Critically evaluate Samuel Huntington’s claims

Critically evaluate Samuel Huntington's claims in â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations? † The abrupt end of the Cold War meant that the bipolar model of thinking which had dominated the sphere of World Politics for decades became obsolete. This new phase led to a renewal in thinking in the study of International Relations dubbed â€Å"the hundred schools of thought† which led to a wide spectrum of visions about the uncertain future of world affairs. One of the more prominent visions was the late Professor Samuel Huntington's â€Å"Clash of Civilizations? † published in a 1993 ForeignAffairs article, where he predicted a growing pattern of conflict based on differences in cultural, religious and historical identity of entities he labelled civilizations instead of the ideological differences of the Cold War Era. Huntington's thesis was a Realist response to Fukuyama's 1992 book, The End of History and the Last Man. Fukuyama argued that the post-1991 world was left with no viable ideological alternative to liberal democracy and the free market economy predicting a new era of global consensus on democracy, Justice, human rights and cooperation. The nation will ontinue to be a central pole of identification, even if more and more nations come to share common economic and political forms of organization. ‘i Huntington's premise was that ‘The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural.Nation states will remain as the most powerful actors in world affairs but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. ii The controversial nature of Huntington's thesis ensured the stern critique by some of his fellow academics for reasons ncluding oversimplification, neglecting contradicting factors and inaccurate predictions. The tragedy of 9/1 1 and the events that followed revived the confidence in his thesis by his supporters who saw this as the conformation of Huntington's predictions notably the inconsolable clash between Islam and the West.Huntington begins by describing the historical evolution of the nature of conflicts in the Western World; from the competition between monarchs and emperors for territorial and mercantile expansion leading to the emergence of nation states beginning with the French Revolution, to the rise of ideological conflict after the Bolshevik Revolutioniii. His Eurocentric bias is clear early as he quotes and perpetuates an idea put forward before by William Lind that these were primarily Western Civil Wars'.Labelling World War II, the deadliest military conflict in history which involved the majority of the world's nations, as such greatly diminishes the involvement and sacrifices made by people across the world. Notably the Soviet Union which was mainly composed of nations Huntington would regard as part of a Slavic-orthodox civilization sustained the highest amount of casualties totalling at a round twenty-seven millioniv.Later in the paragraph, Huntington writes ‘peoples and governments of non-western civilizations no longer remain the objects of history as targets of Western colonialism but Join the West as movers of history as if to suggest that events occurring in non-western parts of the world somehow do not constitute as history if they don't involve or have a felt effect upon Western society.Although the leadership of the West in fields such as science, technology and engineering for the larger part in recent centuries is indisputable; Jewish philosophy, Hindu mathematics, Muslim astronomy and engineering contributed significantly to he foundations of what we know today and this shouldn't be undermined. The sharing and borrowing of ideas between the different corners of the world through the millennia's that's still going on today suggests a long-term cooperation instead of a clash of civilizations in our common pursuit of knowledge.According to Huntington a civilization is ‘ the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level of cultural identity'v. He divides the world's population into seven civilizations as well as hinting at the possibility of a Caribbean and an African ivilization; Africa being indeed a continent known for its vast diversity of cultures and traditionsvi. He defines a civilization by what he calls objective elements such as language, history and primarily religion as well as by the subjective self-identification of people.Huntington argues the onset of globalization has led to increased levels of interaction between peoples of different civilizations, which in turn intensifies civilization consciousness and brings to the forefront their cultural differences which unlike ideological and political differences are fundamental and much less mutable nd hence less easily compromised. It's clear that people instinctively identify themselves closely to others who share common traditions, customs and histor y; I hold the belief however that Huntington downplays the penetration of globalization and focuses on one aspect of its possible consequences.It's not the differences that drive cultural conflict between peoples; it's the lack of understanding which in turn creates prejudices and fears. The increased interactions between peoples have led to a wider acceptance of and fascination with other cultures, helping us understand why foreign societies live the way they do. Huntington argues: ‘†¦ Russians cannot become Estonians and Azeri's cannot become ArmenianVii. An Estonian living in Russia will absorb aspects of Russian culture depending on one's willingness, length of stay and the extent to which one feels alienated or accepted by Russian society.Thus the objective elements invoked are not convincingly definitive in determining one's identity; an Englishman may choose to convert to Islam while a Chinese citizen in Shanghai may choose to learn French as a pastime. Globalizati on in itself has penetrated the long-standing limitations in global trade of the past; politicians ever ncreasingly have to consider the global implications of domestic policy. More than ever national states around the world are dependent upon each other; the United States Demands Chinese goods while China needs the US to buy its goods.Huntington ascribes ideas such as constitutionalism, human rights, the rule of law, tree markets and democracy as Western; unable to gain a tootnold in other civilizations. He writes: ‘Modern democratic government originated in the West. When it has developed in non-western societies it has usually been the product of the western colonialism or impositionViii. uggesting that somehow peoples of other civilizations may not be able to sustain or see the benefits of a form of democratic governance.The people of India would point out that democratic government was formed in their country despite, not because of the Westix. Today more than two- thirds of the world's governments operate in some form of democracy, which reaffirms the idea that democracy is a universal value, contradicting Huntington's view of its general Western exclusivity. If asked, most Middle-Easterners would prefer the idea of a democratic to authoritarian governancex; the limitation of democratic evelopment in the region however is a product of the unstable and incompatible political landscape rather than the irreconcilability of the culture.Defining the religious aspects of the Western Civilization, Huntington Justifies the grouping of Protestant and Catholic Christians into a single entity by emphasizing shared experiences in European history such as the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution which in turn separates them from the Orthodox Christians beyond Central Europexi. Although it is evident that the closer proximity of those events has influenced Protestants and Catholics more than their Orthodox ounterparts, the closer resembla nce of Catholic and Orthodox practices and beliefs as opposed to Protestants is however neglected.Huntington consistently appeals to religion as the primary source of cultural identity, rightly so, to a Christian the creeds of their religion have a profound influence on their world view and thus how they would identify themselves. When speaking of the Islamic civilization however, Huntington doesn't seem to make the effort to differentiate between the major denominations of Shia, Sunni and Sufism which have so strongly influenced the historical and especially current political landscape of the Middle-East.In a passionate attempt to warn his fellow Americans of the potential threats that their country may face in the post-Cold War environment, Huntington essentially perpetuated ideas that were dangerous and self-fulfilling. The existence of a Confucian-Islamic connection that may threaten the West described by Huntingtonxii is yet to be empirically verified, as the Chinese and US eco nomies remain inter-linked and Barrack Obama moves towards a policy of dialogue in the Middle-East. Given the history of US foreign policy, legislators would have found Huntington's paradigm easy to understand and convenient in terms of implementation.A worldview of distrust towards foreign powers that demands the maintaining of military superiority in the name of security panders to the powerful military industrial complex in the US. In order to maintain peace, global stability and have any hopes of dealing with transnational issues such as global warming, policy makers should regard all nations as members of the world community and work closer with international organizations such as the UN and WTO in establishing universal laws. The alienation and coercion of other governments will indeed create an atmosphere of antagonism and hostility.

Blaxicans and Other Reinvented Americans Essay

In â€Å"Blaxicans† and Other Reinvented Americans,† Richard Rodriguez points out that America has become a place that is fully populated by immigrants from around the world. He asserts that there is no way to assign race names to citizens because everyone can be multiple races. According to Rodriguez, Americans create labels (e. g. Hispanic) in a ridiculous attempt to classify people in the simplest form; a plan doomed to fail. Rodriguez continues by describing his idea of â€Å"ethnicity,† which is ultimately based on the way people act and the things they value. The article describes the way in which all races are intertwined within the country, and within the world. The idea of â€Å"diversity† is also mentioned in the article when discussing the topic of interracial marriages. Rodriguez goes on to describe the false â€Å"Hispanic† category much of this country has fallen into. Ultimately, Rodriguez explains that â€Å"Hispanic† is a term used only in America for colonization purposes. Hispanic is a false idea because upon going to Latin America, one would encounter black Hispanics, white Hispanics, etc. and that is factual. By 2003, Hispanics became the largest minority in the world (whatever that means). Rodriguez goes on to share his views on assimilation: â€Å"ASSIMILATION HAPPENS. † Assimilation is the act of people of different backgrounds viewing themselves as a part of a larger national family. This article acknowledges the vast array of racial possibilities within the world. Rodriguez ends the article by saying he, a man of Mexican descent, is Chinese because he enjoys Chinese culture, and that is how ethnicity should be decided. Vocabulary * incomprehensibly: adv: inarticulately (aimlessly, franticly, confusedly) * mythic: adj: make-believe (storied, imaginary, folkloric) * rind: n: covering (epicarp, hull, husk) * aforementioned: adj: previous; come before (precedent, former, prior) * demythologizing: v: reinterpret a subject or text * mulatto: n: a person of mixed white and black ancestry Rhetorical Strategies * Anecdote: â€Å"On his interview show, Bill Moyers once asked me how I thought of myself. As an American? Or Hispanic? I answered that I am Chinese, and that is because I live in a Chinese city and because I want to be Chinese. † (paragraph 19) * Paradox: â€Å"I come to you as Chinese. Unless you understand that I am Chinese, then you have not understood anything I have said. † (paragraph 25) * Imagery: â€Å"My eye has taken on that palette, has come to prefer lime green and rose reds and all the inventions o this Chinese Mediterranean. † (paragraph 19).

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol Abuse Essay Alcohol Abuse Essay Alcohol is liquid distilled product of fermented fruits, grains and vegetables used as solvent, antiseptic and sedative moderate potential for abuse. Possible effects are intoxication, sensory alteration, and/or anxiety reduction. Symptoms of overdose staggering, odour of alcohol on breath, loss of coordination, slurred speech, dilated pupils, fetal alcohol syndrome (in babies), and/or nerve and liver damage. Withdrawal Syndrome is first sweating, tremors, then altered perception, followed by psychosis, fear, and finally auditory hallucinations. Indications of possible mis-use are confusion, disorientation, loss of motor nerve control, convulsions, shock, shallow respiration, involuntary defecation, drowsiness, respiratory depression and possible death. Alcohol is also known as: Booze, Juice, Brew, Vino, Sauce. You probably know why alcohol is abused some reasons are relaxation, sociability, and cheap high. But did you know that alcohol is a depressant that decreases the responses of the central nervous system. Excessive drinking can cause liver damage and psychotic behaviour. As little as two beers or drinks can impair coordination and thinking. Alcohol is often used by substance abusers to enhance the effects of other drugs. Alcohol continues to be the most frequently abused substance among young adults. HERE ARE SOME STRAIGHT FACTS ABOUT ALCOHOL.? Alcohol abuse is a pattern of problem drinking that results in health consequences, social, problems, or both. However, alcohol dependence, or alcoholism, refers to a disease that is characterized by abnormal alcohol-seeking behaviour that leads to impaired control over drinking. Short-term effects of alcohol use include: -Distorted vision, hearing, and coordination -Altered perceptions and emotions -Impaired judgment -Bad breath; hangovers Long-term effects of heavy alcohol use include: -Loss of appetite -Vitamin deficiencies -Stomach ailments -Skin problems -Sexual impotence -Liver damage -Heart and central nervous system damage -Memory loss Here are some quick clues to know if I, or someone close, has a drinking problem: -Inability to control drinkingit seems that regardless of what you decide beforehand, you frequently wind up drunk -Using alcohol to escape problems -A change in personalityturning from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde -A high tolerance leveldrinking just about everybody under the table -Blackoutssometimes not remembering what happened while drinking -Problems at work or in school as a result of drinking -Concern shown by family and friends about drinking If you have a drinking problem, or if you suspect you have a drinking problem, there are many others out there like you, and there is help available. You could talk to school counsellor, a friend, or a parent. Excessive alcohol consumption causes more than 100,000 deaths annually in the United States, and although the number shows little sign of declining, the rate per 100,000 population has trended down since the early 1980s. Accidents, mostly due to drunken driving, accounted for 24 percent of these deaths in 1992. Alcohol-related homicide and suicide accounted for 11 and 8 percent respectively. Certain types of cancer that are partly attributable to alcohol, such as those of the esophageus, larynx, and oral cavity, contributed another 17 percent. About 9 percent is due to alcohol-related stroke. One of the most important contributors to alcohol-related deaths is a group of 12 ailments wholly caused by alcohol, among which alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver and alcohol dependence syndrome are the most important. These 12 ailments together accounted for 18 percent of the total alcohol-related deaths in 1992. Mortality due to the 12 causes rises steeply into late middle age range and then declines markedly, with those 85 and over being at less than one-sixth the risk of 55 to 64-year olds. The most reliable data are for the 12 conditions wholly attributable to alcohol. The map shows these data for all people 35 and over. READ: Review Of On-Line Publications Essay PaperThe geographical distribution for men and women follows much the same pattern, although men are three times as likely to die of one of the 12 alcohol-induced ailments. The geographical distribution for whites and blacks follows roughly the same pattern but the rates for blacks are two and half times higher. In the late nineteenth century blacks, who were then far more abstemious than whites, were strong supporters of the temperance movement, but the movement in the South was taken over by whites bent on disenfranchising black people by any means possible, such .

Catholic Pro-Life Declaration of Rights for Unborn Babies Essay

Catholic Pro-Life Declaration of Rights for Unborn Babies - Essay Example It cannot be violated and denied by reason nor expediency nor whatever device that man can invent to tresspass life; as the creation was made for life to blossom, so should it remain for as long as the Grace of the Lord permitteth. That when man in its folly tresspasseth such a gift, to deprive those who are yet unborn to grace the field of this earth and to breath, it is now become a duty of the faithful especially the flock of the Holy Catholic Church with the blessing of the Pope to safeguard such life, to ensure its perpetuity by asserting in all avenues the right of the unborn. This is now necessary for when man is left to its own devices, it subject God’s Will to bring life as his preporagative and play god to elect who will be born and who will not. To prove this, let this be facts be known that the faitful may see the Light. Their reasoning brings undue anxiety to the people in their assertion that more life will cause poverty, illness and malady which is preposterous. The earth is bountiful to support life and if there is such poverty, illness and malady, it is brought by the same folly of man like corruption, incompetence and sheer lack of compassion towards his fellow; That the majority of those who opposes the right of child to be born, causes unjust vexation to the faithfuls, whose meekness they take advantage of, as they only reiterate the importance of life. That without that reiteration and assertion to life, even them who opposess life will not even be present to make such opposition. Be let it known then, that we the faithfuls, of the Congregation of the Holy Mother Catholic Church, stand in steadfast, to defend those who cannot defend themselves. To not let that right to be born be trampled because they are not yet around to make themselves known. To this end, with the magnanimity of our purpose and with the blessings of the Holy Catholic

Environmental ocean hcom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Environmental ocean hcom - Essay Example In result, these pollutants indirectly affect humans and other animals that depend on marine resources (â€Å"Ocean Pollution†). One manifestation of an indirect effect of pollutants to humans is beach closings. Beaches that have unsafe levels of bacteria and chemicals are mandated to be closed due to health and environmental concerns (â€Å"Beach Closings). As reported by the Natural Resources Defense Council‘s (NRDC) 2009 annual survey, it has reached a massive amount of 18,000 reports of beach closings (â€Å"Beach Closings†). The causes of beach pollution includes Urban water run-offs, Boat wastes, Beach goers, Leaking sewage pipes and Malfunctioning sewage treatment plants, Wildlife and Pet Wastes, and Agricultural Discharges and Runoffs (â€Å"Beach Closings†). According to Marinelife.about.com, marine pollution affects not just the fishes that shelter in the ocean but also the creatures that feed on these animals. When there are less marine animals for the predators to eat, then there will be more competition for food within that species affecting all organisms in the food chain (à ¢â‚¬Å"Marine Life†). Another effect of marine pollution is the climate change. It largely affects the agricultural croplands and food production making the prices of food to rise. Food crisis is a possibility if this continues (â€Å"Climate Change: Food

Frederick W. Smith Week 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Frederick W. Smith Week 8 - Essay Example As such, the standards enhanced the efficiency of the FedEx teams. Fred Smith motivated the members of FedEx to remain highly engaged in their teams. The flexibility and freedom enjoyed by employees enabled the employees to act with speed to help FedEx maintain its goodwill and achieve competitive advantage (Lussier & Achua, 2013). Moreover, the members were motivated to remain highly engaged in their teams because they had the authority and bore the responsibility of making relevant changes that would improve productivity and customer satisfaction in the organization (Lussier & Achua, 2013). The focus on teamwork, little direct supervision by managers, and the success of the teams motivated them to remain committed. FedEx managers played significant roles in facilitating team effectiveness. The managers formulated clear and attainable goals that defined the direction and operation of FedEx teams (Lussier & Achua, 2013). They also addressed employee issues, solicited, and implemented the best employee ideas that ensured good interrelations and quality service delivery (Lussier & Achua, 2013). FedEx managers perfected their role as facilitators where they were major players in linking employees, customers, and the executive management. They also practiced team leadership and responded to various emergencies with speed. Apparently, these roles helped FedEx to facilitate team effectiveness that enhanced team performance. Subject to the immense competition encountered in the market, FedEx established â€Å"super-teams† to address the growing competition in the market. The â€Å"super-teams† included a maximum of 10 clerical employees (Lussier & Achua, 2013). The company had two â€Å"super-teams† with different mandates. Notably, the â€Å"super-teams† were self-managed since they were subject to little direct supervision from managers (Lussier & Achua, 2013). FedEx

Branded Spaces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Branded Spaces - Essay Example ispensable tool for real estate firms and property owners who are now prospecting to let their property for a short period in the wake of an economy down town pending its recovery (Vacant.com, 2011). A pop-up shop is a temporary venue. For instance, the space can be used for merchandise activities while on the following day hold a cocktail party. The tendency entails popping-up one day or week, then vanishing the same duration later. These shops, although they are small and temporary, have the capacity to build up interest through consumer exposure. Pop-up shops enable a firm to create a unique environment that involves its consumers, and develops a sense of significance and interactivity (Smith, 2009). The retail environment of pop-up stores in most cases is highly experiential, transporting emotions in an event-oriented type of atmosphere. While pop-up stores can also serve as retail events to sell special offers, they often serve as retail avenues to present and introduce product innovations or even conduct market tests. As such, locations are usually in city centres, or the trendy neighbourhoods of big cities (Townsend, 2010). With the strategy of pop-up stores being the creation of a climate of scarcity, retailers try to build a higher willingness to pay among their customer because there no option for price comparison and offers are only available for short periods of time, which can increase desirability. In particular, temporary stores that sell special offers are consumption events for customers and their main objective is to get discounts. In some cases, pop-up stores of this type are used to give special offers to long-term, high value customers. In these events, the scarcity effect is reinforced as there is not only a temporary limitation of the offers but... Center of discussion in this paper is Vacant of Los Angeles as the first company that developed the idea of pop-up retail. This was after the company had toured Tokyo on a business trip. The company was puzzled by the manner in which customers would literally line up to buy limited edition products from place retailers. When the products were all sold out, an exercise that took place in a matter of hours, the store closed down until its owner had brought in another stock, and then reopen it. This concept fascinated Vacant, who though to closing the store permanently after the stock had been sold. The company also thought of moving to another targeted destination because customers used to travel for long distances in order to buy products from niche retailers. Vacant picked up this idea and even today, the company still provides retailing alongside marketing for businesses. The company opened its second shop in NYC2003 through the sponsorship of Dr. Martens. Later in the same year, So ng Airlines opened their pop-up shop in the same city. In 2004, Comme Des Garcons opened up a pop-up shop known as the Guerrilla Shop, which lasts for a one-year term. Since then, the trend of pop-up shops has grown to become an indispensable tool for real estate firms and property owners who are now prospecting to let their property for a short period in the wake of an economy down town pending its recovery. Although pop-ups began as a way of artists to make use of disused space in urban areas, this has since changed modern entrepreneurial activity.

Administrative Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Administrative Power - Essay Example Public administration is wholly intertwined in the problems and all the activities of the society, and hence, it does not operate alone (Stillman, 2010). Norton Long argues that, power is the lifeblood and backbone of administration (Stillman, 2010). Power attainment, increase, maintenance, dissipation and loss, are factors that cannot be ignored by administrators. Long argues that, ignoring these aspects can lead to failure and loss of realm. In the case of the Columbia accident, which happened in February 2003, killing seven crew members, the administration was to blame for the loss of lives. The damage suspected by the engineers before the shuttle left orbit was downplayed by the NASA managers, who limited the investigations. External pressure from the white house and the congress to meet the date set for launching, made NASA managers to authorize the launching, even when it was clear that foaming was occurring on the left wing of Columbia. Failure to address issues or risks fully or postponing them, can lead to loss of life, a situation which detracts an organization’s power. Bureaucracy and internal pressure are key aspects of administrative power, and that partake a significant task in enhancing or detracting the administrative power. Bureaucracy, when properly applied without too much pressure, can enhance an organization’s administrative power. NASA employees were under internal pressure, to meet a deadline; hence, the seven crew members went ahead with their project to launch, even with the awareness of risks. This caused the American people, who were patriotic to the country’s endeavors in aerospace, to diminish the value and effectiveness of NASA. Power is a coveted aspect in life, and the blood life of administration, as Long said (Stillman, 2010). Administrators strive to gain and retain power, and in the process, they employ various means to ensure that they remain in power. Long

International Corrections Profile Research Paper

International Corrections Profile - Research Paper Example More often than not, the use of corrections centers is aimed at isolating the perpetrators for some time while they undergo rehabilitation depending on the severity of the crime committed. However, there are issues of capital punishment; where people are sentenced to death usually as a result of committing murder in the first degree i.e. the culprit committed premeditated murder and the sentence is often life sentence or a death sentence depending on the country in question. In such a situation, the handing of such a ruling is meant to send an unequivocal message to the rest of the society of the kind of punishment they could get if they committed similar crimes thereby deterring them from trying to commit any similar crimes (Ogalthorpe et al, 2006). This paper seeks to highlight the general correctional profile of Canada. The critique is set to establish the justification of the presence of correctional facilities, what type of correctional facilities do exist, who frequents these k inds of correctional facilities and for what reasons and for how long. Further, the paper shall highlight the policies that support the presence of these correctional facilities and what policies require reform as far as Canada is concerned. Correctional facilities do not exist in isolation but come into existence because they are enabled by the presence of a codified law against which crime is defined. Absence of law means there would be no crime and if there is no crime then there are no correctional facilities of any kind. The aims of a codified law vary from state to state. There are two types of laws: civil law and criminal law. Criminal law determines the general criminal justice of a given country. In civil law, individual citizens get to settle their differences in court where one is the plaintiff and the other the accused. Prosecution is therefore done by one party as the other party awaits ruling.

Understanding Organizational Performance Essay Example for Free

Understanding Organizational Performance Essay The focus of this paper will be on investigating an organization, their performance management system and our recommendations for the future. Historically performance management is defined as evaluation a firm through metrics such as return on investment and economic value added. Our analysis will cover not only the financial performance of our chosen firm, but also their values in behaviors as well as their objectives. Thus, we will ascertain if the current system of performance management held by the firm is aligned with their objectives and appropriate for their situation. 1.1 – Why is strategic performance management important? Strategic performance management is a process where an organization develops its objectives, mission, and strategy, and measures and guides itself through management of key performance indicators or other success factors. Czarnecki (1999), states that measuring your organizations performance through each of the areas of most impact is essential for thoroughly assessing your performance. Thus when a firm like TESCO is preparing to make decisions they need to analyze a relevant data which can be converted into actionable information on their performance objectives. 1.2 – Describe the structure and plan of the investigation The structure of this investigation will be to first discuss the organization and its activities in the sector. Secondly, we will discuss the history of performance management of the organization and the relation between their systems and the actual performance. Finally, we conclude with highlighting any areas of improvement and making recommendations for seni or management. 2.0 – Performance Management in TESCO TESCO has employed a system called the TESCO steering wheel to handle performance measurement. This process is similar to the balanced scorecard created by Norton and Kaplan. The TESCO steering wheel was implemented in the late 1990’s and served as part of the critical expansion that the firm underwent as they explored innovative retail formats, product lines, and geographic areas. It can be attributed to their newfound success. 2.1 – Introduction to TESCO The organization that we will be investigating will be TESCO. TESCO is one of the largest retailers in the world and an organization which has shown success in utilizing strategic performance management. There are several styles of performance management which range from Porter’s five forces, to lean management, to the chaos model. The model which was discovered in 1996 and has been one of the most popular is the balanced scorecard. This model which was discovered by Norton and Kaplan has been used by  ¾ of European and Fortune 500 organizations (Balanced Scorecard, 2010). TESCO is unique in that it has implemented this model successfully. In 1995, Tesco surpassed its competitors Sainsbury’s as the top superstore in the United Kingdom. This catapulted its market shares from 15.4% in 1988 to about 29% in 2004. Acquisitions include the famed convenience superstore, TS plc and almost 900 stores around the UK. TESCO has a 30% market share in the United Kingdom and is dominating the market over its competitors. 2.2 – Why are they in business (Stakeholder or Shareholder?) TESCO is in business and highly successful because their founder was a driving force in setting up a foundation of a thriving market in the UK early on. He believed in piling products high and selling them at a cheap price. Since, the company has gone public they have placed close attention to the desires of the shareholders and places the fifth perspective of the steering wheel (financial) as a big component in the performance of their executives. Spitzer (2007) stated that holistic performance measurement enables management to continually assess the fruits of their labor with conducting a review. 2.3 – Strategic performance management of TESCO In regard to investing in their workforce, TESCO believes strongly that human capital is one of their most precious resources. The organization has their â€Å"options programme† which is designed to focus on long-term strategic goals for employees. They also have on job training, which is a cost effective way to ensure that their staff is capable of performing well. Tesco Leadership Framework is directed at three key themes to guide behavior in all employees. These behaviors link to nine critical success factors. The critical success factors can be segmented in several levels of assessment. This aids management in selecting the staff with the capacity to become high performing contributors to organisations. As part of the long term  strategy of the corporation, discovering future leaders is of the utmost importance. TESCO states that they will select leaders wherever they can be found in the organization for advancement. Promotions are a regular occurrence as over 2,900 man agers were promoted internally in the United Kingdom and literally thousands more in international locations. The Options programme is a more infrequently used as only 1 in 30 employees are enrolled while basic training and development happens about every 1 in 10 members of TESCO. Before beginning their development plan, each member of the TESCO staff selects gaps in their skills and competencies. The Personal Development Plan has a section where they can select this information for their line managers to check on in the future. 2.4 – What is strategic performance management? Who says so? The balanced scorecard is the most widely used standard for performance management. As mentioned before, performance management is defined as reaching objectives which can be quantified financially. Performance most times is just simply put as achieving success in your business operations. Therefore, performance means process and manner of functioning to attain beforehand objectives which you set out to achieve. Therefore, behavior must be tied to a result which will be judge throughout the fiscal year of operations for the firm. The balanced scorecard is an excellent tool to keep the organization planning and strategizing forward rather than assessing their operation based on past results. Performance management in many organizations is conducted and reported by line managers who are continuously overseeing employees and operations and giving a formal review at designated times. The values, mission, and objectives of the organizations are intertwined with the financial value added so that the process is flexible and requires less dialogue unless a major event occurs. 2.5 – Is performance management evident at a strategic level in TESCO? On the executive level of the firm compensation is closely tied to the performance of the firm which is common for most public firms. Earlier in 2012 it was found that performance bonuses were slashed to 16.9 per cent of the maximum. This was due to the fact that TESCO was behind its competitors in the UK in terms of sales in 2011 and the top 5,000 managers felt the pain of the company’s shortcomings. 3.0 – TESCO’s Activities and Environment TESCO is a global organization with facilities in over 14 nations and their headquarters being in the United Kingdom with 260 million plus as clients available at their hub. Their outlets have several different types of styles from hypermarket, to non-food item stores, to membership clubs. If one would take into consideration the enormous size of TESCO, it is easy to see that they would require a strategic performance management system which is flexible and nimble. Jones (2012) states that global organization need to have a holistic approach towards managing their operations and not a segmented method. This is crucial in the retail market. The retail market is nonetheless a competitive industry with commoditized stores and international competition in many of the markets the TESCO operates in. Therefore, TESCO has chosen the balanced scorecard approach which has given them success. 3.1 – What activities does TESCO engage in and in what sector? TESCO is a global grocery and merchandise corporation which was founded in the United Kingdom. The organization started IN 1919 with the retail sale of groceries and has diversified its product mix to include electronics, furniture, clothing, and books. Therefore, the company operates in multiple sectors and has a presence on every continent. The company used the aggressive strategy and approach of Jack Cohen to become one of the largest retail outlets on the planet behind only Carrefour and Wal-Mart. Sectors include: Groceries, electronics, financial services, petrol, telecommunications, clothing, music downloads 3.2 – What context does TESCO’s performance management fit in? Organizational performance can be viewed from a number of perspectives. We see that through the eyes of the customer TESCO was perceived as supplying excellent value and service. This perception was sufficient to place them as the top brand when they surpassed Sainsbury. Organizational performance can also be evaluated through financial, social, and environmental perspectives. This is where performance management at TESCO fits in. The TESCO steering wheel is a model internally shows that the firm has a holistic view towards management (Paul, 2008). This relationship exemplifies the relationship with decision making and performance where executives place emphasis on making decisions based on how far reaching the impactions are. 3.3 – Are TESCO’s performance measurements appropriate to that context? Yes, their performance measurements are actively aligned with the core assets which are integral to the success of  their organization. 4.0 – Managing Performance to Improve Decision-making: Specific example in IT Services The British retailer recently implemented a programme called Step Change, to advance its IT efficiency. Tesco placed a large amount of capital in information technology across its operations in the hopes it will keep up with the 21st century trends which lead to more mobile payments, ecommerce and efficiency gains through IT. In the earlier part of 2008, food sales over the internet made large gains of 49% higher in the last financial year, which lead to even more investment. 4.1 – What type of strategy does TESCO adopt? TESCO implements the balanced scorecard through the TESCO steering wheel. The steering wheel has 5 perspectives which cover different areas. The corporate vision and strategy of TESCO is motivated by its customer base, products, services, and the industry that it operates in. Upper management understands that margins can be slim in an industry where competition is tight and becoming a strong brand with heterogeneous image is important. Corporate strategy is inherently focused on financial gain which can be problematic of other objectives are not met (Graham, 2005). The component has lent itself back to business school basics by relying on the teachings of Porter’s five forces model. The model teaches that bargaining power of suppliers, customers, substitutes, buyers, and competitors are working against at any one moment in time. ASDA and Sainsbury due pose threats to TESCO domestically in the UK as they are established have developed brands which are perceived to have equal or greater value in the eye of the customer. Nevertheless, the threats of suppliers moving to their competitors are slimmer as TESCO has made great strides in infrastructure. The Perspectives Customer – Being an affordable and friendly retailer is crucial for TESCO. The customer is seen as the focus as competing products and sales channels can be seen more frequently with technology. Internal – Operations which are run smoothly with excellent customer service leads to keeping costs low and clients happy. TESCO is proactive in this area by offering club cards, and loyalty program with discounts and rewards. Learning – This perspective is seen through training, learning and focused supervision on employees so that they are nurtured to achieve their potential. Financial – Increasing sales,  optimizing investments, and keeping the shareholders happy are the focus of this perspective. Community – Corporate social responsibility is a key word as it relates to this perspective. TESCO was known to have a high carbon footprint, and it has strived to not only reinvest in the community, but reinvest it operates so that there is a keen interest in having a positive social impact. 4.2 – How does TESCO formulate its strategy? TESCO formulates its strategy based on the desires of the customer. According to Terry Leahy, Tesco’s Chief Executive, he states this clearly when he says â€Å"Let me tell you a secret, the secret of successful retailing. It’s this: never stop listening to your customers and giving them what they want.† This is the methodology which makes the organization one of the most successful in the world as every little contribution counts as long as it is helping build the bond between TESCO and its consumer base. This is the rationale behind the corporate strategy which is measured by the TESCO steering wheel. Axson (2010) stated that long term decision making is more soundly aligned with a balance array of operational strengths. This supports the decision which management has made it this firm. 4.3 – What are TESCO’s performance objectives? Does performance match expectations? TESCO’s performance objectives are essentially its 5 perspectives which are different areas covered in the steering wheel. Because the steering wheel is like the balanced score card it has a method of leading to performance which addresses TESCO’s impact on the triple bottom line (people, planet, profit) and allows the company to match and exceed expectations in several areas. Lunger (2007) states that the 21st century problems facing each and every organization requires incorporation of corporate stewardship into your overall strategy. 4.4 – How does TESCO inform its decision-making through performance? What tool does it use? TESCO utilizes the Balanced Scorecard method which is closely aligned with its corporate strategy. 4.5 – Critical evaluate of the tool, its benefits, limitations and it’s appropriateness to TESCO’s strategy The benefits of the tool also stem into the fact as it became a symbol of cohesion and empowerment within the firm. TESCO’s leader, Sir Terry Leahy, stated that he did not want strategy to be the work of only an isolated few individuals in the firm but the work of all of his employees. That is when the company started using the steering wheel in all  of their locations. Sir Terry Leahy ended up shutting down the strategy department completely (Jones, 2012). This was definitely seen as a controversial move as it meant that the executive level where not the sole contributor to what historically is the vision of the firm. The limitation of TESCO’s strategy here is that it is somewhat segmented in its approach as there will be no stores which are identical because they will all be run independently with their own steering wheels. This works agai nst the model that many retailers have at claiming to offer the same experience at every location. 4.6 – Identify areas for improvement A weakness for the company would be performance in the UK. Therefore development of Domestic operations is a major area of improvement for TESCO. The New CEO who succeeded Sir Leahy, Clarke, has vowed to make it an objective to have their profits in the UK become strong and growing. This is an admission of the company falling short of its expected performance for the most recent year. Part of the reasoning behind is the spectacular growth internationally of TESCO due its profits lent to underlying underperformance domestically as it has lost ground to ASDA and Sainsbury and the last three years. Crisis Management and Quality control falls under the community and customer perspective of the TESCO wheel (Marr, 2009). TESCO is reported to not have performed well in the backlash of a recent issue with suppliers and its grocery line. Recently, in early 2013, the media in the United Kingdom reported that horse meat had been found in some meat products sold by this organization, particularl y burgers. The company was quick to state that this was unacceptable activity. 5.0 – Conclusion and Recommendations 5.1 – Review and summary of your investigative findings The overall review of the findings of our report shows that TESCO is in good financial condition and its corporate strategy has achieved its objectives. The strategy has always been customer centric but it has been fruitful in economic value added and financial performance. Austerity has been a large issue in the European Union over the last few years and can bear the brunt of the blame in the lagging performance that TESCO has domestically in comparison to overseas. TESCO has seen strong growth in the United States as well as Asia. The dividend policy is forward looking at TESCO and the  overall change in management still needs time for the market to evaluate. When Sir Terry Leahy left TESCO stock crashed but has recovered. Still, the defensive position in the UK which TESCO has built over the years is proving to be vital as they weather the forces of competition domestically. 5.2 – Recommendations for identifying areas for improvement In regard to operations management, I would recommend that Tesco continue their use of the TESCO Steering wheel and invest stronger in internationally markets like Asia. Tescos highest growth came in Asia where profits grew by 30% to  £570m in 2011 (Hawke, 2011). The need to focus on the community and internal perspectives with innovations is what I see as the focus for the future. The opportunity to win back business from their competitors will require emerging a corporate citizen who cares about loyalty and the well-being of their consumer base will go a long way. This can be obtained by re-examining the performance management systems and not believing that their historical strength will continue to prove valuable in a competitive retail market. TESCO recently invested 500 million GBP as a stimulus package called â€Å"Building a better TESCO† and it has shown lackluster results thus far (Hawke, 2011). In terms of corporate strategy, I believe that creating a performance management group which oversees the effectiveness of the steering wheels domestically would be a great next step. Hope (2012) argued that utilizing your performance management tools sometimes entails injecting the human element into the equation. TESCO uses steering wheels in all of its location and loyalty cards to keep customers feeling connected and appreciated. If TESCO invests in a performance management team which can monitor remotely the performance of the UK stores in community and financial perspectives they can consistently support growth in these locations where their performance is not as strong as overseas. 5.3 – Implementation plan for recommendations Overall, TESCO’s use of strategic performance management has been successful and I would recommend keeping the steering wheel intact. The model fits naturally with their objectives and mission for the future. This has been instrumental in overcoming threats from other organizations as well as allowing them to focus on growth potential. Recommendation #1 is to invest in Asian markets more aggressively in 2013. This recommendation can be  implemented by identifying areas for growth in existing markets where TESCO has a presence and building more stores. Establishing sales channels in these markets was a strategic investment which the company has already made and can be further utilized to extract and attract more profits. Recommendation #2 is to establish a performance management team to oversee domestic steering wheel systems for TESCO. The success of the corporation has been about measuring less with their tools and focuses more on customers. The focus of this team would be to provide more support to underperforming stores by supplementing by coaching them through their steering wheel templates and shopping lists. References Business Case Studies UK. â€Å"How training and development supports business growth† Graham, Kenny, (2005), â€Å"Strategic Planning and performance management† Taylor and Sons Marr, B., (2009), Delivering Success: How Tesco is Managing, Measuring and Maximizing its Performance, Management Case Study, The Advanced Performance Institute. De Wall, Andre, (2007). â€Å"Strategic Performance Management: a managerial and behavioral approach†. Unknown Axson, David A. (2010), â€Å"Best Practices and Planning and performance management† Wiley John and Sons. Katter, P. John, Heskett L. James, (1992), â€Å"Corporate Culture and Performance† Kotter Associates. Hope, Jeremy, (2012), â€Å"Beyond Performance Management, how and when to use 40 tools† Harvard Business Review. Hawke, Alex, (2011), â€Å"TESCO Reports record profits of 3.8 Bn† Guardian.co.uk Marr, Bernard, (2006), â€Å"Strategic Performance Management† Butterworth-Hineman, Oxford. Lunger, K., 2007, â€Å"A performance Management Primer: Why you need more than a dashboard to manage your strategy.† TESCO PLS (2010) (2011) from Tesco Corporate Paul, R. (2008) Balanced Scorecard: for Government and non-Profit Agencies. Canada: John Wiley Marr, Bernard, (2010), â€Å"The Intelligent Company, Five Steps to success with evidence based \management† Wiley, Oxford. Jones, Steve. 2012, â€Å"Strategic Performance Management, A Case Study at TESCO† Czarnecki, Mark T. (1999), â€Å"Managing by Measuring, how to improve your organization’s performance through effective benchmarking†. The Benchmarking Network Spitzer, Dean, (2007), â€Å"Transforming Performance Measurement: rethinking the way we measure†. AMACOM.

Observing Mitosis In The Cells Of Garlic Biology Essay

Observing Mitosis In The Cells Of Garlic Biology Essay Aim: To observe the stages of the cell cycle in living tissue, generally and specifically in the meristematic cells of the root of garlic and hence consider the duration of the stages of mitosis in relation to the whole cell cycle. Introduction: The  cell cycle, or  cell-division cycle, is the series of events that takes place in a  cell  leading to its division and duplication (replication). In cells without a nucleus (prokaryotes), the cell cycle occurs via a process termed  binary fission. In cells with a nucleus (eukaryotes), the cell cycle can be divided in two brief periods:  interphase-during which the cell grows, accumulating nutrients needed for mitosis andduplicating its DNA-and the  mitosis  (M) phase, during which the cell splits itself into two distinct cells, often called daughter cells. The cell-division cycle is a vital process by which a single-celled  fertilized egg  develops into a mature organism, as well as the process by which  hair,  skin,  blood cells, and some internal organs are renewed. [1] Figure 1: The cell cycle http://adasilva.glogster.com/chapter-10-bio/ Mitosis is the process that facilitates the equal partitioning of replicated chromosomes into two identical groups. Before partitioning can occur, the chromosomes must become aligned so that the separation process can occur in an orderly fashion. The alignment of replicated chromosomes and their separation into two groups is a process that can be observed in virtually all eukaryotic cells. [2] Both the alignment and separation processes are the consequence of the chromosomes interacting with filamentous proteinaceous structures, known as microtubules. The microtubules become organized into a biconical array known as a spindle, which forms early in mitosis, and then disassembles as mitosis nears completion. Mitotic spindles are visible in living cells with the polarizing light microscope. Some of the spindle microtubules become attached to the chromosomes at sites known as kinetochores. The kinetochores cannot be seen with the light microscope, but they reside near the place on the chromosome known as its centromere, which can be observed with the light microscope. There are two kinetochores on each replicated chromosome (one on each chromatid), and when the replicated chromosome splits apart at its centromere at the onset of anaphase, each daughter chromosome possesses one centromere and one kinetochore. The linkages between kinetochores and microtubules are thought to be central in controlling both the positioning of the replicated chromosome at the central portion of the spindle during the alignment phase, and in moving the daughter chromosomes apart after they split at their centromeres. The separation of daughter cells from each other is a process known as cytokinesis, and is separate from mitosis. In cytokinesis, animal and plant cells differ considerably from each other. These differences are the consequence of having or not having a cell wall. Cytokinesis in fungi reveals some similarities with plant cells, and exhibits other features unique to the group.[2] Figure 1: Illustration of the process by which somatic cells multiply and divide. http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/VL/GG/mitosis.php The specimen used in this experiment is the root of garlic where the meristematic cells are actively dividing. Cell division in flowering plants takes place in particular regions of the plant called  meristems. Cells in meristems are not specialized for any particular function and divide repeatedly by mitosis. Some of the daughter cells remain meristematic; others cease dividing and become differentiated into appropriate cell types depending on their position. The root tip meristem is usually a denser white and more rounded than the cut end. Chromosomes in root tip tissue are made visible with the stain. Dividing cells (if present) will show up clearly with chromosomes in different forms according to the stage of mitosis. Individual chromosomes (as tightly-coiled threads) are visible during anaphase. The links between the cellulose walls of plant cells are broken down by the treatment with hydrochloric acid. This ensures that the stain can penetrate the cells and allows the tissue to be squashed out one cell thick. [3] References: [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_cycle [2] http://www.life.umd.edu/CBMG/faculty/wolniak/wolniakmitosis.html [3] http://www.practicalbiology.org/areas/advanced/cells-to-systems/cell-division/investigating-mitosis-in-allium-root-tip-squash,121,EXP.html Objective: Mitosis occurs in four phases as a continuous process without break in between the phases. Before mitosis, the cells are in rest during interphase stage. The activity of chromosomes is significant in determining the stages of cell division. Therefore, to observe the chromosomes, the root cells are stained. There are two types of stains used; the toluidine blue stain. The toluidine blue stain causes the cytoplasm to appear light blue in colour while the chromosomes appear dark blue. In this experiment, the cells in the root tip of garlic is squashed, stained and observed under compound microscope to observe the stages mitosis. Apparatus: Compound microscope, 2 Watch glasses, dropper, tissue paper, microscope slide, cover slip, forceps, mounted needles, stopwatch, scalpel or sharp knife, eye protection, small sample tube, filter paper, eye goggles. Materials: Toluidine blue stain, 1M hydrochloric acid, 1 clove of garlic with roots, cold distilled water Procedure: 1-2 cm of root tips of growing garlic roots are cut off. The root tips are ensured to be chosen from those which are white and have a firm rounded end. The root tips are put into watch glass containing 2 cm3 of 1 M hydrochloric acid for exactly 5 minutes. The root tips are then transferred into watch glass containing approximately 5 cm3 cold water, and left for 4-5 minutes. The root tips are then dried on filter papers. Figure 3 : The root tips are transferred into glass with cold water The root tips are then transferred onto a clean microscope slide. 4-5 mm of the root tips are cut and kept, while the rest are discarded. The root tips are gently broken up with a mounted needle by a process called maceration. Figure 4 : The root tips are break up A small drop of toluidine blue stain is added to the root tips and left for 2 minutes. The tips are covered with a coverslip, and blotted firmly with several layers of tissue. The coverslip is pressed gently to spread the root tip. The samples are then viewed under the microscope (x40 magnifications) and the nuclei of the cells are located. The microscope lens is switched to higher power (x100, x400 and x1000 magnifications and look for cells with chromosomes. Figure 5 : The cells are observed under light microscope The regularly shaped, actively dividing cells are focused and counted for every phases of mitosis. The data obtained are recorded and tabulated. Results: Stages Of Mitosis Interphase Prophase Metaphase Anaphase Telophase Total Cell counted 22 15 3 3 2 35 Percentage 62.9 14.3 8.6 8.6 5.7 100 Table 1 : The stages of mitosis and the respective cell count and percentage Calculation of the mitotic index : Mitotic index = number of cell containing visible chromosome total number of cells in the field of view Mitotic index = Interphase Interphase is the period where the cell prepares itself before cell division. It is a phase before the mitosis. The chromosomes are uncoiled and it fills the nucleus. DNA replication occurs during this stage. The nuclear envelope is visible the centrioles appear and so do the nucleolus. Prophase During prophase, the replicated chromosomes undergo extensive condensation or coiling. The chromosomes are greatly thickened and shortened but are still contained within the nuclear envelope. Prophase ends with the sudden dispersion of the nuclear envelope. The chromosomes start to coil, shorten, and become distinct. The mitotic spindle or polar fibers begin to form from the poles of the cell towards the equator. Metaphase Chromosomes line up along the equator of the cell or what is called the metaphase plate. Polar fibers have reached the centromeres of the chromosomes and have begun interacting with them. Each kinetochore, plate like structure of the replicated chromosome is pointed toward one side of the spindle. The replicated chromosomes converge toward the center of the spindle, and once they get there, significant movements cease. On either sides of each centromere are sites for kinetochore microtubule. Anaphase Anaphase commences with the initial splitting of sister chromatids at their centromeres. These daughter chromosomes then begin to separate from each other, each moving away from the metaphase plate and toward one of the two spindle pole regions. Anaphase ends when the daughter chromosomes reach the end of the cell. Since the sister chromatids are identical copies of the original chromosomes, each pole of the cell will have a set of complete and identical chromosomes as in the parent cell. Telophase In telophase, the daughter chromosomes arrive at the spindle poles and are eventually redistributed into chromatin. After complete separation of the chromosomes and their extrusion to the spindle poles, the nuclear membrane begins to reform around each group of chromosomes at the opposite ends of the cell. The nucleoli also reappear in what will eventually become the two new cell nuclei. A new nuclear membrane forms. The new cell walls grow to form the two new, identical daughter cells. The cytokinesis process starts to happen in order to complete the division of the two new cells. Discussion: After observing the mitosis process, we knew that percentages of the cells in each stage are different. In the experiment using toluidine blue stain, we observed that 22 cells out of 35 cells undergone interphase which covered 62.9% of the cells. There are 15 cells undergone prophase covering 14.3% of the cells. Metaphase and anaphase have the same percentage which is 8.6%. While 2 cells undergone telophase which covered 5.7%. The mitotic index using toluldine blue stain is which suggest that only 37.14% of the cells in our view were undergoing mitosis and the rest are still in interphase. The percentage of cells in each stage is related to the length of time a cell spends in each stage of mitosis. The greater the percentage of cells in a stage, the longer the time spent by each cell in that stage. Based on the table 1, it is clearly shown that the largest percentage of cells is found to be at interphase. Interphase is often referred as the resting phase. Interphase is the stage in which the cells prepare themselves to undergo mitosis. Since interphase has the largest percentage of cells, therefore each cell spends the longest time being at interphase stage. Metaphase and anaphase occupies the same length of time and same percentage of cells. This means cells spend almost equal length of time being at both phases. Telophase on the other hand, has the lowest percentage which means the shortest period of time a cell spends is during telophase. Prophase, being the first stage of mitosis has the second highest percentage of cells. It means compared to metaphase, anaphase and telophase, prophase is the stage of mitosis in which each cell spends the most time. From the results, we knew that most of the cells spent longer time in interphase because cell growth, replication of the chro mosomes, and many other activities are taking place during this time. The cells need to prepare first for the mitotic division to occur. On the other hand, based on results on table 2, is it clearly shown that, the size of cell during interphase is the smallest among all followed by the size of cell during prophase, metaphase, anaphase and finally the size of cell is the biggest during telophase. This is because, during interphase the cell will never grow in size exactly as the cell prepares itself for cell division. Meanwhile, during telophase the cell actually splitting into two daughter cells and it is obvious that the cell would have grown in size. This experiment use the garlic root tips tissue for observing the mitosis process because the stages of development in plant growth can be distinctly observed at this part which is known as meristem. This meristem is actively divided by mitosis. So, every stage of mitosis can be observed clearly. We ensure that our results are reliable because we use 3 samples of root tip. This could minimize the error during this experiment and we can compare the results for each sample. Besides that, we stained the samples using toluidine blue first so that we can observe the chromosomes clearly. We believed that our results are valid because the outcomes from the experiment are the same with what we expect based on the theory and our results are quite similar with the other groups results. Not only that, the usage of toluidine blue is reliable, cheaper and easy to handle with. In a way, it is simple and it helps produce results quicker compared to the usage of other staining. Conclusion: Mitosis can be divided into four different stages; prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. In conclusion, the mitosis process is a random process. So, different types of sample will have different length of time for mitosis to complete. Other than that, the longest stage of cell cycle is interphase with the highest percentage followed by metaphase and anaphase while the shortest stage is telophase with the lowest percentage. The greater the percentage of cells in a stage, the longer the time spent by each cell in that stage. Hypothesis is accepted.

Business Monopolies :: essays research papers

Business Monopolies This world is made up of many businesses and businessman. Some have prospered and some have lost everything. The term â€Å"monopoly† was the cause for the rise and fall. Very select few have managed to dominate a product or company to form a monopoly. Unfortunately, the government prohibits these types of businesses, yet people still continue to strive to achieve such stature. Two of the truest powerhouses of the past 300 years in the business world would most definitely be William Henry Gates 3rd and John Davison Rockefeller. Both of these business geniuses have unique stories about their rise to the top. They also share there experiences on how quickly they can fall and lose everything. William Gates was born on October 28, 1955. His family had a history of being great in business and politics. His father was a prominent lawyer and his grandfather a president of a bank. Bill was a naturally gifted child who excelled in every course. His parents decided to send him to a private school, which had an enormous effect on him. It was here where he was introduced to the computers. While attending this private school, he met Paul Allen. Allen, Gates, and a few other kids, started using computers to write programs but decided that they needed some way to practically use the machine in the real world. They got their first chance when Paul happened to see a magazine with a picture of a personal computer. He told Gates, who at the time was attending at Harvard. They both decided to call the company and tell them that they had written an operating system for the computer. This, however, was a lie because they did not even own one of these machines. They had one chance to test the program and it worked perfectly. Gates then dropped out of Harvard and he and Allen started a new company called Microsoft. In 1980, the two were approached about programming a program for a personal PC. This was the start of Ms-Dos. In 1987, he started pushing CD-ROMs, which turned out to be a good idea. The 1990s were crazy years for Microsoft. The company became a big time player and got bigger and bigger. As Microsoft became a larger and more powerful company, they became able to use Predatory pricing to their advantage. That meant that they were able to cut their price so low no one could compete.

I Will Become a Physician Essays -- Medicine College Admissions Essays

I Will Become a Physician. Â   With the ever-changing field of medicine, many people wonder what medicine will be like in the future. For example, will we still have to live in fear of contracting an incurable and deadly disease, like AIDS? Or will medicine in the future have the capability of handling such threats to our lives? Answering these questions and having the proper education and training to help prevent such threats has been my major ambition. I feel that I can best fulfill this ambition by becoming a physician. Â   I never really thought of going to college until the tenth grade. Just like my father, I had always thought I would be a mechanic and own my own shop because I enjoyed the challenges that arose while diagnosing different problems in cars. It wasn't until I was at my doctor's office that I realized the similarities between the work of physicians and mechanics. Both require one to diagnose and solve problems. That was when I became interested in medicine. As time went by, I started to develop a fascination with the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the human body. Furthermore, I was amazed with how physicians were able to use medication to alleviate pain and heal individuals. Consequently, these attractions to the workings of the human body and the physician's job led me to pursue a career in medicine. Â   During my first semester at the University of Arizona, my ... ...ollege. Luckily, I have a family that has supported and encouraged my success in college. I have also been fortunate enough to have made it this far on my road to medical school with the help of my pre-medical advisor, pre-medical programs (MMEP), and my mentor. I know that with their continued support, I will be able to successfully complete the curriculum needed to become a physician. I know, however, that the road to a medical degree will be hard and long, but I will never give up my dreams of becoming a physician. I am determined to help fight the war against those life threatening diseases like AIDS, and by becoming a physician, I can be on that special team that will make a difference in a patient's life.

Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale: Novel and Film Essay -- Compare

Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale: Novel and Film The Handmaid's Tale, a science-fiction novel written by Margaret Atwood, focuses on women's rights and what could happen to them in the future. This novel was later made into a movie in 1990. As with most cases of books made into movies, there are some similarities and differences between the novel and the film. Overall the film tends to stay on the same track as the book with a few minor details changed, and only two major differences. Atwood sets the story not too far into the future, and the women have lost almost all of their rights. The original government was overthrown and taken over by Christian religious fundamentalists that believed that society was corrupt and women were not taking advantage of their "biological duties." The society now is women staying at home, servants, or "Unwomen", who are the women who are declared infertile and did not have any social status. The "Unwomen" are sent to the "colonies," which are toxic waste sites, to work, and the life expectancy there is less than three years. The main character, Offred (Kate was her real name), is a handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. Handmaids are the few fertile women left in the United States, and are sent to households and become pregnant by the man of the house and are trained for giving birth at the "Red Center." Offred is sent to a house of a powerful Commander. The Commander also has a Wife that lives in the house. The other servants in t he house are Rita and Cora, the Marthas who do the cooking and housework, and Nick the chauffer, who later becomes Offred's lover. Offred is allowed to leave the house once a day to run grocery errands with a walking friend, Ofglen, who is another handmaid. Off... ...h the arranged marriages and Handmaids. He also says, "Sometimes when you try to make things better, it's not better for everyone." In the movie, the reasoning is approached the same type of way. Offred tries to ask the Commander about why the government changed and he replies Nobody knew how to feel anything anymore...about respect, reverence, values you can feel in your heart, or in your case, your womb. What the Commander says here is almost the same as what he says in the book: some women could not fulfill their destinies because of how society had become corrupted. Generally, the film follows the storyline of Atwood's book quite well other than a few exceptions. The changes the movie made probably do work better just because of the fact that it is a movie. Some things are better explained in books than they could ever be explained in a movie.

Grassroots Computing Essay

The article â€Å"Changing the corporate IT development model: Tapping the power of Grassroots† defines that the IT world in the 21st century corporate world is evolving. No longer are there programmers and users. Many times the users become ad hoc programmers. In some corporate structures the lines between the two worlds are disappearing. The plus side to this ad hoc programming is the ability for the end user to develop the tool needed to accomplish the task at hand. Many of the programs available to the business communities are generic in nature and the business will adapt to the program available. In some companies the grassroots computing types are adapting or improving the programming to meet the needs of the organization. The negative side to the grassroots computing model growing in the corporate world is the barriers and silos often built around the IT environment. These barriers need to be taken down for the full growth of the computer industry to be realized for all users and developers. The current license agreements around programing usage and modification will have to be adapted to the changes taking place in the enterprise. The article specifically identifies that the IT genre must – in addition to other needed steps – â€Å"Actively cultivate an entrepreneurial atmosphere and Provide tools and services to enable workers to automate their own work environments. † (Cherbakov Et Al). With this changing idealism around IT and end user – corporate policy and culture needs to also evolve. The organization that will realize the full potential of the programing resources available – not only in the IT department – but across all boundaries in the organization – will establish a culture that will bring down established silos. There still needs to be licensing agreements and non disclosure agreements in place for proprietary rights. These licenses and agreements should not be drawn up in a way to quell the entrepreneurial spirit needed in any growing organization. Each member of the entire team needs to be able to contribute to realization of organizational objectives. Not seeking to be detrimental in any skill set in the organization – but creating a team culture that opens doors for the IT professionals and the professionals on the floor who use the IT tools. Bibliography Cherbakov Et Al. (2007). Changing the corporate IT development model: Tapping the power of grassroots computing. IBM Systems Journal, 46(4), 1-20.

Illegal Immigration Essay

With Illegal immigrants entering the United States daily, attention grows as to what should be done about it. Illegal immigrants who enter the United States and build lives here ultimately affect our economy and society. On one side of the debate, you have those who believe all illegal immigrants should be deported. No exceptions should be made and citizenship should be required to enter the borders of the United States. On the other side, why not give illegal immigrants a chance? Allow them to earn rights in the United States and eventually gain citizenship. Serious debate continues over what reforms should be made to our nation’s Immigration laws. With a vision of more secure borders, there are those who see illegal immigration completely unacceptable. This side argues that Illegal immigrants be given no status in the United States. Those who share this point of view often times share similar reasons as well. Many middle class jobs, available to legal United States citizens, are being swept up by illegals. Illegal immigrants are using falsified documents to gain access to such jobs. It’s not fair that legal citizens who are looking for jobs face competition against illegal immigrants. Their use of fake social security numbers to authenticate documents causes issues to tax brackets and government assistance programs. Government assistance, only intended for use by citizens in need, is being utilized by illegal immigrants. As well as wanting to keep government agencies from being utilized by wrong parties, safety is a strong reason for wanting more secure borders. With thousands of immigrants making the attempt into the U nited States daily, it is impossible to filter out violent offenders and other criminals from non- criminals. This is what scares many American citizens into wanting completely shut borders. You just don’t know who is entering the U.S. Without the ability to screen everyone who enters the U.S., and regulate the number of immigrants entering the U.S., this side will continue to vote for closed borders. On the contrary though, commonly in tune with ideals that our nation was founded by immigrants, there are those who see reform is necessary for the United States. America has been known as the land of opportunity for centuries. Why not allow everyone a chance to prosper? Immigrants bring and have brought new ideas to our country for centuries. Every day they form a functioning part of our society as well as economy. Although some view it wrong for illegal aliens to receive government assistance, they contribute to taxes as well. With dreams of bettering one’s life, immigrants usually come to the U.S. with strong work ethics and hopes to prosper. Blamed for the shortages in jobs, Illegal immigrants seem to fill the holes in society that legal citizens haven’t already filled. With them they bring values of their own cultures. This helps distill more values of culture into our own. Creating a more diverse country can help everyone feel more like they fit in. Illegal immigr ants, with dreams of citizenship in the U.S., should be given the chance. Reform in our government should allow more eligibility for those trying to gain citizenship. Opportunity should be accessible to everyone. With illegal immigration often debated by those with strict agendas, it is easy to see certain points of view are missed. Noted historically as â€Å"one big melting pot†, The United States was originally founded by immigrants. Most â€Å"Americans† today are descendants of immigrants who came to the U.S. hoping to find opportunity, the same as immigrants today. The United States should honor that many illegal immigrants see it as the land of opportunity. Citizenship here should not be a dream held out of reach for so many. Immigrants bring diversity to new nations. Government reforms concerning both sides can be made. Changes that not only allow more opportunity to those looking in, but strengthen and secure our border’s as well. Consideration from both sides of the debate is necessary in trying to find solutions to the immigration problems our nation faces today. Debate over whether our borders be accessible or left shut will continue as long as people try to cross them. There will always be those radically opposed to immigration as will there always be those for it. With chances  slim of immigration into the U.S. slowing down, parties will have to form necessary common grounds in order to preserve the integrity of our nation. Security for the U.S. will always be the main factor in how our reform pans out. It should never be forgotten though that this is the land of opportunity, built by those who came by boat. Only views of equality can fix the issues tying up our immigration reform. Work Cited Brooks, Philip. â€Å"Timeline.† Immigration. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2004. 44. Print â€Å"Illegal Immigration.† Illegal Immigration. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013 â€Å"Immigration ProCon.org – What Are the Solutions to Illegal Immigration in America?† ProConorg Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. Smith, James P., and Barry Edmonston. â€Å"Historical Background and Current Immigration Issues.† The Immigration Debate: Studies on the Economic, Demographic, and Fiscal Effects of Immigration. Washington, D.C.: National Academy, 1998. 289-310. Print. West, Darrell M. â€Å"Shifting Public Opinion.† Brain Gain: Rethinking U.S. Immigration Policy. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution, 2010. 107-26. Print.

Compare the creation scene in Boris Karloff’s Essay

Genre benefits the film industry because it classifies/categorises the type of film which the film industry are required to make. It benefits the audience because they are usually expecting the genre of film and this will result in fewer complaints from the audiences, as they are prepared for the viewing. I have seen several films belonging to the Horror genre. E. g. The Haunting, Scream 1, 2 and 3, The Exorcist, The Poltergeist. Horror films deal with our most primal nature and its fears: Nightmares, our Vulnerability, our Alienation and our Terror of the Unknown, Death, and Para normality, Monsters, Blood and Religion are typical elements that make up a horror film. The scene selected is the creation scene. At this point in the narrative, Victor brings the monster to life. The 1931 version of the film is set in a stereotypical â€Å"Mad Scientists† laboratory with all the high-Tec equipment, potions and machinery. It looks like it is set in the cellar of a gothic mansion or castle. The laboratory appears to be tense and top secret. No music is used throughout the scene. Victor Frankenstein wears traditional doctors white robes which is also a stereotypical feature. It links with the surroundings/environment because the doctors’ robes convey a sense of technicality/experimentalism. The spectators in the scene are wearing formal clothing; they would have been â€Å"well off† in those days. The use of dialogue contrasts with most Horror films as quite a lot is said. Most of the dialogue spoken by doctor Frankenstein regards scientific explanation. Thunder, Lightning, and the electric buzzes are the only sound effects used. They can be classed as scientific sounds. The thunder and lightning are to do with nature and also the supernatural as they can be seen as horrific. Thunder and lightning are stereotypical elements of a horror film. Infrequent thunder sounds are heard, this creates tension for the viewer. The lightning usually strikes when movement or raising of voice occurs. The majority of the cuts are very fast apart from when the table with the monster on is being elevated. This shot is one of the main focusing points throughout the scene and Boris Karloff has shown this by making it the longest shot in the scene. It is also one of the few low angle shots throughout the scene making this an outstanding shot. Every shot in the scene is a straight cut. The fast cuts convey a sense of urgency and tension. No special effects are used in the scene. Very few low angle shots are used compared to the amount of high angle shots used. The low angle shots sometimes show power and authority, for example when Victor Frankenstein is talking to the other doctor. He contradicts the other doctor and proves him wrong; this shows his authority over him. This degrades the doctor in front of the on-scene audience. Igor (Frankenstein’s assistant) is a typical aspect of Horror. He is an iconography to â€Å"The Hunchback Of Notredame† which relates to horror. The camera rarely moves. It is usually still. Doctor Frankenstein is shown to look evil and greedy whereas the monster is shown to look helpless and weak as the movement of its hand is very low. The camera never zooms in throughout the scene. The 1993 version of the film by Kenneth Branagh uses lots of loud, tense music with a fast beat at the start of the scene. This creates a sense of urgency at the start of the scene. As Victor Frankenstein is running, this also adds the tension. Victor Frankenstein is wearing very scruffy clothes. The scene is set in a Gothic type castle/mansion and it looks like it is set in the medieval times by the use of props. Lots of candles also add to the medieval setting. However, lots of machinery and electrical devices are seen which contrasts with the medieval setting. In this scene, Dr Frankenstein brings the monster to life and tries helping it to stand up when he kills it unintentionally. Very few words are said throughout the scene which are the typical aspects of a Horror film but, as there is only one human viewed throughout the scene it is quite obvious that not a lot of dialogue is expected. Each shot is very short and has a straight cut. The only special effects are used at the monster’s birth where it squeezes out of its cage. There are lots of close-ups and medium shots on Victor. You are given the impression that the monster is weak and feeble. Frankenstein gives the impression of being a very unlucky and distraught person as the monster dies. Both films fit in the category of Horror, however Kenneth Branagh’s version is much more like a Horror film to me as it includes action and excitement. Kenneth Branagh’s version was a big budget film whereas the 1931 version was not. It also includes music and special effects whereas the 1931 version does not. This is why Kenneth Branagh’s version is my favourite. By Jack Sanders 10F Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our  GCSE Mary Shelley  section.

Butler Lumber Case Study Analysis Essay

Subject: Butler Lumber Company Problem: Whether Mr. Mark Butler should go ahead with financing from Northrop National Bank or should stay with Suburban National Bank. Options: 1) Enter into a loan agreement with Northrop National Bank for USD 465,000 (Assumption: The condition to sever the relationship with Suburban National Bank applies to Short Term Loan only) 2) Continue short term lending relationship with Suburban National Bank for USD 250,000 and secure the company’s loan with real property Recommendation: Given available data, Butler Lumber company should enter into a loan agreement with Northrop National Bank for USD 465,000 Analysis: Our recommendation to Mr. Mark Butler to enter into agreement with Northrop Bank for line credit of USD 465,000 is based on the following factors: External Financing Need We assessed the company’s external financing need in 1991 based on the following scenarios: a)The current quarter net sales of 1991 attributes 26% of annual sales of company in 1991, since first quarter sales of 1990 contributed 26% of total 1990 net sales and hence the total net sales projected for 1991 is USD 2.77 Mn. Balance Sheet and Income statement have been projected at percentage of sales (Please refer to exhibit no. 1). In this scenario, we assume company doesn’t opt to take discounts on its purchases b)Net Sales of USD 2.77Mn, company opts to take discounts on its purchases c)Net sales in 1991 of USD 3.6Mn as indicated by bank’s investigator in the case study Under both the above scenarios, company would need more financing than its current bank credit facility of USD 250,000. Under scenario (a), if the company decides not to take discounts, then it would need short term credit facility of USD 211,000 to meet its short term capital requirements, however company’s accounts payables would increase to USD 263,000 and its net profit will be USD 49,000. Hence as far company’s financing need is concerned it can continue its short term relationship with the existing bank. On the other hand, if the company decides to take discounts, then it would need short term loan of USD 407,000 to meets its working capital requirements and hence would have to go into agreement with the new bank. Under this scenario, company’s accounts payables would amount to USD 55,000 and net profit would be USD 61,000. Under scenario no (b), Butler Lumber total assets are projected to outpace total liabilities (excluding short term loan) by USD 628, 000, hence the existing loan will be far from fulfilling client’s working capital needs and the loan from Northrop Bank will be able to bridge USD 465,000 of the gap, however company would still be needing USD 162,000 under current mode of operation. We recommend that apart from getting new line of credit from Northrop Bank, company should reduce its days receivables period. Increase in Profitability Option 1: If the company remains with the existing bank loan, the total interest expenses are projected to increase by USD 7,000 in 1991 and resulting into after-tax net profit USD 49,000 with loan from existing bank. The effective rate of interest expense is 13.2% with existing loan. (Please refer to exhibit _____) Compared to 1990, ROA will remain the same at 5% and ROE will remain at 13%. Option 2: If the company replaces its short term line of credit from its existing bank to new bank, the total interest expenses are projected to increase by USD 11,000 in 1991, however company will be able to earn discounts of USD 27,000, resulting into after-tax net profit of USD 61,000 with new loan as compared to after-tax net profit of USD 49,000 with loan from existing bank. The effective rate of interest expense with new loan, after taking effect of discount income, is 5.0% compared to 13.2% with existing loan. (Please refer to exhibit _____) Compared to 1990, ROA will increase to 6% while ROE will increase to 17%. These profitability ratios indicate a better result by taking up the new loan than staying with the old bank. By Dupont analysis (Please see exhibit___), the main drivers for the higher ROE for new loan is due to higher profit margin which offset the lower equity multiplier. The effect of the discount income has driven the profitability, which in turn reflected also in the ROE and ROA ratios. Changes in Flexibility with the new loan Decreasing Flexibility in Managerial Decisions: The company becomes less flexible in its managerial decisions by taking up the new loan. It would be bounded by the negative covenants imposed by the new bank. These negative covenants place clear restrictions to Butler’s future managerial decisions, including investments in fixed assets and limited withdrawals of funds. Because of Butler’s conservative operating so far, he should be able to deal with these restrictions. Furthermore, Butler Lumber’s increased sales are shielded from the general economic downturn to some degree due to the relatively large proportion of its repair business. This will facilitate the maintenance of the net working capital even in a general economic downturn stage. As additional part of the covenants the bank placed importance on the net working capital. This could have positive impact to the firm’s future. As the firm is affected by liquidity problems, the covenants on net working  capital will make Butler to be more mindful about firm liquidity in midst of sales expansion. Thus, it could reduce the chance of Butler ending back with a situation of liquidity issues. Increasing Flexibility in Financial Opportunities: Because company’s business is seasonal, the financial opportunities by the new loan offer scope to balance seasonal variations. Another point is the now possible use of discounts provided by suppliers (see Increase in Profitability section). Ratios (please refer to exhibit ___) Option 1: If Butler Lumber stays with the old bank we can observe a constant value, from 1990 to 1991, for net working capital, current and quick ratio. At first glance, seems that the firm is able to cover current liabilities with current assets, but, without the inventory (which takes more time to convert into cash), the situation is completely different. The D/E increases from 1,68 to 1,72, while the interest coverage presents a value, that, even if lower, is acceptable. With regard to the profitability, the ROA and the ROE remain constant. The cash cycle increases from 64 to 72: this is due to an increase to both inventory and receivables period, even if we can observe an increase in the payable as well. Option 2: Taking the new loan lead to an increase in net working capital, mainly due to the reduction of current liabilities (in fact, despite the increase in notes payable, there is a drastic reduction in accounts payable, in order to get the discount). In this scenario both current and quick ratio improve, indicating an improvement in firm’s liquidity. The D/E decreases from 1,68 to 1,62 and the interest coverage presents an acceptable value as well. Unlike scenario (a), profitability improves in a consistent way: ROA increases to 6% and ROE increases to 16%. The cash cycle rises significantly due to the combined effect of increase in inventory and receivables period and decrease in payable. Appendices Exhibit 1: projected income statement and balance sheet Projected income statement 19901991 USD in millions, FYE 31-DecActual% of Sales Scenario a-1Scenario a-2Scenario b Net sales12,694100.00% 2,7712,7713,600 COGS Beginning Inventory326418418418 Purchases2,0422,0182,0182,746 2,3682,4362,4363,164 Ending Inventory241815.52%430430559 Total COGS21,95072.38%2,0062,0062,606 GROSS PROFIT744 765765994 Operating expenses365820.90%667667840 Interest expenses433N.A405151 Discounts 2742 NET INCOME BEFORE TAXES53 5874145 Provision for income taxes59101437 NET INCOME44 4961107 Projected balance sheet 19901991 USD in millions, FYE 31-DecActual% of Sales Scenario a-1Scenario a-2Scenario b Cash2411.52%424255 Account receivable, net231711.77%326326424 Inventory418430430559 CURRENT ASSETS776 7987981037 Property, net21575.83%161161210 TOTAL ASSETS933 9609601247 Notes payable (bank)6233N.A247407465 Notes payable (Mr. Stark)0N.A000 Notes payable, trade0N.A000 Accounts payable22569.50%2635575 Accrued expenses39N.A393939 L-t debt, current portion77N.A777 CURRENT LIABILITIES535 556508586 L-t debt750N.A434343 TOTAL LIABILITIES585 599551629 Net worth348N.A348348348 Retained earnings84961107 New Net Worth397409455 TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET WORTH933 9969601084 PLUG EFN -360162 Scenarios: -a-1 refers to projected sales of $2,771m in 1991 and a continuing relationship with Suburban National Bank -a-2 refers to projected sales of $2,771m in 1991 and a new relationship with Northrop National Bank -b refers to projected sales of $3,600m in 1991 and a new relationship with Northrop National Bank Notes: 1 Q1 1991 sales are $718m. Q1 1990 sales were 25.91% of FY 1990 sales. We assume this ratio to be constant in scenario a. In scenario b, we rely of Northrop National bank’s assumption of $3,600m sales in 1991. 2 Assumed to be percentage of sales. 3 Operating expenses includes Mr. Butler’s salary. Operating expenses are projected by decreasing operating expenses of 1990 by $95K (salary) and applying percentage of sales to the operating expenses without salary, then adding back $88K (annualised Q1 1991 salary) to get the operating expenses of 1991. 4 : As a corporation, Butler is taxed @15% on its first $50,000 sales, @25% on the next $25,000, and @34% on all additional income above $75,000.

I WILL TALK THIS IN DETAIL (this is not a topic) Thesis

I WILL TALK THIS IN DETAIL (this is not a topic) - Thesis Example of garbage in landfills pose dangers not just because of the formation of noxious gases but also the possibility of burying anyone alive if the pile becomes too heavy. Due to the many problems caused by the use of conventional, limiting and non-renewable resources to produce products, the environment faces challenges that may soon be the cause of the ruin of man. However, by carefully planning the methods and actions of manufacturing as well as the use of other alternative methods in the production of items, with the idea of being as eco-friendly as possible, the output of large amounts of industrial wastes can be lessened, and even be reversed. In the book entitled â€Å"Cradle to Cradle†, authors William McDonough and Michael Braungart were able to show through various theories and practical applications on how to create industries that sustain life and the environment, as well as being able to reuse resources and reduce production costs while maintaining product quality. One thing special about the two authors is that they have truly put their hearts and minds to the concept that they have s strong belief in, even their book itself is not made of paper, but rather of a special kind of plastic that contains inorganic resin, making the book strong, smudge-proof as well as waterproof. By making their book as such, the authors were able to prove a point that yes, the concept of sustainability and being friendly to the earth and the ecosystems can be possible, with planning. The concept of cradle-to-cradle is the brainchild of the environmental advocacy of the authors to promote renewable, sustainable and ecological-friendly industries. Instead of following the usual method of using non-renewable and non-sustainable resources, following the old opportunistic design of industries, as well as following the traditional methods of manufacturing that keeps using raw materials but rarely recycles anything else, by following the authors’ methods of using

Vygotskys Socio-Cultural Theory Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Vygotskys Socio-Cultural Theory - Case Study Example In order to address this need, this paper uses Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and Erikson’s psychosocial development theories in analyzing a child’s observed behaviors and coming up with proposed activities and lessons that would assist the child in his process of development. Â  The child observed for this case study is a boy named Samuel. He is five years old and is currently at Kindergarten level. He is from Mexico and he moved to the US about a year ago, when his parents separated and his mom decided to get a job working as a waitress in the US. He lives in Queens with his mom and an older brother, and they are enjoying a middle-class level of lifestyle. At home, the language spoken is Spanish. In school, he is undertaking the Dual Language program. Â  Based on the observations I have made about Samuel, his main problem is in terms of his Linguistic limitations. In a number of situations, Samuel attempted to participate in group discussion and every time he answers incorrectly, he demonstrates signs of sadness and insecurities. It can be seen from his actions that Samuel is strongly intimidated by his classmates. He is easily discouraged when he makes mistakes and the results to just keeping to himself. Â  Another notable observation about Samuel’s situation in class is that the teacher doesn’t pay much attention to him. Although the teacher is encouraging in the sense that when Samuel makes a mistake, she is quick to tell him that committing such mistakes is ok, it is noticeable that the teacher does not exert much effort beyond that. Samuel’s eagerness to learn is apparent but the teacher does not seem to be paying him much attention. Because of this, Samuel is not as outgoing as other children his age. During the writing sessions, he simply draws pictures of toys and people.