Monday, September 30, 2019

Wal-Mart

It will describe Wal-Mart as a non-union employer, paying lower wages to heir employees than other retail and grocery stores. They do not offer benefits to all employees and most are unable to afford them. Between Wal-Mart's business practices in increasing their profits and the need to recognize their social and ethical responsibilities, Wal-Mart needs to find a comfortable balance of profitability and responsibility in order to improve their reputation. During the process of writing this report, we found that there was much more Information to be discussed about Wal-Mart's unethical business practice than what was reported.We also wanted to point out that although all companies do everything ossible to lower their costs and maintain high production rates, Wal-Mart has crossed the line over the years by managing their profits In unethical ways compared to otner large corporatlons wno nave Deen etnlcally ana successTully managlng tnelr business practices. Information that can be foun d on Wal-Mart is changing everyday and it was sometimes difficult to keep up. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Wal-Mart has been recognized as the leader in its industry and the largest company in the nation.With its powerful profit making abilities, Wal-Mart has grown from a local corner store to the money making â€Å"monster† it is today. The company has amaged its reputation over the years due to unethical choices made by its top executives. As a result, its anti-union stance has been singled out on issues concerning benefits, wages, and overall business practices. When reviewing Wal- Mart's financial statements, one would be overwhelmed to see such high performances; but when you are a Wal-Mart employee, it is no surprise why that is true.Employees have been denied opportunities of advancement and pay raises. Lawsuits have been pending against the company with employees claiming they have been denied promotion opportunities in the company due to their gender, and some mployees have sue d for being over-worked and under paid. Wal-Mart has become so big in its industry, that it has lowered the wages through out the country and has influenced economic change. Since most of Wal-Mart's employees live below the poverty line, it is difficult for them to afford health insurance when deductions out of their paychecks are sometimes as high as 33%.A Wal-Mart employee who obtains health insurance would have a very difficult time raising a family with this kind of premium. Wal-Mart employees are unable to receive healthcare benefits because the cost is too high and their wages are low. As a result, employees face a difficult time deciding whether to sacrifice such a large portion of their pay to obtain health insurance; in most cases Wal-Mart employees persist without health coverage. Deductions for health insurance are higher for Wal-Mart employees than other national retail employees.A Wal-Mart employee pays about 25% more for health insurance than the average retail worker. Wal-Mart has also been opposed by its female employees, who make up two- thirds of its workforce. Women have been discriminated in wage and have been denied any advancement to upper managerial positions – dominated my men. Men ake approximately more than women and have a higher chance of advancing to a better position. Dukes vs. Wal-Mart, filed in 2001, was the largest lawsuit against a private employer in the nation and represented 1. million female employees who were discriminated based on their sex. From lawsults to employee complalnts, Wal-Mart nas Deen Tacea wltn a great deal 0T difficulties that have developed through their own unethical business practices. Although every company's goal is to lower costs and produce large numbers, Wal- Mart has made sky-rocketing profits by unethically hurting its employees and cutting down their wages. Many question why Wal-Mart, the richest retailer in the world, chooses not to provide adequate wages or health benefits for its employ ees.If Wal-Mart were to reform its health benefits program, raise their product prices by as little as a penny, and create a bias free working environment for women, Wal- Mart would be in better terms with its employees and improve the reputation it sacrificed from the start. NOT ON WAL-MART WAGES INTRODUCTION Background Wal-Mart, the large international discount chain was founded by Sam Walton. On May 5, 1950, Walton purchased a store in Bentonville, Arkansas, and opened Walton's & 10.Little did the small town residents know that they would later become the headquarters for the world's largest retailer store in the U. S. Through his sa'. n. y, and sometimes unusual, business practices, he and his associates led the company forward for thirty years. As Wal-Mart grew into a global corporation it is today, it has dealt with a great deal of criticism by outsiders. Wal-Mart's ethical citizenship has been questioned numerous times and researched by many. There have been many doubts about Wal- Mart's business integrity and questions whether their practices are ethical or not.Wal-Mart has faced, and is still facing, a significant amount of controversy over several different issues. Wal-Mart has been caught bribing its employees, discriminating against women, denying its employees of training or promotions, paying low wages, and providing high deductibles for health insurance. Wal-Mart is now paying the consequences and need to become socially responsible in order to maintain a better reputation with society. Although consumers are reeled in with the low prices Wal-Mart has to offer, others feel their ethical beliefs are more important than saving a quick buck.Purpose Statement of The purpose of this report is to examine Wal-Mart's unethical business practices with a focus on employee wages and high health care deductibles. The report will question Wal-Mart's aptitude to sell products cheaper than any of its leading competitors and yet maintain making a substantial am ount of profit. The report will analyze the unethical practices that have developed through Wal-Mart's history as a result of focusing on high productivity and profit making strategies. cope The report will describe Wal-Mart's unethical business practices that affect its employees. It will examine Wal-Mart's unethical behavior in conducting business with n overall focus on employee wages. Limitations Time constraints have limited the extent of the research. There is a vast amount of information regarding this issue and we are unable to report it all. In addition, no funds are available to conduct primary research. Methods of Research The method of research for this paper was secondary research through databases, internet websites, and books.The research databases of California State University, Los Angeles, will be used to locate articles in current and past publication. The databases used are Lexis/Nexis and Business Source Premiere. Also libraries, uch as the John F. Kennedy Memor ial Library at California State University, Los Angeles and Los Angeles Public Library in Porter Ranch, California. The major findings of this study indicate that Wal-Mart being the world's largest and richest retail chain is setting the standard on wages for retail workers and beyond.Because Wal-Mart has become so big, it has dragged down wages throughout the country. Wal-Mart has become what it is today by selling products at low prices and paying their â€Å"associates† even lower wages. Unhappy Wal-Mart workers complain as much about being over-worked as underpaid. Wal-Mart has its own stated policies at its employees' expense. Wal-Mart pays it's â€Å"associates† below basic living wage standards and even below poverty lines. Overworked and Underpaid Employees H. Lee Scott Jr. is the chief executive of the powerful corporation we call Wal-Mart.According to Mr. Scott, by selling vast quantities of goods at its trademark â€Å"Every Day Low Prices,† Wal-Mart has single-handedly raised America's standard of living, saving consumers about $100 billion a year (Bianco 2). They feel that selling vast quantities of low price merchandise gives them the right to act as if they represent the American people. Scott states, â€Å"Wal-Mart also provides good Jobs for hundreds of thousands of equally deserving employees, offers even part-time workers generous health insurance and other benefits† (Bianco 2).He accuses greedy labor unions, inefficient supermarket chains, and other Wal-Mart opponents of distorting â€Å"the facts† to suit their own purposes. Wal-Mart insists on describing themselves as â€Å"pro-associate, not anti-union,† but is quick to suppress any and all attempts to have unions organize in its stores. In his book The Bully of Bentonville, Anthony Bianco describes how Wal-Mart has ffected wages beyond their own company: Because Wal-Mart Is so Dig, It nas araggea clown wages tnrougnout the country.Economists at the University of California at Berkeley found that Wal-Mart's expansion during the 1990s cut the income of America's retail employees by 1. 3 percent-or by $4. 7 billion in 2000 alone. What is more, the depressing effect of Wal-Mart's expansion on payrolls extended well beyond retailing. According to a 2005 analysis by economists at the Public Policy Institute of California, take-home pay per person fell by 5 percent across the board following Wal-Mart's entry into a country.The evidence â€Å"strongly suggest(s) that Wal-Mart stores lead to wage declines, shifts to lower-paying Jobs (or less skilled workers), or increased use of part-time workers. (4) Today, Wal-Mart is surrounded by controversy, but the greatest is from within. Unhappy employees are quitting and dozens of class-action lawsuits are pending against the company. Managers have been known to force employees to work extra hours without pay; either by eliminating breaks or by having them clock out and keep working â₠¬Å"off the clock†. This is Wal-Mart's way of saving on costs at the price of its employees.Store managers earn bonuses based on earnings. Since the corporation dictates the inventory and operating expenses, managers' only control is labor costs. Joyce Moody, a former manager in Alabama and Mississippi, told the New York Times that Wal-Mart â€Å"threatened to write up managers if they didn't bring the payroll in low enough†. Depositions in wage and hour lawsuits reveal that company headquarters leaned on management to keep their labor costs at 8 percent of sales or less, and managers in turn leaned on assistant managers to work their employee's off-the-clock or simply delete time from employee time sheet (ufcw. g). In the late 1990's Wal-Mart's annual turnover rate was a remarkably high 70 percent, 40 percent higher than in previous years (Slater 120). Wal-Mart does not see this as being a problem. The constant turnover reduces employees eligible for raises, promotions, benefits, and holds the average wage down. Just another way to keep payroll costs at a minimum. Employee Wages Wal-Mart employs 1. 3 million workers in Just the U. S. and operates more than 3,400 stores throughout the United States. A full time employee working 28- 40 hours a week at Wal-Mart is paid on an average of $250 a week.Besides having low wages, those workers who are interested or eligible in obtaining health insurance for themselves or for their family pay high premiums and frequently don't get the coverage they expect. The majority of Wal-Mart employees live below the poverty line and after making deductions in taxes and insurance coverage, a Wal-Mart employee's salary is not enough to provide them a standard way of living. â€Å"The 2003 poverty guideline for a family of four is $18,400, $4,256 more than the $14,144 in earnings a full-time Wal-Mart worker earns at $8 per hour†¦A household of four with a gross ncome of $23,920 or less could be eligible for food sta mps -$9,776 more than a full- time, $8-an-hour Wal-Mart worker would earn in a year. † (www. aflcio. org) These numDers are even worst Tor part time workers. I oaay, one -tnlra 0T Wal-Marts employees are part-time workers. They are limited to less than 34 hours of work per week and are not eligible for benefits and must wait 1 year before they can enroll. Sex Discrimination in the Work Place In addition to Wal-Mart's low wages, its female workers are more disadvantaged and discriminated against in wage than its male workers.More than two thirds of Wal- Mart's hourly employees are women and make up most of the lower wage positions which include: working the cash registers, stocking shelves and working the sales floor. Although men take responsibilities in these positions as well, the majority of men who work at Wal-Mart have positions as Management Associates or much higher ranked positions. Seventy-two percent of Wal-Mart employees are female and less than one-third of those w omen have management positions in the company.With that in mind, the average male employee was paid about $5,000 more in 2001 per year than the average female full-time employee. As Wal-Mart's own workforce data reveals, women in every major Job category at Wal-Mart have been paid less than men with the same seniority, in every year since 1997 even though the female employees on average have higher performance ratings and less turnover than men. (http://www. walmartclass. com). Dukes vs. Wal-Mart is said to be the largest and most famous gender discrimination lawsuit against a private employer and is the largest class-action suit in U.S. history, representing 1. 6 million current and former female employees. Betty Dukes was the leading plaintiff in the case and sued Wal-Mart for ex discrimination; she was a fifty-four year old African-American woman who worked as a greeter for Wal-Mart. Factors such as seniority and performance were Wal-Mart's main excuses and reasons that women ear ned from 5% to 15% less than men. It is disappointing to see that even the cashier positions, that are dominated by women, have men earning more than women.Wal-Mart not only overworks, under pays and discriminates against women, but it also provides neither childcare for workers or affordable family health benefits. Unaffordable Healthcare Deductibles Wal-Mart employees are incapable of receiving healthcare benefits available for hem because of its high cost and their low wages. Since most of Wal-Mart's employees are unable to afford these health benefits, most of these individuals either turn to government aided insurance such as Medicaid, depend on their spouse's plans, or expect to see a doctor in rare and emergency cases with no insurance.It is argued that uncovered Wal-Mart employees are not signing up for medical insurance and benefits because most of them exceed the income ceiling and are not eligible. Wal-Mart provides insurance for over 900,000 employees that are with and w ith out dependants. Employee premiums range between $143. 54 to $249. 71 per month for family coverage and $33. 04 to $72. 04 per month for single coverage. The National Average of workers covered by employer health insurance is 67 percent, and only 47 percent of Wal-Mart's employees are covered by the company's health care plan.That is a huge gap when considering that each percent represents thousands of people. Most Wal-Mart employees have a difficult time aec101ng wnetner to attaln nealtn Insurance or stay unlnsurea Tor tne sake 0T saving money. ‘Cynthia Murray, who has worked at a Wal-Mart store in Laurel, Md. , or six years, suffers from asthma, but goes to see a doctor only when she suffers a bad attack. Murray is 50 years old, makes $9. 47 an hour, and says that the Wal-Mart plan that costs $23 a month has a $1,000 deductible, which makes it too expensive for her to use. Another plan subtracts $100 from her paycheck every two weeks. l don't think anybody working at Wal- Mart has that kind of money,† says Murray. â€Å"All I'm asking from Wal-Mart is a fair share† (Gogol). Many Americans question why Wal- Mart, one of the richest companies in the United States, can't offer affordable health insurance and pay a living wage. Comparing Wal-Mart's employee health benefits and wages to Costco's employee health benefits and wages, one will notice that Costco not only pays its employees higher than Wal-Mart but their deductions are far less. â€Å"The average wage at Costco is $17 an hour†¦. a full-time worker at Wal-Mart makes $7. 0 an hour on average. Costco workers pay Just 8% of their health premiums, whereas Wal-Mart workers pay 33% of theirs. Ninety-one percent of Costco's employees are covered by retirement plans, with the company contributing an annual average of $1 ,330 per employee† (Cascio). Based on these facts, it is easy to ay that Wal-Mart employees are giving up a large portion of their paychecks to obtain health ca re. Wal-Mart employees who do have health insurance and receive coverage are paying more in premiums but receive less for their money; in large corporations this has become a trend.New laws have been passed intended to force large corporations to control employee wages and reduce insurance deductibles. From law suits to employee complaints, Wal-Mart has recently thought of ways to reduce the cost of health benefits. The new plan would charge monthly premiums ranging from $25. 00 for individuals to $65. 0 for a family, making that 45-65% less than what employees contributed in the company's existing plan. But it is not enough to reform the reputation Wal-Mart has lost or the vulnerable employees they let down. oncluslons High productivity and lowering costs is one of the top and most important objectives in business. Wal-Mart being the World's largest retailer can afford to pay their â€Å"associates† more than what the minimum wage offers. They are in fact, the richest retail er in the world and yet neglect to provide their employees affordable health care with a livable wage. Even if Wal-Mart was to pass 100 percent of the wage ncrease on to consumers, the average impact on a Wal-Mart shopper would be quite small.Wal-Mart's choice of action toward employee wages, health benefits, and bias work environment have not only brought an enormous shadow over its employees' lives but also over its own big business reputation. The injustice decisions made through out the history of Wal-Mart has changed many lives and has forever changed the American economy. In the business world, there is big, and then there is Wal-Mart. Recommendations Based on the conclusions presented above, the following actions are recommended: 1 . Retaining â€Å"associates† already on staff would be more cost affective then high employee turnover. 2.Train employees. Give the opportunity to advance and have freedom to associate and organize. 12 3. Our analysis reveals that establish ing a higher minimum wage for large retailers like Wal-Mart would have a significant impact on workers living in poverty or near- poverty. 4. In order to increase employee satisfaction, reforming the cost of health insurance would help keep Wal-Mart in good terms with their employees. 5. If Wal- Mart was to raise their prices by as little as a penny to the dollar it would afford them o pay the higher wages. Higher wages provide the employees opportunity to afford health coverage. . Implementing fair employment and labor practices.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Effectiveness of a Country’s Educational Provision Essay

Introduction In the last quarter of the twentieth century, an increasing consensus developed concerning the link between economic prosperity and effectiveness of a country’s educational provision. As globalization gathered pace dramatically in the 1980’s and 199’s, this link became more overt as the comparison and competitiveness between nations inevitably increases. At the heart of the argument for the link, is the need for an educational workforce, without which a country’s economy will not keep pace.1 In the World Conference on Education For All, which assembled Jomtien, Thailand, it was recognized that the current provision of education seriously deficient and that it must be made relevant, qualitatively improve and made universally available to enable every person, child, and adult to meet the basic learning needs. These needs comprise both essential earning tools such as __________________ 1 David Middle Wood and Carlo Cardno, â€Å"Managing Teacher Performance. and the learning content (such as knowledge, skills, values and attitudes) required by human beings to be able to survive, to develop to their full capacities to live and work with dignity, to participate fully in development, to improve the quality of lives, to make informed decisions and to continue learning. 2 Education is the vital key to national development. More important is the training and development of human resources of teachers who are the frontiers of our educative pursuit. American may continue to lead the word of science and technology but its record of educating its citizens in those subjects is fairly dismal. An NSF panel has spent 128 months examining the state of Science, Mathematics,  Engineering and Technology (SME) and at the undergraduate level and reviewing hundreds of comments from academic. The overwhelming consensus is that most of the SME courses acts as filters. They screen out all but the promising students- those embarking on __________________ careers, leaving majority of the graduates with litters understanding of how science works. This worries the policy makers because many disgruntled students become teachers with little enthusiasm for the subject perpetuating a cycle of scientific and technological.4 Ana Marie Pamintuan, in her column entitled â€Å"Sketches†, in the December 12, 2000 issue of the Philippines Start stated: â€Å"In a season of bad news, there was one item I found particularly depressing. Filipino first year high school students ranked 36th among 38 countries in the Third International Mathematics and Science Studies (TIMSS). According to result, in the latest TIMSS, Japan ran fifth in Mathematics and fourth in Science. It can be expected that many people will really blame the education system for the Filipino students’ dismal performance. Although the schools along with the curriculum, teacher, supervisor, administrators and other elements that comprise the input components of the school as a social system, should take part of the blame. 5 __________________ 4 National Science Foundation, 1999). 5 Aquino, G. Effective Teaching. EDCOM reports that teacher is poorly trained. Many teachers at all levels do not have the optimum qualification for teaching. The proportion of high school teachers of science and mathematics, for example, do not have even  the minimal preparation for the teaching ranges from 54.6 percent to 5 percent. IN the 1991 DOST test given to both teachers and students in first year of the Second Education Program (SEDP), the total mean percentage score (54.08) of the first year high school teachers was only 8.79 points higher than those of the students (42.29). This deplorable performance can be traced to poor teacher training and the low quality of students enrolled in the teacher training.6 To further upgrade the standard of science education in the Philippines, the Department of science and Technology (DOST), University of the Philippines Science and Mathematics Education (UP-SMED) now National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (NISMED), the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have launched a joint project, the purpose of which is to __________________ 6 (EDOM: 1995). develop human resources which would ultimately enhance and upgrade the capabilities of science and mathematics teachers. The core program was the development of thinking skills through practical work and laboratory experiment.7 These are challenging times for the country’s educational system Cooperative efforts at all levels of instruction are directed towards common goal to improve the quality of education. Much more evident are such efforts aimed at reform in Science Education. Varied approaches and techniques have been pioneered to make classroom filled with fruitful investigations to uncover new and useful informations. A great variety of instructional materials and facts intended for daily classroom instruction have been assembled utilizing the indigenous resources of the community. Innovative procedures of presenting learning tasks have been tried to make every teaching-learning situation, encounter more exciting and hallenging.8 Of the 50 schools tested, ___________________  it was revealed what students from 20 schools did not master the topic taught, 27 schools nearing mastery, and only 1 school reported mastery level.9 The low performance of students in science also became the justification for the formulation and launching of the Science and Technology Education Plan (STEP) with Project RISE (Rescue Initiative for Science Education) as one of its project under the manpower development component. One of the major problems cited in the Accomplishment Report prepared by STEP stated, â€Å"every little was done about following up the trainees on in their use of their acquired skills.10  The problem reported b the STEP, prompted the researcher, being one of the trainors of the program, Project RISE, at the Regional Science and Teaching Center (RSTC-UEP) to assess the accomplishment of Project RISE, as to whether it achieved the goal and objectives set for – the training of science teachers to ___________________ improve their teaching competencies and raise the performance levels of the students in General Science. Statement of the Problem This study will try to assess the effectiveness of Project RISE in the Secondary Schools in the Division of Northern Samar, using the DOST-SET Monitoring and Evaluation Forms from its implantation in 1998. Specifically, this study will try to answer at the following questions. 1. What is the extent of accomplishment of Project RISE in terms of: 1. Objective of the program 2. Course content 3. Participants’ profile 4. Trainers profile 2. What is the status of the processing variables such as the following: 1. Teachers 1. Attitude towards teaching General Science 2. Content knowledge and laboratory skills 3. Classroom management 4. Time management 5. Teaching strategies 6. Skills in the utilization of instructional material 7. Skills maintaining classroom discussion 8. Skills in motivating 2. Administrators 1. Administrative support 3. Student 1. Attitudes towards General Science 3. What is the status of Project RISE on the following: 1. Teaching competencies of the teacher-participants as observed and evaluated by the principal. 2. Teacher’s perception on how the training improved their competencies. 3. Student’s performance in General Science/ Theoretical Framework The framework for the evaluation of Project RISE in the Division of Northern Samar particularly in General Science, will make use of the system theory propounded by Millilin. System theory engages a process of examining a school system or educational system (for a program or project), not by piecemeal approach where every element of the system stand independent of the others, but as an organic group of elements, as a system with interaction subsystems inside the school system (social, economic, cultural, political and technological), a system that contributes to society through its outputs the same society from which the school received its inputs, and  layer on as a system that receive feedbacks from the society as to the defined â€Å"value added† through outputs.11 Moreover, that the system theory gives a holistic view of advocating its internal efficiency as well as its external productivity: it calls for an interdisciplinary approach which mean that I considers how all the various system are interrelated, and it is a _________________  self-connective approach because it considers and profits from feedbacks received from its environs.12 The appraisal process using the system theory is hinged on the input, throughput and output concepts. The input includes the setting of verifiable objectives that become standards: the throughputs refers to the actually performance of the organization that is being evaluated; the outputs include the measuring of performance against standards such as the formal type of comprehensive review. A build in feedback mechanism pinpoint the flaws or errors in program implementation. Then corrective actions for undesirable deviation from standards are formulated. The system of evaluation is cyclical in nature consistent of formulation, implementation, monitoring and feedback pointing to the continuous assessment for program revision and improvement. Whichever is pinpointed as error implementation become the focus corrective decisions and actions and for program revisions. The advantage of the system evaluation concept lie in its ability to correct program errors at their earliest stages. Early direction and correction of ____________________ 12 Ibid. program implementation errors diminish the possibilities of incurring financial losses and unnecessary waste of efforts by the personnel implementing the program.  Therefore, assessing Project RISE, specially those having bearing on its accomplishments and innovations achieved by the teacher trainees in General  Science six year after might be a sound decision. This study is also supported by Bautista’s theory on evaluation, which shed light to the program design, assesses the implementation in terms of results of long effects. It is evaluation that provides timely and realistic feedback to the change agents, making the maximization of fiscal manpower resources possible. Programs are not evaluated attend to maintain a status quo to stagnate subsequently. One type of evaluation is the ex-post evaluation or impact evaluation. This is undertaken to determine whether the program or project merits expansion or replication in other areas and ascertain what aspects can be modified to improve implementation in other area. This study is then called an impact evaluation because it with try to assess the _________________  status of Project RISE teachers’ train on their overall performance as General Science Teachers. Carino’s theory, also sustains that accountability is a central problem of the government. The activities of civil servants and public agencies must follow the will of the people to whom they are ultimately responsible. The public ness of their employment and goals therefore prescribe their behavior and circumscribe their choice. Therefore, all individuals and office continue to have a range of options as to how they would act. The evaluation of whether such action would be within the bounds of their authority is referent to the concepts of accountability. Accountability focuses on the following: 1) regularity of fiscal transactions and the faithful compliance as well as adherence to legal requirements and administrative policies; 2) efficiency and economy in the use of public funds, prosperity manpower and other resources; 3) concerned with the results of government operation; 4) human resources accounting and the __________________  analogies of economics and social impacts of programs, and 5) emphasizes  procedures and methods operation and on the transformation of inputs to outputs.15 This study is an assessment of a project, which derives its finances from government funds, therefore projects implementers and all those involved in it are accountable to the people and the society. Another theory to support other variables identified in this study, such as attitudes and values of teachers, is that one advocated by Thorndike. The connectionist theory or the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory. This view was based on the concept that bonds or connections are formed between situations and suppose. Thordike advocates the idea that learning results from translating sense impressions and impulses to action learning occurs through change in connection between particular stimulus and a response, hence, connections are the key to understanding a learning task. ___________________ 15 Carino, Ledevina, â€Å"Administrative Accountability: A Review of the Evolution, Meaning and Operationa-lization of a Key Concept in Public Administration). 16 Gregorio, Hernan, â€Å"Principles and Methods of Teaching†. In the same manner, the personal attitudes and values of the teachers may have much to do with their teaching effectiveness because they could be the basis for their behavior, decisions and choice. This is so because â€Å"values are deep-rooted motivations of behavior. They defined what is important to the individual.16 In this study, it may be stated that the attitudes and values of the General Science teachers will have bearing with their work as teachers. What they believe in and what they consider important will influence their decisions and choices. Conceptual Framework The framework for the evaluation process has three components: inputs, throughputs and outputs. A built-in-feedback mechanism is the place to  derived information for project revision or improvement. Following the evaluation process, the inputs of Project RISE in Region VIII in general and in the Division of Northern Samar in particular are the objective of the program, course content, participants, trainers, and training ___________________  procedures. The actual performance in the implementation of Project RISE will be expresses in terms the throughout or processes. These consists of the teachers’ attitude towards teaching General Science, the General Science content knowledge and skills, classroom management, time management, appropriateness of teaching strategies, skills in the utilization of instructional materials, and skills in maintaining classroom discussions and skill in motivating. It will also include the teachers’ teaching competencies in teaching General Science as perceived by the principles, the teachers’ own perceptions on how the Project RISE training improved the competencies as observes by their principles and the students’ performance in General science as measured by a test in General Science.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The concept of parental choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The concept of parental choice - Essay Example In such situations, Parents should first find out what they are looking for in a school. Factors such as hours in school, facilities, opportunities and location should be taken into consideration. Making a visit to a variety of schools and meeting people from those schools which are considered gives valuable information. The Information technology advancements will further help parents in making better informed choices. A charter school differs from a public school with its independent rules. The mission of Fenton Avenue Charter School is to successfully educate all students through standard curriculum infused with technology-enriched instructional strategies and learning opportunities (About this, fentoncharter.net). It accommodates around 450 children (Student’s page, web.me). Fenton Charter’s philosophy has been allowing every member of the school community to participate fully in the transformation of the school (About this, web.me). This is a core value for any org anization since it allows people to express themselves. The school is organized in a way where all the professionals work under the supervision of Assistant Director of the school. Some parents prefer home schooling, which makes the children more socialized and strong in academics. The main drawback would be that children would miss the opportunities which are available in

Friday, September 27, 2019

Woolf and Wollstonecraft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Woolf and Wollstonecraft - Essay Example With the introduction of the production line factory and the machine during the 1800s, more and more individuals were moving to the cities to seek work. This had the effect of bringing the women in from the fields on the farms to the kitchens and family rooms of the urban middle class. This emerging middle class gave birth to what has since been referred to as the Cult of the True Woman. This term was first coined by Barbara Welter in the mid-1960s (1966) to be used in referring to a set of ideas and beliefs regarding the proper structure of the quintessential well-bred family. The ideal middle class life was thus firmly established as consisting of a father going off to work and a mother who stayed at home and reared the children. Yet, recognition of the fallacies of this doctrine had already long been recognized. Virginia Woolf, writing during the early 20th century is widely recognized as one of the first modernist feminists of the 20th century, but comparison with another revolut ionary feminist writer of the 18th century, Mary Wollstonecraft, reveals that she was perhaps not as innovative as she is credited. The introduction of the feminist movement was a long-time coming and a slow process, yet inevitable with the advances that were being made in the lifestyles of humans in developing countries. â€Å"The onset of industrialization at the beginning of the nineteenth century highlighted differences among women just as it exacerbated those between men and women workers† (Kessler-Harris, 1991). Widows, single women and women with no better prospects flocked to the growing mill towns of England and America attracted by the relatively high wages that were promised in the factories as compared to the low yield of the fields, but the glorious dreams of potential quickly faded in the realities of the city. Factory owners began working to reduce costs, lowering wages and demanding more work at the same time that living expenses in the city continued to

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Medical uses of algae Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words - 1

Medical uses of algae - Research Paper Example They include both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Algae both live and dead are being used by the humans. The fossil algal diatomite deposits in the shape of light but strong rocks are used as building materials and filtration media in water purification systems and swimming pools. Some fossil algae like Botryococcus are sources oil-rich deposits. Some other species of green algae are grown for obtaining bio chemicals for applications in medicine and cosmetics. The nuisance blue-green algae have beneficial uses especially Spirulina which is used as dietary supplement. The blue-green algae are better known as fresh water nuisance organisms which form as dense blooms affecting human activities through toxins generated by them, by clogging water courses and affecting recreational activities (Bellinger and Sigee). Alage has been described as organisms containing chlorophyll made up of one cell or grouped together in colonies or with many cells and at times joining together as simple tissues. Their sizes vary from unicellular of 3-10 um microns to giant kelps up to 70 mg long capable of growing 50 cm per day. They are found all over the earth in the sea, rivers, and lakes, also on soils and walls, in animal and plants (as symbionts-partners collaborating together) and it can just grow anywhere where light is available to conduct photosynthesis. Thus, alage are heterogeneous and identified in two major types: microalgae and microalgae. Microalgae grow in bentheic and littoral habitats and also in the ocean waters as Phytoplankton that comprises species such as diatoms, (bacillariophyta), dinoflagellates (dinophyta), green and yellow-brown flagellates (Chlorophyta; prasino-phyta; prymnesiophyta; cryptophyta, chrysophyta and rhaphdiophyta) and blue-green algae (cyano-phyta) (Gamal 1). Microalgal phyla provide chemical and pharmacological compounds besides bioactive compounds of marine resources back to compounds marine

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Contract Law Problem Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contract Law Problem Question - Essay Example According to Beatson and Anson, contract law is defined as the branch of law that ensures legal binding of the promise between two parties and makes them fulfill it. Whereas French Civil Code defines contract law as convention and agreement in which one party or several parties bind themselves to serve a specific purpose or to restrain from some. So, all in all what contract law adhere is that there lie a duty on both parties in a contract to execute their obligations. The ultimate examination of both the definitions of English Law and French Law confirms some essential features of the contractual relationship and that is the performance of the contract. Contractual performance is sole principle of contract law which must be kept and fulfilled at any cost. This principle of contract law is the backbone of the whole contractual relationship2. Generally the contract law is defined as an agreement that creates obligation enforceable by law. This obligation is based upon the mutual accep tance, consideration, legality and capacity to perform. In this process of conformity, fulfilment and binding, there may arise number of problems if in case contract is not implemented properly or if one party rejects to perform according to the obligations. Thousands of contracts are agreed upon and signed in the world every day and most of them are not performed in their full essence according to the terms3. Whilst many of them are resolved by negotiations and discussions but there comes cases under which hostilities are not that easy to resolve breach of contract informally. In this regard law provides remedial measures to provide justice to distressed party. These remedies help aggrieved party to either recover performance based upon the contract or ensure provision of some compensation for the damage caused by the breach of contract. Some possible remedies renowned for breach of

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Conflicting Viewpoints Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Conflicting Viewpoints - Essay Example However, the opponents of illegal immigration have their convincing reasons on the issue. They feel that illegal immigrants should be deported. Also, they believe that such immigrants should not be allowed to have access to social services, and they should not be granted US citizenship. They believe that illegal immigrants are criminals in nature, present a social and economic burden to the state’s law- abiding citizens as well as to the Americans that are taxpayers. My opinion on the issue of illegal immigrants is that they should be allowed to stay in the country, if they do not present any social, political or economic threat to the country. I support this view due to a number of reasons. Anyone can become an immigrant in any country. This because it is not always the wish of immigrants to be such situations. Different reasons force them to become immigrants. For instance, some become illegal immigrants due political unrest in their home country; others are due to lack of employment in their countries while others are due to natural disasters in their country of origin. In addition, a majority of the illegal immigrants end up doing the work that most American citizen will not do. For instance, very few Americans would agree to work in manufacturing industries unless they are employed at the managerial levels. Similarly, only the poor Americans would agree to work on construction sites. Those Americans found in such places are those in the foreman’s or engineer’s level. The rest of the workers are mostly from different countries or the poor Americans with no jobs. The final reason is that illegal immigrants contribute to the economic development of the country (ProCon.org, 2015). Most of the illegal immigrants can be found working in areas where other American may not work while such places are a source of income to them. For instance, if there

Monday, September 23, 2019

Impressionism and Expressionism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Impressionism and Expressionism - Essay Example The essay "Impressionism and Expressionism" examines impressionism and expressionism. Vincent van Gogh and Jozef Israels have pieces of art that portray such styles. While in Nuenen, Holland at his father’s lodge, Vincent composed â€Å"Potato Eaters.† This painting is the first of his works that reveals influences from the farmhand descriptions of Jozef Israels. In â€Å"Potato Eaters,† Vincent even reveals this influence and defines Israels as the "the Dutch Millet.† Vincent reveals his admiration for a painter of anglers and small-scale farmers who he referred to as â€Å"Dutch Millets.† Between Vincent’s â€Å"Potato Eaters† and Israels’ â€Å"Peasant Family at Table,† Vincent was clearly inspired to compose his own idea of a small-scale farmer’s dinner setting. In terms of composition styles, â€Å"Potato Eaters† reflects Israels’ subject and style of art. At the same time, â€Å"Potato Eatersâ⠂¬  has darker shades, animpasto paint textures, and more inspiration from Rembrandt’s tenebrism. Tenebrism is a style of portraiture used by Caravaggio and his successors wherein several objects are vibrant in terms of color while the rest of the painting has dense shadows. Tenebrism remains an impressionist style of painting. In â€Å"Potato Eaters,† the point of view is skewed. The askew nature of the painting shows Vincent’s naivetà © and originality at the same time. This is also a major similarity between â€Å"Potato Eaters† and Israels’ â€Å"Peasant Family at Table.†

Sunday, September 22, 2019

International Relations to East Asia Research Paper

International Relations to East Asia - Research Paper Example In the 19th century, Japan decided to adopt a developmentalism ideology as a defense mechanism in the then prevailing harsh and deep rooted competition from imperial states. Japan was determined to rise economically to enable it compete comfortably among the then well established states from the western region. The process of rapid development started before world war two. However, it stagnated greatly because the war interrupted the environment for Japan to develop. After the war, Japan set out to achieve its dream of being industrialized. The Japanese government concentrated on development policies in all its endeavors. The Japanese government was prepared to take any risk as long as that risk resulted to rapid economic expansion. Dent (2008) argues that some risks involved putting on hold all other policy agendas. At that time, it did not matter, whether the policy agendas ignored concerned the environment or nature. The opinion of the public did not count in the making of vital d ecisions, but rather the government was pragmatic and concentrated on the development goals. On the contrary, big businesses, politicians, and bureaucrats dominated the race to attaining industrialization. Japan’s primary target was to join organizations of the rich countries and therefore these three pillars worked tirelessly in implementing the policies set up by the government, to favor industrialization. In Asia, Japan got industrialized first through concentrating on development goals and preferably adopted this system because it was in a rush to join the global economy (Flath, 2005). The Japanese government formulated policies that favored the big corporations. In addition, these corporations received protection and support from the government. The bureaucrats had great potential to control government projects and therefore they ensured that these corporations thrived under all costs. In most cases, the government allowed the bureaucrat hierarchy to have more powers tha n the politicians. These bureaucrats formed a hierarchy in The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Members of the civil society did not participate in policymaking. Concentration on big corporations left out small and medium industries. The bureaucrats exerted great influence on the entire process of policymaking in Japan reaching a point whereby they acquired a dominant position. Despite Diet, the legislative body according the dominating power to cabinet, strategies from the bureaucrats overpowered the cabinet (Dent, 2008). It is through this system that the Japanese government rose to participate in the global economy. Japan gained entry into the Group 8 organization of rich countries (G8) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Since the Japanese government chose to ignore all other policy agendas as they rose to the level of global economy, the great economic achievement brought about increased environmental pollut ion. The public condemned the companies that contributed to the highest level of pollution. In the process of industrialization, the government ignored the voice of the public. The big corporations that the government supported were under no obligation to take moral responsibility in protection of the environment. The public suffered terrible effects of the pollution. There was increased emergence of unknown diseases in the society because of pollution. These were the worst risks the government

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Bean Trees Essay Essay Example for Free

The Bean Trees Essay Essay Life’s Journey Vijay Sherigar wrote in his poem Journey that, â€Å"From where I started to where I am today. The journey has been long tiring from nothing to something I am today. It’s not been an easy journey.† The journey and its paths that we travel are in both the poem My Rebirth and the book The Bean Tree and all three poem, book and journey lead to the rebirth of something bigger, better, brighter and most importantly new. A thematic similarity of renewal through pain, love, time and life’s journey, is found in both the poem My Rebirth and in the story The Bean Trees. Though fears can hold one back, patience, accompanied with a little love can help to overcome those worries, even those from the worst past imaginable, and can also lead to the road of finding oneself. The poem begins and later closes in stating that, â€Å"Where there were once tears of sorrow, they are no more. Body and soul, I seek potency within†¦.I must not be afraid, where there is fear, comfort will come, patience is the key†¦.Have faith, I know I am loved, I am free, this is me, this is the story of my rebirth. â€Å"Just as in the poem elegiacally puts, it takes time to heal, to overcome fears, to dry the tears of pain away and  go on with life. Turtle takes her time to, for lack of a better phrase, come out of her shell, no pun intended. She was abused in many different ways, resulting in her fear, and seemingly lack of emotion or â€Å"personality†, as Lee Ann so kindly puts it. Slowly, as she is showed love, gentleness and patience, and given time, she begins to develop a character. She holds on literally to anything stable she can find, or grip that is, and metaphorically holds steadfast to her fears and meekness. At first, she found it necessary to retract and almost be robotic or nonexistent, but as she is exposed to something in all sense of the word, though not blood linked, a loving, nurturing, family, slowly she lets go of her fear and begins to talk, play, learn, and even remember her past, and she is able to do so because of her knowledge that she is loved, free of he r former horrors. Taylor finally decides to take Turtle, on account of her abusive history, to the physician. In this visit, the doctor concludes that Turtle ceased growing as an outcome from her previous â€Å"environment of physical or emotional deprivation†. The condition is known as â€Å"failure to thrive† and though it is appalling that such a past was forced on such a small and innocent little girl the silver lining of the situation is the condition is reversible (p. 166). Turtle did just as the condition describes and failed to bloom, almost to the point of failing to exist, making herself near to invisible. But as time and love worked its magic, Turtle, realizing she is not alone anymore, slowly begins to reverse her condition. She faces her fears and begins to start again. Though not free from all terrors she is given the chance to flourish and she grasps the opportunity, with just as firm a hold as her literal grip. She finds restoration in the opportunities that patience and love have handed to her. Later on as Turtle buries her doll, Shirley Poppy, Taylor begins to explain to her that while seeds grow, dolls, on the other hand, do not. But, when Turtle pats the pile of dirt and says â€Å"Mama,† Taylor feels the need to ask her, â€Å"Did you see your Mama get buried that way?†(p. 281). After Turtle acknowledges that she did indeed see her mother buried, Taylor consoles her, later telling her, â€Å"You already know there’s no such thing as promises. But I’ll try as hard as I can to stay with you.†(p. 282).As Turtles grows, she able to remember more of her past and as she becomes more courageous, she begins to confront that horrific past. As she gains strength, she is able to give that same quality;  thus through Turtles maturing and prospering, Taylor is given the strength and reason to face her fears, in her case, tires, motherhood and depending on others . With a little time, patience and love Turtle is able to â€Å"have faith†, because she knows of that love for her and is therefore able to be renewed or freed, beginning to find herself in the process. Just as the poem states, even â€Å"tears of sorrow† and fears from the past, can be overcome with love and the knowledge of that love along with perseverance and endurance. Comfort can follow the fears that remain and sometimes eventually drive them away, leaving faith, love and freedom behind. Through the time, chances, and hopes that tribulations offer, a certain peace and happiness can be obtained and sometimes allow troubles to be let go of. The poem ends explaining the journey and prospects ahead in saying, â€Å"Behind the door lies a pool, if I trust, than will I bathe in its waters. I leave behind all misfortunes, I shall be reborn. Breathe again, all is forgiven, I appreciate this second chance. Time is what I have. â€Å"Just as in the poem, time and leaving behind all burdens has given a second chance, the same chances are offered to Esperanza and Estevan. Through their misfortunes, such as losing their daughter and being forced to flee from their country, they are offered opportunities in the United States, the â€Å"pool†; sneaking across the border, they find refuge in Mattie’s â€Å"sanctuary†, the â€Å"waters.† They trusted the doors opened for them by their plights and left behind many worries, allowing them to â€Å"breathe again† and giving them more â€Å"time†, though still not freeing them of all troubles. Estevan talks about torture methods used in Guatemala. He also tells Taylor how he and Esperanza had a daughter, Ismene, â€Å"she was taken in a raid on their neighborhood† in Guatemala (p. 183). Estevan and Esperanza’s attachment to the teacher’s union caused them to be a threat to the government, but because they â€Å"knew the names of twenty other union members† and because they wanted the names of those people, the government kept them alive for their valued information and took Ismene to lure Esperanza and Estevan into offering up the names (p. 183). But they chose saving the other union members’ lives instead of redeeming their daughter; they then fled to the United States. Neither Estevan nor Taylor cried at or during the retelling of such a horror and later Taylor defends their actions, or lack thereof, saying, â€Å"It’s hard to explain, but a certain kind of horror is beyond tears† (p. 183). Estevan continues to describe how  he finds peace in believing that his little girl is thriving somewhere else, in a safe and respectable environment, something he cannot provide in his present situation. In reminding himself that he cannot provide a safe atmosphere for a child, much less himself and his wife, he finds peace in the chance that Ismene, through the horrible conditions she has endured, is possibly able to gain opportunities that could not have been given to her if she had not been taken away. In choosing to save the other union members he and Esperanza were able to grasp a new beginning in what is thought of as the American Dream and unknowingly give Ismene better prospects. But with Border Patrol and immigration laws they are forced to sneak, hide and sacrifice, yet they are safer and still have more than before; the chances to find a fresh start still remain, somewhere and somehow. He is revitalized in his hope for chances, opportunities, dreams, and fresh starts for him and his broken family. Later, at Mr. Armistead’s office, Estevan and Esperanza pretend to be Steve and Hope Two-Two, saying they are Turtle’s birth parents and Taylor poses as Turtle’s adoptive mother. Mr. Armistead, believing the performance in front of him whole-heartedly, reminds them all of the permanence of the adoption, and asks the â€Å"Two-Two’s† to confirm that they are ready to give up their daughter. Esperanza begins to sob at this and says, â€Å"We love her. Maybe someday we will have more children, but not now. Now is so hard†¦.we have nothing, no home.†(p. 287). After the entire episode is over and Turtle is now â€Å"April Turtle Greer† all four friends head to the safe house in Oklahoma inside a church for a fresh start for both Estevan and Esperanza. Somewhere in Esperanza’s speech Taylor realizes that there is no acting needed in this situation for Esperanza; in her mind she is now letting go of Ismene and giving her over, symbolically, into safe hands, in this case Taylors care. This is her closure and allows her to finally be at peace. Now she and Estevan are able to move on and begin again, in their new lives at the safe house. In the likeness of Turtle to Ismene and symbolism of the situation of her adoption and their role-play, she is revived to someone much closer to the true Esperanza and is a step closer to happiness. Just as the poem beautifully puts, the leaving behind of troubles or better known as moving on, and time provides, even as outcomes of misfortunes, opportune  chances, not able to be reached without the trials. Even as the poem metaphorically sets up an imaginary picture, bringing faith to those in the midst of the trials, the hope and dreams of the chances of results and the future bring peace. Both the poem and book are closely tied on a theme, motif, and even character basis. Both express the need for time, love, patience, faith, hope for favorable chances, and even misfortunes and these are the needed for the journey. It was once said, by Lao Tzu, that, â€Å"A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.† But what was left out was what would be needed for the rest of the journey, for as it is known it’s not enough just to take one step. Though maybe needing to take a detour to obtain these qualities, possibly crossing over few, to many tribulations, they are still needed. Once being exposed to them and or obtaining them one is ready to begin to find themselves. Therefore, leading to the rebirth of a new and matured person. In Corinthians 13:13 it says, â€Å"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.† These things, though in no way easy to possess, how we express them and if we allow ourselves to take what they offer are what define us and our life’s path or journey. This proves what Vijay Sherigar said in his poem Journey to be true, â€Å"Tried with luck; tried with hard work, tried with destiny too†¦.It’s not been an easy journey.† Works Cited: 1 Corinthians 13: Love Is the Greatest Works Cited: Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1996. My Rebirth Works Cited: Deaths, Maiden. â€Å"My Rebirth.† All Poetry. http://allpoetry.com/poem/2314032-My_Rebirth-by-Raven_Tears (20 August 2011). Journey Works Cited: Sherigar, Vijay. â€Å"Journey.† PoemHunter. February 25, 2008. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/journey-41/ (20 August 2011). The Idea of Resurrection (Restoration; Rebirth; Renewal; Revival) as a Motif Works Cited: Kingsolver, Barbara. â€Å"Literary Analysis: The Bean Trees. Helium. April 30, 2007. http://www.helium.com/items/307860-literary-analysis-the-bean-trees-by-barbara-kingsolver (20 August 11). Works Cited: SparkNotes Editors. â€Å"SparkNote

Friday, September 20, 2019

Effectiveness of Racial Discrimination Act in the UK

Effectiveness of Racial Discrimination Act in the UK Discuss the relationship between opportunities and outcomes of how successful legislation against racial discrimination has been a failure in the UK As Blackstone et al. (1998, p247-249) have argued, there have been many legislative initiatives within Britain to deal with the problems associated with racial discrimination. The problem of ‘man’s inhumanity to man’ has cropped up on numerous occasions in Britain since the problem of race discrimination was first recognised, officially, back in the 1960s. The progress of these initiatives can be discussed using the lexicon of opportunities and outcomes, a lexicon which has in many ways and often justifiably been regarded as failing to incorporate legislation which deals adequately with the problems relating to race discrimination in Britain. In historical terms discrimination against people of difference race, for example; Jews, Gypsies, Black People and Irish People had been a feature of everyday society prior to and during the 1960s. Speaking of racial difference in a discriminatory and disparaging way and the unequal treatment of foreigners was widely accepted in Britain during the 1960s, when this mentality first started to improve (Ifekwunigwe, J. (2004), p301). As Moore, R (2000, p1) acknowledges, migration to the UK was probably a catalyst for this problem, and in many ways this is still true today. Therefore the threads of racial discrimination, which existed years ago, exist today, giving momentum to the argument that the outcome of legislation in Britain regarding race discrimination has been a failure. The period immediately following the Second World War also saw huge numbers of foreigners coming into Britain. Even the British government of 1905 shared the prejudice which was rife within society, when it passed the 1905 Aliens Act, which made reducing the numbers of Jewish people in Britain a legislative objective (www.cre.gov.uk, 2006). These attitudes were encouraged by the presence of right wing groups and the fact that certain resources like hospital beds and housing provision among poor people were in high demand amongst both ethnic and British people. In assessing the background of how the forces of racial discrimination developed in Britain, it is possible to form an argument that the government did not do enough to use the opportunities of progress in other countries to try to ingrain more tolerance in British society, through the use of legislation. This too can be regarded as a failure on the part of the British government. But failure is a complicated matter and as more efforts were made by the British government to deal with racism, the idea of whether the outcome of their efforts was a failure becomes more complicated. The passage of legislation which prohibited racial discrimination has its main roots in 1965, when the first moves were made within Britain to accept racial discrimination as a problem that should be dealt with by the government. The move happened against the backdrop of a successful American civil rights movement in the early 1960s. 1965 saw the introduction of the first Race Relations Act, which included a definition of what racism was. This definition set down that it was unlawful to treat a person less favourably than another on the grounds of colour, race or either ethnic or national origins (www.cre.gov.uk, 2006). These steps have been criticised as being very limited, and some critics like Blackstone et al. (1998) have argued that the protections offered by the first Race Relations Act were hard for people to access as they were so difficult to prove. Therefore this piece of legislation can be described as in some ways a failure and in other ways, the somewhat successful outcome of an opportunity in which the government used a legislative tool to deal with problems associated with racial discrimination. 1968 saw the introduction of a new version of the Race Relations Act which made the parameters of making a claim of racial discrimination, broader in scope (www.cre.gov.uk, 2006). This is arguably an example of how Britain used a piece of legislation as an opportunity to address certain problems of race discrimination. However, one must look towards the outcome of this to measure the relative success of any legislation. This is a complicated task. The 1968 Act provided that it was unlawful for people to be discriminated against on the grounds of race in the areas of employment, goods and services, housing and trade unions (www.cre.gov.uk, 2006). The Race Relations Board which had been formed to ensure that the Race Discrimination Act was implemented appropriately had its membership increased during the late sixties, making the Board a more effective body. Although whether one accepts whether the Board was an effective body is a matter of opinion, indeed it can be argued here that the Board was successful in that it oversaw the implementation of the Race Relations Act, but it was limited in its mandate, as it could not oversee the functions of government or small businesses in its scope. The 1970s saw the introduction of the 1976 Race Relations Act which in still in operation today. This addressed the continuing problem of racial discrimination in Britain. How well the Act addressed the problem of race discrimination is the subject of much debate, and the answers to this question are rooted in subjectivity. The success of the Race Relations Act 1976 as the outcome of an opportunity is therefore a complex matter. The new Act defined two forms of discrimination, ‘Direct’ and ‘Indirect’. It also further defined the idea of victimisation, which was classified as a form of discrimination which was direct. On the more negative side many exceptions remained and this was not addressed by the Act; examples were, the recruitment process for certain types of jobs and certain roles within government were not covered by the legislation. Therefore a dichotomy exists relating to whether one can effectively argue how much of a success and/or a failure opportunities and outcomes associated with the problem of race discrimination in the UK have been. Blackstone et al. (1998, p247) have argued that much has been offered in terms of progress by the race relations legislation, yet Blackstone et al. (1998) have also argued; ‘Most of the problems that troubled the early 1980s are still with us. The political climate has, in a number of ways, remained unhelpful†¦.[1]’. It must be remembered however that the idea of failure is inherently linked with ideas of opportunities and outcomes in this discourse of racial discrimination provision and is also linked with how these processes have overlapped and complimented one another. Therefore, while it is easy to see the many failures of the British government to deal with the problems of racism, the outcomes of many of their attempts to deal with the problem of racial discrimination cannot be regarded as an abject failure, and equally cannot be regarded as a resounding success. The answer to this question, as is often the case, lies somewhere in between these two diametrically opposed positions. Bibliography Website: http://www.cre.gov.uk/40years/act_one.html >> Books and Articles Blackstone, T, Parekh, B and Sanders, P. (1998) Race Relations in Britain: A Developing Agenda. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: London. Ifekwunigwe, J. (2004) Mixed Race Studies: A Reader. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: New York. Moore, R. (2000) Race, Class and Struggle: Essays on Racism and Inequality in Britain, the US and Western Europe. Journal Title: Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. Volume: 26. Issue: 2. Publication Year: 2000. Page Number: 372. Footnotes [1] p247. Blackstone, T, Parekh, B and Sanders, P. (1998) Race Relations in Britain: A Developing Agenda. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: London.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Essay --

1. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Nowadays, cloud computing system is widely known in business environment. As stated by Potey, Dhote and Sharma (2013) cloud computing already known by people as it is not a new technology but it is consider new in a delivery model for information and services that are normally use existing technology. It connects the communication between client and server side’s services or application by using an internet infrastructure. Cloud service providers (CSP’s) offer cloud platforms for their customers to use and create their web services, much like internet service providers offer costumers high speed broadband to access the internet. Cloud computing is another way to store business information as well as protecting that information. The method of accessing cloud computing is by using internet connection. Stephen Turner said legacy system in all cases is not displacing by the cloud. As a traditional client or server computing, enterprise computing and mainframes are expensive to be maintain and also some information system professionals with some big organizations have make a decision that the change may not be worthwhile the adoption coast and risk to convert to the new model. He thinks business that is small and mid-sized already need to make the upgrades as the cloud computing is a good option to be considered at that stage especially because of the pricing and scalability. It can make them move some or all of their data storage computing that need out of their facilities, make upgrade and allude large upfront expenditures. 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Cloud computing have been used in the growing storage and data processing needs, but it has also improve in a number o... ... shut down. The available data is not correctly sent to the customer at all times of need. There could be chances of duplication of data in a multiple site when recovering the data. The restoration must be done quickly and complete to avoid any further risks. Conceptual Framework A conceptual framework on the factors of security risks on cloud computing that affect the level of awareness among middle management personnel on selected companies around Klang Valley is shown. The independent variables of the study are factor of security risks. The factors are access, availability, network load, integrity, data security, data location and data segregation. Figure 2.1 Conceptual Framework on the factors of security risks on cloud computing that affect the level of awareness among middle management personnel on selected companies around Klang Valley.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Stevenson and Conrad: The Duality of Human Nature Essay -- Victorian A

The Victorian Age marked a period of immense transition in many aspects of human life. In 1859 Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, a work that opposed the traditional way of perceiving religion. Candyce Klin author of â€Å"Darwinism as A Cultural Issue†, states that The Origin of Species proposed the theory that all living creatures had to compete within their own preconditions in order to survive. This may be why the controversial issue of the duality of human nature has been found at the heart of many Victorian works. The theme of the duality of man can be found in the works of two famous English authors, Robert Louis Stevenson and Joseph Conrad. Stevenson and Conrad both incorporate the theme of the duality of human nature within their own novellas. Stevenson employs this theme throughout his novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and similarly Conrad employs this theme throughout his novella Heart of Darkness. In both novellas the theme is found i n the literary devices of symbolism and personification. Although both works embody the theme of the duality of human nature, each author takes their own individual approach in utilizing literary techniques to help preserve this crucial theme. Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh on November 13, 1850. From a young age Stevenson was fascinated with the darker side of human nature, reflecting his abiding interest in the concept of a double life (The Norton Anthology of English Literature 1643). Stevenson composed The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1855, publishing it the follow year in 1856. Upon publication The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde expeditiously became a best seller in both Britain and America (The Norton Anthology of English... ...ample of symbolism is ivory. In Heart of Darkness ivory symbolizes greed and the calamitous nature of man, or the evil side. All throughout the novella the agents and mangers of the Company are consumed by obtaining ivory, so much so that they abandon all their moral principles, instead apply any method necessary to acquire heaping shipments of ivory. Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. "Heart of Darkness." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. By Stephen Greenblatt and M. H. Abrams. 8th ed. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006. 1891 1947. Print. Klin, Candyce. â€Å"Darwinism as A Cultural Issue† Cedar Crest College, 2 June 2001. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. Stevenson, Robert L. "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. By Stephen Greenblatt and M. H. Abrams. 8th ed. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006. 1643-1685. Print.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Windows 95 or NT :: essays research papers

Windows 95 or NT When one asks himself or another, Which Operating system will better fill my needs as an operating system Windows 95 or Windows NT version 3.51. I will look at both operating systems and compare the qualities of each one in price, performance, stability and ease of use. The final results will give one a clear view to the superior operating system for years to come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As one already knows, that if you keep up with the computer industry, that Microsoft Windows has been around for a long time. The Majority of all PC users use some type of windows for their working environment. Microsoft has spent a great deal of time trying to make the supreme operating system. In doing so they have created two of the most debated systems available to the general public in this day and age. However, in doing so each one of these operating systems has there good side and there bad side.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Windows NT 3.51 was originally created for business use, but has ended up being more widely available for the average PC user in ones home. Windows 95 was developed for the sole purpose as an alternative to Windows NT. But has ended up in the work place more then the home. Windows 95 carries an average price of ninety-five dollars in stores. Which makes it an expensive system worth the money. On the other hand Windows NT 3.51 carries a price tag of three-hundred and forty nine dollars. Making this software very expensive but also worth every penny.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Windows 95 is much easier to use then Windows NT. It was designed to make the PC user have more of an easier time navigating through its complex tasks. This is one of the main reasons why people would rather buy the more less expensive operating system. Rather then the more expensive system Windows NT. Another one the reasons that Windows 95 is more popular is for its simple graphic user interface otherwise known as the GUI. Windows also carries a option that Windows NT does not carry. That option is called PnP or Plug and Play, This is where the operating system will install the hardware and new hardware that could be added at a later date in time, Windows NT does not carry this very useful feature. If one has ever tried to install a new peripheral to ones computer it can be a headache alone trying to decipher the instruction manual that comes along with the device. Windows 95 will do this on its own, one of the downfalls to it is the fact that it can be only a device that is less

Monday, September 16, 2019

Big Time Essay

Today, more and more researchers are interested in estimating the absolute divergence in income distribution in developed and developing countries. And Lant Pritchett is no exception. In his â€Å"Divergence, Big Time† he shows that actual historical statistics are not needed for estimating the ratio of income in the richest and the poorest countries. As far as researchers pay thorough attention to literature on economic growth, Pritchett finds it important to discuss the phenomenon of conditional convergence. The key argument is that economies with low-level incomes have the tendency to develop faster than economies with higher-income levels. Pritchett argues that lack of reliable historical data on per capita income hinders estimations of long-run convergence. Nonetheless, in his research his proves that divergences can be estimated without historical data. Development of modern economic history is attributed to estimations of divergence in productivity and living standards across the countries. I agree with Pritchett that the tendency has gained wider attention as economists and analysts should be provided with proper knowledge of why the poorer countries grow faster, why they recover faster from crisis, etc. Economists should be provided with full scene of what is happening globally, why growth rates are different and what constitutes economic development. Pritchett argues that income in developing countries has fallen, whereas the income in developed countries has significantly increased increasing the gap between the rich and the poor. In particular, long-run economic growth has increased in developed countries, their growth rates remain similar to developing countries, whereas developing countries have the tendency to grow faster to balance convergence in absolute income levels. Interestingly, developing countries are often referred to as the other set of countries, but I can’t agree with such definition because some of the East Asian countries as, for example, China and Japan are swiftly developing and they are very likely to replace the most developed countries within the next years. Of course, in the end of the 19th century economic development in less developed countries was significantly lower, but today the situation has changed. Pritchett notes that, on average, the growth rates in developing countries are slower contributing to divergence in relative incomes. Nevertheless, Pritchett is right when stating that developed countries are marked by different patterns of growth. Further, Pritchett cites one of the modern economists, Gerschenkron, who argues that the idea of ‘advantage of backwardness’ stimulates developing countries to experiences episodes of rapid economic growth driven by increased productivity. I agree with researchers as there are many examples of individual developing countries that have illustrated rapid growth as China, for example. Of course, the most of the backward countries have practically no chances to become world leaders. Historical researches claim that such cases are rare. Nevertheless, poorer countries are provided with the potential of economic growth, but strong forces of stagnation and lack of proper resources hinder economic development. Implosive decline is observed in countries, where society is disintegrated failing to gather economic statistics. Pritchett’s claim that backwardness carries disadvantages is valid. The key challenge is how to overcome disadvantaged posted by stagnation and backwardness. Pritchett concludes that growth theories try to related economic growth to world’s experience. Economic growth in developed and developing countries depends on the level of technological progress, per capita growth, and other internal and external factors. The author is interested in revealing why some countries are developing rapidly, whereas others are fading and loosing rapid growth. In my opinion, the issues raised in the article are important for modern economic history as the author contributes to understanding the reasons of economic growth. He says that divergence in income levels contributes to hindering economic development. However, the key finding is that the poorer countries have the tendency to grow faster. Works Cited Pritchett, Lant. Divergence, Big Time. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 11, 3 (1997); pp. 3-17.

Cultural Assessment of Elderly Chinese Americans

Management of their health and illness issues is also discussed. Cultural assessment theory and an assessment tool are used for he study, and their usefulness, strengths, and weaknesses analyzed. Demographics This cultural assessment is focused on elderly Chinese Americans in Flushing, New York where according to the revised 2010 census reported 56,355 Asians resided, comprising 70. 35% of the total population. Although the census reported on all Asian subgroups combined, it has been determined that most of the population consists of Chinese and Korean immigrants.Studies have also shown that the elderly portion of the population often faces more disparate treatment in relation to health care and that is why this population was chosen for the assessment. Ethnic and Cultural Health Practices Illness and death are usually viewed by elderly Chinese Americans as a natural part of life. Health is equated to finding harmony between the complementary forces of yin and yang. Special foods and herbs are used to restore balance between yin and yang and promote healing.Other common practices include massage, acupuncture, conferring with a medium or spiritualist, and institution, which is a traditional Chinese technique that involves burning an herb called Muggers to facilitate healing. Otherwise, Chinese Americans do not generally have conflict with Western health practices but when an illness is considered shameful, they often will not seek treatment. Bad news regarding diagnosis or prognosis is shielded from the patient by family members because they believe it will make the patient worse medically.With family having such a significant role in decision-making processes, it is imperative to explain and encourage durable power of attorney or other tool used to give power to the person making medical decisions. Religious Belief System Religious practices the Chinese may follow are Confucianism (a philosophy), Taoism, ancestor worship, Buddhism, and Christianity. At one time , atheism was encouraged in mainland China so some patients will say they do not have a religion. Generally, Chinese religion is dualistic and emphasizes yin and yang which are considered the makeup of the Tao.Tao is their ‘eternal cosmic principal'. Health and Illness Needs Common illnesses in the Chinese community include diabetes, stroke, hepatitis B, hypertension, tuberculosis, and cancers of the upper GIG tract, lung, liver, and misanthropy, and G-6-PDP deficiency, a condition in which the lack of an enzyme results in anemia. † Chinese men also have a large tendency to smoke. As noted by Eng, et al (2005-2006), â€Å"Up to 65% of men from China smoke. Although there is no true conflict with Western medicine, Chinese Americans often institute traditional remedies before trying Western treatments.That is why they may initially present to the facility in an advanced stage of illness. Management of Health and Illness When managing the health and illness of elderly Chin ese immigrants several factors are involved. Availing health care to those in need is essential to managing the health of Chinese immigrants. Understanding familial roles and relationships is another one of the most important factors because â€Å"culture emphasizes loyalty to Emily and devotion to traditions and puts less emphasis on individual feelings† (University of Washington Medical Center, 2007).Another factor is whether the patient understands their medications and the importance of following a regimen. Explaining medications fully and not Judging traditional Chinese remedies involving herbs will help build a bridge between traditional medicine and Western medicine. If the patient is not comfortable with the dosages or uses of their medication, they will most likely be noncompliance. Learning and understanding nonverbal cues will also help because out of respect, Chinese clients will not tell a actor no.Respect is shown by avoiding eye contact or giving small bows whe n authority figures are present. It is also believed emotions must be maintained in stressful times so they may appear stoic. Lastly, be aware that women are modest about being examined by a male and should be asked up front if it is alright for the practitioner to examine them. Language Language has been the crux of many of the problems elderly Chinese Americans encounter on a regular basis. The fact that many of the immigrants do not speak English and there are several dialects spoken, interpretation becomes more difficult.Mandarin is the official spoken language in China but Cantonese, Taiwanese, Taiwanese, and Fussiness are some of the other dialects to name a few. Chinese characters used in writing are the same for all the dialects, characters are used to express words, thoughts and principles. Nutrition An old Chinese saying is that â€Å"Medicine and food share the same source†. Chinese Americans tend to believe food provides certain energies for different parts of the body and grains, fruit, meat, and vegetables must be eaten to maintain a healthy balance. Pork is the preferred meat and rice is the most important food.Hot and old fluids also are considered necessary for healing based on the individual's situation. As noted by University of Washington Medical Center (2007), mirror patient may only prefer to drink only hot liquids (water or tea) when sick or postpartum†. Hot and cold energies are thought to balance yin and yang Just as light and dark energies do. Herbs are a common part of traditional Chinese diets so it is very important to question clients about their diet in the initial interview for purposes of learning interactions with possible interventions.Literacy and Education For Chinese Americans, education is the leading determinant of health status. Many elderly Chinese, especially the earlier immigrants, did not have formal education and most of them did not speak English (Pariah, et al 2009, p. 7). Compounded with language ba rriers, this group became socially isolated and lacked access to health care. They also participated less in leisure activities other than family planned functions, and had more difficulty finding employment.Thus, most live in poverty and that has harmed them drastically both in mental and physical health. Fortunately, the younger generations of Chinese Americans have been afforded more educational opportunities and help the elders understand and receive treatments otherwise unattainable to them. The Friedman Family Assessment Model The Friedman family assessment model was used in this cultural assessment. It assisted in the collection of identifying data, developmental stage and history of the family, environmental data, family structure, and family functions.Information on family stress, coping, and adaptation was also collected. Overall, the process of the family assessment using Friedman Assessment Tool was a great experience. Knowing the family and building rapport with them wh ile assessing them in various aspects is very helpful regardless of setting. This type of assessment and involvement encourages holistic care of the individual, their family as a group, and the community. The strengths of this assessment model are the in-depth questions and large amount of areas covered.The weakness is that if all parts are not completed, it is difficult to develop an accurate assessment. The lack off good rapport with the family could render the tool understanding of the culture and family functions are key to attaining desired outcomes. Conclusion This cultural assessment was developed through the use of the Friedman family assessment model. It successfully identified data on the family's development, history, environment, health and illness beliefs and practices, religion, cultural beliefs, language, literacy and education issues, and a host of other information.Although it was found that most Chinese Americans still prefer to try traditional remedies first, it w as also found that Western medicine is an option they are open to when available and all else fails. Familial influences and education are the major factors governing health status. Those who are more educated, have better overall health. Elderly Chinese Americans in Flushing, NY will probably always encounter issues with health care because most of them still do not speak English and were never formally educated.Educating this population on their medications and available interventions will improve their quality of life and possibly extend their life spans. It is time stop allowing elderly Chinese Americans to be lost in poverty and suffering needlessly. References 2010 census interactive population search.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Customer Relationship Management Strategy Essay

1)Introduction Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has become a main focus for businesses with today’s markets becoming more saturated and competitive. ‘Customer Relationship Management is the ultimate challenge for marketing experts in any business. A successful company will use customer information wisely to build relationships with their customers, on the level that together they will work together towards a long-term relationship.’ (Xu et al. 2002) High customer Intimacy can be produced from these processes and strategy. ‘Customer intimacy is an essential factor in the Customer Relationship Management value chain’ (Buttle, 2004). This marketing strategy consists of a business using ways to get close to clients with benefits for a business including improved highly tailored problem solving capabilities and greater adaptation of products to customer needs, as well as higher customer loyalty levels. This customer intimacy has a major impact on the success on a company and we can see this in modern organisations. We see that customer satisfaction alone is not enough,’Oglivy Loyalty Centre found that, although 85% of customers reported being satisfied, only 40% repurchased’ (McKenzie,1995) and therefore customer must use CRM to help improve their customer intimacy. However, to what extent does the strategy and processes involved with CRM help achieve this customer intimacy and in what was are these processes seen as beneficial for both the customer and the company. The focus of this paper is to look at the ways in which organisation use various forms of CRM strategy and processes in order create better, and lasting relationships with their customers. 2)Membership Cards One way in which many companies, especially retail, aim to increase their customer intimacy is through membership card schemes. These can come in many different forms from and offer a variety of advantages for the customer to use. The main feature of all of these themes is that the customer is rewarded in some way, and in effect, keeps the customer happy and encourages repeat trade. However many card schemes go a step further and are used for the advantage of both the customer and the company. ‘Around 80% of UK households participate in at least one customer loyalty card scheme’ (Stone et al. 2008) and they come in different forms such as the Tesco’ Clubcard, Boots’ Advantage Card and Sainsburys’ Nectar Card. The common feature these cards have is that not only do they provide offers for the customer, but they allow companies to collect valuable data which, in turn improves customer intimacy between the business and the customer. ‘Using customer data and targeting those customers helped make the retailer’s transition much more efficient’ (Shaw, 2012). 2.1)Membership Card – Achieving Customer Intimacy This data is extremely valuable to a company. They spend millions of pounds each year conducting market research to try and find out their customers’ requirements, expectations and preferences. With the use of this card, the technology builds up this information and stores it all to databases. This provides a company with useful information which will allow them to target their customers in such a way that they can build up an everlasting relationship. ‘Customer Relationship Management is grounded on high quality customer-related data and enabled by information technology, (Buttle, 2009). With this card, a business, such as the market leaders of Tescos and Boots can see everything they wish to know about their buyer. This can vary from the information upon registering their card such as age, geographical location, contact details. Along with this, the card will collect data such as what the customer buys, how much they spend and how often. A company can see trends in a particular region, a need for a particular age group and they can segment their products to a more specialised market. ‘Companies get a clear view as to how their business affects individual customers; associated segmentation and other benefits’ (Stone et al, 2008). In addition, to further improve customer intimacy, a company can target a customer and send offers for the products they buy most through email or by post all of which strengthens this bond between customer and company. Here we see a table which shows us the ladder of customer loyalty. With an increase in customer intimacy, a business can take prospecting purchaser and convey them into a loyal customer (Christopher at al, 1998). 2.2)The Cooperative Membership Card The company to demonstrate is The Co-operative Food. Retail chains are at the fore-front for advances in technology and are competing for ways in which to understand their customers and use the strategies to improve customer intimacy. The purchasing behavior in food retail is the most repetitive of all (Manas, 2011), so to get this customer intimacy correct has never been more important. The Co-operative Food (Co-op) uses their loyalty strategy by having membership scheme available to all colleagues and customers. This card acts as most retail cards do in that they collect a customer’s information which is then fed to the company’s data base. There is a number of ways in which this card creates an improvement in customer intimacy. First of all, unlike all of the other schemes available, twice a year the Co-op gives a share of its profits through the post to all of the members of the scheme. ‘You can enjoy your share of the profits along with exclusive member discounts and offers’ (www.co-operative.coop/membership). Along with this, each customer is sent a seasonal brochure from the company. Inside, it gives a customer details of how the company is operating, information of how the company is helping the community, recipes for things to make with the coop products along with vouchers to spend in store. Another scheme used by the coop is membership coupons which are printed at the till terminal which allow money off the next spend. These strategies allow a mutual benefit; the company is updated with a customer’s information, along with the customer receiving healthy benefits from the company encouraging customer intimacy. 3)Customer Interaction Another strategy that many organisations use to create a high level of customer intimacy is through customer interaction. Many companies use schemes which allow employers to either speak face to face with a customer or give them a platform to have their voice heard. ‘By giving your customers a platform for reaching prospects, your marketing efforts become more objective and inclusive’ (Rast, 2012). This customer interaction can be seen in many different forms, varying form feedback surveys, forums or mystery shopper visits. This can be seen in many different organisations which are customer focused. Examples of these include online survey/feedback forms which can be found for most organisations, customer

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Adolescence & Transition

Adolescent development does not necessarily follow a similar pattern for every individual as the multidimensional phase spans through in a quite complex way. At a time of transition from childhood to adulthood traditionally, a period of rapid physical growth is flung upon the individual amidst brief periods of remission.In the last century however, the onset of physical change has occurred at increasingly younger ages, increasing the likelihood that the psychosocial and cognitive changes will lag behind (Neinstein, 2002). Physical changes thereby vary among adolescents as children of the same age critically vary in the growth and sexual development.For some, the rates of change occur and happen at different times as adolescents experience puberty in his/her own way and time. While it is interesting to observe pubertal changes in adolescents, the tremendous cycle brings about a cacophony of questions among the concerned age group. Some teens develop earlier than others and deal with c hanges earlier than others.For others, maturity may occur later than others and more pronounced is the variation of pubertal changes between males and females (Lerner and Galambos, 1998: 414). Adolescents of the same age do not necessarily follow a similar pattern of change and the comparison is quite pronounced between both genders.In females, the Luteinizing Hormone stimulates the ovarian cells to produce androgens and progesterone and stimulates ovulation and FSH increases estrogen production earlier compared to males whose LH stimulates testosterone production and FSH stimulates gametogenesis at a later stage (Neinstein, 2002).The onset of puberty varies, as female pubertal development begins on average at 11.2 years of age (range 9.0 – 13.4) and lasts about 4 years while male puberty development begins on average at 11.6 years of age (range 9.5 – 13.5) (Rosen and Foster, 2001:310.Up to and during puberty, girls develop physically and mature much faster than the ma le counterpart (Brayer, 1986:247).To say that adolescents encounter a lot of changes and challenges during this period of human development is an understatement. When each gender is marauded with varying levels of change, one goes through a critical stage in a short period of transition from childhood to adulthood. We shall identify the changes for males and females across this developmental stage in order to arrive at a comparison between both sexes.Physical ChallengesThe earliest signs of puberty for females include the emergence of physical changes that occur at different rates and intensity. On the average, breast budding along with pubic hair growth signals the initial phase of a female’s growth spurt that reaches its peak about one year and one month after breast development begins.Menarche, or the onset of menstruation starts typically one year after at an average age of 12 years old (Brayer, 1986: 247). The male equivalent of menarche is spermarche which is characteri zed by the first ejaculation of sperm (Beckett, 2002:113).Testicular enlargement is the common physical sign along with pubic hair development which definitely varies among the male age group but interestingly, the onset is spermarche signals the initial phase of adolescent growth in males which is a stark comparison to the female gender.Females marked the initial stage of puberty with physical changes while males mark the onset of change through the development of secondary sexual and reproductive characteristics (Brayer, 1986:248). The appearance of spermatozoa in males appears at a mean chronologic age of 13.4 as sperm begins to appear present in urine samples among teenage males (Greenspan and Gardner, 2004:610).As adolescents increase in height and weight during this stage, growth is rapid where females tend to typically experience this growth spurt one-and-one-half to two years earlier than males and on average grow 23-28cm. Males experience a 2-year delay in bone closure as c ompared to females, and this accounts in part for their greater growth in height.Females increase in body fat while males increase in lean body mass that can often lead to tripping and clumsiness. The variability of changes can be anxiety provoking for adolescents who tend to remain shorter than their friends as some experienced delayed puberty (Beckett, 2002: 114).Cognitive ChallengesDuring adolescence are often unable to deal with remote, future or hypothetical problems and often encounter difficulty in predicting and anticipating future experiences. Such is consistent with Jean Piaget’s conception pf cognitive development as a rational process with rational outcomes (Moshman, 2005:1).Often, the adolescent have problems effectively dealing with abstract ideas and resort to daydreaming and increased self-interest. Adolescents likewise assume that others are as interested in them as many have an unrealistic view of themselves that can commonly lead them to believe they are in vincible and immune to the dangers that befall others (Beckett, 2002:114).Young adolescents, at the beginning of this cognitive shift, have unrealistic career plans and for those who are exposed to disadvantaged situations, would lead to the beginning of feelings of hopelessness (Moshman, 2005:2).Moral and Psychosocial ChallengesAdolescence marks the movement from the conventional level of moral judgment to post-conventional (Neinstein, 2002). Early adolescents are typically in the conventional level of moral development as they are commonly motivated by the need to meet expectations of external factors such as opinion of friends (Strasburger, 2000: 802).They have a particular simple idea and concept and thought as they are heavily motivated on pleasing others. As a continuous process of experience boys and girls may follow a different thought pattern in moral development as most adolescents experience a moral crisis and breakdown (Adams and Berzonsky 2003:247).In the 80’s an d 90’s, many in the society had maintained that the society was in a moral crisis brought about by juvenile delinquency, adolescent drug and alcohol abuse and teenage pregnancy (Berzonsky, 2003:248). Society has however neglected the fact that transformations in moral judgment take on focus during adolescence.The central developmental task during adolescence is developing a sense of identity with significant turning points of shaping and reshaping different roles, beliefs and commitments (Lerner and Galambos, 1998:441). In a distinctly technological society, adolescents are faced with confronting the tasks and decisions amidst changing roles.At the early age of 11-13, females tend to start a separate identity from the family and build close relationships with peers primarily of the same sex (Scales, et al, 2000:29). For males, such challenges are encountered at the age of 12-14 year old as they become preoccupied with questions of normalcy yet begin concerning themselves with separation from members of the family. At a peak age of 14-16, most experiment with sexual experimentation, omnipotence leading to risky behaviors (Strasburger, 2000:789).