Sensitive Periods in Summary and Implication for Montessori Teachers

SENSITIVE PERIODS IN SUMMARY AND IMPLICATION FOR MONTESSORI TEACHERS SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR MOVEMENT †¢Movement is tied to intelligence KEYWORDSADDITIONAL IDEAS SENSITIVE TO WHATMovement/Activity (sitting, crawling, cruising etc) WHEN DOES IT APPEAR PEAK DISAPPEARS It appears at pre-birth (0 month) 1-2 years At death and cessation of movement (paralysis) DEVELOPMENTAL AIM- To enable the child to explore his own environment – To perfect himself and his personality through work with his hands INNER WORK TAKING PLACE1. The horme drives his need to develop coordinated movement 2.The child’s attention is focused on learning to move and balance, and then unite this function (i. e. the child moves to learn) 3. Physical and movement of the mind i. e. the mind controls the physical 4. For the child walking is like a second birth. The child is no longer helpless but active. SIGNS WE SEE1. We notice each milestone in the child’s development of motor skills. 2. The child has an overwhelming need to manipulate and handle objects. BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS FULFILLED1. The child is joyful and content. 2. The child shows no tiredness from working. 3. The child is more satisfied in doing the work than the end result.BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS NOT FULFILLED1. The child will be unhappy, fretful, tearful and fearful because he would sometimes be ignored. 2. Death of the child’s spirit, if the child is constantly ignored. WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS AT HOME1. The child has to be given opportunities and space to move around and explore his environment. 2. They have to understand the child’s desperate need to move, to handle and manipulate objects. 3. The child needs to see adults who model, precise, careful movement so that he can see how it is done. WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS IN THE PRE-SCHOOL1.The child needs opportunities and encouragement to work with HIS hands by HIMSELF. 2. The child needs INTERESTING and PURPOSEFUL activities that will refine his movement. 3. The child needs time to work at his own PACE, to practice and repeat as long as he has to or wants to. 4. The child needs activities that would refine his gross & fine motor skills stimulation. 5. The child needs adults who model precise, careful and economical movement for the child to copy- so that the child does not dissipate energy WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER TRAINING1. Education for the young child must be founded on movement. . Trainee teacher must understand the child must move and explore to live. 3. The trainee teacher must prepare an adequate environment and activities to encourage fine &gross motor movement. 4. You must plan routines for children, to involve not only seating and listening but also doing (participate, be active in the exercise) SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR ORDER For the child, order is a necessity for him to develop. He therefore needs to orientate himself. KEYWORDSADDITIONAL IDEAS S ENSITIVE TO WHAT1. Physically- controls his movement (i. e. sitting, crawling etc, perfect the skills 2.Emotionally – the child can only build trust if there is consistency 3. Intellectually- intelligence and logical thinking is dependent on outer order, the physical order balance out his internal order which helps his intelligence. WHEN DOES IT APPEAR PEAK DISAPPEARS It appears from the first few months of life It peaks at 2years It begins to disappear at 4years DEVELOPMENTAL AIM- To develop the child’s ability to think clearly and logically; and also to help with the ability to make well thought decisions. – It helps the child to make sense of the world, by seeing and understanding how things relate to each other. It helps the child to understand where he/she fits into what he experiences. – For the child outer order is equal to inner order. INNER WORK TAKING PLACEOrder needs to be absorbed from the order at home, in the classroom and the people around the child (i. e. order is like a cycle) SIGNS WE SEE1. The child’s determination to order & coordinate his movement 2. The child is content in an environment that is ordered and with people who are trustworthy. 3. The child will set things in order within the environment; he places objects where they belong. BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS FULFILLED1.There is joy and contentment in the child. 2. He shows joy in working. 3. The child works independently. 4. The child works in an orderly cycle of activities- he completes his work cycle all the time. 5. He begins to think logically and makes careful decisions. BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS NOT FULFILLED1. The child works chaotically 2. He does not complete his work cycle 3. The child exhibits some form of disruption to others while working. 4. The child is generally unhappy and cries a lot 5. The child may show disharmony â€Å"naughty† or aggressive behavior WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS AT HOME3.The child needs a precise environment for every room the child uses 2. Parents can avoid tantrums if they are aware of this sensitivity and respond appropriately 3. The child needs trustworthy and consistent adults 4. The parents need to provide the child with limited resources to develop logical thinking, WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS IN THE PRE-SCHOOL1. Trustworthy and consistent adults. 2. The child needs a precise and prepared environment 3. The child needs adults who are knowledgeable and understanding (trained and spiritually prepared. . Provide the child with opportunities to make decision i. e. freedom of choice 5. Keep consistency in work and behavior WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER TRAINING1. Without the outer order provided for, the child will suffer by not developing an inner order and would therefore not develop an orderly way of thinking even as an adult. SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR INTEREST IN SMALL OBJECTS For the child it is as if a special time has been set aside for exploring and appreciating the mysteries of creation and nature which would be overlooked by the busy adult.The child needs the time and the means to explore his work. KEYWORDSADDITIONAL IDEAS SENSITIVE TO WHAT1. He focuses his attention on details in every aspect of his life – his body, surroundings, work, and people around him. 2. He notices and he is extraordinarily interested in very small objects and fine details in tiny objects, pictures, precise movements, gestures, sounds and languages. WHEN DOES IT APPEAR PEAK DISAPPEARSIt appears at about 1year Peaks about 11/2 years Disappears from 4years DEVELOPMENTAL AIM1. To develop the child’s faculty of attention and concentration. 2.By controlling attention, the child can concentrate on sounds, precise movements, subtle social gestures and detail in objects to help gain a clear impression of size, shape and colour. INNER WORK TAKING PLACE1. Through the absorbent mind and the force of this sensitive period the child unconsciously adapts to her culture & society and promotes her own development. 2. The child will see with â€Å"new eyes† and get clearer impressions to help to order his mind aright. SIGNS WE SEE1. The child is joyful when in contemplating small insects and tiny objects. 2. The child is very observant of fine details and would sometimes point it out. . The child notices a chip/defect in materials and in effect would not use it. 4. If the child puts on a clothing whose button is lost and it is replaced, if the button does not match the child will become distressed. BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS FULFILLED1. The child would be joyful in contemplation – happily doing his work 2. The child is joyful and content. 3. The child develops concentration. 4. The child loves to explore indoor and outdoor world. BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS NOT FULFILLED1. The child will show some signs of frustration if he is not allowed time to examine and if he is watched. . H e may throw tantrums, if he is taken away from his examination of something. 3. He loses interest in exploring and been observant. 4. The child stops concentrating and focusing his attention. 5. He jumps erratically from one activity to the next. WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS AT HOME1. The adult must respect the child’s need to examine minutely. 2. The child needs to be given time to look and be attentive. 3. The child should be allowed time to stop and explore when working with an adult. 4. The child should be provided with objects and images with details. 5.The child should be protected from disturbance when he is concentrating. WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS IN THE PRE-SCHOOL1. The very small child who has this sensitive period fulfilled will continue to be acutely absorbent of fine details and thereby focuses his attention easily. 2. Activities that will give the child opportunities in classroom & outdoor environment should encourage this â €“ THE CHILD WHO CANNOT CONCENTRATE CANNOT LEARN. TO-DO: 1. Set an example and be a good role model for the child especially in our attitude, life values, speech, cultural behavior and consideration for others. . Give d child a clear understanding of what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviours (i. e. ground rules in class) 3. In the Montessori approach it is fundamental to aid the child’s development of concentration through purposeful and interesting work with an orderly sequence, protection from disturbances, time to explore, exposure to different sounds in words, materials to refine his senses, exposure to socially acceptable behaviours, we must respect the child’s need of sensitivity to fine details.WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER TRAINING1. Parents and teachers must respect the child’s need for time to explore and contemplate and encourage the child’s observant nature. 2. Provide an environment and opportunities that encourage observatio n and exploration for the child. 3. We must keep an orderly and precise environment so that the child can focus his attention 4. You must note that concentration is the key to learning; therefore a precise and orderly environment is a condition for concentration to develop.SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR SOCIAL ASPECT OF LIFE – GRACE& COURTESY The child attempts to learn the manners and culture of his/her environment and serve others as well as himself or herself. It is therefore good to involve the child in your daily life as much as possible. KEYWORDSADDITIONAL IDEAS SENSITIVE TO WHATThe child is intensely interested in the customs, habits and culture of his/her own community WHEN DOES IT APPEAR PEAK DISAPPEARSIt appears between ages 2yrs – 2 1/2 years (mothers always recognize the child’s need for wider social experiences). It is at this age the child usually starts or attends daycare center.It peaks at about 4years. It disappears at about 5 ? years DEVELOPMENTAL AIM1. To entirely adapt to his/her own culture and circumstances 2. To be integrated and identifiable in his/her own society INNER WORK TAKING PLACE1. All the work of the unconscious absorbent mind which takes in all impressions equally, know differentiation between positive or negative social values and customs to form the child’s personality and traits for life typical of his/her culture. 2. The child is acutely observant of his/her social group especially his/her family unit – he/she takes in their verbal & non- verbal behaviour and fixes them for life, good & bad. . Remember that the child is also sensitive to fine details at the same time, this sensitive period is like an extra spot light on the details of his/her family and social experiences SIGNS WE SEE1. The child stands and watches a lot – observes all aspects of social life such as greetings, courtesy, respect, how people treat one another, how they dress, eat etc. Their habits and beliefs, people’s way of talking and gesturing, people’s attitude and outlooks on life. 2. The child tries to imitate what he or she sees and hears. BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS FULFILLED1.The child exudes confidence and positive self-esteem. 2. Begins to join in the community life of the pre-school- first watches, stands at the edge and later accepts invitation to join in. 3. The child is joyful and content. 4. Learning and working is easy. 5. The child is interested in and repeats activities of grace and courtesy. BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS NOT FULFILLEDIf the child has had poor models of social attitudes, values and behaviours he/she would emulate them and they will become fixed for life as in; 1. Poor table manners. 2. The child exhibits discourteous behaviour (very rude and unruly). . The child id tolerant of some people’s behaviour and intolerant of others (mood swings). 4. The child is disrespectful of others space, possession and values. 5. The child exhibits aggressiv e and disturbing behaviour. 6. Because of his behaviour he is shunned by other children he is either distressed by the shunning or he is full of bravado (I don’t care attitude) 7. The child is not integrated and identifiable in his/her society. WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS AT HOMEParents needs to; 1. Understand how the child’s mind works and absorbs everything. . Parents need to set an example and be good role model for the child especially in attitude, life values, speech, cultural behaviour and consideration for others. 3. Give the child a clear understanding of what is good and what is evil, what is acceptable and not acceptable behaviour to them. WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS IN THE PRE-SCHOOL1. The Montessori Pre-school needs to create a sense of community within the pre-school. 2. We need to allow the time to observe before joining in and contributing to the pre-school community. 3.The development of community life in the Montesso ri pre-school involves each member taking responsibility for himself or herself and the environment. The child has to learn how to put away activities for the next person to be able to use it and clean up after he had made a mess. These are ground rules for acceptable behaviours and younger ones will follow suit. 4. The development of community life is dependent on mixed abilities and ages and the opportunity for the child to teach one another the lesson, he/she has learnt. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER TRAINING1.If the child is exposed to disrespectful attitudes towards himself/ herself and his/her needs, he/she will grow up to be a disrespectful member of the society. 2. Care givers have the responsibility of informing parents and their communities about the work of the child absorbent mind and the need for positive role models in the child’s life. SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR REFINEMENT OF SENSES KEYWORDSADDITIONAL IDEAS SENSITIVE TO WHAT1. The need to see, touch, taste, s mell, hear and manipulate everything around him. 2. The child is in active pursuit of sensorial stimuli, he is now trying to move, in order to learn.WHEN DOES IT APPEAR PEAK DISAPPEARSIt appears at pre-birth. The child touches, feels and hears while still in the womb. It peaks between 2years- 5 1/2 years DEVELOPMENTAL AIM1. He is learning – the only way a child learns is through his senses and personal experiences (hands on). 2. The child tries to gain information about his environment. 3. To order the impression gathered so far. 4. The child tries to pair and classify – this is the function of sensorial curriculum. 5. Helps the child to look for fine distinctions i. e. grading or categorizing 6. Consolidation of knowledge. Sensorial Curriculum is designed to help the child to sort out, clarify and classify all of the impression he gathers from his environment. INNER WORK TAKING PLACEAll the inner work is achieved by the absorbent mind and the child’s developmen t of coordinated movement so that he can work with his hands. SIGNS WE SEE1. The child is first to touch and manipulate everything in his reach. 2. The child has an overwhelming interest in colour, shapes, size and the feel of objects. BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS FULFILLED1. Joyful learning. 2. The child works actively and explores through his senses. . The child does not get tired by work. 4. The child is eager for more experiences. 5. The child has an increased awareness of the outside world 6. The child has love and care for the world and people BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS NOT FULFILLED1. The child cannot develop because he does not have the full function of all of his senses. 2. The child will become apathetic (not happy, angry towards everyone) 3. The child shows certain behaviours such as been noisy, displaced/disturbed. 4. The child will not sit still to listen nor will he want to listen.WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS AT HOME1. The adult attitude shou ld change allow the child to touch, explore and experience as much as possible. 2. The adult should respect the child’s need to repeat activities. 3. The adult must understand that manipulation is vital to his development. 4. The household must be rearranged willingly to suit these needs. WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS IN THE PRE-SCHOOL1. The adult must provide sensorial keys to each sense through the sensorial curriculum. 2. Isolation of stimulus (i. e. only one sense is attended to with an activity. . We work from concrete to abstract, because the child works with the real thing before he begins to abstract. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER TRAINING1. The refinement of sensorial impression lays a firm foundation for future learning, so the children should be provided with an adequate environment with sensorial activities and experiences. 2. The teacher should note that education in the school must be sensorial based if not the children cannot develop int elligence and would not love life and learning Note: Sensorial is the KEYS to the child’s universe.Chinese Proverb: I see I forget, I hear I remember, I do I understand. Whatever a child does becomes part of the child because the child has participated and his/her hands have touched the materials or activity. It therefore becomes a part of him/her. SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR LANGUAGE KEYWORDSADDITIONAL IDEAS SENSITIVE TO WHAT1. The human voice 2. The rhythm and flow of the sounds of words without necessarily understanding what they mean. WHEN DOES IT APPEAR PEAK DISAPPEARS It appears from birth It peaks at about 2years and explosion into speechIt disappears at about 5 years DEVELOPMENTAL AIM1. To adapt the child to his/her own culture and circumstances 2. To fulfill his/her tendencies and need to be socially integrated 3. To be able to express his/her own personality and spirit 4. To be able to think and develop his/her reasoning intelligence INNER WORK TAKING PLACEInner working pr ecedes every outer signs SIGNS WE SEE1. Each milestone in the child’s development of language such as babbling, cooing etc. 2. The child’s love for song, stories and poems. 3. Listen to sounds and tries to copy them. 4.Learn new words easily (Note: PLEASE USE CORRECT LANGUAGE WITH THE CHILDREN AND NOT BABY TALK) as it is an obsolete language. 5. The child practices â€Å"writing† long before he/she starts/has the skills to write. 6. Tries to â€Å"read† long before he/she knows the sounds and sand paper letter. BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS FULFILLED1. The child expresses joy and contentment. 2. Love to talk and talks all time. 3. Contributes in group activities. BEHAVIOUR IF SENSITIVE PERIOD IS NOT FULFILLED1. The child is withdrawn and unhappy. 2. Does not join in activities. 3. Cannot settle to work and concentrate. . The child cries a lot and he is fretful because he cannot express his needs and he is often misunderstood. 5. The child can get very frustrated and may result to aggressive behaviour such as biting, kicking, crying etc. WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS AT HOME1. A rich exposure to language, he needs to see adults enjoying talking, singing, writing & reading. 2. He needs to see exaggerated movement of the mouth so he can see how sounds are made. 3. The child needs to hear correct pronunciations; so that he hears the individual sounds of words he is trying to make. 4. The hild needs to hear variety of word from a broad vocabulary that is the only way he can increase his vocabulary. 5. The child needs to hear correct, precise language from whoever is speaks whatever language to the child. 6. The child needs to hear correct sentence construction. 7. The child needs to be listened to with full attention. WHAT HELP DOES THE CHILD NEED FROM THE ADULTS IN THE PRE-SCHOOL1. Provide an atmosphere and have the attitude that encourages the child to talk, be an amiable approachable teacher. 2. Find time to chat wi th individual children and show them that you care and you are interested in them. . Find time to listen to individual children. 4. Find time to listen patiently to the child whose language is slow. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER TRAININGAll the elements of language including grammar should be learnt while the child is in his/her sensitive period for language and as he/she learns it so effortlessly and easily; but if he/she learns it later then it would be hard and full of errors – he/she would have to be taught, it would develop spontaneously if not given the right opportunities and encouragement at the right time.To Do’s To be knowledgeable about the development of language and to know which; 1. To know which activities to prepare, to promote a firm foundation in spoken language. 2. Activities to prepare the child’s hand for writing (i. e. indirect preparation for writing). 3. Activities that would prepare the child to read (indirect preparation for rea ding). Note: if the teacher does not do these, the child’s learning will be hard, schooling a negative experience.

Syllabus Risk

BADM 574 – MSTM Simulation and Risk Analysis Spring 2013 Lectures: ADV: TR 9:30 am – 10:50 am in 2043 BIF GRD: TR 11:00 am – 12:20 pm in 2043 BIF Final Exam: 7-10 pm, Tuesday May 7, 2013 ADV: 2041 BIF GRD: 2043 BIF Instructor: H. Dharma Kwon, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, College of Business, University of Illinois Of? ce: Email: Phone: Of? ce Hours: 365 Wohlers Hall [email  protected] edu 217-333-3522 Tuesdays 2 – 4 pm or by appointment Note: When you send email to the instructor, your subject line must contain the course title. During the of? ce hours, you can call my of? ce.Course Objectives: This course is about using numbers to make better decisions. The focus will be on â€Å"handson† use of quantitative tools for solution of management problems often involving risk and uncertainty. Speci? c course objectives: (1) Introduce you to practical yet sophisticated tools suitable for modeling and solving complex managerial problem s with risky outcomes, and (2) improve 1 your skill and experience with the use of spreadsheet tools for analysis of management decision problems. We will learn to mathematically model business decision problems and apply their analytical skills to realistic business contexts.The material covered is useful for executives in all professional areas of business, including but not limited to accounting, ? nance, marketing, information systems, operations management or any other area where it is important to combine quantitative analysis with expert intuitive judgment. Prerequisite: This course builds upon some rudimentary knowledge of mathematics (probability and statistics) and basic pro? ciency with Microsoft Excel. Required Materials: 1. To purchase the required electronic course pack, go to https://create. mcgraw-hill. com/shop/ and search for the following ISBN number: 1121833926.The course pack contains all required cases and some readings. 2. TreePlan, RiskSim, and SensIt (provid ed by the MSTM program and downloadable from Compass 2g course website) 3. A laptop and Microsoft Excel 2010 (for Windows) or 2011 (for Mac) installed in your laptop Evaluation Methods: There are four components to the evaluation: Case Summary: Minicase Analysis: Group Project: Final Exam: Cases Summary: Roughly every week, individual case summary assignment(s) are due. We will discuss cases in class, so it is important to read and understand the problems posed by the cases before coming to the classroom.The summary of each case must not exceed one page, and it must be submitted on-line via Compass. (PDF format is strongly preferred). It will be graded on a pass/fail basis. In order to pass a case summary assignment, you must show suf? cient evidence that you have read the case and understood the gist of it. 2 10% 30% 15% 45% Minicase Analysis: Minicase analyses (problem sets) will be assigned roughly once a week and graded. The minicases are designed to help you learn the mechanics of the methods covered in class and to give you an opportunity to apply the concepts in simple and illustrative contexts.Please note that minicase assignments require careful interpretation and analysis of the given problems. Points will be deducted if you misinterpret the information given in the case assignments. Discuss your assumptions and clearly explain your quantitative reasoning. Answers (even correct answers) without logical and quantitative reasoning will not receive credit. Minicase analysis assignments will be posted on Compass. This is sometimes an individual assignment but sometimes a team assignment. Late assignments are generally not accepted. Group Project: In the last week of the course, each team will submit an original minicase.The minicase should be based on a real business situation (in the past, in the present, or in the future) and must be analyzed using one or more of the methods or concepts discussed in this course. If you’d like, you can also add o ther methodology that is not discussed in class. Each case must consist of two parts. In part 1, a business decision problem must be presented with essential information. It can be a ? ctional situation, but it must be based on a real business situation. Part 1 might look like one of the short cases that we analyze in this course and the text (excluding exhibits) must not exceed 5 pages typed ingle-spaced in 12 pt font. (See Darden’s cases for the document format). In part 2, the solution to the problem posed in part 1 must be given. When you construct the minicase, you should have pedagogical values in mind, i. e. , think of writing a teaching case or an open-book exam for future MSTM students at the University of Illinois. Your submitted work will be evaluated based on how well the decision analytical framework is utilized to solve a given (hopefully non-trivial) problem (50%) and its pedagogical value or the practicality of the problem (50%).Final Exam: There will be an in -class 3-hour-long open-book, open-notes, and open-laptops ? nal exam. You are NOT allowed to share your laptops with other students or send/receive emails during the ? nal exam. If you miss the ? nal exam without prior discussions with the instructor or without university-authorized emergencies, then you will receive zero credit. 3 Practice Problem Sets: Practice problem sets and their solution keys will be regularly posted on Compass. They are designed to help you understand the material and to provide practice using various concepts and techniques discussed in class.These assignments will not be collected or graded. However, these problem sets will be helpful for the quiz and the ? nal exam. Some practice problems will be discussed as examples in class. Grades: The ? nal letter grade will be based upon each individual’s level of understanding and learning evidenced by the weighted cumulative points from all four components shown in Evaluation Methods. Laptop and Electronic Communications Policy: You are required to bring your laptop to each class; you will have to use your laptop to download ? es and participate in problem-solving activities in class. You are not allowed to check e-mail or send text messages using your cell phone or laptop. Set your cell phone to silent mode. Academic Integrity and Honor Code: You are expected to behave ethically throughout the term and follow the norms and guidelines outlined by the University on academic integrity. 4 Course Modules: Module 1 Topic Reading Cases Module 2 Topic Reading Cases Module 3 Topic Reading Cases Module 4 Topic Reading Cases Module 5 TopicReading Cases Module 6 Topic Reading Cases Module 7 Topic Reading Cases Value of Information and Control Risk Management Harimann International Optional module (if time permitted) Downstream Decisions – Merck & Co. ; International Guidance Control Sensitivity Analysis Sensitivity Analysis Using SensIt CyberLab (A), Supp, (B); Liquid Gold Probability As sessment from Historical Data Probability Distributions Commerce Tavern Simulation Analysis Monte Carlo Simulation Using RiskSim George’s Revised Forecast and Addendum Sampling and Statistical Inference – Jade Shampoo (A) and (B) Decisions under Uncertainty DTP Ch. George’s T-Shirts DTP: Decision Tree Primer (http://www. public. asu. edu/~kirkwood/DAStuff/decisiontrees/index. html) Monte Carlo Simulation Using RiskSim (http://www. treeplan. com/chapters/RiskSim-Guide243. pdf) Sensitivity Analysis Using SensIt (http://www. treeplan. com/chapters/SensIt-Guide-145. pdf) 5

The Difference in the Use of Language between the Young and the Old Research Proposal - 1

The Difference in the Use of Language between the Young and the Old Generation - Research Proposal Example People belonging to the young generation think that the old are normally slow, in terms of thought, and may not be aware of the modern subjects they normally discuss. This may result in a different language use between the two generations because; people belonging to the young generation tend to use slang in their conversation with the belief that it makes their conversation more entertaining. However, this form of language is normally perceived by people belonging to the old generation as rude and disrespectful. These expectations influence the different language between the two generations. The other factor that results to a variance in the use of language amid the young generation and the old generation is the generational perspective. In this instance, it is evident that people who lived during World War 2 and the Great depression, tend to be formal in their use of language, this is because of the belief instilled in them that the use of language contributes to respect. However, there is a generation referred to as the Baby Boomers who tend to exhibit a communication style that tends to be more personal. The other generation is generation X that exhibits little formality in their use of language. Therefore, it is true to state that the generational perspective also influences the difference in language use between the two generations. The change in technology, which led to, the introduction of computers, phones, and social media have also led to a difference in language use between the young and the old generation.

Effect of Childhood Sexual Abuse Within Institutions Literature review

Effect of Childhood Sexual Abuse Within Institutions - Literature review Example udy Conclusions 29 Recommendations for Future Action 30 Chapter Summary 34 List of Works cited 35 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Overview Childhood sexual abuse is a human rights violation affecting all age groups within the childhood period globally. Effects of the Childhood sexual abuse on young lives are very devastating and have both short and long term consequences. Prevalence rate of sexual abuse has been difficult to determine for various reasons; estimates have broadly varied as a result of different definitions of the term and the sensitive nature of the phenomenon accompanied by shame and stigma experienced by victims (Julia, P.46). This makes it disincentive for victims to report its occurrence for fear of stigmatisation. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 223 million children (150 million girls and 73 million boys) have experienced forced sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual violence globally as reported by (Dube and Anda, p.123). Recent research effort s suggest that sexual exploitation and abuse within institution is a widespread but largely unrecognized problem in many countries. The closed nature of the school environment means that children can be at great risk of sexual abuse in schools. There is a recognized child sexual abuse problem in schools. For this realization, the following dissertation seeks to establish the effects of childhood sexual abuse within institutions. The first chapter introduces the research problem by presenting background information, stating the objectives and significance of the study as well the research questions. Background to the study The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 34, CRC, 1990) prohibits child sexual abuse. Since UK is a signatory to this convention, (Brown, p.74) argues that... This study has established that Child Sexual Abuse exists in all the schools in the study areas. Child sexual abuse is intense and widespread mostly in SHS and JHS, manifesting itself in both contact and non-contact forms. Girls are more vulnerable than boys in a ratio of 11: 9 and children within age range of 14-16 years are more at risk of sexual abuse. Poverty, sexual pleasure, lack of protection and peer influence are found to be the main causes of child sexual abuse in schools in the areas studied. The weak protective environment is further complicated by the ineffective enforcement of laws and implementation of policies and programmes designed for child protection. This study employed both exploratory and descriptive survey. This research approach sought to elicit facts and data on the nature, distribution, degree and the reasons for perpetration of child sexual abuse in schools in the study areas, as well as respondents’ beliefs and perspectives and clearly describe the m. Additionally the present study employed library based research design whereby secondary information from multiple archival sources was also compiled to compare and validate the primary sources of empirical materials. This paper makes a conclusion that the study presented in the preceding chapter four and outlined the conclusions that the study found relevant. The chapter further highlighted several recommendations that can be adopted for conducting future research in an attempt to address the research problem under investigation. Several key issues that have emerged throughout the dissertation were revisited as highlighted in the foregoing sections.

Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Gender - Essay Example From this paper, it is clear that interpretations are irrefutable since improving men and women’s status has been a pledge by the lawmakers and supported by governments as a beginning of tasks on gender. It is evident that women have suffered considerable biases since gender issues are concerned, through policies, media, literature, folk songs, and customs. However, religious teachings and mythology have played an essential role in promoting gender awareness and equity. Favoritism, double standards, and attitudes in the society are the regular reminders of inequalities experienced in the modern world (Marshall, 2000).Gender as social phenomena aroused by the differences in our biological makeup has taken by storm the public domain on major issues politicized (Hobson,2002). Nevertheless, citizens of upright religious practices consider gender as not being critical since they cherish their differences. Contrary to my opinion, gender issue has become a concern, since my childhood girls were treated more respectively compared to boys Gender has been taken lightly to some extent whereas in other cases exaggerated. Documentation of male and female in records such as the birth certificates should not be a cause for any alarm for the sake of peace. Our dressing and genetic makeup always been a problem in that ladies have always been perceived as putting on attire that is meant for men, thus a form of disrespect.To some societies like ancient Greece and Rome, cross-dressing was rampant as the norm. There is a slight difference on perceiving gender through expressing ourselves. Despite our biological differences as human beings, we have similarities that profits all (Marshall, 2000). Normally our bodies’ change as we grow towards maturity is when the difference is noticed clearly. Civilization has brought with it complications in the freedom of choice whereby people are altering their gender (Fenster & Lees, 2002). This practice has received mixed reactions from both parties involved.

Does Alexander The Great Merit His Exalted Historical Reputation Essay

Does Alexander The Great Merit His Exalted Historical Reputation - Essay Example The author has rightly presented that Alexander was a military leader who led from the front, a trait that imbued his soldiers with confidence and enthusiasm. The researcher states that in a Greek context he commanded the loyalty and following of almost all the Greek city states and he made it a point never to step on the sovereignty and traditions of the Greek city states. This essay discusses that Alexander’s vision as a conqueror aimed at forging a cultural, economic and political unity between Macedonia and the Asian territories he annexed to his empire. However, from the research it can be comprehended that Alexander as a military leader happened to be impulsive and it was just owing to his good luck that he escaped getting killed in many of his foolhardy ventures. The author has rightly presented that many a times Alexander failed to understand the aspirations and sentiments of his loyal Macedonian troops, which resulted in resentment and discontent amongst them. The pre sent research has identified that Alexander merely focused on conquering new territories in Asia, without evincing the ability to install stable and lasting administrative machinery in them. This paper illustrates that the fame Alexander accrued is well deserved in the sense that the dream he embarked on happened to be too big and ambitious, ever to be attempted by a mortal in the world history.

Process Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Process Principles - Essay Example Mancala's Pizzas throughput time is 16.4 minutes. The company currently has excess capacity because demand averages at only 20 pizzas her hour (Appendix 2).However, it is estimated that the company's demand will double if delivery services are offered. This alternative is aimed at eliminating the bottleneck in Mancala's Pizza's production process. This will be done by assigning the tosser to mold the pizza shells prior to their use. It should be noted that as such, the assembly of ingredient and the tossing and molding of pizza will be eliminated in the new production process (Appendix 3). This will lessen the throughput time to 14 minutes per pizza. It will also allow the company to produce a maximum of 36 pizzas per hour which is based on the maximum capacity of its six ovens (Appendix 4). The main disadvantage of this alternative is the fact that the Mancala's Pizzas might encounter hesitance in the part of the tosser. It should be noted that in this new production process, the tosser is eliminated in the actual production process and will be coming before office hours. The company will also need to negotiate with the assembler as he needs to assemble the ingredients before it can be toss and molded by the tosser. Thus, he will also be assigned to come prior to operation hours and will still be there to assist in the operations to assemble the pizza. In this new process, Mancala's Pizza faces the risk of lowering the quality of its pizza. The freshness of the product might be adversely affected. Also, as pizza shells are dependent on the preference of the customers, the company needs to have an accurate estimate of demand per pizza shell in order for the assembler and tosser to produce the right ones. The company might either encounter wastage or shortage of inventory if the proper shells are not produced. 2. Mancala's Pizza will increase demand by delivering pizzas directly to customer. The delivery of Pizza is expected to double the demand for the company's products. This will be beneficial for Mancala's as it will generate more revenue and profits for its operations. It will also enable the business organization to fully utilize its resources and use its excess capacity. However, it should be noted that the current resources are not adequate to support a demand of 40 pizzas an hour. Assuming that alternative 1 is already in place, the company is limited to the production of 36 pizzas only which is determined by the capacity of its ovens (Appendix 4). Recommendation and Conclusion It is recommended that Mancala's Pizza push through with the two alternatives. Eliminating the bottleneck in production will allow the business orga

Social media and Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social media and Democracy - Essay Example Political activists use the internet hubs to spread the news of their parties and news of the election. Political activism on the internet has risen all over the world since the 9/11 attack in America. Activists against terror attacks are particularly spreading the word through the internet. The inception of Facebook into the internet has helped and made the activists get a bigger platform to express their views. Popular news networks such as CNN and BBC have Facebook accounts with more than 33million Facebook likes combined. The news networks use the media outlet to communicate the latest news to their fans. The use of social media has made it easy and faster for the news to reach people rather than waiting for prime time to get the news. During the American election season of 2008, new technologies that enabled individuals to participate in online communities’ discussions emerged (Yamamoto, 2010 p. 609). Facebook was very popular by this time, and most politicians used it to pass the message to their supporters. Arguments and trending topics of the political nature were popular among the sites. Twitter is a social network that is more of a mini-blogging site. Individuals can communicate and lay out their thoughts to their followers. Politicians and business people have Twitter accounts where they share news with their followers (Jewitt, 2009 p. 232). Popular news networks are on Twitter that they use to communicate any breaking news. Twitter is a good platform for news networks to convey their messages to people. The 2012 elections in America had a huge coverage on Twitter. There was sharing of opinions, and the use of the hashtag made it easier to reach a large group of people. Politicians shared their agendas for the nation, and it was of big help to them. Twitter increases the popularity of an individual, hence spreading more news countrywide and worldwide. The war and accident

United States and the International Criminal Court Research Paper

United States and the International Criminal Court - Research Paper Example Introduction The international criminal court is the first permanent, external body of judiciary capable of prosecuting international cases and providing compensation to humanitarian case, (Khin, 2009). The purpose of international criminal court is to prosecute grave felonies against humanity irrespective of their perpetuators and judge suspects for intensive infringement of human rights, including those crimes executed during military struggles. Discussion International criminal court’s goals The key objective of international criminal court is to bring to justice and hold responsible the perpetrators of serious felonies against humankind such as felonies against civilians, genocide and grave war conflicts, (Lizardo, 2008). International Criminal Court aims to foster peace and fairness. The fundamental objective of the UN is to ensure universal honor of human rights and essential freedoms for people all over the world. In this perspective, few issues are of prodigious significance than the struggle against impunity and the fight for fairness and peace and people’s rights in disputed environment of the modern world. The creation of International Criminal Court is viewed as an imperative step forward, (Morris & Duke University, 2001). The ICC is labeled the missing link of the international lawful system to attain justice for humankind. The ICC addresses only issues among nations, not individuals. Without ICC for redressing individual responsibility as a strategy for enforcement, certain acts of grave human rights infringements and genocide will go scot-free. ICC aim at countering impunity and halting disputes. In conditions like those involving tribal conflict, violence calls for more violence, for instance one slaughter begets another slaughter. The surety that some war crime instigators can be judged in justice courts serves as a warning and increases the possibility of ending the conflict, (Candelaria & Naval Postgraduate School, 2003). The US attitude toward joining the ICC While the United States shows persistent loyalty to the expansion of international humanitarian policy, (subject to the present deteriorating acceptance of international law), this is mainly associated to the issue of the recent research. Although the United States accepts the development of overall applicable laws for management of armed dispute, the nation is highly reluctant to support the issue of the validity of the utilization of armed force by the United States t o lawful control, (Sewall & Kaysen, 2000). Whereas the Hague conferences of peace did not address the ICC issue, they failed also to consider the establishment of an ICC for managing conflicts among states. The US delegation report demonstrated that even though the government of the United State was intensively in support of the international court, the nation was, together with other participating nations, unwilling to give in to forceful jurisdiction matters that characterized extensive national interest. Nevertheless, the United States supported the establishment of the Permanent Arbitration Court with it’s entirely consent oriented jurisdiction, partly because of its critical role in the international jurisprudence development, (Lizardo, 2008). The Americans view of the ICC is connected to both local and external view of American leadership legitimacy. Scholars have documented about the origins and significance of soft

The Anxiety of Writin. My Writing Habits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Anxiety of Writin. My Writing Habits - Essay Example I have many colleagues and class mates who seem to easily write their papers, and some even seem to enjoy the process of writing, but for me, it is a stupendous endeavor, and a task rather than an enjoying skill and an absorbing engagement. Through the writing of this personal essay, I not only plan to highlight my writing habits and manner, but also hope to discover what makes writing so hard for me, and what are the ways in which I can improve upon it. The kind of writing that I mostly am subjected to is academic and technical writing, owing to the classes and the courses that I have undertaken for my education. As a result, it is very formal in style, and needs to be authentic and properly referenced. Perhaps that is the reason for my dislike of this task. It is very difficult for me to get started in any paper. The beginning is often the hardest part of the paper for me. I tend to procrastinate and leave the actual act of writing for later; instead, I spend most of the time reading the source material and making notes. Although it is a good practice to thoroughly research the topic and make notes about it when writing academic papers, I make it an excuse for not doing the actual write-up. ... That might be one of the reasons for writing so many rough drafts first. Once I have copied the text on the computer from the notes that I have made, I leave it at that, without reading the final paper in order to find any mistakes that I might have made or any revisions that might be needed. Perhaps this is because I have exhausted myself writing the drafts, and typing the final paper is so much of a horror for me that once it is over, I do not have the heart or the nerve to go through the process of reading and revising again. Several times, due to my habit of not reading the final copy, I have ended my making many typing errors and grammatical mistakes which could have been easily avoided had I read the paper once. I believe the reason behind this is the fact that I get very conscious and nervous to get the facts write and to provide proper referencing to avoid plagiarism. This is essential when writing academic papers. I get very worried about the formalities of the paper, and in the process end up hating the actual practice of writing. I am more at ease when I am writing personal essays or fiction, which occurs rarely. However, I feel free to express myself then, without worrying about referencing and facts and figures. When writing fiction, I do not write a rough draft on a paper with pencil first; I type directly on the computer. Even if I feel the need to write a rough draft first, I ignore it, because I want to break free of the constraints of academic writing. Fiction writing gives me more opportunities to explore myself and my writing style, and to develop my interest in writing. Sometimes, I even happen to enjoy it, as long as I do not have to give it up for checking or review. This is because of my lack of confidence even as a fiction writer.

The Archetypal Hero Thesis Essay Example for Free

The Archetypal Hero Thesis Essay Archetypal Hero Thesis The archetypal hero appears in all religions, mythologies and epics of the world in different forms and stories which distinct commonalities can be drawn between each. An archetype is a recurring pattern of character, images, situations or symbols found in mythology, religion, dreams and stories of all cultures that is an expression of the world’s personal and collective unconscious. By that, an archetype is an unlearned tendency to experience things in a certain way. Humans didn’t ‘invent’ archetypes, but they do express archetypes in the conscious world, therefore, the hero is not someone â€Å"out there† in the universe but the hero is an expression of people’s deep psychological aspect of human existence. Heroes from different stories, cultures and times, all possess different traits, whether it is gender, disposition, motives or context. However, the common factor that creates the archetypal hero is the fundamental structure that their journeys follow or, as Joseph Campbell refers to it, the monomyth. Campbell summarizes it as being, â€Å"A hero [that] ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man. While not every story containing a hero follows this path exactly, the hero will be identified by following a similar journey, whilst reflecting the appearance and values of the dominant thinking in a societal group, with the story resulting in the hero’s people gaining independence, usurping power or obtaining a number, or at least one, favorable result to the journey. TKB

Notes on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free

Notes on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Though the novel is entitled The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the story is told by Huck, the key character in the novel is Jim The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has two key characters, one is the slave Jim, the other; the protagonist Huck. Jim and Huck could each be considered the key characters for different reasons, Jim as he is the main representative of the typical slave (slavery being the most important theme of this novel) and Huck for he is the main storyteller. Jim is an important character in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and without him the novel would be ineffectual. However The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel about the adventures of the protagonist Huck, and it is more likely that the key character of this novel is Huck because we see everything from his view. In a novel which is written as a satiric social comment upon the southern states of America Jims role as the manifestation of slavery must be a key one. Incidents in which Jim interacts with other characters and their reactions to him are meant to symbolise the wider societys opinions on slaves and the practice of slavery. Jim, is a heroic figure in a book whose main characters consist of liars, cheats and scoundrels. Jim always does the right thing if he can, he always feels empathy for others even if those people show no such emotions for him. The incident at the end of the novel when he saves Tom and risks what he believes to be his own freedom is a case in point. We empathise with Jim because even though other characters suggest that his feelings are least important, whose life is lesser, whose existence is trivial, he manages to stay cheerful, and even kind to those who treat him in this manner. This quality makes him even more heroic, for he is a figure who turns the other cheek, and is kind to others no matter what. Jim doesnt lie or cheat, or steal or gamble and looks down on these activities. Jim is never bitter, he never complains, and never expects Huck to return or even notice what he does for him. However this is no to say that Huck is not heroic himself, his support for Jim, a black man, who Huck has been taught is inferior and as important as a pack horse is astounding, and displays that Huck is strong enough and heroic enough to make the harder choice and choose his heart over his conscience. An example of Huck choosing his heart occurs just after Jim has been sold by the King and the Duke for forty dollars, Huck believes he has been forced to make a choice between Jim and heaven. He chooses Jim with the words All right then, Ill go to hell. It is Jims escape and the subsequent threat of his re-capture that provides the reason for himself and Huck to leave the island and travel down the river where most of their adventures occur. Without Jim Twain would lack a reason for Huck to travel down the river and experience what he experiences, without Jim this would be little more than a story about a boy who fakes his own death, and then lives on an island. Add to this the fact that Jim is the leader during the travel down the river. He is the one who knows all the signs of weather, either good or bad, it is he who makes their journey its success and ensures their lives. Jim is the maturest out of himself and Huck. Hucks immaturity is shown when he puts the rattlesnake in Jims sleeping bag, or when he plays a trick on Jim during the fog. Jims maturity is displayed by his reaction to the incident when Huck plays a trick on him during the fog. Without Jim the novel would be innefectual because Hucks development would be stunted without him. One prime example of Jims importance occurs when Huck comes closer to fully realising that Jim is a real person too and the colour of his skin does not diminish his humanity. Huck has realised that Jim is a human and that he should not play tricks on him or regard him as stupid, around the end of the novel Huck says I knowed he was white inside, Huck is expresing his realisation that Jim is a human in the only way he knows through making Jim white. Hucks realisation is well brought across to us just after he has hidden in the fog, and returned to Jim, Jim works out that Huck is trying to trick him and reacts very badly to Hucks prank. Huck then says. it was fifteen minutes before I could work myself to humble to a nigger- but I done it, and I warnt ever sorry for it afterwards, neither. I didnt do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldnt done that one if Id knowed it would make him feel that way. Huck and Jim have a symbiotic relationship, they need each other Huck needs Jim to remain dynamic and keep our attention, and Jim needs Huck to justify his presence in the novel. Jims effect on Huck is huge it is through Jim that Huck begins to learn about how the colour of skin does not alter the person inside. An example of this occurs when Huck says and I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for theirn . Huck justifies Jims existence as a character of substance in this novel, for through helping Huck and caring for him, Jim is makes an impact on the reader, and hence makes his position in the novel as one of its main characters more tenable. However while it is obviously true that Jim teaches Huck he is not Hucks only teacher, several other characters such as Pap and Tom also teach Huck valuable lessons. One example of Huck being taught by someone other than Jim occurs when Huck says If I never learnt nothin else out of pap, I learnt that the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let them have their own way. It is through Huck and his reactions to various events that Twain passes on his opinions to the reader. Huck is a character through which the author, in Twain puts across his point of view, for example Hucks realisation that Jim is also a human and also important. Twain is trying to get this message across to the public. Huck is a representation of the common person at the beginning of the novel. He is white, uneducated, simple, and not willing to think about what he is told just willing to accept it. Hucks realisations about right and wrong, and importantly his own ability to determine this for himself are drawn out and argued logically inside a story which will hold the readers attention. Through Huck Twain frames all the key issues of freedom, racism and slavery, personal integrity and social rebellion against social attitudes of the period. This occurs when Huck interacts with key characters who are representative of a theme or an idea being presented by Twain. For example his interaction with Tom who represents conventional social attitudes, as the novel progresses Huck is less inclined to accept what Tom says or does as correct. One example of this occurs when Huck quits Tom Sawyers band of thieves, he no longer agrees with Tom, and many of Toms imagined incidents such as that of rading the summer school picnic no longer hold any credence with Huck. This moving away from Tom and what he represents, is an indication of Twains rejection of conventional social values. Jim is the symbolic representation of only one of these points of discussion, slavery. Jim is only a part of that whole because he represents only one of the themes that Twain is discussing in this novel. Unlike Huck, Jim is not the one who reveals the authors opinions through his actions and reactions he is merely representative of one of these ideas. Without Hucks presence the novel lacks a unifying element. Jim is unable to fill the void in this regard as he is a relatively static character who does not change. This is unlike the dynamic Huck who changes some of his opinions and learns about many things ranging from serious issues such as slavery to simpler things such as to how to discern what the weather will be. The most important factor that leads me to argue that Huck is the protagonist comes from the fact that the whole novel is told in first person. It is Hucks views not Jims that we get, it is his outlook that colours our opinion, and most importantly his vernacular we read. In fact Jim himself is seen through Hucks eyes, with Hucks opinion colouring our own. Huck is omnipresent, this is not so with Jim he continuously disappears when it does not serve Twain to have him in the episode. Debates inside Hucks mind, the incident when Huck plays a trick on Jim during the fog, and even the whole Shepardson, Grangerford incident are lacking the presence of Jim. When Huck meets the Shepardsons and the Grangerfords, for example Jim magically disappears into the bushes to repair the raft. Huck is in every moment of the novel, and other characters are merely there because they interact with Huck, Jim is no exception. Jim is an extremely important character in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Jim represents slavery the major theme of the novel, is forgiving, and kind, however this makes him a heroic character, not the key character. Huck on the other hand is the key character by virtue of his predominance throughout the book, he is on every page, and every line and unlike Jim he is the character who reveals and in effect discusses issues through his reactions, action and interaction with other characters. Hence it is fair and logical to conclude that although important Jim is not the key character of the novel, that honour must go to Huck.

Foreign Direct Investment In Nigeria

Foreign Direct Investment In Nigeria The Nigeria economy has attained the middle income status according to the World Bank, with its ample stock of natural resources and institutional development and growth in the country. The Stock Exchange market in Nigeria is the second largest in Africa. The GDP Purchasing Power Parity was ranked 31st in the World as at the end of 2011. The balance of payment showed a trade surplus with the United States which is her largest foreign investor and a recipient of the largest export market for U.S. goods. During the  oil boom  of the 1970s, Nigeria accumulated a weighty foreign debt to finance key infrastructural investments. In October 2005, Nigerian authorities had a negotiation with its Paris Club  creditors and concluded on an agreement in which Nigeria debt was discounted by approximately 60%. Nigeria thereby used part of its oil profits to pay the residual 40%, releasing up at least $1.15  billion annually for poverty reduction programmes being carried out. History was rec orded in Nigeria after the debts were paid and was now known as the first African country to pay up all owed debt to the Paris club amounting to an estimated value of $30  billion. It is important to know that Petroleum  plays a large role in the Nigerian economy, accounting for 40% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 80% of Government earnings. The telecommunication market in Nigeria is one of the World fastest growing fastest growing markets with major emerging market operators (like MTN, Etisalat, Zain and Globacom) who based their largest and most profitable centers in the country.  The government has recently begun expanding this infrastructure to  space based communications with a space satellite which is monitored at the Nigerian National Space Research and Development Agency Headquarters in Abuja. The financial service sector has developed as a result of the combination of international and local banks, brokerage houses, insurance companies and brokers, asset management companies, private equity funds and investment banks. Rampant inflation has occurred on the Naira and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been trying to control the rate to remai n below 10%, in 2011, CBN increased interest rate, rising from 6.25% to 12%. On 31 January 2012, CBN decided to maintain the key interest rate at 12%, in order to reduce the impact of inflation due to reduction in fuel subsidies. Though the, the inflation rate in Nigeria was recorded at 12.80 percent in July of 2012. The unemployment situation in Nigeria is currently high just like how it has affected the global world due to the economic crisis as it was last reported at 23.9 percent in 2011. 2.2 Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria A definition contained in the Balance of Payment Manual (Washington, D.C. International Monetary Fund, 1997 and 1993) defined Foreign direct investment as investment completed through a long lasting management interest of an organization, enterprise or professional body operating in a country other than that of the investor in question. And must have at least 10% ownership of the organization considered as FDI (Patterson et al 2004). Usually FDI are made by large multinational (MNEs) through acquisition or merger or the development of a new facility. The broad spectrum of all the MNEs is that they play a dominant role in Research and Development by bringing new technologies into such country and also they have great influence on the economy they invest in (Balaam and Veseth, 2008). The debate of FDI has increased as a result of the large flow of FDI into both developed and developing country and its importance on the growth in such economies and global economy at large. The component s of FDI should not be mistaken; this includes equity capital, reinvested earnings and intra-company loans. Equity capital is the foreign direct investors net purchase of the shares and loans of an enterprise in the country of investment other than its own. Re invested earnings is part of an affiliates earning accruing to the foreign investor that is reinvested in that enterprise. And intra-company loans are short or long term loans from parent firms to affiliate enterprise or vice-versa. 2.2.1Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment The economic determinants of inward FDI can be grouped for conveniences sake into three categories each reflecting the motivation for investing in foreign countries in specific Nigeria. This includes resource seeking, market seeking and efficiency seeking. Resource seeking is a principal determinant because the availability of natural resources in the host country determines if such country is well endowed and if investment is possible. In previous years the agriculture sector in Nigeria was booming and served as a great form of investment venture in the economy as the earnings accruing from it boosted the economic growth of the country. However in recent years, the oil and gas industry has overshadowed the agriculture sector and therefore neglected as resources and funds have been used to improve the oil and gas sector. Petroleum oil since then has served as a huge avenue for foreign investors because of the abundance in the country the inflow to that sector has been high and theref ore contributing about 40% to Gross domestic product, 90% of exports and 80% of government revenue. The relevance of economic determinant for attracting market seeking FDI is the market size in absolute terms. Large market can accommodate domestic and foreign thereby helping to boost firms production to operate on scale and scope economies and Nigeria has a wide market base. Efficiency seeking determinants can be other forms that reflect the motivation to invest such as that availability of low-cost unskilled labor in Nigeria. 2.2.2 Challenges of the Operating Environment for FDI Some of the major limitations to attracting investment in Nigeria include unfriendly investment environment, inconsistency in government policies, others are social vices such as insecurity corruption, financial and economic crimes as well as conflicting policies. The challenge therefore is to reverse these: (i) The Capital market The Nigerian capital market was also not secured in the tumults of the global economic crisis, in April 2008; the market experienced a downturn in the history of capital market operations in the country. This unprecedented sinking of the stocks forced both foreign and local investors who had opted for the advantage of the optimal return on investments on the stock exchange began to scoot elsewhere in extreme anxiety. (ii) Energy As a result of the global economic crisis the demand for oil decreased, resulting in oil prices dipping from $140 per barrel in the third quarter of the year to $44, and being the principal source of the countrys revenue earner. The foreign reserves dwindled from $65billion to $45billion within six months from the third to last the quarter of the year. Apart from the above, Nigerias high propensity for imports was also part of the reasons for the fast diminished foreign reserves. In 2006, 2.5millions barrels per day were produced and grew to about 3millions barrels per day. Unfortunately the Niger River Delta violence during this period cut off 600,000 barrels per day. Furthermore, the lack of qualified technical staff was a constraint, kidnapping in the Delta also made recruiting expatriate staff difficult, especially for the oil services companies (iii) Power: Numerous ways of improving infrastructural development have been embarked upon by government but still to no avail. Development of infrastructure particularly electric energy has been and still remains a major concern of investors even despite the Power Reform Program, no productive result has been achieved (Bello 2011). The inadequate infrastructure has imposed high transaction cost for business and thereby militating against growth of the private sector 2.3 Foreign Direct Investment Flows This section discusses and explains the pattern of Foreign Direct Investment flow in the World and in Nigeria. 2.3.1Trends and Pattern of FDI in the World The world economy has gone global due to the liberalization of trade, the breaking of business barriers, technological advancements, capital markets and the growth of international goods and services or ideas over the past decades. Ayanwale (2007), many developing countries see FDI as an important element in their strategy for economic development and this has led to the speedy growth of FDI around the world. In developing countries, Mergers and acquisitions including private- to-private transactions as well as acquisitions through privatization became an important vehicle for FDI (Kyaw, 2003). Therefore, developing countries have made impact on the global economy as a result of large domestic market, cheap and skilled labor, low labor costs and high returns on investment especially in the economics of industrialized states. This has led to many countries improving their business climate to attract more FDI. In fact, one of the pillars for launching the new partnership for Africas de velopment (NEPAD) was to accelerate FDI inflows to the region (Funke and Nsouli, 2003). The trend of FDI depicts in the diagram below of the inflow of FDI in the past twenty years as there has been an upward movement from 1990 and a decrease in1999 then rose again in 2003 and continued to rise until the decrease again from 2007 and has remained very low due to the world economic crises that has been ongoing. Figure 2.1: World Foreign Direct Investment Inflow Source: World Development Indicators 2008 Fifty-seven new measures affecting FDI were introduced by forty African countries of which forty-nine among these measures encouraged inward FDI (UNCTAD, 2007). The increase in FDI inflows largely reflected strong performance and relatively high economic growth (UNCTAD, 2008). 30% of total FDI inflows were accounted for as reinvested earnings as a result of increased profits of foreign affiliates, notably in developing countries. In Africa, FDI inflows increased from $18 billion in 2004 to $36 billion in 2006. This was due to improved prospects for corporate profits, increased interest in natural resources and a more favorable business climate. As regards this, many studies have been conducted to ascertain these; however, the results do not give accurate evidence of the impact of FDI on the economy of developing countries. For example, Lumbila (2005), Sylwester (2005) and Ndikumana and Verick (2008) show that there is a positive effect of FDI on economic growth, while others such as (Fry, 1993, Dutt, 1997; Hermes and Lensink, 2003) gave contrary conclusions. Further, other studies suggest that the effect of FDI on economic growth may depend on whether the country has minimal level of absorptive capacity that is a prevailing environment that can attract FDI such as educated workforce, institutional infrastructure and liberalized markets (Borenztein et al., 1998; Carkovic and Levine, 2002; Le Vu and Suruga, 2005). 2.3.2Trends and Pattern of FDI in Nigeria Nigeria a country well-endowed with natural resources and a very large market sizes qualifies to be a major recipient of FDI in West Africa and indeed one of the top leading West African Countries that has consistently received FDI in years past as we see in the figure below: Figure 2.2: Nigeria Foreign Direct Investment stock Source: UNCTAD 2012 However the level of FDI attracted by FDI has shown no specific significant value in the growth of the economy and is been seen as mediocre (Asiedu 2003) compared with the resources of the country. Furthermore, the empirical relationship between FDI and economic growth has remained unclear despite numerous studies that have examined the subject of interest. However, recent evidence supports that the relationship between FDI and growth may be country and period specific. Asiedu (2001) submits that the determinants of FDI in one region may not be the same for other regions. Although it has been generally acknowledged that FDI is an important aspect of the recent wave of globalization across countries. FDI inflow to diverse regions of the world has been increasing dramatically. The total world FDI as at 1990 stood at US$204443370862.543 and grew dramatically to US$815219446619.453 (World Bank 2012). Only few countries have been successful in attracting significant FDI flows. But West Af rica as a whole has not benefitted particularly from the FDI boom. In West Africa, FDI amounted to 14012.54758974US dollars in 1990 and has been increasing gradually and currently stands at 110394 US dollars (UNCTAD 2012). Although UNCTADs World Investment Report 2004 reported that Africas outlook for FDI is promising, the expected surge is yet to be manifest. Nigeria is one of the few countries that have consistently benefited from the FDI inflow to West Africa and has turned out to be one of the most attractive countries in West Africa in terms of FDI inflows with a value of $69242million in 2011 amongst others such as Ghana with $12320miilion, Liberia with $546smillions, Cote d Ivoire with $6408millions and Niger with $3123millions. Nigeria share of FDI inflow to West Africa in 2011 covers about 63%. As percentage of GDP, foreign direct investment has increased substantially since 1990 till 2001 but began to drop since 2002 and currently stand at 29.16%. Although the value of FDI inflow into Nigeria has been on the increase. This is attributable to the economic reforms and the resulting of macroeconomic stability, which have instilled great credibility in the Nigerian economy. However the FDI contribution as a percentage to Gross domestic Product has fallen but the Nigerian economy has experienced strong growth in recent years. Real GDP growth averaged 7.8 percent from 2004 to 2007, and growth of 6.4 percent in 2007. Sectorally, there was a surge of FDI flows in the primary sector, mainly oil and gas. In 2008 Nigeria was at the top of the ten Africa FDI recipient nations with over US$20billion. The ethnic conflicts and youth restlessness in the Niger delta affected the level of the crude Oil production. The election tension and these socio-political conflicts aggravated the problems of insecurity and hence the improbability in the domestic business environment which in turn impacted negatively on the inflow of FDI. Towards this the Federal Government has improved the security in that region and the youths in that region are being empowered to participate in productive ventures. In addition, the services sector particularly, transport, storage and communications continued to attract FDI since 2006. Oil accounts for nearly 40 per cent of GDP, but from 2001 to 2006-except in 2003-real growth in other sectors outpaced growth in the oil sector. For example the telecommunication sector experienced strong growth after its privatization. In spite of the surplus of studies on FDI and economic growth in Nigeria, the existing empirical evidence on the causal relationship between foreign direct investment and economic growth and the associated benefits is very inconclusive. In spite of a seemingly positive association between FDI and economic growth, the empirical literature has not reached a consensus on the direction of this impact, however, suggesting that foreign direct investment can be either beneficial or harmful to economic growth. The principal driving force for this work is that for developing economies, and for Nigeria in particular, the issue of economic growth is an important one. 2.4Sources and sectorial distribution of Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria Nigeria sources of FDI over the years have been increasing. There are more countries investing in Nigeria than in previous years. Some countries include USA, UK, China, and Netherlands amongst others.   Nigerias most important sources of FDI have traditionally been the home countries of the oil majors. The USA, present in Nigerias oil sector through Chevron Texaco and Exxon Mobil, had investment stock of USD3.4 billion in Nigeria in 2008, the latest figures available. The UK, one of the host countries of Shell, is another key FDI partner UK FDI into Nigeria accounts for about 20% of Nigerias total foreign investment. As China is striving to expand its trade relationships with Africa, it is becoming one of Nigerias most important sources of FDI; Nigeria is Chinas second largest trading partner in Africa, next to South Africa. From US$3 billion in 2003, Chinas direct investment in Nigeria is reported to be now worthwhile. Different sectors have received different amount of FDI in Nigeria. The total volume of FDI captured through the Central Bank of Nigeria is US$7,750billion. This represented about 11% increase over 2007 figure of US$6,935billion. The non-oil sector attracted US$7,109billion which represents about 91% of the inflow with the services sector being the major beneficiary with about 82% of the total inflow into the economy. The banking and finance sector accounted for about 9%. The country remains the highest destination of investment within the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) region by attracting about 50% of the total volume into the region. It is evident to note that when compared to other countries in Africa in terms of total stock of FDI attracted over the last ten years. Nigeria is ranked second to South Africa as we see in the figure below: Figure 2.3: Selected African Countries FDI inflow in comparison with Nigeria Source: UNCTAD 2008 2.5Foreign Direct Investment policies Framework 2.5.1Investment Framework and Bodies The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission Act laid out the framework for Nigerias investment policy in 1995. Under the Act, foreign ownership of 100% is allowed in other industries apart from Oil and Gas industry where investment is constrained to existing joint ventures or new production-sharing agreements. The essence is to promote and facilitate investment in Nigeria. In 2006, a One Stop Investment Centre (OSIC) was set up to bring together agencies with mandate as regards investment and streamline the process of investing in the country. Furthermore, the Commission is required to encourage, promote and co-ordinate investment in the Nigeria Economy. The law allows the Commission to grant approvals on fiscal concessions on industry interrelated incentives such as: Export oriented industry, Local raw material utilization, and Pioneer industries, Implant training, Research and development, Investment on infrastructural facilities, Investment in economically disadvantaged areas; pr ovided that the fiscal incentives for which approvals are given shall be for tax concessions (NIPC 2006-2008 Report). Other Stakeholders that were represented within the One Stop Investment Centre (OSIC) are: Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC): who will be responsible for name search and company incorporation registration. Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS): will be in charge of Expatriate Quota Positions, Regularization of Permanent Work Permits, and other immigration facilities. Nigeria Customs Service (NCS): has the role of issuance of import and export guidelines procedure for citing excise factories goods clearance facilitation and generation information on fiscal policy issues. Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS): is responsible for tax registration, payments of stamp duties, issuance of tax clearance certificate and issuance of tax forms National Agency for Food and Drug administration and Control (NAFDAC): has the function of registration of regulated products, issuance of export certificate, authorization to import of unregistered products Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON): is responsible for facilitating all aspect of standardization activities, approvals or permit for use of standards and provide guidelines for investors. Amongst others. 2.5.2 Other Policy incentives Investment incentives are commonly intended to provide tariff, fiscal and other concessions to enterprises that meet certain criteria such as choice of sector, size, location and employment creation etc. This applies both to foreign and domestic investors. Thus, for the main aim of attracting identified strategic investments, the NIPC by its mandate is expected to execute full authority in the administration of the numerous incentives to encourage investment activities. However, this has not been the case as some Federal Ministries and agencies are also performing this function and leading to misplaced obligation. This requires coordination and streamlining for effectiveness and efficiency. The recent Presidential Committee on Problems of Investors is doing its best in overcoming most of the constraints and attempt are being made to review the incentive regime and make them responsive to the yearnings of investors. Other investment promotional activities include: Sensitization programme aimed at educating the Public on its activities and to seek public support for its programmes. Hosting business and investment forums like successfully organized the 1st Nigeria-Brazil Business and investment Forum which held in Sao Paulo, African Petroleum, Energy and Mining Forum in Beijing, Nigerian Argentine Business Investment Forums and other conferences being organized to promote investment like International Business Leaders Conference (NIPC 2006-2008 Report). 2.6 Linking Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth The link between Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth has been a subject of debate for many decades and has been subject to empirical scrutiny. There have been new found facts about this link due to the emergence of the globalized world in recent times. This is due to the acknowledgement of Multinational Corporation, capital accumulation and large investment in trade in developing countries. Foreign direct investment is bundle of capital stock and technology, and can augment the existing stock of knowledge in the host economy through skill acquisition and diffusion, labor training and the introduction of new managerial practices and organizational arrangements (De Mello 1997). Three literatures have added to the subject of FDI-led growth. First, previous studies based on the assumption that there is only one causality from FDI to GDP growth and have been criticized in more recent studies (for example Kholdy 1995). In other words not only can FDI cause negative or positive ef fect on growth but growth can affect the flow of FDI. Secondly, the new-growth model has resulted in some reappraisal of determinant of growth in modeling the role played by FDI in growth process. Thirdly, the new development in econometrics theory such as time series concept of integration and causality testing has further expanded the ongoing contest of the relationship between FDI and economic growth. Foreign direct investment can impact growth directly and indirectly. The impact of FDI can be seen to directly impact growth through capital accumulation, and the incorporation of new inputs and foreign technologies in the production function of the host country. Neoclassical and endogenous growth models have used empirical test to check the theoretical benefits of FDI. In the neoclassical growth models FDI promotes economic growth by increasing the volume of investment but FDI affects growth only in the short run because of diminishing returns to capital in the long run. Longà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ run growth in the neoclassical models arises from exogenous growth of the labor force and exogenous technological progress. In the endogenous growth models FDI raises growth through technological diffusion from the developed countries to the developing. This permanent knowledge transfer from FDI accounts for the diminishing returns that result in long run growth. The endogenous growth literature has identified country conditions that must be present for FDI to have a positive impact on growth such as the complementarity between domestic and foreign investment, adequate leve ls of human capital, open trade regimes, and wellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ developed financial markets. Some of the most important endogenous growth empirical research has been discussed in the literature review section. It is now necessary to look at the impact of FDI on growth in the economy and the analysis on whether FDI has an effect on economic growth; this will be discussed in the next chapter.

Cultural Context: Alcohol Essay -- Drinking Teenagers Papers

Cultural Context: Alcohol Alcohol has always been a controversial topic in the United States for social, political, and religious reasons. The negative effects of drinking came to the foreground of American concern during the early twentieth century. This was a time of great prosperity followed by the Great Depression. Both of these eras led Americans to turn to or against liquor as the cause or demise of their success. Prohibition marked a change in the American way of life and is best documented by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway in their contemporary works. Both of these authors grappled with alcohol use and abuse within their own lives and writing. On 12:01 a.m. on July 16, 1920 the 18th Amendment went into effect, marking the beginning of a thirteen-year period of national Prohibition in the United States. The movement had existed for decades, but it was not until President Wilson and his southern Democrats came to Washington did it get national momentum, (Parrish, 96). Those who were in favor of Prohibition were collectively known as â€Å"the drys.† The group was generally composed of members of two sub-groups: the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and the Anti-Saloon League. The Anti-Saloon League considered themselves â€Å"an army of the Lord to wipe out the curse of drink,† (Sann, 26). A large majority of the prohibitionists were church-going, Protestant women from small-towns. The divide in opinion between the cities and the rural and suburban areas was so great that the passage of the 18th Amendment was considered a major cultural victory over large cities (Parrish, 97). The call for temperance was supported by progressive reformers who viewed the â€Å"Devil’s Brew† as the primary source ... ...Company, 1992. p. 95-113 This was the most useful source in understanding the social context of Prohibition, its enforcement, and failure. Sann, Paul. The Lawless Decade. New York : Crown Publishers, Inc, 1957. p. 21-24. 115-120 This book provided background information on the 1920s, the Jazz Age, and the role alcohol played during these time periods as well as the American response to Prohibition. www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=441 This article was extremely helpful in understanding the circumstances during Prohibition and how exactly citizens managed to undermine the law. www.drugtext.org/library/articles/craig103.htm This article emphasized and provided a glimpse into the lawlessness of Prohibition and the operation of speakeasies. www.pbs.org/wnet/newyork/laic/episode5/topic1/e5_t1_s2-rr.html Cultural Context: Alcohol Essay -- Drinking Teenagers Papers Cultural Context: Alcohol Alcohol has always been a controversial topic in the United States for social, political, and religious reasons. The negative effects of drinking came to the foreground of American concern during the early twentieth century. This was a time of great prosperity followed by the Great Depression. Both of these eras led Americans to turn to or against liquor as the cause or demise of their success. Prohibition marked a change in the American way of life and is best documented by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway in their contemporary works. Both of these authors grappled with alcohol use and abuse within their own lives and writing. On 12:01 a.m. on July 16, 1920 the 18th Amendment went into effect, marking the beginning of a thirteen-year period of national Prohibition in the United States. The movement had existed for decades, but it was not until President Wilson and his southern Democrats came to Washington did it get national momentum, (Parrish, 96). Those who were in favor of Prohibition were collectively known as â€Å"the drys.† The group was generally composed of members of two sub-groups: the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and the Anti-Saloon League. The Anti-Saloon League considered themselves â€Å"an army of the Lord to wipe out the curse of drink,† (Sann, 26). A large majority of the prohibitionists were church-going, Protestant women from small-towns. The divide in opinion between the cities and the rural and suburban areas was so great that the passage of the 18th Amendment was considered a major cultural victory over large cities (Parrish, 97). The call for temperance was supported by progressive reformers who viewed the â€Å"Devil’s Brew† as the primary source ... ...Company, 1992. p. 95-113 This was the most useful source in understanding the social context of Prohibition, its enforcement, and failure. Sann, Paul. The Lawless Decade. New York : Crown Publishers, Inc, 1957. p. 21-24. 115-120 This book provided background information on the 1920s, the Jazz Age, and the role alcohol played during these time periods as well as the American response to Prohibition. www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=441 This article was extremely helpful in understanding the circumstances during Prohibition and how exactly citizens managed to undermine the law. www.drugtext.org/library/articles/craig103.htm This article emphasized and provided a glimpse into the lawlessness of Prohibition and the operation of speakeasies. www.pbs.org/wnet/newyork/laic/episode5/topic1/e5_t1_s2-rr.html

Goodman vs Robin Essay -- Essays Papers

Goodman vs Robin Short stories, when written by the same author, vary by subject but sometimes contain similar themes. Nathaniel Hawthorne was an entertaining writer who wrote many such stories. Two among his works have some striking similarities. â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and â€Å"My Kinsman, Major Molineux† both were written within three years of each other by Hawthorne (1832-1835). The biggest similarities between the stories were with the main character of each. Robin from â€Å"My Kinsman, Major Molineux† and Brown from â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† were both young men on a journey that took them through a single night. Both men held some innocent or naà ¯ve worldviews. Both had idealistic views of people that were proven to be untrue. Both men experienced events that should be perceived as symbolic. However, each man met a different fate. Both Robin and Brown took journeys that changed their lives forever. Both of these journeys took place mostly under the cover of darkness. That was symbolic of the naivetà © of both men. Both men met a series of people on their journey that turned up later in a different light. Robin met a large man in an inn. When he later saw him again, he saw the man as man with a two-toned black and red face. The change was only a symbolic one that reflected Robin’s view of the evil of the man. Brown experienced something similar with the character Goody Cloyse, who he thought a devote Christian. Later, he saw her on the road chatting with the ...

Do I Look Fat? Essay -- essays research papers fc

Do I Look Fat? How many calories does it have? I can’t eat that it’s too fattening. Do I look fat? I wish I had her body. How many times can we listen to woman say the same thing over and over again? How many times can we (as women) think these things about ourselves? It is words and phrases like these that seem to plague the minds of over 7 million women across the United States (Eating Disorders in the USA). Why is it that so many woman have such a preoccupation with the way their body’s look? Why is it that the shape of a woman’s body determines how her high self- esteem is? These are questions that have been with out answers for many years. This in not the way it should be, but this is how it is. So many woman are concerned with they way they look. So concerned, that it often begins to interfere with their physical and mental health, causing them to develop sever eating disorders. Why is it like this, and who or what is to blame? This is where the controversies start . There is overwhelming evidence and many reasons to believe that â€Å"today’s society† is the one to blame in this case. Sadly enough, women are given the message that in order to obtain happiness and success, they must have the perfect body. Growing older in today's society is much different for women than it is for men. If a man's body changes or his hair starts to turn gray, he is considered to be "distinguished". If a woman's body changes and her hair starts to turn gray, she is considered to be "letting herself go". Eating disorders often become a woman's way of escaping the daily pressures of life. In turn, woman begin to feel guilty for eating, because of the pressures that society has bestowed upon them (Psychiatric Times, 1999) Many people are under the impression that eating disorders only affect teenage girls. Unfortunately, more and more women are developing eating disorders well into their twenties, thirties, forties, and beyond. The onset of such eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive eating can occur at any time in a person's life (National Association). There are no biological causes for these disorders, however there are many aspects of society that seem to have strong influences on women who develop eating disorders. The media is high on the list as being one of the negative influences on women, and may be one of the main reasons why wom... ...reat deal of pressure to be thin which is why so many develop some kind of eating disorder. Women need to take a stand and stop trying to live up to the standards that society has set. For starters, women need to stop buying fashion magazines and diet products. Most importantly, women need to remember that weight is nothing but a number, and has absolutely nothing to do with intellectual ability. So, to all the woman out there who have ever had any doubt about there inner beauty (or outer beauty) I say this- â€Å"There nothing wrong with wanting to be healthy and wanting to feel good, but we are going to be running this country some day, and we can’t let not let the shape of our body get in the way of the wonderful things we can do.† Women need to live their lives, happy, healthy, and confident. Hopefully, society will soon realize how truly amazing women really are. Works Cited Eating Disorders in the USA, http://www.edap.org/edinfo/stats.html Miller, M.D., Merry N., and Pumariega, M.D. Andrà ©s. â€Å"Culture and Eating Disorders.† Psychiatric Times February 1999, Vol. XVI, Issue 2 National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, http://www.anad.org/facts.htm.

Maritime Policy Essay

Maritime policies are set and managed so as to ensure the safety of ships while on the open seas. Furthermore maritime policies also have control over ports and the policies for docking, shipments, monies, what can be imported or not. Liabilities and values are managed and in some respects so are ethics. The policies are to designate water rights and boundaries. Shipping has inherent risks associated with the trade that needs to have emergency plans in place should something go wrong. There are environmental factors to take into consideration. 1 Add to this list, insurances, warranties and the laws that bind and by far, but not even the least, hazmat with the MSDS sheets of chemicals being transported, inspections, proper loads and bills of lading. Piracy isn’t much of an issue in today’s modern times but yet there are policies on piracy though much of this is outdated back to 1800-1900. Let us start with the safety aspect of shipping. Safety always starts and ends with the human element. Without human intervention there is no guarantee of proper safety procedures being followed. Granted there are no guarantees anyway but a plan to follow is by far better than not having one. Maritime safety policies offer a protection not only to humans but to the environment and each territory or country has its own maritime safety policies and their own policies in general. In following safety as put in the policies this can also promote economic development and activity. 2 If safety procedures set forth in each policy are adhered to then the smooth sailing into and out of ports and countries, taking into account the shipment, humans and wildlife and water handling as well as obeying water boundaries and the knowledge of these policies per each are of sailing then one can be fairly presumptuous in a smooth transaction. Smooth transactions will enable a stable and economical trade for a long time. Funny how safety and policies are a direct relation to simply sailing right? On top of written policies as mentioned, maintenance is also a huge safety concern. Without proper and timely maintenance of sea faring vessels, catastrophes can happen, shipments can be late which can in turn affect contracts of imports or exports which of course goes straight into the economics of shipping. As mentioned, the MSDS of chemicals is hugely, astronomically important in safety! The MSDS sheets give an abundant amount of information relating to any and all chemicals with regards to properties, explosiveness, stability, storage, shipping, proper handling, exposures to human and animals, what to do in case of accidents, medical issues and who to call for questions and answers. MSDS furthermore gives information as to protective wear and the immediate emergency criteria. While the MSDS (material safety data sheet) is one of the most important aspects in the USA for chemicals, even if they don’t seem dangerous, transport and safety factors, other countries will also have their own individual regulations for shipments containing dangerous chemicals. These regulations must be followed as well. This is to ensure safety precautions from both levels. Simply not following, even the MSDS instructions can cause severe issues. Explosions can happen, people and animals may become ill or death may occur. Long term lasting effects may happen to both humans and wildlife. If the safety practice is not followed with regards to whatever is being transported, whomever did not follow the instructions will be held liable and an end result can mean cancelled contracts, economic loss and soured politics with one person or country or even company. You must see the broad picture and how all of this relates to successful shipping, economics, policies and in general to the world. The economics of shipping is like a well oiled machine when operated correctly and with the use of good teamwork throughout all ports, countries and waterways and once again the following of policies at each port, within each territory. Economic welfare consists of the sum of consumers’ surpluses and producers’ surpluses plus or minus any relevant externalities. 3 The economy also requires a strong organizational skill of the shippers, producers and purchasers, not necessarily meaning consumers. The transportation of goods being shipped must be organized in respects to sea, air and freight transport, the production of making and delivering the goods, the ability to produce contracts in a timely manner, even the ability to put together a contract and keep it. Economics also requires the knowledge of knowing port fees and taxes in the other ports being frequented. Market trends will also play a large part in a successful economic empire. If you do not know the ever changing markets and the different economies at each port then the dismals failings are easily found in the shipping industry. This will slide right into the sociological factors of shipping. So how does this part of the shipping management work? How does it prosper? The entire shipping industry, to run in a smooth way uses all of the above but then there is an ultimate management of it all. The human resources management, the industry management, the social management, it all plays a huge part. The items in which are shipped, the taxes and prices of the different items all vary. The weight allowed for each ship, rail car or air transport matter in all ways. Social change denotes this. Social change can also be a dangerous happening to an industry if not prepared. When social change happens, this is similar to the industry changing and the industry and companies must be ready to absorb losses and be prepared to switch gears at a moments notice in their decisions of what to ship to who and when. Contracts may have to be renegotiated and in some cases when they can’t be then there is once again the absorption of the possibility of losing monies, contracts, and in worse case scenarios, allies from other countries. Maybe contracts won’t renew or no new contracts accepted. 4 The sociological side of a shipping industry and all involved are yet again directly correlated with the ecological aspects. There is an ecological factor to also take into consideration, both of the environment side and the human side. The environment side is in relation to protecting the seas, plant and animals within and against leakages that poor maintenance and unnecessary pollutions can cause. If maintenance is not done in the fashions that need to be, ships can fail at sea, shipments can be late. This is a small factor in the ecological side. The bigger problems are with lack of maintenance causing a fuel spill or oil spill then the natural inhabitants of the sea are affected, plant life is affected thus in the end so is the human life. Humans, whether spending the time to cleanup up or from suffering from the damages in a physical way, it is all apart of the ecology. On the human side, and back to the sociological side, which is a direct line to discrimination in today’s world, is the interdependence of the people. This means the people who work together in close quarters and those who work on the ports in far away countries or locally. Interdependence is a vital role in today’s world. If one person discriminates against another, that person loses an interdependence thus making for an unhappy person and in the end this can result in suits being filed. The interdependence of companies relies on maintaining a good policy and ethics as well. On the psychological level of this, companies who cannot maintain all the aspects of maritime policies lose their internal interdependence thus causing the loss of business and potentially causing conflicts that no one ever needs. Conflicts, no matter how small, have too many variables that affect to many avenues. The normal human resources departments of any business must have a good grip on the social aspects of management as well. This doesn’t just include the inter office workings but also all the working at sea, in the air or ground transportation involved. With regards to all the different ports and lanes that a shipping company must deal with there is always the word monopoly that comes to mind. Just like any other person who owns businesses, they are not allowed to corner the market and create this monopoly. Large shipping empires that have attained a level of success would love to monopolize. In a monopoly they would have the most control thus thinking that they have the most power which is an obvious factor to the God complex and this mentality can backslide back hundreds of years to a piracy level. Piracy in any form is not healthy for any economy worldwide. Another issue, especially since the 911 attack, is the threat of terrorist activity. These two play a part in negotiating contracts and between the US and other countries contracts can be quite difficult in forming before they are signed. Hand in hand with this can also be the social aspect. Considering the many parts to a shipping contract, not all parties are going to agree, not all parties are going to easily find the synergy needed to help one another and if a contract is negotiated wrongly, this can, in an astute way cause a port war which can engage much more than the initial port issue thus quickly embroiling itself into wars of territorial or world wars. The security involved policies is to prevent against this form of uprising and thus security issues are addressed in contracts as well. Our history shows that it doesn’t take much to cause a full fledged war as it is, so a good democratic person, or many, with a political mind and good business sense partnered with common sense may be a good one to deal with the different contracts and ports. The biggest issue seems to be the limits of liability. How much liability is each player going to accept if a shipment goes wrong? The factoring of circumstances that control this will help make this decision but in the end no one ever wants to be liable. We must work with and against liability issues such as warranties, lost or late shipments, unexpected happenings, transportation failures and the like. Someone has to be liable at all times and this liability shifts constantly from one person or company, to another. In the end someone has to pay for the negative liability caused. Another, much harder issue to deal with is the contract of intermodal transport. The ships provide transport but contracts also have to be written for the air and land travel as well. Who is responsible and the timeliness factor and costs at each port. Who becomes responsible when arriving at a port and suddenly the shipment isn’t available per unexpected intervention? This becomes a frustrated contract and thus many people lose in this instance. Intermodal transport requires high organization from many variables. Time, type of shipment, weight of shipment, cost of the transport, who can better do the transport with quality and quantity are all important roles. When transportation details are being negotiated, no matter if land, sea, air or a culmination of them all, it is imperative that all operates as expected. When something fails, it affects facets of the industry itself as well as families and all inbetween. With any maritime traveler there is a large and sometimes very emotional, ongoing issue in direct relation the sociological factoring and that’s the families of these travelers. There is a lot of time spent at sea, more so than at home by a wide margin. Even though wives, and sometimes husbands may marry a sea traveler, accepting that lifestyle can be a time of intense and long term distraught. Families have been interrupted and torn apart, simply because the other partner is not there as often as the other one wants them to be. While one partner is striving to provide the economical balance for the family, both parties must also have their own brand of political reasoning in order to maintain that family status. Now it seems crazy that a seafaring family would have politics within their home but it is definitely inevitable to a much higher degree than normal family politics as much more is at stake and much bigger changes happen. The one contract at this point that is generally easier to dissolve is the marriage contract and this happens frequently. â€Å"In this New World [of globalization] there is no room for national industrial policies and shipping is no exception. National shipping policy is dead – or it should be. † (Sletmo, 2001, p 334). While Sletmo may state that specific policies do not broaden the economics of the shipping industry but yet the government keeps making policies does not mean that the whole shipping industry policy is dead or needs to be dead. There are many policies that we may be unaware of that indeed do not strengthen the economics of this industry. The policies were put there for a reason and even if it is the policy on piracy it remains. This is a check and balance system that will always be ever changing. Can you imagine what would happen if all references to piracy were exonerated in maritime policies? Bounce right back to history of The Boston Tea Party or of the days of pirates stealing ships and cargo and the deaths involved, the families destroyed. It is a requirement to have the government involved to a degree. To have policies in place is needed. This is the only way, even in a globalized world, to survive whether it be industrial of nature or not. National shipping policy is not dead; just not agreed upon as much. From the Federal standpoint of maritime laws, shipping policies will remain in place as it desperately needs the protection that it affords. This protection encompasses regulation safety issues, contracts, ecological and sociological issues, water borders, individual countries port rules and much more. Policies affect the world wide shippers to some degree, even if only contemplating the policies in the USA. With larger shippers from Germany, Japan, Netherlands, China and Hong Kong present, it is imperative to have policies in place, especially when considering the past issues of wars between the USA and some of these countries. There is no room for error, no margin for a lack of agreed upon policies to maintain a profitable shipping policy. These countries must get along; one slip can create chaos and the loss of the economy even more so than ever, the loss of allies, and an uprising. This can even inadvertently and directly affect our stock markets and jobs world wide. If one thinks about the logical, in-depth reasons for policies, one will also recognize that many of the USA products, to include our actual ships, come from other countries. Without a policy in place for protection then shipping ports begin to lose. Without a policy, taxes may not be agreed upon, shipments may not be considered as satisfactory, maybe someone would decide to usurp someone else’s authority thus the possibility and likelihood of angering a different country or a specific port. It is somewhat recognizable that there will be a never ending aspect to problems that can happen and their effects which only go to prove that yes, policies, in all arenas of shipping need to be made under all circumstances. There is an abundant amount of pressure in shipping. One specific example is where we obtain our ships. Most of the ships the USA or other countries uses or owns are built in Germany. With Germany building the ships we buy or lease there is the maintenance and warranty to consider. Without proper maintenance a warranty is void, with a voided warranty, as with anything, tempers flare as each party believes another to be responsible. When proper maintenance of a ship is adhered to per policy then generally it leaves little to no room for argument when it comes time to file against a warranty. Warranties in everyday life, for little items are sometimes hard enough to get honored as it is; imagine enforcing a warranty for a multi million dollar freight ship. It becomes obvious how important it is to follow the shipping policy of just maintenance alone. Once again, think of the broader picture of maintenance and how it is related to safety as already discussed. Another example of shipping is actual the lower cost of labor for production in countries such as Japan and China. What if one day the shipping industry was paying 10 cents on the dollar for the labor to produce the items for shipment and then the next day that labor cost shot up to 50 cents on the dollar because of a suddenly strained atmosphere between countries? This rise would affect everything involved with contracts, timeliness, allies, shipments, sociological factors and who knows what else may happen that we don’t see. In summary, yes there are many policies for both the USA shippers for sea, land and air shipping but there are also policies for ports and countries abroad. There are many contracts to consider, many safety precautions to follow. There is a lot of political and economical pressure from all parties involved in the shipping industry and without policies in place there is no way that the shipping industry would survive. This lack of survival would affect all of us, world wide. Companies, persons, ports and countries would do as they saw fit, each persons view would be different and there would be nothing in place to prevent severe consequences from happening. While nothing is ever perfect in our imperfect world, the world of maritime policies must be complete in every aspect and almost perfect. Policies are ever changing as needs arise and in the end, if terms cannot be agreed upon to form a new policy then this can go anywhere from losing a contract before it is signed, to losing part of an economy to a full out war. Globalization demands policies at all levels. The statement of there being no room for industrial shipping policies is a huge fallacy. Make room for the policies needed for the safety, economical, political reason on all levels throughout the world, that, or have a mess on hand that will be a hard cleanup. 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