Candidate Conundrum Summary Essay

The company personnel Robert (Manager) and Paul (Project leader) are interviewing two potential candidates Sonya and Jacqueline for a new position at the company. After interviewing both candidates Paul feels Sonya is the one they should hire while Robert believes they should hire Jacqueline. Paul’s reasoning is that he feels he’d work better with Sonya both being Caucasian while Robert thinks Paul may have personal feelings for his choice. Robert believes having Jacqueline hired will provide more diversity to the company, but Paul feels he is hiring her solely because of her race since it is stated that both candidates have the same qualifications. The issue is that both have valid reasons for wanting his choice for the job position. What did/didn’t the manager do well: Robert handled the situation relatively well. He listened to Paul’s reasoning for his choice, but was quite set with his decision to choose Jacqueline already. Due to his opinion he didn’t appear to consider Paul’s point of view. Robert shouldn’t have made up his mind on his decision prior to meeting with Paul at the end. This prevented him from having an open mind about Paul’s choice. What would you have done differently: If we were in Robert’s situation we would have tried to keep our minds open to consider Sonya as an option and take Paul’s reasoning into consideration. We probably would have still picked Jacqueline as well because we thought Robert’s reasons were completely valid. In the end Robert had a good case to not hire Sonya and choose Jacqueline for the position.

Understanding of the Flynn Effect

The Flynn Effect, first observed by James Flynn in 1981, is the steady year on year increase in IQ scores on intelligence tests, noting a greater rise in fluid (non-verbal) intelligence than crystallised (verbal) intelligence. There are numerous studies providing evidence for this effect leading to the question; are generations getting more intelligent? There is no universal definition of intelligence, leading many researchers to try and discover common themes around the world.Yang & Sternberg (1997b) found similarities in ideas of intelligence between Western and Eastern cultures but ultimately, along with other researchers such as Baral & Das (2004), concluded that there are great differences between conceptions of intelligence around the world. Due to this, there have been many different methods used to measure intelligence over the years, from Binet & Simon’s (1911) intelligence test, to Gardner’s (1983) multiple intelligence theory.One of the more accepted and univ ersally used methods designed to test intelligence is the intelligence quotient (IQ) test, developed by William Stern in 1912, an idea used by many other intelligence researchers. In 1981, when reviewing intelligence tests to test validity for new versions, James Flynn noticed that whenever participants were given an old test and a new test to complete, they always got higher scores on the newer test. He went on to look at a further 73 studies (Flynn, 1984) and discovered that between 1932 and 1978, white Americans had gained 14 IQ points, supporting his original discovery.In 1987 he published intelligence test data from 14 countries (Flynn, 1987), coming to the conclusion that IQ scores were rising not only in America, but across a number of different countries and cultures, further displaying evidence for his discovery. In attempt to make sense of Flynn’s discovery, it has been proposed that generations are getting more intelligent, an idea that Flynn himself rules out. He argued that if generations were getting more intelligent, we would expect to see an ever rising number of geniuses in the world which we don’t.So why are IQ scores getting higher? In 1998, Ulrich Neisser (Neisser, 1998a) edited a book suggesting some possible environmental explanations for the Flynn Effect. The book was contributed to by Flynn (1998), Greenfield (1998), Lynn (1998), Neisser (1998b), Schooler (1998) and Williams (1998). It covered 5 main areas: schooling, test-taking sophistication, parental rearing style, visual and technical environment and nutrition. However, Lynn (1990) originally broke these ideas down into two opposing hypotheses; the nutrition hypothesis and the cognitive stimulation hypothesis.The Nutrition hypothesis proposes that nutrition is a key factor in generations' increased intelligence, Lynn (1990; 1998). It sees nutrition as increasing intelligence as part of a nurturing environment, including longer life expectancies, improved health and lo wer infant disease. As food has become more readily available to most people, we are inevitably receiving more of the nutrition and food that our bodies and brains require, meaning our bodies and brains are more capable of performing to the best of their ability.Compared with generations ago, when food and water was scarce it is almost expected that we should achieve better results on intelligence tests when our brains are better nourished and equipped to deal with them. Average human height has also risen over the last century, which has been attributed to nutrition. Lynn (1990;1998) suggested that this could be significant, as brain size has been linked to nutrition and also to intelligence. Some researchers began looking at particular nutrients in relation to intelligence.Quian et al (2005) looked at the effects of iodine on intelligence. Findings showed that the children who had received iodine supplements before and after birth scored significantly higher on intelligence tests than children who hadn’t. Iodine is now well known as one of the most important minerals for good health. Benton & Roberts (1988) conducted a study involving 90 children divided into 3 groups of 30. Group 1 were given a supplement which contained a number of vitamins and minerals. Group 2 were given a placebo and Group 3 was not given anything.8 months later Benton & Roberts (1988) found that in Group 1 a significant increase in non-verbal (fluid) intelligence scores was observed, supporting the Flynn effect. However, there was no significant difference between verbal (crystallised) intelligence scores. Further research into understanding the Flynn effect saw Colom, Luis-Font & Andres-Pueyo (2005) test two large samples of Spanish boys with a 30 year gap in a measure of fluid intelligence. A significant rise in IQ scores was observed in the later sample, with findings interestingly noting intelligence gains mainly observed among the lower percentile of IQ scores.Teasdale & Ow en (1989) and Lynn & Hampson (1986) had previously found similar results. These findings, and many other replications, support the Nutrition hypothesis as evidence for the Flynn effect. In general these types of studies have provided plenty of evidence to conclude that IQ is affected by vitamin/mineral supplements on non-verbal measures of intelligence, however, it is becoming increasingly hard to test this as most people are well-nourished these days particularly in Western cultures.Future studies could continue to look at which particular nutrients affect which particular areas of intelligence, and concentrate on broadening the research to a wider variety of cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Many of the previously mentioned studies use a sample consisting of only males, which makes results less representative to the entire population. The Cognitive Stimulation hypothesis, takes into account some of the other ideas mentioned in Neisser’s book (Neisser 1998a), suggestin g that higher intelligence is driven by improvements in cognitive stimulation.In particular, visual analysis and technical advances are seen as causing intelligence to increase. Visual analysis can range between many things, from photographs, messages on cereal boxes, puzzles in a newspaper, to television programmes. One of the biggest changes in the twentieth century was the arrival of visual media such as television and the internet. Nowadays almost every home has a television and many have computers and access to the internet.Children now have much wider access to educational toys, games, television programmes and computer programs, and adults now participate in many cognitively demanding activities such as reading, puzzles, video games and using devices such as television and computers. Johnson (2003) argues that popular television has become more cognitively demanding in recent years. One example is children’s television show Sesame Street, designed to increase childrenà ¢â‚¬â„¢s intelligence and awareness by providing mental stimulation at an early age.Sesame Street is now an award winning show and is recognised as helping to develop children’s understanding and abilities (Palmer, 2003). Even simple things such as adverts provide us with cognitive stimulation, sometimes requiring viewers to work out a hidden or abstract meaning, compared with much more straight forward adverts seen from years ago. Intelligence tests such as Raven’s matrices measure visual analysis, on which the largest gains in IQ have been found providing support for the cognitive stimulation hypothesis.Some of the other ideas mentioned in Neisser’s book include schooling, test-taking sophistication and parental rearing style. Nowadays, we attend school for many more years than our parents and grandparents did. Cahan & Cohen (1989) found that length of schooling influences intelligence, however their results suggested larger rises in verbal intelligence, thus not providing evidence for the Flynn effect. Test-taking sophistication is the idea that we are just generally more aware of intelligence tests than generations ago. IQ tests are something we learn about in school as teaching today is generally geared towards achievement tests.This could potentially explain better scores in intelligence tests by those who know why and what they are doing them for, but it is unknown whether this could explain the emphasis on non-verbal intelligence seen in the Flynn effect, as it is a very difficult concept to test. Parental rearing styles have also changed, with families getting smaller meaning each child is spending more time with his or her parents. Flynn (1998) and Williams (1998) also suggest that today’s parents are more interested in their children’s intellectual development than in previous generations.However, it could be argued that due to the Flynn effect, today’s parents are simply more intelligent than their own pare nts and grandparents, and therefore better able to guide and educate their own children. If the cognitive stimulation hypothesis can truly explain the Flynn effect, then we should see a rise of IQ scores across generations at all levels of IQ (Flynn, 2003; Lynn (1990) but if the nutritional hypothesis provides the explanation, intelligence gains would appear more so at the bottom end of IQ scores, where nutritional deprivation is at its worst (Flynn, 2003).Neither the nutritional hypothesis nor the cognitive stimulation hypothesis appears to be telling the whole story in relation to the Flynn effect, and there are still many other theories out there. Some suggest natural selection as a cause, such as Deary et al, 2004 who found significant correlation between low IQ score and risk of cardiovascular disease and death. However this could be down to environmental factors caused by lower IQ such as poverty and living conditions which could lead to death and illness Gottfredson 1997. Bra in size has also been proposed as a relevant factor.Tiedmann (1836) suggested a connection between brain size and mental energy, and medical advances allowing tests such as MRI scans have since led to further research in this area. Willerman et al (1991) and Raz et al (1993) went on to find correlations between brain size and general intelligence, supporting Tiedmann’s hypothesis. However, these correlations were found in particular samples, and did not clarify causation. Luria (1968, 1972) conducted two case studies and discovered that injuries to different parts of the brain affected intelligence in different ways.Flynn (1994, 1999) favoured environmental explanations himself, suggesting intelligence gains too rapid to be genetic. Many recent European studies have suggested that the Flynn effect is actually coming to an end, or could possibly be in reverse. Sundet et al (2004) composed intelligence tests from the 1950’s and found that in line with the Flynn effect, n on-verbal intelligence showed higher gains, that is until the 1990’s when IQ scores ceased to increase. Teasdale & Owen (2005) found similar results, with scores rising from 1959 and peaking in the late 1990’s.Teasdale & Owen (2005) noticed that after this peak, intelligence test performance has since declined to pre-1991 level. Many people view these studies as direct evidence for the end of the Flynn effect; however some view it an extension of the Flynn effect, one which can still be explained by the nutritional hypothesis. It is proposed that the rise in IQ scores was a result of the number of low scorers who were dragging the average IQ score down, getting smaller and smaller.Supporters of the nutritional hypothesis argue that this decreasing number of low scorers was due to the decreasing number of people suffering from poor nutrition, and now poor nutrition is not a problem the slow removal of low scorers has levelled out. Three big questions when looking at int elligence testing are the reliability of intelligence tests, the validity of intelligence tests and whether the usefulness of intelligence is overemphasised.One issue with reliability is that IQ scores fluctuate, and if you take the same test a few weeks later it is likely you will achieve a different score, although you are not supposed to retake the same IQ test as your first interaction with it will almost certainly influence your second performance. Researchers question whether we can ever truly know if the first score we get is truly a representation of our intelligence, or if it may be a fluctuation from our real intelligence, questioning the accuracy of such scores. This concern hasinspired plenty of research into IQ fluctuation, with many studies such as Jones & Bayley (1941) suggesting that although scores do fluctuate, they remain relatively stable. Furthermore, while there is plenty of evidence to suggest intelligence tests correlate well with other intelligence tests (Ne isser et al, 1996), these studies are based on the assumption that there is a globally agreed idea of general intelligence when this is in fact not true (Benson, 2003). As mentioned earlier, there are cultural variations of what is perceived as intelligence, calling into question the validity of intelligence testing.It wouldn’t be sensible to dismiss intelligence tests entirely as there is plenty of evidence to support their reliability, validity and usefulness. However, we should not ignore the shortcomings. Both the nutritional hypothesis and the cognitive stimulation hypothesis have contributed somewhat to our understanding of the Flynn effect, but neither appears to be telling the whole story. The nutritional hypothesis views nutrition as increasing intelligence as part of a nurturing environment with plenty of evidence providing support for this as an explanation of the Flynn effect, such as Quian et al (2005) and Benton & Roberts (1988).However it is becoming increasing ly difficult to continue to test this as most people are well nourished these days, particularly in Western culture. The cognitive stimulation hypothesis suggests that the visual revolution is responsible for the Flynn effect, suggesting higher intelligence results from improvements in cognitive stimulation. Again, there is plenty of evidence in support of this; however it does not provide an absolute explanation.Due to the rising number of studies suggesting the Flynn effect is coming to an end, it is possible that any current and future research into the Flynn effect is futile, although many of the evidence to suggest this is predominantly undertaken in Europe, pointing back to the cultural differences in intelligence. Perhaps less developed countries are seeing the Flynn effect? We could benefit from more research across various cultures. There are also the questions of intelligence test reliability, validity and usefulness to consider. Leading to my final question; if we canâ₠¬â„¢t define intelligence, how can we truly test it?

Summary of Tatars Text Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summary of Tatars Text - Essay Example The frustration in her heart infuriates her and gets her to the pavements along the streets. As she fantasizes on the best and desired life out of punishment and maltreatment by the dad, she gets into visions. The visions were linked to the effects of the condition she was in, hypothermia, but some counted real. She sees her grandmother in the tale as the only person who cared and never mistreated her in her life. And this has been part of her greatest desires ever in this irritating lifestyle. The conditions set for her going back home from the streets where she sold the matchboxes deprived her of any good reason to live under the sun. This forms the basis of her fantasies (Behrens and Rosen, 296-297). The frustration of the imagination of the situation of how it could be at home when she gets home without selling the expected amount of boxes gets her down into deep fantasies. She gets down onto a place within the street where she lights the matches as she visions her situation and links it to the desires that she wants to happen in her life. She lights her matches as she sees the Christmas tree as gorgeous and appealing to the soul. She then sees a falling star from the skies and this reminds her of the story the grandmother told her before she died. It was a signal that a person would die and was to be in heaven in a happy life. Of course, this is what she desires for. This thought of someone important dying and going to heaven does not scare her, and she surges on to light the next matchstick.

Project Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Project Paper - Essay Example The next part will highlight the discussion that happened between Mary Wollstonecraft and Catherine the Great during the former’s visit to Russia. Through their dialogue, we intend to learn, firstly, about their individual profiles; secondly, their opinions on the role of women in their societies; and lastly, their insightful views on the ideal role of women in society. Catherine the Great: Good day! Have a seat. I have summoned you here to have an interesting talk about your recently released treatise entitled â€Å"A Vindication of the Rights of the Woman†. But to formally introduce myself to you, I am Catherine the Great, Queen of Russia. Just like you, I consider myself to be ‘enlightened’ given my firm educational background which I was able to receive through hard work and strong determination (Smitha, 2000). I have been married to Emperor Peter III, who, sadly, has died in an accident. Recognizing the need of our people, I decided to ascend the throne and became their Queen. As their leader, my vision has always been to widen the influence of Orthodox Christianity all over Europe. This is why my kingdom invests heavily on strengthening our military. Aside from this, I also believe that societal order could only be attained through absolute monarchy. Thus, I intend to serve my people as long as I live. But enough about me. Please tell me more about you and your work. Mary Wollstonecraft: Firstly, Your Majesty, I would like to express my sincere thanks for requesting me to personally visit you here in Russia. But just to give you a short background about me, I consider myself to be a scholar. I could say that reading and writing have always fascinated me. For one, I enjoy reading the Bible and analyzing its primary teachings. Aside from this, I have also been a reader of the works of Shakespeare and Milton. Although it has been hard for me to obtain a formal educational training, I still

Food Production Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Food Production - Research Paper Example The problem with these technological approaches to increasing harvests is they have created a system of food production that looks to productivity as the only measure of success. Our current system of â€Å"factory farms† is highly productive but we are ignoring the environmental damage, the loss of nutrition and quality of our foodstuffs and the ethical concerns raised by the current feedlot method of raising animals for food. The true cost of our current industrialized method of food production can only be realized when we factor in all of these variables. The â€Å"Green Revolution† of the 1960’s was truly a historic turning point for global agriculture. For the first time, populous nations such as India and China could feed themselves with the use of new farming techniques such as no-till planting and the administering of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers to the land. More food was being produced than ever, but at what cost? Globally, farmers needed to raise more crops than ever because they needed to use fertilizer to compete with corporate farms. The abundance created by the â€Å"Green Revolution† suppressed commodity prices. ... We have learned much about how to limit the damage caused by these powerful chemicals over the decades, but that does not change the fact that entire ecosystems, such as the Chesapeake Bay estuary, are constantly under stress as a result of out current agricultural practices. A final negative consequence that our current mechanized method of farming creates is an over-dependence on fossil fuels. Massive tractors and harvesters are employed to such an extent that a rise in gasoline prices now equates a rise in food prices. We have found ourselves in a precarious situation once again. Before the â€Å"Green Revolution† we had hunger due to a lack of productivity. Now our factory farming system is creating a situation where the costs of production are putting the cost of food out of reach of many people. We have hunger because of a lack of money, not a lack of productive capacity. Another problem that our current method of industrialized food production is causing is a drop in th e nutrition found in the foods we eat. Many diseases and ailments have been linked to eating highly processed food that contain dyes and large amounts of refined sugar. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is less common than in the past for several reasons. Processed foods are often more convenient to eat. They are packaged and often require a minimum of effort (or no effort at all) to prepare them for consumption. Fewer families sit down to eat meals together than they did in the past as well. Society has changed and the pace of life has increased for many people. As a result, processed foods of convenience such as fast food, has replaced more healthy foods such as vegetables and whole grains. But the

Building organisational capacity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Building organisational capacity - Essay Example This paper analyses the change management program that was implemented at DHADC. Change is inevitable in every organization and it has become one of the necessities for organizations to thrive amidst increasing challenges and varying market conditions. So, DADHC, being no exception, felt the increasing need to adopt a change strategy which would enable it to eliminate the pitfalls that it encounters in delivering superior services to customers and its varied clients (Tebbutt, 2004). Analyzing the overall long-term objectives underlined by the company, it has been found that the company focused on improving and bringing about significant changes in the area of organizational capacity building. Improving this aspect enabled the company to meet its long term objectives of providing better service to its clients, customers and others stake holders. This change strategy was adopted, as it would strengthen the formation of teams and thus help the organization to strive towards its goals in a concerted approach (Tebbutt, 2004). Therefore, the company decided to implement this change strategy in order to improve its present level of effectiveness with regards to the role played by organizational capacity building in enabling the company to achieve its long term objectives. This change strategy was adopted as it would enable the organization to achieve a performance-oriented culture with highly motivated work force and help the organization to render better client satisfaction. This also would lead to the formation of strong team and imbibe the sense of team spirit within the employees. This change strategy would help in building a culture that would increase the levels of services rendered to the customers and add to the good will of the organization (Tebbutt, 2004). As the organization is a service oriented one, therefore it was perceived that this change

Laputa, Castle In The Sky Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Laputa, Castle In The Sky - Essay Example â€Å"Laputa- Castle in the Sky† was enthused by â€Å"Gulliver's Travels† by Jonathan Swift. The film is the first one that came from Japanese animation thrust Studio Ghibli. It was also the third major film produced by its master Hayao Miyazaki. Young Pazu lives in a charming mountain town. He is a worker in a coal mine that is located in the mountain. One day as he carried on with his daily activities, an unconscious girl fell from the sky and landed on his arms, to his amazement. Sheeta was being chased by several people who wanted her for interrogation thinking that she was connected to the secret of Laputa, castle in the sky. These people comprised of a group of military, pirates and some government officials. They followed her because of the blue crystal that was tied on her neck. This crystal made her almost weightless and allowed her to fly in to the sky without much effort (Books, Macias & Aoyama, 2003). Pazu carried her into his house. They did not take long before they became acquainted. However, their stay at Pazu’s house was short-lived because after a short time, the bad people who were in search of her showed up at Pazu's doorstep wanting to arrest Sheeta and take the crystal that was tied around her neck. Pazu could not allow them take Sheeta and the crystal. Therefore, he helps her escape with him. The people who wanted to capture Sheeta did not give up. They chased them across the mountains, through the mines and into the air. The escape helps the audience understand the flying castle of Laputa and the fact that Sheeta knows more information about it than she reveals. Laputa follows Pazu and Sheeta who fly in a floating castle in the sky. On the other hand, the family of pirates and the military personnel follow them using an aircraft that flies through a steam-powered engine (Beck, 2005). Hayao Miyazaki tells the story through the beauty of the animation. He uses a design that is phenomenal and constructs mechanical cont raptions that fly. The landscapes where the chase occurs have been developed with a magical touch that gives the film beautiful environments where the action occurs. The scenes are painted using deep earthly colors that fill up the large spaces that follow the action. The action happens without stopping from the very beginning through the whole film to its final stages. Despite the fact that the film features a lot of action that constantly occupies the screen, Laputa, castle in the sky, features quieter moments that have strong characterization and diverse humor. This is achieved through the use of fully fleshed-out back stories and motives that are created from the adventurous ways of the characters. For instance, the family of pirates is handled in a way that depicts them as simple caricatures. Their domineering mother is given best dramatic scenes that bring out her character as a pantomime villain that, in turn, develops into a full-fledged protagonist (Cavallaro, 2006). As the story develops, the audience is led to a switch that occurs between opposites. It happens in a rather fulfilling manner. At one time, the audience is led to scenes where Pazu and Sheeta find themselves as partners in an unlikely situation characterized by a shady bunch. Pazu takes the duty of ensuring that the enemies do not get them by surprise by constantly paying attention to what happens in the crow’

Mesopotamians Polytheism and The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay

Mesopotamians Polytheism and The Epic of Gilgamesh - Essay Example Nippur city state for example, was dedicated to the god of the wind known as Enlil. Occupying a number of acres was a temple complex at the heart of each city-state. It comprised of a ziggurat and a temple dedicated to the god or goddess of the city at the top. The god or goddess placed at the top of the temple was in the form of a statue. The construction of temples and other buildings such as priests and priestesses residents always consumed a lot of wealth. A close relationship between the culture and religion of the Mesopotamians could be seen in the way temples were dominating structures in their commercial and personal lives. The Mesopotamians view of the world or universe was impacted by their physical environment. Their local climate consisted of a disturbing climate, heavy downpours, ferocious floods and scorching winds. Famines and such conditions were convincing factors to the Mesopotamians that supernatural powers controlled the world and the life of human beings in it we re short. These can be clearly seen in the laments of the epic of Gilgamesh where the Mesopotamians always felt helpless in the presence of nature. Some words from the poem are as follows; â€Å"The rampant flood which no man can oppose, Which shakes the heavens and causes earth to tremble, In an appalling blanket folds mother and child, Beats down the canebrake’s full luxuriant greenery, And drowns the harvest in its time of ripeness.† (qtd. in Spielvogel 11). Because of the many gods and goddesses that controlled the universe, Mesopotamians had a religion of polytheism. The greatest god was An, god of the sky, he was the source of all authority followed by Enlil, god of the wind. The god of the earth was known as Enki, he was in charge of all canals, wells and rivers as well as waters of creativity. Ninhursaga, the goddess was initially associated with mountains, soil and vegetation but eventually became a mother goddess. The relationship between the Mesopotamians an d their gods was that of subservience since they believed they were created to work for their gods. Since they were unsure of what the gods would do they developed arts of divination. Divination took various forms with the most common being that of priests and kings. They would kill animals like sheep and analyze their organs to foretell events. Predicted events served as a means of guiding people to act wisely. The Mesopotamians viewed death with horror and fear. Death and disease were viewed in a spiritual perspective. They believed that the gods ordained immortality for themselves and death for man. They also believed that death and sickness were the results of sin. According to their mythology, man was made of clay which was then added blood and flesh of a god; therefore, God was present in all human beings. The main purpose why man was created was to serve the gods. When humans offended the gods, they would get angry and withdraw their support allowing demons to take over. The souls of dead people went to the underworld where according to the Mesopotamians was a dark land from which no one returned. However, offended spirits could find their way back to the living and inflict misery on them for their wrongdoings. To avoid such wrath, the Mesopotamians gave daily sacrifices to the spirits of the dead to appease them. The story of Gilgamesh is similar to the story of Noah in the Bible. The story deals with issues surrounding mortality and immortality. Gilgamesh was Sumerian king

Prosodic Features for Sentence Segmentation Dissertation

Prosodic Features for Sentence Segmentation - Dissertation Example The most emphasis in this approach is put on the duration of pauses between words. Longer pauses are assumed to be sentence boundaries. The word boundary method presupposes that such pauses logically occur only at the end of sentences. This is true on many occasions since the place to pause is really at the end of sentences. The word boundary method is therefore quite useful especially when analyzing short sentences (Stolcke, & Shriberg, 1996, 139). The detection of sentence boundaries is one of the initial steps that lead to the understanding of speech. The fact that speech recognizer output lacks the normal textual cues such as headers, paragraphs, sentence punctuation and capitalization was also mentioned. However, speech provides prosodic information through its durational, intonational and energy characteristics. In addition to its relevance to discourse structure in spontaneous speech and its ability to contribute to various tasks involving the extraction of information; prosod ic cues are naturally unaffected by word identity. It should therefore be possible to improve the robustness of lexical information extraction methods which are based on ASR (Hakkani-Tur et al 1999). Sentence segmentation is required for topic segmentation and is also needed to separate long stretches of audio data before parsing (Shriberg et al 2000). Sentence segmentation is critical for applications that are used for obtaining information from speech because information retrieval techniques such as machine translation, question answering and information extraction were basically developed for text based applications (Shriberg et al 2000; Cuendet et al 2007). Kolar et al (2006, p. 629) indicates that standard automatic speech recognition systems only output a raw stream of words. It therefore means that important structural information such as punctuation is missing. Punctuation defines sentence boundaries and is fundamental to the ability of humans to understand information. Natu ral language processing techniques such as machine translation, information extraction and retrieval text summarization all benefit from sentence boundaries. According to Mrozinski et al (2006) spontaneous speech is generally affected negatively by ungrammatical constructions and consists of false starts, word fragments and repetitions which are representative of useless information. Output from automatic Speech-To-Text (STT) system is affected by additional problems as the word recognition error rates in spontaneous speech is still high. Sentence segmentation can lead to an improvement in the readability and usability of such data; after which automatic speech summarization can be used to extract important data. Magimai-Doss et al (2007) indicates that the aim of sentence segmentation is the enrich the improve the unstructured word sequence output for automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems with sentence boundaries in order to make further processing by humans and machines easie r. Improvements in performance were shown in speech processing tasks such as: speech summarization, named entity extraction and part-of-speech tagging in speech, machine translation, and for aiding human readability of the output of automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems when sentence boundary information was provided. Annotation relating to sentence boundary was found to be useful in the determination of â€Å"semantically and prosodically coherent boundaries for

Flexible work options Essay Example for Free

Flexible work options Essay With our personal lives busier than ever, offering flexible work options to your employees could be the best way to keep the good ones around. By offering flexible work options, such as flextime, it will allow employees more family time, go back to school, if desired, to further education, as well as decrease absenteeism at work. Now, who wouldn’t want a job that offered the time allowed to do those kind of things? I know I would. Flexible work hours allow employees more time with their family. It allows more time to spend with their children, and to attend all school programs and plays. It allows a parent the opportunity to be able to take their child to school, and go back to pick them up from school. This makes for happy children which makes for happy parents, which in turn, makes for a happy employee. Happy parents working flexible schedules, are more productive at work and produce better quality of care. Not only does it allow for family time, but employees working flexible work hours are able to return to school on their own, and pursue that college degree they have always wanted. Not only does it allow to obtain a college degree, it allows one to go back to school to further the degree they already obtain. Working flextime allows the time to go back to school without interrupting the work schedule at work. This allows a person to work full time and attend school. Flextime allows the ability for employers to retain key, dedicated employees whose personal needs conflict with traditional work hours. By offering flextime, youll gain increased productivity and worker satisfaction, along with decreased absenteeism and turnover; all great money-savers for the company. Flextime helps create a happier, more satisfying workplace, too. Because employees are often so glad that their employers are willing to allow for a work-life time adjustment, they tend to work harder and in a more dedicated fashion to hold on to their now-perfect schedule and re-balance their lives, and actually enjoy coming to work. This is why no one calls-in to work. They love it. To keep happy employees, employers, fathers, mothers, or the entire family, offering flextime is the way to go. It allows for so many benefits, neither one can go wrong with working flexible work hours. It will produce happy parents, happy children, and happy employers. Work progress will improve so much as well as the quality of work provided. With the busy lives of people and everything that is required of some of them, flextime is the best way to go. Going with flextime makes everyone happy. Yay for flextime.

Linguistics Essays William Labov

Linguistics Essays William Labov William Labov’s narrative analysis differs from some of the earlier approaches in that his method focuses on oral narrative instead of written text. William Labov’s narrative analysis differs from some of the earlier approaches in that his method focuses on oral narrative instead of written text. Earlier linguists, such as Ferdinand de Saussure, believed in a structural approach. This meant that language had to be approached as a fixed, clearly defined set of symbols, which furthermore had to be studied in isolation. However, later linguists, among them Uriel Weinrich, Labov’s mentor, believed that the structural approach failed to assist us in understanding â€Å"the transition of a language from state to state† (Labov 1972:xv). Labov’s focus has been to study language as it is spoken, as a fluid and constantly changing dynamic. Most of Labov’s model of narrative analysis is based on his belief that â€Å"one cannot understand the development of a language change apart from the social life of the community in which it occurs† (1972:3). He feels strongly that observing and recording sound changes is not enough to understand the process of change—that one has to view that change within the context of the community in which it is being made, as it is being made. Using this theory, he carefully chose communities where he felt he could do this most effectively. He conducted the first of several in-depth studies in Martha’s Vineyard, a small, closed island community located in Dukes County, Massachusetts. Labov saw Martha’s Vineyard as an ideal study site primarily because it was very self-contained. In addition, it was physically isolated, located three miles from the mainland. For his next series of studies, Labov selected parts of New York City. One particular area he focused on in the New York City study focused on Black English as it was used in certain parts of the city, specifically Harlem. Although Harlem did not have geographical distance from New York the way Martha’s Vineyard did from Massachusetts, racial and socioeconomic boundaries made it an isolated community in its own way. The main points of Labov’s model were first published in 1972 in an essay entitled â€Å"The Transformation of Experience in Narrative Syntax.† In this essay Labov introduces and explains what he sees as the six main parts of a narrative. He discusses each part as a tool which we can use to analyze narrative patterns, to help recognize recurring themes and ideas. The six main parts of Labov’s model are: abstract; orientation; complicating action; evaluation; resolution; and coda. It is not necessary that all six of these be present in every narrative; for example, some narratives will not have an abstract, while others may not have a coda. Additionally, these components need not appear in a specific order, and each may be present in a variety of ways—these factors are also considered in the final analysis. Labov uses the term â€Å"abstract† to refer to the introductory part of the narrative. This may be, literally, an â€Å"abstract,† or a brief summary of the events; or it may be simply a line or two that will spark the reader’s interest. The role of the abstract is to attract the listener’s interest, and to get the listener to want to hear the rest of the story. The next stage is called â€Å"orientation.† During this phase the speaker gives the listener information about the setting of the story. For example, the speaker will introduce and describe the people or characters who will interact in the story, as well the setting (the place the action occurs) and the time frame. For the story to be valid and understandable to the reader, it is essential that he or she be informed of the time and place in which the narrative unfolds. Following orientation is the â€Å"complicating action.† This refers to the actual events of the narrative, the occurrences that move it ahead. Complicating actions may be physical actions. They may be also be statements spoken aloud, or they may be thought acts â€Å"Evaluation† refers to the point, or reason, the narrative is being told, and it can be done in a number of ways. â€Å"Evaluations† may be specifically and clearly stated, or they may be implied. â€Å"Internal† evaluations are those revealed while the story is taking place, while â€Å"external† evaluations take place outside the immediate action of the story (for example, after the story is told). Another evaluation technique is the â€Å"embedded evaluation.† This can be an explanation offered by one of the people in the story, or by the storyteller directly. In addition, it may also be an event in the story. Following this is what Labov calls the â€Å"result† or â€Å"resolution†: this, basically, is the conclusion. At this point the narrator indicates that the story has come to a close, that a final action has occurred. Finally, there may be a â€Å"coda.† By â€Å"coda† Labov means that the narrator points out the relevance of the story by connecting it with every-day life, or with other events or actions that fall outside the story frame. The coda does not always have to be present. It may also be present without being explicitly stated. One of the issues to be discussed concerning Labov’s model for narrative analysis is the method of data collection, since â€Å"the means used to gather the data interfere with the data to be gathered† (Labov 1972:43). The interview itself may be considered â€Å"public speech.† However, even within this realm, there are other conditions to be considered. For example, does the relationship of the interviewer to the interviewee affect the latter’s speech patterns? Does the use of a recording device affect the interviewee’s choice of words, perhaps make word selection more formal than it ordinarily would be? One way of monitoring this is to compare the subject’s speech patterns during the course of the interview with his or her speech patterns outside the interview setting. For example, the interviewer could also observe the subject while he or she is relaxed with peers or family members in a less formal setting. Labov’s model has strongly influenced language studies since its introduction in 1972, and it continues to be influential in additional settings. With the widespread growth of the internet, we now have a new, informal sort of communication.   Linguist Michael Toolan suggests that Labov’s model is a useful tool in the analysis of internet writing. Internet writing is often less formal than academic or other types of writing, but more structured than spoken language. Thus, Labov’s model remains effective today. As language itself continues to grow and change, it is quite probable that Labov’s model will grow to accommodate that change, and to continue to be a useful tool in years to come. REFERENCES Labov, William (1972) Socioloinguistic Patterns. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Toolan, Michael (1988) Narrative: A Critical Linguistic Introduction London: Routledge.

My Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy on Education Statement

Philosophy of Education The field of teaching is one of undoubted complexity that has questioned the nature of students, knowledge, and education since the beginning of time. Due to the dynamic and controversial quality of this area, it is necessary for a prospective teacher to develop his or her personal philosophy of education, whether it is a hodge-podge of several standard examples or one clear viewpoint. My own philosophy derives from a little bit of each of the five basic philosophies with essentialism marginally coming on top and existentialism representing the least of my teaching attitudes. These aspects influence my personal views of the nature of students and knowledge, and the purpose of education, what I think will be my methodology of teaching, and how I feel about what should be included in curriculum and why. In order to be an objective, encouraging teacher, I believe that the students should be viewed in the best light as possible. Rousseau’s theory of the "noble savage" exemplifies this point that people are basically good. Although religiously speaking, I have been taught the sinful nature of humans, I cannot hold this against my students as free will provides the stipulation that people do will do what they want to do. Therefore, guidance is important to steer students toward desirable qualities such as appreciation for learning and responsibility. This guidance should accompany the mindset of giving them the benefit of the doubt. If a teacher starts classes thinking the students are naturally difficult and reluctant to learn, the outcome of achievement does not bode well, according to the Pygmalion effect. Thus my view of student nature combines the notion of the presumed receptive student and the beha... ...in preparation for the future and unforeseen circumstances. It is true that plans may change, but a guideline is helpful at this point to ensure the right steps are being taken toward my desired goals. I do not mean for my educational philosophy to be so confusing or contradictory by including so many mixed elements. But, right now, I do not want to discredit any principles that I find remotely noteworthy that may end up being crucial components of my approach. In addition, I sincerely doubt my philosophy will be completely unchanging, even as I embark on my professional career. Nevertheless, I look forward to all the experiences and philosophical exposure that will continue to shape my way of thinking so that I truly can be the best teacher I can be. Works Cited: Woolfolk, A. (2004). Educational Psychology: Ninth Edition. Boston: The Ohio State University.

Graduation Speech: We Rule the World :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

We did it! We started from essentially nothing, a cold, boring piece of school district land and built it into a high school. Not just any high school, but our high school. Without standards and traditions to follow or be guided by, we shaped the halls of Private High School into something special. Now I'm sure that every senior class from Oshkosh, Wisconsin to Boring, Oregon to Fairbanks, Alaska to Beverly Hills, California feels that they really make a difference. And granted I'm sure many of them did. But I challenge any of them to start from what we did and build one of the most highly regarded high schools in the state. We've played for the President of the United States, we've stopped 51-game winning streaks, and we've built a robot. We have broken into post season play, won numerous debate awards, and ventured to the studios of Hollywood. We have gained respect by earning it. The administration, teachers, and other classes contributed immensely to this respectability, but no one has gone through what the Senior Class of 2012 has. We didn't think anything was different when teachers were handing out detentions, aka pink slips, like candy. We had just come from Junior High and didn't know anything different. When there were no wins and subsequently no spirit, we didn't realize that wasn't high school. Yet something told us that there had to be more. When we traveled to schools such as Cascade and Blanchet and saw what high school was "supposed" to be, a glimpse into what we might became was gained. And still what it was "supposed" to be wasn't what it ought to be, and definitely not what we wanted it to be. By growing from our innocent beginnings, everyone from the typical "computer nerd" to the all American "jock," albeit many unknowingly and others certainly unadmittingly, share a common bond. A unique feeling of care for one another that will never diminish. It is truly amazing that in such a large group of individuals there is a oneness, a love, for each other that can never be broken. It is a wonderful feeling that you've got a friend. It is this feeling, this love, that we now must take into a world of chaos. A world where wages are low and prices are high. There is more crime, more hatred, and more lethal weapons than ever before. We have nuclear, chemical, water, and air pollutions of all kinds.

The Bicycles Changed America Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Pape

The Bicycles Changed America The great changes in American society that came with the introduction bicycle in the late 19th century are often overshadowed by the influence of the automobile in the following decades. Today, bicycles are often seen as an alternative mode of transportation - a cleaner and more environmentally conscious form of travel. Because of this, it may be difficult to realize the incredible modernizing effects that bicycles had on American society when they were first introduced. Manufacturing and marketing techniques introduced by the bicycle industry were massive steps towards modern industrial practices. In addition, by making individual travel available to many people for the first time, bicycles changed the speed at which life flowed in much of America. Bicycles granted a degree of personal freedom of mobility to many for the first time, and their effect on the women's rights movement of the time was notable. Bicycles were used in war, by police, and by the postal service, among others. In countless walks of life, the availability of personal travel offered by bicycles had an incredible impact on American society. According to Robert Smith, the history of the bicycle goes like this: in the late 18th century and early 19th century, a two-wheeled vehicle with a wooden frame and a saddle, known as the celeripede ("fast feet") was developed in France. The celeripede had a fixed cross-bar and no pedals, meaning that it could not be steered very well and it was moved by running along the ground while straddling the saddle. Needless to say, it never became popular. Around the same time in Germany, Baron Karl von Drais de Savebrun developed a similar machine, with the difference that his had handle-bars... ...cle caused a massive change in both manufacturing and marketing in America. Bicycles represented a great increase in the speed of life and in the travel options of individuals. Perhaps it is because of their current position in our society as an alternative mode of travel that it is often difficult to imagine what a difference they made on modern life. Sources Cited: Botkin, Nancy. "Women on Wheels: Riding the Freedom Machine." 2003. http://www.sfbike.org/OLD_site/www/news/html/2000/march/01march2000.html Maree, D.R. "Bicycles in the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902." 2003. http://www.rapidttp.com/milhist/vol041dm.html Sherr, Lynn. "Failure is Impossible: Susan B. Anthony in Her Own Words." New York: Random House Inc. 1995 pp 277 Smith, Robert A. "A Social History of the Bicycle: Its Early Life and Times in America." New York: American Heritage Press. 1972

Environmental Issues Essay

The environmental issues in India become more serious every day and she is turning into a bit of a mess on this front but with over 1 Billion people most of which in dire poverty, it’s hardly surprising. The recent boom in its industries, little or no environmental education, infrastructure nearly at bursting point not to mention the huge deforestation that’s going on. If you think your country has some problems then you are about to be a bit of a shock because I’m sure nothing compares to some of the environmental issues in India. A whopping 65% of the land in here is degraded in some way, shape or form and the endless government policies do little to curb the damage. In fact, there is no shortage at all of government legislation protecting the environment but unfortunately it is never enforced due to flagrant abuse of power, corruption and lack of resources. If you have ever been to India you have undoubtedly noticed the serious little problem that they have in India. No, it’s not like here in the UK where a can of coke and crisp packet on the floor are a litter problem. India’s litter problem is almost a bit disturbing. The attitude is to just throw it on the floor, there are no bins, just drop it. That’s 1 Billion people disposing of their rubbish on the floor, every day. The scope of the problem is almost unimaginable and of course, it takes generations to change a habit like that but no one is starting. What they need here is education and that is what is seriously missing. With regards to environmental issues in India, India appears to be digging its own grave deeper and quicker than the rest of us, nearly 30% of India’s gross agricultural output is lost every year due to soil degradation, poor land management and counter productive irrigation. The wetlands and lakes are also being hit hard. Mainly by the industrial boom that hit India a decade ago, the main problems being improper disposal of industrial waste like chemicals etc. India’s 7516 km of coastline have also come under attack from this environmental sabotage, overfishing remains a huge problem due to lack of legislation enforcement. Raw sewage from an awful lot of people is pumped endlessly into the ocean along with other industrial waste and chemicals. Hundreds of miles of coral and other sea life are slowly being destroyed due to offshore drilling. Tourist centres such as Goa suffer due to badly managed development and excessive tourism, again resulting from the lack of legislation and policy enforcement. The main environmental issues in India The Environmental issues in India are huge. Whether it’s the rapidly dropping water tables, mass deforestation, land degradation or river contamination, India has it all and on a massive scale. Water resources Perhaps the largest of the environmental issues in India facing the people of India is inadequate or lack of access to vital fresh water resources. As India’s industries get bigger so will the amount of water they require and the amounts are already beginning to spiral. As an example I use the Coca cola factory which was accused for years of messing up an entire eco system. By simply diverting all the water to their factory, millions of people went without. The company are also accused of causing huge droughts and contamination to a massive area by exploiting an excessive amount of ground water and then replacing it with toxic discharge. Of course, Coca Cola is a big famous company and that is why this came to news but I have no doubt that there are a million examples of similar things happening all over India. Years of exploitation and extraction of groundwater in India has caused the national water table to suddenly and very dramatically drop. Considering that 85% of rural drinking water and 55% of urban water comes from underground sources, this seems to me a very urgent problem as literally hundreds of millions of people could be left without water†¦ does it even bear thinking about! The rivers are on the front line of pollution in India. Millions of people depend on them for their livelihoods but they are slowly being polluted and destroyed by sewage, chemicals and other agricultural and industrial waste. These are some of the most polluted rivers in the world but little seems to be to stem the incessant destruction. Deforestation The story of deforestation is another of the highly serious environmental issues in India. It is predicted that almost 5. 3 Million hectares of forest have been destroyed since the independence. Most of it being chopped down for housing, industrialisation and river projects. It is estimated that the number of Mangrove Forests have more than halved in the last 20 years. The government soon recognised the importance that these forests hold for the conservation of soil and put forward a range of polices trying to curb the destruction; of course, nothing has really changed and thousands of acres are destroyed every year with nothing in the way of ‘replacement’. Poor management and abuse of power are again the increasingly sad cause behind the mass deforestation of India, some call it greed. Protected areas are largely declassified so that commercial activities can take place but new areas are not reclassified. Poaching is another factor, people actually coming in and steeling trees and one of the final blows to the forest of India who already seem to have lost the battle is the invasion of foreign tree species such as Eucalyptus etc. Air Pollution India now has one of the worst qualities of air in the world. Without a doubt the main contributor of air pollution in India is the transport system. In the big cities like Delhi and Mumbai, millions of old and very dirty diesel engines churn out millions of tonnes more sulphur than their western equivalents partly because of being old and partly because of the diesel. As a result, the asthma rate for children in some of the larger cities is now at %50 and rising fast. Because of the varied causes and consequences surrounding this topic, I’ve devoted a whole page to India air pollution. Plastics and other waste I have already touched on the massive problem of waste disposal but I intend to go into it more here. It seems that some areas are simply fed up with the lack of Government intervention and are using there initiatives. As an example I use some of the towns and villages in Kerala who are seeing a return to the old paper bags from plastic ones. As I am sure you know, plastic isn’t in any urgency to degrade but the people of India don’t seem to recognise this as they throw every unwanted item onto the floor wherever they are. Of course, the victims of this environmental issue in India are the future generations and the animals. The holy cows that are so integral to Indian life are slowly being killed from the huge amount of plastic bags they consume that eventually rap around their insides.

Banyan Tree Case Study Essay

Banyan Tree offers a unique experience with its hotel and spa experiences in the South East Asian region. Labeling itself as an aspirational brand, the company was established by the Ho family in 1992 and has boasted a gross profit of $52. 1 million in 2006. Its superior branding, excellent corporate social responsibility practices and its careful investment and expansion strategies attribute to its success. As the company goes public it faces the new possibilities, offered through increased capital, and new challenges such as demands imposed by shareholders. How will the company continue to expand its profitability while preventing brand dilution through overexpansion? Key issues Branding Banyan Tree is an exclusive brand, catering to affluent travellers. In order to expand its customer base, Banyan Tree launched a brand, Angsana, which meets the needs of a broader customer base. Angsana does not currently operate in the same regions as Banyan Tree hotels, this separation has occurred to prevent cannibalization and dilution of the brand. While being effective, this reduces the number of locations in a given area. Spreading the company’s resources and knowledge over many regions may not be cost effective. Banyan Tree should continue to be cautious in expansion but not over cautious as to limit the brands` profitability. The brand has also been extended to offer spa services, retail outlets and other shops. The company continues to manage its brand portfolio while preserving its distinctive identity and strong brand image. The strong brand image has allowed Banyan Tree to open 3 brands of spas throughout the world. Opening spas is one way Banyan tree can build an image, gain regional knowledge and assess profitability prior to opening a resort in that area or location. Banyan Tree relies on customer experience as its strongest promotional tool. Delivering a consistent product may be challenging in the service industry because of the products’ intangible product nature, employees must be properly trained in order to continue to deliver superior service. As Banyan Tree continues to grow it must ensure through recruitment and training that the services delivered continue to be consistent, a challenging and important issue in any service offering. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Banyan Tree operates under strong CSR principles including building and operating resorts with minimal environmental damage and involvement in community development and environmental projects. Banyan Tree is an international company, it is important that it continues to gain the support of local governments, who will assist and support Banyan Tree, should any conflicts arise. The CSR principles also affect the brands image, and the company should continue to operate under these principles to deliver a consistent, positive brand image. These CSR efforts are noticeable in developing countries and the media coverage has helped build the brand’s image and credibility. These guiding principles should continue to be implemented as the entire brand communications strategy has been based on third party endorsements and word-of-mouth and public relations. Business operations Banyan Tree operates a variety of profitable business segments, including hotel investment and management, spa operations, gallery operations, property sales and design and other services. The largest percentage of profits comes from hotel investment and the second largest percentage is derived from property sales. Banyan Tree conducts property sales primarily in Thailand, where laws prevent foreigners from owning land, Banyan Tree sells resort residences on the land, and leases the land to the buyers allowing foreigner investors to â€Å"own† property in Thailand under local law. Property sales can be volatile and risky, it is an important factor in the profitability of Banyan for any given year, but the company should continue to realize that hotel investment and other business segments are the core of the company’s operations. Currently Banyan Tree resorts are almost exclusively in the South East Asian region. The concentration of business in this region exposes the company to risk should natural disasters or other crises occur in the area. Banyan Tree has a successful business model which could be replicated in other emerging tourist destinations globally. Banyan Tree should expand its operations outside of the area in order to diversify its operating risk. As Banyan expands its locations it must continue to ensure that hotels and spas are built surrounded by natural beauty, as this continues to be a key part of brand distinction. Initial Public Offering (IPO) Banyan Tree was recently offered as a publically traded company. This will allow an expansion of the company’s capital in order for it to continue expansion. It also changes the operating atmosphere the company faces. The shift from private investment to public investment requires some change in operating procedures as well as new demands from shareholders. Banyan needs to manage and meet these new demands while maintaining its core values and company image. Competition As South East Asia gains popularity as a tourist destination, both Banyan Tree and Angsana are facing increased competition. The Banyan Tree resorts face competition from other niche hotels, customer preference in this product category include quality, brand recognition, location and the scope of the amenities. As competition increases, customers tend to become more price sensitive as the number of options increases. One way to ensure that Banyan Tree highlights its exclusivity is to draw the attention of critics in order to increase the rating of their resort locations. The Angsana resorts are facing competition from mainstream luxury hotel chains, such as four seasons and Shangri-La Hotels and resorts. These competitors are huge, boasting over 50 hotel locations, their size allows them to maintain a stronger brand image. Strategy and Conclusion Banyan Tree has consistently offered customers a unique experience at both its resorts and spas. The unique design highlights the characteristics of the natural beauty surrounding its select locations. It continues to meet the needs of this high end, niche market with its superior service. Previously run exclusively by the Ho family, after the initial public offering, must ensure that its brand image and exceptional service delivery are not diluted by shareholder demands for higher profit margins. Branding and corporate responsibility will continue to be an important factor in the company’s operations and marketing strategy. Banyan Tree should continue to use the Angsana brand to broaden its customer base but focus on retaining Banyan Tree as its core brand because of its limited competition and premium profit margins. This successful brand continues to expand its operations, currently the company operates heavily in the South East Asian region, Growth strategy 1. Resource allocation tradeoff. The challenge is to balance two distinct brands Banyan Tree and Anagsana. And differentiate them without diluting either, the leading brand Banyan Tree in particular. 2. Banyan Tree needs to keep innovating and exceeding customer expectations which require substantial resources, management focus, and control of the brand portfolio to stay relevant and competitive. 3. Although the entire brand is based on the unique Asian touch and cultural heritage, Banyan Tree has to evaluate its relevance and sustainability carefully as it enters new territories. It can localize its offerings to better suit the local tastes and environments, but Banyan Tree should be sensible about the extent of localization.

A number of factors disqualified the ‘deserted wife’s equity’ from recognition as a property right in National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth [1965] AC 1175:

Introduction I suggest you look at the developing concepts of fairness, because this is why the MHA 1967 was developed. Proprietary Estoppel for cohabitees is becoming less prevalent due to the decisions in family home trust. Thus, fairness is at the centre of the approach, except the clear provision of a proprietary interest is necessary and not merely the provision of a roof over the other’s head. This is common to Ainsworth, proprietary estoppel and the family home constructive trust. The rationale is that it would not be fair to impose a proprietary right without a proprietary intention. The case of National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth [1965] AC 1175 holds a limited approach to understanding non-occupier’s rights in property. National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth held that the common law right for the husband to provide a roof over the head of the deserted wife was merely in personam. This means selling the property to a third party will allow the husband to avoid his obligation to his deserted wife It is important to note that it predates the Matrimonial Homes Act 1967 (MHA 1967). The MHA 1967was developed to remedy the flaw in National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth, which indicates that the legislature recognised that the existing law with respect to deserted wife’s equity and its enforceability against third parties was manifestly unfair. The law on proprietary estoppel provides that the third party find their rights will be interfered with. The elements of proprietary estoppel can result in an in personam right defeating an in rem right if the following element is fulfilled: Reasonable belief that the person will have interest in property Acts reasonably in reliance Gillet v Holt This is illustrated in a number of cases that have expressed that the main factor is that there is a clear expression of a proprietary right in the property (Thorner v Major [2009] UKHL 18). The case of Walsh v Singh [2010] 1 FLR 1658 held that conduct plus detriment is not enough is not enough to allow a claim for proprietary estoppel. In addition, the case of Negus v Bahouse [2008] 1 FCR 768 held that statement to provide a roof over the individual’s head or a determination to move in is not enough to allow a claim for proprietary estoppel. The Negus v Bahouse Case is, in part, applies the same formulaic approach, as The implication is that there has to be a clear expression of a proprietary right, in order for proprietary estoppel to be used. There are a series of cases on the constructive family home trust, which may change the goal posts on what an expression of a proprietary right when it comes to a spousal/partner interest. These cases are Oxley v Hiscock [2004] EWCA Civ 546, which identified that in family relationship there is an obligation to ensure that there is fairness in the rights of a non-property owning spouse/partner. In these cases the use of the constructive trust would be better for the family member who has relied on a property right inferred by the property owning spouse/partner ( The â€Å"deserted wife† (partner) has to show that she â€Å"has any interest in it [the property] at all† (Stack v Dowden at 56). This means the intention is imputed through the relationship (i.e. relationship plus contribution = share in the property). Thus, both proprietary estoppel and the family home constructive trust has move away from the in personam right not trumping an in rem right. However, for this to work there has to be a clear expression of a proprietary interest and not merely providing a roof over the individual’s head (Negus v Bahouse cf. National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth for similarity). The impact of the fairness rulings in Oxley v Hiscock. Stock v Dowden and Jones v Kernott may change the mere expression argument if the nature of the relationship imputes an assumption of a proprietary right. Thus, potentially the obligation to provide a roof over the head of the other party is sufficient. Additional References to Consider on top of Proprietary Estoppel: Baroness Deech, ‘Cohabitation’ [2010] Family Law 39 Fretwell, K â€Å"Fairness is what justice really is: Kernott v Jones in the Supreme Court† (2011) Family Law 41(7) Hayward, AP â€Å"Family Property and the Process of Familialization of Property Law† (2012) Child and Family Law Quarterly 24(3) McGhee, M â€Å"Shifting the Scales of Social Justice in the Cohabitation Context: The Juridical Basis for the Varying of interests in Residential Property† (2012) Oxford University Law Journal 1(19) Mee, J â€Å"Burns v Burns: The Villain of the Piece?† in Probert, R, Herring, J and Gilmore, S Landmark Cases in Family Law (Hart, 2011) Mee, J â€Å"Ambulation, Severance and the Common Intention Constructive Trust† (2012) Law Quarterly Review 128(500) Miles, J â€Å"Charman v Charman (No 4) [2007] EWCA Civ 503 – making sense of need compensation and equal sharing after Millar: MacFarlane† (2008) Child and Family Law Quarterly 20(376) Pawlowski, M â€Å"Joint ownership and the family home† (2011) Property Law Review, 1(68) Probert, R â€Å"Cohabitation: Current Legal Solutions† (2009) Current Legal Problems 62(1) Probert, R â€Å"Cohabitation in Twentieth Century England and Wales† (2004) Law and Policy 26(1) Smithdale, J â€Å"Inference, Imputation, or BothConfusion Persists over Beneficial Interests in the Family Home† (2011) CSLR 74, p 79

Indelible Memories Essay

First and foremost, I would like to state that I enjoyed most of Chapter 3-Memorable Moments†. At the same time, if I had the opportunity to depict the contents of this chapter, I would make some minor adjustments. First, what would I keep from chapter 3 and why? What is significant and imperative for students to read, discuss, and respond to? Then, what would I add that I believe is important and interesting? Finally, would I take out anything and why? Most of this chapter would stay intact because these essays and photographs inspired many responses from my classmates. Due to the responses, we were provided with openings for discussions. Therefore, I would conserve everything up to,† The Photograph† by N. Scott Momaday, page 252-254. Also all the context from â€Å"The Photograph† until, the essay by Frank Fournier would be preserved. I feel all of these photos and essays have meaning that we all can relate to and not just a few. They all provided that we think out of the box. In addition, these visual and written texts required that we opened our minds to different perspectives than our own, which is very important because it inspires us to want to know more. Even though I would safeguard most of the works in the chapter, I would insert the speech, â€Å"I Have a Dream† by Martin Luther King Jr. This particular declamation is very inspirational and marks a very important turning point in our history. Next, I would have an essay on the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Being a woman myself, I am very grateful for this amendment. Another, the story of Anne Frank and her diary, which would include her first and last excerpts, would express the extent and importance of her indelible experiences during the Holocaust. Finally, the last to be injected would be photos from hurricane Sandy and the Derecho Storm that swept across the Eastern U.S to enhance the more current times. On the other hand, I would remove a few passages from chapter 3, such as â€Å"The Photograph†by Momaday. For some reason, I did not find this essay to be very interesting nor did it inspire the participation of the class. Another piece to be extracted would be on pages 594-596. I was not in class the day it was discussed, but my perception was that it just was not necessary. The last items to get rid of would be the additional war photos on pages 656-661, to give way to current events. As has been noted, there are very few things that I would change from the chapter â€Å"Memorable Moments†. There are already a lot of significant memories in this chapter, but only a few that I did not take a liking to. I believe interest and relation to certain subjects and photographs are the building blocks to open up the mind. Lastly, the changes are also important to keep up with current events.

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Case Study Example The first recommendation for the company would be to ensure that the information technology department is adequately funded. This is likely to enable the department come up with systems that can help the management to make logical decisions concerning resource distribution and future plans. The funds can also be used to upgrade the systems hence, ensuring efficiency in carrying out tasks. The other recommendation would be for the firm to embark on an implementation plan to enable the top and middle level management to dialogue. The meeting would involve the discussion of strategies to be implemented versus tactics and resource required. This would ensure that there is even flow of information and that implementation of strategies take place. According to Gulachek, a business continuity plan can have a vast effect on the whole organization (6). When plans such as those of the middle level managers of the company are carried out without involving other members, the effect would be the rise of conflicts. For the I.T. planning process to have an impact on ModMeters various demands have to be accomplished. The demands made by the management at the company, to the I.T. department are two. One is to create and implement an automated system. The second demand is the execution the system. The system offers customers the chance to make direct purchases. Planning effort, forces certain disciplines to better understand and plan around their dependency on IT for their daily operations (Gulachek 6) .The department should therefore first, establish the necessary tools and resources required in strategic implementation. These requirements include more funds, so as to acquire the tools that can enable the development of an automated system. The staff members will also be increased so as to hasten the process of labeling applications and files to display the new logo. The department is also required to establish the methodology they are going to use to develop the system they

Colour therapy (chromotherapy) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Colour therapy (chromotherapy) - Essay Example The electromagnetic energy is seen through our eyes. Color therapy is a process that applies color and light that is in the form of tools, verbal suggestions, and tools. All these forms are used to balance energy in different parts of the body that have been seen to lack vibrance whether it is physical, emotional, mental or even spiritual. Each color that is used has got different wavelength and energy (Sue & Simon, 25). The energy of the color affects us on all levels both cognitive and psychomotor. The color is absorbed eyes, the skin or the skull. Since every cell in the body requires light energy, color energy is known to have a widespread effect on the entire body. Color therapy is a non-invasive therapy. One should note color preferences so that it can help in finding possible problems. Working with different colors help in dispelling negative feelings and attitudes, free bocks and also helps to re-balance the body both emotionally and spiritually which translates to physical re-balancing (Vijaya, 24). Color therapy is very safe to use alone or can also be used alongside other types of therapy be it orthodox medicine or any other complementary therapy. Chromotherapy is also safe for both children and adults. The energy that relates to each of the seven colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet goes hand in hand with the energy of each of the seven main energy centers of the body (Sue & Simon, 47). The energy centers are also referred to as chakras. Each chakra needs to work smoothly with for one to be healthy. There should be a balance of the energies in each of the chakras to enhance wellbeing of the body. In color therapy, one is given the color he needs more or else the opposite of the color someone has in plenty. If one prefers certain colors, then it means that one uses the color to express himself. For example, one may choose green if he loves nature. Different types of color therapy can

Recuitment and Selection Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Recuitment and Selection Process - Essay Example The new employees must be able to meet the standards for innovation in law enforcement (Ackerman, 2009). Special Agents To achieve its objectives, the FBI looks for highly motivated men and women who posses the intelligence, skills and integrity necessary to be a special agent. Special Agent candidates are required to have a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline and three years of full-time work experience. In addition, citizens can also qualify to be an FBI agent with a degree in law, accounting, engineering, computer science, or any 4-year degree and fluency in a foreign language needed by the FBI. The main languages that are considered include: Spanish, Russian or Chinese (Fbijobs.gov, 2012). Qualification Requirements for Police Officers The FBI recruits any US citizen of 21 years and above. In addition, the prospective agents must have a valid driver’s license as well as pass the FBI background investigation. The candidates are then required to receive a top secret s ecurity clearance. There are various requirements to qualify as an FBI police officer. However, there are educational and job related experience that is needed in every position. Experienced police officers are allowed to join the FBI at grade GS6, GS 7 or GS 8 grade levels. Other police officer who do not have specialized work experience can only join the FBI at grade GS 5. ... In addition, the FBI allows police officers to submit their resumes directly to the police recruiters. After the application process, the recruits are then subjected to a written test and panel interview (Fbijobs.gov, 2012). 2. Phase I Testing After the best candidate for the position has been selected, they are then contacted and scheduled for testing. Written tests are given to the successful applicants. In addition, panel interview is also conducted on the applicants. The writing test normally takes place at the FBI facility. Tests consist of two processes. The first process involves a written and video portion. Process two involves a panel interview which is conducted by active duty FBI police officers. Candidates who qualified through foreign language requirements are given additional test to determine their proficiency in the foreign languages (Fbijobs.gov, 2012). 3. Phase II testing A candidate must be selected based on their competitiveness, and the requirements of the FBI. T hese candidates also qualify for a conditional Job offer. The FBI selects candidates based on their budgetary constraints and skills required to perform the duties. The FBI officers ensure that successful applicants know the job title, GS law enforcement pay grade and salary (Fbijobs.gov, 2012). 4. The FBI Background Investigation Successful candidates who have been able to get a conditional job offer at the FBI are required to provide their personal information to the Equip system. In addition, the candidates are required to have a Top secret clearance before they begin the background investigation. During the background test, candidates are expected to go through a polygraph investigation procedure as well as through credit

Evaluate the problems and improvement of performance management system Essay

Evaluate the problems and improvement of performance management system implementation - Essay Example In order to understand the concept of performance management system, it is critical to analyze its general regards in performance. There is a consideration of the process of performance management as a cycle in general performance planning, performance coaching, and performance appraisal and performance feedback. The overall purpose of performance management is to ensure that the organization is working together with its subsystems in an optimum fashion to achieve the firm’s goals. Given the low rating of the performance management system among employees, it is necessary to undertake a thorough analysis to realize the reason for the low ratings. Therefore, this research focuses on the performance management system in the organization internal context. In the main body, the study puts forward the problems arising in the designing and implementation of a performance management system. The paper does this by separately considering the problems that can arise in the design of a performance management system and then follows this with an explanation of problems that can arise in the implementation of the system. Further, the paper evaluates measures that can lead to improvement in the performance management system. The article aims at contributing to the development of the performance management system through exploring the problems of the performance management system in the practical application. Designing and the implementation of the performance management system are not an easy task and require a combined of effort by the Human Resource Managers. There are a number of potential challenges encountered in achieving a fit that is best for the organization and ensuring an effective and efficient implementation of Performance Management System. Some of the intricate problems that can occur in the design of performance management

Drug Use and Acquisitive Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Drug Use and Acquisitive Crime - Essay Example This is to to judge whether participation in property-related acquisitive crimes (in particular, shoplifting) can or can not be linked to HHC and other drug based use. These studies have pertained to the subjective and objective justifications or rationalisations behind the participation of the subjects in property-related acquisitive crimes. There is also then an attempt by these researchers to establish the nature and extent of this link. The paper concludes by assessing the views on both sides of the debate and suggesting a way forward. Illicit drug use and substance abuse has become a dominant political and security concern over the past few decades. Academics and criminologists have not only identified the problem as being based around crime, dependency and ill-health but have studied the historical and pathological trends in the "problem" and the roles of the medical and legal responses and policy frameworks in this regard. ( Barton, A. 2003) . This has of course included the complex nature and broad impact illicit drug use has carried with it.The problem should be understood in its wider criminological perspective i.e. that given the illicit nature of drug use the typical recreational or casual user will avoid approaching the state agency for treatment for the fear that the law may treat him harshly.This has called for a need to have organisations that are " non-threatening and non-judgemental". (Barton, A. 2003).Academics have also stressed on the role of outreach workers in this regard and the perception gaps between state agencies and voluntary agencies as they are perceived by drug-using clients. Gilling and Barton (2005) citing Barton .A (2003) have stated that this "perception gap has increased recently given the encroachment of the criminal justice system into the treatment aspect of drug users". Acquisitive Crime In order to understand the relationship between Drug Use and Acquisitive Crime it is worth looking at the meaning and context of what is actually encompassed by the term "Acquisitive crime". According to the Home Office definition this category covers " property crime" thus bringing with in its ambit Theft, Burglary, Motor Vehicle Crime, Fraud and Counterfeiting etc.The most important of these to the present discussion from a criminological and statistical perspective are Burglary,Vehicle Related Crime and Retail Crime due to their correlation with drug and substance abuse and illicit use of drugs.Infact the link between drugs and crime is overall the premise of Government policy on Crime prevention.This can be seen from the recent Home office research(ADAM 1999-2002) which has actually demonstrated a 'statistical link' between levels of illicit drug use and Acquisitive crime a view shared by many academics like Holloway, K., Bennett, T. & Lower, C. (2004) and Baron.A (2003).The rese arch (ADAM 1999-2002) pertained to the interviews of offenders involved in drug use in relation to their tendencies to commit crimes like burglary, shoplifting and fraud and it was revealed that over three fourth of these offenders confessed to committing one or more of these acquisitive crimes over the past one year and this was particularly

Putnam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Putnam - Essay Example I do believe that people still talk of divorce "in an almost pious reverence", but this I believe is bound to change since divorce is continuously becoming so common. The time will come when divorce will be talked about openly and sadly will be seen as a normal day-to-day happening in society. Putnam based his claims on the fact that he feels he still can depend on his parents although he gets to spend time with them separately. He has found resolution in his family's situation of which he has quaintly expressed when he wrote that "The safest environment for me was to be with one happy parent at a time, instead of two miserable ones all the time." I find the discussions in his essay convincing and supportive on his claim on what the divorce of his parents has done for him. He was able to present negative implications of the divorce and at the same time presented a clear understanding and acceptance of his living situation "with two houses to call home." 4.) Putnam has several warrants, some of them stated explicitly and some implied.

Contract Negotiations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Contract Negotiations - Research Paper Example Finally, the conclusion will sum up the thesis as well as the findings. A contract is a lawful agreement involving two or more parties. This means that contract negotiation is a process of talking about the stipulations of the agreement to reach a specified goal. Before attempting to negotiate a contract, one need to identify the main objectives for entering into the agreement, research on the present contract laws, build trust with the negotiators, and prepare for the entire negotiation by getting important figures and facts. Contract negotiators have immense skills and knowledge that help them to acquire a more appropriate and constructive contract for their clients (Garrett, 2005, pp. 18-21). Therefore, under the theoretical foundation, this treatise aims at describing the main areas of knowledge and skills that are important to ensuring success of a contract negotiator. It also details one strategy that an effective negotiator ought to consider to achieve a favorable contract. In addition, under the discussion part, relevant implications in regard t o contract negotiation will be analyzed. This discourse concludes that effective communication, critical thinking, active listening, legal and technical understanding, management, and social perceptiveness are some of the skills and knowledge that are required to guarantee a constructive contract. Research shows that the main job of a contract negotiator is to maximize value for their employers. Therefore, they need to be highly competent and possess particular skills and knowledge that are in accordance to their line of work. For instance, one of the main qualifications that they need to have to ensure a favorable contract is impeccable communication skills. This means that they must effectively articulate the needs of the organization and be in a position to win more clients. Moreover, they need to have a rich ground for knowledge and be critical thinkers. In that

Place of Duty in the Army Essay Example for Free

Place of Duty in the Army Essay Failure to Report affects the United States Army and it’s mission. Failure to Report is not clearly definably in violation of any one article. It may be, however, in violation of Article 92. This article covers a failure to obey an order or a regulation. Failure to Report falls into this article simple because the order is given by a senior ranking individual. This can be done orally, which is most common, and verbally, such as a training schedule. By not reporting for duty or accountability you are in direct violation of Article 92 and can receive a summarized, company, or field grade article 15. This will depend on how many offenses you have in the past, your work ethic and the reason you failed to report. Given enough offenses you may be chaptered for patterns of misconduct. Failure to Report negatively affects the United States Army in many ways. Let us say that SPC Snuffy misses accountability formation. He failed to report to his appointed place of duty. SPC Snuffy is not the only one who has consequences for his failure to report. He is part of a small team that affects a larger unit. Within his small team he could have soldiers under his care; he most likely has a non commissioned officer who is charged with his care. His soldiers look to him to be the middle man to help guide them day to day with his knowledge when given tasks. Accountability is very important in the Army. Accountability is taking responsibility for your actions and your items. By meaning what you say, saying what you mean, and doing what you say, when you say you will do it. By keeping track of all my items and equipment I can always be ready for anything that is needed of me by my country, my superiors, or other servicemen. Being accountable means being dependable. Where my country, my superiors and fellow servicemen can count on me in any situation. to know I will be there to do what is necessary. Taking responsibility for your own actions and equipment is what keeps things running smoothly. And keeps things from turning into utter chaos. Being in formation on time everyday is an prime example of accountability. Formation is where the Army takes accountability of everyone and to get important information out that needs to be dealt with. Without accountability there is no knowing of where everyone is or whats going on. Knowing where your equipment and personal effects are at all times is very important also. By not putting a lock on my wall locker,  I was not talking responsibility for my own items, and not doing what I was told to do by my superiors. I was not being responsible. Keeping my items locked and secured is very important now and in the future. As with keeping all sensitive items secured and accounted for later on. Keeping my wall locker locked, keeps accountability of all my items and teaches me to always maintain my equipment, my arms, and myself. Many things could have happened by me failing to adhere to my responsibilities.

Work Unemployment And Poverty Essay Example for Free

Work Unemployment And Poverty Essay Introduction The decline of the traditional industries and the emerging of new industries brought changes which resulted in unemployment and poverty. The world wide slump also contributed to the problems of unemployment to the working class individuals. The national government responded to unemployment in positive and negative ways. The growth of poverty had social and political impacts on the individuals. The essay will conclude on the government’s attempts, churches, organisations and other individual’s ways to alleviate the problems associated with poverty. Analyse the occupations and industries of the 1930’s in Britain The occupation and industries of Britain in the 1930’s was heavily industrialised and traditional industries that were available in the 1930s were iron, coal and steel industries. These industries were the most important source of employment for the individual especially in South Wales and Northern England. These industries provided jobs for individuals( individuals were employed as coal miners, peddlers’, iron workers, labours, ship builders etc,) and created the working class and this enabled them to earn incomes to buy goods and pay bills like rent , and a better standard of living. (Tiratsoo, 1997) Upper class and middle class people also invested money and started new businesses and this boosted the economy and increase the number of working class people. At the end of the 19th century the industries started to decline for a number of reasons. Ross 1995 points that the worldwide slump was one of the reason industries closed, wages were cut and millions of individuals were made redundant. Minchton (1969) points that the welsh economy suffered because of the lack of demand for iron and coal because the wars had ended and there was less demand for coal to smelt iron and iron to make iron ammunitions. This resulted in industries getting less orders for exports, making less profit and in addition, coal miners, puddlers, iron workers were made redundant and their wages were reduced . The coal fields and iron ore deposits of South Wales and Northern England were no longer the main source of employment for the individuals. According to Williams (1988), Wales overspecialised and heavily relied with the manufacture of primary industry and this lead to the welsh economy to its decline. Baber and Williams (1986) supports that  the regions primary industry had over –concentrated on coal, steel tin plate and iron and has lead to the downturn of the business cycle. The closure of Dowlais Company in 1931 and the collapse of Palmer’s shipyard in 1931 and the emerging of public services or( white –collar jobs) and electric industries saw the beginning of structural unemployment. (Smith, 1998, 31) Evaluate the changes in industry and their effects upon the individual. However this had negative effects to the individual s during the decline period workers were made redundant and this resulted in high employment rates, their wages were lowered and all this resulted in workers struggling and unable to pay their bills and buying other commodities especially food. Since most of the people had no wage and could not afford to buy things, this resulted in most businesses to go bankrupt and creation of continuous unemployment. (Egan 1987: 15, 20, 26) The emerging of new industries meant that the workforce no longer possessed the skills needed to work in these new industries. The new industries The coal miners from the declined industries were faced with an effect of being unable to get employment in the new industries because their skills were not matching with the new technology skills needed in the new industries e.g. as electric technicians , nursing , teaching and administration. Smith 1998 supports this by pointing out that there was a problem in matching the new jobs to the jobless in the consumer industries and public services . The changes of the old industries to new industries came with more unemployment because the majority of the workforce jobless and could not easily transfer skills, e.g coal miner could not easily adapt to the work of an electrical engineer. Summarise the problems of unemployment and implications for the individual(Lower class, middle class and upper class) In summary the problems of unemployment and implications it had on individuals they were problems associated with unemployment and implications it had on the individuals. The problems of unemployment during the 1930’s were that individuals or the working class were not earning a wage to be able to maintain a good standard of living. This resulted in the unemployed not able to pay their rent and a a result they were evicted from their homes leading homelessness The working class fell on the lower class category . According to Ross 1995, the lower class was 68 per cent of the population  and had to do manual labouring jobs a nd earned between  £50 to  £150 a year and did not own their own homes and they lived in homes that were small poorly built , crowded no bathrooms or electricity. The problems the working class was that there were unemployed and could not get jobs in the new industries because they were unskilled. (Smith 1998) The working class was not able to buy food and this resulted in them eating unhealthy diets and leading to malnutrition. ) . The other problem was that the unemployed the new industries were not located in areas where there was high unemployment for example in old traditional industries, industries like in Methyr Tydfil were located close to raw materials whereas the new industries were located in London, south east and West midlands and they were powered by electricity not coal and goods were transported by road not rail. (Rowe 2004) But however Smith 1998 pointed that most unemployed individuals found themselves better off on the dole than earning a wage. Because, the dole was given , taking the family size into consideration whereas, the wage did not consider the size of the family. The upper and middle classes did not have the same p roblems and implications compared to the working class (lower class). According to Ross 1995, the upper class did not have to work to earn a living they had enough money to live on and were about seven percent of population. The middle classes were about twenty-five percent in population and were the individuals who got employed and had the skills to work in the new industries and they were educated and did not have to manual labouring work. The types of jobs they worked were doctors, lawyers , nurses electricians, brigadier general shop assistants’ administrators and teachers just to mention a few the jobs that the lower class were unskilled in. The middle classes, owned homes, bought cars, new technological goods, such as washing machines, irons and had some savings. However even though some of them lost their jobs during the slump but they were able to survive. (Rowe, 2004) (Ced , 1985) points a good comparison between the lower class and upper class that . A retired Brigadier general who had inherited an ancestral home five years before had already sold half his land , he was also earning  £800 per annum in pension . he owned properties which he collected rent from even though he had lost half of his land he lost  £6000 on Haltry crash and his wife had an income as well. Whereas there was lower class individual who lost his job as a labourer and  with twenty children living in a three bed rented house. This two scenario’s points that it was an unjust society and there was a huge difference between the middle classes and the poor. Even though the rich lost some of their wealth during the slump but they were able to continue with their normal life ate well and lived in a good home and even had extra but for the labourer he lost his job , had twenty children a a wife to feed. He also needed money for rent otherwise him and his family face eviction and homelessness. Explain the impact of unemployment and briefly evaluate the national Government‘s response to unemployment Unemployment caused further implications; the more the workers stayed at home unemployed the more they lost their skills. Also the fact that most women continued in employment after men came back from war meant that some of the jobs that were available to men before war were taken by women. (Smith, 1998) This increase in unemployment led The National Government to respond to unemployment by introducing The Unemployment Act of 1934 which gave family means tested benefits for unemployed individuals. It also helped the unemployed workers to retrain this was good because the individuals however had a basic standard of living however some of the unemployed coal miners and steel workers were no longer interested in looking for work to relying on benefits this resulted in government spending more on benefits . (Smith, 1998) The National Government also introduced the Industrial Transference scheme which meant to that workers were being moved from areas without employment to areas where there was employment. This left older people and young children in areas where there was no employment leaving the areas under populated and areas of employment populated Minchiton (1969) The government also introduced the Special areas act of 1935 which attracted new industries to invest in areas where there was no employment. This was beneficial to South Wales and parts of Scotland (Rowe 2004) The national government also came off the gold standard and the effect of this was that it devalued the pound against the US dollar and resulted in boosting the British economy. The National Government did cut unemployment benefits by ten percent and this lasted till 1934 had an impact on the individual it meant that they had to cut back on things including food.( Rowe 2004) However , Rowe (2004), points that the unemployed benefited during this  period the managed to earn a suburban life, managed to buy car , the new technological gadgets including washing machines, electric cookers irons etc. Explain the growth of poverty and assess its social and political impact. The growth of poverty during this period had social and political impacts. The poverty was caused by unemployment and low wages due to the closure of the old traditional industries, the world wide slump (great Depression), and benefit cuts. The working class (lower class) suffer poverty because the Socially the unemployed were not able to earn a good standard of living. They had no money to pay rent and they lived in appalling conditions, and they were not able to buy the new technological gadgets that had just entered the market. This resulted in some of the unemployed being evicted from their homes or having to rely on family means tested benefits. It also resulted in some of them being opting to relocate to areas where there was employment leaving their families and children behind. According to Tiratsoo (1997), the growth of poverty socially had an impact to the unemployed that were unable to eat a healthy diet and they lacked food and this resulted in malnutrition and physical stresses. Smith 1998 points that, The wives of the unemployed men fund themselves constantly cutting their own diets, medical needs, and clothing in order to keep men in the family ‘ready for work’ Source: Democracy in a depression According to Tiratsoo (1997), the middle classes had bags of disposable incomes; they had private health care, pensions, private education for their children, and lots of leisure time. Whereas the lower classes had no disposable incomes instead there were on benefits. The impact of poverty was that the working classes organised a general strikes of 1926 and it was unsuccessful the government said it was illegal and the middle classes opposed it saying that violence frightened them .The Jarrow crusade of 1936 was sparked by mass unemployment and poverty the march was not successful the government dismissed the marchers and there was no success on this march. (Ross , 1995) Evaluate the attempts at solving the problems associated with poverty The government, charities, churches and other individual tried to solve the problems associated with poverty. The government introduced benefits the mean tested to the unemployed. Charities  like Joseph Rowntree Trust they helped with their writing and research with the wage increases and a pension scheme for the poor. (Ross, 1995) , According to Smith ( 1998) other individuals helped with food parcels and clothes for the poor . The government’s welfare system during the 1930’s was helpful because it brought a relief to the unemployed and reduced poverty even though it was not enough. This essay concludes that the disappearance of the traditional industries and the emerging of new industries brought changes which resulted in unemployment and poverty. The world wide slump also contributed to the problems of unemployment to the working class individuals. The national government responded to unemployment in positive and negative ways. The growth of poverty had social and political impacts on the individuals. The government, churches, organisations and other individuals attempted to alleviate the problems associated with poverty. References, Baber, Colin Williams L, J , ( 1986)- modern South Wales, Cardiff University of Wales Press. Ced , N Gray (1985) ,The worst times: An oral History of the Great Depression in Britain, Scholar Press. Egan, David, ( 1987)- People Protest and Politics: Case Studies in Nineteenth Century Wales (Paperback) , Gomer press Minchinton, W, E (1969), – Industrial south Wales 1750 -1914, Frank Cass and Company Limited, London. Rowe, C, (2004), Britain 1929- 1998, Harcourt Education, Oxford. Ross, S (1995), Britain through the Ages. Britain Since 1930, Evans Brothers limited, London Smith , M, (1998) Democracy and Depression , University of Wales press. Tiratsoo,N (1997),Blitz to Blair , A new History of Britain since 1939, London .