Justice In Society Essay

In every society, most people desire for justice. Even most of our great political thinkers and philosophers used to ponder about this word and exerted some effort to seek and define it. For a long time, there was a debate whether justice is a man centered word. It means that justice is present if an action promotes the welfare of humans. American heritage dictionary defines justice as the quality of being just and fair. (batlevy.com) There are instances when the issue of justice is not only applicable for humans. What is justice becomes the issue of killing animals for food or damaging the Mother Nature for human welfare. Is it justice when it involves animals or physical things? In some cases, it becomes the issue of living a good life. But not at all times, living good means living a just life. A person can live good even virtuous life but still stepping on the rights of other people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã¢â‚¬Å"Plato contended that justice is the quality of soul, in virtue of which men set aside the irrational desire to taste every pleasure and to get a selfish satisfaction out of every object and accommodated themselves to the discharge of a single function for the general benefit.† (Bhandari, www.bu.edu)   It means that justice is a responsibility of human beings regardless of their own pleasure and needs. Although an action deprives human being of their pleasure and welfare, it is still justice as long as it demonstrates fairness. One example is the execution of justice through penalties and punishments. It sounds not good for the criminals and law breakers. But it demonstrates fairness and is widely acceptable in our society. If justice is just for the welfare of human beings, it will be hard to execute justice because punishment will become a big issue. References American Heritage Dictionary. 2000. Retrieved February 22, 2008 from http://www.bartleby.com/61/76/J0087600.html Bhandari, D.R. Plato’s Concept of Justice: An Analysis. Retrieved February 22, 2008 from http://www.bu.edu/wcp/Papers/Anci/AnciBhan.htm      

Autism and Development Disorders Essay

This article was based on research done on children ages three to ten years around the temperament and reactions of children with Autism. It discusses the differences between those with Autism, and those without autism, specifically how they react, perceive, and overcome certain developmental musts in childhood. These results are taken from the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire, which present the sixteen dimensions of child perceptions, which includes activity level, anger and frustration, approach and withdrawal, and problems focusing. These are only a few behaviors they suggest help distinguish between children, as well as the different reactions that may suggest Autism is present in a child. This article then discusses how they went about testing the groups of different children. They had one group as a control, kids that had previously been tested on the Child Autism Rating Scale and proved negatively to having Autism, and a group of kids that when previously tested, prove d positive for Autism. They wanted to see how the Affect Regulation, and temperament varied between the groups. To test this Konstantareas and Stewart gathered a test group of nineteen children all with previous proven forms of Autism and tested them with a created Demographic Questionnaire. In this questionnaire it asks what rating a child received on the Child Autism Rating Scale, as well as investigating the income bracket in which each family would be placed, as well as an additional examination to figure out the child’s level of cognitive functioning. Testing what Kostantareas and Stewart call the DP II which is a rating for children from birth to age nine, tapping into stills in five areas of functioning, including physical, self-help, social, academic, and communication. After all of the data was collected all of the children with Autism Spectrum were combined and used to determine if they had Affect Regulation. The results indicated that the children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) were more likely to employ their lower level of  AR strategies, such as trying to hide an ob ject or keep in longer, rather than to ask if they could keep the object or immediately return it to the experimenter. This experiment also suggests that those diagnosed with ASD performed worse than the control group without ASD, suggesting those with Autism perform at a lower standard than those without. After reading this article and gathering all the information, I’ve formed my own ideas on Konstantareas and Stewart’s findings. In their later analysis on what they found, they suggest that children with ASD develop slower, and are found to be less competent than those who don’t. I feel there was flaw in this testing, instead of comparing these ASD patients with a control group they should be compared to others with ASD in different settings. This study suggests some limitations posed by the collecting of data, including assumptions made based on previous research, and the flawed collection places could’ve resulted in skewed findings. They collected this information over the phone via the parents in a control room setting. Other contributors in this study suggest that pe rhaps a more accurate way to measure a child’s AR would be in a less controlled setting such as school, or home. This would help with the data collected to be more accurate because the tested children would be more comfortable in their environment, and may perform better in a comfortable place. Which I agree with, the only way to see how a child truly acts, and reacts to certain problems is to see them in the environment they’re used to, children are susceptible and can be swayed easily by something they see in a control room setting. In this article it suggests that cognitive development is solely linked to AR, which I think is false. To say that Affect Regulation is the only way to successfully measure a child’s growth is an inaccurate way to think, I think however that a child’s growth is measured by a number of things not just how they measure on a scale of AR. This article also suggests that moderating temperament scales is a way to better measure children with and without ASD. I disagree completely and feel the only way to receive accurate results in the measurement o f a child’s temperament is to alter how the results overall were collected, not the scale they were measured on. This change should show these ASD children individually instead of lumping them together in a sample on a scale. The final thing this article suggests is creating some comparisons in and between subgroups, limiting factors to subcategories and  trends from within the group as a whole, once again not representing the individuals but a group of similar ASD children, no exceptions accounted for. There are a few things about this article I agree with. It suggests that children’s feelings for determining ASD cannot be properly measured by interviews, because children with ASD do not regularly show feelings, and when they do express them in a very different way than those without ASD. It suggests that a new study should be done to show the â€Å"true temperament† (pg. 10) of the kids in order to achieve the most accurate results. These researchers should find children with ASD that have both extremely severe cases, and those with more mild cases, test them against each other, and compare them to the differences of those without any form of ASD. If done this suggested way they would predict to the greatest ability how AR exists in ASD children, and in what ways it hindered them performing everyday activities. In many ways ASD affects children with Autism’s AR and temperament. Correct and effective ways to measure these in diagnosed children must be done in order to see what disabilities they may have in performing tasks later on in everyday life.

Challenges Faced Rural Healthcare Facilities Health And Social Care Essay

Challenges Faced Rural Healthcare Facilities Health And Social Care Essay Twenty-five percent of the total population in the United States are living in rural areas and compared with urban Americans and healthcare facilities in rural areas generally serve low-income, the elderly, and individuals who are less informed and armed with less knowledge concerning health care prevention measures. Moreover, rural individuals accessing healthcare in rural facilities face barriers to healthcare such as fewer doctors, hospitals and health resources in generation and face difficulty in accessing health services. Statement of the problem   Hospital closures and other market changes have adversely affected rural areas, leaving State and Federal policymakers, and others concerned about access to health care in rural America. Considerable changes in the health care delivery system over the past decade have intensified the need for new approaches to health care in rural areas. Managed care organizations, for example, may not be developed easily in rural areas, partly be cause of low population density. Research Questions          The primary research question in this study is the question of whether rural health care facilities overcome the ongoing challenges to provide quality medical care to their communities. Rationale of the Research The rationale of this research is based upon the following facts: 1.) Rural Healthcare and Barriers to Accessing Care: Many small rural hospitals have closed, while other health care supply of primary care physicians and other health care provider facilities are in financial straits. Unavailability of resources and transportation problems are barriers to access for rural populations. 2.). The supply of primary care practitioners and other health care providers in rural areas is decreasing. Some are leaving rural areas to join managed care organizations elsewhere. 3.) Barriers to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Goals for improving the Nation’s health over the next decade can be achieved only if rural populations are included in efforts to remove barriers to access and use of clinical preventive services. 4.) Barriers Related to Lack in Health Care Technology. Technologies including telemedicine offer promise of improved access to health care, but their most efficient and effective applications need further evaluation. 5.) Organizational Barriers of Service Provision to Vulnerable Rural Populations: Low population density in rural areas makes it inherently difficult to deliver services that target persons with special health needs. Groups at particular risk include: the elderly; the poor; people with HIV or AIDS; the homeless; mothers, children, and adolescents; racial or ethnic minorities; and persons with disabilities. 6.) Consumer choice and the rural hospital. Factors that drive changes in rural hospitals have a critical effect on consumer choice and access. Significance of the Study This study is significant in that individuals in rural areas are likely to continue to receive less healthcare as well as less effective healthcare if rural healthcare does not gain necessary knowledge, informed by research study as to what should be done to better deliver health care services to those in rural areas. This study is of significance to several groups including patients depending on rural healthcare services, the families of these patients, the rural communities at large and the insurance companies who provide insurance coverage for individuals in rural areas.

Social Solidarity through Pop Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Social Solidarity through Pop Music - Essay Example Of the many artists, Bob Dylan and John Lennon exemplified the experience and in fact Jimi Hendrix had an album titled "Are You Experienced". This expressive revolution brought an audience together through a common bond and satisfied the pop music listener's quest for solidarity. It is not too much to say that the 1960s were the root of the expressive revolution of sacred realism through music. Breaking traditional forms of folk music by combining folk music and rock music, Bob Dylan was one of the most influential artists of the era and together with the Beatles were able to ignite a pop music revolution. The music was powerful and was able to unite listeners into a 'collective consciousness" by just appreciating their music together. Strangers passing on the street would be drawn together as friends by the acknowledgment of a familiar song. This collective solidarity gave the listener authenticity as well as a verification of a meaningful existence. This justification for one's life became the sacred authenticity that a generation was in search of. Breaking the mold and blending new styles opened the gates for listeners to detach from the tired past and experiment with their own identity. For Bob Dylan, unlike many artists who pursue only one style of music, Dylan did not stick with one genre. His music can be divided into many different genres such as folk, folk-rock, gospel, and country. Dylan's early music was inspired by a famous folk singer, Woody Guthrie, who had a great influence on the young Dylan. In a Los Angeles Times interview, Dylan said, "Woody's songs were about everything at the same time. They were about rich and poor, black and white, the highs and lows of life, the contradictions between what they were teaching in school and what was really happening" (Hilburn 2004). This indicated Dylan's understanding that integration meant collective. We were all one in search of a common medium. Dylan expressed current social issues through his lyrics as opposed to many traditional folk singers' upper class oriented musi c. His music was well blended with traditional instrumentation such as acoustic guitar, and harmonica. In addition, Dylan broke the stereotypical ideology that folk music cannot exist without its traditional form. By 'going electric' at the Newport Folk Festival, Dylan defied the norm and explored a revolutionary act that was widely criticized as a commercial sell out. However, Dylan had opened the door to his own identity and had invited millions of listeners to join him. Those that had been categorized for decades were free to become a part of the new consciousness. As Eyerman and Jamison contend, "The musician, songwriter, or composer must first learn the notation and the melodic and rhythmic procedures of the tradition in order to make music; otherwise it could not be passed on. But, at the same time, artistic creation requires that those rules be broken, or at least amended, so that the tradition can be rejuvenated by adding something new to it" (29). Dylan was able combine our cultures in a way that gave us an unspoken agreement and a silent bond that would soon become sacred. This bond would become a large part of our new identity. In his Los Angeles Times

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

Divorce - Essay Example As Per divorce statistics, it is estimated that between 40 percent and 50 percent of first marriages end in divorce in the U.S while in other countries, the divorce rate for first marriages exceed 50% (Grazian para 1). Statistics also indicate that marriages between couples at a tender age have a higher probability of getting a divorce as opposed to couples who get married in their late-twenties. There exist numerous reasons for seeking divorce, which are associated with the collapse in the marriage institution. One of the key reasons that contribute to failure in marriage is the lack of communication or poor communication among the couples, this depicts a situation where one feels that he/she is not appreciated, and thus resentment develops. Other reasons include martial conflicts and arguments, infidelity, age, religion, education, and income. Education and income play a vital role in divorce statistics whereby married couples with higher education and a higher income are less like ly to get divorced, as opposed to couples with lower education and lower income levels. Different religious denominations also show different divorce rates with those having no religious affiliations bearing a lower divorce rate. The society has experience degradation from the overspill of events among the ever-increasing number of divorced couples. This experience ranges from moral degradation of their children to the tainting of the marriage institution. The effects of divorce can be felt in the society's family life, in terms of income potential, crime, and drug abuse, which takes toll in their physical and emotional health. Increased divorce rates in the society raise tension and anxiety among married couples, who fear ending up like their divorced friends. In addition, strain accrued from divorce proceedings take their toll on the parties involved as well as their children. This has seen an increase in the rate of drug abuse and alcoholism in an attempt to alleviate the strain. Divorce proceeding decrease the income levels of a household, thus diminishing their potential to generate and accumulate wealth. There has been a drop in income in households undergoing divorce, which not only affects the children being raised in the household, but also the economic productivity potential of a nation, which is a negative effect to the society. With the divorce rate being at an all-time high, the society ought to be involved in the preservation of the marriage institution. The restoration of the importance of marriage to the society should involve all parties, as well as a commitment of resources to pro-marriage programs. Among the most commonly, reported reasons for divorce, alcohol and drug abuse are prime contributors to the deteriorating state of matters between couples (Amato and Previti 614 para 3). Alcohol-induced behaviors tend to dissolve social skills by creating a hostile or disapproving attitude towards everyone. Such behaviors may lead to infidelity, p oor communication and may inflict emotional trauma to one’s partner. The alcohol-induced behaviors may lead to insensitivity towards one’s partner, which alters communication skills and illustrates hostility. Poor communication skills among couples become a significant reason to seek dissolution of marriage, in which couples grow apart and initial attraction is lost. Children whose parents are divorced elicit signs of neglect, and suffer the blunt of the separation. They frequently demonstrate a diminished

ECONOMIC SOCIOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ECONOMIC SOCIOLOGY - Essay Example (2002, p. 163) argued that micro-level theories of social psychology are helpful. Another perspective that was offered was from Ridgeway and Correll (2004, p. 510) who argued that cultural beliefs about gender are the key components that maintain and change the gender system. The International Trade Union Confederation reported in 2009 (p. 16), that the gender mean pay gap in the United Kingdom is 19.8% in favour of males. In the United States, based on the National Educational Longitudinal Survey data, Bobbitt-Zeher found that college-educated men in their mid-20s earn on average about $7,000 more than college-educated women on an annual basis (2007, p. 1). Bobbitt-Zeher (2007, p. 1) pointed out that the gap is still substantial at $4,400 per annum if the men and women have the same or similar credentials, scores on tests, specialization, and degrees from similar colleges. Bobbitt-Zeher elaborated (2007, p. 1) that â€Å"gender differences in fields of study continue to disadvantage women.† Further, â€Å"gender differences in work-related factors are more important than are educational differences for understanding income inequality among young workers† (Bobbitt-Zeher 2007, p. 1). Bobbit-Zeher cited that several studies have articulated t hat education may have realized an important role in reducing gender wage gaps over the past few decades. According to Bobbitt-Zeher (2007, p. 3), the following are the sources of gender-income gap: (1) the tendency for certain college majors to be associated with gender; (2) alleged link between standardized tests and gender; (3) the link between gender and amount of education; and (4) the selectivity of the college attended. Cohen and Huffman (2007, p. 681) reported that women representation in management can be a source of gender-wage gap at the workplace. Cohen and Huffman (2007, p. 681) made the conclusion based on statistical results from three-level hierarchical models on data drawn from the

Said's Concept if Orientalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Said's Concept if Orientalism - Essay Example The Orient (comprising of countries like the Middle East, India, China, and those lying further east) has always occupied an area of interest within the realms of American cultural arena. Various topics that include men, women and children from the Orient, tend to appear persistently in different cultural discussions, with the greatest and most presumably, the highest influence seen in US based TV programmes and movies. Right from the time of its initiation, Hollywood has persistently represented characters from Orient (like Chinese, Indians and Arabs) in specific exotic terms that highlight their ethnicity (Irwin, 2007, 106). Thus, against a backdrop of stereotyped Oriental ‘Otherness’ stands the Western ‘good guys,’ a representation of the Eastern world by its Western counterpart, which is often biased and conventionalised (ibid). It is this (mal) representation or portrayal of various  non-western cultures  by western filmmakers, writers, and artists, which primarily arose from European colonial/ imperialistic attitude during the 18th-19th centuries, which has been termed ‘Orientalism,’ a concept derived from Edward Said’s famous book Orientalism published in 1978. ... The Hollywood films-makers have held a continuing dominance over the worldwide box-office right from WWI, without any strong or long-term competition from any other rival film industries. Even though there were major setbacks to Hollywood during the Great Depression and later during 1960s, their dominance over worldwide cinema remained unparalleled, thus spanning unquestioned influence over millions of viewers from all parts of the world for more than ten decades. Thus, it is understood that representation of any character(s) shown by Hollywood is bound to cast a strong influence on viewers all across the globe. Hence, one can contend that the negative and imagined portrayal of Orientalism has created a negative image of these countries on the global viewers, which is purely based on lack of adequate knowledge and presumptions on the part of Hollywood. In this context, we will examine the importance of Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism while analysing the dominant cinemas ( Hollywood’s) representation of people outside West. Discussion â€Å"East is East, West is West, and never the twain shall meet†~ Rudyard Kipling (1932) Said’s concept of Orientalism: In actual perspective, Orientalism refers to Orient or East, akin to the term ‘Occident,’ which means West. Said in his book Orientalism perceives the term as comprising of many false presumptions, misconceptions, and various wrong assumptions as conceived by  Westerners towards those residing in  Eastern parts of the world (however, here it must be noted that Said primarily relates Orientalism to the Middle East, where he had spent some years as a child). As Cheryl McEwan informs, Said in

Business in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business in UK - Essay Example It is one of the key options for the effective economic management. According to the British Economist, Mr. Keynes, the public spending needs to be increase when the private investment and spending is unbalanced and inadequate. There are two categories of spending, such as Capital spending and current spending. Capital spending considers spending on the physical assets, including roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals. On the other hand, current spending includes expenditure on raw materials and wages. Government describes fiscal policy by writing legislation and setting taxation level. The changes in fiscal and monetary policy can affect the businesses both directly or indirectly. The impacts are highlighted below. Fiscal policy generally engages changes in spending and taxation policies. Lower tax considers high disposable income for people and more cash to invest for business in equipments and jobs. On the other hand increasing consumption of taxes or income usually address less disposable income for people that can be decelerate the activities linked with the business (Ruddock, 116). It is evidenced that increasing ageing population and budget deficits should be addressed in order to sustain the long term business growth. Changes in the short-term interest rate generally manipulate long-term interest rates. Mortgage rate is the effective example of it. Low interest rate stands for higher disposable income for people and limited interest expense for a particular business. The combination of these two considers high business profit. High interest rate can affect the business firms as it results Lower sales and profit and higher interest expense. Changes in the interest rate have negative impact on the stock prices that can affect consumer spending. Several taxation policies have negative impacts on the business cost. For an example,

Business research and consultancy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business research and consultancy - Essay Example The paper tells that research and consultancy are two different concepts, which have a number of variations between them. However, they have so much in common and this is quite essential towards each other. Consultants require knowing the findings of research prior to recommending any incentive technique in dealing with the practical problems of management. It is imperative for consultants to consider whether any researches had been conducted towards the utilization of such techniques in circumstances similar to the ones their clients are experiencing. Business research was in the past deemed a data collection service focusing on markets whereby clients requested particular data and the market researchers collected and provided to them. Where such data is now accessible by the various market competitors, business have continually been challenged to not only focus on marketing but also their competitors in order to diagnose the market’s current situation and the problems existi ng in a more detailed manners and identify their weaknesses and strengths. Market is highly dynamic and this requires businesses to constantly analyze the marketplace so as to plan and match their company strengths with the existing market opportunities and devise tactics and strategies to achieve their objectives. Market research also plays an important role in enabling businesses to continuously watch for threats to their plans achievement. Business research is also critical for monitoring progress of an organization’s strategy implementation... Market is highly dynamic and this requires businesses to constantly analyze the marketplace so as to plan and match their company strengths with the existing market opportunities and devise tactics and strategies to achieve their objectives. Market research also plays an important role in enabling businesses to continuously watch for threats to their plans achievement. Business research is also critical for monitoring progress of an organization’s strategy implementation (Kent 1993, p. 2). Marketing research and consultancy practice is concerned with collection, analysis, and interpretation of data on market, company, and its surrounding environment. Such information is relevant for problem diagnosis, business planning, and market strategies control. When firms and entrepreneurs face problems in their businesses related to issues like decline in sales, poor customer relationships and satisfaction, stiff competition or general decline in product demand, they approach business r esearch and consultancy firms for advisory. To identify and address the problems, relevant data is required to identify factors leading to the problems and clarify the decision required to be made. Some research may involve product testing and others may involve pricing research especially for new market entrants (Kent 1993, p. 4). This paper is a reflective report in which the writer desires to give a comprehensive experience of business research and consultancy. The research has used secondary type of research to explore the debt collection software solutions used by various debt collection companies such as Line Time, Win Collect, Proclaim Case Management, Crevice, Adtec, TDX Group, Actius, Capture, Silver Link, Latitude and Experian’s Tallyman. This is a reflection of the

Critically reflect on my managerial role within my job Essay Example for Free

Critically reflect on my managerial role within my job Essay 1. Introduction With the development of society and economics, our world has become much more complex and changeful than years before. Todays managers have to be very sensitive to the changing of the environment, to understand and cope with the diversity of the world. As a result, the role management plays in private sector as well as public sector has become more and more important, both theoretically and practically. Elements of management could be found as early as in the building construction of the Pyramids in ancient Egypt. However, great progress has been made since last century in the study of management. The theories of management vary from culture to culture, from generation to generation. The following report is my understanding towards the principles of management and a reflection of my own managerial roles at work, referring to Mintzbergs ten principles. 2. About management theory The first theory of management was delivered by Henri Fayol, a French industrialist, in 1916. He defined management as to manage is to forecast and plan, to organise, to command, to co-ordinate and to control(Mc Ilwee T. and Roberts I., 1991, p.117). The other important management theories, such as Elton Mayos human relations movement, Max Webers idealized bureaucracy, and Henry Mintzbergs ten principles on management, have emerged subsequently. Here, I mainly want to introduce Henry Mintzbergs ten principles on management. * What is it? Henry Mintzbergs ten roles management theory was based on the study of five chief executives and a few others managers real lives. He described what he had seen as the roles a manager play, which were called ten principles on management. The ten roles are divided into three groups: interpersonal, informational, and decisional (see Figure 1). Figure 1 The Ten Managerial Roles The three interpersonal roles are radically considered the interpersonal relationships. In the figurehead role, the manager represents the organization in all matters of formality. Duties that involve inter personal roles may sometimes be routine, Nevertheless, they are important to the smooth functioning of an organization and cannot be ignored by the manager (Mintzberg H., 1989, p.15-16). The leader role defines the relationships between the manger and employees. In the liaison role, the manger maintains information links both inside and outside organization. The interpersonal roles make the managers more easily accept information. Thus, the three informational roles are primarily concerned with the information aspects of managerial work. The processing of information is a key part of the managers job (Mintzberg H, 1989, p.18). In the monitor role, the manager acts as the nerve centre for the organisation, receiving the latest, most concrete, most up-to-date information. In the role of disseminator, the manager transmits special information into the organization. In the role of spokesperson, the manager disseminates the organizations information into its environment. Information is not, of course, and end in itself; it is the basic input to decision-making (Mintzberg H., 1989, p.19). The decisional roles make significant use of the information. The unique access to information places the manager at the centre of organisational decision-making. There are four decisional roles. In the entrepreneur role, the manager tries to improve their organization by seeking effective ways of using resources and technologies. In the disturbance handler role, the manger resolves unexpected problems that threaten organizational goals. In the resource-allocating role, the manager decides how organizational resources will be used to meet planned objectives. In the negotiator role, the manager negotiates on behalf of the organization. Although the Mntzbergs ten managerial roles are described individually, they are hardly separated. No role can be pulled out of the framework and the job be left intact (Mintzberg H., 1989, p.19). So we should consider the Mntzbergs ten managerial roles as both interactive and integrated. * Why do I choose it? There are many definitions of management, and most of them are relatively concise and simplistic. However, management is a complex process much more complex than this simple definition leads us to believe (Griffin R. W., 1999, p.4). Although there are several other major approaches and theories that exist, such as the human resources, quantitative, and systems approaches, I believe that their impact on the management basics is not as greatly felt as that of the works of Mintzberg. Mintzberg focused on what the managers job and life is really like, applied the folklore and fact to managers, and got the ten managerial roles theory. Compared with other management theories, Mintzbergs work is considered as the best reflection of the practice in the real manager life, which analyses the managerial roles comprehensively. Many of them can be found in todays management ideas and practices. In addition, Mintzberg regards the ten roles as a whole, which makes us more easier understand the pro cess of management. 3. Critically reflect on managerial role within my work I worked in Liaoning Provincial Financial Bureau, taking charge of government procurement. Although I am not at the position of manager yet, I actually shoulder the equivalent responsibilities in the administration of work. Most of the ten managerial roles, which Mintzberg had mentioned in his article, were involved in my daily work. In addition, these roles do not exist separately, they connect with each other. Here is an illustration of my managerial roles at work with regard to Mintzbergs theory (see Figure 2). Figure 2 Firstly, the interpersonal roles help me get more useful information. With no title manager, the figurehead role seldom occurs in my work. But I actually perform the leader role. I should set goals and make plans to decide how the process of government procurement to be arranged. In the three interpersonal roles, I think the liaison role is the basic role in my work. From my personal experience, if I want to provide better services, I must contact with people both inside and outside. For example, I need make contacts outside to learn what the public sectors, which I am in charge of, want to buy this year, and then decide how government procurement can be arranged. In addition, I must connect with my colleagues to learn the other public sectors demands. In this stage, the communication is important. Communication is the exchange of information, facts, ideas, and meanings. Good communication is vital in organisations and lies at the heart of effective management. How to achieve effective communication? I conclude the following principles according to my work experience. Know what your objective is, Analyse situation, Use effective communication tools, such as mail, phone calls, meetings, etc., Make sure you understand what the others say properly. Secondly, the informational roles are the main constitution of my work. Everyday I seek and receive a great deal of information through interpersonal roles (monitor role), and then forward information to other organization members (disseminator role), and furthermore transmit information to outsiders (spokesman role). For example, I collect information from the suppliers and buyers, and then discuss this information with my colleagues. Afterward, I must pass on clear and definitive information to outside people who concern about it. In this stage, it is important for me to distinguish different kinds of information. Because I receive a great deal of information both internally and externally every day, I must tell immediately the informal information from those formal ones, so as to get precise and useful information for users both inside and outside. It is essential to establish a steady and efficient channel to achieve a free information flow. Thirdly, the decisional roles are the most important roles in my work. Of four decisional roles, I spend more time in the disturbance handler and negotiation role. I must deal with all the questions from suppliers and buyers, and coordinate among them. Sometimes, I get them together and make trade-off to get a win-win solution in some difficult transaction. From my work experience, I conclude that the ability to analyze, interpret, and solve problems becomes increasingly important for managers. It is crucial for managers to see the organization as a whole and the relationships among its various levels and visualize ways to make the organization more efficient and effective. These abilities are essential to effective decision-making. How to achieve effective decision-making? It depends on many factors. Quality of information, which you have received, is the key element of decision-making. In addition, the skill of disturbance handler and negotiation will help you achieve effective decision-making. 4. Conclusion We have learned lots of management theories. Mintzbergs ten managerial roles are the synthesis of theory and practice. It is helpful for management work. But I think we should pay more attention to practice of management. We should synthesize our own methods and habits that are suitable for our own area. It will eventually make the public administration more effective and efficient. Reference * Griffin R. W., (1999) Management, 6th .ed., Houghton Mifflin. * Mc Ilwee T., Roberts, I. (1991) Human Resourse Management. * Mintzberg H., (1989) Mintzberg On Management: Inside Our Strange World of Organizations, London: Collier Macmillan Publisher.

The Emotional Impact of Infertility and Assisted Reproduction

The Emotional Impact of Infertility and Assisted Reproduction 1. Introduction It is assumed by the majority of young people that they will conceive later in life and have their own family. Unfortunately, a significant proportion will have difficulty in reproducing and will need to seek help. Infertility is the inability to conceive after regular unprotected intercourse for a minimum of 12 months (NICE guidelines) and affects approximately 80 million people worldwide (WHO 2002). It is estimated in the UK that one in seven couples will have difficulty conceiving (HFEA). The inability to conceive can be a very stressful situation, and can bare huge strain on individuals and their relationships. Infertility is not solely a physiological condition but also a psychological and social condition; of which is often overlooked. Having difficulty conceiving can have vast psychological consequences on the individual which may affect social relationships and cause a feeling of isolation and stress. It can have a negative influence on relationships provoking marital issues sometimes resulting in divorce. Many patients who are undergoing assisted reproduction treatment (ART) find it difficult to fit into social situation and struggle with the personal management of infertility. This report aims to review the literature available to discuss the emotional impact of infertility and ART by examining the social and cultural impact of infertility, including gender and marital issues, and stress and depression. It also aims to briefly assess the effects of stress on ART outcome. 2. Sociology Infertility affects all parts of an individuals life; it is a social situation. The value of fertility is often misunderstood and the role of parenting is natural and assumed. An integral part of adult development is the ability to reproduce (Leiblum and Greenfield 1997). Individuals who have fertility problems often find themselves challenging their identity and self-worth (Greil 1991). They may feel that their body has failed its natural function. Female patients, in particular, undergo severe emotional suffering and find they feel a loss of control. They may feel confused and angry and often isolated from the fertile world. It is common for women to blame themselves for the infertility the couple experience, particularly if caused by a female factor. They may feel guilt from previous relationships, indiscretions or abortions (Domar and Seibel 1997). Patients have reported a lack of empathy from friends and family who are unable to relate to their situation. A vast proportion of ART patients are anxious that they will not receive the support they require (Miall 1986). Interestingly, different people suffer more at different points in their treatment, for example some exhibit the highest levels of anxiety and stress whilst trying to conceive and others during or after treatment (Cousineau and Domar 2006). Confronting infertility can, in some people, be the most difficult part. Studies have shown that discussing infertility can reduce stress levels in men and women (Schmidt et al 2005), and that women are more likely to discuss their situation with friends, colleagues and professionals (Abbey et al 1991). The infertility becomes a focal point of life, disorganising their world. This focus can result in eliminating or postponing other important aspects such as careers, aspirations and social connections (McLaney et al 1995). The balance between managing infertility and its treatment and maintaining healthy relationships with family, friends and work is extremely difficult. Firstly, the patients must rearrange their lifestyle and schedule to undergo vigorous medication and examinations which will have a significant impact on their body and mind (Mahlstedt 1985). Secondly, patients have reported that social settings become increasingly difficult due to feelings of upset and anger towards people who are pregnant or those who have children (Domar and Seibel 1997). In addition, some women may chose to bury their distress, through feelings of embarrassment or self-consciousness, further increasing the difficulty in social situations. The psychological impact of infertility is certainly under -estimated. 2.1 Culture In many cultures procreation is encouraged and the importance of biological parenting is vast. For example, for Islamic women there is huge emphasis on fecundability, and marriage is highly associated with a subsequent family (Fido and Zahid 2004). Women are expected to continue the family name and reproduce as assurance that elderly relatives can be cared for. The majority of cultures are accepting of ART, however, in some religions some aspects are forbidden. For example in the Islamic community the donation of eggs or sperm is prohibited as it is classified as adultery (Serour and Dickens 2000). Irrespective of whether cause of infertility is a male or female factor, in many cultures, for example some Arab and Asian communities, the females are usually blamed (Fido and Zahid 2004). In these communities infertility is associated with an enormous amount of shame. By Western norms infertility has become very accepted, in particularly for the male to take responsibility for the cause of infertility in a significant proportion of couples. Unfortunately this is not the case with all cultures, in extreme situations women can be blamed and subsequently subjected to violence and exile, irrespective of whether they are the cause of the couples infertility as their status is now diminished (Rustein and Shah 2004). 2.1. Gender In the past infertility has always been associated with the female. However, over half of couples undergoing treatment are due to both male and female infertility (Johansson et al 2011) and half of these are solely male factor infertility (NICE guidelines 2004). Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has further increased the acceptance of male infertility and in many cases enabled the couple to overcome it. As previously discussed many cultures have not come to terms with male factor infertility and woman can be severely victimised against, suffering dramatic consequences (Rustein and Shah 2004). The literature demonstrates that women feel significantly more pressure on them to reproduce, they find infertility treatment considerably more stressful and they suffer more emotionally than their male partner (Jordan and Revenson 1999). Despite this, the psychological well-being of the male partner should not be ignored. Men are severely affected by infertility (Wright et al 1991, Carmeli And Birbaum-Carmelli 1994), however there is much less exposure of this. The males feelings are often overshadowed by the females and they may hide their emotions in order to support their partners. Male patients are reported to use different coping mechanisms (Peterson et al 2006) such as engaging in extra work and other activities (Jordan and Revenson 1999), which may give the impression they are less affected emotionally than the female. Men can feel a severe loss of masculinity, particularly if there is male factor infertility, and can become extremely embarrassed resulting in low self-esteem. Men may feel inadequate in fulfilling their role in the relationship being unable to provide their partner with a child. Additionally the stress of being unable to conceive and the subsequent treatment can lead to impotency and sexual dysfunction (Saleh et al 2003). Although the patients are treated as a couple, the female is normally the identified patient, irrespective of the cause of infertility. The emphasis on the psychological well-being of the female is understandable considering the female will undergo the immense and invasive treatment necessary for IVF/ICSI. It is the female that must inject herself daily and rearrange her schedule to have blood tests and scans for weeks before her eggs are even collected. Despite this, it is important to be aware that both the male and female will be under enormous amounts of psychological and emotional strain and neither should be ignored. 2.1. Marital There is varying information about the effect of infertility on relationships and marital status. Interview studies have shown that going through infertility and assisted reproduction can bring relationships closer together and often strengthen marriage in approximately one-third of couples seeking treatment (Schmidt 2009). Other studies have demonstrated marital problems as a result of their infertility, in particularly suffering from a lack of effective communication and often using active-avoid coping mechanisms. Evidence suggests there is increased marital stress between couples when they do not conceive in the first year compared to those couples who do (Benazon et al 1992). Additionally, couples have reported their physical relationship suffers whilst trying to conceive and whilst undergoing infertility treatment (Benazon et al 1992). Although not always recommended, many couples have intercourse at specific times in the females cycle, which can diminish intimacy and sexual fun ction, further enhancing relationship stress. 3. Stress and depression Stress is defined as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the stimulus which produces mental tensionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Cousineau and Domar 2006). The inability to conceive is undoubtedly a very stressful situation. It is extremely difficult to measure psychological stress as it can be subjective. Despite this, it is clear that mild to moderate stress and depressive symptoms are present in the majority of people undergoing ART treatment (Demyttenaere et al 1998). Studies demonstrate that depression and anxiety levels in women who are experiencing fertility problems are dramatically increased and are significantly higher than in fertile women (Domar et al 1992). These levels of depression and anxiety have been reported to be comparable to patients undergoing cancer treatment, myocardial infarction and HIV-positive patients (Domar et al 1993). Unsuccessful IVF attempts can result in severe depressive symptoms and it has been shown that over 10% of women experience passive suicidal ideations (Baram et al 1988). This highlights the importance of monitoring patients emotional state before, throughout and after treatment. 3.1. Affect on ART outcome There is conflicting evidence that suggests stress factors may influence IVF outcome. A prospective study carried out by Klonoff-Cohen et al (2001) demonstrated that baseline stress levels were significantly related to biological end-points. This included oocyte number, fertilisation rates, and pregnancy and live birth rate. These findings emphasise the importance of emotional and psychological support early on in treatment. In contrast, a recent meta-analysis, by Boivin et al 2011, collated 14 studies with a total of 3583 women and assessed the effect of emotional distress in infertile women undergoing fertility treatment on the outcome of their treatment. The conclusions were confident that stress does not compromise their ART outcome. Although the jury is still out with regards to stress affecting ART outcome, stress has an impact during pregnancy. High emotional stress levels can increase glucocorticoid levels which negatively affect foetal development and birth outcomes (Bolten et al 2011, Schulz et al 2011). Therefore patients stress levels should be monitored during assisted reproduction treatment, and importantly also after treatment, whether successful or not. 4. Conclusion In conclusion, this report has demonstrated that infertility patients undergo significant emotional distress. Infertility and its treatment can bare huge strains on all aspects of their lives particularly social interactions with friends and partners. Patients feel a loss of control and their infertility becomes the focus of their life often resulting in the neglect of other aspects. They may feel upset, anger and a lack of self-worth. This is heightened in some cultures which do not accept infertility and bare huge pressures on reproduction. In these cultures women, in particular, can be subjected to very severe treatment such as exile. Women appear to suffer more emotionally than their male counterpart; however this may be due to the male hiding his feelings to support his female partner. Males can experience a severe loss of masculinity and feel inadequate in fulfilling their role. Both members of the couple will be experiencing substantial distress and this can have positive and negative impacts on their relationship. Some marriages benefit from treatment by becoming emotionally closer, others do not. It is clear from this report that there is significant stress associated with infertility which can result in depression and anxiety. This can be particularly serious in those patients who have unsuccessful attempts at IVF. There is varying evidence to whether this stress and anxiety affects ART outcome. Whether or not it affects outcome it is fundamental that the psychological aspects of infertility and ART are not ignored. Counselling and emotional management should be offered to all patients before, during and after treatment. Stress and depression levels should also be monitored a various time points as the welfare of the patient is paramount.

How important is the setting in the short stories you have read? :: English Literature

How important is the setting in the short stories you have read? In this assignment I will analyse 5 short stories, which are all pre 1914. These are – ‘The man with the twisted lip’, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, ‘The Red Room’, by H.G Wells, ‘The Signalman’, by Charles Dickens, ‘A Terribly Strange Bed,’ by Wilkie Collins and ‘The Ostler’, also by Wilkie Collins. The stories all have an exterior location. For example, in the Red Room, the corridors on the way to The Red Room. The language H.G Wells uses, such as ‘haunted’, ‘darkness’ and ‘shadowy’ create a feeling of tension and suspense. This is even before you have reached the main setting. Compared to The Signalman, the way the settings are portrayed, there is very little difference. Some of the words used by Charles Dickens, such as ‘dark’, ‘gloomy red light’ and ‘cold’. Some similarities are that they both talk about darkness and lack of light. The interior settings play a significant part in most of the stories. The man with the twisted lip, there is an opium den. This sets the scene to a dark and gloomy setting, just as the authors did with the exterior setting. The authors are always using dark and gloomy symbolism. The opium den is described as ‘gloomy’, ‘dark’ and ‘black shadows’. This gets you on the edge, and you want to read on. In comparison to The Red Room which uses shock and surprise. Where it says ‘the young duke had died’, it goes on to say, ‘headlong down the steps’. This immediately shocks you because it is such a horrific death. This therefore is a very important part of the setting. In addition, when the candles start to go out, the character panics. The writer uses phrases such as ‘suddenly went out’, ‘black shadow sprang back to its place’ and ‘darkness was there.’ This excites the reader, and you want to read on. Also the writer uses short, sharp sentences to emphasise the panic and terror, which the character is feeling. Also the sub characters help to portray the eeriness of the story. In The Red Room, there is a man with a ‘withered arm’, and another with ‘decaying yellow teeth’. To the reader this is a very unpleasant and sickening thought. The people who spread the myth of The Red Room help to give out a horrific feeling to the story. In The man with the twisted lip, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle describes the people in the opium den as ‘bodies’, not as people. This shows that he does not see the

Old Time Television :: essays research papers

Old Time Television I love Lucy Leave It to Beaver Honeymooners Superman Quiz shows!!!! Leave it to Beaver contributed to the notion of the perfect Fifties family. Parents never raised their voices or were too busy for the kids. Dad didn't work late. Mom, well, poor Mom seemed obliged to remain perfectly coifed and dressed regardless of task. Dusting, vacuuming, cooking. No matter. She always had a dress and her heels on. What they never showed was Mom ironing which must have been a daily ordeal to keep all those nice outfits pressed. A life crisis consisted of a lost report card or failure to eat your vegetables. Still, we watched. Amused by the comings and goings of the Cleaver family and I suspect, wishing our own families could be as perfect as the Cleavers. The Honeymooners was really television's first spin-off. I Love Lucy Lucille Ball was a pathfinder who paved the way for all the women in TV to follow. Without Lucy, arguably, there might not have been a Carol Burnett or Mary Tyler Moore. She proved women could be the leads and carry a show. Not one show, but several. None of which takes away from Desi Arnaz's estimable talents as a producer. His "can do" attitude made the "I Love Lucy Show" work. He innovated the three camera filming format still in use today. Previously, shows like this were performed before a live audience and preserved on kinescope which makes poor copies. Desi's filiming of Lucy is the reason there are great copies today. The show ran in a period of TV history when married people slept in separate beds which would explain why on TV, women didn't get "pregnant.

What caused the Hindenburg explosion :: essays research papers

The Hindenburg was a luxury airship, from nazi Germany. This "Titanic of the skies" (no pun intended) was destroyed by a flash fire in 1937 while landing in New Jersey after making its 10th transatlantic crossing. Thirty-five of the 97 people aboard and one ground crew member were killed when the blimp burst into flames and was rapidly consumed by the fire. The Hindenburg was filled with hydrogen gas which is lighter than air. The gas was stored in sixteen large gas cells inside the ship. Like all gases, hydrogen expands when heated. If the hydrogen gas in the Hindenburg were to overheat, the gas could expand enough to burst the gas cells and send the ship plummeting to earth. The Hindenburg's engineers knew about this potential danger and came up with a solution to the problem; they painted the surface of the airship with a chemical "doping compound" that contained powdered aluminum and iron oxide. This compound was chosen because it did a good job of reflecting the rays of the sun, therefore ensuring that the gas cells inside the ship would not overheat. There have been three main theories as to what happened to cause such a disaster. The official story has always been that the Hindenburg disaster was caused by the ignition of the flammable hydrogen gas used to lift the zeppelin. This has been over and over proven to be incorrect because witnesses of the explosion proclaim that it was like a fire works display, ummm... hydrogen burns without color.... Even pictures depicting the explosion show that the blaze from it contains pigment! The second theory is that the cause of the explosion was an electrical conductor. The â€Å"doping compound† that was used to prevent the hydrogen from heating up was extremely flammable. On the night before the Hindenburg was landing their was an electrical storm, and the surface of the ship became electrically charged. Engineers had already planned for this however, they attached mooring lines, ropes, that would go down to the ground and take the static charge to the ground with them as the ship landed. There were, however, panels that remained charged. Eventually, this built-up electricity inside the remaining panels took the form of a spark. Since the charged panels were covered with the doping compound's highly reactive metal powders, this spark caused them to ignite and burn very rapidly.

Basic of Stock Market

Wouldn't you love to be a business owner without ever having to show up at work? Imagine if you could sit back, watch your company grow, and collect the dividend checks as the money rolls in! As you've probably guessed, we're talking about owning stocks. This fabulous category of financial instruments is, without a doubt, one of the greatest tools ever invented for building wealth.Stocks are a part, if not the cornerstone, of nearly any investment portfolio. When you start on your road to financial freedom, you need to have a solid understanding of stocks and how they trade on the stock market.Over the last few decades, the average person's interest in the stock market has grown exponentially. What was once a toy of the rich has now turned into the vehicle of choice for growing wealth. This demand coupled with advances in trading technology has opened up the markets so that nowadays nearly anybody can own stocks. This paper is intended to explain all the basic questions about the inv esting. This will help new investors to lighten up their confusions and equip them the basic idea of Stock Market. Basic of Stock Market What Are Stocks?Stock is a share in the ownership of a company. Stock represents a claim on the company's assets and earnings. As you acquire more stock, your ownership stake in the company becomes greater. Shares, equity, or stock, it all means the same thing. Being an Owner Holding a company's stock means that you are one of the many owners (shareholders) of a company and, as such, you have a claim (albeit usually very small) to everything the company owns. This means that technically you own a tiny sliver of every piece of furniture, every trademark, and every contract of the company.As an owner, you are entitled to your share of the company's earnings as well as any voting rights attached to the stock. A stock is represented by a stock certificate. This is a fancy piece of paper that is proof of your ownership. In today's computer age, sharehol ders won't actually get to see this document because the brokerage keeps these records electronically, which is also known as holding shares. In the past, when a person wanted to sell his or her shares, that person physically took the certificates down to the brokerage. Now, trading can be done with a click of the mouse or a phone call.Debt vs. Equity Why does a company issue stock? Why would the founders share the profits with thousands of people when they could keep profits to themselves? The reason is that at some point every company needs to raise money. To do this, companies can either borrow it from somebody or raise it by selling part of the company, which is known as issuing stock. A company can borrow by taking a loan from a bank or by issuing bonds. Both methods fit under the umbrella of debt financing. On the other hand, issuing stock is called equity financing.Issuing stock is advantageous for the company because it does not require the company to pay back the money or m ake interest payments along the way. All that the shareholders get in return for their money is the hope that the shares will someday be worth more than what they paid for them. The first sale of a stock, which is issued by the private company itself, is called the initial public offering (IPO) (Mladjenovic, 2002). When buying a debt investment such as a bond, shareholders are guaranteed the return of their money (the principal) along with promised interest payments.But in equity investment, being one of the owners of the company, shareholders assume the risk of the company not being successful – just as a small business owner isn't guaranteed a return, neither is a shareholder. Shareholders earn a lot if a company is successful, but they also stand to lose their entire investment if the company isn't successful. Risk It must be emphasized that there are no guarantees when it comes to individual stocks. Some companies pay out dividends, but many others do not.And there is no obligation to pay out dividends even for those firms that have traditionally given them. Without dividends, an investor can make money on a stock only through its appreciation in the open market. On the downside, any stock may go bankrupt, in which case shareholders investment is worth nothing. Although risk might sound all negatives, there is also a bright side. Taking on the greater risk also demands a greater return on investment. This is the reason why stocks have historically outperformed other investments such as bonds or savings accounts.Over the long term, an investment in stocks has historically had an average return of around 10-12%. Different Types of Stocks There are two main types of stocks: common stock and preferred stock. Common Stock A common stock is the basic stock a corporation issues. It just shows that shareholder own a fraction of the company. The common stocks are directly influenced by failures and successes of the company. Common stocks are more of a gamble . Since there is a higher chance of making profit, common stock owners are issued their dividends or profits after the preferred stock.Over the long term, common stock, by means of capital growth, yields higher returns than almost every other investment. If a company goes bankrupt and liquidates, the common shareholders will not receive money until the creditors, bondholders and preferred shareholders are paid. Preferred Stock Preferred stock represents some degree of ownership in a company but usually doesn't come with the same voting rights (Wikipedia, 2006). After all the common stock has been issued, companies begin to distribute preferred stock. The preferred stock owners are given their dividends before the common stock owners are.Also, if the company goes out of business, and liquidates, the preferred stock owners are paid back the money they invested before the common stockholders are reimbursed. The main drawback of preferred stocks is that they cannot benefit as much from company profits because they are only paid a fixed dividend payment. How Stocks Trade Most stocks traded on exchanges, which are places where buyers and sellers meet and decide on a price. Some exchanges are physical locations where transactions are carried out on a trading floor.The other type of exchange is virtual, composed of a network of computers where trades are made electronically – Internet trading. The purpose of a stock market is to facilitate the exchange of securities between buyers and sellers, reducing the risks of investing. The New York Stock Exchange The most prestigious exchange in the world is the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) (Encarta, 2006). The â€Å"Big Board† was founded over 200 years ago in 1792, with the signed of the Buttonwood Agreement by 24 New York City stockbrokers and merchants.Orders come in through brokerage firms that are members of the exchange and flow down to floor brokers who go to a specific spot on the floor where the stock trades. At this location, known as the trading post, there is a specific person known as the specialist whose job is to match buyers and sellers. Prices are determined using an auction method: the current price is the highest amount any buyer is willing to pay and the lowest price at which someone is willing to sell. Once a trade has been made, the details are sent back to the brokerage firm, who then notifies the investor who placed the order.Although there is human contact in this process, computers play a huge role in the process too. The Nasdaq The second type of exchange is the virtual sort called an over-the-counter (OTC) market, of which the Nasdaq is the most popular. These markets have no central location or floor brokers. Trading is done through a computer and telecommunications network of dealers. A market maker provides continuous bid and ask prices within a prescribed percentage spread for shares for which they are designated to make a market.They may match up buyers an d sellers directly but usually they will maintain an inventory of shares to meet demands of investors. Other Exchanges The third largest exchange in the U. S. is the American Stock Exchange (AMEX). The AMEX used to be an alternative to the NYSE, but Nasdaq had filled that role since. In fact, the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), which is the parent of Nasdaq, bought the AMEX in 1998. Almost all trading now on the AMEX is in small-cap stocks and derivatives. Buying StocksYou've now learned what a stock is and a little bit about the principles behind the stock market, but how do investors actually go about buying stocks? Investors don't have to go down into the trading pit yelling and screaming your order. There are two main ways to purchase stock: Using a Brokerage The most common method to buy stocks is to use a brokerage. Brokerages come in two different kinds. Full-service brokerages offer to investors (supposedly) expert advice and can manage the investorâ€℠¢s account; they also charge a lot.While discount brokerages offer little in the way of personal attention but are much cheaper. At one time, only the wealthy could afford a broker since only the expensive, full-service brokers were available. But when Internet came, the online discount brokers have been available, more affordable. DRIPs & DIPs Dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) and direct investment plans (DIPs) are plans by which individual companies, for a minimal cost, allow shareholders to purchase stock directly from the company. Drips are a great way to invest small amounts of money at regular intervals. Bull and Bear MarketsIn addition to the three market theories mentioned above, there are other ways of thinking about the market as a whole, that are less theoretical and more grounded in what is actually happening to them. One way is to describe the overall trends in the market, such as by defining them as bearish or bullish. The Bulls A bull market, loosely defined, is a m arket in which the major stock indexes have risen by over 20% over a substantial period of time, usually measured in months or years. Bull markets can happen as a result of an economic recovery, an economic boom, or simple investor psychology (Khan, 1998).The longest and most famous of all bull markets is the one that began in the early 1990s in which the U. S. equity markets grew at their fastest pace ever. The Bears Bear markets are the exact opposite of bull markets: they are markets in which the major indexes have declined by 20% or more over a period of at least two months (a decline that large for any shorter time period is simply called a â€Å"correction†, especially if it followed a substantial rise). Bear markets usually occur when the economy is in a recession and unemployment is high, or when inflation is rising quickly.The most famous bear market in U. S. history was, the Great Depression of the 1930s. Price Chart/ Stock Table A price chart graphically illustrate s a stock's price action over a selected period — one year, for instance. Some investors, called technical analysts or chartists, feel it's a waste of time examining financial statements, dissecting analysts' forecasts or pondering a firm's prospects vis-a-vis the competition. Instead, they believe that a price chart tells them everything they need to know about a stock. Chartists say stock prices move in trends.That is, a stock that has already been moving up in price (up trend) will continue its winning ways, while one going the other way (downtrend) will continue to disappoint its shareholders. The analysis is easy. If the stock is in an up trend, the price will be higher on the right side than in middle or left side of the chart. Conversely, the right side will be lower than the middle or the left side if it's in a downtrend. Conclusion In conclusion, people around us might say that Stock Market is a gamble and investors might lose their money anytime.It will only happen if the investor will not do his responsibility as investors. Investing is not easy, investor need to do his assignment in order to gain. There have been untold ways about how to make the stock market easier and safer for the new investors. Few, if any, are likely to prove useful or effective. But in order to minimize the risks of financial market imbalances, it is important that there be a well thought-out laws for investing, rules and regulations that implement properly, smoothly, and honestly. This task requires the participation of all concerned investors.Bibliography Khan, A. (1998). Stock Investing for Everyone: Tools for Investing Like the Pros (p. 136). San Jose, CA: Bookworld Services Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia (2006). Stock Exchange. Retrieved last December 03, 2006, from http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761560145/Stock_Exchange. html#s1 Mladjenovic, P. (2002). Stock Investing for Dummies (p. 9). Indianapolis, Indiana: Wiley Publishing, Inc. Wikipedi a, the free encyclopedia (2006). Preferred stock. Retrieved last December 03, 2006, from http://en

Poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

To read and understand the literature, it must be read slowly and using all the senses in it. Literature could teach us several things to understand life and their situations. The purpose of this writing is to discuss a literary work through a personal experience. The poem that will be discussed in this essay will be â€Å"Still I Rise† by Maya Angelou. This is her famous poem ever known. This author is a very good writer, I am reading her poems for the first time and I liked her poems so much. This poem suggests that we can overcome difficulties in life, despite rejections and injustice. It also discusses racism and all the problems black people could have because of the discrimination and all the things that involve racism. It is a call for the blacks to be proud of their origin. The black person (the author), seems liberated from her color. This poem also tells to us the importance of being strong in front of the worst circumstances. And no matter the situation, you can overcome and learn from it. In this case, the author exposes the racism in the time of slavery. The poem has a very positive tone. Also, it is written for all type of people, I mean that anyone could read it and would understand its purpose very easily and quickly. The author says that no matter what, she will still rise. This poem has a lot of feelings; you can feel it when you are reading it. I think that the author had a painful past to have written this poem. Also, it is written for all type of people, I mean that anyone could read it and would understand its purpose very easily and quickly. You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise. † Maya Angelou in this verse openly shows the white people discrimination towards black. Everyone has had a moment of discrimination in life, where we have spent many negative things. I have being identified personally with the author. Although I was not present at the time of sla very, I have been a victim of much other discrimination. I have been a victim of many other negative things that I have passed. About a year and a half ago, I lost my boyfriend because of a chronic disease. Now, my dad has the same disease and that makes me feel very sad, because I'm living the same situation. It is a very difficult situation, because I am reviving all the things that I passed along his disease. But I have been overcoming and willing all of it with my Lords help. Sometimes, we feel that we can’t live with a very strong emotional charge. That is when we have to be reborn and rise as the author says in her poem. We have to rise and overcome all the problems and situations in our life even worse than the most. In conclusion, life is not easy as it seems. Life is full of obstacles and setbacks that we couldn’t avoid because fate wants it that way. I think that people have always to believe in themselves and don’t let other people to put them down. As the author, Maya Angelou has rise despite all the bad and painful that ever happened her life. We need to learn from this poem and take example. I think it's a very good poem to enhance and analyze the meaning of life and our purpose in it.

On what grounds have Liberals defended democracy

Liberals, no matter classical or modern, believe in small state. As Thomas Paine put it: â€Å"Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil†. This concept links nicely with the idea of democracy, which literally means â€Å"rule by people†. Liberals have defended democracy on the grounds that people must have a way of protecting themselves against the government and its actions.This type of democracy is also referred to as protective democracy. Moreover, democracy opens an ability for people to choose. In a pure democracy, for instance, people would vote on every occasion ND policy, hence the core liberal idea of individualism would flourish in its fullest. However, in modern society it is practically impossible to have pure democracy, so we have to resort to participatory democracy.This still support the idea of individualism, as each vote counts towards the end result. Moreover, democracy improves political participation as people know that their voices will be heard. It also encourages political education in order to make the best choice of the candidate, which links with the idea of reason and the core period in liberalism's history of enlightenment.By being rational and self-seeking, individuals will want the best for themselves, hence they will seek to vote for the candidate that suits their needs and beliefs best, In order to do so, they will have to read, debate or learn about them by other means, which will increase the overall Intelligence of Individuals and therefore help them achieve their full potential, which Is what modern liberals believe is the main function of the government. Talking about modern liberalism, they have also defended democracy on the grounds that It promotes pluralism In our society.Democracy gives many competing groups, such as political parties or pressure groups, a political voice, which connects those to the political system and hence maintains political stability. Stability Is further promoted I n terms of Individuals: they all have a vote, and even If their candidate looses the election, a rational Individual will understand that the candidate who won had the majority support. In conclusion, liberals have defended democracy as It adheres to their core principles of Individualism and reason, as well as their view of the role of the government. ICC will increase the overall intelligence of individuals and therefore help them achieve their full potential, which is what modern liberals believe is the main defended democracy on the grounds that it promotes pluralism in our society. Maintains political stability. Stability is further promoted in terms of individuals: they all have a vote, and even if their candidate looses the election, a rational individual liberals have defended democracy as it adheres to their core principles of individualism and reason, as well as their view of the role of the government.

Identity in “the Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man”

Identity in â€Å"The Autobiography of an ex-colored man† The Autobiography of an ex-colored man is a fiction novel dealing with acceptance and fitting in. The narrator of the story, who is considered both black and white, is struggling in his quest to find his true identity. The book is tragic and ironic in a way, since the main character spends a huge part of his life pretending to be white, while the author, James Johnson, is an active fighter for the rights of colored people.The novel itself is one of the first texts ever written, showing the difficulties which people of colour were facing. The hero goes back and forth while exploring the world and his roots. That is why, probably seeking redemption, he goes back to his childhood dream of becoming a great man of colour. Personal history and childhood is always in the bottom of people and their behavior. This is why understanding the narrator’s childhood and his dream is important for understanding his identity.In th e beginning of the book the author describes Shiny’s great speech and how this triggered his dream of becoming a great coloured man. The little boy’s triumph seems to inspire the narrator’s dream, but the later description of the â€Å"phenomenon of enthusiasm† which comes after Shiny’s triumph, and every other Negro, who has reached Excellency, suggests that a man of colour can never achieve a true victory. It seems like the author suggests that Shiny is not actually applauded because of his speech, but rather because of his skin colour and the fact that white people expect less from him.Aware of that, the narrator believes that whatever he achieves in his life, every rise and fall, will be judged by â€Å"coloured eyes† and that is probably why he ultimately does not choose to follow his childhood dream of becoming a composer The author describes the little black boy in great details. In the author’s opinion, Shiny â€Å"made a str iking picture†, which implies that the boy looks ridiculous on the stage.To complete the picture of the boy, the narrator explains how his clothes â€Å"didn’t fit him too well†, which provokes the reader’s sympathy, because of the fact that he is trying to prove how he is more than what he looks like. The ex-coloured man also describes Shiny’s looks as â€Å"positively handsome†, which implies a surprise that someone that black can actually look handsome. The way in which the boy is described, reveals the hidden bias against the coloured people in the whole novel. The public is escribed as dominantly white â€Å"with an exception of a score or so that was lost to view. † In a real situation, coloured people would be easily distinguishable among the white ones. Thus, I believe that the author is trying to highlight how little support Shiny has and how helpless is he feeling. The narrator doesn’t know what the little black boy is feeling up on the stage, but he makes many assumptions. We can assume that those assumptions are what the narrator would have felt if he was up there himself.Shiny is also compared with â€Å"a gladiator tossed into an arena†. This leaves the impression that he has no other option, but to fight and prove him, which shows how man of colour were never judged equally, but rather seen through the â€Å"coloured eyes†. By the end, the author says â€Å"How so young an orator could stir so great enthusiasm was to be wondered†. Here he finally admits for the first time that not the appearance, but the abilities and great speech of Shiny has won the applauses.The word â€Å"wondered† appears to be some kind of skepticism, and later the author explains in the next paragraph that people are always â€Å"stirred by the same emotions† and the â€Å"same phenomenon of enthusiasm† follows any black man's success. This once again underestimates Shiny†™s success. The author hints that his abilities have nothing to do with his successful speech, because after all Shiny is â€Å"what is common in his race, a natural orator. † The author also paints the picture of how the â€Å"boy gallantly waging with puny, black arms so unequal† managed to touch the â€Å"deep springs in the hearts of his audience†.The perceived weakness of the African-American people is notably present in the description of the scene, and it provokes deep sympathy in the readers. This particular memory of the narrator is crucial for understanding his motives. It may seem like he is running away from his race and living the life of a white man because it is easier, but considering the fact that he observes this scene through his â€Å"coloured eyes†, we can assume that this is probably in the bottom of his decision not to pursue his dream and to end up choosing the â€Å"easy† path of life.

Civil Protection Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

Civil Protection - Dissertation Example There are also proposals and recommendations for the participation of the British society or community in civil protection. Bremberg (2010, p. 169) illustrates that these proposals emanate from the fact that government agencies and organizations cannot sufficiently manage crises without the help of the community. There is an evident need for research based recommendations on the most appropriate approaches or strategies for civil protection within the region. Furthermore it is notable that there is no defining legal framework which defines civil protection in Britain. State initiatives in the establishment of policies and procedures for the mitigation of disasters and threats within the region are a civil protection requirement which requires to be addressed immediately. The importance or coordination and collaboration of states and all stakeholders in the civil protection processes demonstrates a need for the establishment of a specific body which would be mandated for coordinating civil protection activities. Community participation has also been generally low in civil protection in Britain. Issues of funding and the involvement of nongovernmental organizations in civil protection are among other areas of concern. Aims and Objectives of the Study 1. To investigate the major disasters in Britain and their causes 2. To determine most appropriate risk assessment methodology for the major threats in Britain 3. To investigate the risk prevention strategies in civil protection and demonstrate the extent to which they are flexible and cost effective 4. To find out the effectiveness of risk management policies as implemented by Britain. 5. To define the role of various stakeholders in civil protection including the community, governing authorities and agencies and nongovernmental organizations 6. To evaluate the coordination and corporation of response groups in civil protection including the application of technology in enhancing collaboration and the associated eff iciency of civil protection processes 7. To discuss and recommend the most appropriate the disaster mitigation and recovery strategies Civil Protection Cook (2009, p. 29) defines civil protection as a collection of measures and processes of humanitarian intent which views to protect the society and the surrounding against possible threats, disasters and accident of various kinds. In civil protection, a disaster is a term which is used to represent any interaction of people with adverse events which puts the population at a vulnerable position of danger or harm. These disastrous events would either be manmade or natural occurrences which pose a threat to human life and security. Pasa & Benacchio (2005) explain that the degree to which disasters make people vulnerable to harm varies depending on the source, cause or the nature of the disaster. The most prominent characteristic of a disaster is the fact that it leads to a disruption of the normal processes of the community while threat ening the functioning of the society through the loss of lives, the environment and materials or property. The

Essay applying theories of political economy to music

Applying theories of political economy to music - Essay Example The newer pop and rock music that is being included in each genre, as well as from the Big 6 music corporations, are specifically leading many to have a commercialized expression that will always sell within the genre. The music is becoming a superstructure of what sells, as opposed to providing genuine music. When looking at the different aspects of the top 20, it can be seen that commercialization has taken over the different genres, as opposed to independent artists and variety. The top 20 on itunes included mostly pop and hip hop music, with only one country song and one alternative rock song. The genres continued with the Big 6 having several smaller branches that were sponsoring the artists, as opposed to a larger corporation. However, none of the artists were independent and all were signed to a contact with the Big 6. The same trend was seen at the Last FM site. Most of the artists were in the genre of dance and pop music. The majority of the artists were also signed over to the Big 6 or a branch of the larger corporations. In the Last FM component, there were more rock and alternative sounds with two to three Indie musicians that were mixed in with the others of this genre. However, Last FM also had several of the same artists playing with different songs for a similar affect. Fr om the two areas of Top 20 that were analyzed, several assumptions could be made. The first is that specific genres, such as pop and hip – hop, are the most popular in society on a global level. The second is that the Big 6 are continuing to create a mass response to what individuals are demanding in society. It can also be assumed, from this analysis, that specific musicians are more popular than others and are instantly hitting the Top 20 on a global level, which shows a mass response to cultural icons and artists that are being promoted by

Criminal Justice Research Methodology Term Paper

Criminal Justice Research Methodology - Term Paper Example It is also practical in the sense that it covers a long process over determining what a research needs in particular as it can be modified and take the form of interviews, questionnaires, or a combination of both. In a survey-interview, for example, it allows a researcher to observe the subject and modify questions if the subject seems confused by them. Survey is a good method to consider specially if there is a long range of respondents involved and the researcher needs to collate more uniformed answers in a given period of time (example, respondent-reactions due to the changes brought about by a recent ordinance created). Unlike plain interview that answers brought about by open-ended or close ended questions may vary and sometimes complex in their meaning, survey-questionnaires can eliminate the possibility that the researcher can influence the subject by is or her facial expressions, e.g., unconsciously frowning at an answer making unnecessary body language. Of course, there is a lways a danger that subjects may give misleading answers in order to make themselves â€Å"look good† but the researcher can always modify the questions in several different ways to detect this as well. Surveys are also ideal to use when concerns for safety is involved. It has been tested and experience through time that when safety is concerned, it is highly difficult to get willing respondents that will be open for research. There are two ways to ham ­per successful data gathering through face-to-face interviews. First, potential re ­spondents may refuse to be interviewed because they fear the stranger-interviewer specially if the subject for the research is a sensitive one. Second, the interviewers themselves may be in danger given that in some studies to be conducted, a need to expose researchers in a dangerous situation is inevitable (Maxfield, and Babbie, 2008). Social desirability is known to be one of the common problems that plague self-report crime questions in

Factors Affecting Decisions Involved In Menu Planning Assignment - 3

Factors Affecting Decisions Involved In Menu Planning - Assignment Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that menu card if effectively designed and is conveying all relevant information provided by it, can be used as both sales and marketing tools. Menu card also is the source for generating sales transactions and as stated above if it is conveying all relevant information, it can also lead to increase in the number of customers. Hence, automatically increasing sales volume. How the menu looks, reflects as to what the company’s mission and objective. So the menu should be designed in such a manner that it is in accordance with theme and values of the company. Core objective and image of the company should be in line with market dynamics. Factors which can affect customers can vary from market to market. These can be how readable content on menu card is, overall physical scheme, outline, and font styles. As for other factors in communication, it is the presentation that is more important rather than what content has be en presented in the menu card. Example of this can be fast food restaurants where they have limited items presented in the menu. However, they sell in bulk quantities. The concept of common counters is present in fast food chains. Hence separate menus aren’t required for each customer. Class of customer coming too fast food chains doesn’t require descriptions of each product as they are familiar with products being offered. If a description is present in the menu it would only serve to slow down the decision-making process. In these common menus on common sales points, only product name, price, and other add ups are being shown along with the enlarged picture of a product being sold. For avoiding reputational risk, fast food chains need to keep the original product as being shown on sales point. This overall strategy which has been implemented across fast food chains leads to quick service and limited products available at the same price at all units of a fast food cha in.Alternatively, when we move towards restaurants which present sophisticated theme, class, and group of customers being catered change and with its overall theme of menu changes. The number of food items being presented on the menu also increases.

To what extent were ancient historians concerned to achieve a high Essay

To what extent were ancient historians concerned to achieve a high standard of objectivity in the production of their narratives - Essay Example Many a scholar has commented that even if objectivity is achieved by a historian, such objectivity always remains confined within the narration of the facts that are presented sequentially. According to (RÃ ¼sen, 2), the best definition of history must include the sense and meaning within the expression of time in the past, present and future. The connectivity of these aspects of time utilizes the main mental form of presentation that narration offers. Narration gives past, present and future some meaning to human life by relating experience to expectation. It is therefore correct to state narratives as the form in which history is stored in human minds and assists them to orientate themselves in temporal change. Objectivity in historical narratives has been analyzed to act as a yardstick of validity, integrity and truth in narratives. The main purpose of narrative objectivity can be said to be the linking impact of historical occurrences and the cumulative complement that each part of history gives to the other. In ancient historical narratives, there was lack of linkage of historical ideas from different writers and time. Objectivity was lacking due to the fact that there was no platform to refer one’s work from pre-existing similar ideas. Many inconsistencies were identified in ancient narratives when comparisons of such uniformed texts were done. Later, ancient historical narratives adopted the truth claim of connecting history to valid explanations of events. The validity of the majority of ancient texts is highly questionable, partly due to the fact that the literacy levels were limited. Majority of ancient historical texts were primary sources since the authors were the first to generate and write on the topics. Modern historical narration has however adopted a more literature perspective in offering validity to events and occurrences. Almost every topic in history has been explored and the relevant information backed up in form of databases.

LAW CASE (sheapard v. united states) Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LAW (sheapard v. united states) - Case Study Example In 1933 Major Shepard files a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari. A Writ of Certiorari is a document in which the losing party files with the Supreme Court asking them to review the case from a lower court (Techlaw Journal, 2008). This can be done when the petitioner is dissatisfied with the decisions of the lower courts including the US Court of Appeals. A Writ can be granted at the discretion of the US Supreme Court. The Supreme Court being the highest Court in the Nation has the right to not accept the petition and there has to be some kind of compelling reason for acceptance. In Shepards Case the Writ of Certiorari was granted. US Supreme Court Judge Cardozo reveals to the court that circumstantial evidence was used to prove to the jury the Major Shepard was guilty. According to the judge a conversation with Mrs. Shepards nurse Clara Brown, Mrs. Shepard asked the nurse to find her a bottle of whiskey. She then asked the nurse if there was enough left to prove the existence of poison. The nurse then states that the Mrs. Shepard accuses her husband of poisoning her. The Judge then states "The admission of this declaration, if erroneous, was more than unsubstantial error. As to that the parties are agreed. The voice of the dead wife was heard in accusation of her husband, and the accusation was accepted as evidence of guilt.

Knowledge & the Flow of Information Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Knowledge & the Flow of Information - Case Study Example The very first given alternative is the most effective. This is because it will present visibility of the processes within the center. It is clear that with the use of this method key activities and sub ­-processes that can consume a lot of time, and generate many inefficiencies, will be revealed, thus enabling problem-solving and improvement of the supply chain (Drucker, 2005). Following the steps are given above, the approach should be implemented. Application of solutions should be done vigorously, going for easy ones that deliver early results. This is in order to give everyone confidence that what is being done is right. Even after implementing this method, there is also need to check on the level of technology. Grounding on the information given after the case study, the center needs to use a more effective and efficient mode of communication. Internet should be applied. Use of fax is much far slower compared to use of the internet (Mehra, 2006). A review of changes should be done to see if the changes have made you more responsive. It is optimistic that with the use of the first method, the changes will give a solution to the problem. If successful then another goal should be built for more success (Lai & Cheng, 2009).  

Establishment of Unique State Language in Office Work Essay Example for Free

Establishment of Unique State Language in Office Work Essay Acknowledgement We want to acknowledge our parents for participating and helping us to conduct a questionnaire in the state institutions in Astana. Also we would like to thank Saltanat – secretary of head of government – for distribution of questionnaires among respondents and operate actions in delivering results to Almaty. Abstract Nowadays the issue of languages is one of the most actual, disputable. That is why government tries to improve the conditions of state language. This year new law was created; it states that all documentations must be written in Kazakh. This change cause many disputes and discussions and becomes more popular. As an actual issue this problem was chosen by the authors of research. The research question: what is the viewpoint of Astana citizens to establishment of unique state language in office work? Research objectives are to inquire into views of people to this law, find the advantages and disadvantages of change, to define the impact of transition on the process of work. After analyzing possible consequences, following research hypothesis was made: people would have negative point of view on the establishment. In order to achieve more efficiency the instrument of survey design – questionnaire – was chosen. It was conducted among 20 people the inhabitants of Astana – who work in the state institutions, because change of language in the office work impacts them directly. Convenience sampling was used, because authors chose merely closest persons as respondents. At the base of results of questionnaire it was found that 70% of people have positive, 25% neutral, 5% negative attitude to the change. Thus, the results of questionnaire shows that the authors’ hypothesis was not justified: it was defined that people have positive viewpoint on the establishment, also there is no almost any difficulties connected with the change and it does not impact on the process and quality of the work. I. Introduction A. Reasons for Undertaking Research For almost 300 years Kazakhstan was under the pressure of neighbour Russia, so since it was happened our cultural wealth began to eradicate. Language was almost lost, and nobody knew what would be in the future. Unfortunately, the most powerful and developing country – Soviet Union – fell to pieces (Akishev, 1996). So, since from 1990 year there were born new countries. And Kazakhstan was not exception. Like a newborn baby, country started to do its first steps. In this way new constitution was created. â€Å"Kazakh is a state language, and Russian is official† says the constitution of Kazakhstan. But this year new law took place: â€Å"since 2007 year all documentations must be in Kazakh†, it states. But is the country with only half Kazakh-speaking inhabitancies ready to this change, how the multinational population will react to it? This is our issue. The government made a decision, but can we manage with it? Only 1000 civil servants of 5000 can speak Kazakh in advance or can do office work in it, documentation nowadays executes in Russian and only after that it translates into Kazakh. It is right to ask a question: what will follow after this establishment? Consequences may be different but more obvious thing that there will be many difficulties because of unknowing language. With this poor condition the procedure of work will delay, consequently, the standards, the value of work will decrease. The change of language of office work will lead to discrimination of not Kazakh-speaking population. Because of this it’s important to investigate this issue. After analyzing possible consequences, following research hypothesis was made: the attitude of major population of Astana has negative point of view on this change of language of office work in Kazakh. B. Research Methods In order to achieve more efficiency from research survey is using here. To investigate exact attitudes of people the work need statistics, numerical data, also the viewpoints, position, suggestions of Astana people must be considered in the work. So, survey design is the best way to attain the most systematically organized point here. Also questionnaire is being consumed as instruments of research. It was chosen because, in order to determine the views of people and situation in the country, quantitative method will be helpful. The data and facts that they will give may help to solve partly our problem. As it is written in previous, statistics is necessary, and questionnaire may give new data and numbers, so it is helpful in this area, specific questions in questionnaire (open-ended) the opportunity to determine the exact point of view of people and their suggestions. The questionnaire consists of two parts. The first one is written in order to investigate social status of people and give demographic data. The second section’s aim is to ascertain the attitude of the person to the establishment of unique state language in the office work. The questionnaire was held on the period 14-16 of June in Astana. 20 people working in the state establishments were respondents of the questionnaire. The type of the research was primary, convenience technique was used. Ð ¡. Research Structure The research paper is divided into the six following chapters: Introduction – this part of the research presents brief description of the research, reasons for undertaking it and methods which will be used during this research. Review of the literature — this part of the research is dedicated to information that was found in appropriate literature in order to describe problems of establishment the unique language in the office work. Field research results – is a descriptive part of work, where authors should give only description of results that they receive from questionnaire or/an interview. Analysis and discussion in this part of research paper all information presented before will be analyzed and will be tried to define future outlook of the industry and investors decision that can be taken. Conclusion authors make a summary of the research paper. Bibliography sources that were used in writing research. Appendices include the questionnaire paper and interview paper. II. Literature review A. Historical background of Kazakh language The gold book of history of Kazakhs includes following pages: at the beginning of XVIII century west part of present territory of Kazakhstan started to join to Russian Empire. In spite of resistance of Orta and Uly Juzes during next hundred years all regions of country wholly became a piece of neighbour state. Since that time by the order of imperator Russian Empire Alexander I commenced the change of ruling power: they chose the heads of juzes. In the 30-40es of XVIII century fortresses were built at the boarders of Kazakhstan. Russian-speaking people started to immigrate into the Kazakh land. So, these were the first steps of colonization policy and active exchange of culture, widely spreading of Russian language and slowing down of Kazakh. (Kozybayev,1995). After formation of the Soviet Union in 1917, the discrimination of all nations with their culture and language that existed on the territory of USSR took place. Politics of state was the creation of unified society, where were the one constitution of USSR, which named Russian the single language of communication. From that period in different parts of the biggest country of the world the policy of inculcation of Russian language started. This process was the ideology, which was considered by government of Russia. Following 70 years lead to the almost wholly losing of native language. As an example of it in 1954 when virgin land started to build up 640.000 people from other countries of Union came to KazSSR. As a consequence of it new educational establishments were built, but with this immigration only in south region of country 700 Kazakh schools were closed, children stayed without needed education. Also the names of water-lands were changed in Russian, in order to make more comfortable the life of our â€Å"guests†. With this problem of eradication of folk wealth faced not only Kazakhstan, but other 12 countries of USSR, especially Moldova, Azerbaijan, Latvia, Georgia, etc (Akishev, Baipakov, 1996). So, after colonization for almost 300 years young independent Republic of Kazakhstan had to face with problem of wholly reconstruction of society, policy and economy of country. As a consequence of this dependence became following data: according to Agency of Statistics from 01.01.2004 the population of country is equal to 14,952 million people: 57, 19 % Kazakhs, 27, 24% Russians, 3, 14% Ukrainians, 2, 74% Uzbeks and other 120 nationalities. For the present time about 3 million Kazakhs do not know their native language. 64,4 % of population possess with Kazakh, when 84,8% speak Russian (Agency of statistics of RK , 2004). B. Status of Kazakh language nowadays With getting sovereignty in 1991 Republic of Kazakhstan got opportunity to raise its national wealth. So, the new constitution from 30th August of 1995, in the 7th article of the first part (general provisions) of it states: â€Å"1. the state language of the Republic of Kazakhstan shall be the Kazak language. 2. In state institutions and local self-administrative bodies the Russian language shall be officially used on equal grounds along with the Kazak language. 3. The state shall promote conditions for the study and development of the languages of the people of Kazakhstan.† (Constitution of RK, 1995). C. Problems and discussions on the issue According to B. Omarov (2005) the head of Committee on problems of language of Ministry of information, culture and sport in correspondents of State programme of function and development of languages for 2001-2010 years, affirmatived by decree of the president of RK from 07.02.2001 â„â€"550 in all regions of republic conduct measures of halting-placely change of office work on the state language. Because of this office work of 5 regions (Kyzylorda, Zhambyl, South-Kazkahstan, Atyrau, and Mangistau) was fully translated on state language. On the base of schedule of stagely translation of office work on state language cultivated republic agenda and brought in consideration of Government of RK. In accordance to this graphic from 01.01.2010 is expected fully translation of office work on state language. Due to this law there have been appeared problems of discrimination of not-Kazakh-speaking people in the country. Nowadays majority of people ask question, such â€Å"what this change will lead to?† According to Martha Brill Olcott (1997), there is a strong sense of disquiet among many of the country’s ethnic Russians, who feel that the break-up of the USSR has turned a familiar country into an alien one, and has left them as second-class citizens in what they themselves perceive as their native land. And the translation of language in office work will possibly grow gap between Kazakhstan’s Kazakhs and European communities. But specialists advise not to confuse. As Dariga Nazarbayeva states (2006), the change of language will not lead to discrimination of not-Kazakh-speaking people. Russian will stay as an official language. What just people should do – to learn about hundred of words and do documentations basing on them? Akim of Almaty I. Tasmagambetov (2005) and deputy, poet M. Shahanov (2005) become intimate in the opinion that world experience of states shows that presence of native language impact on stability, security of independent country. Our main aim is to raise the status of using Kazakh on the level of Russian. That is why akims actively accept the new law. They claim that the wealth that our ancestors gave to people should be kept. But there are some opposite points of view on this theme. Some non-Kazakh parts of population of RK think that government tries to slowly eradicate other nations from the land of Kazakhs. Some people, like O. Suleimenov (2005) the representative of RK in UNESCO thinks that republic is not yet ready for this change. This change may causes problems of leaving the country of other nations. At first, think this part of country, we should prepare the fundament, prepare people – to recreate grammar of language, to type reliable text books, in order to make easier the studying deeply and efficiently the language. At that time the minister of education and science B. Aitimova (2006) states that state program of Kazakh language for 2001-2010 is developing. She claims that 77% of schools are in Kazakh or mixed. But state Secretary O. Abdikarimov does not agree with that by saying that 500 million tenge was given from budget, nevertheless, there are no results. The minister culture and information – Y. Ertisbaev (2006) he offers to make social polls. So, after some time, the problem will be partly solved. Summary Thus, there are many views on the issue of changing language of office work in Astana. Arguments of both sights are very strong; they were confirmed with statistics and prognoses of the critics. In discussions of the problem play role all social classes of Kazakhstan, because of this issue relates to all citizens of our country. Although there is no exact answer at the present time, but research will give it in the near future. III. Field research (Questionnaire results) A. General information The research question of present work is intended to find out what is the viewpoint of Astana’s citizens to the establishment of unique state language in office work. Thus, in order to obtain useful statistics and find out what are the precise attitudes of people on this issue, given questionnaire was conducted by researches. The field research was divided into three parts, which will allow to the reader comfortably find useful information (indirect data – common information, direct – specific material). At the period 14-16 of June in state institutions of Astana 20 people, who have full-time work place, have been asked by researches. Target population of the research is adults from 18 years old, in which 11 are female and 9 are male. As respondents were the closest available people, convenience sampling was used. B. Demographic (indirect) data At the process of work the category of age of respondents was divided into four parts: 18-25 (10%), 25-35 (35%), 35-50 (50%), over 50 (5%). 80% are Kazakhs and 20% are Russian respondents. From chart 1 it can be seen that the level of knowing of Kazakh and Russian languages among 20 people: [pic] Researches have investigated that 50 per cent of people know Kazakh in advance, 35 colloquial and 15 % do not speak on state language, while 90 % of people know Russian in advance and 10% colloquially. Table 1 shows the percentage degree of people who knows foreign languages and what are that languages. |Language |Percentage | |English |25% | |German |25% | |Belarusian |5% | |Don’t know other language |45% | Table 1. The quarter part speaks English, another Germany, while 5 % know Belarusian and other 45% do not know any foreign language. It was investigated that all 20 people have high education, from which 14 people studied in Russian (70%) and 6 in Kazakh (30%). The chart 2 shows the in what language people mostly communicate with each other: [pic] Half of respondents communicate in Russian, when 30% talk in Kazakh and 20% of people speak on both languages. At the process of work it was defined that all 20 people have full-time permanent work place, 19 (95%) are state workers, and 1 (5%) is a member of join-stock company. C. Attitudes of people (direct data) The chart 3 demonstrates the position of people toward the establishment. [pic] 80% of people think that it is right to establish such innovation, 15 % has neutral position and 5% are against the law. 70% of respondents have positive point of view to the establishment, 25% are neutral and 5% have negative attitude. From 20 people, who was asked, 12 (60%) are expressed willingness to do office work in Kazakh, while 8 (40%) people are not ready to such work. |Percentage of people who faced with office work in Kazakh | |Faced |60% | |Don’t faced |40% | From table 2 you may see that 60% of respondents have faced with doing office work in Kazakh while 40% do not. Table 2 From table 3 you may find out the percentage level of kinds of spreading of information about the establishment of unique language in the office work. 36,4 % of respondents have got information from work, 20% from relatives, 18,2% from friends, 15,6% through mass-media, 3,2% from another sources, while 6,6% do not know about this law. |Kinds of |Percentage | |Spreading of info | | |Relatives |20% | |Friends |18.2% | |Mass-media |15.6% | |At work |36.4% | |Other |3.2% | |Don’t know about this law |6.6% | Table 3. It was investigated in table 4 that change of language of office work for half of respondents has not any impact, 40% did not give answers, 5% do not know and on 5% has influence. |The influence on work |Percentage | |No |50% | |Yes |5% | |Do not know |5% | |Do not give answers |40% | Table 4 It was defined that 45% of people have not faced with any difficulties on work because of this establishment, 15% have some problems, and 40% did not give answers. It was investigated that the administration of state institutions have provide some conditions in order to prepare personnel to the establishment for 40% of respondents, and 60% have not got any programmes. People have mentioned such conditions like providing CDs, preparing lessons, electronic portal, programmes. 35% are satisfied with conditions that government provides, 15% not utilized, 10% is neutral and 40% did nit give answers. To the open-ended questions 90% respondents have given different answers, 10% preferred do not mention any suggestions. The majority of respondents suggested creating of courses, which will give opportunity to workers improve the level of knowing Kazakh. 20% of people were for establishment, but it was mentioned that this reform should be executed gradually. Another 20% have demonstrated desire to establish this law, because it is the time to raise the authority of state language. Someone was against establishment, and other, vice versus, suggested compulsory change language from Russian to Kazakh. D. Summary In spite the fact that most of people know more Russian that Kazakh, and that they communicate in Russian, it was investigated in generally that people have positive position to this establishment. There is a lack of preparing courses, but people disposed well. IV. Analysis and discussion Univariate analysis The research question of present work is â€Å"what is the attitude of Astana people to the establishment of unique state language in the office work in Kazakhstan?† After analyzing possible consequences the hypothesis stated that people would have negative point of view on the change of the language in the office work. a. Analyzing demographic data. As the change of language takes place in the state establishments, 95% of respondents were chosen from them. At the process of work it was investigated that the level of knowing Russian of 20 people, who were conducted the questionnaire, is higher than Kazakh: 100% know official language, while 15% do not know state language at all. In spite the fact that everyone knows Russian and the major part 85% of people know Kazakh, only the half part speak in Russian and 20% use only Kazakh, while 30% speak on both languages. Thus, ignoring the fact that the majority people know Kazakh, language of communication among people still is mostly Russian. b. Analyzing attitudes of people to the establishment (questionnaire, literature review). The main target of given work was to find the viewpoint of Astana people to the establishment. From the tabular form of frequency distribution we may see the main result of research. Table 1. Attitude to the establishment office work in Kazakh | |Frequency |% |Valid % |Cum % | |Positive |14 |70 |70 |70 | |Neutral |5 |25 |25 |95 | |Negative |1 |5 |5 |100 | |Total |20 |100 |100 | | More than half part of respondents have positive point of view on the change and only 5% were against it, so Astana people mostly are for establishment of state language. Analyzing the results of questionnaire, it was discovered that the major part of people think that it is right to change the language of documentation and they are ready to the transition. Authors made a prediction that the change of language may lead to conflicts among nations, it would be the discrimination of not-Kazakh people, the process of work will delay and quality of it would reduce. But the results show opposite thing: main part of people state that they have not faced with any difficulties, that the change does not impact on the done work and its’ efficiency does not decrease. 80% of respondents were Kazakhs; possibly, this is a reason of positive results in the questionnaire. Anyway, every man lives in Kazakhstan, may be that is why they have to answer positively, and may be, they had not other ch oice. Topic is very sensitive and both sides – Kazakh and not-Kazakh people – know it. Nowadays there are many issues on the theme of developing of Kazakh, and people do not react on them similar: someone is for raising the status of state language, someone afraid of this, because of unknowing Kazakh. Already 15 years Kazakhstan is independent country, it is obvious that Kazakh language should have specific status, it should have its own important place, and people should know it. It is already time to raise Kazakh, but not to eradicate Russian, because it is still the language on which all multinational population of country speaks, in which we communicate with our neighbours on international arena. People, by understanding it, should improve state language, by not disturbing official language. So, also, based on the results of questionnaire, it was found that government develops such things as courses, discs, electronic portals, programmes to prepare personnel to the change , but people mostly dissatisfied with these conditions, because almost all people suggest creating new instruments to improve language. This fact means that there is a lack of the books, special methods of studying, good teaching, etc. O. Suleimenov (2005) also came to this conclusion. He thinks that this change may cause problems of leaving the country of other nations. But there is a nuance: for some questions (about have they faced with any difficultiesmbecause of the change, have establishment impact the work, do they satisfied with conditions that government creates to prepare personnel?) the third part of people did not give answers. Does it mean that people are hiding something and expert is right? In the reality the issue of language is very sensitive: government tries to improve the authority of Kazakh while it seems that Russian is under discrimination. Among the members of parliament, government, also there are many debates on this theme. Akims, ministers say that they are undertaking measures as preparing personnel through the course, making privilege to people, who know Kazakh, raising their wages, but relying on opinions of people, we may conclude that it is not enough, because there is no efficient results, especially because the base of courses are very weak. There are some advantages and disadvantages of this issue: for Kazakh people it is good because their language is developing, but for other nations it is difficult, but they can do nothing with it: the law already exists, in spite the fact many people do not know Kazakh and there are no real measures that can prepare them. The data from literature review and questionnaire results are not similar, if some authorities are against establishment, main part of respondents support the change. This means that situation is not as negative as state the data of literature review. More people know or learning Kazakh than official statistics show. The state of Kazakh is improving. V. Conclusion The research question of present work is â€Å"what is the attitude of Astana people to the establishment of unique state language in the office work in Kazakhstan?† By considering the possible consequences and results, following hypotheses was made: the attitude of major population of Astana would have negative point of view on this change of language of office work from Russian into Kazakh. According to the results of questionnaire, the prediction of authors was mistaken: majority of respondents have positive viewpoint on the change, moreover, the ways to improve the situation were suggested by them. There were many disputes on the issue, some people think that will appear conflict that society is not ready, but, fortunately, these were not justified. It is already time to improve the status of Kazakh: people are for the change. The only one problem that should be eliminated: to develop the base of preparing and teaching people. 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