Saturday, August 31, 2019

Phase 1 Individual Project

Phase 1 Individual Project The Classroom Predicament Case Study Violet has persuaded Adrian into taking a risk on plagiarism by using someone else work. I think her rate should be a 2. However because Violet is not the student in this case she cannot be held responsible for her actions. Although I do feel that maybe if she would have helped Adrian with some of the work load on the job Adrian could have took the time to write her own paper. Encouraging a student to cheat is just as wrong as the student that has decided to submit a paper that is not one’s own.Louise is not the student in this case but he/she obviously has been or is a student. Therefore he/she is well aware of Academic Integrity Policy. I will have to rate her at a 3 because she did send the email as an attachment to Adrian. Encouraging a student is just as guilty as submitting the assignment essay writer life hacks. Professor Johnston because of his job at the University he is not able to bend the rules for Adr ian. I think the Professor should be rated at a 4.There are many ways to help students that are in this type of situation (overwhelmed) because many students prefer to take time away from school and never return. Dean Richards cannot be held responsible for his actions because he is only following protocols. Therefore he can only talk with Adrian and Professor Johnston to get an understanding of her actions. He will have to be ranked at a 5. Adrian is the most responsible I think she should be rate at a 1. Adrian is aware of the Academic Integrity Policy and she understands the consequences that are listed.I think Adrian should have took the time to write her own paper during her down time whether it was on her lunch break or even after work. However because the paper has been submitted I think Adrian should try to go back and submit her own work and see if the Professor would accept it and just deduct points for what she has done. An alternate strategy is to talk to the Professor i f that does not work I think she should talk to her Academic Advisor or even the Dean to take some of her load off until she is able to handle things at a normal pace again.I believe if she would have communicated with her boss she would have been in a better situation to catch up and complete all of her assignments on time without plagiarizing. In the future I recommend Adrian talk with her boss as well as her co-worker’s to get the help she need at work in order not to lose focus on her job. Then for her school work if she feels she is not able to perform at her best even with putting her all into it I think she should just take a break and try it later. Now she has a penalty on her record for plagiarizing.Students that are working full-time and have a family are faced with these situations often. There are many ways to communicate with school faculty to get the help one may need or even ones co-workers on the job. Rob was Adrian’s boos in this situation. I do not th ink that Rob is aware that Adrian is a current student in this situation and there is nowhere in the reading it is mentioned. I think Rob should be rated at a 6 because she is swamped at work with things to complete and because of her workload increase she is not able to maintain her assignments as a student.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Burgess’s Comment on Society in A Clockwork Orange

The decade in which post-war social change is felt to have been concentrated is the 1960s. This is certainly a simplification, but it does help pinpoint some of the more dramatic changes that may have been longer in the making. For example, one of the key social changes of the 1960s is the emergence of ‘youth culture'. The sense of a newly empowered sector of society is conveyed principally by the new spending power of young people, and the emergence of mainstream youth-related cultural forms, especially pop music, that quickly become significant components of the economy.The most memorable fictional treatment of youth culture in the 1960s, however, puts a very different construction on the changing balance of power. In A Clockwork Orange (1962) Anthony Burgess isolates the tribal, antisocial elements of youth culture in a dystopian fable of violence as leisure. On the surface A Clockwork Orange is a novel about juvenile delinquents in a near-future Britain, but on a deeper lev el it is a novel about conditioning and free will.Even the parboiled paternalism of the Empire and the synthetic socialism of the welfare state had still apparently left room – though not much – for a dialogue between the individual and society and had kept alive discussions as to what was right and what was wrong with England. Now what had been the issue was exacted from the sensibilities of those who, glutted physically and socially, lived under what amounted to a deadening hedonism.It must have seemed only logical to Burgess, after exploring the dialectics of the single and collective mind, that the problem of the novelist was to probe its metaphysics- to see how the naked needs of his rebel anti-heroes could be met in a mad, lost, loveless, brutal, sterile world. Alex, the gross product of welfare state overkill, is not depraved because he is deprived but because he is indulged. â€Å"Myself,† he notes rather pathetically at the beginning of A Clockwork Oran ge, â€Å"I couldn't help a bit of disappointment at things as they were those days. Nothing to fight against really.Everything as easy as kiss-my-sharries† (Burgess 11). Alex's utopia is more than the result of self-gratification; it is the consequence of the â€Å"original sin† inborn with every offspring of modern organizational leviathans. Having discovered that existence has always meant freedom, but never having been taught â€Å"goodness,† Alex responds predictably and inevitably to the killing burden of choice. Alex took on the status of a heavy metal hero, psychologically lobotomized by an insensitive society. Alex's tone is consistently bright, breezy, humorous, cynical, confident, and amoral, as is Alex himself.This is the opening of his story: â€Å"What's it going to be then, eh? There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs† (Burgess 5). It is a book focusing on â€Å"the chance to be good† and proceeding from a single, significant existential dilemma: Is an evil human being with free choice preferable to a good zombie without it? Indeed, at two points in the novel Burgess spells out the dilemma for us. On one occasion, Alex, about to submit to conditioning, is admonished by the prison chaplain: â€Å"It may not be nice to be good, little 6655321. It may be horrible to be good. . . . Does God want goodness or the choice of goodness?Is a man who chooses the bad perhaps in some ways better than a man who has the good imposed upon him? . . . A terrible terrible thing to consider. And yet, in a sense, in choosing to be deprived of the ability to make an ethical choice, you have in a sense really chosen the good† (Burgess 96). And on the other, the unwitting F. Alexander, with whom Alex finds sanctuary temporarily, similarly remarks: â€Å"You've sinned, I suppose, but your punishment has been out of all proportion. They have turned you into something other than a human being. You have no power of choice an y longer.You are committed to socially acceptable acts, a little machine capable only of good. . . . But the essential intention is the real sin. A man who cannot choose ceases to be a man† (Burgess 153-54). Yet, were this all Burgess had to say on the matter, the impetus of the dilemma would lose substantially in force. Society at large has never troubled itself with the existential agony (unless to repress some manifestation of it), and judging from the preponderance of sentiment abroad today, it would undoubtedly applaud the conditioning process that champions stability over freedom.But Burgess has found inhering in the central dilemma considerations even more immediate. What distinctions between good and evil are possible in the contemporary world? As absolutes, have such distinctions not been totally perverted or obliterated? And as relative terms, depending for definition on what each negates or excludes, have they not become purely subjective? In a technically perfect s ociety that has sapped our vitality for constructive choice, we are, whether choosing good or evil, zombies of one sort or another: Each of us is a little clockwork orange making up the whole of one great clockwork orange.Burgess blames the excesses of human nature on a repressive society that corrupts its citizens – and primarily its youth – by restricting their liberty and force – feeding them outmoded values. Thus, their natural rebellion gets out of hand and only leads to more repression. The result is the satirical picture of a society moving towards an ever more repressive future. Burgess foresees a social trend toward increasing state/government control of individual lives, culminating in a political system which hires thugs as police and condones brain-washing techniques to ‘reform’ criminals.Youth violence has reached an extreme which is clearly fantastic; the failure of the adult world to prevent/control/ reform youth-as-psychopathic-condi tion reaches an equally blackly humorous extreme. For example, on April 19, 1989, a young banker, walking in Central Park, was raped and left to die. The police soon caught a group of Harlem teens and charged them with gang rape. â€Å"Wilding – the newest term for terror in a city that lives in fear,† wrote the New York Post on April 22 (Hancock 38). I think term â€Å"Wilding† defined by the Post writers can be referred to the violent raves in A Clockwork Orange.In Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange political pragmatism reigns: venal politicians grasp at sure and easy ways to erase crime; the police are as violent as the criminals they battle; political reformers are prepared to destroy ‘victims’ like Alex in their attempts to bring down the government. These mainstream social/ political structures try, but fail, to reduce Alex to ‘a clockwork orange’. Works Cited Burgess, Anthony. A Clockwork Orange. New York: Norton, 1963. Hancock, Lynnell. â€Å"Wolf Pack: The Press and the Central Park Jogger. † Columbia Journalism Review. Vol. : 41, 5 January-February 2003, 38. Burgess’s Comment on Society in A Clockwork Orange The decade in which post-war social change is felt to have been concentrated is the 1960s. This is certainly a simplification, but it does help pinpoint some of the more dramatic changes that may have been longer in the making. For example, one of the key social changes of the 1960s is the emergence of ‘youth culture'. The sense of a newly empowered sector of society is conveyed principally by the new spending power of young people, and the emergence of mainstream youth-related cultural forms, especially pop music, that quickly become significant components of the economy.The most memorable fictional treatment of youth culture in the 1960s, however, puts a very different construction on the changing balance of power. In A Clockwork Orange (1962) Anthony Burgess isolates the tribal, antisocial elements of youth culture in a dystopian fable of violence as leisure. On the surface A Clockwork Orange is a novel about juvenile delinquents in a near-future Britain, but on a deeper lev el it is a novel about conditioning and free will.Even the parboiled paternalism of the Empire and the synthetic socialism of the welfare state had still apparently left room – though not much – for a dialogue between the individual and society and had kept alive discussions as to what was right and what was wrong with England. Now what had been the issue was exacted from the sensibilities of those who, glutted physically and socially, lived under what amounted to a deadening hedonism.It must have seemed only logical to Burgess, after exploring the dialectics of the single and collective mind, that the problem of the novelist was to probe its metaphysics- to see how the naked needs of his rebel anti-heroes could be met in a mad, lost, loveless, brutal, sterile world. Alex, the gross product of welfare state overkill, is not depraved because he is deprived but because he is indulged. â€Å"Myself,† he notes rather pathetically at the beginning of A Clockwork Oran ge, â€Å"I couldn't help a bit of disappointment at things as they were those days. Nothing to fight against really.Everything as easy as kiss-my-sharries† (Burgess 11). Alex's utopia is more than the result of self-gratification; it is the consequence of the â€Å"original sin† inborn with every offspring of modern organizational leviathans. Having discovered that existence has always meant freedom, but never having been taught â€Å"goodness,† Alex responds predictably and inevitably to the killing burden of choice. Alex took on the status of a heavy metal hero, psychologically lobotomized by an insensitive society. Alex's tone is consistently bright, breezy, humorous, cynical, confident, and amoral, as is Alex himself.This is the opening of his story: â€Å"What's it going to be then, eh? There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs† (Burgess 5). It is a book focusing on â€Å"the chance to be good† and proceeding from a single, significant existential dilemma: Is an evil human being with free choice preferable to a good zombie without it? Indeed, at two points in the novel Burgess spells out the dilemma for us. On one occasion, Alex, about to submit to conditioning, is admonished by the prison chaplain: â€Å"It may not be nice to be good, little 6655321. It may be horrible to be good. . . . Does God want goodness or the choice of goodness?Is a man who chooses the bad perhaps in some ways better than a man who has the good imposed upon him? . . . A terrible terrible thing to consider. And yet, in a sense, in choosing to be deprived of the ability to make an ethical choice, you have in a sense really chosen the good† (Burgess 96). And on the other, the unwitting F. Alexander, with whom Alex finds sanctuary temporarily, similarly remarks: â€Å"You've sinned, I suppose, but your punishment has been out of all proportion. They have turned you into something other than a human being. You have no power of choice an y longer.You are committed to socially acceptable acts, a little machine capable only of good. . . . But the essential intention is the real sin. A man who cannot choose ceases to be a man† (Burgess 153-54). Yet, were this all Burgess had to say on the matter, the impetus of the dilemma would lose substantially in force. Society at large has never troubled itself with the existential agony (unless to repress some manifestation of it), and judging from the preponderance of sentiment abroad today, it would undoubtedly applaud the conditioning process that champions stability over freedom.But Burgess has found inhering in the central dilemma considerations even more immediate. What distinctions between good and evil are possible in the contemporary world? As absolutes, have such distinctions not been totally perverted or obliterated? And as relative terms, depending for definition on what each negates or excludes, have they not become purely subjective? In a technically perfect s ociety that has sapped our vitality for constructive choice, we are, whether choosing good or evil, zombies of one sort or another: Each of us is a little clockwork orange making up the whole of one great clockwork orange.Burgess blames the excesses of human nature on a repressive society that corrupts its citizens – and primarily its youth – by restricting their liberty and force – feeding them outmoded values. Thus, their natural rebellion gets out of hand and only leads to more repression. The result is the satirical picture of a society moving towards an ever more repressive future. Burgess foresees a social trend toward increasing state/government control of individual lives, culminating in a political system which hires thugs as police and condones brain-washing techniques to ‘reform’ criminals.Youth violence has reached an extreme which is clearly fantastic; the failure of the adult world to prevent/control/ reform youth-as-psychopathic-condi tion reaches an equally blackly humorous extreme. For example, on April 19, 1989, a young banker, walking in Central Park, was raped and left to die. The police soon caught a group of Harlem teens and charged them with gang rape. â€Å"Wilding – the newest term for terror in a city that lives in fear,† wrote the New York Post on April 22 (Hancock 38). I think term â€Å"Wilding† defined by the Post writers can be referred to the violent raves in A Clockwork Orange.In Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange political pragmatism reigns: venal politicians grasp at sure and easy ways to erase crime; the police are as violent as the criminals they battle; political reformers are prepared to destroy ‘victims’ like Alex in their attempts to bring down the government. These mainstream social/ political structures try, but fail, to reduce Alex to ‘a clockwork orange’. Works Cited Burgess, Anthony. A Clockwork Orange. New York: Norton, 1963. Hancock, Lynnell. â€Å"Wolf Pack: The Press and the Central Park Jogger. † Columbia Journalism Review. Vol. : 41, 5 January-February 2003, 38.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Executive Brief on 'Google in China' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Executive Brief on 'Google in China' - Essay Example Within 3 years of launch of its website, Google garnered 30% of the share of total web search industry. (Google 2008) Later, due to its reluctance to apologize for allowing certain illegal sites to be obtained through its search results for Chinese users, it faced some regulation process from the Chinese government, banning several features of it. Following that, some malicious attacks on their Chinese servers and Gmail through alleged sources from China, Google reported in January 2010 as putting its operations in China in abeyance. A lot has been discussed about this move and several notions have been posed from several quarters. Decisions are yet to happen in a unanimous manner from all parties. Google’s stand on continuing its operations in China has presented an interesting proposition for analyzing the pros and cons of its decision. The current scenario is such that both the parties could lose out on major opportunities if Google decides to continue its suspended action in China. Google could lose out to its competitors of China and may end up losing out a major stake of its business from the fastest establishing super power of the world. At the same time, China’s rules and regulations are in correspondence to the rule of government, thereby disabling itself from any change of its course with respect to Google. The report aims at identifying the different factors such as the internal and external contributors, providing key inputs on the current strategy followed by both the parties involved, and depicting a possible movement of the market according to the different decisions that might be taken in future. Google established its Google China (Google.cn) in 2006. The first step of its strategy was to obey to the rules of the government prohibiting certain search results accessible to its users. The second step was to

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Formulate a Budget Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Formulate a Budget - Assignment Example Since our store is located in the main shopping hub in the downtown area therefore, we strongly believe that this factor would help us grow and to achieve success on the longer run (Longenecker, Petty, Palich, & Hoy, 2013; Ray, 2010). Furthermore, the company also aims to receive a 15% growth in the sales  and  50%  gross  profit margin is also expected by the end of the third year. Since, our major assets are residing in the inventory therefore we have to come up with a budget plan that helps us to survive in the market for at least three years (Shapiro, 2008; Longenecker, Petty, Palich, & Hoy, 2013). Although there have been numerous issues related to the business as the on-hand cash  for apparel was very low,  the company has decided to formulate a fresh budget plan focusing on all the key elements and factors that may or may not become an obstacle for the company in the coming future (Atrill & MacLaney, 2011; Gibson, 2010). The purpose of this budget plan is to ensure that the $50,000 loan is secured. The purpose of this loan / supplemental financing is necessary as it is required for the decoration of the outlet and its furniture and other operational expenses. The investment by the owner includes $60,000. It is forecasted that if the company works as per the expectation then the budget plan would allow the company to become profitable by the end of the first year. The budget plan that has been formulated for the coming three for ABC contemporary couture is presented as below. Thus, it can be concluded that if the aforementioned budget plan turns successful than the company can easily generate an increase of 10% in the second year and 25% increase in sales by the end of the third year. However, if the company plans to expand then the net income may increase as per the demand and expansion. It should be noted that once the

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

International trade theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International trade theory - Essay Example Therefore, a country should only specialize in the production of its efficient commodity. Interpreting this account to the illustration on chart 4-10, Ghana specializes in the production of cocoa for commercial purposes than Korea who takes its advantage based on rice. Ghana being 4 times more efficient in cocoa productivity than Korea who specializes in rice gives absolute advantage of each other in trade negotiations. Besides, the theory of comparative advantage illustrates that country’s exports should not be measured by quantity but efficiency to avoid market dominancy. For instance, if 4tones of cocoa were exchanged by 4tones of, rice from Korea then Ghana would be susceptible compared to Korea (Pomfret 107). Clusters or networks of similar companies in the same industry are always encouraged as this harmonizes competitive advantage of the countries involved by creating room for innovations otherwise improving productivity. Cluster is also very essential for the promotion f a particular good or service believed to be efficiently located (Pomfret

Monday, August 26, 2019

Does Health Policy assist in combating some of the health problems in Essay

Does Health Policy assist in combating some of the health problems in United KINGDOM(DEMENTIA POLICY IN UK) - Essay Example Looking at these alarming statistics, it can be noted that incidences of dementia will only continue to grow. Attention needs to be paid to the ways in which comprehensible plans can be laid out for service development for this illness. In this paper the author attempts to understand dementia and how it affects the UK population. Using statistics from various governmental sources, independent researches and non-governmental sources it charts out the path, people suffering from dementia have had to face. Closely examining the UK government’s latest health plan, â€Å"Living well with Dementia†; the author critically analyzes whether the policy is people friendly and is addressing the right concerns. In conclusion, the author endeavors to point out gaps that have been left out in the policy making process which needs to be filled, for people with dementia to have a better life. Dementia is most commonly found among the elderly population, it is said that, in UK, 1 in 5 people over 80 have some form of dementia while in those over the age of 65, only 1 in 20 seem to be affected (Knapp and Prince, 2007). However, this is not to say that it cannot occur in young people, a growing number of younger populations are showing early signs of dementia within UK. While no, one, clear factor has been identified as a cause of dementia, it is said that genetic background, lifestyle, age and medical history could lead to the initiation of dementia. The way each individual experiences dementia depends a lot on their physical upkeep, emotional quotient and family support. However, being a progressive illness, its symptoms eventually become more rigorous as time passes. Caring for dementia patients, in the context of their deteriorating mental health is a tedious task. In UK, Knapp and Prince (2007) estimate that among persons aged 65 and above, 36.5% live under institutionalized care, while 63.5% people continue to live in their

Sunday, August 25, 2019

DESIGN A RETENTION PLAN FOR FUTURE RADIOLOGY EMPLOYEES Assignment

DESIGN A RETENTION PLAN FOR FUTURE RADIOLOGY EMPLOYEES - Assignment Example In addition, most programs fail to plan and time the hiring of physicians when multiple providers are needed. They have failed to develop short-and long-term strategic staffing plans. The other problem is absence of a clearly defined recruitment process, a host of hospitalist programs have failed to create a well-planned and choreographed recruitment process, leading to missed opportunities and/or a hiring mismatch (Simone, 2009). The other problem is hiring mismatch, many programs hire providers who do not fit in with the practice â€Å"culture.† There is a mismatch between vision, values, and objectives of the hospitalist program and the newly hired physician (Harris & Hartman, 2001). This can translate to disruptive behaviors within the hospitalist practice, low morale, and can result in poor provider and program performance. The last problem and which is the focus of this study is lack of a retention plan. Most programs have been successful in finding a good physician-prac tice fit but failed in support and integration of the new physician into the practice, hospital and community. A poorly developed retention plan or the absence of one can lead to physician turnover (Mathis & Jackson, 2010). Physician turnover can result in staff shortages, which may lead to program instability, such as being disruptive to the â€Å"chemistry† of a practice, provider job dissatisfaction, provider burnout, and subsequent poor clinical outcomes. Provider turnover can be quite costly to a hospital program, as numerous costs are associated with replacement of providers (Simone, 2009). These costs include those associated with recruitment, such as sign-on bonuses, medical school loan repayment, relocation expenses, lost productivity for hospitalist and hospital staff during the recruitment process, headhunter fees, and revenues lost during

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Why, despite Seemingly Copious Sources, Is Our Knowledge of Celtic Essay

Why, despite Seemingly Copious Sources, Is Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology So Fragmentary - Essay Example The Romans considered their Celtic neighbours to be barbarians, but their observations provide much of our body evidence in the study of   mythology, in particular Julius Caesar, Lucan and Posidonius (Brezina, 2008, p.11). The two cultures co-existed but often clashed, as they were built on entirely different beliefs, traditions and values (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, p. 8). Furthermore, their relationship was also marked by conflict; the Romans successfully conquered Celtic Britain in the first-century, only to have their capital sacked by the Celts two centuries later (Brezina, 2008, p. 7). Consequently, historians such as Aldhouse-Green, have warned of the problems of using Roman sources as evidence. She argues that that there is a real danger of "bias distortion, misunderstanding and admission" which will affect the authenticity and usefulness of their opinions and observations. Classical writers may well have sensationalised   or deliberately selected aspects of Celtic behaviour a nd ideas to create the image of an "uncivilised" race, and thus add to their own sense of superiority (1998. p. 8). The Romans may well have â€Å"singled out† or exaggerated particular Celtic ideas and beliefs which seemed alien to them. Brezina has commented that they offer â€Å"confused† and â€Å"fragmentary† accounts of the gods especially as they seemed very strange to the Romans ( 2008, p. 11). Their accounts also present difficulties for the historian because they employed Roman terminology when describing Celtic religion. This further compounds the difficulties of interpretation (Maier, 1997, p. 24). The second type of source to be discussed come from the Middle Ages and were compiled throughout Britain. Once again, the historian is immediately confronted with a problem which potentially affects their reliability and authenticity; the influence of Christianity (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, p. 9). Maier argues that this influence means that such accounts are n ot a true reflection of â€Å"pre-Christian mythology† and should actually be viewed as a â€Å"creative interpretation†. To be able to use them correctly also requires an excellent knowledge of Medieval Welsh and Irish sources, and a constant reviewing when new material is discovered.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Franchising Business Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Franchising Business - Term Paper Example On the other hand a franchise is a business where the owners or the franchisers sell their business rights to third parties called franchisees. Some of the big franchises are McDonalds, UPS and Subway [Purvin, 2008]. While investing in a franchise, the franchisee is required first to pay a fee to acquire the rights to the business, training and equipment required for that franchise. This is in terms of an ongoing payment according to how they will agree. As it can either be monthly or even on a quarterly basis which is a percentage of the gross sales for the business. The franchiser will direct the franchisee on the way to open another replica franchise but will not have such rights or powers as would have had had he opened his own business. After the signing of the contract, the franchisee will go on and open up a replica of the operation of the franchise business, in the direction of the franchiser. The franchisee therefore, will not possess as much in terms of control over the bus iness operation as he/she would have over theirs, but may benefit from investing in an already-established brand. It is important to note that the franchiser does not only enjoy the right to dispose the products but also to use the processes that have already been set in place by the business or franchiser and therefore is required to keep the processes, the logo and also the signs and the uniforms. Though this is true, the franchisee is to remain independent owner of the business. To begin a franchise, it will be important for the franchiser to contact a franchise attorney who will assist in making a viable franchise decision. Franchising allows one to grow the business quickly due the simultaneous opening of several units. The franchisee needs to provide the operators with ongoing support even though he technically does not own the franchise in cases like the obtaining of finances and in finding the site locations for the franchises. The first franchises were actually started in t he 19th century and some of the world’s famous and fast growing businesses are franchises. These include the companies like the McDonalds. Types of franchises 1. Business to business service In this type, the managers and the retail side share some of the characteristics. The franchise manages the operations part but does the selling. Is out to handle the customers and to sign their contracts but not to handle the day in the day out operations like receiving phone calls some of these like that of consultants can actually be done at home. 2. Retail franchise This involves itself with walk in retails services and therefore can sell the products of the company during the retail hours. This involves printing, food communication and fashion. These types of franchises need adequate staffing due to the many operations but they are owner operated. 3. Investment franchise In this franchise, a lot of capital is invested by the franchisee in the high cost franchise systems. The franchis ee operates this at arms length where a management team operates this on his behalf. The franchisee normally has a lot of experience in managing a large team. Examples of these are the restaurants and hotels. 4. Management franchise This is where the franchise is responsible of managing and coordinating the team of operatives and the

The power of the American president is to persuade. Discuss in Essay

The power of the American president is to persuade. Discuss in relation to recent presidents - Essay Example This is mainly because if the public is convinced that the president is right, it will give him its full support and the members of Congress will have to follow suit because to do otherwise would mean that quite a number of them might lose their seats during elections. The American president has to be eloquent in his speeches so that he can be able not only to persuade his audience but also to pass his point through to those individuals who are against him that his is the right course and they have to support him. Over the past fifteen years, this has been the case among the men who have had the privilege of being the leaders of the most powerful nation in the world. These presidents, namely Clinton, Bush, and currently Obama, have all had to work hard to persuade the American public as well as the American allies that their intentions and actions have been in the latter’s interest. One of the most fascinating episodes where an American president was forced to be persuasive in order to save his presidency was that of President Clinton during his threatened impeachment over the Lewinsky Scandal. Bill Clinton can be considered to have been one of the most popular presidents in modern American history and it is not just because of his charisma, but also because he was also able to connect with many of the baby boomer generation, to which he belonged. This was a period where the American presidency was mired in a scandal which almost brought down the president and it is mainly because of the ability of Clinton to persuade his audience that his actions did not in any way jeopardize his presidency that he managed to remain in office for the remainder of his term (Storey 2010, p.305). When the Lewinski scandal first came to the attention of the media, it generated a lot of shock in the public and the most conservative members of the Republican Party saw it as an oppor tunity to remove a president from a rival party. However,

Thursday, August 22, 2019

How did WWII change America and the World Essay Example for Free

How did WWII change America and the World Essay The World War II remains the bloodiest and deadliest crisis in world history. It involved the best ever battle lines, enormous armed forces, along with the most destructive weapons in the history of the world (Martel 245). The worldwide disagreement that was regarded as or labelled World War II emanated from the 1930s great depression, a turmoil that undermined, destabilized and weakened economies, governments’ and nations around the world. For instance, in Germany, the rise of Hitler occurred partially because he alleged to be capable of transforming a destabilized Germany by then to an autonomous economic and military power that could control its destiny not only in Europe, but in the entire world as well (Martel 240). This paper therefore explores how this global conflict (WWII) changed America and the entire world. For the US, World War II constituted the most significant fiscal event of the 20th century (Higgs 53). The war’s consequences on the United States were diverse and far-reaching. It indomitably ended the great depression, and the US federal government came out from the war as a possible economic actor, capable of regulating fiscal activity and to partly control the world economy via spending and consumption. What’s more, the wartime economic explosion spurred and promoted a number of social trends. First was the job creation that paralleled the growth of industrial production, in so doing, attained what Roosevelt’s New Deal programs had been incapable to achieve (Rindfuss, Morgan Swicegood 86). According to Higgs (58), in 1940, there were more than eight million unemployed Americans. However, by 1941, unemployment became a thing of the past. There were in fact labour shortages in numerous industries. Consequently, federal inspectors did ignore laws deterring employment of women and children (Martel 250). With little or no public outcry, several high school dropouts escalated substantially. Also, several women were absorbed in the workforce to assist make implements and munitions of war. These women were later nicknamed ‘Rosie the Riveter’ and were pivotal part of the US success in war (Martel 251). Additionally, the WWII revitalized American industries, and a lot of sectors were by the end of the war (1945) either brusquely oriented to defence production (for instance, electronics and aerospace) or entirely dependent on atomic energy (Rindfuss, Morgan Swicegood 82). The organised labour unions were as well strengthened far beyond the depression period and became a key counter-balance to both private and government industry. Given the fact that novel employment took place in unionized workplaces, plus industries funded by the American government, the continuance of membership decision during World War II was a magnificent advantage for organized labour (Rindfuss, Morgan Swicegood 84). As a result, organized labour increased from ten million in 1941 to approximately fifteen million by 1945. Also, about thirty six percent of the work-force in non-agricultural sector was unionized, recording the highest percentage ever in American history. Similarly, the war’s speedy technological and scientific changes continued and deepened trends commenced during the great depression and shaped lasting anticipation of continued novelty on the part of several engineers, citizens and government officials. Besides, the significant increases in individual income as well as quality of life throughout the war resulted in a number of Americans foreseeing permanent improvements to their material needs (Rindfuss, Morgan Swicegood 85). That said, the World War II brought to an end the godless Nazi regime plus their murder machine. It as well wrecked Japan’s control over Pacific, thereby ushering in the atomic age (Martel 255). Europe that had been under authoritarian Nazi boot became under the Communist boot. Besides, the war led to medicine improvements in the world, particularly in the use of antibiotics. New-fangled forms of occupational and physical therapy to assist returning veterans and wounded soldiers were as well invented and used. What’s more, the work of individuals, such as von Braun in the Second World War greatly transformed world technology, especially rocket technology, which became a major focus during Cold War (Neufeld 164). The dramatic transformations in military technology resulted in changes to operational and tactical skills. Stanovov (1) asserted that all contemporary warfare grew from the concepts which first came from 1939-1945. The actions of pooled units, close relations of dissimilar armed services, the greatly escalated significance of radio-electronic warfare, strategic bombings, psychological and mass information warfare, to mention just some factors. The World War II became in fact total in psychological, technical and informational senses, radically transforming the prerequisites to logistical support. Moreover, it spectacularly changed the balance between small and large economies in the world platform. Whilst previously the disparity between the armed forces of a small and large country was largely quantitative, with WW2 it became qualitative, as a few nations in the world could manage to create fully-fledged nuclear-era armed forces (Stanovov 1). Finally, every great conflict, especially concerning great allies and axis, brings something unique to the art of warfare. But Second World War was outstanding in that respect. The changes in the hardware, equipment, structure and the way military forces were utilized were unique both in their significance and scope. Even WWI that first witnessed major use of war tanks, submarines and planes had never brought to fore such massive change to the world.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Analysis of Chinas Healthcare Systems

Analysis of Chinas Healthcare Systems China went through a drastic change in 1978 from communism to a better economic change by Deng Xiaoping. He ushered china into new era. Even though he made huge reforms economically, China was lacking any significant reforms in medical systems. China prior to 1978 had a centralized medical system. Now its split between private and public services. Chinas public healthcare is inconsistent. The developed and established cities have easy and direct access to hospitals and lot of advanced medical services but the rural areas and towns dont have even basic medical needs. The quality in some health care facilities is up to Western standards even though their methods are different. (Gao,chen,4). Health care system is divided into government and private sector. Government provided majority of healthcare infrastructure and private sector provided majority of health funding. China urban health care system implemented new Basic Medical Insurance system (BIS) for urban employees, co-funded by employer and employee. Also, launched pilot projects to cover urban residents even outside workforce. Rural Health care system was also started consists of new co-operative medical health insurance system co-funded by government and rural population. By the end of 2007, NCMS covered 86% or rural population and is target to cover 100% by 2010. China is one of the fastest ageing countries and has more people aged 65 years. Chinas health care system during 1948-1978. Centrally Planned. Health care for all. Reimbursement system. Urban Health Insurance Plans GIS and LIS. Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (CMS). Face of healthcare was barefoot doctor. No private clinics/hospitals. Another reform between 1978- 2000, decentralization Healthcare responsibility shifted to local bodies. Collapse of traditional healthcare system. Out-of-pocket expenditure increased drastically.   Permission granted for profit hospitals and clinics. Between 2000 -2005, merger of GIS and LIS into Basic Urban Employee Health Insurance plan à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Rural co-operative medical scheme launched. Commercial insurers allowed to enter market. And in 2005-2012, healthcare for all. The new health care reforms focused on expanding health insurance coverage and improve healthcare system. The reforms also focused improving the quality in delivery of health services. Chinas elderly population is around 200 million and is increasing but their health-care and facilities are decreasing. Due to lack of health-care 3/4th of their elderly population is suffering from non-communicable diseases. Their health care system is unfair and is not changed according to the meeting needs of new age. Only a small percentage of population is covered by proper health-care. The elderly population has only few nursing homes and rehabilitation services. (Hamed,3) Moreover, the elderly population have less knowledge about safeties and precautions. Health-care education and promotion of safety guidelines are necessary. Many diseases can be avoided with by properly educating and spreading the safety principles. Public health care funding decreased over the years and at the same time house hold expenditure raised. China tried to change and improve their health-care system over the years through fee for service plan to reimbursement affects even then the health-care system is under stress. Increasing in the number of aging population and decrease in younger generations will cripple the country in the future. Moreover, the ageing population is a burden on the economy. (Wang, Chen,1). Government Initiatives to Meet Elderly Society Challenge. Implementation of various chronic-disease prevention programs at national level. Local government agencies training laid-off workers in long-term care. New reforms enabled for special geriatric medical training at undergraduate level. The number of geriatric units also are increased. Government and private organization efforts has increased elderly home and gave raise to many new nursing homes. Community based elderly care services were also started in many urban areas. Government has understood the health issues and started to allocate more funds towards imp roving elderly care. Chinas government health expenditure spending is very low according to international standards per capita expenditure is also low. Between 1987-2007, China has increased its efforts in improving health status of its population. Chronic diseases, non-communicable diseases accounted for 80% deaths. People of china had a high exposure rate to risk factors. Since 2003, many safety precautions and awareness campaigns are lead to protect people from infectious diseases. Health organizations also have focused eradicating water borne illness. Later huge investments were carried out to stop water borne pollution. A new national environmental performance information disclosure program has also been started to improve health care. Chinas population relatively young by international standards à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢However, rapid aging will soon begin in China. Chinas one child policy and aging population are creating huge economic and social challenges for society from growing and developing. These are some of the issues that are causing stress on Chinas health care system. References 1) Gao, Chen, Xu, Fei, and Liu, Gordon G. Payment Reform and Changes in Health Care in China. Social Science Medicine 111 (2014): 10. Web. 2)  Hamed, Abdula. The Problems of Chinas Health Care System Reasons for This Development and Improvement Suggestions. Hamburg: Diplomica Verlag, 2010. Web. 3) Wang, and Chen. Population Ageing Challenges Health Care in China.The Lancet 383.9920 (2014): 870. Web. 4)  The Lancet. Ageing in China: A Ticking Bomb. The Lancet 388.10056 (2016): 2058. Web.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

why workers with dangerous jobs are paid

why workers with dangerous jobs are paid (a) Explain why workers with dangerous jobs are paid more than workers with less dangerous jobs The competition in the job market had shown an upward turn when we talk about the opportunities for the job seekers. There are diversified fields for the job seekers who go for the job according to their qualification and experience. But another factor is also very vital when a person seeks a job; his / her own choice regarding environment and the workplace safety is equally important. Some people like to work in office due to the peaceful, neat and clean environment but the same paradise may be hell for others just because they cannot handle the mental stress attached with the office jobs e.g. Accounting, Finance etc. On the other hand some people enjoy the jobs in the field of marketing which would not be accepted by those who like to work in isolation. But there are some jobs which are considered dangerous due to the nature of workplace. Although none of the workers may like to go for the dangerous site but the additional compensation finds attraction of some workers who opt for t he dangerous work. So, keeping in view all these factors the compensation package of the employee can be assessed. Normally the jobs which require higher qualified persons are highly paid than the jobs with lower qualified persons. It is considered that the differential amount paid to the higher educated person in compensation of the additional payment made by the person to get the education. The workplace area and the safety at workplace get a quick attention of the employees to demand extra wages. Smith used the words ‘hardship, ‘disagreeable and ‘dirtiness for the work of colliers in Newcastle to explain why they earned two or three times more than common laborers in Scotland (1976). The table below shows the mortality rate of ten highly dangerous vocations. The statistics have been collected by the Bureau of Labour Statistics. These statistics have been published on CNN referring to an 18 year old logger who was killed on December 3, 2002. It clearly depicts that the risk factor involved in these jobs classifies them in the category of additional compensatory jobs. *Selected occupations had a minimum of 30 fatalities in 2002 and 45,000 employed. According to the table it is clear that the Timber Cutters are facing the most risk and the rate of mortality has been the highest for them. People involved in fisheries are at second in the table with fatality rate of 71.1. Pilots and navigators are at third with the mortality rate of 69.8. According to the table all these people are concerned with working outdoor except the structural metal work which is also carried on outdoor mostly. People involved driving, sailing, or flying the vehicles are all in the list which shows that all the jobs The table above has been plotted as a chart below: The graph above shows clearly that normally there are outdoor jobs which are considered the most dangerous jobs. Therefore people in these jobs need the security and compensation as an attraction to continue doing the job. Employers, therefore offer special allowances and compensations along with medical facility, insurance, housing etc. Not only the risk involved in the jobs but makes it paid higher but there are some other factors as well but keeping our discussion limited to the topic those are ignored here. Some salient factors have been given below which shows why the workers with dangerous jobs are paid more. There is a direct threat to a workers health and life. If a worker gets hurt due to the nature of job, he may loose any part of body and sometimes even the life. Although there are certain health safety policies adopted by the employers for their workers but the worker s are also required to take precautionary measures for the sake of his / her safety. A direct threat to his / her life means a direct threat to his / her dependents as well. Therefore an additional compensation is very much necessary for his / her and his / her family. Different jobs have different health hazards and by implication different life expectancies. Workers in dangerous jobs are assumed to get a higher wage to compensate for the lower life expectancy and by measuring the size of that premium you can get a rough measure of the value of an extra year. It turns out that this calculation gives a strong effect: the benchmark calculation assumes that a ten percent increase in life expectancy will generate a 0.24 percentage points increase in adjusted GDP growth. Although there may not be any physical threat to the worker due to the employers safety policy but still some of them get their nerves trapped by the dangerous workplace environment. In other words the worker needs compensation for the stress and anxiety he has to face due to the workplace. For example army at high peaks is allowed extra allowance for the isolation at glaciers. The dangerous jobs also need a high level of hard work and physical efforts which is normally more than the efforts required in normal physical labour. Therefore an extra physical effort of the workers must be compensated by the employer. The dangerous jobs being offered outdoor normally require the workers leave their homes and get a home sickness allowance against it. So the workers normally get the risk allowance plus the additional home sickness allowance at the cost of leaving their spouse and kids home. Concluding the discussion above, it is evident that the dangerous jobs are facing high risk increasing the life uncertainty of the workers. They need life insurance for their life for their families and dependents. REFERENCES Online Dictionary http://www.merriam-webster.com Solomon. W. Polachek W. Stanely Siebert, Economics of Earnings. Cambridge University Press 1993 Americas most dangerous jobs The top ten most dangerous jobs in America. Les Christie, CNN/Money Contributing Write http://money.cnn.com/2003/10/13/pf/dangerousjobs/ The Human Development Index. A better way of measuring welfare? Notes on Nick Crafts, ‘The human development index and changes in standard of living: some historical comparisons. European Review of Economic History, Vol 1, 1997 http://www.econ.ku.dk/kgp/doc/Lectfrms/the%20human%20development%20index.pdf Wikipadeia, Internet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compensating_wage_differential Bureau of Labour Statistics www.bls.gov

Monday, August 19, 2019

Pursuit of Happiness in Bridget Carpenter’s Up Essay -- Analysis, Econ

In the few scenes of Up the audience is introduced to Walter’s obsession with his inventions which would lead to him becoming increasingly frustrated. Notwithstanding that his ambitions would be reduced due to the realty issues he faces. As the play continues, the audience is then introduced to Petit, who re-installs happiness into Walter’s life through conversations which embody work which they are most passionate about. Petit’s conservations would in turn make Walter feel determined and free again to do his inventions. In Relational Goods, Sociability, and Happiness authors Leonardo Becchetti, Alessandra Pelloni, and Fiammetta Rossetti state that â€Å"relational goods turn out to have significant and positive effects on self-declared life satisfaction† (344). By relational goods one can claim that the affective or expressive, non-instrumental, side of interpersonal relationships. In Happiness: a Revolution in Economics author Bruno S. Frey claims that individuals derive utility from being self-employed because it gives them a higher measure of self-determination and freedom. From reading those to theories, we can claim that Petit and Walter’s relationship as a related good and it stimulates Walter self determination to invest in his inventions, which satisfies him in his life work. If people invested in relational goods then it will stimulate their companionship, emotional support, and social approval. In Relational Goods, Sociability, and Happiness Becchetti, Pelloni, and Rossetti claim that â€Å"the impact on life satisfaction of a wider set of non-instrumental social activities from volunteering, to spending time with friends, attending social gatherings and cultural and sports events† (344). However, Becchetti Pelloni, and Ross... ...urself down. Be free!† (Carpenter 10). A person does not have to assume that being self-employed is the only option to be exultant in life. One can say that the moral arguments of Frey, Becchetti, Pelloni, and Rossetti are that human civilization should invest pursuing their ambitions. They urge that money or the total amount of income a person makes should not be a factor on happiness. Civilization would be a more contented organization if we are self-determined to find true satisfaction in life. Works Cited Becchetti, Leonardo, Alessandra Pelloni, and Fiammetta Rossetti. "Relational Goods, Sociability, And Happiness." Kyklos 61.3 (2008): 343-363. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. Carpenter, Bridget. Up. New York: Samuel French, 2009. Print Frey, Bruno S. Happiness: A Revolution in Economics. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2008. Print.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Exploration of Capitalitsm In Norma Rae Essay -- Capitalism Economics

Exploration of Capitalitsm In Norma Rae While many of us tend to view capitalism as the ultimate goal when talking of profit capability and worker freedoms, we are shown a much different reality in the film "Norma Rae" in which the economic system comes under direct and harsh scrutiny. While the economic system on display in "Norma Rae" is a vast improvement from the impoverished feudal economic system shown in Matewan, there are still several improvements that can clearly be made to the O.P. Henry Textile Mill's definition of capitalism in this 1978 film based on actual events. The textile workers at the O.P. Henry Mill are used to struggle and adversity as both characterized thier employment in the factory and the hardships they had to face in their everyday lives. Many of the factory employees had been working in the mill for their entire lives, enduring the worker cruelty that the company dealt out with alarming regularity. However, many of the workers in the factory had little or no choice in seeking other employment, as the Textile Mill was the largest employer in the area, especially for unskilled laborers. While the employees were not forced to work in the factory, they stayed so as not to risk unemployment. This fear of unemployment was the mechanism that allowed the Textile Mill to push its workers to the limit. In this particular capitalist system on display in Norma Rae, the workers were the ones who had everything to lose. The workers had their livelihoods tied up in their jobs and would have to face the consequences if the company suffered economic difficulty, relocated, or had to downsize and make worker cutbacks. In this way, the workers' bargaining power with the company was weakened... ...a vote of 427 to 373. The negative capitailism that existed in the story of Norma Rae was modified to a much more worker-friendly type of capitalism in which worker concerns could be voiced and even answered without the fear of job termination while the company was still satisfied because it ws turning a profit. In this way, unions help to neutralize the potential for capital job markets to become dominated by an elite few and ingore the rights of laborers. Union helps secure the worker liberty of being able to compete for a position in a labor market rather than being forced to work in a poor working environment outof simple necessity. Unions provide workers with a valuable bargaining tool so that their rights will be protected in an ever changing and expanding profit-driven system, hopefully bringing the realization of capitalism closer to its intended state.

Primo Levis Survival in Auschwitz Essay -- Primo Levi Survival Auschw

Primo Levi's Survival in Auschwitz Reading the novel Survival in Auschwitz by author Primo Levi leads one to wonder whether his survival is attributed to his indefinite will to survive or a very subservient streak of luck. Throughout the novel, he is time and again spared from the fate that supposedly lies ahead of all inhabitants of the death camp at Auschwitz. Whether it was falling ill at the most convenient times or coming in contact with prisoners who had a compassionate, albeit uncommon, disposition, it would seem as though the Gods were always smiling upon him. Although throughout the novel primo is characterized as a very willing and competent individual, one can not say that his personality or his training as a chemist were the sole factors of his survival. For the purposes of this essay, it is necessary to further address the possibility that maybe Primo Levi was just a lucky guy. The very first lines of the novel support without a doubt the fact that even Levi (Hà ¤ftlinge # 174517) himself is aware of the capacity that luck plays in his life. He begins the novel with the phrase â€Å"It was my good fortune to be deported to Auschwitz only in 1944, that is, after the German government had decided, owing to the growing scarcity of labour, to lengthen the average lifespan of the prisoners destined for elimi- nation† (Levi 9). So, had he been captured prior to 1944, his story might not have been told. Seeing as life in Monowitz (aka Buna or the Là ¤ger) was particularly brutal upon his arrival, one can only imagine the conditions that existed before the Nazi war machine experienced its labor shortage. When compelled to consider the conditions in which Levi was forced to live, it is clear to see that the will to survive must be complemented by another factor, as this will alone is not at all strong enough to sustain life. Not only are the authority figures brutish and sadistic, but the code among the prisoners themselves is even more cutthroat. In addition, the â€Å"cuisine† is terrible and is summed up in the following passage: â€Å"...every two or three hours we have to get up to discharge ourselves of the great dose of water which during the day we are forced to absorb in the form of soup in order to satisfy our hunger†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Levi 61). Furthermore, the camp is arranged in a hierarchical system with each group of prisoners having corresponding... ...urvivors, how fortunate was he to be among them! Primo Levi’s voice in this novel is so emotionless, that one is forced to jettison all biases regarding the Holocaust until completion of the novel. He does not concern himself with how the reader will look at his role in the story he tells; it is his story, thus the reader need only read and formulate their own conclusions. Because his is the story that so many will never get the chance to tell. He comes off as the quiet submissive type, yet underneath this faà §ade is a very perceptive and clever human being. In fact, the saying â€Å"still waters run deep† just about sums up Levi’s personality. Recalling what was just written of Levi’s personality, it was premature to say that pure luck was the only guiding force in Levi’s survival; some credit must be given to the individual also. So it is of utmost importance to mention that his determination to survive and to provide an accurate, albeit, de tailed account of what he had endured was also a major factor in Primo Levi’s Survival in Auschwitz. Works Cited Levi, Primo. Survival in Auschwitz: The Nazi Assault onHumanity. Trans. Stuart Woolf. New York: Collier-Macmillan, 1987.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Cultural Differences Affecting Meaning and Understanding Essay

How do cultural differences affect meaning and understanding? In today’s business environment, the mechanics of global business seem to be working on a surface level. We can make quick money transactions by phone or by computer. Consumers can purchase products from all different countries in one transaction. Although trade barriers are still a major topic, they are slowly decreasing. As we sick below the surface, we will see that Global business is still in major jeopardy because of a newly emerging challenge: Cultural differences. Culture is the pattern of beliefs or expectations that inevitably shape the behaviours of individuals and teams within organisations. It is concerned with the basic assumptions, values, attitudes, food and feeding habits, dress and appearance, relationships, a sense of self and space and norms shaped by members of an organisation or country. These elements of culture are usually taken for granted and guide others perceptions, thoughts and actions. For example, the Culture at McDonald’s fast food chain emphasises efficiency, speed and consistency. It orients employees to company goals and charters and suggests the necessary behaviours for success. Many educated, business people may say â€Å"But we are getting closer and closer to each other, we don’t have any cultural problems’. Yes, it is possible to transcend cultural differences; however statements like this can be misleading to many people. (Funakawa, p18) Geert Hofstede, a successful cross-cultural management researcher, observes five different dimensions within a culture: Power/Distancing – This refers to the degree of inequality that exists and is accepted among people with and without power. High Power distancing cultures conclude that society accepts an unequal distribution of power and people understand â€Å"their place† in the system. Low Power Distancing means that power is shared and well dispersed. It also means that society members view themselves as equals. Application: According to Hofstede’s model, in a high Power distancing country like Malaysia, you would probably send reports only to top management and have closed door meetings where only a select few, powerful leaders were in attendance. Individualism – This refers to the strength of the ties people have to others within the community. A high Individualism society indicates a loose connection with people. In countries with a high Individualism society there is a lack of interpersonal connection and little sharing of responsibility, beyond family and perhaps a few close friends. A society with a low Individualism would have strong group cohesion, and there would be a large amount of loyalty and respect for members of the group. The group itself is also larger and people take more responsibility for each other’s well being. Masculinity – This refers to how much a society sticks with, and values, traditional male and female roles. High Masculinity societies are found in countries where men are expected to be tough, to be the provider, to be assertive and to be strong. If women work outside the home, they have separate professions from men. Low Masculinity societies do not reverse the gender roles. In a low Masculinity society, the roles are simply blurred. You see women and men working together equally across many professions. Men are allowed to be sensitive and women can work hard for professional success. Uncertainty/Avoidance Index – This relates to the degree of anxiety society members feel when in uncertain or unknown situations. High Uncertainty societies try to avoid ambiguous situations whenever possible. They are governed by rules and order and they seek a collective â€Å"truth†. Low Uncertainty societies indicate the society enjoys novel events and values differences. There are very few rules and people are encouraged to discover their own truth. Geert also observes that when people write about national cultures in modern society becoming more and more similar, the evidence cited is usually taken from the level of practices; people dress the same, use the same fashionable words in context, buy the same products and brands, they participate in global sports etc. These manifestations of culture are sometimes mistaken for all there is: the deeper, underlying values is often overlooked. (Funakawa p33) The value for cross cultural communication cannot be overemphasised. It is what enables any mission statement, vision or strategy, and affects meaning and understanding on every level.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Education policy Essay

Education the basic need Object of Education: Importance of Education: Background of Pakistan’s Educational System Educational System in Pakistan: Key Performance Indicators for Education Systems PROBLEMS OF EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN 1. Medium of Education: 2. Disparity of System at Provincial Level: 3. Gender Discrimination: 4. Lack of Technical Education:: 5. Low allocation of funds: 6. Inefficient Teachers: 7. Poverty: 8. Corruption: 9. Social imbalance: 10. Mismanagement of System: 11. Infrastructure Problems: 12. Private school system: 13. Lack of educational policies: 14. Increase in population: 15. Lack of attention of the authorities: 16. Lack of uniform educational system: 17. Medium of Instruction: 18. Education as a business: 19. Delay in renewal of policies and syllabus 20. Political Interference: SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: 1. English should be medium of Instruction: 2. Talented and qualified Staff 3. Fulfill the lack of teachers 4. Primary education should be made compulsory: 5. Increase in teachers incentives 6. Translation of foreign research to local language 7. Check on distinctive education:- 8. Scholarships and financial support to students: 9. Special Financial packages: 10. Betterment of education policies and teachers workshop: 11. Infused Technical Education: 12. Promotion of primary education: Conclusion Essay Education the basic need Education is the light of the life. Education proves to one of the most important factors for the development of human civilization. Education enhances human status and leads everyone to propriety. it is a continuous and lifelong process. It attributes most important, precious and permanent property of an individual. Education provides manpower, strengthens national unity and uplifts public awareness. It invites positive and constructive change in life. It makes our life really prosperous and meaningful. Everyone wants to be well educated. Life can be successful by the help of appropriate education. Educated person can only judge what is correct and what is wrong And takes the appropriate and right decision but uneducated person fails to do so. Object of Education: Robert Maynard Hutchins describes it as â€Å"The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. † We should give our youth the way to educate themselves. Edward Everett said that â€Å"Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army. † Importance of Education: We all know the importance of education. It is the most important aspect of any nation’s survival today. Education builds the nations; it determines the future of a nation. ISLAM also tells us about Education and its importance. The real essence of Education according to ISLAM is â€Å"to know ALLAH† but I think in our country we truly lost. Neither our schools nor our madrassa’s (Islamic Education Centres) are truly educating our youth in this regard. In schools, we are just preparing them for â€Å"Money†. We aren’t educating them we are just preparing â€Å"Money Machines†. We are only increasing the burden of the books for our children and just enrolling them in a reputed, big school for what, just for social status On the other hand in our madrassas we are preparing people who finds very difficult to adjust in the modern society. Sometimes it seems that they are from another planet. A madrassa student can’t compete even in our country then the World is so far from him. He finds very difficult to even speak to a school boy. It is crystal clear that Islamic Education is necessary for Muslims but it is also a fact that without modern education no one can compete in this world. There are many examples of Muslim Scholars who not only study the Holy Quraan but also mastered the other subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy and many more, with the help of Holy Quraan. I think with the current education system we are narrowing the way for our children instead of widening it. There is no doubt that our children are very talented, both in schools and in madrassas, we just need to give them proper ways to groom, give them the space to become Quaid-E-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Alberoni, Abnalhasam, or Einstein, Newton, Thomas Edison. The education system we are running with is not working anymore. We have to find a way to bridge this gap between school and madrassa. Background of Pakistan’s Educational System Numerous international assessments could explore that Pakistan is lagging behind many countries in achieving the Education for All goal (EFA). We were the signatory to the treaty under Dakar Framework where it was decided by all the developing countries that they will be trying to achieve the target of EFI in the meeting held in Senegal in 2000. UNESCO rates in Pakistan are at a lower EFA development Index (EDI) because of low; enrolment at primary school, adult literacy, gender equity and equality, equalities in education and quality of education. The adult literacy in Pakistan, in spite of concerted efforts, fail to go beyond the border line of 50 percent. The women literacy is much more belittling as thirty three percent of the adult women cannot even read. The more embracing would be that we would not be catching the target to achieve the adult literacy by 2015. Progress towards the achievement of the targets is exceptionally slow, while gender parity goal is at risk of not being achieved by 2015. Moreover, more than 6 million children are out of school. Educational System in Pakistan: Education system in Pakistan is really having a bad configuration at the moment. There is no doubt in accepting the fact that education stands the backbone for the development of nations. Looking at the history of nations, we may safely reach the conclusion that the advanced nations of the world could reach the zenith of prestige and power taking support from education. The allocations for education are too meager, and in spite of allocation, the amount is not spent for what it was meant for as the corruption is found in all the tiers of education and also because of the same delivery from the government institutions that is much below the desired and aspired levels. Private education in Pakistan is far reaching for the poor and the turnover of this quality education does not serve the country the way they are supposed to. Planning for education does not go in congruence with the needs and implement remains ever ignored, so by this way the system is getting more spoiled rather than flourishing. Our universities have failed to produce the planners, developers, implementers, and decision makers. Rather the turnover is a mismatch with the ground realities, the half backed persons we are producing are of no use to us. The students we come across are degree seekers rather than the knowledge. The increase in number of colleges and universities does not mean that we are going by the standards rather these are worsening, a simple evidence of which is that no Pakistani university could find a space among the top 1000 universities of the world. The socio-economic scenario is directly attached with the status of Education in the country. The developed world managed to scale up their education in line with the needs and market requirements. Despite the recent achievements, a lot more is needed to be done as the country still faces numerous challenges which cause deterrence. We are under obligation to raise the education of our population to the level of our South Asian neighbors, to combat our own social and economic wants to the satisfactory level. The very scale of Pakistan’s education sector — more than 150,000 public education institutions serving over 21 million students and a huge private sector that serves another 12 million – presents formidable challenges. Education is found to be the cheapest and tangible defense mechanism for a nation on the social, political, and economic fronts. But the down trodden condition of education in Pakistan bears an ample testimony of the fact that it is unable to defend its own sector. Over the span of 64 years, the nation has been given the 23 policies and action plans but we could not start the march towards success and are waiting for a savior who could take the system out of turmoil. There were ample spending in the government of Pervaiz Musharraf on education and due to which, we could see the visible positive educational change in Pakistani society. Currently the economic situation in Pakistan is under severe stress and education sector has received the highest impact in Pakistan. The Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan has led to the fact in the following words, â€Å"The state of Pakistan shall remove illiteracy and provide free and compulsory secondary education within minimum possible period. † In Human development Report, Pakistan is placed at 136th position because its 49. 9% population comes under the definition of education. The dropout rate is alarmingly high at the primary level; consequently, it is revealed by the Data Center of UNESCO, that 33. 8% females and 47. 18% in males could pass through the most initial level of education. We may be conclusive about the ground reality that people in the 6th largest country of the world have no access to the basic education even. Key Performance Indicators for Education Systems The frequently used indicators for assessing education and its systems are adult literacy rates, male and female enrollment at different levels of education, participation rate in the different areas of the country; the dropout rates, the amount of resources allocated to education as a proportion of the GDP and some measures of the quality of education being pursued. At the moment, the workability of these indicators rests on the footing of authenticated and recent data so that the planning details may be worked out with confidence. Irony of fate, the indicators, their footings and the quality of data all want more authenticity, but unfortunately, Pakistan’s record lacks objectivity and rationality on all counts. PROBLEMS OF EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN 1. Medium of Education: The system of education in Pakistan is operative in match with the local needs and ground realities. It is almost a decisive factor that the education in the mother tongue surrenders more dividends but we have the system more segregated and diversified just contrary to our requirements. A good example of it is that we fail to decide about the Medium of education over the span of 64 years. Different mediums are operational in both, public and private sector. This creates a sort of disparity among people, dividing them into two segments. 21. Disparity of System at Provincial Level:: The Regions of Pakistan in the name of provinces are not at par as regards the infrastructure, availability of staff, their training, content mastery allocation of resources and their utilization. This develops a disparity not only in the system but in the turnover too. There is a need to revisit the schools in Baluchistan (The Largest Province of Pakistan by area) because these are not that much groomed as that of Punjab (The Largest Province of Pakistan by Population). In FATA, the literacy rate is deplorable constituting 29. 5% in males and 3% in females. The conditions are to be made more congenial about teaching and learning in all parts of the country without any discretion. 22. Gender Discrimination:: We should have know how of the population comprising females, unfortunately their education is not attended to the way it was deemed fit. The gender discrimination is a cause that is contributing towards the low participation rate of girls at the basic level of education. The male and female participation ratio is projected at the primary school in the shape of ratio of boys & girls as 10:4 respectively. In the decade passed, government invited private sector to shoulder the responsibility of education of the youth. The intent was also to provide the education at the doorstep to the children especially the female students. The private sector took up the challenge and there was an increase in the growth of private schools but this step didn’t cause the increase in the students or the quality. The masses could not be attracted because of precious education. It created clear cut tiers of society and created a gap among those with the haves and have not’s. 23. Lack of Technical Education:: There is a craze for the white collar jobs for the same pupils. Select the general rut of education, though they have the least tilt or the capacity to cope with the demands. China, Japan and Germany have the ruts for those who have a taste for and do not achieve the excellence in the general rut of education. We have kept the opportunities open for all to participate in general education at all levels especially the university level. We could not attract the general masses towards technical education making them to earn of their own act as the entrepreneurs and make their living without being the burden on the government. Education system is needed to be revamped making a space for the science, IT, management, and pupil with the excellence to go to the higher education pursuing the education of their own choice. Lesser emphasis on technical education means the lesser manpower for industry and hence the lesser finance generation. 24. Low allocation of funds:: The allocation of funds for education is very low as it never went beyond 1. 5 to 2. 0 percent of the total GDP. Even this amount was not utilized and had to be surrendered back to the government because of want of expertise and the knowledge of codal formalities and in time release of funds. There is a need to increase it around 7% of the total GDP keeping in view the allocations by the neighboring countries, there is also a need to rationalize the share at the different levels not ignoring any. 25. Inefficient Teachers:: Government fails to attract the potential candidates for teaching with the zeal vigor and excellent carrier. Teaching is rated as the lowest among the jobs for the youth, because of lesser incentives, slow promotions and lesser fringe benefits. The teachers in government schools are not well groomed and equipped with knowledge and training. People who do not get job in any other sector, they try their luck in educational system. There is a need to reorganize pre-service and in-service trainings making them matched with the requirements rather to keep them ideal, unique and novel. 26. Poverty:: Poverty is growing over the years. The average class is vanishing like anything. It happens to be a curse for the nation that exists without having the average income group. The escalation of poverty has restricted the parents to send their children to tasks for child labor or at least to public or private schools. In these schools, the drop out is very high because schools are not the attractive places, the curriculum is dry and the teaching does not match the live situations. Poor parents are constrained to send their children to madressahs where the education is totally free. 27. Corruption:: Corruption causes the educational policies, plans and projects to fail because of being the major contributing factor. There is no accountability and transparency in the system, the salaries are low, the incentives are too less to be accounted and even those are uneven. An estimated Rs. 2,594 million out of a total of Rs. 7,016 million provided for improvement of school facilities such as buildings, electricity, drinkable water, etc had gone unaccounted during the fiscal periods 2001-06 (UNESCO Bano, 2007). Similarly, more than 70% literacy centers in Punjab remained inoperative or exist only on paper (ADBP, 2007). The chances of ghost schools should be evaded by involving the community in the processes of inspection and monitoring. 28. Social imbalance:: The students from the elite class follow the â€Å"O† and â€Å"A† levels curriculum instead of Pakistan’s routine orthodox and stagnant curriculum. They have little or no awareness of their religion and culture whereas those passing out from Urdu medium schools are usually destined to work in clerical and lower level positions. Religious madrassas churn out yet another class that is usually unaware of the world outside their own perception. 29. Mismanagement of System:: Teachers’ absenteeism, poor professional training, sub-standard materials and obsolete teaching methods act as the major contributive factors towards the low enrolment in schools. Burki (2005), opines that most of the public schools are either mismanaged or poorly managed. They are found imparting education of second-rate quality through substandard textbooks and curricula that do not cater the needs of the 21st century. The education should be based on learning outcomes through suggesting multiple books rather than following a single book as an obligation. 30. Infrastructure Problems:: The dropout rate of those lucky enough to be enrolled goes beyond 45% as has been divulged by the several reports. Most of the public sector educational institutions stay in a status of poor condition lacking even basic facilities, resultantly shaking the presupposed standards of education. There are four areas that snivel for pressing concentration which are curriculum, textbooks, examinations, and teacher training (Hoodbhoy, 2001). The textbooks need be made more facilitating, student and learning friendly. 31. Private school system:: Private Schools in Pakistan enroll more students than in other countries of the region. They least bother about the capacity and facilities available, they rather over burden the teaching staff. The rapid mushroom growth of private schools and academies of teaching reflect the people’s lack of trust in the public sector schools coupled with a deficiency of sufficient educational institutions to cater to the needs of the fast growing population. However, there are certain private schools which are slightly better than the public ones. In the elite schools where the quality education is offered, heavy fees is charged that continues to be a problem. These private sectors schools are meant only for a special sector of the population and are out of the reach of general masses. The private sector schools should be brought under the control of rules making these somewhat accessible for the common population. 32. Lack of educational policies:: The National Education Policy (1998-2010) was developed prior to Dakar. It has a clear cut vision and direction to support the education department. Since the 2001, the Ministry of Education has developed a number of policy documents including that of National Education policy (2009) but the endeavors remain focused on paper work more rather than the operationalization, though the involvement of NGOs and international development agencies is very much there. The simple reason is that the plans are vicious and not the ground reality based. The policies should be environment friendly. . 33. Increase in population:: Literacy in Pakistan has risen from 45 to 54 percent within the span of 2002 to 2006, simultaneously primary enrollment rates have also increased from 42 to 52 percent. The population explosion could not enable to catch the targets. In spite of the increase in the certain parameters, the participation rate in Pakistan remains the lowest in South Asia. Alongside it, there are marked male-female, inter-regional and rural-urban disparities: Only 22 percent of girls, compared to 47 percent boys, complete primary schooling. Female literacy in rural Baluchistan is only 32 percent compared to high urban male literacy rates (and 80 percent among the urban male in Sindh) 34. Lack of attention of the authorities:: Most of the criticisms leveled against the education procedures and practices may be rationalized through improving governance and accountability. It would be tangible and workable if we could go for considering the merit, enabling capacity building, increasing investments in education as an industry and finally giving the heir and fire powers to the administrative heads. The private sector and the banks should finance the educational milieu with confidence, as at the moment, we are spending 2. 3 percent of GDP which is the lowest in South Asia. 35. Lack of uniform educational system:: There is a crying need for quality which calls for homogeneity among the procedural formalities like the observance of the curriculum. Had it been uniform the working for it, further extension becomes easier and getting the intellect skimmed out of masses becomes possible. Currently, the poor are deprived of education in the elite institutions which are causing the development of a special class. This class doesn’t work for the nation; they work elsewhere but are fed through the national resources. 36. Medium of Instruction:: We took a long period in deciding that what our medium of instruction would be, till now we don’t have a clear picture before us. It is good to have the National language as the medium of communication provided; we have a rich treasure of knowledge. In our case, we do not fail to develop Urdu to cope with the intellectual needs nor do we translate the treasure of knowledge available for our national use. 37. Education as a business:: Education has been pursued by some of the people as an industry but because of being illiterates, they fail to cope up with the stipulated standards. The leader with vision spoils the mission as well as the projects undertaken. Their only intent is money making that has caused the decay in the standards, induction of sub-standard staff, and depriving the deserving to grow. They don’t want to catch with the move of success but they try to be good entrepreneurs. 38. Delay in renewal of policies and syllabus/Political Interference:: There is a need to continuously update the curriculum because if it goes stale, it does not equip the beneficiaries with the saleable skills and expertise. At the first place, the problems cited have arisen due to lack of commitment and inefficient management on the part of state. The policies lack long term vision and its implementation strategies are being affected by undue political interference. In addition to it, the measures taken are not evidence based and geared by the vested interests of the authorities. Whatever strategies have been applied failed to promote the rational and critical thinking skills amongst the students. At the second place, we find lack of resource commitment and realistic implementation alongside poor allocated resource utilization. As relevant statistics are not available, implementation of the education policy has not been successfully executed. At the third place, we come across weak budgetary planning because of staggered data and least coordination among the data maintaining units (USAID, 2006). The coordination, match with the assessment, project design and implementation are not to the desired level within the government and with the donor agencies. The harmonization is missing too between the federal and provincial governments which cause drastic problems in the policy implementation. The policy formulating, planning and implementing bodies work in isolation as the water tight compartments. The government’s consultation is very much restricted and does not go beyond its specific quarters. It should have to be extended to non-state sectors to initiate and mobilize the action. Teachers does not normally form the part of policy making process, hence the process of sharing and consultation remains missing. It leads to implementation of educational policies without consultation, thus the efforts go in vain (UNESCO, 2007). Over the span of time, what we have learnt is to go for dialogue, and keeping the private and public sector on board. The matter of access to education and challenges to quality remain at stake as being unresolved despite much policy deliberation. Recently, Minister of Education announced a new Education policy for that next 10 years ignoring the fact that the previous educational policy span still persists that was from 1998 to 2010. The policy has projected new plans and promises to the nation pointing to the fact that all the public schools will be raised to the level of private schools within the shortest period of time. In the absence of a plan of action, the suggested plan of action would not work. The schools have been put under obligation to use the national curriculum and encourage the students of 5th and 8th class to take board exams. This has disturbed the students of private sector also. It is urged that the Universities should be the research centre’s and must not be allowed to act as the examining bodies for graduate or post-graduate examinations. Allocations are supposed to be made to the aspired levels as UNO suggests a country to allocate at least four percent of its GDP towards education but here in Pakistan we are just allocating less than two percents of GDP. Even that is not fully utilized because of procedural formalities. Suggested Solutions for Educational System: 13. English should be medium of Instruction: English language should be the medium of instruction from beginning to the higher levels of learning. National language should be a supporting language for communication facilitation and every day business. Efforts should be made to enhance the knowledge treasure in the national language through translation of the research based information. 14. Talented and qualified Staff Hiring should be made from amongst the highly qualified and the teachers should be paid not according to the level of education but the qualification of the staff. 15. Fulfill the lack of teachers: Efforts should be made to bring down the student-teacher ratio to 15:1 in lieu of current 40:1. Consequently, the number of teachers will have to be enhanced, leading to the rise in number of teachers and enabling the competent persons to be inducted to the system of education. 16. Primary education should be made compulsory: Primary education should be made compulsory and free (it is already free of cost but not compulsory). It should also be made appealing, impressive, interesting and utilitarian to attract the general masses. 17. Increase in teachers incentives Teachers should be offered more financial benefits by increasing their pays. 18. Translation of foreign research to local language University professors should be encouraged to conduct and share the research to the concerned stakeholders. They should also be asked to translate the foreign research into local languages for sharing it with the lower formations of education enabling them to implement/take benefit out of it. 19. Check on distinctive education:- Government should strictly check all private educational institutions for keeping a balance of standards and level of practices. 20. Scholarships and financial support to students: Students should be offered more scholarships and government should support the intelligent and outstanding students to prosper, develop and serve their local community rather than migrating to the big cities. 21. Special Financial packages: The dilemma here in Pakistan is that students are genius but they use their intelligence in negative way, hence, contributing nothing towards the development of country. Another problem with Pakistan is brain drain. Capable and outstanding professionals prefer foreign jobs instead of serving in their own country. This is due to the low financial benefits and indifferent attitude of government towards them. Recently Government should provide them facilities and special financial packages to encourage them to stay in their own country. 22. Betterment of education policies and teachers workshop: In the view of importance of education, the Government should take solid steps towards implementation instead of projecting policies. In this regard, the allocations should be made easy and timely from provinces to districts and then to educational institutes. Workshops must be arranged for teachers as a continuous feature for learning. 23. Infused Technical Education: Technical education should be infused into the regular system stream. The education board of Punjab has projected a plan to give tech- education to the children of industrial workers. 24. Promotion of primary education: Promotion of the primary education should be made possible by consulting teachers, professors and educationists while devising any plan, syllabus or policy for it. There should be a balance in reliance on public and private for enabling education to reach the general masses in its true shape. Students’ outlook is to be broadened by taking them out of the books into the practical realities. Education is the only cure of disability of the state and for bringing revolution through evolution and by eradicating the social evils through education. Conclusion Education serves as the backbone for the development of nations. The countries with the effective impressive need oriented, saleable and effective system of education comes out to be the leaders of the world, both socially and economically. It is only education which can turn a burden of population into productive human resource. Pakistan’s current state demands that the allocations for education be doubled to meet the challenges of EFI, gender disparity and provision of teachers in the work places earlier than 2018 as per stipulated qualifications. Millennium Development Goals are yet to be realized latest by 2015. The natural calamities, political turbulence, provincialisms, and political motivations make the best planned, fail. The allocations towards the sector of education could not be enhanced because of the earlier. We have to revisit our priorities to keep the country on the track of progress.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Classification of Fish

Whitney East Mr. Beall Speech 1200 October 24, 2012 Outline: Topical Classifying Fish Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the different classifications of fish. Central Idea: Fish are classified by their different characteristics which sorts them into different classes like Agnatha, Chondrichthyes, and Osteichthyes. Introduction I. Classification of living things helps people to understand how living organisms may or may not be related to each other. A. The system of classification we use today was invented 200 years ago by Carl Linnaeus.B. Carl Linnaeus system of classification groups organisms by their characteristics or features they have in common. II. According to the book Vertebrate Biology by ORR Robert; Fish, mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians are classified together as vertebrates because they all have an internal backbone. III. In researching this particular topic, I learned that the most important characteristics used in fish classification are the type of bone in their skeleton, the gill structure, the number and shape of fins, and the type of scales. IV.Now I will introduce you to the characteristics and the three different classes of fish. â€Å"Jawless (Agnatha), Cartilaginous (Chondrichthyes), and Bony Fish (Osteichthyes). Body I. The Agnatha class is the oldest group, similar to fish but with some different characteristics. A. As explained in The Evolution of Vertebrate Design, certain characteristics like lacking jaws is what classified fish to this class. 1. The Agnatha class lacks an internal bone skeleton, jaws, and paired fins. 2. Instead of jaws, they have circular toothed mouths called cyclostomic. Which they use to suck blood from the side of their prey. . They have a smooth, scale less skin which is soft to the touch. B. There are two living groups of Agnatha the lampreys and Hagfish 1. Lamprey have a single dorsal nostril, a pineal eye, three fins (anterior, posterior, and caudal fin), and a long row or circular gill pouch openings. They make a living being a parasite that eventually kills the prey they latch onto. 2. Hagfish have long eel-like bodies, no eyes, no true fins, a single nostril, up to eight barbels (like whiskers/tentacles for fish) and have rows of horny teeth used to grasp food and draw it in. II.Chondrichthyes fish today include both fearsome predator characteristics and harmless characteristics. A. As explained in Vertebrate Biology, all Chondrichthyes lack true bone. 1. The Chondrichthyes fish have full cartilage skeletons. 2. They have teeth that are made of calcium which grow in rows throughout the fish’s life. 3. They have a regular pattern of fins and there external skin is entirely cartilaginous. B. Sharks, skates, and rays make up the Chondrichthyes class. 1. Sharks have pointed snouts and crescent shaped mouths with several rows of sharp triangular teeth.They have five gills on each side that have individual gill slits shown externally. 2. Skates are rounded to d iamond shaped. They have large pectoral fins extending from the snout to the base of their tail. The mouth and gills are on the underside of their bodies. Skates are bottom dwellers and trap their prey by dropping down on their prey from above. 3. Rays can be classified into the following groups: electric rays, sawfish, skates, and many families of rays that have slender whip like tails. III. The Osteichthyes (bony fish) is the largest class of vertebrates with over 20,000 species.A. Stephen Savage states in the book Fish that, Osteichthyes have skeletons made of bone, flat scales, and gills. 1. Bony fish have a much stiffer skeleton because it is reinforced by calcium salts. 2. Bony fish also have acute eyesight unlike other classes of fish 3. Bony fish have a special organ called a swim blatter housed under their bony skeleton is a gas filled chamber that allows the fish to remain floating in the water. B. Tuna and Seahorses are examples of bony fish (Osteichthyes) 1. The tuna is stout in the middle and tappers to points at both ends.The tuna had two closely spaced dorsal fins on its back. The tuna is generally metallic dark blue color on its sides and silvery on its underside. 2. The seahorse has a heavy bony armor which makes them poor swimmers. They mostly anchor themselves with their tails to things like seaweed or other kinds of plants. They have a transparent dorsal fin on its back that propels them forward. Conclusion I. An animal is not a fish unless it has all the right characteristics II. No matter how different fish are, most fish share several basic characteristics: fins, gills, scales, and hatch babies from eggs. III.Fish classification is sometimes confusing and difficult, but it is a useful way of learning about different groups of fascinating fish around the world.Bibliography Animal Planet. N. p. , n. d. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://animals. howstuffworks. com/fish/fish-info5. htm>. ORR, ROBERT T. VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY. FOURTH ed. PHILADELP HIA: W. B. SAUNDERS, 1976. Print. Radinsky, Leonard B. The Evolution of Vertebrate Design: Leonard B. Radinsky. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1987. Print. Savage, Stephen. Fish. Austin,Texas: Raintree, 2000. Print. Wallace, Holly. Classification. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2000. Print.