Investigation of the crime or unlawful activity Essay

Investigation of the crime or unlawful activity - Essay Example For private investigators, their own learning and experience is the key. When in police as detectives in local, state, or federal agencies, the minimal educational requirement is high school diploma. Some departments may require 1 or 2 years of the college course or in some cases, a college degree. But most of them learn their skills from the intensive training in their agency’s police academy. They are supposed to comply with the law whether on or off duty. Besides, investigative agencies may hire specialized professionals such as forensic experts in case of the criminal investigation, CPA or other qualified management experts in case of the financial scam, depending upon the services required. Many such services are hired on the freelance basis. Expectations from society are high as they are seen as authority and the reliable figures to provide leadership and take charge of the situation.

Prewriting Assignment Essay Example for Free

Prewriting Assignment Essay Times I Saw an Adult Cry I. I was very young when I first saw an adult cry.   I did not actually see an adult cry in person; I saw it on television.   Nonetheless, it was the first time I have seen an adult shed tears.   That night, I was at home with the babysitter when my mother left to run some errands.   I remember that the babysitter tucked me to my bed early and I immediately fell asleep.   After some time, I was awakened by the sounds of people talking.    It was rather loud, and I could hear the voices of a man and a woman in conversation. Out of curiosity, I got out of bed and opened the bedroom door.   At first, I thought that maybe the babysitter had some company. So I carefully walked downstairs to the den, where the babysitter usually stays.   I took a peek and found her alone.   The sounds I heard came from the television; she was only watching a movie.   I remember that it was an old movie, as it was in black and white.   To my surprise, the woman in the movie began to cry.   I was surprised because I have never seen the adults in my house cry.   I thought crying were only for babies and young children.   After that, I learned that adults can also cry. II. When I was younger, my family and I were on a road trip. The trip was generally smooth, until my father decided to take a short cut.   He was driving the car, and he turned left to a narrow dirt road.   It proved to be a wrong decision; the road led to a cemetery, where a burial was taking place.   The width of the road made it difficult to pass through, but the parked cars on both sides of the road made it more problematic. The traffic caused my father to drive slowly, allowing me to witness the burial.   I saw all of the mourners; all of them were dressed in black.   However, a man stood out in the crowd out of his sheer size. As a child, I was terrified of bald, stocky men.   They all seemed intimidating to me. The man in the cemetery was tall, stocky and bald.   Because he appeared intimidating, I did not expect him to cry in the burial. I was not used to seeing men cry, especially those of his size.   I was expecting him to be simply serious but not emotional.   Besides, it was said that men do not cry.   As we drove past the cemetery, I caught a glimpse of him pulling out a handkerchief and wiping his eyes.   He was indeed crying.   I contemplated that maybe the grief over the loss of a loved one may have been too much to bear, that it prompted a seemingly intimidating man to cry. III. Our next door neighbor was a woman with two children.   The woman had fair skin and dark curly hair. She was remarkably thin and was rarely seen at home.   My mother said that she worked two jobs so she could pay the rent and feed her children. I always liked her because whenever she was around, she would smile at me and her eyes would seem to smile too. She had those distinct smiling eyes.   One day, my mother and I went out of the house as we were hearing loud noises from her home. We saw this tall man coming out of her house, dragging the children with him. She was screaming while grabbing on to the man’s arm. She tried to stop him, but her small frame was no match to the man’s physique. The children were shouting for their mother as the man dragged them into the car. The man immediately hopped in the driver’s seat, closed the door, and drove away.   The woman just stood there in the street, her eyes still fixed on the car that just disappeared. A minute later, she bowed her head and covered her face with her hands. Then she began to cry.   Her cries became louder, and soon all our neighbors were already watching her.    I later found out that the man was her former husband and her children’s father. She worked so hard to take care of her children, only for them to be taken away from her.   I never saw her smiling eyes again.   She soon moved out. I believe it was after that incident when I truly began to have respect for single mothers who work hard to take care of their kids. IV. I am used to witnessing marriage proposals on television.   I have seen programs wherein the men would go down on one knee and the woman would then gasp in shock, cover their mouths with their hands and become motionless for a few seconds. Afterwards, they would become hysterical in glee. In the past, I thought that such moments were too emotional.   My opinion changed when I witnessed a marriage proposal firsthand.   I was in a coffee shop with a friend when a couple entered. They looked like the average couple; nothing seemed extraordinary about the two of them. The woman took her seat, while the man went to the counter to order.   I did not pay them much attention afterwards. It was not until much later when I realized they were deaf-mute, when I noticed that they were using sign language. I did not expect a proposal to occur, not in a coffee shop.   So when I saw the man go down on one knee, I was taken aback.   My friend and I watched closely, along with the other customers, as the woman nodded and hugged his future husband.   As the people in the shop cheered, tears were streaming down her face. Unlike other women, she did not overreact.   She was just happy, and her tears showed it.   I guess true love does make people happy, and the happiness does not have to be showy to be expressed. V. One time, I had the chance to watch The Oprah Winfrey Show.   I can remember that the episode featured a middle-aged African-American woman who took care of many children.   I cannot recall if she was married, but I know she had three children.   When the woman’s siblings died, she took the responsibility of raising them as well.   She and the children had to cram themselves in a small three-bedroom house.   She worked several jobs to support these kids, most of which are not even her own.   The problem was that the home was not hers and if she did not pay a certain amount within the specified time, they would be evicted. The woman and the children were invited to the show where they were to receive gifts from Oprah. They were given things they needed; they received new beds, kitchen appliances, and even a van.   However, the biggest surprise of all was when Oprah announced that they would be shopping for a new home. The woman hugged Oprah tight, and wiped the tears running down her face.   I knew the woman was happy because of all the material things she received. Most importantly, I know those tears were of gratitude.   It was not the material things per se that she was grateful for; she was thankful for the help that those things could offer her and the children.   I knew she deserved those things for all her dedication and hard work. Still, she was very grateful.

Nathaniel Hawthorne: No Ordinary Author Essay -- Biography Biographies

  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Romantic Period served as a breeding ground for some of America's most extraordinary authors.   Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Ralph Waldo Emerson are just some of the names that graced this Golden Era of American literature.   Great as they were, these men still lacked a significant amount of originality.   Relating their themes and structures results in little to no variation.   One author, though born into the era of Romanticism dared to expand the possibilities nineteenth - century literature had to offer.   Through works such as "Young Goodman Brown," "The Minister's Black Veil," and "The Birthmark," Nathaniel Hawthorne incorporated Romanticism into his own style.   Including ordinary men, such as Mr. Hooper, Goodman Brown, and Aylmer helped to classify Hawthorne as a semi-Romantic author.   Other Romantic characteristics were found in his stories as well.   Symbolism, man's connection to nature, and t he supernatural are all also present in most of his tales.   But, most importantly, Hawthorne was remembered for breaking the rules and adding his own touch.   He told allegories and parables concerned about his concept of the "unpardonable sin," always including the character's trials from obsession to alienation to finally a loss of soul.   Careful review of his work probes the fact that fitting into a dictating society is not only boring but dangerously ordinary.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Nathaniel Hawthorne's stories, like many Romantic stories, the characters are ordinary people with superstitious beliefs.   In "Young Goodman Brown," Goodman Brown is an everyday Salem citizen.   He faces many of the problems tackled by other New England Puritans.   He has a lapse in faith and is ... ...he rules is the best thing to do.   After all, no one remembers ordinary people.    Works Cited Bruckner, Sally. "The Scarlet Letter." Masterplots. Vol 10. Ed.    Frank N. Magill. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1966. 5849-51. Hawthorne, Nathaniel.   "The Birthmark."   Hawthorne's Short Stories.   Ed.   Newton Arvin.   New York: Alfred A. Knoph,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1959.   177-93. ---.   "The Minister's Black Veil."   Adventures in American Literature.   Chicago:   Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1989.   256-63. ---.   "Young Goodman Brown."   The Complete Novels and Selected   Ã‚   Tales of Nathaniel Hawthorne.   Ed.   Norman Holmes Pearson.      New York: Random House, Inc., 1937.   1033-42. Winters, Yvor. "Maule's Curse, or Hawthorne and the Problem of   Ã‚   Allegory." Hawthorne. Ed. A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, New    Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. 11-24.    Nathaniel Hawthorne: No Ordinary Author Essay -- Biography Biographies   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Romantic Period served as a breeding ground for some of America's most extraordinary authors.   Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Ralph Waldo Emerson are just some of the names that graced this Golden Era of American literature.   Great as they were, these men still lacked a significant amount of originality.   Relating their themes and structures results in little to no variation.   One author, though born into the era of Romanticism dared to expand the possibilities nineteenth - century literature had to offer.   Through works such as "Young Goodman Brown," "The Minister's Black Veil," and "The Birthmark," Nathaniel Hawthorne incorporated Romanticism into his own style.   Including ordinary men, such as Mr. Hooper, Goodman Brown, and Aylmer helped to classify Hawthorne as a semi-Romantic author.   Other Romantic characteristics were found in his stories as well.   Symbolism, man's connection to nature, and t he supernatural are all also present in most of his tales.   But, most importantly, Hawthorne was remembered for breaking the rules and adding his own touch.   He told allegories and parables concerned about his concept of the "unpardonable sin," always including the character's trials from obsession to alienation to finally a loss of soul.   Careful review of his work probes the fact that fitting into a dictating society is not only boring but dangerously ordinary.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Nathaniel Hawthorne's stories, like many Romantic stories, the characters are ordinary people with superstitious beliefs.   In "Young Goodman Brown," Goodman Brown is an everyday Salem citizen.   He faces many of the problems tackled by other New England Puritans.   He has a lapse in faith and is ... ...he rules is the best thing to do.   After all, no one remembers ordinary people.    Works Cited Bruckner, Sally. "The Scarlet Letter." Masterplots. Vol 10. Ed.    Frank N. Magill. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1966. 5849-51. Hawthorne, Nathaniel.   "The Birthmark."   Hawthorne's Short Stories.   Ed.   Newton Arvin.   New York: Alfred A. Knoph,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1959.   177-93. ---.   "The Minister's Black Veil."   Adventures in American Literature.   Chicago:   Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1989.   256-63. ---.   "Young Goodman Brown."   The Complete Novels and Selected   Ã‚   Tales of Nathaniel Hawthorne.   Ed.   Norman Holmes Pearson.      New York: Random House, Inc., 1937.   1033-42. Winters, Yvor. "Maule's Curse, or Hawthorne and the Problem of   Ã‚   Allegory." Hawthorne. Ed. A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, New    Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. 11-24.   

The Right To A Free Trial :: essays research papers

The Right To A Free Trial   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most important freedoms in the American judicial system is the right to a jury trial. This allows a minimum of six Americans, chosen from a list of registered voters, to determine a person's guilt or innocence through deliberations. They have the power to express the conscious of society as well as interpret and judge the laws themselves. If they feel that a law is unconstitutional, evil, or even unfair they can void it for the circumstance by declaring the defendant not-guilty. The power of the jury is enormous and through time has become more equitable by decreasing the limitations to become a juror including race and sex. Part of the reasoning behind the right to a jury trial is to limit government power. Although judges should be fair and just, total power is too strong, and could be used to aid some people while harming others. As someone once said, â€Å"Power corrupts sometimes, but absolute power corrupts absolutely.† Many people thought anarchy would form through the use of a jury system, but no such thing has occurred. It has produced a feeling of involvement in the judicial system and government itself. Throughout this essay, a comparison of a real jury, a simulated jury, and Hollywood's perception of a jury will be discussed. The television special, Inside the Jury Room, showed a videotaping of a real life jury as seen in a small criminal courtroom. The case was Wisconsin v. Leroy Reed, a criminal trial for the possession of a firearm by an ex-convict. The simulated jury concerned an ex-military man who shot two police officers, killing one and seriously injuring another. The police had broken into his house because there was probable cause to believe he had drugs. The man shot the officers because he thought they were robbing his house. The Hollywood version, titled 12 Angry Men, revolved around a teenage boy who was accused of murdering his father and could possibly lose his life if found guilty. The topics of jury selection and appearance, the jurors understanding of their significance, and the deliberation and verdict will be examined for the three juries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The actual jury itself, has much bearing on how a verdict will result. Are the members compassionate? Rigid? Black? White? Rich? or Poor? All of these factors can influence a jury; this is why lawyers are so critical when making their decisions. In the past, juries only admitted white males, as in 12 Angry Men. Discrimination against blacks has always existed; and until the fifteenth amendment was passed, and the Grandfather Clause, White Primaries, and

Marketing Strategy Victoria Secret Essay

Victoria’s Secret was started in San Francisco, California, in 1977 by Roy Raymond who was Business alumnus of Tufts University and Stanford Graduate School. He felt embarrassed trying to purchase lingerie for his wife in a department store environment. He opened the first store at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, and quickly followed it with a mail-order catalog and three other stores. With this store he hoped that it could create a comfortable environment for men, with wood-paneled walls, Victorian details and helpful sales staff. Instead of racks of bras and panties in every size, there were single styles, paired together and mounted on the wall in frames. Men could browse for styles for women and sales staff would help estimate the appropriate size, pulling from inventory in the back rooms. In 1982, after five years of operation, Roy Raymond sold the Victoria’s Secret Company, with its six stores and 42-page catalogue, grossing $6 million per year, to Leslie Wexner, creator of The Limited, for $4 million. The Limited kept the personalized image of Victoria’s Secret intact. Victoria’s Secret was rapidly expanded into the U. S. malls throughout the 1980s. The company was able to vend a widened range of products, such as shoes, evening wear, and perfumes, with its mail catalog issued eight times annually. By the early 1990s, Victoria’s Secret had become the largest American lingerie retailer, topping one billion dollars. However, The Company gained notoriety in the early 1990s after it began to use  supermodels  in its advertising and fashion shows. Throughout the past decade, it has turned down celebrity models and endorsements. Current business At present, Victoria’s Secret is the fastest growing subsidiary of Limited Brands and contributes 42% of corporate profits. More than 1000 Victoria’s Secret retail stores are open in the United States. Products are also available through the catalogue and online business, Victoria’s Secret Direct, with sales of approximately $6000 million in 2010. Victoria’s Secret is known for its annual fashion show, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and for its catalogs, both of which feature top fashion models. II – Executive summary (NG? C) In 2012, Victoria Secret’s goals are to increase 10% in revenue and 13% in market share. To achieve those, the marketing plan will be divided into 4 quarters with a clear division of labor for each department. Every people in company from management to employees will perform each mission separately in order to helps achieve the best returns.

The Impact of the Expansion of Islam in North and West Africa essays

The Impact of the Expansion of Islam in North and West Africa essays The Islamization of Africa started around the seventh century with the military conquests in Egypt led by Arabic armies and spread over the western part of the continent during the next five hundred years, reaching Morocco. Islam brought major changes at all levels of society in North and West Africa, at first, and to the the rest of the continent along the centuries, till today. Christian Egypt was the first country that knew islamization, after the death of Mohammad, around 639 C E, through the Arab armies and also through the Arab merchants that brought along scholars. These were wise men that taught the newly conquered people the Arab language and also gave advice to their leaders. They needed guidance in economic and political related matters and the Arabs came with their knowledge and organization due to the new faith that also established new rules and forms of governing. The faith of Islam was successful in conquering the people in Egypt and further, during the next five centuries, in Maghreb because it was not just a new religion intended to replace these populations beliefs but it came with new sets of rules and political knowledge. The followers of Mohammed were united by a faith that sought justice and unity for its faithful and it appealed to the people of North and West Africa by the way it applied to everyday life and its practicality. Some authors think that the fact that it permitted men to have more than a wife, unlike the Christian religion, might also have been considered more appealing to the nomadic tribes in the Western parts of Africa. The Arabs had the advantage of not merely imposing their own new religion to the newly conquered territories, but also of bringing with them a set of rules and a system that helped them teach through their scholars and clerics the rules that guided their own home society and proved successful in organizing them and bringing them together. Mohammed was aware ...

101 Syllabus and Introduction Professor Ramos Blog

101 Syllabus and Introduction Introductions Welcome to English 101, Freshmen Composition We will be using the blog to post comments and final drafts of essays in order to help us learn from each other. One of the best ways to improve your writing is to study the writing of others. This blog will allow us to share and see others’ writings. I will also be posting updates and assignments to make sure we are all on the same page. The syllabus will be posted under Syllabus. The resources page with have links and videos to help you with citations, WordPress, and more. Textbook The textbook for this class is â€Å"They Say, I Say†Ã‚  with readings, 4th edition. Make sure to order the textbook that has the readings included! The cover should be bluish, not black. Also, we will be reading Sandra Cisneros’  Woman Hollering Creek and other Stories.  Available on Amazon for $10 new, and 1 cent used. You will need this one by week 5. Introductions Ice breaker. In groups of 2 or 3 answer these questions. Name Major Like to read or write? 1 2 Interesting facts We will introduce one another. You have six minutes to answer the questions.

Dont Worrry you can be happy essays

Dont Worrry you can be happy essays David Myers says in the article Dont Worry You Can Be Happy by John B. Thomas. Happiness relies largely on things unrelated to money, such as meaningful activities and enriching relationships. With that the article states that with the following ten steps you can improve your happiness. One: learn to like your self. Two: take control of your destiny. Three: practice expecting the best. Four: become more extroverted. Five: try acting happy. Six: consider new work. Seven: Sleep, sleep, sleep. Eight: Foster close relationships. Nine: Tie the knot. Ten: have faith. So with all of the ten steps you can see that with a little faith and following these steps you could Be Happy. Throughout the article Thomas makes very valuable points, two that I have to agree with 100%. The first point that I agree with is having faith. Having faith in a religious way or just in life in general. Both types of faith will bring you an inner happiness. You look at those people who are sick or very ill. The one who has faith seems to make a stronger and quicker recovery. Youll also notice that from these people that they are very at peace and bring happiness to those around them. The second point that he makes that I agree with is sleep, sleep, sleep. Ive notice that in life you need to sleep. People who have trouble sleeping become very irritable and unhappy. Youll also notice that those people whom do sleep they tend to be more patient, alert and more extroverted. These people to me, which are getting enough sleep are happy with that point in their life and can pass their happiness to others. Youll also notice that people seem to make more mistakes and have trouble being happy when they unable to sleep. So when looking at happin ...

Gary Watsons argument psychopaths Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gary Watsons argument psychopaths - Essay Example In an article titled Psychopathy and Prudential Deficits, Watson uses the story of Howard Dever. Dever had a young life of hustling and petty crimes in New York City before being conscripted into the United States Army in the 1940s. While in the Army, Dever had 14 AWOLs and many incarcerations (Watson 308). He would later be shipped to England where he married an English woman. However, he would abandon his wife and their child and at one time was faced with 15 counts of indictment for forgery, burglary and impersonation in Massachusetts. He could he heard at one time remarking after leaving Florida without telling his wife , â€Å"but I forgot to tell my wife, she didn’t know where I was, but she took me back when I came home† (Watson 308). Another time he was heard remarking after being indicted for burglary, â€Å" hell I didn’t need the money, I would just get an idea and I would go out and do it. Maybe I hurt somebody doing it but I have had fun† (Watson 308). Thus, it is from this story that Gary Watson (309) observes that this sort of thoughtless behavior by Dever causes so much grief, but the psychopath has a blank incomprehension of the moral responses which his inconsiderate and malicious behavior elicits. This is what makes a psychopath so chilling as opposed to people with other anti-social behaviors. The psychopathic profile is characterized by egocentricity and self-centeredness which makes them lack concern. Watson’s argument is based on a thesis that there is the co- occurrence of moral and prudential deficits in psychpathy. As such, there is one striking aspect about psychopaths. They are as careless of themselves as they are of others. Therefore, Watson’s argument is that since psychopaths have a blank comprehension of the moral responses that their actions might elicit on other people, they cannot be held morally responsible for their actions. The

English medium education for people whose first language is not Essay

English medium education for people whose first language is not English - Essay Example The introduction of colonists’ language faced resistance from many parents in Malaysian society as they took it as the return of the colonist and feared the loss of their own language - their national identity. It is note-worthy that the business class parents or those involved in media or politics knew the value of learning the English Language so favoured it. Another issue was the insufficient availability of skilled teachers, especially within rural areas. This led the government to introduce both mediums of education while emphasizing on mastering English as a foreign language, parents were left to choose which way they wanted their children to learn, which in return brought discrimination in society. Mr. Mahathir, the Prime Minister, who introduced this policy showed his sadness over the decision of moving back to Malaya to educate children as it would bring difficulties for the students to cope with scientific developments in the future (Gooch, 2009). In the video clip w e are given a clear idea that the Malaysian government was familiar with the significance of English language regarding the success of the country, but resistance from certain people towards learning English came because of the colonial history and after independence there was a political desire to promote Malaya. Later, when the need to learn English was accepted by Malaysians, there aroused a

UPMC & Highmark Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

UPMC & Highmark - Assignment Example The key reason for this battle is the attempt by Highmark Inc. to acquire a financially troubled group of hospitals known as West Penn Allegheny Health System. Highmark Inc. argues that this move will significantly lower medical costs and offer efficient health care services (Scarpino, 2013). On the other hand, UPMC, which has its own insurance firm, believes that it will not continue to bolster a company that will be a direct rival to its 19 area hospitals (Scarpino, G. 2013). Therefore, UPMC has resulted to increasing charges for patients covered by Highmark. UPMC says that Highmark’s plan to shift its 41000 inpatient from UPMC to its allegedly new chain of hospitals will result into UPMC closing its Shadyside and UPMC mercy sections and laying off over 11,000 of its employees (Baumol & Blinder, 2012). Additionally, UPMC also argues that this move will make most employees change their insurance plans that are attached to their current places of employment. This will result into the lose of patients tied to Highmark. Highmark also says that since UPMC has its own insurer, then it would be of no issue if it had its own health giver network. They believe that a little competition will be beneficial to the residents of Pittsburg since they will be provided with a range of health care providers to choose from. In response to UPMC’s sentiments that it is impossible to change insurance since it is tied to employment, Highmark says that it is also difficult for the patients to abandon the doctors that they have fully trusted and build confidence in, in pursuit for new relationships (Baumol & Blinder, 2012). I feel that UPMC has been able to get their message across most effectively because they have clearly shown that Highmark is in pursuit of its own personal interests without caring about the patients and relationships that they had built with UPMC. All the counter reactions made by UPMC were in the attempt to protect their business, as most health

Fostering a Learning Organisation for Small Community Tabloid Essay

Fostering a Learning Organisation for Small Community Tabloid - Essay Example A new management was installed to carry out company restructure. The takeover management was resolute to achieve a bit more than company survival but to be a source of insight through business leadership. A first concern was whether the paper made a connection with the community, and an organizational assessment was conducted. The appraisal should determine the possibility of a radical turnaround, directing financial sustainability and professional management. Sometime in the 1990s, the newspaper weekly was formed through the convictions of two brothers who were once newspaper boys roaming the city. These days, they are men of political ambitions, and the paper advocates to shape collective expression. The company had undergone a rough evolution typical of small organizations, survived a series of turnovers, low liquidity; high debt and structure transitions from corporate to proprietorship, to the foundation, led activities. From the ownership end, there seemed a constant lack of commitment and a few notable failures. Small organizations form the backbone of the economy. Of a total of 811,592 business organizations, 61,762 are recognized as small enterprises and 743,949 as micro-enterprises. While the segment employs 69.9%, the rather huge amount of resource input equals an economic value of only 32% of GNP. Poor productivity arises out of the lack of business introspect and foresight, insufficient use of technology and poor capital formation. Of the recent four years, the community tabloid operated on a funding of 50 thousand monthly, and a three-term provincial Governor was its principal funder. The medium made up eight pages and was circulated within provincial borders, having a population size of about 320 thousand. Company revenues listed 570,274 covering seven months, with the portion of it uncollected or ‘arranged’ comprising 21%.

Religion in school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Religion in school - Essay Example This has led to wide spread ignorance in terms of one own religion as well as the religion of the worlds. In the global village of today where we reside, it is important to know the basics of the main religions in the world in order to be able to relate to the people of a different faith. The disappearance of religious studies in schools has led to deterioration of moral and ethics in the general society. By being taught ones own religion as well as the different religions of the world in school; the children tend to develop awareness, patience and tolerance amongst themselves and towards people of different race, ethnicity and religion. However due to the deterioration of morality caused in the society because of lack of religious education the children are now depicting lower tolerance towards different groups and races in their school. This has resulted in a substantial increase in the race hate crimes and racial, as well as ethnicity basses harassment in schools. â€Å"The number of reported xenophobic, anti-Semitic, and homophobic crimes has increased considerably between 1997 and 2003. The most common hate crimes against immigrants are threats, harassment, slander, ethnic agitation, and assault.† (Bunar, 2007) The other problem that is caused by lack of religious education is the increase in the violence and the number of shootings in the schools. The trend for high school shootings by children against their teachings and peers has shown an alarming increasing trend since the shootings of 1996. One of the most prominent ones was the high school shooting in Cleveland in the Succes Tech Academy. In this shooting â€Å"14-year-old Asa Coon wounded two teachers and two students before killing himself. One of the teachers, Michael Grassie, had already realized that Coon needed special attention. Coon had been singled out as a troubled youth after being disciplined for fighting.† (Raymond, 2007) In order to

Fostering a Learning Organisation for Small Community Tabloid Essay

Fostering a Learning Organisation for Small Community Tabloid - Essay Example A new management was installed to carry out company restructure. The takeover management was resolute to achieve a bit more than company survival but to be a source of insight through business leadership. A first concern was whether the paper made a connection with the community, and an organizational assessment was conducted. The appraisal should determine the possibility of a radical turnaround, directing financial sustainability and professional management. Sometime in the 1990s, the newspaper weekly was formed through the convictions of two brothers who were once newspaper boys roaming the city. These days, they are men of political ambitions, and the paper advocates to shape collective expression. The company had undergone a rough evolution typical of small organizations, survived a series of turnovers, low liquidity; high debt and structure transitions from corporate to proprietorship, to the foundation, led activities. From the ownership end, there seemed a constant lack of commitment and a few notable failures. Small organizations form the backbone of the economy. Of a total of 811,592 business organizations, 61,762 are recognized as small enterprises and 743,949 as micro-enterprises. While the segment employs 69.9%, the rather huge amount of resource input equals an economic value of only 32% of GNP. Poor productivity arises out of the lack of business introspect and foresight, insufficient use of technology and poor capital formation. Of the recent four years, the community tabloid operated on a funding of 50 thousand monthly, and a three-term provincial Governor was its principal funder. The medium made up eight pages and was circulated within provincial borders, having a population size of about 320 thousand. Company revenues listed 570,274 covering seven months, with the portion of it uncollected or ‘arranged’ comprising 21%.

Esl 423 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Esl 423 3 - Essay Example The differentiated instruction approach is particularly suited to English language teaching because the students in these classes are more likely to have mixed abilities. It is a balance between having individualized instruction for each and every student and maintaining high standards that can be applied for all of them. To aid the teacher in this role, standards provide the framework in which to create differentiated instruction. The disadvantages of standards-based instruction are that they can lead to a restricted curriculum and place undue pressure on the schools to ensure that they perform up to the expected standards if not better. If handled properly, this makes them much more focused on high expectations and creating the right motivation to tailor instruction towards maintaining those standards. Greater coordination coupled with efforts to uphold high student expectations thus automatically puts the needs of the learner at the centre of attention. In short, the standards based system is geared towards meeting the needs of the learner. Standards based instruction is an attempt to base the instruction given to students on defined standards, as well as the resources and opportunities needed. This includes standards set for English language learning. Standards on what students ought to know and be able to do at each stage of their education are then maintained by testing these. And, schools are held responsible for ensuring satisfactory student achievement. The express purpose of standards-based instruction is to improve students’ academic performance, raise their expectations and the quality of education in the US. In raising their expectations, students are motivated to become more rigorous in their work and feel challenged at each stage in order to keep progressing to higher levels of achievement. The main incentive for establishing such standards is to enable equal opportunities for all students regardless of their

Education Is Very Important Essay Example for Free

Education Is Very Important Essay It helps us gain knowledge, information and interpret things correctly. Education teaches us how to lead our lives by mingling in the society and turning out to be good citizens. It makes us capable of interpreting rightly the things perceived. Education teaches us right behavior and makes us civilized people. It forms as a support system to excel in life, to continuously learn and build confidence, to reason everything till every question meets its answer. The conversion of information to knowledge is possible because of education and we also gain intelligence. Higher education influences the economic development of a nation as per the economists. A person is always judged by good manners he/she has. Education is important as it teaches us to differentiate between good and bad manners and choose the right behavior that cultivates good manners. Good manners are important for kids to develop at a very young age. Kids must learn to be polite, learn telephone etiquette, socialize with other kids and develop values. All this can be taught at home as well as school. Teaching your children good manners creates a foundation for them that will follow them through life. Education is important because it equips us with all that is needed to make our dreams come true. When we opt for higher education or masters, we need to choose the specialization field of our interest and talents. Most leading courses allow you to study all areas for the first year and to choose a specialization in your second year when you have more exposure and knowledge about these fields. The technical and analytical skills can be well explored in the area of ones interest.

Physiological Interference Hearing Impairment

Physiological Interference Hearing Impairment Communication is very much important or can be say a part of our daily life as we communicate in a daily basis. Therefore, effective communication is very important to ensure that our message has been delivered with clear understanding to the listener. No matter how brilliant or invaluable your idea, it is worthless unless the listener would be able to understand it. Hence, effective communication is important at every level of an organization as it is use to deliver message or to complete a task given. Moreover, communication is vital in marketing or business industry where presentation has to be done daily. Hence, effective communication is very important for the message to be delivered clearly without any form of communication barriers. Communication barriers are some kind of interference in communication and are divided into four categories. The categories are physical, physiological, psychological and semantic, each with different kind of communication interference. For example, physical interference may be interpreted as noise disturbance as it is obvious that it will affects both speaker and listener. Physiological on the other hand, may be translated as barriers of communication in the way of speaker or receiver. For example the speaker or receiver might be hearing impaired or have speech articulation problems, or suffer from short term memory loss. In addition, there is also psychological interference in the form of communication barriers. This type of interference is in the form of mental makeup of the receiver or the sender. It includes biases, prejudices, narrow-mindedness, and extreme emotional behaviour. Besides that, there is also semantic form of interference in communication barriers. These barriers include language, dialectal and cultural differences. When these interference occur, speaker or listener might not be all to fully understand the message to be deliver. As can be seen, all these interference has to be removed or minimize in order for the message to be deliver clearly. Hence in this assignment, I would highlight effect of communication barriers and ways overcoming it. 2.0 Communication Barriers 2.1 Physical interference (Noise) Physical interference may be defined as a kind of interference which is external and outside the control of both speaker and listener. It will affects the physical transmission of the message. Hence it affects both speaker and listener due to the physical interference that happens. As the name implies, physical interference comes in the form of physically kind of interference. In this physical interference, I would like to mention noise or a form of distraction in communication barriers. Noise is a form physical interference that would interfere with both speaker and listener. For example, noise disturbances from cell phones, loud music, sound of traffic from busy road and many more other examples. Any of the examples if occured will definitely posed as a kind of communication barriers to the speaker and his audiences. This is because that the message couldnt be clearly heard by the listener due to the noise from a busy traffic. Besides that, form of physical interference may come from the listener itself and can be due to a ringing cellphone which could interrupt the whole crowd. If any of these happens, the speaker may have to pause the presentation or conversation which could bring disruption in his flow of presentation. Hence this kind of physical interference has to be avoided in order to eliminate communication barriers causing both speaker and listener to unable to understand the message about to bring clearly. 2.2 Physiological Interference ( Hearing Impairment) Physiological interference as mentioned before is a form of communication barriers in interfering a communication between listener and speaking. This form of communication barriers challenges both part of the speaker and receiver. For example, hearing impairment is a form of physiological barrier to communication. Hearing disorders may be a result from hereditary, genetic issues, developmental abnormalities or medical, or other environmental factors. While hearing loss will not cause any problem mentally nor development problem but for areas such as communication, language, social development might be affected by the problem. In communication, it will be a barrier for both speaker and listener if one side of the party has hearing impairment causing the message to unable to reach another side. For example if the speaker has this problem, he might not know the volume of his voice and intonation and it may cause problem to the listener. If its to soft listener might not be able to heard it or too loud will cause listener to feel discomfort or acted as a noise. On the other hand, if the audience has hearing impairment, it will be tough for the speaker to overcome this barrier eventhough he deliver his speech loud and clear. This is because the audience is having trouble listening to it. It might be too soft for them to listen clearly. Hence this posed as a communication barrier to the speaker and need to be overcome in order to benefit both party. 2.3 Psychological Interference ( Emotion) Psychological interference comes as a communication barriers that which affect the mindset of a person, be it the speaker or the listener. This type of interference includes biases, prejudices, narrow-mindedness, and extreme emotional behavior. Emotions could be a barrier to communication if your emotions have been troubling you be it when you are angry, happy or excited as you may be too preoccupied with the emotions and hard for people to convey the message to you in communication. Hence it became a psychological interference in communication barriers. For example, a receiver who is emotionally upset tends to ignore what the sender is saying or can be say not paying attention to it. So it forms a communication barrier where as the receiver couldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t understand what the sender is trying to say in its message. On the other hand, a speaker who is emotionally upset may not be able to present his ideas or overall feelings of a presentation effectively. Hence the audience would not understand or get those ideas in his presentation. All in all this kind of situation form a communication barrier in the form of psychological interference as it disrupts the mindset either one or both party. 2.4 Psychological Interference ( Information overload) Another example I would touch on psychological interference is information overload as it is very common today with our revolving advance technologies which could allow us to fetch information nearly from anywhere. It can mean a constant 24 hours a day 7 days a week, flow of information. However, this flow of information is important as they keep us updated to everything that happens around the globe. We all spend time watching and listening, interacting in personal computer and many more. All of these inputs can affect on our ability to take in more information and evaluate what we take in through normal communication means. Too much of input of information is what we called information overload where our ablility to be effective listeners degrade with all those sufficient information around us. Trying to do two things at one time certainly affect our capability to listen and concentrate on a lecture or communication. The listener or the speaker might get confused with too much of information available at one time. Hence it creates a communication barrier where it reduce the effectiveness of our listening capability and information from speaker could not reach to its listener. 2.5 Semantic Interference( Linguistic) Last but not least, another type of communication barrier is a semantic interference where there is difficulty in expressing oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s self to another which applied to those who are speaking in a different language than the speaker. This often occurs in international level communication where different nation has their own official language for example Japan has their Japanese language and Korea has their Korean language. Both of the nations might understand just simple English but not their counterpartà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s language. In another words, it could means that the speaker could speak good English and can be understand well by people who speaks English as well but with a semantic barrier, person who has been speaking Spanish for example could not understand English so well. Though they could still understand English but there are some words whereby they just could not understand well. Hence a semantic barrier is form between the Spanish listener and English speaker. This requires a different approach so the conversation could be understand by both party. 3.0 Ways of overcoming these barriers. 3.1 Physical interference (Noise) To solve the communication barriers of physical interference could be done with just a few simple step as most of the problem comes from poor planning. For example before starting a presentation, the presenter could ask the audience to silent their in order to prevent disruption during the speech. By this simple step the problem could be solve and the audience will not interrupt the speech. When there is noise interuption from the busy street or construction site, the problem could be solve with a little future planning. One could actually visit the meeting or the venue before hand in order to ensure that there is no physical interference. In this case, the venue could be change or just simply install speaker and increase the volume in order to counter the noise. With just a little future planning and management work to be implemented physical interference would not be a communication barrier in an event. As can be seen, with these ways of solution, physical interference will not interrupt or become a barrier to the speaker and listener. Hence the speaker could deliver the message clearly to the listener. 3.2 Physiological Interference ( Hearing Impairment) In order to solve the problem, we must first understand the problem. In this case physiological could be a real challenge as both the listener and speaker has to be free from physiological interference. In the example, hearing impairment has been highlighted as the communication barrier that prevent the speaker and listener to communicate freely with understanding to both sides. In this problem it could be solve with a little help from the technology that has been so advance in the medical field. Hearing aid could be worn by those with hearing impairment and this could solve the communication barrier between speaker and listerner. With the help of hearing aid both party could benefit from it as the speaker would not have to speak louder and the listener will have clear understanding of the message that will be delivered. 3.3 Psychological Interference (Emotion) In the psychological interference, emotion has been considered as one of the communication barrier that interrupt between a conversation or communication. As a human being, its no suprise that everyone of us would have emotions. However its about the control over the emotion, how one could handle his stress, sadness, happiness from showing out. Its about the profesionalism of the speaker in handling his speech in a presentation. The speaker will need to control his emotion, set aside every problem in order to deliver his message to the listener. Experience is what needed the most in order to solve this problem as with experience one would get used to it and become numb towards this emotion. In the listener point of view it is pretty much the same deal to speaker, whereby they will have to cast aside their emotion for a moment and concentrate on the listening skills. The speaker could also include some sense of humour in his speech in order to eliminate this communication barrier as jokes would bring out happiness in listener and caught their attention for the entire duration of speech. Hence the problem could be solve with a little tweak on the mindset and with the help of sense of humour will cancel out this psychological interference in communication barrier. 3.4 Psychological Interference ( Information overload) In another point I have made earlier in this writing, which is another form of psychological interference in the form of information overload which will certainly become a communication barrier between the listener and speaker. This communication barrier exist is purely due to the ease of getting information, where a person with a simple internet connection will be having tons of information disregard what it is and where the person is at. In a presentation point of view, this could be eliminated by making every point brief and as summarised as possible. For example, a long sentence or paragraph could be summarise in point form and information included should be those that its important. In this case, it would not bored the audience and the information will be receive well by the listener. It would also solve the problem for communication barrier as the speaker and listener both understand and receive, deliver all the information well. 3.5 Semantic Interference( Linguistic). The last of the communication barriers which is semantic interference where in before language is a problem. This is due to different part of people from the world meets, where they have their own language and not much language of the others. Hence it creates a semantic interference between both party. In order to solve this problem, the conversation the both has to be in the same language. For example english which is an international language where I believe everyone could have understand it. So both party have to converse in english to allow the communication to work. Besides that, they should only use simple english in order for both of them to understand the message and information. As conclusion with simple english and using a language that both side could understand will eliminate this communication barrier of semantic interference 4.0 Conclusion All things considered, communication barriers is definitely a disadvantages in communication, where communication is so important in sending the information or message to another party. Hence, with existence of interference discussed before such as semantic, psychological, physiological and physical. All of the mentioned above have to be avoided in order for a communication link between speaker and listener to be connected. With all the ways of overcoming these barrier has been mentioned before I believe that all the barriers could be minimise or eliminated. As can be seen, when all of the barriers were eliminated, speaker and listener will have a clear understanding of what about to deliver or receive by both party and such a great means of communication has been achieved. It will bring benefit to both of the party, so it is important that these barriers can be overcome for the good of both listener and speaker.

Mother Daughter Relationship in Two Kinds by Amy Tan :: Two Kinds, Amy Tan

I’m not You, I’m Me For many of us growing up, our mothers have been a part of who we are. They have been there when our world was falling apart, when we fell ill to the flu, and most importantly, the one to love us when we needed it the most. In â€Å"Two Kinds† by Amy Tan, it begins with a brief introduction to one mother’s interpretation of the American Dream. Losing her family in China, she now hopes to recapture part of her loss through her daughter. However, the young girl, Ni Kan, mimics her mother’s dreams and ultimately rebels against them. In the beginning, Ni Kan, is â€Å"just as excited as [her] mother† about the idea of becoming a prodigy (749). She imagines herself in different roles and believes that once she has â€Å"become perfect,† (749) her parents will approve of her. However, her mother’s obsession becomes extreme when she is forced to take numerous tests on a daily basis. Ni Kan points out, â€Å"The tests [are] harder- multiplying numbers in my head without using my hands, predicting the daily temperatures in Los Angeles, New York, and London† (749). Eventually, her mother persuades her into taking piano lessons, which becomes the prime focus of determination. As the story unfolds, Tan suggests that the piano symbolizes different things. For Ni Kan, it is the unwanted pressure her mother inflicts upon. She argues, â€Å"Why don’t you like me the way I am? I’m not a genius! I can’t play the piano† (751). However, her mother sees it as a way for her daughter to become the best. Ultimately, the young girl decides to rebel against her mother’s wishes. During her piano lessons with Mr. Chong, her piano teacher, she learns easy ways to get out of practicing. Ni Kan discovers â€Å"that Old Chong’s eyes were too slow to keep up with the wrong notes [she] was playing† (751). As a result, Ni Kan performs miserably in a talent show where her parents and friends from the Joy Luck Club attend. Feeling the disapproval and shame from her mother, she decides to stop practicing the piano.

Disney Vs French Government :: Disney France Business

The most fundamental requirement for a rational, efficient agreement is he ability of the parties involved to determine their interest in the negotiation in question. How successful were Disney and the French government in: a) Identifying their underlying interests? The interests of each side were quite different. In fact, those of Disney were mainly financial interests, whereas those of the French governments were political and economic. The other distinction highlighted is that the French interests were linked together, whereas those of Disney were different interest without links in between. Disney's interests were clearly defined. But they have a strategy that put forward another side for the future park: Barcelona. Disney was more attracted by the French proposal but put the two in competition. Then they hope that the French government will make some concessions. For that they make Barcelona more attractive than it really was. They wanted: ïÆ'Ëœ favourable land purchase terms : a direct investment basis (no licensing) ïÆ'Ëœ a financial scheme that will reduce their initial capital investment ïÆ'Ëœ to increase as much as possible the Disney's share of upside potential ïÆ'Ëœ the French government to make concessions on tax ïÆ'Ëœ the government to finance the improvement of the transportation infrastructures in the area Their interests were well underlined. Indeed, concerning the investment question, the French site was really favourable as it is situated in the "villes nouvelles", which went only through one authority called EPA (Etablissements Public d'Amà ©nagement). This element is crucial for the duration of the negotiation. In fact, the more intermediaries there are, the longer the negotiation will be. The other major advantage of the French project is that the French government is not reluctant to expropriate the land needed for the park. Disney could have seen a positive point in the negotiation when the French prime minister signed the initial letter of understanding between the two parts. Indeed, the fact that the Prime Minister himself signed the letter implies how important the project was for the French government. Then Disney knew they were in strength position, and that they could obtain concessions from the French government. On the other side, the French government had various interests. It put clearly in advance that their major interest was the employment and the revenues created by the project. But there are other interests: ïÆ'Ëœ the development of Paris's eastern suburbs ïÆ'Ëœ the creation of 60 000 jobs, that will decrease unemployment ïÆ'Ëœ the impact on the construction industry, which went through a bad period ïÆ'Ëœ creation of revenue for French suppliers during the construction and operational phases

9th Amendment

History of the 9th Amendment The 9th Amendment reads â€Å"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. † In other words, people retain more rights than the ones listed in the Constitution. The 9th amendment is one the least referred to Amendments in decisions of the Supreme Court. People also say it is one of the most confusing, controversial and misunderstood Amendments to the Constitution.The 9th Amendment has an interesting background. When the Constitution was written by the Constitutional Convention and submitted to the States for ratification, many began to argue that the Constitution did not protect the basic natural rights of the citizens. The Anti-Federalist Party (Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and George Mason) claimed that unless certain rights were written down in a Bill of Rights, the government would take over these rights and abuse people.Meanwhile, people in the Federalist Party, including George Washington, John Adams, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, believed that the Constitution didn’t give the government the authority to do anything that wasn’t stated in it. Therefore, they concluded that the Bill of Rights was not only unnecessary, but even potentially dangerous.They believed that if specific rights were listed to be protected from government involvement, people would get the idea that the government controlled the rights that were excluded. After hearing both sides of the argument, James Madison took a stand and tried coming up with a resolution to the problem even though he agreed more with the Federalists. On June 8, 1789, he brought up to Congress a list of his own suggested amendments to Congress.Among one of the Amendments, was a solution that was later called the 9th Amendment. His solution was worded like this: â€Å"The exceptions here or elsewhere in the constitution, made in favor of particular rights, shall not b e so construed as to diminish the just importance of other rights retained by the people; or as to enlarge the powers delegated by the constitution; but either as actual limitations of such powers, or as inserted merely for greater caution.The Congress accepted James Madison’s solution, but not without some final touches before it was added to the Constitution. Congress simplified the wording so that it could be understood better by the people. In the end, the Anti-Federalists won the argument and the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution. Works Cited â€Å"9th Amendment to the US Constitution. † 9th Amendment. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. . 2. Farber, Daniel A. â€Å"The ‘Silent' Ninth Amendment Gives Americans Rights They Don't Know They Have. † Home. Web. 18 Feb. 2012. .

Making Hard Decisions Questions Essay

Respond to the following questions from chapter 1 on pp12-13. Use this document to respond to the following question using MS Word. Type your responses below each question shown below and use as much space as you need for your response. 1.2 Explain how modeling is used in decision analysis. What is meant by the term â€Å"requisite decision model†? Ans: Modeling is used in decision analysis in several ways. Models facilitate gaining insights of a decision problem that may not be apparent or obvious on the surface. For example, influence diagrams and decision trees are used to represent the decision problem. Hierarchical and network models are used to understand the relationships among different aspects or objectives. Utility functions are used to model the way in which decision-makers value different outcomes and trade off competing objectives. A requisite decision model is a model that can be considered requisite only when no new intuitions emerge about the problem. In simple words, a requisite decision model is a model whose form and content are sufficient to solve a particular problem. Everything required to solve the problem is represented in the model or can be simulated by it (Phillips, 1987, p.37). 1.3 What role do subjective judgments play in decision analysis? Ans: Subjective judgments are important ingredients in decision analysis. Discovering and developing these judgments involves thinking hard and systematically about important aspects of a decision, which forms an essential part of decision analysis. However, it should also be kept in mind that personal insights might be limited and misleading as human beings are imperfect information processors. Thus, it is essential that personal judgments are taken into consideration, and at the same time human cognitive limitations are understood for improved decisions. 1.4 At a dinner party, an acquaintance asks whether you have read anything interesting lately, and you mention that you have begun to read a text on decision analysis. Your friend asks what decision analysis is and why anyone would want to read a book about it, let alone write one! How would you answer? Ans: Decision analysis consists of a framework and a tool kit for dealing with difficult decisions. It is used to help a decision maker think systematically about complex problems and to improve the quality of resulting decisions. Decision analysis offers guidance to normal people working on hard decisions using fundamental principles such as tools to understand the structure of the problem, uncertainties involved and the trade-offs inherent in alternative outcomes. 1.5 Your friend in Question 1.4, upon hearing your answer, is delighted! â€Å"This is marvelous,† she exclaims. â€Å"I have this very difficult choice to make at work. I’ll tell you the facts, and you can tell me what I should do!† Explain to her why you cannot do the analysis for her. Ans: Although decision analysis provides guidance for systematic thinking in hard decisions, it does not mean that it provides an alternative that must be blindly accepted. The decision maker should understand the problem thoroughly. Decision analysis does not relieve the decision maker from the obligations in facing the problem, or replace his or her intuition. Instead of providing solutions, it merely augments the decision maker’s thought process by providing insights into the objectives, trade-offs and uncertainties. Thus, the friend must go through the process of decision analysis to understand the problem which will help in better decisions. 1.10 â€Å"Socially responsible investing† first became fashionable in the 1980s. Such investing involves consideration of the kinds of businesses that a firm engages in and selection of investments that are as consistent as possible with the investor’s sense of ethical and moral business activity. What trade-offs must the socially responsible investor makes? How are these trade-offs more complicated than those that we normally consider in making investment decisions? Recall, from ISEN 667 the financial objective of the firm (maximize the future wealth of the owners of the firm.) Ans: The key question here is: can good environmental performance can be associated with good financial performance? Since socially responsible investing firms do not invest in a broad mix of stocks, one will expect their performance to lag behind other firms in the market. Expenses are higher and management is time-consuming as socially conscious portfolios require increased managerial oversight and research. However, the market performance of these firms tends to be stable in the long run as they do not invest in volatile ventures. Thus, the decision makers must consider the short-term as well as the long terms effects of the decision in their analysis. The trade-offs are more complicated than those that we normally consider in making investment decisions. This is because financial performances are well-defined, whereas there are no clear definitions for environmental performance indicators. Firms thus, find it difficult to measure their financial performance relative to environmental performance. 1.11 Many decisions are simple, preprogrammed, or already solved. For example, retailers do not have to think long to decide how to deal with a new customer. Some operations-research models provide â€Å"ready-made† decisions, such as finding an optimal inventory level using an order-quantity formula or determining an optimal production mix using linear programming. Contrast these decisions with unstructured or strategic decisions, such as choosing a career or locating a nuclear power plant. Ans: Structured decisions are programmable, preplanned decisions which are made under the established situations that are fully understood. There are limited trade-offs and objectives often are not conflicting with other secondary objectives. Unstructured or strategic decisions are often made under situations that are unclear or uncertain. There are multiple trade-offs and objectives to consider which are often conflicting in nature. There is no one particular solution for a strategic decision. Multiple alternatives must be evaluated and the decision chosen might not necessarily produce the best result. What kinds of decisions are appropriate for a decision-analysis approach? Ans: Unstructured decisions are appropriate for a decision-analysis approach as there is no need for decision analysis when the decision is simple or programmable. Complex, hard decisions require systematic thinking, understanding of the problem and awareness of the uncertainties and trades-offs, and thus, are appropriate for decision-analysis approach. Case Situation: Refer to the DuPont and Chlorofluorocarbons case on page 15 and respond to the following questions. 1. What issues would you take into account and why? I would take into account the following issues: (i) Stakeholders’ needs: Stakeholders are of paramount importance. The conflicting issue is that without pleasing customers it is difficult to maximize shareholder returns, while without regulatory support shareholder returns cannot be assured. (ii) Accountability and public perception: Should the firm accept the scientific evidence and make it public? What will be the public reaction? (iii) Environmental responsibility: A complete ban on CFCs would cause severe economic and health problems because of the loss of refrigeration and air-conditioning. The firm is responsible for developing a substitute before a complete ban is implemented. 2. What major sources of uncertainty do you face? (i) Uncertainty of Science: The scientific evidence that CFCs have a detrimental effect on the ozone layer might suffer from certain setbacks. I would assign scientists to focus more on the connection between CFCs and ozone layer. (ii) Development of substitute: It is not certain that the substitute developed for CFCs would be as marketable as CFCs, and would be as efficient as CFCs. This can have direct effects on the performance of the firm. Also, it is uncertain if they will also have a harmful effect on the ozone. (iii) International cooperation: Development of the substitute and subsequent ban of CFCs requires international cooperation which is uncertain. 3. What corporate objectives would be important for you to consider? Do you think that DuPont’s corporate objectives and the way the company views the problem might have evolved since the mid-1970s when CFCs were just beginning to become an issue? Ans: Taking the course of action that maximizes the firm’s profit would be the most important corporate objective of the firm. However, there is also an environmental aspect involved. Thus, we should search for solutions where the needs of both can be satisfied simultaneously. I think the way the company views the problem might have evolved since the mid-1970s from being profit-oriented to a more environmentally sensitive perspective. References Robert. T. Clemen , Terrence Reilly, â€Å"Making Hard Decisions with Decision Tools†, Duxbury Press; 1 edition, Jun 2000

Nutritional Advice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nutritional Advice - Essay Example BMI cannot be used for people with a high percentage of muscle mass. This implies that in order to stay healthy, the athlete can increase his or her weight above the normal BMI range provided that the mass that is gained come mostly from muscle gain instead of fat. Given all these, it can be easily deduced that the principle behind the athlete's nutrition program would be to prevent muscle wasting from intensive cardiovascular physical activity by providing energy sources that would spare the muscles, the body's protein from being utilized for energy; and to provide just enough energy for the body to build muscles without gaining much fat. Such is not as easy as it sounds. In order to be successful in gaining muscles, all the three energy sources must be critically controlled: Carbohydrate intake must be controlled only to the extent that all can be utilized for energy and not converted to fat; protein intake must only be limited to the needs of the body to prevent fat synthesis as well as body system complications that might arise (e.g. kidney failure); fat intake must be limited only to the needs of the body but not so much as to affect its other functions such as the synthesis of other body components (e.g. cholesterol and hormones) and the solution of the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K (Whitney, Cataldo, et. al. 92-196).

The New Safety Program Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The New Safety Program - Research Paper Example In this case, the physically challenged and clumsy people would be omitted as well as the illiterate and those that do not observe instruction with an aim of reducing accidents. In order to get employees to act safely at work, the employees should come up with rules to be observed and closely monitor the activities of the employees. Besides this, they should create a cut-off from the employees’ salaries for insurance in case of such risks at work. To ensure that those who need to wear goggle put them on; the owners should ensure their availability and educate the employees on the need for personal protection and safety (Shady, 2007). Owners should warn employees that in the case of an accident occurrence, should they fail to observe the safety measures, then they stand to bear the consequences and not the employing firm. Shady, K. (2007). An ergonomic look at facility laundry rooms: Kim Shady offers advice on creating a safe and employee-friendly laundry through ergonomics. Nursing Homes by Kim Shady, Focus on

Why Liberals Should Hate the Hate Crime Legislation Research Paper

Why Liberals Should Hate the Hate Crime Legislation - Research Paper Example It is essential to put into perspective the view that increased penalties for hate crimes are in fact justifiable, with a view to assessing its plausibility. The major reason for having increased penalties for harsh crimes is because, as opposed to regular crimes, hate crimes normally hurt a whole social group (Hurd 215). Whenever an individual commits a hate crime, it is evident that they are not doing it against the victim only, but as a matter of expressing their dislike and contempt for the whole social group. This being the case, therefore, a hate crime is not a crime against an individual, but a crime against a social group, of which, if the perpetrator of the crime could have the ability, he/she would harm the whole group. It, therefore, follows that even when a perpetrator of hate crime would seek to be charged equally with a regular crime perpetrator, doing so would be an injustice to the regular perpetrator of crime since one crime is definitely weightier than the other, ow ing to the number of individuals it hurts. Thus, there is a general agreement that hate crimes are crimes of a higher magnitude compared to regular crimes, in regard to the number of individuals hurt by such crimes, and thus should carry a higher penalty. Even when Hurd disagrees with the higher penalties attached to hate crime compared to regular crimes, there is a general agreement that owing to the number of people hurt by hate crimes, such criminals deserve a higher penalty. The second argument in support for higher penalties for hate crimes is the fact that hate crimes represent significantly greater culpability on the part of the perpetrator (Hurd 216). This is because the committal of a hate crime is a display of a long pre-meditated course of action, as opposed to the inadvertent cause of crimes. This places the perpetrator of such crimes in a more culpable position since those who plan to hurt others are more culpable than those who commit incidental crimes, without any pre -meditation (Hurd 219).

Business Letter and inforaml report Research Proposal

Business Letter and inforaml report - Research Proposal Example Based on the result, we are confident that the problem was not caused by mishandling of our employees. Our daily operation strictly follows Standards for Safekeeping of our stocks and Proper Handling of Customer orders, and our employees assured as of 100% loyalty and sincerity of service. In connection with this matter, I would like to request your good office to look towards this problem, and could you please give us an assurance that the customers will keep the new cookware on that basis instead of returning it for a credit or a refund. Please give us some feedbacks regarding this matter. Your cooperation will be highly appreciated. We are looking forward for more years of working with you. Please call us if you need our help in any way. Yours sincerely, Tammy Martin President - Martin's Department Store Purpose of the Study Re-establish the competitive edge of Phoenix Advertising Agency - Roanoke Branch in Virginia. I. Introduction A. Brief Presentation of the Roanoke's Background B. Presentation of the Objectives C. Presentation of the Problems II. Research Proper The Study will focus on the 5 important factors stated below: A. Conduct Research on Working Force a.1 Are the existing supervisory staff able to perform their duties well a.2. Study on interaction between each staff from executive level down to the lowest level a.2.1 Interaction between department heads and subordinates. a.2.2 Review on each employees work description and job functions. a.2.3 Evaluate each employees productivity ratings. a.3. Provision on Salaries and Wages of the employees. B. Review of Roanoke's Financial Statements b.1 Review of all Expenses Report b.2 Review of Profit Report b.3 Review on Budget Allocation Report C. Staff Training c.1 Conduct study for trainings required by each employee to carry out their task successfully c.2 Review for budget allocation on Staff Training Expenses D. The Company and the People around it d.1 Conduct research of problems arising from the neighboring community d.2 Conduct research on how to maintain the loyalty of clients d.3 Conduct study on the company's competitors background and behavior. E. Facilities Upgrade f.1 Conduct research for new technologies that could be used for the company's ongoing operation. III. Discussion A. Review of related literatures B. Presentation of Critical Analysis of the 5 important factors needed for the company's survival. IV. Proposals and Recommendations A. Presentations of proposals and recommendations B. Presentation of the advantages and disadvantages that the new recommendations could provide V. Conclusion Presentation of the

Men and Women in Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Men and Women in Sports - Essay Example Doping issues differ slightly in both genders. The trends in challenges and rewards faced by men and women throughout history in the past and what ought to be expected in the future shall be examined in full detail in the essay below. During the early 1960s, women were quite limited during access to sporting facilities. But in the late sixties, there was the introduction of the women's liberation movement. This served as a stage in which women realized that there was inequality in this area and it also acted as a platform where they could raise their concerns about the lack of opportunity. Therefore in the seventies, most colleges and high schools began opening up their fields to allow training and practice even for women. (Fasting and Knorre, 2005) At the same time, men had been the sole dominators in the 60s and 70s. This was mostly seen by the fact that there were sports like; football, baseball and basketball were played by men. The main challenge that they faced at this time was proving their worth in their sporting activity of choice. Facilities were not a hindrance to their progress Currently, things have improved for women in comparison to what happened three decades ago. Most high schools and colleges have formed women's teams in games like tennis, swimming, volleyball and basketball. Such institutions now recognize that female teams are almost if not as important as men's team. They have now designated time for women to access facilities like swimming pools, basketball fields and others. But this does not mean that women have full access to these facilities. There are some sporting facilities that are still considered predominantly male like rugby and baseball fields. Women engaging in such sports face a lot of difficulties when trying to practice or when training. It is even worse when trying to access facilities for the purpose of competition as precedence is given to males. Men in sports have to adjust to the fact that sporting facilities are not simply for them. They are now realizing that women's sports need to be accommodated; this means that they now have to get used to the idea of sharing. Things are not being handed down to them without any struggles. 2.3 Access to facilities in the future The future looks more promising to women because there are plenty of activities voicing the inequalities that women in sports have had to bear. This means that sports will now be less restricted and it is very likely that women will have fair practice and competing times in sporting facilities in high schools, colleges and even recreational facilities. (Fasting and Sundgot-Borgen, 2000) Men will continue facing more need to adjust to the fact the facilities are not simply meant for them. It is very likely that their domination of sporting facilities will come to a slow end. 3.0 Sportsmanship 3.1 Sportsmanship in the past During the 1960s and 1970s, there was blatant discrimination of women in sports. This was the reason why there was the women's movement in 1968. Women had to deal with the fact that they were denied representation in most games and most men simply thought that their form of sport was an intriguing issue to be seen but not to betaken seriously.(Leah et al 2002) At the same

History of public administration Essay Example for Free

History of public administration Essay Glossary Bibliography Biographical Sketch Summary Historical accounts of African public administration often highlight the colonial setting and usually overlook pre-colonial Africa. The African civil service has its roots in precolonial institutions on which European powers relied to build the colonial state and consolidate their administration. Thus, this chapter analyzes the development of African administration from the pre-colonial era up to the present. The first section discusses the pre-colonial period. The colonial system constitutes the second section. The third section deals with the post-colonial period and discusses some problems associated with African administration. 1. The Pre-Colonial Period: From the Ashes of Pharaohs to the Berlin Conference At the end of the prehistoric period (10 000 BC), some African nomadic bands began to settle more permanently in villages along the Nile River to develop the political foundation of ancient Egypt. As these early farmers increased their mastery over soil and animal life, irrigation became a key development strategy to increase food production, which in turn multiplied their populations. Eventually, different villages came to recognize their common interests, to coordinate their efforts and broaden community linkages. People from different communities joined together through confederation or conquest for purposes of commerce or defense, and developed African  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since Emizet F. Kisangani empires, kingdoms, and chieftaincies. Two types of systems, hierarchical political systems and horizontal or acephalous societies, developed to help generate stable communities and foster prosperity. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S Stateless societies were small political entities and had no bureaucracies as they were mostly based on kinship. Hierarchical societies, however, had bureaucracies to carry out certain functions such as collecting taxes, supervising ceremonies, entertaining dignitaries, and compelling people to do the rulers’ bidding. These polities, which evolved before the arrival of Europeans in Africa, were either centralized or decentralized political entities presided over by emperors, kings, chiefs, or military commanders. The following analysis covers the first hierarchical form of rule that emerged some three millennia BC in ancient Egypt, followed by a brief overview of Medieval Africa. The final sub-section discusses the African administration up to the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885. 1. 1. Ancient Civilization of Africa: The Case of Egypt Around 3300 BC, farming lineages along the Nile Valley joined together as villages to increase production of food and to defend themselves against outsiders. From these villages regional confederations of Upper and Lower Egypt developed. By 3100 BC, a central authority emerged and unified these confederations under the rule of divine pharaohs. From 2700 to 2181, six dynasties succeeded each other to form the Old Kingdom. A century and a half of civil war and provincial rivalries gave rise to the First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdoms that ruled Egypt from 2080 to 1640 BC. The Middle Kingdom was replaced by the Second Intermediate Period and the New Kingdom from 1570 to 1090 BC. Three dynasties (18th through 20th) ruled in the New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period began around 1089 BC with the Kushite Kings. The Egyptian empire was multinational consequent to the conquest of foreign nations. The Old and Middle Kingdoms were highly centralized and ruled by â€Å"god-kings† or pharaohs. With its capital at Memphis, the Old Kingdom was divided into provinces. Next to the king was the vizier, the administrative hand of the king, who was also in charge of day to day administrative, fiscal, and judicial matters. Although very few administrative documents have survived, court documents provide a glimpse of the Egyptian bureaucracy. Three basic administrative divisions existed: the Department of the Head of the South, the Office of Government Labor, and the Treasury. The Palermo Stone provides further evidence of administrative structure in the collection of revenue and in the assessment of Egyptian wealth. On the Stone was documented a biennial administrative census that left nothing unaccounted for, so that taxes could be assessed even on the basis of canals, lakes, wells, and trees of an estate. The system consisted of a hierarchical structure with diverse administrative agencies spreading throughout the kingdom for effective management. Another governmental task was the administration of justice, on which was founded the concept of ma‘at (or justice), whereby some high priests bore the title of priest of Ma‘at. In addition to the capital city of Memphis, there were other towns of importance that  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since Emizet F. Kisangani made up provinces headed by town governors, who were also chief priests in charge of temple revenue in many parts of Ancient Egypt. Provincial temples were the subject of central government regulations to avoid any strong power at the provincial level. However, during the first intermediate period, the office of governor in charge of civil affairs became the office of chief priest. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S The role of bureaucracy in these early kingdoms was to facilitate the transfer of resources from different provinces to the king’s court. If early administrations were in charge of maintaining irrigation and agricultural output, later administrations seemed to be more involved in supervising construction work and wealth transfer. The proliferation of these later types of bureaucracies, at the expense of those that used to maintain the agricultural system, would probably have produced pressures on the agricultural output and might have been the first sign of political decay in Ancient Egypt. The centralized system itself between the king, court officers, and ambitious governors may also have led to the same result. The New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period generated a great mass of documentation about Egyptian political and administrative life. The form of government remained the same, based on divine kingship. The government always stressed the religious function of the political system. Under the auspices of Gods, the government was expected to maintain the integrity of Egyptian territory and expand its frontiers. The most important function of the government was to create civic and individual security, and the vizier carried out the duty of ensuring that law and regulations were obeyed throughout the bureaucracy. The society was divided into hierarchical stratifications with the king at the top, a small group of high-ranking and wealthy officials next, and a much larger group of bureaucrats (scribes), priests, soldiers, stable masters, citizens, cultivators, and herdsmen filling the bottom layer. The Egyptian political system under the New Kingdom and the Third Intermediate Period was divided into an internal government and a government of conquests. Internally, the civil government was run by two viziers (northern and southern), overseer of the granaries of upper and lower Egypt, and the chief taxing master. The two viziers also supervised the overseer of the treasury and lower level officials in charge of bureaucracy, judiciary, and the police. At the lowest level of the administrative hierarchy were the chiefs, town mayors, and councils. The government of conquests had several governors who supervised vassal kings and their battalion commanders. Most of the Northern Lands were small and scattered, and under the direct control of various battalion commanders. The goal of this decentralization scheme was to obstruct anyone from controlling a large estate and challenging the king’s power. The governor of the Southern Lands was the Viceroy of Kush and his role became important internally at the end of the Twentieth Dynasty. He also supervised two deputies and a battalion commander. Military forces were all centralized under one commander. In addition to these administrative entities, there existed a religious government hierarchy, with the â€Å"overseer of prophets† at the top, a position held at various times by a vizier who was the head of two high priests. Below them was the priesthood bureaucracy. The corps of the centralized system was maintained by a small group of powerful officials. They headed each department and reported directly to the king who appointed  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since Emizet F. Kisangani and removed them. The bureaucracy consisted of a group of educated scribes whose role consisted of collecting taxes, conducting censuses, regulating agriculture, and administering justice and law with a small police force. A professional army was divided into various units, each with its own hierarchy of officers. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S Pressures on land and rising inflation may have been politically significant in later days of the New Kingdom, though bureaucratic inefficiency and abuse of power were probably the main causes of economic collapse. Besides the deterioration of administrative integrity, another major cause that weakened the kingship was the changing relationship between the king, civil government, army, and a few powerful families. Some families came to control major economic resources of the state, and the civil service became less susceptible to royal control. In addition, the kings’ tours of their provinces became less frequent, and royal princes and other deputies carried out religious rites formerly performed by the kings. During the ensuing Third Intermediate Period (1069 664 BC), Egypt was in perpetual crisis and the Egyptian civilization disappeared after the Roman conquest around 30 BC. In summary, the evolution of Ancient Egypt is characterized by the rise and fall of large scale governments that reflect alternating periods of unification and fragmentation. 1. 2. Medieval Africa Medieval Africa was different from the Ancient in several respects. First, Medieval leaders attempted to balance local traditions and regional autonomy in response to their peoples needs by developing and consolidating large-scale kingdoms and empires for purposes of trade or defense. A second difference was the impact of Islam on African societies. Muslims believed that one God (Allah) called on them to undertake jihads (commonly known as holy war against non-believers) when necessary. The most renowned of Africas medieval empires of Mali, Songhay and Morocco rose to the highest stages of their international influence with Islam as the imperial religion. Other medieval African kingdoms and empires developed indigenous political ideologies based on regional customs and beliefs, while Coptic Christianity remained the official state religion in the Abyssinian kingdom of medieval Ethiopia. In 969 A. D. , Muslims from the Maghreb conquered Egypt and established the Fatimid Dynasty in Cairo (c. 970-1170 A. D. ), which was highly hierarchical and whose military was highly professionalized. This strict hierarchy of officials, and the controlling powers of the vizier, left room neither for the autonomous tendencies of provincial governors nor for the growth of widespread corruption. Tolerant of other religions, the system let Copts and Jews occupy prestigious positions in the administration. The centralized administration controlled tax revenues, the payment of troops, and the allocation of military fiefs. The Fatimid administration was in charge of regulating and distributing the waters of the Nile River. Dams and canals were regularly repaired and improved; even an occasional period of low water did not greatly damage the general economic situation. When the Fatimid rule in Egypt was threatened by European Christian Crusaders (c. 1170), it was Egypts professional soldiers, or Mamluks (slave-soldier), who rallied behind Saladin to defeat the Crusaders. He then established a new Mamluk Dynasty in  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since Emizet F. Kisangani Cairo from 1171 to1517. By the thirteenth century, the institution of the slave-soldiers became an integral part of the political and social system in many Muslim countries. The Mamluk oligarchy never accepted in its ranks someone who was not a slave soldier, so that the military establishment not only remained hierarchical, but also continued to be a caste dominated by slave soldiers. U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S Most Mamluk caliphates were divided into military fiefs centralized under one single Caliph. The basic administrative entity was the village because the Mamluk dynasty obtained most of its revenues from landed estates. A major innovation to ensure payment was that the peasants were prohibited from leaving their villages without permission. In addition to land taxes, the Mamluk caliphates drew their revenues from customs duties, based on ad valorem and the religion of the merchants, so that Christian importers had to pay taxes as high as 30%, whereas Muslim importers paid only 10%. This canonical tax was abolished under the reform of 1316. Several other kingdoms, such as Ghana and Mali, developed in Medieval Western Sudan. But the best known was the Kingdom of Songhay founded around the trading town of Gao (c. 1000 A. D. ). The Songhay Kingdom broke away from Mali and subsequently arose to become the third great empire in the medieval western Sudan (c. 1460-1590). Songhays founding emperor, Sunni Ali, established imperial authority northward into the Sahara in order to control international trade routes and valuable deposits of rock salt (which was mined and cut into large blocks to be traded for gold). Following Ali’s death, one of his generals, Muhammad Toure, overthrew the legitimate heir, and embarked on a hajj to Mecca. In 1496 he returned to wage jihad against nonMuslims. He conquered new territories and ruled over Songhays expanded empire as Caliph of West Africa. Under Muhammads authority (1493-1528), Songhay, especially the towns of Timbuktu and Jenne, rose to become one of the medieval worlds largest multinational empires. The administrative system was open enough to provide lower level citizens some type of upward social mobility. The empire was highly decentralized and Islam was used as a tool to assimilate different communities. Different categories of slaves cultivated fields, constructed adobe buildings and mosques, acted as porters, or served as soldiers and officials in the imperial government. Some of the latter rose through government and military bureaucracies by virtue of meritorious work to achieve high positions of administrative responsibility, as did soldier Muhammad Toure, when he rose by military merit to become a general and then became the emperor of Songhay. As emperor of Songhay, Muhammad established effective central supervision over provincial governors. He also reformed Songhays imperial government so that merit (rather than birth) became the principal criterion for advancement in bureaucracy. Eventually, after Muhammad became blind and was deposed in 1528, Songhays trans-Saharan trade declined. This was also partly due to competition from European sea traders along the West African Atlantic coast, which undercut the trans-Saharan gold trade. After severe political crises of succession disputes, rebellions and civil war that Songhay emperors faced during the 1580s, their imperial army was decisively defeated by Moroccos elite musketeers at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591. Other kingdoms and chieftaincies came up throughout Central, Eastern and Southern  ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY – Vol. I Development of African Administration: Pre-Colonial Times and since Emizet F. Kisangani Africa. Although some of these polities were decentralized or confederated, most of them developed as centralized systems where the king or the chief represented the top, followed by the house of the king or an inner circle of advisors, and finally the Council of Elders as the legislative branch. The army and bureaucrats were in charge of maintaining security and law, collecting taxes, and conducting censuses. In most polities, age was a major social feature of stratification, while in other areas the system was meritocractic. 1. 3. Beyond the Medieval Era to the Nineteenth Century U SA NE M SC PL O E – C EO H AP LS TE S R S In the late 1500s and through the 1700s, Europeans and Arabs introduced new weapons and made new demands for captives of war throughout Africa to meet the demands of a growing international slave trade. Consequently, many of Africa’s previous patterns of political and economic growth were disrupted, even though many of the great traditions of medieval African politics and administration continued to guide their evolution. As African kingdoms and empires continued to develop, and trade between coastal cities and interior regions expanded throughout the continent, various African peoples established political confederations based on religious ideology, commercial linkages and/or military authority. Such confederations were committed to establishing broader nationalist ideologies, promoting literacy and advancement by merit, expanding both regional and international commerce, and undertaking significant administrative and military reforms. The first great reformer and leader in North Africa was an Ottoman military commander, Muhammad Ali (1805-1848). He established the first secular schools, engineering and medical colleges, modern factories, modern printing presses, and stateowned textile and munitions factories. His successors continued his policies of borrowing foreign capital and building projects, such as the Suez Canal that was completed in 1869. In the west, the original Asante confederation, established by seven clans near the city of Kumasi (in modern day Ghana), united around the symbolic Golden Stool of their ruler Asante-Hene. This confederation built roads and promoted agriculture, commerce, industry and education through self-help and self-reliance. The Asante emperors implemented several modernization policies in administration that included promoting advancement by merit and the development of state enterprise through public investment. By 1874, the British imperial army defeated the Asante army and annexed the Fante territories into their Gold Coast colony. In East Africa (c. 1800-1885), there was also a movement toward centralization of authority and broadened commercial linkages throughout the region, from Ethiopia’s Highlands to the Limpopo River in Southern Africa. In the first half of the nineteenth century, however, Africa continued to be significantly disrupted by international trade in slaves, even as new Euro-American markets began to demand large imports of such African-based commodities as palm oil, cotton, peanuts, and ivory. By mid-century, European merchants realized that Africans could produce such valuable exports more efficiently and humanely by working in their own countries than by working as slaves in the Americas. Many other nineteenth century African nations were consciously modernizing their various political economies and shifting to regional confederacies,