My First Generation Of A Doctor - 853 Words

First,many first generation students come from a household where both parents obtained less than a highschool education.These parents grow up with an unclear plan and future placing their child at the same disadvantage.In other words, parents of these particular students may not know how to orientate their child into pursuing a brighter future.My folks would say that they wanted me to go to college and be a doctor,but i dont know how seriously I ever took that; it seemed a sweet thing to say, a bit of supportive family chatter, like telling a gangly daughter she s graceful (Rose, 6)This quote shows that Mike Rose s parents lacked the ability to push their son into wanting to become a doctor let alone any other career of his choice.Instead parents tell their child to aim for something better since they failed to do it.Therefore, placing a sense of obligation on the student and replacing their dreams with their own.Also, many parents want their child to earn a degree in a particular profession.Now, this could take many students to grow into.frustrated individuals without any idea of what step to take next;lacking motivation and discipline the child has a hard time finding direction in life. Second, another big challenge first generations students face is the lack of guidence.In other words, the students need a helping hand in the new chapter they are about to encounter in their life.The student may not know the time frame to apply to college, the required steps intoShow MoreRelatedLife Journey Of A First Generation Nigerian American1388 Words   |  6 Pageswhose life journey is the same. Growing up in this country as a first-generation Nigerian-American allowed me to be knowledgeable about the cultures, problems, and successes of both Nigeria and the United States. Many years ago, my parents took a leap of faith and moved my family to America in pursuits of a better life. They left everything they had and knew to come to a foreign land to ensure that their children and the future generations of our family would have a better education, better health,Read MoreHistory Of The Military And The Turning Point Of Science1298 Words   |  6 PagesToday for doctor Ivory was just a normal day in her lab that is 20 miles north of Egypt, except for the small group of generals coming in to see her new project Eu11. This project is a specimen that Dr. Ivory got access to after he was hurt in battle. Dr. Ivory changed his DNA so this soldier can be perfect for any problem. He is to be stronger, smarter, and quicker than any other human. As the generals slowly came into the lab Dr. Ivory’s assistant rushed to greet them and led them to the showcaseRead MoreHealthcare Interview Essay1046 Words   |  5 Pages The interview paper that I will be presenting will be on three separate generations for learning information on health care before and present. The three people used in the interview paper are Gussie B.Godfrey my grandmother, Grace Pettigrew my mother and Keta D.Hayes my daughter and my intents are to share with my Professor and others the information that I retrieved and learned during this interview process. First interview: Gussie B. Godfrey Gussie B (2012) states that she is nowRead MoreThe Hippocratic Oath, By Atul Gawande1344 Words   |  6 Pageshealth of thriving communities achieved through doctors’ success in devotion, close understanding, and treating inevitable mortality with a tender approach. When doctors visited homes to aid the sick during the early 400s, an oath was fabricated to ensure that doctors treated patients with unpolluted devotion. The Hippocratic Oath called on all doctors to swear by practices of healing that would save them from infamy and lionize their names for generations to come. The oath ensured that the beneficialRead MoreHow I Could Become A Good Education933 Words   |  4 PagesI was eager to meet with her; I knew she could make my application shine. When my appointment finally came, I learned more than I could hope for. She told me the fact that I was African-American would increase my chances of getting into medical school significantly. I looked at her with utter shock and repulsion as she discredited all the hard work I accomplished up to that point in my academic career in one simple sentence. As a first generation female African-American student who has been determinedRead MoreHigher Health Risks in the Article, ‘Children of Smokers Face Higher Heart Risk1121 Words   |  4 Pageshand smoke, others smoked throughout, while some started smoking when the child was a bit older. In each case however, exposed children suffered from IMT of some degree or the other. My Personal Connection to the Disease I can relate to this article, as I have recently suffered a great loss due to this very reason. My 13-year-old cousin passed away six months ago due to heart disease. She was a healthy looking kid with healthy eating habits and it was a most unconceivable idea for us to even imagineRead MoreGlobal Health Is The Study Of Health Population1694 Words   |  7 Pageswomen. To bring these relief doctors, nurses and volunteers travel from all over the world to help these people. Medical missions take place anywhere, patients are be examined and given medication to take care of themselves after the medical mission has finished. Some of these medical missions include general surgery. An example of this would be Smile Train, a nonprofit organization that provides corrective surgery for children with cleft lips and palates. I chose to do my fieldwork on a global healthRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Alopecia Areata1287 Words   |  6 PagesI vaguely recall, at the age of 8, asking my physician: â€Å"Doctor, why do I look like this?† â€Å"Why don’t my friends have bald spots like me?† He looked at me with laser like precision and stated, â€Å"That is because you are different, and that is what makes you unique and special. Use it as your strength.† I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata, a rare but benign condition in which the immune system assaults the hair follicles resulting in hair loss. Being diagnosed at such a young age was incrediblyRead MoreCultural Identity835 Words   |  4 Pagesbut also centuries of disparate culture. My Irish father encouraged a logical, orderly approach to life while indulging the senses and experiencing the world first-hand to better understand the human experience. My mother comes from a more traditional approach with greater empha sis on religious experience and Filipino perspective. Thus my perspective as a first generation American growing up in rural Arizona was unique. At times this came at a cost as my own intellectual pursuits and the blessingRead MoreInformative Speech On The Military817 Words   |  4 Pages Once my great-grandpa, David Kauhaahaa, watched his best friend die in the Vietnam War. He was devastated and he tried to help his best friend but he told him not to and move on, save someone else when you loose one, I will miss you but IÊ »m here with you, and promise me you wonÊ »t die. My great-grandpa was shocked but he moved on and had a family. The military has affects on my family and the world but, there is history behind. The military has many benefits for people who does not come from a wealthy

The Security Is More Important Than Our Nation s Security...

â€Å"There is no doubt that our nation’s security and defeating terrorism trump all other priorities.† The quote by Arlen Specter stresses the importance of a strong and persistent security system in America. After the dreadful events on September 11, 2001, the issue of whether privacy or the nation’s security is more important arose in the United States. Even after fifteen years, this debate is still relevant in politics. Our nation’s security is more important than the citizen’s privacy because lives will be protected and saved, the average person has nothing to hide for the government, and privacy has already been breached. After September 11, there were few people who questioned their right to privacy. The argument of whether national security or privacy was more important was brought up numerous times in 2013. In June 2013 a man named Edward Snowden released stolen information from the NSA. He was a former employee of the CIA and was currently working for the NSA. As he was working for the NSA, Snowden discovered some information. The information revealed several global surveillance programs run by the NSA. Snowden felt this was morally wrong so he copied the information and fled the country. Once Edward Snowden made it safely to Hong Kong he released the stolen documents to the media. Edward Snowden is a wanted criminal in the United States. Peter Finn and Sari Horwitz of the Washington Post state that, â€Å"Snowden is charged with theft, â€Å"unauthorized communication ofShow MoreRelatedNational Security Outline Essay40741 Words   |  163 Pagesï » ¿TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR NSL READING CHAPTER 1: National Security Law and the Role of Tipson 1 CHAPTER 2: Theoretical approaches to national security world order 4 CHAPTER 3: Development of the International Law of Conflict Management 5 CHAPTER 4: The Use of Force in International Relations: Norms Concerning the Initiation of Coercion (JNM) 7 CHAPTER 5: Institutional Modes of Conflict Management 17 The United Nations System 17 Proposals for Strengthening Management Institutional ModesRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesPrinter/Binder: Courier/Kendallville Cover Printer: Courier/Kendalville Text Font: 10.5/12 ITC New Baskerville Std Credits and acknowledgments borrowed from other sources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook appear on the appropriate page within text. Copyright  © 2013, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained fromRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagesby Aptara ®, Inc. and printed and bound by Courier/Westford. The cover was printed by Courier/Westford. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Copyright  © 2009, 2006, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1995, 1992, 1989, 1986, 1981, 1976 John Wiley Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107

Long-Term Care free essay sample

Shannon Packard Long-term care is one of the options an individual has when it comes to care and treatment needed when one becomes older, disabled or develops a chronic illness. With the possibility of needing to receive such services in the future there are certain things one must ask them self, such as: What is this delivery systems role in providing services? What type of contribution, or lack of contribution, does it make to the overall management of healthcare services? When transitioning patients from one level of care to another what role does long term care play? What types of services are provided to patients and how do the services fit into the continuum of care? Lastly, with the future trends in health care how will the services patients receive be affected to keep up with the changes made to health care? Long-term care is generally provided in a facility such as nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, inpatient behavioral health facilities and long-term chronic care hospitals (MedicineNet, 2003). We will write a custom essay sample on Long-Term Care or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However this care can be provided in other settings as well like the patients home, home of a friend or family member or an adult day care facility (Day, n. d. ). This delivery systems role in providing services falls in the residential and care of the patients. They are concerned with continuing and/or enhance the patients ability to operate independently for as long as possible, making a comfortable social and physical environment to enhance the individuals independence and quality of life and providing the best services to better meet the expectations of the patients as well as his or her family and friends (Stone, 2000). With this role in mind how does the long-term care service contribute to the management of healthcare services? With long-term care management of healthcare ervices may be more difficult due to the decreased mental and physical capabilities of the patients. One contribution is the training of staff members to not only recognize abuse of patients, but how to correct and prevent this abuse from happening. This is a vitally important contribution due to the fact that the deteriorating mental and physical well beings of patients make them easy targets for abuse, and they generally have a difficult time defending themselves or even identifying who their abusers are. Since this abuse may come not only from outside sources but from employees as well the long-term care field contributes to the safety f the patients by always performing their own background and employment checks. This ensures the facility that the chance of abuse, as well as other issues, are less likely to happen. Another important contribution that this system has made is setting up a reporting system that keeps the lines of communication open between medical teams. With the care needed for patients around the clock it is vital that any issues in regards to procedures, policies, medications and other services be brought to comes from long-term care facilities is the training of the health care professionals who work there. In this type of facility professionals have to deal with decisions needed to be made in regards to the loss of physical and mental capabilities with a patient, as well as the death of patients. Medical professionals need to be trained not only in how to communicate with family and legal guardians when dealing with decisions when a patient becomes worse off or dies, but also how to handle the paperwork and procedures during these hard times (Hawkins, 2010). Yet how does long-term care handle the transition of patients from one level of care to another? Some individuals only need long-term care for a short period of time while they ecover from and illness or injury; others on the other hand may require this care for the rest of his or her life. With the patients that need the care for the rest of his or her life there is only days of good (better) or bad (worse). These individuals may need to transition from their home to a long-term care facility, or from a long-term care facility to a hospital, or any other type of scenario. These transitions can be stressful for both the patient and the health care professionals. Problems during transitions between facilities can happen (such as the continuation of care among the different acilities, service duplication, aspects of care are not received and medication errors) and strategies should be put into play to reduce the chance of the associated issues and correct those that have arisen (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2006). Many steps are taken to ensure that these transitions go smoothly for the patient. There is a change in perspective (patient transfer instead of patient discharge), start planning the patients transfer a good amount of time before the patients admittance to the new facility, communication between practitioners to formulate and execute a ommon care plan (thus reducing the chance of double or missed care and medication), verify that the new facility is capable and prepared to care for the new patient, ensure that all forms are completed correctly, making sure that a health care team is available to the patient and that any discrepancies or confusion in regards to the patients care are cleared up before the transition is complete (Fox Coleman, 2004). When someone has to make the difficult choice to either place a loved one in a long-term care facility or enter the facility themselves, what type of services should they expect to be received? Some of the services that are provided to these individuals are things many of us seem to take for granted (i. . walking, bathin g, using the restroom, getting dressed, eating and/or drinking, answering and speaking on the phone, doing the laundry, and taking care of ones personal hygiene and grooming). This however is only the tip of the iceberg in many cases. Individuals who are receiving long-term care need help with more than Just the normal daily activities. As the patients health and mental state declines the services they obtain grow (i. e. pain management, physical and/or occupational therapy, assisting in edical needs, going to doctors appointments and administration of medications) (Day, n. d. ). What lies in the future for long-term care? Documentation of patient care needs to be done carefully and properly to ensure a facility stays in compliance with regulations. With many insurance providers, especially Medicaid and Medicare, a patients treatment and care must be Justified in documents in order to receive payment. With a large number of patients the facility has a large amount of spending more time and resources dealing with the paperwork than caring for the patients. Machines and systems are slow and in some cases out of date. As technology is advancing the process of documentation and claims processing advances as well. To receive long term care is a difficult choice to make, regardless if it is for the care of ones self or that of a loved one. This type of care however can be received in multiple different settings, and the services provided can give one the ability to stay independent to a degree for a longer period of time, as well as help them with tasks that need to be accomplished every day with ease and peace of mind. The transition into, as well as within a long-term care facility is not always a erfect one, but steps are being taken to make the process a smooth as possible for the patient, the family and friends involved, and the health care providers. Technology has played a large role in making the care and treatment of individuals in this setting as easy as possible, and as technology advances so will the ability to care for the aging and disabled part of the American population.

Minuet in G by J.S. Bach Essay Example

Minuet in G by J.S. Bach Essay This familiar minuet by J.S. Bach is in the key of G major as we can obviously see by the title: Minuet in G. The time signature, also known as the metre is 3 crotchet beats in a bar. As it is a Minuet, the speed of the piece is quite steady- andante (at a walking pace). J.S. Bach wrote this piece especially for the harpsichord and for his wife who played the harpsichord. I believe that it wasnt written for the piano especially as pianos were just being invented and therefore were not as popular as the harpsichord.This Minuet is in two sections; A and B. The piece is in Binary as the piece is played like this: A:|| B:||. Both A and B sections are equal in length and are quite similar, with both having simple rhythms although in the B section, new things are introduced and many A section rhythms have been modified.The texture of this piece is contrapuntal although in a few places the texture becomes monophonic but then changes back to polyphonic. Throughout the piece there is rhythmic repetition and the right hand melody is a mixture of disjunct motion and conjunct motion. The left hand has longer rhythms, which creates a contrast between the two hands.In the A section, there are not as many distinct comments as the B section but there are some things to say about it. To begin with, in bar 5 and 6, there is a sequence as the first note in bar 6 is a semitone lower than the first note in bar 5. Also the rest of the notes from bar 6 follow bar 5 with the same rhythm going down in steps like a scale but starting a tone below. In bar 10, the texture becomes monophonic as the right and left hand are playing in unison. But then goes back to polyphonic in the next bar. During the A section the left hand swaps the melody with the right hand; and they are: bars 8 and 12.In section B, the first 3 bars are modified sequences of bars 5 and 6 in section A as they use the same rhythms and each first note of the 3 bars begins a tone lower than the one before. The next thing th at happens in the B section is that in bar 19, it is a pivot as there is an E minor chord, which is the 6th degree and 2nd chord of G major, which then leads into bar 20 where there is modulation as the key changes and becomes D major when the first note (being a C) has an accident making it C#. This is the dominant of G major. By changing the key, this gives the piece variety and makes it more intriguing. We also see that the 3 bars before the key change takes place, J.S. Bach uses notes from both G major and D major. At the end of bar 24, the key changes back to G major, the tonic where there is a C right at the last minute. Additionally in bars 25 and 26, a new feature is introduced and that this 2 part playing in the left hand.This gives the feeling of a 3-part texture, which has not happened in the piece before so it new and a sort of surprise as you dont really expect that to happen after listening to previous bars of the piece. In bars 29 and 21, there is a whole bar of quave rs going up in steps like a scale but there is one difference apart from the note each scale starts on and that difference is that the scale in bar 21 is in the key in D major with the C# and the scale in bar 29 is in the key of G major. This gives contrast between the two scales. Additionally if we look at the next bar, bar 22 and 30, we can see that they same rhythm and sequence but because the notes are different, it is a modified sequence. Finally, in bar 31, we also experience something but its not to do with the texture but to do with rhythms. We are given a new rhythm that is similar to bars 20, 25, 26 where the rhythm is: ta ta-te ta whereas in bar 31, the rhythm is: ta-te ta ta. This is also unexpected but fits in nicely to join and lead up to the last chord as the notes get longer; from quavers, to crotchets and then in the last bar: a dotted minim.

Chinese economy essays

Chinese economy essays If China's economy grows as fast for the next 20 years as it has for the past 14, it will be the biggest economy on earth: I feel that China's drastic improvements over the last 14 years are overwhelming, with their Real GNP growing at a rate of 9% a year, which means by, 1994, China's economy will match the performance of countries like Japan and Taiwan. China's standard of living has also increased, and the number of people who were considered absolutely poor decreased approximately 63%. I feel with the vast amount of people living in China, and the economic activity booming like it is, China's exports will continue to grow, as well as the standard of living. This will create more revenue, and more capital for them to produce even more goods and become even larger, prospering as one of the biggest economies on the earth. I also feel that China should try to overcome its corrupt system and steadily move Competition has been the key to China's success: I believe that competition has been the key to China's success. When Mr. Deng opened the free market, it brought the first signs of the farmers becoming more rich since the 1950s. His political genius allowed the farmers to become rich. He also introduced the "open-door policy" which is proving to be very beneficial, as they follow in the footsteps of their strong rich neighbours. Mr. Perkins believed four conditions must be met for a market system to work well in reforming centrally planned economy. I believe if China continues to improve its productivity, and the number of monopolies decrease as studies show, China will move into a capitalist front only to prosper. An Inflationary crisis within two years will test The 14th Communist Party Congress, set the official seal on the fourth wave of economic reform. Market Splinteri ...

Learn How to Make Invisible Ink With Cornstarch

Learn How to Make Invisible Ink With Cornstarch Do you want to write a secret message? Try making invisible ink! The writing for this invisible ink technique is done using cornstarch. An iodine solution is used to reveal the writing. What You Need CornstarchIodineWaterToothpick or Cotton SwabHot Plate or StovePaper Make the Invisible Ink Essentially you want to make a thin cornstarch gravy. You will write using the gravy, allow the writing to dry, then reveal the message using an iodine solution.If you dont have a pre-made iodine solution, you can make some by adding a teaspoon of iodine to about 10 teaspoons of water. Set the iodine aside for later.Mix about 2 Tbsp cornstarch with 4 tsp water in a pan. Heat, while stirring, until smooth. You can boil the mixture to make a gravy; just be careful not to burn it!Remove the cornstarch gravy from the heat. Dip a toothpick, small paintbrush, or cotton swab into it and use it to write your message on paper.Let the paper air-dry.Brush a small sponge, swab, or paintbrush dipped in the iodine solution over the paper to reveal the hidden message. The message should appear purple. Tips You can use simple cornstarch in water to write the message, but the writing wont be as invisible as it is using cornstarch gravy.If the heat source is a problem, try using very hot tap water to hydrate the cornstarch rather than using a stove or hot plate.Iodine binds to the starch molecules to reveal the message.Try using other starches instead of cornstarch, such as diluted mashed potatoes or  mashed cooked rice with water.Cornstarch slightly alters the surface of the paper, so another way to reveal the secret message is to heat the paper with the message over a flame or with an iron. The message will darken before the rest of the paper, revealing the secret.

Leadership and Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Leadership and Management - Assignment Example Management and leadership emphasizes on building efficient organizational activities which will maximize the productivity of the company. The complexity of the healthcare organization could be sensed with the help of the management theories, facilitating better control and coordination in the functioning. Management theories are proposed with a view to provide differing schools of thoughts to the organizational managers for managing their organizations. However, management is an art, not a science, so the managers could find different strategies for the different situations, issues, etc., that may arise in an organization as well as for the different employees working there. That is, instead of following a similar strategy for all the situations, issues, employees, etc., relevant strategies could be followed in line with the situational theory. In addition, other management school of thought such as Contingency theory, Classical theory, Behavioral theory, Systems theory and Chaos the ory also imply on adopting different strategies. It will help the managers to choose the right type of theory that would best meet the requirements of the issue in hand and employees who are involved in. Speaking of employees, successful management theory would provide the managers efficient ways to coordinate with the human resources department of the organization to bring out the best in their employees. Similarly, various leadership theories such as Mark Follett’s Situational Leadership Theory, or White & Lippitt’s Authoritarian, Democratic and Laissez-faire Theory, or Eric Berne’s Transactional Leadership theory provide similar perspectives of how leader should act according to the situations in hand. It is essential for the leaders to evaluate the inner traits and behaviors of the employees, and then exhibit appropriate leadership traits. â€Å"Setting a direction, motivating and inspiring people, being credible and visionary, and anticipating and coping w ith change are also characteristics associated with leadership.† (Clarkson 2009). Challenges in practice: While practicing management and leadership in a healthcare organization, both technical and adaptive challenges are bound to occur. It is essential to realize that an effective management is required to solve the technical challenges while the adaptive challenges need to be handled by leadership. It is essential for them to identify and allocate among themselves the challenging issues related to healthcare organization such as safety, quality of services, clinical knowledge and skills. Thus, they need to share and distribute the resources for achieving the objectives. Task II Motivational Theories: By providing optimum motivation, healthcare

Sommers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sommers - Essay Example Considering these aspects, I think Sommer is a little accurate about me as even I face dilemmas while thinking in terms of morale. But fortunately only at rare times, I believe, have I been in situations that have made me helpless to make confident moral judgments.  Sommer has suggested that adults, especially teachers should improve the youth’s knowledge and comprehension of moral values and they should guide the youth into believing in these values and ideals. â€Å"Teachers with integrity are viewed as morally sound models for young people to follow† and so I believe that teachers play a significant role in molding the children’s character and moral behavior. â€Å"Moral Conservatism† is what she thinks the society needs. She believes that people live in a moral environment and that they should respect and preserve it. She emphasizes the need to value and respect the traditions that we have inherited. She also wants to encourage the institutions, whic h promote moral teachings along with academics. The essay in total has a very interesting appeal to it. It does not present facts in a boring way like most essays do. However, the thing that interested me the most is the story about the hippies as I am coming across it for the first time. Also her phrases such as "hole in the moral zone," "social fabric" etc seem very unique and unique things. I am very grateful for being given this assignment, as it has helped me learn new facts and has inspired me to be more responsible towards my ethics.

Faith and Hope in Business Essay Example for Free

Faith and Hope in Business Essay Faith in business is having trust and confidence in whatever you set out to do, regardless of circumstances or condition, such as economic recession or an entitys ability to continue as a going concern. Faith in business is some fixed points of reference for business leaders to stay ethically and professionally. Faith in business is like a compass for many CEOs. For Ford Motor Company, Episcopalian is the compass for Henry Ford. For Whole Food, Buddhism is the compass for John Mackey. Hope in business is the belief that things will get better, whether the financial data or evidence indicates it will or not. Hope in business is like a road in the world; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence. The difference between faith and hope in business is that hope always looks to the future, while faith is now. Moreover, hope is a subset of faith. Entrepreneurs must have hope to have faith, but they don’t have to have faith to have hope. Faith always inspired entrepreneurs to do fearless action, but hope doesn’t do that. Faithful business does not always aim at profit; one of the most typical examples of this is Chick-fil-A, a company that has been well known for operating on Christian principles and values. To honor the biblical teaching to rest on the Sabbath, Chick-fil-A always closes on Sundays, thus forgoing one of the highest revenue days of the week for the restaurant industry. Another typical example of faith in business is the operation of the Grameen Bank Project, which object was to extend banking facilities to poor locals in rural Bangladesh. On the other hand, hope in business can be just simply that entrepreneurs hope their entities could make an acquisition in the future, such as Google hope to acquire Linux and replace Chrome OS to have their own official OS exclusively for PCs and combine it with all the Features and Design of Chrome OS to become more powerful than ever.

Values in Conflict Essay -- essays papers

Values in Conflict VALUES IN CONFLICT Introduction Each day as young people attend school they are bombarded with various moral messages. These messages come in many forms. These differing forms may be categorized in either of two different areas, moral instruction or moral practice (Jackson, Boostrom, and Hansen, 1993). Moral instruction refers to both formal and informal methods. Formal instruction as part of the classroom curriculum is directed and intentional. Sometimes formal moral instruction is not quite so obvious however. Rituals and ceremonies such as pep rallies, graduations, and various assemblies may all be categorized as formal moral instruction. Visual displays with moral content are also considered as formal instruction, although they are of a more passive approach. One can not walk the hallways of a typical middle school without seeing numerous examples of posters and signs which attempt to convey some sort of moral message. Perhaps the most subtle and least recognizable form of moral instruction is the interjection of moral commentary within an ongoing activity. Public recognition for doing exceptional work is just one example of such commentary. Moral practice methods may also be either formal or informal. The rules and regulations within the school and classroom would be considered formal forms of moral practice. A more informal method of moral practice would be the expressive morality within the classroom. Expressive morality may be conveyed either intentionally or unintentionally. Everything a teacher does, from facial expression and body language to expressing personal beliefs, can have an effect of influencing the values of an adolescent. Hence teachers should be extremely aware of this possibility. A Gallup (1980) public survey of attitudes towards schools showed that 79% of the respondents were in favor of some form of instruction which would concentrate on morals and the development of moral behaviors. Along with academic competence, character development is the most desired goal of educators (Wynne and Wahlberg, 1985). Many states actually mandate some form of character education by law. In Nebraska, state statutes 79-214 and 79-215 specifically outline this. Despite this apparent agreement between the public and educators, as well as its legitimacy under law, the teaching of moral beha... ...irely. References Jackson, P., Boostrom, R., and Hansen, D. (1993) The moral life of schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Gallup, G. (1980, September) The twelfth annual Gallup Poll of public attitudes toward public schools. Phi Delta Kappan. 62,39. Wynne, E. and Wahlberg, H. (1985) The complimentary goals of character development and academic excellence. Educational Leadership, 43(4). pp. 15-18. Taylor, C. (1991) The ethics of authenticity. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. McClelland, D. (1982) Education for values. New York: Irvington Schaeffer, E. (March, 1998) Character education in the curriculum and beyond. The education digest. pp. 15-17. Berkowitz, M. and Grych, J. (1998) Fostering goodness. From internet, http://www.uic.edu/lnucci/MoralEd/aotm/fosterin.htm Rawls, J. (1971) A theory of justice. Cambridge: Harvard University Press Power, F., Higgins, A., and Kohlberg, L. (1989) Lawrence Kohlberg’s approach to moral education. New York: Columbia University Press. Hinshaw, S. and Anderson, C. (1996) Conduct and oppositional defiant disorders. In Marsh, E. and Barkley, R., Child psychopathology. pp. 113-154. New York

Dance Appreciation Viewing Assignment

Mihir Shukla 1. A: abstract B: ballet C: contemporary D: distraught E: emotional F: frenzied G: graceful H: harmonious I: integrated J: joyous K: kinetic L: loving M: manipulative (body-wise) N: nimble O: organized P: peaceful Q: qualitative R: resonance S: separation T: transient U: ubiquitous V: â€Å"Virtuosity† (Unit 1 term) W: willful X: xeransis Y: youthful Z: zealous 2. A limit does not exist within the vast pool of terminology which could be utilized to depict this beautifully choreographed dance piece by Benjamin Millepied.My impression was first molded by the organization of this dance; how it is divided into three portions, all equally responsible for the delivery of its emotions, as well as its overall message. This work begins with the lone male soloist, and in accorance the kinetic aspects of his dance, it can be interpreted that he is somewhat distraught. Furthermore, there are several manuevers and bodily manipulations within the form of this dance, its abstrac tness also defines its contemporary nature.As the second portion of this dance unfolds, it can be stated that a sense of love enters the floor with the beautiful female soloist; her graceful, willful movements enhance the dance as it seems to take on a more zealous temperament. Ultimately, the third aspect of this dance, the duet – Pas de Deux, shows transiency to a more harmonious movement, as the resonance between the two soloists is apparent. This ballet allows for both peace and chaos, it can be thought of as a representation of life itself, with its transitions from different moods shown through the movements of the dancers. . Within our reading this week there are many quotations that represent the true nature of dance relative to its multiple forms and styles.Of all the statements provided, the statement which was the most representative of this particular dance, in my view, was written by Walter Sorell; it stated, â€Å"Movement is the essence of life, dance its ulti mate expression . †¦ The artist creates out of the world that has made him in order to remake it according to the image of his inner world. I believe that this statement signifies and validates the emotions which emerged throughout the course of this dance work. As this dance transitioned through its multiple stages, each soloist experessed his/her emotions at each particular instant of the dance, with both the slightest, as well as the greatest of movements; it can be seen that dancers have to exaggerate and embellish their movements in order to speechlessly deliberate on their feelings and decisions – as did these dancers, both alone and as one.As I aformentioned, dance is a representation of life itself, and these dancers have shown their â€Å"inner worlds† (Walter Sorell) within their physical reality, bounded by time and space, but emotionally and artistically unbounded, as their movements seemingly defied gravity.

Methods of Performance Appraisal

Q1 . Distinguish between ‘Performance Appraisal’ and the†potentialAppraisal’. Also discuss, in bief, the methods of performance appraisal. Ans. A performance appraisal system judges the performance of an employee over a given period of time. It is an indication of how he has performed in the PAST, but may necessarily not be an indication of his performance in the future. Depending on his past performance, a person is rewarded suitable with an appropriate cash incentive or bonus. A potential appraisal system is done to judge the capability of the person for a future role, meaning you are trying to assess a person to see whether he has the necessary skills, aptitude, attitude and competency for an increased level of responsibility and accountability or a leadership role. It can be enhanced with giving him specific T & D, or assigning him a mentor. You are trying to judge his FUTURE performance based on the potential appraisal. Methods of Performance Appraisal The performance appraisal methods may be classified into three categories, as shown in Figure below. [pic] Individual Evaluation Methods Under the individual evaluation methods of merit rating, employees are evaluated one at a time without comparing them with other employees in the organization. 1. Confidential report: It is mostly used in government organizations. It is a descriptive report prepared, generally at the end of every year, by the employee’s immediate superior. The report highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the subordinate. The report is not data based. The impressions of the superior about the subordinate are merely recorded there. It does not offer any feedback to the appraisee. The appraisee is not very sure about why his ratings have fallen despite his best efforts, why others are rated high when compared to him, how to rectify his mistakes, if any; on what basis he is going to be evaluated next year, etc. Since the report is generally not made public and hence no feedback is available, the subjective nalysis of the superior is likely to be hotly contested. In recent years, due to pressure from courts and trade unions, the details of a negative confidential report are given to the appraisee. 2. Essay evaluation: Under this method, the rater is asked to express the strong as well as weak points of the employee’s behavior. This technique is normally used with a combination of the graphic rating scale because the rater can elaborately present the scale by substantiating an explanation for his ra ting. While preparing the essay on the employee, the rater considers the following factors: (i) Job knowledge and potential of the employee; (ii) Employee’s understanding of the company’s programmes, policies, objectives, etc. ; (iii) The employee’s relations with co-workers and superiors; (iv) The employee’s general planning, organizing and controlling ability; (v) The attitudes and perceptions of the employee, in general. 3. Critical incident technique: Under this method, the manager prepares lists of statements of very effective and ineffective behavior of an employee. These critical incidents or events represent the outstanding or poor behavior of employees on the job. The manager maintains logs on each employee, whereby he periodically records critical incidents of the workers behavior. At the end of the rating period, these recorded critical incidents are used in the evaluation of the workers’ performance. 4. Checklists and weighted checklists: Another simple type of individual evaluation method is the checklist. A checklist represents, in its simplest form, a set of objectives or descriptive statements about the employee and his behavior. If the rater believes strongly that the employee possesses a particular listed trait, he checks the item; otherwise, he leaves the item blank. A more recent variation of the checklist method is the weighted list. Under this, the value of each question may be weighted equally or certain questions may be weighted more heavily than others. The following are some of the sample questions in the checklist. †¢ Is the employee really interested in the task assigned? Yes/No †¢ Is he respected by his colleagues (co-workers)Yes/No †¢ Does he give respect to his superiors? Yes/No †¢ Does he follow instructions properly? Yes/No †¢ Does he make mistakes frequently? Yes/No A rating score from the checklist helps the manager in evaluation of the performance of the employee. The checklist method has a serious limitation. (e)Graphic rating scale: Perhaps the most commonly used method of performance evaluation is the graphic rating scale. Of course, it is also one of the oldest methods of evaluation in use. Under this method, a printed form, as shown below, is used to evaluate the performance of an employee. A variety of traits may be used in these types of rating devices, the most common being the quantity and quality of work. The rating scales can also be adapted by including traits that the company considers important for effectiveness on the job. A model of a graphic rating scale is given below. Table: Typical Graphic Rating Scale Employee Name†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Job title †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Department †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Rate †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Data †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Quantity of work: Volume of work under normal |Unsatisfactory |Fair |Satisfactory |Good |Outstanding | |working conditions | | | | | | |Quality of work: Neatness, thoroughness and |   |   |   |   |   | |accuracy of work Knowledge of job | | | | | | |A clear understanding of the factors connected |   |   |   |   |   | |with the job | | | | | | | Attitude: Exhibits enthusiasm and |   |   |   |   |   | |cooperativeness on the job | | | | | | |Dependability: Conscientious, thorough, |   |   |   |   |   | |reliable, accurate, with respect to attendance, | | | | | | |reliefs, lunch breaks, etc. | | | | | | |Cooperation: Willingness and ability to work |   |   |   |   |   | |with others to produce desired goals. | | | | | | From the graphic rating scales, excerpts can be obtained about the performance standards of employees. For instance, if the employee has serious gaps in technical-professional knowledge (knows only rudimentary phases of job); lacks the knowledge to bring about an increase in productivity; is reluctant to make decisions on his own (on even when he makes decisions they are unreliable and substandard); declines to accept responsibility; fails to plan ahead effectively; wastes and misuses resources; etc. , then it can safely be inferred that the standards of the performance of the employee are dismal and disappointing. The rating scale is the most common method of evaluation of an employee’s performance today. One positive point in favor of the rating scale is that it is easy to understand, easy to use and permits a statistical tabulation of scores of employees. When ratings are objective in nature they can be effectively used as evaluators. The graphic rating scale may however suffer from a long standing disadvantage, i. e. , it may be arbitrary and the rating may be subjective. Another pitfall is that each characteristic is equally important in evaluation of the employee’s performance and so on. (f)Behaviorally anchored rating scales: Also known as the behavioral expectations scale, this method represents the latest innovation in performance appraisal. It is a combination of the rating scale and critical incident techniques of employee performance evaluation. The critical incidents serve as anchor statements on a scale and the rating form usually contains six to eight specifically defined performance dimensions. The following chart represents an example of a sales trainee’s competence and a behaviorally anchored rating scale. Table: An Example of Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS) |Performance |Points |Behavior | |Extremely good |7 |Can expect trainee to make valuable suggestions for increased sales and to have | | | |positive relationships with customers all over the country. |Good |6 |Can expect to initiate creative ideas for improved sales. | |Above average |5 |Can expect to keep in touch with the customers throughout the year. | |Average |4 |Can manage, with difficulty, to deliver the goods in time. | |Below average |3 |Can expect to unload the trucks when asked by the supervisor. | |Poor |2 |Can expect to inform only a part of the customers. | |Extremely poor |1 |Can expect to take extended coffee breaks and roam around purposelessly. | How to construct BARS? Developing a BARS follows a general format which combines techniques employed in the critical incident method and weighted checklist ratings scales. Emphasis is pinpointed on pooling the thinking of people who will use the scales as both evaluators and evaluees. Step 1: Collect critical incidents: People with knowledge of the job to be probed, such as job holders and supervisors, describe specific examples of effective and ineffective behavior related to job performance. Step 2: Identify performance dimensions: The people assigned the task of developing the instrument cluster the incidents into a small set of key performance dimensions. Generally between five and ten dimensions account for most of the performance. Examples of performance dimensions include technical competence, relationships with customers, handling of paper work and meeting day-to-day deadlines. While developing varying levels of performance for each dimension (anchors), specific examples of behavior should be used, which could later be scaled in terms of good, average or below average performance. Step 3: Reclassification of incidents: Another group of participants who are knowledgeable about the job is instructed to retranslate or reclassify the critical incidents generated (in Step II) previously. They are given the definition of job dimension and told to assign each critical incident to the dimension that it best describes. At this stage, incidents for which there is not 75 per cent agreement are discarded as being too subjective. Step 4: Assigning scale values to the incidents: Each incident is then rated on a one-to-seven or one-to-nine scale with respect of how well it represents performance on the appropriate dimension. A rating of one represents ineffective performance; the top scale value indicates very effective performance. The second group of participants usually assigns the scale values. Means and standard deviations are then calculated for the scale values assigned to each incident. Typically incidents that have standard deviations of 1. 50 or less (on a 7-point scale) are retained. Step 5: Producing the final instrument: About six or seven incidents for each performance dimension – all having met both the retranslating and standard deviation criteria – will be used as behavioral anchors. The final BARS instrument consists of a series of vertical scales (one for each dimension) anchored (or measured) by the final incidents. Each incident is positioned on the scale according to its mean value. Because the above process typically requires considerable employee participation, its acceptance by both supervisors and their subordinates may be greater. Proponents of BARS also claim that such a system differentiates among behavior, performance and results and consequently is able to provide a basis for setting developmental goals for the employee. Because it is job-specific and identifies observable and measurable behavior, it is a more reliable and valid method for performance appraisal. (g)Forced choice method: This method was developed to eliminate bias and the preponderance of high ratings that might occur in some organizations. The primary purpose of the forced choice method is to correct the tendency of a rater to give consistently high or low ratings to all the employees. This method makes use of several sets of pair phrases, two of which may be positive and two negative and the rater is asked to indicate which of the four phrases is the most and least descriptive of a particular worker. Actually, the statement items are grounded in such a way that the rater cannot easily judge which statements apply to the most effective employee. The following box is a classic illustration of the forced choice items in organizations. Table: Forced Choice Items 1. LeastMost ADoes not anticipate difficultiesA BGrasps explanations easily and quicklyB CDoes not waste timeC DVery easy to talk toD 2. LeastMost ACan be a leaderA BWastes time on unproductive thingsB CAt all times, cool and calmC DSmart workerD The favorable qualities earn a plus credit and the unfavorable ones earn the reverse. The worker gets over plus when the positive factors override the negative ones or when one of the negative phrases is checked as being insignificantly rated. They overall objectivity is increased by using this method in evaluation of employee’s performance, because the rater does not know how high or low he is evaluating the individual as he has no access to the scoring key. This method, however, has a strong limitation. In the preparation of sets of phrases trained technicians are needed and as such the method becomes very expensive. Further, managers may feel frustrated rating the employees ‘in the dark’. Finally, the results of the forced choice method may not be useful for training employees because the rater himself does not know how he is evaluating the worker. In spite of these limitations, the forced choice techniques is quite popular. h)Management by Objectives (MBO): MBO represents a modern method of evaluating the performance of personnel. Thoughtful managers have become increasingly aware that the traditional performance evaluation systems are characterized by somewhat antagonistic judgments on the part of the rater. There is a growing feeling nowadays that it is better to make the superior work with subordinates in fixing goals. This would inevitably enable subordinates to exercise self-control over their performance behaviors. The concept of management by objectives is actually the outcome of the pioneering works of Drucker, McGregor and Odiorne in management science. Management by objectives can be described as â€Å"a process whereby the superior and subordinate managers of an organization jointly identify its common goals, define each individuals’ major areas of responsibility in terms of results expected of him and use these measures as guides for operating the unit and assessing the contributions of each of its members†. MBO thus represents more than an evaluation programme and process. Practicing management scientists and pedagogues view it as a philosophy of managerial practice; it is a method by which managers and subordinates plan, organize, control, communicate and debate. Features ? MBO emphasizes participatively set goals that are tangible, verifiable and measurable. MBO focuses attention on what must be accomplished (goals) rather than how it is to be accomplished (methods). ? MBO, by concentrating on key result areas translates the abstract philosophy of management into concrete phraseology. The technique can be put to general use (non-specialist technique). Further it is â€Å"a dynamic system which seeks to integrate the company’s need to clarify and achieve its profit and growth targets with the manager’s need to contribute and develop himself†. ? MBO is a systematic and rational technique that allows management to attain maximum results from available resources by focusing on achievable goals. It allows the subordinate plenty of room to make creative decisions on his own.

The Events Described in Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence

The Events Described in Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence Introduction Seven Pillars of Wisdom is a historical autobiography written by T. E. Lawrence. During the First World War, British instigated the revolt of Arabs against Turkey while she herself engaged Germany. The plan was for British to win the war from two fronts, though the idea was sold to the Arabs as a freedom campaign which Britain was apparently ready to support.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Events Described in â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom† by T. E. Lawrence specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lawrence was part of this revolt, fighting alongside Arabs even though he was aware that his government was being dishonest with the Arabs. Chapters 41 through 58 detail Lawrence’s expedition’s imminent arrival at Akaba. Discussion Lawrence wrote that this story ought not to be read as the history of the Arab movement but as the history of him in it (Lawrence). The book therefore comprises of the feelings, experiences and reflections of Lawrence and all the other personalities around him who found themselves caught up in these historical moments. Quite a number of significant players are to be found between chapters 41 and 58 of the book since the Arab revolt involved many people. Foremost, there is Lawrence himself, the Briton charged, on behalf of the British government, to lead the expedition to take Akaba. Lawrence is aware of the insincerity of the British government in its dealings with the Arabs. For this reason, he is guilt ridden and hopes to make the revolt work not only to satisfy British interests but also to ultimately free the Arabs. Then, there are the Arabs, under the leadership of Auda Abu Tayi and Nasri. The Arabs are happy and excited at the prospect of freedom. They are painfully unaware of the immensity of the task they have undertaken and innocently trustful of the good intentions of the Britons. Unseen, but constantly felt, is the presence of the B ritish government and the depth of its insincerity. The chapters describe the passage of Lawrence’s expedition across the deserts and over the ranges of present day Saudi Arabia as it heads for Akaba. The town was deemed strategically important since it could hamper the approach of the British via the Mediterranean Sea as it portended a risk to the operations of the Suez Canal (Lawrence). Akaba, today known as Aqaba, is a strategic port town in present day Jordan, but was at the time under the control of the Turks. These chapters vividly describe the fatigue experienced by the men from riding camels all day; the discomfort of being scorched by the desert sun; the distress of being caught in the sand whirling in the desert wind; the thrill of the constant threat of coming under attack from unknown enemies; and under all this, the knowledge by Lawrence that the whole affair was a lie.Advertising Looking for essay on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your firs t paper with 15% OFF Learn More It being an account of individual experiences, the most important occurrence in the chosen chapters is the deep and profound guilt that is felt by Lawrence. Since the Arabs are deemed distrustful of institutions, and could therefore not be prevailed upon under the mere assurance of the British government to go to war, it had fallen upon Lawrence to be the face of the British to the Arabs. He had strived, and succeeded, in gaining their confidence. He however knew that the McMahon pledges and the Sykes-Picot treaty would come to naught once the war was won (Lawrence). In pushing forward with the expedition, he would be taking advantage of the trust the Arabs had in him, and by exploiting their thirst to free Syria and putting the lives of men at risk on the basis of false pretenses. Having assured them that â€Å"England kept her word in letter and spirit† after which the Arabs fell in line behind him, he felt nothing but consist ent and bitter shame (Lawrence). It is for the need to assuage this guilt that he endeavored to steer the Arab Revolt in such a fashion that it would become â€Å"its own success† and in so doing, Britain would be unable to deny the Arabs their moral earned rights (Lawrence). After the liberation of Syria, The General Syrian Congress arrived at the following resolutions detailing the wishes of Syrians: â€Å"that the people of Syria wanted their independence to be recognized; that they rejected the idea of political tutelage; that they rejected any attempts to divide Syria; and that they would be appreciative of foreign assistance for a limited period of time† (Glubb 106-7). France was however given the mandate to occupy Syria by the Supreme Council of Allies and the British army was soon replaced by that of the French. This was in spite of the fact that Syrians were strongly against foreign occupation. Consequently, Amir Feisal, who had fought in the Arab Revolt, rece ived an ultimatum demanding his recognition of the French mandate in Syria (Glubb 109). The contemporary significance of the events described in the chapters chosen arises from their causal relationship with the sequence of occurrences that followed. The areas in Syria that were occupied by the French happened to be the ones that had been promised to the Arabs in the Sykes-Picot Agreement (Glubb 112). The fact that Britain went back on its word on this particular instance, in view of the ensuing political upheaval in Syria for the subsequent decade, ended up in the Arabs being consistently suspicious of the intentions of the British. Even though no such claims had been made by British, it was felt by the Arabs that the original intention behind the British actions was for Syria to be divided up between France and Britain.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Events Described in â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom† by T. E. Lawrence specifically for you fo r only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The French occupation of Syria resulted in the eventual adoption of Western political and cultural concepts. The eventual adoption of democratic institutions of governance, though of a rather primary kind, and the increased imitation of Western culture by young generation Syrians led to the neglect of significant cultural practices. For instance, the apparent gradual loss of the traditional politeness and manners that has previously characterized the Syrian tradition has been attributed to this contact with western culture (Glubb 187). Conclusion The events described in â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom† are of great significance. Through them we get insights behind the complex relationship between Britain and Arabs. It could be argued that in Lawrence is to be found the incarnation of the British sentiment towards Arabs after the events in Syria. The dishonesty of the British in their dealings with Arabs resulted in the French oc cupation of Syria and a deeply ingrained suspicion of Britons by Arabs. The British might not have been able to go against the occupation of Syria by France. What matters however, is that they had conspired to dishonor their promises to the Arabs even prior to the French entry into the equation. This suspicion reinforced by other historical occurrences, still characterizes how Arabs view not only the British but the whole of the Western world. Glubb, John. Britain and the Arabs: A Study of Fifty Years 1908 to 1958. London: J.B.G Ltd, 1959. Print. Lawrence, Thomas. â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom.† 2011. Web. Project Gutenberg.

Famous Doesnt Apply to Murderers or Gangsters

Famous Doesnt Apply to Murderers or Gangsters Famous Doesnt Apply to Murderers or Gangsters Famous Doesnt Apply to Murderers or Gangsters By Maeve Maddox The latest Mall Murderer left a note expressing the idea that now (i.e., after killing several inoffensive strangers at the local mall), he would be famous. It is to be hoped that writers wont make the mistake of applying that particular adjective to doers of evil deeds. The adjective famous has the meaning honored for achievement. To describe those who do evil attention-getting things, we have the words infamous and notorious. The word infamous expresses the idea that the person or incident described is one of a vicious, contemptible, or criminal nature. The word notorious once meant simply widely-known, but for many centuries has been used as a word of condemnation. For example, Albert Schweitzer was a famous medical missionary to Africa, but Al Capone was a notorious gangster. Each of these adjectives has a corresponding abstract noun: famous / fame infamous / infamy notorious / notoriety On this very day in 1941, President Roosevelt remarked that the date December 7, 1941 would live in infamy. Video Recap Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:35 Synonyms for â€Å"Look†How to Punctuate Descriptions of ColorsPassed vs Past

Strategies in Action,Implementing Strategies and Finance and Growth Assignment

Strategies in Action,Implementing Strategies and Finance and Growth Strategies - Assignment Example CLS is basically about cost-related efficiency. Thus scale economies play a very significant role here. Selling a standardized product at a lower price to a large segment of customers is the underlying principle of CLS (Pretorius, 2008). While Starbucks being a network of high street coffee shops meets some of these requirements, its inability to keep prices low has been attributed to rising costs. In fact with Shultz assuming duties as the Chairman of the company in 1987, things began to improve at Starbucks and the trend continued till 2000 when he became the President. n the first few years of the current decade Starbucks faced some of the worst problems. In the first place, prices began to rise much faster and bureaucratic bungling hampered progress on many fronts. The current developments show that rising demands by employees for higher salaries and the addition of frills such as flavors have been the main cause of rising costs. Porter’s Generic Strategy requires such costs to be brought under control so that scale related economies become positive by way of reduced average costs and mass sales. Right now, unfortunately, it seems neither is happening at Starbucks and most probably this is partially due to the economic downturn. Despite Shultz’ efforts to bring down costs by curtailing pay and extra benefits to staff, there is a sizeable rise in the paychecks and the company is losing on the competition front. The competitive cost advantage is often attributed to scale economies and at Starbucks, it did not happen as of late. Porter has mentioned two dimensions – strategic scope and strategic strength – as essential factors for CLS to be achieved. The rest of the original cube of 27 points is no more in vogue. However, his emphasis on product differentiation and cost efficiency matters here because Starbucks had a troubled past and is just now emergent from its troubles with Shultz at the helm again as the CEO.  Ã‚  

Siemens Social Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Siemens Social Performance - Essay Example Siemens’ network has involved in different social and environmental aspects and the always act as a rich asset to different stakeholders in the business. They are socially committed and always remain the frontrunner in keeping the society safe and the environment hazard free. This international firm has put their investments in the ecological shelter and the industrial protection to preserve their potential feasibility and the extensive period of prosperity. They have also developed their pioneering machinery and tools for the management of wastewater to relieve the public of the problems associated with scarcity of water. â€Å"Siemens has developed alternating-current drive systems for the heavy trucks that transport the material at opencast mines. They ensure that diesel engines run within their optimal speed ranges. Compared with conventional diesel drives, these diesel-electric drive systems not only have a lower environmental impact, but also save fuel and cut operating costs. Gearless drive systems (GD) also help to reduce energy consumption.† (Environmental Issues and Social Aspects Make New Investments Necessary in Mining Area 2010). Currently, they have new programs like Siemens Generation21 and Siemens Caring Hands intended to serve the community in different ways. Siemens Generation21 is targeted for the education of youth all over the world to provide them a bright future. With these, they are helping the students with learning materials, research funds, and other training programs. Siemens have developed the Caring Hands program to help the public when they require it most through the contributions and social supports. â€Å"It covers a wide scope of activities including volunteering, disaster relief, social sponsorship, and supporting or donating funds to good causes.† (Corporate Social Responsibility

Cognitive week9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cognitive week9 - Essay Example Sternberg (2001) uses the example of Charles Darwin's theories in evolution. Charles Darwin was thought to be a creative because of his high intelligence – he was able to generate the idea of evolution and to critically analyze it against other possibilities. If his analysis had not been intelligent, then his creativity could have been a chance happening, or it would not have been his theory of evolution in the first place. Hence he underlines the distinct lines between creativity and intelligence. * Description of a problem (personal or historical) in which creativity or insight could or could have been applied to bring about a solution or a better solution.   I remember having an old computer parts in my storage; the keyboards, the old chargers and spare screen that I had long ago put away. They were all in working condition only that they were redundant due to the fact that I worked on my new laptop and hence having them around was of no use. Finding them in storage an ol d buddy of mine asked if he could take them off my hands. Without hesitating I agreed since my storage was already packed to the maximum and I could do with the space. A lot later coming across items for sale on eBay I saw a whole collection of what I would refer to ask junk or obsolete computer equipment being sold for reasonable prices. It was then that I realized that perhaps If I had been more creative with what use I could gather from things I had so easily referred to as obsolete I would have been able to regain part of the cost that I had sustained in acquiring them. * Creative solutions to the problem.   As far as creative solution to the problem is concerned what I could have done is like so many other people on eBay sold the electronic equipment that was occupying so much needed space of my storage. Redirection, starting over might possibly work well in this case (Sternberg, 2009). I could have taken a completely different approach to tackle this problem by viewing the e quipment as possibly useful in monetary terms and hence changed my perception of wanting to get rid of it in any way possible. If my conventional approach to perceiving the worth of the equipment as much less than the increase in storage space had been revised I would have been a lot more careful with how I handle its disposal. References   Sternberg, R. (2009). Cognitive psychology (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.   Wallas, G. (1926)  The Art of Thought.  New York: Harcourt Brace. Assignment 4 The definition of creativity in terms of how it is interlinks with intelligence is a very solid concept to base your personal definition on. Furthermore it is commendable how the line between creativity and intelligence is firmly drawn by stating that not everything intelligent is necessarily functional and good. Putting all the right measures of intelligence, evolution and the environment into a operational definition of creativity is no easy feat. However the writ er has done a commendable job in linking the theory with their own personal definition ‘creativity can be defined as and ability to produce something new and original that is also purposeful and good’. The example being that of preparing an organic garden with time being the critical constraint is well defined with the number of creative solutions provided highly practical. With the best possible creative solution being that of the idea of giving up my beloved garden, and looking

Wi-fi Wireless Technology

Wi-fi Wireless Technology Business data network and telecommunications Wi-fi has entered in to our lives some years now. It solves some problems that wire networks have but generate new. At the moment there are few advantages and a lot of disadvantages. Wi-fi can be very useful in many cases and I think it deserves a deep look in to it. Also wi-fi has many prospects for further development. Wi-fi needs specified devices in order to work properly. History The term wi-fi (wireless fidelity) is used in order to determine the appliances that are based on specification IEEE 802.11 and faction of ISM band, that is frequencies 2.4Ghz for Europe .Wi-Fi uses single carrier DSSS (direct sequence spread spectrum) radio technology but also multi-carrier OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) radio technology. These regulations that enabled the development of Wi-Fi, are HomeRF, and Bluetooth. Unlicensed spread spectrum was available for first time by the Federal Communications Commission in 1985 and the FCC regulations were copied later with some changes in other countries and made the use of this technology enable in all major countries. Michael Marcus of the FCC staff proposed the FCC action in 1980 and the subsequent regulatory action in 5 more years. It was part of a proposal to allow civil use of spread spectrum technology and was opposed by the mainstream equipment manufacturers and many radio system operators. (Federal Communications Commission. 1985). The Wi-Fi was invented in 1991 by NCR Corporation/ATT. Initially the use was for cashier systems. The first wireless products that were brought on the market was under the name â€Å"WaveLAN† with speeds of 1 Mbit/s up to 2 Mbit/s. Vic Hayes, was involved in designing standards such as IEEE 802.11b, and 802.11a. He has been named as â€Å"the father of Wi-fi†. (Vic Hayes at 1st Home Networking Conference, 2007). Uses A device with Wi-Fi enabled, such as a PC, PDA, cell phone, game console, or MP3 player can connect to the Internet within the range of a wireless network connected to the Internet (Access point). The interconnection between one or more access points in a certain area is called a hotspot. Hotspots can cover a single room up to many squares covered by overlapping access points. The devices can network each other and connect to the Internet, share files and digital cameras can transfer video wirelessly. Wi-Fi also allows devices to connect directly with each other (peer-to-peer mode). This connectivity mode is useful most in gaming applications. When the technology released in the market there were many problems because consumers were not sure if the products from companies would work together. The Wi-Fi Alliance began as a community to solve this and to address the needs of the end user and allow the technology to mature. The Alliance created the branding Wi-Fi CERTIFIED to show to the consumers that products are interoperable with other products displaying the same branding. (Wi-fi alliance, 2000). Routers and Wi-Fi access points are used most in homes to provide Internet access and networking to all devices that are connected wirelessly or by cables into them. Devices can also be connected in ad-hoc mode for client-to-client connections without using a router. In Business and industrial environments, as increasing the number of Wi-Fi access points we get faster roaming and increased network capacity by creating smaller cells or by using more channels. Wi-Fi can enable wireless voice applications such as WVOIP. Wi-Fi installations can provide a secure computer network, firewall, DHCP server and other functions. In addition to home and office use, Wi-Fi is publicly available also at Wi-Fi hotspots provided either free of charge or under a certain price. Sometimes free Wi-Fi is provided by organizations or authorities who wish to promote business in their area. Metropolitan-wide WiFi (Mu-Fi) already has more than 300 projects in process. (Muniwireless, 2007). Standard devices Wireless access points can connect wireless devices to a wired LAN. An access point is something like an Ethernet hub, relaying data between the connected devices. Wireless adapters are connecting in the devices, externally or internally such as usb, pci and allow devices to connect to the wireless network. Wireless routers integrate a firmware application that provides IP Routing, NAT, and DNS forwarding through an interface. Wireless range extenders (repeaters) can extend the range of the wireless network. Ig the repeaters are placed in the area smart then the signal can be excellent. The devices that are connected through repeaters may have an increased latency for each hop. Each device will get signal from the device that gives better signal. With wireless bridges we can connect two or more networks between them. This is different from an access point because an access point works at the data-link layer. We can use two wireless bridges when a wired connection may be unavailable, such as a connection between two separate buildings. Most devices (routers, access points, bridges, repeaters) are designed for home or business environments. Pci cards use antenna connectors and usb only have internal antennas while some have external connections in addition to an internal antenna. In laptops it is commonly used mini pci cards. In a network between two buildings that the distance is a matter it is usually used big antennas in the roof of the buildings, so the signal can be remain strong enough. Advantages of Wi-Fi Wi-Fi allows LANs to be deployed while it reduces the cost of the network deployment. WLANS can be hosted in areas that cannot be run by cables, such as outdoor areas or even historical buildings. The prices for wireless products continue to drop, making it a fair networking option. Wi-Fi has become widespread and more and more devices obtain wi-fi technology. Wi-Fi is a global set of standards. Products designated as Wi-Fi Certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance are backwards inter-operable. Except mobile phones, any device with wi-fi standard will work anywhere in the world. Wi-Fi use WPA encryption and it is not easily cracked if the passwords are strong enough. Nowadays it is used WPA2 also, an encryption that has no known weaknesses. A new protocol for Qos is WMM and makes Wi-Fi better for voice, video applications, and power saving methods. To make enable the WMM feature all devices in the network must support it. Disadvantages of Wi-Fi Wifi in Europe use for the 2.4 GHz band (1-13) channels, in US (1-11) and Japan (1-14). A Wi-fi signal occupies around five channels in the 2.4 GHz resulting in only 3 non-overlapped channels in the US: 1, 6, 11, and four in Europe: 1,5,9,13 Power consumption is too high compared to with other low bandwidth standards, such as Bluetooth, making a concern about devices batteries life of the. WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is the most usual wireless encryption standard that is used, but shown that can be easily breakable. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2), solved this problem and its available on most products. Most Wi-Fi Access Points have default the security disabled thought, providing open wireless access to their LAN. You can always turn on the security by configuring the device, usually via the graphical user interface (GUI) of the router/access point. Unencrypted networks can be used to read and copy data that are transmitted over the network, unless we have a security method to secure the data, such as VPN The wireless networks have limited range. A typical Wi-Fi home router using 802.11g with a stock antenna might have a range of 35 m indoors and 95 m outdoors. Range also varies with frequency band. Wi-Fi in the 2.4 GHz frequency block has slightly better range than Wi-Fi in the 5 GHz frequency block. Outdoor range with improved (directional) antennas can be several kilometres or more with line-of-sight. IEEE 802.11g-(2003) When the range increases the performance of a wireless network is decreased. Ethernet or other cables are more reliable then wi-fi. An Ethernet connection can reach speed up to 1Gbit/s and in the other hand 802.11g networks have a maximum of 54 Mbit/s. Protocol 802.11n try to improve the speeds, but still does not achieve Ethernets reliability. People with adsl2+ can understand an increase in performance using wired connection rather than WiFi. Wi-Fi in many cases has problems with the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). SNR compares the level of the desired signal to the background noise. This can be a huge problem in high-density areas. All the devices must support the same protocol for example 802.11g. And in case there are other access points in the network, the name (SSID) must maintain the same. In Wireless networks there are many times incompatibility problems between brands. Different standards may disrupt connections or low speeds. The new protocol 802.11n use 5 GHz band and have more channels available. Each node (access point, repeater) on the network is able to see the communication between other devices, allowing network traffic to be easily captured. When a WiFi network is not encrypted it is vulnerable to attacks. Wi-fi is a new technology and still under development. Many people may adopt it cause it produce a non wire environment and others not. I think wi-fi will give better quality in the future and maybe it will get pass some main problem that it have at the moment. References Authorization of Spread Spectrum Systems Under Parts 15 and 90 of the FCC Rules and Regulations (TXT). Federal Communications Commission (June 18, 1985). Retrieved on 2007-12-01. Wi-Fi Alliance Certified Products. (2000) certifications.wi-fi.org. Retrieved on 2007-11-01. from http://certifications.wi-fi.org/wbcs_certified_products.php V.Hayes at (November 04 2007). 1st Home Networking Conference Retrived on 2007-12-03 from http://lirne.net/2007/11/vic-hayes-at-1st-home-networking-conference/ Muniwireless (2007). Muniwireless-technology Retrieved on 2007-12-01 from http://www.muniwireless.com/ IEEE 802.11g-(2003) 802.11g Retrieved on 2007-12-03 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11g-2003

Criminal Behavior Essay -- Biology, Ellis and Walsh

Many scholars have attempted to explain criminal behaviour by identifying a genetic trait or other biological causes or indicator for criminality (Cullen and Agnew, 2011). Ellis and Walsh (2011) argue that while there is not a single â€Å"criminal behaviour† genetic trait, there are genetic trait that are associated with crime. They further suggest that these traits might provide evolutionary advantages to their holders in some circumstances. For example, traits such as deception and cheating would likely be evolutionary advantageous to maximizing a male's reproductive capabilities. Ellis and Walsh suggest that these traits might be genetically inherited. This theory of genetic influence does not however suggest that behaviours are genetically determined. Behaviours are still assumed to be learned, with specific genetic traits influencing this process (Ellis and Walsh, 2011).Rowe (2011) suggests a similarly biologically driven theory. He argues that through their impact upo n the central and autonomic nervous systems, genetic traits and biological harms can influence personality traits including those which are associated with criminality. In support of this notion are studies that have linked levels of testosterone and aggressiveness, low heart rate and criminality, weak skin conductance and criminality, as well as brain damage and lack of moral judgement (Rowe, 2011).Caspi, et al. (2011) present the theory that there are three super-traits which have various relationships with crime. The three super-traits they discuss are constraint, negative emotionality and positive emotionality. They note that the constraint and negative emotionality super-traits are related to self-control and with it criminality. This suggests that some indi... ...larly intimates. Both the methods and attributes associated with the crime are suggested to be learned. Learning of criminal and anti-criminal behaviour is thought to be similar to learning of other behaviours and attitudes in which the learner assimilates into the culture they are surrounded by (Sutherland and Cressey, 2011). This theory is similar to the Shaw and Mckay's explanation for criminality, but also ventures into the methods by which the attitudes are actually developed. Anderson's description of a culture of violence, that establishes a â€Å"code of the street† provides a vivid example of both the environmental conditions described by Shaw and Sutherland and Cressey as well as the learning processes described by Sutherland and Cressey. These clearly environmental and learned factors somewhat weaken the arguments of biological causes presented earlier..

Examine the dramatic significance of the theme “fair is foul” in Macbeth Essay

There are many themes in â€Å"Macbeth†, not surprising given the play’s richness of character, language and events. These themes include goodness and evil, deceptive appearances and reality and the supernatural. They are all linked to the idea of â€Å"fair is foul†, as are the characters. I will now try to examine in more detail the dramatic significance of â€Å"fair is foul† in Shakespeare’s â€Å"Macbeth†. It is believed that the play was written with King James in mind. â€Å"Mabeth† was written sometime between 1603 and 1606, years during which King James (6th of Scotland and 1st of England) was on the throne. Many of James’ interests were included in the play, for example kingship, loyalty and most importantly his fascination with supernatural (he even wrote a book called Demonology, on the subject). The idea of the supernatural and witchcraft in particular are very important during the play. The witches also known as the â€Å"Weird Sisters†, Act 1 Scene 3 Line 34, represent evil and temptation in the play. In Shakespeare’s day there was widespread belief in the existence of witchcraft and demonology. People feared that witches attempted to corrupt God’s natural order, and thus in 1604 its practice became punishable by death. However they were still uncertain on the power of witches. This uncertainty can be seen in the play. We never know whether the witches have any real power or whether they can only persuade and suggest things to others. The Gunpowder plot seems to have been added to the play. It was an action taken to remove the king, very similar to Macbeth’s actions. Again it gives the idea of God’s natural order being destroyed. They believed that the king ruled by Divine Right i.e. they were God’s chosen one. Therefore killing him, to obtain unrightful kingship would definitely shatter the natural order. The fact that they are evil is shown in their final couplet. It is, as mentioned above, the three witches who chorus the line â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair†. It can be translated as â€Å"good is bad and bad is good†, a slightly difficult phrase to understand. An important thing to note is that â€Å"Fair is foul†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is a paradox. That is a statement, which appears to contradict itself but can contain a truth. It is this line that sets the tone for the rest of the play; the way things appear may not be the way they really are! Their line however can also be used to describe themselves and their predictions. When they tell Macbeth his future it all sounds good, â€Å"†¦All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter†. However it is these predictions that lead to his fatal actions and drastic downfall destruction. So really, these future visions aren’t good at all but bad. The witches never tell lies but because they speak in puzzling riddles, its possible that Macbeth hears what he wants to hear, by believing only the positive aspects. In Shakespeare’s â€Å"Macbeth†, the protagonist is lured to murder the King, Duncan, by witch’s predictions, his wife’s encouragement, and by his own ambition. He commits a trio of wicked murders in the course of the play. It is possible to forget that the character described as â€Å"†¦brave Macbeth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is the one later described as a â€Å"tyrant†. Macbeth’s character is also one that is linked to the idea of â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair†. Prior to his encounter with the witches (Act 1, Scene 3) Macbeth is a hero, a loyal warrior in service of the legitimate, King of Scotland, Duncan. He is described as a noble valiant and fearless warrior and â€Å"Bellona’s bridegroom†, husband of the goddess of the war, worthy to be God of War. It appears that he has many positive characteristics but soon enough we find he has a fatal weakness†¦ambition. He was easily influenced by, witches prophecies and his wife’s persuasion, to follow the ambitions that he secretly desired to chase, â€Å"Thus thou must do’ if thou have it†, in other words he must do it (kill King Duncan) if he wants the crown. He allowed his ambitions to suppress his good qualities and the end of the play describes him as â€Å"a tyrant†, â€Å"a dwarfish thief†, and â€Å"hellhound†. Macbeth is obviously one of the clearest and simplest examples of the theme â€Å"fair is foul†. By this I mean he is a character who fits the idea, things that look good may turn out to be evil. However I don’t think it is fair to call him completely evil. He did after all have a conscience, which played a major part throughout the play. It was his conscience that held him back from drastic actions, but not enough to stop him from murders that in the end he carried out. Lady Macbeth is also a good example of the theme â€Å"fair is foul†. In the world of Shakespeare tragedies she has come to represent feminine treachery. Her ambition, foulness and rejection of female values, mark her as a heartless villain more monster than woman! â€Å"Come to my woman breasts and take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers† . Unlike Macbeth, it is easily noticed that she has an evil hunger for power from the start. â€Å"†¦chastice with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden crown†¦Ã¢â‚¬  just a section of her words from the first time we meet her (Act 1 Scene 5). However Shakespeare uses dramatic irony, in that the audience know she is evil but many characters fail to see this. Many are fooled by her deceptive acts. â€Å"Fair and noble hostess†, are the words Duncan used to describe Lady Macbeth, who turned out to be involved in his murder later that night. The audience get a taste of her hunger for power by her reaction to the letter from Mabeth, it is both powerful and dramatic. As soon as she has finished reading the letter (including details of the witches premonitions) she decides to make sure Macbeth will become King. She knows her husband is ambitious but also considers his lack of ruthlessness- â€Å"yet I do fear thy nature It is to full o’ th’ milk of human kindness†. She claims that ruthlessness o is â€Å"the illness† that Macbeth doesn’t have in him. She decides that to gain the throne Duncan must be killed. To her great delight, she hears that the King is coming that very night. She invites the spirits of evil to enter her body- † Come you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts! unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty†. Any thoughts of doubt that she has some good inside her are totally unquestionable, at this point. How can a woman want the very characteristics that make her a woman, i.e. love and care, to be taken away just so that she can complete a wicked murder? The language she uses from lines 32-47 (Act 1 Scene5), are very similar to those used in a spell or chant. She is calling spirits to take away and feelings she may have, and fill her with murderous thoughts, â€Å"Come u spirits†¦you murdering ministers†. The language used gives the effect of dark magic and incantations, symbolising Lady Macbeth as a witch. As said above the line â€Å"fair is foul† gives the impression of deceptive appearances and reality. Lady Macbeth, displays this idea very well, when she is fooling her guests. When King Duncan, arrives at the castle, he comments on how nice the atmosphere is, â€Å"the air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself†. It was planned by Shakespeare to have an ironic effect, that King Duncan should say that, when taking into consideration Lady Macbeth’s words and plans from the previous scene. She is a great deceiver, falsely exchanging pleasant conversation, very successfully. It is also Lady Macbeth who advises her husband to put on a false appearance, â€Å"look like the innocent flower. But be the serpent under’t†. This was one of Shakespeare’s many metaphors. The flower resembles goodness and purity while the snake is a dark and evil creature. This also links in with the idea of reality vs. appearances. We are constantly reminded that things aren’t what they seem in the play. Shakespeare warns us not to be fooled by appearances, there are many examples of this during the play. One of the main examples is the floating dagger. Is it real or is it just a deceptive illusion luring Macbeth to do the unthinkable? There are other deceptive illusions during the course of the play, a main one being Banquo’s ghost. Macbeth believes the ghost, which hovers over Banqo’s empty chair, has gone to haunt him and accuse him of it’s murder. The witches say that the forest will comes to him, â€Å"Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him†. How is this possible? In reality no part of nature in form of lands and forests ever moves! Macbeth is also told â€Å"none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth†. Macbeth doesn’t know that Macduff wasn’t born normally, and so believes he cannot be harmed. We must doubt how reliable these premonitions really are! While Banquo doubted what the witches said and preceded to question them, Macbeth had near complete faith in them. I think he believed them, because deep inside that’s what he wants, and the premonitions give him hope of achieving an impossible target. The theme â€Å"fair is foul† is a paradox, although it appears to contradict itself it does contains a truth. This can be seen in the first act when the Thane of Cawdor is sentenced to death. Looking at the execution it would appear to be a foul act. However when considering the reason of execution, being disloyal to your King, it can also be seen as fair. This is very similar to what happens to Macbeth. His head was carried around the crowds, proving he had been killed. Yes, a very foul act but not completely unfair. After all this was a man who had committed many unforgivable crimes, and caused disorder all over a settled country. I think that for a line so confusing at first it appears to be the roots of the play! It is associated with nearly all the themes of the play, and all the characters especially Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

Genetics of Obesity Essay

According to the WHO (2010), childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Globally, in 2010 the number of overweight children under the age of 5 is estimated to be over 42 million (WHO, 2010). Obesity can be defined in a number of ways, e.g. by population means, BMI and waist circumference (Odgen, 2012). And according to Kleiser et al (2009), obesity may have several short-term consequences (e.g. social discrimination, lower quality of life, increased cardiovascular risk factors, diseases like asthma) and long-term consequences were obesity is likely to persist into adulthood, were individuals are more likely to develop noncommunicable diseases e.g. diabetes and cardiovascular disease at a much younger age. It is due to this that a great body of research within health psychology has focused on not only the consequences of obesity but also understanding the causes of obesity, both genetic and environmental – this is what this essay will explore†¦. Genetics There have been several theories put forward by research to best explain the causes obesity and one major potential causes is genetics. Maffeis et al (1998) found that obesity in parents was the strongest predictor of childhood obesity, regardless of diet or level of activity. Furthermore recent research has found support for this claim. Moreover, Wardle et al., (2001, 2006) reported that, controlling for other environmental factors, children with obese parents preferred fatty foods, had less liking for vegetables, were more likely to overeat had a higher preference for sedentary activities than did children of normal weight parents. This is further strengthened by more recent research by Kleiser et al (2009) who found that the strongest determinant of obesity was obesity in parents. Despite the evidence for this relationship, Odgen (2012) states that parents and children not only share genetic constitution but also share very similar environments, therefore this relationship between child and parental obesity could be contributed to either factor. However, according to Barlow (2013) twin studies have also have clearly demonstrated a genetic influence on body weight, therefore strengthening the argument for the role of genetics in obesity. For instance studies have found 25 – 40 % of BMI is heritable and identical twins raised apart have been found to have a correlation of .7,  only slightly lower than that of twins raised together (Stunkard et al, 1990). Moreover adoption studies have also provided evidence for a genetic component in obesity, Skunkard (1986) found a strong relationship between the weight class of the adoptee and their biological parents and interestingly found no relationship with their adoptee parents’ weight class. Research has also stated that factors such as metabolic rate (Bouchard, 1990) and appetite regulation may also have a role to play in causing obesity. Research in terms of metabolic rate has suggested a low resting metabolic rate is a risk factor for weight gain (Tataranni, 2003), but in fact there is little research to support this. In particular there is no evidence to suggest that overweight people tend to have slightly higher metabolic rates than thin people of a similar height (Garrow, 1987; Odgen, 2012). A genetic predisposition may also be related to appetite control. For instance, the discovery of leptin, ghrelin, adiponectin, and other hormones that inï ¬â€šuence appetite, satiety, and fat distribution provides insight into metabolic mechanisms for physiological risk of obesity (Maes et al, 1997; Gale et al, 2004). Research, although seen to be in its infancy has yielded support, e.g. Farooqi et al (1999) injected 2 participants daily with leptin, which resulted in decreased food uptake and weight loss at a rate of 1-2kg per month. According to Odgen (2012) there is strong evidence for a genetic basis to obesity, but it is how this genetic bias expresses itself that remains unclear, due to the fact research on lowered metabolic rate has been widely refuted and the genetics of appetite control remain in its infancy. Furthermore, genetic studies are not without their criticisms. For instance small sample size, zygosity needs to be confirmed and again the role of environmental factors cannot be ignored. Behaviour & Environmental factors Therefore in light of the above criticisms research has begun to more fully examine the extent to which an individual’s behaviour and/or environment can influence the development of obesity. As Barlow (2013) states that at a population level, the increase in prevalence is too rapid to be explained by a genetic shift; rather, it must result from changes in eating and physical activity behaviours that have shifted. A recent study by Kileser (2009) found independently of other factors, a positive association was observed between obesity and low SES, migration background (up to age 13), parental overweight, high weight gain during pregnancy (when the mother is of normal weight), maternal smoking during pregnancy, high birth weight, and high media consumption, as well as a negative association with sleep duration for 3- to 10-year olds.