Olaudah Equiano: a Narrator of Persuasion

In The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Olaudah Equiano skillfully represents the equal capabilities of nobility and intelligence from the African people forced into slavery. While his writing is steeped with a high acumen and earnestness, there is also a lingering sense of withholding that comes forth to the modern reader. Between the time of Equiano's tribulations and the time he penned his narrative, it was not the belief of the majority of Americans and Europeans that such slavery was wrong or evil–obvious by its long-standing practice.While our society today is much more privy to the certain horrors that occurred during the era of slavery, the people of this time were not so enlightened or understanding. This narrative was ever so delicate in order to make the readers accept the imminent need for emancipation of slaves. While his subject matter is a necessary base to his argument of equality for slaves, the true means of persuasion come from his tone and understanding of how exactly to address the white readership at the time of publication.His narrative is painstakingly tactful in the execution of such a tale during such a time. Equiano administers small doses of his hardships, tempered with his lightened, distanced recall, as well as his accounted fondness of the kind few he met throughout his journeys. By this systematic manner of narration, this piece works harder at being a persuasive work rather than a blunt historical account. The first thing to consider when reading this narrative is the calmness that constantly prevails in Equiano's tone.He keeps a rather composed demeanor in relation to the tumultuous events he describes. For example, when he explains the process of the buying market, he writes: â€Å"On a signal given (as the beat of a drum), the buyers rush at once into the yard where the slaves are confined, and make choice of the parcel they like best. † (1231). Instead of giving in completely with the emoti onal charge such a scene would produce, he removes himself to continue an unruffled tone. He sets the scene with this sentence before further developing the horrors in order to ease the reader into it.The use of the word â€Å"parcel† within this analogy puts him at a distance from the situation which further enables a calmer tone. Calm–yet the comparison of the slaves to â€Å"parcels† is still gripping by its reduction of people to mere idea of a package or item nonetheless. By extracting himself and explaining from a removed point of view, he can relate the events in an easier manner for the edification of the reader. As he continues with the explanation of the buyers market, he renders an almost clinical tone in order to suppress an all too emotional or frenzied retelling.He later states, â€Å"In this manner, without scruple, are relations and friends separated, most of them never to see each other again. † (1231). For such a terrifying thing, he rem ains short and to the point. Equiano does not over indulge in describing these events he experienced, but delivers them in a balance of composure for the palpability of the reader. While his tone enables the reader to take in his story without being overwhelmed with the harshness of his tale, he also continually addresses the reader personally, which imbues a deeper connection between author and reader.Equiano spends a deal relaying background information as to his own personal roots and heritage in order to impart a further sense of himself to the reader. Immediately after doing so, he states, â€Å"I hope the reader will not think I have trespassed on his patience in introducing myself to him, with some account of the manners and customs of my country. † (1222). He takes great care in endearing himself to the reader in order to enhance their reception of him, especially as he is in the delicate position of being a representation of the slave population as well.In his effort s of persuasion, his image is of the utmost importance to his cause, therefore such declarations are helpful. Within such small statements he delivers and air of compassion and conscientiousness towards the reader. He later addresses the reader once again when he finally receives the document expressing his freedom: â€Å"As the form of my manumission has something peculiar in it, and expresses the absolute power and dominion one man claims over his fellow, I shall beg leave to present it before my readers at full length. † (1238). Here he shows the reader how earnestly he wishes them to know all that he has to share.This direct dialect towards the readers invites them to be a participant of his narrative by actively considering their thoughts and feelings. Equiano is very astute in making these requests to the reader because it fosters a feeling of connection to the material and a relation to the author. The more he succeeds in fortifying the bond between author and reader, the more he succeeds in ultimately persuading them to see how important it is that others like himself be free from such painful events. The most clever action Equiano employs in his narrative is his told exclusion.As he lays out the horrors he suffered during his passage across seas– stench, sickness, starvation, abuse, deaths–the vision becomes very terrifying and depressing. Today, it is known that these instances are only superficial to the true extent of the horrors on these slave ships, but such matters were far too delicate to publish at the time, and many people would most likely have rejected such a story as a fallacy. Equiano writes, â€Å"In this manner we continued to undergo more hardships than I can now relate, hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade. † (1230).While it seems like a simple statement, it works on the minds of the readers in a way that is fulfilling to Equiano's objective. He leaves out the greater hardships, yes, but he lets the reader know that he did, and warns them that they were ultimately worse than they could handle. Much like in a movie when a scene cuts from something scandalizing, the implication is enough to stir the viewer. Equiano employs this same device in his narrative. After telling in detail the more superficial horrors, he delivers an image to the reader that is enough to offset them without turning them away, but they still do not fully understand at this point.Insinuating there is far more instills an uncomfortable nagging within the reader as to what exactly Equiano is leaving out. Equiano also assuages the reader by including white individuals of heroic character that he encountered. The element of race is of course very strong within such a text. Here, an emancipated African is addressing a large white readership about his struggles against his white oppressors–nothing short of sensitive. By showing his lack of bias towards race, but appreciation for character, he develops an sense of neutrality that is inviting for the readers.The reader's first encounter with a very upright white character is Richard Baker. In Equiano's description of him, he writes, â€Å"He was a native of America, had received an excellent education, and was the most amiable temper. † (1233). These are all characteristics that many readers would perhaps use in their own descriptions most likely, making him a relatable figure. His dynamic changes when Equiano later describes their relationship: â€Å"Soon after I went on board, he showed me a great deal of partiality and attention, and in return I grew extremely fond of him.We at length became inseparable; and, for the space of two years, he was of very great use to me, and was my constant companion. † The relationship of these two men was not just of distant appreciation, but he says they were companions. He portrays to the reader an honest, mutually rewarding friendship between a white man and a black man. This was not exactly a conventional friendship of the time, and he goes to describe their interactions with one another, between education, and the trials they faced aboard the ship where they would cling to each other when in fear.Richard Baker is not portrayed as one who elevated himself above Equiano, but treated him like an equal. His characterization is one to be admired by readers. When Richard dies, he continues his description of him while relating the sadness of his loss: â€Å". . . I lost at once a kind interpreter, an agreeable companion, and a faithful friend; who, at the age of fifteen, discovered a mind superior to prejudice; and who was not ashamed to notice, to associate with, and to be the friend and instructor of . . . a slave! † (1233).In this statement, he shows the reader a tie between his nature and his morals; he was a noble person who did not accept belittling or segregating blacks into a category outside his own humanity. Richard Baker is a very imp ortant character to the objective of Equiano because he serves as a template for the readers to aspire to. Another important white character is Robert King, the one who allows Equiano to finally purchase his freedom. With Robert, it is not as much his character that is the focus, but his very vital action which draws admiration.When Equiano finally brings Robert the forty pounds sterling for his freedom, he writes â€Å"My master then said he would not be worse than his promise; and, taking the money, told me to go to the Secretary at the Register Office, and get my manumission drawn up. These words of my master were like a voice from heaven to me. † (1237). This is a very indispensable part of Equiano's story because it is the very apex on which his struggling as one who is owned is overturned. Robert gains nobility in securing a way for Equiano to gain such freedom. Through Robert King's actions, the reader can see how monumental giving a slave their freedom can be.Equiano persevered through a great deal to accomplish this masterful narrative. What comes forth is a work of cunning that is highly thoughtful in its persuasiveness. As can be seen, he is very systematic in his way of pulling the readers into his narrative. He allows the reader to wade into his heartbreaking story by guiding them with a calm tone, then endears himself by establishing a personal dialect. The usual author to reader relationship is brought to a human to human level. Equiano's shrewdness in knowing what should be shared and what to leave as implications for the reader to administer their own imagination to.By this discernment he delivers a novel that works accordingly with the sensitivity of the time. He delivers relatable characters to the white readership that establish not only a further way to connect to the story, but also an example of conduct and treatment white people should extend to the black people and slaves. While the story is important to showing the readers how horrible the forced life and trading of slaves is, it is his technique and devices of narrating that deliver this from a story of tribulation to a motivator for change. Olaudah Equiano: a Narrator of Persuasion In The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Olaudah Equiano skillfully represents the equal capabilities of nobility and intelligence from the African people forced into slavery. While his writing is steeped with a high acumen and earnestness, there is also a lingering sense of withholding that comes forth to the modern reader. Between the time of Equiano's tribulations and the time he penned his narrative, it was not the belief of the majority of Americans and Europeans that such slavery was wrong or evil–obvious by its long-standing practice.While our society today is much more privy to the certain horrors that occurred during the era of slavery, the people of this time were not so enlightened or understanding. This narrative was ever so delicate in order to make the readers accept the imminent need for emancipation of slaves. While his subject matter is a necessary base to his argument of equality for slaves, the true means of persuasion come from his tone and understanding of how exactly to address the white readership at the time of publication.His narrative is painstakingly tactful in the execution of such a tale during such a time. Equiano administers small doses of his hardships, tempered with his lightened, distanced recall, as well as his accounted fondness of the kind few he met throughout his journeys. By this systematic manner of narration, this piece works harder at being a persuasive work rather than a blunt historical account. The first thing to consider when reading this narrative is the calmness that constantly prevails in Equiano's tone.He keeps a rather composed demeanor in relation to the tumultuous events he describes. For example, when he explains the process of the buying market, he writes: â€Å"On a signal given (as the beat of a drum), the buyers rush at once into the yard where the slaves are confined, and make choice of the parcel they like best. † (1231). Instead of giving in completely with the emoti onal charge such a scene would produce, he removes himself to continue an unruffled tone. He sets the scene with this sentence before further developing the horrors in order to ease the reader into it.The use of the word â€Å"parcel† within this analogy puts him at a distance from the situation which further enables a calmer tone. Calm–yet the comparison of the slaves to â€Å"parcels† is still gripping by its reduction of people to mere idea of a package or item nonetheless. By extracting himself and explaining from a removed point of view, he can relate the events in an easier manner for the edification of the reader. As he continues with the explanation of the buyers market, he renders an almost clinical tone in order to suppress an all too emotional or frenzied retelling.He later states, â€Å"In this manner, without scruple, are relations and friends separated, most of them never to see each other again. † (1231). For such a terrifying thing, he rem ains short and to the point. Equiano does not over indulge in describing these events he experienced, but delivers them in a balance of composure for the palpability of the reader. While his tone enables the reader to take in his story without being overwhelmed with the harshness of his tale, he also continually addresses the reader personally, which imbues a deeper connection between author and reader.Equiano spends a deal relaying background information as to his own personal roots and heritage in order to impart a further sense of himself to the reader. Immediately after doing so, he states, â€Å"I hope the reader will not think I have trespassed on his patience in introducing myself to him, with some account of the manners and customs of my country. † (1222). He takes great care in endearing himself to the reader in order to enhance their reception of him, especially as he is in the delicate position of being a representation of the slave population as well.In his effort s of persuasion, his image is of the utmost importance to his cause, therefore such declarations are helpful. Within such small statements he delivers and air of compassion and conscientiousness towards the reader. He later addresses the reader once again when he finally receives the document expressing his freedom: â€Å"As the form of my manumission has something peculiar in it, and expresses the absolute power and dominion one man claims over his fellow, I shall beg leave to present it before my readers at full length. † (1238). Here he shows the reader how earnestly he wishes them to know all that he has to share.This direct dialect towards the readers invites them to be a participant of his narrative by actively considering their thoughts and feelings. Equiano is very astute in making these requests to the reader because it fosters a feeling of connection to the material and a relation to the author. The more he succeeds in fortifying the bond between author and reader, the more he succeeds in ultimately persuading them to see how important it is that others like himself be free from such painful events. The most clever action Equiano employs in his narrative is his told exclusion.As he lays out the horrors he suffered during his passage across seas– stench, sickness, starvation, abuse, deaths–the vision becomes very terrifying and depressing. Today, it is known that these instances are only superficial to the true extent of the horrors on these slave ships, but such matters were far too delicate to publish at the time, and many people would most likely have rejected such a story as a fallacy. Equiano writes, â€Å"In this manner we continued to undergo more hardships than I can now relate, hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade. † (1230).While it seems like a simple statement, it works on the minds of the readers in a way that is fulfilling to Equiano's objective. He leaves out the greater hardships, yes, but he lets the reader know that he did, and warns them that they were ultimately worse than they could handle. Much like in a movie when a scene cuts from something scandalizing, the implication is enough to stir the viewer. Equiano employs this same device in his narrative. After telling in detail the more superficial horrors, he delivers an image to the reader that is enough to offset them without turning them away, but they still do not fully understand at this point.Insinuating there is far more instills an uncomfortable nagging within the reader as to what exactly Equiano is leaving out. Equiano also assuages the reader by including white individuals of heroic character that he encountered. The element of race is of course very strong within such a text. Here, an emancipated African is addressing a large white readership about his struggles against his white oppressors–nothing short of sensitive. By showing his lack of bias towards race, but appreciation for character, he develops an sense of neutrality that is inviting for the readers.The reader's first encounter with a very upright white character is Richard Baker. In Equiano's description of him, he writes, â€Å"He was a native of America, had received an excellent education, and was the most amiable temper. † (1233). These are all characteristics that many readers would perhaps use in their own descriptions most likely, making him a relatable figure. His dynamic changes when Equiano later describes their relationship: â€Å"Soon after I went on board, he showed me a great deal of partiality and attention, and in return I grew extremely fond of him.We at length became inseparable; and, for the space of two years, he was of very great use to me, and was my constant companion. † The relationship of these two men was not just of distant appreciation, but he says they were companions. He portrays to the reader an honest, mutually rewarding friendship between a white man and a black man. This was not exactly a conventional friendship of the time, and he goes to describe their interactions with one another, between education, and the trials they faced aboard the ship where they would cling to each other when in fear.Richard Baker is not portrayed as one who elevated himself above Equiano, but treated him like an equal. His characterization is one to be admired by readers. When Richard dies, he continues his description of him while relating the sadness of his loss: â€Å". . . I lost at once a kind interpreter, an agreeable companion, and a faithful friend; who, at the age of fifteen, discovered a mind superior to prejudice; and who was not ashamed to notice, to associate with, and to be the friend and instructor of . . . a slave! † (1233).In this statement, he shows the reader a tie between his nature and his morals; he was a noble person who did not accept belittling or segregating blacks into a category outside his own humanity. Richard Baker is a very imp ortant character to the objective of Equiano because he serves as a template for the readers to aspire to. Another important white character is Robert King, the one who allows Equiano to finally purchase his freedom. With Robert, it is not as much his character that is the focus, but his very vital action which draws admiration.When Equiano finally brings Robert the forty pounds sterling for his freedom, he writes â€Å"My master then said he would not be worse than his promise; and, taking the money, told me to go to the Secretary at the Register Office, and get my manumission drawn up. These words of my master were like a voice from heaven to me. † (1237). This is a very indispensable part of Equiano's story because it is the very apex on which his struggling as one who is owned is overturned. Robert gains nobility in securing a way for Equiano to gain such freedom. Through Robert King's actions, the reader can see how monumental giving a slave their freedom can be.Equiano persevered through a great deal to accomplish this masterful narrative. What comes forth is a work of cunning that is highly thoughtful in its persuasiveness. As can be seen, he is very systematic in his way of pulling the readers into his narrative. He allows the reader to wade into his heartbreaking story by guiding them with a calm tone, then endears himself by establishing a personal dialect. The usual author to reader relationship is brought to a human to human level. Equiano's shrewdness in knowing what should be shared and what to leave as implications for the reader to administer their own imagination to.By this discernment he delivers a novel that works accordingly with the sensitivity of the time. He delivers relatable characters to the white readership that establish not only a further way to connect to the story, but also an example of conduct and treatment white people should extend to the black people and slaves. While the story is important to showing the readers how horrible the forced life and trading of slaves is, it is his technique and devices of narrating that deliver this from a story of tribulation to a motivator for change.

Banning of Books in the U.S. Essay

â€Å" And shall we just carelessly allow children to hear any casual tales which may be devised by casual persons, and to receive into their minds ideas for the most part the very opposite of those which we should wish them to have when they are grown up? We cannot. â€Å" ? Socrates – Banning of books is the most common form of censorship. There were 546 known attempts to remove books in 2006, and more than 9, 200 attempts since the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom began to electronically compile and publish information on book challenges in 1990. According to ALA , there are four motivating factors: family values, religion, political views, and minority rights. While there are many arguments against censorship, I feel that banning of books can be justifiable in some ways. For example, books with sexually explicit graphic contents should not be viewed by children of certain age. Book banning happens commonly at home and in schools. While anti-book banning advocates fight for the rights of the children to read, it is also the rights of the parents and teachers to guide children. While I do not favor banning books either, I feel that our system should be careful as to what books are exposed and at what age. The minds of children are very impressionable and susceptible to corruption. (Becket, 2006) Restrictions are not necessarily curtailment of rights . For example, cosmetics cannot be used by children. Reasons: first, it may be detrimental to the skin of children, second, cosmetics are not made for children. As cosmetics is to the skin, books is to the mind. Some books are not made for children and some books may be detrimental to the minds of children. These restrictions take into account that children are not yet mature and is still inexperienced to take complexity of some issues. It is the responsibility of the parents to guide children and this extends to guide their children in selecting a good reading material. Teachers, as second parents to children, also share the same responsibility. Parents should also be aware enough of what books to filter and not. If the parents feel that they are capable of making their children understand challenged books, then by all means, they can have those books on their shelves. While it is true that censorship hinders the flow of information and ideas, sometimes ideas should be filtered for innocent minds. Time will come when those minds will be matured enough to absorb what is really on the books their reading. Time will come when those minds will be having their own preferences of books to read. Time will come when those mind will be ready to be challenged †¦. just like those books. References: 1. â€Å" Treasure your Freedom to Read, Get Hooked on a Banned Book†. ala. org. 19 September 2007. < http://ala. org/ala/pressreleases2007/september2007/bbw07. cfm> 2. Kennedy, Elizabeth. â€Å"Banned Books: The Who and the Why†. about. com. 3. Beckett, S. â€Å"Book Ban List Shouldn’t Scare†. dailytexanonline. com 2 October 2006

Customer Service Excellence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Customer Service Excellence - Essay Example This gradually led to the awareness that employees are the contact point and they need to be fully taken care before expecting them to take care of the customers. This gave rise to the term internal customers (employees) and hence the term internal marketing or IM came into existence. Today organizations use different techniques to keep the internal customers happy as a long-term strategy. Internal marketing, according to Kotler (1991) includes successful hiring, training, motivating and remunerating able employees (cited by Vella, Gountas & Walker, 2009). Thus to achieve the service quality the internal customers should be developed effectively first. It is assumed that effective internal marketing will lead to employee satisfaction which in turn impacts the service quality. If the staff are friendly, helpful and generally agreeable it influences customer views of service quality. Internal marketing (IM) is viewed as the application of all external marketing orientation philosophy t o all internal organizational and HRM processes. IM is the activity that connects internal customer or employees with all external service activities. Employees are not merely part-time marketers but they are the first set of customers that need to be satisfied fully. IM was considered as a possible solution to the challenge of delivering consistently high service (Khan & Matlay, 2009). IM is a business philosophy which lays emphasis on developing, encouraging, understanding and valuing the employees. Internal customers’ needs must be first met before a firm can successfully satisfy the external stakeholder needs. The concept and practice of internal marketing is based on the premise that employees as customers would feel committed and motivated, cooperative and enthusiastic (Mudie, 2003). Service quality can be impacted by three service factors – service orientation, service adaptability, and flexibility to manage service demand with frontline staff supply (Vella, Gou ntas & Walker, 2009). Adaptive and flexible organizations can create better work environments leading to higher job satisfaction and stronger customer relationships. If the employees are not treated well many IM strategies such as service orientation may fail. Since the service brand depends upon employees’ attitudes and behaviours, investment in internal service factors (ISF) should not be compromised as this could negatively impact the achievement of customer service excellence. To keep the internal customers satisfied reward systems, motivational techniques, training and recruitment policies should exist because these enable the external customer oriented marketing to succeed (Vella, Gountas & Walker, 2009). Customer service excellence can be achieved by allowing individuals and teams within organizations to explore and acquire new skills in the areas of customer focus and customer engagement (CSE, n.d.). This suggests that internal customers or employees should be focused upon; their skills need to be enhanced. This is known as internal marketing where the internal customers are first satisfied because it has strongly been advocated that satisfied employees can deliver enhanced service to external customers. To deliver excellent service requires focused and effective organizational and institutional processes. Employee training can lead to prosocial behaviour, which Chebat, Babin and Kollias (2002) consider essential because the front line staff are the first customer

Reasons for the Introduction of Statutory Planning in Britain Essay

Reasons for the Introduction of Statutory Planning in Britain - Essay Example In 1800, the population was 10.5 million and by 1850, this number was nearly 21 million indicating a doubled figure. By 1900, the population had nearly doubled again and the figure at that time was 37 million. It became obvious that such an increase in population would finally change the physical appearance of the country and result to potential problems associated with this (Penri 2008). At the same time, the industrial revolution had transformed Britain from a country dominated by agriculture into an industrial nation. Early industrial revolution centered populations in the northern Europe specifically Midlands, England and South Wales due to the wool and cotton towns and coalfields. The result was a dramatic growth of the industrial towns and both in terms of population and infrastructure. At this time, there was no pressure for statutory planning in Britain. The result of this was appalling conditions marked by haphazard springing of factories and houses. Due to minimal pressure for statutory town planning, there was no attempt to conduct zoning in Midlands, England and South Wales. As a result, most people lived near their workplaces. There was also no attempt to control the standards of construction and sanitation in these towns. This laxity was a result of a strong belief and reliance on the capacity of the private sector. Consequently, the foul state of housing in these towns led to serious outbreaks and spread of diseases like typhoid and cholera. Towards the end of 19th century, there were increasing concerns for housing conditions especially in the most industrialized towns. There was a need to act in order to control the existing trends in the construction of houses and industries. The believe that cities are evil was also growing. By the end of the 19th century, opinions supporting the need to conduct legislation governing town planning were forwarded by various individuals. At this time, there was also an increased interest in Germany because it h ad already legislated statutory planning. It was a good example for Britain. A more powerful force on the need to legislate resulted from the ideas and publications of protagonists of planning like J. S Nettlefold. Nettlefold believed in decentralization to the suburbs due to their pleasant environment, cheap transport and cheap land. In 1908, he published a book entitled Practical Housing which outlined the general plan required for unbuilt land, new powers to implement proposals and municipal ownership of land (Penri 2008). Effectiveness of the early statutory planning legislations and their impacts on urban development in the period up to 1939 According to Penri (2008), the first planning Act in Britain was passed in 1909. This Act authorized local councils to prepare planning schemes for any land that was undergoing development or that which was likely to be used for building purposes. The latter group of lands mainly comprised of suburban lands. The planning schemes were suppos ed to be prepared with the main aim of ensuring that in the years to come, lands that lie within the vicinity of towns are developed in a manner that connection between them and neighboring lands was most convenient. Most importantly, they were to ensure that the land development processes allowed for proper amenity and sanitary conditions. Apart from regulating the number of premises built per site and the space between them, the town planning schemes defined zones and controlled the types of buildings permitted per zone. By 1913, a total of 66 town planning schemes had already been drafted in 50 of Britain’s local authorities. Only those of Middlesex and Birmingham were approved. The preparation and approval of a scheme took a long time. Generally, the process was long and

Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Financial Management - Essay Example The financing policy should be designed in a way that it maximizes the wealth of the shareholders while minimizing the overall cost of capital. Equity The equity shares are also referred to as ‘ordinary shares’. The equity shareholders also referred to as ‘ordinary shareholders’ who share the risk as well as reward associated with the corporate ownership. Unlike preference shares the equity shares do not carry any preference with respect to redemption and income. As the equity shareholders are exposed to greater risks and do not enjoy any specified preferential rights, the equity holders are entitled to a higher share in the business profits in the form of high dividends as compared to the payments made to the preferential shareholders. However, the declaration of dividend is at the discretion of the directors’. Types of equity shares The equity shares are of the following types- With voting rights Without voting rights With differential voting rights with respect to dividend payments or voting, as per any prescribed rules and conditions. The shares with the feature of â€Å"differential voting rights† cannot be more than 25% of the company’s Total Issued Share Capital. The corporate can raise additional funds, without diluting the ownership interest of the existing shareholders through the issue of â€Å"non-voting equity shares†. ... In the event of dividend failure, the non-voting class of shares will automatically get pro-rata voting rights until there is resumption in dividend payments (Guruswamy, p.51). Merits & demerits of equity An important benefit arising from the issue of equity is that it does not create any fixed obligations. The dividends paid on the equity shares are at the discretion of the management and therefore it does not create any legal bindings. In the initial stages, the company may not be in a position to withstand fixed contractual obligations. For this reason, the equity issue is the most preferred route of issuing funds as it does not create any financial burden on the company. However, a high level of equity can dilute the ‘ownership’. It is argued that the equity shareholders interfere in the business affairs thereby delaying crucial business decisions. Moreover, the managers have to seek approval of the majority shareholders at the time of making important business decis ions. This leads to excessive delays. Benefits & Risks of voting & non-voting equity The main advantage of non-voting shares is that it overcomes the problem of dilution of ownership as these classes of shares do not have any voting rights. This class of shares tackles the problems related with other class of shares such as the ordinary shares or voting shares. The latter class of shareholders seeks high returns on their invested funds both in the form of high dividends and capital appreciation. Due to this, the non-voting shares are said to have a popular and ready market. In fact, this class of shares is similar to preference shares in terms of absence of voting rights but unlike preference

Why is ethically correct to criticize competitors through comparative Essay

Why is ethically correct to criticize competitors through comparative advertisement - Essay Example Ever since its approval, comparative advertisements has been compared to a double edged sword in which it promotes one product whereas demotes the other. An ideal comparative advertisement provides the customers with honest and sincere information in order to compete with a product so that the consumers can make a better choice while purchasing the commodity. Various researches proved that comparative advertisements help to create awareness among consumers, hence, the less popular brands become popular and the market for the popular brands tend to decrease. Comparative advertisement is considered unethical when the comparison provides the consumer with fake information and misleads the customer on purpose. Hence unethical comparative advertisements may also result in lawful proceedings. In accordance with one court any oblique remark, any indirect proclamation or any suggestions that may mean more than one thing are considered unethical. It is also considered wrong if an advertisemen t flatters their product in comparison to other. Furthermore, any sort of name calling, insulting and finger pointing are considered wrong and should be avoided at all possible costs when indulging in comparative advertisements. To keep a check and balance on comparative advertisements and to keep it within limits various organizations in the United States such as American Association of Advertising Agencies, the National Association of Broadcasters and the FTC have issued do’s and don’ts of comparative advertisements. One such example is of NBC, which says that the companies should not discredit, disparage or attack the competitors, products or industries in an unfair way (BoveÃŒ e & Arens, 1982). A list of guidelines by The American Association of Advertising Agencies is made up of ten points which ensures that a comparative advertisement remains within the ethical boundaries. The first point

Qualitative Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Qualitative Research - Essay Example Hubbard reckons the gendered attitudes and beliefs to arise from a merging of the students’ school, family and community ethos. Her results prompt the author to question â€Å"the wisdom of Ogbu’s undifferentiated treatment of the African American student population.† (p. 605). In her study, Hubbard found that a combination of ethnicity, class and gender determined the academic achievements of her subjects whereas Ogbu had asserted that under-achievement in schools by minority students was influenced essentially by cultural factors, and not by any inherent deficiency of racial, genetic or academic traits. According to Hubbard, â€Å"Recognizing the salience of gender in constructing academic identities extends the work Ogbu started and corrects an oversight that plagues his work.† (p. 606). Hubbard has chosen to focus on cases of successful minority students rather than look to explain the reasons for minority students’ failure. Through this study, Hubbard has tried to find answers to several questions including how to â€Å"account for the relative success of African American students who not only stay in school but also do well and become eligible for college?† What made the subjects of her study â€Å"not assume an ‘oppositional stance’, as Ogbu’s theory predicts?† and â€Å"why are female African American high school students typically more academically successful than their male counterparts?† The gender issue in the educational field is not a new phenomenon and it is not restricted to any ethnic group. In fact, low aspirations coupled with poor examination results in boys seem to be a global problem. Furthermore, gender-based differentiation vis a vis over-achieving girls and under-achieving boys has become a common feature in recent years so that experts in education are strongly advocating specific strategies intended to improve educational outcomes for

What went wrong in measuring and managing risk associated with Research Paper

What went wrong in measuring and managing risk associated with financial institutions - Research Paper Example est rate risks, credit risks, foreign exchange risks, and liquidity risks that affected the functions of investment bankers, securities – stocks, bonds, derivatives -- mutual funds and insurance rate. A research into the measuring and managing techniques has been made to understand what went wrong and where. Taking the example of HSBC Holdings plc – a global financial institution providing all financial services under its umbrella, it has been attempted to explain how things went wrong. Financial institutions cater to the needs of different types of customers by providing relevant financial services. Financial institutions worldwide have been affected by the adverse market environment created by the US sub prime fiasco. Trouble began when the financial companies started relying too much on the innovation in the blind faith that it will yield returns. In the current context of sub prime melt down, initially the balloon of leveraging the assets’ market went on getting bigger and bigger, creating unrealistic and illusionary hype in market, which in the end shrank the balloon to cause global crisis of liquidity in financial institutions. Selling of financial products and services is a risky business, fraught with internal and external risks associated. Measuring and managing financial risks is crucial to the success of a financial company. There are different types of financial institutions operating at national as well as global scale. Before delving deep into the list of errors committed by financial institutions, it is significant to define the scope of financial institutions like banks, insurance, mutual funds, securities firms, investment banks, and finance companies. A financial institution collects funds from private as well as public investors to use them in financial assets. Financial institutions play the role of mediators in share markets and debt security markets. Financial activities may include bonds, debentures, stocks, loans, risk

U.S. Childhood Obesity and Climate Change Article

U.S. Childhood Obesity and Climate Change - Article Example It exemplifies with evidence specific environmental impacts on obesity. In responding to this environmental negativity, the article points out climate change preparedness and prevention efforts. These efforts are grouped into two broad categories, which include increased human-powered transportation and increasing physical activity. However, any climate change intervention adopted must be explored for its potential to decrease the probability of injury risk factors. However, as the article suggests, lack of climate change intervention in various locations leads to unintended effects that could otherwise have a positive health implication on childhood obesity (Sheffield & Galvez, 2009). The article uses the piecemeal approach in exemplifying the justification of certain climate change interventions. It bases its explanations from a theoretical literature. It is obvious that the reason of why most cities and state in the United States do not have climate change intervention is the fact that the cost of installation cannot be justified by its benefits (Boarnet & Takahashi, 2010). On the contrary, the article suggests that the decision of whether to justify the construction or installation of this intervention should depend on multidisciplinary assessment. According to this article, the uniqueness and disparities in health effect of each state or regions can be demonstrated by children’s development stage, size and/or long life expectancy. As a result, the appropriate application of climate change intervention leads to a healthier diet, increased physical activities and improved air quality. The article singles out climate change intervention as the major factors that address the rationale for the continued existence of childhood obesity in the United States. According to this article, lack of this facility put in place automatically result in paediatric morbidity. However, such arguments are somehow very vague and

Employee Relations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Employee Relations - Assignment Example It offers all technical, professional and operational support employees for the hospital. Services being offered include; cleaning, security, estate maintenance, porterage, catering and car park management. Workers in the unions available are approximately 60 percent; they have memberships in GMB, TGWU and Unison. Due to the recession, the government fiscal policy and budget deficit is likely to cut the Trusts funds by 10 percent. The government policy has also provided for the emergence of other healthcare providers in the area. The expectations of the government is to see the Trust increase the number of patients that are seen, improve the service quality, effectiveness and efficiency. In order to meet the required target with a constraint budget, the Trust has been forced to offer competitive tender which has led to outsourcing of its services. The internal departments have been offered service contracts and in turn it has translated into providence of better value for money and the retaining of in house service. The relationship between the workers of the Trust and the unions is quite fair and there are 2 regular monthly meetings between the management and the union. The government in the past has brought changes that have elicited negative response from the staff. The aim of the organization is to offer good information to its staff regarding the government policy changes. There has been gradual development of communication policies by the hospital management and this has led to the improvements of staff feedback through the staff attitude survey. The survey evaluates the medical staff confidence in the top management. The support staffs presently works in groups of between 4 and 6 and this is dependent on their roles; there is a supervisor assigned for each of the groups. These groups are permanently assigned to the various departments within the hospital. The groups operate on a rotating 8 hours shift pattern; the number of shifts in a day is

Return to Normalcy Essay Example for Free

Return to Normalcy Essay â€Å"Return to Normalcy† United States presidential candidate Warren G. Harding’s campaign promise in the election of 1920. Doc 7 Muscle Shoals famous for its contributions to American popular music in the 1920’s. Doc 24 Election of 1924 – Republican Calvin Coolidge wins election by a landslide. Doc 11 Federal Farm Board created in 1929, before the stock market crash on Black Tuesday, 1929, but its powers were later enlarged to meet the economic crisis farmers faced during the Great Depression. It was established by the Agricultural Marketing Act to stabilize prices and to promote the sale of agricultural products. The board would help farmers stabilize prices by holding surplus grain and cotton in storage. Doc 7 Theodore Dreiser an American novelist and journalist of the naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters that succeeded at their objectives despite a lack of a firm moral code, and literary situations that more closely resemble studies of nature than tales of choice and agency. Dreisers best known novels include Sister Carrie (1900) and An American Tragedy (1925). Doc 3 T. S. Eliot a publisher, playwright, literary and social critic and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American, he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 (at age 25) and was naturalized as a British subject in 1927 at age 39. Doc 1 Fundamentalists The demand for a strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology, combined with a vigorous attack on outside threats to their religious culture. The term fundamentalism was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the Protestant community of the United States in the early part of the 20th century, and that had its roots in the Fundamentalist–Modernist Controversy of that time. Doc 20 Billy Sunday an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseballs National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelistduring the first two decades of the 20th century. Henry Ford [Model T]- an automobile that was produced by Henry Fords Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to October 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, the car that opened travel to the common middle-class American; some of this was because of Fords innovations, including assembly line production instead of individual hand crafting. (23) flappers- a new breed of young Western women in the 1920s who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior. Flappers were seen as brash for wearing excessive makeup, drinking, treating sex in a casual manner, smoking, driving automobiles and otherwise flouting social and sexual norms. (8,9,14,22) Harlem Renaissance- a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the New Negro Movement, named after the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke. Though it was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, many French-speaking black writers from African and Caribbean colonies who lived in Paris were also influenced by the Harlem Renaissance. 3) Marcus Garvey- a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL). He founded the Black Star Line, part of the Back-to-Africa movement, which promoted the return of the African Diaspora to their ancestral lands. (10) Charles Lindbergh- an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist. As a 25-year-old U. S.  Air Mail pilot Lindbergh emerged suddenly from virtual obscurity to instantaneous world fame as the result of his Orteig Prize-winning solo non-stop flight on May 20–21, 1927, made from Roosevelt Field[N 1] located in Garden City on New Yorks Long Island to Le Bourget Field in Paris, France. (5,21) Twenty-One Demands- a set of demands made by the Empire of Japan under Prime Minister Okuma Shigenobu sent to the nominal government of the Republic of China on January 18, 1915, resulting in two treaties with Japan on May 25, 1915. 5:5:3:1. 75:1. 5 naval ratio- after World War I, many nations became concerned about the threat of another war and the possibility of an arms race. To address these issues in the naval arena, in 1922, Great Britain, the United States, Japan, France, and Italy signed the Five Powers Treaty at the Washington Conference. In the treaty, the powers agreed to a 5:5:3:1. 75:1. 75 ratio of naval tonnage and restrictions with regard to new building of both ships and bases. Young Plan- a program for settlement of German reparations debts after World War I written in 1929 and formally adopted in 1930. It was presented by the committee headed (1929–30) by American Owen D. Young. The reparations, set in January 1921 by an Inter-Allied Reparations Commission at 269 billion gold marks (the equivalent of around 100,000 tonnes of pure gold) were deliberately crushing. Teapot Dome Scandal- a bribery incident that took place in the United States in 1922–1923, during the administration of President Warren G. Harding. Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall leased Navy petroleum reserves at Teapot Dome and two other locations to private oil companies at low rates without competitive bidding. doc 24 Secy. of the Treasury Mellon (tax cuts)- Mellon came into office with a goal of reducing the huge federal debt from World War I. To do this, he needed to increase the federal revenue and cut spending. He believed that if the tax rates were too high, then the people would try to avoid paying them. He observed that as tax rates had increased during the first part of the 20th century, investors moved to avoid the highest rates by choosing tax-free municipal bonds, for instance. (doc 15 Progressive Party- was an American political party. It was formed by former President Theodore Roosevelt, after a split in the Republican Party between himself and President William Howard Taft. â€Å"The Lost Generation†- is a term used to refer to the generation, actually a cohort, that came of age during World War I. The term was popularized by Ernest Hemingway who used it as one of two contrasting epigraphs for his novel, The Sun Also Rises. (doc 9, Doc 13 Ernest Hemingway [A Farewell to Arms]- a semi-autobiographical novel written by Ernest Hemingway concerning events during the Italian campaigns during the First World War. The book, which was first published in 1929, is a first-person account of American Frederic Henry, serving as a Lieutenant (Tenente) in the ambulance corps of the Italian Army. The title is taken from a poem by 16th-century English dramatist George Peele. (doc 13 prohibition [Volstead Act]- prohibited the production, sale, and transport of intoxicating liquors, it did not define intoxicating liquors or provide penalties. It granted both the federal government and the states the power to enforce the ban by appropriate legislation. A bill to do so was introduced in Congress in 1919. (Doc 2 Immigration Acts (1921, 1924)- was a United States federal law that limited the annual number of immigrants who could be admitted from any country to 2% of the number of people from that country who were already living in the United States in 1890, down from the 3% cap set by the Immigration Restriction Act of 1921, according to the Census of 1890. doc 11, doc 17 Scopes Trial- was a landmark American legal case in 1925 in which high school science teacher, John Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessees Butler Act which made it unlawful to teach evolution in any state-funded school. (Doc 1 The Jazz Singer (Doc 7)- is a 1927 American musical film. The first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue sequences, its release heralded the commercial ascendance of the talkies and the decline of the silent f ilm era. Produced by Warner Bros. with its Vitaphone sound-on-disc system, the movie stars Al Jolson, who performs six songs. The â€Å"New Woman† (Doc 22)- was a feminist ideal that emerged in the late 19th century. The New Woman pushed the limits set by male-dominated society, especially as modeled in the plays of Norwegian Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906). The New Woman sprang fully armed from Ibsens brain, according to a joke by Max Beerbohm (1872–1956). Langston Hughes (Doc. 3)- was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance. Pan-African Movement (Document 10)- is a movement that seeks to unify African people or people living in Africa, into a one African community† Differing types of Pan-Africanism seek different levels of economic, racial, social, or political unity. Spirit of St. Louis (Doc 21)- is the custom-built, single engine, single-seat monoplane that was flown solo by Charles Lindbergh on May 20–21, 1927, on the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris for which Lindbergh won the $25,000 Orteig Prize. Washington Naval Conference(NA)- also called the Washington Arms Conference, was a military conference called by President Warren G. Harding and held in Washington from 12 November 1921 to 6 February 1922. Conducted outside the auspices of the League of Nations, it was attended by nine nations. Dawes Plan(NA)- was an attempt in 1924 to solve the reparations problem, which had bedeviled international politics, in the wake of the Ruhr occupation and the hyperinflation crisis. It provided for the Allies to collect war reparations debt from Germany. Intended as an interim measure, the Young Plan was adopted in 1929 to replace it. Kellogg-Briand Treaty(NA)- agreement, signed Aug. 27, 1928, condemning â€Å"recourse to war for the solution of international controversies. † It is more properly known as the Pact of Paris. In June, 1927, Aristide Briand, foreign minister of France, proposed to the U. S. government a treaty outlawing war between the two countries.

The controversial issue of animal testing

The controversial issue of animal testing Animal testing is categorized into three main groups which are chemical testing, medical testing and research testing. Using non-human animals for such tests is a controversial issue that may lead several opinions whether on experts and non-expert views. Experts might say it is beneficial to human because without the non-human animals, where would science be now? Aristotle (384-322 BCE) and Erasistratus (304-258 BCE) were among the first to perform experiments on living animals. The physician operates and testing surgical procedures on to the animals before implementing on to human. Long ago, research in animal testing had helped people in curing their illness and seemed like the animals died for a good cause. On the other hand, people who stand up for animal rights would see this as cruel and injustice act for the animals. They claimed that animals have feelings and they can feel pain too. The pros and cons are still in consideration by most animal-testing industry in order to keep the consumer needs. But, is it morally acceptable to experiment on non-human animals to develop products and medicines that benefit human beings? No, it is morally unacceptable. In Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary 5th edition, moral is based on ones sense of what is right and just, not on legal rights and obligation; able to understand the differences between right and wrong. Billions of animals have died to advance science. To test one chemical whether or not it is carcinogenic which means any substance that produces cancer, it takes 500 to 1000 animals to be tested and to make sure that the chemical is free from cancer -causal. We rather let the animals die because of expected cancer from the chemicals just to satisfy human needs in cosmetics, household compound and pharmacy. Not that on the other hand it meant that we rather see human died because the chemicals are not tested but logically, the scientists should have known the cause of cancer, why would they put the chemicals in the product at first place? If science is advance enough, why use the innocent animals? Humanity should speak by itself. From the definition itself and the question asked, the answers would be a definite no because it is wrong to experiment on animals because animals are living things that have emotions. Animals do not just suffer from physical pain but also mental pain. We can notice a persons emotions without him saying anything because of non-verbal language or body language he expressed. If we can examine body language in human, then we are also able to observe non-verbal language of animals. Love an animal, it will love you, hurt the animal, it will hurt you. Pictures of vivisections of animals (Appendix 1), their eyes were filled with pain and innocent faces are enough to upset us human. When we experiencing on animals, it is likely to experience on humans, the difference is just animals do not speak human and we cannot understand them. We might as well pictured the animals being tortured, in great pains, yelling for help and trying their very hard to escape from that evil experiment. Experiment is what we called a scientific test done carefully in order to study what happens and to gain new knowledge, quoted from the dictionary. Any side effects will result in failure and poor animals, another hundreds or thousands of them will be used in the experiment to get better results. Consider yourself being experimented by another form of species and they treat you the same way as human did to non-human animals (Appendix 2). Allegedly, there is animal euthanasia which means the act of unpainful killing. How can we ever know that it is not painful? How can we know that the animals used in so-called painless death tests died peacefully? Before a new aftermath shown in your local stores, the goods have gone through a complicated and long process which leaves millions of tested animals damaged, poisoned, undergo mutation, and other unnecessary tests. Animal testing is cruelty to them, forcing them to endure the frightful side effects just so a new product can be released. Chemical testing on animals are not 100% accurate because animals do not respond the same as human does. In reality, animal research and scientists never guarantee that medication, cosmetics and other products will be safe and effective for human. There are products that have been pulled out of the market because of consumer complaints of irritancy on skins and some were severe illness and death but were previously tested on animals. Although the tests on medicine seemed safe for consumer use, two million Americans become seriously ill and approximately 100,000 people die every year because of reactions to medicines they were prescribed extracted from Nexus Magazine, Volume 8, Number 2. The statistics occurred because of the inaccurate animal experimentation which results inadequate evaluation the effects of chemicals on humans. Different animals have different body system and it reacts differently. Animals and human obviously have different condition of body system and it is the ent ire issue of the failure. Biologically speaking, different body system would result in different drug metabolism and thus dissimilar effects take place. Innumerous animals have been sacrificed and suffering from animal abuse during medicine testing. This situation is very unfair. While humans are cured, animals are slaughtered. The alternatives would be computer simulations and modeling which have the entire database from previous animal testing subjects. Millions of animals were used onto the same type of product. Researchers should file the report of the experiment and if it is proven safe to human, other industry that wants to do the same product, they should use the same chemicals or whatever materials they required but not the animals testing. The software can be used in major research centre to do such test with any chemical involve in creating a product that benefit human. Such synthetic skin would be great to test products on skin. Besides that, government and non-government could create great awareness by advertising such ads that directs the realization to the consumer (Appendix 3). Advertisement that has subtle messages creates no awareness among people because somehow it did not touch their heart. When the main point of the advertisement is being straight-forward, people would realize and immedi ately take effect. As for closure, animal testing is an immoral act. Animal suffering is a cruel act. Yes, it benefits humans to be beautiful and healthy but not to kill them in return. The scientists and researchers should have other way that is more humane. Animals are living things create by God and they can respond the same as human do. The effectiveness of the products tested on animals can never be guaranteed 100% because the products still harm the consumer even though it has been proven safe. Even the effects only affect small number of people, still we are putting the humans in danger. There are other possible options as alternatives for animal testing. Any industry can be science-advance without animal testing. If animal-testing is being prolong, will our future generations still be able to learn about the animals? Do you think the animals-tested will extinct? References Darshini Kandasamy Animal-testing centre to be set up in Malaysia. Malay Mail Friday, April 2nd, 2010 No to animal testing lab plan. The Star Online Thursday June 10, 2010 Pete Harrison Great apes protected as EU restricts animal testing. The Star Online Wednesday September 8, 2010 Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 16 September 2010 S.O.S at the University of Georgia Animals used in experiments Janet Babin Taking the animals out of testing Thursday, May 24, 2007 Nun Adilah 6 Animal Testing June 8, 2010 The National Anti-Vivisection Society Animals in Product Testing http://www.animaltestingfacts.zoomshare.com/> The Human Cost of Animal Experiments Nexus Magazine, Volume 8, Number 2 http://www.sourcewatch.org Animal testing 7 April 2010 Doris Lin Why Its Wrong to Test on Animals Haris Amin Animal Testing: Is Animal Testing Ethically Incorrect Haris Amin Animal Testing: Are there any alternatives Nun Adilah 7 BMJ Where is the evidence that animal research benefits humans? 28 February, 2004 http://www.lad.org.hk/bmjfeb2004.htm Oxford advanced learners dictionary 5th edition, International Student Nun Adilah 8 APPENDICES

Schrodinger Was A Genius Philosophy Essay

Schrodinger Was A Genius Philosophy Essay The task isnot so much to see what no one has yet seen; but to think what nobody has yet thought, about that which everybody sees.   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Erwin Schrodinger. Schrodinger was an intelligent man who worked in all fields of science. In his work with atoms, he had changed and improved the atomic model as they knew it. Statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, color and its perception, the general theory of relativity, unified field theory, particle physics, philosophy, the history of science, molecular genetics, and, especially, quantum mechanics-the multifaceted genius Erwin Schrodinger studied and contributed to all these fields in the early 20th century and earned half of the 1933 Nobel Prize in physics for his major accomplishment in quantum mechanics, the Schrodinger equation. He even invented a cat that possessed the amazing property of being alive and dead at the same time. The proverbial nine lives of an ordinary cat pale in comparison (Rosen). Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrodinger was born on August 12, 1887, in Vienna, Austria, to Rudolf and Emily Schrodinger (Rosen). His father was a well working chemist, painter and botanist, who owned an oilcloth factory. Schrodingers father, Rudolf Schrodinger, ran an oilcloth factory, but his true passions were painting and botany (Oakes). According to Rosen, Until age 10, Erwin was schooled at home, where he learned to speak both German and English, as both languages were spoken there. In 1898, he entered gymnasium (equivalent to high school in the United States). There he excelled in all fields but disliked the classes that required rote memorization. For example, Erwin loved physics, mathematics, and Latin grammar, which are all strictly logical, while he hated memorizing dates and facts. He grasped the physics and mathematics material right away, without doing any homework, and was easily able to solve problems in them immediately after class. After graduating from the Akademi sche Gymnasium in Vienna in 1906, Schrodinger entered the University of Vienna, where he first developed an interest in theoretical physics under the tutelage of Friedrich Hansenohrl. Upon receiving his Ph.D. in 1910, Schrodinger took a position at the universitys Second Physics Institute as a laboratory assistant to the experimental physicist Franz Exner (Oakes). Schrodinger was an expert in many fields, an atomic theory was one of them. He said electrons are to miniscule and move to fast to describe exactly where they are. (Brainhoney 4.04) He said that the electrons move around a given shape, a cloud. A powerful model of the atom was developed by Erwin Schrodinger in 1926. Schrodinger combined the equations for the behavior of waves with the de Broglie equation to generate a mathematical model for the distribution of electrons in an atom. The advantage of this model is that it consists of mathematical equations known as wave functions that satisfy the requirements placed on the behavior of electrons. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to imagine a physical model of electrons as waves (chemed.chem.edu.purdue). The fundamental equation of wave mechanics. It describes the wave function à Ã‹â€  of a particle such as an electron. There is a time-dependent Schrodinger equation and a time-independent Schrodinger equation. The time-independent Schrodinger equation is used to calculate energy levels and wave functions of quantum-mechanical systems such as atoms, molecules, solids, and nuclei. In three dimensions the time-independent Schrodinger equation is , where is the Laplace operator, m is the mass of the particle, E is its total energy and V is its potential energy. The Schrodinger equation was put forward by Erwin Schrodinger in 1926 and solved by him for the hydrogen atom. The equation is not exactly solvable for any other atomic and molecular system. In general, approximation techniques and/or the use of computers are needed to obtain accurate solutions to the Schrodinger equation for systems with more than two particles (Rennie). Also, besides working with atoms, Schrodinger had develop ed another theory called Schrodingers cat. He suggested a closed box containing a sample of radioactive material, a tube of cyanide, and a cat. The apparatus was to be constructed so that decay of a nucleus ejected a particle, which activated a mechanism to break the tube of cyanide. After a certain time, if a nucleus had decayed the cat would have died; if not the cat would still be alive. Schrodinger pointed out that, according to our way of interpreting quantum mechanics, the nucleus had neither decayed nor not decayed until an observation was made, and it followed that the cat was neither dead nor alive until someone opened the box and observed it (Rennie). Schrodinger was a genius, and has not had his model disproven yet, for science cannot look deeper into the atom currently. The difficulty that Schrodinger was showing is this: as long as quantum behavior is confined to the atomic and subatomic worlds, it works superbly and people must and can accept it. But quantum mechanics should also apply to the macroscopic world, the world of cars, cakes, and cats. Yet the macroscopic world does not exhibit quantum behavior. Schrodinger was on to something very deep, as this problem is still under investigation (Rosen). Schrodinger also tried his hand at the theory of relativity, which was unsuccessful. He studied electromagnetism and relativity and tried his hand, unsuccessfully, at a unified field theory, an idea that Einstein was working on at the time. (Rosen) Erwin Schrodinger was a person of many interests, into which he was capable of delving deeply. His many contributions to human culture were mostly in physics, but also in such near and far fields as color perception, biology, history, and philosophy. Schrodinger inspired others to develop ideas and make their own contributions in various fields. His most important achievement was the Schrodinger equation, for which he shared the Nobel Prize. The idea for which he is best known beyond the physics and chemistry communities is surely Schrodingers famous alive-and-dead cat, which continues to haunt the thoughts of physicists and philosophers to this very day. (Rosen) Schrodingers own words best describe his original genius: The task is, not so much to see what no one has yet seen; but to think what nobody has yet thought, about that which everybody sees.

America Needs Bilingual Programs Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Top

America Needs Bilingual Programs      Ã‚  Ã‚   As a lighthouse stands against the storm, its tireless beacon showing the way to safe harbor, so too does America stand in an increasingly dark and turbulent world. The bricks and mortar would have long ago succumbed to the pounding of the waves but for one reason, the lighthouse is built upon a foundation of bedrock as old and as strong as the earth itself. Likewise, the tower that is our nation would have long ago toppled if its foundation were not rooted in equally strong materials.    Unlike the lighthouse, this grand experiment we call America is not built upon rock and dirt; our nation is built upon the strength of its people. Of these people, only a small minority would call this place home if not for the great immigrations of the last half-millennium. These countless individuals, who left their homelands for many different reasons, all chose America because of the presence of limitless opportunity. Yet, after each new group begins to find its American identity, that group turns and attempts to bar those waiting in the queue from realizing their own American dream. Limiting educational opportunity is one method used by previous arrivals to limit the successful integration of newcomers. Immigrants are quickly being prevented from realizing their full potential as citizens by the nationwide movement to outlaw bilingual education. In order for America to maintain its position as the world's only remaining superpower, we must continue to offer our new a rrivals full access to bilingual education.    The classroom use of a language other than English is not a new or revolutionary concept in the American educational practice. The first law allowing th... ....educationworld.com. 21 Apr. 2001. Gentry, Curt. J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and The Secrets. New York: Penguin Books, 1992. "History of Bilingual Education." Rethinking Schools Spring 1998. http://www.rethinkingschools.org/Archives/12_03/langhst.htm. 21 Apr. 2001. Krashen, Stephen. "Bilingual Education: Arguments For and (Bogus) Arguments Against." Georgetown University Roundtable on Languages and Linguistics. 6 May 1999. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JWCRAWFORD/biling.htm. 21 Apr. 2001. Porter, Rosalie Pedalino. "The Case Against Bilingual Education." The Atlantic Monthly May 1998. http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/98may/biling.htm. 21 Apr. 2001. Sund, Carole. "Bilingual Education: An Overview." National Education Association. 4 October 1999. http://www.nea.org/issues/bilingual/. 21 Apr. 2001.   

Colonialism in the Caribbean Essay -- Socio-Cultural Areas History Cul

Colonialism in the Caribbean Although Michelle Cliff, Antonio Benitez- Rojo, and Sidney Mintz all discuss the Caribbean in their writings they all have very distinct perspectives. In his writing, The Caribbean as a Socio-cultural Area, Sidney Mintz discusses the Caribbean from a historical standpoint in which he characterizes it as a socially united, rather than a culturally united one. Antonio Benitez- Rojo tries to explain the distinct cultures of the Caribbean with a combination of historical and personal knowledge , in his writing of The Repeating Island. While in her novel Abeng, Michelle Cliff uses an entirely different means of discussing the Caribbean because she does it through the eyes of a child. Despite having different outlooks in explaining the Caribbean they all record the theme of colonialism and their effects on people and society. Mintz's Perspective The Caribbean as a Socio-Cultural Area addresses the current cultural Caribbean with an eye on the past. For example, when discussing the emergence of creole culture Mintz specifically points out that this was almost exclusive to the islands colonized by the Spanish. According to Mintz, the Hispanic Caribbean was "settled by Europeans who had come to stay and to become "creoles"; nowhere and at no time in the Hispanic islands did African slaves ever outnumber freeman of European origin" (Mintz 28). Therefore, contemporary Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Cuba are all very culturally diverse places who all have distinctive combinations of African, Native American, and European influences. For historical reasons, different regions of these islands have developed their own local cultures and social atmospheres by virtue of the types of people who lived ther... ... to her colonizers land reveals Jamaica’s present dependence England and the United States which is an effect of colonialism. It is the combination of readings from Mintz, Rojo, and Cliff which have explained what colonialism did in forming of the contemporary Caribbean. Also, not all of these islands are the same culturally because of the variety of colonial power imposed. Ultimately, it is impossible to look beyond this influence today because the structures of these islands are in fact the remains of colonialism. References Benitez-Rojo, Antonio. The Repeating Island, as seen in Post-contemporary Interventions, Duke University, Durham and London, 1992 Cliff, Michelle. Abeng. Published by the Penguin Group, 1984. Mintz, Sidney W. The Caribbean as a Socio-Cultural Area, as seen in Peoples and Cultures of the Caribbean, Garden City, New Jersey, 1971. Colonialism in the Caribbean Essay -- Socio-Cultural Areas History Cul Colonialism in the Caribbean Although Michelle Cliff, Antonio Benitez- Rojo, and Sidney Mintz all discuss the Caribbean in their writings they all have very distinct perspectives. In his writing, The Caribbean as a Socio-cultural Area, Sidney Mintz discusses the Caribbean from a historical standpoint in which he characterizes it as a socially united, rather than a culturally united one. Antonio Benitez- Rojo tries to explain the distinct cultures of the Caribbean with a combination of historical and personal knowledge , in his writing of The Repeating Island. While in her novel Abeng, Michelle Cliff uses an entirely different means of discussing the Caribbean because she does it through the eyes of a child. Despite having different outlooks in explaining the Caribbean they all record the theme of colonialism and their effects on people and society. Mintz's Perspective The Caribbean as a Socio-Cultural Area addresses the current cultural Caribbean with an eye on the past. For example, when discussing the emergence of creole culture Mintz specifically points out that this was almost exclusive to the islands colonized by the Spanish. According to Mintz, the Hispanic Caribbean was "settled by Europeans who had come to stay and to become "creoles"; nowhere and at no time in the Hispanic islands did African slaves ever outnumber freeman of European origin" (Mintz 28). Therefore, contemporary Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Cuba are all very culturally diverse places who all have distinctive combinations of African, Native American, and European influences. For historical reasons, different regions of these islands have developed their own local cultures and social atmospheres by virtue of the types of people who lived ther... ... to her colonizers land reveals Jamaica’s present dependence England and the United States which is an effect of colonialism. It is the combination of readings from Mintz, Rojo, and Cliff which have explained what colonialism did in forming of the contemporary Caribbean. Also, not all of these islands are the same culturally because of the variety of colonial power imposed. Ultimately, it is impossible to look beyond this influence today because the structures of these islands are in fact the remains of colonialism. References Benitez-Rojo, Antonio. The Repeating Island, as seen in Post-contemporary Interventions, Duke University, Durham and London, 1992 Cliff, Michelle. Abeng. Published by the Penguin Group, 1984. Mintz, Sidney W. The Caribbean as a Socio-Cultural Area, as seen in Peoples and Cultures of the Caribbean, Garden City, New Jersey, 1971.

Children, Media, and Violence Essay -- Media Violence and Aggression

"The evidence is overwhelming. To argue against it, the link between media violence and teen violence is like arguing against gravity," said Jeffrey McIntyre, legislative and federal affairs officer for the American Psychological Association. As children are exposed to acts of violence in the media through television, video games, music, movies, etc. alarming results are occurring. The main negative effect being an increase in aggression among youth who are regularly exposed to the media and an increase in violent patterns as they mature into adulthood. If not resolved this problem of violence in the media will continue to push children, youth and adults to acts of aggression such as verbal and physical abuse and other more serious crimes. On average an American child will see 16,000 murders and 200,000 acts of violence by the age of 18 through the television. Thousands of studies from the 1950s to the present day have all suggested that viewing violent acts will increase violent behavior while only less than 20 have suggested otherwise (Boyse). As our children are exposed to these 16,000 murders and 200,000 violent acts one can only conclude that aggression, crime and violence can only increase in our younger generations from being exposed to the current media. One study, done by a panel of experts, showed that when youth are exposed short term to violent movies, television and video games that there is an increase in aggressive thinking and behavior. Their studies also show a long term effect into adulthood when individuals are continually exposed to violent media growing up, with spouse abuse and other aggressive acts (Huesmann). I personally remember growing up playing violent video games such as Halo and hearing, ... ...Mathis Grayson, Charlotte. â€Å"Media Violence May Affect Children's Minds.† WebMD. June 2005. Web. March 2012 Palo Alto Medical Foundation. 2012. Sutter Health. 3 March 2012 Park, Alice. â€Å"How Playing Violent Video Games May Change the Brain.† Healthland: Time Mag., 2 Dec. 2011. Web. March 2012. Wang, Yang. â€Å"Violent Video Games Alter Brain Function in Young Men.† Medical School News 1 Dec. 2011. Indiana U. Web. March 2012.

The Single Life

Adult Development and career Life Assessment Jan. 21, 2010 With the internet implemented worldwide the dating scene has revolutionized. The single lifestyle in my opinion is slowly becoming a thing of the past, especially with social networking sites such as e-harmony, match. com, my-space, or even facebook. How can one define the single life? It depends on who you ask on what kind of definition you will get. In the dictionary single is defined as a relating to the unmarried state or no longer living with. I define being single as being someone who is not actively participating in a relationship with a like minded individual. I have been single for the most part of my life. My very first relationship was my sophomore year in high school. I was only about fifthteen or sixteen years old. Her name was Carla, she and I met in the cafeteria one morning while we were having breakfast before homeroom period started. Even though our high school was very small, I cannot recall ever seeing her before. Once we became friends, we started to date. We would attend school functions, basketball games, choir concerts, basketball games and track meets; as time progressed a little we both got our driver licenses and jobs. This at first was a really good thing for the relationship, due to the fact that we could attend and participate in other functions and activities outside the ones that were primarily school related, for example: the movies, or the fair. One side effect that I noticed from my new experience was that of a wondering mind. I would often find myself not focused on school work or any task for that matter. I would always become distracted when trying to accomplish anything; my attention would immediately be directed to Carla’s and I relationship. This was not benefiting me in anyway. My grades dropped, I became less and less productive at work and didn’t get much rest. Finally I made the decision that if a relationship would cause me not to maintain my focus and career goal that is was not for me at that time. Carla was my first and last serious relationship, and I have made the judgment to remain single until I have reached my educational aspirations. I would like to think that there is no pressure and is a personal choice on staying single or to get married, but it is not like that. Once a person can whole heartedly accept the fact that they are living the single life, it becomes somewhat easier for that individual to interact with others on a daily bases. For example, when a person really and truly feels as if they need to be in a relationship or cannot understand why they are not, that individual could have some problems dealing with others who are in a relationship or someone who is content with the single lifestyle. In my opinion â€Å"coming from personal experience† a person is more likely to find themselves when single as opposed to being in a committed relationship. Being a person who has been in a relationship and single, I can see some pros and cons in both being single and being in a relationship. Attached you will find a diagram with some of the pros and cons. ? ? Pros SINGLE IN A RELATIONSHIP Freedom Someone to share More friendsShared experiences Self-Sufficiency Can Depend on someone Prioritizing Career Two incomes Cons ? SINGLE IN A RELATIONSHIP Lonely Arguments No one to talk toJoint bank accounts One incomeLess time to work Having to cookLess time to focus on school In conclusion I’ve express my view and thought on the single life base on information obtain from personal experiences and article and information researched via the internet. Base on the information presented in my paper I have concluded that being single is conducive to the hectic lifestyle of a young, working college student. I do feel as if everyone needs and deserves someone. Which is why I do not wish to remain single for the remainder of my life, I can honestly say I am at the point in my life where being single is ok and works for me.

John Deere and Complex Parts Inc Essay

Deere & Company headquarter in Moline, Illinois was founded in 1837.In 2007, they conducted business in over 110 countries and employed approximately 47,000 people worldwide. Their employment rate grew to over 67,000 individuals as shown in the Statistics, 2014. They are the world’s leading manufacturer of farm and forestry equipments and also produce construction, commercial and consumer equipments. Other products and services produced by Deere included; equipment financing, power system, special technologies and healthcare. In 2006 members of John Deere’s supplier evaluation team were discussing issues on a long time supplier, Complex Parts, performance. Over the past year, their service had declined resulting in an unfavorable and less profitable relationship between John Deere and Complex Parts and the supplier evaluation team was tasked with providing a recommended course of action to their project manager. Deere’s achieving excellence program (AEP), a supplier evaluation process that promotes communication, trust, cooperation, and continuous improvement, has served as a grading base for their suppliers. The AEP evaluates on a yearly bases, key parts on how a supplier is performing. It focuses on five key areas; quality, delivery, cost management, wavelength and technical support. The program classifies each supplier, from best to worst as either partner, key, approved or conditional. AEP effectively assesses the supplier’s commitment to its relationship with Deere in such areas as; enhancing communication, lowering cost and improving design. Complex Parts had been a supplier for John Deere for over ten years with annual sales to their Moline unit of approximately $ 3.5 million. Complex Parts’ responsibility was to manufacture a key part that required significant engineering input and testing and had remained John Deere’s only supplier of this part, even thou gh two other suppliers can also supply it. Complex Parts was a supplier who was actively involved and interested in increasing their sales with John Deere. They have always taken proactive measures in their dealings with John Deere, by participating in cost reduction strategies and staying up with Deere’s design changes and most importantly giving in to Deere’s Product Quality Plan. However, their delivery rating was extremely high at 155,000 and their Quality rating was 666. This was as a result of their failure to implement the Product Quality Plan at their newly opened facility. Lastly, for as willing as they were  about employing cost reduction strategies, they failed to do so over the past year, resulting in untimely deliveries and delays. For Complex Parts to go forward to the project manager there are four courses of actions to be presented to Complex Parts. 1) Contract a new external supplier and hope that the research and analysis conducted would benefit John Deere with a good rating, 2) Utilize Complex Parts in combination with a second supplier, either external or internal, 3) Utilize an internal supplier alre ady on contract with John Deere, and 4) Continue to move forward with Complex Parts as their main supplier. Our team recommendation should be the fourth option, of keeping Complex Parts as a main supplier. However identifying a path forward that is more engaged on John Deere’s part. Identifying a team or a direct contact of upper management that will be responsible at John Deere as a liaison between the two parties. Creating a dashboard interface, or a decision support system, that ranks each aspect of their relationship on a green, yellow, and red scale could also help them identify risks before they become realized and give monthly feedback to both companies on their overall health. Some short-term and long-term implications of the recommendations are; The decade long relationship between Complex Parts and John Deere is a good indicator of past performance. Because the AEP fails to solicit and incorporate supplier feedback to their analysis, it’s difficult to assess what could be the driver of the recent downturn in performance and deliveries. It could be an issue that is short term and due to rectify its self in the coming quarter. Choosing to keep Complex Parts on contract, as a supplier for John Deere will offset any of the initial costs associated with looking for external suppliers or contracting even those internally. Long-term relationships will have lows and highs and its ideal that John Deere rides this low out. Due to the lack of communication between both parties, keeping up with Deere’s required specification changes, but was very concerned with their frequent inability to return phone calls to Complex Parts’ customer service group. An increasing number of deliveries had to be expedited over the past year, costing Deere in the process it’s difficult to predict the results of keeping Complex Parts on contract. Had the two retained a healthy level of communication John Deere could be made aware of any recent issues that Complex Parts is experiencing and perhaps due to their vast experience offer solutions that would increase the turn  around of the imposed decline. There is a risk that communication alone will not prevent a future decrease in performance by Complex Parts and John Deere will ultimately lose additional profits. To both their benefit though, Complex Parts reputation and historical performance is a good indicator of future performance, instilling confidence for John Deere to press forward with their buyer and supplier relationship with Complex Part. Focus only on scoring a high rating on the AEP scale but not necessarily doing what is best for the supplier is not a good indicator for John Deere and Company. It is not only Complex Parts responsibility to make adjustments for John Deere. Deere and Company should also exploit what they could be doing to help the supplier. The AEP is an ideal way to analyze how a supplier is functioning but it would be beneficial to include an assessment of how or what Deere and Company could do to help suppliers, provide training to conditional suppliers in order for them to improve their process which will be beneficial to both Deere and this suppliers , and to avoid danger of losing business relationship for both parties. References Accounting Tools (2014) Accounting Tools. The Weighted Average Method. Retrieved on October 4, 2014 from: http://www.accountingtools.com/weighted-average-method The Statistics Portal (2014) Statistical. John Deere’s Workforce 2002-2013. Retrieved on October 4, 2014 from: http://www.statista.com/statistics/278010/john-deere-number-of-employees-since-2002/ Wisner, J. D., Tan, K., & Leong, G. K. (2012). Principles of Supply Chain Management (3rd ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western.

School Climate Analysis

How important is a school’s climate to student success? Research suggests that it is a key element in influencing student achievement, second only to quality instruction. A school’s climate has the ability to either support or impede learning greatly. School climate refers to the â€Å"day to day operational procedures which determine the culture of a school: warm, friendly, cold, supportive, helpful, etc. †(Federal Way Public Schools, n. d. , figure 30) To what extent does a school’s climate affect student learning, and how can a school’s climate be improved? Let us take a loser look. School climate is a significant element in today’s schools. Positive climates can solve problems such as bullying, inter-student conflict, suicide, and character education; however, there are many things in our society today that interfere with school climates. This includes decreased family values, increased tolerance to violence on television and in video games, and an overall breakdown in communication between parents, students, and schools. Schools must continually work to overcome these barriers. The social emotional climate of schools is predictive of mother’s reports of their school age children’s alcohol use and psychiatric problems. Research has also revealed a relationship between school climate and student self-concept. †(Center For Social and Emotional Education [CSEE], n. d. , p. 1) Schools with positive climates have fewer students with anxiety, depression, and loneliness. A positive, nurturing school climate also lea ds to effective risk prevention and health promotion. In a positive school climate the people within the organization feel a connectedness to one another. That connectedness is a powerful predictor of adolescent health and academic success. â€Å"Safe, caring, participatory and responsive school climates tend to foster great attachment to school, as well as providing the optimal foundation for social, emotional, and academic learning. Numerous studies have shown that positive school climates lead to higher grades, engagement, attendance, expectations and aspirations, a sense of scholastic competence, fewer school suspensions, and on-time progression through grades. (Michigan State University, 2004, p. ) In order to significantly improve student behavior and academic performance, schools must improve their overall climate. There are four main elements that impact school climate. They are as follows: A physical environment that is welcoming and conductive to learning, a social environment that promotes communication and interaction, an affective environment that promotes a sense of belonging and self-esteem, and an academic environment that promotes learning and self-fulfillment. (Michigan State University, 2004, p. ) These four environments cannot operate independently of one another. Each is interrelated to the others. How can school climate be improved? Change requires â€Å"moving individuals and organizations along a continuum from ‘at risk’ to ‘safe’ to ‘thriving’. This process takes time to accomplish. †(Michigan State University, 2004, p. 6) The new federal legislation of the No Child Left Behind Act is essentially a long-term effort to change school culture, requiring teachers and schools to be held accountable, and adopting the notion that all students can and must learn. Change begins with the superintendant of the district and the central administration, along with backing from the school board. â€Å"Their decisions on building size, budget allocations, selection of staff, as well as communication of the school district’s mission, training priorities, and promotional activities, all play a part in encouraging change. †(Michigan State University, p. 6) Other approaches to change at the school level include increasing the number of counselors and mentors in schools, and using smaller teacher-student ratios. It is also important to note that many schools are moving away from competition in favor of cooperation to avoid having winners and losers. In addition, schools need to provide professional development on such issues as cultural and class differences, emotional needs of other children, parental involvement, and bullying and harassment. Research also suggests that schools should provide â€Å"multiple and varied opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities. †(Michigan State University, p. 7) The physical appearance of the facility is another important component of school climate. While it is common sense that teachers and students feel better about themselves when working and learning in an inviting and pleasant environment, research also supports this fact. A well-designed learning environment sends the message that learning is important. â€Å"Not only does a school’s architecture signal what is important; a school’s architecture also motivates students and employees, provides a message of deeper purposes and values, and can tie a community together. (Holt & Smith, n. d. , p. 53) Interestingly enough, even though research suggests that the physical environment is an indicator of school climate, a report issued by the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that three out of every four existing public school buildings is in need of repair. Another important element in school climate lies in the decision making process. Schools that promote shar ed decision making have a greater sense of belonging among staff members and stakeholders, and therefore promote a more positive and cohesive school climate. Shared decision making also promotes mutual support and ongoing communication between staff members as well as members of the community. This type of decision making increases school climate because it increases the level of trust among stakeholders. â€Å"Trust is developed when people come to expect and predict the way others will act. When a school commits the time and energy to involve stakeholders in developing shared organizational values and people live out the shared values on a day-to-day basis, conjecture and suspicions about actions are dispelled. (Else, 2000, p. 1) It is important for schools to continually assess the overall climates within their organization. There are various instruments designed for this purpose. Most of these instruments are surveys that are designed for students, teachers, and parents. Results of these surveys are then analyzed and disaggregated to assess the overall climate, and identify areas of improvement. Although classroom level measures may be appropriate for the assessment of schools at the elementary level, this is not the case for middle and high school. The students at this level move throughout the day from classroom to classroom, are surrounded by many different groups of peers, and are confronted with varying teaching styles. For this reason middle and high schools require assessment measures that capture student’s experiences throughout the entire school day. Assessing school climate and using that data to identify areas of concern is, and should be, as important as test data in today’s schools. In this week’s reading, we read about a scenario that is present in many schools around the country. That is dysfunctional thinking. In this scenario, veteran teachers and new teachers are facing off in deconstructive power struggles. Because of their varying levels of experience, and their different eras, they do not see eye to eye. In this scenario, the new teacher obviously is better equipped to chair the event. She has had experience doing this event in the past, and she has demonstrated her competency in the area. The veteran teacher doesn’t really want to chair the event; she just doesn’t want a new teacher to have that kind of control. As an administrator, I would initiate a conversation with this veteran teacher. Seeing as she is very popular among the staff, this would have to be handled carefully. The conversation would begin with a sincere appreciation for everything she does, as teachers need to be recognized for their contributions; however, I would stand firm on my decision to assign the newer teacher, Mrs. Farmington, as the chair of the event. The information presented on the table on page 71 of our textbook would provide useful information when handling this situation. It would be important for the administrator to understand, and be respectful of, each individual’s background and values. It is important for an administrator to acquire the commitment of their followers, and based on how this scenario is acted upon, it could enhance or interfere with that commitment. The dialogue that takes place between the administrator and the veteran teacher must be well thought out and respectful. In addition, the newer teacher, too, must be made aware of the importance of allowing for shared decision making throughout her event, and allow for the veteran teachers to be heard and made a valuable a part of the event as well. In conclusion, students learn best when they are in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe. Teachers teach best when they are working in an environment in which they feel valued and connected. Parents feel secure sending their students to school when they know their children are being cared for and given quality instruction. Today so many parents have trouble trusting in their children’s schools, and too often circumstances arise where parents and schools are battling one another. This is not constructive to school climate, and is not in the best interest of children. It is important for all stakeholders to share the decision making process so that everyone has a vested interest in the overall well-being of the school climate. Teachers, parents, and administrators should be partners, working together to ensure that students needs is being met, and that they are academically successful. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing, and that is what is best for our children. Working together, rather that independently, is the best way to make this happen. In the words of the old African proverb, it takes a village to raise a child. Our schools, along with parents, are the â€Å"village† that our children need. References Center For Social and Emotional Education (n.d.). School Climate Research Summary. Retrieved November 14, 2008, from http://nscc.csee.net/effective/school_climate_research_summary.pdf Else, D. (2000). School-Based Shared Decision Making. Retrieved November 14, 2008, from http://www.uni.edu/coe/iel/sdsum.html Federal Way Public Schools (n.d.). Federal Way Public Schools Glossary of Terms. Retrieved November 14, 2008, from http://www.fwps.org/info/glossary Holt, C. R., & Smith, R. M. (n.d.). The Relationship Between School Climate and Student Success. Retrieved November 14, 2008, from http://normes.uark.edu/erps/erps_journal/ERPS%20VOL%202%20N2/pdf/52-64.pdf Michigan State University (2004). Best Practice Briefs: School Climate and Learning. Retrieved November 14, 2008, from http://outreach.msu.edu/bpbriefs/issues/brief31.pdf