are like lives in that they go through stages that frequently include transitions into new phases. One framework (Nicholson cited in Kidd 1998) for analyzing work transitions includes the following stages: . The preparation stage that occurs prior to assuming a work role. . The encounter stage that covers the early days of a career experience in which individuals begin to make sense of the chosen career. This stage may include shock, rejection, and regret. . The adjustment stage that involves the period in which individuals learn to do their work and make the adjustments necessary to reduce any dissonance between career choice and personal traits. . The stabilization stage in which job performance is the main focus. In this stage, failure, boredom, and stagnation are not uncommon. The symptoms associated with the career doldrums are most closely aligned with the stabilization stage. Individuals are not likely to become bored with or dissatisfied with their careers until they have had an opportunity to experience them for a while. Individuals who are in careers that are not a good fit may begin experiencing symptoms in the adjustment stage as they accommodate their careers to their personal traits and aptitudes.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Tennessee v. Garner 1985 Essay -- Supreme Court Decision Essays Case

Name:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tennessee v. Garner Citation:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No. 83-1035, 83-1070 (1985) Facts:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On October 3, 1974, Memphis Police Officers Hymon and Wright were dispatched to answer a â€Å"prowler inside call.† When the police arrived at the scene, a neighbor gestured to the house where she had heard glass breaking and that someone was breaking into the house. While one of the officer radioed that they were on the scene, the other officer went to the rear of the house hearing a door slam and saw someone run across the backyard. The suspect, Edward Garner stopped at a 6-feet-high fence at the edge of the yard and proceeded to climb the fence as the police officer called out â€Å"police, halt.† The police officer figured that if Garner made it over the fence he would get away and also â€Å"figured† that Garner was unarmed. Officer Hymon then shot him, hitting him in the back of the head. In using deadly force to prevent the escape of Garner, Hymon used the argument that actions were made under the authority of the Tennessee statute and pursuant to Police Department policy. Although the department’s policy was slightly more restrictive than the statute it still allowed the use of deadly force in cases of burglary. Garner’s fathers’ argument was made that his son was shot unconstitutionally because he was captured and shot possessing ten dollars that he had stolen and being unarmed showing no threat of danger to the officer. The incident was then reviewed by the Memphis Police Firearm’s Revie...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Loss of Forest Essay

Environment issues affect life on this planet from the smallest parasite to the human race. We, as human beings, may not understand the severity of the possible consequences that deforestation poses. Since deforestation has had no severe effect on us yet, we ignore the problem; however, deforestation can cause a major problem for our environment. Some of the problems are carbon dioxide, wasting paper, climate change and logging. Deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide in our world’s atmosphere acts like a sheet of glass on a greenhouse. It lets the sunlight through but does not let all the heats back out. The continued degradation of our forest heightens the threat of global warming because the trees and other plants that take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to be used for photosynthesis are gone. The burning of wood or its decay contributes to the release of more carbon which combines with oxygen in the atmosphere thus increasing further the levels of carbon dioxide that cause the greenhouse effect. Paper is one of the most important things in the world. Without it we can’t do almost anything. We can’t study, write, learn and does a lot of stuff which is impossible to do without paper; everywhere we go, we see pieces of paper on the ground and people using multiple tissues to wipe their noses. But what we must realize is the paper products we use daily could have been a part of a forest which functioned to enrich and hold the soil, release oxygen, collect and recycle water. By wasting paper products, we are wasting forests; the simple fact is that the more paper we use, the more forests need to be cut down to serve our paper need. So we need to lessen our dependency on the paper and try to use as little as possible and recycle it. The most important cause of deforestation is logging, the conversion of forested lands for agriculture and cattle-raising, urbanization, mining and oil exploitation, acid rain and fire. However, there has been a tendency of highlighting small-scale migratory farmers or â€Å"poverty† as the major cause of forest loss. Such farmers tend to settle along roads through the forest, to clear a patch of land and to use it for growing subsistence or cash crops. In tropical forests, such practices tend to lead to rapid soil degradation as most soils are too poor to sustain agriculture. Consequently, the farmer is forced to clear another patch of forest after a few years. The degraded agricultural land is often used for a few years more for cattle raising. This is a death sentence for the soil, as cattle remove the last scarce traces of fertility. The result is an entirely degraded piece of land which will be unable to recover its original biomass for many years. It is a major mistake to think that such unsustainable agricultural practices only take place in tropical countries. Many parts of North America and Western Europe have become deforested due to unsustainable agriculture, leading to severe soil degradation and in many cases abandonment of the area by the farmers. We should recycle all the things that are made of trees for example paper bags and furniture because it leads to the less cutting of trees and also the products of trees will be used wisely. After cutting down a tree we should plant too. As a result there will be a balance of ecosystems and the rate of deforestation will diminish. We need forests more than ever to protect the world’s remaining plants and living creatures, to prevent flooding, to slow human induced climate change, and to provide the paper on which education and communication still depend.

Monday, September 16, 2019

A Great Leader: Martin Luther King, Jr.

It was the 1963 March on Washington, attended by 250,000 people, 75 percent of them black, where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech (Ruffin, 2001). The speech was aired on national television, reaching millions of Americans, including the President.The speech effectively raised civil consciousness by providing a clear path and goals for the Civil Rights Movement. Three decades after he was gunned down on a motel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee, Martin Luther King, Jr. remains to be the human rights icon of today whose influence has become a fixed part in the lives of those people he helped and touched (Pastan, 2004).Born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia he was the second of three children of Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King (Oates, 1994). Belonging to a middle-class family, King, Jr. and his siblings enjoyed relatively better lives than average black children.At the very young age, he was exposed to ideas and issue s of racial equality as his father was actively involved in the local chapter of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People who led a successful campaign to equalize the salaries of white and black teachers in Atlanta. Although he and his siblings had white playmates, they were not allowed to go to the same school with them.He attended Atlanta Public Schools, David T. Howard Elementary and then Booker T. Washington High School. When he was in high school, he joined an oratory contest and won second place. His happiness was short lived for he had a long bus ride to get home where passengers were segregated according to the color of their skin.The blacks had to stand and make room for the white people. At fifteen, he entered Atlanta's Morehouse College, then Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania and Boston University, where he earned his Ph.D in systematic theology. While in college at Cozer, King, Jr. became exposed to Mahatma Gandhi and was inspired by his advocacy of non-violent activism. He even visited the Gandhi family in India in 1959 to deepen his understanding of non-violent resistance and his commitment to the advocacy of the Civil Rights Movement in America (Sunnemark, 2004).After completing his education, he rejected most offers instead chose to become pastor of Montgomery, AL's Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. He was named president of the new Montgomery Improvement Association, which set his public career into motion. When he lead the local African-American community’s bus boycott, King, Jr. became a household name and threats started coming to him and his family. He and his groups demanded three things: (1) seating arrangements according to first come-first serve basis; (2) drivers equal treatments of white and black passengers; and (3) hire black drivers to predominantly black routes.Bus companies suffered losses as their customers are mainly black (Haskins, 1992). His house was bombed and he faced charges of co nspiracy against the bus company. The bus boycott lasted a year, characterized by violence and different forms of intimidation but King, Jr. did not fail to emphasize the Christian way to handle the attacks. He advised his group to â€Å"turn the other cheek†. In December 21, 1956, King, Jr. together with other boycott leaders, rode the first desegregated bus.The next few years were relatively quiet for King, Jr. but he remained to be active, getting involved with other civil rights movements. He founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to coordinate the protests which followed the success of the bus boycott (Garrow, 1968).The SCLC became involved with African-American students who voiced out their denunciation of segregated public facilities such as whites-only lunch counters. However, some students did not approve of King, Jr.’s participation in their cause (Kirk, 2007). They claimed that he was just all talk without taking real actions. He receive d all the credits from the hard work of the group. He kept the money, enjoyed the fame that truly belonged to others who sacrificed. This impression was furthered when he was able to spent lesser jail time compared to others who participated in sit-ins in an Atlanta department store and was arrested.They argued that King, Jr. used his mainstream appeal to leave the jail early through presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. John F. Kennedy needed King, Jr. to reach to the black people while the black people were in doubt whether King, Jr. was still the right leader to represent them. Versions of these criticisms surrounded him all through his life.Hallmark of his success was in 1964 when he received the Nobel Peace Prize (Bull, 2000). He accepted the award in behalf of the Civil Rights Movements. Early the next year, the Nobel Peace Prize winner was back in a jail cell. Such is the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Though intrigues, threats and violence hunted him all his life, his con tributions to free America, blacks and whites, were incomparable.ReferencesBull, Angela (2000). DK Readers: Free At Last, The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr. NY: Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc.Garrow, David (1968). Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.Haskins, James (1992). The Life and Death of Martin Luther King, Jr. NY: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Company.Kirk, John (2007). Martin Luther King, Jr. and The Civil Rights Movement: Controversies and Debates. NY: Palgrave Macmillan.Oates, Stephen (1994). Let the Trumpet Sound: A Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.Pastan, Amy (2004). Martin Luther King, Jr: Biography. NY: DK Publishing, Inc.Ruffin, Frances (2001). Martin Luther King, Jr. and the March on Washington. NY: Grosset & Dunlap.Sunnemark, Fredrik (2004). Ring Out Freedom! The Voice of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Making of the Civil Rights Movement. IN: I ndiana University Press.  

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Why Did the Nationalists Win the Spanish Civil War?

Achilleas Sarantaris 2/10/11 | Republicans| Nationalists| Political Strengths/weaknesses| *Caballero’s rule weakened because Republicans were politically divided due to different ideologies; communists vs. socialists who believed revolution should be postponed, anarchists who believed war could only be won through revolutionary policies. *Terror tactics to control increasing population led to resistance*’May Days† street fighting: communists and socialists vs. narchists enhanced disunity| *main strength was their unity. Franco would assume political and military command because Nationalists wanted unified command. Falange Espaniola Tradicionalista, Franco’s new merged party, had 1,070,000 members. *Supported from the church which opposed the left*Franco gained power and authority from his victories in the battlefield| Military strengths/weaknesses| *Lacked strong military leadership, no unified command; anarchists and Basques refused to be led by a central command structure. Loyal army officers were not trusted by the Republic. Dependent on hazardous ineffective militia units, different fronts operated separately| *Even though initial disunity, Africanistas contained the best troops in the country thus they could cover other forces. *Key to success was unified command. Franco’s leadership was accepted by other right-wing parties, including Italians. *Sound communicators, military equipment and large amount of junior officers together with Franco’s ability as a military leader were decisive factors. | Economic advantages/disadvantages| *Under anarchist control utilities worked by workers’ committees, collective farms set up. However they could not supply the needs of the republic to fight the war. *Production in Catalan fell by 2/3 between 1936 and 1939. *Due to Non-Intervention Committee trade only with USSR, which led to the entire gold reserves of Spain being used up| *Backed by business community, hence they could buy war supplies. *Main industrial areas under their control. *Benefited from unrestricted international trade. USA gave $700 million in credit to the Nationalists. | Foreign Assistance| *Far more limited than that of the Nationalists; main ally USSR. *No Soviet troops send to fight, only 1000 aircrafts, 750 tanks and some advisers, which had to be aid for. *International Brigade sent 35. 000 foreign volunteers with limited impact. 1938 Soviets withdrew support and IB left. Francs initial aid ended when it joined Britain’s Non-Intervention| *Foreign aid was a crucial factor in the Nationalist’s victory. *Rebels benefited from more aid of better quality than that given to Repub licans. Franco’s army airlifted by German’s to mainland. *German condor legion; 10,000 troops, 800 aircraft, 200 tanks. Italians 75,000 troops, 750 planes and 150 tanks. Portuguese 20,000 troops. *Key factor not man power, but advanced technology and equipment they received. | p

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Life today is better Essay

Nowadays life is more comfortable, convenient and better than it was a century before. Modern facilities for health, education, communication and transport have added a lot in bringing betterment to the life of people. Advances in technology have provided people with many ways to spend their leisure time and they also have more opportunities to utilize their physical and mental abilities to achieve a better living standard. Technology and education have got much better as compared to the past as there are more schools, colleges and universities giving basic and modern education. Subsequently, it has revolutionized all the sectors of society. For instance, in the past 100 years, research surveys indicate that millions of people died due to disease outbreaks and absence of cures and appropriate health facilities. But now the mortality rate has significantly reduced because there are hospitals available almost in every town, equipped with basic emergency requirements. Medical research and inventions have eradicated many diseases from the world. Communication has become much easier and fast as internet, mobile phones, television are available nowadays. There is no need to write long descriptive letters and wait for the response for long time. One can talk and even watch his loved ones with only a single click. They provide a better source of recreation too, thus helping to get rid of boredom. Similarly, infrastructure has been improved hence it has upgraded the standard of travelling. One can travel long distances using airplane in few hours while it was not possible some years ago. People had to travel for days to cover long distances on animals, keeping heavy luggage and food with them. Development in industrial sectors has opened new areas for work to earn a living. It has introduced a wide range of career choices so that one can opt for what he likes to do instead of sticking with the occupation of ancestors. It can be inferred from the above arguments that standard of life is far better than it was in the past. People have more facilities and choices for spending and maintaining their lives. It has all happened due to the advent of education and technology that was absent in the past.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Legalizing marijuna Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Legalizing marijuna - Essay Example Different stakeholders foster different reasoning on the issues, but it is more realistic that the government should legalize the drug since the economy is losing billions of dollars on the drug through illegal trade; the money that can possibly develop other aspects of the economy. Besides, marijuana has numerous medicinal uses – a fact which has contributed to the increasing number of users of the drug in the American society. The illegal market is an informal term used in reference to the unofficial market. Activities in such markets lack government accreditation and are, therefore, illegal. In fact, the government prefers to assume that the market is nonexistence in the American economy. On the contrary, the market is rife in the country and is the leading cause for the infiltration of illegal firearms and other drugs. Marijuana is a commonly used drug among the numerous social groupings in American social circles, a fact that implies that the government loses a lot of mon ey by failing to recognize such trades (Barton 12). By legalizing the drug, the government makes it an official product in the market and, therefore, gains better regulation to its usage as it currently does with tobacco products and alcohol. Additionally, the government stands to gain tax benefits and provide employment to thousands of people currently peddling the drugs most of whom will seek legitimate certification to handle and dispense the drug. The failure to legitimize the drug contributes to the rise in crime thereby inflating the government budget on security. Police and federal law enforcement officers use resources worth millions of dollars investigating and apprehending drug peddlers. Unfortunately, the more they arrest, the more new operators arise to continue the lucrative marijuana market. This, therefore, requires the government to use a lot of money alongside other resources in keeping the street drugs free (Jamerson 40). The fact that they have not succeeded thus far makes it a loss to the taxpayers whose money is literally wasted. With effective legislations, the drug can possibly gain access to the American market thereby making it easier to manage its sale and its subsequent usage. This would earn the economy the excess money and other resources that the police and other state officers use in containing the ever-increasing black market. By considering the drug illegal, the government discourages other secondary researches on the drug. However, scientific proof has established that the drug has numerous medicinal uses implying that with more research; a lot about the chemical composition of the plant may result in better drugs to some of the most notorious diseases. Marijuana smoking reduces gramps and the menstrual discomforts; the drug also treats such serious ailments as cancer while it slows down tumor growth and seizure. Generally, the drug is beneficial and with government permission, scientists would foster more researches on the dr ug and find better treatments to some of the most dangerous diseases. Cancer, for example, is an incurable disease that claims thousands of lives in the country annually; researches have established that marijuana has an effect similar to that of the antiretroviral drug on Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome victims. The drug can, therefore, make the thousands more productive for longer periods thereby foster the country’

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Annual report analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Annual report analysis - Essay Example It shows that company was not performing as good as it is performing in the current year and it is coming back to its real best. Ans 3 Working capital is basically is a ratio which indicates after deducting liabilities from its assets mean current assets. So it is originally the sign of strength of the company. If any company has large enough working capital after paying off all of its liabilities that means it is still in position to run its operations. Working capital and current ratio are directly related because both indicate the strength of the firm after paying off its liabilities. Yes, definitely because the larger the working capital firm has after deducting its liabilities the larger the chances that it can pay off its liabilities gracefully. Ans 8 After overall analysis of the firm, figures suggest that firm is not doing well enough work in the form of its profitability area. The firm is not enough to eliminate its expenses and that is why all of its ratios represent very poor figure of their profitability scenario. Almost all the ratios are giving a very poor picture of the company's standing in the industry. It has been the situation in all three years and they are still not putting effective to overcome this problem. ans 11 After analyzing the company's debt and debt equity ra... 2003 0.21 2004 0.4 2005 0.34 Ans 6 The price earning per share is 0.4. Ans 8 After overall analysis of the firm, figures suggest that firm is not doing well enough work in the form of its profitability area. The firm is not enough to eliminate its expenses and that is why all of its ratios represent very poor figure of their profitability scenario. Almost all the ratios are giving a very poor picture of the company's standing in the industry. It has been the situation in all three years and they are still not putting effective to overcome this problem. Ans 10 The Company's debt ratio and debt equity ratio are as follows: Debt ratio debt equity ratio 05 0.618 1.618 04 0.164 0.197 03 0.043 0.045 02 0.064 0.068 ans 11 After analyzing the company's debt and debt equity ratio it has been noted that the company is using its investments very efficiently and the industry average of ratio should be around 0.1 - 0.5 Ans 12 ROI is the earnings on the investments that are originally brought by company's borrowings (equity) ROI and ROE are interrelated in a manner that the company invests its borrowed money to earn profits. Financial leverage takes the form of borrowing money and reinvesting it with the hope to earn a greater rate of return than the cost of interest. Leverage allows greater potential return to the investor than otherwise would have been available. The potential for loss is greater because if the investment becomes worthless, not only is that money lost, but the loan still needs to be repaid. Ans 13 The Company's debtor turnover ratio is as follows: 3 69.3 4 78.8 5 122.16 Ans 14 After analysing the

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Criminal Justice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Criminal Justice - Assignment Example When she was trying to help her, people came following the screams of the injured girl. The boy managed to lay the blame of the attack on Getrude and she had no defense due to her shyness. Soon, everyone believed it was her who attacked the girl and was labeled a â€Å"vampire† while other labeled her a â€Å"monster†. At first, it was very hard on her as she sat all alone feeling very hated and ashamed of her reputation. However, after some time, her attitude changed when she saw that people treated her with fear and she started developing a feeling of authority and importance. She later accepted the labels she was given and did her best to exceed the expectations of all her peers by being angry for no reason, hedonistic, impulsive and lacking self-control. She made it clear that anyone who wronged her will suffer the outcome. The labels she got, combined with the lack of family support and peer support when she was very vulnerable, propelled her to become unruly and

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Family implementation evaluation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Family implementation evaluation - Assignment Example To curb the growing problem of alcoholism and drunkenness, we developed the following recommendations: The current plan will rely on the ability of the county to promote the fight against drunkenness and smoking among community members. However, the current plan will have a project director who will possess a doctorate in project management or community health. There will also be a project manager with a minimum academic qualification of a bachelor’s degree. Other members of staff will be handpicked by the county and will undergo a three-day training after which they will receive certificates (Edelman, Mandle & Kudzma, 2013). Members of staff will operate from temporal structures, especially tents. The tents will be located in different parts of the county with a special focus on areas  that have  the highest  levels  of drug  abuse and smoking (Edelman, Mandle & Kudzma, 2013). The county will be the primary source of funding with additional funding from contributions. The Kendall County Counselling Center will assume a central role in the delivery of the current family plan to fight the issue of alcoholism and smoking among community members. Social groups such as YMCA and YWCA will also participate in the delivery of the current plan because of their reach and association with community members. The community will be the point of delivery because this plan is centred on creating awareness and discouraging drug abuse (Edelman, Mandle & Kudzma, 2013). The other reason is that the scope of the current plan is beyond family issues, and  the county  lacks the  resources to address individual needs. Program evaluator will receive the outcome data and the information from the above methods will be stored both electronically and on paper. The electronic records will be used for analysis using advanced computer software such as Excel (Edelman, Mandle & Kudzma, 2013). Outcome data

Gone With The Wind Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gone With The Wind - Research Paper Example As such, parody on its own or with the inclusion of satire does not attract infringement while a satire that stands alone attracts infringement of the copyright law. This brings the issue of fair use as demonstrated by several infringement battles such as in the case of Colting’s 60 Years Later novel and Suntrust Bank v Houghton Mifflin. Fair use sets a legal ground that permits commercial and creative decisions regarding rewrites. This leads to more cultural products making our culture richer, but also poses the big challenge of determining what qualifies as fair use and what does not. Thampapillai, Dilan. The Novel as a Social Satire: 60 Years Later, the Wind Done Gone and the Limitations of Fair Use. Deakin Law Review (2012): 427-452.Print. In The Novel as a Social Satire: 60 Years Later, The Wind Done Gone and the Limitations of Fair Use, the author, Dilan Thampapillai, evaluate the doctrine of fair use and its application in the society. He also explores the difference be tween fair use in Australian Copyright law and the American Copyright law in order to give an insight into the distinction between satire and parody. Furthermore, Dilan evaluates application of fair use with reference to the case of 60 Years Later and the rewrite of Gone With The Wind. Dilan Thampapillai currently works as a lecturer at the Deakin University School of Law. Prior to this, Dilan worked at the Australian Government Solicitor and Attorney-General’s Department as a lawyer. Evidently, he has a good background in the area of law giving credibility to his work. In addition, Dilan specializes in topics such as free speech, intellectual property, and public law. Dilan currently studies PhD at Melbourne University, holds a Master in Laws and a Bachelor of Laws from Cornell University and Australian National University respectively. Furthermore, the article is recent, published in 2012, thus, has up to date information about fair use. I will use the information in this a rticle to get an insight into the issue of fair use and infringement of Copyright issues. I will use the information from this article to evaluate the circumstances that a rewrite qualifies as fair use, and the circumstances under which it does not, that is, qualifies as infringement. Thus, this article will help me to understand better the concepts of parody and satire, and how they apply in Copyright issues. Dilan Thampapillai writes, â€Å"What must be accepted then is that both parody and satire are exercises in free speech and the fact that they warrant a free use exception in copyright law suggests that the statutory monopoly that is copyright needs to be reconciled with democratic values† (429). Beebe, Barton. An Empirical Study of US Copyright Fair Use Opinions, 1978-2005. University of Philadelphia Law Review (2008): 582-586. Print. In An Empirical Study of US Copyright Fair Use Opinions, the author, Beebe Barton discusses several opinions that argue for fair use. Ba rton refers to the four conditions in the US Copyright Act that fair use is dependent on. These are character and purpose of use, nature of the work copyrighted, sustainability and amount, and effect on the market. Beebe Barton is an intellectual law expert and a lecturer of the same at the New York University of Law. Beebe has J.D. from Yale school of Law attained in 2001, PhD from Princeton University and B.A. in Masters from the University of Chicago. In addition, Beebe is well vast in the topic of intellectual law, infringement, and

Monday, September 9, 2019

Political Science Discussion 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Political Science Discussion 2 - Coursework Example Moreover, ethnic and racial considerations also prove that the members are fully representative of the American people. This follows that minority ethnic groups are also being elected to the Congress. The American people have changed considerably relevant to what they want, as well as, expect in a president as evident from the reign of George Washington to the current president. According to the current expectations, the Americans want a president who can act fast and decisively on problems facing the nation including crime as well as drug abuse. Moreover, the Americans want a president who can perform well under pressure (Zegart, 41). Such a president must communicate effectively and commands a lot of trust from the citizens. These are some of the qualities that make a good president. Based on the above criteria, it is important to say that Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barrack Obama were and are, good presidents. The constitution should be amended in order to allow the federal judges to serve only a single, non-renewable and fixed 10-year term. Doing this cannot undermine the independence of the courts and their ability to uphold unpopular rights. However, amending the constitution to allow federal judges a fixed non-renewable term will be very significant in eliminating the possibility of bad judges remaining in the bench indefinitely. This will make the judges become more competent and very smart in their work, thus offering quality services to the

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Oedipus the King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Oedipus the King - Essay Example Parts of Oedipus are dramatic, rather than narrative. When Oedipus suspects that he has killed Laius, he doesn’t tell Jocasta of his suspicions, but drags it out of her bit by bit in an unnecessary dramatic fashion. He asks: Where did it happen? What did he look like? Who was he with? Can the survivor be sent for? Then he cries, â€Å"O God, what have you planned to do to me? (42). Oedipus also has several moments that arouse pity, and fear. The most notable of which is King Laius’ order to have baby Oedipus killed. Readers (as well as characters in the story) would feel sorry for the baby, but fear a king ruthless enough to kill his own son. The one element that doesn’t fit with Aristotle’s claim is poetic language. At least in the edition I have, the language is everyday, layperson language. There is nothing poetic about it, and little that requires in depth translation. The moment in which Oedipus realizes he has killed his father is a cathartic one. He is torn between the repulsion of having had sex with his mother, the knowledge that he has murdered his biological mother, and wanting to save face as a king, or allow his kingdom to show weakness. I doubt if anyone feels relieved by the events that took place. In the end, it was still depressing, unlike Aristotle’s view of Greek tragedy. It is true that Oedipus was neither totally good, nor totally evil. He was, obviously, a murderer, but he was actually attempting to flee because he thought it would save his father, not knowing he was the son of Laius. It is also true that Sophocles needed to put Oedipus into the position of king, so that when the true events were made known, there would be more of an impact, that if we found out some shepherd had accidentally killed King Laius. Oedipus’ unfortunate circumstances allow us to feel pity for him. It wasn’t his fault that he was ordered killed, and it wasn’t his fault that he didn’t recognize his own father There are a few points that

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Online Buying Behavior Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Online Buying Behavior - Research Paper Example For them buying online is a great option. Before we move on to the actual context we should know what is buying online One would ask 'why people switch to buying online rather than visiting stores and feeling the actual experience. Online Shopping is shopping you do online. There are sites that let you buy directly from manufacturers, online versions of regular retail stores, auctions, specialty sites, comparison sites, group buying sites and so on. Some sell items, others give advice and still others search the Internet to find you the best deal. Looking at this one may wonder how easy it gets to buy online, you simple have to just type in a word or words that best describe what you're looking for. Use product name, manufacturer or type. After you enter your search words, you'll get a list of items matching your description. Simply click on any link for get more specifics. Many women would go for this option as it feels so reliable and less risky indeed. The problem is how to identify the dos and don'ts of online buying. Women are very conscious decision makers when it comes to supporting family causes. They have a general tendency of being more careful about things after entering parenthood. Choice is something that has troubled a woman for long time. Dissonance is the factor which women try to avoid the most. For that reason this is a great case to handle. Methodology For the proposed research I would like to identify a few things that would help in identifying why there is a need for online buying. Below is the criteria and findings of what I think is suitable to demonstrate the use of online buying and its importance. The general idea is about visiting certain stores and reviewing what window shoppers or market folk say and the other approach present here is the actual citing of E-commerce sites present on the web their one can also find pretty helpful information about what is priority if considering shopping physically or digitally Some one may have the same opinion as given below regarding features of online shopping. Features of online buying 1. You can do it 24hours/7 days. You can shop whenever you want. 2. Comfort is the priority. If it is hot outside, you don't have to go out in the heat. If you don't feel like getting dressed, if there is a foot of snow on the roads and you can't get out, you can still shop. Also, if you don't feel well, this is definitely the way to shop. 3. Discount coupons are readily available online. For example, if you are planning to buy a book at a BM bookstore, you are unlikely to find a coupon to reduce the cost of the book. However, many online bookstores offer discount coupons. However, there are many other sites that list these types of

Friday, September 6, 2019

Educational psychology Essay Example for Free

Educational psychology Essay Introduction Welcome to the study of another important subject in the Bachelor of Education Curriculum. By the end of this course the student will be able to: 1. Define, sociology and sociological foundations in education. 2. Identify any five important points about the relevance of Sociological foundations in education. 3. Examine indigenous Ghanaian Education System and its influence on Western Formal Education. 4. Draw a distinction between educational sociology and sociology of education. 5. Analyze the dichotomy between rural and urban education delivery. 6. Discuss the dynamics and import of culture. 7. Define socialization and its relevance to Western Formal Education. Definition of Sociology and Sociological Foundations in Education 1. Vander Zanden sees Sociology as the scientific study of human organization. 2. Agyeman (1992, p. 47), sees â€Å"Sociology† as â€Å" a discipline which studies the nature and functions of human societies and the changes that take place within them. † He believes that sociology is largely concerned with understanding the relationships that exist between people which ultimately govern their behavior within the society. 3. Metta Spencer considers Sociology as the study of human group life. The question is, what is human group life? Human group life refers to the life of people in an institution. Such people are governed by conventions (unwritten constitution, or unwritten rules and regulations), with aims and purposes for gluing them together within a particular location. 4. Sociology as a discipline is interested in what makes human group life, possible, within a given society. 5. What is society? The term society refers to the entire complex network of the social world. It may refer to social life in the abstract, without reference to a specific place, but more often, it refers to a country, a nation or a state like Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia, etc. What is Educational Sociology? Bhattacharya (2003, 2006, p. 1. , in Brown 1947), defined Educational Sociology as the application of Sociology to educational problems. Educational Sociology is particularly interested in finding out how to manipulate the educational process to achieve better social and personality development. Educational Sociology asks the question what problems or influence does society bring to the school. What is Sociology of Education? Sociology of Education on the other hand emphasizes on the nature of human relations within the school and the social structure within which the school operates in the Community. In other words, Sociology of Education is concerned with what problems or influence the school brings to or /has on the society. Corollary: Educational Sociology—the influence of society on education. Sociology of education—the influence of education on society. Sociological foundations in education Now that we understand sociology of education and educational sociology, we can apply the concepts to identify what the course, sociological foundations in a education seeks to achieve. This course is like a hermaphrodite. Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines hermaphrodite as a person, an animal or a flower that has both male and female sexual organs and characteristics. The Course considers the influence of society on education, and also that of education on society. These two themes run though the course like a thread that holds a number of beads together. Chapter Two How societies thrive Societies last long, because they meet the following characteristics: Each society has a a. geographical location, b. culture and population. c. Specific needs. d. In –built mechanisms to achieve these needs. Ghana as a country for instance, needs to reproduce to replenish her population; she does this by †¢educating her citizens, †¢producing goods and services to meet the social life and status of her population, †¢governing her people that so there could be law and order, her people becoming good citizens, †¢ meeting their emotional aspirations such as, the quest for religion, and †¢assisting her citizens to meet their recreational and physical needs through health services. From the foregoing indications about how families thrive, it may be stated that societal needs are provided by social institutions within a country. Peil (1977, p.17) defines a social institution as â€Å"an enduring complex of norms, roles, values and sanctions which embrace a distinct segment of inter-human life. † According to Peil, Social Institutions are specially organized and arranged social networks of the members who constitute the society. Humans are therefore noted to have the ability to interact with each other in their daily encounter; and by so doing achieve their needs and their continuity across generations (Agyeman 1992, p. 47). Society thus, thrives in four major institutions: 1. Marriage and the family 2. Economic institutions 3. Political organizations 4. Religious groups/Religious institutions. 1. Marriage and the Family When a child is born, it is brought up in a family, through a process called socialization. Authorities have defined socialization. A few of such definitions are as follows, though much of it would be examined in lesson ten. Socialization is a process of learning to relate to, and interact with others; a process of adopting the behavior patterns of the surrounding culture; an act of establishing oneself according to the principles of socialism; the act of meeting for social purposes, and participating in social activities. .(http://www. babylon. com/definition/socialization/Latvian, retrieved January 31 2012). Socialization is also a term used by sociologists, social psychologists, anthropologists, politicians and educationists to refer to the process of inheriting norms, customs and ideologies. It may provide the individual with the skills and habits necessary for participating in activities within their own society. A society itself is formed through a plurality of shared norms, customs, values, traditions, social roles, symbols and languages. Socialization is thus ‘the means by which social and cultural continuity are attained. ’ (http://www. babylon. com/definition/socialization/Latvian January 31 2012). Thus the processes of socialization determine the main agenda of marriage as an institution; a few functions of marriage are as follows: a. Procreating: bringing children into being to play various roles in society. b. Meeting the physical needs of each other: the Lord God had stated; â€Å"it is not good that the man should live alone, I will make him a help meet for him† Genesis 2:18 KJV). In other words, God Himself observed that man needed a companion to help him cope with life’s labors, for he (Adam, the first to be created), had been assigned to dress and keep the garden of Eden, a task that needed a helping hand. Much could however be said about meeting the physical needs of humankind through the marriage institutions, but it may be summed up in this popular proverb: â€Å"two heads are better than one. † After all, when the couple collaborate, they can achieve their life goals, better. c. Another big role the marriage institution plays in helping societies to thrive, and within the context of socialization is found in one of the most important functions of the married couples—raising up children in the fear of the Lord. We are to train our children the right way so that they can become good citizens when they grow (Proverbs 22:6). It is a known fact in every society today that single parenting is not the best way to raise children. True Christians therefore believe that God underscored the importance of child nurture through the cooperation of couples when He queried couples in the prophecy of Jeremiah, â€Å"Lift up your eyes and behold them that come from the north, where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock? † (Jeremiah 13:20 KJV). My favourite author had noted: The reason there are so many hardhearted men and women in our world is that true affection has been regarded as weakness and has been discouraged and repressed. The better part of the nature of persons of this class was perverted and dwarfed in childhood, and unless rays of divine light melt away their coldness and hardhearted selfishness, the happiness of such is buried forever (E. G. White, Adventist Home, p. 108, emphasis mine). In her book Child Guidance, the same author made the following observation. â€Å"To the mother and father the right training of their children is the most important work of their life† (E. G White, Child Guidance, p. 556). To sum up the role marriage plays in the process of socialization, and how it helps societies to thrive, one may realize that marriage is a very indispensable institution when it comes to life on earth. It takes couples collaborative efforts in marriage to procreate, or bring forth offspring. And when couple bear children, these kids need to be nurtured to play various roles in societies. It has been identified that as these couples cooperate to meet each other’s physical, emotional and psychological needs, they can also help train children in the fear of the Lord for the benefit of society. 2. Economic Institutions: Many physical and material needs of society are provided by economic institutions. Industries, banks, companies, all collaborate to meet the needs of people in a society. However provision of needs by these economic institutions could be disrupted by disorder of one kind or another. Peace is therefore needed in every society. To obtain peace in societies, we need political institutions. 3. Political Institutions: These exist to maintain peace and stability within a country or society, namely; chieftaincy, national governance, the police service, the army, etc. Without these services, no society can obtain peace and her economic needs. Think of a nation without any peace keeping force and the upsurge of armed robbery! Your conclusion shall be as true as mine. 4. Religious Institutions and groups: Every society has religious institutions that help to meet the emotional and psychological needs of her members. Specifically every society has people who are prone to seek answers to explain the unknown, the metaphysical world, etc. It is the religious institution that help people to gain answers to questions that bother them. However, because people have unique characteristics, and needs, religious groups are many. This is because there have been different approaches to obtain emotional satisfaction by people at various levels in their life. Four religious groups may be identified presently: a. Monotheism b. Pantheism c. Theism d. Atheism Monotheism: believers who hold this faith worship one God, eg. Judaism, Islam, Christianity. Pantheism: pantheistic believers consider God as present in nature Theism: Believers in Theism think God exists. Atheism: Those who believe in Atheism argue that there is no God. Conclusion In this lesson we have defined sociology of education and educational sociology. We are told that sociology of education considers the influence of education on society, and that of educational sociology also considers the influence of society on education. Sociology itself has been defined as the scientific study of human group life. We are also told that every society has four characteristics, namely, a) a geographical location, b) culture and a population, c) specific needs, d) and inbuilt mechanisms to meet these needs. It is interesting to note that all societies thrive within four institutions, namely; marriage, economic, political and religious groups. An understanding of the harmonious functions of these four institutions is required by every teacher. Even though this course is not a detailed study of the named institutions, yet it is important that teachers read around them. Chapter Three Role of community and the school in African Education The concepts Sociology of education and educational Sociology spell out the fundamental mutual roles the community and school play interdependently. We have established that Sociology of education examines the influence of the school on society. Educational sociology on the other hand deals with the influence society has on education. Role of the Community in African Education In this lesson we will take a look at the role of the community in general, in traditional education in Ghana. Traditional Education (TE) is also known as informal education. The role of the community on African education is similar to the influence of society on formal education. However the context is quite different; ten roles the community plays in African education may be identified presently: 1. Livelihood Skills: One of the major roles of the community in Traditional Education is the training of the youth to acquire livelihood skills. Carpentry, Masonry, blacksmithing and farming are some of the livelihood skills the community teaches in African education. Families identify people with these special trades within the community and send their wards to them for training in the context of apprenticeship. Only three of the many ways livelihood skills are taught by the community are recounted here: a. My son or daughter could learn the trade that I have when she is born. Better still I can encourage my child to learn a trade outside my home, with someone in the community whose trade is beneficial. b. All children in the traditional community undergo communal labour of one kind or another. By so doing they learn interdependence or co-operation skills that underpin the rationale behind international trade. No one can survive by living as a hermit or as a misanthrope. In other words, only few people can live meaningful lives by living alone without recourse to anybody in times of crisis. We need each other in a mutual context. c. Sometimes the community members discipline children who may go wayward. However, no community member with a questionable character was allowed to discipline any child in the society. Chinua Achebe had said that, the voice of the cock at dawn benefits everyone in the community; nevertheless, it belongs to its owner. This adage of Achebe is true in traditional societies. Children are known to belong to everyone though they have individual parents. As children are corrected from time to time by the disciplined elders in the community, they grow to internalize these disciplinary skills, and practice same when they grow to become matured men and women whose tremendous support to the community cannot be overemphasized. Thus, learning existing trade in one’s community, engaging the youth in communal labour and the way the elderly in the community disciplined every child in traditional African communities; depict the major role these communities play in maintaining the survival and continuity of society. By this, the traditional African education system, is thus impacted by the community in general. 2. Role Modeling: The members of a community in general serve as role models. The good life some community elders live is copied by the growing youth, as well as that of their parents. While children have not grown to enter organized school system the life of the people they see in their community serves as a guide and inspiration for their future life. 3. The spirit of nationalism: The community instills in their youth the spirit of nationalism and civic governance. How is this done? Antwi (1992, p. 208) has this to say: â€Å"It has been observed by eminent comparative educationist that what goes on outside the schools matters even more than what goes on inside them. † This renowned educationist further argued that although traditional education is informal, yet it focuses on the survival and transmission of ideas, cherished at the time to ensure continuity of society and its members in and through many socio- cultural practices. No society can continue to exist without a form of organization of its members into corporate groups with rules and regulations to govern them. That is why Antwi (1992) was very much concerned about what goes on outside the school. It is socio –cultural practices that bind people together to ensure the continuity of society, and the survival of nations. It is therefore right to state that the spirit of nationalism is instilled in children outside the classroom, precisely through the efforts of the community at large. 4. Team spirit: The team spirit popularly known as the â€Å"Nnoboa† system in traditional communities impacts the growing youth in a tremendous way: Children and the youth are engaged in diverse ways when it comes to the traditional Nnoboa system: a. Children are sent on errands to deliver messages about an impending task in the Nnoboa system. b. Some of them carry prepared food and water to farms where the Nnoboa task is being executed. c. They are made to carry various implements to the various task grounds. d. Some of the youth are engaged to carry out specific tasks. The role everyone plays during communal labour and the â€Å"Nnoboa† system enhances and fortifies team spirit among members of the community. 5. Family Life Lessons: Another way by which the community influences traditional education is through family life lessons, especially cultural obligations like the performance of puberty rites. Before the child enters the formal education system, it had learnt a lot, including the value of chastity. Parents inculcate this value into their children, and so does the community at large. 6. Hardship and endurance lessons: Household chores, labour on farms, carrying firewood and load from farm and bush; all strengthen the youth to grow to face adult problems with full alacrity. Question: will children of today give a helping hand to the old lady or man, coming from somewhere with heavy load? Will they do so not for reward but for service? Perhaps a few may do that but not many children. Communities in traditional African Societies inculcate in the growing youth the spirit of sacrifice in carrying out various tasks to aid adults and significant others without seeking reward of any kind. Volunteerism is a legacy from traditional African communities to the traditional education system. 7. Relationship Building: The community also helps children to build good interpersonal relationships. This is achieved as children witness social gatherings where arbitration and other cultural displays take place. Through cultural festivities, children learn to love one another. Also on such festive occasions disputes in families are settled, annual plans for development of the communities formulated. (1) 8. Intellectual Training: Intellectual training through the running of errands is another important legacy the community imparts to the traditional education system, and the growing child. In traditional societies, every child learns to execute errands with due accuracy. Children are required to be honest and true, mincing no words about what needs to be relayed. By keeping in memory information to transmit, children develop sharp memories. Witty sayings and riddles of the elders trigger critical thinking and help children to develop analytical thinking skills. 9. Health Lessons: Traditional African communities have very laudable health rules and regulations that are more or less conventional, because there is no record on them. These health principles are passed on to the Traditional African Education system, by oral tradition. Categories of health principles include: a. Exercise, through walking to deliver errands, sometimes long distant walks; local African games like Ampe for girls; farming or gardening, etc. , are part of the life style of the traditional youth and adults. b. Treatment of diseases through herbs. In those days the sick in traditional African societies were healed through herbs and other preventive measures. c. Meals were made up largely of fruits and vegetables. d. Positive thinking: petty squabbles, bickering and animosity were prohibited. Should any occur, the elders met over it and settled such cases promptly. e. Promiscuity was very rare. In typical traditional African Societies, sex was only for adults, and even here, within married homes. Teenage pregnancy was very uncommon within African Communities. 10. Moral Values: Stealing, adultery, lies, etc. , were frowned upon in traditional communities, and these prohibitions were passed to into the traditional education system. Role of the School in African Education If the community has so many roles to play in African Education, then formal education has also a role to play to help make informal education, meaningful. Of the many roles the schools have to play to make informal education meaningful, only five of them may be identified presently: 1. Teachers are to be role models. When children copy worthwhile values, they move into the traditional homes with such knowledge and consequently instruct parents†¦ â€Å"Teacher says that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Let me cite an example: Methods of purifying water like boiling and decantation are sent to traditional homes by pupils who took their science lessons serious, and wisely transmitted such information to ignorant parents. Having acquired such knowledge, parents pass them on to those to be born. 2. In Lokko Parentis: Teachers are to be surrogates. A surrogate mother or father is one who plays the role of the real parent. Surrogacy is the practice of giving birth to a baby for another woman who is unable to have babies herself. The woman who cannot produce children could get a baby from one who is fertile. Then she is expected to treat the child as a real mother will treat her son or daughter with love and affection. Such a child will feel secure, confident and happy. Surrogate parents are true parents in replicate. It is only when the child in a traditional home finds the classroom teacher as a second parent, will it learn with due confidence. 3. Modern Technology: People in traditional societies see the school as indispensable. Some traditional people now know that it is through schooling that the world is now a global community, especially with the advent of the computer and internet. With the coming of emails, the traditional post office transactions have reduced tremendously. Children in traditional homes are so influenced by Information Technology (IT) that they can now manipulate face books, Linked in; Twitter, to mention just a few. However the popular SAKAWA is becoming a notorious practice, for it is associated using knowledge in IT to siphon people’s money in bank deposits. 4. Scholarship: When it comes to scholarship, the school plays a tremendous role in traditional African Education system. Parents are glad to see their children gain funding to study abroad to come down to their society as big men and women. In fact, the knowledge and status these children gain from scholarships tend to enhance the progress of society and the communities to which they belong. This is especially true when it comes to political governance. 5. Agriculture: It is believed that when traditional farmers learn modern techniques of crop production, they become better farmers than when they used the traditional methods. Just as knowledge from the traditional education system impacts formal education, so it is that, knowledge from the school help traditional education. Question: Discuss the role of the school and the community in traditional African Education system. Chapter Four Indigenous Ghanaian Education Western Formal Education compared In this chapter, we will compare indigenous Ghanaian education with Western formal education system. Indigenous Ghanaian Education (IGE) is that kind of non-literate education that equips the individual with all the knowledge and skills needed, in order to live meaningfully with other human beings. The main purpose of IGE is to integrate individuals into society. On the other hand Western formal education is that type of education that takes place in the classroom, with teachers, curriculum, infrastructure, etc. How IGE takes place: 1. It is informal and takes place anywhere, home, street, playground, etc. 2. There is no fixed time for instruction in IGE. It takes place from dusk to dawn. 3. Mode of teaching: There are no specific teaching syllabi, nor are there specially employed teachers, with classrooms, tables, chairs and stationery as we have in the Western formal education. a. Inappropriate behavior is corrected on the spot, by anyone who is deemed responsible in the community. However, anyone with a questionable character was disallowed from instructing the young ones. b. Though there is no formal training, some professions like chieftaincy, herbal medicine, hunting, carving, drumming, etc. , call for special training before practice. Would- be- professionals in the named fields, leave their homes to stay in various locations and study to become professionals. Here, teaching is basically by modeling and example. 4. Learning: In IGE learning is practical oriented. Students see and do. To become professionals in some fields like herbal medicine, students stay with the chief professionals for not less than five years, or even more! Characteristics of IGE Indigenous Ghanaian Education (IGE) has four characteristics: 1. Informal 2. Non-Literate 3. Utilitarian 4. Multivalent Informal From how IGE takes place we learnt that there are no classrooms nor paid teachers. There is no curriculum, no teachers, no research facilities, no libraries. Non-literate In IGE, there is no reading and writing, so there are no records for reference purposes. Important information is therefore lost to posterity. However knowledge gained is preserved through oral tradition. Information is passed on to offspring. The probability of such information becoming distorted or adulterated is very high. Utilitarian A major characteristic of IGE is its utilitarian nature. This term has to do with the occupation of people in IGE. None is unemployed. As children are born into various homes, they learn the type of occupation of their parents. The shepherd raises children who learn to care for sheep, goats or cattle; the blacksmith, farmer, fetish priest, etc. , also raise children who take to their occupation. Everyone in IGE is meaningfully occupied. Under IGE no one is jobless. The training and nurture in IGE is so comprehensive that everyone who trains becomes a responsible adult. The reason is due to the multivalent nature of IGE. Multivalent IGE is multivalent in the sense that it has many parts. Learners in IGE are trained Physically, Morally, Socially, emotionally and intellectually. a. Physical training: When we were discussing the role of the school and community in African Education, we noted that learners in IGE could exercise a lot, due to their involvement in running errands of varied kinds to various places, sometimes on long distances. The involvement of learners in traditional drumming and dancing assists body building, stretching and enhancing of muscles for efficient circulation of blood. b. Social dimension: Correct use of language is taught, communal labour is encouraged. The youth are heavily involved. Failure to attend communal labour attracted sanctions. Attending social functions to become acquainted with societal norms and values is also encouraged. c. Intellectual dimension: In discussing the role of the community in African education it was noted that running errands with delivery of accurate messages enhanced the intellect of learners. Besides, calendars were calculated without any mistake though there were no calendar records. Wise sayings and proverbs of the adults were tools to enhance memory power. Strong points in IGE IGE had many strong points, but only a few are recounted below: 1. Cost effectiveness: There is hardly any investment in IGE that went wasted. Every child born grew to inherit an occupational legacy. As mentioned earlier, there was no unemployment in IGE. 2. Instructors: Unlike Western formal education where learners had to be taught by paid teachers, IGE had instructors who were more or less voluntary. The siblings or friends on the street, the father or mother, and any significant other taught free of charge. There were no books to buy, no infrastructure to build; IGE was absolutely free! 3. Intellectual Development: Under IGE, learners’ memory was improved because every information had to be kept in memory. Weak points in IGE 1. There were no written records in IGE, so potential facts and information were either lost or distorted. 2. Information on treatment of certain diseases were hidden or lost to posterity. There were no materials for future reference. 3. Research was not carried out to prove the authenticity of theories: for example, women who grew beard were classified as witches. In some traditional societies, convulsion is attributed to the work of witches and wizards. Such beliefs slow down the progress of society. Similarities between IGE and formal education: 1. Both IGE and formal education have trained personnel. Priests, herbalists and apprenticeship needed special training to function meaningfully. 2. In formal education and IGE, character transformation and development are common objectives. 3. Intellectual development is paramount in formal education and IGE, and especially in the latter. Chapter Five Rural -Urban dichotomy Current educational system and distribution of educational resources appear to favour urban than rural areas. The B. Ed. teacher needs to understand challenges in both urban and rural areas within the Ghana Education Service. The table below depicts the 12 major criteria for comparison of education delivery of urban and rural areas, in Ghana. URBAN AREA RURAL AREA 1. Infrastructure is available. Learners have limited infrastructure and sometimes learn under trees. 2. Enrolment in urban schools is teeming, even over. Very limited enrolment, and in some villages classes are combined. 3. Teachers are available for both sexes in urban areas. However, over staffing is sometimes found in some urban schools. Teachers are scarce in rural areas especially the female counterpart. 4. Learners in urban areas could benefit from distant learning facilities, such as TV, radio, etc. In some rural areas there are no facilities for distance learning; even news papers, radio and TV are unavailable. 5. In urban areas sources of good drinking water are many. For example we have pure drinking water, packaged in sachets; then we have pipe borne water, and bore holes. In rural areas, sources of drinking water include bore holes, rivers, streams, and ponds. Bore holes could be safe; so are some river waters. However ponds and streams might need purification before consumption. Bad drinking water however scares teachers from accepting posting to rural areas. 6. Distance to school may not be a problem in Urban areas because, means of transport is available except the cost involved. In rural areas, distance to school is always a problem. Learners have to travel miles to school; they get exhausted by the time they reach school. This could affect learning progress. 7. School logistics are available in urban areas. In rural areas, school logistics are scarce. Teachers have to improvise sometimes, to meet learning needs. 8. Food is in urban areas, so learners are fed if only their parents give them money. Food is unavailable for students in rural areas, however, some carry cooked food to school. Others go to school on empty stomach leading to poor performance. 9. Students could be punctual to school. Students may be late for school. 10. Parents and teachers’ association (PTA) could be organized easily. It is difficult to organize PTA in rural areas. 11. It is easy to elicit funding for school infrastructure in urban areas. It is difficult to get funding for school infrastructure, in rural areas. 12. It is believed that urban students hardly become innovators. It has been discovered that great innovators, educators and philosophers attended school in rural areas. Problems in rural and urban education delivery and suggested solutions 1. Infrastructure: Whether in the rural or urban areas, when ever infrastructure problem is identified, organizing and soliciting PTA support will be very meaningful. Non-governmental organizations could also be invited to help. 2. Enrolment drive: When there is a problem in over or under enrolment, the teacher must make time to seek solution for it. First, if it is over enrolment, the ideal is to arrange with the school head or administrators to split the classes. This will however call for class accommodation and extra teachers.