Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Poetry & lives Essay

Poetry is already a part of everyone’s lives. In fact this wasn’t created but sprung in our hearts. The four poems, Songs of the Road, of Men and Women, Quiet, To Mother, and Woman Knitting talks about the lives of every human being, the four works of art tackles about life, family, the realities of meeting and departing, and death. Who would wonder why the poem Woman Knitting was written. This is a kind of poem that touches the heart of a reader. The poem was written by a Vietnamese poet. The poem basically tackles about a typical woman and her usually-done hobby. One of the themes of the poem is about the life of a person. Life is like knitting. Life journey is too long and has no meaning or significance like a roll of wool. At first it is like the other ordinary thread. As life goes by the thread slowly becomes a meaningful thing that is form through knitting. In knitting, the thread crosses and even cut. Well, like life, we have all the ups and downs. We never knew what will the world has to offer. Definitely only the one knitting knows what she is doing and what she will do with the thing. Like God, He is the only one who knows what is happening to our lives. We do not have controls. What God has allowed us to happen is always the best thing that will give us the reason for living. At first we do not know His plans but after many paces we look back the things that happened as a significant factor for what we have and who we are right now. Also because we do not know about the future, we do not know how long we will stay here on earth. â€Å"Patient, for she has the rest of her life. Anxious, for this is maybe her last moment. † These lines really reflect the uncertainty of life. We are not certain about tomorrow, we are only certain that along with life there is death. Like the woman who is seem so anxious for she do not know if that was her last moment. The next theme I see is about family, friendship, or loved ones. These lines: â€Å"She never looks up. Does she look back to the first meeting? Or the last parting? † tells us that every moment we spend with our loved ones should be cherish. We should not waste time for maybe that time will be the last time together. The woman never looks up. Even though the poem did not literally say that the woman is reminiscing the past, we can clearly say that she is looking back either the past memories which is the first meeting or the last parting. When a person is alone he/she will have the tendency to imagine the future or remember the past memories. This instance gives him/her the strength to survive. The past memories give us hope in the future. And, it is nice to reminisce the past. It gives us the picture that life is beautiful and has meanings. One of the themes that really strike in poem is the theme about peace (cooperation). In knitting, the threads are bind as one. The hands of the knitter should be well coordinated so that the final product will have the right appearance as the knitter is planning. The hands and the mind should be well coordinated so that the process will become easier and faster. The woman did not look up because she wants to be focused on what she is doing. The poem is portraying the kind of people that Vietnam should have. The country should have the people that will coordinate with the advocacy of the country. Thus, everything should be deal with coordination and peace. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien portrays the kind of burdens that the soldier is carrying. Their position and the life that they are going thru pictured out the kind of people. Jimmy cross is a person who is bothered by the memories that he have with the lady. His thoughts make him unable to fulfill his duty with full concentration. After Jimmy Cross realized (after the death of his co-soldier) that his thought bothers him and enable him not to concentrate to his duty, he burns the memories that he have with the lady. He burns the letter and the picture that will awaken his heart and thoughts. Basically the poem Woman Knitting tells that everything should be in coordination. Like Cross, his mind and his heart did not coordinate. He was there for the duty but his heart keeps on telling his thoughts about the lady. Also, the poem really tackles about life. At one time they are with their co-soldier but at a single second they were left. What the co-soldier left was the memories and the guilt on Jimmy’s heart. Life slowly unravels its mystery. The poem gives lesson and portrays the meaning of life. And, the book basically gives the events and where the lessons were applied. Life is full of mystery, but there is an assurance that as we go through the journey, mysteries will be revealed. Songs of Road, of Men and Women talks about the nature of life. We are bound to a single journey; death. The character of this poem is the one who is facing the last destination. On the fourth line of the first stanza, the memories flashes like a flame of fire. Memories will be the one that is left when a person die. And, on the last stanza, the poem talks about the reality after a man dies. Men and women will never meet again and after the death of a person, he will be somewhat unremembered since no one will call on him. It surely death that the author is referring since it the poem mentioned about the people who are no longer being called and now with him forever. On the other hand, the poem Quiet talks about memories. This tells us about the kind of life that we are having. People come and go and then leave us behind. This may also refers to the memories after death but this time the character of the poem is no longer the person who will die but the one who will be left behind. On the second stanza of the poem it elaborates the main theme of the poem. That is really the reality. The people we know now will soon leave us. And the one that will be left are the memories. They are like tear drops that once touches the ground will no longer be retrieve. In other words the memories we’ve shared with the people we meet and love will no longer be erased in our hearts; even if a person is far or gone, he is still a pace apart because he rest in our hearts. The poem To Mother talks about the family, especially our mothers. This tackles about what will a person feel when he is far from his family. Mother is the one being given a tribute here because they are the ones portray a real family. One fact is that, even if a son will forget his mother, his mother will never forget him. This is the kind of family that everyone should have. Our family is the first to be there for us in times of trouble. They are the first shoulder that we can lean on when we have problems. One thing also that is remarkable with the family is that we sometimes feel they are unimportant but we can feel their significance or their importance when we are alone or far from them. We may neglect them when they are there but when they are far way we always long to be there on their side. The four poem have slight differences when it comes to there themes. The â€Å"Woman Knitting† talks about out loves ones, their memories and etc. The poem Quiet talks about memories and still the other two talks about the family and about the reality of life. One thing that makes every poem difference from the other is the way or the mode they transmit their themes. They are like patches of poetry that makes the whole theme more concrete. And, one thing that makes them common is that they talks about the life of a person. They talks about families. They talks about the importance of each other. As far as the four poem is concerned, life is really a broad journey that everyday should be cherish. Work cited: Woman Knitting. Retrieved May 5, 2007 from http://www. essaywriters. net/sys/index. php? rate=5&id=65336 O’Brien, T. (2006). The Things They Carried. Retrieved May 5, 2007 from http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/thingscarried/section1. html Songs of the Road, of Men and Women. Retrieve May 13, 2007 from http://www. essaywriters. net/sys/index. php? rate=5&id=67401 Quiet. Retrieve May 13, 2007 from http://www. essaywriters. net/sys/index. php? rate=5&id=67401 To Mother. Retrieve May 13, 2007 from http://www. essaywriters. net/sys/index. php? rate=5&id=67401

Superstition Speech

Superstitions To inform my audience about commonly practiced superstitions, their meaning, origins, and what affects they have on our lives and commonly practiced traditions. Hi! My name is Sarah & today I am going to talk to you about superstitions. According to blah blah superstition is defined as blah blah blah. How many of you have ever crossed your fingers for good luck, or got a little nervous about something bad happening on Friday the 13th? I would bet that all of you have said or have heard someone say â€Å"God Bless You† after a sneeze.Have any of you ever wondered where the traditions of Halloween came from? Or maybe why it is thought to be bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding ceremony? Today I am going to enlighten you with the answer to these questions and much more. I. For the most part superstitions can be placed into 2 categories, good or bad luck, many of them also have deeply religious meaning and use symbolism. A. Good Luck 1. You must knock on wood 3 times after mentioning good fortune or the evil spirits will ruin things for you. )The tradition traces back to an ancient pagan belief that spirits resided in trees and that by knocking on the wood, you were paying a small tribute to them by acknowledging them, and could call on them for protection against ill-fortune. Also, you were thanking them for their continued blessings and good luck. 2. Crossing two fingers (the middle and pointing fingers) on one hand as a sign of hopefulness or desire for a particular outcome. a)This is probably the superstition that is most widely used today. By making the sign of the Christian faith with our fingers, evil spirits would be prevented from destroying our chances of good fortune.It is also used as an expression: â€Å"Cross your fingers† is often told to someone hoping for good luck or a particular outcome. Sometimes, when someone tells a lie, they will cross their fingers (usually behind their back). This somehow ab solves them from the consequences or makes the lie not count. See a penny pick it up, all day long you will have good luck. b)Finding a penny and picking it up is believed to bring a day of good luck. Finding a penny with heads up is considered luckier. It is believed that this penny should not be spent; keeping it safe can bring you fortune.Any metal was considered God's gift to mankind 3. Saying â€Å"God Bless You† when someone sneezes. (1)†The blessing of those who sneeze started when the great plague took hold of Europe. Sufferers began sneezing violently, and as such, were bound to die. The Pope passed a law requiring people to bless the sneezer. At the same time, it was expected that anybody sneezing would cover their mouth with a cloth or their hand. This was obviously to stop the spreading of the disease, but many believed that it was to keep the soul intact.Sneezing ‘into the air' would allow the soul to escape and death would be imminent. Humankind has long been equating the soul with breath. It was thought that when one sneezed, the soul briefly flew out of the body, and this might allow an evil spirit to take up residence within. On the other hand, it is also said that blessing someone who sneezes is necessary because their heart skips a beat when they sneeze; it is wishing them continued good health B. Bad Luck 1. Breaking a mirror will bring seven years of bad luck. a)Romans tagged the broken mirror a sign of bad luck.The length of the prescribed misfortune, 7 years, came from the Roman belief that man's body was physically rejuvenated every 7 years, and he became, in effect, a new man. One's reflection in a mirror is thought to be the representation of his or her soul or spiritual state. Breaking the mirror, and therefore the person's reflection, would bring damage to their soul and spiritual hardship. Taking the pieces outside and burying them in the moonlight could avoid this. 2. Open an umbrella indoors and bad luck will à ¢â‚¬Å"rain† on you. a)Origin can be traced back to when umbrellas were used as sun protection.Opening one indoors supposedly was offensive to the sun (or sun god) and would bring his wrath down upon the offender 3. Walking under a ladder will bring bad luck. a)Excluding the obvious – that something might fall on you from above – the belief that walking under a ladder will bring bad luck seems to stem from the ladder forming a triangle with the wall and the ground. This represents the â€Å"Holy Trinity†, and if you violate this by entering the space, it puts you in league with the devil, and you're likely to incur God's wrath. 4. Friday the 13thThe belief that thirteen brings bad luck is an extremely pervasive belief throughout many societies, and is strong enough that many major hotels and high rises traditionally either build only twelve floors, or, if they want to go higher, skip labeling the 13th floor entirely! Many people refuse to stay on the 13th f loor, or in room 13. People stay home from work, for fear of something bad happening. Most airports don't have a thirteenth gate. There are many theories as to why this belief is held. One is that Judas, known as â€Å"the Betrayer of Jesus†, was the 13th member present at the Last Supper.Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the official term for the fear of Friday the Thirteenth. Jesus was said to have been crucified on Friday and the number of guests at the party of the Last Supper was 13, with the 13th guest being Judas, the traitor. II. Superstition plays a role in several of our nationally celebrated Holidays and traditions. A. Halloween blah blah blah 1. Costumes- The people of Ireland at that time were pagans and spirits were a part of their religion. Their beliefs involved good and evil spirits and would strive to live in harmony with both.This is where the custom of dressing up in costumes came in. On All Hallows Eve the spirits of the dead, good and evil, were believed to wal k the streets until sunrise so anyone out might run into an evil spirit and become possessed. To keep from becoming possessed, the villagers would dress in animal skins and paint their faces to scare away the bad spirits. 2. Trick or treat- it began in Ireland as part of their end-of-summer festival. October 31st is the last day of the Celtic calendar and November 1st begins the new year.On this last day of the year it what a widely-held belief that on this one night the spirits of the dead could visit the living. Family members would leave a plate of food and a place set at the table to welcome their spiritual guests. People would also leave gifts of food out to keep from angering the evil spirits and causing them to do mischief. It was a preventative measure. The saying â€Å"trick or treat† was a question, because if you left no treat you may wake up the next morning to find you had been victim of a trick or some form of mischief B. Thanksgiving blah blah During Thanksgivi ng, it is traditional to roast a turkey.When it is served, it's also traditional for two people to take the wishbone (the bird's clavicle) each making a wish, they pull apart the bone to break it. The person ending up with the larger piece will supposedly get his or her wish. Although Thanksgiving is an American holiday, the wishbone custom was brought over to the new world by the Pilgrims from England, where it had long been in practice. The ritual of breaking apart the wishbone can be traced back to the ancient Romans, Etymologists claim that the expression ‘get a lucky break' initially applied to the person winning the larger half in a wishbone tug-of-war. III. There are many wedding traditions that may seem a little silly and far fetched, and even though most of us don’t know their origin or meaning, we still include them in our wedding day rituals. A. It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony. 1. During the time wh en arranged marriages were custom, the couple wasn’t allowed to see each other before the wedding at all. The wedding symbolized a business deal between two families and a father would have been pleased for his daughter to marry a man from a rich family.But he also feared that if the groom met the bride before the wedding and thought she wasn’t attractive, he’d call off the wedding, casting shame onto the bride and her family. Therefore, it became tradition that the bride and groom were only allowed to meet at the wedding ceremony so that the groom did not have the opportunity to change his mind. And that veil the bride wears? Its original purpose was also to keep the groom from finding out what the bride looked like until the last possible minute, when it was too late to back out of the transactionB. Ringer Finger 1. C. The person who catches the bride’s bouquet or garter when she tosses it over her head will be the next to get married. 1. The story behi nd this tradition is downright dirty. In medieval times, it was considered lucky to get a fragment of the bride’s clothing, so hordes of guests would follow the newlywed couple into their wedding chamber after the ceremony and stand around the bed, trying to rip pieces of the bride’s gown right off her body.Because dresses were often torn apart, brides searched for alternatives to preserve their gowns and began throwing their bouquets to distract guests while they made their getaway. When the bride and groom made it safely into their wedding chamber, the groom would then crack open the door and toss the bride’s garter to the throngs of people waiting outside as a way of saying that he was about to â€Å"seal the deal. † D.The groom must carry his new wife across the threshold of their new home to prevent bad luck. 1. In ancient cultures, the threshold of the home was considered to be a hotbed of lurking, unattached evil spirits, and since a new bride was particularly vulnerable to spirit intrusion, especially through the soles of her feet, the groom ensured that his wife would not bring any bad spirits into the house by carrying her inside. Conclusion

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Economic Growth and Financial Development

There are three views about the relation between economic growth and financial development. First, financial development has impact on economic growth (i. e. Bagehot, 1873; Schumpeter, 1912; McKinnon, 1973; Shaw, 1973; Patrick, 1966; Goldsmith, 1969; Fry, 1973). Second, economic growth leads to financial development and that where there is economic growth financial development follows (i. e. Robinson, 1952). The third view, however, contends that both financial development and economic growth Granger cause one another.In the essay, our group focus on the first view which financial development will has passive influence on economic growth. During the year from 1955 to 1993, many scholars has study the relationship between financial development and economic growth. Along with the time goes, the theory that financial development will real promote economic growth has been more and more prefect. In the years between 1950s and 1960s, economists such as Gurley and Shaw began to stress the c redit markets and the importance of financial intermediaries, which they believed play an important role in economy. 5] They argued that tradition monetary transmission mechanism ignores the factor of financial structure and financial flow and only pays attention to the total amount of money and the connection of the output. In 1955, Gurley and Shaw bring up the development of financial institution is both a determined and determining variable in the growth process. (Gurley and Shaw, 1995, p. 532). Gurley and Shaw stressed that financial intermediaries exert influence on credit supply rather than money supply.In this way, financial intermediaries improve the efficiency of savings turning into investments and then affect the whole economic activities. They are the earliest scholars to study in-depth the relationship between financial and economic development in developing countries. Gurley and Shaw pointed out that the main access road of monetary policy transmission probably have di verted from money quantity, which is traditionally thought as the medium of exchange.Whereas, the â€Å"financial capability† of economy would has a closer relationship with the gross expenditure. They put forward financial development enhances the intermediation of loanable funds and therefore growth will be stimulated and they have a debt-intermediation view. The Debt-intermediation view establishes relations between finance and growth. First, economic growth would be associated with financial development, as external indirect finance provides surplus units with the capacity to spend beyond their earnings.Second, growth would stimulate and be stimulated by the â€Å"institutionalisation of saving and investment†; income grows, richer wealth-holders will increase their desire to diversify their asset portfolio. If financial innovation is such to accommodate this â€Å"diversification demand†, financial institutions can enhance their lending capacity and thus bo ost growth; the process becomes a cycle. Gurley and Shaw has earlier pointed that the growing importance of NBFI (non-bank financial intermediaries) when they discussed their activities about potentially serious problems for monetary management and monetary policy. 1] Subsequent analysis of the problems had to two results. [2] First, if the monetary authorities exerted control over the financial system through the operating of the financial markets, monetary management would not be undermined. [3] Second, which placed specific restrictions on banks, at that time the dominant financial entities, the growing role of NBFI was stimulated in part by the opportunities for intermediation created by monetary policy measures.These contributions stressed the relevance for financial â€Å"deepening† (mean financial development) of rising wealth and income, then attempts to control the activities of financial intermediaries. Wealth and income incent the demand for financial services. Res trictions and Controls on financial intermediaries create the stimulation for further financial intermediation by generatingâ€Å"quasi-rents† that risk among participants in financial and capital markets and reflect differences in information. 4] However, Gurley and Shaw do not address the issue of causality between financial development and economic growth. In 1966, Patrick make the causality issue is addressed, he posed theâ€Å"stage of development† hypothesis, where the direction of causality between financial development and economic growth changes over the course of development. [6] Two hypotheses are developed, one is Demand-following hypothesis: a causal relationship from real to finance and the other is Supply-leading hypothesis: a causal relationship from finance to growth.The supply-leading hypothesis supposes a causal relationship from financial development to economic growth, which means mature creation of financial institutions and markets increases the supply of financial services, and thus leads to real economic growth. Patrick suggests that initial development is spurred by supply-leading process, which gives way to demand-following process. He posed financial institutions and services emerge as demand for those services unfolds. The idea is that finance is passive in the growth process, but lack of financial institutions may prevent growth to occur.Financial institutions and their services precede the emergence of demand; government support is needed to finance and nascent modern sector, such as subsidized loans, information to small business and long loan durations. He points out the importance of finance in economic growth. The difficulty of establishing the link between financial development and economic growth was first identified by Patrick (1966), he argued that a higher rate of financial growth is positively correlated with successful real growth. [7] In his theory, commercial banks may issue banknotes and accept â€Å" easy† collaterals. Easy loan† can induce economic growth, for it can finance innovation-type investment, however, in fact it can also induce irresponsible borrowing. Since the important work of Patrick, that first postulated a bi-directional relationship between financial development and economic growth. A large empirical literature has emerged testing this hypothesis as the Patrick's (1966) problem remains unresolved: What is the cause and what is the effect? Is finance a leading sector in economic development, or does it simply follow growth in real output which is generated elsewhere. References: [1] de Oliviera Campos, R. 1964) â€Å"Economic Development and Inflation with Special Reference to Latin America† in Development Plans and Programmes Paris: Organisation for Cooperation and Development [2] Duesenberry, J. S. and M. F. McPherson (1991) â€Å"Monetary Management in Sub-Saharan Africa† HIID Development Discussion Papers no. 369, January [3] Friedm an, M. (1973) Money and Economic Development The Horowitz Lectures of 1972 New York: Praeger Publishers [4] Malcolm F. McPherson and Tzvetana Rakovski (1999) â€Å"Financial Deepening and Investment in Africa: Evidence from Botswana and Mauritius†, Copyright 1999 Malcolm F.McPherson, Tzvetana Rakovski, and President and Fellows of Harvard College [5] Liu Pan Xie Tao (2006) The Monetary Policy Transmission in China-â€Å"Credit Channel† And Its Limitations, Working Papers of the Business Institute Berlin at the Berlin School of Economics (FHW-Berlin) [6] Anthony P. Wood and Roland C. Craigwell Financial Development and Economic Growth: Testing Patrick’s Hypothesis for Three Caribbean Economies [7] Philip Arestis (2005) FINANCIAL LIBERALISATION AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FINANCE AND GROWTH, University of Cambridge

Monday, July 29, 2019

Analysing Popular Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Analysing Popular Music - Essay Example ‘American Idiot’ i iis designed as a Rock Opera, a musical format that first emerged in the popular music scene with Pete Townsend’s highly successful production of Tommy in the early 1970s. In keeping with the genre, Green Day’s album addresses many of the postmodern concerns adolecents are faced with today, including the irony of existence, the decline of organized religion, the dysfunctional nature of the American family and the feelings of isolation and alienation that this incurs in the heart of the American teen. One of the longest tracks on the album, ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ encapsulates these themes as well as provides a turning point for the action of the album. With an understanding of Green Day’s musical genre and the underlying structures of Rock Opera, an analysis of ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ presents the willing participant with an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the postmodern social concerns indemic to t he majority of Green Day listeners. The music of Green Day is typically considered to be punk-pop3; therefore, to understand the music, one must understand the characteristics of punk and pop and how this begins to define their audience in more specific terms. â€Å"Punk came into its own in England in the late ‘70s as a savage reaction to polished, tired mainstream rock and pop. More than a musical revolution, punk was a full-blown assault on the soured, restrictive social and political conventions that lingered in England following World War II† (Muze, 2001).4 Early punk rock bands included the Stooges, the MC5 and the Velvet Underground, all characterized by loud, pounding beats; harsh sounds and often extended improvisations. Although it was seen to gain its popularity primarily in England, many of these musical pioneers originated from the Lower East Side in New York. â€Å"Meanwhile, faster, rawer, and bitterly radio-hostile acts like Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys were

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Discussion Question Week 1 Damn Heels and the 4P's Assignment

Discussion Question Week 1 Damn Heels and the 4P's - Assignment Example 2). The information provided through case facts have assisted in identifying crucial information needed in identifying the 4P’s. The description of the product included the raw materials used, the sizes and color, as well as the packaging. Pricing strategies included the stipulated target prices ($20) and how it was priced in comparison with those pegged by the competitors (average of $25). Therefore, by pricing the product lower, it has potentials of attracting new and prospective buyers. Likewise, since the target buyers, from the conducted market survey were composed of post-secondary students within the age range of 20 to 22 years of age, then, the price set was just within their affordable budgets. The product was noted to be marketed through retailers (previously known business owners) and also eventually through the online medium. Finally, it was disclosed that promotions would be minimal given that no funds were immediately available. Thus, the product would rely on the s kills of the retailers. One strongly believes that the weakness in the strategy of Coleman falls in the lack of promotions or advertising campaign. Since this is a new product to be launched, it is crucial to enhance product awareness which could only be made through advertising and promotions. Likewise, since the target clients are potentially students, Coleman could actually approach schools or academic institutions as retailers; rather than relying on clubs or lounges. The online medium could also be pursued since most of the young adults use this medium for their purchase decisions. 2. From the scenario, specify the main ways in which the 4P’s of marketing can help the marketing intern offer suggestions to her manager for the new product launch. Provide specific examples that illustrate the relationship between of the 4Ps and the new product launch. The 4P’s of marketing can help the

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Development of Health Care Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Development of Health Care - Assignment Example The British masses willingly bore with the hardships, scarcity and want imposed by the coalition government under Winston Churchill to divert the scarce resources to war efforts. The politicians and the leadership of the times felt a dire need to reward the British working class for its forbearance and sacrifice by ushering in reforms that were to give way to a more egalitarian society (Stevenson 1990). The UK government deputed Sir William Beveridge to draft a report that was to be the basis of a pragmatic policy targeted at helping low-income groups in Britain (Hills, Ditch & Glennerster 1994). The report furnished by Beveridge in December 1942 proposed that all the working age citizens ought to be made to pay a weekly levy. The funds accumulated through the accrual and management of these weekly contributions were to be used by the state to help people who were needy unemployed or retired. Beveridge called for a minimal standard of living that was to be mandatorily extended by the state to all the poor and needy. The Labour government elected in 1945 resorted to the suggestions made by the Beveridge Report to chalk out measures that were to form the basis of a modern welfare state (Hills, Ditch & Glennerster 1994). The concept of a welfare state includes within its ambit the need to resorting to public and statutory measures to extend the agreed upon minimal standards of living to the deprived and marginalized individuals and groups across the society. In an ideal scenario, the objective of any welfare state is to strive to eradicate poverty, to ensure an all-inclusive distribution of resources and national wealth to promote and enhance social cohesion and unity. In consonance with the above-mentioned ideas, the Beveridge exclusively attacked the evils of ill health, lack of education, lack of hygiene, unemployment, and poverty (Hills, Ditch & Glennerster 1994).

Friday, July 26, 2019

Investment proposal report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Investment proposal report - Essay Example Contextually, the mission of this particular business will be to operate with the deliverance of high quality products and services to the customers so that it can ensure maximum productivity that further shall ascertain the growth of the business. The business will also take into consideration the interests of the stakeholders while framing its strategies. The business idea, which will be focused in this context, will be multi-cuisine restaurant. A multi-cuisine restaurant is a particular sort of restaurant, which uses cooking methods of different nations of the world. This kind of restaurants often serves customers with diverse sorts of foods that have resemblance of any specific nation or region. However, establishing such business requires a considerable amount of investments. This particular business will require funds for various purposes including equipment and vehicles, marketing, land purchase, purchase of machinery, setting up of infrastructure and startup capital among others. These aspects are mandatorily required to set up multi-cuisine restaurant in any part of the UK. Hence, the need for investors is quite apparent in this particular business. It is known that investors are the people who invest their money in any business and earn profit for the same in return. For this particular business, funds will mainly be acquired from sources preferably the financial institutions of the UK. Funds will be acquired from these institutions against the payment of interest at a particular rate. It can be affirmed that acquiring funds is not only the sole step in setting up investment plans for the business rather financial planning is also considered to be important. Observably, financial planning is a set of financial goals and objectives of any business on which the profitability or the stability of the entire business is dependent.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Strategic Management and Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Strategic Management and Leadership - Assignment Example Its main competitors include Kmart, Targets, and Canada’s The Real Canadian Superstore (Wal-Mart stores Inc. 2014). If we talk about the rationale for growth and the success of the Wall Mart stores then there are many of the indicators which show the real success story of the company. The Wall Mart managers took many of the decisions which are the real cause behind their success and the growing development. These strategies may include the reduction in the intermediaries in its supply chain the direct relationships with the customers can increase the likelihood of development and success. Another strategy is the use of modern technology in its operations and processes, therefore almost every single operation at Wall Mart is now computerized and technology based and thus we can say that this involvement of technology is actually meant for the reduction in costs and also for time saving (Hoskisson, 2014). According to the recent research studies, there are almost 245 million customers who regularly visit Wall Mart stores in nearly 27 countries globally. The annual sales for the last year were appro ximately 473 billion dollars. This number of sales is a sign of popularity and the successful operations of the Wall Mart. Wall Mart is covering at least 25 % market share of the target market as compare to the other competitive stores (Wall Mart Stores Inc. 2014). Conversely, all other operations of the company have been attributed to good management that has put it at the top. Understanding customer needs helps in developing organizational culture that enable organizations develop and maintain competitive advantage (Hoskisson, 2014). Thus, various aspects of management have been documented to contribute to the success of a company. One of the most important reasons behind the success of the Wall Mart is the efficient cost management which helps to support the large network of Wall Mart Stores. Business expansion strategy is another

Literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Literature Review - Essay Example Kennedy (2008) however argues that the overall interests of the transsexual children are ignored by both the schools as well as the families besides department of children is also paying attention to them. (KENNEDY). This argument is therefore in conformity with the arguments of Dewey who claim that transsexual children internalize different environments on their own and plan their strategies in a manner that allow them to comply with the changing conditions besides allowing them to deal with their future medical conditions. The synthesis of both of these articles therefore would suggest that though the transsexual children are ignored by their families, schools and even the department of children, however, they have the capability to develop their own internal images of how to deal with the different difficult and easier situations. This development therefore contributes towards the achievement of their necessary survival within the society. Menvielle (2009) also argues on the role of families in helping their children to learn to cope with the reality of transsexuality and whether a child is helped to make a transition to genders from the stage of puberty is discussed. (Menvielle). Menwielle however provides a description of how families can be taught and trained to deal with the challenging situation of dealing with their children and helping them to make a transition. This argument therefore inherently points out towards the fact that existing family system and values may be insufficient in providing deliberate support to such children to face the difficult situations in life and make successful transitiona and go through various developmental stages easily. What is significant however, about the arguments of all three arguments is the fact that Kenney provides evidence regarding the role of schools and families in helping their children to better cope with the reality. Menvielle therefore provides further evidence as to how the

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Hellenic and Hellenistic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hellenic and Hellenistic - Essay Example Hellenic world had the following characteristics: small cities with self-government system, education gained with the help of private tutors, limited commercial activity, women's role limited to domestic affairs, widespread slavery usage, development of poetry and drama introduction, philosophical movements with emphasis on logic and ethic, introduction of experimental method into sciences, and belief into Olympian gods. Hellenistic world was similar to Hellenic world, however, several new features were common: cities ruled by the wealthy class with centralization of power in the hands of monarchs, education provided at gymnasiums, extensive trade both on the sea and land, introduction of the marriage contracts (women could possess slaves and be property owners), local cultures mixed with classic Greek, philosophical emphasis shifted to non-rationalism and mysticism, and significant advances in astronomy and medicine (Thornton, p. 16-23). Position of women in the society is one of the differences between Hellenic and Hellenistic societies. In Hellenic civilization, marriages were the form of contract between the father of the girl and the father of the boy and were seen as the mean to consolidate the power. Usually men married in their late thirties. They had access to women before: so-called hetairas (prostitutes) were very common. Women from the higher level families, on the other side, were completely isolated from the society, they were not allowed to show themselves in public or when the guests arrived. Women lived in their own side of the house and usually married very early, in their mid-teens. Hellenistic culture has made a significant step in making women's position almost equal to men's. Women were allowed to own the property and slaves, to be the agents in business affairs and could sign the marriage contract outlining the responsibilities of both parties, the divorce and property ownership. Women could be the initiator of the divorce without being looked upon by society. Polis was the distinctive characteristic of Hellenic civilization. Polis was the city-state with independent government - there have been hundreds of such cities in Greece. City-state was governed by the oligarchy or by the representatives of upper level social class. This was some form of the dictatorship. In the sixths century, however, some form of democracy has been introduced into Greek civilization: Athenian democracy when citizens were granted the right to vote hold the office and own the property (Thornton, p. 85-86). Hellenistic age has changed the situation: absolute centralized monarchy has been introduced and more opportunities were granted to upper class women. Women still could not vote or participate in political activities, however, they were involved indirectly and their opinion has been taken into account. Hellenistic monarchy has laid the foundation for the development of urban culture. The typical male representative of Hellenic culture was concerned with polis, conformist and oriented towards the public life, while the representative of Hellenistic culture was individualistic, possessed cosmopolitan outlook and was oriented towards

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Business Functions and Processes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Business Functions and Processes - Essay Example Primary activities are mainly associated with the creation of a particular product, whereas support activities involve assignments that support the primary activities and each other. Three of the support activities that include procurement, human resource management and technology development can be connected to primary activities, while the fourth activity (firm infrastructure) is responsible for supporting the entire value chain. The concept of value chain postulated by Porter (1985) explains that attaining competitive advantage begins with the effort to build organizational proficiency in conducting specific competitive value chain activities. The underlying aim behind performing such activity is to attempt harnessing those capabilities, which strengthen competitiveness and strategy of an organization. Given the fact that one or more of these abilities become the cornerstone of a company’s strategy and more resources are then allocated towards building greater expertise in performing these activities, the targeted abilities may ultimately become sustainable core competencies (Roper, Du and Love, 2008). In order to understand significance that Porter had attached to the value chain, it is imperative to recognize that there are two distinct and basic sources of competitive advantage. One source is a lower relative cost advantage and the other is a sort of differentiation. Although empirical research scholars have argued on the fact that many companies (specially Japanese) have been largely successful in combining the two sources mentioned above into one source, Porter continued to seek ways whereby both the sources could be developed separately (Hansen and Birkinshaw, 2007). Porter’s primary emphasis was on the argument that attaining low cost advantage or differentiation largely relies upon the disconnected activities performed by an organization. By disaggregating these activities in strategically pertinent groups, managers will be

Monday, July 22, 2019

Stakeholders Essay Example for Free

Stakeholders Essay Different stake-holders have different aims and objectives in which conflicts can arise. A small business has Primary stake-holders which are considered important. Those are the owners, managers, workers and customers. Where as, the large company have share-holders which are considered to be the primary stake-holders, they are enabled to vote out and in who they want when business is down in the falls. Those stake-holders who have less influence within this are known to be Secondary stakeholders. Owners have a more influential say in how the aims of the businesses are agreed upon and decided. However, other groups have more of an influential say in decision making,. Customers are also considered a key, their opinions and concerns are taken in to consideration allowing the business to acknowledge on how to improve. Published information help stake-holders judge the business’s performance, information such as company reports include the amount of profit earned and the losses, enabling community policies to be set. Owner’s  judge on how much profit is being made, improving so profit increases which may consider a re-election of directors. Rivals compare the profit and Pressure group research on the environmental policy. Primary stakeholders are those individuals or groups that are affected either positively or negatively by the actions of the business, institution or organization, the secondary stakeholder are those who are affected indirectly and key stakeholders who can have an affect either positively or negatively but are involved in the business or organization. The director is the key stakeholder alongside the line staff directly working with participants, there are many more, for example, funders, heads of businesses and government etc. An business takes in to account what all the stakeholders interests hold in, they all link up to become one. Stakeholders generally have an interest based on whether they are affected by decisions taken or not, they all tend to look for what they can benefit in as well as lose within it. In the two companies decides upon, we have a variety of stakeholders: Beginning with Subway, The customers want tasty food at reasonable pricing, Subways is expected of having delicious quality food worth spending on from them, not only do they expect but like to see improvements and new products, in this case sandwich’s and ingredients giving better value of money. There are also the employers, subways provide them with a livelihood, a set regular pay enabling them to live their life and provide for their family, alongside these they expect worthy promotions, good rates of reward and a safe secured job. We then have the owners of each franchisee, in a partner ship with the main owner of subway, they are seen to be the ‘principals’ taking risks, they play the main part of setting up the franchise and expect their business to grow earning high profit. Included in this are the suppliers, subways need fresh ingredients, food and drinks supplied to them on a regular basis, suppliers want them to keep purchasing from them and therefore would like the business to work out. The government also under come being a stakeholder as all taxes have to be paid even thought they would like the business to work out. Local communities are included within the stakeholder’s category too, the actions of subway have and effect on the community too, for example, if the franchises have an  un-cleared, low in hygiene environment then it will attract rats which will spread. BBC is paid by the government through our taxes making not only the government an essential stake holder but also us as we pay our taxes. They then have the employees, in which they provide a job for them to live off, they earn money through working for BBC enabling them to have a shelter and provide for their family, this can be the presenters, actors/ actresses, producers, directors, camera man etc. In addition to this are also the union groups, in search of higher pay and better working conditions, with this we have the employer associations, although this is equivalent to the trade unions this looks more in to representing the interest of the employer’s specific industry. They then have the suppliers, who rent out equipment such as the camera’s or even things to use in the act such as a car or even place’s for them to hire and residential. In all this there is the national community playing a big part to, not only do we run this through paying our tax’s but BBC have to take care of their actions as they can have an dramatic affect on ourselves, one of these ways could be through offending members of the community racial saying, cultural or maybe topics such as drugs, alcohol etc.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Disability In Sport Adverse Health And Social Care Essay

Disability In Sport Adverse Health And Social Care Essay The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a considerable and long- term adverse effect on their ability to perform every day tasks. (DDA, 2005). Access and inclusion into sport and physical activity is difficult for many people with a disabiltiy therefor changes must be made to ensure that every person wishing to take part can do so. This could be changing the facilities so that access is better for disabled people as well as modifying equipment and training programs so that everybody can access the facilities. There are many schemes in place to help give disabled people the opportunity to participate in sporting activities. The Federation of Disability Sport Wales (FDSW) is a pan-disability National Governing Body of Sport. The aim of the FDSW project is to expand and enforce excellent sporting opportunities for people with disabilities (Disability Sports Wales, 2004). Many studies have been carried out in an increased effort to find connections between disability and physical activity but despite this increased effort problems still remain. Many young disabled people would like to be included in sporting activities and in a study the majority of people surveyed expressed a preference to participate in a sporting environment if it was organised within a disability sports. (EFDS, 2005). Sports for the disabled still remain an understudied area and should be improved greatly if it is to develop. A development for disability in sport is needed because there are people who cannot participate in sport because of reasons beyond their own control. For most disabled people, their disability is not the barrier and therefore more should be done to overcome barriers that could be easily eradicated (Barton, 1989) Many health and social benefits have been linked with a physical lifestyle. This is also true for those individuals who have a disability or long term health condition. Physical activity can not only decrease the danger of secondary health problems but can also improve all levels of functioning (Hidde et al. 2004). The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a considerable and long- term adverse effect on their ability to perform every day tasks. (DDA, 2005). For people with a disability, accessing sporting activities can be difficult as there may not be many facilities to provide for them. Also the sports that they are able to access may not be suitable for them to be included therefore adaptations must be made to the sports to give them the opportunity to participate (Jette, 2003). This should include participation with able bodied participants also. There are schemes which run to organize safe and enjoyable sporting activities for disable people, as well as schemes that look to give access, inclusion and participation in sport for disabled and able bodied people alike (Finch et al, 2001). The Federation of Disability Sport Wales (FDSW) is a pan-disability National Governing Body of Sport. The aim of the FDSW project is to expand and enforce excellent sporting opportunities for disabled people (Disability Sports Wales, 2004) This scheme is set in Wales but there are other schemes that work towards promoting and developing disability sport throughout the UK. This report will look at disability in sport. The main issues that will be looked at are access to take part in sports as well as the inclusion for disability in the sports. With these factors being identified, participation levels for disability in sport will be examined to see what areas of the UK are working towards giving equal opportunities for disabled children and adults. Rimmer et al, (2006) reported that an investigation was carried out into the accessibility of health clubs and leisure centre for disable people. The investigation studied thirty-five health clubs and fitness services in a nationalized field test in which a new piece of equipment was used. The Accessibility Instruments Measuring Fitness and Recreation Environments (AIMFREE), was used for measuring the ease of access of fitness amenities in the built environment, the available equipment and swimming pools. In addition the information available to the service users was measured along with the facility guidelines, and the professional behaviour of the staff working within the facilities. All the facilities that the test was carried out on confirmed low to moderate levels of accessibility. Some of the deficiencies showed a cause for concern with the Disability Act guidelines regarding the built setting; other problems related to parts of the facility such as the equipment, information, p olicies, and professional staff (Davies, 2002). Many studies have been carried out in an increased effort to find connections between disability and physical activity but despite this increased effort problems still remain (Fitzgerald, 2008). Hezkiah (2005) stated that young disabled people demonstrated low levels of physical activity and perceptual motor difficulties compared to young people without a disability. This low level of activity and motor learning affects their ability to learn. Major barriers to young disabled people include language conception which is vital for following commands, and physical disabilities, which have an effect on their capability to carry out motor skills (Gatward and Burrell, 2002; Gordon and Williams, 2003). These limits can have an effect on their motivation and add to restricted opportunities for regular involvement in movement, physical activity and sports, which consecutively affects their capability to develop and progress in life. Finch et al (2001) set out to perceive the consequences of the barriers linked with disability and how it affects their levels of exercise. During the study many questions were asked to the participants were and asked to answer for a range of information, and were then asked to specify which physical activities they participate in. The subjects were asked to provide the reasons preventing their contribution to exercise. No clear inclusion or exclusion instructions were given therefore the reasons would be their own personal feelings. Findings of the study have shown that 20% of the participants acknowledged that their disability was one of the barriers preventing them from additional physical activity, with half of the participants expressing it as the most important grounds as to why they do not take part in more physical activities. Current injury or disability was a barrier to physical activity in older people more often than younger participants. Injury or disability was the main difficulty to participate in physical activity for people who are overweight or obese based upon their body mass index (BMI). This reason was stated more frequently than for those who were underweight or standard weight. Another finding during the study suggested that current injury or disability was a major barrier for people who were inactive compared to people with high levels of physical activity. The findings suggested the importance to target the support of physical activity available to overweight and older adults particularly to get them active by giving them access to facilities along with the inclusion to the activities. They go on to identify the problems that can occur with disability. They state that a person would stop exercising because of a disability rather than just becoming overweight and not exercise because of the weight problem. Rimmer et al (2004) recognized a variety of barriers and facilitators that were associated with participation levels in health and leisure programs and amenities amongst persons with disabilities. The results showed that the participants reported 178 barriers and 130 facilitators. The problems identified were barriers and facilitators connected to the built and natural environment along with economic issues. Emotional and psychological barriers were also identified as a problem. The amount of involvement in activities among disabled people is a problem due to a set of barriers and facilitators. Future research could utilize information conducted by Rimmer et al (2004) to develop participation schemes that have a superior probability of accomplishment. A report from the EFDS, (2005) showed that whilst young disabled people valued sport and recreation opportunities, they do not access their chances for physical activity on a regular basis. Disability is not a barrier to participation in sport and leisure. Regardless of rising guidelines and legislation encouraging improved participation in sports and physical exercise by young disabled people, only a restricted quantity of young disabled people do take part in physical activity. Only a small number of young disabled people can access sporting activities and opportunities outside the activities obtainable inside curricular time which includes after-school clubs, community opportunities, and general play. The persons impairment was the most significant factor to be found to have an effect on physical activity involvement. Those with multiple impairments were far less probable to take part than those with a single impairment (Maloney et al, 1993). The most frequent curriculum sports linked with disability and exercise was Athletics, Ball Games, Boccia, Cricket, Football and Swimming. There are many barriers to participation which included access to facilities and equipment. Improvements in facilities and access to equipment would improve access to sports and recreation opportunities (Williams, 2005) In studies, young disabled people have expressed a fondness for taking part in physical activity when participating in a sporting environment particularly if it was organised within a sports club specifically for other people with comparable disabilities. With consideration to the type of activity, results showed that young disabled people would like to join in physical activities that young disabled people already participating in (EFDS, 2005). There are many initiatives set up to give disabled people a chance to take part in sport and physical actvity (Norwich, 2007). The Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) is a proposal that supports the fitness production to develop into a more inclusive plan that can cater for the needs of both disabled and non-disabled people alike. Through a variety of developments, the initiative has maintained facilities across England to produce a comprehensive service which results in increasing participation levels by disabled people. Parasport is a combined proposal set up in a joint initiative invloving the British Paralympic Association (BPA) and the services services firm Deloitte. Their aim is to amplify participation levels in competitive sporting events. Parasport aims to improve the identification of sports people and aims to support them at a community level. They set out to provide bursaries to assist talented and potentially top class athletes through a joint venture with SportsAid. Parasport is ran by the BPA. The BPA is the body responsible for the elite side of disability sport, although the Parasport scheme is availiable for all abilities to take part. Another initiative in place is The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS). This scheme is set up in England and aims to help young athletes committed to improving their potenital by sport and education. Currently there are 50 sports eligible for TASS, of which 16 are disability sports. This scheme is open to people aged between 16 and 25, with an upper age limit of 35 for people with a disablity. The scheme can provide a package of sporting activities to athletes and give them the ability to access high quality training facilities. An athletics initiative has been launched in by the Sports Council Wales to encourage more children with disabilities to participate in sport. Combined with the Federation of Disability Sport Wales, athletics sessions have been introduced where children can join in with fun sessions delivered by skilled volunteers from Welsh Athletics. The Disability Sport Wales National Community Development Programme is an initiative set up in conjunction with the Sports Council for Wales, the Federation of Disability Sport Wales and 22 local authorities across Wales. The proposal aims to develop excellent community based sporting and leisure opportunities for disabled people throughout Wales (Hughes, 2009) Arthur and Finch (1999) said that people with a disability might recognise the physical and social benefits resulting from participating in physical activity generally. However, a failure to recognise specific guidelines on the necessary frequency and extent of physical activity in order to achieve such benefits, particularly amongst older people, contributes to low participation levels. External barriers that have resulted in a lack of opportunity to contribute in physical activity among people with a disability have been widely discussed in literature (Arthur and Finch, 1999;; Doll-Tepper, 1999; DePauw and Gavron, 2005). Research has shown a range of issues, which include a lack of confidence. With the opportunity to participate, the confidence would grow and give the people a chance to be active. A Lack of physical and emotional support was also a factor that caused people with a disability not to take part in sport and physical activity. Not having someone to go with to the gym or sporting facility is another barrier (DePauw and Gavron, 2005). According to Arthur and Finch (1999), this poses a greater problem for those people with a disability who need some kind of physical, oral or visual assistance or moral support. Lack of information was a big factor in reasons to why they did not participate in sport. Arthur and Finch (1999) found that a lack of information held by people with a disability led to low awareness of the sorts of possible sporting activities and appropriate sport facilities. According to the English Federation of disability sport (2000), the lack of access to information has worsened. Lockwood and Lockwood (1997) and Doll-Tepper (1999) both said that the subsistence of poorly trained service providers, unsuitable activities and inflexible programmes as areas of particular concern. Both Arthur and Finch (1999) and DePauw and Gavron (1995) raise the issue of a lack of available facilities and say that the blame for this is due to cuts in funding. Arthur and Finch (1999) found that poor physical access at existing facilities could present a barrier to the participation of people with a disability in sporting activities, in terms of the inappropriate design of buildings, lack of aids and adaptations to equipment. Negative attitudes towards disability include those of other facility users. DePauw and Gavron (1995) found that college students held negative and stereotypical attitudes towards the inclusion of individuals with a disability in physical education and sport. Arthur and Finch (1999) found a correlation between the negative and conventional attitudes of other sport centre users. This then produced a lack of confidence and motivation for people with a disability. National statistics show the lowest participation rates for disabled people. They produced a Taking part and active people survey which showed that 8.8 9.5% disabled adults participated in regular moderate activity (Sport England, 2006; DCMS, 2007). It also found that 44% of disabled young people did not take part in regular physical activity (Sport England, 2001) Research has shown that disabled young people do participate in sport both in and out of school (Finch et al, 2001). However, both the overall rate of participation and the frequency with which disabled young people take part in sport is lower than for young people in general. There are also important differences between participation in school compared with out of school participation. In school young disabled people participated in sport more frequently than they did out of school. However, this pattern was the reverse for all young people (Corneliben and Pfeifer, 2007) An initiative set up in Ireland is called Disability Sport Donegal. This scheme aims to give children an opportunity to participate in sporting activities. They aim to offer a wide range of activities that include Boccia and martial arts. They develop the programme for inclusion into sports for disabled people. They also look to form a relationship with local schools to include children in sporting activities. With the inclusion within schools they can then develop programmes out side of school and give opportunities to disabled children and adults to take part in sports clubs that provide the safe, fun environment and facilities that are needed to give a wider range of activities to disabled people (Donegal Sports 2007) Research has shown that many people with a disability do not take part in sport because they dont have access to the facilities or equipment they needed (Paciorek and Jones, 2001). In addition travel was shown to be a barrier as they were unable to get to and from any accessible venues. Lack of information was a problem for the many of the participants and parents because they were unaware of facilities or clubs offering activities for disability. Organisations were identified during the questioning, including Viva project and RCT Tigers. Viva is a registered Charity that was established in November 1992 to work with young people with a disability aged between 11 and 25 with who live in Rhondda Cynon Taff. The ethos of the Viva project is to facilitate and support all the youth service members to become fully involved in community activities. Viva believes that this ethos can encourage young people to develop better liberty and make more choices for themselves. The main aim of Viva is to challenge their service members to raise their ambitions while they broaden their experiences and abilities. They try to give confidence to the members to develop greater independence and make more knowledgeable choices for themselves. At the same time they aim to elevate community awareness in accepting disabled people as valued members of the community (Sports Council Wales, 2006) Vivas aim is to create equal and respected relationships between disabled young people and their non disabled peers. They look for disabled young people to participate in active community amenities, which they may have been conventionally excluded from because of the stigma and separation that is related with disability. Viva believe that by giving young people the same chances as their peers, people can learn and work together to meet the challenges we face in life. RCT Tigers FC is a pan disability football club for young children in the Rhondda Cynon Taff Area which was set up in January 2008. It was founded to improve opportunities for disability sports in Rhondda Cynon Taff. With these organisations set up it is important that extra work is conducted to make them successful. It is imperative because without these organisations people with a disability would not be able to take part in any sport or physical activity. It is also important to develop new initiatives as well as making the existing organisations more accessible by better information and promotion. With the development of initiatives, disability in sport can develop and give opportunity to people where participation would be difficult and inaccessible (Yuen et al, 2007). In conclusion I feel that physical activity and sports participation can improve a disabled persons health and well-being. Regular exercise and inclusion in sports by disabled people is as important as it is for their active counterparts. Professionals working with people with disabilities should enthusiastically encourage participation in sports and recreation activities. The relationship of sports for the disabled is difficult. Sports are a rehabilitating tool for integration into society and a way for them to remain active. In addition, sports and disability as portrayed by the media often still broadcast existing stereotypes that erect social barriers for the disabled, in the area of social perception (Barton, 2001) Sports for the disabled still remain an understudied area and should be improved greatly if it is to develop. A development for disability in sport is needed because there are people who cannot participate in sport because of reasons beyond their own control. For most disabled people, their disability is not the barrier and therefore more should be done to overcome barriers that could be easily eradicated (Barton, 1989)

The Importance Of Meaningful Learning Education Essay

The Importance Of Meaningful Learning Education Essay A qualification, whether for teaching for otherwise, does not make one a professional. The attributes for a professional teacher come from interactions with students, co-workers and parents. It requires a well-mannered, calm, punctual and well trained approach to all situations that may arise over the course of a career while also following and embracing new changes and protocol at the workplace. It is critical to maintain respect and confidentiality within a classroom environment and set examples for students to follow. Arguably, students will lead by example depending on which age group the teacher in question is dealing with. Because of these factors, presenting oneself in a professional manner is imperative to the success of the teacher and students alike. It is important to understand that each student is different, and the age groups that one is working with have different attitudes and approaches to challenges and learning. The impact of how you present yourself and the information you deliver to your students can be vastly rewarding or gravely detrimental to the classroom environment. It can be easy for a teacher to make his or herself popular to students, but often difficult to balance this with what the curriculum requires and ensuring results the end of term tests/reports. Interaction with a group of students requires a professional standard of behaviour polite, firm and fair would be an easy way to sum this up. Another paramount attribute of a professional teacher is to lead by example in behaviour, dress and manners. Students cannot be expected to act in a calm, professional manner if the teacher they learn from is not observing these standards. In this case, a teacher must be punctual and respectful of those around him/her in order to achieve mutual respect in the classroom. Truthfully, one must be able to present the current subject with confidence and knowledge, granting the students proper fortitude to ask questions. It is important to have knowledge of the subject, but also to portray this knowledge to the students in a way that is easy to understand. To do this, a teacher must employ pedagogical knowledge; this may include a system or mnemonics, examples, demonstrations, metaphors, simulations or models (Eggen Kauchak 2010). With visual aids, subjects gradually become simpler to explain and easier for students, and with this, students become less frustrated and more satisfied with the teacher, and themselves. Module 2 A failure to target the zones of Proximal Development The distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers (L.S. Vygotsky: Mind in Society p. 86) From this weeks study into this topic I can deduct many times within my experience where I had failed to target this zone, or the same situation had been put upon me. As a voluntary student of a foreign language, I indeed find many conflicting ideas within non-native speakers, also vast amounts of confusion and disarray when speaking/reading and writing. Recently, a few of my friends and I were practicing our language skills, a new friend of mine was a newcomer to this form of study, and was yet to gain a concrete knowledge of the topic. It was in this instance where I had, so to say jumped the gun on the abilities of those around me, being that I have been studying the topic for more than a year. The newcomer, who had just entered the group, seems confused and frustrated, mainly with the shock that her skills which she believed were well-studied were actually lacking in focus and practicality. Through this disarray of confusing mannerisms I had approached the newcomer offering assistance, however, said assistance was not presented in her mother tongue. There were parts of the language she could understand, parts she could build upon and parts she had not covered yet which only resembled meaningless and confusing sounds. Upon reflection, this greatly represents Vygotskys graph (L.S. Vygotsky: Mind in Society) explaining the three specific zones that one can be placed in terms of the subject at the present time. I had given amounts of information to the girl, but not the means to properly use it. A selection of gramma r terms that were far beyond what she had heard before would not assist her in constructing sentences and communicating with those around her. At a later date, this was rectified with more collaboration with her, through this practice and development we have both become more advanced with the topic, pointing out each others mistakes and forming group discussions on how to improve ourselves. Module 3 As a Professional Teacher As a university student in the discipline of teaching it is easy to assume that on the first day of walking into a classroom, the students will consider a new teacher as a new friend. This would be an ideal situation, however for most new teachers; a very neutral response is given from their new students. It is important in this case, to establish a system of behavioural consequence. This means a system of reinforcement and punishment to keep a positive environment (Eggen Kauchak 2010 p.168). The reality is that all faculties at one point or another will be faced with situations where discipline will need to be applied, however it is important to understand which degrees of management need to be applied for different situations. There are three degrees of misbehaviour, and each degree requires different action.    The most subtle of these methods is plain punishment, which decreases the likelihood that the incident will occur again (Eggen Kauchak 2010 p.168); this can be the event of a student talking in class. The next level is presentation punishment; this is a decrease in behaviour from being given a stimulus. The final level is removal punishment, in which a decrease in behaviour occurs from a stimulus being removed (Eggen Kauchak 2010 p.168). Along with understanding these principles, it is critical to know how to apply them effectively, and which methods of ineffective or inappropriate. One degree of these forms is Desists. Desists are non-verbal methods that a teacher uses to stop disruptive behaviour (Eggen Kauchak 2010 p.172).  This is appropriate for small disturbances; however this may not be strong enough for a larger disturbance and may require means such as a Timeout. A time out is a method involving removing the student from his or her peers so as the student cannot receive positive reinforcement from others. The final method of this is Detention, which is similar to the previous time out method. While these two are similar, the detention method is typically used more commonly with older students. This method aims to take away the free time of disruptive students by assigning them with after school time (Eggen Kauchak 2010 p.172). Most commonly students will need to sit and do nothing for at least half an ho ur, which for a disruptive student can be very tedious. Therefore, this method is very strong with discouraging the behaviour. Module 5 The Importance of Meaningful Learning. It can be often noted that the motivation and attention span of students can often be hard to grasp and expand upon; this can create many barriers to the learning experience of the student and the teaching experience of the teacher. It is for this reason that educators are constantly examining teaching methods in the aim to create the best environment. Since the birth of education there have been countless psychological theories regarding how information is received, perceived and processed by the learner. One of these many theories the theory of relevance proposed by Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson, this theory suggests that one will search for their own meaning within any form of communication (Sperber, Dan and Deirdre Wilson. 1987). The concept of a real-world task, often called an authentic task is to create an activity for the students which require a similar pattern of thought to that required in a real world setting (Eggen Kauchak, 2010 p.233). This is a useful tool for the teacher to encourage motivation and convey to the students the importance of the topic while preparing for the situation when it occurs out of the classroom environment. A teacher can easily convey the importance of this by remarking upon the studies in previous years that the students had partaken in. For example, a first grade student will learn to read and write, because of the extreme relevance of this task, it is placed as an educational priority for young students. Reading and writing become increasingly important once the students begin new studies, the new skill gained from this education has prepared them for a great variety of real world situations. Meaningful learning occurs within real world tasks because of the relevance and impact on motivation it gives the students. A student drawing meaning and relevance from a task is a critical issue in the retention of knowledge, a strong amount of communication and involvement with students is a highly profitable tool in the aim of increasing knowledge. It is critical to display the information of the task to the students, but equally as important to explain why it needs to be taught. A teacher can easily gather materials to demonstrate real-world tasks, such as creating models, giving examples and preparing presentations. The greatest learning occurs when the students knows that the knowledge is critically important to obtain, for this reason, the most meaningful learning occurs within real-world tasks. Module 6 Motivational Learning. Motivation is at the heart of all learning (Eggen Kauchak, 2010 p.283), it involves goal-directed activity being instigated and sustained (Eggen Kauchak 2010. P.284). To begin to understand motivation, it is important for the learner to ask why the information is meaningful to them. Every teacher wants their students to be motivated, and many mistakenly believe that the content they are teaching while provide motivation the students without any amount of stimulation. While some students are naturally driven learners, others require inspiration from their teachers and peers, students who are internally driven to learn will more often willingly work to improve their skills (Wigfield, A. Et al. 2004. p. 299-309). Some students will be self-determined, and possess an internal motivation to act and control their environment (Eggen Kauchak 2010. P.291), many students with this kind of internal motivation are consciously aware of their academic progress (Schacter, Daniel. 2011. p.340). There are many ways to encourage motivation within the classroom, along with giving rewards to those show motivation and encourage others. Some ways to encourage students include visual methods such as creating models and presentations, the increases the attention span of students. Other methods to increase motivation include, praising students in big and small ways, spreading enthusiasm, creating real-world tasks to raise interest in the subject and involving the students in classroom activities. An open and positive atmosphere is one that all educators should desire to create; this means a democratic and communicative approach to learning. A teacher should call upon students in groups as well as individually and create lesson plans that differ from one another. One can also call upon methods such as incentive theory, in which a reward is presented for a positive action. Another useful method of motivating and empowering students is to hand over a certain extent of responsibility, many primary school have systems that permit older students to pass knowledge onto new and younger students. This system is useful for two factors; the younger student gains knowledge from a peer, rather than a teacher, this makes the student feel comfortable, simultaneously the older student is entrusted with a duty of care and responsibility toward the younger student, this can greatly increase motivation and pride in ones own skills. It is critical to view your students as customers receiving a service, and a certain level of service is expected. As with any service provided, it is important to keep ones customers interested and returning, the social construct of a classroom can be easily related to this. Module 9 The Essential Skills of a Teacher A great teacher needs to be a great person, a great teacher can come in many forms and the style of teaching may not always be strictly academically oriented. A great teacher is one who does not leave a single student behind, one who is not afraid to change the plan of the lesson on short notice and conveys knowledge that is easy to understand while encouraging the joys of learning. A learning environment aims to expand not only knowledge, but social interaction; an important technique is to focus on involving each and every student in an environment of cooperation and social tranquillity. This environment may be difficult to achieve, and the techniques for many are more easily conveyed in text rather than real-world interaction. Because of this fact, faced with great hostility in the beginning, many new teachers must call upon their training and personality to create a classroom of keen young learners. One must be equipped with a set of essential skills from academic and personal backgrounds. Some of these skills include attitudes, organisation, communication, focus, feedback, questioning, review and closure (Eggen Kauchak, 2010 p.400). With these skills, a teacher can organise and motivate a class, inspiring students to further pursue new knowledge and complete previously set goals. Effective communication is the key to any social environment; I believe I possess precise language, connected discourse, transition signals and emphasis to convey a point to an audience. Feedback to students is essential for progress, praise given to individual students helps develop relationships; this must be equally distributed among all students for the greatest effect. A teacher praises a student based on answers they expect to hear at the same level of answered they actually hear (Good Brophy, 2008). It is paramount to communicate and collaborate with students effectively, to this effect one should desire to create what is referred to as a community of learners. This community aims to create a learning environment in which all students and teachers work together for the good of everyone (Eggen Kauchak, 2010, p.228). A good teacher emphasises the importance of sociocultural theory to create further dimensions of learning, this theory suggests that one should place importance on the larger cultural context in which learning occurs (Kozulin, 1998). As a teacher in training, I believe I possess social and enthusiastic skills to create a positive environment, with the further study into this degree I can gain a comprehensive understanding of how to convey raw knowledge to an audience more effectively, I believe through experience and study I can improve these skills. The most difficult skill to acquire and develop is a vast cultural understanding of the different cultures and attitudes faced in todays classrooms. Although these challenges may seem daunting in the beginning, they produce great effects one the goals are accomplished. Eggen, P., Kauchak, D. (2010). Educational psychology: windows on classrooms. New  Ã‚  Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Good, T. L., Brophy, J. E. (2008). Looking in Classrooms (10th ed.). New York: Pearson. Kozulin, Alex 1998. Psychological Tools: A Sociocultural Approach to Education L.S. Vygotsky: Mind in Society: Development of Higher Psychological Processes Schacter, Daniel. (2011) Psychology. Worth Publishers. Sperber, Dan and Deirdre Wilson. (1987) Prà ©cis of Relevance: Communication and Cognition. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 10, 697-754. Wigfield, A., Guthrie, J. T., Tonks, S., Perencevich, K. C. (2004). Childrens motivation for reading: Domain specificity and instructional influences. Journal of Educational Research.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Internet Shopping Essay -- Cyberspace Shopping E-commerce Essays

Internet Shopping The Internet's popularity has dramatically escalated over the past few years and has become an integral part of daily life. It has wide spread uses ranging from obtaining information, downloading files, business advertisement to Internet commerce, which plays a major part in Internet practice. Our social structure is pressuring society to connect to the Internet, with schools world wide becoming more Web based and universities now have lectures, which can be solely viewed over the Internet. Within the next few years the potential and capabilities of the Internet are endless. With that in mind the following assignment will examine a continuously flourishing component of the Internet, Internet shopping. Although Internet shopping is on the increase, it will never surpass conventional shopping, as the ?experience of shopping? is lost, it is open to fraud and the ?try before you buy? concept does not occur. From this information, it could be stated, ?The promise of Internet shopping is d rowning in a flood of deceit, customer dissatisfaction, fraud and misappropriation. The Internet is best known for being a information superhighway, not a superhighway to the shopping mall.? Shopping from the convenience and comfort of your own home may have its apparent advantages; no more standing in line, no more hassles. Currently people are using the Internet for shopping largely as it offers some benefits when compared with conventional shopping, for a narrow range of goods and services. Given that, there are still concerns about risks involved ? many issues from security of credit cards to privacy Purchasing products from the Internet has major disadvantages when compared to conventional shopping. A significant problem is you cannot see the store you are buying from. On the Internet, it can be difficult to know whether the business you are dealing with is honest or not. When your credit card number is given to a marketing site in order to purchase goods, there is no certain guarantee that it will be used for the purpose it was intended for. Many unscrupulous internet web sites, use promises of miracle cures, and other hoaxes in order to exploit their users in an effort to gain credit card numbers and use them, for their own personal gain. However many web sites are creditable, but the security of their web page then may be violated. (By ?Hackers?... ...s security features and customer service standards, consumers will discontinue to use Internet shopping altogether BIBLIOGRAPHY Perfectly Private Inc (2001). ?Shopping Privacy Concerns?, URL Address: http://www.perfectlyprivate.com/beware_shopping.as Mark Gajda (1997). ?Internet Shopping, Wave of the Future?? URL Address http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/STUDENTS/Gajda/FRAME2.HTM Department of Communications (2000). ?Shopping on the Internet - Facts for Consumers Series? URL Address: MIval=dca_dispdoc&pathid=%2Fshoponline%2Fsheet1.htm">http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-graphics/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&pathid=%2Fshoponline%2Fsheet1.htm Card Revolt (2000). ?Internet Shopping Guide? URL Address: href="http://www.cardrevolt.com/resources/netshopping.htm">http://www.cardrevolt.com/resources/netshopping.htm Xpress Press (2000). ?Internet Christmas Shopping Risks? URL Address http://www.xpresspress.com/news/emailsolutions_103100.htm

Friday, July 19, 2019

Gender of Nature: Mother Earth :: Essays Papers

Gender of Nature: Mother Earth â€Å"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the wind longs to play with your hair.† -The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran There is no voice more comforting than Mama’s. In the womb we are suspended in safe warmth, hearing every noise that Mama makes. And we don’t just hear her voice. We feel its vibrations, its muffled hum, through our ears and our entire forming bodies. It’s no wonder that that is often the only voice that can comfort us in the distress of our new little lives. Yet, what of the mother who cannot speak? Can she still comfort her baby? Yes, because it is much more than vocal chords that connect a baby with its birth mother. After all, Baby eats all that Mama eats, breathes Mama’s air, knows Mama’s way of moving and laughing†¦Baby feels every surge of adrenaline that Mama feels. Bonds don’t get more intimate than that. Even after Baby is born, this bond is strengthened through long bouts of staring into each other’s eyes, through feeling the lulling rhythm of Mama’s breathing while sleeping against her chest, through time spent together saturated in touch and play. This phenomenon of intimacy is so powerful that it surpasses any blindness or handicap Mama could possibly have. Not only do we all have this precious connection with our Mama’s, we also have a strong, and similar, connection with Earth. Philosopher, Roger S. Gottlieb, tells plainly of our connection with Earth, saying, â€Å"We all live and breathe and drink the water and receive the food from the soil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We are dependent on Earth, like infants depend on Mama, for life itself. It daily sustains us, in body, as well as in spirit. It is a tragedy that we have lost sight of our connection with Earth. In his book, Vocation: Discerning Our Callings in Life, Douglass Schuurman says, â€Å"Some dullards have no curiosity or sense of wonder at the harmony and beauty of creation; others have had it drummed out of them by suffering or deadening educational systems. But traces of the sense of wonder and the quest for meaning survive in most human beings. (65)† Perhaps it can be said that some dullardshave no curiosity or sense of wonder at the harmony and beauty of their Mama, the one in whom their life began.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Friendship Through the Years :: Friendship Essay Personal Narrative

Friendship Through the Years Two sets of twins live in the house cattycorner to mine. All four are girls, and all four are in diapers. The oldest set of twins, Michelle and Caitlin, are my age, and we quickly become playmates. Caitlin has striking red hair that drapes the bottom of her shoulder blades. She is so outgoing she would chat with a hobo on the street if her mother were not there to stop her. Michelle, on the other hand, is quieter and more reserved. She is an inch or two shorter than the kids her age, and lacks the confidence that dominates her sister's personality. She clings to me. Her shy personality coincides with my bold and adventurous one. She willingly becomes my sidekick, and joins me in numerous neighborhood adventures. We travel the grassy plains, and trek across the muddy rivers, stopping only for the occasional diaper change, and the pacifiers that fall behind. Our friendship is uncommon, exciting, and pure, but I am too young to treasure this rare gift that God has given me. It is first grade, and not has much changed. Michelle's short stature has only grown more apparent, and the increasing number of people surrounding her has become overwhelming. She clutches onto me, too afraid to meet her taller, bolder classmates. At recess, Michelle and I select the multicolor u's that link together to make chains. We plop ourselves down on the gray, matted carpet and begin to make necklaces and bracelets. Something makes us chuckle, and before you know it we are grabbing at our sides with laughter pains. Michelle laughs so hard that she pees all over our beautiful creations that we, and the classroom, left on the floor. Her angelic smile turns immediately into an expressionless stare. I look into her puppy eyes and watch tear after tear streak down her cheeks into the pee that surrounds her. I want to take that pain away from her. I want all those small, watchful eyes in the class to glare at me instead of innocent little Michelle. It is sixth grade and the Green Springs Special Chorus, which Michelle and I are a part of, is going to the junior high school to sing. Our choir is singing seventies music, and we are required to wear seventies clothes. Michelle and I are matching from head to toe. Our attire consists of blue felt poodle skirts, white shirts, black scarves, and starch-white Ked's shoes.

Lois Quam Essay

This case discusses the career, vision, and life of Lois Quam, CEO of Tysvar. Tysvar is a â€Å"Minnesota based New Green Economy and health care reform incubator.† After a successful career in the investment banking world, Quam was moved by climate changes she saw while on a trip to Norway and decided to start Tysvar. Tysvar is about universal health care reform, as well as contributing to â€Å"a viable, profitable, and socially responsible industry of clean technology and renewable energy sources. Quam is a very passionate person, and truly believes in the vision of Tysvar. Discussion question and answers: 1. How does Lois Quam use emotions and moods in her speeches to convey her viewpoint? Cite examples to support your statements. In order to look at how Quam uses emotions and moods, we must first look at what emotions and moods are. Emotions are strong positive or negative feelings directed towards someone or something. Moods are generalized positive and negative feelings or states of mind. In reading the examples from Quam’s speeches, it is clear that she is a positive individual who shows both positive moods and emotions. â€Å"I am an optimist,† she states. This is a clear example of Quam coming out, and letting you know her mood. Her positive mood reflects the type of work she does. She is attempting to grow the New Green Economy, and in order to do something of this nature, one must have a positive mood and state of mind. The text lists the following as the six types of emotions: anger, fear, joy, love, sadness, and surprise. In reading the case study, it is clear that in her speeches, Quam exhibits both joy and love. â€Å"I enjoy sharing†¦ how we can all use these key capabilities as a platform for doing something you love. Imagine: helping to build the NG with a purposeful passion. It doesn’t get much better than that!† This is a clear example of the joy and love she has for the work she is doing, and a great way for her to convey her passion to the audience. As the text states, â€Å"harsh is out, caring is in.† Quam clearly is a caring person, and shows her emotion and passion for the work she does. It is this that has made her one of America’s â€Å"50 Most Powerful Women†. 2. Based on what you have learned about Lois Quam, create hypotheses about the attitudes of her colleagues at Tysvar while using the three basic components of attitudes in your theories. I would postulate that Quam’s colleagues at Tysvar have a very similar attitude to their work as Quam. They are likely very commitment to their beliefs and have a great sense of internal volition to do good work since they truly believe in their cause. Cognitively, I am sure they feel strongly about their cause and are diligent in their study of laws and topics surrounding the initiatives they work to promote (ecology and healthcare), much as Quam is herself. From an affective perspective, Tysvar employees undoubtedly have a high level of job satisfaction and experience the successes and failures of their company very personally; with such a socially-responsible company mission, the employees certainly feel compelled to do their best and invariably take joy in their work. Behaviorally, due to the strong emotional ties the worker have to their cause, they are most likely predisposed to act responsible and put forth a concerted effort to succeed and follow through to the end. Ov erall, Quam’s organization and the employees within it are likely as committed as her to the future of society and making it a better place. 3. Research Question: Search news reports, Web sites, ad blogs to find out more information on Lois Quam and Tysvar. How is the company faring in its quest to make the world cleaner and safer for future generations? What implications might that have on Tysvar’s employees, their attitudes, ad job satisfaction? An update on Lois Quam – She launched the new company Tysvar in the spring of 2009. In November of 2009 the company landed their first set of clients including a leading manufacturer of industrial heat pumps. Shortly after Quam announced she would be hiring a new CEO early the next year (The target was February 2010 and the hiring of Terje Mikalsen was announced June 4th 2010). She remained with the firm as a non-executive Chair of the Board taking an annual salary of $1 and relinquished her equity stake in the company. Her reasoning for leaving was due to her Husband, Matt Entenza, running for Governor of Minnesota. He was seeking DFL nomination; he did not get it and eventually pulled out of the race. Quam wanted to devote more time to the race and eliminate any potential conflicts of interest. Tysvar continued on without Quam as CEO. The company has gone on to work with health care practices and technology practices. However, I do think Quam’s departure could have had significant implications on the Tysvar employees and Tysvar itself. I imagine the employees that came to work for Tysvar did so largely because of their passion for the company mission. They bought into the message Quam delivered and felt they could contribute to her ideas. Watching Quam walk away from her company and ultimately her goal to help make the world safer and cleaner could have caused negative attitudes in the company, lowering job satisfaction and job performance. Quam did not even last a year before announcing her pending departure. That means all of the employees were new to the company, and potentially just left another company. They may have felt abandoned, like they were lied to, and even like they were taken advantage of. These emotional feelings can cause very poor results within the company. Key Problem/Issue: The problem Tysvar has, if any, is that they are trying to apply empathy and emotional responsibility toward the environment and healthcare to a very unsympathetic society and government. Trying to get big business and government organization to â€Å"go green† just because it is the â€Å"right† or â€Å"nice† thing to do is very difficult. Also, regarding the work environment at Tysvar; not everyone is passionate about green technologies and the climate changes. This can lead to lower job satisfaction and worse job performance if they are not excited about the mission statement of the company. There are many issues at play here. Quam is walking a thin line between emotions and business in a very volatile industry. Solution: The first thing Quam and Tysvar must do is hire the right people. Tysvar needs to concentrate on hiring employees that have a passion, like Quam, for the mission of the organization. You can argue that this would limit your pool of candidates and that the company can land a more talented employee without focusing only on those that share the passion. The response to that argument would be the additional job satisfaction the employee would have over someone that does not share the passion would lead to a better performance even if they are not as talented. It would also help reduce turnover within the company. Also, as far as using emotions and empathy in business; Quam needs to use self-management to hold back when she realizes that not everyone cares as much about the environment and universal healthcare as she does. She needs to put it in dollars and cents. How can â€Å"going green† benefit a business, not just the environment? Even green businesses have a bottom line and i nvestors that they need to satisfy. Use relationship management to see things from the opposing perspective. And utilize relationship management to promote your initiatives.