Pride and Honor in the Time of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Coursework

Pride and Honor in the Time of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet - Coursework Example The sudden, fatal violence in the first scene of Act 3 and the accumulation of violence in the fight between Romeo and Tybalt reminds us that everything is focused on love, conflict, pride, and honor. Romeo and Juliet always occur in a male world in which notions of honor, pride, and the state are likely to erupt in a fury of conflict. Rage and danger in the social environment of the community are tools that Shakespeare uses to emphasize conflict and drama, making the lives of the characters seem even more precious and fragile. For example, compared to the relationship between Romeo and Juliet, the relationship between Romeo and Tybalt represents the brutal world in which their love is doomed. Clashes between Mercutio and Tybalt, as well as Romeo and Tybalt, are chaotic; Tybalt kills Mercutio under Romeo’s arm, flees, and then suddenly and inexplicably returns to fight Romeo, who kills for revenge. The pride and honor of violence are imposed at all times because, in this socie ty, violence is something that is equated with masculine honor. Romeo and Tybalt work to show how pride and honor work as a foil to love and tenderness in Verona society, represented by Romeo and Juliet. This is seen in Verona as a when the unwelcome reality of the society in which they must live rushes in to counteract their positive feelings of the union.  

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census Essay Example for Free

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census Essay The media is an industry where the competition is intense and it has been used by the government individuals, organizations, institutions, society, and family etc. for various purposes. However, due to the increasing competition in the industry, many at times the functions and duties which the media owes to the society are significantly overlooked. There are various functions of the media some will be discussed later on in this paper. The aim of the media has to a fearfully large extent shifted from fulfilling its roles to the society, rather their focus is often on how much entertainment they can offer to their audience and how much money they can make and how quickly they can make it. Entertainment and money making is definitely key in the existence, survival and growth of this industry, nevertheless, this should not be achieved by inappropriately portraying a group’s identity in any form. DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS Construction – To make or create, by putting together ideas, components or arguments. Group Identity – This refers to a person’s sense of belonging to a group. Media- Are communication channels through which news, entertainment, education, data or promotional messages are disseminated. Media includes every broadcasting and narrow casting medium such as newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboards, direct mail, telephone, fax and internet (business dictionary, 2015). THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY BY TAJFEL TURNER (1979) This theory was propounded in order to understand the psychological reasons and basis for inter- group discrimination. The components of this theory goes thus: Categorization- This is the process of putting ourselves and others into categories, our self-image is associated with the categories we belong to. Identification – This is the process by which we associate ourselves with certain groups of people. Nevertheless there are some groups we don’t want to be identified with (out groups) and there are some we would want to be identified with (in groups). Comparison- This is the process through which we compare our groups with other groups, thereby creating a positive bias towards the groups in which we are members of. This aspect of this work will focus on two salient functions of the media amidst the various ones there are. Social heritage function- The onus lies on the media to transmit positive racial and ethnic values about every existing race and ethnic group. The act of highlighting and spotlighting the various negativities of races and ethnic groups should be avoided. Surveillance function- This is the duty the media owes to the society in circulating news and information when necessary, the media is responsible for providing information about events. THE CONSTRUCTION OF GROUP IDENTITY BY HOLLYWOOD (A STUDY OF THE LATINO RACE) There are five acclaimed races in the world: 1) Mongoloid (Asian and American Indian) 2) Caucasoid (European) 3) Australoid (Australian and oceanic) 4) Negroid (East African black). 5) Capoid (South African black) The Latinos could be said to belong to the Mongoloid race and most of the 315 million people who live in the United States of America are either immigrants or have ancestry to another country. In actual fact, the only truly American people are the Native ones. This country is based on the idea of migration in pursuit of a better social and economic life. According to U. S. Census Bureau (2012), there are roughly 52 million Hispanics/Latinos living in the United States, representing approximately 16. 7% of the total population of United States of America, and making them the nation’s largest ethnic minority. Among Hispanic subgroups, Mexicans rated as the largest at 63%, followed by Puerto Ricans (9. 2%), Cubans (3. 5%), Salvadorans (3. 3%), Dominicans (2. 8%), and the remaining 18. 2% were Colombians, Guatemalans, Portuguese, Honduras, Ecuadorians, Peruvians, Brazilian. The main reason for their migration has been either that they are politically endangered or have financial problems. For instance the Cubans who ended up in America wanted to escape from the political conditions in their country. Escaping from the communist government practiced in Cuba, they were considered as ‘political refugees’ in America for three and a half decades until 1995. As a result of America’s opposition to the Cuban government, they were treated in America better than almost any other ethnic group. This has also been partly because of their high level of education and professionalism before migration (Martins, 2006 as seen in Mousavi Sadeghi, 2013). Latinos, Mexicans in particular, mostly live in the Southwest; almost half in California and Texas. Puerto Ricans are mostly in the East and Cubans are in Florida. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, legal Hispanic household income is only 75 percent of White American income. There is also a high rate of poverty and unemployment among them, and their socio economic status is at a low level. The cause for this situation is partially their jobs being the lowest paid ones, their low education level, and employment discrimination (Camarillo and Bonilla, 2001). They are present in the news, advertisements, election campaigns, political debates, television and films. The common major feature that is present in all of these portrayals is the problems related to them that should be solved and not to be glorified, exaggerated or exploited by Hollywood. Before now African Americans were more likely to be portrayed as domestic workers in Hollywood. African Americans played major roles in television sitcoms such as â€Å"Beulah† in the 1950’s and â€Å"Gone with the wind† in 1939. In recent times Latinos have increasingly replaced African Americans as Hollywood domestics. Hollywood has presented an incorrect reality of the Latino people to the American people and to the world at large, it has exaggerated a poor image of this particular race. Although the Latinos who live in America get more roles to play in Hollywood, most of these roles are mentioned in the next paragraph. The Latino female is often presented as a temptress, vamp, lustful, promiscuous, unfaithful, manipulative, of loose morals or submissive at times in relation to a white male fantasy, low class, serving the whites. A list of Ten Latino Female artists who have played the role of a maid in Hollywood Movies/series. Jennifer Lopez – Maid in Manhattan, 2002 Aida Linares- Clueless, 1995 Lupe Ontiveros- As good as it gets, 1997 (She has played an estimate of 150 maid roles on television). Consuela-Family Guy, 2005-till present Nadine Valesquez-My name is Earl, 2005-2009 Paz Vega- Spanglish, 2004 Kate Del Castillo- La misma Luna, 2007 Adriana Barraza- Babel, 2006 Catalina Saavedra, The maid, 2009 Roselyn Sanchez, Devious Maids, 2013- till present Pania Ramirez – Devious Maids, 2013 till present THE MEDIA, DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE INITIATIVE (MDSCI)’S SIX YEAR STUDY REVEALS SOME STATISTICS. Among the racial and ethnic groups studied in the Media, Diversity, and Social Change Initiative’s report, released August 2014, Latinos made up only 4. 9% of movie characters across 100 of 2013’s top-grossing films. According to the U. S. Census Bureau’s estimates, there are roughly 52 million Latinos in the U. S. as of July 1, 2011, or just over 16% of the current U. S. population. That number is on track to reach 132. 8 million — or about 30% of the U. S. population — by July 1, 2050. LATINOS THAT ARE DEPICTED IN TOP-GROSSING MOVIES ARE MOSTLY NAKED. While the study does note that â€Å"Hispanic females (37. 3%) were more likely to be featured in popular films than were white females (29. 6%) or Asian females (32%),† Latinas are also more likely than females among any of the other groups studied (37. 5%, to be precise) to be shown partially dressed or nude on the big screen. LATINOS ARE ALSO HIGHLY LIKELY TO BE SEXUALIZED. The sexualization of Latinos does not stop with women. Latino men were the most likely among the studied groups (16. 5%) to be depicted wearing â€Å"tight, alluring or revealing clothing. † DANGERS OF THE NEGATIVE PORTRAYAL OF RACE ETHNICITY BY THE MEDIA ?Since there is a tendency to believe what is represented or depicted by the media; as particular races or ethnic groups are often negatively portrayed, others who are not acquainted with such group of people are bound to believe they are actually the way the media has presented them. ? Another danger of negative portrayals of race/ethnic groups by the media is that the younger ones from such groups may not be able to see themselves better than the way the media has portrayed them. For example if a race is continually depicted as a maid or as vulgar murderer the younger generation of such groups may not see anything wrong with being that way and could actually end up as same. ? This particular race have existing challenges of employment, poor education; the continuous depictions as such does not help solve these problems, but only worsens them. ?It could be difficult for people who are negatively portrayed to keep relationships with or amongst other races who are depicted as superior to them. THE NOLLYWOOD CONSTRUCT OF ETHNICITY (A STUDY OF THE YORUBA, AND NORTHERN NIGERIANS) The founding fathers of Yoruba films in Nigeria i. e. Herbert Ogunde, Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala) Based their works on the constructive values of the Yoruba ethnic group without leaving their audience entertained. In recent times Nollywood has neglected the transfer of social heritage function in the production of Yoruba films. More often than necessary abusive statements, raining of curses and the invention of such and rascality has been synonymous with Yoruba films. The very rich Yoruba culture which the world could learn from is often being tarnished by our film industry. However there are various Yoruba producers who focus on spreading the positivity of the Yoruba culture i. e. Tunde Kelani, Tade Ogidan, Yinka Afolayan. Men from the Northern part of Nigeria are also often times portrayed as either a gateman or the security man of a well-established family. The character who could actually be Yoruba speaks like a man from the north to convince the audience that the gateman is a man from the Northern part of the Country. Little does Nollywood know that many of the gatemen in Lagos which I can speak for are not even Nigerians. I have observed that most of the gatemen/security men in reality are actually from Niger Republic many of them look like Nigerian Northerners, are able to speak Hausa language but they are not Nigerians. RECOMMENDATIONS ?Every race has some sort of value and norms that could be positive, the media should hereby seek out such and spread them. ? The media needs to respect the fact that every human person has dignity and should be portrayed as such. ?They never should never assume that a particular race or ethnicity is less than the other, regardless of the socio economic status of such groups. ?The media should seek to solve the challenges faced by some races and ethnic groups rather than exploit them. ?The media should be reminded that they are socially responsible to the society, thus they should be mindful of what they feed the society with.

A Critical Response to Hawthorne’s Puritans Essay -- Literacy Analysi

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) is critically acclaimed for the portrayal of New England Puritans in his fiction. The grim picture of the rigid and forbidding Puritan community in his works reflects the widespread attitude towards Puritans, yet Professor Deborah L. Madsen, in her paper, â€Å"Hawthorne’s Puritans: From Fact to Fiction† claims that this monolithic portrayal of Puritanism results in a ‘powerful misrepresentation of the actual puritans [and] of the dynamics of Puritan theology’ (Madsen 1999, p 510) . The present response is a critical review of Madsen’s paper. The title of the paper is appropriate. While ‘Hawthorne’s Puritans’ implies a difference between actual Puritans and those conceptualized by Hawthorne, ‘From Fact to Fiction’ extends this idea by suggesting the disparity between history/fact and Hawthorne’s fiction. Madsen’s study argues that Hawthorne attempts to defend his puritan ancestors by creating a monolithic Puritanism, in which the conduct of all authoritarian puritans resembles that of his own ancestors such as John and William Hathorne. The ultimate goal of Hawthorne, according to Madsen, is to excuse ‘the sins of his fathers by showing that they were incapable of acting otherwise’ (Madsen, 1999, p. 510). What Madsen means by ‘a monolithic Puritanism’ is one that here allows ‘only one interpretation of itself and its significance’ (Madsen, 1999, p.516). In other words, it is an essentialist and stereotypical representation that does not take into account the complexities and the changeability of puritan behavior in an attempt to portray its underlying and unchanging essence. The outcome is a fixed and commonly-held image of puritans as a ‘grim and gloomy race, impatient with human weakness and m... ...h they are written and the social sphere in which he moved, his background, and various other influences on him. In conclusion, she brings out how Hawthorne’s fiction creates a biased and monolithic portrayal of the puritans ignoring the complexity of their theology and culture. Ideally, Madsen should have shed some light upon this complexity which could have substantiated her claim that Hawthorne denies the existence of any sophistication in puritan culture and theology. Works Cited Hawthorne, N., 1850. The Scarlet Letter available at: http://www.forgottenbooks.org Montrose, L. A., 1989. "Professing the Renaissance: The Poetics and Politics of Culture," in Veeser, A., 1989. The New Historicism, New York, London: Routledge. pp. 15-36. Madsen, D.L., 1999. Hawthorne’s Puritans: From Fact to Fiction. Journal of American Studies, 33 (1999), 3, 509-517

Corporate Social Responsibility in Banks

Corporate Social Responsibility in Banks S. Kavitha[1] Abstract Corporate social responsibility stands for business contribution to sustainable development and covers company’s active participation in different fields, human rights, human resources, relations with clients, suppliers, and other stake holders, corporate governance, environment and contribution to community and society. The social responsible attitude is integral part of the identity of financial institutions like banks, and it is one of their distinctive features. The Reserve Bank of India has asked the banks to pay special attention towards integration of social and environmental concerns in their business operations. Many of the newly formed private and foreign banks are aware of the importance of such a step and therefore are having an active CSR department in their banks. This paper is an attempt to explain the concept of corporate social responsibility and the different CSR practices followed by banks in India. Key Words: CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility, Friedman’s View, Carroll’s View, Discretionary Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility in Banks S. Kavitha[2] Introduction Corporate social responsibility stands for business contribution to sustainable development and covers company’s active participation in different fields, human rights, human resources, relations with clients, suppliers, and other stake holders, corporate governance, environment and contribution to community and society. The concept of social responsibility proposes that a private corporation has responsibilities to society that extend beyond making profit. Social responsibility is the way of life for most business organizations. It enables all such activities ranging from providing safe products and service to giving a portion of company’s profit to welfare organization. The social responsible attitude is integral part of the identity of financial institutions like banks, and it is one of their distinctive features. The Reserve Bank of India has asked the banks to pay special attention towards integration of social and environmental concerns in their business operations. Many of the newly formed private and foreign banks are aware of the importance of such a step and therefore are having an active CSR department in their banks. Concept of Social Responsibility: Corporate social responsibility is the sense of obligation on the part of companies to build social criteria in to their strategic decision-making. The concept implies that when companies evaluate decision from an critical perspective there should be presumption in favor of adopting course of action that enhance the welfare of society at large. The goals selected might be quite specific. To enhance the welfare of communities in which company is based. – To improve the environment – To empower employees to give them a sense of self worth. Different views on social responsibility Friedman’s Traditional View of Business Responsibility Urging a return to a laissez-faire worldwide economy with a minimum of government regulations, Friedman argues against the concept of social re sponsibility. Adam Smith and Milton Friedman, economists, according to them the only responsibility of business is to perform its economic functions efficiently and provide goods and services for society and earn maximum profits. By doing so business performs its economic functions and leaves the social functions to other institutions of society, such as the government. A businessperson who acts responsibly by cutting the price of the firm’s product to prevent inflation or by making expenditures to reduce pollution, or by hiring the hard-core unemployed, according to Friedman, is spending the shareholder’s money for general interest. Even if businessperson has shareholder permission or encouragement to do so, he or she is still acting from motives other than economic, in the long run; it may harm the society the firm is trying to help. Friedman referred o the social responsibility of business as ‘fundamentally subversive doctrine’ and stated that â€Å"There is one and only one social responsibility of business, to use its resources engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception of fraud. But this view is severely criticized on several grounds. On the other extreme, there is opposite view, which favors the position that it is imperative for businesses to be socially responsible. This is based on the argument that business organizations are a part of society and have to serve primarily societal interests rather than narrow economic objectives such as profit maximization. In doing so they have to deal with social concerns and issues and have to allocate resources for solving social problems. Carroll’s four responsibilities of business. Archie Carroll proposes that the managers of business organizations have four responsibilities Economic Responsibilities Economic responsibilities of a business organization’s management are to produce goods and services of value to society so that the firm can repay for its creditors and shareholders. Legal Responsibilities Legal responsibilities are defined by governments in laws that management is expected to obey. For eg, U. S. business firms are required to hire and promote people based on their credentials rather then to discriminate based on non-job-related characteristics such as race, gender or religion. Ethical Responsibilities Ethical responsibilities of an organization’s management are to ollow the generally held beliefs about behavior in a society. E. g. , Society generally expects firms to work with the employees and the community is planning for layoffs, even though no law may require this. The affected people can get very upset if an organization’s management fails to act according to generally prevailing ethical values. Discretionary Responsibilities Discretionary responsibilities are the purely voluntary obligations a corporation assumes. Examples are philanthropic contributions, training the hard-core unemployed, and providing day care centers. The difference between ethical and discretionary responsibilities is that few people expect an organization to fulfill discretionary responsibilities, whereas many expect an organization to fulfill ethical ones. Carroll lists these four responsibilities in order of priority. Social responsibility includes both ethical and discretionary but not economic and legal responsibilities. A firm can fulfill its ethical responsibilities by taking actions that society tends to value but has not yet put into law. When ethical responsibilities are satisfied, a firm can focus on discretionary responsibilities. The discretionary responsibilities of today can become the ethical responsibilities of tomorrow. E. g. , Provision of day care facilities, is moving rapidly from being discretionary to ethical responsibility. Benefits received from being socially responsible 1. Being known as a socially responsible firm may provide a company a competitive advantage. Programs to reduce pollution can actually reduce waste and maximize resource productivity. 2. Their environment concerns may enable them to charge premium prices and gain brand loyalty. (Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc. ) 3. Their trustworthiness may help them generate enduring relationships with suppliers and distributors without needing to spend a lot of time and money policing contracts. (Maytag) 4. They can attract outstanding employees who prefer working for a responsible firm (Procter & Gamble) 5. They are more likely to be welcomed into foreign country (Levi Strauss) 6. They can utilize the goodwill of public officials for support in difficult times (e. . Minnesota supported Dayton-Hudson’s fight to avoid being acquired by Dart Industries of Maryland) 7. They are more likely to attract capital infusions from investors who view reputable companies as desirable long-term investments (Rubbermaid). CSR in India India has been named among the top ten Asian countries who are paying an increasing importance towards corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure nor ms, a survey says. According to social enterprise CSR Asia’s Asian Sustainability Ranking (ASR), India was ranked fourth in the list, which was topped by Australia. The other countries in the list include China (second), Hong Kong (Third), Japan (fifth), Malaysia (sixth), Pakistan (seventh), Philippines (eighth), Singapore (ninth) and Thailand (tenth). The 2009 ASR list was dominated by Australian companies, with eight out of the top ten companies analysed coming from there, followed by India, the survey said. However, the report further said although there are increasing levels of disclosure in the Asian region, it still is generally poor compared with Europe and North America. In India we find surprisingly high levels of disclosure, particularly from large companies with recognised brands such as Tata and Infosys. Leading oil companies (such as ONGC and the Indian Oil Corporation) also have reasonable levels of disclosure,† the report said. CSR initiatives in banks The benefits of CSR for companies include increased profit, customer loyalty, trust, positive brand attitude and combating negative publicity. CSR strategies have been embrace d by the international banking community. 0 Major international private banks have signed the Equator Principles agreement which supports socially responsible development. (Eg of such banks are Citigroup, JPMorgan, Bank of America, ABN Amro, Barclays, HSBC and ING). Research suggests that dissatisfaction is the major reason why customers switch banks this arises mainly because of rising fee. Normally to get more favorable price, customers try to switch banks. Most of the customers have accounts in more than one bank so they find it very easy to compare the services and accordingly they do their transactions. So, customer turnover has become an important issue for the banks. The customer loss may have an adverse effect on bank market share and profit. So if the banks concentrate more on CSR and spent more for this that will create a good image for the banks which in turn will bring many new customers to the banks and also the customer loss can be reduced. RBI guidelines on CSR The Reserve Bank of India is now rooting for environment conservation and fair social practices. The central bank has asked banks to put in place a suitable and appropriate plan of action towards helping the cause of ‘sustainable development’, with the approval of their boards. Spurred on by the worldwide momentum in sustainable development and the initiative being taken on various fronts by different organisations, including all major banks globally, Indian banks have been encouraged to actively look at corporate social responsibility, sustainable development and non-financial reporting. Among banks in India, ABN Amro Bank was the first to put out a ‘sustainability report’ recently. It includes key indicators on the bank and its subsidiaries’ environmental (like paper, water and electricity usage) and social governance performance. Other companies, which issue sustainability reports, include ITC, Tata Tea, Dr Reddy’s and Reliance. Sustainable development essentially refers to the process of maintenance of the quality of environmental and social systems in the pursuit of economic development. Non-financial reporting is basically a system of reporting by organisations on their activities, which includes environmental, social and economic accounting. Best CSR practices in Banks – Some Examples SBI – State Bank of India Apart from the normal banking operations, the Bank, as a responsible and responsive corporate citizen, seeks to reinvest part of its profit in various community welfare projects to improve the quality of life of the poor, neglected, weaker and downtrodden sections of society. In the financial year 2007-08, the Bank made donations aggregating Rs. . 11 crore to various Relief Funds and also to NGOs / Trusts / Societies for their projects with social orientation. In recognition of its contribution to Rural Community Development, the Bank was awarded the prestigious Reader’s Digest Pegasus Corporate Social Responsibilities Award 2007. Infact, it was the only Bank to have received this recognition. Under a new scheme named ‘Adoption of t he Girl Child’ over 8,300 poor girl children have been adopted by various branches throughout the country to meet their personal and educational expenses. This is not merely a financial assistance scheme but offers emotional and psychological support to the ‘adopted girls’ due to the active involvement and care of the SBI Ladies Clubs. From the Research and Development Fund, the Bank has so far extended Rs. 6. 61 crore as research grants to 71 chairs / research projects at various Universities and Academic institutions. For the current year SBI has extended 100000 Sterling Pounds to London School of Economics for establishing an India Observatory and I. G. Patel Chair at their Asia Research Centre in participation with RBI. ICICI Foundation An example for CSR practices by banks is the ICICI foundation. ICICI Bank runs a very active and well known foundation in India but there is no clearly visible link of the ICICI Foundation on the website. ICICI is also very active in its support of government programs to improve the livelihoods of people. ICICI Bank has joined hands with NGOs to reach out to children in ten states helping them have better access to education Standard Chartered Bank The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a global challenge faced by Standard Chartered as a business. In different developing countries HIV has a significant impact and they respond to this programme through Living with HIV programme, , a global policy aimed at protecting basic human rights, promoting the health of their employees and keeping the business costs associated with HIV/AIDS to a minimum. The programme is well established and focuses on the following areas: †¢Raising awareness with their employees through training Educating local people about the prevention and treatment of HIV †¢Strengthening their position as thought leaders in HIV/AIDS †¢Sharing their knowledge with other organisations Standard Chartered, which happens to be one of the country’s largest international banks, is involved in real partnerships with local community organisations, involving active participation of its employees in their community projects. It is the human face of banks. Or what is call ed corporate social responsibility, the new term devised for the social service that companies do with some of their profits. The global community programme of the bank is called ‘Believing in Life’. Part of this is the internal initiative ‘Living with HIV’. An extension of the programme in Africa, it seeks to create awareness about this deadly disease and thus help prevention by educating all its staff across the different countries from where the bank operates. Banks like HDFC, SBI, ICICI, HDFC, Standard Chartered Bank are now active in a host of areas including primary education, women empowerment, rehabilitation of poor, and aged environmental issues Future of CSR The Corporate Social Responsibility has increased in importance around the world. The world becomes a global village in the information technology era. Sharing and accessing of information become very easy. All big companies are expanding their business opportunities all over the world. Simultaneously the CSR activities also expanding speedily where company initiatives started. Now these days every company feels CSR is unavoidable and responsible thing. Moreover companies allocating separate budget and deploying professionals for CSR initiatives. It shows that it is emerging as a powerful thing in social development sector. The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is high on every corporate agenda. Social commitment is an essential part of every company. Corporate social responsibility involves the aspiration to make a positive contribution to the progress of the company and society. If a company initiates CSR wing the company concerned need to work hard consequently on a formal, coherent and transparent policy in this field. Then only the CSR will become a potential area for development of the society. Conclusion The rapid information technology innovations are changing the face of Corporate Social Responsibility. The concept of CSR is still debatable in democratic countries. There is a major criticism in all over the world is corporate companies are utilizing this concept to build their business expansion. Through this concept corporate companies are liaison and lobbying with higher bureaucracy in the government to get permissions/licenses to their companies easily. Many companies are getting tax exemptions by carrying out these social development activities. The increased awareness of CSR has also come about as a result of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, in which a major goal is the increased contribution of assistance from large organizations, especially Multi-National Corporations, to help alleviate poverty and hunger, and for businesses to be more aware of their impact on society. There is a lot of potential for CSR to help with development in poor countries, especially community-based initiatives. CSR can be very much useful for the financial institutions like banks to get good reputation in the society. Banks should do the CSR activities to the fullest benefit to the society and not just for the sake of doing it. References Sen, S. , Bhattacharya, C. B. , Korshun, D. (2006), â€Å"The role of corporate social responsibility in strengthening multiple stakeholder relationships: a field experiment†, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 34 pp. 158-66. Bhattacharya, C. B. , Sankar Sen and Daniel Korschun (2008), â€Å"Using Corporate Social Responsibility to Win the War for Talent,† MIT Sloan Management Review, 49 (2), 37-44; â€Å"The Good Company†, The Economist (2005-01-20). Retrieved on 2008-25-07 Financial Express, Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 1541 hrs IST http://www. karmayog. org/csr501to1000/csr501to1000_21878. htm http://www. csbanking. com. au/ http://economictmes. indiatimes. com/News http://www. deccanherald. com/deccanherald/july202004/spt9. asp; http://www. financialexpress. com/fe_full_story. php ———————– [1] S. Kavitha, MBA,MCA. ,MPhil. ,NET. , Asst. Prof, MBA, Vivekanandha Institute of Information & Management Studies, Tiruchengode, Namakkal Dt. , – 637 205, Research Scholar, Anna University, Coimbatore Phone:99421-60277, email: [email  protected] om [2] S. Kavitha, MBA,MCA. ,MPhil. ,NET. , Asst. Prof, MBA, Vivekanandha Institute of Information & Management Studies, Tiruchengode, Namakkal Dt. , – 637 205, Research Scholar, Anna University, Coimbatore Phone:99421-60277, email: [email  protected] com ———————– Economi c Legal Ethical Discretionary (Must do) (Have to do) (Should do) (Might do) Social responsibilities

Prefrontal Cortex Vs Criminal Behavior

This very broad overview of prefrontal cortex function allows us to appreciate circumstances in which prefrontal cortex function is compromised in a human. Humans comprise a special case when considering this brain region. Despite evidence that the prefrontal cortex in rodents and non-human primates regulates cognition and behavior in ways quite similar to that of the human, we are the most ‘frontal’ of species, insofar as the frontal cortex is its largest, in both absolute and relative terms, in the human.The first realm to consider where prefrontal cortex function is compromised in humans is, quite reasonably, during development. Children show only minimal frontal function, from the standpoints of cognition (for example, in reversal tasks), emotional regulation, control of impulsive behavior and moral reasoning. One of the myths of child development is that the brain is fully developed at some remarkably early age. Instead, brain development is far more prolonged and, not surprisingly, the prefrontal cortex is the last region of the brain to fully myelinate. Remarkably, this process extends well beyond adolescence into early adulthood. Various transient states can compromise prefrontal cortex function.Alcohol is long recognized for its capacity to impair reasoning and impulse control, and surprisingly small quantities of alcohol impair the capacity of the prefrontal cortex to detect errors of commission or omission, as assessed electro-physiologically.Another example concerns stress. Most individuals have experienced severe and/orprolonged stress as disrupting attention, judgment and other purviews of the prefrontal cortex, and this has been shown more formally in both humans and animals;In making sense of this, it should be appreciated that the prefrontal cortex contains some of the highest levels of receptors in the primate brain for stress hormones. Moreover, stress or stress hormones will dramatically alter the turnover of several classes of neurotransmitters in the prefrontal cortex.Prefrontal cortex function is also compromised in another circumstance experienced by all individuals. With the onset of sleep and the transition to deep, slow wave sleep, there is a characteristic decrease in activity throughout the brain, particularly in the cortex. However, with the transition to paradoxical rapid eye movement sleep, there is increased activity in a variety of brain regions, including associational cortex and limbic systems; strikingly, metabolic rate can even be higher than during wake periods.Amid this shift, there is a virtually complete cessation of activity in the prefrontal cortex, producing a relatively metabolically active brain that is unconstrained by the regulatory effects of the prefrontal cortex. It has been speculated that this, in effect, accounts for why dreams are ‘dream-like’: characterized by emotional liability, non-sequential thinking and extreme disinhibition.Amid that, general intellig ence and executive function can remain intact. By contrast, when damage occurs at earlier ages, executive function is impaired and the impulsivity  takes on a more global and malign nature that has been termed ‘acquired sociopathy’, where antisocial behaviors can be markedly premeditated. The issue of brain development becomes relevant when considering individuals with sociopathic and antisocial behavior in which there is no obvious history of prefrontal cortex damage.Moreover, when sociopaths must engage the prefrontal cortex, they activate more of the prefrontal cortex than control individuals to achieve the same level of efficacy. In other words, even when these individuals actively attempt to do the ‘harder thing’, their prefrontal cortexes are less effective. Importantly, among such sociopathic individuals, the smaller the volume of the prefrontal cortex, the greater the tendency towards aggressive and antisocial behavior.The Prefrontal Cortex and th e Criminal Justice System:We have come to recognize numerous realms in which a biological abnormality gives rise to aberrant behavior, and such recognition has often then given rise to an expectation that people now exert higher-order control over that abnormality. For example, as noted, we would never consider an epileptic violent who strikes someone in the process of a seizure: ‘it is not him; it is his disease’. However, we expect that pileptic to not drive a car if their seizures are uncontrolled. Or we are coming to understand the euro chemistry of context-dependence relapse into drug dependency in organisms. Thus, we have come to expect ex-addicts to avoid the settings in which they previously abused drugs.There is a false dichotomy in this manner of thinking. It is as if we artificially demarcate an area in which biology dominates: yes, there is something organic that gives rise tothis person having uncontrolled and synchronous neuronal discharges, or who has cer tain pathways potentiated that project onto dopamine-releasing ‘pleasure’ pathways. But it is as if, with that area of organic impairment identified and given credence, we expect it to be bounded, and for the rest of our ‘us-ness’, replete with free will, to now shoulder the responsibility of keeping that organic impairment within the confines of its boundaries. It cannot possibly work this way.What the literature about the prefrontal cortex shows is that there is a reductive, materialistic neurobiology to the containment, resulting in the potential for volitional control to be impaired just as unambiguously as any other aspect of brain function. It is possible to know the difference between right and wrong but for reasons of organic impairment, to not be able to do the right thing. The most obvious implication of this concerns how individuals with demonstrable prefrontal cortex damage are treated in the criminal justice system. As the simplest conclusion, everything about this realm of contemporary neurobiology argues against the retrenchment back towards a sole reliance on M’Naghten that has gone on in recent decades.Amid the seeming obviousness of this conclusion, there is always a valid counter-point that can be raised: there are individuals with substantial amounts of prefrontal cortex damage who, nonetheless, do not commit crimes. At present, knowing that someone has sustained prefrontal cortex damage does not give much power in predicting whether that person’s disinhibition will take the form of serial murder or merely being unable to praise a nearly inedible meal prepared by a host. This seems to weaken the ‘volition can be organically impaired, just like any other aspect of brain function’ argument; in these interstices of unpredictability seem to dwell free will.However, we can begin to imagine tree diagrams of variables that, with each new layer, add more predictive power. We can already see two l ayers in the realm of prefrontal cortex function. The first layer might query, ‘prefrontal cortex: normal or damaged?’   The second might then query, ‘if damaged: damaged in childhood or later?’ This same structure of increasing predictive power was shown in a recent, landmark study concerning clinical depression.Having a particular variant of the gene 5-HTT (which codes for a protein that regulates synaptic levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin) increases the risk of depression. However, ‘5-HTT: pro-depressive variant or other variant?’ gives only a moderate predictive power, but the authors then demonstrated the adding in of a second layer, ‘if the pro-depressive variant: major stressors during childhood or not?’ now generates an impressive predictive power as to which adults succumb to clinical depression. If free will lurks in those interstices, those crawl spaces are certainly shrinking.Recent U.S College Case Study:By Da niel Strueber, Monika Lueck and Gerhard Roth.On September 13, 2006, Kimveer Gill walked into the cafeteria at Dawson College in Montreal and, without apparent motive, shot 21 people, injuring 19 and killing two, including himself. The same day a judge in West  ­Virginia sent a woman to jail for, among other atrocities, forcing her six children and stepchildren to gorge themselves on food and then eat their own vomit. Also on the 13th, a court in New York sentenced a man for killing his girlfriend by setting her on fire–in front of her 10-year-old son. There was nothing special about that Wednesday. From around the world we hear reports of murder, manslaughter, cruelty and abuse every day. Violence is ubiquitous.But what drives one person to kill, maim or abuse another, sometimes for little or no obvious reason–and why do so many violent offenders return to crime after serving time in prison? Are these individuals incapable of any other behavior? We have evaluated the results of studies conducted around the world, focusing on acts ranging from fistfights to murder, in search of the psychobiological roots of violence. Our key conclusion is simple: violent behavior never erupts from a single cause. Rather it results from a combination of risk factors–among them inherited tendencies, a traumatic childhood and other negative experiences–that interact and aggravate one another. This realization has a silver lining: positive influences may be able to offset some of those factors that promote violence, possibly offering hope for prevention.Indeed, male gender is the most important risk factor for violent behavior. As criminal statistics show, boys and young men commit the majority of physical assaults. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's statistics on crime in the U.S., 90.1 percent of murderers apprehended in 2004 were male and men accounted for 82.1 percent of the total number arrested for violent crimes. Girls and women are not necessarily less aggressive, as was assumed until the 1990s. But women engage in more indirect, covert aggression, whereas men tend toward immediate, outward physical aggression.The causes of these gender differences are manifold. Learned sex roles certainly enter into it: â€Å"girls don't hit,† for example, but â€Å"boys need to be able to defend themselves.† Also, indirect aggressive strategies require a relatively high level of social intelligence, which girls develop earlier and faster. Moreover, neuropsychological discrepancies almost certainly play a role. The small group of males who exhibit chronic violent behavior from an early age typically share other telltale traits, among them a low tolerance for frustration,  ­deficiencies in learning social rules, attention problems, a decreased capacity for empathy, low intelligence and, most characteristic, extreme  ­impulsiveness.Similarly, repeat offenders–particularly those who have long prison records seem unable to keep their aggressive urges in check. The late neu ­roscientist Ernest S. Barratt and his colleagues at the University of Texas Medical Branch interviewed imprisoned criminals in Texas in 1999 and found that many inmates consistently picked fights, even though they knew that their lives would be made more difficult as a result. When asked why they continued to behave in ways that hurt them, many responded that they had no idea. Even though they understood the consequences and resolved to act with greater self-control the next time, they did not trust their own ability to keep their impulses at bay.Preliminary research indicates that biology may handicap some of these individuals, making it more difficult for them to show restraint. Among violent offenders, neuroscientists have found anatomical and physiological differences in both the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex, brain regions that are involved in the development and control of emotions. Some sci entists propose that the orbitofrontal cortex, a region of the prefrontal cortex where decision making takes place, inhibits areas of the limbic system–specifically the hypothalamus and the amygdala, primitive brain regions that are a source of fear and aggressive impulses. Thus, if some defect or injury impairs communication between the limbic system and the frontal cortex, a person might not be entirely able to moderate his or her emotional reactions.References:1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.scientificamericanmind.com2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.nature.com/mp/journal/v8/n2/full/4001256a.html3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www. jnnp.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/71/6/7204.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=16934455.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.sciammind.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=33EF147A-E7F2-99DF-3696EF69D814FCFF

Symbolism in A Long Days Journey into Night Essays

Symbolism in A Long Days Journey into Night Essays Symbolism in A Long Days Journey into Night Paper Symbolism in A Long Days Journey into Night Paper Essay Topic: A Long Way Gone Literature ONeill makes extensive use of symbolism in the play by introducing objects, props and cultural artifacts that develop the major themes in the play. He achieves this by giving the objects second meanings far beyond the literal, and by having them stand for whole concepts that are in fact the plays core. One of the first and most meaningful things of this nature that the reader, or a member of the audience is introduced to is the fog and the foghorn, when Mary mentions them for the first time: Thank heavens, the fog is gone. I do feel out of sorts this morning. I wasnt able to get much sleep with that awful foghorn going all night long (Baym 1343). Throughout the play, the presence of the fog parallels the time of day when night comes, so does the fog, and when it is morning, the fog is gone. This, of course, is no coincidence. One of the key human features explored in the play is deception, or keeping each other in the dark. Thus, one might suggest that the fog and darkness in the form of the night are congruent symbols reinforcing one another, because they come together and empower the same concept. The fog can also be seen as a sort of a personal fog each character is shrouded in, and something that suggest blurriness and unreality, especially in the final parts of the play when the fog is denser than ever and makes everything sound so sad and lost (Baym 1390-1391). The fog, then, obscures ones perception of the world, and it parallels the attempts of each member of the family to obscure or hide reality Tyrone and his stinginess, Mary with her addiction, Jamie with his life of a loafer and Edmund, with his tuberculosis that they all attempt to hide from Mary. The second important symbol is the foghorn, which too has a number of possible or combined meanings. Foghorns are used by ships for signaling in foggy conditions, therefore are a sort of warning and orienting signals. In the play, the foghorn stands for each family members efforts to find a way through the mess theyre in, perhaps excluding Mary, since she is completely passive. The fact that she does not like the foghorn also suggests that she is not up to trying to better the situation (Baym 1343). A partial success in finding a way through everything appears in the compromise that Edmund and Tyrone reach That Edmund doesnt have to go to a lousy sanatorium, and can go wherever he chooses. This compromise is only partial, though, because his choice has to be within reason (Baym 1402). In the warning sense, there are instances when the foghorn has significance as well, for example when Jamie warns Edmund of himself in his long speech Remember I warned you, for your sake. Give me credit. Greater love hath no man than this, that he saveth his brother from himself (Baym 1412). Thus, the foghorn symbolizes the search for solutions and ways around obstacles, but just as an actual foghorn on a ship, this search does not actively bring solutions about for the most part, it only emphasizes the presence of difficulties (the fog). A third major object, or objects, that stand for an important concept in the play are alcohol and morphine. The reason I chose to group them together is because both stand for the same concept escape. Alcohol does it for the men in the family, and morphine is Marys scene, but they all seek to escape what plagues them and these substances alter their thinking and perception (at least in theory) to do that. Nearly every stressful conversation or encounter that brings up any of the familys troubles results in either one (or more) of the men drinking, or Mary going upstairs to take morphine I understand that Ive been a God-damned fool to believe in you! Tyrone says as he realizes that his wife is back on the drug, and immediately pours himself a big drink (Baym 1366). Edmund drinks on several occasions although he isnt supposed to due to his illness, and even though his father knows it, he still lets him drink with only symbolic protest, probably because he subconsciously realizes that Edmund needs the escape just like him (Baym 1393). This peaks in the final scenes of the play, when the whole family is under the influence, and in a state of stupor. In the effort to obscure the grim reality from their minds (all of this with the dense fog outside and the faint haziness in the air), the men are all drunk, and Mary is higher than ever on morphine, according to Tyrone (Baym 1416). Therefore, both alcohol and morphine stand for the familys collective effort of escape. From the examination of the above and other objects, props, or cultural artifacts in the play, it becomes evident that the vast majority of those used by ONeill were meant to stand for more complicated concepts, and to act as symbols that develop the major and underlying themes of the play.

A Writer Lept to a Wrong Conclusion

A Writer Lept to a Wrong Conclusion A Writer Lept to a Wrong Conclusion A Writer Lept to a Wrong Conclusion By Mark Nichol While reading an otherwise well-written and well-edited book, I was bemused to note that the number of high school students in the United States had â€Å"lept† from one total to another over a given span of years. How was it, I wondered, that the fact that lept is not a word escape a writer, a developmental editor, a copy editor, and a proofreader (assuming that the manuscript benefited from perusal by each of these agents) not to mention a spell-checking program? It’s easy enough for a writer to be mistaken about the validity of such a word. Leapt is a variant of leaped (more commonly used in British English than in American English, but gaining in popularity on this side of the Pond), but the writer can be forgiven for assuming that just as the past tense of creep is crept and those of keep, sleep, sweep, and weep are kept, slept, swept, and wept, leap takes a past-tense leap to lept. (Creeped is not a word, except informally to refer to being creeped out, the sensation of being disturbed by someone or something thought to be creepy, and keeped, sleeped, sweeped, and weeped are likewise nonwords, though the last two mutations sometimes sneak past editors.) A moment’s thought, however, will make it clear to the writer that this progression (or is it a regression?) is not universal: The past-tense forms of beep, peep, and seep are beeped, peeped, and seeped, rather than bept, pept, and sept. (That last word is valid as a noun meaning â€Å"clan† or â€Å"branch of a family.†) More significantly, though, words identical to leap in spelling as well as sound form past tenses of heaped and reaped, not hept and rept. English is full of challenging inconsistencies of spelling and pronunciation: Compare the present and past tenses of read identical in appearance but not in sound and note the difference in tense transformation for head (headed) and lead (led), not to mention the fact that the present-tense forms are pronounced differently. These idiosyncrasies make it all the more important for even native speakers and writers including those with decades of experience to consider the consequences of less-than-stringent vigilance: Nobody else may notice your mistake, either until I pick up the published book and write a post about it. To help you maintain a high standard of diligence, remember this hypothetical penalty (one that I should post a notice about in my office): Pretend that spelling and other mechanical errors are a capital crime, and see what this imaginary impetus does for your motivation to avoid them. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.Among vs. AmongstComma Before Too?

Important Phrases for English Phone Conversations

Important Phrases for English Phone Conversations Telephoning in English includes learning a number of special phrases, as well as focusing on listening skills. Some of the most important phrases include how to answer the phone, how to ask for others, how to connect, and how to take messages.   Introducing Yourself Here are a few ways to informally introduce yourself on the telephone: This is Ken.Hello, Ken speaking If youd like to reply more formally, use your full name. This is Jennifer Smith speaking.Hello, Jennifer Smith speaking. If you are answering for a business, just state the business name. In this case, its common to ask how you can help: Good morning, Thomson Company. How may I help you?Plumbers Insurance. How can I be of service today? British / American Difference Hello, this is KenBrighton 0987654 The first example response is in American English and the second is in  British English. As you can see there are differences in both forms. The telephone articles include both  British and American English, as well as phrases that are common to both forms. In  American English, we answer the phone stating This is ... In British English, its common to answer the phone by stating the telephone number. The phrase This is ... is used only on the telephone to substitute the phrase My name is ... which is not used to answer the telephone. Asking Who Is on the Telephone Sometimes, youll need to find out who is calling. Ask them politely for this information: Excuse me, who is this?May (Can) I ask who is calling, please? Asking for Someone At other times, youll need to speak to someone else. This is especially true when you telephone a business. Here are some examples: Can I have extension 321? (extensions are internal numbers at a company)Could I speak to...? (Can I - more informal / May I - more formal)Is Jack in? (informal idiom meaning: Is Jack in the office? Connecting Someone If you answer the phone, you might need to connect the caller to someone at your business. Here are some useful phrases: Ill put you through (put through - phrasal verb meaning connect)Can you hold the line? Can you hold on a moment? When Someone Is Not Available These phrases can be used to express that someone is not available  to speak on the telephone. Im afraid ... is not available at the momentThe line is busy... (when the extension requested is being used)Mr. Jackson isnt in... Mr. Jackson is out at the moment... Taking a Message If someone isnt available, you might want to take a message to help the caller.   Could (Can, May) I take a message?Could (Can, May) I tell him who is calling?Would you like to leave a message? Continue practicing your skills by using the  practical exercises  below which include information on leaving messages on the telephone, how to ask  native speakers  to slow down, role plays on the telephone and more. Practice With a Role Play Begin by learning important telephone English with the dialogue below. Here is a short telephone conversation with some of the key phrases: Operator: Hello, Frank and Brothers, How can I help you?Peter: This is Peter Jackson. Can I have extension 3421?Operator: Certainly, hold on a minute, Ill put you through... Frank: Bob Petersons office, Frank speaking.Peter: This is Peter Jackson calling, is Bob in? Frank: Im afraid hes out at the moment. Can I take a message?Peter: Yes, Could you ask him to call me at ... I need to talk to him about the Nuovo line, its urgent. Frank: Could you repeat the number please?Peter: Yes, thats ..., and this is Peter Jackson. Frank: Thank you Mr. Jackson, Ill make sure Bob gets this asap.Peter: Thanks, bye. Frank: Bye. As you can see, the language is rather informal and there are some important differences from face-to-face conversational English.

Information and Systems for Competitive Advantage Research Paper

Information and Systems for Competitive Advantage - Research Paper Example The researcher states that for many organizations, such Web sites are helpful to customers because they are able to acquire resources, as opposed to determining requirements for resources. On the other hand, customers make use of the sites for determination of requirements, as opposed to using them for acquisition purposes. At the same time, the Web helps firms to be in a position to compete in the manner expected. CLRC is advantageous due to the fact that it is able to provide guidance that assists in the search for SIS opportunities by focusing on the needs of customers. Products that are provided by an organization to its customers appear as supporting resources from the point of view of the customers. This is due to the fact that a customer must go through a kind of resource lifecycle to acquire them, and this requires a significant amount of effort and time to manage. The ability of a supplier in assisting a customer to manage this lifecycle enables them to differentiate themsel ves from the competition, thus creating a competitive edge. The differentiation method applied may be in form of enhanced customer service, the introduction of direct cost savings or investing in ICT. The relationship between ICT and the CRLC framework is crucial especially in today’s technologically advanced world due to the fact that enhancement of customer service/ experience is largely dependent on the advancement. Various studies have been carried out to determine the prevalence of ICT in the wine industry; different forms of ICT used in the industry, how they are applied and incorporated in the various operations, what they are used for, their importance in enabling production, as well as the factors that could influence their use.

Civil War and Reconstruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Civil War and Reconstruction - Essay Example Consequently historical events like Reconstruction, Wade-Davis Bill, Black Codes, Segregation, Jim Crow laws, the 13th Amendment to the 15th Amendment to the Constitution etc were some steps towards the construction of a race-blind society. The next mentionable event in the Reconstruction era was the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864. The racial Segregation and the Jim Crow laws, in a single phrase the â€Å"separate policy† of the south was essentially the South’s reaction to the 13th, 14th and the 15th constitutional Amendments during the Reconstruction in the post Civil War Period. Reconstruction’s primary goals were to establish the Black rights by withering out Slavery and to reintegrate the South with the nation. The Reconstruction started with President Lincoln’s affirmative actions for a race-blind, equal and reunited America. While Lincoln followed a more moderate course to establish black people’s right and to reunite the South, the Radical Republic ans â€Å"opposed it on the ground that Lincoln reconstruction plan had freed the slaves without paying much attention to establishing their socio-political, economic and other rights† (Stampp, 1956, p. 78). By passing the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864 Republican dominated Congress declare that Southern States should be run by military governors and, Secession and Slavery would be outlawed with the consent of the fifty percent of a state’s voters. ... Both theoretically and legally by the 13th Amendment of the Constitution slavery was outlawed; empowered by the 14th Amendment, people of colors could enter into contracts, business, ownership, etc and by the 15th Amendment they earned the right to vote. But the reality was totally different from what the Northerners expected from the Amendments and their enactment, as Gerald Early says in this regard, â€Å"white southerners, inspired by the North's old Black Codes, instituted their own version†¦..in response to the passage of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Early, 2011, p. 2) While before the 13th Amendment in the pre-Civil War period, the Southerners enjoyed unchallenged mastery over the Blacks and exploited the black labor to sustain the South’s plantation and other agriculture based economy, after the constitutional abolition of slavery the South sought to generate unofficial laws limiting the blacks’ civil rights, during the Johnson Pre sidency, with a view to manipulate black labor evading the Constitutional restrictions. Indeed the Southerners’ strategy was to retain psychological inferiority of the Blacks so that the cheap black labor could easily be manipulated. Since slavery became an indispensable part of the colonizer’s economy and became socio-politically integrated into the early American society, it began to shift its basis from war to color after the 13th Amendment. Josef Healey (2010) says that â€Å"blackness† itself as an ideology was critical for the exploitation of the labor of the African blacks in early America, and it â€Å"provided the very source of whiteness and the heart of racism† (Healey, 2010, p. 288). This master-slave association greatly

Talent from Business Point of View Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Talent from Business Point of View - Essay Example Talent from Business Point of View Global business environment has become highly competitive. Several leading organizations believe that talented and skilled employees are the major business growth drivers. Leading organizations are trying to employ talented employees in order to attain expected business outcome. Moreover the organizations are trying to retain effective and skilled employees to secure market share. Several manufacturing firms try to hire talented and skilled production manager to enhance their production facility. In terms of technology industry or FMCG industry, the organizations try to make effective relationship with talented supply chain leaders to enhance their logistics and supply chain activities. It is quite true that skilled and talented supply chain leaders can help an organization to meet the market demand. On the other hand, talented employees can take their job responsibilities quite significantly comparing to the normal skilled and talented employees. Effective talented workforce can bri ng significant pace in the business operation of an organization. In addition, recruitment and selection of talented employees can ease the training and development process. This aspect can reduce the business operation cost and time. It can be stated that talented and skilled workforce can help an organization to maximize revenue and profit. A talented individual has the special ability or power in several specific fields. A good and effective public speaker has the talent to motivate other individuals through his or her speech or speaking power. ... My talent is that I can judge an individual through my sheer judgment ability or observing power. I can judge several strangers or unknown individuals through their attitudes, personalities, way of talking and behavior. My talent makes me stronger to evaluate a person. It can help me in my personal and professional career. Talent is a significant ability or skill that can differentiate a person from other associated individuals. I have the desire and aim to enter in human resource development field. My talent will help me to support my job role and responsibility. My talent and skill will help to judge a person during the recruitment process. This process will help the organization to judge the effectiveness of the applicant. Moreover, it is quite true that my observing power can help my future organization to retain effective and skilled workforce. Talent Pipeline Talent pipeline is a significant and innovative recruitment solution in this modern competitive business environment. It helps to provide direct access to an enduring pipeline of well managed, quality assessed and pre screened talent in order to secure an organization’s talent bank. Once an organization decides its future hiring demand and needs, the organization has to develop future valuable pipeline model or channel to develop viable candidate pool. Important Element in Talent Pipeline There are five elements in a talent pipeline model. These are strategic about talent, developing channel, focusing on diversity, making connections and developing organization-wide effort. Being strategic about talent helps the leaders or the managers to undertake a strategic approach to hire effective employees. Developing channel will help to

Executive Summary and analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Executive Summary and analysis - Research Paper Example he reason behind selecting internet to carry out a research was, because, web based surveys are quite advanced technology which helps a researcher create complex and technical instruments using interactive features and multimedia. Moreover, the date is easily collected and analyzed and accurate, since, the answers are found to be more honest than any other way. Similarly, the decision to administer a questionnaire was decided on the basis that, where it is easy and quick to analyze, there it also enable researcher to collect large information. Furthermore, the project is been carried out to use the quantitative skills and managerial statistics to analyze the survey not only quantitatively, but quantitatively with the help of either ‘Z’ or ‘T’ statistics which does not only form an individual confidence level but also predict whether the confidence interval proved to be correct or not, hence leading to rejection or not rejecting the null hypothesis, which is our original statement or prediction. As the calculated value is more than the table value of ‘Z’ statistics, we reject null hypothesis. This means that the internet survey response was equal to or more than 50 at 0.05 alpha level. The outcome also illustrate that the confidence interval selected was most appropriate as the result are on the right side. The confidence interval shows how sure you can be of the result. The greater the interval the surer you are of the consequences, hence, 95% confidence interval depicts that you are 95 percent sure of what and how will be the outcome. On the other hand, alpha level or significant level is calculated by subtracting the confidence interval from 100. To give a brief, yet enhance version of the result, it can been seen that the result does not agree with our predicted or initial statement that the internet survey response will be less than 50, due to which rejection of null hypothesis occurred. However, certain problem that occurred during the

System Evaluation Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

System Evaluation Paper - Essay Example The retailing industry is one of the dominant users of POS terminals. The POS unit handles the sales to clients and other functions such as inventory control, purchasing, as well as storage of sales information for reporting purposes. Retail Point of Sales typically incorporates components such as all-in-one workstations, back office servers, barcode scanners, cash drawers, check readers, graphical customer displays, handheld data collection devices, keyboards, label printers, monitors, pole displays, receipt printers, signature capture devices, time clocks, and weight scales. The implemented comprehensive POS system has additional components such as payroll time clocks and customer preference databases (Green, 2012). Thus, the system removed the need for the retail business to invest in separate systems for such purposes. Prior to the implementation of POS, the retail business (a sporting goods store) encountered problems in card processing, managing cash transactions, and inventory management since the business was using an electronic cash register to record sales. The retail business encountered problems such as the inventory not matching the tallies and some sales going unrecorded. It was against this backdrop that the managers of the retail business decided to purchase and install a point of sale system complete with both hardware and software components. The implementation of POS systems rested on the analysis of several factors such as reliability, downtime, standardization, checkout, and compactness. The POS system avails efficient and accurate calculations when clients are purchasing goods. In addition, the system enhances sales and productivity, besides minimizing the number of operators and time waiting when purchasing commodities. The costs associated with the implemented POS system include cost of

Executive Summary and analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Executive Summary and analysis - Research Paper Example he reason behind selecting internet to carry out a research was, because, web based surveys are quite advanced technology which helps a researcher create complex and technical instruments using interactive features and multimedia. Moreover, the date is easily collected and analyzed and accurate, since, the answers are found to be more honest than any other way. Similarly, the decision to administer a questionnaire was decided on the basis that, where it is easy and quick to analyze, there it also enable researcher to collect large information. Furthermore, the project is been carried out to use the quantitative skills and managerial statistics to analyze the survey not only quantitatively, but quantitatively with the help of either ‘Z’ or ‘T’ statistics which does not only form an individual confidence level but also predict whether the confidence interval proved to be correct or not, hence leading to rejection or not rejecting the null hypothesis, which is our original statement or prediction. As the calculated value is more than the table value of ‘Z’ statistics, we reject null hypothesis. This means that the internet survey response was equal to or more than 50 at 0.05 alpha level. The outcome also illustrate that the confidence interval selected was most appropriate as the result are on the right side. The confidence interval shows how sure you can be of the result. The greater the interval the surer you are of the consequences, hence, 95% confidence interval depicts that you are 95 percent sure of what and how will be the outcome. On the other hand, alpha level or significant level is calculated by subtracting the confidence interval from 100. To give a brief, yet enhance version of the result, it can been seen that the result does not agree with our predicted or initial statement that the internet survey response will be less than 50, due to which rejection of null hypothesis occurred. However, certain problem that occurred during the

The most appropriate organizational culture Article

The most appropriate organizational culture - Article Example While before, general knowledge is usually taught in order that students can qualify into whatever job becomes available regardless of the field of study pursued, in this modern era they are encouraged to enrich their talent, thus the rise of academic courses designed specifically to meet their needs. I belong to the group that started giving due regard to their particular interest at an early age. In addition, there is the drive to heighten the level of competence and get ahead of the others. The mindset is â€Å"what I can offer the company that I will choose to work with†, and not the other way around. For this reason, I feel comfortable to form part of an organization with a culture that values talent, entrepreneurial activity, and performance over commitment; one that offers large financial rewards and individual recognition. I believe that equal opportunities for career growth should be presented to all employees, and not much weight on the length of service. The latter is not even a reliable basis of company loyalty. Just because one has been with the company longer than the other, it does not mean he or she can do the job better. A good performance deserves recognition, and I suppose this determines the employee’s work morale, camaraderie, and dependability. A single performance incites a chain reaction that benefits the team, the management, and the organization as a whole. I do not consider myself a â€Å"one man show† for I too enjoy aiming for the goal next to my colleagues; nevertheless, changes are inevitable and opportunities are everywhere.

Violent video game Essay Example for Free

Violent video game Essay Violent video games are successfully marketed to youth and are easily obtained regardless of age and easily obtained by children and adolescents. Violent video games become top best sellers because violent video games are popular with male and female children, adolescent, and adults. Even the U. S. government sees through this point; they have created and distribute the violent game like America’s Army to youth without checking the ages of which whom can download this game from the internet or can be obtained from recruiting offices. The main factor studies of violent video games that conclude with a general discussion of several key issues, including: developmental issues, game effect on children, average time child spend playing video game, beneficial environmental effects, and bias towards violent video games. Video games have become a ubiquitous form of entertainment in the United Stated; they are behind only television in popularity. Video game first emerged in the 1970s, but it was during the 1990s, that violent games truly came of age. Starting in the late 1980s, video game producers experimented with what the public would accept in video games. Gradually it became clear that games sold better if the contained more violence, such as: a fighting game one-on-one like Double Dragon, Mortal Combat, or Street Fighter games became all time best sellers (Anderson 6). The second most popular from entertainment after television, video games have rapidly became the largest segment of the entertainment industry, taking in 6. 3 dollars to 8. 8 billion dollars in 1998, compared with 5. 2 billion dollars in Hollywood box office receipts. For now, video game can be played at home on a computer or a television, which more option choice to become top market in America (Espejo 9). For that reason, the violence in video games is cause for concern. Numerous studies have found a correlation between violent video games and increased aggression in children. In addition, several popular video games may be teaching children how to kill by simulating the techniques used to train soldiers for combat. The skills acquired from these games are tragically evident in recent school shootings perpetrated by teens who were heavy users of video games (Espejo 9). Therefore, the Federal Court of Appeals decided to ban the sell or rental the violent video games to minors. According to Kenny Knudson, twelve years old boy, said even the government or his parent did not allow him to rent or buy violent video games, but he would properly find it at his friend’s house (â€Å"Violent Video Games and Kids Ruling. ). To protect children from violence, parents should carefully consider a suitable rating game for their children. If parents and rating systems do not prevent these games from falling into the wrong hands then banning them is a step that needs to be taken. Video games can have both positive and negative impacts on children. According to Douglas A. Centie, the video games have both positive and negative effect on children and that parents need to be aware of each. The positive effect from games on children is highly motivating. Video games are natural teachers, and they provide repeated practice for skillful play. Video games have been shown to teach children the attitudes, skills, and behaviors that they were designed to teach. They also can have negative effect. According research by Centie, time spent playing video games has negative correlation with academic performance. Playing violent games has a positive correlation with antisocial and aggressive behavior. Content analyses show that a majority of games contain some violence. A majority of fourth to eighth-grade children prefer violent games (Hamilton 24-25). Parents need to set limits on the time their children spend playing games and make sure the content of games is suitable for the child. The average time children spend playing video games has been increasing since 1980. In the mid-1980s, children averaged about four hours a week playing video games, and in early 1990s, the average amount was still fairly low. In result, girls spent time about two hours of home play per week, and about four hours of home play per week for boys. By the mid 1990s, home use had increased for fourth-grade girls to 4. 5 hours per week, and to 7. 1 hours per week for fourth-grade boys. This same sample of fourth-graders reported that most of their favorite video games were violent. According to recent national surveys of parents, school-age children devote about seven hours per week playing video games. In a recent survey of over six-hundred eighth and ninth- grade students, children averaged nine hours per week of playing video game by averaging thirteen hours for boys and five hours per week for girls, and it seems to be increasing every year (Anderson 7). It became clear that both boys and girls are spending more time with video games. Video games are highly beneficial because they give children a unique interactive learning environment and far from harmful. The interactive element of video games benefits children because it imparts the fundamental thinking skills needed for creativity and problem solving. Playing video games is inherently similar to interactive activities such as chess or playing the piano except that video games are stigmatization of video games ultimately discourages children from learning (Espejo 53). David Deutsch believes games are far from harmful, he asked, â€Å"Why do so many adults hate them? What evidence is there that there is anything bad about them? (Espejo 54)† Violent video games have the correlations between video games and violent behavior can be explained by being attracted from violent entertainment. According to Ron Wilburn, he believes video game violence is harmless fantasy, and it is not a main factor in youth violence. Children raised in households where they are treated with respect are able to differentiate between fantasy and reality (Biscontini). In the following, Christopher J. Ferguson argues that violent video games do not cause people to be violent. According to his research, there is no good evidence linking violent video games with aggression, violent behavior or any other key word of â€Å"harm. † He consistently found that violent games are not related to violent criminal behaviors or aggression. Frequent players of violent video games are no more likely to commit violent crimes that non-gamers (Hamilton). In addition, if video games do cause juvenile to be violent, then violent crime should be more increased as youth play violent video games, but the rate for juvenile violent crimes has fallen 49. 3 percent between 1995 and 2008, while video game sales have became top in the same period(Video Games ProCon. org. ). Parents need to be involved with their children; it is good for he or she to think and learn to understand and teach his or her children to avoid and not to follow evil side that come with the game’s story. Violent video games have been blamed for school shootings, increases in bullying, and violence towards women. There are two example incidents in Japan that people put the blame on games when it came to violent action. Reported by BBC news in June 2008, Tomohiro Kato, a twenty-five years old guy, drove a large white van on the side of the road at a busy intersection in the Akihabara district of Tokyo, and he went after the crowd and tried to kill them. The second incident, at the same year in January, a sixteen years old boy attacked five people with kitchen knives. Two people injured from the attacking in a Tokyo shopping street. Reports say it is still a little early to say what provoked the attack, but the police point these incidents might be caused from imitation to action games because both of them like playing video game (Hogg). Does game really become a conclusion for violent action status? There is some limited evidence that explicit discussions with children and adolescents about the harmful effects of media violence and the inappropriateness of aggressive and violent solutions to interpersonal conflicts, and practice at thinking about potential nonviolent solutions to conflict, all guided by parents or other adult authority figures, might reduce the harmful effects of exposure to media violence. Furthermore, parents who merely play violent video game with their children are likely to make matter worse, rather than better. Additionally, suppose children are for some reason unhappy with their daily’s life. Playing video games is something they never get from real life. It is not the video game that is doing them harm, it is that they have been funneled down a blind alley and not let out. The thing to do is to let them out by not stealing his last remaining source of joy and learning. Parents should offer them something which they might prefer, try conversation, try anything; if that does not work, do not blame the video game. Be thankful that there is still something good in the children’s life, to tide them over. However, parents or guardians are responsible for knowing if their children are able to handle violent video games without resorting to violence in reality. Parents should use the right power to lead their children play the right rating video game because video game play can and does have effects of both positive and negative attitudes and behaviors. Works Cited Anderson, Craig Alan, Douglas A. Gentile, and Katherine E. Buckley. Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2007. Print. Biscontini, Tracey Vasil. Youth Violence. Greenhaven Press: Detroit, 2007. Print. Haugen, David M. Video Games. Detroit: Greenhaven/Thomson Gale, 2008. Print. Espejo, Roman. Video Games. Greenhaven Press: San Diego, 2003. Print. Hamilton, Jill. Video Games. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2011. Print. Video Games ProCon. org. Video Games ProCon. org. ProCon. org. 13 Mar. 2012. Web. 05 Apr. 2012. . â€Å"Violent Video Games and Kids Ruling. Consumer Watch. KSBW. 9 Feb. 2009. Television. Hogg, Chris. Bewilderment in Tokyo after Attack. BBC News. 6 Aug. 2008. Web. 5 Apr. 2012.

Mathematics in the Primary School

Mathematics in the Primary School Innumerate school children cost the taxpayer up to  £2.4bn a year. In 2007, Sir Peter Williams the then chair of the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (ACME), was commissioned to consider and make his recommendations in response to the teaching of mathematics in early years settings and primary schools, with a view to assessing and improving upon the current practices of mathematics teaching in early years settings (EYS) and primary schools (Adonis 2007). By examining the available evidence, drawing from the best practice nationally and internationally and by working closely with the teaching profession, the Williams final report was published in June 2008. By means of 10 recommendations the report identifies methods by which children in primary schools and early years settings can acquire a greater understanding of mathematics, and a greater appreciation of its importantance with relation to a successful progression through life during and after their school career is over. Through a high-quality curriculum and excellent teaching (Williams, 2008, p61), children should have confidence and feel comfortable with the concept of Mathematics within their day to day lives. In the following, I will explore the implications of the ten recommendations outlined in the Williams Report and will conclude with some reflection on the value of the report and the likely impact it will have on me as a trainee teacher. Recommendation 1 Considers the entry requirements necessary for Initial Teacher Training (ITT). GCSE Grade C mathematics continues to be the mandatory minimum requirement level. However the report argues that grade B in GCSE maths is desirable with the long-term ambition of the government initiative the Training and Development Agency for Schools(TDA), being for all Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) graduates to have reached Masters-level accreditation. However, this is currently deemed inadvisable given the possible risk of falling enrolment of trainee teachers A higher priority is given to teaching experience through teaching placements to increase the students pedagogical knowledge, Williams (2008, p7) states that, a combination of deep subject knowledge and pedagogical skill is required to promote effective learning, a view supported by the research body Mathematical Knowledge in Teaching (2007/2008). The evidence of good grounding in these two fundamental attributes shows; taken together they constitute a necessary condition to progress learning for all children up to the end of Key Stage 2, which prepares them well for Key Stage 3 ((Williams, 2008, p10). The only currently acceptable route to raising mathematical understanding is through properly funded and rewarded continuing professional development (ibid p 12) Q14, Q15, Q19, Q25a,b,c,d Recommendation 2 Local Authorities (LAs) are to continue to up-skill and increase the numbers of their Mathematic Consultants. A continued extensive budget is to be set aside by the Government for local LAs to implement this following the recommendations made by the Primary National Strategy (PNS) (via the National Numeracy Strategy (NNS)), and in partnership with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM). This funding to be used to develop and track refresher Continued Professional Development (CPD) courses for all LA consultants, evidence being that since the introduction of the NNS, a transformation in the way mathematics is taught can be strongly correlated with the increase in the attainment levels of primary school children (ibid p 16). Q14, Q15, Q18, Q19, Q20, Q25a,b,c,d Recommendation 3 Every school should have at least one mathematics specialist present (or have access to one), whose initial objective is to raise standards and narrow attainment gaps. By utilising the highly-trained (circa) 400 LA Mathematic Consultants to their fullest, a phased proposal is given to have a Mathematical Specialist present in every school which will re-enforce the importance of mathematics within schools and enhance and allow flexibility for CPD provisions available to all teaching and support staff. Small and rural schools benefitting from pooled resources wherever possible. Many of these specialists could be sourced from Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) trained to a higher mathematical level through their ITT providers, and all specialists to be monitored by their respective head teacher. Q14, Q15, Q19, Q20, Q25a,b,c,d Recommendation 4 The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is to commission a set of materials which will help early years practitioners understand the effect of childrens development as shown through their mathematical mark-making. The resulting report supports the introduction of childrens mathematical graphics (Worthington, M/ Carruthers, E, 2003), at the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The EYFS adheres to the principles of the central importance of creativity and critical thinking in early learning and development (Mark Making Matters, 2008, p2). By giving practitioners the tools to support and challenge a childs thought process through encouragement and understanding of the young childs mark-making, along-side open ended discussion (sustained shared thinking (Williams, 2008, p34)), the children will become confident and competent communicators, both orally and on paper, in all six areas of learning and development. (Mark Making Matters, 2008, p2) In relationship to mathematics, by encouraging a child to mark-make from a very early age, when children realise that marks can be used symbolically to carry meaning [] they begin to make marks as tools to make their thinking visible (ibid p3). Through drawing the child may develop their concepts in relationship to problem solving, reasoning and numeracy. The importance of the Early Years Practitioners taking the time to observe, listen and analyse childrens mark making in order to understand, praise and enrich the childs achievements (ibid p3), is affirmed. However, I must agree with the importance of a young childs mathematical understanding being developed through imaginative play and effective mathematical learning for children in this age group needs to be predominantly social in nature (Williams, 2008, p36). Q15, Q18, Q19, Q20 Recommendation 5 The forthcoming review of the EYSF in 2010 is to consider the inclusion of time and capacity which Williams feel were omitted when the statutory early learning goals set out in the Statutory Framework for EYFS: Learning and Development Requirements (DCSF 2006) were first developed. By using these two extra concepts along with those already required i.e., shape, space, measures along with the use of correct mathematical language, it would enable the child to apply their mathematical knowledge in practical and active ways (Williams, 2008, p36), whilst also enhancing the childs understanding of problem solving. The responsibilities of effective pedagogy for this remit falling to local authorities, leaders, managers and head-teachers. Q14, Q15, Q19, Q20, Q25a,b,c,d Recommendation 6 The DCSF is to continue to increase the amount of graduate practitioners going into Early Years Settings (EYS). The Childrens Workforce Development Council (CWDC) (2010), states High quality early years provision can have a significant impact on childrens development, performance at school and their future life chances (CWDC, 2010, Areas of Work- Early Years) and the early years workforce must be well qualified. (ibid) With reference to the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE, 2004), the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS, 2005) and the evaluation of the Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative (NNI, 2000), it recognises the importance of having a good proportion of trained teachers on the staff. The recommendation being for one graduate early years professional per setting by 2010 and with provision for two graduates per setting in disadvantaged areas. A member of staff having Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a Graduate Early Years Practitioner who has a specialism in working with early years children could have the most benefit to most childrens development and learning. Standards could also be raised with additional funding given to implementing CPD within the Early Years Workforce where mathematics is given essential priority. It should however be noted that EYFS provisions are currently very erratic throughout the UK. Q14, Q15, Q18, Q19, Q20, Q25a,b,c,d Recommendation 7 Engaging the full understanding and commitment of participating children and their parents/carers before the onset of intervention, paying special attention to the integration of intervention in the class room and in a home-school partnership through official home-learning activities. Where research is undertaken, it is proven that the inclusion and understanding of parents/carers before the onset of intervention is paramount in guaranteeing programme success, and parents/carers could support their childs learning progress through official home-learning activities. Equally, children who understand exactly the nature of the programme show genuine delight in their progress and the importance of this factor should not be under estimated for a successful programme (Williams, 2008, p55). In terms of the integration of intervention, the DCSF National Strategy Standards (PNS) (1998) cites; Intervention is not just about additional out-of-class provision. It also includes reviewing what happens in class to make sure it is appropriately tailored to the needs of the children. Q14, Q15, Q18, Q19, Q20 Recommendation 8 The Wave 3 Intervention programme from The Every Child Counts (2008) initiative; a partnership between government, businesses and the charity Every Child a Chance (2007) aims to enhance achievement for approximately 5%-10% of children nationally who are failing to master the basics of numeracy (Adonis, 2007). Adonis (2007) states; there is no single cause of under-attainment and therefore no single answer'(ibid) It is best to summarise the implications, logistics and recommendations of wave 3 intervention in Year 2 as follows:- Intervention should be led by a qualified teacher on a 1: 1 teacher pupil ratio. The benefits of working in pairs or small groups should also be explored. The childs class teacher should be given responsibility to decide whether intervention is necessary. Investigation into of the efficacy of using video tapes for assessment and training should be undertaken. Diagnostic tools should be developed to aid teachers with assessment before intervention and monitor progress after leaving the programme, using for example, Assessing Pupils Progress (APP) and the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP). Intervention should ideally last for one term and be completed by the end of Key Stage 1. Where it is deemed that a child is in need of intervention for both literacy and mathematics, it is imperative that mathematics be given equal standing to literacy. A wide range of (potentially costly) multi-sensory resources should be made available, for example, Numicom and the interactive whiteboard, to enable the teacher and child to select the appropriate aid to their specific issue. CCD programmes should be developed for the teacher as intervention specialist and for LA intervention specialists. Currently there is only a small cohort of intervention specialists available. Combining the roles of intervention specialist and mathematics specialist should be considered through the pooling of resources wherever possible to limit cost implications. Teaching Assistants could be further trained to lead less intensive wave 2 and 3 interventions. A longitudinal study is to be carried out over the next 10-15 years to assess the success of the programme. Q14, Q15, Q18, Q19, Q20, Q25a,b,c,d Recommendation 9 and 10 Refer to the importance of continued building on the currently solid curriculum, with more prominence being given to use and application (Williams, 2008, p60) of Mathematics across all subjects and to give renewed focus to oral and mental mathematics. Q14, Q15, Q18, Q19, Q20, Q25a,b,c,d Conclusion In conclusion, the above discussion has demonstrated the key features of the Williams Report and has reflected on the implications of the report for EYP, strategies for intervention and the roles of the curriculum, training, accreditation, head-teachers and the family. I have demonstrated how the Williams Report has both drawn on existing regulations, recommendations, policies and practice but crucially, identified the weaknesses in existing legislation. For me the key strengths of the report lie in its emphasis on the role of teacher pedagogy and practice and the shared responsibility of the LAs with schools, in particular the head-teacher, and with the parent/carer. A key recommendation is being pro-active and understanding that every child matters. I feel the weaknesses of the report relate to its over-emphasis on high-levels of formal accreditation, which do not reflect an individuals natural gift to teach and which may jeopardise future recruitment. Of course, the question remains what the effect of recent government changes and the very real and imminent threat of public sector cuts will mean for the practical implementation of the Williams report recommendations.