Power dimension in family

is power in the family best explained by the first, second or third dimensional view of power ? When we think about power in social context it is can be termed as specific ability of influencing or controlling others . Generally authority is considered as power due to being accepted as social norms. Three dimension of Power can be understood by Lake's academic theory which says â€Å"three faces of power†. He discussed how the governments Exercise Its controlling power on people by three ways as by decision-making power, by non decision-making power and by Ideological power.Decision-making power Is easily seen In the people behavior and In the way governments wants It to be: the policy decision making power Is widespread by consulting with the Public representatives and popular voice of public. As government controls the agenda of Important Issues (such as the way education policy In India) unacceptable for Public discussion and debate which moderate public forums In case of n on decision making. The third and the Important dimension of of power Is Ideological power, by which thoughts and wishes of public can be altered of influenced -We can see this in Voting patterns and manipulation forNarrate Mood led AND by Middle class even AND was opposing Public distribution system which benefits the lower middle class the Most,which is the example of even getting public want such things who are against their own benefits . Power can be used involve with or without coercion in the family. We can see the simple power relation in between the relationship of Parents and child. Parents takes various kinds of decisions for their children for their betterment and for good future . Or example parents decide about school, they do it for the good of child which is decided by hem only , He can take others advise and may be for example his neighbor may be having more capability to choose better school its comes under the authority of parents only. We can easily see the use o f first dimension of power here. Power may be termed in bad meaning or unjust but the use of power is routed in even ancient Era. Its interesting to see the explanation of power in Family. Family is the basic unit of society and cultural. In the family environment, use of power can be seen in different forms.Power dimensions in the family depends on the type of Emily ,Complexity of relationships and family values, Which can be seen In Family decisions and interpersonal relations and mostly it Is evident in family decisions and behavior . Power relations and its dimensions always Influence the decisions of the Family head Ã'› At one extreme, Power can be understood as Influence, power and Influence looks different due to the way power Is used In society . The three dimension of Power is described and discussed In detail by Likes In his book, Power: A Radical View.According to him , The effectiveness and the degree of Involvement of power for any defined group or mere Individual can be understood by different criteria. The Importance of such views and outlooks Is easily explained and debated at length In Likes' Views, as he explains how use of power can be done In more appropriate way. The One Dimensional View of Power Is best explained by the behavior in decision making, We can see this on key issues and it offers direct related to subjective interests, specially in family relations as to maintain family preferences and demonstration of authority .Family decision are almost taken by Emily head and are binding on family members as they are considered as god for them. We can see the use of first degree of power in daily family life. Its always depends on the thinking of Family head, his values understanding and need of the family. Family heads take decision to avoid the conflict . In nuclear families ,Use of first dimension of power can be easily seen as the nature of conflict and differences in interest are simple in nature.As of small size of family ,direct C ommunication plays very important role and conflict can be simply resolved with less involvement f negotiations, sometime by give and take relationship which can be seen openly in case of conflict. It can make or break the relationships in nuclear family where there is no influence and support of extended which provides room for flexibility in relationship. As the application of above, we can see rising no of divorce cases in urban life. First degree of power also be easily seen in Joint family in India.Although there are complex structures in family relationships in Joint families, then also there are direct conflicts which need decision by choice of family head for the interest of he family members. Normally it comes with responsibility and social obligation in joint family . Onus shifts on the earning member of the family. It is very interesting to see the structure and power relations in Indian Joint family where family interests are guided by certain family values and social pr essure which is declining and tending towards nuclear family.Declining family values are weakening family bonds which better explains the three dimensional view of power. The Two Dimensional Power is Can be termed as the critique of behavior and focuses on decision-making ND non decision-making. We can even see the two dimension of power in economics of family which can be related to the earning member. Suppose parents has less income which didn't allow them to exercise their choice to admit the child to specific school they choose .Sometimes social structure plays important role in such types of family decisions and when its prohibits or promotes exercise of choice ,3rd degree of power can be easily seen. Sometimes Parents express their displeasure about some acts of children and they are able to modify behavior even without use of force which an be termed as 2nd dimension of power. It also looks at current and potential issues and expands the focus on observable conflict to those types that might be observed overtly or covertly.But the Two Dimensional View still focuses on subjective interests, though those seen as policy preferences or even grievances . We can easily see relates to our Joint family where behavior of child is controlled by fear of parents. Even in other relations in the family , individual members of family limits ,controls and guide their behavior to accommodate the needs of other family embers. I have personally seen this in Joint families where Female members prefer to eat after every member of family finish their eating and sometimes they don't have enough to eat. N this example we can easily see the deterrent value of two dimension of power even this is the main reason of Child and Female malnutrition in the rural part of country. Family decisions are infused by extended members, Close relatives and community members . Sometime family values have a lot say into family decisions. Family values and views of extended family members play ve ry crucial role understand it by chill marriage and honor killing are sues which are social evils but still in practice in India.Concept of family Honor or ZETA is closely related to the third dimension of Power. Sometime Popular views ,fashions and Our role models also play very important role in modifying or influencing our family decisions. Family Buying decisions and cultural following is the best example of third dimension of power. The Power Structure and three dimensions of power can be easily understood by happenings In Rural North India, where issue of cast, class and gender are inter elated.People have inherited tendency of enforcing cast and kinship codes from Colonial period when even Colonial court of law consider marriage without parental consent illegal . Family status and Social acceptance Plays very important role in rural life. The greater danger to the honor and zeta ideology comes from the female which tends the demands a sacrifice of the natural ties created by biology which tries to justifies honor killing. Considerations of class and status establish ones status in society which encourages members within caste for conflict and violence in intra- asset marriage alliances.The female guardianship is related to power and control The low female ratio to male also played important role in controlling female sexuality. The need of hour is to create awareness which with the help of Community and Participation of religious / social leaders to encounter the social evil of honor killing. Woman empowerment and woman reservation can also play import roll as tool of social Justice. So from the above we can see that power in the family best explained by the first, second or third dimensional view of power .

Pros and cons of immigration to Asoa

This essay gives some general ideas guarding to the pros and cons of immigrating to an Asian country. Better opportunities for future development is the most important reason for people to immigrate to Asia. In Asia, there are many developing countries like China and the Philippines. These countries are in the progress of globalization, they need specialists who know deferent languages to help for their development. This provides many opportunities for Immigrants who usually know various foreign languages, and hence, gives a better career path to them.Besides, education is also a reason for immigration. There are many top universities In Salsa such as Twisting university and the university of Tokyo. Many people also consider Immigration Is a pipeline for them or their children to enter those top universities. Exchanging values and cultures Is also a benefit can be gained out of immigration. People immigrating to a foreign country usually face a huge culture shock. By experiencing the culture shock, people can actually have a chance to reflect to their own culture.Ideally, those people can absorb the good sides of the two cultures and eliminate the weaknesses of the cultures. Since the Russian culture is quite different from some of the Asian cultures, this culture can act even more effectively. For example, in Chinese culture, Taoism emphasizes living in harmony, be natural and spontaneous. On the other hand, there are also some drawbacks of immigration. First of all, It Is difficult to deal with the cultural differences. It is hard for a person to adopt and live in a totally culturally different environment.They need to learn about the local tradition In order to merge and communicate with the locals harmonically. New Immigrants might also face racism. New immigrants also need to deal with the language barriers. In Asia, there are many different languages and language systems with Russian. Only in China, there are more than 10 language systems. Immigration is a major decision in your life. Although, apparently, immigrating to Asia brings us a lot of new opportunities in terms of work and education, we need to also consider the downsides of it.Evaluate if you can handle the cultural differences and the language barriers before making the decision for immigrating to Asia. Pros and cons of immigration to Asia By catering_PVC 1st studying year, Faculty of Philosophy Essay â€Å"Pros and cons of immigration to Asia† Globalization brings a new immigration trend to Russia. People consider immigration to Asia as an easy opportunity to create a new life. Some of them want to have a specialists who know different languages to help for their development.This provides any opportunities for immigrants who usually know various foreign languages, and immigration. There are many top universities in Asia such as Twisting University and the University of Tokyo. Many people also consider immigration is a pipeline for them or their children to enter those top universities. Exchanging values and cultures is there are also some drawbacks of immigration. First of all, it is difficult to deal with different environment. They need to learn about the local tradition in order to merge and communicate with the locals harmonically. New immigrants might also face

Importance of International Finance

International Financial Management is unique primarily because the firm must deal in more than its own currency. [2] A multinational is a corporation that has operations in more than one country. [3] It is also called an International Corporation. It ordinarily consists of 1 parent company and about 6 foreign subsidiaries, typically with a high degree of strategic intervention between them. E. G. The Coca Cola Company is a multinational company, selling in more than 200 countries and having net sales of $7169 million in the 1st quarter of 2009. 4] Financial advantages of foreign operations An overseas market provides a larger market and thus, a potential increase in the sales of the firm's products. For some corporations, it might mean a fall in production costs if their opening a subsidiary in a country that offers cheap labor, raw materials or machinery. Also, instead of only exporting goods to other nations, once an NC starts operations in another country, the risk of detrimental laws restricting the sales of their products as well as an increase in the tax on their products, decreases considerably.Exchange rates and their effects An exchange rate is the expression of the value of one currency in terms of another amounts currency. [5] There are two ways of expressing this value: 1. Direct quotation: Domestic Currency / Foreign Currency 2. Indirect quotation: Foreign Currency/ Domestic currency The two methods are different ways of expressing the same thing. Throughout the project, ERE is quoted in direct quotation. Banks in most countries use a system of Foreign Exchange Market and its Fluctuations The volume of international transactions has grown considerably in the past 50-70 years.Trade and investment of this magnitude would be impossible without the ability to buy and sell currencies. The latter must be done for one currency is not the acceptable means of payment in all countries engaged in trade. The foreign exchange market is one of the largest in the world which facilitates the buying and selling of currencies, whose price is determined by the ERE. The market is over-the- counter, I. E. Trade is carried out using computer terminals, telephones, telecoms devices and SWIFT; an international banking communications network that electronically links brokers and traders.It is not confined to any one country but is dispersed throughout the leading financial centers of the world. Participants The major participants are large commercial banks that trade with one another, channeling most currency transactions through the worldwide interbrain market. Their transactions are conducted through foreign exchange brokers, who specialize in matching net supplier and demander banks. The brokers charge a brokerage fee and in return, offer anonymity to both parties and minimize the contact of banks with other traders.Small banks and local offices of major banks have lines of credit with large banks or with the home office. Customers deal with the b ank, which then makes use of the line of credit. Other players are brokers, international money centre banks, central banks of many countries, portfolio managers, foreign exchange brokers, hedgers, traders and speculators. Another actor in the market is the arbitrageur, who seeks to earn risk-free profit by taking advantage of difference in interest rates between countries and make use of forward contracts to eliminate ERE risk.If the value of home currency A decreases relative to the value of currency B, A is a weakening or depreciating currency and B is a strengthening or appreciating currency. ERE quoted indirectly will fall. For the importers of country A, ore of their home currency is required to purchase goods of country B. The vice versa is true for country B. Therefore, the attractiveness of a country's goods and services abroad is Judged by the relative values of the currencies of the importing and exporting countries. Types of Transactions 1 .

Chemistry of Hazardous Chemicals Week V multiple choice questions and Essay

Chemistry of Hazardous Chemicals Week V multiple choice questions and 2 questions - Essay Example The second method is the oxidation-reduction process. Most of the compounds decomposed by this method react explosively to thermal decomposition. For this reason, DOT does not allow carriers to transport them. A good example of these compounds is the ammonium dichromate (NH4)2Cr2O7(s), which decompose to chromium (III) oxide Cr2O3 (s), nitrogen (N2 (g)) and water (H2O (l)) on heating as illustrated in equation 2. Sulfur and finely divided metals are flammable; hence ignite readily at normal burning temperatures. In this regard, they can quickly expose ammonium nitrate to fire if not segregated. However, exposing bulk ammonium nitrate to fire may result in an explosive thermal decomposition of this compound to various products, including the toxic nitrogen dioxide (Meyer, 2010). As such, OSHA requires the segregation as mentioned earlier to prevent explosion of ammonium nitrate and life-threatening gases like nitrogen dioxide. This precaution is meant to ensure that ammonium nitrate does not leak into areas that it might be confined in case of fire. As seen from recent research (Meyer, 2010), exposing bulk ammonium nitrate to fire scenes results into its thermal decomposition at explosive rates, from which it might also produce the toxic nitrogen dioxide gas. Water is the primary solvent used to dissolve solutes. Additionally, metallic oxidizers are readily soluble in water. For this reason, their chemical reactivity is eliminated through diluting them in water. In doing this, the oxidation-reduction reaction of oxidizers is slowed down. As result, water as a solvent turns out as an excellent extinguisher of an oxidizer-supported fire. The compromised container will cause leakages of trichloro-s-triazinetrione or calcium hypochlorite stored in it. Being a strong oxidizing agent, it may cause thermal explosion. The primary rationale to support this argument is that the water left behind after the firefighters efforts to

Critical paper for the film The Lives of Others Essay

Critical paper for the film The Lives of Others - Essay Example He also is aware of the consequences that may come with him and his career that is why he is loyal to the government although we come to realize later that he does not believe in the government after all. Christa is a character who plays the role of the mistress to Dreyman. She is admired by many including the minister in charge of the culture of East Germany. She is a supporting partner and is strong in her characters. She loves Dreyman and defends him in their course. She shares in the ideology of her master. Her character can also be explained using the Unitarianism theory that emphasizes the need to analyze a situation and predict its outcome. The right theory can also help in explaining her behavior toward the government minister and also the respect she accords to her man and Wiesler. Christa understands that she is a beautiful lady but is contented with what she has, and that is why she does not choose the minister but stays with Dreyman, the playwright. She supports her wife in all his undergoing. Wiesler is among major characters in the film. His role sees him play the characters of a captain of the East Germany secret police. Apparently, he stays in the same apartment building with Dreyman, the playwright. He is instructed to investigate Dreyman on possible disloyalty by the minister who wants to separate him from his mistress Christa. He connects wires to eavesdrop any communication. Wiesler later comes to learn of his truthful and even defends the two lovers with any possible opportunity. His character can be emphasized using the rights ethical theory because he believes and respects the rights of the citizen. His ability to endure and show no emotion can also be explained using the deontology theories that are a state that an individual should stick to their roles in making any ethical decision. Bruno Hempf. He acts the role of the government minister in

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Project Management - Essay Example The trade show materials have to be shipped in time to reach before the trade show, the vendor/printed has to deliver in time so that they can be shipped in time. The timing for training the staff is vital as Pat will be away on vacation; travel arrangements are essential to avoid last minute complications as shows of this magnitude attract participants from all over the world. Not all, but many activities are dependent on the previous activity, which adds importance to adhering to time schedules. Hence, time management would involve defining and sequencing the activity, estimate the duration and the resources, and develop the schedule (ITPM, n.d.). The second most important knowledge area recognized by the PMBOK is the human resources management. Every knowledge area includes a planning area (ITPM). Most effective use of the people involved in the project has to be done. The first task is to identify the staff and assign roles, like Pat and Terry have been identified, taking into account their strengths and weaknesses. The project roles, responsibilities and reporting relationships have to be assigned (Duncan, n.d.). Staff acquisition is essential after which the team development needs to be executed. For any project to be a success teamwork is essential, hence acquiring, developing and managing the project team is essential. Effort and expertise of different individuals are necessary to execute the project effectively. Hence, this knowledge area also involves delegating, motivating, coaching and mentoring. The third most important knowledge area relevant to the trade show project is communication. This involves timely and effe ctive generation, dissemination, storage and disposition of the project information (Duncan). Since most activities are independent, communication at all levels gains importance. Everyone involved in the project must be prepared to receive and send communication in the language understood by all.Communication planning

Developments in Social Networking Sites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Developments in Social Networking Sites - Essay Example The initial purpose of these sites, which was to enhance social interactions, has spilled over in a great magnitude and is influencing all aspects of society including politics, economics, environment, and ethics. Moreover, this effect is expanding exponentially due to ongoing research and consistent development of these sites. The terms ‘A web of networks’, ‘Age of Connections’ and ‘Human Web’, all ring familiar as well-known descriptions of this century. These terms however, also ring ironic as simultaneously one can argue that ours is an age of individualization, social fragmentation, and independence. â€Å"The world may never have been freer, but it has also never been so interconnected and interdependent† (Mulgan, pp. 1, 1997). It can be argued that this conflict in evaluation may be partially due to the literal web of networks that is the internet that keeps us interconnected and constantly updated on each other’s lives, whe ther it is through a Tweet or a picture upload on Facebook. Therefore, with mobility of work and fragmentation of lives, social media has developed as a response to a need for contact accounting for its growing momentum of impact. In a standard definition, social media is a type of online media that â€Å"expedites conversation as opposed to traditional media, which delivers content but does not allow readers, viewers, and listeners to participate in the creation or development of the content† (Durham, pp. 1-3, 2011). Instead of people meeting each other and communicating face-to face or even picking up the telephone, people talk to each other on Facebook thus rendering social interactions and relationships empty and superficial and that these sites may be turning us into introverted computer geeks. Dr. Burke however argues as to how social media brings us together despite the criticism. "There's a sense of connection between people that's built through social media. And I th ink that some people who may not feel the ability to do that in a face-to-face way or in a classroom can excel in building some interpersonal relationships though social  media" (Durham, pp.2, 2011). Despite a regulated level of intimacy and depth, one cannot downplay the need and importance of social networking sites. They have arisen in a time when there is a threat to interaction due to time and space. Thus, considering that the social effect of these networking sites is established, the question arises as to how and why these sites continue to influence all other fields of life. Take for example, the London Riots and the central role that Facebook and Twitter played in them. In fact, some newspapers and commentators were quick to blame social networking sites for initiating the riots and gathering the masses by re tweeting pictures of burning cars and encouraging more people in the area. Twitter has developed an option where people by simply typing in #Londonriots could gather scores of information and opinions on the site about the riots (Williams, 2011). Such a mob mentality on a virtual level shows how social media has savvied politics. Another blatant example of the connection between social media and politics comes from Philippines in 2001 during the impeachment trial of President Estrada. â€Å"Less than two hours after the announcement of the decision, crowds of enraged Filipinos gathered on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue. On a large basis, text messages and forwards reading ‘Goto ESDA, wear blck’

Breast Cancer Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Breast Cancer - Lab Report Example Acccording to studies,it is known that glycosylation is more pronounced in the breast cancer cells (Hakomori 1985). The reason for this is because of the increase in tne oligosaccharide structures (Hudis 2007).Such alterations might be identified through lectins which are the carbohydrate-binding proteins   an they have a very high specificity for the saccharides(Brooks and harris 2006).The lectins normally function as   the data mediators in the biological systems.In this case they interact with the glycoproteins glycolipids as well as the oligosaccharides(Nilsson 2007).They also bind specifically to the carbohydrate epitopes(Staffieri et al. 2012).The immunofluorescence method as well as the direct lectins cytochemistry   with the use of the   FITC-labeled lectins enables the visualization of the glycosylation’s impact on the therapies which targets the surface of the cells that bind to theHER2 receptors (Gabius 2009.The results from the histograms above (fig 1), ind icates the reason why the glycosylation’s intensity is higher in the sixth cell line when compared to that of the fifth cell line because of the different blocking agents used. In summary, further study needs to be done to clearly understand why there was a difference in the intensity of this two cell lines. It could be due to the above three mentioned reasons. Unfortunately, this study could not ascertain this.The reasons that could have resulted to the difference in the intesity could be due; firstly,the BSA could be a better blocking agent.

DBMS I - The Role of Database Administrators Research Paper

DBMS I - The Role of Database Administrators - Research Paper Example Additionally, a database administrator (DBA) is an information technology (IT) expert whose particular task is to design and manage database systems and put into practice efficient ways to organize and store data. In a lot of circumstances, database administrators have to shift data from out-dated systems into new systems (DegreeFinders.com, 2011; TechTarget, 1999). In addition, the database administrator is frequently available and required to work when required. This situation carries a huge accountability. Additionally, a DBA is responsible for protecting the database for example he implements the business internet access inside the corporate. In this scenario, he needs to implement policies and security measures that no one could be able to access an illegal website at the workplace such as Facebook. Moreover, every database has one or more administrators who are accountable for upholding the entire characteristics of the security strategy. However, if the business database system is not large in size, the database administrator can also perform the tasks of the security manager. Though, if the database system is huge, a particular person or group of people can have tasks partial to those of a security administrator (Vennapoosa, 2005; Alapati, 2005; Newcombe,

Latin American Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Latin American Politics - Essay Example There is no such ideal situation defining the real state of democracy, in fact there may be a narrowed down democracy in certain countries or there may be a broaden concept of democracy prevailing in the others. The narrowed democracy is a situation where certain aspects of democracy are existent while the others are entirely invisible, for instance in Peru. In such cases the governments are purely appointed by the people and are very much people-oriented, but there some problems of democracy are also prominent, such as the freedom of speech, the liberty of press, the development of human rights and the free establishment of organizations fostering such attitudes in society. These problems arise because in a narrowed down democracy, the government that has been selected by the people is not willing to provide such a freedom to its people. Conversely, in a broaden concept of democracy that can be spotted in most of the developed countries of the world, where the people do not only exercise the power of selection and appointment of a government, but also are bestowed with complete human rights, freedom of speech, liberty of press and expression of ideas. ... The democracy in Latin America is on the way to extinction. The political history of Latin America is full of attacks on democracy, giving a deteriorated picture of democracy in the region. Its history reveals a series of confrontation with pure democracies as well as pure dictatorships. In Latin America, the first move of peoples' attitude from democracy came into existence even before the year 1989. This change in peoples' attitude towards democracy dates back to the period of 1960s when the youth of Latin America were in a great number shifted towards the socialist view rather than a democratic view of government. But during the year 1980 and ever since after that time there has been a continuous effort for the re-establishment and re-development of democracy in Latin America. However, these efforts were less successful in their aim every time for so many reasons. This has not been just the case in Latin America; in fact even in the case of countries with relatively broader concept of democracy than Latin America, the problems of democracy can be spotted. A principle example to this approach may be Mexico, which is a country that has been continuously heading towards an advanced form of democratic government. Brazil and Peru have also been confronted with the same situation in their progression towards a more democratic government. The general situation is worsening in these countries with respect to human right motives and activities. In Mexico, the governments pay no consideration to the development of their people in the setting of their political objectives. Most of the people are living strictly hand to mouth in the country. Consequently, there has been much widely prevalence of criminal offences and also the Guerilla movements

Security Planning for Airlines Control and Safeguard Systems Essay Example for Free

Security Planning for Airlines Control and Safeguard Systems Essay Scenario 1 FlyWithUs Airlines has started a new low-cost carrier service to link major cities such as New York City with small towns. A few of the airports that service FlyWithUs are located in remote areas and are ill-equipped to handle emergencies. The airline also has a charter service that flies to locations around the world. In some remote areas, where the airports are small, help may not be immediately available in the event of an accident or some other crisis. Due to a failure of the air traffic control information system, a FlyWithUs pilot is forced to make a manual emergency landing. The plane skids off the runway and finally comes to a halt in the wilderness lining it. Five people are hurt, and one woman is critically injured. The airport does not have an ambulance on standby. By the time an ambulance arrives from the nearest hospital, which is 150 miles from the airport, the woman is dead. Question: Could this have been the result of a cyberattack on the transportation industrys critical infrastructure? Could FlyWithUs have prevented this situation? If yes, what measures could they have taken? Could they have stationed their own ambulance at the airport to handle emergencies? Should their pilots have been better trained to make emergency landings? Select one of the three case studies discussed at the end of Module 6 and respond to the reflection questions. Scenario 2 The U.S. Army has chartered a flight to Afghanistan in order to transport soldiers needed because of a recent rise in attacks by the Taliban. At a stopover point, FlyWithUs discovers that refueling is not possible because fuel supply lines have been cut due to rebel activity. The team and the plane are now stranded and are waiting for help. Question: How could information systems have been used to prevent this from  happening? What types of security measures are now needed to secure the airplane, its passengers, and its cargo in this dangerous situation? Is there any way in which FlyWithUs could have ensured a fuel supply? Could the airline have arranged to carry extra fuel? Scenario 3 The IT department has updated the antivirus software on all computers except for this one, because this computer was placed outside the firewall for a short period for trial purposes. Although the computer was brought back within the firewall, the system administrator failed to update the antivirus. Question: How do you think this situation could have been prevented? Could the IT department have conducted regular inventories of the software on each computer to identify missing patches? Could the IT department have implemented a process to ensure that no computer is moved outside the boundaries of the firewall?

Investment Options Essay Example for Free

Investment Options Essay Mutual funds remain the central instruments investors use to achieve their financial goals. Whether for retirement or in the search for additional profits, individual and corporate investors choose mutual funds as a relatively reliable and non-volatile method of making investments. It appears, however, that apart from satisfying the needs of individual investors, mutual funds can successfully work to secure corporate market players from changes and shifts in external markets. In this context, J.  P. Morgan is the bright example of the way mutual funds are used to reduce the negative impact of financial crisis and to overcome the difficulties faced in tough bond markets. J. P. Morgan has probably been the first to use mutual funds as the instrument of protection against the negative impacts of financial crisis. In his article, Michael Pollock (2009) sheds the light on the way J. P. Morgan Strategic Income Opportunities fund helps the company deal with tough bond markets. It appears, that the fund â€Å"has few restrictions typical of bond funds that are marketed to general public† (Pollock, 2009); as a result, it is better equipped to help investors survive through the difficult financial times. The fund functions according to a predetermined set of principles, of which putting money only into places where potential profits overweigh potential risks is probably the most important. The mutual fund at J. P. Morgan does not avoid keeping a portion of assets in cash, so that investors can materialize their investment opportunities when the right moment comes. Short selling is just another instrument the fund uses to generate additional profits; Pollock (2009) also notes that short selling is becoming a widely spread investment tool among bond funds. The list of investment instruments J. P. Morgan uses to manage its mutual fund is not limited to short selling and cash operations. Here, investors are also given a chance to make short borrowings and then to sell these borrowed shares; â€Å"investors can also make similarly bearish bets by buying credit-derivative instruments whose value increases if the price of an underlying corporate bond declines† (Pollock, 2009). To a large extent, the fund relies on the whole set of quantitative techniques that work to identify significant investment opportunities. The fund is actively involved into managing long-term high-yield corporate securities and nonagency mortgage-backed bonds. As a result, the fund has been able to achieve the total return rate of 4. 3% this year (Pollock, 2009). Does that mean that beyond using mutual funds as investment targets and the sources of additional profits, companies can also utilize the benefits of portfolio investment to protect themselves from external crisis threats? There is no definite answer to that question, but J.  P. Morgan obviously tries to change traditional opinions about investment options available to consumers. The truth is that everything we currently know about mutual funds does not make them look as an ideal investment solution. Given that mutual funds are not usually guaranteed by the FDIC and are not insured by any government agency; that mutual funds’ past performance is not always indicative of its future positive prospects; and that to be a member of a mutual fund also means to bear certain costs associated with investments, the whole picture of a mutual fund does not look as much attractive. However, where J. P. Morgan was able to reach the point of total return rate of 4. 3%, investors may have some sort of confidence that the company will pursue the same set of investment principles, being extremely cautious in its investment options and using the mutual fund as an effective means of anti-crisis protection. Conclusion Mutual funds are included into the list of the most widely used investment options. It appears, however, that mutual funds can also be successfully used to protect companies and investors from the negative impact of the financial crisis. Despite the costs investors have to carry as well as unpredictability of external environments, which mutual funds cannot control, the latter remain relatively stable and non-volatile means of dealing with tough bond markets.

Terrorism: The Biggest Threat To International Relations?

Terrorism: The Biggest Threat To International Relations? Contemporary international relations refer to the state of affairs during the period that began in the late 1980s with the end of the Cold War. The fall of communism and the assumed victory of liberal democracy had many, such as Francis Fukuyama, hopeful for an End of History and a New World Order of peace and collective security between all states. The truth of the international situation revealed certain issues and threats -new and old that much of the international community have since had to face. This essay will aim to assess the extent to which terrorism is the most significant threat to contemporary international relations, whilst also suggesting other factors that have created danger; such as climate change ,the proliferation of nuclear arms. It will conclude that whilst the prolonged and unknown potential danger that climate change poses to the planet is arguably the most catastrophic, the strain and instability of the acquisition of nuclear arms and the difficulty of contr olling who has access to them, causes it to be the biggest threat that the international community has to face. Terrorism, defined by Douglas Lackey, is, the threat of the use of violence against non-combatants for political purposes.  [2]  The very characteristics of terrorism makes it a threatening prospect for any state, as any violent act, [where] the civilian is the direct and intentional target of attack,  [3]  causes a great deal of difficulty in its prevention. Globalisation, the advancement in technology and the growth of cities whilst improving living standards for many civilians has made more locations prime targets for terrorists. Terrorist acts have become more sophisticated and increased the risk of multiple casualties using many forms of attack; arson, suicide bombers and remote detonated bombs, hacking into a states infrastructure and intelligence networks. Terrorism itself is not a new or recent phenomenon; the problem that the international community faced, and still faces in the Post Cold War period, is a change in the nature of terrorism. During and prior to the Cold War, terrorism was often an intra-state occurrence and a symptom of political separatism and instability within a country. Examples of this are the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the Tamil Tiger rebels; both of which caused civil wars in Ireland in the 1920s and in 1983 in Sri Lanka. Whilst this is still mainly the case for many African, Middle and Far Eastern countries, the western world has seen an increase in inter-state terrorism. Arguably intra-state terrorism is easier to combat, due to the fact that intra-state terrorists tend to have a clearer and more precise focus; such as the police or members of the entrepreneurial class; which makes it easier for the state authorities to target and track down. On the other hand, terrorist organisations with a religious objective give a broader scope of the enemy. This may lead to a perception in which every member of a different religion or creed becomes a potential enemy or a potential target. It is this re ligious variant of terrorism that has increased after the Cold War and is at the centre of current international discussions. According to Europols EU Terrorism Report carried out in 2007  [4]  and 2008,  [5]  there were almost 500 acts of terrorism across the European Union in 2006, with a 24% increase in the next year. Whilst most of these attacks were intra-state related an increased amount were by Islamist terror groups from outside the EU. The US and parts of Russia and North Africa have seen similar patterns occurring, showing that this form of terrorism is not a matter for individual states to deal with, but acts that are aimed at the global community . whilst arguably this can, and has, strengthened the relations between co-operating countries, it has placed strains on relations between other states, and subsequently hinders the progression towards international peace and collective security agreements; which is key in current international relations. This is because for certain states, terrorism and its prevention are not high on their foreign policy agenda. In some severe cases there are instances of the support of global terrorism. The US Department of State recognises four countries to be state-supporters of terrorism;  [6]  Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria. All are known to have been terrorist safe havens for several terrorist groups, whilst some such as Iran and Syria have politically and financially supported groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. By failing to take action against the threat of terrorism to the international community and in some cases promoting it these states become isolated as enemies of the counterterrorism Global Initiative  [7]  and the United Nations. The effects of this are sanctions, such as restrictions on foreign aid, controls on exports and financial restrictions, placed on these enemy states by the members of the initiative; isolating them further and, , causing a sense for more terrorist action to be taken against the international community. If these state-supported terrorist groups successfully carry out an attack against another state, this action has the potential to become a trigger or catalyst for state military retaliation against the supporter; as seen with the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan after the 9/11 bombings in New York. This clearly causes a step backwards for UN peace agreements which clearly states the need to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism.  [8]   As well as state support of terrorism hindering international relations, so too does the expansion of the grey-areas of where the roots of terrorism lie. Recruitment and training grounds are now vast, with evidence now suggesting that there is a reason for a, fear of the enemy within  [9]  . Data from multiple sources has pointed towards an increase in terrorist organisations recruiting from within the states at the heart of the terrorist aggression. The global reach of Al-Qaeda is a source of great concern as more than 3,000 of its members have been arrested in 98 countries since the 9/11 attack; evidence that this group exists in at least half the worlds countries. This factor challenges previously accepted state-intelligence, that inter-state terrorism can be location specific to rogue or failing states outside the targeted state itself. This increases the threat levels, as no clear idea of who the enemy is creates instability and a need for increased defence levels. It is als o difficult to establish the source of the terrorists finance. As previously mentioned this can be acquired from the governments of terrorist-supporting states, but can also be acquired by the groups themselves setting up commercial businesses that provide a flood of sources of finance for its operations. Hence, law enforcement and intelligence agencies must now identify these sources of funding in order to destroy their ability to operate. But with some organisations such as Jemaah Islamiah connected to around 50 commercial businesses, this is a complex and expensive process for states to carry out.  [10]   Some cynics such as Daniel Wagner have stated that, no matter how good security becomes, it will never be good enough to thwart all of the terrorist threats we face.  [11]  To an extent this is true. Even if collectively the international community does manage to discover the sources of terrorism, it is not likely that they would be able to put a stop to terrorism altogether due to the fact that it has now become something of an ever-changing ideology. Al Qaeda is an example of this. During the Cold War the group aimed at expelling the Soviets from Afghanistan. Once this was achieved, attentions focused on fighting what they thought was the corruptness of the Arab world. Recently, the objective has changed to fighting and targeting those who are considered to be the main outside supporters of these corrupt regimes a clear reference to the US with its very substantial strategic interest in that part of the world.  [12]  This aggressive fight for a continually shifting goal su ggests that no matter how hard states battle against groups like Al Qaeda, it is unlikely the war on terror will ever end. However threatening and incessant terrorism is to international affairs, it is arguably within state power and resources, especially in the western world, to singularly or collectively combat it. Governments have the advantage of finance and institutions, such as Counter-Terrorist Units and federal bureaus, with extensive resources especially to deter terrorist acts. Through the use of international relations and international organisations such as the UN and NATO, the amount of resources and expertise can be jointly used in order to overcome the problems faced by terrorism. It could therefore be argued that terrorism in some respects supports the idea of collective security as it forces good international relations and links states with a common goal: to destroy its threat potential, even if it cannot destroy terrorism altogether. Due to the power that states have in accordance with their state sovereignty, arguably the proliferation of nuclear arms is a threat more potent than that faced from rebel terrorist forces. The catastrophic capabilities of nuclear weapons of any kind are highly threatening for any state, but in the past this had led to a stalemate that was the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union. This has come to be known as the first nuclear age and ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the subsequent relinquish of nuclear arms by the Ukraine and other former soviet states to the primary control of Russia. Whilst splitting the international stage in two and with the threat of nuclear war hanging over the world, it was, on the whole, a rather stable conflict fought between two superpowers. Many critics are now suggesting that the second nuclear age, which had begun subsequently, will be notoriously unstable and carry with it a greater threat of nuclear war. This age is far more complex, as countries such as Israel, India, Pakistan, China, Iran and North Korea now all have their own nuclear programs; and with countries such as Iran and North Korea both having deep nationalistic feelings, they are arguably prone to destructive visions of national dominance;  [13]  having access to nuclear arms places a great strain on relations with these states with others such as the US. The fact that Iran is known for supporting some terrorist groups increases the threat of nuclear terrorism against the west and Israel. Many other states that wish to obtain nuclear weapons, especially those in Africa, are now choosing to spend state funds on their acquisition rather than their conventional military forces. This can often lead these states to become dependent upon their nuclear weapons; which makes all-out nuclear war all the more likely. However what creates the most strain on relations arguably is the fact that it would appear that there is the consensus among a few that it is acceptable for certain states to retain their nuclear programs but others cannot even start or continue their own. Whilst arguably in support of the UNs non-proliferation program, todays emerging nuclear states have a great difficulty in getting the international institutions to allow them to have any nuclear capabilities. States are forced to give up their programs under international pressure, but also due to the influence of the US. This often causes animosity between the nuclear-weapon states and those seeking a nuclear program. As seen recently with the case of Iran, the US and European Union has tried to persuade other countries such as Russia and China to start placing sanctions against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for refusing to relinquish its nuclear program. Whilst some would say that this is hypocritical of the nuclear-weapon stat es, it would appear they are seeking to set an example. On 8th April 2010, the two former Cold War Superpowers, and the current two largest nuclear powers in the world, the US and Russia, signed a new treaty that promised the 30% reduction of their nuclear armoury. President Obama stated himself that, By upholding our own commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, we strengthen our global efforts to stop the spread of these weapons, and to ensure that other nations meet their own responsibilities; a clear sign to other states that they do have the right to a moral high-ground placing pressure on Iran and the like. The issue of climate change came to the forefront of international politics towards the end of the Cold War with the first UN Conference on the Human Environment at Stockholm in 1972. Since then the threat that climate change poses to the modern world has been a top priority for all UN member states. Perhaps what makes this issue so threatening is the lack of control and the influence climate change can have within our societies. Atmospheric pollution can lead to the degradation in biodiversity which in turn threatens our food supplies, fossil fuels are set to deplete severely within the next fifty years; all of which are going to place enormous pressure on international relations. It is likely to affect the poorer countries first increasing the need for international aid on already stretched resources. This could lead certain states into pull out of the idea of collective security and focus on their own survival, thereby tearing through the international agreements and treaties put in place to prevent the affects of climate change. The community is already witnessing the reluctance of some states such as the US and China to cut down on their carbon emissions, as stated in the Kyoto Agreement, due to the adverse repercussions on their respective economic performance. This sets a precedent that makes collective action by all UN states extremely difficult as a lack of trust in the collective initiative depleats. It would appear therefore that some environmental policies are more popular than others. Whilst the fact that the world is running out of the natural resources , that we as humans have come to depend on, is a cataclysmic notion, the threat of climate change has arguably brought many parts of the international community together towards a common goal: the protection of the entire planet and therefore the continuation of the human race. Despite the fact that many of the summits held to voice the issues facing the environment has sometimes been ineffective, as seen with the Copenhagen summit in 2009, and caused rifts between states, there have been breakthroughs that suggest that progression can be made. The fact that climate change can cause so many repercussions into our manmade issues, such as the distribution of resources and the population problem, there is very little that the international community can do to stop it. It can only hope to slow its progression down. The global society faces far bigger threats within human control with the proliferation of nuclear weapo ns that could lead to the premature destruction of the world if placed in the wrong hands. Improving Student Engagement | Literature Review Improving Student Engagement | Literature Review Warwick, P., Hennessy, S. Mercer, N. (2011) Promoting teacher and school development through co-enquiry: developing interactive whiteboard use in a dialogic classroom. The authors reason for conducting the study was to show that an interactive whiteboard (IWB) can be a key classroom tool and that it can be used as a vital instrument in dialogic manor. The authors, Paul Warwick, Sara Hennessy and Neil Mercer, report on the works of three classroom teachers, who confidently use an interactive whiteboard (IWB) in their classrooms. The authors clearly state that they wanted to conduct their study because Given the pervasiveness of IWBs in the UK, we wished to explore the development of its uses in the classroom where there was a dialogic pedagogy. (Warwick, Hennessy and Mercer, 2011, p. 303). It is obvious from the start that the authors firmly believe that IWBs play a major part in a childrens learning and that an IWB is a crucial resource when it comes to teaching practices today. Their argument is reinforced by their suggestions in the hypothesis. The authors also state that an IWB plays a key part in maintaining a childs engagement during their learning. However this is the first point of the research where the authors can be criticised for not recognising that there are a number of different factors and methods that can influence a childs commitment and engagement to learning. Some different examples of other factors that can have an influence on a childs engagement with their learning can be seen in the Four aces of effective teaching Ace 3: Engagement (Walls, 1999). One method mentioned is that a class teacher should limit a discussion to no more than 30 minutes before introducing a learning activity (Walls Cather, 1987). This learning activity doesnt need to be one using an IWB; it can be done on paper etc. All the way through this research paper Warwick, Hennessy and Mercer make numerous claims about IWB and the way teachers use them. However, there are studies that have shown that teachers have only been considered capable when they have grasped specific technological skills, such as using an IWB. An example of an article that states this is one conducted by the Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt (1992), they state that technology is a teachers liberator to help re-establish the role and value of the classroom teacher. Teachers must enter into collaboration or partnership with technology in order to create a community that nurtures, encourages, and engages the learning processes. Nevertheless, Warwick, Hennessy and Mercer (2011) dispute this by stating that it is in fact the classroom teacher that is vital in stimulating dialogic approach not the IWB. However they do state that the IWB does have an important role in the classroom, but this is only correct when it is used in an engaging and suitable manner in the classroom. To conclude, the information gathered from the research shows that IWB play a key role in the classroom, but they shouldnt be seen as being a replacement for teaching or the classroom teacher. This study highlights the need of a teacher and that they need to develop relationships with children in their class so that they can conduct solid lessons that will engage their pupils, which will then lead onto developing dialogical pedagogy. I believe that additional studies are needed when it comes to the outcomes of the use of IWBs in the classroom. Simon et al. (2008) Puppets promoting engagement and talk in science. The impacts of using puppets in classrooms has become a popular research point for writers. During the same time period of Simon et al. (2008) writing about the impacts of puppet use in the classroom, there was also a similar research going on with the impact of puppets in Maths lessons. However, the main focus of the authors writing this article was to conclude whether or not the use of puppets in science lessons, stimulated the pupils to be more actively involved in their science lessons and also to see if the puppets could encourage childrens talk in science lessons. The research was designed to conclude weather the use of large puppets would help teachers to change their whole class discourse (Simon et al., (2008), p.1229) in their science lessons. A key strength of the research for the article was that it focuses on a vast amount of different ideas. The research was carried out by a mixture of teachers, across two different regions, interviewing two different age groups; 7-9 and 10-11, and the teachers had the option of using one or two puppets. From the research of Neil Mercer and Lyn Dawes (2008) about exploratory talk, the authors of this article discuss the importance of communication with other children, so that the children have the skill to critically participate with their peers and their peers ideas. Simon et al. (2008) claims that the use of puppets assists in this area. When children start to enter a more in depth conversation with the puppet, the puppet can provide encouragement or interest in the childs responses, which then generates talk which involves the whole class, or talk on a peer to peer level. Therefore, from using the puppet can promote reasoning, problem solving and explanations, which are all key factors in science lessons. The research that was carried out for this article was strong in various ways. Firstly, the focus wasnt just in a single school, it was in two different areas of England; Manchester and London. Secondly, there were two different age groups that were examined, and both of these groups had pupils who had a different response to the puppets. Thirdly, the teachers had the option to introducing a single puppet to the class, or they could introduce two puppets to the class. Some teachers used two puppets in a lesson whilst others used only one. Though using two puppets enabled teachers to set up discussion by getting the puppets to put forward opposing views, teachers found that one puppet was much simpler to use whilst still making it possible to present problems and to set up cognitive conflict. (Simon at al., (2008) p. 1243) Finally, the use of the pilot study to find out more information and gain more of an understanding into the use of puppets helped finalise the main study for the ar ticle. Therefore, because of the strong research strategy, the final research produces remarkable but rigorous results. One of the main disadvantages of this study was that training the teachers to correctly and effectively use the puppets acquired a lot of time. Even though this was good for the research side, the amount of time spent of training the teachers wouldnt be practical for every teacher, especially teachers in larger schools. This then brings up an issue; if teachers dont have experience with puppets and havent had training would the puppets be as effective as they were during the research stage. Overall, this article has proven that using a puppet during science lessons has been effective when trying to create talk. This has been backed up from the interviews, with pupils and teachers. The interviews also revealed that pupils who are often more shy and dont contribute as much in lessons, were more confident during lessons where a puppet was used as they felt at ease talking to a puppet. In my own practice, I will be using a puppet throughout the curriculum as I feel that the use of a puppet will engage the children and improve class and pupil discussions. However, before I feel fully confident in using a puppet, I will practice with a smaller group and build up to using the puppet in front of the whole class. Brown K Kennedy H (2011) Learning through conversation: exploring and extending teacher and childrens involvement in classroom talk School Psychology International 32 (4) pp377-396 This article discusses the professional development progression over a twelve week period, that six teachers in the UK, who work at a school with children who have been recognised has having social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The main research area for the article is focused on how teachers use conversation in their class to help integrate childrens ideas and link these to the learning progression. Through reflective and exploratory discussion, enhanced by videos of interactive sequences within classes, teachers explored and developed aspects of their interactional styles. Brown K Kennedy H (2011) One of the key strengths of the research is that two educational phycologists (EPs) were also heavily involved with the researched and they worked alongside the six teachers. With reference to Schoà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ¦s model of reflective teaching (1983), the class teachers and the EPs intended to reflect on the teachers interactional methods that happened within the teaching. They also wanted to be able to work together to discover and extend classroom conversations. Therefore, through reflective and exploratory conversation with the EPs and with the help of recordings of interactive sessions that happened within the class, teachers watched back their lessons and were then able to explore and develop aspects of their interactional methods of teaching that they used with their class. At the end of the twelve weeks, the videos and recordings taken were compared. The main focus was to see the changes between the beginning sessions to the sessions at the end of the project. Brown K Kennedy H (2011) stated that from the teachers looking back at their lessons, and working alongside the EPs they were able to adapt a change in their lessons to promote talk. Changes included the teachers using conversation to build more on childrens ideas and actively support the cooperation between children. Changes in the nature of talk amongst children showed evidence of building more on ideas within conversations and making less new initiatives. The changes in conversations are considered with reference to childrens participation and learning. Brown K Kennedy H (2011) Given the importance of childrens metacognitive awareness of interactive processes within the class (Mercer, 2000), I feel that one of the main weaknesses of this article and its research was that it would have been useful to have a greater insight into the changes that occurred throughout the lessons, from the points of view of the children that were involved with the study involved. All the children who participated did so voluntarily, however, they were not included in the ongoing preparation, development, and evaluation. The children involved might have provided valuable insights into how the learning procedure seemed from their point of view, and how they felt that changes the teachers made worked for them, especially when the teachers developed their interactional styles. I would be interesting to see what extent the children felt the changes had on their incentive, contribution and learning. Overall, this research has shown that looking back and watching how you have interacted with the children and what interaction styles you use can have an impact on childrens learning. The article has also proven Schoà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ¦s model of reflective teaching (1983) to be effective, as the if the teachers hadnt looked back and reflected on their interactional styles, there wouldnt have been any progression in talk. I will now use different interactional styles during my lessons, and I also feel that it would be beneficial for me to record myself teaching and watch this back to help me improved on my own teaching skills.

Organizational behavior Essay -- essays research papers

To help us understand organizations, we might consider them as political systems. The political metaphor helps us understand power relationships in day-to-day organizational relationships. If we accept that power relations exist in organizations, then politics and politicking are an essential part of organizational life. Politics is a means of recognizing and, ultimately, reconciling competing interests within the organization. Competing interests can be reconciled by any number of means. For example, resorting to "rule by the manager" might be seen as an example of totalitarian rule. On the other hand, politics may be a means of creating a noncoercive, or a democratic work environment. As mentioned, organizations need mechanisms whereby they reconcile conflicting interests. Hence, organizations, like governments, tend to "rule" by some sort of "system". This "system" is employed to create and maintain "order" among the organization's members. Systems of rule within organizations range from autocratic to democratic at the extremes. Between these extremes we find bureaucratic and technocratic systems. Whatever the system, each represents a political orientation with respect to how power is applied and distributed throughout theorganization. Each type of organizational "rule" simply draws on different principles of legitimacy. According to Aristotle, politics stems from a diversity of interests. To fully understand...

Political Satire in Animal Farm :: Animal Farm

Political Satire in Animal Farm    George Orwell, author of the highly acclaimed Animal Farm, wrote this fable in hopes of informing not only children, but also the population as a whole, of his views on the Russian Revolution and the rise of communism in that nation. The fable, a literary composition conveying a moral truth, clearly guides the readers through the steps and outcome of the Russian Revolution. But instead of the battle being fought and won in the streets of Russia, Orwell chooses to portray the happenings of the Russian Revolution on a farm based during the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution. The animals, unhappy with their day-to-day living conditions, rise and revolt against the tyrant Jones, the cruel and drunkard owner of the Jones' farm.    In Animal Farm, the barn was a place for the meetings that took place, and alternatively served as a shelter for all of the animals, except for the pigs. The schoolhouse was a place for the pigs, and rarely other animals, to learn to read and write and therefore grow in social power over the other less-intelligent animals that spent their days working in order to bring in enough food to keep the revolution alive. The farmhouse was where the Jones family resided, before the revolution that forced them astray. According to the commandments set forth after the revolution, no animal was to use the farmhouse for their own personal gain, however, the pigs were able to distort this rule so that they were able to live in luxury in this house meant for the humans. Building the windmill proved to be an important icon and struggle for the animals of Animal Farm, as it was destroyed twice and never quite brought the gleefulness and comfortable life that the animals were led to envision before-hand and during the construction by the sinister pig Napoleon. Each character of Animal Farm represented an important character or type-of people in the Russian Revolution, a direct comparison between Animal Farm, and a strong political movement that shocked the world.    Comrade Napoleon, as he insisted the other animals called him, represents Joseph Stalin, a cruel leader during and after the revolution, who exiled other political leaders and forced mass-executions upon the people, just as Napoleon does in Orwell's fable. Snowball, the opposing pig and leader of

Intrinsic Motivation Essay -- essays papers

Intrinsic Motivation Sometimes a student can be fascinated in a subject and are eager to learn more without outside influence or help. This kind of a situation is when there exists a large amount of intrinsic incentive to motivate a child. It is when a student enjoys an aspect of an activity enough to be motivated within. An intrinsic incentive could arise in any subject of interest such as dinosaurs, famous people, or far off places. However, topics that are learned in schools today do not arouse children since they find the information useless in their everyday lives (Slavin, 2000). The role of personal interest is crucial in a learning situation. It has been proven that a child who is intrinsically motivated tend to make use of strategies that require a larger amount of effort and that allow them to develop more intensely. They prefer tasks of higher levels than an extrinsically motivated child (Lumsden, 1994). Internal motivation is longer lasting that external motivation. When students achie ve a feeling of satisfaction, learning occurs more successfully (HCC Intranet, 2001). In order to ensure students are intrinsically motivated, teachers must use certain strategies to encourage this type of learning. Praise One of the ways to engage children in intrinsic motivation is by praising the students for the efforts they make in the classroom and encouraging more positive learning. It is important to praise a child for small improvements along with large improvements. Some educators with high expectations forget to commend their students along the way as they progressively achieve the desired goal (Palardy, 1997). Praise does not necessarily mean tangible rewards. It is more of a pat on the back, a positive ... ... learn. ERIC Digest, 92. Retrieved November 5, 2001 from http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/Student_Motivation.htm. -The article talks about what influences student motivation and the advantages of it. It offers intrinsic ideas to help develop student motivation. Also explains why children are unmotivated. Cooper, H. (2001, April). Homework for all-in moderation. Educational Leadershiip, 58,pp. 34-38. -Explains the advantages and disadvantages of homework, and if it works. This relates to motivation. Teachers use homework at times to motivate their students. Palardy, J. (1997, March). 15 strategies for motivating students. NAESP. Retrieved November 2, 2001 from http://www.naesp.org/comm/p0397b.htm. -Lists fifteen strageties to use in a classroom to help motivate children. After each suggestion, a detailed description is given.

Revenue Recognition

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are general guidelines, which instruct firms on how to form their financial statements and how to accurately measure their profit levels. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) forms a conceptual framework that defines the nature and purpose of accounting and provides a theoretical framework regarding the manner in which transactions should be treated. The principles governing accounting procedures, however, may be amended or changed over time, and this may mean that new rules are devised regarding how transactions should be measured, reported, and presented to users (Hodgdon et al, 2009). There should be consistency in the principles used for accounting purposes to promote reliability in financial statements and ensure that all transactions are treated equally by all firms, otherwise there are high chances of financial statements being inaccurate (Wustemann & Kierzek, 2005). The essay will describe the principles of revenue re cognition, the difference between â€Å"income† and â€Å"revenue†, measurement issues between historical cost and value, matching of revenue and expenses, and the differences between the previous conceptual framework and the amendments made in the new revenue recognition model. The essay will conclude with a summary of the main points made in the answer and an analysis of whether the new proposed model has caused concern to respondents. The principles of accounting form a framework that enables users to properly understand the data included in financial statements and make it useful. It enhances the relevancy of the information, makes it free from error, neutral, and comparable to the financial statements of other firms. One of the current issues prevailing in accounting standards includes the issue of the principles of revenue recognition. (Schipper et al, 2009). iAS 18 and New Proposals Made: There are two main revenue recognition standards which incude iAS 18Revenue and iAS 11 Construction Contracts. However, the main problem with these revenue recognition models is that they may be difficult to comprehend and their application may also be a hassle. Moreover, iAS 18 does not thoroughly provide guidance on the topic of revenue recognition arrangements which have multiple elements. The iASB has decided to revise the accounting standard on revenue recognition as inconsistencies and weaknesses exist in the standard. The proposals for improvement in iAS 18 include removing inconsistencies and weaknesses in the existing revenue recognition framework, improving the standard of comparability of revenue recognition practices across industries, disclosing more vital information in financial statements, and the simplification of the preparation of financial statements. One of the main important distinctions made in the revenue recognition model is the distinction between â€Å"inc ome† and â€Å"revenue†. Income is defined as the economic benefits that a firm may generate in the course of an accounting period which include an increase in the inflows or the value of assets or the decrease liabilities that in turn increases equity. This does not include the additional contributions made by existing and new equity holders. However, revenue is defined as the income that arises in the course of ordinary activities of an entity such as the sale of goods etc. The prevailing issue in accounting standards is when to recognize revenue and how to measure it reliably. According to the new accounting standard, revenue is recognized through the selling goods, the provision of services, and third party’s using the entity’s assets which results in yielding interest, royalties, and dividends. Another major issue in the revenue recognition model is how to measure assets or liabilities and whether to measure them at cost price or at value. Using the c ost method may be considered reliable as the cost is known, yet the problem arising in the use of cost is that it relies on past figures (Cairns, 2006).Using the value method may be considered more useful or reliable as it uses up-to-date information but may not always be accurate as the current value of assets or liabilites may vary in measurement from firm to firm (Cairns, 2006). According to IAS 18 (Olsen & Weirich, 2010) revenue shall be measured at fair value which is the amount at which an asset or liability can be settled between two knowledgeable willing parties in a transaction conducted at arm’s length. There are various conditions which result in the recognition of sales, such as when the entity has transferred to the buyer the significant risks and rewards associated with the ownership rights of the goods, the entity holds no managerial or controlling rights over the goods sold, the revenue generated and calculated from the sales can be measured reliably, the enti ty will benefit from the economic benefits of the transaction, and the costs incurred with respect to the transaction can be reliably calculated (Olsen & Weirich, 2010). Problems with Proposed Standard: The costs associated with each of the transactions must be matched to the revenue generated and these costs are categorized as expenses. Each sale results in the occurrence of an expense which must be recognized in coordination with the revenue generated and put in its respective category in order to ensure the balancing of the income statement. However, the new proposed standard has given rise to significant feedback from users which includes the suggestion that while the recognition of revenue generated through selling goods, includes the transfer of control or an assessment of whether risks and rewards have been transferred, it should also include a collectability clause (Olsen &Weirich, 2010). However, other respondents have asked â€Å"transfer of control† to be particularly defined before it is included in the model (Wagenhofer, 2013). While the new revenue recognition model provides a detailed basis for accounting standards and has defined a wide scope for the proper cl assification of transactions, the feedback received has suggested that the model is too complex and confusing for immediate implementation as it is inconsistent with previous frameworks and would require practice and getting used to in implementation. Moreover, other users have also mentioned that the model requires additional information regarding the meaning of certain rules and terms in order to be accurately implemented and used within all firms such as the meaning of â€Å"collaborator†. It is suggested that the Board review the new accounting principles that it has introduced and provide detailed explanations and examples of how to appropriately apply the standards to financial statements. It is also highly suggested that in order to improve the applicability of the new revenue recognition model, the inconsistencies between the previous model and the new model must be removed, the terms used in the new model must be clarified, and the suggested additions may be made. References Cairns, D. (2006). â€Å"The use of fair value in IFRS.† Accounting in Europe. Vol. 3(1) pp. 5-22. Hodgdon, C., Tondkar, R. H., Adhikari, A., & Harless, D. W. (2009). â€Å"Compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards and auditor choice: New evidence on the importance of the statutory audit.† The International Journal of Accounting. Vol.44(1) pp.33-55. Olsen, L., & Weirich, T. R. (2010). â€Å"New revenue?recognition model.† Journal of Corporate Accounting & Finance. Vol.22(1) pp. 55-61. Schipper, K. A., Schrand, C. M., Shevlin, T., & Wilks, T. J. (2009). â€Å"Reconsidering revenue recognition.† Accounting Horizons. Vol. 23(1) pp. 55-68. Wagenhofer, A. (2013). The Role of Revenue Recognition in Performance Reporting. Working Paper, University of Graz. Wustemann, J., & Kierzek, S. (2005). â€Å"Revenue recognition under IFRS revisited: conceptual models, current proposals and practical consequences.† Accounting in Europe. Vol. 2(1) pp.69-106.

Issues of Wider Professional Practice and Professionalism Essay

In this assignment I will be examining some of the main issues I believe impact on teachers’ professional practice and I will look at the way they impact on my employer Inclusive Access (IA). IA is a social enterprise independent specialist training organisation in the Post compulsory education and training (PCET) or Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS). I will attempt to show how some of these issues impact on individual teachers in the organisation and the impact on a teacher’s professional image and status. I will go on to state that the political and economic landscape make it very difficult for organisations like Inclusive Access and for freelance tutors to meet the professional standards required when compared to other PCET organisations in both FE (such as colleges) and HE (such as universities). In conclusion to this assignment, using some of the current influences and changes in government direction and policy, I will reflect on the way I can improve my own wider professional practice and that of my team in my area of responsibility. As Training Manager at a social enterprise there are wide reaching pressures on the organisation that impact on our practice as professional teachers in LLS and on the organisation as a professional training body. In fact these pressures are currently on the whole education system. The political economic social technical, legal and environmental (pestle) factors impact greatly on the question posed for this assignment as we enter possibly one of the most challenging phases for education and particularly PCET in last few decades. At IA there are recurring issues affecting the professionalism of the courses run, the professional nature of the teachers and support staff employed, and the values underpinning the company’s social aims. For example, funding is ever harder to source and the funding streams accessed are varied and fluctuating, originating from a number of sources. This can lead to inconsistency of provision and fitting the courses to the fund rather than the learners thereby impacting on our perceived professionalism. Another example would be the â€Å"rules† on pots of funds from the public sector creating demands for more learners on courses, impacting on class size, or selecting people for courses based on numbers – not suitability, which in turn impacts on drop out rates and dissatisfied learners, potentially affecting our perceived professionalism. There is a move towards contracts being payment by results to drive value for the public purse. This could force smaller organisations like our own, who are less cash and asset rich out of the market. However, on the positive side, it does mean a culture of collaboration (that has not existed for some time) is being resurrected, which in my view is a good thing. In the long run this should raise standards of outcome and a more seamless journey for learners to experience through the LLS. During the development of PCET from the 1980s until present, it is evident that teaching in post compulsory education had to keep up and look beyond today towards the future requirements of the skilled workforce of the future. Further and higher education has become more regulated and scrutinised in a bid for it become better placed to meet the needs of learners and employers. Indeed in the evolution of FE and the LLS during the 1990s saw great change driven politically with economics at its heart, FE teachers contracts were changed, strikes, funding centrally severed so the new regime shaping the way PCET is delivered today and the view of the professional status of teachers in this sector. Shain, 1999 in her research paper said then that â€Å"Teacher’s work in the UK Further Education (FE) sector is undergoing reconstruction through processes of â€Å"marketisation and managerial control†. I would agree with her and can see that this process is even more evident today, witnessed through competition for funding, student numbers, targets, league tables and scrutiny driving the ethos of the sector. I would ask how can the FE teacher be a true professional in their work with this culture around them? Tedder;1994, defines professionalism from his experience of teaching in FE and says that the term professional can convey a range of meanings covering teaching practice, a set of vocational standards, values and a code of conduct for teachers plus a remit for continual monitoring and improvement. This early view (was expressed in 1994) in my opinion has been the way that the sector has consequently developed from within, attempting to drive internally in response to the external pressures to conform to the pressurising pestle factors. In 2007 the Institute for Learning (IfL) was set up in response to the XXX report, and (until recently) endorsed by the government to represent and act as a compulsory body for Lifelong Learning teachers of adult education defining the code of conduct and embedding as compulsory requirements membership to the professional body and requiring evidence of current competence to teach via 30 hours continuous professional development (CPD) per annum, submitted and vetted by the IfL. By the IfL making teacher training and CPD compulsory this has overturned the reluctance of teachers to become dual professionals. Norman Lucas 1996 has argued that this duality of professionalism, i.e. that of being at one and the same time a teacher and an expert in a professional or craft/trade area has dogged the development of a statutory qualification structure. He says that historically lecturers in FE had seen their expertise as sufficient for teaching thereby putting their specialist knowledge above pedagogy. He says that by becoming professional teachers this will narrow their specialist expertise. I disagree with this view. Everyone can remember the good and bad teachers at college / univeristy, and those that not only knew the subject but knew how to teach got the respect and results from their students. Randle and Brady (1997) argue that although they believe teaching in FE has been deskilled and deprofessionalised professional teachers retain a commitment to ‘public service’ values of altruism and teacher autonomy that are fundamentally opposed to managerialism. They believe this is the essence in FE of professionalism and that its paramount to FE. Appendix xxx is an extract to depict the polarisation they described. I believe this point is important and is where individual personal professionalism collectively adds up to professionalism per se in the organisation or the LLS. Elliott (1996) rejects the notion of professionalism in favour of a concept of the ‘reflective practitioner’ for understanding teacher’s work. I believe this is a vital factor in professionalism, but cannot be the only way that a professional improves their practice – what if the teacher is not as self aware or receptive to personal feedback – how can this improve teaching and learning in isolation? Hodkinson (1995) argues for the retention of professionalism without accepting the exclusivity of a profession. He explores the uses and limitations of competence attributes towards a redefinition of professionalism based on notions of ‘personal effectiveness’, ‘critical autonomy’ and community. These to me are self actualisation goals re: Maslow – higher order. But I fear people need a structure, framework and a method to achieve these – why then is a professional body to belong to such a bad thing? The Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (ILTHE) was an established body that ceased to exist in 2004 and then in 2007 the IfL was set up, reinventing the wheel is a theme of politics I fear. Appendix xxx explains the history of the ILTHE and the HEA. Successive governments and reports including Kennedy in 1998, Tomlinson 2004, Leitch date Wolf 2009, Lord Lingfield 2011/12 continue to change the way education is structured and delivered and depending on which political party is in power depends on the swing between regulation and market forces affecting the culture in lifelong learning. By the very nature of the way the PCET sector is being forced to be accountable it could be seen that it has become de-professionalised, de-characterised and education is becoming de-valued as the accountants take over the establishments to drive value for the public purse. Ofsted scrutiny and league tables shape the way education in FE is delivered as tutors â€Å"fear† for their grade and managers drive for results, where does this leave a professional tutor room to develop as a professional? Illustrating this polarisation of managerialism and professionalism – ref app xxx Many authors reference this including John Lea. John Lea observes that managers and scrutiny of teachers introduced to make them more professional and drive value for the taxpayer and the learner actually have led to teachers becoming de-professionalised per se. He states that by introducing accountability through layers of funding and scrutiny bodies that this has meant the sector has to adopt more of a business approach with colleges becoming more like retail outlets. P75: where learners choose their learning opportunity from a range of providers for the one that markets itself the best. On the negative side this could be students â€Å"consuming† education in the same way they purchase items from a discount shop demanding high quality low prices. He goes on to say: â€Å"of colleges come heavily under this sway we might expect them to seek to eliminate any downside to their students purchase – customer satisfaction or your money back. Will we see a time when students cannot fail a course?† I would ask – is this de-valuing and watering down the status of PCET courses so that anyone can achieve OR does it widen participation and standards leading to a more highly skilled workforce which then reflects well on the professional standards and values of teachers and organisation in the sector? Whichever way it is seen, the reality is that it is happening and the future PCET organisations are moving in this direction. Lord Lingfield in his review – the final report, amongst many recommendations, suggests that the future of PCET will not distinguish between further and higher education and it should merge. This trend is current and set to continue – a great example if here and now – West Cheshire college – my course – the awarding body is Chester University and progession for my cohort is clearly into HE. The simpler the learner journey the more professional it feels for learners too. I believe that in the modern world, standardisation, comparability and the learner journey should be seen as crucial by decision makers and that it will drive development in the sector. To be professional tutors rely on quality time to prepare to keep teaching practice current, incorporating new and innovative teaching methods. This is a difficult task, especially as many tutors are paid sessionally and planning is often not paid for by employers. Similarly professional development and CPD is expected but not often provided by employers. As professionals, tutors are expected to complete 30 hours per annum of continuous professional development (CPD) to reflect and choose the right development. Under the IfL this was implicit and required for membership; this requirement is now voluntary as membership of the IfL rules have changed following Lord Lingfields review of the sector. The best and most forward thinking providers will support their staff to improve; it cannot be left to individuals to choose entirely their own CPD. Since the Institute for learning was set up in 2007 I believe it has not achieved what it set out to do and I concur with many elements in the Lingfield report. I think it little impact in raising the sectors professional status although it has had some impact in raising the standards of teaching. For example after 2007 Neighbourhood colleges were forced to employ only tutors with a preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector (PTLLS) qualification to lead courses in these centres. Previously anyone could have taught a course in their local community or Neighbourhood College. Insisting on PTLLS has improved the quality of provision but on the downside has meant that local talent and enthusiasm has been lost from those who handed down skills and shared knowledge on a more universal basis. Taking a different view of core professional values that is not about OFSTED or anything other than the traditional role of a teacher – Sue Cross in her book Adult teaching and Learning talks about the professional character of the teacher means assuming the a specific set of obligations and standards but one within which an individuals background expertise and creativity are free to flourish. Sue Cross definition: â€Å"Professional teachers seek to communicate their field of knowledge to the learner with fidelity and accuracy, within the context of their professional ethics and in such a way that the learner is nurtured, supported and able to develop† p 161 She says that a professional teacher has three principal characteristics : that a teachers acts with professional agency, a teacher acts ethically and a teacher exercises professional judgement. And she believes that to be a teacher really means to be a learner yourself. Therein lays the crux of being a professiona l – exercising professional judgement and being allowed to. Society doesn’t allow mistakes nowadays, does being a professional suddenly make a person infallible? Other definitions of professionalism and professional include Marian Wollhouse – teaching the post 16 learner. Marian suggests that there are seven key areas of teaching defined as underpinning the competence that supports and informs all other processes†¦ and the learner is put at the centre of all that teachers do. In that way the context of the teacher as a professional is prescribed and this amongst other influenced the development of the Professional domains written by the sector skills council and published in 2007. In the foreword the Bill Rammell, the then Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, said that the new professional standards were a direct response to Ofsted’s plea for clearer standards. Accountability for teaching and learning and being a specialist in own area was paramount. This was a precursor to the IfL being launched in September of that year. And again more depth and scrutiny in a bid to make the profession of teaching accountabile in September 2012 another new set of Ofsted regulations were put into place this time as well as for all education a specific set for the FE sector. As a direct consequence of Lingfield, Wolf etc and the drive from the government to make organisations more locally accountable this Ofsted framework now puts teaching and learning as the most important factor refocusing the Common Inspection standards. See appendix xxx CIF. Prue Huddleston and Lorna Unwin 3rd edition Teaching and Learning in Further education Diversity and change in chapter 8 talk about Professional development and here I believe is a central factor in the issues of professional conduct and accountability. To be an educator in the PCET sector I believe teachers should embrace all it is to be a teacher. The breadth of skills, the patience, the planning, the innovation and the ability to keep on a personal learning journey can mean it is difficult to fulfil this multi-faceted and demanding role. To do this teachers need to approach their work as â€Å"professionals† and undertake in depth and varied professional development. Without it teachers will become stale, one dimensional not just in their teaching but in their ability to fulfil this role and inspire their learners to achieve. The goals they set for their learners will become less stretching as do then the goals they set for themselves. â€Å"every FE teacher has to make plans to ensure he or she has access to relevant and appropriate professional development opportunities† p 209. Inclusive Access is an independent provider of adult training and education across a myriad of disciplines/ subjects. As my role is multi-faceted I project manage, line manage, develop new business, recruit tutors, in charge of quality for awarding bodies, teach myself. It is a role that I believe requires a hands-on approach and therefore still to teach to keep up my professionalism. This can be a challenge as the role moves towards sometimes more of a managerial overview role. One of IA’s unique selling point is its people. The tutors, assessors and teaching support staff most of who are not directly employed. That relationship is an interesting one to manage; aiming to keep their individual professional values in tune with that of the company. In order to engender the ethos and professional standards required I do have to lead by example, share CPD knowledge and enthuse the teachers to try new teaching methods. IA does not have the IT resources and budgets for example that FE colleges can access. The courses must still be of high quality (or higher) than the competition. Often I think we achieve this through personality of the teachers, their in depth subject knowledge and the way we assist the learners on their journey with signposting and employability skills. Interestingly this is now a key factor that OFSTED will be seeking from FE so I will need to keep a step ahead and look for way to continue to improve our learner experience and our teacher support. I will need to ensure our literature and marketing is standardised with the LLS sector to maximise our visibility and professional image in a competitive environment. My own personal CPD journey will be the vital. I realise there is a lot at stake in the way I view professionalism and being a professional. Not only will these views affect my personal development but because of my role it affects the organisation and the teachers employed. Extrinsic factors that cannot be changed will continue to impact on teacher’s professionalism – pestle factors, ofsted, government papers and reports leading to changes in scrutiny, standards and regulation. But intrinsically the notion of being a consummate professional, loving being a teacher, being honest, reflecting and improving, sharing best practice, keeping always learner-centred and choosing challenging CPD as a lifelong earner yourself, in my view you won’t go far wrong!

Chemistry Investigation to find the Empirical Formula of Magnesium Oxide Essay

During the experiment the crucible used was slightly damaged however did not continue to break or cause any inconvenience to the investigation. For approximately ten minutes, no reaction was visible. The substance contained no odour. After approximately fifteen minutes the piece of magnesium commenced to burn with an overall duration of twenty minutes. When burnt, the magnesium converted to bright orange colour. During the reaction the lid of the crucible was lifted to see any changes or if the magnesium had combusted, and whilst doing this white smoke escaped the crucible which may perhaps be magnesium oxide. By the completion of the reaction, it was noticed that not all of the magnesium was combusted and left some silvery remnants. *Missing numbers are due to incomplete number of trials by the groups and/or the results lacked in validity Data Processing From the data collected from the reaction of magnesium (mg) with oxygen was used to calculate the empirical formulae and to obtain the uncertainties. The tables are arranged in a chronological order of the process of data. With the process of data will produce the empirical formulae which will be used to compare with a theoretical value. A graph is included to assist in the comparison of the theoretical empirical formulae to the experimented empirical formulae in a visual format. Sample Calculations To acquire the data required to evaluate the empirical formulae, the mass and moles of Mg, O and MgO were required to be calculated first. Once that is completed, there would be enough information to then calculate the empirical formulae to then compare it to the theoretical value. Table 2 – Sample calculation when finding the mass and mole of the magnesium, oxygen and magnesium oxide (g), percentage uncertainty and empirical formulae. Conclusion and Justification The hypothesis of this investigation was that the mass of magnesium after combustion could be used to calculate the empirical formula of magnesium oxide and it has been established that the hypothesis is supported. Throughout the processing of data many results were removed die to the lack of validity. Thus, the data collected provided inaccurate results. When represented in Graph 1 the result did not was not equivalent to the theoretical ratio of 1 : 1. Nevertheless, when displayed in Table 6 the average ratio was 1 : 1 matching the theoretical of 1 : 1 which supports the hypothesis. Evaluation of Data In Graph 1, it was noticed that there were many random errors with the experiment. Such as, the constant opening of the lid when checking for the combustion during the investigation would have caused temperature changes thus, slower the combustion of the Mg. As displayed at the bottom of each table, many of the collected data were disposed as they were not valid. With many of the data remove the number of trials decreased along with the reliability. The precision of the data can be shown by the R2 on Graph 1. The R2 value represents the decent fit to which the range from 0.1 to 1. In this investigation, the R2 value is 0.0351 which indicates that the data was not accurate which in turn reveals that there was perhaps lack of precision. Which again adds the inaccuracy of the data that does not agree with the theoretical value of 1 : 1 to be imprecise. Overall, this investigation has provided data that is neither precise nor reliable due to the trials completed by group of researchers. Also, the empirical formula may have been affected by the rounding of three decimal places. However, the rounding of the decimal places may not significantly affect the reliability of the experiment. Suggestion for Improvements At the beginning of the experiment, the Bunsen burner was not under the crucible and We had to move the Bunsen burner directly under the crucible. Because of this it may have affected how much heat interacts with the magnesium. In a replication of this investigation it is advised that the Bunsen burner is to be placed directly under the crucible. This should also be written in the method. A Major error in the experiment was that many of the trials within the raw data were removed do to the lack of validity. These were generally due to the miss interpretation of mass or the mass had not been recorded. Because these errors came from having too many researchers doing each trial, perhaps having a smaller group of researcher will able to generate reliable results by reducing the random errors. The method required the lid to be lifted up quickly .However, due to infor a while the lifted was lifted up and not placed down until after a few moments and the heat or magnesium oxide could have escaped from therefore affecting the results. And so, if this repeated the lifting of the lid should be constantly and quickly. Or, utilise a transparent crucible that allows the observation of the Mg but still containing the MgO. The window was open during the experiment which caused the loss of MgO due to the strength of the wind. To minimise the loss of MgO it would be recommended for the experiment to be conducted within a fume cupboard so that no wind could increase the loss of MgO when opening the lid or as stated before a transparent crucible would allow the observation of the Mg without the need to open the lid of the crucible.