U OF T PROFESSORS DEVISE BETTER WAY TO TEST SIGHT IN BABIES In A Darke Essay U OF T PROFESSORS DEVISE BETTER WAY TO TEST SIGHT IN BABIES In an obscured room at Torontos Hospital forSickChildren, a child, its head dabbed with terminals, sits in itsmothers lap and watches blazing highly contrasting checkerboardsand stripes on a TV screen. Not long after the test, doctorswill know whether the kid can see and how well it can see. The testing method, which includes estimating cerebrum waveactivity incited by visual boosts (additionally called visual evokedpotentials or VEPs) has been culminated by Drs. Barry Skarf ofthe Department of Ophthalmology and Moshe Eizenman of U of TsInstituteTheir method is more exact than tests utilized elsewherebecause Eizenman has built up a novel,real-time computerprogram to extricate cerebrum wave reactions from amazingly smallpatterns (comparable in size to the primary concern of a standard eyetest) which produce considerably more solid results.Until now,doctors would need to extrapolate the babys capacity to seesmall upgrades from test results utilizing huge improvements. In Effect,Dr. We will compose a custom paper on U OF T PROFESSORS DEVISE BETTER WAY TO TEST SIGHT IN BABIES In A Darke explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now Eizenman has built up a perspective on waves thatis more touchy than techniques already accessible, saysSkarf.At the HSC,VEPs are utilized in various clinicalapplications:to decide if avisualproblemiscognitive; to survey whether babies who dont seem to see wellwill see better in the future;to decide a course oftreatment for such issues in which one eye turns in or isweaker than the other eye. The second part of the researcherswork includes the improvement of a trigger for stereopsis, orbinocular vision, which is the combining of pictures from both eyesinto one picture that has depth.The issue with testingbinocular vision, clarifies Skarf,is that most stimulipresented to small kids have different prompts that can be seenwith one eye alone. We needed to devise improvements that can just beseen by the two eyes together and would create explicit brainwaves to the stimuli.Based on a binocular upgrade designed by an Americanresearcher, Eizenman had built up a boost that produces apattern on a television screen which resembles twisting (a blizzard) when seen with just one eye, however when seen throughspecial glasses with the two eyes transmits an unmistakable three-dimensional pattern.Skarf and Eizenman are presently trying binocular VEPs onyoung kids. They are inspecting youngsters with ordinary sightand assessing eye work in kids with visual clutters. This is the main trial of binocular vision to be conveyed outwith huge numbers. Utilizing this binocular upgrade with the verysensitive finder framework for breaking down responses,we trust tohave a framework which will permit us to test binocular vision inyoung babies, rapidly and effectively, and to quantify reactions in abetter path than before.In expansion to this clinical examination, Skarf now needs todirect his consideration regarding some essential exploration inquiries concerning thedevelopment of vision. We are keen on more than justdeveloping apparatuses. We need to know how binocular vision developsand which variables meddle with advancement. We need to findout what wheels turn in the cerebrum to create languid eyes andimpaired binocular vision. Skarf and Eizenman get financing from the MedicalResearch Council of Canada. CONTACT:Barry Skarf(416)598-6133Moshe Eizenman (416)978-5523

Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy free essay sample

Discussions and dubious issues are what keep nations everywhere throughout the world associated. Thoughts that were contended upon one hundred years prior are despite everything contended upon today. One of these thoughts is atomic vitality would it be a good idea for us to or would it be a good idea for us to not utilize it at such a rate? Before a feeling can be reached, you should initially gauge the upsides and downsides of this point. Atomic vitality can be earth perilous and can likewise be undermining, and yet it can profit the advancement and improvement of the world. The utilized of atomic vitality on the planet today has many negative impacts and qualities. As a matter of first importance, the utilization of atomic vitality influences yields and food. It restricts the harvests ranchers can provide for organizations in light of the fact that the yields can be transformed into a type of vitality called ethanol, which can be delivered with corn and in some cases sugarcane (The Seven Myths of Energy Independence). We will compose a custom article test on Advantages and disadvantages of Nuclear Energy or then again any comparative theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page This implies the more ethanol delivered, the less food can be offered to residents, which will expand the costs of them. Likewise, ranchers will begin developing more harvests hence consequently causing natural issues, for example, maritime no man's lands and pesticide-tainted groundwater (in the same place). It is likewise earth hostile as in so as to make some gasses, coal must be scorched, subsequently discharging risky CO gasses into the air (in the same place). Not exclusively is it earth hazardous, however it can likewise represent a danger to foe nations, as what occurred neglected War and Nuclear Arms Race (Nuclear Weapon). Vulnerable War, Soviets put atomic weapons in Cuba, making it simpler for them to assault when/if necessary (on the same page). The idea of the Soviet Union having the option to clear out a whole locale of the United States at some random time is positively a negative impact of atomic force. Albeit atomic vitality and force presents ecological and political dangers, there are numerous incredible encouraging points being used of something like this. Without the utilization of atomic vitality, our general public won't can progress or progress (The Seven Myths of Energy Independence). We would not have the option to improve numerous parts of existence without the assistance of this kind of intensity. It is likewise incredibly advantageous in light of the fact that it is helpful. Gas, a profoundly utilized wellspring of vitality, can supplant around 200 and forty hours of human work (ib). This nucleistic vitality can be siphoned straightforwardly starting from the earliest stage, it boundless and advantageous for all (ib). Additionally, without this, we would not have atomic vitality exchange with different landmasses, for example, Asia, whom we get a small amount of our cash from (in the same place). All the more significantly, proceeding to utilize atomic force plants to create vitality will diminish a dangerous atmospheric devation (Kerekes Debate). â€Å"It is the main huge scope vitality source that is equipped for delivering power the world over without discharging poisons/ozone harming substances during production,† Steven Kerekes contends inside his online discussion in 2007. He could likewise contend with the end goal that atomic force plant wellsprings of vitality is the most minimal cost huge scope power maker in the U. S. (on the same page). Finally, regardless of how much cash is tossed at an alternate method to deliver such vitality, they will always be unable to create the measure of power that atomic force plants can (ib). Since the general data on atomic vitality is completely represented the inquiry strikes: what is the most advantageous decision for us-to utilize atomic vitality or to diminish it? The right choice is self-evident; atomic force plants are, truth be told, required and wanted to arrive at generally all the objectives set for the nation of America to reach. One can concur with Steven Kerekes that it is committed if America needs to develop monetarily, strategically, mentally, and so forth. Despite the fact that the cons of atomic vitality are intelligent, they don't coordinate concerning why we should utilize this sort of vitality. At long last, the world would profit by a more noteworthy utilization of atomic force plants to create vitality and America should make the move and get this going.

Life of a Black Person

Life of a Black Person I would like to preface this by saying if you havent read Vincents amazing post Black Lives Matter (https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/black-lives-matter), read that first, then come back and read this post. As many of you are aware, the racial tensions in America are currently at an all-time high. From the murder of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, to the tragic deaths of four hardworking police officers in Dallas, it feels like America is barely holding together. As events unfolded a number of questions presented themselves to both black minds and not: I am not black, can I still support Black Lives Matter? Is there even really a race issue? Are you okay? What is the point? Nothing is going to change. You go to MIT, isnt that enough proof to say that racism isnt alive? Isnt Black Lives Matter just a hate group? Shouldnt we be working to shut them down? What about black-on-black crime? Do you hate the police? Arent the police the real victims? Dont all lives matter? I am sure these are a question everyone has seen at least once, if not a million times. Vincents post showed some of the worst of what people like us have to deal with. I would like to say that I haven’t had to live through stories like his, but that would be lying to every one of you. Here, I want to try my best to share a few moments in my life that might help those with these questions understand why I believe a movement such as Black Lives Matter is one of the most important developments of my life time. These moments in my life are not extreme in the sense that I had to fear for my life, which was already beautifully covered by Vincent. These are the small subtleties that no one but a black person can understand. These are not huge events, just moments in my life. These are moments where I realized that unlike some of my friends, I am still not equal. Summer before Freshman Year, Maryland: I believe that he should start with regular classes, The summer counselor looked over my middle school resume, nearly all A’s with a single B from Spanish 1 in eighth grade. I had just moved from Texas to Maryland, and I was going through a very familiar process. “Why? He has nearly perfect scores. He ran extremely well on his cross country team, and has demonstrated above average ability in every subject and hasn’t missed a single day of school.” My mom spoke with an icy frustration. My parents were not new to this process. At my first elementary school, they had to ask the school to not put me in remedial math, despite my perfect scores. At my second elementary school, they had to ask to put me in the gifted program, despite me scoring 50 points above the program’s requirements. And again in middle school, they had to ask for the school to not put me in the lowest classes. Their patience had long frozen over. “Well, yes. He has done well, but don’t you think it would be better for him to start at the bottom and work his way up? We wouldn’t want him to be overwhelmed by a new environment.” She tilted her head slightly to the side, and smiled. I could feel my mother’s hand squeeze tighter around mine. I could see the frosty frustration melt, and reveal behind it sat a fiery anger. My parents had left their homes and families in order to get a better education, so that my siblings and I wouldn’t have to “start at the bottom.” Yet here was summer counselor offering it to us like a present. “I think it would be better if you put him in honors classes.” We got up and left. Fast food restaurant, GA: “Whoa, you guys would make a fantastic football team!” The older white man looked at my family as we ate our hot wings. My four siblings and I looked at him. I was the biggest of us at only 5’4” 110lbs (163cm 50kg) as a sophomore in high school. We were seven people short of an offensive line five people short if you included my parents. My dad raised his left eyebrow, slightly annoyed. “What about an amazing team of doctors?” My dad spoke with a sense of urgency, looking the man in the eyes. My dad didn’t blink. He just looked at him. The man laughed. “Maybe a basketball team.” Outside Walmart, TX: “NIGGERRRR!” Senior Year Math Competition, GA: “You are a menace to this competition. I cannot believe your behavior. Where is your president?! WHERE IS YOUR PRESIDENT?!” The proctor of the competition was red in the face. Sweat slid down his forehead down from the thin strands of hair that remained on his head. My girlfriend and I, the only African Americans at the competition of almost 300 students, both stood at the receiving end of his sweat, spit, and steam. Apparently, someone from our school had disturbed the competition. Of course neither of us were in the same room as the event, but yet here we were. “Sir we are two of the team’s presidents.” Over the last two years I had spent night after night studying the Art of Problem Solving, laboring over past exams, and helping lead our school to a hopeful math team victory. It was only this past year that I had been given the position as president. To me, someone that had never really been great at sports, music, or anything else of the sort, being recognized for my work in academics had meant the world to me. However….. That meant nothing right now. “NO! WHERE IS YOUR PRESIDENT? SHOW ME YOUR PRESIDENT!” He didn’t believe me. “WHERE IS YOUR PRESIDENT! MOVE! I WILL FIND HIM MYSELF!” He walked between the two of us, and straight to my school’s math team coach. After a short conversation, my coach looked at us, then the proctor, then waved us over. “These are two of the school’s most hardworking presidents. If you have any problems, feel free to take it up with them.” The man looked at the two of us, and it seemed he had lost all of his previous steam. He didn’t apologize, and apparently he was no longer angry about whoever might have really been a problem. He just left. Time after time I have to come to face the fact that I am still not on equal ground to those that are around me. Time after time I have to face the fact that even after I leave MIT, I will be black first and whatever else second , if at all. Time after time I have to be aware of the fact that very few of my peers will ever understand a day in my life. Yet time after time I will do everything I can to fight for equality for my race. So next time a comment comes up saying “Racism is dead, they are angry over perceived slights.”, remember this post. Remember a little bit of what it is like in the life of a black person.

Taking a Look at Capital Punishment - 1003 Words

Capital punishment is a topic highly debated upon. For years the court systems have been debating whether the criminals deserve this strict punishment or not. However, despite the verdict from the judge, people have still been divided on whether capital punishment does more harm than good. A major subject that comes up is if the government has a justifiable reason for killing convicted people. Some only look at the negative but there are plenty of reasons why this is a positive action. Capital punishment is beneficial because it will have a better long term effect on society, the crime rate would go down, and it would give the victims family closure. Capital punishment would have a better long term effect on society. With capital punishment enforced repeat offenders would be off the streets. This would protect the lives of innocent civilians. â€Å"However, if the goal is to separate the criminal from society, capital punishment would provide a literally guaranteed rate of successâ €  (Free World 3). Another thing that would happen with capital punishment enforced is that any other crime the criminal may have had planned could be avoided. â€Å"What about those repeat offenders who have graduated to murder number two or worse?† (Grace 269). This means that whatever repeat offense the criminal had planned on committing could be stopped before it even got started.. â€Å"I know it is not about numbers, but repeat murders make a powerful argument for the death penalty† (Grace 269). Most peopleShow MoreRelatedTaking a Look at Capital Punishment677 Words   |  3 Pagesdeath penalty for alleged criminals in the United States needs to change because there is an unacceptable number of posthumous exonerations, and a negative generational impact on the family of the accused. The death penalty is a common method of capital punishment in the United States, used mainly for serious crimes such as murder. Currently, there are five different authorized methods of execution in this country: hanging, electrocution, lethal gas, firing squad, and lethal injection. Of these five,Read MoreTaking a Look at Capital Punishment1004 Words   |  4 PagesFurman had four main arguments: most western nations had abolished capital punishment because it was an unsuccessful way to deter crime; juries only handed out about 100 death penalties each year, and only about 50 prisoners were sentenced to death so capital punishment was not being issued objectively; national prison records stated that executions almost always involved black prisoners; and the only reason why capital punishment had not been abolished in the United States is because legislaturesRead MoreTaking a Look at Capital Punishment1080 Words   |  4 Pages Since 1608, legal systems have used capital punishment as justice. â€Å"As of November 2014, 32 states have the death penalty. There have been a total of 1348 executions from January 1977 to the end of 2014† (capitalpunishmentuk). The capital punishment only affects those who sentenced in the crime of rape or murder. The most popular death method is lethal injection. There are other options such as â€Å"electrocution, hanging, shooting, and the gas chamber† (capitalpunishmentuk) but theses alternativeRead MoreTaking a Look at Capital Punishment606 Words   |  2 PagesWould you rather want the murderer of your loved one to have a capital punishment or do you want them to spend their entire life in a prison cell? That question raises a lot of controversy to the public because of the capital punishment. To prevent criminals from killing they are given a capital punishment who has committed horrendous crimes to satisfy oneself, but many people think that criminals shou ldnt be given death penalty because it decreases the value of life. In the article â€Å"Death andRead MoreTaking a Look at Capital Punishment2178 Words   |  9 PagesCapital punishment also known as the death penalty is a sentence which requires the use of deadly force on high risk inmates. This form of punishment has become a controversial topic for many debates. 58 nations are currently using capital punishment in their justice systems, 97 countries have decided to abolish it completely. Canada decided to abolish capital punishment from the Canadian Criminal Code in 1976, and many argue whether the abolishment had any positive outcome on Canada’s justice systemRead MoreTaking a Look at Capital Punishment764 Words   |  3 PagesDeath penalty is also known as capital punishment. Capital Punishment is a penalty of execution, administered to someone legally convicted of a capital crime. The death penalty was established in America in 1608. The British influenced America to use the death sentence. The first recorded practice of the death penalty in America was to Caption George Kendall in Virginia, he was found guilty of being a spy for Spain. However, the death penalty came long before Captain George Kendall. The first establishedRead MoreCessation of Life: Who are we to choose?- A look into the Death Penalty686 Words   |  3 Pages The topic of capital punishment is a hot one. Human beings are capable of doing some monstrous things. For a victim of a heinous crime, sometimes the only justice seems to be an eye for an eye. And most of the time those victims look to our court systems to provide that justice. But is death the answer? I believe that with human fallibility and the fallibility of our court system as variables, that a sentence that cannot be overturned should not be passed down in any case, especially when thatRead MoreA Hanging By George Orwell1141 Words   |  5 Pagesconvey his argument against capital punishment. Orwell as an officer of the law is sworn to enforce the laws of the state, even if he disagrees with them morally. Orwell wrote â€Å"A Hanging† using an event he acted in to describe his point on why capital punishment is a crime against nature. Although as a police man he could not oppose the law, his story â€Å"A Hanging†, Orwell shows his opposition through many s ymbolic forms. Like Orwell I too am against capital punishment, by writing â€Å"A Hanging† GeorgeRead More Capital Punishment Essay - Justice in Retribution1470 Words   |  6 PagesCapital Punishment: Justice in Retribution       The American government operates in the fashion of an indirect democracy. Citizens live under a social contract whereby individuals agree to forfeit certain rights for the good of the whole. Punishments for crimes against the state are carried out via due process, guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. The use of capital punishment is decided by the state, which is legal in thirty-seven states. It is a moral imperative to protect the states rightsRead MorePersuasive Essay On Capital Punishment906 Words   |  4 PagesWhen talking about social injustices, capital punishment is the worst one of all. It is the final straw of any government sanctioned disciplinary action. There is no going back, no reversing or patching up mistakes. When a government makes the decision to exact capital punishment on someone, that’s it. They can no longer redeem themselves, atone for their sins, and try to contribute to society in a good, well-mannered way because they will no longer exist i n this world. This act of ‘justice’ is clearly

Definition and Types of Illocutionary Force

In speech-act theory, illocutionary force  refers to a speakers intention in delivering an utterance  or to the kind of illocutionary act the speaker is performing. Also known as an illocutionary function  or illocutionary point. In Syntax: Structure, Meaning, and Function (1997), Van Vallin and LaPolla state that illocutionary force refers to whether an utterance is an assertion, a question, a command or an expression of a wish. These are different types of illocutionary force, which means that we can talk about interrogative illocutionary force, imperative illocutionary force, optative illocutionary force, and declarative illocutionary force. The terms illocutionary act and illocutionary force were introduced by British linguistic philosopher John L. Austin in How to Do Things With Words (1962). Examples and Observations Illocutionary Act and Illocutionary Force [A]n illocutionary act refers to the type of function a speaker intends to accomplish in the course of producing an utterance. It is an act accomplished in speaking and defined within a system of social conventions. Thus, if John says to Mary Pass me the glasses, please, he performs the illocutionary act of requesting or ordering Mary to hand the glasses over to him. The functions or actions just mentioned are also referred to as the illocutionary force or illocutionary point of the speech act. The illocutionary force of a speech act is the effect a speech act is intended to have by a speaker. Indeed, the term speech act in its narrow sense is often taken to refer specifically to illocutionary act.(Yan Huang, The Oxford Dictionary of Pragmatics. Oxford University Press, 2012) Illocutionary Force Indicating Devices There are different devices used to indicate how an illocutionary force must be interpreted. For example, Open the door and Could you open the door have the same propositional content (open the door), but they represent different illocutionary acts—an order and a request respectively. These devices that aid the hearer in identifying the illocutionary force of the utterance are referred to as the illocutionary force indicating devices or IFIDs [also called illocutionary force markers]. Performative verbs, mood, word order, intonation, stress are examples of IFIDs.(Elizabeth Flores Salgado,  The Pragmatics of Requests and Apologies. John Benjamins, 2011) I may indicate the kind of illocutionary act I am performing by beginning the sentence with I apologize, I warn, I state, etc. Often, in actual speech situations, the context will make it clear what the illocutionary force of the utterance is, without its being necessary to invoke the appropriate explicit illocutionary force indicator.(John R. Searle,  Speech Acts: An Essay in the Philosophy of Language. Cambridge University Press, 1969) "I Was Just Saying That" Kenneth Parcell: Im sorry, Mr. Jordan. Im just overworked. With my page duties and being Mr. Donaghys assistant, theres not enough hours in the day.Tracy Jordan: Im sorry about that. But just let me know if theres any way I can help.Kenneth: Actually, there is one thing...Tracy: No! I was just saying that! Why cant you read human facial cues (Jack McBrayer and Tracy Morgan, Cutbacks. 30 Rock, April 9, 2009) Pragmatic Competence Achieving pragmatic competence involves the ability to understand the illocutionary force of an utterance, that is, what a speaker intends by making it. This is particularly important in cross-cultural encounters since the same form (e.g. When are you leaving?) can vary in its illocutionary force depending on the context in which it is made (e.g. May I have a ride with you? or Dont you think it is time for you to go?).(Sandra Lee McKay, Teaching English as an International Language. Oxford University Press, 2002) What I Really Mean When I say how are you to a co-worker, I really mean hello. Although I know what I mean by how are you, it is possible that the receiver does not know that I mean hello and actually proceeds to give me a fifteen-minute discourse on his various maladies.(George Ritzer, Sociology: A Multiple Paradigm Science. Allyn Bacon, 1980)

The Charmer Free Essays

â€Å"The Charmer† by Budge Wilson is a short story that displays the important of the role of family circulating through a main character named Zack. Just as any family, the parent has an important role that is to love, forgive and care for their children; but Zack’s failure was affected by these factors in his family. The love, forgiveness and lack of discipline from all family members create Zack’s childhood character and his adulthood down fall. We will write a custom essay sample on The Charmer or any similar topic only for you Order Now First of all, growing up as a happy and popular young man, Zack creates himself the prefect reputation with lots of room for love and smothering from his mother and two sisters. They love him so much and show this love by being at his every beckoning. According to Winnifred, â€Å"I was Zachary’s willing slave. Slavery, in fact, was in vogue in our house. † (Wilson, 102), Zack is overwhelmed with love and good deeds sent in his direction. He takes advantage of these kind gestures and never really appreciates what his family has done for him. Besides that, the family also gives him so much love just because â€Å"he was the only son, the only brother, the oldest child in the family† (103). He is spoiled by such irrational blind love, and that leads him to being a selfish and irresponsible person. That is why he starts to a have a sign of a â€Å"real evil† (103) when he is still young. In opposite, if his parent shares their love to his sisters, he would have learnt how to love and share responsibilities. Secondly, Zack’s bad behaviours also develop from his parent’s forgiveness. He dares to eat the cake that his mom makes for the church bazaar; and, he uses just some flattery words to fool his mom into forgiveness: â€Å"Go ahead. Have another piece. You certainly are the limit! † (102). He is taught that he can do something knowing he should not and stand a very good chance getting away with it. Zack makes mistakes but gets away without punishment or a good lesson. His down fall continues with lies, stealing money, smoking, drinking, smashing the family’s car, dumping his Dad’s toolbox, etc. , during his teenager age. He even takes the family car when they need to go see Lizzie on her dead bed, â€Å"but Mom forgave him everything† because â€Å"he’s sensitive, he’s taking it hard, and he can’t face what ahead for us. (104). His mother thinks that letting her son run free is good for him but actually just makes him worst. His mother thinks that he is suffering but actually he does not care for any one other than himself. Wrongfully forgiveness is a counteraction that also affect to Zack’s failure. At the age of twenty-four, he is still living at home, looses his job one aft er another, and plunges himself into drinking and gambling. Finally, the lack of discipline in the family, especially from Zack’s father, is also a key factor to Zack’s debouching. His father makes mistake of not saying or doing anything about his disagreement with the way Zack is treated, the bad behaviours Zack encountered. Winnifred describes that: â€Å"Even Dad took a long time to wake up† and â€Å"he would just leave the room and go out to his work shed and sit and rock and rock in that old chair of his† (103). The father is the male role model in a family. He knows about Zack’s problem, he knows about Zack’s bad behaviours, but why he does not act until it’s too late? Without discipline, Zack never learns from his mistake. Besides that, Zack’s mother also lacks in parental and discipline. Every time Zack acts as prodigal son, he â€Å"always left Mom in tatters† (103). This caption shows soften in his mother’s heart that makes she forget about the role of a parent when her son makes mistake. She is afraid her son would think bad of her, maybe even hate her if she applies discipline on him. When his Dad gives him two choices: stay with discipline or leave; Zack chooses to leave the family and end up destroying his life in gambling and drinking. In a family, love and forgiveness and discipline is really necessary present and being applied reasonable. Excessive love will become blind love. The parent sometimes has to put their love aside, and do what is best for their child. Forgiveness is necessary but if a parent forgives too easily, the child will take advantage of his rights. Although, with that comes discipline, less suffering will follow. A family is the foundation of a society and family really affects to the success or failure of each person in life. Hopefully through this story, readers will get a lesson about how to raise their children properly. How to cite The Charmer, Essay examples

Funding to Provide Training to Actors

Question: Developed a project proposal, the aim of which is to provide training to actors who have oversight functions in the security sector in a country that has recently experienced conflict. Write a cover letter to a prospective donor to accompany your funding request. In this short cover letter summarise why oversight is important and provide an overview of the type of training you will provide and to whom it will be provided. Answer: Importance of oversight The term oversight comprises of a number of important functions such as reviewing, monitor as well as supervision of different agencies at federal level, for activities, programs, policy implementation and so on. For these functions usually a committee of external members are formed which oversees the operational aspects local committees handling different function like finance, health, public works, security etc. This kind of oversight committees gather relevant information about functioning of each departments followed by proper monitoring and evaluation. These in turn form the basis of transparency in good governance. Specific purpose of oversight function involves examining the operation and activities of executive committees, proper and efficient use of available resources towards maximization of benefits so as to achieve the goals, and maintaining transparency. The importance of oversight committees lies with dealing specific type of issues prioritized for better delivery of se rvice. It also helps in bringing down corruption and enhancing transparency and public accountability. The oversight functions have a lot of significance mainly in security sector in the country which has recently experienced conflict. This is because one cannot have development without having security and vice-versa. This is well accepted across globe that the freedom or security of people or society from conflict is a bare necessity to achieve long term social and economic development. And the long term security can be achieved only when democratic control exists in security sector of a country. This includes military, police as well as intelligence agencies. Significance of funding training on oversight functions It is well documented and observed that in countries which experience civil war and other major conflicts whenever security sectors work autonomously without regarding law of the country and following principles of democracy and good management, poverty management becomes extremely problematic. Hence substantial technical expertise and financial help would be necessary to bring them come out the problems. Mainly the funding agencies would play major role to support improved governance and oversight training of security sector (Ball, 2001). Against this backdrop, the current proposal signifies the need of funding for the training of the country A for improving oversight function in security sector. Overview of the type of training Given that often post conflict countries face problems of security in general and enhanced disadvantage for minority groups by ethnicity, gender, age etc., specialized training would be required to tackle these issue more sympathetically. Training to all official in security sector of the country A at all level which include military, police, bureaucrats will necessary. The training should comprise issues to sensitize officials, capacity building to monitor intended progress and undertake evaluation to design necessary course correction. To whom training will be provided Training will be given to people who are mainly involved in oversight functions in security sector. Specifically the police officers at different level for this phase of training will be covered. As the post conflict countries have enhanced probability of disadvantage for the minority groups and gender disparity, training to police officers will focus to these areas. Experts will be employed to increase sensitization among trainee officers. They will also be given on how to monitor intended progress and undertake necessary course correction. Reference 1. Sinnar, Shirin 2013, Protecting Rights from Within? Inspectors General and National Security Oversight ,Stan. L. Rev. vol. 65 , pp.1027-10852. Ball, Nicole 2001, Transforming security sectors: the IMF and World Bank approaches, Conflict, Security Development, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 45-663. Born, Hans 2002, Democratic Oversight of the Security Sector. What does it mean?, Geneva centre for the democratic control of armed forces (DCAF) working paper series no. 9.4. Brinkerhoff, D. W. 2005, Rebuilding governance in failed states and post conflict societies: core concepts and crosscutting themes, Public Admin. Dev., vol. 25, pp.314.

Utopia And Prince Essays - Machiavellianism, Niccol Machiavelli

Utopia And Prince The Prince in an effort to discover their views on Human nature---This paper can easily be transformed from this topic. Niccolo Machiavelli vs. Thomas More : Defining Human Nature It is difficult to determine Niccolo Machiavelli's and Thomas More's view on human's nature. Each took a different approach to the topic. Through Utopia, Thomas More attempted to change man's thinking by creating an ideological society. Niccolo Machiavelli, through The Prince, attempted to teach man how to deal with human nature. With this in mind, Machiavelli's concept is much more realistic than More's; therefore Machiavelli better represents human nature. Machiavelli's view of human nature in The Prince, presents, on the surface, a view of governing a state drastically different for his time. Machaivelli believed that the ruling Prince should be the sole authority determining every aspect of the state and put into effect a policy which would serve his best interests. With this, Machiavelli uses the prince as man, and the state as the man's life. These interests were gaining, maintaining, and expanding his political power. Though in some cases Machiavelli may seem harsh and immoral, one must remember that his views were derived from concern of Italy's unstable political condition in the 1500s. Machiavelli seems to be teaching the common man how to live his life so that their life is good and prosperous. Machiavelli generally distrusted citizens, stating that "...since men are a sorry lot and will not keep their promises to you, you likewise need not keep yours to them" (Machiavelli 651). Furthermore, " a prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promises" when, "such an observance of faith would be to his disadvantage; and when the reasons which made him promise are removed" (651). Machiavelli did not feel that a Prince should mistreat the citizens. This suggestion once again to serve the Prince's best interests. If a Prince can not be both feared and loved, Machiavelli suggests, it would be better for him to be feared by the citizens within his own dogma. He makes the generalization that men are, "... ungrateful, fickle, simulators and deceivers, avoiders of danger, greedy for gain; and while you work for their good they are yours" (649). He characterizes men as being self-centered and not willing to act in the best interest of the state," and when it (danger) comes nearer to you they turn away" (649). Machiavelli reinforces the Prince's need to be feared by stating: "...men are less hesitant about harming someone who makes himself loved than one who makes himself feared..." (649). The bond of love is one which men, the wretched creatures they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so; "... fear is held together by a dread of punishment which will never abandon you"(649). Machiavelli suggests that the key to being a good "prince," is deception. "It is necessary to know how to disguise this nature well and to be a great hypocrite and a liar: and men are so simple-minded and so controlled by their present necessities that one who deceives will always find another who will allow himself to be deceived" (651). Machiavelli states that men judge more, "with their eyes than with their hands." And with this Machiavelli claims that, "everyone sees what you seem to be, few people perceive what you are," (652) and those who do realize what the Prince is, dare not tell, for the Prince has the power of the masses to protect him. Machiavelli, in a sense, describes how to live, successfully and prosperously, by dealing with the human's nature. He details how one is to manipulate another's thought, in order to place oneself in a more respectable position. With this, Machiavelli pronounces human nature to be very cold-blooded, deceiving, self-centered, and most of all temperamental. Thomas More, in Utopia, tried to express that the only way for a better life was through change. More's key complaints of human nature were greed, power, and pride. More, seemingly, imagined a society, in which these three things no longer existed, believing that they were man's downfall. The main thought that he attempted to instill in the minds of the English was this: Take a miserable spell of disastrous harvests, when many of thousand of men have passed on in hunger. If at the end of this famine the barns of the rich were searched, surely enough provisions would be found in them to have saved the lives of those who died from starvation and disease, if it had been rationed equally among them.

Pro Death Panalty Speech †Fiction

Pro Death Panalty Speech – Fiction Free Online Research Papers Good day ladies and gentlemen. I would like to thank all of you for coming out today and hope you are all enjoying the croissants and Starbuck’s coffee provided as a courtesy of your great state. Please allow me to introduce myself before we get started. My name is Slick Perry and if you didn’t already know, I am the state governor of Texas. You are all aware that we are reviewing our recidivism rate to various crimes and reviewing our stance regarding the death penalty as we approach 2009. Everyone here understands that capital punishment is a very controversial topic in the United States. In Texas, from December 1982 through August 2008, only 361 criminals of the millions of Texans in our good state were executed for the wickedest of crimes. We would all like to think more people would think twice before committing murder, knowing that they had to sit in jail for the rest of their lives with a life surrounded by complete boredom and misery. Unfortunately, this is not the case nor is it our desire to place people on death row matter-of-factly just because it’s an option available to us. We continually strive to make our judicial system fairer anticipating that the best verdicts are handed down based on the sound judgment of your peers. Anyone who has sat on a jury panel with the death penalty as a choice o f punishment knows this can be a very difficult thing to do, is one of our most difficult decisions but, inevitably, will be decided again. When European settlers came to the new world, they brought the practice of capital punishment with them. The first recorded implementation of the death penalty was Captain George Kendall which occurred in the Jamestown colony of Virginia, 1608. George Kendall was executed for being a spy for Spain. In 1612, Virginia Governor Sir Thomas Dale enacted the Divine, Moral and Martial Laws, where executions were not as humane as today and the death penalty was carried out by crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement. Thankfully we have evolved more humanitarian methods. In Texas, after sentencing, if the death penalty is handed down by the judge, most cases are appealed giving the vile defendant a chance to circumvent the just desserts. Many death penalty cases are appealed by a writ of habeas corpus action to determine whether the person in the custody of legal authorities is lawfully detained in accordance with the constitutional rules. It is at this point that the Eighth Amendment from the U.S. Constitution protects those Texas inmates where, ‘excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Since, by some, the death penalty is considered ‘cruel and unusual punishment this has become a popular appeal. Yes, it is true that Texas leads the nation in the number of executions since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, but it is our ethical legal moralism, our law enforcement officers and the duty of our fellow Texans doing what we should be doing stopping the evil s courge of society! Your society! In the 1958 the Supreme Court ruled in Trop v. Dulles (356 U.S. 86), which itself is not a death penalty case; the Eighth Amendment contained an evolving standard of decency that marked the progress of a maturing society. Death penalty opponents used this case as a basis for their argument that the death penalty was cruel and unusual punishment because the U.S. had evolved to a point that its standard of decency no longer tolerated the death penalty. This is not the case my good people and the decency we offer convicted murderers is a painless alternative to those methods used in the 1600s. The practice of using the death penalty continued until it was suspended in the early 1970s. On June 29, 1972, in the case of Furman v. Georgia, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty violated the Eighth Amendments prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. This was due in part to the fact that juries had complete sentencing discretion which could result in arbitrary sentencing, and the Courts deemed it was also a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process. Keep in my mind that in Texas only the most vial and cruel criminals are placed on death row, and, who are the most deserving. The consequences of the Supreme Court’s 1972 ruling voided 40 death penalty statutes, thereby commuting the sentences of 629 death row inmates around the country, 45 from Texas and suspending the death penalty because existing statutes were no longer valid. However, this ruling went against the U.S. public majority where, in fact, over 55% of U.S. citizens were in favor of the death penalty. Some states rewrote their death penalty laws to address the unconstitutionality of giving juries complete discretion in sentencing by setting a mandated capital punishment for those convicted of capital crimes. The Supreme Court ruled in Woodson v. North Carolina (1976) this was also unconstitutional. A different approach by some states was to introduce mitigating and aggravating factors when determining sentencing where, in 1976, the Supreme Court ultimately approved. The Supreme Court also held that the death penalty itself was once again constitutional under the Eighth Amendment allowing states a new dawn for a better society. On January 17, 1977, the suspension of the death penalty officially ended with the execution of Gary Gilmore in Utah, by firing squad, and that same year the introduction and use of the new kinder gentler lethal injection was administered by Oklahoma. In 1977, after the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty, over 65% of U.S. citizens were in favored of it. Since the reinstatement of the death penalty the Supreme Court has further defined the Eighth Amendments relationship to the death Penalty. In the same year it was reinstated the Courts ruled that it was deemed to harsh for instances of kidnapping, rape, being mentally incompetent and juveniles younger that 15. However it was determined in Stanford v. Kentucky that the constitution does not prohibit the death penalty for 16-year olds who commit murder. Since 1977 our state has focused every effort to save your taxpaying money and kept Texans protected from paying a state sales tax. Unlike other states we’ve done this by managing inmate total cost and making executions cost effective as possible with renowned success. We’ve even managed to redirect that extra money towards repairing our roads and funding school programs for our kids. You! The Texas taxpayer, paid an average of 43% lower cost than the other states to house inmates and less than one-hundred dollars to rid the state of each of its worst offenders. My fellow Texans, I know the death penalty is a very touchy subject to a few of you and the views of individuals who either favor or oppose the action are coupled with not only moral values and ethical beliefs, but are as personally diverse emotionally regarding race, abortion, religion and if McCain or Obama should be the next president. The most popular alternative of death penalty opponents is life in prison with no possibility of parole and the additional penalty of restitution compensation to victim’s families. Unfortunately, there is no effect of this swaying proponents of the death penalty nor is there any substantial evidence of its effectiveness to reduce the number murders committed nationwide. Currently, over 65% of the U.S. is in favor of the death penalty. In our great state of Texas we have become a kinder gentler state where we, Texans, have implemented the use of lethal injection as means of execution. We started this in 1977, used it for the first time in 1982 and continue to use it to this day. I have two promises for you my friends. My first promise to you and my personal guarantee is that we will keep capital punishment as it is and continue to reevaluate its effectiveness and use; continually reviewing its pros and cons. If a majority of Texans agree that there are better restorative justice methods or positive retribution alternatives we will change our stance to how we administer capital punishment. My second promise and guarantee is for as long as the death penalty is still practiced, the malevolent and immoral death row inmates who make it to execution will never hurt you, your family, your friends or your children ever again. Death row inmates are fulfilling the appropriate punishment handed down to them by our Texas due process of law. Only God is left for them to answer to in their final judgment. My fellow Texans, I hope ya’ll stick around to enjoy the free lunch sponsored by Chili’s and remember to vote for me for reelection. Thank you. Research Papers on Pro Death Panalty Speech - FictionComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceThe Fifth HorsemanThe Effects of Illegal Immigration19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBringing Democracy to AfricaHip-Hop is ArtAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeTwilight of the UAW

Walt Disney Company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Walt Disney Company - Assignment Example From this study it is clear that management and leadership development involves training employees on good leadership qualities and what it entails being a good manager. Employees get skills and lessons for team building because leaders ought to build teams and be good team leaders. Supervisory and organization skills are required to make a good manager as it enables one to create good business relationships, facilitating the meeting and also mentoring their junior employees.This study highlights that professional development involves taking professional courses and certification that help employees better their skills and be the best. Performance support systems and reimbursements to pursue job-related degrees help the employees to be more abreast with the modern world and changes that occur in the job market. Employees pursuing further studies mean that they get to qualify for promotions and also can move to companies where they get to advance their career status. With the developm ent of technology, any company would want its employees to have high tech computer skill to be able to operate the machines and computer they use at work. With new software coming up in production, the employees should be ready to use them and training in computer helps a great deal in this. The company offers mentoring programs that include internships, scholarships and programs to mentor startups such as the Disney Accelerator. Mentorship programs benefit not only the beneficiaries but also the company.

Economic Development in the Persian Gulf (Saudi and Iran) Essay

Economic Development in the Persian Gulf (Saudi and Iran) - Essay Example It also proposes strategies that should be adopted by both the countries so as to pave way for economic growth. Saudi Arabia and Iran are the two remarkable producers of oil in the region but have failed to utilize this wealth of natural resources towards economic development of the country. It is a tragedy of oil-based economies that they fail to reap the benefits of this rich and valuable resource. There may be several reasons behind this fact viz. extreme reliance on oil export for revenue generation and political instability etc. Regional instability is also one of the major phenomena that strike the oil rich countries in the Persian Gulf region. The fear of neighboring rivalries and potential threats keep these countries engrossed in spending thriftlessly on defense and military buildup, which has been on an ever increasing trend in the Persian Gulf region. Billion and Khatib also say that "the economy and politics of oil-dependent states are also affected by their propensity to spend more on defense" (113). Ever since the Iranian revolution, Saudi Arabia has considered Iran as a severe threat to its political structure. Consequently, both the countries, in particular Saudi Arabian government allocates heavy budget to arms accumulation and military buildup rather than on economic development. Saudi Arabia happens to ... er producer, a fourth of the world's known reserves lie beneath its soil; the reserves of Russia, Nigeria, and Alaska together do not match the desert kingdom's" (23). Despite that, the country's economic growth and stability seems to be deteriorating in the recent times. Like most of the oil-based economies, the country's economic condition is bound to improve with a rise in oil price and decline with a fall in oil price. The economy of Saudi Arabia has moved drastically over the past two decades with the movements in oil price. The rich Arab country is now falling short of enough funds to finance its major public and welfare expenditures mostly because of the events that took place over the last few decades. Saudi government had to bear extraordinary expenses during the Gulf War at officially disclosed $55 billion and then due to provision of financial support to Iraq during the Iran invasion amounting to $26 billion. Furthermore, the fluctuations in price of oil over the last 20 years from $40 per barrel in 1981 to below $20 per barrel until the late 90s have affected the cash flowing in the country. Saudi government has also failed to stabilize its expenditures based on oil prices despite its ever increasing reliance on oil to finance these expenses. Because of this reliance on oil, the oil price crisis in 1998 profoundly affected the Saudi economy and increased the level of domestic and internati onal debt leading to a financial crisis (Gause 82-83) The Saudi economy is under the serious threat of unemployment due to inability of the government to provide employment to an increasing number of educated youth. Public sector of the economy is already confronting with high salaries burdening the fiscal budget whereas the private sector is more willing to employ

Resource Mobilisation Theory

Resource Mobilisation Theory The study of social movements is a very broad and encompassing task; with each new movement come new theories, approaches and events that change the field. Social movements, as defined by sociology, can be characterized as a group of persons, who, by sharing a common ideology, band together to try and achieve certain political, economic or social goals.  [1]  There are a few standard theories to describe, understand and evaluate the effectives of social movements. Amoung the major theories currently looked at today are resource mobilization, collective behaviour theory, frame alignment theory and political opportunities theory. Although each has its own merits and shortcomings, this essay will only be examining the strengths and weaknesses of one particular theory, that of resource mobilization. The strengths focus on the theorys ability to effectively dissect the interactions between various material and non-material resources, the political structure and mobilization, while the weaknesses will examine the theorys reliance on economic models, its lack of historical perspective and its ignorance to real-world factors. The conclusion of the paper will also discuss the future use of the theory, its changing adaptations and whether or not the theory itself is still viable in todays world. B: History and Assumptions of the Theory The history of resource mobilization theory begins pre-dominantly with research done in the 1970s. Unlike other theories of social movements at the time, resource mobilization theory, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦replaced the crowd with the organization, and dismissed the psychological variables of alienation and frustration in favour of the rational actor employing instrumental and strategic reasoning.  [2]  It was this difference, which made it stand out amongst academics and prompted a flurry of research to compile an overarching framework regarding resource mobilization. However, within this framework of the theory lie two distinct approaches: First, the economic or organizational/entrepreneurial model presented by McCarthy and Zald and secondly, the sociopolitical or political/interactive argued more favorably by authors such as Tilly, Diani, and McAdam. Tilly, Diani and McAdams emphasis focuses predominately on employing a political model in order to examine the various processes that ar e claimed to give rise to social movements.  [3]  They base their ideas on the structure of grievances, in so far as they look to determine what opportunities, links or networks exists within the aggrieved group, in order to give rise to enough mobilization as to claim a social movement. Factors they included range from various forms of political power, to the oft conflicting interests of the state and the aggrieved group and finally to the political resources the group has or may need  [4]  . Conversely, the organization/entrepreneurial model emphasizes resource management, the role of leaders and leadership, and the dynamics of organization. This approach is much more economics based and therefore tries to apply various economic theories to the study of social movements. Charles Perrow, when describing this approach, makes light of the fact that it is much more capitalist based and therefore the organization/entrepreneurial branch makes reference to such ideas as: product differentiation, social industry, resource competition, social movement entrepreneurs etc.  [5]   The theory also sets aside three main assumptions when discussing social movements. 1) That economic prosperity and affluence will generally lead to a greater number of social movements.  [6]  2) That people who participants in social movements are inherently rational.  [7]  3) That the social movements participants must achieve a certain level of political and economic resources for their movement to be a success.  [8]  Therefore, as nations become more prosperous and generate necessary social movement resources such as education, wealth and communication, these in turn will help spur social movement activity. It therefore follows that this increase in activity will allow rational people to accumulate the resources needed for their social movement to be successful. Kendall defines the theory as such, resource mobilization theory focuses on the ability of members of a social movement to acquire resources and mobilize people in order to advance their cause.  [9]  Note that the aforementioned affluence is said to be most beneficial when coupled with an open state, which allows groups to mobilize freely and encourages debate and dissent as it promotes the values of freedom, capitalism and transparency. Also, the growth of the welfare state is often seen as a boost to social movements as the State itself can provide resources to struggling movements in the form of aid, workers or development programs.  [10]   The resources that the theory describes range from material to non-material, but are said to include, money, peoples time and skills, access to the media, and material goods such as property and equipment.  [11]  Simply put, resource mobilization theory describes how effective social movements can be, by examining how the groups involved in social movements both mobilize their supporters and manage their resources. Some theorists, such as Anthony Oberschall have furthered the view that the resources defined by the theory are in a constant state of struggle, in which they are perpetually created, consumed, transferred and/or lost.  [12]  Oberschall therefore views social movements much like organizations who vie for a limited number of resources in the political marketplace.  [13]   A key feature to remember, is that the resources(or assets) outlined in the theory can be of both material and non-material nature. Material assets include currency, buildings, people, telephones and computers. Non-material assets include ideology, will-power, political support, leadership and solidarity.  [14]   The other main aspect of the theory is the mobilization aspect. Mobilization is said to occur when a particular group(in this case one assumes a social movement) assembles the aforementioned resources with the explicit purpose on using them to achieve a common goal, change or message through collective action. A distinction must be drawn between the two, as merely gathering resources is not mobilization. Only when those resources have been collectively assigned to pursue a purpose, is mobilization said to take place.  [15]   B. Strengths of the Theory B1. Explanatory power of the Theory: Foweraker discusses the explanatory staying power of the theory, including its ability to adapt over time.  [16]  He states that despite it coming under criticism over the past decade or so, The theory has expanded its explanatory power by including a range of ancillary arguments. The first one of these arguments is that social networking has proven to be a decisive tool in aiding the mobilization of social movements.  [17]  Authors John Hansen and Steven Rosentone, in the book Mobilization, Participation and Democracy in America discuss the impact of social networks on social mobilization by stating, Social networks multiply the effect of mobilization.  [18]  This can be seen in everyday life, as mass communication(often one of the most important resources mentioned when discussing resource mobilization theory) has taken off in a way that not even States can control. The freedom of the internet makes mobilization not only easy, but participation costs shrink. It therefor e comes to no surprise that as social networks have grown, so too have the ability of organizers to mobilize transnational social movements such as the global environmental movement, the tea-party movement of the trans-national European movement. Another aspect of this particular strength of resource mobilization theory lies in its explanatory power to explain the various dynamics of mobilization; to help identify the various resources that social movements need in order to mobilize, the distinctive organizational features needed with condition social movements and the ever growing relationships between the political system as a whole and these movements.  [19]  By moving slightly away from the purely social/cultural or political and instead focusing more generally on resource management and strategy, resource mobilization theory highlights the growing importance of strategic/instrumental action. It also shows a level of understanding in which the decisions taken by the various actors actively affect the outcome of the conflict between the movement and the system.  [20]   B2. Strong analysis of the political system and its interactions with collective action: Resource mobilization theory also includes a very important emphasis on the political process. This is a key feature which provides useful insights into the how social movements interact within the political system. Moreover, an examination of the structure of the political system tends to yield interesting results regarding the set of political factors with either facilitate or harm the emergence of social movements.  [21]  The theory further goes on to focus on the interactions between collective action, social networks and group identity. Foweraker identifies these as prior social organizational interaction and says, Levels of prior social organization influence the degree and type of social mobilization.  [22]   C. Weaknesses of the Theory C1. Adherence to economic cost/benefit models: The first of several weaknesses of resource mobilization theory centre on its apparent adherence to an economic rationality, which presupposes various costs and benefits of a common rational participants. Foweraker believes this shortcoming gives rise to two fundamental flaws of resource mobilization theory and described these two problems as such, First, social actors are presumed to employ a narrowly instrumental rationality which bridges a rigid means/end distinction. The careful weighing of costs and benefits implied by the means/end model falls far short of a universal or complete account of collective action, if only because action may be its own reward. More particularly, to recall Webers analysis of social action, the motives that predispose the actor to act may be not merely instrumental, but habitual, affective and, above all, expressive.  [23]  If the theory only cares about the rationality of actors, then it fails to account for what rationality actually is, as the definition of such ranges from individual to individual. If one person enjoys protesting for the sake of protesting and not, as the theory would say, to achieve a goal, then how can the theory describe their rationality as a participant in a social movement? C2. Rationality without reference to social context and lack of cultural considerations: The second weakness of the theory revolves around an idea of solitary rationality. Resource mobilization theory assumes that rationality is at all times beneficial, yet with any social or historical context, it is nearly impossible to determine how the various costs and benefits of the movements are calculated. Foweraker describes this as a tautological trap, in which the theory, must then define the actors interests in such a way that no matter what choice is made it is always sent to further those interests.  [24]  Melucci agrees with this ascertain by stating that, collective action is never based solely on cost-benefit calculation and a collective identity is never entirely negotiable.  [25]  As Scott correctly points out, social movements must include, the cultural as well as the purposive aspects  [26]  for as it stands now, resource mobilization theory understands the how of social movements, but not the why.  [27]  Also, an associated weakness of the theory is that it gives little room for any sort of cultural considerations. Scott addresses this notion, by underpinning that without any reasonable consideration of cultural, solitary action seems very unlikely.  [28]   C3. Ignorance of real-world variables and factors: The third overarching criticism of resource mobilization theory stems of its apparent lack of real world considerations. The theory purports to understand the dynamic relationship between social movements, yet pays no heed to events such as political negotiations, bribery, espionage and sabotage. Foweraker outlines political negations as being more commonplace than any other political tool and states, Since [rational] choice is often a result of interactions with a living political environment, it makes little sense to think of it as uncontaminated by negotiationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [29]  Another interesting point made by Scott Lash and John Urry in their paper, The New Marxism of Collective Action: A Critical Analysis argue that, the rationality applying to one-off game-like situations does not necessarily apply to long-term relations.  [30]  This also applies to the theory of free-riding in which people may participate in a movement purely because of the advantageous position it will put them in, and not because they truly feel motivated in the movement itself. Therefore resources may be drained and fail if enough free riders are brought on. In particular, the theory fails to explain socials movements that are too weak to distribute selective benefitsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [31]  due exactly to this problem. D. Conclusion and Future: After having discussed the various strengths sand weaknesses of resource mobilization theory, this paper will now conclude with a look into the future; regarding both longevity of the theory and the overall attractiveness to academics in its current form. Given the overarching criticisms inherit to the theory itself, it should come as no surprise that the theory has lot a lot of ground to other theories of social movements, such as Political Opportunities theory, Frame Alignment theory or any of a new number of New Social Movement theories.  [32]  However, there is still plenty of underlying merit of resource mobilization theory, which this paper believes will keep it in the foreground of social movement theory for the foreseeable future. This is mainly due to the essential fact that without resources, regardless of how one defines them, social movements simply cannot generate enough momentum to sustain themselves. Therefore, taking a look into the various approaches of mobilizat ion with regards to these resources is as important now, than it was in the 1970s. Coupled with its relative openness and adaptability should make resource mobilization theory a useful tool for the foreseeable future.

Performance Management and Performance Appraisal Essay

Evaluating the performance of an employee has become and important task for managers. This way they know were or in what aspects they need to work more to achieve the companies goals. â€Å"Managing employee performance is an integral part of the work that all managers and rating officials perform throughout the year. It is as important as managing financial resources and program outcomes because employee performance, or the lack thereof, has a profound effect on both the financial and program components of any organization.† 1 (US department of the interior) This essay talks about performance management and performance appraisal, the difference between them, and how a successful performance management plan work and their common mistakes. To understand the difference between performance management and performance appraisal first we need to understand the meaning of both concepts. These two terms are usually used while evaluating employee efficiency in an organization. Lets start by learning what performance management is â€Å"Performance management is simply a term used to describe a set of activities that assess whether goals or objectives are being met. These activities include defining work, setting goals, providing feedback and encouraging development. Performance management is about shared responsibility and understanding of roles, expectations and standards† For better understanding about PM is really about the university of Berkeley posted this example in their web-side â€Å"The campus carries out its mission through the individual and collective contributions of its employees. To do their best, staff members need to know that those contributions will be recognized and acknowledged. Performance Management is one of the key processes that, when effectively carried out, helps employees know that their contributions are recognized and acknowledged. Performance management is an ongoing process of communication between a supervisor and an employee that occurs throughout the year, in support of accomplishing the strategic objectives of the organization. The communication process includes clarifying expectations, setting objectives, identifying goals, providing feedback, and evaluating results† 2. (University of Berkeley). The Office of Personnel Management defines performance management as the systematic Process of: 1. Planning work and setting expectations 2. Continually monitoring performance 3. Developing the capacity to perform 4. Periodically rating performance in a summary fashion; and 5. Rewarding good performance Know lets look at the meaning about Performance appraisals it is â€Å"The process by which a manager or consultant (1) examines and evaluates an employee’s work behaviour by comparing it with preset standards, (2) documents the results of the comparison, and (3) uses the results to provide feedback to the employee to show where improvements are needed and why. Performance appraisals are employed to determine who needs what training, and who will be promoted, demoted, retained, or fired† 3 (Business dictionary) A great appraisal needs to be fair, objective, two-way, realistic, clear, on-going and specific. Just by reading the definitions it easy to see that Performance appraisals is just one part of performance management. Although one helps the other there are a few differences that can be noticed: it can be said that performance management is the older and traditional approach. On the other hand performance appraisal is a sort modern method or approach of evaluating the performance of an employee of a firm or an organization. â€Å"Performance appraisal consists in the setting of job standards and evaluation of the past performance†¦.† On the other hand performance management concentrates on managing the performance in state time so that the performance can reach the expected level† 4 (Aaron 2011) Also performance appraisal only focuses on the past performance and its done normally twice a year on the other hand performance management â€Å"is a continuous function in the sense that it is done in an on-going fashion to ensure that the employees discharge their capabilities in such a way that targets are achieved in real-time basis. Hence it is often said that performance management is continuous in purpose whereas performance appraisal is occasional in purpose.† 4 (Aaron 2011) If we start talking about methodology there are a few differences performance appraisal is more of a formal structure while performance Management has a more flexible and casual nature. Know that we know what they mean we can talk more about performance Management. To achieve greater organizational success an organization needs a strong performance management, that process organizations put in to measure and reward the abilities of their workforce to achieve their goals. Improving morale, creating loyalty and increasing overall productivity in your employees through performance management is the key to your company outperforming the competition? Performance management not only ensures that the employees do their job but they do it the right way After reading about performance management I came across a lot of steps to make an effective one, the following are the 5 steps that I agree will make a successful PM plan. 1. Planning your Business workload; set the organizations goals strait where do managers want to take the organization, what tasks need to be done and how. For example â€Å"Have you ever tried to drive somewhere without proper directions? This almost always turns out to be a frustrating experience. Sure, if you stop and ask enough people you may eventually reach your target destination, but think of all the wasted energy, time, and resources needed to accomplish your goal. Let’s take this concept and move it to the realm of managing a business. Does it make sense to expect your employees to reach a goal or strategic objective without providing them a road map of where they are headed? â€Å" (Josh Greenberg 2011) Employees need to be involves in this process, by this they improve the morale, helps managers make sure they are no gaps in the communication process, and gives employees a clear idea of what is expected from them. 2. Monitoring business and individual performance: managers need to watch carefully the work of their employees to make sure it is done on time and the right way and see how well employees are able to function. It is also useful to keep track not only of the tasks already done but also the ones to come. 3. Individual and team performance development; involve employees to keep and upgrade standards, develop new skills, teach new procedures. It may also mean to give new responsibilities to those employees that deserve them, the ones that show they have outgrown their old ones. 4. Rating individual performance; Evaluate the employee performance address in which areas the employee needs to grow but do not forget the ones where he has already excel. It’s telling the employee where he/she is standing. 5. Rewarding great performance; this may seem like the least important but it is actually one of the most important ones, when a manager rewards their employees for their hard work it helps keeping them motivated and happy. When an employee is happy they usually keep performing at a high level (Martin Haworth) In order not to have an unsuccessful performance management, it is important to make sure that the process is well understood; managers and employees need to understand the process and its use. There might even be a training to use the system â€Å"it’s not just using the tool but using it properly.† So develop a good process and make sure everyone’ uses it. The plan must be relevant and â€Å"strategic and be part of the fabric of the organization†¦. Employees need to be able to see how working their plan will make both them and their organization more successful. In order to do that, the plan must link, at least in part, to organizational, departmental and job specific mission and planning. Other elements must enable the success of the individual.† 5 (Erik Britten, 2011) so make the plan meaningful and useful to the employee and the organization. Lets remember that performance management is an everyday activity, â€Å"If plans are developed and aligned properly, employees and managers should be able to link what they are doing almost daily to something in their plan. Managers need to connect those dots frequently in group or individual meetings.† 5 (Erik Britten, 2011) these is why it’s important to make performance management an ongoing activity. Mistake usually happen when something is not a 100% understood so lets remember to use a meaningful and useful plan for the employee and the organization, develop a good process and make sure everybody uses it and not do it twice or tree times a year but everyday, to avoid some mistakes. The biggest error that can happen is that not to manage performance, it is easy to come with excuses not to do so but it is a risky move. The most common excuses are: â€Å"my staff don’t want to be performance managed,† â€Å" not enough time,† â€Å"It’s easier to ignore underperformers and move them on to someone else to manage, † â€Å"It’s not worth the effort and does not pay off.† The list can go on and on but all these are wrong. As we have learned before performance management â€Å"The effective management of performance is a primary managerial responsibility and has significant impact on employee performance and retention.† All employees expect feedback, â€Å"Ignored underperformance rarely goes away and it gets increasingly harder to tackle.† 6 (Government of South Australia) Other errors include improper documentation or preparation. Fix the mistake by being prepare, use your time more effectively. The employee may assume the manager does not know what is going on or that she simply doesn’t care enough to prepare. Not knowing employees, get to know your employees and the quality of their work, managers need to listen, and not expect their employee to know everything and exactly how he wants the task done. Accepting excuses, don’t give a chance of a poor performance in an organization. Find a solution and establish an action plan to avoid the problems in the future. Avoiding the tough issues, It’s hard for an employee to correct their problems without any help. It’s hard to give â€Å"bad† feedback but it is really worth it if not the problems or when the work gets harder it will be all-wrong. There is a saying in my country that says â€Å"el que no habla trabaja doble† It basically says that the one that doesn’t speak or doesn’t address its problems works double. Not following through, â€Å"Most of the time and effort spent in planning for and conducting an effective interview is lost if you don’t follow through with the actions/plans discussed in the evaluation†. 7 (HRN performance solutions) Not giving the proper feedback, â€Å"critical aspects of managing an individual’s performance are daily interactions and feedback. Performance that is not actively managed is nonetheless influenced by default. Failure to provide feedback means employees are unaware of whether their performance is acceptable and valued and can be a major disincentive to stay with the organisation. Furthermore, failure to manage negative performance can have harmful consequences on the morale of the rest of the work team† 6 (Government of South Australia) Listen to employees feedback, do not ignore the employees comments, if the manager does not agree he can tell them why and then they can discuses it, but ignoring a comment can be very damaging, it can even lead to an employee not to participate in meeting or share their ideas. Overemphasizing Good Performance, â€Å"compliments quickly become meaningless if they aren’t specific and substantive. They can also give an employee the false impression that you are completely pleased with everything he does. Be honest and direct.† 7 (HRN performance solutions) â€Å"The Halo Effect, â€Å"Allowing one highly favourable (or unfavourable) employee behaviour or characteristic to affect judgment about the entire appraisal ignores other employee strengths and weaknesses.† 7(HRN performance solutions) Performance Management is a method by which a business Owner can ensure that his or her business is constantly growing and achieving at the level they desire, its important to do it no matter what, it will help achieve the employee and organization goals. With a good plan in performance management creates an engaged and aligned workforce. Without one, your organization could lose more than just time and money – you could lose knowledge, employees and, in the end, your competitive edge. 8 (Josh Greenberg) Sources 1. US Department of the interior â€Å"Performance Appraisal Handbook† 2004 http://www.doi.gov/hrm/guidance/370dm430hndbk.pdf 2. Human Resources at UC Berkeley â€Å"Concepts & Definitions† http://hrweb.berkeley.edu/guides/managing-hr/managing-successfully/performance-management/concepts 3. Business dictionary â€Å"Performance Appraisal† http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/performance-appraisal.html#ixzz1rdm7iVn5 4. Aaron 2011 Difference between Performance Management and Performance Appraisal http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-performance-management-and-vs-performance-appraisal/#ixzz1rdoPSf7O 5. Erik Britten, 2011 â€Å"Performance Management Best Practices: What are your 3 tips for managing employee performance?† http://www.focus.com/questions/performance-management-best-practices-what-are-your-3-tips/ 6. Goverment of South Australia â€Å"Managing People, Managing Performance† page 17 http://www.espi.sa.gov.au/files/Managing_people_Managing_Performance_good_practice_guide.pdf 7. HRN performance Solutions, 2012, â€Å"15 Common Errors Managers Make When Appraising Employees† http://www.hrnonline.com/tryit/AppraisalTips-15CommonErrors.asp 8. The Key to Successful Performance Objectives By Josh Greenberg http://performance-appraisals.org/experts/succobj.htm Other Sources: – Cleland David, Munsey Wallace. 1967 â€Å"Who Works with whom?† Harvard Business Review.page 84 – Goldman, Marshal and Conner Alice, â€Å"Businessmen Appraise East-West Trade†.1966. Harvard Buisness Review page 6 -Barrett Rowena â€Å"Factors affecting Perseptions of workplaces Industrial Relations Climate† International Journal of Emplyment Studies, volumen 3 number 2 october 1995 page 77 – http://www.riverlogic.com/documents/effective_performance_management.pdf – Martin Haworth Performance Management – Five Easy Steps To Success http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/performance-management-five-easy-steps-to-success-204895.html – http://www.focus.com/questions/performance-management-best-practices-what-are-your-3-tips/

International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business

In this paper I will discuss environmental regulations and labor laws in place in Thailand and Singapore. This paper will show that while Singapore seems to have stricter environmental regulations in place in it’s country, the labor laws in Thailand seems to protect its citizens better with better work hour regulations and wage requirements. Singapore’s labor laws can stand to be revisited so as to keep the working citizens safe from greedy business owners. What are Thailand and Singapore’s environmental regulation levels? Thailand’s government has been known to keep loose environmental standards for investors. Many foreign investors have been used to Thailand’s loose environmental regulation, however, the country’s government is now struggling to deal with tough new environmental regulations. An upheaval from residents in some of the more industrial areas of Thailand has set in motion a movement to toughen environmental regulations, which has many companies like Ford thinking of relocating some of its manufacturing plants. Singapore, however, has very strict environmental regulations in place, with an extension of liability even reaching to directors and officers of the companies that operate in Singapore. The government in Singapore has passed strict laws to ensure that corporations operating in the country do not compromise the health of their people. Violators of the environmental regulations in Singapore may even face mandatory jail time if found guilty of participating in activities that are deemed harmful to the environment and the people living in the area. What kind of legislation has been passed in the country regarding working hours and wages? The Department of Labor in Thailand enforces labor laws in the country. Currently, Thailand has some pretty good labor laws in place to protect it’s citizens. The most hours a person can work per day in Thailand is 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. If the job is deemed hazardous, the workday is considered complete after 7 hours, or 42 hours per week. Employees must be paid overtime pay at a rate of 1. 5 to three times the normal hourly rate when the maximum amount of hours has been surpassed. The minimum daily wage rate varies, depending on location. Some provincial areas can pay a daily rate of 137 baht, or $3. 43 U. S. dollars, whereas the daily rate can be 175 baht or $4. 38 U. S. dollars in Bangkok. Office and management staff working full-time hours can earn about 15,000 baht (US $375) to 150,000 baht (US $3,750) per month, depending on the level of management and experience. Singapore does not have any regulations in place with regard to a minimum wage for it’s workers. The Employment Act in Singapore only stipulates that workers be paid timely, which is translated to mean at least once a month. Workers who make less than 2,000 SGD per month may not be required to work more than eight hours a day or 44 hours per week. Employees working in management positions or higher may be permitted to work longer hours, depending on what terms are outlined in their contract. Do you think the country's environmental regulation is sufficient? Explain. It seems Singapore has sufficient environmental regulations in place, what with punishments which include jail time for those found guilty of infraction of the regulations. However, I feel that Thailand still has a long way to go in establishing effective environmental regulations. The people of Thailand are still fighting to get proper regs in place to keep their environment and their people safe and healthy. It seems that Thailand is reluctantly coming around, however, the threat of losing many of its foreign investors because of new environmental regulations might hinder any real progress. Do you feel that the country's hour and wage legislation is ethical? Explain. Thailand’s hour and wage regulations are adequate; however, Singapore’s hour and wage regulation still leave way too much room for employees to be taken advantage of by their employers. The fact there is no national minimum wage requirement leaves too much room for employers to underpay their employees. There is also no regulation in place to limit the amount of hours per day an employee can work. There is also no regulation for overtime pay. The lack of regulation in place to determine how many hours per day or week a person can work before overtime pay is required leaves the employees at the mercy of their employers. References http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704182004575056421383885014.html http://www.business-in-asia.com/thai_labor_law.htm http://www.ehow.com/list_5989991_labor-laws-singapore.html

Biography of Lee Krasner, Abstract Expressionist Artist

Lee Krasner (born Lena Krassner; October 27, 1908–June 19, 1984), an American painter of Russian-Jewish descent, was a pioneering Abstract Expressionist of the New York School. For decades, her reputation was overshadowed by that of her late husband, painter Jackson Pollock, whose superstardom and tragic death distracted from her own career. Years after Pollocks death, however, Krasner received recognition for her own artistic accomplishments. Fast Facts: Lee Krasner Occupation: Artist (Abstract Expressionist) Also Known As: Lena Krassner (given name); Lenore Krasner Born: October 27, 1908 in Brooklyn, New YorkDied: June 19, 1984 in New York City, New YorkEducation: The Cooper Union, National Academy of Design Spouse: Jackson PollockKey Accomplishment: Krasner remains one of the few women artists to have her work exhibited in a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art. Early Life Lee Krasner was born in 1908 to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. Krasner was the first in her family to be born in the United States, just nine months after her parents and older siblings emigrated due to growing anti-Semitic sentiment in Russia. At home in Brownsville, Brooklyn, the family spoke a mix of Yiddish, Russian, and English, though Krasner favored English. Krasners parents ran a grocery and fishmonger in East New York and often struggled to make ends meet. Her older brother Irving, to whom she was very close, read to her from classic Russian novels like Gogol and Dostoevsky. Though she was a naturalized citizen, Krasner felt connected to her parents’ homeland. Later in life, she often bristled at the suggestion that she was a fully American artist. Lee Krasner (American, 1908-1984). Untitled, 1948. Oil on canvas. 18 x 38 in. (45.7 x 96.5 cm). Promised gift of Craig and Caryn Effron, P.1.2008. The Jewish Museum, New York.  © The Pollock-Krasner Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Education Krasner always showed a sense of initiative. At an early age, she decided that the arts-focused, all-girls Washington Irving High School in Manhattan was the only school she wanted to attend, as its arts focus was a rarity at the time. Krasner was initially denied entry to the school due to her Brooklyn residence, but she eventually managed to gain admission. Perhaps ironically, Krasner excelled in all classes except for art, but she passed because of her otherwise exceptional record. During high school, Krasner abandoned her given name Lena and took on the name Lenore, inspired by the Edgar Allen Poe character. After graduation, Krasner attended the Cooper Union. She was very popular (though not necessarily academically successful) and was elected to various school offices. At Cooper Union, she changed her name once again, this time to Lee: an Americanized (and, notably, androgynous) version of her given Russian name. Having attended two art-centric girls schools, the idea of being a woman artist was not remarkable to the young Krasner. It was not until she went to the National Academy of Design that she encountered resistance to her chosen career path. She was riled by the idea that women were sometimes kept from doing what the male artists were permitted to do at the traditionally-minded institution. Ernst Haas / Getty Images Life as a Professional Artist 1929 was a notable year for Krasner. That year marked the opening of the Museum of Modern Art, which exposed her to the Modernist style and the enormous possibility it represented. 1929 also marked the beginning of the Great Depression, which spelled disaster for many aspiring artists. Krasner joined the Works Projects Administration (WPA), which employed artists for various public art projects, including the many murals on which Krasner worked. It was on the WPA that she met critic Harold Rosenberg, who would later go on to write a seminal essay on the Abstract Expressionists, as well as many other artists. Krasner lived with Igor Pantuhoff, a fellow painter of Russian origin and an alumni of the National Design Academy, for most of their ten-year relationship. However, Pantuhoffs parents held anti-Semitic views of Krasner, and the two never married. (Pantuhoff realized his mistake after he left the relationship, and he eventually went to New York to win Krasner back. By that time, Krasner had already taken up with Jackson Pollock, who, in his typically bellicose fashion, physically chased Pantuhoff from the premises.) Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollack in east Hampton, ca. 1946. Photo 10x7 cm. Photograph by Ronald Stein. Jackson Pollack and Lee Krasner papers, ca. 1905-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Relationship With Jackson Pollock In the late 1930s, Krasner took classes led by the expressionist painter and famed pedagogue Hans Hofmann. She also joined the Artist Union. In 1936, at an Artist Union dance, Krasner met Jackson Pollock, whom she would meet again several years later when they both exhibited their work in the same group exhibition. In 1942, the couple moved in together. Pollock’s rise to fame, stewarded by his wife, was meteoric. In 1949 (the year he and Krasner married), Pollock was featured in Life Magazine under the title, â€Å"Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?† Some accounts suggest that Krasner spent so much time promoting her husband’s career that she did not have time to dedicate herself to her own work. However, this version of history is misleading. In Springs, Long Island, where the couple bought a house soon after they married, Krasner used an upstairs bedroom as her studio while Pollock worked in the barn. Both were known to work furiously, and would (when invited) visit each others studios for advice and critique. However, Pollocks alcoholism and infidelity damaged the relationship, and the marriage ended tragically in 1956. Krasner was away in Europe, and Pollock was driving under the influence of alcohol with his mistress and another passenger. Pollock crashed his car, killing himself and the other passenger (though sparing the life of his mistress). Krasner was bereft at losing her husband, and ultimately channeled this emotion into her work. Lee Krasner (American, 1908-1984). Gaea, 1966. Oil on canvas. 69 x 125 1/2 in. (175.3 x 318.8 cm). Kay Sage Tanguy Fund. The Museum of Modern Art, New York.  © 2010 The Pollock-Krasner Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Artistic Legacy It was not until after Pollock’s death that Krasner began to receive the recognition she deserved. In 1965, she received her first retrospective at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. She experienced a surge of interest in her work in the 1970s, as the feminist movement was eager to reclaim art history’s lost women. The appeal of the sidelined wife of a storied American painter made Krasner a cause to champion. Krasners first retrospective in the United States opened in 1984 at the Museum of Modern Art, just months after her death at the age of 75. Her legacy lives on at the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center at Stony Brook University. Her estate is represented by Kasmin. Sources and Further Reading Hobbs, R. (1993). Lee Krasner.  New York: Abbeville Modern Masters.Landau,  E. (1995). Lee Krasner: A Catalogue Raisonnà ©.  New York: Abrams.Levin, G. (2011). Lee Krasner: A Biography. New York: Harper Collins.Munro, E. (1979). Originals: American Women Artists. New York: Simon and Schuster, 100-119.