An Analysis of Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd and the Effect of the Credit Crunch on Its Performance

|Dissertation Proposal | |An analysis of Sainsbury’s supermarkets Ltd and the effect of the credit crunch on its performance | |Year: 1 | |Course code:MN5251 | |Assignment No: 1 | |Programme Title: MSc International Management | |Candidate No: 0901143 | | | TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 AIMS OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 LITERATURE REVEIW†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 METHODOLOGY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6 PROPOSED CHAPTER HEADINGS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 REFERECES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 APPENDIX†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 1. Introduction This dissertation seeks to examine Sainsbury’s supermarkets plc (Sainsbury’s) as a company and how they can use their established brand to branch out and gain potential growth in the industry, and to explore how they are coping with the recent credit crunch. Sainsbury’s has come a long way from being the market leader to dropping to the third position which it is struggling to maintain. This can be attributed to a series of wrong decisions and lack of foresight leading to their current struggles. They suffered from poor management in the past and this has reflected on their effort to catch up with the industry leaders. In addition, because of the recent credit crunch, banks have cut back on lending to both individuals and firms thereby swaying consumers to demand cheaper products and curb their expenditures. A question springs to mind: prior to the crisis, supermarkets have passed on rising food prices to consumers but now more than ever prices are low, so why the sudden change in tactics? Small businesses are going under due to lack of finance which hinders them from competing and offering low prices but this loss to society becomes a gain to the big supermarkets. Does this mean that the supermarket industry has less risk than other industries or has the supermarket industry adjusted strategically to cope with the global downturn? 2. Background of the study Sainsbury’s supermarket, a subsidiary of J Sainsbury plc was first opened in 1869 and is one of UK’s most reputable stores. They own 509 supermarkets and 276 convenience stores around the UK according to their website and are best known for their quality products that are priced fairly. It operates as an oligopoly where only few firms in the industry have majority of the market shares. Historically they have had the advantage of been in the industry a lot longer than its competitors who have now taken over in both performance and market share. Over a consecutive three month period ending in June 2008, Sainsbury’s reported 3. 4% increase in like-for-like sales which exclude fuel. They have recently boosted their ‘basics’ range in order to meet the growing demand and attract new customers. They have promoted their brand with the help of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver In the current economic climate, the supermarket industry seems not to be affected financially by the lack of global credit but they have had to change their operations strategically to meet the demand of customers in the recent economic downturn. The food industry runs a low risk trade because majority of its products are necessities unlike other industries such as the banking sector who have suffered greatly from the credit crunch e. g. Lehman brothers. Across the continent and the UK, supermarkets have not been adversely affected by the economic crisis. Contrary to the recent events, the supermarket industry has in general employed more staff globally than any other sector. E. g. Asda has pledged to employ 7000 new workers in 2009 (BBC), Tesco also plans to take up 10,000 new workers (Sky News). Some of the supermarkets are making plans to expand and open new stores in the current economic climate impaired with lack of credit. Companies have had to improve efficiency in order to minimise their cost and to increase profitability. 3. The Aims of the research project are to: †¢ Provide an assessment and summary of Sainsbury’s supermarkets plc: -using financial, operational and business performance analysis to compare them against their competitors. †¢ Analyse its position in the industry before and during the credit crunch: – they are currently experiencing increased sales during a recession. †¢ Investigate the reasons why Sainsbury’s is not the market leader: – they were the pioneers of the industry and now they are struggling to maintain third position ranking. Put together recommendations for Sainsbury’s on opportunities available to them that could lead to potential growth and increase customer loyalty: – suggest poss ible solutions and strategies that could help rebrand and reposition them in the industry. Personal aims include: †¢ Gaining more knowledge and skills in performing research through various techniques. †¢ Complete a compulsory component to secure an MSc degree in International Management. The objectives of the research project are to: †¢ Evaluate the supermarket industry. †¢ Examine the role of Sainsbury’s in the industry. †¢ Establish if there are still market growth opportunities. †¢ Accessing the impact of the credit crunch on the industry. Reason behind the recent increase in sales during the credit crunch. †¢ The effectiveness of their marketing strategy and its impact on their sales. †¢ The role and contributions of operations to Sainsbury’s. 4. Literature Review and limitations of the study Sainsbury’s has recently been losing customers to discount stores like Aldi and Lidl who offer lower value products at cheap pr ices and since then the company has rebranded and improved on its financial and operational performance but has still not caught up with the market leader. Their own brand ‘basics’ is a core strength to the business but they seen to be losing the battle of drawing consumers to purchase upscale and premium products from them. Sainsbury’s grew rapidly after its first store was opened but suffered great losses after the Second World War when turnover fell drastically but the company evolved and grew once again till they experienced a change in management style in 1992. David Sainsbury and his successors made great decision mistakes under their administration including the rejection of branching into non-food retailing amongst others. During this downturn, their competitors grew rapidly. An opportunity that needs s to be explored is the increase in demand for organic products while striving to minimise the threat of their lack of international market exposure. It is important to point out that porters 5 forces has some weakness of been static, lacks guidance on how to define an industry and not forward looking. With these flaws, it is also considered to be a useful tool in identifying threats to profitability, strategic planning to outperform rivals and helps to identify less competitive segments. A limitation to the report will be the sample size used which will be small compared to the total population and maybe income, age and taste sensitive. The result from the survey will be biased because it will be focused in the south west region of the UK and only few stores will be used. 5. Methodology and methods The research aims will be achieved with a combination of primary and secondary research 5. 1 Literature review The research method will be reviewing the literature on the supermarket industry with its focus being on Sainsbury’s. This will be achieved from the use of secondary data collected from textbooks and journals through Royal Holloway university library and other relevant resources including the use of commercial databases and internet search engines. The dissertation will adopt a case study method. 5. 2 Data collection and sample This report will use qualitative and quantitative data as sources of primary research. An analysis of original documents will be utilised including carrying out a small sample survey of 30 individuals each for Sainsbury’s and its competitors. This will entail the use of questionnaires with closed questions imputed into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Telephone and face-to-face interviewing techniques will also be used based on having good and reliable contacts within the companies. Data will also be gathered from electronic sources, books, journal articles; news achieves and interviews to. 5. 3 Data analysis A categorisation approach will be adopted where all data collected are grouped according the topic area best suited for its analysis. This report will examine the financial and operational performance of Sainsbury’s in comparison with its competitors. The use of financial information gathered from secondary research, Sainsbury’s and its competitors (such as audited reports) which are less biased will be used to measure the performance of the business. The financial performance will be evaluated using the following: Ratio analysis, Competitor analysis and Financial statements. The operational performance will be analysed by studying the following: Distribution networks, Product quality, Pricing strategies, Promotion strategies and Store location. The report will use the 4-stage model theory to rate the position of Sainsbury’s operation. This will determine where they fit into the model and how to further develop other aspects of their processes which could act as a support to gaining competitive advantage. Strategic analysis theory will be used to evaluate the strategic position of Sainsbury’s in the supermarket industry. These theories will include: Swot analysis, Pest analysis, Porter’s five forces and Risk analysis. The Sources Sainsbury’s website, Tesco, Asda and Morrison’s website, Textbooks, Journals, The World Wide Web, Databases, Royal Holloway University, News achieves and MINTEL. 6. Proposed chapter headings Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Background Chapter 3: Literature review Chapter 4: Methodology Chapter 5: Research results and analysis Chapter 6: Conclusion and recommendations References and appendices References Collin Fisher 2007. Researching and Writing a Dissertation: A Guidebook for Business Students. Prentice Hall BBC online Asda creating 7,000 new UK jobs http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/business/7855482. stm Accessed 28/01/2009 Datamonitor, August 2008. Company Spotlight: Sainsbury’s http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/pdf? id=22&hid=16&sid=fc656bea-c31c-4043-bbc3-82640ca0cf52%40sessionmgr7 www. sainsburys. co. uk Wheelwright, S. and Hayes, R. (1985) Competing through manufacturing in Harvard Business Review, (Jan-Feb), pp. 99-109. Sky News Tesco to create 10,000 new j obs http://news. sky. com/skynews/Home/Business/Tesco-To-Create-10000-Jobs-But-Posts-Poor-Christmas-Sales-Figures/Article/200901215202210. Accessed 20/01/2009 Appendix Timetable of dissertation 30th of January, 2009: proposal deadline February 2009: – week 1-2: collect literature papers – week 3-4: review research methods literature and research strategy March 2009: – week 1-2: design questionnaires forms – week 3-4: examine literature review April 2009: week 1-4: contact company to make appointment schedules – week 3-4: revise the questions of questionnaires May 2009: – week 2-3: formal proceeding with questionnaires – week 4: final collection of questionnaire and analyse of primary data from the case company June 2009: – week 1-4: start writing dissertation – week 1-4: keep refining dissertation writing and start to finalise dissertation write up July 2009: – week 4: start proofreading, finalise dissertation wri te up – week 4: buffer for contingency and start up the plan of dissertation binding August 2009: – week 1: finalise dissertation binding – week 2: preparation for submission deadline

Eliminating Prejudice and Discrimination Inside the Classroom Essay

The rich and colorful diversity of today’s society is very evident to many classrooms in most parts of the world. It is indeed that mere educating of the children is no longer enough nowadays as such the educational setting is even more revolutionized. Since the students of this generation are exemplified with different learning styles and habits, level of intelligence, cultural orientation and socio-economic background, there must be high observance on the implementation of multicultural education in every classroom of the world. The schools and learning environments must work for all the aspects and must consider the diverse cultures of the communities they serve. Nevertheless, the observance of multicultural education to some countries remains a dilemma for many administrators and teachers as well as on the part of the students. The administrators and teachers encounter problems on the integration of the curriculum and other activities in order to suffice the various needs of the different orientation of the students. The students, on the other hand, suffer dilemma on the equal treatment of the teacher and other students in terms of the curriculum and relationship among them which commonly leads to great prejudice and discrimination inside the classroom. One of the great challenges of today’s classroom in terms of this multicultural education approach is the inclusive education for the special students in the community. Many educators find difficulties on the inclusion of the special students together with the normal students since it is presumed that they have a significant difference in terms of learning styles and habits, level of intelligence and skills, and many others. Hence, it is very essential for the different educational institutions to have an in-depth understanding on the importance of multicultural approach in education as well as the inclusive education for the special students. This paper tries to provide a thorough discussion of the paradigm of multicultural education, the inclusive education for special students and the strategies for the administrators and teacher to successfully observe and maintain multicultural education for the special students. Pros and Cons of Multicultural Education Over the past three decades, multicultural education has been recognized as one of the avenues for educational reform (Ramsey, et. al. 2003). Multicultural education is defined as an educational reform movement which incorporates the idea that all students, regardless of gender, social class, and ethnic, racial, or cultural characteristics, should have an equal opportunity to acquire education in school (Banks & Banks 2009). It is through the concept of equal opportunities that learners find social democracy and fairness inside the classroom. Multicultural education is considered to be very advantageous since it provides various opportunities not only for the teachers and administrators but also for the learners (Mitchell & Salsbury 1996). One of the advantages of observing multicultural education in the classroom is the elimination of racism and sexism among the students. Through teaching the culturally different approach, there will be an attempt to raise the academic achievement of the students of color through culturally relevant instruction (Sleeter 1996). It should be noted always that eventhough students have differences, there should be equal opportunities inside the classroom as such education is a right of everyone. The aim of the schools should be to encourage the full development of the students regardless of the diverse racial, ethnic and gender groups of the students (Banks 1997). Educators, hence, must eliminate all structures of education that impede learning of the ethnic minorities and women. There should be equal opportunities between the man and woman or between the rich and poor so that there would be a sense of multi-culturally responsive classroom approach in the schools. This is thus the reason why all countries must observe equal opportunities to all students regardless of gender and cultural orientation. For instance, the students whether boys or girls are given the opportunity to participate in all the activities of the classroom such as recitation, discussion, project making and the like. Multicultural education approach, moreover, promotes the idea of democracy in a pluralistic society. It is through this approach of education, students learn to value cultural knowledge and differences (Sleeter 1996). This is a good value that the students might learn with the multicultural approach. As they understand the diversity of the educational setting, they are implicitly learning also the sense of democracy and fairness within themselves which will be very helpful to the students when they are ready to face the realities of the society. The teacher should encourage multicultural approach in the school since it does not only teach the students to respect each other but it also allows them to have better understanding on the concept of democracy and fairness which are considered to be good virtues. Nevertheless, the practice of multicultural education is not that easy because there are a lot of considerations which need to be taken. In the multicultural classroom, there must be a culturally responsive curriculum to suffice the needs of the different students. The teacher should prepare a lesson which will consider the subject matter as well as the diverse culture of the students. For instance, the teacher may present a view of mathematical thinking that incorporates the ways in which culture and mathematics are related and intertwined (Nielson 1991). In sciences, the study of environments can be done from the perspectives of the diversity of cultural understanding. Eventhough this would mean additional and laborious tasks on the part of the teachers, it is better as compared to mono-cultural approach as such there will be a high manifestation of learning not only in the subject matter but also in the culture of their respective orientations. While the students are learning the subject matter that they need to accomplish, they are likewise acquiring a sense of the understanding the different cultures that the different students posses in their classroom. In this sense, the teacher avoids discrimination with respect to the cultural orientation of the students. In the teaching and learning process of the multicultural approach, likewise, there is a need for various teaching strategies to cater the various learning needs of the different learners inside the classroom. In this case, the teachers must consider that students are confined with the multiple intelligences and each type needs different teaching maxims (Armstrong 2000). When teaching a particular subject, the teacher must not only use devices which are intended for the visual learners but also to the other types of learners such as auditory, tactile, and the like. For instance, the teacher may provide visual aid for the visual learners, recordings and sounds for the auditory and practical application for the tactile type of learners. Through this, there would be less discrimination in the different types of learners. The students find no discrimination as such all of them are being addressed with their different learning needs. Along with the diversity of the curriculum and the teaching strategies to suffice the needs of the diverse culturally responsive learners are the diverse culturally oriented stakeholders of the education. The change in the school setting from mono-cultural to multicultural approach should be a hand in hand effort of all the stakeholders of the education which include, aside from the students, teachers, administrators, parents, community leaders and government. The teachers should be the ones to observe multicultural approach of education inside the school through observance of the anti-discrimination acts not only in the school but as well as in the whole community. However, the teacher cannot alone do all the tasks to maintain fairness and justice inside the school. The other stakeholders of education should also take their parts in maintaining an education with an environment free from prejudice, racism and discrimination. Education of today’s generation should incorporate multitude of voices in multicultural society so that there would be effective observance of multiculturalism (Banks 1997). This means that education should be treated as a thing tantamount to equality and fairness. And the country successfully achieved this goal through the collaborative efforts of the teachers, administrators and the other stakeholders of education in the community. Multicultural education is considered to be very advantageous to the educational system of the country since it provides and promotes an educational reform which is beneficial to every stakeholder of education. But nonetheless, observance to this educational reform is not an easy task. The main problem, perhaps, that a teacher may encounter in observing and maintaining multicultural approach to education is the curriculum as well as the teaching strategies for this kind of classroom set up. To maintain multicultural education requires different curriculum to suffice the needs of both normal and special students. The same holds true with the teaching strategies that will be sued in order to execute the lesson everyday. Careful planning of the teaching methodologies and strategies for each lesson is a prerequisite for the successful observance of multicultural education. Likewise, it is very difficult for the teacher to carry out multicultural education approach inside the classroom especially if the students are unresponsive. In order to successfully incorporate multicultural approach in the classroom, the students should have also participation during the class or session. And also, not only the students but the administrators are also needed to take their part in the reformation of the educational set up. This entails that the success of the multicultural education lies on the collaborative effort of the students, teacher, administrators and the community. However, though it requires too much persistence and hard work not only on the part of the teachers but as well as on the part of the students, administrators, community leaders and government, multicultural education is a great revolution in the country as such it will not only develop and enhance the educational setting itself but it will also enlighten the perception of the world to justice, fairness and equality. The Need for An Inclusive Multicultural Classroom for the Disabled Students Aside from a classroom with diverse gender, socio-economic standing, socio-cultural orientation and religion, multicultural approach in education is very much needed specifically in the classrooms with special and disabled students. It has been found out that special students like the disabled ones find a great dilemma inside a classroom that does not observe multicultural approach over years. The problem is believed to be a result of the lack of equality and fairness among the disabled students. In most universities and colleges, special students find â€Å"academic fatigue† due to their inability to adapt to the academic requirements that the educational institutions are requiring them as well as the pressure that the environment brings them as disabled ones (Barnes 2007). In this case, the disabled students find dilemma in their respective educational institution because they are not given equal opportunities inside the classroom. The teachers and administrators do not consider the various aspects of the students such as their socio-cultural orientations, social classes, levels of cognition, and many others. In order to resolve this problem, there must be a total reformation in every classroom of the country. Teachers and administrators should practice multicultural approach in an inclusive education for the disabled students. Hence, an inclusive education that observes multicultural education must be strictly observed in order to solve the said problem and revolutionize the old concept of education for the betterment of the disabled students. Inclusive education is built on the premise that all students should be valued for their unique abilities and included as essential members of a school community (Causton-Theoharis & Theoharis 2008). Inclusion, in addition, is considered to be an active process which entails an unabashed announcement that leads to a public and political declaration and celebration of difference. Inclusion requires continuous proactive response in order to maintain inclusive educational culture. This educational idea is typically found in multicultural urban schools where cultural and linguistics barriers serves as a daily challenge inside the classroom (Corbett 2001). Through the inclusive education that permits multicultural education for the disabled ones, students will not suffer from the burden of â€Å"academic fatigue† brought about by the negligence to the different and unique abilities of the disabled students compared to the normal students. To be able to successfully carry out inclusive multicultural education inside the classroom, power and voice are particularly important aspects in this educational reformation (Slee 2008). The relationships between the disabled, the typical students and the professionals in the educational institution are considered to be central considerations to the development of multicultural education. There should be a hand on hand cooperation between these elements so that the educational reformation will become smooth-sailing. Hence, it is very difficult to observe and maintain multicultural education approach in the classroom since there are a lot of considerations that need proper and careful attention. Nonetheless, multicultural education would be very beneficial to all stakeholders of education when successfully carried out. Among the advantages that an inclusive multicultural education brings to a classroom is the sense of belongingness of the disabled students which is considered to be a basic need for each person. Disabled children begin with the commonalities they have with the other children and typically show the urge that they can and they want to belong in different ways. One of which is their desire to become part and to belong in the school context. They really want to have the same opportunities and experiences just like the non-disabled peers. In this context, it would very be helpful if the students with disabilities are mingled and mixed with other pupils whom they feel they have more in common since through them they find comfort and belongingness. Through the interaction of the disabled students with the normal ones, they will definitely experience the sense of belongingness and peer support which are very essential for developing social skills and self-esteem. It is indeed beneficial on the part of the students since the sense of belongingness is one of the important aspects under Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Pride, et. al. 2009). If this need is satisfied properly, there would be greater chance for the students to learn and explore more about their talents and skills. Sociological researches and surveys, however, have shown that education nowadays is much more likely to confirm existing inequality and discrimination than to help in eliminating and eradicating them (Larskaia-Smirnova & Loshakova 2004). It is found out that the ability of the handicapped children to obtain a good and quality education is intervened by various structural limitations linked to social inequality. Teachers in most schools pay more attention to the best and most capable students while the handicapped ones are placed on the bottom of the school hierarchy. Disabled students are frequently ignored and the focus of attention is given to the more capable students. This results to unintentional discrimination within the context of the school system. And this practice is indeed very disadvantageous to the part of the disabled students. Limitations of the Multicultural Education for Special Students Some criticized that the success of the multicultural education among the disabled students does not materialize because of the limitations from the teachers. Some teachers do not perceive special education as a means in order to help the students with disabilities. In some cases, the teachers are the ones who serve as the source of prejudice and discrimination inside the classroom. If a teacher, for instance, responds to a disabled student in a manner that the said student will be perceived as different from the typical ones, the other students would also perceive them as different among the others. In this manner, the disabled students are unintentionally discriminated by the teacher and the students inside the classroom. Because of the modeling seen by the students from the teacher, the typical students might used to discriminate the disabled ones and think that the disabled students are really different from them. This would lead the students to the sense of inequality, discrimination and prejudice among themselves. In this case, the teacher serves as a model to the students. The typical students learn their behavior through observation and imitation of peers as well as through reference to authority figures. This is called social referencing theory which suggests that an individual gains information about social setting from a familiar or trusted person (De Schauwer 2009). The teachers, nevertheless, should be the ones to promote equality inside the classroom in order to make multicultural education successful. Since they are the most authoritative figures inside the classroom, the teachers should serve as an example to the students so that the latter will develop sense of equality among themselves. To be able to contribute to the success of the multicultural education, the teacher should have the in-depth understanding of the paradigm of multicultural education. This would eliminate the chance of unintentional discrimination inside the classroom. Studies revealed that teachers with special education coursework and teachers who had received training in special education had more positive attitudes towards inclusive multicultural education as compared to the teachers who lacked in-service training in special education (Drowning, et. al. 2007).

Cross-cultural Management in Multinational Project Groups Essay

Cross-cultural Management in Multinational Project Groups - Essay Example Nonetheless, the business culture of France still reserves some surprises for Americans and other western nations. This report seeks to provide a cross-cultural analysis of France as a potential location for investment. The report seeks to provide a profile for the cultural environment of France, exploring issues that may have significant impact on management, including business protocols, language, housing, clothing, social institutions, education, and others. Introduction According to the 1958 constitution, France is a parliamentary republic. A president, who is the head of state, leads the country. The latter monitors the functioning of democratic institutions as far as the constitution is concerned. The country also has a Prime Minister in charge of day-to-day policy. A bicameral parliament governs the country. It comprises of a Senate with directly elected representatives from the departments and region, and a House of Representatives elected by the universal suffrage every five years. The metropolitan France has twenty-two regions with ninety-six departments. The communities, departments, and regions share the centrally collected tax revenues (Smircich, 2005). France is the largest West European country with a population of approximately 65 million people, about four-fifths of the size of Texas. Due to the large area coverage, the country has different environmental orientation. The country has mountains in the south and east, volcanoes in the middle and beaches in other parts. The beaches are also very different, comprising of cliffs, sand, and stones. Consequently, the country has different climate conditions: dry and hot in the east and south, and rainy in the north and west. The country does not have an official religion, but most of the citizens are Roman Catholic. The country hosts over 4.5 million foreigners, majority of whom are from communist countries and other European countries (UHY, 2011). As far as French citizens are concerned, education is very important. This is evident from the fact that the French educational system is almost free from primary school through to a doctorate degree for French citizens. Population According to a survey carried out in 2010, about three-quarters of the French population live in the cities, with a population density of 97 inhabitants per square metropolitan kilometer. The major currency in use is the Euro. The country majorly speaks French. According to economic statistics, the service sector accounts for over 74% of the overall employment, compared with 5% in agriculture. The industrial sector of the country continues to suffer significant deficits in foreign trade due to the fierce competition from the Far East. In 2009, the country made a Gross Domestic Product of 1950 billion Euros, an increase of 2.5% from 2007. The average growth rate was 0.6%, slightly below the Eurozone average of 0.7% and 0.8% of the US figure. The GDP purchasing power parity in 2010 was $2.097 trillion, with a GDP per Capita purchasing power parity of $32,700. The global economy has been slow in all areas because of the recent financial crisis. The global effect was initially high, but France gained from its little exposure and encouraged a strong public spending policy to maintain a high demand level (Fatehi, 2003). Economy Since 2008, the rate of unemployment has increased to stand at 10% of the overall active population, slightly higher than the average European rate of 9.6%. The country reduced the

Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Media - Essay Example Media as a form of communication was introduced about 550 years ago. In the past, there was only print and audio form of media; in the form of newspapers and radios. There has been a lot of growth in the media especially with the introduction of technology. Innovation in media related technology has ensured that the members of the public can access more information and in a timely manner. One of the mass media that revolutionized the advertising, information sharing and entertainment aspects of the media was the introduction of television. This paper will discuss the impact of television on the mass media content and origins of television advertising. Introduction Mass media is an important aspect in the world because it informs the members of the public on current events that are being witnessed around the nation. The advancement in innovations has led to a growth and advancement in the mass media channels. The introduction of television brought a form of media communication whereby individuals could see and hear what was being reported. Television grew to be very popular because could see and hear what was being communicated. Initially, most of the content that was being communicated was mostly informative content such as current events at the local and international level, the weather and documentaries. The content on the televisions was also black and white. With time, the content expanded to include entertainment content like music and soap operas that increased the number of individuals that subscribed to television. Thesis statement: Television media led to the decline in the traditional media channels such print magazines and radio. Television media content The introduction of televisions in the 1950 decade brought competition to the already established newspaper and radio industry. The other forms of media that existed had to establish and introduce new strategies so as to maintain market relevance. In the year 1962, installing and use of satellite Tel star I was initiated (Lamb et al). Real time images and audio content would be transmitted to the audience from wherever it was occurring. This enabled television media to have an upper hand since it could transmit news from all over the world. This gave television media an upper hand in the media because individuals would source information content from all over the world and it had an entertainment factor. According to Barkin (p 10), people liked television media because they felt that it was valid in comparison to radio and newspapers forms of information content. There were few television programs that broadcasted, so some of them had to be repeated before station broadcasting hours ended. The 1980 decade witnessed lot of progress in television media due to the launch of 24 television hours especially in the United States of America (Barkin p 9). This increased the number of audiences for the various television stations that aired throughout the day and night. People who worked at night were kept busy and entertained by the continuous programs on their favorite television stations. With the growing popularity of the television stations, other forms of media such as radio, newspapers and magazines recorded low sales volumes. Some newspapers had to close their businesses due to the high competition from the television stations. A greater number of people preferred to view images as they listened, in contrast to reading or just listening without

Film Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Film Review - Essay Example Plot The film ultimately narrates the production of Meet Pamela, a passe melodrama that stars Jean-Piere Aumon who is the aging movie icon, Valentina Cortese, Jean-Pierre Leaud and Jacqueline Bisset who is a British actor. It is evident from the film that Jacqueline Bisset who plays as Julie Baker in film, is recovering a nervous collapse as well as the controversy that leads her to marry the doctor who is much older. In between the film, there are various small vignettes. They include chronicle of the crewmembers stories and Truffaut who is the director of the film, faces with the numerous practical problems that a person faces when making a film. The film portrays that behind the cameras, the crew and actors go through many sorrows, break-ups, affairs and romances. The event that particularly shakes up the production is when the fiancee to Alphonse abandons him for the stuntman in the film and this leads him and Julie to have a one-night fling. The production is also shaken up when a car suddenly kills Alexandre and one of the supporting actors is discovered to be pregnant (Truffaut, 1986). The cast consists of Jacqueline Bisset who plays as Julie, Jean-Pierre Aumont plays Dani as Liliane, Valentina Cortese who plays as Severine, Alexandra Stewart who plays as Stacey, Alexandre, and Jean Champion plays as Bertrand. Nathalie Baye plays as Joelle, Jean-Pierre Leaud plays as Alphonse, Francois Truffaut is the Director of the film and he plays as Ferrand, David Markham plays Doctor Nelson whereas Zenaide Rossi plays Gaston’s wife as Madame Lajoie. Christian is Alexandre’s lover and it played by Xavier Saint-Macay, Bernard Menez plays the Property man, Nike Arrighi plays as Odile, Gaston Jolly plays Gaston whereas Jean Panisse plays as Arthur in the film. The rest of the cast includes the TV reporter, which is played by Maurice Seveno, Christophe Veasque plays as the dream boy in the Director’s dream, and both Marcel Berbert and Henry Graham p lay the roles of the insurers (Truffaut, 1986). Theme One of the fundamental themes in the film is whether or not movies are more paramount than life in regard to those who are concerned in there making and production. The other theme is about the many illusions that are involved in both the actual movies as well as in filmmaking. It is also shocking to learn that Truffaut who is the director of the film started his noble career as a champion of cinema being an art form and as a film critic. Ferrand is shown in a scene where he opens a book package, which he had ordered. The books were on various directors that he admires who include Robert Bresson, Roberto Rossellini, Ernst Lubitsch, Jean-Luc Godard, Alfred Hitchcock, Ingmar Bergman, Carl Theodor Dreyer and Luis Bunuel (Truffaut, 1986). Graham Greene who is a film writer plays the role of an insurance company representative who is known as Henry Graham in the film. It has been reported on the movie’s DVD cover that Greene gr eatly admired Truffaut’s work and he was looking for an opportunity to meet him

Education policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Education policy - Essay Example Researches (Eagle, 1989; Henderson & Berla, 1994; U.S. Department of Education, 1994; Ziegler, 1987) confirm that when families are involved in their children's education, 'children earn higher grades and receive higher scores on tests, attend school more regularly, complete more homework, demonstrate more positive attitudes and behaviours, graduate from high school at higher rates, and are more likely to enrol in higher education than students with less involved families' (Hoover-Dempsey, K.V., & Sandler, H.M., 1997). So that, it's so important to involve parents in educational programmes of their children as an important goal for schools. Education here plays the major role, so that the child's education is a shared responsibility of the school and the home. At school he is said to be given knowledge common for the whole class and meant for the children of particular age taking into account their level of mental, physical and social development. At home parents can help their offshoots to solve the possible problems which can emerge at school; they can also help them to come through the adaptation process to the new surrounding and new system of communication successfully. 'Outside the school, the home is the most salient source of learning, encouragement and support for a child', notices Alison Rich (Rich, A., 2001). She also stresses upon the 'parental resources' which refers to 'income level, parental education and parental employment'. This is urgent because family income can increase educational opportunities of a child greatly by providing him with a bigger number of books and educational tools. Besides this, p arents with higher level of education tend to have children who are much interested in their self-improve and realization thus giving them much motivation for their finishing high school and continuing educational steps on higher levels. On the contrary, children from unemployed families tend to be backward in education and have smaller level of motivation for studying. All these facts stress upon the fact of importance of parental participation in their children's development process, educational process in particular, to set a good example for them. There also some factors that can be a rather positive impulse for children to like school and are eager to study. This is a notion of 'parental involvement in a child's education' that 'can be crucial in developing a child's academic ability and confidence' (Rich, A., 2001). Parents can actively participate in their child's school life, taking part in 'school committees, attending sporting and social events, attending parent teacher nights, volunteering and so on' (Rich, A., 2001). Doing this they show their great involvement into their children's life that gives their offshoots a sense of responsibility for their deeds and their progress in studies. Parents can also provide a suitable home environment for children to be ready for school, and to know that in case something goes wrong with their studies they can learn at home and improve their knowledge. Psychology deals with the notion of 'psychological readiness of a child for school'. This includes all the facts that influence a young person to be ready to face and to step into a new system of

Accounting Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Accounting - Research Paper Example This chapter outlines the essence of harmony, and healthy working relations. It is crucial to note that, Dunlap has caused more harm than salubrious. Many companies remained ruined during and after Dunlap’s rein as executive officer (Hooper, 2003). For instance, the application of traditional and crooked ways of bookkeeping, workforce evisceration and executive butt- worship, which characterized Chainsaw’s career in the business world wallowed majority of the firms, which included Sunbeam. They were rendered bankruptcy and crippled (Byrne, 2001). Dunlap’s arrogance can be illustrated in a case where were he fires quarter of the salaried employees of Lilly Tulip. It is imperative to note that, Dunlap’s egomaniacal style and obsession with short-term performance ultimately led to his firing and charged with fraud. Later Dunlap pays millions of dollars to the shareholders and remains banned from heading any public company (Lasdun, 2001). This situation reveals how, work places have risen to become one of the unsafe places as not perceived (Hodas, 2006). It is evidenced by journalistic investigation of incidents that, marginalization, harassment and bullying by administrators are a norm to employees (Beresntain, 1995). In conclusion, Dunlap represented an era characterized by anger, betrayal, self-interest, lies and arrogance for instance, the case where Dunlap rewards the lawyer such that, the intended loyalty and commitment might remain

Issues on Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Issues on Terrorism - Essay Example The administration tried hard to get as much support from all countries all over the world againts terrorism, the same way that they were preventive to declare war, which if pursued, is expected to affect other muslim regions. Persons that are socially alienated, "drop outs" of the society, unemployed and those with less attainment in education are those who often join and become terrorists out their boredom, desires for adventure, with motivations to use special skills, such as production of bombs and high level interest in religious and political pursuit (Hudson, 1999, p 24-25). Note that, Al Queda existed as a network at the same time as a large organizational structure of salafist majahedin terrorist. On the basis of the ideals to defend muslim community, expectedly, Muslim men from all over the world may join the militant jihad, particularly those who have implanted within themselves hatred and oversees that the influence of western countries as well as their allies pose threat to their areas of jurisdiction Norton and Company, 2004). More than a propaganda, social bonds contribute to mujahedin recruitment. As reported by Professore Sageman from University of Pennsylvania, 70% of the recruited terrrorists have travelled abroad and were from outside their native land. Recruitment begins through social networking formed at the mosque. Individuals may also seek to join other local or other groups. The recruited candidates for Al Queda may be trained in the camps of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The recruitment is not based on the number of recruits but the quality of the newly recruited members. Additional new members of the group may be recruited from other jihad groups whose goal are limited only to their respective organization. Moreover, Al Queda has the chance to recruit experts hire services as well, intended for their planned mission or operation. Sources of Revenue The notable characteristics of the group's leaders are their ability to network and obtain funds. Some of them are able to finance, like Osama bin Ladin. Their associates who constitute also the committees, are the heads of the military, political, financial, security, foreign purchase and information. According to one study of the United Nations, Al Queda gave Jemaah Islamiah $ 130,000 for 1996-2001 and additional cost of $ 200,000 for the operations beginning 2000. Main sources of revenue are derived from illegal activities such as drug, counterfeiting, weapon, forgery, kidnapping, Issues on Terrorism 3 charitable donations, businesses and many more ( Aboul-Enein, 2003). In addition, Al Queda also have collaborative relationship with wealthy Zakat Sponsors, charity fronts, businesses and also money laundering banks (Brisard, 2002, p 7). Furthermore, example of a financial supporter of the group, is a charity founded by brother in law of Osama, International Relation and Information Center. It was confirmed by the US officials that ample finances of Al Queda and other organizations under its umbrella originate from loyal Baathists, charities,

Final Application Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final Application - Term Paper Example It offers an overview on the management of diversity in the workplace. The paper will focus on the general concepts of managing diversity and its advantages to an organization. Managing diversity is defined by Taylor Cox as â€Å"planning and implementing organizational systems and practices to manage people so that the potential advantages of diversity are maximized while its potential disadvantages are minimized† (University of California, Berkeley, 1994). Diversity among people can be with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, educational background, work experience and income. Today’s increasing globalization requires more interaction among people of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Now more than ever, managing diversity becomes an important issue in the workplace. Managing diversity, in order for it to be successful requires certain skills from management. First, management must u nderstand that workforce diversity is a reality and that discrimination has its consequences. Second, managers must be able to recognize their own biases, prejudices and stereotypes. An example is in the area or recruitment where the HR manager is considering an Asian and an American for a certain job position. Although the manager is an American, he chose the Asian over the American because he was more qualified in terms of experience and educational background than the American. This case clearly illustrates that the HR manager put aside his biases/prejudices to come up with a decision that will be most beneficial to the company. Finally, managers must have the ability to recognize what will best work for the organization in terms of teamwork among its diverse employees and the dynamics of the workplace (Green, Lopez, Wysocki, & Kepner, 2008). If an organization is able to manage diversity effectively, it poses to gain several benefits. Foremost among these benefits is that it wil l be able to attract, recruit and retain people from a wide talent base. It will also reduce employee turnover and absenteeism. Management will also pave the way to develop the flexibility and responsiveness among its employees. Creativity and innovation is further enhanced by the heterogeneity of the workforce. The morale of the employees will be boosted; thereby, increasing their commitment towards the company. To illustrate, if one employee is physically disabled yet he feels that he is not discriminated and not looked down upon by his co-workers and by management, then he will be encouraged to perform his best at work because he knows that he is appreciated despite his handicap. Moreover, in this era of globalization and rapid technological advancement, a diverse workforce from all walks of life will certainly benefit the organization. One such example is when a company hired different nationalities in its sales force, their revenue incredibly increased. This was because they we re able to tap various markets and serve their clients better since their sales force understood the specific needs of their foreign clientele. To recognize diversity means understanding that people have differences and similarities which can be used for the benefit of both the individual and management. Managing diversity means that there is fairness and equality in the organization. â€Å"

International Outsourcing of Clothing Industry Dissertation

International Outsourcing of Clothing Industry - Dissertation Example At international level several attempts have been made by the international trading bodies like WTO to liberalize the trade system and as a result there is increase in the outsourcing of different industries. Globalization has drawn lasting effects on the clothing industry as well and global outsourcing is occurring in the industry at increasing rates. Outsourcing of different industries draws significant impacts of the performance of that industry as well as on the entire economy. There are different view points about the potential effects of global outsourcing. Some researchers (e.g. Antras, Helpman, 2004) believe that increased global outsourcing cause unemployment of thousands of domestic highly skilled professionals as the companies offer the employment opportunities to the labor of another country from where they might get the labor at low wages or salaries. On the other hand some social scientists (e.g. Bruce S. Berton, 2004; Amiti, Wei, 2005) strongly believe that the economies in the 21st century must need outsourcing in different industries because it bring variety of benefits and advantages to the countries like the consumers get more choices available in front of them and they also have an easy access to purchase the products at different levels of distribution. Along with these effects of global outsourcing attempts are also made to examine the impacts of outsourcing on the workforce of the countries (e.g. Campa and Linda S. Goldberg 1997; Maria Pia Hernandez, 2004). Despite the fact the a considerable portion of literature is concerned with examining the effects of global outsourcing on industries and the economies, there are few researches that study the impact of global outsourcing of clothing... The dissertation unfolded the international outsourcing of the clothing industry from the US and also provided the information about the various issues that are related to the clothing industry outsourcing. It came out from the study the clothing industry is being outsourced internationally from America for many years ago. It means that there is enough awareness in the businesses of the American clothing industry that they paid attention towards the outsourcing and discovered that the outsourcing will provide them certain benefits. As a result of this thinking outsourcing of clothing industry by the US, clothing firms become a common practice and many of the famous brands also get their clothing assembled in other countries where the manufacturing cost is less than America. The two important factors that were pointed out as the main player that encourage the outsourcing of industries (Technology advancement and Trade liberalization measures) also played an active role in the internat ional outsourcing of the US clothing industry. The clothing firms of US is not only facilitated by the technology to get into the outsourcing practice but the favorable investment and trade condition also makes it possible that the companies to look towards international outsourcing and save the money that is saved from the labor salaries. The clothing industry mostly looks towards the positive consequences of the international outsourcing and they do not take much care of the matter that what will happen to the skill and unskilled labor of home country.

Psychology Research Essay Example for Free

Psychology Research Essay What are the main points of both articles? Anxiety Disorder: Panic Attacks. It can happen anytime, anywhere. Unexpectedly, out of the blue, your heart starts to speed up, your face goes red and you go through shortness of breath. One feels dizzy, nauseated and out of control. A number of people even think like theyre dying. Such may be a person experiencing a panic attack — a sudden occurrence of powerful fear that induces grave physical reactions in the body (Campbell, 2002). Several people, believing theyre having a heart attack, go to the emergency room. Others try to disregard the signs and symptoms, not comprehending that theyre experiencing a panic attack. A lot of women than men are disturbed by panic attacks. One-month prevalence estimates for women are 0.7% versus 0.3% for men (i.e., women are more likely to be affected than men by a 2- to 3-fold factor) (Daniels et al, 2006). And some people are experiencing frequent panic attacks, a condition known as panic disorder. Panic Anxiety Disorder starts most often when people are 20-30 years old. It activates less often in teenagers or persons in their forties. It is unusual for the disorder to emerge in the elderly for the initial time. Though panic attacks were once set aside as nerves or stress, theyre now documented as a potentially immobilizing, but treatable health condition. An assortment of approaches, together with medications, therapy and relaxation methods, can help one manage or prevent panic attacks (Wilson, 2005). Article #2: Children with Anxiety Disorder. Life is not easy for children these days. The fact that many adults suffer from mental illness of different kinds is enough to make people realize that children are even more susceptible to the same disease. It’s only good that a lot of breakthroughs are made especially in the area and study of mental illness. This study is even more significant in the light of the film Ordinary People, which has captured audiences worldwide decades ago. Precisely because the characters depict the â€Å"ordinariness† of each person and how representative they are to the masses, made this film a hit during its time. Ordinary People presents how malfunctioning individuals are as they go through each of their lives with the burden of mental illness. The role of the mother in the film shows someone who has personality disorder, specifically dissociative disorder, while the spouse and father as having generalized anxiety disorder; and their son Conrad, as suffering with PTSD or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Mental health experts describe the illness through its signs and symptoms. It is typified by children experiencing severe fear – a powerful worry or the uneasiness that run or last for periods of time ((http://www.nimh.nih.gov). When children sufferers are not treated, symptoms like these will present themselves through poor performance in academics, inability to relate with other children, low self-esteem, the use and abuse of illegal drugs including alcohol, and even anxiety disorder in adulthood (http://www.nimh.nih.gov).   Mental health experts describe the illness through its signs and symptoms. It is typified by children experiencing severe fear – a powerful worry or the uneasiness that run or last for periods of time ((http://www.nimh.nih.gov). When children sufferers are not treated, symptoms like these will present themselves through poor performance in academics, inability to relate with other children, low self-esteem, the use and abuse of illegal drugs including alcohol, and even anxiety disorder in adulthood (http://www.nimh.nih.gov). This mental health problem usually runs in families. Oftentimes, the disorder appears alongside other physical and mental health problems; substance abuse, like alcohol, usually comes along (http://www.nimh.nih.gov) with it. Anxiety disorder manifests in different forms: 1.) Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD, 2.) Phobias, 3.) Separation Anxiety Disorder, 4.) Panic Disorder, 5.)OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and 6.) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Source: US Dept of Health, 1999 in http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/). 2. What are the similarities and/or differences? Similarities come in the form of the disorders’ signs and symptoms which include physical distress with Rapid heart rate , sweating, trembling , shortness of breath and hyperventilation, chills, hot flashes, nausea, abdominal cramping, chest pain, headache, dizziness, faintness, tightness in your throat, trouble swallowing, a sense of impending death . Other health problems — such as an impending heart attack, an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) or drug withdrawal — can cause similar signs and symptoms. Individuals who experience panic attacks often are affected by other mental health conditions, including depression, fear of public places (agoraphobia) and social phobia (http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1725.htm). What experiences have you had that relate to the topic or what have you learned in prior courses? Researchers are not certain what bring about panic attacks. Heredity, stress and certain biochemical factors may play a part. A person’s chance of having panic attacks increases if she/he has a close family member who has had them. Numerous researchers think the bodys natural fight-or-flight reaction to danger is involved. For instance, if a snarling dog came after a child, his/her body would react automatically. The heart rate and breathing would race as the body readies itself for a life-threatening situation. A lot of the same responses take place in a panic attack. No noticeable stressor is nearby, but something trips the bodys alarm system. Persons having Panic attacks are no more likely than the average American to have suffered from emotional problems at the time the disorder begins (Wilson, 2005). How does your view point relate to the topics?) Definitely, I agree from personal observation that these panic attacks and /or anxiety disorder though present only in the mind, â€Å"effectively’ renders a person â€Å"paralyzed† no matter his intelligence, status and persuasion in life. Imagine this picture: after months or years of incessant panic attacks and the constrained lifestyle produced by the distinctive avoidance behavior, the sufferer may develop into a demoralized and psychologically or physically depressed person. In addition, some sufferers resort to alcohol in an effort to self medicate or to reduce the sign and symptoms of the disorder. This significantly causes difficulties to the individuals life and ability to seek suitable treatment. Unfortunately, one out of every five untreated sufferers attempts to end his or her life, not at all comprehending that there was chance for changes and treatment (Wilson, 2005). As in the film as mentioned, it is interesting to note that despite such a troubled family, Conrad emerged to be someone who has conquered the odds in his life. The loss of a brother and its effects on him, being around with parents who exhibit a variety of symptoms that they themselves are also suffering, these things could have been too much for him or for anybody for that matter. PTSD and other anxiety disorder sub-categories are very interesting types of mental health problems because of their prevalence – and in spite of that, still, many people most of the times, ignore the fact that they might be sufferers. Just as in the case of Conrad, ordinary people – the most common among the populace – are actually beset with extremely upsetting events and are left to themselves to cope as each day comes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To end, this study from researchers Craske et al shows the hope for sufferers: â€Å"With practice and encouragement or persuasion from the therapist the patient learns to reinterpret internal sensations from signals of loss of control and panic to cues that are intrinsically harmless and can be controlled with certain skills. The intentional creation of these signs by the client, coupled with success in coping with them, reduces their unpredictability and changes their meaning for the client† (Craske, Maidenbberg, Bystritsky, 1995). Reference: For Children with Anxiety Disorder: Campbell, Nancy M. Panic disorder. Mankato, MN: LifeMatters, [2002].  616.85 DYI VT Craske, MG; MAidenberg, E Bystritsky A (1995). Brief Cogntive-behavioral versus nondirective therapy for panic disorder. Journal of Behavior Therapy Experimental Psychiatry ; 26, 113-120. Giacobello, John. Everything you need to know about anxiety and panic attacks. New York: Rosen, [2000]. Daniels C., Yerkes S., Bureau of Naval Personnel emedicine.2006. Wilson, Reid D., Don’t Panic: Taking Control of Anxiety Attacks The Revised Edition Of: Harper Perennial ISBN# 0-06-095160-5. For panic Attacks Article: Davison, Gerald C., Neale, John 2001, Abnormal Psychology, Eighth Ed., John Wiley Sons, Inc. New York. National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) accessed in the Internet February 20, 2007 http://www.nimh.nih.gov. Surgeon general accessed in the internet February 20, 2007 http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter3/sec6.html.

Lab Results Fermenter Essay Example for Free

Lab Results Fermenter Essay To determine the amount of anti-microbial peptide production by Staphylococcus warneri under various conditions when 2L and 10L Fermented. To Test the effects of one uncontrolled parameters sush as pH, Temperature or dissolved Oxygen and compare findings. To produce anti-microbial activity from Staphylococcus warneri.Staphylococcus warneri is a member of bacterial genus Staphylococcus, consisting of Gram-positive bacteria with spherical cells appearing in clusters. Colonies of S. warneri are usually tan, yellow and about 2-4mm in diameter after 48 hours incubation at 35Â °C. It is commonly found as part of the skin flora on humans and animals. S. warneri rarely causes disease, but may occasionally cause infection in patients whose immune system is compromised. S. warneri is known to produce antimicrobial peptide activity in the form of Nisin. The optimum conditions for this to occur are pH 7. Nisin is a polycylic antibacterial peptide with 34 amino acid residues used as a food preservative. It is produced by bacterium and which contains antimicrobial activity and which is known as a bacteriocin. Nisin has been found to have properties that can control spoilage caused by lactic acid bacteria.

Key characteristics of life-span development

Key characteristics of life-span development Erik Erikson suggests that development is a life-long continuous process in which gains and losses in development occur throughout the life cycle. This challenges the concept of critical periods in Freuds theory. Development is multidimensional: Development occurs in the biological, cognitive, and social domains. The biological domain includes the physical changes an individual experiences throughout the course of their life. This would include growth and development in the body. An example of the biological aspect is hormonal changes during puberty. Puberty is the point in time where the development of sexual characteristics begins, and will allow these humans to become sexually active and be able to produce gametes for reproduction. The challenges an adolescence might face going through puberty is the need to adapt to changes occurring to the physical body, emotional changes such as feeling self-conscious about their changing body, and mental changes such as developing the capacity for abstract thought and problem-solving. Development is multidirectional: Some aspects of development may be increasing while others are declining or remains unchanged. For example, during late adulthood, older adults might become wiser with age but they perform more poorly than younger adults on tasks that require speed in processing information. Development is plastic: Development can be modified by life circumstances to some extent. According to Paul Baltes, humans have the capacity of plasticity or positive change to environmental difficulties throughout life.  For example, an individual who grew up in a broken home environment with an abusive father may turn out fine and do well in adulthood as the issues get healed along the lifespan. Development is dependent on history and context: Development is influenced by historical conditions. The historical time period in which we grow up affects our development. For example, children in early, middle or late childhood who grew up amidst a war may experience a lack in moral development when compared to those who grew up in a safe and stable environment. The children may grow up having altered functioning in the cognitive, behavioral, social and emotional aspect of their development. Development is multidisciplinary: Development is studied by a number of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, anthropology, neuroscience, and medicine. For example in medicine, one area of biological research which has significant importance for development is looking into slowing down the aging process. Their focus is in anti-aging foods and drugs which can reverse the biological effects of aging and some already have shown significant effects in animal studies. Development is contextual: Development occurs in the context of a persons biological makeup, physical environment, and social, historical, and cultural contexts normative age-graded influences: biological and environmental influences that are similar for individuals in a particular age group (e.g., puberty, beginning school) normative history-graded influences: biological and environmental influences that are associated with history; influences that are common to people of a particular generation. An example is when the Singapore Government implemented the Stop at two child policy in 1969 to help control the rapid population growth. It had succeeded in significantly reducing the population however, it had influenced women greatly as they started to pursue careers before having children and this gave rise to numerous University graduated women failing to marry and bear offspring. non-normative life events: unusual occurrences that have a major impact on an individuals life; the occurrence, pattern, and sequence of these events are not applicable to most individuals (e.g., death of a parent at a young age, getting a serious illness, winning a lottery) Development Involves Growth, Maintenance, and Regulation of Loss The mastery of life often involves conflicts and competition among three goals of human development: growth, maintenance, and regulation. Growth starts early on in life from infancy through late adulthood. Maintenance and regulation follows after that around middle and late adulthood as individuals capacities take centre stage. This is the time of maintaining skills and minimizing deterioration. Theme 2 Biological Processes Biological processes involve changes in an individuals physical nature. Examples of biological processes includes, brain development, height and weight gains, changes in motor skills, hormonal and changes occurring in puberty. I will be focusing on the biological process of puberty which occurs during adolescence. Puberty is a time of maturation of the reproductive system and hormonal changes occurring in the brain. During puberty, in the case of males, a hormone called testosterone which are responsible for physical and behavioral masculinization, are released. Studies that use data on adolescents have generally found positive correlations between testosterone levels and aggressive or anti social behavior. Research on adolescents has also found that higher testosterone levels in adolescents is associated with increased sexual activity (Halpern, et al., 1998), age at first sexual intercourse (Dunne et al, 1997), increased criminal activity (Booth and Osgood, 1993), increased tobacco and alcohol use (Zitzmann and Nieschlag, 2001). In terms of criminal behavior, Dabbs et al. (1995) conducted a fascinating study of 692 male prison inmates, finding testosterone related to type of crime and to behavior in priso n. Testosterone was highest among inmates convicted of child molestation, rape, homicide, and assault, and it was lowest among inmates convicted of burglary, theft, and drug offences. In relation to Eriksons theory, in stage 5 of his Psychosocial theory which identifies the crisis of identity vs. identity confusion, this is a time of trying out new things till the adolescence establishes a personal identity or fails doing so and ends up being confuse with his role in life. Cognitive Processes Cognitive processes involve changes in the individuals thought, intelligence, and language. According to Piagets Cognitive Development Theory, children actively construct their understanding of the world and go through 4 stages of cognitive development. Sensorimotor Stage (Birth 2 years) The first stage of cognitive development is where infants are able to construct an understanding of the world by coordinating sensory experiences (such as seeing and hearing) with physical (motor) actions. For example, when an object is place in the infants hand and touches its palm, the fingers will then close and grasp it. This is known as the palmar grasps reflex. Preoperational Stage(2 7 years) The second stage is where thought becomes more symbolic, egocentric, and intuitive rather than logical, however, it is not operational. For example, the child is able to conduct symbolic play in which the children pretend that one object is another. To quote an example, little girls at this stage would conduct role play of a tea party in which they assign soft toys (symbols) roles representing their mother and father. To demonstrate egocentrism of the child at this stage, Piaget conducted the three mountains task in which children were asked to select a picture that showed the three mountains from their viewpoint. The children had little problems selecting the correct picture. However, when asked to select a picture from someone elses viewpoint, the children ended up selecting the same picture which showed their own viewpoint. This showed the childrens inability to understand things from another persons perspective. Concrete Operational Stage (7 11 years) This is the stage where logic begins to develop and thus the child is able to reason logically about concrete events and able to recognize the concept of conservation. For example, children in the concrete operational stage is able to distinguish that the volume of water in a tall and narrow cup is equivalent to that in the short and wide cup when equal amounts are poured from the same container. However, the child is unable to think hypothetically and have difficulty understanding abstract concepts. Formal Operational Stage (11 years adulthood) In this stage, the child is able to reason in a more abstract, idealistic and logical manner. The child is able to think theoretically and hypothetically in which the latter is important in subjects such as mathematics and science. The child is less egocentric and thus is able to understand things in a different perspective. The child is also able to conduct deductive reasoning where he is able to reason from generalities to specifics. Socioemotional Processes Socioemotional processes involve changes in the individuals relationships with other people, changes in personality and emotions. Eriksons Psychosocial Theory states that the primary motivation for human behavior is social and, reflects a desire to affiliate with other people. Erikson views development as a lifelong process consisting of a unique developmental task that confronts individual with a crisis that requires resolution. Failure to do so would result in possible negative outcomes in adulthood. Eriksons 8 stages of human development: Trust vs. Mistrust ( 0 1 year) In this stage, the infant is learning to trust others and the world. Trust is established when babies are given adequate and consistent warmth, loving touch and physical care. However, mistrust can develop if inadequate, inconsistent care is given by cold, indifferent and rejecting parents. Autonomy vs. Shame Doubt ( 1-3 years) Autonomy is the independence developed when toddlers are encouraged by their parents for doing things by themselves (e.g. putting on shoes) versus the shame and doubt if the caregiver were to reprimand the child for not being able to do the task promptly. Initiative vs. Guilt ( 3- 5 years) This is an extension of the second stage where, initiative develops when the pre-school-going child is encouraged to explore and take on new challenges versus the guilt that the child may experience if the parents criticize, prevent play or discourages asking questions. Industry vs. Inferiority ( 6 12 years) This is in the context of primary school where the child is supported or praised by teachers for doing for productive activities versus the inferiority that may occur if the childs efforts are regarded as inadequate or messy. Identity vs. Role confusion ( 10 20 years) The teenage years involve the need to establish a consistent personal identity versus role confusion where the adolescence is unsure of the direction he is heading. Intimacy vs. Isolation (20s , 30s) In this stage, intimacy develops when the individual begins establishing mature relationships with friends, family and eventually a lover or a spouse as he or she has the ability to care for others and sharing experiences with them. However, isolation develops when the individual is deemed as a loner and uncared for in his or her life. There is a relationship between this stage and the first stage which was trust vs. mistrust. For example, if an infant receives consistent tender loving care from the caregivers, trust would be developed and thus this would likely lead to the individual developing functional relationships in his adult life and vice versa, if the infant developed mistrust in his first year of life due to neglect from caregiver, there is a likelihood that the individual might end up being solitary in adulthood. Generativity vs Stagnation (40s , 50s) Generativity refers to the interest in guiding the next generation in terms of passing on values and traditions versus stagnation where the individual is only concerned with their individual needs and thus values are lost. Examples would be those who are single and/or married without children. Integrity vs. despair ( 60s onwards) Integrity occurs when the individual reflects upon life and has no regrets as they have lived a rich and responsible life versus despair where the individual views previous life events with regrets and experiences heartache and remorse. Theme 3 Nature vs. Nurture The nature-nurture controversy involves the debate about whether development is primarily influenced by nature or nurture. Nature is a product of genetic or prenatal environment where children are born with certain behaviors that are innate and are inborn biases. Nurture on the other hand, is the effects of certain experiences depending on the individuals perception. Genetically, some people are born with defects in their genes that can affect their brain function and emotions. Environmentally, severe cruel treatment of small children can create predispositions to becoming afflicted with no empathy and abnormal behaviors. Jean-Jacques Rousseau believes in noble savages where children were naturally endowed with a sense of right and wrong and with an innate plan for orderly, healthy growth. On the contrary, the tabula rasa view by John Locke states that Children are born as blank slates and acquire characteristics through experience. This theory favors the nurture aspect of the debate with regards to ones personality, intelligence, social and emotional behavior. I would like to highlight on Schizophrenic serial killers. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests as auditory  hallucinations,  paranoid  or bizarre  delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social or occupational dysfunction.  The disease is mostly genetically inherited as those having a first-degree relative with the disease are at a higher risk of developing it. An example of a notorious serial killer suffering from this disease is Ed Gein. He was not only known for brutally killing two women but for exhuming their corpses from local graveyards and fashioned trophies and keepsakes from their bones and skin. It was the horrific way of mutilation and the bizarre display of body parts in his home that raises questions as to why someone would do such a cruel act. Ed grew up in a strict and religious family with the presence of both parents in the household. A shy, effeminate boy, the younger Gein became a target for bullies. To make matters worse, his mother punished him whenever he tried to make friends. She also abused him and his brother. Despite his poor social development, he did fairly well in school, particularly in reading. Death in the family followed as firstly, his father died and then his brother and followed by his mother. All these environmental factors accounts for the abnormal behavioral patterns elicited by Ed. Therefore in this example, we cant safely determine that traits of a serial killer are purely genetic (nature) or purely environmental (nurture).However it is the interaction between these two traits that causes development of such a behavior. Continuity vs. Discontinuity This issue focuses on the extent to which development involves gradual, cumulative change (continuity) or distinct stages (discontinuity).Developmentalists who emphasize nurture describe development as a gradual, continuous process whereas those who emphasizes nature often describe development as a series of distinct stages. For example, Freuds stage model of psychosexual development, theorized that children systematically move through distinct stages of oral, anal, phallic, and latency stages before reaching mature adult sexuality in the genital stage. Proponents of stage theories of development also suggest that individuals go through critical periods, which are times of increased and favored sensitivity to particular aspects of development. For example, early childhood (the first 5 years) is a critical period for language acquisition. Thus, most adults find it difficult or impossible to master a second language during their adult years while young children raised in bilingual homes normally learn second languages easily during childhood. Theorist Erik Erikson expanded upon Freuds ideas by proposing a  stage theory of psychosocial development.  Eriksons theory focused on conflicts that arise at different stages of development and, unlike Freuds theory, Erikson described development throughout the lifespan.. Stability vs. Change This issue involves the degree to which we become older renditions of our early experience or we develop into someone different from who we were at an early point in development. Many developmentalists who emphasize stability in development argue that stability is the result of heredity and possibly early experiences in life. Relating back to the above example of Ed Gein, he grew up socially introverted as he was discouraged making friends by his mother. In this case, he has attained stability where his personal experiences early on in childhood became a catalyst for who he would turn out to be in adulthood a serial killer. On the contrary, developmentalists who emphasize change take the more optimistic view that later experiences can produce change. I would like to quote the example of Liz Murray better known for being Homeless to Harvard. Murray grew up in the Bronx, New York to poor, drug addicted, and HIV-positive parents. She overcame hardships in her youth and struggled her way to achieve success and was accepted into Harvard University. Such, is an example of change that can occur later on in life and proves that early experiences can shape us in different ways. Theme 4 With regards to my friends extreme view that Eriksons psychosocial perspective was sufficient in describing human life span development, I disagree to that statement as they are many other theories to consider before making a conclusion as to which was sufficient. Psychoanalytic theories: The basis of Eriksons psychosocial theory is influenced by Freuds psychosexual theory. Eriksons works on extending Freuds theory as he found that Freuds ideas lacked vital social dimensions, and through his research and findings, it provided a key for his biopsychosocial perspective. Eriksons view of human development was life-long through his 8 stages which occur throughout life whereas; Freuds view of development was through critical periods which consist of the 5 stages at adolescent. Freud proposed that in the first stage, if the nursing childs appetite were thwarted during any  libidinal  development stage, the  anxiety  would persist into adulthood as a  neurosis  (functional mental disorder). If an  infant is not fed enough (neglected) or fed too much (over-protected) in the course of being nursed, it may result in the child growing up as an orally fixated adult. Oral-stage fixation may have one of two effects: (i) the underfed or neglected child might become a psychologically dependent adult continually seeking the oral stimulation denied in infancy, thereby becoming a manipulative person in fulfilling his or her needs, rather than maturing to independence; (ii) the over-protected or over-fed child might resist growing up and return to being dependent upon others. Example of the former would be an individual who grows up to be an orally fixated adult who is an over-eater or a smoking addict to compensate for the insufficient oral stimulation as an infant. On the contrary, the latter is an individual who grows up to be dependent on others and demanding satisfaction through acting helpless, crying and being needy. Therefore this highlights the importance of critical periods in Freuds stage theory. In Eriksons theory on the other hand, it presented individuals with a crisis at each stage where, depending on how one handle the challenge, it will result in positive or negative outcomes which can significantly affect ones personality and development. The benefits of this theory is that it emphasizes on the eight character-forming crisis stages, the concept also asserts that humans continue to change and develop throughout their lives, and that personality is not exclusively formed during early childhood years. It is certainly a view that greatly assists encouraging oneself and others to see the future as an opportunity for positive change and development, instead of looking back with blame and regret. The better that people come through each crisis, the better they will tend to deal with what lies ahead, but this is not to say that all is lost and never to be recovered if a person has had a negative experience during any particular crisis stage. However with every theory, there are limitations and this includes Eriksons theory. One of which is its ambiguous terms and concepts which can have several interpretations. Another reason is its lack of precision as some terms cannot be easily measure empirically. The experiences in some stages may only apply to males and not females. Cognitive theories: Piagets cognitive development theory presented cognitive development through 4 stages focusing on sensory experiences and physical actions (sensorimotor skills) and this provided the importance of examining developmental changes in childrens thinking. Vygotsky on the other hand, added a social and cultural aspect to his cognitive theory naming it the Sociocultural cognitive theory. He gave emphasize on social interaction and culture in shaping a childs cognitive process. He stresses that knowledge is not generated from within, but rather constructed through interaction with persons and cultural objects (such as books, computers). Banduras social cognitive theory focuses on the importance of environment to an individuals behavior. He emphasized the process of observational learning though imitation or modeling where people cognitively represent the behavior of others and adopt this behavior themselves. Information -processing theory emphasizes that human beings are active information processors that bring forth the process of thinking and thus learning good strategies for processing information is crucial. There are many factors that can affect human life span development and this includes the developmental processes in 3 key areas namely biological, cognitive and socioemotional. These three processes work hand in hand in the development of an integrated individual with a mind and body that are interdependent. The different theories address the different aspects of development and thus we cant conclude that only the Erikson theory best describes human development. Instead, adopting an eclectic approach is more accurate as it selects the best features from each theory. For example, Freuds theory best explains the unconscious mind while Eriksons theory best describes development being a life-long process and highlights the changes occurring in each stage. Piagets theory views cognitive development through sensorimotor and operational stages. Vygotsky added a social and cultural aspect to it and information-processing theory views humans as being capable to actively process information. C ombining the three cognitive theories provided a holistic approach to cognitive development. Behavioral and social cognitive theories such as Banduras, provided environmental influences on development. In conclusion, there is not one theory that can adequately explain human development but rather adopting an eclectic approach provided the best solution in holistically understanding human development.

Health Care Analysis Essay -- Health Care

Health care reform has been a big topic since the Clinton administration when First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, took it under her belt to devise a new system. Health care is the provision taken to preserve mental and physical health using prevention and treatment. Compared to other health care systems in the world, the United States is ranked 37th in terms of care, claims Michael Moore (2007). Ironically, our health care system spends more than any other nation on its patients, averaging nearly $8,000 per person (DiNitto, 2012). With soaring costs, it is no surprise that one in every seven Americans are uninsured (Kaiser, 2011). Even with these sorry figures, statistics show that 85% of Americans are satisfied with their health care (Saad, 2009). Another study shows that even 70% of uninsured Americans are pleased when they receive health care (Loft, 2009). Health care needs to be reformed, but in reformation, we must remember the amount of preexisting satisfaction. Living in a largely Judeo-Christian culture, we have high respect for the dignity of life. Our values are reflected through various federal and state documents including the declaration of independence which states that â€Å"[a]ll men†¦are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness† (1776, par. 2). Each individual deserves justice. Our culture is also reflected through the way we inadvertantly uphold the Ten Commandments. The United States was founded on biblical principles which emit the dignity of all people. We must be careful to clearly see the line between all people and the majority of people. When utilitarian attitudes compel change, societies’ weakest members are put at ... ...und the world. Pbs. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/view/ PBSNewshour. (2012, March 28). Supreme court wraps up health reform law hearings: What’s next? Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june12/scotusday3_03-28.html PBSNewshour. (2012, March 30). Health reform’s fate: How the Supreme Court will decide? Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june12/scotus_03-30.html PBSNewshour, (2012, March 30). Shields, Brooks, on Supreme Court ‘high tension,’ health reform’s future. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june12/shieldsbrooks_03-30.html Saad, L. (2009). Cost is foremost health care issues for America. Retrieved from http://ww w.gallup.com/poll/123149/cost-is-foremost-healthcare-issue-for-americans.aspx U.S. Declaration of Independence, Paragraph 2 (1776).

Death to the Death Penalty Essay -- Capital Punishment, Death, Lethal

â€Å"When Michael Ryan was sentenced to death, We were sentenced to† (Kelle, a.n.d, par.2). Keeping him tied outside to a deck with no coat to freeze in the winter cold, disemboweling him with a shovel to shooting off each one of his fingers, James Thimm was tortured to death (Kelle,2009). We imagine that as each day went past the pain would weaken. But that wasn’t the case for Miriam Thimm Kelle and his family. Michael Ryan the killer of Jim, were sentenced to the death penalty but little did Miriam know he was also sentenced. For some 20 years Michael Ryan's execution was carried out through every appeal on and on. The pain that Kelle’s family inflicted was insufferable. As unfortunate as the occurrence was it is safe to say this continues to be the pain of many murder victims families. The death penalty provides nothing but pain for the victims family, the economy and the society. There are multiple reasons why one should be against the death penalty. For a society that wants to be civilized, putting people to death does not solve that problem. Thinking that its helping, the death penalty actually creates a whole new set of victims. Mistakes are made because cases always turns out to be innocent. The death penalty is often used as a discriminatory tool for poor, blacks, and other specifics. Like life imprisonment the death penalty is no more deterrent. There's always the possibility of rehabilitations no matter how evil the crime was. It is hypocritical and against the law to kill someone but the state still do. The overall quality of life is bad in a society where the death penalty is used. And when this whole ordeal is put into play it brings down the society as whole. Most murders committed are largely done in the heart of the moment. â€Å"The homicide rate is at least five times greater in the united states than in any western European country† (Carter, 2012, part.4). No where does studies show a substantial net deterrent effect from capital punishment under modern U.S. conditions. In fact 88.2% of polled criminologists do not believe that the death penalty is a deterrent (Rodelet,2009, p.3). Im sure that persons contemplating murder do not sit around and say hey you know what I won’t commit this murder because I’ll face the death penalty. No, planned murders don’t plan on getting caught. They either weigh the consequences, death penalty, life without parole. States without the death penalty have a lower murder rate than states with it. 10 of the states without capital punishment have homicide rates below the national average (Bonner, Fessenden,2000). The death penalty is not a deterrent. It’s usually only used on the poor or disadvantaged people. The poor, minorities, and members of racial, ethnic, and religious communities are directly effected under the state of the International criminal court adopted in 1998, the death penalty is excluded from the punishments (â€Å"Amnesty International the† , n.d). Deterrence plays no part. "According to a survey of the former and present presidents of the country's top academic criminological societies, 84% of these experts rejected the notion that the death penalty acts as a deterrent to murder. (Radelet & Akers, 1996)" Victims are sentenced to death after unfair trials. The death penalty has been and continues to be used as a tool of political repression. It’s used to silence forever political opponents or to eliminate politically troublesome individuals. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes each person’s right to life. â€Å"No one should be subjected to torture or to cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment† (Human Rights #5 ) The death penalty violates these rights. " The death penalty is not an act of self-defense. It is in fact the premeditated killing of a prisoner who could be dealt with by less... ...ons is excited. Instead families feelings are remorsefully saddened for executions. Over and over studies have shown that the death penalty does not work as deterrence to crime. And costs are so driven up by death penalty cases. Ultimately the death penalty is a permanent death consent. Why murder others for murders? It doesn't make any sense to. BIBLIOGRAPHY Kane, Gregory. "To murder victims' families, executing killers is justice."baltimoresun.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. . Bonner, Raymond, and Ford Fessenden. "States Without Death Penalty Have Lower Homicide Rates." commondreams. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2000. . McCafferty, James. 2009. â€Å"Capital Punishment†. "Death Penalty." Amnesty International USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. . Meehan , Mary . "Ten reasons to oppose the death penalty." America Magazine . N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 1982. Manderu, Evan. 2011. â€Å"Capital Punishment America†. "infoplease." Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. ï » ¿Ã¯ » ¿Ã¯ » ¿"Amendment VIII: Benjamin Rush, On Punishing Murder by Death." Amendment VIII: Benjamin Rush, On Punishing Murder by Death. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. . Dieter, Richard . "The Death Penalty in Black and White: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Decides." DPIC. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. . Kronenwetter, Micheal 2001 â€Å"Capital Punishment†

T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land †Can We Learn From the Past ? Essay examp

T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land – Can We Learn From the Past ? And he is not likely to know what is To be done unless he lives in what is not merely the present, but the present moment of the past, unless he is conscious, not of what is dead, but what is already living. --T.S. Eliot, "Tradition and the Individual Talent" When read for the first time, The Waste Land appears to be a concoction of sorts, a disjointed poem. Lines are written in different languages, narrators change, and the scenes seem disconnected, except for the repeated references to the desert and death. When read over again, however, the pieces become coherent. The Waste Land is categorized as a poem, but exhibited visually, it appears to be a literary collage. And when standing back and viewing the collage from afar, a common theme soon emerges. Eliot collects aspects from different cultures or what he calls cultural memories. These assembled memories depict a lifeless world, in which the barrenness of these scenes speak of a wasted condition. He concentrates on women, including examples of violence committed against them and the women's subsequent lack of response to this violence, to show how apathetic the world is. But The Waste Land is not a social commentary on the plight of women. Rather, the women's non-reaction to the viole nce against them becomes a metaphor for the impotence of the human race to respond to pain. Violence recurs throughout time, and as Eliot points to in his essay "Tradition and Individual Talent" in the epigraph, we can break this cycle of violence and move ahead only by learning from the past and applying this knowledge to the present. Form often follows function in poetry, and in this case, Eliot uses this notion whe... ...ing these fragments, he saw how asleep he used to be: I have heard the key Turn in the door once and turn once only We think of the key, each in his prison, Thinking of the key, each confirms a prison (412-415) These memories become his "key" to awken the rest of us who are still pretending. The reader is left with two choices at the end of the poem. S/he can either forget about the poem, and go back to living in a waste land, or s/he can stop repressing pain and feeling and leave the waste land. Eliot ends the poem with a man (maybe himself?) sitting on a shore, "[f]ishing, with the arid plain behind me" and asking, "Shall I at least set my lands in order?" (425-36) The man here, by facing his pain, has left the waste land, and is able to move ahead. Work Cited [1] Plato, Republic, in Great Diaologues of Plato (Mentor: New York, 1984), 313.