Academic Effects Essays - Psychology, Education,

Academic Effects In the spring of 1997, Lisa Sharon Cushing and Craig H. Kennedy conducted an experiment to study the academic effects of providing peer support in general education classrooms on students without disabilities. In other words, students were paired with other students and their behavior observed. The study was undertaken to better understand the effects of peer support stratigies of participating students. Three non-disabled students were observed and a baseline measure of academic engagement was taken. Each student was paired to be a peer supporter with a disabled student and that level of behavior was observed. The experimental question states: Does serving as a peer support have a positive or negative effect on academic engagement and associated measures on peers without disabilities? The independent variable is the peer support of the disabled students. The dependant variable is time acadmeic engagement behavior during a fifty-minute class peroid. To sum it up, three non-disabled student who were judged to have poor class room attention and academic engagement during class were selcted in this study. A baseline measuer was obtained for a comparison point. The intervention, which is the paring up with a disabled student as a peer supporter, was introduced and a behavioral measure was again taken. The results were compared to that of the baseline measure. Three non-disabled students were selected for this experiment; Cindy, Kealoha, and Louie. First, Cindy is a 13-year-old quiet girl who draws little attention to herself and often has difficulty following directions. Second, Kealoha is a 12-year-old boy who has problems paying attention during class lectures and is often late in turning in assignments in on time or at all. Third, Louie is an 11-year-old boy who often interupts class by blurting out and talking to other students during lecture. Louie has not been turing in his assignments and was receiving low grades. Each of these students was paired with a disabled student to serve as a peer support during class. First, Cindy was paired with Cathy in English class. Cathy is a 13-year-old girl with severe multiple disabilities including Rett syndrome. She tracks people and objects by gazing, expresses herself by smiling or crying, and blinks her eyes to communicate to yes/no questions. She requires assistance with all activities. Second, Kealoha was matched with Karl, a 12-year-old boy, in a health class of 35 students. Karl has severe intellectual disabilities and communicates using one to three word utterances as well as gestures, touching, and pointing. Karl is invloved in self-injurious behavior, and occasionally kicks or punches other classmates. If he is left unattended, he often roams throughout the classroom. Third, Louie was paired with Leila, an 11-year-old girl. Louie and Leila attend three separate classes together; English, Social Studies, and Science. Leila has moderate intellectual disabilities including poor articulation and a limited vocabulary, which cause her problems to express herself. She frequently needs assistance to stay focused and to follow directions. In all, three subjects were studied but six subjects were involved in the experiment. In addition to direct observation, there were other methods of social validation employeed. Adults' perceptions of the classroom performance for Cindy and Louie were also assessed. They used the CPC, Classroom Participation Checklist, which contains a set of six questions relating to the engagement in classroom activities. Special education personnel who did not know the experimental question observed the student and rated his or her performance. The article does not address whether or not informed consent was obtained but is does discuss something similar. University graduate students took agreement measures by observing them in the naturalistic setting of their classroom. The mean agreement for Cindy and Kealoha were 88% and 93%. Louies' mean agreement for English, Social Studies, and Science, were 89%, 82% and 88% respectively. For Cindy and Kealoha, a withdrawl design was selected to best assess their academic engagement alone and while serving as peer supporters. By using an ABAB design, the experimenters can compare the data between the two phases. Baseline measures were gathered for all three participants to assess their normal behavior as a comparison point. Due to the fact the Louie will be observed in three different settings, a more approiate design was selceted. A multiple baseline design will

Adaptions in Ectothermic and Endothermic animals to extreme climates essays

Adaptions in Ectothermic and Endothermic animals to extreme climates essays First of all we need to understand what ectothermic and endothermic animals are. Animals differ in their abilities to regulate body temperature (thermoregulation). We sometimes use the terms "cold-blooded" or "warm-blooded." Most reptiles feel cold to the touch, while mammals and birds often feel warm. Somewhat more precise descriptions can be made by using the terms poikilothermic and homoiothermic. The body temperature of poikllotherms is relatively variable, while that of homeotherms is relatively constant. Even more useful terms are Ectothermic or Endothermic, which suggest two different mechanisms of thermoregulation. Ectotherms generally obtain heat from their external surroundings. Their body temperature varies, corresponding at any time with the temperature of their external environment. Endothermic animals, on the other hand, have relatively constant body temperatures. Their body temperature is independent of that of their external environment. Monkeys and walruses, for example, both have body temperatures of about 38aC, despite living in very different habitats. However if body temperature rises above its optimum level (usually around 40aC in mammals) then the enzyme rate inside the body will go into sharp decline. This is because enzymes are proteins, and become denatured. One of the first organs to be affected is the brain. Since the brain controls breathing and the circulation, the rise in body temperature disrupts the normal functioning of these important systems. If the body temperature decreases dramatically (hypothermia) then this will slow metabolic activity and impairs brain function. Here is a graph to show the relationship between the body temperature and environmental temperature for a cat (endotherm) and a lizard (ectotherm) Also we need to clarify what is meant by an extreme climate. In this investigation I will be using two different climates, The Desert and The Arcti...

Comparing two arguments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparing two arguments - Essay Example The article Binge Drinking Must be Stopped by Wechsler (2002) discusses the extreme manner in which college student engage in binge drinking. Wechsler bases his arguments on increased frequency of drinking amongst students irrespective of the serious side effects of such habits. He feels that there is need for other parties to intervene in stopping binge drinking amongst students. Joel Epstein is a Director of Special Projects, Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug prevention. The article Parental Notification: Fact or Fiction (Epstein, 1998) assesses public response to a law that allows school to inform parents if their children are caught engaging in drug as well as alcohol abuse. The article discusses the move by the congress to enforce rules on how the administration should involve parent while dealing with students who are binge drinkers. The parent notification law was enacted in 1998. The law was enacted following the death of a student in an alcohol related car c lash. Epstein wonders if parents are capable of confronting their children who may engage in binge drinking. Epstein is opposed to binge drinking since it makes students oppose the school rules. He claims that the binge drinkers fail to respect the authorities and end up engaging in actions such as property damage. Wechsler’s main concern is the health effect of binge drinking amongst student. He feels that binge drinkers affect their lives and those of fellow students. Both Wechsler and Epstein agree that binge drinking alters the student’s behaviors. Additionally they both agree that it should be eliminated. They argue that students go to nearby bar and overindulge in alcohol drinking. Epstein claims that when go back to college, they are confronted by college police but are too drunk to engage in any meaningful conversation. He thus feels that it is crucial to involve the students’ parents. Wechsler and Epstein argue that student still overindulge in binge dr ink even though college rules prohibit this. Although Epstein and Wechsler agree that binge, drinking habit is rampant amongst college students and requires to be stopped. They suggest different measures. Epstein feels that parent notification would help curb the situation. He argues that parents and should take responsibility of ensuring that their children are accountable for their actions. One differing issue between Epstein and Wechsler’s article is on the role of other people in dealing with binge drinking. Wechsler feels that the administration has a greater role. However, he argues that other stakeholders such as students, community, college presidents, and alcohol outlets should take part in eradication binge drinking. Epstein feels that the administration is not taking their role efficiently and parents should thus be involved. Therefore, both agree that parents have a role to play. Conclusion Undeniably, Wechsler and Epstein agree on some of the primary effects of b inge drinking. For instance, the two discussed articles contend that binge drinking causes behavioral and other alcohol related problems. They also agree that there is need for intervention to stop students from binge drinking. However, Epstein claims that the best intervention is notification of parents on their parents drinking habits. He argues that parents are more capable of intervening in such situation as compared to college authorities. However, Wechsler feels th

Examine how effectively one local authority empowers young people by Essay

Examine how effectively one local authority empowers young people by facilitating the election of a young mayor - Essay Example Apart from this, the other policies being undertaken by the government include the establishment of the ‘Youth Innovations Zones’. In fact, in recent scenario, the UK government is undertaking prudent strategies in order to accelerate the youth participation. The youth participation is increasing in the areas such as building futures, developing engagement and augmenting participation in learning as well as work among others (Department for Education, 2011). The UK government’s effort in providing the young generation with the power to generate opportunities for themselves can be well identified by ‘Young Mayor’s Project’. London Borough of Lewisham is known for its history that reflects about the encouragement and the involvement of young people’s participation pertaining to the local democracy. This particular project is determined as a strategy to encourage citizenship along with the participation of Lewisham’s young people. This study intends to discuss the effectiveness of the local authority in empowering the young people by facilitating the election of a young mayor in the London Borough of Lewisham. Furthermore, the concerned study will provide a reflection on the young people policies and practices. It will further evaluate the notion of youth participation and citizenship for the work with young people. ‘Young Mayor’ is regarded as a young person, who is usually elected by a group of young people to represent themselves. ‘Young Mayor Scheme’ is looked upon as the election process. In accordance with the ‘Youth Mayor Scheme’, it can be determined that this particular scheme executes considering the cabinet based system. One of the key constituents of Lewisham‘s Young Mayor Scheme is that it involves 25 young advisers for the purpose of decision making. In this regard, it can be well ascertained that their prior responsibilities include conveying the information and the concerns of the young

Discuss the significance of an understanding of typical language and Essay

Discuss the significance of an understanding of typical language and communication development for a practitioner working with p - Essay Example Autism can lead to learning disorder. In line with this, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2010) revealed that there is a high risk that autistic children may experience fragile X syndrome – causing mental retardation, tuberous sclerosis – tumor in the brain, epileptic seizures, ADHD, learning disabilities, and Tourette syndrome – a neuropsychiatric disorder that is characterized by multiple physical tics or at least one vocal tic. In relation to the onset of Tourette syndrome, ‘motor tics’ are considered as a sudden repetitive non-rhythmic movement whereas ‘phonic tics’ are characterized by sudden repetitive utterances which are produced by moving air through the throat, nose, or mouth (Leckman et al. 2006). In most cases the presence of uncontrolled and severe motor and phonic tics could lead to dyslexia – reading disabilities, dysgraphia – written language disabilities (LD Online 2008). ... As part of determining the strategic ways on how special school teachers could cater the special needs of children with autism, this report will explore the significance of understanding typical language and communication development for practitioners who are working with autistic individuals. Importance of Early Educational Intervention in Autistic Child’s Learning Development Autistic individuals are experiencing communication problems related to the use of speech and language simply because autistic school-age children do not realize the importance of communicating to other people. According to Meyers and Johnson (2007), the use of educational intervention as soon as a child has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders is more beneficial on the part of the autistic children as compared to leaving the child socially isolated for a very long time. With the provision of special learning support, the ability of autistic children to learn the proper use of language can prog ress at a much slower phase as compared to school-age children without autism. In line with this, the use of educational intervention could not only improve the child’s ability to develop their independence from their parents but also improve their academic learning experiences and ability to socialize and communicate with other children. In the long-run, autistic children who are given the opportunity to attend school are expected to be able to improve their adaptive skills by learning how to control their interfering behaviors. The cost of hiring 1:1 ratio between the special school teacher and autistic student is very high. Aside from providing autistic children with intensive intervention of at least 25

PC World: SWOT and PEST Analysis

PC World: SWOT and PEST Analysis SWOT analysis is a famous technique that has been used for decades now to analyse the four major factors of an organisation namely strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This helps in better analysing any organisation, when conducting a strategic analysis often analysts also use it as a stepping stone for their analysis. It is not only an analysis of the organisation itself but rather it is a more deep analysis of the market and all business activities related to the organisation  [1]. The SWOT analysis is known as a strategic planning tool and it has featured in business text since 1972, but no one knows who originally invented SWOT analysis. Today it can be found almost in every textbook on strategy, marketing and any other business disciplines. There have been many studies that were conducting in different business schools and some of the famous ones even conducted in Harvard are backed up by Micheal Porter, Ansoff and writers such as Philip Kotler. Their studies have lead to the conclusion that SWOT be the tool to better understand the strategic fit between an organisations strategies and the environment in which it competes. This is also a good tool to analyse such organisations which on the face have been delivering profits but are either declining or are losing market share. For example doing analysis of organisation such as Yahoo would be a good idea which is a profitable venture but is loosing its market heavily to Google (Adams, 2005). Importance of SWOT Analysis An organization can take the best advantage of the environmental opportunities if it can utilize the resources available to the organizations up to the optimum level. The person in charge of designing the strategy who is also called the strategic leader of the organisation using SWOT can keep his head right over deciding whether the opportunity that is arising is good enough with the matched weaknesses and strengths of the organisation  [2]. Keeping this in mind one needs to keep his/her head right about one thing that whenever they are analysing to pursue an opportunity always point out the related weaknesses and strengths, maybe a priority SWOT analysis can also be a very good idea. A real opportunity can only be identified if the opportunity has a strategic fit between the environmental conditions and the resources that the organization possess  [3]. SWOT might not be the only perfect tool for strategic analysis while there have been greater criticism on SWOT. The reason being that people consider it to be very easy and based on that people just do it just like that without giving proper thought on the ideas behind a strength/weakness or an opportunity/threat. While doing SWOT one tends to ignore many other factors such as the financial factors and in this case other strategic tools can be more important; But even though SWOT holds its own importance (De Witt and Meyer, 1998). The main model consists of two inherently different types of evaluations: Internal evaluation External evaluation Internal Evaluation (S)trengths Strengths are the good and the power parts of the organisations. They explain what the organisation is good at. This is not only on the organisational level but all wide. This explains the organisations strength in terms of customers, suppliers, utilisation of resources etc. Usually when conducting a strength analysis it is important to consider that strength is something at which the organisation is not only good at but also better than its competition. It provides them the competitive edge in comparison to their competition. This is one ability at which they are very good at  [4]. When describing strength companies tend to be ignorant about things such as CRM (customer relationship management), or SCM (Supply chain management) but they can also be considered as strengths if they are effective and contribute to the profit financially or non financially. (W)eaknesses A weakness is defined as a deficiency in an individual and this same fits to an organisation as well where weakness of an organisation explains something at which they arent good at. Organisational weaknesses are areas where they are not good against their competition. Now they can be areas of great strength at one time but then later lost to the competition due to not being taken care of. Its necessary that the customer point of view is brought into consideration rather than conduction the weakness analysis of only the organisation. Its hard to admit the areas where one is not good at and in this case organisations need to admit but often this doesnt happen. External Evaluation (O)pportunities Opportunity is just like a term in an individuals life similar when it comes to trhe organisation but the scope of opportunity is bigger, the opportunities that come to the organisation are everywhere in every nook and corner its just that they need to realise it and use it with the current set of resources. Opportunities are also related to trends that the organization has been seeing in the past, they can also be buying behaviours. They can also come in by identifying a particular market segment which was not being looked after before but is now being looked after very carefully  [5]. Finally some opportunities come from the external environment and acting on the right time is the most important agenda. (T)hreats Threats can be organisation relate and the ones that are not in this case the threats are being considered the ones related to the organisation. Now the threats can also be seen as the opportunities that were not grabbed and later turned onto threats. Threat is a unfavourable situation in which the organisation doesnt want to see itself. Few threats can be the entrance of new competitors, slow market growth, increased bargaining power of key buyers or suppliers, technological changes etc. PEST Analysis Macro environment comes in as the new driving force in the industry where the macro environment tends to play a major role in the entire effort of competition. The business environment is just like a moving film and it is necessary to track down any changes that are happening around the business. The organisational related factors that [play a part in the macro environment need to be brought under consideration. Its nessecary to bring in a number of key vital factors into account that can influence different areas of the organisation, these areas can be supply related demand related and even directly related to the legal issues of the firm  [6]. 1993 The radical and ongoing changes occurring in society create an uncertain environment and have an impact on the function of the whole organization (Tsiakkiros, 2002). To make a strong environmental analysis PEST has proven to be the best technique and such a technique that looks deeply into the pores of the business and extracts out inf ormation related to different areas of the macro environment. A pest analysis not only needs to identify the factors that can affect the political, technological, legal and environmental issues but it is also an analysis that is used to create a relation among things. The analysis sees and examines the impact of these factors and their affect ion one another and then the combined affect on the organisation. The results can be used to perform various tasks such as understanding the future strategy, exploring the future opportunities in the environment  [7]. Further explanation of each of the factors that count is a pest analysis is as follows: (P)olitical Political factors include legal and regulatory factors like elections, employment law, consumer protection, environmental regulations, industry-specific regulations, competitive regulations, inter-country relationships / attitudes, war, terrorism, political trends, governmental leadership, taxes, and government structures  [8]. (E)conomic Economic factor includes factors like taxation, government spending levels, disposable income, job growth/unemployment, exchange rates, tariffs, inflation, consumer confidence index, import/export ratios, and production levels  [9]. (S)ocial Social factors include factors like demographics (age, gender, race, family size, etc.), lifestyle changes, population shifts, trends, fads, diversity, Immigration laws, health, living standards, housing trends, fashion, attitudes to work, leisure activities, occupations, and earning capacity. (T)echnological Technological factors include inventions, new discoveries, research, energy uses/ sources/ fuels, communications, rates of obsolescence, health (pharmaceutical, equipment, etc.),manufacturing advancements , information technology, internet, transportation, bio-tech, genetics, waste removal/recycling etc. Selected Company (PC WORLD) Brief Introduction of Selected Company The selected company PC World is part of the electronic retailer giant DSGi Plc. DSG international is one of Europes leading specialist electrical retailing groups. It operates a multi-channel approach to electrical retailing. More than 100 million customers shop in-store and online every year with DSGi (DSGi, 2010). The business of DSGi can be divided into three major categories: PC World is Britains largest specialist chain of computing superstores. The superstores offer more than 5,000 product lines including extensive ranges of PCs, laptops, printers, software, peripherals and accessories from the major brands, as well as many PC World exclusive products. In-store PC Clinics offer on the spot advice and service. Component Centres offer a one-stop shop for customers with advanced technical knowledge, providing a vast choice of PC components and upgrade products at competitive prices. In 2007, PC World won Retail Weeks Product Innovation of the Year award, for its Data Recovery service. Every PC World store has an in-store business centre staffed by experienced business specialists. They offer local companies face-to-face help and advice with choosing the best IT solutions. There are 157 stores in the UK and 10 in the Republic of Ireland. (PC World, 2010) SWOT Analysis of PC WORLD (S)trengths Strong high street presence Multi channel approach Strong distribution channels Huge base of domestic customers (W)eaknesses Employees integrity Fewer customer focus (O)pportunities New mega stores 2012 Olympics Apples growth in European markets Growth in the IT Gadget Industry (T)hreats Slow economic growth Negative customer perception Threat of new competitors Falling market share (S)trengths DSG has a very strong high street presence. In any big retail park or high street we can easily find either a PC World , Currys or Currys Digital. Moreover it has a multi channel approach: retail stores, e-commerce and B2B. There are very strong distribution channels of PC World. Just for an example the whole of Apple products distribution is done via the distribution channels of DSGi. There is a very strong base of domestic customers in UK for PC World as a brand which serves as one of the most vital strengths of PC World. (W)eaknesses PC World has history of strong incentive based pay schemes. The employees get heavy commission based on sales. Initially it did work out to work pretty well. But the employees do take it to their advantage. The results is unsatisfied customers who are miss sold. This also leads to the next weakness which fewer focus on customer needs. The focus is more on sales and KPIs, hence the customers benefit are overshadowed by the sales KPIs. (O)pportunities The idea of new two in one Currys PC World Mega stores is very appealing. Customer get more choice in terms of products and services under one roof. The Olympics 2012 is one occasion on which almost every single business is relying as an opportunity for growth and profitability and PC World can also take advantage of this Global event. Apple products are getting global attention and likewise in Europe as well. PC World controls the entire distribution of APPLE products in UK Europe. This can serve as a very strong strategic alliance and PC World can be benefited out of this. A very recent example was the launch of IPAD. PC World was given a head start of 60 days from APPLE for selling IPADs in their stores. The IT Gadget sectors are seeing a very drastic increase and PC Worlds main offerings are these gadgets and IT products and services. (T)hreats The first and the most crucial threat is the negative perception of the customers. As highlighted in the weaknesses sales and KPIs are given preference over customers benefits due to the traditional structure of PC World. It is also evident by the comment of DSGis CEO John Brawett. The biggest challenge for us is to change the perception of our customers. In recent times PC World has seen falling shares part of the fact can be attributed to the recession but customers negative perception has also affected. There are new competitors coming into the market like BEST BUY, ARGOS and John LEWIS are offering extensive IT Solutions as well. PEST Analysis of PC WORLD (P)olitical UK has seen a very recent change in the political structure. Due to the economic downturn the investors are not very confident specially the foreign investors. The Govt. Is making the efforts to reassure the foreign investors, but the cap put on the international immigrants served as a big threat to the foreign investors. Mr David Camerons visit to India was an attempt to promote the trading relationship with India. The share price of the company reflects this fact. The company share price slumped from 36p to 21p in just 3-4 months time (DSGi, 2010). The political factors are in favour of the company. (E)conomic The UK economy is seeing a very slow growth and some experts have shown the danger of a double dip recession. The new Govt. has raised the taxes in order to boost the economy but the economy is still growing at a very slow rate. The economic factors are not in favour of the company. In 2008 the overdraft limit of the company was reduced from 4.5 million to 2.5 million. The consequences were seen as 300 employees from the head office were made redundant. (S)ocial The socio-cultural factors are a mix of both good and bad. The markets love the new innovative products: IPAD made record sales in the Apples history followed by a successful launch of IPHONE 4. PC World controls the distribution of APPLE products throughout Europe and APPLE products are becoming increasingly popular and famous in the European markets. On the other hand the negative customer perception is a big threat to the PC WORLDs growth. Hence there is a mix of social factors affecting the external environment of PC WORLD. (T)echnological PC Worlds tagline is bringing life to technology. PC World is always at the fore fronts in the process of introducing new technologies to the UK markets. PC World was the only retailer except APPLEs retail stores to stock the IPAD for 60 days after the launch. The challenge for the organization is to keep up with the rate of change in technology, because the technology changes at a very rapid rate.

Fall of Rome :: Ancient Rome Roman History

Fall of Rome Essay: Why was it possible for Rome to become an empire and last so long. What were the reasons for it's fall? Rome was one of the greatest empires of the ancient world. The early Roman state was founded in 509 B.C. after the Romans drove out the hated Etruscan king. By this time Rome had already grown from a cluster of small villages to a small city. Little did the settlers know that this was the beginning of one of the greatest and largest empires ever known. After Rome established itself, they were determined to never again be ruled by a monarch. The Roman setup a new government called a republic. Romans thought a republic would keep any individuals from gaining too much power. Later Romans looked back with enormous pride on the achievements of the early republic. Between 509 B.C. and 133 B.C., Rome adapted the government to fit the need of the people it served. It also developed the military power to not only conqueror not only Italy, but also the entire Mediterranean world. In the early republic power was controlled by the patricians, the land holding upper class. Senators, who served for life, interpreted laws and issued decrees. In the event of a war the senate might elect a dictator who ruled for only six months in time of emergency. Julius Caesar emerged. He was able commander who led many conquests for Rome. In 59 B.C. Caesar set out for a new conquest. After nine years of constant fighting, he finally conquered Gaul. Pompey grew jealous of his achievement and had the senate order him to disband his forces and return to Rome. Caesar secretly crossed the Rubicon and killed Pompey then entered Rome. After crushing many rebellions, Caesar forced the senate to make him a dictator. Caesar launched many reforms such as public work programs and giving land to the poor. According to legend those in the senate murdered Caesar on March 15. Caesar's Grandnephew, Octavian, and Marc Anthony joined forces to capture his killers. However bitter feuds grew it soon became a battle for power. After the Pax Romana ended, the next 100 years were in political turmoil. In one 50-year period, at least 26 emperors reigned and only one died of natural causes. At the same time high taxes used to support the armies began to anger the people. During this Germanic tribes were attacking the outskirts of the Roman Empire.

Essential Questions of Hinduism

Hinduism Hinduism sees to put an origin for all things in the natural world. Everything must be treated with respect and seen as a part of ones self. It is observed that everything in the universe was created by Brahmas, including himself. At the time of creation, Brahmas emanated outward Into the world and became the world. He became every rock, animal, river, and anything else we see. Stories of the creation and all the gods and events that follow, are passed down In the Purina's and the Veda, through the scripture or crust and smart.Crust is the scripture while smart is the tradition. These are passed down with great precision as the Veda. Furthermore, Purina is all the myths and legends of Hinduism that are widespread unlike the crust and smart. In the Hindu religion, there are three main gods, Brahmas, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahmas Is the creator, Vishnu Is the sustainer, and Shiva is the destroyer and regenerator. Abraham's doings are done and world has already been created so he Is not as worshipped, while Vishnu and Shiva are often seen with their consorts as there many avatars in the Purina's.These 3 main gods spread out to millions of efferent avatars while at the same time being all one. Since Brahmas created the universe and is the universe at the same time, he is all of the gods together. Whom one chooses to worship whether Is be Brahmas or an avatar of any of the other gods, is completely up to the follower. Brahmas, Shiva, and Vishnu are seen as their avatars that further represent a different more specific aspect of their greater being. These avatars are then worshipped in ceremonies called pups where blessing are received. This includes prayer, offerings, and meditation to become in harmony with the gods.What does It mean to be human? In the Hindu religion every living being has a soul and a position on the circle of life. After death the soul is reincarnated in another life in accordance to how well dharma was followed in the past life. The perso n may be reborn in the caste system or even lower amongst the insects or untouchables. Where one is reborn is determined by how well dharma was followed and if they lived their life positively with good karma. The caste system is broken Into 4 sections; the Brahmins, the starkly, the valleys, and the sutras.There Is as well a 5th group, the untouchables which are outside of the caste system unworthy of it. The Brahmins are the highest in society and are the priests and teachers of the others. Brahmins study the Veda and perform the sacred rituals. Next are asterisk, which tend to be the royals of the society and the Visa whom are the back bone of society as business people, farmers and merchants. Then there are sutras who are the laborers and servants. Lastly, there are the untouchables that are left to the worst conditions of life often Each caste is expected to follow dharma closely to achieve atman.Atman is the true self, when one realizes that everything is one in the same. When atman is achieved, the soul becomes at peace with Brahmins and is removed from the cycle of rebirth. Actions are Judged by the extrasensory karma. Karma cannot be perceived but is a universal tally on the good and bad someone performs. Karma then dictates reincarnation and how close one is with atman. The higher up one goes through the caste system the closer they get to peace within themselves. How do humans interact with the sacred? The human interacts with the sacred amongst all levels in the Hindu religion.This can be achieved in many different ways; firstly, through sacrifice, purity, and ritual. As previously mentioned, many Hindus practice pups but as well there are festivals and celebrations. The pups allows the individual to connect to the gods and goddesses but then there are holidays that are celebrated among the community on a daily basis to show that everyone is on the same path. As well, the high priests perform sacrifices to the gods, procuring blessings and happines s. Each individual attempts to keep a ritual purity. A cleanness, which will help them, become closer to the gods.This is sometimes similar to hygienic cleanliness but goes beyond that as to avoid anything that may stain their karma, such as change since Brahmas means permanence. Secondly, there is the path of devotion where the devotee focuses his energies towards a specific god or deity. This can be observed when temples are built in the names of an avatar of one of the gods and many of the rituals performed. A devotee may draw strength from Just being with the statue of his deity. In addition, mantras may be performed to the gods bringing the performer closer to the gods.Finally, there is yoga. This is the path of knowledge where through meditation and understanding, one can strive to achieve atman and connection with the gods. Yoga is the development of the physical and spiritual connection towards the goal of chivalry. Chivalry is the experience of ultimate timelessness and pea ce. How does the sacred become a community? Sacred becomes the community through the many rituals and festivals performed by the people. As Hindus go through life there are many rituals that are performed at different points in life.In these rituals, the sacred becomes part of the life and community of the people. After birth at around the age of 8-12, a second birth is performed where a boys head is shaved only leaving a topknot at the top of the head. At this point, the child has entered the time of learning. From here on the child will learn of the Hindu life and ways. This is when he gains many responsibilities and is now looked at differently by the community then he was before the ritual. Marriage is another important ritual faced in the life of a Hindu.Typically, the parents arrange the marriage. Marriages occur within caste systems and mixing of castes is seen as a at both the husband's and wife's house. Upon death, loved ones clean the body and it is then wrapped. Very few Hindus are buried as most are cremated. A â€Å"death priest† leads a ceremony at the foot of a ever where the body is released adrift while burning. Any ashes that are left are collected and then released at a later time amongst the waters. Anyone who has encountered the dead must later purify oneself and cleanse of the dead.The death priests who were once Brahmas can be moved to untouchables because they are always around death. Part 2: Religion and geography: Briefly describe how Hinduism interacts with geography. Hinduism believes that all things originated from the same source; Brahmas. Brahmas then became the rocks, the rivers, and the mountains. These places are all part of Brahmas and all holy. The rivers are often used for rituals. Upon death the dead is burned and set adrift in the river. Further, their ashes are also dispersed into a river at a later time.Some rivers hold even higher recognition such as the Ganges, which is thought to bring life, rejuvenation, and blessing. Many people come down to the river to bathe and wash themselves of their sins, to be cleansed. It is also deemed the best place to be cremated at death. Part 3: Religion and Internal Conflict: Briefly discuss how Hinduism interacts with outside forces such as science, technology or religion. Hinduism does not interact well with outside forces. This is so, because the meaning of life in the Hindu religion is becoming at peace with the world, and realizing that everything is one.This is very difficult to do in an ever-changing world where technology pushes boundaries where nothing stays the same; this is a direct contradiction to Brahmas that is eternal permanence. On the other hand, Hinduism will openly accept other religions as other paths of devotions. Since the three main gods have so many different avatars the many other gods of the other religions are seen as different avatars of the same gods. Buddha is just another avatar or Vishnu and has his own devotee in Buddhism .

Outline the positive and negative features of the command economy Research Paper Example

Outline the positive and negative features of the command economy Research Paper Example Outline the positive and negative features of the command economy Paper Outline the positive and negative features of the command economy Paper The essential economic problem is limited resources, such as land, labour, capital and enterprise, in relation to unlimited wants. Because of this, people need to answer the three basic economic questions: what to produce, how to produce and for whom to produce. Therefore there is a need for effective resource allocation with effective answers or rather methods of organizing the production, distribution, exchange, sharing goods and services. Allocation of scarce resources is organized through several different economic systems. The idea of the command economy is to answer the three basic economic questions completely by the government (not by the market forces) and that means also that all factors of production are owned by the government. It is based upon the Karl Marxs (1818-1883) theory that all people are equally. This way of answering the questions is not perfect and hence contain both advantages and disadvantages. Positive features The Government is very powerful (so overall there is the possibility to grow economically very quickly from a poor background) and plans everything for the society. These social goals are also individual goals, thus the state cares for every person equally: It distributes and redistributes the wealth equally, so that everyone has the same income. Current spending, such as in social welfare, government employees, defense, health, pensions, debt repayments, is made by the government and therefore the society receive all these goods and services for free. Capital spending, such as in the infrastructure, e. g. : airports, housing, roads and rails, education, telecommunication, is made by the government and therefore the society receive all these for free as well. Moreover there is enough provision of essential services, law and order, cultural affairs, international relations and social issues. Factors of production are not just mobile because of governments help or plans, they are also used effectively, that means that unemployment and inflation do not exist. This is because the prices are constant, they are controlled by the government, not by constantly changing/insecure market forces: The government shifts the demand by prices and advertising from goods with negative and positive externalities- constant high prices on harmful goods like cars and alcohol to reduce their consumption nd constant low prices on basic commodities like food, housing, health care, public transport (to ensure that consumers are able to afford adequate supplies)2. Likewise the value of the currency is constant and there is no lack of essential goods. As a result of all these features the command economy there is no abuse of any power and it is equally advantageous for all people. But these positive features exist just measured with inside parameters, that means just in the theory, because the reality is also measured with outside parameters, negative features do exist: Negative features In a command economy there is no private property, no self interest in profit, no competition, no freedom of choice and all of the governments targets are quantitative not qualitative. Because they are just quantitative, growth occurs, but without development. A good real world example are the consequences of the cold war (1945-1991): there was an increase in the output of military goods, but no equal increase in the output of civilian goods, therefore no development: The consumer could only choose to spend income on those things the government decided to produce. Consumer wishes were often a poor third in the plan after investment needs and defence needs were met. 5 Production costs are not reflected in prices. For example, it may cost more to produce a good or service, than the purchased price is. Since prices act not as signals, the government just suppressed the inflation, because it is not possible to convert prices because of the difference of inside parameters to outside parameters. One of the results is that the economy is when not able respond quickly to new conditions. And so there is only little economic efficiency, first, because in reality there is unemployment, (it is likely to be hidden or disguised), but many people produced very little, their marginal product is very low, inefficiency is high and secondly, the principles of profit and loss do not exist, as well as the concept of competition, there is just one firm per product and what is why inefficient firms do not close and goods and services are not produced at the lowest possible cost, so resources are wasted and this leads to more or real loss and bad quality all in all it is not a very effective way resource allocation. The consequence of this is that the government needs to use also alternative methods like queuing or rationing. Furthermore black markets and corruption are likely to arise. Conclusion If all people are equal, that means all people are equally rich or poor, there is absolutely no motivation in development, because the government says that it should be like is. But governments plans are imperfect because they are made by imperfect human beings who naturally cannot detect demand precisely6 (they have no signals). Above all governments think that the demand is fixed so the supply needs to be fixed the reality shows the contrary: Planning has been and is the most effective way in simple economies or wartime. On certain levels this economic program met with considerable success. In the 1940s the Soviet state withstood the German onslaught and emerged from the Second World War as a global power. Also, in the ensuing years the Soviet Union was able to maintain a military industrial complex that allowed it to contend with the United States on a global basis. But as economies grow more richer, they grow more complex and then the command idea fails7 in achieving the optimal resource allocation (see also above: diagram1): Today all economies are mixed. But those who were or are more centrally planned had or have more problems with poverty, unemployment, development, etc. The comparison with a country without command economy shows that the other country is nearer to the PPF and the command with command economy is not close enough to the PPF, that means there is ineffective use of factors of production. The aim to maximize profits is more important to the human nature than to serve the public interest. Yet it is not completely useless the positive features, to produce more public/merit goods, use all combinations of factors of productions and produce for all people, are integrated so that the economy is nearer to the PPF, by using the command concepts of the circular flow of income, transfer payments, commodity agreements, taxes and price controls.

5 Steps to Increasing Your Emotional Intelligence at Work

5 Steps to Increasing Your Emotional Intelligence at Work Emotional intelligence at work won’t just help you be a better coworker and employee. It is instrumental if you want to become a leader, or a mover and shaker within your field. Figuring out what other people may be thinking, wanting, feeling, and needing, and being sensitive and adaptable to those things will also, of course, make you a better person. Developing these skills would be a win-win personally and professionally, and may just be the secret weapon you need to distinguish yourself and achieve that extra level of success.Here are 5Â  strategies that you can use to start honing (and eventually mastering) your emotional intelligence at work. Start early and see how your career can change.1. Self-AssessIt’s not just about knowing who you are, or what you like, or even what your wants and needs are. It’s not even merely being honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses. It’s about understanding these things and having the confidence to w ork from within them, with an aim of accepting your current state, but constantly striving to improve. If you master this, and know exactly where and who you are- in work and in life- you’ll be much better equipped to get where you need to go.2. Self-regulateDevelop your inner Zen master. Keeping your cool in a crisis will help distinguish you for leadership. And being disciplined enough to control your emotions and disruptive or destructive tendencies might eventually reroute them entirely. Cultivate calm and positivity. Worst case scenario, you’ll stress much less. Best case, you’ll become the office guru, then Queen of the Universe.3. Practice empathyYou may think your manager or your co-worker is a total jerk, maybe even an incompetent one. But before you write them off, try to imagine being in their shoes. Are there complicating factors in their lives that you may or may not know about that might be affecting their work or behavior? If you can try and imagi ne how others might be feeling, you’ll be better able to feel for them- and able to exercise compassion. The selfish upside here is that you’ll get much better at understanding what motivates people, and able to maneuver yourself and your team accordingly.4. Relate to peopleReal connections are hard to come by. Cultivate them. Don’t just treat people like stepping stones and distractedly try to maintain your relationships. Work at it. It’s much easier to do if you work on #3 and actually listen to and care about people. And it’s crucial for developing #5.5. CommunicateYou’ve heard a million times that effective communication is the biggest key to leadership and real success. That’s probably because it’s true. Cultivating all of the above skills will help you to avoid misunderstandings, miscommunications, bruised feelings, and mixed signals. It will make your team stronger, and it will make you better- at your job and at your li fe. You’ll have a much easier time developing your sense of purpose and working on your own and with your team to achieve that purpose.

Differences between Private and Public Schools Essay

Differences between Private and Public Schools - Essay Example One of the main differences between private and public schools in related to curriculum and policy management. Public schools need to follow and adhere to the local and federal educational guidelines (Long Island Schools n.p.). They cannot bring any change to the curriculum unless the government approves it. Every public school located in any part of the state has the same curriculum. On the other hand, private schools can have a slightly different curriculum from that of the public schools. Although private schools also need to adhere to the educational guidelines of the government, they can make slight changes to the guidelines as per the need of the school and students and can design their own curriculum. In public schools, the government does not apply any restriction on the number of admissions. On the other hand, there is usually some limit related to the number of admissions in private schools. If that limit is over, the school reserves the right to reject other admission applications. The restriction of the limit of admissions also helps private schools give more attention to students individually which results in a better learning environment, as well as improves the teacher-student relationship. Moreover, in private schools, admissions are based on merit (Egan n.p.). Public schools cannot apply any limit to admissions because they are funded by the government, which is responsible to provide education to all children (Gilmore n.p.). The cost of education is also significantly higher in private schools as compared to that of the public schools. The reason is that private schools are not funded by the government because of which the management has to arrange salaries for teachers and money for all administrative expenses on their own. They charge high money to the parents of children in return for providing high-quality education.

Employee engagement in Marks and Spencer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Employee engagement in Marks and Spencer - Essay Example The paper tells that the structure and the elements of organizational policies depend primarily on the needs of each organization. At the next level, the potential of an organization to respond to the demands of a particular plan needs to be carefully measured in advance, i.e. before implementing the initial phase of the plan. On the other hand, the response of employees to organizational changes cannot be precisely estimated in advance. This problem has been critical in the context of modern organizations; indeed, employee resistance to change is among the key problems of businesses in all industries. In practice it has been proved that when employees are urged to participate in organizational plans, their resistance to the changes initiated is limited. In this context, the use of various strategies for promoting employee participation can be characterized as unavoidable. Employee engagement is a concept reflecting the promotion of employee participation in critical organizational a ctivities. Employee engagement has been described as ‘an individual’s sense of purpose and focused energy, evident to others in the display of personal initiative, adaptability, effort and persistence directed towards organizational goals’. In accordance with another definition, employee engagement should be considered as ‘a work – related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication and absorption’. From another point of view, employee engagement has been characterized as the view that each employee has in regard to his work experience. (Finney 2008, p.204) The role of employee engagement in modern organizations is examined in this paper. Reference is made to the employee engagement policies of Marks and Spencer, a well-known British firm. The efforts of the firm to promote employee engagement across its departments are evaluated using the literature developed in the particular field. 2. Marks and Spencer Overview Marks and Spence r is a major competitor in the global retail industry. The firm’s employees are estimated to 78,000, referring to the firm’s stores in UK and worldwide (Marks and Spencer, About us, 2012). The organization is quite expanded in UK, with a network of about 700 stores, but also internationally (Marks and Spencer, About us, 2012). The firm operates in the food sector, with a percentage of 51%, while the activities of the organization in the clothing and homeware represent the 49% of the firm’s sales (Marks and Spencer, About us, 2012). The organization has been in the British market for quite a long period of time, being established in 1901 in Derby (Marks and Spencer, History 2012). Through the decades the growth of the organization has been impressive, as proved through its current position in the international market. 3. Employee engagement in Marks and Spencer - Plan A Employee Engagement scheme 3.1 Key aspects of employee engagement in Marks and Spencer  œ Presentation and analysis of Plan A Employee Engagement scheme Employee engagement in Marks and Spencer is promoted through a scheme known as Plan A. The specific scheme was introduced in 2007 and is based on 100 targets, which need to have been achieved within 5 years, meaning the period from 2010 up to 2015. The particular plan aims to increase the firm’s competitiveness by promoting the cooperation among employees in regard to the improvement of the firm’s performance in the following sectors: ‘Raw materials, ethical trading, climate change, health, and waste management’ (Marks and Spencer, Plan A, 2012). The above sectors are characterized as the ‘pillars’ (Marks and Spencer Plan A, 2012) on which the firm should focus in order to face all challenges related to the retailing industry. Up today, the performance of the firm’s specific initiative can be characterized as quite important, a view verified by the following fact: In the 6 th