Advantages And Disvantages About Television Essay

How many hours a day do you watch television? Television has had a deep impact on everybody’s life. This powerful appliance has become an addiction for most people. Children, teenagers, adults and also babies spend hours and hours in front of the screen. Nowadays, it cannot be denied that this technological window is one of the main massive media; however not everything it offers is favorable. Many advantages and disadvantages can be discussed about the TV set. The main media of the world has been and remains to be television. Many advantages can be accounted for this. First of all, news is broadcast around the world immediately. People are notified about politics, social problems, natural catastrophes, of any part of the world without delay. Moreover, entertainment programs are so popular events in people’s life that families enjoy a variety of top-rated TV shows and films without the necessity of going out from their houses. Last but not least, it is important to remark that educational programs can be imparted through this communication channel from which, even in the furthest places, a man could benefit from. On the other hand, there are also many drawbacks to TV. One of the main problems that current society has is sedentariness; people spend too many hours immersed in this world, what turns them into lazy beings, who will eventually shirk their duties. For children and babies times of outdoor activities seem to have finished, consequently the goggle box is now known as the mechanical nanny. At last, in the same way that this TV set imparts education, it also shows immoral programs, violence and an inappropriate use of language, which most of the times has a deep influence on every member of the human civilization. To my way of thinking there should be a control system on what television shows, or at least schedules specifying suitable timetables for some kinds of programs, not without forgetting that people must be conscious about their own use of this boob tube. Sedentariness: sedentarismo. I took references from Oxford Dictionary.

My Cherished Memory

My Cherished Memory There are couple of memories of mine have a special glow around them, and i always smile from ear to ear whenever i start treasuring them, those special ones that keep me accompanied and leave a significant note as i grow older and become wiser as days go by. The nostalgia hits every time when i think of those memorable times that i had, some are fun, some are crazy and yet some are dreadful but i managed to learn from it. There's this particular memory i that i would like to share about is regarding my first time taking flight alone to meet up with my dad. It happened this year, around March. It was quite a spontaneous trip because I didn’t really do much planning nor mentally prepared for this whole thing. In fact, my mind was filled with questions and doubts about my studies because I was undecided about where to go to when my dad didn’t allow me to join the March intake at the local colleges. Although he tried to convince me to accept his advises by joining the STPM but my eyes were blinded with hatred, my infantile behavior at that time made me chose to blame him for not supporting my decision, and all he wanted to do was to make me surrender under his pride that I’m most certainly not willing to do so. After discussing with my parents for a few days (through skype), I was determined to have a face-to-face meeting with my dad to persuade him again by taking a plane to Guangzhou, China. After making a flight booking on the internet, I started doing some last minute research on that place before I depart three days later and soon, the day had finally came. My mum wasn’t even free to send me to the airport therefore I had to take the LRT to KL Central, and there’ll be busses to pick up passenger to the airport. Usually my parents or teachers will be the one taking care of the checking ins and outs whenever there’s a trip, but I was the one responsible that time, no one will be there to help out if there’s a mistake, I had to keep myself alert throughout the whole journey. I checked the printed boarding pass and tried to memorize the gate number so that i could straight away look out for that place once I’ve reached the airport, I checked my wallet to ensure there were money inside so that I won’t starve when i needed food, and most importantly I checked my passport again and again to make sure I brought the right one but not the one with my sister’s picture on it! I reached Baiyun International Airport at 9pm, tried to look out everywhere to search for my dad’s shadow but I couldn’t. I started to panic when my phone was out of battery, but somehow I managed to reach him after several attempts using the staff’s phone, he said he was on the way on a train and the burden in my body went away immediately. I spotted him 20 minutes after the call, he looked tired but I could feel the relief in him too. We took the same train to dad’s working area, the streets were quiet as we reached the place around 11pm. Only a few fast food restaurants are available, I had my supper before we went back to hotel, and no, we didn’t talk about the study issue yet. We had a great breakfast to start up the next beautiful morning, before we headed to dad’s factory, he bought me a local yogurt-like milk, it tasted funny to me anyway but I still finished it. I was told to stay in the office while dad went busy with his work, but I started to feel bored after hours of sitting and playing with the computer games. I went out from the office room and found my dad squatting down fixing his printing machine, with his bare hands stained with different colours of inks. The sweat gathered on his forehead and he was really concentrating on his work till I had to tap his shoulder to tell him that I wanted to go for lunch and asked if he needed any food. With an empty stomach and head filled with questions again, I went to search for food at the factory area. Why does he have to do the dexterity work? There are plenty of staffs and workers at the factory but why did he do that until colours stained all over his hands and I could barely see his original nail colour? I asked myself as I bit on the local chicken wrap. I went back to the factory about an hour, the staffs came to talk with me and

Career Management And Professional Development Education Essay

Upon taking my university class I literally had no thought as to what I wanted to make. I knew I wanted to work in the Finance industry but that was about it. By taking Accountancy and Financial Management it meant that I could get down to larn all the accomplishments required for work in the Finance industry while non specializing myself so much that I would be limited by occupation chances at Graduation. While my chief fortes may still lie in either fiscal or direction accounting, Appendix 1[ 1 ]shows the many other possible paths that I could take. Many of the companies that fall under these classs will be based in London particularly those affecting investing markets, nevertheless there are plentifulness of possibilities to work non merely across the U.K but besides the remainder of the universe. Equally good as looking at Graduate occupations, one other measure frontward is to go a hired comptroller. Again from looking at Appendix 1 within the UK there are seven cardinal hired bureaus. However fall ining one of these will hold to happen after I have started my calling in order to cognize which one to fall in. For illustration if I wanted a calling in revenue enhancement I would take the CIOT over CIMA. After sourcing the occupations that my making leads me to make, it ‘s now a simple instance of combating the 300,000 other alumnuss each twelvemonth for precisely the same occupation. One manner to give me a contending opportunity at the occupation is by acquiring noticed and as a consequence I will necessitate to convey a whole scope of accomplishments and competences to the tabular array to demo why I should acquire the occupation. Like most people I am able to offer accomplishments such as Communication & A ; Literacy be it written, ocular or unwritten, an application of numeracy due to the fact that I am an comptroller and as a consequence have to utilize Numberss on a twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours footing, and an application of IT skills due to the fact that in this changing universe the demand to be able to utilize a computing machine is going more and more evident. The accomplishments that I need to pull people ‘s attending to are the 1s that ca n't be rather so good taught and have to be developed through experience in the workplace. These include Self Management such as the ability to demur duty for what I do, to be able to self motivate myself on my undertakings guaranting that they are completed by the needed deadline, and to be ready to accept unfavorable judgment and feedback on the work that I have done so as to better it to its best possible potency. Furthermore I need to be able to speak about teamwork, non merely â€Å" we did a undertaking one time at university in a group † but to be able to demo existent squad participant accomplishments. At a basic degree these would include a regard for fellow co-workers, to accept their determinations but besides offer a degree of negation and persuading, every bit good as doing certain that I contribute to treatments and meetings, but so at a more advanced degree to be able to work out what portion people play in a squad and maximize their accomplishments and traits for illustration devising certain that the thoughts individual negotiations with the encourager and compromiser so as develop the best result from an thought. In add-on to these, I besides need to hold concern and client consciousness of the industry I am in. When traveling to a occupation interview this will include background research into the company, but it will besides necessitate an apprehension of the cardinal constructs that make a concern win including hazard and wages every bit good as invention. This consciousness so has to be compiled with good communicating accomplishments so as to describe back to the terminal users be in internal directors or the external client. The consequences of my in category Myers Briggs appraisal[ 2 ]had me as an Introverted, Sensing, Thinking and Judging single. This suggests that I am a difficult working single with a clear sence of what is right and incorrect. I would be given to hold with this peculiarly as I do non cover excessively good with â€Å" Grey countries † of a state of affairs. The trial besides shows me to be a dedicated person who I believe I am and is something that I have to offer to graduate employers. Although the truth of these trials is something to be argued it does propose that an ideal occupation for me would be something based in finance. The consequence of the trial besides shows that some work in developing the extrovert side of me every bit good as measuring jobs on the footing of thoughts instead than merely facts will assist me to go a more rounded person. Before traveling onto happening the right occupation for me, I besides needed to look at what motivates me, in other words what do I necessitate my ideal occupation to offer in order to acquire me out of bed in the forenoon. The consequences of my Career Drivers Profile study[ 3 ]shows me to be motivated most by the demand of occupation security which with issues shortly to be faced such as acquiring a mortgage I would be inclined to hold with. My other drivers included position and stuff wagess. While I would hold with these to some extent I would state it is more a instance of desiring to be recognised for making a good occupation and besides holding the fiscal wages for inputting my difficult work.So What Is The Right Job For Me?Upon finishing my arrangement, one thing that is a certainty is that I do n't desire to go an history, despite this nevertheless a calling in finance in peculiar respects to the money markets is one that I feel suited to. My grounds for this are drawn from a personal involvement in Stocks & A ; Shares every bit good as executing good in the related faculties at university. After traveling to legion alumnus carnivals I have started using for Investment Banking and Asset Management occupations, due to the nature of the occupation nevertheless, most of these are based in London. As a consequence should I be successful in an application it would intend re-locating down to London and get downing an wholly new portion of my life, one which I would be excited to make, but besides a small apprehensive at the same clip. In footings of what I can offer my perspective employer, I am traveling to hold to travel beyond what everyone else can offer due to the fact I am taking about a sidestep in my pick of calling versus those who have graduated with a banking and finance grade. Hopefully my passion and thrust for the investing country of finance should come across and holding personal experience in the purchasing and merchandising of portions and bonds through a agent should at least give me some caputs up on the competition. If I should acquire a face to confront interview at any establishment nevertheless it will be of import for me to see which competences are being assessed during my interview and do certain I have a â€Å" bank † of illustrations that I can pull from and accommodate in order to reply on inquiries affecting teamwork, personal challenges and personal victory to call but a few. It will besides be of import to make some research into the company and attempt and bead that into my replies in order to demo that I have taken the clip to larn about the company.Got to Get Myself Connected!Arguably one of the most of import regulations in concern is that it ‘s non what you know but who you know. Unfortunately upon graduation I am traveling to be one of the many who knows a batch about my specific topics but with small practical experience and really few contacts within the industry. As a consequence something has to be done now in order to seek and derive as large an advantage as possible. In my first twelvemonth I signed up as a pupil member of CIMA, during the past few old ages at that place have been many chances to travel to societal events and web with people yet I have non bothered traveling to them. This twelvemonth may be a good thought to travel and web and at least acquire myself on the radio detection and ranging. The 2nd thing I have done is to put up a LinkedIn history. While many people argue they are of small usage I believe they may be a uti le tool for maintaining path of the legion people I will run into in the hereafter and it besides shows position employers the few people in the industry that I presently know. Fortunately as a consequence of my placement twelvemonth I now have contacts crossing from Cornwall right up to Glasgow. Dependent upon if and what professional organic structure I decide to fall in, they may besides be a great beginning of contacts. Equally good as the pupil chances listed above, by being an existent member of the professional organic structures I will be able to web with those presently practising in the industry instead than merely guest talkers and these people in bend may be able to set me in touch with other contacts to foster aid help my calling. Further to this, I believe that the University may be able to assist with my networking through the Alumni service. This will assist me maintain in contact with both my class mates from this twelvemonth, my friends who did n't travel on work arrangement who have now graduated, every bit good as many other utile contacts who are presently working in, or holding the same issues as me seeking to interrupt into the investing profession. One other set of contacts that may turn out to be really utile is the enlisting bureaus, peculiarly those who specialise in Finance such as Hayes or Sewell Moorhouse who last twelvemonth managed to acquire 100 % of all university arrangement pupils who came to them into employment. Equally good as assisting me to acquire a occupation if my alumnus applications are unsuccessful they will be able to supply arrows on my CV and covering letters, but more significantly they will be a contact for life. For illustration if 10 old ages down the line I want a wholly different alteration of calling so these people will be here to rede where to travel.Making the Jump – Career Management PlanMany of my marks here will be based around my action programs as a consequence of my work placement study.[ 4 ]However my calling way as a consequence of the placement twelvemonth leads me off from the thought of going an comptroller. My first mark was to go on developing my fiscal accomplishments. At the clip of my study this would hold been my accounting accomplishments nevertheless upon contemplation and make up one's minding that I no longer desire to be an accountant these accomplishments must be transferred over to other fiscal countries such as the investing country of finance I am interested it. Fortunately my university class gives me the flexibleness to make this as the concluding twelvemonth incorporates both accounting faculties but besides faculties covered by the Banking and Finance pupils which are straight related to the calling way that I now want. Despite the addition in work burden and the sheer trouble of some of the capable affair, I am still hopeful that I will be able to walk off with a 2:1 grade at graduation. My secondary mark was to go on the development of both my personal and professional accomplishments. Unfortunately due to no longer being on arrangement I am non in a place to be developing these accomplishments through a work based environment. However due to the sum of alumnus applications that I am finishing I believe that they at least give me the chance to develop my communicating accomplishments through the completion of online applications, covering letters and telephone interviews. Hopefully I will be able to pattern face to confront communicating accomplishments via interviews if I am lucky plenty to be shortlisted for any of these applications. My concluding mark was to develop a calling program for after university. It was apparent at the clip that Accounting may non hold been the ideal occupation for me hence the alumnus application made to HMRC, unluckily that application was rejected after the on-line numerical and verbal trials. Since so nevertheless I have applied for legion other vacancies all focused around the investing banking country of finance with large companies such as Fidelity but so besides looking at investing reding services such as Oliver Wyman. It was my idea that while I am now certain which country of finance I want to work in, I should n't be binding myself down with one specialized occupation country. The other idea I had in assisting to develop my calling was to transport on at university in the signifier of station alumnus survey. However I shortly ruled this option out due to the cost but besides that I believe now is the clip to acquire into industry and to get down determining my calling. Further to this by non transporting on in graduate student survey I still have the option to finish all of my professional makings through whichever company I work for and so subsequently on down the line if I think that I would wish to travel back into instruction, the graduate student option is ever available for me.

Legal Consciousness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Legal Consciousness - Essay Example The law pulls us by manipulating our mindsets; as such, it manages to shape our activities. Therefore, behaviors and codes that we observe are resultant of guidelines since the law attracts us into adopting them. The push appears as an obligatory application of the law because when persons fail to follow the law, then they are forced to follow it. As such, the law pushes or forces persons into adopting a desired habit, which shapes their activities. According to Myers (2004), most teachers suffer law consequences because they are mainly ignorant to new codes and regulations that are binding. Therefore, I would update myself frequently to avoid such situations. However, when confronted by challenges, my immediate response would entail evaluating the matter critically to identify my alternatives and the consequences of adopting any of the available option. As such, I would firstly seek to familiarize myself with the current events and novel regulations that affect my duties. I would then adopt an action most suited in correcting the situation and afterwards institute strategies that would avoid future recurrences. An apparent reality that an administrator must understand is that one can never cover problems, thus, facing them remains the viable solution. As such, I would seek to respond to arising problems coherently. Administrators monitor a group of individuals with diverse personalities, intentions and concerns making them face challenges emerging from varied sectors (Parkay & Stanford, 2007). This indicates that an administration post demands one to have a tactical mind that can respond to such predicaments effectively. I would always seek to gather the necessary information before communication my stand when faced by any problem. As such, research would be my guiding term since I never approve an idea of furnishing my client

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the Fair Work Act 2009 Essay

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the Fair Work Act 2009 - Essay Example The act focuses on the key parts such as the employment standards of a nation, contemporary awards in the workplace, industrial action, minimum wages, unfair dismissal, office fair work and enterprise agreements. Organisations exists for a purpose but regardless of particular resource in an organisation, HR managers play significant roles in the organisation and they are the key ingredients for organisation success. HR manager controls and manages financial resources, people and other aspects; thus a number of varied things should be taken into considerations in order to transform the nature of work and workplaces in which they are performed. Among these aspects is making significant amendments to industrial relation systems; thus employing more innovative HRM practices such as communicating clearly about organizational policies is vital. The strengths of the Fair Work Act 2009 The aim of the FW Act is to offer a balanced framework for productive and supportive workplace relations, w hich promotes state economic prosperity and social aspects for all Australians (Harpur, 2012, 190). Under this act, employees and employers may bargain collectively to make enterprise agreements in respect of the terms and conditions of employment. The FW Act offer an effective bargaining process in the workplace and this is where agreements between bargaining representatives who represent employers and employees bargain in good faith in order to come to an agreement. Mondy, Noe and Gowan (2005, p. 45) point out that the essential function of the HRM in an organisation is to create and maintain a productive, as well as, a healthy and safe working environment for all stakeholders. The core activities of the human resource manager include offering job analysis, recruitments, retaining employees, and recruiting, training or compensating employees. Regardless of the size of an organisation, HRM should perform their work well by managing and improving the skills of employees in order to create successful organizational performance. These activities take place within a framework of legislation that establishes minimum standards and prospects regarding acceptable behavior in a business entity (Briscoe, Schuler and Claus, 2009, p. 32). The FW Act has been wholly operational since the commencement of the year 2010 and it substituted the workplace relation or work choices amendment Act of 2005 (Manuel and Law Society of South Australia, 2009, p. 51). The FW Act is imperative because it enables employees to adjust the employment costs, workforces or flexible working hours to suit subdued demand (Sloan, 2010, p. 19). Employers in some sectors are concerned with modern awards in the workplace and unfair dismissals while others are concerned with the federal minimum wage; thus the FW Act is vital in the workplace. Many organisations such as the Australian organisations faced turbulent business and economic issues during the 1970s but the implementation of the FW Act 2009 ha s created significant changes on the way organisation perform their functions in the contemporary business world. The FW Act offer flexibility in the workplace and this is significant because it contributes to increased productivity in the workplace. Offering work flexibility is one of the significant aspects that have enabled many human

Neutropenia in the Chemotherapy Patient Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Neutropenia in the Chemotherapy Patient - Essay Example The study by Cameron (2009) suggests that one of the most effective ways of lowering the incidence of mortality from neutropenia is educating the patients. The paper suggests that letting the patients know what the signs of (febrile) neutropenia are and how they can be recognized will allow patients to understand when to contact their healthcare provider to ensure that they receive treatment for the condition as soon as possible, lowering the mortality of the condition. There are many different side-effects of chemotherapy that can be confused with the development of neutropenia (Nirenburg et al, 2006), but patients should be informed to check for a fever over 37.5C, mouth ulcers and general malaise (Cameron, 2009). The study by Cameron (2009) then goes on to suggest that educating the healthcare providers when the risk of neutropenia is highest and the white blood cell count is likely to be lowest is most imminent during the chemotherapy course. It has been suggested that most chemo therapy treatments are most effective and thus neutropenia risk is highest at the 10-14 day stage of treatment (Hall, 2005) and thus providers and patients alike would benefit from understanding this fact. However, different chemotherapies have different apexes, and thus both patient and provider should understand that the risks may be different dependant on type of treatment received (Cameron, 2009). It has also been shown that the duration of febrile neutropenia in patients with solid tumours can be predicted (Matias et al, 2010). The only data needed to provide this information to a patient or a member of healthcare staff is the aggressiveness of the cytotoxic agents used in that chemotherapy (Matias et al, 2010). This has the benefit of allowing both patients and healthcare staff to predict the severity and duration of neutropenia before the chemotherapy is started, and if the system was imposed thoroughly it could lead to a reduction in the cases of neutropenia. It could also a llow physicians to make more informed choices about the chemotherapy regimen chosen for the patients which could reduce the chances of neutropenia. There is more evidence for the development of a risk assessment tool for those at risk that may help to reduce the rates of chemotherapy-related neutropenia. Donohue (2006) has shown that giving those at risk a colony-stimulating factor (CSF) before chemotherapy is started can give the patients an increased risk of survival and reduced risks of neutropenia (p349). This is more evidence that education would be a useful factor in many situations, as nurses and physicians would need to be educated in using the risk assessment tool, and then understand the results given by this tool. However, after this it would decrease rates of neutropenia in many patients (p350) and thus achieve the goals set out by the PICO-formatted question outlined above. Crawford et al (2004) have also shown that there are assorted risk-factors for chemotherapy patie nts. It has been shown that 'combined cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil is less toxic than AC or combined cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and 5-fluorouraci

Child adoption law Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Child adoption law - Dissertation Example However, by giving paramount importance to the welfare, this paper will be analysing whether the parental consent and the rights of the natural parents deserve equal weight and attention or whether it has been relegated to the backside by the Adoption and Children Act 2002 in an exhaustive manner1. Whether Child Welfare alone is to be given of a paramount significance thereby disregarding the parental consent and the rights of the natural parents under the Adoption and Children Act 2002? - An Analysis The law on adoption was completely transformed with the effect from 30 December 2005 through the introduction of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 in UK. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 tries to address the question of parental consent of the natural parents and the question of the best interest of the child which are tackled at an early stage. ... As held in Webster v Norfolk County Council2, adoption is a process which engrosses the separation of legal relation between the natural parents and a child thereby creating a new kinship with the adoptive parents. Under ss 50,114(4) of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, the definition of those who could adopt a child which includes unmarried couples also, and the 2002 Act3 has made the welfare of the adopted child as a paramount while in the 1976 Act 4, welfare of the child was the first priority of an UK’s court. Under the 2002 Act5, the procedure for the adoption has also been changed6. Section 1 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 is a dominant provision that will be applicable whenever an adoption agency or a court is taking any conclusion as regards to the adoption of a child. This comprises any choice by the court about the waiver of permission by parent or to pass an order under section 26 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 for a contact order. In subsection (4) of the Act7, a welfare checklist is detailed out ,which must be taken into account either by the agency or by the court in deciding the best interest of the child in any choice pertaining to adoption. Paramountcy standard connotes that child’s welfare is supreme when making any choice about the upbringing of a child. Due consideration should be given by the court also about the feelings and wishes of the child and shall refrain from making an order of placement and adoption unless no other option is available .Thus , every initiative should be undertaken to protect the child’s family and home associations8. Section 1 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 states that paramount significance should be given to the following factors by the adoption agency

The Function of Ethical Leadership as an Essential Factor in Thesis

The Function of Ethical Leadership as an Essential Factor in Successful Organizations - Thesis Example This research is based on understanding the concept of ethical leadership in the context of organizational success. The study has extensively reviewed the earlier researches conducted and has focused on the features of ethical leaders that include their being honest, daring, forthright, strong and capable of influencing others. The positive contributions of the ethical leadership concept on organizations have also been found in several companies, some of which have been taken as examples for the study. The study has reflected how ethical leadership has and can positively influence companies towards achieving their organizational goals and thus act as an essential factor in achievement of organizational success. Leadership has been widely defined as â€Å"a process of social influence in which one person is able to enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task† (Chemers, 1997, p.1). Thus leadership can be understood as an activity performed by a gr oup where one may be leading the group. Organizations require leaders and leadership in the context of achieving organizational goals and objectives encountering all internal and external factors (Chemers, 1997, pp.1-3). Leadership that represents the power to direct others towards attainment of common goals within organizations has a major effect on the ethical issues of an organization particularly in decision making processes. Leaders have been associated with the motivation of employees and settlement of norms of an organization. They are capable of positively affecting the different policies through effective performances of the organizational members. Often the head of an organization like the chief executive officer and other managers are considered as the most important organizational leaders; however the roles of the board members are equally significant in the decision making of organizational objectives (Oluseyi & Hammed, 2009, p.8). The ethics and leadership are thus ass ociated significantly towards

Sports Corruption in Ghana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Sports Corruption in Ghana - Essay Example The 2010 report of the World Bank regarding corruption in Ghana claimed that as many as 95 percent of the total health resources in the country end up going in the hands of the private individuals. In addition, the public only benefits from only 5 percent of the total spending of the government on the health sector (National Development Planning Commission (Ghana) & International Monetary Fund, pp. 14-19). The people of the country are suffering greatly due to the poor living standards and austerity measures in the country but they fail to realize that they are sitting on mineral resources of gold, oil, timber, diamond, bauxite, manganese, sliver, limestone, and others worth trillions of dollars (Rosner & Shropshire, pp. 88-89). In short, Ghana is one of those countries in Africa which have great potential due to the location, history and demographics, however, they country is far from realizing its potential due to the rising corruption in the country. It was on September 29, 2011 t hat Ghana Anti Corruption Coalition admitted the fact that Sports Corruption is eating away the credibility of Ghana football and if serious actions are not taken in the near future then the officials may be left with nothing to save (Nicholls, Daniel, Bacarese & Hatchard, pp. 342-345). The following few lines will attempt to lay down a framework by discussing the importance of sports in everyday life and the theoretical impact of corruption on sports. The damage which corruption does to the sport, its dignity, and perception is the most ruthless out of all (Levy & Wong, 359-362). Men and Women turn to sports so that they could seek escape from the tiring and mechanistic day-to-day activities. Sports are an alternative to... The paper tells that sports serve an important purpose of inducing and inhabiting healthy lifestyles in the hearts and minds of the children and the adults. Educational institutions, parents, experts, researchers and academicians and others encourage sports for students because it helps them steer the children away from unhealthy activities. The time available to students can be classified into two categories, one that is spent on healthy and productive activities, and other being the one spent on unhealthy and nonproductive activities. Nonproductive activities would include watching TV, sitting idle, excessive eating, excessive internet browsing, chatting and cell phone use, and use of drugs, parties, and others. However, productive use of the leisure time includes activities such as completing the homework, studying, engaging in sports, physical exercises, workouts and others. Research indicate that when children engage in sports, they are crowding out the possible time that could have been allocated to unhealthy leisure time activities and at the same time, they are getting physical and mental exercise which is always crucial to the performance of the mind and the body. The problem occurs when talented, confident, and hardworking players do not get a chance to be the part of the national teams or they fail to get exposure that they think they deserve. Players work extremely hard throughout their life to represent their country, city of region in sports tournaments. Usually they end up comprising their studies, friendships, families and others in order to focus more on their sports career.

The New Scientific Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The New Scientific Management - Essay Example Leadership within this day and age can only be remarked as one of the stronger aspects of management because it brings quite a few strengths to the fore (Wheatley, 2006). The essence of any leadership is decided by the ones who work under this leader’s aegis or alongside him on different levels. There are a number of tools that can be used in order to think differently. These include the likes of properly understanding where anomalies within leadership lie and how these can be resolved amicably. Measuring analytics is indeed one of the most sought-after tools that is studied under the aegis of leadership. If these realms are seen from a perspective of deriving the strengths more than anything else, then there is little reason why leadership should fail in the very end. Leadership does have its merits and demerits which need to be understood in order to reach upon a conclusion which is elaborately drawn from all angles. This is the need of the hour, more so within the health fi eld where patients are constantly looking up to the doctors and paramedics for their help and assistance. Since analytics are measured from a number of angles and considerations, there is little reason why there should be any hiccups encountered within the said equations. Also leadership can also be gauged through the ethical boundaries which have been manifested within the health field (Morrison, 2011). If one finds more ethical issues surfacing, then this means that the leadership tangent lacks its cohesiveness and perhaps there needs to be a number of aspects which should be taken care of to bring sanity. It must be remembered that strategic thinking comes from looking at the mission and vision objectives which are indeed of significance within any health field organization or setting. If these considerations are looked upon at with a sense of understanding and empathy, there is no reason why strategic thinking would fail to develop over a period of time. Strategic thinking invol ves an ideology which is comprehensive from all angles and brings into consideration some of the more important points as agenda areas which will be given the necessary highlight. It is mandatory on the part of the leadership to understand that strategic thinking requires tact and planning as well because if these two aspects seem missing, then there is no point in tackling the nuances involved with strategic thinking basis. Strategic thinking after all is a positive that should always be seen with a clear mind and complete focus. I will approach leadership in such a way that there would be more inspiration for the people involved in the process for which leadership has been enacted in the first place. This will make sure that the negativities that shall exist within the relevant domains are taken care of in a very easy manner. There is a sense of empathy that needs to be looked upon at, more so when the discussion centers on the premise of bringing a positive change within the medi cal basis and how leadership contributes to the said perspectives is another significant point that should always be seen and understood. I will take care of the ethical issues which remain very pivotal because I believe that leadership always instills in a sense of morality within the leader who transfers the same to his subordinates in a downward fashion (Owen, 1990).  

Dress code Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dress code - Term Paper Example In order to achieve this, we do require you to gain full understanding of the management’s expectations from you so that you may act accordingly. Although most of you are aware of the standards maintained by ABC Institute, yet a lot of new employees have been recruited recently and the management wants to once and for all, make clear the dress code that they are obliged to follow as a requirement of their contract with the ABC Institute. Old employees should review the memo to find slight additions that have been made to the last dress code policy. Being Muslim, our standards for dress are derived from the teachings of Islam. Modesty is the principle determinant of the eligibility of dress for both men and women in the institute. Dress code for men: Dress pants (jeans are not allowed), collared shirts with full sleeves, tie, and boots (sandals are not allowed). Jersey can be worn as per the need. Dress code for women: Trousers (jeans are not allowed), knee long skirts (can be longer but not any shorter), full sleeved blouses till waist (can be longer but not any shorter), boots (sandals are not allowed), and scarf (compulsory). Half sleeved blouses can be worn by the female staff members provided that the sleeve covers the elbow. T-shirts are disallowed! Knee length skirts should cover the knees in all positions i.e. sitting and standing. It is advisable to wear a knee length skirt with full sleeved or three-quarters sleeved blouse, and a full length skirt with a half sleeved blouse. Full length trousers are to be worn in either case! ABC Institute Code of Behavior: All staff members are expected to completely comply with the ABC Institute Code of Behavior. Staff members are obliged to: Display professionalism always while representing the ABC Institute Serve as a role model for others by always showing perfect mannerism Respect the religious as well as traditional beliefs of all communities in UAE Follow the ABC Institute Dress Code at all times All mem bers of the staff should be aware of the fact that ABC Institute provides the public with full time customer service. The service continues 24 / 7 uninterruptedly. That essentially tells that many of the staff members have to work in the night shift. They are advised to adjust their schedule accordingly so that they are able to deliver their best in the night. ABC Institute requires its staff members to present themselves to the public in a getup that is expected of them in context of the Islamic teachings and the indigenous culture of UAE which accords with them. UAE maintains a multicultural society, and people from all over the world dwell here. The staff members, should never, in any way, comment on the getup of any customer. ABC Institute’s workforce is expected to always display excellent mannerism, which essentially constitutes all three areas of language, behavior and dress. Upon recruitment, all staff members are made aware of what the management expects them to disp lay with respect to each of the three areas of mannerism. While we talk of language, it essentially includes body language in addition to the verbal language. ABC Institute expects every staff member to be very formal in both kinds of languages, and make excellent use of emotional intelligence in the workplace. Smoking is strictly prohibited both within the workplace. No staff member is allowed to use cigarettes or any other kind of drugs

Bollywood and Cricket Essay Example for Free

Bollywood and Cricket Essay The two things that unite the rich and the poor, the educated elite and the illiterate, the city-dwellers and the villagers in India are undoubtedly – Bollywood and Cricket! Both have their own share of success and star factor – Shah Rukh Khan has a big fan following in Germany, while Sachin Tendulkar was gifted a Ferrari by Michael Schumacher. Both are big businesses – the Bollywood stars as do the cricketers appear regularly on TV to endorse everything from under-garments to life insurance to passenger cars. How about bringing them together – and that’s what happened in 2008 when the Indian Premier League (IPL) was inaugurated. Cricket, in its traditional form, usually being a day-long or a five-day game, because of the the duration of the game, was always seen by the Europeans and Americans as something boring that only cricket-crazy Indians could watch. How about making it shorter, spicing it up with some Bollywood masala adding a huge entertainment and star factor to it – and this in short is the definition of IPL. This format of the game has many similarities with both the traditional game of cricket as well as Bollywood. First, the duration – this format of the game, more popularly dubbed T20 (for Twenty-20 as it has 20 overs (1 over = 6 balls) a side), runs for around 3 hours – the same duration of a typical Bollywood movie. And the heroes are both on and off the field. The on-field heroes are the cricket stars from around the world who entertain the audience with their cricket skills. While the teams with fancy names like Delhi-Dare-Devils, Chennai-Super-Kings, etc. , have a mix of Indian and international players are mostly owned by Bollywood stars or big Indian business houses. The off-the-field heroes are thus the Bollywood stars and other page-3 regulars (the ‘socialites’) who add to the star quotient. The only thing that is left from a typical Bollywood movie are the ‘item numbers’. These are substituted for by the grooving cheer-leaders with skimpy outfits employed by each team. Not to mention the IPL Nights-after party that brings in more glitz and glamour. In short, this combination of two big business machines – Bollywood and cricket resulted in a bigger business – the IPL. So, where is technology in all these, given that my writings are connected to technology most of the time. Here we go – in 2010, IPL became the first ever sports event to be telecast live on YouTube – and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In a way this is indicative of the future of television – given that cricket events are closely associated with commercials and TRPs. We already see the convergence of mobile, desktop and more recently television devices. I am confident that not so far from now, we would be watching all sporting events and movies through the internet. The other technology marvels include the use of Spider-cameras (which was actually borrowed from other sporting events like soccer) and the high-definition reviews. And yes, there are iPhone apps too!

Driving Forces Of The Jamaican Economy

Driving Forces Of The Jamaican Economy The purpose of this research is to do an analysis of the investment setting of the local economy . This will be done through an analysis of the macro economy, industry analysis and company analysis. This research seeks to identify the three industries which have the greatest potential for growth for the period 2013- 2016. From the three industries identified, the industry with the greatest growth potential will be analysed further and a company chosen from this industry for fundamental analysis. The results presented from the research should be treated as conclusive but rather as an hypothesis or best guess for the direction of the economy during the period 2013- 2016. Economic Analysis is the study of general economic conditions that is used in the valuation of common stock. The macro economy is the environment in which all firms operate and it has a great influence on profits and the firms relative performance within the industry. Driving Forces of the Jamaican Economy Jamaica is a small developing economy with a lot of potential for growth if resources are used more effectively. Over the years it is evident that the economy has been growing, however, there are areas that seem to be crippling. The major drivers of growth in the economy are agriculture, forestry and fishing. On the other hand it is expected that mining, quarrying, hotels, restaurants and electricity will expand. Over the past years the contribution of agriculture to GDP ranges from 6.5% 8.5%. If this number is to grow the economy would have to get in the frame of mind of eating what we grow which will help to decrease imports, however exports would have to increase since it would not be beneficial to stop importing but do nothing about exporting. Industries make up 29.5 % and services makes up 64.7% of GDP. The economy depends mostly on services which include restaurants and hotels which make up the greater portion of GDP. However the country generates most of its foreign exchange from tourism and bauxite. Although the economy is growing it would be better if there were not so many hindering factors. These factors include crime and corruption, large-scale unemployment and underemployment. Instead of seeing a decline, the economy is experiencing growth in those factors, and these affect the economy negatively. According to a paper on national security it stated Jamaica has a culture of crime, this high crime rate in the economy causes there to be fewer investments which results in a slow growth of the economy. As a small economy with so much potential to grow but little resources and few modern technology there are some corrective measures that should be in place if the economy should grow. According to Paul Allen a business reporter these measures include: embracing competitiveness and taking the necessary measures to achieve and maintain it, companies need to move away from targeting the local market and focus more internationally, make better uses of resources invested in economic activities and adopting policies that encourage innovation and cohesion. In implementing these measures the economy will be sure to see growth. It may not show currently but it will show over a period of time if implemented at the right time and with the right precautions. Unemployment Unemployment rate is the percentage of the total labour force that is unemployed but actively seeking employment and willing to work. Decreasing unemployment in Jamaica has always been one of the major economic factors that the Jamaican government have always tried to solve. The graph  [1]  shows the movement of unemployment rates between the years 2009-2013. The figures show a gradual increase in unemployment over a three year period and also a forecasted increase over a two year period. According to the PIOJ in an article in the Jamaican Observer dated August 22, 2012 the economy is going through a transformation in which sectors growing the fastest are the ones shedding jobs due to modernisation taking place. Compared to other Caribbean countries Jamaica has been experiencing the slowest economic growth and the country will continue to face challenges for years to come. To combat this problem the current government will be maintaining a broadly market friendly policy stance and reducing Jamaicas high unemployment rate a priority. They have found $4 billion funding for the Jamaican Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) in the efforts to solve this problem and as such the projections for unemployment for 2012 and 2013 are 13% and 14% respectively. Interest Rates Interest rate is a rate which is charged or paid for the use of money and is often expressed as an annual percentage of the principal. The lending interest rates for Jamaica over three years are graphically represented  [2]  . These figures show a gradual decrease in interest rates which can have both negative and positive effects. Low interest rates increases borrowing by consumers and thus increase consumer spending, it will prompt investors to invest more in equities and businesses will be able to finance expansions and so on at cheaper rates all of which will help to expand the economy and increase GDP as they can borrow for less money to finance these activities. On the other hand lower interest rates also indicates that persons will begin to save less as they will not be receiving much return and it can also weaken the dollar. According to Bryan Wynter the Governor of The Bank of Jamaica, He stated in an article dated June 14, 2012 Jamaica will sustain low levels of interest rates. Jamaica is expected to continue stable/decreasing levels of interest rates. Interest rate for Jamaica is currently 17.55% as of August 2012. GDP Gross Domestic Product is the measure of the economys total production of goods and services. Rapidly growing GDP indicates an expanding economy with ample opportunity for a firm to increase sales. The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services which accounts for about 60% of GDP. GDP in Jamaica 2009 was reported at -2.6 % this shows that the level of production in the economy was declining compared to -1.7 % in 2008. In 2010 GDP was -0.6% this contraction was reflected in low economic demand, job losses and reduced disposable income. In 2011 however GDP increased to 1.3 % this was due to improved international economic conditions, particularly in the first half of the year. Domestic demand for goods and services, although weak, continued to improve throughout the year, it was also influenced by sustained growth in remittance inflows to Jamaica. According to the Bank of Jamaica, GDP is projected to be within the range of -0.5% to 0.5%. Inflation According to Mankiw inflation is the overall increase in price levels. Inflation may cause the value of investments to fall. Government deficit and rising cost of productive inputs are causes of inflation in Jamaica. When the governments expenditure exceeds its revenue, the government is said to be running a fiscal deficit. In order to finance this deficit, the government has the option of either borrowing from the Bank of Jamaica or borrowing from local or international financial institutions or from the general public. If the government borrows heavily from the local sources outside the Bank of Jamaica, it may lead to an increase in domestic interest rates. If the government decides to borrow funds from the Bank of Jamaica to finance its deficit, the process of printing money may have to be done. This is not a preferred option as the process usually leads to inflation because it represents an increase in money balances without a corresponding increase in the quantity of goods in th e economy, that is, more money chasing too few goods. Inflation also arises out of increases in the cost of production inputs. The price of any final good or service will depend upon the cost of the inputs used to produce that good. The more expensive the inputs are to the producer, the higher the cost of the product to the consumer. This therefore means that continued increases in the cost of productive inputs would result in continued increases in the price of the good and hence causes inflation.  [3]   According to the Bank of Jamaica the inflation rate in 2009 was 10.2 % which decreased from 16.8% in 2008. This decline was a result of the declining in prices of import commodities and an increase in productivity and output in the agricultural sector. In 2010 however inflation increased to 11.7%, this was a result of domestic weather shocks this included drought conditions and a tropical storm which affected food supplies. In 2011 inflation decreased to 6.0% this was influenced by the impact of excess supply on agricultural prices which means there was a high supply of agricultural produce. Domestic demand also was remained low during this period. Projected inflation for year the years 2012 to 2013 is estimated to range from 10% to 12 %. National Debt Debt to GDP According to Ken Chaplin in an article dated Tuesday November 15, 2011, the country is not doing well when a lot of its economic and financial activities are measured against the GDP for instance the debt. In 2008 Jamaica had a debt to GDP ratio of 128 percent. Total debt for 2010 was 128.3% of GDP compared with 129.3% of GDP in 2009. The projection for 2011/12 is 122.8% of debt to GDP and the projection for 2015/16 is 95.1 percent of debt to GDP.  [4]   Total debt stock for 2009 was $1,434,755.8 million compared with $1,570,368.30 in 2010 and a projected $1,639,502.5 in 2011. All of these figures broke the debt ceiling of l00 percent. In 2009 the domestic debt ratio to GDP was 68.4%, in 2010 66.1%, and for 2011the projection is 65%. As far as external debt is concerned, the debt to GDP ratio was 60.9% in 2009, 62.2% in 2010 and the projection for 2011is 57.7%. The government projects that by the year 2015/16 the debt to GDP ratio will be 95.1%, but this is not sufficient. In every respect the extent of the debt is a heavy burden with which the country is struggling to maintain. Industry Analysis An industry analysis is an analytical tool used to identify various attributes within an industry. In Jamaica we have many industries, and there success and growth are often dependent on a number of factors. The more common factors considered for an industry include the level and type of technology employed, type of labour force employed, government regulations and the like. The three industries identified in this research paper, are the three industries that the authors of this paper felt had a better chance to do better than all other industries during the period 2013- 2016. These industries are the financial industry, manufacturing industry and the telecommunications industry. These three industries have shown the greatest potential for sustained growth over the projected horizon. Financial Industry The finance sector is regulated by the Financial Regulations Division (FRD) this division deals with the development of the regulatory framework, which influences the operations of the countrys financial sector. Jamaicas financial sector is made up of merchant banks, commercial banks, credit unions, building societies that are license under the financial institution act. The sector also includes non-deposit taking institutions including insurance companies, development bank and securities dealers. The Bank of Jamaica Financial Stability Report for 2011, states that the general financial stability environment in 2011, although remaining stable, was dominated by higher credit risks. The credit risk conditions permeating the financial markets in 2011 were affected by domestic economic conditions pertaining to uncertainty surrounding the status of the Stand By Arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), deteriorating debt indicators, the delay of other key economic reforms and the less than favourable strength of economic recovery. It further stated that the annual change in Jamaicas gross domestic product (GDP) returned to positive growth rates at end 2011. In addition, economic activity appeared to be trending to levels recorded prior to the international financial crisis that started in 2007. Improved performance was reflected within the financial sector for 2011. Compared to 2010, profitability rose for financial institutions. Increased profits were mainly due to: activities in the banking sector which realized accelerated growth in the asset base; continued reduction in risks related to the cost of financing in 2011, despite low aggregate demand and unfavorable performance on interest bearing assets; and lower market interest rates during 2011, thus generating lower interest expense relative to 2010. Despite several risks identified for the period under review, the financial sector was adequately capitalized. Two of the major risks were the protracted uncertainty due to the status of reviews of the countrys medium term programme by the International Monetary Fund; and the evident increase in Non-Performing Loans, specifically to corporations. This industry is driven by technology, as is evident from the various machines utilized by the various financial institutions to ensure the continued operations of its business. This technology includes internet banking and telebanking facilities which allow customers to shop and pay bills from the comfort of their own home. Manufacturing Industry The manufacturing industry is comprised of any and all organizations that engage in production activities. In view of this definition, this industry would include organizations involved in food processing such as Grace Foods and Lasco Manufacturing, outdoor signage companies such as National Outdoor, furniture making companies and the like. The manufacturing industry, also known as the secondary industry, employs a lot of labour especially unskilled labour which is used to produce the wide variety of manufactured goods found within our local economy. Technology is also employed to this sector to aid in production but, the industry remains very labour intensive and is the main source of income for many within the local economy. The contributions made by the manufacturing industry as showed steady declines since 1990 at 21.3% to 8% in 2011. The importance of this industry is however underscored by the president of the Jamaica Manufacturing Association as the largest contributor to GDP of all the goods producing sector. This industry is regulated by the Jamaica Manufacturers Association, which is responsible for ensuring that companies within this industry are properly licensed to do business and also acting as an agent of the government on behalf of the stakeholders of this industry. Since the Jamaica debt exchange in 2009, businesses and individuals who formerly depended on earnings from government debentures have had to shift their focus as they desire to gain greater returns on capital. The industry has benefitted from this has some manufacturing businesses have sought to increase their capacity, and in so doing generate more income. (Edwards, 2010) The major players in this industry enjoy greater market share and economies of scale. Nevertheless the industry is not yet saturated and more and more players are entering the market with a view to earning income and gaining greater market share. There are little barriers to entry within this industry and it has become a worthwhile alternative employment for those who did not benefit from an acceptable level of secular education. In recent times the financial stability of Jamaica seems to be hinging on an IMF deal. As a result vision 2030 which is a mandate of sorts for growth in the manufacturing industry has taken on greater meaning. It is the desire of the government to see this industry expand it capacity and export more and import less. (Edwards, 2010) Telecommunications Industry In 1986 LIME then known had Cable and Wireless Jamaica enjoyed a monopoly position within the industry. This was however sanctioned by an act of parliament, and in 1999, CWJ was asked to give up their monopoly status and liberalize the market. (Country Profile Jamaica, 2007) By the end of 2005 Jamaica was described by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as having the highest usage of cell phones than any other country within the American region. The Jamaican mobile sector which includes companies such LIME and Digicel are credited with the extensive growth in the telecommunications industry, despite the global recession during the periods 2007-2011. According to (Business Wire, 2011) the mobile sector is poised for strong growth during the periods 2011- 2016. Factors contributing to this projected sustained growth are the 3G and 4G deployments by the mobile sector. As noted by (Country Profile. Jamaica, 2007), in 2007, Digicel was market leader with a customer base of 1.7 million Jamaicans and LIME followed with a customer base of 700,000. In the ensuing years there have been slight fluctuations, but Digicel remains as market leader. The telecoms industry in Jamaica is regulated by the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) and the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR). The fair trading commission asses the market and ensures that as companies within this industry interacts fairness exists and that no entity is able to cause negative impacts to other players in the market. The Office of Utilities Regulation focuses on the interaction between industry players and the consumer society. At times they may set rates for service providers or approve rate increases. However, as a result of the competitive nature of this industry, there is not much if any interference from the regulator in this regard. As mentioned before there is a high level of competition within this industry with the major competitors being, LIME vs. Digicel, LIME vs. Flow, LIME vs. Digicel vs. Flow, and offcourse the list goes on. Success in this industry is however dependent on technology employed and the corporation with the greatest investment in technology is poised to see the greatest return on investments. In Depth Analysis of chosen Industry (Manufacturing) In the view of the members of this group, the manufacturing industry is positioned to do better than the other two industries assessed during the periods 2013- 2016. Our decision was drawn from past and present activities within the economy and we hypothesize that the manufacturing industry will be the leading industry at the end of the projected period. Manufacturing in Jamaica has grown from small beginnings to the well oiled machinery that now exists. In times past it was about trial and error. Bringing things to the market and hoping that sales would be made. This industry is however faced with the reality that it does not have unlimited resources for trial and error. As a result, corporations within this industry have diversified to gain greater economies of scale. Within this industry we have food processors. Leading in this area are companies such as Jamaica producers, Grace Foods, Lasco Manufacturing, Polyfoods and offcourse the list goes on. We have beverage companies such as Pepsi, Jamaica Beverage, Wysinco, Grace and still others. Not to be outdone is the industrial giant Tankweld Metals which produces all type of steel to be used in the construction industry. Time would not allow us to go into every sub sector within this vast and expanding industry. This industry benefits from various government concessions as an inducement to ensure sustained growth of the sector. In the vision 2030 that was drafted, the manufacturing industry was viewed as a critical area that the government would be looking to make investments in to ensure growth of the sector, through its manufacturing task force (vision 2030, 2009). As noted by (Country Profile Jamaica, 2005), the manufacturing industry is the second largest contributor to GDP growth. Despite this second place status on the issue of GDP growth, the industry is still growing and there are incentives available for growth which underlay the potential for it to become an industry leader during the projected period. A recent occurrence that has had a negative impact on the manufacturing industry includes the recent passing of hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy has washed away crops, blown down structures and damaged parts of some factories. This has caused setbacks within the industry and may inevitably lead to increases in cost of products produced. However in times past, these situations have levelled off and normalcy returned. Similarly the effects of Sandy will be a thing of the past. Social Influences The manufacturing industry is impacted by the need of many to have employment in order to support their families. Many secondary school graduates first job is in the manufacturing industry as unskilled labourers. There they have an opportunity to learn industry relevant skills that will benefit them in later years. The Manufacturing industry however is not to be viewed as a day-care centre for the nations youth. It is in fact a very well paying industry for those who have qualified themselves in that area through skills training or tertiary learning. The success of this industry will inevitably depend on those individuals with new knowledge and innovative ideas to keep it moving forward. A very important part of the economy is growth in gross domestic product. The more developed this industry becomes, the greater will be GDP. Of special note also is the fact that the manufacturing is the single largest employer of human labour. Technology Employed Like other industries, the manufacturing industry is aware of the benefits derived from the use of technology in its operations. The use of technology in this area is complemented by human labour, the two works hand in hand. In times of long ago, the adage many hands make work light had real meaning. It took many hands to get things done at that time. In this modern economy, the usage of technology has increased capacity within the various companies within the manufacturing industry. As a consequence many have had to learn how to operate and maintain these machines in order to secure their employment within the industry. Others have left to find their place in other industries such has the service industry. It is with the aid of technology that firms within this industry can gain economies of scale. These include industry giants such as Grace Kennedy, Lascelles, Lasco and much more. Regulatory Environment In Jamaica, there are incentives to be gained from the government if the thing being produced is deemed to be in the national interest (Chen-Young). Government officials have on numerous occasions spoken about the need for Jamaicans to capitalize on the benefits that can be gained from producing more and importing less. Linked to its national policy, we are admonished to be self sufficient to the extent possible. On a more serious note we have the Bureau of Standards, This institutions sets the standards that must be met for goods that are to be used by the public (bsj.org.jm). In the case of building blocks built by Carib Cement, there is a certain level of pressure that each block should be able to withstand before it breaks. The standards set by the Bureau are in the best interest of the nation and they are not burdensome to implement. Forces Driving Competition Mr Porter identified five forces which drive competition within an industry, these are also known as Porters five forces. These are the; bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat from potential entrants, threat from substitutes of products or services, and intense competition among existing companies within an industry. Bargaining Power of Buyers As a result of the buyers knowledge of the market and the competitors thereof, the buyer is able to make demands on the business. Buyers are more sensitised to the various facets of the manufacturing industry and the many niche markets that have sprung. The buyer therefore has the option to shop around and get the best deals. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Suppliers are aware that they do not have a monopoly market on raw materials needed by companies within the manufacturing industry. As such suppliers seek to form partnerships with companies in order to secure further business. As such the bargaining power of suppliers is moderate. Threat from Potential Entrants Threat from potential entrant is low. This is because a sizable investment is needed to enter this market and not everyone can afford to set up shop and manufacture their own goods to be sold to consumers. Threat from Substitute Products There is a high level of threat from substitute products. As a result the consumer can go elsewhere if not satisfied with what is being offered for sale. This forces the company to be sensitive to the needs of consumers since there needs can be filled elsewhere which would result in a loss of revenue. Intense competition among existing companies within the industry There is intense competition within the industry, with the exception of those that operate as monopolies. In every subsector of this industry, there is intense rivalry and the consumer only stands to benefit. Those that have however established themselves within the industry see favourable returns despite the intense rivalry. These companies include Pepsi and Wysinco from the beverage sector. Company Analysis The company chosen from the industry that is believed to outperform the other two industries is Lasco Manufacturing. This company exists as a major player within the food manufacturing sector of the manufacturing industry despite being quite young when compared to its major competitors. It has as its vision, to become a global corporate leader through innovation and entrepreneurship. Lasco Manufacturing came into existence as a consequence of a decision that was made to reorganize the Lasco companies in the year 2010. The board of directors entered into and amalgamation agreement which in effect led to Lasco Foods being made responsible for its own activities the name was thereafter changed to Lasco Manufacturing. The chairman for the Lasco manufacturing company is Mr. Lascelles Chin; he is also the founder of the Lasco Affiliated Companies. A recipient of the Order of Jamaica for the work he did in the development of commerce in Jamaica. This man along with his qualified team of directors and committed staff are positioned to take this company to new heights during the projected period of 2013- 2016. Economic and Industry Influences Lasco Manufacturing, like all other business are affected by the economic climate. The countries inability to secure an IMF deal will result negatively on its operations as it relates to its importation of raw materials for its business. The countries net international reserves are getting low and this may lead to further downgrades in on Jamaica as a place for doing business and Lasco Manufacturing will be affected. The recent passage of hurricane Sandy left damages that the government is still paying some of which will remain unchanged. Many manufacturing companies including Lasco Manufacturing were affected by Sandy. Food prices are expected to rise and this company will not escape this reality if it comes to fuition. The economy has been in worst state before and was revived, the authors of this paper are confident that normality will return to Jamaica and this company will continue to thrive. There has been an influx of brands which are rival to our company under consideration. However the Lasco brand is an household name and as a result still enjoys a favourable position within the market. The company however has to maintain a strategic focus because not all consumers will be loyal to a brand and as the consuming public become more educated and aware they will make greater demand on the producers of goods and services. Structural Influences Firms Competitive Strategies SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis is a tool used to make an assessment of the strategic position of an organization. This assessment is used as a guide to position or reposition the organization in a profitable direction, taking into consideration availability of resources. Strengths Dominates the powered milk market. Well recognized brand locally. Company is more distribution oriented; this is positive considering the high manufacturing cost in Jamaica Weaknesses Products have a stigma of being low ended. Concentration in one product type; milk powder. Low regional diversification, revenues are concentrated in Jamaica. Alliance between chairman and managing director. Opportunities Tax break from listing on the JSE for the next 10 years. Stronger profit growth to fund retooling and business expansion. Threats Though Lasco benefits from weak demand, continued weakness in the Jamaican economy could impact them. Favourable Attributes of the Firm Generally, the favourable attributes of a company look at its unique qualities or characteristic that makes it the preferred choice for its customers and it is this same uniqueness that lures its potential customers. The major qualities or characteristics that contribute to a companys favourable attributes are its competitive advantage, exceeding management styles and market leadership. Competitive advantage can be further subdivided into differentiation advantage and cost advantage. Differentiation advantage is when the company offers superior product and services at the same price in the market. In contrast, cost advantage is when the company offers the same goods and services like its competitors but for a lower price. Above average management speaks to the level of managerial approach which is used within the company and it also looks at the level of mentorship that the existing managers can provide to the next generation of managers. The attribute of market leadership gives an o verview of the overall marketing styles which the company uses to builds its reputation and thus making it a priceless entity. ( Annonymous, 2008) Now when we use the definition of favorable attribute to scan Lasco manufacturing limited it was observed that it portrays numerous qualities which contributed to its uniqueness. In the first place, it can be seen that Lascos attribute of competitive advantage exemplifies a cost differentiation style in which it offers a variety of low price products on the market. The majority of these products which they offer are a part of the food basket of the average Jamaican consumers and so they have created a guaranteed market in that spectrum. This attribute has branded Lasco products as cheap and therefore gives them a huge competitive advantage among some of the major manufactures in Jamaica such as Seprod Ltd, Nestle and Grace Kennedy

Literature review on learning styles

Literature review on learning styles Chapter 2 Literature review on learning styles 2.1 Background of learning styles Learning styles have received considerable attention in recent years. There are more than 20 style dimensions that have been identified so far. It has come out of the more general research on cognitive styles, particularly from the field of psychology. The earliest and frequently discussed dimension of learning styles is the concept of field dependence and field independence that is advocated by psychologist Herman Witkin. Recent researchers, such as Lardner (1989), Reid(1995), Nam Oxford (1998), Bailey Onwuegbuzie (2000), Malinsky (2001), Ehrman Leaver (2003), Decapua Wintergerst (2005), have contributed greatly to the development of learning style theories. Kolbs (1976) experiential learning theory is prevalent in educational settings, because his theory explains more about the teaching and learning process (Cited by Reid, 1995). Many researchers and instructors have adopted his theory and applied it into different educational areas. The most important thing is that he has proposed four learner types on the basis of his learning theories. And the four learner types are converger, diverger, assimilator, and accommodator. Claxton and Murrell (1987) use an onion metaphor to describe the multi-constructs of learning styles (Cited by Eliason, 1995). The multi-constructs of learning styles are compared as the layers of an onion. The core is composed of personality characteristics, then from insideto outside, the layers are sequentially information-processing the second layer, social interaction the third layer, and instructional layer the fourth and the outermost layer. The core is the mostm constant and stable part, but the successive layers around it can be slightly changed to some extent. Reid (1995) divides the learning-style researches into three major categories: cognitive learning styles, sensory learning styles, and personality styles. Cognitive learning styles, according to her introduction, include field-independent and field-dependent learning styles, analytic. and global learning styles, reflective and impulsive styles, and Kolbs Experiential Model. Sensory learning styles consist of perceptual learning styles and environmental learning styles. Personality learning styles are made up of Myers-Briggs Temperament styles, tolerance of ambiguity styles, right and left hemisphere styles. Riding Rayner (1998) just discuss and describe the two basic dimensions of cognitive styles, including wholist-analytic and verbal-imagery styles. The wholist-analytic style learners tend to organize information into wholes or parts, while verbal-imagery style learners are inclined to represent information during thinking verbally or in mental pictures. It is inevitable that diverse assessment instruments of learning styles exist. It is difficult to find a comprehensive assessment instrument because of the complex nature of learning styles. The majority of the assessment instruments are only to measure one or two dimensions of learning styles. For instance, OBriens (1990) Learning Channel Preference Checklist (LCPC) and Reids (1984) Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSP) are instruments just to measure perceptual learning styles, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) measures personality traits, such as extroversion-introversion, sensing-perception and the like, and Oxfords (1993) Style Analysis Survey (SAS) is relatively multi-dimensional and includes learning styles, such as perceptual learning styles, extroverted and introverted learning styles, concrete and sequential learning styles and so on. In this study, we mainly focus on perceptual learning style preference because it is one of the most obvious aspects of learning styles. Rossi-le (1989) refers to it as an individuals preferred mode for perceiving, organizing, and retaining information. Reids (1984) Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSP) is used in this study, because of her high reliability and validity for non-native speakers. It measures six types of perceptual learning styles, including visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, individual, and group learning styles. Each of the learning styles possesses unique learning characteristics. Visual-style learners like to learn through eyes. For example, they prefer to obtain information through reading, computers, TV, a nd bulletin boards. Students of auditory learning styles rely heavily on listening or talking; they remember what you say. Tactile-style and kinesthetic-style learners like to learn through touching or moving and prefer to obtain information from audio tapes, lectures, class discussions, field trips, and role-plays. Individual-style learners learn best when they work alone, which contrasts strongly to group-style learners who learn effectively when work with other students or peers. It is evident that all learners have individual attributes relating to their own learning process and learn differently because of their biological and psychological differences. 2.2   Definitions of styles and learning styles The concept of style has existed in literature for approximately a century. It can be dated back to a description of personality in classical Greek literature about the ancient classification of temperament and physique created by Hippocrates (Riding Rayer, 1998). Styles are the words used to describe differences among people. They are the general, broad approaches a person uses to learn or to solve a problem. Brown (1994) defines it as consistent and rather enduring tendencies or preference within an individual. Generally speaking, styles are an individuals habitual patterns or preferred ways of doing something that remain consistent over a long period of time. Learning styles originate from the concept of style. There is a lack of concept agreement over the basic terminology. The term has been used in various and sometimes confusing ways in the literature, often interchangeably with the terms of cognitive styles, affective styles, or learning strategies. Cognitive styles and affective styles are only sub-constructs of learning styles and learning styles are more comprehensive. Cognitive styles are often referred to as an individuals preferred and habitual approach to organize and represent information. Its important dimensions are field-dependent and field independent, leveling and sharpening, holist and serialist, impulsive and reflective, and abstract and concrete etc. Affective styles are usually related to an individuals emotional states, including self-esteem, inhibition, risk-taking and anxiety and the like. Learning styles are constant and innate and difficult to be changed, whereas learning strategies can be learned and consciously applied in different learning situations. Learning strategies are specific procedures or techniques a person consciously uses in solving a problem or in working through an assignment. Literature on definitions of learning styles is also rich and diverse. Different researchers emphasize on different aspects of learning styles when rendering the definitions. Keefe (1979) defines learning styles as the cognitive, affective and physiological behaviors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how learners perceive, interact with, and respond to the learning environment (Cited by Eliss, 1994). Reid (1995) holds the view that learning styles are an individuals natural, habitual, and preferred way(s) of absorbing, processing, and retaining new information and skills. It is difficult to find an overall and comprehensive definition of learning styles, but similarities can be concluded from these definitions that the characteristics of consistency and perseverance are the core of all the learning style definitions. 2.3 Models of learning styles For researchers, it is difficult to propose a comprehensive learning model that encompasses all dimensions of learning styles. Thus the majority of learning style models focus on one or two aspects. In the following part, only two learning style models are introduced and elaborated because of their great popularity in research field. 2.3.1 The Dunn and Dunn learning-style model Compared with other learning-style approaches, the Dunn and Dunn learning-style model encompasses greater comprehensiveness and consistent effectiveness. According to Dunn and Dunn (1993), learning style is the way that students begin to concentrate on, process, internalize, and remember new and difficult academic information and is composed of both biological and developmental characteristics that make the identical instructional environments, methods, and resources effective for some learners and ineffective for others (Cited by Dunn and Griggs, 2000). In this model, the Dunns describe learning style as the ways to affect an individuals abilities to master new and difficult academic information or skills. 21 elements have been identified in this model and are classified into five categories of learning stimuli. (1) Environmental. The elements are sound, light, temperature, and design. Part of an individuals learning style depends on his or her preference regarding sound versus silence, bright versus soft lighting, warm versus cool temperatures, and formal versus informal seating. (2) Emotional. These elements are motivation, persistence, responsibility (conformity versus nonconformity), and preference for structure versus choice. (3) Sociological. These elements describe the group in which a student prefers to learn, such as whether to learn alone, with peers, or with either a collegial or authoritative adult, andlor in a variety of ways as opposed to patterns or routines. (4) Physiological. These elements include perceptual strengths like auditory, visual, tactual, and kinesthetic skills; time-of-day energy levels; intake (snacking while concentrating); and mobility needs. (5) Psychological. These elements describe the way in which a student processes information. For example, analytic students focus on facts or details in step-by-step fashion. Gradually the facts build up to an understanding. Conversely, global students need to understand how they are learning relating to them and their lives before they can begin to focus on facts. Also, analytic students respond to printed words and numbers, whereas global students respond better to illustrations and pictures (Searson, R., Dunn, R., 2001). In summary, Dunn and Griggs (2000) explain the theoretical base towards the Dunn and Dunn Learning-Style Model as follows: 1. Most individuals can learn. 2. Instructional environments, resources, and approaches respond to diverse learning-style strengths. 3. Everyone has strengths, but different people have very different strengths. 4. Individual instructional preference exists and can be measured reliably (Burke, Guastello et al.,1999/2000). 5. Given responsive environments, resources, and approaches, students attain statistically higher achievement- and attitude-test scores in congruent, rather than in incongruent, treatments ( Dunn Dunn, 1992, 1993; Dunn, Dunn, Perrin, 1994; Dunn, Griggs et al., 1995); they also behave better in style-responsive environments (Oberer, 1999). 6. Teachers can learn to use learning styles as a cornerstone of their instruction ( Dunn DeBello, 1999). 7. Students can learn to capitalize on their learning-style strengths when concentrating on new and difficult information (P. Roberts, 1999; Schiering, 1999). 2.3.2 Kolbs learning style model Kolbs learning style model has attracted considerable interest since the mid-1970s and has greatly contributed to the development of learning style theories. Kolb remarks that learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience (Cited by Riding Rayer, 1998). Learning style is described by Kolb (1976) as the individuals preferred method for assimilating information and makes learners actively involve in the learning process. Hauer, Straub and Wolf (2005) state that Kolbs theory of learning is based on Deweys emphasis on the need for learning in experience; on Kurt Lewins work which stresses the importance of a persons active learning; and John Piagets theory of intelligence which explains the interaction between the person and the environment.  According to Kolb, the learning model comprises two independent dimensions: perception and process. The first dimension involves concrete experiences and abstract conceptualization, and the second includes active experimentation and reflective observation. Perception reflects how individuals perceive information. For example, abstract learners comprehend information conceptually and analytically, whereas concrete learners learn most effectively through specific learning experiences. Processing describes how individuals process information. Active learners, for instance, learn primarily by manipulating the environment, while reflective individuals typically learn by introspection and internal reflection on the external world. The learning model of two dimensions can be further classified into the following four learner types: Converger (Common sense learner): these students perceive information abstractly and learn through active experimentation. They are best at finding practical uses for ideas and theories. They prefer activities, such as small-group discussions, classroom participation, and computer use. Their favorite question is How does this work?. Diverger (Innovative learner): these students learn better when they are able to perceive concretely and to process reflectively. They like to do things by themselves and have good imaginative abilities. They are interested in people and culture, and tend to be social learners. Brain-storming and lectures are their favorite activities. They usually bear the question Why do I need to learn this? in their minds. Assimilator (Analytic learner): these students learn more effectively when they are able to perceive abstractly and to process reflectively. They are good at putting the separate information into a logical organization and enjoy theoretical reading. They are more interested in facts and important things. They are more used to traditional classroom learning. Their favorite question is What do I need to learn?. Accommodator (Dynamic learner): these students learn more effectively when they are able to perceive concretely and to process actively. They are good at hands-on experience and like to connect their learning into the context of real world. They like activities of risk-taking, presentations, debates, and group discussions, but dislike authority figures. They always hold the question like What if?. The four learner types can be summarized briefly as below: accommodators are people who learn primarily from hands-on experience rather than from logical analysis; divergers are best at viewing concrete situations from many different points of view; assimilators are best at organizing information into a concise and logical form; convergers are best at finding practical use for ideas and theories.

The Virtue Of Silence Essay examples -- essays research papers

THE VIRTUE OF SILENCE Of all the virtues that most men and women disregard, it is silence. People go about in their everyday lives not even noticing the beauty of one's "inner silence." Try an experiment: Close your eyes. Tune out the sounds from everything that's surrounding you, and focus on what is going on inside you. Take a deep breath and just listen. How many inner voices did you hear? Most people do not even realize the amount of noise that is carried around in the human body. As you can see, even in the remarkably noisy age we live in, the real noise is on the inside. But even these noises can dissappear if one wishes. All one needs to do is study one of many religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Judaism. Each of these religions have many techniques for meditation, and their reasons for wanting to find "pure silence" are generally the same. This reason for finding your inner silence is basically the same for every religion, but to go about and reach this perfect sense of serenity can be accomplished in many ways. Each religion has their own set of steps to reach Nirvana, or utter bliss and perfection. Buddhism, for instance, has many different levels of meditation. Each level reached will take you into a deeper silence of meditation until you reach "rightful meditation." Rightful meditation is the "sinking into total silence. Silence of the senses, silence of in...

Essay example --

Aristotle and Niccolà ² Machiavelli were two great minds from completely different times, both having rather different views on the world, that touched on many similar points throughout their respective works Politics and Machiavelli’s various writings. This occurred because Machiavelli was illustrating his positions directly against Aristotle’s theories, which allows for an interesting comparison between the two’s opinions on a variety of issues. While Politics is more of a discussion for the populous and The Prince was specifically made as a sort of guidebook for the future ruling class, they can still be compared based upon their similar topics of discussion regarding political goals and the opposing points that need to be avoided. This combined with The Discourses, which was an analysis of the Roman republic and why it was so successful, provide a rather comprehensive view of Machiavelli’s core beliefs. The concept of differing worldviews is key to u nderstanding the similarities and differences between the two as they come from very different basic places of opinion when regarding the overall goal of politics. Aristotle came from a position of lofty, boarding on impractical, goals with the effort of creating the concept of the good life for its citizens, in which they could expand and flourish. Machiavelli on the other hand worked on a much more practical scale of thought, focusing on concepts of gaining power, and control, while maintaining stability as the main goals of participating in politics. Both however stated a vast array of necessary requirements for achieving the best political scenario along with opposing points to avoid, and in turn theories on how to distinguish between the two. In this paper, these two great poli... ...nd goals a governing body can hope to achieve, asking the individual to question how they are being governed and how the system around them can be improved. They also however provide guidelines for how to govern one’s self, and legitimate goals that an individual should strive to achieve, not just goals for the governing body over top of them. From these two theories, an individual should be able to learn how to better govern their soul and identify how best to serve themselves throughout life. No one theorist is ultimately ‘better’ then the other therefore because of this, as they both gain significant merit in the debate that they open up to their audiences. Their timeless core theories will remain with society forever as there will always be some form of governance, and their theories can fit so many scenarios throughout life. Sources:

The United States and Cuba: An Embargo for the Ages Essay -- Essays P

The United States and Cuba: An Embargo for the Ages Cuba’s colorful history can be documented to before the days of the American Revolution in 1776, but today, American policy directly affects many Cubans’ lifestyles because of a nearly 45-year-old trade embargo that has been placed on the island nation. It is crucial to analyze the development of Cuba and its neighboring island nations in order to discern the reasons for Cuba’s current political situation with the United States. The following paper will discuss the events that shaped Cuba and larger Caribbean nations like Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica; next, a detailed description of Cuba’s turbulent history will help in explaining the Cuban transformation into a socialist economy; then, a detailed account of the U.S. embargo on Cuba will document the ups and downs of the policy all the way to the present day; finally, the current news surrounding American-Cuban relations will depict the most recent happenings in the ongoing disputes between t he two nations. Before analyzing the situation leading up to the Cuban embargo, it is important to look at the history of the development of the Caribbean as a whole. This means analyzing the factors that led to the modern development of islands like Hispaniola (consisting of Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Jamaica, and of course Cuba. It is also essential to observe and examine the economic and social changes that resulted from these islands’ shifts from colonial outposts to independent producers. It seems important to look at all of these islands separately, as each one has its own unique background that explains its place in the world today. These islands also share many strikingly similar characteristics. Up... ...n that U.S. businessmen want to trade with Cuba. The problem lies behind the interests that drive the U.S. government, and until those interests are satisfied, it is doubtful that this embargo will go anywhere anytime soon. References http://story.news.yahoo.com http://www.countryreports.org http://www.cubatravelusa.com http://www.dominicanrepublic.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/section/Jamaica_History.asp http://www.factrover.com/Jamaica.html http://www.haiti.org http://www.hispaniola.com http://www.historyofcuba.com/cuba.htm http://www.uscubacommission.org/history.html http://www.ustreas.gov http://www.worldrover.com http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-02-26-us-cuba_x.htm http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ Kaplowitz, Donna Rich. Anatomy of a Failed Embargo. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1998.

Summary of the Lesson

Toni Cade Bambara: Lesson for Change Toni Cade Bambara was a renowned author, educator and civil rights activist. She created short stories that drew attention and awareness to the social, political and economic issues of her time. â€Å"Bambara always insisted that social commitment is inseparable from the production of art. † (Andrews, Foster and Harris 22) â€Å"The Lesson†, published in 1972, is a short story from the collection, â€Å"Gorilla, My Love†. This story’s purpose was to bring the social inequalities that were prevalent within the urban community to the forefront of the minds of the readers.The intention was not only to bring the issues to light, but to empower people to make the necessary changes in their lives and to â€Å"wake up and demand their share of the pie† (542). â€Å"The Lesson† introduces us to an undereducated group of children from a poor urban community and the woman who takes them through this journey of disco very, Miss Moore. The story is told through a first-person narrative by a young African American girl named Sylvia. Sylvia is a tough, proud, stubborn child that keeps her true thoughts and emotions hidden away.She begins the story by introducing us to Miss Moore, with whom she is not particularly fond of. Her opinion of Miss Moore seems to be largely affected by the influences of the adults in her life. This begins to show us how a lack of parental responsibility can affect the minds and perceptions of our children. I agree with this because my children emulate everything I do. As a single mother, all of their attention is on me and for the first few crucial years of development, I am their only teacher. They will learn from these experiences and examples that we set .The parents in â€Å"The Lesson† do not seem to be very responsible; the children are often pawned off on their aunt and they speak negatively of Miss Moore when she is not around. Miss Moore is an educated bla ck woman who seeks to educate the children about the ways of the world. â€Å"She’d been to college and said it was only right that she should take responsibility for the young ones’ education† (537). She is the perfect example of a good role model. It is a summer day, Sylvia isn’t happy when Miss Moore gathers them up for yet another lesson.On this particular day Miss Moore is asking the children questions concerning money. She explains to them about expenses and â€Å"how the money ain’t divided up right in this country† (538). They take a trip to Fifth Avenue to visit a F. A. O. Schwartz, a high end toy store. When they arrive she has them look through the window to view the displays. One of the children, Ronald, shows interest in a microscope that costs $300. They discuss how long it would likely take to afford it and one of them suggests that he would outgrow it first.Miss Moore tells them â€Å"you never outgrow learning instrumentsâ €  (539). Education is her next valid point, to be successful and change your way of life you need to be educated. You are never too old to get an education and improve your chances in a better life, and I am living proof of this. I have been out of school for twelve years and I want a better life for my family. I am back in school being a better role model and getting the skills needed to improve our quality of life They continue looking through the window of the store. Then, they see a sailboat priced at $1195.They are all shocked, and now Miss Moore tells them it’s time to go inside. Miss Moore lets them take the lead. Sylvia is reluctant to go through the door, and she doesn’t understand it â€Å"I feel funny, shame. But what do I have to be shamed about? † (541). As they make their way to the sailboat, everyone tip toeing around, afraid to touch anything- Sylvia compares it to a Catholic church. When they get there, Sylvia just stares at the price tag. T hen, Sugar runs her fingers across the boat, making Sylvia jealous and angry. She hides the way she feels and lets Miss Moore know that she wants to leave.The experience has opened her eyes to this other end of the spectrum of society. I believe this is to show how the other side lives to drive the readers to pursue more for themselves. While I understand the need for Bambara to use the extreme examples in the story, at the same time the costs are too extreme even for now. It is unrealistic; the majority of Americans could never afford to throw away that much money on a toy. As a child I was not as unfortunate as the children in this story, we started out in a trailer park and built up a better life for ourselves.Even now, I never would have had a toy that costs as much as a car. On the way home Sylvia starts calculating and contemplating all the things that could be done with that amount of money- rent, bills, groceries, vacations. She wants to know who these people are and â€Å" what kind of work they do how they live and how come we ain’t in on it? † (542). She is angry with Miss Moore for making her aware of her quality of life. When Miss Moore asks them about the day, Sugar responds clearly in a way that shows she understood the lesson. â€Å"This is not much of a democracy if you ask me.Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough, don’t it? † (543). Though Sylvia is stubborn and won’t reveal her thoughts you know she understands too. She knows that there is more out there for her and can strive to make her life better. She walks away thinking about the day and becomes empowered saying, â€Å"ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin. † Though Toni Cade Bambara wrote this story about the African American communities in the 1960’s and the social inequalities that they faced- this story’s lessons are still extremely valid.I fell that though she used extreme circumstances, they were necessary to paint the picture. Without the imagry the point wouldn’t have had the same impact. It is up to you to make the necessary changes in your life to succeed. Lead by example and don’t settle for less because your future is in your hands. Works Cited Andrews, William L, Frances Smith Foster and Trudier Harris. Concise Oxford Companion to African American Literature. n. d. Bambara, Toni Cade. â€Å"The Lesson. † The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers. Ed. Stephen Reid. 9th ed. Upper Saddle River, N. J. : Pearson, 2011. Print.