Etihad Airways Competitors, Product Value Proposition, Market Percept Research Paper

Essays on Etihad Airways' Competitors, Product Value Proposition, Market Perception of Etihad, Position of Etihad in Asian Market Research Paper The paper â€Å"Etihad Airways' Competitors, Product Value Proposition, Market Perception of Etihad, Position of Etihad in Asian Market" is a  brilliant version of a research paper on marketing. Etihad Airways is the national airline of Abu Dhabi began its operations in 2003 and has been declared the fastest growing airline in Asia. The company’s positioning as a provider of personalized and luxurious travel services has made the company a global leader in the first-class travel service. With this leverage, the company growth strategy is well-founded and as it expands its market (Bomber, Gittell Kochan 2009). The company’s endeavor to be the market leader in Asia can still be enhanced on the same platform of offering personalized and luxurious travel services.Etihad Airways competitorsEtihad Airlines has most of its competitors based in the Middle East and Asia. The airline competition is usually based on the flight routes and the major competitors of Etihad airways in the Asian routes are as follows; EmiratesQatar airwaysOman airGulf airSaudi airlineSingapore airlinesCathay Pacific AirlinesAccording to Skytrax world airline awards, Qatar airways and emirates are the major competitors of Etihad airways. Etihad airways were declared the global best airline in the first-class seat and catering arrangements.Product value propositionEtihad Airways have been associated with the personalized and luxurious first-class product- Diamond first-class globally, this made the company a global leader in this product category as per the 2010 Skytrax awards. The company has positioned its first-class product as associated with style, space, luxury, and ambiance. With a customer-driven approach, Etihad Airline's diamond class has been designed for greater customer experience to the affluent members of the society and world entrepreneurs. The product package entails a wide range of services starting with luxury to business conferencing facilities. Etihad airline's diamond lounge has uniquely design ed services that have surpassed most of the global airline industry players. The following are the services package in the diamond first-class lounge.Spa treatmentA la carte fine diningChampagne barLighting optionsBusiness room facilitiesResting and refreshing facilitiesGreat experience family roomCigar loungeBusiness-class product for Etihad airways-pearl business product also performs exceptionally well having been rated by Skytrax as in the third position globally and its Asian competitor Qatar airways leading in the category. The product positioning is that of comfort and convenience for business professionals on travel. Just like the diamond class lounge, the pearl class lounge product also upholds a greater customer experience and luxury services in its greatly designed interiors. In the pearl class package is a range of services listed as follows;Spa treatmentFive-star diningBusiness room facilitiesResting and refreshing facilitiesGreat experience family roomEntertainment fac ilitiesFrom the service analysis, Etihad airways have been able to compete efficiently with other global competitors by enabling personalized and luxurious in-flight experience to their customers in their products. This has been detrimental at the same time to other customers who are conservative and wouldn’t buy the luxury proposition offered by the airline.Comparison with the competitorsAirline industry competition currently has grown with many players in the industry focusing on the customer experience as their leverage. Etihad Airways is one of the industry players that has focused more on the aspect by providing state-of-the-art services to their customers making the company ranked as the world-leading airline by the World travel awards for two consecutive years; 2009 and 2010.

Essay Langston Hughes - 932 Words

Langston Hughes Throughout many of Langston Hughes poetry, there seems to be a very strong theme of racism. Poems such as Ballad of the Landlord, I, Too, and Dinner Guest: Me are some good examples of that theme. The Ballad of the Landlord addresses the issue of prejudice in the sense of race as well as class. The lines My roof has sprung a leak. / Dont you member I told you about it/ Way last week? (Hughes 2/4) show the reader that the speaker, the tenant, is of a much lower class than his landlord. It also shows that the landlord could care less of what condition his building is in as long as the money is still coming in. Well, thats Ten Bucks moren Ill pay you / Till you fix this house up new. (Hughes 11/12) shows†¦show more content†¦By the 1960s it had incited a political revolt and promoted civil unrest as a literary class assignment in a Boston high school. It was reported later that the Boston high school teacher that gave the assignment was fired for doing so. In Langston Hughes I, Too, written in 1925, the speaker in the poem is a young black male. Through out this entire poem the speaker expresses great hope about his peoples future. He seems to think that very soon, durin g his time, there would have been a drastic change in the way that his people were treated. Tomorrow, / Ill be at the table (Hughes 8/9), shows his confidence that his people would be treated as equals in a very short time period. In the last line of the poem I, too, am America. (Hughes 18) we can almost see the speakers face beaming with pride. Another one of Langston Hughes poems, Dinner Guest: Me, written in 1965, is almost a continuation of I, Too. The speaker in Dinner Guest: Me seems to be the same one, except this time that pride that we saw in his face is gone. Now instead of being confident about Tomorrows change, he sees that it is, and will take much longer than he had originallyShow MoreRelatedLangston Hughes Biography1058 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"James Mercer Langston Hughes, known as Langston Hughes was born February 2, 1902 in Missouri, to Carrie Hughes and James Hughes.† Years later his parents separated. Langston’s father moved to Mexico and became very successful, as his for mother, she moved frequently to find better jobs. As a child growing up Langston spent most of his childhood living with his grandmother named Mary Langston in Lawrence, Kansas. Mary Langston was a learned women and a participant in the civil rights Movement. WhenRead More Langston Hughes Essay1356 Words   |  6 Pagesstands out as one of the most prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes defined himself by his ability to pursue the true essence of â€Å"black folk† at a time when black identity, culture, or art was considered an oxymoronic concept. Hughes sought to explore the true identity of Black America even amidst criticism that his work was anti-assimilationist in its literary expression. Wallace Thurman, one of Hughes’ closest friends had this to say about the poet’s subject matter: â€Å"He wentRead More`` Dreams `` By Langston Hughes Essay1667 Words   |  7 Pagesimpacted the movement against racial inequality, Langston Hughes turned the pages with inspiring work. Whereas in Langston Hughes poem Dreams encourages people to achieve ones goals and goals for a community of people no matter what the obstacles are; Hughes illustrated this through using a lyrical style of writing and metaphors. Due to the lack of acknowledgment of African Americans cultural, social and artistic capabilities, Langston Hughes stood as the hero image for blacks everywhere. LikewiseRead MoreThe Langston Hughes570 Words   |  2 PagesLangston Hughes’ style of poetry renounced the classical style of poetry and sought out a more jazz and folk rhythm style. Most of Hughes’ poems were written during the Harlem Renaissance, named after the cultural activity African Americans participated in, such as: literature, music, art, theatre, and political thinking. William Blake, on the other hand, was a nonconformist who was associated with the leading radical thinkers of his day. Although, considered a lyric poet and a visionary, Blake’sRead MoreLangston Hughes Essay1084 Words   |  5 PagesLangston Hughes was a large influence on the African-American population of America. Some of the ways he did this was how his poetry influenced Martin Luther King Jr. and the Harlem Renaissance . These caused the civil rights movement that resulted in African-Americans getting the rights that they deserved in the United States. Hughes was born in 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. His parents divorced when he was young and his grandmother raised him. She got him into literature and education; she was one ofRead MoreA Brief Look at Langston Hughes1413 Words   |  6 PagesLangston Hughes Langston Hughes’ challenging background, ethnicity, and era of life can all be thought of reasons as to why his style of writing relates among discrimination and unsettling topics. Although his writing can be said to bring hope to the African Americans, his style can be frightening and daunting when taken the time to read his pieces. They may not seem real, but they are his way of interpreting and informing the future of what African Americans, like himself, had to go throughRead More Langston Hughes Essay670 Words   |  3 Pages James Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. His parents divorced when he was very small, and his father (who found American racism made his desires to be a lawyer impossible) left the family and emigrated to Mexico. Hughes mother moved with her child to Lawrence, Kansas, so she and he could live with his grandmother, Mary Langston. Langston Hughes mother moved to Topeka in 1907, leaving the five-year-old with his grandmother. Langston came from a family of African-AmericanRead MoreEssay on James Langston Hughes891 Words   |  4 Pages (February 1, 1902 - May 22, 1967) Born in Joplin, Missouri, James Langston Hughes was born into an abolitionist family. He was the grandson of grandson of Charles Henry Langston, the brother of John Mercer Langston, who was the the first Black American to be elected to public office in 1855. Hughes attended Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio, but began writing poetry in the eighth grade, and was selected as Class Poet. His father didnt think he would be able to make a living as at writingRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance By Langston Hughes1033 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom 1920 to around 1935. Even though this period was short, it still lives on though all African American artists today. According to Biography.com in the article about Langston Hughes, there were many artist, musicians, and writers such as Langston Hughes, who was a huge part of the Harlem Renaissance period. Langston Hughes was a well-known poet and play writer. In the magazine called â€Å"The Crisis† his poem â€Å"Negros Speak of River† was published in 1921 and brought him attention in all the blackRead MoreBiography of Langston Hughes Essay1046 Words   |  5 Pages The well known poet Langston Hughes was an inspiring character during the Harlem Renaissance to provide a push for the black communities to fight for the rights they deserved. Hughes wrote his poetry to deliver important messages and provide support to the movements. When he was at a young age a teacher introduced him to poets Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman, and they inspired him to start his own. Being a â€Å"darker brother,† as he called blacks, he experienced and wanted his rights, and that

Heat Exchanger free essay sample

At the end of these lectures, you should be able to: †¢ recognise numerous types of heat exchangers, and classify them, †¢ develop an awareness of fouling on surfaces, and determine the overall heat transfer coefficient for a heat exchanger, †¢ perform a general energy analysis on heat exchangers, †¢ obtain a relation for the logarithmic mean temperature difference for use in the LMTD method, and apply it for different types of heat exchangers using the correction factor, †¢ analyse heat exchangers when outlet temperatures are not known using the effectiveness-NTU method, and †¢ know the primary considerations in the selection of heat exchangers. Introduction to Heat Exchangers ? A heat exchanger is a device which facilitates the transfer of heat between two fluids one hotter and the other colder. Examples: Car radiator, refrigerator, air-conditioner. ? Two methods for design and rating of heat exchangers: – Log Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD) – Effectiveness Number of Transfer Units (? – NTU) 3 Scope ? Heat exchanger types ? Overall heat transfer coefficient ? Heat exchanger analysis ? Logarithmic mean temperature difference method ? Effectiveness-NTU method Read Chapter 11 of prescribed text, Cengel, Y. We will write a custom essay sample on Heat Exchanger or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A. and Ghajar, A. J. Heat and Mass Transfer: Fundamentals and Applications, 4th Edition (SI Units), McGraw-Hill, 2011. 4 Main Types of Heat Exchangers Double-pipe heat exchanger Cross-flow heat exchanger Shell-and-tube heat exchanger 5 Double-Pipe Heat Exchanger †¢ Also known as Concentric Tube Heat Exchanger †¢ Simplest design. One fluid passes through a pipe and the second fluid flows in the annulus surrounding the pipe. Parallel flow Counter flow 6 Double Pipe Hair-pin Heat Exchanger with Cross Section View and Return Bend (courtesy of Brown Fintube) 7 Made by displacing the fins sideways at regular intervals to produce a zig-zag effect. 14 Finned Tubes 15 Cross-Flow Heat Exchanger Source: Incropera et al. , 2007. 16 Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger (one-shell pass and one-tube pass) 17 Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchangers Multipass flow arrangements One-shell pass and two-tube passes Two-shell passes and four-tube passes 18 Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger as a Shell-Side Condenser.

The changing role of technology in higher education

Introduction The current technological advancement is more rapid than it has ever been in the world history. Instigating from the industrial revolution to the twentieth century, advancements in technology have been evolutionary. In fact, experts have been asserting that the world is moving from the industrial age of the twentieth century to the information age which plays a greater role in shaping the future.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The changing role of technology in higher education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Technological advancements have led to important changes that are experienced in almost every aspect of life and academia is not an exception. In education, particularly in higher learning institutions, advancements in technology have played vital roles and they have been applied in both learning and research. However, education especially at higher levels is deemed critical for techn ological innovation and advancements. This paper looks at the evolutions of technological application particularly how they have been applied in higher learning institutions. The paper also traces the roles of technology in higher learning institutions from the historical perspective. Evolution of technology in education The application of technology can be traced back to the early stages in human developments when man began to use tools to perform activities such as painting the walls of the caves (Buchanan, 1991). However, the history of technological usage in modern education began with the application of educational films in learning during the 1900s and the Presseys mechanical-teaching machines during the 1920s (Pannabecker, 1995). During these periods, technology was largely used in teaching. The educational films and the mechanical teaching machines were mainly used as teaching aides especially in higher education institutions though they were later incorporated in all levels of the educational curriculum. Instructive films were used in tutorial rooms as substitutes to other training techniques. In fact, a majority of the films used for educational purposes were in series for instance, episodic films demonstrating scientific experiments and principles. Every episode represented a particular principle or experiment. The films were used by students and tutors even at home and could be compared to the modern day use of computers.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conversely, the Presseys mechanical-teaching machines which looked like the modern computer key boards or typewriters revolutionized the print technology in education. These teaching machines led to the development of e-learning as well as distance learning. The Presseys machines were developed so as to provide students with drills and practice items. Basically, the technique that was used to understand the drill and information materials was simple and definite so as to allow routine teachings and learning through mechanical means (Pannabecker, 1995). For instance, the machine looked like the modern typewriter with a window displaying a question with at least four answers. Users have the opportunity to presses a key that they believe corresponds to the right answer. The machine then records the answer at the back counter and reveals the next question. After completing, the test sheet is slipped back into the devise by the person recording the test and the score appears on the counter. This type of functionality has been used in several educational online systems such as the Questionmark Perceptions where the testing and assessments of students are done perfectly in an automated manner. The Questionmark Perception management and assessment system permits trainers and educators to schedule, author, report on surveys, deliver, test quizzes and examine. The system simplifi es the assessment process and improves the quality of tests and questions. It also finds its applications in e-learning and distance education. Large-scale application of new technology began in the 1940s prior to the Second World War when military institutions used films and other mediated materials to train soldiers. Such technological advancements during this period later evolved into presentation based technology such as the power point presentation which is used in computer aided instruction. The whole idea was based on the fact that people can learn through aural and visual receptions (Pannabecker, 1995). The technologies that used the idea existed in many forms including the streaming videos and audios in addition to the power point presentations loaded with voice-over. Higher learning institutions incorporated these technological advancements in learning and teaching processes.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The changing role of technology in higher education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The most fascinating technological innovation during this time was the use of hypertexts. These were scripts that were exhibited on automated devises such as supercomputers with locus or hyperlinks that guided the students to other documents that could directly be retrieved via the key-press series. Besides the written text, hypertext may be in form of tables, charts and graphs images as well as other presentation devices. The technology has been used in defining the structure of World Wide Web (WWW). It has a lithe and an easy to use set-up that helps in distributing the essential info through the internet. Nevertheless, this technology required machines such as the V. Bush memex. Though complex, the use of hypertext led to further innovations in the presentation based technologies. The whole idea made the process of learning and teaching or the issuance of instructions to be simple (Buchanan, 1991). Certainly, technological innovation during this time eased teaching and the process of giving instructions in higher learning institutions. This technological invention led to other inventions in the use of computer based learning and teaching process (Buchanan, 1991). The 1950s innovations led to the realization of more advanced technologies that were more focused on the learning processes. The designs such as the Skinners Program-Instructions and Instructional Techniques by Bloom were being applied by higher learning institutions (Pannabecker, 1991). These instructional techniques integrated the hypertext with the mechanical teaching techniques to aid in the learning processes. Models that were based on these designs were known as the Computer-Based Training. In computer based training, courses were mainly delivered through the use of computers and WWW played a significant role in the whole process. Institutions of higher learning began to use the new innovations during that time especially in the highest levels where scores of researches were carried out (Blackhurst, 2005). Such early innovations brought about Computer-Based Training methods which are still being applied in higher institutions though they have evolved into more sophisticated models. The Computer-Based models concentrated more on the instructions or teaching.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While the Skinny design on Program-Instruction focused on the behavioral objective formulation and divided the contents of the commands into smaller units, the Blooms Instructional Technique diversify the command and time depending on the learners needs (Pannabecker, 1991). Computer based training designs focused on learning, teaching and researches carried out by institutions of higher learning. The development of the Computer-Based Training models led to the development of the Computer-Aided Instructions that were sometimes called the Computer-Assisted Instructions during the 1970s through to the 1990s. These models resembled the current e-content which is the core of today’s e-learning (Yadgir, 2011). The models have evolved into what is currently known as the Web-based training or the e-instruction. Often, web-based training is what is being applied by the higher learning institutions and it aids in distance learning. With the models, the designer of courses breaks learni ng contents into minor portions and these texts portions are then improved via visual aid and hypermedia appearance (Becker Ravitz, 1999) The mid 80s till mid 90s saw the dramatic advancement on the digitized networking and communication in education. The digitized networking and communication in education was popularized by the increased use of World-Wide Web, through emails and other forms of networking including forums (Blackhurst, 2005). The WWW brought about a different form of online learning. It increased the use of the traditional online learning either based on the Computer-Based Learning or Computer-Based Training. Both cases involved the interactions between the Computers-Based programs and students. In some cases, the students were involved in computer drills together with tutorials and simulations. Both could easily be delivered through the World-Wide Web which transpires even today (Yadgir, 2011). Finally, the emergence of ubiquitous technologies and multiple mobile i n the 2000s provided new propulsion to the positioned learning concepts often in favor of learning-in-context scenarios (Yadgir, 2011). The assimilated learning conception has similarly been drawn on by some literature to designate the melded learning setups by slotting in learning courses in colleges, workrooms and in realistic locales. Conclusion Essentially, there has been tremendous growth in technological advancements which materialized at a time when the higher learning institutions needed them most. In comparison to earlier periods, technology has significantly evolved beyond doubts. While the pen and notebook formed the prior generation class tool kit, today the students go to classes armed with laptops, iPad, iPods and smartphones. References Becker, H. J., Ravitz, J. L. (1999). The influence of computer and Internet use of teachers’ pedagogical practices and perceptions. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 31(4), 356-384. Blackhurst, A. E. (2005). Perspe ctives on applications of technology in the field of learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 28(2), 175-178. Buchanan, R. A. (1991). Theory and narrative in the history of technology. Technology and Culture, 32, 365-376. Pannabecker, J. R. (1991). Technological impacts and determinism in technology education: Alternate metaphors from social constructivism. Journal of Technology Education, 3(1), 43-54. Pannabecker, J. R. (1995). For a history of technology education: Contexts, systems, and narratives. Journal of Technology Education, 7(1), 43-56. Yadgir, S. A. (2011). Leading in a technological age. Educational Research and Reviews, 6(10), 664-670. This research paper on The changing role of technology in higher education was written and submitted by user Lilia Ramos to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Reflections on Perception of Reality Essay Essays

Reflections on Perception of Reality Essay Essays Reflections on Perception of Reality Essay Essay Reflections on Perception of Reality Essay Essay I have ever believed in what I saw. what I heard. and what I experienced. As these elements play a important function of comprehending the universe around me. it is really difficult to mistrust the world. However. it was non a long ago that I began to chew over about this issue more deeply. What do I truly comprehend? Could I exactly explain our perceptual experience without the aid of scientific discipline? As I spend more clip believing about this absorbing issue. I realized that it is necessary to analyse how the nature of perceptual experience relates to world. and to science. The jobs of perceptual experience do non merely lie on the topic of metaphysics but besides on the context of epistemology. Discoursing wide philosophical places about the nature of perceptual experience is the first measure to organize my ain position on perceptual experience. Identifying and comparing sensible readings and support of assorted averments is hence a key to successfully solidifying my statement. I would wish to get down by presenting my thoughts on comprehending the universe that I am presently populating in. In my sentiment. my perceptual experience towards the universe would depend on how to cover with seemingly obvious truths about my experience of the universe with the possibility of peculiar types of perceptual mistakes. Although I make myself unfastened to the world. this fact of openness is sometimes frightened by the being of certain semblances. For this ground. philosophical hypothesis of perceptual experience demands to react to this menace by supplying an history of perceptual experience that preserves cardinal and important characteristics of perceptual experience. Materialism argues that there exists some order of world that is independent of the human head. consciousness. and perceptual experience. Harmonizing to philistinism. there is a existent stuff universe. which consists of affair and energy and obeys some natural Torahs independent of human head. Equally far as I understand. this epistemic philistinism argues that logical experience does non incorporate a theory about what world is. but instead about how we should handle world. This epistemic philistinism argues that all statements should be meaningful. and that in order to be meaningful a statement should be testable and verifiable. carving off metaphysics. Testable statements must so mention to scientific belongingss if perceivers are to hold. Therefore. statements of head. reflecting internal feelings. ideas. and motivations are nonmeaningful unless they display some physical alteration or behaviour. Materialism seems to offer a simple and efficient position on world. which so appears to be in understanding with our experience and observations. Furthermore. philistinism besides seems to be the lone metaphysics most consistent with scientific cognition. But if the philistinism was clearly to be true. the universe would be without purpose and my life would be perfectly meaningless. Both being a moral homo through free will and taking duties for immoral actions would be psychotic belief. This is surely non the instance for all of us. We. as human existences. strive to give significances and intents to our lives. Idealism. on the other manus. argues that there is no order of world independent of human heads and morality. It gives supreme power to heads over other physical values such as organic structure. Material substances would hold no being independent of head. or while bing. this world may exhibit human values and morality. It may besides be true that reality’s basic nature could be mind in that our apprehensiveness of world is more determined by head than affair. Most dreamers believe that there is a cardinal integrity to the universe which is merely greater than the amount of its parts. However. I think that there is a close connexion between the being of our morality and the existence as our values connote something more to the existence than merely affair. Torahs. and physical substances. I might hold become the alone branch through physical procedures. and my head could still qualitatively differ. My head may be self-actualizing while the remainder of nature and world could be still the kingdom of affair. The world hence would be able to incorporate head and affair at the same clip. I would besides wish to underscore the importance of the nature of cognition. We need to admit that our centripetal cognition is in fact progressive as non everyone has precisely the same perceptual experiences and feelings of external world. We are genuinely chained to our organic structures and could merely appreciate cocksurenesss in the privateness of our heads. Hence. I believe that our cognition and perceptual experiences of world could neer be perfect. Beyond what we could cognize. world may still dwell of physical readings. Constructionism argues that perceptual experiences consist of representations that are constructed by the head that express external world. And perceptual experiences both involve aim from the universe and capable stuff supplied by head. In other words. my perceptual visions are being constructed and my experience contains the representations of that world. Basically constructionism is the consequence of via media between philistinism and idealism. As the major focal point of constructionism is to unveil the ways in which persons behave to organize the creative activity of their sensed world. it involves looking at the ways the universe is being created and shaped into world. For this ground. I believe that world could be seen as a uninterrupted and dynamic procedure while it is reproduced by human existences moving on our readings and cognition. My belief is closely in line with this position of constructionism. I think that everyone tends to construe and build a world based on his or her experiences and interactions with fortunes. Although the universe outside our heads is considered to be nonsubjective and stuff. it may still be perceived subjectively by us. depending upon different values and ethical motives each one of us holds. The treatment of the nature of world and its perceptual experience. nevertheless. does non stop here. It is important to look at this issue from a different point of position ; epistemology dimension. There exist two utmost statements for depicting the nature of cognition linked to the perceptual experiences. Positive scientific discipline. which is based on philistinism. explains that the lone true cognition one could larn about the nature of world is chiefly dependent on scientific discipline which provides nonsubjective cognition. But this position does non to the full explicate the nature of cognition. Intuitionism. which is based on idealism. asserts that there are different signifiers of cognition that the head has entree to. Therefore. no empirical probe is really necessary. We could barely separate above two different thoughts about the nature of cognition as they are closely linked to each other. In my sentiment. scientific discipline is used to turn out and formalize our intuitionism by demoing the existent theoretical accounts and informations. They both so provide us with a sense of justification for the nature of cognition. Recognizing that there are different philosophical places about the nature of perceptual experience and its relation to world. and to science is indispensable to successfully understanding the nature of world and cognition. We have discussed readings and review of the cardinal beliefs that explain the relationship between perceptual experience and world. As we know. it is non easy to merely reason which theory is the most powerful in explicating such a complicated topic. I believe. nevertheless. that the constructionism is the most plausible theory that holds valid statement along with the combination of positive scientific discipline and intuitionism. How we perceive the world non merely depends on the physical universe and stuffs but besides on the experience and ethical motives we retain. Scientific information and methods every bit good as intuitionism and penetration do play a important function in back uping the conceptual infinite produced by wide philosophical places. Because perceptual experience is a dynamic difference between the efforts of the universe to enforce a world and our attempts to transform this world into our ain position. it is of import for us to develop our ain position bit by bit. Therefore. my initial place towards the nature of world and scientific discipline may still alter and subsequently determine a new theory as we go through more surveies and treatments in the class of psychological science.

6 Idioms Using the Word for Dog in French

6 Idioms Using the Word for 'Dog' in French About 40 percent of the French consider their dogs the most important things in their lives. Thats good because there are 10 million of them  in France, which works out to about 17 for every 100 people. Many of the smaller breeds live charmed lives  in handbags, on restaurant chairs or eating gourmet doggie food; the countrys many hunting dogs are tolerated; dogs who chase cars apparently get chained up and sort of forgotten, and a lot of homeless pooches just run free. In the midst of all this is the growing French appreciation for the rights of dogs (and cats, horses, and other pets);  2014  legislation changes their Napoleonic-era status as personal property to living and feeling beings who can be protected from cruelty and inherit wealth.   French Idioms Featuring Dogs Although the French may have a hot-and-cold relationship with their dogs, they are a part of everyday French life and have been for centuries. So naturally, dogs appear often in popular French idioms. Here are six French-language idiomatic expressions using chien, the word for dog in French Actually, the  French word for dog can appear in one of three forms in expressions: as un chien for a male dog, une chienne  for a female dog, or un chiot  for a puppy. The latter is always masculine. Careful: The plural chiottes  is slang for toilets. Traiter quelquun comme un chien Translation: To treat someone like a dogMeaning: To treat them badly, physically or emotionally Mon boss me traite comme un chien;  il me parle agressivement, ne me fait jamais de compliment.My boss treats me like a dog; he speaks aggressively to me, never pays me a compliment. Avoir du chien Translation:  To have some dogMeaning:  To be attractive, to have a lot of charm. Used mainly for women Sylvie n’est pas vraiment belle, mais elle a du chien, et elle a beaucoup de succà ¨s auprà ¨s des hommes.Sylvie is not really pretty, but she has this special something, and she has a lot of success with men. Être d’une humeur de chien Translation:  To be in a dog’s moodMeaning:  To be in a very bad mood Oh la la, je ne sais pas pourquoi, mais je suis d’une humeur de chien ce matin!Oh my, I don’t know why, but I am in a terrible mood this morning! Avoir un mal de chien ( faire quelque chose) Translation:  To have a dog’s pain (to do something)Meaning: To be in a lot of pain OR to find doing something very difficult Hier, je me suis tordu la cheville, et aujourd’hui, j’ai un mal de chien.Yesterday, I twisted my ankle, and today, it hurts like crazy.​ J’ai un mal de chien faire cet exercice de grammaire.I have a very hard time doing this grammar exercise. Dormir en chien de fusil Translation:  To sleep like a gun’s hammer  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Meaning:  To sleep in a fetal position, curled up in  a ball​ Olivier dort allongà © sur le dos et moi, en chien de fusil.Olivier sleeps lying on his back and me, curled up in a ball. Se regarder en chien de faà ¯ence Translation:  To look at each other like china dog statuesMeaning:  To look at each other  in a coiled, aggressive way​ Ils se regardaient en chien de faà ¯ence et on pouvait voir la haine sur leurs visages.They were looking at each other with intensity, and you could see the hatred on their faces.

Examine the technology and design of the The Pheasantry in London Essay

Examine the technology and design of the The Pheasantry in London building from maintenance, innovation, environmental sustainab - Essay Example According to Allen and Iano (2008, p.203), a successful construction package should have a balance of these conflicting architectural design requirements. Building designers and constructors are increasingly facing a serious challenge of how to meet the meet the demands for newly constructed and renovated facilities such as accessibility, security and efficiency while at the same time minimizing the impact of their construction on the environment. On the other hand, considering the current economic challenges, it is also important to consider the cost effectiveness of renovating a building facility. In this regard, the renovation design and technology should also include sustainability initiatives to help reduce the environmental impacts and operation costs as well as improves the resiliency of the building. Located on the busy 152, Kings Road, Pheasantry is a historic architectural building that was originally used to raise pheasants for the previous royal households. The building h as a previously reinforced concrete skeletal frame as well as troughed structural floor slabs. On the other hand, the ceilings are suspended using a frame and tile system and the walls are mainly plastered. A wide range of floor finishes have also been used over the screed base and the internal walls that separate each letting space in the building are made of concrete blockwork for the purposes of fire compartmentation. It is also worth noting that all the windows currently installed are double gazed and some of the existing services include an air conditioning system. This report provides a critical appraisal of the proposal for construction package that is intended to be used for the modernization and renovation of Pheasantry building in London. Considerations in the proposed package solution There are a number of considerations that should be taken into account in the construction technologies that are proposed in the construction design package. First and foremost, the client w ho requested for the renovation of Pheasantry building had specified that each part of the proposed refurbishment should be able to provide good value for the money invested both initially as well as over its life cycle. For example, one of the major concerns of the client is how to avoid premature failure during the renovation Pheasantry building and the client also needs the modernization of the building to create a building that has an environmentally sustainable image. According to Hegazy (2002), the contemporary building construction designs are increasingly using an integrated and synergistic approach that takes all the phases of the facility life cycle into consideration. The design of the floor and the ceiling part of the building should be able to meet a number of sustainable requirements some of which include less environmental impact and reduced maintenance. For example, although floor is the most ignored surface when it comes to sustainable building design, there are a n umber of ways through with modern technology can be used to modernize floors and make them more sustainable. For example, an effective base for radiant heating of the floor can be included in the project construction package. Generally, sustainable design not only supports commitment to environmental conservation and stewardship but it also ensures the achievement of an optimal balance between costs, societal, environmental and other human benefits while at the same

The Story of an Hour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Story of an Hour - Essay Example icted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.†(213) I consider this as an important irony on which the entire superstructure of the story is built. Mrs. Mallard’s authentic reaction to the news of death is one of relief, though she begins to weep immediately as soon as she is told about it by her sister Josephine. This is the irony of her real state of mind and the state of mind which she wants the people around her to believe. Privately, she accepts the news of death as a matter of fact incident but immediately craves internally to live a long life. Thus the irony of the situation is, she considers Mr. Mallard as a constraint or a hurdle to her wellbeing and to live a fully contented life, according to her plan of actions. I see an element of irony in her ‘heart trouble’ that has double meaning. It is connected to her mental ailment. Her private world always craves for experien cing the joy of independence. With the breaking of the news of the death of her husband, latent joy engulfs her that she positively imagines that she has reached threshold of freedom. She feels liberated. It will be even correct to describe that she feels that she is born again. The excellence of Kate Chopin is evident in the manner in which she has succeeded in creating an ironic situation. Mrs. Mallard can’t be condemned for her private joy; rather her reaction is to be pitied, when Mr. Mallard walks back to her life again, hale and hearty. I see this ironic situation takes the full circle in the life of Mrs. Mallard. The greatest irony is, her death as a broken hearted woman, not because Mr. Mallard is alive, but her newfound dream of freedom is snatched away from her. Symbolism is the second literary element that has been used with telling effect in the story. The the story is full of symbols. Mrs. Mallard, on receiving the news of the death of her husband, moves to another room to experience the

Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index Essay Example for Free

Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index Essay The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index influences a businesss future decisions for ventures on foreign soil. Businesses use the index to compare countries for the most and potentially best prospective investment in order to profit from expansion. The FDI Index lists the top countries that are projected to be the most compelling to directly invest in fixed and variable assets in order to achieve management control (Ball, Geringer, Minor, McNett, 2010). According to Ball, Geringer, Minor, and Mcnett (2010) in International Business; The Challenge of Global Competition, â€Å"if a nation is continuing to receive appreciable amounts of foreign investment, its investment climate must be favorable. † Through analysis of projected countries for foreign investment, a company can determine if a foreign market is favorable to expand into since other companies are continuously investing in them. A.T. Kearney Inc., a global management consultant firm, researches and constructs the Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index periodically in order to assist and advise CEO’s across the world in multiple markets make the most informed business decisions. With offices in thirty- seven countries, A.T. Kearney has the presence and global notoriety that corporations lean upon for expansion decisions (A.T. Kearney Inc., 2011). The company’s vast experience advising top corporations in multiple industries lends credibility to the A.T. Kearney Inc.’s analysis of the constructed FDI Confidence Index. The FDI Confidence Index is a widely used tool that is compiled using analysis of many components. A.T. Kearney Inc. begins the research for the top countries to invest by surveying the top corporate executives of one thousand of the largest businesses throughout the world and account for more than two trillion in annual global revenue, (Laudicina, Gott, Pohl, 2010). These selected companies are representatives from forty-four countries across seventeen industries (Laudicina et al., 2010). A.T. Kearney compilation and calculation for the FDI Confidence Index is meant to capture a true audience’s opinion of the potential investment and expansion into foreign markets by observing a broad spectrum of companies business plan throughout their global investment perspective. The Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index survey questioned each CEO and took a weighted average of their responses on a scale of high, medium and low when asked for the â€Å"likelihood of the direct investment in a market over the next three years,† as presented by Laudicina, Gott, and Pohl (2010). The survey did not question the senior executives on the likelihood of investment with in their own country (Laudicina et all., 2010). Therefore, the index values are non-biased and are based true opinions from leading CEO’s for the most desirable countries to invest company assets. Other sources that are taken into consideration in the compilation of the Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index include data prepared by the United Nations. According to Investing in a Rebound: the 2010 A.T. Kearney’s Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index, â€Å"FDI flow figures are the latest statistics available from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)† are used to assist in the compilation of the ranking of countries (Laudicina et all., 2010). Also, Laudicina et all. (2010) includes the, â€Å"International Monetary Fund (IMF), investment promotion agencies, central banks, ministries of finance and trade, and major periodicals,† for insight to determine the rankings of each country. A.T. Kearney Inc. uses multiple resources for compiling the FDI Confidence Index in order to construct the most representative statistics for future foreign investments. Even though the FDI Confidence Index ranks countries upon the likelihood of future investments from non-source corporations, the economic market has globally taken a downturn. Laudicina et all. (2010) responds in the publication, â€Å"while conditions have improved, senior executives at the world’s largest companies remain wary of investing during the current climate, and few expect a full turnaround before 2011.† Top corporate executives, even though the market is down, still project potentially investment in equipment, structures and organizations in these top countries at a level that is sufficient to obtain significant management control within the next three years (Laudicina et all. 2010). The Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index is compiled by A.T. Kearney Inc., a well-respected global management firm, in order to assist corporations in capitalizing company assets in foreign countries. This list ranks the top countries of foreign investment by surveying top senior executives around the world, using Untied Nations data on foreign trade and other publications in order to compile the most thorough analysis for corporations to use for the most prospective countries for foreign ventures (Laudicina et all., 2010). Even though the global economy has taken a turn for the worse, corporations are continuing to foresee future foreign direct investment as a possibility for their company’s long-term business plan.

interlopers :: essays research papers

In a forest of mixed growth somewhere on the eastern spurs of the Karpathians, a man stood one winter night watching and listening, as though he waited for some beast of the woods to come within the range of his vision, and, later, of his rifle. But the game for whose presence he kept so keen an outlook was none that figured in the sportsman's calendar as lawful and proper for the chase; Ulrich von Gradwitz patrolled the dark forest in quest of a human enemy. The forest lands of Gradwitz were of wide extent and well stocked with game; the narrow strip of precipitous woodland that lay on its outskirt was not remarkable for the game it harboured or the shooting it afforded, but it was the most jealously guarded of all its owner's territorial possessions. A famous law suit, in the days of his grandfather, had wrested it from the illegal possession of a neighbouring family of petty landowners; the dispossessed party had never acquiesced in the judgment of the Courts, and a long series of poaching affrays and similar scandals had embittered the relationships between the families for three generations. The neighbour feud had grown into a personal one since Ulrich had come to be head of his family; if there was a man in the world whom he detested and wished ill to it was Georg Znaeym, the inheritor of the quarrel and the tireless game-snatcher and raider of the disputed border-forest. The feud might, perhaps, have died down or been compromised i f the personal ill-will of the two men had not stood in the way; as boys they had thirsted for one another's blood, as men each prayed that misfortune might fall on the other, and this wind-scourged winter night Ulrich had banded together his foresters to watch the dark forest, not in quest of four-footed quarry, but to keep a look-out for the prowling thieves whom he suspected of being afoot from across the land boundary. The roebuck, which usually kept in the sheltered hollows during a storm-wind, were running like driven things to-night, and there was movement and unrest among the creatures that were wont to sleep through the dark hours. Assuredly there was a disturbing element in the forest, and Ulrich could guess the quarter from whence it came. < 2 > He strayed away by himself from the watchers

Animal testing should not be banned Essay

For many years, animals have been used in research both in the scientific and medical fields. In order to introduce new drugs into the market, they have to be tested first on animals in order to ascertain whether they are effective or not. Animal experimentation in this context defines the use of non-humans, mostly animals, to test new drugs and consumer goods such as cosmetics, pesticides, herbicides, food additives, among others (Taylor 120). Pharmaceutical companies and research institutions have been active in animal experiments because these institutions are charged with coming up with new drugs. What has however been controversial with animal experiments is whether this procedure should be banned or not based on its ethical implications. Animal rights activists have been at the forefront in advocating for a ban on animal experiments based on the ethical issues associated with it. For those supporting the use of animals in experiments, the arguments that have been made include p ossibilities of medical and scientific breakthroughs, safety for humans, and accuracy of results. When the benefits of animal experimentation are weighed against the drawbacks, it is evident that the procedure is beneficial. Accordingly, animal experimentation should not be banned. First, animal experiments should not be banned based on the fact that it has been beneficial to humans and animals. With the recent technological advancement, substantive accomplishment has been made in the field of human medicine and science. In this regard, the use of animal testing cannot be underestimated. Taylor (132) maintains that animal experimentation has helped in unearthing new drugs that have helped to ease the suffering of humans from disease that was once witnessed in the past. Blakemore support Taylors point by indicating that vaccines for polio and cervical cancer, insulin, antibiotics, heart-bypass surgery, among others were all advances that were achieved through animal testing. For a patient to receive therapy or treatment, it has to be known that this originated from an arduous medi cal research involving animals. For instance, Blakemore uses an example of how people can easily forget the importance of animals in medical research. This is based on the fact that powerful drugs such as Avastin used to treat bowel, breast, and lung cancer were developed after research was conducted on mice. John Stein, the professor of Oxford Functional Neurosurgery Group also supports animal experiments because it helps to improve medicines and treatments  (Campbell). Some countries like the UK have even realized the benefits of animal testing in advancing the medical field (University of Bradford). However, UK has banned the use of animal testing for consumer goods such as for cosmetics production (University of Bradford). Critics have however been instrumental in indicating a number of ethical implications linked with animal testing. As the critics point out, animal testing is a procedure that does not take into consideration the rights of animals. As a matter of fact, animals are just like humans who require to be treated the way humans are treated. While supporting animal research, Taylor (120) however cites some commentators who argue that the experiment that involved testing cosmetics and other hazardous products on rabbits in order to know how long the rabbits would die was unethical. This experiment fundamentally was meant to test the level of toxicity of certain substances. As Taylor (128) echoes the sentiments of critics, this is an inhumane way of treating animals because â€Å"†¦ the suffering of any being ought to count equally with the like suffering of any other being.† These among other critical arguments have formed the basis of the opposing side of animal testing. It may be justified to talk in terms of animal ethics when there is justification that animals have actually been mistreated. Considering that few cases have been reported regarding inhumane treatment of animals, it should not however justi fy the lifting of a ban on animal testing. As a matter of fact, animals have helped a great deal in the scientific and medical field which has equally improved the quality of human life. From a practical perspective, the use of animal experiments guarantees the safety of humans. In order to ascertain whether drugs and other consumer goods are safe for humans, the use of animals becomes justified. Taylor (132) even supports this idea by indicating that very few animals are sacrificed during such experiments which help to not only save millions of people, but also animals. Opponents of this claim have however cited cases of animal suffering and deaths because of ineffective experimental procedures. Taylor (120) highlights a critical perspective regarding this issue by indicating that â€Å"Of course, Jennie was not human; she was a squirrel monkey. To do such a research on a human being would be immoral. The question then is, what justifies using a monkey?† Other commentators have also indicated the idea of injecting animals with toxins in the name of scientific advancement. Although these arguments may seem  plausible, it is however important to note that humans are practically more important than animals. It would thus be justified to assert that animal testing should not be banned. It has also been found that technological advancement has enabled results from animal testing to be more accurate with minimal harm inflicted on animals. Blakemore highlights the biological relationship that humans have with animals. According to the author, chimpanzees and some rodents like mice and rats share similar genes with humans. The way these animals respond to disease treatments is just the same as humans. Because there is no other alternative to test the effectiveness of drugs and consumer goods, the use of animals in experiments becomes justified. Blakemore reiterates that there are many incurable diseases such as Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, and multiple sclerosis which require quick research in order to find new treatment. Because researchers and scientists have the ability to achieve this objective, they need to use every tool available at their disposal in order to ensure that cures for such diseases are found. Critics of this argument have however maintained their stand regarding the futility of such efforts. As critics claim, some drugs have not been as effective as claimed. Indeed, some of the consumer products and drugs have had to be recalled because of ineffective experimental procedures which resulted in drugs not serving their intended purposes. It can be justified to agree to this assertion considering that animal experiments are products of human making which are subject to errors and flaws. However, with the recent advancement in technology, such cases have become rare. Taylor (134-136) posits that there are new methods such as computer simulation which allows existing information and data to be used by researchers and scientists to further improve on what had earlier been done. Banning animal testing would in this case amount to deteriorating health standards of people within societies. Definitely, animal testing has been a controversial issue considering that there are ethical implications associated with it. While this may be true, the benefits of this procedure however outweigh the drawbacks. For those who want a ban on animal testing to be lifted, the procedure is not ethical but only serves to infringe on the rights of animals. The arguments made by critics however are shortsighted because history clearly indicates that the drugs that people are using nowadays came as a result of animal testing. Fundamentally, animal  testing should not be banned because there are possibilities of future cures being unearthed, the procedure is safe for humans, and the results have been more precise. – approximately 5 billion animals are consumed as food annually – compared to that, only 17-22 million animals are used for in research annually – anesthesia is used today to numb the body during operations because it was successfully tested on animals => 6 % of animals do however experience pain, but this has to do with the research itself – the alleviation of pain would compromise the results => 61 % of animals used suffer no pain => 31 % of animals have pain relieved with anesthesia – AIDs research relies heavily on animal testing; other testing techniques aren’t optimized yet stem cells (SC) are a relative new way to perform testing. This will decrease the use of animals in the testing process. Furthermore, SC can show a specific organ’s reaction to a substance. The housing of the animals, feeding, carrying, treatments, controlling the environment, is very expensive oFinding drugs and treatments to improve health and medicine. There are already some lifesaving medical breakthroughs that are the result of animal testing, like open heart surgery, organ transplants, effective insulin, vaccines for deadly diseases, †¦ It is the most accurate way to learn the effects of substances in a living body Ensuring the safety of drugs and other substances Human harm is reduced and human lives are saved but also animal lives are saved because of animal testing. Many of the medications and procedures that we currently use today wouldn’t exist and the development of future treatments would be extremely limited. Many argue that the lives of animals may be worthy of some respect, but the value we give on their lives does not count as much as the value we give to  human life. Using cell cultures can only reveal side effects on a molecular level and cannot unfortunately, reveal side effects like organ failure, rashes, tumors, or cardiac arrest like animal testing can. Using computer models cannot always predict unknown variables that can be discovered with animal testing. Animals may not have the exact same philology as humans but animal testing is accurate enough to test whether a substance is even safe enough for human trials. Experiments must only take place if there is no alternative method that does not entail the use of animals. Animals involved must be those with the lowest degree of neuro-physiological sensitivity†. http://levmm1.wordpress.com/ https://proxy.zalmos.com/browse.php/q3ytFd7a/EB8_2FxG/0Ac0HzT3/2sRwgT7f/_2FYnbG9/OapnYXZM/HHfGlrE_/3D/b0/

Herr Samsa Is Content Essay

In ‘Metamorphosis’ by Franz Kafka, Gregor Samsa, the main character turns into an insect. Although many would argue that this transformation is literal, I would argue that Kafka uses it as a metaphor or some other form of symbol. If my theory is right, this metaphor is used as a means of portraying the dehumanisation and hence insanity of Gregor Samsa caused by the intense stress and demands of his daily job that he worries about so much. I also believe that Kafka uses the particular case of Gregor to represent a whole generation of workers that all fear the same fate. Herr Samsa, Gregor’s father, in particular fears this and having seen what he fears most in his son, he becomes violent and aggressive towards him; eventually delivering him a slow, gradual death. To support this argument, we find out that, even before the actual transformation, Gregor behaves strangely with regards to his work; studying train timetables for example. It is for this reason that I have decided to carry on with this idea. With Gregor dying at the end of the novella, I decided to use this metaphor of dehumanisation again and apply it to another one of the workers of the same generation as Gregor’s – his sister’s boyfriend that she has found since the Samsa family left their home to start a new life. In order for my adaptation of Kafka’s extended metaphor to be successful, I have had to adopt his style of writing, something that is very particular to Kafka. Kafka uses long sentences yet keeps the novella moving at quite a fast pace. This is because he pays great attention to detail and turns each detail into something significant. Despite this, he is not particularly descriptive concerning the settings that he has chosen in Metamorphosis. This has the particular effect of rendering the scenes of ‘Metamorphosis’ full of action and gripping for the reader. This is what I have tried to apply in my extension of Kafka’s fantastic tale. Grete watched her father open the door, pull his feet across the mat, throw his overcoat off his shoulders and drop it on the banister. He took both his daughter’s shoulders, smiled at her for a moment with an expression that could only be associated with pride and then gently kissed her forehead. He then moved on to the kitchen, Grete in his footsteps. Once there, he placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder, squeezed it, asked her what was for supper and, in turn, kissed her. Herr Samsa presently moved to the living room and with a pleasant sigh of relief he settled into an armchair and watched in amusement as Grete gazed fixedly at the clock on the wall counting down the seconds. At precisely five, the doorbell rang and Grete let out a little squeal of delight before glancing sheepishly at her father and rushing off to answer it. The same routine had not changed one bit for the last two months yet Herr Samsa could not complain. He knew that five was the time when he could afford himself the pleasure of watching his daughter’s face light up, making her even more beautiful; reminding him of the attractive and successful woman she was turning into. He had never been happier. Simple and polite but pleasant conversation came from the kitchen – a mixture of questions, exclamations and quiet laughter. Following this, Grete entered with Franz who greeted Herr Samsa with a gentle inclination of his head. â€Å"Ah! Franz my son! How are you? And how are things at work?† asked Herr Samsa. â€Å"Well, as you know sir, not too well I’m afraid. We all have a ridiculous amount of work to get through and I, for one, can hardly cope. The only thing that keeps a smile on my face is the prospect of coming to visit your daughter each evening.† Grete looked up at him adoringly and smiled before turning to her father with a face that begged no more talk of work matters. Accepting this, Herr Samsa looked at them both. â€Å"Very well. Off you go.† â€Å"Thank you, sir† replied Franz and he eagerly scuttled behind the beautiful young woman who led him to the parlour. Herr Samsa got up and poured himself a small glass of schnapps and settled back down into the warmth of his armchair. As he let his eyes close, he reflected upon how much better life was now. Even going back to work didn’t bother him in the least. He felt healthier and fitter than he had been in a long time and he was now always able to join in with the family walks on Sundays. Franz also came with them. The four of them would walk with their arms linked, talking and laughing with a spring in their step. Thus half an hour passed very happily for Herr Samsa before he was called to join the rest of his family at the dinner table. Grete was rather sullen right throughout the meal. Her usual manner of vigorously attacking her food was not there. Eventually, whilst Grete’s mother was in the kitchen, clearing the table, he asked her what the matter was. She dismissed the question with another intense stare at the table so her father thought it best to leave the matter alone. The next evening, the atmosphere at the dinner table was tense once again. Grete insisted on glaring sullenly at her plate. Again, Herr Samsa asked her what the matter was whilst his wife was busy in the kitchen. Once more, she tried to ignore him but this time, her father insisted and she lifted her face, covered in tears, before answering. â€Å"He’s exhausted†¦I can’t stand it anymore†¦he puts on a brave face†¦but with me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She desperately tried to control herself but burst into tears. Frau Samsa, who had come back into the room, put her arm round her and encouraged her to go on. Grete’s parents watched, bemused and shocked, for this was the first time they had seen her cry since they’d decided to restart their lives. Seeing the discomfort in her parents’ faces, Grete took a deep breath and started again. â€Å"He doesn’t complain about it but when we’re alone, he talks about nothing but work, almost as if he doesn’t know how to talk about anything else. Just last night, instead of talking to me, he spent two whole hours studying a train timetable! And he’s developed a regular twitch†¦spasms every now and then. He’s not really†¦my Franz†¦anymore.† The following evening, nothing changed. As always, Herr Samsa was met in the hallway by his daughter whom he embraced before making his way to the kitchen, in order to greet his wife. As Grete waited for the clock to approach five, she had the same anxious look on her face. But it faded and was replaced with a frown because as the hands hit five she heard a far-off cry. She glanced at her father but he obviously hadn’t heard it and so she continued waiting. She was silently surprised that Franz hadn’t turned up yet, despite the fact that it wasn’t even a minute past yet. As she continued waiting, now perched on the arm of one of the sofas, she heard another cry, closer this time and it resembled more a scream. Yet again, Herr Samsa had not noticed but he was watching Grete with amusement as she visibly became more and more nervous as the minutes went by. Once again, a scream came from up the road. This time, it was accompanied by the smashing of a window. Grete rushed to the living room window and pressed herself up against the window to see what was going on. The last cry had even managed to reach her father and he too had jumped out of the comfort of his chair to see what was going on. Both wore anxious looks upon their faces and as more shouts of terror approached their house, Frau Samsa joined them from the kitchen, wiping the backs of her hands in her apron as she walked. â€Å"Where’s Franz?† she asked immediately. A look of horror crossed Grete’s face as it occurred to her that the angry manifestation outside and Franz’s lateness could be linked. She tried desperately to see what was going on through the living room window but the angle wasn’t wide enough. A couple of flying stones and an apple came into her field of vision and with that she rushed to the front door with both her parents close behind her. It was as she grabbed the cold brass handle to pull the door open that she realised what this was. She remembered the conversation last night at the table and, sure enough, as she hastily poked her head through the door and looked down the street, she clasped her heart. Franz was there sure enough, scuttling desperately down the street, followed by an angry mob yelling at him in disgust and flinging stones of hatred at him. Before her parents were able to see anything, she ran back in, bolted the door and sunk to the floor. Bibliography à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka, translated by Malcolm Pasley, Penguin, 2000

reform of the voting system essays

reform of the voting system essays There are 659 MPs who are members of the House of Commons. In order to have a majority and form a workable Government, a political party needs 330 MPs. Currently, the composition of the Commons is: Social Democratic Ulster Democratic Unionist Party 5 (Stands as "Speaker seeking re-election") 1 In practice, you can see that because there are quite a few smaller parties, it would be possible to form a strong government with fewer than 330 MPs; however, such a government would also be vulnerable if all the opposing MPs voted against it. MPs each represent a constituency, a local area, such as Loughborough, Charnwood, Hertlepool, North Norfolk, Leicester South. Roughly speaking, the same number of people live in each constituency. At the 2001 General Election, the Isle of Wight had the largest number of electors - over 104,000. The smallest number of electors - some 21,900 - was to be found in the Western Isles. The constituency of Ross, Skye and Inverness West was the largest by area at 918,319 hectares. The smallest by area was Islington North at 727 hectares. At an election voters place one vote in their home constituency for the candidate they choose such as, Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Monster Raving Loony Party, Independent etc. The candidate with the most votes is elected to serve as an MP until the next election. In most cases the turnout (those who vote) is around 60%. The party with the most MPs across the whole country forms the Government. However, in some constituencies one party has such a high level of support that the other parties have little chance of winning. For ...

How to Format PHP Text

How to Format PHP Text So youve gone through the PHP  tutorials  or are new to PHP in general, and you can make some nifty things in PHP, but they all look like plain text. How do you jazz them up? Formatting PHP text isnt done with PHP; its done with HTML. You can do this in two ways. You can add HTML inside the PHP code or you can add the PHP code inside the HTML. Either way, the file must be saved as a .php or another file type that is allowed to execute PHP on your server. Changing PHP Text Color Using HTML Inside PHP For example, to change the PHP text color to red. Hello World!; ? In this case, the hex color number #ff0000 sets the PHP text that follows it to red. The number could be replaced by other  hex color numbers for other colors. Notice the HTML code is located inside the echo.   Changing PHP Text Color Using  PHP Inside HTML The same effect is achieved with the following code, which uses PHP inside HTML. In the second example, a single line of PHP is inserted inside the HTML. Although here it is only a line to make the text red in this example, it could be inside a fully formatted HTML page to get any look you want. Types of Formatting Available in HTML It is easy to make text formatting changes to PHP text inside HTML. Although many of these formatting commands have been suspended in Cascading Style Sheets, they all still work in HTML. Some of the text formatting commands that can be used include: Bold - Italic -      Underline -  Strike-out -   or  Small -  Font size -   , replace the ? with a number from 1 to 7, 1 being the smallestCenter text -   A complete list of text formatting tags is available.

Network security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Network security - Essay Example This organization has helped the company reduce costs, respond better to organizational needs and customer base to orders, and procure services quickly. The current security setup is consistent with the context of the organization and the network type as people accessing the network include employees of the company who are trusted to use the network in an ethical and legal manner. It has emerged that company communications and data relating to component stock planning, distribution and support are mostly use the network. The idea compels the company to constantly advance to motivate sales performance. Although VAC supply chain data and company communication is in accordance with the network current size of the local area network, the company has expansion plans that focuses towards increasing the size of the supply chain to include outside suppliers and customers. More importantly, the company aspire to communicate with its customers using its computer network and a wide area network WAN. The issue gives national connectivity, which is essential for its business agenda. It is with this respect that the paper will analyze the current LAN security considerations applicable in the company and propose a new network security applicable for the WAN connectivity. The stages of security analysis for VAC, network security design, security implementation and security management transpires elaborately. The proposed solution is highly anticipated to provide sufficient security for a bigger VAC using Wide Area Network to facilitate better communication with its customers and suppliers. The important concern in LAN is security, which is mostly evident in WLAN where a large number of information travels across the air in the form of radio waves. Wireless networks subjects to intense security threats as compared to wired networks. Since they are the latest focus of

The Role Self-Concept In Building Interpersonal Relationships Essay

The Role Self-Concept In Building Interpersonal Relationships - Essay Example Sales personnel can obtain the attention of the manager of some organization by applying his oily tongue, flattering techniques, and capability of glamorizing the scenario and articles to sell them to the customers and clients. A writer can capture the consideration of a magazine, journal or newspaper by writing the powerful article on the topic of public interest. Without self-disclosure in the present of the relevant authority, making sure headway leading to success is certainly tantamount to impossibility. It becomes evident that self-concept and self-disclosure turn out to be fruitful for the individuals to assess and estimate their abilities and exhibit the same while communicating with other members of society. Attributed to the unprecedented technological advancements, the contemporary era is frequently regarded to be the age of perfect competition, which has introduced revolutionary alterations in all fields of life, including the corporate sector all over the globe. The comp anies hire the services of highly qualified, proficient, confident and brilliant personnel against the positions in different departments with the aim of ensuring a powerful penetration into the entire business environment in a successful manner. Not only this that the companies strongly recommend the development of self-concept in the employees, but also lay stress upon the observing of the same while demonstrating their interpersonal skills while entering into interaction with the management, co-workers, subordinates, and customers at large.

Compare and contrast save the children uk and actionaid uk Essay

Compare and contrast save the children uk and actionaid uk - Essay Example Within just 10 years it was able to stretch in many other countries such as Spain, France, Italy and Ireland. (ActionAid, 2010) Recently, it has reached 40 countries worldwide fighting poverty and helping over 13 million people. ActionAid is working with a motive to end poverty and providing children with quality education. It helps the poor in organization against injustice and to demand the entitlement of their rights from their government. (ActionAid, 2010) They have partners all over the world from large to small entities forming international networks and national alliances, working together for justice, giving education, working for women rights, working against diseases and imposing solutions for the currently faced organizations. Save the children is a UK based charity organization, set up for the rights of children and saving lives in emergencies. It also campaigns for the rights of children and providing a helping hand in their future. (Save the Children, 2010) Save the Children was set up 90 years ago, in 1919, by a women Eglantyne Jebb. (Save the Children, 2010) It was based in the UK. The organization has now extended to about 50 odd countries throughout the world and has been able to reach over 6 Million children worldwide. Governance refers to the operations and management of an organization or a country. It is governed by the board of trustees which is headed by Andrew Purkis, who has been the chair of three well known charities. (ActionAid, 2010) It has few of the most competent people taking prominent places in the board are responsible for the major decisions. The board works on the principles of accountability, transparency and honesty for the interest of the people. It operates with a framework of good governance as it tries to attain the concept of globalization by participating along with some of the famous organizations such as the World Trade Organization, International Monetary fund and World

HR development and talent management

HR development and talent management Human Resource Management is important to learn because in todays scenario every organization has this HR department. Basically this department work for the employees of the company. They take interviews; give their opinion to the admin department for the employee. In this assignment I try to describe importance of HRM, advantages of HRM, some activities which actively taken by HR person for their employees and company benefits. I also mention why training required in any company. Also how its affect to the companys development, advantages and disadvantages of training, objectives, importance of training and development in organization. TASK-1 INTRODUCTION OF HRM Human Resource Development (HRD) is the framework for helping employees develops their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and abilities. Human Resource Development includes such opportunities as employee training, employee career development, performance management and development, coaching, mentoring, succession planning, key employee identification, tuition assistance, and organization development. The focus of all aspects of Human Resource Development is on developing the most superior workforce so that the organization and individual employees can accomplish their work goals in service to customers. Human Resource Development can be formal such as in classroom training, a collage course, or organizational planned change efforts. Or, Human Resource Development can be informal as in employee coaching by a manager. Healthy organization believes in Human Resource Development and covers all of these bases. There is a long-standing argument about where HR-related function should be organised into large organization, e.g. should HR be in the Organisation Development department or the other way around? The HRM function and HRD profession have undergone tremendous change over the past 20-30 years. Many years ago, large organisations looked to the Personal Department, mostly to manage the paperwork around hiring and paying people. More recently, organisation consider the HR Department as paying a major role in staffing, training and helping to manage people so that people and the organisation are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner. Recently, the phrase talent management is being used to refer the activities to attract, develop and retain employees. Some people and organisations use the phrase to refer especially to talented and/or high-potential employees. The phrase often is used interchangeably with the field of Human Resource Management although as the field of talent management matures, its very likely there will be an increasing number of people who will strongly disagree about the interchange of this field. For now, this Library uses the phrases interchangeably. OBJECTIVES: Societal objective: To be socially responsible to the needs and challenges of society while minimizing the negative impact of such demands upon the organisation. The failure of Organisations to use their resources for societys benefits may result in restrictions. For example, societies may pass laws that limit human resource decision. Organisational objective: To recognize that HRM exists to contribute to organisational effectiveness. HRM is not an end in itself; it is only a means to assist the organisational with its primary objectives. Simply stated, the department exists to serve the rest of the organisation. Functional objective. To maintain the departments contribution at a level appropriate to the organisations needs. Resources are wasted when HRM is more or less sophisticated than the organisation demands. A departments level of service must be appropriate for the organisation it serves. Personal objectives. To assist employees in achieving their personal goals, at least insofar as these goals enhance the individuals contribution to the organisation. Personal objectives of employees must be met if workers are to be maintained, retained and motivated. Otherwise, employee performance and satisfaction may decline, and employees may leave the organisation. IMPORTANTS OF HRM ACTIVITIES. We must understand the importance of HRM in any organization. Here I mention main theories of HRM, how they work in organisation. Performance appraisal is concerned with de determining how well employees are doing their jobs, communicating that information to the employees and establishing a plan for performance important. Training and development activities help employees learn how to perform their jobs, improve their performance and prepare themselves for more senior positions. Career planning and development activities benefit both employees (by identifying employee career goals, possible future job opportunities and personal improvement requirement) and the organisation (by ensuring that qualified employees are available when needed). Employee motivation is vital to the success of any organisation. Highly motivated employees tend to be more productive and have lower rates of absenteeism and turnover. These theories are affecting and work differently in. Here I take Solar industries. In industry there are different department for different work. Each department has their own responsibilities. Each and every employee has duties and they know how to work and when and where they want training for their improvement. Managers also know where are their employees and they motivating them to achieve target and goal. In solar industry Human Resources department is important. This department choose the employees because of their talent, education, and work experience. After selection of employees they send them for training. After joining they have whole data regarding their work, development, how they utilise their knowledge for company benefit. Admin department also look after of all these things. Because they decide employees payroll and what work force they want. IF employee works well they provide financial appraisal. Solar Industries have developed the type of modal in HRM. If company have to change our weakness they want to adopt that type of bullet key. We can see the best example of TATA INDUSTRIES PVT . LTD. They also apply good training, good management, good recruitment. That is very important to the company because they approach the goals and objective TATA INDUSTRIES PVT.LTD Tata Industries is one of the best largest industry to india. Tata to explore the more item to the india Company are adopt HRM MODAL Employee motivation Future Plan Promote employee capability Company Development Employee job structure Company are follow this process for develop HRM in his company. HPWS Model:- This paper focuses on constraints on the effectiveness of high performance work techniques deriving from the traditions of craft-based trade unionism and long-established structures and fundamentally managerialist nature of HPW accounts that assume labours position in the high-performance equation to be simply one of recipient of managerial initiatives. Abstract HPWS are changing the structure and content of work. Jobs are being redesigning to give front line employees the opportunity to make work-related decisions. Front-line workers in HPWS have greater autonomy and control over job tasks and methods of work (Hackman and Oldham 1976, 1980). Without autonomy, discretionary effort would be tightly circumscribed by preset management limits on individual or group activity, and workers would have few opportunities to participate meaningfully in substantive decisions. Communication, autonomy, problem solving, and decision making by front line workers can exist within a variety of organizational settings, but many managers believe that they are enhanced when carried out within groups or teams. Benefits of HPWS HPWS are built on key business process that deliver value to customers, as there processes and customer relationships change, so too should the work system They are flexible, and, therefore more easily adapted When changes occur, it should be guided by the clear understanding of the business needs and exhibit a close vertical fit to strategy. Conclusion Solar Industry are suffering in staff skill and develop at levels of company have to managing human effort, environmental resources, and corporate resources. Company have use the importance of activity in company If company are appointed HR director so he has to be follow all condition which required for solar industry. Company want to apply HRM Strategy HR Strategy is a document to show the employees in HRM and the rest of the organisation the main imperative and key initiatives of Human Resources to be achieved and how they will impact the whole organisation. RECOMMENDATION: Solar Industry are care to the entire factor. Now they applying today company are not going well. As indicate to high labour turnover rates. Recruitment problems. Succession problem, and some doubts about the leadership. So they company solve the problem and correct to the problem. TASK-2 Training and development in solar industry Introduction Training and development is a subsystem of an organisation. It ensures that randomness is reduced and learning or behavioural change takes place in structured format. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT DEFINED It is concerned with the structure and delivery of acquisition of knowledge to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of organization. It is concerned with improving the existing skills and exploring the potential skills of the individual i.e. upgrading the employees skills and extending their knowledge. Therefore, training is a key to optimizing utilization human intellectual technological and entrepreneurial skills Training and development referred to as: Acquisition and sharpening of employees capabilities that is required to perform various obligation, tasks and functions. Developing the employees capabilities so that they may be able to discover their potential and exploit them to full their own and organisational development purpose. Developing an organisational culture where superior-subordinate relationship, team work, and collaboration among different sub units are strong and contribute to organisational wealth, dynamism and pride to the employees. INTRODUCTION OF TRAINING It is a learning process that involves the acquisition of knowledge, sharpening of skills, concepts, rules, or changing of attitude and behaviours to enhance the performance of employees. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES The principal objective of training and development division is to make sure the availability of a skilled and willing workforce to an organization. In addition to that, there are four other objectives: Individual objectives Organisational objectives Functional objectives Societal objectives Individual Objectives help employees in achieving their personal goals, which in turn, enhances the individual contribution to an organisation. Organizational Objectives assist the organisation with its primary objective by bringing individual effectiveness. Functional Objectives maintain the departments contribution at a level suitable to the organisations needs. Societal Objectives ensure that an organisational is ethically and socially responsible to the needs and challenges of the society. IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT It helps to development human intellect and an overall personality of the employees. Productivity Training and development helps in increasing the productivity of the employees that helps the organisation further to achieve its long-tem goal. Team spirit Training and development helps in inculcating the sense of team work, team spirit, and inter-team collaborations. It helps in inculcating the zeal to learn within the employees. Organisation Culture Training and development helps to develop and improve the organisational health culture and effectiveness. It helps in creating the learning culture within the organisation. Organisation Climate Training and development helps building the positive perception and feeling about the organisation. The employees get these feeling from leaders, subordinates, and peers. Quality Training and development helps in improving upon the quality of work and work-life Healthy work-environment Training and development helps in creating the healthy working environment. It helps to build good employee, relationship so that individual goals align with organisational goal. Health and Safety Training and development helps in improving the health and Safety of the organisation thus preventing obsolescence. Morale Training and development helps in improving the morale of the work force. Image Training and development helps in creating a better corporate image. Profitability Training and development leads to improved profitability and more positive attitude towards profit orientation. Training and development helps in developing leadership skills, motivation, loyalty, better attitude, and other aspects that successful workers and managers usually display. Development of Human Resources Training and development helps to provide an opportunity and broad structure for the development of human resources technical and behavioural skills in an organisation. It also helps the employees in attaining personal growth. Development of skills of employees Training and development helps in increasing the job knowledge and skills of employees at each level. It helps to expand the horizons of human intellect and an overall personality of the employee. ADVANTAGES OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Increased job satisfaction and morale among employees Increased employee motivation Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in financial gain Increased capacity to adopt new technologies and methods Increased innovation in strategies and products Reduced employee turnover Enhanced company image, e.g., conducting ethics training Risk management, e.g., training about sexual harassment, diversity training. REPORT FROM HR CONSULTANT TO BOARD OF DIRECTOR SUBJECT RECOMMEDATION TO LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT IN SOLAR INDUSTRY Training and development is one of the best advantage to the process of our company. Company to use the training and development to the best practise to in organisation. They need to be used the progress of company to training and development in solar industry. CONCLUSION: Training and development to need the every company. Because the company staff is using the training to the company. And they also need to the learning development process. Company use the best way for high approach to the future goal and objective. TASK-3 INTRODUCTION Talent Management refers to the process of developing and integrating new workers. Developing and retaining current workers. And attracting highly skilled workers to work for a company. Talent management in this context does not refer to the management of entertainers. The term was coined by David Watkins. The process of attracting and retaining profitable employees, as it its increasingly more competitive between firms and strategic importance, has come to be known as the war for talent REPORT From- HR CONSULTANT To- Board Of directors Subject- Recommendation about Talent management Talent management to need to the our company because Talent is most important to the objective and goals, Talent management is using the our benefits and approaches to the our company. Many Company using this talent management they need to company profit. They using the system view of talent has five elements Need- the business need derived from the business model and competitive issue. Data collection the fundamental data and intelligence critical for good talent decision Planning people/talent planning guided by data analysis. Activities the conversion of plans into integrated sets of activities. Results costs, measures and effectiveness criteria to judge the value and impacts of TM. CONCLUSION: The current discussions about traditional understanding, current application and integration with business strategy are also helping organisations to focus on the talent management issue. It may not possible to simply go out and recruit new people to meet operational needs. Many leading companies have decided to develop their own people, rather than trying to hire fully skilled workers.

Sherlock Holmes - I am lost without my Boswell. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. :: English Literature

Sherlock Holmes - I am lost without my Boswell. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes- I am lost without my Boswell. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859, and had a good education. He received a tax demand a year after he married which prompted him to try to earn some extra money. At first he tried to get short stories published in the cheaper magazines of the time, but with no success. His big break came when Lippincott's Magazine, in the USA, offered Doyle an advance to write another Holmes and Watson story. His success continued, and he was knighted in 1902. He continued writing until he died in 1930. The three Sir Arthur Conan Doyle detective stories I have studied are: 'The Speckled Band', 'Scandal in Bohemia', and 'The Copper Beaches'. I am going to talk about the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Holmes is the hero of the stories; he is a very clever detective who is exceptionally particular to detail. His powers of detection are breathtaking and he loves an intellectual challenge. He is usually calm and controlled, his behaviour is often eccentric and, emotionally he comes across as cold, detached and aloof. His romantic life is never referred to yet his admiration for Watson is clearly genuine. Despite his faults, he is also honorable and very brave. Watson is the narrator of the stories. He tells the story but is not as clever as Holmes, and he often fails to understand the significance of certain events and often misses what Holmes can see as a clue to the mystery. He is faithful companion to Holmes. Uncomplicated and trustworthy, Watson is portrayed as being slow and dimwitted, when compared to Holmes, a perfect ally to Holmes' acute intellect. The Speckled Band, is, in my opinion, the best out of these three stories. It is the most exciting and I think Holmes enjoys the case because of the intellectual challenge. It involves the Roylott family who lived at Stoke Moran. Helen Stoner consults Holmes when her sister dies in suspicious circumstances. At the beginning of this story, Miss. Stoner comes to see Holmes about the case, and accepts the Watson is Holmes' sidekick, 'This is my intimate friend and associate, Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as freely as before myself.' This also happens in The Copper Beaches. When Miss. Hunter writes a letter to Holmes stating that 'I am very anxious to consult you'. From the start of this particular story you can see that Watson is hard working, and has a willingness to help Holmes in any way possible.

Changing Attitude Towards Child Sex Preference Essay

This paper focuses on the intensity of preference for sons over daughters in anticipation of old age security both physically and financially, and its impact on the care and support/ well-being of the elderly in Nigeria in general, and in particular among the Yoruba of Southwest. The paper examines the impact of social change on child sex preference as old age security. Before delving into the theme of the paper, the concept of social change was briefly discussed. The reasons for having children generally are discussed, child sex preference among the elderly were equally analyzed; the pattern it took before now, the changes that have occurred and the attitude of parents toward child sex preference as old age security in the contemporary Nigerian society were equally examined. The effects of sex preference and other socio-economic factors on the status of the elderly and its implications for the family were mentioned. Various literature and theoretical models on the subject matter were reviewed and finally, a general conclusion was drawn. Introduction Startling transformations have occurred all over the world, particularly on the mode of caring and supporting of older persons and there are a number of important issues, which arise as a result of these transformations and the major structural shift in the population. One of these issues is the concern of social gerontologists for the needs of older people for support in the society. Although, it should be mentioned at this uncture that this transformation (that is, social change) affects different people in different ways, depending on sex, location, size of cohort, economic resources (individual, familial and national), norms inherited from the past and individual’s live experiences and personality. For example, marital status and earlier patterns of childbearing are significant factors influencing the nature of the support available in old age. While co-residence of older persons and adult children is common in many developing countries, the tendency worldwide is for this arrangement to become less common. This has direct consequences for economic security, especially in the numerous societies (and particularly, their rural sectors), where pensions are paid only to a small proportion of older persons who are eligible because of earlier employment in the former sectors or few older persons who were able to save or invest for their old age. Even in countries where pensions are more generally available, the burden of an ageing population is increasingly being regarded as unsustainable, particularly since there is an increasing tendency for those able to do so to take early retirement. For many, especially women, there is a real threat of poverty in old-age, and this problem may be exacerbated by social exclusions and the deteriorating health conditions experienced by many older persons particularly, women at more advanced ages. Care of the frail and disabled becomes increasingly problematic, both in terms of stress placed on care providers and care-givers and also the mobilization of the appropriate resources of families, agencies and programmes to meet even the basic needs of older persons. According to Peil (1991), as life expectancy rises, young couples are more likely to be called upon to provide for their older parents than these parents were at the same stage of the life cycle, at a time when increasing emphasis on educating one’s children, rampant inflation and widespread unemployment of young adults make adequate provisions for older parents difficult. The situation among older people without children of their own were even more pathetic. For instance, old people who have no living children tend to risk the chances of isolation and lack of support. Personality is another very crucial factor to be considered; this is because, personality can make considerable difference to the help received. For example, an older person who was hard to get along with is more likely to lack support than the cheerful old person who gets along well with family and neighbours (Peil, 1991). All these are important variables, which determine whether individuals will receive adequate care and support from family and society. It is evident from the various literature that, very little attention has been paid to older people of modern industrializing societies of the world. In Nigeria for example, as well as in most developing countries, the need to plan for the welfare of older persons has received very little attention. There are clear evidences of lack of formal social support services for older people in Nigeria, such as Social Securiy, Pension, Health Insurance Scheme, Old Peoples Home, etc. One of the explanatory factors arises from the belief that the existing extended family system generally protects and provides for the welfare of old people in rural and agricultural societies. Hence, where an older person is childless, his/her brothers or sisters or even the children of his siblings are believed to be responsible for his/her maintenance. This may not be unconnected with why most policies, programmes and projects in the developing countries such as Nigeria have been concentrated on the children and the youths at the expense of older persons in the country. Both national and international organizations are seen working tirelessly on programmes and projects that would benefit the children and the youths, forgetting that the children and the youths of today would be the adult and older persons in the near future. Such beliefs and practices give the impression that the aged, unlike children, represent a discomforting second-order dependency on the younger working generation. But it should be mentioned at this juncture that old people are not always dependent on others for survival. For example, old age may not necessarily symbolize dependency especially in modern Nigeria in which the possession of landed property by older people and access to business opportunities may earn them some income. Hence, while it is generally believed that old people in general depend on the younger people for their survival, it can be equally true that some younger people do depend on such old people for their survival. In fact, some older persons in Nigeria may be rich enough to provide educational assistance for the children of their brothers and sisters as well as their own. Put differently, the prevailing view of older people as a ‘social problem’ emphasizes the ‘burden’ of older people in the population. This negative and blinkered vision has almost entirely neglected the provision of care by older people themselves, although there are some notable exceptions. It should also be said that prevailing ‘social problem’ focus has stigmatized older people as a dependent and unproductive group. This negative stereotyping is partly because of invisibility of informal work as a contribution to society. Older people are givers as well as receivers through their substantial caring for other older people, unpaid domestic work, care for grandchildren and voluntary work. However, it should be mentioned that differences occur between male and female in terms of access to, and possession of wealth in the society. This, in turn, leads to differences in the care and support given and received by older men and women in the society. This we must emphasized has affected older persons’ attitude towards child sex preference as old age security globally and particularly in Nigeria society. A pronounced preference of parents to have male children has been noted in a number of countries, although a desire for a balanced number of sons and daughters is also common (Williamson, 1976; Arnold and Kuo, 1984). Son preference is particularly prevalent in countries with strong patriarchal system or tradition (Cleland, Verrall, and Vaessen, 1983; Cho, Arnold, and Kwon, 1982; Freedman and Coombs, 1994). The extent of son preference has been the subject of considerable discussion and debate in most literature. Sons are preferred for a variety of reasons, including family name propagation, old age security, provision of labour, and the performance of ancestral rites (Wolf, 1985; Zhao and Zhu, 1983). Also, the Fifth National Women’s Congress (1983); Haupt (1983); Li (1982); Liu (1984); Tien (1985); Wolf (1985); all maintained that traditionally, sons were considered advantageous for two economic reasons, namely: support for their parents in old age and the provision of labour for the farm or family business. They argued further that the former is still an important consideration in most societies, despite the recent introduction of some forms of social security. So much has been written about social change that it is really not of much use for us to start a process of seeking definitions. At the level of the daily lives of ordinary citizens, it is even doubtful whether our people are really interested, one way or the other, in what intellectual ideas may really be. It is the manifestations of their collective cynicism towards this concept that one feels ought to worry us, unless we are able to capture the reasons for this drift, we run the risk of merely speaking to ourselves. The concept of social change may mean different things to different people, depending on the available indicators in any given social milieu. Many sociologists view social change in the structure of society or alteration of the social structure (Morris Ginsberg, 1958:205). Others stress that social change is not only a change in the structure, but also in the functioning of society. According to Allen, (1971:39) social change comprises modifications in social systems or subsystems in structure, functioning, or process over some period of time. It should be mentioned at this juncture that quiet a number of scholars have adopted a number of different definitions/approaches to the study of social change at various levels. (For more details see Amitai (1964), Appelbaum (1970), DeVries, (1961), Peter, (1966), Moore & Ogburn, (1922), etc. ) In spite of the cynical attitudes of the people about the concept of social change, effort is made to give a working definition of social change within the context of this paper. Social change within the context of this paper can be defined as he transformation of culture and social institutions over time. It should be mentioned at this juncture that our society has experienced social change over the past two or more centuries. Nigeria, like any other country of the world, has changed particularly, in the area of agriculture, urbanization, industrialization, family/personal relationships. Social change has influenced nearly every aspect of our life. Although, we should also mention here that people are not equally affected by these changes. This is because social change affects different people in different ways, depending on sex, age, work experience, location, class, size of cohort, economic resources (individual, familial and national), norms inherited from the past, individual’s live experiences and personality. All these are important variables, which determine how individuals are advantaged or disadvantaged by their position. Reasons for having children In many Third World countries or societies, having a large family is an eminently rational strategy of survival. Children’s labour particularly that of sons is a vital part of the family economy in many peasant communities of Africa in general, and in Nigeria in particular. Children help on the fields, tend animals, fetch water and wood, and care for their younger brothers and sisters freeing their parents for other tasks. Quite early in life, children’s labour makes them an asset rather than a liability on family income (Betsy Hartman, 1998) . In urban settings, children often earn income as servants, messengers, etc, or else stay at home to care for younger children while their parents’ work. Among the Yoruba community in Nigeria, demographer John Caldwell (1982) found that even urban professional families benefit from many children through ‘sibling assistance chains’. As one child completes education and takes a job, he or she helps younger brothers and sisters move up the educational and employment ladder, thus the connections and the influence of the family spread. Another reason for having many children, according to Cain (1983) is security. According to him, in many Third World societies, the vast majority of the population has no access to insurance schemes, pension plans, or government social security. For instance, in Nigeria, little or nothing is known, said or done about social security, i. e. about how to guarantee the individual against want, poverty, destitution, disease and idleness which may be thrust upon him by the varied hazards and vicissitudes of social life: notably loss or suspension of income or means of sustenance, resulting from sickness, maternity, injury, invalidity, old age, death of a breadwinner or unemployment. According to Nwabueze (1989) there is no clear statement of policy regarding social security and little is spent on it by the state, except in the capacity of the employer. This neglect manifests itself in the hordes of the elderly people engaged in public alms solicitation in our urban cities in the country at large, and most especially in southwestern Nigeria. One of the reasons adduced for the policy neglect is that, children are expected to care for their parents in their old age. Without them, one’s future is endangered. The help of grown up children, particularly male children, can then be crucial in surviving the periodic crisis-illness, drought, floods, food shortages, land disputes, political upheavals, which, unfortunately, punctuate village life in most parts of the world. Folbre (1983) further maintained that, in most developing countries of the world in general, and in Nigeria in particular, son preference can be another important motive for having larger families. The subordination of women means that, economically and socially daughters are less or not valued as highly as sons in many cultures, particularly among the Yoruba of the southwest Nigeria, most especially in the traditional era. Not only does daughters’ domestic work have less prestige, but daughters typically provide fewer years of productive labour to their parents, and leave home to live with their husbands and in-laws shortly after puberty. Son’s preference, combined with high infant and child mortality rates, means that parents must have many children just to ensure that one or two sons survive so as to serve as old-age security, most especially in the face of economic uncertainty. As a corollary to the above point, Lappe et al (1979) maintained that in the 1960s, an Indian couple had to bear an average of 6. 3 children to be confident of having one son who would survive to adulthood. Male dominance in the family, patriarchal social mores, the systematic exclusion of women from the development process, and the absence of decent birth control services combine to force many women into having more children than they want. Put differently, the social environment, in effect, leaves them (women) little or no reproductive choice. Thus, there is tendency among them, to have more children in order to guarantee the future of the lineage. Sex Preferences and Worldwide Patterns Parental preference for sons over daughters is a common phenomenon in many parts of the world. Son preference has been well documented in a large number of countries, including Nigeria. But the degree of such preference varies substantially from one country to another, depending on such factors as the level of economic development, social norms, level of education, cultural and religious practices, marriage and family systems, degree of urbanization, and the nature of social security systems available. The preference for sons tend to be particularly pronounced in developing countries, in rural areas, and among more traditional couples and couples of lower socio-economic status. Although son preference is still common even in many economically developed countries (Bennett, 1983), this preference often exists side by side with parents’ desire to have, at least, one child of each sex. The World Fertility Survey (WFS) found that son preference was moderately strong in Lesotho and the Sudan, and very strong in Jordan and Syria. In Asia, son preference was found to be weak among women from Indonesia (except for the first child). The survey also found a moderate degree of son preference in Malaysia, Thailand, and SriLanka, and son preference was extremely strong in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and South Korea. The WFS result for Asia generally agrees quite closely with the findings of Williamson (1976), who reviewed the literature on sex preferences throughout the world in the mid 1970s (Arnold and Liu; 1986). Further, son preference has been found to be prevalent in all East Asia and among groups outside of that region that share a heritage of Confucian patriarchal tradition. According to Arnold and Kuo (1984:301), son preference in South Korea and Taiwan is both pervasive and extreme. This finding has been confirmed by a number of other studies (see Williamson, 1976; Coombs and Sun, 1981; Cho, Arnold and Kwon, 1982; Chung, Cha, and Lee, 1974). In spite of the foregoing, it should be mentioned that in some countries, couples exhibit little or no son preference, and there are even a few instances in which a preference for daughters has been documented. For example, WFS found that considerably more women wanted a daughter for their next child than a son in Jamaica and Venezuela (Cleland, Verrall, and Vaessen, 1983). The WFS also found little or no sex preference of any type in most South America countries, in parts of the Caribbean and in Kenya and so on, to mention but a few (Arnold and Liu, 1986). Sex Preference among the Yoruba Concern among the Yoruba of Southwest Nigeria about son preference, as an old age security is a long-standing one. Mao Zedong vividly depicted this problem in a talk with Edgar Snow in 1970. â€Å"In the country side, a woman still wants a boy child. If the first and second babies are girls, she will make another try. If the third one comes and is still a girl, the mother would try again. Pretty soon, there are nine of them, Then, the mother is already over 45 or so and she finally decides to leave it at that† (cited in Katagiri and Terao, 1972:2). A variety of historical, moral, ethical, and economic factors underlie son preference among the Yoruba of Southwest Nigeria. In the past, the male patriarch dominated the family in Nigeria, and the practice of ancestor worship gradually developed. Hence, the patriarchal family structure and the resulting strong preference for sons became institutionalized values among the Yoruba. These traditions also stress the importance of carrying on the family line through male progeny. Traditionally, apart from social prestige and the felt need to continue the family line, the existence of sons among the Yoruba is considered advantageous for two economic reasons. These are, support for their parents in old age and the provision of labour for the farm or family business. The former is still an important consideration in Nigeria in general, and among the Yoruba of Southwest in particular, despite the recent introduction of some forms of social security in Nigeria. Other reasons for sex preference among the Yoruba include son’s financial contribution to the family income; emotional support and the need for sons to meet religious obligations, and so on. Finally, the productive utility of sons is still an important factor underlying son preference among the Yoruba, where traditional notions about the appropriate division of labour by sex are still prevalent. Child Sex Preference, Old Age Security and the Welfare of the Elderly. Income in later life may come from a variety of sources, including earnings, family members, the children, the state or charity. The balance of these sources has shifted over time as a result of social change, modernization, urbanization, westernization, education of women, more women in formal sector of the economy, coupled with the cracks in the extended family tie and introduction of pension systems by government. In particular, older people’s economic reliance on their children or older people’s reliance on their children as old-age security has declined, allowing them the dignity of financial independence of kin. The twenty-first century has seen a dramatic shift in the sources of income of older people in both industrialized and non-industrialized countries of the world, but the changes differ profoundly according to gender. For men, the change has been from mainly earnings to mainly pensions, while for women, the change has mainly been from reliance on family members (particularly the children), to income from private business and the support from the spouse. Heavy reliance on private support and support from spouses have not guaranteed or ensured women’s economic security in later life and this has further led to gender inequality of income among older people (Ginn, 2001). Having said the foregoing, it is germane to mention that the old-age security and child sex (gender) preference are two highly controversial hypotheses regarding the influence of household fertility and welfare in less-developed and developing countries of the world such as Nigeria. The old-age security hypothesis postulates that in environments where parents face uncertainty about the ability to support themselves during old age, they would expect such support from their children (Raut, 1996:81-104). This motive could be strong particularly in rural areas of less-developed or developing countries such as Nigeria, particularly among rural dwellers of the Yoruba of Southwest Nigeria where available resources both financial and physical (materials) tend to yield low or negative interest. Therefore, these are not able to provide for parents’ needed welfare at old age, so that children may provide a more efficient hedge against old age disability risks (Raut, 1985; 1990; 1992; Nerlove and Raut, 1995; Cain, 1981; 1983; Nerlove, Razin, and Sadka, 1987 and Nugent, 1985). The gender preference hypothesis postulates that parents exhibit preference for having children of a particular sex. In most developing or less-developed societies, parents seem to have preference for sons rather than daughters. The preference for sons may be rooted purely in taste and cultural values or it could be the outcome of some economic calculations. For instance, sons generally stay with their parents, while daughters are married off to another household or family, so that sons tend to provide better support in old-age as well as augment current household income. The extent to which the preference for sons occurs as an economic response to underdeveloped capital markets and incomplete risk markets has been a long-standing issue in economic demography literature. Ben Porath and Welch (1976); Heer (1983); and Leung (1988) have examined the consequences of this motive for population growth, and sex ratio. Also, the consequences of child sex preference (sons preference) on the allocation of human capital and bequest among children have been discussed by Behrman, Pollak and Taubman, (1982). Generally, children are expected to provide long term net benefit streams by supplying labour for family enterprises, generating monetary income stream, providing for old-age security, and acting as a form of insurance. In a setting of risk and uncertainty, parents engage in strategies to influence the pattern and guarantee the reliability of long-term intergenerational benefit flows. Such self-interested strategies to promote parental well-being at old age include conditional inheritance benefits, practices controlling the mobility of children, and sex differentiated educational and nutritional investments. According to Fapounda et al (1988), West African parents invest more in the education of male children since the financial returns on their education are relatively high. On the other hand, parents are more oriented towards the receipt of a one-time financial payment, a bride price, from the marriage of their daughters than to an economically uncertain investment in their daughters’ schooling (Fapounda et al 1988). Caldwell further maintained that, in rural Nigeria, for example, one of the reasons for sons preference is that, male children (boys) produce more than they consume by the age of ten to thirteen; and by the age of fifteen their total production has exceeded their cumulative life-time consumption. Although, female children (girls) likewise perform a number of valuable economic tasks, which include helping their mothers with cooking and the post-harvest processing of crops etc. , this is insignificant when compared to the contributions of their male counterparts to the family economy (Caldwell, 1982). Today, the expected increase in the absolute number and proportion of the elderly raises serious concerns about their welfare in the country, particularly given the absence of social security scheme and formal social welfare services for the old in most African countries. A number of studies have therefore, focused on examining the extent to which the family is involved in providing assistance to the elderly (Peil, 1995; Apt and Katila, 1994; and Togonu-Bickersteth, 1989, 1997). All confirm that the families, particularly children, are the principal source of old-age support in the various African countries studied. It has also been found that assistance is usually offered by children to ensure some level of physical and economic survival for their elderly to the extent that the former can afford. By contrast, parents in industrialized countries and their affluent counterparts among Third World urban elite have much less need to rely on children either for labour or old-age security. The economics of family size changes as income goes up, until children become a financial burden instead of an asset (Folbre, 1983). According to him, when children are in school, for example, they no longer serve as a source of labour. Instead parents must pay for their education, as well as for their other needs, which cost far more in a high consumption society than in a peasant village. And there is often no guarantee that parents’ investment will buy the future loyalty of a grown up child. As economist Nancy Folbre (1983) noted, â€Å"The gift of education, unlike a bequest, cannot be made contingent upon conformity to certain expectations. Once given, it can hardly be revoked†. In industrialized societies personal savings, pension plans, and overnment programs replace children as the basic forms of social security. These social changes fundamentally alter the value of children, making it far more rational from an economic standpoint, to limit family size. Folbre (1983) also argued that as the value of children decreases, male heads of households are more willing to allow their wives to work outside the home, since the contribution of their wages to the family economy now exceeds the value of their household work. This further spurs low demand for children and less craze sex preference of a particular child.