Study Habits free essay sample

Study skills can be a combination of several techniques, including time management, note taking, self testing and being wise in the test, to name a few. There is no one best way to study, therefore, techniques can be tailored to the needs of the students to achieve the most optimal result. However, diagnostic testing is also available to assist students in assessing their weaknesses in their learning behaviors and study habits. Research has shown that effective study skills lead to improved academic performance.The habits that students develop during their college years will remain with them long after graduation ND will be reflected in their performance in college. This paper will provide insight into the different techniques that improve study skills, and in turn, improve academic performance. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the word study as the application of the mental faculties to the acquisition of knowledge, which can be in a particular field or to a specific subject. We will write a custom essay sample on Study Habits or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The dictionary then defines skill as the ability to use ones knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance. A rather general combination of the ;o terms would yield, learning and motivational strategies considered essential in being successful n college (Tucking, 2003 page). A more in depth conceptualization Of the term is the competence in acquiring, recording organizing, synthesizing remembering, and using information and ideas, and are among the skills that can be modified for learners of all ages (Harvey, 1 995 page). In other words, study skills are systematized approaches to learning and retaining knowledge to apply to academic and non-academic progression in college and beyond college (White, 2004).The extent of students learning in academics maybe determined by the grades a student earns for a period of learning has been done. It is believed that a grade is a primary indicator of such learning. If a learner earns high grades it is concluded that they may also have learned a lot while low grades indicate lesser learning. At this point in time, the researcher would like to investigate the relationship of study habits to the academic performance of third year students of Santa Rosa Science and Technology High School for the academic year 2011-2012. Background of the Study The Santa Rosa Science and Technology High School (Stars, Sic-Tech Hi, and GIRTHS) is a Secondary Public Science High School located in J. P Racial Blvd. Barraging Market Area, Santa Rosa City, Laguna, in the Philippines. By the virtue of the Republic Act 9083 written by the former Representative of the 1st District of Laguna, Alular Joaquin, the School was built with the support of the Local Government of Santa Rosa led by former Mayor Leon C. Arcadias.The school has three stages of screenings composed of an Aptitude / Mental Ability Examination, Proficiency Examination and an intent,IEEE and are implemented in a step-by-step format (An applicant will be ineligible to be screened in the next stage if he/she fails on the previous stage). An applicant just have at least 85% average and no failing subjects in order to qualify for the entrance test. Provide a photocopy of first and second quarter of School Report Card with dry seal Of school, Form, etc. Examinees must fill up the Application Form and submit it on/before the deadline of submission.A student of Santa Rosa Science and Technology High School must maintain a grade of 85% in all major subjects (English, Math and Science) and a grade of 83% in all minor subjects. With Engineering Science and Education Program as its curriculum, the school is a lot different from ordinary public schools. The school offers subjects more than what is offered in ordinary public schools. It also has its own grading system that readily distinguishes students that are good in science, math, TIT_E and language.The third year curriculum offers the following subjects: Filipino Ill (Noel Me Teenager), English Ill (American Literature), T EL Ill (Civil Technology), Math Ill (Advanced Algebra, Advanced Statistics, and Pre-Calculus), Science Ill (Chemistry, Physics, and Zoology), MAPLE Ill, Values Education Ill, Social Studies (World History), and Computer Literacy (Web Design). With its thirteen (13) subjects, third year dents has to do a lot works and therefore must develop and improve study skills that will enable them to pass all the subjects. In this study, junior GIRTHS students are the respondents. They were selected as the respondents because they are the batch that has gone through different political issues having past students, parents and teachers to question their qualification and quality and the admission where they went through because comparing with the last batches of third year students they are the first batch who got a very low average on the annual National Achievement test administered last March 2011 on their sophomore year.They will be given a survey questionnaire to evaluate them whether they have given their all to be able to survive the tough curriculum and for the researchers to identify what are the students study habits that make great impact on their academic performance. Theoretical Framework In Dorothy E. Johnnys Behavioral System Model, she stated that a behavioral system encompasses the patterned, repetitive, and purposeful ways of behaving.These ways of behaving form an organized and integr ated functional unit that determines and limits the interaction between the person ND his or her environment and establishes the relationship of the person to the objects, events, and situations within his or her environment. Usually the behavior can be described and explained. A person as a behavioral system tries to achieve stability and balance by adjustments and adaptations that are successful to some degree for efficient and effective functioning. The system is usually flexible enough to accommodate the influences affecting it.Therefore, it is well-explained that through little efforts on modifying a students habits in studying, they can develop an organized pattern of behavior useful to their goal of becoming a successful student who has good academic performances. This theory clearly supports this study that study habits are relevant to academic performance. The basis Of Edward Thorniness approach to problems of behavior lay in his belief that human behavior could be analyzed and studied in terms of units. The essence of behavior was to be found in the initiation of an even and an individuals reaction to them.As a behaviorism, Thornier views learning in terms of establishing connection or bond between stimulus and responses. Humans only differ from other animal their greater capacity to make associations. Thornier investigated learning in animals by using cats. A hungry cat was confined in a puzzle box with food visible on the outside. He presented it a problem, which required the cat to manipulate some devices, which would open the gate of the puzzle box. Bits of food were placed outside the box as an incentive for the cat to open the gate.F-room such experiments, Thornier made the following observations. The cat first behaved aimlessly as if doing things by trial and error. It then responded correctly by accident (chance success) and finally, repeated the successful operation the food (satisfier) rewarded it. Getting the reward strengthens the connection between the stimuli and the response made just before the reward (satisfier) was given. From the above observations, Thornier formulated three major laws, namely: law of effect, law of readiness and law of exercise.The law of effect states that the association between a stimulus and a response will strengthen or weakened depending on whether a satisfier or an annoyer follows the response (Gibson, 1980). An act, which is followed by satisfaction in a given tuition, will generally become associated with that situation; so that when it recurs the act will also be likely to recur (Curran, 1 981 On the other, an act, which results in discomfort, tends to be disassociated from the situation, so that when the situation recurs, the act will be less likely to recur.The greater the satisfaction or discomfort exp erienced, the greater the degree to which the S-R bond will be strengthened or loosened. After research studies have showed that this explanation was inadequate, Thornier propounded another law, the truncated law of effect. This law added the idea that while testifiers always strengthens the bond between a stimulus and a response, the effect of annoyers is much less predictable; sometime they weaken the bond, but sometimes they do not.The law of exercise states that response to a situation may be strongly connected with the situation depending on the number of times it has been so connected and to the average strength and duration of the connection. The exercise here refers to practice. Practice they say makes perfect. In a later revision of the law, Thornier asserts that practice in itself did not make perfect, but practice in circumstances that lows the learner to be informed or given comments about his progress could be valuable in strengthening the S-R links.The law of readiness states that a learners satisfaction determined by the extent of his preparatory set, that is, his readiness for action. This law was summarized into two: When someone is ready to perform an act to do so is satisfying. When someone is ready to perform some act, not do so is annoying. An interference with goal- directed behavior causes frustration and making someone to do something he does not want to do is frustrating. Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework discussed the flow of the study to be taken. The study used the systems approach.It is of three (3) frames composed of input which went to the process or operation and emerged as the output. Figure 1 Conceptual Paradigm The input contains the profile of the respondents. The second frame contains the methods and procedures to be used to analyze those variables by the form of questionnaires, interview, documentary search and statistical analysis. The third frame is the output that contains the recommendations suggested by the researcher for the improvement of students academic reference with regards of their academic skills.The arrows include the workflow of information in the research process. The feedback loop connects the output to the process involved as well as to the input. It made the system continuous. Statement of the Problem The study aims to identify different study habits and academic performance of third year students of Santa Rosa Science and Technology High School for the school year 2011-2012. Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions: 1. What is the profile of the third year students in terms of the following: 1. 1 Age 1. 2 Gender 1. 3 Section . 4 Second Year General Average 1. National Achievement Test Average 1. 6 Favorite Subjects 1. 7 Less Favorite Subjects? 2. What are the students response on the self-evaluation stated in terms of study habits and values, ethics and attitudes as students? 3. Is there any significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and their self- evaluation on study habits and academic performance? Hypothesis The null hypothesis to be tested is: There is no significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and their self-evaluation on study habits. Scope and Limitations Of the StudyThis study will focus on the identification of study habits and academic performance of third year students of Santa Rosa Science and Technology High School based on a self-evaluation and their values, ethics and attitudes while studying. The respondents of the study are the 220 third year students of GIRTHS. The questionnaires will be administered after the second quarterly exam on October 201 1 and be retrieved after a day. Students past academic records will also be requested to the guidance and registrars office. Significance of the Study This study will serve the following individuals and organizations. Third year students of GIRTHS. This study will be beneficial because it will make an improvement in grades and other academic performances. It will also have a long effect as the students went to college and work after. Administrators of GIRTHS. This will serve as a tool for evaluation of the standard and quality of the school they are implementing under the curriculum Engineering Science and Education Program. It will also help the guidance and registrars office in the proper admission of tests and elimination of students who did not qualify for the set standards of school.Teachers and Advisers. This will enlighten their awareness of the students learning styles and habits, problems in studying and the causes of their bad or good performance in school. It will help them guide and improve students study habits in the future. Teachers will also be helped in understanding better the diversity of learning their students. As such, it is hoped that they could develop more effective methodologies in teaching their subject matter. Guidance and Counseling Centre. The study will provide a more focused and factual knowledge on the factors affecting students study habits.The increased understandings of the Guidance Counsel sort the interplay of variables in this research. Such knowledge is hoped to help the guidance and counseling practitioners towards the development and implementation of more effective programs in consideration of these variables. Students. Students will be given information on how study affects their academic performance. The result of the study will make them aware of the common study habits among their fellow students. Future researchers. They may be able to use the result of the study in farther research similar to what the study is. Definition of TermsThe following terms are defined for better understanding and interpretation of the study. Academic Performance. Academic performance refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope with or accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers. Academic performance is the ability to study and remember facts and being able to communicate your knowledge verbally or down on paper. Age. It refers to the students span of life when the research was conducted. Attitude. This refers to the judgment of students in studying the degree of dislike and like for something like studying, school subjects, etc. Ethics. These are students concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc. Favorite Subjects. These are the set of subjects that the students got easy dealing it and got good grades. Gender. This refers to the classification of respondents either male or female. Less Favorite Subjects. These are couple of subjects that find difficulty in dealing with it. National Achievement Test. It is an annual examination given in March to second year high school students to assess the competency of both public and private schools.The students knowledge and skills are tested in the objects of Mathematics, English, Science, Filipino and Social Studies. Parents Educational Attainment. This is the status of parents in education whether they graduated or not in a college, secondary and elementary course. Parents Occupation. This refers to the job or work the parents are doing in order to support their children on their basic needs. Respondents. These are the persons intended to be the subject of the study who will be asked to answer the questionnaire such as the third year students of GIRTHS.Second Year General Average. It refers to the to the average grade the exponents received during his/her study as sophomore student. Section. The group of students in one year level according to their academic performance in the past few years of high school life. Self Evaluation on Study Habits. This is a questionnaire to be given to the students to identify their different study habits that affects their academic performance in school. Study Habits. Study habits are the ways in studying the habits that formed during school years. Study habits can be good ones, or bad ones.Good study habits include being organized, keeping good notes, reading your textbook, existing in class, and working every day. Bad study habits include skipping class, not doing home work, watching TV or playing video games instead of studying and losing work. Values. This refers to the beliefs or ideals of students of a certain group, section or year level about what is good or desirable and what is not. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES Foreign Literature According to the how-to-study. Com (2009), students who are very successful in their desired career have good study habits.It is stated in the website that students apply these habits to all of their classes. The website also recommends some tips in improving study habits. The website also suggests that the student should try not to study all the subjects in just a period. The website also added that if students try to do too much studying at onetime, they will tire and studying will not be very effective. Space the work that needs to be done over shorter periods of time. Taking short breaks will restore mental energy. On the website www. Academics. Org, the following blobs about establishing good study habits are posted: According to Dante Battles on the tip Efficient Use of Time, Im here to tell oh what I think is a key to academic survival and success. The first and most important thing I feel, at least to sundial and success in the classroom is efficient use of your time outside the classroom. Remember, there are 24 hours in a day. Set aside tap to three hours each day for studying. This will leave you with five to six hours after we subtract time for our classes, meals and a good nights sleep to do things that we would like to do much more than studying.The next thing that feel contributes to survival and success in the classroom is a periodic review of your lecture notes and the appropriate happens in your textbooks. Periodic review and beginning to study for your exams early will save you time in the long run and it will prevent cramming. That way you can be well rested and more motivated and less anxious on test day. The last thing that you can do to help get good grades is take advantage of all the academic resources tryout university. It can only help you. On another blob about the Power of Cooperation, Mike Brown posted this, Education often looks like competition. We compete for interest in school, for grades when FL?re in school, and for job when we leave school. In such a climate it is easy to overlook the power of cooperation that is developed through study support groups. Study support groups feed you energy. People are social animals and we draw strength from groups. Aside from the comradely, the fellowship and the fun, support groups can assist you by elevating your spirit. There will be days when you just dont want to work on your education.Other members of the study group, however, can support you and encourage you. In addition to drawing strength from the group when youre down, you can give support to others yourself as they need it. A study purport group is also a good place to build rewarding relationships with people. So remember your friends and classmates when you study. Dry. John Filmier on Changing Your Habits wrote this, Poor study habits such as not completing assignments, missing classes, and staying up too late before your next class do not have to be repeated in the future. Who can make these changes?You and only you can change the future to achieve more success and productivity. Make these changes for a better life. According to Palm Beach Community College (BBC, 2008), they recommend that students study should have at least three hours out of class or every hour spent in class. They also said that a student must have a special place to study with plenty of room to work. And students should not be cramped. They presupposes that study time will go better if a learner take a few minutes at the start to straighten things up. A desk and straight-backed chair is usually best. Dont get too comfortablea bed is a place to sleep, not to study as what they said. A student must have everything close at hand (book, pencils, paper, coffee, dictionary, computer, calculator, tape recorder, etc. ) before starting to study. Students are not suggested to spend on time mumping up and down to get things. The BCC suggests also that distracting noise should be minimized however, they said that there are some people need sound and some like silence. In this case, a learner must find what works for him or her. Culprits are family and friends. Consider a do not disturb sign and turning on your answering machine is the way also to have better study habits according to the BBC. Karri and Hosannas (2006) also note the exponential growth digital information, which changes the way students perceive studying and with printed materials that are to be use in facilitating study. Gun (2005) also found that Nigerian study from materials downloaded from the Internet. Study habits are said to be improving because of the advent and wide use of the Internet, hypertext, and multimedia resources which greatly affects the Study Habits (Ill, 2005).Ill (2005) and Ramirez (2003) report that students print material from the Internet in order to study and read later on. Professors in the developing countries said that the undergraduate students should be fully equipped with high level of analytical skills, the capacity for critical reasoning, self-reflection and conceptual grasp and ability to learn autonomously and exercise flexibility of mind (Commissions). According to Mark Crinkly (2000), Successful students are able to balance social activities with good study habits. A diversion from studies will alleviate stress and help prevent from becoming fatigued.He said that a student should make sure that he must take a break for an hour after studies to meet with friends, to play some cards, work out at the gym, or to gab with anew acquaintance. For this way, that student will find concentration when he studies, if he plans a social activity afterwards. He said, To develop a healthy social life, develop routine study habits. After supper, lug your books and homework to the library, find a comfortable and quiet niche, and study for two or three hours, taking intermittent 1 0 minute breaks every 45 minutes or so. Making friends with whom you share similar study habits, and share a table or a study space with them would be a best way in developing study habits. Local Literature The Department of Educations (Depend) Monitoring and Evaluation Report for SYS 2004-2005 revealed that students who were observed to have positive attitude towards their classes (Br idge Program) have shown improved skills in Mathematics, Science, and English (Depend, 2005). This confirms the importance of a positive attitude towards learning in ones acquisition of skills.Education experts and teachers also affirm the role of students positive attitude and interest in learning as major factors in their acquisition of reasoning skills. They noted that students have to be interested in what they are doing for them to be able to learn. They should have a positive view of things that they are learning, by relating this with their goals, and by viewing learning as an activity to be done for its own sake. Because man is different room animals, he has the ability to think symbolically.In fact, he can recognize qualities, form, concepts, recalls, remember and memorize solutions until he forms habits (Canyon and Young, 1992). If study habits are formed during the early years, some educational problems could be solved such as those involving the difficulty of pupils in solving mathematical problems and their reading difficulty. Aquinas averred that academic failure caused by reading difficulty gives rise to feelings of inferiority and frustrations. Because of this, teachers and parents should guide students in order to form good study bits.One of the three main factors affect the success in study is the ability in studying. This ability involves knowing what to study and how to study. Likewise, Gregory suggested some measures by which students can be properly guided on how to study. These are follows: a) develop in the students an active interest in effective study based on an understanding of its importance; and b) help them become. Andrea noted on his study (1982). Santos, et. Al. (1987) cited a number of reasons on why one should learn to read well. These include: One reads to acquire meaning, effective immunization skills, for enjoyment and to socialize.In addition to this, Canyon and Young (1992) recommended that one should read for ideas rather than words or use the eye and do away with lip service and should read while seated upright in sufficiently illuminated quiet room fixed for the purpose where other study aid materials are easily accessible. They further suggested that relative to study habits, it is best to read alone, thus the study room may need to be compartmentalized. Moreover, they described the effectiveness of writing. Thus, Effective Scheduling. This leaves us to the object of scheduling your studies. This periods, meals and leisure activities.

Why baby boomers should explore the world of returnships

Why baby boomers should explore the world of returnships Those among us who have been in the workforce for a while have no doubt witnessed a tidal wave of change in the work world- everything from technological innovation to globalization and how employers and employees approach the very notion of work has undergone seismic shifts in recent years, and it can be a real challenge to keep up. If you’re someone who has taken a career break- for whatever reason- and are looking to jump back in to employment, the challenge to get up to speed can be even more daunting. On top of this perception gap, your skill set and industry knowledge may need a refresh or revamp.What is a returnship and who is it for?Although this may seem like an insurmountable obstacle, jumping back into an industry in order to build a new career is completely doable. Companies are recognizing that a significant and potentially valuable segment of the workforce consists of those who are looking to return to work after an extended absence, and are making a real effort to help these individuals make the transition back.As a result, we’re seeing a rise in the number of companies that are offering â€Å"returnships,† which are essentially internships for experienced job hunters who are looking to return to work but need a refresher period- to get up to speed regarding changes in their industry and rebuild their skills. In many instances, individuals who re-enter the workforce through a returnship are able to get back on their professional feet, prove themselves, and get satisfying full-time positions.How to find a returnship opportunityDoes this sound like just the sort of opportunity you’re looking for? If so, there are a few options for snagging a returnship. Some companies have established structured returnship programs that you can apply to, and the number of companies who are developing similar initiatives is on the rise.For example, IBM has a formal 12-week reentry program for experienced technologists as part of its initi ative to diversify its workforce and source the best available talent at various levels. You can search directly to determine companies in your industry who have similar programs; often, companies will provide information for applying for returnship and open employment positions directly on their websites. Try creating a targeted list of companies in your field that you’d like to work for, and do some research to determine if they offer returnship or reentry programs that you might be qualified for. If not, you can always contact their HR departments and suggest that they consider starting such a program- if you can effectively convince them of the potential benefits for doing so you just may be among their first set of program participants.Returning to work after an extended absence can be a real challenge in today’s rapidly changing, ultra-competitive work environment- but it certainly isn’t an impossible mission. If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while and are eager to get back in, consider a returnship program in your area. It just might be the perfect bridge between your current situation and full-time employment.

Behavioral and Social-Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits

Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits PSY/250 Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Habit is defined as â€Å"an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary† (Dictionary. com, n. d. ). Most people have some sort of habit that they have acquired or learned throughout their life. Some are as non-noticeable and as simple as looking both ways before crossing a street or roadway. We are taught this at an early age for safety purposes, but to us, it is just a normal â€Å"it makes sense† act that we practice probably every day. Some individuals learn habits from a young age; other habits can form once an individual gets older and makes their own decisions. Forming a habit can come from many role models or witnessed behavior. For example, if an infant cries or upset, usually they are comforted by food or soothing from the mother. At this point, the infant recognizes that a particular act receives a particular reward. This is an example of behavioral approach to a habit. If the infant cries, it gets rewarded with milk and soothing. Since the child only knows how to communicate by crying, this is how the child lets the parent know that they are in need of something, in some cases, just in need of attention. Another approach is the observational learning in which people learn to do something without actually performing it (Krapp, 2005). It can also be termed as social/cognitive approach. An example of this would be a child witnessing a sport on television. They see the actions play out with the team, and go out and â€Å"reenact† what they saw even though they have never played the game. The child does not necessarily know the rules of the game, but the basic tools and concept of the game. Bandura claims that people are more apt to copy behavior that leads to a positive outcome (Krapp, 2005). However, some individuals have habits that can have a negative and possibly deadly outcome. For example, drug and alcohol habits have the possibility to become deadly. Most individuals are aware that those particular habits are not healthy for them, but they are attracted and tempted by the way those habits make them feel. Those habits are said to be diseases, but at what point are they a sickness? At first, I believe, that the â€Å"sicknesses† are habits and it is only until you try all means possible to quit, that it becomes a sickness. A habit can start by having a beer after a game, smoking a joint when you are stressed, or using some other sort of substance to make you feel better. At some point, one starts making excuses or reasons to continue the habit even if the original situation that made you start that habit, is not where the habit is taking place anymore. One of the habits that I have is biting my nails. From as far back as I remember, I have been biting my nails. I suppose I developed this habit by witnessing my father do the same thing. I can remember being a young child and seeing my father sitting on the couch with his hand in his mouth biting his nails. I do not remember the first time I did it, and I still continue this habit to this day. Actually while writing this paper, I find myself pausing and thinking and noticing that when I pause, my hand automatically goes in my mouth, and I start nibbling at my nails. I feel that I concentrate better when my hands are busy doing something. Whether it is biting my nails or twisting my hair, my hands are always doing something. I have attempted to quit this habit, and at this point, I am very unsuccessful. When I put acrylic nails on, I obviously do not bite my own nails, but I do find myself picking and messing with the nails that have been put on. Whether it is tapping my nails, or picking at my cuticles, I am constantly messing with them. By using the behavioral personality theory, I am not exactly sure why I have this habit. I do not get any sort of satisfaction from the habit or feel any sort of accomplishment. Writing about it now, I wonder why I continue such a habit if I am not getting anything out of it. The habit is not making me a better person, nor am I fulfilling some comfort issues. I continue this habit all the times and I find that it is not situational. I bite my nails when I am bored, and when I am busy, when I am nervous, and when I am excited. It is a constant habit that I continue daily, if not hourly. I can develop a plan to condition myself to quit the habit by making sure my hands are busy with something else. If my hands are busy, then I will not be able to put them in my mouth to bite my nails. I have also found that if my mouth is busy, with eating or chewing gum, then I will not bite my nails either. So at this point, the habit not only has something to do with my hands, but also it is an oral fixation. As far as the oral fixation and satisfaction, I do not feel as though I am getting anything out of it, but I continue, and most likely will continue the habit. In conclusion, every person has some sort of habit that stems from personal experience or observation. Many people have role models that have taught them this habit and will continue the habit until they are completely satisfied or the habit is replaced by another habit. References Website: www. dictionary. com, n. d. Cerutti and J. E. R. Staddon, Annual Review of Psychology. (Annual 2003), p115. Psychologists and Their Theories for Students, Ed. Kristine Krapp, Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2005. p39-66

Structure and Functions of the United Nations Organization Research Paper - 1

Structure and Functions of the United Nations Organization - Research Paper Example It also has an Economic and Social Council which has 54 members and an international court of justice consisting of fifteen judges. It has a Trusteeship council and a secretariat which are discussed subsequently. The United Nations through its five bodies is helping to maintain international politics in such a way that the whole world remains in peace and harmony. It is basically acting as a judge of politics so that countries do not fight or the populations of the countries do not suffer either financially or physically because of any threat. In order to develop a norm for all the countries, international laws are laid down by the United Nations which have to be followed by all the member countries. These international laws are regulated by treaties between the UN and the countries. These treaties are broad as they consider many aspects of the society such as human rights, refugees and border restrictions (United Nations 2010) Rwanda Genocide is cited to be one of the failures by the United Nations organization which shows that the UN has not been very successful in achieving its objectives. On the contrary, many other successful scenarios of UN can also be analyzed all over the world which shows that they have regulated international politics in such a way that many wars have been avoided. An example of Indo Pak can be cited here which was stopped with the help of UN intervention. It can clearly be seen that the UN Security Council after the genocide got more particular about warnings. It sought out its policies in such a way that future incidents occurring all over the world could be avoided. The policies which were taken by UN regarding the war on Afghanistan can be cited here which have served to be purposeful in decreasing the terrorism rate in the world. The UN Security Council urged all its member countries to follow the rules as laid down by Resolution 1267.

Female Genital Mutilation among the Somali Community in London, And Literature review

Female Genital Mutilation among the Somali Community in London, And Its Effects on Girls (11-15) In Education - Literature review Example Mostly carried out minus anesthesia, statistics form WHO indicates that FGM is so common in Africa, and developed countries where FGM is common, the immigrants are the ones who practice it. Over 150 million young girls and women have undergone Female Genital Mutilation across the globe, at least according to World Health Organization. There are various reasons of carrying out FGM, at least according to some communities who cite the reduction of libido in women in order to control their sexual life. In United Kingdom, the Somalis have been the largest immigrant group according to the statistics released by the Refugee Council in 2005. However, these statistics do not have further information on the health needs of the Somali people living across UK. As Hammersley (1998) notes, over 34,000 Somalis living in London City alone, the women are the majority as compared to men by 56 percent to men’s 44 percent. Nonetheless, these figures do not include those of asylum seekers, just as it has always been hard to get the exact number of minority groups across UK. It is paramount to note that although not all health information of immigrants is available, specific health needs among of some immigrant communities are available. For example, some researchers have studies language and communication needs of the Somali people including their mental and physical conditions. Undoubtedly, these needs are vital when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth issues. Matters of maternal familiarities also need understanding of both social and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, this paper will mainly review Female Genital Mutilation among Somali girls aged 11 and 15 and will examine the consequences of FGM when it comes to education. The paper will also examine the... This essay tresses that it is important to discuss the dangers associated with FGM. According to the World Health Organization, female genital mutilation leaves mental and physical damages to women and girls. In fact, in some instances, some girls have bled to death due to wrong cutting. There is no doubt that the victims experience mammoth pain during cutting, a pain that they will always remember in their entire lives should they happen to survive. Various researchers have associated some psychometric stresses with FGM. There are also other effects of female genital mutilation for example, pain during sexual intercourse, severe pain during delivery, bladder complications, and hemorrhage especially if the victim undergoes caesarean sections in delivering a baby. This paper makes a conclusion that the physical and psychological challenges experienced have serious negative impacts when it comes to education. The social consequences such as stigma and low self-esteem are also injurious to these girls who are trying to shape their careers. There is no doubt that FGM cases serious physical, social, educational, sexual and psychological challenges to girls aged 11-15. Societies and governments should do more to stop the vice and instead focus on ways that improve and empower the girl child. Criminalization of the practice has proved successful and religious sects should stop misleading the public on issues of FGM.

Systems Planning and Selection Essay Example for Free

Systems Planning and Selection Essay Planning and Selection Managing the Information Systems Project | Using Project Management Software | First Phase of the SDLC: Systems Planning and Selection | Identification and Selection Task of the Selection and Planning Phase | Initiating and Planning Task of the Selection and Planning Phase | Assessing Project Feasibility | Baseline Project Plan Report and Scope Statement Managing the Information Systems Project Management through the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Transcript Projects are planned tasks designed to meet prescribed business requirements. Projects must have a set beginning date and an agreed-upon end date and are not associated with everyday work. Project managers make sure systems development projects focus on customer expectations and needs and also ensure that the project is implemented within budget and within the time allowed. Project managers make sure the project is initiated properly, planned to ensure all tasks are completed, managed to ensure all activities are completed in an efficient manner, and the project is closed out with customer concurrence. The PM needs a wide range of skills, including leadership, management, technical, and people skills for conflict management and to maintain excellent customer relationships. Therefore, the PM must wear many hats. You have probably been in positions in the past where you had a specific set of responsibilities and you were asked to take on additional roles or responsibilities. Well, in the case of a PM, thats exactly what is expected. You must be flexible in fast-changing environments. Information System projects solve current business problems or take advantage of technical or business improvement opportunities. Our book uses Pine Valley Furniture to show how projects are initiated through problem identification. The problem is documented with a systems service request. A change management team then meets to review and approve the systems service request. Once approved, a feasibility study is conducted to review costs and benefits as well as possible alternative solutions. The PM then reviews the scope, resources needed (people, software, hardware, and money), and any risks for successful project completion. To implement a successful project, the project manager must balance many tasks and activities. Our book lists the skills and activities needed for a PM. Skills and Duties of a Project Manager ActivityDescriptionSkill LeadershipInfluencing the activities of others towards completing a common goal through the use of interpersonal skillsCommunication; liaison between management, users and technical staff; assigning tasks; tracking progress ManagementUsing resources properlyDefining and sequencing activities; communicating expectations; assigning personnel to tasks; monitoring results Customer relationsManaging what the customer expects from project deliverablesInterpreting system requirements; user training; point of contact for customers Technical problem solvingSchedule resources to solve problems in meeting project goalsInterpreting system requests and specifications, defining tasks and order of completion; designing and implementing solutions to problems Conflict ManagementManaging conflict to build consensus and keep the project on trackProblem solving; compromising; goal setting Team managementManaging team members to increase team performanceCommunicating internally and externally; team performance evaluations, conflict resolution; team building Risk and change managementRecognizing, evaluating, and managing the risks that occur during a project to reduce impact on the project schedule, cost, and requirementsEnvironment scanning; risk and opportunity identification and assessment; forecasting; resource redeployment Project management activities for the project are made up of the following: initiation, planning, execution, and proper closure. Initiation The first phase is project initiation, wherein the complexi ty, size, and scope are evaluated in order to determine procedures to follow on phases and activities. Initiation tasks include the following. StepTaskProcedure. Selecting an initial teamThese members carry out the initiation tasks. 2Building and establishing a relationship with the customerThis is to encourage and develop a good relationship between the users and the analyst. Getting the users involved early helps to ensure the success of the project. 3Developing a project initiation planThis step helps to identify the scope of the project. Tasks include establishing roles, defining the communication plan, listing deliverables and tasks, and creating timeliness. 4Establishing management and reporting proceduresThe PM designs the communication channels, reporting procedures, specific role and job assignments, how to manage changes to the plan, and budget issues. 5Developing the project charter to outline what will be done for the budget and time constraintA project charter is a short, high-level document prepared for both internal and external stakeholders in order to formally announce the establishment of the project and to briefly describe the objectives, key assumptions, and stakeholders. 6Creates the initial PM documentation and workbookOur textbook depicts the Pine Valley Furnitures workbook for the purchasing project. Keep in mind that this documentation should be in both hard copy and soft copy forms for distribution and archival. The Project Workbook Purchase Fulfillment System Example Transcript Planning Project planning takes place during phase 2 of the management process. The planning phase describes the work required to be completed during each project. Activities taking place in the short term are very detailed, but longer-term tasks are not often very detailed. We have 10 activities during this phase. They are depicted in the following table. Project Planning Describing project scope, alternatives, and feasibility Dividing the project into manageable tasks Estimating resources and creating a resource plan Developing a preliminary schedule Developing a communication plan Determining project standards and procedures Identifying and assessing risk Creating a preliminary budget Developing a project scope statement Setting a Baseline Project Plan During this phase, the team tries to get its hands around the complexity and content of the work required. The team members do this by defining the scope, identifying the list of the best alternative solutions, and assessing feasibility. A work breakdown structure is created to show the order of tasks and is a deliverable of this activity. Our book shows how a Gantt chart can be used to depict how tasks should be decomposed from high-level tasks into more detailed tasks. We can all appreciate this activity as being one that is most crucial to the success of our projects. If we dont put in the necessary planning up front, well pay for it in a number of ways later. Gnatt Chart Example of Project Tasks Transcript Resources for each project activity are estimated, and a project resource plan is created as one of the deliverables from this task. The plan identifies which person will complete each task. When making task assignments for each person, the project manager should review the experience level of the person and the complexity of the work to be completed. The constructive cost model (COCOMO) is a method used by project managers to assist in estimating project resources. It can be fairly complex, since several different parameters can be used from prior projects at different levels of complexity. You can find more details on this method in the text. You are encouraged to visit that section of the text in Chapter 3 because COCOMO is one of the most widely used methods today. The initial schedule shows resource availability and timeline information. The schedule shows time estimates for each task in the work breakdown structure. Network diagrams and Gantt charts depict the schedule of the project. Our book depicts a Network diagram, sometimes called a program evaluation review technique, or PERT chart A Network Diagram Transcript Execution The third phase of our process is project execution and is depicted in the steps below. Project Execution Executing the Baseline Project Plan Monitoring project progress against the Baseline Project Plan Managing changes to the Baseline Project Plan Maintaining the project workbook Communicating the project status Here is a brief description of each of the activities: StepTaskProcedure Execution of the BPPThis initiates project activity execution, assigning resources, training any new members of the project team, making sure that the project stays on schedule, and keeping quality in the project deliverables. 2Monitoring progress against the BPPThis is where the PM needs to adjust resources, tasks, and/or the budget. Network diagrams and Gantt charts are very helpful tools describing what needs adjusting. 3Managing changes to the BPPThis task concerns tracking and managing change requests. The PM must find a way to keep the project on schedule. As a last resort, the Baseline Project Plan may need to be revised. This usually affects the budget or timeline. 4Maintaining the project workbookThe project workbook must be updated so that the current status can be quickly viewed. Communicating the project statusThis means that the status must be communicated to all stakeholders and team members. Proper Closure The project ends during the project close down phase. A project can be completed successfully, ended in failure because the customers requirements and expectations were not met, or canceled due to cost or time overruns. See the steps to the project close down phase below. Project Closedown Closing down the project Conducting post project review Closing the customer contact The following is a brief description of each of the activities when a project terminates. StepTaskProcedure 1Closing down the projectDuring the close down phase, a PM may advise each team member on handling any negative personnel issues. The project manager will also notify all stakeholders that all work and documentation are completed, review financial data, and reward the accomplishments of the members of the team. 2Performing post project reviewsWhen conducting post project reviews, the objective is to obtain feedback that can be used to improve future projects for the company by documenting strengths and weaknesses of the processes used and how well the requirements were met. 3Closing the project contract with the customersThis step is done in order to ensure all requirements and contractual terms were met. An important task is completing all required documentation. Project managers have different methods for project plan documentation. Network diagrams and Gantt charts are two such tools. Gantt charts show when tasks begin or end; Network diagrams depict the sequencing of activities. Network diagrams are used for controlling resources and showing the critical path. Network diagrams (or PERT) are used more often than Gantt charts for technology projects because Network diagrams depict how completion times vary for various tasks. PERT is a technique that uses a pessimistic, optimistic, and realistic time to calculate the planned time for a particular task. The critical path is the least amount of time to complete a project. Slack time is defined as the amount of time that a task can be postponed without delaying the project. Using Project Management Software Although this course does not teach the use of software programs used by project managers to aid in the management and tracking of their development projects, I thought we should introduce one of the most widely used, Microsoft Project. Its used in small and large companies. There are programs that are inexpensive, although you may not get much technical support. They can be downloaded for use in many cases free of charge but are usually limited in functionality. At the other end of the spectrum, there are products that can be used extensively throughout large enterprises with powerful components and vast functionality. Of course, you can expect to pay a hefty fee to use them. In Chapter 3, our text lists Microsoft Project and a few others and provides brief descriptions. In order to use Microsoft Project, youll need to perform the following activities at a minimum. Establish a project starting or ending date. Enter tasks and assign task relationships. Select a scheduling method to review project reports. Dont let this scare you off. The online help function can walk you through it. There are tutorials available on the Web to get you started as well. Obviously, the Microsoft website is a good starting point. First Phase of the SDLC: Systems Planning and Selection The first phase of the traditional development life cycle involves determining which projects should be developed and implemented. This phase also ensures that all approved projects are prioritized. The project team will also start the initial planning process by defining the project scope. A system analyst will take vague user requirements and create well-defined requirements. Our book identifies the tasks needed to be completed for this phase. First Phase of the Systems Development Life Cycle Transcript Identification and Selection Task of the Selection and Planning Phase Project Identification and Selection steps include the following. Identify projects for possible development. Prioritize projects. Approve projects. Potential projects can originate from three key sources as depicted below. Three Key Sources for Information System Projects Transcript Potential projects must be reviewed to ensure that only the most important projects are developed. Depending on the organization and type of project, a review by either upper managers, business departments, the information technology management staff, or a select cross-functional steering team takes place. Stakeholders have different ideas about which projects need to be developed. Thats why its a good idea to have a cross-functional team not affected by company politics. Our book discusses what is important to each of the major stakeholders.

transgenic plants :: essays research papers

Introduction For the past 30 years Scientist have searched desperately for the answer to salt toleration within plants. The damaging effects of salt accumulation in agricultural soils have influenced both ancient and modern day civilizations alike. Worldwide, an estimated 24.7 million acres of once agriculturally productive land are being lost annually due to irrigation-induced salinity, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thus, crop production is limited by salinity on 40% of the worlds irrigated land and on 25% of the irrigated land in the United States. These statistics indicate that the progressive loss of farmable land is on a crash course with the expanding global population, in that if something is not done to revamp the output of crop production with in the next 30 years, we will bare witness to the first world wide foot shortage in history. To solve the salt tolerance crisis, scientists have turned to genetics, an area that has been very beneficial to the Agricultural industry in the past century. In fact, thanks to the implication of genetics in the 1960à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the yield per acre of many major crop plants has doubled. This dramatic breakthrough is known as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Green Revolutionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. As a result of the Green Revolution, countries of western Europe, who used to be the worlds largest importer of food, have become self sufficient. The genetic improvement of crops worldwide played a substantial role in the recent decline in the balance of American trade. While the Green Revolution doubled the output of crops across the world, Eduardo Blumwaldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s work in the field of salt tolerance may in fact be the mother of all agricultural breakthroughs even bigger than the Green Revolution. Hereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s why. In order to maintain the current crop output, farmers must constantly irrigate their land. The irrigation process increases the salinity of soils and water by depositing soluble salts such as Sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulfate, and chloride that the water picks up from the soils and rocks that it has passed through. As the irrigation process is repeated, the irrigated soils accumulate salt, at levels that decrease the productivity of the crops grown there. The salt in irrigation water can prevent plants from taking in needed water through their roots, this blockage in turn leads to the death of the plant in question. In hopes overcoming the severe salt burden, Eduardo Brumwald has genetically engineered a tomato plant that can in fact grow, flower, and produce fruit in salt concentrations there were 50 times higher than normal.

Masks of Eternity Essay

In the episode â€Å"Masks of Eternity,† Joseph Campbell explains the godliness of self. He explains ideas about the past versus the present and the common ways of thinking that have changed the way messages are viewed and interpreted. He goes over the ideas of the inner Christ, the significance of the circle, and peak experiences. Campbell speaks of an inner Christ in all people. It is not a connection to God, but a oneness with him; meaning that you become a part of God. He explains it as the difference of an individual life, meaning the life of the person, and the all encompassing life, meaning the life that turns the world and all other things. He tells of finding it through meditation, finding that center of yourself that can feel a connection to the life around you and the realization that all things are connected and caused by one another. Campbell interprets the things he was taught as a child, about the angel and the demon on either side of him, as the urges that push our decisions in one direction or the other. These energies, he says, come from the different organs of the body. Each needs something different, and the urges that arise are about what is needed most. Campbell also speaks of the significance of the circle. Each culture has some form of importance in the shape of the circle. He talks about the way Native Americans built their villages in the shape of a circle, the way Aztecs made a circular calendar, and the way that each culture put itself in the center of that circle. He talks about ancient cultures believing that everything generates around a specific point, orbiting around it. Campbell also speaks of time going in a circle. In ancient times, it was seen as a reoccurring aspect of life, summer, fall, winter, spring. All things ended and began anew in a pattern. Now, though, time is seen as a straight line. Clocks make us realize that time is flowing past and will never come again. Before, death was looked at as a rebirth; now it is simply looked at as the end. Peak experiences, as Campbell explains, are moments where you can feel the harmony of being alive. For him, it was a race in Colombia. He said he could feel that he was going to win the race, not even because he was winning, but because he could feel it within himself. He explains peak experiences as being in a state of mind that allows you to see your outer most limits and obtain your maximum potential. He goes on to say that not all peak experiences are physical. Some can simply be a thought or realization that changes your outlook on life or solving a problem. Some peak experiences are not the highest points of your life. A life can have many peak experiences as long as you feel that you are at one with yourself and what you are accomplishing. Personally, I understand the inner Christ, not as a connection to the life around us, but a working understanding of the path God has set out for us. I can understand the ideas behind this belief in the inner Christ and the idea that Jesus may have found his inner connection with life, but I do not agree with it. I believe that The feeling they are referring to is the feeling that comes with following Gods path, whether you know him as your savior or not. The idea of the circle on the other hand, I can understand completely. Time feels like it is flowing by without slowing, but there is always the chance of next time. Next time I’ll get that raise; next time I’ll win; next time I will do better. Time isn’t a perfect circle to me, but neither is it a straight line. It is a looping flow, cork screwing back onto itself. My peak realization in life so far was the creation of an art piece in high school. I was working on a drawing of a tree, creating every painstaking detail, and all the time, I knew that I was going to be proud of it; that I was going to get it right. I felt accomplished without having yet accomplishing anything. To this day, I can look at no other piece I have finished and count it as my best.

Chromatography Lab Repot

Design and carry out a scientific investigation on any one factor that affects retention on paper chromatography Design and carry out a scientific investigation on any one factor that affects retention on paper chromatography CHEMISTRY LAB REPORT CHEMISTRY LAB REPORT Name: Sri Danielle Class: 9A Teacher: Sir Ajay Name: Sri Danielle Class: 9A Teacher: Sir Ajay Aim My aim for this experiment is to find out how different types of solvent will affect the retention factor in paper chromatography. HypothesisI think that there will be a high RF value in paper chromatography, if we use water solvent because a solvent that has a strong interaction with a chemical will easily over come attraction from the chemical for the absorbent layer and move that chemical in a given period of time. Materials Food Coloring (solute) Ethanol, Acetone, Tap Water, Distilled Water(solvents) Pencil Ruler Scissors Filter Paper Petri Dish Variables Independent: Type of chromatography solvent Dependent: Retention i n paper chromatography Controlled: Type of Chromatography paperSize of spot Thickness of Chromatography Substance tested for paper chromatography Concentration of the solute Temperature Variables Manipulation Independent: Apply different solvents Dependent: The RF value of the given solvent Controlled: Keep the solute same. Keep the size of the solution the same (one drop) Keep the temperature of the room the same. Diagram Method Step 1 – Prepare Materials and pour solvents into the petri dish. Step 2- Fold the provided chromatography paper into half (make sure it can stand) Step 3- measure 1. cm from one end of the paper then draw a line across. This will be used as a starting point. Step 4- Repeat for 4 chromatography papers for each solvent. Step 5- Place a drop of the solution on the pencil line for all 4 chromatography papers Step 6- Mark the chromatography paper to identify it’s solvent Step 7- Fill the 4 different petri dishes with one of each of the solvents St ep 8- Make sure the solvents do not reach the pencil line Step 9- Observe as the chromatogram developsStep 10- Make sure before you take out the chromatography paper, it is entirely wet by the solvent Step 11- Draw a line along the line up to which the solvent has traveled on each chromatography Step 12- Measure the distance between the two pencil lines on the chromatography paper and record the measurement on the top of the paper. Do this for each paper. Step 13- Measure the RF value by dividing â€Å"distance travelled by component† with â€Å"distance travelled by solvent Step 14- Record the measurement then tabulate the data. Results Solvent| Distance travelled by component| Distance travelled by solvent| RF Value| Tap Water| 5. | 6. 4| 0. 90| Distilled water| 7. 0| 7. 2| 0. 97| Acetone| 4. 7| 5. 5| 0. 85| Ethanol| 3. 1| 6. 1| 0. 50| Graph Reflection In this experiment, I put two drops on each paper; I also used Tap water and Distilled water to get a more reliable result for the solvent. This helped me get me more accurate result. It was hard to get the RF value as I did not get he exact distances (distance travelled by component and solvent) as I got confused on how to take the reading properly. If I do this experiment again, I will surely ask a teacher on how to do so and to get a better and more accurate result.Conclusion According to the results of the experiment, my hypothesis was proved to be correct. The data shows that the water solvent results as the highest RF value among all the other solvents. It also shows that the solvent results in a great affect retention of chromatography paper. The different types of solvents affect the retention in paper chromatography. In all the solvents I used, water has the greatest effect in retention, as its RF value being the highest among all. Precaution 1. Careful when handling fragile materials 2. Don’t taste or smell solvents 3. Handle chemicals with care

Top Ten Tips I Learned about Getting Book Endorsements

Top Ten Tips I Learned about Getting Book Endorsements Putting yourself out there as an author feels very scary especially when it comes to requesting endorsements. One of the hardest things I had to deal with when requesting endorsements or â€Å"blurbs† for my debut memoir Accidental Soldier: A Memoir of Service and Sacrifice in the Israel Defense Forces was that of rejection. However, there’s a real art to getting them. These ten pointers will increase your chances of getting the right blurbs. 1.  Ã‚     Start with people you already know. It is always easier to ask people who feel a personal connection to you or your book for their time without renumeration. They will be way more prone to do you a favor than celebrity authors. Such contacts can also include those you’ve met at conferences, workshops and writer groups. 2.  Ã‚     Find blurbers via subject matter and demographics. As a former New Yorker, I googled 40-something writers from New York who wrote on Jewish subjects. I’m Israeli so I played the â€Å"Israel card† and reached out to Danny Ayalon, the former Israel ambassador to the US, who gave me a whopping â€Å"yes.† 3.  Ã‚     Find blurbers from other books. Once I had exhausted all my personal contacts, I started reaching out to people whose endorsed books had a similar subject matter, theme or genre to mine. 4.  Ã‚     Ask your publisher or publicist for recommendations. They might also be able to make the connection, making the communication easier. 5.  Ã‚     Make your blurbers’ lives super easy. Offer to send a copy of your book in either electronic or print form, audio if you have it. Give guidelines, like a suggested word count, a deadline and where the blurb will be used. If they express time constraints, offer to write a sample blurb they can sign off on. 6.  Ã‚     Give, give, ask. Figure out what you can do to help potential blurb-writers before approaching them. I began an author interview series for newly featured books. I promoted their work widely. Since I made the effort to do something for them, some of those authors were happy to return the favor 7.  Ã‚     Always point out what you like the best about the potential blurber’s work. Pull the focus away from yourself. After all, you’re asking a major favor! 8.  Ã‚     Expect a 50 percent rejection rate. People are just busy and sometimes they cannot follow through with their initial commitment. Things come up. Don’t take their rejection personally. Authors are human, too. 9.  Ã‚     Ask experts. Since my genre is memoir, I reached out to Linda Joy Myers, president of the National Association for Memoir Writers. (NAMW) In some cases, you might get a more positive response from a big name expert than a famous author. 10.  Ã‚     Plan ahead. Before your book is published, identify the major players in your niche and carefully cultivate relationships with them. Factor in the time it will take for them to read your book, and write the blurb. The key is to stay persistent. I emailed 40 people and got 11 endorsers. With my book just a few months away from publication, I tweet the blurbs as part of my marketing plan. I sent each of the endorsers a copy of the book along with a thank you note. Public thanks can bring awareness to a cause and help you stand out from a sea of authors who are all trying to make a name for themselves.

Why Is It Advantageous for a Modern Employer to Fire Employees Essay

Why Is It Advantageous for a Modern Employer to Fire Employees - Essay Example The article entitled "Risky business, but not for the boss", by Ross Gittins, describes the elements of risk, both from a business perspective and that of the average employee and local citizen. Three specific activities are mentioned in the article, with the emphasis on the contemporary tendency of modern business to shift risk-related expenses away from the company and onto the employee. These risks include the offering of superannuation to employees, inventory, and production, and full-time versus part-time workers. The article discusses "longevity risk" (Gittins, 2007), which entails a company's willingness to provide a contribution to retirement and pension accounts. Historically, companies contributed more, however, today employees are expected to make financial arrangements (outside of high company contributions) which will sustain them long-term. This reflects a changing attitude on behalf of today's large companies, which are focused on eliminating expenses associated with business operations and long-term employee compensation. The Marxist economic theory focuses on the growth of big business and its 'relentless drive for capital accumulation' (Kang, 2006). Under Marxist economics, free market capitalism is affected by the laborers who bring these companies increased growth and revenues. Shifting risk to the employees satisfies corporate profitability objectives, which could lead to more social and community improvements, however, long-term the impact on the political-economic landscape is immense. When these individuals reach retirement age, they will have fewer finances available, due to corporate risk-shifting practices, leading to decreases in consumption. In this instance, governmental intervention is required to ensure that these employees maintain a significant retirement income so as not to upset the balance of supply and demand which keeps the Australian economic system afloat.

The Growth of California in the Late 19th Century and the Development Essay

The Growth of California in the Late 19th Century and the Development of a Unique State History - Essay Example Change came for California beginning in the middle of the 19th century. Previously owned by Mexico, then the Spanish as a consequence of Spanish advance towards the Pacific, in 1848 the land changed from the Spanish2, and in 1850 it was admitted to the Union of the United States of America3. Despite this, interest in the state by Americans was not immediate, and it took until near the end of the 19th century for the news of ‘merchant adventures’ to reach the ears of Americans, and for them to begin to develop a fascination with the state4. This change in statehood was of crucial importance, as under Spanish rule, colonists of California were restricted from trading with the Americans. However, as a consequence of the necessity of the trading, and the daring of the Americans, trade often happened despite the restrictions5. A second force that struck in the middle of the 19th century was the gold rush which began in 1849. This resulted in the rapid migration of many more i ndividuals that would normally occur in the course of settlement. Men, women and children travelled many hundreds of miles of dangerous and unknown terrain for the hope California and the promised riches offered. The gold was not the only driver, for California offered a large supply of game, natural resources and many possibilities6. In May of 1869, another monumental step was made; the Central Pacific Railway was completed. The tracks spanned the United States from the East to the West, linking the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. This success meant large changes for California, oxen were no longer crossing the terrain carrying weary travelers, and the populations at the mines were dwindling. Instead the cities and agriculture began to grow substantially, with migrants coming to the state through the railroad7 (Cleland – 394-396). The final change which set California free to grow as a state and to form its own history and future was the rewrite of the constitution of 18798 .By this time the state was already growing rapidly, and was recognized among the ten most urbanized states within the United States, with its agricultural prowess growing at a fast rate9. The constitution developed in 1949 was powerful, and the constitutions of 21 other states were consulted when deciding how to word the constitution. It represented a complete rejection of all the legal systems that had occurred in California prior to it becoming a state10. The 1879 rewrite of the constitution built on this, becoming a strong document, and empowering California to move forward as a state. The period between the mid and the late 19th century was a period of turbulent change for California. Before it even joined the Union, the Spanish state had experienced an extreme influx of migrants from throughout the country as a consequence of the gold rush and the desire for a better land to settle. The changes incorporating the growing state into the new Union as well as the increase connecti on through the rail system, and the revised constitution gave California the space to grow and to develop as a state in its own right, forming its own unique history. Bibliography Cleland, R. G. A History of California: The American Period, The Macmillan company 1922). Pincetl, S. S. Transforming California: A Political History of Land