Expanding into Switzerland Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Expanding into Switzerland - Case Study Example There is also the risk that retaining employees will be difficult, creating higher turnover costs and training issues, when employees seek other opportunities with better benefits or salary. Career management becomes an issue when training must be ongoing to fill positions that are constantly being vacated by employees who leave the business because there is such a high volume of job opportunities in the external job market. There is also the possibility that child care needs will require flexible schedules which could interrupt productivity or normal business operations with the United States as the home country of operations. Question 2 Switzerland is an individualistic culture, meaning that they value self-expression and independence (Blodgett, Bakir & Rose, 2008). The business might have to decentralize its operations and management as a means to ensure that employees stay once they have been selected for employment. On Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions framework, Switzerland ranks 68 against a world average of only 43 on individualism needs (Hofstede, 2009). This means that group-oriented policies and procedures that build a family-type of culture or teamwork might not have success in recruiting or retention. This could mean developing more individual programs for development in human resources, such as individual coaching or mentoring. â€Å"Great companies rely heavily on their cultures to support change management efforts† (Want, 2009, p.10). The business might have to develop more individualistic coaching to give effective feedback and assessment regarding performance in order to build a strong culture. At the same time, Switzerland has a low uncertainty avoidance measurement on Hofstede’s scale, which means that the population is more â€Å"accepting of unique and unusual situations and ideas, with greater tolerance of divergent points of view† (Hofstede, 2009, p.2; Donnison, 2008). This has advantages for launching new develo pment programs to address the challenges for this expansion project. For example, development of in-house work-hour child care services to help educated mothers in their job role would likely be accepted. Flexible working hours or telecommuting (work at home) would probably meet with little change resistance and be accepted by this individualistic culture. Question 3 A potential solution to the challenge of labor shortages is to transfer expatriate managers and employees from the United States. Expatriates can be trained on Swiss culture and lifestyle so they can be ready for transfer with the option for short- or long-term job contracts. This would give the new Swiss division more home country expertise and also ensure that there is not a staffing shortage. By recruiting dedicated and high-performing managers and employees overseas, it will lessen the likelihood of high turnover rates and costs. Mentoring that comes with intensive training packages can also support new HR policies in Switzerland. â€Å"Training that offers employees benefits that are perceived as non-transferable to another organization makes it too costly to leave† (Bambacas & Bordia, 2009, p.225). Innovative companies are usually the ones that succeed and have the most competitive human capital, therefore internal promotions about the benefits of new training could reduce long-term turnover rates. For example, job rotation training for multi-skill development could be promoted in recruitment

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

Controversy analysis - Essay Example I will follow three main areas of interest: the socio-political issues raised initially, the controversy regarding ‘fracking’ and finally, the more recent problems and their proffered solutions. ‘Gasland’ (2010): Socio-political Issues with Gas Drilling Industry The documentary in question has been lauded for its unflinching vision and objectively instructive nature of narrating the socio-economic and global politico-legal aspects associated with the gas drilling industry and the safety issues related to hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ – a term popularized by the film. (Fox 2010) The exceptional clarity of documentation explored in the film gives the audience a first hand view of the energy business and market ploys. It situates America in the global perspective of the natural energy in the world market and relates it to the divergent practices and malpractices associated with the same. The documentary is primarily related to the conte mporary and current trends in the process of gas drilling, in commercial and privatized sectors. ... The documentary then shifts its focus to a detailed analysis of the various facets related to the process of gas drilling, primarily the adversities of Hydraulic ‘fracking’, finds culmination in an objective vision of the energy industry in America, with special reference to the areas surrounding Pennsylvania, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. (Thaxton 2012) The film goes on to address the critical socio-political issues and chronic health hazards caused by the intrusion of the giant energy corporations on public and private lands. In course of Fox’s research, the different and varied modes of procedural methods as well as safety regulations associated with gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing are explored and explained in details. The national and global debate raging around the energy industry is explored with an objective, informative documentation and narrated with a personal voice over from the director, Josh Fox, who evokes a personal emotional stance in the narr ation. The docudrama gives a touching account of various local communities in and around Western America that have been affected adversely from hydraulic fracturing which polluted the drinking water as the result of rampant gas drilling and extraction process. ‘Fracking’ in the Energy (Gas) Industry: Controversies and Issues The recent discovery of shale gas deposits and new resources of gas energy have radically changed the face of America’s energy reserve and industry. The extensive extraction and industrial drilling has led to a rapid boom in America’s socio-economic scene. Beginning primarily at Texas, the gas drilling process ahs now expanded all over the United States with a startling rapidity and haste that is now giving rise to certain disturbing speculations. (Fry 2013) Several

Strengthening Community Resilience Through Disaster Risk Management Environmental Sciences Essay

Strengthening Community Resilience Through Disaster Risk Management Environmental Sciences Essay Disasters pose serious threats to development as it holds back countrys progress and its achievement towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) while highlighting, particularly among poor countries, the prevailing poverty situation. Despite billions of budget spent by the government and assistance from the international development organizations for development programs and projects, interference of disasters could put these efforts into nothing; as disasters could result to enormous physical, economic and psycho-social damages and decades of development could be wiped out in a minute. Disasters destroy infrastructures, such as roads, bridges, communication satellites, buildings, schools and houses. It can also damage livelihood and agriculture; from pest infestations to droughts, extreme rains and floods, which could wreak havoc on the entire community livelihood. Moreover, as disaster happens, it displaces people and exposes them to diseases and injuries which could further lead them to hardship, starvation and deprivation. In general disaster can lead to loss of public and private resources and investments, disruption on the production of goods and provision of services, loss of employment for formal and non- formal economy, interruption of development programs and switching of crucial resources to other short-term needs such as recovery and emergency response programs, and health concerns (UNDP-DMTP, 1994). These problems on natural disasters are further compounded by the issues of climate change. Disaster risks and climate change are threats to human well-being and adversely reinforce each other. Disaster risk is an intrinsic characteristic of human society, arising from the combination of natural and human factors and subject to exacerbation or reduction by human agency (OBrien, 2008:7). The effects of climate change can increase disaster risks, by changing the magnitude and frequency of extreme events. The changes in the average climatic conditions and climate variability, affect the underlying risk factors, and generate new threats, which could create more serious consequences to human and the environment (Tearfund, 2008). The increasing global average temperature, occurrence of extreme weather events, changes in precipitation and sea level rises would, likewise, adversely affect human health, agriculture, forests, water resources, and coastal areas. Direct impacts are: less food pr oduction, increase range of infectious diseases including vector-borne and water-related diseases, decline in fresh water resources; and indirect impacts such as increase in prices of goods and services. These ultimately increase poverty. The poor, vulnerable and at risk communities are mostly affected for they have few options (DAP, 2010). Disaster is indeed a development concern; however despite this recognition, we argue that many disasters are rooted mainly from many development failures (UN-ISDR, 2010). The lack of appropriate development planning where disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation are loosely or weakly integrated into the local and national agenda is seen as a weakness to development. And the inadequateness of top-down and one-way approach in dealing with disaster management, is considered ineffective stance in providing rightful and productive solutions among problems encountered at the community level, frequently, resulting to failure in addressing local needs, untapped potential local resources and capacities, consequently, increasing peoples vulnerabilities (Victoria, 2003). Nevertheless, with the shifting paradigm from emergency management to disaster risk management, and the growing recognition on community participation, this shed another area where parallel effort from the national, local and community levels can be harmonized and replicated. And in line with community participation, the Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) emerged to address the needs of vulnerable communities and to improve their disaster resiliency. It is an approach that emphasizes active involvement of communities; while strongly locates people at the heart of the decision making and implementation of disaster risk management activities (ADPC-CBDRM-11, 2003). Purpose and Objectives The paper aims to determine how Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) increases community resiliencies and contributes towards climate change adaptation. The objectives of this study are to explain the features, processes and actors of the CBDRM and how it contributes to community resiliency; identify the strengths and weaknesses of the approach within the frame of community participation and participatory development; to cite best practices of CBDRM applications, and to provide recommendations for future policy and research studies. Methodology and Limitations The paper explores the effectiveness and potential of CBDRM to address impact of climate change variability. The arguments rendered are mainly based on deskwork and cursory research that is limited to literature review from available case studies, articles and publications from various local, national and international sources. The paper is divided into four parts. First, we link disaster risk management with climate change adaptation by identifying their commonalities and differences. Second, we closely examine what CBDRM is, its feature, processes and actors involved. Third, we determine what would be the possible limitations or challenges in applying community participation in disaster management. Fourth, we give practical examples by listing down several good practices of CBDRM being implemented in different countries. And fifth, we provide conclusions and recommendations. Linking Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation As noted, disasters have enormous impact on human development while changes in climate will further extend the challenges brought by disasters. With the increasing concerns on its impact, this has emphasized the urgent move from disaster response to preventive measures mainly aimed at reducing the likelihood that a natural hazard translates into a disaster. The shift to disaster risk management (DRM) from emergency management, implies addressing underlying social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities to reduce the probability of a disaster occurring. Moreover, DRM tries to address hazard risks as an integral part of development. DRM is based on a continuous assessment of vulnerabilities and risks and involves many actors and stakeholders, such as governments, technical experts and local communities. (Sperling, F., et.al., 2005: 11). According to ISDR, policy responses concerned with disaster risk management and adaptation to climate change have developed along different tracks (Sperling, F., et.al., 2005: 12). The DRM, on one hand, is based on humanitarian assistance efforts; the specific response measures are based from accumulated experiences of exposure to disasters. The responses are localized with broader preventive measures with the aim of addressing vulnerabilities. On the other hand, response to climate change, being a global issue, has been mostly top-down process through advances in scientific research leading to international policy responses through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Responses to climate change are categorized under mitigation and adaptation which are both interdependent; mitigation tackling the cause of climate change, while adaptation tackling the effects. (Sperling, F., et.al., 2005). DRM and adaptation to climate change have commonalities and differences. On their commonalities, the policies and measures for both areas are concerned with risk management approach with the aim of addressing the underlying vulnerabilities. While both acknowledge that the degree of vulnerability is a function of the magnitude of physical exposure and prevalent environmental and socioeconomic conditions; thus both depend on evaluating risks, vulnerabilities and possible remedial measures characterized as being continuous process and forward looking perspective. Additionally on dealing climate change risks, the adaptation measures is based on the existing vulnerability to climate variability and extremes; hence improving the capacity of communities, governments or regions to deal with current climate vulnerabilities is likely to improve their capacity to deal with future climatic changes (Sperling, 2005:16). On their differences, the time horizons for DRM is concerned more of the present or near term trends, that is 5-10 years, while climate change projections are usually 20 or even hundred more years. Another is on physical exposure; mitigating disaster is different from climate change mitigation. The former is focused on limiting the adverse impact of a particular hazard; while the latter is a function within the capacity of humans to influence their exposure to change, concluding that climate change is largely driven by anthropogenic activities. Lastly, on the scope of disaster, DRM includes not only climate related disasters such as hydro-meteorological (torrential rain, floods, droughts, storms) but also geo-morphological (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions) hazards (Sperling, 2005). Supporting the claim of Sperling (2005:17), DRM and adaptation to climate change have converging agendas; this therefore offers an opportunity to build a comprehensive risk management framework which recognizes current and future vulnerabilities as well as the compound effects of multiple disasters within a given region. This brings us next to a specific DRM approach where its aim is to increase community resiliency through the active participation of community members. The Community-Based Disaster Risk Management Approach Mainstreaming disaster risk reduction (DRR), as part of the DRM framework, into national and local development agenda is among the crucial concerns for many international organizations, national governments, civil society organizations, research groups, and local development actors. The recognition on its importance stemmed out from understanding the link between development and disaster, and disaster intensity and climate change. Under DRR lens, disasters are seen as complex problems that demand collective actions from different sectors; hence, this locates community at the forefront of disaster management. As defined by Abarquez (2004), communities are group of people that may share one or more things in common such as living in the same environment and similar disaster risk exposure. Their differentiation in terms of socio-economic aspects, linkages and dynamics are several factors that contribute to their vulnerabilities. By and large, it is the communities who are directly affected by both development and disasters, for being either beneficiaries or victims of the two circumstances. They are the front liners. They understand their local opportunities and constraints and they are the most interested in understanding local affairs where survival and well-being is at stake. Hence, integrating them within disaster risk management framework entails a promising outcome. Whereas, a growing consensus asserts that most top-down disaster risk management and response programs fail to address specific local needs of vulnerable communities, ignore the potential of local resources and capacities, and may in some cases even increase peoples vulnerability (Abarquez, 2004:12). Community participation provides opportunities for the poor to air their concerns, and allowing the poor to have more control over development assistance. This ensures that allocation of development funds is responsive to the needs of the poor, better targeting of poverty programs, more responsive government and better delivery of public goods and services, better maintained community assets, and a more informed and involved citizenry that is capable of undertaking self-initiated development activity (Mansuri, 2003: 2). According to World Bank, in general, community driven development aims to (i) enhance sustainability; (ii) improve efficiency and effectiveness; (iii) allow poverty reduction efforts to be taken to scale; (iv) make development more inclusive; (v) empower poor people, build social capital, and strengthen governance; and (vi) complement market and public sector activities. (Mansuri, 2003: 2) The CBDRM provides opportunities for the local community to evaluate their situations based on their own experiences and promotes participation and partnership. They take responsibility for all stages of the program including both planning and implementation, and in partnership with local, provincial, and national entities. As defined, CBDRM is a process of disaster risk management in which at risk communities are actively engaged in the identification, analysis, treatment, monitoring and evaluation of disaster risks in order to reduce their vulnerabilities and enhance their capacities. This means that the people are at the heart of decision making and implementation of disaster risk management activities. (Abarquez, 2004:9). Given the existing natural hazards and vulnerabilities of a community, the CBDRM process should lead to progressive improvements in public safety and community disaster resilience. And it should contribute to equitable and sustainable community development in the long term (Abarquez, 2004:20) As shown in the conceptual framework below, natural hazards such as hydro-meteorological, geo-morphological and climate change induced hazards can interplay with existing community vulnerabilities which in turn could pose high risks to the affected community. As a consequence of a disastrous event, people are helpless victims who rely heavily on external assistance for aid. The cost and damage assessment is done by external experts, and recommendations are usually mainly focus on material or physical aid and technical solutions. Due to lack of community plan, outside donors decide on what the needs are. The aim of existing disaster management is to reduce the immediate suffering and meet emergency needs and bring back the situation into normal. With the application of CBDRM approach, people participate in disaster management, where people are involved in planning, decision-making, damage, needs and capacity assessment. The people perceived as active actors in rebuilding their lives and livelihood. The focus is community preparedness and strengthening the organization with the aim of reducing vulnerabilities and increase peoples capacity to better cope with disasters. With the result of safe, disaster-resilient and developed community, this ultimately contributes towards poverty reduction. Figure : Conceptual Framework The CBDRM Features In summary the CBDRM features as according to Abarquez (2004) are: Role of community is central in disaster risk management. That is, local people are capable of initiating and sustaining their own development and they are the prime movers in reducing disaster risks in their community. Community is the key resource in disaster risk management. The communities are the main beneficiaries, the same way that they are the key resource and frontline actor in the CBDRM implementation. The aim is disaster risk reduction. The main strategy is to enhance capacities and resources of most vulnerable groups and to reduce their vulnerability in order to avoid the occurrence of disasters in future. Recognition of the link between disaster risk management and the development process. CBDRM should lead to general improvement in peoples quality of life and the natural environment. The approach assumes that addressing the root causes of disasters, e.g. poverty, discrimination and marginalization, poor governance and bad political and economic management, would contribute towards the overall improvement in the quality of life and environment. Application of multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approaches. CBDRM brings together local community and even national stakeholders for disaster risk management to expand its resource base. CBDRM recognizes that different people have different perceptions of risk, different vulnerabilities and capacities. The CBDRM Process The CBDRM process entails a thorough assessment of the communitys hazard exposure and analysis of their vulnerabilities as well as capacities. The gathered information serves as the basis for activities, projects and programs to reduce disaster risks. Community involvement is required in the process of assessment, planning, and implementation to ensure that all needs and concerns felt at the local level are considered and appropriately tackled. Using the NGO CBDRM implementation perspective, according to Luna (2007) and Abarquez (2004), generally the processes include: Community/site selection and partnership building. Communities that are very vulnerable are selected, based on previous experiences in disaster and current threats. Other criteria include the poverty situation, interest and cooperation of the LGU officials, accessibility of the area, the peace and order situation, and the presence of local workers in the community. Formation and training of Community Disaster Action Teams and Volunteers. Training of the local government officials and community leaders are done to enhance their capacity for disaster prevention, mitigation and response. The training is done in participatory manner in such a way that after the series of training, the participants would be able to come out with community assessment, hazards maps, and plan for disaster mitigation projects. The participatory rural appraisal techniques are used for community assessment. Hazard mapping. Actual on-site mapping of the community is done by the volunteers using ocular survey and global positioning system. This is a diagnostic process to identify the risks that the community faces and how people overcome those risks. The process involves hazard assessment, vulnerability assessment and capacity assessment. In doing the assessments, peoples perception of risk is considered. People themselves identify risk reduction measures that will reduce vulnerabilities and enhance capacities. These risk reduction measures are then translated into a community disaster risk management plan. Formulation of the Local Disaster Action Plans. The community assessments and the hazard map became the basis for formulating a local disaster action plan. Plan Integration and Implementation. The plan formulated by the Disaster Action Team is forwarded to the local council for integration in comprehensive development plan. The Community Disaster Action Teams and Volunteers should lead to the implementation of the community plan and motivate the other members of the community to support the activities in the plan. Project monitoring and evaluation by the community, local government and outside evaluators. The CBDRM Actors Under CBDRM local community serves as the main actor together with the participation and support from other stakeholders. The actors in the CBDRM are composed of two layers, the insiders and the outsiders. Actors in the inner layer are the individuals, family, organizations and other stakeholders who are located within the community. The multiple stakeholders such as farmers, fishers, women, laborers, youth and other members of the community that has special concerns and needs, with their differing perceptions, and interests are important to be considered in arriving in a broad consensus on targets, strategies and methodologies in the community. The outsiders refer to those sectors and agencies which are located outside of the community. These are external NGOs, national government agencies and other international organizations (Abarquez, 2004). This brings us to a consideration of the shortcomings and limitations of participatory development. Limitations and Challenges of Community Participation in Disaster Management Though we have argued that community participation in the context of disaster management is imperative, there are still several debates under the context of participatory development that could somehow influence its successful implementation, hence, should be taken into account especially during the planning phase of the CBDRM First, the complexity of individual motivations. It is difficult to move a community towards certain direction, particularly if its members have different interests and motivations. As noted earlier, community is a complex social structure comprised of different perspectives, opinions and motivations. Conversely, motivation and willingness to participate is dictated by individual thinking and determined by own underlying interests. Their experiences on disasters could influence their behavior; however for community members who have not experienced extreme natural disaster, raising their interest in prevention and capacity building becomes more difficult as it seems abstract for them, unlike physical measures or infrastructure such as installing early warning devices and others. Similarly, exposure to external aids could influence communitys interest to participate; this is in particular to urban areas, who have become accustomed to receiving external assistance thus their reluctance to undertake risk management on their own (Solo, n.d.). Another area under this is the personal-driven motivations with vested interests that could influence, hamper or even deviate the result of the participatory development process. And politicians or soon to be politicians find this kind of activity personally beneficial for them. Second, participation requires effort and time. The CBDRM implementation is comprised of various activities, such as planning and capacity buildings, that require active and continuous participation from various stakeholders. While these activities involved a considerable time and effort, some community members perceive these series of participation as waste of time and/or economically unproductive activity, thus opt to focus more on their work and earn money, instead. While for the part of the organizer, participatory process such as public consultation is also time consuming. Organizing requires proper and detailed planning for scheduling of activities, identifying stakeholders, sending out invitation and confirming attendance. The quality and productivity of the activity is affected by the possible low turn-out of attendance among target participants. Second, restricted women participation and cultural boundaries. The CBDRM puts emphasis on the different risks and vulnerabilities faced by members of the communities, such that, male perceived risks differently as compared to female, and similar with adult to children. However, some culture restricts participation and voluntarism; concrete example is on women participation. There are some cultures that confine womens role within the boundaries of domestic activities. Despite the current effort to gender mainstream disaster reduction, with the consequent enormous household tasks directly or indirectly imposed to them, these offer women less time to interact in social activities and participate in community development actions. Third, local power relation within the community. The dynamics that exists within the community is clearly manifested on the relationship between the rich and poor, elite and commoners, and literate and illiterate. These relationships bring us to the questions on who can really participate, who can talk and verbalize their opinions during public consultations or workshops. Often times, those who are well-informed and have time to participate dominate the discussion, while leaving behind the poor and the illiterate who has the greater degree of vulnerability. To put stress further, the UNDP states that the communities who are most vulnerable to natural events are frequently those who have a disproportionately high number of illiterate members (Solo, n.d.). Fourth, local knowledge influenced by local power relations. CBDRM builds on the existing local knowledge to assess community risks, and serve as basis in developing plans. However, local knowledge can be influenced by local power relations, authority and gender (Mosse, 2002). Other personalities or stakeholders may impute their own interests to or influence the local knowledge which would not necessarily resolve the issues of disaster risks or lead for the greater and common interests of improving community resiliency. Fifth, creating development fatigue among stakeholders. Since participatory development is among the most popular approaches in development, many development initiatives have embraced and integrated it within their programs and projects. Consultations and/or collaboration among stakeholders has been repeatedly being undertaken along different stages of one or more different programs and projects, this repeated process could eventually create fatigue among stakeholders, especially when despite of continuing consultations no advancement or progress is achieved. These are some of the limitations and challenges that may be faced by project implementers of CBDRM. And to understand more what CBDRM is as applied to real world, the next part gives us practical examples illustrating how CBDRM could potentially increase community resiliency. CBDRM Good Practices Globally, CBDRM has been promoted as an approach to improve community resiliency. International development organizations and non-government organizations strongly lobby CBDRM for policy adoption and mainstreaming in the disaster management framework of national and local governments. Currently, most CBDRM projects are led by local and international NGOs, either in partnership with other civil society organizations, NGOs, international development organizations or local government. The United Nation International Strategy for Disaster Reduction compiled the good practices in CBDRM that illustrates how communities have worked together towards a common goal and benefitted from their undertaking. Below are some of the examples that are considered CBDRM good practices and linked with climate change adaptation being implemented in different countries. Involving community members in increasing public awareness and capacity building through creating information campaigns to enhance the safety of the population at risk. The project stimulates creativeness and innovativeness from the local actors and similarly optimizes local knowledge and local resources in a way easily understandable to the local community members. This is a project implemented in Haiti in 22 settlements in coordination with their Local Civil Protection Committees (LCPCs) through the assistance from Oxfam GB. Another is creating access among low income groups to disaster micro-insurance scheme. Taking into account that risk transfer supports sustainable economic recovery, micro-insurance could serve as a cushion to lessen impact of disaster, particularly among the poor victims whom majority have little or no access to risk transfer schemes. Micro-insurance represents an innovative approach to risk identification, pooling and transfer; wherein risk is transferred from the individual level to the community or inter-community levels. With the implementation of micro-insurance, this elicit positive feedbacks from the communities claiming that insurance in times of crisis is essential, the affordability of the scheme makes it accessible for the poor households, and which consequently result to reduced dependence from outside relief. This is the approach of the Afat Vimo scheme, a project implemented in India, which is part of the Regional Risk Transfer Initiative (RRTI), an action learning pro ject (ALP) of the Gujaratbased All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI). With the long drought being experienced, crop failures and the consequent food shortage, this has led a community in Indonesia to identify a mechanism to prevent food shortage. The community established a monitoring system for food security and livelihood and community early warning system largely based from their indigenous knowledge in combination with modern science. The project has three components: community awareness and indicator development to monitor food security and livelihood; community early warning system; and advocacy on appropriate agricultural system such as promotion of crops suitable for drought-prone land. The project is in partnership with local NGO aiming to increase community resilience from drought in Southeastern Indonesia. Another project where it illustrates that local context of communities can be a dynamic force in reducing risks, is on creating flood and typhoon-resilient homes through employing a cost-effective retrofitting. The program central theme is to make families and the community active players in the process of reducing the vulnerability through the integration of storm resistant techniques in existing and future houses and buildings. It involves local and grassroots consultation and preventive action planning. The project is Development Workshop France (DWF), a program initiated in Vietnam through Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and European Commission Humanitarian aid Office (ECHO) In order to understand local environmental situation, develop awareness and capacity to deal with, and to contribute to relevant policy formulation, one of the communities in Namibia established an inter-community platform and local-level monitoring as support for local decision making. The plat-form serves as medium for community organization and communication. Moreover, the approach strengthens capacity among the community to coordinate their own activities and preparing their development plans. The local-level monitoring, on the other hand, is used to support information exchange and decision making designed by the communities. The communities identify relevant indicators to monitor their livelihoods including key environmental elements. They discuss the results, analyze them and use them where appropriate for decision making. This provides a tool for identification of environmental changes affecting livelihoods that may be based on management actions, climate variability, policy changes or other factors. The project contributes to capacity building and institutional development among communities so they can enhance their own resource management and livelihoods and thereby enhance their capacity to manage and reduce risks related to drought and desertification and other potential disasters. This is a project implemented in Namibia, where several policy instruments have been influenced by the project and a number of derivative projects are ongoing. The convergence of a community-level approach and city governments participation strengthens sustainability and ownership; this is the underlying assumption in one of the CBDRM projects in the Philippines. Wherein, it mainstream community-based mitigation in the city governance through partnering with the local government in the implementation of the project. The project has five (5) components, these are: (i) CBDRM participatory risk assessment training of trainers (ToT) for the city officials, who in turn provide training to communities; reactivation of the City Disaster Coordinating Council and Barangay Disaster Coordinating Council; institutionalization of a school Disaster Safety Day; celebration of the Disaster Safety Day in all schools; developing and implementing a City Disaster Risk Reduction Plan. This is a CBDRM project implemented in the P

George Washington Carver :: essays research papers

George Washington Carver   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  George Washington Carver was born a slave in Diamond Grove, Missouri. As a small child Carver was rescued from a band of Confederate kidnappers. From early on Carver was determined to get himself an education. Carver began his schooling in Newton Country, and while attending school he also worked very hard as a farm hand. While working and studying Carver lived in a one-room schoolhouse, and as time went on he excelled as sought out for higher education. Because of his race Carver was denied on attending Highland University. In 1887 Carver got excepted to Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Carver made many outstanding contributions to the agricultural world and also on America it’s self. Carver changed the face of Agriculture in the south with his crop rotation methods. Carver discovered through research and trail and error ways to help soil stay fertile. Through this discovery the nutrients would stay in the ground, and crops could be planted on the same soil year after year. Carver discovered that planting peanut one year then the next planting cotton would keep the soil fertial for the following year. The peanuts contained nitrate-producing legumes, and the cotton took all the nutrients from the soil, so the soil was fresh each planting season. The farmer took his peanuts and used them as a source of food for their livestock. Carver did not over look the peanuts as just food for animals, and found over 325 ways to use the peanuts for other reasons than food. He used peanuts to make peanut butter, cooking oil, printer ink, and many more use ful applications for the peanut. Carver being the introvator that he was also found many ways for the pecan and sweet potato to help the soil. Carver developed many synthetic products that could be used by all people and not too hard to make. Carver developed adhesives, bleach, cheese, instant coffee, syntheic rubber, and Worcestershire souce just to name a few.

Factors Influencing Conflicts In Schools Education Essay

THESIS PROPOSAL FOR THE MASTERS DEGREE IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIPIntroduction:Organizational psychologists start with the position that there is, or can be, a echt struggle between a human being and his or her occupation of work, between the satisfaction of the demands of the single worker, and the demands of the using organisation. However, some common land between them is that: people have demands and, accordingly, motivations for making things. These demands and motivations, hence, do impact peoples behavior, and their behaviour c an be explained, ( Chris, A. ) . There can be conflict between the ends of the organisations and the ends of people working for those organisations. The manner to avoid such struggles in pattern is non by offering payoffs and sweetenings to the workers, nor is it by offering them monolithic public assistance plans, but is by altering the really construction and ends of the organisation to suit peoples personal ends, ( Chris, A. , in Kooontz, H. and C. O'Donnel, 1976 ) . While other minds suggest that, the best type of organisation is one which succeeds best in accomplishing the adjustment of peoples personal ends by advancing worker engagement in determination devising, enabling workers to carry through themselves and utilize a broad assortment of endowments, direction by aims instead than by authorization, and eventually, good communicating and expressive supervising. Schools as organisations are said to be influenced by a combination of factors and have their ain organisational civilization of alteration and development, ( Mbiti, D.M.,1974 ) .In most instances, school development implies the direction of planned alteration. These alterations may at times be consistent or non consistent with the organisational civilization, ( ) .Unplanned alterations are no more than accidents, ( ) . An effort to redesign a school organisational civilization in the manner that will accommodate to the alterations within and in the external environment or to efficaciously accomplish the ends sometimes result into struggles, Mosha, H. ( 1994 ) .This may be caused by displacements in the involvement and perceptual experiences of the organisation members, fright of alteration, self involvement, perceptual experience of the organisation ends schemes by instructors or long for ‘good old yearss ‘ . The school direction has to get the better of these factors if it is to carry through the planned alteration.`BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEMSchools have traditionally been expected to learn kids academic accomplishments. The school has the duty to develop in each kid a favorable attitude towards learning.Schools are besides topographic points where pupils interact with one another, their instructors and educational decision makers. Many pedagogues believe that pupil behavior affects academic accomplishment ( Boothe, Bradley, Flick, Keough, and Kirk,1993 ) . Traditional disciplinary patterns include assorted signifiers of penalty based on the premise that if negative behaviors are eliminated, the schoolroom clime will be contributing for acquisition, ( Canter & A ; Canter, 1992 ) . Critics of traditional disciplinary patterns believe that the accent on penalty â€Å" thwarts development of pupil duty, leading, independency and mutuality † ( Dreyfuss,1990, in Mahduri Pendharkar,1995 ) . Tanzania like any other developing states is at the head to do socio economic transmutations to accomplish some laid down rules in the Millenium Development Goals ( MDGs ) . Some major transmutations have been directed towards bettering the direction and public presentation of educational establishments including more enrolment in both primary and secondary schools, and prioritising misss instruction, ( TDREG 1989 ) .The period between 2000 t0 2005 have showed an increased school registration. This has besides impacted on enlisting of more instructors and increased authorities outgo in instruction, ( BEST 2005 ) . While improved public presentation in instruction is expected, developing for direction is often neglected. The impact has reflected on often and repeated struggles in schools attesting in boycott, public violence, bead outs, every bit good as dislocation of managerial capacities and answerability in some schools. Whereas, struggle declaration accomplishments for instructors or pupils in most schools is non emphasized. In most schools in Tanzania there are discipline Masterss, Patrons and Matrons whose traditional function is to stamp down negative behaviors of pupils. Some of them were appointed on the footing of certain personal properties instead than the needed accomplishments. Most of them lack conflict direction accomplishments. As a consequence pupils hate them. This is impacted by deficiency of struggle declaration accomplishments in schools. The accent is on stiff regulations and subject. Lyons and Hathering ( 1992 ) pointed out that, organisation wellness is characterized by high degrees of trust, low struggle and clash, regard for differences, personal freedom and single liberty in forms of supervising and control. Conflict in schools need to be decently managed in order to make a healthy organisational clime that is so of import for effectual acquisition and public presentation of duties. Mosha, H.J. ( 1994 ) stressed that, some struggles in higher acquisition establishments occur due to miss of proper diagnosing taking to crisis. Conflicts in schools are either non understood or non managed decently. Burton ( 1969 ) suggested for struggle direction which include disincentive schemes aimed at avoiding escalation of struggle while keeping control without giving manner. Burton farther suggested that if struggle physiques towards crisis successful direction should be able to turn the conflicting forces towards a constructive instead than a destructive way. However, instructors developing plans in Tanzania have non provided for greater flexibleness for instructors to pull off struggles other than going martinets. Mismanagement of struggles in schools has resulted into increased authorities intercession taking to closing of schools and increased outgo. Meanwhile, effectual instruction and acquisition plans are ever impaired taking to farther crisis in schools and the authorities in general. The state of affairs besides creates burn out to some instructors to alter their calling.STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:The intent of this survey is to look into on the factors act uponing struggles in schools in Tanzania. Several struggles have been reported to hold annihilating impacts. There are often and repeated struggles in most schools in Tanzania. The scientific account about the nature of these struggles is non good established neither documented. It has besides been reported that those struggles involve school decision makers and instructors, instructors and pupils, pupils and the school disposal, every bit good as pupils themselves. At some degrees struggles escalate to affect the external school envir onment. The impacts of these struggles have resulted into loss of lives of some pupils, demolished school edifices, public violences, boycott and increased belligerencies in the workplace, deficiency of contributing learning larning environment, dismissal and suspension of pupils, decision makers and instructors. This survey hence, is an effort to look into on the nature of struggles in schools, and perchance come up with the existent account as to why they often occur, every bit good to set up attacks that can be applied to harmonise the state of affairs.OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:( a ) . To place the nature of struggles in public secondary schools in Tanzania. ( B ) . To set up agencies to minimise struggles in schools. ( degree Celsius ) . To lend and widen cognition and accomplishments in struggle direction for schools instructors and decision makers. ( vitamin D ) . To act upon the authorities policy in instruction, struggle direction is an built-in portion of the modern-day school environment.RESEARCH QUESTIONS/HYPOTHESES:Significance OF THE STUDY:This survey is intended to be wide spectrum in nature. It is expected to come up with possible account of the beginnings of struggles in schools as acquisition and work topographic points in Tanzania. It will besides set up possible preventative struggle direction attacks that are so indispensable and could be applied in deciding struggles which arise in the school environment. Whereas, the survey is expected to lend the coevals of new penetrations, cognition and accomplishments in direction in general, and organize a baseline for school decision makers, directors, instructors and pupils to reflect on during state of affairss of jobs taking to struggles. This survey is possibly the innovator one every bit far as conflict direction in schools is concerned. It is expected to act upon the policy of the authorities. Conflicts in the modern-day school environment are going portion and package of the entire instruction system. Finally, the survey will impact on other broader dimensions of the societal systems in Tanzania.LITERATURE REVIEW:This subdivision reviews and examines briefly some literature on relevant scholarly work. Mosha, H.J. ( 1994 ) describes struggle as an synergistic opposing behaviour between two or more people, organisations or systems over incompatible ends, involvements, scarce resources, values, belief system, power and prestigiousness, nature of relationship every bit good as public presentation. He farther states that, struggles behaviours may run from rational jostle or malicious chitchat all the manner to utilize of physical force to do devastation of belongings or physical hurt. Mosha, ( 1994 ) further suggests that struggles are built-in portion of any societal system they need to be decently managed in order to make a healthy organisational clime that is so of import for effectual public presentation of duties. Whereas, Lyons and Hatherly, ( 1992 ) remark on organisational wellness that is the province in establishments characterized by by and large high degrees of trust, low struggle and single liberty in forms of supervising and control. Lyons and Hatherly farther insist that in wellness organisations relationships are honest, there is high grade of trust, hapless public presentation is confronted and joint solutions sought. Peoples feel free to signal jobs and take part in happening solutions. Murphy and Saal ( 1990 ) in Mosha, ( 1994 ) stated that struggle direction is a procedure of going aware of existent or possible struggle, naming its nature and range and using appropriate methodological analysis to spread the emotional energy involved and enable challenging parties to understand and decide their differences. While, Burton ( 1969 ) adds on struggle direction that include disincentive schemes aimed at avoiding escalation of struggle while keeping control without giving manner. Harmonizing to Gray and Starke ( 1990 ) traditionalists conceived struggle as being per se bad. Under this school of thought members of the organisation who caused the struggle were regarded as emotionally disturbed, otherwise they should non hold caused the struggle. Therefore, to extinguish the struggle and thereby work out the job it was necessary to fire or acquire psychiatric aid for the responsible employees ( Jandt and Gillettee,1985 ) . The modern theoreticians harmonizing to ( Gray and Starke,1990 ) in Mosha, ( 1994 ) argue that organisational struggle is neither good nor bad per Se, and that it is inevitable. Conflict is inevitable and non needfully harmful. Indeed, they continue to reason that you can non hold an organisation, community or society that is free from struggle. However, Mosha, H.J. ( 1979:169 ) argues that competency should be the major standard for engagement as educational jobs have branchings that require attending and specialised aid is utile in mobilising needed cognition and judgement. At another graduated table of looking at leading manners, Bennis, W.G. , ( 1989 ) was of the position that the challenges facing organisational leaders are dashing even to the most audacious. Bennis farther remarks that organisational restructuring has bulldozed off much worker morale and trueness, along with many degrees of direction and 1000s of occupations. The disentangled bonds between workers and organisations have increased worker alienation and raised turnover. Bennis, W.G. ( 1989 ) farther commented on accomplishing manners, civilizations, values, wagess and discontinuities that organisations have their particular achieving manners, manners that their civilizations, consciously or unconsciously instill in their members. That is, organisations characteristically reward certain sorts of accomplishing behaviour and punish or disregard other sorts. Organizational civilization both comfort and command its members. It comforts them by bring forthing a familiar context for organisational life and offering rank to those who conform. At the same clip, organisational civilization controls members by compressing the scope of behaviors and attitudes that are valued and rewarded. Furthermore, Max Weber ( 1864-1920 ) examined the organisation and came up with the sentiment that the term organisation meant the ordination of societal relationships, the care of which certain persons took upon themselves as a particular undertaking. Weber, farther maintains that the presence of a leader and an administrative staff was a feature of an organisation, which in fact was them who preserved the organisation. Hence, basic to Weber ‘s thoughts was the impression that human behaviour is regulated by regulations. The being of a distinguishable set of regulations was inexplicit in the construct of organisation. On direction, Henry Fayol ( 1916 ) stated that to pull off is to calculate and be after to form, to command and to coordinate and to command. While G.A. Cole ( 1994 ) proposed a on the job definition for strategic direction as a procedure directed by top direction to find the cardinal purposes or ends of the organisation and guarantee a scope of determinations which will let for the accomplishment of those purposes or ends in the long-run whilst supplying for adaptative responses in the short term. The above implies that, if the direction is non successful in covering with oppositions to alter and if it still wishes to alter and continues to implement the alteration plan, struggle will finally originate, Mosha, ( 1994 ) . Whereas, Ekval, G. ( 1993 ) cautioned that where counter groups, divisions and cantonments exist the work clime is bound to be hapless.

Development of intelligence test performance Essay

Intelligence can be defined in several ways, ranging from broader definitions such as the ability to cope with life, to more specific definitions such as skill in problem-solving and reasoning. Intelligence tests are implemented by psychologists in order to assess such skills, and a quantitative measure of this intelligence is usually presented in the form of an IQ (intelligence quotient). IQ scores are the basis of much research into the development of intelligence test performance. One cultural factor which may have an affect on a child’s measured intelligence is mother love; attachments may play a part in children’s cognitive development. This hypothesis can be tested by studying children who have been separated from an attachment object (i.e. a parent), and Skeels & Dye found evidence to suggest that the formation of an attachment improves intelligence test performance. In their study, 13 of the most mentally retarded infants in an orphanage were moved to an institution for mentally retarded women, where they would form an attachment with a mildly retarded woman. Over the next four years, those who had moved had an average IQ gain of 32 points, compared with an average reduction of 21 IQ points for those who remained in the orphanage; this difference was still evident 27 years later. This study can be commended for its implications: at the time the accepted view was that IQ was constant throughout life, but the study showed that, with the right treatment, IQ can be significantly improved. Another factor in IQ development is quality of education. Schweinhart et al.’s Perry Preschool Project provides evidence for this; compared to children given no pre-school education, those who had been given quality pre-school education appeared not only to have improved IQs later in life, but they were also less likely to commit crime and drop out of high school. This finding is duplicated by Operation Headstart, which provided children from disadvantaged homes with pre-school programs. There was an average IQ gain of 10 points in the first year and, although the IQ scores returned to average levels, subsequent progress such as high school graduation was higher in those who had taken part in the project. This indicates that an increased quality of education may lead to an increase in IQ. Another cultural factor that may influence the development of measured intelligence is a child’s home environment. Bradley et al. Identified six factors, including parental involvement and the provision of play materials, which were significant in a child’s development of intelligence, and called it the HOME inventory. If the HOME score of a child was low, a child’s IQ may have declined between 10 and 20 points between the ages 1 and 3, whereas the opposite was true for those with high HOME inventory scores. This theory would be supported by Piaget and Vygotsky, the theories of both of whom suggest that the provision of age-appropriate play materials are likely to improve cognitive development. In addition, Vygotsky emphasises the role of culture in cognitive development, which is very much in line with the HOME inventory study. It may even be that diet is a cultural factor which has an influence on a child’s development of intelligence. In a study by Schà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nthaler & Bier, children who had been given vitamin-mineral supplements performed better on a non-verbal IQ test than those who had been given a placebo. This supports the idea that diet has an influence on intelligence, but it it not necessarily the case that supplements improve IQ; the researchers suggested that it was a poor diet that diminished IQ, and the improved diet restored the cognitive abilities of the children who previously had a poor diet. The idea that it is environmental cultural factors, rather than race and genetic cultural factors, that have an effect on a child’s intelligence test performance is supported by Scarr& Weinberg, who found that both white and black children, when adopted by middle-class white families, performed better on IQ tests at age 7 than the average for their respective ethnic groups. They attributed this improvement to growing up in a culture of tests and schools, and exposure to better healthcare and socialisation. However, in a follow-up study ten years later, it was found that the black children’s IQs were not notably higher than the average for their group, indicating that an upbringing in a white, middle-class home had little or no influence on their intelligence. However, this does not necessarily indicate that it is a genetic cause, since skin colour and intelligence are believed to have very different genetic structures. It may be in indirect genetic influence, in that black children raised in a white home have lower self-expectation, or that they socialise with other black children at school (which may have more of an influence than their white, middle-class home). IQ tests have, however, been heavily criticised for lacking reliability, as an IQ result from one test can vary dramatically with an IQ result from another. Additionally, they have been criticised for being culturally biased; there are many different types of thought (e.g. language, problem-solving, pattern recognition, reasoning), and some types of thought are more valued in some cultures than in others. This may extend to sub-cultural differences between people of different socioeconomic status. For example, it has often been found that black American children perform less well on IQ tests than white children, however, Serpell (1979) found that white children performed significantly less well than black children on an IQ test aimed at black Americans. This brings into question the use of IQ tests as a valid method of measuring intelligence.

Combat Veterans Entitled to IRS Refunds

Combat Veterans Entitled to IRS Refunds Combat-Disabled Veterans May Receive IRS Refund The United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced some combat veterans may be due a refund for taxes applied against their disability severance payments over a 15-year period. A detailed article on this announcement is available here.According to a recent press release, approximately 140,000 combat-injured disabled veterans may be due a refund. In the release, the IRS states combat veterans who received disability severance payments between 1991 and 2016, and filed that payment as income, may be entitled to a refund. Combat-disabled veterans who are eligible for this refund should expect to receive a letter from the IRS.What Happened?Between 1991 and 2016, the IRS taxed the disability severance payments of combat veterans, and mistakenly filed those benefits as income. The Combat Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act of 2016 corrected this issue.How Can You Collect?Combat-disabled veterans who are eligible must act quickly, as they only have one year from when they rece ive their letter to file for their refund. They also need their original tax documents from when the severance payment was claimed. Veterans who no longer have their original paperwork can still qualify for the following standard refunds:$1,750 for veterans who received disability severance from 1991-2005 $2,400 for veterans who received disability severance from 2006-2010$3,200 for veterans who received disability severance from 2011-2016The legal estates of those combat veterans who are now deceased can also receive refunds, provided their court-appointed representatives file for them. All combat-disabled veterans eligible for the refund will need to fill out IRS form 1040X.We Can HelpIf you are disabled and unable to work, call Disability Attorneys of Michigan for a free confidential consultation. We’ll let you know if we can help you get a monthly check and help you determine if any money or assets you receive could impact your eligibility for disability benefits.Disabili ty Attorneys of Michigan works hard every day helping the disabled of Michigan seek the Social Security Disability and Veterans Disability benefits they need. If you are unable to work due to a physical, mental, or cognitive impairment; call Disability Attorneys of Michigan now for a free consultation at 800-949- 2900.Let Michigan’s experienced disability law firm help you get the benefits you deserve.Disability Attorneys of Michigan, Compassionate Excellence. IRS Refunds to Veterans, Michigan Veteran Benefits Lawyer, Veteran Benefits, Veterans Benefits Attorneys

Free Essays on Life And Times Of William Shakespeare

and phrases from Shakespeare's plays and poems have become part of our speech. Shakespeare's plays and poems have become a required part of education in the United States. Therefore, his ideas on subjects such as romantic love, heroism, comedy, and tragedy have helped shape the attitudes of millions of people. Shakespeare was born on April 23rd, 1564 in Stratford to middle class parents and was one of eight children. His father, John was a glove maker who owned a leather shop and was a well-known and respected man in the town who held several important local governmental positions. William Shakespeare's mother was Mary Arden. Though she was the daughter of a local farmer, she was related to a wealthy family. The Shakespeare's were well-respected prominent people. Though Shakespeare spent long hours at school, his boyhood was probably fascinating. He enjoyed attending pageants, large fairs and many popular shows. Stratford was an exciting place to live; it had fields and woods surrounding it, giving William the opportunity to hunt and trap small game. The River Avon, which ran through the town, allowed him to fish also. Shakespeare's' poems and plays show his love of nature and rural life which reflects his childhood. On November 28, 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway of the neighboring village of Shottery. She was twenty-six, and he was only eighteen at the time. They had three children; Susana was their first and then they had twins, Hamne... Free Essays on Life And Times Of William Shakespeare Free Essays on Life And Times Of William Shakespeare William Shakespeare was a great English playwright, dramatist and poet who lived during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Shakespeare is considered to be the greatest playwright of all time. No other writer's plays have been produced so many times or read so widely in so many countries as his. Shakespeare had a tremendous influence on culture and literature throughout the world. He contributed greatly to the development of the English language. Many words and phrases from Shakespeare's plays and poems have become part of our speech. Shakespeare's plays and poems have become a required part of education in the United States. Therefore, his ideas on subjects such as romantic love, heroism, comedy, and tragedy have helped shape the attitudes of millions of people. Shakespeare was born on April 23rd, 1564 in Stratford to middle class parents and was one of eight children. His father, John was a glove maker who owned a leather shop and was a well-known and respected man in the town who held several important local governmental positions. William Shakespeare's mother was Mary Arden. Though she was the daughter of a local farmer, she was related to a wealthy family. The Shakespeare's were well-respected prominent people. Though Shakespeare spent long hours at school, his boyhood was probably fascinating. He enjoyed attending pageants, large fairs and many popular shows. Stratford was an exciting place to live; it had fields and woods surrounding it, giving William the opportunity to hunt and trap small game. The River Avon, which ran through the town, allowed him to fish also. Shakespeare's' poems and plays show his love of nature and rural life which reflects his childhood. On November 28, 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway of the neighboring village of Shottery. She was twenty-six, and he was only eighteen at the time. They had three children; Susana was their first and then they had twins, Hamne...

Ethos, Logos, Pathos for Persuasion

Ethos, Logos, Pathos for Persuasion You may be surprised to learn that much of your life consists of constructing arguments. If you ever plead a case to your parents- in order to extend your curfew or to get a new gadget, for example- you are using persuasive strategies. When you discuss music with friends and agree or disagree with them about the merits of one singer compared to another, you are also using strategies for persuasion. Indeed, when you engage in these arguments with your parents and friends, you are instinctively using ancient strategies for persuasion that were identified by the Greek philosopher Aristotle a few thousand years ago. Aristotle called his ingredients for persuasion pathos, logos, and ethos. Persuasion Tactics and Homework When you write a research paper, write a speech, or participate in a debate, you also use the persuasion strategies mentioned above. You come up with an idea (a thesis) and then construct an argument to convince readers that your idea is sound. You should become familiar with pathos, logos, and ethos for two reasons: First, you need to develop your own skills at crafting a good argument so that others will take you seriously. Second, you must develop the ability to identify a really weak argument, stance, claim, or position when you see or hear it. Logos Defined Logos refers to an appeal to reason based on logic. Logical conclusions come from assumptions and decisions derived from weighing a collection of solid facts and statistics. Academic arguments (research papers) rely on logos. An example of an argument that relies on logos is the argument that smoking is harmful based on the evidence that, When burned, cigarettes create more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are toxic, according to the American Lung Association. Notice that the statement above uses specific numbers. Numbers are sound and logical. An everyday example of an appeal to logos is the argument that Lady Gaga is more popular than Justin Bieber because Gagas fan pages collected 10 million more Facebook fans than Biebers. As a researcher, your job is to find statistics and other facts to back up your claims. When you do this, you are appealing to your audience with logic or logos. Ethos Defined Trustworthiness is important in research. You must trust your sources, and your readers must trust you. The example above concerning logos contained two examples that were based on hard facts (numbers). However, one example comes from the American Lung Association. The other comes from Facebook fan pages. You should ask yourself: Which of these sources do you suppose is more credible? Anyone can start a Facebook page. Lady Gaga may have 50 different fan pages, and each page may contain duplicate fans. The fan page argument is probably not very sound (even though it seems logical). Ethos refers to the credibility of the person posing the argument or stating the facts. The facts provided by the American Lung Association are probably more persuasive than those provided by fan pages since the American Lung Association has been around for more than 100 years. At first glance, you might think that your own credibility is out of your control when it comes to posing academic arguments, but that is incorrect. Even if you write an academic paper on a topic that is outside your area of expertise, you can improve your credibility- using ethos to persuade- by coming across as a professional by citing credible sources and making your writing error-free and concise. Pathos Defined Pathos refers to appealing to a person by influencing his emotions. Pathos is involved in the strategy of convincing the audience by invoking feelings through their own imaginations. You appeal through pathos when you try to convince your parents of something. Consider this statement: Mom, there is clear evidence that cellphones save lives in emergency situations. While that statement is true, the real power lies in the emotions that you will likely invoke in your parents. What mother wouldnt envision a broken-down automobile perched by the side of a busy highway upon hearing that statement? Emotional appeals are extremely effective, but they can be tricky. There may or may not be a place for pathos in your research paper. For example, you may be writing an argumentative essay about the death penalty. Ideally, your paper should contain a logical argument. You should appeal to logos by including statics to support your view such as data that suggests that the death penalty does/does not cut down on crime (theres plenty of research both ways). Use Appeals to Emotion Sparingly You may also use pathos by interviewing someone who witnessed an execution (on the anti-death penalty side) or someone who found closure when a criminal was executed (on the pro-death penalty side). Generally, however, academic papers should employ appeals to emotions sparingly. A long paper that is purely based on emotions is not considered very professional. Even when you are writing about an emotionally charged, controversial issue like the death penalty, you cant write a paper that is all emotion and opinion. The teacher, in that circumstance, will likely assign a failing grade because you havent provided a sound (logical) argument. Source â€Å"Whats In a Cigarette?†Ã‚  American Lung Association,

Inconvenient truth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Inconvenient truth - Essay Example ed terrestrial heat failing to reach the far atmosphere, hence it is trapped to the earth’s surface due to failure of leaving the earth surface, which in turn increases its normal temperature, resulting in many issues that are discussed by Gore (Kooten, 23). The issues include: The emission of greenhouse gases loads the atmosphere with carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping productions raises universal temperatures and prompts heavier precipitation events. Carbon dioxide resulting from burning fossil fuels and devastated tropical forests collects in the atmosphere, holding heat that would else have escaped into space, this confined heat increases the planet’s usual temperature. Some of the additional heat vaporizes water from the ocean and soil into the atmosphere. Furthermore, developing plants transfer water vapor into the atmosphere. As usual, global temperatures increase, and the warmer atmosphere can also grasp more moisture. Thus, when squalls occur, there is more water suspension present in the atmosphere to drop as hail, snow or rain. Globally, water suspension over oceans has enlarged by about 4% since 1970 according to the 2007 U.N. International Panel on Climate Variation report, it’s most recent (Seymour, 78). It only takes a minor variation in the quantity of water suspension in the atmosphere to have a major outcome. That’s because storms can attract upon water vapor from regions 10 to 25 times bigger than the exact area where the rain or snow in fact fall. Basing on the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s (USGCRP) latest report, scientists have detected less rain falling in light drizzle events and greater rain falling in the fullest precipitation occasions across the United States. From 1958 to 2007, the total rainfall in the heaviest 1 percent of storms improved by 31%, on average, in the Midwest and 20% in the Southeast. After a heavy drizzle event, there is little water suspension in the atmosphere, and consequently, dry periods

Do you think it is advantageous for both the union and management to Essay

Do you think it is advantageous for both the union and management to remain flexible during collective bargaining negotiations - Essay Example Whenever there is a collective bargaining negotiation, the employees’ representatives usually take a broad step and approach the employer or the management in an effort to negotiate a deal on behalf of the employees in which both sides (employer and employees) have a take and can come to an agreement. Some of the common employees-employer issues include wages and salaries, the general working conditions, the rules and regulations that govern their activities and practices, the benefits accrued to them among other issues (Wise geek 2010). This piece of work looks into the relationships between the workers unions and the management or employer with much emphasis being given to the flexibility and rigidity of both the union and the management during collective bargaining negotiations and the benefits and problems accrued to either the flexibility or rigidity of either party. Various organizational examples will be used to justify some of the arguments related to collective bargai ning. Rise of Collective Bargaining Howell (1992) asserts that Collective bargaining is a concept that can be traced towards the end of the nineteenth century when most workers were now aware of their rights and hence they had the urge to demand for more rights related to their positions in the work places. They were able to recognize that they were involved in the success of the organizations and therefore they had to be treated well. It is then that most skilled personnel could use their skills and knowledge as the basis of bargaining in an effort to make the employers fulfil their workplace needs. Before, people were aware of the collective bargaining negotiations, they would engage in aspects like demonstrations, strikes and sheer numbers to air their issues and problems to the management until some labour pioneers came up and established a system that facilitated collective bargaining such that the negotiations between the employees and the employers could now run smoothly in a n organized manner and better solutions would be attained. Collective bargaining acts as a means of improving the terms and conditions of trade unions and also restores the unequal bargaining position that may exist between employer and employees. It is however important to note that although the collective bargaining negotiations usually result in a conclusion they do not always lead to a collective agreement. The process of collective bargaining entails various steps for example preparation which entails composition of a negotiation team from both sides, discussion of the rules and regulations to govern the negotiations, proposal which entails bringing forth of various views and embracing aspects of brainstorming, the bargaining process and finally the settlement where the parties come to a conclusion (Industrial Relations 2007). The above chart shows clearly the general aspects that are contained in the process of collective bargaining (MetaPress 1997). Reasons and consequences o f rigidity in collective bargaining negotiations According to Franz and Feiffer (2006), there are various reasons and consequences that are associated with rigidity in the collective bargaining negotiations irrespective of the party that is rigid. The employment condition that is of focus here is the wage rigidity which seems to affect most employees as they feel that they are being oppressed

Business Strategy in Transport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Business Strategy in Transport - Essay Example In the running of any business, there is a necessity to have a strategic plan that defines the company, its market and the services and/or products it offers. Strategic planning, that is discussed in the essay involves making clear-cut decisions in terms of direction and resource aimed at pursuing the organisation’s strategy. One of the first strategies explained in the essay is the cost of leadership principle, that is a strategy in which the organisation cuts down on the costs of production with the aim of being the most affordable service provider. Second question focuses on the concept of cost leadership and its relevance to business strategy with reference to one of the modes or types of transport. The airline industry was specially discussed in this essay as an example, also Gareth Morgan’s concept of a 'machine' organisation was explained as well as an attractive model for organising commercial businesses for transport modes such as shipping, railways and in the twentieth century for airlines. It also refers to the transport industry in the twenty-first century to the transport industry in the nineteenth century and assess the shortcomings of machine organisations from a business strategy perspective. Investigations in the causes of crashes of airplanes, in the 19th century showed that human error was a contributing factor, especially exhaustion. From such events, the machine organisation approach cannot be used in all sectors and the approach is largely losing its popularity.

Gastroesophageal Reflux disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Gastroesophageal Reflux disease - Essay Example Other factors that are involved in pathogenesis of GERD included the reflux of gastric acid and pancreatic enzyme that lead to injury of the oesophageal mucosa. In essence, the defence mechanism of the oesophagus are in two ways i.e. clearance and resistance of the oesophageal mucosa. Oesophageal clearance plays a significant role in neutralising the acid that is refluxed through the LES. Enhanced clearance reduces the time that oesophagus is exposed to the corroding effect of gastric acid mixtures. The mucosal resistance of the oesophagus offers a protective mechanism and if these defences fail then oesophagitis ensues as a complication of GERD. The Lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) has a significant role in causing GERD. Dysfunction of LES may occur due to transient relaxation of LES and increase of intra-abdominal pressure that exceed the pressure of LES. Delay in gastric emptying may cause GERD because of the increased pressure in the stomach that may overcome the pressure of LES . A Hiatal hernia may cause GERD because it may push LES to move proximally into the chest making it lose its high-pressure area in the abdomen (Kahrilas, 2010). Management of GERD involves lifestyle modification as well as the use of medication to reduce gastric acid. The lifestyle modifications include weight loss, elevating head of bed if experiencing nocturnal symptoms and avoidance of food that worsen the symptoms. Proton pump inhibitors, for example, Omeprazole, Lansoprazole and rabeprazole are the drug of choice in managing GERD. These drugs inhibit the secretion of gastric acid from the gastric parietal cells. H2-receptor antagonists are used in mild cases, which act by competitively blocking histamine receptors specifically those of gastric parietal cells. These drugs include ranitidine, cimetidine and nizatidine among others, they are also used as maintenance therapy to prevent relapse of

How does your understanding of Postcolonial Theory inform your Essay

How does your understanding of Postcolonial Theory inform your interpretaion of Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children and Tsitsi Dangarembga's Nervous Condition - Essay Example Post colonial theory was based on the two theoretical concepts of the time, related to identity, i.e. ‘otherness’ and ‘hybridity’. The colonized people were diverse in their nature and tradition .They are ‘other ‘to the colonizers but are different from one another also. Such a drastic situation was meticulous to India and Africa. Both the countries had shared the common pain of identity and tradition. A comprehensible understanding of the political and cultural aspects of the countries is needed to unravel the stories in its full meaning. ‘Midnights Children’ and ‘Nervous Condition’ are such great novels of the time dealt successfully with the postcolonial theory and there by the self search of the natives Salman Rushdie’s ‘Midnight’s children’ is a novel about Indian independence, the partition and their aftermath. The novel is Rushdie’s interpretation of a period of about seventy years in India’s modern history dealing with the events leading to the partition of India and beyond .The novel encapsulates the experiences of three generation of Sinai family living in Srinagar, Amritsar and Agra and then in Bombay and finally migrating to Karachi. Tsitsi Dambengara’s Nervous condition’ is set in the post colonial Rhodesia of 1960s. The narrator and the main character, Thambu, expresses her experience with colonization, as a child growing up from a poor African community, with tremendous correctness and detail. She is anything but typical. A great deal of the novel reveals the development of Thambu as she becomes a young lady and the relationship with her cousin Nyasha .As they mature we can identify the difference in their characters . Tsitsi also adopt the method of narration as Saleem in ‘Midnights children’ .Saleem works in a pickle factory by day and records his experiences in the night hoping that one day the world would taste the pickle of history. Alongside of

Employment law paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Employment law paper - Essay Example st does not in any way burden the business or the operations, and d) Or simply retaliating against an employee who has filled out the EEO charge or acts as a witness for someone else’s EEO matter. Any form of opposition to the religious discrimination or where the employee is faced with an issue due to the religion they follow is to be avoided by all companies. There are a few exceptions to this law and these companies do not need to deal with the religious discrimination. These include a) Religious organizations, and b) ministerial exceptions. A company does not have to reasonably accommodate to an individual’s requests if it has an impact on the working of the company or the business operations. Also, if the company has a bona fide doubt on the basis of the accommodation request, then the employer may refuse to accommodate. For instance, if an employee denies being able to conduct one of the duties based on some religious constraint, and the employer has a doubt regarding the same, then the employer has a right to not accommodate the request and to ignore the request. Similarly in a case where the employee is required to work on a particular timing and is unable to do so due to religious constraints, then the employer can check for the factual details of the accommodation, and can also refuse to accommodate as it will have a direc t impact on the business and the business operations. Gender discrimination is more commonly referred to as sexual discrimination. Here people are discriminated based on their gender and the gender becomes a factor in deciding who get a job, promotion, or even other employment benefits. Most commonly found to be against women who feel that men are treated with a bias and that women are unfairly discriminated against men. This however does also see a number of cases where a reverse discrimination has occurred, for instance, women are treated more favorable than men. In simple terms, gender discrimination is when one gender is

How does your understanding of Postcolonial Theory inform your Essay

How does your understanding of Postcolonial Theory inform your interpretaion of Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children and Tsitsi Dangarembga's Nervous Condition - Essay Example Post colonial theory was based on the two theoretical concepts of the time, related to identity, i.e. ‘otherness’ and ‘hybridity’. The colonized people were diverse in their nature and tradition .They are ‘other ‘to the colonizers but are different from one another also. Such a drastic situation was meticulous to India and Africa. Both the countries had shared the common pain of identity and tradition. A comprehensible understanding of the political and cultural aspects of the countries is needed to unravel the stories in its full meaning. ‘Midnights Children’ and ‘Nervous Condition’ are such great novels of the time dealt successfully with the postcolonial theory and there by the self search of the natives Salman Rushdie’s ‘Midnight’s children’ is a novel about Indian independence, the partition and their aftermath. The novel is Rushdie’s interpretation of a period of about seventy years in India’s modern history dealing with the events leading to the partition of India and beyond .The novel encapsulates the experiences of three generation of Sinai family living in Srinagar, Amritsar and Agra and then in Bombay and finally migrating to Karachi. Tsitsi Dambengara’s Nervous condition’ is set in the post colonial Rhodesia of 1960s. The narrator and the main character, Thambu, expresses her experience with colonization, as a child growing up from a poor African community, with tremendous correctness and detail. She is anything but typical. A great deal of the novel reveals the development of Thambu as she becomes a young lady and the relationship with her cousin Nyasha .As they mature we can identify the difference in their characters . Tsitsi also adopt the method of narration as Saleem in ‘Midnights children’ .Saleem works in a pickle factory by day and records his experiences in the night hoping that one day the world would taste the pickle of history. Alongside of

The Power of One - Representation of the different groups Essay Example for Free

The Power of One Representation of the different groups Essay The Power of One is a cinematic masterpiece which was based on the inspiring novel by Bryce Courtenay. Set in a world torn apart from racism; where man subjugates his fellow country man and liberty remains evasive. The director, John G. Avildsen has utilized a range of filmic techniques to depict to malevolence of racial prejudice. The protagonist of this film, PK is an English boy who is raised in a society plagued with racism. In the beginning of this film, PK’s is narrating some events of his life; John.   G starts the screenplay with PK saying, â€Å"I was born with the songs of Zulu rainmakers in my ears†. The first scene of the movie instantly lures the audience’s attention with PK’s adorable voice, blended with an indigenous African tune in the background. Furthermore; the introduction of PK’s dark skinned friend, who is sitting beside him and playing the ivory (white) and Ebony (black) keys on the piano is a strong dissimilarity witnessed by the audience. Despite no racial scenes are presented in the beginning, it definitely sets the rest of the movie in pace with presenting one of the core themes of this novel, ‘the power of one’. Soon after his mother becomes disheartened after an emotional collapse, PK is sent to a hell like Dutch boarding school. This is where John. G begins to develop the setting of racism. PK’s voice is screen played to gain the sympathy from the audience, as he is portrayed as naive and excluded by the other students. As soon as PK arrives at the boarding school, he is enclosed by people who are racist and violent. This is exposed when the Dutch priest promotes hate against the British who dominated them during the invasion; he says, â€Å"the English drove us into this wilderness but we returned stronger than before, by spilling their blood across the land because this land is ours given to us entirely by almighty God. It is our responsibility to rise up, push out the English and put down the black. † This definitely gives the audience the impression that the Dutch were violent, prejudiced, selfish and dangerous considering PK is the only English student. This depiction of the Dutch immediately achieves the audience’s hate. In addition the cruelty of the Dutch is exaggerated when Jobbie Botha, a senior student is shown to have a tattoo of the swastika on his arm which informs the views that he was supportive of Hitler’s actions. This technique was used by John to develop the psychopath characteristics of the main antagonist. PK is continuously portrayed as naive and defenseless when he is tortured in pitiful ways by Jobbie Botha. Some of these torture techniques exemplified by Botha include urinating and spiting on PK. Other torments include killing PK’s chicken and hanging PK upside down and pelting him with stones using a sling shot. PK is also informed about his mother’s death in a ruthless way. All these factors contribute to viewers feeling extremely sad and disappointed whilst increasing the compassion for PK. On the other hand, the viewers are made to dislike the Dutch even more. As PK evolves from a young boy to a young man, he is portrayed to have good characteristics. The fine structure of this film increases the compassion that audiences have towards PK as this development occurs. PK also meets two people in his life, Geel Piet (dark skinned) and Doc (White skinned). These two men have positive influences on PK as they help him develop physically and mentally. This is depicted when Geel Piet tells PK, â€Å"Little can beat big when little is smart. First with the head and then with the heart†. Doc tells PK that, â€Å"Any question you ever have, the answer you will find in Nature if you know where to look, and how to ask and then you will have for yourself all the brains that have ever been†. Another important message PK receives from Doc is that, â€Å"a rainfall starts with a single drop†. Hence, this message relates back to the title and which is one of the core messages. Even though the director has portrayed the Dutch as the antagonist through the film, he is also successful in informing the audience that not all the Dutch were coldblooded extremist. The victims, the African natives are shown to be treated mercilessly by the Dutch. The natives are forced live in their township; and are required to have a special permit which allows them to live there. The Africans are shown to be working in scorching conditions in a polluted environment with supervision by Africana officials. The natives called, â€Å"Kaffir† and humiliated in many ways. One incident is when Geel Piet is made to eat manure off a jailer’s shoe. Immediately, the viewer is made to feel sad and have sympathy for Geel piet swell as hate the Dutch for their attitude towards the natives. Consequently, some of the natives are shown to be positive and enthusiastic people who want to make a difference for the future generations, a depiction of this is when the natives attend PKs English classes every night. In this scene, the director once again brings satisfaction and respect for the white as PK is shown to the teacher. This gives the audience the impression that, the natives had a lot of respect for the English as well as their culture. An example of this is shown when the three different groups attend Maria’s funeral. However, it doesn’t end in a positive note as Maria’s father retaliates by confronting PK with a shovel, failing to release that his hatred and intolerance had his daughter killed. To conclude, the director uses a special selection of filmic techniques to present its central discourse. The director is also successful is displaying multiple messages. Furthermore, the film captures the audience through the personality of characters and their emotions; which definitely involves the viewer’s ethics and feelings.

Literature and Social Change

Literature and Social Change Literature written during the period between 1650 and the mid 1800s encourages us to think for ourselves rather than blindly accept the status quo. Tolstoy, in The Death of Ivan Ilyich reminds us to be mindful of the folly of keeping up with the Jones. Molieres Tartuffe warns against the unquestioning acceptance of religious authority. Swift and Douglass condemn the unthinkable acceptance of human degradation. Whether describing the indiscriminate acceptance of authority or social norms these stories inspire us to use critical thinking as a means of restoring moral principles. Tolstoys depiction of the struggle between the physical and spiritual world reminds us that a life of integrity is a life of meaningful choices. Choices that require careful consideration about what is truly important in life, namely the people in our lives. Ivan Ilyichs acceptance of the challenge to keep up with the status quo led him to a place of painful isolation. Each thoughtless choice cost him personal integrity until he is compelled by impending death to take a judicious look at his life. A Modest Proposal. Historical and cultural biases and stereotypes prevent both oppressors and oppressed from seeing not only the need but the ability to change. Acceptance of poverty as a regrettable condition or an acceptable lifestyle for those people without questioning the validity of such ideas degrades all humanity. Swifts work provoked critical thinking and discussion among the people changing expectations, reforming abuses and reaffirming the value of humanity. Douglass work asserts the worth of all mankind. The practice of enslaving human beings chained not only the slave but the owner as well. Each choice to ignore was a choice to endorse slavery as a reasonable practice. Only when reason was applied, prejudices examined and stereotypes dismantled did ideas about slavery begin to change. The abolition of slavery required rethinking the value of human freedom by slave holders and slaves alike as well as society as a whole. What began as individual revelation grew into a revolution renewing integrity of individuals and a nation. Each story draws the reader into an abusive world created and affirmed by ignorance then offers the means for change, independent thinking. Unquestioned our biases and assumptions unjustifiably impact our thought processes. Restoration of integrity comes about when we are mindful of circumstance and apply critical thinking skills to our situation. As each author illustrates, our power to reason is a powerful tool for change. Question 3 Relevance Still Searching for Significance The stories we read from 1650 through the mid 1800s all address issues that are relevant today. Religious hypocrisy, poverty and slavery still exist with long lasting and detrimental effects. I believe Leo Tolstoys Death of Ivan Ilyich holds the most relevance for todays audience because it speaks to what we have the most control over, our day to day choices. We all have the potential to live meaningful lives and affect our world in a positive way. Tolstoys Death of Ivan Ilyich addresses me, my family, and my community. Our priorities are easily confused when trying to keep up with appearances. Tolstoy contrasts the way we usually live our life, keeping up with appearances and the way we should live our life, with kindness and gratitude. One hundred years after the authors death people still search for fulfillment in materialism. Years ago He who Dies with the Most Toys Wins was a popular bumper sticker. I rarely see it anymore. Consumed by debt we struggle to survive. He who Dies with the Most Debt doesnt have quite the same laugh in the face of death attitude. Its not just toys, we invest heavily in cars and homes, jobs and after school activities believing we are what we appear to be. Appearances are artificial. The substance of who we are, the way we treat people is deeper than appearance. As a nation September 11th especially reminded us of the importance of the people in our lives. Listening to phone calls made to loved ones by nine-eleven victims we wondered, Who would we call first if our plane or building was going to consume us? Who would miss us if in the rescue of another human being we were to loose our life? Certainly the sacrifice of life would be evidence of a life well-lived, an authentic life. But even Ivan Ilyich in a sense sacrifices his life. Certainly he wanted what was best for his family yet they see him as a nuisance, they really just want him to go away. This man provided the best for his family and in return they want nothing to do with him. The material things he provided are ultimately unimportant. Gerashims compassion for Ivan sheds light on what is truly important. Both Ivan and Gershim benefit because of Gershims compassion. Ivan is cared for, his loneliness and pain are lessened. Gershim, having made a difference in someones life, is filled with a satisfaction that can not be cast off. His life has meaning. His compassion comes from his spirit, it is love in action. All the material gifts we give will disintegrate in time but compassion, love for another, has a regenerating power. Love authenticates our lives. When we show compassion for our family, friends, and neighbors our communities are better places. Places where hypocrisy, poverty and slavery have a difficult time existing. The choices we make daily can add up to a meaningful life and a better world. Question 5 Favorite A Renewed Appreciation I thoroughly enjoyed the works we read especially Frederick Douglass, Moliere, and Jonathan Swift but the work that is my favorite is Leo Tolstoys Death of Ivan Ilyich. Tolstoys story had the most effect on me. As I read the story the first time I found myself substituting my own husband for Ivan. He, like Ivan works hard to keep up appearances and works in pain. I, like Ivans wife can barely be bothered with him. The story reminded me that compassion is a two-way street. Now when I think about the story it is not someone else I see in Ivans place but myself. The story is my favorite because it has caused me to think about myself and seek change. The work that is my least favorite is Alexander Popes Rape of the Lock. It was my least favorite because the subject matter and the imagery felt so foreign to me. The piece was difficult to understand, yet I was intrigued, the verse was captivating. As I learned about the imagery and epic poetry I came to appreciate this mock epic. Reading the literature from this time period has caused me to appreciate history and the changes that can be initiated through the power of words.