Black Death in Europe Essay

European people faced great hardship during the years 1347-1352 suffering from the effects of the Bubonic Plaque. Prior to this epidemic hitting Europe the population of Europe was growing faster than the food supplies could keep up with and economic crisis was beginning to take place. Once the Bubonic Plaque started spreading it took center stage and over population would not be an issue of concern any longer. The Bubonic Plaque, also referred to as the Black Death, was caused by a bacterial infection found mostly in rodents and their fleas. The infected fleas would come into contact with humans and death would occur in less than a week. Humans suffered from high fever, aching limbs, and lymph nodes would swell and turn black. Humans also contributed to the spread of the plaque by non-effected people coming into contact with the body fluids of an effected person. As the plaque spread the people of Europe found themselves shifting from community and family to worrying about survival of the individual. Men who worked with animals contracted the plaque and died. Women that contracted the plaque that survived could no longer carry a child and were abandoned by their husbands. Children found themselves fighting to survive as their parents were taken by the plaque. Families that did have children would abandoned their children who became infected, the plaque would kill children within hours of contraction if not immediately. In attempt to escape the plaque people that lived in the cities often traveled to the country and most often taking the plaque with them only cause more death. Europe lost roughly one third of the population due to the Bubonic Plaque. The economy during this time also saw a great shift from the twenty five million people lost due to the plaque. Feudalism, which was strong before the plaque, weakened as European people realized that they could work and survive on their own. Many of the farm workers died leaving the land in bad shape which meant poor crop return and a declining food supply. The famers and workers that managed to survive the plaque were able to demand more wages from the knights, baron, or king that owned the land they worked. The cows, goats, sheep, and other live stock that were used for food supply were often shared among communities but as people feared for survival these animals were brought inside homes to prevent exposure only causing more death from spread of the plaque and other diseases. Lastly the economy  suffered from lack of trade with other counties. The Bubonic Plaque’s massive death toll left other countries fearful of trading goods adding to the already hard economy. While the Bubonic Plaque did not completely vanish until late in the fifteenth century the effects on life and economy during the peak of contamination was dramatic. In a five year span Europe experienced entire towns and villages being left lifeless from the Bubonic Plaque. The bacterial infection spread without regard to social and economical class, killing both adults and children. Those that did survive the plaque found new opportunities through negotiating and rebelling.

Blood Brothers Essay

â€Å"Blood Brothers† is a play about two twins who are separated at birth, they do not only have different parents but have a whole different lifestyle. Eddie lives in a world of luxury and has opportunities to go to university and eventually owning his own business which is more than Mickey could have ever dreamed of. On the other hand Mickey is brought up in a working class family with no qualifications whatsoever, as soon as Mickey thinks he has finally settled down with a job he then finds himself fired and starts turning to crime. Towards the end of the play the differences between Eddie and Mickey begin to show as friction is caused between them. They begin to turn against each other and Linda is stuck in the middle as she has feelings for both Eddie and Mickey, this is when the question is raised asking whether Linda and Eddie have been having an affair. This is then what sends Mickey off the rails and ends up being the cause of the Johnstone twin’s death as Mickey shot Eddie in a rage of anger over Linda. Tension is caused at the end of the play when Mrs Johnstone tells Mickey and Eddie that they are brothers as the audience already knew this they just wanted to know when and how this would be revealed to the twins. Willy Russell wrote Blood Brothers to show how life was in Liverpool in 1980s and how being in a different class separated people. He also refers to the recession and how so many people lost their jobs and the only way for them to earn a living was to turn to crime like Mickey did as he needed money to support Linda and his child, Sammy did not help the situation as he was the one who had persuaded Mickey to earn money in that way. The end of the story is revealed to the audience by the narrator at the very beginning of the play. This builds up tension because people know what is going to happen so they are waiting to find out how it happened and what led up to that scene. Another thing that adds tension to the play is how the narrator keeps on referring back to the devil â€Å"the devils got your number, y’know he’s gonna find y’. Y’know he’s right behind y.† Towards the end of the play the narrator says how close the devil is getting, the devil being the devil inside Mickey when he shoots Eddie down. Mrs Johnstone sings a song about the price that she has to pay â€Å"Living on the never, never, constant as the changing weather never sure who’s at the door or the price I’ll have to pay† This song says that Mrs Johnstone has a price to pay, this could mean that she has to give up her baby in return for the money that Mrs Lyons gave her but the audience know that the price that she will have to pay is the guilt that she will suffer and that both her twins die. The constant weather indicates her life has been up and down like it’s raining when she is sad and sunny when she is happy and that everything changes as fast as the weather. Secondly when she says that she is â€Å"living on the never, never, Constant as the changing weather never sure who’s at the door† this could refer to the people who came to knock on her door to take away her possessions and that living on the never, never could mean that she knows that nothing that she has will stay with her forever. Another thing that indicates this is that when she says â€Å"It’s alright lad †¦ we’re used to it we were in the middle id our tea one night when they came for that table.† This means that she has had her belonging possessed before and because of this she doesn’t really mind when it happens again because it has happened so many times before. Willy Russell has made the audience sympathize with Mrs Johnstone because she has been through a lot in her life. At the beginning of the play she tells us how she got to be in that position in that moment in time. Mrs Johnstone describes her marriage and says â€Å"that I was six weeks overdue† which makes the audience feel sorry for her. It also describes the place of marriage which was at the registry office. â€Å"We got married at the registry and had a do†. This suggests to us the audience that the wedding was nothing too fancy, not too expensive and that the marriage was sudden and unexpected. She got married because she was expecting a baby, in difficult, circumstances to get married in. Soon after the wedding Mrs Johnstone wanted to go out and enjoy herself like she had done before but her husband wouldn’t take her anywhere because he became very conscious of her appearance and felt embarrassed to be seen with her. This is evident due to the fact that sh e gained weight and now perceived herself to be â€Å"twice the size of Marilyn Monroe†. The audience feels sympathetic towards her because she has seven children and low self esteem. This is shown by the fact that she describes herself to look like she is forty two instead of twenty five. This shows the physical strain that Mrs. Johnston has gone through. I understand why she gave her baby away to Mrs Lyons because Mrs Lyons emotionally manipulated Mrs Johnston in this terrible time she is going through. Mrs Lyons attempts to make Mrs Johnstone think positively by saying that â€Å"if he’s with me you’ll still be able to see him each day as you come to work† Mrs Lyons presents Mrs Johnstone with the idea that her son would have a much better life with herself â€Å"if he grew up here as our son†¦ he could have everything†. However this is why she may have done this for the benefit of the baby because she felt that Mrs Lyons could provide for him much better than she ever could and she just wanted him to have a better life. The purpose of the narrator is to explain some of the key action on stage. The narrator also involves the audience by asking them directly, to judge what they see. He reveals that the brothers die at the very start of the play and from then on he constantly reminds the audience of the twin’s fate. He presents the themes of fate, destiny and superstition throughout the play, but at the end he asks the audience to consider if it was social class rather than fate that caused the tragedy. In the play the narrator constantly reminds Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons about the devil â€Å"Y’know the devils got your number, y’know he’s gonna find y’, y’know he’s right behind y’, he’s starin through your windows and he’s creeping down the hall.† This makes the audience realise that when the narrator refers to the devil he means the devil that is going to cause the death of the twins at the end of the play this makes the audience anxious as to when this is all going to happen. In this play Mickey, Eddie, Linda, and Sammy play all sorts of games, I think that the games that they play influence them when they are older for example they play with pretend guns and Sammy says â€Å"It only fires caps. I’m gonna get a real gun soon, I’m gonna get an air gun† This later becomes true as Sammy does get a real gun which is then used to kill someone; both Mickey and Sammy were arrested for this. The arrest is also relevant as the children used to play cops and robbers. â€Å"Come on Eddie, you can have a shot at our target in the park.†This is relevant because Mickey and Eddie practised shooting and in the end Mickey shoots Eddie so the shooting practise came in handy. I think the strongest child was Linda because she stuck up for Mickey no matter what; she stuck up for him when he was getting told of by the teachers and she was able to have the courage to lie to a police officer. Superstition is a big theme in the play and Mrs Johnstone is shown to be superstitious right at the beginning of the play. â€Å"New shoes on the table. Take them off†¦Ã¢â‚¬ .The new shoes on the table could result in the birth of the twins. â€Å"Plural, Mrs Johnstone, mouths to feed, you’re expecting twins.† The narrator uses superstition during the play to imply the loss of money or precious things. â€Å"An’ a spider’s been killed.† A main part in the play is when Mrs Lyons uses Mrs Johnston’s superstitions to stop her from telling Eddie and Mickey that they actually brothers â€Å"They say that if either twin learns that he once was a pair, they shall both immediately die.† As Mrs Johnstone is very superstitious she believed every word Mrs Lyons says to her. This superstition later becomes true, as at the end of the play the only reason why the gun got fired was because Mrs Johnstone told the boys that they were actually br others as she thought that it would stop Mickey from shooing Eddie but in the end although it may have been an accident Mickey still fired the gun either over anger or rage over Linda or pure shock to find out that he was a twin. The narrator finishes his speech with the idea of superstitions and whether they are the cause of the traumatic story line and ending. â€Å"And do we blame superstition for what came to pass.† The first sign of tension is when he kids grow up and Sammy causes trouble on the bus as he gets a knife out and starts threatening the conductor to give the bag with all of the fair money in just because he wouldn’t give Sammy a ticket â€Å"Fuck off, now move, you move! Give me the bag† This creates tension because nobody has ever seen that side of Sammy before and even Mickey gets scared and tries to stop him from getting into to deeper trouble â€Å"Sammy, Sammy!† The repetition means that Mickey is really worried and wants to get Sammy’s attention. When both Sammy and Mickey are both fired tension is created when Sammy asks Mickey to help him out with a job, Sammy then produces a gun and says they will go and hold someone up for some money. Mickey is reluctant at first, but wants to be able to buy Linda something nice, and agrees to stand guard. The audience want Mickey to be able to say no to Sammy because they know that it probably won’t end well, because they know that Mickey wants to be able to provide for Linda and his child but he won’t be able to do that behind bars. Meanwhile all this is happening at exactly the same time Edward meets up with Linda, proclaiming his love for her. She explains she has always loved him in a way, but she is now married to Mickey, and very much in love. Willy Russell shows them talking at the same time so the audience can compare what both Linda and Mickey are saying, Mickey gave into temptation and was willing to help Sammy with a job for money whilst Linda had Eddie declaring his love for her but Linda was strong enough to say no because she couldn’t do that to Mickey. At the beginning of the play Mickey and Eddie had a very strong friendship and cared and looked out for each other, when one was sad the other asked why and wanted to help â€Å"Mickey what’s wrong?† Eddie saw that Mickey was upset so he wanted to know if there was anything he could do to help. â€Å"I Thought we were blood brothers† this shows that they were once very close and being blood brothers meant that they always stuck together. As the play went on and the kids grew up into adults the relationship between Mickey and Eddie had changed. Before they were best friends, which had then changed into a university kid and an unemployed man who had nothing to say to each other. When Eddie announced that he had everything he had ever wanted and offered to give Mickey money, Mickey’s jealousy got the better of him â€Å"You, you’re a dickhead†. This indicates that Mickey is angry at Eddie because he has everything including all the money in the world whilst Mickey had no job, no money and hated the thought that his old best friend had everything he didn’t have. Right at the start of the play everyone saw how close Mickey and Linda were but when Mickey was in jail it not only changed him, but it changed his mental health as he became attached to drugs and became insane and mad. â€Å"He said about, about me nerves, an how I get depresses an, I need to take these cos they make me better.† But when Mickey did use these drugs it might have made him feel better but it put a strain on his and Linda’s relationship as they argued all the time which then resulted to Linda turning to Eddie for comfort and supposedly romance. Willy Russell uses ellipses to show pauses or that t he character is being hesitant in sentences to create tension and also to make the reader hang on to the speakers words and waiting for the next instalment. In the final moments of the feel tense as Mickey is running round the town with a gun searching for Eddie and everyone is wondering if he actually will shoot his brother or if he will just threaten him. The confrontation between Eddie and Mickey is very dramatic as Mickey is shouting out the odds and Eddie is denying everything. Then the police come in demanding that Mickey puts down the gun down then when he starts to realise what he is doing he begins to lower the gun, then when Mrs Johnstone comes and announces that they are twin brothers â€Å"Mickey don’t shoot Eddie, he’s your brother, I couldn’t afford to keep both of you. His mother couldn’t have kids so I agreed to give one of you away.† Mickey despairs that he was not the one given away, because then he could have had the life given to Eddie. Mickey, distraught, gestures carelessly with the gun towards Eddie. This sad story ends when the police misinterpret this action and gun Mickey down as he accidentally shoots Eddie, killing him. I think Blood Brothers the musical is a fantastic play, I especially love the way that each song has a meaning and the emotions of the characters in the lyrics. But I thought the end was good as you would have never thought that Mickey would kill Eddie. How the play was set for the narrator to have told the end of the story and the beginning of the play created more and more tension as the play went. I liked the fact that Willy Russell was influenced by Liverpool in 1983, only some of the characters had a Liverpool accent these were Mickey, Sammy, Linda, and Mrs Johnstone these were all the people in lower class and the ones who didn’t have an accent were Eddie, Mrs Lyons and Mr Lyons as they were very well spoken and in upper class. I learnt how social class can get in the way of you want to be friends with because their parents might not approve of you. I think the play might still have a relevance for a modern day audience as some people still rely on their class to get things, for example if Mrs Lyons wasn’t in upper class then Mrs Johnstone would have been able to stand up to her because she wouldn’t have thought that she was so high up. This can make modern day audiences change their mind and know that the times have changed so they can be friends with whoever they want to be. Another thing that the audience would see is how Mrs Lyons gave Mrs Johnstone money for her baby and that still happens today, so they can see that if someone does give their baby away to someone for money then it might not always end in happiness.

There Are 2 Brands of Cell Phones That Are Almost Identical Except for Some Minor Features: the a-Phone and the Pomegranate

There are 2 brands of cell phones that are almost identical except for some minor features: the A-Phone and the Pomegranate. Part I For this part of the assignment, we will focus on the demand curve. Draw the demand curve for the A-Phone. Explain how the graph, price, and quantity demanded will change if the following occurs: †¢There is an overall increase in income. †¢It is discovered that there are health concerns when using cell phones. What happens to the supply of cell phones if the market price goes up? For this part of the assignment, we will focus on the supply curve. Explain what happens to the price and quantity supplied and how it reflects on a graph if the following occurs: †¢It becomes more expensive to produce cell phones. †¢Another company starts producing cell phones, and now there are 3 producers in the market. Part III For this part of the assignment, we are going to focus on demand and supply on the same graph. Draw a graph which shows the equilibrium price of cell phones. Explain what the graph is showing. When the new manufacturer introduces the Robo cell phone to the market, how does that affect the equilibrium price if the Robo is basically the same as the other cell phones? Part IV As the public’s dependence on cell phones continues to grow, the cost of the phones may be decreasing, but the stronghold that telecommunication companies have on the public in regards to contracts and climbing fees is alarming. Additionally, all cell phone companies charge about the same prices, and the consumers do not have much choice in substituting providers. Consumers appear to need some controls in this regard, and the government decides to step in. †¢What is the effect of government intervention in the cell phone market? Make sure that you use graphs to illustrate your point. †¢Is this a good thing for consumers? On the other hand, the government sees the increase in cell phone use as an opportunity to make some additional revenue, and it decides to tax service providers. †¢Who is really paying the tax? †¢Illustrate your conclusion on a graph. †¢Do you think that there is a free market for cell phone users? Why or why not?

Critical analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Critical analysis - Essay Example Though the report does not categorically answer each and ever question that are raised by it, however, it lays to rest some of the confusions/misconceptions regarding the â€Å"emoting† of the Britons. This report is skilfully written and the arguments that are used are very well put, however, it is noted that the topic of this report is not that contentious to begin with. There are no differing views, as such, possible to this report. It is not a double-ended question that this report is attempting to answer, but it merely puts forward questions regarding the emotional status of the Britons and then answers those in the light of the results of the research carried out. The research report is targeted at all Britons, and intends to improve our familiarity and perception concerning our emotional state. The language used is pretty simple and easy to understand, and does not require any specialised knowledge in any field to comprehend. It is a good read for anyone who is curious about the matter. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the targeted audience of this research paper is not merely sociologists or other specialised professionals. The report is mainly concerned with its own findings and is focused on those only. There has been little use of past research, with the only other research paper that is mentioned being research conducted by SIRC in 2004, The Kleenex for Men Crying Game Report: A study of men and Crying. Other than this fairly recent report, there has been no use of any research papers and/or reports in this document. The findings of this research themselves are the main topic for discussion. The report is quite well written and the results are presented in a very systematic yet interesting way. Graph figures are used to display the findings of the research. As emotional behaviour is often considered to be different in both the sexes, therefore,

Psychology paper writting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Psychology paper writting - Essay Example SN is recently arrived to America and is living with her sponsor family, an older couple from Nigeria who are attempting to help their former countrymen find a better life. This couple had children in Nigeria, but lost them to disease and starvation before they were able to secure their own passage to America. Having lived in this country for several years, they are now in a position to help others and have determined to do this by offering shelter and support for one child at a time. The ‘family’ lives in a two-bedroom apartment of which SN has one room entirely to herself. SN was provided with education and lessons in English prior to her arrival in America, so she is able to interact with her classmates and keep up with regular classes at the local high school. My interview with SN took place within the apartment she shared with her sponsors. We sat within a very comfortable sofa group in the living room with the television turned off and no other noise happening in the house. Her sponsors were both at work at the time and SN had just returned home from school for the afternoon. Before conducting the interview, I had received agreement from both SN and her sponsors to speak with her about her background and present life and had set up the appointment to be sure everyone knew when it was to take place. SNs sponsors were invited to be present and I was willing to make arrangements to conduct the interview at a time convenient to their schedules if they so desired, but they felt SN would be more open and comfortable if she were permitted to speak without their presence. In making these arrangements, I shared the basic elements of my assignment with them and some of the questions I planned to ask. During the interview, SN sat quietly on the co uch, calmly answering my questions and occasionally expressing strong emotion, particularly when she

Life-cycle saving taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Life-cycle saving taxation - Essay Example In addition, an employee is able to claim tax relief through the tax return if the pension contribution is not catered in the deduction of tax by the employer. Similarly, individuals under the personal scheme forfeit income tax before the pension contribution is catered. However, the tax is reclaimed by the pension provider at a basic rate of 20 per cent (HMRC.com, 2014). In addition, an individual is able to claim back the excess tax remitted through the tax return. However, the maximum amount of income saving that enjoys tax relief under the current taxation system is  £50,000. Furthermore, an individual taking early withdrawal from the pension pot before the retirement age is liable for paying tax bill that is equal to 55 per cent of the pension savings withdrawn. However, if an individual withdraws the pension after reaching the set out age, he/she will pay tax depending on the taxable income after the tax-free allowances (HMRC.com, 2014). The tax that individuals pay on their pension is a lump-sum tax that is a fixed tax regardless of the asset owned or income. Consequently, household income savings are not taxed in UK but they are taxed when the savings is withdrawn. This strategy encourages savings in the country from household income earned during their working days to consume it in their retirement at a fair taxation scheme. The proposed taxation system by the author is one that observes the neutrality principle in taxing the income savings. Neutrality principle in taxation is the condition where the individual’s efficacy in the economic well being is not hindered by taxation mechanism employed by the policy makers (Anderson, 2012). This implies that the taxation of the households’ savings should be done in a way that does not distort their choice on the time they should consume income. In addition, the taxation system should avoid distorting the choices households

Analytical essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Analytical - Essay Example What remains in her mind is the illusion that her father is still alive and has the control over her. At one event with the townpeople, she even told them that his father is alive and kicking. "Miss Emily met them at the door, dressed as usual and with no grief on her face. She told them that her father was not dead...Just as they were about to resort to law and force, she broke down, and they buried their father quickly." (Brooks and Warren,1959) The death of her father, although it creates a terrible anguish in her heart give her the signal to exercise her freedom. Thirty years later when she met Homer Barron---the love of her life. As the reader is told, Miss Emily was loved by many men of the town. Therefore it is not surprising that a man like Homer would fell in love with Emily. On the other hand, her only desire is to find infinite happiness in life and he found it within this man. In short, the two get married. Her decision to settle down was good enough for she knows no one can control her. The relationship could be somewhat strange but the revelation that she kills her husband is not so surprising. The fact that she suffers from severe trauma and mental insanity , she could commit such criminal act. Her acceptance of illusion and denial of reality only shows that she is out of her mind. Even until her death, anguish and suffering still remains. "After Miss Emily died, the townpeople had to go remove her body. The unsuspecting thing that happened in her house was that she had been sleeping with Homers old decayed body for many years. Even after she kills Homer Barron, she sleeps with his corpse - something that did not bother her at all." (Death As Central Theme In "A Rose for Emily".) Faulkner wants his readers to understand that Emilys life is like a rose. A rose, particularly a red rose can represent many things such as love or hatred. Her relationship with her father and her lover can be compared to a red rose. She loves her father so

Finance and Accounting, Literature Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Finance and Accounting, - Literature review Example Controversies such as those linked to the former GE CEO, Jack Welch and the NYSE CEO Richard Grasso have made many companies to create a guideline that will be used to limit how much company executives can earn. It is important to note that even in the cases of the above CEOs, their work and performance on the job was impeccable and many would believe that they earned what they had worked hard for (Jensen and Murphyn 2004:15). However, there is a perception that there was a lot of inadequate disclosure and that they received a little ‘too much’ despite their performance. According to the general conference convened by the International Labor Organization in 1951; the term remuneration was defined as (Yang 2008:654): â€Å"the ordinary, basic or minimum salary and any additional benefits that are payable whatsoever directly or indirectly, whether in cash or in kind, by the employer to the worker and arising out of the worker’s employment.† Success on the oth er hand is mainly defined by the amount of output acquired as a result of one’s ability to utilize the opportunity given to them to lead, supervise, mentor and motivate others effectively. Though many believe that performance is imperative, others postulate that traits and effective practices determine who one becomes and how much they achieve while at the executive position (Yang 2008:654). Others believe that the successful ones are not necessarily the most effective and the debate may go on for a long time. However, the main aim of this report is to look into the issue of remunerations and how they are determined based on performance, success and commitment rather than astuteness to ascend to higher positions quickly. Analyzing Remuneration Packages The past history, if anything to go by, teaches the corporate world that managers, however effective, require having a maximum for the company to remain afloat even when they leave. Attention is mainly given to those who draw s o much that the divide between them and the employees widens every other day. People are entitled to get the maximum they can from their hard work. However, placing a cap on how much one can draw is also important for effective running of the company. Many however argue that the lack of proper and adequate disclosure on how much each of these executives earns has placed a barrier between them and other employees (Jensen and Murphyn 2004:13). Many believe that they are receiving record salaries and bonuses. As a result of this, the 1951 convention sought to bring all the remunerations at par within the companies without watering down the motivation of all the employees. For instance, GE’s CEO had planned for some lavish retirement benefits that were kept secret to the board and the shareholders (Fama and French 2001:23). The reputation of one of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs was questioned. This incident led many to believe that this is what all the other CEOs were receiving. The case of the NYSE CEO was no different. He was accused that he was bound to receive a retirement benefit of close to $190 million in 2003 which was also not disclosed to the board (Jensen and Murphyn 2004:15). These cases bring about a lot of questions that the report will try to answer. The issue of disclosure is very vital in any organization based on the sensitivity of the remunerations issue. However hardworking these executives are, the

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION - Essay Example Changing attitude of the companies to global gives relevance to strategic planning and implementation. An organizations strategic goal helps in directing the resources towards it. But strategic plan alone does not result in a successful implementation of the strategy. It depends upon the overall environment of the business i.e. its size, culture, market pressures etc. Studies show that strategic management led to increased performance of an organization in terms of its profit, market share etc. Strategic management decisions taken at all levels of management helps to evaluate and measure the benefits derived. It also helps in the creation of problem prevention culture in the organization. Strategic management offers a number of benefits to the organization practicing it. People could realize the importance of their working and what are expected from them. Better delegation, coordination, monitoring, performance evaluation and control. Strength and weakness of the firm could be identified. The word strategy has different meaning in different parlance. In business, there is no definite meaning and it is often used to mean a number of things. Alfred D Chandler had defined strategy as â€Å"the determination of the basic long term goals and objectives of an enterprise and the adoption of the courses of action and allocation of resources necessary to carry out these goals.†(Page no.26, Second Edition, Business Policy and Strategic Management, Azhar Khazmi). William F Gluek, a well known in the strategic management area has defined strategy as " a unified, comprehensive and integrated plan designed to assure that the basic objectives of the enterprise are achieved" (page no. 27, Business Policy and Strategic Management, Azhar Khazmi, Second Edition).   Unified refers that the strategic plan joins all levels of an organization, comprehensive refers all aspects

A Modest Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

A Modest Proposal - Essay Example Swift’s reasoning is that by nipping the problem in the bud during the early stages of life, it makes everyone a whole lot easier later on. Swift’s proposal is that little children who are destined to become a burden on society are sold and turned into meat for the eating pleasures of the rich and wealthy. Swift subtracts out the number of children who have parents who can afford to take care of them and also those children who die due to disease or accident. The total figure that Swift comes up with is 120,000 children each year. Swift claims that these children are unredeemable and the only way to provide some benefit to society is to sell them off to be eaten. In order to strengthen his argument, Swift tells of at least six advantages that would come from his proposal: (1) the number of papists would be reduced. This would prevent people from being tricked into following a religion that has no purpose. Also, there is already a plentiful supply of them, so no more are needed; (2) poor parents will be able to be compensated for the sale of their child, and with this money they will be able to pay for their rent, and maybe even their corn and cattle that had previously been taken away from them; (3) the nation’s economy will improve because a whole lot of children will not have to be provided for. This is in addition to the new dish that would be present in restaurants across the nation; (4) parents will not have to raise their children after the first year of life, and so they will be able to live better lives themselves. Money saved from bringing up their children would ease their burden in the long term; (5) the introduction of babies as food would provide a new delicacy to all taverns, and will result in a surge in new customers; and (6) men would not abuse their pregnant wives because they would harm their prospects of being able to sell their child later on. Swift concludes that his only motives

Love at First Sight Essay Example for Free

Love at First Sight Essay One of the great questions surrounding social psychologists and everyday people by extension is whether or two individuals can fall in love at first sight. This would imply that the non-verbal communication between the two in that moment was as strong and passionate enough to constitute love before having gotten to even speak to the other. To fall in love is to have strong feelings of passion and attachment to another individual. Measuring what constitutes full love is unclear and debatable within circles, but generally agreed to be a very strong feeling that is created. Love at first sight can be described as a signal of the strongly grounded love that may be to come, but ultimately exists as a very strong first impression that cannot be predetermined to sustain itself as genuine love. There are many cues and ways in which two lovers may first lay eyes on each other that can generate such strong feelings similar to love. When the eyes meet and cannot be taken off of two individuals, this is certainly a sign that the two are at good odds of working out together. When there is a mutual astonishment of the other individual as shown in these signs and other signs, it can also create the impression that a man and a woman will go hand in hand when the very first impression is so strong and mutual. However, this is only a jump start. When two people are mutually taken aback by each other at first sight, this is a very positive sign as far as the relationship goes. First impressions are huge, but this does not mean there is any predetermined ways of knowing this sensation of love will sustain itself in way that can universally be accepted as true love. Two people may quickly find that they are not as compatible as they would have liked to have believed or were drawn into believing. Through further interaction, they learn far more about each other and any kind of sustainable love is dependent on these future interactions and feelings remaining as first presented. Many people would like to believe in love at first sight, and it makes sense why people who have had these feelings at first sight have on to carry long loved relationships. Whether or not one wants to call it love at first, the experience that one may interpret is still a powerful predictor of a more likely outcome of true love. It is true that our intuition and the hunches we get can sometimes lead us to truth in our lives. In the case of love, it is a bit trickier because the desire for love along with common lust and the seemingly meaningful non-verbal cues can easily create the sensation of love at first sight. Love is far too complicated to be treated and always assuming to be genuine and true, and never a sensation motivated by desires and perceptions within our often confused brains. However, there is no doubt that instances have occurred in which two believed they experienced love at first sight, but that love sensation simply did not sustain itself in the end. Compare these stories to the one of people who it has worked out for, and one may find that the stories of the initial feeling of love at first sight are identical. Moreover, there is of course there is the potential for one?s own judgment and intuition at first sight to be accurate about loving another, but love is ultimately created by our minds and is not determined by the other. For that reason, there is not enough certainty in the universe and too many inconsistencies to prove a consistent trend in true love at first sight.

Offshoring Paper Essay Example for Free

Offshoring Paper Essay This article talks about a trend that started as far back as the 1980’s when companies began sending many jobs abroad mainly because of cheap labor. However, that trend is quickly changing. Companies are discovering that the wage gap is narrowing and many of the disadvantages are now starting to outweigh benefits of sending jobs abroad. One of the points mentioned in the article is that wages in china have risen 10-20% in the last 10 years, whereas wages in America and Europe have remained about the same. Also, another disadvantage of send production abroad is that shipping can be very expensive. In recent years shipping costs have gotten higher such that the cost of producing elsewhere and shipping to the US is no longer as cheap as it used to be. The time factor is also a big issue. Many times transit takes as long as six weeks which makes it hard for companies to fulfill their orders in a timely manner. In conclusion, the article makes a note that a lot of companies are now rethinking their decision about going offshore. Opinion Most of the companies went offshore to save money, and I can see where they are coming from after all the whole goal of having a business is to make profits however in my opinion many of the companies did not take the time to properly analyze the other costs involved in moving jobs offshore. Many also forgot to consider how it will affect the quality of their service when it comes to shipping time and sometimes the quality of the product. I am very happy that many jobs are coming back and I think the government needs to do more to encourage the companies. They should offer tax reductions where necessary so that America will be able to compete in the global market. I also like the point the article makes, that just because companies are tending towards reducing offshoring does not mean they will be less global, infact distributing their activities more evenly around the globe will make most companies more efficient.

Economic Mobility In A Global America Sociology Essay

Economic Mobility In A Global America Sociology Essay Economic mobility essentially describes what most people in the US would call the American dream. The ability to make it to the top as long as a person puts in the work is a dearly held American ideal. But is it true? American folklore glorifies the Lois and Clarks, the pioneers, those who forge their own way. But, does 21st century America provide the same opportunities to set out and make it if one puts in the work? Research and statistics show that the American dream, rags to riches, still happens for some but not everyone has an equal chance of bettering their economic positions and their lives. Economic mobility can be described in several different ways. One can talk about a persons economic mobility in terms of absolute dollars how much they were able to surpass or fall behind the income of the generation before them or in relative terms. Often, economists divide the population into quintiles based on income ranges. Economic mobility then is used to describe the likelihood of a child born in one quintile to move up or down into another quintile in their life. The Brookings institute explained economic mobility as, The ability of people to move up or down the economic ladder within a lifetime or from one generation to the next. A persons economic mobility is often seen as an indicator of the fairness of a society. It seems fair that people should not be determined by their economic situation at birth, the standard of living that they will have the rest of their life. Americans in very large numbers believe that a persons economic outlook is determined by the choices they make and the work the put in. When discussing economic mobility it is also important to consider economic inequality in a society. High inequality is less worrisome if people are moving in and out of these classes. However, if you have a society that has increasing inequality and limited mobility, there are reasons for concern. This would mean that the rungs of the ladder of economic success are getting farther and farther apart and people have less of a chance to move up the ladder. Statistics show that the US may be in such a position. In the US inequality has been steadily growing since the 1960s. The prizes for being successful in today s economy are larger than ever before, but the likelihood of the average American attaining these rewards is decreasing. Income is increasingly focused at the top of the economy, and fewer opportunities exist for people to get there. During this time of growing inequality a new force has transformed the US economy: globalization. Globalization is a term used to describe the interconnectedness of the world largely as a result of advancements in technology relating to telecommunications and travel. In the past 100 years, the world has changed from being a place where it takes weeks to travel overseas, to a place where even the farthest spot away on the globe could be reached within 24 hours. The world has changed from a place where communication could take weeks in the form of written letters, to a place where words can be written and words spoken and be heard or read instantaneously the world around. The world suddenly thrust into an unprecedented age of connectedness. Never before had the world and everything in it people, business, nations been so interconnected. As we progress in an age of mobile internet access, the ability to travel anywhere in the world within 24 hours, and ever-increasing economic ties between nations, the effects of globalization are everywhere. Thomas Friedman described this new era saying the world is flat. As a result of advancements in technology, everyone is on a level playing field. A business in Anderson must compete with a business in China and a student in Carmel must compete with a student in India. This new global economy is and will shape the economic mobility of people in the US. US mobility Research has shown that nearly two-thirds of Americans are economically mobile in absolute terms, meaning they make more than their parents in absolute dollars. However, half of them remain on the same rung of the income ladder. Unfortunately, this is even more often true for children at the bottom of the ladder. For children born at the bottom, 80 percent will go on to make more than their parents in real dollars, but 42 percent stay at the bottom of the income ladder. For children born at the top, 39 percent remain there. If economic mobility had nothing to do with where a person is born in society, this number would be 20%. This is twice as high as would be expected by chance, so family income does have a significant effect on a childs mobility in the US. Gender The rates of mobility are not equal across genders and races in the US Men tend to experience much higher rates of upward economic mobility than women do. For children who start out in the bottom quintile, 41 percent of women will stay there, while only 27 percent of men will. The mobility outlook for black people is also less American Dream like. Blacks in the United States experience dramatically less upward economic mobility than whites. 44 percent of blacks will remain in the bottom income quintile in adulthood compared with only 25 percent of whites who will remain stuck at the bottom. The majority of blacks in the bottom half of the income distribution will still exceed their parents place in the distribution, but their movement is much less than is typical of their white peers. Research by Mazumbder found that rates of upward economic mobility are highest for white men, followed by white women, black men and, finally, black women. Other research found that not only are black children less mobile than white children, but that the majority of black children born to middle-income parents in the late 1960s have been downwardly mobile, meaning that they have less family income than their parents did. At that same time, only 16 percent of white children fell down the economic ladder. Some might attribute the lesser economic mobility of blacks to differences in family structure. Black children are more likely to be raised in single parent homes than their white peers. However, when controlling for single and two-parent families, the gap in mobility between the races still remains. There is also a significant difference in the extent to which black and white parents pass their economic advantages onto their children. Isaacs found that white children are more likely to surpass their parents income than black children at a similar point in the income distribution, but they are also more likely to move up the ladder, while black children are more susceptible to falling down. In the 1960s almost half of black children whose parents were middle class ended up falling to the bottom of the income distribution. Only 16 percent of white children in the same situation fell to the bottom. Black children from poorer families also are more likely to stay at the bottom. 54 percent of black children born in the bottom income quintile stayed there, but only 31 percent of white children remained stuck. Factors influencing mobility Even though gender and race are strong predictors of a childs economic mobility, there are other factors that greatly impact a childs chances at moving up. Studies have found that both black and white children who score higher on academic tests are more likely to move up and out of the bottom quintile. Both black and white children at the bottom who achieve average academic test scores are two times as likely to move up and out of the bottom quintile than children who score in the bottom percentiles on academic tests. Many other studies have placed education at the top of the list in terms of what determines a persons mobility. Haskins found that attaining a college degree quadruples the likelihood that a child born to parents at the bottom of the income ladder will make it to the top. Because of this, many people point to education as the most effective tool our nation has for improving the upward mobility of those at the bottom of the economic ladder. The problem is that those who would most benefit from receiving a college degree, are the ones least likely to receive it. Only one-third of children from families at the bottom quintile of the income ladder enroll in college, and of those students, only a small portion will go on to graduate.pg2 Pg 12 Children from this background have only a 34 percent chance of enrolling in college, compared to an 80 percent chance of enrolling for children from the top quintile. Children who start out at the bottom are only 20 percent as likely to earn a colleg e degree as children from the top quintile.14 There are various reasons why children from poor families are less likely to enroll in and graduate from college. Financial reasons, obviously, are a major obstacle. Even though there are Pell grants and various opportunities for financial aid, a person who has not come from a family whose parents went to college, may not have the information they need to access these resources. Haskins argues that improving the equality of educational opportunity-a traditional American value-is one key to promoting economic mobility for disadvantaged students. The impact on education on a persons earning potential clearly demonstrate the importance of education for moving up the economic ladder. Over the last four decades, adults who have degrees from either two or four year colleges have much higher family incomes than other adults who only completed high school, or who dropped out. During this time, the income of those with degrees has been growing steadily, while the income for those without a college degree has become stagnant or declined. The impact of having a college degree on the mobility of a person at the bottom is huge. Adult children from families in the bottom fifth of the income distributionare four times as likely to reach the top fifth if they achieve a four-year college degree, increasing their likelihood of doing so from 5 to 19 percent. Pg. 3 Nearly half the adult children with parents in the bottom quintile stay in the bottom unless they get a college degree. 10 Every poor and low-income child who achieves a four-year college degree can dramatically increase her chances of moving into the middle class. This is also likely true of those who get a two-year degree, since the rates of return per year of education are roughly the same for two-year and four-year colleges Importance of finding the right fità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ finishing. 12 Regardless of a persons family background, getting a college boosts that persons prospects of being upwardly mobile. However, this does not erase the impact of the family situation a person is born into. Children from low-income families with a college education are in fact no more likely to reach the top of the income ladder than children from high income families without a college education. Education is critical to success in todays economy and an important explanation of why some groups get ahead while others are left behind, but it cannot completely erase the effects of family background on ones ultimate success. Children born to parents in the top quintile have the highest likelihood of attaining the top, and children born to parents in the bottom quintile have the highest likelihood of being in the bottom themselves. This phenomenon is referred to as stickiness at the ends of the income distribution. As shown in Figure 4, it is fairly hard for children born in the bottom fifth to escape from the bottom: 42 percent remain there and another 42 percent end up in either the lower-middle or middle fifth. Only 17 percent of those born to parents in the bottom quintile climb to one of the top two income groups. At the other end of the distribution, 39 percent of children born to parents in the top fifth attain the top themselves with an additional 23 percent landing in the fourth highest quintile. Surprisingly, American children from low-income families appear to have less relative mobility than their counterparts in five northern European countries, according to a recent international study of earnings of fathers and sons. Whereas 42 percent of American sons whose fathers had earnings in the bottom quintile had low earningsthemselves, the comparable percentages ranged from 25 to 30 percent in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and the United Kingdom (see Chapter III, International Comparisons of Economic Mobility). One measure of stickiness is the measure intergenerational income elasticity. This figure would be 0.0 in a hypothetical society where a parents income has no effect on a childs economic prospects and 1.0 where there is a one-to-one correspondence between parental income and adult child income. Recent estimates of the intergenerational income elasticity in the United States range from about 0.4 to 0.6, meaning that about half of the difference in income between families in one generation persists into the next generation. Discussion of globalization Globalization is a very broad term, so it can be hard to discuss how it affects economic mobility in the US, because has changed our world so much in a short time. However, a globalized economy in the US has led to significant changes in the demands of our economy that will shape the USs economic mobility for years to come. The Hoosier economy has been the most heavily manufacturing based economy in the United States. The five US states that depend most on manufacturing are all in the Midwest.( Loc. 353) This statewide and even regional dependence on manufacturing has impacted the states culture and commitment to education. Richard Longworth in his book Caught in the Middle describes the way that manufacturing enriched the region, but is now hampering their ability to adapt to a global world. He states that Indiana in particular is in denial about globalization, and instead of pursuing ways to reshape the economy, is pursuing losing efforts to keep businesses from moving out of the country. Indiana held the crown as the state with the largest percent of jobs in the manufacturing sector. This led to significant growth and wealth in the past century, but it is apparent it will not have the same effects now that we are living in a globalized world. More and more manufacturing jobs are being shipped overseas, where labor can be had for a fraction of the cost. In the 20 years manufacturing output in the Midwest soared by 50 percent or more. But the number of jobs in manufacturing fell by about 20 percent. Over that same time, the unemployment rate in the state has grown from _ percent to over _ percent. Globalization is leading to a loss of jobs in Indiana, and the state has not kept up in creating jobs that are sustainable and profitable in a global economy. At least part of this is due to a mismatch in the skills employers have, and the skills possessed by Hoosiers. Indiana ranks _ in the number of adults with a bachelors degree or more. As technology and global labor comp etition continue to shape the way manufacturing is done, there will be less and less demand for unskilled, high wage labor that Indiana has a supply of and has lived off of in decades past. It is apparent that for Hoosiers to get good jobs they must have the education and skills that make them competitive. Unfortunately, for many Midwest residents, there is not a strong commitment to education. Longworth linked this to the regions past where high school drop outs could get a job in a factory and live well. This is obviously not the case now in a globalized Indiana, but many families continue to place little value on education. (loc 930) In order to move up the ladder or be more well off than someone is raised, the single biggest factor is whether or not that person gets a good education. Unemployment rates by education level in the US make clear the impact that education can have (see figure b). As expected, states that depend heavily on manufacturing (which is demanding less labor, and often does not require college education) are suffering high unemployment rates during the current recession/recovery. Unfortunately, even though education is so key to getting employed and being upwardly mobile, the current state of education has been found to reinforce family economic status more than to encourage upward movement. Figure b. http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm Globalization may be challenging Indiana to redefine its economy in order for Hoosier to be upwardly mobile, but it also allows us an opportunity to learn from other countries. Globalization has not only changed our economies, but has also changed our knowledge base. We now have the ability to look at other countries and see how they have dealt with or are dealing with similar situations that the IS is facing. Economic mobility is essentially the American Dream, so it would be reasonable to assume that the US is a world leader in that respect. But reasonable assumptions arent always true, as in this case. Even though economic mobility characterizes the American dream, other countries do better at making it a reality for their residents. Studies routinely show that the US lags behind other nations in the economic mobility of its population. Again, there are differences in relative and absolute mobility. The US has led the pack in terms of absolute mobility due to rapid economic growth this century. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. As mentioned before, however, this tide is increasingly unevenly distributed, leading to tidal waves for some and droughts for others. In terms of relative mobility the US lags behind many European nations, and our neighbor to the North Canada. Canada in particular is an interesting comparison because of how much it and the US share in common. According to research by Corak, Curtis, and Phipps; both the US and Canada value the ideal of equality of opportunity and define it in terms of individual freedoms but also individual responsibilities. One difference, however, was that Americans were more likely to view the government an obstacle to equality of opportunity rather than helpful in promoting it. Even though Americans were more reluctant to government intervention, residents of both countries recognized the need for public policy to contribute to reaching this ideal. Somewhat counter-intuitively, this study found that Americans believe more than Canadians that a host of interventions would be effective in improving the prospects for economic mobility. The authors of this study interpreted that as a possible sign t hat this need is going unmet in the US. The study found that (4)On average Canada is up to three times more mobile than the United States. Stated another way, US citizens pass along three times as much inequality than do Canadians. They also found that not only does less mobility occur in the US, but that it is more heavily concentrated at the top and bottom of the economic ladder. Some of the reasons the authors point to as to why this may be the case are differences in health care, parental work leave laws, and tax transfer programs for poor families in Canada. The authors concluded that Mental and physical health, school readiness, and some education outcomes are all more developed in Canada, leading to better outcomes for children and increased economic mobility. Despite Americans lesser likelihood of reaching the top compared to their counterparts in Canada and some European nations, Americans are far more optimistic about their ability to control their own economic destiny. They are far more likely to believe that people get rewarded for intelligence, skill, and effort and far less likely to believe that its the governments responsibility to reduce differences in income. 4 In a comparison of mobility in the United States with mobility in several developed European nations, Miles Corak concluded that America is a low-mobility country in which about half of parental earnings advantages are passed onto sons. Canada, Norway, Finland, and Denmark are considered high-mobility countries, where less than 20 percent of income advantages are passed onto children. This would mean that in the US about half of parental earnings advantages are passed onto sons. If this trend holds steady, it would take an average of six generations for family economic advantage to disappear in the United States. While Americans seem to strongly believe that everyone has a shot to make it to the top, it is clear that peoples ability to do so is greatly shaped by the family they are born into. In the high mobility countries the effects of being born into a wealthy family would wear off in half the time three generations instead of six. Contrary to American beliefs about equality of o pportunity, a childs economic position is heavily influenced by that of his or her parents. Forty-two percent of children born to parents in the bottom fifth of the income distribution remain in the bottom, while 39 percent born to parents in the top fifth remain at the top. Children of middle-income parents have a near-equal likelihood of ending up in any other quintile, presenting equal promise and peril for those born to middle-class parents. Only 6 percent of children born to parents with family income at the very bottom move to the very top. In another study,Markus Jà ¤ntii looked at how the relationship between the earnings of parents and children varies for individuals who are on different rungs of the economic ladder. They find that starting at the bottom of the earnings ladder is more of a handicap in the United States than in other countries. Again, finding greater amounts of stickiness at the bottom of the economic ladder in America. If it is obvious that education has great potential to boost the economic mobility of the less fortunate, it is important to ask whether the nations schools do enough to promote economic mobility. An examination of preschool, K-12, and undergraduate and graduate education in the United States reveals that the average effect of education at all levels is to reinforce rather than compensate for the differences associated with family background and the many home-based advantages and disadvantages that children and adolescents bring with them into the classroom. This may be due to achievement gaps that US continues to struggle with in education. The poor and minorities on average perform less well in school and are less likely to graduate. There is a cycle at play in the US the poor and minorities are on average born to lower income families and as a result receive a poor education. These same students then are not able to move up the economic ladder, and pass the disadvantage onto thei r children who will be poor, likely receive a poor education, struggle with finding employment and repeat the cycle. Compared to other nations, the US is falling behind academically. The most recent results from the PISA test released in December of 2010 show that the US continues to trail other countries in education. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, said the findings show that the United States needs to urgently accelerate student learning to remain competitive in the knowledge economy of the 21st century. The education American students are receiving would have been fine a few decades ago when low-skill manufacturing jobs were abundant. Today, however, these jobs continue to disappear or move overseas. Living in a global economy means that our students now must compete with students all over the world for employment. And in a knowledge economy where education is the essential component to getting a job, the US is failing its students. The PISA results showed that US students are not among top performing OECD nations in any subject that was tested. However, US students did express the most self-confidence in their academic skills than did students in nearly all other OECD nations. Trends in US education do not bode well for the economic mobility of children growing up in a globalized world. Perhaps even more worrisome are the achievement gaps for Latinos and Blacks in the US education system. In 2008, McKinsey Company released a study on the economic costs of achievement gaps in US education, and found them to be the equivalent of a permanent national recession. To fix education, and to improve economic mobility of those who are most likely to be at the bottom, the US must make some changes. The OECD found that socioeconomic disadvantage leads more directly to poor educational performance in the United States than is the case in many other countries. The US prides itself on being the land of opportunity, but with poor educational outcomes in a globalized world, there will be very little opportunity for this and future generations. Seeing that other countries are more successful in education, we have the opportunity to learn from what they are doing that works. This opportunity seems to be ignored though. The US, Israel, and Turkey are the only OECD nations that do not devote as much or more funding for schools facing the biggest socioeconomic challenges as they do to schools with more privileged students. Directing resources towards youth who need it the most seems like a no-brainer, but due to the way schools are funded in the US, it doesnt happen. Much of the debate around education-reform in the US and Indiana has revolved around teacher accountability. Proponents say that rewarding teachers based on student performance is the best way to improve educational outcomes. However, this is not what the top performing education countries do. Outside of the US, most high-performing educational countries prioritize high teacher salaries over small class sizes, and they professionalize the teaching profession. Compa re this to the current education debate in Indiana where the Governor is essentially demonizing teachers as free-loaders. The US and Indiana dont seem to be taking advantage of the global insight available for shaping education, and this will likely have consequences for the education and mobility of the nations youth. Combatting economic immobility in the US in a globalized world Research seems to pretty clearly state that education is the key for improving economic mobility in the US. However, studies also find that education currently is not helping students become mobile adults, but rather reinforcing their family background. Poor kids are more likely to go to poor schools which are more likely to produce poor, immobile adults. Reforming education and closing achievement gaps in education will likely be the action that can have the greatest effects on Hoosier economic mobility. Conclusion Economic mobility is essentially the American Dream. The idea that someone can be born without a dime to their name, but through hard work can reach the top, being limited by nothing. Globalization is making this more of a dream and less of a reality in Indiana each day. Much has been said about the cycle of poverty, and how the lifestyle, ethics, and decay of poverty are passed on from one generation to the next. With globalization, Americans face an ever more urgent task of helping people escape this cycle. Globalization has no need for the uneducated and unskilled labor that has been the basis of American manufacturing. For every unskilled American worker there are hundreds in the developing world willing to do the same job at a fraction of the pay. The poor in the US stand ready to conceivably be some of globalizations biggest losers. The US, the most wealthy country in the world that prides itself on the rags to riches story of people rising up to reach the top, has failed to take the steps needed to close achievement gaps and give the poor the opportunities to better themselves that we as a nation misguidedly pride ourselves on so doing. Globalization will likely decrease economic mobility in the US unless the US begins to better educate the nations youth. The US would be wise to take advantage of something else globalization provides insight into other cultures and the opportunity to learn from other nations in shaping its policies on education and efforts to improve mobility.

La Representación Social del SIDA Essay -- Spanish Essays

La subjetividad es un efecto de los lenguajes socialmente construà ­dos, es una produccià ³n de la cultura. El lenguaje crea y reproduce diferentes formas subjetivas de representacià ³n social. A partir de Freud y Lacan, el lenguaje es pensado como un tejido sà ³lido, donde se constituye un juego de representaciones: el juego en que el lenguaje tiene la tarea de representar el sujeto y el objeto, lo fà ­sico y lo psà ­quico, la fantasà ­a y la realidad, la imaginacià ³n y la percepcià ³n. El sujeto es forjado en y por el lenguaje, porque à ©ste determina su construccià ³n subjetiva. Ser humano es pertenecer a una determinada organizacià ³n normativa que nombra los valores con los cuales pautamos nuestras acciones en el mundo de los hombres. En este breve ensayo, analizarà © los và ­nculos que fueron establecidos entre sexualidad y muerte en la representacià ³n social del SIDA. Pretendo argumentar que el concepto "grupo de riesgo"creà ³ una identidad "epidemiolà ³gica", y à ©sta, a su vez, fue uno de los factores que transformaron el SIDA en epidemia. Comienzo citando el libro II de los "Ensayos" del filà ³sofo renacentista Michel de Montaigne: "Hay en Todo el nombre y la cosa. El nombre es la palabra que marca y significa la cosa: no es parte de ella, a ella no se incorpora; es un accesorio que se agrega, por fuera" (1987:9). SIDA es un nombre, y como tal, designa un conjunto de elementos que se estructuran a niveles distintos. En la literatura mà ©dica, SIDA nombra una constelacià ³n patolà ³gica que gira en la à ³rbita de accià ³n de un virus nombrado por las siglas HIV. El discurso mà ©dico se sustenta en la là ³gica de la causalidad, y es eso lo que le confiere el grado de cientificidad. A travà ©s de un "mapeamiento" de sà ­ntomas se busca el factor etiolà ³gico. En ... ...xuales. El SIDA se tornà ³ la expresià ³n de un visual virtual que contagia el juego-mà ¡quina entre saber-poder-placer. La sexualidad fue desplazada hacia la esfera de lo virtual, volvià ©ndonos asà ©pticos, inmunizà ¡ndonos a los và ­nculos afectivos... El discurso tecnolà ³gico del sexo virtual demuestra esos efectos de virtualidad representados por el SIDA. Bibliografia Montaigne, Michel Ensaios, Coleà §Ãƒ £o Os Pensadores, traduà §Ãƒ £o Sà ©rgio Milliet, 4 ª edià §Ãƒ £o, Sà £o Paulo: Nova Cultural, 1987. Camargo Jr., Kenneth Rochel de, As cià ªncias da AIDS & a AIDS das cià ªncias: discurso mà ©dico e a construà §Ãƒ £o da AIDS, Rio de Janeiro: Relumà © Dumarà ¡: ABIA:IMS, UERJ, 1994. Foucault, Michel, Histà ³ria da Sexualidade I: A Vontade de Saber, Rio de Janeiro: Graal, 5 edià §Ãƒ £o, 1984. Baudrillard, Jean, A transparà ªncia do mal: ensaio sobre os fenà ´menos extremos, Campinas (S.P.): Papirus, 1990.

Tupac Shakur - Me Against the World Essays -- Music

Tupac Shakur - Me Against the World I was 13 years old. Anticipation thrilled my mind and body as the sea air wafted through the window. My best friend and I were nearing the beach and the mini-van we had inhabited for six hours felt as though it was closing in on us. Thoughts of the beach, the simplicity, and the freedom had controlled my mind for weeks, even months prior to our trip to the beach. Harnessing my recent hormone attack was still a challenge and images of tan girls plagued my mind. Then it happened. A song came on the radio that became my motto for the week; however even though that week ended, the artist never left my life. The voice I heard was that of Tupac Shakur and the song was "I Get Around." The lyrics of the song were boastful and egotistical. I loved it. With Tupac’s display of masculinity as my inspiration, my chances of picking up some of those tan girls were great. Unfortunately, I didn’t and my determined mission was in vein; however to this day Tupac’s music, spirit and camaraderie still gives me inspiration. At the end of that wonderful week we were forced to pack up and leave the freedom and the warmth of the beach. With me I took many memories, and a new tee shirt with the slogan "I Get Around" boldly written on the back. Years have passed. My best friend is still my best friend, but we rarely talk. Now, nearly nothing is quite the same. Friendships have passed; I've changed mentally and physically. Through all of the changes, Tupac has always been at my side. He elevates the highs in my life and illustrates the lows. Tupac Shaker is still influencing me, and I still own that tee shirt. I never lost touch with Tupac. I bought the album with "I Get Around," and I bought his preceding albu... ...ac. I'd lay on the warm sand, whip out my jackknife (headphones) and proceed to examine Tupac's music and life, down to its soul. I could rediscover his essence and get past the thuggish symbolic complex that is so often associated with Tupac. Although the shining serpent has departed this earth I am thankful that he brightens my world and eases my pain everyday. I think when my professor gave this assignment; he intended his class to contemplate for weeks about which CD we would listen to while wasting away on a desert island. What my professor didn’t understand was that I’ve been wasting away for years, and I need this CD to survive, stranded or not. Â   Bibliography: Anson, Robert. "To Die Like a Gangsta." Vanity Fair: Mar, 1997: 244-252. Percy, Walker. "The Loss of the Creature." The Message in the Bottle. New York: Farrar, Srauss, Giroux, 1975: 46-63. Tupac Shakur - Me Against the World Essays -- Music Tupac Shakur - Me Against the World I was 13 years old. Anticipation thrilled my mind and body as the sea air wafted through the window. My best friend and I were nearing the beach and the mini-van we had inhabited for six hours felt as though it was closing in on us. Thoughts of the beach, the simplicity, and the freedom had controlled my mind for weeks, even months prior to our trip to the beach. Harnessing my recent hormone attack was still a challenge and images of tan girls plagued my mind. Then it happened. A song came on the radio that became my motto for the week; however even though that week ended, the artist never left my life. The voice I heard was that of Tupac Shakur and the song was "I Get Around." The lyrics of the song were boastful and egotistical. I loved it. With Tupac’s display of masculinity as my inspiration, my chances of picking up some of those tan girls were great. Unfortunately, I didn’t and my determined mission was in vein; however to this day Tupac’s music, spirit and camaraderie still gives me inspiration. At the end of that wonderful week we were forced to pack up and leave the freedom and the warmth of the beach. With me I took many memories, and a new tee shirt with the slogan "I Get Around" boldly written on the back. Years have passed. My best friend is still my best friend, but we rarely talk. Now, nearly nothing is quite the same. Friendships have passed; I've changed mentally and physically. Through all of the changes, Tupac has always been at my side. He elevates the highs in my life and illustrates the lows. Tupac Shaker is still influencing me, and I still own that tee shirt. I never lost touch with Tupac. I bought the album with "I Get Around," and I bought his preceding albu... ...ac. I'd lay on the warm sand, whip out my jackknife (headphones) and proceed to examine Tupac's music and life, down to its soul. I could rediscover his essence and get past the thuggish symbolic complex that is so often associated with Tupac. Although the shining serpent has departed this earth I am thankful that he brightens my world and eases my pain everyday. I think when my professor gave this assignment; he intended his class to contemplate for weeks about which CD we would listen to while wasting away on a desert island. What my professor didn’t understand was that I’ve been wasting away for years, and I need this CD to survive, stranded or not. Â   Bibliography: Anson, Robert. "To Die Like a Gangsta." Vanity Fair: Mar, 1997: 244-252. Percy, Walker. "The Loss of the Creature." The Message in the Bottle. New York: Farrar, Srauss, Giroux, 1975: 46-63.

Cost of Drug Abuse on Society Essay -- Drug Abuse, Substance Abuse

Drug abuse is a rampant problem in the United States. Drugs can be abused in a variety of different ways by people from every walk of life. Most of us have been affected by drug abuse either directly or indirectly. Drug abusers harm themselves, as well as their families and communities. Drug abuse takes an enormous toll on our society at many levels. The cost of drug abuse on our society is astronomical, not only financially but also personally, emotionally, socially and professionally. Drug abuse is the misuse or overdose of any medication or drug, including alcohol. Many people abuse drugs to deal with everyday life. â€Å"Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can effect a person’s control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time send intense impulses to take drugs (Shannon 246)†. Many people, who abuse drugs, will develop a chronic condition called addiction. Once addicted, it is challenging for the drug abuser to stop abusing drugs. The cost of drug and alcohol recovery services can be expensive, not only to the recovering addict and their families, but also to society paying for services through government agencies. Drug addicts relapsing from their disease or those who are not interested in recovery cost society by involvement in crime, neglect, abuse and even death. Drugs being abused are classified under nine different categories: cocaine, hallucinogens, herion, inhalants, marijuana, pain relievers, sedatives, stimulants and tranquilizers. These drugs range from illegal, over-the-counter to prescription medications. â€Å"In 2007, an estimated 19.9 million Americans aged 12 or o... ...ddiction treatment, medical cost from overdoses, drug-related injuries and complications, time lost from work and social welfare programs (Grohsman). The cost of drug abuse on society applies to all Americans. Whether you are a drug abuser, family member, friend, co-worker or drug manufacturer to drug enforcement officer, we all have been affected by drug abuse. Works Cited Abbot, Ann. â€Å"Health Care Challenges Created by Substance Abuse: The Whole is Definitely Bigger than the Sum of Its Parts† Health & Social Work 27.3 (2002): 162, 4. MasterFile Premier. Web. 19 Nov 2011. Brennfleck Shannon, Joyce, ed. Drug Abuse SOURCEBOOK. Omnigraphics, Inc.,2010. Print. Grohsman, B. â€Å"Drug Addiction and Society.† Treatment Centers.net 23 May 2011. Web. 19 Nov. 2011. â€Å"Magnitude: Drug Abuse is Costly.† National Institute on Drug Abuse.n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2011

Americas Cuban Conundrum

MARKETING 505 Assignment #2: Case 5-1 â€Å"America's Cuban Conundrum† ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the key issue that prompted the EU to take the Helms-Burton dispute to the WTO. It will decide who benefits and who suffers from an embargo of this type and it explains the rationale behind the conclusion. It also presents a resolution to the trade situation between the U. S. and Cuba. Finally given the trade relations it determines what type of economic barriers would have to be overcome by a U. S. firm to conduct business successfully in Cuba. Assignment #2: Case 5-1 â€Å"America's Cuban Conundrum† In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, also known as the Helms-Burton Act. The President’s actions came after Cuban MiGs shot down two U. S. civilian airplanes, killing the four Cuban-American who were on board. † (Green & Keegan, 2011) The Helms-Burton freezes the embargo against trade with and investment with Cu ba. It is a controversial act since it arouses a lot of negative attention on how the U. S. government is manipulating its power to impose its political views on other countries’ economies.The key issue -that prompted the EU to take the Helms-Burton dispute to the WTO -was mainly because they felt that it violated international rules dealing with trade. The EU had a dispute with the U. S. regarding testing agriculture, trade and investments and biotechnology issues which was brought to the attention of the WTO. It felt as if the United States was unlawfully exercising its jurisdiction extraterritorially, in that it was threatening to punish lawful activity such as trade, investment, and tourism carried out by the residents of independent countries. It is no exaggeration to say that U. S. olicy toward Cuba is now rejected and sharply criticized by the rest of the world. Other nations point out, moreover, that while America insists on maintaining its embargo and other pressures against Cuba because of the latter's human rights abuses, the fact is that Washington has close relations with–and extends Most Favored Nation treatment to–the People's Republic of China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other states that are no more democratic than Cuba and have far worse human rights records, arguing that engagement, trade, and dialogue will do more to bring change in those countries than isolation. (Smith, 1998)It is obvious that the embargo affects a great number of people. To be all fair and neutral it would be necessary to highlight that to a certain extent, both countries are suffering and their benefits are minimal from this embargo. If it was to cease and somehow both countries came to an agreement and decided to put it all in the past and start from fresh, they would both benefit greatly. Production would increase and the producers on both countries would prosper. Cuban resources would be available to the U. S. Market and American producers would imp ort cost effective products that are not available in Cuba.An increase in capital from investors would make the economy run and prosper. A resolution to the trade situation between U. S. and Cuba represent the lifting of abolishment of the embargo. Castro’s regime and that of his successor, his brother Raul, have always talked a good anti-embargo but have not made the least effort to walk the talk, since this embargo may constitute the real reason of their continued hold on power since it gives an â€Å"antagonist† to the Cuban people, to the Cuban progress and it gives them an enemy to blame for the failure of Castro’s socialist revolution.In the U. S. there has been a lot of talk as well. President Obama was in favor of lifting of the embargo in 2004, ever since his views and actions changed, however he continued on implementing new policies that are in favor of establishing some type of relationship with the Cuban community. In 2004 President Obama who was th en a senator said: â€Å"I think it’s time for us to end the embargo in Cuba,† the then-Senate candidate said. And I think that we have to end it because if you think about what’s happening internationally our planet is shrinking, and our biggest foreign policy challenge — and it fits directly into the battle on terrorism and it fits into issues of trade and our economy — is how we make sure that other countries, in developing nations, are providing sustenance for their people, human rights for their people, a basic structure of government for their people that it’s stable and secure so that they can be part in a brighter future for the entire planet. And the Cuban embargo has failed to provide the source of raising standards of living and it has squeezed the innocents in Cuba,† Mr. Obama continued, â€Å"and utterly failed in the effort to overthrow Castro, who’s now have been there since I was born. So, it’s time for u s to acknowledge that that particular policy has failed. † (Speigel, 2009) But in 2008 he declared the opposite: â€Å"I will maintain the embargo,† Mr.Obama said in a speech in Miami on May 23, 2008. â€Å"It provides us with the leverage to present the regime with a clear choice: if you take significant steps toward democracy, beginning with the freeing of all political prisoners, we will take steps to begin normalizing relations. That’s the way to bring about real change in Cuba – through strong, smart and principled diplomacy. † (Speigel, 2009) For change to come about, a major event will have to take place.This situation seems like a non-negotiable on both sides where for the past 50 years they have agreed on disagreeing which isn’t the way to change the lives of all those people suffering and all those people that in one way or another are being affected negatively. In the unexpected event that trade relations resume between the U. S. a nd Cuba, some of economic barriers that would have to be overcome by a U. S. firm to conduct business successfully in Cuba. Firms will always be alert to any risk or uncertainty that can bring about the loss of assets or revenue due to unstable legal processes or corruption.Seizure of Assets for example: â€Å"The ultimate threat a government action to dispossess a foreign company or investor. † (Green & Keegan, 2011. ) Nationalization, expropriation are eminent threats in country with a dictatorship such as Raoul Castro and Fidel Castro. There would have to be some specific amendments to the international law which will pretty much guarantee to the firms and investors, any assets invested in the Cuban Market. Firms and Investors would have to take extra steps in order to protect their selves and clearly recognize the levels of juridical power for Cuba and for the U. S. s well as proactively protect against corruption and piracy which could be a primary issue in Cuba, with a strong intellectual property protection strategy. Any and all can be done once the embargo is lifted, but this would be the first step to greater changes and reforms, without it everything is only assumptions. This paper analyzed the key issue that prompted the EU to take the Helms-Burton dispute to the WTO. It decided who benefits and who suffers from an embargo of this type and it explained the rationale behind the conclusion. It also presents a resolution to the trade situation between the U.S. and Cuba. Finally it has determined what type of economic barriers would have to be overcome by a U. S. firm to conduct business successfully in Cuba. Work Cited Green, M. , & Keegan, W. (2011). Global marketing. (6 ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NY: Prentice Hall. Speigel, L. (2009, April 17). Presiden obama-who once supported, but no opposes, lifting the embargo-seeks â€Å"new beginning† with cuba. Retrieved from http://abcnews. go. com/blogs/politics/2009/04/president-ob-19/ Smith, W. (1998). Our dysfunctional cuban embargo.. (Vol. 42).

Hiv And Aids In Africa Health And Social Care Essay

While there is no remedy, drug interventions can widen the lives of people with AIDS. It can be prevented by a committedness to poverty decrease, betterments in instruction, health care, nutrition and sanitation. AIDS is treatable and preventable and is under control in developed counties, but non in Africa.Background on AfricaMany of us know that Africa is a hapless, hungering state, but non much more. The legion states of Africa have been inundated with war for old ages which has left it extremely hapless. In fact, the one-year income is $ 400 – $ 700. It is out of the inquiry for a individual to be able to afford intervention. The bigger issue seen by the African authorities is famishment and has been the overpowering job long earlier AIDS appeared. Therefore AIDS instruction is non ranked high on their precedence list. It is estimated that bar plans reach less than one in five of those who need them ( Kaiser Foundation ) . Increasing demand for wellness attention services is overpowering. At the same clip, they are losing big Numberss of wellness attention workers to AIDS. In some African states, it is estimated that AIDS causes up to one half of all deceases among employees in the public wellness sector, . ( Kaiser Foundation ) . The African civilization besides plays a function in doing the war on HIV more hard. â€Å" Multiple sex spouses are expected as portion of cultural look, † ( Cichocki, 2007 ) , which increases transmittal because the parties are incognizant they are HIV infected.Summary on AIDSAIDS is an infection that is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV ) , which destroys the organic structure ‘s immune system. AIDS can be acquired in a batch of different ways and finally leads to decease. A few of the ways are being injected with used acerate leafs, infected blood transfusions, unprotected sex, and contact with a individual ‘s blood who has AIDS. In add-on, a female parent can infect her babe while pregnant, during bringing through contact with female parent ‘s blood or organic structure fluids, and after birth through chest eating. All of the literature points to the Sub-Saharan in Africa as being the most devastated by the disease with â€Å" more than 75 % of deceases were AIDS related in 2007, † ( Africa Action ) . The impact on adult females is even higher. â€Å" Women represent more than half ( 59 % ) of all grownups populating with HIV/AIDS, † ( Kaiser Foundation ) . This is in portion because of the cultural outlooks of multiple sex spouses and their low socioeconomic position. â€Å" A study from the United Nations says that AIDS will kill half of all 15 twelvemonth olds in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa by 2012 if something is non done shortly, † ( Cichocki, 2007 ) . Some of the literature estimates that in twenty old ages the population in countries of Africa could diminish by half. The impact on life anticipation is change by reversaling the additions made during the last century. â€Å" By 2010, life anticipations in several highly-affected states could drop to below 40 old ages, good below what they would hold been without HIV/AIDS and even below degrees they had reached in the pre-AIDS epoch, † ( Kaiser Foundation ) .Impact of AIDSAdvantages of chest eating in destitute states, such as Africa, are significant. However, these advantages must be balanced against the hazard of go throughing HIV to the babes through chest milk if the female parents have the virus ; unluckily the bulk of female parents do n't cognize that they are infected. In some countries of Africa, more than 30 per centum of female parents have HIV. If an HIV positive adult female takes no preventive drugs and breastfeeds so the opportunity of her babe going infected is around 20-45 % . Modern drugs are extremely effectual at forestalling HIV transmittal during gestation, labour and bringing. When combined with other intercessions including expression eating, a complete class of intervention can cut the hazard of transmittal to below 2 % . Even where resources are limited, a individual dosage of medical specialty given to fuss and pamper can cut the hazard in half. Testing is the first measure in forestalling HIV transmittal. Rapid HIV trial provide consequences in 15 proceedingss and supply information that allow preventive steps during childbearing such as cesarian subdivision and non interrupting the female parent ‘s H2O. However, supplying proving and drug intervention to everyone who needs it requires more clip and preparation than is presently available in most states. ( Avert ) Childs are being left as orphans because their parents are deceasing from AIDS. Even more astonishing is the fact that many of these kids will besides decease from AIDS. Often both of the parents are HIV positive in Africa. As a consequence, more kids have been orphaned by AIDS in Africa than anyplace else. As parents die and kids are sent to relations for attention and upbringing the family dissolves. AIDS strips households of their assets and income earners, doing the hapless poorer. ( Avert ) . Significant injury and adversity occur for kids affected by HIV and AIDS. The epidemic non merely causes kids to lose their parents but sometimes their childhood every bit good. As parents and household members become sick, kids take on more duty to gain an income, bring forth nutrient, and attention for household members. It is harder for these kids to entree equal nutrition, basic wellness attention, lodging and vesture. Fewer households have the money to direct their kids to school. As projections of the figure of AIDS orphans rise, there are treatments of an addition demand for institutional attention for kids. However this solution is non merely expensive but besides damaging to the kids. Institutionalisation shops up jobs for society, which is sick equipped to get by with an inflow of immature grownups who have non been socialised in the community in which they have to populate. In the last decennary, there has been a dramatic addition in the figure of immature kids who have died because of HIV/AIDS transmitted to them by their parents. The uneducated are four times more likely to believe that there is no manner to avoid AIDS and three times more likely to be incognizant that the virus can be transmitted from female parent to child. Hardest hit by HIV/AIDS is the on the job age population. The loss of these workers in bend affects Africa ‘s ability to react to the epidemic. AIDS claims the lives of instructors and contributes to serious instructor deficits in several African states. The instruction sector has been weakened through its impact on school attending and registration among kids affected by HIV/AIDS. Teacher shortages in African states have resulted as AIDS claims lives.Global AidFunding which is being provided is non plenty. â€Å" Experts topographic point the cost of incorporating the epidemic to be about $ 4 billion, † ( Cichocki, 2007 ) . There are four chief support watercourses: the US authorities initiated President ‘s Plan for Emergency AIDS Relief ( PEPFAR ) ; the United Nations bureau called the Global Fund to contend AIDS ; the private sector ; and domestic disbursement. The US provides about half of the support for the battle against AIDS through PEPFAR. But PEPFAR is under-funded, and it merely provides support to 12 states in Africa, go forthing three-fourthss of the continent out of the image. It is being revised t o extinguish the accent on sexual abstention and spread outing the usage of generic drugs. The Global Fund is criticized for taking excessively long for the money to make the people that need it. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have provided the most significant of private contributions to the Global Fund.DecisionThere is an AIDS epidemic in Africa, specifically in the Sub-Saharan country and it is clearly non anyplace near to going under control. The chief ground seems to be that Africans are holding unprotected sex. Many people are non educated about the menace of AIDS so they have unprotected sex. It makes sense they do non believe AIDS exists and therefore, do non take steps to protect themselves from the disease. In add-on, the infirmaries are deficient and reuse acerate leafs and do non hold medical equipment to test blood for disease which consequences in septic blood transfusions. The epidemic can be helped if people receive instruction and medical intervention. Drugs demand to be available for everyone who has AIDS. The support to assist is going more focussed on what needs to be done so that AIDS can shortly be brought under control. The people need to be better educated about AIDS and what it can make to them. An full coevals is being devastated by the depredations of this disease.

Culturally Resposive Teaching Essay

In this essay I will use the given scenario to analyse and critique the teaching practice it outlines, drawing on the learning theories and themes outlined in the Professional Practice paper to explain and validate my ideas and thinking. I will consider the approaches in the scenario and offer alternatives, justifying my opinions with reference to theory, literature and my own emerging philosophy. Throughout my essay I will give consideration to the use of culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy, demonstrating an understanding of the role Treaty of Waitangi within this practice. Throughout the scenario the theory of behaviourism is reflected in the teachers practice. Behaviourism sees learning as the establishing of connections between two events, and theorists view environmental factors as influential to behaviour. This sort of associative learning is called classical conditioning (Papalia, Olds & Feldman, 2009). This theory is reflected in the teacher’s classroom management practice when the students all move outside to begin their day with a jump-jam session immediately after the bell rings, with no verbal instruction given by the teacher. It is also evident when they move back into class and sit and wait for the teacher, again with no verbal instruction issued. Another example of behaviourism theory is shown when the teacher uses reinforcement and punishment, known, as operant conditioning when she comments on Mark and Cathy’s jump jam prowess as a form of motivation. Behaviourism theory is also evident when the teacher is issuing instructions and displaying the timetable on the whiteboard as the directions are teacher lead. Within the realms of classroom management the strengths of behaviourism are obvious; the children know the sequence of events and can move from one activity to the next with little disruption and classroom management is, as described by Wong, Wong, Rogers & Brooks (2012), ‘a set of procedures that structure the classroom so the students know what to do, how to do it, and when to do it†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (p. 61). This could, I believe be disconcerting for new or diverse students and to act in a more culturally responsive manner I would advocate a pictorial display to aid understanding (Davis, 2012). I feel whilst using the reward/punishment technique during the jump jam may have motivated Cathy, who received positive reinforcement, the negative comments issued by the teacher certainly demotivated Mark. This criticism clearly affect Mark’s self-efficacy and as a result his motivation was lessened (Le Francois, 2000). I would have been inclined to direct my motivational techniques towards the class as a whole and perhaps let Mark and Cathy motivate the class by allowing them to take joint responsibility for the running of the ‘Jump Jam’ programme for that day (Hill & Hawke, 2000), using the constructivism theory, this, I believe would have been more motivating as the learner is actually involved in the learning process. I also believe the teacher missed an opportunity to incorporate the MÄ ori learning theory of Ako, reciprocal learning. Instead of leading the ‘Jump Jam’ herself she could have facilitated this by allowing Cathy and Mark to lead the session (Bishop, 2008). The humanist approach to learning is also evident in many areas of the teachers practice presented in the scenario. The Humanist approach to learning focuses on the child’s whole self, looking after the social and emotional needs of the learner as well as their cognitive abilities. For example children’s basic needs of safety, shelter, food, love and respect must be met before their academic needs can be addressed (Krause, et al, 2012). During the scenario the teacher is chatting to the students before school, in doing this she is showing she is interested in them as people thus creating a supportive relationship between herself and her learners. This relationship, the humanist theory suggests, will motivate her students and is ‘the key to effective education’ (Krause, et al, 2012, p. 233). Within the theme of classroom management the humanist theory is applied as the teacher allows the students to discuss the roles and responsibilities and the tasks that w ill need to be outlined to make camp go smoothly. She is inviting the students to be part of the process and taking a non-directive role, listening to the students’ ideas and involving them in the learning process, and in turn boosting their self-esteem. I believe that the teacher applied the humanist theory to her classroom management skills when she used the rhetorical question to redirect Clark. However, in my opinion this would have been an ideal opportunity to allow the MÄ ori boys to have a voice and encourage them to share their knowledge and learning style with the class, regarding the cooking of eels, showing respect for their culture (Le Francois, 2000). She would also have shown cultural responsiveness and demonstrated her understanding of the Treaty principle of partnerships as outlined by the Ministry of Education (2012). In critique, I also feel that the teacher could have used the humanist approach in her classroom management skills to ensure that the Somali girls have a better understanding of what a recreat ional camp entails. The girls emotional needs have not been met as they clearly have no understanding of what a New Zealand school camp is like thus are frightened and unsure so they are not engaged in the pre-camp tasks (Le Francois, 2000). Personally, I would have made sure I knew about the girls backgrounds before they came to school. This would have enabled me to develop a supportive relationship, perhaps giving the girls the confidence to approach me with their concerns and allowed me to alleviate their fears concerning camp. The social constructivist learning theory is defined as being learner centred with the learner actively involved in the process and underpinned by social interaction. Different learners will learn in different ways to suit their individual needs. Language is also an important aspect of this theory, as it is through language that the learner will construct their new ideas (Krause et al., 2000). In the scenario the teacher uses the social constructivist approach to classroom management when she invites the children to brainstorm the safety rules for the cookout. In allowing them to co-construct the rules by discussion and social interaction she is actively encouraging the use of a collaborative approach. In using this approach the teacher is allowing the students to ‘brainstorm for prior knowledge’ (Cobb, Forbes & Lee, 2012). This theory is also evident in the teacher’s instructions for the camp diaries as she allows the students time to reflect on what they would like to include in their journals and also how they would like to present them. In encouraging the use of pictures and diagrams she has allowed those who may not be able to contribute by writing an opportunity to contribute. This is an example of ‘learning for all’ (Barker, 2008) and is facilitated by the teacher in incorporating the diverse learning styles of her students (p. 31). This approach shows that she has an understanding of the participation principle outlined in the Treaty of Waitangi, which states that all students be given equal opportunity to contribute (M.O.E, 2012). Social constructivism is also apparent during pair and group activities where the students are participating in peer assisted learning and assessment when testing each other on their vocabulary. The teacher further applies this theory when she collaborates with the students by calling them to her desk and scaffolding their learning. This approach gives students self-governance over their learning and can be beneficial as it allows students to choose a style that suits their particular needs. However, in the scenario it was apparent that some students were off task and I feel that the students may have benefited from a more humanist approach to classroom management and would have moved around the classroom and offered help and looking to scaffold students where necessary. Cultural responsiveness is evident at various points throughout the scenario and the teacher demonstrates this when she attempts to include all cultural groups in the camp concert. I would critique this by pointing out that, although this may show she is culturally aware, it does not imply that she has any cultural understanding as the Somali girls are ill informed about the concept of ‘camp’ and can only draw on their own experience of what a camp means to them. When the Somali girls displayed concern for what camp meant a suggestion would be for the teacher to facilitate sharing of prior knowledge and understandings early on in the lesson. This would have potentially allowed for the Somali girls fears and concerns to be alleviated , thus addressing their emotional needs and allowing them to move on with their learning. Doing so would have aligned with a humanistic approach by considering their interconnected needs as a whole person. Cultural responsive pedagogy also requires the teacher to reflect on their practice (Gay, 2000). This practice is observed when the teacher contemplates ringing the Somali girls’ parents to offer them support and explanations regarding the school camp. If practicing culturally relevant pedagogy the teacher would, Fraser & Paraha (2002) point out ‘take the personal concerns of students seriously and examine social issues with them that were drawn on the students’ cultural positionings†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (p. 57). Furthermore, I believe a behaviourist approach to classroom management when allowing the girls to research on the computer, perhaps giving them some pre viewed websites to explore, may have enabled Aaheli to feel that her culture was valued. The outcome in the scenario could well have made her feel ostracised and even made the other girls become culturally biased. Throughout the scenario reference is made to the ethnicity of groups of students who seem to stay in these cultural groups within the classroom. The teacher doesn’t appear to interact with the Somali girls at all and the MÄ ori boys only receive a negative response when they show enthusiasm for aspects of camp. Although the students can learn cross-cultural understanding from personal experience I would advocate using the social constructivist approach to cultural responsiveness and model good practice to my students by using inclusive and cultural responsive pedagogy inviting the MÄ ori boys to demonstrate their cooking skills and perhaps going a step further than the teacher in the scenario and actively encouraging the parents of the Somali girls to attend camp meetings (Whyte, 2008). The teacher did, however, collaborate with a parent and invited them in to help with the preparation of the camp concert, promoting the concept of Whanaungatanga (M.O.E, 2011). Furthermore, I believe this pedagogy would encompass the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi as outlined by the M.O.E. (2012) as partnership, protection and participation. This essay has used the scenario and analysed and critiqued the teaching practices it outlines by drawing on the learning theories and themes outlined in the professional practice paper using them to validate ideas and thinking. It has considered the approaches in the scenario and offered alternatives, justifying these opinions with reference to theories, literature an emerging philosophy of my own. Throughout the essay I have given consideration to the use of culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy and demonstrated an understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi. References Barker, M. (2008). How do people learn?: Understanding the learning process. In C. McGee & D. Fraser (Eds.), The professional practice of teaching (3rd ed.) (pp. 17-43). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage. Bishop, R. (2010). 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