Organizational Diversity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational Diversity - Research Paper Example Eventually, they promote uniformity instead of diversity. The long - term achievement of any organization calls for a diverse group of talent that can convey fresh ideas, perceptions and views to their organization. The challenge that diversity postures, therefore, is enabling managers to exploit on the mixture of cultural backgrounds, ages, lifestyles and genders to react to business opportunities more promptly and creatively (Carter 6). Two main kinds of diversities can be noted in an organizational setting. They include surface level diversity and deep level diversity. The surface level diversities comprise of the differences which get easily noted such as age, race / ethnicity, disability, culture, language etc. They often get easy to measure, and managers and recruiters may fall in the wrong practice of discrimination on the basis of these factors. For instance thinking that age degrades performance, they may end up preferring younger recruits. Surface level diversity gets often impossible, if not difficult to change. For instance, racial disparity cannot be scaled down to zero (Carter 13). On the other hand, deep level diversity stands out as exceptionally hard to be noticed within an organization since they get communicated through verbal and non – verbal attributes. Examples include differences in attitude, personality, believe and values. Deep level diversity in an organization normally starts with identifying the underlying surface level diversities, and when individuals get to know one another they begin noticing the deep level individual differences hence tend to like or dislike. For instance, an individual belonging to a marginalized ethnic group may be handled differently by fellow comrades on the grounds that his / her differing language or culture. However, as the individual interacts more they get to discover his / her differing beliefs and values later on and seem to forget underlying surface level disparity (Carter 15). The

Fluorescence and Pharmaceuticals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Fluorescence and Pharmaceuticals - Essay Example fluorophore through the absorption of light energy, a transient excited lifetime with some loss of energy, and return of the fluorophore to its ground state accompanied by the emission of light. Due to the energy lost during the transient excited lifetime, the light energy emitted is always of a longer wavelength than the light energy absorbed, and that is used to study different life processes (Molecular expressions).Today, there is an increased use of these techniques encouraged mainly by labeled antibody techniques (Coons and Kaplan, 1950) and by application of fluorescent dyes as tracers in histochemical techniques. Aminoacridine compounds have special affinity for nucleic acids; a sensitive fluorescence technique in which acridine orange is used for the identification of DNA and RNA in mammalian cells (Anderson, Armstrong, and Niven, 1959). Thus using fluorescence techniques and microscopy, the precise location and dynamics of intracellular components labeled with specific fluorophore designed for the cell system and the targeted interaction as applied to a pharmaceutical agent. This domain also, as a result, includes the study of other physicochemical properties of the concerned molecule, diffusion coefficient, transport characteristics, and above all the interaction with other biomolecules present. When applied to the field of study of pharmaceuticals and their effect on cell systems, this can allow one to study the phenomenal response in fluorescence to localized cellular environmental variables, such as, variation in pH, viscosity, refractive index, ionic concentrations, membrane potentials, and solvent polarity in living cell systems and tissue preparations with extraordinarysensitivity... Anderson, E. S., Armstrong, J. A., And Niven, J. S. F., 1959. 'Observation Of Virus GrowthsWith Aminoacridines.' 9th Symposium Of The Society For General Microbiology, April,1959. Cambridge (University Press). Medical Research Service, Department Of Veterans Affairs Medical Center,1 And Oregon Health And Science University,2 Portland, Oregon, And Department Of Biochemistry, Mahidol University,Bangkok, Thailand3

Analysing Reviews and Development of SMEs in Ghana

Analysing Reviews and Development of SMEs in Ghana The dynamic role of Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries towards employment generation and income creation has OVER TIME been highly emphasised by several authors (Kayanula and Quartey 2000, OECD 2004). While it is generally accepted that SMEs are important contributors to the domestic economy, not many governments have framed policies to enhance their contribution or increase their competitiveness (UNCTAD 2005). Previously insulated from international competition, many SMEs are now faced with greater external competition and the need to expand market share. As indicated by OECD 2002, SMEs fast-changing technologies and globalising economies are putting increased pressures on firms to reorganise their structures to enhance adaptability and flexibility. Upgrading the skills of all types of employees is hence central to firm performance in SMEs which must be able to adapt quickly to evolving markets and changing circumstances, but which often have limited resources. Indeed there is preliminary evidence that competence development activities can reduce the failure rates of small firms, which are far more likely to fail than larger firms, particularly in the early years (OECD 2002). 1.2 SMEs in Ghana: Definition and Role towards Economic Development As per statistics from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa 2010, Ghana ¿Ã‚ ½s GDP grew at an annual rate of 5.4 per cent between 2001 and 2007. Such impressive performance was partly contributed to the robust growth of the SME sector in Ghana. Available data from the Registrar General in Ghana indicates that 90% of companies registered are micro, small and medium enterprises (Mensah 2004). This target group has been identified as the catalyst for the economic growth of the country as they are a major source of income and employment. Analogous to the situation in other countries though, Kayanula and Quartey 2000 state that there is no single, uniformly acceptable, definition of a small firm in Ghana as these firms differ in their levels of capitalisation, sales and employment. Hence, definitions which employ measures of size (number of employees, turnover, profitability, net worth, etc.) when applied to one sector could lead to all firms being classified as small, while the same size definition when applied to a different sector could lead to a different result. Kayanula and Quartey in their research however identified a number of common definitions used when referring to SMEs in Ghana that could be used for purposes of this essay. These definitions are summarised below: The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) considers firms with less than 10 employees as Small Scale Enterprises and their counterparts with more than 10 employees as Medium and Large-Sized Enterprises. An alternative criteria used in defining small and medium enterprises is the value of fixed assets in the organisation. However, the National Board of Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) in Ghana applies both the fixed asset and number of employees ¿Ã‚ ½ criteria. It defines a Small Scale Enterprise as one with not more than 9 workers, has plant and machinery (excluding land, buildings and vehicles) not exceeding 10 million Cedis. From these definitions however, it would be prudent for purposes of this essay to note that the process of valuing fixed assets in itself poses a problem as continuous depreciation in the exchange rate often makes such definitions out-dated. It is further noted that SMEs in Ghana can be categorised into urban and rural enterprises. The former can be sub-divided into `organised ¿Ã‚ ½ and `unorganised ¿Ã‚ ½ enterprises. The organised ones tend to have paid employees with a registered office whereas the unorganised category is mainly made up of artisans who work in open spaces, temporary wooden structures, or at home and employ little or in some cases no salaried workers. They rely mostly on family members or apprentices. Rural enterprises are largely made up of family groups, individual artisans, women engaged in food production from local crops. The major activities within this sector include:- soap and detergents, fabrics, clothing and tailoring, textile and leather, village blacksmiths, tin-smithing, ceramics, timber and mining, bricks and cement, beverages, food processing, bakeries, wood furniture, electronic assembly, agro processing, chemical based products and mechanics (UNECA 2010, Kayanula and Quartey 2000). Among their many roles, SMEs in Ghana have been crucial in mobilising funds which otherwise would have been idle (Kayanula and Quartey 2000). The authors further point out that SMEs have been recognised as a seed-bed for indigenous entrepreneurship, are labour intensive, employing more labour per unit of capital than large enterprises and promote indigenous technological know-how. Furthermore, due to their regional dispersion and their labour intensity, argument goes that small scale production units can promote a more equitable distribution of income than large firms in Ghana. They also improve the efficiency of domestic markets and make productive use of scarce resources and thus facilitating long term economic growth. 1.3 Challenges facing SME Growth and Competitiveness in Ghana Despite the wide-ranging economic reforms instituted in the country to promote SME development, SMEs in Ghana still face a variety of constraints (UNECA 2010, Kayanula and Quartey 2000). Mensah 2004 drew up a basic profile on such SME challenges: SMEs are dominated by the owner/manager who takes all major company decisions. The entrepreneur possesses limited formal education, access to and use of new technologies, market information, and access to credit from the banking sector is severely limited. Furthermore, management skills are weak, thus inhibiting the development of a strategic plan for sustainable growth. Kayanula and Quartey in addition note that SME competitiveness in Ghana is mainly constrained by the following factors: 1. Limited access to finance remains a dominant constraint to small scale enterprises in Ghana. Credit constraints pertaining to working capital and raw materials are often cited by small firm and these partly stem from the fact that SMEs have limited access to capital markets, both locally and internationally. 2. SMEs have difficulties in gaining access to appropriate technologies and information on available techniques. This limits innovation and SME competitiveness. This fact is ascertained by UNCTAD 2005 which notes that most SMEs also lack the technical know-how and financial resources needed to acquire state of the art technologies and equipment required to improve productivity and to become internationally competitive. 3. Regulatory Constraints: Although wide ranging structural reforms have improved, prospects for enterprise development remain to be addressed at the firm-level. High start-up costs for firms, including licensing and registration requirements, can impose excessive and unnecessary burdens on SMEs. The high cost of settling legal claims and excessive delays in court proceedings adversely affect SME operations. In the case of Ghana, the cumbersome procedure for registering and commencing business were key issues often cited. 4. Of actual importance to this essay however, is the insufficient supply of skilled workers among SMEs in Ghana that limits specialisation opportunities, raises costs, and reduce flexibility in managing company operations. This is coupled with the lack of entrepreneurial and business management Skills: Lack of managerial know-how places significant constraints on SME development. Mensah 2004 in conclusion notes that SMEs in Ghana have not been able to take full advantage of Government-sponsored business support services. This paper therefore seeks to identify the possible implications for strengthening SME competitiveness through competence development that could be attained through the acquisition of knowledge, skills and new abilities. Chapter Two: Literature Review 2.1 Competence: Definition of the Concept Studying a concept such as competence is very complex as the concept is used differently by many people (Awuah 2007). According to the author, the term competence can be defined as the ability of a firm to develop and manage relations with key suppliers, customers and other organizations. The term is further defined by the UN as the possession of a set of skills, related knowledge and attributes that allow an individual to perform a task or an activity within a specific function or job (UN 2007, UNIDO 2002). A graphical display of how the UN explains competence is displayed in figure 1 that follows: A more practical definition for the term competence is provided by the European Commission which defines competence as the combination of human knowledge, skills and aptitudes serving productive purposes in firms and contributing to their competitiveness (EC 2003). From the EC definition, we notice that the possession of necessary skills and abilities should be able to provide a firm with a certain competitive advantage over its competitors. In this paper therefore, the term competence will be used to mean the ability to demonstrate knowledge, skills, experience, and attributes necessary for a firm to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. In general, competence in a job means being competent at all aspects of each function or competency required to be performed within the role. The term competency is graphically explained in figure 1. Several authors such as EC 2003 and Moe 1995 distinguish between competencies at individual and organisational level. Individual competencies imply a person ¿Ã‚ ½s internal cognitive abilities and skills. Such competencies may be gained through education and experience in the work place (Nordhaug 1992). On the other hand institutional competence is more than the sum of competences of the individuals. It consists of institutional qualities such as the ability to mobilize teamwork and synergistic effects of interactions between individuals (Moe 1995). EC 2003 however cautions that a high level of individual competence does not automatically result in a high level of organisational competence and therefore an optimal degree of organisational competence requires a transfer mechanism that facilitates interplay between an individual and the organisations frameworks and routines. Figure 1: Definition of Competency Source: UNIDO 2002, Page 9 In this regard, Nordhaug 1992 adds that much expertise based on practical experience is accumulated by individuals working within any company. To transform the experiences of the individuals into institutional knowledge is a great challenge to which there hardly exists any universal solution. The goal therefore must be to embed this experience in the organization in such a way that it is at any time available to those who need it, even after the individual who made it has left the company. In contrast to many contemporary authors, UNIDO 2002 distinguishes competencies as being managerial, generic and technical. Managerial competencies are considered for staff with managerial or supervisory responsibility in any firm, including directors and senior posts. It is further noted that some managerial competencies could be more relevant for specific occupations however they are applied horizontally across a firm for example analysis and decision making and team leadership. Generic competencies are considered essential for all staff regardless of their function or level for example communication, programme execution and linguistics. Technical or functional competencies on the other hand are specific competencies that are considered essential to perform a job within a defined area of work for example environmental management, finance management and human resource management among others. In conclusion, UNIDO 2002 notes that any function within a firm requires a set of essential managerial/generic and technical/functional competencies to be performed effectively. 2.1 Competence Development in SMEs 2.2.1 Definition of Competence Development Competence development is defined by Koch, Gill and Ellstr ¿Ã‚ ½m 2006 as an overall designation for the various activities that can be used to affect the supply of employee competence and skills on the internal labour market. In this definition, it should be pointed out that the term competence development is sometimes also used to denote the individual learning processes through which competence is developed. A simpler definition is provided by the EC, which defines competence development as the measures taken by any enterprise to develop its competence base Competence development in this case refers to activities that are planned and organized in order to foster learning as a primary aim, but also to activities that have learning as a secondary and perhaps unintended outcome. According to the EC, any enterprise can develop its competence base by a number of different possible measures, that is to say, by recruiting the right competence from outside or by developing the human resources the organisation already possesses. This goal can be obtained from a double perspective: first of all, through the development of the competence base of its human resources, basically through different forms of formal and non-formal learning such as training courses, internal seminars, work groups, assistance to expos. This kind of perspective was termed by Nordhaug 1992 as the Development of in-house competence, which represents the measure a firm takes to develop their competence status available within their in-house human resources. Further more competence development activities may be formal through internal or external courses that are deliberately planned and organized as means for work place learning. These activities may or may not result in a certificate, a diploma or a mark that is recognized by the educational system or on the external labour market. In many cases, courses are carried out to meet more specific needs at the workplace, and do not result in some kind of formally recognized certificate or mark. Workplace learning through formal activities are usually financed by the employer and carried out during working hours. In contrast, informal competence development may occur through the participation of the individual in development projects at the workplace, staff-meetings, job rotation and team-based work among others. Such activities are generally characterized by a low degree of planning and organization from the perspective of learning. The second approach is through obtaining the desired competence externally. Examples include the recruitment of new employees, the purchase of consultant services or co-operation with other external stakeholders. Nordhaug 1992 complements this approach by noting that external competence acquisition, where firms acquire (buy or by other means get access to) different external competencies that are outside the enterprises boundaries that they internally lack but may be regarded as essential for the optimal performance of the firm. Relating to the work of Griffiths et al 2007, the definition of competence development in this paper will emphasize the focus on the continuous updating and building of both individual and organisational knowledge, skills and abilities. 2.2.2 A Four Stage Model of Competence Development To simplify analysis, a model of competence development which consists of four stages is presented in this section: Figure 2: Competence Development Model Adapted from Griffiths et al 2007: Page 134 According to the figure above, the cycle of competence development starts with a process of orientation, in which the learner determines which competences that need to be developed. Once this decision has been made, the learner has a choice. One very quick route, typical for informal learning and competencies related to leisure activities, is to go directly to the competence development activities, based on the learner ¿Ã‚ ½s interests and only very little knowledge of their current proficiency level. The other route, more related to formal learning and to professional development is to proceed by collecting evidence, which shows the learner ¿Ã‚ ½s current proficiency level. After the learner has collected this evidence, they can again choose: either they can have their proficiency level officially recognized by others, or they can go directly to the competence development activities. Again, the latter route is the more informal learning route. Griffiths et al 2007 emphasizes assessment by others is the point where the formal learning route starts, where previous learning, which might have been either informal or formal, is turned into a formal recognition. When the cycle is passed through for the first time, the moment of assessment carried out by others is often referred to as intake assessment. The model is supplemented by Ogrean 2009 who notes that through orientation and assessment, the model serves as the basis for ensuring that the organisation is well positioned to achieve its vision and strategic goals. 2.3 Challenges towards SME Competence Development An introductory picture into the challenges facing SME competence development is provided by EC 2003 that notes that specific SME research and studies taking a more holistic view of competence development in SMEs are very difficult to find. As a result, the share of SMEs participating in competence development is lower than the respective one for larger enterprises (Mandl and Dorr 2004). SMEs are however not only constrained by limited information on competence development. According to Mandl and Dorr 2004 and EC 2003, smaller companies are indeed confronted with a wider range of barriers hindering the engagement in competence development than larger ones. The most important one they note constitutes the lack of time to both, strategically plan and participate in respective measures due to the dominance of the daily business. Mandl and Dorr 2004 specifically note that limited financial and human resources constitute the main barriers for SMEs to engage in competence development activities. Generally, employees are too much involved in the daily business life to have time to engage in qualification measures and due to the restricted number of employees no proxy is available in many cases. It is further noted that SMEs are often sceptical towards external advice and training as they are not informed about what is offered and/or are unsure about the quality or the price-performance ratio. Furthermore, the programmes offered do in most of the cases not correspond exactly to their needs. Stone 2010 observes that small firms often report difficulty accessing training tailored to their needs in terms of type and quality, scheduling and location. Additionally, SMEs fear that higher qualified employees will leave the company because of a lack of incentives such as higher salaries and career chances in larger enterprises. Larger firms often pay higher wage rates, so formal qualifications are perceived by many small employers as more valuable to employees than the business itself (Stone 2010). This is worsened by the fact that these firms lack competence development specialists in the company: very few SMEs indeed dispose of experts in the field of competence development leading to a lack of a systematic competence development scheme in these firms. This barrier is also mentioned in terms of lacking plans and personnel for conducting the training or identifying the company competence needs Another obstacle identified from empirical research (Stone 2010) is that that small employers commonly lack information on what training is available to them, as well as evidence of the benefits of training to set against perceived and real barriers to training activity. Even where they perceive training to be of value, releasing employees for especially formal training is more difficult for smaller employers. Lost working time is an especially important constraint with respect to owner-manager training. According to OECD 2002, for a variety of reasons, smaller firms are less likely than larger enterprises to provide external training to all grades of workers, including managers. In addition to financial constraints, information gaps make smaller firms less aware of the benefits they would obtain from management training and few see training as a strategic tool. Due to higher turnover in managerial staff, small firms may not realise the same benefits from training investments as larger firms. Chapter Three: Competence Development for SME Growth and Competiveness in Ghana 3.1 Competitiveness: Definition and Concept Competitiveness can be assessed at either the national or the enterprise level (UNCTAD 2005). At the national level, competitiveness has been defined as a nation ¿Ã‚ ½s ability to produce goods and services that meet the test of international markets while simultaneously maintaining and expanding real incomes of its people over the long term. The ability to compete in international markets is usually thought to be dependent on macroeconomic policies and conditions (trade policies and exchange rates among others) as well as on a nation ¿Ã‚ ½s comparative advantage that is its factor endowment (land, labour and capital). At the enterprise level, competitiveness is the ability to sustain a market position by, supplying quality products on time and at competitive prices through acquiring the flexibility to respond quickly to changes in demand and through successfully managing product differentiation by building up innovative capacity and an effective marketing system (UNCTAD 2005). The difference between the competitiveness of an enterprise and that of a nation is that the enterprise will cease to exist if it remains uncompetitive for long whereas a nation never goes out of business no matter how badly it is managed or how uncompetitive it is. When a nation loses its competitiveness, this is reflected in its deteriorating welfare conditions rather than elimination from the market. To achieve continuous competitiveness, enterprises must transform their ways of competing: they must shift from comparative advantages such as low-cost and labour, to competitive advantages, namely the ability to compete on cost and quality, delivery and flexibility. Such competitiveness may depend on the business environment, sophistication of company operations and inter-firm cooperation. According to UNCTAD 2005 however, since an enterprise does not produce in a vacuum, its competitiveness can only be measured within various types of market territories at the sub national, national and supra-national levels. The optimization of its capital resources (finance, technology, labour) commands its ability to penetrate each of these three market territories. In general, OECD 2004 identifies that it is up to the SMEs to implement competitive business operating practices and business strategies. However, the options available to SMEs are also closely related to the quality of institutions, markets and organizations that constitute the business environment. These will however depend on the efficiency and effectiveness of institutions, markets and organizations that encourage or discourage SMEs to take their cues for learning new ways of doing business, compare their own competitive characteristics with those of their rivals, and makes their decisions to invest, including the i ntroduction of innovations into their business strategies. In conclusion, UNCTAD 2005 notes that competitiveness is embodied in the characteristics of the firm, namely through: the current efficiency and effectiveness of the use of resources; the willingness and the ability to relate profitability to growth of capacity through continued investment. Although the authors concur with the view that competitiveness is created at the firm level, it is also emphasized that this is partly derived from a systemic context, emerging from complex patterns of interactions between government, enterprises and other actors, and will therefore exhibit different forms in each society. In addition, external competitiveness can be achieved by firms through exports, sustaining diversification and/or better quality of production, upgrading technology and skills, and expanding the base of domestic firms to compete regionally and globally. A firm is competitive in external markets depending on its ability to supply quality products on time and at competitive prices and to respond quickly to changes in demand by building up innovative capacities and market strategies. 3.2 Linking Competence Development Activities to SME Growth and Competiveness In the current competitive and complex economic environment, human capital is increasingly recognised by both countries and by business organisations as a key engine for growth and competitiveness (L ¿Ã‚ ½fstedt 2001, EC 2003, Moe 1995). Moe further identifies that companies will rarely be allowed to benefit significantly from competitive advantages in terms of monopolies or privileged access to certain raw materials, special means of production or protected markets. The success of any company will depend on its ability to compete in the management of resources and in exploiting markets which are in principle available to all. Competitiveness in the market-place, as well as for the best people, will also increasingly depend on the environmental qualities of the company. Thus, the key to success is in a superior ability to recruit, develop and mobilize human resources. The best way to adapt to the changing environment and new requirements is to increase the organizations competence and to use it in the best possible way (L ¿Ã‚ ½fstedt 2001). Against such a background of globalisation and competition, the availability of up to- date knowledge, also within the smallest enterprises, is of increased significance not only for the individual company but also for the economy as such (Mandl and Dorr 2004). The authors further note that the current economic environment is characterised by global competition, fast technology developments, shorter product life cycles, more demanding consumers and changing enterprise structures through merges, alliances and take-overs. Thus, the new growth theories make economic growth dependent on the rate of accumulation of both physical and human capital, defined by the levels of knowledge, skills and competencies of the workforce (EC 2003) Another important concept of how SME competitiveness could be advanced through competence development is provided by Koch, Gill and Ellstr ¿Ã‚ ½m 2006, who argue that competence development can result into increased individual and organizational performance. This view is supported by Stone 2010; in his famous quotation that  ¿Ã‚ ½Firms that train their workers are significantly less likely to close than those that do not ¿Ã‚ ½ (Kock, Gill and Ellstr ¿Ã‚ ½m 2006). In addition to this, Fretwell 2002 notes that employee morale is created by and directly proportional to the degree of employee competence supported by leaders throughout the organization. Employee morale within an organization in turn has a direct impact on the satisfaction level of its customers and the companys ultimate success. When relationship-based leaders promote core competency development of its workforce throughout the organization, an opportunity exists for ensuring high employee morale and customer satis faction, an increase in employee and customer retention rates, and a positive long-term outlook for the companys successful performance. Common knowledge suggests that employee morale has a direct impact on the satisfaction level of an organizations primary external customers. In general, firms that are able to invest in the development of their human capital and the improvement of organisational capabilities will be able to gain a competitive advantage need to survive in today ¿Ã‚ ½s competitive world. 3.3 Implications for SMEs in Ghana A clear analysis of the prevailing environment for SMEs in Ghana indicates that the combined forces of globalisation, technological progress and growing market demand pose a challenge to SME competitiveness. However, there are a number of ways in which small firms can get around this situation. To support analysis, several implications for SMEs in Ghana have been identified through the framework for SME competitiveness as displayed in the figure that follows: According to ECA 2001, the framework distinguishes between factors that are internal and external to the enterprises. The large circle in the centre of the diagram captures the key internal requisites and processes that might lead to increased competitiveness in enterprises. These inputs are often called technological capabilities and they are defined as the knowledge, skills and efforts required for firms to bring about an indigenous process of technological development. ECA further emphasizes that such capability acquisition cannot be taken for granted and often requires purposeful and cumulative efforts aimed at assimilating and modifying existing technologies, adapting them to local conditions. This is especially the case in Ghana since major innovations are still concentrated in technologically advanced countries. Figure 3: Framework to support SME Competitiveness Source: ECA 2001 Page 12 On the other hand, marketing capabilities are required to make the product available and attractive to the buyer. They include activities concerned with establishing a marketing channel from the factory to the buyer (direct sales or intermediaries), organising the logistics (related to mode and speed of transport), promotion (advertising, branding) and after sales service. Further more, research has shown that capability building and competitiveness also depend on factors external to the firm. As shown in Figure above, this external context is given first by the type of network or cluster to which the firms belong. It is now well recognised that the lonely enterprise is doomed and the quality of relationships with other producers, suppliers and customers is critical for learning and competing (ECA 2001). The framework further identifies clustering to facilitate the mobilisation of financial and human resources. In summary, clusters and networks constitute the immediate external context in which SMEs operate. The benefits of clustering are widely acknowledged: the spatial and sectoral concentration of firms generates externalities, favours inter-firm cooperation and constitutes a niche for effective policy support. This fact is reaffirmed by UNCTAD 2005, that observes that the competitive pressure of globalization brings about the need for SMEs to come together in order to survive and grow. The formation of trade associations and industrial groups/clusters are accordingly being promoted. A commendable example of such clustering for competitiveness is observed in the Ghana metalwork cluster in Suame that has generated positive externalities for SMEs, namely access to markets, labour market pooling and significant technological spill-overs. OECD 2010 for example further suggests that SMEs acquire new knowledge and skills that will enable them to obtain the ideas they require for innovation and the markets to exploit them. A major message is that small firms do not innovate by themselves but in collaboration with suppliers, customers, competitors, universities, research organisations and others. These networks will then help them overcome some of the obstacles to innovation linked to their small size. Needless to say however, the quality of their local entrepreneurship environments, strength of local technology partners, and the quality of local science-industry linkages is critical to SME com

Travels Through the Rhineland Essay -- Travel Writing Descriptive Ess

On mountain peak the gods' abode; resplendent shines the proud-standing hall! (From Wagner's Das Rheingold, qtd. in Evensen) My friend dropped me off at the KÃ ¶ln Hauptbahnhof under the warm summer afternoon. The train station was nearly under the shade of the KÃ ¶lner Dom, the great Gothic cathedral of KÃ ¶ln. I had first seen the Dom at night when it was partially illumed by floodlights and the moon, though most of it remained in shadows. The twin black spires hung over me and I stood, marveling underneath the 600 year old Gothic spectacle without knowing fully what I was experiencing. But between the midnight and the 500 foot sooty towers I was compelled to pause and reflect some of the cathedral's light. In the train station I marveled at the schedule board as it fluttered rhythmically when its times changed. I boarded a train for Mannheim and it rolled out of KÃ ¶ln into the countryside of the Rhineland. The countryside was definitely different from what I was used to in Canada and I did enjoy the pleasant scenery. But I must admit that I was not wholly concerned with taking in the splendor and that my memory of my travel down the Rhine is limited (it was only a two hour journey by train after all). However, I found that the more Romantic descriptions of the Rhine I read the more my memory was restored. Also, as I read I begin to understand my experience differently and new sensations on those old memories are evoked. The day was perfect for travel: the weather was warm but not uncomfortable, and the sky was a matte cerulean though it was speckled throughout the journey with cirrus and cumulus clouds. As far as I can remember, the train followed the Rhine for most of the journey to Mannheim where I caught another... ...ts of text and music in Wagner. 2 Apr. 2005 http://www.trell.org/wagner/multi.html. Miall, David. "Wordsworth: Rhine (3)." Romanticism: The CD-ROM. Oxford: Blackwell, 1997. "Rhine." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2 Apr. 2005. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhine. Radcliffe, Ann. Excerpts from A Journey Made in the Summer of 1794 through Holland and the Western Frontier of Germany, with a Return Down the Rhine: to which are added, Observations During a Tour to the Lakes of Lancashire, Westmoreland, and Cumberland. Romanticism: The CD-ROM. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1997. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. Oxford: Project Gutenberg, 1993. 2 Apr. 2005 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext93/frank14.txt. Wordsworth, William. "Tintern Abbey." Romanticism: An Anthology. Ed. Duncan Wu. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1998. Travels Through the Rhineland Essay -- Travel Writing Descriptive Ess On mountain peak the gods' abode; resplendent shines the proud-standing hall! (From Wagner's Das Rheingold, qtd. in Evensen) My friend dropped me off at the KÃ ¶ln Hauptbahnhof under the warm summer afternoon. The train station was nearly under the shade of the KÃ ¶lner Dom, the great Gothic cathedral of KÃ ¶ln. I had first seen the Dom at night when it was partially illumed by floodlights and the moon, though most of it remained in shadows. The twin black spires hung over me and I stood, marveling underneath the 600 year old Gothic spectacle without knowing fully what I was experiencing. But between the midnight and the 500 foot sooty towers I was compelled to pause and reflect some of the cathedral's light. In the train station I marveled at the schedule board as it fluttered rhythmically when its times changed. I boarded a train for Mannheim and it rolled out of KÃ ¶ln into the countryside of the Rhineland. The countryside was definitely different from what I was used to in Canada and I did enjoy the pleasant scenery. But I must admit that I was not wholly concerned with taking in the splendor and that my memory of my travel down the Rhine is limited (it was only a two hour journey by train after all). However, I found that the more Romantic descriptions of the Rhine I read the more my memory was restored. Also, as I read I begin to understand my experience differently and new sensations on those old memories are evoked. The day was perfect for travel: the weather was warm but not uncomfortable, and the sky was a matte cerulean though it was speckled throughout the journey with cirrus and cumulus clouds. As far as I can remember, the train followed the Rhine for most of the journey to Mannheim where I caught another... ...ts of text and music in Wagner. 2 Apr. 2005 http://www.trell.org/wagner/multi.html. Miall, David. "Wordsworth: Rhine (3)." Romanticism: The CD-ROM. Oxford: Blackwell, 1997. "Rhine." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2 Apr. 2005. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhine. Radcliffe, Ann. Excerpts from A Journey Made in the Summer of 1794 through Holland and the Western Frontier of Germany, with a Return Down the Rhine: to which are added, Observations During a Tour to the Lakes of Lancashire, Westmoreland, and Cumberland. Romanticism: The CD-ROM. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1997. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. Oxford: Project Gutenberg, 1993. 2 Apr. 2005 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext93/frank14.txt. Wordsworth, William. "Tintern Abbey." Romanticism: An Anthology. Ed. Duncan Wu. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1998.

Breakeven Point

The most important functionality of the breakeven point is the economic awareness that is associated with it. Through a simple equation, individuals can learn a plethora of information about the different costs which create the products of a company, the operation of that company, realistic sales goals, and the success of a company. First and foremost, the breakeven point is a necessary examination to determining whether financial success is possible with a company's given inputs and outputs. Ignorance regarding the profit margins of a company is detrimental to both internal and external users. Internal users would scratch their head, trying to figure out if their company is profitable in the short and long-term. External users cannot make educated investments and give assistance if necessary information is absent. The breakeven model dissociates the fixed and variable costs from the company's production to give the best possible impression of where the company is allocating their expenses. For example, as an investor, knowing total costs of $100,000 a year for a company offers me no concrete evidence to the management of the business. However, if I (an investor) see the differentiation of $50,000 to fixed costs and variable costs, I can begin game planning how I would differently allocate resources to create a more ideal ratio of costs. Because the breakeven point models cost versus production, internal members in a company can utilize the model to create realistic sales figures. Finally, the breakeven point can even provide insight to shifting the direction of production. This model is so important because it's the simplest way for a business to determine if what it charges for its products and services will cover what it costs to make the products or provide those services. If the amount of sales a company needs to break even is more than it can realistically achieve in a year, then the business knows its products or services may not be priced well – or it needs to work to reduce costs. The higher the fixed costs for the business, the higher the breakeven point will be, meaning the more offerings it needs to sell. Additionally, the business owner should know the total contribution each product and service generate to the company's overall profit. This step is important because it can help businesses determine products and services that aren't actually profitable, and the company can decide if it needs to raise the price, reduce the cost of offering it, or possibly discontinue it. Additionally, the business owner should know the total contribution each product and service generate to the company's overall profit. This step is important because it can help businesses determine products and services that aren't actually profitable, and the company can decide if it needs to raise the price, reduce the cost of offering it, or possibly discontinue it.

Police Report Assignment

Police Report Assignment Debbie Smith CJA/304 11/5/2012 Ryan McNeal / Axia College Police Report Assignment This man, Ernesto Arturo Miranda had a huge part in shaping the American Miranda Rights Policy. Born March 9, 1941 in Columbus, Az. The name Ernest Miranda is well known in the state of Arizona because he fought and got his case overturned because there were mistakes by the police when they arrested him. This whole story began on the night of March 3, 1963 when Patricia McGee (not her real name) was working late due to a show that ran over, and she had to close down the theater by herself.After doing that she had to ride the bus home and walk from the bus stop in the dark all alone. As she walked home, a car pulling out of a driveway nearly ran her over, then went down the street in the same direction Patty was walking. She noticed that the car stopped about a block from where she was and the man driving the car got out and started walking toward her. The time was around 11 p. m. and there was nobody else around. She did not pay much attention to the man as he approached her, as she was about to walk past the man, he reached out and grabbed her.He covered her mouth with his free hand and told her that if she didn’t scream , he wouldn’t hurt her. She begged the man to let her go, but he dragged her to his car where he tied her hands behind her back and pushed her into the back seat, where he then tied her feet together after he made her get on the floor. She continued to plead with the man to let her go, but he just said he would not hurt her. He drove for about 20 minutes into the high desert and once he got to the spot he had chosen, he raped Patty.After the assault, he asked Patty for money and she gave him the money she had in her purse (some reports say 4 dollars and some say 8). After she gave him the money, he ordered her to get back into the car and he threw a coat over her head and drove back to Phoenix. About a half-mile from her ho use, he dropped her off and sped away into the night. Police interviewed Patty shortly after the incident happened, when she was brought, hysterical, to a local hospital by her distraught family. Doctors told police that she had traces of semen inside her, but they disputed her claim that she was a virgin before the assault.Based on the statement Patty gave them, the police began searching for a man in his late 20’s With a mustache, who weighed around 175 pounds and was about six feet tall. This is the first part of the story and it leads to multiple differences in information and charges filed against the man who admitted that he raped Patty then got the decision overturned, only to be recharged with the crime. There are many forms of communications used in these cases. Some of them were phone calls, letters, interoffice communications, and written reports.These communications were all effective in getting the job done to get the case against Ernesto Miranda overturned. As a result of a letter written to his common-law wife, Ernesto got himself retried on the rape charge. He lost the second case and was sentenced to serve out his original sentence of 20 to 30 years. The letters that were written were to attorneys and the Supreme Court about representing this case to get the charges overturned and to bring it to the attention of the Supreme Court. That effort was successful because it got their attention and the case was eventually overturned.Not too long after that happened, Ernesto wrote to his common-law wife and told her to relay the message to Patty that if she would drop the charges against him, he would marry her (Patty). The wife took this information to the police who once again tried him for rape and this time he lost his case. He was his own worst enemy. Other forms of communication were telephone which worked well to more quickly communicate needs and wants for this case and upcoming trial and reports. These communication tools were the only ones available during that time.Telephone calls worked as long as the party was in their office or at home when they were called, otherwise the one calling would have to leave a message and await a return call. Messages then were mostly hand written. Time was not something to be wasted. It took a lot of hard work and many hours spent late into the night to win the Supreme Court case and get Miranda’s charges reduced to robbery and kidnapping. Though he was a criminal of sorts, at a very young age, the man did not deserve to be stabbed to death or have his throat slit (whichever report is true) over some change sitting on the bar.I guess the lifestyle he chose was the one that eventually took his life though and that is sad. He should have been able to receive help for his troubles and maybe he would have changed his way of life (http://www. trutv. com/library/crime/notorious_murders/not_guilty/miranda/9. html). 13 March 27 March 12 June 12 June 15 Nov 23 Jan 28 Feb 1 Mar 12 June 1963, Under 1963, Denied. 1963, 1965, 1965, 1966, 1966, 1966, 1966, Arrest.Convicted Miranda Yes To Violation Supreme 2nd Go Outcome Once More Goes Under The of Rights Court Round Appeals Case 13 March 27 March 12 June 12 June 15 Nov 23 Jan 28 Feb 1 Mar 12 June 1963, Under 1963, Denied. 963, 1965, 1965, 1966, 1966, 1966, 1966, Arrest. Convicted Miranda Yes To Violation Supreme 2nd Go Outcome Once More Goes Under The of Rights Court Round Appeals Case I have attached a timeline to show the sequence of events(http://www. timetoast. com/timelines/99160).As you can see from the timeline, this case happened over the course of 3 years. When Miranda finally got approved for Parole, he went back to the only way of life he knew and was in a dive bar playing poker, and a fight broke out over a handful of change on the bar and Miranda who was working as a delivery driver at the time, ended up being murdered (either by being stabbed to death or having his throat slit, there are different accounts of how this happened) (http://www. trutv. com/library/crime/notorious_murders/not_guilty/miranda/9. html). The timeline shows how slow communications were at the time of

Influences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males on Their Reproductive Health in Tehsil Summandri

Influences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males on Their Reproductive Health in Tehsil Summandri Free Online Research Papers ABSTRACT Reproductive health is a basic human right which refers that a state of complete physical, social, and mental well being. The basic objectives of the research were to know the influences socio-economic status of married males on their reproductive health. The universe of the present study was (Tehsil Summandri) Faisalabad city. A simple random sampling technique was used for the selection of areas. The sample for present study was 180 respondents (Males who was married). An interview schedule was developed in the light of objectives of the study. Before collecting the actual data, in order to check the workability, validity of the interviewing schedule, pre- testing was necessary in the same universe. The data collected was statistically analyzed by using computer application software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Gamma statistics was applied to ascertain the relationship between certain independent and dependent variables. On the basis of the present research/ some measures were suggested to slow down the high fertility rate in the country and to improve the reproductive health status of the individuals. INTRODUCTION The fundamental problem that the world is facing today is a substantial increase in population. It is particularly important for the developing countries which are striving hard for improving the socio economic conditions of their people. Gender is socio economic determined, it is it refers to masculine and feminine qualities, behavior patterns, roles and responsibilities etc. It is variable and not constant and changes from time to time, culture to culture and society to society and even family to family. Many other practices like early marriage, sexual and domestic violence contribute to all ill reproductive health (Mussarat, 2003). Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have safe and satisfying sex life and they have the capability to reproduce and freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. It has got major boost since the time it has been illustrated in the international conference on population and development (ICPD) in Cairo in 1994. The issue was also discussed in Beijing that reproductive and the sexuality are the basic human right (Mir, 2003). The Ministry of Population Welfare has been mainly responsible for family planning services. However, the ministry of Health with its lager service delivery network has a greater share of responsibility of providing reproductive health services. In particular, the national programme for FP and PHC represents the largest scale intervention for the delivery of FP and RH services in the form of the Lady Health Workers (LHW) now integrated with the Village based family planning workers. Another indicator of increasing integration of reproductive health services is the jointly formulated National Reproductive Health Services Package, which clearly defines the priority areas for intervention and training. (Akmam, 2002). The health status of women in Pakistan is directly linked to womens low social status. Pakistans poor position internationally is seen in UNDPs Gender related Development Index (GDI) 2000, where Pakistan currently ranks 135 out of 174 countries. On the Gender Empowerment Measurement (GEM) 1999, Pakistan ranked 100 out of the 102 countries measured. Consequently, improving womens reproductive health through the use of contraceptives and spacing of children will not only improve womens health but also reduce population growth and allow women more time to pursue economic activities (Womens Health Project, 1999). According to data from Demographic and Health Surveys from nine Latin American countries, women with no education have large families of 6-7 children, whereas better educated women have family sizes of 2-3 children, analogous to those of women in the developed world. Despite these wide differentials in actual fertility, desired fam ily size is surprisingly homogeneous throughout the educational spectrum. While the least educated and the best educated women share the small family norm, the gap in contraceptive prevalence between the two groups ranges from 20-50 percentage points. Better educated women have broader knowledge, higher socioeconomic status and less fatalistic attitudes toward reproduction than do less educated women. Results of a regression analysis indicate that these cognitive, economic and attitudinal assets mediate the influence of schooling on reproductive behavior and partly explain the wide fertility gap between educational strata (Juarez, 2004). OBJECTIVES 1) To find out the influences of socio economic status of individuals upon their reproductive health. 2) To find out the reasons because of which people do not avail the health services regarding reproduction even they are available. 3) To suggest measures to the policy makers for designing an appropriate policy to enhance the reproductive health status for both males. REVIEW Amin et al (2002) reported that the demographic literature has always emphasized that the changes in attitude and behavior of population, which influence demographic outcomes, depends on the socio economic and cultural setup of a population and the changes in the circumstances. It is true that in the socio economic change is conceivably related to ones nation of residence, especially because of so much socio economic change is driven by or at least by the changes in ones more immediate environment. Khan (2003) reported that in Punjab male needs and attitudes regarding reproductive health found that men and service providers all feel that men lack awareness and knowledge of reproductive problems and hold certain misconceptions about sexuality. These issues include infertility, weakness/ sexual â€Å"debility† and masturbation. Ahmad (2004) reported that the levels of fertility are strongly associated with level of education. Men who have some education have a TFR at least one and half child lower than those with no education. Rashida (2004) found that family planning services need to be improved/ with the aim of weakening the obstacles that prevent Pakistani couples from practicing effective contraception. The priority that must be given to improving family planning services. Awareness of contraception is almost universal among Pakistani women who have induced abortions, and a strikingly large fraction of these women have past experience with contraception. Juarez (2004) reported that the family planning programs have played an important role in providing modern contraceptive methods to women wanting to stop or delay childbearing but whole are not practicing contraception. Ranjani, (2005) reported that the governments (Pakistan, China, Sri-Lanka, Indonesia) seek to provide integrated RH services through multiple delivery points (PHC clinics, FP/MCH clinics, RTI clinics), with the implementation varying across the kind of clinics. Anonymous (2005) stated that Pakistan is one of the few Asian countries that, despite a long history of donor support and organized family planning programs, has had a relatively low level of contraceptive use. It is believed that social and cultural factors have mitigated against greater contraceptive use in Pakistan. METHODOLOGY: Methodological techniques are very important for analyzing sociological pursuits and empirical research. The universe of the present study was comprised of males who were married. Tehsil Summandri was selected conveniently from Faisalabad city as a universe. The data was collected in (20) days, by the researchers in a face to face interview. Interviewing schedule was devised and data was collected through personal interviews with males. The interviewing schedule consisted of structured and unstructured questions, prepared in English, but at the time of interview, Urdu and Punjabi were used depending on the convenience of the respondents. Pre-testing of the interviewing schedule was conducted on 10 respondents. After pre-testing, necessary changes were introduced in the interviewing schedule. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Percentage distribution of the respondents according to their economically active male member Economically active Frequency Percentage 00 10 5.6 1-2 135 75.0 3-4 29 16.1 6+ 6 3.3 Total 180 100 Percentage distribution of the respondents according to number of currently alive children. Currently alive children Frequency Percentage 00 11 6.1 1-4 143 79.4 5+ 26 14.4 Percentage distribution of the respondents according to their died children Name of children Frequency Percentage 00 165 91.7 1-2 15 8.3 Total 180 100 Percentage distribution of the respondents according to any problem during reproductive life Any problem Frequency Percentage Yes 50 27.8 No 127 70.6 NA 3 1.7 Total 180 100 Percentage distribution of the respondents according to use of any form of Contraception Use of contraception Frequency Percentage Yes 51 28.3 No 129 71.7 Total 180 100 Percentage distribution of the respondents according to currently using Any method of contraception Currently using Frequency Percentage Yes 59 32.8 No 121 67.2 Total 180 100 Higher the educational attainment lower will be the number of children. Association between education of the respondents and their number of children. Total No Wedu Total Children Nil Primary Middle Secondary Graduation Master Nil 00 0 0 4 0 1 1 6 .0% .0% 66.7% .0% 16.7% 16.7% 100.0% 1-4 34 34 11 38 19 11 147 23.1% 23.1% 7.5% 25.9% 12.9% 7.5% 100.0% 5+ 22 1 2 1 1 0 27 81.5% 3.7% 7.4% 3.7% 3.7% .0% 100.0% Total 56 35 17 39 21 12 180 31.1% 19.4% 9.4% 21.7% 11.7% 6.7% 100.0% Lower the age at the time of marriage higher will be the number of children. Association between age at the time of marriage of the respondents and their number of children. No Of Total Age mar Total Children 14-23 24-35 14-23 00 4 2 6 66.7% 33.3% 100.0% 1-4 37 110 147 25.2% 74.8% 100.0% 5+ 13 14 27 48.1% 51.9% 100.0% Total 54 126 180 30.0% 70.0% 100.0% N Chil * Age mar Crosstabulation MAIN FINDINGS A large number of the respondents i.e. 75.0 percent male members were 1-2 economically active. A large number of the respondents i.e. 79.4 percent had 1-4 alive children. A very small number of the respondents i.e. 8.3 percent had died children which were 1-2. Majority of the respondents i.e. 70.6 percent were not facing any problem during reproductive life. A large number of respondents i.e. 71.7 percents were not using any form of contraception. A large number of respondents i.e. 67.2 percents were not currently using any form of contraception. A large number of the respondents i.e. 66.7 percents were middle. Education play important role. Education creates awareness. A large number of respondents i.e. 66.5 percents were married at the age of 14-23. Early age marriages also creates number of problems. SUGGESTIONS: The present study has clearly emphasized the importance of education in ones life and in the attitude formation of an individual towards fertility and family size. In order to make the family planning program a success/ the government has to put more effective measures for promoting family planning program in the country. More family planning motivational cum health center should be established in urban areas where the provision of cheaper and more effective contraceptives should be ensured. Enhancing age at marriage should also be included in agenda of population strategies for achieving reduced population growth. The family program should be brought to the door steps of those who need the services. We have very conservative society and many couples are shy to visit clinics. Therefore/ they should be approached privately. Late marriage should be encouraged. LITERATURE CITED: Ahmad, I. 2004. Pakistan Voluntary Health and Nutrition Association (PVHNA). Akmam W, 2002. Womens Education and Fertility Rates in Developing Countries, With Special Reference to Bangladesh EJAIB 138-143. Lecturer in Sociology, University of Rajshahi/ Bangladesh; Amin, S., A.M. Basu, and R. Stephenson, 2002. Sapatial variation in contraceptive use in Bangladesh: Looking beyond the borders. Demography 39(2): 251-267. Anonymous, S.2005. â€Å"Economics and financing of reproductive health† who.int/reproductive-health/economics/contact.en. html Juarez, F. 2004. â€Å"Health service utilization and its determinants prenatal care in Ecuador Poverty, Fertility and Family Planning Ed: CICRED Paris. Khan, A. 2003. Adolescent and youth reproductive health in Pakistan. Status/issues/ polices and programs. Population Council of Pakistan. Mir, A. 2003, Provision of Reproductive Health Services in Pakistan. Population Association of Pakistan/ Islamabad Mussarat, R. 2003. Community Medicine. Pakistan Institute of Development, Islamabad. Nachmias, C. 1992 Research Methods in the social sciences published by Edwards Arnold. A Division of Hodder Stoughton/ London. RanJani. K. 2005. Health sector reforms and sexual reproductive health services. Lessons and Research Gaps Emerging from the Initiative for Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Health Reforms. Rashida, G, 2003, Unwanted pregnancies and post abortion complications in Pakistan/ report from health care professionals and health facilities. Research Report No 20. Research Papers on Influences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males on Their Reproductive Health in Tehsil SummandriResearch Process Part OnePETSTEL analysis of IndiaThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductThe Project Managment Office SystemMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesGenetic Engineering19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraDefinition of Export QuotasTwilight of the UAW

Free Essays on Domestic Violence and How it is Seen as a Precursor to Homelessness in Women

â€Å" Domestic Violence and how it is seen as a Precursor to Homelessness in Women† â€Å"As soon as we moved into this house, you think you can have your way†¦ You are my wife and I tell you what you can do and what you can’t do.† This kind of statement is typical of what a battered woman knows to be the only truth in her household. Domestic violence is greatly on the rise and is one of the leading causes of homelessness among women in today’s society. Rather than approach domestic violence as a direct â€Å"cause† of homelessness, one might hope to understand how such violence could help create the circumstances that might particularly make a woman more susceptible to homelessness. Domestic violence and poverty may intersect with other issues to produce the circumstances that often leave women no other choice but to seek temporary shelter for the short-term, and therefore remain precariously housed. Homelessness is defined as a person who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night time residence, and has a primary night time residence that is: A) Supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations. B) An institution that provides temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized C) A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. (Stewart B. McKinney Act, 42 U.S.C.; 11301, et seq. (1994). According to the McKinney Act (1994), this definition usually includes those people who face imminent eviction form their current form of shelter. Domestic violence, or battering, is the establishment of control and fear in a relationship through violence and other forms of abuse. The batterer uses acts of violence and a series of behaviors, including intimidation, threats, psychological abuse, and isolation to coerce and control the other person. (Somers, 1992). When most women are in ... Free Essays on Domestic Violence and How it is Seen as a Precursor to Homelessness in Women Free Essays on Domestic Violence and How it is Seen as a Precursor to Homelessness in Women â€Å" Domestic Violence and how it is seen as a Precursor to Homelessness in Women† â€Å"As soon as we moved into this house, you think you can have your way†¦ You are my wife and I tell you what you can do and what you can’t do.† This kind of statement is typical of what a battered woman knows to be the only truth in her household. Domestic violence is greatly on the rise and is one of the leading causes of homelessness among women in today’s society. Rather than approach domestic violence as a direct â€Å"cause† of homelessness, one might hope to understand how such violence could help create the circumstances that might particularly make a woman more susceptible to homelessness. Domestic violence and poverty may intersect with other issues to produce the circumstances that often leave women no other choice but to seek temporary shelter for the short-term, and therefore remain precariously housed. Homelessness is defined as a person who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night time residence, and has a primary night time residence that is: A) Supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations. B) An institution that provides temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized C) A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. (Stewart B. McKinney Act, 42 U.S.C.; 11301, et seq. (1994). According to the McKinney Act (1994), this definition usually includes those people who face imminent eviction form their current form of shelter. Domestic violence, or battering, is the establishment of control and fear in a relationship through violence and other forms of abuse. The batterer uses acts of violence and a series of behaviors, including intimidation, threats, psychological abuse, and isolation to coerce and control the other person. (Somers, 1992). When most women are in ...

SAT Writing Word Choice and Diction Errors

SAT Writing Word Choice and Diction Errors SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Mark Twain famously once wrote in a letter that the â€Å"difference between the almost right word the right word is really a large matter - it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.† The SAT agrees with good old Mark, and tests students on their ability to recognize when the almost-right word has been subbed in for the right one. Are you confident in your ability to not be tricked by the SAT's unusual diction questions? Read on for some strategies and tips for this section. In this guide, I will: explain what diction is and why the SATasks about it tell you when to look for diction errors on the SAT and how to approach these questions show you examples of this kind of question similar to those on the SAT give you a master list of commonly-confused words in English What does â€Å"diction† mean, anyway? Diction is a fancy way of saying â€Å"word choice† - you may have heard your literature teacher talk about this idea when analyzing a famous author’s writing style. When used by the College Board, however, it refers to something on a slightly lower level. A lot of words in the English language are easy to confuse because they look or sound similar but have quite different meanings. For example, can you spot which words are incorrectly used in the sentences below? When Allen heard that the SAT would be changing, the news was difficult for him to except. He had spent allot of time studying for the old test, and now he wondered if that had been a total waist. How would these changes effect his scores? There are actuallyfour diction errorsin the above passage, but they can be difficult to spotbecause they sound like the correct words that should have been used. Exceptshould be accept Allotshould bea lot Waistshould bewaste Effectshould beaffect Why diction errors? Most of the questionsyou will see on SAT Writing tests your ability to spot basic grammar errors. As such, learning the grammar rules that the SAT thinks areimportant will usually go a long way in helping to improve you score. Diction errors are verydifferent: there's no clearrule you can learn that will help you out or even a set list of easily-confused words that the SAT might use, makingthis section particularly difficult to prepare for. SAT Writing is all about your ability to edit and spot when something doesn't make sense. Can you only catch errors that follow strict grammar rules or can you also see when something doesn't make sense because the wrong word is being used? Where will I find diction questions? Since these question are fairly different fromthe others you will encounter on this part of the SAT, they are considered to be more difficult.The more difficult questions usually appear towards the ends of sections. You are most likely to find diction questions in theIdentifying Errors section of the test because they don't give you answer choices to correct the errors on this part of the test. These questions would not be nearly as difficult to catch if the correct word were given in the answer choices - in fact, that would be an easy giveaway that one of the original words was incorrect! Diction questions will rarely, if every, appear in the Improving Paragraphs section. Keep in mind thatnot every SAT will have diction errors.Sometimes they don't appear on a test at all! Other times, there will be a few of them. This uncertainty is another reason that they are difficult to prepare for and even harder to recognize. It seems that diction errors are becoming a little more common on recent tests than they were in the past, but they still don't make up a large amount of the questions on SAT Writing. The June 6, 2015 SAT, as an example, hadtwo diction questions. Strategies for Diction Questions Always have a plan. When diction questions do appear on the SAT, they're very unpredictable. You never know which commonly confused word the College Board will choose to test, and they tend to not repeat themselves. Spend a bit of time reviewing the list of commonly confused words below and see if there are any words that jump out at you as things that you might confuse.Limit your studying on this section to just what's trickiest for you. When you get to the final questions on the Identifying Errors or Improving Sentences section, pay particular attention to any questions that seems to have "No Error" or correct as is as an answer.This is where you will most likely find a diction question. Go back and double check everything that is underlined. Is each word correct? Did you read too quickly and mentally sub in a similar word for what is actually written? Does anything jump out at you that you can remember from the list below of commonly-confused words? If you can see a diction error, choose that as the answer. If not, keep your answer as "No Error." And keep in mind that you're statistically more likely to have "No Error" as an answer, or a totally different grammar mistake that you just didn't spot the first time, than a diction error! Let's look at one together Though Joe was not implied in(A) the cheating scandal at the school (B), he stillwas questioned (C) by theprincipal (D).No Error. (E) As always when you are reading through a question on SAT Writing, you should start by looking for themost common grammar errors.(Not sure what the most common mistakes are? We have a guide for that coming soon!) Looking at this sentence, I don't see any problems in verb tense and form or subject-verb agreement, and the sentence is correctly formed (meaning it's not a fragment or a run-on). "At the school" is fine as a prepositional phrase. So far I don't see anygrammar errors, and so I'm leaning towards No Error. But not so fast! At this point, I have to go back and double check that all of the underlined words are used correctly. "At the school" and "was questioned" are both phrases with words I'm very familiar with - there's no way these are being used incorrectly. However, I remember that "implied" and "principal" are both on the list of commonly-confused words. "Principal" sounds a lot like "principle." One word means a person who runs a school, while the other refers to an ideal or belief. If I had been unsure about which is which when looking over the list below, I would have found a way to remember which is which - such as thinking, "At school, your principal is yourpal."Therefore, principal is correctly used in the sentence. What about implied? That's also on the list, as a word that's commonly confused with "implicated." If I had been having trouble with these two words, I would have had to memorize the definitions or come up with another way to remember the difference between them. From looking at the list below, I knowthat "imply" means "to suggest" and "implicate" means "to suggest involvement in something." When I sub those definitions back into the sentence, it's clear that "implied in" doesn't make sense. I should be "implicated in." Therefore, (A) is the correct answer. Here are some more to do on your own! Some of the following questions have No Error, and others have diction errors. Can you spot them? 1. Due to human interventions,the Alaskansalmon nowstruggle(A) to reach their spawning grounds, a situationthat has(B) adverselyeffected(C)the area's(D) mammals. No error (E) 2. Most warning signs of cancer are not alarming individually, though several of the symptoms(A) added together(B) are seen(C) as(D) a signal of the disease.No error (E) 3. Only by using(A) unconventional methods were(B) the doctors able to successfully complete(C) what had been(D) a difficult surgery. No error (E) 4. The public has excess(A) to an economical and efficient(B) recycling center that is responsible tocommunity needs and complies with(C) current federal regulations governing(D) waste disposal.No error(E) 5. The report is essentially(A) a vague and extremely lacking(B) record of what(C) happened to each of(D) the victims. No error (E) 6. In(A) American letters,Rachel Carsonis aprime example of a reporterwho, by assuring(B) public interest in(C) an important topic, achieved immortality for herself. (D) No error (E) 7. Love is one of our most indiscriminate(A) emotions; it can(B)unexpectedly(C) strike you or me (C), millionaires or paupers (D), cynics or romantics. No error (E) 8. As(A) exotic petsmature, they develop destructivebehaviors(B) that their owners, who wanted(C) adorable, furry companions, often find difficult to except (D). No error (E) Answers: 1. C; 2. E; 3. E; 4. A; 5. E; 6. B; 7. E; 8. D List of commonly confused words WORD MEANING WORD MEANING accept to receive, take except excluding access entrance; opportunity excess more than needed addition something added edition a certain production of something adopt to legally take on, accept adapt to change to be more suitable advice a recommendation advise to give a recommendation adverse bad; unfavorable averse opposed to affect to influence effect a result afflict to cause suffering inflict to force something harmful aisle space between rows isle island allude to make an indirect reference elude to avoid allusion an indirect reference illusion a false idea or vision already happened before now all ready to be entirely prepared altar table for religious ceremony alter to change altogether completely; entirely all together all things with each other a lot a large number of something allot to give out an amount of something ambivalent to have two different feelings about something ambiguous having more than one possible meaning amoral having no sense or right and wrong immoral having intentionally bad morals anecdote a short personal story antidote a substance or activity that stops something bad angel a spiritual creature angle space between intersecting lines measured in degrees apart separated, into pieces a part a piece of something appraise to examine and judge apprise to tell someone of something are 3rd person plural of â€Å"to be† our belonging to us accent how someone pronounces words ascent movement up assent agreement/approval assistance help assistants helpers attribute a quality/characteristic contribute to give something auditory related to hearing audible able to be heard aural related to hearing oral spoken or related to the moth balmy pleasantly warm barmy crazy or silly bare not covered bear to carry or accept something bated in suspense; excited baited to harass (past tense) bazaar a market bizarre very strange and surprising berth a bed on a boat/train birth time when a baby is born beside next to something besides in addition to something boar a wild pig bore a dull person board a long, flat piece of wood bored feeling uninterested born to have been birthed borne carried bough a large branch of a tree bow bend upper body forward breath air that comes from lungs breathe to take air in and out brake part of a vehicle that stops it break to separate into pieces buy to purchase by shows a person who does something canvas a strong cloth canvass to ask people their opinions censure to criticize formally censor to remove offensive things from public capital city where government is based OR money capitol state legislature building choose to decide or pick chose past tense of choose climactic an important or exciting time climatic relating to the weather coarse rough and thick course a series of lessons collaborate to work together corroborate to provide supporting information command to order commend to praise complacent feeling you don’t need to try hard complaisant willingness to please others complement something that goes well with something else compliment saying something to show praise comprehensive thorough comprehensible easy to understand conscience the part of you that makes you feel guilty conscious aware; awake contemptuous showing contempt contemptible extremely bad corps a group of people or military force corpse a dead body council an elected group of people counsel to give advice credible able to be believed credulous gullible dairy milk products diary a book of personal thoughts descent a movement down dissent disagreement desirous wanting something desirable attractive dessert sweet food desert hot, dry area device equipment used for a particular purpose devise to design or invent something discreet secretive discrete separate and different disinterested impartial uninterested not interested do a helping verb dew drops of water due expected or planned dominant most important or wanting control dominate to control or have power over die to stop living dye substance used to change color dyeing to change the color of dying present participle of â€Å"die† elicit to get info or a reaction from someone illicit not legal eminent respected imminent about to happen immanent permanent part of something emit to send out gas/heat/light omit exclude envelop cover something envelope what letters go in everyday consecutive days every day used a lot exhaustive repetitive use exhausting tiring expandable gets bigger expendable to leave out explicit gratuitous implicit complete fair reasonable fare cost farther far further more flaunt exaggerate flout intentionally formally properly formerly before foreboding over-powering forbidding not allowed forth forwards fourth first, second, third†¦.. gorilla large monkey guerrilla unofficial military group hear sounds here present heard noise herd flock/gaggle/group hoard collect/store horde large group hole hollow space in something whole complete human people/person humane kind implicit complete complicit involved in imply suggest implicate suggest someone is involved in something infer guess something based on the information you have incur experience something unpleasant occur to happen indeterminate impossible to know interminable lasting a long time, in a boring way influence make an impression affluence wealth ingenious really clever ingenuous honest its belongs to it’s it is knew knowledge you have new not old know knowledge no denied laid the past of lay lain lied down later in the past latter near the end of a period lay to put something down lie horizontal lead to take charge led had taken charge lessen to weaken lesson what a teacher teaches lightning weather lightening not as dark loose not fitting tightly lose to not win maybe perhaps/possibly may be accepting something as true despite your opinion on it meat flesh meet assemble mete punish metal hard, shiny substance medal metal object given as a prize mettle determination when doing something miner someone who works in a mine minor not important moral right and wrongs morale the meaning passed to qualify past something that’s happened patience to stay calm patients sick people peace tranquility piece a part of peak the top peek a quick look pique annoyed pedal foot operated part of machine petal part of a flower peddle to sell perpetrate do something bad perpetuate elongate personal relating to a person personnel staff persecute treat someone unfairly prosecute to convict perspective viewpoint prospective potential buyer plain ordinary plane flying vehicle pore small hole for sweat to pass through pour make liquid flow from a container precede to happen before something else proceed to go forward precedent to set an example for others president the head of prescribe give medical treatment proscribe to not allowsomething presence being in a place presents gifts principal most important principle basic rule quiet no noise quite completely rain precipitation reign to rule rein straps that control a horse raise to lift raze completely destroy rational reasonable rationale the reason reluctant unwilling reticent saying little about what you feel respectfully showing respect respectively in the same order reverend Christian official reverent showing respect right correct rite traditional religious ceremony write produce words road surface built for vehicles rode to have ridden scene a view seen to have looked sense logic since from a time in the past sensible well behaved sensitive to be dealt with carefully sensory connected to the physical senses sight vision site a place of importance cite mention something as proof simulate to mimic stimulate to make something happen stationary still motion stationery office supplies straight not curved strait narrow area of sea suppose think something is true supposed to expected to do something taught educated, instructed taut stretched very tight than used to compare two things then at that time their belongs to them there used to show something exists they’re they are through from one end to the other threw to have thrown thorough completely to used to give the reason too as well as two comes after one track narrow path tract large area of land visual relating to seeing visible able to seen waist around the middle of your body waste a bad use of something waive allow someone to break the rules wave move hands from side to side weak not strong week 7 days weather conditions in the air above the earth (wind, rain etc) whether if, or not wether a castrated ram where to, at, or in what place were past tense of be which determining pronoun witch woman with magical powers whose which person owns or is responsible for something who’s who is your belonging to the person being spoken to you’re you are yore a long time ago What's next? Familiarize yourself with some other errors you're likely to see on the Identifying Sentence Errors questions, like pronoun agreement, adjectives vs. adverbs, and subject-verb agreement. More concerned about the big picture? Make sure you know the best way to approach Identifying Sentence Errors and Improving Sentences. If you're a member of the class of 2017, determinewhether you should study forthe current SAT or the redesigned version with this guide. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing and grammar lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Paper according to readings [around 10 readings] Essay

Paper according to readings [around 10 readings] - Essay Example Third world Marxism paved the way for a multiracial movement from what developed as a deeply segregated U.S. left. In all aspects, it was Third World Marxism proved to be the best framework for converting ideologies of greats like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King into an ideological revolution. The fear is that the less developed countries are looking for vengeance against Europe. The Europe in response, won’t divide reformist forces leading the mankind to delight by flaunting the threat of a Third World. The threat that rises like a tide to engulf the whole of Europe. This notion is false! They want cooperation from them, so they can help rehabilitate the regions they kept in slavery for centuries. So even if they consider it a   repudiation to amend what they had done previously   keeping colonies of the area which are the third world the third world countries,  it will help them in many ways.   Opposition to oppression is a constant aspect of the modern world. In earlier years (before the nineteenth century) these oppressions were short-lived and hence did not affect the system very much. But later, they turned into everlasting agony for the oppressed. The movements against oppression can be categorized into two classes; replacing capitalism with socialism and replacing ethno-nationalist agenda with self-determination. However, both these movements saw state power as a crucial part of the overall agenda. It has been many years since the last world war. Despite so many conflicts occurring the world, there has not been a Third World War, the reason is more than just coincidence. The formation of the UN (even though controversial) is one of the biggest factors. But it was the resilience of the Vietnamese fueled by patriotism that defeated the US forces but the French and the Japanese before them. It is the duty of ever human to be prepared to fight for the soil. This social ideology emphasizes plurality and embraces the world

The impact of videogames on players especially the violent ones Research Paper

The impact of videogames on players especially the violent ones - Research Paper Example Ever since video games were introduced, the level of violent content in them has been a controversial matter and the major question is whether they result in violent behavior among players. Video games are often seen by older people as childlike thing and do not worry about their negative impacts on behavior. Unfortunately, parents and the older people in society fail to focus on the dark side of some games and their impact on younger players especially the violent ones. Numerous studies have been conducted on the impact on violent video games on the players’ behavior. Emerging literature has focused on â€Å"the benefits rather than perils of video game play† (Blumberg et al. 41). These studies show increasing concern about the impact of video games on young players who play these games (Becker-Olsen and Patricia 84). There are two issues surrounding this discussion. First, is whether players with violent tendencies are more likely to act out violent acts from playing these games? Secondly, is whether video games exacerbate violent behavior among players? In order to understand the debate surrounding this topic, one must get a clear understanding of the concept of violence. Various studies have found that violent behavior in real life is a consequence of the violence that is contained in video games. Others disagree with this as they failed to clearly define violence or why the games being studied were termed as violent. Overall, the definition of violence varies among different individuals. Although video games consist of fictional characters, they are based on the themes of death and battle whereby the winner becomes more powerful. Others can be characterized by a form of blood violence and high gore as the reward system. It can be observed that the definition of violence in video games has evolved over the decades as video games in the modern times are

Discussing the Improvement in Perfomance and Possitive Influences on Essay

Discussing the Improvement in Perfomance and Possitive Influences on Individuals in a Working Environment - Essay Example The report will also highlight various leading forces that may improve the performance of the individuals who are working as a team. The discussion of the letter subject will help us understand how Microsoft can apply those suggestions in its own professional environment, which is necessarily a team-based. -------------------------------------------------- Introduction: The quality of work in a business environment is becoming the foremost concern in industries all over the world, which was not true until 1959 (Herzberg 1995). Considering the motivation of work, top priority is given to the worker satisfaction instead of achievement that is gained through the work qualitatively done. Improvement of worker satisfaction deals with the enhancement and development of human relations between the humans working together in an organization. Two main issues have been faced by the organizational management - in lieu of the aforementioned statements – that run side by side. While the in dustries are now struggling to resolve the unfathomable hygiene problems of evading the interpersonal dissatisfaction in working environment; they have neglected the other essential concern of workers’ motivation for training and quality production, which leads to even more dire consequences in terms of job dissatisfaction and health issues. In regard to these two important issues, Frederick Herzberg proposed a theory known as Two-Factor Theory or Motivation-Hygiene Theory, in 1995 that will logically respond to the above two problems collectively to provide a harmonic and synchronized solution that will keep the interpersonal relation at its best as well as provide the organizations qualitative work, and will ensure the employees to stay health and keep job satisfaction for a longer period of time. Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory: According to this theory, people in a working environment are influenced through two factors, i.e. motivation factors, e.g. satisfaction and p sychological growth, and hygiene factors, e.g. dissatisfaction. The theory was established based on the investigations done by Herzberg on 200 engineers and accountants in the USA. Hygiene factors ensure the avoidance of the employees being dissatisfied with the job and working environment. These factors do not relate to the motivational aims but still without them the dissatisfaction is not avoided. Some of the most common yet essential and avoidable hygiene factors are as follows: working conditions, status, salary, quality of supervision, job security, company profile, interpersonal relations, and company’s administrative policies. Motivation factors on the other hand relate to the motivation of employees to make their performance better and let them achieve higher aims. Internal generators within employees are the actual cause of these factors. Some of the typical motivation factors are as follows: achievement, growth, recognition for achievement, interest in job, task re sponsibility, and recognition for the achievement. The combination of both the leading factors of theory leads to four underlying scenarios which differ from each other in terms of achieving the objects a business management official is seeking among his employees. The four scenarios will now be discussed under each of the two sections given below. One of the next two sections will strictly speak of the positive influences on the motivational enhancement of employees of Microsoft.

Should Performance Enhancing Drugs (Such as Steroids) Be Accepted in Research Paper

Should Performance Enhancing Drugs (Such as Steroids) Be Accepted in Sports - Research Paper Example This facet has divided the world population into two segment with some being against, the use of steroids while others supporting introduction of the drugs in the sports (Cooper, pg 102). Each one of the two sides, hold different opinions as to why they have taken their own specific stand. The side of sportsmen and women as well as the trainers, who support the idea argue that, use of the drugs helps minimize the injuries and also enhance recovery of body muscles, While the sporting bodies which opposes the idea of using these drugs argues that acceptance of this substance promotes unfair sporting activities that are based on lie rather than the true fact of sporting. The world has continued to ponder on the issue of performance enhancing drugs in sporting activities. It has been left in confusion striving to find a common ground on the matter. The history of this issue date as back to ancient Greeks who used the plant extracts as stimulant. The prominence of doping, however, heightened in late 1960s; when the sporting activity became more popular in different continents. Nevertheless, the climax of the issue has gained moment in the past decade with the majority of athletes being diagnosed to have injected these drugs in their system in order to enhance their performance (Cooper, pg33). With increase evolution in health technology, it has become much easier for the sporting bodies to detect and confirm if the accused person has used the drugs. Research on these enhancing drugs has shown that; they help in building of fat reserves in the muscle of the person through protein stimulation. The individual becomes even much stronger, hence able to par ticipate in the sports and also train for long hours without exhaustion. As the heated debate on drugs continues to take a better part of the center stage, the puzzling question which the majority of the partisan continue to ask, Do we have to accept these drugs in the sporting activities?. The