Principles of Democracy Essay

1. Bill of Rights This document explains guaranteed freedoms to all people in the country and gives limited power to the government. It protects the people from a government who try to abuse its power. 2. Economic Freedom Economic freedom allows some private ownership of property and businesses. People are allowed to choose their own work and to join labor union. 3. Equality Equality is having all individuals valued equally, have equal opportunities, and no discrimination of their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. All people are equal before the law and have equal protection of the law without discrimination. 4. Human Rights Movement: Everyone has the right to move within the borders of their country and to leave and return to his or her country. Religion: Everyone has the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. The people can change their religion or not worship or hold religious beliefs. Speech: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Assembly: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. 5. Multi-Party Systems A multi-party system allows for organized opposition to the party that wins the election. It provides the government with different viewpoints on issues and provides voters with a choice of candidates, parties, and policies. 6. Regular Free and Fair Elections Elected officials are chosen by the people in a free and fair manner. Regardless of the people’s race, gender, ethnicity, and level of wealth, most adult citizens should have the right to vote and to run for office. 7. The Rule of Law No one is above the law. Everyone must obey the law and will be held accountable if they violate it including a king, president, police officer, or member of the military.

Educational Failure Essay

â€Å"Every year, over 1. 2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone. That’s a student every 26 seconds – or 7,000 a day† (Thornbergh). Why this happening and more importantly, what is being done to solve this problem? Because of boring classes, too much freedom, and just a lack of motivation, students nationwide are dropping out of school, and are starting on the path of minimum wage and regret. Schools are trying to resolve this issue by giving the support students the help they need, and giving them alternatives to traditional schooling. †¦nearly 1 out of 3 public high school students won’t graduate†(Thornbergh). That’s one third of today’s youths. That’s one out of three people that won’t go to college. That’s one of three people that won’t know the rewarding feeling of getting a diploma. But what’s wrong with this one third that isn’t wrong with the other two thirds? Some say it’s because if society, others say it’s because of schools. Really only half of the problem lies with schools. There are only a small percentage of dropouts that feel that they could never meet the criteria that the school demanded. Unfortunately, many students are not given the extra support they need to make a successful transition to high school and are lost in ninth grade†(Galesic 317). Most others aren’t engaged in school. â€Å"Boredom and disengagement are two key reasons students stop attending class and wind up dropping out of school†(Furger). â€Å"Fully 88% said they had passing grades in high school. When asked to name the reasons they had left school, more respondents named boredom than struggles with course work†(Thornbergh). With this combination, schools become what many students feel to be a waste of time. When schools get this reputation, they become what is known as dropout factories. â€Å"Approximately two thousand high schools (about 12 percent), known as the nation’ lowest performing high schools, produce nearly half of the nation‘s dropouts. In these schools, the number of seniors enrolled is routinely 60 percent or less than the number of freshmen three years earlier† (Galesic 314). Although schools have some blame for the problem at hand, the other half of the problem has origins that the schools can’t control, and that is society and family. Students don’t only have to deal with their school work, but also their peers and life at home. This can be stressful time for students, and, because of this stress, students’ grades may suffer. Even though a student’s grades are low, their parents might not know, or even care. Many parents just don’t pay any attention to their child’s grades. The shocking thing is that only fifty-one percent of parents somewhat knew that their child had low grades; the other percentages range anywhere from kind of knowing to almost not knowing at all. Even though dropping out doesn’t sound too bad, a person is branding themselves a quitter. Once a person drops out, there’s no going back. Sure, a person could get a GED, but, that still doesn’t hold the same weight as a diploma. Dropping out of schools will affect a person their entire life. â€Å"Even a GED is not sufficient for a job here anymore (Thornbergh). † There is no replacement for a diploma. The path of minimum wage and unemployment starts with dropping out. Only forty five percent of High school dropouts are able to find employment. Compared to the sixty eight percent that graduated, that’s a very low number in today’s economic state. Even if a drop out can be that forty five present that is employed, their annual earnings ($8,358) are only little more than half the earning of a High school Graduate ($14,601)(Sum, Ishwar, McLaughlin). Dropping out does not only affect the person who dropped out but also everyone around them. In today’s world, the efforts one person really affects everything around them. People often say, do as your told ;not as they do. That seems easy right? Well, when it comes to drop out, that’s not the case. Students are more likely to drop out if their parents did. When they drop out, their children are also more likely to drop out; leading through a vicious cycle of drop outs. Family isn’t the only thing affected by drop outs (Bridgeland, DiIulio, Morison). Over their working lives, the average high school dropout will have a negative net fiscal contribution to society of nearly -$5,200 while the average high school graduate generates a positive lifetime net fiscal contribution of $287,000. The average high school dropout will cost taxpayers over $292,000 in lower tax revenues, higher cash and in-kind transfer costs, and imposed incarceration costs relative to an average high school graduate. Adult dropouts in the U. S. in recent years have been a major fiscal burden to the rest of society. Given the current and projected deficits of the federal government, the fiscal burden of supporting dropouts and their families is no longer sustainable. ;(Sum, Ishwar, McLaughlin) Supporting dropouts and their families in no longer doable. So, what is actually being done to help students succeed in school and ultimately success in life? One solution that can has come into play in resent years in is alternative to traditional education such as viral schools and credits labs. They consist of virtual schools and programs that help students get back on track to graduating. With these They offer the help and support students need with out the social problems that traditional classes have such as labels, race, and learning disabilities. In doing so, theses alternatives are also adjusting learning to a more personal level. Education no longer has to be for the whole, but only for the small part that is the individual student. â€Å"Districts throughout the country are working to personalize learning by creating small schools or reorganizing large schools into small learning communities, as part of their strategy for reducing the dropout rate†(Furger). These individual students can now get more help and understanding then they would ever get in a traditional class room. Another Solution to this epidemic is stricter rules for schooling. Schools are not only making it harder to drop out, but also, raising the academic bar for students. Some students just quit because its acceptable , while others quit just because they’re board in schools. It would be no long acceptable to just quit if there are stricter penalties, right? Some states are making it so students can’t quit at an easily age. â€Å"Students who drop out before age 18 could have their driver’s license suspended or their work permit revoked unless their decision was first approved by a school or judge†(Thornbergh). But the problem doesn’t only lie with it just being acceptable, but also boredom. â€Å"Higher expectations and more challenging curriculum, coupled with the support students need to be successful, have proven to be an effective strategy not only for increasing graduation rates, but also for preparing students to graduate from high school with options†(Furger). The last and most research backed cure for this epidemic is early education. â€Å"Every month, new studies in neuroscience and psychology provide insights and warnings about how much of a person’s capacity for learning is shaped from birth to age 8. Young children need to experience rich language interactions with teachers, parents, and other adults who read to them, ask questions of them, and encourage their exploration of myriad subjects†(Guernsey Mead). Many students quit school because they are failing. â€Å"Preschool, they argue, is an early investment in youth that yields significant economic results later on. In their review of the research on preschool models in California and elsewhere, the authors found that one preschool program increased high school graduation rates by 11 percent, and another by 19 percent. Furger) â€Å"We need a much broader and deeper transformation of the educational system that starts, if parents choose, when children are as young as three years old and continues through the first few grades of elementary school. Early childhood does not stop at kindergarten; it extends through age eight, because children are still learning foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, social competence, and problem solving, they are more likely to retain them. (Guernsey, Mead) Because of boring classes, too much freedom, and just a lack of motivation, students nationwide are dropping out of school, and staring on the path of minimum wage and regret. Schools are trying to resolve this by giving the support students need and giving them alternatives to traditional schooling. In the time it took to read this, at least one student has dropped out. This needs to stop. Make a difference in one student’s life by helping the cause of helping students stay in school.

Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage Essay

Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage is a travelogue written by a melancholic, passionate and expressive tourist. Byron wrote this poem on his travels trough Spain, Portugal, Albania, Greece, Belgium, Switzerland, the Alps and Italy. The hero of the poem, Childe (an ancient term for a young noble awaiting knighthood) Harold is a young extremely emotional man who turns away from the regular society and humanity and wanders through life caring the heavy guilt of mysterious vices of his past. The poem reflects Lord Byron’s views regarding nature and society. In Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage we find two opposing forces, one of which is highly idolized by Byron, while the second one is definitely less admired. On one side we are facing the glorious nature, the freedom, the joys of the wilderness and the power of the ocean, while the opposing side is represented by the society, man’s humility, man’s weakness, political and spiritual slavery, illusionary freedom and false love. Byron worships the nature and constantly attempts to escape the madness of the society. Byron was devoted to nature above all, as it is the only thing capable of bringing a man closer to God, eternity and understanding of the unknown. â€Å"To mingle with the Universe, and feel, what I can ne’er express, yet cannot all conceal†, thus, nature is man’s only way of roughly touching the mystifying beyond, the inexpressible, that colossal feeling of the grandeur of creation, which we can not express, yet the most emotional of us are at least able to feel. Nature is our only link to the glorious power of life and universe. Our only way of understanding our selves, our souls and minds is through facing the nature. Lines like: â€Å"Art, Glory, Freedom fail, but Nature still is fair†, reflect Byron’s belief that nature is above all, and that when everything fails, nature is the only thing capable of helping one overcome his emotional troubles. As if he would say that despite the remarkable glory of all those human virtues, none of them is comparable to the force and magnificence of nature. While one force is our society which has a tendency of producing: â€Å"Wealth, vice, corruption – barbarism at last†, the other force is nature, which is named â€Å"nursing nature† by Byron, as he believed that nature is the only thing capable of healing one’s heart and saving one’s soul. He presents an escapist vision of nature, representing nature as an escape from the â€Å"madding crowd†, introducing what we might call some â€Å"environmentalist† ideas. In Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage the society is characterized by the â€Å"hum of human cities torture†, while nature is the escape, a place to which â€Å"the soul can flee†, breaking unrestricted into â€Å"the sky, the peak, the heaving plain of ocean, or the stars†. Byron sees society as a passing phase. â€Å"From society we learn to live† writes Byron, meaning that our physical fatal existence in this world is united and represented by the society, while: â€Å"‘Tis solitude should teach us how to die†, meaning that the true eternity, spirituality and one’s connection to his soul is achievable only through one’s relationship with nature, thus, through a relationship with â€Å"mountains, leaves, and flowers†. Byron is not rejecting the society, but his real object of worship is definitely nature. He declares that there is no truth beyond nature and wilderness, yet the society is not rejected: â€Å"I love not man the less, but Nature more†, thus, man is beautiful and capable of achieving greatness, yet he is mortal and incomparable to the eternal brilliance of nature. Byron never completely rejected society, but his object of adoration and astonishing love is definitely the Nature: â€Å"Nature† with a capital â€Å"N†, as a religious person would spell â€Å"God† with a capital â€Å"G†. Indeed Byron worships nature as one religious fanatic would worship god. Lord Byron believed in Nature above all, as Nature was the only real truth for him.

Part A-Contract law Part B- Case study (letter)

Part A-Contract law Part B- (letter) - Case Study Example As a result, they did not expect the consumer to take them seriously. A misrepresentation, on the other hand, refers to a false statement of fact that a party makes to another party to influence them into entering a contract, even though the statement is not part of the contract. In effect, this makes the contract voidable and the innocent party could repudiate the contract, as well as claim damages (James, 2014: p22). Where a person making the statement knew the real facts and it can be proved, they could not have held their views reasonably as a result, their opinions are taken as statement of fact. In order for a contract to be valid, both parties must make it freely and there should be mutual assent. However, it is possible that pressure to enter into the contract or coercion could affect mutual assent. Undue influence and duress are situations that impact on mutual assent, rendering contracts voidable or void. Duress refers to the exertion of wrongful pressure on a party to coerce them into making a contract that they would not ordinarily enter. It involves threatening to use force or using force intentionally to induce the party to assent to the contract (Carter, 2013: p32). Whether the coercion is mental or physical, it must be to an extent to which the other party does not have freedom of choice or free will, leaving them no reasonable alternative than to assent to the contract. On the other hand, undue influence refers to taking advantage of the other party during the formation of contracts. In this case, the two parties have a relationship, for example, one is superior to the other. Unlike duress that involves the use of direct threats; undue influence involves the use of excessive pressure by a dominant party for the subordinate to assent to the contract, although persuasion alone does not constitute undue influence (Carter, 2013: p33). As a result, the

Choose a media problem and solve it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Choose a media problem and solve it - Essay Example In the presented scenario, there is a consideration to provide focus to a celebrity’s death against the need to concentrate on the closure of parks for three days a week. As mentioned before, the media is considered as a reliable form of cultural information provider. This indicates that there are chances that the focus provided to either story would become a contemporary cultural consideration. Another social consideration is the fact that the media is seen as a social watchdog and is assumed to be responsible by most people. Consequently, most people in a social setting are ready to take the media’s cue in order to look into contemporary challenges facing a society or community. The nature of media establishments ensures that they have information sufficiently ahead of time so that it can be distributed to the audience for their reaction. Typically it is the audience’s reaction through media manipulation that makes all the difference to political processes. These needs also need to be balanced against the consideration of earning a profit since it is the prime motive of opening up most media establishments. In this respect, media ratings tend to matter and figure a lot especially in terms of television ratings being compared between rivals. The current scenario demands a local television to decide what news to make the lead story. The park closure is a social issue that tends to affect the lives of nearly everyone in the community and the local television station has all the responsibility to make people aware of their closure. In contrast, the celebrity death news story has the potential to raise the ratings for the television station and hence to increase the advertisement revenue for the television station. Placed as the news director at the local television station, I would choose to provide focus to the celebrity death news story. Doing so will ensure that the subsequent television

Herbicide X Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Herbicide X - Case Study Example The results ultimately proved that the level of concentration is enough to cause cancer to the rats. The same concentration of Herbicide X is being used by farmers to control the weed as this is highly effective. In view of this, Herbicide X poses extreme threat to the humans as it is used in the same dosages as found to have affecting rats. Herbicide X is sprayed in the farms twice, once in the spring and the second time in fall. This means that farmers are exposed to the Herbicide X twice in a year that increases the health risk associated with this pesticide. It is quite scientific to assess the risk of any hazardous chemical first on animals such as monkeys, rats, cows. It is certified and confirmed by several peer-reviewed studies that Herbicide X is toxic in the given dosages and cause deadly disease like cancer. It is quite appropriate to conclude that it indeed poses a threat to the human life too, especially when humans are exposed twice in a year with the same level of concentration that affected rats. Moreover, it has also been found that Herbicide X remains in the environment for at least 3 months before it disintegrates into harmless substances; it is slow in biodegradation and not eco

Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 20

Research - Essay Example To this end, the United States has adopted a global mindset in its relation with other countries. The distinct features of a global mindset involve showing understanding, care and concern for the global citizens. Evidently, the United States exhibits this attribute by advocating for human rights doctrines among the countries citizenry, as well as free and fair democratic systems in governance. Another key communication style employed by the United States with other countries is a diplomatic process that respects the democratic systems. To this end, the United States does not interfere in the free and fair democratic processes of countries such as elections, or administration. However, it is critical to note that the United States only recognizes democratic governments that uphold the human rights of citizenry, and have achieved a consensus mandate from the general populace. Cooperation and collaboration is another communication strategy employed by the United States (Prewitt, Weil, & McClure, 2011). Evidently, effective leadership employs collaboration rather than competition. This is in recognition that competition fosters suspicion, jealousy and mistrust that can eventually lead to breakdown of relations. To this end, the United States fosters mutual cooperation with other countries in critical areas such as the trade, industry, environment and security. In the same respect of collaboration and cooperation, the United States fosters mutual partnership with democratic governments. Effective global leadership equally needs to be appreciative of the multiethnic, multiracial, multi cultural and diverse religions of the Earth. To this end, the United States employs a communication style that is empathetic and culturally sensitive. This involves the mutual respect and impartiality towards the multicultural communities. Moreover, the United States employs empathy to the global citizens in terms of crisis such as droughts, environmental

Compagnie Generale des Eaux Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compagnie Generale des Eaux - Case Study Example The efforts of Guy Dejouany express the company's commitment in maximizing its financial resources by putting them in different investment opportunities. The leader should also be noted for his effort in minimizing company risk by not putting all its investment in a single industry. In contrast, he tried to distribute risk by putting the company's fund in various industries. Guy Dejouany also broadened intensified the influence of CGE by broadening its reach and market base. By establishing presence in industries where the company has no previous operation, CGE gained more bargaining power through its large size and coverage. However, it should also be noted that the choice of which industry to diversify into is the sole choice of Dejouany according to his personal experiences and relationships instead of generating more formal business analyses. The leader has launched aggressive efforts in order to ward off competition or strengthen the business organization's position against its rivals. In terms of management style, Guy Dejouany can be characterized as a charismatic leader who influenced people through his personality. Though engaged in a wide array of businesses, decision making is highly centralized emanating from a superior who very much involved in the operations of each business unit. During his administration, transactions and relationships have operated on trust while no significant attention is put on the performance of his subordinates. Models of Diversification Employed by Dejouany Keeping in mind that CGE has started as a player in the water utility business, the company's efforts to diversify in health care, transport, telecommunication, and real estate sectors represent a move toward unrelated diversification. With this, it should be noted that Dejouany employed conglomerate diversification or opting to deliver new products to new markets which are the currently not served. In other instances, he also utilized vertical diversification by acquiring business organizations which are in the same value chain. Basing decisions solely in his relationships and personal experiences, Dejouany had undoubtedly entered industries which are highly unrelated. Conglomerate diversification has been used in order to manage the complexity of various businesses under a single portfolio. However, instead of utilizing the company's resources to execute similar processes within business units, CGE maintained the separation between its business entities. In contrast to the typical strategy of acquiring promising small companies, CGE opted to establish new companies which will serve new clients. There has also been no establish relationship between business units and often, subsidiaries are unaware that they are a part of a single organization. Problems in the 1990s The year 1990s sees the near collapse of CGE because of its disastrous financial and overall performance. The problems of the business organization can be traced to its larger business environment and issues inherent to its operation and governance. As discussed above, the decisions within CGE are solely made by Dejouany who build businesses

Coming of age in Mississippi by Moody Anne Essay

Coming of age in Mississippi by Moody Anne - Essay Example The book four significant sections that it has been subdivided into. On the initial part of the book, the author reminisces on her childhood and the early years of her life. She spent this phase of her life in the rural parts of Mississippi. Her parents were sharecroppers and despite the fact that they were working from sun-up to sun-down, there still did not seem to have enough money to provide for food and other necessities like clothing for their children. According to Moody, they were living in a shack, but like all the other shacks in the plantation, they did not have any electricity or any indoor plumbing. Necessities which only the house of the owner had. She talked about George Lee who was tasked with babysitting while her parents were working in the fields, and also dwelled on how much he resented it, and vented out his frustrations by beating up the girls. One day, he was trying to scare the girls with the matches and accidentally burned the shack. He did not own up to this mischief and her father beat her up for it, thinking that she was to blame. However, her father eventually had an affair with another black woman and abandoned their family. She started working everyday after-school as well as on the weekends to compensate for the loss of income from her father's desertion. Moody talked about how they had moved to from one house to another for the next six years. Her mother was working two jobs; a waitress for a black people's cafe and a maid for white families. She talked about how their family was hungry all the time. They were only eating bread and beans most of the time, and some table scraps given by her mother's employers. Despite their family's desperate circumstances, Moody was doing really well in school. Most of the people who employed her as a domestic helper were generally nice and she has kept at this kind of work up until her senior year in high school. The only employer she had any real problem with was Mrs. Durke, which in her narra tion, appeared to be a nasty woman who was a racist. Mrs. Durke was apparently antagonized by Moody's closeness with her son, which resulted to her accusing Moody's younger brother of stealing, and Moody herself quitting the job because of it. Moody became quite popular with the male populace, both in school and in her community. She talked about how she was outgrowing her school dresses and worn jeans that were becoming too tight but which her family did not have the means to replace. Her popularity was such that she even got elected as the homecoming queen which seems to be a happy highlight in her youth. Her mother took pains of buying her a beautiful gown which made the occasion even more special. Her mother remarried and eventually had four more children. Her stepfather's family seemed snotty, based on Moody's narration, and looked down on their family because of their darker skin. However, she enjoyed being in their new residence, particularly the church which she described as having more class than her old church. She got into quite a lot of arguments with her mother, because her mother was insisting that she goes to the old poorer church. She was awakened to some pretty harsh realities when she heard about Emmett Till, who was 14 years of age and was murdered brutally for supposedly whistling at a white woman. She became very conscious of the racial inequality around her. As a younger child, she tried hard to understand the differences between the races, and has

Ethics and the War on Drugs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics and the War on Drugs - Assignment Example the reuse of the same needles/syringe may cause and at the same time continue the fight against drugs by educating the people on the negativities of drugs and at any time be able to give practical examples. In order to acquire a certain attention to people, proven evidence gets to works more than believes thus education would be more important (Baum, 1997). Therapy to me is good to change one’s life but at the same time, it depends on the victim willingness to change. If the victim is willing, then the therapy will work well but if the victim is not willing, then the high percentage indicates that the therapy program my not successfully have impact on the victim. America is faced by a high number of people who are convicted to drugs and one thing do stand, the solution is not the conviction of the people using drugs but it should be the prevention of the addiction to drugs. And in response to Manson, the use of therapy will impact the people using drugs but the victims themselves should be able to accept their condition and see the need to change. The move to decriminalize drugs is a good move for it has already been proven elsewhere. All that the victim need is the psychological monitoring and time to change their ways. Addiction is the main contributor of drug abuse, and it is the one part that should be avoided in order to reduce the rate of abuse and to those who are addicted, they should go through therapy. Just as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure(Adelman,

HSBC Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

HSBC Risk Management - Essay Example The problem is that profit, the measure of reward, requires, as a minimum, a pencil, the back of an envelope, and some degree of skill in arithmetic calculations. HSBC is the world's largest banking group operating on the global scale. HSBC is considered the 4th largest financial institution of the world with $2,348.98 billion of assets. Also, HSBC is the largest bank with market value of $180.81 billion and the most profitable bank with $19.13 billion2. For this financial group, risk management is crucial to forecast and predict possible market changes and economic fluctuations. Similar to HSBC, MNCs face financial problems and need risk management techniques to avoid profit loss and sustain market growth. For both types of corporations, the first principle of sound financial systems is to lend money only to those who do not need the money. This may sound contradictory to the intent of banking, but it is not. Banking is a business where the banker takes the savings of a number of individuals and lends the money to others. Those whose savings are being redirected to others as loans do not know, or care, that this is happening3. All they care about is the timely payment of interest and the right to withdraw money at one hundred cents on every dollar. Bankers are lenders not of personal or bank funds, but the funds of depositors. Bankers are, in effect, borrowers. HSBC Bankers borrow money from depositors and pay them interest. They take the money and lend it out to others at a higher rate of interest. What bankers expect from borrowers is what depositors expect from bankers. Depositors, borrowers, and bankers function in a system where repayment is in terms of one hundred cents for every dollar deposited or borrowed. Depositors expect one hundred cents on every dollar that bankers have borrowed from them4. For bankers to honor their obligations to depositors, bankers must expect one hundred cents returned on every dollar that they have lent to borrowers. From the bankers' perspective, a deposit is a liability on the books because they "owe" this to depositors at the time when depositors desire to withdraw money. A loan t o a borrower is an asset from the perspective of a banker because its interest represents income and its repayment represents cash flow into the bank. To maintain a balance between assets and liabilities, a dollar's worth of assets and a dollar's worth of liabilities must be in terms of one hundred cents on the dollar5. "What If" analysis is part of risk management for HSBC and MNCs. "What If" analysis consists of looking not only at the most likely, from which one derives a measure of reward, but also certain unlikely cases where the events of business life do not follow the most likely script. The measure of reward diminishes with respect to the measure of reward for the most likely case. At some point, the measure of reward becomes the measure of risk. A measure of risk is a low degree of reward that is insufficient either to meet expenses or to provide a minimum return on investment. Risk, in a business environment, can be looked upon as an unsatisfactory level of reward where t he wisdom of proceeding with the project must be questioned6. In viewing loan applications or proposals, bankers focus on the prospects of repayment. This is because loans are made when it is perceived that the borrower does not need the money. In other words, loans are made wh

Teenage Pregnancy Term Paper Essay Example for Free

Teenage Pregnancy Term Paper Essay Introduction: This Term Paper aims to discuss the effects of rising early pregnancy cases and how it affects our country. Teenage pregnancy refers to pregnancy in a female under the age of 20. It is one of the major factors that affect the population growth in our country, Philippines. It is considered to be the major problems of the government is facing today. According to the government statistics records, teenage pregnancy cases rise more than 70% over a decade. These alarming cases caught the attention of some lawmakers. The only solution that the government made was the so-called Reproduction Health Bill (RH Bill). This bill aims to free access of use of contraceptives, fertility control, sexual education, and maternal care. The government conceived this as the solution to the said problem. Others may see it as helpful, but some also disagree about it. Teenage pregnancy is continously growing and affects our economic growth. Basically, teenage pregnancy occurs due to the following reasons: General rebelliousness, peer pressure and lack of self-esteem. Causes of Teenage Pregnancy: Rebelliousness -There is rebelliousness of parents and of rules of adults. During the teenage stage, there is a burst of sudden and unknown emotions. Teens feel a natural sense of rebelling against the set norms and rules. Coupled with a sudden sense of fresh-found liberation and sexuality, results in giving vent to their feelings through sexual experiences. Peer Pressure -Peer pressure is another early stage of pregnancies. This pressure causes sexual intimacy for the opposite sex. If a child hangs out with a group who  are sexually active, then there are possibilities that 9 out of 10 that teenager is sexually active. Most of the teenagers often to have sexual intercourse because they need to fit in with their circle of friends. They’re only way to be accepted by that so called circle of friends is to have sexual intercourse with the opposite sex and have sexual relations. Lack of Self-Esteem -It is among the causes of teen pregnancy. Children who are not shown love and affection from parents will seek it out with their circle of friends (peer group). Many teenagers report feeling pressured by their peers to have sexual intercourse before they are ready. Media: â€Å"The 16 and Pregnant is an American reality television series that debuted June 11, 2009 on MTV. It follows the stories of pregnant teenage girls in High School dealing with the hardships of teenage pregnancy. Each episode features a different teenage girl, with the episode typically beginning when she is 4 and a half to 8 months into her pregnancy. The episode typically ends when the baby is a few months old. The series is produced in a documentary format, with an animation on notebook paper showing highlights during each episode preceding the commercial breaks. â€Å" (Reference from wikipedia) MTV is criticized for creating an acceptance of teen pregnancy. By creating a show about pregnant teens, the show’s creators may be sending the message to teens that it isn’t a big deal if they become pregnant. It is proven that teens are often influenced by TV. Actually, according to a study conducted by The National Campaign â€Å"most teens (79% of girls and 67% of boys) say that when a TV show or character they like deals with teen pregnancy, it makes them think more about their own risk of getting pregnant or causing a pregnancy and how to avoid it† (â€Å"Teen Pregnancy†). Parents feel that the popularity of â€Å"16 and Pregnant† will allow teens to think that teen pregnancy is acceptable. The National Campaign states that â€Å"research has found that the sexual content in media can influence teens’ attitudes about sex and contraception and may also influence their sexual behavior† (â€Å"The National Campaign†). It is because of this statistic that MTV is teaming up  with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy to create viewing guides on 16 and Pregnant. The 16 and Pregnant viewing guides will hopefully allow parents and educators to start discussions with teens encouraging them to make the right decisions when dealing with their sexual health. Why teen pregnancy is a cause for concern? The issue of teenage pregnancies is a cause for concern, and it is necessary that we draw the attention of the authorities to it’s diverse effects. According to statistics compiled in February 2004 by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 34% of teenage girls get pregnant at least once before they turn 20 (which is about 820,000 per year). Despite the fact that teen pregnancy rates are declining in the United States, this data illustrates the fact that the United States has the highest pregnancy rate in the industrialized world. Teen pregnancy has negative affects on teen parents, their children, and society in general. Negative Affects on Teen Parents Teen mothers are statistically less likely to continue their education through high school and college. In fact, only about 1/3 of teen mothers ever earn a high school diploma, and only 1.5% of teen mothers receive a college degree by the time they are 30 years of age. In addition to the decline of education prospects, teen mothers also have increased health risks. In fact, more than a quarter of pregnant teens report physical abuse in their relationships. Other health risks include disorders such as: anemia, hypertension, obesity, and sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s). Anemia- Anemia is a disease where the number of red blood cells falls below normal and the body gets less oxygen as a result. Therefore, the body has less energy than it needs to function correctly. When the number of red blood cells decreases, the heart has to work harder, which means that it has to pump more blood in order to distribute oxygen throughout the body. As a result, one can develop a rapid heartbeat or another serious condition that enlarges the heart muscle, which can cause heart failure. Hypertension- When someone has hypertension (also known as high blood pressure), the force of the blood against ones artery walls are too strong. Over time, this excessive pressure can damage your arteries as well as your heart and kidneys. Hypertension is rather dangerous, for there are no warning signs or symptoms unless the problem is severe. Hypertension can lead to strokes, and other deadly afflictions. Obesity- While we all need some fat tissues in our bodies, having too much body fat is known as obesity. Obesity is a serious medical disease that affects about 14% of adolescents in the United States, and is the second leading cause of preventable death. STD’s- Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) are diseases that are contracted and spread by having sex with someone who has one of the diseases. Sexual activity can include contact with the mouth, anus, vagina and penis (all of which are capable of giving as well as receiving STD’s). These can be serious illnesses and require immediate attention. Some STD’s, such as AIDS, are deadly and have no cure, therefore it is important to learn ways to protect yourself from STD’s such as: genital herpes, hepatitis B, chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV/AIDS. Negative Affects on Children Children born from teen mothers have a higher chance of experiencing health problems. In fact, children born to teen mothers have a 20% higher chance of being born with low birth weight, which is one of the most common complications found in children of teens. Low birth weight can lead to blindness, deafness, respiratory problems, as well as mental illness, cerebral palsy, and even death. Not only do children born to teen mothers have a higher chance of experiencing health complications, but they also typically receive less medical care and treatment than other children, born to older mothers. On another note, teen parents are young, inexperienced, and for the most part, lack a completed education. This has been known to lead to inadequate parenting, for one is too young to appropriately provide the kind of environment that children need to develop and mature properly. Eventually this will affect the children’s performance in school, for  children of teenage mothers score lower than average on standardized tests, and are about twice as likely to repeat a grade at some point in their education. Children born to teen mothers are also twice as likely to be victims of abuse and neglect. Negative Affects on Society Because teen pregnancy rates are so high in the US. 34% of all females get pregnant at least once before the age of 20. This can cost our society billions of dollars each year, as the majority of teen mothers are single parents, lack a complete education, and end up on welfare. About $40 billion are spent by the federal government alone to help these families. References: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-24/an-number-of-teenage-pregnancies-doubled-in-philippines-in-last/5341334?pfm=ms https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2013/09/26/1238116/root-causes-adolescenct-pregnancy?nomobile=1 https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2011/07/04/low-self-esteem-a-factor-of-teenage-pregnancy-research/ https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11556441/

A critical analysis of my clinical practice and reflection

A critical analysis of my clinical practice and reflection Introduction This assignment will discuss the development of my professional skills, learning opportunities, and activities that have developed and benefited my learning experiences. I will use reflection and referrer back to written work in my portfolio this will link the theory to practice and will show a continuous improvement in the knowledge and understanding that I have gained in previous placements, according to Beskine (2009) practice from clinical placements are fundamental in allowing students to put the theory learned at university into practice under the supervision of an experienced mentor. As registered nurse I must be able to justify any action or decision made, this can be seen throughout my portfolio as I have tried to justify any action or decision I have made through evidence based knowledge and research findings, according to Richards and Edward (2003) who have stated that public trust and confidence in the profession is dependant on its practitioners being seen to exercise their accountability to ensure that the interests of the patient is respected. The Quality Assurance Agency (1997) has defined a portfolio as a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and achievements when planning for their personal educational and career development. As a registered nurse my goals will be to further my life long learning and gain as many skills as possible to enable me to carry out my practice safely and with competence. The evidence of this shall be shown through the ongoing development of my portfolio, which will identify opportunities for growth in my personal and professional life. According to Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) 2004, It is necessary to show motivation and commitment through the development and planning of your own learning. There will also be discussion on the clinical skills laboratories (CLS). Main Body The Students rational for choosing the topic of; compression bandaging for leg ulcers; was the shock, when she realised that the estimated cost to the NHS in managing leg ulcers is  £300-600 million a year. (Simon et al 2004) In the UK alone, it has been estimated that between 80,000 and 100,000 people will have had a leg ulcer at one time or another, with some remaining unhealed for more than 10 years. (Walker Adderly 2007). Managing leg ulcers also places a considerable drain on health resources, with district nursing spending between 25-50% of their time treating patients with leg ulcers (Casey 1999), according to Briggs and Closs (2003), a large part of the nurses workload especially in the community is taken up with this task, as people get older they are at increased risk of developing arterial and venous incompetence, which is the underlying cause of leg ulceration, improved life expectancy means the number of people with ulcers is likely to rise (Franks and Moffatt, 2007). The student noticed this more on her final 14 week management placement with the community nurses; half of her time spent with the nurses was taken up with changing compression bandages. Reflecting back, the student looked at her logs from first year [Appendix 1] and noticed that the treatment of leg ulcers has not changed dramatically in these past three years, but the students perception knowledge and understanding of this condition has. Reflection provides a framework upon which individuals can modify both perception and behaviour based upon experience (Dewey, 1933; Schà ¶n, 1983). It is also considered to be a central part of developing expertise (Sternberg, 1999). When the student first went to a community placement in 2nd year, she along with her mentor attended a patient with leg ulcers, [Appendice2] she assisted the nurse when she washed the patients leg, using tap water, the leg was dried and a mixture of 50%50 w/w cream; (Ointment containing 50% w/w Liquid Paraffin BP and 50% w/w White Soft Paraffin), was applied below the knee of the leg, then watched as the district nurse, applied a modified form of compression bandaging. The student and her classmates had practiced this procedure in CLS labs, week three, Care of the patient with chronic wounds; the labs are designed to ensure flexibility of use in providing an environment where clinical skills learning can be facilitated to support a diversity of clinical learning experiences and environments. Every year the NHS pays out about  £400 million in settlement of clinical negligence claims.   It is increasingly recognised that up to as much as 70 -80% of medical error could be attributed to poor technical skills; those most at risk of committing errors are inexperienced practitioners. Creating simulated scenarios allows us to practice our skills and make mistakes in a safe environment (Engle 2008). The nurse explained that there where different causes for the ulcers and also different dressings and compression therapies. The student also looked up the pathophysiology, and the psychological effects of the condition, linking theory to practice, reading journals and articles the student got an overview of the disease, failing venous valves lead to blood pooling in the veins. This is confirmed by the use of a Doppler ultrasound, which tests the flow of blood in the leg. Cells and fluid, from the blood leak into the surrounding tissue, causing oedema. Red blood cells, leak into the tissue and break down, resulting in brown staining of the skin known as, haemosiderin. Further tissue damage occurs when white blood cells clump together to cause inflammatory reactions. Congestion in the veins results in reduced blood flow. Tissues do not receive adequate nutrition and the skin becomes dry, flaky and itchy. Lipodermatosclerosis can also occur, caused by fibrosis of the fatty tissue, maki ng the leg hard and woody to touch, this makes the skin fragile and scratching or trauma may lead to ulceration of the leg and a chronic wound that could take weeks or months sometimes years to heal (Stud 2009). According to (RCN 2006), (SIGN 26, 1998) compression bandage therapy is the gold standard treatment for venous leg ulcers. The bandage types are classified depending on the degree of sub bandage pressure they exert on the limb, the highest pressure is up to 40mmHg at the ankle (resting pressure), gradually reducing to about 17mmHg just below the knee Anderson (2008). Achieving this healing depends mostly on the patients willingness to accept clinically effective care; many of the patients feel that they cannot carry on with the treatment as the compression bandaging is uncomfortable. The graduated compression starts with the highest pressure at the ankle, this squeezes the lower leg as the calf muscle changes shape on movement, but the muscle movement is constrained by the compression bandage with the effect of increasing the squeeze on the veins in the legs, as the muscle movement is concentrated inward and if the vein is relatively intact it will more likely close with the extra pressure from the compression (Anderson 2008). This movement may prevent the backflow of blood as the calf muscle is strong and the speed of the venous blood is increased it could mean that the white blood cells are less likely to clump together thus reducing inflammation in the blood vessel (Oduncu et al 2004). Using compression this way, will increase flow, reduce venous reflux and ankle oedema, therefore improving the microcirculation and encourage the healing process (Board and Harlow 2002). As the flow improves nutrients reaching the skin again will improve the sensitivity and dryness of the skin. The compression therapy is not a cure it may be a lifelong process where the patient has to be properly supported. The patients psychological wellbeing is also monitored, (Jones et al 2008), studies carried out show that patients with chronic leg ulcers suffer from depression and feel socially isolated, they restrict their social lives because of the exudates and odour leaking through the bandages. In many cases the ulcer will heal with relative ease once the oedema is under control approximately 12 weeks (Moffat et al 1992). Larger ulcers may take months or years to heal, (Palfreyman et al 2007) effective treatment should help reduce the symptoms and quality of life for the patients, this is why a holistic approach is needed to ensure the patients psychological needs are also met; this in turn may encourage compliance on the patients part. The student is now in her final placement which is back in the community, she has her own case load of four patients. One of these patients has a leg ulcer, she wears compression stockings, while this is not a chronic ulcer great care still has to be taken, as the recurrence rate of venous ulcers is high, hosiery helps to reduce the risk and prolongs the time in a healed state (Bradley 2001). The student also went out with the district nurse who is mentoring her, she allowed her, under her direct supervision to wash and apply the dressings to one of her clients who has a chronic leg ulcer, it is recognised that students must be given opportunities to participate in various clinical skills, the NMC (2006) requires mentors to be able to support student nurses develop nursing competencies, while being professionally accountable for the student, and also provide support and assessment while on placement. Prior to undertaking the wound dressing, the student had to demonstrate an appreciation of the theoretical and practical aspects underpinning the procedure of compression bandaging to the mentor. This was done by the student reading journals on wound care, looking up articles on the internet, and then discussing them with her mentor. The clients consent was given, this allowed the student to carry out the procedure. The student read the last entry in the care plan to see what dressings where used previously. Then she gathered all the equipment that she would need, Towels, cream, water, a dressing depending on how bad the leg would depend on what dressing was used. The bandaging comes in kit form and is priced according to size from  £5.65 to  £10.58 (Scottish drug tariff 2007). Reading the care plan the student knew that this patient has had a chronic venous leg ulcer, for about 6 weeks, the measurements were taken at every dressing change to see if the ankle circumference has changed due to the reduction of oedema. The leg was stripped down, it was very wet and smelly, the dirty dressing then went into the bag provided and disposed of in the bin. The leg was washed with Epaderm Cream, this is very effective in moisturising the leg it counteracts the loss of essential oils from the skin. As the student knew that her mentor was going to ask her to perform the task, she looked up her reflective diaries in her portfolio and read back on them to see how she carried out the procedure then, and how she felt about carrying them out. According to Redfern and Hull (1997), portfolios offer an important contribution in the form of a step-by-step method that reflects practice. The student had written an account of her past experience in the first year log, as she had not used a model of reflection it was difficult to remember how she felt carrying out the procedure, she did describe the task well enough but the feeling and evaluation would have been useful, how did she feel about the task, was the wound really odorous, was the patient satisfied with the outcome, would she have carried out the procedure the same way, coming back to the present task the action plan would have been very handy. Gibbs model for reflection (1988), the student has applied this model to most of her work throughout the three years of placements, but at the beginning of her training she did not, she now realises that using models of reflection in essays and practice portfolios gives written evidence that shows critical thinking, and relates theory to practice. Using the six stages of Gibbs reflective model, description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, action plan, by using this model the student can analyse her learning experience, and present this as evidence against NMC standards. The student also looked out and read tissue viability journals and wound supplements and searched the internet for wound care information. Current governmental policies have called for all professional groups to work within a framework of evidence-based practice (EBP) which is underpinned by continuing professional development. The essence of all this is to ensure that all health care professionals operate within a framework of clinical governance that assures clinical competence and provision of quality health care. (Basford and Slevin, 2003). Once the leg was washed and dried a hydrocolloid dressing was applied, this helps absorb some of the exudates, the student then applied the wool padding using a simple spiral technique with a 50% overlap, this helps to protect bony prominences and pads the ankle out. The third step is a light conforming bandage, the foot is flexed to 90 degrees and the bandage is applied from the toes to the knees also using a simple spiral technique with a 50% overlap. The forth step is applying the cohesive bandage, the student made sure the mentor was happy with what was done so far before carrying on she also asked the patient if he was alright, then keeping the foot flexed to a 90 degree angle the bandage was applied with a 50% overlap and a 50% stretch, ensuring the heel was completely covered. The student felt cautious about carrying out the final stage of this procedure because of the implication, for instance if the dressing was too tight it may cause trauma to the leg, but the mentor supervised all the way through the procedure, when the bandaging was finished the student felt that she had carried the task to the best of her ability, there was a feeling of satisfaction the bandage looked neat and secure the patient offered no complaints. When the student had asked his consent he told her that he would say immediately if he felt uncomfortable, because of the exudates the bandage would only be on for two days not a week as is the usual time in between dressing. The patient will be holistically re-assessed each week and his progress recorded, the student filled in the patients care plan and her mentor countersigned, as a student nurse preparing to register with the NMC you have both a legal and professional duty of care. This should be demonstarted in your ability to keep a record and full account of any assessment and care that you have planned for or provided (NMC 2004). The student didnt think she could have done any better, she was pleased that he mentor allowed her to carry out this procedure, a little weary about the 50% overlap and stretching the bandage, but was confident in her practice, the task went smoothly. The student will continue to reflect and study leg ulcers and compression bandaging to further her knowledge. The mentor observed the student performing the task, under direct supervision, she assessed that the student was working to the correct and appropriate standard for her level of training, this will be recorded in the students assessment practice record and signed. While in practice mentors are assessing students against the NMC standards of proficiency, they are not only assessing their practical skills, but their knowledge levels and attitudes which underpin their practice (Richards and Edwards 2003). Conclusion In this assignment I have disscused the learning opportunities and the activities that have helped develope my professional development in the area of compression bandaging for the care of leg ulcers. I have shown that reflection and reference to previous work and teaching materials have developed my skills, confidence, knowledge and intuition in the care of managing leg ulcers and applying the appropriate dressings and therefore linking my theory to practice. I have shown the ability to justify reasoning for any actions or decisions which I make through evidence based practice, knowledge and research findings. For my professional development and future practice I will continue to futher my life-long learning and gain as many skillls as possible to enable me to carry out my practice safely and with competence. The evidence of this shall be shown through the ongoing development of my portfolio which will identify opportunities for growth in my personal and professional life.

Approaches And Methods Of Training Management Essay

Approaches And Methods Of Training Management Essay Training is a systematic process to develop knowledge, skill and attitude from learning experience to achieve maximum performance in an activity (Buckley and Caple 2007). Learning and education both are different but important for organisations. Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills and attitudes by experience, reflection, study and instruction. While education is a series of activities which enables to develop knowledge, skills, values and understanding that allow a broad range of problem solving and analysis (Buckley and Caple, 2007). Training plays an effective role in different kinds of learning and development. The rapid change in global environment pressurized all organisations to enhance their focus on customers. That time of producing, conceiving and marketing products dropped as organisations adopted new ways to compete in the market (Capelli et al, 1997 cited in Rod and Collin, 2000). The successful organisations should have highly skilled and committed employees who can survive in this era of competition. Workers learn to enhance their performance and want to be more competent in their roles. Work place learning is very important after education to develop a long career (Legge, 2005). Organisations can get competitive advantage upon rivals through hiring skilled staff and through better training programs. According to Brookes (1995) organisations have to support training department and the least step is to appoint a dedicated staff in personnel for this task. It is important to make a training policy for the company and allocate specific budget for training. This all points to the fact that training and development is a prime business activity which has serious objectives and requires serious management (Nilson, 2003). There are a number of benefits for individuals as a consequence of training procedures; relative to the present positions, individuals may see job satisfaction increase as a result of undergoing training (Clements and Jones, 2002). Intrinsic satisfaction may result from being able to perform a task to a higher standard, where as extrinsic satisfaction may come as a result of increased job skills, which may lead to greater earnings, career prospects and promotion possibilities (Buckley and Caple, 2007). An obvious benefit to individuals is the change from their regular work pattern, which can have recreational benefits as well, for example, less boredom and greater variety during work (Buckley and Caple, 2007). Some of the benefits of training, from an organisations perspective included higher employee performance, productivity and possibly acting as a source of competitive advantage. There a number of other potential benefits to organisations of successful training procedures; decrease in wastage and increased productivity; lower labour turnover, saving costs (Rae, 2000); higher customer satisfaction, possibly leading to greater sales; shorter learning cycles for employees, reducing expenditure (Washington, 1995); lower absenteeism and fewer accidents (Buckley and Caple, 2007). The innovations in technology brought speedy change in business environment. Training plays a critical role for individuals at work to manage careers development and organisational change. Training and learning is a pivotal business function that maximise profit and the companys long term health (Nilson, 2003, P.2). The implementation of training plan depends on a lot of factors including the proper identification of training need and individuals recognition for training need (Reid et al, 2004). Proper learning and best utilization of resources equally effect on effective outcomes (Bramley, 1986). 2.1 Approaches to Training There are a number of approaches to train employees; the systematic approach is widely adopted in the organisations. However, the reactive and proactive approaches to training are still in use by some organisations. 2.1.1 Reactive Approach The reactive approach to training tends to be an approach adopted predominantly by less developed and/or smaller organisations; this does not tend to involve pre-planning, but can be seen as spontaneous to a certain degree (Legge, 2005). This approach to training turn into action when business performance and productivity falls or seems to drop beyond a suitable level; the organisation then attempts to configure training to counteract this downturn. In comparison, to the other approaches to training, the financial layout is therefore relatively small, since training expenditure is effectively being used when it is needed (Lundy and Cowling, 1996). This approach suits smaller organisations whose finances cannot afford comprehensive training programmes which are systematically planned and administered (Lundy and Cowling, 1996). 2.1.2 Proactive Approach The proactive approach to training is effective where Organisations are actively seeking ways for training to improve their business performance; when Organisations are looking not only to improve their current training methods, but also opportunities to extend training to wider segments of their organisation. Such an approach tends to be adopted by organisations that see training as important part of their business model and essential to gaining a competitive advantage (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). 2.1.3 Systematic Approach The Systematic Approach to training is by far the approach which has been given the most attention to in literature and research (Raffe, 2004- Bratton and Gold, 2003). It is also the theoretical approach which most organisations adopt thus it is often argued it is the most logical and most successfully effective in a practical sense (Raffe, 2004). The systematic approach to training effectively revolves around dividing the training process and procedures into stages and sub-stages. McNamara (2008) identifies the stages of basic systematic approach to training which are analysis, design, develop, implement and evaluate. Analysis: This stage involves the organisations needs and identification of training goals, and the strategies to equip trainees with knowledge and skills to meet the organisations objectives. Usually this stage also includes the identification of training timings and participants. Design: This stage involves making training procedures and systems that can allow objectives to be met and a system that learners and trainers can implement to meet the learning goals. This stage involves identifying learning objectives, required facilities, funding, etc. Thus planning skills are utilised heavily here in this stage (McNamara, 2008). Develop: This stage involves obtaining the necessary resources which will be required to put together the training package designed (McNamara 2008); for example, identifying premises, materials and resources which will be required and progressing to obtain and organise them. Implement: Implementation stage tends to involve putting the training package designed into practice. It includes a variety of tasks ranging from delivering the training, clarifying training materials, administrative processes and conducting a final evaluation. This phase can include administrative activities, such as copying, scheduling facilities etc. Evaluate: This stage involves assessing training prior to, during and after its duration. It can also involve a wide variety of tasks from testing attendees on what was taught during the training, to asking their opinions on the training (McNamara, 2008). 2.2 Methods of Training The training delivery methods can be divided into cognitive and behavioural approaches. Cognitive methods provide information orally or in written form, demonstrate relationships among concepts, or provide the rules for how to do something. They stimulate learning through their impact on cognitive processes and are associated most closely with changes in knowledge and attitudes. The lecture, discussion, e-learning and case studies are cognitive methods. The cognitive methods of training can influence skill development (referenceforbusiness.com). The behavioural methods allow the trainee to practice behaviour in a real or simulated fashion. They stimulate learning through experience and are best at skill development and attitude change. The equipment simulators, business games, role plays, the in-basket technique, behaviour modelling and, to some extent, case studies are behavioural methods. Both behavioural and cognitive methods can be used to change attitudes. On-the-job training is a combination of many methods and is effective at developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Source: www.referenceforbusiness.com 2.3 Types of training Training broadly categorized into two types i.e. pre-service training and in-service training. Pre-service training is more academic in nature and is offered by formal institutions following syllabuses for certain period to offer a formal degree or diploma. In-service training, on the other hand, is offered by the organisation from time to time for the development of employees skills and knowledge. 2.3.1 Pre-service Training Pre-service training is a process through which individuals are made ready to enter a certain kind of professional job. They have to attend regular classes in a formal institution and need to complete a definite curriculum and courses successfully to receive a formal degree or diploma. They are not entitled to get a professional job unless they receive a certificate, diploma, or degree from the appropriate institution. 2.3.2 In-service Training In-service training is a process of staff development for the purpose of improving the performance of an incumbent holding a position with assigned job responsibilities. It promotes the professional growth of individuals. It is a program designed to strengthen the competencies of extension workers while they are on the job (Malone, 1984). In-service training is a problem-centred, learner-oriented, and time-bound series of activities which provide the opportunity to develop a sense of purpose and increase capacity to gain knowledge and mastery of techniques. In-service training may be categorized into five different types: induction or orientation training, foundation training, on-the-job training, refresher or maintenance training, and career development training. Induction or Orientation Training: Induction training is given immediately after employment to introduce the new staff members with their positions. It begins on the first day the new employee is on the job (Rogers Olmsted, 1957). Induction training for all employees should develop an attitude of personal dedication to the service of people and the organisation. This kind of training supplements whatever pre-service training the new personnel might have had (Halim and Ali, 1988) concerning the characteristics of a new employee. According to Van Dersal (1962) when people start to work in an organisation, they are eager to know what sort of outfit they are getting into, what they are supposed to do, and whom they will work with. They are likely to be more attentive and open-minded than experienced employees. In fact, the most favourable time for gaining employees attention and for moulding good habits among them is when they are new to the job. Foundation Training: Foundation training is in-service training which is also appropriate for newly recruited employees. Besides technical competence and routine instruction about the organisation, every staff member needs some professional knowledge about various rules and regulations of the government, financial transactions, administrative capability, communication skills, leadership ability, coordination and cooperation among different institutions, report writing etc. Foundation training is made available to employees to strengthen the foundation of their service career. This training is usually provided at an early stage of service life. Maintenance or Refresher Training: Refresher training is offered to update and maintain the specialized subject-matter knowledge of the employees. Refresher training keeps the specialists, administrators, subject-matter officers, extension supervisors, and frontline workers updated and enables them to add to the knowledge and skills they already have. Maintenance or refresher training usually deals with new information and new methods, as well as review of older ones. This type of training is needed both to keep employees at the peak of their possible production and to prevent them from getting into a rut (Van Dersal, 1962). On-the-Job Training: The On-the Job training is ad hoc or regularly scheduled training, such as fortnightly training under the training and visit system .It is provided by the superior officer or the subject specialists to the field staff. This training is generally problem or technology oriented and includes formal presentations, informal discussion, and opportunities to try out new skills and knowledge in the specific field. The administrator or subject specialist of each department must play a role in providing on-the-job training to the staff while conducting day-to-day normal activities. Career or Development Training: This type of in-service training is designed to upgrade the knowledge, skills, and ability of employees to help them to perform greater responsibilities at higher positions. The career development training is arranged departmentally for successful employees at all levels, for their continuing education and professional development. According to Malone (1984) the extension services that provide the opportunity for all staff to prepare a plan for career training will receive the benefits of having longer tenured and more satisfied employees, which increase both the effectiveness and efficiency of an extension service. Malone (1984) also stated that career development is the act of acquiring information and resources that enables one to plan a program of lifelong learning related to his or her work life. The career or development training plays a key role when a junior staff member is promoted at a higher level. 2.4 Effectiveness of Training It can be difficult to assess how effectively an organisations training processes are (Price, 2007); people often see this will be represented by organisation profitability and its efficiency (Lundy and Cowling, 1996); however, such increases are difficult, since they can attributed to a variety of factors including increases in product demand, economic/political factors and demographic changes. Despite this, it is important that firms measure training effectiveness for a number of reasons. The most recognisable and frequently used model for measuring the effectiveness of training programs was developed by Donald Kirkpatrick in 1950(Bratton and Gold 2003; Kirkpatrick, 1959; Price, 2007). It has been adapted and changed by different academics, although the basic structure has well stood the test of time (Kirkpatrick, 1998). The basic structure of Kirkpatricks four-level model is illustrated below. Source: (ftknowledge.com) Fig 2: Kirkpatrick Model for Evaluating Effectiveness of Training Programs Evaluating each level of the model can highlight the strengths and weaknesses of any particular training program or procedure; despite the progressive level composition of the model, Kirkpatrick (1998) indicates that it is still possible for a training program to be effective at the higher levels while being ineffective at the lower levels; e.g. organisational performance (level 4) may be improving as a result of the training yet employees may not have an optimal attitude or reaction to it (level 1). This view is supported by previous studies (Stokking, 1996). It is necessary to explain and discuss each component of the model in detail. 2.4.1 Reaction Reaction evaluates how employees felt about the training (Kirkpatrick, 1998). It is necessary for training programme to be effective, that employees have a positive reaction to training. This may be in the form of enjoying or finding training interesting. If employees do not react or have positive attitudes towards the training, it is likely to affect its efficiency (Armstrong, 2006). It is important to evaluate how employees feel about training whether they like or dislike it and what they feel can be add to improve their reactions. Further aspects of this component which may need to investigated, involve assessing whether delegates felt the training was an effective use of their time, whether they felt the training was relevant and were they comfortable with and its different aspects (Kirkpatrick, 1998). This is sometimes done through feedback sheets, where the delegates are given the opportunity to convey their views (Kirkpatrick, 1998). 2.4.2 Learning The learning is the evaluation of the increase in knowledge prior to and after the training procedure (Kirkpatrick, 1959). The effectiveness of this component is dependent on whether employees learned what they were intended to be taught and to what degree did their knowledge increased. This can be measured through assessments prior to and after a training session taken place, although again a questionnaire can also be given to attendants monitoring whether they personally feel their knowledge has increased (Brookes, 1995). 2.4.3 Behavioural Change The behavioural change is the extent of applied learning when back on the job (Kirkpatrick, 1998), the implementation of any learning which may have taken place. This is necessary for the organisation to realize the practical benefit of the training undertaken by their employees. Measuring strongly revolves around questioning employees on whether they felt different and more prepared for their job, as a result of their training (Mckenna and Beech, 2002). Furthermore, delegates should also be questioned on the fact whether the change when working is noticeable and whether they have been utilizing the relevant skills learned, as a result of the training undertaken (Lundy and Cowling, 1996). 2.4.4 Organisational Performance The organisational Performance is the effect on the business environment, made by their trainee upon completion of their training (Kirkpatrick, 1998). It is typical measure in terms of key performance indicators such as volumes, values and percentages and other quantifiable aspects such as turnover, attrition, quality and profits. The measuring of organisational performance resulting directly from training can be a tedious and complex process. Kirkpatrick (1998) says this cannot be measured accurately without substantial investigation since external factors, away from the training, will have a huge impact on the aspects discussed. Investigating this is limited to questioning senior managerial personnel on the organisations performance in terms such aspects and how much of the improvements/falls can be given to the actual training (Lundy and Cowling, 1996). The weakness with this approach lies in the reliance on honesty of the managerial personnel questioned, as well as their judgment . The ideal would be to involve the wide variety of relevant quantitative figures (Kirkpatrick, 1998). 2.5 Criticism on Kirkpatrick Model Kirkpatricks model for evaluation of training is well-established and in widespread use. Many organisations find it useful and since its publication no better alternative has been suggested. It is however, some criticisms relating to the model itself and the assumptions upon which it is applied. There are some criticisms of Kirkpatricks model for evaluating effectiveness of training that have implications for the ability of training evaluation to deliver benefits in the interests of organisations. These include the incompleteness of the model, the assumption of causality, and the assumption of increasing importance of information. The model is incomplete: The Kirkpatricks model for evaluating effectiveness of training gives an oversimplified view of training effectiveness that does not consider individual or contextual influences in the evaluation of training. A broad stream of research over past two decades (Ford Kraiger, 1995; Salas Cannon-Bowers, 2001; Tannenbaum Yukl, 1992) has documented the presence of a wide range of organisational, individual, and training design and delivery factors that can influence training effectiveness before, during, or after training. This research has led to a new understanding of training effectiveness that considers characteristics of the organisation and work environment and characteristics of the individual trainee as crucial input factors (Cannon-Bowers, Salas, Tannenbaum, 1995). The contextual factors such as the learning culture of the organisation (Tracy, Tannenbaum, Kavanaugh, 1995), organisational or work unit goals and values (Ford, Quinones, Sego, Sorra, 1992), the nature of interpersonal support in the workplace for skill acquisition and behaviour change (Bates, Holton, Seyler, Carvalho,2000) the climate for learning transfer (Rouiller Goldstein,1993), and the adequacy of material resources have been shown to influence the effectiveness of training process. The Kirkpatricks model assumes that examination of these factors is not essential for effective evaluation of training. The assumption of causal linkages: Kirkpatricks model for evaluating effectiveness of training assumes that the levels of criteria represent a causal chain such that positive reactions lead to greater learning, which produces greater transfer and subsequently more positive results. Although Kirkpatrick is vague about the precise nature of the causal linkages between training outcomes, his writings do imply that a simple causal relationship exists between the levels of evaluation (Holton, 1996). In one of Kirkpatricks more recent publications he stated that if training is going to be effective, it is important that trainees react favourably and that without learning, no change in behaviour will occur (Kirkpatrick, 1994), research, however, largely failed to confirm such causal linkages. Incremental importance of information: Kirkpatricks model for evaluating effectiveness of training assumes that each level of evaluation provides data that is more informative than the last (Alliger Janak, 1989). This assumption has produced the perception among training evaluators that establishing level four results will provide the most useful information about training process effectiveness. Although there are some criticisms upon Kirkpatrick model for evaluating training effectiveness but this model is well suited in addressing the objectives of this research, which significantly focus on assessing if training problems exist, as well as training effectiveness and identifying potential improvements within bank. 2.6 Problems of Training Evaluation There are many problems which exist and can occur that can hinder the training process; these can vary strongly dependent on factors such as organisation type, training type, etc (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). To point out some of the common problems of the training process, the researcher has opted to use the components of Kirkpatricks model. Reaction: The common problem is that training may be boring, uninteresting and negatively seen by the employees; a positive reaction perception of training in the view of employees is important to the effectiveness of training. As with development aspects in general it is usually necessary for people to enjoy them or at the very least not dislike them, to be impressionable (Noe, 1998). Learning: The learning styles of employees can strongly affect the how much they can learn during training sessions. Honey and Mumford (1989) identify four styles of learning which outline ways to which an individual may be favoured to learning; these are activists, reflectors, theorists and pragmatists. Behavioural Change: Behavioural Change can be affected in numerous ways; this is the aspect which determines the extent to which the practical benefit of training is realized. The common problem which can prevent behavioural change being realized is that of a lack of relevance (Kirkpatrick, 1959). If the training undertaken by employees is not relevant to the skills required in their job then they are unlikely to change to a more effective way of working. The other main problems of effective behavioural change lie in the ability of the individuals to transfer any new skills they have learnt during training (Gibb, 2007). Organisational Performance: Training however successful at variety of levels may not necessarily translate into improved organisational performance; the variety of external factors affecting an organisations performance as well as individuals performance, can mean that even if the training is perfectly designed it may not lead to greater performance on a business level (Rod and Colin, 2000). There is fact that many training programs are focused on informing trainees as opposed to directly intending to improve their job performance (Gibb, 2007). 3.0 Research Methodology To obtain maximum output researcher has to devise an appropriate research strategy which will be beneficial for accurate results while analysing the data. Author elaborates the research methods and approaches which will be used in this investigation. An effective research can only conducted by using relevant strategies out of many and each of them can be used for exploratory, descriptive and explanatory research (Saunders, 2007). According to Deetz (1996) different modes of research allow us to understand different phenomena and for different reasons. The methodology chosen depends on what researcher is trying to do rather than a commitment to a particular paradigm (Cavaye, 1996). The methodology used must match the particular objectives of research. Different phenomena may require the use of different or a set of methodologies. By focusing on the phenomenon under examination, rather than the methodology, researchers can select appropriate methodologies for their enquiries (Falconer Mackay, 1999). 3.1 Research Paradigms The term paradigm is introduced by the Thomas Kuhn, he characterizes a paradigm as: An integrated cluster of substantive concepts, variables and problems attached with corresponding methodological approaches and tools (Kuhn, 1962).In the past century, different paradigms have introduced due to the remarkable growth in the research. There are two main paradigms to verify the theoretical propositions, i.e. positivism and anti-positivism. Positivism comprises on usage of natural science approach. Researcher prefers to work along with an observable social reality which results in making law similar to natural scientists (Remenyi et al, 1998,). This is useful for quantitative research with logics. An important factor of positivism approach is that research can go as far as possible and in a value free manner (Saunders, 2007). Although positivistic paradigm continued to influence educational research for a long time in the latter half of the twentieth century, it was criticized due to its lack of regard for the subjective states of individuals. It regards human behaviour as passive, controlled and determined by external environment. Hence human beings are dehumanized without their intention, individualism and freedom taken into account in viewing and interpreting social reality. According to the critics of this paradigm, objectivity needs to be replaced by subjectivity in the process of scientific inquiry. This gave rise to anti-positivism or naturalistic inquiry. Anti-positivism emphasizes that social reality is viewed and interpreted by the individual according to the ideological positions they posses. The anti-positivists believe that reality is multi-layered and complex (Cohen et al, 2000) and a single phenomenon are having multiple interpretations. Positivism emphasizes objectivist approach to studying social phenomena and gives importance to research methods focusing on quantitative analysis, surveys, experiments etc. Similarly, anti-positivism stresses on subjectivist approach to studying social phenomena attaches importance to a range of research techniques focusing on qualitative analysis like personal interviews, participant observations, account of individuals, personal constructs etc. Other research paradigms further exist in the form of Interpretivism and Realism. Interpretivism is based on beliefs of people and interprets the meaning which they perceive. This emphasises creating research among people than objects. The interpretivist approach is significant if research is conducted in the fields of marketing, organisational behaviour and human resource management (Saunders, 2007). Realism comprises on the fact that reality is independent of the mind. It is totally based on reality rather than idealism. The underlying assumption of realism is that senses show us reality and that is truth. In other words, objects have their existence and thats the reality (Saunders, 2007). Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are utilized when adopting a realism stance (Maylor and Blackmon, 2005). The researcher sees combination of both Interpretivist and Realism stances the most appropriate way to approach this study. The interpretive stance is essential to establish the effectiveness of training activities within the bank while the realism philosophy is important to allowing the other research objectives to be met. According to Easterby Smith it is rare for research to be conducted from a single philosophical perspective, a combination of stances is mostly needed to allow research objectives to be met (Easterby Smith et al, 2002). 3.2 Qualitative and Quantitative Methods Both qualitative and quantitative methods are to be used in this research, thus it is important that both of these to be discussed. Qualitative Methods: Qualitative research methods look more at human perceptions of issues. They tend to offer an insight and deeper, broader understanding of matters, rather than more clinical, concise quantitative approach (Collis and Hussey, 2003).Such methods uncover meanings and the variety of human response. Because they view issues with a social context methods tends to be unstructured and possesses an element of authenticity (Jankowicz, 2005). The qualitative methods which researcher intends to use primarily are semi-structured interviews. Quantitative Methods: Quantitative methods look at facts and figures that can be measured in some way to achieve a quantified, or generalized in terms of their relationship with each other (Collis and Hussey, 2003).The techniques in this type of research include experiments (in which a hypothesis may be tested out under controlled conditions), surveys and questionnaires. The questions are closed ended and structured interviews. 3.3 Primary Research Primary data is collected data, which has specifically being done to answer questions passed by the current research objectives. There are many means of obtaining primary data such as observation, surveys, interviews and questionnaire. The researcher intends to use questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and observation for primary data collection in this research. One of the main advantages of primary data is the availability of up to date data so the credibility of the data usually cannot be questioned (Collis and Hussey, 2003) while the major disadvantages of primary data collection is that it can be a difficult process, especially in terms of time consumption as finding participant, setting up the actual research process and then analyzing the results usually takes up a lot of time (Collis and Hussey, 2003

Portrait of a Victim in Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye :: Bluest Eye Essays

Portrait of a Victim: Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye      The Bluest Eye (1970) is the novel that launched Toni Morrison into the spotlight as a talented African-American writer and social critic. Morrison herself says â€Å"It would be a mistake to assume that writers are disconnected from social issues† (Leflore). Because Morrison is more willing than most authors to discuss meaning in her books, a genetic approach is very relevant. To be truly effective, though, the genetic approach must be combined with a formal approach. The formal approach allows the unpacking of the rich language, imagery, and metaphors of Morrison’s writing, and the genetic places it in the larger context of her social consciousness.   In The Bluest Eye, Morrison’s uses her critical eye to reveal to the reader the evil that is caused by a society that is indoctrinated by the inherent goodness and beauty of whiteness and the ugliness of blackness. In an interview with Milwaukee Journal staff writer Fannie Leflore, Morrison said that she â€Å"confronted and critiqued the devastation of racial images† in The Bluest Eye.   The narrative structure of The Bluest Eye is important in revealing just how pervasive and destructive the â€Å"racialization† (Morrison’s term for the racism that is a part of every person’s socialization) is (Leflore). Morrison is particularly concerned about the narration in her novels. She says, â€Å"People crave narration . . . That’s the way they learn things† (Bakerman 58). Narration in The Bluest Eye comes from several sources. Much of the narration comes from Claudia MacTeer as a nine year old child, but Morrison also gives the reader the benefit of Claudia reflecting on the story as an adult, some first person narration from Pecola’s mother, and narration by Morrison herself as an omniscient narrator. Morrison says, â€Å"First I wrote it [the section in The Bluest Eye about Pecola’s mother] out as an ‘I’ story, but it didn’t work . . . Then I wrote it out as a ‘she’ story, and that did n’t work . . . It was me, the author, sort of omnipotent, talking† (Bakerman 59). Morrison intentionally kept Pecola from any first person narration of the story. Morrison wanted to â€Å"try to show a little girl as a total and complete victim of whatever was around her,† and she needed the distance and innocence of Claudia’s narration to do that (Stepto 479).

slaverybel Treatment of Slaves in Toni Morrisons Beloved Essay

Contrasting Treatment of Slaves in Beloved  Ã‚     Slavery has always been a known as a relationship of one person entirely under the domination of another person.   One of the horrific instances of slavery took place in the Americas between the 15th and 19th centuries.   During this time Europeans living in the New World enslaved Blacks from Africa.   The White European enslaved many Blacks from Africa, but the degree that each master treated his slaves was different.   This contrasting treatment of Slaves is portrayed in Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved.   The two masters in the book; Mr. Garner and Schoolteacher treat the same slaves very differently.   Mr. Garner gives his slaves as much freedom as he sees fit.   Conversely, Schoolteacher controls his slaves with an iron fist.   The way that Schoolteacher manages his slaves is a superior way to control slaves because it is more up front.   He gave his slaves a sense of identity, while Mr. Gardner deceived his slaves and provided them with a lack of ident ity.   The first master, Mr. Garner was in charge of the farm called â€Å"Sweet Home† before the other master named Schoolteacher took over. Mr. Garner ruled his slaves without raising a fist.   He was a seemingly polite master.   He considered his Slaves â€Å"men† and allowed them to do things that most owners wouldn’t.   His slaves were allowed and encouraged to correct him, and â€Å"even defy him† (p.125).   He allowed his slaves â€Å"to buy a mother, choose a horse or a wife, handle guns, even learn to read if they wanted to† (p.125).   These are actions that a typical slave owner didn’t allow.   But Mr. Garner was not a typical slave owner.   He was a proud man, and very pleased with the way he ran his farm and his slaves.  Ã‚   Some writers even feel tha... ...eet Home.   He realized that he and the other slaves had all â€Å"been isolated in a wonderful lie† (p.221).   He finally comes to the conclusion that life was really was not better under Mr. Garner.   He was a slave both under Mr. Garner and under Schoolteacher.   The only difference is that under Schoolteacher he had an identity.   There are many different ways a human being can control another.   During the 1800’s slavery was a common practice in the southern states of the United States and throughout Latin America. During this time many Africans were enslaved.   Most Africans lived their lives knowing that their purpose in life was to be slaves.   Others lived their lives with a lack of identity, never actually realizing their purpose in life and in doing so living a life of deception. Works Cited: Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York, Penguin Books USA Inc, 1988. slaverybel Treatment of Slaves in Toni Morrison's Beloved Essay Contrasting Treatment of Slaves in Beloved  Ã‚     Slavery has always been a known as a relationship of one person entirely under the domination of another person.   One of the horrific instances of slavery took place in the Americas between the 15th and 19th centuries.   During this time Europeans living in the New World enslaved Blacks from Africa.   The White European enslaved many Blacks from Africa, but the degree that each master treated his slaves was different.   This contrasting treatment of Slaves is portrayed in Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved.   The two masters in the book; Mr. Garner and Schoolteacher treat the same slaves very differently.   Mr. Garner gives his slaves as much freedom as he sees fit.   Conversely, Schoolteacher controls his slaves with an iron fist.   The way that Schoolteacher manages his slaves is a superior way to control slaves because it is more up front.   He gave his slaves a sense of identity, while Mr. Gardner deceived his slaves and provided them with a lack of ident ity.   The first master, Mr. Garner was in charge of the farm called â€Å"Sweet Home† before the other master named Schoolteacher took over. Mr. Garner ruled his slaves without raising a fist.   He was a seemingly polite master.   He considered his Slaves â€Å"men† and allowed them to do things that most owners wouldn’t.   His slaves were allowed and encouraged to correct him, and â€Å"even defy him† (p.125).   He allowed his slaves â€Å"to buy a mother, choose a horse or a wife, handle guns, even learn to read if they wanted to† (p.125).   These are actions that a typical slave owner didn’t allow.   But Mr. Garner was not a typical slave owner.   He was a proud man, and very pleased with the way he ran his farm and his slaves.  Ã‚   Some writers even feel tha... ...eet Home.   He realized that he and the other slaves had all â€Å"been isolated in a wonderful lie† (p.221).   He finally comes to the conclusion that life was really was not better under Mr. Garner.   He was a slave both under Mr. Garner and under Schoolteacher.   The only difference is that under Schoolteacher he had an identity.   There are many different ways a human being can control another.   During the 1800’s slavery was a common practice in the southern states of the United States and throughout Latin America. During this time many Africans were enslaved.   Most Africans lived their lives knowing that their purpose in life was to be slaves.   Others lived their lives with a lack of identity, never actually realizing their purpose in life and in doing so living a life of deception. Works Cited: Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York, Penguin Books USA Inc, 1988.