Zone of Proximal Development Definition, Examples

The zone of proximal development is the gap between what a learner has mastered and what they can potentially master with support and assistance. This concept, highly influential in educational psychology, was first introduced by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky in the 1930s. Origins Lev Vygotsky, who was interested in education and the learning process, felt that standardized tests were an inadequate measure of a childs readiness for further learning. He contended that standardized tests measure the child’s current independent knowledge while overlooking the child’s potential capability to successfully learn new material. Vygotsky recognized that a certain amount of learning happens automatically as children mature, a notion championed by developmental psychologists like Jean Piaget. However, Vygotsky also believed that in order to advance their learning even further, children must engage in social interaction with more knowledgeable others. These more knowledgeable others, like parents and teachers, introduce children to the tools and skills of their culture, such as writing, math, and science. Vygotsky passed away at a young age before he could fully develop his theories, and his work wasn’t translated from his native Russian for a number of years following his death. Today, however, Vygotskys ideas are important in the study of education—especially the process of teaching. Definition The zone of proximal development is the gap between what a student can do independently and what they can potentially do with the help of a more knowledgeable other. Vygotsky defined the zone of proximal development as follows: â€Å"The zone of proximal development is the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.† In the zone of proximal development, the learner is close to developing the new skill or knowledge, but they need assistance and encouragement. For example, imagine a student has just mastered basic addition. At this point, basic subtraction may enter their zone of proximal development, meaning that they have the ability to learn subtraction and will likely be able to master it with guidance and support. However, algebra is probably not in this students zone of proximal development yet, as mastering algebra requires an understanding of numerous other fundamental concepts. According to Vygotsky, the zone of proximal development offers learners the best chance to master new skills and knowledge, so the student should be taught subtraction, not algebra, after mastering addition. Vygotsky noted that a childs current knowledge is not equivalent to their zone of proximal development. Two children might receive equal scores on a test of their knowledge (e.g. demonstrating knowledge of at an eight-year-old level), but different scores on a test of their problem-solving ability (both with and without adult help). If learning is taking place in the zone of proximal development, only a small amount of assistance will be required. If too much assistance is given, the child may learn only to parrot the teacher rather than mastering the concept independently. Scaffolding Scaffolding refers to the support given to the learner who is attempting to learn something new in the zone of proximal development. That support might include tools, hands-on activities, or direct instruction. When the student first begins to learn the new concept, the teacher will offer a great deal of support. Over time, the support is gradually tapered off until the learner has fully mastered the new skill or activity. Just as a scaffold is removed from a building when construction is complete, the teachers support is removed once the skill or concept has been learned. Learning to ride a bike offers an easy example of scaffolding. At first, a child will ride a bike with training wheels to ensure that the bike stays upright. Next, the training wheels will come off and a parent or other adult may run alongside the bicycle helping the child to steer and balance. Finally, the adult will step aside once can ride independently. Scaffolding is typically discussed in conjunction with the zone of proximal development, but Vygotsky himself did not coin the term. The concept of scaffolding was introduced in the 1970s as an expansion of Vygotskys ideas. Role in the Classroom The zone of proximal development is a useful concept for teachers. To ensure that students are learning in their zone of proximal development, teachers must provide new opportunities for students to work slightly beyond their current skills and provide ongoing, scaffolded support to all students. The zone of proximal development has been applied to the practice of reciprocal teaching, a form of reading instruction. In this method, teachers lead students in executing four skills—summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting—when reading a passage of text. Gradually, students take over the responsibility for utilizing these skills themselves. Meanwhile, the teacher continues to offer assistance as needed, reducing the amount of support they provide over time. Sources Cherry, Kendra. â€Å"What is the Zone of Proximal Development?† Verywell Mind, 29 December 2018. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-zone-of-proximal-development-2796034Crain, William. Theories of Development: Concepts and Applications. 5th ed., Pearson Prentice Hall. 2005.McLeod, Saul. â€Å"Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding.† Simply Psychology, 2012. https://www.simplypsychology.org/Zone-of-Proximal-Development.htmlVygotsky, L. S. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press, 1978.

The Sociological Imagination And Use Essay - 1683 Words

1. Explain what it means to use the sociological imagination and use at least one example to make your point. †¢ Wright Mills explains it as a vivid awareness of the relationship between your personal experience and the bigger society. so the way i would put it into my own words is knowing that the reason you do something isn’t the reason why another person does it. An example of this is going for a run. People can go on a run for many different reasons like to lose weight, to tone their body, for run, to be healthy and ect. 2. How would a conflict theorist explain the educational system in the United States? How would this differ from how a functionalist might see it? †¢ A social conflict theorist might explain our educational system in the U.S. as competitive like we are all competing against each other to get the best paying job. This is different from the functionalist because they would see it as all of us working together to achieve a goal. 3. Discuss the main ideas of symbolic interactionism. †¢ Society is the product of everyday interactions of the self. †¢ Its micro-level †¢ Its an ongoing process †¢ People interact in many ways using this. 4. What is the difference between correlation and causation? Which is harder to prove and why? Use an example to explain your answer. †¢ Correlation is usually when two things tend to happen together at the same time and causation is something happens because of something else. I think it is harder to prove causation becauseShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of the sociological imagination and its use in sociology.1483 Words   |  6 PagesSociological Imagnation The sociological imagination is the ability to look at the everyday world and understand how it operates in order to make sense of their lives. It is a state of mind, which enables us to think critically about and understand the society in which we live, and our place in that world as individuals and as a whole. C. Wright Mills, first wrote of the concept in 1959. His understanding of it being that it was a quest for sociological understanding involving a form of consciousnessRead MoreSociological Imagination1017 Words   |  5 PagesThe concept of â€Å"sociological imagination† is one that can be explained many different ways. A simple way to think of the sociological imagination is to see it as a way a person thinks, where they know that what they do from day to day in their private lives (like the choices they make), are sometimes influenced by the larger environment in which they live (Mills 1959, 1). What C.W. Mills meant by this concept is that it is the ability to â⠂¬Å"understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaningRead MoreSociology Imagination833 Words   |  4 Pagesdefined sociological imagination as the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society. The sociological imagination is the capacity to shift from one perspective to another: from the political to the psychological; from examination of a single family to comparative assessment of the national budgets of the world; from the theological school to the military establishment; from considerations of an oil industry to studies of contemporary poetry.[1] Sociological Imagination:Read MoreEssay on The Sociological Imagination1389 Words   |  6 PagesMy personal condensed definition of â€Å"the sociological imagination† is that it is the idea one should be aware of the societal structures around themselves, and how those structures can influence a person and vice-versa. In addition, I think that having a â€Å"sociological imagination† also involves a deep appreciation for the importance of society and culture. Consequently, for a person that has completed a basic introduction to sociology college course and actually paid attention, I would hope thatRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination Essay1065 Words   |  5 PagesPaper Grade: 75 / C The Sociological Imagination The sociological imagination is an idea or a way of thinking that interlocks an individual in a society with the society as a whole. Most people refer to sociology as the study of how people or individuals interact with each other. In order to fully understand sociology and the concept of the sociological imagination as proposed by C. Wright Mills, one has to be able to envision the individual and the society working together to better understandRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination And Me Essay1343 Words   |  6 PagesThe Sociological Imagination and Me Charles Wright Mills was a writer, a researcher, a teacher, a scholar and a well known sociologist. He was the author of the 1959 book, The Sociological Imagination. This book was poorly received by the sociological community at first, but it is one of the most widely read sociological texts today. The Sociological Imagination and Mills’ other works have had an immense impact on sociology, as he influenced many other scholars and the â€Å"New Left† movement of theRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination, By C. Wright Mills799 Words   |  4 Pages The sociological imagination, a concept used by C. Wright Mills, is essentially the ability to perceive a situation or act in a much larger social context as well as examining the situation or act from many perspectives. In particular, it plays a paramount role in Donna Gaines Teenage Wasteland. It is a tragic story of 4 teens who together, committed suicide. The teens were deemed as â€Å"dropouts, druggies† [Teenage W asteland 8.2] by newspapers and were still treated with disdain even after theirRead MoreAnalysis Of Dalton Conley s You May Ask Yourself 1267 Words   |  6 PagesDalton Conley’s book, You May Ask Yourself, defines sociological imagination as, â€Å"The ability to connect the most basic, intimate aspects of an individual’s life to seemingly impersonal and remote historical forces† (Conley 2015, pg. A-11). Sociological Imagination is the idea of being able to step outside of the box, and evaluate society from an alternative point of view. Symbolic Interactionism, norms, socialization, and the idea of understanding yourself vs. understanding the social aspect ofRead MoreSociological Imagination Essay865 Words   |  4 PagesFrom The Sociological Imagination by C. Wright Mills addresses a distinction between personal troubles and public issues. Mills uses specific examples like unemployment and societal development. Mills explains the ability to connect the ind ividual problems with societal problems. Throughout the text, we can see how Mills uses the perspective of an individual to explain the perspective of society and vice versa. Using sociological imagination, I will explain how education is influenced by societyRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination and Freedom from Feelings of Entrapment1133 Words   |  5 PagesThe sociological imagination is the â€Å"quality of mind† (Mills, 1959: 4) that enables individuals to look outside their private sphere of consciousness and identify the structures and institutions in society that influence or cause their personal experiences. In this way, by looking at the bigger picture, they can understand their place in society and explain their circumstance in terms of societal influence. It was developed by Mills in a time of great social upheaval – industrialisation, globalisation

Awareness and Application of Sustainable Construction †Free Samples

Question: Discuss avout the Awareness and Application of Sustainable Construction. Answer: Introduction The domestic sector in the United Kingdom account for a large percentage of the energy consumption (Barrett, et al, n.d.). The major energy consumers are space and water heating as opposed to lighting and electrical appliances. Some statistics prove that the older a building is the poorer its energy performance. When the space heating is saved, there is a significant scope for energy efficiency improvements. The structure, construction process and the occupancy process are deemed environmentally responsible and resource efficient in sustainable construction. The practice is maintained throughout the buildings entire life cycle from the site location, to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. The main aim of green construction is to have development that satisfies the needs of the current population without affecting the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Abidin, 2010). Construction is considered sustainable if it enhances living, working and leisure environment for the population management, consumes minimum energy as well as generating minimum waste over its life cycle. Such a construction integrates with the natural environment and ensures the use of renewable resources where possible. Green construction avoids causing permanent damage to the natural environment by demolitions and consumption of a large amount of resources. It is rather considered unsustainable when it causes unnecessary waste of energy, water or materials due to short life, poor design, inefficiency or the low standard construction techniques (Ortiz, et al, 2009). The zero or low carbon design technologies seek to introduce high standards of fabric energy efficiency so as to reduce the energy demand and to incorporate low carbon energy technologies to reduce the carbon emissions from heat and power generation. The projects require a huge investment in the carbon-saving infrastructure deployment in the construction of residential and commercial sites (John, et al, 2005). The aim of the sustainable construction is to reduce wastage and carbon emissions while ensuring that the natural resources are maintained for the future generations. The zero carbon design technologies implemented usually seek to reduce the need for energy as well as utilize the available energy efficiently. Some of the non-depletable natural energy sources are used such as the wind and solar energy. Biomass is a form of bio-energy that is obtained from the wood fuel, energy crops or the wood waste, agricultural residues of the biological components (Matthews, et al, 2012). The designers such as the architects and the engineers are responsible for the design of a building that optimizes the electrical, heating, and cooling loads. The construction depends highly on the selection of specific materials to use and reduce the loads. This is achieved by the design and utilization of free energy gains or the passive gains and the specification of mechanical and electrical equipment and systems that satisfy the energy loads. The designs should aim at creating a more commercially viable zero carbon home by orienting it for maximum solar gain and renewable energy generation. The designs seek to conserve all the resources and ensure that the structure is self-sufficient. The use of large windows on the sides of residential buildings, plantation to cover the open lands or even on the walls of buildings gives an ecological feel. The use of efficient water gutter system to collect rain water for reuse in house chores. Another design approach is the installation of so lar heaters on the rooftops to conserve electricity when hot water is required (Ilha, et al, 2009). The life cycle assessment is a very resourceful tool for assessing environmental performance and sustainable development. One of the key ways to manage the zero carbon in sustainable construction is to involve it in legislation. It should be stated as a mandatory target as well as have a strategic plan to eliminate the carbon emissions to the highest level by the year 2050 in the UK and in 2030 in the USA. The international community needs to embrace the move to ensure that the environment is protected. There are several decisions that need to be made when considering the sustainable construction such as the increase of profit margins, green credentials, and business opportunities (Kukudia, et al, 2004). The choice of renewable energy systems is highly dependent on the construction site. The site could be located in a region where the solar energy is abundant or where there is a lot of wind. In the urban areas, there is a lot of waste materials that can be converted to biomass which is another suitable form of energy especially for small energy requirements such as heating and cooking. Many building are coming up with designs that conserve the natural resource management provided. The key concern on lighting is achieved by ensuring that the building is well lit and no electricity is used for lighting during the day. During the night, there can be solar energy, wind energy, or hydropower. Water is another key resource in construction and residential setups. Rain water can be collected and used for the wash areas and toilets. The greywater can be used to irrigate, water the open areas or even in washing cars (Ugwu, 2006). Conclusion To reduce the carbon footprint during construction, the operational team needs to use products that cause minimal harm to the environment. These materials need to be energy efficient in terms of their manufacture, distribution, use and disposal. The paper broadly discusses the environmentally friendly alternatives such as the use of low energy forms of construction as well as being mindful of processes that could cause emission of CO2. Reference List Halliday, S. Sustainable Construction; Butterworth Heinemann: London, UK, 2008. Barrett, P.S.; Sexton, M.G.; Green, L. Integrated delivery systems for sustainable construction. Build. Res. Inf, 27, 397404. Abidin, N.Z. Investigating the awareness and application of sustainable construction concept by Malaysian developers. Habitat Int. 2010, 34, 421426. Ortiz, O.; Castells, F.; Sonnemann, G. Sustainability in the construction industry: A review of recent developments based on LCA Constr. Build. Mater. 2009, 23, 2839. Ortiz, O.; Pasqualino, J.C.; Castells, F. Environmental performance of construction waste: Comparing three scenarios from a case study in Catalonia, Spain. Waste Manag. 2010, 30, 646654. John, G.; Clements-Croome, D.; Jeronimidis, G. Sustainable building solutions: A review of lessons from natural world. Build. Environ. 2005, 40, 319328. Bainbridge, D.A. Sustainable building as appropriate technology. In Building without Borders: Sustainable Construction for the Global Village; Kennedy, J., Ed.; New Society Publishers: Gabriola Island, Canada, 2004; pp. 5584. Ugwu, O.O.; Kumaraswamy, M.M.; Wong, A.; Ng, S.T. Sustainability appraisal in infrastructure projects (SUSAIP) Part 1. Development of indicators and computational methods. Autom. Construct. 2006, 15, 239251. Matthews, E.; Amann, C.; Fischer-Kowalski, M.; Huttler, W.; Kleijn, R.; Moriguchi, Y.; Ottke, C.; Rodenburg, E.; Rogich, D.; Schandl, H.; Schutz, H.; van der Voet, E.; Weisz, H. The Weight of Nations: Material Outflows from Industrial Economies; World Resources Institute: Washington, DC, USA, 2000; Available online: https://pdf.wri.org/weight_of_nations.p (accessed on 24 May 2009) Buildings 2012, 2 148 Ilha, M.S.O.; Oliveira, L.H.; Gonalves, O.M. Environmental assessment of residential buildings with an emphasis on water conservation. Build. Serv. Eng. Res. Technol. 2009, 30, 1526. Kukadia, V.; Hall, D.J. Improving Air Quality in Urban Environments: Guidance for the construction Industry; Building Research Establishment (BRE) Bookshop, CRC Ltd.: London, UK, 2004.

Music and Psychology free essay sample

Extraverts tend to seek out songs with heavy bass lines, while those who enjoy more complex styles such as Jazz and classical music tend to e more creative and have higher IQ-scores. Another study conducted by researchers at Heritor-Watt University looked at more than 36,000 participants from all over the world. Participants were asked to rate more than 104 different musical styles in addition to offering Information about aspects of their personality. Here are some personality traits for different styles of music.Pop Top 40 hits Iranian Selene Gomez Flow Arid Honest and conventional. While pop music lovers are hard-working and have high self-esteem, researchers suggests that they tend to be less creative and more uneasy. Rap and Help/Hop Snoop Dog Dry. Drew In spite of the stereotype that rap lovers are more aggressive or violent, this is actually not true. Rap fans do tend to have high self-esteem and are usually outgoing. Country Would you rather watch CM instead of MAT? Country music fans are typically hardworking, conventional and outgoing. While country songs are often centered on heartbreak, people who gravitate awards this type Of music tend to be very emotionally stable. Rock / Heavy Metal Rock ; Heavy Metal music are not as aggressive as people may think. Fans of this style of music are usually gentle. They tend to be creative, but are often introverted and may suffer from low self-esteem. Ended Fans of the Indies genre are typically introverted, very smart and creative. They also tend to be less hard-working and less gentle. Anxiousness and low self- esteem are other common personality characteristics. Dance People who prefer dance music are usually outgoing and assertive. Classical Classical music lovers are typically more introverted, but are also at ease with themselves and the world around them. They are creative and have a good sense Of self-esteem. Jazz, Blues and Soul People who enjoy jazz, blues or soul music were found to be more extroverted with high self-esteem. They also tend to be very creative, intelligent and at ease. It was found that the reason people sometimes feel defensive about their taste in music might be related to how much it relates to their attitudes and personality.People do actually define themselves through music and relate to other people through it but we havent known in detail how music is connected to identity, he explained. (Adrian North Of Heritor-Watt University in Edinburgh, 1. K) Questions? Why then do we go to music as a first sign of help? We probably think that music is indirectly telling us something about the other persons personality. Big four personality traits: openness to experience, extroversion, agreeableness, emotional stability.Overall the results showed that music references were reasonably accurate in conveying aspects of personality. Of the four traits, it was a persons openness to experience that was best communicated by their top 10 list Of songs, followed by extroversion and emotional stability. Extroversion is the act, state, or habit of being predominantly concerned with and obtaining gratification from what is outside the self. Introversion is the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in ones own mental life.

Wisdom Essays - Bible, Solomon, Virtue, Old Testament, Philosophy

Wisdom Wisdom, in my opinion is ?The knowing of many things?. Wisdom is what all people should strive for during their entire life. For being wise is having the power of knowing and judging what is right and good, you have the power to discern what you should and should not do. You can look at situations in life and have the wisdom to know what you should do. Wisdom is the development of things learned in the past. Whether this is learned by experience or from the experience of others, it is a collection of knowledge. An example of someone with exceeding wisdom would be Solomon, when Solomon became king, God asked him what he wanted, and Solomon was quite smart when he asked for wisdom. God granted his desire for wisdom, and he became the most intelligent king that ever lived. His finances exceeded anything you could ever imagine. He had piles of silver at the end of the streets in the city because there was not enough storage for it all. He lived a long and very prosperous life, and ruled Israel with authority and he was very respected by all. Anything that he was faced with, he knew what to do, and when he didn't he knew where to find out from, he would turn to God and he would show him direction in what to do. So obviously I think it is very important to get all of the wisdom possible. So to sum up what I think wisdom is, it is learning from the past, and the present to know where to go in the future, it will help to give direction and help make important decisions. Creative Writing

Global Poverty Trends and Global Trade Challenges The WritePass Journal

Global Poverty Trends and Global Trade Challenges Introduction Global Poverty Trends and Global Trade Challenges ) defines poverty as a deprivation of basic human needs. These comprise of material and non-material needs that are required to facilitate a comfortable life. High levels of poverty lead to social exclusion, which limits the capability of individuals or groups to actively contribute towards community or national development as a result of limited resources (Nolan Whelan, 2010). Several efforts have been made to increase the income of people across the globe to enable them afford basic needs. Most of the people that have affected by poverty are from developing countries in Africa, Asia, and South America (World Bank, 2013). There have also been efforts aimed at increasing the affordability of these basic items. Such efforts include placing subsidies on basic commodities, which have been successfully implemented in countries like Egypt   (Reuters, 2013). Even with these efforts in place, there are several other factors that limit the success of these efforts, especially in developin g countries (Alkire Foster, 2011). Some of these factors include corruption, brain drain of educated professionals and unequal price distribution, which often creates a wide gap between the rich and poor. According to statistics from the World Bank, a total population of 1.22 billion across the globe lived under the poverty line (spending $1.25 per day). Comparing this to 1990 where the statistics were at 1.91 billion living under the poverty line, an improvement has been made (World Bank, 2013). This is a clear indication of the effectiveness of strategies that have been implemented to fight poverty. This paper intends to present an in-depth discussion of poverty and transformations that have taken place within the past four decades. It also seeks to examine the social, political and economic challenges that result from global trade and inequality. Poverty and its Causes As mentioned in the previous section of this report, poverty is the deprivation of basic material and non-material needs. It is classified into absolute and relative poverty. The present-day absolute poverty line has been set by the Word Bank at $1.5 and $2.5 a day (Couch et al., 2010). Relative poverty is referred to as an estimate of inequalities in income. It is usually calculated as the percentage of people that live below a certain income median (Couch et al., 2010). Given that economic conditions vary from one country to another, the causes of poverty in different countries also differ. Pointers of poverty include unemployment, homelessness, famine, poor sanitation, high infant mortality rates and illiteracy (Gilder, 2012). With reference to developing countries, one of the key causes is the rapid increase in population. A good example of this is India, where the annual population increase for the last 45 years has been at an average of 2.2% (Karuna, 2012). This translates to a n addition of 17 million people annually, which causes a strain on the available resources, making it difficult to sufficiently cater for their basic needs.   Governments have the responsibility of ensuring that the livelihoods of their citizens are improved. However, vices, such as corruption, limit the possibility of attaining the poverty reduction objectives. According to (Johnston, 2009), corruption diverts, distorts and delays growth in economy. As a result of corruption, the elite or wealthy in the country continue progressing while the poor or less privileged plunge deeper into poverty.   The poor are also denied access to health, education and other social services that are needed to empower them to effectively contribute towards national building (Fisman Miguel, 2008). Illiteracy also contributes towards an increase in poverty because it limits the capability of individuals to be innovative or entrepreneurial, resulting in an overdependence on natural resources or fore ign aid (Teal, 2011). Other factors that contribute to the poverty statistics include unemployment, inflation, lack of capital to support entrepreneurship and a general lack effective policies that are meant to eliminate poverty. Khan and Bashir (2012) argue that poverty is a complicated phenomenon, which makes it quite challenging to exhaustively explain its causes. Some of the theorists in this field, such as Furnham   and Gunter (1984) are of the view that people who are prone to poverty are those who have little or no regard for the future. Instead, they use up their resources to â€Å"live for the moment† (Andersen Taylor, 2007). Other theorists argue that the poor have feelings of inferiority, hopelessness and powerlessness, which are passed on from generation to generation. As a result, it becomes difficult for their economic predicaments to be solved. Whilst these views are based on the notion that the poor have themselves to blame for their situations, other are of the view that among the poor, there are those who have the will to work hard if they are given the chance. However, they are limited by their inability to access education that is a prerequisite for obtaining well-paying jobs (Gi lder, 2012). Poverty Trends over the last 40 years Even though it is challenging to get accurate statistics on the actual changes that have taken place in poverty statistics over the last ten decades, a general improvement has been recorded in poverty eradication efforts (World Bank, 2013). In a report by the UN that explored poverty trends between 1981 and 2005, the findings indicated that even though the developing world still has the highest poverty levels, there has been a significant reduction in the severity and depth of extreme poverty, 0.5 billion less people living under the poverty line in 2005 than in 1981 (United Nations, 2010). This is arguably a positive move, given that these are the regions that record the highest levels of population growth. One of the factors that are responsible for these trends is expansion in the global economy, which has resulted in higher average per capita income levels, both in developing ad developed nations (Collier Dollar, 2002). Comparing the current income with the 1960s, there has been an average growth in GDP levels at an average annual rate of 4.1%, while the high and middle income countries have had their GDPs increase by averages of 3.2% and 4.2% per annum respectively. The chart below represents the global poverty trends between 1981 and 2005 (United Nations, 2010). Despite the improvements indicated in Fig. 1 above, a projected increase in populations of developing countries points out the necessity of their governing bodies to ensure that they formulate appropriate policies that will ensure sustenance in economic growth (World Bank, 2012). This is a prerequisite for poverty eradication. Even though it is a general view of the majority that poverty affects developing countries, developed nations are also directly affected by it. For instance, the United States of America has a total population of 46 million living in poverty (Povertyusa.org, 2013). Unlike the general poverty line that is set for the global statistics, a family of four with an annual income of less than the set threshold of $23,050 can be referred to as living in poverty (HHS, 2012). In the UK, the threshold is at  £100 per week for an adult,  £183 per week for a household with two adults and  £268 for a household of four, which comprises of two adults and two children (Cl ay et al., 2012). Poverty trends within the past few decades also indicate the notable differences in economic growth in different countries. For instance, between 1999 and 2005, there was a significant general decline in the population living on under $1.25 a day (United Nations, 2010). However, the highest decline occurred in the Pacific and East Asia, which were then characterized by explosive growths in the economy and improved living standards, especially in China. The chart below represents the trends of people living under $1.25 a day in different world regions (United Nations, 2010). From the trends on the chart above, it is evident that while the overall number of people living below $1.25 a day is reducing, Sub-Saharan African countries are among those facing challenges in attaining this poverty reduction goal. On the other hand, countries from East Asia and the Pacific are among those that have managed to register a significant reduction of the number of people living below this poverty line (United Nations, 2010).The Effects of Poverty on Business There are several effects that poverty has on the business environment. The most direct impact of poverty on business is that there is a minimal potential of growth. This is especially the case for businesses that deal in products or services that are not basic. The reason for this is that the majority of the target market lacks the disposable income to purchase products out of their basic needs. This explains the concentration of businesses in urban centres, where the average income is usually the highest. One of the main outcomes of poverty is crime, where the poor engage in different criminal activities to get themselves out of poverty. Some of the main crimes include robbery and corruption. According to kipo, any crime that results from poverty has a significantly adverse impact on business. For instance, violent robbery scares potential clients and a result, limits the levels sales. In addition to the potential reduction of business sales, businesses are also at a risk of losing their revenue to insecurity. From the findings presented in fig. 2 above that indicate a drop in the levels of poverty, it can be inferred that the consequences for the business environment is also positive. This is exhibited by the overall growth in the number of businesses across the world. Challenges Arising from International Trade and Global Inequality As globalization gradually increases in the present-day business environment, there are different opportunities and challenges that are presented as a result of this (Bigman, 2002). Some of the opportunities that globalization has presented include elimination of national barriers to facilitate trade between nations and increased foreign direct investments in developing and emerging economies to capture the available market opportunities (Foskett Maringe, 2010). This has also contributed to an overall increase in the average per-capita income across the world. However, with these opportunities come underlying challenges that mainly result from global inequalities and international trade (Apple, 2013). The implications that the international trade and global inequality have on business are discussed in this section. Social Challenges As the effects of globalization continue to be felt across the world, one of the key challenges that occur as a result of this is brain drain. Often referred to as capital flight, this is the movement or immigration or people with high levels of skills, knowledge and intelligence from a particular country to another (Agrawal et al., 2011). This mainly affects developing countries, where their academic elite immigrate to developing nations in pursuance of better opportunities. Even though it can be argued as a positive move for the individuals who are moving out, the cumulative impact on the home nation is adverse (Docquier Rapoport, 2012).   The World Bank estimates that by 1990, the human capital that had moved from Africa to other developed countries could be equated to 40% of its wealth (approximately $360 billion) (Ndulu, 2004). Developing countries are usually characterized by capital scarcity and therefore, further loss of this scarce resource to developed countries undermin es the sustainability and development potentials of these developing nations. Professionals that move to developed countries could otherwise positively contribute towards the long-term improvement of the business and socio-economic statuses of these countries. However, their moves can be justified because of the limited opportunities presented in the developing countries (Agrawal et al., 2011).   Another challenge lies in the diversity of cultures, religions and other social frameworks (Collier Dollar, 2002). Globalization has been characterized by increased diversities that have brought about tensions in several business aspects, especially human resource management (Docquier Rapoport, 2012). Currently, one of the most sensitive challenges in human resource management is cultural diversity. Thus, it is vital for human resource managers to ensure that the business environment is balanced enough to accommodate people from different economic backgrounds (Crane Matten, 2004). Othe r social challenges include racial discrimination, human trafficking and threatening of family units as members move into other nations in search of better lives. Global inequality can also refer to the unequal distribution of professional or entrepreneurial skills across the globe. The effect of this on business is that it makes it difficult for businesses operating in some regions to get employees with the desired skills locally. As a result of this, companies spend more money either training employees or hiring expatriates from other countries. Economic Challenges The inequalities that exist in different nations also pose economic challenges on the countries, their citizens and companies that invest in those countries (Nolan Whelan, 2010). One of the economic challenges is because of the different currencies that are used in different countries across the world. Fluctuations in these currency exchange rates have a wide range of repercussions on the company revenues (Bigman, 2002). Global trade has also resulted in the rise of new international powers, commonly referred to as emerging economies. These include Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICS) (Collier Dollar, 2002). Whilst this can be considered as a move in the right direction for these economies, the fact that they are recording faster economic growth rates that other economies has an effect on the international trade structures, the flow of human capital and natural resource-consumption patterns (Bigman, 2002). Another economic challenge is brought about by the inequalities in income levels of different countries, which may cause multinationals to take advantage of this to pay workers in developing countries poorly and overwork them as they seek cheap labour (Collier Dollar, 2002). An example of this was highlighted by (Chamberlain, 2011) that   in South China, workers at Apple work for excessive hours to meet the international demands of the company’s   products. Foxconn   is also another example of companies that provide workers, especially in developing countries with draconian working conditions, which occasionally lead to employee suicides (Chamberlain, 2011). Political Challenges Political challenges that affect global trade comprise of those that are outside the control of governments and those perpetrated by the government or the political elite (Henry Springborg, 2010). One of the challenges is created by governments is corruption, especially in developing countries. Countries that are known to be corrupt often have political leaders who require favours from companies in form of bribes or job positions before being allowed to operate smoothly (Reuters, 2013). One key disadvantage of this is that companies that stick to their ethical codes of conduct may either be denied investment opportunities or may have their operations disrupted by rogue government officials. This results into an imbalanced competitive environment in favour of corrupt businesses. Some of the most corrupt countries in the world are North Korea, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Somalia, which are all developing countries (Reuters, 2013). High tax tariffs and interest rates on loans are also polit ical challenges that increase capital expenditures of investors and a result, reduce their profit margins (McGrew, 2000). Political challenges that are caused by factors out of the government’s influence include revolutions, wars, strikes and terrorism (Campante Chor, 2012). One of the most recent events that paused challenges to businesses in Arab countries was the Arab spring that started in 2010, which affected many Arab countries in Northern Africa and the Middle East (Willis, 2012). Others include constant terrorism activities that take place, perpetrated by extremist movements. For instance, Nigeria is among the countries that, regardless of the rich oil reserves that they have, are accustomed to high levels of corruption, and terrorism. As a result if this, large oil companies like Agip, Shell and Mobil have had challenges operating in the country (Shah, 2014). Conclusion There are several definitions of poverty that have been given by different researchers. However, as earlier presented in the paper, it is a complicated issue whose causes cannot be exhaustively established. This paper has provided an overview of the global poverty by providing an in-depth definition of absolute and relative poverty. It has also outlined some of the key causes of poverty across the globe. Global poverty trends over the past few decades have also been discussed in this paper. Even though the trend indicates a reasonable decline in global poverty levels, some countries have not managed to eliminate poverty as much as others. Some of the countries that have effectively managed to reduce poverty significantly include those in East Asia and the Pacific. On the other hand, poverty still remains a challenge in several countries in regions like Sub Sahara Africa. With a high anticipated population growth by 2050 that is likely to increase the strain on available resources, go vernments ought to implement strategies that will contribute towards economic growth so as to sustain these growing populations. Whereas globalization has provided several opportunities for global business, it has also posed several social, political and economic challenges, especially due to the existent global inequality. Some of these challenges have also been discussed in this paper. Aspects that should be addressed in future research include the possible future global trends of poverty. References Agrawal, A., Kapur, D., McHale, J. Oettl, A., 2011. Brain drain or brain bank? The impact of skilled emigration on poor-country innovation. Journal of Urban Economics, 69(1), pp. 43-55. Alkire, S. Foster, J., 2011. Counting and multidimensional poverty measurement. Journal of Public Economics, 95(7), pp.476-87. Andersen, M.L. Taylor, ‎H.F., 2007. Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society, Updated: Understanding a Diverse Society. Mason: Cengage Learning. Apple, M.W., 2013. Thinking Internationally and Paying Our Debts: Critical Thoughts on Diversity, Globalization, and Education. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 49(3), pp.118-20. Bigman, D., 2002. Globalization and the Developing Countries: Emerging Strategies for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation. Cambridge: CABI. Campante, F.R. Chor, D., 2012. Why was the Arab World Poised for Revolution? Schooling, Economic Opportunities, and the Arab Spring. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 26(2), pp.167-87. Chamberlain, G., 2011. Apples Chinese workers treated inhumanely, like machines. The Guardian, 30 April. Clay, S. et al., 2012. Family Resources Survey. London, UK: Office of National Statistics Department of Work and Pensions. Collier, P. Dollar, D‎., 2002. Globalization, Growth, and Poverty: Building an Inclusive World Economy. Washington, DC: World Bank. Couch, K., Smeeding, T.M. Waldfogel, J., 2010. Fighting poverty: Attentive policy can make a huge difference. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 29(2), pp.401-07. Crane, A. Matten, D., 2004. Business ethics, a European perspective: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Docquier, F. Rapoport, H., 2012. Globalization, brain drain, and development. Journal of Economic Literature, 50(3), pp.681-730. Fisman, R. Miguel, E., 2008. Economic gangsters: corruption, violence, and the poverty of nations. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Foskett, N. Maringe, ‎F., 2010. Globalization and Internationalization in Higher Education: Theoretical, Strategic and Management. New York: Continuum. Furnham, A. Gunter, B., 1984. Just world beliefs and attitudes towards the poor. British Journal of Social Psychology, 23(3), pp.265-69. Gilder, G., 2012. Wealth and Poverty: A New Edition for the Twenty-first Century. Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing. Henry, C.M. Springborg, R., 2010. Globalization and the Politics of Development in the Middle East. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. HHS, 2012. 2012 HHS Poverty Guidelines. [Online] Available at: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/12poverty.shtml [Accessed 30 December 2013]. Johnston, M., 2009. Poverty and Corruption. Forbes, 22 January. Karuna, O., 2012. 10 main causes of Poverty in India. [Online] Available at: preservearticles.com/201107189264/what-are-the-main-causes-of-poverty-in-india.html [Accessed 30 December 2013]. Khan, R.E.A. Bashir, H.N., 2012. Trade, poverty and inequality nexus: the case of Pakistan. World Applied Science Journal, 18(5), pp.722-26. McGrew, A., 2000. Sustainable globalization?: the global politics of development and exclusion in the new world order. In Allen, T. A, T. Poverty and development into the 21st century. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ndulu, B.J., 2004. Human Capital Flight: Stratification, Globalization, and the Challenges to Tertiary Education in Africa. Journal of Higher Education in Africa, 2(1), pp.57-91. Nolan, B. Whelan, C.T., 2010. Using non†monetary deprivation indicators to analyze poverty and social exclusion: Lessons from Europe? Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 29(2), pp.305-25. Povertyusa.org, 2013. More than 46 million Americans live in Poverty USA. [Online] Available at: povertyusa.org/ [Accessed 30 December 2013]. Reuters, 2013. Food price rises put restive Egypt on edge. Reuters, 13 March. Reuters, 2013. The 10 Most Corrupt and Least Corrupt Countries in the World. Reutersr, 3 December. Shah, A., 2014. Nigeria and Oil. [Online] Available at: globalissues.org/article/86/nigeria-and-oil   [Accessed 6 January 2014]. Teal, F., 2011. The price of labour and understanding the causes of poverty. Labour Economics, 18, pp.7-15. United Nations, 2010. Report on the World Social Situation 2010: Rethinking Poverty. New York: United Nations United Nations. Willis, M.J., 2012. Politics and Power in the Maghreb: Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco from Independence to the Arab Spring. London: C. Hurst Co. World Bank, 2012. World Development Indicators. Washington, DC: World Bank: Development Data Group. World Bank, 2013. Poverty Overview. [Online] Available at: worldbank.org/en/topic/poverty/overview [Accessed 30 December 2013].

Muti media marketing Indiviual Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Muti media marketing Indiviual Report - Essay Example The factors that will be considered for carrying out this report will be based on the internal audit for multimedia marketing, situational analysis (marketing audit) of the multimedia marketing campaign as well as the competitor analysis of the campaign. For conducting internal audit for multimedia marketing, a detailed study about the overall marketing environment about the company will be done and also stress will be laid upon all the marketing activities that the company follow and can follow in the future. Moreover, stress will also be laid upon the other competitive strategies that can be adopted by the company in order to further enhance the online marketing campaigns. In order to design these campaigns, a thorough study about other online marketing campaigns will be studied upon. The report will be primarily based on a poster which has been created to demonstrate a new APP. Rigorous studies about the APP i.e. SHAT will be done and the implications and the uses of the APP will be highlighted. Apart from that the report will be based on the effectiveness of the use of multimedia marketing campaigns in the company and the level upon which these strategies can fetch effective marketing results. It will also highlight about the factors upon which the multimedia marketing campaigns such as the use of poster can be relied upon for promoting a new APP and the comparison of offline marketing campaigns with the online campaigns will be done as well (Westwood, 2010). I. Reasons for Selecting Multimedia Marketing with Situational and Competitor Analysis The main reason a poster campaign has been prepared for Samsung is to incorporate a multimedia marketing approach to build a strong network of information over the internet which will prove to be user friendly for many clients (Shelly & Fermat, 2012). Moreover, the poster campaign has been desired to expand the company’s marketing operations by actively involving in building virtual marketing campaigns as it i s in high demand in the marketplace in today’s marketing environment. Samsung, being one of the top-most mobile companies required to make certain radical technological changes in order to equip itself with the ever-changing business environment. In order to conduct the situational analysis, the stress is laid upon the overall business environment of the company, the business process that the company is following, and the overall business situation of the company i.e. Samsung. It is found that Samsung as a company is undergoing its business operations in a very dynamic business environment. Samsung has cemented itself as a top company for consumer electronics products. It is considered as one of the topmost mobile phone brands in the whole world. Based on the situational analysis of the company, it stands as a major player in the mobile world and the company is continuously striving to improve its product features and launching new and successful devices, for instance, Samsun g Galaxy series (Clarke, 2005). The market standing of the company is excellent and it is continuously striving for further development. Also, the company is co

Comparing genres Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comparing genres - Essay Example Knives, guns, chainsaws, physical violence is extreme in nature and is frequently used in horror movies. On the other hand, action movies are packed more with body blows and gun fire. Violence is relatively less intense in action movies. Karate and Ju-Jitsu are often used by the protagonist to paralyze the enemy. Movies like ‘Lethal Weapon’ and ‘Bad Company’ suffice this notion as the protagonists in both movies use guns and their own bodily actions to neutralize the opponent. One thing is evident that the protagonist (the good guy) in action movies is never brutal; he never kills an innocent person and generally avoids bloodshed. Sex scenes are quite similar in both horror and action genres. In action movies, the protagonists are usually found making out with attractive females, movies like the ‘A-Team’ and ‘Lethal Weapon Series’ are good examples. In horror movies, usually a couple is shown engaged in sexual activity and the monster or the evil creature enters the room and starts killing people. Most probably the idea is to stir the emotional extremities of the audience by first engaging them in a relax mode by showing seductive erotic scenes and then shocking them by showing blood and gore. ‘Friday the 13th’ and ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ are known for such cinematic strategies. Racism is present in both genres but horror movies show a more disgusting way of spewing this issue. Movies, like ‘Scream’, ‘Cloverfield’ and ‘Friday the 13th’ show very degrading aspects of racism by nearly humiliating black community. Action movies in comparison are packed more with sophistication therefore the racism is also portrayed very intelligently. ‘Lethal Weapon Series’ shows a clumsy cop following the orders of a smart white police officer. Moreover in the movie ‘Training Day’, the black police officer is portrayed as the criminal who

The French Revolution in Paris in the Year 1789 Research Paper

The French Revolution in Paris in the Year 1789 - Research Paper Example This is the capital city of France and it experienced a number of events in the year 1789 that saw its revolution. This was the Renaissance or period of discovery all over the world and Paris is one city that experienced the Renaissance first hand. This paper will discuss various events, their causes and consequences in Paris in the year 1789, most specifically the French Revolution. The Renaissance is one of the most interesting and disputed periods of European History. Many scholars consider it as a period with its own unique characteristics. It was a historical era with a lot of discovery made on literature, politics, art, religion, social life and music. The renaissance period is also known as the period of rebirth because aspects such as learning, literature and arts were reborn after a long dark period where they had almost been forgotten. There had been long years of cultural darkness since most of the learning and culture of the ancient time had been forgotten. It is during t his period of rebirth that led to the French Revolution in Paris city of France in the year 1789. In Paris, the French Revolution was also called the Revolution of 1789. During this time the people of Paris were being driven by three ideologies, liberty, equality and brotherhood (Kent 1). These are the goals that the citizens as well as leaders of Paris wanted to promote but this could still not promote the gruesome Reign of Terror which lead to a number of losses of lives. The French Revolution started as a result of the economic crisis that France was facing after having supported the American Revolution between 1775 and 1783 (Wilde 1). The financial crisis led to an increase cost of living with the burden being felt majorly by the peasants and bourgeois who were the main tax payers. As a result there was the big question of who should solve the situation, the clergy, nobility or the common people? (Kent 1). There was another question of why all these groups should not be treated equally in terms of payment of taxes. With these questions, the people wondered if they were all equal, why was there a king to govern them. Thus, the French Revolution was a result of economic and social problems; people were tired of the monarchy and wanted a change. As a result of all these problems, The Estates-General met at Versailles on May 5, 1789 and they were divided over a fundamental issue on whether they should vote by head giving advantage to the Third State or by estate whereby the two privileged orders might outvote the third, the Commons (Cody 1). Thus, the bitter struggle on this legal issue drove deputies of the Third State to declare themselves the National Assembly in June 17, 1789, and threatened to proceed without the other two orders, Clergy and Nobility (Cody 1). The King Louis XVI was not pleased and locked the Commons out of his meetings; however, they stayed around his Tennis Court advocating for a written constitution on June 20th 1789 (Wilde 1). On July 10 the National Assembly was renamed the National Constituent Assembly by the third estate, meaning that it was an assembly for ‘the people’ as opposed to what it was earlier as an assembly of the Estate (Wilde 1). This would ensure that the needs of the common citizens were looked into in contrast with the earlier situation where only the high class citizens, nobility and clergy, got their needs while the commoners suffered. The height of the

Analysis of Construction Company, India

Analysis of Construction Company, India Annual Report Analysis of  Hindustan Construction Company Limited Tejas Vaidya Construction Sector Analysis: Construction in India has become a key contributor to the economy of India in the recent years. It ranks 2nd in employment and contribution to the economy only after the agriculture sector. This sector also ranks 2nd when it comes to FDI inflows. However the last three years have been a challenging period for this sector. This sector has now come into the forefront with the ‘Make in India’ campaign being driven actively by the Prime Minister of India. Key aspects of the sector are as follows: The Indian Construction is valued at about USD 126million and projected to grow to USD 140million by 2017. The Construction industry contributes about roughly 10% to the GDP, a contribution of Rs. 6708 billion in the year ending March 2013. 50% of the construction industry demand comes from infrastructure and the rest comes from industrial activity, railways, residential and commercial development combined. Being a labour intensive sector, it employs 3.5crore people including direct and indirect jobs. The government has highlighted infrastructure as a key sector to turn around and sustain the momentum of GDP growth that had slowed down in the last 3 years. This industry is skewed in terms of major players; there are a handful of companies from both public and private sector. The public sector players are: IRCON, NBCC, RITES and EIL. The major private sector players are: LT, HCC, MN Dastur Co and Ansals. There is immense scope for development in this sector and it is seen as a booming sector, primarily due to the following reasons: The estimated shortage for housing in urban India is 18.8million units whilst that in rural India is 47.4million units. The current standards of infrastructure are unable to sustain the growing population and there is hence a dire need for re-generation and renovation to meet demands in urban areas. The Government of India has released a new urban development campaign that will help develop 100 ‘smart cities’ across India. Cities will be supported to gain investments from private capital and make effective use of PPP model to strengthen their infrastructure and services. 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) is permitted in construction and infrastructure development projects. Apart from this, a high degree of recent regulatory advancements have been seen in this sector which include the following: Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission The National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy, 2007 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) Infrastructure Investment Real Estate Regulation Development Bill, 2013 Model State Affordable Housing Policy for Urban Areas, 2013: About HCC: Hidustan Construction Company was established in 1926 by Seth Walchand Hirachand Doshi. It is an integrated group that operates in the areas of construction, infrastructure development and real estate. Being one of the largest private sector construction companies in India, it has been involved in projects ranging from highways and bridges to hydel-power projects to nuclear facilities.HCC’s standalone turnover stands at Rs. 4,113.5 crore and net profit stands at Rs. 80.6 crore, after reporting losses for the last two years. Financial Report Analysis HCC has a multitude of ongoing, new and completed projects in this year across various states in India and also in Bhutan. A total of 202 projects are listed. The state wise spread of the projects is as follows: Chairman’s Address to Shareholders The chairman starts by highlighting the terrible state of the economy, of governance and of the infrastructure sector over the last two years. However he shares a spirit of optimism over the formations of the stable NDA government. He states that the GDP growth has been languishing at the sub 5% levels this year 2013-14. As a result the construction sector is also badly hit. Overall, HCC works in a discreditable framework in India since the sector that is most affected by economic slowdown is infrastructure. The chairman, Ajit Gulabchand lists the problems endemic to the construction industry and they are: Environmental clearances to new infrastructure projects Lack of effective decision making Non-payment of claims by government public sector clients The chairman also highlights the performance of HCC as a standalone company which has been impressive amidst turbulent economic conditions. Turnover has increased 7.2% to Rs. 4113cr and has seen an increase for 67% to 640.7cr. The company has been successful in driving down costs. A key project Lavasa is back on track and taken up by Steiner AG, a wholly owned subsidiary which has remained profitable since the last 3 years. The chairman ends with sharing his optimism with respect to a stable BJP-led NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Management Discussion Analysis In this section various aspects of the business and business environment of HCC, both internal and external is discussed. The macro economic review The performance of the economy coming into the year 2013-14 is analysed. Chart A highlights the GDP growth rate in the 5 preceding years. Chart B highlights the growth of the construction sector. It is observed that current account deficit as a ratio to GDP has narrowed significantly and there as also been an increase in foreign inflows. India’s Infrastructure Sector   The current situation of the infrastructure sector is analysed. It is observed that the sector faces several challenges in spite of long term demand being consistent. The lethargic decision making of the old government has negatively affected the sector. Infrastructure financing need to improve significantly by dealing effectively with internal and external factors. Delays are also observed on 15-20% projects along with rise in number of projects without commissioning date. HCC- Key developments Traditional focus on transportation, power and water supplies has continued. Areas like industrial construction projects, complete engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) have been explored. The improvements implemented in efficiency of project operations, inventory management, structure of the organisation and liquidation of receivables have been noteworthy. The company has also undertaken re-evaluation projects to expedite slow-moving financially challenging projects. Performance Highlights   The company has been successful in maintaining its top line at par with 2012-13 amidst adverse economic, financial regulatory environment primarily due to its thrust on cost control. Revenue from operations stands at Rs. 4113cr up 7.2% while EBIDTA stands at Rs. 641cr up by 64.1%. The company has also successfully paid of its dues from the Corporate Debt Restructuring package availed last year. Investee Companies Includes HCC’s portfolio of business through subsidiaries: Infrastructure: focuses on investment and asset creation through PPPs. During 2013-14, the business focused on executing existing projects and raising capital. Real Estate: The focus area of this business has been the development of complete integrated townships. Total Service Contractor: An extension of engineering construction division driven primarily by Swiss acquisition Steiner AG. IT: Expansion into IT done with Highbar Technologies. Engineering Construction Division   This division is distributed across power, transport, water and industrial sectors. Transport: Two major contracts were won viz. tunnel T49 in Udhampur – Srinagar – Baramulla railway line and RCC Bridge over river Sone in Bihar. In addition progress is satisfactory on Delhi metro projects won earlier. Power: This sector has been affected in terms of new undertakings however projects under execution performed well. This includes Hydro and Nuclear Power projects. Water Supply Irrigation: The company has completed water supply projects in Gujarat. New contracts secured at Yettinahole, Karnataka as well as in Pune. Industrial: Includes civil and fabrication contracts in Hindalco-Orrissa, Reliance-Jamnagar, ISPRL-Visakhapatanam and Padur, Karnataka. Marine Works: A contract for reconstruction of a dry dock and wharves is progressing satisfactorily in Mumbai. Infrastructure Division   HCC’s infrastructure business was handled by its wholly owned subsidiary HCC Infra. Projects were majorly developed either on PPP or on DFBOT mode. The company’s entire portfolio comprises NHAI highways with concession periods ranging from 18 years to 30 years. The asset portfolio of HCC is mature which it plans to monetise to raise capital. The asset portfolio is also briefly touched upon. Real Estate Division The real estate division is further divided into two businesses, Lavasa and commercial real estate. Having received environmental clearances, 2013-14 saw the development at Lavasa go into the next phase. A restructuring meant all employees involved in construction were shifted to Steiner India and Lavasa remained a pure developer. Focus has been on collection and salesat Dasve and Mugaon. Dasve in ready withal operational basic infrastructure. Work on infrastructure and utilities development of the second town Mugaon has gathered pace. Gadle Dam, built to supply water for the construction of Lavasa neared 90% completion. Commercial real estate has also seen satisfactory progress with the work on 247 Business Square and 247 Business Avenue, Vikhroli Corporate Park Phase II and Mean Township Developers projects progressing. The company also won bids for Parleshwar CHS, Mumbai and Charosa Wineries. Steiner AG   HCC acquired the remaining 34% stake in the Swiss company which makes Steiner AG a 100% owned subsidiary. Profit level has been maintained as last year at CHF 8.2million. Key undertakings of the company post acquisitions are described. Steiner launched its new corporate identity and design in September 2013. The brand essence ‘Taking the lead together’ which is being implemented on all channels. Highbar Technologies Focus has been on IT implementation from point of view of business transformation, rather than just technology implementation. 14 new customer added to make the count of customers 78. Multiple awards have been won. Expertise developed in areas of ERP, business intelligence and CRM. Operations Support   The operations of the different divisions are supported by Management Systems, Intellectual Property Rights, Branding and Human Resources. Integrated Management System (IMS) adopted based on standards based on standards stipulated by ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007 to streamline processes. Re-certification audit for ISO 9001: 2008, ISO 14001:2004 and BS OHSAS 18001:2007 conducted to confirm compliance. HCC continued to create and protect intellectual property through multiple mediums. On the branding front, HCC continued with it brand enhancement initiatives in both external and internal mediums. Brand value was enhanced by standardised brand practices and delivery of big and complex infrastructure. Awards won by HCC During the year the company won CIDC Vishwakarma Award 2014 for Best Project for Pir Panjal Tunnel, Dun Bradstreet Award for ‘Social Impact’ project of the year 2013 for Nimoo Bazgo Hydel Power Project and Construction Week Award. Human Resources Substantial improvement initiatives like annual turnover per employee, upper ceiling on indirect/ preliminary expenses at the sites and Head Office cost being limited to a percentage of turnover were undertaken. The organisation structure, work and people allocation was re-calibrated to further improve efficiency and focus on various business areas. The company is also working towards implementing performance-oriented culture. Financial Review   In this section the abridged profit and loss accounts have been illustrated. Key financial aspects have been highlighted along with key financial ratio. A detailed analysis of the financials has been included in the later part of this report. References: Annual Report AY 2013-14 –  http://www.hccindia.com/pdf/HCC_Annual_Report_FY2013_14.pdf http://makeinindia.com/sector/construction/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_industry_of_India https://www.equitymaster.com/research-it/sector-info/construction/Construction-Sector-Analysis-Report.asp http://www.indiainfrastructure.com/reportpdf/research_catalogue.pdf K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Page | 1

Being Caucasian at the Brown versus Board Art Exhibit :: Race Racial Segregation

NARRATIVE: running out of white things to wear First and foremost- it was empty. In two years this was my first time to the Krannert Art Museum. I don’t know quite how this could be, because I’m an art student. But the building is on the complete opposite end of the city from both where I live and where my classes are, so I can’t fault others for not traversing here on occasion. I walk into the Brown vs. Board of Education exhibit, and I see no one. The only people there were my friend Diane and myself, both of us are Caucasian. There was silence. Except for my dubious observation that it was indeed the display we were looking for. If the large black on white lettering describing the exhibit wasn’t enough, the black and white photography would alone have been a dead give away. I couldn’t help but think: ‘how clichà ©.’ There were a series of maybe six photos of two women: one white, the other black. The series showed them in confrontation over a chair. Who had the seat, or â€Å"power† so to speak. It wasn’t a terribly innovative piece in my mind. How many times have we seen the struggle between the two races in varying artistic genres? It was very straightforward and too simplistic for my tastes. The message was very blatant and clear, though, that the struggle between whites and blacks is indeed far from over. Turning around, I saw white dinner plates on podiums in the center of this first room. Each plate has a different inscription printed on its face. The texts mostly commemorate different individuals for their contributions to the civil rights movement. I’d have to say that this was an interesting portion of the exhibit. But I only think so looking back. At the time they were just nice shiny plates with some notable individuals names written on them. Now it seems like they have more significance. Like since they seem carefully and finely crafted it gives them more symbolic merit. Plates are common in ancient art exhibits, but they are a rarity in contemporary displays. It seems like a tactic in creating something that will be around for centuries and not be forgotten. The entrance to the second room is a striking surge of color.

Unequal Resources

What do we mean by hierarchy? Hierarchy is system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority. 2. What do we mean by high-status people? High-status people could mean people with money that have power or people like celebrities that have power in Hollywood. 3. What do we mean by low-status people? Low-status people could be people don't know much about what is going on or don't have much say in anything that is going on around them. How do you define persuasion? Persuasion is the action or fact of persuading someone or of being persuaded to do or believe something. 5. What is the difference between persuasion and dominance? Persuasion is convincing someone to believe in something and dominance is like someone making others going along with what they believe In. 6. How does Social Dominance Theory compare to Charles Darning's theory of survival of the fittest?Survival of the fittest is all about the strongest/ smartest pers on serves as for the social dominance theory Is a theory of Intercrop relations that focuses on the maintenance and stability of group-based social hierarchies. Ranking Vases of Power Exercise on Page 217 Least effective = 1 Most effective = 6 2 3 6 Deliver positive/remove negative consequences. Mete out negative or remove positive consequences. Have a high position In the group. Model behavioral and personnel qualities that others respect. 5 Possess expertise. Possesses resources or Information. 4 P. S.Sorry I lost my paper but all the questions are answered and they are all there. Unequal Resources By synonymously 1. What do we mean by hierarchy? Someone making others going along with what they believe in. 6. How does Social Survival of the fittest is all about the strongest/ smartest person services as for the social dominance theory is a theory of intercrop relations that focuses on the Deliver positive/remove negative consequences. Have a high position in the group. Model behav ioral and personnel qualities that others respect. Possesses resources or information.

The Life of an Average College essays

The Life of an Average College essays The Life of a Average College Student In college life, there are many things that are involved in being either a successful or unsuccessful student. Some of the factors that influence either positive or negative progress are things like girlfriends, friends, beer, hard alcohol, partying and sleep. Although there are a lot of influences on schoolwork, partying and alcohol have the greatest impact on a person's academics achievement. To be a successful student in college today, a students not only has to go to class, but has to spend a majority of their time working on their studies. They have to sacrifice some time to get the work done. Its simple to say that the more time you put in the better you'll do. That's the difference between being an "A" student and a "B" student. It is simply something that is needed in order to get those grades everyone is trying to get. It's also something that everyone won't be able to obtain. Being an unsuccessful student on the other hand is something I think everyone can do easily. Who can't be a bad a student? Being a bad student has things that go along with it just like being a good student. There are things that influence how the student is doing. Some of these things include laziness, drinking, and girls. Laziness is something the majority of college kids take part in. I bet eight out of ten students would prefer to sleep in and skip school. That is exactly what happens and is a determinant of getting poor grades. Like sleeping and drinking, I know is a part of a poor college student's life. I would have to say on average that nine out of ten students take part in drinking during their college years. This is a very easy way to get side tracked in school, and also a good reason to miss classes, cause we all know how those hangovers are. Girlfriends are a great thing to have they, can either make or break a student. A person can either have a girl that will b ...

Illustrate the concepts of pluralism and corporatism Essays

Illustrate the concepts of pluralism and corporatism Essays Illustrate the concepts of pluralism and corporatism Essay Illustrate the concepts of pluralism and corporatism Essay An Illustration the constructs of pluralism’ and corporatism’ by using them to two suitably selected West European States The constructs of pluralism and corporatism occupy two of the opposite terminals of the Western European democratic spectrum. While one seeks to increase the range of parliamentary democracy in the post?industrial age, the other strives to cut down the capacity for enhanced engagement in democracies by bowing to the caprice of the economic market instead than the will of the bulk of the people. Surely, the statement about which manner of democracy ( corporatism or pluralism ) is the correct’ method for partitioning political power in the 20 first century, is non dead. Though corporatism can non deny its links with the European experiment of fascism during the 1920’s and the 1930’s ( in peculiar the economic fascism’ as practised by Mussolini’s Italy ) and though pluralism has likewise organic theoretical ties to socialism, both remain in grounds in European Union provinces today, although no longer in the totalitarian signifier that characterised th eir embodiments during the first half of the 20th century. For the intent of comparing, two states have been selected for analysis as illustrations of pluralism and corporatism. These states are the United Kingdom and Austria and – needfully – the text herein will be split into two to compare the states while besides dovetailing at times in order to underline the similarities between the democracies of Britain and Austria. First, nevertheless, a definition of the constructs of pluralism and corporatism must be ascertained so as to set up a fixed conceptual model. Pluralism Pluralism is a wide, far making term that can be interpreted in a assortment of different ways and that besides goes under a figure of assumed names. Rationality’ , representative government’ , majority rule’ , republicanism’ , populism’ and the will of the people’ ( as termed by Rousseau and the libertarian doctrine of the Gallic Revolution ) have all been used to depict the ideological drift behind pluralism and all of these by and large left-of-center constructs are interconnected. What is certain is that pluralism is an ideological agencies to a political terminal that would procure the most democratised vision of authorities possible, encouraging diverseness in multicultural Western populations via the encouragement of unfastened argument on any figure of societal, political, cultural and economic jussive moods. There are bounds to pluralism. It is of import, for case, to observe the cardinal difference between consentaneous regulation a nd political consensus ( which characterises pluralist idea ) . Consensus represents a looser restraint than unanimity, more unfastened to conventions about developing a sense of the meeting’ and leting more room to burden differentially parts to debate that differ in quality. [ 1 ] Corporatism Corporatism is the diametral antonym of pluralism in so far as it envisages political policy as the merchandise of the argument of the few’ instead than the many’ with the minority in this case represented by large concern, industrial capital and economic trusts. Corporatism is linked to the right wing of political sentiment in western idea, which is per se distrustful of the liberty of political power as promulgated by pluralism mentioning the ill-famed tyranny of the majority’ as a counterweight to claims that corporatism is simply a facade for totalitarian visions of neo?fascism. Therefore, the main split between pluralist and corporatist political orientations is located within their differing reading of the impression of the province. The corporate province is a state-with-a-purpose. It has moved beyond its traditional functions of maintaining the peace, keeping the currency, diplomatic negotiations and defense mechanism. In add-on, it offers management solutions’ to the electorate, which requires more and more money and power to transport them out. [ 2 ] The United Kingdom: A Pluralist State As the oldest lasting experiment with parliamentary democracy in Western Europe, Britain is the best illustration of a pluralist province in action. Pluralism in the UK is chiefly meted out in the tremendous power wielded by interest’ or pressure’ groups a cardinal symptom of pluralism in pattern. This has by and large proved to be a fruitful historical matrimony between representative organic structures and the policy?making cabal of the authorities with the famously secular composing of the UK ( integrating an increasing rhythm of devolved and decentralized authorities ) cited as a aglow illustration of the victory of pluralist political relations. Westminster has a deep?rooted tradition of paying attentiveness to coerce groups with non?governmental administrations ( NGO’s ) stand foring any figure of people on a assortment of socio?political issues from anti?smoking conferences toFathers for Justice. Yet while it is true that involvement groups permit non?politicised constitutions to take part more to the full in the parliamentary democracy, there is besides turning concern that they stifle every bit much as trigger societal alteration by subjecting the necessary development of post?modern society to unneeded cheques and balances. The United Kingdom is frequently cited as an utmost illustration of the power of groups in forestalling necessary alteration in society. [ 3 ] Furthermore, the application of force per unit area groups in the mainstream political domain does nil to extinguish the influence of large concern, the pulse of corporatism. Rather ; empirically, it would look to be true that concern groups exceed other types numerically. [ 4 ] The recent debut of 20 four hr imbibing high spots the on-going primacy of the corporate anteroom in inciting domestic policy in Britain. Oesterreichs: A Case Study in Corporatism. Austria has a long association with corporatism in domestic political personal businesss. Detractors attempt to worsen the nexus between the Austrian experiences of National Socialism with the go oning trust upon corporate sentiment in explicating policy. However, the trust upon corporatism is every bit much a residue of its geopolitical state of affairs ( close to the boundary line of the former Communist iron curtain’ that split Europe in two ) as it is due to a national disposition to autocratic political relations. Corporatism has been manifested in Austria by the laterality of concern over representative organic structures such as trade brotherhoods for the supposed greater corporate good of the state. In this manner, corporatism was translated into the corporate province that sought to protect Austria’s natural material interests [ 5 ] against both of the neighbouring East and West axis. However, the restrictions of corporatism in Austria have been greatly accentuated in the past 20 old ages as a radically changing societal and demographic composing of the state has fostered an increasing dependance upon parliament and the pluralism of party political relations. The private and public cabals have in fact moved closer to a brotherhood than an uneasy armistice or confederation as was frequently the instance in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Furthermore, the historical merger of corporate concern, labor and authorities has paved the manner for the modern-day Austrian theoretical account of the political third way’ – a via media between capitalist economy and the organic structure politic that seeks to heighten the chance for political engagement for all. This is the same ideal of the third way’ of political relations as championed by New Labour. Thus, in the terminal, corporatism in Austria has been forced to bow to the primacy of pluralism in post?industrial political theory. Decision Sophisticated modern-day democracies can non boom via attachment to merely one paradigm of democratic political sentiment. For illustration, the gradual eroding of province boundaries has lessened the influence of corporatism in Austria while the worlds of the planetary economic market render pluralism in the UK as much a slave to large concern as any other portion of the public political domain. This convergence of theory in Western European states has proved to be the accelerator behind the mention to the terminal of history and the last man [ 6 ] ( Francis Fukuyama ) whereby domestic party political relations is reduced to little more than a autotype of the dominant democratic ethos of neo?liberalism and the grim rise of planetary free market capitalist economy. Mentions Birch, A.H. ( 2001 )Concepts and Theories of Modern Democracy: Second EditionLondon: Routledge Buchanan, J.M. and Congleton, R.D. ( 1998 )Politicss by Principle, non by InterestCambridge: Cambridge University Press Crepaz, M.M.L. ( October 1994 )From Semi?sovereignty to Sovereignty: The Decline of Corporatism and Rise of Parliament in Austria, in,Journal of Comparative Politics, Volume 27, Number 1 Fukuyama, F. ( 1993 )The End of History and the Last ManLondon and New York: Penguin Jordan, A.G. and Richardson, J.J. ( 1987 )Government and Pressure Groups in BritainOxford: Clarendon Katzenstein, P.J. ( 1987 )Corporatism and Change: Austria, Switzerland and the Politicss of IndustryNew York: Cornell University Press Loughlin, J. ( 2004 )Subnational Democracy in the European Union: Challenges and OpportunitiesOxford: Oxford University Press Mosley, I. ( 2003 )Democracy, Fascism and the New World OrderLondon: Imprint Academic Richardson, H.S. ( 2002 )Democratic Autonomy: Public Reasoning About the Ends of PolicyOxford: Oxford University Press Wootton, G. ( 1970 )Interest GroupsEnglewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall

Change Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Change Experience - Essay Example People are always ready to resist change as an effort to retain their well-known methods of operations. Resistance to change was the main challenge of the new information system in the pharmaceutical marketing. People offered both intentional and unintentional resistance to the new operating system in their operations. Intentional resistance involved avoiding using the system intentionally. This meant that people adopted the traditional method to obtain information about a certain product. In such cases, people were fully aware of the benefits of using the new system but they opted to bypass it. In the unintentional resistance, people developed a negative attitude toward the new system. The negative attitude was developed from consideration of the cost and the efficiency of the new system. Although the conventional method of prescription is efficient and fast it lacks accuracy. The new system, on the other hand, enhances accuracy but it is time-consuming and hence inefficient (Rokeac h, 1973). Learning new ideas is always a challenge to many people and, this had an effect on the new system. Although the system is user-friendly, most people working with the system were incompetent and, this contributed to their resistance. Having been trained using the traditional operation system meant that the new system was a challenge to both my career and industrial operation. Throughout our training, we had been taught how to have as much information as possible concerning a certain pharmaceutical product.... Learning new ideas is always a challenge to many people and, this had an effect with the new system. Although the system is user friendly, most people working with the system were incompetent and, this contributed to their resistance. Having been trained using the traditional operation system meant that the new system was a challenge to both my career and industrial operation. Throughout our training, we had been taught how to have as much information as possible concerning a certain pharmaceutical product (Borkowski, 2005). This meant that we had used all our resources, time learning, and memorizing information about pharmaceutical product. When I first encountered the new information system, I felt betrayed. This is because I considered my education system as a waste of time and resources. I considered the new system as nullification of our education and experience in the pharmaceutical industry. I also felt betrayed since any ordinary person could use the new information system to perform a similar task as that performed by a trained pharmacist. Revolutions resulting from adopting technology in various firms and industry are inevitable. This indicates that learning or adopting new technology is the best method of enhancing sustainability in the modern business world (Funigiello, 2005). This awareness challenged me to learn how to use the new information system. Despite the challenges and feelings of betrayal, I had to learn how to use the new information system in order to save my profession. Learning how to use the system involved substituting my ordinary knowledge about prescription with the working of the new system. The second action involved

PICOT research question created and abstracts to support Assignment

PICOT research question created and abstracts to support - Assignment Example RESULTS: Baseline and six-month quality of life measures did not correlate with recorded arrhythmias. However, perceptions of diminished general health correlated significantly with symptoms of exercise intolerance, lightheadedness/dizziness, palpitations and chest pain/pressure. By multivariable logistic regression, more severe perceived episodes, symptoms of exercise intolerance and lightheadedness/dizziness were independently associated with diminished quality of life. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The findings of this study indicate that symptomatic  heart failure  patients suffer from poor quality of life and that interventions are needed to improve quality of life and decrease symptom severity. Nurses who care for  heart failure  patients play an essential role in symptom evaluation and management and could significantly improve overall quality of life in these patients by carefully evaluating symptomatology and testing interventions and educational programmes aimed at improving quality of life (Hickey, et al., 2102). METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of 318 patients with chronic systolic HF recruited in 48 German primary care practices, we evaluated the patient-reported European HF Self-care  Behaviour  scale (EHFScBs) assessments (range 12-60, where lower scores indicate better self-care). Potential determinants included socio-demographic (e.g. age, living status), clinical (e.g. NYHA class, LVEF, NT-proBNP levels, co-morbidities), behavioural (e.g. smoking and alcohol intake), psychosocial (SF-36 scales and KCCQ domains, e.g. quality of life and self-efficacy) and  depression  status (PHQ-D), plus previous health care utilisation. Mixed regression modelling was applied. RESULTS: Patients had a mean (SD) age of 69.0 (10.4) years and were 71% male. They had a good overall EHFScBs score of 24.7 (7.8) (n=274). In the final regression model (n=271), six determinants were retained (ÃŽ ²; descriptive p-value):

Free Speech vs. Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Free Speech vs. Security - Essay Example It allows for the debate and resolution of these problems by the mutual consent of the people. However from the homeland security perspective, a society incorporating free speech may appear as a threat to political stability. The best example here is of Egypt where normal citizens planned a historic protest on a social networking website. Also in a society where people from different racial and religious background live, freedom of speech may provoke a particular community. In such a case, spread of violence and hatred may occur. The use of internet has allowed everyone to speak freely without any fear. The amount of information available on the internet is formidable and the people have easy access to it (Sunstein, 1995). Homeland security considers this availability of extensive amount of information as a security threat as it may be used for negative purposes and this is the reason why recently a bill has been passed which gives government the right to bar internet access if it de ems it appropriate. Everyone should know that accompanying the right of free speech are the responsibilities associated with it. The responsibility of people increases multifold during wartime.

Solution to the Media’s Effect on Women Essay Example for Free

Solution to the Media’s Effect on Women Essay Recently, the media has come under numerous criticisms due to the manner in which it has been objectifying the female gender. According to Britton, the media has taken advantage of women’s quest for beauty to enrich themselves. This is evident due to the media’s involvement in numerous product advertisements addressing the female gender in terms of beauty and body posture. These advertisements have lately been in plenty not only in televisions but also in billboards as well as the numerous social media platforms. In most of these advertisements, the media is ever stressing on one main factor, which is beauty. According to these advertisements, for a woman to be beautiful, in addition to being slender in posture, she also has to apply cosmetic products. Whereas the media is reaping heavily from these advertisements, little concern has been given to the women, who happen to be the main victims. This has negatively affected the female gender since most of them become discontented with their appearance. It is because of this discontent that most women start skipping meals in addition to spending thousands of dollars in cosmetic surgeries (â€Å"RCPSYCH†). The study looks forward to addressing some of the necessary measures that ought to be taken in a move to curb the media’s role in objectifying women. For instance, apart from the introduction of a new bill targeting the media, the essay also addresses the creation of awareness programs for women in addition to other factors such a s health education as well as changes in media advertisements. Introduction of a New Bill                     Although the Media’s objectification of women is high, men too are victims of these issues. In order to minimize the images being displayed by the media, the government also has a role to play. It is the responsibility of the US government to ensure that its citizens live responsively. It is the government’s responsibility to come up with solutions that address the issue of women objectification. For instance, , the government ought to come up with a new billnew laws. This bill, which can be called â€Å"The Media for Health Bodies Act needs to in a move to curb the manner in which the media is using false images to lure women and women into purchasing beauty product with the objective of acquiring the perfect body as portrayed by the Media. Presence of this billese laws will be beneficial since through it there will beit will result to a steady decline of women objectification by the media. Curbing the Media’s role in women obj ectification will minimize the rate at which women are spending their money on cosmetic products and surgeries. In 2013, women residing in the US spent 12 billion dollars on surgical as well as non-surgical procedures in a move to improve their appearance (ASAPS). Although this is a large amount to be spent on surgeries, it is likely to rise if the media is allowed to continue using false images in conducting promotions. In this bill, the government needs to come up with strict rules targeted to the media, especially in relation to the manner in which they display their advertisement images. According to studies, most of these images are computerized; hence, they are false (Webster). Although these images are of famous celebrities and models, most of them are computerized; hence, they are not real. According to Webster, it is because of these falsified images that women and men are spending a lot of money on cosmetic products and surgeries. This is because the media has made people believe that perfect bodies exist. In order to carry out its mandate effectively, the government needs to introduce a bill that will oversee a reduction on in the types of images being used in advertisements. Since most of these images are false, enactment of this bill will this bill ought to ensure that the media does not use falsified images while promoting products such as clothes, cosmetics and groceries. Apart from women, men too are also objectified by such images. For this to be achieved, the government needs to introduce strict penalties for any media that will be found using false images in conducting its advertisements. In this bill, the government needs to ask all Medias to ensure that all false images are labeled. By ensuring that all false images used by the media are labeled, the government will aid in reducing the rate of depression among women as well as menat which women are spending money on beauty products and surgeries. For instance, the government needs to infor m Medias that they risk losing their business licenses once found to be using unlabeled false images in product adverisements. Apart from the loss of business licenses, hefty fines will also be imposed on these Medias. Apart from coming up with a bill that will oversee a reducing tion in the image falsification, the bill also needs to introduce education programs aimed at creating awareness of false images in addition to the negative effects of excessive usage of cosmetic productsgovernment also needs to introduce laws that will minimize the high rate of cosmetic surgeries in the nation. This will only be achieved if the government increases the cost of beauty products as well as cosmetic surgeries. In addition to increasing the cost of surgeries, the government also needs to offer education on the negative effects of cosmetic surgeries. The bill ought to include education programs that can be can either be televised or be taught in seminars or learning institutions. Women ought to be made aware that some beauty products are toxic; hence, using them is risky for their health. Through education, women will also be informed of diseases such as Bulimia and Anorexia. Most women undergo these surgeries since they are not aware of the pending consequences. It is therefore evident that the number will drop drastically once they are educated on the effects of these products. Awareness Programs to the Female Gender                     In order to curb the high rate of women objectification by the media, women ought to review the manner in which they perceive these images. The numerous advertisements being displayed by the media tends to give women negative impressions concerning their physical appearance. In many advertisements, the media is ever displaying images of women that are slim with lots of makeup. This gives many women the impression that beauty is only achievable if one has a slim body and applies makeup (Goh-Mah). Women need to know that most of these models never exist since they are just computerized images intended to lure women into believing they can achieve the same beauty (Striegel-Moore Franko 186). Since age is rarely considered, awareness ought to incorporate not only adults but also children. This is because just like older women, little girls are also lured into believing that a ‘perfect body’ is the only way to beauty. According to studies, h alf of all girls aged 6-8 have at one time stated that they wish to be slim (Striegel-Moore Franko 183). This is because they too have been made to believe that beauty is achievable only if one attains the perfect body. Since the entire female gender has fallen victim, awareness ought to target the entire female gender. The awareness need to be conducted in different venues in a move to create awareness to many women. For instance, apart from places of work, awareness programs also ought to be introduced in other institutions such as schools and health centers frequently visited by women. These awareness programs need to be initiated by non-governmental organizations not only in the US but also globally. This is because the issue is gradually becoming catastrophic to the female gender not only in the US but also in other nations worldwide. In these programs, women ought to be made aware that there is nothing like a ‘perfect body’. Additionally, they need to be asked not to believe everything they see on media platforms. This is because most of the information is false and the media’s main objective is usually to objectify women in order to receive its monthly income. In order to make them comprehend this information, organizations ought to compare them with their male counterparts in relation to the manner in which they react to such media advertisements. According to Gianatasio, just like women, the media targets men as well when it comes to objectification of their body. However, the only difference between these two genders is that whereas men rarely take these advertisements seriously, the same cannot be said for the female gender. This is because women tend to take these advertisements seriously and this has resulted to a number of negative effects such as low self-esteem, depression in additio n to contraction of disorders such as anorexia as well as bulimia and nervosa (Holmstrom). In men objectification, Medias showcase images of men who are not only handsome but also masculine. In such advertisements, Medias tend to display the fact that men ought to be masculine in order to look attractive and win the hearts of many women. Unlike women, men rarely take such advertisements seriously since most are contented with their physical appearance. In these awareness programs, women ought to know that the main reason why they are the most affected is due to the fact that they are more conscious about their body appearance than any other object. Health education                     In addition to the awareness program, women also need to be educated about their body in addition to how these images are posing great risk to their health. Through efficient health education, women will be in a position to change the manner in which they view most of the media images. According to Holmstrom, women tend to adore media images so much to the extent they forget their own body. In most of these images, the media uses women that are slender with lots of makeup. Since these images are ever popping up in various media platforms, women have become addicted to them that they are willing to go to the extreme in a move to achieve the so-called ‘perfect body’. In a move to become slimmer, most women have opted to go on diet. This is whereby they are eating little food compared to what they are actually supposed to consume on a daily basis. Apart from consuming less food, women are also spending billions of dollars on cosmetic produc ts in addition to undergoing cosmetic surgeries to improve certain features on their bodies (Stewart). Although Medias are busy urging women to buy beauty products in addition to going on diet, little is being said about the consequences that are likely to surface. Since little is being done by the media in relation to finding a solution for women objectification, health organizations need to come up and educate women on some of the risks they are exposing themselves to when they opt to embrace media images. Through health organizations, women ought to know that apart from spending a lot of money on beauty products, influences by the media images are likely to cause other negative effects such as depression and low self-esteem. Additionally, due to these images, most women have developed anorexia and bulimia. According to studies, these are eating disorders whereby a person starts avoiding food due to the fear of increasing weight (â€Å"RCPSYCH†). These disorders tend to affect women more compared to men. Apart from the worry of weight gain in addition to consuming less food, other symptom associated with these disorders include the wearing of baggy clothes to conceal one’s body, irregular menstrual periods in addition to a regular feeling of guilt and tiredness (â€Å"RCPSYCH†). Health organizations need to provide this information to all women in a move to reduce the rate at which women are embracing the images they view on media platforms. Similarly, health organizations ought to come up with programs on the health effects that come alongside excessive use of cosmetics. According to studies, the cosmetic industry is one of rapidly expanding industry not only in the US but globally. This is because most women have been made to believe that it is only through cosmetic products that they can achieve the perfect body. Although the media has played a major role in terms of advertising these beauty products, little awareness is being said on the health effects of these products. Women need to know that although these products tend to improve one’s physical appearance, they also expose them to a number of health risks. According to studies, some of the ingredients used in the manufacture of beauty products are usually toxic (â€Å"American Cancer Society†). This has resulted to numerous cases of skin and eye irritations. Similarly, some of these products result to allergic reactions, which could easily cause neg ative outcomes for its users. Additionally, although there is still no solid evidence, there are also high probabilities that these products expose women to the risk of contracting skin cancer (â€Å"American Cancer Society†). Apart from cosmetic products, women are also being lured into undergoing cosmetic surgeries in a move to improve their physical appearances. According to research conducted in the US, the number of women undergoing cosmetic surgeries is ever rising on an annual basis (â€Å"ASAPS†). Health organizations need to educate women on the dangers they expose themselves to once they undergo cosmetic surgeries with the objective of acquiring the perfect body. According to Goudreau, tampering with the body balance normally causes new health problems. For instance, when one suctions fats from the lower abdomen, other fat cells are also damaged in the process. Hence, one is likely to spend to spend more funds in search of medication. Changes in Media Advertisements                     Most of the images used in promotion advertisements are usually false. In order to reduce the rate in which women are embracing these images, a number of aspects ought to be considered. For instance, the media needs to change tactic in the manner in which it makes product advertisements. The media needs to minimize the usage of celebrities and other famous models while making product advertisements. Instead, they can make use of animated advertisements. This is because whereas the use of celebrities makes women change the manner in which they view their bodies, the same cannot be said for animated advertisements and images. Since the main objective of media advertisements is usually to create awareness in addition to increasing the target market, animated advertisements can also relay the same information just like models. Apart from embracing animated advertisements, the media needs to be dynamic, that is, instead of choosing only models with a cert ain body posture, the media needs to be all-rounded. For a long time, the media has been using images of slender women; this has driven many women into believing that this is the perfect body. It is due to this perception that has driven many women into skipping meals in addition to spending a lot of money on cosmetic products and surgeries. Instead of using a single type of body posture, the media needs to use women of all sizes, race and color. When the media uses all types of women, this will improve the manner in which women perceive themselves. For instance, by using overweight ladies on images, this improve the manner in which over weight ladies perceive themselves, that is, instead of feeling depressed, they will begin loving adoring their bodies. This will be quite beneficial since it will reduce the high cases of low self-esteem and depression among women. Similarly, this will also result to a steady decline in eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. Counter Argument                     Although the media is being accused of being the major contributor of women objectification, it also needs to receive some credits due to the role of improving the nation’s economy through product advertisement as well as marketing. According to studies, it is evident that the cosmetic industry is one of the main contributors of the nation’s high economy. This would not have been made possible without media advertisements. It is through the media that product awareness is created, which is usually directly proportional to more sales, hence, profitability. In my opinion, enacting new laws targeting the media will end up doing more harm than good to the nation. For instance, there will be a reduction in product advertisements and this will result to a decline in the nation’s economy. Conclusion                     Recently, the media has been accused of lowering women’s self-esteem in addition to making them feel have numerous depressed. This hasion that have also resulted to disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. This is because it has been objectifying women by coming up with false images. The media has been using models that are slender, hence, making many women feel ugly. In a move to achieve the perfect body being used by the media, women have skipped meals in addition to going to the extent of undergoing cosmetic surgeries. In order to curb women objectification by the media, a number of factors need to be considered. For instance, organizations need to come up with awareness programs. These programs need to make it clear that there is nothing like a ‘perfect body’, this is because most of these images have been falsified with the aid of computers. Similarly, organizations need to introduce health programs. Through these programs, wo men need to be educated on the health risks associated with excessive usage of cosmetic products as well as the dangers of cosmetic surgeries. The government also needs to make sure that Medias do not use falsified images while conducting product promotions. For this to be achieved, the government needs to introduce new laws such as strict measures on Medias caught using falsified images. Finally, the media needs to change the manner in which they advertise products targeted for women. For instance, apart from using animated advertisements, they also need to incorporate all sizes of women in their advertisements. References American Cancer Society. Cosmetics. 2014. Web. 19 November 2014. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/cosmetics ASAPS. News Releases. Web. 06 Nov. 2014. http://www.surgery.org/media/news-releases/the-american-society-for-aesthetic-plastic-surgery-reports-americans-spent-largest-amount-on-cosmetic-surger. Britton, Marie. â€Å"The Beauty Industrys Influence on Women in Society.† University of New Hampshire. 2012. Web. 19 November 2014. http://www.google.com/url?sa=trct=jq=esrc=ssource=webcd=23cad=rjauact=8ved=0CCsQFjACOBQurl=http%3A%2F%2Fscholars.unh.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1085%26context%3Dhonorsei=7GxrVMimJeOhyAOw2YHwBQusg=AFQjCNFSyiwFuLgAiCg_YlBJTnBZGN5imQsig2=7GsuFp9KHox47uEXq_s0OAbvm=bv.79908130,d.bGQ Gianatasio, David. â€Å"Hunkvertising: The Objectification of Men in Advertising some wish theyd just keep their assets covered.† ADWEEK. 2013. Web. 19 November 2014. http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/hunkvertising-objectification-men-advertising-152925 Goh-Mah, Joy. â€Å"The Objectification of Women It Goes Much Further Than Sexy Pictures.† The Huffington Post. 2013. Web. 19 November 2014. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/joy-goh-mah/objectification-women-sexy-pictures_b_3403251.html Goudreau, Jenna. â€Å"The Hidden Dangers Of Cosmetic  Surgery.† Forbes. 2011. Web. 19 November 2014. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2011/06/16/hidden-dangers-of-cosmetic-surgery/ Holmstrom, Amanda. â€Å"The Effects of the Media on Body Image: A Meta-Analysis† Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media Volume 48 (2004): 1. RCPSYCH. Anorexia and Bulimia. 2014. Web. 19 November 2014. http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/problemsdisorders/anorexiaandbulimia.aspx Stewart, Dodai. â€Å"Americans Spend Billions on Beauty Products But Are Not Very Happy.†Jezebel. 2012. Web. 19 November 2014. http://jezebel.com/5931654/americans-spend-billions-on-beauty-products-and-are-still-pretty-unhappy/ Striegel-Moore, R., Franko, D. Body Image Issues among Girls and Women. In T. F. Cash T. Pruzinsky (Eds.), Body Image: A handbook of theory, research, and clinical practice (p. 183-191). New York: Guilford Press. Webster, Dr Irina. Eating Disorders And Media. Selfgrowth. 19 June 2008. Web. 7 Nov. 2014. http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Eating_disorders_and_media.html Source document