Gender Gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gender Gap - Essay Example Some women are very interested in female equality, some are apathetic, and some stand firmly against it. This study further concluded that the more education the father has, the more likelihood there is that the daughter will be a feminist. Sexism is a process based on historical traditions and stereotypes. Sexism is the process of assigning life roles according to gender. The basic institutions of socialization are education and the family. Sexism begins in the family. The behaviors associated with sexism are so deeply ingrained into our minds that sexist behaviors are generally unconscious. Both men and women practice sexism in their daily behaviors by means of speech, dress, attitudes, and goals. â€Å"Unfortunately, the potential for harm is great, as gender bias in children’s literature historically has been widespread. Early studies of picture books from the 1970s and before have shown that under-representation of girls and women and gender-typed character roles are pre valent in a variety of samples of children’s books but under-representation was not as severe†. Sexism respects neither race nor color nor culture. It can be compared with racism in that it identifies a portion of the population and designates them "different" and, therefore, inferior. Sexism involves the combination of power and prejudice. Male dominance and female passiveness have remained in cultural, institutional, and individual practices even though technological advancements have negated strength and speed as required factors of dominance.... Still another significant factor determined by this study is that the higher the educational level in the home, the more likely girls are to believe in equal rights. The following paragraph is less than 1 page Sexism is a process based on historical traditions and stereotypes. Sexism is the process of assigning life roles according to gender (Berggren 2006, p. 132). The basic institutions of socialization are education and the family. Sexism begins in the family. The behaviors associated with sexism are so deeply ingrained into our minds that sexist behaviors are generally unconscious. Both men and women practice sexism in their daily behaviors by means of speech, dress, attitudes, and goals (Berggren 2006, p. 134). "Unfortunately, the potential for harm is great, as gender bias in children's literature historically has been widespread. Early studies of picture books from the 1970s and before have shown that under-representation of girls and women and gender-typed character roles are prevalent in a variety of samples of children's books but under-representation was not as severe" (Hamilton et al 2006, p. 759). Sexism respects neither race nor color nor culture. It can be compared with raci sm in that it identifies a portion of the population and designates them "different" and, therefore, inferior. Sexism, like racism, involves the combination of power and prejudice. Male dominance and female passiveness have remained in cultural, institutional, and individual practices even though technological advancements have negated strength and speed as required factors of dominance. Society, being codified by men, decrees that the female is inferior (Elgar 2004, p. 876). The problems of

Problem Solving Process Essay Example for Free

Problem Solving Process Essay 1. Define the problem This is often where people struggle. They react to what they think the problem is. Instead, seek to understand more about why you think theres a problem. Define the problem: (with input from yourself and others). Ask yourself and others, the following questions: 1.What can you see that causes you to think theres a problem? 2.Where is it happening? 3.How is it happening? 4.When is it happening? 5.With whom is it happening? (HINT: Dont jump to Who is causing the problem? When were stressed, blaming is often one of our first reactions. To be an effective manager, you need to address issues more than people.) 6.Why is it happening? 7.Write down a five-sentence description of the problem in terms of The following should be happening, but isnt or The following is happening and should be: As much as possible, be specific in your description, including what is happening, where, how, with whom and why. (It may be helpful at this point to use a variety of research methods. Defining complex problems: If the problem still seems overwhelming, break it down by repeating steps 1-7 until you have descriptions of several related problems. Verifying your understanding of the problems: It helps a great deal to verify your problem analysis for conferring with a peer or someone else. Prioritize the problems: If you discover that you are looking at several related problems, then prioritize which ones you should address first. Note the difference between important and urgent problems. Often, what we consider to be important problems to consider are really just urgent problems. Important problems deserve more attention. For example, if youre continually answering urgent phone calls, then youve probably got a more important problem and thats to design a system that screens and prioritizes your phone calls. Understand your role in the problem: Your role in the problem can greatly influence how you perceive the role of others. For example, if youre very stressed out, itll probably look like others are, too, or, you may resort too quickly to blaming and reprimanding others. Or, you are feel very guilty about your role in the problem, you may ignore the accountabilities of others. 2. Look at potential causes for the problem †¢Its amazing how much you dont know about what you dont know. Therefore, in this phase, its critical to get input from other people who notice the problem and who are effected by it. †¢Its often useful to collect input from other individuals one at a time (at least at first). Otherwise, people tend to be inhibited about offering their impressions of the real causes of problems. †¢Write down what your opinions and what youve heard from others. †¢Regarding what you think might be performance problems associated with an employee, its often useful to seek advice from a peer or your supervisor in order to verify your impression of the problem. †¢Write down a description of the cause of the problem and in terms of what is happening, where, when, how, with whom and why. 3. Identify alternatives for approaches to resolve the problem At this point, its useful to keep others involved (unless youre facing a personal and/or employee performance problem). Brainstorm for solutions to the problem. Very simply put, brainstorming is collecting as many ideas as possible, then screening them to find the best idea. Its critical when collecting the ideas to not pass any judgment on the ideas just write them down as you hear them. (A wonderful set of skills used to identify the underlying cause of issues is Systems Thinking.) 4. Select an approach to resolve the problem †¢When selecting the best approach, consider: †¢Which approach is the most likely to solve the problem for the long term? †¢Which approach is the most realistic to accomplish for now? Do you have the resources? Are they affordable? Do you have enough time to implement the approach? †¢What is the extent of risk associated with each alternative? (The nature of this step, in particular, in the problem solving process is why problem solving and decision making are highly integrated.) 5. Plan the implementation of the best alternative (this is your action plan) 1.Carefully consider What will the situation look like when the problem is solved? 2.What steps should be taken to implement the best alternative to solving the problem? What systems or processes should be changed in your organization, for example, a new policy or procedure? Dont resort to solutions where someone is just going to try harder. 3.How will you know if the steps are being followed or not? (these are your indicators of the success of your plan) 4.What resources will you need in terms of people, money and facilities? 5.How much time will you need to implement the solution? Write a schedule that includes the start and stop times, and when you expect to see certain indicators of success. 6.Who will primarily be responsible for ensuring implementation of the plan? 7.Write down the answers to the above questions and consider this as your action plan. 8.Communicate the plan to those who will involved in implementing it and, at least, to your immediate supervisor. (An important aspect of this step in the problem-solving process is continually observation and feedback.) 6. Monitor implementation of the plan Monitor the indicators of success: 1.Are you seeing what you would expect from the indicators? 2.Will the plan be done according to schedule? 3.If the plan is not being followed as expected, then consider: Was the plan realistic? Are there sufficient resources to accomplish the plan on schedule? Should more priority be placed on various aspects of the plan? Should the plan be changed? 7. Verify if the problem has been resolved or not One of the best ways to verify if a problem has been solved or not is to resume normal operations in the organization. Still, you should consider: 1.What changes should be made to avoid this type of problem in the future? Consider changes to policies and procedures, training, etc. 2.Lastly, consider What did you learn from this problem solving? Consider new knowledge, understanding and/or skills. 3.Consider writing a brief memo that highlights the success of the problem solving effort, and what you learned as a result. Share it with your supervisor, peers and subordinates.

Human Resource Management at Delphi Essay -- HR HRM

Human Resource Management at Delphi Human Resource Management is the utilization of human resources to achieve organizational objectives. Various studies have concluded that an organization?s human resources is its people. It can be a significant source of competitive advantage. Achieving competitive success through people requires a fundamental change in how managers think about an organization workforce and how they view the work relationship. It's a new approach within the framework of organizational, behavior that goes beyond the role of just personnel administration. I have learned How job analysis is a systemic process of determining the skills, duties and knowledge required for performing jobs in an organization, How compensation includes all reward that individuals recovery as a result of their employment, and The Occupational Safety and Health is an approved state occupational safety and health program. With today?s work force becoming increasingly diverse, a organization must do more to maximize the benefits of the different employees. Human Resource Managers are evolving from the ?Old School? sideline player to the front line fighters. People have always been central to organizations, but their strategic importance is growing in today?s society. Whereas the human resource inventory is concerned with telling management what individual employees can do, Job Analysis is more fundamental. It defines the jobs within the organization and the behaviors that are necessary to perform the job. It is essential and pervasive human resource technique. The purpose of job analysis is to obtain answers to six important questions: 1) What physical an mental tasks does the worker accomplish? 2) ... ...a hazardous tag on it, if it?s hazardous. The organization needs a system that can control the containers. When a person checks out the container, that same person should check it in at the end of the shift. This will ensure proper labeling of the containers. In conclusion, all these things can be benefical to an organization if utilize in proper context. I have learned How job analysis is a systemic process of determining the skills, duties and knowledge required for performing jobs in an organization, How compensation includes all reward that individuals recovery as a result of their employment, and The Occupational Safety and Health is an approved state occupational safety and health program. Whether an organization choose to implement high performance work practices or the organization has qualified people to perform the work that needs to be done.

023 Understand Child and Young Person development Essay

Age range Explain the sequence and rate of development 0-3 months When born, babies show innate reflexes, such as swallowing and sucking, rooting reflex, grasp reflex, startle reflex, walking and standing reflex; in the first month babies become less curled up and the startle reflex is starting to fade; toward the end of the third month babies start lifting and turning their heads. 3-6 months When lying on front babies can lift their arms and legs balancing on their tummies; they can reach and grab a toy and they can pass it from one hand to another; they can also roll from their backs to front; around sixth month babies are becoming able to sit with support (e. g. high chair). 6-9 months Babies can sit without support; they are beginning to crawl or find other ways of being mobile (bottom-shuffling); starting to use fingers to feed. 9-12 months Babies are becoming very mobile, fast crawling, standing up by the furniture, some babies walk along the furniture using their hands to hold on; developing abilities to handle objects and putting them into containers; babies able to feed themselves with fingers. 1-2 years At the beginning of this period babies are beginning to walk and around 18 months they are becoming more and more skilful on their feet, moving faster; toddlers around this age begin to sit and push with their legs to move on the sit-and-ride toys. Towards their second year children walk confidently, they can run and climb; towards the end of the second year some children are becoming ready to start potty training. 2-4 years In the third year children start potty training; they become able to push with feet or peddle a tricycle; children can walk upstairs alternating their feet; towards the end of the this period children are skilful enough to feed and dress themselves; they are able to do threading, pouring and they can use scissors. 4-7 years Physical development less rapid, however skills are becoming more refined and movements more coordinated. Ability to kick and control ball; development of fine motor skills essential for handwriting. 7-12 years Good coordination of small and large movements; growing physical skilfulness means task can be done quicker, more accurately and more confidently; neater drawing and writing; accurate cutting. Between 9 and 12 children gain even better coordination and speed in fine and gross motor skills. Around 11th year the bodies of some girls are starting to change (growing breasts) and some might start their periods. 12-16 years Gradual body changes in both girls and boys (girls physically mature quicker [around 15/ 16] than boys [around 17/18]. Fast body changes may affect spatial awareness which can become occasionally poor as a result. 16-19 years The maturing of the body is finishing with the full development of sexual organs; the body is taking a distinctive female or male shape. 023 Table 2: Intellectual and cognitive development Age range Explain the sequence and rate of development 0-3 months Quite early on babies are able to recognise the smell of their mother and her voice; later they become familiar with voices of important others and they can be calmed when they hear them; they are interested in faces. In their 3rd month babies start to differentiate between day and night (settled routine); babies become interested in mobiles and other objects around them. 3-6 months Babies are becoming interested in what is happening around them, turning their head in the direction of interest; objects are being explored by hands and mouth. 6-9 months Developing fine motor skills allow babies for a better exploration of objects by handling and touching with fingers; around 8 or 9 months babies understand object permanence (objects continue to exists even when out of sight). 9-12 months Babies are more aware of what is happening around them, they are starting to understand routines through signals (bib = food) 1-2 years Children enjoy pop-up and posting toys and in their 2nd year they are starting to have a go at simple jigsaw puzzles and building bricks. 2-4 years Children pretend play with miniature world; they more interested in books, mark making and painting. In their fourth year children are able to concentrate and focus longer on activities which which caught their interest. 4-7 years Children begin to do some simple counting and calculations, recognizing letters is followed by gradual decoding of simple words and later by reading. 7-12 years Reading and writing is becoming easier, children start reading silently to themselves. Play becomes more organized and follows rules. Development of thinking and reasoning is demonstrated through independent problem solving. 12-16 years Further development of reasoning and problem solving; children are gradually starting to understand more abstract concepts. 16-19 years Cognitive abilities are becoming further refined, leading to high level skills in young people. 023 Table 3: Communication development Age range Explain the sequence and rate of development 0-3 months To start with babies express their hunger, tiredness or other discontent through crying; around 5th/6th week babies start to coo when content; in the third month babies start smiling and reciprocate smiles. 3-6 months Babies starting to understand a little of what is being said and they are starting to give some communication signals themselves (e. g. raised arms when they want to be picked up). 6-9 months Babies become quite vocal, babbling with a differentiated tuneful string of sounds. They are also starting to understand various important key words connected with their routines (e. g. ?dinner? ). 9-12 months Babies clearly show they understand more of what is being said around them/ to them. Babbling is still main way of communication. 1-2 years First meaningful sounds/ words are beginning to emerge around 13 months, and at the end of 2nd year children might have a vocabulary of about 200 words. 2-4 years Language is becoming a powerful means of communication. From connecting two words first children are beginning gradually to build up sentences and their talking is becoming understandable even to those who are not in regular contact with the child. Even though there might be the odd mistake in the sentence structure, the language toward the end of this period is becoming fluent and children ask questions and generally enjoy expressing themselves through language. 4-7 years Children are becoming involved with written language – they are starting to learn to read and write. 7-12 years Reading and writing becomes easier now; at the beginning of this period children enjoy telling jokes to others; apart from chatting, children are beginning to be able to form a simple argument and be persuasive, they are becoming increasingly able to negotiate with others. Their writing shows more grammatical awareness as well as own imagination. 12-16 years Reading and writing skills are becoming very good and children are becoming increasingly skilful in negotiating and persuasion of others (peers and adults). 16-19 years Communication with peers is becoming very important; differentiation between formal and informal language and its use in real life is becoming more and more important; young people use different means to communicate (via phones, mobile messaging, emails, facebook, etc. ). 023 Table 4: Social, emotional and behavioural development Age range Explain the sequence and rate of development 0-3 months First social contacts are being established mainly during feeding; at the end of the first month babies start to show first smiles which then gradually become response to familiar faces. 3-6 months Babies smile and squeal with delight when playing with familiar others. 6-9 months Babies try to stay close to their primary carers and around 8 months babies may become distressed when their primary carer leaves. 9-12 months Babies are fixed on their carers and do not want to be with strangers. 1-2 years Children start notice other children around them and they show some interest in them and later start parallel play. They also start show some frustrations and tantrums as they gradually discover some boundaries. 2-4 years Children play alongside others and may start copying their actions. Around the third year children become more aware of others and their needs which also reflects in their play which is gradually starting to be more and more cooperative. Children enjoy being praised by adults. 4-7 years Developing language is helping children to form better relationships and children begin to show some preferences in friendships. 7-12 years Friendships are becoming more stable and more important and may influence decision making (if my friend is doing something I might be more likely doing it also). Gender specific play is becoming more apparent. Children start to compare themselves to others. Children enjoy being given some responsibilities. 12-16 years Friends and friendships are very important and gradually opinions from friends might feel more important that those of parents/ carers. This leads to exploration and challenge of the boundaries of relationships as well as learning to deal with disagreements, arguments, etc. There are anxieties coming from pressures from school. 16-19 years Young people enjoy being with their friends, they are finding discovering their own identity and sense of belonging to a group/ groups of specific characteristics which defines for them who they are (religious groups, sport group, goth, etc. ) 023 Table 5: Moral development Age range Explain the sequence and rate of development 0-3 months 3-6 months 6-9 months 9-12 months Children might start paying attention to â€Å"no† and might stop their behaviour for a moment. 1-2 years Children are beginning to understand â€Å"no† and they start using it themselves. 2-4 years At the beginning of this phase still no understanding what is right or wrong but children understand when they are said â€Å"No†. Later they become able to follow some simple rules. Around 4 years children are becoming thoughtful at times but most of the times will decide what to do on the basis of adult approval. 4-7 years Children are beginning to understand rules; they try to understand them, follow them and may attempt to create their own rules where no rules are given (made-up game with friends). 7-12 years Children share their knowledge of rules with others and will readily point out if someone breaks the rules. Later they are becoming more aware of behaviour consequences and they are generally becoming more thoughtful. 12-16 years Children are beginning to be aware of a bigger picture – rules of communities and societies and they are beginning to understand the need for that. 16-19 years There is a interest in moral issues, finding out that right and wrong is not always black and white. Questioning and testing of rules. A2 Answer the following questions. 1. What is the difference between ‘sequence’ of development and ‘rate’ of development? 2. Why is the difference important? (Ref 1. 2) Q1. What is the difference between a sequence of development and rate of development? Sequence of development is the order in which development occurs, e. g. children are able to sit before they learn to crawl. The order of the sequences in development are always the same (even though there might be some individual differences: babies always learn to move about before standing up and walking, but some babies bottom-shuffle instead of crawling). Rate, on the other hand, is the speed in which individuals go through the stages/ sequences of development. Most children learn to walk when they are about 12 months old. However, some babies might be ready to walk when they are 10 months old and others when they are 15 months old. Individuals might also be developing with different rate in different areas, e. g. some children might be developing quickly physically, but their speech might be delayed. These individual differences are results of genetic predispositions and other biological influences as well as environmental stimulation. Q2. Why is the difference important? Knowing the sequences of development in different areas is important for practitioners to be able to plan accordingly and therefore to support the development in individuals. The rate of the development is important in terms of recognizing any atypical development and recommending/ searching any additional interventions when needed. TASK B Complete table; Research and report B1 Complete a table as shown on the following page, identifying the different personal and external factors that influence children and young people’s development. (Ref 2. 1, 2. 2) B2 Produce a report to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of differing theories of development. This report should identify how these theories have influenced current practice and include the following: Cognitive (e. g. Piaget) Psychoanalytic (e. g. Freud) Humanist (e. g. Maslow) Social learning (e. g. Bandura) Operant conditioning (e. g. Skinner) Behaviourist (e. g. Watson) Social pedagogy. Over the years there have been many theories trying to explain certain aspects of development, behaviour, learning, etc. In the following text we will look at the most influential theories which are being used by practitioners in better understanding as well as day to day work with children and young people. After a brief description of how an individual theory was founded, we will discuss the key points for work at nurseries. Theory of cognitive development (Constructivist approach) Theory of cognitive development is connected with the name of Jean Piaget (1896-1980) who through work on intelligence tests started to notice how children at same stages make very similar mistakes in their tasks and problem solving approaches. Piaget then closely observed his own children, capturing their development in details and later using these observations to create a theory of cognitive development. Piaget considered children as active learners who create ? schemas? (believes) about the world based on their experiences. This is how they make sense about what is happening around them. However, a child? s schemas are going to be challanged time to time by new and unexpected experiences and as a result existing schema will have to adapted to fit these in (e. g. touching something hot will alter the notion that everything is safe to touch and child will learn that certain objects can hurt when being touched). Piaget? s theory influenced the practice by having a ? child-centred? approach. In our setting, for example, we make regular observations on what our children are interested in and what they like to play/ do. After careful evaluations and identifications of possible next steps of development we plan activities which as well as reflecting children? s interest also further challenge them to encourage the development. Psychoanalytic theory of personality Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) suggested that every personality has got three parts to it – id, ego and superego. We all are born with id, which is the part of our personality that is driven by our desires and reflects in pleasure-seeking behaviour. Id is selfish and passionate and it is purely after satisfying its needs, known as ? gratification?. However, through social contact and learning babies/children gradually learn to be aware of the outside world and eventually of needs of others. They will be developing ego, which is able to plan the actions so the needs of the individual can still be met but in more socially desired way, e. g. ability to wait for once turn when the food is being served at pre-school settings. This is called ? differed gratification?. Later, as a result of further parenting and learning about social and cultural values, the superego is developed. Superego could be described as an internalised parent as the child is starting to be aware of what is good and what is bad without external reminder – e. g. I must not hit because it hurts. If the behaviour trespasses the imperatives of the superego, the individual will feel guilt as they are now aware that their behaviour was bad (this is referred as ? conscience? ). Apart from judging conscience, superego has got a notion of an ego-ideal to which it will strive. When ego demonstrates good behaviour the ego-ideal part of superego will reward this, e. g. feeling good after doing something for someone else even when external praise is not present. Even though Freud has been criticised for basing his description and explanations of development on sexual motives, some of his theoretical concepts are now widely accepted (e. g. the concept of unconscious mind – id and most of superego). One could say that orientation on children? s needs might be partly inspired by Freud? s ideas about the dynamics of id, ego and superego. Too strong superego and suppressed unconscious id will lead to many problems in adult life, where individual tries to live mainly by what is required by the outside world rather than allowing themselves to follow own desires. In early years healthy development of ego can be supported by putting the child and their needs in the centre of our attention; activities and work with children is individualized and child-led, yet still well planned and safe. For example, in our setting we might notice that a particular child enjoys opening and closing doors, gates, etc. Instead of completely discouraging him from doing that we might identify situations when it might be appropriate for him/her to do so and explain the necessary things around it in a child-friendly way (e. g. : When everybody has got their shoes on, you can open the door, Henry. , We will keep the gate closed now, because we are going to play in the yard now. , Mind your fingers when closing the door – you could close them in and that would really hurt. , etc. ). If we say ? no? to children it is good to make sure that the child knows about the reasons behind our decisions (even though they might find it hard initially anyway, they are more likely to come round and understand it in their own time). Humanistic theory of motivation and personality – Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) Maslow studied motivation in people and came up with what is now known as Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow divided the needs into five categories (physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualisation) and put them in hierarchical order from the most essential and basic needs to higher-order needs. Maslow argues that it is necessary to fulfil the needs from from the bottom of the hierarchy first to be able to meet the needs of higher order. Only when all the other lower needs are met, an individual can focus on fulfilling the highest needs of self-actualisation, such as creativity, problem solving, morality, etc. In our practice we are aware, that when a child is for example overtired and hungry (the most basic physiological needs), there is no space to try to fit in other things, e. g. ?wait for your turn? , ? say please? ,†¦. (which would be working on their higher order needs, such as love/belonging (friendship) or esteem (respect for others, respect by others). This child at that stage needs to be fed and put to sleep as soon as possible and other input has to wait until the child is again able to tune to it/ receive it. Social cognitive theory Social cognitive theory has its roots in behaviouristic approach. However, Albert Bandura (born 1925), even though accepting learning by conditioning, argued that lots of learning happens through social observations (? observational learning? ). Observational learning is when children copy what other children or adults do; in comparison to conditioning, observational learning happens spontaneously and often without the need for reinforcement. Cognitive abilities seem to play an important role in observational learning as children need to be capable to notice the activity itself as well as remember it accurately. As staff we need to be mindful in the way we act and interact in front of children as they are likely to copy our behaviour. In accordance with the social cognitive theory we try to set good examples to the children in our settings by showing good manners and being courteous to them as well as to one another. Behaviourist approach to learning – operant conditioning Operant conditioning is based on classical conditioning (I. P. Pavlov; J. B. Watson), which teaches that certain behaviour/ reaction can be connected with a stimulus through conditioning, e. g. fear of cats after a bad experience with a cat. F. B. Skinner (1904-1990) however took this a bit further and through experiments mainly with pigeons and rats showed that learning can be strengthen by reinforcements, such as positive reinforcement (praise, sticker, attention, etc. ), negative reinforcement (this is removing something which is negative from the situation so it no longer poses a ? threat? or causes negative emotions and the whole experience becomes more positive, e. g. child does want to play with a toy because it is scared of the noises it makes – by switching the sound off, the child is able to explore the toy) and punishers (negative consequence which is likely to prevent individuals to repeat their behaviour – e. g. touching hot iron). Skinner researched most effective ways to retain the learnt behaviour and he found out that even though continuous positive reinforcement is good at the beginning of the learning, later unpredictable positive reinforcement keeps the learnt behaviour in place for longer period of time. This is because even though the reward comes frequently, we are not sure when it is going to come next and therefore we keep doing the behaviour. At our setting we might be using operant conditioning for example when we are helping a child to potty train. First every sitting on the potty, regardless of results will be rewarded. When the child gets into the habit of sitting on the potty, then only successful potty session will be rewarded with a sticker (however praise for trying when unsuccessful remains). When starting to do regularly this stickers might gradually become praise and sticker will be awarded if the child successfully asks for potty when they need it. Behaviourist approach to learning – Classical conditioning J. B. Watson (1878 – 1958) followed I. P. Pavlov? s work on classical conditioning with animals (dogs salivating when food arrived became then salivating even at the mere sight of the bowl; Pavlov took this further by conditioning completely unrelated food stimulus, such as bell or light, which after regular presence at the mealtimes would later on its own initiate the salivating response in dogs). Watson showed that classical conditioning is possible in humans as well (famous Little Albert experiment, where a baby was conditioned to have fear of rats). Classical conditioning is not really used in practice as a active way of teaching, however its theory can be used for observational purposes (e. g. recognising when sucking thumb signals hunger etc. ). Social pedagogy Social pedagogy is a discipline which brings together theory and practice in order to assure the best and holistic way of supporting children in their development and education. The overall aim of social pedagogy is to give children and young people the best possible chances for their future lives. In accordance with social pedagogy the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS) has been devised to capture the development in early years and to help professionals to monitor, plan and support effectively individual development. For better and focused understanding the development has been divided into seven areas, out of which three are recognised as prime areas (Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; Physical Development) and four are described as specific areas of development (Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Expressive Arts and Design). The support the professionals can provide is differentiated into helpful advice in positive relationship and suggestions for enabling environments. In EYFS we can see influence of Piaget? s work in enabling environments where the focus is predominantly on individual? s own experience. We can also strongly identify the theory of ? zone of proximal development? by Vygotsky (cognitive development) in EYFS as we can easily identify where children are in their development, what is the next developmental stage for them and how we can support this next step. 023 Personal and external factors influencing development B3 Personal Factors: Give ONE explanation of a positive influence on the development of children and young people Health status: given by genetic predispositions as well as environmental factors, such as diet, pollution, stress, etc. If obesity is genetically passed on in the family than healthy diet together with developing positive attitude towards regular exercise will help the child to maintain a good health. Disability: Physical impairment, such as missing or underdeveloped limb Wheel chair together with barrier free environment (e. g. lifts, ramps, low sinks, etc. ) will help to support independence of an individual. Sensory impairment: visual impairments, hearing impairments, death-blindness, When working with individuals with visual impairment, we can use the other senses to compensate and provide necessary stimulation which helps the development, e. g. using special toys/ learning material which uses touch and sound as a mean of gaining information. However, if there is some vision left (which usually there is), the environment can be adjusted by using contrast colours, non-reflective material, good lighting, etc. Learning difficulties: Dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, dysortographia, ADHD, ADD Children with ADHD benefit from having a regular routine. Activities needs to be short and well planned with simple and easy to follow instructions. Hands-on activities with regular physical exercise and lots of praise are essential. External Factors: Poverty and deprivation: poor diet, inadequate housing, lack of education, lack of access to play and leisure, low aspirations and expectations Good education can help the individual to break from the poverty and secure them a better brighter future. Family environment/background: neglecting parents, abusive parents, parents with alcohol or other drug-taking problems, ill parents who are not able to provide adequate environment for their children, etc. Parents who are ill and no longer able to fully provide for their children could be provided with carers who would help with the overall smooth running of the household, caring for needs of the disabled parent and the needs of the children, while keeping the family itself together. Personal choices: from certain age children/ young people make some decisions for themselves which can have effect on their development, e. g. taking drugs, changing their diet, etc. To help to prevent drug-taking it is important to support the development of a positive self-image and healthy self-esteem; education and raising awareness of dangers of drug-abuse is also a helpful preventative measure. Looked after/care status: children in residential care, in foster families, in their own family but having care status (they are the responsibility of local authorities). If children are being fostered it is beneficial if siblings can stay together. Education: Educational system, through family itself, through other groups (religious groups, sport groups, hobbies and interests, etc. ) Finding out strengths of an individual (which do not have to necessarily academic) and building upon those to build a healthy self-esteem and recognition of self-worth – this can help to compe with other weaker areas in a positive way. 023 Task C Report Produce a short report in the form of an induction pack for new staff at a setting, covering the following. a. Give two examples of assessment methods that could be used to monitor a child/young person’s development. (Ref 3. 1) b. Give three examples of why sometimes child/young person’s development does not follow the expected pattern. (Ref 3. 2) c. Give one explanation of how disability can impact and affect development. (Ref 3. 3) d. Give three examples of different types of intervention that could promote positive outcomes for the child/young person, where development is not following the expected pattern. (Ref 3. 4) a. In our setting we use several assessment methods to monitor our children? s development. The most used one is a short free description on sticky labels – these capture a specific short observation in a specific area of development (e. g. Physical Development); the date and the identified area/ areas get recorded on the label. This method of recording information is useful for gathering evidence of the progress of development in specific areas and building a developmental profile of an individual child. We also use specific observation sheets, on which we capture a more detailed and complex observation. In the next section on the sheet the observation is evaluated and areas of the development are identified (often more than one). In the last section we identify the next steps for the child and how we can help the child to achieve that. We have two types of observation sheets in our settings following this format – one is purely written observation, the other one is a photo observation sheet. This method of recording and evaluation allows us not only to add to the developmental profile of each child but also to plan effectively to further support the child? s development. b. There are many possible reason why at times the development might not follow the expected pattern. Apart from the most obvious ones, such as disabilities and special learning needs, the development can get affected by external factors, such as environmental reasons, cultural reasons, social reasons; and specific individual reasons, such as emotional reasons, physical reasons and communication difficulties. Environmental reasons: Among environmental reasons which may affect child? s development is for example where and in what conditions a child lives and what type of school they attend. Social reasons: There might be big differences between children in terms of wealth of their families, family status and family structure (big family with strong bonds in comparison to divorced parents with negative mutual relationship), education of parents as well as their ability to tune themselves to the needs of their children – all of these will affect the way children will be developing. Communication skills: Slower developing communication skills have got potential to negatively influence the development in other areas. The inability to effectively express themselves may result in frustrations in children and aggressive behaviour as well as consequently lower literacy skills. Similar effects can be observed in children whose families? language is not the dominant language of the country. If the dominant language is not fully acquired the child may significantly struggle once at school. c. Disability can affect more than one area of development as children can become frustrated and their self-esteem can be lowered. The attitudes of low expectations and stereotyping by others will also have a secondary negative impact on a child? s development. d. There are several ways how difficulties in development can be recognised, monitored and positively supported. Educational establishments will have appointed SENCO, a person who is responsible for identification and organising further support for children with special needs. If appropriate Educational psychologist will be contacted to make a full assessment and recommendations in how to support individuals in education (behavioural problems and learning difficulties). Suggested interventions may be discussed with parents and with learning support assistants and individual educational plan might be written up and followed. If there are any issues with speech and communication, Speech and language therapist will be consulted – the outcomes of the assessment will lead to a specific plan of action, often involving regular contact in which special exercises will be explained, practised and taught to children and their parents/carers/other professionals for them to be able to support the children outside the sessions. If a child? s physical development is affected, physiotherapist can provide help with special exercises and massages to aid the physical development, maximize the range of movement and develop the appropriate movement control. Task D Report Produce a report which explains the following: a. Why is early identification of speech, language or communication delay important for a child/young person’s well-being? (Ref 4. 1) b. What are the potential risks for the child/young person’s well-being if any speech, language or communication delay is not identified early? (Ref 4. 1) c. Analyse the importance of early identification of the potential risks of late recognition to speech, language and communication delays and disorders. (Ref 4. 1) d. Who might be involved in a multi-agency team to support a child/young person’s speech, language and communication development? (Ref 4. 2) e. How, when and why would a multi-agency approach be applied? (Ref 4. 3) f. Give four different examples of play opportunities and describe how you would put them into practice to support the development of a child/young person’s speech, language and communication. (Ref 4. 3) a. Early identification of the language and communication difficulties is important as it can support the development to prevent further (secondary) impact on other areas. Also, as the brains in young children have not finished their development, the earlier we can intervene, the better prospects of success we have. b. Problems in language and communication can have a negative effect on other areas of development, such as cognitive and social development. Children with language and communication difficulties are more likely to struggle at school in learning to read and write, which can have further negative impact not only on other subjects but more importantly on their self-esteem. Children with such problems can become gradually isolated. c. Early identification of the potential risks of late recognition to speech, language and communication delays and disorders is very important in terms of putting the most appropriate interventions in place to support the development and benefit the children? s needs. Well timed and well tailored intervention has got the potential to optimize the development and to minimize potential negative impact for other areas of development. d. In the multi-agency team to support the child with speech, language and communication there will be the child? s GP or a health visitor, who will make a referral to a speech and language specialist. If there is a suspicion that the communication difficulties are connected with learning difficulties Educational Psychologist will be consulted. When it is decided on the type of intervention needed, the parents, the educational setting professionals and the rest of the team should work together in order to implement the chosen intervention in order to meet the needs of the child. e. Multi-agency approach is used when parents and/ or other professionals (such as GP, early years settings, etc. ) have recognised that a child is in need of additional help to aid the development. Different professionals are involved in the assessment of the needs (e. g. GP to assess potential hearing or other impairments) and speech and language therapist devises the best possible individual support. Multi-agency approach brings together different fields of expertise to assure the best possible outcome for the child. f. There are many informal opportunities how children? s communication and language development can be supported. These might often be more effective than formal exercises as they naturally meet the child in they world of play, making it more motivating and fun. Nursery rhymes and songs – Children enjoy joining in nursery rhymes and songs. These are short and memorable and their rhythmical pattern make them perfect little exercises for developing language, pronunciation and fluency (good practice when dealing with stutter). Books are perfect for developing passive and active vocabulary, understanding meaning of words and learning correct sentence structure informally. Books are a wonderful way to spark children? s imagination as well as teaching them to express themselves about the world around them by providing the relevant vocabulary. Pictures in books make it possible for children from the earliest age to actively engage with the story as well as to engage in a dialogue with another person. Dressing up and role play again helps the child in an informal way to engage in talking and communication with others whilst enjoying the imaginative play. Puppets are a fantastic way how to involve children in communication through play. Children are fascinated by puppets and enjoy adults taking active part in their play, which again allows for an opportunity to develop language and communication in a fun way. 023 Task E Complete table Complete the table on the next page, showing how the different types of transitions can affect children and young people’s development and evaluate how having positive relationships during this period of transition would be of benefit. Additional Guidance Different types are: a. Emotional, affected by personal experience, e. g. bereavement, entering/leaving care. b. Physical, e. g. moving to a new educational establishment, a new home/locality, from one activity to another. c. Physiological e. g. puberty, long-term medical conditions. d. Intellectual, e. g. moving from pre-school to primary, to post-primary. (Ref 5. 1, 5. 2) Give ONE specific example of a transition Give ONE possible effect on children and young people’s development Evaluate the benefit of a positive relationship during this period of transition ~ provide ONE example Emotional: Bereavement Depression which may affect sleep pattern, children may become lethargic and less interested in engaging in any activities which may affect they social, emotional and cognitive development Positive relationship with open communication and listening skills allows for a child to ask difficult questions and share their worries and sadness, to talk over difficult memories and anxieties about the future. This may help with overcoming the past and the sadness. Physical: Moving home Moving home may effect the children social development as they may lose previous friends and find themselves unable to fit in new friendship groups. Some children might start having food issues, such as overeating to deal with anxieties. This can affect their emotional, social and physical development. Positive relation can provide a helping hand with dealing with the new situation while supporting the self-esteem and encouraging the confidence in a young person. Positive relationship can also act as model of skills of how to establish a new relationship. Physiological: Gaining a physical disability – e. g. lost limb Withdrawal – children may become very solitary, unable and unwilling to join in with their peers, which can affect their physical, emotional, social as well as cognitive development. Positive relationship will communicate acceptance and healthy support in dealing with a life-changing situation; this should help in dealing with difficulties as they come Intellectual: Moving from pre-school to primary school Lack of concentration and motivation as the child might feel overwhelmed by new routines and new demands which they might find very difficult – this may affect their natural cognitive development and they might regress into safer younger stage of development. Positive relationship will allow for a child to feel safe, valued and as achieving (in their own pace) by identifying the appropriate approach of working with the child with the sensitivity to their specific needs and pace of development.

A Blind Man Makes Him See

â€Å"Cathedral† (28) is Raymond Carver’s short story about the anticipation and fulfillment of one man’s encounter with his wife’s blind friend. The man, who is also the narrator, is wary of this rendezvous, having known no blind people in his own life up to that point. His ignorance is apparent as he thinks of blind people only from a cinematic perspective. He tells us â€Å"My idea of blindness came from the movies. In the movies the blind moved slowly and never laughed† (28). From his cynical and insecure tone, we can tell that the main character is a complacent man full of self-doubt with an inability to think outside of world that he knows.The narration, however, changes unexpectedly after the blind man has been at their home for the evening. He undergoes an epiphany as the blind man opens our narrator’s eyes to an existence he did not know was possible. The main character’s insecurity is underscored by his inability to acknowled ge the significance of another man in his wife’s life, whether an ex-husband or simply an old friend. This is exemplified by the fact that he avoids mentioning the name of his wife’s ex-husband.While this may seem like a negligible factor, it would not be so important if the narrator did not make it aware that this omission of detail was entirely and defiantly intentional. He harps â€Å"Her officer—why should he have a name? He was the childhood sweetheart, and what more does he want? †(29). Additionally, during the visit he morosely sits and watches his wife and Robert, the blind man, converse hoping to hear her mention his name. â€Å"I waited in vain to hear my name on my wife’s sweet lips: â€Å"And then my dear husband came into my life† –something like that. But I heard nothing of the sort.More talk of Robert† (32). When the conversation does turn toward him, he at first cannot engage due to these insecurities and discom fort with the blind man. â€Å"From time to time, he’d turn his face toward me, put his hand under his beard, ask me something. How long I had been in my present position? (Three years. ) Did I like my work? (I didn’t. ) Was I going to stay with it? (What were the options? )† (33). Clearly our narrator is not thrilled with his life and does not care to do anything about it where as the blind man so far had a life that seemed more fulfilling in spite of his impairment.The narrator admits that Robert was â€Å"regular blind jack of all trades† (32). He also makes note of Robert’s ability to function as a normal human being – something he never realized was possible. Robert ate, drank, and smoked just like anyone else and could even tell if the TV was color or black and white. It is this attention to Robert’s ability to function that begins the narrator’s change. The narrator’s epiphany crystallizes with his attempt to desc ribe the cathedrals appearing on a late-night television program to Robert.Robert suggests that the he draw the cathedral and envelops his hand as he draws in order to physically trace the silhouettes as they are drawn. The narrator is then instructed to close his eyes and keep drawing. At that moment, the narrator shares a commonplace with the blind man as they both trace the silhouettes of the drawing without being able to see. The narrator says â€Å"It was like nothing else in my life up to now† (37). Even after told to open his eyes and look at the picture he had drawn, the narrator does not. He says â€Å"My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that.But I didn’t feel like I was inside anything† (37). At that point the narrator is released from the captivity of his ignorance and insecurity. He was not impaired by his closed eyes as he was still able to draw the cathedral and even though he was at home, it is as if the confinement of walls and b oundaries did not exist. It is at this point that he is able to see the way the blind man sees – without his eyes, with all other senses liberated. Work Cited Carver, Raymond. â€Å"Cathedral† The Norton Introduction To Literature. By Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York, 2010. 929-42. Print.

Free Essays on Joan Of Ark

There are many religious people who hear God’s call; one of the most famous was Joan of Arc. Joan stood up for what she believed in and never backed down. She courageously fought for her country’s sake and even in the face of death she still held strong. When facing death she replied, â€Å"I pray you, go to the nearest church, and bring me the cross, and hold it up level with my eyes until I am dead. I would have the cross on which God hung be ever before my eyes while life lasts in me. Jesus, Jesus!†(Trask 144). Joan of Arc is a very inspirational person and was a great leader, and without her the French would have never won the Hundred Years War. Before Joan was born, England and France fought over French land. This argument was called the Hundred Years War. England owned the land Aquitaine since the twelfth century. France wanted their land back but English did not want to give it up. The war was getting very expensive for the French. The French suffered from the defeat and they had to sign a terrible agreement. This agreement was called The Treaty of Troyes, and it stated that after France’s king, Charles VI died; Henry V would become the new king. While this war was going on, Joan and her family had to leave Domremy to escape an attack on their village. The family escaped to Neufchatel. Joan was only thirteen at the time and all the invading soldiers and fighting were a big impact on her mind (â€Å"Awesome Stories†). Jehenette, as she was called, lived in a town called Domremy. She was born a simple peasant girl (Henneman 128). Joan was the third of five children. She helped her father, Jacques D. Arc, by grazing the cattle and sheep. On Saturdays she went to Greux, neighboring village, with friends and her sister. While at the church they prayed to many saints who had their statues around the church. Saint Margaret, Saint Catherine, and Saint Michael were three saints that were very important in Joan’... Free Essays on Joan Of Ark Free Essays on Joan Of Ark There are many religious people who hear God’s call; one of the most famous was Joan of Arc. Joan stood up for what she believed in and never backed down. She courageously fought for her country’s sake and even in the face of death she still held strong. When facing death she replied, â€Å"I pray you, go to the nearest church, and bring me the cross, and hold it up level with my eyes until I am dead. I would have the cross on which God hung be ever before my eyes while life lasts in me. Jesus, Jesus!†(Trask 144). Joan of Arc is a very inspirational person and was a great leader, and without her the French would have never won the Hundred Years War. Before Joan was born, England and France fought over French land. This argument was called the Hundred Years War. England owned the land Aquitaine since the twelfth century. France wanted their land back but English did not want to give it up. The war was getting very expensive for the French. The French suffered from the defeat and they had to sign a terrible agreement. This agreement was called The Treaty of Troyes, and it stated that after France’s king, Charles VI died; Henry V would become the new king. While this war was going on, Joan and her family had to leave Domremy to escape an attack on their village. The family escaped to Neufchatel. Joan was only thirteen at the time and all the invading soldiers and fighting were a big impact on her mind (â€Å"Awesome Stories†). Jehenette, as she was called, lived in a town called Domremy. She was born a simple peasant girl (Henneman 128). Joan was the third of five children. She helped her father, Jacques D. Arc, by grazing the cattle and sheep. On Saturdays she went to Greux, neighboring village, with friends and her sister. While at the church they prayed to many saints who had their statues around the church. Saint Margaret, Saint Catherine, and Saint Michael were three saints that were very important in Joan’...

ATV essay essays

ATV essay essays The all terrain vehicle has been around for many decades. It has many different models that are used by a variety of people, these types are utility, sport, and youth. The utility four wheeler was the first ever made although it wasnt a four wheeler at all it was actually a three wheeler. The first atv ever made was used as a farm vehicle for hauling and moving other equipment. The three wheeler became popular but didnt last long because of its tendency to flip easily. The best way to fix the problem was to add another wheel, making the four wheeler the first ever made; it was also used for farming; it was in the market for equipment and was never meant to be sold as anything but for hauling and towing. The utility four wheeler started out as a small engine, small framed and very uncomfortable for the rider. As years past the utility four wheeler became as well known on the farm as a tractor. It moved from a small 90 cc engine to the now popular 650 cc engine. It also evolved from the stiff single shock suspension to the all around independent wishbone suspension. The utility atv has helped the farmer and working man make the tasks outdoors much easier and will continue to become The sport atv has been around for about a decade and a half. As most inventions happen, they start out being used for what they were made for, then the people that say, Well what if?, get a hold of them and modify them so it can do something else. The sport four wheeler wasnt made factory in the beginning because that wasnt what the four wheeler was made for. If you wanted to race your atv in the early 80s you had to make it race worthy yourself. After the sport caught on however the manufactures decided to make some money and build a four wheeler that didnt have to ...

Learning Mandarin vs Cantonese

Learning Mandarin vs Cantonese Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Mainland China and Taiwan, but it is not the only language spoken in the Chinese world. Besides the regional variations of Mandarin, there are several Chinese languages which are mutually unintelligible with Mandarin. Cantonese is one of these languages. Cantonese is spoken in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, Hainan Island, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia and many overseas Chinese communities. Worldwide, there are about 66 million Cantonese speakers. Compare this with Mandarin, which is spoken by about 1 billion people worldwide. Of all languages, Mandarin is the most widely-spoken. Is It Better To Learn Cantonese? With 66 million speakers, Cantonese cannot be considered an impractical language to learn. If your main objective, however, is to do business or travel in Mainland China, you would be better off learning Mandarin. But if you want to do business in Hong Kong or Guangdong Province, is it better to learn Cantonese? Consider these points taken from hanyu.com: Cantonese has a lack of good learning materials.Cantonese does not have a standard Romanization system (like Pinyin for Mandarin). Yale Romanization is most commonly used in textbooks, but it is unknown to native Cantonese speakers.Cantonese is heard less often in Overseas Chinese communities as new Mandarin-speaking immigrants arrive from Mainland China. And Cantonese speakers are increasingly learning Mandarin to find work in Mainland China. So it seems as though Mandarin is more practical than Cantonese. That’s not to say that learning Cantonese is a waste of time, and for some people it may be the better choice, but for most people wanting to speak Chinese, Mandarin is the way to go.

Canadian Movies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Canadian Movies - Essay Example Anyhow the fact that American films dominate the film industry in Canada, the homeland films is yet visible in the Quebec, where all cultural industries receive special protection. The audiences in Quebec have always liked the Canadian movies. As per the statistics, 2006e, French speaking Quebecers watch more TV than the other language Quebecers or rest of Canada. Francophone viewers spent more than 65.2% watching Canadian programs while Anglophone viewers spent more 72.2% watching foreign programs.2 Outside Quebec, its altogether a different story as mentioned above, Canadian filmmakers are unknown to the world, except those who have received acclaim outside Canada. It is because of this the attempts are on to make the audiences aware of the Canadian film industry by way of showcasing the movies in the school gyms and auditoriums, with big screens and sounds.3 It was surprising to note that most of the people didn't want to see the Canadian movies, because they are low budget and no t like a Hollywood blockbuster. In most years, the top-grossing Canadian film is a French-language film from Quebec. French-Canadian films, on the other hand, are often more successful, as with French-language television, the language difference makes Quebec audiences much more receptive to Canadian-produced film. The audiences in Toronto are more likely inclined towards the Hollywood produced movies. Most of the people don't even know the names of the movies that have grossed huge revenue at the box office.4 It is evident from the above fact that the American films have much larger impact on the people in Canada, except Quebec where in, Canadian movies are played in the theatre, being the main centre of Canadian Film Industry. Role on National Film Board The National Film Board has defined a list of primary and secondary goals to fulfill in order to meet its mandate, as well as a set of related activities that can be performed to meet those goals such as to create programming reflecting Canada's linguistic duality and cultural diversity, create programming of film and audiovisual works on subjects relevant to the general public or niche audiences, support innovative and experimental projects in new and interactive media and exploit the audiovisual heritage of the NFB. The overarching objective of the National Film Board is to produce and distribute audio-visual works which provoke discussion and debate on subjects of interest to Canadian audiences and foreign markets; which explore the creative potential of the audio-visual media; and which achieve recognition by Canadians and others for excellence, relevance and innovation.5 The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes socially relevant films that inform Canadians and explore global issues. The NFB is best known for its documentaries and animated short films. The NFB was established in 1939 with an objective to interpret Canada to Canadians. John Grierson, a British documentary film-maker, was invited by the Government to study the state of the government's film production. Grierson opined that Canada should make short, inexpensive films about Canadians and their experiences could complement more expensive Hollywood fare, while give Canadians a cinematic voice without abandoning the concept of National Film Industry.6

Morality Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Morality - Assignment Example Morals became so obscured in this day and age that people does not only neglect to practice it but also not sure of what it means. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defined it as â€Å"some codes of conduct put forward by a society† and these rules are central in formulating ethical theories (2011). We now often hear ethics in class and to put it in proper perspective it was defined by Kant’s deontology that posits that the best way to act morally to act from duty with the consideration of the highest good, that is, acting through the moral determination of the will. Kant’s acting through the moral determination of will meant that the motivation of one’s action must be pursue the good without condition which is intrinsically good by itself (Kant 30). He formulated his deontological ethics in a categorical imperative of doing good for the sake of good regardless of its consequence (Kant’s Ethics). Considering the number of corporate scandals from Enron to WorldCom that helped slid this country in financial crisis, I am more inclined to believe that it is still better to be moral or ethical. Many people may disagree with my position as impractical that will make me finish last but I prefer to be moral and ethical. I can however rebut that as what we can see in the experience, the gains that were garnered with the lack of morals or ethics are short lived and temporary. We all see it on national TV where corporate executives were arrested for fraud. Criminals also lack morals and while they can get away with their crimes, it is again temporary and sooner or later, they too will be arrested. On a personal level, I believe nobody would disagree that we all want to deal with the people we trust. And earning trust requires a great deal of integrity and honesty such as keeping one’s words, not taking advantage of others etch all of which are the realms of morals and ethics. In the same vein, we also avoid dealing with people who

Employee stress in the work place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Employee stress in the work place - Essay Example Managers need to create a stress-free environment at the workplace for employees in order to ensure sustainable organizational performance. In this paper, we will discuss some of the main factors that can contribute to employee stress in the workplace, as well as the possible measures that managers can take to reduce stress in employees. 2. Factors That Cause Stress in Employees There are many individual, administrative, job concerning factors that can cause stress in employees. Some of those factors include discrimination, keeping employees away in decision-making processes, less promotional opportunities, rotating shifts, work overload, role conflict, team-based conflicts, excessive managerial control, increased job timings, lack of confidentiality, unsafe working conditions, and less salary (Akrani 2011). Let us discuss some of these issues in detail to know the way they cause stress in employees. 2.1 Discrimination Discrimination is one of the main factors that make employees str essed. Discrimination occurs when managers give preference to a particular individual or a group of individuals while taking any important decision. Such preference is usually based on racial, ethics, social, religious, and gender differences. For example, promoting a male employee to a higher position even when his performance is low than his female counterparts. Such decisions put a negative impact on the productivity and performance of other employees. 2.2 Keeping Employees Away In Decision-Making Processes Employees also feel stressed and depressed when they are not involved in decision-making processes related to their jobs. Employees want some recognition and value for the performances that they show for their companies. Involving them in decision-making processes is one of the best ways to do so. However, when employees are neglected during critical decision-making processes, they feel inferior and their level of commitment to their jobs decreases. 2.3 Less Promotional Opport unities If there are less opportunities of employee promotion in a company, employees may not like to work there because of less chances of career development. Working in a company where there are less progress opportunities and job enrichment is a main factor of stress in employees. 2.4 Increased Job Timings The balance between work life and family life is very important for every employee. In situations where employees do not find enough time to spend with their families due to longer working hours is also a reason of stress in employees. 2.5 Work Overload As Akrani (2011, p. 1) states, â€Å"excessive work load leads to stress as it puts a person under tremendous pressure†. Employees feel stressed when their managers give them huge amounts of work to complete in a single day. Similarly, giving less or very simple work also causes stress in employees. Doing work of simple nature leads to boredom that eventually leads to stress and depression. 3. Strategies for Managing Stre ss in Employees As Manley (n.d.) states, â€Å"stress in the workplace is bad for an employee's health and also causes distractions, making it harder for the stressed individual to perform their job† (p. 1). It is the responsibility of managers to take effective measures and strategies to offset those negative effects

The Pain And Suffering Of The Voiceless People In Cinema Essay

The Pain And Suffering Of The Voiceless People In Cinema - Essay Example The necessity of resorting to non-verbal communication is indeed apparent in the film, for the obvious reason that the perceived victims in the film are voiceless and powerless. In the absence of words, what is left for them is body language, through dance accompanied by music. The definition of dance as a form of expression that uses bodily movements that are rhythmic, patterned, sometimes improvised, found in every culture and is performed for purposes ranging from the ceremonial, liturgical and magical to the theatrical, social and simply aesthetics (Britannica 2011), relatively connects with the film. The music that was devoid of words and the dances were quite entertaining in the film. The movements were expressive, which was demonstrative of the reflex response of the children when in danger, which is to either flee or let go to hide the fear. The choreography is in support of the desire of the captured children to immediately do something about the negative emotion bottled up inside their system, which they hope to free. The competition in the capital city of Kampala was again entertaining, the excitement can be likened to the much-talked-about worldwide show, â€Å"American Idol.† Through their participation in that competition, they were out to prove that they can be giants amidst the suffering in their real life. The value of the dance however in this film and the beats of the drums, set some limitation concerning the messages that are needed to be said in public, which at times, only words can do. Emotionally, in a personal context for the children, they were able to pretend that everything can be alright, but in general, the hope for help and call for rescue are quite elusive.

Setting Up a New Social Networking Site Assignment - 7

Setting Up a New Social Networking Site - Assignment Example The target of our social networking site should be the teenagers and early adults who have a severe interest within these community websites and programs. What this suggests is the way forward for the selected target audience because they exactly know how to make the social networking site a bigger one as their role is magnified nonetheless. The target of this social networking site must be based on the potential use of the teenagers and the young generation because they know how to have the best usage of the same. What is important to see is how these potential users come within the social networking site and display their enthusiasm and zeal by suggesting to their immediate family members and friends who are of their own age brackets (Daugherty, 2009). This will allow them to connect with one another as well as find new friends as and when they wish so. The target audience of the social networking site would comprise of the people who want to make it big within the social networkin g premise and for that, they are ready to go out of their way even. This is because they believe that it is their natural obligation towards their own self if they become a part of the social networking sites which are on offer in this day and age. However, for the sake of the social networking site that is talked about here, the focus must be set on how these young ones would be given the incentives that they so richly require within their folds (Topper, 2007). When they are given an incentive, then is the time that the young ones believe that it is for their own good and that they should believe in the dictum of the social networking sites bringing them close to their loved ones while making sure that they remain cool, hip and trendy all this while with their usage patterns of the social networking sites. These are our primary target users while the secondary ones might include the elders who would like to know what their younger generation is indulging into or how they are gettin g along with the people of their own age (Wennburg, 2006). This is in accordance with the parents and guardians being on the watch guard on a proactive basis. It allows them to grow exponentially and find out where their children are going wrong and what needs to be done to correct them all this while. However, the target group for this new and developing social networking site would be the teenagers and young generation alone because they are the best possible users of such social networking sites that have come about of age in the recent times. It is important that the focus should be tightened as much as possible on this age segment because this will make sure that there are no predicaments that might arise in the future as far as the social networking sites are concerned. The selection measures of these social networking sites must be pinpointed and on the dot. 2) As far as the requirements of the young ones and teenagers have from these social networking sites is concerned, the se must offer them a user-friendly platform from where they can grow and develop their social networking measures, and thus ask of the people around them to interact with them all this while (Berge, 2010). It gives them the incentive to go out there and make the vital difference within their lives because they require the same.

The Pain And Suffering Of The Voiceless People In Cinema Essay

The Pain And Suffering Of The Voiceless People In Cinema - Essay Example The necessity of resorting to non-verbal communication is indeed apparent in the film, for the obvious reason that the perceived victims in the film are voiceless and powerless. In the absence of words, what is left for them is body language, through dance accompanied by music. The definition of dance as a form of expression that uses bodily movements that are rhythmic, patterned, sometimes improvised, found in every culture and is performed for purposes ranging from the ceremonial, liturgical and magical to the theatrical, social and simply aesthetics (Britannica 2011), relatively connects with the film. The music that was devoid of words and the dances were quite entertaining in the film. The movements were expressive, which was demonstrative of the reflex response of the children when in danger, which is to either flee or let go to hide the fear. The choreography is in support of the desire of the captured children to immediately do something about the negative emotion bottled up inside their system, which they hope to free. The competition in the capital city of Kampala was again entertaining, the excitement can be likened to the much-talked-about worldwide show, â€Å"American Idol.† Through their participation in that competition, they were out to prove that they can be giants amidst the suffering in their real life. The value of the dance however in this film and the beats of the drums, set some limitation concerning the messages that are needed to be said in public, which at times, only words can do. Emotionally, in a personal context for the children, they were able to pretend that everything can be alright, but in general, the hope for help and call for rescue are quite elusive.

International Taxation - Transfer Pricing Research Paper

International Taxation - Transfer Pricing - Research Paper Example For the purpose of the subject under consideration, it is also assumed that the subsidiary company in the aforementioned group structure is a foreign company and the Parent is a local company. When the companies in the group structures are involved in transactions with each other, they put a price on the transaction. This price is termed as the ‘transfer price’. This can further be illustrated with the help of the following example: Company A, the parent company, is situated in USA and its subsidiary company, Company B is situated in UK. Suppose that Company A has outsourced its financial activities to its subsidiary company, which means that Company A does not have any staff which are performing finance related activities (such as preparing financial statement, filing tax return, involved in budgeting etc.) instead the finance department of Company B is performing these activities for Company A and in return is charging a fee. Although the owners of both Company A and C ompany B are the same, but still one company is charging a fee for performing a particular service to another company in the capital structure. Transfer pricing is not a legal activity in its substance, but its misuse can label it as abusive. Transfer mispricing is quite common in manufacturing concern all across the globe where the transfer of services are involved rather than the transfer of services. A safe estimate made by the economists and financial analyst presents the fact that around 60% of the international trade that place globally, is between the countries under the same corporate structure. In addition to this figure, the economists also put forward the fact that due to transfer mispricing, billions of dollars is lost for tax revenue. The tax authorities argue the fact that transaction between associated companies within a group should take place on arms length basis. The arms length price is the price at which two unrelated parties in the market would agree to proceed with the transaction. The arms length pricing is a result of genuine negotiation in the market. But usually what happens in the global market is that companies usually distort the transfer prices at which the transaction is recorded. This usually assists the companies in avoiding tax and report higher profit for the financial year. Illustrative Example No. 1 (all figures in USD)    Subsidiary Company (fully owned and controlled by the parent company)    Parent Company (Head Office of the Multinational)             Host Country (China) Home Country (USA)                            Price of good bought    Transfer Price    Selling price Total Case 1 100    200    300    Profit Before Tax 100 100 200 Tax Rate (%)[Ey.com 2013] 25% 40%    Tax paid 25 40 65 Profit after tax    75    60    135 Case 2 100    280    300    Profit Before Tax 180 20 200 Tax Rate (%) 25% 40%    Tax paid 45 8 53 Profit after tax    135    12    147 Ca se 3 100    300    300    Profit Before Tax 200 0 200 Tax Rate (%) 25% 40%    Tax paid 50 0 50 Profit after tax    150    0    150 In the first illustrative example, we are considering two companies situated in USA and China. The company situated in the USA is the parent company whereas the company situated in China is the wholly owned subsidiary company of the Parent. The Parent company is involved in the trading of FMCGs. The items that the company A sale to the general public is manufactured by the subsidiary

The Dilemma Essay Example for Free

The Dilemma Essay The dilemma that Ms. Lee faces is not easy to resolve. There are various factors to consider in determining what the best action to take is. This is the primary point of contention in the scenario? Ms. Lee faces the question of what is the morally and ethically sound decision to make. The choice that Ms. Lee would make would determine whether Rose lives or dies. This is indeed a major ethical dilemma. Are certain instructions enough to validate the loss of a child’s life? This Ms. Lee must make choose between two options. The first option is to honor Rose’s parent’s request that Rose would not be resuscitated in the event of a seizure. The other is for Ms. Lee to provide medical assistance to Rose despite of the parents’ orders. Each of the choices presents certain principles that need to be taken into consideration. Ms. Lee’s first option is to follow the instructions of Rose’s parents. This option would mean that Ms. Lee would go against her own principle and belief that every child has the right to live a full life regardless of any disability. Moreover, such move will go against the institution’s policy that medical assistance must be provided to any child whenever necessary and possible. The other option for Ms. Lee is to provide Rose with CPR. However, such course of action will go against the specific instructions that Rose’s parents gave. In fact, Rose’s parents submitted a formal notice to the principal of the school informing them of such decision. By giving Rose CPR, Ms. Lee will disobey the orders stated in the formal notice. Furthermore, Ms. Lee may also cause further problems for Rose’s parents who are having a difficult time making ends meet and providing for their other children. The dilemma is a case of what ethical reasoning to follow. The solution to the case will depend on what type of ethics is to be applied. The following section will discuss to possible schools of ethics that maybe applied in determining the solution to Ms. Lee’s dilemma. Consequentialism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consequentialism is a group of moral theories that consider only the consequences of actions. Although consequentialism can be applied at various levels, the most prominent use of such normative properties is to determine how morally right the act is. What this means is that consequetialism is usually applied to cases wherein the morality of a certain action is being considered. Furthermore, consequentialism suggests that the moral status of a certain act is dependent on the goodness or badness of the consequences of the action. According to Fesser (), a consequentialist believes that, â€Å"An action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable than unfavorable.† There are several ethical theories that fall under the consequentialist approach. One of such theories is ulitarianism. This type of consequentialism suggests that decisions should be made by using a cost-benefit analysis. Furthermore, an important principle of utilitarianism is that the action must be beneficial to everyone or to the majority. According to Carter (2002): A commonly accepted utilitarian calculus for determining an action’s moral acceptability is; â€Å"the greatest happiness for the greatest number.† Thus, a consequentialist would typically attempt to calculate the consequences or outcome of a decision and if the benefits of the outcome are outweighed by the risks of either not performing the action or performing some other action, then the action is considered as morally desirable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When these principles are applied to Ms. Lee’s dilemma, it is evident that Ms. Lee must choose to follow the order of Rose’s parents. Weighing the benefits of choosing to follow the instructions against the risks of doing so will reveal that more people will benefit from the decision. Since Rose’s parents have admitted that they are struggling to continue to provide their children with their needs, following their instructions will allow Rose’s parents to provide a better life for all their other children. Following the formula suggested by Carter (2002), â€Å"the greatest happiness for the greatest number,† Ms. Lee will be led to a decision where she must abide by the instructions of Rose’s parents for such move will benefit a greater number of people. Virtue Ethics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another type or form of normative ethics is virtue ethics. This form of ethics places emphasis on the virtues or moral character of the person. Applying virtue ethics will mean that every action must be analyzed on the basis of what virtue will result from it.   Moreover, virtue ethics requires an individual to answer the question, â€Å"how should I live?† The answer to such question is that one must live with a virtuous character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Character is a vital concept in virtue ethics. The concept of character in virtue ethics is based on Aristotlean character. Athanassoulis (2006) states:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Aristotelian character is, importantly, about a state of being. Its about having the appropriate inner states†¦ Aristotelian theory is a theory of action, since having the virtuous inner dispositions will also involve being moved to act in accordance with them. Realizing that kindness is the appropriate response to a situation and feeling appropriately kindly disposed will also lead to a corresponding attempt to act kindly.† Also, virtue ethics suggests that character traits are stable and fixed. Meaning, when a person possesses a certain trait, he is expected to demonstrate such trait in all scenarios even there are times that he will find it difficult to do so.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When applied to resolution of Ms. Lee’s ethical dilemma, one must consider the character traits that she possesses. Ms. Lee is known to be compassionate and caring especially to young children. Thus, when she sees a child or person in need, she provides assistance in any way possible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One way to resolve the issue is for Ms. Lee to maintain her compassionate nature as prescribed by virtue ethics. Although it may be difficult to do so, owing to the fact that standing orders have been made not to resuscitate Rose, Ms. Lee is still expected to apply compassion since it is in her character. Moreover, one can view the situation from the perspective that one is ought to live compassionately which would mean that Ms. Lee ought to provide medical assistance to Rose when she needs it. It is deemed to be virtuously wrong for Ms. Lee to leave Rose be as it is not the way that Ms. Lee should live her life. Resolution of the Dilemma   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe that in Ms. Lee’s case, virtue and character must prevail over consequences. It is my personal belief that much of what is ethically correct is based on the virtues and traits that one exercises when acting or deciding.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the case of Ms. Lee, I believe that even before the event occurred, she already knew how she wanted to live her life. It is the same reason why she believed that every child, regardless of disability, has the right to live a full life. Such belief of hers demonstrates her character and virtue of being compassionate. Moreover, her decision to work in an SSP school shows that she wants to live a life of compassion especially for children who have special needs. Thus, it is expected that she continues to demonstrate such character trait despite the difficulty of the circumstance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Using virtue ethics as the basis of the resolution, I find that I am more inclined to helping Rose despite the â€Å"do not resuscitate† orders of her parents. Just watching someone die is not the way one should live her life. Watching Rose lie helplessly on the floor does not show compassion. It is in helping Rose that Ms. Lee would live a virtuous life, a life of compassion and service to others. Reference: Athanassoulis, N. (2006). â€Å"Virtue Ethics.† The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 18 June 2007 from: http://www.iep.utm.edu/v/virtue.htm#SH3c. Carter, L. (2002). A primer to ethical analysis. Office of Public Policy and Ethics Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Australia. Retrieved 18 June 2007 from: http://www.uq.edu.au/oppe. Fieser, J. (2006). â€Å"Ethics.† The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 18 June 2007 from: http://www.iep.utm.edu/e/ethics.htm. Sinnott-Armstrong, W. (2007). Consequentialism, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 18 June 2007 from: http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2007/entries/consequentialism/.

Concept of Randomness in Statistics

Concept of Randomness in Statistics Part I Introduction Introduction on Freshman Seminar Freshman seminar 1205M offers great opportunities for students to work intimately with professors from the Science faculty on various areas of mathematics. The seminar was targeted to encourage us to open our minds to creative ideas and develop curiosity of influential mathematical theories and various subgroups of contemporary mathematics. In addition to exposure to selected subtopics in contemporary mathematics, we had valuable opportunities to develop our presentation and academic essay writing skills. 1.2 Important roles of Analogy and Intuition The historical development of mathematics is significantly influenced by intuition acquired from real life experience and analogy quoted from various other areas (Harrison Treagust, 1993). Analogy is an extraordinary method in developing new concepts in the history of science. In this module, famous topics in the contemporary mathematics, including geometry, number theory, set theory, randomness and game theory have been discussed. Among all topics, our team worked on Analogy and Intuition of Randomness. In this seminar, various creative analogy ideas and intuition/counter-intuition thinking have been presented based on specific cases in modern mathematics. 1.3 Method on Research and Presentation Our team collected relevant source materials on the randomness, including books, journals, and websites on the Internet. As for presenting applications of randomness, in particular, we focused on the historical development of randomness theory, the simplified key concepts in randomness, the counter-intuitive stories happened, overlapping with other fields in nature, and some significant and influential applications of randomness theory in our daily life. We omitted complicated theories, technical formulas and rigorous proofs. Throughout the whole semester, our team has conducted two informal presentations on randomness. In order to illustrate randomness clearly and intuitively, we adopted various methods: problem solving, in-class quizzes, presentations and attractive stories. Subtopics included: Biology, quantum physics, finance, audio engineering, statistics and so on. Part II Report on Randomness 2.1 Randomness on Communication Theory 2.1.1 Introduction of Noise in Communication Theory In statistics, irrelevant or meaningless data is considered noise (random error). Whereas in communication theory, random disturbance in a signal is called noise. In essence, noise consists of a large number of disturbances with a statistically randomized time distribution. It is assumed that noise signals have power spectral density that is proportional to 1/f^ÃŽ ², where f stands for frequencies of noise. For example, the spectral density of white noise is ÃŽ ² = 0, while pink noise has ÃŽ ² = 1. This special character is widely used for distinguishing among colors of noise. 2.1.2 Laws and Criterions Used to Distinguish Colors and Characteristics of Noise The color names for noise are derived from an analogy between the spectrum of noise and the equivalent spectrum of lights with different visible colors. For instance, if we translate the sound wave of white noise into light waves, the resulting light will be viewed as white color. In electronics, physics, and many other areas, the color of a noise signal is usually understood as some characteristics of its power spectrum. As different colors of noise have significantly different properties. Therefore, each kind of noise requires a specific color to match with it. Start with the most well-known one: White noise, people name different noise after colors. This is in analogy with white color light, which has a flat spectrum of power on its frequency range. Other colors, such as violet, blue, red, pink, are then given to different noises with extremely similar spectrum characteristics. Although most of them have standardized noise patterns with specific disciplines, there are also plenty of noise spectrums with imprecise and informal definitions, like black noise, green noise, brown noise and so on. These below parts were summarized from Wikipedia terms: Noise (electronics) Sites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise_%28electronics%29 2.1.3 Inner Sources of Noise Thermal noise is generated from the random thermal motion of charges (usually electrons) inside electrical conductors. The amplitude of the signal has a probability density function similar to the Gaussian (Normal) distribution. The amplitude of thermal noise depends on the temperature of the circuit. Shot noise results from unavoidable random fluctuations when the charges (such as electrons) jump over a gap inside the electric circuits. It sounds rather similar to the noise created by rain falling on a tin roof. Flicker noise has a frequency spectrum that falls down into the higher frequencies areas steadily. Burst noise consists of sudden step-like transitions between two or more levels at random and unpredictable times. It sounds like eating popcorn. 2.1.4 Outer sources of Noise Atmospheric noise is the natural disturbance caused by electricity discharges in thunderstorm and other natural disturbances occurring in nature, like disruptions of high-voltage wires. Industrial noises are produced by automobiles, aircrafts and so on. The disturbances are produced by the discharge processes in these operations as well, which is similar to the atmospheric noise. Extraterrestrial noises come from the universe. These noises include: Solar Noise, which is a radiation from the sun due to its intense nuclear reactions and the consequent high temperature, and Cosmic Noise, which are able to transmit its radiation and cosmic rays to almost everywhere. 2.1.5 Classification of Different Colors of Noise This part was adapted and summarized from an online introductory article: â€Å"White, pink, blue and violet: The colors of noise† from the Wired Magazine Science Column, Author: Duncan Geere, Date: Apr. 07, 2011 White noise White noise has a constant power distribution density on its spectrum. It is named after the white color light, which has a flatten frequency everywhere on the spectrum. The term is widely applied in many scientific and technical areas, including physics, audio engineering, telecommunications, statistical forecasting and many other areas. Specifically, White noise is used as a generator for random numbers. In addition, weather forecasting websites also use white noise to generate random digit patterns and simulate real weather.   Pink noise The power density of pink noise decreases proportionally to 1/f. In the past, the term of flicker noise sometimes refers to pink noise, but it will be more appropriate if we strictly apply it only to electronic circuits. Moreover, Pink noise is also used in analysis of meteorological data and output radiation power of some astronomical bodies. Brown noise According to the precise definition, the term Brown noise refers to a noise whose power density decreases inversely proportional to f^2. The density function can be generated from integrating white noise or via an algorithm of Brownian motion simulation. Brown noise is not named after the color brown spectrum, which is distinct from other noises. It can be used in climatology to describe climate shifts. However, within the scientific community, scientists have been arguing about its value for such purposes for a long time.   Blue noise The power density of Blue noise is proportional to frequency. Blue noise has an increasing frequency over a finite frequency range. Blue noise is similar to pink noise, but instead of a decreasing spectrum, we observe an increasing one. Sometimes it is mixed up with Violet noise in informal discussion. Violet noise Violet noise is also known as the Purple noise. The power density of Violet noise is proportional to f^2, which means it increases in quadratic form. Violet noise is like another version of Brownian noise. Moreover, as Violet noise is the result of differentiating the white noise signal density, so people also call it the â€Å"Differentiated White noise†. Grey noise Grey noise is a special kind of white noise process with characteristic equal loudness curve. However, it has a higher power density at both ends of the frequency spectrum but very little power near the center. Apparently, this is different from the standard white noise which is equal loud across its power density. However, actually this phenomenon is due to the humans hearing illusion. 2.2 Randomness on Finance 2.2.1 Brief Introduction to Efficient Market Hypothesis This part was summarized based on an online informal introductory article: â€Å"The Efficient Markets Hypothesis†, Authors: Jonathan Clarks, Tomas Jandik, Gershon Mandelker, Website: www.e-m-h.org In financial fields, the efficient-market hypothesis asserts that stock market prices will evolve with respect to to a random walk. They have the same probability distribution and independent of each other. Random walk states that stocks take a random and unpredictable path. The probability of a stocks future price going up is equal to going down. Therefore, the past movement (or trend) of a specific stock price or the overall market performance cannot be used as the basis to predict future movements. In addition, it is impossible to outperform the entire market without taking additional risk or putting extra efforts. However, EMH proves that a long-term buy-and-hold strategy is the most efficient, because long term prices will approximately reflect performance of the company very well, whereas short term movements in prices can be only described as a random walk. 2.2.2 Historical Backgrounds of Efficient Market Hypothesis This part was summarized based on an online nonprofit educational website: www.e-m-h.org and a research paper: History of the Efficient Market Hypothesis, Nov.2004, Author: Martin, Sewell, Publisher: University College London. Historically, the randomness of stock market prices was firstly modelled by a French broker, Jules Regnault, in 1863. Shortly after, a French mathematician, Louis Bachelier, developed the mathematics of Brownian motion in 1900. In 1923, the famous economist, Keynes clearly stated that investors in financial markets would be rewarded not for knowing better than other participants in the market, but rather for risk taking. After the WWII, the efficient-market hypothesis emerged as an outstanding theory in the mid-1960s. In the 1960s, Mandelbrot proposed a randomness model for stock pricing. Fama discussed about Mandelbrot’s hypothesis and concluded that the market data confirmed his model. In addition, he defined the so-called â€Å"efficient market† for the first time, in his paper â€Å"Random Walks in Stock Market Prices†. He explained how random walks in stock market significantly influence individual stock prices. Later, he introduced definitions for three forms of financial market efficiency: weak, semi-strong and strong. The term was eventually popularized when Burton Malkiel, a Professor of Economics at Princeton University, published his classic and prominent book: â€Å"A Random Walk Down Wall Street.† 2.2.3 Three Major Types of Markets: Weak, Semi-Strong and Strong The three types of EMH were summarized based on an online technical blog: â€Å"The Efficient Markets Hypothesis†, Author: Jodi Beggs, Website: About.com   Weak Form of Efficiency We cannot predict future prices through analyzing prices from the past. And we cannot earn excessive returns by using information based on historical data. In this level, technical analysis is always profitable, as share prices exhibit no dependencies on their past. This implies that future prices depend entirely on performance of companies. Semi-Strong Form of Efficiency Information other than market data is released, such as instant news, companies’ management, financial accounting reports, companies’ latest products. Under such condition, share prices will reflect the new information very rapidly. Therefore, investors cannot gain any excess returns by trading on the public information. Semi-strong-form efficiency market implies that neither technical analysis nor fundamental analysis can produce excess returns. Strong Form of Efficiency   Under such condition, information typically held by corporate insiders is released. Therefore, share prices reflect not only previously public information, but all private information as well. Theoretically, no one can earn excess returns. However, even before major changes are exposed to the public, corporate insiders are able to trade their company’s stocks from abnormal profits. Fortunately, such insider trading is banned by surveillance authorities, like the Securities and Exchange Commission. 2.2.4 Arguments and Critics on Efficiency Market Hypothesis However, critics blame that the theory’s applications in markets results in financial crisis. In response, proponents of the hypothesis state that the theory is only a simplification model of the world, which means that it may not always hold true under every conditions. Hence, the market is only practically efficient for merely investment purposes in the real world rather than other aims. 2.2.5 Interesting Counter-intuitive Stories on Monkeys   The story was adapted from the Forbes Magazine, Personal Finance Column, Author: Rick Ferri, Date: Dec, 20, 2012 In order to verify the Efficient Market Hypothesis and illustrate the theories explicitly to the public, a group of researchers conducted a monkey experiment. They randomly picked up thirty stocks from a one thousand stocks poll and then let a hundred monkeys throw darts at the stocks printing on newspaper. They kept repeating this experiment for five decades, and tracked the results. In the end, to their surprise, monkeys’ performance beat the index by 1.7% per year, which indicates that, there is certain situation where traditional technical analysis cannot even beat randomly-selected portfolios. The results have shocked the whole world by how greatly randomness affects the market stock prices. 2.3 Randomness in Physics and Biology 2.3.1 Application of Randomness in Modern Physics In the early 19th century, physicists use the philosophy of randomness to study motions and behaviors of molecules, and they build models in thermodynamics to explain phenomenon in gas experiments. In the 20th century, when the era comes for quantum mechanics, microscopic phenomena are considered as completely random. Randomness of things like radioactive decay, photons passing through polarizers, and other bizarre quantum effects cannot be explained and predicted with classical theories in the usual way (Scott, 2009). Therefore, physicists propose a new theory, which claims that in a microscopic world, some of the outcomes appear casual and random. For example, when we describe a radioactive atom, we cannot predict when the atom will decay. What only left for us is the probability of decay during a specific given period. In order to solve this mystery, Einstein postulates the Hidden Variable theory, which states that nature contains irreducible randomness: properties and variables work beyond our scope somehow, but they actually determine the outcomes appear in our world. 2.3.2 Application of Randomness in Biology The modern evolutionary states that the diversity of life is due to natural selection. Randomness, an essential component of biological diversity, is associated with the growth of biological organization during evolution (Longo Montevil, 2012). It plays important roles in determining genetic mutation, and the significance of randomness effects appear at different sizes, from microorganisms to large mammals (Bonner, 2013). During this process, a number of random genetic mutations appear in the gene library under both inner and other influences. Although this process is purely random, it indeed systematically leads to a higher chance for survival and reproduction of those individuals who possess these mutations than those without them. This mechanism plays crucial roles in the survivals of animals. Surprisingly, randomness in biology has remarkable relations to quantum physics. Schrodinger proposes his notion of negative entropy as a form of Gibbs free energy, which also behaves similarly to randomness properties in abstract quantum world (Schrodinger, 1944). Part III References Beggs, J. (2014). The Efficient Markets Hypothesis. About. Retrieved Mar 30, 2014 from http://economics.about.com/od/Financial-Markets-Category/a/The-Efficient-Markets-Hypothesis.htm Bonner, J. (2013). Randomness in Evolution. Princeton University Press. Retrieved Mar 30, 2014 from http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9958.html Clarke, J. Jandik, T. (2012). The Efficient Markets Hypothesis. Retrieved Mar 30, 2014 from http://ww.e-m-h.org/ClJM.pdf Ferri, R. (2012). Any Monkey Can Beat The Market. Forbes. Retrieved Mar 30, 2014 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickferri/2012/12/20/any-monkey-can-beat-the-market/ Geere, D. (2011). White, pink, blue and violet: The colors of noise. Wired. Retrieved Mar 30, 2014 from http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-04/7/colours-of-noise/viewall Harrison, A. G., Treagust, D. F. (1994). Science analogies. The Science Teacher, 61, 40-43. Longo, G Montevil, M. (2012). Randomness Increases Order in Biological Evolution. Retrieved Mar 30, 2014 from http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Giuseppe_Longo2/publication/221350338_Randomness_Increases_Order_in_Biological_Evolution/file/60b7d51544f17cb8d8.pdf Schrodinger, E.: What Is Life? Cambridge U.P. (1944) Scoot, J. (2009). Do physicists really believe in true randomness? Ask a Mathematician. Retrieved Mar 30, 2014 from http://www.askamathematician.com/2009/12/q-do-physicists-really-believe-in-true-randomness/ Sewell, M. (2004). History of the efficient market hypothesis. Retrieved Mar 30, 2014 from http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/fileadmin/UCL-CS/images/Research_Student_Information/RN_11_04.pdf