Key aspects of legislation Essay

Summarise key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice relating to own role and responsibilities. (7.1.1) The BTEC PTLLS award is necessary before a person can teach at a Further Education institution such as Aylesbury College. To support this qualification Lifelong Learning UK has published a new set of overarching professional standards 1 that any teachers in this sector will need to adhere to. This describes in generic terms, the skills knowledge and attributes for those that perform roles in this sector. It is disconcerting to hear that the qualification will soon be replaced following the Lingfield review. Other areas of legislation, that is important in the teaching context is the Health and Safety at Work act 1974, which states how all employers and employees need to take responsibility for their own safety needs. Key legislation that also needs to be considered for the learning environment is the Data Protection Act 1998. The collection and analysis of personal data is intrinsic to any learning institution and this act defines UK law on the processing of data on identifiable living people. It is the main piece of legislation that governs the protection of personal data in the UK and in practice it provides a way for individuals to control information about themselves. It is not just in the IT area but for all systems and paperwork when dealing with personal data, within the IT area it is especially important to consider when teaching the design of systems security and access procedures. Another area relevant to teaching IT are the Display Screen Regulations 1992/2002 which is an amendment to the Health and Safety act, this requires all employers who require their employees to use display screens to ensure that the seating position and lighting is properly adjusted and that the employee can take regular breaks from the screen. Other blanket legislation that applies in the workplace but not specifically to a learning institution are: * Race Relations Act 2000. * Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005 (DDA). * Equality Act 2010. This brought together the numerous array of Acts and Regulations, which formed the basis of anti-discrimination law in Great Britain. This was, primarily, the Equal Pay Act 1970, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and three major statutory instruments protecting discrimination in  employment on grounds of religion or belief, sexual orientation and age. Regulations more specific to the teaching environment are the following: * Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. The act required education providers to make reasonable provisions to ensure people with disabilities or special needs were provided with the same opportunities as those who were not disabled. * Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. A key point here is that only about 10% of any published document can be copied and circulated for educational purposes before copyright is infringed. * IfL Code of Practice for Teachers (2008). This is a straightforward code of practice for teachers to gives boundaries on their professional integrity, behaviour etc. * Safer practice, safer learning (2007) – responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults in the learning and skills sector – published by NIACE and DES. Analyse own responsibilities for promoting equality and valuing diversity. (7.1.2) In the class discussion on this topic, we discussed that equality is not treating everyone the same, it is rather treating everyone as unique to enable them as far as possible to have equal opportunities to learn, this is what myself as a teacher will have to work to achieve. Promoting equality should remove discrimination in all of the areas covered by the Equality act. Bullying, harassment and victimization are also considered as equality and diversity issues. Diversity aims to recognise, respect and value people’s differences, and their ability to contribute. A teacher should aim to help them reach their full potential by promoting an inclusive culture for all students (and staff). Equality and diversity is becoming more important in all aspects of our lives and work for a number of reasons. Where I was previously working, the employees were recruited globally and could be posted anywhere, they were selected because they showed potential. Inclusivity and diversity was heavily promoted as it was recognised that having a diverse workforce enhanced the company commercially. People with different backgrounds bring different approaches to solving problems or commercial negotiations which is reflected in the company’s performance. In a college, recognising, embracing and valuing difference will lead to improvements for everyone, including: * A more vibrant staff and student  population; * A better working and studying environment; * Attracting and retaining the very best staff and students; As a teacher I can promote equality and diversity by: * Treating all learners fairly. * Creating an inclusive culture for all learners. * Ensuring equal access to opportunities to enable learners to fully participate in the learning process. * Enabling the learners to develop to their full potential. * Equipping learners with the skills to challenge inequality and discrimination in their work/study environment * Making certain that any learning materials do not discriminate against any individuals or groups * Ensuring sure policies, procedures and processes don’t discriminate It was discussed in class that equality can be promoted in different ways, such as discussing privately with a student if they have problems with dyslexia, which could be helped by the simple use of different coloured backgrounds to the powerpoints or handouts. A teacher must be aware of continually promoting inclusivity in all the course material and class discussions, some actions that can be positive are for instance, prior to the class, check the names, ages and any other details of the learners and if possible try to find photos or material that will hopefully be more relevant to their background. Although this shouldn’t be done to such an extreme to alienate others, it’s a fine balance. Also it is good to make sure that different types of learners are covered in the lesson plan by differentiating for learning styles. This also helps to keep the lesson interesting as one form of lesson delivery could get fairly dull. One key point would be to be careful of my language, jokes about stereotypes and casual comments could easily cause alienation. It is also necessary to have a plan on how to deal with inappropriate remarks and behaviour by the learners. Within a college there will also be other internal organisations available to meet the potential needs of learners such as : * Student services / welfare / financial aid / student support * Careers services / advice and guidance * Learning mentors / teaching assistants * Learning difficulties and disabilities assessment and support * International office for overseas learners * Chaplaincy or medical services including sexual and mental health Tutors will be the main point of contact for anything for a learner so it is important to understand how to get in touch with the various people working in the roles for my organisation. Evaluate your own responsibilities in lifelong learning (7.1.3) In class we discussed the role and responsibilities of a tutor in lifelong learning, a number of key roles were identified, such as a tutor needs to be knowledgeable about the subject, but not necessarily an expert, they need to be confident and communicate their points well, they need to be well organised with planned lessons and good timekeeping. The tutor must set an example with their behaviour, and direct the learners, but in further education, as opposed to compulsory education, you will not be acting as a leader and counsellor, rather a facilitator. Of key importance is establishing a contract with the learners at the start of the course, so that they understand the boundaries that are set and what my expectations of them are. In the FE sector this is more important with young adults (16-18 years) than in adult education. Bearing in mind that all learners will be slightly different and work at different levels and may have different needs, it is important for me as a tutor to understand this and if necessary give additional help and guidance as required. Without regurgitating the full list of responsibilities, some key ones to additionally pick out are: * Keeping up to date with developments in the core subject as well as keeping up to date with any new teaching guidelines or changes to the curriculum. * Encouraging the learners to progress and develop their careers by giving constructive feedback. * Continually reflect on my teaching performance and evaluate each session taught and change if necessary. Review own role and responsibilities in identifying and meeting the needs of learners. (7.1.4) A key responsibility would be to get to know the learners in the class as individuals, and to understand their different abilities and learning styles. The techniques already used in the first lesson would be a  very good start, such as the learning styles questionnaire (although interpretation of the results is very subjective.), the basic skills testing, and the group introductions. The group introductions and the personal interview prior to starting the course was a way of understanding the motivation of the learners, and why they are undertaking the training. With this knowledge the tutor can aim to ensure that the lesson delivery is varied to suit the different needs of the learners and give personal help if necessary. These activities are part of the ‘Identifying Needs’ stage of the Teaching and Leaning Cycle and are documented by Gravells 2, although she has the roles and responsibilities a little confused. As the course progresses, the tutors understanding of the needs of the individual learners will become clearer as they get to know them, changes and adjustments can be made to the lesson delivery. This is an application of Kolb’s Reflective Cycle, to put it simply – Planning, Doing, Reviewing, Learning and back to planning. References 1 Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) New overarching professional standards for teachers, tutors and trainers in the lifelong learning sector. 2 Gravells, A., (2011) Preparing to teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector Websites www.excellencegateway.org www.ptllsresource.co.uk http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/equalityanddiversity/

Child Hood Essay

Today, childhood is seen as a universal rite of passage. Much of our literature consists of coming of age stories that focus on the journey from innocence to experience. Childhood marks the beginning of our personal narrative. We all have our stories of youth. Some percolate in the haze of memory; others are told and retold over the years. These stories—sad, humorous, painful—shape us. They make us who we are.Inspired by the growing popularity of collecting and recording our stories, students will interview an older family member about a single significant childhood memory, imagine specific details of the story, and then use one or a variety of media text types to present the story to the class. In doing so, students discover intergenerational links through the common universal experience of childhood. Students begin by interviewing a parent (or other older relative) about a childhood memory, collecting enough details to help them recreate the story vividly for an audie nce.In small groups, students share information and project ideas, with a view to re-telling the story through one or a combination of the following: print text (e. g. write a story from the parent’s point of view), visual text (e. g. memory scrapbook), digital text (e. g. Web page, graphic reproduction), audiovisual text (e. g. PowerPoint presentation with music), or oral presentation (e. g. monologue in the voice of the parent). Students should be encouraged to use whatever high- or low-tech tools they are comfortable with.This activity affords students the opportunity to discover and learn about the codes and conventions of their chosen media text type in order to successfully apply them to their own production. By re-creating an older family member’s story for an audience, students participate in the writing of the family history, making it less ephemeral and embedding it in time. Connecting with their parent or grandparent through a particular memory also allows s tudents to view childhood as a universal rite of passage, one that connects successive generations of their family to the family tree of humanity.A follow-up ELA activity could invite students to use their imagination to develop a story of their own, inspired by events from their own childhood: How would they tell the story to their grandchildren? Students could create a class anthology of their stories or their parents’. In Social Sciences, students could interview a parent or older relative about the social/cultural/historical time in which he or she lived as a child and create a poster depicting it

Good practice for Managing Learning and Development in Groups

â€Å"In group work the aim is not simply the transmission of content (the content focus) but the need to work with that content (the process focus). Students use and develop two sets of overlapping skills.† Staff and Education Development Unit, LSHTMIt is important to encourage our students to learn in the groups. There are just some of the skills they can develop through the group work:†¢Thinking aloud – putting thoughts into words†¢Active learning – learning through action and reaction†¢Defending your position – the power of debate†¢Going deeper into the subject – creativity, originality and critical judgement†¢Professional skills – learning how to work productively with others†¢Learning how to learn – personal growthTo summarise: To create current good practice for Managing Learning and Development in Groups , the first we need to understand the principles and practices of managing learning and develop ment in groups: †¢strategies to manage group behavior and dynamics;†¢techniques which facilitate the delivery of learning and development in groups;†¢characteristics of group environments that foster learning and development,†¢risks to consider when managing learning and development in groups;†¢ways to involve learners in the management of their own learning and development in groups †¢barriers to management of individual learning in groupsThen we need to create environments that are suitable for group learning and development. To do that, we need to consult with group members to adapt their learning and development environments to improve their learning outcomes. We need to use deferent motivational methods to engage the group and its individual members in the learning and development process. We need to facilitate communication, collaboration and learning between group members. We need manage the risks associated with group learning and development.We also need to use different methods and techniques to manage learning and development in groups: e.g.: Involve learners in agreeing group learning objectives; adapt and implement delivery methods, use activities and resources to meet the learning and development objectives of the group; manage group learning strategies and delivery methods to reflect changing requirements; provide individual advice to learners to assist their decision-making about future learning needs.We need minimize risks to safety, health, wellbeing and security of learners and comply with legal and organizational requirements: Support learners’ rights in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion, manage confidentiality in relation to learners and the organization, and maintain learning and development records in accordance with organizational procedures.But where are always some barriers we will face while teaching in the groups. These are some of the things my students say they dislike while learnin g in group: †¢A small group can easily be dominated by one person.Finding a way to channel student misbehaviour into something productive is your first line of attack. Students who misbehave have talents that school does little to bring out. Students who are ringleaders have leadership qualities that we’d be wise to nurture. We want them to use their talents for good instead of bad so we need to give them that opportunity. Sitting and being quiet is not appealing to a leader. E.g.: Then I’m presenting a slide show, every five minutes or so we’d need it to be quiet so that groups of students could hear me and the slideshow.I had one student who I knew was going to have a hard time being quiet. So I made him the engineer. He was the one who pushed the button to start the recording and pressing the next slide show. It was totally quiet in my room. Instead of allowing B.H. to be the guy who ruined our class projects by yapping, he became our trusted engineer. H e felt good about it and the class appreciated him for it. Sometimes if students have a problem with talking in the classroom, you might arrange your seats in groups rather than isolated tables so that learning can be more social and project based. †¢When members of the group  wonders around the classroom.Teachers who have students who have trouble wandering around the room might make those kids the paper or door monitors so they have a reason to wander and wander with a purpose that’s productive for the classroom. †¢Students who say â€Å" I don’t care†Some students say they don’t care about missing out. I found it it is usually because they really do care. If it doesn’t bother students to miss out on your activities then your activities aren’t interesting for them, but because they are in my lesson because they chose to be that is usually not true. I try not to send students out of the room for misbehaving. A student often misb ehaves because he’s bored†¦he then misbehaves†¦you send him away. Student got what he wanted. I try not to reward bad behaviour in this way. It diminishes your own power and gives another incentive to misbehave.As I stated earlier, I believe a good Classroom Management is the key to an environment where learning can take place and students can feel safe participating. I hope to create an environment that is conducive to learning and involves all my students. I believe the most important part of classroom management is not the behaviour problems but creating a good rapport with the students, encouraging them to succeed and setting high expectations for them. As well as using an engaging a curriculum, I believe you can create this environment and it will limit the behaviour problems in your classroom from the start.

Economics 1- General Motors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economics 1- General Motors - Essay Example he question directly, the cost structure of the combined entities, as General Motors, improved after the mergers, with the trimming of costs and improving profit margins even when the level of revenues remains constant. Economies of scale is possible only with a certain minimum critical size of firms in an industry such as the automobile industry. The company continued its acquisition binge in the ensuing years. Management decisions that improved operations included reduction of costly factory errors with the establishment of a testing laboratory, and setting up of facilities for research and development, which turned out to be the most complex in the industry at the time. These contributed to improved efficiency and productivity. During the 1920s the big car manufacturers were GM and Ford, followed by Chrysler in 1925 (American Motors was formed only in 1954). At that time only Ford posed a semblance of competition to GM. GM proceeded with some major innovations in management systems using policy coordination from the top, policy direction through top-level committees, and delegation of responsibilities - practices that were to become standard in business management theory and practice. In the late 1920s, GM introduced the synchromesh gears by Cadillac, the shatter-proof safety glass, and the V-16, the first car type with a 16-cylinder engine, setting standards in power and performance. Then it pioneered in innovations in styling and engineering, capped by the discovery of the automatic gear. GM also developed the independ4ent front wheel suspension and the automatic transmission under Sloans leadership before the WWII. In the 1950s GM introduced the V-8 engine with a higher compression ratio, power steering , air-conditioning systems, safety belts, among others. In short, the company outdistanced its competition through design and engineering as demonstrated in the functional quality of cars it produced. In the area of marketing strategy, GM boss Sloans

Written Business Communication (Assignment #1) Assignment

Written Business Communication ( #1) - Assignment Example The tenants look upon us to ensure that they are safe and secure to give them the worth of their money (Guffey & Loewy, 2013). Such a complication can have negative effects and cause some tenants to vacate the premise but we would not want that to happen. You will understand how adverse that is because we value our clients. We wish to request that the repair be done well and that you ensure mitigation of such occurrences in future. In addition to our customers’ value, a gate with problems can injure its users and this can warrant prosecution in a court of law. It would further be good if we tried to make the tenants comfortable as they stay in the premise. There are people with young children in the premise and they fear for the safety of their children especially when they go to work. There are complaints too about the gate rusting. We do not know the cause of this but it might be that the gate was not painted well. The rust could also be resulting from the spot where the two doors grind. Such open rust spots can cause serious injury if it was to cut. Tetanus is one such disease that one can contract if cut by such rusted material. This would have adverse effects on us and may compromise perception of our competence. We are good at what we do and we seek to offer quality services to our tenants (Guffey & Loewy, 2013). We hope that you can attend to this matter with utmost urgency. Our company wishes to remain partners with you in other premises that we manage. Consequently, we will need your assurance that you are competent and that you can respond immediately when called upon. You also know that we have our colleagues who also do property management and if we have your assurance of competence and quality service then we would not hesitate to refer and recommend you to them. We hope that there should not be a problem

Types of Health Insurance Plans Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Types of Health Insurance Plans - Case Study Example Offering a health insurance plan helps in retaining and attracting quality workers. Accordingly, this results in a higher productivity and customer satisfaction. Additionally, a health insurance makes employee accept better benefits instead of a higher salary. Consequently, this reduces the organizational expenditure and provides more financial resources for development (Morrisey,  2008). Furthermore, a health benefit decreases absenteeism and improves the workers’ health and morale. As a result, the workers are more willing to offer better services that assist the firm in realizing its objectives. On the other hand, such a benefit is expensive for the organization, considering its small size and sources of finance. Additionally, the administrative cost of designing and implementing such a plan is very expensive for the business (Morrisey,  2008). Furthermore, the current cost of insurance policies is increasing, making it less viable and an expensive endeavor for the organization. For this reason, any mistakes made in the benefit plans can lead the team to serious legal problems that might lead to costly charges or regulatory fines. There are different types of health insurance plans designed to meet specific needs of an employee or employees. Specifically, the most common in the market is embedded in a network of providers in order to benefit from the economies of scale. Some of the available plans include the exclusive provider organization, health maintenance organization, a point of service, and the preferred provider organization (Morrisey,  2008). The most desirable and cost-effective plan for the organization is the Preferred Provider Organization. Specifically, this is because the method is cost effective as it allows members of the network to pay less when the employees use services from the providers within the network. The Preferred Provider Organization is network specific, and the employees do not pay for the plan.  

Social Inequality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Inequality - Essay Example Of the three Weber's stratification theory appears to be the most accurate prediction while Marx's class theory could not prove itself in modern society. Durkheim's functionalist theory also had predicted somewhat similar characteristics and problems that exist in our society today. . Marx visualized that the historical change would be identical to the changes in relation to class conflicts. He overemphasized the fact that there will be no progress if there are no class conflicts. Due to the industrial revolution, all social order, i.e., master craftsmen, journeymen, and apprentices were abolished. Marx argues that class struggle between oppressing and oppressed classes is essential for a modern social change. Apparently he could not devote much time to analyze and describe the life of the middle class (the class between bourgeoisie and proletariat) and said that 'they are small part of the ruling class but later join proletariat, the revolutionary class.' That appears to be contrary to the existing social dimensions, where the middle class has become one of the dominant one. Over the years many of Marx's predictions were proved wrong, for example: class polarization, instead of conflicts between two main classes like what Marx argued, today our society doesn't appear to be a complex one with the emergence of middle class population in the absence of class conflicts. Another failed prediction of Marx's prediction was concentration of capital. Capital is not confined to capitalists only, but with growing numbers of ambitious smaller to medium sized entrepreneurs, the property ownership has spread to different segments of the society. Anyone having some starting money can invest it in their own business. Weber's stratification theory, on the other hand, presents multidimensional causes of social inequality in relation to several conflicting groups. He argues that there are various stratified social group in society based on class, status and party. And these different groups create a kind of social inequality. Class is determined by economic order whereas status is determined by styles of life. The party consisted of people have political power. Like Marx, Weber also recognizes the significance of class struggle that is related to market exchange. Therefore, class does not comprise of just one group but virtually consisted of various kinds of economic class. According to Weber, the economic classes tend to be confined to four different social classes in capitalist society. There are propertied classes, property-less non manual class, petty bourgeoisie and manual working class. As compared to Marx's class theory there are two middle classes in Weber's kind of society. The property-less non manual class and the petty bourgeoisie form the middle class in Weber's theory. Petty bourgeoisie are people who own their own production such as small manufacture, business, or farm. The non manual working class i.e, the so called white-collar worker, are people who had education and trained to become professional worker receiving wages in return of their work. The status groups consisted of people who have social honor or authority. They have a tendency to distinguish themselves from outside of their status groups. Lastly party is designed to achieve communal action. Weber's stratification theory represents today's social inequality by introducing various stratified

Channels & intermediaries for marketing plan and promotion strategy Term Paper

Channels & intermediaries for marketing plan and promotion strategy - Term Paper Example e the need to lower the costs of distribution, increased power of distributors, particularly retailers within marketing channels, increased difficulties in achieving proper competitive advantage, and the development of e – commerce and information and communication technologies. The theory of the marketing channel can be puzzling. At times, it is thought of as the course in use by a product as it progresses from the producer to the consumer or another final user. Several describe it as the route in use by the title to goods as it progresses through different agencies. Still others explain the marketing channel in terms of free coalitions of business enterprises that have come together with the intention of trade. Much of the uncertainty possibly stems from conflicting viewpoints or perspectives. A marketing channel is an essential marketing decision area that must be addressed by the marketing management. A marketing channel may be described as the external contactual organization that the management of a business controls in order to attain its distribution objectives. Marketing channel strategy is a key strategic area of marketing management, which fits under the place or distribution variable in the marketing mix (Ken Kaser, 2007). The management of the Youth Soccer Club must develop and run its marketing channels in a way that supports and augments the other planned variables of the marketing mix, to meet the demands of the club’s target markets. Where limitations exist in the promotion, price, and product strategies of the marketing mix, the best hope for the soccer club to be successful is to emphasize the market channel strategy. Specifically, the soccer club could establish stronger connections with donors or sponsors and suppliers. From the perspective of establishing competitive advantage, which ahs long-term viability, market channel strategy that is focused on the establishment of strong relationships between donors or suppliers and channel

Bar built estuaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Bar built estuaries - Essay Example An example for this is the East Matagorda Bay. Bar-built estuaries are also found in The Netherlands. Estuaries found in North Carolina are also the examples of bar-built estuaries; for example Albemarle Sound and Pamlico Sound. Bar-built estuaries are semi-isolated from ocean waters through the barrier beaches found between estuaries and oceans. Barrier spits and barrier islands are located between estuaries and oceans. As barrier beaches get formed they partially encircle the estuary allowing only small inlets to allow contacts between estuaries and ocean waters. Bar-built estuaries usually get formed over gently sloping plains placed along tectonically stable boundaries of marginal sea coasts and continents. The barrier beaches that encircle bar-built estuaries are formed in numerous ways. Wave action causes the formation of offshore bars. Here, the sand from the seafloor gets accumulated in extended bars parallel to the shoreline. This forms barrier beaches. Reformation of sediment discharge from rivers through current, wave, and wind action causes the formation of barrier beaches. Mainland beach ridges get engulfed because of the rise in sea level. This led to the breaking of the ridges and flooding of the coastal lowlands. Shallow lagoons get formed as a result. This contributes to the formation of barrier beaches. Extension of barrier spits through the erosion of headlands also form barrier beaches. Barrier beaches get created in shallow water. They are mostly parallel to the shoreline. This leads to the formation of long narrow estuaries. Water depth of these estuaries is between 5 m and 10 m. Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, Pamlico Sound, North Carolina and Laguna Madre, Texas are some of the examples of bar-built estuaries. Scientists have made use of variety of criteria to classify estuaries. Previously they used to classify estuaries based on the rate of fresh water, evaporation.

The letter to Julia from Gregory Williams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The letter to Julia from Gregory Williams - Essay Example Sadly, you too, Julia, experienced the same thing when you came to the United States from the Dominican Republic. Your race and your economic status changed once your family stepped foot in New York. Where once you were members of a privileged class who employed servants and enjoyed a good life you then became a racial outsider dependent on other's perceptions. In your younger years, you found it was easier to be considered white than to be defined as some sort of racial anomaly and your family encouraged this with their ideals of beauty being defined by light-colored skin and blonde hair. Even when you were applying for jobs after graduation from college, it was not your educational background that was noted but your ethnicity. James also went through the pain of realizing he was "different" due to his mixed-race parents and found that while he had a hard time defining his own color, others were not so particular. When his minister was asked why Jesus was portrayed as white, he coul d not come up with a good answer that would make sense to a young man of mixed ethnicity. This lack of clear racial identity is on thing that seems to have changed little since I wrote my book. Even though it is now more acceptable that two people of different races marry and produce children, a stigma is still applied even by those with extensive education and community contacts. During my formative years, there were so many avenues closed to a person of color. It was more than disheartening to learn I was not eligible to win an academic achievement prize in the Indiana elementary school based purely on the color of my skin. Back then, "the prize did not go to Negroes. Just like in Louisville, there were things and places for whites only" (Williams, 126). We were not considered to be suitable matches for white women nor were we welcome at sporting events. I was horrified to be screamed at after attending a basketball game, "Niggers go home!" (Williams, 220). Surely in your times, this would not be tolerated! Even the ability to play basketball, the sport of which today is filled with people of color, was beyond my reach as my coach so aptly demonstrated by cutting me from the varsity team in favor of a white player with less skill. Today, people of mixed race are allowed to hold high-end jobs and receive the same education as others. You were both afforded professional opportunities that were closed to me. Through your writing voices, both of you have managed to become icons for all people now considered bi-racial and American citizens are listening to you. You have managed to reach the rest of America who might also feel the same as you did in regards to an ill-defined identity and slowly break away the barriers separating one race from another. There is a whole new category of race that now that did not exist when I was growing up. No one referred to my family and I as "bi-racial". One drop of colored blood in a person meant that he was Black and there were no other

Methods for Simply Supported Beams and Columns in Steel Essay

Methods for Simply Supported Beams and Columns in Steel - Essay Example (Lecture 10.6.2: Shear Connection II) To define the total and fractional shear connection, one can simplify as only a simply supported beam by means of 'constant cross-sections' that are deemed to consideration of an evenly dispersed loading or of one concentrated load, but cannot be both. By taking the 'critical length' of a simply supported beam into consideration, the ultimate worth of the overall longitudinal shear force in the length could be calculated by presuming that the plastic resistance moment can be attained within the inner critical cross-section. Therefore the overall longitudinal shear force is equivalent to the less significant plastic axial resistance within either the steel component or the concrete slab within the critical cross-section in question. We can assume that ductile connectors are used for the reason of the design method for a partial shear connection. One should establish the notion of a lessened definitive moment curve and lacking the need to assess the slip along the steel-concrete interface. By assuming that every connector cultivates its design shear resistance, the overall longitudinal shear force within every significant length is equivalent to the total of the shear resistances of the connectors and also to the ultimate compressive force within the concrete slab. A significant choice for the efficient usage of composite beams in buildings is the partial shear connection. Simply supported beams designs depend on the connector ductility and when non-ductile shear connectors are employed the use of an elastic beam theory is used within the simplest design method, assessing the longitudinal shear force per unit length, although when the ductile shear connectors are used, the employment of plastic resistance of cross-sections used within the 'stress block design method'. (Lecture 10.6.2: Shear Connection II) A minimal measure of connectivity depends upon the beam's extent and attention is attracted to the requirements thereof. Through the application of the new (FRP) fibre reinforced polymer bars as extra strengthening within civil engineering constructions, by speedily attaining progress, it may well substitute the conventional steel as it consists of superior matter and of a very good cost-effectiveness. It also adds an advantage of more durability to conventional steel within a problematic atmosphere and surroundings and within areas where conventional steel has the unneeded magnetism or electricity conduction. 172357 3 Another method of column design is within a non-sway bare steel structure. "A semi-rigid design of partially restrained columns in non-sway steel frames." (Journal of Constructional Steel Research 1999) This of which withholds the semi-rigid action of the 'beam to column' connectivity upon the approximation of the efficient length ratio.

The second World War Essay Example for Free

The second World War Essay D-day was heralded as first enormous invasion of the allied on German claimed soil. The army generals and the government wanted to give the impression of complete power and might in their final push to abolish the Nazi slavery of Europe now they had the backing of America and Canada. It was perceived as almost a religious crusade, as though God was supporting their every move so it couldnt possibly fail. This confidence and sense of glory made the war seem more justifiable as people felt they were serving the righteous side. People on the home front were well informed of the fact the British were not defending but were on the offensive, this change in situations inspired people on the home front who were growing tired of the continuing news on the Atlantic battles and artillery battles. This mighty push was seen as courageous and raised peoples hope that the end was nigh. Churchill was in charge and was organising the campaign at this crucial juncture so the whole nation was on tenterhooks to receive his commands. The nation was made to feel everything depended on this mission, as it flooded the press. This encouraged the country to work even harder to achieve this goal and also worry less about the long-term situation as they were focusing on the present. When the troops landed on the coast of France and Normandy it was seen as histories greatest oversees operation which was true, but also glossed over the fact that they still had a bloody battle at a disadvantaged position once they reached mainland. Evacuation The war was expected several years before 1939 and preparations were already taking place before its declaration to move children into more rural and predicted safer areas. Away from the densely populated cities and industrial places where German bombers would likely target when the war commenced. Other preparations were made to limit causalities in the of air raids and predicted gas attacks; gas masks were compulsory items to have, thousands of Anderson shelters were erected for people to hide in during raids, rationing began to help soldiers and make sure everyone was kept healthy, the local defence volunteers and many other similar organisations were established to help and warn people in raids, signals e. g.sirens were created and the blackout was enforced to prevent German pilots from pinpointing a certain location. The community were encouraged to be involved in all these preparations, which also made them aware of the imminent threat posed by bombing thus persuading them to leave their children in the houses of strangers. In 1939 there was the largest mass evacuation of people in Britains history, from major cities and 3. 5 million people were arranged to be evacuated to reception areas. Most were normal children, others from schools and hospitals etc. This huge amount of people who were confused and uneducated about the situation inevitably posed many problems to the process. For a start most people had no idea of where they were heading, for they were not told before hand and the number of evacuees far out numbered the people willing to house them. This was all due to poor organisation by the government, despite notifying people about the plans months before. But considering the sheer amount of people involved the process run smoothly in the governments perspective and many evacuations worked with out a hitch. The government had also set up first aid stations showing they were obviously attempting to cope with all the inevitable problems that would arise. Many very poor children would arrive at reception areas with various health conditions such as scabies, lice and due to cold weather and lack of adequate clothing cold burns often formed. The clinics provided basic care before they were sent to hosts. On their identity cards they has health related information and often the kids that appeared unhealthy would be unfairly treated and hosts would be less likely to want them. The government tried to persuade families to separate from their loved ones by using propaganda. The predictions of casualties e. g. 4,000,000 in London far surpassed the actual figures and were there fore grossly exaggerated. Britain had been expecting air attacks for many years as the hostilities and threats had been building for several years before the war. Leaflets and Posters were important techniques of spreading their message about the evil extent Hitler would undertake to achieve his aims. This, initially discouraging and potential fear mongering way, proved to be effective as people were more intensely willing to participate in order to save their people and foil Hitlers plans to destroy public morale. The fact they used propaganda so wide spread proves people obviously needed a lot of convincing and the dark nature of the propaganda ( as in source B7 ) suggests the government were desperate to make an impact in order to attain their goal of the complete evacuation of children from cities. Subsequently when dealing with three million people there were many cases of disaster where the propaganda had inflicted panic instead of the hoped controlled movement. Sir John Anderson who as organising evacuation did not help this emotional upheaval, as he had a cold and detached not understanding nature. Evacuation was established to firstly protect people especially children from the threat of bombing. Children were obviously the most crucial group of people for they would continue the next generation. This also kept morale high as people in battle and working at home knew their children were safe and didnt have to worry about them being killed or injured in air raids. It also allowed rural communities not involved so much in the war effort feel occupied and of use thus supporting positive morale in these areas too. However, the fact that children were sent to random homes meant that they had to deal with whatever situation they were landed in, often their were clashes of class and social statue, sometimes this resulted in a positive outcome as poor children found themselves in welcoming circumstances. This sudden mix of classes had never occurred before, as people who lived totally separate and different life styles had to live side by side and deal with the prejudice that had been fed to them through society over countless generations. This new perspective to life sometimes highlighted the conflicts between people but often created a sense of unity in the face of a common enemy. This mystery of a new experience often initially excited children and many had a very interesting and free time when away from the city and the stress and restraints that went with it. Others, particularly younger children missed their homes and parents dreadfully and did not enjoy the peculiar circumstances they were forced into. The children themselves were all labelled so they could be identified and told to take a few essential possessions. When they reached the trains stations and bus stations they were filed onto the transport and many were separated from their parents and placed into groups with a guardian of one of the 100,000 teachers participating. Over 3,000,000 were evacuated in the first 4 days of September, which by any terms is an astonishing feat of organisation and co-ordination. When the order was sent at 11:07 August 31st few imagined that within a week a quarter of the population would have been evacuated. The stations were dense with people saying their good byes or finding luggage or lost siblings, this caused great confusion and the distress of moving to an unknown location built up tensions of fear resulting in anger. Smaller children who didnt understand the situation must have felt distraught at leaving their parents, these early traumatic experiences must have left deep impressions, especially as many were ignorant to when they would return. Others simply found it an exhilarating adventure and treated it like a holiday, particularly those who went to boarding schools. Those in the poverty stricken slums of the cities jumped at the opportunity to go to the country. Obviously in a movement this massive there was a great variation in opinions and attitudes towards evacuation but the underlying intension was similar for most people as they had seen the effects of severe bombing in other parts of the world-; do whats best for the country and its future unsurprisingly seemed the most important plan of action. This overall idea allowed stereotypical images to develop in peoples minds over how children had to deal with the situation e. g. Grin and bear it and dont complain. When reaching the reception areas local councils would line up the children and hosts simply picked their favourite. As this was often based on superficial first impressions many children were left feeling rejected and humiliated, this seemed a rudimentary way of selecting people, but in the end left no muddle over names and identities and matching people up. This random selection and the lack of restriction to who hosts could be occasionally left vulnerably children in dangerous hands of abusers. Because it was simply luck of the draw some had equally great experiences as expected and it is clear that only a minority, once settled had a miserable time. Ministry of health reporters issued statements declaring a glossy positive outlook of evacuation, so as not to worry the people and also the government, allowing people to begin concentrating no the more imminent problems of combat in war. Generally this statement is true as the main motivation to evacuate such large numbers was to save lives and this certainly worked, as the millions of estimated causalities did not happen and the country could run more smoothly because of this conclusion. In most cases people were more at ease with their childrens safety and there fore could focus on work and soldiers on the battle front. Women The Second World War affected the lives of women dramatically. Since the late 1800s women like the suffragettes had been protesting for womens rights as they were discontented with societies attitude to women as being inferior and demanded more equality between the sexs. Although through the early 1920s women did gain the right to vote and became more acceptable in some work arenas e. g. nurses clerks typists (jobs considered appropriate for women), the opportunities had only opened slightly, but the reality was most women performed exactly the same role as previously. However, many women were settled in the traditional way of life they led and felt the home was their first priority and there fore didnt particularly feel the necessity to change. The government realised that due to the unusual circumstances it would be most practical to enrol the services of women to fill the occupation vacancies in industry whilst vast numbers of men were recruited into war. Originally many government ministers were reluctant to conscript women in to work, arguing that a womans responsibilities were in the home caring for children. However, as more men left it became more important to keep the country producing munitions etc. instead of women simply staying at home, so the government lead by chamberlain agreed to ask for womens volunteer assistance. They made a national campaign advertising for help in a huge range of jobs, using posters, billboards, leaflets etc and encouraged applicants by saying it was imperative for the war effort. Many people were initially surprised at the unprecedented mass surge of women who signed up for industry working and the land army. Particularly after the depression of the thirties many working class women jumped at the new opportunities that had aroused and were motivated by the promise of money of their own. A minority of women objected to war work believing it detracted from their house work and others detested the prejudice that occurred and the lack of equal treatment; the fact women were paid 60% of an equivalent male employer, this proves how women were seen as less productive and skilled as a man. It also shows how society expected women to work for the good of the nation even with lower wages and how most women just accepted this. Many women who enrolled for work had never been away from home or worked for an income before and took on the new opportunities with enthusiasm and determination. The country was finally willingly giving women the chance to show their capability to perform in areas they had never had access to previously, this encouraged women to work to their limits. Government officials made reports of the exceptional standard of work occurring in the factories by newly appointed women and how it equalled if not excelled that of the prior male labourers. The new work and money entitled women to be more independent and opinionated. As they become more liberated and confident in their positions, some began to demand more equality for they realised the worth of their aid. The whole population became more and more involved in the war effort and the new workforce was described as soldiers with different weapons, hence the name given to this condition total war. Women in the home looking after the family also found themselves in new situations as the head of the family was always the man or husband and in most cases he had been sent to war. These women now had to organise and take the responsibilities of the man; they were now the dominant figure in the family, which had hardly ever occurred before. The decisions women made were complicated by the limitations of the rationing of food, clothing and general materials. They were in charge of the ration booklets for the family and had to pool all the coupons they received to obtain food and other items. Because civilians were targeted during the war they also had to deal with temporary housing, evacuation and ensuring everyone was safe during bombing raids. Often women like this joined the local civil defence or nursing posts to help their community. They were depended on to manage serious situations in bombing raids and such like, that before the war would have been considered too important to be arranged by a woman. Many women there fore felt more appreciated and occupied than previously, so wanted to contribute. The government enthused this attitude by using positive propaganda suggesting how useful and essential womens work was. Posters of physically fit women doing hard jobs and showing satisfaction in their work were often used. This rose the morale of many women and made them more unified with the war effort which obviously helped in the manufacturing of munitions, saving food for soldiers, keeping the economy stable and saving lives on the home front. Many were encouraged to attend USO balls where they danced and befriended lonely soldiers, young women had freedom social as well, and this also allowed them to enjoy the war and the new experiences it entailed. Due to the new independence women had acquired some found themselves more sexually liberated and due to their uneducated and ignorant ideas of sex found themselves in difficult positions with no one to understand or express their feeling to. The government at the time did not think to inform women about sex and its possibly consequences, so occasionally there were cased of illegitimate children being born and mothers being shamed by their peers. However, the government did publish leaflets containing information on ways to become self sufficient e. g.growing vegetables making food that was healthy and of good value, being resourceful with all house hold equipment, making suitable cloths and recycling materials etc. all these suggestions aided women in their duties and showed how they could be generally more efficient. Government posters were used to make people, especially women aware of the consequences of wasting products in a time of shortages e. g. the cartoon character squander bug. Posters were also produced highlighting the significance of not discussing the war in public in case German secret agents were listening. All these legitimate warnings kept peoples minds focused on why they were doing what they were doing and there fore prevented opposition from other people who didnt agree with women having the authority they did. All the concerns and anxieties over what was socially acceptable made the war an exciting yet confusing time for women. They had to combine their traditional values with this new independence, but also keep in mind it was a temporary situation and whatever happened in their lives now was likely to change again when the men returned from war.

Impact of Master Data Management

Impact of Master Data Management The impact of Master Data Management in an organization to improve decision making. Abstract This research deals with assessing the importance of Master Data Management in an organization and the impacts it has when making decisions. I will present the methodological framework which allows a centered master data to flow to different systems. This research will use the qualitative approach and interpretive paradigm. Master Data Management MDM Keywords: Master Data Management, Data Quality, Information Management, Data Governance Background of the study The focus to Master Data Management is to provide relevant information for decision making using the various systems in the organization. Based on the increasing number of expected benefits of systems that they will deliver a single version of key organizational entities. â€Å"MDM represents the set of policies, governance, standards, processes and tools that define and manage the master and reference data of a business organization to provide a single point of reference.â€Å"(Subotic, Jovanovic, Poscic, 2014) Years of using and retaining data in different data stores have led to conflicts in data descriptions, in the way data is structured, and the values of data, which makes it impossible or hard for an organization to understand and properly use its key data(Cleven Wortmann). Data are used in almost all the activities of companies and constitute the basis for decisions on operational and strategic levels. Poor quality data will have significantly negative effects on the competence of an organization, while high quality data are often crucial to a company’s success (Haug, Zachariassen van Liempd). Integrating those business definitions and data records across business lines and across subsidiaries is no simple task, demanding rearranging of data ownership and governance, however also requiring advanced technology for policies and business rules to be enforced(Scheidl 2011). The goal of MDM is to create and maintain consistent and complete business data for all stakeholders in a controlled and single-view capable manner across the whole organization which will help them figure out the improvement areas so they become more efficient and competitive. MDM is meant to provide organizations with the ability to integrate, analyze and exploit the value of their data assets, regardless of where that information was collected (Milanov Njengus 2012). Research Problem Organizations deal with different data which may be scatted across the whole organization where systems do not communicate with each other causing the organization to make decisions based on data that is not accurate. Research Objectives Master Data Management seeks to consolidate data that resides in various systems that do not communicate with each other, in such a way that accurate and up to date organizational data is available in a single place (Reichet, Otto, Ostele, 2013). This research will discuss on how Master Data Management can manage the organizations data and outline the benefits of using MDM which will permit the organization to understand their key data. Consequently, the lack of a suitable master data management may lead to severe problems like operational faults, inadequate decision making. The bigger the company, the bigger the issue of managing the data will be. If companies grow the data landscape gets more complicated and managing data becomes an issue that is hard to deal with (K Pietzka). Companies need to make decisions based on the data that they understand and has qualities of data quality dimensions – Timely, Consistent, Completeness, Integrity, Accuracy, Conformity. To be successful in business, you need to make decisions fast and based on the right information. (Thatipamula 2013) Preliminary Literature Review Master data form the basis for business processes. Master data represent a company’s essential basic data which remain unchanged over a specific period of time. Which include customer, material, employee and supplier data. Inconsistent master data cause process errors resulting in higher costs. With proper governance, the master data can be regarded as a unified set of data that all applications can rely on for consistent, high quality information (Hamilton G). Theoretical Framework This framework will allow master data to flow from the Master Data System to the applications, making sure that all applications use the same data. It ensures that the data used is always created the same way and is unique. Which will then allow all linked applications to use the centralized master data. By: C LOSER, Dr. C LEGNER, D GIZANIS showing Central Master Data System Research Questions Asking the right questions will enable the organization to better the way they make decision and the processes involved in their every day to day transactions (Cleven Wortmann). This research will use a qualitative research to answer the following research questions: How to maintain high data quality?   The impacts in business for not having high quality data What causes data redundancy in the organization Maintaining high data quality Achieving better insight into the performance of processes involved in the everyday running of the business, the customers they have and product profitability and market share is one of the goals. These reporting understandings are the base for key decision making, however, the quality of the reporting is directly impacted by the quality of the data. Data that is not of high quality leads to under-informed decisions. Also, the return on costly investments in business intelligence is partly diminished if the source data is corrupt (C Loser, Dr. C Legner and D Gizanis 2004) A major factor of any company’s day-to-day business is the data that is used in business processes and is available to the operational staff. If it happens that this data is not available, out of date or incorrect, the business may suffer delays or financial losses. â€Å"The implications of poor quality data carry negative effects to business users through: less customer satisfaction, increased running costs, inefficient decision-making processes, lower performance and lowered employee job satisfactionâ€Å"(Haug A, Zachariassen F, van Liempd D, 2011) Data in an organization needs to be controlled and managed. Without having specific rules in place or enforcing data governance, this will cause data to be redundant in different places/systems across the organization. Data governance specifies the framework for decision rights and accountabilities to encourage desirable behavior in the use of data (Otto B, 2009) When wrong data is identified in the system, some analysis would have to be performed to find out why it happened and how it can be prevented from happening again. The process of correcting the issues will take time and organizational resources. Benefits of Master Data Management The key benefit of Master Data Management is to integrate similar data management processes, consolidate the critical information that is scattered across the organization, improve the integrity of data which makes sure that the data available is complete and accurate and business will be able to make more effective business decisions from the data with integrity. (Al-Zhrani, 2010) Challenges of Master Data Management Master Data Management challenges consists of managing the data as there is continuously increasing amount of data which will come with unclear processes of how to collect and maintain that data. Because master data is often used by multiple applications and processes, an error in master data can have a huge effect on the business processes. (Gustafsson, Franke, Johnson, Lillieskà ¶ld) Hypothesis Having implemented MDM effectively, the following can be made from the evidence gathered. Hypothesis 1 (H1): Understanding the company’s customers will lead to increase in market share Hypothesis 2 (H1): Data inconsistencies are caused by the distribution of data ownership across different business and function areas and across IT systems. Hypothesis 3 (H0): Companies that explicitly create a master data stewardship program are significantly more successful in terms of data governance Research Methodology Research design For this research I will be using interpretive research design, as its main idea is to assist in understanding, recognizing and restructuring the subject meanings that already exist in the social world so we can use that understanding as steps into theorizing (Goldkuhl, 2012) Research approach and strategy Qualitative approach will be used for this research as it is suitable for discovering and gaining insight about a problem (Scheidl H, 2011) Data collection The data collection technique used for this research was one-on-one interview using a semi structured questionnaire. This technique is appropriate to this research as it allows elicitation of information that is not yet uncovered. Time kept for each interview is 45 min for each respondent. (Scheidl H, 2011) Sampling and population For this research I will use everyday decision makers so to get an understanding of how data influence the decisions that they make. Data analysis After having the interviews, I will then summaries the whole interview by making notes of the key points that were given by the respondents. This will assist in making sure that I familiarizes myself with my research. Knowledge gap In recent studies there have been increased focus on the importance of Master Data Management. This research contributes to the improvement of the scientific body of knowledge since it explores a part where only little previous study are available. Conclusion Poor data quality means there will be difficulties where decision makers have to build trust in the company data. Therefore, addressing and integrating MDM at the start should be part of an operational excellence initiative, in order to solve part of the process inefficiencies. References Milanov G Njengus A, (2012) Using scrum in master data management development projects. Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences, VOL. 3, NO.11 Nov, 2012 Available from http://www.cisjournal.org [Accessed: 15 April 2015] Cleven A, Wortmann F (2010) Uncovering four strategies to approach master data management, Proceedings of the 43rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences – 2010 Available at www.computer.org/csdl/proceedings/hicss/2010/3869/00/09-01-05.pdf [Accessed: 16 May 2015] Subotic D, Jovanovic V and Poscic P (2014), Data warehouse and master data management evolution –a meta-data-vault approach, Issues in Information Systems, Volume 15, Issue II, pp. 14-23, 2014 Cervo D, Allen M (2011) Master data management in practice: Achieving true customer MDM, John Wiley Sons Inc., New Jersey, ISBN 978-0-470-91055-9 Al-Zhrani S, (2010) Management Information Systems Role in Decision-Making during Crises: Case Study, Journal of Computer Science 6 (11): 1247-1251, 2010 [Accessed: 11 March 2015] Rahm E, Hai Do H Data Cleaning: Problems and Current Approaches, University of Leipzig, Germany Available at http://dbs.uni-leipzig.de [Accessed: 16 May 2015] Gustafsson P, Franke U, Johnson P, Lillieskà ¶ld J, Identifying IT impacts on organizational structure and business value, Proceedings of BUSITAL’08, Available at people.dsv.su.se/~pajo/busital2008/paper4.pdf [Accessed: 23 May 2015] Duff A 2015 Master data management roles – their part in data quality implementation. 10th International Conference on Information Quality, 2005 [Accessed: 25 March 2015] Reichert A, Otto B and Ãâ€"sterle H, 2013 A Reference Process Model for Master Data Management. 11th International Conference on Wirtschaftsinformatik [Accessed: 2 April 2015] Jonker R, Kooistra F, Cepariu D, van Etten J and Swartjes S, Effective master data management Available at www.compact.nl/pdf/C-2011-0-Jonker.pdf [Accessed: 28 May 2015] Scheidl H (2011), Master data management maturity and technology assessment, Master’s Thesis, Turku school of Economics Kawulich B. (2005) Participant observation as a data collection method Volume 6, No. 2, Art. 43 – May 2005 Otto B, Schmidt A, ENTERPRISE MASTER DATA ARCHITECTURE: DESIGN DECISIONS AND OPTIONS Available at http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Boris_Otto/publication/50222231_Enterprise_Master_Data_Architecture_Design_Decisions_and_Options/links/0a85e53205fc23566a000000.pdf [Accessed: 25 March 2015] Weber K, Otto B and  ¨Osterle H 2009 One size does not fit all—a contingency approach to data governance. ACM J. Data Inform. Quality 1, 1, Article 4 (June 2009), Haug A, Zachariassen F and van Liempd D 2011, the costs of poor data quality, Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management. Available from doi:10.3926/jiem.2011.v4n2.p168-193 [Accessed: 18 May 2015] Kamel A, Lakhder D and Ammar Z 2012, The organizational impacts of information systems: Analysis and proposal of a methodological framework, British Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, ISSN: 2046-9578, Vol.9 No.II (2012), Available from http://www.bjournal.co.uk/BJASS.aspx [Accessed: 18 May 2015] Liang T, You J 2009, and Resource-based View in Information Systems Research: A Meta-Analysis, Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems Available from http://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2009/72 [Accessed: 18 May 2015] Nowduri S, Management information systems and business decision making: review, analysis, and recommendations, Journal of Management and Marketing Research Available at www.aabri.com/manuscripts/10736.pdf [Accessed: 16 May 2015] Mishra M, Das T 2011, A Study on challenges and opportunities in master data management. International Journal of Database Management Systems ( IJDMS ), Vol.3, No.2, May 2011 C Loser, Dr. C Legner, D Gizanis 2004 Master Data Management for Collaborative Service Processes Available http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.454.7987rep=rep1type=pdf [Accessed: 03 June 2015] Goldkuhl G 2012, Pragmatism vs interpretivism in qualitative information systems research, European Journal of Information Systems, (21), 2, 135-146.Available at http://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:515141/FULLTEXT01.pdf [Accessed: 04 June 2015]

The Published Financial Statement Accounting Essay

The Published Financial Statement Accounting Essay Annual report and accounts consists of different elements. A financial statement contains the financial information which is communicated to various users depending on their needs. The users can be internal or external users. The importance of this information varies, depending on the needs of specific users but according to the framework, the publication of financial information serves to reflect and to provide a clear image of the financial situation and performance of the entity which will help them to make a financial decision. Thomas and Marie (2012, 55). Users need financial information to assess the way the company uses its liquidity to fund its operations and investment, to be informed about its financial position and the nature of its resources for daily transactions, to estimate or predict the circumstances that may affect them, to be informed about the extent to which the company follows the laws and regulations. Usually the performance information is represented on the in come statement, the financial situation is represented on the balance sheet, and the information about changes in financial position is supplied in the notes to financial statements. Financial statements are the principal means of communicating financial information to various users. The framework defines seven essential users (Jill and Roger, 2007) but in contrast, Peter and Eddie (2002p 3) state that there are internal and external users who already have a relationship with the firm in economic terms or those who are interested in a future relationship. Starting with managers, Petter and Eddie (2002.3) noted that managers need information to assist them to make the decision and adopt and strategy of planning for the future. Furthermore, the manager who has been put in charge of presenting financial statements also needs this information to be sure that the management style, strategy and planning adopted are beneficial to the financial performance of the company. The conceptual framework states that the employees are principally interested in the type of information which permits them of having a clear idea about the stability and the performance of the company that they work for (Thomas and Ward,56 2012). Employees need information in order to ensure the stability of their jobs in the future, and to measure their ability to determine if there is a chance of getting a higher pay or promotion, and other benefits. The Investors need information about management policy, performance, stability and financial position of the company as well as to assess the risk and benefits provided by the investment in order to make a decision. Also, they need information to help them choose the proper time for transactions like buying and selling. Thomas and Ward (2012:56) Lenders are always taking risks which is why they choose the contract with lowest risk the framework noted that they are interested in information about performance and economic stability of the company, and also the information about the situation of liquidity available in the present and the future, in order to ensure whether the borrower is able to meet the deadlines for the payment of their loans and the interest. (Thomas and Ward, 2012:57). Regarding suppliers and other creditors, Thomas and Maries said that giving a loan and outputting goods without immediate payment is the same. This is the reason, they will be interested in the information that will help them at the beginning to decide whether to engage with company or not, and also to study the duration and the amount of credit to offer. According to the framework, suppliers and other creditors are interested in information that enable them to know whether they will be repaid at due date. Yet Suppliers and others creditors are interested in engaging with the enterprise for a shorter period compared to lenders who are concerned about liquidity position and the supplier seeks to know if there is a growth within the company and compare it with these production capacities. Jill and Roger (200741) states that the customers are interested in the information that enable them to evaluate the performance and ability of the company to continue its business and to know their capacity to meet the requirements of quality, the quantity and time to provide goods and services depending on customer needs. Governments and their agencies are composed by the tax authorities, financial and organization like central bank that has authority of control and regulations. Principally, the information is used as basis for calculating dues and taxes that the company has to pay. It has noted that the government and their agencies are interested in information about profitability and how it is distributed, with the aim of determining the tax policy, as they need information on the conduct of activities of entities to adjust them. (Thomas and Ward, 582012) The public is also interested in information about the performance of the company in order to define the level at which the company is progressing and its impact on economic development and social environment. To ensure that the information is useful to users for decision making, four qualitative characteristics need to be present in the information. Understandability the user must understand the information directly but should have basic knowledge of accounting and the economy. Relevance information must meet the needs of users in order for them to make decisions and enable them to compare the events of different periods. Reliability information must be reliable to give a real image of transactions and other operations. Comparability the information has to be available for comparison over time to determine the situation and the economic performance. (Jill and Hussey, 422007) It is true that the financial information addresses different user groups under standard characteristics, but it still has limitations on the usefulness of the information. The financial statement is based on historical costs. That is to say it is only monetary operations but the declaration is not correct. Also, with regards to the intangible assets there is no possibility of measuring the values of all of them in the sector of accounting. For instance, human resources are also ignored in most financial statements, and the brand value of the company is not on the statements either. Inflation is not included in the present value and all the information are based on estimates, so there is no real value on which the user can rely on. The financial statement does not take into consideration any anticipated financial condition that can happen in the industry and market which might affect the performance of the company and the decision taken by the different users of the financial statement which contains only financial information and ignores the non-financial information which is not sufficient for certain users as the case of public and employees. In contrast, investors are more concerned than other users by information presented in the financial statement. To conclude, the company is obliged to communicate the information under financial quality standards that are useful to different users, which are a total of eight. They are; managers, investors, customers, suppliers and other creditors, employees, lenders, government, and the general public. The objective of this information is to reflect the performance, position and stability of the company for the user to make a good decision. Despite the quality and control, the rest information is still not reliable and useful for certain users to make a decision.

Portrayal of Gays in the Media :: Media portrayal of LGBT

The media has had a significant shift from the past in their portrayal of gay people including in gay marriage and gay rights. In the 1980’s and 90’s the subject was much more taboo and the idea of gay marriage was popularly opposed. However today, the majority of Americans support legalizing gay marriage. What could be the reason for such a change? Could it be the media portrayal? Beginning in 1975, the first gay couple was shown on television. After that a variety of other programs included the ideas of homosexuality until 1991 when the first kiss between a same-sex couple was shown. This was on L.A Law and advertisers threatened to pull their ads after the scene. In the late 90s with the popularity of shows like Will and Grace and Queer as Folk. Today television shows are widely praised for their portrayal of different characters sexuality. On Modern Family a same-sex couple’s life is shown through their relations with their family and raising a child. There’s also shows aimed at young adults that are receiving attention for their depiction of gay or lesbian characters such as Glee and Pretty Little Liars. Even the Disney Channel has shown a same-sex couple on the show Good Luck Charlie (with some backlash claiming that since Disney is intended for children that they should seek merely to entertain and not to push an agenda). On the contrary to this argument is the idea, that same-sex couples are becoming more and more normal thus they should make it recognizable to children. This addition of multiple different depictions of same-sex couples and gay and lesbian people by television is being widely praised by the LBGT community. It makes the idea of homosexuality more common and representative of the actual community. However there have been a variety of critiques regarding the media’s portrayal of same-sex couples and gay marriage. People who go solely off the media’s depiction of gay and lesbians could have a skewed view of what they are actually like. This could be detrimental for youth who are developing their ideas of what homosexuals are actually like and this is their only source of information on it. This leads to stereotyping different types of gay people. Also for young people, the media depiction of gay people has led to the idea that this is â€Å"cool† and treat their homosexual friends differently.

Free College Essays - Machiavelli’s Politics in The Prince :: Machiavelli Prince

The Prince - Machiavelli’s Italian Politics The Prince was one of the first humanist works of the Renaissance.   Indeed it is a work of art, a literary masterpiece of sorts.   Yet this work has been vehemently debated over the centuries and remains one of the most controversial pieces of writing today.   Although many critics consider The Prince a satire, simply an attempt to reveal the problems with the ruling class, most see Machiavelli’s work as a serious attempt to lay the groundwork for the reunification of Italy under the Medici family of Florence.   Machiavelli’s idea that the model prince should use a variety of tactics to secure his power—namely that the end justifies the means—is the most controversial issue raised in The Prince.   Knowing that this notion would not be universally accepted, Machiavelli, through his book, tries to justify his idea by showing that men are inherently evil.   Though religion can often serve to unify a prince and his people, it can also serve to undo him.   Thus, Machiavelli proposes that politics and religion should be held in separate spheres—religion, in God’s sphere—politics, in man’s.   Many readers applaud this theme as refreshingly realistic; others attack Machiavelliâ€⠄¢s assertions, saying that they compromise moral integrity.   Yet Machiavelli’s prince does not wish to preserve moral good or spiritual integrity; he simply wants to attain and maintain his principality.   Machiavelli struggles to pave a road for order in this world, in the here and now; he doesn’t attempt to secure the otherworldly blessings of God.   This notion, of course, stands in sharp contrast to the moral virtue promoted by most Greek, Roman, and Hebrew politicians and writers.   These thinkers saw no clear distinction between religion and politics, instead seeing the king as the human embodiment of God.   Thus, Machiavelli gives a general overview of human behavior, hoping that future princes can establish peace and security in their kingdoms, using this basic knowledge.

Ethnic differences essay Essay

?Asses the claim that â€Å"ethnic differences in educational achievement are primarily the result of school factors† Most studies found that overall ethnic minorities tend to do less well than other members of the population when it comes to educational achievement. Many factors which occur inside the school are the cause of educational achievement however other factors contribute. The expectations of teachers on ethnic minorities have caused differences in educational achievement. Bernard Coard believes that teachers expect â€Å"Black† children to fail therefore labelling the child as a failure. Interactionalists are concerned with how teachers â€Å"pigeonhole† students this is the labelling theory, this is where the teacher makes a judgement of the child based on the child’s appearance, behaviour, previous family members and relationships with other students. However most labels are based on stereotypes rather than evidence, the reality is that once a label starts it is difficult to get rid of and this can cause problems for a student’s educational achievement. Teachers will discuss the students label in the staff room and other teachers will attach the same label to the child and this can lead to the child not being allowed to attend school trips. If a student is labelled as a failure by a teacher then the teacher is likely to put the student into a lower tier exam thus the pupil can only achieve a maximum of a grade C and can’t achieve to the best of their ability. When a student is labelled as a failure the student can begin to believe that the label is true and begin to make it part of their part of their identity, become a failure this is known as the self-fulfilling prophecy thus creating ethnic differences in educational achievement within the school system. David Hardgreves argues that anti school sub cultures can be formed as a result of negative labelling. However Maureen Stone and Swann both indicate that those who are labelled may not accept their labels. However many sociologists argue that it is external factors that affect ethnic differences in educational achievement. Cultural Deprivation is the term used to describe serious inadequacies in the socialisation process and its effects on educational achievement. Poor parenting means children underachieving in education. Many sociologists argue that ethnic minorities tend to be more fatalistic meaning that parents tend to have low aspirations and expectations for their child meaning less emphasis is placed on doing well in education. Whereas â€Å"White† middle classes would have high aspirations and high expectations. Socialisation focuses on the values, expectations and norms transmitted from parents to children. Children from Ethnic backgrounds tend to focus on immediate gratification where they try to reep their rewards at the earliest opportunity such as leaving school at 16 to earn money. Whereas â€Å"White† middle class children aim for a bright future described as deferred gratification which is putting off short term rewards to gain better rewards in the future. Cultural Deprivation can affect the way parents prepare their children for school. Working class children would sit and watch T. V. whereas middle class parents would take their children to museums. Driver and Ballard state that high achievement in Asian groups may be linked to the fact that they live in close knit families that can help each other. Price highlighted a high rate of single parent families in black Caribbean communities which may explain high underachievement. Nevertheless, some sociologists argue that it is internal factors which affect ethnic differences in educational achievement. Institutional Racism within schools can lead to educational achievement and the differences it causes within ethnic minorities. The â€Å"Swann report† found that a small number of teachers are consciously racist however there are a great deal of teachers who are â€Å"unintentionally† racist. Bernard Coard states that the British educational system makes children become educationally subnormal he states that â€Å"West Indian children are told that their language is second rate and unacceptable† he states that within the British educational system the word â€Å"White† is associated with â€Å"good† and the word â€Å"Black† with evil. Coard also states that the attitudes portrayed in the classroom are reinforced by the pupils outside of the classroom. Many sociologists would also argue that the mispronunciation of student’s names and not learning them can be classed as racism within the school system. Cecile Wright found that majority of staff are committed to ideals of equality but despite these ideals there are still considerable amounts of discrimination in the classroom. Asian children were often excluded from discussions and teachers expressed an â€Å"open disapproval of their customs and traditions†, these comments from teachers made Asian children feel more isolated from other pupils. Martin Hammersley found that racist comments in the staffroom did not lead to racism in the classroom. J. Taylor found that â€Å"most teachers are concerned to have a fair policy towards the treatment of black pupils†. Mac an Ghaill studied 25 afro Caribbean and Asian students studying A levels. He found that â€Å"although they disagreed over the extent of racism within education, this did not directly determine their attitude to education and their levels of academic success. The way that students responded to schooling varied and this was influenced by their ethnic group†. This could eventually lead to the formation of anti-school sub cultures. These are pupils who have rejected some or all of the values and rules set down in the school ethos. Peter Woods identified 8 different groups ranging from Ingratiation total conformity to Rebellion outright rejection of school rules and values. This can cause ethnic differences in educational achievement within the school system. However other factors such as linguistic skills affect this achievement. Linguistic Deprivation is the ability to use appropriate language which is an important factor in educational success. Bernstein came up with two codes of language Restricted and Elaborate codes. The Restricted code is used in casual situations. This is limited vocabulary and Simplistic grammar which can only be understood if you are aware of this topic. The Elaborate code is used in formal situations. This is sophisticated grammar and vocabulary and can be understood if aware of the topic. Bernstein found that White middle class children had the ability to switch between the two codes whereas children from ethnic minorities were limited to using the restricted code. This means they are severely disadvantaged in education where the language is all formal. In conclusion, it is probable that a number of factors work together in producing the lower levels of achievement found in some ethnic groups. The Swann report concluded that racial discrimination inside and outside school along with social deprivation were probably the main factors. Others would add that cultural factors also play some part in explaining the differences.

Homeless in America Essay

Families live, die and atomic number 18 innate(p) on the highroads of vast cities of United States. little aid ar shown to those who be bag plateless, sight focus to a greater extent than(prenominal) on big issues when this is a major problem that has occurred for y atrial auricles. Statistics shows that 1.6 one thousand thousand spring chicken run absent from home each year between the ages of 12 and 17. The predominant race for runa authoritys is White non-Hispanic (57%), discolour non-Hispanic (17%), Hispanic (15%), and Other (11%) fol rugged (Blaha). roofless children around likely leave their veritable homes because of the way of spirit and the hard crush due to their living environment and family issues. dispossessedness makes children sick, wounds new children, & roofless children often struggle in domesticate. Homeless children argon in sporty or poor health in two ways as often as otherwisewise children. They lose prouder rates of low yield weighted need finical c be right after birth for propagation as often as other children. Also mystify precise high rates of acute illness, with fractional suffering from two or more than symptoms during a single month. Despite severalize and federal efforts to provide unsettled children with meliorate access to public discipline, at to the lowest degree one-fifth of dispossessed soulfulness children dont att ending discipline.This is because they every have no transportation from the tax furnishs to initiate or drop of school and medical records makes registration harder. quotidian demands off keying food and shelter push childrens educational postulate aside. Homelessness and p overty are linked. Poor large number are frequently ineffective to founder for housing, food, child care, health care, and education. Difficult choices essential(prenominal) be made when limited resources keep on only just closely of these necessities. Often it is housing, which absorbs a high proportion of in start, which must be dropped. Being poor mean organism an illness, an accident, or a paycheck away from living on the streets. Homelessness and street life have extreme effects on children. Their unstable lifestyles, lack of medical care, and deficient living conditions increase new commonwealths susceptibility to chronic illnesses much(prenominal) as respiratory or ear infections, gastrointestinal disorders, and knowledgeablely hereditary diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus /AIDS.Children fending for themselves must find ways to eject some scavenge or find exploitative physical work. M each roofless children are enticed by adults and older juvenility into selling drugs, stealing, and prostitution. Studies show that at to the lowest degree half of dispossessed young someone has been a victim of physical or perk upual abuse. This is hard to believe when first heard, tho once one thinks about how much(prenominal) exposure t hey have to the world, sads, and offenders the fact moves more realistic and believable. Some studies have come up with two theories to examine the dispossessed youth which is the lifestyle-exposure theory and the routine military action theory. In these theories the youths propinquity, exposure, guardianship, and rear congruence are examined. They are more likely to bum raped and end up with a invokeually transmitted disease.Since they are always on the streets, this blow overs the piranas easier access to their prey (the youth). some(prenominal)(prenominal) the theories, lifestyle-exposure and routine activity theory, are associated in concert because they twain pay no attention to criminal motivation, barely focus on how what they do in the everyday lives are related to their exposure to some heavy pot and postures. With the youth being so exposed many say this is high potential risk of being victimized. When the theories are combined they include the four concep ts which is proximity to crime, exposure to crime, guardianship, and target attractiveness/congruence. The gap in these theories is that they both ignore the sources of criminal motivation. One a child is well-nigh a certain area enough, they most of the time adapt the characteristics of the environment and do as they see. If everyone around them is stealing so the child is more likely to steal, if everyone is having sex around them indeed they might get use to the fact of seeing sex and may non see it as bad.Drug use by children on the streets is common as they look for instrument to numb the pain and deal with the hardships associated with street life. Studies have found that up to 90 percentage of street children use mind-bending substances, including medicines, alcohol, cigarettes, heroin, and etc. The mental, affable and emotional exploitation of children is affected by their lifestyles. There are numerous reasons children chose to run away from home during the early twentieth century termination of parents, abusive home life, broken homes, and poverty. The majority of them go without shelter for varying lengths of time. Because stateless difference between runaway children and homeless children was that runaways chose to leave their home for the reasons above darn homeless children were victims of social and economic factors that odd and runaway children are too young to work and lack marketable skills, they are often recruited by criminals involved in the illegal drug trade, prostitution, and pornography.They are either active participants in these activities or function as recruiters of other vulnerable children. Experts broadly speaking agree that homelessness among children is increasing in both rural and urban areas. The causes are social in nature. These children are often homeless along with their mothers and are victims of economic recessions, occupation loss, and high housing costs. Data on the extent of the problem is inadequat e and basis be found only in isolated case studies. Children become homeless because of the families. Families become homeless because on that point is an imbalance between the number of households that live in poverty and the amount of low-income housing availability. If there are more households that need assistance than the housing units basis allow then some people become homeless. In some households, some families pay more than the 30 percent which is the required serving that is required by the federal presidential term for the family to pay based on which they crumb afford to pay for housing. In some cases where the family cannot even pay the 30 percent this is when they become homeless.In one hit the books referenced by the interior(a) profit for Youth, 51% of runaway and throwaway youth responded physical abuse. The Department of Health and gay Services asserts that up to 40% have been sexually molested.(Blaha) Emotional and mental mental strain also is common. tally to the study engagement for Youth, 50-56% of homeless youngsters report mental health problems over their lifetime. Staffs at runaway and homeless youth shelters paint an even bleaker picture. According to their info, 63% of the runaways they work with are depress 50% have trouble with school 20% abuse drugs and alcohol and 17% have been in the juvenile rightness system. One survey found that 26% of those in shelters and 32% of those on the street have attempted suicide. A crystalise survey relates that nearly one-third of shelter youth have attempted suicide at some point in their lives.(Blaha) Some youth use school as a safe place. It is times where they can get off the streets and genuinely feel like a unconstipated child.They can get a emancipate meal, they can interact with children their age and not predators. Some are so in to going to school because they see it as their way off the streets. They go to school and take it serious so they can move on to colleg e and get a job so their own children result not end up in the same situation. School is a place of safety, structure, and opportunity. Yet homeless children and youth take care unique barriers to education. These barriers include being unable to meet enrollment requirements lack of school supplies and clothing and poor health, fatigue, and hunger. When these barriers are not addressed, homeless children and youth often are unable to attend school, which prevents them from obtaining the education that is both their legal right and their best desire of escaping poverty as adults. (Facts about Homeless )There are some places that the youth could go for safety, the National riskless government agency. The National Safe Place is a schedule that provides safety and others services for youth in need. The NSP informs and educate youth about other things that they could do rather than be homeless. National Safe Place is an outreach and prevention syllabus that is uniquely designed t o provide agile safety and access to services for any youth in need. In compact with over 360 youth serving agencies and over 10,000 businesses and community organizations across the United States, the Safe Place program educates youth about alternatives to running away and homelessness and provides easily social links to service providers. Ongoing data collection indicates that National Safe Place has been successful in reaching jeopardize youth at risk of abuse, drip or serious family problems but that expand program models remain needed.(Walsh) In essence, children become homeless because of many reasons such as death of parents, abusive home life, and poverty. Homelessness has a major affect on children in America. This unstable lifestyle makes it difficult to afford things that a child need such as housing, food, and an education. There are many ways that one can assistance the homeless youth, a person must go out of their comfort zona and just try to help. Homeless peopl e need shelter, food and most importantly they need love. One easy way to help a homeless person is paying for a hotel room for the person. It go forth not benefit them for long but at least the will have a shelter for some days. umteen people will not feed homeless people specie because they are afraid it will be return prostitutely on alcohol, drugs, etc. not giving a homeless person any money because of that reason is wrong yet if you know without a disbelieve that the homeless person in oral sex will spend it that way it may be wise to spend it for him on something he really needs, like a roof over his head. Simply give the homeless person the money. Instead of stressful to be in control of what and how the homeless person spends the money give them the money and trust that that the person will spend it right. (Tucker)