Shoes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shoes - Essay Example This paper explores the origin of shoes and some of the most groundbreaking inventions in the shoe industry. The origin of shoes dates back to about 40,000 years ago during the Middle Paleolithic age. Evidence points out that footwear was amongst the things that the ancient man made. The early man was compelled to device a means of protecting their feet from rugged terrains, jagged rocks and hot sand among other things that could hurt their feet (Yue & Yue, 1997). In early civilizations, sandals were the most common footwear among people. However, some communities such as Mesopotamia had shoes. In Mesopotamia, individuals who live in mountains around the boundary with Iran wore some kind of soft shoes made of wraparound leather. There was no marked distinction between the left and right shoes. Even by 1850, both the left and right pairs of shoes remained largely the same with most shoes having straight lasts. According to Yue and Yue (1997), the ancient shoe designs were in accordanc e with the surrounding environment of the inventor such as the conditions that people needed to be protected from as well as the available materials. Fast movement was essential for survival, thus â€Å"shoes needed to be light-weight but still strong enough for adequate protection† (Yue & Yue, 1997, p.9). Shoes needed to cover up the foot and have tight grip. In warm areas, people sought flat materials and tied them onto their feet soles while those in colder climates covered their feet and legs with animal skins tying them with thongs (Yue & Yue, 1997). Many of the shoes that rule the current world of fashion existed in the ancient periods. Different kinds of shoes from thick to thin existed in the antique world. To begin with, sandals are one of the most common footwear among early inhabitants of the planet earth. Sandal still remains common footwear in warm countries. The ancient Japanese had their version of sandal with a wooden sole called the geta. The geta was worn wi th socks known as tabi (Yue & Yue, 1997). Among the Indians was chappli, a tall knobbed sandal that was made from the hide of water buffalo with a wood and metal to keep the foot above the ground. Early Egyptians were associated with sandals that were basically made of plaited leaves of papyrus. Sandal making was a widely acknowledged practice among early Egyptians. The Egyptian sandals were unique in that they appeared as both left and right pair unlike most European shoes that had no differences. In Greece and Rome, the use of sandals was restricted with specific sandals being set for different occasions (Aswad & Meredith, 2003). In cold countries, moccasin was the most common type of shoes. Moccasin was simple and made of one round of leather sewed together and had laces that were also made of leather. Moccasin was common among Native Americans and ancient American pioneers. The ancient Romans have been associated with wooden soled shoes. Peasants across Europe have worn clogs as well as other shoes with wooden soles for a very long period of time. Similar to the Japanese geta, the thick wooden sole protected the foot from road fragments, mud, stones, and cold among others. Klompen were wooden shoes in Holland and still exist today. Pattens were worn until middle ages, during Victorian periods. Among the early French was sabot, a wooden sole shoe for factory employees and peasants. High heel shoes, which commonly rule the women’s fashion world, existed for both males and females in the ancient times. These include

Transitional Leadership Essay Example for Free

Transitional Leadership Essay Organizational Culture is defined as â€Å"a common perception held by the organization’s members; a system of shared meaning† (Robbins, 2004). It is the name given to the idea that an organization holds a set of values, beliefs and practices that are common to all the members of that organization. It is the idea that an organization cannot exist on its own without a dominant culture practiced within the boundaries of the organization. Due to the growing workplace diversity, it has become impossible for every member of a different culture to practice their own beliefs and values. Thus, organizational culture provides the framework and the behavioral guidelines on how to behave within an organization. The characteristics of organizational culture are: Innovation and risk taking Attention to detail Outcome orientation People orientation Team orientation Aggressiveness Stability (Robbins, 2004) There can be different types of organizational cultures depending on the hierarchy, the business it is in and the scope of the organization, It is not necessary that two identical organizations will have the same organizational culture. It all depends on the workforce and the mission and vision of the organization that determines the organizational culture. My organization has a customer-responsive culture. This means that the culture in my organization has a set of practices that are customer-centric. The characteristics of such a culture are very much different from any other traditional customer-focused organization. Since culture is the summation of values, beliefs, attitudes and practices, The customer-responsive culture is one where there is employee empowerment, involvement and continuous learning. Information sharing is an integral part of daily communication and the customer is the center of attention in all considerations. Religious practices and occasions are part of the organizational culture and employees are kept autonomous and happy to the maximum possible extent so that this results in a well-served customer. I believe that my organization’s culture is well-suited for future development and success. This is because of the fact that businesses all around the globe have become highly customer focused. Organizations are beginning to learn that the customer is the most important person and no amount of wooing will ensure a prolonged loyalty from the customer. They are now designing products and services keeping in view the demands of the customer. There has been a shift from the sales paradigm to the customer needs paradigm where organizations are constantly worried about what the customer wants and strive to meet those requirements. Future success depends on the ability to understand and meet customers’ requirements. Since the organizational culture is customer-centric, I am sure there are no problems posed to the organization in meeting them. In fact, the customer-focused organizational culture will also mean that the employees in the organization will be highly motivated towards achieving the goals assigned targets since the organizational culture ensures autonomy, employee empowerment and flexibility. These traits ensure that the employees feel part of the organization and take more pride and enthusiasm in working towards achieving its goals. In conclusion, I would like to state that an organizational culture which is customer-centric is bound to be successful in the future due to the fact that the global industry is moving towards understanding the needs of the customer and delivering products and services fulfilling those needs. Bibliography Robbins, S. P. (2004). Organizational Behavior. New York: Pearsons.

How McCabe and Mrs Miller and Blade Runner Subvert Their Genres and Def

How McCabe and Mrs Miller and Blade Runner Subvert Their Genres and Defy Audience Expectations Two genres which have always been Hollywood staples are science-fiction and the western. The genres can be seen in films made as early as Le Voyage Dans la lune (Georges Melies 1902) and The Great Train Robbery (Edwin S. Porter 1903). On the surface the two genres are very different, however if one looks closely at them they are similar in many ways. Both genres usually feature uncharted frontiers, strong silent protagonists, frightening savages (played by either space aliens or Native Americans) and damsels in distress. The formula for these two genres was established many decades ago and in recent years it takes a film that defies and subverts those expectations such as Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood 1992) or Alien (Ridley Scott 1979) to receive an enthusiastic critical and box office response. Two other films which subvert the traditional genres of westerns or science fiction films are McCabe and Mrs. Miller (Robert Altman 1971) and Blade Runner (Ridley Scott 1982). These films use archetypal settings, characters and action in a way which is substantially different from our expectations and the results are extremely memorable films. McCabe and Mrs. Miller is the story of a man, John McCabe (Warren Beatty) who tries to set up a whorehouse/tavern in a small town in the Pacific Northwest in 1901. He meets an astute madam, Mrs. Miller (Julie Christie) who runs his business and shares in his profits. The business thrives and they develop a relationship. A mineral deposit draws powerful mining company men to the town to try and buy McCabe's holdings. He refuses to sell and they retaliate. He ultimately is mortally wounded in a bloody showdown with the mining company's thugs leaving Mrs. Miller all alone. Robert Altman created a film which Pauline Kael called "a beautiful pipe dream of a movie -- a fleeting, almost diaphanous vision of what frontier life might have been." The film certainly feels different from most Westerns, featuring the distinctively different music of Leonard Cohen and a washed-out style of cinematography which Altman claimed "was trying to get the feeling of antiquity, like the photographs of the time." The cinematography is starkly different from the vibrant colours of The Searchers (John Ford 1956) or Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks 1959... ...ells him to do but he does it anyway. This is a stark difference from Captain James T. Kirk or Luke Skywalker. Scott is clearly trying to create a film which does not fit into traditional science-fiction formulas and he has succeeded with Blade Runner. Both McCabe and Mrs. Miller and Blade Runner are excellent films, they manage to succeed in subverting traditional genres in a way that creates fresh and different movies which both critics and movie goers have not seen before. This kind of genre shifting has grown more and more popular in recent years as movie goers have grown tired of seeing formulaic films filled with stock characters. In the future as young filmmakers look to the past for inspiration to create fresh and unique films which subvert genres and defy audience expectations hopefully they will look to the work of Robert Altman and Ridley Scott as prime examples. Bibliography: Jacobs, Diane. Hollywood Renaissance: The New Generation of Filmmakers and their works. 1977. New York. Dell Publishing. Sammon, Paul M. Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner. 1996. New York. Harper Collins. Sklar, Robert. Movie-Made America. 1994. New York. Vintage Books. How McCabe and Mrs Miller and Blade Runner Subvert Their Genres and Def How McCabe and Mrs Miller and Blade Runner Subvert Their Genres and Defy Audience Expectations Two genres which have always been Hollywood staples are science-fiction and the western. The genres can be seen in films made as early as Le Voyage Dans la lune (Georges Melies 1902) and The Great Train Robbery (Edwin S. Porter 1903). On the surface the two genres are very different, however if one looks closely at them they are similar in many ways. Both genres usually feature uncharted frontiers, strong silent protagonists, frightening savages (played by either space aliens or Native Americans) and damsels in distress. The formula for these two genres was established many decades ago and in recent years it takes a film that defies and subverts those expectations such as Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood 1992) or Alien (Ridley Scott 1979) to receive an enthusiastic critical and box office response. Two other films which subvert the traditional genres of westerns or science fiction films are McCabe and Mrs. Miller (Robert Altman 1971) and Blade Runner (Ridley Scott 1982). These films use archetypal settings, characters and action in a way which is substantially different from our expectations and the results are extremely memorable films. McCabe and Mrs. Miller is the story of a man, John McCabe (Warren Beatty) who tries to set up a whorehouse/tavern in a small town in the Pacific Northwest in 1901. He meets an astute madam, Mrs. Miller (Julie Christie) who runs his business and shares in his profits. The business thrives and they develop a relationship. A mineral deposit draws powerful mining company men to the town to try and buy McCabe's holdings. He refuses to sell and they retaliate. He ultimately is mortally wounded in a bloody showdown with the mining company's thugs leaving Mrs. Miller all alone. Robert Altman created a film which Pauline Kael called "a beautiful pipe dream of a movie -- a fleeting, almost diaphanous vision of what frontier life might have been." The film certainly feels different from most Westerns, featuring the distinctively different music of Leonard Cohen and a washed-out style of cinematography which Altman claimed "was trying to get the feeling of antiquity, like the photographs of the time." The cinematography is starkly different from the vibrant colours of The Searchers (John Ford 1956) or Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks 1959... ...ells him to do but he does it anyway. This is a stark difference from Captain James T. Kirk or Luke Skywalker. Scott is clearly trying to create a film which does not fit into traditional science-fiction formulas and he has succeeded with Blade Runner. Both McCabe and Mrs. Miller and Blade Runner are excellent films, they manage to succeed in subverting traditional genres in a way that creates fresh and different movies which both critics and movie goers have not seen before. This kind of genre shifting has grown more and more popular in recent years as movie goers have grown tired of seeing formulaic films filled with stock characters. In the future as young filmmakers look to the past for inspiration to create fresh and unique films which subvert genres and defy audience expectations hopefully they will look to the work of Robert Altman and Ridley Scott as prime examples. Bibliography: Jacobs, Diane. Hollywood Renaissance: The New Generation of Filmmakers and their works. 1977. New York. Dell Publishing. Sammon, Paul M. Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner. 1996. New York. Harper Collins. Sklar, Robert. Movie-Made America. 1994. New York. Vintage Books.

The Purpose of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Education Teaching Tea

The Purpose of Education As teachers endeavor into the field of education, it is imperative to ask exactly what the purpose of education is and why education has become one of the fundamental institutions of society. In examining this question, I realize that education serves as the basis for the organization of our culture, and essentially, the entire world and its influence is invaluable. I see four essential purposes of education: to foster thinking and reasoning skills in students, to create a sense of community, to develop life skills such as responsibility and cooperation, among others, and to provide a precursor for life’s continuous education. The most obvious purpose of education, and perhaps the one that many people view as the only purpose, is to instill in students a means of thinking. In our current education, this takes the form of several major subject areas, like math, science, history, and English, but these areas are constantly expanding to reflect our changing culture as students today are encouraged to expand their knowledges. But education goes beyond even providing subject information; it teaches students to think critically and rationally and to consider ideas— skills necessary in all life situations. The structure of education today, and throughout history, helps to provide a strong sense of community within society. Because students’ main access to other people outside their families is in school, thi...

Marketing Product Failure Research

Kelvinator which ruled Indian refrigerator industry but it lost its place because it fell into a cobweb of ownership issues. Whirlpool did not invest in Kelvinator since it had the rights to the brand only till 1997. So during these years, Whirlpool harvested Kelvinator while developing its own brand. When the brand came back to its original owner, Electrolux did not had the money to build this baby. In 2005, Kelvinator was killed. One brand which failed only due to wrong marketing strategy is Liril.When the brand was launched the Liril girl became the talk of the town. Liril was positioned on the freshness platform right from its birth. The girl and the waterfall with the unique jingle ensured that the freshness is experienced by the audience. But the brand did not change its position for 25 years. There was a flurry of brand launches during the past 10 years and Liril was sleeping all the time † may be resting on the laurel. Liril tried to introduce the Icy mint variant very late and that too with a different jingle and imagery.But it did not work and the product failed. Canada Dry was launched in India in 1995. The brand, from Cadbury Schweppes, was a highly popular brand of soft drinks across the globe. The brand has positioned itself as champagne and the taste was different and refreshing. The brand was also promoted heavily in various media. The ad featuring the snow and tiger brings back the nostalgia about this brand. The brand was positioned as a premium cold drink. But alas; the brand did not last too long in the market.In 1999 CocaCola took over the beverages business of Cadbury Schweppes and like GoldSpot and Limca. Coke killed this brand. The only reason for Coke to kill these brands was to make way for Coke's original brands. Vanilla Coke was touted as the greatest innovation since Diet Coke in 1983. Vanilla Coke was promoted in retro style. The brand had Vivek Oberoi , the then Bollywood flame endorsing the brand in an unusual style. Vivek sported the retro look with typical combination of Elvis style plus Shammi Kapoor style in an Old Lamby Scooter screaming Wakaw.The ads were surely clutter breaking and backed by 360 degree branding efforts that ensured good publicity. The brand also got into viral marketing. But the brand failed due to either bad taste or premium pricing. The failure of Vanilla Coke is a classic case that proves that Marketing is not a perfect science. There is no formula or theory that can make a brand successful. To Quote Kotler â€Å"Marketing is easy to teach and understand but difficult to practice†. Marketing Product Failure Research Kelvinator which ruled Indian refrigerator industry but it lost its place because it fell into a cobweb of ownership issues. Whirlpool did not invest in Kelvinator since it had the rights to the brand only till 1997. So during these years, Whirlpool harvested Kelvinator while developing its own brand. When the brand came back to its original owner, Electrolux did not had the money to build this baby. In 2005, Kelvinator was killed. One brand which failed only due to wrong marketing strategy is Liril.When the brand was launched the Liril girl became the talk of the town. Liril was positioned on the freshness platform right from its birth. The girl and the waterfall with the unique jingle ensured that the freshness is experienced by the audience. But the brand did not change its position for 25 years. There was a flurry of brand launches during the past 10 years and Liril was sleeping all the time † may be resting on the laurel. Liril tried to introduce the Icy mint variant very late and that too with a different jingle and imagery.But it did not work and the product failed. Canada Dry was launched in India in 1995. The brand, from Cadbury Schweppes, was a highly popular brand of soft drinks across the globe. The brand has positioned itself as champagne and the taste was different and refreshing. The brand was also promoted heavily in various media. The ad featuring the snow and tiger brings back the nostalgia about this brand. The brand was positioned as a premium cold drink. But alas; the brand did not last too long in the market.In 1999 CocaCola took over the beverages business of Cadbury Schweppes and like GoldSpot and Limca. Coke killed this brand. The only reason for Coke to kill these brands was to make way for Coke's original brands. Vanilla Coke was touted as the greatest innovation since Diet Coke in 1983. Vanilla Coke was promoted in retro style. The brand had Vivek Oberoi , the then Bollywood flame endorsing the brand in an unusual style. Vivek sported the retro look with typical combination of Elvis style plus Shammi Kapoor style in an Old Lamby Scooter screaming Wakaw.The ads were surely clutter breaking and backed by 360 degree branding efforts that ensured good publicity. The brand also got into viral marketing. But the brand failed due to either bad taste or premium pricing. The failure of Vanilla Coke is a classic case that proves that Marketing is not a perfect science. There is no formula or theory that can make a brand successful. To Quote Kotler â€Å"Marketing is easy to teach and understand but difficult to practice†.

The History of Spains Gran Dolina

The History of Spain's Gran Dolina Gran Dolina is a cave site in the Sierra de Atapuerca region of central Spain, approximately 15 kilometers from the town of Burgos. It is one of six important paleolithic sites located in the Atapuerca cave system; Gran Dolina represents the longest occupied, with occupations dated from the Lower and Middle Paleolithic periods of human history. Gran Dolina has 18-19 meters of archaeological deposits, including 19 levels of which eleven include human occupations. Most of the human deposits, which date between 300,000 and 780,000 years ago, are rich in animal bone and stone tools. The Aurora Stratum at Gran Dolina The oldest layer at Gran Dolina is called the Aurora stratum (or TD6). Recovered from TD6 were stone core-choppers, chipping debris, animal bone and hominin remains. TD6 was dated using electron spin resonance to approximately 780,000 years ago or a little earlier. Gran Dolina is one of the oldest human sites in Europe as only Dmanisi in Georgia is older. The Aurora stratum contained the remains of six individuals, of a hominid ancestor called Homo antecessor, or perhaps H. erectus: there is some debate of the specific hominid at Gran Dolina, in part because of some Neanderthal-like characteristics of the hominid skeletons (see Bermà ºdez Bermudez de Castro 2012 for a discussion). Elements of all six exhibited cut marks and other evidence of butchering, including dismembering, defleshing, and skinning of the hominids and thus Gran Dolina is the oldest evidence of human cannibalism found to date. Bone Tools From Gran Dolina Stratum TD-10 at Gran Dolina is described in the archaeological literature as transitional between Acheulean and Mousterian, within Marine Isotope Stage 9, or approximately 330,000 to 350,000 years ago. Within this level were recovered more than 20,000 stone artifacts, mostly of chert, quartzite, quartz, and sandstone, and denticulates and side-scrapers are the primary tools. Bone have been identified within TD-10, a handful of which are believed to represent tools, including a bone hammer. The hammer, similar to ones found in several other Middle Paleolithic sites, appears to have been used for soft-hammer percussion, that is, as a tool for making stone tools. See the description of the evidence in Rosell et al. listed below. Archaeology at Gran Dolina The complex of caves in Atapuerca was discovered when a railway trench was excavated through them in the mid-19th century; professional archaeological excavations were conducted in the 1960s and the Atapuerca Project began in 1978 and continues to this day. Source: Aguirre E, and Carbonell E. 2001. Early human expansions into Eurasia: The Atapuerca evidence. Quaternary International 75(1):11-18. Bermudez de Castro JM, Carbonell E, Caceres I, Diez JC, Fernandez-Jalvo Y, Mosquera M, Olle A, Rodriguez J, Rodriguez XP, Rosas A et al. 1999. The TD6 (Aurora stratum) hominid site, Final remarks and new questions. Journal of Human Evolution 37:695-700. Bermudez de Castro JM, Martinon-Torres M, Carbonell E, Sarmiento S, Rosas, Van der Made J, and Lozano M. 2004. The Atapuerca sites and their contribution to the knowledge of human evolution in Europe. Evolutionary Anthropology 13(1):25-41. Bermà ºdez de Castro JM, Carretero JM, Garcà ­a-Gonzlez R, Rodrà ­guez-Garcà ­a L, Martinà ³n-Torres M, Rosell J, Blasco R, Martà ­n-Francà ©s L, Modesto M, and Carbonell E. 2012. Early pleistocene human humeri from the Gran Dolina-TD6 site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain). American Journal of Physical Anthropology 147(4):604-617. Cuenca-Bescà ³s G, Melero-Rubio M, Rofes J, Martà ­nez I, Arsuaga JL, Blain HA, Là ³pez-Garcà ­a JM, Carbonell E, and Bermudez de Castro JM. 2011. The Early-Middle Pleistocene environmental and climatic change and the human expansion in Western Europe: A case study with small vertebrates (Gran Dolina, Atapuerca, Spain). Journal of Human Evolution 60(4):481-491. Fernndez-Jalvo Y, Dà ­ez JC, Cceres I, and Rosell J. 1999. Human cannibalism in the Early Pleistocene of Europe (Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). Journal of Human Evolution 37(3-4):591-622. Là ³pez Antoà ±anzas R, and Cuenca Bescà ³s G. 2002. The Gran Dolina site (Lower to Middle Pleistocene, Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain): new palaeoenvironmental data based on the distribution of small mammals. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 186(3-4):311-334. Rosell J, Blasco R, Campeny G, Dà ­ez JC, Alcalde RA, Menà ©ndez L, Arsuaga JL, Bermà ºdez de Castro JM, and Carbonell E. 2011. Bone as a technological raw material at the Gran Dolina site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). Journal of Human Evolution 61(1):125-131. Rightmire, GP. 2008 Homo in the Middle Pleistocene: Hypodigms, variation, and species recognition. Evolutionary Anthropology 17(1):8-21.

buy custom Constructivism Evaluation essay

buy custom Constructivism Evaluation essay Introduction Knowledge is acquired through interaction of learners with fellow students, teachers and learning materials. To help the learners, instructors should have an understanding of their students by examining them and the resources available to tackle the problem. They should also understand the problem to be solved and examine the kind of knowledge needed by learners to do it. This means that they should have an understanding of the learning process of their students and should be in a position to facilitate it. Learning is defined as modification of behaviour through practice, training and/or experience. According to researchers and scientist however, the definition of learning depends on the type of learning process used. These theories are behaviorism, social cognitive and constructivism (L. Nagowah S. Nagowah, 2009). This paper will focus on the theory of constructivism, its applicability in learning, strengths, weaknesses and an exhaustive comparison with other learning processes. Constructivism This is a learning theory whose basic idea is that learners should create their own understanding of an issue through interaction with others and in relation to knowledge that is already in existence. According to researchers, constructivism is not so much a theory of learning as a model of acquiring knowledge which can be used to create a learning theory (Richardson, 2003). To fully understand the constructivist theory, the following aspects are discussed. a) Social Constructivism This theory suggests that knowledge is constructed by people and its form is determined by the political environment, ideological perceptions, values, exertion of power and an attempt to preserve status, beliefs and economic interests of the people (Richardson, 2003). According to Richardson, an individuals learning process and understanding of their world is influenced by social factors. This means that the learning process involves accommodating shared social beliefs and ideologies to acquire formal knowledge. Social constructivism implies that theories and ideas developed by a learner or individual are viable and applicable in the larger social contexts. Social constructivists believe that knowledge is a function of shared reality which develops out of social limitations affecting the learning process of an individual (Karagiorgi Symeu, 2005). This implies that no learning can occur without interference from social environments surrounding the learner. This means that a learner creates meaning of a situation or a problem based on social interactions and experiences. b) Psychological Constructivism This theory suggests that construction of knowledge is based on experiences of an individual and depends on a learners prior knowledge (Richardson, 2003). According to Richardson, learners do not depend so much on the experiences and ideologies of a social group but on their personal experiences. The theory goes further to suggest that knowledge developed by an individual from his perspective can be adopted by groups formal knowledge. Psychological constructivists believe that realities and experiences are very unique to each individual (Karagiorgi Symeu, 2005). This means that the process of creating knowledge and the knowledge created by learners should be based on teir own experiences without the consideration of experiences from other individuals. To the constructivist, reality is not a function of socio-cultural practices within which a learner resides and social beliefs should therefore not influence the learners perspective in solving problems. This suggests that a learner should be motivated by his beliefs, ideologies and experiences to develop skills to cope with a problem. Behaviorism versus Constructivism Behaviorism as a learning process ignores the psychological ability of an individual and focuses on the observable actions of an individual (L. Nagowah S. Nagowah). Adherents to this theory suggest that learning can be measured by simply observing change in behavior of an individual. To them learning process is passive where knowledge is transferred and acquired by repetition of a new behavioral pattern. Behaviorists believe that the right behaviour pattern for learning can be reinforced by reward or punishment. They believe that learning should be a process of transferring knowledge from the teacher to the students who should be able to reproduce the knowledge when need be. The major difference between behaviorism and constructivism is that, constructivism allows student s to come up with their own understanding of a problem and device ways to resolve it. Constructivism encourages creativity while behaviorism encourages repletion of behavior and knowledge acquired. Cognitive Theory versus Constructivism Cognitive theory puts emphasis on the psychological activity of an individual in the learning process. The proponents of the theory argue that every task requires a unique and different cognitive process to resolve or understand. They insist that it is important to understand and appreciate the metal processes that enable an individual to acquire and retain knowledge so that the processes can be enhanced. To the cognitive psychologists, learning is an active activity for the learners that require creativity (L. Nagowah S. Nagowah). The cognitive theory relates to the role of information processing in learning. This is because the processing aspects such as memory organization and neurological connections form the basis of the cognitive theory. An individual requires cognitive knowledge in order to synthesis information acquired to form meaningful understanding. This theory suggests that learning is acquired at different levels by different individuals depending on their cognitive development. This theory is similar to the behaviorists because it suggests that learning is a process where knowledge is given and absolute. This means that knowledge is passed on from the teacher to the learners. The theory suggests that behavior can be used to deduce the cognitive ability of an individual to process information and apply it in learning (L. Nagowah S. Nagowah). This theory is different form constructivism because it only seeks to understand the processes of thinking that allows learning to take place. Unlike constru ctivism, it does not encourage innovation and it believes in the traditional way of learning where the teacher provides information and knowledge to the students. Constructivism as a learning model has generated a range of mixed feelings and criticism towards learning processes. The proponents support the ideologies and ht e expected outcomes of the model when used in education while those against it base their arguments on the weaknesses of the theory application as ddiscussed below. Strengths of the Constructivism a) Active learning Constructivism places a learner at the centre of the learning process. It fosters motivation of the learner because the students experience the pleasure that comes from solving a problem (Karagiorgi Symeu, 2005). The model also fosters creativity because it suggests that instructors should design problems that can be solved in different ways and leave the students to struggle through the solving process on their own. b) Authentic learning The model fosters authentic learning by offering an opportunity to model problems to fit real life occurrences. This stimulates the learner to own the problems and solve them in their own understanding as if in real life situations (Karagiorgi Symeu, 2005). Authentic learning motivates the learners to implement knowledge in a genuine way thus developing relevance and meaning to their learning process and knowledge. Weaknesses of the Model According to a research done in India, the model of constructivism generates major problems in the education system. The research shows that the model makes it hard to examine the knowledge acquired by learners because its learning process is based on practice and personal experiences. In the particular case of India, the model presented a problem in devising a methodology for written examination (Raina, 2011). The information formed by learners through constructivism learning is not acceptable at face value. It is must be measured against the acceptable already existing knowledge for its applicability in meaning. This is controversial to the aims of the model and the basis under which it is established. Those against the model argue that it is not logical to take the learners through the process of innovation and creativity only to measure them against already existing knowledge. To them, knowledge is information that has already been tested and approved as applicable and requires passing and assimilation. The protagonists of the model argue that acquisition of knowledge should be explicit until learners have acquired basic concepts and skills to engage in creative and active inquiry (Gibbons, 2003). Constructivism presents a problem when applied to absolute learning courses such as learning the English language as opposed to learning science. According to research, use of constructivism to teach language or absolute subjects is not applicable. The instructor cannot be able to allow the learners to formulate their own words so that they can understand the language they are learning. Conclusion Constructivism is applied in learning with the aim of stimulating learners to be creative in solving problems. However, the model presents controversy in evaluation method of the learning process. According to research, use of contemporary evaluation methods is pointless where the model has been used for learning. When applied in a learning context, the expected outcome of the process should be creativity and enhanced skills. However, the outcome is not always the same because the model largely depends on the social culture of an individual and the basic knowledge they can relate to their experiences. This leaves room for more research to be conducted on the models applicability to multicultural learning setup. Buy custom Constructivism Evaluation essay

Free Essays on NGOs And The Development Of International Environmental Law

International Environmental Law NGOs and the development of international environmental law. -Whats their role? -Do they serve a useful purpose? -Whats the 'back sides'? Word count: 2188 1. Introduction The following paper examines the growing role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other non-state actors in the development of international environmental law. The most important functions within this role will be identified, characterized and critically discussed. Subsequently conclusions will be made on whether or not or to what degree these functions and this role serve a useful purpose. 2. The fundament Historically as well as theoretically, international law is centred around sovereign states. The main actors are states, each governing their own territory, and with the clear and fundamental rule deriving from the principle of state sovereignty, that the jurisdiction of each state is limited to their own territory. In the acknowledgment of the advantages and necessity of international cooperation when dealing with problems and concerns that goes beyond state boarders, the states have created a comprehensive international society with a vast number of inter-governmental bodies. However, the restrictions in the dealing with international issues that follow from the characteristics of the sovereign state has caused frustration and states have been said to be inefficient in the creation and development of international law and policy. In contrast to the states, the NGOs does not limit themselves to state boarders. Furthermore each NGO chooses its own area of interest and let the concern of other competing interests be up to other NGOs. The NGOs get their support from the public and corporations etc. who positively ‘vote’ for them by becoming a member of the organization or by in other ways giving financial support. As pointed out by A.D. Tarlock the NGOs â€Å"fill out a niche in international law... Free Essays on NGOs And The Development Of International Environmental Law Free Essays on NGOs And The Development Of International Environmental Law International Environmental Law NGOs and the development of international environmental law. -Whats their role? -Do they serve a useful purpose? -Whats the 'back sides'? Word count: 2188 1. Introduction The following paper examines the growing role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other non-state actors in the development of international environmental law. The most important functions within this role will be identified, characterized and critically discussed. Subsequently conclusions will be made on whether or not or to what degree these functions and this role serve a useful purpose. 2. The fundament Historically as well as theoretically, international law is centred around sovereign states. The main actors are states, each governing their own territory, and with the clear and fundamental rule deriving from the principle of state sovereignty, that the jurisdiction of each state is limited to their own territory. In the acknowledgment of the advantages and necessity of international cooperation when dealing with problems and concerns that goes beyond state boarders, the states have created a comprehensive international society with a vast number of inter-governmental bodies. However, the restrictions in the dealing with international issues that follow from the characteristics of the sovereign state has caused frustration and states have been said to be inefficient in the creation and development of international law and policy. In contrast to the states, the NGOs does not limit themselves to state boarders. Furthermore each NGO chooses its own area of interest and let the concern of other competing interests be up to other NGOs. The NGOs get their support from the public and corporations etc. who positively ‘vote’ for them by becoming a member of the organization or by in other ways giving financial support. As pointed out by A.D. Tarlock the NGOs â€Å"fill out a niche in international law...

Internal Pressure Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internal Pressure - Lab Report Example We will do this by graphing experimental results versus theoretical calculations. We will take into account the error of the measuring system. We will also investigate the role gauge factor, Young's Modulus, and Poisson's ratio play in the effects on strain with pressure. Finally, we will project the outcome of the experiment on the cylinder as the pressure increases to some unknown large finite threshold. If one were to think of this as in a cylindrical coordinate system, the longitudinal strain would be that acting in the Z direction whereas the cirucumferential (otherwise known as the tangential or lateral) strain would be acting in the direction of theta and not radially. both ends eliminating any longitudinal stress or strain. Our case consists of the second case of a thin cylinder with closed ends. In a thin cylinder with closed ends, longitudinal stresses and strains exist, and both circumferential and longitudinal strains depend on both stresses respectively. The use of a hand pump allows one to make step measurements of strain at each increment of pressure provided by the hand pump. Each step measurement has a corresponding data point in the table of results. A bourdon gauge is used because it has a tube you can insert inside the cylinder that has the capacity to expand with increasing pressure. The gauge measures the change in its own resistance delta R, and this delta R measured is directly proportional to the respective strain as well as the original resistance R. The gauge factor is a constant of proportionality between the strain and R, and delta R. The gauge factor of 2.06 is a very typical value for gauge factors. Annealed aluminium is a somewhat ductile or soft metal. Using annealed aluminium is responsible for a somewhat low value of the Young's modulus. The Young's modulus of a substance is a measure of the stiffness of that material. The lower E is, the higher the strains will be. Therefore annealed aluminium results in larger strains making it easier to detect and record the measured strain. Once strain is determined its value can be

What is Knowledge Empirical And Logical Reasons Why I Believe That My Essay

What is Knowledge Empirical And Logical Reasons Why I Believe That My Mother Loves Me - Essay Example Thus, knowledge is described as the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. The difference between the two concepts is quite obvious but it requires a deeper insight to notice it. Cline (2003) believes that knowledge is mainly based on empiricism, which is, knowledge that comes from experiencing the physical world as well reason which is knowledge that comes from logic. Both concepts are applicable in as far as the concept of knowledge is concerned. As such, this paper is going to reflect on my personal understanding of the concept of knowledge. The paper mainly draws from my personal experience I have gained from my mother whom I believe loves me so much. The paper will outline three empirical reasons as well as three logical reasons why I believe that my mother loves me. I strongly believe that my mother loves me because she always shows concern about my life. My mother always tells me to be careful to avoid hurting myself. From a very tender age, my mother would tell me to avoid playing with certain things since I could get injured from that practice. For instance, she would tell me to avoid playing with sharp objects or fire since I could be injured. ... Indeed, I have witnessed some of these changes and that did not surprise me since I had already gained valuable knowledge about such things from my mother. A person who tells you the truth about different aspects of life shows that he or she loves you. The other reason why I believe that my mother loves me is that she is always there for me and she shows this affection which has helped to form a strong bond between the two of us. Different philosophical studies have shown that the closeness between the child and the mother is very important for the social, emotional and psychological growth of the child. I can safely say that my mother has been my mentor, provider and companion whom I feel very free to confide in. I can discuss any subject of concern to me with my mother and I feel very free to open up my views and opinions to my mother. She is also accommodative to my views and this is the reason why I believe that she loves me. There are different logical reasons that make me belie ve that my mother loves me. For instance, she always emphasises on the aspect of social behaviour. She told me that it is important to socialise with others in a positive manner in order to gain their respect and recognition in society. The power of logic comes into play in this case where an individual is compelled to behave in a certain manner in order to fit in well in the society. By virtue of using logical reasoning, I have realised that you can make many friends who can give you meaningful advice in society. It is also easy to gain other people’s respect if one uses logical reasoning that is based on mutual understanding. We have different perceptions about the world around us so I have realised that it is important to accommodate

Answer questions- Business paper Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Answer questions- Business paper - Coursework Example Some studies have also shown a relation between animal cruelty and human violence. Therefore, reduction in animal abuse can also cause some reduction in the violence among humans. There is a difference between the animals that are kept as pets and those that are raised for food. However, the treatment of the animals kept in farms and other places that are raised as food are entitled to a certain treatment. They are living beings and this gives them the rights of fair treatment, proper food and a good living environment. As portrayed by the film, a consumer wanting faster, cheaper food has altered the way chickens are raised. Is this a similar situation to the industry responding to consumer demand for cheaper products by hiring low-wage workers overseas? Why? Why not? I do not believe that the connotations are similar. Low wage workers that are being hired overseas are employed at rates that are lower than those that would be available within the country, however, for those workers, these wages are what are being offered generally within the country that they live in. the rates are not less than the average wage rate in the country hence, they are not been exploited and that the advantage of hiring them at low wages is generated through the technological advancements and the ability to work beyond the limitations of national boundaries. Chickens, being injected with anti-biotic and steroids cause abnormal growth and as seen in films inc, has tremendous effects over their health as their organs cannot keep up with the increase in body mass. This also results in animals dying which is highly unethical. Moreover, the conditions that the chickens are kept in are inhumane and they are being treated as raw material of mass production rather than living beings. The film gives the impression that food is either cheap or healthy. Do you think it is true that food is either one or the other, or is this a false dichotomy? The film shows that the food that is processed in large quantities and to a large number of consumers is using products that are cheaper in order for the end product to be cheaper, hence, more attractive to the purchaser. It is not necessary that the food that is cheap would not be healthy but the fact is that this is the way that the large corporations are making it. Large corporations make the products using cheap raw material and low cost methods for mass production that in turn produces food that is unhealthy. The film projects that the monopoly of large corporations is affecting the healthy food items and by offering cheaper products they are attracting the customers but they are actually putting a veil over the material that is used in the production and the processes that are implemented. In the film, we see that Stonyfield Yogurt is now owned by Groupe Danone, Tom’s of Maine by Colgate, Kashi by Kellogg, and Burt’s Bees by Clorox, which are all large corporation. Why might corporations continue marketing the s mall companies’ products under their original labels, as we saw in the film? How do you think consumers might react to learning that the products are actually made by big corporations? Small Corporations are known for their quality and authenticity. These products are preferred by consumers who are overwhelmed with choices from the large corporation that obstruct the healthy contents of the product through mass production. Burt's bees for example, produced products that started off with a mere room where the owner used real

Argument for a Current Political Issue Research Paper

Argument for a Current Political Issue - Research Paper Example The rate of unemployment, mortgages, housing, insurance, and manufacturing, among other sectors, are some of the key areas that affect the U.S economy. The European colonization between the 16th and the 18th centuries was the root of the U.S history. In 1776, 13 small farming economies integrated themselves to form one, and they formed the United States economy (Lattimer, p7). The growth of the U.S economy was accredited to high productivity, a legal system which was supportive and the availability of a market which was large and unified. The United States economy is the world’s largest national economy. The $2 trillion difference between its GDP and that of the EU makes it the world’s second largest overall economy.The high levels of capital investment and research, the overall GDP growth rate and the moderate rate of unemployment make the U.S economy to be a mixed economy (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, Bernadette & Smith, Jessica p25). As of 2011, the GDP of the United State s was estimated to be about $15 trillion dollars with a per capita GDP of $48,328. The per capita income of the U.S is the sixth highest in the world and this makes it to be one of the world’s wealthiest nations. ... S is extremely active. In terms of market capitalization, the New York Stock Exchange is the largest in the world (DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette, & Smith, 48). The economy of the U.S is controversial because any alterations to it will result to a ripple effect in the whole country. The economy determines the investment, the health care, the education system, the security of the country, and every other sector. The economy is the back bone of the country and this is the main reason why it is a political issue that causes controversy and much debate especially during election times as witnessed recently in the presidential elections. There are two parties that are involved in the political tussle of the economy. These two parties are umbrellas of the interest groups and the key politicians involved; the Democrats and the Republicans. Below is an outline of the stand that both the Democrats and Republicans have taken on the economy. The Democrat Stand On the issue of minimum wage, the democr ats support a higher minimum wage with increases on a more regular basis. The six state ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage were all passed by democrats in congress in 2006, a move that shows their support of higher minimum wages (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, Bernadette & Smith, Jessica p22). Education is also a pertinent issue of the economy. In this case, college education is the central issue. Democrats have a long term goal of providing low-cost college education that has been subsidized by the public for the purpose of lowering tuition fees. This can be achieved by increasing the state funding for student financial aid. The democrats have divergent opinions on the issue of trade agreements. The liberal part of the democrats supports globalization while

Starbucks Corporate Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Starbucks Corporate Culture - Essay Example More than half of these branches are located in the United States, with the United Kingdom following by far with more than 100 branches (Starbucks Corporation. 2008). The company’s corporate culture is one of the most relaxed, and considerate in regard to the community. It is classified amongst the companies where employees are satisfied with remuneration packages and other attached benefits even as companies are suffering due to financial crisis (Reilly, 2008). The company is largely focused on the empowerment of employees through several benefit schemes which assist in career development and improved productivity. Employee retention is enhanced, which contributes to the organization’s overall productivity. The management emphasizes on the improvement of skills amongst the employees through training. They are trained through workshops and other classes that offer essential information on coffee, such as the history of coffee production, customer satisfaction and several other vital subjects aimed at creating employee awareness. These are mandatory classes for new employees in the company (Rose 2002). On top of training, the organization portrays its considerate attention to all employees regardless of their employment terms in regard to whether they are full time or part time. Both groups are entitled to a health and dental benefits, insurance against disabilities, compensation during vacation and leave, programs meant to assist the employees in personal matters as well as personal and financial development (Richards, 2007). All the benefits that employees are entitled to, significantly contribute to organizational productivity. They generate a sense of appreciation amongst them, thereby improving their commitment to the achievement organizational goals. The flexibility of working whereby employees work part time and still get benefits as the full time workers is significant in the enhancement of work life balance amongst the employees. This helps in

Argument for a Current Political Issue Research Paper

Argument for a Current Political Issue - Research Paper Example The rate of unemployment, mortgages, housing, insurance, and manufacturing, among other sectors, are some of the key areas that affect the U.S economy. The European colonization between the 16th and the 18th centuries was the root of the U.S history. In 1776, 13 small farming economies integrated themselves to form one, and they formed the United States economy (Lattimer, p7). The growth of the U.S economy was accredited to high productivity, a legal system which was supportive and the availability of a market which was large and unified. The United States economy is the world’s largest national economy. The $2 trillion difference between its GDP and that of the EU makes it the world’s second largest overall economy.The high levels of capital investment and research, the overall GDP growth rate and the moderate rate of unemployment make the U.S economy to be a mixed economy (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, Bernadette & Smith, Jessica p25). As of 2011, the GDP of the United State s was estimated to be about $15 trillion dollars with a per capita GDP of $48,328. The per capita income of the U.S is the sixth highest in the world and this makes it to be one of the world’s wealthiest nations. ... S is extremely active. In terms of market capitalization, the New York Stock Exchange is the largest in the world (DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette, & Smith, 48). The economy of the U.S is controversial because any alterations to it will result to a ripple effect in the whole country. The economy determines the investment, the health care, the education system, the security of the country, and every other sector. The economy is the back bone of the country and this is the main reason why it is a political issue that causes controversy and much debate especially during election times as witnessed recently in the presidential elections. There are two parties that are involved in the political tussle of the economy. These two parties are umbrellas of the interest groups and the key politicians involved; the Democrats and the Republicans. Below is an outline of the stand that both the Democrats and Republicans have taken on the economy. The Democrat Stand On the issue of minimum wage, the democr ats support a higher minimum wage with increases on a more regular basis. The six state ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage were all passed by democrats in congress in 2006, a move that shows their support of higher minimum wages (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, Bernadette & Smith, Jessica p22). Education is also a pertinent issue of the economy. In this case, college education is the central issue. Democrats have a long term goal of providing low-cost college education that has been subsidized by the public for the purpose of lowering tuition fees. This can be achieved by increasing the state funding for student financial aid. The democrats have divergent opinions on the issue of trade agreements. The liberal part of the democrats supports globalization while

Comparison-contrast essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparison-contrast - Essay Example In his article, Staffo presents an insightful discussion about interscholastic athletics. Although he acknowledges that interscholastic athletics is a good initiative that can positively contribute to the life of students, he says that it has not been used to instill educational values in learners as it ought to be. According to his research, the goals f scholastic athletics are no longer important to the school administration, teachers and students. Today, scholastic athletics has become a tool for propagating violence, unhealthy competition and encouragement of the domination of teachers over the student body. Similar sentiments are echoed by Pietrofesa and Rosen who traces the development of violence and criminal activities in athletics amongst the professional athletes, high school and college students. The other similarity in the articles is that they both give recommendations on how violence and other criminal activities in athletics can be resolved. To Staffo, the best thing to do is to stop perceiving scholastic athletics as a tool for competition. Being that students are encouraged to participate in athletics so as to defeat their opponent makes them grow up as bad citizens who can do anything at whatever cost to out do their opponents. Besides, both the scholars argue that it is upon the physical educators and coaches to ensure that they provide the necessary counseling skills on their athletes. Better still, team managers should offer periodical lectures on athletes so as to teach them on the benefits of refraining from violence and any other form of violence that can derail them from continuing with their athletics activities. However, despite these similarities, the articles have lots of differences. First, while Interscholastic Sports Msdirected? Misguided? Misnomer? is mainly concerned about high school athletics, Strategies for reducing criminal violence among

Recycling Waste Essay Example for Free

Recycling Waste Essay With the increasing human population the needs for the people also increases. But the point of concern is that are there enough natural resources to service all your needs. What if these resources finish, this is one thing we need to ponder upon. We need to start recycling waste to converse our natural resources. Recycling is simply the process of reusing the items from which utility can still be derived. It is important to recycle waste so that you can at least converse some of our natural resources for our generations to come. Many products such as paper, cardboards, and cups come from trees. In fact trees are our natural assets, you can converse trees by recycling the paper products we can minimize the number of trees cut down a year. This is one form of waste recycling. One should understand and know the importance of recycling waste materials. One simple benefit of recycling is it saves our resources. It will be wise to reuse metal item as metal reserves may be depleting. You can sold your wore out metal items for recycling. As mentioned earlier, recycling of waste papers can save our forests. Recycling waste not only save our natural resources but also help save energy. By simply recycling an item or making a basic fix to it, we can we save all the energy that would have been consumed in the process of making it. The same example can be taken with plastic items. A large amount of energy can be saved by simply reusing the plastic items. To recycle waste is to simply reduce pollution. By recycling plastic material we can reduce air pollution as well as water pollution. Plastic factories produced large amount of smoke when producing plastic material at the same time if we don’t have proper waste disposal system those waste emissions will cause water pollution. Recycling waste in a way helps reduce pollution. In simple words, recycling or recycling waste is essential to both natural environment and humans. To sum up, recycling minimizes the need for raw materials so that the rainforests can be preserved. Great amounts of energy are used when making products from raw materials. Recycling requires much less energy and therefore helps to preserve natural resources. One needs to know the importance of recycling at the same time being earth friendly can help our planet a better place to live in.

The World Aircraft Manufacturing Industry

The World Aircraft Manufacturing Industry Introduction As the globalisation spreads out the whole world, the connection between each country becomes closer. Airplane as one means of transportation also plays an important role to support globalisation. Boeing and Airbus are the two largest commercial aircraft manufacturer in the industry. This essay is focus on the market for commercial aircraft manufacturing by analysing competitive factors in the industry and comparing with personal computers market. Background The world aircraft manufacturing Industry can be divided into Military Space Aero-structure and commercial aircraft (Sedaei.S, 2007). In the Figure 1, it shows the segments of world aircraft manufacturing industry. à ¦Ã…“ ªÃƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ ½Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ .jpg Source: Commercial Aircraft Industry The passenger commercial aircraft is important in the aircraft manufacturing industry (Sedaei.S, 2007). In the large aircraft manufacturing, Boeing as the first producer, its quick development had made it become nearly a monopoly in the commercial aircraft. It made the prospect of airline worried. During the late 1970s, the nature of the industry was changed by European aircraft manufacturing. France and Great Britain created the Concorde with strong aviation industry, and then combined with West Germany to build up Airbus (Sedaei.S, 2007). Since Lockheed quitted in 1986, and McDonnell Douglas was merged by Boeing Company, the commercial aircraft manufacturing market is an oligopoly dominated by Boeing and Airbus (Besanko, 2007) Analysis of Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing Industry Market structure In the market, a few sellers control a significant amount of the market for the industry, which is defined as oligopoly. In the oligopoly, there are barriers to enter, due to the limitation of technologies and raw materials and so on. Also, the firms in the oligopoly are interdependent, which means that the action of one firm will influence all the other firm. Moreover, the non-price competition is engaged in the oligopoly (Besanko, 2007). As mentioned above, the commercial aircraft market has been in an effective duopoly by Boeing and Airbus. à ¦Ã…“ ªÃƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ ½Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ .jpg In the Figure 2, it reveals the market share of Boeing and Airbus. These two companies control the whole commercial aircraft manufacturing industry. Because of the oligopolistic between Boeing and Airbus, the competitive relationship will depend on the instances of strategic interaction. According to the market structure of commercial aircraft manufacturing industry, each firm would like to consider the actions of others when making decision (Cook.A.J, 2008). Competitive Factors The five-force frame work is the one of efficient ways to analyse the industry. The Figure 3 presents the five forces: internal rivalry, substitutes and complements, entry, supplier power and buyer power. Figure 3: The Five-Force Framework Internal Rivalry is pointed to the competition within the industry. Price competition and non-price competition are involved on the competition of firms. Due to the particularity of commercial aircraft manufacturing industry, which is its price elasticity of demand is not large, it is hard to erode profit by cutting down price-cost margin (Besanko, 2007). Therefore, the market engages in non-price competition. In the non-price competition, the firms can make profit by increasing fixed costs, such as new product development, and marginal cost like adding product features (Besanko, 2007). Except for crisis in 2001, Boeing and Airbus keeps backlogs which can take them long time to finish. It is found that neither Boeing nor Airbus can broaden market share rapidly with high fixed costs during this time. However, when it comes to downturn, Boeing and Airbus are willing to decrease the product capacity and make a deal with each other to face the declining backlogs (Tuttle.M, 2004). Recentl y, in order to make products differentiation, Airbus has developed its A380, which is a double-decker plane with over 550 seats. To maintain the market share, Boeing plans to concentrate on 350-passenger 787 dreamliner which is to be more fuel efficient than the others instead of creating Sonic Cruiser (Boeing.com, nd). Furthermore, the government subsidies is one of the drivers in the competition of commercial aircraft manufacturing. Since the airbus is generated by France, Germany and Great Britain, it received subsidies from European governments. With these subsidies, to some extent Airbus can undercut to the price of Boeing and gain the market share. To Boeing, it is also supported by US government on military aircraft, so that it can remain its competitiveness in commercial aircraft manufacturing (Besanko, 2007). Substitutes is an important factor affect the demand of products. To make profit, substitutes operate in the same way by stealing business and enhancing the internal competition (Besanko, 2007). In terms of the airline, the substitute for Boeing and Airbus is the airplane made by others. In detail, it is not economical that using medium and large capacity to fly with nonstop point-to-point travel. Thus, it forced Canadian manufacturer Bombardier and Brazilian Manufacturer Embraer to fill in this gag. These two manufacturers created regional jets, and 2000 regional jets sold to date. Undoubtedly, it shocked to traditional workhorses Boeing 737s and Airbus 320s. However, the demand for air travel is climbing up, and some carriers suppose to choose Boeing and Airbus to maintain profitability (Cook.A.J, 2008). Some indirect substitutes include the other means of transportation, such as high-speed rail in Japan, which can only impact on regional aircraft in certain routes (Besanko, 2007). Barriers to entry depend on the limitation of raw materials and technologies and so on. The commercial aircraft manufacturing is a special industry with high development costs and experience-based advantage, which makes difficulties on entering. For example, the Airbus takes $ 13million to manufacture the A380. That will be a large amount to an incumbent and the non-experienced will make incumbents to be risky (Besanko, 2007). Suppliers and Buyers are another two forces. Boeing and Airbus can get raw materials and components from supplier markets. In order to tie up with suppliers, Boeing has set up its Global Airlines Inventory Network, which can order spare parts from suppliers directly (Besanko, 2007). Concerned with buyers, each has limit power which are airlines and leasing companies. Because of the few substitutes, the minimum backlogs orders can be kept with its rival competition. Moreover, during the recession, the orders can be canceled by buyers. The cancellation will influence the profitability (Lipczynski.J, 2001). Comparison with personal market Personal computers have possessed an important position in the daily life. The personal computer varies in different types: workstation, desktop computer, single unit, nettop, laptop, netbook, table PC, Ultra-mobile PC, home theater PC and pocket PC (Reimer.J, 2005). Also, there are many competitors in the market for personal computers, such as HP, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, Apple, ASUS and Toshiba. Therefore, the market for person market can be described as monopolistic competition. Different from oligopoly, the monopolistic competition involves many producers and consumers, and no exact business can control the whole market (Lipczynski.J, 2001). For instance, the Boeing and Airbus almost control the commercial aircraft manufacturing industry. Whereas, different brands in horizontal differentiation and different types in horizontal differentiation exist in personal computers and they are substitutes. In the short run, it can behave as monopolies to gain profit wit market power. In the long run, due to the freedom of entry and exit, it can behave like perfect competition (Besanko, 2007). Also, the new product development in personal computers market is independent. The firms can make decisions despite of effects come from the competitors (Shepherd.W.G, 1997). For instance, in the commercial aircraft manufacturing, Boeing and Airbus are interdependent which means the actions of one will entirely influence the other. Once Airbus develops A380 as new product, Boeing abandon its original plans to develop 787. Without the government subsidies, the innovation seems to be difficult owing to the high fixed cost. On the contrary, the producers in personal computer can develop new product based on customer preferences independently. Compared with personal computers, the growth opportunities in commercial aircraft manufacturing are limit. Because of the oligopoly, non-price competition and interdependent relationships is included. Boeing and Airbus have its own customer loyalty, the high operation cost and technologies. It is hard for them to stealing business and market share from each other. However, in the personal computer market, free entry makes the entrants can obtain the profits when sellers set prices above marginal cost, and can offer customers much more new flavors, styles, and so on (Besanko, 2007). Conclusion Overall, the market structure of commercial aircraft manufacturing industry is oligopoly. Boeing and Airbus possess the largest market share in duopoly. The competitive factors come from both internal and external, which are internal rivalry, substitutes, barriers to entry, suppliers and buyers, influence the firm growth, new product development and pricing of the commercial aircraft manufacturing market. Compared with the market for personal computers, they are different owing to different market structure which is monopolistic competition. The personal computers can do innovation freely and large space to grow.

The Aztec Nation Essay -- essays research papers

The Aztec Nation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A distant sound is heard. It sounds like a deep drum being hit with a heavy instrument. You hear it again and strain your eyes in the direction of the sound. All around you is dense jungle. Snakes slither between your legs. You hear the sound once again. In front of you is a dense stand of ferns. You part them and look down into a wide open valley. The valley gets so wide and it is so green that it takes your breath away. But that is not what you are looking at. You are staring at a huge city with glittering buildings shining in the spring sunlight. Smoke rises up from some of the many houses. You can see and hear children playing in the wide open fields in front of the shining buildings. Lamas and chickens are being bough and sold. You see bags of gold jewelery being bought and sold. Beyond the market place you can watch a religious ceremony. You hear the scream of a person being sacrificed to one of the gods. Beyond the city there are roads made of stone and can als full of pedestrians and canoos. Who are these people and what are they doing here you wonder?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The above paragraph describes what an early explorer in Mexico might have seen between 1400 and 1500 AD. The Aztec nation is one of the largest and most advanced Indian nations to ever exist on earth. Just about every part of the Aztec life was advance to such a state that at that time of the world the people were living better than many European nations. The Aztec nation is unique in its history, economy, environment, and way of life then any other nation at that time. History   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perhaps fifteen to twenty-five thousand years ago, small bands of hunting-gathering peoples made their way across the land bridge that was the frozen Bering Strait, migrated southward through what is now Alaska, Canada, the United States, Central America, South America, and Mexico, settling along the way. One such hunting- gathering group settled in the Central Valley of what is now Mexico (Nicholson 1985). There is a long history of civilizations in the Central Valley of Mexico; as early as several centuries before Christ agricultural tribes had already settled, and by the birth of Christ had established as their great religious center Teotihuacà ¡n. The history of the Central Valley after circa the tenth century A.D. is o... ...;  Ã‚  Ã‚   1988. Hodge, Mary. and Michael E Smith. Economies and Polities in the Aztec Realm. Austin, Texas: University of  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Texas Press, 1994. Leà ³n-Portilla, Miguel. The Aztec Image of Self and Society. Ed. J. Jorge Klow de Alva. Salt Lake City: University  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of Utah Press, 1992. Moctezuma, Eduardo Matos. The Great Temple of the Aztecs. Trans. Doris Heyden. New York: Thames and  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hudson, Ltd., 1988. Nicholson, H.B. â€Å"Aztec† World Book Encyclopaedia. 1985 ed. Shepperd, Donna Walsh. The Aztecs. New York: F. Watts, 1992. Stuart, Gene S. The Mighty Aztecs. Washington: National Geographic, 1981. Weaver, Muriel Porter. The Aztecs, Maya, and Their Predecessors Archeology of Mesoamerica. New York:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Seminar Press, 1972. Wolf, Leo. â€Å"The Axtecs: A tradition of Religious Human Sacrifice.† March 28, 1998. Available :  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www2.hmc.edu/~sbootn/aztec.htm

Mitochondria And Chloroplast Essay :: essays research papers fc

I. Introduction Out of all the organelles there are two that have fascinated microbiologists for the past hundred years. The first is the mitochondria, nicknamed the "powerhouse of the cell." The second is the chloroplast in plant cells that have functions similar to those of the mitochondria. What do these organelles do? What are the similarities and differences of these organelles? This essay will help you to understand these two fascinating organelles. II. Mitochondria Mitochondria are small cytoplasmic organelles. They are five to 10 micrometers long and one to .5 micrometers wide. They main function is to provide energy for cell activities. They house the respiratory enzymes that convert oxygen and the products of fat, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and guanosine triphosphate (GTP), chemicals that have high-energy bonds. They are hollow all except for a folded line of matter that contains the ribonucleic acid (RNA) or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the cell. Mitochondrion make use of a process known as oxidation to make fat acids and pyruvate acid into (indirectly) ATP and Pi (inorganic phosphate). The process goes as follows: 1) Oxidation of pyruvate acid into acetyl coenzyme A. 2) Oxidation of fat acids into acetyl coenzyme A. 3) Oxidation of acetyl coenzymes from step one and two into CO2 and NADH2. 4) Oxidation of NADH2 by oxygen forming water. 5) Synthesis of ATP coupled to NADH2 oxidation by process of oxidative phosphorylation. Most of this is self explanatory except for the last step (5). The final step contains a phrase "coupled to." This means that the compound (NADH2) must be present and have been oxidized for the synthesis of ATP, similar to a catalyst's presence of some reactions. Although the mitochondrion's major purpose is to supply the cell with the much needed ATP, it has others. Included in this list are nitrogen metabolism, porphyrin synthesis and steroid hormone synthesis. III. Chloroplasts Chloroplasts are complicated green organelles that occur within the cytoplasm of plant cells. They are the main sites of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the change of light energy, CO2 water into sugar which is used as food. They are disk shaped organelles and are surrounded by two layers of membrane that enclose the watery inside or stroma. Inside the stroma there are green dots called grana (grains) that hold chlorophyll. As with the mitochondrion the Chloroplasts use radiant or solar energy to make a product. In this case hexose. 1) The pigment complexes in the chloroplasts (including but not limited to chlorophyll) collect solar energy. 2) The light energy gathered in the first step is used to run an electron transport chain that oxidizes water into 0xygen. NADP is reduced. 3) ATP synthesis is coupled to the electron transport train.

College: Ready Or Not, Here It Comes! Essay

Schools from all over the country are preparing for the upcoming graduations in their respective institutions whether it is elementary, secondary or college academies especially those in high school. As often said, high school is a training ground for the upcoming college adventure of teenagers – a sanctuary for students to assert themselves and prepare themselves for the stress they are bound to face once they stepped on their college universities. But sadly, students graduating from secondary schools aren’t that assured as others believed to be. Unfortunately, according to the statistics, of the ten students that will finish elementary level, only seven would move up to the secondary level and only three would finish college up to the very end. These, as researches said, are commonly caused by poverty, lack of motivation and – yes – unpreparedness. The question is how we can deem a student ready for his /her college life. What are the things a student must have to be called prepared? What are the pointers that a senior student must consider in getting ready for college? First things first, we must know what we want. Choosing a course just simply because it’s ‘in’ would get you nowhere. Instead, select the one that would fit your character as well as your interests. Most college freshmen end up flunking their courses due to this misconception. Secondly, choose a college that would fit your standards. Somewhere near your place and offers quality education at your own price. After these two, you won’t have much difficulty in getting to college. But then, we always have the third cue. It would always end with the question ‘Can I do this?’ The answer? Of course you can! You would just need to shape up yourself. You must set your mind first to your goal. Your goal: to survive college and move on with life. Then, start having the confidence in you. Remember, this is college we are talking about. You will start off with only yourself to lean on before you get to meet other people. It would also help if you try to keep the pressure from getting to you. Take a load off and relax while you’re at it. Keep in mind that your education would not prosper if you would think of it as a duty – a burden – instead of an enjoyable activity. It doesn’t matter if you get awards or not, what matters is that you are learning steadily – awards are just bonuses. If you’ll observe our current society, you can perceive that the most successful personalities were not honor students during their times. Take them as your inspiration and surely, you can get through college with lesser difficulties. It wouldn’t hurt to put some effort on to something that we want to achieve. High school, as early as it seems, is not a mere phase of your life to learn something from the books. It is a phase where we should learn both the reality of life and to build an identity of our own – to discover ourselves. We can never stop time so use it wisely. Hopefully, students wouldn’t say the words ‘College: here it comes’ but rather, the declaration ‘College: ready or not, here I come’!

Wild Swans

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China is a memoir of three generations of Chinese women from Imperial China through and beyond the Cultural Revolution. Chang's grandmother was a warlord's concubine. Her gently raised mother struggled with hardships in the early days of Mao's revolution and rose, like her husband, to a prominent position in the Communist Party before being denounced during the Cultural Revolution. Chang herself marched, worked, and breathed for Mao until doubt crept in over the excesses of his policies and purges. Born just a few decades apart, their lives overlap with the end of the warlords' regime and overthrow of the Japanese occupation, violent struggles between the Kuomintang and the Communists to carve up China, and, most poignant for the author, the vicious cycle of purges orchestrated by Chairman Mao that discredited and crushed millions of people, including her parents. Jung Chang has said that her intention in writing Wild Swans was to show how the Chinese people, and in particular the women in her family, â€Å"fought tenaciously and courageously against impossible odds. The book is, indeed, a testimony to the strength and determination of herself, her mother and her grandmother and their resourcefulness in recreating themselves time and again in the face of suffering, humiliation and disillusionment. Personal and historical stories interweave and the stories of these women and their families act as a lens through which we gain further insight into the turbulent history of twentieth century China. One such insight involves the treatment of women in Chinese society through the years. There are no stunning revelations here but there are many horrific reminders. The grandmother's early life reveals a litany of horrors, such as the torture which was the custom of foot binding and the slavery and hardship that was the lot of the concubine. Chang's mother endures a different kind of hardship, one born of her husband's unbending principles and her own loyalty to a warped ideology. At eighteen, and despite the fact that she is pregnant, she is forced to walk a journey of one thousand miles through five mountain passes, while her husband, a senior officer in the communist guerrilla army, rides in a jeep. He insists that she must walk lest he be accused of favouritism. The miscarriage that results does not, however, diminish the fanaticism which induced it, and it is not until his idealism has been totally shattered that he begins to realise the pain endured for its sake. This tragedy of collapsed idealism and disillusionment lies at the heart of Wild Swans. Chang's parents' dogged loyalty is rewarded by punishment and humiliation when the fear, through which control was maintained, infects the movement itself in the form of paranoia and suspicion. Jung Chang herself moves through the stages of allegiance, confusion and eventual disillusionment as the true nature of Maoism begins to reveal itself. Her father, now a victim of his own inflexibility, dies tormented, while Jung Chang and her mother find ways of using their experience to forge new lives for themselves. In fiction, such victory over evil might be considered improbable. In reality, it is nothing short of a miracle. The genre of this novel is autobiography, which is realistically and vividly told. There are some very vivid and warm insights given of human relationships and love. The need for security and family is vividly evoked and subtly rendered. It forms a very faithful record and history of some of the worst atrocities in China, a regime that showed itself to be totally self-destructive at the end. The narrative is brisk and fluid. At times the narrative verges on something similar to a journalists report. The conclusion however is optimistic. Some of the values, which are portrayed in this book, are love, family life, loyalty, courage and a belief in the essential dignity of the human being. this novel written by Jung Chang traces the life of three generations of her family. Set in China it gives us an insight into almost eighty years of the cultural history of that country, beginning in the year 1909 and moving up to the present day. The author a native Chinese now living in London builds the narrative around her own experiences and her family all of whose lives spans different cultural periods in China's history. The ‘Three Daughters' of the title are Chang herself, her mother and her maternal grandmother and the novel chronicles the events of their lives spanning a century of China's stormy history. Chang begins the story by recounting her grandmother's experiences, in the 1920s, as concubine to a powerful warlord and her eventual escape from his household. She continues with the story of her mother's involvement, during the 1940s, 50s and 60s, with the communist movement under Mao Tse Tung and her parents' fall from power and subsequent imprisonment under the same regime. She goes on the recall her own experiences with the brutal Red Guards, her â€Å"re-education† as a farm and factory worker and her eventual departure from China to Great Britain in 1978. Women's Place in Chinese Culture The early part of the novel shows the position of the woman in this culture. Women had no position or point of view on things; they were used as objects, treated as concubines and treated with disdain by society. The development of Communism is treated with realism and evokes the most gruesome aspects of Mao's regime of dictatorship. The reiterated use of physical violence becomes almost excessive at times. The destruction of Chinese culture, its seats of learning, books artistic treasures are not only mindless but also shown to be satanic at times. The death of Mao frees the country somewhat from this state of oppression. Universities are free to function, intellectuals come tot the fore again and people are free to articulate their opposition to the regime. Violence The novel reflects the depths of cruelty and unnatural behaviour, which the human being can descend. Communism All the horrors of life under Mao's regime are depicted in graphic detail, and the underlying corruption, which sparked off the Cultural Revolution, is vividly recorded. As the novel unfolds the profoundly sadistic features of Communism and especially the Cultural Revolution are exposed. Family life is slowly but systematically destroyed by suspicion and lies. Distrust and Deceit are rampant in this society and everyone is used to undermine their neighbour. It is an oppressive and stifling atmosphere sustained by brutal torture and violence, where betrayal and slander are rife. Wild Swans Jung Chang’s 1991 novel, ‘Wild Swans’ gives the reader a significant insight into a period of uncertainty and insecurity in Chinese history. From the novel the viewer is able to identify universal issues which are still prevalent today. Feminism recurs throughout the text as the women fight for respect as their society faces turmoil, using the communist rein of Mao as their opportunity for equality. Wang Yu represents the public as his own values clash with that of the communists. Due to his unswerving loyalty to the party he dismisses his own morals for that of a higher power.Grandfather Wu ‘Er-ya-tous’ attitude is echoed throughout the text as he believed that a women should suppress their emotions and to have no opinion. This is demonstrated as each women of each generation struggles against this outlook and either succumbs or fights against it. Foot binding represents submission to traditional values and conventions, a metaphor for women’s lack of rights. Women constantly modified their bodies to conform to society’s expectations, indicating their lack of dependency and individuality.Power and status is based on a man’s property such as concubines being collected. â€Å"it was good for a man in his position to have as many concubines as possible – they showed a man’s status†. This exhibits this period of Chinese history as emotional attachment is removed and women are treated as a possession which bettered her husband’s prestige. â€Å"swallowed opium to accompany him into death†. This establishes that there was no escape from the obedience which is forced upon the women by society.Women’s lives were dedicated to serving their men as they followed them into death. â€Å"seen as a means of keeping people like her contented† society wanted people such as concubines to be in a constant haze where there was no chance of critical thinking or rebellion. â€Å"T he first my grandmother knew.. † this demonstrates the grandmothers lack of participation in her own affairs. Jung Chang’s emotive writing style aims for sympathy from the reader as she is factual and brunt, hoping for the reader to connect to the situation as they apply their own emotions.The changing roles of women are significant as it demonstrates a time of change in Chinese history. As equality in wealth is fought for under Mao’s rein the women have also fought for equality in genders. The traditional saying, â€Å"Women have long hair and short intelligence† is distinguished as the women are displayed as strong and independent in the generation of De-Hong. These individuals are a contrast to their previous generation who were submissive and obedient.As three generations of women are represented in the novel the audience has a rich understanding of the lives of women in a shifting period of history. Wang Yu (Jung Chang’s father) can be consider ed a representation of the people of China as he gives his unswerving loyalty to communism. Although his personal values and the values of communism clash he continues to stand for communism and bring justice to for the cause. â€Å"Dr Xia could tell that my father was not fully convinced himself, but felt he had to defend the party†.This demonstrates Wang Yu’s uncertainty about the morals of the communism yet indicates his need for equality of the people. This could be due to his youth being surrounded by poverty while many flaunted their wealth around him. Objective language is used throughout the novel in order to shock the audience as they describe brutal events in a factual manner. The reader is able to understand the fear of the public as an example of children being forced to watch the torture of rebels is executed in order to prevent an uprising.This indicates that the people were forced into loyalty by fear. By the voice having such an unsympathetic recount of the story she has actually manipulated the audience as they feel protective over the children. This universal theme of loyalty to your country’s values is exposed in an undesirable manner in the text as many primary characters are negatively affected. De-Hong (Jung Chang’s mother) becomes embittered by her husband as he displays allegiance to the revolution before her. â€Å"One night she could not stand it anymore, and burst into tears for the first time†.This demonstrates Wang Yu’s complete dedication to communism as his strict rules come before his wife. Jung Chang criticises her father’s strict and unswerving loyalty to communism as the hardship he had enforced onto his family can be compared to the suffering caused by the corruption within the party. â€Å"Dong’s conscience was troubled, and that whenever he was due to garrotte someone, he had to get himself drunk beforehand†. The executioner displays his lack of belief in the c ause as he has to be intoxicated before killing a person.This expresses to the audience that he understands that the beliefs of Mao are wrong but due to fear he is forced to continue. Jung Chang has provided the audience of ‘Wild Swans’ a clear insight into Chinese history as major changes developed throughout three significant generations of women. Universal issues are displayed as women begin their fight for equality and the reasons for loyalty are questioned in an uncertain environment. The reader gains comprehension of these matters through Jung Chang’s representation of the events.

Rethinking Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rethinking Strategy - Essay Example To achieve competitive advantage, a business outfit should achieve superior performance on the strategic factors relevant to stakeholders. For the Harvard professor and one of the famous thinker's business models, "a competitive strategy takes offensive or defensive action to create a defendable position in the industry ("Competitive Advantage," 2007)." The basis for a business' beyond par performance in an industry, according to Porter, is that a business has competitive advantage. There are three approaches to attain this status. The first is by attaining cost leadership. This means that a firm aspiring for this must become the firm that has the lowest cost of production in its industry. It is actually the ability of a firm to design, produce, and market a comparable product more efficiently than its competitors (Kenney, 2003, p.44). In a case where a company's prices are similar or near that of his competitors, the company that has superior returns has cost leadership. The second is by differentiation. The firm seeks to be unique in the industry where it belongs, among some that are widely valued by buyers. One huge factor that a makes customers value a company's product is by having special product features and service. The third is through focus. ... The first and more "traditional" is the outside-in approach. According to this mode of thinking, the company's strategy heavily depends on external (market) constraints such as customers, entry barriers of suppliers, threat of substitutes, etc. The most vital means to success is the "strategic fit": the jibing between the company's strategy and its environment (Paawe and Boselie 2004, Kenny 2003, p.44). One of the most popular versions of this thought is Michael Porter's popular "outside-in" Five Forces model. Existing competitive rivalry between suppliers, threat of new market entrants, bargaining power of buyers, power of suppliers, and threat of substitute products makes up Porter's five forces (Chapman. 2005). These are all external, environmental forces. For Paauwe and Boselie, the company's primary course of action in the company's outside-in strategy therefore is to adopt contingency measures. The company puts premium to its reaction to the environmental forces (outside) that affects its operation and performance (in). On the other hand, the inside-out approach thinking more espoused by strategic managers than the traditional outside-in one in the late 1990's. This method is more concerned on the internal resources of a company rather than how it will strengthen itself from external problems. Core competence of Hamel and Prahalad is an example of a business model that applies the inside out thinking. Under this model, corporations should find a core of shared competencies. A core competency is "an area of specialized expertise that is the result of harmonizing complex streams of technology and work activity." To identify a core competence,

Politics, the Role of Good Governance Assignment

Politics, the Role of Good Governance - Assignment Example The discussion focuses on the role of democracy in influencing the overall development of low-income countries. It also precisely outlines the performance of these countries after their independence and acceptance of a democratic system. There are various forms of governance system such as monarchy, dictatorship and democratic practiced by different nations around the world. However, since last few decades’, democratic form of governance systems has gained tremendous popularity and is widely favored by both people and experts, especially in low-income or developing countries. Most of the nations around the world have either already transformed their governance system into a democracy, or they are observed as endeavoring to transfer their governance system into a democratic structure. One of the best definitions for the term was given by U.S. President Mr. Abraham Lincoln, which states democracy as â€Å"government of the people, by the people and for the people†. It should be noted in this regard that the word ‘democracy’ primarily focuses on the people and not on the government2. The world is now more democratic than it was ever before. After the independence of many Asian and African nations, countries have adopted a democratic system of government in the face of intense poverty and relentless social as well as economic apprehensions. Nonetheless, democratization in low-income countries has resulted in positive outcomes in several fronts, especially in achieving universal primary education and eliminating gender disparities in access of basic education. The democratization in low-income countries has indeed helped them to reduce child mortality rate and a poverty rate that was likely being faced by many developing countries before democratization.  The spread of democratization along with the integration of world economy through globalization process and the dramatic technology revolution have accumulatively contributed in an increased potential of the low-income countries for improving the lifestyle of the citizens ensuring greater human freedom and well- being.

Nuclear Energy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nuclear Energy - Research Paper Example The most alarming factor concerning the rapid population growth around the world is their need to access to the resources which they use to make a living out of (Sovacool). Despite the growth and the increased demand on the natural resources by the increasing human population, these natural resources have not been appreciating in value but have been depreciating instead as the pressure is exerted on them due to increased human demands. Besides industrialization has been on the increase as well as many countries try to fight out for their survival within their niches with regard to the diminishing natural resources. The main driving force for economic development and the running of various industries around the globe is energy. This actually means that as the world’s industrial growth continues to expand, a lot of energy is required to run the industries as well as other sectors of economic productivity. It is however an amazing discovery made by the scientists concerning the p rovision of energy requirements for the increasing world populations with the diminishing trend in the natural resource endowments which is in contrary with the world population growth. This paper will look at the process of nuclear energy development around the globe and its implications for the global population. The aspect of increasing energy requirements and the need to plan adequately for the future generations with the diminishing natural resource base lead to the coining of the term sustainable development which cropped up during the earth summit in Rio De Jenairo in 1992 which aimed at striking a balance between the increasing human populations and the energy demands and call for the use of these natural resources in a sustainable manner (Wiberg). The summit, commonly known as the Rio Summit/the Rio declaration defined sustainable development as the type of development which caters for the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of the future gener ations to meet their own needs. This therefore meant that the present generation had to use her energy and other natural resources in such a way that they wouldn’t compromise the ability of the future generations to use the same resources to meet their own needs. The declaration made several countries to decide otherwise with regard to their protection of the natural resources hence the development of the nuclear energy as an alternative form to supplement and help sustain the non- renewable forms of energy such as hydro- electric energy, wood energy as well as the petroleum energy which is currently in high demand and widely used in the industrial sector but which is diminishing at a very high rate since it is non- renewable. Nuclear energy as Wiberg notes is that type of energy which is obtained by splitting the nucleus of certain radioactive atoms such as uranium, a process referred to as nuclear fission or nuclear tracking (Wiberg). The increasing demands on the requireme nts in the world has led to the overuse of the carbon related energy such as petroleum and coal energy which have only increased the extent of carbon gas emission in the atmosphere. Carbonic gas, which is known as a common and the most dangerous greenhouse gas resulting from emissions emanating from the extensive use of fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal, has immensely contributed to extensive global warming