Leadership style Essay

The most successful leaders are those that have strong communication and interpersonal skills and fearless in bring about organization growth. Leadership means you have the ability to obtain followers by earning; loyalty, admiration, trust, respect, demonstrates courage and integrity, most important have a vision that is obtainable and vivid to others. Elevating and transcend people to a higher level of thinking brings about strong organizational infrastructure. This paper will review a historical leader and how he moved this country forward in a time of unrest. Dr. Martin Luther Jr was a transformational leader, not only in the African American community but all over the world. Leadership Style Dr. King had a vision that he was commitment to that transformed this country in a positive manner and changed people ways of thinking. Transformational leadership is a style of leading people by motivating, and transcending ones thinking to a great level, in addition his behaviors demonstrated his personal beliefs, courage, and away of inspiring others to reach goals and see themselves in a greater place. Successful Leader Dr. King was a great communicator along with being an active listener, not to mention he was able to articulate a vision and mission that could be attain, also emphasizing risks, challenges and his willingness to lead his follower by example in hopes of reaching goals together as a country. His inspirational speeches appealed to millions of people at every walk of life: rich and poor, black and white, as well as people in other countries. In being a great leader, he was able to being about racial equality and civil rights for humanity. He also received the Nobel Peace Prizes and his great leadership brought about a national holiday as part of his legacy. Comparison In perusing my degree, I understand the important of having strong leadership skills but also realizing the important of being people focused, as well. In completing the leadership assessment test, I was able to identify areas in which to work on, such as stimulating my team to establish an ongoing process to evaluate work progress, encourage develop of mechanisms of support and socialization which I need to research a little more for clarity. My score was high which identify to me the fundamental skills are present, but more development is needed. Out of all the leadership style that was looked at I would be a great transformational style of leader, because of the ability to influences, stimulate once intellect, and last bring about confidence in others. It is in my DNA I am a people person, granted leadership requires a level of authority, however, pointing out the fact that incorporating my strong communication and interpersonal skills will allow me to hear the needs of others, un derstanding the culture of the organization, yet encourage creativity, create an environment of positive outcomes and empower others to grow. Dr. King communicated nonviolence, showed humility, and not threaten to mentor other good leader to be better, clearly Dr. King accomplished historical goals because he was able to illustrate great leadership skills. Dr. King also believed in listening for others concerns and rights to undertake ways of bring positive outcomes through addressing the government, being jailed, and implementing marches, he did not except the status quo, but he seen a great future for this country. According to (McDonough, 2010) â€Å"Transformational leadership reevaluates organizational vision, values and mission. It renews a commitment to restructure systems to accomplish goals through building strong relationships couple with intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration.† I believe these characteristics are those that will allow me to become an effective leader. In my research, a term idealized influence came up this is a trait that is very important in leadership and one I would have to acquire and develop through experience. The traits includes having a strong ability to articulate visions and strategies to obtain goals, in addition, display confident and be optimistic in redirecting an organization into the future. I will surrounding myself with strong team players that  will embraces my visions and team methodology, more importantly always be able to see the big picture and look over the horizon for new ways to implement processes for quality services delivery. In summary, I understand the important of education, but more important recognizes my strengths and weakness as a leader and working to improve skills, also adopt a leadership style that fits my character, for this reason, leading should become a way of life and continual practices. Dr. King live to lead that’s what made him a great and accomplish leader that change this country. Reference Page Time Line of events of Dr. King (1994). Retrieved from http://www.lib.lsu.edu/hum/mlk/srs216.html McDonough, M. (2010, May). Characteristics of Transformational Leadership. The Hub for Bright Minds, (). Edwards, G (2011, January),Famous Examples of Different Leadership Styles. The Hub for Bright Minds.

Social Impacts of Smart Phone Addiction

There is a serious negative impact on social relationships with the widespread use of cell phones and smart phones. Notwithstanding the fact that technology allows people to be constantly connected to the world, it leads people to become even more disconnected from each other as well. The first evident change of the social norm Is that people are starting to have less real communication with others, and more plumbing.It has become a very common sight In today's society to snub someone In social setting by looking at a mobile phone Instead of paying attention to him or her. Besides, teenagers nowadays are testing all the time rather than chatting with friends and employees are receiving work-related phone calls or e-mails after work and even during holidays. It can Interrupt real social life. The Intimacy, one of basic human needs, Is hard to achieve or malting when a mobile phone keeps beeping with alerts, notifications, and e-mail reminders.To sustain good social life, It Is very Im portant for people to form meaningful relationships based upon mutual respect and sportiveness, and marked by a sense of loyalty, trust, and commitment with their family and friends in lieu of socializing online. Furthermore, reduced real life activities due to excessive use of mobile phones can bring isolation of individuals. People are becoming so distracted by their mobile phones that they are unable to make meaningful connections in social life.Some researchers even found that people re commonly choosing smartness instead of going to work or school and cultivating personal relationship. Some might contend that video chatting can substitute an actual meeting; however, it only provides a temporary solution in limited situations. Face-to-face interaction, which cannot be replaced with electronic devices, is absolutely essential for people. Therefore, people should not be so involved in their mobile phones and engage in actual human interaction.

Green cost to go green Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Green cost to go green - Research Paper Example None of the three is renewable and they also pose great dangers to the environment (Hargreaves). Although there is no fixed computation, different sources estimate another 50-120 years of supply of these sources of energy (McLamb). These could go shorter if the dependence accelerates. This is the primary reason that makes it critical for everyone to develop renewable sources of energy. Just like any revolutionary idea, renewable sources of energy are getting their fair share of criticism such as the high cost of initial installation. In the United States, Massachusetts is one of the States that are vigilant in pushing the growth of renewable energy sources. Solar panels, wind turbines and geothermal energy are the top three sources that are being developed. Below is critical examination of the current state of renewable sources of energy, legislations that are helping push it forward and the costs and savings that each source requires. Solar Panels Traditional energy sources are slow ly dwindling away, which one of the main reasons for sky rocketing energy bills experienced by most resident in Massachusetts. As a way to overcome this financial debacle and also to safe guard the energy needs of the nation, the government has look for ways to establish more cost efficient and renewable energy sources for the residents of Massachusetts. ... Current State of Solar Energy Solar power installation figures in Massachusetts are around 2,000 solar panels, which generate around 22 megawatts of electricity. Those figures are impressive but not big enough compared to the target the government has set for itself according to its energy portfolio standard. An energy portfolio standard is a regulation which seeks to increase the production of energy from renewable energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, etc. The Massachusetts renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) was created to legislate the restructuring of the electric utility industry. In the year 2003, the RPS required that 1% of electricity in Massachusetts should be generated from renewable energy sources. Thereafter, the percentage should increase by 0.5% every year up to 2009. After that, the annual percentage increase should be 1%, until suspended by the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources (DOER). With those types of targets in mind, the government would li ke to increase from the current production of 22 Mw to 400MW by the year 2020. This is quite a tall order to meet, and one the solution that Massachusetts has been able to use, is the establishment of the Common Wealth Solar Rebate Program. This program provides rebates through a non-competitive application process for the installation of solar (photovoltaic) panels, done by professional, licensed contractors at public, commercial, institutional and industrial facilities. Eligibility is limited to host customers and project sites, located in Massachusetts and be a customer of either a municipal lighting plant or a Massachusetts electric distribution utility. Under this program, there are several rebate systems that encourage both utility

Dead Men's Path Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dead Men's Path - Essay Example The basic and most difficult question to answer here is whether the people under consideration in this book adopt one culture or parts of it and simply and for surely reject the other one in the wake of trying circumstances, economic and socio-cultural pressures and so on and so forth. This paper speaks of the cultural clashes within the related domains. Cultural ramifications have haunted generations for a lengthy period of time and thus a need is discussed which significantly addresses the questions related with the social as well as the cultural facets present within any society in the times much like today. These linkages outline the need to understand the human psyche in a better and more cohesive fashion than was the case in the times gone by. In the work titled ‘Dead Man’s Path’, the author Chinua Achebe has discussed the role of Michael Obi and how his personal thinking of the topic at hand led to a conflict situation. His perception of the former culture resulted in disarray not only for himself but also for others as well. The writer has clearly shown that there was a certain sense of bad judgment on the part of Michael Obi from the onset in his thinking and understanding of the modernization in culture which essentially escorted its way through to a problem in the end. There was a general sense of bad approach being involved in the imposition of his views right from the very start. He has used the example of imposing modernization into traditional thinking and village-like beliefs. This, in all essence is a very bad example to say the least as he has been unable to come to terms with its understanding in the first place. Obi has mocked the beliefs and ideals of the village people which led to a fi ght with the priest. Thus it would not be wrong here to suggest that the attitude employed by Obi is not only insulting but also humiliating which in reality ends in nothing short of being remarked

Response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Response paper - Essay Example Then it is necessary to believe that it was compiled in the period when Jesus' disciples were alive. The mention of a murder in a temple that was found common in both Mathew and Luke indicates that the earlier version of "Q" was compiled after that, i.e. after the winter of 67/68. The usage of things in "Q" source by Mathew and Luke states that a Greek version of the text was also available before them. The most accepted form about the existence of "Q" is two-source hypothesis which was proposed by modern thinkers like Tuckett, Taylor (1953, 1959). This argument might have come from the fact that the composition of "Q" happened in different times and by different people. The first source can be considered as the earliest and the second source being the latest. The proclamations of judgment at the beginning and end of the document were directed against Israel. The usage of Greek in the source suggests that it can be the work of Galilean followers of Jesus. But there is a chance of Greek Diaspora outside the Galilean area contributing to text in "Q" like Paul who persecuted the Church with his Greek synagogues. This again confirms the time of compilation of the "Q" to the time of aftermath of winter of 67/68. ... 2. In what ways does God spell evoke the "silent film" era What might be its purpose for doing this Answer: The God spell evoked the "silent film" era in a manner of establishing the Jesus' command and divine authority. As the films were silent or narrated by background voice, the teachings and scriptures were minimized and the characterization of the Jesus as divine authority and his ascension to right hand of God was considered as the motto of the films. In doing so it reestablished the proclamation of divine authority than the scriptures and gospel. In silent film era more dramatization was required to exhibit the divineness of Jesus as there was very less chance of conversation. Though there was a conversation, it might present in the form of dialogues appearing on screen or a narration on backdrop. So the dramatization of events and the miracles used to play a major and key role in establishing the divineness of Jesus. The baptism of Jesus by John, the miracles of Christ, his crucification, resurrection, ascension come to the people in different ways in different era of the cinema. The God spell takes us to the dramatic and spiritual form of Jesus rather than historical Jesus in the latest films. In this manner it evokes our imagination about Jesus which can be compared with the sort of imagination that was formed in the minds of people by Jesus films in silent era. For instance in silent era more angles, more miracles, less gospel were used to fill the movie. As the time passes by the angles number decreased in the movies and the importance of scriptures increased there by. Though in God spell the singing of scriptures takes place, the importance was given for metaphoric baptism and for ascension

Panopticism by Foucault Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Panopticism by Foucault - Essay Example The main similarity between prisons and schools, hospitals, and working places is their functions and structure. The main resemblance is that the role and aim of the administration include the responsibility and control exercised by the state and by the nation. The relationship existing among levels of hierarchical administration, and the methods employed by each, constitute the major issues of policy. The fundamental criterion of efficiency in the administration of schools is to be found in the provision of educational opportunities for children and youth. The main function of prisons is a reformative function aimed to improve behavior patterns of criminals and their attitudes towards the society. The arrangements which make for high efficiency include freedom from partisan political control, the services of a competent professional staff, adequate support, satisfactory buildings and equipment, and programs adapted to the needs of individuals and to the society which the particular institution (a hospital or prison) are organized to serve. In this case, "prisons resemble factories, schools, barracks, hospitals" (Foucault 1995) based on universal and general principles applied to every organization. The approach suggests that organizations can be viewed as essentially the same and that there are few differences between organizations that cannot be overcome by the application of general principles. For instance, similar to regormative functions of prisons, "educational psychology is supposed to correct the rigours of the school, just as the medical or psychiatric interview is supposed to rectify" (Foucault 1995). It is not surprising that "prisons resemble factories, schools, barracks, hospitals" because bureaucratic hierarchical structure is a result of historical development of social institutions and control functions of the state. All institutions mentioned above are 'systems'. In this case, they are affected by its environment and have a structure which has both formal and informal elements. The structure covers how activities are grouped together, the number of levels in the hierarchy, the extent to which authority is decentralized to divisions and units, and the relationships that exist between different units and functions. All organizations have some form of more or less formalized structure which has been defined as comprising 'all the tangible and regularly occurring features which help to shape their members' behavior'. Structures incorporate a network of roles and relationships and are there to help in the process of ensuring that collective effort is explicitly organized to achi eve specified ends. The basic characteristic of prisons as a system is that it transforms inputs into outputs within its environment. The components of the system include the Importation of energy and throughput. Following Foucault "Panopticism of every day may well be below the level of emergence of the great apparatuses and the great political struggles". Similar to hospitals and schools, factories and barracks, prisons include key organizational processes - the major information gathering, communication, decision-making, matter/energy transporting and matter/energy converting actions of the organization's individuals and

Annual Reports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Annual Reports - Essay Example Such difference may arise from content organization of the major elements of an annual report or may be due to order of arrangement of the report’s sections. In content organization, and with major focus on presentation of financial items, the financial statements may be presented in either account form or in a report form. The major difference between the two forms is in their orientation. While the report format is horizontally presented, the account format is vertically presented. The financial statements can also be communicated in exact figures or round off figures. Similarly, a report can document each item of the financial statements or group items and present their cumulative values (Nikolai, Bazley and Jones, 2009). Reports may also vary in the order of presentation of the major elements such as financial statements, â€Å"management discussion and analysis,† â€Å"report on adequacy and internal control,† among other sections (Warren and Reeve, 2006, p. 681). A review of annual reports of McDonalds and Yum Brands communicates a number of differences in the organizations’ approach to communicating their annual reports. The first major difference is in the order of presentation of the reports sections. McDonalds’ annual report begins with management’s discussion and analysis of the corporation’s performance, both financial and operational. Presentation of financial statements that is facilitated by explanatory notes follows this before reports on the organization’s internal control system and reporting (McDonalds, 2011). Yum’s report however begins by presenting the annual meeting before accounting for the organization’s activities in which it presents financial statements. The reports’ outlines therefore communicate McDonalds focus on reporting its financial performance while Yum prioritizes information regarding its planned decisions on management and human resource. Both

Critiqueexhibition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critiqueexhibition - Essay Example Overall, the exhibition proved to be a pleasant display: very pleasing to the eyes and deserving of the audience's awe. The "Stylized Sculpture" exhibition does not use plaques or other writings to describe the works of art displayed. Rather, they have carefully placed black and white photographs of the fashions to show the true art form found within the garments; then mannequins are used to display the fashions near the photos. The surrounding walls are blank from text, colors, or other pictures. In their stead, the audience is given a brochure to explain each piece of art and fashion. These brochures include information about the fashion - such as the designer - as well as a detailed description of the accompanying work of art. The fashions appear in order of their design, from 1983 to 2007. The use of lighting on the mannequins helps emphasize the lines and forms of the fashions as displayed by Sugimoto's photographs. This brilliant use of lighting and lack of distracting materials made this exhibit unique and attention grabbing. My attention was drawn to exactly what the artist wished me to see: the form and sculptural essence apparent in Japanese fashions. The lighting used for this exhibition was carefully placed both to make the photographs easy to view and to enhance the shadows and forms of the fashions on the mannequins.

Dealing with Greenwashing in Hotels Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dealing with Greenwashing in Hotels - Essay Example With the current gradual shift of the market towards eco-sustainability, companies are finding it hard to operate in the conventional way, with customers putting more pressure to such hotels to comply with environmental sustainability requirements. The eco-tourism sector has many certifications based on eco –sustainability with hotels being awarded ratings and certifications depending on the level in which they comply with environmental standards. Consequently, there are a large number of hotels, pretending to offer eco-friendly services on the surface, with no tangible or practical results in the market today, as customers portray more preference to environmental sustainable services. This is known as greenwashing. This paper discusses the use of strict control and monitoring, and tough penalties as effective ways to discourage greenwashing in hotels. Gallicano (2011) describes ‘Greenwashing’ as the act of deliberately misleading consumers on the environmental pr actices adhered to by an establishment regarding their services and products. This term evolved from the public awareness where the public discovered there were major inconsistencies between companies’ actual behavior and claims regarding eco- -friendly practices, in order to hoodwink and attract more customers using high accreditation from environmental bodies such as LEED. Many companies have used such green-labels as marketing tools with nothing tangible to show with regard to environmental sustainability. Several hotels have developed signs that explain to guests that reusing towels will make savings that would be channeled to charity or environmental organizations (Gallicano, 2011). While such a move is a worthy cause and is supported by many guests, some companies do not end up meeting their bargain as customers are not privy to the internal working policies of such a hotel. Moreover, there are currently vague standards in the hotel industry that create loopholes for gr eenwashing to take place. A research by Dara O’Rourke an environment professor at the University of California noted that 33% of all food products released to the market in 2008 claiming to be natural made false claims. These foods made their way to hotels still claiming to be natural with guests being duped on the real nature of the foods (Erica & Aaron, 2010). 98% of the above foods were found to have a false claim, while 22% of the food products had green claims that could not be established, implying such claims were made to dupe the customers who may not be aware regarding green standards, with hotels serving such food to customers with the belief they are eco-friendly. To avoid greenwashing hotels have the responsibility of making a follow up of all their suppliers to ensure they adhere to green standards. The issue of greenwashing has sensitized customers to a large scale with more and more customers being vigil to the services offered in many tourism hotels across the globe, and particularly those claiming to have attained high levels of green certification. In July 2007, one of the highly influential blogs, TripplePundit.com that has received a large number of similar claims, had elaborate discussions indicating that Going Green has become serious deception in the hotel industry (Jessica, 2008). The blog analyzed some of the leading hotels that included Marriot Hotels, Fairmont Hotels and Starwood’s, all of which claimed to have been granted a LEED certification. From this blog, customers indicated thatch the best extent in which the companies could be claimed to have gone green is through the contribution of 1% of their revenue to local environmental groups. According to customers, most of the

Mechanical Engineering and Agriculture Essay Example for Free

Mechanical Engineering and Agriculture Essay Engineering is a rapidly developing career field. There are many reasons why I would like to become an engineer. I am interested in SIUE’s Mechanical Engineering program. Mechanical Engineering is an exciting career field. In my youth, I was constantly designing and building an assortment of contraptions out of LEGO’s and K’NEX pieces. These objects included rollercoasters, cars, buildings, tractors, and many other machines. Growing up on a farm, I have always been interested in agriculture. There are many reasons why I’m interested in the Mechanical Engineering program at SIUE. This program offers many challenges to its students while providing them with numerous opportunities to design and build many machines and devices. I have three cousins who are engineers. One of my cousins is a civil engineer, and the other two are mechanical engineers. The first mechanical engineer designs air ducts for commercial buildings. The second designs plastic containers for a variety of companies. While these are not related to my career interest, it shows the broad amount of jobs available to a mechanical engineer. This is another reason why this program interests me. In today’s economy, knowing there’s about a ten percent unemployment rate, the ability to have a very wide range set of skills is nearly a necessity. While building small toys out of plastic pieces is much different than designing the next rollercoaster, it is how I originally gained so much interest in engineering. At the age of seven, I received a rollercoaster K’NEX set for Christmas. We opened presents at about nine on Christmas Eve. By the time we were done, it was almost ten. I stayed up building the roller coaster and finished in about an hour and a half. The design was not very complex; however, it was taller than me at the time. I also built as many cars as possible out of my LEGO’s. The fact that it was always interesting, and still is, is the main reason why I am interested in engineering. Agriculture has had a major influence on my life. I live on a farm, and many people know the ups and downs of farm life. The fact that this career could give me the ability to work at a company like John Deere or Caterpillar is very exciting. Once I graduate, I plan to work in an agriculture related field. I have grown up around it and want to see the look on my dad’s face when I design him a better tractor or combine. The salary that comes with these jobs is also a bonus since I’m used to money being short at times. Engineering is one of the most interesting and broadest career fields today. I am very interested in Mechanical Engineering at SIUE. Whether I was building K’NEX rollercoasters or LEGO cars, I have been building since my youth. Growing up on a farm has given me background for my career interests and has been an important factor in choosing my major

Toys and development from theory to research

Toys and development from theory to research The first twelve months of a childs life are crucial for physical and cognitive development. At six months an infant should be able to reach for and grasp objects so that during months 6-12 they learn to transfer objects from one hand to the other, grasp a spoon across their palm, can sit without support, begin to crawl, pull themselves up and walk with assistance, and may begin to walk without assistance. These process of these developments are explained in cognitive theories. One of the most influential cognitive theorists of development is Jean Piaget (1896-1980). Piaget proposed that a child is born with a repertoire of sensory and motor schemes, such as looking, tasting, touching, hearing and reaching (Boyd Bee, 2009). Through the process of assimilation, accommodation, and equilibration, a childs schemes evolve into more complex mental schemes. Piaget proposed that this happens through the course of four stages: sensorimotor stage, pre-operational stage, concrete operational stage, and formal operational stage. It is the sensorimotor stage that concerns the development of schemes in an infant. During the sensorimotor stage, a baby understands the world through its senses and motor actions. In relation to the development of an infant from 6-12 months are Piagets substages of secondary circular reactions, and coordination of secondary schemes. Secondary circular reactions, which are noticeable around six months are an infants repetitive actions oriented around external objects. Also, at this stage, infants may show some signs of imitation, and an understanding of object concept (understanding of the nature of objects and how they behave) and object permanence (that objects continue to exist when they are out of sight) (Boyd Bee, 2009). At around 8 months of age, an infant reaches the fourth substage of Piagets sensorimotor stage the coordination of secondary schemes. In this stage, an infant begins to show an understanding for causal connections, which leads to means-end behaviour, purposeful behaviour carried out in pursuit of a specific goal. An infant can now combine schemes, and can transfer information from one sense to another (cross-modal perception). Another cognitive theory is that of Vygotskys sociocultural theory, which asserts that complex forms of thinking have their origins in social interaction rather than in an individuals private explorations (book). Vygotsky believed that a childs learning of new cognitive skills is guided by an adult (or a more skilled child/sibling) through scaffolding a structured learning experience which is most beneficial when adapted to the childs zone of proximal development (developmental level). Vygotsky also emphasizes the importance of active exploration, in particular, assisted discovery. Recommended Toys Little Bird Told Me Softly Snail Snuggle-time Play-mat and Gym This colourful, multi-textural play-mat contributes to the secondary circular reaction stage of Piagets sensorimotor stage. The mat is designed to develop fine motor skills with the help of its detachable rattle toys and teething rings. Features such as its musical antennae and baby safe mirror are included to help develop sensory schemes. The pillow, which comes with the play-mat, can help an infant to develop motor skills as it can be used as a chest support for tummy play, which can also encourage the development of gross motor skills such as rolling over, and crawling. This toy is also beneficial as it can assist infants in the coordination of secondary schemes, for example, the means-end behaviour of pressing the antennae to hear some music. This toy is also ideal for a 6 month old infant to learn through assisted discovery, as Vygotsky suggested. VTech Singing Nursery Rhyme Book This interactive book, which is full of rhymes and flashing lights, along with hide and seek functional features, of different colours and textures, is suitable for an infant of 6 months or older. This book is designed to stimulate the senses and improve hand to eye coordination. While it is an ideal toy to demonstrate Vygotskys assisted discovery with the help of an adult, it is also a toy that can help with Piagets secondary circular reactions and the coordination of such secondary schemes, such as understanding object permanence, and causal connections. This toy is also durable through further stages, as it is can help teach different language sounds, and colours. Fisher Price Rainforest Jumparoo This toy includes a variety of colours, textures, sounds, and moving toys. Not only does it encourage the development of fine motor skills through the use of toys, but it also encourages the development of gross motor skills such as standing, and turning. Jumping movements activate lights and sounds, which stimulate the infants senses, and also cause the movement of the hanging toys which help with the development of Piagets coordination of secondary schemes, e.g. intentional means-end behaviour, and cross-modal perception. This toy is full of features to facilitate Vygotskys assisted discovery, e.g. understanding cause and effect and encouraging hand-eye coordination. Go Go Caterpillar This small moving toy, suitable for 9 months plus, is colourful, and contains colourful and noisy beads within its wheels. It encourages the development of gross motor skills as it pushes the infant to crawl or continue after the toy. The toys also has letters and numbers on it, which through the help of Vygotskys scaffolding, can lead to the learning of different letter sounds. Also the simple process of pressing the toy to make it move encourages the development of Piagets coordination of secondary schemes, such as learning cause and effect through repetition, and developing cross-modal perception. Little Superstar Sing Along Stage This toy (suitable for 6 months and older) encourages singing, dancing, and discovery on a number of levels. It has colourful features, which each make unique noises, including rattles and buttons, and also has a lights display. Along with this is a microphone and instruments which play songs, and there is a built in child friendly mirror. The toy in general motivates expression and movement, and is ideal for assisted discovery, while the use of the instruments and microphone encourage the development of fine motor skills such as hand-eye coordination, and the coordination of schemes such as means-end behaviour. The colours, lights, and mirror function as sensory stimulants, while the toy as a whole helps develop the coordination of schemes, and encourages activity. Conclusion Overall, cognitive development in an infant is highly important. Piaget and Vygotsky both have cognitive theories to explain development, and while they both have limitations, they can both be applied to all of the five toys I have chosen as the best toys for physical and cognitive development of an infant, and in particular an infant between 6 and 12 months. For Piaget, the most important developments between these months are those secondary circular schemes, and the coordination of these schemes, including fine and gross motor skills, through assimilation, accommodation, and equilibration, while Vygotsky suggests that development occurs through social interactions guided through scaffolding, and assisted discovery.

Foreshadowing in Kate Chopins The Storm Essay -- Chopin Storm Essays

Foreshadowing in The Storm Effectively using foreshadowing in a piece of literature enhances the reader's curiosity. One clear example of such usage is seen in Kate Chopin's writing. Her use of foreshadowing in the short story "The Storm" adds an element of intrigue, holding the reader's interest throughout. In this story a father and son, Bobinôt and Bibi, are forced to remain in the store where they were shopping, waiting for an approaching storm to pass. Meanwhile, the wife and mother, Calixta, remaining at home, receives an unexpected visit from a former lover of hers, Alcée. The two lovers ultimately consummate their relationship. Alcée then departs once the storm subsides, at which time the father and son return home. No repercussions of the extramarital affair take place within the story. Perhaps the clearest examples of foreshadowing in "The Storm" are the made when Chopin introduces the storm, writes that Calixta and Alcée had never been alone together since her marriage, calls attention to Calixta unbuttoning her garment because of the heat, mentions the distance separating Calixta from her husband and son and describes Calixta's physical appearance. These areas of foreshadowing maintain the reader's interest in the story and prepare the readers for the turn of events. The first such signal given to the reader is found in the opening paragraph of the story. The atmosphere and the approaching storm are described and contrasted. The opening atmosphere's tranquility is apparent because "[t]he leaves were so still that even Bibi thought it was going to rain" (665). This stillness prior to the storm ... ...anate seed. Her white neck and a glimpse of her full, firm bosom disturbed him powerfully" (667). This passion leads to physical touching, congering up past passionate feelings towards one another, ultimately leading to their intercourse. As seen in "The Storm," Chopin makes good use of foreshadowing throughout the short story. Had Chopin omitted her foreshadowing, the story would have lost much of its believability. It also would create an irrational storyline in which the extramarital affair occurs without any explanation or rationale. This would more than likely cause the reader to discount the story as unrealistic. Therefore, it is crucial that one notices the vital role foreshadowing plays in literature. Chopin did an excellent job in convincingly describing the turn of events in "The Storm" by using foreshadowing to do so.

The Latin Image :: Latin Americans Romance Love Movies Essays

The Latin Image "The romantic and erotic Latin image implied recognition that Latin Americans and Romance peoples produced persons of great beauty and attractiveness."(Rios-Bustamante,21) The most predominant stereotype that surfaces in "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" and "The Mark of Zorro" is that of the Latin Lover. This stereotype may be portrayed in a more positive light because in comparison to other demeaning Latino roles in early American film, the Latin Lover is characterized by "suavity and sensuality, tenderness and sexual danger."(Ramirez Berg,115) According to Ramirez Berg, "this stereotype we owe to one star: Rudolph Valentino."(115) In "The Four Men of the Apocalypse", Valentino plays the character of Julio, a man "destined to bear the burden of allowing both his grandfather and his father to relive their lives through him." Alexander Walker speaks of the classic scene. "Few film entrances are as stunningly designed as Valentino's in 'The Four Men of the Apocalypse'†¦..the sequence loses nothing by being so calculatedly staged: the impact on audiences was instantaneous." This description shows the impact that Rudolph Valentino had on audiences as the original Latin Lover of the American cinema(even though he wasn't Latino.) Julio is suave and sensual throughout the film, particularly while seductively dancing the tango. Although he is portrayed as this dangerous lover who is "worshipped by his models", he is not depicted as a true hero until he offers to fight for his father's country in the war. It seems as though "he actually changes into a man of honor-what anyone least expected from this spoiled son of privilege†¦" http://www.mdle.com/ClassicFilms/FeaturedVideo/video16.1.htm In "The Mark of Zorro", Douglas Fairbanks plays the role of the dashing Zorro, the "almost mythical superhero who battles tyranny†¦defends the rights of both gentry and rabble equally." This film is a good example of the sensuous, desirable Latin Lover stereotype because Fairbanks is portrayed both with and without his "mask". When Fairbanks is playing the role of Zorro, he is strong, valiant, and romantic. "The girl is much more attracted to the dashing Zorro, who romances her in her garden one day." When he embodies the character of Don Diego Vega, he acts timid and weak, and has trouble winning Lolita's affection. The much stereotyped Latin Lover image was portrayed only by the masked man until the very last scene when Don Diego reveals his identity and protects the woman he loves.

Howl :: Howl

Howl   Allen Ginsberg's poem "Howl," has long been attacked as obscene for its graphic imagery and language. It includes shadowed symbolism, but also direct references to oral and anal sex, homosexuality, and drug use. However, according to Roth v. the United States (1957), "unless the book is entirely lacking in 'social importance', it cannot be held as 'obscene'." Only works with no redeeming social value may be banned on the grounds of their being obscene; any piece of writing with social value is protected by the first amendment to the Constitution.    By this definition, it is impossible to consider "Howl" obscene. Declared by literary experts to be "social criticism... a literary work that hurled ideological accusation after accusation against American society," "Howl" is not obscenity - the vulgar terms Ginsberg uses are intended to convey the meaning of the poem; they give insight to his life and his view of the world. The course language is used to portray the nightmarish world depicted by the poem, and though the author could have used other terms they would not have been as effective. "Howl" is effective in large part because it conveys violent emotions, and its vulgarity elicits an emotional response from the reader; obscenity is used to make a point, and not for its own sake.    Twice Ginsberg's book Howl and Other Poems, which contains "Howl", has been confiscated from bookstores with the claim that the book was not suitable for children. However, the City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, from which copies of the book were seized, did not carry books for children. "Howl" is certainly not appropriate for children, but no one has ever claimed otherwise. Howl and Other Poems was not being marketed for children, or as a children's book. If all works that contained material deemed inappropriate for children were removed from the shelves, the vast majority of what we consider

Locus of Control vs Quality of life Essay

The locus of control measures the rational one has on how they assess the nature of cause and effect in their life. Studies show that the measure of control one interprets they have on the incidents in their life the better quality of life they lead. This is the core concept of the relationship between locus of control and quality of life, as well as the main topic of debate for many scholars. In his study† Community Correlates of Outcomes in Subjects with Panic Attacks†, David A. Katerndahl utilizes structured interviews of randomly selected adults from 18 different census tracts to measure the way they perceive their lives. All of those studied are college students, and lack of control directly correlates with stress. Oddly enough, the stressors that apply to these students tend to be some of the same stressors that apply to the lives of everyday working people. For instance Katerndahl notes that one significant stressor all of the students shared had to do with an inadequacy over their income to rent ratio. He ultimately concludes that there is a direct connection that can be made between quality of life and the control one feels they have over occurrences. He connects this finding with cases of panic attacks. The 97 subjects with panic attacks included 78% females, 56% Hispanics, and 30% non-hispanic whites (Katerndahl, 2001). More than anything Katerndahl’s work serves as an adamant argument for women being vulnerable to life stressors and anxiety being a detriment to their health. One major problem in society that is mentally affecting women is the culture of thinness. There is a constant pressure placed on women to be attractive, thin, and fit into the valley girl image established by films As a result, women are more likely to develop eating disorders. Anorexia, an eating disorder that involves drastic fasting, and Bulimia, which consists of binge eating followed by any compensatory behavior, are virtually nonexistent in men (Katerndahl, 2001). Both of these disorders lead to serious health problems but anorexia ultimately leads to death by starvation. It is thought that these disorders are caused by a perceived lack of control in their lives; which is balanced by these women having complete control over their looks. Discrimination against unattractive or overweight women is an unspoken prejudice. This epidemic of attaining physical perfection is actually an unnecessary and harmful setback for women. Here the locus of control, or lack of control, these women feel prevalent in their lives leads to cases of bulimia, anorexia, and even death. While Katerndahl’s study seems to imply that women are more prone to anxiety and and feeling a lack of control. Biologically, research shows that men and women are actually not all that different. Pertaining to cognition, men are more suited for mental rotation, navigation using geometry and recognizing objects within visual backgrounds. Women show better memory for locating objects and navigating through the use of landmarks (Allen, Goldscheider, & Ciambrone, 1999; Baider et al. , 1995; Ben-Tov, 1992; Ptacek et al. , 1994). As far as motor skills, from age 3-5 years old onward, men show an exceptional accuracy at aiming projectiles, while women show the ability for exceptional speech rate and small amplitude coordination. Pertaining to math skills, men are best suited for solving abstract reasoning problems, while women tend to be statistically best at computation and calculation problem solving. As far as verbal abilities go, women show earlier development of virtually every aspect of verbal ability, verbal memory, spelling grammar and fluency (Oren & Sherer, 2001). When emotions come into play, men and women use different areas of their brains to control sexuality, but most of the chemical systems overlap and most of the social bonding is somehow connected to the sexual process. Men and women have different forms of aggression. In most mammals, men tend to be the aggressor; many forms of aggression are controlled through different neural pathways (Oren & Sherer, 2001). BNST manages ‘affective attack’; this region is sensitized by testosterone and desensitized by estrogen. AVP stimulation increases aggressive behavior and drives persistence; circuits for this neuron are also more prevalent in males than in Females (Allen, Goldscheider, & Ciambrone, 1999; Baider et al. , 1995; Ben-Tov, 1992; Ptacek et al. , 1994). The mild biological differences that exist between men and women can only be significantly contrast their methods of responding to stress when the stressor in some way capitalizes on either sex’s chemical weakness. For example, men are psychologically more prone to substance abuse; a man under the influence of a substance that inhibits or enhances the circulation of AVP would affect the testosterone levels in the male’s body, thus making him more or less aggressive. This shift in behavior would entirely be dependent on whether the male abuses substances as a coping strategy for stress. This would have the same effect for a woman, but men are more prone to this dysfunctional behavior. Oddly enough, maternal stress can lead to a drop testosterone development desynchronizing or preventing masculinization. Stress can also effect the human body’s ability to heal itself when sick or influence the method of coping with disease. The biological assessment of both men and women show that at the core of the human mind everyone has a similar breaking point or defining line that depending on circumstances could drive any individual toward a panic attack. Katerndahl’s end finding sums it up best when he say, â€Å"This study found that, with the exception of overall quality of life, all of the assessed outcomes were associated with at least one community factor, accounting for up to 15% of outcome variance. Although previous work found that country-level variables (i. e. , unemployment, gross national product) were not related to morbidity or work satisfaction [Benavides et al. , 2000], this does not imply a lack of impact by neighborhood level factors (Katerndahl, 2001). † Here he is basically pointing out that in all of the events that occurred in the lives of each respective college individual, all of the students at least felt that 15% of the effects they endured were caused by community events out of their control. Which is understandable, but it also suggests there is a window for perceived helplessness in the psyche of all individuals, a panic attack is just dependant on the measure of one’s locus of control. Everything has a cause and effect, and while an individual can dictate their course of actions, sometimes the effect can be unpredictable and completely controlled by community events. For example, Katerndahl mentions how a major source of anxiety for many people is maintaining an adequate rent to income ratio. An individual who has a weak sense of control might fall into a morbid depression over their income which is ultimately designated by the government, so they rightfully feel as though they are catching a bad break; but, they also have the option of working more hours, or bettering their education for higher pay. In this scenario the locus of control is decided by deeply one buys into the illusion of being without options. This is a characteristic that many of the scholars suggest is measured by socioeconomic factors, such as upbringing, family education, and the environment of one’s neighborhood. This is the core concept in Jerome J. Tobacyk’s work. In Tobacyk’s article Changes in Locus of Control Beliefs in Polish University Students Before and After Democratization, he argues that sociocultural changes through changes that occurred through the democratization of Poland ultimately allowed for shifts in the locus of control perceived by Polish citizens. He directly connects ones economic circumstance to the extent of which they can construct their life. He argues that the ability of one to reinvent themselves was seen as a luxury only accessible to the financial elite before Poland became a legitimate democracy. As he notes, â€Å"The recent dramatic democratization movement in Poland allowed a study of the effects of the transformation from an external control to an internal control sociocultural situation on individual locus of control beliefs. This study compares the locus of control beliefs of Polish university students before (in 1985) and just after (in 1991) the profound sociocultural change of democracy. Here it becomes clear that the imediet newfound belief that one can achieve entirely independent of heritage, race, religion, or sex has the ability to uplift the moral of an entire nation. The author further notes that, â€Å"The most dramatic transformation was the change toward internal control (ie. Autonomy, independence, self-determination) in the sociopolitical effort (Tobacyk, 2001). † In sum, with their studies, these scholars show that one’s perceived happiness is just a measure of the control they insist they have over their respective circumstances. They can only insist they have this control, because even this control is just based on perception. As Katerndahl’s study shows only a fool would live as though outside forces have no effect on one’s life just as a lunatic might believe their life is completely driven by predestined events. Work Cited Allen, S. M. , Goldscheider, F. , & Ciambrone, D. A. (1999). Gender roles, marital intimacy and nomination of spouse as primary caregiver. Gerontologist,39, 150–158. Almeida, D. M. , & Kessler, R. C. (1998) Everyday stressors and gender differences in daily. distress. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75,670–680 Long J. D. , & Williams R. L. (1988) The relationship of Locus of Control to Life Style Habits. Journal of Clinical Psychology, vol. 44, no. 2 Katerndahl, M. D. , M. A. (2001) Community Correlates of Outcomes in Subjects with Panic Attacks. Depression and Anxiety 13:194–197 Oren, N. , & Sherer, M. (2001). Cancer Patients and their Spouses: Gender and its Effect on Psychological and Social Adjustment. Journal of Health Psychology, 6(3), 329-338. Retrieved Sep. 18, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Simon%20Breedon/My%20Documents/Gender%20Differences-Coping%20with%20Stress. pdf. Tobacyk, J. (2001). Changes in Locus of Control Beliefs in Polish University Students Before and After Democratization. The Journal of Social Psychology, 132(2), 217-222

What Is an American

Brian Menezes 02/27/2013 ENG 98 Critical Summary Critical Summary of â€Å"What is an American? This historical perspective relates an important theme of the way that Americans are defined in â€Å"What is an America† by Jean De Crevecoeur. By using European cultural integration within the theme of being â€Å"American†, Crevecoeur essentially reveals how opportunity has made America a nation of many cultures and ethnicities. In being a new nation that could welcome the destitute of Europe to begin new lives, early America becomes the `dream' of wealth and prosperity for those that have the ourage and industriousness to be pioneers. This historical perspective is worth reading due to the information gathering techniques used by Crevecoeur in relation to the American Dream. † Upon reading Crevecoeur's â€Å" What is an American†, one will notice that the Frenchman's opinion of the United States is quite high, to say the least. In explaining his love for Ame rica, and what he feels it means to be â€Å"an American†, Crevecoeur draws comparisons between Europeans and Americans. One of the first points he brings up is the diversity of your typical American. They are a mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans, and Swedes. † (page 301). Crevecoeur believes that this melting pot, and the â€Å"strange mixture of blood† among colonists, is partially responsible for what makes America such a progressive and diverse nation. In addition, Crevecoeur praises those that live in the middle settlements for their â€Å"indulgences in government† (page 304), knowledge of religion, and desire to be citizens involved with the government. Europe, on the other hand, is lacking in these types. â€Å"What do I say? Europe has no such class of men; the early nowledge they acquire, the early bargains they make, give them a great degree of sagacity. † (Page 304). Crevecouer also believes that America offers to even the misfortunate a chance to attain wealth and happiness. â€Å"Can a wretch who wanders about, who works and starves, whose live is a continual scene of sore affliction or pinching penury, can that man call England or any other kingdom his country? â€Å", â€Å"a country that had no bread for him†¦ â€Å", â€Å"who met with nothing but frowns from the rich†¦ â€Å", â€Å"No! urged by a variety of motives, here they came. † (page 302).Opportunities are, according to Crevecouer, more abundant in America. This is why so many chose to emigrate here in the first place. In summary, â€Å"What is an American? † has presented characteristics of an American as enjoying freedoms and dignities absent in other continents, a descendant of a mixed European race, and an industrious and knowledgeable people in sciences and arts. Though a descendant of western pilgrims, Americans are unified people in a continent that allows them equitable rights and freedoms t hrough modern laws, political and economic systems, and social structures.

How Does Hosseini Tell the Story in Chapter 17? Essay

Chapter 17 is potentially the most important chapter in the novel for structuring the shape of the narrative and may be seen as the turning point in the novel. During this chapter, Amir is handed a letter by Hassan writing about his son Sohrab and how life in Kabul has changed dramatically since he and Baba fled to America. Rahim Khan explains how Hassan and Farzana were killed by the Taliban and as his dying wish, Amir must go and rescue Sohrab. It is revealed that Baba is Hassan’s father, making him and Amir half brothers. Hosseini uses 3 different narrative voices in chapter 17 opposed to other chapters with just Amir narrating. This gives us a much more personal perspective into Hassan’s life, adds realism to the narrative and how corrupt Kabul has now become. ‘†¦suddenly a young Talib ran over and hit her on the thighs with his wooden stick’, contrasting hugely with Amir and Hassan’s childhood. Amir’s usual retrospective first person narrative is present however Hosseini also uses the present tense to make Hassan’s death more emotive as we can imagine it more vividly as a reader. ‘Hassan slumps to the asphalt, his life of unrequited loyalty drifting from him like the windblown kites he used to chase. ’ Not only is this quote used so we can see Hassan dying but it links the whole novel together by using the recurring motif of kites, linking back to chapter 7 when he ‘chased’ the blue kite, and his ‘unrequited loyalty’ is evident throughout the majority of the novel, ‘Hassan never denied me anything’. Although Hassan’s death is foreshadowed however in chapter 16, ‘God help the Hazaras now’, Hosseini creates suspense and dramatic tension towards Hassan’s death by giving Amir the letter first before revealing his death, giving Amir hope and making the reader assume his journey to redemption would soon be over. ‘I dream that someday you will return to Kabul and re-visit the land of our childhood. If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you. ’ This quote again creates a more dramatic and emotive response to Hassan’s death both from the reader and Amir after Hassan’s optimistic and promising letter. Hassan’s death is instrumental in shaping the narrative of the novel and is arguably the turning point as it forces Amir to seek his redemption and debt to Hassan to Sohrab. The reason Amir came to visit Pakistan in the first place was to apologise to Hassan and being the only person alive and able, ‘Now everyone in that photo was either dead or dying. Except for me’, Amir was the only one left to save Sohrab from the Taliban and Assef. Another key event in the chapter is the unveiling of Hassan’s true father, Baba. Amir reacts badly to the news and Hosseini portrays this using Westernised language to contrast with Rahim Khan’s traditional language. His anger is emphasised through the repetition of ‘you goddamn bastards’. This contrasts with the earlier chapters in the novel where Amir always speaks to Rahim Khan politely and with respect and could represent the influence America has had on him. Finding out that Hassan and he were half-brothers also makes his decision to save Sohrab even more crucial and makes the reader more anxious to see whether or not he will betray Hassan again or redeem himself. His decision to save Sohrab is foreshadowed in chapter 14 when General Tahiri says ‘blood is a powerful thing, bachem, never forget that’ suggesting that the bond of blood and brotherhood is so strong, Amir must save Sohrab, his own blood relative in order to fully complete his journey to redemption and atone for his sins.

New Identity

I managed to talk to a friend who happens to know a Filipino, Amang Dado (Father Dado), a 75-year old farmer from the Quezon Province in the Philippines. He came from a family whose life has moved around in planting root crops sold at the local public market for three generations. He had his only son, Eleazar, who was able to study at the University of the Philippines in Manila. The Filipinos highly value education for they believe that it is the only way out of massive poverty especially in the rural areas which happened to include Amang Dado’s family. Eleazar was an intelligent college student and was also active in the school paper of the university. All that changed when Eleazar went missing after he was taken by the military after being mistaken for a communist rebel. It was the Martial Law Era under then President Marcos and he was never to be found again. This struck Amang Dado as his only son went missing up to this date. Since he was poor and would have to travel miles to get to the capital, he could not follow up the loss of his son if he really was dead or alive. Eleazer became part of the local term, â€Å"desaparasidos† or the missing. This changed his view on justice in a society he believed that vowed to help and protect citizens like him. His view on life suddenly changed as his only hope in getting out of their less-fortunate situation was stolen away from him and therefore depriving him of the opportunity of having a son. Next was the grandmother of another friend in California who also happened to be a Filipina who lived during the Second World War. At that time, she was 19 when the Japanese invaded the Philippines and declared Manila as an Open City. Not long after that, the Japanese held everyone hostages. Filipino and American soldiers prisoners-of-war after the Fall of Bataan. She told me that she was at the path of the infamous Death March of prisoners-of-war from Bataan to Tarlac, more than 150 miles apart. Not enough food was available, the currency was of no value, and worse, the Japanese soldiers kidnapped local women and brought them to the garrisons and held them as sex slaves, locally termed as comfort women. Lola Ida was one of them. I can feel the tears coming down from her eyes even from the phone as she recalls that fateful event in her life. She and the other comfort women were fed horrendously and were battered and were used up for sex by the Japanese soldiers continuously at their will. She even recalled a stick put up into her by one of the soldiers. This situation really stricken her as Filipino women value their dignity and virginity very highly and she was lucky to still be alive at the time of the liberation. The war not only destroyed the local economy, but entrenched into the society disrespect for gender. The notion of justice is through fear and all that the people could do is to stay alive. She was able to marry and migrate into where she was right now in Panorama City where she tried to forget the horrendous tragedies of war. â€Å"Life is all about standing up again after every fall†, said Lola Ida. Resiliency is one particular trait that not only Filipinos have but for the rest of the Asians as well. Part II: An Entry on my Autobiography: The Place I Live In I can say that I’m living in a quiet diverse neighborhood, wherein you see people who don’t look like you, or doesn’t speak like you. They have a different skin color, unlike mine which is brown. Well, the majority of people living in my neighborhood are Filipinos, which comprises more than 80% of the population. I have seen and met white people who occupy less than 10% of the total population. I have also seen some other Asian people wandering around like Korean students studying English, and some indigenous natives. These three, along with the other   foreign races in our community comprise only less than 10% of the total population combined. Comparing it with other American states, the number of whites in my neighborhood is a little more than the normal, but still has a significant presence of other races, which are not far behind compared to other states. This diversity has clearly put an interesting twist in living in our neighborhood. Since they are different from the rest of the brown population, I can’t help but think that they are not given a fair treatment by the rest of the brown population. This may be because of their appearance, wherein they are often looked down by the other members of the society. This includes every representative member of the society, from the household members, up to the leaders of the society. They may be given special attention by these people, or worse may even be ignored (Northampton). But because of their position in the society, they try their best to treat each and every member of the society with utmost fairness and equality. In my case, I’ve experienced getting ignored by a policeman when I asked for directions. It happened to me only once, I don’t know if it is because of the fact that I’m part Korean and looked like an American, and it is noticeable in my physical appearance. But that incident was not repeated, so I guess the policeman was just being rude or was having a bad day. In other instances that I asked for something from these community leaders, they try their best to address my inquiries and needs. I haven’t had any first hand experience or haven’t witnessed any instance that these community leaders treated other people from another race or culture differently, but I have a friend who was able to witness something like that. It was on a public office, when a clerk attended to the inquiries of a white person before a black man, even though the black man came to ask first. It is a public office, the office of the District Attorney, someone who is expected to help us in times of need. But if they act like this, they are marginalizing other people (â€Å"Demographic Profile†). The people in my neighborhood treat me normally; they don’t look down on me. I don’t know if it has to do with the color of my skin, but as far as I can remember, I was never treated indifferently by any of them. The worst experience (and hopefully the last) was being called an American-wannabe by my grade school teacher. I don’t know if it was intended to mock me because although I am Filipino, I looked like an American or just her way of addressing me, but I guess she based it on my look. She was pertaining to my physical appearance, but I have never considered it as a big deal. I have seen worse, especially to those people who have a different skin color. Well, addressing someone as white, or calling names like â€Å"whitie† can be considered as marginalizing, but what about beating someone because he’s white, or Asian, or whatever that is different from being normal? I have actually witnessed a black boy being beaten by three guys of his age, who happens to be rich brown Filipinos who are sons of a sugar plantation owner. They are calling names while punching him, until some policeman came by and chased them away. What does color have to do with his personality? Why do they have to resort to violence with small matters like a different color of skin or different accent? These are but some of my questions regarding the difference in cultural orientation which are still unanswered. When I was browsing some of my manuals and school readings, I happen to read by a phrase or Germans. It was about the previous World War II, wherein the Philippines was under the Axis powers, Japan in particular. It has an understatement saying that at that time that the Japanese are ruthless people who derive happiness from the hardships and sufferings of other people. But this is a hasty generalization. The text may be about the previous war, but it is not true that all Japanese are like that. Maybe it was pertaining to Emperor Hirohito and General Yamashita, the famous Japanese leaders who drove Filipinos, Koreans, and the Chinese to their painful deaths. But not all Japanese are like that person, they are but one of the few who has issues for themselves, not for the whole of the people from Japan. When it comes to entertainment and local media, the common people who are usually seen are brown people, addressing the needs of the brown population of our community. But they do feature other people in certain events which prove to be relevant. The most common instance that Chinese or Korean and Filipino people are featured by the media is when it comes to sporting events. They highlight various people who excel in some sports they are also featuring (â€Å"Football Unites, Racism Divides†). If a player who is from a different culture excels in that field and he advocates the media, he’ll surely end up getting presented. In relation to the people who are in leadership positions in my community, I could clearly say that they are the same as me when it comes to treating people from other races. I try not to consider their differences, and as much as possible, treat them fairly, just like any person in the community. I also encourage some of my friends to do so, just like what they do, promoting equality for all the people. The only difference I have from them is that I don’t have the power to make rules that protect these minorities from the cruelty of those who doesn’t see them equally. They can affect a larger number of people as compared to what I can do. People listen to them, as compared to a small voice such as I. They can make a difference, everything lies on their hands. They could punish those who treats the people with different cultural orientation unfairly, so that other people would not commit the same mistakes such as beating guys just because they are black, or mocking the people by calling their names pertaining to their culture. If given the chance that I can resolve inequalities in my community, I would like to resolve racism in grade school levels. It is undeniably a very alarming thought that even at the early age, there are kids that are already discriminating others. This is because they can see that there is really discrimination in the society, and it is said that in the eyes of a child, something that is awfully wrong can be perceived as a right thing to do (â€Å"Help Arrest the Racism in Your Community†). I would like to promote a fair, equal treatment to kids in these schools. Their exposure to racial discrimination is very crucial in the formation of their thoughts. These kids will grow with the thought of having hatred towards the minority, wherein they would marginalize these people and treat them as inferior to them. Childhood is the stage in a person’s life wherein we learn things, our orientations and preferences slowly developing, having a proper focus. If we could just let these kids see that racial discrimination is wrong, and then they would grow up with the belief that it is wrong, thus they won’t do it. With these in hand, we are assured of a better future for the marginalized minorities, since these kids view them as their equals. But if they are continually exposed to just injustice and unfair treatment, they would grow up thinking that they are more superior to these people. The preferences of a person are directly affected to race. The way they dress, their food preferences, they way they speak, the way they eat their food; these are all affected to or accounted to the person’s race. Looking closely, it could be a basis for judging a certain person, whether it is a constructive judgment, or destructive wherein you tend to destroy or stain the morality of a certain person. It is related to rave because these preferences are the basis of the race itself, how it is affected by each of these parts, and how important are they to race. References: â€Å"Demographic Profile†.   2005.   Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce. June 24 2007. . â€Å"Football Unites, Racism Divides†.   2004. June 24 2007. . â€Å"Help Arrest the Racism in Your Community†.   Miami, FL, 2007. June 24 2007.. Northampton, The committee for. â€Å"A Community Tackles Racism†.   1994.   Andrea Ayvazian. June 24 2007..         

Quiz Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Quiz - Assignment Example In order to identify with the UCC contract, the product that the parties exchange must exist, in the current case the product is the jet-ski. Article 2 of UCC governs every phase of transactions and describes remedies for problems that might arise. The contract involving Andy and the local Kawaskai dealership is effective when the parties exchange goods under the Uniform Commercial Code provisions. Unfortunately, the product broke down the second day. Andy decides to return the product back to the seller. The dealer refuses to refund the money that Andy demands (LII 1). The UCC has a clear description and remedies for problems that might arise in transactions. The law has a provision for warranty stating that a buyer can return goods to the seller in case the goods prove to be faulty within a specific period. Provisions for a warranty allow for replacement in case of a faulty product acquired from the buyer. The law only entitles Andy to get a replacement for goods and not receive a refund of the money. Andy’s action is unjustified and should only get a replacement for the jet-ski since he had entered into a contract. Section 2-725, is the Statute of limitation in the contract for sale. The law clarifies that parties must clarify any action of breach of contract within four years after initiating the course of action. Otherwise, the parties can as well shorten the time limitation to a period not less a year. The statement connotes that the buyer must notify the seller of any breach of contract within a specific period. The buyer and the seller can adjust the period from four years to not less than one year. Within the period, the buyer can notify the seller for any breach of contract. In section 2-601, there are provisions on breach in installment contracts that provide the buyer some rights on improper delivery. The provisions are, however, subject to sections of contractual limitations of remedy. If the seller declines to conform to all

Write a reading response based on the this article Essay

Write a reading response based on the this article - Essay Example At one point in the article, Honan talks about how he is going to go out of town and is debating about allowing his location to be tracked during this time period as it would make public that his wife would ultimately be alone for five days. His wife states at one point, â€Å"Youre not going to announce to everyone that youre leaving town without me, are you? A lot of weirdos follow you online."(Honan). I couldn’t help but agree with his wife’s consensus. Although there might not be that many weirdos running around out there with the intent to hurt others, it is still scary to think that someone could easily find out where you are and that you had basically handed out this information voluntarily. In reading this article, I was impressed to see all of the capabilities of technology with apps such as iWant, GasBag, and Wikime, but I also feel like there is an overload of it right now. A lot of these apps just don’t seem necessary and could end up causing more trouble than they are worth. By the end of the piece, Matthew Honan seems to agree with this somewhat when he nearly gets in a car crash because he was placing too much of his attention on his smart-phone and not enough attention on the road(Honan). I concluded from the article that with apps, the phrase â€Å"too much of a good thing† definitely applies. Honan , Matthew. "I Am Here: One Mans Experiment With the Location-Aware Lifestyle ." Wired.com . 19 Jan. 2009. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.

Zara Fashion Retailer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Zara Fashion Retailer - Assignment Example The paper "Zara Fashion Retailer Assignment" analyzes the success of Zara company. Zara’s success is mainly the result of their supply chain innovation, which means that unlike their competitors who often have to forecast the season’s fashion trends, and then wait another five months to sell them, Zara can deliver new styles and fashions in three to six weeks. This supply chain innovation was essential as the industry was prone to risks in mismatches of supply and demand, and this would result in disruption, longer waiting times and smaller margins of error (Kleindorfer 2004). To negate these effects Zara produces 50% of its products in-house, instead of outsourcing all manufacturing and production related processes. This has largely been made possible by Zara’s background, as Zara started life as a manufacturer. When Zara, as a manufacturer decided to compete in the retail sector, they became a retailer with manufacturing capacity (AI 2004). Instead of getting r id of this capacity, Zara identified this as an opportunity. This capacity also means that Zara is in possession of 18 manufacturing plants that are responsible for producing their fashion garments (AI 2004). Whilst other retailers are outsourcing to Asia and the Far East, Zara has integrated their manufacturing and retail aspects to minimise the uncertainties associated with long lead times, and predicting fashion trends months in advance. By outsourcing to outside the European continent or their home countries, Zara’s competitors.'s competitors are also introducing delays and errors in their business, as incorrect fashion predictions, could result in a massive loss of profits through dozens of unsold clothing. Clothing also needs to be stored, and as their competitors store large quantities, they have to store them in warehouses which add additional costs on the organisation. The risks of storing clothes in warehouses were recently highlighted by two separate cases in the m edia. In one case, fire gutted a warehouse used to store clothing for Primark and other retailers, and in another separate case, the European Union (EU) had placed quotas on clothing coming from China, which is were most retailers had outsourced their manufacturing and production. This resulted in significant delays and costs to these organisations, as they had to rectify a situation which could have been avoided. Zara also owns its own design and distribution teams that cover all the segments of retailing, further reducing any time delays with teams located in different locations, and it also ensures that their design and distribution quality is maintained as it is operated by people who understand the strategy and principles of Zara. Zara have managed to mass produce clothing with relatively higher levels of customisation than what normal mass production techniques would allow, but this is due to their smaller stock levels and the fact that they change their style on a frequent ba sis. This supply chain innovation seeks to eradicate the expenses and losses associated with mismatching demand and supply (Kleindorfer et al 2004). The current market demands that an organisation is able to deliver the goods and/or services as and when the customer demands. It is no longer acceptable for fashion retailers to delay trends for longer periods, so that they can get rid of existing stock. The stock sold at lower prices then represents a loss, as it would have taken up storage space further impeding on capacity. Customers also like to differentiate themselves and their own

PDP (personal development plan) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PDP (personal development plan) - Assignment Example I have always been a very independent person who prefers to work autonomously in nearly all aspects of academics and professional life. However, with the advent of internal business auditing and external auditing consultants that continuously monitor business function and adherence to accepted accounting standards, I realised that team-working was a very strong deficiency at the personal level. Auditing systems designed to measure compliance require collaboration between accounting professionals, management and a variety of external servicepersons which prevents autonomous working. Diagnostically, I discovered through secondary research literature that many companies do not rotate their auditing teams, which builds familiarity with business professionals throughout the organisation and familiarises auditing servicepersons sustaining years of tenure with business operations, accounting procedures relevant for the business, and social relationship development.1 This will require freque nt interaction, communication and collaboration with a variety of business professionals that will expect contribution to discussion and mutual respect. This tends to conflict with my traditional need to work in segregation from others in the organisation. Developing my cooperative abilities, therefore, was established as my SMART goal since it is going to be a realistic part of the accounting environment when entering the workplace. I determined that the most appropriate goal was to ensure that I gained experience working with others by purposely engaging myself with team activities both in-school and in terms of extracurricular activities. I decided that I would begin attending study sessions and attempt working collaboratively with individuals at the Student Union in order to prepare myself for partnered study and building a sense of inter-dependency with diverse individuals maintaining unique viewpoints. This was the most practical and viable methodology of learning teamwork,

Business economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business economics - Essay Example rgy resources, cause inundations, heat-related deaths and the fast spread of infectious diseases, as well as create serious damage to all industry sectors. Therefore, climate change is regarded nowadays as the negative outcome of the modern economic system, along with the process behind its making. It is a problem that addresses all the major players in both local and global economies: the operational factors, such as businesses, the regulatory factors, such as governments, the intellectual factors, such as foundations and universities (Echegaray, et al., 2008), as well as the citizens or the consumers, which, at their turn, establish the connections between the factors mentioned above. All of these entities have at least something to say about climate change, and while some of the discussions are focused on finding the guilty parties, on throwing the blame on someone for what has been already done, others are trying to find the appropriate solutions. I believe that businesses should understand that environmental awareness is crucial for their long-term sustainability. Companies should recognize climate change as a risk and establish special risk-assessment teams to indentify its impact on the company’s costs, supply chains, work practices and outputs. For example, if the winters will become warmer, energy costs will be lowered; however, at the same time, the summers will become hotter, which will increase the demand for air-conditioning. This way, a company’s costs distribution is changed based on environmental issues. Still, businesses should see climate change as an opportunity and a challenge to find new markets, develop new technologies as well as improve their image among average consumers. Studies have demonstrated that customers are most likely to absolve their guilt about their environmental footprint by buying products from a â€Å"greener† company. In other words, consuming trends will shift accord ing to which companies take the lead in using green

In what ways does Harrison Bergeron by Vonnegut and the ones who walk Coursework

In what ways does Harrison Bergeron by Vonnegut and the ones who walk away from the omelasLeGuin does dystopian works - Coursework Example Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula Le Guin are two examples of dystopian works. In both these stories, the authors give descriptions of futuristic societies that are majorly characterized by the concepts of perfection and equality. In Harrison Bergeron for instance, the author describes a futuristic society of 2081 in which the government has put controls in place to enhance equality in the society. In this society, no one is supposed to have an advantage over the other. Similarly, in The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, the story describes the peace, happiness and abundance enjoyed by the people of the city of Omelas, and the cots the society has to pay to enjoy these fortunes. In both stories, elements of dystopian societies are evident. In the story The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, the concept of a dystopian society is well brought out by the author’s description of the child that lives in a room with one door and no window. According to the author, the child has been neglected, and as a result, he may have become an imbecile due to poor nutrition and neglect. The people of Omela know that this child is suffering in the tiny room, and even some of them have come to see the child. However, they know that the child has to be there because all the things they enjoy- happiness, friendships, health of their children, good harvest- all depend on the child’s suffering. This is what is usually told to children whenever they get to the age of understanding. This is a clear illustration of a dystopian society in which propaganda is used to manipulate the people. In dystopian society, propaganda is used to control the citizens, just is the case in Omela. In addition, the author shows that even those who sympa thize with the child are afraid to do anything or leave the city. This is also an illustration of

Capital Budget. Disney park in River County Research Paper

Capital Budget. Disney park in River County - Research Paper Example The activity center will be the major area of operation for workers and where equipment will be stored. Also, from this place, daily operations involved running and management operations will be conducted. The center is also expected to generate revenue of approximately $500, 000 dollars annually once it has been fully constructed. This center is also expected to offer services like restaurants and hotel resorts, swimming pools, natural scenery viewpoints among other luxurious services (Finkler, 2010). It has been stated earlier on that Disney Park in River County was abandoned a long time ago. What remains are obsolete structures, the bulldozer will therefore be used to demolish those structures as plans for construction of a new activity center. The lifespan of the bulldozer, 8 years, makes financial. This is because it will be used to do heavy duties and as a result it is prone to wear and tear than the other assets. The two garbage trucks are expected to serve for 10 years. It is expected that these trucks, costing $300, 000, will enable the attainment of the project’s purpose. In addition to that, they will also be used in maintaining the cleanness of the County (Bierman, Harold & Seymour, 2005). Furthermore, River County can lease or rent the trucks to private organizations leading to generation of revenue. It is therefore expected that within a period of 10 years the trucks will have served purposes worth of their purchase.

Positive Impact of Guidance Counselors Essay Example for Free

Positive Impact of Guidance Counselors Essay A school counselor, usually called a guidance counselor, is one who helps guide students through different aspects of their life whether it be academic, career, college, or social aspects from grades K-12. At some levels a guidance counselor may help students with bullying or a bad home life, and at other levels they help students stay on track and guide them down the right academic path for the student’s success and graduation. No matter what direction the guidance counselor is going, their mind set is always one that will have a positive impact on their school climate and culture. Guidance counselors have the ability to work collaboratively with other educators to make program changes necessary to help prevent students from dropping out of school. With the help of the counselor, students can be directed down correct paths that will prevent student drop outs, thus positively affecting the school climate and culture. An effective guidance counselor will also spend time with troubled students helping them work through their issues, thus creating a better classroom environment for the teachers. When troubled students are receiving the help they need outside the classroom, teachers can maintain an orderly environment free of disruptions, and therefore higher learning can take place. This is yet another example of the positive impact that the counselor has on school climate and culture. The school culture is positively affected by counselors yet again due to the fact that guidance counselors help connect the school with the community, and the school with the parents. Counselors help connect the family as a whole to the educational process by having informative sessions with the community in regards to things like: how to file the FAFSA; explaining what test scores mean; offering help with ACT study sessions, etc. Counselors also send home informative newsletters keeping the parents and community informed about what’s going on inside the school building. In conclusion, it is evident that a school counselor has numerous positive impacts on a school’s climate and culture. They are an irreplaceable resource for the students, school, and the community. Without their presence, schools and students could not and would not be where they are today.

Foreign Direct Investment in China in last 10 years Essay Example for Free

Foreign Direct Investment in China in last 10 years Essay Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a long-term investment by a foreign investor and is considered a key component of national development strategies across all countries over the globe. This type of investment boosts the economic growth of a country through its positive impact on the country’s domestic capital, productivity, and employment statistics. FDI is the lifeblood of a growing economy that provides the host country benefits of increased labor standards and skills, transfer of new technology and innovative ideas, improved infrastructure and conducive business environment. It is a leading source of external financing. Countries that have stable market conditions coupled with high productivity, low costs of labor, effective government policies and adequate infrastructure facilities are considered to be the most favored destinations for foreign investment companies. Liberalization of economies has opened doors for many countries into the emerging markets of the developing nations such as China and India. The Chinese Economy The Chinese economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. It has emerged from being an economy with virtually no foreign investment in the late 1970s to a country that attracts one of the largest amounts of foreign investment from investors across the globe. The increasing openness of the Chinese economy to foreign direct investment has contributed immensely to its exceptional growth and development. The increase in foreign direct investment in China has contributed to higher investment, and growth in productivity, greater employment opportunities, and a dynamic export sector. China is one of the most populous countries in the world with more than 1. 3 billion people with an annual growth rate of 0. 8%. It has taken adequate measures to curb its rising population figures and this has made a positive impact on its growth rate. The population density is approximately 136 persons per square kilometer with most of the people (almost 60 percent) living in rural areas. Life expectancy is also higher in this country than most developing nations across the globe. The country also has high literacy rate of 91 percent. The Chinese economy witnessed a slow but dramatic growth over the past twenty years. It has transformed from a poor economy with relatively low per capita income to the world’s fastest growing economy. The Chinese economy has emerged as a market-oriented economy that has become a dominant figure in world trade. The country has increased its interaction with international economy that has resulted in increased foreign trade and gross national product (GNP). The Chinese economy grew at 11. 4 percent in the year 2007. As per the FDI Confidence Index compiled by A. T. Kearney in the year 2005, China hold the first position followed by India and United States. China is currently the world’s fourth largest economy and it has expanded by at least 10 percent annually in the last four years. Foreign direct investment in China rose by 4. 5 percent in the year 2006 to approximately US$ 63 billion. The country’s foreign currency reserves are the world’s largest and primarily derived from the trade surplus that rose to almost US$ 177. 5 billion in the year 2006. FDI investment trend in the past 10 years Foreign direct investment sector in China has spelled success over the past ten years. It has increased from a mere US$ 19 billion in the year 1990 to more than US$ 700 billion in the year 2007. A glance at the capital and financial account item’s surplus in the past few years reveal that the foreign direct investment has made great contributions to the foreign exchange reserve accumulation. Besides this the FDI has a stabilizing influence on the country’s economy. This is largely due to the long-term commitment that FDI stands for while establishing foreign affiliates. Most developing countries hence are adopting policy reforms to attract more foreign investment into the country. China has accounted for more than one-third of the gross FDI flows to all emerging markets over the past decade. Despite the weakening of the global markets in the recent years, China has remained an essentially fast growing economy. The country’s capital inflows have been dominated by FDI that has made significant contribution to stabilizing the economy along with other associated benefits such as technological transfers and increasing managerial expertise. In 2007 the overall FDI inflows into China totaled US$ 82. 7 billion that is a 13. 8 percent increase from the previous year figures. The total number of deals dropped by almost 8 percent in the year 2006 from 44,019 in the year 2005 to 41,485 in the 2006. The increasing appreciation of the local currency renminbi during the period and the subsequent impact on the market was responsible for this drop. The year 2007 saw only 37,888 foreign investment deals, a drop of 8. 7 percent from the previous year figures. But the value of the FDI was significantly larger than the previous statistics. Wholly foreign-owned enterprises represented almost 78 percent of all foreign investments followed by equity joint ventures and contractual joint ventures. Continuous foreign capital inflow has rendered the Chinese economy the prime position in global context in terms of attracting foreign investment. The country accounts for an investment of foreign capital funds totaling US$ 8589 million by 5136 new foreign corporations between the period January to February 2006. The major sources of FDI in China are Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. Among other investors the prominent countries are United States, Taiwan, Cayman Islands, Western Samoa, and Mauritius. These top ten countries together account for 87. 2 percent of total FDI inflows into China. The manufacturing sector accounted for nearly 57. 7 percent totaling US$ 40. 1 billion of the total FDI inflows in the year 2006 followed by 11. 9 percent equivalent to US$ 8. 2 billion in the real estate sector. Other prominent sectors that reflect increasing foreign investment are leasing and business services (US$ 4. 2 billion), transport (US$ 2. 0 billion), wholesale and retailing (US$ 1. 8 billion). Low cost of manufacturing, increasingly wealthy consumer market comprising of 1. 3 billion people are attracting larger number of foreign companies to establish their outlets in China. The large-scale investment by foreign investors has helped in pushing the nation’s foreign currency reserves to almost US$ 1. 2 trillion that is quite high by global standards. The FDI outflow of China received significant attention in the year 2007 due to the creation of People’s Republic of China’s sovereign wealth fund, the China Investment Corp. and several other high profile investments and acquisitions. China Investment Corp. purchased a stake of US$ 3 billion in Blackstone and 9. 9 percent stake of Morgan Stanley worth US$ 5 billion in the year 2006. The statistics of the total FDI outflow in the year 2006 reveal a total figure of US$ 21. 2 billion that is an increase of nearly 73 percent over the previous year figures. The State owned enterprises accounted for almost 86 percent of this total FDI outflow. The FDI outflow in the country is spread across 172 destinations across the world. The largest share of the FDI outflow from China is received by Latin America followed by Asia, Cayman Islands, and Hong Kong. The prime regional sources of China’s overseas investments are Guangdong, Shanghai, Shandong, Jiangsu, Fujian, Hainan, Hebei, and Beijing. Balance of Payments trend in the past 10 years Over the last ten years China’s Balance of Payments (BOP) kept its current and capital accounts in surplus constantly. The annual total scale of BOP accounts’ increased by 31. 6 percent during the period 1984 – 2004 when foreign reserves increased from US$ 0. 054 trillion to US$ 1. 91. In the first half of the year 2005, the BOP raised to US$ 1. 14 trillion that is an increase of 25. 3 percent over the previous year figures. There is a complimentary relationship between the growth of FDI and international trades. The trades and foreign investment have immense impact on the position of balance of payment, in terms of growth in international business activities. Source: International Financial Statistics July 2007, International Monetary Fund The changes in economic policies adopted and implemented by the Chinese government have made tremendous impact on its trade and balance of payments. The opening of the economy and its gradual move towards a market-oriented economy has made significant impact on the trade balances and foreign funds inflow into the country. A look at the balance of payments figures indicates that the current account surpluses and foreign direct investment have remained important contributors to accumulation of foreign exchange reserves in China. The trade surplus widened to over 177 billion dollars in 2006 to 262 billion dollars in the year 2007. The Government of China is planning to stimulate imports and streamline exports in the coming years. GDP and Inflation Trend in China GDP has shown a healthy growth trend over the past decade in China. Individuals have become richer with annual GDP rising from US$ 8,440 billion in the year 1998 to US$ 24,661 billion in the year 2007. The real GDP growth in the year 2007 was 11. 4 percent raised from 11. 1 percent in the year 2006. The 11. 4 percent GDP growth rate is the highest for China in the last 13 years and it is expected that the GDP will grow 10 percent in the forthcoming year. The economic growth in China was expected to slow down in the year 2007 due to the global market slump. However the rising oil prices across the globe has not made much of an impact so far on the Chinese economy due to the huge amounts of foreign investment in the country. But Chinese economy being more dependent on international trade will face a slow down eventually. Economists predict that the rising consumption pattern will have a slow down impact on the GDP growth rate in the year 2008. It is expected that the Chinese exports will slow down from 26 percent in the year 2007 to 19 percent in 2008. This is mainly accountable to the weakening global market demand and cuts in export rebates. A look at the inflation in China reveals a steadily growing curve. Inflation reached a high of 4. 8 percent in the year 2007 from 1. 5 percent in the year 2006. The rising inflation has reached the peak within the decade. It is expected that the inflation will continue to rise in the forthcoming years with percentage rising to more than 7 in the year 2008. The rising global price of oil has made significant impact on the market prices of goods and commodities in China. This has led to rising consumer oil prices and food prices, and producer price index. Inflation has spread to the service sector as well indicating rising cost of labor in the country. The consumer price index rose by 4. 5 percent in the urban areas and by 5. 4 percent in the rural areas in the year 2007. The rise in inflation is mainly attributed to increased food prices and housing sector. This is becoming a matter of concern for the Chinese economy since the escalating prices can have a negative impact on the overall economic growth. The Chinese government is trying to control inflation adopting strict monetary and trade regulations. Unemployment trend The per capita disposable income was 13,786 yuan in the year 2007 that is a growth of 17. 2 percent from over the previous year figure of 11,759 yuan. The rural per capita disposable income was 4140 yuan in the year 2007 that is a growth of almost 15. 4 percent over the previous year figure of 3587 yuan. The employment figures also raised in the past few years steadily both in the urban and rural sectors. The number of employed people in urban areas reached 12. 04 million people in the year 2007 an increase of 200,000 people over the previous year statistics. China has generated almost 51 million jobs in the past five years in the urban areas. Statistics reveal that there are about 20 million new job seekers in the country every year and the economy is able to provide approximately 12 million jobs per year. Government efforts are directed towards generating more jobs. The country has implemented active employment policies since the year 2002 that has increased the number of employed people from 8. 4 million to 12. 04 million in the last year. Impact of FDI on the Chinese Economy The past few years has witnessed the emerging of China’s economy as the most successful in the world utilizing the inflow of foreign direct investment towards its economic development. The key driving force towards this economic mobilization is the opening up of the Chinese economy to foreign trade and investment. The opening of the economy with subsequent rise in foreign direct investment has contributed immensely to its exceptional growth and development. The foreign direct investment has made a positive impact on the country’s balance of payments. Besides this the impact has been favorable on the country’s GDP growth rate. It has not only raised GDP growth by adding to capital formation but also has contributed to higher GDP growth through its effect on total productivity. The establishment of foreign funded enterprises has directly contributed to the GDP growth an introduction of new technologies and management skills. The growth in industrial establishments and service sector has created new employment opportunities and this is seen as a significant contributor to economic development in China. Moreover, the foreign direct investment has assisted in establishing a highly competitive manufacturing sector in the country. This has contributed immensely to the rising exports and the country’s participation in world trade. References: 1. Foreign Direct Investment in China: International Monetary Fund, 2002 http://www. imf. org/external/pubs/ft/pdp/2002/pdp03. pdf accessed on 9th April, 2008 2. The US-China Business Council – Forecast 2008 China’s Economy http://uschina. org/public/documents/2008/02/2008-china-economy. pdf accessed on 9th April, 2008 3. ADB: China’s GDP to grow 10% in 08, inflation at 5. 5% http://www. chinadaily. com. cn/china/2008-04/02/content_6587641. htm accessed on 9th April, 2008 4. Chinese Inflation hits highest level in more than a decade, Feb 20, 2008 http://www. iht. com/articles/2008/02/19/business/yuan. php accessed on 9th April, 2008 5. National Bureau of Statistics of China http://www. stats. gov. cn/english/statisticaldata/yearlydata/ accessed on 9th April, 2008