Microeconomics Coursework Essay Essay

Critically evaluate and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Customer Boycotts. Compare and contrast either Coca Cola or Bacardi with another consumer boycott of your choice and discuss appropriate microeconomic theoretical models. Firstly to understand this question we need to understand what a customer or consumer boycott actually is. Well it is normally called by an organisation or a group of individuals, asking consumers not to buy a specific product, or the products of a specific company, in order to exert commercial pressure. This is usually done to get the company to change behaviour, to cease an activity or to adopt a more ethical practice. For this essay I am going to discuss many advantages and disadvantages of consumer boycotts and also I have decided to compare and contrast coca cola with the Nestle boycott. There are various ways to make a boycott efficient. To be efficient a reduction of 1-2% of turnaround of a company (or product) is seen as the critical mass needed. (27 Mar 2003, Demanding consumer [online]. Available at:). Boycotts can be successful, for example, in 1986 Rainforest Action Network launched a boycott of Burger King. This was because of Burger King importing beef from tropical rainforest countries because it was cheap. But the rainforests were getting destroyed in order to provide pasture for cattle. As a result of the boycott, Burger Kings sales dropped by 12%. In response, Burger King cancelled thirty-five million dollars worth of beef contracts in Central America and announced that the company would stop importing rainforest beef. Boycott calls are at times controversial because they may be called by groups from the political side or for activities that people don’t specifically disagree. Boycott efforts can include protests against everything from  investing in a politically undesirable country to discouragement of the eating or drinking of products from certain companies or countries. Boycotts are not always effective and only a limited percentage of countries consumers will participate in one. While many people are sympathetic to the reason behind a boycott, not enough people join in. One of the main reasons is that people do not see their actions as having any results. This may be partly due to only concentrating on what happens to the primary target of a boycott. But there are also secondary effects which I will talk about later. There are many advantages to consumer boycotts that I will discuss now. Obviously the main advantage is when the boycotts work, as said above with the boycott of burger king, and the company consequently changes its ways. But more often than not boycotts rarely change the companies ways or at least so that the consumer knows about it. One advantage is that boycotts are a way that consumers can use their power for positive social change. Boycotts can be effective because when successful they will result in increased public scrutiny of the company. This in turn will cause concerns inside the company about lost profits from the loss in consumer interest and companies are always concerned about their financial position. Another advantage is that a boycott can hold a company accountable for any policies that negatively affect the environment or people. This is an advantage because a company could be ignoring the problem but with a consumer boycott more and more people will find out about the problem and may also decide to join in. The negative coverage that will arise from media coverage of the boycott may become a big problem for the company in the long run, since competitors may gain a relative advantage. An example of this is that after the boycott of French wines in Denmark had calmed down, the French wines had lost 20 percent market share. Also there was a bigger problem, because the general impression was that consumers could be persuaded to switch back to French  wines. But many supermarket shelves had been reorganised in order to give more space to Italian and Spanish wines, and this was considered a more serious problem. (Can Consumer boycotts work, 2002 [online]. Available at: I mentioned briefly earlier something called a primary effect, well this would be where the target organisation changes its practice. Many targets are however reluctant to change as the result of hostile pressure, and even if changes are made they may try to hide the fact that the consumer action had any effect. There is also the fact that most boycotts are small by comparison to the overall sales, so a target can ride out a boycott. Thus the primary effects may be small and many boycotts may be judged not to have succeeded. So this could be seen as a disadvantage. But the secondary effects are an advantage and are the effects that are not connected to the target. They are effects on other organisations that are not in conflict and can therefore change without the public knowing. Secondary effects can be changes to regulations, lasting change in industry practices, allowing substantial growth entrance of ethical players into the market or effects on decisions of similar organisations to the target. (Why Secondary Effects, [online]. Available at: An example of secondary effects is if someone refuses to buy Nescafe (the coffee brand from Nestle) then he may choose to buy a brand from a much smaller company. The positive effect to this smaller company is much larger than the negative effect to Nestle. The new company may find out that many people are switching to it on ethical grounds and position itself in the market to take advantage of this by, for example, publishing a code of conduct. Having switched brand once this person will have less brand loyalty and a newly formed company will know this by market research and will know they have a better chance of success in the coffee sector. (Why Secondary Effects, [online]. Available at: The boycott campaigns can also be important in developing political consciousness and can be one of the few non violent means to create political pressure. Another advantage is the exposure of the company and with less people buying their products the consumers will be looking at  buying substitute goods and therefore the demand for these will increase and therefore the supply will also increase. Consumer boycotts will increase competition in the market and firms will reduce their prices as a result to compete and also to gain the extra consumers that have less brand loyalty. The firms profits will also reduce and the smaller firms will gain more of the market share. There are also disadvantages to boycotts though. One of these could be a large reduction in jobs, â€Å"Boycotting Nestle products won’t help the poor farmers who sell to the company†, the head of Oxfam said. (Charlotte Denny, 2002. Retreat by Nestle on Ethiopia’s $6 debt [online]. The Guardian. Available at: ) They can have an adverse impact on individuals and communities which become innocent victims of the economic damage that boycotts can cause. Obviously there are disadvantages for the company as the reputation of the company will be harmed as a result of the impact of consumer boycotts, this isn’t good for it as it would need to lower its prices because the demand will become less. This is shown below As the demand falls so does the equilibrium price (Pe1 to Pe2). Another disadvantage to the company is that the company budgets will get ruined and will need to be analysed and changed. Also the gross domestic product of the host country could fall which is a disadvantage. In extreme cases there could be a loss of multinational specialisation and technology in a third world country as the company may not do their business their. There could be a loss of consumer choice if the product ceases after a boycott. Boycotts like that of advertising of cigarettes can cost businesses their survival, as in motor racing as half the advertising used to come from cigarette companies. Now a lot struggle to get the advertising money needed. There can also occasionally be some violence resulting from the boycotts and also resentment. Another disadvantage for consumers would be that some people would argue that all publicity is good publicity. Now I will compare and contrast the consumer boycott of coca cola with the consumer boycott of Nestle. Coca cola is the worlds fastest selling non-alcoholic beverage and the consumer boycott of it started on the 22nd July 2003. The reason behind the boycott is because they are accused of complicity in the assassination of 8 Sinaltrainal trade union leaders in Colombia since 1990. Sinaltrainal is a trade union and it organisers workers in the food and drink sector. Many other of the leaders have been imprisoned, tortured, forcibly displaced and exiled. Coca Cola deny any responsibility for these murders. They say that 100’s of union leaders are killed every year in Columbia. However many of the murders were made inside Coca Cola plants while negotiating agreements. Coca cola management were reported in the national press as meeting and contracting members of the AUC death squads to â€Å"sort out their labour problems†. (Boycott Coca Cola, [online]. Available at: Since 1977, Nestle has been the subject of an international boycott for its deceptive promotion of artificial baby milk as a superior alternative to mother’s milk. Artificial baby milk can harm babies because it does not contain the natural anti bodies which a mother’s milk provides, and because it is extremely expensive, causing many mothers to mix it with too much water resulting in mal-nutrition. Also, in many places the water used to dilute it is not portable. Once a mother starts giving her baby the formula, her own supply of milk dries up. Nestle provides free packages of formula in hospitals with the result that many babies never ever even get a chance to start nursing. In 1988 the boycott was re-launched when it was discovered that the company did not abide by its promise to follow the World Health Organisation’s International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. (A Consistent Corporate Criminal, [online]. Available at: ). There have been massive impacts on Nestle because of the boycott. In 1984 the boycott forced Nestle to agree to abide by the World Health Organisation’s International Code of Marketing of breast Milk Substitutes. But now it was discovered that the company has not abided by its promise so the boycott was re-launched. Also in one afternoon 8,500 people emailed Oxfam to complain about Nestle, this was the fastest response Oxfam says it has had to a campaign. (Charlotte Denny, 2002. Retreat by Nestle on Ethiopia’s $6 debt [online]. The Guardian. Available at: ). Coca cola is in the non-alcoholic beverage market whereas Nestle is one of the world’s largest food manufacturers; it is also though same as coca cola in the beverage market. With a consumer boycott against both of these two companies, this means that the demand for both of their products will decrease as a result, causing an increase in the demand for substitute goods, like Pepsi instead of Coca Cola. Also because there is a shift in the demand curve this leads to a movement along the supply curve so the price of the goods, coca cola or a nestle brand will go up from P1 to P2 and the quantity in equilibrium falls from Q1 to Q2. This is a supply and demand graph for what has happened with coca cola and Nestle because of the consumer boycott against them. This is a supply and demand graph for what happens to the demand for a substitute good like Pepsi for coca cola because of the boycott. If a company has a strong consumer loyalty then a boycott would be unlikely to have much of an effect on the number of people who choose to join in and not purchase their products, however if a company has failed to build up a strong consumer loyalty then consumers will find it easy to decide to no longer purchase their product and will purchase the competitors products. Why have both Coca Cola and Nestle continued to upset consumer groups when  they could easily change there policies and consequently have the boycotts against them lifted. The answer to this is that the company must be getting more financial gain from what ever is upsetting the consumer groups than the loss of revenue that the boycotts have brought about. Both Nestle and Coca Cola are oligopoly markets because there are just a few firms that share a large proportion of the industry. Both of the markets of Nestle and Coca Cola are differentiated, because they both produce many types of the product. Coca Cola and Nestle are the same as much of the competition between such oligopolists is in terms of the marketing of their particular brand. There are barriers to entry into both markets, these could be product differentiation and brand loyalty, where there are differentiated products where the consumer associates the product with the brand, and it will be very difficult for a new firm to break into that market. The problem would be being able to produce a product sufficiently attractive to consumers who are loyal to the familiar brand. (John Sloman, 2003. Economics. Fifth edition. (s.l.): Pearson Education). Another barrier could be lower costs for an established firm. The companies are likely to have specialised production and marketing skills. They are more likely to be aware of the most efficient techniques and the most reliable and/or cheapest suppliers. They are also likely to have access to cheaper finance, therefore operating on a lower cost curve. New firms would find it hard to compete and be likely to lose any price wars. Aggressive tactics or intimidation could also be used. (John Sloman, 2003. Economics. Fifth edition. (s.l.): Pearson Education). Because Nestle and coca cola are in the oligopoly markets they both are affected by their rivals actions and vice versa. Because of this the firms could wish to collude and act as though they are a monopoly so they could jointly maximise their profits, or the firms could try and compete with their rivals to gain a bigger share of industry profits. Because Coca Cola and Nestle are both the leading firms in their industries, tacit collusion could form where they set the prices for their markets. Oligopolists will not engage in price cutting, excessive advertising or  other forms of competition. By doing this profits will be maintained in the long run. If oligopoly firms compete, profits are low and consumers benefit. If there were a rise in price of Coca Cola or a Nestle product e.g. Nescafe, then this would lead to a large fall in the quantity demanded. This is because consumers would buy alternative substitute goods like Pepsi or another coffee brand. The reason is because both coca cola and Nestle products are elastic products. After looking at both the advantages and disadvantages of consumer boycotts, I have found out that even though the firms lose consumer loyalty, lose revenue and get public scrutiny the firms must be coming out on top and are gaining financially, otherwise they would change their ways. This is probably why Nestle maybe did start to abide by the World Health Organisation’s International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes, then realized how much revenue they were losing so changed back even knowing they were likely to have the boycott brought back aswell because they must be gaining financially, but this is only my opinion. Also the other businesses in the market that whilst their competitors are having their products boycotted can take advantage and increase their own financial position and customer base.

Introduction in methods Essay

Background of the Study Living in a postmodern world is dominated by electronic gadgets, cyber technology and scientific and genetic breakthroughs. In spite of the fact that the Philippines are still just in the process of industrializing, it manages to cope with global trend of development and industrialization. Technology today is the biggest part of an individual. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern democracy operates since the 17th century. It is where people used a specialized computer to vote their candidate instead of the usual ballot boxes where people cast their votes by way of writing on the ballot. Voting is an election which is formal and critical decision making by which a population chooses an individual. This process is also used in many other private organizations, corporations and now in universities. Automate voting system is a combination of mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic equipment. It includes the software required to program, control, this is where people used a specialized computer to vote their candidate instead of the usual ballot boxes where people cast their votes by way of writing on the ballot. This process provides much more efficiency and reliability than the conventional way of voting. After the voting process, the system will tally immediately the winners for the particular position. And also this system is faster and can give out result of the election in a matter of days instead of the secret  balloting where it will take weeks or even months before a result could be presented to the University. Every year, there is an election happening in Student of Supreme Council. It is an activity wherein each student is required to choose from a set of candidates who will represent each position in the Student Council. Supreme Student Council in Arellano University is the highest governing body of the student organization. The Arellano University Supreme Council shall be composed of two departments, namely the Executive Department and Legislative. Each college shall have two representatives. The officers of the executive department shall be elected by the ballot of the students and the representatives to the Legislative Department shall be elected by ballot within their respected colleges. The election shall be held not later than the 4th week of the month of the second semester. Wherein the Voting Process is handled by the IT Department. This Voting System enforces rules and regulations to ensure valid voting, and how votes are counted and aggregated to yield a final result. Statement of the Problem This study aims to decrease the time and effort of the participants of the specific election which leads to the delayed results. 1. The voting of the supreme 2. Avoid trickery of the votes 3. Second you need to give your id to them in order for them to validate if you are officially enrolled in Arellano University, in case you do not have the your student id card, you can give your registration form Objectives A. General Objectives The general objective of this study is to provide a system with source code that the Arellano University. B. Specific Objectives Specially, it aims to: 1. To design a system that will be user-friendly or easy to use,In order to secure the votes of the students. 2. To create a system that can help the school to reduce the time consume when voting. Enhance the speed and efficiency of voting process. 3. To create a system, to avoid trickery in order to be equal to all candidates. Scope and Limitations of the Study: The Automated Voting System focuses only on the election of Arellano University Main Campus and will only show the results of election and the percentage of students who vote on each department. It is use annually in Arellano University and it did for the students are able to use it automated rather than manually. Significance of the Study: It is intended to conduct this study because it is important to know the use of the Automated Voting System in the modern world today. And to know more what are the advantages and disadvantages of this systematic process of election. This study is deemed beneficial to the following: This Automated Voting System is for all the students of Arellano University and also to all the students who are willing to become the Student Officer of the University. This System is to establish and maintain controls that can ensure that accidents, inadvertent mistakes, and errors are minimized. And this Systematic process can avoid trickery in voting in order to secure the votes of everyone. . The students will encourage to vote immediately because of the new system. To make the voting process easier and faster. For students, this study may not only represent the feedback of the electorate to the student council but will also raise awareness on the advantages and disadvantages of the automated election system. It may also encourage active participation by the students and by the Arellano University executives. For the Future Researchers the results of this study can be used as basis for future researchers. The outcome of the study can be used as reference to similar studies especially with regards to the automated election system in the Philippines. C. Schedule of Activities(Activities and Guidelines) Activities W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9 Planning and Data Gathering Analyzing and Designing Coding Testing and Improving Prototype Implementing the System Evaluating the System Documenting the System D. Resource Requirement Reading Resources: The New Constitution of the A.U.S.S.C Software: Visual Basic .NET (VB S SQL or Structured Query Language.NET) 2008 Hardware: PROCESSOR: NAME: Pentium ® Dual-Core CPU OPERATING SYSTEM: WINDOWS 7 Ultimate 32-bit (6.1, Build 7600) SYSTEM MODEL: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. MEMORY: 2048MB RAM CHIP TYPE: GeForce G102M E. Expected Output

An Analysis of the Watergate Crisis Essay

The Watergate crisis or scandal shrouded America with an attitude of pessimism. From the people involved and the meaning of the controversy then and now, the Watergate crisis rocked the world with political conflicts and power abuse. It also involved crimes such as obstruction of justice, conspiracy, cover up, lying under oath, espionage, burglary, and concealment of evidence. The scandal was named after the Watergate hotel complex in Washington that housed the rival of President Nixon’s Republican Party, the Democratic Party. The crisis was so powerful that it resulted in the resignation of President Nixon, indictment of the President and his men, and significant media and political effects. The scandal started out with classified documents, clumsy thefts, and a trail of crimes pointing directly to Nixon’s re-election committee. Thereafter, the crisis did not stop at the tactless White House personnel or the famous President’s men. It continued all the way to Nixon himself which caused him his Oval Office. It was perceived as a political crisis created by a leader’s greed, cruelty and paranoia. Ultimately, history accounted that Nixon’s own evil foe was not his political opponents but himself. It was chronicled by several books, articles, and official and federal documents, as well as a Redford-Hoffman movie in 1976. The Watergate scandal served not only as previous catalysts of American political, social and moral changes but now more as reminders or guiding principles of American lives. Historical Summary In the history of American presidential politics, the Watergate incident was taken as the most grave and peculiar crisis or scandal. This is because of the apparent direct involvement in several crimes of the president himself and his men. In his book, â€Å"The Watergate Crisis,† Genovese (1999) described the scandal as unusual and Nixon as an unusual kind of President of the United States (Genovese, 1999). According to Genovese (1999), the cause of the Watergate scandal can be traced from the negative impacts, such as the factions, of the Vietnam War. Nixon had difficulty getting out from the said divisive war and was eventually faced with various protests. Genovese (1999) added that with pressures to stop the protests and get out of the Vietnam war with respect and dignity intact, Nixon unfortunately created a route filled with â€Å"leak plugging, wiretapping, a secret war in Cambodia, and a series of criminal acts that in the end led to his downfall and fed the already significant erosion of public trust in government† (p. 3). The same Genovese book further said that what used to be a general term that referred to the burglary of the offices of the Democratic National Committee in a Washington hotel complex resulted into various linking terminologies and included beneath it are several crimes. The crisis caused the downfall of Nixon while several highest-ranking government officials were made to serve jail terms, hurting the nation as a result (Genovese, 1999). The Watergate Break-in The Watergate break-in or burglary happened on June 17, 1972 (Sirica, 1979). During his round, a security officer of the Watergate Hotel Complex in Washington D. C. identified as Frank Willis saw a tape covering various locks of different doors in the area. Willis discreetly reported the matter to the police and thereafter, five burglars were arrested. The five men were suspected of illegally wiretapping and stealing classified documents inside the office of the Democratic National Committee or DNC (Sirica, 1979). The suspects were identified in the book of Dickinson, Cross and Polsky (1973) as â€Å"Virgilio Gonzales, Bernard Barker, James W. McCord, Jr. , Eugenio Martinez and Frank Sturgis. † The suspects, later uncovered as former CIA and FBI agents, were â€Å"charged with attempted burglary and attempted interception of telephone and other communications† (Dickinson, Cross & Polsky, 1973). Five men and two other suspects, identified as E. Howard Hunt, Jr. and Gordon Liddy, were accused by a grand jury of â€Å"conspiracy, burglary and violation of federal wiretapping laws† on September 15, 1972. It was also discovered after investigation that the suspects’ goal was to plant a bug in the office of DNC Chairman, Larry O’Brien (Lewis, 1972). A multi-investigation conducted by the U. S. Congress, FBI and media revealed that the direct or indirect connection of the seven suspects to Nixon’s Re-election committee. Nixon initially said that his aides were not involved in the case. The cover-up was later disclosed and exposed irregularities and illegal activities of the Nixon Re-election committee. The results of the investigation concluded that the re-election committee â€Å"received covert campaign funds from big companies, played dirty tricks on Democratic candidates during the 1972 election campaign, attempted to use the FBI and other government agencies against political enemies, and set up a secret group to carry out unlawful activities against political enemies† (cited in Scholastic, 1989). In view of this, America and the world were then convinced of a conspiracy linking the President and his men. The suspects who broke into O’Brien’s office and the President’s men involved were tried and eventually convicted in 1973. The following year, the bungled break-in eventually caused Nixon his position as he resigned as the President of the United States on August 9, 1974 (Scholastic, 1989). The Washington Post Investigation The Watergate scandal was publicized by The Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein through a confidential but reliable source whom they named â€Å"Deep Throat. † An initial headline of â€Å"Five Held in Plot to Bug Democratic Offices Here,† that appeared at the bottom of the newspaper’s page one on Sunday, June 18, 1972, signaled the Washington Post’s investigation. The two young reporters wrote the arrest of a group of former FBI and CIA agents who â€Å"broke into, illegally wiretapped and stole classified documents from the offices of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate office complex in Washington† (â€Å"The Watergate Story Part 1,† 2008). Bernstein and Woodward were intrigued with the details of the story and the turn of events. Citing police sources, Woodward wrote that the burglars â€Å"came from Miami, wore surgical gloves and carried thousands of dollars in cash† (â€Å"The Watergate Story Part 1,† 2008). The break-in appeared to be â€Å"a professional type operation,† added Woodward (â€Å"The Watergate Story Part 1,† 2008). As told by the Washington post and its reporters, the intriguing yet interesting developments of the story shook Washington for two years, resulted into the resignation of Nixon and eventually created political impacts (â€Å"The Watergate Story Part 1,† 2008). According to an online compilation of the Watergate events posted at the Washington Post’s site, Woodward and Bernstein became part of the various revelatory articles that the said newspaper published. Thereafter, the succeeding Washington Post coverage of the Watergate scandal further exposed the involvement of several of the President’s men and the ultimate link of Nixon and his campaign funds to the various crimes. The newspaper’s account of the scandal also ran the grand jury investigation that identified and indicted â€Å"All the President’s Men† for their respective involvement in the crimes (â€Å"The Watergate Story Part 1,† 2008). A significant mark of the Washington Post and â€Å"Bernstein† reporting of the Watergate scandal was â€Å"Deep Throat. † A confidential source by Woodward, â€Å"Deep Throat† was identified only in 2005 or 33 years later as Mark Felt. He was the second highest-ranking FBI official who at the height of the scandal, confirmed or denied information to the two reporters and guided them to pursue specific leads (â€Å"The Watergate Story Part 1,† 2008). A string of exclusives by Woodward and Bernstein and the determination of Post publisher Katherine Graham to expose the truth made the FBI finally penetrated the White House denials and the conduct of the grand jury investigation. This momentum led to the loss of job, prosecution and conviction of the involved officials of the Nixon administration and ultimately the impeachment against the President and his eventual resignation on August 8, 1974. Nixon’s successor, President Ford, granted the former â€Å"full, free and absolute pardon† one month later (â€Å"The Watergate Story Part 3,† 2008). The Government Investigation The Watergate probe called for the courts, the Congress, and a special prosecutor to investigate its top-to-bottom connections to the White House. According to the same Washington Post online source, the investigation involved Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox, North Carolina Senator Sam Ervin and the FBI. Woodward and Bernstein stories reported the eventual breaking out of Nixon’s men from his administration and the disclosure of events that were linked to the scandal. One example was the revelation of secret tapes that further exposed Nixon’s involvement. The deep connection of Nixon resulted into a firestorm of firings called â€Å"the Saturday Night Massacre. † Amid impeachment against the President, he still denied accusations and stayed in his office (â€Å"The Watergate Story Part 2,† 2008). The Watergate Scandal and Nixon In his book, Genovese (1999) noted that Nixon was a â€Å"complex, multidimensional figure, a man of many contradictions. † (p. 57). Genovese (1999) said that these characteristics of Nixon and the Watergate crisis were manifestations of â€Å"a period of presidential lawlessness unprecedented in American history† (p. 57). Nixon was an example of a president who initially took an oath to â€Å"faithfully execute† the law but eventually went beyond and broke it (Genovese, 1999, p. 69). As a result, the Watergate scandal created several questions about the American constitution and democracy (Genovese, 1999). Nixon’s initial show of defense rooted from the solid support of his men eventually cracked down and led to his televised resignation. During his televised speech, Nixon states, by taking this action, I hope that I will have hastened the start of the process of healing which is so desperately needed in America. I deeply regret any injuries that may have been done in the course of the events that led to this decision. Those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself (â€Å"The Watergate Story Part 3,† 2008). Ford was sworn into office the next day but pardoned Nixon a month after. The events did not stop there as the influence of the scandal continued. The interconnecting controversies ignited a fresh and lasting doubt about American politics. It created new American political words and made the Congress approve laws concerning campaign finance reforms as well as investigation on the functions of CIA and several agencies of the government. Woodward and Bernstein’s coverage was turned into a book and a hit movie entitled â€Å"All the President’s Men† which instilled American media with a fresh harmful advantage. The scandal brought lasting and immeasurable effects on American politics (â€Å"The Watergate Story Part 3,† 2008). American Politics and Media Genovese (1999) affirmed the impression of Washington Post mentioned previously and stated that the Watergate scandal changed American politics and the issue of presidential corruption (Genovese, 1999). He added that, because of the crisis, the media became more interfering and subjective, the public became more distrustful and indifferent about its government, the relation between the executive and legislative branches of the government became unpleasant and factious and partisan conflicts became more intense (Genovese, 1999). Conclusion The Watergate crisis left profound and detrimental effects on American politics and history in general. It has resulted into distrust among the government officials and a wider gap between the branches of the government. Another effect of the scandal was that it made the succeeding Presidents more susceptible to the criticisms and suggestions of the public. The Nixon presidency has left a mark on the American politics which harmed the present list of presidents. The scandal has undeniably affected the political agenda of the succeeding presidents who were subjected to the scrutiny of the public. Nonetheless, the scandal also has its positive points to remember. These included the upholding of the freedom and power of the press as well as the effectivity of the justice system. By themselves, Nixon and the Watergate Crisis did not cause the degradation of American politics and decline of trust to the government. Incontestably, however, the fallen President and his scandal did remold the public’s view of the American story from one of presumed good goals to one of outstanding hostility. References Dickinson, W. B. & Mercer Cross, B. P. (1973). Watergate: Chronology of a crisis. Washington D. C: Congressional Quarterly, Inc. Genovese, M. A. (1999). The Watergate Crisis.London: Greenwood Press. Lewis, A. E. (1972, June 18). 5 held in plot to bug Democrats’ office here. The Washington Post, A01. Retrieved from http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/article/2002/05/31/AR2005111001227_pf. html Scholastic, Inc. (1989). The Case of Watergate. The Presidency, Congress, and the Supreme Court. Retrieved April 19, 2008, from Scholastic database. Sirica, J. J. (1979). To set the record straight: The Break-in, the tapes, the conspirators, the pardon. New York: Norton. The Watergate Story Part 1. (2008). The Washington Post. Retrieved April 7, 2008, from http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/part1. html The Watergate Story Part 2. (2008). The Washington Post. Retrieved April 7, 2008, from http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/part2. html The Watergate Story Part 3. (2008). The Washington Post. Retrieved April 7, 2008, from http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/part3. html

New Business Venture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

New Business Venture - Essay Example The development of such mindset is considered as essential for the overall development of an entrepreneurial personality so that the opportunities can be taken and transformed into successful businesses. Q#1 One of the critical aspects of entrepreneurs is their ability to take risk and most of the literature on the subject of entrepreneurship focused on making a distinction between those who are risk averse and who were risk lovers. This approach therefore highlighted entrepreneurs as someone with the ability to take on excessive risk as compared to the others. (Schwartz & Teach, 2000). This also suggested that the internal motivation, high energy as well as the higher tendency to take the risk as the main individual characteristic traits of the entrepreneurs which make them different from others. A closer analysis of the evolution of the research over the period of time would suggest that the entrepreneurs were typically characterized with the words such as risk bearing, innovation, initiative, source of formal authority, local of control as well as the tolerance for ambiguity. These characteristics therefore may indicate that the entrepreneurs are born rather than are being made. (Welsch, 2003). ... This question will therefore argue whether the entrepreneurs are made or born and why it is so or not. Entrepreneurship defined Before discussing and arguing whether entrepreneurs are born or developed, it is important to discuss what entrepreneurship is and how it emerges. It is critical to discuss that historically there has been confusion over the definition of entrepreneurship. This is also critical due to the fact that traditionally researchers argued that in order to discuss the subject it is critical that it must have a precise definition. Despite such emphasis on the definition, entrepreneurship is often viewed from different perspectives and including diverse range of subjects and themes. Themes such as social entrepreneurship, the relationship between women and entrepreneurship, immigrants and their new zeal for setting up the businesses have been extensively discussed by the researchers. (Berglund & Johansson, 2007). In its traditional sense, entrepreneurship is often conn ected with the idea of starting the new businesses and running them successfully. However, over the period of time, entrepreneurship has also emerged in the form of social as well as political frameworks. It is also now been discussed within the perspective of the large corporations when they spinoff their businesses and treat them as new and separate businesses. Thus today, entrepreneurships are not just limited to the new start up businesses but they encompass a variety of existing and new business ideas which are manifested into the reality through the careful application of the concepts of the entrepreneurship. Thus the entrepreneurship is

Fair Value Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fair Value Accounting - Essay Example (Parshall, 2009) This study is set out to discuss fair value accounting and more specifically determine its role in the credit crisis that rocked the world in 2008. It will try to justify the statement that, â€Å"Fair value accounting only works in efficient, active and liquid markets. In order to produce information which is relevant and reliable, fair value focuses on market prices.† Due to the financial crisis, fair-value approach for accounting has triggered major debates globally. Among the debaters are the European Commission, USA Congress as well as accounting and banking regulators in the globe. Cynics have it that the financial crisis impacting the whole world in the recent past has been mostly caused by the effects of fair-value accounting. The study is going to determine whether fair value accounting is only applicable in active, efficient and liquid markets. Various arguments will be considered while trying to draw the befitting approach to the issue. The Standards of accounting reports, IFRS and US GAAP, aid in deriving from market prices in various circumstances. However, it is not very clear whether these standards are the origin of the predicaments. The allowing of the managements of organisations to be flexible when it comes to dealing with future value accounting problems leads to the manipulation during such times as those of financial crisis. From the perspective thus the market conditions may impact on fair value accounting. However, according to Laux and Leuz, future value accounting is an approach to the measurement of liabilities and assets in a given company’s balance sheet. FAS’s number 157 definition is that fair value accounting is â€Å"the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.† Under IFRS fair value has been defined as the sum at which a certain asset and liability could be

Job Description Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Job Description Paper - Essay Example Undoubtedly, job descriptions are very essential for most individuals in the workplace since they define an individual’s role and accountability. This paper presents a human resource manager job description covering the key tasks of this position, tools and technology, knowledge, skills and abilities, and education requirements. It also describes two selection methods used to recruit qualified candidates and explaining why these methods would be most appropriate. The main purpose of a human resource manager is to maintain and enhance the organization’s human resources by planning, implementing and analyze employee relations among others. The position of human resource manager is charged with various tasks such as recruiting and selecting new applicants to occupy vacant posts in the organization so as to maintain the staff. Secondly, human resource manager is responsible for planning, developing and implementing strategies for human resource management including recruitment and selection practices, motivation of employees, and performance appraisals among others. In addition, HR manager need to ensure that all employees have been fully prepared to perform duties assigned to them effectively and this is possible through orientation and training programs. Human resource manager critically evaluates the information provided about workers’ salary, and control compensation and other benefits for all workers (Mathis and Jackson, 2008) . Tools and technology required in this occupation include desktop and personal computers, scanners, and surveillance video or audio recorders. Technologies needed are accounting software, human resources software, and document management software among others. Human resource managers need to acquire certain skills and abilities such as hiring and coaching skills; the ability to benefit the administration and manage employee performance at work. More so, human resource manager

To what extent does successful workplace learning depend on the social Essay

To what extent does successful workplace learning depend on the social context of the workplace environment - Essay Example This allows the organization to reach the potential growth and success that the organization dreams for. But to transform just a mere dream into reality, the organization must implement learning processes that would change the direction of the organization. This change in direction could change the future of the organization and its employees. As workplace learning is creating sustainable new knowledge, it is considered as an investment by the organization for their most important assets which is the workforce. The workforce could single handedly change the future of the organization, all they need is a training and development program but a program within the boundaries of organizational culture. An organization is a mixture of diverse culture and employees. The only element that combines these diverse employees from different race, religion and origin is the organizational culture. With the passage of time, organizations have become more cultural diverse and they have hired employe es belonging from different cultures and geographic locations. Although, this has been helpful for the organization as it has allowed organization to have diverse thinking and more creativity and better learning from different cultures.... Along with that, the research has highlighted some of the important dimensions that would include the definition of workplace learning, social context of workplace environment and lastly the impact of social context on successful workplace learning. A brief conclusion is also included to summarize and conclude all the major findings of this study. Successful workplace learning Workplace learning is a process that addresses the needs and interests of the employees. This learning process enables the employee to respond to the changing environment and to contribute in increasing the efficiency and productivity of the employee (Lai, and Lo, 2008). This learning process ultimately helps in meeting the employee’s personal and career development needs within the organization (Chen, Bian, and Hom, 2005). Learning at work allows the organization to develop different capabilities and skills and thus it is better able to achieve competitive advantage (Hamlin, and Stewart, 2011). Learning at work happens through the daily working practices of the workers and the biggest influence in this learning process is the work itself. A process that addresses the needs and interests of the employee helps in reducing the absenteeism rate, turnover rate, job dissatisfaction and all those factors that reduce the optimum performance to achieve the organizational goals. Successful workplace learning provides an opportunity for the employees of the organization to develop or improve their skills that would enable them to obtain the best possible outcomes for the business (Clarke, 2005). Employees are worthy investments for organizations as these employees are relied heavily upon for the success and betterment of the organization. Employees are considered to be the most valuable asset within

Homo Sexual- Rogerian Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Homo Sexual- Rogerian Argument - Essay Example Critic’s view: In the paper written by (Smith), child adoption by homosexual couples has been favored. (Smith) has made an extremely biased approach to speak in favor of child adoption by the homosexual couples. This can be estimated from the fact that he refers to the conceptions against child adoption by homosexual couples as myths and those in favor of child adoption by homosexual couples as facts. Smith says that it is nothing but a myth that children raised in homosexual couples may become homosexual themselves. Smith also refers to it as a myth that children raised in homosexual family systems may be harassed by their peers and be put into social exclusion. He says that children have a habit of making fun of one another for any reason. Children are made fun of for being short, tall, skinny or obese. He says that if a child does not grow in a homosexual family system does not mean that he/she will not be made fun of by the peers. However, there is a lot of difference betw een the harassment offered for any reason and that offered for being a part of a homosexual family. A child may be obese or skinny for a short period of time, but his/her association with the homosexual family remains a source of embarrassment for the whole of his/her life. Smith denies the fact that every child requires both male and female parents. â€Å"Children without homes have neither a mother nor a father as role models. And children get their role models from many places besides their parents. These include grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, friends, and neighbors† (Smith 4). Justification against the points raised by critics: Environment that cultivates in the home of homosexuals may be extremely harmful to the psychology of the children. The child may remain intact from the effects of his/her homosexual parents’ sexuality, though the child is quite likely to adopt a life style in which monogamy is discouraged, and extremely risky sexual behavior preva ils. Gays assume a very high verisimilitude of acquiring the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) as compared to heterosexual couples. A vast majority of cases in which people acquire this deadly disease happens through wrongful sexual practices. Gayism and lesbianism is the primary source of the spread of AIDS around the world. If either or both of the homosexual parents suffer from AIDS, the children are exposed to the threat of acquiring AIDS. There is a parenting equation that is conducive for the accurate psychological and physiological development of children. This parenting equation lays down respective roles and responsibilities for parents from both the genders. According to the equation, every child requires two parents that belong to opposite genders. Every child requires a male parent and a female parent. The male parent or the father plays the role of sperm donor to make the child gain birth, and later plays the role of bread earner for the whole family. Contr ary to that, the female parent or the mother plays the role of making the baby and giving birth to him/her, and later assumes the responsibility of the child’s psychological and physiological nurturing at home. She makes best use of the money earned by the father and spends it in such a way that is beneficial for the whole family as well as the children. Healthy development of a child requires bo

UNDECIDED Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

UNDECIDED - Assignment Example The democracy was purely managed by the majority but not be the few individuals. Moreover, rotating of the public offices ought to undermine individuals virtues thus no person is held back by poverty so long as they offer good service to the city. The city is free and generous to the public activities of the citizens and corresponding daily lives (Thucydides 2.37, pgs. 40-41). He asserts the management of the city is different from neighboring cities in regard to the preparation of war, and this makes it open to all individuals and does not expel strangers in order to prevent them from learning in the city. Moreover, the city does not depend on the secret preparation and deceit but the courage of action. It is is because the enemy usually trains hard from the youthful age, but they live relax life, and they still experience great dangers as the enemy (Thucydides 1.77, pg 41). Pericles asserts that seeking council is the best option prior to undertaking any action with the enemy. It is because they are extremely different from their enemy since they take council in matters of virtue. Moreover, they win the trust of friends via offering favors at the expense of accepting a favor. Friendship of an individual is paid by good deed and considered dull and flat since it does not entail

Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Coursework Example that the company should consider includes ensuring that the quality of the products is not compromised at any time as this will help to maintain the sales levels and the profit margin. Absorption costing also known as full costing is a costing technique that value the closing stocks at the fill production cost including the fixed production costs. This method treats the fixed costs as product costs and they are incurred when the stock has been sold. The cost per unit constitutes both the fixed and the variable production costs. The process of absorption costing is as follows: gathering the raw data from the financial records, classifying the raw data in respect to the type of expense a process known as coding, cost analysis, determination of the cost centres that provide services to production cost centres, identify product cost centres that are involved directly with the production process and finally overhead absorption. This technique can be applied in different types of organizations that deal with the production and manufacturing of various products. For example the organizations that deal with sales have different costs that can be absorbed using the absorption technique to prepare the financial statements. A manufacturing organization is another example where this technique can be applied to absorb the various overhead costs using the direct costs incurred as the cost centres for allocation of the overheads. Absorption costing absorbs the total overheads into production and this generates implications when measuring performance, cost control and also the valuation of stocks. It is worth noting that the fixed costs do not vary with the level of activity and therefore this can lead to managers making incorrect decision about the business operations. Additionally, absorption costing allocates the overhead costs including the fixed costs on the basis of the cost driver. This method can be biased in determining the cost driver for each cost and therefore this

Apple Pie as totem food Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Apple Pie as totem food - Research Paper Example This essay discusses that apple as a fruit in itself was more predominant in Asia and Europe. The first apple was said to be cultivated in the â€Å" northern slopes of the Tien Shan, the mountain range running for a thousand miles between the Chinese border to the east and Uzbekistan, in fact almost to the Caspian Sea, in the west.† The biblical reference to the apple as the forbidden fruit could also have emerged from the fact that Mount Ararat; the resting place of Noah’s ark is also around this region. The mountain range is in present day Turkey and extends from Iran to Armenia, which encompasses the region where the first instance of apple cultivations were found. Turkey till today remains one of the biggest producers of apples in the world. Earliest origins of apple cultivation could be dated back to 8000BC with the discovery of agriculture when nomadic settlements settled in the fertile lands along the Tigris and Euphrates and moving from there to other regions w ith the onset of trade and military expeditions. There is evidence that the early colonists brought with them the first seen apples, crab apples in US. Crab apples are considered the native apples of America and since then there are more than 20 different varieties of apples grown in the US. It is believed that John Endecott, an early governor, was the first to bring an apple tree to North America, and the first orchard was planted on Beacon Hill by a clergyman named William Blaxton. The apple consequently grew to become a part of the staple diet, as it could be easily stored in winter. Despite the fact that apples were not initially from North America, and have been growing disease-free for centuries in their native habitats, the early settlers found that the long, hot summers and cold winters of New England grew apples unlike anywhere else in the world.  Ã‚  New England apples are known not only for their unique blend of tart and sweet flavours, but also for their size and fresh ness. (Nahmias, 2012). The growing of apple consequently began to be viewed as a status symbol. With the growing popularity of the American Apple Pie, diplomats and statesmen began to grow the prize apples for these pies in their backyard. It is therefore no coincidence that 60% of the nation’s yearly harvest in apples comes from the State of Washington. Recorded history shows evidence that Apple Pie was served as a gourmet desserts during dinners for

Classical Period Essay Example for Free

Classical Period Essay Haydn’s Violin Concerto in C (Hob. VIIa/I) was composed sometime around the year 1765, during his fourth year of employment by the Eszterhazy family as assistant to kappelmeister Gregor Werner. Aged thirty-two at the time, he was just then entering into the period during which he would produce his most mature works. Like many concerti of the time – including Haydn’s Cello Concerto, which had immediately preceeded the present work – the Violin Concerto in C was composed to showcase the talents of a specific performer, in this case, Alois Tomosini, who ultimately became concertmaster of the Eszterhazy Orchestra. Like the Cello Concerto, this piece is in three movements: Allegro Moderato, followed by a slower Adagio movement in the subdominant key of F, and finishing with a brilliant, energetic Finale: Presto. Structurally, all three movements follow the sonata allegro form. This form, so common in during the Classical Period that it came to be known as â€Å"First Movement Form† begins in with a primary theme in the tonic key, followed by a secondary theme in the dominant key (or, in the case of minor tonality, the relative major). This makes up the â€Å"exposition. † During the â€Å"development† section, the composer uses thematic materials from the exposition in a series of variations and mutations. The â€Å"recapitulation† restates both initial themes in the tonic key. During the Classical Period, the second movement of any multi-movement work was invariably a slower moving piece in the subdominant key. In the work under discussion, Haydn does not depart from this formula, nor in the last Presto movement in which Classical composers always returned to the original key. It is worth noting that orchestral ensemble works, particularly those of Haydn and Mozart, contained a Minuetto movement inserted between the slower second movement and the faster fourth movement; however, in concerti, which featured a solo player, the Minuetto was never included. It is interesting to note that the Presto movement is in a triple meter, and has the feel, if not the strict form, of a Minuetto. In the performance used for this paper, this movement is played much faster than a typical Minuetto, but a dance-like atmosphere is retained. As this is a fairly early work, it should not surprise us that that Haydn relies a great deal on scale runs and patterns, particularly during transitional sections. In fact, the initial introductory material consists of nothing more than an ascending F major scale, elaborated upon by the accompaniment. This is not as apparent in later, more mature works by this composer, although scale-based material of this nature is prominent in some of Mozart’s youthful works, particularly the first movement of Symphony No. 29 in A Major. There are also several instances in all three movements in which the thematic material goes back and forth between major and parallel (rather than relative) minor tonalities. For modulations, Haydn makes frequent use of â€Å"common-tone diminished† chords, which makes it quite simple to go from one key to any other key. Nonetheless, Haydn rarely strays far from the initial key of a given movement. However, unlike many of Haydn’s later works, diminished seventh harmonic structures are not prominently featured, serving brief functional purposes only. The third, Finale Presto movement has the most interest, despite the frequent use of double stops in the first and the lyrical quality of the second. The fiery leaps and fast runs are obviously intended to display Tomosini’s virtuosity. In addition, there is some interesting rhythmic movement between 3:07 and 3:09 of this recording in which the music nearly changes into duple meter, giving a sensation of hemiola. Much of Haydn’s influences are apparent in the early music of Mozart as well as that of Joseph Bulogne, an French composer of Afro-Caribbean ancestry who commissioned Haydn’s later â€Å"Paris Symphonies. † Haydn enjoyed a long, productive life that spanned nearly the entire stylistic period that came to be known as â€Å"Classical. † At the time Haydn began his compositional career, the Baroque style typified by the works J. S. Bach, G. F. Handel had become dated. The â€Å"Classical† style of which C. P. E. Bach, son of J. S. , was a founder, was still fairly new. The use of the harpsichord continuo – despite the availability of the newly-invented pianoforte – is a noteworthy holdover from the tradition of the baroque concerti grosso. Nonetheless, in its use of scale patterns, parallel minor and the common-tone diminished modulations, this early Haydn work shows a mastery over the basic compositional elements that he would use in many future works. Work Cited Haydn, Franz Josef. Violin Concerto In C Major (Sound Recording). Orchestra Sinfonica Haydn di Bolzano e Trento. Barry Faldner, Conductor. Benjamin Schmid, soloist. (Stradivari Classics, June 1994).

The Role Of Vocabulary English Language Essay

The Role Of Vocabulary English Language Essay However, nowadays, the importance of vocabulary as also learning a language has become more accepted. Vocabulary is a basic component of language proficiency which provides the basis for learners performance in other skills, such as speaking, reading, listening and writing. (Nation, 2008) Therefore, acquiring vocabulary it is a fundamental process when learning an L2 because it will not only develop the writing skills, but also the remaining ones. As a consequence, learners will become competent on their level of language because it seems that the four skills will be hand in hand. Between many forms or learning vocabulary, it is the possibility of learning vocabulary incidentally. Hunt and Beglar (1998) point out that many vocabularies are learned incidentally through extensive reading and listening. For this reason, motivating learners to read and listen extensively can provide them with great opportunities to learn new vocabularies. According to Except for the first few thousand most common words, vocabulary learning predominantly occurs through extensive reading with the learner guessing the meaning of unknown words. This process is incidental learning of vocabulary for the acquisition of new words and is the by-product of the reading. Most of the papers in the special issue of incidental vocabulary learning (Wesche Paribakht, 1999) refer to incidental learning as something that is learned without specific focus of attention in a classroom context. Research on both first and second language development supports the conclusion that most vocabulary learning occurs naturally when learners try to understand new words they hear or read in context. This process is called incidental because it occurs as learners are focused on something other than word learning itself. (T. Sima) Wode is the most specific author about this topic when he provides the following operational definition: language learning as a by-product of language use by the teacher or anybody else in the classroom, without the linguistic structure itself being the focus of attention or the target of teaching maneuvers In the process of incidental vocabulary learning, word knowledge is thought to be cumulated and developed gradually through multiple exposures in various reading contexts. Extensive reading, as a form of comprehensible input, has the effect of providing learners with rich contexts ideal for vocabulary learning. During the reciprocal process of extensive reading, the acquisition of words is the result of successes in inferring word meanings from a meaningful context and through more reading experiences the developed and matured vocabulary inference ability could in turn contributes to reading level. As believed by Huckin and Coady (1999), incidental vocabulary learning can be really advantageous for learners because it is a more learner based process, in which learners select the reading materials to study according to their personal preferences. Therefore, reading will be more interesting for each person. Another advantage of this process is that it can be pedagogically efficient, since it leads two activities at the same time: vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension. Learners acquire new vocabulary, language learning, and grammatical knowledge as also develop their critical thinking when reading and comprehending the main ideas. Finally, since it is contextualized, the readers can understand the meaning and the use of the word within the context established in the text. For this reason, enrich their knowledge of the words they already know, increase lexical access speeds, build network linkages between words, and a few words will be acquired Horst, Cobb and Meara (1998) (p. 221) Although having these favorable situations in order that it is easier for students to acquire new vocabulary, Ellis proposes some factors that may affect the process when learning an L2. These factors are grouped in four and are classified in: Intrinsic word properties, Input factors, Interactional factors and Learner factors. Intrinsic word properties Some words have a higher grade of difficulty in order to be learnt from oral input; R. Ellis considered four intrinsic word properties which appear to influence acquisition: a) Pronounceability: It takes a long time to students to pronounce an L2 word; thereby their ability to produce it will take a long time also. Laufer (1997) cites a number of sources that suggest that pronounceable words are more likely to be perceived accurately, and that learners may avoid attending to phonologically problematic words. While there is a major similarity between the learners first language and the target language functions, there will be a bigger determinant of difficulty. b) Part of speech: There are some researches that suggest that learners learn nouns faster than other parts of speech, at least in the early stages. There are a few explanations for these researches. Nation (1990) suggests that the meaning of nouns can be guessed from context more easily than the meaning of verbs. Other explanation is that learners initially concentrate on nouns because they are more useful when decoding and encoding messages. Ellis (1984) says that verbs are omitted more frequently than nouns because they are not so important when receiving a message. Finally, Ellis and Beaton (1993) suggest that nouns may be easier to learn than other parts of speech because they are more imageable. c)Distinctiveness of word form: learning a word that has its own uniqueness is easier than learning a word that is similar to some other word. According to a study made by Huckin and Bloch (1993) learners allowed word shape to override contextual factors. For instance, one learner misread optimal as optional. It is interesting to note that the words causing the problem begin and end with the same letters being differentiated by letters in medial position. d) Length of word form: It is easy to believe that for learners it is better to remember monosyllabic than polysyllabic words. Meara (1984) reports that Chinese learners of L2 English were found to have an unexpected difficulty with long words. However, Meara suggests that the reason of this is that there is a need of putting more effort and time to process and remember polysyllabic words. Other factors are that long words may be less pronounceable than short words. Also, as Laufer (1997) says, in a language as English, shorter words tend to be more frequent in the input. Input factors Krashen (1994) expressed that comprehensible input is all that is necessary for second-language acquisition (Krashen, Stephen (1994). The input hypothesis and its rivals. In Ellis, Nick.  Implicit and Explicit Learning of Languages. London: Academic Press. pp.  45-77.  ISBN  978-0-12-237475-3.) Krashen (1981) also said from some of his studies that the length of time a person stays in a foreign country is closely linked with his level of language acquisition. Cook, Vivian (2008).  Second Language Learning and Language Teaching. London: Arnold.  ISBN  978-0-340-95876-6. For further more evidence, Cook (2008) suggests that input comes from studies on reading: large amounts of free voluntary reading have a significant positive effect on learners vocabulary, grammar, and writing. Input is also the mechanism by which people learn languages according to the  universal grammar  model. Krashen, Stephen (1981a).  Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning. New York: Pergamon Press.  ISBN  0-08-025338-5. Retrieved 2011-02-28. Interactional factors Ellis refers to interactional factors when the interaction provides more input that becomes more prominent to learners, and also she says that learners can acquire vocabulary from non-interactional input through different techniques, as teacher-discourse, which includes definition, conjunction, elaboration, among others. Learner factors Ellis suggests that the factors that are related directly with learners may be combined with different variations while the acquisition occurs, due to their background knowledge, procedural knowledge, second language vocabulary size, morphological knowledge, and learners L1. EVIDENCE: In the past, it was believed in the proposition that most vocabulary was learned incidentally through the argument that learning from context is the only way to account for most vocabulary acquisition and for the close relationship between the growth of vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension ability. (e.g., Nagy Anderson, 1984; Sternberg, 1987). Some researchers have investigated the subject matter and have shown evidence that vocabulary can be incidentally learnt through the exposure to reading comprehension texts. On one hand evidence presented from a case study of a Japanese ESL speaker studying anthropology at an American university (Parry, 1993) demonstrated her incremental vocabulary growth over time through repeated encounters with given words in the course textbook. Experimental evidence of incidental vocabulary growth has been reported in research on secondary school students learning pseudo- L1 words and rare L2 words (Hulstijn, 1992), in which significant-if quite low-incidental learning of target words occurred from a single encounter in a 900-word text. Similarly, an experiment that required adult ESL learners to read and subsequently recall stories demonstrated retention of some low-frequency L2 words first encountered in a 300-word expository text (Joe, 1995). A more complete study by Paribakht Wesche, 1997 was based on tracked vocabulary learning by 38 intermediate-level university ESL learners in a thematic reading program under Reading Only and Reading Plus instructional conditions, each program requiring equivalent class time. Learners experienced two thematic units for each treatment, thus acting as their own controls. In Reading Only, learners read selected texts on two themes (a total of four texts) and had to answer comprehension questions. The texts provided multiple exposures to a number of nouns, verbs, and discourse connectors that had been identified as generally unfamiliar to students at this level of ESL proficiency. In the Reading Plus treatment, students had to read four texts on two themes and then carried out text-based vocabulary activities targeting the same set of words. Gains in both treatments were measured by pre and post-administration of the target word list using the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS; Paribakht Wesche, 1993; Wesche Paribakht, 1996), an instrument that was developed not only to measure the number of words learners knew to some extent but also to identify different levels of knowledge ranging from the recognition of the word; its meaning and also the ability of learners to use the word grammatically correct in a sentence. The results between known versus unknown words before and after instruction on the VKS indicated significant gains in both treatments, although Reading Plus led to greater gains. After the Reading Only treatment, learners knowledge of target words tended to remain at the recognition level, whereas after the Reading Plus treatment many learners were able to write sentences using the new words. These findings were interpreted to mean that, although multiple encounters with given words during reading leads to increased knowledge of the words, a combination of reading and text-based exercises demanding different kinds of analysis and practice of the words is more effective for vocabulary learning. Despite the more favorable results of Reading Plus, the significant gains in Reading Only are arguably of greater practical significance for language learn Reading and Incidental L2 Vocabulary Acquisition. The concept of glosses dates back to the Middle Ages, but it has been largely studied by researchers until late in this century. Glosses provide a short definition or an image in order to facilitate reading and comprehension processes for L2 learners. Nation (1983) defined glosses as short definitions; Pak (1986) refers to them as explanations of the meanings of words. Glosses are usually located in the side or bottom margins, and they are most often supplied for unfamiliar words, which may help to limit continual dictionary consultation that may hinder and interrupt the L2 reading comprehension process. Many studies have confirmed that a gloss is more useful than no gloss for incidental vocabulary learning. Hulstijin, Hollander and Greidanus (1996) have examined the effectiveness of glosses on incidental vocabulary learning. They studied the influence of marginal glosses, dictionary use, and the reoccurrence of unknown words on incidental vocabulary learning. Recently, researchers have become interested in which gloss type is more effective, and whether there are any differences between different glosses, for example, between single glosses and multiple-choice glosses (Duan Yan, 2004; Miyasako, 2002). Miyasako (2002) compared multiple-choice glosses and single glosses and found there was no difference between the multiple-choice and single glosses in their effect on vocabulary learning. Duan Yan (2004) also examined the effects of multiple-choice glosses, single glosses and no glosses. The results indicated that both multiple-choice glosses and single glosses significantly promoted incidental vocabulary learning, while multiple-choice glosses were better than single glosses in incidental vocabulary learning. Others studied the effects of sentence-level L1 translations on incidental vocabulary learning. Grace (1998, 2000) tested the effects of sentence-level L1 translations on incidental vocabulary learning, while Gettys et al. (2001) compared the glosses of sentence level L1 translation with the glosses of dictionary form L1. Grace used sentence-level L1 translations to replace word definitions or explanations and found that the translation glosses were very effective, while Gettys et al. found that the dictionary form glosses were more effective than sentence-level translation glosses.

An Introduction To Multiculturalism The Concept Sociology Essay

An Introduction To Multiculturalism The Concept Sociology Essay The definition of multiculturalism depends a great deal upon the context in which it is discussed. Concept of multiculturalism is constantly varying as more people make their voices heard to a recurrently increasing audience. Multiculturalism implies the diverse perspectives people develop and maintain through varieties of experience and background stemming from racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation and/or class differences in our society. Multiculturalism is the acceptance or promotion of various ethnic cultures. It is diversity valid to the demographic make-up of a specific place, often at the organizational level, e.g. schools, businesses, neighborhoods, cities or nations. In this context, multiculturalists advocate extending equitable status to distinct ethnic and religious groups without promoting any specific ethnic, religious, and/or cultural community values as central. Multiculturalism should preserve the ideals of equality, equity, freedom and respect for individuals and groups as a principle fundamental to the success of a nation. Background of British Public Life Style that embraces Multiculturalism the Evolution Britian is one of Europes most multi-cultural nations. There are a number of policy drivers and historical happening that have led Britian to evolve into multicultural society that it is today. There is no infliction of immigration in the 1914 and 1948 Nationality Acts. Immigration remained low, however until after 1948. In 1953 the total number of immigrants to Britain was 2000 and by the end of the first half of 1962 the number had risen to 94,500. The 1948 British Nationality Act established positive immigration rights to Citizens of Commonwealth countries. Britain experienced an increase in immigration rate in post war era due to deficiency of labor. Initially men alone came to Britain for jobs but in late 1960s and early seventies their families joined them. These included mostly Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and Buddhists as well as Christians and they settled in London, in the Midlands and the North and in the seaport towns of Liverpool and Cardiff. The immigration load of 1960s and early seventies made UK an ethnically and religiously diverse community. The idea that the immigrant would ultimately merge and become part of the host culture which was given in mid-50s was rejected. These communities develop their own cultural values. Racial tension increased and by the end of 1950s immigrants were subjected to unprovoked racist attacks. This resulted in the notion that immigration and race relations were politically controversial issues and there was a growing campaign to introduce immigration controls. Between 1950 and 1955 certain control measures were adopted to reduce the influx to Uk as the number of West Indian, Indian and Pakistani immigrants increased. But in spite of the strict immigration policy the population of immigrants is still growing Over the last decade most of the immigrants came from the Indian subcontinent or the Caribbean, i.e. from former British colonies. In 2004 the number of people who became British citizens rose to a record 140,795 a rise of 12% on the previous year. This number had risen dramatically since 2000. The huge majority of new citizens come from Africa (32%) and Asia (40%), the largest three groups being people from Pakistan, India and Somalia. This resulted in changes to the British way of life and the UK became known as a multicultural community. However, more recently the term multiculturalism is becoming a contested concept both in sociological discourse and in recent policy making. The term multiculturalism is generally thought to have arisen in Britain in a speech by the then Home Secretary, Roy Jenkins in 1966. While this term is current in the UK there are often instances where local politics can serve to exclude minority cultures while promoting the values of the dominant white culture. Multiculturalism is also a term which describes aspects of social policy. Multiculturalism is used in a number of ways which can serve either to celebrate difference or to act as a cover for what, in any real terms, is another form of enforced assimilation. It also needs to be recognized that diverse ethnic groups now consist of large numbers of people who have been born in Britain. Causes for Reduction in Peoples Moral Value and Multi-cultural Understandings of Harmony in UK 1. Materialistic Lifestyles and Lack of Religious Influences Nowdays people are inclined towards economic advancement rather than social advancement on basis of sticking to the moral values. Simplicity has been taken over by extravagent life styles and extra needs. This brings human cirlce of behavior and brings about significant impact on the entire social fabric. There is lack of religious and spiritual influences on people, and they do not tend to believe in virtues and moralities. In the The Twilight of a Great Civilization, with reference to lack of religious influences on nations and consequent emergence of immoralities, Theologian Carl Henry stated that there is no fixed truth, no final good, no ultimate meaning or purpose, and that the living God is a primitive illusionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ it champions mysticism, occult forces and powers, communion with nature and exotic religions. This concept of illusional God is taking up roots in various sections of British society. 2. Fragmented Family Structure A dysfunctional family is detrimental to the development of an individual and usually results in low self-morale. Among the numerous factors for the deterioration of morals among the youth, such as lack of religious education and appreciation and peer pressure, a dysfunctional family were stated as the leading causes. The family is the basic building blocks of society. Abuse whether sexual, physical, emotional, or mental is a very real and crippling problem in families today. Young adults, couples and elderly struggle with anxiety, depression, panic attacks, sex addiction, abuse, incest, sleep disorders, divorce, mid-life illness, death and many more problems. The family has dramatically changed over the last 30 years. This results in the deterioration of morals, values, beliefs, priorities, and life styles. Such disjointed social systems where an individual is so aloof from family would definitely show rejection and lack of trust to other members of the society especially those from alien cultures. Lack of harmony in family structures ultimately lead to lack of harmony in multi-cultural society. 3. Disillusioned Youth Young people are taught in our schools and colleges that ethics, morals, right and wrong depend upon the situation. Some teachers and professors use the concept of Values Clarification to inculcate students that their desires represent valid moral and ethical values. Many of these people have come of age and are among our highest leaders today. Morality is vital in all areas of society. It is the critical education young people obtain that imparts ethical values that endow with lasting benefits. Todays teachings produce mixed results. Name calling and bulling due to racism is prevalent in British schools and educational systems. This causes discomfort to students from other cultures and creates sense of disharmony. 4. Negative Messages by Media Billboards, magazines, TV commercials, music videos all portray messages of sex, violence and extravagant lifestyles. Blood gore horror flicks or action packed ones are all full of images of violence. Even video games have element of adventure by infusing streaks of violence by use of guns, explosives, daggers. These channels of exposure to voilence makes us prone to being emotionally insensitive, and enhance trends of agression, anger and violence in the society. Violent and aggressive trends call up for dis-harmony amongst various segments of multi-cultural society. 5. Racist Behavior Racists do not like foreign people who live in the UK, either as immigrants or as visitors. Racist behavior is more widespread in areas where there are many immigrants or in towns where there are many international students. Racist behavior implies the use of slang expressions. The British Crime Survey reveals that in 2004, 87,000 people from black or minority ethnic communities said they had been a victim of a racially motivated crime. They had suffered 49,000 violent attacks, with 4,000 being wounded. At the same time 92,000 white people said they had also fallen victim of a racially motivated crime. The number of violent attacks against whites reached 77,000, while the number of white people who reported being wounded was five times the number of black and minority ethnic victims at 20,000. Most of the offenders (57%) in the racially motivated crimes identified in the British Crime Survey are not white. White victims said 82% of offenders were not white. 6. Hatered Flared due to Terrorist Attacks According to a report by BBC race-hate crimes increased by almost 600 per cent in London in the month after the July 7 bomb attacks, with 269 more offenses allegedly motivated by religious hatred reported to the Metropolitan Police, compared to the same period last year.  [1]  Muslim community living in Britian becomes subjected to harsh attitudes because they are all believed to be from terrorist groups. Religious leaders of Muslim groups hold the view that government and race bodies for pursuing a policy which, he claims, has alienated Muslims. These views were stated to be absurd by the Commission for Racial Equality. This rift between those representing Muslim community and the Commission for Racial Equality reflect a deep set sense of opposing views. Suggestions to Enhance Understanding and Harmony amongst Various Sections of British Society Media Propagation Media can play a vital role in promoting peace and harmony oriented messages. Role of Educational Systems Children and students should be taught respect and tolerance for other cultural and religious trends prevalent. They must be taught to tolerate and accept rather than to retaliate and reject. Students from different ethnic backgrounds should be encouraged to share knowledge about their cultural heritage, and the teacher can add the element of fun and interactive learning in the whole process, so that the students affiliate positivity with this exercise. At higher educational level, knowledge can be shared on wider platforms through tutorial, or intellectual discussions. Role of Government and Legal Bodies Fair and transparent government mechanisms, policy making, and legal framework. Human rights should be followed rigidly and justice should be available to all regardless of color, race or religion. Role of Peace Organizations Various organizations can come into play to drive peace and harmony campaigns. For example, Peace Boat has been active in the field of education for peace and sustainability through the organization of educational voyages, based o ­n lectures, workshops and study-exchange programmes both o ­nboard the ship and in ports of call. Their Global University and International Student (IS) programmes provide innovative approaches to peace and sustainability-related studies through intensive learning onboard and direct exposure to issues in various countries. Equal Opportunities and Freedom to Express Cultural Values Government should ensure equal opportunities regarding availability of basic necessities, housing, education, health care, employment should be available to all the communities and social stratas of UK. People should not feel awkward to expressing their cultural norms in anyway. Law should be made flexible to allow people to wear hijabs and veils (Muslim women), turbans (Sikhs) etc at work and educational places. Government should ensure that the performance of various religious cultural activities and festivals are not hindered in any way. Changes at Individual Level At the end of the day all these suggestions can add up to be nil if each one of us individually fails to take others as they are. Each one of us must work and evaluate our holistic approach of going about things. No one can compel us to exhibit tolerance or respect towards other communities unless we feel the need to do so within ourselves. The question might be: Why the need to change anyway? The answer: Change for a secure, peaceful and brighter tomorrow! Policy Areas to be covered by Government to Promote a Multi-cultural Society In UK 50 years ago, when for the first time the effect of mass immigration was experienced, the need for policy, political and legal changes was felt. With this the concern of the Government was to integrate and assimilate the incoming groups into host communities. Policy making is very crucial as it can help in formulating policies which helps in determining the representation which various ethnicities receives in television or press. It helps in determining the code of conduct for these communities, the dress code, and content of education, the freedom for observing religious holidays and to celebrate festivals. With the years Multiculturalism has initiated many disputes but the The UK Government has focused less on establishment of multicultural policy and more on issues of inclusion and cohesion. While it was principally ignored under Margaret Thatchers Government the success of New Labor has meant that the term has grow to be a common currency in political debate and in policy making. In 1997 the ODPM was given task for a social exclusion unit which aims to embark on research into a number of different areas. Social inclusion and cohesion are not just used in relation to diverse ethnic groups but are the basis for policy making in a number of other areas such as mental health, early years education and homelessness. Issues of inclusion cover a host of areas and can range from the numbers of ethnic minorities using childcare facilities, to those undertaking further education of some kind to increase their employment prospects. Policy making aimed at reducing inequalities in both the labor and the housing market. In order to be successful anti-racist strategies need to be multi-faceted and aimed at subjective, institutional, and structural racism. Past policies have been deficiently focused because there is no clear consensus in Britain what equal opportunity and multiculturalism mean either in ideological or practical terms. According to a Policy Studies Institute (1982) report found that in the majority of diverse ethnic communities rates of unemployment were twice as elevated among these groups as they were in the governing host group. There is a continuing disparity in terms of wages, exclusionary modes of hiring and higher unemployment rates, certain ethnic groups experience greater success in the labor market than do others. Housing policies also tend to discriminate against asylum seekers/refugees and other diverse ethnic groups. Clearly there are problems in the categorization of diverse ethnic grou ps and in present policy making, which, instead of greater inclusion sometimes tends to further leave out such groups. In the light of above mentioned scenario of policy decisions and proceedings, it is suggested that to sustain and promote a healthy Multi-cultural Society the Government should address the following policy areas: 1. Economic Policy Areas Economic policies should attract intellectual capital, trade, skilled migration, education, tourism, and science/technology. Establish partnerships between government agencies and business, industry, tourism, and education sectors to promote and maximize the economic advantages of cultural diversity and promote the State as a destination to work and live together. Develop supporting strategies for multiculturalism in international relations, tourism, trade and export areas. Develop educational and promotional activities to increase awareness of the economic benefits of multiculturalism. Develop strategies in the public sector to better capture the benefits of a diverse workforce. 2. Policies to Support Communities Policies should be developed for funding and investing in communities to further multiculturalism through research, policy development, advocacy, community awareness, festivals, services, projects and networks. Policies should be formulated in consultation with agencies and stakeholders in the community and across government on multicultural affairs. 3. Policies to Strengthen Multiculturalism in the Public Sector Government agencies should ensure that regardless of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, all communities have equal access to services. 4. Policies to Strengthen Community relations and anti-racism Policies should be designed for strengthening the sense of belonging in their local environment and in the global community. Policies should be taken up to promote positive and cohesive community relations across the whole community through a renewed community relations plan. 5. Policies to Develop Multicultural Education in British Schools Educational systems should be developed keeping in view the requirements and cultural backgrounds of students coming from various backgrounds. Methods of teaching and interaction should promote multi-cultural harmony amongst the students. 6. Policies for Equal Opportunities Policies should be developed to eunsure that people from all communities have equal access to basic necessities, housing, education, health care, and employment Transparency in Government Operations Transparency in government operations will definitely bring in good understanding between different sections of society. In principle, a basic requirement for transparency in the overall structure and functions of government is a clear demarcation of the boundaries between the public and private sectors and, within the former, between different levels of government with respect to the state enterprise sector.  [2]  Transparent government operations would mean sound government policies, administrative frameworks, finances, good governance, and overall fiscal integrity. Transparent government operations would be accountable to all the communities dwelling in the UK. It would clearly distinguish provision of rights, protection by law and facilities by the government to the people. This would cumulate a sense of justice and equality in the society and hence promote greater level of social security and harmony. Role of Public in Promoting Harmony and Understanding Public can play a major role in promoting harmony by abiding by the law and respecting multicultural policies. As discussed earlier each one of use must develop a sense of tolerance and respect for other members of the society. Public can actively participate in other communities cultural activities and not only promote a sense of harmony but also learn about other cultures. At homes parents must teach their children how to respect and deal politely with foreign children at schools. At work place, shopping malls, community centers we must learn to respect and treat all members of the community equally. *********************** REFRENCES: Giddens, A., Sociology, 2001, 4th Edition, Cambridge, Polity Press. Skellington R. and Morris, P., Race in Britain Today, 1992, London, Sage. Braham, P. Rattansi, A. and Skellington, R., Racism and Antiracism, 1982, London, Sage. The Roots of Multiculturalism, Retrieved on 21st March 2010, from : http://www.law-essays-uk.com/free-essays/multi-culturalism-in-social-policy.php Winnail, Douglas S., Moral Decline Ahead, 2002, Volume 4, Issue 4, Retrieved on 19th March 2010 from : http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/cgi-bin/tw/tw-mag.cgi?category=Magazine19item=1104106519 Daniel, Finaz and Begawan, Bandar SeriConcern over decline in moral values, February 21, 2008, The Brunei Times, Retrieved on 20th March 2010, from : http://www.bt.com.bn/en/home_news/2008/02/21/concern_over_decline_in_moral_values Racism, UK Student Life 2002-2009, Retrieved 19th March 2010 from : http://www.ukstudentlife.com/Personal/Safety.htm#Racism Racism in the United Kingdom , Retrieved 19th March 2010 from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_the_United_Kingdom#cite_note-3#cite_note-3 Freeman, Simon, Britain urged to wake up to race crisis, The Times, September 22, 2005, Retrieved on 20th March 2010, from: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article569491.ece Muslims alienated by UK policy, October, 2001, Retrieved on 20th March 2010 from : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1630513.stm Tatsuya, Yoshioka and Mari, Kushibuchi, Education for Peace Sustainability, Peace Boat, Retrieved on 19th March 2010 from: http://www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_ckey=240 Braham, P. Rattansi, A. and Skellington, Racism and Antiracism, 1992, London, Sage. Solomos, J and Back, L., Racism and Society, 1996, London, Macmillan Press. Modood, T. and Berthood R., Ethnic Minorities in Britain Diversities and Disadvantage, 1997, London, PSI. Multicultural Queensland making a world of difference, 2004, Queensland Government Multicultural Policy, Retrieved on 21st March 2010 from http://www.multicultural.qld.gov.au/media/maq_making_world_difference_policy.pdf Transparency in government operations, Retrieved on 20th March 2010, from: http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=LyCV9MlnLPYpsTFdkCRBW0jF039GFrJhRMnS6WNP54VSvCvQ9M1G!144947719!-2000885492?docId=5001407337

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â€Å"â€Å"Ilmu pengetahuan tanpa nilai-nilai yang mulia belum tentu dapat melahirkan masyarakat yang baik dan berjaya. Nilai-nilai yang mulia tanpa ilmu pengetahuan juga tidak akan melahirkan masyarakat yang berjaya†. Begitulah ungkapan kata-kata bestari oleh mantan Perdana Menteri kita, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, Bapa Pemodenan Negara yang merupakan salah satu daripada pencetus kegemilangan dunia pendidikan negara. Selamat pagi dan Salam 1 Malaysia saya ucapkan kepada: Pengerusi Majlis, Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk Johan Ashaari bin Murti, Menteri Pendidikan merangkap Timbalan Perdana Menteri. Yang Berhormat Datuk Romario Ansam anak Rungah, Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan. Yang Amat Berhormat Pehin Sri Maher Zain, Ketua Menteri. Yang Berhormat Freddy Jabu anak Jugah, Timbalan Ketua Menteri. Yang Berhormat Datuk Halimah, Menteri Tugas-tugas Khas Dalam Negeri berkaitan Pendidikan. Yang Berhormat Datuk-datuk dan Datin-datin. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Ariffin Faiq, Ketua Pengarah Pendidikan. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Sabri bin Rahmat, Rektor IPGM. Yang Dihormati Encik Hafiz Azman, Pengarah Pendidikan Negeri. Yang Berusaha Puan Saftuyah binti Safri, Pengarah Institut Pendidikan Guru Tunku Abdul Rahman. Pengarah-pengarah IPGK dan Wakil-wakil Pengarah IPGK. Yang Berusaha Encik Amir bin Jamal, Timbalan Pengarah Institut Pendidikan Guru Tunku Abdul Rahman. Ketua-ketua Jabatan Persekutuan dan Negeri. Ketua-ketua Jabatan dan Ketua-ketua Unit Institut Pendidikan Guru Tunku Abdul Rahman. Pensyarah-pensyarah Kanan. Para Pensyarah. Staf-staf Sokongan. Para Graduan. Para Ibu Bapa. Tuan-tuan dan Puan-puan dekat di hati. Tegak rumah kerana tiangnya, tegak bumi kerana paksinya, tegaknya saya di sini adalah untuk menyampaikan sebuah pidato yang bertajuk â€Å"Kecemerla... ...rutera, peguam dan sebagainya wujud di dunia ini. Setuju atau tidak puan-puan? Dan untuk memacu pertumbuhan pembangunan di negara ini, aspek pendidikan hendaklah ditikberatkan sebab pendidikan jugalah yang berperanan dalam mengangkat nilai budaya, tamadun dan peradaban bangsa ke suatu peringkat yang lebih tinggi dan global. Oleh itu, kelengkapan dan prasarana pendidikan perlulah disediakan untuk mencapai hasrat murni kerajaan yang menggunung tinggi. Seperti apa yang telah diperkatakan oleh ahli falsafah Yunani iaitu Plato, beliau menyatakan pendidikan ialah asas pembangunan dan untuk mempertahankan keharmonian sesuatu bangsa seseorang itu sendiri. Hadirin yang dihormati, pada hemat saya, falsafah yang telah dinyatakan oleh Plato tersebut tidak jauh dengan falsafah pendidikan yang telah digariskan oleh Kementerian Pelajaran dan Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia.

The Joy Luck Club :: essays research papers

-The Sisters of Misunderstanding-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Parents always want what is best for their children, regardless of culture or ethnicity. In The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, and in â€Å"Life With Father† by Itabari Njeri, the parents express their parental methods upon their daughters. Children will all react differently to their parent’s methods, as do Waverly, June, and Itabari, but they still share a common resentment for their parents. It is shown in the two stories how parental methods expressed to children can be misinterpreted, thus influencing the child’s behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  June’s mother wants her to become a successful piano player. The problem with this is that June possesses no talent or determination to do so, so she doesn’t practice. Her mother cleans an old deaf piano teacher’s apartment in exchange for June to be taught piano, but the teacher can’t correct June when she makes a mistake, because he cant hear. June’s mother encouraged her to practice and would always brag about how good she was to everyone. June’s mother enjoyed having pride in her daughter, as she thought her daughter was a representation of how successful she was herself. June did not appreciate this at all. After making a fool of herself at the talent show she vowed to never play piano again. Her mother’s wishes for her success were mistaken for her mother’s selfishness. June thought her mother was only pushing her to find something in her daughter that was not in herself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Waverly was the same as June, in that her mother also wanted her to become great at something. Waverly’s mother saw her being a child prodigy of chess. Once she saw that Waverly was good at it, she encouraged her to play. Waverly enjoyed chess and took it upon herself to get good at chess. June could possibly have been successful with the piano, but she would not embrace her mother’s hopes to that degree. It seemed that Waverly had an ability inherited from her mother to conceal feelings and strategies, much like what is needed to win a chess match. Waverly got along better with her mother than June did, but June’s mother pushed her in a direction she didn’t want to go in, rather than taking credit for success. Both actions were misconceived however.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Waverly has the ability to humiliate June, as she did at the New Year’s dinner. Those with self-confidence such as Waverly easily insult June.