Wednesday, October 30, 2019

America and the Great War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

America and the Great War - Essay Example These alliances were of significance since they implied that some countries would be obligated to declare war in the event that one of their allies had declared war. In 1879, there was a dual alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary to mutually protect themselves against Russia and in 1881, Austria-Hungary signed an alliance with Serbia with the aim of stopping Russia from gaining control of Serbia. A year later, Germany and Austria-Hungary entered an alliance with Italy so that it could stop Italy from siding with Russia. Several other agreements and alliances were entered into including the Entente Cordiale on 1904, the Anglo-Russian Entente of 1907 as well as the Triple Entente of 1907, before Britain, France and Russia made an agreement not to sign for peace separately in 1914 (Mulligan, 2010). Some of the alliances were formed to ensure some nations do not become too strong while some were to make the nations in the alliance stronger and able to withstand any attacks. By the turn of the twentieth century, the British Empire had already extended through five continents while France was controlling expansive areas in the African continent. Nations required new markets as industrialism was rapidly rising. The size of land that was under British and French control escalated their rivalry with Germany, who had joined the scramble for the acquisition of colonies late only to gain small areas in the African continent. On the other hand, the escalating divide in the European continent resulted in an Arms race between the main nations and the German and French armies increased more than twofold from 1870 to 1914, with a fierce competition ensuing between Germany and Britain for master the seas. Germany introduced its own battleships and also developed a plan of action that entailed an attack on France via Belgium in the event that Russia attacked Germany. Nationalism implies

Monday, October 28, 2019

Various Culture And Their Distictive Ways Essay Example for Free

Various Culture And Their Distictive Ways Essay Culture is a distinctive way of life of people or groups . Culture is manifested in all aspects of life which include norms and values such as age, language, gender and social values such as religion, marriage and rite of passage. Different cultural groups norms and values compare and contrast from one cultural group to another as shown in the table with a case study of western,African,Islamic,Hinduism and Chinese culture culture. Age influences learning as young people are more able to study, understand and conceptualize than the older people. Also due to age barrier the young may be unable to learn certain issues such as leadership. Where there is gender discrimination for instance, a girl child is discriminated and are not accessed to education . Where there is gender equality there is tendency of competition thus improving learning process. Learning will be slow where there is language barrier or if language needs to be translated from one to the other, this hampers understanding and communication. Social values influence learning for instance in Africa, after initiation girls went for marriage while boys became warriors. This curtails continuity with education. References: Marjorie Ebort,Margaret Gisler. (1999). career for culture lovers and other artsy types,McGraw-hill professional

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Abortion Should Not be Permitted Essay -- Argumentative Essay, Pro-life

â€Å"More than 95 per cent of all abortions are performed purely for convenience†¦ 20 per cent are for genetic reason, and the other 75 per cent are purely elective† (Deem 2). Many people hear debates about abortion and ignore it, thinking that it definitely doesn’t apply to them. Well, it does. Thousands of babies are being killed every day, and people need to take action. If we continue to allow this monstrosity to happen, imagine what could come up in the future. Before we continue, let me define some vital terms (proceed to view powerpoint or note-board; define â€Å"Viability† â€Å"Roe v. Wade† â€Å"D&X†). Since so many babies are being killed needlessly, I strongly believe that the court ruling in Roe v. Wade should be limited and enforced with fines, so that it only protects necessary abortions for women in danger. Every year, almost 150,000 women in the US alone have abortions past the first trimester, meaning that every year, abortion does not just remove so-called â€Å"non-viable† tissues, but murders 150,000 viable babies. This also happens almost everywhere around the world, most prominently in places like China and India where having a son is not just a desire but a need. This problem runs so deep in the arguments of our country and others, that unethical medical procedures, such as D&X, are being ignored. This problem runs so deep that the issue lies in mere definitions- what is the definition of â€Å"viable†? When is a baby technically â€Å"viable†? What is D&X? Where does it say that D&X is unlawful? And if it is, why aren’t people stopping it from happening? And so on. Our founding fathers intended for America to be a country of freedom, a country of the people’s choice. Many proponents of pro-choice promulgate that women should be given... ...ers to your representative, mayor, governor, other city official. The more letters they receive, the more they will listen to our voices. We should make abortion a necessity rather than a convenience by enforcing abortion laws, creating new ones, and creating standard definitions. Thousands of women each year get abortions because they do not believe they can- they don’t believe they can support their child, they don’t believe they can raise them successfully, they don’t think they can be a good parent, they don’t think they can send them off to college, they don’t think they can give their child a good life, some don’t think they have the ability to raise a mentally disabled child- many just don’t think they can. If we can make abortion a necessity rather than a convenience, I believe that we will be able to help future mothers make the right decision.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Teacher and Student Relationships :: Education Discipline Essays

The teacher student relationship is very important for children. Children spend approximately 5 to 7 hours a day with a teacher for almost 10 months. We ask ourselves what is considered a good teacher? All of us have gone through schooling, and if fortunate had a favorite teacher. A positive relationship between the student and the teacher is difficult to establish, but can be found for both individuals at either end. The qualities for a positive relationship can vary to set a learning experience approachable and inviting the students to learn. A teacher and student who have the qualities of good communications, respect in a classroom, and show interest in teaching from the point of view of the teacher and learning from a student will establish a positive relationship in the classroom. I will be focusing on the relationship between the student and teacher, involving a setting in the primary grades, which I have found second grade to be extremely important for the student to gain a po sitive attitude for their future education. Children have different strategies for learning and achieving their goals. A few students in a classroom will grasp and learn quickly, but at the same time there will be those who have to be repeatedly taught using different techniques for the student to be able to understand the lesson. On the other hand, there are those students who fool around and use school as entertainment. Teaching then becomes difficult, especially if there is no proper communication. Yet, teachers, creating a positive relationship with their students, will not necessarily control of all the disruptive students. The book, Responsible Classroom Discipline written by Vernon F. Jones and Louise Jones discuss how to create a learning environment approachable for children in the elementary schools. According to the Jones, â€Å" Student disruptions will occur frequently in classes that are poorly organized and managed where students are not provided with appropriate and interesting instructional tasks† (101) . The key is, teachers need to continuously monitor the student in order for him or her to be aware of any difficulties the student is having. Understanding the child’s problem, fear, or confusion will give the teacher a better understanding the child’s learning difficulties. Once the teacher becomes aware of the problems, he or she will have more patience with the student, thus making the child feel secure or less confused when learning is taking place in the classroom.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Children’s Hospital Initiatives

* Children’s Hospital and Clinics HBR Case 9-302-050, Does Children’s Hospital offer a safe environment for patients? Children’s Hospital and Clinics, established in 1994 is a 270 bed hospital providing medical services in 6 facilities Provides medical services in 6 facilities throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Starting from May, 1999 since Julie Morath joined Children’s Hospital, the hospital had implemented multiple safety initiatives. Under leadership of Julie Morath, the Chief Operating Officer at Children and other executives had assembled a core team of influential people to lead the safety movement. It crafted patient safety culture, in form of patient safety dialogs to educate staff, blameless reporting system, and disclosure policy. Developed infrastructure in form of patient safety steering committee to oversee safety initiatives and focused event studies. For example, the hospital implemented a medication administration project with safety action teams and good catch logs. Children’s followed systematic approach to patient safety under strong leadership, gained support throughout the organization, actively involved employees at different level by creating focus groups, improved communication within the organization and got involved in efforts to increase patient-physician trust. But do all of these efforts make Children’s Hospital a safe environment for patients? The answer to that is not clear at this point. There is no clear way to measure effectiveness of these programs. It does reflect that Children’s Hospital has an attitude towards learning from errors; not hiding them and that eventually may lead to decrease in such errors. More commonly, errors are caused by faulty systems, processes, and conditions that lead people to make mistakes or fail to prevent them. Children’s by addressing the issue at its core may have a better chance to fix it. By having such system in place, they can improve patient-hospital trust that makes patients comfortable knowing that they will be communicated regarding any such errors. No hospital can ever become error free as† to err is human† but it is of paramount importance how those errors are being communicated to the patients and what hospital is learning from these errors and taking action to prevent them from happening again. Those cumulative efforts may lead to a safer place in which the patients will find comfort, trust and safety.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Eva Luna essays

Eva Luna essays Novel: Eva Luna by Isabel Allende; 307 pp; Cost: $7.99 Eva Luna is based on the life of the protagonist of the novel, Eva Luna. The story begins with the tale of how Eva Luna was concieved by her mother trying to save the life of a snake bitten indian. It takes place in an unnamed South American country because the characters speak Spanish. Eva's mother dies when she is only 7 years old and is forced to work as a servant in different houses. One thing she inheirited from her mother was the gift of story telling. Wherever she would go everyone loved to hear her improvised stories. At the age of 17 she worked in the house of a Turkish immigrant named Riad Halabi whom she falls in love with but he is twice her age. She is then forced to move to the city were she is reunited with her transexual friend, Mimi. At first Eva works at a military warehouse but Mimi insists that Eva make a living from her stories. After an attempted suduction by one of the military generals, Eva decides to quit her job at the warehouse and write stories for a living. Her and Mimi live successful lives without the help of men. Mimi is a well known soap opera actress and Eva writes the plots for them. Along with the story of Eva Luna is the story of the European immigrant Rolf Carle. He comes from a broken family and migrates to the South American country and lives with his aunt and uncle in the countryside. As he gets older he decides he wants to become a journalist and soon enough he is known as one of the most prominant journalists in the country. Rolf and Eva meet and thier separate stories become one. The important theme in this book is feminism. None of the females in this story are dependent on any man and they all seem fine without them. Some men are mentioned and come and go but the women still move on without them and live thier lives. The only sign of dependency is Zulema. Zulema becomes dependent on a man she falls in lov...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Paperboard Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 2019 Essays

Paperboard Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 2019 Essays Paperboard Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 2019 Essay Paperboard Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 2019 Essay Paperboard Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 2019 Paperboard is a thick paper based material which is much thicker than paper. Paperboard can be single or multi-ply. It is light in weight and can be easily cut and formed. Cardboard is the generic name for paperboard. It is used for packaging and graphic printing such as book, postcards and magazine covers among others. Paperboards are used for packaging of baked goods, dry fruits, and confectionaries among others. In addition, it is used in creating sculptures. There are various types of paperboards such as folding boxboard, chipboard, kraftboard, white lined chipboard and binder’s board among others.Visit Complete Report Here: marketresearchreports.biz/analysis-details/paperboard-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2013-2019 Fibrous material such as wood or recycled waste paper is converted into pulp and then it is chemic ally processed by bleaching. It is then coated for improved visual appearance. The demand for paperboard in packaging is expected to grow exponentially in the next few years as paper made from wood-fiber is fully biodegradable in the environment. Paperboard is often used as an outer web in laminations to give body to a package. There are different types of papers used for packaging such as handmade paper and kraft paper among others. These different types of paperboards are used for packaging of baked goods, dry fruits, and confectionaries among others. Growing population in developing countries such as India and China, demand for packaged food and increasing awareness of environmental issues is expected to boost the paperboard in packaging in the next few years. Increasing consumer demand for biodegradable packaging material due to rising awareness regarding ecology conservation is expected to boost the demand for paperboard over the next six years. In addition, paperboard has been

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Heather Ale by Robert Louis Stevenson

Heather Ale by Robert Louis Stevenson The poem Heather Ale by Robert Louis Stevenson is a ballad about the legendary Pict precursors to modern era Scots. In mythology, they may also be identified with pech, who were pixie-like creatures. They brewed heather ale and battled the Scots. Certainly, it would be convenient to be able to turn the abundant heather into an alcoholic beverage. Among the curiosities of human nature, this legend claims a high place. The historical Picts were a confederation of tribes in eastern and northern Scotland in the late Iron Age through the early medieval periods. The Picts were never exterminated. Today, they form a  large proportion of the folk of Scotland: occupying the eastern and the central parts, from the Firth of Forth, or perhaps the Lammermoors, upon the south, to the Ord of Caithness on the north. Archaeological studies dont find the Picts to be much shorter than current-day Scots.   It may be a case of the victors writing the history. The last nominal king of Picts reigned in the early 900s AD. In fiction and motion pictures they are often depicted as tattooed, blue-painted woodland warriors. Did the elements of this legend stem from some ancestors who were small of stature, black of hue, dwelling underground and possibly also the distillers of some forgotten spirit? See Joseph Campbell’s  Tales of the West Highlands. Heather Ale: A Galloway LegendRobert Louis Stevenson (1890) From the bonny bells of heather  Ã‚  Ã‚  They brewed a drink long-syne,Was sweeter far than honey,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Was stronger far than wine.They brewed it and they drank it,  Ã‚  Ã‚  And lay in a blessed swoundFor days and days together  Ã‚  Ã‚  In their dwellings underground.There rose a king in Scotland,  Ã‚  Ã‚  A fell man to his foes,He smote the Picts in battle,  Ã‚  Ã‚  He hunted them like roes.Over miles of the red mountain  Ã‚  Ã‚  He hunted as they fled,And strewed the dwarfish bodies  Ã‚  Ã‚  Of the dying and the dead.Summer came in the country,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Red was the heather bell;But the manner of the brewing  Ã‚  Ã‚  Was none alive to tell.In graves that were like children’s  Ã‚  Ã‚  On many a mountain head,The Brewsters of the Heather  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lay numbered with the dead.The king in the red moorland  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rode on a summer’s day;And the bees hummed, and the curlews  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cried beside the way.The king rode, and was angry,  Ã‚  Ã‚   Black was his brow and pale,To rule in a land of heather  Ã‚  Ã‚  And lack the Heather Ale.It fortuned that his vassals,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Riding free on the heath,Came on a stone that was fallen  Ã‚  Ã‚  And vermin hid beneath. Rudely plucked from their hiding,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Never a word they spoke:A son and his aged father-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Last of the dwarfish folk.The king sat high on his charger,  Ã‚  Ã‚  He looked on the little men;And the dwarfish and swarthy couple  Ã‚  Ã‚  Looked at the king again.Down by the shore he had them;  Ã‚  Ã‚  And there on the giddy brink- â€Å"I will give you life, ye vermin,  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the secret of the drink.†There stood the son and father  Ã‚  Ã‚  And they looked high and low;The heather was red around them,  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sea rumbled below.And up and spoke the father,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shrill was his voice to hear:â€Å"I have a word in private,  Ã‚  Ã‚  A word for the royal ear.â€Å"Life is dear to the aged,  Ã‚  Ã‚  And honour a little thing;I would gladly sell the secret,†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Quoth the Pict to the King.His voice was small as a sparrow’s,  Ã‚  Ã‚  And shrill and wonderful clear:â€Å"I would gladly sell my secret,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only my son I fear.â€Å"For life is a little matter,  Ã‚  Ã‚  And death is nought to the young;And I dare not sell my honour  Ã‚  Ã‚  Under the eye of my son.Take him, O king, and bind him,  Ã‚  Ã‚  And cast him far in the deep;And it’s I will tell the secret  Ã‚  Ã‚  That I have sworn to keep.†They took the son and bound him,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Neck and heels in a thong,And a lad took him and swung him,  Ã‚  Ã‚  And flung him far and strong,And the sea swallowed his body,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Like that of a child of ten;- And there on the cliff stood the father,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Last of the dwarfish men. â€Å"True was the word I told you:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only my son I feared;For I doubt the sapling courage  Ã‚  Ã‚  That goes without the beard.But now in vain is the torture,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fire shall never avail:Here dies in my bosom  Ã‚  Ã‚  The secret of Heather Ale.†

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Advantages of music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Advantages of music - Essay Example Music lovers are destined to cherish thorough entertainment,good health and a wholesome personality.Music happens to be one of the most potent art forms because sounds tend to have a more powerful impact on the human consciousness as compared to other sensory stimuli. Human feelings are often classified as emotions, moods and sensations. Music can influence all the aspects of the human psychosomatic framework. Music generates pleasant sensations by stimulating the human auditory system. Music also helps in creating positive emotions by the salubrious influence it often has on the sense organs. The impact of music on the human mind does sometimes get elevated to the level of intense passion when the listeners' emotions soar to higher intensity under the magic of musical compositions. Listening to music can also help one in getting into the right mood. Thus, music has a direct correlation with the human feelings and emotions, as the structure of many musical compositions is often somew hat akin to the structure of human feelings. Music has the immense power and ability to alter a person's attitude and mental state by the dint of its beats and melodies. There is no denying the fact that the history of music is as old as the history of humanity. Music does happen to be an integral constituent of most of the worthy civilizations. Manifold are the advantages of music as this art form has discrete personal, social and intellectual implications. Music is not merely a source of solace, but also a popular mode of self-expression. It will be interesting to touch upon some of the advantages of music. Entertainment First, music is the most vital source of entertainment and recreation (Berkman, 4). In today's time pressed work scenario, people often are subjected to intense stress and duress in their day-to-day life. To distress oneself, the modern man has to often take recourse to the available forms and modes of recreation. No doubt, in all the ages and times, music happened to be the most viable and accessible form and source of entertainment and recreation (Berkman, 7). Music can accompany and support the human moods and consciousness in all its shades and aspects. After a hectic day at the office, music can help a person to de-stress and unwind oneself and to get rid of the accrued stress and fatigue. A student sweating on bulky assignments and coursework can choose to play some good song in the background to create a creative and salubrious environment. It is not a surprise that one inevitably comes across music, being played at most of the social and public places like parks, eating join ts and malls. In fact the modern man is so hooked to music that it has come out with innovative gadgets like iPods and Walkman, which enable one to carry one's music with oneself all the time. No Hollywood blockbuster is considered complete without being accompanied by an original sound track. Thus, music is the most portable source of entertainment and recreation that has seamlessly integrated itself with all the aspects of contemporary civilization. Health Music also has many medicinal and healing qualities that can significantly reduce stress and improve health (Campbell, 9). That is why many people prefer to tag good music with their fitness and exercise programs. Loud and upbeat music has been found to have a salubrious impact on the patients of chronic depression. Contrary to this, slow and melodious music is used as a sedative by many therapists. Harp music has been found to be particularly helpful to the people having some heart trouble (Campbell, 27). Many studies conducted at Harvard have established beyond doubt that the rhythms of a healthy heart are often very much like the rhythms of classical music (Campbell, 36). Therefore, harp music can stimulate a patient's heart to beat more normally. Many other studies conducted in the last two decades have

Friday, October 18, 2019

There are no children here Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

There are no children here - Essay Example Of the two boys, Lafayette assumes the responsibility of his family’s protection and care of his mother. The project is under the control of gangs that are a source of constant threat to the family. The gangs are drug sellers and from time to time, keep involving the residents of the project in their heinous crime. The gangs also possess weapons and have made a lot of children in the neighborhood sell the drugs. Because of the gangs, children living in the project are insecure. Even if they manage to escape the hold of gangs, their future otherwise is also quite vague. The story is an excellent picture of the hidden truths of the lower class families in America. The reader is told how children in America as young and immature as thirteen years of age get involved in the business of drug dealing and violence. The story offers several points to inculcate robust understanding of the life of urban youth in America in the reader’s mind. The story covers many aspects of the s ocial attitude and activities of juveniles and explains the underlying reasons of their involvement in the domestic violence. The author has nicely conveyed the way urban youth in America is deprived of the innocence of childhood before the right age. The sort of life that prevails in the project makes the children rough and violent as the time passes. With the passage of time, their personal security becomes more important for them than to see whether the acts they involve themselves in are ethically justified or not. The story also tells that these deprived children can not be underestimated despite all of their sorrows and failures. This is evident from the fact that Pharaoh shows considerable growth and excellence in his studies, when he is provided with a chance. The author has also pointed towards a harsh reality pertaining to the injustice in America. People in authority that are allotted funds for the improvement of the conditions of the housing project use the funds for per sonal gains, and do not do their job. Much of the mess in the project can be attributed to the insincerity and carelessness of the personnel representative of the Chicago Housing Authority. Children of the project suffer because of lack of parental care and nonexistence of role models in their life. To conclude, the story sufficiently explains the effects of greed of the people in authority over the society. Alex Kotlowitz has revealed a unique side of American culture that is conventionally portrayed as very advanced culture with a well cultivated system of justice. This is true that children do require parental care at least for the period when they have not reached adulthood. Lack of parental care exposes a child to innumerable social threats. Also, children who are not able to enjoy their childhood completely mature before the right age. Hence, they become susceptible to falling prey to various odds of the society. In order to grow children into responsible citizens as adults, i t is imperative that they are offered adequate nurturing and grooming when they are in their learning and growing stage. Without the care and supervision of the adults, and with all the insecurity in the neighborhood of gangsters, future of innocent children can not be deemed secure, and they may end up becoming criminals. The author has made use of reliable sources to make his argument that adds to the validity of information, and

Organisational Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 10

Organisational Change Management - Essay Example At this stage the employees and the employers were inquired about the reason for absenteeism and then they were also informed about the type of change that should be undertaken by them. This assignment describes the five stages of â€Å"Appreciative Inquiry (AI) 5D framework† - definition, discovery, dream, design and destiny. It gives a holistic view of the difficulty faced and modifications needed (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005). The framework was developed by David Cooperrider and his team mates in mid 1980’s. The five stages are described are as follows. Definition The first stage is â€Å"define† which focuses on the awareness of the developmental activities. During this stage the topic of inquiry becomes the organization’s main agenda for learning as well as innovation. The questions asked are affirmative in nature and it focuses on the topic valuable to the people who are involved and directed at topics and issues for the success of organization. Th is inquiry identifies â€Å"the area† where the organization needs to change. The changes can be strategic, structural, people and process change. In Silkeborg Council case, the main problem was absenteeism for which the elderly care department faced a lot of problems. ... Small-scale or incremental people changes include sending of management workers to team-building workshops and classes. These changes can be planned or unplanned, which may impact the employee’s attitude towards work, behaviours of the individual and their performances. The changes are made to help the employees and the employer to reduce absenteeism. It can either be planned or unplanned, which may impact the employee’s attitude towards work, behaviours of the individual and their performances. The area of change once identified should be worked upon to bring productivity in the Council. The factor which is preventing long-term change is the attitude, behaviour and performances of the employees towards their work and that’s why the number of absentees increased during that period. The possible reason for absenteeism can be personal problems health problems or job dissatisfaction. These are the possible areas where the management should work upon to bring in disc ipline and proper working of the organization without lost time. The changes implemented during that period could not remain for long time because of the fluctuating behaviour and attitude of the employees. The management could not mange properly which led to these disturbances in the council. Kurt Lewin’s Change Model can be applied to the Silkeborg Council case. The model elaborates the modifications of some forces keeping the whole system stable. He examined that a set of behaviour at any moment is the outcome of two groups of forces. These forces are attempting to maintain status quo and is forcing for change. When the two sets of forces are equal, the current behaviours are preserved in a state known as ‘quasi-stationary equilibrium’. For

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Workers in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Workers in America - Essay Example As the labor movement picked momentum in the second half of the 19th century, many labor unions, like the International Typographical Union, the Knights of Labor, rapidly rose in the US (History.com Staff). Among all, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) emerged as one of the first and dominant federations of labor unions in the US (â€Å"American Federation of Labor†). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the origins, the political and social perspectives, and the major labor activities that the AFL involved in during its lifetime. By the early 1980s, over 42 international labor unions were present in the US (Jones et al. 2). However, labor unions in the US remained feeble over the years. By the late 1870s, mere 3% of the overall labor force and hardly 8% of total industrial workers possessed membership of labor unions (Simkin). In 1881, Samuel Gompers (a Dutch immigrant) and some other local leading skilled workers in specific sectors, like cigar making, carpentry, and printing, established the â€Å"Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions† (FOTLU) in the US (Welling). During that era, the Knights of Labor was the largest organization that included many small labor unions and it had played a vital role in some of major labor strikes of the period (â€Å"AFL†). However, the Knights of Labor’s leadership had occasionally supported its rival trade unions which had compromised for lower wages and supplied strikebreakers during other trade unions’ protests or strikes (â€Å"AFL †). The Knights of Labor enrolled even small employers as its members to chase social reform and challenge capitalist ideology. It had little interest in local labors’ issues, like wage scales, qualifications of workers, working conditions, strikes, or particular trades (Jones et al. 2-3). The Knights of Labor lost some crucial strikes which cost the union many members. Especially after the Great Southwest Railroad Strike and the Haymarket Riot of 1986, employers’ opposition

Issues of risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Issues of risk - Essay Example At situations where family situations are not found safe for the wellbeing of children, the system plays a very critical role of removing the children from a situation involving risk. The system identifies cases where there is notable risk of neglect or abuse and appropriate interventions are considered. There are other scenarios where such actions are taken which include the disability or illness of the parents leading to their inability to take care of their children. The continued absence of the parents at home also leads to children being taken into care. Cases of deaths of parents, imprisonment etc. are typical examples to such a scenario. These children are taken into care (TCSW, 2012). The nature of the ‘taking away’ process is also varied according to the requirement. There are cases where parents voluntarily request their children to be taken to care. In some other case they are forcibly taken by law. Most of the cases account to this scenario, For instance, in 2011; around 54% of the reported cases were connected to neglect and abuse (TCSW, 2012). Children who get involved in some criminal activity are sent to care through the youth justice system (TCSW, 2012). Around 73% of the children are taken care of by foster-carers. A minority of 10% are put up in children’s homes; others are brought up in residential schools (TCSW, 2012). In some cases where potential risk is identified the children are left to live with their parents, however, under strict supervisions by social work professionals. The process of taking a child into care involves strict adherence involving a formal system of law. For both England and Wales the Children Act of 1989 defines legal regulations and systems for taking children into care. Under the act, every case of taking into care must be preceded by a court order. Children could also be taken into care if parents give legal consent to

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Workers in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Workers in America - Essay Example As the labor movement picked momentum in the second half of the 19th century, many labor unions, like the International Typographical Union, the Knights of Labor, rapidly rose in the US (History.com Staff). Among all, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) emerged as one of the first and dominant federations of labor unions in the US (â€Å"American Federation of Labor†). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the origins, the political and social perspectives, and the major labor activities that the AFL involved in during its lifetime. By the early 1980s, over 42 international labor unions were present in the US (Jones et al. 2). However, labor unions in the US remained feeble over the years. By the late 1870s, mere 3% of the overall labor force and hardly 8% of total industrial workers possessed membership of labor unions (Simkin). In 1881, Samuel Gompers (a Dutch immigrant) and some other local leading skilled workers in specific sectors, like cigar making, carpentry, and printing, established the â€Å"Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions† (FOTLU) in the US (Welling). During that era, the Knights of Labor was the largest organization that included many small labor unions and it had played a vital role in some of major labor strikes of the period (â€Å"AFL†). However, the Knights of Labor’s leadership had occasionally supported its rival trade unions which had compromised for lower wages and supplied strikebreakers during other trade unions’ protests or strikes (â€Å"AFL †). The Knights of Labor enrolled even small employers as its members to chase social reform and challenge capitalist ideology. It had little interest in local labors’ issues, like wage scales, qualifications of workers, working conditions, strikes, or particular trades (Jones et al. 2-3). The Knights of Labor lost some crucial strikes which cost the union many members. Especially after the Great Southwest Railroad Strike and the Haymarket Riot of 1986, employers’ opposition

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Capital punishment and the death penalty Annotated Bibliography

Capital punishment and the death penalty - Annotated Bibliography Example They explain the stand of the church on the matter with supportive information from the bible. The author of this book discusses death penalty, providing an overview of its execution and a critically analysis this form of punishment with the question whether it is a fair solution or a moral failure. At some point, he looks at it as a government/state-sponsored killing and argues that it has a net brutalization effect of killing of more innocents. This book looks into the universal abolition of death penalty and the importance of abolishing it, evaluating it against human life (i.e. death penalty versus human life). It also looks into the families of both the condemned and the homicide victim. The author of this article tries to evaluate the forces that account for the legality of death penalty including social and political sources. By evaluating racial/ethnic threat theories, he explains why death penalty is present in some jurisdictions and absent in others. This article looks into two aspects of the question whether it is okay to implement death penalty: the ethical aspect and the epistemological one. That is, the morality of executions and the necessary burden of proof/the epistemological argument. This book critically evaluates capital punishment, which it presents as a form of punishment that follows the rule: ‘an eye for an eye’. It also offers statistical information on the support that death penalty receives from various regions. This article features the Council of Europe’s view on death penalty. The views are that death is not justice; death penalty is not a deterrent against crime; the justice system can and does make mistakes; human rights apply to everyone; and murderer should not be made into martyrs. The authors of this article attempt to answer the question whether capital punishment is morally required. They do so by narrowing down into the acts,

Law of Increasing Cost Essay Example for Free

Law of Increasing Cost Essay The three types of unemployment are Structural, Frictional and Cyclical Unemployment. Structural unemployment occurs due to the disparity between the skills of a person whose looking for a job and the skills needed for the jobs available thus, the job seeker’s profession or skills is not likely related to that line of work. Frictional Unemployment is another type of unemployment which is strongly related to structural unemployment as the two both depends on the dynamics changes in the economy. Thus, the people who do not even have work may not accept the first job offered to them because of the skills needed for the job and the salary. On the other hand, Cyclical Unemployment is due to lack of demand for work and is attributed to economic contraction. Cyclical Unemployment- the Government should implement and fund a program where in poorer and jobless people with capability can be able to have their own job and receive necessary payment. In doing such thing they can be able to increase productivity and economic efficiency as well as the workers welfare. Answer to question no. The Law of Increasing Cost states that as the Marginal Cost, say X, increases the Cost of the Product, say Y, decreases and vice versa. Thus, the cost of product is dependent and inversely proportional on the marginal cost of that product. Cost of Product (Y) Marginal Cost (X) Answer to question no. 5 A progressive tax is the rate of the taxes that increases as the tax payers’ income increases. The system defends on the percentage of income of an individual. Those high-income people should pay higher percentage of tax than those low-income people. An example of progressive tax is a Graduated Tax. The general sales is said to be regressive because everyone including the rich and the poor utilize it and therefore has to buy goods in order to survive for example clothes, the poor pay more of the percentage of the sales (clothes) tax compare to the rich people, that is why it is regressive. Answer to question no. 6 Inflation hurt the rich and much more the poor people. In order for the rich to uphold their ways of living they are tend to pay much greater price for the goods and services. In a worse case, the poor may not be able to afford those goods and services, thus it posses a threat to their family and to the economy in general. On the other, economist may benefit from inflation since they can somehow predict inflation rate and thus, make appropriate preparations. Answer to question no. 8 Public Good are goods and services that are available for everyone to consume. Also, consumption of these goods does not decrease the availability of the supply. Such good includes information goods and human rights. On the other hand, a private market offers goods that are the exact different of public goods, goods that are good for only one consumption and is for everyone to consume. Thus, the main reason why the public market cannot offer public goods is because public goods are free and the private market, more or less, does not offer free items. Answer to question no. 9 Full employment is define as the state and condition of the national economy, where all of the job seekers are willingly accept the job offers to them regardless of the amount of wages they are about to earn as well as the working conditions. It clearly indicates 0% of people who do not have job or unemployed. Answer to question no. 10 No. It is the objective of the public market to increase revenue and thus, it important to give greater attention to the benefits that the firm will have rather than that of the society. Because positive externalities mean that the society will gain greater benefit than that of the firm, it is likely that the public market will not be able to produce the socially optimal amount of good that is characterize by positive externalities.

Monday, October 14, 2019

New Public Management and Health Sector Reforms

New Public Management and Health Sector Reforms Q. What is New Public Management? Explain the concept and application in relation to health sector reforms across developed and developing countries. 1. Introduction In the contemporary era, neo-liberal policies are given weightage attributing to their stance of limiting the work of government in the economy and its ability to introduce efficiency and effectiveness. We now witness an emerging trend of adopting neoliberal policies. The New Public Management is, therefore based on the neo-liberal views and attempts to introduce private sector efficiency in the public sector of a particular country. The use of New Public Management (NPM) has led to use of tools like decentralization, privatization, contractualism, total quality management, performance related pay etc. While adoption of NPM seems an attractive option for various economies, its applicability and success in developing and developed nations is highly debated upon. Popular examples reveal that the NPM techniques are likely to fail in developing nations because they do not have the preconditions required to harbor NPM. However, the success of NPM techniques purely depends upon the environ ment within which it is implemented and on the compatibility of the techniques with the countrys norms and values. This essay therefore aims to assess the applicability and success of NPM approaches in the case of developing and developed countries. The essay will begin with literature review that will emphasize on what paved the way towards NPM, definitional aspects of NPM and implementation of NPM as a steady reform process. The essay will then illustrate the case studies of Norway and Chile and analyze the degree to which NPM was successful in the two countries. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Road to New Public Management For long now, the public sector setup has been under pressure to bring about efficiency by adopting more market oriented and private sector practices (Dunleavy Hood, 1994). This has been argued to be due to multiple factors such as economic and fiscal dilemmas that brought about the need for states increased role in the economy (Ferlie, et al., 1996). The public sector crisis in the developed economies led to the search for new ways of organizing the public services and hence, redefining the role of the state to encourage competition and market oriented approaches. States indulgence in market type approaches in order to treat the problematic public sector led to the promotion of marketization, that was ought to be more efficient and effective as it tend to keep in mind needs of the individuals and consumers. The shift towards New Public Management (NPM) started in 1970s and 1980s in UK, under Margaret Thatchers regime when she called for the readjustment of the iron industry, and in US municipal government who were agonized at the hands of economic recession and tax revolts. NPM practices were next adopted by Australia and New Zealand, which brought NPM into limelight and brought them on the agenda of OECD countries. It was not until then, theorists started to identify the common characteristics of what is known as New Public Management today (Dunsire, 1995). 2.2 Defining New Public Management Advocates of the traditional bureaucratic system declared the term New Public Management as a misnomer at its very emergence. There have been claims that what is characterized to be New Public Management is practiced in the public sector since quite long now and thus, there is nothing new in the practice. Moreover, it is also argued that NPM tends to target the core values of the public sector an, is therefore little about public management and more of an attempt to wipe out public administration as a subject in social sciences (Farazmand, 2000). However, despite heavy criticism and attempts to minimize its use in the field of public administration by traditional bureaucrats, there is consensus among scholars that NPM tends to dominate majority of contemporary era public settings. New Public Management, in itself, is a reform process, undertaken at the administrative level where structural, organizational and managerial changes are targeted in the public sector. As per Pillott (2011), it is a bunch of management appraoches and techniques and a vission, an ideology. Thus, NPM basically is a set of mangerial actions generated from the private sector and applied in the public sector in order to yield similar level of effciency and effectiveness. Different scholars tend to provide different ideas for conceptualising NPM. Hood (1991) however, brings them under a common banner by summarising the key elements of NPM under 7 main characteristics. He claims that NPM is inclusive of; entrepreneurial management rather than traditional b ureacracy, as highlighted by Clarke Newman (1993), benchmarked standards and performance measures as highlighted by Oshborne, et al. (1995), pays attention to output control as highlighted by Boyne (1999), calls for shift towards decentralization as highlighted by Pollitt, et al. (1998), advocates competition in public sector workings, superiority of private sector style of working as highlighted by Wilcox Harrow (1992) and advocates discipline in the allocation of resources as highlighted by Metcalf Richards (1990). Thus, NPM is inclusive of privatization, decentralization, outsourcing, contractionalism, competitive mechanisms like performance related pay, total quality management etc. Scholars argue that New Public Management has therefore, emerged in response to the Old Public Management and in order to understand NPM, it is of utmost importance that we fitst understand Old Public Management and its principles. Old Public Management is in line with the ideas of Max Webers bureaucratic setup. It emphasises on exante and procedural control and the traditional hierarchial setup where functions are divided among different functional units (Osborne Gaebler, 1993). While the old public management was based on strict hierarchies and rules, new public management looks into political and accountable management and thus advocates contracts and market superiority. Morover, while old public management used stability and permanence at its very foundation, new public management is based on contracts. Institutionalisation is at the very core of Old Public Management, whereas new public management requires more of strategic management and thus doenst require strict institutiona ization (Peters, 1996). 2.3 NPM as a Reform Process Many scholars shed light upon reform process that has incorporated elements of new public management in the public sector. Advocates have argued that public settings can achieve their goals if flexibility is introduced in the system and public officers are given significant autonomy. This will not only lead to effective management of the functions of the units but also enhance the performance of departments and agencies working together in a contractual capacity. Autonomy will therefore allow them control their resources and use them in the best possible manner as to achieve the required results. Hence, it will enable department to make best use of private sector tools such as contracting, outsourcing, accrual accounting, total quality management, user survey etc. (Osborne Plastrick, 1997). While the bureaucratic systems are rigid and answer back to orders, decentralization and autonomy will allow creative thinking by pushing the decision making authority down the hierarchy. Thus NP M has been able to promote accountability though encouraging shared missions and systems, by freeing organizations from the control of central agencies and allowing workers to adopt a problem solving approach (Osborne Plastrick, 1997). A large number of developing countries are still trying to make use of NPM approaches in the public sector. For e.g. Malaysia has adopted Total Quality Management in their production processes in order to minimize wastage and ensure good quality of products (Fei, 2003). However, the implementation and spread of the NPM process has not be unanimous around the globe. The major differences have been as per the context of the country. While some countries have resisted to NPM attributing to the strong bureaucratic culture, others have just restored their national initiatives under the label of NPM, when in essence old public management is still followed there. Thus, adoption and introduction of NPM is seen as a complex process where the context within which the country is, matters (Christensen Laegreid, 2006). Adoption of NPM has also differed as per the nature of the countries being developing and developed. While the process was initiated by developed countries at the first place, the ir public sectors are now stable with accomplished NPM practices for e.g. in the case British health care system. Moreover, developed economies tend to meet the preconditions, such as well function markets and economic development, required for the implementation of NPM principles. However, the implementation in developing countries has been troublesome. It is argued that developing nations are still struggling to stabilize their economies, ensure imposition of rule of law and instill proper bureaucratic structures, that introduction neo-liberal techniques disrupts the entire process and causes instability (Akhtar, 2016). Hughes (1998) argue that implementation of NPM in developing countries may yield opposite results than what is required. While NPM approaches may be adopted to promote greater transparency and eradicate corruption, a greater degree of autonomy to officers may lead to chances of corruption. Similarly, in case of contracting out, absence of appropriate laws and rules can limit the use of contracts as they may not be fulfilled in their true essence. Moreover, it is also claimed that there is not standard model for implementing NPM in totality, across the countries. Developing countries, especially, tend to adopt particular elements of NPM that are best suited and are most beneficial for them. Two popular and evident elements adopted as a part of NPM have been privatization, downsizing. Moreover, corporatization has been an another successful element of NPM for e.g. in the case of African countries where customs and income tax departments have been merged together under the corporatized national revenue authorities, which has brought about internal efficiency in the unit (Chand Moene, 1999). 2.4 Implementing NPM inspired Reforms Different schools of thought draw upon various theories in order to explain the adoption and implementation of reforms that are inspired by NPM. Olsen (1992) provides 2 main reasons for the implementation of NPM techniques. He argues that NPM techniques can be adopted by countries as internationally set standards and examples only because they have become a prevailing trend. Such a change will only be based on pressure and will take place as a part of diffusion process. Secondly he suggests that NPM techniques can be implemented because of the dire need to introduce technical efficiency and hence, it would serve as the optimal solution to the large array of problems existent in the very department. A contrary view, however, argues that the NPM techniques adopted must be in line with the national norms and values held by the countrys public sector. Thus, this makes applicability of all the elements of NPM difficult and only a few elements remain relevant considering the situation from country to country. It is argued that if this is not ensured, the changes introduced may be incompatible with the setting and thus would lead to conflicts among stakeholders within the public sector. NPM elements are not in line with the traditional norms and values of the public sector and this may lead to agitation among officers making it difficult to implement the reforms. Thus, it is of utmost importance that reforms are introduced such that they integrate with the existing culture of the public setup (Selznick, 1984). 2.5 NPM in Health Care Sector A wide variety of literature provides us with insight into how NPM is being incorporated in the health sector or various developed as well as developing economies. However, Cairney (2002) in his study specifies the difficulties in assessing the usefulness of NPM approaches in the health care sector of economies around the globe. He specifies that this can be attributed to lack of data available to carry out the study and as well as the geographical differences that make it difficult to form a standardized analysis. Literature however reveals that health care reform efforts have proved to be little fruitful in African countries. In Ghana, according to Larbi 1998, structural changes have made few alterations to the popular practices. Management has limited autonomy, government doesnt have the capacity to reach performance targets, and IT systems are obsolete to measure the performance. African health systems do not have enough funds to support the NPM scheme, which makes it difficult t o bring about change. Any efficiency gains fail to bridge the gap between resources need and availability. Hence, the budget allocation serves as the only way to ensure whether performance targets can be met or not. This is a popular example of issues face by developing countries when implementing NPM reforms. 3. Case Study: Norway Vs Chile 3.1 NPM and Health Sector Reforms in Norway Norway being a welfare state and a developed economy has believed in the equal access of services to its people, irrespective of the socio-economic status of the individual and this therefore has been true in case of their health sector as well. The Norwegian health system is structured into 3 levels: national or state level, the 4 health regions and municipalities. While at the state level, Ministry of Health ensure policy making, the health regions and municipalities implement the policies. The major health sector reforms in Norway were undertaken in 2002 and before that the system was just a tax based decentralized version of British NHS. As Selznick (1984) theorises about the context within which reforms are implemented, weak evironmental pressures in Norway made it difficult to implement reforms at the first place. Although, Norway is a developed country, it is a welfare state as well which holds strong central control in order to ensure the welfare of its people. Their Rechssta at culture and norms were less compatible with the values of NPM. However, post 1990s when the devolution culture started gaining popularity, reforms within healthcare seemed more inevitable. The Norwegian Healthcare Sector experienced the introduction of Unitary management systems, with quasi markets and performance measurements models through principles of free patients choices. Other reforms included, the activity based funding system based on diagnosis and a more comprehensive and transparent quality control system. The most important reform that was inline with NPM was, hospitals being introduced as enterprises, which seemed as a shift towarsd neoliberal and private sector models. Five regional health enterprises were formed which were independent entities with their own boards and managing directors. The main aim in doing so was to devolve managerial processes in order to enhance efficiency to sub-levels in the hospital. Moreover, it aimed to stimulate the flow of information in order to enhance efficiency and ensure financial responsibility is delegated evenly among the health objectives. The structural changes were intended to minimize the impact traditional bureaucratic structure and introduce private sector like management and efficiency. However, the Ministry of Health was responsible for appointing the board which depicts that in pratice the control remained in the center, as ministry controlled the boards at an arms length. Thus, the reforms that aimed to devolve power to the lower levels actually ended up creating a hybrid which included both the elements of devolution as well as centralisation. The central government ensured that the ministry maintains control through the use of article of association, contracts and throguh regular enterprise meetings. In addition to this the allocation of resources in the form of funds was also controlled by the government. A performance monitoring system was implemented that included issuance of task sheets mentioning objectives that were to be fulfilled. Contracts too mentioned targets and objectives for the employees and results were measured using quantitative indicators. The reforms were implemented at the first place to improve resource utilization and coordination so that easy and equal access to health care can be ensured for norwegian citizens. However, the confussion in division of responsibility only increased the use of resources while leavinf financial problems. While the devolution meant that counties were suppose to be the owners of health care, in practice the enterprises were heavily influenced by the central governement. In this confussion, counties exercised their control in multiple ways. While some practiced management by objectives (a popular element of NPM), others just practiced excessive control over the hospitals. Thus, NPM approach was falling apart in Norwegian Healthcare System and what was required was clearly defined targets and goals for the hospitals and roles for every tier in the system. While changes were made to the structure, no significant change was made to the financing methods. Policy frameworks dictate management procedures of the enterprises, which means that enterprises still work on direction of the central government. The culture of responding to superiors, rather creative approach to problem solving, still maintains. Thus, introductin of NPM techniques and approaches were a myth in Norwegian Healthcare System. This can be referred back to Selznicks (1984) as well as Christensen Laegreids (2006) theory. The context within which NPM was implemented was resisting the change. Norway being a welfare state had central control in its core foundations. Thus, in such a situation, not the ability to implement the reforms is relevant, rather the environment within which it is implemented and its acceptance are of greater concern. 3.2 NPM and Healthcare Reforms in Chile Chile being a developing nation in Latin America, was one of the first few country which began its health sector reform at the earliest. Chile has been known fro adopting NPM techniques and incorporating them in their health sector in order to introduce efficiency. Since the health reforms in 1980s ensured decentralization of the services such that 13 regionald and 26 local health service divisions were formed which held administrative responsibility of the health care system. Each of the decentralisaed units were therefore responsible for curative and presventive services. Just like other secotors of economy, health care in Chile also experienced privatization of public health care system and promotion of market oriented privtae health insurance plans that came to be known as ISAPREs (Berman Bossert, 2000). Although these were privately administered, their funds were still taken out from wage withholdings and employer contributions. Chile reformed its health sector into a dual heal th care system where citizen had the option to either cover their health expense through National Health Insurance Fund or through private health insurance companies. The national health insurance scheme is funded by the government, through acquiring revenues through taxation. The duality in the health care system has therefore caused private and public health care to have different objectives rather than common goals. While the public insurance scheme focuses on primary services, private insurance schemes focus on secondary and territiary services. Primary services are however, decentralised to municipalities. The duality in the health care system, however, ensured that the low income poor individuals of the country have easy access to health care facilities. Moreover, the public sector not only served as the provider of the health facilities but also ensured that it offers large scale easy access of health facilties to all (Berman Bossert, 2000). Moreover, Chiles reforms were a l egitimate process which systematically separated that health service provision and regulation, imposed regulation on private health provision, and ensured fund raising to finance the health care scheme. On the other hand, reforms established proper monitoring mechanisms which included inspections by independent agencies, of financial department and quality assurance of the health care units working in Chile. The reform process in Chile, therefore has not been withouth crtitique. NPM techniques like private health care schemes brought about positive changes in the health results as the infant mortality rate significantly went down in Chile. In addition ot this, there reforms also positively contributed towards improving life expectancy and, nutrition and sanitation. While the NPM techniques seem to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the services, the reforms were criticised for harbouring inequality (Bruce, n.d.). As the health insurance is funded from wage withholding, poor who did not have enough income could not pay for the secondary and teritiary health services provided by the private sector. Chile being one of the first Latin American country to adopt market oriented approaches in the health sector reforms, provides an example of how health reforms should be adopted. Limited success and agitation against the reforms in Chile can be attributed to its nature of being developi ng. Chile had undergone military dictatorship where the government struture had not have the opportuity to stabilise. Thus, Chiles environment and context make it difficult for the NPM techniques to work out beause for NPM techniques require a well functioning market and economic development to be successful. However, Chiles health sector was succesfully marked by privatization of helth care fields, economic stability and international environement that made neoliberalist reforms inevitable. Conclusion Conclusively, we have established the success of NPM techniques in countries depend upon the environement within which they are implement and the degree of resistance they face. It s of utmost importance that the norms and values of the country are compatible with that of the NPM based reform, otherwise reforms are likely to face resistance. For e.g. a country which a centralised economy and a strong bureacratic structure is less likely to accept privatization of central machinery. This has also been explained by Christensen Laegreid (2006) and Selznick (1984) in their theoretical frameworks. Thus, in the case of Norway and Chile, while one was a developed country while the other was developing, both faced difficulties in successfully implementing the NPM techniques. Even after the implementation, the reforms were able to achieve little which can be attribute to the incompatibility of the reforms with the environment within which they were applied. Thus, it is of utmost importance t hat reform process if backed by a preliminary study that ensure the applicability of the reforms and reflects upon the expected success rate of the reform in the particular country. Akhtar, S., 2016. Academia.edu. [Online] Available at: http://www.academia.edu/8099444/Application_of_New_Public_Management_in_Developed_vs_Developing_Countries Berman, P. A. Bossert, T. J., 2000. Learned? A Decade of Health Sector Reform in Developing Countries: What Have We, s.l.: Harvard School of Public Health. Boyne, G. A., 1999. Introduction: Processes, Performance and Best Value in Local Government. Local Government Studies, 25(2), pp. 1-15. Bruce, N., n.d. Teh Chilean Health Care Reforms: Model or Myth?, s.l.: Yale Center for International Area Studies. Cairney, P., 2002. New Pubic Management and Thatcher Healthcare Legacy: enough of theory, what about implementation. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 4(3), pp. 375-398. Chand, S. K. Moene, K. O., 1999. Controlling Fiscal Corruption. World Development, 27(7), pp. 1129-1140. Christensen, T. Laegreid, P., 2006. Autonomy and Regulation: Coping with Agencies in the Modern State. s.l.:Edward Elgar. Clarke, J. Newman, J., 1993. The right to manage: A second managerial revolution?. Cultural Studies, 7(3), pp. 427-441. Dunleavy, P. Hood, C., 1994. From old public administration to new public management. Public Money Management, 14(3), pp. 9-16. Dunsire, A., 1995. Administrative Theory in 1980s: A Viewpoint. Public Administration, 73(1), pp. 17-40. Farazmand, A., 2000. Building Partnerships for Governance. Manila, UN. Fei, T. L. K., 2003. Total Quality Management in Malaysian Government Agencies: Conditions for Successful Implementation of Organizational Change. International Public Management Journal, 6(2), pp. 145-172. Ferlie, E., A. P., Ashburner, L. Fitzgerald, L., 1996. The New Public Management in Action. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hood, C., 1991. A Public Management for all Seasons?. Public Administration, 69(1), pp. 3-19. Hughes, O. E., 1998. Public Management and Administration: An Introduction. s.l.:Palgrave Macmillan. Metcalf, L. Richards, S., 1990. Improving Public Management. London: Sage. Olsen, J. P., 1992. Analysing Institutional Dynamics. s.l.:Nuttfield College Oxford, Center for European Studies. Osborne, D. Gaebler, T., 1993. Reinventing Government: How the Entrepreneurial Spirit is Transforming the Public Sector. s.l.:Plume. Osborne, D. Plastrick, P., 1997. Banishing Bureaucracy: The Five Strategies for Reinventing Government. s.l.:Addison-Wesley. Oshborne, S. P. et al., 1995. Performance Management and Accountability in Complex Public Programs. Financial Accountability and Management, 11(1), pp. 19-37. Peters, B. G., 1996. Future of Governing: Four Emerging Models. s.l.:University Press of Kansas. Pillott, C., 2011. Public Management Reform: A Comparative Analysis New Public Management, Governance, and the Neo-Weberian State. s.l.:Oxford University Press. Pollitt, C., Putman, K. Birchall, J., 1998. Decentralsiing Public Service Management. s.l.:Palgrave. Selznick, P., 1984. Leadership in Administration. s.l.:University of California Press. Wilcox, L. Harrow, J., 1992. Rediscovering Public Services Management. London: McGraw Hill.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Somerset Maugham Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

Somerset Maugham Somerset Maugham was born on January 25, 1874 in Paris where his father was the solicitor to the British Embassy. However, he was orphaned at the age of ten and lived with his uncle, the vicar of Whitstable, in England. Maugham was educated in England studying literature and philosophy at Heidelberg University. In 1897 he qualified as a surgeon from St. Thomas’ medical school and practiced for a year in the slums of London. However, he abandoned medicine after the success of his first two novels. Maugham is best known as a successful novelist and playwright, but he never gained serious recognitions for his works. The young author lived in Paris for ten years before publishing his first novel Liza of Lambeth in 1897. His first play A Man of Honour went into production in 1903 and by 1904 four of his plays were running simultaneously in London. The plays were interested with social satire and he was considered an extremely gifted playwright during this time. These early successes provided a foundation for his later works. His semi-auto bibliographical breakthrough novel Of Human Bondage in 1915 is considered one of his best works. The story follows the life of Philip Carey who loses his parents early in life and tracks his progress into early manhood. In 1919, he published the novel Moon and Sixpence that was loosely based on the life and experiences of the painter Paul Gauguin. This French artist rejected the social contracts of European society and departed to Tahiti where his unconventional scenes of Tahitian life captured the interest and imagination of numerous Europeans. Maugh am himself made a trip to Tahiti to become better acquainted with the circumstances surrounding Gauguin’s experienc... ...ajor novels that Maugham wrote. There is also a list of all the works Maugham produced during his lifetime. Knitting Circle Somerset Maugham. South Bank University. 11 November 2002 http://www.sbu.ac.uk/stafflag/wsmaugham.html>. This is a South Bank University page that sums up some major events in Maugham’s life and focuses on the issue of his sexual preference. This page has highlights some key events between Maugham and Gerald Haxton. There is also a short list of Maugham’s works at the end of the page. Annotation: A fabulous reference site including philosophy resource links by historical time period, philosophic subject, tradition, or school of thought. Books: Bronowski, Jacob. The Origins of Knowledge and Imagination. Yale University Press. New Haven: 1978. Everson, Stephen. Epistemology. Cambridge University Press. New York: 1990.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Science Toy :: essays research papers

My toy, is a toy car that bounces and also drives forward and in reverse. It is called â€Å"Hop-Along-Impala†. I built it by taking a toy car that I owned, which already hopped in front and back by using a series of toothed gears connected to a motor. Then I went and bought another motor so I could make the car go forward and hop and go in reverse and not hop. I first took a pair of wire cutters and cut off a piece of plastic attached to the rear wheels so it would disable them from bouncing. Then I took a hot glue gun and glued the piece of plastic, that I previously cut off, on so that the wheels would remain level. Then I glued the motor that I attached to the other motor and glued it close to the tire so that it would make contact so that the wheel would turn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I push the button on the remote up the car moves forward because when I push it, it completes a circuit so electrons can flow, thus sending power to the motors in the car. That is how power gets from the batteries to the motors in the car. But how does a battery work? A battery has a negative electrode and a positive electrode. An electrolyte paste separates the two electrodes and causes a chemical reaction between them. This reaction causes a current to flow and electrons move through a conductor that connects the positive and negative electrodes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the power get to the motors, they convert the electrical energy into mechanical energy. Inside the motors a current is passed through the armature and a torque is made by a magnetic reaction, and the armature spins. The action of the commutator and the connections of the field coils of motors are the same as those used for generators. The revolution of the armature induces a voltage in the armature windings. This induced voltage is opposite in direction to the outside voltage applied to the armature, and thus is called back voltage or counter electromotive force.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the car is bounced up onto the air, it falls down because of gravity. Gravity is the force that everything on earth possesses and it tends to draw objects closer to one another. Gravity is one of the four fundamental forces of nature. Unlike electromagnetism, gravity doesn’t have repulsive

Senior Geography Project

I have chosen to pick Broadmeadow for the area, as whilst I got robbed, many other community members got robbed on the same day, by the same person. This area seems relevant to my investigation and should provide some interesting results. The area is also very close to home, so I wouldn’t need to go out of my way to get to the place needed for investigating. The three aims that I have chosen all relate back to the robbery that took place in my home. I want to investigate if this was just coincidence or if this is happening across the whole board.I also want to investigate the security measures people have put into place to counter this criminal aactivity. Aims of the topic: 1. To investigate the trends in Crime Rate over the last 5 years 2. To investigate the security measures people have put into place 3. To identify major types of crime Hypotheses: 1. Over the last 5 years, I think that the crime rate has slowly increased, to its peak. On the radio/tv/computer I hear about d ifferent robberies daily. I think this trend will have an affect across all of NSW and Australia. 2. In Broadmeadow, I think that people will have ssimilar security measures as one another.I think this would be because of council regulation and what other people in the neighborhood have recommended. 3. I think that the most common form of crime in the Broadmeadow area would be either theft or break and enter. Due to the large amount of criminal aactivity in the area. Plan of Investigation/Methodology Steps for Research: 1. Find topic – research if applicable in area 2. Find aims, hypothesize the aims 3. Rationale of the topic 4. Finding of ways to collect and provide examples 5. Walk around Broadmeadow area and recording security measures 6.Interview police on crime rates/ major types of crime in Broadmeadow 7. Research on the internet the verify findings 8. Analyse information 9. Evaluate findings 10. Does this support or refute the hypotheses? 11. What are the implications of the findings Explanations: 1. Whilst walking around the Broadmeadow area, I will record what security measures owiners have on their houses into a table. This will include 50 houses from 3 roads – Everton Street, Dumaresq Street and Blackall Street. Next I will gather all this data and find the ppercentage of each security measure.Next I will analyse these findings and compare them to findings on the internet and make an appropriate conclusion either supporting or refuting the hypothesis made. 2. I will create an interview based on the findings of the previous research. These questions will involve finding statistics on crime rates/major types which I can then relate back to the previous research found. Once the data has been recorded, I will separate these findings into two graphs; One graph will show the deviation in in crime rates, the other will show major types of crime and the security measure most affected by this.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Comparison Between Joe Keller and Willy Loman Essay

Death of a Salesman and All of My Sons, two different plays written by distinguished playwright Arthur Miller, yet the two main characters Joe Keller and Willy Loman are notably identical to one another. Although both are not faced with similar situations, both Keller and Loman handle their situations with an ignorant and shallow mindset towards the world. Keller and Loman have significant tragic flaws which ultimately lead to their demise. Both characters are unable to accept reality the way others are capable of, the â€Å"American dream† has been corrupted and misinterpreted in their feeble minds, and abandonment has plagued them throughout their lives. The â€Å"American dream† seems to play a monumental role in distinguishing what is essential to be successful. Joe Keller believes that his son, Chris, deserves the business he built from the ground, up and does absolutely everything in his power to ensure that Chris will obtain Joe’s business. In Joe’s eyes, risking the lives of soldiers, making an abomination out of his former â€Å"best friend†, and separating a family in order to keep his business running smoothly is deemed more worthy than doing the right thing. Joe feels that he has done the right thing because he carried out these actions for his family. Willy Loman’s interpretation of the â€Å"American dream† is a tad bit more extravagant; Willy believes that the key to success is a matter of whether a person is well-liked or not. Throughout the course of his professional career as a salesman, Willy constantly concocts lies stating how he is well-liked all over the Northeast, as well as his weekly salary. Willy also tried to bring the dream upon his son Biff. While Willy’s son Biff was a student in high school, Willy continuously fed Biff these fantasies that one day, Biff would become a great football player. Willy preferred brawn over brains in Biff. Willy was unable to live the American dream and thus ventured on through Biff vicariously. When Biff decided not to finish summer school and then explore new endeavors out west, Willy began to grow furious with Biff because he was unable to hover over Biff and â€Å"lead† him toward success. In All of My Sons, Joe Keller is unable to perceive reality with his involvement in the busted airplane heads which led to the death of twenty-one soldiers of the Air Force. We the readers notice that the lie Joe tells to others has been so commonly practiced that it’s no longer a fabrication of Joe’s imagination, but in his opinion, the genuine truth. Joe becomes obsessive over Chris inheritance of Joe’s business and it seems as though he does this so that in the event that someone reveals the truth to Chris, there is no possible way that Chris could be ashamed after what his father did for him. Unfortunately for Joe, the truth is revealed too soon and Chris no longer is willing to follow in his father’s â€Å"murderous† footsteps; instead Chris is enraged by his father’s past actions and vows to either turn his father in or kill him. Willy Loman is beaten down by his failure of him and his son to live up to his expectations. Unlike Joe, Willy’s altered perception of reality conflicts with his everyday life. He is over exhausted and constantly has flashbacks which deceive Willy’s perception of reality. His flashbacks usually consist of Willy’s overbearing confidence in Biff’s future. Willy also has flashbacks where his successful brother shows up. To stack himself up against his brother’s success, Willy lies about how his business is prospering and how he nearly at the top of the metaphorical food chain in the sales world. In reality however, Willy is a struggling business man who barely makes ends meet. He needs to ask his friend Charley for money just to pay bills and make it seem like he is still making money so he is not a failure in the eyes of others. Willy resorts to these flashbacks when he faces adversity or when things are no longer in his control. Another common theme that leads to both characters fatal demise is their life of abandonment. Joe Keller faced abandonment from his sons Chris and Larry. Chris stood by Joe until he figured out Joe’s lies and mishandling of his business. Joe caused the death of twenty-one other soldiers to Chris and Joe could not be forgiven. Chris abandoned him and was even willing to let Joe rot in prison for the rest of his life. Larry, although now deceased, also abandoned Joe. After hearing news that Joe’s business was responsible for the deaths of his comrades in the Air Force, Larry decided to take his own life because he could not bear the fact that his father had done such a terrible thing. Chris read Larry’s suicide note to his father and this ultimately lead to Joe finally succumbing to all the pressure around him and forced him to end his life. Joe’s mistakes led to those around him abandoning him in the end, even though he did everything in his power to keep his loved ones surrounding him. Willy Loman’s whole life was masked by abandonment. Willy grew up without ever really knowing his father, his brother and role model could care less if Willy were to rot in Hell, and most importantly to him, his sons seem to be embarrassed by him and refuse to stand by him through all of his troubles. Also his boss, Howard, fires Willy when Willy is no longer of use to him and can no longer contribute positively towards the sales company. When at the restaurant, Willy’s son Happy goes as far as to say that Willy is not his father when trying to â€Å"pick up† a bunch of girls to later sleep with. Biff abandon’s Willy in the sense that Willy is trying to escape reality and that Willy is not extraordinary, but merely ordinary. Willy, with all his loved ones no longer standing by his side, decides to end his life and make one final attempt at fulfilling the American Dream by collecting life insurance to help support Biff start up a business that Biff is unwilling to succeed in. Both Joe Keller and Willy Loman were both the typical, hard working Americans. Unfortunately for them, they both contracted horrific tragic flaws which the common person can relate to. Their incapability to properly perceive reality, their misinterpretation of the American Dream, and the constant abandonment they had encountered ultimately led to their own demise.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Critical Review Of Sumantra Ghoshal's Article Essay

Critical Review Of Sumantra Ghoshal's Article - Essay Example There have been extensive debates about good practices in the theory of management. In this regard, the article published by Sumantra Ghoshal had provided quite a valuable insight. The surge in corporate scandals in the past has brought management practices taught in the management schools under attack. The article published by Ghoshal (2005) had stated that academic research, which is done in the field of business and management, has led to certain detrimental practices in the field of management. According to Ghoshal, most of these negative influences can be attributed to the incorporation of a set of ideas that have gained more dominance in the theory of management for organizations. Ghoshal has strongly criticized the business schools of propagating ideas based on amoral practices, which have made students free of any type of social and ethical concerns (Gapper,2005). Hayek had criticized the scientific model adopted by business schools by commenting that it is "pretense of knowl edge" (Ghoshal and Moran,1996). I think both of these authors had a major complaint against the dehumanization of humans in business. According to me, most business practices that are adopted by organizations are regarded from a capitalist view point, which does not take ethical considerations of decisions into account. The paper published by Ghoshal is unique according to me because it points out not only to the flaws of organizations per se but also to a flaw in which knowledge is imparted by individuals in the academic field, including him.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Average amount of people late to work on a daily Essay

Average amount of people late to work on a daily - Essay Example The one chosen was had a population of 2,000 with 525 households. Only adults participated. Most people in the area had families living with them and lived just outside the base. Others had to travel to their work. Observations were also conducted directly on people living on their daily reporting routines to job. The questionnaires would then be filled by the researchers on the topics they could observe without bias. 250 questionnaires were received back, 172 of the total were completely filled, 50 were partially filled and 28 were damaged. The 172 were used to conduct the analysis. NB: those who work on weekends not included. Data was collected for only a week. This cannot give the final trend of the militia’s lateness. Therefore the data given should be compared with other research done before coming up with the final opinion. We had to ask why they failed to reach their workplaces in time. This had numerous response as they tried to justify themselves for their shortcomings. Some reasons were observed by the researchers in their data collection process. In the end we compiled the logical reasons putting others as one point while disintegrating others (Moses, 1996).The reasons given were mostly the same and they are numbered below. Lateness to work has caused many to lose their jobs, demoted to a lower position or have their salary being cut down. Warnings are always given before these consequences are faced. Those who fail to heed are the ones who suffer. When excuses are given, they should be genuine in order not to face one of the above. Sometimes people cheat to be given an excuse for coming late. They normally face a tougher punishment for doing this. These reasons are the ones which were faced by greater number of respondents. Some were minor reasons which only affected a few and could be done away with if one became serious with their work. In the event of collecting data, some of the reason were also faced by the

Monday, October 7, 2019

Journalism and Communication - Screen cultures Essay

Journalism and Communication - Screen cultures - Essay Example Does video gaming portend any detrimental implications on those persons who are fanatics of constantly playing an assortment of diverse video games? Most researchers and writers typically address this concern with regard to reference to violent themed games (Melisa 2002). Moreover, it is overtly a pertinent prospect for the upcoming field of persuasive video games. These games encompass a diverse assortment of games that their authors design for educational, political and advocacy among other critical areas in the daily life. These video games seek to purposely influence and alter behavioural and notional perspectives of individuals who take an interest to play them (Ruth 2011). Moreover, it is critically consummate to determine the effective aspect of these games as potential vectors of persuasion on the persons who take an active role in gaming. With regard to various pertinent interrelationships of aspects such as intent, messages conveyed, player predisposition and quality of gam e among others, it is complicated to generalize regarding their implications and relative effectiveness. With use of a persuasive video game that I have designed, I intend to prospect and gauge its effectiveness as a social backing applet while isolating the various issues that put in to that (Gilles 1992). Introduction In the fresh past, in the year 2006, Gill, a 25 year old person murdered a woman and critically wounded nineteen other persons in a grave shoot out spree at a college affiliation in Montreal and eventually committed suicide. In his specific outline journal entries, he scribbled about his unconditional love and fanaticism for certain films, television shows among other constituents of popular, contemporary media and entertainment culture. However, he mentioned various video games, especially Super Columbine Massacre, that captured most of the entire media nerves to attention and raised the subject of how much mental and character influence various computer games can i mplicate on their players (Film Philosophy 2010). Moreover, this was nevertheless the initial time the matter was raised to publicity. The truth that the masterminds of the massacre game played doom and additionally modelled their own doom rankings was immensely criticised, as was the intelligence that a driver associated with a fatal motor accident had a copy of the violent street racing game, NFS, on the frontage seat of his carriage. These happenings among others resulted into various media critics and political figures arguing that by merit of their fascination, violent and realistic images and graphics with the aptitude to allow the players to practice diverse tasks and scenarios, video computer games could implicate on behaviours and attitudes. This would be for good or worse, though in the viewpoint of critics, it is typically for ill (Patrick 2011). The row that Calgary Sun correspondent Mike presented is archetypal. He questions the readers why they have to wait and witness assorted video games being evidence in several crime occurrences. He pickles the people to wake up and take an initiative to have control over such a situation which would be detrimental in society owing to the ill bizarre situations that arise when gamers take too much dose of typically murderously themed video games. Purportedly, Gill’s obvious signoff in blogs would state that life is a video game and that

Sunday, October 6, 2019

See Below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

See Below - Essay Example Both theories have their merits and demerits. According to Roderick (part 5), Kantian ethics are an empty content. This is because it is dependent on what an individual is willing to will. Utilitarianism too has a problem. The theory seems to infringe on our sense of justice. Also, the two theories seem to ignore so many things in our lives including family, friends, special relations, and other relations that exist. The strong point of Kantian ethics is that they are based on fairness. For example, if executions are to be screened on television, then this might bring greater happiness since it will reduce crime. But, it is not fair to the individual or the individual’s family. Therefore, while Kantian ethics capture fairness, utilitarianism captures real decision making and content. This is because most of our decisions are based on bringing happiness, and hence this makes the theory of utilitarianism more practical and applicable during our everyday

Saturday, October 5, 2019

I must write a after action review (AAR) based off my deployment to Essay - 1

I must write a after action review (AAR) based off my deployment to Afghanistan - Essay Example My deputy and I often disagreed due to differing opinions concerning the point at which a product was supposed to enter sustainment phases. My deputy held that the personnel within the army unit would be ready to handle new equipment on their own soon after their training; however, this perspective did not consider other factors. For instance, this view overlooked the fact that we were fielding new equipment to soldiers with no experience in how they operation during wartime; similarly. This view was blind to the fact that Soldiers rotate to other FOBs (forward operation bases) or COPs and that they may get hurt or whatever the case me be, due to their inexperience with handling new equipment. Contrariwise, I believed in continuous retraining, which is why I had my contractors provide multiple training classes to different personnel of the same unit. I stressed the importance of the acquisition community taking responsibility to support the war fighter. I believed it was our obligati on as the acquisition community to support the war fighter regardless of the number of training events. Therefore, it would take for every unit, army or marines to be capable of handling the generators on their own. The soldiers had to be thoroughly trained to ensure they were equipped with the competence needed to operate the new equipment in the field, even if it meant doing it repeatedly with different personnel. In that case, I supported the training for the army personnel for as long as it was needed, to ensure the war fighters were well prepared to operate our new generators. The command and Control (C2) issue cropped up as well, in the course of my deployment in Afghanistan; as expected in combat zones, where orders are given to carry out missions, there was always a strict chain of command that had to be observed at all times. A chain of command does establish clear lines or boundaries for officers in the field, who must act in accordance

Friday, October 4, 2019

The Importance of Sex Education in Todays Schools Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Sex Education in Todays Schools Essay What did you learn about in school today honey? Oh, we did some proofs in Geometry, practiced past tense verbs in Spanish, and learned about sexually transmitted diseases in Health class. Suddenly, all goes silent, and the subject is quickly changed to something else. One of the most controversial issues facing todays schools is whether or not sexual education, or sex ed, should continue to be taught to children. On one hand, some argue that it should, because children need to be properly educated on this topic and the potential consequences that can result from it. However, many others oppose this viewpoint, arguing that sex ed is a personal subject for parents to discuss with their children, and therefore does not belong in an academic setting. While both of these viewpoints have their strengths as well as their limitations, it is extremely important for sex ed to continue to be taught in todays schools. Not only will students be properly educated on how to prevent negative sexual outcomes, such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unintended pregnancies, but also on the wide range of topics related to sexual health, such as communication, relationships, and decision-making. Overall, sex education has both physical as well as emotional benefits for school-aged children. Of course, there are several reasonable objections to sexuality education curriculum being taught in todays schools. First, it is argued that  sexuality is an inappropriate topic to be taught in schools, for schools are a place to learn typical academic subjects such as Math, Science, or English. In addition, those who are against sex ed assert that sex is a personal matter and should only be taught to children by their parents. In other words, it is the parents responsibility to provide sexuality education for their own children (Goldman 5). This would be a reasonable point to make. After all, parents are the first and most readily accessible of all the teachers from whom children learn (Goldman 6). Further, children consistently report that they want to receive information from their parents regarding sex (Goldman 6), suggesting that they would rather learn about sexual activity from their parents than from teachers. Finally, opponents of sexuality education curriculum argue that teaching this topic in schools essentially condones teenage sex, and thus will result in more teens engaging in sexual activity. However, these opposing positions have their limitations. Researchers point out that sex ed is after all, an academic subject, so it is appropriate that it is included in schools curriculum (Hamilton, Sanders, and Anderman 3). Sex ed is not a class taught on its own, but rather a component of schools health classes. The problem is, people mistakenly believe that sex ed only refers to sexual behavior, such as sexual intercourse, and not the full array of topics that comprise sexuality (Implementing, par. 4). These topics include information on:  abstinence, body image, contraception, gender, human growth and development, human reproduction, pregnancy, relationships, safer sex (prevention of sexually transmitted infections), sexual attitudes and values, sexual anatomy and physiology, sexual behavior, sexual health, sexual orientation, and sexual pleasure. (Implementing, par. 4) From this information, it can be concluded that sex ed does not just discuss sexual activity as critics claim. Rather, it teaches students about several important life topics regarding sexual health and human relationships. The argument that parents should be the sole educators on sexuality has its  limitations as well. The fact is, not all parents are talking to their children about sex. A nationally representative survey commissioned by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health (CLAFH) revealed that 57% of parents either feel only slightly comfortable or uncomfortable talking to their children about sex and sexual health (Parents, par. 6). Also, additional research has shown that many parents do not provide relevant, timely, developmentally appropriate or even enough sexuality education for their own children, and the education they do provide is perceived by their children as infrequent and of poor quality (Goldman 6). So even if parents are talking to their children about sex, they may not be giving their children a proper or complete education. A study conducted on the salience and utility of school sexuality education for young men found that for most young men, school sex education appeared to be the only substantive source of information they had received on sexual matters (Goldman 8). Finally, if parents really feel that they are the best educators regarding sexuality and do not want schools teaching their children this topic, they have the right to pull their children out of the program. According to the California Department of Education, the law recognizes that parents have the ultimate responsibility for teaching their children about human sexuality and may choose to withdraw their children from this instruction (California Department of Education #15). Schools are required to notify parents at the beginning of the school year about planned comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS prevention education and give parents the opportunity to review materials as well as the opportunity to request in writing that their child not participate in the instruction (California Department of Education #15). In closing, sexual education is a vital component in todays academic curriculum, for it may be the only source from which some children receive accurate information regarding sexual health. Finally, there is the false belief that providing comprehensive sexual education in schools endorses sexual activity and will lead to more teenagers having sex. However, research shows just the opposite: knowledge of sexuality is much more likely to lead to informed decision making, delayed sexual intercourse, responsible interpersonal behavior, and  self-protection strategies (Goldman 7). In addition, a study that examined sex education in California public schools revealed that curriculum-based, comprehensive sexuality education, which involves instruction that includes a focus on abstinence, as well as inclusive information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases, has been shown to delay sexual activity (Combellick and Brindis 3). The belief that teaching children about sexual education endorses premarital sex is erroneous because school-based sex education has been shown to delay, rather than hasten, the onset of sexual activity (Goldman 7). It can now be seen tha t these three common objections to sexual education curriculum being included in todays schools have their limitations. Comprehensive sexual education programs can greatly benefit school-aged children. With this curriculum in place, children will receive a complete education on the risks associated with sex, such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unintentional pregnancies, and how to avoid these outcomes. This knowledge has been shown to decrease the number of unintentional teenage pregnancies as well as STDs. One study revealed that teenagers who received a comprehensive sex education were significantly less likely to report a teen pregnancy compared to those who received no sex education (Kohler, Manhart, and Lafferty). According to the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), this likelihood is about 50 percent lower, a tremendous finding. In addition, school-based sex education efficiently reduces the incidence of negative sexual outcomes as well as increases teenagers intentions to adopt safer sex behaviors (Kumar, Lim, Langford, Seabrook, Speechley, and Linch; Goldman 7). Thus, sexual education programs can play a tremendous role in reducing the number of teenage pregnancies and STD cases. In addition, sex education programs are necessary in todays schools because children are undergoing sexual development at much younger ages than in previous generations. Over the past decade or so, the age at which children start puberty has gone down considerably. According to WebMD.com, American boys are starting puberty at an average age of ten; two years earlier than the average age from twenty years ago (DeNoon par. 1). Similarly, girls tend  to start puberty around age eleven, but some can start as young as eight or nine years old (Watson). With the onset of puberty, children undergo many hormonal and physical changes that they may not fully understand without proper instruction. Furthermore, adolescence, defined as the ages between 10 and 19 years (Goldman 4), is a crucial stage in sexual development as well as for learning about healthy sexuality (Kumar; Goldman 20). In Goldmans study, surveyed children viewed puberty and its implications for the maturation of human development as a major part of their body, self-identity, and social and interpersonal norms (20). In other words, children are aware of the important role puberty plays in their physical, emotional, and social development. Thus, sexual education should remain a part of todays schools curriculum, so children will continue to be fully educated on the rapid physical and emotional changes they are undergoing. However, as is the case with all arguments, this position has its limitations. Students being educated about sexuality at school may feel like they do not need to discuss this topic with their parents. As a result, sexual education programs could indirectly discourage students from talking to their parents about sex. Additionally, even if schools are teaching comprehensive sexual education programs, some students may not retain all of the information they receive. One study found that a majority of the surveyed adolescents demonstrated significant gaps in sexual knowledge even though they had successfully completed their high school sex ed requirements (Kumar et al.). Finally, despite the fact that 22 states require public schools to teach sex ed, the United States still has the highest teen birth rate in the industrialized world: three out of ten girls in the U.S. will become pregnant at least once before their 20th birthday (State). In addition, about nine million cases of STDs occur among teenagers and young adults in the United States every year (Weinstock) even though 33 states require HIV/AIDS instruction in schools (State). However, these limitations do not take into account that 28 U.S. states do not require sexual education to be taught in public schools. As a result, not all students are receiving a complete education on sexuality, which includes instruction on how to prevent pregnancies and STDs. After all, only  about five percent of young people in the United States get a complete and comprehensive sexuality education (Goldman 19). In addition, only 14% of school districts in the U.S. permit comprehensive sexuality education to be offered to students (Goldman 15). Therefore, the high number of teen pregnancies and STD cases in the U.S. could be attributed to a lack of comprehensive sex education programs, not an overabundance of them. Overall, sexual education programs are an integral component of school-aged childrens academic curriculum, as much as the public has come to realize. More than 90% of parents of junior high and high school students believe that it is important for sex ed to be taught in the classroom (Facts #10). Moreover, teachers, parents, and students all agree that schools should provide quality sex ed, including knowledge, skills, and values, that will enable school-aged children to make timely choices and thought-out decisions for themselves (Goldman 20). Thus, it can be seen that sex education is already a widely supported component of elementary and secondary academic curriculum. Finally, sex education should continue to be taught in schools because it educates children on many important life skills. Sexuality has several different topics associated with it, such as human development, relationships, communication and decision making (Siecus par. 5.). When people think of sex ed, they generally do not think of these life skills. However, sex involves numerous life decisions, from choosing to abstain to choosing a birth control method. In addition, communication and relationships are an integral part of sexuality, because it is a union that involves two separate people. Plus, students who received a comprehensive sex education were more likely to report having better communication with their parents (Hamilton 5). Due to this wide array of topics covered, it is no wonder that high school sexual education classes received the highest average rating of usefulness among all listed sources (Kumar et al.). Sex education programs truly benefit todays school-age children in countless ways. There is no doubt that sex education in todays schools is a controversial  issue, however, it must continue to be taught. Children who do not receive proper instruction on this topic at home need a place where they can receive accurate information regarding sexuality. Furthermore, this academic subject will help students learn the skills necessary to make informed decisions regarding their sexual health and avoid negative sexual outcomes. Finally, it is so important for sex education to be taught in schools so that developing children can learn about their changing bodies as well as numerous important life skills. Sex education should no longer be viewed as an inappropriate topic to be taught in schools, but rather as an essential component of school-aged childrens education. Works Cited California Department of Education. Frequently Asked Questions. _CDE.CA.GOV._ California Department of Education, 19 Sep. 2013. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. Combellick, Sarah, MPH and Claire Brindis, DrPh. Uneven Progress: Sex Education in California Public Schools. _Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health,_ Nov. 2011. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. DeNoon, Daniel J. Earlier Puberty: Age 9 or 10 for Average U.S. Boy. _Children.WebMD.com._ WebMD LLC., 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. Goldman, Juliette D. G. Responding To Parental Objections To School Sexuality Education: A Selection Of 12 Objections. _Sex Education_ 8.4 (2008): 415-438. _Education Research Complete_. Web. 2 Nov. 2013 Hamilton, Rashea, Megan Sanders, and Eric M. Anderman. The Multiple Choices Of Sex Education. _Phi Delta Kappan_ 94.5 (2013): 34-39. _ERIC_. Web. 1 Nov. 2013. Kohler, Pamela, et al., Abstinence-Only and Comprehensive Sex Education and the Initiation of Sexual Activity and Teen Pregnancy, _Journal of Adolescent Health_ 42.4 (March 2008); 344-351. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. Kumar, Maya M., et al. Sexual Knowledge Of Canadian Adolescents After Completion Of High School Sexual Education Requirements. _Paediatrics Child Health (1205-7088)_ 18.2 (2013): 74-80. _Academic Search Complete._ Web. 1 Nov. 2013. National Conference of State Legislatures. State Policies on Sex Education in Schools. National Conference of State Legislatures, 1 July 2013. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. Planned Parenthood. _Implementing Sex Education._ Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc, 2013. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. Planned Parenthood. _New Poll: Parents are Talking With Their Kids About Sex but Often Not Tackling Harder Issues._ Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc, 3 Oct. 2011. Web. 3 Nov 2013. _Support the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act._ Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. Watson, Stephanie. Dealing with Early Puberty. _Teens.WebMD.com._ WebMD LLC., 17 Nov. 2011. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. Weinstock, H., et al., Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among American Youth: Incidence and Prevalence Estimates, 2000, _Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health_, 2004, 36(1):6-10. Web. 7 Nov. 2013