Perspectives on adult and worker’s education

The ability to enhance higher literacy levels to adults and workers in the society forms a major step towards improved development and greater production at different levels of the society. Authors appear in agreement that workers and adult education must be embedded in society’s institutional frameworks that reduce their dependence but leverages economic development. It is the view of this paper that social democracy perspective is a better model because it strongly relies on institutionalization of workers adult education; a factor that largely provides them with a raised ground for competing with others. A strong evaluation of social democracy and neo-liberalism perspectives as well as how the two have shaped adult and workers education is further provided. Finally, a personal preference on the perspectives is outlined. Social democracy perspective According to Ingvar and Anne-Marie (2007), social democracy is an evolutionary perspective that has taken long to define and re-fit in different contexts. From a classic political spectrum, it can be considered a centre-left concept assuming a reformist socialism model. Consequently, it takes a gradual outlook in establishing a socialist mode of economy. At this point, social democracy should be seen to consist of two main building factors; democracy and socialism. First, it entails embracing values in the society, upholding freedom, and most importantly equity. People are directly involved in making decisions either directly or indirectly through their elected leaders. Unlike in neo-liberalism, Sullivan (2003) argues that democracy is a strong down-top management in a broad pyramidal model with no discrimination at any level. Socialism, on the other hand involves common ownership and planning based on institutions. Therefore, work by the people and society as a whole is considered central towards advancing independence and economic development. Social democracy in adult and workers’ education as Sullivan (2003) outlines reflect values that seek to create a highly enlightened community as a whole. Ingvar and Anne-Marie (2007) explain that social democracy reference to institutions greatly centralizes and harmonizes control and accessibility of services to the community. In New Zealand, the government took a bold shift from the competitive model in adult education to a social democratic one which created faster and better access especially to the working community (McLaughlin, 2003). One cannot fail to mention the essential role that social democracy has brought in essential services such as health and development in different regions. United States highly ranked democratic ideals and access to services by all is linked to effective representation and prioritization brought about by social democracy. Neo-liberalism perspective Neo-liberalism is an ideology with a wide and a highly changing orientation in different levels. Green (2003) argues that this ideology is a construct from classical economic theories which seek to empower private and individuals in leveraging economic development. Proponents of this view believe that through privatization the society is able to invoke higher levels and quality of services delivery to the society through market competition. Unlike it is currently known that key services such as education and healthcare are a prerogative of central government, neo-liberalism shifts their constitution and provision to private ownership. Moss (2008) notes in his publication that neo-liberalism is strongly entrenched on consideration of demand and supply of various services being provided. Though it was held as a strong factor within which both individual people and private entities would gather efforts to build competitive advantages in bid to win the market, Green (2003) argues that essential services with low demand may acutely lack in the community. Upon this realization, Moss (2008) adds that governments have evaded operating on a pure neo-liberal point of view to a mixed model which seeks to emphasize on individual competiveness and institutional progress. A Marxist operation is further employed to optimize outputs on effectual demand. This perspective further calls for optimization of technology and incentives as essential optimization forces. How these ideological perspectives have shaped adult and workers’ education and training Over the years, adult and worker’s education in different nations have taken varied perspectives with differing success rates. However, though selection of these perspectives and application in other areas such as industrial production appear easy, scholars remain highly divided over which one is better in adult and workers’ education. From a social democracy point of view, Sutch (1966) notes that adult and workers education is run non-competitively. Sutch (1966) further points out that a competitive model is highly restrictive and operates in a colonial model. Consequently, only a few people who have the resources would be able to access education in a competitive consideration. New Zealand strongly shifted to social democracy which gave the government full control of adult and workers education that strongly promoted access and encouraged more elderly people to further education. Williams (1980) strongly argued that adult and workers’ population constituted an important number in England which could be used to leverage development in the country at the height of the Cold War. Notably, with many people limited by resources availability as they worked in the low paying changing industries, advancing the dream of uniting Europe was at stake. In this case, the government introduced short two year courses that could allow adults and workers access to university degrees. Besides, open learning and recreational courses facilitated by the government made it possible to learn even after work and at night with or without qualifications (Alcock, Erskine and May, 2003). However, it is critical that social democracy is indirectly linked and partially shaped by the market forces to invoke the sense of high quality. In his publication, Green (2003) cites Neo-liberalism, as the main concept with ability to invoke high creativity and innovations in the 21st century. Upton (1986) further suggests that any education model that lacks direct market touch as a roadmap to failure. Neo-liberalism therefore creates a direct link between the market requirements and what the education offers. It is from this perspective’s application that Canaan and Shumar (2008) reports of the ability to tap young minds and entrenching them in the economic development demand that saw Japan strongly develop its industrial capacity. However, the workers and adults were greatly disadvantaged taking into consideration that they formed a significant proportion of the population. It is from this realization that largely saw New Zealand shift from a Neo-Liberalism approach to a social democratic orientation outlook (Holford, Jarvis and Griffin, 1998). As indicated earlier, many states are currently undergoing key restructuring as they seek to assume either a neo-liberal or social democratic perspective. However, as New Zealand experienced between 1980 and 1990 when it was shifting from a neo-liberal orientation to a social democratic perspective, McLaughlin (2003) emphasizes on the need for intrinsic understanding of either perspective for smooth running transition. Personal preferences on how adult and workers’ education should be shaped Adult population in the society must be seen as a viable force with great potential to leverage economic development in a country or economic region. As a result, any perspective driving their education system must be value driven with focus on empowerment. In her view, McLaughlin (2003) explains that though it is true that adult education lack long term advantages compared to the younger developing population, it remains a very critical factor in economic progression; reducing dependence and supporting higher quality development. It is from this consideration that social democracy in this paper is viewed to be superior in seeking to empower more workers and adult population in the community. It came out from the discussion placing workers and adults on the same learning platform with younger population set then at a losing end as they lack the ability to effectively compete. A social democracy perspective therefore gives them an important and elevated ground to sharpen their skills and leverage production in their areas of work. As McLaughlin (2003) conclusion and Alcock (003) argument indicate the Marxist perspective of neo-liberalism is indeed a scaring factor to the older generation. However, social democracy is both a strengthening factor and encouragement to the workers both socially and in their areas of work. By creating a platform for improvement leveraged by the government, the quality of work from them is anchored while the economy is expanded. Conclusion It is from the above discussion that this paper concludes by supporting the thesis statement, ‘the ability to enhance higher literacy levels to adults and workers in the society forms a major step towards improved development and greater production at different levels of the society. ’ The difference of the two perspectives came out to be strongly rooted in their mode of application. While social democracy is strongly people driven through democratic representation in institutional frameworks, neo-liberalism was found to be highly capitalistic. Social democracy was further found to have a broader capacity to support adult and workers education because they are encouraged and supported to support their immediate experiences. However, neo-liberalism perspective’s strong market orientation was found to not only scare adults and workers in pursuing education, but failed to invoke the needed incentives. It is therefore imperative that states and governments assume a social democracy orientation in leveraging their adult and worker’s education.

Facebook, Strategic Management Analysis

An environmental scanning refers to the process that systematically uses information about trends, patterns and relationships within an organization’s internal and external environment to determine the future direction of the organization. Through an understanding of the nature and speed of changes in that particular environment, an environmental scan is likely to help identify possible ventures, challenges, and developments that are important to the organization. An organization that could benefit tremendously from strategic planning and especially environmental scanning is Facebook. Facebook is a social network organization that is considered the largest online network in the world (Piskorski, Eisenmann, and Smith, 2013). According to these researchers Facebook reported $1 billion profit in revenue, with 85% of this revenue coming from advertising. However since we are living in an era where technology is constantly upgrading and competition is fierce, it is vital that the managers of Facebook stay abreast of the competition by conducting environmental scanning to determine the trend and weaknesses of the organization to prevent strategic surprises. As competition increases in a particular industry, changes become swifter in the external environment; consequently, information from the external environment contributes important elements to the effectiveness of the long-term plans. In an external analysis of Facebook, three correlated environments are relevant: Natural Physical Environment According to Wheelen and Hunger (2012) the natural environment includes physical resources, wildlife, and climate that are a fundamental part of life on earth. It is obvious that in recent years the regularity and severity of storms, tornados, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events have increased in the United States and worldwide, and this trend is likely to continue. Pine (2011) informed us that increase in natural hazards and the rising of sea-level are expected along the coastal areas, therefore it is necessary to understand the nature of coastal natural, social, and economic environments and their interactions in guaranteeing a sustainable future. In the case of Facebook, extreme weather events could result in loss of Internet service, breakdown in telecommunication infrastructure, lifestyle changes, and regional shift in population. Although the loss of Internet service and breakdown in telecommunication infrastructure due to inclement weather may be perceived as threats to the organization; lifestyle changes and regional shift in population may reveal opportunities for Facebook. A scan of the external environment may lead to the creating of more modern system that is in-tune with the needs of the population. With the movement of people, Facebook media may be used to locate missing relatives and friends. A shift in population could result in an increase in the younger more tech-savy generation who view Facebook as a way of keeping in touch with others. Since mobile phone reception system may experience overcrowding during this time, Facebook could capitalize on this situation to use its â€Å"friends and family† network to keep others informed of storms and inclement weather events. Through an environmental scan, the managers may realize that planning is needed to extend their network to accommodate the movement of the population. A scan may also reveal weaknesses in infrastructure that could be modified ahead of weather-related crises to minimize the length of time consumers are out of service where weather situations are predicted but cannot be prevented. Although these factors may present threats to the stability of the organization, there are areas that may be presented as opportunities. Societal Environment The societal environment according to Wheelen and Hunger (2012) is the social system of human that makes up those general forces that do not directly affect the short-term activities of the organization, but can, and frequently do influence its long-term decision. Wheelen et al. (2012) mentioned that the number of possible strategic factors is very high because each country can be represented by its own exclusive sets of societal forces. Some well-known strategic forces includes: economic forces, sociocultural forces, and political-legal forces. 1 The Economic Forces. The Economic Forces of the environment alludes to the combination of economic systems of the country, the structural framework of economic policies of the government and the organization of the capital market, the type of endowment, business cycles, and the socio-economic infrastructure of the organization. A drift in the economic area can have effect on social media like Facebook. For example, in 2011 Facebook reported $1 billion profit with 85% coming from advertisement. A weak economy will lead to less sales and subsequently advertising. Equally, a drop in interest rate will mean sales of electronic products and services. The economic development of countries like Brazil, Russia, India, and China is having huge effect on the rest of the world, especially in areas of computer software and telecommunications. An increase in income will also likely to lead to an increase in spending for electronic products and investments in social media services. These factors should present opportunities for Facebook. 2 Sociocultural Forces Sociocultural forces encompass a number of variables such as demographic trends. In the United States, the demographic bulge known as the â€Å"baby boomers† has affected the demands of the market in many industries. This group of people according to Wheelen et al. is now in their 50s and 60s but is the largest group in all developed countries. Wheelen et al. contended that sociological variables such as customs and conventions, cost, cultural heritage, and movement of labor have severe effects on the business. The nature of goods and services is determined by the demand of the people which in turn affect the way the business operates. In the case of Facebook, several transformations are needed to attract the baby boomers who are the largest users of advertisements on the web. Since senior are normally worried about their privacy and security, it is important that Facebook institute an environmental scan that ensure the preservation of privacy of senior Facebook page, the failure of which would be a severe threat to the stability of the company. The desire for companionship with baby boomers whose children have already grown and have left the nest have increased so Facebook could provide the type of interaction some of these seniors need. However, there is the need to make the sire more attractive and senior-friendly by step-by-step tutorial for setting up a page and navigating the network. In addition, remembering passwords have become a tremendous burden for some members of the baby boom generation. In order to continue a viable operation, Facebook should institute a system that helps baby boomers to log on to their page by correctly answering a series of questions. This system would present opportunities for the company. 3 Political-Legal Forces According to Wheelen et al. (2012) the political-legal forces are the forces that distribute power and provide constraining and protecting laws and regulations. It may also include the decision made by the courts. The political environment of a country is swayed by the philosophy of political parties, ideology of government or the ruling party; stability of the political system, foreign policy, Defense and military policy, and the image the country and its leaders project outside the country. Some of the more well-known political-legal variables include, antitrust regulation, environmental protection laws, immigration laws, tax laws, Foreign sweat shops, foreign trade regulation and stability of the government. Trends in the political-legal area have important business repercussions, not only on the level of competition within the industry but also on which strategies might be successful. Many business leaders think that there are too much stringent regulations governing businesses in order to conform to society’s environmental concerns. On the other hand, many businesses would like to see more aggressive approach to enforcing anti-trust laws. A number of research and environmental scanning has been done by Facebook to explore the dynamics of its network. An online article by Weigel (2012) described Facebook as a vehicle for organizing and expressing dissent, and one that has been proven to be an effective tool in many protests, causes, uprisings, and conflicts, but they also lead to the possibility of monitoring by the government and exposing activists to surveillance and punishment. According to Streitfeld and Hardy (2013) the Internet was established as a tool of liberation and knowledge but recently a bleak vision emerged when it was revealed that the United States government is using it as a monitoring and tracking device. In addition, threats by Federal Reserve Commission to impose greater supervision on how personal data was being used online resulted in the formation in 1998 of the Online Privacy Alliance (Streitfeld & Hardy). However, except for this factor, political technology have very little impact on the stability of Facebook. 4 Technological Forces Technological forces are described by Wheelen et al. as those forces that generate problem-solving inventions. Changes in technology can also have tremendous impact on businesses since they all depend on technology to operate. Technological environment affects the business in relations to investment in technology, regular application of technology and the effects of technology on markets. Technology is constantly providing new method for communication; therefore the use of technology in our lives is always expanding. Facebook is at the center of technology advancement because as technology advanced so will the methods we use for communicating. The birth of Facebook brought in another era of communication in our lives, and it is obvious that the society will continue to develop new ways to pass on messages to each other. Facebook’s $1 billion profit in 2011 is an indication that technology will continue to advance; therefore this advancement in technology presents opportunities for the organization. The Task (Industry) Environment The task environment according to Wheelen et al. (2012) includes those elements or groups that directly affect a corporation and, consequently are affected by it; these include governments, local communities, suppliers, competitors, customers, creditors, employees/labor unions, special interest groups, and trade associations. In doing an external environmental scan the business manager must assess various industry forces. Wheelen et al. used the Porter’s 5-Forces model to illustrate the forces that make up the Industry environment. The Porter’s 5-forces model is a tool used by corporations to provide an analysis of their competition and to help determine strategy. This five-forces model examines the strength of five specific competitive forces which work together to determine long-term profit and competition within an industry. However, Wheelen et al. (2012) mentioned that a sixth forces has been added to reflect the power of other groups, and the government over the activities of industries. In a scan of an industry, a corporation must examine the importance of each of the six forces to the success of the company: threat of new entrants, rivalry among existing firms, threat of substitute products or services, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, and bargaining power of other stakeholders. 1. Threat of New Entrants It is clear that new entrant to any industry bring new capacity, competition, and aspiration to gain a position of status in that industry. Therefore new entrants are threats to organizations that are already in the industry. A new entrant to an industry is able to learn from the mistakes of his competitors and improve upon these weaknesses. In the case of Facebook, new entrants will always be considered a threat since technology by nature is subjected to metamorphosis. The position of Facebook in the industry is strong; therefore the barriers to new entrants are high based on the following: (a) Economies of scales: Even though the start-up cost incurred by Zuckerberg was small at the inception, a new entrant to the industry would not be able to enter the market on a small scale and compete against a company like Facebook, and if they enter on a large scale, there is the possibility of reaction from Facebook who would be better equipped to contend against competitors in the industry. This prevents new companies from breaking into this industry quickly. In addition, the investment of large capital presents a significant amount of risk to a new company. (b) Switching cost: Facebook is an established organization, individual have spent a significant amount of time learning to use this network, so they would be somewhat reluctant to change for another media. (c) Government policy: There are already privacy issues arising from the use of social media so the government may be reluctant to give license to another such organization. (d) Access to distribution channels: A new entrant would have to establish its distribution channel in an industry that is already captured by Facebook. According to Piskorski, Eisenmann, and Smith (2013) 85% of Facebook’s revenue came from advertising. (e) Cost disadvantages independent of size: Facebook is already established in the industry, they have access to the expertise, technology, notoriety, and government approval to keep the organization functioning. (f) Product differentiation: Facebook is well-known, and this medium has a strong customer support. In October 2012 Facebook registered its billionth user, becoming the largest online social network in the world (Piskorski, Eisenmann, and Smith, 2013). Recently, the acquisition of Instagram has solidified Facebook in the industry. Essentially, with this force it is not easy for an organization to enter the industry. 2. Threat of Substitute Products or Services Substitute products naturally present competition in the industry because as more substitutes come on the market the demand becomes more flexible since customers have more alternative. In the case of social networking medium, MySpace has been able continue operation as a type of social networking medium but has not been have to hold a position of dominance in the social networking media because Facebook is more advanced and provides more options. Therefore, this substitute does not present a threat to Facebook. According to Piskorski, Eisenmann, and Smith (2013) LinkedIn has become the leader in professional networking; again this is a professional site and not a social networking site, and the site has not been used as a substitute for Facebook. The threat from substitute services is low in this case. 3. Rivalry Among Existing Firms Competition is likely to be high if entry to the industry is easy. Since entry to the social networking industry presents many barriers, it is unlikely that there will be much rivalry in this industry. However, Piskorski, Eisenmann, and Smith (2013) contended that Twitter and Google came into existence as rivals to Facebook although they have not been able to maintain any position of dominance since Facebook has been able to present more features than the other, thus there is a large differentiation between Facebook and its competitors, their strategies are different, and the rate of growth is vastly dissimilar since Facebook has been able to maintain its market position, and has potential for greater gain than its competitors. The strength of this force is also low. 4. Bargaining Power of Buyers In the social networking industry the bargaining power of buyers is important because if users are not inspired they will lose interest. Facebook has ensured the stability of its position in the industry by creating innovative and stimulating programs to keep users enthused. However, there is a vast difference in the service provided by Facebook and its competitors, so substitution is not easily found. This force does not present a threat to Facebook. 5. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Suppliers can influence an industry significantly as they determine price increases. In the case of Facebook, its suppliers include advertisers, game developers like Zynga, Spotify, Netflix, Hulu and the networks it uses to deliver its services. However, since these products are important to the maintenance of Facebook in the position of dominance in the industry, as they offer diversity to a site that could otherwise have been uninter esting. The bargaining power of suppliers in this case is medium.

Economic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic - Research Paper Example Australia remains one of the two countries found in the Asian region with the AAA credit rating. The country’s foreign as well as local currency ratings have remained stable for a long time and this has played a huge role in its AAA rating. It has a very resilient economy and a high government financial capability and strength. These two factors give the country’s economy a low susceptibility to risks and volatility (Pettinger par 7). Based on the nation’s size, diversification, and performance, it has been classified as a country with a strong economy. It does not have significant natural resources but this has been compensated by the well-developed manufacturing and service sector. Australia’s economy has a very favorable long term growth prospects and the diversified economy has helped in reducing the levels of event risks. Denmark is also given AAA credit ratings. The country’s economy is said to be among the most stable in the world. It has a mixed economy that relies on both the available natural resources and the well-developed manufacturing and service sector. Its pharmaceutical industry plays a very huge role in ensuring that the economy grows and remains stable. The maritime industry is also well developed. The third country is Canada. Canada’s ranking has been heavily linked to the trade that takes place between the country and the United States of America. According to Monaghan, more than half of Canada’s exports end up in the United States (par5). It has a well-developed automotive and Service sectors with its banks being ranked amongst the most profitable and stable in the whole world. The coming up of technology firms in various cities has also boosted the economy. Germany has been able to maintain its AAA credit ratings for some times now. Despite the effect of the Euro crisis which almost challenged its rating, the economy remains stable with a high government financial strength. It has a well-built automotive

Story Lesson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Story Lesson - Essay Example This way, the teacher is able to understand the level at which each individual students understand the concepts learnt in class and can thus address these individual problems. The teacher uses several behavioral modification strategies that ensure that the objectives of the lesson are learnt. One is through giving direct instructions which each student is expected to follow. She also uses direct questioning where she mentions the name of a few students and asks them to give answers to her queries. The teacher also reinforces the students who give the correct answers with praises which motivates them to continue participating in the classroom discussion. I was impressed by the manner in which the teacher paced down the class getting close to all the student and not being localized at the front. This reminded me of my teaching where I tend to concentrate more on writing on the board other than connecting with the students. I have also noted that some students in the class are encouraged to type the work on the computer. Using the word processer is a good way of enhancing writing skills in student as it identifies some grammatical errors and this speeds up the level at which the learners polish up their

HCM337-0704B-01 Current Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues in H - Essay - 4

HCM337-0704B-01 Current Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues in H - Phase 2 Individual Project - Essay Example Lewitt Shawn, who is being treated for Arthritis for the past five months. The complaints were against both medical aide and the nurse taking care of Mr. Shawn. Since we take patient complaints very seriously, the administration department has decided to issue a detailed supervision plan for both so that no such complaints can arise in the future. The plan given below [1] takes effect from the first day of January 2008. The medical aide’s supervision plan and the nurse’s supervision plan will be subject to appraisal at the end of every month starting from the last day of January, 2008. The aides will be required to strictly abide by the ethical codes and company guidelines. In ambiguous situations, the aides are advised to take decisions based on their good judgment or in other cases ask the administration department for

Law of Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Law of Contract - Essay Example Joanne, Vanessa’s business advisor and representative, Arnold hid the fact that the wood panelling in FF’s sauna facilities are rough, unpleasant to the touch, and require repairs, such that without examining the facilities further, Joanne reported to Vanessa that the facilities were â€Å"first rate†. Furthermore, Arnold also informed Vanessa of further improvement he plans to have done on FF prior to the sale, particularly the installation of massage facilities, which he eventually forgone when he discovered the costs required for these improvements. Thus, Vanessa, in believing she was entering into a good bargain bought the leisure centre. It was only after buying FF however, that Vanessa discovered several work needed to be done on the leisure centre, particularly the need to repair the rowing machines, which costs  £10,000 and the need to re-panel the sauna costing  £5,000, leading Vanessa to believe she was misled by Arnold into entering their contract of sale. The main issue is therefore whether or not Arnold, in failing to disclose the facts that (a) 20 of the 100 rowing machines were not working, (b) that he no longer intends to install additional massage facilities, and that (c) the wooden panels in the sauna are not in good condition, has committed either a breach of contract or misrepresentation against Vanessa. Furthermore, other issues are also present, particularly whether or not Joanne, in failing to properly examine the leisure centre and reporting it as â€Å"first rate† to Vanessa renders her liable t owards the latter. And whether or not, Vanessa has suffered losses resulting from the bargain; and if so, if she can claim damages for her loss. Given the contractual relationship between the parties, a breach of contract would have been committed by Arnold if it can be shown that he violated an expressed or implied term in their transaction, or a collateral contract resulting from their transaction. Hence, if a contract was drawn and terms

E-Business Strategy-Company Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

E-Business Strategy-Company Report - Essay Example Finally, these three proposals are evaluated on the basis of advantages, risks, cost, resourcing and development timescales of each. A new concept that has emerged from the World Wide Web is of education on the web: E-learning [1], [2]. E-learning has provided students an opportunity to learn even after school hours. Through such platforms they can interact with their teachers, fellow students [3]. Saudi Arabia has launched its efforts in the field of e-learning; it is being used in several schools and universities [6], [7], [8]. The following figure shows the results of a study conducted by Al-Nuaim [11], in which students were compared on the basis of their performance when some of them were taught the same content face-to-face and some were taught online. King Abdulaziz University is named after the establisher of Saudi Arabia. It was made in 1967 with the vision of spreading quality education in the western part of the country. It is located in the city of Jeddah. A group of entrepreneurs went to King Faisal with the proposal of making a university of world class standard so that their youth can also compete with the world. King Faisal gave his full support to the idea and announced that it will be a national university. A committee was formed which was headed by King Faisal himself [4]. It has contributed to the field of e-learning to a great extent due to which Deanship of Distance Learning was established in 2004 [10]. The university has the objective to spread the knowledge of Islamic values and the highest quality of academic knowledge. They want to promote the element of innovative, superior and comprehensive research in a diverse range of fields, so that they can play their part in the development of the society. Their objective is to make their students competent professionals who possess exceptional skills [4]. The university has more than 120,000 students; there is an almost

Developing YORKLAB HR strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Developing YORKLAB HR strategy - Essay Example The company tries to retain its customers by ensuring timely delivery of goods which in turn enables to ascertain growth for the company throughout the year. Yorklab follows a flat organisational structure, which ensures a wide span of control with fewer level of management. The structure allows the company to be less costly, with less management levels. This structure will ensure a better and quick flow of decision within the organisation. Moreover, it will have a fast and clear communication of messages from the management ensuring timely and quality product. This structure helps the company to keep a proper track of the sales and the services provided. The HR policy of the company facilitates in employing people who have knowledge regarding the process and are friendly and ready to work in team. Satisfying the customer is the primary motive of the company and this is the core reason for the success of the organisation for years. The company is in the need to expand its business in to new areas of the market. In this context, the management realises that the current HR system or management structure will not be able to sustain the market growth. The HRM concept used is to bind the employees and the management to achieve the goal of the company. It entails the planning, controlling and organising the employees to add value to their service and achieve the desired objectives. In this regard, the objective of the paper is to explore the efficient structure requirement of the company, to mitigate the issue related with the market expansion. The upgraded HR strategies are required to be implemented by the Yorklab in order to attain profit and growth in the market. HR Strategy Content Human resource management is a strategic approach on managing employment and relation in order to achieve competitive advantage. The competitiveness of a business depends on the manager, employees and the knowledge and training provided. Yorklab in this regard followed the flat structu re of management, with a few number of employees and a wide span of control. This structure had various advantages such as the fast communication of information and quick decision regarding the process improvement. The fewer strata of management also help Yorklab to have a better recurrent communication between the higher level of authority and the staff. The purpose of the company is to expand its business keeping in view the quality and the level of customer satisfaction. This was not possible with the current flat HR strategy used by the company. As the level of guidance and coordination between the management and the employee was less there was no proper co-ordination. With the expansion of business, the current number of employee would not suffice the need of the company. With the increase in the business activities, the complexities would increase and the current flat structure would not support the requisite. The flat strategy with wider span of control renders less amount of time to focus on the individual decisions. This can thus be of a great disadvantage for taking significant strategic decisions which will have a long-term impact on Yorklab (Education-Portal,

Jails and Prisons History and Development Essay Example for Free

Jails and Prisons History and Development Essay Jails and prisons lay at the heart of the Criminal Justice System. These facilities helped forge the concept of rehabilitation. These institutions have changed over time and now reflect the modern methods of housing convicted individuals who need to be reformed or punished. Description of jails The clear concise difference between a jail and a prison is the time limit a convicted person is sentenced to and what offenses were committed. In a jail, prisoners are usually confined because they were convicted of a lesser or petty offense. Examples of petty offenses are driving without a license or a misdemeanor drug possession charge. Most of these offenses come with a sentence of a year or less and anyone with over a year sentence is usually sent to a prison facility (Seiter, 2011). Jails act as holding facilities where inmates rarely get time to be out of their cells, to reflect, or to engage in recreational time. Because jails are so short term the focus is on inward reflection of crime through solitude. Some of these restrictions are a product themselves of the lesser amount of time spent in the correctional facilities. Criminals are charged more in a jail facility with reflecting on their crime by being exposed to sheer solitude. Furthermore, jails rarely have any vocational or rehabilitation programs utilized within their walls. On the other hand, prisons have an ample amount of time to work with, rehabilitate, and reform offenders. Prisons do this with the hope that offenders can eventually be placed back into society and limit their recidivism back to crime. History of state and federal prisons The jail component of the American corrections system came well before the initiation of any prisons, probation, parole, or even halfway houses. The historical origins of jails or local corrections facilities in America come from England. American jails have developed and progressed so much further than that of its roots. Jails served a different purpose in England. Throughout the progression to the modern age, past mentality was altered from a place of confinement before harsh punishment could be administered to a place that rehabilitation and reflection could occur. The historical developments of jails and prisons overtime have gone from detention for purpose of public humiliation or deterrence, to an â€Å"out of sight out of mind† mentality, which segregated convicted individuals from the rest of society. State prisons have their roots in the penitentiary reform ideals of the Age of Enlightenment. The Three Prisons Act is the first law that authorized the establishment of federal prisons. This act was an important milestone for U.S. prison reform. This most important fact is that this act laid the foundation for the federal prison system to be created. Prior to the act being passed there were few penal facilities in the United States. Before this time period and the passing of this act only one facility, the Walnut Street Jail located in Philadelphia, stood the possibility of housing a large capacity of inmates charged with federal crimes. The role of a jail is a diverse one and conducts a very difficult mission. Few offenders skip the step of passing through a jail as they enter the correctional system. Jails hold a variety of offenders: including those arrested; those detained pending trial; those sentenced to short terms of confinement for minor crimes; those awaiting transfer to another facility; and those who are held administratively for a criminal justice agency. Some jail systems are larger than all but a few state prison systems while others are extremely small and have only four or five beds. Jails face unique issues such as dealing with unknown offenders, detoxification and medical problems, and serving the court with security and prisoner transportation. Jails are operated by local authorities and primarily hold pretrial detainees. Other jail inmates are serving time for misdemeanors, while others are held for a variety of reasons. Comparison of security levels The jail-prison distinction, however, is a very simplified label to attach to a very diverse set of facilities. There are in fact a myriad of confinement facilities meant to house criminals of all levels of seriousness. These facilities are broken up by government boundaries of local, state, and federal confinement facilities. The time needing to be served and the severity of the crime determine which of the facilities a convicted person might be sent. Prisons range starting from the most basic minimum security that houses the offenders that are less violent and are often for more administrative type offenses like white collar offenders or drug related crimes where no one else was affected or harmed. These types of prisons are considered more like camps, because they have a relatively low staff-to-inmate ratio, and limited or no perimeter fencing. These institutions are work-and program-oriented and many are located adjacent to larger institutions or on military bases, where inmates help serve the labor needs of the larger institution or base. The next step above the minimum security is low security institutions which have double-fenced perimeters, mostly dormitory or cubicle housing, and strong work and program components. The staff-to-inmate ratio is increased compared to the previous stage. Medium security prisons are the next level up. They are stronger facilities with hardened perimeters that have double chain link fences and an electronic monitoring system surrounding the facility and its corridors. Confinement in the medium-security prisons is cell type but treatment programs are available to convicts to help propel them forward in their reformation. Here the ratio is reversed and the staff greatly outnumbers the inmates. The strictest of prison facilities is the high or maximum security institution. Within its walls are some of the most severe criminals who have committed some of the most heinous acts. This final type of institution is comprised of reinforced fences and walls. Prisoners are contained in solitary cells and their movements are controlled and monitored extremely closely. Because of the severity of the crimes committed by the convicted individuals that are incarcerated in these maximum security facilities, there is an extremely high ratio of staff to inmates (Prison Types General Information, 2012). For prisons to be safe and secure there must be sufficient physical security, consistent implementation of security practices, established methods to control inmate behavior, and adequate preparation to reduce the likelihood or to respond to inmate unrest. For prison staff to provide effective rehabilitative services there must be an assessment of the needs and best practices of a programs focusing on substance abuse, mental health, religious services, education recreation, rehabilitation, and work opportunities. Fully understanding the importance of these programs and implementing them effectively is crucial for prisons to accomplish their dual mission of confinement and rehabilitation. Factors that influence growth The United States currently incarcerates more people of its citizens per capita than any other country in the world. If you count the amount of prisoners which currently reside in the U.S. prison system, it is approximately two million. This would mean that one out of every hundred and fifty residents are incarcerated in a U.S. prison of jail at any given time. Some of the factors that have led to the explosion of the prison population are poverty driven crime and the increased regulation of human and social behaviors (Ruddel, 2011). In the 21st century, we are still contemplating the dilemmas of overcrowding and the best way to correct criminal’s behaviors. The world needs to constantly evolve its correctional systems to meet the concerns of its society and effectively reform criminal behavior to create less of a strain on law abiding citizens. Jails and Prisons are a tremendous and vital piece to the Criminal Justice process. These facilities have been a part of the correctional system for over 200 years. It stands to reason that while the system will change based on new technologies and ideas, the principals of reform and correction will always hold true (U.S. Prison Populations-Trends and Implications, 2012). Conclusion It is hoped that justice will prevail through the rehabilitation and reform of convicted individuals, and our prison system is the best way of correcting the factors that may influence a person to commit such offenses. Incarcerated individuals today should feel fortunate that the times and ideals of prison life have changed and criminals are classified and housed based on the type and severity of the crime, rather than one large melting pot of criminals. Crime will never be completely eradicated therefore the necessity for facilities to incarcerate offenders will perpetually be needed. Free will is one of the greatest inherent rights human kind has but this right makes some people commit crimes and others remain compliant with the rules and regulations of society. The fact that we have free will conclude that criminal behavior will not ever truly disappear and every attempt should be made to inform/reform and rehabilitate offenders, making them act in an appropriate manner that is so cially acceptable. References: Prison Types General Information. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/index.jsp Ruddel, R. (2011). American Jails: A Retrospective Examination. U.S. Prison populations-trends and implications. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.prisonpolicy.org/scans/sp/1044.pdf Mackenzie, D. L. (2001). Sentencing and Corrections in the 21st Century:Setting the Stage for the Future. College Park, Maryland: Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Seiter, R. (2011). Corrections an Introduction (3rd ed.). Upper saddle Hall, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Political Corruption and Empowerment Essay Example for Free

Political Corruption and Empowerment Essay Participation is dynamic process aimed at involving the masses so that they can formulate their own end goals and work together to realise them. Masses cannot be forced to participate in projects which affect their lives but should be given the opportunity where possible. Empowerment Empowerment is an initiated process that enables the masses to gain power and extend it in such a way that they can use this power to share in changing social, economic and political structures. Empowerment is successful if the participants regard the result of their action as beneficial. Therefore participation is a cornerstone of empowerment. It is a prerequisite for achieving empowerment. Empowerment is one of the consequences of participation, which means that if we want masses to gain power, they must participate. Empowerment is generally seen as a key for good quality of life, increased human dignity, good governance, pro-poor growth, project effectiveness and improved service delivery (Narayan. 2002. 8.). Bureaucracy It means the structure and set of regulations that control the activities of people that work for these organizations. It is characterized by standardized procedure (rule-following), formal division of responsibility, hierarchy, and impersonal relationships. Bureaucratic leader are concerned with ensuring workers follow rules and procedures accurately and consistently. The bureaucracy does not create or initiate policy, but it does implement policy decisions. Why mass participation and empowerment are important Empowerment puts people at the centre of the development process; it implies a participatory approach to development focusing on bottom-up approaches rather than top-down bureaucratic methods. Empowerment increases the capabilities of the poor to influence and hold accountable the institutions that provide for them. To this end, empowerment attempts to give power and knowledge to rural communities to assist in creating a better quality of life, so that in the future they will have the skills to rely less on external forces to provide vital services and infrastructure. Mass participation is an essential part of the process of good local governance, and empowerment. To be meaningful, these processes must be seen as fundamental values of Healthy Cities and so must be developed as an integral part of long-term strategic development. Empowerment of mass is associated with cleaner business and government, and better governance. Specifically, the greater their involvement in public life, the lower the level of corruption, even in countries with the same income, civil liberties, education, and legal institutions. Masses Empowerment through inclusion, voice, and accountability can also promote social cohesion and trust, qualities that help reduce corruption, reinforce government and project performance, and provide a conducive environment for reform, with consequential benefits for development effectiveness and economic growth. Finally, empowerment or lack of it can also have positive or negative socio-political effects on the outcomes of countries’ poverty reduction efforts. Why the concept of mass participation has been illusive in the third world There are some serious failures of the international community to contribute meaningfully to empowerment and participatory approaches. If countries are not willing to support countries that need help, then the future is bleak. Aid allocations need to increase if meaningful solutions are to occur. Making the rural poor involved in empowerment and participatory programs is hard to achieve due to their social exclusion. The gap between the poor in rural areas and those who are more wealthy is large and widening Because the rural poor are socially excluded, often development organisations such as the World Bank think of the poor are ignorant and complacent. More often they are not excluded from participating in projects in a meaningful way, due to pre existing biased views that they are not worthy, or indeed, have the skills to participate effectively. (Courtney et all in Godinot and Wodon (ed). 2006. 3). Lack of empowerment amongst rural people leads to their vulnerability and thus most development projects tend to benefit the benefactors rather than the beneficiaries. In light of this sustainable development is not achieved because non-participation of local people means that rural development is not self-sustaining. Therefore, local rural people play an important role in rural development because they understand their situation and problems better than the government, aid agencies and other stakeholders. This highlights the gap between the reality and ideal of empowerment and participatory development where the poor themselves are considered the centre of the process and the most vital players. Rural areas in developing countries experience large problems associated with access to basic amenities and services. Attempts to resolve this situation involve development programs using community empowerment in rural areas of developing nations to ameliorate instances of poverty. The aspirations deep inside the poor can only be brought out by making them the centre of the development process. They have difficulty expressing them due to their exclusion. How mass participation and empowerment are promoted or discouraged by the action of bureaucracy The problem with bureaucracy is that Executives want to control everything; even the simplest administrative decision has to be approved at the top. . One problem is unnecessary delays in outputs (Waterston 1965:259) , for even though there are more than enough officials in the lower administrative ranks, they are not effectively employed in the posts to which they were appointed. Political involvement of officials – when bureaucracy becomes involved in politics, this stimulates corruption. Officials start taking decision and performing actions that will benefit themselves, or groups in which they have an interest. Corruption is out of control. Development funds are siphoned off to hire friends or relatives. In some cases the money simply disappears. The misuse of office by government functionaries is relatively common in areas of public procurement, revenue collection, government appointments and contracts, licensing and permits. In these areas of specialty, graft and venality are readily executed through anyone of the following activities: The civil servant receives from a private contractor a fixed percentage of awarded government contracts; the kickback may be in kind, such as free education for the children in foreign institutions, or in cash, paid directly into bank account. Police or other law enforcement agents use the threat of sanctions to extort bribes in lieu of official fees or taxes. But paying bribes to avoid taxes or fees is equally damaging to society since governments depend on such revenues to provide public goods. The relative absence of revenues from taxes and fees also means less compensation for civil servants, which leads to more corrupt practices. One of the reasons adduced by low- level government employees for demanding bribes is the infrequency of their monthly salary. Government employees in essential services, e.g. law enforcement, electric power supply, telecommunication etc. Customs agents insist on payments above the official rates or side payments before providing requisite services to both importers and exporters. Those unwilling to pay bribes stand the chance of losing their merchandise through forfeiture or theft. Civil servants award large contracts to companies owned by relatives or partners, and in return receive an agreed upon fee or lavish hospitality. Officials responsible for permits and licenses demand extra payment for services ordinarily called for by their office; in cases where expediency is requested, a great deal more is demanded to speed-up the process. Bureaucracies’ themselves create the causes of corruption. Salaries are low, housing is poor, officials lack professional qualification and status, all of which means that officials do not feel motivated to do good work, or to be loyal to the organisation. When a country’s resources are continually misallocated by corrupt government officials bent on maximizing their short-run selfish interests, development is severely hindered through a multitude of social and economic dislocations. The bureaucracy is unresponsive to the needs of the public; there is an atmosphere of official’s indifference and unsympathetic attitude toward the needs of the people. This is caused by the strictly centralised nature of the bureaucracies, the lack of mass participation and consequent lack of contact with the populace. A bureaucracy, crucially, is not only a structure, a mere organigramme with functional relationships and roles. It is a group of people with lives, emotions, aspirations, energy, passion and values. Those that work in them often have strong values, great intentions and good ideas. Most want to do good and not be negative. Somehow, however, good intent can evaporate as the dynamic of the organizational ‘system’ unfolds. Can the positive virtues and potential of public sector bureaucracies and the people working in them be rediscovered? These include fostering fairness, equity, and equality of opportunity, being neutral and transparent. These are important achievements of democracy, yet the focus on efficiency can obscure these intentions. The most effective organizations are those where people feel they can be engaged and where their commitment to the organization lies beyond a contractual relationship and where a deeper emotional bond can be established both to the work itself and the organization. In these situations people feel they are able ’to be our true selves’ and to have a ‘creative presence’ so that working gives the sense of ‘pregnant possibilities’ and where they can develop ‘an intensity that feels and appears effortless’. Here energy and passion can come into alignment. Conclusion /My view The participation of communities in development projects is a major aspect of an empowering approach. Participation works well at the small scale. Community based organisations if trained correctly can manage and supervise locally based construction and maintenance activities very effectively (Meshack. 2004. 61). There is a fine balance between success and failure of participation in that it needs to be locally based with little input from external forces. Governments and donors can in fact undermine contributions made by the community in that they take over projects and locals lose their sense of ownership (Meshack. 2004. 61). Participation in development projects does however need outside stakeholders but the community needs to be the one driving the project, as there are many people who can contribute to a development project. Empowerment involves expanding the capabilities of the poor. Its main process involves putting the community at the centre of the development process. The community becomes empowered due to the fact that they have a certain degree of control over their own resources, they gain a sense of ownership over the service or infrastructure being provided. One of the main concepts involved in creating efficient empowering projects include the access of the community to information, as informed citizens make better development decisions. Accountability in the development process is another crucial aspect of an empowering approach. Increasing the capabilities of the poor specifically refers to local organisational capacity. This is when a community works together to mobilise resources and tackle problems as a group. This is another major process involved in community empowerment.

Localization of Bran Functions: Research and Analysis

Localization of Bran Functions: Research and Analysis Adult brains show localized functions, for example with speech processes being concentrated in areas in the left hemisphere and with executive functions concentrated in the pre-frontal cortex. How does this organization come about? Is it because these functions are localized from birth? The functioning and processes of the brain is a very complex subject. Years of studies and experiments are yet to answer all the questions we have, although modern technology like brain imaging and MRI’s has come a long way to try to understand the way our brains work and their development. The matters we will be looking at is how the brain functions are organised, exploring localisation and the strengths and limitations to this, and could this localization have be set in shape from the birth of a human brain. To do this we will be focusing on modulization and innate modularity and the theories behind them. Cognitive development of the brain starts as a baby grows in the womb and the genetic makeup of the parents entwine and start to create a genetic blueprint. As there is a limited environment in the womb, the effect that environment will have on the baby will be limited. Because of this, the post-natal stage of brain development is probably the considered the more important of the two. The human brain does most of its advance development outside of the womb, only creating the basic connections and functions inside the womb. This can be seen using brain mapping of a baby at different stages of their infancy; as a neonate the baby as very few connections and as they get older, the dendritic trees of neurons can be seen extending creating much more connections. Huttenlocher (1990) reported a steady increase in the number of synapses in several regions of the cerebral cortex†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦in parts of the visual cortex, the generation of the synapses begins around the time of birth. (Mareschal et al., 2004, p. 122)From this we can see that there are limited functions and connectivity in the brain at birth and soon after birth these connectivities rapidly start to expand. So for these functions to be localised from birth would mean having all the right connections in place for this to be possible. So from this alone we can assume that these functions are localized through influence of their environment after birth and not set in place at birth. During the early stages of a babies postnatal brain development , the brain holds the ability of plasticity which allows change and adaption for diiferent parts of the brain. At this time plasticity limits the functions in the brain are not yet identified as this capability allows for various parts of the brain to take on diverse functions in cases of localized brain damage. As the child turn into n adult the brain becomes more set and let plastic and damage to the brain in this state is a lot harder to recover from. As the brain continues to mature, its neural pathways separate and functions localise, making it much harder to ‘transfer’ functions from one section of the brain to another. Parts of the brain are allocated with certain functions; language and speech is located predominantly in the left hemisphere and cognitive functions in pre-frontal cortex. (Mareschal et al., 2004, p. 123) Along with the separation of the neural pathways and brain development comes funct ional specialization. Lewkowitz and Turkewitz (1981) study in the early 1980s supported this claim. They showed that new-born babies visual preferences were significantly affected by previous auditory stimulus. Also studies by Meltzoff and Borton (1979) show that independent pathways in infants between 3 and 5 months of age are used to receive information from different senses. These processes of separating neural pathways to create a localized functioning of the brain are linked to selectionism which originates from Darwins theory of selection, in this case showing that the pathways that were ‘weaker’ or used less are eliminated and die off while those that are frequently use are strengthened in order to function a lot quicker. Although there is little understand and much speculation about this process. (Mareschal et al., 2004,p. 124-5) By dividing the brain into cognitive modules, this helps us to try to understand the structures and functions of the brain. There is a lot of speculation as to whether these do modules exist, they provide a basis for potential explanation of brain functioning. Scientists, Fodor and Karmiloff-Smith share very contrasting views and theories on brain functioning; although they both believe there are such things as cognitive module, they have conflicting views on how they are developed. Fodor (1983) had a nativist perpective and argued that modularity of the brain is ‘innate’. He believed that humans are born with the innate capacity to develop information processing systems that allow them to make sense of the world, in which they have evolved. (Mareschal et al., 2004, p.127) He believed that the brain has the ability to function in a particular way and the environment cannot affect this. This statement can easily be scrutinised as early we discussed that genes ‘always’ interact with their environment. Therefore, for the functioning of the brain to not be affected by the environment would me an that certain genes do not interact with their environment. Fodor claimed that this happened as a direct outcome of the evolution of our species. (Mareschal et al., 2004, p.127) One piece of evidence that is useful in showing a weakness in Fodor’s theory is that of Self-organization. The Self-organizing system is based on the ability of the brain to sort information into structures when in a particular environment. (Mareschal et al 2004, p.132), According to Keslo 1995, Johnson 1997 (cited in Mareschal et al 2004), Brain development at all of the stages requires a certain amount of self-organisation. Self-organisation is based on the theory of Hebb (1949) which claims that for localized functions to work at the same time and to create particular pathways, an important rule of repetition comes into play. The Hebb rule states that the connections created by neurons to transmit information are joined by its repeated use and so support the theory of selectionism. Karmiloff-Smith (1992) on the other hand, argues that cognitive modules created through development and the effect of environment interaction and stimulation. A strong indicator for Smith is the plasticity of the brain, that certains parts of the brain may take up the function of another part of the brain if needed at an early age, which challenges the nativist idea of innate local functioning. This debate between Fodor and Karmiloff-Smith is ongoing. Petersen et al. (1990) conducted an experiment using a PET machine, where they presented native and foreign speakers with English words. The test shown that particular parts of the cortex in native speakers responded to English words. This implies that the exposure to same the environment led to the development of a specific processing area in the cortex of their left hemisphere to process English language. This experiment supports the ‘modulization theory. (Mareschal et al., 2004, p. 130) While there is much complex data to consi der, there appears to be more evidence in favour of Karmiloff-Smith’s (1992) theory which is best demonstrated with experiments and studies carried out on the ability for children to learn language. Nativists like Chomsky (1965) claim that language is innate and supporting this claim further Pinker (1994) claims that pidgins and creoles are some of the evidence for this. His claim is drawn from the evidence which shows that children are able to create grammatically correct language though they never heard it being spoken before. Chomskys argument from the ‘poverty of the input suggesting that children can create a new language such as well formulated, never before heard question. He also claims that the brain has a special set of genes allowing language to develop in a particular cortical region. In contrast to Pinkers claim, the evidence from neuroscience and particularly the study carried out by Neville et al. (1998) illustrates that though in adulthood there are spec ialist cortical regions processing language, it wasn’t destined from birth that these functions were processed in these parts of the cortex. The experiment Neville et al. carried out with his participants, showed that in the deaf participants, the identical area of language processing was stimulated as in the hearing participants and in further still, a larger part of the right hemisphere was activated. Findings like this show that different parts of the brain can support language related information processing. (Mareschal et al., 2004p. 140) Reilly et al. (1998) provides further evidence. They conducted a study carried out on children with localized brain damage in the area of language processing. This occurred soon after or during birth. The study showed that while the learning ability of the children was not continuous but in fact varied, it presented a pattern of constant functional regaining of the damaged area, which were taken over by another area of the cortex. Anothe r study for adults revealed that localized lacerations causing specific loss of certain capabilities are mostly permanent. This suggests that in adulthood the plasticity of the brain reduces the functions cannot be relocated elsewhere. Johnson et al. (1996) study regarding the practical ability of pre-frontal cortex appears to support modularization. The study involving infants, revealed results suggesting that cognitive and behavioural development of infants is associated with the pre-frontal cortex especially when it comes to learning new abilities in initial stages of development. This demonstrates that the pre-frontal cortex activity is more general in early development and is able to take on other functions. Changes in these functions in the cortex are further focused and localized and the role of pre-frontal cortex reduces. It is very difficult to prove one theory as correct and the other as incorrect, as they both share areas that can be supported by some research or studies. Although a lot of evidence appears to be in favour of the modularization theory, there is a lot evidence that backs the innate modularity theory also. Both having strengths and weaknesses, but neither have enough evidence to completely contradict the other. In this case it would be safer to say that evidence shows that some functions are localized from birth, but have the potential to adapt if necessary while other functions appear to be unable to interchange and can only operate in there localized region. The reason for this appears to be circumstantial. Depending on factors such as age, damage, purpose, function and environment. It has been made know that not all functions are localized at birth and that there is much growth, development and connections made after birth that allows many areas of the brain to take part in one function and allowing the brain to expand and change. The evidence shown in this essay clearly shows that modularization is supported more than innate modularity. Even with the aid of current technology, scientists are still unable to stipulate which of the theories is the most accurate and the unending dispute is so yet to be settled. Word count: 1809 References Mareschal, D., Johnson, M. H . and Grayson A, (2004) Brain and cognitive development in Oates J. and Grayson A. (eds) Cognitive and Language Development in Children, Oxford, Blackwell/The Open University

Film Analysis about Women in the Movie Pretty Woman Essay example -- e

The Hollywood movie Pretty Woman (1990) is about a prostitute in Hollywood, marrying an extremely rich businessman, in spite of her mutual distrust and prejudice. The movie contains the basic narrative of the Cinderella tale: through the love and help of a man of a higher social position, a girl of a lower social status moves up to join the man at his level. Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) in Pretty Woman comes from a small town in Georgia, and works as a prostitute on the streets of Hollywood to support herself. Although Vivian's social position is very low, she has a strong sense of personal dignity and independence. Even though sometimes she have to stand by the street with empty stomach to wait for clients, Vivian and her friend Kit still keep themselves from the control of pimps, and "act as their own agents". Later, at the end of Vivian's one-week business arrangement with wealthy Edward Lewis (the Prince to her dream), which culminates in love and growing mutual respect, he offers her an apartment, a car and a credit card to get her off the streets, but she refuses. For Vivian, however, this arrangement is only different in terms of "geography" and terms of payment for the "business†; between them. Vivian knows that in society her own effort is the key to supporting herself and eventually securing a better future. She wants to set up a life in the city and tries very hard to look for a job. Due to lack of a skill, although she is willing to do heavy or dirty work, she is not able to find a job with enough pay to support herself. Her goal in life is simply to support herself by her own effort instead of letting somebody else arrange and control her life. This, in it self, represents a spirit of active effort for someone like Vivian. In addition to her efforts in trying to support herself and realize her own goals, Vivian also endeavors to help others. With a part of the $3000 windfall she earns from her week with Edward Lewis, she presses her friend Kit to pursue her long-dormant desire to become a beautician. And her most significant achievement is helping Edward Lewis, the corporate raider, rediscover his humanity, so he can build things instead of dismantling the work of othe rs for profit, and find a more meaningful life other than locking himself in work. The two aspects discussed above display the changes of emphasis on self-... ...ulminates in an attempt to rape her. In the attempted rape scene, it is very clear that Phil wants to rape Vivian not to quench an uncontrollable sexual impulse, but to give vent to all his anger for what he has lost -- the money from an unfriendly buyout that Edward has overturned with his newfound humanity, and the control of Edward. Phil wants to humiliate Vivian as he feels he has been humiliated, and, if possible, destroy her. The rape is not about sex but about abasement and power. Pretty Woman, 1990s Hollywood movie, embodies many new as well as old values and ideologies. I was surprised when I saw that, the old themes and sexual stereotypes are not completely abandoned, but the old portrayals of gender stereotypes are transmuted. Finally, the movie says that women, first of all, should rely on themselves and not submit to any kind of domination. They should simply support themselves by their own efforts instead of letting someone else arrange and control their lives. The movie also demonstrates how a girl possessing the virtues of honesty, patience, prudence, industry, and obedience can be rewarded with a husband and the attendant better life and higher social position.

The Problem of Feminism in Female Art Essay -- Essays Papers

The Problem of Feminism in Female Art A review of the world’s great artists conjures familiar images: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel; Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night; Pablo Picasso’s The Tragedy. There are many more, of course: Monet, Moya, Warhol, Rembrandt, Kandinsky. What is immediately noticeable, however, upon any brief study of art, is the significant absence of women as heralded artists—not only in our ancient pasts, but even today, amongst valiant efforts for gender equality. The question â€Å"Why have there been no great women artists?† has been debated since the 1970’s, when historian Linda Nochlin released her book of a similar name. In the decades that have followed, the number of women pursuing education and careers in the arts has risen drastically; more women than ever are attempting to make a living as artists. Yet feminists are not satisfied: despite the growing numbers of women in the art world, female artists’ attempts at recognition have been dramatically less successful than those of their male counterparts. Feminist artists have been working since the women’s movement to create some kind of forum for women’s art in a history dominated by â€Å"good ol’ boys.† Yet the political stereotypes which surround feminism have caused some female artists to disassociate themselves with the concept. More and more women are choosing to delve into a profession where their work will very much remain subdued, and where their individual contributions will likely remain unheralded. This increase, certainly, is a hard-fought victory for women; the increase indicates increased awareness and opportunity for women artists. However, some contemporary female artists argue that feminism’s effort to reach the propr... ...onal interview. 22 Mar. 1998. Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art and Society. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc, 1990. Crowell, Susan Elizabeth. â€Å"Reflections on a Feminist Aesthetic.† Studio Potter 20 (1991): 89-98. Dworkin, Andrea. â€Å"Feminism, Art, and My Mother Sylvia.† Social Policy, May/June 1975. â€Å"Guerrilla Girls.† [Online] Available. http://www.guerrillagirls.com, (assessed March 22, 1999). Mayer, Monica. â€Å"On Life and Art as a Feminist.† [Online] Avaliable http://web.ukonline.co.uk/n.paradoxa/mayer2.htm, N. Paradoxa 1.9, 22 Mar. 1999. Morse, Marcia. â€Å"Feminist Aesthetics and the Spectrum of Gender.† Philosophy East and West 42 (1992): 287-296. Strawter, Lisa Marie. Statistic compilation. [Online] Available. http://libweb.sonoma.edu/special/waa http://libweb.sonoma.edu/special/waa, (assessed March 22, 1999).

Capital Budgeting Case Essay

In the two capital budgeting cases corporations (A and B) have different revenues values and expenses as well as variable depreciation expenses, tax rates and discount rates. The members of our team had to compute both corporate cases NVP, IRR, PI, Payback Period, DPP, and project a 5-year income statement and cash flow in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The future cash flows of the project and discounts them into present value amounts using a discount rate that represents the project’s cost of capital and its risk is what’s needs to forecast the investment. Next, all of the asset’s future positive cash flows are reduced into one current value number. Subtracting this number from the original cash expense required for the investment provides the net present value (NPV) of the investment. Using the internal rate of return (IRR) and net present value (NPV) measurements to evaluate projects often results in the same findings. Relationship between Net Present Value and IRR Net present value of an investment is equal to the â€Å"present value of its annual free cash flow less the investments initial outlay† (Kewon 2013 pg 310). Whenever the NPV is greater or equal to zero we should accept the project, whenever the NPV is negative the project should be rejected. Internal rate of return answers the question of what â€Å"rate of return will the project earn† (Kewon 2013 pg 316). IRR is the â€Å"discount rate that equates the present value of the project’s free cash flows with the project’s initial cash outlay† (Kewon 2013 pg 316). The discount rate is the rate that is used within capital budgeting that allows for the net present value of cash flow within a project to equal zero. The higher the IRR the  more desirable the project is versus the lower the IRR the less desirable the project is. In consequence, the NPV method indirectly assumes that cash flows over the life of the project can be invested at the project’s required rate of return, whereas the use of the IRR method suggests that these cash flows could be invested at the IRR. The better statement is the one made by the NPV that the cash flows can be reinvested at the required rate of return because they can either be returned in the form of dividends to shareholders, who demand the required rate of return on their investments, or invested in a new investment project. (Keown, 2013). The NPV shows that Company B is worth more than Company A. After expenses, taxes and depreciation the company has a value that is better to acquire Corporation B because of a higher IRR of 16.94% and NPV of $40,252.02 than Corporation A whom has an IRR of 13.05% and a NPV of $20,979.41. Net Present Value Corporation A $20,979.41 Corporation B $40,252.02 However, with the NPV that Corporation B have it will be give the corporation, over 5 years, a current value cash return of about $40K above the 11% required rate of return. In other words, this plan will not only meet the 11% required rate, but it will give the company an additional $40. Internal Rate of Return When a project is reviewed with the hurdle rate in viewpoint, then the greater the IRR is above the hurdle rate, the greater the NVP, and on the contrary, the more the IRR is below the hurdle rate , the lower the NVP. When using the IRR, the decision rules are as follows: If IRR > hurdle rate, accept the project If IRR< hurdle rate, reject the project. In order for a project to be accepted, the IRR must be greater than or equal to the hurdle rate. If the company is deciding between projects, then the project with the highest IRR is the project to be accepted. As we look at the IRR for both corporations we see that Corporation B is higher than Corporation A and this is why we as a team choose Corporation B. Corporation A 13.05% Corporation B 16.94% Profitability Index, Payback Period and Discount Payback Period The Profitability Index (PI) is just a number and anything 1.0 or higher is confirmation for the project that is being evaluated. The PI is a type of ratio that gives the higher NVP per dollar on an investment. It is better used when you have more than one project comparing. When making decision making measures for the PI methods the best project should be the one that pays off the initial cost outlay. The PB is the less method used in doing a capital budgeting because it does not consider the time value of the money earned in the project. Looking at Corporation B is shows that it will take 3.31 years to payback the cash inflow to the original cash outflow or the cost of the project. So when making a decision on which corporation to use in PB it is best to take the project that pays off the initial cost outlay in less time. If we look at the PI and PB for Corporation A and Corporation B we will see that Corporation B is much better project than Corporation A. Profitability Index Payback Period Corporation A 1.08 Corporation B 1.16 Corporation A 3.64 yrs. Corporation B 3.31 yrs. The Discount Payback Period (DPP) does consider the time value of money. It is computed somewhat like the PB method and the only difference is that DPP method uses the discounted cash flow. As we look at the DPP for Corporation A and Corporation B we see that again Corporation B is less time to pay back the cash flow: Corporation A 4.6 yrs. References Keown, A. J., Martin, J. D., & Petty, J. W. (2013). Foundations of Finance, 8th Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781269882194/id/ch10lev2sec2 Keown, A. J., Martin, J. D., & Petty, J. W. (2013). Foundations of Finance, 8th Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781269882194/id/ch10lev2sec5

Amazon Business Practices Essay

Abstract This paper provides strategic research for Amazon.com, starting with the vision and mission statements and an external assessment of the competitive forces using the Porter Five Forces model. Also included in this research is an evaluation of the intensive strategies used by Amazon in the areas of market penetration, market and product development. Additionally, a SWOT Analysis is provided with the recommended five-year corporate strategy. Strategic Research Project for Amazon.com Amazon. com, an internet merchandise selling giant founded by Jeff Bezos, opened its virtual doors to its online store in July 1995. The company was incorporated in 1994 in the state of Washington and reincorporated in 1996 in Delaware. The Company’s principal corporate offices are located in Seattle, Washington. Amazon.com completed its initial public offering in May 1997, and its common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol AMZN. (Amazon.comFAQ) Mission and Vision Statement The mission/vision statement of the company is very simple and direct â€Å"Our vision is to be earth’s most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.† However it still manages to meet many of the characteristics of an effective mission/vision statement; (1)Customers, it intends to the most customer centric company on earth. (2)Product or services; It is broad and no specific about any particular service or product. (3)Markets; Amazon intends to build a place where people can find anything they want to buy  online. (4)It is very brief. The entire statement and vision is summed up in 2 sentences. Overall the company is accomplishing their mission and realizing their vision. Amazon is a global company and their name has become associated with online buying. â€Å"Amazon.com, Inc. (Amazon.com) serves consumers through its retail Websites and focuses on selection, price, and convenience. The Company’s four customer sets include consumers, sellers, enterprises and content creators. It also manufactures and sells Kindle devices. It offers programs, which enable sellers to sell their products on its Websites and their own branded Websites and to fulfill orders through it.† (Amazon.comINC, 2012) Competitive Analysis The industry that Amazon competes in is very competitive and changes quickly. An external assessment of the competitive forces using the Porter Five Forces model looks at; rivalry among the competitors, potential new competitors, potential substitute products and bargaining power for suppliers and consumers. (David, 2009). 1.Competitors; Amazon has branched in the world of tablets and is competing with Apple and Google, â€Å"the Kindle† is a direct competitor to Ipad. In the publishing and book world only Barnes and Noble is even comparable and Amazon is far more successful. In other areas Amazon is out performing its competitors like Walmart, Netflix also. (Amazon.comINC,2012)(Amazon’s Competitive Advantage, Growth Opportunities Make It A Buy, 2012) 2.New competitors; there are always new companies emerging in the internet retail business however Amazon has remained a giant and very profitable. (Amazon’s Competitive Advantage, Growth Opportunities Make It A Buy, 2012) 3.Potential Substitute products; innovation is the name of the game in the internet so Amazon always has the threat of â€Å"the next best thing† but they continue to be innovative as with their entry into the tablet world. 4.Bargaining power with Suppliers and consumers; Amazon is a relatively inexpensive way for suppliers to offer their product as well as a convenient one stop shop for consumers. Intensive Strategies Market penetration, market and product development are commonly referred to as intensive strategies. They require intense efforts if a firm intends to improve its competitive edge with its products. (David, 2009). A market penetration strategy attempts to increase the market share of current  products. Amazon has a healthy balance sheet and is positioned to benefit from the continued shift in commerce from offline to online. Retail bankruptcies could continue to shift sales online. (Forbes.com 2012) A market development strategy involves introducing current products into new geographic areas. Amazon is experiencing growth in its international sales and is leveraged to two of the fastest growing platforms on the Internet, online search, and the Chinese e-Commerce market. A product development strategy seeks to increase sales by improving or changing present products. Amazon introduces Amazon Prime, a membership site for loyal customers that offers faster shipping of products and through a deal with Marshall Cavendish, one of the world’s leading book publishers and classroom digital solutions providers, Amazon has acquired over 450 titles of its US Children’s trade books business, a move that will allow expansion into picture books, chapter books and Young Adult novels. SWOT Analysis Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis, which provides information to analyze and evaluate the organizations strengths and weaknesses, is presented for Amazon.com. This is widely used as a strategy formulation technique and to help in identifying the most beneficial targets and strategies to pursue. Strengths: Brand recognition, an industry leader in online sales. Customers’ satisfaction, very loyal; Diversified, large variety of products, profitable business model, offered in different geographical markets. Weaknesses: Free shipping and all delivery is outsourced. Multiple competitors, Consumer demand can trigger losses in revenue. International markets and currency, time to deliver versus a local bookstore Opportunities: Expanding geographical markets, advances in technology, new products (â€Å"the kindle†), increased suppliers. Threats: Competitors, the e-commerce field evolves rapidly and is highly competitive, companies such as EBay, Wal-Mart, Google and Yahoo. Lack of inventory to meet demand, no control over suppliers and delivery services, weakened economies foreign and domestic. Conclusion Despite all of the constant competitors that Amazon faces for its current and future market share it continues to make a profit. With of constant  evolution current business practices and continued innovation of new ones, Amazon should maintain its lead on its nearest competitors. I believe further expansion into international markets as well as more collaboration with other firms such as Microsoft to insure that its new innovations and products are main-stream, will continue to be profitable. References Amazon’s Competitive Advantage, Growth Opportunities Make It A Buy, (2012, 20 Jul) Seeking Alpha.com Retrieved from: http://seekingalpha.com/article/735201-amazon-s-competitive-advantage-growth-opportunities-make-it-a-buy Amazon FAQs, Amazon.com Retrieved from: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97664&p=irol-faq#14296 Amazon.com INC, (2012, 04 Dec) New York Times Online Retrieved from: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/amazon_inc/index.html AMAZON.COM INC (NASDAQ: AMZN) Buy/Hold/Sell Analysis, Forbes.com Retrieved from: http://finapps.forbes.com/finapps/BuyHoldSellAnalysis.do?tkr=AMZN David, F. R. Strategic management concepts (12th ed.), 2009 Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Johnson, Mark W (2010, 12 April) Amazon’s Smart Innovation Strategy, Bloomberg Businessweek Retrieved from: http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/apr2010/id20100412_520351.htm Order It Online, And†¦ Voilà  , (2012, 3 December) Wall Street Journal Online Retrieved from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324712504578133602774225678.html?KEYWORDS=amazoncom#articleTabs%3Dvideo SWOT Analysis of Amazon, (2010, 9 September) MBA Lectures Retrieved from: http://mba-lectures.com/marketing/swot-analysis-marketing/1157/swot-analysis-of-amazon-com.html

Bad news letter Essay

Your order for five Canon LPB-8 A1 Laser Printers arrived today. This lightweight, rapid-speed, letter quality printer is the leading machine in the field.  Our main function is to purchase office equipment in large quantities and then resell it to retailers. In order to do this most efficiently, we ask that all orders be for at least 12 units. If you will call me at 551-5656 and increase your order to a dozen or more, your machines will be shipped within three days. Should you feel that this order is too large, Harrison & Sons, Inc, a retailer in your area, should be able to provide you with excellent service.(Give a solution) Their price will be slightly higher than ours, but they have a fine reputation for sales and service. You can reach them at 227-0404. The first paragraph, the buffer, discusses the quality of the machine, a fact with which both the buyer and the seller can agree. The reasons for the bad news and the bad news itself are presented in sequential order. The third paragraph offers a solution for the problem. The final close offers an alternative. In writing a bad news letter, every effort should be made to reduce the impact. A well-written bad news letter will accomplish three objectives: 1. The reader will realise that the bad news decision is final. 2. The person will understand that the decision was both fair and reasonable. 3. The reader’s attitude towards the writer and the company will remain positive. A bad news letter has four elements: buffer, reasons, decision and close. They are discussed in detail on the next pages. Buffer A buffer is a neutral or non-controversial statement that is used to open a bad news letter. The most effective buffers have four characteristics: 1. they are pleasant; 2. they are relevant to the issue; 3. they are neutral in tone, saying neither yes nor no; 4. they provide a transition to the next part of the letter where the reasons for the decision are discussed. 1. pleasant, offering assistance We like to help our customers as much as we realistically can. 2. relevant and fair We have carefully reviewed your application for an extension of credit with our firm. 3. neutral, finding a point on which the writer and the reader can agree. The objective of a credit line should be to make one’s financial obligations easier to manage. DON’TS ï‚ · Avoid saying no at the beginning of the letter. This will discourage the individual from reading the rest of the message and defeat the effort to present the news in an indirect manner. ï‚ · Do not apologise. An apology weakens the reasons that follow and may lead the reader to conclude that the rejection was unnecessary. ï‚ · Avoid writing an overly long opening paragraph. â€Å"We are in receipt of your letter of January 18† adds nothing to the letter and may give the reader the impression that the writer is stalling for time. ï‚ · Do not use a â€Å"know-it-all† tone. â€Å"Our years of experience have shown us that †¦.† is likely to be negatively received. Reasons To justify the bad news decision and to explain the situation to your reader, you give reasons for the negative decision. Four guidelines are: 1. Do not hide behind company policy. Explain the specific reasons behind the policy rather than mentioning the policy itself. 2. Do not talk down to the reader. 3. Do not be so brief that the reader is unable to follow your explanation. We have reviewed your request for an increase in your credit line and have decided to take no action at this time. 4. Avoid using negative words that are likely to upset the reader. (mistake, error, will not, regrettably, dismayed, cannot, fault, wrong, unable). Decision Make a clear statement of the decision. In many cases the refusal does not have to be explained in detail, because the previous section has already conveyed the decision. If it has not, then this is the time to do so. There are three useful techniques: 1. Give the refusal a minimum amount of space. 2. Put the refusal in the middle of the paragraph. 3. Use the passive voice Active: Since you forgot to send in the refund request until after the assigned period, we are unable to give you the refund. Passive: Since your request for a refund was received after the assigned period, we are unable to grant your request for a refund. Don’t use indirect approach. Get to the point quickly Positive Close End the letter on a positive note. This depends on the situation. For example, in the case of a person who wants an extension of credit, the writer could recommend purchasing the goods for cash. In the case of a customer who has made a mistake and now wants the order refilled for free, the writer could offer a discount on future orders. However the close is written, it should keep the customer’s goodwill. Do not: ï‚ · bring up the refusal again ï‚ · apologise for the decision ï‚ · ask for a continuance of the correspondence. The closing statement: If you have any further questions about our decision, do not hesitate to write. indicates that the matter is not closed. ï‚ · use clichà ©s. If we can be of help in the future, please let us know has no real meaning. The reader has just been refused something; he is unlikely to believe the statement. Summary A bad news message should make clear that the bad news decision is final but is also fair and reasonable. It should be written in such a way that the reader’s attitude towards the writer and the company remains positive. Bad news messages usually follow the indirect approach. They have four elements: buffer, reasons, decision and positive close.

Admission to University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Right from a very young age I had always enjoyed helping people. As I grew up my involvement with helping people waxed tremendously. The consequence of this predilection was the development of a passionate desire to help the sick and ailing. I was extremely fortunate to realize my true calling in life at a very young age.At present I am in my senior year at the University of Houston. I will become a graduate in the spring of the year 2008. Subsequently, it is my heartfelt desire to be admitted to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Furthermore, I am working as a treasurer for the Cougars Volunteer Association.Moreover, my main volunteer work is with respect to the work that I do at the Ben Taub General Hospital. Houston is home to a number of hospitals that are some of the best in the world. The Texas Medical Centre is a telling example of this fact. The Ben Taub General Hospital is an elite Level 1 Trauma Centre, with a very large intake of adults and children for treatment.My volunteer services require me to visit each patient, in order to ascertain that they obtain what they need. I had been awarded a pharmacy technician certificate and I had been working at a pharmacy as a pharmacy technician, prior to my current volunteer service at the Ben Taub General Hospital.  I am ecstatic at helping and working with patients, especially the old, the infirm and children. This has dictated my choice to become a nurse. I have learned to treat challenges as stepping stones and not stopping stones to success. One such major challenge that arose was consequent to my having to work while studying as a full – time student.This challenge caused me a great deal of difficulty, nevertheless, I was able to overcome it and in the process I became that much more experienced in handling a combination of hard work, stress and paucity of time. This particular challenge gave me the confidence to attain any goal that I set my sights on.In the year 1972 The University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston was established. At present it is one of the best schools for learning the art and science of nursing. The Texas Medical Center is home to the School of Nursing campus. It provides all the benefits and expertise of a world class Health Science Center.The University Of Texas Houston School Of Nursing provides a wide choice of course work, which culminates in the BSN, MSN, PhD or DNP degree. The methodology of imparting knowledge at this school is flexible and students can learn, work on research projects and participate in clinical practice in multifarious ways (School of Nursing at Houston, 2007).In addition, this school has assimilated the latest developments in technology. Accordingly, facilities like teleconferencing and satellite communications are widely used to enable contact with distant locations. Moreover, this technology has made it possible for classes to be conducted simultaneously at Houston and other sites.The Universit y Of Texas School Of Nursing at Houston provides a number of highly innovative programs and one such program that is offered in collaboration with the UTMB is a baccalaureate nursing program, which is spread over three semesters.This program caters to the need of students who possess a degree and who are desirous of joining the nursing profession. Instructions are provided online. Moreover, there are eleven masters programs, which hone the specialty care skills of nurses and ensure their professional advancement. The faculty is excellent and consists of some of the greatest nursing professionals (School of Nursing at Houston, 2007).Nursing is not only an art but also a science and concentrates on enabling families, people and society to achieve, recover and maintain the best possible health. Modern nursing aims at engendering improving the quality of life by ensuring the best of mental and physical health. Nursing has been extremely successful in achieving this great objective.The a ct of rendering relief to a sick person provides immense satisfaction. This extremely noble profession has been succinctly described by the American Nurses Association as â€Å"Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities; prevention of illness and injury; alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human responses; and advocacy in health care for individuals, families, communities, and populations.†This is very much in consonance with my objectives in life.Therefore, I am exceedingly keen to study at this venerable school of nursing. It is my life’s passion to succor the sick, infirm, old and children and to this end the best profession is that of nursing. As such, any person who whole – heartedly participates in the academic programs of this school is certain to become a very good nurse.ReferencesSchool of Nursing at Houston. (2007, June 11). Retrieved November 6, 2007, from The University of Texas: http:// son.uth.tmc.edu/School of Nursing at Houston. (2007, June 11). Retrieved November 6, 2007, from The University of Texas: http://son.uth.tmc.edu/education/