Engage In Personal Development Essay

1.1 Describe the duties and responsibilities of own work role Job description 1.2 And 3.1 Explain expectations about own work role as expressed in relevant standards. Evaluate own knowledge, performance and understanding against relevant standards. A day in the life at my setting. Arriving at my setting each day I am required to sign in and note down the time. I put my bag in a safe and secure place so children cannot access. I check the message board and liaise with other staff members for any important updates. We have a child with a food intolerance so I informed the cook to make them aware the child was catered for at all meals during the day. My 1st hour was spent upstairs with the toddlers aged between 2 and 3 years. I then checked the planner to see what activities we had for that day. Today I set up the drawing table ensuring there was enough paper, crayons and chairs available for all the children present. I sat with the children whilst they joined in with the activity. Talking to the children about what they were doing and describing all the different colours, sizes, shapes etc. This was promoting their speech and language development and using creative skills too. Whilst supervising this activity I decided to complete a short observation on one of t he children as she began to count and sing. I was interacting with all of the children trying to maintain interest. After a short while it was then time to tidy away all the equipment from the actives in which we encourage the children to help too. Once the room was tidy we decided to take the children outside in to the garden. Most of our toddlers are able to collect and put on their coats which we also encourage to do but some children are unable to achieve this at the moment. I helped to escort the children safely down the stairs ensuring they hold on to the rail and do a head count to make sure all children were present. I performed the outdoor risk assessment using the  daily check list. The children then are supervised using the toilet and washing their hands ready for lunch. I seat the children down at the tables ensuring they have cleaned their hands and they have adequate space to eat. I supply them all with a drink and we sing songs whilst the food is being dished out. I have prepared the child’s food separately who has the food intolerance ensuring they receive the correct meal . The child is also supervised eating to ensure they do not mix foods with the other children. Some children have not developed the skills to cut their own food so I will assist with helping them to do that. Ensuring the meals are cool enough I then give each child a meal and always remind them of good manners by saying â€Å"please† and â€Å"thank you†. If children do not like the meal or try to refuse it I will always encourage them to try it. If I am working alongside the babies the above applies except some of the babies are too young to feed themselves and have not yet developed those skills. Babies will also need help with bottle feeding. I would also prepare the bottle feeds following the nursery policy. Ensuring correct formula is mixed and all bottles have been sterilised. Back in the toddler room, a child was struggling with their food and looked like they was choking. I immediately helped the child by taking the food out of their mouth with my little finger. The child became distressed so I comforted them until they were able to return to their meal. Meal times are always supervised by all members of staff to help with any incidents like this. All meal times are recorded in the daily chart. This is where we write down what the child has eaten so we can relay this back to the parents/carers. When the children have finished their meal I help to clean the children up and get them ready for their afternoon sleep. I assist with the toileting and other members of staff will go through the nappy change routine. The children in the toddler room go to find their own sleep mats with the aid of their name and picture tag. Most children will remove their own footwear but again some have not yet developed those skills, so I will help. Some children have their own comforters which I put out for them and I help to get them off to sleep with gentle patting. Once the children are asleep, I ensure the room monitors are on and working, make sure the room temperature is ok and all the children have their own blankets and they are safe. I then record each child in the daily sleep chart. This chart is for ours and parents benefits. We record when they sleep and when they wake up. As some children are only allowed a certain amount of sleep, this will help us to know when we have to wake them up. I then check on the children in the sleep room every 10 minutes with the aid of a timer. When children wake from their afternoon sleep they are always asked to use the toilet. Some children are upset when they awake so I will always comfort them. The afternoon usually consists of taking the children outside for free play. I get all their coats bags etc together and help to put their coats on. On this occasion it was a nice sunny day so I applied their own sun cream following the nursery sun cream policy. I ensure they have sun hats and the sun cream is applied liberally. Before we go outside I take 4 children at a time down the stair and reiterate the importance of holding the hand rail. A head count is once again recorded and an outdoor check is done following the outdoor risk assessment. The toddlers are escorted outsi de counting each child as they go. They are shortly followed by the children/babies from the tiny room downstairs and they all play in the same garden. The children are supervised with in ratio. As its free play time, I leave the children to play but some children like me to join in with what they are playing with. Child A is playing with a dolls pram and child B is trying to take that away from them. I intervene and explain to child B â€Å"we do not take toys from our friends when they are playing with them, it’s not very kind†. Child B is upset so I took the child away and provided them with another toy to distract them from child A. This works very well and child B goes off playing happily alone with the other toy. Child A is also happy and also continues to play. Shortly after another incident happened where a child has fallen and bumped their head. As I comfort the child I asked another staff member to get a cold compress. This is applied to the child for 10 minutes whilst still trying to comfort the child. The head bump is not too bad and the child soon calms down and returns playing. I then completed an accident form following nursery policy. This is then signed by the parent when the child is collected. During the afternoon, parents/carers come to collect their children. I greet the parents and explain what their child has been doing throughout the day, taking the information off the daily record sheet. We usually have a short chat with the parents/carers about the child’s day and will also take interest in their day too. We have a good  relationship with our parents/carers and this also helps us to get to know the parents/carers and children too. After all the children have gone home, we tidy round and ensure the nursery is ready for the next day ahead. 2.1 Explain the importance of reflective practice in continuously improving the quality of service provided. The nursery setting is always changing is so many different ways. We have new children being welcomed in to the setting and then we have children going through different types of transitions. The service we provide must reflect the needs of the children and by constantly improving our services we can better meet the need of the children and support their development. By constantly reflecting on out practice we can assess where we may be lacking in skills or knowledge and we can update these regularly to keep our services up to date and as supportive to the children as possible. A good example on reflective practice is, we have a child that has developed an intolerance to milk, dairy products etc. We have briefed all staff members with information regarding lactose free diet for this child. We have a couple of children who have turned 2 years and have completed the transition u pstairs to the toddler room. This meant we have more babies downstairs in our tiny room and the room has been slightly equipped with more age relevant toys and equipment. If we did not reflect on this, it could hinder the development of the younger babies. Everyone makes mistakes – they are one way of learning. It is important not to waste your mistakes, so if something has gone wrong, make sure you learn from it. Discuss problems and mistakes with your supervisor, and work out how to do things differently next time. You can use reflective skills in order to learn from situations that have not worked out the way you planned. It is important that you consider carefully why things turned out the way they did and think about how you will ensure that they go according to plan next time. Talking to colleagues and supervisors is equally useful when things work out really well, as it is important to reflect on success as well as failure. If you reflect on why something worked, this will make it more likely that you can repeat it. Information taken from http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/ 2.3 Describe how own values, belief systems and experiences may affect  working practices What we believe in, what we see as important and what we see as acceptable or desirable is an essential part of who we are. The way in which we respond to people is linked to what we believe in, what we consider important and what interests us. We may find we react positively to people who share our values and less warmly to people who have different priorities. As a professionals, we are required to provide the same quality of support for all, not just for those who share our views and beliefs. The key term here is Diversity – being different; people are unique according to their own background, culture, personality, race, any disability, gender, religion/belief, sexual orientation and age. 4.1 Identify sources of support for planning and reviewing own development. Personal development is to do with developing the personal qualities and skills that everyone needs in order to live and work with others, such as understanding, empathy, patience, communication and relationship-building. It is also to do with the development of self-confidence, self-esteem and self-respect. In my setting there is always support for planning and reviewing my own development. I have already opted to improve my skills and development with a couple of course due to start in December 2014. You need to have these goals in mind; †¢ What you are trying to achieve? †¢ How you are you going to achieve it? †¢ How you will be able to tell when you have achieved it? It’s also helpful to further your development by asking other team members, duty manager and managers. We have a fantastic team who are very helpful and are ready to give any help and advice to anyone who needs it. At my setting there are many text books, magazines and brochures with vital information I can look through if I feel need some extra information in a certain topic of interest to further my development. We also have regular appraisals to guide and encourage further development and to also discuss current work practice. I feel this is extremely important. This not only boosts self-esteem but also gives management a chance to reflect on your work practice and if there is any further development training needed. Ref: http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk

Handmaids Tale †Basic Response Essay

One of the ways in which The Handmaid’s Tale creates opportunities to respond is through its discussion and exploration of a dystopian society. A dystopian society is often characterised as a futuristic setting with oppressive societal control and elements of totalitarianism. The Handmaid’s Tale is set in the futuristic Republic of Gilead and a way in which Atwood has chosen to display a dystopian society is through creating a sense that the citizens of Gilead are under constant surveillance, a characteristic of dystopian literature. This can be shown through the reoccurring motif of â€Å"the eye. † The eye motif symbolises the eternal watchfulness of god and the totalitarian state with its recurrence creating a sense that citizens of Gilead are constantly being surveyed. This is shown as Offred states â€Å"to be seen-to be seen- is to be- her voice trembled-penetrated. † The use of repetition and italicise of the word ‘seen’ is used to highlight the fact that individuals don’t want to be seen, creating an ominous presence of control and threat through the constant watching. Another way The Handmaid’s Tale creates opportunities to respond in relation to its dystopian reading is in its discussion of citizens in fear of the outside world. This fear is shown through the presence of â€Å"The Wall. † The wall serves as a symbolic barrier separating Gilead from the outside world and also emphasising the existence of the totalitarian state and its allusion of a perfect world. This meaning is shown as the wall is described to have â€Å"barbed wire along the bottom and broken glass set in concrete along the top. Visual imagery here is used to create fear of the outside world through the literal and metaphorical barrier the wall represents. It is also important to note that the value of Atwood’s text is evident in the way it is a cautionary novel, designed to provide a reflection and thus provide commentary on the potential for 21st century society to adopt these extremes. Therefore the novels exploration of elements of dystopian society including the perceived surveillance of citizens and fear of the outside world creates opportunities to respond to The Handmaid’s Tale in relation to its comments about dystopian society, making it valuable. Even though the totalitarian regime has been destroyed, Atwood warns us that governments can still exploit woman. In the Historical Notes, it is concerning how Professor Pieixoto states, â€Å"No new system can impose itself upon a previous one without incorporating many of the elements to be found in the latter. † This implies that selected characteristics of the dystopian Gilead Republic will be adopted by a new government. Another way in which The Handmaid’s Tale creates opportunities to respond is through its complex interpretation from a feminist perspective. This is shown within the novel as the Handmaid’s bodies are used for procreation, their sexual freedom has been denied. This is seen through the constant discussion of fertility with Offred often belittling herself and her body to be used, â€Å"we are like containers, it’s only the insides of our bodies that are important. The outside can become hard †¦ like the shell of a nut. † Here a simile is used to continue to degrade and dehumanise Offred through equating her to a simple â€Å"nut,† an empty being, only valued for her fertility. Also the way in which women are used for procreation is shown through the motif of red, â€Å"a nondescript woman in red,† with women here further dehumanised to â€Å"nondescript† beings. The motif of red is used to represent fertility. The way females are often referred to as red throughout the text highlights how the Handmaids’ sole purpose within the society of Gilead is to procreate, demonstrating once again how females within the society are only valued for their bodies. In regards to a feminist interpretation, male dominance is also presented throughout the novel through the discussion of sterile- this is again italicised to emphasise its effect relating to a feminist viewpoint as males don’t go to colonies yet females do highlighting gender inequality. The inclusion of these elements discusses a range of feminist concerns allowing it to be interpreted in a myriad of different ways, increasing its value. The Handmaid’s Tale furthermore creates opportunities to respond through its inclusion of post-modern elements thus making it valuable. The novel can be read from a post-modern perspective as Atwood uses self- reflexivity as a means of questioning what is truth. This is shown when Offred admits, â€Å"This is a reconstruction, all of it is a reconstruction. It’s a reconstruction now, in my head. † The use of repetition, â€Å"reconstruction† creates emphasis and awareness of how the story Offred tells is only fractured pieces of the story, taken apart and put back together. Atwood here is trying to make her reader’s question if what is being said is true; implying that not everything read is necessarily true. This post-modern analysis which believes in the existence of multiple truths can be further seen through Offred’s narration shown as she questions â€Å"you want the best for her. Don’t you? † Here metafiction is used as Offred directly communicates with the audience, presenting an element of post- modern literature. From a post-modern interpretation the truthfulness of Offred’s singular narration is questionable accentuated when she consciously reinstates, â€Å"I don’t want to be telling this story. † This highlights how her narration could be subjected bias rather than truth. Thus The Handmaid’s Tale can be interpreted from a post-modern perspective making it valuable as this is one of the many ways it can be responded to. In conclusion it is through the different ways to respond to Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale that the text possesses value. These responses are generated in relation to dystopian, feminist and post-modern interpretations that the novel discusses. Each of these comments on 21st century society and encourage audiences to respond to their own society in different ways making the text valuable.

Week 8 discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Week 8 discussion - Essay Example As such, the relevant parties had to ensure that the test they use fulfils the student’s language requirements. Indeed, FAIR does an astute job for K-2 students because it covers all language requirements according to the VPK Florida Education standards. As earlier mentioned, language is the foundation for all other learning in children. The high illiteracy standards for ELL students among other factors necessitates that they get special attention even when formulating tests. That said, the summary given on the slides regarding strategies for teaching English Language Learners (ELL) students is very crucial as it highlights the core of ELL requirements not only in view f language but also in other subjects. The K-2 test has numerous benefits aside from being valid and reliable. It also creates a forum upon which educators revise curricular objectives and, therefore, ensure that they cover all the students needs. The fact that testing occurs three times a year allows educators to test the success of previous objectives. In addition, the one-to-one strategy allows for identification of unique and subjective discrepancies that would otherwise fall through both cracks. However, I believe that educators should pair this test with a form of continuous assessment to analyze the progress of students in natural â€Å"non-test†

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Business law - Essay Example In accepting an offer, if an offerree introduces new terms or varies the terms of the offer, this will not constitute a valid acceptance, but will be viewed as a counter offer. For example, in the case of Hyde v Wrench3 the defendant’s offer to sell was not unconditionally accepted, the plaintiff responded with a counter offer, hence a contract did not come into existence and there was no obligation of any sort between the parties. In this case, Doors Software placed an order on 5 May 2003, with additional items included, such as installation of the servers at 10,000 pounds rather than the 15,000 pounds suggested by Hard Water Co and a change in the delivery time frame. This is likely to be viewed as a counter offer, rather than an acceptance of terms. On this basis, the original offer put forward by Hard Water Co. which included the price variation clause will be deemed to have been rejected, applying the precedent of Hyde v Wrench. According to Lord Denning no contract will come into existence unless and until the acceptance has been communicated to the offerer4. In this case, the counter offer by Doors Software has been communicated to Hard Water Co as the order form. This order form does not contain a price variation clause, however Hard Water Co has completed and signed the form and returned it to Doors Software without insisting on the price variation clause. On this basis, Hard Water Co will be held to have accepted the contract on the terms set out in the order form of the Doors Software Company. The question of contracts that are generated through standard business documents, like the order form, etc was examined in the case of Butler Machine Tool v Excell-O-Corp5 which is very similar to the instant case. Plaintiffs sent a letter of offer to defendants on their standard form, stating that these terms and conditions were to prevail over buyer’s order form. The defendants however returned an order form with different terms and

Describing the main points made by the graph (one page) AND Collecting Research Paper

Describing the main points made by the graph (one page) AND Collecting data for a period of 10 years on an economic variable for - Research Paper Example Its horizontal axis illustrates percentages of respective items relative to the nation’s gross domestic product while the horizontal axis represents period in years and communicates anticipated changes in effects of tax cut. ‘Extend Tax Policies’ is one of the major variables that the graphs illustrates and it demonstrates the anticipated trend of deficit. It is shown in a deep blue colour and has varying percentage, of the nation’s Gross domestic product, over time. The cuts would reduce deficit in the short run, over three-year period, before the deficit begins to increase. The graph further shows that the Conges will continuously nullify regulations to reduce Medicare payments. Another significant feature of the graph is the interest payment that the government is likely to occur based on its borrowings. The interest also has an increasing trend and the features suggest that the proposed tax cut was not a sound move. The graph is suitable for representin g the data that aimed at comparing different variables across time. It consolidates the variables in one graph and allows for easier comparison than if the variables were represented in separate simple line graphs. The use of different and visible colours also identifies effectiveness of the graph in communicating predicted changes in economic factors following tax cuts. The audience can easily identify differences in the sizes of each segment to understand the associated changes (Rampell, 2011; Mmerrier, Logan and Williams, 2007). Part 2: Data presentation on an economic variable Gross domestic product indicates a country’s level of productivity and is one of the major indicators of economic capacity and economic growth. The Gross Domestic Product at purchasing power parity is the total value of commodity that an economy produces and is valued in United States Dollar value (The World Bank, 2012). Changes in value of an economy’s currency therefore leads to correspondi ng changes in value of corresponding gross domestic product based on purchasing power parity (Brezina, 2011). It is therefore a reliable measure of an economy’s potential for comparison with other economies for economic decisions in the international set up. Its time series analysis in an economy also offers a basis for understanding economic trends in the given economy and allows for predictions. Consideration of growth rate instead of actual values simplifies analysis and represents both increments and decrements with positive and negative signs respectively. The following data represents growth in gross domestic product for Qatar based on purchasing power parity. The data has been retrieved from Index Mundi database. Table 1: Gross domestic product growth rate for Qatar based on purchasing power parity Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Growth (%) 7.75 3.35 -0.31 3.21 16.98 -1.88 11.08 3.14 1.82 -0.01 13.73 (Index Mundi, http://www.indexmundi.com/q atar/gdp_per_capita_(ppp).html) The following table summarizes descriptive statistics for the data. Table 2: Major descriptive statistics Mean 5.35 Standard deviation 6.19 Median 3.21 Range 18.86 Maximum 16.98 Minimum -1.88 The statistics shows that Qatar had an average growth rate of 5.35 percent in the ten-year period from the year 2000 to the year 2010. The median for the data was 3.21 percent but the mean is a better estimator because it considers both rank and quantity of the yearly gross domestic

Estimate the five operating expenses for each of the past three fiscal Essay

Estimate the five operating expenses for each of the past three fiscal years, and evaluate what operating leverage, if any, was applied each year - Essay Example According to both financial statements the five costs are Cost of Revenue, Research and Development, Selling General and Administrative Expenses, Non-Recurring and Others. For the sake of simplicity, Cost of Revenue and Selling, General and Administration Expenses would be regarded as Variable Cost and the other expenditure as Fixed Cost. From the Income Statement Extract for 2003 (Fig 2), it is clear that PFIZER operated with a higher degree of operating leverage than GlaxoSmithKline. This is evident in the company's fixed cost percentage as PFIZER's fixed cost position is 2% higher that its competitor. The fact that PFIZER has a substantial amounts of capital tied up in its fixed assets and in particular in Research and Development Expenditure, would account for its higher operating leverage. It should be of no surprise therefore, that PFIZER's Research and Development accounts for over 50% of its total fixed cost. GlaxoSmithKline may have been a little more conservative since its Research and Development Expenditure spans only 5% of its total fixed cost. The strategy therefore would be for PFIZER to reduce its fixed cost percentage and thus enable itself to manage its risks. It has successfully done so in December 2004 (Fig 3) and as a result its operations have expanded by 13%. GlaxoSmithKline, on the other hand, operating income expanded by only 3% despite the reduction of its operating leverage. This is owing to the fact that its revenue of $39 Billion only increased by 3%. Fig 4 According to Fig 4, the Operating Income of GlaxoSmithKline has improved by an additional 4% where as PFIZER fell by 5%. PFIZER operating leverage has increased again and hence would account for the fall in Operating Income by $3 Billion. It was clear that GlaxoSmithKline managed its operating leverage better and hence reduces its risk. Conclusion The question, which may arise, is whether PFIZER is in a better situation than GlaxoSmithKline The truth is "leverage is neither good or bad"(Schmedt May 1998). Each company must assess the amount of risk it is willing to take while striving to achieve its corporate objectives. It is important to understand the company's cost structure to enable management to make effective decisions so that it can compete effectively and achieve the competitive advantage it so desires. References Fred Schmedts, The concept of Operating Leverage : The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation http://www.noble.org/Ag/Economics/OperatingLeverage/index.html Glaxosmithkline PLC Financial Statements December 2003 to December 2005 - Yahoo Finance http://finance.yahoo.com/q/iss=GSK&annual PFIZER Inc Financial Statements December 2003 to December 2005 - Yahoo Finance http://finance.yahoo.com/q/iss=PFE&annual Buccino, Gerald P. and Kraig S. McKinley, "The Importance of Operating Leverage in a Turnaround," Secure Lender (September / October 1997),

Globalization and the British East India Company Essay

Globalization and the British East India Company - Essay Example However, the historical origin of globalization has ever remained a subject of debate among the historians. In most cases or usage, globalization is the period that began in the 1970s, where some scholars consider that this period began longer than historians exactly locate, and it encompassed all the extra-nation activities. The history of globalization has little to do with the British East India Company. It is regarded that the most proponent of the historical origin of globalization lies with Andre Gunder Frank. He was an economist and was as well associated with the independent theory (Malik 22). According to Frank, globalization began with the rise of global trading links between the Indus valley Civilization and the Sumer back in the third millennium B.C. What was considered archaic globalization had its existence in the Hellenistic Age, the period that was marked with commercialized development of urban centers, which marked the axial of Greek culture whose influences reached Spain from India. Other cities that felt the impacts of the early globalization include Roman Empire, Han Dynasty, and Parthian empire. The increasing commercial trade links between these powers were experienced in the Silk Road. This road started in China then stretched out to the boundaries of Parthian Empire and later moved to Rome (Malik 49). From the archaic period, globalization move to another phase that was described by Islamic and Mongol eras. During this period, the Muslim and Jewish traders and explorers founded trade routes that led to agricultural globalization, trade, knowledge, and technology globalization. This period was marked with the introduction and wide spread of crops including cotton and sugar that were cultivated almost all over the Muslim world, while knowledge spread widely to the Hajj and Arabic world that led to the cosmopolitan culture (Malik 27). The Mongol empire though had a destabilizing effect to the commercial centers with the Middle East and chi na; it significantly influenced or facilitated movement along Silk Road (Malik 153). Pax Mongolica of the 13th century was marked with the introduction of the first international postal service, and the rapid transition and spread of epidemic diseases including bubonic plague that substantially affected Central Asia. The Mongol era played a vital part in the globalization up to the sixteenth century; however, the largest trade systems were limited to the Eurasia (Malik 56). The Maritime Europe later replaced the Mongol period. The Maritime Europe phase, which was also known as proto-globalization was defined by the rise in the Empire of the European Maritime that took place in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The era saw the rise in the first Spanish and Portuguese Empires and later the rising of the British and Dutch Empires (Malik 77). In the seventeenth century, globalization was highly developed, and greater globalization organization became chartered companies. For inst ance, in the year 1600, the British East India Company was founded as the first multinational corporation. Later in 1602, the Dutch India Company was established. The British India Company was founded after the treaty of union as an early English joint- stock company. This organization was primarily formed to pursue trade with the East Indies; however, it ended up trading within the Indian Subcontinent and sometimes stretched its trades to China. Therefore, it is

The effect of domestic violence on children with in the United Kingdom Essay

The effect of domestic violence on children with in the United Kingdom - Essay Example 149). However, the legal and policy response to these problems has operated upon a presumption that service provision for women who experience domestic violence is also sufficient to meet the needs of children and young people (Mullender & Morley, p. 2; Parkinson & The invisibility of children who experience domestic violence stems from an apparent reluctance on the part of researchers to conduct child-focused qualitative research on this issue (Mullender et al., p. 2). Consequently, few studies have engaged with children and young people about their experiences of domestic violence (but see NCH Action for Children, 2004; Hague et al., 1996; McGee, 2000; Mullender et al., 2002, Gorin, 2004). This is despite significant efforts in family and social policy research more generally to involve and consult directly with children and young people about their views and experiences (Hallett & Prout, 2003; Smart et al., 2001). As a national umbrella organisation, The Womens Aid Federation of England and Wales (WAFE) have been at the forefront of refuge provision for women and children who flee domestic violence. Refuges frequently accommodate women and children fleeing domestic violence not just from their local area but also from outside the area (Ball, p. 35). WAFE supports 270 refuge organisations and manages 567 safe houses across England and Wales (WAFE, 2001). However, the number of refuge places available today still falls short of the recommendation of the 1975 Select Committee on Violence in Marriage that there should be one family refuge place per 10,000 of the population (WAFE, 2001). Refuges have long struggled to attract enough central or local government funding to survive. Consequently, they have historically been funded from a variety of sources. These include local authority housing departments and social services departments, charities and trusts, housing

War and Peace in the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

War and Peace in the Middle East - Essay Example The Middle East political plethora is characterized by fighting raging from Syria and its spillover effect felt in Lebanon Bahrain and Iraq. There is no denying the sectarianism is commonplace in the Middle East politics with religious identity the most vital end in defining the political life of the people. Therefore, the war in these countries remains a familiar factor in the pursuit of national interest of the individual countries in the oil-rich region (CASHMAN, 2000:45). Various ideas, theories, and values shape policy and motivate the political behavior of citizens in certain countries. International relations theorists disagree over the inevitability of war. To classical realists and neo-liberalists, war is inevitable. They posit that each state is compelled to harm the other in pursuit of their interests and to avoid the worst possible outcome. This follows with states increasing their defense capabilities thereby increasing tension and chances of war. Realism has evolved int o the dominant paradigm in explaining state behavior and the eruption of war. Neo-realists hold that state behavior is driven by the need for survival in the international system. States try to survive by maximizing their power and shifting the balance of power in their favor. Mearsheimer’s ‘Offensive Realism Theory’ asserts the rationality of states in an anarchic world system. This leads to a security dilemma where a defensive action taken by one state on the verge of survival is a threat to another.... To classical realists and neo-liberalists, war is inevitable. They posit that each state is compelled to harm the other in pursuit of their interests and to avoid the worst possible outcome. This follows with states increasing their defense capabilities thereby increasing tension and chances of war. Realism has evolved into the dominant paradigm in explaining state behavior and the eruption of war. Neo-realists hold that state behavior is driven by the need for survival in the international system. States try to survive by maximizing their power and shifting the balance of power in their favor. Mearsheimer’s ‘Offensive Realism Theory’ asserts the rationality of states in an anarchic world system. This leads to a security dilemma where a defensive action taken by one state in the verge of survival is a threat to another. Realism fronts war as one of the best strategies for states to maximize their power and ensure their survival. In other cases, the threat of force may be used to maximize power. According to the theory also, other states may insight war between rival nations in a bid to reduce their power and eventually increase their own (DUNNE, KURKI, & SMITH, 2013:79). A good illustration is Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, at an individual level; Saddam Hussein may have calculated that his actions on Kuwait will not provoke military response from the international community due to his originally ruthless nature. However, at the state level Iraq is pursuing its own national interests and attempting to regain oil fields that were previously annexed by the British (CASHMAN, 2000:79). According to Mearsheimer’s theory also, the polarity between states or the possibility of war depends in the number of

How to be a great teacher Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How to be a great teacher - Essay Example Through online teaching and interactive learning environments, teachers are playing a considerable role in improving the communication skills of the children by making them interact with other students in different activities. Teachers are also playing a vital role in improving the social behaviors of the students by injecting the senses of responsibility and ethics in the minds of the students. How to Become a Great Teacher Not every teacher is a great teacher. Ragos states, â€Å"The influence of a great teacher is reverberating†. A great teacher possesses such qualities and characteristics, which distinguishes him/her from all other teachers. Some of the main qualities of a great teacher include sense of humor, positive attitude, high expectations, consistency, fairness, and flexibility (Kelly). Let us now discuss in detail what a teacher needs to become a great teacher. In the discussion, we will also include the ideas and responses of Mr. Bob Overstreet, who is a high sch ool teacher from Walton High School. High Enthusiasm A great teacher is always enthusiastic about the job. According to Mr. Overstreet, high enthusiasm and passion to teach students are the keys towards a teacher’s professional success. ... Therefore, teachers need to develop interest of students in the subjects in order to make them successful. Responsiveness Another important factor, which plays a considerable role in development of a great teacher, is responsiveness. A teacher needs to respond to the queries of the students in order to satisfy them. A teacher should never ignore the query of any student. It is also one of the main responsibilities of a teacher to strengthen the concepts of the students and it can only happen if the teacher shows interest by responding to all questions raised by the students about the lecture. According to Mr. Overstreet, a great teacher is one who never leaves any question made by any student unanswered. A great teacher not only responds to the students but also ensures that the students have understood every issue related to the topic. Moreover, a great teacher is one who not only shows interest in the subject related questions raised by the students but also answers other questions related to sports, physical fitness, or any other topic. Friendliness and Communication Skills Another quality, which makes teachers great, is the friendliness and excellent communication skills of the teachers. â€Å"There are many ways to be a successful teacher but the secret lies in excellent communication skills† (Reed). According to Mr. Overstreet, teachers need to be friendly with their students in order to create an effective learning environment. Friendliness of teachers plays a vital role in making the students learn in an effective manner. It is because when a teacher creates an open and sociable learning environment in the classroom, it motivates the students to get

History of Western Art Essay Example for Free

History of Western Art Essay It entered into the register in 1593 and was there for a period of 47 years. Venus is the goddess of love, while Adonis is a handsome mortal. The woman image (Venus) is seen, assisted by a small child, trying to restrain Adonis from setting off. The woman is naked while the man is in a hunter’s attire. Some hunting dogs are also seen by the man’s side. This painting shows only a small part of Adonis and Venus. The artist focused only on the two characters; Venus wanting Adonis’ embrace but Adonis is refusing and this is clear in the painting. It can also be seen that behind her, there are some flowers and a small thicket. In this painting the artist has tried to use the least poses or none at all. This makes it unique from most other paintings. Another ingredient of the uniqueness of this painting is that the artist has fairly restricted the gestures belonging to the two hovering figures. He has actually used calmness in such a situation that is so emotional. Le Dejeuner sur l’Herbe (1863) This was first presented to the salon in 1863. There is minimum use of lines. A naked woman with two men seated together in an absurd manner. At the background is another image of a woman slightly bending and appears to be bathing and facing the two men and the woman. The background is also dark as compared to the foreground. In fact, the woman looks brighter than anything else. The naked woman has her clothes spread all over with some food stuff in a basket at the lower side end, while one of her legs is stretched towards one of the men’s own space. How these two men are seated suggests that they have no business to do with the woman and they seem to be communicating with each other. Being ignored, this woman chooses to just look at the viewer shamelessly. On the other hand, the two men are in attire which is actually decent and it probably was fashionable during this period. And contours here have not been used; the artist has utilized light and paint. It is evident that a viewer’s emotional response will be determined by the image of the naked woman and at the first glance, will be left wondering about the situation that these two men are in; nicely dressed men sitting next to a blatant woman who has not even a single piece of a covering on her body, in fact on an open. Grande Odalisque by Ingres Created in 1814, it fit into the romanticism of between 1750 and 1850. It was fist shown in salon in 1819. It again has an image of a naked woman lying in something like a sofa and also posed in an unhurried manner. She has a small head, looking at the viewer, and a stretched out arms and legs. She has only shown her back and small part of her breast in the ingress painting; it is polished smoothly on the surface and has simple contours drawn round in a rhythmic manner. The eventful material by the woman’s side complements the smooth body planes. The painter seems to be bringing out a relationship between colors and tone in a way that it is hard for one to forget. During this period, the concubines had a duty of merely satisfying sultan’s bodily pleasures. For this purpose, the artist has symbolically elongated the area around her pelvis. Furthermore, the way this woman has posed and her position in relation to her pelvis is an illustration of how deep and complex the emotions and the thoughts of the woman are. The romantic founders cast-off some common approaches and looked for freedom of expression through their art work. By doing this, they concentrated much on freedom in self-expression, mantic love, individualism, and adventure. Another dominant concept they used is the inspirational idea of dealing with pain, terror, power and darkness. This, of course, is not difficult for humans. Hence romantic artists have engaged a variety of styles and ways in their work even in neglecting the strict academia. This is displayed by Ingress in his Grande Odalisque work. From the above, it can be seen that the three images differ in some way. First, how the paintings are done differs from one another. For instance, while we are have wide use of lines and contours in Grande Odalisque, minimal of these features are employed in the Le Dejeuner sur l’Herbe. another. The difference is that, the images were produced at different times and hence their themes are also different and each has a theme that is in line with the period it was created. Thirdly, we have different artists for the different images and as such since every artist has a different taste from another, definitely their work will be different. In as much as these differences exist, there are also similarities between these images. It is clear in all images that romance has been the major, or one of the major, themes and in every case the main character is a woman. Another major similarity is the nudeness of the women in every image. With all these, I still disagree that these nudes were consistent with the general trends of the period. This is because at some instances, the nudes behaved in a very awkward manner such as staying completely naked in public, and leaving the viewer questioning their moral standards. The difference is as a result of the fact that the artists have different ways of symbolizing events ant ideas and, as said earlier, they have different tastes. The similarity is as a result of the fact that each of the artists wants to divert from the tradition of the academic style and wants to embrace freedom. Every artist in these three images has shown the woman to be the major character and a suitable object of bringing out the real feeling of what each of them wants to communicate. Nudeness was actually such an enduring subject in western art because every one of the images tries to bring out a theme in the best way possible and every artist did not want to be left behind and subject of the nudes had to be considered by them. References Calley G. K. , (2000). Romanticism. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Business versus Environment Essay Example for Free

Business versus Environment Essay Businesses would always want to make more profit but this should be accomplished while also taking into account its social responsibilities. In the long run, there is an aggregate need for business entities to balance between profit and the adverse effects the business causes to the environment in its natural course of operations. Choosing not to consider the social and environmental costs associated with the business will result in less spending for operations but this in turn may affect the survivability of the business entity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many businessmen executives have realized that aggressive environmental programs result in profitability and competitiveness by reducing risks and avoiding additional costs from regulatory compliance programs. Environmental initiatives has its benefits for a business. It acts as morale and productivity boosters for the workers, enhanced brand image, streamline time-to-market and improved relations with regulators and the community. It is now understandable that an understanding of socio-economic, political and cultural processes and structures is necessary to understand environmental problems and in order to establish sustainable development.[1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It cannot be denied that through the course of its operations, business does affect the environment in many ways such as pollution and introduction of new chemical compounds which may prove harmful to people or the environment, genetic engineering and others. How a business affects the environment may be deliberate or accidental but there are also some businesses that improve the quality of the environment.[2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To cite, all countries are very much dependent on the oil industry and the industry is essential in any kind of economy. It produces huge amounts of profit for oil producing countries while non-oil producing countries have showed dependence on oil because of the need to run vehicles or to fuel industries. But with the production of oil also stems a need to provide funding to numerous environmental concerns that arise with it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An oil spill is just one of the risks associated with the oil industries. It is a grave threat to the marine ecosystem and also to the people living near the coastline who depend on the marine resources for their food and income. In an oil spill near the coast of Guimaras Islands in the Philippines, one of the oil tankers of Petron carrying millions of liters of oil sank to the bottom of the sea floor. The incident was the worst oil spill in the country which affected the 40,000 people living on the island who are mostly dependent on the sea. Guimaras Governor Joaquin Nava was frustrated over the absence of commitment from the government sector and Petron to solve the oil spill. Greenpeace on the other hand has much fear that the remaining 1.9 million liters of oil inside the sunken tanker will cause more damage when released into the sea. There was public demand that Petron immediately raise the sunken tanker to prevent more oil spillage or to pump out the remaining oil from its tanks. Relief operations were also needed to compensate for the people of Guimaras Islands because of the loss of livelihood. Greenpeace urged that the local government should hold the oil company liable and that it should be accountable for the long-term rehabilitation of the affected areas including the marine sanctuaries, mangrove areas, reefs and coral ecosystems.[3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The situation urged Petron to perform its social responsibility for the disaster or it would face charges from environmentalist groups or other consequences such as banning their products or paying fines if proven guilty when the case is brought to the court of law. Taking responsibility for the environmental hazards will even give the company a better image that it cares not only for profit but   also gives importance to its social responsibilities. The business should see that environmental concerns could turn into an instant marketing opportunity.[4] Instead of having bad effects, this could make the people patronize their products and instead of adding more cost, it would add more benefit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Environmental degradation, although the more devastating effect, is not the only concern   brought about by oil spills. Fishermen are the ones that are greatly affected by such disasters because the fish are being killed. Oil spills also results in the ban of catching and selling fish and shellfish from the contaminated area to maintain market confidence and to protect fishing gear. Other industries that rely on seawater in their course of operations are mainly affected by oil spills. These may include hotel and restaurants that rely on tourist trade or water treatment plants.[5]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, Transneft, an oil transporting joint stock company initiated the Baltic Pipeline System project which would would help in securing the safety of the environment through this pipeline system and also add a new transport route for Russian oil which is greatly needed. The system aims to minimize the negative impact of oil on the environment. The project is believed to be one of the most excellent projects in the history of Russia. In an ecological assessment of the construction of the Baltic Pipeline System, it was found out that the project complies with the environmental norms.[6] This action proves that safety measures can be done to ensure environment safety while also taking into account the needs of the economy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Companies do affect people the same way that people affect the companies. Almost all countries have been dependent on oil and oil exporting countries have been gaining a lot of income from this. People rely on oil to fuel vehicles, run heavy machinery and others. The escalating prices of oil have urged many countries to find other sources of energy such as biofuels. This somehow reduced the dependence of mankind on oil.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A reduced dependency on foreign oil leads to economic problems for the oil producing countries. Low oil prices are good for oil consumers because it means less spending for petroleum products but this has adverse effects on oil producers such as the countries in the Middle East which is reflected in the performance of the economy.[7]  Ã‚   On the other hand, effects of rising oil prices can be seen when the US experienced oil shortages in 1973 and 1979. During these instances, the US reacted harshly and its citizens even get into fights at gasoline stations until an effort to conserve oil was established by the president.[8]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oil companies are expected by the the people to take responsibility for any environmental hazards caused by the company. One example is Shell Oil which has initiated and participated in many environment and social campaigns. However, the company still faces a lot of accusations that it still contributing greatly in the destruction of the environment and its refineries, depots and pipelines threaten human civilization.[9]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A report states that Shell has been overstating its social and environmental performance and despite of adhering to its public commitment which is sustainable development, Shell has been putting the environment in much more trouble.[10] The report shows scenarios from different countries wherein Shell allegedly does not address social and environmental problems caused by faulty pipelines and others instead of going by its adherence to environment safety and sustainable development.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Canada, Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn explains that there should be a balance between the environment and economic growth. He also said that the two are intertwined. He agreed that the solution to address the needs of the environment is balancing the its needs with the needs of the industry. He also emphasized the production of clean energy technology such as tidal energy. Other environment-friendly projects that Canada would pursue are development of clean coal, improvement of biofuel technology and technology that would reduce green house gases emissions and pollution.[11]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Logging is another industry that greatly affects the environment. It is very harmful to the environment especially illegal logging. The loss of many trees result in many adverse effects such as the loss of habitat for many special of mammals, birds and other animals. It also contributes to global warming and other natural disaster such as flash floods and land slides.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Philippines, illegal logging was a major factor in the loss of lives due to flash floods and even land slides during the rainy season particularly in the provinces of Quezon, Nueva Ecija and Aurora. Government hydrologist Richard Orendain said that it may be hard to determine whether floods may be attributed to illegal logging or just because of heavy rainfall although it is safe to assume that illegal logging has in   a way contributed to the natural disasters while Vice President Noli de Castro directly blamed illegal for floods and other past cases of flash floods and land slides.[12]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Indonesia, many people rely on the forests for their source of livelihood. According to Edward Pollard from the Galung Palung National Park, illegal logging is the major industry in the region. It is the main source of income for many citizens. However, despite economic gains from timber companies, the entire community does not receive much benefit with the diminishing resource. Illegal loggers constitute to a large decrease in forest resources and no taxes are being paid to fund development projects for the citizens. People who work as loggers usually come from poor families and logging is not a permanent and a stable source of income and with the rate of the depletion of the forest resources, people will have to find other sources of income in the future.[13]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Indonesia has been plagued by illegal logging particularly caused by poverty and corruption. The exploitation of the natural resources was a vital factor in the economic development of the region but the government does not reap all the gains because of illegal loggers that contribute greatly to the depletion of natural resources but do not pay the necessary taxes which could have been used to fund various environmental problems.[14]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Loggers should be responsible enough to aid environment because this is where they get their income. The rapid loss of forest resources which contributes greatly to global warming and loss of biodiversity would also affect the loggers. Instead of clear logging in which all the trees are being cut down in an area, loggers can resort to selective logging   which is much less harmful and would give the forest time to recuperate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the end, there is a strong need for businesses to balance between their income and social and environmental responsibilities. It may not seem beneficial and actually results in more spending for the company. However, taking to account the social and environmental responsibilities of the business would prove beneficial in the long course of business operations. Just like in the logging business, taking aggregate measures to avoid total destruction of forest resources will ascertain that the business will not run out of available resources. Likewise, oil production, which is associated with many adverse effects to the environment, may still choose to have an environment-friendly image which could boost its marketing drive. These additional costs should not be considered as expenses but rather as investments. Bibliography Al Marashi, Habiba, Business vs. Environment, March 19, 2002, Retrieved   23 March 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.dqg.org/qcentral/dqg_events/seminars/mar02/business.asp Petron oil spill affected 40,000 people says Governor, InfoShop News, 2006 Retrieved 23 March 2008,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   from http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=2006082101433380 Economic Impacts, The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited, 2007, Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   March 23, 2006, from http://www.itopf.com/marine%2Dspills/effects/economic%2Dimpacts/ Baltic Pipeline System, Transneft, 2002, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.transneft.ru/Ecolog/Default.asp?LANG=ENID=219 Koepp, Stephen, Oil Prices, April 1986, Time Magazine,   Retrieved 23 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,961087-1,00.html Refinery Reform/Global Community Monitor/Friends of the Earth, Behind the shine the real impacts of Shells work around the world, June 23, 2004, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.refineryreform.org/PR_062304.html Behind the shine: The other Shell Report 2003, 2003, p.2, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.refineryreform.org/downloads/shellreport_behindtheshine.pdf Barlow, John, Tories want balance in environment and economy, June 30, 2007. Vol. 32 No. 44,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.westernwheel.com/070606/news-tories%20want   Ã‚  Ã‚   %20balance.htm Terra Daily, Illegal logging a major factor in flood devastation of Philippines, December 1, 2004,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.terradaily.com/2004/041201072557.jj82upor.html The Timber Mafia, Consequences of Illegal Logging: Environmental Implications,2002, Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   24 March 2008, from http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2002/timber_mafia/resources/ [1]  Ã‚   Al Marashi, Habiba, Business vs. Environment, March 19, 2002, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.dqg.org/qcentral/dqg_events/seminars/mar02/business.asp [2]  Ã‚   Al Marashi [3]  Ã‚  Ã‚   Petron oil spill affected 40,000 people says Governor, InfoShop News, 2006, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=2006082101433380 [4]  Ã‚   Al Marashi [5]  Ã‚   Economic Impacts, The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited, 2007, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.itopf.com/marine%2Dspills/effects/economic%2Dimpacts/ [6]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Baltic Pipeline System, Transneft, 2002, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.transneft.ru/Ecolog/Default.asp?LANG=ENID=219 [7]  Ã‚   Koepp, Stephen, Oil Prices, April 1986, Time Magazine,   Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,961087-1,00.html [8]  Ã‚   Koepp [9]  Ã‚   Refinery Reform/Global Community Monitor/Friends of the Earth, Behind the shine the real impacts of Shells work around the world, June 23, 2004, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.refineryreform.org/PR_062304.html [10] Behind the shine: The other Shell Report 2003, 2003, p.2, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.refineryreform.org/downloads/shellreport_behindtheshine.pdf [11] Barlow, John, Tories want balance in environment and economy, June 30, 2007. Vol. 32 No. 44, Retrieved 23 March 2008 from http://www.westernwheel.com/070606/news-tories%20want%20balance.htm [12] Terra Daily, Illegal logging a major factor in flood devastation of Philippines, December 1, 2004, Retrieved 23 March 2008 from http://www.terradaily.com/2004/041201072557.jj82upor.html [13] The Timber Mafia, Consequences of Illegal Logging: Environmental Implications,2002, Retrieved 24 March 2008, from http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2002/timber_mafia/resources/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   resources_consequences1.htm [14] The Timber Mafia

Philosophical Definition of Justice: The Role of Accounting

Philosophical Definition of Justice: The Role of Accounting What is Justice? Justice means different things to different people. It is very much a culturally determined concept that requires an innate understanding of a particular person or group of people. For the purpose of this research paper justice is defined as the judgment and process involved with making something that is wrong or bad, right and good. Justice helps us as a society distinguish wrong from right and corrects what is wrong by making it right. But what is right and what is wrong? What is fair and what is just? If something is wrong or unfair, how should society make it right? Such questions have been asked since the beginnings of human interaction. Perhaps under a monarchy justice, for right or wrong, is more easily determined as it is simply what the supreme ruler (or monarch) feels is just or fair. Under a monarchy or aristocratic rule, there is only one ruler and what that individual feels is right, just, or fair, simply is and often cannot be questioned. However, within the realm of more contemporary political systems such as democracy, the ideology of justice, while arguably more fair, can be much more difficult to establish and understand. Democracy, at least in theory, grants the power to the people and therefore places the burden of justice or defining what is fair or equal upon the masses. Since different people have different belief systems they are often in disagreement on what is right or what is fair and have differences of opinion when it comes to justice. Without the aristocracy, justice becomes a very argumentative and ambiguous concept. Philosophy, the Various Schools of Thought, and their Influence on the Ideology of Justice Disagreements over what is fair (or just) have been around since the beginning of time, almost certainly since the very first of human interactions. At first glance we probably think we have a fairly uniform understanding of what justice might or should be. For example if someone commits premeditated first degree murder, most would probably agree the individual should be jailed and, depending on your belief system, either face a life sentence in jail or the death penalty. If someone embezzles money from their company, most would insist the individual should be forced to make restitution and face additional criminal or civil penalty. But even in the seemingly straightforward examples above, and within the realm of a relatively homogenous audience (those reading this paper), one can already start to see how complicated the ideology of justice can be. For example, some have very strong feelings about the death penalty and insist that no crime, even murder, would justify ending another persons life. Additionally, some feel that crimes such as embezzlement are a form of victimless crime and would never warrant a punishment as severe as jail time since no one individual had been harmed. (Hanlin 2004, pp. 527) Within the relatively straightforward scenarios above, one can already begin to imagine the diversity of opinions as to what is just and fair. Should the murder be murdered? Should the embezzler be jailed? What if he only stole the money to pay for chemotherapy for his dying wife? Luckily, numerous philosophers and historians have provided us with rich literature that helps us decipher the complex ideology of justice. In fact, it is only after studying and critically evaluating several of these philosophers, their different schools of ethical and moral thought, and the way they define justice that one can start to understand the differences in perceptions of justice around the world. The next sections provide brief introductions into several of the various schools of ethical and moral thought and provide some insight into the individual philosophers that have undoubtedly helped to shape ours and others understanding of justice. It is only after considering the various schools of thought that we can start to understand the differences in the perception of justice that exist around the world. Utilitarianism Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) was a utilitarian and insisted that justice is doing what will produce the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. (Justice a Reader pg. 9) The utilitarian school of thought considers the principle of utility as the basis of moral law. Bentham defines utility as whatever promotes pleasure or prevents pain. (Justice A Reader pg. 9) The major criticism / objection to Benthams utilitarian principals come from the perspective that maximum utility, or collective happiness, may come at the expense of violating individual rights. (Justice A Reader pg. 9) In order to refute some of the criticisms of Benthams utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) argued that the idea of justice rests ultimately on utilitarian considerations but also requires a respect for individual rights. (Justice A Reader pg. 9) But even with Mills approach to justice, it becomes extremely difficult to choose and/or decipher between individual rights and the majority or maximum utility. This often leaves us with questions of where to draw the line between the greatest good for the majority and the protection of individual rights. Libertarianism Milton Friedman and other libertarian thinkers were advocates of free markets and critics of government regulation. (Justice A Reader pg. 49) Underlying their (libertarians) laissez-faire stance is the idea that each of us has a fundamental right to liberty – a right to do whatever we want with the things we own, provided we do not violate other peoples rights to do the same. (Justice A Reader pg. 49) Contrary to utilitarian thought, libertarians would never sacrifice individual rights for maximum utility or the benefit of the majority. According to the Libertarians, only a minimal government is necessary. In essence the government should only be put in place such that it enforces contracts, protects private property, and keeps the peace. (Justice A Reader pg. 49) Justice would ensure that we own ourselves and the fruits of our labor, and therefore, as the proprietors of our own person, each of us has the right to decide what to do with our bodies and our labor, with the money we earn, and the goods we possess. (Justice A Reader pg. 49) Justice would be the protection of those rights as well as the individual rights of others. The biggest challenges to libertarian policy usually come in the form of paternalist and/or redistributive laws. Paternalist and redistributive laws typically are enacted such that a society can tax the rich to help the poor. While utilitarian principles strongly favor such laws, Libertarians typically argue that such laws are a form of coerced charity that makes every person the property (perhaps even the slave) of the majority. (Justice A Reader pg. 49) Pure Libertarianism teaches that welfare is a violation of individual rights. Liberationists believe that while the poor should have every right to better themselves, that right should not come at the expense of anyones individual right to what they own or produce. Egalitarian A third school of thought that attempts to define the role of justice in society is egalitarianism. John Rawls (1921-2002) was often described as an egalitarian liberal (Justice A Reader pg. 263) and defined justice as fairness. Rawls believed that justice is a social contract in which people come together to choose the basic principles that will govern their society and proposed that the way to think about justice is to ask what principles would be chosen by people who came together behind a veil of ignorance that temporarily deprived them of any knowledge about where they would wind up in society. (Justice A Reader pg. 203) Accordingly, Rawls moral reasoning requires us to be abstract from the particular circumstances in which we find ourselves (Justice A Reader pg. 203), and justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of thought. (Justice A Reader pg. 203) Rawls rejected utilitarianism and believed that certain individual rights are so fundamental that utilitarian considerations should not override them. (Justice A Reader pg. 203) However, contrary to Freidman and the libertarians, Rawls did not believe that the results of a free market are necessarily fair and was not opposed to the taxation of the privileged to help the poor. In Rawls opinion it would be acceptable, under certain circumstances, to take from the privileged as long as it were helping the underprivileged. Accounting and Justice Regardless of how you define justice or what school of thought you most closely relate to, it is clear the accountant plays a significant role in the establishment and preservation of justice for society. Accounting is the language of business (Bloomfield, 2008) and without it justice cannot exist. Since the beginnings of specialization, when humans stopped being self sufficient and started specializing, bartering, and trading, accounting has become a critical part of human interaction. In todays society accountants serve in many roles critical to the defense and preservation of justice. For example, in the U.S., IRS accountants ensure that citizens pay the appropriate amount of tax, forensic accountants provide investigative services for criminal and civil proceedings, and many of the FBIs anti-terrorist agents use their accounting backgrounds to trace terrorist funding. History of the Spanish Empire One only has to look back a few hundred years to see a perfect example of how the role of an accountant can protect and help preserve, or fail to protect and preserve, an entire civilization. In his book For Good and Evil – The Impact of Taxes on the Course of Civilization, Charles Adams describes how tax fraud lead to the demise of one of the largest and most wealthy empires found in modern times – Imperial Spain. Around the time Christopher Columbus discovered the new world (the 14th and 15th centuries), the Spanish Empire was the strongest empire in the world which has never been equaled in terms of size or money. (Hanlin 2004, pp. 529) It controlled significant portions of Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania (Australia and the Pacific Islands), and at its peak Spains conquered overseas empire was the largest the world has ever known. (Hanlin 2004, pp. 529) However, in the 17th century the vast empire started to disintegrate. Contrary to conventional wisdom, it was not the English fleet defeating the Spanish Armada that brought down the Empire, rather it was tax evasion and revolt by the masses against the patronage system that ultimately lead to the bankruptcy of the empire. After several revolts from within the empire, and long civil war, the Spanish Empire was forced to increase taxes to pay soldiers to put down the various rebellions. As a result, many of the people in the colonies engineered what was probably the best system of fraud and evasion that history has ever known. (Hanlin 2004, pp. 530) When the Spanish authorities tried to tax goods that passed through the major ports, the Spanish businessmen created complicated schemes to have silver and gold shipped to alternate ports away from the customs officials, even laundering it through foreign countries. (Hanlin 2004, pp. 530) In order to avoid the Royal Fifth – a 20% cu stoms tax and a 35% convoy tax on good from the colonies, the Spanish businessmen transformed commerce into one massive smuggling operation by avoiding the authorities and therefore the taxes. (Hanlin 2004, pp. 530) The Empire tried to stop the smuggling and division of money and goods away from the taxing authorities but simply did not have the means to control and stop the smuggling and tax evasion. As a result, the overseas empire could not defend itself and stealing the colonies of Spain became an international sport as most of the colonies were lost to the British, Dutch, and eventually the United States. Contemporary Accounting and Justice Given its role as the language of business, accountings integral role in society continues to grow as global economies grow and become increasingly interconnected. World GDP has grown from $1.34 trillion in 1960 to $60.6 trillion in 2008. (The World Bank, 2009). The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners estimates that in the U.S. 7% of total GPD is lost to fraud and injustice. (ACFE, 2008) When applied to a global GPD of $60.6 trillion loses resulting from fraud and injustices are estimated to have been $994 billion in 2008. $994 billion is a staggering number but in fact may be understated as many developing countries face an even higher percentage of fraud due to the lack of infrastructure and the ability to combat fraud. According the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), the U.S. ranks 19th (with 1st indicating the least amount of corruption) out of 182 countries surveyed for the amount of perceived corruption within a particular country indicating that, on a global scale, losses probably well exceed the trillion dollar mark annually. So who is best equipped to protect and defend the innocent from the injustices of fraud? The answer is simple, the accountants around the world. Accountants understand the language of business better than anyone and therefore are best suited to be the defenders of justice and fight the injustices that exist across the globe. Just or unjust, they may have even been able to preserve the Spanish Empire. Distributive Justice Another manner in which accountants play an integral role in society is through distributive justice. Utilitarian principles have led to many governments and societal systems that incorporate and rely upon paternalist or redistributive laws. For example, the U.S. and many other countries tax their wealthy citizens and use the funds to run social support programs for the poor such as welfare, unemployment, section 8 housing, etc. Such programs are a form of distributed justice. Robert Nozick describes distributive justice as follows: In contemporary political theory, distributive justice is primarily about the allocation of income, wealth, and opportunity. (Justice A Reader pg. 263) If distributive justice does represent the allocation of income and wealth, than who other than that accountant, who understands the language of business and taxation, would be best equipped to establish and preserve distributed justice? Another example of distributive justice and the role that an accountant plays is the concept of price gauging. Michael Sandel uses a great example in his teachings at Harvard when discussing the events that often transpire in the aftermath of a hurricane. Often, in the days following a major hurricane, for example Hurricane Charley in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, local retailers charge prices for common goods such as bags of ice and gas powered generators in excess of 1000% of their normal price. (Justice, 2009) Should such practices be considered simply the effects of supply and demand or is it injustice on the part of the retailer in the form of price gauging? Regardless of your opinion on price gauging laws, it is evident the accountant is best equipped to understand and determine whether or not price gauging exists and how to best allocate monies. Who other than the accountant would understand all the transactions taking place between retailers and consumers? In both cases above, the enforcement of paternalistic laws and analysis of price gauging activities, accountants are the ones that ensure monies are appropriately being collected and allocated, thereby defending justice as a society sees fit. Justice and the Role of the Accountant Globally Increasingly, corporations and businesses are taking on the global environment. This requires that accountants and auditors be able to identify the different risks associated with international interconnectedness and be able counteract these risks with the necessary precautions. The global environment adds additional complications for the role of the accountant and actually increases the responsibilities as the defender of justice. In a global spectrum, there are many different laws and regulations and thus, the role of the accountant changes depending on the environment in which the rules are generated. Culture is a huge influence on accounting regulation. Additionally, culture is intertwined within the market and political forces that help to shape the resulting accounting system. The different interaction of these forces in an environment helps to determine the place of the accountant in the economic system, which has a direct effect on the accountants role as the defender of just ice. Justice can only prevail in a society that embraces it. Perceived levels of corruption can be indicative of the state of the economy of a particular country which can help to define or determine the role of the accountant. If there are very few cases of fraud, but high levels of corruption perception it can be an indication that the appropriate level of justice is not being achieved. If enforcement of laws and regulation is inconsistent then a tougher approach may be needed to combat corruption. Transparency International states that in order to minimize corruption there needs to be strong oversight by governments, law enforcement, media, and the society. If a country is lacking oversight, corruption can continue to get worse. As a result, the role of the accountant in these environments would be limited since rules, laws, and regulations are not embraced and enforced. Regulation is only part of the battle. Change will only be effective if it comes from a commitment that is made by businesses and governments of all sizes. Stronger institutional oversight is needed across the world. There needs to be strict legal frameworks and more alert regulation by enforcement agencies in addition to accountants and auditors that ensure lower levels of corruption. As noted in an article issues by Transparency International, persistently high corruption in low-income countries amounts to an ongoing humanitarian disaster. According to the CPI index, China has improved over last year showing that their efforts to reduce corruption by enacting reforms, the implementation of forceful investigation, and intense sentencing have created less perceptions of corruption than before, but still remains a very serious problem. Norways score indicates that as a result of some serious scandals that have emerged over the last few years there is a significant problem in the private and public sectors. However, a growing number of cases being investigated and prosecuted demonstrates that they are at least trying to make headway. Italy is declining in the corruption index because of severe fraud and corruption that exist in the public health system and because of the recent arrests of politicians and public officials in the Abruzzo region. France also has also seen several cases of public officials that were connected to corrupt activities surface recently. Somalia, having the lowest CPI score highlights that there is a link between economic and political collapse. Additionally, Iraqs score of 1.3 shows the importance of establishing solid and functioning institutions capable of preventing corruption and implementing the rule of law. In all cases, the examples provide insight and indicate a need for regulation and an increased role for accountants because justice is not being found. Accounting Regulation Globally Accounting rules can indicate a lot about a country. Accounting rules are created in such a way that they fit the environment that they exist in, which varies across countries and cultures. If society wishes to protect the investor, the accounting system will have disclosure rules that enable investors to gain information and protect themselves. While some countries are developing regulations that contain investor protection improvements, in many cases much more work needs to be done. The manner in which markets function and the way politics are conducted greatly affect accounting systems and often lead to drastic differences across countries. The role of the accountant and, furthermore, the way that justice is enforced will also vary greatly amongst countries. Common law countries differ from codified law countries because common law countries have an independent body to interpret the law. Accounting rules in common law countries are determined by the private sector and require lengthy disclosure since there are no close relationships with corporations. However, code law countries require that corporations be heavily involved the government. The government often includes banks, labor unions, and major suppliers in rule-making decisions. As a result, transactions in these countries tend to be focused more on private information. There are institutional differences between all countries. Institutional differences enable economic and accounting systems to differ, thus the role of the accountant and the justice that results will differ amongst these countries. Accounting regulation in Germany allows more discretion on the accountant because it is written in more general terms. However, in France the regulation is more rigid, enables less discretion, and thus provides less wiggle room on the part of corporations. In Switzerland there are very few disclosure requirements, which can facilitate the reporting of smooth earnings through the usage of hidden reserves. Further, some accounting systems are difficult to compare because they do not fit within any particular mold. For example, the accounting system in Finland was created specifically for use by the foresting industry. By looking at international comparisons of accounting systems, it is evident there is no single way of performing accounting. As a result, the accounting rules are different and change to become an integral part of the markets and politics of each country and culture. Market demand affects the financial statements because the corporations must pay to prepare them. The political environment is important because the government has the ability to control regulators and possibly interfere with regulation. In order to perform and understand the different accounting processes, accountants must be aware of the different forces that exist in a particular country. By being aware of the different forces, accountants will be able to more aptly ensure that justice prevails in the country they operate. As evidenced above, accounting regulations vary across countries, time, and cultures which causes significant variations in the role of the accountant. While countries have been extending efforts to strengthen accounting rules and oversight, this alone cannot and will not prevent future fraud. (Leuz, 2002). But there are many benefits to implement strong laws and enforcement in order to protect shareholders rights. U.S. firms are not the only ones experiencing problems, as many firms globally are suffering from accounting irregularities. Some countries experience self-dealings and misappropriations of profits because of weaker legal measures. Weak legal measures create a greater incentive to manipulate the financial statements to conceal poor business performance. Manipulation is less apparent in places where outside investors have legal rights to vote out corrupt managers. However, manipulation is predominant in places like Austria, Italy, Germany, Southeast Asia, South Korea and Ta iwan, because they do not have investor protection. East Asian Perspective The East Asian countries, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand can help accountants see the way that accounting standards interact with the incentives of managers and auditors. (Ball, Ashok, et al, Incentives versus standards) The accounting standards in these countries come from a common law environment. Common law countries generally create high quality financial reporting. However, in these countries the preparers incentives generate low quality financial statements. The preparer incentives again, depend on the market and political forces and how these forces interact with one another. Market forces are dependent on the demand for high-quality financial reporting. The political forces depend on the government involvement in the creation and enforcement of the regulation. The interaction of these forces with the accounting system can drastically change the role of the accountant in these countries. The standards themselves are viewed as high-quality, but the institutional s tructure creates incentives for preparers incentives to issue low-quality financial reports. Financial reporting in East Asia generally exists with an incentive structure that is similar to a code-law model. However, the East Asian countries do not follow that model. Their governments have code-law reporting incentive features, but also have indications that the environment reduces the financial reporting quality. The large amount of family-owned businesses and enterprises is a cause for the low need of quality financial statements. One family generally owns investments that are inter-related. These networks are commonly referred to guanxi networks. These networks attempt to take away the demand of required disclosures and timely loss recognition and it also reduces the communication required with stakeholders. The extent of government involvement in the standard setting and the financial reporting practice differs across these countries. Political factors can create an incentive to hide large profits and losses. The political environments in these East Asian countries have a tendency to want companies to succeed, so they recommend companies hide losses. They also are afraid of other countries becoming involved in their practices because they do not want to be held accountable for any misstatements. The companies are also expected to report smooth earnings, which reinforces the desire to report, cover, and hide losses. Litigation is minimal in these countries since there is a large incentive to hide earnings, which the government reinforces. There have been very few cases of judicial actions in these countries. Audit quality in these countries is poor primarily due to lack of auditor independence. The influence and independence of the accounting profession is an indicator of ineffective enf orcement of accounting standards. Considering the financial incentives for managers and auditors there is a greater incentive for reduced timeliness and conservatism in accounting earnings. Fraud is continuing to go undetected in Hong Kong. Although there is a 22% incidence of fraud, much more is expected to be going on given the different forces that are currently having an effect on the country. As a result, currently more scrutiny is being given to the monitoring of financial transactions and corporations are beginning to make it a priority. There are currently programs that are offered for certification in forensic accounting, which is having an impact on fraud detection. Most of the fraud cases that exist in Hong Kong are internet banking fraud, computer fraud, misuse of corporations credit card, and electronic funds transfer fund. There is a need for more forensic accountants in Singapore in order to ensure sufficient justice as many significant fraud cases are going undetected. Two important fraud cases involved Fibrechem Technologies and Oriental Century. In the Fibrechem Technologies audit, Ernst Young Singapore were not certain of the cash and trade debtor balance. KPMG had the same problem with Oriental Century. Another notable case is one in which a Singapore monk, who was in charge of Singapores well-known charities, received 10 months in prison for committing fraud. In Malaysia, the role of accounting in the fight for justice is very small. Crimes are beginning to become more and more complicated and controlled but forensic accounting is viewed as a service that only larger companies can afford. This makes catching fraud more difficult. Cases that are investigated are generally handled by the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Division. This group was able to catch a large fraud that involved the CEO and two others of Transmile Group Bhd for publishing misleading financial statements and has often been called Malaysias Enron. Fraud and forensic accounting is a relatively new topic in Thailand. According to an Ernst Youngs global survey, more than half of the companies in Thailand have suffered significant fraud. The management of the corporations was responsible for over half while employees ranked second, responsible for 45% of the fraud incidents reported. Asset misappropriation was the biggest concern. (MPA Program: Forensic accounting project) The commercial crimes in Thailand are becoming more and more complicated and organized. Forensic accounting is used to combat this to an extent, but is only utilized in the public sector. It is also noted in Thailand that there remains an enormous amount of well documented corruption related to the government amounting to billions of US dollars. There are many cases where Thailands auditor general, Jaruvan Maintaka, was able to bring about cases against members of the government but there are even more cases linked to the military involving loans from politicia ns. Chinese Perspective This accounting profession is still at the early stage of development in China, and a lack of skilled professionals creates problems for regulators. To a large extent the accounting standards and practices in China lack conservatism Doupnik and Perera note in their International Accounting textbook. There are also no sound interpretations of the relevant requirements that need to be implemented to have an effective accounting system. The theory of true and fair presentation and transparency may not be clearly understood by Chinese accountants. Until the 1980s, those who carried out accounting work were not held in high regard which had a very negative effect on the development of the accounting profession in China. Unlike in other countries, accounting and auditing have taken different paths in their development as rival disciplines with the support of different government agencies. However, there has been some growth in the accounting profession due to the recent economic reform pro gram and the demand for financial information from investors has increased. There are many fraud cases evident in China. One high-profile case that deserves mentioning was with Zhu Xiaohua who was the chairman of state-owned company, Everbright Group. Zhu was convicted to 15 years in prison for taking $500,000 in bribes. These bribes were taken between 1997 and 1999. The bribes were for the purchase of shares in a company that resulted in large losses. Another example of fraud in China was when a business woman, Du Yimin, was sentenced to death for running a Ponzi scheme that cheated investors out of YUAN700m ($102 million). (Lin, 2009) According to Lin, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security has been stepping up such prosecutions and says there are now 1,416 similar cases open, involving YUAN10bn ($1.5 billion) in investors money. In China it is still possible to receive the death penalty for fund-raising fraud, however, if a Chinese person is charged with collecting money illegally from private investors, the maximum sentence is 10 years in prison. In Chi na is evident that ethics are not being followed across the board. Japanese Perspective Japan also differs from other cultures and has a different role of the accountant and effectively different need for justice. The Japanese attitudes towards external auditors and the audit function are different from others. This is due to the cultural value orientation of not trusting someone from outside the group. Companies are not under pressure from their main providers of finance to disclose information publicly and companies are reluctant to provide information voluntarily. As a result, the a

Respect in a Scene from Death of a Salesman :: essays research papers

In every book there is a scene, one specific scene that the whole entire story can relate to. In The Death of a Salesman, Willy talks about a salesman, Dave Singleman who was well known and respected. Dave was a true salesman and Willy wanted that not only for himself but also for his son, Biff. Therefore he tried whatever he could to try and lead a life based on Dave. This scene portrays the respect that one person could have and the reflection and inheritance from one person to another. Willy Loman is an aged salesman who has found a fork in the road. Willy lost his job and so in this scene Willy tries to earn a job by explaining his story of Dave Singleman. Willy is telling this story to Howard, a businessman in which he wants to earn a job from. After explaining the story, hoping to gain respect from Howard, Willy has not succeeded because Howard had not given the Willy a job, and doesn?t plan to in the future. Though Willy still finds strength and determination in himself and soon turns to his son, Biff. Biff is an adult who has yet to find a job because of his failing math grade. Willy wants Biff to follow his footsteps and invest in a job as a salesman. Even though in this scene Dave is only mentioned once throughout the entire book, it takes on a lot of importance to relate his story to the book as a whole. Dave?s respect and gratitude towards others is what Willy had and what Willy wants Biff to have as well. In this scene Willy says how much respect Dave Singleman had as a salesman before he passed away. ? ?Cause what would be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people (Act 2, page 61). This sentence shows how Dave and Willy are alike because they both are known wherever they go. This shows how much they are respected and loved by their buyers and how Willy wants to pass this characteristic of a salesman on to his son Biff. In the book, many scenes show how well Willy was known and no one would forget his name. ? Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead.

An Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder Essay -- Diseases/Disorder

Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism spectrum disorder has become the most common neurological and developmental disorder diagnosed in children today. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012) estimate that 1 out of every 88 American children have been properly diagnosed. There is no known cure for autism, and the inconsistencies of the symptoms of autism in each case make it difficult to target a particular set of effective treatments. However some behavior management therapies, specifically physical therapy, may help to significantly control the unwanted symptoms in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Symptoms. Children begin showing symptoms of autism as early as twelve months of life, making two to three years old the typical age of diagnosis. The symptoms of autism are truly of a spectrum, hence the name, meaning no child is affected by the disorder in quite the same way. However, symptoms of autism are generally categorized into three basic areas of impairment, the first of these being sociability. Most children with autism have trouble comprehending basic social situations. A child with autism likely makes little eye contact, fails respond to other people in their environment, and reacts inappropriately when others show extreme emotion. It is common for children with autism to misread emotional cues because they focus on a person’s mouth while speaking instead of their eyes as would an unaffected person. Likewise, people may have difficulties understanding the emotions of an autistic child. Many times their body language or tone of voice will not match the emoti on that they are trying to express. The second area of impairment is communication. Children with autism ... ...#pub12 Nicholson, H., Kehle, TJ., Bray, MA., & Heest, J. (2011). The Effects of Antecedent Physical Activity on the Academic Engagement of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Psychology in the Schools, 48(2), 198-213. Ospina, MB., Krebs, SJ., Clark, B., Karkhaneh, M., Hartling, L., et al. (2008). Behavioural and Developmental Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Clinical Systematic Review. PLoS ONE, 3(11). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19015734 Petrus, C., Adamson, SR., Block, L., Einarson, SJ., Sharifnejad, M., & Harris, SR. (2008) Effects of Exercise Interventions on Stereotypic Behaviours in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Physiotherapy Canada, 60(2), 134-145. United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2012) Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html