International Political Economy

Part Perspectives on International Political Economy The first chapter of the text deals with the fundamental nature of International political economy (PIP) and some analytical Issues related to Its multidimensional character. Chapters 2 through 4 are the core chapters of the text that explore the history and policies associated with the three dominant PIP perspectives, namely economic liberalism, mercantilism, and structuralism. These theoretical tools are useful In understanding many political, economic, and social Issues In the global economy of the past as well as the present.Chapter 5 develops two alternative PIP respective?constructivism and feminism?that derive, In part, from the three mall outlooks under study. Chapter What Is International Political Economy? We Are the 99%: A Haitian hillside. Georgian Allen When a philosopher has once laid hold of a favorite principle, which perhaps accounts for many natural effects, he extends the same principle over the whole creation, a nd reduces to it every phenomenon, though by the most violent and absurd reasoning. Our own mind being narrow and contracted, we cannot extend our conception to the variety and extent of nature †¦David Hump, â€Å"The Septic† 2 The Darkness on the Edge of Town he Darkness on the edge of town What are the chances you will find a good paying Job?or any Job for that matter? when you graduate from college In the next few years? Have your parent's or people you know lost their Jobs, the family home, or a big chunk of their retirement savings? How are you adjusting to the financial crisis? Maybe things haven't been that bad for you, yet! Reading the headlines of any major newspaper, you might sometimes worry that the world is on the brink of a global economic catastrophe, if not a second Great Depression.The effects of the global economic crisis have made many people feel ensue, tearful, and depressed. The collapse to the US housing market in 2 morphed into a credit crisis tha t threatened some of the biggest banks and financial institutions in the United States and Europe. Government leaders responded with a variety of bank rescue measures and so-called stimulus packages to restart their economies. These interventions angered many ordinary folks who felt that the bailouts rewarded bankers and Coos who had caused the crisis in the first place.Meanwhile, many people around the world were forced out of their homes and became unemployed. They suffered cuts in social services, health care benefits, and education spending when governments were forced to trim budgets. As we write in late 2012, the hoped-for recovery has proved elusive. Unemployment in the United States is stuck at 7. 9 percent; in the European Union (ELI), it has risen to 1 1. 6 percent (23. 4 percent for young people). Home foreclosures and stagnant incomes continue to place enormous strain on many families' finances.The EX. has fallen into another recession, with countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal so deep in debt that they might slide into national bankruptcy, causing the Else's monetary system to collapse. People seem to have lost confidence in national and international political institutions that underpin capitalism and democracy. Is this what the Great Transformation from industrial to post-industrial society was supposed to look like? Are globalization and the so-called â€Å"creative destruction† of new technologies shrinking the middle classes in Western countries and permanently shifting economic dynamism to Asia and Latin America?Adding to the sense of gloom are events around the world in the last few years. High oil prices have benefited giant oil companies while hurting consumers. The giant British Petroleum (BP) oil spill reciprocated an environmental catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico. Japan's Fuchsia earthquake and tsunami damaged several nuclear power plants, causing release of dangerous radioactive material across a large swath of te rritory. High agriculture commodity prices have raised the cost of food and increased levels of world hunger.Because there has been little progress in reducing reliance on fossil fuels, capping carbon emissions, or investing in alternative energy resources, the threat of catastrophic climate change looms larger. And wars in Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, and the Congo are destroying the livelihoods of millions of people. Hope on the Horizon? Is there only gloom and doom around the globe? Surely, no! As we discuss in Chapter 13, emerging powers such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia have dramatically reduced poverty in the last fifteen years and made it possible for hundreds 4 Chapter 1 of millions of people to Join the middle class.Fortunately, they continued to grow at a fairly robust pace after 2007; more Jobs, investment, and consumption in these countries helped keep the rest to the world trot tailing into a deeper recession. Of most of the last decade, sub-Sahara Africa has als o grown surprisingly fast, thanks n part to high prices for oil and commodities exports. And the European Union won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize, a reminder that?despite its serious economic and social problems today?the community has advanced the causes of â€Å"peace and reconciliation, democracy, and human rights† for more than sixty years.Along with these rays of hope are three interrelated global developments that merit discussion at the beginning of this textbook because they are profoundly shaping the international political economy: the Arab Spring, the European sovereign debt crisis, and the Occupy Wall Street (SOWS) movement. Taking place on three different continents since 2011, they have shaken political institutions and spurred waves of political protests in response to a variety of social and economic ills. None of us knows how these momentous developments will play out, but we can be sure that they will affect our daily lives and pocketbooks for many years.Each i s a double- edged sword: a potential harbinger of positive change and a potential foreshadowing of worse yet to come. In other words, each development can either help lead to a more stable, prosperous world in which human security is better guaranteed or ender divisions within and between societies wider than before so that cooperative relations and a fairer distribution of resources remain ever more elusive goals. The Arab Spring took the world by surprise?a reminder that social scientists still do not have good tools to predict when and why large-scale changes will occur in complex socio-political systems.On December 17, 2010, a Tunisian street vendor named Mohamed Bouzouki set himself on fire in reaction to harassment by police officers. His death sparked street demonstrations that brought down the Tunisian government one month later. Protests spread like wildfires to other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. After eighteen days of mass demonstrations, Egypt authoritar ian president Hosting Embark resigned on February 11, 2011, replaced by a military council. On February 15, residents of Bengali, Libya, rose up against the regime of Miramar Qaeda.Following months of NATO bombing and rebel fighting, Qaeda was killed on October 20, 2011, and a National Transitional Council took power. The dramatic political protests?which captivated television viewers and Twitter-feed followers around the world?created an opportunity for a number of Arab countries o Join the community of democratic nations. Yet the crackdown in Syria showed the world how determined some authoritarian leaders in the Middle East are to remain in power?even at the expense of killing tens of thousands of their own citizens.With the genie of Arab political opposition out of the bottle, countries in the Middle East and North Africa are rapidly changing. Fortunately, high oil prices and a return to relative stability in many places could improve conditions in 2013. Along with the Arab Spri ng came President Barack Beam's withdrawal of all U. S. Troops from Iraq at the end of 2011. An ignominious end to an imperial endeavor, the withdrawal seemed to signal that the U. S. Public was no longer willing to pay for wars that drain the public treasury.President Obama refocused U. S. Policy on fighting against the Taliban in Afghanistan and ratcheting up pressure on Iran to abandon its effort to develop nuclear weapons. Many analysts believe that Beam's decisions reveal a significant weakening of U. S. Influence in the Middle East. Perhaps to counteract this decline, Obama decided to bolster the American military presence in the Pacific by cultivating ties with countries afraid of China's rise and attaching 2,500 troops permanently in northern Australia beginning in November 2011.A second development?the European sovereign debt crisis?relentlessly gathered steam after 2010 in the face of a prolonged recession that made it hard for some countries to pay back huge loans to dome stic and foreign banks. European Union leaders had hoped to contain the debt problems in Greece and Ireland, but governments in Spain and Portugal also began to have trouble raising new money by issuing new government bonds. All four countries in 2012 had to get financial bailouts in exchange for adopting painful government spending cuts that contributed o high unemployment.Even with help from the European Central Bank, these countries have dire conditions that threaten the stability of the European financial system. Rupee's responses to its debt crisis have stimulated widespread social unrest. Severe austerity measures have spawned street protests throughout the continent and brought changes of government in Greece, Italy, and Spain. Some EX. leaders and analysts believe that the crisis will spur European countries to form closer ties, while others foresee the death of the Euro and the prospect of national bankruptcies as some countries refuse to pay back onerous loans.If problems worsen in France and Italy, the EX. could unravel economically, causing another deep global recession. The crisis is forcing Germany to decide if it is willing to share the costs of making the EX. stronger, or if it will pursue its purely national interests. The outcomes will likely cause changes in Rupee's traditionally generous social programs and in Rupee's influence in the world. A third development started as an anti-wall Street protest in New York City's Cutting Park on September 17, 2011. Two weeks later, the Occupy Wall Street movement had quickly spread to many major U. S. Ties, tit encampments and â€Å"general assemblies† in public spaces. Similar â€Å"occupations† occurred in Europe, Israel, Chile, and Australia. Although the majority of participants in the SOWS social movement have been students, union workers, progressive activists, and the unemployed, their ideas seemed to resonate with a significant number of the middle class. Calling themselves the â €Å"99%† (in contrast to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans), SOWS protestors criticized financial institutions, condemned Wall Street greed, and called for a reduction of corporate control over the democratic process.Although SOWS encampments disappeared, the movement kook up new campaigns in 2012, including efforts to stop home foreclosures and reduce student debt. What do these three developments have in common? While each has its own causes, the protestors collectively represent a reaction to corrupt government and growing inequality. In three large regions?the Middle East, Europe, and North America?movements sought protection from financial and cultural globalization that left people feeling at the mercy of market forces.In many cases, protestors felt that they were unfairly forced to bail out the wealthy but denied a chance to snare many o governments 6 s to previous growth. Austerity policies that many had adopted since 2008?and even earlier in the Arab countries?cu t into a host of public social programs such as education and relief for the poor. Many disgruntled citizens disagreed with their leaders, who argued that such reductions were necessary to reduce the size of government, balance national budgets, and stimulate economic recovery.While Arabs claimed a political voice that had been squashed by decades of dictatorial rule, Americans and Europeans seemed to demand a new kind of politics freed from the grip of special interests and big money. In all three cases, elites who were supposed to be the experts on political and financial affairs suddenly were at a loss to explain why things had gotten so bad under their watch. With a loss of faith in Arab regimes, EX. leaders, and U. S. Bankers came a certain â€Å"denationalization† of ruling ideologies such as economic liberalism.A new emphasis was placed on democratic participation and economic fairness. Despite a new zeitgeist in the air in three continents, old political and economic institutions were still resilient. Many regimes held firm in the Middle East. American banks grew even egger after government bailouts, and more money than ever poured into the campaign war chests of Democratic and Republican political candidates. EX. political elites continued to make deals that seemed designed to save big investors and banks rather than ordinary citizens.The alternatives to the old did not always promise a better future, either. In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, Psalmists like Egypt new president Mohamed Moors' made their own undemocratic power grabs, seeking to impose religiously conservative policies and weaken women's rights. Reactions against austerity in Europe strengthened extreme right-wing parties in Greece and France while fueling anti-E or secessionist sentiments in the United Kingdom and Catalonia.And by refusing to organize and engage in â€Å"normal† politics, the SOWS forces dissipated?leaving normal two-party gridlock in Washington after t he November 2012 elections. The Road Ahead By discussing above the three big developments, as well as the problems and promises in the global economy, we have hopefully given you a sense of some of the important phenomena we seek to understand in international political economy. Not unsurprisingly, there are fierce debates about the causes of current crises and the best solutions to them.One of the arguments we make in this text is that to adequately describe and explain the current global financial crisis?or any of the other issues covered in the different chapters?we must use an analytical approach that synthesizes methods and insights derived from economics, political science, and sociology as conditioned by an understanding to history and philosophy. As you delve deeper into the material, you will learn a variety of theories and analytical tools that help us interpret the interrelationships of the state, market, and society in different nations.The PIP method bridges different a cademic disciplines to better explain employ, real-world problems that span physical and intellectual boundaries. While this statement might sound a bit formal and confusing at this point, keep in mind that we do not think you need to be an economics major, a specialist in finance, The What, Why, and How of International Political Economy or a Middle East expert to understand the basic parameters of the global financial crisis or the Arab Spring.This book is written for students who have limited background in political science, economics, or sociology, as well as for those who want to review an assortment of topics in preparation for graduate school. In the next section, we look at how to study PIP?its three distinct analytical perspectives and a number of methodological issues with which PIP students should become acquainted. All the chapters in the book cover important theoretical and Policy issues that have connections to the three developments we have mentioned?and to many more. In this way, we hope students might better understand different dimensions of the problems and then make some reasoned Judgments about how to solve them. Later in this chapter, we discuss the popular phenomenon of globalization as a way o introduce students to many of the political-economic conditions that led up to the global financial crisis. Many PIP experts have asserted that the economic liberal ideas behind globalization may have contributed to the crisis. Opinions differ, however, on whether or not the crisis signals the end of laissez-fairer economic policies, or even the end of capitalism itself. He what, why, and how of International Political economy Our discussion of the financial crisis and its consequences makes clear that today's complex issues can no longer be easily analyzed and understood by using any single et of disciplinary methods and concepts. Those who study PIP are, in essence, breaking down the analytical and conceptual boundaries between politics, economic s, and sociology to produce a unique explanatory framework. Following are several examples of questions that traditional academic disciplines might ask as they seek to explain the global financial crisis.Each discipline focuses on different actors and interests: International Relations: How much has the financial crisis detracted from the ability of states to pay for military defense? How has the crisis affected the conditions of war or terrorism in poor states? As Europe, Japan, and the United States struggle, will emerging countries like China, India, and Brazil gain more political influence in international institutions? International Economics: How has the crisis impacted foreign investment, international trade, and the values of different currencies?Comparative Politics: What is the capability of political institutions within different nations to respond to the needs of the unemployed? What new political forces are emerging and with what effects on political coalitions? Sociolo gy: How has the crisis affected consumption trends for different groups such as the upper, middle, and rower classes? How do the effects of inequality vary on the basis of ethnicity and gender? Anthropology: How have different societies in history dealt with crises related to how they allocate scarce resources?And how have these crises impacted their cultures, values, and societal norms? 8 Focusing on a narrow range of methods and issues enhances intellectual specialization and analytical efficiency. But any single discipline offers an incomplete explanation of global events. Specialization promotes a sort of scholarly blindness or distorted view that comes from using only one set of analytical methods and incepts to explain what most decidedly is a complex problem that could benefit from a multidisciplinary perspective.When defining PIP, we make a distinction between the term â€Å"international political economy' and the acronym PIP. The former refers to what we study?commonly re ferred to as a subject area or field of inquiry that involves tensions among states, markets, and societal actors. In this text, we tend to focus on a variety of actors and issues that are either â€Å"international† (between nation-states) or â€Å"transnational† (across the national borders of two or more states).Increasingly today, any analysts use the term â€Å"global political economy' instead of â€Å"international political economy' to explain problems such as climate change, hunger, and illicit markets that have spread over the entire world, and not Just a few nations. In this book, we often use these two terms interchangeably. The acronym PIP also connotes a method of inquiry that is multidisciplinary. PIP fashions the tools of analysis of its antecedent disciplines so as to more accurately describe and explain the ever- changing relationships between governments, businesses, and social forces across history and in different geographical areas.What are some of the central elements of the antecedent melds to study that contribute to IP 7 First, PIP includes a political dimension that accounts for the use of power by a variety of actors, including individuals, domestic groups, states (acting as single units), international organizations, nongovernmental organizations (Nags), and transnational corporations (Tens). All these actors make decisions about the distribution of tangible things such as money and products or intangible things such as security and innovation.In almost all cases, politics involves the making of rules pertaining to owe states and societies achieve their goals. Another aspect of politics is the kind of public and private institutions that have the authority to pursue different goals. Second, PIP involves an economic dimension that deals with how scarce resources are distributed among individuals, groups, and nation-states. A variety of public and private institutions allocate resources on a day-to-day basis in local markets where we shop. Today, a market is not Just a place where people go to buy or exchange something face to face with the product's maker.The market can also be thought of as a driving force that shapes human behavior. When consumers buy things, when investors purchase stocks, and when banks lend money, their dependability transactions constitute a vast, sophisticated web of relationships that coordinate economic activities all over the world. Political scientist Charles Limbo makes an interesting case that the economy is actually nothing more than a system for coordinating social behavior! What people eat, their occupation, and even what they do when not working are all organized around different agricultural, labor, and relaxation markets.In effect, markets often perform a social function of â€Å"coordination without a coordinator. L Third, the works of such notables as Charles Limbo and economists Robert Hellbender and Lester Throw help us realize that PIP does not reflect enough the societal dimension of different international problems. 2 A growing number of PIP scholars argue that states and markets do not exist in a social vacuum. There are usually many different social groups within a state that share identities, norms, and associations based on tribal ties, ethnicity, religion, or gender.Likewise, a variety of transnational groups (referred to as global civil society) have interests that cut across national boundaries. A host of Nags have attempted to pressure national and international organizations on issues such as climate change, refugees, migrant workers, and gender-based exploitation. All of these groups are purveyors of ideas that potentially generate tensions between them and other groups but play a major role in shaping global behavior. How to Study PIP: Contrasting Perspectives and Methodologies The three dominant perspectives of PIP are economic liberalism, mercantilism, and structuralism.Each focuses on the relationships between a va riety of actors and institutions. A strict extinction between these perspectives is quite arbitrary and has been imposed by disciplinary tradition, at times making it difficult to appreciate their connections to one another. Each perspective emphasizes different values, actors, and solutions to Policy problems but also overlooks some important elements highlighted by the other two perspectives. Economic liberalism (particularly unilateralism?see Chapter 2) is most closely associated with the study of markets.Later we will explain why there is an increasing gap between orthodox economic liberals (Eels), who champion free arrests and free trade, and heterodox interventionist liberals (Hills), who support more state regulation and trade protection to sustain markets. Increasingly, Hills have stressed that markets work best when they are embedded in (connected to) society and when the state intervenes to resolve problems that markets alone cannot handle. In fact, many Hills acknowledge that markets are the source of many of these problems.Many liberal values and ideas are the ideological foundation of the globalization campaign. They are derived from notable thinkers such as Adam Smith, David Richard, John Maynard Keynes, Frederica Hayes, and Milton Friedman. The laissez-fairer principle, that the state should leave the economy alone, is attributed to Adam Smith. 3 More recently, economic liberal ideas have been associated with former president Ronald Reagan and his acolytes, who contended that economic growth is best achieved when the government severely limits its involvement (interference) in the economy.Under pure market conditions (I. E. , the absence of state intervention or social influences), people are assumed to behave â€Å"rationally' (see Chapter 2). 10 That is, they will naturally seek to maximize their gains and limit their losses when reducing and selling things. They have strong desires to exchange and to generate wealth by competing with others for sales in local and international markets. According to Eels, people should strongly value economic efficiency? the ability to use and distribute resources effectively and with little waste.Why is efficiency so important? When an economy is inefficient, scarce resources go unused or could be used in other ways that would be more beneficial to society. This idea has been applied to the new global economy and is one of the basic principles behind globalization. Mercantilism (also called economic nationalism) is most closely associated with the political philosophy of realism, which focuses on state efforts to accumulate wealth and power to protect society from physical harm or the influence of other states (see Chapters 3 and 9).In theory, the state is a legal entity and an autonomous system of institutions that governs a specific geographic territory and a â€Å"nation. † Since the mid-seventeenth century, the state has been the dominant actor in the international community based on the principle that it has the authority to exercise sovereignty (final authority) over its own affairs. States use two types of power to protect themselves. Hard power refers to tangible military and economic assets employed to compel, coerce, intelligence, tend tot, or death enemies and competitors.Soft power comprises selective tools that reflect and project a country cultural values, beliefs, and ideals. Through the use of movies, cultural exports and exchanges, information, and diplomacy, a state can convince others that the ideas it sponsors are legitimate and should be adopted. Soft power can in many ways be more effective than hard power because it rests on persuasion and mutual exchange. For example, Nobel Peace Prize recipient Barack Obama partly regained some of the world's support for the United States through a discourse emphasizing multilateral cooperation.Structuralism is rooted in Marxist analysis but not limited to it (see Chapter 4). It looks at PIP issues mainly in terms of how different social classes are shaped by the dominant economic structure. It is most closely associated with the methods of analysis many sociologists employ. Structuralisms emphasize that markets have never existed in a social vacuum. Some combination of social, economic, and political forces establishes, regulates, and preserves them.As we will see in the case of the financial crisis, even the standards used to Judge the effectiveness of market systems reflect the dominant values and beliefs of those forces. The Benefits of PIP Each perspective in PIP sheds light on some aspects of a problem particularly well, but casts a shadow on other important aspects. By using a combination of the three dominant PIP methods and concepts (outlined in Table 1-1), we can move to the big picture?the most comprehensive and compelling explanation of global processes.Not surprisingly, mixing together the disciplines of economics, political science, and sociology gives rise to a n analytical problem: It is difficult to establish a single explanation to any PIP issue because each discipline has its own set of analytical concepts, core beliefs, and methodologies. Does this weaken the utility of PIP? Not at all. We must recognize that PIP is not a â€Å"hard science†; it may never table 1-1 Conflicting Political economic Perspectives about state-market relations in Capitalist societies Monetarism (Orthodox Economic Liberals) Main Ideas aboutCapitalism â€Å"Laissez-fairer†; minimal state intervention and regulation of the economy Keynesian (Heterodox Interventionist Economic Liberals) The state primes (injects money? liquidity) into the economy to restore confidence in it and to stabilize it Efficiency mixed with a variety of state political and social objectives Developmental State Model (Mercantilism) Socialism (Structuralism) Social Democracy (Structuralism) The state plays a proactive role in the economy to guide and protect its major industr ies The state controls the economy. Prices set by state officials. Emphasis on state

drugs and alcohol on college students Essay

Drugs and alcohol, do they have a significant impact on the lives of college students or just the ones that fall short to the influence? There is a major problem with students using and abusing these substances, not only does it have negative effects on the user, but on the user’s friends and family as well. A lot of drugs and alcohol become easily available to college students over the course of their college years. What can be done to help prevent students from abusing drugs and alcohol? Overall, drugs and alcohol do have a serious effect on the lives of college students. In college it is extremely hard for some students to have self-control. According to the article, â€Å"Alcohol and Drug abuse†, a study indicated that 90% of students admitted to have consumed an alcoholic beverage in college, while 50% of the students also admitted to smoking marijuana. These statistics show that most students will be around drugs or alcohol at one point during their experience. Additionally, One of the many reasons that students drink or do drugs is because it is their first taste of freedom away from home. Not to mention, no parents on their back, no rules, and you can go â€Å"home† (dormitory, apartment, house, etc†¦) anytime you want, why would a teen not take full advantage of this opportunity? That is one of the main issues and students do not know how to say the word as simple as no sometimes. Not only do students get hooked on this kind of behavior but also could potentially take it too far. Some say drinking is a stress reliever from school, work, or even personal problems. Furthermore, alcohol, as well as drugs, are very addictive and can cause many problems for one down the road. At least once a month, half of the college students in America drink or abuse drugs. A conducted survey showed around 22% of students have a higher rate abusing substances compared to the general public. Nonetheless, these students claimed they use drugs to help forget about problems and help relax  and reduce stress. Since 2005, the students that claim they abuse marijuana has more than doubled, but the amount of students that claim to use alcohol has stayed average. (insert info). This sort of behavior very rarely stems from the choice made of a single individual but is mostly influenced by peer pressuring friends as a way to fit in. Alcoholism does have an effect on the social lives of students. Some say â€Å"you are who your friends are†, in some aspects they are right. The friends chosen to spend the days with throughout college do have a significant role in a lifetime. Whatever their decisions may be, could influence the person one strives to be. The influence others can make in life seems daring and unbelievable. Research states that students Frat houses and sororities also have an impact on drinking habits developed throughout college.  Greek life can be a big part of ones college experience. Membership in fraternities or sororities may play a part in drinking in college. Greek life does play a part throughout campus by typically throwing open house parties and social gatherings including none greek life students. Statistics show that greek members do more drinking than regular students and is also known as â€Å"the greek effect†. However, this does not mean that these same developed habits will stay with them following the college years. They say after students graduate and leave the college atmosphere that their studies do suggest a decrease in drinking. Once they leave they are not involved in a socially acceptable atmosphere for heavy drinking and partying. Greek life or not, drinking still raises a concern for college students. Drugs and alcohol are huge concerns across the United States. A Harvard University study showed that underage students who drink are more likely to over abuse their tolerance level compared to twenty-one year olds, which is also the legal drinking age in America. It is unbelievably easy to access alcohol for many underage students and could be a reason to why they turn to drinking. Some could even argue that alcohol is the biggest gateway drug. A study from the University of Florida explains why they believe alcohol is  a bigger gateway drug than marijuana. The study showed that substance use begins with the most sociably acceptable drugs, being alcohol and tobacco, then proceeds to marijuana use and lastly on to other illegal, harder drugs, like cocaine. Furthermore, students who used alcohol exhibited a significantly greater likelihood up to sixteen times of illicit and licit substance use. Alcohol is what’s being put on a pedestal, so students seek it out. When majority of students drink, they binge drink. This is one of the worst ways to consume alcohol and have harsh side effects. Campuses do not realize how harmful this is to the student body and mind. There should be more programs to raise awareness and inform students of the effects of alcohol abuse. If peers, professors or other influential members of the community see a problem within a student they should be able to refer them to counseling and seek proper help needed. Peers do play an influential role in pressuring others to party and do drugs, especially roommates. Male students that consumed alcohol or abused drugs in high school that came to college and became roommates with another male that was similar to them in high school could have negative effects on each other and are probable to increase their consumption into college. Female students were found to not be as pressured by their roommates and were more probable to carry on their individual high school ways throughout college. Drinking alcohol as a young adult will more than double the chances of neurotoxicity and cause harmful cognitive effects as oppose to people that start drinking later in life. Almost every community in America is affected by underage drinking. Every year the statisitics of how young kids will start to drink increases. Children from the ages of twelve to seventeen that first encounter alcohol has increased by over one million in a span of five years. (The neurocognitive effects of alcohol on adolescents and college students). Here are many consequences to extreme drinking. Every year there are on average 1,825 deaths from injuries and car accidents caused by people  driving while intoxicated. (insert info). Assault and sexual assault chances also increase when alcohol is thrown into the equation. Studies show how poorly students perform on exams, papers, and also how far they fall behind because of acquired drinking habits. 19% of students fall into the category of alcohol dependence.

Healthy environment Essay

A healthy environment to me would be a community with low pollution, stable economical levels, clean water and communicates who communicate well with one another. The residents in this community would be happy, and would encourage others to come live in their community (Maurer & Smith, 2013). There would be quality health care services available and good schools for the children to promote knowledge. This would help provide education to promote successful lifestyles (Maurer & Smith, 2013). Nursing cares could be provided depending on what the needs were. Nurses could hold seminars to provide the community ways to better their health. They can provide teaching to assist with decreasing pollution in their communities. If there is a high amount of respiratory illness in that community, then minimizing the pollutants would be beneficial. They could start smoke-free areas, teach about decreasing litter to prevent pests, then the pollutant of exterminating gases would be decreased. Nursing could gather statistics about the community’s health to provide information to help promote good health. Maurer, F.A. & Smith, C.M. 2013. Community/Public Health Nursing Practice: Health for Families and Populations, 5th edition. Retrieved from: http//pagebursts.elsevier.com

Financial services in uk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial services in uk - Essay Example ooming financial sector due to the emphasis the government has placed on showcasing the strengths of this industry which has powerful entities with worldwide recognition such as the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and the an affluent population of 60,609,153 which has one of the highest real gross domestic product per capita in the world at $30,821 (CultureGrams, 2008). Preventing customer complaints and resolving them in a civilized manner is a critical success factor for companies in this industry in the UK. This essay studies customer service, customer complaints and the application of contract laws related to disputes between customer and firms in the United Kingdom. The financial services industry is a business whose worldwide market value is worth trillion of euros (Plunkett Research, 2008). This industry is composed of different segments which generate sales most of which are service oriented. The different sectors within the industry include commercial banking, private marking, equity market, consulting, financial planning, brokerage, real estate, and insurance among other financial services. In the United Kingdom the capital hub for financial activity is London, followed by Scotland a region in which 108,000 people or 10% of the working population are employed in the financial service industry that generated in 2007 nearly 7 billion euros in economic activity (Sfe, 2008). The people working in the financial services industry depend on customer retention in order for firms to build a portfolio of clients that bring recurrent business to firms. Just like in other industry a customer comes back and recommends the services of a store or company only if they are satisfied with the product they receive. It is essential to provide service to customer and to build a customer total quality program based on a strategic view that the customer is the most important stakeholder of the company. All business process must be geared to satisfy the needs of the customer and

Internship report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words - 1

Internship report - Essay Example It shall present first an overview of the organization where the internship was conducted. A breakdown of the 200 hours shall then be presented in terms of the work conducted, the number of hours worked per week, duties and responsibilities, additional skills or knowledge involved, and how beneficial the internship experience was in my professional development. Finally, this paper shall also present the relationship of the internship experience to the MS-HCA program. This paper is being conducted in order to present a summary and an assessment of my internship experience. The goal of this paper is also to provide a clear and comprehensive picture of the internship program in terms of leadership qualities and its application in actual practice. VITAS Innovative Hospice Care is a center specializing in hospice care or palliative care. It was first established in 1978 and is now considered one of the leading hospice centers in the country. Their mission or overall goal is to maintain the quality of life of those who do not have much time to live (VITAS, n.d). This center provides adult and pediatric services covering a wide range of chronic care illnesses including (but not limited to) cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung, liver, and kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, and AIDS. This center focuses in providing relief from the physical symptoms of their disease, especially pain, and also in providing emotional support and therapy for patients (VITAS, n.d). The VITAS health care team is composed of trained health care givers who have the appropriate skills to carry out the specific services of the center. The team is composed of the nurse who assesses and manages pain, and also provides hands-o n care; social workers who provide emotional support and financial assistance to patients; physicians who coordinate with the patient’s primary care physician in the management of pain and of other

Critical Evaluation for the Presentation of Research Data in Essay

Critical Evaluation for the Presentation of Research Data in Architecture - Essay Example Qualitative Research: Context There has been a substantial growth in qualitative inquiry within social sciences over the past two decades. Miles and Huberman (1994: 1) suggest a tripling of papers and find evidence of significant growth in academic texts. The reasons for this may be clear, as Cassell and Symon (1995: 2) point out that research in social sciences is mostly concerned with people, organizations, and social interactions, and is not well disposed to positivist / scientific philosophy. There are some risks and challenges facing the researcher adopting this methodology. Some academics are dismissive of the methodology, mostly on grounds of the validity of the approach and consequently the reliability of the findings; whereas, there are arguments that the methods are non-scientific, open to personal opinions, biases, and subjective interpretations. Qualitative Research: Philosophy Research philosophy entails the examination of beliefs, both our own, as well as those of other s, on how knowledge is developed. A discussion on research philosophy usually commences with a consideration of two opposite research perspectives, positivism and phenomenology as elaborated by Saunders (2008: 120). There are clear rules and statistical procedures, which can be followed to produce objective and generalisable findings in quantitative techniques; on the other hand, qualitative research has to tackle issues of 'subjectivity', and 'social construction', which are concepts far more difficult to pin down with basic rules and procedures, and where results may be more open to 'interpretation' (Miles, 1994: 591). These issues lead to the important areas that a qualitative research design must tackle, namely; validity, reliability, and bias. According to Miles et al (1994) the task for the qualitative researcher is to build in robustness (will the design stand up in different and difficult situations) and rigor (will the design demonstrate comprehensive attention to detail) i nto the research design. This will involve careful attention to planning, data collection, data analysis and presentation. These issues will be considered within units 9 and 10 when we go on to look at the process and procedures involved in planning, data collection, analysis and presentation. In quantitative based studies, a key objective is often to design the study to precise statistical rules so that results from samples can be generalised to a wider population. In qualitative research, this can not be claimed. Results are subject to interpretation. The real value of qualitative research according to Thomas (2004: 131) lies not in generalisation but particularisation. In other words, the richness and knowledge derives from understanding a situation or case, in greater depth. Quantitative Research: Approach The implications for the research process are now examined with a look at the processes for inductive and deductive approaches to research. Within the deductive approach, rese arch flows from developing a single hypothesis or multiple hypotheses concerning the association or relationship between data. Often such studies seek to establish cause and affect relationships between

How smoking affect in your health (CLASSICAL ARGUMENT) Essay

How smoking affect in your health (CLASSICAL ARGUMENT) - Essay Example Many people look out for long-term effects of smoking; however, there are also short-term health implications on smokers. Short-term effects of smoking on health cover such aspect as an increase in heart rate, a drop in skin temperature as well as increased respiration rate of the smoker. Other immediate effects of smoking might also include diarrhoea and vomiting may occur especially in novice smokers. Many smokers feel that by smocking, there central nervous system becomes relaxed but the health experts report the opposite as research has shown smoking stimulates the central nervous system (Andreassi 425). Additionally, health effects of smoking concerns the negative implication it has on the digestive system of the smoker especially being linked to gastric and duodenal ulcers, which are twice likely to be the cause of death for smokers than non-smokers. These health implications are also experienced on the healing ability of skin wounds with smokers having a reduced ability due to depletion of vitamin C from the body (Foulds, Delnevo, Ziedonis and Steinberg 429). Long-term effects of smoking are more fatal than the short-term ones with cancer and cardiovascular diseases being more common health implications of smoking. Health statistics indicates that smoking among the deadly causes of cancer infections in the world with about 90 percent of new lung cancer cases being related to smoking (Hou 115). It is estimated that an average smoker has a higher chance of up to ten times of getting lung cancer compared with a non-smoker. This figure implies that smoking is responsible for more cancer related deaths than other causes with statistics indicating a 30% contribution in all cancer deaths. Even as lung cancer continues to be the deadliest disease caused by smoking, there are other types of cancers such as that of the bladder, mouth, colon, throat, pancreas, cervix, kidneys and,

Evaluation essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluation - Essay Example For the potential buyers of these cars, this price difference should not be a consideration, provided they are satisfied with other features of the car. A clear advantage with the Camry range is that there are five different variant models on offer, with Hybrid varieties too made available to the customer, although this could cost an additional $5,000 on the basic model. The Honda Accord on the other hand Honda Accords comes in just two models. Moving on to other features of the cars, the Toyota Camry models score more points for their superior aesthetics and visual appeal. For example, the Camry has a rounded exterior, with a clean, tidy look which would appeal to buyers from the professional classes. Honda Accord, in contrast, has elements of a sports car, with sleeker and pointed exteriors, suggesting that the car would appeal to young car enthusiasts rather than older, higher income demographic groups. The Honda Accord Coupe has a 268-horsepower engine (V-6), takes lesser time to go from 0 to 60 and offers better fuel efficiency system, along with a lower center of gravity structure and â€Å"independent multi-link rear suspension†, which is supposed to provide greater control over the car. The Camry models too offer V-6 engines and greater car stability features, not by default but as additional options, which translates into more expenses for the customer. Both cars offer deluxe and comfortable leather interiors. As for safety features such as airbags, seatbelts, etc, both cars are similar. In other words, the safety and performance features of both cars meet standard expectations. Hence, neither car is overall better than the other. The final choice of a customer will depend on his/her age, location (urban, rural, etc), income, marital status, etc. Young men, who are not yet married, will more likely go for the Honda Accord Coupe, for its

The evolution of semiautomatic rifles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The evolution of semiautomatic rifles - Essay Example After 1885, smokeless powder and a cupro-nickel jacketed bullet ushered the SR into a new era. Maxim received a patent in 1891 for a short-stroke gas piston, where the gas is taken off through a barrel port close to the chamber, which drives a short piston that operates the action. John Browning, in 1889, entered the SR field, producing a lever rifle that featured a concave muzzle cap that was hook up below the barrel, connecting with the triggerguard rifle lever. Griffiths and Woodgate were two Englishmen who introduced a SR that had simplicity as its value. In 1898, Mauser introduced a SR that incorporate a locking principle which was modified to form the Deglyarev LMG lock principle and the lock of the gas operated rifles with which Germany ended the war. Major Amerigo Cei-Rigotti introduced a gas system in 1900, which was a modification of the Italian 1891 rifle design, but had the action further forward to protect the shooter. The Cei-Rigotti, in firing tests in 1900, delivered 300 rounds in a minute of full automatic fire, after which the barrel was too hot to use. This was a mechanism that was used by the Russians in 1936 and 1940 and by Germany in 1943, with their mechanism being mounted on to of barrels, instead of below. The main person who was driving the development of the SR was Mannlicher. In 1891, Mannlicher developed two SRs, which operated on the short recoil principle. His second experimentation was a rifle that featured a small hook bored in the barrels bottom and a gas-operated arm. Mannlicher came back in 1893 with two SRs with a revolving bolt locked rifle. The first was a modification of his standard turning bolt magazine rifle; the second was the Mannlicher Model 90 straight-pull design. In 1894, Mannlicher introduced two â€Å"blow forward† designs with hesitation locking cams. The first required cocking after every shot. The second featured a standing

Islam, Apostasy and Missions Essay Example for Free

Islam, Apostasy and Missions Essay Sharkey’s Empire and Muslim Conversion: Historical Reflections on Christian Missions in Egypt, Kieser’s Mission as A Factor of Change in Turkey (Nineteenth to first half of Twentieth Century) and Erhan’s Ottoman’s Official Attitude Toward American Missionaries and a chapter from Timothy Marr’s work â€Å"The Cultural Roots of American Islamicism†, are scholarly enterprises that provides a comprehensive details about some historical phenomenon pertaining to Christian Missionaries, Islamic world and American History. All these articles refer to missionaries’ activities in the different geographical region within Islamic world but all these indicate similarities in their social and political orientations, their patterns and procedures and their successes and failures. All the authors have tried to present different aspects of missionary activities in the Islamic world with different approaches of historiography. But mostly all of them have illustrated the Mission’s movements in the Western hemisphere of the Islamic world. Egypt and Ottoman empire during the 19th century and early 20th century with a brief references to other parts of Islamic world (Mostly Sharkey has provided succinct comparisons with Iran, Pakistan and Indonesia etc. ) hither and thither. Their methodology to explore the historical realities, to analyze the issue and to provide judgments remains different. For example, Sharkey like a distinguished historian approaches the question with professional integrity and objectivity and restrains himself from providing sweeping conclusions about the whole scenario that he has analyzed intensively and extensively. He only provides the verified and verifiable arguments in support of his thesis and tries to coverall the aspects of evolution of phenomenon of Mission activity, their triumphs and failures and applies these historical judgments to the contemporary situation and ruling tenet of Clash of Civilization. Whereas Hans-Lucas Kieser arguments lucidly without relying much on primary and secondary sources but sometimes he adopts an authoritative stance over some issue without providing any substantial proof. Although Erhan also mulls over the phenomenon of Missionary activity in the Ottoman Empire but he has considered a specific issue of Ottoman’s official attitudes toward theses Evangelical missions. Other writer like Sharkey and Kieser touch some aspects of Ottoman’s approach and policies toward these missionaries but Erhan discusses these exhaustively along with the diplomatic relations between Ottoman Empire and United States of America in the early 18th century and how these relations affected the American missionaries status in the geographical domain of Ottoman empire. Timothy Marr postulates his theory first and then draws on far-fetched intellectual arguments to support his thesis. He collects all the historical evidences that can support his thesis and arrange them in a way so that they seem converging on a single point i. e. to draw parallels between major tenets of abolitionist spirit with romantic perception of Islamic world. He takes into account the whole Antebellum period. The ultimate purposes of all the articles seem to develop an understanding of the patterns and processes of Evangelical missionaries work in the Muslim world and its implications in the contemporary scenario (except Timothy Marr that analyzes the effect of Ismaicism on antislavery movement in America). Sharkey’s work is of great importance in this regard as its intention is to trace down the roots of Missionary activity in the Anglo-American imperialism and to locate the causes of the origin of post-colonial trend of considering these missionaries as neo-crusaders and proponents of anti-Islamic neo-imperialism by the Muslim masses. Kieser’s article seems to create a justification based on historical facts and figures that Missionaries in the Ottoman empires were â€Å"actors of social and mental change†. He tries to subvert the popular Muslim notion that Christian missionaries were carters of anti-Muslim agenda. Erhan’s â€Å"Ottoman Official Attitudes Toward American Missionaries† give the impression of a complete intellectual exercise to advance some historical findings. All the writers have specified a special period of Evangelical missionary activities in a particular geographical location. Sharkey takes into account the Missionary activities in Egypt but does not bind himself to chronological limits. He covers the colonial and post-colonial eras but pays special attention to the imperialistic moves of Anglo-American nations and their correlation with the missionary activities of the Anglo-American Churches. Kieser consider the activities of ABCFM in the Ottoman Empire especially the Armenian and Assyrian provinces in the 19th century and first half of 20th century. Sharkey, Kieser and Erhan adopts the same argumentative line about the gradual evolution of missionary activity and acknowledged rightfully explained the phenomenon of Missionaries’ premature activities to convert Muslim to the Christianity, their realization of the impossibility of the efforts and diversion to other socio-religious groups and minorities in the same geographical area. Sharkey says that although Ottoman’s political moves of â€Å"liberalism and tolerance† under the Anglo American imperial influence has facilitated the missionary activities but socio-cultural compulsions remained there that hindered the way of missionaries and kept them away from an agenda of conversion. So conversion of majority Muslims was a fruitless effort. So zealous missionaries turned their attention to the Orthodox Christians of the area i. e. to convert native orthodox Coptic Christians to Protestants. Kieser has analyzed the same pattern of diversion among the missionaries of ABCFM (American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions) in Ottoman Empire. He illustrates that â€Å"The first Missionaries of ABCFM learnt early on the impossibility of evangelizing the members of Ottoman ummet†¦Their resistance to conversion was partly due the strong legal an social sanctions against conversions, but not only to that. Like the Jews, for deep historical and psychological reasons, the Muslims remained on the whole impermeable to the enthusiastic approach of the Protestants. † (Kieser, p. 392-393) He further asserts that â€Å"therefore the ABCFM concentrated its work on the Assyrians, Armenians and Greek minorities and kept in contact with Muslim marginals. † (p. 393) Erhan takes a different stance and says that the initials efforts of the American missionary were directed toward Jews living at Palestine (p. 316) but soon realized that Jew were â€Å"tight-knit religious community and thus largely immune to Christian evangelical activities† ( Erhan, p. 315) But he further illustrates that Christian missionaries were diverted to their fellow Christian with Eastern version of Christianity. All these writers have assessed the situation precisely as Quranic injunctions and â€Å"Shariah’s† rulings that consider Islam as the final version of divine religions that encompass the teachings and tenets of Christianity and Judaism. These Islamic doctrines further hold that â€Å"Murtid† i. e. convert, has no place in Islamic society. These injunctions are psychologically and emotionally absorbed in the Muslims minds so the ultimate result of apostasy was social outcast and in some cases death penalty.

Study Of Autocratic Leadership Style Management Essay

Study Of Autocratic Leadership Style Management Essay There are many ways to lead and every leader has his own style. Some of the most common styles include autocratic, bureaucratic, democratic and laissez-faire. Autocratic Leadership Style This is often considered the classical approach. It is one in which the manager retains as much power and decision-making authority as possible. The manager does not consult employees, nor are they allowed to give any input. Employees are expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations.Some studies say that organizations with many autocratic leaders have higher turnover and absenteeism than other organizations. These studies say that autocratic leaders: Rely on threats and punishment to influence employees      Do not believe the staff      Do not allow for employee input     Nevertheless, the autocratic leadership is not so bad.Sometimes it is the most effective style to use.  Such situations may include:      Employees do not respond to any other style of leadership      There are high volumes of production needs on a daily basis      There is limited time for decision      Work must be coordinated with another department or organization   autocratic leadership style should not be used in the following cases:      Employees become tense, fearful, or resentful      Employees are expected to have their opinion heard      Employees begin depending on their manager to have all their solutions      There is low employee morale, high turnover and absenteeism and work stoppages Bureaucratic Leadership Style Bureaucratic leadership where the manager manages by the book. All must be done in accordance with the procedure or policy. If this does not apply to books, the manager refers to the next level above him or her. This manager is really more police officers than the leader. He or she  apply the rules.   This style can be effective if:   Employees perform routine tasks over and over again.   Employees must understand the specific standards or procedures.   Employees working with hazardous or fragile equipment that requires a set of procedures for the job.   Safety and security training is conducted.   Employees perform tasks that require cash handling.   This style does not be effective if:   Skills of the forms that are difficult to break, especially if they are no longer useful.   Employees are losing interest in their work and their colleagues.   Employees do only what is expected of them and nothing more. Democratic Leadership Style It encourages employees to be part of decision-making process.Democratic manager keeps his or her employees informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and problem-solving responsibilities.   Democratic leadership can produce high quality and quantity of work for long periods of time.  Many employees like the trust they receive and respond cooperation, team spirit and high morale.Typically, the democratic leader:   Develops plans to help employees assess their own performance   Allows employees to set goals   Encourages employees to grow jobs and encourage   Recognizes and encourages achievement.   Like other styles, the democratic style is not always appropriate.It is most successful when using highly skilled and experienced employees or when implementing operational changes or permits a person or group problems.   The democratic leadership style is most effective if:   The leader wants employees informed about matters that affect them.   The leader wants employees to participate in decision-making and problem-solving responsibilities.   There is a large and complex problem that requires a lot of input to solve.   you want to promote team building and participation.   Democratic leadership should not be used in the following cases:   There is not enough time to get the input of each.   Its easier and more cost effective for the manager to decide.   Business can not afford mistakes.   The manager feels threatened by this type of leadership. Laissez-Faire Leadership Style This kind leadership style is also known as hands-off  ¨ style. This is where the manager gives little direction and gives employees more freedom as possible. All authority or power is given to employees, and they must set goals, make decisions and solve problems independently  .   This is an effective style to use when:   Employees are highly skilled, experienced and educated.   Employees have pride in their work and desire to do it successfully yourself.   Reliable and experienced staff.   This style should not be used in the following cases:   It makes employees feel insecure in the absence of the manager.   The manager can not provide regular feedback to employees know how well they are doing.   The manager does not understand their responsibilities and hopes that staff can cover for him or her. P7. Explain the different motivational theories and their application within the workplace Maslows Hierarchy of Needs is the most widespread theory.  He believes that human beings have desires that influence their behavior in particular unmet needs.  needs come in order of importance.  person to the next level is necessary if low-level need is satisfied.  on the need to level the person moves, more personality and mental health reveals.   These requirements, from a lowest to highest are: psychological, health and safety, social, esteem and self-actualization.Examples of physiological needs are food and water.  Security refers to security, freedom from violence, safety, and others.Social is a sense of belonging as family, friends, colleagues and other professionals.  Self-esteem is a need for approval, recognition, status, etc.  And, finally, self-actualization refers to the need for personal growth through education, religion, hobbies, and others.   According to Maslow, it would be difficult to achieve the ultimate goal of self-realization, if the following goals are not met or taken care of first.  Food, water, shelter these are just some of our most pressing needs, which precede all others.  For example, it would be silly to worry about how to become emotionally stable, when you can not even have a decent meal or if you are seriously ill.  Taking care of immediate needs, you can begin to take care of the higher needs. Just as Maslows hierarchy of needs, Herzbergs Two Factor Theory is a need-based theory of motivation.  This theory is considered more powerful than Maslow, because it is easier to understand.   two-factor theory says that certain factors in the workplace leads to job satisfaction.  Others did not affect the satisfaction, but if not can lead to dissatisfaction   These factors of motivation and hygiene factors.  Motivators to ensure job satisfaction.  This includes the recognition, responsibilities and tasks.  Hygiene factors are so called because, like hygiene, their presence will not make people healthier, but their absence can cause decay.  Examples of these include salaries, fringe benefits, job security.  Hygiene factors, therefore, can determine dissatisfaction and motivators determine satisfaction. Both scales are independent and one can score high on both factors. Vrooms Expectancy Theory explains why people choose a certain course of action. Unlike the three aforementioned theories, Vrooms theory is not need-based. There are three variables in this theory: Valence, Expectancy and Instrumentality. Valence refers to the importance of the anticipated outcome of a situation. Expectancy is the belief that the effort exerted and success of the situation are related. Instrumentality means the success is related the expectations Vrooms Expectancy theory could sometimes be associated with work situation just like Herzbergs Two Factor Theory. But, in actuality, this theory is applicable to almost all kinds of situations whether work-related or not. Vrooms expectancy theory simply espoused the idea that the reason people do some things is because they expect a certain outcome. I apply Vrooms expectancy theory to my professional life because I believe in doing things not because I want to attain a certain reward but I want to attain something I truly desire for myself. For instance, I do a good job at the office not because I want a promotion, although it is part of it, but because I expect to feel fulfilled after having done something worthwhile. P8. The relationship between motivation theory and the practice of management: Different motivation theories have different effects. Motivation has to be built into the structure and without the motivational theory without the practice of management. You cannot practice motivation if you do not first have a theory or concept. In order to be a great manager or leader you have to be a good motivator, you should know what motivates your staff and what doesnt. A manager who cannot motivate or doesnt know how to motivate cannot do a good job, his job is to improve the performance of the staff and motivate all of them. P9. Describe the nature of groups and group behavior within organizations: Nature of groups The term group can be defined as, two or more persons interacting and working together to get a job or something done. When people work in groups rather than as individuals, the goals of the organization can be easily achieved. Groups can get a job done fast and usually accurate, group members could gather information and tell each other if they are doing something wrong or not, and they could appoint themselves to do a specific job which they are best in to contribute as much as possible to the group. People form groups for various reasons. Maybe get a job done faster or even to get a job done while not putting as much effort if youre the only one working on something. Various Types of Groups: There are formal and informal groups in organizations. Various groups exist within the organization and they are of varying degrees of formalization. Groups in organizations are of various types based on the number of members they have and the interactions between them. Formal Groups A group formed by the organization to accomplish a specific task is termed as a formal group. The organization sets up a formal group and allocates tasks and responsibilities to different members with the intention of achieving organizational goals. Command groups and task groups are examples of formal groups. A command group is relatively permanent in nature and finds representation in the organization chart. Functional departments of organizations are considered as command groups. Task groups, on the other hand, are formed for a specific task and are temporary in nature. They are dissolved after the task is accomplished. After dissolution of the task group, the members of the task group continue as members of their respective functional departments or command groups with reduced duties. Informal Groups Informal groups are formed by the employees themselves. The reasons for the formation of informal groups could be the need for companionship, common interests, growth, recreation, or support. There are two types of informal groups friendship groups and interest groups. Members of friendship groups have a cordial relationship with each other, common interests and are similar. They like each others company and want to spend time together. Interest groups are formed to organize an activity and are temporary in nature. Informal groups mainly satisfy the social needs of members.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With regards to nature of groups, I would just like to add that members may have conflicting ideas and having your views challenged should could either reaffirm your own beliefs or transcend them-people should come into groups with an open mind. P10. Investigate the Factors Lead to Effective Teamwork and Influences that Threaten Success: In todays workplace, the group leaders need to solve complicated problems and to take ideas from their first stage through a series of complex processes to a successful completion. This kind of work cannot be done alone. There are just too many demands, task requirements and various sources of information required to do it without the support of others. The most important factor that can lead to efficient teamwork is motivation, it is a team leaders job to delegate tasks and to make sure that each member of their team contributes and is good at what they do. For example, if Picasso was one of the members in your group then you should give him a task that requires creativity, since being creative and artistic is his strength then it seems that natural that hell be good at what hes assigned to do. Leaders should build a relationship with its members by making ideas together and supporting it, and even improving each others ideas. They must be open and approachable P11. Evaluate the impact of technology on team functioning within a given organization:  Ã‚  Ã‚   The use of new technologies can improve and in some cases hinder team functioning. As technology changes teams must update and maintain their knowledge in order to function effectively. Technologies which have improved team functions Computers Internet Email Cell Phones Blackberry Groupware PDA Personal computers allow team members to carry out various tasks and communicate more effectively. Laptop computers allow you to do this anywhere. They are now lighter, more powerful and a longer battery life. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) now have much of the same functionality as laptops, but are smaller, more portable and have a longer battery life. Many PDAs now have wifi as standard and some are also phones (and some phones have many PDA features). Internet has been a huge, worldwide explosion in the use of the Internet. It is already changing the way we work, shop, bank etc. Information technology has had an impact on the way we work for quite some time, but the Internet has now added electronic mail (email), teleworking and video conferencing to the workplace. E-mail allows direct communication which means team members do not need to be in the same place at the the same time in order to communicate effectively. E-mail also has its negative aspects in terms of managing e-mail and the misuse of e-mail. Cell phones have come a long way since the 1980s and there are now more mobile phones in the UK then there are people. Mobile phones allow teams to communicate even when team members are out of the office, on the road or otherwise unavailable. Sometimes having always access to team members can hinder team functioning. Phone technologies such as blackberry and 3G datacards allow team members to work and communicate remotely. Groupware enables teams to plan meetings, collaborate, delegate all within a virtual environment which can often be accessed remotely from anywhere in the world. Technology is found in its various forms in small and large businesses, the service sector, and state institutions, manufacturing companies, educational departments, multi-national organizations and the local shop.

The Lifespan Perspective For Social Work Practice Social Work Essay

The Lifespan Perspective For Social Work Practice Social Work Essay The field of developmental psychology is the scientific study of age-related changes in behaviour, thinking, emotion, and personality. (Bee and Boyd, 2002, p3). This assignment will concentrate on the early years area of the lifespan, which ranges from pre-birth to 3 years of age. During the early years, children start to develop physically as they begin to crawl, grasp and walk. Children also start to have self-determination as they begin to make choices themselves and they start to develop their vocabulary and have simple conversations with others. Additionally, children develop socially as they form attachments with their care giver and other important faces they recognise. In social work practice, it is important to understand that theories relating to lifespan development should not be used as a solid guide when viewing behaviour, as they do not take into account all aspects of an individuals life, such as environmental and social factors, and not everybody lives a text-book lif e. (Walker and Crawford, 2010). Theories are an attempt to explain something to give us an understanding and make sense of problems. (Thompson, 2000; page 20). When working with young children, it is important to understand the various stages of development so that we, as social workers can identify achievements being made; such as when a child takes their first step, or when they say their first word. Theories regarding lifespan development are based around normal development and can help social workers determine how much progress a child is making in terms of development. (Walker and Crawford, 2010). Social workers must make sure that when working with young children they take into account their race and culture, and what impact these might have on their development. They must also take a holistic approach when trying to gain an understanding of a child, so that not only can say learn what has happened during the childs life, they can also say why it happened and see the child as an individual. (Walker and Crawford, 2010). It is important to keep in mind that even a tiny baby is a person. Holistic development sees the child in the round, as a whole person physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, morally, culturally and spirituality. (Meggitt, 2006; page 1). Following the death of Victoria Climbià ©, Lord Laming was required to update the arrangements for child safe guarding to prevent future tragedies occurring. The Children Act 2004, was a major reform and it brought along different policies to safeguard children, such as Every Child Matters: Change for Children. (DfES, 2004). Every Child Matters was also reformed in 2009, following the death of Peter Connelly. Also, framework for Birth to Three Matters (DfES, 2002), has been published to support professionals who work with young children and families and recognises the nature of human development. Within psychology, there are 5 different approaches that can be taken when looking at lifespan development. These 5 approaches are biological, humanistic, cognitive, behaviourist and psychodynamic. These psychological perspectives are backed up by various theories, but it is very important to remember that theories are not always true as they do not take into consideration environmental and social factors that could affect an individuals development. This does not mean that theories cannot be used to analyse behaviour and development within individuals, but it should be remembered that all theories do have criticisms when they are applied and used in social work practice. The first theory which is going to be looked at regarding early years development is Eriksons psychosocial stages of development. (Beckett and Taylor, 2010). The first stage of development is Trust versus Mistrust; this stage forms the foundation of trust a child has with their caregiver. The more consistent the care is that they receive the better trust that the child will have and they will become confident and will feel secure in their environment. However, if this stage is not completed successfully, then the child will not feel secure or confident, and may not have a lot of trust in their caregiver, which can result in a number of problems, such as anxiety and insecurities about others. (Erikson, 1995). The second stage of development is Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt; this stage shows a child starting to assert themselves and become independent, for example, picking what they want to watch, what toys they want to play with, or what they want to eat etc. Children need to be supported in this stage so that they know what they are doing is correct and become more confident in making their own decisions, otherwise if they are criticised too much, they might start to feel dependent upon others, and may doubt their ability to make their own choices. (Erikson, 1995). In social work practice, this theory could be used to investigate any underlying issues between a child and their parent. Erikson states that if a stage is not completed successfully, it is harder to complete following stages of development and achieve the positive outcomes. (Beckett and Taylor, 2010). This theory gives social workers an overview of how a child should be progressing and what their capabilities should be. However, this theory does not take into consideration children who have disabilities or who come from different ethnic backgrounds. A child with a certain disability may not be able to make their own choices from such a young age, no matter how simply they are, or children from different cultures will have different upbringings compared to children from other cultures. John Bowlby was a main psychologist who studied children. In particular he looked at attachment between a child and caregiver. He believed that relationships at a young age are vital because any failings in relationships in childhood would shape the development of a childs personality. He also believed that attachment is an innate act, and children want to form an attachment with their mothers and mothers want to be close to their children so that they can protect them. Prolonged separation from the mother is known as maternal deprivation, and this is a major cause of delinquent behaviour and mental health concerns. (Walker and Crawford, 2010). Social workers can use theory when in practice to see how a child responds to their mother or father. For example, if a child is in a care and has contact with his/her mother twice a week, the social worker should look to see who interacts with who first, who runs to who, what is the proximity like and body language etc. All of these actions will allow the social worker to determine whether something is wrong. If the mother runs to her child, why is the child not running to her mother? Does the child not feel attached? Has something happened which needs to be looked into? However, Bowlbys theory does not take into account fathers being the attachment figure as they may be a single parent. Also, social workers need to work in a non-discriminatory manner and remember that in some families, such as Asian families, within a household it is not just the immediate family who live there, it is also the wider family. A member of the wider family could be the main caregiver, so this needs to be taken into consideration when starting to work with a child from this type of family. (Walker and Crawford, 2010). Mary Ainsworth adapted Bowlbys attachment theory by carrying out her own experiment on children and their caregiver so that different attachment styles between a child and the caregiver could be observed. The Strange Situation recognised four different attachment types; secure, anxious-avoidant, anxious-ambivalent and disorganised attachment. (Ainsworth et all., 1978). The experiment took place in a small room with a one way mirror so that the child could easily be observed. Throughout the experiment, the child would be left with their caregiver for some time before a stranger entered and the caregiver leaves, and then the child would be left completely alone for a short period of time before the stranger and caregiver return and so forth. The attachment type that the child would have would be dependent on their reactions to the events that happened in the experiment upset, crying, anxious, scared, happy, distressed etc.). For example, a child who has an ambivalent-attachment would have shown no signs of distress when their caregiver left the room, but they would have avoided the stranger when they entered the room. When the caregiver returns after leaving the child alone with the stranger, the child would approach them, but may also push them away to show that they are upset. (Simply Psychology, 2008). In social work, this theory could be used to view the attachment between a child and their caregiver. Positive attachment could result in intervention not being needed by social workers. However, negative attachment could prove that earlier intervention is needed as there is an underlying reason as to why the child is not forming an attachment with their caregiver. This theory should be used very carefully in practice as some children are more independent than others, and it does not take into account cultural differences and disabilities. For example, children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), especially on the higher end of the autistic spectrum, find it very difficult to display feelings and show affection. This does not mean that they have not formed an attachment with their caregiver, they are more than able to, but it is how they display their attachment type which can make them appear unattached. During the mid-1980s, researchers started to observe children with ASD in the Strange Situation. Results show that 50% of the children formed a secure attachment with their caregiver. Despite this figure being low compared to children who do not have ASD, it is very impressive and proves that children with ASD can form attachments. However, when it came to the part where the caregiver returned to their child, the children acted differently compared to other children. For example, they did not initiate contact or appear to be happy. (Oppenheim et al., 2008). The knowledge of development and attachment theories is important in social work, as these theories will help a social worker carry out assessments on a family with young children. When carrying out an assessment, it has to be done under the Common Assessment Framework, which aims to identify the following; how well the parents or carers can support their childs developmental needs, and how they respond and meet their needs; and what impact does the environment and the wider family have on a childs development. (DfES, 2006). John Bowlbys attachment theory gives an overview of the different attachment types and it allows social workers to assess and judge the quality of a relationship, and this can help as the social worker will know when to intervene, and if necessary, remove a child from a family unit. (Walker and Crawford, 2010). Under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, local authorities have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the safety and welfare of children who are in need. (Legislation.Gov, 2012). When working with children in need, a social worker will need to carry out an assessment under the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need. (Department of Health, 2000). Tied within this assessment, is another assessment regarding the developmental needs of a child. It covers several areas of development; health, education, identity, family and social relations, emotional and behavioural development and self-care skills. According to Parker and Bradley, children need to reach these developmental needs to achieve a healthy adulthood. (Parker and Bradley, 2007). By using anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice in social work, it allows social workers to challenge their own beliefs and values while considering others. The Every Child Matters: Change for Children policy has 5 outcomes which are considered to be the most important to children and young people; be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, and achieve economic well-being. The policy wants children and young people to be safe from bullying and discrimination. (Crawford, 2006; page 16). With regards to lifespan development theories; anti-discriminatory practice and anti-oppressive practice are used in social work because these theories can be applied to all cultural and class backgrounds. The majority of the theories were based around white middle-classed children and parents when experiments were carried out, but by no means does this mean that they cannot be applied to different cultures. In conclusion, if knowledge of lifespan development and various theories are used correctly and appropriately in social work practice, then this could give social workers a clear indication of when a child is not developing at the usual rate, and intervention can take place at the earliest possible moment, to ensure that the safety and welfare of the child is met. The advantages and disadvantages of viewing behaviour through lifespan perspectives seem to weigh each other out in relation to social practice, however, it should be remembered that the studies are theories, and are not based on solid facts, so they should only be used in practice as guidance. Word Count: 2,175

The Importance of Globalization Essay -- Outsourcing, Offshoring, Free

In recent years, terms such as â€Å"Global community,† â€Å"globalization,† and â€Å"global awareness† have seemed to roll off the tongues of every newscaster, advertiser, and politician with such ease that the popular phrases have nearly become clichà ©. With the Internet now possessing a rather prominent role in life and with communications faster than ever, it would seem the world’s rapid progress toward international relations necessitates such terminology. However, in America, these optimistic clichà ©s possess a seed of hypocrisy, a false note that clangs discordantly to disturb the practiced cadence of the telecaster’s report. It is not that America does not â€Å"Think globally,† but rather that, to many Americans, America is the extent of their terrestrial sphere. Yet even within the confines of our own country-world, we don’t shed our comfortable, self-imposed boundaries. We don’t see the growing Hispanic and Asian populations in our midst, viewing them—if we acknowledge them at all—as invaders in our world. According to Census 2000, 35,305,818 people of Hispanic or Latino origin inhabited the United States in the year 2000, nearly 13 million more than in 1990. The census revealed the growth rate among the Hispanic population of the U.S. to be the greatest out of any of the minorities at a surprising 57.9%, and the growth of America’s Asian population to be the second fastest, growing at 48.3% in that single 10- year period (U.S. Census Bureau, Table 4). If the trend of the past decade continues, in two years, the Hispanic population will be the largest minority in the U.S, with Asians making up a larger portion of our population as well. Will we then take notice? Or will we still not offer Asian languages i n our high schools, and insi... ...e outside world, we will never be able to expand our horizons. Until we expand our horizons, we shan’t realize the promise of a true â€Å"global community.† Works Cited U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. â€Å"Population by Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin for the United States: 1990 and 2000 (PHC-T-1).† Available Online. Last updated: April 03, 2001 at 02:19:24 PM. http://blue.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/ phc-t1.html. Table 4. [Accessed 6/3/2001]. Woyach, Robert B. â€Å"World History in the Secondary School Curriculum.† ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education. Bloomington, Indiana. Available Online. Last Updated 1989-09-00 (SIC) http://navigation.helper.realnames.com/framer/1/112/ default.asp?realname=Department+of+Education&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eed%2 Egov%2F&frameid=1&providerid=112&uid=30012423. [Accessed 6/3/2001].

Societal Norms and Masturbation Essays -- Sociology, Sexuality

Societal norms greatly influence our views and attitudes concerning masturbation. In American society, Psychology Today says people tend to consider masturbation â€Å"as a sexual refuge for singles† who are looking to â€Å"compensate for a lack of sex† (Castleman) and gives others the impression that one who masturbates in inferior or incapable of having sexual relations. However, Castleman’s article references a survey conducted by the University of Chicago that disputes this theory and suggests instead that â€Å"a sexless relationship [will suppress] masturbation† (Castleman). Historically, masturbation was thought to lead to serious medical side-effects; however this is not the case. As more and more doctors medically proved that masturbation is not physically harmful, others looked to support the idea that masturbation could possibly have positive health effects. Both of these factors lead to a greater normalization of masturbation today. Media plays a considerable role in our society’s sexual education and views. Most commonly, the stigma that masturbation is an inferior or weak sexual act crosses our television and computer screens often. For example, both â€Å"That 70s Show† and â€Å"Seinfeld† suggest that those who give in or fail to be â€Å"masters of his domain† (Chaney) are substandard to the rest of society. Physical evidence that masturbation and sexual pleasure are positive behaviors seems to be more evident now than ever before. Not only is the act arousing, but serotonin and â€Å"epinephrine [course] through your body† (Daniels), increasing one’s mood significantly. Also, many researchers argue that people who masturbate have a heightened sense of what pleases them sexually, which often leads to a better intimacy with a partner (... ...t I introduce in their sessions. However, I am concerned that not all participants will be completely honest and candid because of the stigmas inherent in our society. Works Cited Castleman, Michael. "All About Sex." 30 March 2009. Psychology Today. 1 February 2012 . Chaney, Jen. "'Seinfeld,' Four: It's Real and It's Spectacular." 17 May 2005. The Washington Post. 2 February 2012. Daniels, Chris and Jes Levatter. "Masturbation key to healthy, functional sexual relationships." 19 April 2007. The Badger Herald. 31 January 2012. Dolphin, Lambert. Masturbation And The Bible. 5 March 1991. 31 January 2012 . Wells, Ken R. "Masturbation." 2006. Health Line. 2 February 2012 .

Philip Larkin Here

He can see everyday life during his journey, â€Å"traffic†, â€Å"workmen at dawn†. He also describes his runner into hull by the use Of the widening Of the river Hummer, which runs through Hull. It shows that he started his journey where the river was thin and at its source and has followed the winding path to its mouth. At the end of the first stanza, Larkin uses a mixture of impressions to describe the nature around him, â€Å"gold clouds† and â€Å"shining gull marked mud†.Larkin is using this mixture of positive words to describe a negative scene to portray a kind of beauty, Larkin tells the reader how it is, he is an observer. In the second stanza, Larkin describes the town, which shows that Larkin is near the ND of his journey. Larkin begins his portrayal of the town by using a list of descriptive words such as â€Å"scattered streets†, â€Å"barge filled waters, â€Å"spires and cranes†. These different descriptive words show the ac tivity of the port and portray a sense of confusion (scattered and crowded).Hull is a very busy port town and used in exporting lots of goods and has been like that for many years, which is why Larkin is able to use the historic nature of the town in his poem, † slave museum†, â€Å"residents of raw estates† (the word raw here suggests new, which shows how the port has probably been regenerated after the destruction caused in the war and the increase in demand for houses). Larkin is also telling the reader the time period in which he is writing in, â€Å"grim head-scarred wives†, generally worn by working class women; however the word grim puts a more depressing look on things.The time period is also portrayed in the description of the buses, â€Å"flat faced trolleys†, the new style of bus, with a flat face instead of curved. Also the list of different items t the end of stanza 2 show the boom in Britain after the Second World War with new technolog ies and the explosion of materialism. In stanza 3, the first line Larkin says â€Å"urban yet simple†, this can either be interpreted in a negative way or a positive way. It could show how Larkin looks down on them and feels as though he is better than them which is negative, however, it could be portrayed as though Larkin is admiring their lifestyle in a nicer, positive way.Larkin describes the port as â€Å"fishy-smelling pastoral Of ships† the word pastoral is a strange word to use however it is a link to the country side (pastoral farming) and is also a possible reference to how the port has hanged over the years and got bigger and more used and so that is why it is â€Å"fishy-smelling'. Thee city does not define Larkin, he is not part of a â€Å"cut- priced crowd† or want â€Å"mortgaged half-built houses†, in fact, most of what the city is representing is the opposite of what Larkin actually wants, which is why the last stanza is all about an isol ate place.In the last stanza of the poem, we start to understand how Larrikin preferable state isolation/loneliness â€Å"loneliness clarifies† which shows that Larkin is saying that you only really know who you are when you are alone. In the fourth stanza is where we find the first full stop of the poem which can be indicated as the train Larkin has been on has come to a halt. The caesuras in the first two lines of stanza four also help to emphasis the quietness and loneliness of the area where Larkin lived the rest of his life.We get other indications of loneliness and isolation in the poem â€Å"Mr. Balance', where a man used to live in a flat by himself with only the bare essentials in it. â€Å"Here silence stands† the alliteration of the â€Å"s† sound and the caesura help to emphasis the stillness and how the poem now comes more static compared to the movement of the previous three stanzas. The rhythm is changed by these caesuras which create a longer se ntence which also makes the poem feel slower and more static.Beyond the main madness of the town, Larkin is able to find more description of beauty which would normally be missed because he has no distractions in this isolate place â€Å"Hidden weeds flower, neglected. By the end of the last stanza, Larkin has moved from his new home to the beach where he stands, looking out over the water â€Å"ends the land†, â€Å"facing the sun† which indicates owe Larkin is now at peace, away from normal everyday madness, he is one with the elements and has no fear in facing the sun like he does with other commitments.This is also emphasizes with the soft alliteration sounds used to describe the area he is in â€Å"shapes and shingle†, â€Å"air ascends†. Larkin uses very clever use of language in the last stanza as he almost tries to paint a big picture on his canvas for his readers to see which is clearly indicated in the line â€Å"bluish neutral distance† , he tries to describe colors to clearly show the natural beauty. And the final line of the poem, really sums up Larrikin love of isolation and loneliness with the phase â€Å"initiative, out of reach† which are very unsociable words, however that perfectly describes Larrikin personality.The last stanza is different to the previous stanzas because Larkin talks about cosmically and elemental objects rather than the materialistic objects by describing the sea, sun, flowers instead of plate glassed doors and flat faced trellises. There is a rhyming scheme used throughout this poem which is very subtle and consist of very few perfect rhymes and more half rhymes.

Palawan Case Essay

The name â€Å"Palawan† – most probably – was given by the Chinese as far back as the 9th Century. They called it PA-LAO-YU, or â€Å"land of beautiful safe harbour†. Others believe it came from the Indian word â€Å"Palawans† meaning â€Å"Territory†. The popular believe is that â€Å"Palawan† is a corrupted form of the Spanish word â€Å"Para agua† because the main island’s shape resembles a closed umbrella.The limits of the Province are : Busuanga island in the north Agutaya group of islands northeast Cagayancillo (who has not heard about Tubattaha Reef) in the east Balabac island in the south Spratly – Kalayaan in the West I. About Palawan Islands Palawan is one of the Last Unexplored Islands in the Pacific, as well as the location of the 1997 James Bond thriller â€Å"Tomorrow Never Dies.† Jacques Cousteau remarked that Palawan was the most beautiful place he ever explored. Renowned underwater explorer Jacques Costeau has described Palawan as having one of the most Beautiful Seascapes in the world. Sprawled beneath the seas are nearly 11,000 square kilometers of coral reefs. Myriads of fish swim in these underwater gardens. Palawan probably has more protected areas than any other province in the Philippines. The Calauit Wildlife Sanctuary in the northern Calamianes islands is home to exotic and endemic species of animals that roam freely in its verdant hills and plains. On the northern coastline, the El Nido Marine Reserve is noted for its edible birds’ nests and limestone cliffs. In the middle of the Sulu Sea lies the Tubbataha reefs, a pair of coral atolls recently named as a World Heritage Site for its highly diverse collection of fishes and other marine life. Along the west coast, the St. Paul Subterranean National Park features old-growth forests, cathedral caves, white sand beaches, and one of the longest underground rivers in the world. In the South, Ursula Island is a haven for migratory and resident birds. II. People, Culture and Way of Living a. Batak The Batak, which means â€Å"mountain people† in Cuyonon is a group of indigenous Filipino people that resides in the northeast portion of Palawan. They live in the rugged interiors of northeastern Palawan. Living close to nature, they are a peaceful and shy people. These people believe in nature spirits, with whom they communicate through a babaylan or medium. b. Palaweà ±os Native-born lowland dwellers (calling themselves Palaweà ±os, much to the amusement and distress of the original tribal groups, such as the Palawan who are called Palawano by outsiders) include the Cuyunon, Agutayanon sub-groups. The Cuyunons, originally from the island town of Cuyo in northern Palawan, are considered the elite class in this group. They are religious, disciplined and have a highly developed community spirit. Their conversion to Christianity has led to the merger of the animistic beliefs of the Cuyunon with the Christian elements to produce a folk Christianity which is the prevailing belief of the Cuyunon. The Agutayanons practice a simpler island lifestyle, with fishing and farming as their main source of livelihood. c. Palawano The Palawano tribe, also known as Pala’wan (or Palawan, depending on sub-dialect) or Palawano (only by outsiders), is one of the unique and primitive indigenous peoples of Palawan. They are part of the large Manobo-based linguistic groups of southern Philippines. They traditionally hunt using soars and bamboo blowguns. d. Taaw’t-Bato The Taaw’t Bato means â€Å"people of the rock†. They are not actually a separate language or ethnic group, but rather a small community of traditional southwestern Palawanos who happen to reside in the crater of an extinct volcano during certain seasons of the year, in houses built on raised floors inside caves though others have set their homes on the open slopes. They are found in the Singnapan Basin, a valley bounded by Mount Matalingahan on the east and the coast on the west. North of them is the municipality of Quezon and to the South are the still unexplored regions of Palawan. They still primitive in their lifestyle, even in the way of dressing. The men still wear g-strings made of bark and cloth and the women wear a piece of cloth made into skirts to cover the lower body. Both of them are half-naked but sometimes women wear a blouse that is not indigenous but obtained through the market system e. Tagbanwa The Tagbanwa tribes, or â€Å"people of the world,† are found in central and northern Palawan. They practice shifting cultivation of upland rice, which is considered a divine gift, and are known for their rice wine ritual called pagdiwata. Central Tagbanwas are found in the western and eastern coastal areas of central Palawan. They are concentrated in the municipalities of Aborlan, Quezon, and Puerto Princesa. Calamian Tagbanwa, on the other hand, are found in Baras coast, Busuanga Island, Coron Island, Linipacan Calibangbangan, a Cultural Preservation area (off limits to foreigners and the largest Contiguous grouping), and in some parts of El Nido. Shifting cultivation of upland rice is part of their cultural and economic practices. Rice is considered a divine gift and are fermented to make rice wine, which they use in Pagdiwata, or rice wine ritual. The cult of the dead is the key to the religious system of the Tagbanwa. They believe in several deities found in the natural environment. Their language and alphabet, practice of kaingin and common belief in soul-relatives are part of their culture. This group are excellent in basketry and wood carving. In addition, they are also famous for their beautifully crafted body accessories. Their combs, bracelets, necklaces and anklets are usually made of wood, beads, brass and copper. III. Economy (Products) Palawan’s economy is basically agricultural. The three major crops are palay, corn and coconut. Mineral resources include nickel, copper, manganese, and chromite. Logging is also a major industry. Palawan has one of the richest fishing grounds in the country. About 45% of Manila’s supply of fish comes from here. Having natural gas reserves of approximately 30,000 trillion cubic feet, the province is the only oil-producing province in the country. In addition, tourism is also a thriving sector. Pearl diving used to be a significant economic activity for Palawan until the advent of plastics. The world’s largest pearl, the 240mm diameter Pearl of Lao Tzu, was found off Palawan in 1934. Palawan’s insular characteristics endow it with vast fishing grounds. The varieties of fish caught in commercial quantities are milkfish (bangus), eel and moray (palos, pindangga), grouper (lapu lapu, kolapu), sea bass (apahap), snapper (maya maya), surgeon fish (labahita), slipmouth (sap sap), pomfret (pampano), mackerel (tangingi), sardines (tonsoy, tamban), anchovies (dilis), yellow fin and big eyed tuna (albacore, tambacol), swordfish (malasugi), shark (pating), rays (pagi), blue crabs (alimasag), mangrove crabs (alimango), lobster (banagan), white shrimps (hipong puti), oysters (talaba), green mussels (tahong), giant clam (taklobo), squid (pusit), octopus (pugita). About 35% of the total national catch comes from Palawan. Palawan also has rich deposits of minerals. Actual mining and exploratory operations are ongoing for nickel, mercury (the biggest deposit in South East Asia), chromite, manganese, barite, feldspar, silica, guano, limestone, marble. There are new discoveries of copper, gold, iron, asbestos, talc, quartz, clay and sulphur. In the northeast of the province – offshore – there is oil and gas. Palawan has 52 rivers, 4 small lakes and countless small streams. The most unique amongst all these is the Princesa Underground River, emptying in St Paul’s Bay on the west coast. The economic and agricultural business growth of province is at 20% per annum. Coconut, sugar, rice, lumber, and livestock are produced here. IV. Notable Sites a. Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary A game reserve and wildlife sanctuary of exotic African animals and endangered endemic animals of Palawan. The reserve was established on August 31, 1976 by virtue of the Presidential Decree No.1578, this was initiated in response to the appeal of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature to help save African wildlife when former President Ferdinand Marcos attended the 3rd World Conference in Kenya. By virtue of the Republic Act 7611 (SEP), administrative jurisdiction of DENR was given to the local government of Palawan, effective December 31, 1993. Management of the area is the responsibility of the Office of the Palawan Council of Sustainable Development (PCSD). It is located in Calauit Island in Busuanga. b. Coron Reefs, Coron Bay, Busuanga Seven lakes surrounded by craggy limestone cliffs attract hundreds of nature lovers to Coron Reefs in Northern Palawan, near the town of Coron. Busuanga Island, whose main town is Coron, is the jump-off point for numerous dive operators. The principal dive sites are 12 World War II Japanese shipwrecks sunk on September 24, 1944 by US Navy action. They range in depth from the surface to 40 meters. This large variety offers exciting wreck exploration for enthusiasts, from novice divers and snorkelers and recreational divers to experienced TEC divers. The aquatic views from the sunken Japanese warships off Coron Island are listed in Forbes Traveler Magazine’s top 10 best scuba sites in the world. Dive operators offer PADI dive courses ranging from Discover Scuba to Assistant Instructor, Technical and Enriched Air Diving, as well as other specialty courses. Dive operators offer day diving, snorkeling trips, and overnight dive safaris. Live-aboard and charter boats also offer diving in the area. c. El Nido Marine Reserve Park One of the many beaches of El Nido, a marine reserve park and municipality at the northernmost tip of Palawan Island. d. Malampaya Sound Land and Seascape Protected Area Located in the Municipality of Taytay, this important ecological and economic zone is a watershed and fishing ground, and the habitat of Bottle-nosed and Irrawaddy dolphins. e. UNESCO World Heritage Sites * Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park This park features a large limestone karst landscape with an underground river. One of the river’s distinguishing features is that it emerges directly into the sea, and its lower portion is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full ‘mountain-to-sea’ ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia. Tubbataha Reef Marine Park The Tubbataha Reef Marine Park covers 332 km ², including the North and South Reefs. It is a unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species; the North Islet serving as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles. The site is an excellent example of a pristine coral reef with a spectacular 100 m perpendicular wall, extensive lagoons and two coral islands. Ursula Island This game refuge and bird sanctuary is situated near the Municipality of Brooke’s Point in southern Palawan. The islet is a migratory and wintering ground for shorebirds and seabirds. AKLAN I. About Aklan Aklan is considered to be the oldest province in the country and is believed to have been established in the 12th century by settlers from Borneo ruled by the chieftain Datu Dinagandan which traded with its neighbouring islands. Despite its vibrant tourism industry and substantial agriculture, the province is still considered as one of the poorer provinces in the country with more than 30% of the population living below the national poverty line. II. Languages The most prominent languages in the province are Akeanon (Aklanon Proper), Malaynon and Buruanganon. Akeanon is spoken by a majority of the people, while Malaynon is spoken in Malay and Buruanganon is spoken in Buruanga, Aklan . Other regional languages used include; * Ati* Hiligaynon * Kinaray-a * Capiznon III. Culture Despite the prevalence of Christianity native beliefs about the aswang and the babaylan are still prevalent among the people. Kulam or witchcraft, locally known as â€Å"amulit† is still feared by many residents. IV. Festivals The province is known for its festivities which includes the Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo. Originally, the festival was to celebrate the treaty between the Ati and the Malayan tribes who settled in the Island. The Ati live in the mountain regions and the Malay people in the flatlands or close to the water. The festivity begins on the dry season, at which time the Ati come down from the mountains to trade and celebrate with the Malayan tribes. When the Spaniards settled in the region and converted the Malays to their Christian religion, they asked the Malays to celebrate this festivity to coincide with the Feast of the â€Å"Santo Nià ±o† (Holy Child) which is usually held during the third week of January. V. Fauna Several endemic species in the Philippines are located in the province. Examples include endangered animals such the Philippine Spotted Deer (Cervus alfredi), the Visayan warty pig (Sus cebifrons), and the Tarictic Hornbill (Penelopides panini). As of 2007, conservation efforts Vare being made by the Aklan State University and the DENR with varying success VI. Festivals The province is known for its festivities which includes the Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo. Originally, the festival was to celebrate the treaty between the Ati and the Malayan tribes who settled in the Island. The Ati live in the mountain regions and the Malay people in the flatlands or close to the water. The festivity begins on the dry season, at which time the Ati come down from the mountains to trade and celebrate with the Malayan tribes. When the Spaniards settled in the region and converted the Malays to their Christian religion, they asked the Malays to celebrate this festivity to coincide with the Feast of the â€Å"Santo Nià ±o† (Holy Child) which is usually held during the third week of January. VII. Economy and Livelihood Aklan depends greatly on agriculture. The massive and sustained education and research in agriculture production, the implementation of national program in agriculture, well-established marketing strategies, as well as the support of the agribusiness industry and other private and non-government sectors, result to better production and higher income of the farmers. Kalibo’s main industry is agriculture where the primary product is rice and coconuts. Kalibo is the hub for the Pià ±a cloth industry of Aklan. The Pià ±a and Abaca cloths are exported to various parts of the world, most particularly North America and Europe. Kalibo is known for other native products such as handbags made of buri leaves which is a favorite for Caucasian females visiting the town. Pineapple silk is considered the queen of Philippine fabrics and is the fabric of choice of the Philippine elite. During the 1996 edition of APEC in the Philippines, world leaders donned a pineapple silk Barong Tagalog from Kalibo during the obligatory class photo. Kalibo also has a burgeoning meat-processing cottage industry and is beginning to be noticed in the processing of locally made chorizo, tocino and other meat products, particularly with Rosa Foods in the Linabuan Norte district. Remy Nadal Duck Meat is also a well-known processor in the province, located at Magdalena in Kalibo