Significance Of Training And Development In Employee Retention Research Paper

Significance Of Training And Development In Employee Retention - Research Paper Example Development of employee capacity can also include involvement of employees in developing organizational policies (Shields 2007). It promotes goal ownership among the employees and reduces overreliance on the management regarding the accomplishment of day to day tasks. Johnson (2001) observes, people usually desire to have autonomy in their day to day activities, which is significant in encouraging them to remain in the organization. With such empowerment, democracy is established in the workplace whereby the employees' views are taken into consideration and integrated into to the organization’s strategic plan. Employees are allowed to attend and contribute to significant meetings, which makes them feel desirable and appreciated and hence feel that they are part and parcel of the organization (Colling 1995).Career Development McConnell (2003) argues that provision of up-to-date training and development opportunities to employees enhances their value in the labor market and henc e increased career mobility. This positively affects their job security since they keep in mind that their skills are in line with the current demand for human resources within the organization. The employees’ security comes from the realization that they remain equivalent with employees in other organizations. Competent employees view stagnation in a particular position as a potential cause of redundancy thus they stay in the organization where career development is guaranteed (Startups 2006).... The employees’ security comes from the realization that they remain equivalent with employees in other organizations. Competent employees view stagnation in a particular position as a potential cause of redundancy thus they stay in the organization where career development is guaranteed (Startups 2006). How Training and Development Increases Revenues and Productivity Empowerment Strategies for training and development empower employees to accomplish tasks effectively. The need to continuously acquire knowledge is important especially for the constantly changing business environments (McConnell 2003). Schrader & Lawless (2004) observe that new technologies that require skilled workers can not be applied if an organization fails to train its employees. The alternative is to hire skilled workers, which is a move that might be costly for the organization especially in the long run due to the constant technological advancements and market changes. Capacity Building Workplace learni ng involves constant skills upgrading to help employees improve their performance. Coaching is among the workplace learning strategies that are focused on giving the employees additional skills to improve their competence. For example, when new employees are engaged in a company, they usually possess some skills but have little experience in the organizational operations. Coaching them is necessary to improve their knowledge regarding the organization. It helps them to apply the skills acquired through studies in real practice (Colling 1995). The result is usually positive and the employees can perform better, thereby increasing productivity among the employees. Coaching motivates the weaker employees to perform better and also facilitates the

The Mongolia Life Cycle Sociology Essay

The Mongolia Life Cycle Sociology Essay Mongolias population of 2.8 million is growing annually by 1.5 percent. One-third of Mongolians live in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Approximately one-fourth live in smaller cities, especially Darhan, Erdenet, and Choybalsan. The rest of the population is spread throughout rural Mongolia. Most of these inhabitants are nomadic herders. With rural conditions increasingly harsh, more people are moving to cities-a trend that threatens the survival of traditional nomadic society. Reform has allowed freedom of religion, and more than one hundred monasteries have reopened. Many young Mongolians are receiving an education through these traditional centers of learning, and people are once again able to practice cherished traditions. Boys are increasingly applying to become monks, and Buddhism is rapidly regaining its popularity. Kazakh Muslims (about 4 percent) are free to practice Islam. Christianity is gaining influence. Urban wedding ceremonies take place in wedding palaces. Afterward, many couples now go to a Buddhist monk to receive a blessing or have their future predicted. A large feast treats as many relatives and friends as the new couples families can afford to feed. In rural areas, common-law marriages are typical. Rural couples receive a ger from the husbands family. Mongolian families traditionally exchange gifts in conjunction with a wedding. The grooms family usually gives livestock, while the brides family offers jewelry and clothing. (Culture Grams) National culture-including societal organization, governance, land management, cultural customs, and material culture-was largely shaped by the nomadic pastoral lifestyle. The legacy of Genghis Khans empire is a rallying point for Mongol nationalist pride today. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html Lamaism, the Tibetan form of Buddhism, entered the Mongolian society in the sixteenth century. It had a strong impact on the Mongolian culture for centuries. Mongols sought the counsel and help of the lama (priest or monk) for every aspect of their life: migration, marriage, childbirth, disease, and death. Since 1949, Lamaist beliefs and practices have decreased drastically. http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html After the fall of communism, Mongolia witnessed a religious revival and more and more people sought comfort from spiritual activities. Despite being unfamiliar with religious ceremonies and prayers, people flocked to temples for religious services and many families began to send one of their children to join the monkhood. The devout also contribute money to the temples and invite the Lamas to their homes for lavish feasts. (REL) Due to Mongolias small population, women are a vitally important part of the workforce. Men and women have an equal place in the Mongolian economy and this equality carries over into the home. Women still tend to do more than half the housework and play the primary role in supporting the family, but the role of the Mongolian woman is undergoing rapid change. (WIC) People   Ã‚  Ã‚  Mongolia Top of Page Population: 2,832,224 (July 2006 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.9% (male 402,448/female 387,059) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 967,546/female 969,389) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 45,859/female 59,923) (2006 est.) Median age: total: 24.6 years male: 24.3 years female: 25 years (2006 est.) Population growth rate: 1.46% (2006 est.) Birth rate: 21.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) Death rate: 6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 52.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 55.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.89 years male: 62.64 years female: 67.25 years (2006 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman (2006 est.) HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (2003 est) HIV/AIDS deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian Ethnic groups: Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000) Religions: Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4% (2004) Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2002) https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mg.html#People Birth http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://www.birthdaycelebrations.net/traditions.htm (Birthday Celebration) http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ (Birth % of Skilled attendant at Delivery) http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/global_monitoring/data.html (Birth % of Skilled attendant at Delivery) http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm (Abortion) How is birth viewed in the culture? Fertility is important in Mongolian society, so childless women usually experience social stigma. (WIC) Are there any customs regarding the way newborns should be swaddled, whether they stay in the house, carried around in public, etc.? Are babies normally birthed in hospitals or at home? Is there a preference for doctors or midwives? Skilled attendant at delivery (%), 1997-2005* 97 http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/mongolia_statistics.html More than 95 percent of all pregnant Mongolian women receive ante-natal care. As of 2004, the maternal mortality rate was 98 deaths per 100,000 live births. Estimated infant mortality rates for 2006 are 52 per 1,000. (WIC) Are there any formalities/celebrations in the culture regarding newborns? Among Buddhists there are many naming ceremonies.   In some traditions, children are named between the ages of three and eight.   After children are born, their parents have their Kikas drawn up.   The Kika is a very specific horoscope which many Buddhists believe determines all aspects of a persons life including marriage and death.   At the naming ceremony, a rimpoche, or Buddhist holy person, looks carefully at the childs Kika and selects a name which reflects the traits and predictions described in the Kika.   After cutting a strand of the childs hair, the rimpoche announces the childs name. http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:ybpfeaiYiCUJ:rainbowwarrior.coa.edu/laura/ceremony/religiuosceremony.htm+Buddhist+naming+ceremonieshl=engl=inct=clnkcd=1 How are birthdays celebrated in the culture? Are they important events? How does the culture view abortion? Abortions are legal in Mongolia and available on request. (WIC) ABORTION POLICY Grounds on which abortion is permitted: To save the life of the woman Yes To preserve physical health Yes To preserve mental health Yes Rape or incest Yes Foetal impairment Yes Economic or social reasons Yes Available on request Yes Additional requirements: An abortion can be performed during the first three months of pregnancy and later if the pregnant woman suffers from an illness seriously threatening her health. Approval of the family or of the spouse is required. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CONTEXT Government view on fertility level: No official position Government intervention concerning fertility level: No intervention Government policy on contraceptive use: Direct support provided Percentage of currently married women using modern contraception (15-49*,1994): 25 Total fertility rate (1995-2000): 2.6 Age-specific fertility rate (per 1,000 women aged 15-19, 1995-2000): 47 Government has expressed particular concern about: Morbidity and mortality resulting from induced abortion No Complications of childbearing and childbirth Yes Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births, 1990): National 65 Eastern Asia 95 Female life expectancy at birth (1995-2000): 67.3 For all women of ages specified. BACKGROUND Under the Mongolian Criminal Code of 6 July 1960, abortion was generally illegal. If it was performed by a physician, it was punishable by up to two years imprisonment. If it was performed by a person lacking the highest medical qualifications, or if performed under unsanitary conditions, the punishment was increased to up to five years imprisonment. Nonetheless, under general criminal law principles of necessity, an abortion could be performed to save the life of the pregnant woman. In 1986, the abortion provisions of the Code were amended. Although abortion is in general still considered a serious offence, the Code authorized medical authorities to establish the conditions for the performance of legal abortions. Three years later in 1989, the health law was amended to reflect this change. Paragraph 56 of the Code was modified to provide that becoming a mother was a matter of a womans own decision. During the first three months of pregnancy she could obtain an abortion on request and, later in pregnancy, when necessary due to illness. Abortions were to be performed by physicians under hospital conditions, and the Ministry of Health was to approve a list of illnesses justifying the performance of an abortion on medical grounds. The health law was revised in 1998 but its provisions on abortion remained the same. The 1996 National Population Policy of Mongolia adopted by Parliament stated that abortion should not be promoted as a means of family planning. The Government considers the abortion rate to be too high. The Government also reiterated in 1999 that abortion is generally permitted if a pregnant woman requests it and that abortion is publicly subsidized. Prior to these amendments to the law enacted in the late 1980s, legal provisions governing abortion in Mongolia echoed the pronatalist population policy of the Government. In responding to the Eighth United Nations Inquiry among Governments on Population and Development, the Government indicated no position on the fertility level and no policy to modify it. The Government remains seriously concerned over the high levels of infant, child and maternal mortality. The Government has attributed the relatively high abortion rate, 25.9 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44, to shortages of modern contraceptives, as well as to a lack of knowledge concerning contraceptive use. Many women choose to have abortions carried out illegally by private physicians because of cheaper costs. Induced abortion accounts for a large percentage of maternal mortality in Mongolia, causing at least 850 maternal deaths each year. The Government seeks to increase the contraceptive prevalence rate to more than 50 per cent by 2001. The National Reproductive Health Programme was adopted in 1997. The Government reports that, since the International Conference on Population and Development, held in Cairo in 1984, successful steps have been undertaken to ensure access of women to reproductive health-care services. Each provincial centre and some district cities have established reproductive health cabinets attached to the local public health centres. These cabinets provide services such as counselling, and pregnancy monitoring and evaluation. A National Adolescent Health Programme was adopted in 1997. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm Childhood http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://www.right-to-education.org/content/age/armenia.html http://www.cohre.org/get_attachment.php?attachment_id=3069 (Sub-Saharan Africa Rights of Women http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life What is a normal childhood in the culture? Are children raised by their parents or grandparents? What role do grandparents and extended family members play in the raising of a child? Attitudes about child rearing are generally quite relaxed and all family members participate in the supervision and moral education of children. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html What are normal childhood activities in the culture? Are children revered or just another piece of the population? Are male children valued more? At what age do children begin school? Offices are generally open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m. Shops are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Grocery stores have the same hours as shops but often are open on Sunday. A large open market featuring consumer goods, rural crafts, and assorted items operates several days a week on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. (Culture Grams) Are children expected to contribute to household income? How is child labor viewed in the society? Coming of Age http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life What marks a childs coming of age in this culture? At what age do children normally come of age? Are there certain rites or celebrations that mark coming of age? What is expected of youth in this phase of life? Are there certain difficulties experienced by this age group? At what age are children expected to work contribute to the maintenance of the family? Dating Courtship http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://kinseyinstitute.org/ccies/ (Sexuality ) http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/IES/ (Sexuality) http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life What are the general attitudes about dating in the culture? Dating is fairly common. (WIC) Dating between schoolmates and coworkers commonly leads to marriage. (Culture Grams) Is there are distinction between courtship and dating in the culture? At what age do people generally start dating? How do men and women meet each other? Mongolian women usually meet men at schools, in the workplace, and at social gatherings. (WIC) If dating is not customary, describe how people get together for marriage? Is it arranged? If marriages are arranged, talk about how. What are the rituals around it (classified ads, matchmakers, astrology, etc.). If marriages are arranged, what are the factors in finding a suitable mate? Are chaperones customary? If so, who serves as the chaperone? Are there popular venues for dating? Does a man or woman pay for dating expenses? Describe a typical dating experience. How long do people generally date before they get married? Generally speaking in the culture, what are considered desirable attributes in a man? Generally speaking in the culture, what are considered desirable attributes in a woman? Does religion play a role in dating? What are taboos of dating in the culture? Is sex in dating common or taboo? What is the view of pre-marital sex? If premarital sex is common, is birth control promoted, practiced, or taboo? Is cross-cultural dating or cross-religious dating allowed or encouraged? Do people date outside their social, economic, education, religious, and ethnic categories? How important are parents/family approval for dating? How does a proposal for marriage occur? Arranged marriages are traditional in Mongolia, but for the last century, young Mongolians have become increasingly free to choose their own partners with minimal parental involvement. They normally marry within their own tribes. (WIC) Marriage http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://www.worldweddingtraditions.com/locations/asian_traditions.html (Wedding Celebration) http://www.myhappylove.com/lyrics/wedding-traditions.html (Wedding Celebration) http://www.right-to-education.org/content/age/armenia.html (Minimum Schooling / Marriage / Employment Age ) http://www.coe.int/t/e/social_cohesion/population/demographic_year_book/2003_edition/04%20country%20data/ ( Population/Marriage/ Divorce/ Fertility) http://www.cohre.org/get_attachment.php?attachment_id=3069 (Sub-Saharan Africa Rights of Women http://kinseyinstitute.org/ccies/ (Sexuality) http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/IES/ (Sexuality) http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/reports.htm (For the status of women rights) http://www.international-divorce.com/ (Divorce Custody) http://www.aupairinamerica.com/hostfamilies/culturequest_index.htm Is marriage considered a sacred/spiritual act or simply a legal act in the culture? At what age do people normally get married? The legal marriage age for Mongolian women is 18, but most women marry in their early to mid twenties. (WIC) Mongolians usually marry between the ages of 18 and 25. (Culture Grams) Does hierarchy in the family play a role in who is able to get married or who gets married first? How are marriages celebrated? What are the rituals associated with the marriage ceremony? A custom of denying entrance on marrying has been common among the nomadic and seminomadic Mongols. The bridegroom, accompanied by relatives, rides to the brides yurt (house). He finds the door slammed in his face. After repeated requests, the door is finally opened. He presents a hada (ceremonial silk scarf) to his parents-in-law on entering and is given a banquet with a whole lamb. After the meal, the bride sits with her back to the others. The bridegroom kneels behind her and asks what her nickname was in childhood. He drinks at her house all night long. The following day, the bride leaves the yurt first. She circles the yurt on horseback three times, then speeds along to the bride-grooms house. The bridegroom and his relatives ride after her. The door is also slammed in her face and is only opened after repeated requests. http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html Urban wedding ceremonies take place in wedding palaces. Afterward, many couples now go to a Buddhist monk to receive a blessing or have their future predicted. A large feast treats as many relatives and friends as the new couples families can afford to feed. In rural areas, common-law marriages are typical. Rural couples receive a ger from the husbands family. Mongolian families traditionally exchange gifts in conjunction with a wedding. The grooms family usually gives livestock, while the brides family offers jewelry and clothing. (Culture Grams) The wedding day is begun at a local temple where the couple separately asks for the blessings of Buddha. Both bride and groom are then dressed in outfits traditional to their region. At the mutually auspicious astrologically designated wedding time, the bride and groom are individually taken to the shrine room of their local temple or a hall hired for the occasion. Here, the couple sees each other for the first time on that day. Spiritual Buddhist wedding traditions dont necessarily require the presence of monks or the use of a temples shrine room. For these traditions, the wedding location would be equipped with a shrine to Buddha featuring candles, flowers, incense and a statue or image of Buddha. The ceremony begins as the entire assembly recites the Vandana, Tisarana and Pancasila readings. The couple then lights the candles and incense sticks surrounding Buddhas image and offers him the flowers within the shrine. Because of the secularity of Buddhist weddings, there is no assigned set of marriage vows. However, the bride and groom will recite their expected undertakings using the Sigilovdda Sutta as a guide. The Sigiloydda Sutta says: In five ways should a wife, as Western quarter, be ministered to by her husband: by respect, by courtesy, by faithfulness, by handing over authority to her, by providing her with ornaments. In these five ways does the wife minister to by her husband as the Western quarter, love him: her duties are well-performed by hospitality to kin of both, by faithfulness, by watching over the goods he brings and by skill and industry in discharging all business. After these vows are spoken, the bride and groom can exchange rings. If monks are present, the marriage vows will be both preceded and proceeded by their chanting. After the Wedding Once officially married, the couple receives their guests with the huge feast and decorations prepared in the previous days to the wedding. http://www.urbandharma.org/udnl2/nl021004.html Finally, the assembly or perhaps the parents only, should recite the Mangala Sutta and Jayamangala Gatha as a blessing. http://www.buddhanet.net/funeral.htm What are the cultural expectations of marriage? Do men and women have equal say in their marriages? What are the typical roles of the man and woman in marriage? How much do parents or in-laws have to say about their offsprings marriage? What degree of involvement do they generally have? Where do couples normally residein their own place, with parents, etc.? The sons, after marrying, move out of their parents home. However, they live nearby and may travel with their parents in search of new pastures. In seminomadic districts, families often include parents, sons, and daughters-in-law. http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html Are affairs common? Are they culturally accepted? Are men or women allowed to have multiple spouses? Mongolian traditional society allowed polygamy as long as the husband could provide for each wife. However, polygamy was legally banned some time ago and is no longer practiced. (WIC) Do laws equally protect the rights of individuals in a marriage? How are anniversaries celebrated in the culture? Is divorce legal or acceptable in the culture? Under what circumstances is it acceptable to divorce? What is the process in the event of a divorce? Mongolian women could initiate divorce and remarry afterwards. In such cases the new husbands usually accepted a divorced woman along with her children, as acquiring a ready-made family was believed to indicate an existing spiritual connection. (WIC) Do women retain any rights? What happens to children of a divorce? A Mongolian woman can initiate divorce. In most divorce cases, the mothers get custody of minor children. (WIC) Is remarriage for widows condoned in the society? Family Parenting http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://www.cohre.org/get_attachment.php?attachment_id=3069 (Sub-Saharan Africa Rights of Women http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life http://www.unece.org/stats/trend/ (Population/ Families households/ Employment/ Housing) http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/country-profiles.html (Family) http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/reports.htm (For the status of women rights) http://www.international-divorce.com/ (Divorce Custody) What does the family unit in a home look like? (i.e. 2 parents, children? Parents, children, all relatives?, etc.) Is there an imposed or cultural idea about how many children are the right amount for a family? What is the typical family size? Nomadic extended families often live in a camp of several gers. Husbands take care of herding and slaughtering, while wives handle milking and food preparation. Older children care for younger siblings. Urban families live either in high-rise apartments or in a ger, with its surrounding fence and storage shed. A ger in or near a city will have electricity but not heat or water. Due to a housing shortage, three generations must often share a small apartment; parents sleep in the living room and children and grandparents in the bedrooms. Urban families have one or two children. Both parents generally work outside the home. Networks of family reciprocity are an important means of support. For example, rural relatives may supply their city relatives with meat and dairy products, and the urban dwellers may reciprocate by taking one or more of the rural familys children to live with them in the city so they may receive a better education. (Culture Grams) Traditionally, families were the main unit of production in this herding society. The kinship system was patrilineal and sons generally established households in a common camp with their fathers. Several generations of families customarily live together in a nomadic camp known as a khot ail (group of tents) and share herding tasks. This camp, generally consisting of two to seven households, serves as a way of pooling labor for herding and has numerous social and ritual functions. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html A Mongolian family generally consists of a husband, a wife, and their young children. http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html How central are children to the family? What are the general reasons for having children? Children have always been treasured in Mongolian culture, and large families were historically the norm. Large families were considered desirable because many children ensured extra help and security in old age. Although family size is changing today, the country is still so sparsely populated that some people still believe it is advantageous to have as many Mongolians as possible. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html How important is birth or gender order? Is there a family hierarchy or cultural custom in terms of childbearing (i.e. the youngest child of a family may not have children until the eldest has had them, etc.) What is the expectation or role of each parent after the birth of the child? Who is the head of the household? Mongolian women traditionally held a higher social status than women in many Asian cultures. Still, a womans primary role was as a homemaker. (WIC) The father is head of the family, but the mother is responsible for household affairs. (Culture Grams) Who makes the chief decisions for the family? The Mongols are monogamous. The family is dominated by the man, but herders usually consult their wives about major decisions. http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html Traditionally, Mongolia has always been a patriarchal society. Mongolian proverbs such as If a husband does not beat his wife once a month, he is not a man Today, Mongolian men often maintain the appearance that they are the family decision-makers, even if their wives actually make the decisions. However, the number of single-parent families headed by women is growing in Mongolia. (WIC) Who earns the income? Who customarily manages the household? (Mother, Father, Grandparent?) Describe typical family life? (daily routines) What are the roles of the children (up to 10 yrs.)? What are the roles of adolescents (11 and up)? What are typical/favorite family activities? Urban wedding ceremonies take place in wedding palaces. Afterward, many couples now go to a Buddhist monk to receive a blessing or have their future predicted. A large feast treats as many relatives and friends as the new couples families can afford to feed. In rural areas, common-law marriages are typical. Rural couples receive a ger from the husbands family. Mongolian families traditionally exchange gifts in conjunction with a wedding. The grooms family usually gives livestock, while the brides family offers jewelry and clothing. (Culture Grams) Is meal sharing with the family typical/mandatory? Dinner is considered the main meal of the day. The whole family generally eats dinner together. (Culture Grams) Is divorce common? Today, divorce is relatively rare in Mongolia. In most divorces, mothers receive the custody of children and are entitled to child support and alimony. (WIC) With whom to the children go if there is a divorce? What cultural expectations are there in terms of duty to parents?. What or how much do children owe their parents in adulthood? Does hierarchy/economics/education/or other play a role in terms of which child has more responsibilities or duty requirements? (i.e. in Japan/Korea, etc.) Most Mongolians live in nuclear families, tho

Aliens Essay -- essays research papers

For over a thousand years people have reported seeing strange objects flying in the sky. Today the unknown flying objects -UFOs continue to visit us, on a regular basis. A large amount of recorded historical events of this issue have taken place to give the subject of UFOs recognition. Recently, many individuals have claimed to witness or be part of fantastic stories that attract some while are turned away. Videotapes, photographs and pieces of physical evidence do support some of these stories. Even more frightening, small objects called implants have been found in the bodies of some people that have reported strange sightings or encounters with strange objects. Once one begins to put it all together, the history, stories, claims, and evidence that science is to studying, the truth has come clear. We are not alone aliens do exist! Different cultures throughout the world have historical events, in their histories that are very much similar to what we call a UFO today. The oldest recorded sighting belongs to Thutmose, Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt around 1500 (BC) â€Å"†¦A circle of fire coming in the sky†¦ It had no head the breath of its mouth had a foul odor. Its body was one rod (16.5ft[5m]) long and one rod wide. It had no voice.† (Brookesmith, 13). Days after this, the number of objects increased it was said that, â€Å"these things became more numerous in the sky than ever. They shone more in the sky than the brightness of the sun, and extended to the limits of the four supports of the heavens†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Brookesmith, 13). What could shine in the sky more than the sun? These ancient events did occur thousands of years before today’s world of technology and modern aircraft. This supports the fact that these UFOs were that, Unknown Flying Objects. In the past they had to deal with th is any way they could, some cultures used religion and the Bible. There are certain passages in the Bible that could be translated as being sightings of UFOs. In Exodus Chapter 13, verses 21-22, â€Å"†¦the lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.† (Brookesmith,13). This can be translated to the following as I translate it, it seems like these people were being led by a craft that lit up the night for them. This is a very convincing UFO description. Such an event at that time could only be inter... ... be ignored proves that highly educated people are taking this seriously. That strange has now been seen in the sky for a very long time. Intelligent, honorable people have seen UFO’s and reported them. High-ranking intelligence officers of the military’s first atomic bomb squadron have recovered and examined what they believed to be a flying saucer and parts of it. After shipping it to higher headquarters their general tells them it’s not a flying saucer or UFO. Of all objects it is reported to be what seems like anyone could have identified a weather balloon! People who have observed UFO’s and reported missing time afterwards only to find out later that they became unwittingly extraterrestrial specimens. Surgeons are removing mysterious iron alloy metal objects from these people’s bodies. Some of these objects moving away from the surgeon’s scalpel! Doctors have tested alleged UFO crash material and claimed that it â€Å"†¦should be considered extraterrestrial in origin.† Rancher’s cattle are b eing mutilated with laser like tools before lasers were commercially available. All these reports add up to one a very disturbing conclusion, which worries me and should do so to everyone else.

War Poetry Wilfred Owen

War Poetry I have studied two poems, ‘Dulce et decorum est' and ‘The Sentry' both by the poet Wilfred Owen. The first one I will study is ‘Dulce et Decorum est'. The first thing Owen does is to give us a vivid description of what is happening, he tells us that he and his men are marching away from the trenches, and the way Owen describes his men gives us a clear picture of what they have been through. â€Å"Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, knock-kneed, coughing like hags† They had been in the trenches, terrible places, with bullets and shells flying constantly overhead, explosions all around, the constant fear of death.These men were leaving the hell of the front, they were going to rest. But they still have a long way to go before they are safe, they are still within the range of artillery. Despite of this, they march on â€Å"towards their distant rest†, they are walking in deep mud, which covered most of the battlefield, and for this reaso n, there are some of the men have no boots on, but still they â€Å"limp on, blood shod†. They are described as being â€Å"drunk with fatigue†, they are exhausted, but still, they march on. Then suddenly, the call â€Å"Gas!Gas! Quick boys! â€Å", a gas shell had dropped nearby. Gas was the most brutal of weapons used in the war, it burned the skin, the eyes, and when breathed in, it burnt the lungs, which the body then filled with water, bringing on a slow agonising death for the unfortunate victim. The soldiers' reaction to this attack is described as â€Å"an ecstasy of fumbling†, which is a great way of describing what is happening, the men are trying desperately to get out their gas masks before they are engulfed by the cloud.

Global Poverty, Development, and Global Processes Uganda Essay

It was British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who conceived the term â€Å"Pearl of Africa† pertaining to the small country teeming with magnificent scenery, wildlife, and friendly people. Uganda was really beautiful, until war tore it apart and left it in the clutches of poverty and underdevelopment. Uganda is a country in East Africa surrounded by other countries, making it a landlocked country. Its borders include Kenya on the east, Sudan on the north, the Democratic Republic of Congo on the west, Rwanda on the southwest, and Tanzania on the south. The name â€Å"Pearl of Africa† may have been based on the fact that it is at the center of different countries and it had great wildlife and natural resources, as well as a very welcoming people. With all the good qualities Uganda possessed at that time, Winston Churchill was merely stating the obvious in saying that it was Africa’s pearl. At the time when Uganda was given the â€Å"pearl† recognition, the country was really a picture of abundance in terms of natural treasures. It was considered to be one of the most bio-diverse countries in the African continent (Kasirye, 2005). It was blessed with jungle rainforests, boasting of more than a thousand species of birds, as well as other types of wildlife including mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and other primates. It also has a site being passed by the Nile River, giving life to various animals and people inhabiting near the waters. Its diverse environment includes snow-capped glacier peaks, healthy and surviving rainforests, and a lot of wildlife all of which are great ecological importance to the people. At present, it is hard to say that Uganda still is the pearl of Africa because a lot has changed, following Churchill’s visit, when he gave Uganda its moniker. It wasn’t only the physical characteristics that changed in Uganda but also its people. This aspect is really crucial because it is what defines a country, and the changes that took place in Uganda may have long-term effect on the country and its people. Uganda may still have teeming wildlife and abundant natural resources, but in the present time, this may not be enough for it to be considered the pearl again. The changes that happened were really formative, affecting people’s prejudices and biases, thus affecting their decisions and activities. It was a common in Uganda’s politics to see one president getting overthrown by another. Most of their changes in leadership back in those days were results of drastic measures like coups and counter-coups. It was during the rule of Idi Amin when Uganda saw a really big change. It was not on the positive aspect though. Amin ruled over Uganda alongside the military, so anything that crosses his path would have to be illuminated. Many Ugandans died, while some were forced to flee to nearby countries. The Indian minorities which served as a backbone of their economy were driven away, causing a great fall in the country’s economy. Idi Amin tried to make his decade-long stay in power worthwhile by passing stricter laws to regulate the people and maintaining peace in the country (Short, 1971). His cruel means wouldn’t go unchecked when the neighboring Tanzania invaded Uganda with the help of Ugandan exiles. The Uganda-Tanzania war overturned the whole country, all in order to remove Amin from his position. His rule ended in 1979, replaced by another person that would also be removed shortly after (Fallers, 1955). After a series of coups and wars, the abundant resources that gained Uganda the titular â€Å"pearl of Africa† seemed to be getting smaller and smaller. It is true that the country is still teeming with wildlife, but the problem is that Uganda is running out of space to house that wildlife and its people. Uganda’s people aren’t just expanding in numbers but also expanding in expectations (Myers, 1971). After the problematic years of wars and settling political differences between leaders, they seem to be facing a problem of a different level, something that can’t be easily solved by taking arms and fighting one another. Uganda has a land area of less than 200,000 sq km, about twice the size of Pennsylvania. However, Uganda’s population of more than 30 million is ten times more than that of the said state. Now, we can no longer say that Uganda is still the pearl of Africa. Even though it has the resources and wildlife to boast, it’s still not enough to support the consumption of its population. It would have stood out if it could cater to the needs of the people of Uganda along with being a global wildlife landmark. But the predicament it is on right now is more of a pressing concern than maintaining its position as the pearl of Africa. Many people are cramped up in a small country, so it is expected that there would be a shortage of space and opportunities for the people. Uganda is more of a dead fish right now, instead of being the pearl of Africa. It tries to survive with the international aid from other countries, but still the problem continues. The population continues to grow, the number of moths to feed increases, the number of food and space available continue to shrink. In a nutshell, Uganda is suffering and is barely able to support its people. If these events continue, then the future would be vague for country. One problem that was worsened by wars and political unrest in Uganda was the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which was evident not only in the country, but all throughout the continent of Africa (Hooper, 1987). Sexual abuses brought about by war worsened this problem, as it spread throughout the country, affecting 20% of the population back in the early decades. It easily spread throughout the country because it was left unchecked, with political leaders more concerned about their positions instead of focusing on the welfare of the people. Coupled with poverty and overpopulation, HIV/AIDS easily spread throughout the population. It is common to expect this kind of problem in countries like Uganda. With political unrest, leaders give little interest to the things that really matter to the populace. There is insufficient funding for the efforts to solve the problem; worse, there could be no efforts at all in solving this kind of situation. Less developed countries like Uganda have very limited funds, and they’re often spent on things that won’t do the people any good. These funds would also be subject to the corruption of the political leaders, so only a small portion of the small budget would be appropriated for large scale problems like spread of diseases. On a lighter note, when the government of Uganda settled after the war and political unrest was resolved, the HIV/AIDS problem was given proper attention. Uganda’s HIV/AIDS problem was a success story because they were able to reduce the prevalence of the disease from almost 20% in the 1990s to just 5% in 2002. Well, compared with other countries, it is still high, especially with a population of 30 million. But the degree of the problem was greatly reduced, proving that it is not too late for Uganda. If they’re able to solve one problem, it is likely that they can solve more. Another matter of concern for Uganda is education. With the increasing number of population, more and more people are not able to go to school, both because of poverty and the lack of educational facilities. Consequently, the decline in the quality of education available for the people is hurting Uganda, as it causes them additional financial constraints. Education provides the people a chance to land a stable, good paying job, and for the government, this means efficient taxation. But with people unable to get good jobs or at least any job, then they would be a great blow to Uganda financially. The education problem is prevalent not only in Uganda but also to other parts of the world. It goes along with poverty, since poor families wouldn’t really be able to send their children to school. Instead of paying for education, they’d rather use whatever money they have to put food on their plate. The children are also expected to work to earn additional income for the family, instead of attending school. With the sheer number of Uganda’s people, the schools get filled easily. Even if a student is willing and able to go to school, if there is no school available, then they have no other choice but to do other things. Because of the wasted opportunities and financial constraints brought about by Uganda’s education situation, the government exerted more effort to finance education in the country. One set-up that they focused on was the introduction of student loans for the higher education in Uganda (Kajubi, 1992). Through this way, students would be encouraged to finish their studies even if they don’t have the money. Those who would be able to finish their studies with the help of these loans would be able to land better jobs or work for the government, and that would be the time for them to pay their loans. Currently, government efforts to solve education problems are just being executed. The short run effects aren’t really obvious, but the long run outcomes are the ones being anticipated. Focusing on education problems would hopefully solve their problems, though it would take some time to really see some concrete effects of their efforts. But still, there are a lot of children who are unable to go to schools, so the government still has to intensify their efforts to solve the problem of education in the country. There are also government efforts to revive Uganda’s title â€Å"pearl of Africa†. Promotion of the country is being done through websites and magazines, featuring Uganda’s nature spots and rich wildlife (Africapoint. com, 2008). Through these campaigns, Uganda is again being promoted as a tourist spot, just like what Winston Churchill did a few decades ago. With the help of contemporary mass media, people from different parts of the world learn about Uganda, and hopefully, attract them to come and visit. Tourism offers a source of income for the people, which could in turn help them with their daily needs. Uganda is a good example of how political mismanagement, wars, and other factors affect the development of a country. Uganda is not an isolated case. A lot of other countries experience the same situations as that of Uganda. But that shouldn’t stop them from desiring to improve and develop. Despite the constraints experienced by Uganda because of wars and political unrest, they are slowly recovering, with the help of the international community. More and more projects are pushed through, all for the improvement of the country and its people. Its global connections are really a big help, and hopefully, it would continue to benefit Uganda, so that they would again deserve to be called the Pearl of Africa. References: Africapoint. com. (2008). Uganda – The Pearl of Africa Glows Again. Retrieved April 1, 2009, from http://72. 14. 235. 132/search? q=cache:OqX1jq7MkQQJ:www. africapoint. com/downloads/Uganda-Tour. pdf+pearl+of+africa&cd=5&hl=tl&ct=clnk&gl=ph Fallers, L. (1955). The Predicament of the Modern African Chief: An Instance from Uganda. American Anthropologist, Vol. 57(No. 2). Hooper, E. (1987). AIDS in Uganda. African Affairs, Vol. 86(No. 345). Kajubi, W. S. (1992). Financing of Higher Education in Uganda. Higher Education, Vol. 23(No. 4). Kasirye, V. (2005). Uganda the Pearl of Africa. Retrieved April 1, 2009, from http://72. 14. 235. 132/search? q=cache:55WX2tzvlaYJ:www. worldharvestmission. org/Uganda_Report. pdf+pearl+of+africa&cd=10&hl=tl&ct=clnk&gl=ph Myers, N. (1971). Wildlife and Development in Uganda. BioScience, Vol. 21(No. 21). Short, P. (1971). Amin’s Uganda. Transition(No. 40).

case study trans-european plastics Essay Example

case study trans case study trans-european plastics Essay case study trans-european plastics Essay 1) Rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT) is an electromechanical transducer that provides a variable alternating current (AC) output voltage that is linearly proportional to the angular displacement of its input shaft. When energized with a fixed AC source, the output signal is linear within a specified range over the angular displacement. Long life High reliability High accuracy Repeatable performance Robust, compact construction Custom electrical and mechanical designs available ) hall effect transducer: The Hall element is constructed from a thin sheet of conductive material with output connections perpendicular to the direction of current flow. General features of Hall effect based sensing devices are: True solid state Long life (30 billion operations in a continuing keyboard module test program) High speed operation over 100 kHz possible Operates with stationary input (zero speed) No moving parts Logic compatible input and output Broad temperature range (-40 to +1 500C) Highly repeatable operation 3) magnetostrictive transducer Magnetostrictive materials transduce or convert magnetic energy to mechanical energy and vice versa. The reciprocal effect, the change of the susceptibility [response to an applied field] of a material when subjected toa mechanical stress, is called the Villari effect. Two other effects are thus related to magnetostriction: the magnetostrictive material when subjected to a torque and the Wiedemann effect is he twisting of these materials when a helical magnetic field is applied to them. ) Orifice Plate The orifice plates are simple, cheap and can be delivered for almost any application in any material. Venturi Tube 1. Physics a device for measuring fluid flow, consisting of a tube so constricted that the pressure differential produced by fluid flowing through the constriction gives a measure of the rate of flow. 2. Also called venturi a tube with a constriction used to reduce or control fluid flow, as one in the air inlet of a carburettor

Difference in perspective Essay Example

Difference in perspective Essay Example Difference in perspective Essay Difference in perspective Essay Every day is a new day with some changes in the world. There is always a difference between yesterday and tomorrow. People thought changes were because of the environment. Due to changes in throughout life there has been an ever-widening gap between the older generation the younger generation. New generations follow a different style of thinking and behavior than the previous generation. Today, the generation from Grandparents to Grandchildren has changed significantly. There was a time in the grandparent generation where seeing a pregnant teenager in High School was not a usual scene, but today it is typical. There is a noticeable cultural gap between the grandparents to grandchildren generation. Years back there were lots of traditions that were consistently adhered to. People believed a multitude of different beliefs. Older generations still whole heartily believe in them, but the new generation wants to make their own moves. They dont like to believe anything that they havent seen. They dont like to be unfair. When it comes to expressing their feelings they dont like to think about it twice. In the poem Grand father at the Indian Health clinic It was written, At my insistence he wears his denim cowboy coat high n his neck; averse to / an unceremonious world, he follows me through / hallways pushing down the easy rage he always has / with me, a youngest child, and smiles, The author describes how the grandfather Is over protective about his grand daughter just because she is female and she is young. He makes her walk in front of him so he can keep his eyes on her. She is from a new generation, with new social norms, so she feels uncomfortable. Only because she respects him, she doesnt refuse him. The older generation does not allow women or children to talk in front of them. Thats why she was little bit of afraid to talk back to her grand father. In the essay Inspired Eccentricity, there is age difference between grand parents and their grand daughter, but there was no generation gap (peg 420 Hooks). The grand daughter actually asked questions to her grand parents and they replied to her politely. It was pure blasphemy for baby to teach that It did not matter what other folks thought, way have to be right with weasel In way own heart- thats all the matters, (peg. 423 Hooks) these lines show that her grand parents were committed to individualism. They taught her how to be strong. Her grandparents were utterly different. Even though they were from an older generation, their mentality was modernized. Her grand mother was a woman of power. *She was the man of the house, where as in that generation women were usually just house wives and not allowed to talk. She was a woman of her word, passing that trait onto her granddaughter. Her grandmother inspired her. She encouraged her to be a strong woman. Her grandfather taught her how to stand up for herself. Although people can be from the same generation, they do not always share the same perspective, but here are some that come to share the same traditions. The differences and similarities between the poem and the essay convey to the audience that no matter the differences between the perspectives, but they still end up missing their old tradition. As It describes In poem for the young / Intern from New Jersey he bares have no turning, that how grandfather misses his old days, that are never going to turn back. Upon having different perspective, there are still people who really believe toward new generation, and ready to accept future. Younger generation looks forward understanding and learning about past, and future.

King Leonidas of Sparta and the Battle at Thermopylae

King Leonidas of Sparta and the Battle at Thermopylae Leonidas was a 5th century B.C. military king of the Greek city-state of Sparta. He is most well known for bravely leading a small force of Greeks, including the famous 300 Spartans, along with a few hundred Thespians and Thebans against the much larger Persian army of Xerxes, at the pass of ​Thermopylae in 480 B.C. during the Persian Wars. Family Leonidas was the third son of Anaxandridas II of Sparta. He belonged to the Agiad Dynasty. The Agiad Dynasty claimed to be decedents of Heracles. Thus, Leonidas is considered a decedent of Heracles. He was the half-brother of the late  King Cleomenes I of Sparta. Leonidas was crowned King after the death of his half-brother. Cleomenes died of a suspected suicide. Leonidas was made king because Cleomenes had died without a son or another, closer male relative to serve as a suitable heir and reign as his successor. There was also another tie between Leonidas and his half-brother Cleomenes: Leonidas was also married to Cleomenes only child, the wise  Gorgo, Queen of Sparta. Battle of Thermopylae Sparta received a request from the confederated Greek forces to help in defending and protecting Greece against the Persians, who were powerful and invading. Sparta, led by Leonidas, visited the Delphic oracle who prophesized  that either Sparta would be destroyed by the invading Persian army, or the king of Sparta would lose his life. The Delphic Oracle is said to have made the following prophecy: For you, inhabitants of wide-wayed Sparta,Either your great and glorious city must be wasted by Persian men,Or if not that, then the bound of Lacedaemon must mourn a dead king, from Heracles line.The might of bulls or lions will not restrain him with opposing strength; for he has the might of Zeus.I declare that he will not be restrained until he utterly tears apart one of these. Faced with a decision, Leonidas chose the second option. He was not willing to let the city of Sparta be wasted by the Persian forces. Thus, Leonidas led his army of 300 Spartans and soldiers from other city-states to face Xerxes in Thermopylae in August of 480 BC. It is estimated that the troops under Leonidas’ command numbered about 14,000, while the Persian forces consisted of hundreds of thousands. Leonidas and his troops fended off the Persian attacks for seven days straight, including three days of intense battle, while killing off large numbers of enemy troops. The Greeks even held off the Persian’s elite Special Forces known as ‘The Immortals.’ Two of Xerxes brothers were killed by Leonidas’ forces in battle. Eventually, a local resident betrayed the Greeks and exposed a back route of attack to the Persians. Leonidas was aware that his force was going to be flanked and taken over, and thus dismissed the vast majority of the Greek army rather than suffer more high casualties. Leonidas himself, however, remained behind and defended Sparta with his 300 Spartan soldiers and some other remaining Thespians and Thebans. Leonidas was killed in the resulting battle.

Film Theory Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Film Theory - Research Proposal Example Bazin regards cinema as an idealistic phenomenon with technical features resting only in the background. As a humanist, he thrives on the view that the idea is precedent to the invention and is therefore superior to the technical means used in achieving it. In his book The Evolution of the language of Cinema,2 he asserts that the necessity for an idea towards technical means is one that requires new form or style. Bazin states that the cinema is much elevated as compared to photography because of its ability to record the event in time and posits that filmmakers must refrain from false subjective manipulation owing to the complexity of reality which the cinema characteristically pursues. There has been confusion in the domain of film theory concerning Bazin's writings, which can be traced down to the image being filmed and its life counterpart, in which he says that the photographic image is one that may be described as a kind of transfer. It is the object itself which is freed from the conditions of time and space governing it. There is a commonality in the photograph and the object itself whose sameness is pursued by a fashion of the fingerprint.3 (Referring to Andre Bazin's essay, "The Evolution of Film Language", analyze the ways in which William Wyler explores the moral and emotional conflicts experienced by... The film is considered a masterpiece of cinematic craftsmanship in which first-rate support actors gave life to their roles.4 Wyler's film shows details that depict Bazin's ideas in The Evolution of Film Language. Cinema as an idealistic phenomenon5 which Bazin explores in his essay is embodied in The Little Foxes with the film's portrayal of greed and avarice having the real message it wants to convey - that of the consequences of evil acts which men must avoid. As Bazin generally describes a film as a medium of duplicating reality, Wyler was able to successfully convey this duplication in real-life experiences of wealth and greed in the Hubbard and Giddens family, in which surefire downfall awaits people of extreme greed. Wyler explores the moral conflicts experienced by his heroine Regina Giddens with the use of depth-of-field photography through the captured emotions needed to surface from a villainous character. How other characters were portrayed, such as that of being kind (Ho race and Alexandra Giddens) reinforced the evilness of the heroine through implied comparison. The moral conflicts are tackled in the story with wealth and money as the groundwork of the exhibited behavior of the characters, whether acting upon it or away from its influences and corruption. Regina Giddens is in a situation which might be considered a maze in which she was to succumb to social norms of this time where a woman does not bring money with her when she gets married regardless of the family's wealth. Hence, she must rely financially on her husband. The social norms had placed her in a stringent situation totally not giving her a space to express her fondness for money. An attempt to put her daughter Alexandra in marriage to Leo, Alexandra's

The development of art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The development of art - Research Paper Example Synagogues, cities and university buildings also utilized these styles. Their differences were seen in terms of the radiating chapels, arch type, vault, elevation, exterior, sculptural decoration, and mood (Fitchen 1981). Gothic architecture was characterized by ribbed vaults while that of Romanesque used groin vaults. In gothic there were pointed arches in arcades, windows, and doors whereas in Romanesque they were rounded ones. Flying buttresses were seen in gothic buildings while in Romanesque buttresses were shallowly projected. Built during the Romanesque period, the building is outstanding and famous in the world. It has the likeness of other Basilica churches consisting of double aisles, and timber roof. The columns are joined by stacked arches, with red and white marble on the bands outside. Its aesthetics are the general proportions and delicate ornamental features. The Vaults mainly chatracterised the Romanesque era as they were developed through innovation so as to replace wooden roofs which were prone to catching fire. Gothic Architecture was concerned with sculpture, architecture, manuscripts and music. The two main structural concerns are pointed arches and ribbed vaults. One such innovation is the Rayyonant style which concentrated on decoration. Other characteristics are heavy colorings of the glasses, carvings and paintings as seen in Saint Chapelle building. Tall and large buildings were built to complicate their plans. Tall buildings were accompanied by thin walls, as seen in Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury Cathedral is an Anglican church formerly called the cathedral church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was constructed in the early English Gothic style. Its uniqueness is the towering central spire in the UK and world oldest functioning clock. It was built with highly sophisticated design under the guidance of Richard Poore, the Bishop of Salisbury. Sainte Chapelle was constructed under the commission of King Louis IX

Career research paper on nursing Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Career on nursing - Research Paper Example 6). In addition, there are different types of nursing as well. Nursing is ‘infinitely varied’. Although all nurses receive the same amount of education, the work they handle may vary because their placement in hospitals is different. For example, a nurse on duty in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has to know the use of sophisticated machinery. A nurse in charge of patients who are well on their way to recovery has to be skilled in the way he/she talks; the nurse has to be polite, friendly, and exuberant. Therefore, it emphasizes the fact that nursing is a very ‘people’s’ profession (Sacks, pp.5). Nursing is a profession that was started by Florence Nightingale in the mid-nineteenth century and it has undergone radical changes (Sacks, pp.6). There has been a debate over the fact whether nursing is a ‘full profession’ or a semi professional one. Researchers (Timby, pp. 23-25) state that nursing cannot be regarded fully as a profession, becaus e people in it do not possess full characteristics that are required to achieve a full profession status. However, students of the nursing field remain adamant of the fact that most of the required definition of a profession is met by nursing, therefore, qualifying it as a full profession (Hiscott, pp.4). However, nursing as a career provides many opportunities, especially part time. Women who have to manage families can actually become part of this profession.

Electrical Principles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Electrical Principles - Assignment Example In this way, each series circuit will have a series protection resistor. We will calculate the amount of current in each parallel circuit by adding the individual currents taken by the each series circuit. Lest suppose we have 2 series circuits in parallel connection then the current will be +. Use a combination of truth tables and Karnaugh maps to design a logic circuit to control the compressor Credit will be given for creating an efficient circuit using the smallest possible number of logic gates. There is no need for the microprocessor in this process, as the microprocessor will have more losses as compared to that of the logic gate ICs. Moreover, if microprocessor is used for the process it will require excessive cooling. Microprocessors are fast and rapid in processing various type of information. It is only the fact and advantage of the microprocessor in this application. Calculate the required rotational speed in Hz for the generator to produce a voltage whose average magnitude is 12V. You may assume that the flux witnessed by the coil drops to zero momentarily each time it leaves the field. Calculate the maximum amount of energy which can be harvested when a vehicle slows from 40km/h to a standstill. Assume the vehicle mass is given by 1XX0 kg where XX are the last two numbers of your student number. A bank of 100 supercapacitors is to be used to store the energy. Each supercapacitor has a capacitance of 1.5F. Assuming 80 percent of the available energy is captured, and assuming that the capacitors have an initial voltage of 12V, determine the voltage to which they must be charged to store the captured energy. You should specify how the capacitors are connected and justify your

Structural engineering Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Structural engineering - Research Paper Example Large man-made objects ranging from vehicles to cranes and furniture to medical equipment all require the input of structural engineers in order to ascertain their safety and reliability. Structural engineers are involved in every stage of realization of a structure, playing a key role in design and construction teams. They work together with architects along with other professions to create conceptual designs and ascertain that the structure to be built is both stable and durable. The structures built should be stiff enough to not deflect beyond acceptable limits through vibrations, and also be able to stable and strong enough to resist all structural loads like wind, gravity, rain, snow and seismic earthquakes. By using structural analysis, structural engineers understand the effects of loads or stresses as caused by gravity, the users of structures, and the various climatic and ground conditions around the world. Structural loads are external forces which are capable of compromising a structure. Another important aspect of a structural engineer’s work is choosing the right materials for building a structure. The material for construction may be steel, reinforced concrete or steel-concrete. The choice of material is influenced by the function of the structure, intended time of use, and environmental impact of using the material. There are some structures constructed for a limited period of use, for instance, off-shore platforms built to facilitate exploration beyond the shores and have to be demolished once the explorations are complete. Such structures have to be strong enough to withstand water, yet be affordable during demolition. Structural engineering also accommodates fun in the learning and practicing stage. During training, engineers should travel and visit interesting structures or construction sites, and consciously see and analyze such structures (Milne, 2010). Such background training exposes the young engineers to buildings of

Transracial Adoption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Transracial Adoption - Essay Example (Fogg-Davis, 2002) Adoption has basically been seen as another way of making sure that the children who are placed at nurturing homes will have a home for themselves. A census was taken for the amount of children who are homeless, came out to be 900,000 by the beginning of 2000. There are quite many reasons for such a situation to occur. The main and most essential reason is poverty. Secondly, the mothers and fathers of the African-American children have no manners of how to keep their children. The particular styles of the African-American were a subject of debate. The African-American and White-American were compared and the particular styles of the African-American were personalized as harsh, stiff and in a few cases very corrupt. The children of African-American stay at a nurturing home for a longer period as compared to White-American children. The White-American children are allowed to have visitors; on the other hand, African-American children are not allowed to have any visitors. Due to having a decrease, in African-American adoptive families and less White-American children provided for adoption, some African-American children have been sent with White-American parents. Separate races being placed together is a process called, "transracial adoption". ... e majority of babies are adopted from North America, Asia, South America and Oceania, while the majority of children over 5 years of age are coming from Africa, Oceania and South America. (Conceive Magazine, 2005). The problem of discussion whether White-American parents should adopt African-American children has been going on for long. In 1972, the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) was much worried about the Black/ African American children who were being placed with the white race of mankind. NABSW has stated that "Black children should be placed with only Black families whether in foster care or for adoption. Black children belong physically and psychologically and culturally in Black families in order that they receive the total sense of themselves and develop a sound projection of their future." (NABSW) After the sayings of NABSW, there was an argument which lasted for nearly two decades. Criticism of transracial adoption is not bound only on NABSW, but also the Third World countries. Americans have adopted many children from Third World countries. These statements have made the researchers to find the validity time of the claims. Legislation has been introduced into dispute in the form of the Metzenbaum Multiethnic Placement Act (MEPA) of 1994. MEPA along with 1996 provisions for Removal of Barriers to Interethnic Adoption (IEP) were made to decrease the practice of matching the races in adoption of children. MEPA-IEPA were arranged to decrease the amount of time children wait for adoption placement, to improve and help in problems and keep successful nurture and parents, and to remove degrading according to race, color, or national origin. In 1987 National Health Interview Survey (NAIC, 2000) found that approximately 8% of all adoptions

Structural engineering Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Structural engineering - Research Paper Example Large man-made objects ranging from vehicles to cranes and furniture to medical equipment all require the input of structural engineers in order to ascertain their safety and reliability. Structural engineers are involved in every stage of realization of a structure, playing a key role in design and construction teams. They work together with architects along with other professions to create conceptual designs and ascertain that the structure to be built is both stable and durable. The structures built should be stiff enough to not deflect beyond acceptable limits through vibrations, and also be able to stable and strong enough to resist all structural loads like wind, gravity, rain, snow and seismic earthquakes. By using structural analysis, structural engineers understand the effects of loads or stresses as caused by gravity, the users of structures, and the various climatic and ground conditions around the world. Structural loads are external forces which are capable of compromising a structure. Another important aspect of a structural engineer’s work is choosing the right materials for building a structure. The material for construction may be steel, reinforced concrete or steel-concrete. The choice of material is influenced by the function of the structure, intended time of use, and environmental impact of using the material. There are some structures constructed for a limited period of use, for instance, off-shore platforms built to facilitate exploration beyond the shores and have to be demolished once the explorations are complete. Such structures have to be strong enough to withstand water, yet be affordable during demolition. Structural engineering also accommodates fun in the learning and practicing stage. During training, engineers should travel and visit interesting structures or construction sites, and consciously see and analyze such structures (Milne, 2010). Such background training exposes the young engineers to buildings of

Practice and Exercise Question Essay Example for Free

Practice and Exercise Question Essay Why is it important to use systems analysis and design methodologies when building a system? Why not just build the system in whatever way seems to be â€Å"quick and easy? † What value is provided by using an â€Å"engineering† approach? It is important to use systems analysis and design methodologies when building a system because it improves organizational systems that can help employees reach important business tasks easily and more efficiently. Although, quick and easy is just that, it might not work properly. It is best to have a design and a way to improve. Using the â€Å"engineering† approach will allows you the option to add or remove any pieces that does not work well in your design. 8. How might prototyping be used as part of the SDLC? Prototyping is building a small model of the information system you want to design. This can be very useful because you are able to see, in smaller scale, how your information system will work. When used as a part of the SDLC, it can help the analyst understand what the user wants. With the prototype, you are also able to make changes based on user needs, and then see how well the changes work. Chapter 2 3. In the section on choosing off-the-shelf software, eight criteria are proposed for evaluating alternative packages. Suppose the choice is between alternative custom software developers rather than prewritten packages. What criteria would be appropriate to select and compare among competing bidders for custom development of an application? Define each of these criteria. The eight criteria for evaluating alternative packages are cost, functionality, vendor support, viability of vendor, flexibility, documentation, response time, ease of installation. I believe that vendor support would best the most important criteria to use on deciding which path to take. With custom software, there is usually bugs in the system, and having vendor support to help with these issues would be helpful. That way your business down not have any down time. Vendor support would include everything for installation to problems happening after install. ? 4. How might the project team recommending an ERP design strategy justify its recommendation as compared with other types of design strategies? The project team could justify recommending an ERP design strategy by stating that this design would keep the business data in location that is usable by the company. It would also allow for other modules to be added and usable immediately.

Arguments For and Against Personality Predictors

Arguments For and Against Personality Predictors Arguments in favour Anyone seeking to measure personality has an abundance of useful psychometric instruments at their disposal, include the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) (e.g. Archer, 2005), the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) (Watkins et al, 1997), the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) (Myers McCauley, 1985; McCrae Costa, 1989), and the, NEO Personality Inventory (revised) (Costa McCrae, 1992), and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) (Cramer, 1996), just to mention a few. Thus it should be simple matter to generate a reliable and valid set of scores, which can then be used to make various predictions about future behaviour. Studies have shown that the more established personality tests have acceptable levels of reliability (i.e. they measure personality consistently, both in terms of stability over time/across situations, and internally), and validity (they seem to measure personality, rather than some other psychological feature) (e.g. Costa McCrae, 1992; Wa tkins et al, 1997). Indeed, use of some of these measures is so widespread that they have become a standard part of psychological assessments in health care and recruitment, marriage counselling, and other fields (Davey, 2004; Myers, 2007). The data obtained can for example be used to make a prediction about the success of a marriage, professional abilities of a candidate for a job, or medical outcomes. For example, the MMPI is regularly used to make determinations about future behavioural problems in psychiatric patients (Arbisi et al, 2002). The NEO Personality Inventory and Myers Briggs Type Indicator have been fund to be particularly useful at predicting future behaviour. For example Moutafi et al (2003) asked 900 people to complete various psychological tests as part of an exercise conducted by a business consulting company. These tests included the MBTI and the revised version of the NEO Personality Inventory. Multiple regression analysis showed that various personality scales contained in both personality inventories reliably predict multiple dimensions of intelligence, at the 5% level of significance (Howitt Cramer, 2005). Clearly, the availability of tried and tested measurement tools suggests that it personality can be measured reasonably accurately, and hence used as the basis for making predictions. Another argument concerns the dispositional nature of personality traits. Personality has long been conceptualised as a stable and enduring feature that once developed does not change much during a person’s lifetime (Allport, 1937; Ryckman, 2004). This stability means it is possible to formulate a clear idea about the nature of a person’s personality (e.g. using a personality test) (Myers, 2007). This idea, once formed, can then be used to make predictions. To better appreciate this argument consider more volatile psychological characteristic like stress or coping (Janis, 1986). A persons stress levels can fluctuate widely over any given period of time. For example, an individual may experience high stress levels when the go to work during the day, but then feel relaxed once they return home. Similarly an individual may become highly agitated when flying in an aircraft and then subsequently experience little or no stress once they are back on the ground. Given the volat ility of stress levels it may be rather difficult for a researcher to conduct an overall and accurate assessment of a person’s anxiety. By contrast, personality shows sufficient continuity to enable a researcher develop a reliable personality profile (Engler, 2006) for any one individual. The accuracy of personality measurement is facilitated by the availability of suitable statistical tools, notably factor analysis (Tabachnick Fidell, 1996; Field, 2000). Factor analysis is a statistical method that allows one to condense a large amount of data into a small number of more manageable dimensions. In particular, a persons’ responses to a large number of items in an inventory can be reduced to a small number of basic dimensions that encapsulate the individuals’ personality. This is important given that personality is a multidimensional construct that can be described with thousands of words, phrases, and sentences, in the English language (Livesley Jackson, 1986). Consequently, personality theorists have routinely used this test to identify the basic dimensions of personality, such Goldberg’s (1993) ‘Big Five’ personality themes – agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, extraversion, and openness to experience. It is well known that renowned psychologist Hans Eysenck (Haggbloom, 2002) was one of those to first grasp the utility of factor analysis for developing accurate measures of personality. He subjected a large number of personality items to factor analyses, over several decades, yielding several dimensions: a proclivity to experience negative feelings, which he called neuroticism; an interest in social activity, labelled extraversion; and later a susceptibility to mental illness (e.g. schizophrenia), named psychoticism. These dimensions have been used to make predictions about a wide variety of behaviours, in many different situations (e.g. see review by Riggio Riggio, 2002). Furthermore, a person’s personality is a significant determinant of their behaviour in many different situations (Ryckman, 2004; Myers, 2007). This is a scientific fact, as demonstrated by the large number of studies that have used personality measures as the basis for determining various aspects of human behaviour under disparate conditions (McCrae Costa, 1990). For example, studies have shown how a defensive, unreceptive, or evasive personality can lead audiences to reject health warnings issued on a variety of topics and in a multiplicity of situations (see review by Eagly Chaiken, 1993). Empirical studies show that personality scores predict a significant amount of the variance in various behavioural scores, with the influence of chance factors falling below the five percent level (e.g. Moutafi et al, 2003). For this reason psychologists have spent a considerable amount of time and effort studying this construct. Once an accurate measurement of a persons personality have been obtained it should be fairly simple to make a significant prediction about their current or future behaviour in any given situation, using analytic procedures such as multiple regression analysis. Arguments against Psychologists cannot agree on the proper definition of personality, let alone measure it accurately and make reliable predictions. Open any relevant psychology textbook and one is confronted with several different theoretical accounts of precisely what personality means (e.g. Davey, 2004; Myers, 2007). For example, the legendary Sigmund Freud conceptualises personality as a multidimensional construct (incorporating the id, ego, and superego) that transcends the conscious, preconscious, and subconscious, and is driven by unconscious emotional problems. By contrast behaviourists, such as Burrhus Skinner, view personality as learned behaviours shaped by reinforcement and conditioning. Trait theorists like Gordon Allport conceptualise personality as stable behavioural characteristics that manifest across different situations. Thus, psychologists are far from reaching a consensus. Therefore, the idea that personality can be measured accurately is nonsensical. How can one measure a phenome non that isn’t clearly defined? Until psychologists can agree on a universal definition of personality, accurate measurement will remain an unattainable dream. At the beginning of this essay I provided a list of measurement tools for assessing personality, for example the MMPI, MBTI, and NEO personality inventory. While these instruments do appear to have some accuracy, their psychometric properties are continually the subject of doubt and criticism (e.g. McCrae Costa, 1989; Watkins et al, 1997). Reliability coefficients, while good, aren’t often high enough, and validity tests are rarely conclusive (Arbisi et al, 2002). Given these problems in the measurement of personality, accurate prediction of behaviour is bound to be impaired. For example, it is known fact that measurement error, resulting from the use unreliable and invalid measurement tools, can obscure significant relations between variables, resulting in a type II error (Baron Kenny, 1986; Howitt Cramer, 2 005). The idea that personality could be used to predict behaviour across situations rests on an important assumption – that how people respond in any given situation is necessarily predictable. The truth is that a person’s behaviour may sometimes be random with no apparent cause. This idea is echoes chaos theory (Gleick, 1987), a scientific school of thought that proposes that an event may be unpredictable due to various complexities or errors in its antecedent conditions. For example, long-term weather forecasting is often difficult because so many unstable climatic factors interact in such a complex fashion that minor changes in the nature of these interactions, and the elements which interact, could produce random, unpredictable, and escalating weather patterns. Chaos theory is applicable to the social sciences (Kiel Elliot, 1997). Different personality characteristics may interact (Howitt Cramer, 2005) in extremely complex fashions that any slight changes in the nature of these interactions or the variables involved can produce statistical and computational problems that reduce predictive power (Field, 2000). For example, any error in measurement of personality will be magnified to such an extent that it would obscure significant relationships between personality and behaviour. Baron and Kenny (1986) document this magnification in measurement error resulting from interactions between multiple variables. It means that behaviours produced by overly complex interactions between personality characteristics may to all intents and purposes be mathematically unpredictable, and hence appear random and sporadic, irrespective of the situation (Gleick, 1987). This is especially likely when trying to predict fleeting or eccentric behaviours (e.g. deliberate self-harm) often resulting from the complicated interplay between not just personality traits, but also other psychological phenomena, not to mention situational factors. There are others concerns. Psychologists can’t agree on whether personality traits are best conceptualised as stable entities that persist across situations or variable characteristics that change from one situation to the next (Davey, 2004). Which is it? Whatever view one subscribes to has measurement implications. Stable personality dispositions are generally more difficult to measure accurately, for various reasons (Leventhal et al, 1993). For example, people are less accurate at describing how they ‘generally’ behave, showing a memory bias towards positive rather than negative characteristics: in which case it would be more difficult to predict behaviour in any given situation, due to reliability and validity constraints. Finally, there is what social psychologists call the fundamental attribution error (Aronson, 1995). This refers to the tendency to overestimate the effect of personality on behaviour and underestimate the impact of the situation. Consider for example a person who has a fear of flying. They become highly stressed, agitated, and sometimes even panic stricken once a plane reaches cruising altitude. However, their anxiety disappears once the plane is back on the ground. The primary determinant of this individual’s emotional stress is situational – flying in a plane. Although personality may be important – for example, he/she may have a neurotic personality, making them more prone to stress (Riggio Riggio, 2002) – it would be a mistake to underestimate the effect of the situation (Janis, 1986; Engler, 2006). The essence of the fundamental attribution error here is thus: even if personality could be measured accurately, it may still fail to predict behaviour effectively to the extent that the behaviour in question is primarily a function of the situation rather than personality characteristics. Conclusion Can we predict a person’s response in any given situation if personality could be measured accurately? This essay presents arguments for and against. Regarding the former, psychometrically useful measures of personality abound, yielding reasonably reliable and valid personality scores that can be used for making behavioural predictions. Furthermore, analytic tools like factor analysis and the purportedly stable property of personality traits may both facilitate accurate measurement and further improve predictive power. Various empirical studies exist the support these arguments. However, there are several strong counterarguments that are difficult to refute. There is as yet in psychology no unanimous definition of personality. This raises serious questions about the psychometric attributes of any instrument that purports to measure personality. Indeed existing personality inventories are continually plagued by concerns about reliability and validity. Even without these psychom etric issues, a person’s behaviour is often heavily (if not entirely) determined by the prevailing situation, rather than their personality characteristics. Thus, even the most accurate personality measures will exhibit poor predictive power. In any case it is questionable whether human behaviour is always predictable. Certain responses may appear random, sporadic, and to all intents and purposes, unpredictable, due to analytic and methodological limits of existing science. In the midst of these constraining realities it is unlikely that personality traits could reliability predict behaviour across different situations References Allport, G. W. (1937). Personality: A Psychological Interpretation. New York: Holt,  Rinehart Winston. Arbisi, P., Ben-Porath Y. McNulty J (2002). A comparison of MMPI-2 validity in  African American and Caucasian psychiatric inpatients. Psychological  Assessment 14, pp.3-15. Archer, R.P. (2005). MMPI-A: Assessing Adolescent Psychopathology Lawrence  Erlbaum Associates Aronson, E. (1995) The Social Animal. New York: Freeman. Baron, R. M. Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in  social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical  considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51,  pp.1173‑1182. Costa, P.T., McCrae, R.R. (1992). Revised NEO personality inventory and NEO  five-factor inventory professional manual. Florida: Psychological Assessment  Resources, Inc. Cramer, P. (1996) Storytelling, Narrative, and the Thematic Apperception Test. New  York City: Guilford Press. Davey, G. (ed) (2004) Complete Psychology. London: Hodder Stoughton. Eagly, A. Chaiken, S (1993). The Psychology of Attitudes, Fort Worth, TX:  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Engler, B. (2006). Personality Theories. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Field, A. (2000) Discovering Statistics using SPSS for Windows: Advanced  techniques for the Beginner. London: Sage. Goldberg, L. R. (1993). The structure of phenotypic personality traits. American  Psychologist, 48, pp.26-34. Haggbloom, S.J. (2002). The 100 most eminent psychologists of the 20th century.  Review of General Psychology, 6, pp.139-152. Howitt, D. Cramer, D. (2005) Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology.  London: Pearson. Janis, I.L. (1986). Coping patterns among patients with life-threatening diseases.  Issues in Mental Health. Nursing, 7, pp.461–476. Kiel, L. D. Elliott, E.W. (eds) (1997). Chaos Theory in the Social Sciences:  Foundations Applications. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.. Livesley, W. J., Jackson, D. N. (1986). The internal consistency and factorial structure  of behaviors judged to be associated with DSM-III personality disorders.  American Journal of Psychiatry, 143, pp.1473-1474. Leventhal, E.A., Suls, J. Leventhal, H. (1993) Hierarchical analysis of coping:  Evidence from lifespan studies. In. H.W. Krohne (ed) Attention and Avoidance.  (pp.71-99) Seattle, Hogrefe and Huber Publishers. McCrae, R.R. Costa, P.T (1989) Reinterpreting the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator  From the Perspective of the Five-Factor Model of Personality. Journal of  Personality, 57, pp.17-40 Moutafi, J., Furnham, A., Crump, J. (2003). Demographic and personality  predictors of intelligence: A study using the Neo Personality Inventory and  Myers Briggs Type Indicator. European Journal of Personality, 17, pp.79–94. Myers, D. G. (2007). Psychology: Eighth edition in modules. New York: Worth  Publishers. Myers, I., McCauley, M.H. (1985), A Guide to the Development and Use of the  Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. Ryckman, R. (2004). Theories of Personality. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth. Riggio, H.R. Riggio, R.E. (2002) Emotional expressiveness, extraversion   neuroticism: a meta-analysis. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 26, pp.195-218. Tabachnick, B.G. Fidell, L.S. (1996). Using Multivariate Statistics. New York:  HarperCollins Watkins, M.W., Kush, J., Glutting, J.J. (1997). Discriminant and predictive validity  of the WISC-III ACID profile among children with learning disabilities.  Psychology in the Schools, 34, pp.309-319.

Brave New World - A Wake-Up Call for Humanity Essay -- Brave New World

Brave New World - A Wake-Up Call for Humanity (this essay has problems with the format) Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in England, human society has had to struggle to adapt to new technology. There is a shift from traditional society to a modern one. Within the last ten years we have seen tremendous advances in science and technology, and we are becoming more and more socially dependent on it. In the Brave New World, Huxley states that we are moving in the direction of Utopia much more rapidly than anyone had ever anticipated. Its goal is achieving happiness by giving up science, art, religion and other things we cherish in our world. It is an inhumane society controlled by technology where human beings are produced on assembly line. His prophetic elements of human beings being conditioned, the concerns for the environment, importance of genetic engineering and reproduction, and our physical and mental development has now been one of the major factors that the governments, businesses and educational institutions are exploiting today. We are subconscio usly moving to this bureaucracy of conformity, and Brave New World is a wake up call from our obsessions of standardization socially, economically and politically. The story took place in A.F (After Ford) 632, this is 632years after Ford has released the first T-ford. Huxley used ?After Ford?to show its great advancement in making automobiles as a company over the years. In 1932, Huxley introduced Brave New World to show his great concern of the Western civilization. He saw that in the 1900s there was a dramatic economic change in different countries, where the wholesalers are being eliminated, and manufacturers selling directly to the consumers. For example, at that time Ford makes cars and even sells them. They control who and where they sell. Technology and transportation was increasing tremendously, which caused more and bigger factories, mass-productions (eg. automobiles), and more manufactured goods. There were more volumes of trade and production due to more machinery. As markets are growing, activities, structures, as well as attitudes towards companies are changing. Robert Heibroner suggests that ?the rise of such giant enterprises has changed the face of capitalism as they attempt to alter the market setting through a system of public and private planning (p.43).? Like the vi... ...re before (in terms of wealth, happiness, etc)? Are we too reliant on technology and science? Where is our individuality? Where is the tradeoff? How can we change to stop ourselves from moving toward the so-called ?Utopia?society? It seems that we too, are living in an incubator, trapped and conditioned, and we must do something to stop this from happening. Bibliography Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: HarperPerennial, 1946. http://www.primenet.com/~matthew/huxley/sub/Barron_BNW.html http://www.demigod.org/~zak/documents/high-school/brave-new-world/html http://www.ddc.net/ygg/etext/brave.htm Sexty,Robert. "Overview of the Business System" ,in Canadian Business and Society, Prentice-Hall, Scarborough, Ontario, 2005, pp5-22 Chandler, Alfred D.Jr. "The Roe of Business in the United States: A Historical Survey," in Business and Society, Barry Castro ed., Oxford University Press, pp.61-88 Steiner, G.A. and Steiner,J.F., "Critics of Business", in Business,Government and Society: A Managerial Perspective, 8th ed., McGraw-Hill, 2005.pp,69-90 Shaw, William H.., "The Nature of Capitalism",in Business Ethics, 3rd ed., Wadworth, 2006, pp.124-152

Comparing Hinduism and Buddhism Essay -- Compare Contrast

Comparing Hinduism and Buddhism While Hinduism and Buddhism come from the same cultural backgrounds, they are extremely diverse in their beliefs on afterlife, deity, and rituals. Both religions believe in reincarnation, but it is where an individual goes after he or she gets off the endless cycle that differs. These religions also part when it comes to whom they do or do not worship. Every religion comes with rituals and Hinduism and Buddhism are no exceptions. Hindu followers have no doubt they go to moksha after they accomplish redemption, but Buddhists believe that the main goal is to achieve nirvana in the afterlife. A Hindu can conquer redemption by living a life of asceticism. After becoming a Sadhu, or holy man, and renouncing all material possessions they are able to be one wit...

Midterm 2 with Solutions Econ311

Intermediate Macroeconomics 311 (Professor Gordon) Final Examination Fall, 2009 YOUR NAME:________________________________ INSTRUCTIONS 1. The exam lasts 2 hours. 2. The exam is worth 120 points in total: 30 points for the multiple choice questions, 60 points for the analytical questions, and 30 points for the essays. 3. Write your answers to Part A (the multiple choice section) in the blanks on page 1.You won’t get credit for circled answers in the multiple choice section. 4. Place all of your answers for part B in the space provided. 5. You must show your work for part B questions. 6. Write your essays with a pen. Write clearly! 7. Good Luck and Happy Holidays! PART A (45 points) Choose the ONE alternative that BEST completes the statement or answers the question. Your answers must be in the space provided below. USE CAPITAL LETTERS. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PART B (45 points) Please show your wor k and write down the formulas you use for partial credit. Question 1 (5 points) (a) What monthly rate of inflation causes the price level to increase by a factor of 5 (500 percentage points) over a year? (2 points) (HINT: Use the LN and EXP formulas from Chapter 9, Problem 2, further examples of which were presented in lecture on November 11). Using the log formula: p = 100*log(5)/12 = 13. 4%. b) If the rate of monthly inflation is 25%, by what factor would prices have risen over a year? (3 points) Let’s call the initial price level P0 and the price level at the end of the year P12 25 = 100*log(P12/P0)/12 P12/P0 = exp(25*12/100) = 20. Question 2 (10 points) Consider an economy where inflation expectations are given by the equation pet = . 4 pt-1 + . 6 pet-1 . Also assume that when the log of the output ratio increases by 1 points, inflation increases by 4 points. a) Write down the SP equation, both its general form and its specific form with these particular parameter assumpt ions inserted. (2 points) pt = pet + gYt-1 + zt = . 4pt-1 + . 6pet-1 + 4Yt-1 + zt ) Write down the DG equation (no need to derive anything, just write it down). (1 point) Y = Y-1 + [pic] – p c) Combine the SP and DG equations to express p as a function of pt-1, pet-1, Yt-1,[pic]t, and zt. (2 points) (HINT: Your answer must have p on the left side of the equation and terms not including current p on the right side, with all the relevant parameters inserted and solved out. ) p = 0. 4p-1 + 0. 6pe-1 + 4Y + z = 0. 4p-1 + 0. 6pe-1 + 4(Y-1 + [pic] – p) + z 5p = 0. 4p-1 + 0. 6pe-1 + 4Y-1 + 4[pic] + z p = 0. 08p-1 + 0. 12pe-1 + 0. 8Y-1 + 0. 8[pic] + z For the remainder of the problem, assume that in period t=1 the economy has values given by: p0 = 3pe0 = 3Y0 = 0 ) Suppose there is no supply shock in period 1 (z1 = 0) and that [pic]1 = 5. Solve for period 1 values p1 and Y1. (2 points) p1 = 0. 08(3) + 0. 12(3) + 0. 8(0) + 0. 8(5) + 0 = 4. 6 Y1 = 0 + 5 – 4. 6 = 0. 4 e) Sup pose instead that there is a period 1 supply shock that increases the value of z from 0 in period 0 to 1 in period 1. Find the period 1 values p1,[pic]1 and Y1 as well as the expected period 2 inflation, pe2, if the government adopts an accommodating policy. (3 points) Accommodating Policy means Y1 = 0, so from the DG equation p1 =[pic]1 and from the SP equation: p1 = . 4(3) + . 6(3) + 4(0) + 1 = 4 = [pic]1 pe2 = . 4(4) + . 6(3) = 3. 4 Question 3 (15 points)Consider a country whose Central Bank issued 100$ of High-Powered Money (H). Citizens' cash holdings (dollar bills) amount to 10% (. 1) of their deposits while each commercial bank has to have reserves for 15% (. 15) of the volume of deposits. a) What is the level of deposits? (2 points) D = H/(c+e) = 100/(. 1+. 15) = 400 b) What is the level of the Money Supply defined as dollar bills and deposits? (3 points) M = (1+c)D = 1. 1*400 = 440 c) Suppose the Central Bank wants to increase Money Supply to 528. How many extra units of Hi gh-Powered Money do they have to circulate? (4 points) M = (1+c) H / (c+e) 528 = 1. 1 H / . 25 H = 120 So they should print 20 extra units of H ) Assume now that the Central Bank still wants to set the Money Supply to 528 but the Government forbids them from printing High-Powered Money. What option is left to the Central Bank? (Hint: restrict your attention to this simplified model where there is nothing like direct lending or any other exotic policy) (2 points) Change the reserve requirement e) Given your suggested policy, which of the parameters of the model would they be changing? To which new value? (Remember that here H=100 and cannot be changed by assumption and M=528) (4 points) M=(1+c) H / (c+e) 528=1. 1 * 100 / (. 1 + e) e=. 1083 = 10. 8% Question 4 (15 points) Consider two nations, Richland and Poorland.Both nations have the same Cobb-Douglass production function, Y=AKbN(1-b). Let Poorland have an economy with technology level A=18, capital elasticity of production b=(1/3) , population growth rate n=. 13, capital depreciation rate d=. 07, and savings rate s=. 3 a) Rewrite the production function as a function relating Y/N and K/N. (2 points) Y/N = A(K/N)b = 2(K/N)(1/3) b) Solve for the steady state values of the capital-labor ratio (K/N) and per-capita GDP (Y/N). (6 points) s(Y/N) = (n+d)(K/N) sA(K/N)b = (n+d)(K/N) (K/N) = [sA/(n+d)]1/(1-b) (K/N) = [. 1*18 /(. 2)]3/2=27 (Y/N) = (n+d)(K/N)/s (Y/N) = (. 2)(27)/. 1=54 c) Richland has a per-capita GDP that is triple that of Poorland. Given hat Richland has the same production function as Poorland, the capital-labor ratio in Richland is what multiple of the capital-labor ratio in Poorland? (In other words, if Poorland has a capital-labor ratio of K/N= x and Richland has a ratio of K/N= y, what is y/x? ). (3 points) [pic] d) Compute the marginal products of capital in the two nations. (3 points) MPK = b(Y/N)/(K/N) MPKA = (1/3)(54)/(27)=2/3=. 6667 MPKb = (1/3)(162)/(729)=2/81=. 0247 e) Judging from your answ er in part (d), does the Solow model predict that poor countries have a higher or lower rate of return on capital? (1 point) The Solow model predicts a higher rate of return for poor countries.This is one of the critiques of the Solow growth model. PART C (30 points) WRITE YOUR NAME AND ID NUMBER ON YOUR BLUE BOOK. As stated on the syllabus (p. 3) and in numerous in-class and e-mailed reminders, you must write your answers in pen not pencil. This is a single multi-part essay question. You should write in your blue book for 30 minutes. 1. Write a coherent essay on the causes of the 2008-09 recession and on the policy responses to this event. Your essay should cover the following specific points a. First, establish the facts. What were similarities in the duration and magnitude of the 2001 recession and subsequent recovery as compared to the 2008-09 recession and recovery so far?Include comments on GDP, the GDP gap, labor market variables, and any other distinguishing features of thes e two episodes. b. What were the most important causes of the 2008-09 recession? Include comments on which causes were the same as in the 2001 recession, and which were different. c. In what sense, if any, did monetary or fiscal policy partially contribute to the causes of the 2008-09 recession? d. Evaluate the response of monetary policy since early 2008. What were the similarities and differences between this response and the monetary policy response to postwar recessions in 2001 and earlier? What aspects would you praise or criticize? e.Evaluate the response of fiscal policy since early 2008. What aspects would you praise or criticize? Multiple Choice Questions Make sure to write you answers on the blanks on page 1! 1. The current account includes all of the following except: A) net exports B) net income from abroad C) net unilateral transfers D) foreign direct investment 2. In what way was the international economy cited as a source of the U. S. housing bubble in 2003-06? A) che aper prices of imported building materials B) support of dollar by foreign central banks C) immigration of skilled foreign construction workers D) high pay of top executives of foreign investment banks 3.Which of the following were not cited in the course as a reason for France and other European nations to be reluctant to endorse an Obama-like fiscal stimulus for their own countries? A) high unemployment in Europe B) low fiscal multipliers C) social welfare system D) unemployment insurance system 4. Suppose we have an economy in which G = 1100, t = 0. 26, Y = 3800, and YN = 4000. At Y the difference between the actual deficit and structural deficit is A) 60. B) 112. C) -172. D) -112. E) 52. 5. The failure of U. S. net exports to improve dramatically in the mid 1980? s despite the weakening of the dollar suggests that A) U. S. industries supply of competitive goods was inelastic over the period.B) LDC debt repayment schedules and lack of financing kept U. S. exports low. C) NCIs mai ntained fixed exchange rates vis a vis the dollar and U. S. exports low. D) All of the above. 6. In the reading period assignments from the Economist, the United States is faulted relative to Europe and Japan for each of the following reasons except: A) labor and capital markets B) primary and secondary education C) personal saving rate D) infrastructure 7. In the reading period article about France, the French are praised for each of the following reasons except A) infrastructure B) household debt C) output growth rate D) medical care system 8. The mechanism of ? international crowding-out? s that a government budget deficit ________ the domestic interest rate, which makes the dollar ________ expensive for foreigners, which then ________ net exports. A) raises, less, lowers B) raises, less, raises C) raises, more, lowers D) lowers, less, lowers E) lowers, more, raises 9. Which of the following effects takes place as a result of automatic stabilization? A) extra tax revenues are gen erated in a boom. B) tax revenues remain constant during a recession. C) leakages increase during a recession, helping to stimulate the economy. D) Both A and C are correct. 10. If the Federal Reserve intervenes in the foreign-exchange markets and buys foreign currencies A) the U. S. oney supply rises and foreign currencies depreciate. B) the U. S. money supply falls and foreign currencies depreciate. C) the U. S. money supply rises and foreign currencies appreciate. D) the U. S. money supply falls and foreign currencies appreciate. 11. Activists-believe that AD is unstable because A) business and consumer attitudes and expectations shift. B) monetary policy is variable. C) fiscal policy effects are unpredictable. D) Both B and C are correct. 12. Assuming constant wages implies that A) an increase in the price of goods raises profits and SAS is vertical. B) a decrease in the price of goods lowers profits and SAS is horizontal.C) an increase in the price of goods lowers profits and S AS is vertical. D) an increase in the price of goods raises profits and SAS is positively sloped. [pic] 13. Consider the above figure with equilibrium initially at E0. If the money supply is increased and prices are flexible, in the short run prices and output will ___. In the long run output and prices will ___. A) be as at E2; return to E0. B) be as at E1; be as at E2. C) be as at E2; be as at E3 D) be as at E2; be as at E1. E) be as at E1; be as at E3. 14. According to the readings, a common feature of the Great Depression and the recent economic crisis was A) mortgage credit B) deposit insurance C) unemployment rate D) monetary policy 15.The sources of the current problems of running monetary policy are often cited as A) Quantitative easing B) Zero lower bound C) Excess bank reserves D) A) and B) E) B) and C) 16. An acceleration of nominal GDP growth from, say 4% to 6% will A) permanently raise the rate of inflation. B) temporarily lower the rate of inflation. C) leave real GDP unaffected in the long run. D) Both A and C. 17. The short-run Phillips Curve gives A) the actual short-run level of real GDP and inflation. B) all possible combinations of real GDP and inflation, for a given set of expectations. C) all possible combinations of real GDP and inflation, for fully adjusted expectations. D) the response of real GDP and inflation to supply shocks. 18.The Fed is criticized for the â€Å"one-way option† regarding asset bubbles. The criticism is that the Fed __________ when asset prices increase and __________ when asset prices decrease A) raises interest rates; lowers interest rates B) leaves interest rates unchanged; leaves interest rates unchanged C) raises interest rates; leaves interest rates unchanged D) leaves interest rates unchanged; lowers interest rates E) lowers interest rates; raises interest rates 19. Which of the following was not a source of the Great Moderation, according to the textbook? A) growth rate rule for money supply B) finan cial deregulation in late 1970s, early 1980sC) magnitude of supply shocks after early 1980s D) government military spending 20. In the short-run, the impact of an adverse supply shock is to A) reduce real GDP and leave the inflation rate unchanged if the growth of nominal GDP remains the same. B) reduce real GDP and leave the inflation rate unchanged if the growth of nominal GDP is reduced enough. C) maintain the same level of real GDP and reduce the inflation rate if the growth if nominal GDP is increased enough. D) All of the above. 21. According to the textbook, the main losers due to the redistributive effect of the postwar inflation in the United States were A) households. B) corporations. C) government. D) A) and B) 22. Disgruntled? workers who quit their jobs to find ? a more reasonable boss? are experiencing A) involuntary unemployment. B) mismatch unemployment. C) cyclical unemployment. D) turnover unemployment. 23. Policy solutions to mismatch unemployment include A) fisca l policies to raise the AD curve B) monetary policies to raise the AD curve C) policies other than fiscal and monetary policies D) accommodative policies to deal with supply shocks 24. Over a year, the money supply in a nation grew by 6 percent, while velocity rose by 2 percent and real GDP rose by 3 percent. This results in an inflation over the year of ________ percent. A) 5 B) 11 C) 1D) 7 25. The the Fed’s quantitative easing after mid-2008 is not described by A) increased open-market purchases of Treasury securities B) increased open-market purchases of private securities C) increased open-market purchases of corporate stock D) A) and B) E) A) and C) 26. Which of the following increased by the largest percentage between mid-2007 and mid-2009? A) excess bank reserves B) M2 C) high-powered money D) total bank reserves E) M1 [pic] 27. Initially, the economy is at point G in the figure above. An increase in per capita savings from s0 to s1 will in the short run result in ____ ____ and in the long run result in ________.A) excess per capita saving; more rapid growth in per capita output B) excess per capita saving; less rapid growth in per capita output C) more rapid growth in per capita output; more rapid growth in per capita output D) more rapid growth in per capita output; no change in the long run rate of growth in per capita output 28. Which of the following will not affect steady state per capita income in the Solow growth theory? A) The savings rate. B) The initial capital stock. C) The population growth rate. D) The production function. 29. The Solow growth model predicts that nations that are initially poor should have A) slower growth rates than nations that are rich. B) faster growth rates than nations that are rich. C) growth rates equal to those of nations that are rich. D) negative growth rates. 30.Two readings in the course packet for Chapter 11 cite a particular technological innovation for improved economic growth in poor tropical countri es. This is: A) television B) internet C) mobile phones D) new drugs to fight malaria 31. Several structural changes that occurred over the past two decades were a theme of lectures. Which of the following was not one of these changes? A) greater importance of structural unemployment and less importance of frictional unemployment B) smaller response of core inflation to oil price shocks C) larger decline of employment to declines in output in recessions D) larger increase of productivity to increase in output in recoveries E) More reliance on wage flexibility rather than layoffs in 2008-09 recession 32.In the Cobb-Douglas production function Y=AKbL1-b, the variable A has several different names. Which of the following is not one of them? A) autonomous growth factor. B) infrastructure. C) multifactor productivity. D) residual. 33. The formula for the growth rate of multifactor productivity is: A) a = y + bk + (1 – b)n. B) y = a + bk + bn. C) a = y – bk – (1 †“ b)n. D) y = a – b/k(1 – b)n. 34. Which of the following does not affect multifactor productivity? A) a tax on low-efficiency firms B) a higher saving rate C) Environmental regulation. D) Technological progress. 35. Relative growth rates of the standard of living in the United States and Europe indicate that workers in ________ have chosen to ? spend? _______ of their higher productivity on leisure rather than on consumption of market goods and services. A) Europe, a significant part B) the United States, a significant part C) Europe, almost none D) the United States, almost all 36. Which of the following would cause labor? s share of national income to decrease? A) Labor productivity increases less rapidly than the real wage rate. B) Labor productivity increases more rapidly than the real wage rate. C) Labor productivity has increased at the same rate as the real wage rate. D) Labor? s share of national income is not affected by the relative growth rates of labor p roductivity and the real wage rate. 37.Once monetary policy is dedicated to controlling the level of nominal GDP, then fiscal policy can be used to A) choose the overall level of interest rates, with a high budget surplus implying a high level of interest rates. B) choose the overall level of interest rates, with a high budget deficit implying a high level of interest rates. C) control the rate of inflation, with a high budget surplus implying a faster rate of inflation. D) control the rate of inflation, with a high budget deficit implying a faster rate of inflation. 38. A major side-effect of a stimulative fiscal policy is that it will A) discriminate in favor of housing. B) crowd out private expenditures.C) increase the natural rate of unemployment. D) permanently raise the rate of inflation. 39. Which of the following was a policy of Roosevelt’s New Deal which is not a part of the Obama stimulus package? A) tax reductions B) infrastructure improvements C) Direct interventi on to stop financial institutions from failing D) Federal government direct hiring of the unemployed 40. The Barro-Ricardo Equivalence Theorem assumes all of the following except: A) Individuals value the welfare of their heirs as much as their own welfare. B) Interest rates will remain constant. C) All individuals have children D) Markets for consumer housing and durable goods are perfect. 41.Which of the following will cause the date that the Social Security trust fund runs out of money to be pushed further into the future? A) A decrease in the rate of real GDP growth. B) An increase in the population growth rate. C) A decrease in the growth of the real wage. D) All of the above. 42. A fixed money-supply rule will have the greatest stabilizing effect on output when A) money demand is unstable and commodity demand is stable. B) both money and commodity demand are unstable. C) both money demand and commodity demand are stable. D) the velocity of money is unstable. 43. M1 is a defini tion of money largely confined to which function(s) of money? A) unit of account B) store of valueC) medium of exchange D) B and C. 44. In the empirical validation of the theory of the political business cycle discussed in lecture, which of the following variables measured over the year before the election has been the best predictor of the outcomes of presidential elections? A) the unemployment rate B) the inflation rate C) the growth rate of per capita real GDP D) the level of the federal government fiscal deficit 45. In the empirical validation of the theory of the political business cycle discussed in lecture, which of the following elections is a clear outlier as violating that empirical evidence? A) 1932 B) 1936 C) 1972 D) 1992 E) 2000